Enter for the Quidditch League Competition - Round 1 - Puddlemere United - Chaser 1

Prompt: Chaser 1: The Lover- Goal: connection OR Fear: isolation

Optional prompts used: 4. (dialogue) "You don't understand."/"No. But I want to."; 5. (emotion) hopeful; 15. (character) Teddy Lupin

Word count: 1.245

To connect to a loved one

Teddy Lupin always wished that he could have met his parents; everyone always says how brave they were, how they fell in love in the middle of the Second Wizard War, how his Dad was the best DADA teacher Hogwarts ever had, the way his Mum always made people laugh at Order meetings… He knew all this, but he wished that he could have some connection with them, besides memories of other people.

He doesn't share what he feels with many people; the only people that he talks about how he misses what he didn't even experience, is his aunt Hermione, his uncle Charlie and his girlfriend Victoire. Aunt Hermione met his father when he taught at Hogwarts, and knows many stories about his time with the Marauders, but this doesn't make her sad like when he tried to talk with his godfather; Harry still thinks that Teddy's parents deaths are his fault.

With uncle Charlie it's a little more difficult because he was his mother's best friend, her partner in crime, her brother in everything but blood; he has the coolest stories about his mother, about her years in Hogwarts and all the mischief that both had caused. When they talk, they feel like her spirit is among them, and this had helped Teddy more than he imagined it would.

But with Victoire, he had problems that he didn't think that he would have; of course she understands the pain and how he wishes that he could have his parents with him along the way, but she could understand him. How could she, when both of her parents were alive? It was one of the many discussions that they had.

"You don't understand," Teddy was saying for what looks like the tenth time in one hour, trying t be reasonable with his girlfriend.

"No. But I want to," Victoire said with a hopeful voice, trying to let Teddy share his fears and worries with her. "If you want us to work, you need to trust me, Teddy."

"I trust you, I don't trust myself when it's about them..." Teddy sounded so broken that Victoire did the only thing that she could think of: she hugged Teddy.

"Why are you so afraid to speak to me about your parents? I won't judge you, and I want to help you to be able to talk to them without feeling guilty about wanting to remember."

"How do you know that I feel guilty about wanting to remember my parents?"

"I know you for a long time Teddy, and I know how your mind works; you want to feel connected to them somehow, but are afraid about it."

"I'm not afraid to feel connect to my parents!"

"No, but you are afraid of talking about them, or asking things about them; you don't want to ask your godfather or your grandmother, because you're afraid to make them sad."

"I just wished that I had some way to talk with them without the sad part, without having them breaking or something," Teddy said with a hoarse voice and tears in his eyes.

Victoire knew that Teddy tried to maintain some composure, so people wouldn't think that he was weak so that no one would pity him. She doesn't pity him, but she always tries to reason with him, and maybe, one day he'll share his feelings with other people.

"Why don't you try to talk to them the same way that you talk with me? You know, saying that you want to remember them or discover something new?" Victoire was hopeful that she could see her boyfriend see reason. "If you talk to them together, maybe this will help, right?"

"I don't know..." Teddy never looked so defeat before, and this was starting to scare Victoire.

"Teddy, what is really bothering you? You don't seem yourself today," Victoire softly said, seeing how distraught Teddy was.

"Their anniversary is coming and I'm afraid that, I don't know, if I don't do anything or don't talk about them, everyone will start to forget about them too," Teddy whispered, breathing hard and letting some tears fall; the scene broke Victoire's heart and made tears appears in her eyes.

"Nobody will forget them, Teddy, there's no way that could happen," Victoire hugged the boy and stroked his back. "You are the living proof that they will always be remembered, you are the proof that they loved each other and love you so much that they fought in a war so you could grow up in a better world."

"I know this, but sometimes I just miss them so much that my mind goes blank and I can't reason with myself," Teddy said, although that came out muffled since he was with his face on Victoire's neck. "I know that I don't have many memories with them, but sometimes I remember something and I don't know if it's real or not."

"You should talk about this with Uncle Harry; I think that he had the same memories with his parents," Victoire said so softly that Teddy almost didn't hear.

"I guess I'm afraid that this could upset him even more, you know? I don't want him to remember something that makes him sad, not after everything he's done for me," Teddy sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Victoire asked confused. Hearing the confused tone of his girlfriend, Ted sighed again and let go of the hug, bracing himself for what he was about to say.

"You know how he helped my grandma raised me, and I heard Uncle Ron saying to Aunt Gin how he still feels guilty for some of the casualties of the war, and I know that if I go talk to him about something silly like my memories he..." Teddy was saying, but Victoire didn't let him finish.

"Edward Remus Lupin! What do you think you are talking about? Uncle Harry loves you and I know that he will never dismiss you if you are true with what you're feeling! Merlin Teddy, the way you talk it's like you don't know our family," Victoire was breathing hard and looking at a scared Teddy. "Why are you looking at me like this?"

"I sometimes forget how scary you could be!" Teddy said with a hint of laughter in his voice which made Victoire smile. "I understand what you're saying, and I guess that I need to talk with my godfather and, I don't know, maybe do some plans for their anniversary?"

"I think that he will be happy that you went to him to talk about those things, and he'll be very happy to help you plan whatever is on your mind," Victoire was smiling and feeling hope growing in her chest. She knew that would take some time for Teddy to feel brave enough to share his feelings with his grandmother, but this was a beginning.

"Thanks, Torie, I knew I could always count with you," Teddy said with a little smile. "I love you."

"I love you too Teddy," Victoire smiled and kissed him. The kiss didn't last long, but the two teens knew how the other feels.

Teddy knew that he still had a long road to go through, but now he feels hopeful that he could talk to his family about his parents, without having them breaking or condemning him for wanting to remember. It's a good feeling, one that he is excited to feel more times.