Written for QLFC Round 8

Team: Falmouth Falcons

Position: Beater 1

Main prompt: Write about someone trying to start over

Optional Prompts:

(dialogue) "Everything in my life has lead to this moment

(object) leather jacket

Words: 1533

Teddy Lupin looked around his childhood bedroom, nearly empty save for the boxes stacked in the corner. A wave of emotions overcame him, cycling through nostalgia, excitement, fear, and guilt. He blew out a big breath, his chest heavy now.

He was looking at everything left of him, after ending his lease at his Diagon Alley flat and selling off nearly everything that was inside.

Teddy walked to his desk and picked up the framed picture, his parents smiling for the camera, and his mum giving his dad a big kiss, over and over again in a loop. It was the one he greeted every morning when he woke up, cried over when he was upset, and shared his hopes and dreams and accomplishments with. He watched for a moment, wondering if he looked as chuffed when Victorie kissed his cheek, if the corners of his eyes crinkled the same as his father's.

"Hi Mum, hi Da," he whispered, smiling back at them. "I hope you're not mad, watching me from wherever you are. I know that leaving is the arsehole move, but I can't be here anymore. It hurts too much." As usual, they kept smiling and kissing, unaware of the weight he was carrying on the other side of the frame's glass. "I'm sorry," he added, placing the frame back on the desk as gently as possible.

He touched the letters stacked on the desk, one for his Grandmum, one for Harry, one for Draco, and one for Victorie. He ran his hand under her hastily scratched name, imagining her honey laughter and raspberries kisses. He groaned, turning away from it, trying to shut out the feeling of her in his arms.

"You'll be better without me," he mumbled, thinking of how his own baggage would only weigh her down. "You deserve someone who doesn't have anything to prove."

"Time to go then," he said quietly to the empty room. He reached for the leather jacket slung over the back of the chair, but his hand froze. It'd been Sirius Black's jacket, which his father had held onto. Teddy had found it at 10 while sorting through his parents' things in his grandmum's attic, a common hobby of his at the time, a way to fill the longing in his heart to know his parents. Once he showed his grandmum and heard the story behind it, he'd put it on and rarely parted with it since. When he was a child, he saw it as a way to wear his father's legacy around him like armor. As an adult, he saw it for what it really was: a security blanket.

"Time to start fresh," he reminded himself in a strained mutter, his hand falling to his side. He glanced around the room one last time, eyes lingering on the leather jacket, before picking up his bag and turning out the door.

He felt the heaviness leave him, lighter with each step away from his past and toward his new future. Teddy Flooed to the Ministry, planning to take an international Portkey to Paris, then catch a Muggle flight to America to cover his tracks.

"Teddy?" a familiar voice rang out, before the sound of quick heels clicking on the marble floor of the Ministry lobby came closer. "My love, what are you doing here?"

"Victorie," he said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was watching them before taking a moment to look at her. She was angelic, blonde hair piled into a crown on her head like a halo, cheeks pink and plump lips glossy. His heart skipped a beat as he caught her blue eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"My parents wanted something dropped off for Uncle Ron, Uncle Harry, and Aunt Hermione. I volunteered to get out of the house," Victories explained with a smile. "Too crowded with everyone at home."

Teddy nodded, running his hand through his hair. She clocked him doing it and he cursed himself for picking up the habit from Harry.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked, her eyes falling to the bag and corners of her mouth turning down.

"Er, yes," Teddy said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I'm taking a vacation." He cursed his cowardice.

"Without telling me?" Her voice was growing colder.

"I wrote you a letter," he started, rolling his jaw.

"This isn't a vacation, is it?"

"I just - I need to start over. Somewhere new, fresh slate."

Victorie stared at him, unaccusing, but expectant. When he didn't offer any explanation, she sighed. "Why? Why would you run away now?"

"You don't get it - I was always going to. Everything in my life has led to this moment," he said, the words coming out so fast they practically blended together. "I know you understand a fraction of it, living in the shadows of heroes, every move being compared to venerated warriors." Teddy looked down at his feet. "But, I lived in the shadow of ghosts. At every turn I had someone telling me how I was just as smart as my Da or as brave as my Mum," he said, embarrassed by how his voice cracked. Victorie stepped closer, resting a hand on his forearm. "I couldn't do anything at Hogwarts without the legacy of their lives on my shoulders. If I made a mistake, it was like I was marring the memory of them. I thought after graduating, it would cool off. But it's only continued this year."

"It's okay, Teddy," Victorie said, slipping into a hug. "People just want to keep you connected to them, not upset you." As she held him, he took in a deep breath, comforted by her familiar lavender smell.

"But it does," he said into her hair. "I never got to know them, I'll never get to know them. And yet, here I am, responsible for their legacy. I just want to cut ties with the past, and be alone for a bit, untethered."

"You know what I think?" she asked, taking a step back and holding onto his shoulders. "I think a fresh start is a great idea."

"You….what?" he asked, looking down at her.

"From everything I've ever heard about your parents, I think this is what they'd want for you."

"To leave family behind?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. She huffed a laugh.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "To chase happiness."

Teddy sucked his cheek, trying to stop the smile that threatened to breakout across his face.

"You really are perfect," he said, tugging her close and encircling her waist. Teddy pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Did you break up with me in the letter?" she asked into his shoulder, making his stomach drop.

"Not exactly."

"Edward Lupin!" she exclaimed, breaking away and swatting him. "You didn't do it in person, on purpose." Victore gave him a pointed glare. "And you didn't even have the decency to do it in the letter?"

"I couldn't bring myself to write it - I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Victorie said, surprising him with her nonchalant.

"It- it is?"

"Yes, of course," she answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm coming with you."

"You're what?"

"I'm coming with you, you stupid boy!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms. "You may have been right about the fresh start, but you were hopelessly wrong about having to be alone to do it."

"But you - you - you don't even have any luggage!" Teddy sputtered, unable to think of all the reasons why she'd be better off without him, things he had listed only this morning.

"No, but where are you going? I can buy some. Saved up from working at Uncle Fred's store over the summers."

"I thought you'd be livid."

"Maybe if I had been not-dumped via letter. But I understand why you're going and what you need."

"And what about you? Why are you coming?"

"If I'm going to chase happiness, it would only ever be with you by my side," she said, grabbing his hand and intertwining her fingers with his. Teddy looked down at their hands, like two puzzle pieces coming together; they were a perfect fit.

"Let's go, together," Victorie added, her voice light. He nodded, unable to articulate anything nearly as romantic. "Where are we going, by the way?"

"Paris?" He chuckled as she lit up.

"Honestly, Teddy, it's like you wanted me to come after you anyway," she laughed, the sweet sound like an embrace, before she leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. Maybe she was right; maybe some part of his subconscious had been looking for something to hold on to.

As they walked hand in hand to get their Portkey, Teddy thought of the leather jacket, slung over the chair, heavy with memory and loss. He glanced over at the girl by his side, radiating with joy and new opportunity. Victorie had been right; a fresh start didn't mean being alone. Together they could create new memories, someday captured as an endless happy loop behind a frame's glass as someone else looked at them with a smile.