The Houses Competition (or THC) Round 7

Story Type: Standard (up to 3,000 words)

House: Hufflepuff

Class: Potions

Prompt: (Object) Stuffed toy (can be any kind)

Word Count: 2375

Disclaimers/triggers:

Eep! I barely managed to post this in time but I wanted to stay with Teddy since he's a character I don't write a lot. Hope you enjoy!

Huge huge thanks to Misguided Penguin for jumping in with the beta and Story Please!

Teddy Lupin hadn't really been excited to go to Hogwarts. Despite his uncle Harry telling grand tales about all his fun adventures, it wasn't something the eleven-year-old lost much sleep over. He felt like the odd one out; he was standing on the platform amongst such cheer and wonder, but he could barely muster the strength to put on a smile for his nan's sake.

As soon as he'd waved the adults goodbye and scurried onto the train, he'd dropped the façade, no longer needing to fool anyone anymore. He swiftly changed his hair from vibrant blue to a dull, dirty blonde so as not to be recognised by anyone, and threw himself into the first empty compartment he found, already counting down the days until Yule.

It wasn't that he was upset to leave his family like the few crying stragglers that barely made it on the train in time. No, Teddy was old enough to be able to stand on his own. Though, if he was being honest with himself, family was the reason for his feelings of apprehension. As the scenery transformed from city blocks to brilliant British countryside, the young wizard allowed his mind to drift back to the last time he'd boarded the Hogwarts Express.

Teddy clutched his Nan's hand tightly, the crowd on the platform making him want to crawl back into her arms, even though he was a big boy now and big boys didn't get carried around. Instead, he hugged his little stuffed wolf to his chest tighter, nuzzling his face against the soft fur of the toy.

"It's okay, Teddy, we're almost there," he heard his grandma speak, though her voice was almost drowned out by the other people around them and the train's loud horn. He didn't feel any better even as they boarded, his hair changing to a neon green with orange roots instinctively. His Nan had said that it would take time to fully control the ability, like his mum could.

"Here we are," Andromeda spoke again as Teddy was ushered into a small compartment. It had a lot of seats even though no one else was there, and the little boy rushed to stick his face on the window and watch as the train slowly left the station, picking up speed as it went.

"Look, Nana, we're going so fast!" Teddy exclaimed, turning to shoot the elderly witch a bright grin. She smiled back in return, even though it did not reach her tired, red-rimmed eyes. The boy didn't notice though, turning back to the window and pressing his wolf's face against it.

"Look, Woofy, look!" His amazement was palpable. He didn't have any memories of traveling before and, only at 5 years old, the notion seemed truly magical. The joy didn't last long though as his nan cleared her throat, signaling she needed to talk to him. She'd already said they'd go to Uncle Harry's school back at home and that had been enough for Teddy, but apparently there was more.

The witch smiled softly as the little boy scrambled to sit on her lap, leaning his head against her chest as she spoke. "I know you don't remember, but we've gone to Hogwarts one time before. You were just a little baby. Do you remember what is at Hogwarts, Teddy?"

"It's Uncle Harry's and Aunt He'mione's school!" The kid supplied eagerly. "And you've said it's where Mummy and Dada sleep."

"Exactly." Teddy could feel her ruffle his hair and he buried his nose in his wolf's fur again. "The last time we went was when they laid them to rest there. Now that you're all grown up, we should go see them again. Do you want to go see your mummy and dada?"

"Can I tell them about beating Uncle Harry at Quidditch?" He asked eagerly, eyes wide and hopeful. Teddy thought he saw his nan crying, but she smiled at him, so she must have been okay.

"Of course you can tell them about it, my love. Your mummy would be delighted to hear. And you can introduce them to Woofy too, right?"

"Yes, Woofy!" The boy exclaimed, jumping off the witch's lap in excitement. "You can meet my mummy and dada! But you'll have to be quiet because they're sleeping," he instructed the stuffed animal, face serious, before his grandma pulled out his other toys and he dashed over to play.

Teddy couldn't really understand why his mummy and dada were sleeping under rocks. There were many rocks side by side and Nan had explained that there were a lot of people sleeping there but it didn't make sense. The castle was far behind them and the serious witch that had taken them there had told him that it was so people knew who was sleeping where but Teddy was still confused.

He also couldn't understand why his nan was crying, but he was suddenly feeling very sad too. They had traveled all the way out here and it made her cry. It made him miss his parents too. He didn't know what he had expected, but talking to two rocks didn't really feel enough. He wanted to wake his mummy and his dada so they could all go play together. Maybe then his nan would be happy again.

"I had a feeling I'd find you here."

The boy turned sharply at the familiar voice, sorrow slightly forgotten as he ran to his uncle.

"Uncle Harry!" Teddy squealed as the young man picked him up. "Nan brought me to meet Mummy and Dada but they're sleeping and they're just rocks and she's sad and I don't like it."

"Hey, kiddo," Harry sighed, squeezing him a little tighter. "Hey Woofy. You know, just because they're sleeping, doesn't mean they can't hear you. You should go talk to them, even if they're just rocks, okay?"

Teddy nodded and his uncle put him down, turning to speak to his grandma as the boy went up to the stones with his parents' names on them. "Hi Mummy, hi Dada," he started, a little uncertainly. He felt quite silly talking to rocks. He could hear the adults somewhere behind him, saying something about memorials and celebrating tomorrow, but he couldn't make out the conversation clearly.

"Uncle Harry said you could hear me. Why can't you wake up again? You're making Nan sad." Teddy didn't know where the accusatory tone had come from but he realised he was angry at them for making the older witch cry. "You sleep here and she cries and I'm all alone. So you need to wake up so we can go play together and you can meet Woofy!"

He hadn't realised the adults had come back but he turned at his nan's choked sob. He frowned and clutched Woofy close to his chest; he didn't want to make her cry more.

"I'm sorry Nana; I told them to wake up but they won't listen!" He tried to explain, looking at his uncle helplessly.

"Oh, my sweet boy, it's okay," his nan spoke as she picked him up and placed a kiss on top of his head. "They won't… They can't really wake up, Teddy. Which is why we have to come visit, because they can't leave."

Teddy frowned but Uncle Harry spoke before he could argue. "Do you want to go see the Quidditch pitch? Your Uncle Ron and I spent a lot of time there. I'll even let you touch the Snitch."

He didn't want to go, but as he turned to his Nana, he saw her smile at him in an encouraging way, so he realised he didn't really have a choice. Mumbling an answer, Teddy took his uncle's hand as they started down the hill back towards the castle.

"You know, my mum and dad are sleeping too," his uncle started, though Teddy didn't want to listen to him. "They've been sleeping ever since I was a little baby, like you. But I didn't get to see them until I was much, much older. It's not their fault they're sleeping. They didn't want to leave you, or your nan. I know because they told me; they were both so happy when you were born."

"They didn't want to but they did!" Teddy finally exploded, tugging his hand free from the man's grasp. "Everyone talks about them and everyone knows them but me! They left me and they left Nana and now they're sleeping here and I hate them!"

He could feel hot tears burn down his cheeks but he buried his face in Woofy's back so his uncle wouldn't see. Teddy hated how people looked at him when he cried about his parents.

"The last thing your dad told me was to take care of you. He knew you would be angry, and you have every right to be. But you have your nan and she has you, and now that you're old enough, you can ask her to come here whenever you want. You can even ask me if she can't take you." Harry crouched down as he spoke softly, letting the young orphan get all his feelings out of his system. "And we can make them something to keep them company, how about that?"

"C-can Woofy k-keep them co-company?" Teddy asked as his sobbing died down into hiccups.

"Don't you want him to keep you company? You haven't let him go ever since I got him for you for your third birthday," his uncle asked, clearly surprised at the notion.

"They need h-him more. They're a-all alone up here. I've got N-Nan." Teddy shrugged, trying to appear put together as he squeezed the stuffed toy.

Harry smiled and nodded, standing up and reaching a hand out for the boy. Feeling slightly better than before, Teddy took his uncle's hand again as they traveled back up the hill, catching his nan as she straightened up from leaning over the rocks. As she moved to the side, Teddy could see the flowers she had picked from their garden laid on top of the white stones, making them stick out from the rest.

"How was the pitch, dear?" She asked as she saw them, quickly wiping at her cheeks.

"We didn't get there," Harry supplied before the boy could speak. "Teddy here had a wonderful idea and we came back to see if you were done."

"We're leaving Woofy to keep Mummy and Dada company!" Teddy jumped in, eager to show off his idea. "Then they'll have him, just like I have you!"

Andromeda's hand flew to her mouth and Harry squeezed her shoulder sympathetically. "Why don't you finish up here as we take care of this? Minerva said she wanted to talk to you about tomorrow."

As his nan left, Uncle Harry pulled his wand out and transfigured a clear box out of some nearby pebbles; the base the same white stone as the one over his parents. Teddy kissed the toy wolf goodbye, before placing him inside and watching him float to land perfectly in the small space between his mummy and dada.

"There. Now isn't that better?"

Teddy couldn't exactly agree. Sure, he was happy his parents had company, but he still wished they could wake up and go home with them. It wasn't fair. As they waved the stones goodbye and went back to find his nana, Teddy realised he hated this place. Hogwarts was no place of joy and excitement. Hogwarts had taken his parents away.

Teddy didn't know how much time had passed as he thought back to the last time he'd been on the train. Even though he knew he could, he hadn't asked his grandma or his uncle to take him back. Everything about Hogwarts, even just the thought of it, brought forth a sharp mix of pain, longing and fury. No, Teddy was not excited to be going back there.

The door to his compartment slid open, bringing him out of his reverie. A chubby boy with disheveled robes burst inside, looking around fearfully.

"Hey, you okay?" Teddy asked, noting how the boy was holding his arm close to his chest.

The boy looked at him startled, as if he hadn't even noticed Teddy was in the compartment. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

"No, it's okay. Are you hurt?" Teddy asked, pointing at the boy's arm.

"Uh, no, I… I'm fine, thanks," he mumbled, slowly backing up towards the door. He wasn't looking behind himself, though, and his leg caught on the edge of Teddy's trunk and he tumbled down with a yelp, a familiar grey toy falling from his arms.

"Woofy?" Teddy asked, confused, as he picked up the stuffed animal. He hadn't seen the toy ever since that day but he would recognise it anywhere. "How did you get this?"

"What are you talking about? Diana is mine, give her back!" The boy huffed as he reached out to grab the toy. "And just because I have her with me does not mean I'm a child!"

"I never said you were." Teddy cocked his head to the side curiously. "Where did you find her? I had one just like it when I was younger. My uncle gave it to me."

"Oh." The boy looked at him, surprised, clearly not expecting this response. That must have been why he was all flustered coming into the compartment. Teddy figured the other kids would not take too kindly to a first year clinging to a stuffed animal like a toddler. "Uh, my mum got her for me as a gift. Are you a Muggleborn too?"

"No, but my uncle grew up with Muggles, and he says their toys are superior." Teddy huffed out a laugh before he thrust out his arm. "I'm Edward, but everyone calls me Teddy."

"I'm William." The boy grinned, shaking his hand eagerly. "But you can call me Will."

As the two boys settled into their seats, eager to bond over their shared knowledge of the Muggle world, Teddy could finally feel something in him settling. The image of Hogsmeade on the horizon still brought a pang to his heart, but maybe his stay at Hogwarts wouldn't be so insufferable after all.