Chapter 9
- Dating Advice -
"Don't you want to be with you friends?"
Remus and Teddy were standing out the back of the Hogsmeade Post Office, lifting heavy sacks of owl feed. The Christmas holidays had begun, yet hardly anyone had left to go home due to the Yule Ball on Christmas Eve, which meant that the Post Office was almost always crowded with students. The frost covered grass gave a satisfying crunch as Teddy heaved another sack into the small storage shed.
"And do what?" He asked.
"I don't know. Talking, making a Christmas wish list, pulling pranks. Whatever kids do these days. Beats lifting heavy sacks with me."
"I'd lift heavy sacks with you any day." Teddy smiled, wiping his cold nose before leaning down again. "Besides, as far as Christmas wish lists go, all I want is a date to the dance. But that'd be a Christmas miracle." He joked.
Remus smiled, looking up as if searching through his memories from when he was at Hogwarts. "I remember when we had the Valentine's Ball."
"Oh, yeah?" Teddy stood up, intrigued. "Who'd you take?"
"Oh, no one." Remus said. Teddy couldn't tell if his father was blushing or if his cheeks were just red from the cold. "I didn't have the courage to ask anyone to the ball, nor did I have any romantic interests. Me and Sirius ditched the ball all together."
"That sounds lonely." Teddy sighed.
"I knew I could never be with anyone due to my condition."
Teddy hated it when his father referred to their lycanthropy as a 'condition', like it was an illness or something. "But what about Carla? Mum, I mean."
Remus smiled again. "Carla and I didn't get together till my last year of Hogwarts. And we broke up shortly after we graduated."
"But she knew, right?"
"Yes, she knew. I thought our relationship would last, so I thought it'd be best to tell her and she told her parents."
That'd been the first time Teddy had heard him talk about his grandparents on his mother's side. He wondered why he hadn't brought them up earlier. "You never talk about them, my grandparents. Where are they now? Do they know I exist?"
"They died before you were born." Remus said casually, yet refused to meet Teddy's eyes, which was enough to provoke his suspicions, yet he decided to let it go for the time being.
Instead he tried to change the subject. "Surely you must've had someone you 'liked' and wished to invited."
"No, I wasn't looking for love."
Teddy sighed, sit on the side of the cart that contained the rest of the owl feed. "So much for the dating advice I was hoping for."
"So that's why you came to help." Remus stretched his back.
"What? Oh, no. I didn't just come for-"
"Nah! It's okay. You're right, I may not be the best person to come to for dating advice, but I'll give it a shot." His father leaned against the cart patiently.
"Oh... well... as you know the Yule Ball is coming up and I... um..."
"Don't know who to ask?"
Teddy looked down at his snow covered shoes that had become partially wet. He'd have to put them in front of the small fireplace in his dorm to dry when he got back to castle.
"Or, do you already know who you want to ask?" Remus asked and Teddy gave a small nod. "What's her name?"
"Her name's Arkie. She's a Hufflepuff and probably one of the most smartest and popular girl at school. She lives at the same orphanage as I do."
"Is she nice?" Remus asked, intrigued.
Teddy sighed in a dreamy fashion. "She's the best. She's smart, kind, funny and as far as I know she doesn't care a bit about my lycanthropy."
"She sounds like a nice girl, how come I've never met her?"
"Because I can't ever buck up the courage to start a conversation with her."
"Does she like you?"
He shrugged and Remus sat next to his son. "Okay, so here's the advice you want to here. You gotta hurry up and ask her, soon enough all the good ones will be taken."
"Yeah but... it scares me... girls, scare me." Teddy admitted looking wide-eyed. Remus couldn't help but chuckle, yet Teddy didn't laugh with him. He was completely serious. Remus cleared his throat. "Tedson 'Teddy' Lupin, you are one of the bravest boys I've ever met. Your twice as brave as I ever was."
"You have to say that, you're my dad."
"So what? In my eyes that doesn't change anything. Ask your friends I'm sure they'll agree." He still didn't look convinced. "Teddy, you've had to endure the full moon alone for thirteen years, as well as ignore all the prejudice that comes with it. If that doesn't make you brave, I don't know what will. Still, I see you walk through life like you own it, and you do! It's your life to live." He placed his hands on Teddy's shoulders.
"So, go and ask that girl of yours to the dance. And if she says no, then she's down right crazy. Don't tell her I said that though."
Teddy gave a small laugh. "Thanks, Dad."
"How was that for advice?"
"That was pretty good."
Teddy stood up and helped to lift the last sacks into the shed before grabbing his belongings. "So, I'll see you Christmas morning?" Remus dusted off his frozen hands.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world."
"You got the address right?"
"Yep, can't wait to see your new place!" He slung his bag of his shoulder.
"Where are you off to now?"
"To the Herbology greenhouses. The Herbology club will most likely be there, Arkie's one of the members."
"Go get her tiger!" He called out and Teddy blushed with embarrassment. Teddy soon found himself starting from a fast walk to running to the station. Harry, Hermione and Ron were already there and were beginning to board the train. "Hey Ted- Woah! Man, you stink! Have you been rolling around in something?"
"That'd be owl feed. I'll explain on the train."
"Well, make sure to open a window!"
Students were walking out of the Herbology greenhouse. "Hey," Teddy said to a group of girls, who all looked at him funny. It wasn't the look most people gave him, the Wolf-boy and suddenly he realized what was going on. Oh God! They thought he was going to ask them to the Yule Ball. He suddenly began to stumble over his words. "Um... I ugh... Is Arkie... ugh, still around... Or did she...?"
"She's still in the greenhouse." One of them replied.
"Okay... Brilliant! Ugh... Thanks." He cleared his throat before walking towards the greenhouse. Inside, Arkie was dressed in her HufflePuff robes, her chestnut hair tied up in a quick bun. Her back was turned to him as she leaned over a small plant with long twisting blue thorned roots that attempted to nip at her gloved hands as she gently cut one of the roots open and held a small vial up to collect the shining silver sap. In the center of the plant was a large bluish-white flower. The whole plants seemed alive, constantly moving and even breathing in its pot.
Teddy knocked and Arkie turned around in surprise. "Oh, hey Teddy. I didn't expect to see you here."
"Yeah, thought I'd drop by. What's that you got there?" He pointed to the plant.
"Beautiful, isn't it? Professor Sprout got it sent all the way in from Iceland. Said the Herbology club can take care of it. Snape called by earlier, asking for a vial of its sap, which is what I'm doing now." She held up the vial and Teddy flinched as one of the roots tried to nip his finger. "You gotta look out though, their thorns are extremely poisonous."
She placed down the vial, taking off her gloves and wiping the dirt off her robes. "So what can I help you with?"
"I..." He began but panicked again. He took a deep breath remembering his father's words. "So, I've been thinking,"
"That's always good." She replied with a giggle, her golden eyes looking straight into his. Teddy gave a pathetic laugh. "Well, I've been wondering... if you've been asked to... you know... the Yule Ball?"
"Oh, yes. Boys have asked me to the dance." She replied sweetly.
Teddy's stomach dropped. He was either gonna faint, or throw up... Or both!
"Oh! You've already been asked?"
"Yes, I have." She smiled, then glanced up at him from under her eyelashes. "Where you going to ask me?" She said softly.
"Well... yeah, but now I guess- well this is just awkward. I completely understand so, I should just go-" He said, backing up and accidentally knocking over a pot that shattered on the ground. Arkie winced and Teddy scrambled to pick up the pieces. "I am so sorry, I'm such a cluts."
"It's fine. It's fine." She bent down to help and the two butted heads. "Gah!"
"Oh no! I am so, so, sorry." He apologized. 'If there is a God up there, kill me! Kill me now!' He pleaded, picking up the last of the shattered pieces and throwing them in a nearby bin.
He looked back, expecting to see an angry or upset Arkie. But instead she was giggling, still lying on the ground and rubbing her head. Teddy couldn't help smiling. Her laugh was so toxic, he could listen to it all day. He held out his hand which she took kindly.
"Yes, Arkie, I was going to ask you. But if you've already got a date-" He turned to leave, but Arkie's hand tugged on his denim jumper.
"Teddy, wait! I said I was asked to the ball, I didn't actually say I said, yes. I turned them all down."
His jaw dropped for a second and he fought to form words. "You didn't?"
"No, I didn't."
"Oh!" Teddy's heart thumped again. "Well, would you like to-"
"Yes, Teddy. I would love to go to the Yule Ball with you." She said, confidentially still holding his hand. Teddy was silent for a second, grinning widely before feeling stupid. "B-Brilliant!"
"Meet me outside the Great Hall?"
"Yeah." Was all he could muster as well as series of quick nods, before spinning around and walking out of the greenhouse. As soon as he was outside, he leaned against the greenhouse wall, letting out a humongous sigh.