Chapter 10
- Protective Gaze -
Teddy scribbled away on his parchment. A mandatory Study Hall had been set for all years, because of some of the classes beingfor the first Tri-Wizard challenge. Teddy had decided to use the time by finishing off his Potions homework. Professor Snape was stalking up and down the hall occasionally pausing to read his book.
"This is mad." Ron said looking around at the students. "At this rate we'll be the only ones in our year without dates."
There was a loud slap as the Potions Master hit Ron on the back of the head. The orange haired boy glanced down at his unfinished homework until the Professor was out of earshot. "Well, us and Neville!" He whispered.
"But then again he can take himself."
Both Harry and Ron laughed. Teddy glanced up at them, he was yet to tell them he had already found a date.
Hermione rolled her eyes and whispered harshly. "It might interest you to know that Neville's already got someone." Both boys smiles disappeared and Ron gasps.
"Now I'm really depressed."
The Professor walks past whacking all four of them on the head with his book. While Snape's back is turned Fred hands Ron a note which he reads aloud. "Get a move on or all the good ones will have gone!"
Ron looked up in frustration. "Well who are you going with?"
Fred turns around, throwing a ball of paper softly at a girl's head. She turns around a mouths and angry, 'What?'
'Do you want to go to the ball with me?' Fred mouths and the girls blushes before nodding. Teddy shakes his head, grinning. Ron looks around the hall once more before staring at Hermione. "Well Hermione, you're a girl."
Teddy froze and winced in silence. Hermione met Ron's eyes angrily. "Oh well spotted." She said sarcastically.
"Will you come to the dance-"
Slap!
Ron waited for the Professor to leave again. "Oh, Come on Hermione. It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone. For a girl it's just sad."
Teddy winced again as if he was in pain, or perhaps he was just feeling the pain that Ron was no doubt going to be in.
"I won't be going alone because believe it or not someone's already asked me." She hissed standing up and handing Professor Snape her completed homework. "And I said yes!" She said before storming out of the room.
"Bloody hell." Ron sighed. "At this point we're all going to be lone wolves."
"Actually, not all of us." Teddy admitted and both Harry and Ron looked up at him in confusion. "I got a date to the dance."
"You did?"
"Why'd you sound so surprised?"
"How did you do it?"
He shrugged, scribbling a feel more words. "I just asked."
"Who?" Ron asked.
"Arkie."
Harry and Ron turned in their seats to glance at Arkie on the other table. "You mean the HufflePuff Quidditch Chaser and future captain of the Herbology club, Astronomy club and HufflePuff Duelling club, Arkie? That, Arkie?"
"Yes, that Arkie."
"How?"
"I just asked. It was as simple as that." He paused, thinking back to the awkward conversation they'd had in the greenhouse. "Okay, maybe it isn't that simple. But I'm glad I did it. And Fred's right, you should hurry up and ask someone." Both boys jaws were still hitting the ground.
Finally Ron turned to Harry. "Yeah, we've just got to grit our teeth and do it. Tonight when we get back to the common room, we'll both have partners. Agreed?"
"Agreed." Harry responded.
They both gave painful gasps as Professor Snape placed his hands on their heads, forcing them down. Teddy took the opportunity to hand in his homework and leave the hall. He desperately wanted to write to his dad, and tell him the good news.
Dear Dad,
You're not gonna believe it. I asked Arkie if she'd like to go to the Ball with
me, and she said yes!
Even though I made myself look like a fool while doing so.
It's gonna be great! Thank you so much for your advice, I don't think I would've had the guts
to ask her if you hadn't helped me.
I can't wait to see you on Christmas!
I promise I'll tell you all about it!
It sucks that the night before the Yule Ball is a full moon.
I'll be dancing with a headache, but honestly it'll be worth it!
Will I see you at the Shrieking Shack? It'd be nice to spend the full moon with you.
Love,
Teddy Lupin
Dear Teddy,
That's great to hear!
I'm glad my advice helped and honestly I can't wait to meet her.
Make sure you bring her on your next trip to Hogsmeade.
I can't wait to hear all about the dance.
I'm so proud of you, Ted, I'm sure the Ball will be just as amazing
despite the full moon.
Yes, I will meet you in the Shrieking Shack as usual.
But, are you sure you wouldn't prefer to spend the night in your dorm?
It gets cold during the winter.
P.S. You will see that I also sent you a parcel, inside is a pair of dress robes.
They're second-hand, but better than nothing. I hope they fit!
Love,
Remus Lupin
Dear Dad,
Of course I'm coming to the Shrieking Shack. No winter's cold
can stop me!
The robes fit perfectly, you can't even tell their second-hand, not that I care.
I'll make sure to bring Arkie to visit you sometime, but remember
I've asked her to the dance, not to be my girlfriend.
See you in a few days!
Love,
Teddy Lupin
The night before Christmas Eve finally arrived. Teddy had made sure to send Professor Dumbledore a letter, asking for his permission to use the Shrieking Shack, which the Professor had happily agreed to.
He tugged on his jacket, shivering in the cold as he trudged through the knee-high snow towards the Whomping Willow. "Immobulus!" The thrashing branches froze in place and Teddy scrambled to the hidden passageway. He remembered the last time he'd been standing outside the Whomping Willow, wand in hand and pointing it at Peter Pettigrew.
It was also the moment he'd learnt the truth about his father. It should've been happy memory, that he could think back on and smile. But alas, now it was a memory he'd rather not think of.
Teddy had grown over the holidays, not a lot, but enough that he now had to crouch slightly to avoid scrapping his head on the low roof of the passageway.
He soon reached the end and climbed up the creaking steps of the Shrieking Shack. He was unsure whether his father was there yet, so he strained his ears. Yet it was impossible to tell if the creaks and groans of wood were from a person or the winter wind.
He walked into one of the few rooms, it was the one that Ron had been dragged into by Sirius, where Peter Pettigrew was revealed to be alive and a traitor, and the truth about Remus was revealed. He'd been so angry when he'd thought Remus had betrayed him, before he knew the whole story. Quickly, he pushed the thought away.
His father was yet to arrive so Teddy walked around the room, attempting to make it more comfortable. In the corner was a shattered bed, with pillow feathers littering the shredded mattress, a piano that had been smashed in half by something big, deep scratches and bites covered the walls. It was truly an awful. Teddy felt sorry for his father, who for so long would've had to transform in there all by himself.
But, Remus had told him how his friends had turned into Animagi, just for him so they could join him during the monthly full moons.
Teddy took the scratched, moth-eaten bed sheets and laid them in a pile on the floor. They may look like animals, but that didn't mean they had to sleep like ones. The thought reminded him again of the moment the full moon had risen. How scary it had been to not only stand up to an older and stronger Werewolf, but to his own father, and try to remind him that the people he was attacking were their friends.
He remembered the bond between them, how he'd been able to communicate through it. His father's thought... they'd truly frightened him. The Werewolf that night may have acted like a father to his cub, but it wasn't him. He'd become something else.
'Will it be the same tonight?' He wondered. "No, there's no people around. Tonight will be different. It will be different." He was unsure whether or not he believed it, but the thought helped slightly. He hadn't expected to be attacked by so many memories and emotions. It scared him, but again he tried to push them away as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
Remus smiled slightly at his son, but Teddy could get the sense that he'd hoped he wouldn't come. Maybe he was ashamed? Ashamed of what he will become in front of his own son.
Teddy looked down at his feet. Why had this become so awkward, usually he felt at ease around his dad.
"You came."
"I told you I would. No winter cold could stop me."
Remus put on a force smile, but it did next to nothing to lighten the mood. Teddy sat on the edge of the shattered bed, putting on a small smile and gesturing for his father to sit beside to him. Once he did, he hugged him tightly.
A few minutes later the moon reached its peak outside. Teddy had to face the other way and cover his ears. He couldn't bring himself to watch or listen to his fathers screams. Instead he focused on his own transformation. Soon he was sitting in the corner of the room, silently.
"Pup."
He turned around to see his dad waiting for him by the bed. He seemed less violent, not angry like he'd been last time they'd transformed together. He wasn't any more human than last time, but he was less wolf. Werewolf Teddy's mood brightened as Werewolf Remus nuzzled him gently. 'Tonight is different.' He thought before remembering his father could most likely hear his thoughts.
Werewolf Teddy gently nipped his father's ear, crouching in a playful manner. Werewolf Remus happily joined him, softly knocking his pup over with his paw.
Werewolf Teddy was still incredibly small compared to the older Werewolf. It was unknown whether or not it was because of his age or because he only shared part of the lycanthropy gene.
The two Werewolves ran around the shack, burning off the energy of the full moon until eventually falling asleep on the sheets Teddy had set out earlier. The Werewolf pup curled up against his father, enjoying his warmth. Werewolf Remus stayed up watching over him, occasionally looking around the shack at every little sound before continuing to watch his pup sleep.
It wasn't the way Remus would watch him. Werewolf Remus' gaze had a dark side to it. It was more protective and animal-like, saying he was prepared to destroy anyone who dared to hurt his pup.
It was like his father was in sight, but just out of reach. And no matter Teddy tried to hide it or push it away, it was probably the worst pain he'd ever felt.