Wow. Thanks for keeping up with even the third chapter. You guys make my day.

I'm trying out something a little new this chapter! But it's kind of just a filler.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter because I'm not JK Rowling. But what if I was? You would never know…



Chapter 3

Splattered Ink and Rejections

Teddy POV

I walked back to my dormitory, more tired than ever. I had been helping out Hagrid with a few blast-ended skrewts; not exactly my idea of fun. But Hagrid needed help so I offered. I trudged up the moving staircases, twice barely making it to the correct floor. Once I reached the seventh floor corridor, I found that the Fat Lady was asleep.

I cleared my throat loudly. She started awake, glaring at her disrupter.

"Manubrium scoparum," I stated. But the Fat Lady ignored me.

"Good heavens, child. What are you doing awake?" she asked, annoyance in her voice.

"I was running errands," I grumbled sarcastically. "Manubrium scoparum."

"Fine, fine." And the portrait swung open.

I barely managed to stay awake through the journey to my dormitory, and when I reached my bed, I slipped under the covers without changing.

-X-

After I woke up, I quickly ate breakfast and hurried along to my first classes. After an extremely boring Potions, I had Herbology. When I got to the greenhouse, I took my usual place next to Wood. We were early apparently, so only a couple kids were there.

"Hey, mate," Wood greeted, without looking up. He was leafing through his textbook on his desk.

"Where'd you get the textbook?" I asked. "It's the first day of classes."

Wood walked up to a counter full of books and threw one to me. I caught it with one hand. I looked at the bland cover, seeing it was called Flesh Eating Tree's of the World.

"Sounds promising," I mumbled to myself.

"Nice catch," Wood commented. "But Evie Hughes told me we were all supposed to grab one." He motioned to a brunette Ravenclaw in the back of the room. I noticed that she was looking our way. But I just turned back to Wood and replied.

"Oh."

"Yeah, she also asked me about you." Wood grimaced. "It was quite awkward, really…"

"Oh," I repeated. "What did she want?"

"What do you think she wanted, Lupin?" Wood shook his head at me, amused.

"Oh." I wasn't really thinking about it though. I started flipping through my new textbook.

"Is that all you can say? Oh?" He chuckled. Then Neville walked into the greenhouse, carrying two big baskets full of twigs and leaves.

"Good afternoon class." He lost his grip on one of the baskets. "Could someone- ah, Ted, could you grab the one on the ground. Thank you."

I placed the second basket on Neville's teaching station. "No problem, professor."

I walked back to my table while Neville began the lesson. "Alright. So in each of these baskets is a different twig or bark of a certain tree. It will be your job to identify each…"


The rest of the Herbology lesson passed at a lagging rate, full of Snargaluff pods and blades of Knotgrass. Then we all ate lunch and had our two afternoon classes. Soon it was evening and I was spread out in the common room doing the homework I'd already received. Wood was supposed to be doing the same thing, but he got distracted by some fourth years playing Exploding Snap.

While I was writing a quick essay for Potions, I went to dip my quill into the ink and instead spilled the ink off the table and onto my shirt.

"Damn!" I cursed loudly, startling a lot of people around me. "Sorry," I mumbled.

"What did you- oh," Wood remarked, looking at my new mess of a shirt. Just then, Lucy appeared from the spiral staircase. She took one look at me and raised her eyebrows.

"He spilled some ink," Wood explained. Lucy rolled her eyes and turned to him.

"Really, Wood? I thought it was pumpkin juice."

"Hey, there's no need to be sarcastic," he replied.

"Yeah well there isn't a need to be thick either," she retorted. Then she turned to me. "Anyway, I just came down to tell you lot that Vic and I are going to head down to dinner."

"Where is she?" I asked.

"Up in our room. But she told me to go without her so I'm gonna go now. You coming?"

"Well, I'm starving. Ted?" Wood asked.

"I'd have to change first so you guys can go. I'll see you down there." Lucy gave me a small wave and left with Wood. I gathered up all my work and put it on a table. I needed to change out of my inky shirt. I walked to the stairs but when I turned the corner I ran into something. Hard.

"Oof!"

Next thing I knew, I was falling and something was on top of me.

"Oh! Teddy! I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention." I looked up and saw Victoire staring back at me with wide eyes. I looked back at her, and then I glanced around me.

She must have realized then that she was practically sitting on me, and blushed. She stood up and gave me her hand. I gladly took it and lifted myself off the ground.

"Teddy, what's on your shirt?" she asked.

I looked down at my shirt, momentarily forgetting. "Oh. It's ink. And… now it's on you," I realized, pointing at her blue shirt. It had ink by her shoulder where I must have run into her.

"Oops," she said. "Guess I'll have to change again."

"Sorry. I'm going to go change too. Meet me back down here?"

"Okay," she said, and then she walked back up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. I took the stairs two at a time and threw on a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. Since classes were over, we didn't have to wear our robes.

When I went back down to the common room, Victoire was already there. She was sitting in one of the big armchairs by the fire with her eyes closed.

"Wake up, Vic," I joked. She groaned and opened her eyes.

"Fine. You ready? We might be a little late." She started for the portrait hole.

"Hey that's okay. If we miss dinner we could just get one of your elf ties to sneak us food," I said.

She laughed and said, "I only have one elf friend. And Winky is very sweet."

"Yeah, she seemed nice." Victoire and I walked in comfortable silence until we reached the Entrance Hall. I was just about to open the doors to the Great Hall when I heard someone call my name.

"Teddy!" Both Victoire and I turned to the speaker. It was Evie Hughes who was walking down the marble staircase.

She walked up to me, apparently ignoring Victoire. "Oh. Hey Evie," I said.

"Teddy it's so good I bumped into you like this." Well, you didn't really bump into me, I thought, but didn't bother to correct her. "I was wondering if you had any special plans for the first Hogsmeade trip."

Oh. It was a good thing that Wood had told me beforehand. I was about to answer her, but turned to Victoire. She was glaring at Evie.

"Um, Vic, do you want to meet me inside?" She snapped out of her one-sided staring contest to look at me.

"Uh… yeah. Um, okay. I'll save you a seat." She turned on her heel and went inside the Great Hall.

"See, Evie, I kind of already have plans with a couple friends," I lied. But I didn't want to be harsh to her.

Her face fell for a moment but she quickly composed a smile. "That's okay. Maybe some other time."

I didn't answer her in case she would hold me to it later. I just opened the door and walked inside. I sat down next to Wood and started filling my plate. I had just bitten into a dinner roll when I noticed Wood, Lucy, and Vic looking at me.

"What?" I asked with my mouth full.

"Vic just told us that Evie Hughes asked you out," Lucy stated. "Well?"

I looked at Victoire who was just staring at her plate. She must have felt my gaze because she looked up.

"It's all taken care of."


*GASP* Will Teddy be misinterpreted? Cue the tense music.

I would really like some feedback. Constructive critism is welcome. :)

I am also asking for suggestions and requests for things to happen later in the story. I am seriously vulnerable to writer's block so help is appreciated.

I'd love some reviews before I post the next chapter! Oh yeah, and major props to anyone who knows what the Fat Lady's password means. (no, it isn't just random letters, it's actually a real word.)

QUESTION FOR THE REVIEW BOXES! Should Lucy Weasley have a love interest? If so, any ideas?