Chapter 14: Caught in the Act

January was passing agonizingly slow for me. Jason still hadn't talked to me since the argument, and I couldn't blame him, yet I was still disappointed. Apparently I wasn't the only one to be having a horrible new year.

My first-year Gryffindor/Slytherin kids had been doing exceedingly well lately, so I decided to reward them. I went to Hogsmeade and bought chocolate frog cards and passed them out to each student on the last Friday of January. When Charles Tostillas, one of the Slytherin boys got his card, he decided to read it out loud for the whole room to hear.

"Remus Lupin" he began.

"Remus Lupin (1960-1998) was a werewolf who was permitted by Headmaster Albus Dumbledore to attend Hogwarts 1972 to 1978. Unlike many werewolves of his time, Lupin was considered to be a "good werewolf" as he was a member of the Order of the Phoenix and fought valiantly against Lord Voldemort and his followers during the Battle of Hogwarts, where he was tragically killed by Death Eater Antonin Dolohov. Lupin was also Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in the 1993-1994 school year and frequently assisted Harry Potter in the fight against Voldemort."

"Hey, Lupin, isn't this your dad?" Charles called across the room to Teddy.

Teddy nodded. "Yeah, it is. Harry Potter – who just so happens to be my godfather – told me he was a very good man." He said proudly.

Charles snorted with laughter. "That's not what I think. I think he was a coward who left your mum when she was pregnant with you because he didn't want you, and he never came back."

"That's not true!" Teddy snapped and began to make his way toward Charles. "He did come back! And he only left because he was afraid he had spread his lycanthropy to me! Which, as it turns out, he didn't, but that's beside the point."

"Back to your seats this instant!" I commanded sharply, but the boys ignored me.

"Believe what you want, Lupin." Charles continued. "But I knew the truth. Your dad was a two-faced go-between who only wanted what was best for him. That's why Voldemort told Dolohov to kill him."

Suddenly Teddy couldn't take it anymore. Normally, Teddy was a sweet, loving boy, but he had a short temper, especially when someone was talking badly about him or his parents. "SECTUMSEMPRA!" Teddy screamed, pointing his wand at Charles.

I stared at the boys in shock as Charles flew against the wall. Blood was pouring out from his body. I was surprised Teddy even knew that spell. They only other person who knew it, as far as I knew of, was dead.

"Mr. Lupin! Wait for me in my office." I snapped. I pointed to two frightened Gryffindor girls who were standing nearby. "You two! One of you, go get Professor McGonagall, and the other go get Madame Pomfrey. Quickly now!"

The girls hurried off. When they returned, Minerva and Poppy were with them, leaving me to talk to Teddy.

I found Teddy sitting at my kitchen table with his head was buried in his arms, sobbing quietly. I knew he had never been in trouble before and couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

"Teddy?" I called softly. Teddy looked up, and I saw tears were streaming steadily down his face. "Where did you learn that spell?"

"H-Harry taught it to me." Teddy sobbed. "He-he told me n-never to use it, but I-I wanted to know why. Pl-please don't tell him. He'll be so disappointed in me. I didn't know what would happen!"

I sighed. "Teddy, what you did was very wrong. You could have killed Charles, or at least seriously injured him. For that you need to be punished. You could, realistically, be expelled for this…"

"No, please! Don't expel me! I'll never use that spell ever again! I promise!" Teddy cried when he heard that last sentence, and started to sob even harder.

"But luckily," I continued, "I think Professor McGonagall and I could avoid that."

Teddy managed a weak smile. "Thank you." He whispered.

"However, you will serve detention with me every evening this weekend, starting tonight at seven p.m., and will stay until I say you may leave. Also, we will need to send an owl home to both your grandmother and your godfather explaining your actions today. Is that understood?"

Teddy nodded sadly. "Yes, Professor."

"Good." I said. Before leaving the room, I found a piece of parchment and wrote the punishments I assigned Teddy, so that Minerva could add more if she wished. Then, I led Teddy out of my office. Madame Pomfrey and Charles had already gone to the hospital wing, but Minerva was waiting for us, watching over my class. I sent Teddy with her, and then resumed teaching the lesson that I had planned for the day.

That evening, Nick came home around four o'clock. To keep him from getting bored while I was teaching, I would send him to help the other professors. Since he enjoyed being outside, Nick preferred to spend time with Hagrid the most.

There was going to be a full moon that night, so I gave Nick his wolfbane potion with dinner. Nick sighed. "Do I have to take my wolfbane medicine, Mum?" he asked.

"I'm afraid so." I replied. "But it's for your own protection and mine too. You don't want to hurt yourself, do you?"

Nick sighed again. "I guess not." He drank the potion without any more complaining. At ten-to-seven, I went to wait for Teddy while Nick lay on his bed and waited to transform.

I was sitting at my desk, planning out the next week's lessons when footsteps coming down the stairs. The person whom they belonged to were coming closer to my classroom, so I assumed it was Teddy. The person who entered my classroom, however, was not Teddy.

"Hello Luci." Jason said softly.

"Jay…." I gasped. "I'm so sorry."

Jason smiled weakly. "Don't be. It's not completely your fault. You were right about so much. I shouldn't have lied about my boggart to you."

"And I shouldn't have called you a coward. You're probably the bravest man I've ever met, and I love you for that." I said and began walking towards the love of my life, who I had missed so much.

Jason laughed nervously. "I don't know about that. Let's just forget about our argument, alright."

"Alright." I sighed happily as I buried my head in Jason's shoulder. He embraced me in his arms, and we swayed back and forth for a while.

"I missed you so much." Jason whispered in my ear. He kissed me passionately on the lips and twirled me around a few times. When he set me down again, I noticed we were not alone.

"Oh, Teddy…. Is it seven o'clock already?" I asked, embarrassed.

"Y-yes, Professor." Teddy stammered. He was standing silently in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock and surprise.

"I should go." Jason said softly. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay, love?"

I nodded. "Did Professor Clearton just kiss you?" Teddy asked in amazement after Jason had left.

I smiled. I couldn't hide it anymore. "Yes, Teddy he did. But you must not tell anyone. Is that understood?" Teddy nodded quickly, and I set him to work reorganizing the potion shelves.

The following week was miserable for Teddy. Many of the students were afraid of him because of the state he had left Charles in. Only his closest friends, Michael Wood, –the son of Oliver Wood – and Alex and Amanda Muellenton, remained unafraid. The following Monday, Teddy received a howler from his grandmother.

"TED REMUS LUPIN!" the howler screamed. "HOW DARE YOU USE MAGIC TO HARM ANOTHER STUDENT? YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF, BRINGING SHAME TO NOT ONLY THE TONKS FAMILY BUT TO THE LUPIN FAMILY AS WELL! YOU'LL BE LUCKY IF THEY DON'T EXPELL YOU! IMAGINE, A DESENDENT OF THE HOUSE OF BLACK BEING EXPELLED. I WOULD EXPECT THAT OF MY SISTER, BELLATRIX, OR EVEN OF MY COUSIN, SIRIUS, BUT NEVER OF MY OWN GRANDSON!" With that, the howler self-destructed itself.

The letter Teddy received from Harry Potter wasn't nearly as cruel, but it was still hard for poor Teddy to read. It was the I-am-very-disappointed-in-you-you-should-know-better kind of letter, but it still saddened Teddy to know he had disappointed his role-model. I felt bad for Teddy, yet the letters had to be sent.

On Wednesday, Jason and I got called into Minerva's office. Since we were both called, we wondered what Minerva could possibly have wanted.

"I've had a report that a student caught you 'snogging', as an anonymous student put it. I demand an explanation."

Embarrassed, I told Minerva how Teddy had accidently walked in on us and how I had forgotten about his detention.

Minerva nodded understandingly. "Well, I'm glad you've got everything solved out between the two of you, but I'm going to ask you to refrain from displaying your affection towards one another when students may be present. You are dismissed."

The next time Teddy had Potions, I held him after class. "Do you know how Professor McGonagall found out about the kiss?" I asked. "You're not in trouble; I just need to know."

Teddy's eyes widened. "I only told Michael." He whispered. "He's my best mate here."

I frowned. "Well, apparently, Michael told Professor McGonagall, and I got in trouble for kissing Jason in front of you."

"I'm sorry." Teddy whispered.

"It's alright. But I told you not to tell anyone for a reason. You're dismissed."

As Teddy left the room, I knew both of our futures would be brighter.