Chapter 7 It's in the Blood

How had he gotten into such a mess?

Teddy threw his robe and backpack onto the bed, the large hotel mirror reflecting every movement. He had taken a room in Stedman Piccadilly, in the heart of the muggle London tourist area. He would be safe and well-hidden here. Without a muggle cent to his name, he found an empty room, and with a couple of enchantments, it was his for the duration. Even the regular housekeepers would walk right by the room as if it wasn't there.

He stood before the brightly lit mirror, leaning heavily against the sink as he watched Neville Longbottom's face slowly change back to his own. The lightly graying hair changed to his normal soft brown with its tendency to curl. He slowly shrank to his own height. Teddy had enjoyed the extra inches and wished he could keep that, and also, well, who knew, Neville was pretty well endowed in other places as well. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when his own face smirked back at him. He hated invading Neville's privacy, but he had no other choice. He had to leave the school grounds and he couldn't do that as himself. He hadn't taken his parent's advice to heart at first, but when someone broke in the very night he found the stone, he knew he had to take their warnings seriously. He had to disappear.

Now he had to wait and hope. Hope that Harry had been called to Hogwart's, and hope he discovered the trail of clues Teddy left for him. How long would it take for Harry to piece it all together and realize the destruction of his room was staged? Teddy assumed he had some time to relax and unwind. A couple of days, tops. Then he would move on. He could have gone to their meeting place right away, but the place creeped him out. No way would he stay there a minute longer than he had to.

Teddy hung up his robe in the small closet, the heavily filled flask bouncing against his thigh with every step. The flask contained the second part of his plan. But he awaited Harry's counsel before executing. Harry might have another idea.

Using an extension charm, he had packed enough food and clean clothes in his backpack to last for at least a week. Grabbing the backpack and pulling it to him, he unzipped it and reached his arm deep into the sack and felt around for the boxes where he stored food.

"Aha!", he exclaimed, pulling out a cold bottle of butter beer, slippery with condensation, and a warm wrapped foot-long sub sandwich, both of which he had picked up at Hog's Head before he disapparated to Piccadilly. Teddy would relax, eat his lunch, and check out muggle television. Once again, he searched through his pack for a notebook and muggle pen.

Teddy would take notes and report anything of interest to Mrs. Long, the teacher of muggle studies. He smiled to himself as he pictured himself handing over the notes, then asking for permission to date her daughter. He imagined Mrs. Long throwing her arms around him and gushing over the honor of him, Teddy Lupin, dating her daughter. He chuckled to himself. He knew without a doubt that would never happen.

Teddy shoveled the food in his mouth as if he were starving, kicking off his shoes and untucking his shirt to get more comfortable as he ate. Stomach filled, he eyed the bed as the best place to digest, propped himself up on some lumpy pillows and bounced twice on the bed. Relieved to find it was comfortable.

Once he figured out how to turn on the TV using the plastic device with all the buttons, he watched briefly before he touched the pouch resting against his breastbone. Knowing it was safe, he closed his eyes, just to rest them for a moment, but fell immediately into a deep sleep.