The Fool, Upright - Teddy Lupin/Victorie Weasley

Chapter 6: A Growing Seed

Even though Teddy's suggestion seemed to the untrained eye insignificant, a seed had been planted. At first the seed didn't seem to be evolving much. But during one particular day Victorie kept finding herself in situations that rocked the seed alive and caused it to launch into a heavy growth spurt all at once.

The first event that set it off happened in the early hours of the morning...

Victorie had just been eating her breakfast in the Great Hall, still groggy from being asleep for however long.

The lack of sunlight this time of year wasn't helping. She sat there staring at the darkness outside the windows. The power of mid-October gusts and showers pushing against them as if trying to break in. All the while trying her best to keep her eyes open long enough for her spoon of cereal to locate her mouth.

A ghost wearing pyjamas passed by her eye-line, shielding her sight of the stained glass.

Why are ghosts always in the way? She thought grouchily. It took her a second, but her common sense eventually caught up with her and she realised that ghosts are never in the way — they're translucent. So why was this one?

She looked down the Gryffindor table where the ghost had headed, but saw only to her horror a sleepy looking Teddy wearing only his pyjamas, his Hogwarts robe and a pair of slippers. He moved slowly, like he was almost hovering on the spot. He ignored the amused stares he was getting. Perhaps he didn't notice them, or perhaps he just couldn't distinguish them from the usual attention.

Anyhow, he soldiered on with his head held... low.

Was he sleepwalking, or was he just really tired? Had he forgotten to change in his tired state?

His hair was fluffy on one side and flat on the other. He made an attempt to flatten the other side with his hand, but only managed to care about it for a moment before giving up and sitting down next to Jamie, who upon turning around and seeing him instantly broke into a fit of laughter along with some other onlookers.

Victorie's stomach lurched at the sight of it. She couldn't watch him make a fool of himself like this. She turned her head toward the glass windows once again, thinking that he probably wouldn't want her, or anyone for that matter, to see him like this. She didn't want to contribute to his embarrassment. It was too painful. So she wasn't going to take her eyes off the window, she firmly decided.

But the laughter continued without her. She had to know what was happening. The next time she looked his way however, she found him smiling.

A few people had now gathered around him, like usual. He was reaching across the table and grabbing the butter for his toast.

"Is it not allowed or something?" He asked with a shrug, but he honestly seemed more interested in buttering his toast than the answer to that question.

It didn't stop everyone around him from giggling however. Victorie caught sight of two girls at the Hufflepuff table whispering in each other's ears and shooting him some more than appreciative looks. Teddy smiled to himself and took a bite of his bread.

Victorie didn't think to feel relieved at the lack of bloodbath she'd imagined. Instead she was shocked. Suddenly she didn't need to focus to keep her eyes open.

Didn't he know that entering the Great Hall in his pyjamas would result in total humiliation? Or did he just not care? Evidently when Teddy did it, it only earned him enamoured looks.

What's the secret to all of this? She wondered to herself. Was there some miracle potion that she didn't know about? Or had he at some point stumbled upon a book with extensive detailing on the art of becoming a social butterfly?