Harry Potter: 19 Years Later

6: Teddy's POV

  No, no, no, no, no. It couldn't be happening. No. Not this. Anything but this. This was what he had been afraid of ever since he started school at Hogwarts.

Teddy's breath came in pants as he ran through the forest, desperate for somewhere where no one would find him. Please don't let it be true. Please, please, no.

He felt a strange sensation before he even reached the large clump of trees he was sure would hide his transformation. "No, no, n–nARGH!" Teddy's words slurred mid-sentence and came out as a snarl.

"GAAAAHHH!" The pain was unbearable, stabbing into his body from every angle. He snarled again and growled.

Looking down at his fingers, he realized they were lengthening into sharp, curled claws. His legs and arms were sprouting thick hair. With another pained growl, his clothes were ripped off as his shoulders broadened and his body grew larger.

Finally, after all the pain was over, Teddy raised his–now longer and more hairy–head to the full moon in the sky and let out a deep, bloodcurdling howl.

He looked around. Why had he been afraid just moments before? What was he doing here in the woods? Teddy decided he didn't care and sniffed the air. He smelled a delicious aroma; human.

The smell was coming from behind him. Using his instincts, he prowled silently through the trees until he heard the gentle rustling of leaves. Teddy stopped and hid behind a thick tree trunk and listened. He could tell by the smell that this human was young and a girl. And afraid. So he waited until the girl was an arm's length away. Then he pounced.

  The scream was terrible. It pierced the silent night like a knife slicing bread. The little girl didn't know what was happening until it was too late.

Teddy was already upon her, sinking his claws into the girl's flesh and biting at whatever he could reach with long, razor-sharp fangs.

Before he knew what was going on, a bright red light nearly blinded him and he was thrown backwards, slamming into a tree.

"GAHHRRRRGGHHH!" Teddy snarled in pain and rage. His prey had gotten away.

But what was that burning pain in his chest and legs? He looked down and snarled again. There was bright red liquid spurting from gashes in his flesh. Blood. His body burning with pain, Teddy limped over to a sheltered place under a bush and stumbled into unconsciousness.

  Sunlight drifted into Teddy's vision. He raised his head blearily. The images from the previous night whisked their way into his mind. He remembered pain. And then changing. And the blood gushing from mysterious wounds. And then the worst of all... nearly killing an innocent little girl.

What got into me? Teddy thought as he picked up his (now ripped) clothes and put them on his naked body. He looked at the sky and figured that it was dawn.

Good. Nobody would be awake now and he could easily sneak back into the school and get into his bed before anyone notices.

Teddy crept to the building and grabbed his broomstick from the Gryffindor Quidditch tent. He flew up to the window of the seventh year boys' dormitories and, with a quick Alohomora spell, he was in. Thinking up some excuse about practicing Quidditch in his room, he hid his broomstick beneath his bed.

Thank goodness that I have the bottom bunk, Teddy thought in relief as he slipped into his bed, already in pajamas.