The Halfwolf (Year 1)

Breakfast with Harry

The next morning, Teddy was up and dressed before anyone else would have dreamed to be. He crept over to Moony's new "dorm" and peeked in at her. He had left the door open for her to come to her bed in the shelf like she had the first night, but Teddy smiled when he saw her in the middle of her mound of tiny pillows. He quietly closed the door to her home and latched it so she couldn't go running off by herself while he was in class. He'd come back after his morning classes and take her along to lunch with him. He picked up his bookbag and tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs. He hopped down the short set of steps to the bottom of the common room and slipped out the door. As he walked down the corridor, he couldn't help but get lost in thought.

He thought about Matt. The poor kid was so kind, he didn't deserve what Jackson did to him on the train. He was terrified then, and Teddy was almost positive he was still pretty scared most of the time. And Claire, she was so sweet, and so easy for him to talk to. She was the first person he'd ever told about what happened at Aunt Cissy's. She didn't deserve to be shut out by the other girls like she was. Then Gale, her prefect pretty much pretended she didn't exist at all just because she was tiny and quiet and different. None of that was any of their faults. They were all great people, great friends. And he'd only known them a day! The more he thought about it, the more it made him mad. He knew other kids were being bullied elsewhere in the school, and no one deserved that at all.

As Teddy climbed the last set of stairs that led to the Defense Against the Dark Arts wing, he made a decision. He decided that he would try to be friends with anyone he could, no matter what house they were in. Everyone needed a friend, even if they were in Slytherin. As he walked, still lost in his head, he heard someone clear their throat a little way away from him. He glanced up and managed to skid to a stop before he walked right through the ghost of Fred Weasley.

"Well, nice to meet you too, mate," Fred laughed. Teddy raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Don't think I know who you are? You look just like your dad. Aside from that neon mop on your head, that is. That's all Tonks."

"You knew my mom and dad?"

"Course I did, little Lupin. They were great people, some of the best. Your dad was also an amazing teacher."

Teddy couldn't stop himself from the question he asked. "Are they coming back here too?" Fred frowned.

"I wish I knew. I was allowed to come back here for a reason. I'm here to serve a purpose, not that I'm sure what it fully is yet." Teddy nodded and looked at the floor. "They miss you, Ted. And they love you very much. You know that, right?" Teddy bit back the tears that threatened his eyes, but nodded all the same. Fred wasn't sure what to do, he hadn't meant to upset the boy. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a classroom door open and Harry stick his head out. He saw Fred and smiled. Fred beckoned him over, nodding his head towards Teddy, who was lost in thought again. Harry nodded at Fred and walked down the hallway towards them. Fred drifted towards the windows a bit, clearing the way for Harry, who walked over and crouched down to meet Teddy's eye. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder gently, snapping his attention back to the present.

"Alright, Teddy?"

"Yea...I...I just..." Tears rolled down Teddy's cheeks now. "I never got to know them. I don't remember anything about them. I only know what they look like from pictures. I don't have any memories of them. Everyone tells me how amazing my dad was and how funny my mom was, but I'll never know for myself. I...I miss them, and I didn't know them..."Teddy balled his hands into fists and pressed them to his eyes again. Harry pulled him into a tight hug against his chest.

"I miss them, too, Ted. Every single day." He allowed a single tear to escape his eye before releasing Teddy and guiding him into his office. He sat the boy at a small table in the corner of the room and grabbed a tray from his desk. "I had the house elves bring up some breakfast for us. Cinnamon scones, your favorite right?" He set the tray down in the middle of the table as Teddy wiped his face. He gave a small smile, and gently took one of the pastries from the tray.

"Thanks, Harry. For everything."

"No problem, Ted. Its what I'm here for." Teddy smiled again as he took a bite of the scone. Harry sat down across from him and sipped coffee from a mug he grabbed from his desk. Teddy set down his breakfast and smiled broadly at Harry.

"Moony loved her present, by the way. Matt and I decided that we weren't calling it a cage, though" Harry looked at Teddy over the top of his mug.

"Oh? Then what are you calling it?" He took a sip of his coffee.

"Her dorm," Harry coughed and spit the coffee across the table, then started laughing. Teddy grinned.

"Oh, my. So the Niffler has her own, private dorm, inside of a dorm?" Harry's eyes twinkled with amusement. Teddy nodded enthusiastically.

"She certainly does. I even left the door open for her to come to bed with me last night and she still stayed in it. She was buried under her mountain of pillows when I left her," he laughed. Harry set his mug down and smiled at Teddy.

"I'm glad she likes it. Now all she needs is a scarf and she'll be an official Hufflepuff, eh?" Teddy laughed again. They chatted some more while they finished eating. Teddy told him about his first day of classes and his new friends. He left out the detail about his confrontation with Jackson. Harry glanced down at his watch.

"Well, Ted, I believe its about time for you to head to your first class of the day. Where are you off to today?" Teddy dug through his bag and pulled out his timetable. Monday, Wednesday and Friday would be the same three classes; Defense, Care of Magical Creatures, and Transfiguration. Tuesday and Thursday would be the same classes as well: Flying class, History of Magic, and double potions in the afternoon. Teddy grinned down at the parchment in his hands. His eyes slid up to Harry, the grin on the boys face full of mischief.

"I get to learn to fly."