History and Truth

Pulling Punches

Teddy looked up at Harry. Hannah and Seth were both looking at Teddy. No one seemed to know what to say. Finally, Harry broke the silence.

"Thank you for that Teddy. That actually makes what happened later make more sense to me."

"What do you mean Harry?"

"It seems like your dad isn't pulling any punches so I should probably let him tell you."

"Pulling punches?" Hannah asked.

"He means Mr. Remus wasn't holding things back trying to protect Teddy from what happened," Seth explained.

"He did about some things earlier," Teddy said to Harry. "When he was telling me about waking up in the hospital after he was bitten and being registered and his first transformation. He said he could give more details but the thought of his child reading that broke his heart."

"I can tell you it's different telling about something that happened to you than it is admitting something you did. Admitting what you did can be a way to learn from your mistakes or a chance to explain why. Something that happened to you is talking about how you were hurt. It may not make sense to you now but it will."

"Harry how did things work out for my parents? I mean this picture was taken after what we read?"

"With what we just read I'm not sure if I know what happened Teddy. I know your dad went back at some point after our fight. I know that the night you were born is the happiest I ever saw your father in the entire time I knew him. He asked me to be your godfather that very night."

"But he never told you..."

"Truthfully Teddy, with everything that was going on and with us being in hiding I didn't get the chance to actually sit down and talk to your parents after you were born. You were still very young when they were killed at the Battle of Hogwarts."

"Teddy from what we've read so far I have a feeling your dad is going to tell you himself."

"Seth is right, Teddy. What does he say next?"

Who I Am

"It's been 3 days since I took your Mom to her parents house. If I'm honest with you I'm losing my mind with worry. I hope this isn't a mistake but I've decided to go back to Grimmauld Place. Too much has happened lately and I feel lost. I have avoided Grimmauld Place since Sirius died.

It has just occurred to me that I haven't told you much about Sirius or anything else about my life. I looked back and saw that I left off after my first transformation. Grimmauld Place can wait till tomorrow. For now I would rather think about happier times. At first they won't be happy memories but they shaped who I am and are the reason I was able to appreciate the good times when they came."

Teddy looked at Harry and asked, "is Grimmauld Place where you and Dad fought?"

"Yes it is Teddy."

"It sounds like your dad is going to pick back up with when he was a kid."

"Teddy you 3 are more than welcome to use my classroom till dinner but I really do have some things to finish up. I do want to hear more of this story though."

Harry left the trio in his classroom to continue with the story. Once he was gone Seth commented, "I actually would like to hear that he had some happy times. So far your dad has dealt with a lot."

Friends?

Teddy nodded that he agreed with Seth. He was hoping for some good things to be in his dad's life. He returned to the story hoping.

"My first transformation was horrible. No way around it. I didn't have any friends. Part of this was due to the fact that we moved there after I got hurt. The second part was basically because my parents cautioned me about talking to strangers and to be careful what I told people. The change I went through every month was a family secret.

For the most part from the day I came home to our new house until I was 6, my only companions were my family and friends of the family. The summer after I turned 6 I was in my front yard with my grandpaw. He was an American Muggle and loved baseball. I loved it as well and he had been teaching me to play for as long as I can remember. We were throwing the ball "having a catch" as Grandpaw put it.

It turned out there were several boys in the neighborhood around my age. They came over to our house and introduced themselves and asked what we were playing. Grandpaw and I explained about baseball and they tried to explain cricket.

Most every day after that all of us boys in the neighborhood would get together. My parents said to be careful about what I said and that if I got angry to walk away. When they asked why I couldn't play somedays we said I wasn't feeling well. Of course, this wasn't a lie.

As summer came to an end all of my friends were excited that school would start soon. I asked my parents if I could go to school with my friends. They said to wait and see how things went. The week before school started the lads decided to teach me how to play rugby. Everything was great and we were all having fun. Then on a play someone tackled me and in the commotion my shirt was torn badly.

I stood up laughing but the guys behind me were staring. The other guys asked them what was wrong. I turned around to see what was going on and someone screamed. I had no idea what was going on. Everyone but John ran away.

"Lupin, what happened to you,mate?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your shirt. It ripped in the back. How did you get those scars?"

"I don't remember it happening but my parents say I was hurt when I was 4."

"Blimey, do they still hurt?"

"No. I forget they're there most of the time."

John's brother told him to come home.

"Got to go. See you later mate?"

"See you later John."

I never saw any of them again. They were all Muggles so it couldn't be they figured out my secret but we moved not long after.

Homeschooled

After the incident where my shirt was torn it was decided that I would be homeschooled. We found a house near my dad's parents. My parents and one set of grandparents were my teachers of all things magical. My other grandparents were Muggles and in the medical field. They taught me about the Muggle world and took me to see as much of it as possible.

We planned out trips so I was able to see everything from museums and movies to theater and symphonies. When they had conferences abroad I generally got to go with them. We would look at the calendar and make sure I was at home at least 2 days before the full moon. I was never allowed to leave until 3-4 days after the full moon.

My American Grandpaw insisted we make a trip to the US at least once during the summer and again in the fall. Baseball and football (not with the round ball, soccer is what the Americans call it. Rugby is similar to their football but not exactly). During our visits to the US we traveled to different parts of the country so I could learn about that part of our family's history as well.

I think my family was trying to make up for the absence of a peer group. I had been terribly depressed after the torn shirt incident. So they kept me busy. By the time I turned 10, I had been to Ireland, Scotland, France, Egypt, Germany, Australia and New Zealand as well as many trips to the US.

Out of all of that the greatest trip to my young mind was 2 weeks I spent at Hogwarts when I was 9.