The Halfwolf (Year 1)

The Triwizard Champion

Teddy shuffled into the dorm some time later to find Matt and Zach sitting on the floor next to Moony's cage, snacks spread all over the floor. Moony was sitting in the middle of the piles of grapes and toast squares, holding her pouch to her belly and glaring up at the two boys. Teddy walked over and sat on the floor next to Matt, who looked over at him. He pointed a finger at Moony.

"This bottomless pit of a creature has found something she likes to steal more than shiny things." He looked down at the little grey furball and scowled. Zach tried to reach toward Moony, who promptly scurried backward into her cage entrance and plopped back down. Teddy looked back at Matt and raised an eyebrow.

"She took my bloody chocolate frog right out of my hand, the little sneak!" Zach snapped, continuing to stare down Moony, who was digging in her pouch. She pulled out her paw and produced the leg of the missing chocolate frog and stuffed in into her mouth. "Hasn't your dad talked to you about stealing, Miss Moony?" Moony looked up at Teddy, who shook his head at her, trying his best to hide the laugh that threatened his throat. She dug into her pouch again, producing the half-eaten frog, and held it out to Zach, who looked at it and back to Moony.

"Well I don't want it NOW you little brat," Zach rolled his eyes and Moony blinked at him, then stuffed the frog back into her pouch.

"She steals snacks." Matt put his hand over his mouth to stifle his laugh. "Zach's snacks apparently."

"She found my box of treats that Mum sent me from the sweets shop where we live. She's been sneaking from it all this week, and today got bold and just took it from my hand." Zach crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. Matt finally lost control and rolled backward and started laughing. Zach scowled at him and Teddy reached over and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, mate. I'll see what I can do about getting you some replacements for what she ate." Zach muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "furry little pig", but Teddy ignored it. "Maybe I can ask Harry about an enchanted box to keep them in that sticky paws can't get into." Teddy glanced over his shoulder and saw Moony with what could only be described as the Niffler version of a horrified expression at the notion of being cut off from the snack stash she had been swiping. Teddy shook his head at her and nudged her door shut with his foot. He turned back to Zach and Matt, who had regained control and was wiping tears from his eyes from his laughing fit. "So I have something to tell you guys." Matt looked over and Zach slowly rose his eyes up to look at Teddy.

"What is it, Ted?" Matt crossed his legs at the ankles and leaned back on his arms. Zach sat back against the foot of Matt's bed.

"I got to talk to my mum today." Matt actually started choking and Zach just stared at Teddy.

"Um, mate," Zach looked over at Matt quickly, then back to Teddy, "didn't your mum die in the Battle?" Teddy smiled sadly and looked down at his hands in his lap.

"Yea, she did. But, you know how they put portraits up around the castle of people who have been important to the school? Like old headmasters and teachers and such?" Matt and Zach nodded at him. "Well, Hufflepuff house does that too....only...only its just for Hufflepuff's who have died noble deaths. Died for the greater good, you know? Like my mum and..." Teddy stopped. He didn't know if Tyson would want the other first years to know about his mom and what happened to her. His friends didn't seem to notice his falter mid-sentence. Zach was staring at Teddy with his mouth hanging open while Matt held is hands to his throat, tears glistening in his eyes. He swallowed hard and glanced at Zach, who still hadn't moved, then at Teddy, who was picking at his fingers. He pushed himself up and scooted forward til his knees touched Teddy's and he laid a hand on each of his shoulders. Teddy looked up at him, tears in his own eyes.