Chapter One - "Best Friends"

"I'm sorry, what's your name again?" a petite brunette girl asked, narrowing her eyes curiously, as she walked out of a nearby corridor.

Nola, who had just been passing by on the way to her common room, rolled her eyes. If I had a Knut for every time someone asked me that, she thought sardonically. "It's Finola – Finola Endicott-Hepburn. A mouthful, I know," she continued, frustrated, wiping her bangs off of her forehead, "and that's why everyone just calls me Nola."

"Oh, right," the girl said indifferently. "Anyway, Teddy asked me to give you this." She fluttered her eyelashes at the mere mention of Ted's name and handed over his bag.

Nola took the bag, but looked at it dumbly as one of the shoulder straps dangled from her fingers. "And what am I supposed to do with his school things?"

The girl made a noise of contempt and scoffed. "Take it up to the common room. Everyone knows Teddy has Quidditch practice before dinner!"

"And Ted couldn't take this up to the common room himself?" Nola asked, acutely aware that she hadn't even known her best friend had Quidditch practice.

"He was in a rush, of course, and he couldn't waste his time with such simple tasks as putting away his things!"

"Right. Anyway – wait, what's your name?"

"Libby, Libby Woods. I'm a third year."

"Okay, thanks then, er, Libby."

The third year smiled vacantly in return and left with a twitch of her fingers.

Nola frowned, but shouldered the bag over her own anyway. She knew, of course, that Ted had only had the little twerp of a third year bring her his backpack to annoy her – and it had worked. Combined with her twitchiness around smaller kids and her scorn for assisting other people, it was a foolproof way to slowly drive her insane, an occupation Teddy had taken up since their first train ride to Hogwarts. Yes, definitely his little way of saying "I love making your life miserable." Nola laughed aloud at the thought, frightening a cluster of second year Hufflepuffs walking in front of her. The twelve-year-olds started and turned their heads to stare at her, utilizing an expression so grotesque they might have thought she had contracted a severe case of spattergroit right before their very eyes.

Nola continued on her merry way, sweeping past the second years without a second glance. She loved being an upperclassman.

Several corridors and staircases later she found herself in front of the Fat Lady. "Appleby Arrows."

The Fat Lady grinned roguishly. "They're a shoe-in to win the league this year, you know!" she said, the portrait swinging open.

Nola acknowledged her declaration with a small smile and stepped into the common room, flinching at the harsh level of noise. Kids were scattered all throughout the room, either doing homework or just conversing with their friends. Dodging around a group of fourth years she sunk into a seat in the far corner, throwing her and Teddy's sacks on the floor beside it. "There is no way I'm lugging that upstairs," she mumbled to herself, staring, aggravated, at his bag on the carpet. Nola sat there for a few more minutes, letting the tension in her muscles ease from the stress of her classes. It was just N.E.W.T.s this, N.E.W.T.s that. Honestly, the blasted exams weren't until next year!

Realizing everyone was beginning to head off to dinner Nola stood up herself and followed them. As she was coming back out of the portrait hole she zoned in on a small gaggle of fourth year girls (the very ones she had passed to get to her seat in the common room). They were giggling and whispering to each other when Nola distinctly heard the name "Teddy." Listening carefully, she was able to hear more of their conversation as she traipsed lazily behind them.

"He said hi to me today! It was…magical!" one petite brunette said.

"Well, did he say anything else?" another girl asked, outraged. "C'mon, spill, Janie!"

"Er, I don't think so, but does it really matter? I mean, it's obvious he likes me. The only other girl he talks to is that Finniola girl, and she's definitely gay."

Nola snorted loudly. Fourth years were weird.

The girls, alerted to her presence, whipped around and gasped dramatically. Their faces plainly read something along the lines of "oh, crap." Nola raised her eyebrows questioningly and they scattered down a corridor to the left.

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"Hey, B.F.F.!" a boisterous voice said from behind Nola in the Great Hall. She felt the bench creak next to her and she turned to see Teddy sitting there, sweat-drenched and grinning.

"Best friend! You're all…" she trailed off, her lips curling in disgust, and finished rather flatly, "icky."

"So?" he replied, grabbing a roll off of her plate and promptly shoving it into his mouth.

Nola watched as he chewed the bread with his mouth practically wide open. "I'm loving the manners, Ted. Seriously." She was amazed to see how he still managed to grin goofily while eating so much.

They were silent for a few minutes while Teddy continued to stuff his face.

"I heard the gay rumor again today."

Ted froze, his fork full of mashed potatoes halfway to his opened mouth. "Again?" he groaned.

"Again," Nola confirmed.

"Who was it this time?" he asked, dropping his fork onto his plate.

"Some fourth year girls."

"Gryffindor?"

"Yup."

"Hm."

"Yup."

Teddy went back to eating, his eyes narrowed. Out of the corner of her eye, Nola, for the first time, noticed that his hair that day was dark, much like his godfather's, Harry Potter. This slightly worried her – it was usually some flamboyant shade of a more vibrant color.

"Are you okay today?"

"Yeah, 'course, why wouldn't I be?" he asked, borderline snappy.

"I dunno, I was just concerned s'all. No need to get on the defensive."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Grandma Andy's just been going through one of her spells. Harry sent me a letter a little while ago."

Nola patted his back consolingly, completely at a loss how to be sympathetic – it was not a skill commonly needed around Ted Lupin, and, as such, one that she had never developed. "Christmas break starts next week though!" she said bracingly, trying to steer Teddy from his rapidly declining mood. "Should be fun. And she always gets better once she sees you, doesn't she?"

"I guess." Within a second later her perked right up. "Oh! I forgot to tell you, Ginny and Harry have invited you over for the hols. So are you coming?" He took a second to stuff another roll down his throat, then turned back to her, grinning.

"Oh, yeah, I s'pose so," she replied, smiling idiotically.

"You sure your parents won't mind?"

Nola snorted. "When do they ever?"

"Aw," Ted cooed, throwing his arm around her shoulders. "Is ittle-bittle Nola feeling neglected?"

"Shut up," she muttered and poked him in the side.

He squeaked girlishly, attracting the attention of a nearby group of second year Gryffindors who giggled. Ted, looking to further rouse them, smiled impishly and waved. Two of them nearly fell off of the bench, amazed that The Ted Lupin was acknowledging a bunch of lowly second years.

"Attention whore!" Nola coughed into her napkin.

"I love you too, darling."