Title: Catharsis
Era: Post DH, pre epilogue
Genre: Drama/General
Characters: Teddy Lupin
Ships: references to RLNT
Summary: Just two names among many engraved into the white marble. It's all he's looking for. He just wishes he'd had more time with them." Teddy Lupin fic. Deathly Hallows Spoilers. You have been warned.
Notes: Have to write Teddy before I flip out, Teddy bunnies have been torturing me since I finish DH! And this is part of my memorial to the characters who died... :sulks: especially Remus/Tonks. Anyway, set in Teddy's first year, so September 2009 by my reckoning.
Middle names: Fred's is of my own invention, but was the name of one of his mother's twin brothers (and I maintain the twins have their names as their middle ones). Also invented Lavender's, Colin's, and Tonks'. Tonks' fits in with my other Tonks family stories, as does her birth month.
Was unsure if Lavender survived or not, she certainly didn't look good the last time we saw her in the Battle, so I put her on the list of the dead.
Disclaimer: Not mine. If it was, Teddy would have at least ONE parent, if not both. Most likely both. I do own the memorial though. And some of the birth months/middle names shown.
Enjoy!
Twilight stole softly across Hogwart's grounds, the early September warmth beginning to fade. In the gathering darkness, a small figure flitted out from the Great Hall, clearly making its way towards the white marble pillar that stood tall next to the grave of Albus Dumbledore.
Stuffing what appeared to be an old piece of parchment into his pocket, the eleven year old quickly glanced around to check with his own eyes that he was alone.
Brushing back his lock of turquoise hair, Teddy Lupin turned back to the marble in front of him. Slowly, he placed a hand on the cold stone, fingers brushing across the name his hand had landed on.
Fred Gideon Weasley – Son, Brother, Prankster, Warrior. (Oct 1977 – May 1998)
Victorie's uncle. 'Holey' George's twin brother.
Teddy let his fingers slide over some more names, amber eyes straining in the poor light to make out the other names. Despite his good night-vision, it wasn't really working. Rummaging around in his pocket once again, he pulled out a small capsule and shook it, light slowly growing from inside until the was enough to read by. Holding it up, he read the inscription at the top of the pillar:
In memory of those brave souls who lost their lives on these grounds during the Battle of Hogwarts in the Second Great Wizarding War. They shall live on forever in our hearts and memories.
Teddy's usually cheery face had taken on the look that always marked one of his melancholy episodes, the single turquoise lock of hair that was forever falling into his face beginning to fade back into his natural brown.
"Even if we have no memories of our own of them?" he asked the air softly. Tearing his eyes away from the inscription, he returned to searching through the names. There were many he recognised from stories he'd heard from his Grandma, Harry, and the rest of the Weasley clan—but there was only two that he really wanted to find right now.
Lavender Louise Brown – Daughter, Friend, Protector, Fighter. (Jan 1980 – May 1998)
She was in the same year as his Godfather, and Ron and Hermione. And the same house. Gryffindor.
Colin Alvin Creevey – Son, Brother, Student, Warrior. ( Aug 1981 – May 1998)
Ginny Potter's friend, in the same year as her. He was underage, but snuck back in.
Many other names jumped out at him, but he by passed them. Finally, he found them.
Remus John Lupin – Husband, Father, Friend, Hero. (March 1960 – May 1998)Nymphadora Astelle Lupin – Daughter, Wife, Mother, Hero. (April 1973 – May 1998)
His parents. The two people he should have known so well, and yet he didn't have one single memory of his own that involved them. Sure, he had heard lots of stories about them—from Gran, from his Harry, from the old Order of the Phoenix, from the Weasleys—but he just wished so much that he had some stories of his own about them.
He wishes that they had been able to spend more time with him, and him with them.
He lets his fingers brush slowly across the two engraved names, as trying to gain some insight on them from the stone. Teddy could feel the lump in his throat forming. This was why he'd snuck out here at night. He could have come and had a look at the memorial in the afternoon, or any of the afternoons this week, but he wanted to be alone. Every other first year student, and a few of the older students and even a couple of the teachers, flocked around the memorial, looking at the names in reverence and awe.
Teddy hadn't wanted to do this in front of them.
"Hey, Mum, Dad," Teddy began softly. "I'm finally here at Hogwarts. We've been here a week, so they haven't given us too much work yet. I'm in Gryffindor, just like you dad. The hat considered putting me in Hufflepuff as well though, mum. And Ravenclaw for that matter. At least it didn't try and consider Slytherin. Although I'm not going to say that to Gran!" Teddy chuckled wryly.
"I miss you guys," he said softly after a pause. "Why couldn't you have stayed home? With me? I wish you had," he whispered brokenly. "I know you wanted to make it all safer for me, but being an orphan sucks sometimes!" Teddy swiped his face with his sleeve. "Don't get me wrong, Gran's great (most of the time, but I do tend to wind her up a bit at times, usually by changing my hair every couple of minutes), and so is Harry (and Ginny, they got married about six years ago). But... it's still different.
"Sometimes I find myself feeling envious of James, or Albus, or Lily because they've got Harry and Ginny there all the time, but I don't have you. Then I feel really guilty. Its not as if I get excluded, hell, the Potter's place is like a second home, even if it does have the downside of constantly trying to keep James and Al from arguing..." Teddy trailed off.
"And if you're wondering how I got down here at night, Harry gave me a certain map of Hogwarts, you'd recognise it dad. But still, I'd better not push my luck too far in my first week!" Teddy paused again. "I love you both," he said quietly, before heading back up to the castle.
Unbeknownst to him, there was two pairs of eyes following Teddy's progress.
"I told you he'd be a Gryffindor, Dora," an amused male voice said.
"Fine, you win," a disgruntled female voice answered.
Remus Lupin sighed. "I echo his wish though."
"I know," his wife wrapped her arms around him. "Me too."
They continued to watch as their son's form disappeared into the great hall. Because Teddy Lupin mightn't realise it, but his parents would always be watching over him.
Fin.
Yeah, corny ending. I know. Tell me what you think anyway.