Author's Note: In this Next Gen story, Teddy is a sixth year, along with Mackenzie and Victoire is a fifth year. Also James will be in his first year. Please Review ;) And also, i of course, do not own Harry Potter or anything super special like that, credit goes to the fabulous JK Rowling :D

The next chapter is in Teddys point of view ;)

Sunlight filtered in through the floral patterned curtains, spilling its golden glow onto the dark carpeted floor of Mackenzie Millark's bedroom.

The chink of warmth spread and grew, eventually reaching the disheveled bed in the far corner and violently jabbing its morning brightness into Mackenzie's closed eyes.

It was with a heartfelt groan that she rolled out of bed and, making sure to take her fluffy blanket with her, landed softly on the ground.

Sleep tried to reclaim Mac as she lay in a heap but the sense that something exciting was taking place today was a persistent hum in the back of her mind.

The dark-haired girl rubbed the sleep from her eyes and shoved herself into a standing position. She blinked and looked around her room.

It was a small bedroom and its cream walls were decorated with posters of things that were not typical in the average teenage bedroom.

Mackenzie's posters were moving images of one of her favorite Quidditch teams, the Holyhead Harpies. Mac not only had Quidditch posters, but also photos of her and her best friend Isabel at their boarding school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Excitement flooded through her as she remembered that today was September 1st, the day she returns to school. Like most people who attended Hogwarts, Mackenzie thought of it as her second home and she was anxious to get back.

Thoroughly awakened now, Mac crossed her room and headed out into the hallway, though not before tripping over the blankets that had tangled around her feet.

As she entered the dark corridor, Mackenzie as walked as quietly as she could, hoping to bypass her mother completely.

Unfortunately her mother, Claire, was awake and in fact looked as if she hadn't yet gotten sleep at all. Mackenzie thought it was likely her mother hadn't gone to bed; Claire had been drinking again last night, as she did nearly every night.

She was stumbling about in the hall, muttering things under her breath as she made her way towards the kitchen. Mackenzie tried to make herself as small as possible, so she would not draw the attention of her alcoholic mother.

The older woman however, seemed to sense her disappointment of a daughter behind her and she turned to face Mackenzie. Mackenzie's mother had once been a beautiful woman with long black hair and pale blue eyes. The once luxurious hair had long since lost its luster and was fading to grey faster than it should have been.

As for her long ago bright eyes, they now were bloodshot and filled with anger and loathing as they looked at the burden that was her child. Claire's lined face contorted with hate,

"Daughter," she spat the word as if it were the most foul of profanities. Mackenzie flinched and lowered her eyes to the bare threads of the passageway, preparing herself for the start of her mother's daily insults.

"Get out of my sight, you pathetic excuse for a witch. I can't believe that I produced such a waste of space, you're disgusting!" and so it began.

Mackenzie edged past her mother, keeping her eyes averted, as she moved quickly past and towards the kitchen. The sting of her mother's words was lessened today, only by the thought that echoed in Mackenzie's head as she busied herself with breakfast preparation, I'm leaving for Hogwarts.

It was as Mac was finishing up her small meal that her father made his first appearance of the day. Owen Millark was a short, wiry man with graying blonde hair and light blue eyes.

He seemed to have a perpetual sympathetic expression on his face whenever he saw Mackenzie but today was different; today he smiled at her, excited for the girl his considered to be his daughter.

Owen drifted into the small kitchen and towards Mac, he gave her a warm look as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"So," he said with an ever-growing smile, "Sixth year at school. I can't believe how the years have flown by. Are you looking forward to returning to Hogwarts?"

Mackenzie's face split into a bright grin, "Yeah, this is going to be a great year, even if I do still have to be a prefect. You will still take me to King's Cross won't you?" Mackenzie asked.

Owen moved about the kitchen and set about getting some food of his own as he replied,

"Of course I will Mac. Speaking of which, shouldn't you get a move on? It's nearly 10 o'clock already."

"Bloody Merlin, I still need to have a shower!" she exclaimed as she devoured the last of her toast. Mackenzie jumped out of her chair and raced into her room.

As Mackenzie exited the bathroom, she was inordinately pleased with herself for choosing last night what she would wear today.

She wore her favorite dark jeans, which gave her a bit of much needed confidence, and a long sleeved pale green top that matched her unusual eyes perfectly.

Mackenzie stood in front of the small mirror that hung on the wall in her room and quickly brushed her long dark hair.

Mac briefly entertained the idea of trying a new hairstyle but, as always, she returned to the ever functional high ponytail Mackenzie justified to herself that she didn't need to change her hairstyle as it was perfectly fine the way it was, in reality though, Mac knew that she didn't like change.

People notice change, and Mackenzie Millark did not want anyone to notice her.

Mackenzie fussed with her fringe a little while she marvelled at how completely unnoticed she has been while at Hogwarts.

No-one even seemed to know her name until she became a prefect last year, and even then, she was asked if she was a new student.

Isabel, her best friend, often made snarky remarks to people when they asked Mac how long she'd been at school.

Mackenzie smiled at the thought of Isabel, they had been close ever since that first ride on the Hogwarts express six years ago when Mackenzie had been in a near panic attack state about all the people around her.

Mac had hidden in one of the trains many compartments and was horrified when a girl her age, with short black hair and bright sapphire eyes had boldly made an attempt to converse with her.

Isabel had seen how frightened Mac was and surprised her by pulling out a chocolate frog from a pocket and offering it, like a peace offering, to Mackenzie.

Isabel had a gift for understanding people, Mackenzie always thought, and it seemed that Mackenzie had been what Isabel had been looking for in a friend.

Both girls were quiet and reserved, mostly, but with the aid of more chocolate, Isabel had brought down the barrier of distrust the Mackenzie had placed around herself.

They had chatted amicably the entire train ride and confided in each other their worries about this new place they were headed.

Isabel had been as surprised as Mackenzie when Mac was placed, by the famous Sorting Hat, into the house of the bold and brave, Gryffindor.

Mackenzie's reminiscing was disrupted by her father calling to her. She then looked about her room for what would be the last time in the few months.

Her heavy school trunk had been packed last night, all of her textbooks, quills, ink and clothes, neatly tucked away and ready for her.

Her pale eyes settled on a medium sized bird cage. Crap, she thought, I can't believe I nearly left Zedd behind.

The tawny owl himself was asleep at the moment but Mac soon changed that as she hurriedly grabbed the cage and her trunk and awkwardly manoeuvred them through the hallway and closer to the front door where her father was waiting for her.

Mackenzie was just glad that she didn't have any stairways to navigate.

The familiar buzz of excitement coursed through her as her gear was loaded in the car. She couldn't help but remember the first time her and her father had made the trip to Platform 9 and ¾'s all those years ago.

Owen was a muggle and as a first year Mackenzie didn't know how to get to the Platform. Her mother would have known but on that particular September 1st, she had been unconscious on the kitchen table, so Owen and Mac had to try and find their own way.

It had been lucky for them that they noticed a rather large family disappear through what seemed like a solid wall; otherwise the two never would have found the Hogwarts express.

Mackenzie wondered why she was feeling so reminiscent, it's not like it's her last year of school, she should save all of this for next year.

Mackenzie and Owen stood on Platform 9 and ¾'s, having already loaded her trunk and birdcage onto the train. People milled about the area, saying goodbyes to loved ones and giving last minute advice to the enthusiastic looking first years.

The excitement in the air was palpable but, as elated as Mac was to be away from her mother, she couldn't help but be a bit apprehensive for what this year might bring. Her father then diverted her from her troubling thoughts,

"Mackenzie," he began, "I know you will do well this year, you're a great girl but just remember to have a bit of fun too. Most importantly though, don't let that boy get to you, whatshisname, just don't listen to him."

Mac was surprised that Owen had remembered but then again, every time she wrote back home her letters would hold a complaint about 'whatshisname'.

"Teddy Lupin," Mackenzie said darkly in response to Owen, "I will honestly try my best Dad, I always ignore him, I don't know why he constantly picks on me though." Just as she spoke, a rather tall and muscular guy brushed past her, or more correctly, forcefully bumped into her.

Mac stumbled slightly and the stranger turned, only it wasn't a stranger, it was the devil himself.

Teddy Lupin. He looked back over his shoulder at Mac as he passed and smirked, giving a completely unconvincing and quick apology as he sauntered off, his bright blue hair noticeable from any distance.

Mackenzie nudged Owen, "That was him, Dad, that's the guy," but Owen had completely missed the whole rude incident. Mac followed his gaze and saw that he was watching a large redheaded family, in particular the lovely lady attached to the arm of a rather punkish looking ginger.

Oh, well that makes sense.

"Dad, that's Fleur Weasley with her husband Bill, she's part Veela. Beautiful, isn't she? Their daughter, Victoire, is a year younger than me."

Owen seemed a bit uncomfortable to be seen staring but quickly recovered, "Mac, you should hop on the train and find Izzy."

Mac turned back to Owen and hugged him tightly, "I'll write every week, I promise."

Owen smiled down at his dark-haired angel, "I'll miss you Kenzie."

As always on this day of the year, Mackenzie felt tears building in her eyes, threatening to fall.

"I'll miss you too Dad," and with that she released him and fought her way through the ever-increasing crowd, spinning back around once just to wave at him.

Mackenzie walked purposely through the train for about a whole minute before she realized that she couldn't remember exactly which compartment she had put her stuff in.

She peered quickly into each one as she ambled along. Her eyes were snagged briefly on a couple in an open compartment.

It was that bright haired devil, Teddy Lupin, and he was currently snogging none other than Victoire Weasley. Mac would recognize that white blonde Veela hair anywhere and wondered why Teddy was kissing his one of his good friends.

She supposed that many people had always thought that those two would be together and now Mac guessed they were.

A boy with happy hazel eyes and a mop of untidy black hair passed her, only to freeze at the sight of Teddy and Victoire.

The boy, whom she guessed was a child of Harry Potter's, quite rudely shoved his way back past her all the while saying in a disbelieving voice,

"No way! Our Teddy and our Victoire! Snogging! Wait til everyone hears this!"

Mackenzie had been teased relentlessly by Teddy and his best friend Toby Isaacs ever since first year so, as she sat down in the compartment she had managed to track down, she pondered over the strange feeling she had when she saw Teddy with Victoire.

She didn't think it was jealousy nor even anger but perhaps it was sadness, why she would be sad, she did not know.

She didn't like Teddy, in fact she thought him to be an arrogant, self-important bully who was entirely too attractive for his own good. Of course, she could admit to finding him attractive as there was no doubt that he was but she believed that his personality and antics colored him in such a way as to make him, well, unattractive, at least to her if that made any sense.

Mackenzie was so lost in these thoughts that she didn't even notice when her best friend entered the compartment.

Thinking her friend's lack of attention rather rude, Isabel clicked her fingers in front of Mac's face, causing the girl to jump and let out a surprised yelp of shock.

"Merlin's balls Isabel! You shouldn't do that to me!" Mackenzie yelled, but soon enough a broad grin graced her pale face as she took in the sight of her best and only friend.

Isabel Ogden was wearing jeans, like Mac, and a dark blue jumper. Mac noted the short new haircut her friend had gotten too which made her blue eyes stand out all the more.

"Holy crap, Izzy! You look fantastic! I love the haircut by the way, the short bob suits you," said Mackenzie as she grabbed Isabel for a rib-cracking hug.

"Izzy, did you get taller? I swear you grow a foot every time I see you," cried Mac when she released her friend.

"No I didn't get taller actually, you're just still such a shorty Mac. I happen to only be 5 foot 6," Isabel admonished, "Now tell me, how has your summer been? How was your mum and dad? Tell me everything."

Mackenzie grew a little uncomfortable under the sharp gaze of her oldest friend but answered anyway,

"Summer was boring, as usual, and dad was…well he was dad," Mac finished lamely.

Izzy made herself at home in the carriage and watched Mackenzie intently, reading the minute expressions and finding the reasons behind them.

She knew that Mac was a private and cautious sort and had always felt privileged when Mackenzie had confided something to her.

"Claire as bad as always then?" she asked, astutely noticing how Mac had left out any mention of her mother.

Mackenzie dropped into a seat by the window and remained silent. Isabel moved to sit next to her and put a comforting arm around her.

"She's wrong you know. Claire knows nothing about you, so don't you dare listen to her."

Mackenzie greatly appreciated Isabel Ogden but wanted desperately to get the focus onto a different subject, she cast about in her mind looking for something of a distraction. She found it.

"So Izzy," she cleared her throat, "You'll never guess who I saw snogging."

"Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasley?" Izzy asked with a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, you got it in one. You're good at guessing," Mackenzie smiled.

"Well I was lucky, I heard that James kid telling everyone on the platform about it," laughed Isabel.

There was a sudden lurch, signalling the departure of the Hogwarts Express.

"Well Isabel, I have to leave now," Mackenzie said as she stood up.

Isabel gasped in mock outrage, "What? Love me and leave, is that how it is Miss Millark?"

"That's exactly how it is, I have a bloody Prefects meeting to go to. I tell you, I would much rather stay here than go to it," said Mac as she opened the compartment door.

"Well, have fun then, if you can," Izzy said, winking.