Raising Hope {Fred Weasley}

Badger Pride

"Please Teddy!" Hope begged her uncle profusely during one morning at breakfast before classes. "Please!"

"Oh Teddy for the love of Merlin, just say yes so she'll stop!" Stella covered her ears as Hope continued.

"PLEASE!" Hope said growing louder.

"If you don't say yes, I'll say yes for you!" Eliza said covering her ears as well as Hope went on and on with her pleases.

Teddy's hair ran through an assortment of colors before it remained on it's choice of blue, he normally wore with a happy grin.

"Hope, I can't, do you want me to get in trouble.." He laughed.

Henry clapped his hands over his face and shook his head at Teddy's stupid choice of words. "Of course she does, Teddy. Have you met Hope?"

"You're a sad excuse for a Marauder offspring!" Hope told her uncle.

"Hey!" Teddy placed his hand over his chest. "Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Then break a rule every once in awhile Saint Edward. Goodness." She huffed.

Teddy narrowed his eyes at her, as everyone watched the two in silence, waiting for Teddy's answer.

"Fine, I'll do it!" Teddy said. "But not because you asked me to."

"Why else would you be doing it, idiot?" Stella asked.

"Shh." He placed his finger to the girl's lips. "The adults are talking, sweetheart. OW!"

He pulled his finger back, shaking it in pain while Stella smirked triumphantly.

"Eliza, control your pet!" Teddy said causing Stella to make a face at him before leaving the table in anger.

"Good going, Teddy." Eliza sighed before pushing herself up to follow after her sister. "Thank you so much."

"Anytime!" He smiled before turning back to Hope, who was suddenly only centimeters from his face.

"PLEASE!"

"ALRIGHT!"

The Great Hall fell silent as all eyes had fallen onto the two, including the professors, except for Remus, who decided to hide behind a copy of one of his textbooks as he became slightly red.

"Let's go," Teddy grabbed his niece by the wrist to pull her along. Hope climbed across the table and followed him with a bright smile. 

For weeks since her arrival, Hope had pestered her uncle wishing to see the Hufflepuff Common Room, just so she could experience what her mother and grandmother had told her about all through the years. Teddy offered to take pictures, but she didn't want any stupid pictures, she just wanted to experience the Hufflepuff house for herself.  After all, it made up half of who she was and she carried a lot of pride for her mother's house.

Teddy debated in his head about how he was going to go about getting Hope into the common room when an idea came to mind.

"Alrighty, hold on one minute," Teddy said as he stood still.

Hope tilted her head in curiosity as Teddy began to concentrate and change up his features of his face and body.

After a few moments of awkward resizing and silence, Teddy lifted up his arms. "Tada...what do you think?"

"You look like the drag queen version of McGonagall." Hope told him. "Way to make things weird, Teddy."

"What? " He looked at his reflection in one of the kitchen utensils that he had taken while walking towards the Hufflepuff entrance.

"Hey, I don't look that bad!" he protested setting the utensil down and facing Hope. "I think I did pretty good."

"Sure," Hope said. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, McGonadude."

"Let's go!" He said grabbing her wrist again and pulling her forward.

"Yes, Professor."

In passing, several students gave odd looks in the direction of the sight of a very odd and flustered McGonagall dragging Hope Weasley towards the entrance of the Hufflepuff Common Room.

"Alright, close your eyes and cover your ears." Teddy instructed Hope.

"Why?"

"Because I said so. There is no way I'm giving you the password to get in here. Merlin knows what you and Henry would do if you got in here..."

Hope gave him a look. "Bringing shame to the name.." she muttered loud enough for him to hear.

"Ugh!" With a frustrated growl, Teddy turned and began to knock on the correct barrel to the tune of Helga Hufflepuff to gain access to the common room.

"Come on, let's make this quick." He said as they walked in. Hope ran ahead of him and stopped as soon as she found herself in the middle of the warm common room. 

"Aww...Teds...this place...look at it.." Hope said softly as she walked over to one of the draping vines that hung off the wall. She lifted her finger up and slowly the vine curled around her finger, bringing a smile to her face.

"Do you regret not becoming a badger now?" Teddy asked folding his arms with a smile as he watched Hope walking around.

She turned to face him.

"No, I don't regret it, I had my reasons for choosing Gryffindor. Well...reason. But, it's great to actually see the place where Mum grew up.

"Here I'll show you something else." Teddy said motioning her to follow him.

"What is it?"

"Well, I found this awhile back, and I never thought to ask about it. I'll be sure to ask Ellie, Cedric and Marnie about it during Christmas." 

He brought her over to one of the wooden tables and knelt down. Hope followed him until the two were under the table.

"Look."

Teddy pointed up to where several initials were carved into the bottom of the table.

"E. R." Hope read. "C.D. and M. S."

She looked to Teddy. "That's Mum, Uncle Cedric and Aunt Marnie, isn't it?!"

"That's what I like to think." Teddy smiled.

"Oh this is great!" A wicked smile appeared on her face. "I can't wait to tell Dad that Mum vandalized a table!"

"That really wasn't the point of-"

Suddenly, Hope lifted her head up and slammed it against the table incredibly hard causing Teddy to flinch.

"How did that feel?" He asked.

"Oh Professor McGonagall, what are you doing here? And what happen to your face?!" Hope turned to him. 

"Oh Merlin, help me."

"You sound like my uncle!"