Lupa | Teddy Lupin

Chapter 3- A Turn Of Events

Over a month had passed since the school year had started, and Professor McGonagall wasn't kidding when she said work would be a lot harder. It had recently been the full moon and Maddie had had an extremely tough few days. She had broken her collar bones and was still unable to move without pain ripping through her body. Her collar bones had light purple and green bruises. However she was determined to leave the hospital wing on time to go to the library and catch up on all her homework. So on that Sunday morning she met Teddy and since he already had her books, they walked down to the willow tree by the lake where a few friends waited.
   "Hey Teds!" She said cheerfully. Teddy grinned.
   "Hey Mads, how are you feeling?" He asked, concerned. She smiled convincingly.
   "Pretty awful. " She said, her voice still cheerful. Teddy rolled his eyes. "Here, do you want me to take my books?" She asked, indicating to her bag. Teddy nodded and handed the bag over to Maddie. When she slung it over her shoulder she could feel her collar bones screaming pain, but what else was knew?
   The air cool and fresh as the chilly wind blew the autumn leaves, making them dance and twirl together. The pair saw Meelee, Victoire and Hunter under the tree. Victoire waved at them and they ran down to join their friends.
   "Hey Teddy, hey Mads- how are you feeling?" He said as Victoire and Teddy carefully helped Maddie to the ground. She smiled at Hunter, uttering that she was a lot better, but swallowed as she saw Meelee glaring at her. However, when Meelee didn't say anything, Maddie decided to ignore it. By lunch Maddie has finished more essays than anyone else sitting with her. By the end of the day she had finished them all.  
   Hunter looked up at her when she declared this.
   "You've missed a day of school this week and you're the one to finish first?" He said, bewildered.
   "Yeah well she's smart Hunter, unlike you." Meelee teased, punching him gently in the arm. He rolled his eyes. They all began to pack up their stuff and although Maddie was trying to hide it, she suddenly felt a huge wave of pain. As she bent over her school bag putting her books back, she resisted the urge to throw up. A few beads of sweat broke on her forehead as her body heated up, despite the sun going behind a cloud. She tenderly touched an open cut on her shoulder. It felt warm and wet, making Maddie want to throw up again. She felt someone brush by her and looked up to see Victoire picking up her books for her. She tried to smile at her friend but her body had become unbelievably weak. Her legs collapsed, causing her to fall into the grass, using her arm to stop her completely fall. The second she put pressure on her shoulder she threw up. Her vision went cloudy and her breaths got raspier.
   Victoire gripped her arm, thank Merlin it was her good one. She felt someone else go over to her other side and grip her waist. She didn't even need to look to know it was Teddy. They lifted her her up easily and Victoire carried her backpack.
   Meelee watched this scene in jealousy. They knew something she didn't- did Maddie not trust her? She looked to Hunter beside her, who was just watching in concern. Meelee felt tears prickling at her eyes. Was she just not a good enough friend?
   "Vicki, you take Maddie to the hospital wing. I'll take her bag back to the common room." Meelee spoke up. Maddie was leaning a lot on Victoire. Whatever happened she'd been over worked- Meelee had to support her as a friend. Maddie looked into Meelee's eyes.
   "Thank you." She croaked. Meelee nodded before taking the bag and turning to go towards the common room. Meelee didn't notice, but as she played the scene again and again in her head, her pace quickened. She moved through the empty corridors, questions filling her head.
What was wrong with Maddie?
Why did Maddie keep it a secret?
Was she close to Victoire than her, Meelee?
Why did Teddy also know?
Why was she even friends with someone who so obviously kept a secret?
  But the time she reached the Gryffindor common room her peach and orange hair was falling out of her ponytail, her feet were aching from the speed she walking at and she was sure if she saw Maddie at that moment she could scream the length of Hogwarts at her.
   "Figgleberries." She said aggressively to the Fat Lady.
   "You ought not be so angry dear- it will give your wrinkles." The woman advised before opening her portrait. She stormed through the entrance and headed straight for the dorms, despite the fact that it was only five in the evening.
   "Hey Meels!" Andrew called to her as Adam tried to pour green slime all over his purple hair. Meelee ignored him. She ran up the staircase and was relieved to see the dorm room was empty. She threw down the two school bags and opened the wide window. She stepped out and climbed onto the roof.
   This was the place she shared with Maddie. Before she could stop them, tears started to stream down her face. Anger for the secrets, sadness for the broken feeling, fear for losing the friendship.
   Did she even know Maddie anymore? She'd changed so much in the last two years it hurt. She was bewildered as these thoughts crept up from the darkest pits of her stomach.
   The sun had well set by the time she slipped into her common room again. Maddie's bed was empty again, but Victoire had her curtains drawn around her four poster bed. She crept into her own bed and as she settled down, she thought about her relationship with Maddie even more.
   Come to think of it, it was this big secret that seemed to be obstructing her friendship with Maddie. And maybe she should just try and ask Maddie about it? She didn't want to suddenly have all of these horrid thoughts about her best friend...
   Meanwhile, a few hours before, Teddy and Victoire helped a trembling Maddie up to the hospital wing. By then multiple cuts on her arms and torso had re-opened. They began to carry Maddie up the final flights of stairs as she began to fall limp in their arms. She was losing a lot of blood. When they got up to the infirmary Maddie threw up again, now completely unable to support herself. They set Maddie down on the nearest bed and she collapsed, her body rigid against the mattress, blood turning the sheets crimson, spreading like the black spots clouding her vision. Teddy ran off to Madam Pomfrey's office. Two seconds later she was running over, ushered Teddy and Victoire away and drew the curtain around Maddie's bed.
   Teddy walked over to the bed beside the one Maddie was lying in, knowing his father was behind that curtain. Victoire had left by then and he walked in to see his father supported by pillows in bed, reading a letter. He folded it carefully and put it on the small, worn bedside table beside him.
   "Hey Daddy." Teddy looked at his father. Remus has not heard his son come in so jumped a little in his bed, immediately causing him to wince in pain.
   "Ted, I was not expecting you this early!" He exclaimed, a smile playing on his lips. Teddy sat on the bottom of his father's bed, crossing his legs. He was not heavy or tall, so usually Remus wouldn't notice this action. However he swallowed slightly as a wave of ice rolled through his spine, but drew back a second later.
   "Vicki and I had to take Maddie up here- her cuts from Friday reopened. They must have been really deep or something..." Teddy looked worried and his father noted this.
   "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can help her somehow Ted. I wouldn't worry too much." Remus flashed a reassuring smile to his son. However, he had never heard of sealed wolf cuts being reopened, so he mirrored his son's concerned thoughts. Suddenly fatigue got the best of him and he let out a long yawn. Teddy smiled at his dad and climbed up from his bed.
   "I'll leave you to sleep Daddy." He said gently. He tried to object, but Teddy simply hugged him and left quietly as Remus drowned into a world of peace.
   Teddy walked out of the room, noticing a new bed with a curtain drawn and the one that Maddie had laid in previously completely stripped. He sighed and went to the Great Hall for dinner.

   Finally Maddie's cuts sealed. Madam Pomfrey looked at the girl nervously. She was unconscious, her breaths even. How could she let this happen to this poor girl? She was sure that she had mis-made the powdered silver and dittany.
For the rest of the night Madam Pomfrey checked on the girl regularly, and over the next day. Finally she was satisfied at dinner on Tuesday and let Maddie return to her classes.

Maddie walked into the dinner hall, not really hungry, but eager to see her friends again. However, despite the many calls from friends around her, Meelee was the first to approach her. She looked anxious, but also determined. She said in a low voice,
   "I need to talk to you."