Lupa | Teddy Lupin

Chapter 5- The Pain and The Sorrow

Mid way through October the weather took a nasty turn. The skies turned grey and rain poured down continuously, soaking anyone who left the roof of the castle.
One lunch time Maddie was sitting on a squashing couch in front of the roaring common room fire. Robbie had his arm around her, partially for warmth, and her knees were tucked to her chest and her head resting on his chest, arms tightly folded. She was chatting, shoes off with Robbie, Adam and Andrew, thinking about the past week or so.
Meelee still wasn't talking to her and Maddie began to feel lonely without her friend. She had never seen Meelee so angry and never felt so alone and in the dark- she was dreading the next full moon.
As these thoughts developed in her mind and drifted off like wisps of smoke, Maddie curled into a tighter ball in Robbie's chest. He wrapped his arm around her more defensively. The pair had been close lately, particularly as Maddie had been ill and Meelee had been cruel to her friend, not that Robbie knew the real reason behind the whole situation.
"Are you ok Mads?" Adam asked, also noticing Maddie's sudden smallness. She nodded, remaining silent. Adam ruffled his green hair.
   "Andrew," he turned to his friend, "can you see my roots coming through?" He ran his short stumpy fingers through is lime and pine hair. Andrew nodded.
"It's fine though because it looks naturally faded." He replied, running his own fingers through his lavender hair. Adam nodded and relaxed. Maddie shook her head and giggled.
  "You accused me and Bella is being vain the other week because we checked our reflections!" Maddie laughed, ignoring the now continuous ache in her rib cage. Adam ran his hands through his hair and smiled.
   "Can we go and get lunch?" Andrew groaned. Robbie raised his eyebrows.
   "You alright there mate?" He asked, his voice light and bouncy. Andrew clutched his stomach with his small hands.
"I'm hungry." He moaned, massaging his stomach.
   "Alright then." Adam jumped up and Robbie got up, helping his girlfriend up too. She leant against him and he put his arm around her as they strolled down to lunch.

The Gryffindors had Herbology the next lesson with the Ravenclaws. When they entered the greenhouse, Emily, Andrew and Maddie all went to sit together on one side of the class in their seats while Hunter, Adam and Robbie sat a few seats down and Bella and Meelee sat on the complete opposite side of the room. Professor Longbottom entered the glass room and promptly began speaking. Maddie looked around for Victoire, but her friend was nowhere in sight. Professor Longbottom began his lesson with a register, as usual. Victoire was still nowhere to be seen.
"Where is Vicki?" Emily murmured to Maddie, causing her newly adopted eighties style hair to get into Maddie's face. Maddie simply shrugged and peered down the table as if Vicki would appear in the middle of it. Instead she caught Robbie's eye and blushed a little when he gave her a crooked smile.
  "Have you seen Vicki?" She mouthed. Robbie's brow furrowed with thought before shaking his head. Maddie sighed before leaning back into her own stool and shrugged again.
As if on queue Victoire Weasley came running into the room. Professor Longbottom raises as she halted, flushed and panting.
"Sorry Professor-" she huffed, her chest heaving. "I was helping a friend to the hospital wing." She breathed, starting to catch her breath again.
"Thank you Miss Weasley, please sit down." Professor Longbottom indicates to the seat beside Maddie as he began to explain the properties of Gillyweed.
"Who where you helping?" Maddie whispered to her friend, who was yanking quills and books from her satchel.
"Teddy had a really bad fall down the stairs. Maya and I were the only ones there." Victoire explained, Maddie's eyes widening in fear for her friend. She looked as Victoire expectantly. "What?" Victoire cocked her head.
"Well is he going to be ok?" Maddie huffed in exasperation little too loudly. She covered her mouth as the Herbology teacher hushed the pair down.
"Sorry Professor." Victoire apologised. "Don't be so loud Mads." She scolded her friend under her breath. "He's broken his arm, maybe his ankle and he had a concussion-" Victoire explained and Maddie winced. "Madam Pomfrey can patch him up though. He'll be fine." Victoire reassured her friend.
That didn't stop Maddie from running straight to the hospital wing after Herbology that day, Vicki close on her heels. Not only did they want to see their friend, but they had to get there before all of their other friends- they wanted to be the first to see Teddy as the hospital wing had a five person visiting limit. It was a very serious race and when Victoire and Maddie got there they were panting, and the first ones there. They quietly walked to Teddy's bed and sat down in the chairs beside it. Teddy's eyes were closed and his arm was wrapped carefully in a sling. His ankle was resting on a cushion and his breaths were even.
"I would open my eyes, but that makes me feel nauseous." He breathed with a small grin. Maddie shook her head.
"How did you even fall down the stairs?" She inquired, her voice full of worry. Teddy went silent and Victoire let out an exasperated breath.
"That part is very irrelevant." He said, his hair changing from dark blue to a bright shade of red.
"He slipped on a banana skin." Victoire answered bluntly. Maddie suppressed a smile and shook her head.
"Honestly Ted." She tried hard not to laugh. "How do you feel?" She gently asked. Teddy sighed, gagged and swallowed, taking Maddie by surprise. "Do you want me to get Madam Pomfrey?" She hurriedly got up from her crouch beside his bed, but Teddy waved his good arm in dismissal.
  "It's been happening since I fell; so I feel wonderful." Teddy shook his head in his own disapproval.
"Oh Merlin, you poor thing." Victoire said sympathetically. They sat in the company of one another as the rain hammered fiercely again the window like the hooves of a hundred hippogriffs. The thunder rolled across the highlands, growling like the belly of a dragon in fury. The lighting flashed and decorated the sky in a blinding wave of fire.
Teddy looked uncomfortable and slightly pale as the thunder clapped and lighting cracked through the sky outside. Though Victoire was unaware of the source of her friend being so on edge, Maddie didn't miss each shudder of fear as the storm drew closer to the great castle.
  Eventually Maddie and Victoire were sent away by Madam Pomfrey, like all of their friends who had tried to enter the hospital wing that night. Teddy was lying awake, staring at the ceiling when he heard soft footsteps echo against the cold, hard floor of the infirmary.
Remus Lupin came to sit down beside his son and look down at him with concern.
"Hello Daddy. How have you been today?" Teddy smiled and Remus sighed.
"Ted, your mother and I have been so concerned. What did you do little man?" He said, lines of worry crossing his face as Teddy's hair turned from blue to pink at his father's affection nickname.
"I fell down the stairs, that's all. And you shouldn't worry Daddy, people will start to think you're over 30." Teddy smiled and Remus did too briefly, before catching a glimpse of Teddy trying to hide himself gagging.
  "Are you okay? Should I get you a bucket?" Remus reacted quickly, wand at hand in a second but his son shook his head.
  "It's fine. Honestly, it's the strangest thing; I threw up once after falling down the stairs but I've only been gagging since." The boy pondered thoughtfully. Remus raised his eyebrows.
  "You threw up? Merlin Ted, what else happened?"
  "Well I kinda got a concussion, so my head still feels like a baby elephant is sat on top of it. I also broke my arm and ankle, but they feel fine now; I've been taking skele-" Teddy was interrupted by a fierce roll of thunder echoed through the room, followed by the cries of the howling wind. He shuddered as thunder's echoes died away. Remus suppressed a smile as he saw his son cower.
"It's just thunder Ted; it will pass over." He comforted soothingly, unable to hide his gentle smile.
"It's not funny." Teddy grumbled, his cheeks matching his violently pink hair.
Teddy talked with his father until his eyes started to close. He tried, he really did, but Remus Lupin left to his son's chest rising and falling steadily in a deep sleep.