Thank you very much to my wonderful Guide and beta Karin. Isn't she brilliant everyone? *claps proudly*
Teddy staggered to his feet and swayed for a moment, before the hard ground came up to meet him again. He groaned and breathed in the scent of grass and dirt. Rolling over onto his back, he pushed himself back up into a sitting position. He looked around him; he was in a field? He looked beside him and spotted his wand and a satchel.
Teddy snatched up his wand and confused, reached for the satchel. Placing it on his lap, he dug through it and pulled out a sheet of parchment with a sketch of a map on it labelled Salem. He was utterly clueless as to why he might have a map of Salem. He felt around the bag again and pulled out a thick history book and a…
“A Time-Turner?” he stammered. “Why would I-”
A flutter of movement caught his eye and he reached into the bag again, pulling out a roll of parchment this time. He unrolled it and read it greedily, hoping for some explanation.
History Essay: The Salem Witch Trials by Teddy Lupin
Teddy sucked in a breath of air and placed a hand on his throbbing head. Now he remembered! He had decided to get the real experience of the Salem Witch Trials and travelled back in time to the seventeenth century!
He cursed himself mentally. How could he have been so stupid! A moment of weakness and it was all for a grade. He got to his feet, swinging the satchel over his shoulder after stuffing the history book back in. He slipped the Time-Turner around his neck and glanced at the map. If his coordinates were right, there was a village just beyond the small field. He squinted and could slightly make out something in the distance.
Teddy sighed heavily and started towards the village. He might as well use this situation to his advantage; he knew the spell to reverse the Time-Turner. He could at least get the information he came for before leaving. He stopped suddenly, remembering something suddenly.
He shook his hair and the blue colour faded into a dull brown colour. How would he explain blue hair?
“I soaked my head in blueberry juice and it stained my hair blue.” It sounded even more stupid aloud than in his head.
No, he was safer changing it to a boring but common colour. One more thing he had to change. He pointed his wand at himself and muttered, “Induviae!”
There, now his clothes were right for the seventeenth century. It would look rather odd, him walking around in a pair of robes. He could just as easy put a sign around his neck that read: Burn me at the stake!
The journey was short and he was soon on the outskirts of the village of Salem. He peered out from behind a small wooden house and sniffed the air. Smoke? A fire! They were burning an innocent person at the stake right now! Teddy felt sick but crept quietly into the centre of the town where everyone was gathered.
“Witch, witch!”
The crowd was chanting, even little children, though they were hiding behind their mothers’s skirts. A man with a roll of parchment shushed them and the chanting died down.
“Eugenia Williams. You have been accused of witchcraft because of your delaying of the birth of children recently in this village,” he exclaimed in a loud, disgusted voice. “Do you deny?”
A short, brown haired woman was tied to a tall stake in the middle of the crowd, her head held high and her eyes closed. Almost like she was praying. The man with the parchment waited, but still the woman didn’t answer.
“Very well then, light the fire men,” he ordered, and the woman’s eyes opened, fixed upon his face.
Three men threw flaming logs around the stake and the flames licked at the stake, moving quickly towards the woman’s feet.
“No!” Teddy whispered under his breathe, acting fast. He couldn’t pull his wand out without being caught. He had to use wandless magic. He flicked one hand quickly at the woman and mumbled something under his breath.
The crowds cheering slowed, the flames moving slowly now. Teddy had to move quickly now; the spell wouldn’t last forever.
He rushed to the stake, staying clear of the flames. He waved his hand and the ropes untied themselves and the woman collapsed from the stake and fell into Teddy’s arms. He spun on the spot and disappeared just as the spell wore off.
He reappeared in the field and the woman pushed herself away from him, and he heard her retch into the grass. He winced as she straightened herself again and turned to face her. In the silence, they could hear the outraged shouts from the village.
“You-you saved me?” she said slowly in confusion. “But how?”
Teddy thought to himself for a moment. Well, she had been accused of witchcraft, she had to be one.
“Magic,” he said simply, and she looked horrified. “Wait, you’re not a witch?”
She shook her head, stepping away from him slightly and said, “No, they wrongly accused me. I’m only the town’s midwife, I only used herbs to delay the children; they would have been born pre-mature. I am not a witch!”
Teddy groaned and said, “Well, they think you are. You better get out of here!”
She nodded and said, “I will, I have a cousin who can take me. She lives far away, I will hide away in the morning carriage to Jameston and go from there.”
Teddy nodded in agreement and she looked fearfully at him. “But what will you do, kind sir.” She gave him a quick curtsy in respect and he smiled to himself.
“Do not worry about me, my lady,” he said, ushering her away with his hands. “I have magic on my side,” he added, winking at her.
She nodded again, hitched up her skirt and rushed from him, in the opposite direction of the village.
Now, he had to get out of here.
***
Teddy swung his satchel over his shoulder and started through the field, glancing briefly over his shoulder at the sound of angry voices. He could see the orange glow in the sky of the still burning stake, but he knew the poor woman was safe now. And hopefully she would make it to her cousin’s home without having a single hair singed by the awful flames that nearly took her life moments ago.
People in this time were so suspicious. Thank god people from Teddy’s time didn’t burn people at the stake because their child wasn’t born on the correct day. They should be thankful their child was going to be born alive.
Eugenia was gone from view now, lost in the horizon. Teddy gave one more look at the village and its angry orange glow and began struggling through the tall grass. He would get a safe distance away from the village before he tried to travel back to his time.
He thought as he walked; could he use this experience in his essay? Eugenia wasn’t a witch who was written in the History books. Would people ask about how he knew of someone from this time without a scrap of evidence of her existence in life? Maybe he should get back to his time and write a new essay. Something totally unrelated to the Witch Burnings.
Maybe about the Goblin’s Rebellion, he mused as he walked silently. I know enough about them already to write about it.
He reached the end of the grass field; the village was no longer in view now. Teddy decided this was a safe distance from the villagers and their flaming torches. He slipped the Time-Turner out from underneath his shirt and studied it carefully. He was about to take out his wand and reverse the Time-Turner when the grass just before him moved in a way that had nothing to do with the breeze.
He tensed, gripping his wand. If he had to use magic to avoid burning at the stake, then so be it. He could always wipe their memory after he Stunned them.
“Teddy Lupin!” the grass spoke angrily.
And a tall, graceful figure rose from the grass, her silvery blonde hair tangled messily and her blue eyes blazing.
“Uh oh,” he muttered and lowered his wand. “Victoire.”
She stormed towards him and Teddy spotted a Time-Turner around her neck. She must have stolen one like him. She must have found his time-line scribble in his bedside table and his plans for the time travelling.
“Uh oh is damn right, Lupin!” she said furiously. “Do you know how much trouble you’ll be in for this?”
Teddy’s face turned light red and he fiddled with the Time-Turner in his hand. Victoire folded her arms across her chest tightly and spat, “You better know the charm to get us out of here, and when Uncle Harry hears about this!”
Teddy winced; he would be in so much trouble.
***
Teddy gave the reversal charm to Victoire, who was still glaring angrily at him, though not another word came out of her mouth.
She tapped her Time-Turner and started to spin it. “Meet me in London, can you do that? Without taking any detours to Medieval Japan or something.”
She nodded sharply and disappeared in a flash of light. Teddy breathed in deeply and stared down at his own Time-Turner. He tapped it with a quiet mutter and with another glance behind in the direction of the village; he spun it and vanished from the seventeenth century.
Teddy’s head spun but this time, he stayed on his feet. He looked around at his surroundings and noted he was exactly where we wanted to be. Muggle transport zooming past him told him he was in his own time again. He stepped out from behind the trash can and bumped into an elderly woman.
Before he could apologize, she pushed him away with a mutter. “Filthy beggar.”
Teddy looked down at his clothes with a gasp. He was still in his seventeenth century clothes. Something caught his eye over the top of heads and he grimaced, fully expecting another explosion of anger when she caught up.
Her red hair bobbed above everyone else’s heads towards him. He was causing too much attention with his clothes and actions; he ducked away from the street and into an inn.
As he stumbled through the doors, he bumped in to yet another person who said, “Merlin’s pants! Watch where you’re going, young man.”
Only a wizard would use such a phrase, thought Teddy excitedly.
He stared up above him at a swinging sign with the faded words of Leaky Cauldron etched into them and cheered silently. His happiness disappeared quickly.
“Well, look what the Kneazle dragged in.”
Teddy turned to see Victoire standing behind him with her hands on her hips angrily.
***
Victoire shot daggers at him while she stood perfectly still in the doorway. A grumpy looking witch glared at her and said, “Move it, will you!”
Victoire looked distractedly at her and made to move aside. She was apparently too slow for the witch, who pushed past her. Teddy caught Victoire but she shoved herself away from him, smoothing her robes angrily.
Teddy gestured to a table and Victoire walked right past him, her arms folded again. They sat in the corner of the inn, on either side of the table.
Victoire uncrossed her arms finally and said, “I’ll contact Uncle Harry soon. But…what was going through your mind when you decided to do this?”
He sighed heavily and rested his head on the cold table. Victoire shook her head, folded her arms and gazed around the bar.
“I don’t know, Victoire.” He sighed again, lifting his eyes to her face. “Are you going to turn me in?”
She pursed her lips tightly and stared him in the face. Teddy looked pleadingly at her with desperate eyes. She blinked and looked away; he looked at her hopefully.
“Maybe. It would knock some sense into you,” she said, pausing slightly. “But then, you’d probably be expelled. And my free period we usually spend in broom cupboards would be rather boring, now wouldn’t it?” she added with a slight smile.
Teddy jumped from the seat and kissed Victoire full on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her and continued to kiss her. She broke away breathless and he grinned.
“We better get back to the school,” he said, looking at his watch. “I’ll forge a note from the nurse to say we were in the Hospital Wing for the last two periods,” he added, grinning.
Teddy got to his feet and held out a hand. Victoire took it and he swept her off her feet. She giggled and something caught Teddy’s eye.
A scrap of parchment floated gently to the ground and he picked it up. Victoire’s eyes widened as she realized what it was and what the words written on it would do once Teddy read them.
His brow knitted in confusion as he read aloud, “Dear Victoire, meet me at the astronomy tower for our date tonight. What’s this about, Victoire?”
“Teddy, I-”
“What’s this about?” he repeated in disbelief. “I thought you loved me.”
Victoire stammered and Teddy stepped back from her, shaking his head and said, “I can’t believe you would go out on a date with someone else. After everything we’ve been through; after that night that you promised to marry me after you finish school.”
Victoire reached for Teddy’s hand but he pulled it away as if he’d been burned.
“I don’t think I can forgive you for this, Victoire,” he said painfully. “I thought we loved each other.”
***
Once Teddy stormed out of the Leaky Cauldron, Victoire calling after him, he spun on the spot and disappeared. He reappeared in the swirling darkness of the Forbidden Forest just outside the castle grounds. Teddy kicked a stone and made a small cloud of dust rise when it landed.
He picked it up and tossed it angrily at a tree. The idea of Victoire cheating on him was roaring in his mind as he walked through the silence in the forest. How could she do this to him; he loved her. And he thought she loved him. She had said it so many times. Was it all meaningless?
As he made to pick up the stone at the base of the tree, something caught his eye. Something carved into the tree. He peered closely, brushing the bark off the trunk. His heart thumped painfully at the marking in the tree.
Teddy & Victoire Forever
His face hardened at the sight of his scratched words. He looked around the clearing he was in; recognizing it now. It was his and Victoire’s spot.
There was the bush he had hidden behind, jumped out and scared Victoire. She had slapped him on the arm playfully for that. And there was the tree she had fallen out of, and he had caught her. She had kissed him for that. All these memories just made him even more miserable.
“Don’t you love me anymore, Victoire,” he said bitterly.
He threw the stone at the bush and something gave a strangled scream. Teddy jumped and withdrew his wand, ready to hex whatever it was hiding. The bush rustled and something poked its head out from behind it.
“Don’t shoot!”
With its head bowed low and shoulders slumped, a strange animal made its way out from behind the bush. It was a brilliant shade of red, and its eyes sparkled orange. It looked almost dog like with it furry appearance and tail; although Teddy could see his tail slightly smoking and looking about to burst into flames.
“Wha-what are you?” stammered Teddy.
“Just about the last of my species so don’t you shoot!” it nearly growled.
***
Teddy was sitting cross-legged in the dirt with the strange animal curled up beside him. Having told him everything that had happened with the Time-Turner and Victoire, Teddy appreciated how much of a good listener the animal was.
“You think you have it bad, young man?” he said, “At least you have lots of species to fall in love with. I’m just about the last.”
He had a point; there were other girls out there. This poor animal, whatever it was, had just about no-one to fall in love with and…well, create more of his species. But, he still loved Victoire. Even if she didn’t love him.
He got to his feet and turned to the creature. “Thank you, for everything.”
The animal bowed his head and allowed Teddy to scratch it behind the ear. As Teddy made to walk off, the animal called after him, “Although, I wouldn’t give up on your Miss Weasley yet. You might want to know, it was not her idea to go out with that other boy.”
Teddy stopped and the animal caught up with him. He raised a curious eyebrow at the creature and gestured for it to continue.
“I happened to overhear the two of them at the edge of the forest. Seems, Miss Weasley was in need of some information about your absence and the only way she’d get it from the boy was if she went out with him.”
Teddy’s mouth dropped.
***
Teddy walked silently through the forest, leaving the friendly companion behind with a polite smile and thanks. He was still fuming inside about the boy and his outrageous deal. But something else was pressing on his mind. He never really thought that Victoire would go to such lengths when his safety was involved. She would date someone else just once, unwillingly, just to know that he was safe.
It suddenly occurred to Teddy that there were many things still to be learned about his girlfriend and, hopefully, to be wife in the future. How could he marry someone he didn’t know all that much about? What was her favorite colour, blue? Or was it maybe yellow? He was second guessing himself now.
He was reaching the edge of the forest now; where was Victoire? Hadn’t she followed him when he left so abruptly? Or perhaps, had she taken him seriously about the non-forgiving statement and left him. He didn’t know how she would react. There was another thing, how would she react in certain situations? Again, second guessing himself.
He had known Victoire since the sunny summer days before Hogwarts, when they spent day after day climbing in the trees near the Burrow or throwing snowballs at each other in the winter. And yet, he couldn’t even think of her favorite colour. He cursed himself mentally.
Then maybe, not knowing everything about a person was part of a healthy relationship. If you knew everything about the person, maybe a secret passion of theirs, it would put you off them. Because you may not like that particular item or game. Why let a simple thing like that come between two people who like each other enough to promise marriage? It seemed silly; the thought that passed through Teddy’s mind.
He was now standing at the edge of the forest, the castle looming over against the darkening sky. He was going to be in so much trouble when he got back. Maybe Victoire had already mysteriously blended in with her class after a quick mutter about the Hospital Wing. And she was waving her wand around turning mice into teacups. He didn’t know.
“Teddy?”
He turned; Victoire was pushing past bushes towards him, her face panic stricken. She stood back from him, though inside Teddy was begging her to embrace him.
“Teddy, please,” she pleaded. “Let me explain.”
Teddy held up a hand and she stopped as tears began to fall down her pale cheeks. He moved forward swiftly and wrapped his arms around her. She gasped and breathed in the lovely scent of him, as though she’d never smelt anything like him. Teddy looked down at her and kissed her forehead.
“I heard about the deal with you and that boy,” he said simply. “I do forgive you, Victoire, I just got the wrong impression at first and didn’t let you properly explain.”
She nodded, wiping her tears and cheeks. Teddy bent his head down to her height and kissed her fully on the lips. He pulled away as a random thought crossed his mind again.
“Victoire?” he asked softly, close to her ear. “What’s your favourite colour?”