Big claps for Fresca for beta'ing this!



Missing Them, Loving Her



Teddy Remus Lupin walked down the pathway, his hands in his pockets. He kicked absent-mindedly at the burnt orange leaves that were scattered across the ground. He remembered, fondly, a time when he was four years old in the middle of autumn. Grandma Andromeda had dressed him warmly in his blue jumper and wrapped a hand-knitted scarf around his chubby neck and softly stroked his light brown coloured strands of hair before taking his hand and leading him slowly out into the backyard.



At the very back of the yard was a tall tree with bare branches. On the ground was a freshly raked pile of colourful leaves, just waiting to be scattered messily across the yard again. He had squealed with delight when Granny had let go of his hand and gestured towards the pile. He had rushed forwards and thrown himself into the pile, disappearing momentarily into it, before his head popped out at the top, a smile beaming at his Granny, on his face.





As quickly as the memory of the past had come, he was whisked away and back to present time. The sun shined down on the back of his neck and he squinted into the distance, the glare of the sun blinding him. The cemetery gates soon came into sight and reach as he neared the overgrown hedges that decorated the fence line. He gently pushed on the gates which creaked open instantly at his touch.



He passed other gravestones, with known names carved into them, but he didn’t stop. At the very back were two gravestones that did not bear the grime that covered other stones around, as they was cleaned every time he visited, which was often. Carved neatly into the gravestones in big bold letters were: Nymphadora Tonks Lupin and Remus John Lupin



Teddy knelt down and stared silently at the names for a few minutes. Underneath each name were more words he read every time he came to see the graves of his parents.



Nymphadora Tonks Lupin,

Daughter of Andromeda and Ted Tonks,

Beloved wife of Remus Lupin,

Mother of Ted Remus Lupin



His brown eyes lingered over the words before changing to a light blue colour and glancing briefly over his father’s stone.



Remus John Lupin,

Son of Mary and John Lupin,

Beloved husband of Nymphadora Tonks Lupin,

Father of Ted Remus Lupin



A single tear rolled down his pale cheek and his eyes watered. He never got to know him. So many other people knew them, but not him, their only son. Would they have been proud of him when he got his first job as a trainee Healer at St Mungo’s last summer? Angry when, in his fourth year at Hogwarts, accidentally set the Gryffindor Common Room curtains on fire? Disappointed in him when he cut History of Magic in his seventh year with Victoire Weasley to snog in the broomstick cupboard on the second floor? He would never know.



“Hi, Mum and Dad, it’s me again, I know I only visited you guys the other day but…” he trailed off. “You know Victoire…I’ve told you about her…Well, I think I love her, Mum and Dad. I do-I really love her.”



He broke off at the thought of her silvery blonde hair, shinning beautifully as the morning sun hit it, and her sparkling blue eyes, almost smiling at him, and the cute little freckles that were scattered across her perfect face.



He got to his feet slowly and pulled his wand from his pocket. Pointing to the ground of the two graves he muttered something under his breath. A bunch of multi-coloured flowers appeared instantly in his hands. Teddy separated them evenly and placed a few on the ground in front of each gravestone.



He just sat there for a few minutes in comfortably silence. A voice behind startled him and pulled Teddy from his thoughts.



“When Harry told me you hadn’t arrived, I knew I’d find you here,” Andromeda said, pulling him to his feet. “Needed some time to think, kiddo?”



Teddy nodded slowly. Something was on his mind and he pondered telling his Grandmother about it.



“Why did they have to die, Granny?”



He had blurted the words out and it was too late to take them back. He waited for an answer while Andromeda took his hand softly.



“Both your mother and father would have wanted you to know they died to give you a better world to live in Teddy, dear. They died because they loved you very much, and they would be proud of you,” she finished, gently kissing him on the forehead. “Now, you hurry to Harry and Ginny’s and I’ll replace your Grandfather’s flowers.”



Teddy nodded with a small smile, turned on the spot and with a crack, disappeared.

---

Harry opened the door with a large smile and welcomed Teddy into the house. He wrapped Teddy in a hug and they walked into the dinning room.



“So, Teddy, James told what happened at King’s Cross with you, and, if I’m not mistaken, Miss Victoire Weasley, the daughter of my brother-in-law, Bill Weasley,” he said, a grin forming on his face.



Teddy’s face turned a crimson red as he took a place at the table. Ginny came out of the kitchen, carrying a large platter of sandwiches and little Lily pranced out after her supporting a jug of chilled pumpkin juice. Upon seeing Teddy, she let out a giggle and placed the jug quickly on the table in her haste to hug Teddy.



“Hey Lil,” Teddy said warmly, standing and opening his arms to hug her tightly. “Still can’t go to Hoggy-warts yet, eh?”



She pouted and looked at her father who wore an amused face. Harry swept her up in a hug and lifted her, with ease, from the ground. Harry buried his face her long red hair and said cheerfully, “Nope, but that means more father and daughter moments without James butting in.”



Lily giggled and Ginny smiled from the table. Teddy smiled weakly and sadly. He never had any father and son moments or times when he would push his mother away when she tried to kiss him in public or in front of girls he liked, but in the privacy of his own home, cuddle her tightly, never wanting to let go.



Sensing Teddy’s mood, Ginny said, “All right, who’s up for some lunch?”



Lily snagged a seat in between her parents and Teddy resumed his seat next to Harry. Soon they were chatting happily.



“So Teddy, are you going to marry Victoire? Then you’d be part of the family for real!” Lily said excitedly and the conversations stopped in mid-word.



Harry exchanged a grin and Lily stared eagerly at Teddy whose mouth was wide open. He swallowed his mouthful and thought for a second.



“You know what? Yes, I will, I will marry Victoire Weasley,” he said loudly to Lily’s delight. “Someday.”



A/N: This fic is second in The Teddy Lupin Files. Thanks goes to laceymoibella for the fabulous title 'Entwined Paths' and kumydabookworm for the wonderful chapter title 'Missing Them, Loving Her'