The days that followed Voldemort’s death passed in a blur of faces, funerals, photos, fragmented thoughts and a fierce emptiness.

Harry hadn’t eaten properly in days. He just did not feel hungry and doubted he ever would again.

He went down the Burrow’s staircase to get a glass of water from the kitchen, and as he passed Ginny’s room he heard her crying.

George had left for a walk and had not come back for seven hours.

Mrs Weasley broke everything she touched, she was trembling that badly.

Mr Weasley hadn’t spoken a word since it happened.

Ron just sat in his room, staring unblinkingly at a photograph of himself and Fred playing in the garden many years ago.

Harry had no idea where he was. He felt as if his whole world had been turned on its head. Everything was a mess, a great big mess, and right now Harry was caught in the middle of it all, rolling on and on to Merlin knows where. His head throbbed constantly, but that was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. All his insides were still screaming out with grief at the loss of so many good friends. He couldn’t stand it.

There were so many funerals, so many things Harry had to attend.

There was a constant, faceless mourning-mass and all wanted to meet him, see him, and thank him.

Harry just wanted peace, he wanted to get away. He needed time, time to address what happened, and put it behind him.

But there were so many funerals.

Fred’s had been the worst. Ron cried. Ginny trembled. George looked so pale he might have been a ghost. Mrs Weasley couldn’t stand, and had to be supported by Mr Weasley, whose grief, it appeared, was well beyond the stage of tears.

Harry couldn’t bear it.

He still felt responsible, still felt that if he had only gone to Voldemort earlier, then Fred would not have died and the Weasleys would have been spared this horrible ordeal.

The Daily Prophet would not stop stalking him. Not an hour went by where Harry didn’t see some reporter trying to take photographs of him or demanding that he give an interview or a spell-by-spell account of his duel with the Dark Lord. Harry wished they would get lost. He didn’t want to deal with them right now, and their presence and persistence made everything else seem all the worse.

Wherever he went, he had hundreds of strangers coming up to him, wanting to shake his hand or give him their thanks. While Harry understood their gratitude, he wished they would simply leave him be. He needed some peace and quiet, he needed time alone to think, to come to terms with all that had happened to him.

None of them discussed death much. They all had too much experience with it and they could not bring themselves to bring it up again. George appeared to be only the merest apparition of his former self. The jokes, pranks and laughter that Harry relied on from the twins had vanished and he did not know if it could ever return.

Some nights, Ginny would sit beside him on the couch in the Burrow’s sitting room. They wouldn’t speak, she would just rest her head on his shoulder and he would take her hand in his. It was amazing how grief robbed you of the ability to do normal things, like smile or laugh or speak.

He had heard so many eulogies and so many speeches. Soon, all words seemed to wash over him, he heard them, but his brain didn’t register their meaning. Words just failed at times like this. There were no words to describe the pain, the horror and the guilt he felt every second of every day since the battle ended.

Harry tried to place himself inside a little bubble, a bubble that the terrible outside world could not penetrate. But it always did. There was always a throng of black-clad mourners, queuing silently to shake his hand one by one.

But even when he was alone he didn’t feel any better. He found that he was unconsciously wringing his hands with anxiety as he thought about the battle, as he remembered the screams, the explosions and the terrible, cruel laughter of Death Eaters. Several times his memories of dead faces would overwhelm him and he would hold his head in his hands and breath very deeply, trying to settle himself.

But he was never settled for long. He wore death like the lightning scar on his forehead. Death dominated him. First it took his parents, then every other parent-figure he had come to love: his Godfather, his headmaster and Remus.

Yes, he knew death all too well. He knew it before he could walk, before he could talk, and before he was old enough to remember his parents’ faces.

He did not know what he would feel at Remus’s and Tonks’s funeral the next day. Fred’s had been so hard and Harry was expecting this one to be just as bad. Death was, after all, so cruel.

Then a thought pierced Harry’s heart so quickly and so terribly, that for a moment he thought he had been cursed.

Teddy, my Godson Teddy, will wear death like a scar too.

Then Harry remembered the photo, the photo Remus had in his beast pocket the night he died. He remembered the tiny baby, with the brilliantly brown eyes, turquoise hair and fat fists that tried to bat the camera. Now the pain of death pressed down upon Teddy too, just as it did upon Harry.

He knocked on the wooden door to the small house. Ron, Hermione and Ginny had all offered to come with him, but he refused. This time, the first time, he wanted to go alone.

The door creaked open, and Andromeda Tonks stood in the hallway. Her eyes were blood-shot and dark circles hung under them, making her look ill.

“Hello, Harry,� she said, her voice frail and hoarse.

“Hi, Mrs Tonks,� Harry replied, solemnly.

“I’ve been expecting you to drop by for some time,� she said, standing aside to let him enter. Very little had changed in the year that had passed since Harry and Hagrid crash landed here on Sirius’s old motorbike.

Harry and Andromeda looked at each other in the hallway. Harry wanted to say something, something helpful, but there was nothing in his head, nothing that he could say that could express his grief, that could convey how sorry he felt for the hurt and pain she was feeling right now.

“I’m sorry, about Tonks, I mean - Nymphadora, I’m sorry about Nymphadora.� He tried to fill his voice with all the grief he felt, but nevertheless, the words sounded hollow.

‘I’m sorry’ had become a platitude, used so often that the words had been robbed of all meaning, becoming nothing more than a dull utterance, the thing you were told to say on such occasions.

Andromeda’s lip trembled and she began to blink furiously, batting back the tears that were surging forward upon the mention of her daughter’s name.

“Is - is Teddy around?� Harry knew it was a stupid question, of course Teddy was around. He was a baby. He wouldn’t be anywhere else but here, with his grandmother. Despite this, he asked the question anyway, just for something to say, something that would end the grieving silence that was dangerously close to erupting into tears.

Andromeda gestured to Harry to follow her, because she did not trust herself to speak. She led him into the sitting room, and lying on a pale-blue blanket in the middle of the floor, was his Godson.

Harry had never seen a baby up close before, if you didn’t count seeing them in photographs or on television. Teddy was tiny, smaller than he had appeared in Remus’s picture. His turquoise hair was silky and soft, completely new. His little hands were smaller than Harry thought hands ever could be. His eyes were so big, big and round and clear. They seemed to house the whole world, even if they had never seen the outside of the house they were all standing in.

“Would you like to hold him?� Andromeda asked, her voice returning to her.

“Em...� Harry began. The truth was that yes, he did want to hold Teddy, but in honesty, he was afraid to. He had never held a baby before, and Teddy was so delicate, what if he dropped him?

Andromeda smiled, but it faded off her face as quickly as it had appeared. “Sit down,� she said, pointing to the armchair. “And I’ll tell you what to do.�

Harry sat, feeling nervous. Andromeda picked Teddy up off the floor, hoisting him up under the arms, before holding him against her chest.

“Hold your arms out,� she said, her voice still sounding feeble.

Harry did as instructed. Andromeda placed Teddy in Harry’s arms. He was so light, hardly weighing anything at all.

“Make sure you support his head,� instructed Andromeda.

Harry obliged, shifting Teddy’s head into the crook of his arm. Teddy squirmed, but did not cry. Harry didn’t allow himself to move a muscle, afraid that if he did, he would upset Teddy.

“That’s a good sign,� Andromeda said.

“What is?� asked Harry.

“That he’s not crying, he must like you,� Andromeda replied.

“He hardly knows me.�

“That doesn’t matter.�

Harry stared down at Teddy for a moment. He was kicking his little legs and touching the material of Harry’s T-shirt with his tiny hands.

Andromeda sighed, and collapsed into the couch. She leaned forward and covered her mouth and nose with her hands. She looked tired, so very tired.

“I’ll - I’ll look after him, for a bit,� Harry said quietly, “if - if you want to - lie down - or - or have a cup of tea.�

She looked at the door and then at Harry, biting her lip. She didn’t trust him to be alone with Teddy.

“I’ll be careful,� Harry said reassuringly, “and I’ll shout if I need you. It’ll be alright.�

Andromeda stood up, “I’ll leave the door open, so I can hear you if you call. I’ll just be in the kitchen.�

Harry nodded gently, still afraid that if he moved, he might disturb Teddy. Andromeda left and Harry stared down at the little child in his arms. Teddy was drinking Harry in, his large, innocent eyes feasting on this new face in front of him.

“Hi, Teddy,� Harry said softly, “I’m Harry, your Godfather.�

Teddy continued to stare at Harry, his eyes x-raying him. They were brown, the same colour and shape as his father’s. Harry held Teddy’s gaze, so Lily’s green eyes would meet Remus’s brown ones. Teddy had Remus’s eyes, just like he, Harry, had Lily’s. He and Teddy had both started life the same way: orphaned by Voldemort. But Teddy would have a different hand than Harry did, Harry was determined of that. Teddy would not be tormented while growing up in a family that not only didn’t love him, but treated him with cruelty and indifference. No, Teddy’s life would be different, it would be better, much, much better.

And still Teddy’s eyes absorbed Harry’s face, trying to memorise it, so as to make it familiar and safe. Harry watched Teddy. He wondered if Teddy knew, if he somehow sensed that his parents were gone, that he knew that he would never to look upon their faces again, so he must learn to recognise new faces in their absence.

“Do you miss them, Ted?� Harry asked, his voice breaking slightly.

Teddy did not move, he just watched Harry, his eyes wide.

“You’ll always miss them,� Harry said. “Even though you won’t remember them, you’ll always miss them. There will be this great, big empty space, where they used to be, and you’ll always have that.�

Teddy didn’t blink. He did not move. He stayed in Harry’s arms, as still as a corpse.

“It’s not fair, is it, Ted?� Harry asked. “It’s not fair that you were robbed of them, before you will even remember their faces, before you will even have one single memory of them to look back on.�

Teddy blinked and his little hand moved. He spread his fingers out, like and fan, and he held them up, as though reaching for Harry, forming a connection with him.

“I’ll look after you, Ted,� Harry said. “And I’ll tell you all I know about them too, I’ll tell you everything, so even though you won’t remember them, you’ll know them.�

Teddy closed his eyes, and scrunched up his face. He was about to cry, Harry knew it. But he didn’t. He simply opened his eyes and suddenly his hair was jet-black, just like Harry’s. A warm feeling rose inside Harry, and for one glorious moment, he forgot everything, forgot about guilt and lost friends. For one shining instant, Teddy had wiped Harry’s scar of death away.

“You’re a clever little lad, you know that?� Harry said, smiling for the first time since Merlin knows when.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny arrived at the little graveyard with the rest of the Weasley family. It was a brilliantly sunny day, but despite the warmth of the beaming sun, Harry felt cold. His skin was covered in goose-pimples, his heart was thundering and his insides were writhing like snakes.

A little, white marquee had been erected in the large empty space at the back of the graveyard. Rows of chairs stood under its protection, all facing a small platform on which two coffins rested. Harry stopped walking and looked away. The grass was covered in daisies and shamrocks that bobbed their little heads in the light summer breeze. He watched the plants, and observed how they too had their heads bowed, in marks of respect for the dead. Harry couldn’t move. He couldn’t go any further. He just did not have the strength to go through another funeral.

A warm hand clasped his and forced him forward. It was Ginny. She brought him towards the little marquee. A small congregation had gathered. None of them were seated. Despite the warmth of the day, everyone stood huddled together like a flock of shivering ducks trying to stay out of the rain.

Harry felt his heart pang with grief, guilt and anger. Remus and Tonks deserved just as grand a funeral as Dumbledore had received, but instead only a few souls had come to pay their respects. Andromeda stood at the foot of the platform with a small pram beside her. She was hunched over, as the weight of death pressed down upon her. Several of her friends were standing around her, offering comfort and support. The surviving members of the Order of the Phoenix stood together, heads bowed: Elphias, Dedalus, Mrs Figg, Aberforth, Sturgis, Mundungus and Hestia. A very subdued Kingsley Shacklebolt stood beside them and a delegation of wizards from the Ministry watched him from a little way off. They were there for Kingsley’s protection, as he was now temporary Minister for Magic, not to pay their respects to Remus and Tonks. This angered Harry. He felt himself grow hot with fury when he thought of the way the Ministry had treated werewolves and placed more burdens on Remus’s shoulders than he should have had to bear.

As the Weasley family entered the marquee and approached Andromeda, Harry’s eyes met those of Professor McGonagall. She had been Remus’s head of house when he was a school and his colleague while he was a teacher. She looked pale, and tired and old. Strange, Harry had never associated any of these words with her before. Death, it seems, changes everything.

Beside her was an immaculately-clean and puffy-eyed Professor Sprout, who had been head of Tonks’s house. Her head was bowed and her lip trembling. To her right were Madam Hooch and Madam Promfrey, as well as Professors Slughorn, Flitwick, Trawlaney and Sinistra. All of them had taught or worked alongside Remus and Tonks in their time at Hogwarts. None of them were talking.

Harry looked behind him, determined to look anywhere but at the platform. His heart suddenly lifted when, in the distance, he saw a crowd of people enter the graveyard; a pale, battle-worn Neville and a quiet, distant Luna at its head. The group contained students and their families, all of whom had considered Remus to be the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher they had ever had. Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Ernie Macmillan and Cho Chang stood out amongst the other faces Harry only really knew to see. He recognised all the members of his old Quidditch team: Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. Teachers played an important role in one’s life, Harry thought, so it was only natural that they would want to say goodbye to Remus and his wife.

A small group of witches and wizards entered the graveyard after them. Some wore official Auror robes, and Harry knew instantly that these were Tonks’s friends and colleagues. Some were teary-eyed, others still and downcast. Death affects everyone in different ways.

“Alright, Harry? Ginny?� croaked a voice from behind. Harry turned and saw Hagrid smiling weakly at them, his tear-stained face surrounded by a mane of wild hair.

“Fine,� Harry lied through his teeth, as Ginny nodded feebly.

Hagrid seemed to understand the words Harry was not speaking aloud, the words that were swirling around inside his head, like leaves in autumn: I didn’t want them to die, it was my fault, I never wanted Teddy to have to grow up the way I did.

Hagrid sniffed and clapped Harry on the back, which knocked the breath out of him and nearly cracked several of his ribs.

Ginny brought Harry over to Andromeda, to give her their sympathies. She was the focal point of this funeral, as there was no member of Remus’s family left, save Teddy. Andromeda was hardly recognisable. Her hair was untidy, her eyes dominated by dark trenches, and her expression blank and empty. Ginny spoke to her, but Harry did not know what she said. Andromeda’s eyes fell on him. They were full of pain and were almost pleading with him to make it end. Then Harry saw the pram behind her, standing silent and still.

“I’ll - I’ll mind Teddy,� he croaked.

Andromeda looked relieved. She had one less thing to worry about today. “Thank you Harry,� she said, her voice nothing more than a hoarse whisper.

Harry took the pram and pushed it over to where the Weasleys stood. Teddy was dosing inside. His hair was a dull-black colour. Harry wondered why it wasn’t turquoise. Maybe Teddy’s hair, like his mother’s, reverted back to its original colour when he was sad. Harry’s heart ached for a moment, ached with the thought of this tiny baby feeling sad.

Others too were now finding their seats. Harry still thought that Remus and Tonks deserved more than this small mass of mourners. But he took comfort in the fact that, despite its small size, every person at this funeral felt genuine grief at the thought that Remus and Tonks had left the world. Well, everyone except the Ministry entourage that were seated calmly at the back of the congregation.

A wizard in black robes stood up on the platform. Harry still could not bring himself to look. His gaze again found the shamrocks and daisies on the grass under his seat. The sun shone bright over head. It was not right. It should never be sunny on the day of a funeral. Sunshine meant happiness and right now Harry was feeling anything but happy.

He noticed a late-comer joining the back of the gathering. Her head was bowed and her footsteps tentative, as though afraid of attack. She had the hood of her cloak up, concealing her face. It seemed she wanted to be there, but at the same time feared she was not welcome. Nevertheless, Harry knew who she was. There was no mistaking the blonde hair, expensive robes and silver jewellery. So, Narcissa Malfoy had a heart after all.

The wizard at the platform began to speak. Many words were said, but Harry did not find them helpful. He just let the utterances wash over him. They were useless and stupid, empty and hallow, as all words were at times like this. Words failed, for all important things words just failed.

Teddy stirred in the pram beside him. His face was scrunched up. He started to cry. Some heads turned in Harry’s direction, one or two about glare at him, but then, as soon as they realised who it was, their expression softened. Harry glared straight back at them. If had been anyone else he would have been at the receiving end of annoyed looks for being unable to control a screaming baby. But the way Harry saw it, this was Teddy’s parents’ funeral. He could cry if he wanted to.

“You should pick him up,� Ginny said gently.

Harry picked him up, slowly and carefully. Teddy instantly stopped crying. Harry held his Godson to his chest, gently rocking him. Teddy was warm, so very warm, and all Harry felt was cold, a horrible, bitter cold.

And still the wizard in the black robes talked. And still Harry was determinately not looking in his direction. Some people were crying now. Harry could hear Hagrid blowing his nose on his spotted handkerchief as the tears rolled thick and fast down his cheeks. Tears stained Hermione’s face, Ron’s eyes were staring without seeing and Ginny was wringing her hands. All Harry felt was numbness. There was nothing inside him anymore, nothing left to scream, no heart to break, no soul to soothe. He was empty, void of all feeling, lost in a sea of grieving faces and hollow utterances.

Teddy’s tiny fingers enclosed the neck of Harry’s robes. He was agitated, as though he somehow knew the sadness of this occasion. Or perhaps, Harry’s grieving heart was transferring some of his pain into his Godson.

Memories, visions and fragments bombarded Harry’s brain. Suddenly, Tonks tripped over the old troll-leg umbrella stand in Grimmauld Place. She was impressed that he owned a Fire-bolt. She was changing the appearance of her nose for Hermione’s and Ginny’s amusement. Harry saw her sitting on top of the washing machine in Privet Drive, smiling broadly as she showed him her wedding ring. Now, she was astride a broom, screaming at Mad-Eye, refuting his mad order to make them double-back, through cloud, in case they were followed. She was fixing his broken nose, and bringing him up to school from Hogsmeade Station. She was stumbling into Remus’s arms as she landed in the Burrow’s garden. Now she was laying on the floor in the Great Hall, looking as though she were asleep, Remus by her side.

Death had taken them both.

Harry felt his eyes burn and his heart hammer. Teddy gripped his robes tighter, as though he too were seeing what Harry was.

Remus was banishing the Dementor on the Hogwarts Express. Harry saw him encourage Neville to fight the Boggart. He was at Kings Cross warning the Dursleys what would happen if they mistreated Harry. He and Harry were drinking Butterbeer, toasting to Gryffindor’s soon-to-be-victory over Ravenclaw. He was laughing about his ‘furry little problem’ with Harry in the Burrow. Harry was having tea in Remus’s office and being shown a Grindylow in the tank behind. He was in the kitchen of Number Four, bringing Harry away to Headquarters. He was holding Harry back, preventing him from jumping through the veil after Sirius. He was congratulating Harry on his Patronus. His head was in Umbridge’s fire, reassuring Harry about his father. He was in a photo on the wall in Sirius’s room, young, and happy to be included as one of the Marauders. He hugging Harry after Teddy was born, making him the boy’s Godfather. Then, he was showing Harry Teddy’s picture in the Room of Requirement, a picture than was still in his pocket the moment he died.

Suddenly, Teddy started to cry again, seizing the material of Harry’s robes and kicking his little feet. And with a jerk, Harry was brought back from the world of memory. Now he was holding Remus’s and Tonks’s son in his arms, holding their son at their funeral. A son that was crying out for them and Harry would never be able to help him find them.

Harry couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t want to feel anything anymore. He wanted to be someone else, anyone else, anyone but Harry Potter.

The truth hit him, hit him so hard he felt like he was going to collapse. He was drowning inside his own head, drowning in the terrible, irreversible truth. Remus was dead, Remus and Tonks were dead, just like Fred, Mad-Eye and Colin. Dead like Sirius, Dumbledore and his parents. Harry had lost all the father-figures he had ever had. He had been robbed of anyone he could rely on to protect him, to tell him about his parents, to reassure him when he was scared or upset.

Next, it was reality’s turn to strike him. It was at that moment that Harry knew that let his longing for a parent-like figure go. He had to let that longing go, because he himself was a father-figure now, a father figure for the little baby crying in his arms. It was now Harry’s responsibility, along with Andromeda, to look after Teddy, to help him in whatever way he could, to tell him stories about his parents, to show him photographs, to play with him, and most importantly, to make sure he was happy and wanted and loved. He would give Teddy all the things he, Harry, had been deprived of, had longed for, had wished for.

Harry, rocked his Godson gently again, as Ginny hushed him kindly, stroking his baby-soft, silky hair. Teddy gradually stopped crying.

Harry stared at the ground, shaking. His eyes were burning with the tears he could not allow to break through. Ginny put her arm around him, just to let him know that she was there, that he was not trapped alone with his dark thoughts.

The black-robed wizard stopped speaking and the silence that followed held all present under its spell.

Then a bell started to toll in the distance. It was a long, dull sound, which punctuated the chilly stillness. There was silence, silence and bell dongs. There was nothing more. Everyone stood up. The coffins were levitated down off the platform and floated serenely towards their final resting place, drifting slowly and gently in the air. Andromeda, supported by her friend, placed her hand on Tonks’s coffin. Tonks’s friends followed suit, walking beside Tonks’s body like sentinels. No one stood up to hold onto Remus.

Without his volition, Harry found himself moving forward, Teddy still in his arms. Kingsley had appeared out of nowhere, placing his large hand on the wooden box that enclosed Remus’s body. Harry stood behind him, walking beside the coffin that enclosed the body of the last Marauder, of his last father figure. Professor McGonagall joined them, her head bowed, her expression sad as she rested her hand on the wooden box. Harry wanted to place his hand there too, but he couldn’t, for fear that he might drop Teddy if he did so. Instead he touched the coffin with the side of his hip. Harry doubted Remus would have minded. Remus would have just been glad that Harry and Teddy were so close to him at this moment.

It was then, when Harry had took up his position behind Kingsley, that Teddy started screaming, screaming more loudly and terribly than before. Teddy knew his parents were close and he knew that this would be the last journey they would ever make together.

Harry held Teddy’s little head to his chest, trying to soothe him. But Harry didn’t want to stop his Godson’s tears. Teddy had the right to mourn the death of his parents anyway he could and Harry wasn’t going to interfere with that, regardless of the dirty looks he knew some people would like give him if he was anyone other than the famous Harry Potter.

Everyone started to move slowly behind the coffins, drudging forward inch by inch, dragging their feet with bowed heads. Still the bell tolled. And still Teddy cried out, the sound of his tears sending a chill through them all.

The little procession approached the grave. A huge mound of soil was piled to one side, hidden under a green sheet, a pathetic attempt to conceal the earth that would cover the grave forevermore. Harry couldn’t stand it. The grave was like a scar, gouged into the earth. It was big and dark and seemed to go on forever. It was dug neatly, with immense precision. Harry didn’t like it. It was too neat, too perfect, and too obviously done quickly and painlessly by magic. Harry didn’t want Remus and Tonks going in that hole.

Slowly, very slowly, the coffins began to lower themselves into the grave. They rested side-by-side on the damp earth, just as Remus’s and Tonks’s bodies had been laid alongside each other under the dark, enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. Harry stepped back, not able to take in any more of the scene in front of him. Teddy continued to cry and Harry continued to rub his Godson’s back, trying to comfort him.

Harry started trembling. Everything inside him was screaming again, just like his little Godson was screaming. A wave rose in Harry’s chest and crashed down upon him. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t see. Water blurred his vision. Remus and Tonks were going into that dark hole and neither Teddy nor Harry would ever see them again.

The congregation started to queue silently. One-by-one, they stood at the edge of the grave for a moment. Some nodded, others whispered words that were inaudible, while the rest simply waved their wands, causing a small shower of flowers to descend onto the coffins.

Finally, Harry stood at the edge of the grave, holding a screaming Teddy, as Ginny put her arm around Harry’s waist. There was so much he wanted to say, hundreds of words were swirling in his head, but there were too many to comprehend. A large knot pressed down on Harry’s voice-box, silencing anything he wanted to utter. He just nodded, and held onto Teddy tightly, holding onto the last thing that remained of the pair that would soon be sleeping forevermore under a soft blanket of earth.

Then the green sheet was magically pulled back, and the mound of earth moved and began to pour down upon the coffins, hitting them with a sound like the soft pitter-patter of rain-drops. Something terrible overwhelmed Harry. He panicked. He wanted to say something, say something now, before it was too late, before the earth covered Teddy’s parents forever.

Then, the last words Remus ever spoke to him in the forest, replayed themselves over and over inside Harry’s head: I’m sorry too, sorry I will never know him. *1

A second tear leaked out of Harry’s eye, boiling hot, and trickled down his cheek, being robbed of its warmth as it did so.

But he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life. *2

And still, Harry held onto Teddy, gently pressing the baby’s head against his chest, as a third tear broke loose and fell down into his Godson’s hair.

I’ll look after him Remus, I promise.

The earth continued to cascade down on the graves, hiding Remus and Tonks eternally from view.

“You should get him something,� Ginny said.

“What?� Harry said distractedly, as he was pulled from his broodings back to the sitting room in the Burrow.

“Teddy, you should get him something.�

“Get him something?� Harry repeated, still confused.

“You’re his Godfather, you should get him something because you weren’t able to when he was born.�

“Oh right, yeah,� Harry said, still feeling as though his brain was water -logged.

“Harry, you’re all over the place.�

“I know, I’ve just been thinking.�

“You’re always thinking.�

“Well, I haven’t had much time for it, being hunted by Death Eaters, so I’ve a lot to catch up on,� he said, smiling.

Ginny smiled back, stroking his hair with her hand. “I still think you should get him something though.�

“Who?�

“Teddy!� Ginny said, a little exasperatedly.

“Oh yeah,� Harry said, shaking his head, in an attempt to make it run properly. “What do you get babies?�

“Toys or clothes.�

“I’m not getting him clothes Ginny,� Harry said flatly.

Ginny laughed, “Get him a toy then.�

“OK.�

Harry had no experience with toys, apart from watching Dudley jealously from a far as he played with the expensive presents his Aunt Marge and parents had bought him. Come to think of it, Harry didn’t know what toys wizards had.

He was not in the mood for shopping. He liked to decide what he wanted before he dragged himself into a shop to get it, thus ensuring his time in the public-eye was at a minimum. While the wizarding shops were once a place of wonder and awe to his younger self, now, after spending nearly eight years in the wizarding world, they had lost their appeal. Of late, entering a crowded shop was the last thing he desired. All Harry knew was that he wanted his first present to Teddy to be something special, something he would like, something he could always keep. However, nothing came to mind.

Aside from the present, there was a more pressing issue consuming Harry’s thoughts at the moment: Remus Lupin. Harry knew Andromeda would tell Teddy everything about his mother, but it would his, Harry’s, job to talk to Teddy about Remus. But, the fact that he was a werewolf complicated things. While there was absolutely nothing wrong with Remus at all, he automatically had a bad name once the word ‘werewolf’ was associated with him. Harry had to come up with some way of introducing werewolves to Teddy in a way that made them good, so when the time came for Teddy to know what his Dad was, he would understand that werewolves were alright.

Harry and Ginny went up to London to Diagon Alley, with the intention of buying Teddy a present. They apparated onto the Charing-Cross Road, right in front of the dilapidated, innocuous looking Leaky Cauldron. Ginny entered the pub first, and once Harry crossed the threshold, heads turned in his direction and whispers were immediately exchanged. Harry kept his gaze on the dusty wooden floor and as Ginny’s hand guided him onwards, her soft voice telling him to ignore everyone. Tom the barman grinned at the pair of them, revealing his toothless mouth. Harry nodded stiffly in response and continued out the back to the dustbins. Ginny closed the door behind them, stifling the chatter that had broken out, no doubt about Harry.

“You’d think they’d be used to you by now,� Ginny sighed.

Harry doubted they would ever get used to him, he doubted there was anywhere he could go now where eyes would not follow his every move. He wished people would just leave him alone and stop staring at him, or at least wait until he was out of the room before they started their whispering.

Harry removed his wand from his pocket and took a moment to marvel at how familiar and calming it felt in his hand, before he tapped the special brick in the wall. He and Ginny took a step back as the entrance to Diagon Alley revealed itself.

The street was slowly returning to the bustling shopping hub Harry had once known it to be. Shops were being reopened, others repaired or repainted. Ollivander’s Wand Shop had been restored to its former glory and the man himself promised to be back making wands soon, after he took a short holiday for his health. Gringotts was rebuilt, after Ron, Hermione and Harry had brought a dragon up from the cavern of vaults below, only to have it burst through the bank’s roof into the world beyond. Full-control had also been returned to the Goblins, though Harry was not entire happy with this, from experience, he didn’t like Goblins much. Slowly, very slowly, things were reaching some degree of normality. Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, however, remained closed. Harry wondered if George would ever have the strength to walk through its doors again. Harry didn’t blame him for keeping it closed, even now Harry didn’t want to look at the place.

He spent most of the afternoon being dragged from shop to shop, being shown brightly coloured toys that whirred and popped. He tried his best to ignore the turning heads, the staring eyes and hushed whispers, but it was very difficult. No matter what shop he entered, he had attendants running at him, babbling: “Can I help you Mr Potter?�, “Anything particular you’re looking for, Mr Potter?�, “How are you today, Mr Potter?�, “If you need anything just ask Mr Potter!� or something along those lines. Harry forced a smile, and assured them all that he was fine, and that he just wanted to have a look around.

Ginny showed him teddy-bears that moved and talked, not in the way Muggle teddies talked, where the simply repeated a pre-recorded phrase, but actually talked, where you could have a real conversation. He saw colourful books with moving pictures, wizard hats that made funny faces when you stared at them, miniature owls that really flew on a mobile over a baby’s crib and toy phoenixes that glowed and filled the room with a lovely, calming lullaby. Harry liked all these toys, but still, none of them felt right for Teddy.

While he browsed, Harry was occasionally interrupted by witches and wizards coming up to him, shaking his hand, and thanking him from the depths of their souls. Harry never knew what to do in these situations. He just forced a smile and accepted their thanks, even though deep down he wished they would leave him alone, at least for a while, so he could grieve and try and mend his ailing heart.

“Harry you’re impossible,� Ginny said wearily when they left the tenth shop, where he had looked at every toy in the place and still had not found anything that came near to being what he wanted.

“Let’s get an ice-cream,� Harry replied, noticing that Florean Fortescue’s Ice-cream Parlour had been reopened. It was now under new management, as kind, old Florean had been murdered by the Death Eaters. They never managed to find his body.

Ginny ordered them both a sundae and they sat under the canopy outside the shop. Harry didn’t really want his ice-cream. While the sundae tasted the same as it had done all those years ago, when he sat here finishing his homework on those happy summer days, there was just something inside Harry that prevented him from taking more than two or three bites. He took no pleasure in the taste of food anymore.

He wished they hadn’t decided to eat outside the shop, it meant that he was in full view to all the passersby, who slowed down to look at him as they walked. Harry felt like an animal being goggled at in a zoo. He didn’t like it. Next time, he would bring his invisibility cloak.

“Maybe we should give shopping a miss, for today anyway,� Ginny said, sensing Harry wasn’t enjoying this day out.

Harry nodded and they returned to the Leaky Cauldron. He was considering disillusioning himself before he walked through the little tavern again, but he didn’t have time, as before he knew it Ginny’s warm, soft hand had brought him through the sea of eyes and mutterings out into the Muggle world beyond. Harry let out a sigh of relief, at least Muggles didn’t know who he was or what he had done.

Instead of returning to the Burrow, Ginny’s hand brought him through Muggle London, thinking that a walk there, where no heads turned in his direction, would do him good. There was silence between the two of them. It wasn’t awkward, but comfortable. Each understood the other, and though words were not exchanged, each other’s company was all they needed. Harry watched the double-decker red buses drive by, with advertisements for shows in the West End, or new films in the cinema. He walked down crowded streets, where people were dressed in suits or hoodies and kept their gaze on the surrounding shops or their shoes. He saw chemists, book-shops, clothes shops, sweet shops, shoe shops and music shops. They were dull and boring, but at the same time calming. Ginny’s eyes feasted on the environment, she rarely had the pleasure of being in Muggle London and it appeared she had inherited a piece of her father’s fascination with Muggle things. Harry explained how the automatic doors in the shops opened and shut when a person approached. He told her what Muggle chemists sold, and how ATMs worked.

As they walked down the bustling shopping streets Harry’s eyes soon found the window of a small toy-shop, hidden away between two large retail stores. Harry found himself making a bee-line for this shop, where he stared in the window. It was filled with Muggle toys: footballs, board games, teddy-bears, dolls, action-figures, colouring books, cars, planes and Lego models. But, there, sitting innocently in the middle of the window display, was the perfect present for Teddy.

Harry could not help but smile from here to ear. At last, he had found it.

Half an hour later, after Ginny had gone back to Diagon Alley to exchange galleons for Muggle money, to spare Harry the ordeal of wading through the whispering crowds of eyes, the two of them left the little toy shop, with a large paper-bag in hand. Harry began to get excited. He wanted to go see Teddy now and give him his present; however, he had to wait three days before he had the pleasure of doing so.

Harry knocked on the door of Andromeda’s house, relishing the feeling of excitement that was flaring up inside him, because it was alien emotion to the ones he had been feeling of late.

Andromeda opened the door and smiled at Harry. She looked better than she had done the day of the funeral, but her face was still riddled with the grief of losing her only daughter.

“Hello Harry,� she said. Her voice was stronger than it had been in days.

“Hi Mrs Tonks,� said Harry brightly. “I’ve got a present for Teddy, would it be alright if I gave it to him?�

Andromeda nodded and let Harry inside. “He’s in the sitting room,� Andromeda said, gesturing towards the room on their left.

Harry entered and he found his Godson lying on the same blue blanket he had done on the first night Harry met him. However, when Harry’s eyes landed on Teddy, his heart sank a little as his Godson’s hair was still dull-black.

Andromeda looked at Harry, as though reading his mind. “I’ve tried everything, and still he won’t change his hair colour. He seems happy enough, but judging by his hair, I guess that’s not true.�

Harry sat down cross-legged on the floor by Teddy, concealing the paper bag enclosing his Godson’s present behind his back. Andromeda left to get a cup of tea.

Teddy seemed happy enough, lying on the blanket, his large eyes staring around the room while his little legs kicked and his tiny fists batted the surrounding air. A small pile of toys lay beside Teddy. He only had a few, not even a hundredth of the amount Harry remembered Dudley having. There was a large sponge ball, a teddy frog that croaked and changed colour every time it was touched, a large model hippogriff that really flew around the room, and a phoenix that lit up and sang, just like the one in the shop had.

“Hey Ted,� Harry said softly as he touched Teddy’s little fist with his finger, “How are you doing?�

Teddy’s eyes found Harry and he stared at his Godfather, with a fascination and wonder that was so different from the expressions of the crowded masses in Diagon Alley. Harry smiled back.

“I’ve got a present for you Ted,� Harry said happily. “I realise it’s a bit late, but better late than never, right?�

Teddy continued to stare at Harry, unblinkingly.

“Now, a lot of thought went into this present,� Harry explained. “I spent ages and ages trying to find it. So I hope you like it now.�

Teddy brought his hands up and reached towards Harry, almost in anticipation. Harry pulled the brown paper bag out from behind his back and Teddy watched it, soaking up his new image that had come into his life.

“What do you think’s in here, Ted?� Harry asked. “You’ll never guess. Close your eyes now.�

Teddy didn’t close his eyes, but continued to stare at the brown bag, his brain trying to comprehend what this new invader into the house was. Harry opened the bag, and from its depths pulled out a teddy-wolf. It was large and grey and white, with big marble-glass eyes, pointed ears and a long muzzle. While it did not look like a werewolf really, it did look cute and friendly, which was the perfect way to start introducing wolves as good things in Teddy’s life. Remus, though a werewolf, was a good man, and Teddy should know that, right from the beginning.

Harry held the wolf up for Teddy to see. “It’s a wolf Ted. Do you like it? I think it’s great.� Teddy stared at it with his large brown eyes and he continued to look at it for a long time. Harry used the wolf’s soft paws to cover its glass eyes. “Where are you gone Ted?� Harry said, “Wolf can’t see you, where have you gone?� Then Harry removed the wolf’s paws from its face, “Ah there you are Ted, he can see you now.�

And it was then, at that moment, that the smile started to creep across Teddy’s face, like the first reluctant rays of sunlight at dawn, and before Harry knew it, Teddy was laughing, really laughing. The sound brought Andromeda back into the room, her eyes glistening with tears, but, for a change, they were happy tears.

Harry continued to play peek-a-boo with the wolf and Teddy continued to laugh. Soon Harry and Andromeda were laughing too. Over and over Harry played peek-a-boo and over and over Teddy laughed. Harry found a wonderful feeling fill him, similar to the one phoenix song gave him. It was happy, and it was hopeful, and Teddy was its cause.

Harry next pointed his wand at the wolf, and muttered the spell he had used to make a pine-apple tap-dance across a desk in Charms class. Soon the wolf was dancing, to and fro, in the air above Teddy. It was incredibly ungraceful, and Harry knew Hermione would have done a better job at this enchantment, but he did not care. The wolf was dancing, albeit badly, and Teddy was laughing. Nothing else mattered.

Harry picked the wolf up again, and hid it behind his back. “Where did the wolf go Ted?� he said perplexedly. “Did you see him? Where’s he gone?� Teddy stopped laughing, and looked a little worried. He stared at Harry and Harry smiled. “Oh look Ted, here he is!� and Harry pulled the wolf out from behind his back and Teddy was laughing again.

Teddy seemed drawn to this toy, more so than any of the others. Harry put the wolf down and started play with the other toys, but Teddy’s eyes never left the creature, he stared at it, transfixed, as though he knew that he had some deeper connection with this animal, that it was part of him somehow.

Abandoning the other toys, Harry continued to play with the wolf for Godson’s amusement and Teddy continued to laugh, and Andromeda continued to smile at the happy sight she could hardly believe she was witnessing.

Then Teddy’s hands reached out, touching the wolf in his Godfather’s hand with his tiny fingers. He was feeling the fluffy fur, running his hand over it, enjoying the touch. Then, Teddy grabbed the wolf’s paw in his tiny fist and tugged it from Harry’s grip. Harry let go and watched Teddy drag the wolf across the blue blanket, before the baby pulled the wolf’s ear into his mouth and began to chew.

And it was at that moment that Teddy’s hair suddenly turned bright turquoise.

“HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYY!� shouted Teddy as he ran down the hall toward the figure that was standing at the front door.

“Be careful, Teddy,� Andromeda called from the kitchen. “Not too fast.�

Harry bent down and picked up his Godson as he jumped in the air to give Harry a hug. Harry spun him around and around. Teddy laughed, threw his arms around Harry’s neck and hugged him tight. Then, right on cue, Teddy screwed up his face in concentration and suddenly, his hair became a messy jet-black.

“Hiya, Ted,� Harry said simply.

“I’m getting better,� Teddy said proudly as he pointed at his newly changed hair, “see?�

“You’re getting better every time,� Harry replied smiling warmly.

Harry put his Godson down and looked him over for a few seconds. He was taller than ever and his face seemed longer. Nevertheless, he still possessed the familiar mop of bright hair and those brilliantly brown eyes that seemed to house the whole world. Quickly, however, Harry noticed the grazed elbows and bruised cheek, indicating the boy’s latest accident. He was the clumsiest kid alive.

“Harry! Harry! Harry! Harry!� Teddy shouted happily, jumping up and down excitedly.

“Teddy! Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!� Harry shouted back, laughing.

“I want to tell you a secret,� Teddy whispered.

Harry bent down so his Godson could whisper in his ear.

“My Mummy died in a big battle,� Teddy said, “a big battle where all the good wizards beated all the bad wizards and you - you,� Teddy’s voice had dropped to the mutest whisper, “you beated You-Know-Who.�

Harry smiled. “Did I really?�

“Yes,� Teddy said excitedly. “That’s why you’re on the chocolate frog cards! Nana told me. And she told me that my Mummy was a hero. She beated all the bad wizards.�

“Well, your Nan’s dead right,� said Harry. “Your Mum and your Dad,� he deliberately emphasised these words, “died beating all the bad wizards and saving the world.� Teddy’s eyes widened with glee at the thought of his parents being heroes and dying to save the world from Voldemort.

After a moment, Teddy started jumping excitedly again. “I want to show you something,� he said quickly, grabbing Harry’s hand and dragging him forward.

Merlin, this kid is strong, Harry thought as Teddy pulled him up the carpeted stairs lined with photos of Ted, Tonks, Andromeda and Teddy Lupin himself. “Hi, Andromeda!� Harry shouted as he reached the landing.

“Hello, Harry,� Andromeda replied brightly, her voice muffled as it was carried up through the landing floor.

Teddy ran, pulling Harry in tow, across the landing into his bedroom. He pushed the door open and let go of Harry’s hand as he sprinted for his bed.

Harry took a moment to look around the room. He liked it. A large poster of a wolf, where the creature moved and howled at the full moon, dominated the back wall. Wolf, the teddy Harry had given his Godson when he was a baby, lay on the moon-patterned covers of the bed. Wolf was dirty and messy, indicating that Teddy dragged it with him everywhere. Hovering toy owls flew in circles around the ceiling just above the bed. A toy broomstick, that Harry had given Teddy for his fifth birthday, lay in a corner. One of George’s headless Hats sat on top of the toy-box. A signed poster of the Quidditch team: The Holyhead Harpies covered the side-wall. Ginny’s face stood out immediately from those of her team-mates. She was displaying that blazing look that Harry loved so much. Model wolves paced up and down the windowsill. A large sponge ball stood propped against the corner of the wall. There was a bookcase full of books with moving illustrations and books that read themselves out-loud so Teddy could listen. Pictures of wolves, cut out from story-books, text-books and newspapers, covered the wardrobe. There were even pictures of Harry taken out of newspapers and books stuck onto Teddy’s wall. A framed photograph of Teddy and Andromeda sat on the bed-side table, with a lamp in the shape of a phoenix which glowed in a way that made it look like it was on fire. Teddy’s scribbled drawings of owls and wolves, and of himself, Harry and Andromeda were covering every centimetre of empty wall space.

After examining the room for a moment, Harry watched Teddy pull, from under his bed, a battered, peeling, old cardboard box that used to contain several bottles of Mrs. Scower’s All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover. His eyes alive with excitement, Teddy removed the lid and showed Harry what was inside. It contained Teddy’s most valuable treasures. There were: chocolate frog cards, a bag of only red Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, three stray Gobstones, a model snitch, a stick that Teddy used as a pretend wand, a whistle and a completely unmagical model of a wolf that Muggle children would play with. However, there was one thing that stood out amongst the others: a stack of photos enclosed in a rubber band.

“That’s my Mummy!� Teddy said excitedly, pulling out a photo from the pile and pointing at Tonks. She was with two girls Harry did not recognise and, judging by the background, her t-shirt and how everyone was dancing around, this photo was taken at a Weird Sisters concert.

“She was able to change her hair too, like me,� Teddy explained proudly, “and she was an Auror, like you, Harry!�

“I know Ted,� said Harry smiling.

“You know my Mummy?�

“’Course I do, Ted.�

Teddy did not speak for a long time; instead he ran is finger across the surface of the photograph. “Where is she?� he asked, his eyes never leaving the picture in front of him.

“She died, Ted, in the big battle, remember?� Harry said trying to be gentle.

Teddy did not reply, he simply continued to show Harry all the photos in his collection, pointing out his mother in each one. Harry took the pile of photos and flicked through them, smiling. Harry had a kind of happy ache inside him. He smiled when he saw the photographs, but at the same time, his heart was attacked by grief as he remembered that all this was a life lost, a life cruelly taken away by Voldemort.

“Harry?� Teddy asked slowly, his eye-brows lowered in thought. “Do I have a Daddy?�

“Course you do, Ted,� said Harry, shocked that Teddy would ask such a thing. “Didn’t your Nan tell you about him?�

“Yes, but she was lying!�

Harry was startled by this statement. “How was she lying?� was all he was able to say.

Teddy got up and went to his bed-side locker and from under a story-book about Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle, he picked up a photo and handed it to Harry. It was of Remus and Tonks on their wedding day. Tonks was beaming with happiness, her arm around her husband’s waist. Remus, however, stood at her side, rigid and stiff, and even though he was smiling he looked deeply troubled. All and all, not the best photo of Remus ever taken. Harry had seen many other wedding photos where Remus looked much happier and less pained.

“Nana says he’s my Daddy,� Teddy said, pointing his finger at Remus, “but I don’t believe her.�

Harry felt a wave of heat wash over him as his heart began to beat faster with shock and horror. “Why don’t you, Ted?� Harry asked, his voice strangely hollow.

“’Cause he’s not my Daddy.�

“Why do you say that?�

“Because he’s old and tired and sad and my Daddy wasn’t old and tired and sad!� Teddy said, his voice angry as he believed that he had been told a lie.

“Ah, Ted, he’s not old,� Harry said seriously. “He’s only thirty-eight, that’s not old.�

“That’s really old, Harry,� Teddy corrected. “Really really old. That man’s really old and tired and sad, and my Daddy wasn’t any of those things.�

“Why do you say that?�

“Because my Mummy was always happy, so she wouldn’t marry someone who was sad and old.�

“What has your Nan been telling you, Ted?� Harry asked innocently, though his motives were far from innocent.

“She was telling me all about my Mummy, how she was in Hufflepuff, and how she always fell over, like me, and how she played Quidditch and how she was an Auror and how she listened to music and beated all the bad-wizards,� Teddy listed enthusiastically.

“And what about your Dad, what did she tell you about him?�

“Only that he’s a teacher in Hogwarts and she gived me that photo of him.�

“Is this the only photo you have?�

“Yes.�

“I’ll get you more, Ted,� Harry said firmly.

“NO!� Teddy shouted.

“Why not?�

“Because that’s not my Daddy!�

“He is, Ted,� Harry said trying not to sound stern.

“Isn’t.�

“He is.�

“He isn’t! Isn’t! Isn’t!�

“Listen, Ted,� Harry said gently, “I knew your Dad, he was my teacher in school, and I knew him outside Hogwarts too. That’s him, Ted, I swear and I would never tell you lies, you know that, right?�

“I don’t want him to be my Daddy.�

Harry’s eyes burned as a memory flooded back to him of Remus in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, grabbing fists-full of his own hair, as he shouted: And if, by some miracle, it is not like me, than it would be better off, a hundred times so, without a father of whom it must always be ashamed. *1

Harry knew that had Remus heard Teddy’s words, they would have caused him irrevocable damage. “Why, Ted?� Harry asked, sounding both grave and hurt. “Why don’t you want him to be your Dad?�

“Because he’s old and tired and sad and my Daddy wasn’t.�

“You’ve only seen one photo, Ted, you can’t know your Dad from one photo,� Harry said almost pleading with his Godson to understand, but Teddy wasn’t listening. He was now busy playing with his chocolate frog cards. He handed one to Harry.

“This is my favourite,� he said.

Harry took the card and examined it. It was of himself: Harry Potter, the boy who defeated the Dark Lord (twice). The card-Harry was smiling awkwardly and looked extremely uncomfortable being on display.

Harry sighed and returned the card to Teddy, “That’s great, Ted,� he said weakly, “really great.�

Harry decided to let the matter of Remus rest, for the time being, but there was no way on earth that he was going to let Teddy go on thinking that Remus Lupin wasn’t his father. So Harry returned to Grimmauld Place that evening after spending the whole day playing with Teddy, while his thoughts grew troubled with the fact that Teddy was disowning his father.

Harry opened the front door. “It’s me,� he called.

“We’re in the kitchen!� Hermione called back.

Harry walked down the hall to join them. The house had been totally renovated and looked completely unrecognisable from the grim, black and dark head-quarters of the Order of the Phoenix. The Weasleys and Hermione had helped Harry fix it up. The hallway was now brightly painted, with no peeling, dusty wallpaper, decapitated house-elf heads or disturbing pictures and, not to mention, there was no longer a floating dust figure of Dumbledore’s dead body. The portrait of Mrs Black had been removed; granted, they had to remove the entire wall in order to get rid of the portrait, thanks to its permanent sticking charm. But the place was now more homely and pleasant without her horrible shrieks and insults. A new carpeted floor had been put down and every room had been redecorated. All the dark objects had been removed and all the household pests exterminated. Although, Harry had left Sirius’s bedroom untouched, aside from giving it some heavy-duty dusting. The room looked as it always had done. Harry had decided to keep it, with its Gryffindor banners and motorbike posters, as a monument to his Godfather.

Kreacher was still in the house, usually found pottering around in the kitchen. He was bent over with age, with tufts of snow-white hair growing out of his ears. Nevertheless, he was as quick on his feet as Harry was and could move noiselessly from room to room. All in all, Number 12 was now a real home; clean, neat and welcoming. Harry often wondered what Sirius would have said if he had seen the house as it was now.

Harry walked down the stairs into the basement kitchen, which was painted a cheery yellow colour, where his two best friends sat drinking tea around a brand new table. Ron was looking over the latest murder file from the Auror office, while Hermione was skimming through The Evening Prophet. Ginny, it appeared, was still at Quidditch training.

“How is Teddy?� Hermione asked, putting down the newspaper.

“Fine,� Harry replied, not having the heart to tell them both what the child had said about Remus.

After a cup of tea and a brief conversation with Ron and Hermione about mundane things, such as: Ministry mess-ups, the recent Quidditch matches and the weather, Harry went up stairs, running his hands along the smooth wooden banisters as he did so. His destination was Sirius’s room. He opened the door and made straight for the photograph of Sirius, James, Remus and Pettigrew that was permanently stuck to the wall. Harry had tried on several occasions to remove it, with no success, but now he thought he had come up with a way.

“Hermione?� he called.

“Yes?� her voice replied, it was muffled by the distance from the kitchen to Sirius’s room.

“Could you come upstairs?� Harry asked, “I need your help with something.�

Hermione walked rather quickly up the stairs, Ron at her heels. “Harry, where are you?�

“In here!� Harry replied as his two friends opened the bedroom door.

“What’s wrong?� Hermione asked.

“I was wondering if you could magically copy this photo for me?� Harry asked pointing at the picture on the wall.

“Sure,� Hermione replied as her eyes gave Harry a perplexed look. She pointed her wand at the photo and flicked it as she uttered some well-chosen words. There was a flash of light, and suddenly a copy of the photo peeled off the original and floated down to the ground as gently as a leaf.

“Hermione, did I ever tell you how brilliant you are?� Ron said as he watched the photo fall to the ground. Hermione blushed.

“Can you copy it again?� Harry asked as he picked up the new photograph and examined it.

“What is wrong with that one?� Hermione asked, a little hurt that Harry was not impressed with her spell-work.

“Nothing,� Harry replied honestly. “I just want two copies, that’s all.�

“Who’s the other one for?� Ron asked.

“Me,� Harry said.

“Then who’s the first one for?� Ron asked, growing confused.

“Teddy,� Harry replied.

“Ah right,� Ron replied, comprehension dawning.

Hermione flicked her wand again and another copy of the picture burst into being. Harry picked it up. “Thanks,� he muttered.

“You’re welcome,� Hermione said. Harry was grateful she did not enquire into the matter any further. He didn’t think he had the strength in him right now to explain that Teddy had effectively disowned his father.

The three of them went downstairs, where they were met by the smell of Sheppard’s Pie. Kreacher must be nearly finished making dinner.

The following morning before work, Harry sent an owl to Andromeda asking if she still had any of Remus’s old things. If she had kept anything, Harry wanted to look at it, in the hope of finding some photographs. Andromeda wrote back that evening saying she had one or two boxes in the attic that might be of interest.

On Saturday, Harry went to Andromeda’s house. The place was deserted, just as he had planned. He waved his wand and the door opened. Harry had asked Andromeda to take Teddy out for the day so he could be free to peruse what was left of Remus’s possessions. If Teddy had been here, Harry wouldn’t have been able to get any work done as Teddy would want all Harry’s attention and Harry would want, more than anything, to give him that.

Harry walked up the stairs and levitated the ladder into the attic down with his wand. He climbed up. It was dark; the only light coming from a small hole in the roof, through which some sunlight meandered its way in. The air was hot and stale, making breathing a little difficult. Harry lit his wand and raised it above his head so has to gain a good look at his surroundings. The floor consisted of old wooden planks and Harry had to crouch to avoid hitting his head on the roof’s supporting beams. Dust covered everything. There were old pieces of miss-matched furniture and boxes, upon boxes, full of Merlin knew what. However, Harry found that three boxes had been laid out in the middle of the floor marked: Remus Lupin, in hurried scribbles.

Heart hammering, Harry opened the boxes and went through their contents. There were mostly books about dark creatures and various defensive spells. He found Remus’s old suitcase, with the words: Professor R. J. Lupin stamped across it in faded, peeling letters. Remus’s old robes had been folded neatly in the box. They were frayed, dusty and covered in holes. There were two pairs of old, battered shoes, a comb, a rusted razor and a scratched, broken, old pocket-watch, obviously given to Remus when he came of age. Unconsciously, Harry closed his fingers around the watch in his pocket that once belonged to Fabian Prewett.

Unsurprising to Harry, Remus had very few possessions, aside from his clothes and his books. Harry’s heart began to hammer in his chest, fearful that he would not find what he was desperately looking for. Only one item was left remained unlooked at: a shoe box. Harry took the lid off, expecting to find a third pair of old shoes, when suddenly, his heart shot up into his throat. This box was full of photographs.

Heart pounding with excitement, Harry picked up a pile of pictures and began to look at them. He saw Remus as a baby, with two people who most certainly had to be his parents. Harry wondered what had happened to this couple, he had never had the chance of asking Remus. He saw Remus as a small child running around the garden, sitting on his father’s knee, playing with toys with his mother, and flying around on a toy broomstick. This had to be before Remus had been bitten. He was such a happy, innocent and carefree child. There weren’t many photos of Remus’s childhood after this and Harry didn’t need to ask why. Remus had been bitten, he had been cursed, and his happiness stolen from him. Soon, Harry spotted a photo of Remus on his very first day of school. He was thin and troubled, but at least he looked anything but shabby in his new school robes. Harry next found a large collection of photos of Remus and the Marauders at school. The photo on Sirius’s wall was only a small sample of the collection of photos from this era. Harry’s heart leapt every time he saw his father’s face. Harry’s heart suddenly skipped a beat as he came across photographs of himself as a scarless, black-haired baby. Harry feasted on these images in front of him and soon noticed that there were tears in his eyes. He blinked them away and moved to look at the other photos in the box. He soon found pictures of Remus’s and Tonks’s wedding day. In just under half of the wedding photos, Remus looked deeply troubled. Harry could not blame Teddy for not wanting this miserable man to be his father. Nevertheless, in the other half of photos, Remus was beaming with genuine happiness as though he was finally allowing himself to forget all his troubles and just enjoy the day. Harry wondered why Andromeda did not show Teddy some of these happy photos instead of that horrible one Teddy hid from the world under a book.

Harry quickly put all the photographs back into the shoe box and took them with him as he left the house, returning to Grimmauld Place, where he, Ron and Hermione spent every evening for the next week pouring over them. Ron would point at certain ones, laughing or making jokes. Hermione kept making comments like: ‘Aw, Harry, you were such a cute baby’ or ‘Harry, you really are the spitting image of your Dad’ or ‘Isn’t Teddy adorable?� or ‘This is a great one of Remus!’. Hermione made copies of all the photographs Harry found so that both Harry and Teddy could have their own photo for keeps. Ron was in charge of cutting Peter Pettigrew out of all the pictures. Harry didn’t want Teddy to know that man even existed. Then, the three of them put the photos in order and stuck them inside a large leather-bound photo album for Teddy, as Hagrid had done for Harry, many moons ago now.

The following Saturday, unknown to Teddy, Harry entered Andromeda’s house, clutching the photo album tightly in one hand. He gave Andromeda a rather stiff greeting. He still harboured anger towards her for not showing Teddy proper photos of Remus. But that no longer mattered; today Harry would but things right.

He walked up the stairs, moving noiselessly. The door of Teddy’s room was ajar. Harry pushed it open gently without making a sound. His Godson was lying on his stomach in the middle of floor, playing with his toy wolves. Harry watched Teddy quietly for a moment. The boy was commanding his wolves to follow Harry Potter and ‘Nim-fu-door-a’, Harry laughed at Teddy’s childish way at pronouncing his mother’s name, into battle to beat all the bad wizards and save Hogwarts (which was represented by a large scribbled drawing of a castle, made by Teddy himself).

Harry watched Teddy for a few moments, enjoying the happy look on his Godson’s face as he played with his toys in his own imaginary world. “Hiya, Ted,� he said, after a few minutes.

Teddy jumped, dropping his teddy-wolf. He then scrambled up and ran at Harry, shouting with excitement. Harry hugged his Godson. “Nana didn’t tell me you were coming,� Teddy said, his face full of joy at the sight of his Godfather.

“I wanted to surprise you!� Harry said.

“I like this surprise,� he replied as Harry put him down.

“Well, I actually have another surprise for you,� Harry said as he walked over and sat on the bed.

Teddy’s grin grew, “What?�

“Close your eyes,� Harry instructed. “And don’t peak,� he added once he saw Teddy squinting out of his shut eyes. Teddy closed his eyes more tightly and Harry pulled out the photo album. “Ta-da!� he said brightly.

“Is it a story-book?� Teddy asked, looking at the leather bound book Harry was holding.

“Sort of,� Harry said, handing the album to Teddy. “It’s a story book about your Dad.�

“My real Daddy?� Teddy asked excitedly.

“Your real Dad,� Harry repeated.

Teddy sat on the bed next to Harry and opened the album as his eyes feasted on the photos on the first page.

“That’s me!� Teddy exclaimed, pointing at a picture of Remus as a very small child, before he was bitten, “Only ... only, my hair’s different.�

Harry smiled. “That’s not you, Ted, that’s your Dad, that’s Remus.�

“But he looks like me!�

“I think it’s more of a case of you looking like him,� Harry replied smiling.

Teddy stared hungrily at the photo, his large brown eyes drinking in the image in front of him. Gradually, his eyes moved from one photo to the next, soaking up the new face in front of him, the face of his father.

“Who’s that?� Teddy asked, pointing at an eleven-year-old James.

“That’s my Dad,� Harry said proudly.

“But you’re big!� Teddy said.

“But I still have a Dad,� Harry said half-laughing.

“But you’re big and your Dad is small.� Teddy said, his face housing a confused expression.

“Yes, but this is a picture of my Dad taken a long, long time ago, before I was born.�

Teddy didn’t say anything, but continued to look at the other photos. “Who’s that?� he asked again, pointing at a picture of Sirius.

“That’s my Godfather,� Harry said, “when he was very small.�

Teddy looked at the photo with great interest. “Where is he now?�

“He died, he was killed by very bad wizards,� Harry said.

“I like him!� Teddy said instantly and Harry grinned.

Teddy continued to look at all the photos in the album. He got Harry to point out Remus in each one. But soon Teddy was able to recognise his father without Harry’s help. Finally, Teddy turned to the pages devoted to Remus’s and Tonks’s wedding. He lowered his eyebrows in confusion as he stared at the happy newlywed couple. Without a word, Teddy stood up and collected the hidden photo from his bedside locker. He sat back down and put the photo beside the photo in the album and looked at them both. Remus was unmistakably the same man in both photos, but in the one in the album he looked happy, young and whole, as if the shadow of the wolf was not buried deep inside him.

“I don’t understand,� Teddy said. “They are the same,� he pointed at Remus in both pictures, “but they are different too.�

“That’s because that’s your Dad in both pictures,� Harry explained.

Teddy’s eyes flitted back and forth from photo to photo trying to make sense of it. “He looks happy in this picture,� Teddy said, pointing to the photo in the album, “but he looks sad in this one,� he held up the photo in his hand.

“Everyone gets sad, Ted,� Harry said.

“Why is he sad when he’s marrying my Mummy?� Teddy asked.

“I don’t really know, Ted,� Harry lied. “Maybe he was just scared.�

“Scared?�

“Yes, scared,� Harry replied.

“My Mummy’s not scary,� Teddy pointed out.

“No she wasn’t,� Harry said, “But getting married is.�

“Why?� Teddy asked.

“You’ll understand one day,� Harry said.

“Why?�

“Because you’ll be older and wiser.�

Teddy didn’t reply but returned his gaze to both photos. “This is my Daddy,� he said, pointing to the album, “and so is he?� he held up the bad photo again.

“Yes,� Harry said firmly, “I promise.�

“I like this one better,� Teddy said, pointing at the album again.

“Me too,� Harry replied, “that is more like what your Dad looked like in real life.�

Teddy got up and threw the photo in his hand in the bin by his wardrobe, before returning to the bed and sitting down. “I like the new picture better,� he said. “Because my Daddy looks like my Daddy in it.�

Harry ruffled Teddy’s hair, “Me too, Ted.�

Teddy returned his gaze to the photo album. “But I want this picture!� he said, flicking back to a page near the beginning. He started pulling at the picture of Remus when he was small, when he looked just like Teddy, but with different hair.

“You can keep them all, Ted,� Harry said, placing his hand on Teddy’s to stop the boy from ripping the photo to shreds. “I made this book for you.�

“But I want this one!� Teddy persisted, pointing at the photo, “I want it to be outside the photo-book.�

Harry understood what Teddy meant now. He smiled and said “OK�, as he pointed his wand at the page and muttered: “Diffindo�. The photo fell out of the album and Teddy quickly snatched it up as though afraid someone would steal it from him. He held the photo to his chest, wanting, more than anything, to hug some small piece of his father. Then, Teddy took the photo and put it tenderly under his pillow, before he scooped up the photo album and put it in his special box, beside the photos of his mother. After stowing his treasure-box carefully under his bed, he climbed up and crawled onto Harry’s lap. He leaned in against his Godfather’s chest, as Harry put his arms around him. He picked at the material of Harry’s T-shirt for a few moments.

“Tell me, Harry,� Teddy said quietly.

“Tell you what, Ted?� Harry asked gently.

“Tell me all about my Daddy.�

Harry knocked on the door of the house he first entered when he was about to turn seventeen. It was a small, cosy home with a pleasant Muggle-feel to it. However, when Harry first arrived here all those years ago, he had felt anything but pleasant. He had crashed-landed in the garden with Hagrid on a flying motorbike, while trying to escape Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The memory flooded back to Harry; how he was hurt and utterly terrified beyond belief that Hagrid was dead. Every single time he approached this house, Harry remembered that night with a shiver, the night George lost his ear, the night Mundungus fled, the night Mad-Eye Moody lost his life. However, these particularly frightening memories were always pushed to the recesses of Harry’s mind upon the sight of his little Godson, Teddy Lupin.

Harry and Teddy were forging new happy memories in this house. It was here that Harry witnessed some of Teddy’s first steps, and it was here that Harry heard Teddy recite his first words. And it was here that he and Teddy played and laughed and had fun together. With time, Harry knew, these happy memories would wash away the thoughts of the dark night he first entered this house. What magic cannot mend, time will heal, as the old saying goes.

Harry knocked on the large wooden door. He was coming to mind Teddy for the day, so his grandmother could head down to Diagon Alley to do some shopping.

Andromeda opened the door, her brown hair beginning to show signs of grey now. She smiled at the sight of Harry, but there was something in the smile that didn’t make her kind eyes light-up, the way they should have done if she was genuinely smiling.

“Hello, Harry,� she said, her voice warm but full of a strange stiffness.

“Hi, Andromeda,� Harry replied brightly.

There was still something in her face that resembled her murderous sister, Bellatrix. It gave Harry the creeps, as though someone tried to take Bellatrix’s face and make it more kind-looking. Bellatrix had murdered Tonks, robbed Teddy of his mother, and if Molly Weasley hadn’t have finished her off, Harry certainly would have.

“He’s in the kitchen, finishing his breakfast,� Andromeda said, now that those greeting pleasantries were finished. “I should be back at around six, or there abouts. His lunch is in the fridge and I’ll make him dinner when I get home.�

“That’s fine, thanks,� Harry said, trying to sound appreciative that she had made Teddy lunch, so he wouldn’t have to.

Then, Andromeda fastened her travelling cloak, walked down the short hall-way and into the kitchen to kiss Teddy goodbye and to tell him to be good. She returned not a minute later and left the house, without a second glance at Harry.

Harry was well used to her behaviour. Hermione had provided the explanation for it. Andromeda was jealous that Teddy liked Harry more than her. It was an insane thought. Teddy, of course, loved them both the same, but Harry was only there for the fun-times, he didn’t have to discipline Teddy or make him eat his dinner or any of those other horrible tasks parents, or grandparents in this case, have to do. No, Harry was only here to play with Teddy, tell him great stories and laugh with him. So it was more that Andromeda resented the look of happiness on the little boy’s face every time he saw Harry, a look that was only saved for Harry, not for her.

Harry more than understood Hermione’s explanation. Andromeda had lost everything in the second war: her husband and her only child, and now the only piece of them she had left was Teddy and she didn’t want to lose him or have him push her away. Harry understood that, it made sense to him, so he took Andromeda’s cold treatment with a smile. It would pass soon enough, Harry knew that, once Teddy was old enough to properly appreciate all his grandmother does for him.

“Hiya, Ted,� Harry said brightly, as he walked into the kitchen. And before Harry had the door fully open, a turquoise blur ran at him and hugged him around the middle, nearly knocking him over. “Alright there?� Harry asked as he tried to keep his balance, and hug Teddy back at the same time.

“HARRY!� Teddy shouted, squeezing Harry more tightly.

“Easy there, Ted,� Harry said, “you’re cutting off the circulation to my legs!�

Teddy released Harry and smiled up at him with his wondrously bright brown eyes, exactly the same as Remus’s had been. Then, Teddy closed his eyes in concentration and opened them again.

“Look!� the boy exclaimed and Harry did look and Harry laughed. Teddy now had jet-black, messy hair, green eyes and a scar, although it was merely a straight line down the forehead, not a bolt of lightning.

“Wow, Ted, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were me!� At first it had been endearing, but now Harry felt weird seeing Teddy physically change his appearance to look like Harry’s. It made Harry uncomfortable in a way he could not quite put into words.

“I’ve been practising!� Teddy explained brightly.

“It’s great, Ted, but please go back to being Teddy Lupin now, will you?�

“Why?� Teddy asked.

Don’t tell me he has entered the ‘why' phase, Harry thought.

“Because you’re you, aren’t you? I think you should just be you, Ted,� Harry answered, “because, you know, there’s only one Teddy Lupin, and he’s just brilliant, just as he is.�

“I want to be just like you, Harry, I want to defeat all the bad wizards and save the world, just like you.�

Harry had no idea what to say to this. He was both touched and a little uncomfortable at the thought of Teddy wanting to be just like him. He loved that his Godson admired him so much, but at the same time, Harry felt Teddy should just be Teddy.

So Harry spent the entire morning playing with his Godson. They played Quidditch in the garden. Teddy was riding the toy broom-stick that Harry had given him for his birthday. It only rose about a foot off the ground, allowing Teddy’s toes to skim the grass, and thus give him the sensation of flying, without the danger of falling. Harry had bewitched three goal-hoops to float off the ground behind him. Harry was Keeper, albeit, not an airborne one, and Teddy was Chaser. They didn’t use a real Quaffle, but instead a light, round-shaped sponge-ball, so no one would get hurt and nothing would get broken.

But before the game could start, Teddy asked a question: “Why don’t you play Quidditch anymore?�

That’s twice why has been said now, not a good sign.

Harry smiled. “I do play sometimes, with Ron and Ginny, in the orchard behind the Burrow.�

“But why only sometimes? Don’t you like it?�

Three times.

“I do like it, Ted. I love it. I just don’t have much time to play anymore.�

“Why?�

That’s four.

“Because I’m an Auror now, and I have to mind you of course. Would you prefer me to go play Quidditch and not see you every Saturday?�

“No!� Teddy replied, horrified at the thought of not seeing Harry every week. “I like it when you come over and play with me.�

“Me too, Ted,� Harry said kindly, “now what do you say we play some Quidditch now, eh?�

Teddy nodded and the game began.

The boy flew up the garden, sponge-ball in hand. “And Lupin tears up the pitch,� Harry began, shouting in an excited voice. “He dodges a Bludger,� Harry shouted, and at this detail of commentary, Teddy swerved his broom, avoiding the imaginary Bludger. The child was becoming a better flier every time Harry saw him. “He’s going for goal, only the Keeper to beat, he shoots,� Teddy threw the ball at the right hoop. Harry could have saved it, but he didn’t, he wanted Teddy to get a goal instead. “He scores! What a great goal from Teddy Lupin, I’m tellin’ you, this kid is one to watch!� Teddy did a lap of the garden, cheering with both hands in the air.

Harry stopped commentating. “Ted, put both hands on your broom - Ted!�

Too late.

Teddy crashed into the flower pots. Harry ran to him. “Ted, are you alright?� Teddy got up, pushed the dirt off this robes and picked up his broom. He looked fine. Harry laughed. “You’re just like your mum,� Harry found himself saying with a smile.

“Why?� Teddy asked.

“Because she was a bit clumsy too, always knocking things over or tripping over things.�

“Why?�

Harry laughed again. “I don’t know, Ted, it was just the way she was, I suppose.�

“Was my Dad clumsy too?�

“No,� Harry said, liking the fact that Teddy was asking questions about his parents. That was important, and what was more important was that Harry answered these questions. “Your Dad was one of the most careful people in the world.�

“Why?�

“Because that was just the way he was.�

Once Teddy seemed exhausted of why questions, for the time being at least, they went inside for lunch. They had vegetable soup and bread and, after Harry had put the last piece of food in his mouth, Teddy put in his request:

“Tell me a story, Harry,� he asked brightly.

“Which one?�

“The one where you defeated the humongous snake in the Chamber of Secrets, or the one where you played with the giant chess-set or the time you went swimming in the lake to save Ron.�

“OK,� Harry said, smiling at Teddy’s excitement, “but which one do you want?�

Teddy thought for a moment. “Tell the one where you save your Godfather from all the Dementors.�

Harry smiled and told the story. He paused and whispered in the right places for dramatic effect. “There were hundreds of Dementors, circling all around us,� he began. “I felt their icy cold, and heard their rattling breath. They were everywhere, and they were trying to get Sirius. I had to stop them. They nearly had his soul, they were about to kiss him. I was shaking all over, because I was so scared. I pulled out my wand and but the spell didn’t work. I felt like I was drowning. I could no longer remember the words of the spell.�

Teddy had heard this story so many times that Harry was surprised that he was not sick of it by now. But Teddy just watched Harry with rapid attention, taking in every single word as though it were the first time he had heard it.

Harry continued his story and tried to finish dramatically, “and the silver stag burst out of my wand and charged all the Dementors down, driving them away as though they were nothing powerful at all.�

“And was Sirius OK?� Teddy asked.

“He was,� Harry replied.

“You saved him?�

“I did.�

Teddy was silent for a moment, then got off his chair at the table and went over and climbed onto Harry’s knee. “I’d save you, Harry,� he said softly. “I’d fight a million billion Dementors to save you.�

Harry felt his heart swell and his eyes burn for a moment. “I know, Ted,� he replied, for that was all he was able to say. His Godson’s words had meant more to Harry than he could ever express.

“What do you say we de-gnome the garden?� Harry suggested brightly.

“Yeah!� Teddy said excitedly. He loved de-gnoming the garden.

Harry and Teddy spent the afternoon hiding the bushes, waiting for the muddy, potato-headed gnomes to show themselves. Then, the pair jumped out of their hiding place and chased the gnomes around the garden. Teddy kept falling over, but he could not stop laughing. Harry thought Teddy’s laugh was the nicest thing he had never heard in his life. It filled him with the same wondrous feeling as Phoenix song.

Harry dived over two potted-plants and managed to seize a gnome by the foot. He picked it up, swung it around and around over his head and threw it over the hedge.

“Can I try the next one, can I?� Teddy pleaded excitedly.

“’Course,� Harry said. Teddy had never been able to throw the gnomes very far though, let alone over the hedge.

Suddenly, Teddy jumped into the bushes after a gnome. A minute later, he came out with twigs and leaves in his hair, dirt on his clothes, and a small gnome in his little hand.

Teddy had finally caught a gnome all by himself. Harry found himself beaming with pride. “Go ahead, throw him.�

And Teddy swung the gnome around and around. “Not too fast now,� warned Harry. But Teddy didn’t listen. He kept spinning and spinning, faster and faster. Then, Teddy tripped and fell. The gnome flew from the boy’s hands and soared, head-first, into the wall of the shed, before falling to the ground with a dull thud. It did not get up.

The smile was instantly wiped off Teddy’s face and he turned horribly pale. He started to tremble. “I didn’t mean to, Harry, I didn’t mean to!�

“Shh, it’s alright,� Harry said soothingly as he approached the fallen gnome.

Teddy slowly got up, still shaking, and followed his Godfather.

“Is it dead?� Teddy asked, shaking so badly. He grabbed Harry’s leg from behind, hiding himself from the scene that lay ahead.

“No, Ted,� Harry said reassuringly.

“Why?�

“Because it’s moving - see its chest moving up and down?� Harry pointed at the potato shaped gnome, trying to show Teddy it was alright.

“If I stop moving does that mean I’m dead?� Teddy asked.

“No,� Harry said, not liking the morbid turn this conversation suddenly took.

“Why?�

I think I’m beginning to dislike that word, Harry thought.

“Because,� Harry said, not knowing what he was going to say. “Because you’re still there, on the inside.� Harry picked up Teddy’s little hand and placed it on the boy’s chest. “Feel your heart beating? That shows that you’re not dead, that your still there on the inside.�

“What does dead mean?� Teddy asked.

Harry had no answer for this question. He didn’t even think there was one. “Dead means gone,� Harry said finally, thinking that was the best explanation.

There was a long silence as Teddy watched the gnome’s chest rise and fall gently as it breathed. Then two of its friends came, picked it up by its hands and feet and carried it back to the gnome-hole in the bushes beyond the garden.

Harry put his hand on Teddy’s shoulder in a reassuring way. “It’ll be alright, it was only knocked out, it’ll be fine tomorrow.�

Teddy said nothing.

Harry knew that he had to do something to brighten the mood. “Come on, Ted, let’s will play exploding snap inside, what do you say?�

Harry turned towards the house and stretched out his arm for Teddy to take. The boy did not take it.

“Why do I live with nana?� Teddy asked slowly.

Harry turned back around suddenly, caught a little off guard; this question had come out of nowhere. “You know why, Ted,� Harry said, trying to be gentle, “your parents, you know, they’re ... dead.� It sounded so cruel saying it like that, Harry knew exactly how hearing those words felt, but he wasn’t able to put it any less bluntly. “They died fighting in the big Battle, at Hogwarts, the final battle against Voldemort. Your Nan told you that last year, d’you remember?�

“I do,� Teddy said, searching for words, “but I don’t understand.�

“What don’t you understand?�

“Why did they have to die?�

Harry was drawing a blank. He had no idea how to answer that question, let alone answer it in a way a six-year-old could comprehend. “To be honest, Ted,� Harry began, buying time, searching for the right words, “they didn’t have to.�

Damn, that came out wrong!

“Then why did they?� Teddy persisted.

Harry was at a loss as to what to say. He had dug himself into a hole here, no question. “Because,� Harry began, not knowing what to say next, “because they made a choice, a choice between what was right and what was easy.�

Wow, never thought I would be quoting Dumbledore at a time like this.

“I don’t understand,� Teddy said slowly. This did not come as a surprise to Harry. He had expected Teddy not to comprehend this, as it was such a huge concept for a six-year-old to get his head around.

“You see, Ted,� Harry began blindly, “they had a choice, they could’ve stayed with you, or they could’ve gone into battle. But they chose to fight, because,� Harry paused again, searching for words that seemed to have escaped his brain that his point. “Because they knew they had to fight, that fighting was the right thing, because if they didn’t fight, then they could be dooming you to live in a word full of darkness and bad-wizards and death, a world where you would be scared and in danger all the time. It would have been easy to just stay with you, because they loved you so much, but instead they did what was right, as they saw it anyway, even though it was so much harder. They went to fight, to fight for you, Ted, so you could grow up in a safer world.�

Harry hoped the boy would understand what he was doing a bad job at explaining.

Teddy furrowed his brow in thought. “They were very selfish,� he concluded harshly.

“Ah, Ted, don’t say that,� said Harry as calmly as he could, those words had struck him as hard as any blow. “They weren’t selfish,� Harry refuted, with a hint of desperation for Teddy to listen, “far from it, in fact.�

“They were,� Teddy persisted.

Those words, uttered by Remus’s and Tonks’s only son, caused Harry’s stomach to turn over. Nevertheless, he smiled weakly and asked: “Why do you say that?�

Oh great, now I’m using why too.

“Because they left me all by myself,� Teddy said sadly, with his eyes fixed on his shoes.

Harry felt his heart tug. A knot formed in his throat now, making swallowing and speaking difficult. Teddy looked up at Harry, with brown eyes that mirrored his father’s. Harry knew words would not work right now, so he did the only thing that made sense: he picked Teddy up, and placed him on his lap. Harry meant the gesture to be warm, so it would make Teddy know he wasn’t alone.

“They didn’t, Ted,� Harry said finally, finding his voice again. “They left you with your Nan and with me, didn’t they? They knew you wouldn’t be all alone.�

“They were selfish,� Teddy said defiantly, as he picked at the material of Harry’s T-shirt.

This conversation is going nowhere pleasant.

Harry knew that he had to do something or else Teddy would be left with his horrible thoughts forever. Harry knew that if Remus was alive today, he would die completely at the thought of his son saying and thinking such things.

Well, as much as I dislike reliving it, it’s time to tell him.

“Listen, Ted,� Harry began rather heavily. “I’m going to tell you a secret, alright?�

“What kind of secret?� Teddy asked in a hushed whisper, his large brown eyes x-raying Harry, the way Dumbledore used to.

“A secret I’ve never told anyone, Ted, a secret that you have to keep between you and me, can you do that, little man?�

Teddy nodded vigorously, as curiosity had captured his voice and was currently holding it hostage.

“When I was going to fight Voldemort...� Harry began slowly, trying his best to explain this is the way Teddy would understand.

“In the big battle?� Teddy asked eagerly, his voice rushing back to him.

“Yeah, in the big battle,� Harry said, shuddering slightly at the thought.

“That my parents died in?�

“The very same,� Harry said, trying to sound warm and bright, even though the tale was far from a happy bed-time story.

Harry had hit a wall. He had no idea how to explain the next bit. He hesitated, thinking very quickly, trying to put everything in simple terms. “Well, you see, Ted, I found out that for Voldemort to die, I also had to die as well.�

“You?� said Teddy, both surprised and confused. “But you’re not dead and Voldemort is!�

Now we’ve hit the complicated bit.

“I know, Ted, but at the time I thought I had to die in order for Voldemort to die.�

“Why?� Teddy asked.

I want to hex whatever idiot invented the word ‘why’, thought Harry.

“Because there was a special connection between me and Voldemort.�

“Your scar?� Teddy asked.

Harry’s eyes widened in surprise. Teddy was a sharp lad alright. Harry had not expected him to work that connection out, let alone work it out so quickly. “Yeah,� Harry said, “my scar.�

“Did Voldemort have a lightening scar too?�

“Sort of, yeah,� Harry said. Technically that wasn’t true, but comprehension of the story would be easier if Teddy thought it was. Getting into the details of Voldemort taking Harry’s blood, his mother’s sacrifice, in his own veins was far too complicated for a six-year-old to grasp.

“So what did you do?� Teddy asked, clearly noticing the glazed look that covered Harry’s face whenever he was thinking.

“Well,� Harry started again, “I saw your Dad and Mum dead, and Fred Weasley-�

“Ginny’s brother?� Teddy asked excitedly.

“Yes, Ginny’s brother, I saw them all dead, and loads of others, all kids I went to school with and I couldn’t take it anymore. I didn’t want anyone else to die like that.�

“So what did you do?� Teddy asked, caught on Harry’s every word and holding his Godfather’s T-shirt tightly in his small hand.

“I went to Voldemort,� Harry said. “And I was going to let him kill me.�

Wow, that sounded very melodramatic.

“Why?� Teddy asked.

We’ve come back to why again.

“Because if I died, Voldemort would die,� Harry said, explaining it as best he could.

“But you’re not dead,� Teddy pointed out, his face scrunching up as he tried to get his head around the concepts he was hearing about.

“I know,� Harry said, trying to see if he could explain it in a better way, “but when my mother died for me, she protected me and that kept me safe, and that kept me alive and allowed Voldemort to die, and not me. But I didn’t know that would happen. I thought I would die.�

“You did?� Teddy asked in amazement, looking up at Harry in adoration, with his large brown eyes boring into Harry’s again.

“I did.�

“So what did you do?�

“I walked to Voldemort, I walked to death,� Harry said simply.

I’m sounding melodramatic again.

“You did?�

“I did. But I was so scared, Ted, so scared.� Harry was not ashamed to admit that. There was nothing wrong with being afraid.

“But you’re brave,� Teddy pointed out, confused once again by Harry’s words, “You’re never scared.�

Harry let out a laugh, he couldn’t help it. “That’s not true, Ted,� Harry replied, rubbing Teddy’s arm. “I’ve been scared loads of times.�

“Really?� Teddy said, the adoration returning to his little face.

“Yeah, being brave just means you still do things, even though you’re really, really scared.�

“So what happened?� Teddy asked keenly, dismissing Harry’s wise words.

“Well, this time I wasn’t brave enough,� Harry sighed, trying not to remember how much he trembled, or how fast his heart pounded in his chest as though it wanted to escape before the end came. “There were Dementors everywhere, and I had no strength to fight them off.�

“So what did you do?� Teddy was hooked on Harry’s every utterance now.

“Do you remember the ‘Tale of the Tree Brothers’?�

“Beedle’s story, that Nana reads to me?� Teddy said, confused again at why this was being brought up now, at the most exciting part of the story.

“The very same,� Harry said, smiling at Teddy’s good memory. “Do you remember the stone that calls people back from death?�

“Yep!� Teddy said brightly

“I had it.�

“You had it?� Teddy was surprised and astonished now.

“I had it�

“How?� Teddy asked.

How is better than why at least.

“Dumbledore left it to me.�

Teddy cast a nervous look left and right, as though checking if the coast was clear. “Did,� he began, in a voice so low that only Harry could hear, “did you use it?�

“I did,� Harry whispered back.

“But in the story it was wrong to use it,� Teddy said, shocked that his great Godfather had done such a thing.

“I know, Ted, but I was going to die too, or at least I thought I was, so it was alright.�

“Why?� Teddy asked again.

Great, we’ve come back to why again.

“I wasn’t really calling them back to life,� Harry explained, “It was more that they were coming to fetch me and bring me to death.�

“You did you call?� Teddy said, still whispering, as though afraid of the very concept of calling people back from death.

“My Mum and Dad.�

“You saw your Mum and Dad?�

“I did,� said Harry, knowing full well that, at this very moment, Teddy was imagining having the stone and calling his own parents back. “And Sirius,� Harry continued.

“Your Godfather?� Teddy asked.

“Exactly. I called back my parents, Sirius and-�

“Who?� Teddy cut across him, desperately hoping that the next person Harry called back was who Teddy hoped it was.

“Your Dad,� Harry said, smiling broadly.

“My Dad?� Teddy said in astonishment, his large eyes swelling at the very thought of such a phenomenon.

“Yes, your Dad,� Harry answered, enjoying the look on his little Godson’s face.

“Why?�

I knew I hadn’t heard the end of that word.

“Because he was like a Dad to me, your Dad was.�

“Really?�

“Really really.�

Harry gave Teddy a moment, or two, to picture the image in his head, to enjoy the idea that his Dad was like a Dad to his orphaned Godfather. “So what happened?� Teddy asked suddenly, having imagined his fill of his Dad coming back to help Harry.

“I was so scared, Ted, so scared of dying that I asked them to stay with me, to stay with me until it happened, because I didn’t want to die alone, die far away from those I loved, die in a clearing full of bad-wizards.�

Harry shuddered. He couldn’t help it. Teddy gripped his T-shirt even more tightly, as though the small boy was terrified too.

“And did they stay?� Teddy asked, his voice trembling.

“Of course they did,� Harry said with all the warmth he could muster as he ruffled his Godson’s turquoise hair. Teddy didn’t draw away or protest, but let Harry mess up his hair. “But do you know what else, Ted?�

“What?�

“I spoke to your Dad.�

“You did?� Amazement overwhelmed Teddy’s face and eyes again.

“I did.�

“What did you say?�

“I said I didn’t want him to die,� Harry said, forcing his voice to stay steady. The knot in his throat had returned as he sat here with Remus’s son, about to tell him the last words his father had spoken.

“You said that?� Teddy asked, again stunned by the story.

“I did. I said I didn’t want him to die and that I was so sorry that he did die.�

And, right on queue: “Why?�

“Because I loved your Dad, and you were just born, Ted,� said Harry, ruffling the child’s hair again and rubbing him very softly and playfully on the arm. “And I knew that wasn’t fair.�

“You’re right, it wasn’t,� Teddy sighed, his eyes falling back on his shoes.

Harry’s stomach twisted at the slight of his Godson looking so upset and forlorn.

“But do you know what your Dad said to me?� Harry said brightly, readjusting Teddy on his knee, and lifting the boy’s head up with his hand.

“What?�

“He said ‘I’m sorry too, sorry I will never know my son, but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand, I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life’.� *1

There was silence. Teddy looked at Harry, and Harry looked squarely back him. The boy’s expression was unreadable. Then, Teddy furrowed his brow, “I don’t understand.�

Harry’s heart sank slightly. He had not managed to explain it properly. Perhaps, now was not the right time, perhaps, he should try telling the story again when Teddy was older.

“What don’t you understand, Ted?� Harry asked patiently.

“How could he think that I could be happy without him?�

The knot in Harry’s throat swelled and completely robbed him of his voice. Harry felt his eyes burn intensely for one moment, but it soon passed. Not knowing what else to do, Harry picked Teddy up off his lap and wrapped his arms around his little Godson. Teddy put his arms around Harry’s neck and held on very tightly.

“He didn’t mean that you be happy without him, Ted,� Harry said, his voice slightly higher than normal. “He meant for you to be happy in a world where you are safe and free, instead of in a world where you would be in danger, discriminated against and hunted down. He died fighting so the world would be safer and happier, so you would be safer and happier.�

“I still don’t understand,� Teddy repeated for the umpteenth time today.

Harry laughed slightly, and released Teddy from his hug, so he could look his Godson in the eyes. “I’ll tell you now, Ted, that you are going to get sick of grown-ups saying this, but you will understand, one day.�

“Why?� Teddy asked.

And we come full-circle back to why.

“Because you’ll be older and cleverer,� Harry said, ruffling Teddy’s hair again.

There was silence again. Teddy snuggled up on Harry’s knee and leaned in, resting his head on his Godfather’s chest. Harry put his arms around Teddy and just enjoyed this moment: holding his Godson in his arms, thinking sadly about what Remus and Tonks would give to do this one more time.

“Tell me the story again, Harry,� Teddy said quietly, grasping Harry’s T-shirt tightly in his hand once more.

“Which story?�

“The story about my Dad and how he came back to help you and how said he was sorry he died because he had to leave me.�

Harry smiled and messed-up Teddy’s hair again. “’Course Ted.�

And Teddy sat on Harry’s knee, holding his Godfather’s T-shirt firmly, as he heard the story of how his Dad - his Dad - came back from the dead to help his Godfather defeat Voldemort. Teddy’s frame trembled and his eyes watered, but he did not cry, he simply closed his eyes and tried to picture it all in his head. He tried to imagine his dad’s voice, and what it sounded like. He tried to imagine his Dad telling Harry that he was so sorry that he would never know his son, a son who was living, breathing and hearing right now, a son who would give anything in the in the whole wide world to hear his Dad say those words to him in person, just once.

And as Harry told the story again, and held Teddy on his knee, as only one thought circulated in his mind: Why did you have to die, Remus, and you, Tonks, and miss out on moments like this?

Harry knocked on the door of Andromeda’s house. He had been looking forward to seeing Teddy after what had been a truly gruelling week. There had been three rather nasty murders that Harry was now investigating; that, and James had chosen this week not to sleep a wink, but to simply cry and keep his parents up all night. But as tired and exasperated as he was, Harry was looking forward to seeing Teddy because Ginny had gotten them both two tickets to the final Quidditch League match of the season, between the Holyhead Harpies and the Kenmare Kestrels. If the Harpies won, they would win the league, but if they lost, the title would go to the Kestrels. Matches didn’t get any better than that and, as a result, the tickets were like gold-dust. Harry couldn’t wait to see the excited look on his Godson’s face when he told him that they would be going to the match together.

A quiet minute or two passed, where Harry stood on the door-step, lost in his excitement about the match. Finally, the door opened to reveal Andromeda standing in the hallway. She was completely alone.

“Hi, Andromeda ... where’s Teddy?� Harry asked, lowering his eyebrows in confusion. He was so used to being assaulted by his turquoise-haired Godson every time he set foot in this house, that the absence of such an event confused and slightly worried him.

“Upstairs,� Andromeda said, pointing at the ceiling. She seemed a little exasperated.

“Did you tell him I was coming?� Harry asked, without thinking. He had intended to speak politely to Andromeda, as he always did, but the words escaped his mouth in an accusatory tone. He was beginning to feel anxious at Teddy’s notable absence.

“Yes,� Andromeda replied simply.

“Is he sick or something?� Harry asked, staring up the stairs at Teddy’s bedroom door, expecting to see his Godson burst out of it and run (or perhaps fall) down the stairs to greet him.

“No, no, he’s alright,� Andromeda replied, her voice sounding strangely false. There was something foreboding about her tone, as though she knew something was wrong, but wasn’t prepared to tell Harry what is was.

Harry gave Andromeda a quizzical look, which she did not respond to, before he began to walk slowly up the stairs.

“Ted?� he called, a little tentatively.

There was no reply.

“Ted, are you alright?� Harry said, when he reached the top of the stairs.

Again, he was met by silence. His heart began to beat faster. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears.

The door of Teddy’s room stood ajar. Harry pushed it open with his hand. “Ted?� he called again, as he stepped inside.

The room was unrecognisable. Teddy’s wolf posters and picture-clippings had been torn from the walls. They lay in crumpled heaps on the floor. All his wolf-toys stood piled up in the bin in the corner of the room. Some were broken. He could see their detached limbs in the mass of no-longer-wanted toys. This made no sense to Harry. Teddy loved his wolves more than anything.

Finally, his eyes found his eight-year-old Godson, who was sitting with this back resting against the side of his bed. He was hugging his knees. His gaze fixed on shards of paper in front of his feet. He looked beyond miserable, with his blood-shot eyes, tear-stained cheeks and dull-black hair. His teddy-wolf, that Harry had given him, lay on the floor at his side.

“Ted!� Harry half-shouted, full-on frightened now. He had never, in his life, seen Teddy act like this.

The boy didn’t respond, instead he pushed his face into his knees, as though trying to hide his tears from Harry.

Harry crossed the room in three strides, and sat down beside his Godson, resting his back against the side of the bed too. “What’s up, Ted?� Harry asked gently.

Teddy did not reply.

“Come on, Ted,� Harry said, while attempting to tickle his Godson, which usually proved to be an effective way to get a reaction out of him. Teddy slid along the wooden floor, out of Harry’s reach. He was not in the mood for games or tricks.

Harry was startled, but nevertheless, he managed a smile as he slid back beside Teddy. “See, I can slide too,� he said, still grinning, “so you can either spend the day avoiding being tickled or you can tell me what’s up, it’s up to you.�

Teddy kept his face hidden in his knees. Harry gave him a moment to consider the matter, before he attempted to tickle him again.

“Harry?� Teddy said quietly, just as Harry had raised his hand to start the tickle-attack.

“Yeah, Ted?� Harry replied, glad they were finally making some progress.

Slowly, the boy raised his face out of his knees. He looked very upset. His eyes had lost that mischievous sparkle. They simply looked empty. Harry had never seen Teddy look like this before, and it worried him.

“Nana told me yesterday that my dad was a werewolf, is that true?� Teddy asked, his voice very quiet.

Panic rose inside Harry and his heart began to thunder in his chest. He wished that Andromeda had forewarned him that she had let Teddy privy to this little piece of information; that way, he would have been able to prepare an answer.

“Yes, he was,� Harry replied, though he had no idea what to say after that.

Harry saw Teddy’s lip tremble. Suddenly, his face scrunched itself up as the tears welled in his eyes. He picked up Wolf and threw him, rather violently, across the room. The teddy hit the wall, its glass eyes making a dull, clunking noise on contact, before the toy fell to the floor by the bin. Teddy buried his face in his knees again, his trousers soaking up his tears.

Harry was at a loss what to do.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?� Teddy asked, his voice breaking.

“Well, you were a bit young, Ted, I was afraid you wouldn’t understand.�

“Afraid I wouldn’t understand that my dad was a monster?!� Teddy replied, shouting with fury. The venom in his voice was unmistakable when he uttered the last word.

“He wasn’t a monster, Ted,� Harry said seriously. “He was a great man,� he hesitated slightly, “a great man who just happened to have a - a bit of a - a problem - at the full moon.�

“HE WAS A WEREWOLF!� Teddy shouted hysterically.

“He was a werewolf and a good man,� Harry corrected firmly.

“I’ve read all about werewolves!� Teddy continued, pointing to a stack of books in the corner of his room, beside the wolf-toy-filled bin. “They are vicious and bad! Their goal in life is to bite and infect everyone! They are monsters!�

“Where did you get those books?� Harry asked sternly, as he walked over to examine they items in question. There were three darkly coloured volumes; one was merely entitled Werewolves and had a picture of a shadowy demon with red eyes and gnarled teeth. The others were: Werewolves: A Study of Violence and Werewolves and the Danger they Pose to the Wizarding Community. Harry was overcome with a sudden urge to snatch up these books and throw them out the window, as if their very presence was tainting Teddy’s room as they spoke.

“They were in the attic,� Teddy replied. “There are loads of books up there.�

“What were you doing in the attic?� Harry said, not quite hiding the reproach in his voice.

“Exploring.�

“You shouldn’t be reading looks like this, Ted,� Harry began quickly. “You’re not old enough. You don’t understand.�

“I understand all the words!� Teddy retorted back. “I understand what they all mean.�

“No you don’t,� Harry replied, trying to stay calm. “There is a difference between understanding the meaning of words in a book and understanding the meaning of a book.�

“I see no difference,� Teddy said, glaring at Harry now.

“There is a very big difference. Not everything you read is true. Just because something’s written in a book, doesn't mean you can take it as pure fact. You’re too young to understand that, understand that you’re being manipulated by books like that while you read.�

“I understand fine! Werewolves are monsters! My dad was a monster!�

“Your dad wasn’t a monster!� Harry retorted instantly. He was surprised to find that he had actually shouted those words, and angrily too. “He was a member of the Order of the Phoenix! He devoted his life to stopping monsters like Death Eaters and Voldemort! He even gave his life doing that! He wasn’t anything but a good man!�

Harry had no idea where this rage was coming from. All he knew was that no one, no matter who they were, questioned the integrity of Remus Lupin. Harry had done so himself once, and he swore he would never do so again. Remus was a good man, end of story.

“I knew your dad! He taught me Defence Against the Dark Arts!� Harry continued, still shouting. “Defence Against the Dark Arts! He hated the Dark Arts, hated everything about them! He was no monster!�

Teddy’s face scrunched up and he hid his head in his knees again. He was crying. Each of his sobs hit Harry like a blow to the stomach. Harry had never shouted at him before and Teddy didn’t like it.

“Ah, Ted,� Harry said gently, his whole demeanour softening. “I didn’t mean to shout at you. I’m sorry, Ted, I didn’t mean it. It’s just, you don’t understand. Your dad went through his whole life with everyone thinking he was a monster and I just - I just get so angry when people call him that, because he was anything but a monster.�

Teddy sniffed and raised his head again. Half-dried tear blotches stained his face and eyelashes. “I don’t like it when you shout,� he said, sniffing again.

“I didn’t mean to shout, Ted, honest I didn’t,� Harry said, feeling immensely guilty for his behaviour. “It’s just, well, I liked your dad very much, and I don’t like anyone saying bad things about him.�

“But werewolves are bad!� Teddy insisted, “All the books say so!�

“Some werewolves are bad,� Harry corrected. “But books like those,� he gave the pile in the corner a disgusted look, “purposely want to trick you into thinking all werewolves are bad, when, in reality, werewolves are just like wizards. There are good and bad wizards, aren’t there?�

Teddy nodded, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his robes. “Voldemort was bad and you’re good.�

“Er, yeah, exactly,� Harry said, though he thought that using himself as an example of good was pushing it. “What you have to understand, Ted, is that calling all werewolves bad, just because werewolves like ... say, Fenrir Greyback are bad, is the same as calling all wizards bad because Voldemort was bad. Do you see what I am getting at?�

“I think so,� Teddy replied. “But - but the books don’t just talk about Greyback, they talk about other bad werewolves too, loads of them. Werewolves’ mission in life is to bite everyone and make everyone else like them. That’s what the books say.�

“Well the books are right about some, but not all, werewolves,� Harry explained, choosing and emphasising his words very carefully. “You see, Ted, it is only ever the bad werewolves that everyone talks about, so that leads everyone to believe that all werewolves are bad, when they aren’t.�

“And my dad?� Teddy asked.

“I knew your dad, Ted, and he was no monster, I swear to you, he was anything but,� Harry replied, seriously.

Teddy began to fiddle with his fingers, twisting them around and around each other. Harry gave him a moment to come to terms with what he had just heard and sort himself out a little bit.

“Did my dad like being a werewolf?� he asked, after a minute or two.

“Of course he didn’t, Ted,� Harry explained, running his fingers though his hair. “He absolutely hated what he was. He hated the wolf inside him. He hated it so much that he often cut himself off from other people, because he was so afraid that if he got close to someone that something bad might happen, that at the full-moon he would hurt them, or worse, bite them accidently.�

“Did he ever bite anyone?� Teddy asked, his face set and determined.

“No, he didn’t, but he came close once or twice,� Harry explained. He had decided not to lie anymore. He would not sugar-coat anything. He was going to tell Teddy the truth; lies would only cause more pain, if not now, then in the near future.

“He did?� Teddy said, his voice full of horror. “But you said he was good!�

“But, Ted, once a wizard transforms into a werewolf at the full-moon, he no longer remembers who he is. The transformation is painful, very painful. And once transformed, a wizard is not able to think like a human anymore; he just has this animalistic impulse to hurt humans and he can’t help it. It is all part of the curse.�

“Is there a cure?� Teddy asked.

“No cure, but there is the Wolfsbane Potion.�

“What’s that?�

“It’s a very complex and difficult potion to brew, but once done correctly, it allows the drinker to keep his human mind while he transforms into a werewolf, so he is no longer animalistic.�

“Did my dad use that?�

“Yes,� Harry explained, “when he was older, but when he was small the potion didn’t exist.�

“Did you ever see him transform?� Teddy asked.

“I did, once,� Harry replied.

“What was it like?� Teddy asked, tentatively, as though he was not completely sure he wanted that question answered.

“Are you sure you want to know?� Harry asked.

Teddy nodded.

“It was scary Ted, really scary,� Harry explained with a shudder. “As soon as the moonlight hit, your dad’s body was bent all out of shape and he started screaming as all this hair grew all over him.�

“Did he try to bite you?�

“Yes,� Harry said gravely.

“But you said he liked you!� Teddy blurted out, completely horror-stricken.

“He did, Ted, I know he cared about me, but he had forgotten to take his potion, so he forgot who he was. He couldn’t help it. It wasn’t his fault.�

“How did you get away?�

“Sirius saved me.�

“Then what happened?� Teddy asked, hoping that he would hear something that would redeem his father.

“Well, the next day your dad quit his teaching job and left Hogwarts.�

“Why?�

“Because he felt so ashamed that he had nearly bitten me, and Ron and Hermione, and because he was so afraid that it might happen again and that the next time he might hurt someone. And because one of the other teachers told everyone he was a werewolf, and he knew that parents wouldn’t want him teaching their kids.�

“Why?�

“Because they all thought that werewolves were bad. They judged your dad before they even got to know him.�

“That wasn’t really fair,� Teddy pointed out.

“No, it wasn’t, but it was just the way things were.�

“Did you miss him? When he left?�

“’Course I did,� Harry said. “I went straight to his office and begged him not to go. I told him he was the best teacher I ever had and that I didn’t want him to leave.�

“But he did.�

“Yes, he did,� Harry said glumly. “He was a great man your dad. He went out of his way to protect those he cared about, even if that meant hurting himself in the process. He left his job to protect his students, even if that meant that he had to return to being poor and alone.�

“That sounds brave,� Teddy said.

“Well, he was a Gryffindor,� Harry replied smiling.

“Does this mean I’m a werewolf too?� Teddy asked, after a moment’s contemplation. He looked down at his chest, as though expecting to grow fur at that second.

“No,� Harry said half-laughing, “you’ve lived through about a hundred full moons and you’ve never transformed, have you now?�

“No, I haven’t,� said Teddy. “But - but does this mean that I’m half a werewolf?�

“Sort of, but not really, you’re a Metamorphmagus, like your mum.�

“So my dad was a werewolf and a good man?� Teddy asked, just to be sure.

“Yes,� Harry replied, “I know it’s hard for you to understand and everything, Ted, but your Dad was one of the best men I knew, one of the best men my Dad and my Godfather knew and he was, most definitely, the best man your mum knew, even with his furry little problem.�

“Furry little problem?� Teddy asked, confused, but smiling none the less.

“That’s what my dad used to call your dad’s werewolf-condition in company, apparently everyone was under the impression your dad owned a badly behaved rabbit.�

Teddy’s grin broke into a laugh, and as it did so, his hair suddenly returned its usual vivid turquoise. Soon, Harry found he was laughing too, the way Remus had done when he had told Harry that story in the sitting room in the Burrow all those years ago. Soon, both Harry and Teddy were laughing so hard that they had tears in their eyes.

“Thanks, Harry,� Teddy said, breathing heavily to control the laughter as he tried to compose himself.

“For what?� Harry replied, confused for the second time that day.

“For making me feel better about my dad,� Teddy said, resting his head on Harry’s shoulder.

Harry put his arm around his Godson, as the two of them sat silently, backs resting against the bed. Harry understood Teddy’s gratitude. It had been Sirius and Remus who had reassured Harry about his father when Harry questioned his character. Harry knew that Teddy, like Harry’s younger self, had placed his father up on this grand pedestal, believing beyond doubt that he was a sort of hero. Harry more than understood what it felt like to then have him fall from grace, down from that great pedestal, upon the discovery of a new piece of information, Remus’s lycanthropy for instance, or in Harry’s case, witnessing James’s unprovoked attack on Snape. Such an experience would upset and trouble anyone, especially a young boy. But falling from grace was part of human nature, because no one was perfect, not even Dumbledore. Humans, by nature, are flawed. Sooner or later, every child must understand that all heroes do bad things at some point, but those bad things shouldn’t take from or taint all the good things the hero has done.

Harry was just glad that he had been able to reassure Teddy and put things right again. So, smiling broadly, he ruffled Teddy’s hair. “Now, what do you say we put your posters back up, eh?�

Teddy nodded, his eyes once again alive and alert and happy. “I never should’ve taken them down,� he said, almost embarrassed at his own rashness. “I should’ve known that you wouldn’t lie to me about my dad, that you wouldn’t say that he was good, unless he really was good.�

Teddy stood up, and began smoothing out his crumpled posters and newspaper clippings. Harry pointed his wand at them, instantly removing their creases and returning them to their rightful places on the wall. Teddy smiled at the sight, before running to the bin, where he began pulling all the toy wolves out from its depths. He ran back to Harry.

“Fix them, Harry, please,� Teddy pleaded, holding the broken model wolves out in his little hands. Harry smiled and waved his wand again. The broken limbs knitted themselves back into place. No one would ever guess that they were once broken. “Thanks!� Teddy replied, beaming.

Teddy picked up each of the wolf figures he had attempted to throw away and apologised to each little toy in turn. Next, he rushed around his room, putting each toy back in its rightful place carefully and tenderly, as though the objects were a live being that had feelings. He picked up Wolf and hugged him tightly, apologising profusely for throwing him at the wall, before he placed the old, dirty teddy on his bed.

Teddy then turned to the scraps of paper on the floor. He picked each piece up and began putting the image back together; the way Muggles would do a Jigsaw. Harry watched silently, until suddenly he recognised the image Teddy was reconstructing. It was the photo of Remus as a very small child, the one in which he looked just like Teddy. Harry raised his wand to perfectly fix the ripped photo. However, before he could do so, Harry saw the little ripped scraps slowly bind themselves together again.

Harry smiled broadly, he couldn’t help it. Teddy was using magic. He had heard Andromeda talk about Teddy showing signs of magic from the time he was four years old, but Harry had never witnessed it before. A warm, bright, happy feeling began to fill him.

Next, Teddy did something Harry did not expect. He picked up the newly-repaired photo in his little hands. He just stared at it for a moment, holding his breath.

“I’m sorry, Dad,� Teddy said softly to the photo, after a moment’s pause. He did not care that Harry was looking at him. “I’m sorry for thinking you were a monster and I want you to know that - that, werewolf or not, I love you very much.�

A fiercely warm feeling flooded Harry’s insides, making his sting burn with tears. He was so touched by his Godson’s little gesture, because he knew that those words would have meant the world, and more, to Remus.

“Hey, Ted?� Harry began, his voice strangely high, “What do you think about going to the Quidditch Final next week with me?�

Teddy’s face lit up, and a smile spread across his face, dazzling and bright. “Yes Please!�

Harry apparated onto the door-step of Andromeda’s house, a little annoyed at being summoned here today. He had just left James and Albus at their grandparents’ house. It was Harry’s day off. He had planned on spending the whole day playing with his sons, but that plan had been demolished by the arrival of a very distressed letter from Andromeda begging him to come over and talk to Teddy. Annoyed and frustrated, Harry left his sons at Mr and Mrs Weasley’s house. His heart panged with guilt when James refused to let go of Harry’s hand and pleaded: “Please don’t go, Daddy, please.� But Andromeda had never sounded so anxious in a letter before. It worried Harry. He knew he had to go. But, he would make it up to James and Al, he swore he would.

He knocked hard on the front door. Andromeda opened it almost instantly. “Harry, thank Merlin!� she cried desperately. Her hair looked as though it had been dragged through a bush backwards. Her eyes were blood-shot. Tear tracks stained her cheeks and she was wringing her hands.

“What’s wrong?� Harry asked, his heart thundering in his chest at the sight of her looking like this. Her letter had been unclear, it simply begging him to come, but did not say why. Now, he was scared to know why.

“I’ve - I’ve done something ... something awful!� Andromeda whispered, her lips hardly moving at all.

“Is Teddy alright?� Harry asked, the words escaping his mouth before he could stop them.

Andromeda did not reply.

“Is Teddy alright?� Harry repeated forcefully, looking Andromeda straight in the face.

She shook her head. Harry did not wait for an explanation. He ran forwards, accidently pushing Andromeda over in his haste to get in the house.

“TED? TED? TED?� he shouted, as he sprinted up the stairs.

His hands were shaking.

His heart was thundering in his chest.

Teddy was not responding.

Harry darted across the landing and hammered on Teddy’s bedroom door. “TED! TED!� he called again. There was still no reply. He grabbed the door handle and pushed. It was locked. He rammed his shoulder against the door. That did nothing, save hurt his shoulder. “TED!� He pulled his wand out, and tapped the key hole, muttering: “Alohomora!�

It had no effect.

“TED! TED!� Harry called again, images of his eleven-year-old godson lying unconscious on the floor swimming before his eyes. “TED! PLEASE, answer me!� Harry tried opening the door again, but with no success.

Andromeda came up the stairs. “He’s locked it magically,� she explained. “I can’t get it open.�

Harry hammered on the door again, frantically pushing down the handle. Underage wizards cannot control their magic, and that only made it all the more difficult to fix their rogue spells. “TED!� he shouted. “TED! It’s me! It’s Harry! PLEASE ANSWER ME TED!�

He turned to Andromeda. “Is he hurt?� he asked seriously. She did not reply. “IS HE HURT?� Harry repeated, shouting this time.

Andromeda continued to stare at her shoes, “Not physically,� she replied finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

Harry pounded his fist on the door again. “Ted, please, you’re scaring me here,� he said, pleading with Teddy to open the door.

“GO AWAY!� Teddy shouted forcefully, his voice muffled by the closed door.

Relief washed over Harry, settling his hammering heart and shaking limbs. At least Teddy wasn’t unconscious or hurt so badly he couldn’t talk.

“Are you alright, Ted?� Harry asked.

“GO AWAY!� Teddy shouted again, his voice breaking.

“What happened, Ted?�

“GO AWAY!�

“I only just got here,� Harry said, very calmly, “why do I have to go?�

“BECAUSE YOU’RE A LIAR!� Teddy shouted in reply, the venom in his voice plain and clear.

“I’m not a liar,� Harry replied seriously. He was completely at a loss as to what was going on.

“YOU ARE! YOU ARE! I’M SICK OF GROWN-UPS ALWAYS LYING TO ME! YOU AND NANA AND EVERYONE! GO AWAY HARRY! JUST GO AWAY!�

Harry was hurt by these words. His heart immediately started going into overdrive again. He had never out-right lied to Teddy. Sure, he was bent the truth a few times or conveniently left out a detail or two until Teddy was old enough to understand, but he had never full-on lied. Yet, something had Teddy really rattled. Harry had no idea what that was, but he had a funny feeling that Andromeda did.

He rounded on her, and doing nothing to hide the accusation in his voice he said: “What did you do?�

Her frame trembled, but she did not reply.

“Andromeda,� Harry said seriously, “What did you do?�

“I had to do it,� Andromeda began, pleading with Harry to understand. “I had to, Harry. He was becoming too obsessed with werewolves!� At the mention of that final word Harry felt as though he had just swallowed a bucket full of ice.

“He plays all these games where he is a werewolf,� Andromeda said quickly, her voice frantic. It was as though she figured that the less time Harry had to comment, the less trouble she would be in. “He pretends he is a werewolf! He howls at the full moon or - or runs around the garden at night!�

“He’s just a kid, he’s just play-� Harry injected, but Andromeda cut across him.

“The other day he was playing with Philip Jones from down the road. They were just playing in the garden, and then - and then - I saw Teddy bite Philip and start howling, saying that Philip too was now a werewolf and that they must go around and bite everyone to form an army, an army to defeat all the dark wizards. Harry,� she pleaded, looking him full in the face, “I had to do something. I was worried. That type of behaviour - it - it isn’t right, isn’t appropriate. I couldn’t let it continue, I - I had to do something.�

“What did you do?� Harry said bluntly, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

Andromeda shook her head.

“Andromeda!� Harry said firmly.

“It was awful,� she said, tears swelling in her eyes. “He had never looked at me like that before. I - I - think I - I broke him. He just shouted and cried and ran up to his room and magically locked the door. He’s been in there nearly two days. I - just - just don’t know what to do!� And with that she broke down crying and Harry found that, without his volition, he was hugging her tightly, telling her it was okay.

The only problem was that things weren’t okay, and that Teddy, most definitely, wasn’t okay. Nevertheless, Harry lied and told Andromeda that everything was okay. Perhaps Teddy was right, perhaps he, Harry, was a liar.

Harry brought Andromeda down stairs into the quaint little kitchen, which looked almost exactly like a standard Muggle one, and made her a very strong cup of tea. She drank it without saying a word. She was trembling all over, as though her soul, her very heart were breaking before Harry’s eyes. It took a while for her to calm down.

“He’s all I have,� Andromeda began quietly, her voice hoarse. “He means everything to me, and I love him more than I can put into words.�

“And he loves you too,� said Harry firmly, giving her hand a reassuring pat across the table.

“I don’t know anymore,� she said, tears forming in her eyes again.

“What did you do, Andromeda?� Harry asked, very calmly. “I can’t help you fix this, unless you tell me what happened.�

Andromeda gripped her mug of tea tighter, before raising her head and looking at Harry determinedly. “I wish I hadn’t said it, Harry. The second I did, I wished that I could take the words back - that I could travel through time and stop myself from doing it. I hurt him, Harry,� she said, her voice so full of regret, “I really hurt him. But I swear I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t know it would affect him like that.�

She was crying again.

“What did you tell him?� Harry urged, though somewhere, in the back of his mind, a little voice was screaming the answer. Harry chose to ignore this voice, because he hoped against all hope that his hunch wasn’t true.

“I told him that his father, his werewolf father, abandoned him and his mother before he was born.�

Harry’s hand unconsciously retracted away from Andromeda’s. He stood up from the small kitchen table and turned his back on her. He was frantically trying to think of a way to clean up this mess. Harry just hoped that Teddy wasn’t beyond reassuring, that he hadn’t written Remus out of his life irrevocably, or that he didn’t hate his father so much that Harry could not reconcile their relationship.

“Please, Harry,� she beseeched to his back, “I only meant it to stop him glorifying werewolves as heroes. I didn’t mean for him to get upset. I just wanted to show him that werewolves are bad, and that he shouldn’t wish he was one.�

“Werewolves aren’t bad,� Harry said stiffly, still refusing to look at her. What she had done was petty and cruel. Harry knew her words had caused far more damage than she could possibly imagine.

“Harry, surely you - after everything - Greyback - the werewolves joining the Death Eaters - fighting against you - surely...?�

“Remus Lupin wasn’t bad,� Harry said, raising his voice. “He was one of the best men I knew. He died fighting to give me time to finish Voldemort. He looked out for me since I was thirteen years old.�

Andromeda said nothing.

“Do you know what the last words he said to me were?� Harry began, his voice strained as he slowly turned to face the old woman in front of him. He was angry at her, angry at her constant attempts to discredit Teddy’s father. It had to stop, right here, right now. “He said to me that he was sorry he would never know Ted, but that his son would know why he died, and he hoped that Ted would understand that his father died trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life.� *1

Andromeda started crying again. “But - but he left them ... abandoned them.�

“He came back, that’s all that mattered, he came back,� Harry said seriously. “And he only left because he thought that Tonks - that Nymphadora - and Ted would be better off without him, because he had made them out outcasts, made them at the top of the Death Eater and Ministry hit-lists. He thought that if he left, they would be safe.�

“Dora couldn’t get out of bed when he left. He hurt her more than he knew,� Andromeda replied, almost angry at Harry’s defence of Remus’s greatest mistake.

“He thought he was protecting his family,� Harry replied confidently. “But there was more to it than that. He was scared. He was so scared that Ted would be ashamed to have him as his father. He thought that his son would be better off without his cursed werewolf father in his life.� Harry felt that it was important that Andromeda knew this, so that she would understand the extent of the damage she had done to both Remus and his son by her harsh words. All Remus ever wanted was for his son to love him, and Andromeda had harshly and rashly destroyed that wish without a second’s hesitation.

“I didn’t know,� she said regretfully.

“I know you didn’t much care for Remus, and I respect that,� Harry began, staring at the old, care-worn, suffering woman in front of him, “But he was a great man, Andromeda, and Teddy has every right to know that. You must tread carefully. You shouldn’t tarnish Teddy’s dad so lightly.�

“I wish I could take it back, take it all back.�

“Words hurt more than jinxes precisely because they can never be taken back or removed. They stay forever.�

“What am I going to do?�

“We have to talk to Ted, the both of us.�

“He’s locked the door,� Andromeda sobbed. “We can’t get in.�

It was just as she said these words that Harry spotted Ted’s Comet 420 propped up against the back door and the solution hit him quicker than a speeding Bludger.

“He hasn’t locked the window,� Harry replied, grinning at the brilliance of his idea.

He seized the broomstick, and brought it out into the back garden, followed closely by Andromeda. He mounted the broom and kicked off hard. The wind pressed cold bursts onto his face, as though trying to soothe his troubled heart. He reached the window almost instantly, and before Teddy had a chance to realise what was happening, Harry had his wand out and the window open. He clambered inside rather clumsily, the window was very narrow.

“GO AWAY!� Teddy shouted, angry that Harry had snuck into his room without permission.

“Sorry, Ted, can’t do that,� Harry said, stepping down from the window-sill.

As Harry had expected, all of Teddy’s wolf toys and posters were, once again, in the rubbish bin, thrown there in a fit of resentment at his father. Harry examined his godson, and once he got past the angry look on his face, Harry saw that the boy was very pale, with dark circles cradling his blood-shot eyes. He was standing upright, trembling all over, as though he were close to just shattering into a thousand tiny pieces. The leather-bound photo-album Harry had given him was clutched tightly in his shaking hands. His hair was dull back, and Harry instinctively knew, just by looking, that Teddy’s spirit had been broken. The mischievous grin was gone from his face and his eyes were robbed of their happy sparkle. Teddy was lost and hurt, and everything inside him was screaming so loudly that Harry expected at any second to suddenly hear the turmoil raging around inside his godson burst forth. Andromeda was right. She had broken him.

“What do you say about you and I having a little chat?� Harry began, very calmly. He would have to choose his words very carefully, because he was sure that with one false utterance Teddy would sever all connections to Harry, Andromeda and Remus all in one blow.

“NO!� Teddy shouted, absolutely livid. “I don’t want to talk to you, all you’ll do is lie to me, and I’m sick of grown-ups lying to me!�

“I will never lie to you, Ted,� Harry said, honestly. He meant every word he said. Teddy was eleven years old, and he would be heading off to Hogwarts in a few short months. The time for white-lies and conveniently omitting certain details was over. He was old enough to understand.

“I - DON’T - BELIEVE - YOU!� Teddy bellowed, punctuating each word with a fiery rage. “You’ll lie to me again! You always lie to me!�

“When have I lied to you?� Harry asked, again keeping his voice very calm.

Teddy shot Harry a look of deepest loathing, as though he felt that Harry should already know the answer to that question.

“YOU TOLD ME MY DAD WAS A GOOD MAN!�

“He is a good man, Ted.�

“No he ISN’T! He left me and my mum! He left us! Left us to run off on some adventure with you! He loved you more than he loved us! HE LEFT US!� tears were swelling in Teddy’s eyes. His whole frame was shaking with rage, and his voice was breaking with his efforts to hold himself together.

“He didn’t leave you, and he certainly didn’t love me more than you.�

“STOP LYING TO ME!� Teddy screamed. “I am sick of grown-ups always lying to me! I will not be treated as a fool!

“I’m not lying to you, Ted,� Harry said seriously, though now he could feel himself started to tremble too. He was afraid, afraid of how this was going to end. If he made one false move and he would lose Teddy forever.

“You’re a liar, Harry! And I’m a fool for ever believing you! Well, not anymore!� Teddy opened the leather-bound photo-album he was holding and began ripping and tearing out every page, and throwing them to the ground as though they were rubbish. Harry watched as the occupants of the photographs shouted and protested as they tumbled out of view from the sheer force at which they were hurled to the floor. Hundreds of images swam before Harry’s eyes, Remus’s life appeared before the pair of them in complete free-fall.

Harry let Teddy do this act of vandalism. Teddy needed to get his anger and hurt out of his system, and the photos could be repaired perfectly by magic later on.

Teddy was crying now. Tears rolled down his face, silent, hurt tears, as he tore page upon page out of the album, casting each to the floor in turn as though they were something indecent.

When he ran out of pages, Teddy hurled the leather cover at Harry’s head, as though enraged by his godfather’s calmness. With a flick of his wand, the album floated gently to the floor before it made contact with Harry’s head.

“Finished?� Harry asked calmly.

“SHUT UP!� Teddy bellowed, his small frame shaking from head to foot.

Harry’s insides were shaking too. He was absolutely terrified of what might happen, but he did not let it show. It wasn’t easy watching Teddy standing in front of him in so much pain. All Harry wanted to do was wrap his arms around his godson, hold him tight and make everything alright again. But he knew better. At this moment in time, that course of action was, most definitely, the wrong one to take.

“Sorry, Ted,� Harry replied, “I can’t shut up, because you and me need to talk.�

Teddy looked as though he was about ready to hit Harry. “NO!� he shouted. “You’ll just lie to me again!�

“I promise I will never lie to you.�

“YOU’RE LYING! You’ve always lied to me, and you always will!�

“When did I lie to you?� Harry asked, he was surprised at how well he was doing at keeping his voice calm, because right now he was anything but calm. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, and his palms were sweating profusely.

“ALL THE TIME!� Teddy replied through gritted teeth, his rage still at boiling point.

“Name one time.�

Teddy shouted in loud, animalistic roars. He sounded like a wounded-bear. “You told me my dad was good! You told me he loved me and my mum!�

“That wasn’t a lie, Ted.�

“IT WAS!� Teddy bellowed.

Suddenly, Harry heard a deafening CRACK, and the loaded book shelf above his head instantly gave way. Harry dived to one side, narrowly avoiding the avalanche of books.

Underage magic was a dangerous thing.

“Let me explain, Ted,� Harry began, picking himself up off the floor.

“You mean ‘Let me lie to you again, Ted’!� Teddy snapped.

“I promise I won’t lie to you. I’ll tell you everything.�

Teddy glared at Harry for a moment, clearly deciding whether or not to believe him. For a second, Harry thought Teddy was going to start throwing things again. But he didn’t.

“Fine, but - but if you lie-�

“I won’t lie,� Harry said firmly. “I promise.�

“But - but if you do,� Teddy stammered, his voice enraged, “when I get a wand I will come to your house and jinx you into oblivion.�

“Alright,� Harry said, though he doubted that Teddy would be able to jinx him into oblivion for at least four or five more years.

Teddy nodded stiffly and sat down on his bed, crossing his arms and his legs and glaring at Harry with more hatred than Harry thought was possible for such a young child to possess.

“Talk!� Teddy demanded.

Harry took a deep breath. What on earth was he going to say to fix this mess Andromeda had put them all in? “Yes, your dad did leave your mum when she was pregnant with you,� he said bluntly. Yes, great start that, now what? “But - but it was only for a little while and he did it, not because he didn’t want to be with his family anymore, but because he wanted to keep his family safe. What your nan told you about his leaving - well, it was taken out of context, Ted.�

“Taken out of context!� Teddy roared, “In what possible context could him leaving us ever be understandable?!�

“He left because he thought he was protecting you, keeping you both safe,� Harry replied, though he thought he heard his own voice tremble slightly as he spoke. This conversation was not going to be easy.

“Protecting us my arse!� Teddy shouted indignantly.

“Oi!� Harry blurted out, momentarily shocked at Teddy’s choice of phrase. He had never spoken like that before.

Teddy glared at Harry, so Harry put the phrase out of his mind for the moment.

“I just want you to listen to me, Ted, that’s all, just listen. Then you can shout and throw things all you want, alright?�

Teddy said nothing, and Harry took that to mean that he was alright with listening to Harry’s story for the next few minutes.

“You have to understand things from your dad’s point of view, Ted. He thought he had good reasons for doing what he did,� Harry began very calmly.

“I don’t care what his reasons were! He left us! He left me and my mum! LEFT US!� Teddy snarled.

Harry suddenly found he had a rush of admiration for Dumbledore, in how the headmaster handled Harry’s raging, grief-stricken, hot-headed and angry fifteen-year-old self when he tried to explain about the prophecy. It really took copious amounts of self-control not to shout back at the stubborn, shouting boy in front of you.

“You have to listen to me, Ted,� Harry pleaded. “You need to understand what the world was like back then. Voldemort and his Death Eaters controlled the Ministry. There were Snatchers, Death Eaters and the like tearing the country apart looking for undesirables.�

“Undesirables?� Teddy repeated, speaking calmly for the first time today.

“Muggle-borns, blood-traitors, Members of the Order of the Phoenix,� Harry listed quickly, “and me, in short those who the new regime thought were unworthy, coupled with anyone who showed resistance to the new system.�

“Why Muggle-borns?� Teddy asked, his brain unable to find the reason behind hunting these innocent people.

“Because Voldemort believed them inferior, believed them to be using magic stolen from so-called ‘proper’ witches and wizards.�

“That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!� Teddy said, growing angry again, as he clearly believed that Harry was lying to him once more.

“It is completely ridiculous, but it is true,� Harry continued. “They forced all Muggle-borns to register as robbers of magic, those that refused were hunted down and captured or sometimes killed. That’s what happened to your granddad. He refused to register as a Muggle-born and had to run away, but he got caught by the Death Eaters and they killed him.�

Teddy looked absolutely horrified at what he was hearing.

“It’s true, Ted, every word,� Harry said gravely. “Muggle-borns were tortured, even eleven-year-old kids who were just starting Hogwarts. They were taken from their parents, snatched right from the school train. But it wasn’t only Muggle-borns they were after, blood-traitors too, like Ginny, Ron and your nan.�

“My nan?� interjected Teddy incredulously.

“She is a pure-blood,� Harry explained, “But she married a Muggle-born, therefore ‘contaminating’ her pure-blood status. And the Weasleys, all of them are pure-blood too, but they were openly fighting the new regime, so they were treated as badly as the Muggle-borns. I had to go into hiding, Ted, I was undesirable number one. Me and Ron and Hermione had to go on the run, move from place to place, as we tried to come up with a way to defeat Voldemort, staying nowhere for more than a day or two. We went from hidden caves to deep forests to isolated mountains, all in the name of staying alive. But we were hunted constantly by Snatchers, Death Eaters and Voldemort sympathisers, and we got caught too. They tortured Hermione, put a knife to her throat. She still has the scar.�

Teddy looked sickened. He was completely revolted at what he was hearing.

“But that’s the way the world was, Ted. It definitely wasn’t a nice place. Now, let’s look at your mum and dad,� Harry didn’t know it was even possible, but his tone became even more serious. “Both were members of the Order, so therefore they were already high on the Ministry hit-lists. But there was more to it than that, your mum, a half-blood, married a werewolf, a werewolf who was fighting against Voldemort. She had, or so the regime believed, contaminated herself and her blood-status, so she would have been placed even higher again on the Ministry’s undesirable list. They would hunt her down and kill her.�

Teddy was listening attentively, but his expression was unreadable.

“Can you even imagine what they would have done to you when you were born?� Harry continued, shivering at the thought. “A possible mutated-werewolf with a blood-traitor mother and werewolf father who were both in the Order? They would have murdered you the second you were born, Ted. Your dad left because he thought he was protecting you both, believing that you and your mum would be much safer in this awful world without him.�

“But if he truly loved us, he wouldn’t have left us to fend for ourselves!� Teddy said, his voice sounding hurt.

“On the contrary, Ted,� Harry explained. “He loved you both so much that he couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to either of you. He loved you both so much that he thought he had to let you both go. He felt that if he stayed, he would be placing you both in immediate danger and that would’ve been immensely selfish on his part, or so he reasoned.�

Teddy said nothing. He was thinking, though about what Harry had no idea.

“But that’s not all, Ted,� Harry went on, he wasn’t going to omit anything, he going to tell the truth, the whole truth. “Wanted to protect you was only half of the reason why he left. He also left because he was scared, real scared.�

“Scared of what? Dying? Death Eaters?� Teddy asked. He didn’t believe there was a reason scary enough to leave your family.

“No,� Harry replied gravely. “He was absolutely terrified that he had passed his condition onto you. That he had made you, an innocent baby, into a monster like him. He couldn’t live with himself if he had done that. He had been selfish, or so he believed, selfish to the point of carelessness. He loved your mother so much, but instead of hiding these feelings away, he embraced them, and married your mother, and then they had you. He saw it as him being selfish, him choosing his own happiness over your mum’s safety. He felt guilty. He felt that he should never have given into his own selfishness and married your mother, and then, being so selfish again by risking passing his condition to his child.�

“He wasn’t being selfish!� Teddy injected, “He loved my mum and she loved him! What’s selfish about that?�

“Well, your dad was one of the most selfless people I knew. He refused to fall in love with anyone, because he did not want to hurt them or worse, bite them. He constantly told himself that he could never be close to anyone because he was a werewolf. So therefore, by his own reasoning, by being with your mum, he was being selfish, putting his own happiness above your mum’s safety and wellbeing.�

“That is absolutely mental,� Teddy said, completely aghast at his father’s actions.

“Yeah,� Harry agreed. “Definitely not one of his most clever moves really.�

“He had no way of knowing if I was a werewolf though,� Teddy began slowly, “I could have been completely fine.�

“Very true,� Harry said, relieved that Teddy believed everything he was saying. “But he thought that if you weren’t a werewolf then you would be miles better off growing up without a father of whom you must always be ashamed.� *1

Teddy lifted his head so quickly Harry was surprised his neck didn’t break. “WHAT?!� Teddy replied in indignation.

“His words, Ted, not mine,� Harry said, holding his hands up in the gesture of ‘don’t shoot!’

“How - on - earth - could he - ever - think I could be ashamed of him?� Teddy said, completely insulted and affronted. “He’s my dad! He spent his whole life fighting against Voldemort and the Death Eaters!�

“Your dad had a very low opinion of himself. He never thought he could ever mean as much to anyone as they meant to him.�

“That’s stupid,� Teddy said, insulted by his father’s foolish behaviour.

“That’s what I told him, more or less,� Harry replied, his stomach squirming with guilt as he remembered the scene in Grimmauld Place where Harry insulted Remus, calling him a coward. He rubbed the back of his head, remembering how much it hurt when Remus had knocked him into the wall. “But don’t judge him too harshly,� Harry pressed on, “he grew up in a very hostile and prejudiced world. Most people saw the monster before they saw the man. In fact, sometimes, I even think that your dad himself saw the monster before he saw the man.�

Teddy said nothing, he was thinking again, letting his brain absorb and sort through all this new information.

“It’s not the leaving that’s important, Ted,� Harry said, unable to hide the plea for Teddy to understand in his voice, “it’s the fact that he came back.�

“Okay,� Teddy replied quietly, nodding firmly.

“He loved you, Ted,� Harry went on, “more than anything, and you do him an immense disservice by thinking, even for one instant, that you didn’t mean the world to him, or that he didn’t love you more than life itself.�

“Okay,� Teddy repeated again in the same quiet voice.

“If you ever question that, Ted, if you ever need irrevocable proof, just remember this: he died with your picture in his breast pocket.�

“He did?� Teddy asked in amazement.

“Yes he did,� Harry repeated. “He showed it to me. We were in the castle, preparing for battle and he showed it to me. It was the first time I ever saw you. You had bright turquoise hair and you were trying to bat the camera with your tiny fists. Your dad was grinning from ear to ear when he showed it to me. He was so proud of you, Ted, so proud.�

Teddy allowed himself a moment to smile at this thought.

“Your dad loved you more than anything, Ted. You and your mum meant the world to him, and he loved you both.�

“Okay,� Teddy said finally, “I believe you.�

Harry let out a huge sigh of relief. “Thank Merlin!�

Teddy smiled, “Thanks, Harry.�

“No problem, I’m your godfather, it’s part of the job description.�

Teddy laughed, but his hair was still dull-black.

“Are you still mad at your dad?� Harry asked slowly, noticing the lack of change of hair-colour.

“Not really,� Teddy explained. “I still don’t like that he left, but I understand why. I think I just need some time to think about everything from his point of view, and then put everything in a way for me to see him as mental and flawed, but nevertheless, a very good person.�

A rush of fierce pride suddenly swelled inside Harry, causing his eyes to burn. “Good man,� he said, clasping Teddy’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, you know that?�

“I haven’t done anything,� Teddy said, bamboozled by his godfather’s sudden rush of pride.

“You listened to what I said, and you are now thinking about it in a way that will help you understand and come to terms with it. You’re eleven years old, but just now you acted like a man well beyond your years and I’m proud of you for that.�

Teddy nodded, sniffing slightly. He bent his head and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Harry pretended not to notice.

“Now what do you say that me and you head downstairs and make up with your grandmother? You’ve had her at her wits end this past two days,� Harry said brightly.

Teddy shook his head.

Harry’s heart suddenly plummeted. “Ah, Ted,� he said woefully.

“You didn’t hear how she said it, Harry, you didn’t. She hated my dad.�

“Hate is a very strong word,� Harry said quickly. “She’s just like pretty much everyone else in the world; prejudiced against werewolves. And,� Harry hesitated, wondering if he should proceed, “And now, Ted, this stays between you and me now, alright?�

“Okay,� Teddy replied, rather confused as to where this was going.

“I think, and this is just my reasoning here, and I may be completely wrong, but I think your nan blames your dad for your mum’s death.�

Teddy furrowed his eye-brows in bewilderment.

“He went to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts, telling your mum to stay at home with you. But your mum went after him, she couldn’t stand not knowing if he was alive or dead; couldn’t stand waiting here with your nan for bad news to arrive, if it was going to come. She died because she went after your dad, so both of them could fight together. Your nan just blames him for her death, because, well, if she had never gotten involved with him, then she would still be alive or so your nan reckons, anyway.�

“It wasn’t my dad’s fault, my mum just loved him,� Teddy said simply, describing things as he saw them.

“I agree,� Harry replied, “but I just think it helps your nan grieve if she blames your dad. She had a pretty hard life, your nan. She was disowned by her family for marrying a Muggle-born, then her husband is murdered by Death Eaters and her only daughter is then murdered by her sister. You’ve got to go easy on her, Ted. You’re all she has. You’ve got to look after her.�

“Don’t worry,� Teddy replied, determinedly. “I’ll look after her, I’ll always look after her.�

Harry felt the rush of pride inside him swell to bursting point. “Good man.�

The pair stood in silence for a moment, not saying anything, but understanding each other without the need to use words. After a while, Harry’s eyes landed on the ruined mess of torn photographs littering the floor in front of him. “Want me to fix your photo album?� he offered kindly.

Teddy nodded, and Harry obliged with a casual flick of his wand.

“I’ll put the posters back up later,� Teddy said, looking over guiltily at the overflowing rubbish bin.

“Good idea,� Harry concurred.

“We should go down to Nana now, shouldn’t we?� Teddy began tentatively.

“Yeah, I think so,� Harry replied, just as tentatively. He didn’t want to force Teddy to do anything he didn’t want to.

“Will she be mad at me?� Teddy asked quietly.

Harry smiled and patted his godson reassuringly on the back. “I think she will just be happy that you are out of your room and talking to her again.�

Teddy bit his lip. “You sure?�

“Fairly sure, yeah,� Harry replied, winking.

“Alright,� Teddy said, preparing himself with a deep breath.

Harry watched as the boy headed for the door. It seemed crazy to think that when Teddy entered his room two days ago he was a small boy, but now, now he was leaving it as a young man. It was hard to believe that a child could grow up so much in a single conversation, but there was the proof. Harry suddenly noticed that his eyes were burning again, and that his throat seemed to be constricted.

Teddy was at the door. He was reaching out for the handle and pulling it down. It was at this instant that Harry experienced a moment of pure madness. He wanted to call out, to shout, to order Teddy to stop growing up, and to stay a little boy forever. The moment, however, passed as quickly as it came.

The door suddenly opened, as though it had been waiting for Teddy’s touch all this time. However, Teddy did not step out into the hall, instead, he turned and ran towards Harry.

But before Harry could even open his mouth, Teddy was wrapping his arms around him and hugging him tight. “I think my dad definitely did one thing right,� Teddy said, his voice muffled as his face was pressed into Harry’s robes.

Harry hugged Teddy back, enjoying the fact that at least, for now, his godson had not out-grown hugs just yet. “And what’s that?� Harry asked finally, his throat appearing to have constricted itself again.

“Choosing you to be my godfather.�

Harry held Lily’s tiny hand in his. James and Albus had run on ahead, fighting as usual. Ginny was chasing after them, warning them to be careful and to stay in sight. Harry laughed and squeezed Lily’s little hand. She squeezed back, holding onto her father as though he was a life-line. The new, unfamiliar place had robbed her of the ability to talk. She had suddenly become very shy as soon as they had left the car, staying close to her dad instead of running after her brothers, hoping to share in their fun.

The automatic doors opened, allowing the pair to enter. Lily was a little startled by this. She squeezed Harry’s hand tighter. Train whistles and the high-pitched screeching of breaks dominated the hum of chatty voices that the station enclosed. It had been twelve years since Harry had last made this journey. King’s Cross had changed enormously in that time. Large digital televisions framed the entrance, along with a massive board displaying train times in digitised red letters. New turnstiles had been installed, scanning the tickets of the rushing Muggles that pushed through them. The blacken bricks of the walls had been cleaned, reverting them back to their original, sandy-brown colour. The shop at the entrance had been updated, and new vending and ticket machines graced the lobby. Even the trains themselves had changed; they were strange modern shapes, looking more like silver space-ships than trains.

Nevertheless, there were some things that hadn’t changed. The conductors still patrolled the platforms in their caps and black suits, with the red trim. An elderly man stood at the entrance selling papers, screaming the head-lines out in a harsh London accent. Lily’s eyes moved around feverishly, trying to take in everything. She pointed at the newspapers, clearly gobsmacked that no one was moving in the photographs that littered the front page.

With a flick of his wand, the turnstile moved to let Harry and Lily through. Lily was hesitant, not trusting the strange, alien Muggle contraption in front of her. Harry lifted her frightened frame up and brought her forward. She looked back over his shoulder, her large eyes following the Muggles going through the turnstiles with their tickets. She was still very quiet, but Harry was sure her voice would return to her soon enough.

He couldn’t see Ginny or the boys anywhere. He figured that they had already passed through the barrier. He pressed on, bringing his daughter with him. Muggles rushed this way and that; talking loudly on their mobile phones or else bobbing their heads as they listened to the music piping out of their little white ear-phones.

He put Lily down. She took his hand immediately and half-hid behind his legs as she watched the Muggles reading the non-moving-picture-newspapers or else reading something on a flat screen that they held in their hands. Harry and Lily moved forward through the bustling crowd of Muggles. Lily was giving the space-ship-looking trains suspicious glances. Soon, they reached patch of wall between platforms nine and ten, which concealed the entrance to Platform 9 ¾. Lily’s attention, however, was fixed on the Muggle man who was getting a packet of crisps out of a vending machine. This transaction intrigued her.

“Want to walk through or will I give you a lift?� Harry asked gently, directing his daughter’s attention back to the concealed barrier.

Lily’s large eyes looked at the barrier and then back to her dad. She shook her head and reached up to Harry. He picked her up. “Hold tight now,� he said, smiling. She tightened her grip around Harry’s neck as he leaned nonchalantly against the barrier, only to fall right through to the hidden world beyond.

Platform 9 ¾ had not changed in the slightest, and this made him smile. Everything was exactly as he remembered it. He might have been eleven years old again, walking into this world for the first time. The scarlet steam engine of the Hogwarts Express stood proudly on the platform, gleaming in the sunlight. It puffed bouts of thick, warm steam at various intervals. Families stood in little groups, chatting, hugging and gathering up belongings. Several students were already dressed in their school robes. Prefects were directing nervous first-years onto the train. Owls hooted, toads croaked and cats meowed, while teary-eyed mothers and fathers issued words of advice.

Lily pulled the neck of Harry’s jumper and pointed. He saw them. James and Albus were jumping on Teddy, clinging to the boy’s arms and legs, begging him not to go. Ginny looked on and smiled, but kept gently reminding her sons not to be too rough. Andromeda was smiling, but her eyes were swelling with tears. Clearly, she was not yet ready for her grandson to make this first big step. Her house would seem so empty without him.

Lily suddenly started squirming in Harry’s arms, obviously wanting to be put down. Harry obliged. Once her little feet touched the ground, she set off faster than a speeding Bludger. She ran at Teddy, jumped and hugged him around the middle, while James and Albus pulled at his arms.

“Come on now, let the man breathe!� Harry said reprovingly to his children. All three backed off instantly. Teddy gave Harry a grateful smile.

“I don’t want Teddy to go!� James said loudly. “We haven’t finished building my fort in the garden yet!�

“It’s our fort!� Albus injected. “You said I could play there too. Teddy said it was for everyone, not just you, James.�

James stuck his tongue out at Albus. Harry gave his eldest son a stern look. James returned his tongue to his mouth and smiled innocently.

“We can finish it when I come back for Christmas,� Teddy said consolingly to James and Albus.

“That’s forever!� James said, angrily. He didn’t want Teddy to go away to Hogwarts at all.

“It isn’t really,� Teddy assured him. “I’ll be back before you know it, and I promise I’ll send you and Al and Lily lots of letters!�

“You said you’d send me a Gryffindor banner! Remember? You said!� James reminded Teddy for the hundredth time this week.

“I’ll try,� Teddy replied, though his face displayed a rather awkward smile.

“Me too!� Lily shouted, not wanting to be forgotten.

“Don’t worry, I couldn’t possibility forget about you, Lils!� Teddy replied kindly, giving the little girl a warm smile. Lily’s face lit up.

James and Albus were continuing the argument about who actually owned the still-to-be built fort in the garden. Andromeda and Ginny were chatting. So when all eyes were looking the other way, Teddy glanced up at his Godfather with a look of nervous excitement on his face. He was gripping and re-gripping the handle of the trolley on which his school-trunk and caged brown-owl, Durrow, sat.

Harry remembered his first time on this platform. How he had to make the journey by himself, how Uncle Vernon had thrown him from the car and how he had a look of pure pleasure on his face at the thought of abandoning his unwanted, eleven-year-old nephew in a crowd of complete strangers between platforms nine and ten. Harry had to do it all alone. He remembered wandering around the station with his caged snowy owl, Hedwig, not knowing what to do or where to go, that is, until Mrs Weasley had given him a helping hand. He remembered how he had envied Ron and his brothers because they had their mother to see them off and look after them when they made this frightening journey for the first time. Teddy’s lot in life was different. He was lucky enough to make this journey with his grandmother, Harry, Ginny, James, Albus and Lily. While Teddy was orphaned before he could walk or talk, before he could even remember his parent’s faces, Teddy had still grown up with a loving family. It was not a traditional one, but it was a loving, supporting and caring one, and that’s all that mattered. All members of Teddy’s adopted family had wanted to come and see him off, and, judging by the wide grin on his face, Teddy really appreciated this effort.

Harry stared at his Godson who had those brilliantly brown eyes and that mop of turquoise hair. He was eleven years old, about to head off for Hogwarts. Harry could hardly believe how fast the time had gone. Eleven years had passed since that chilly night Remus had come to Shell Cottage to tell them all about the birth of his son. Harry felt a twang of grief. Remus and Tonks should be here, they both should be seeing Teddy off to school, but thanks to Voldemort they were robbed of this chance, this happy and, at the same time, sad moment in every parent’s life.

Without thinking, Harry suddenly put his hand to the slightly-bulging lump under his jumper, which concealed the Mokeskin pouch Hagrid had given him for his seventeenth birthday. The time to part had come.

“Ted?� he called, gesturing for his Godson to follow him. Teddy looked bewildered, but nonetheless did as he was told, leaving his owl, trunk and grandmother behind. Harry led him a little away from the group. He noticed that Andromeda’s eyes were tracing Teddy. There was something accusatory in the look she gave Harry, as though she didn’t approve of him taking Teddy away from her when she had precious little time with him left before he disappeared until Christmas. But Harry smiled warmly back at her regardless.

“I want you to mind something for me, for the next seven years, can you do that?� Harry said, fumbling with the pouch around his neck, making sure Andromeda could not see what he was taking out of it.

“For seven years?� repeated Teddy, bemused.

“For seven years,� Harry said, removing a piece of old parchment from under his jumper. “It’s one of my most prized possessions, but I won’t have any use for it for a while, not until James, Al and Lily are old enough to go to Hogwarts. So in the meantime I would like you to mind it for me, because, dare I say, you will find it far more useful than I will.� Harry had decided last night that, while he did occasionally like to peruse the map and look fondly upon the corridors of his first home, it was Teddy who needed the map more than he did.

He handed his Godson the Marauder’s Map. Teddy took it, his eye-brows furrowed in thought. Harry held onto it for a split second, having slight misgivings about giving away one of the few relics of his father he had.

“A piece of old parchment?� Teddy said, as he turned the paper over and over in his hand, trying to figure out if Harry was messing with him or not.

“Not just any old piece,� said Harry slyly, as he removed his wand from his pocket. He tapped the old, dog-eared map and said some well-chosen words: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. Suddenly, messy, slanting writing covered the face of the parchment:

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
THE MARAUDER’S MAP*1

Teddy read the words, still unsure as to what was going on. “What’s the Marauder’s Map?� he asked curiously, as he watched the spider-web of lines join together and form the corridors and classrooms of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

“It’s a map of Hogwarts, showing everyone in the castle, showing where they are, every second of every day,� Harry said dramatically, as he stared down fondly at the piece of parchment. The map was a type of time-capsule. It housed so many of his good school memories, no doubt it had done the same for James, Sirius and Remus, just as it would soon do the same for Teddy.

“Seriously?� Teddy said excitedly, looking in awe at the map.

“Seriously,� Harry repeated, grinning broadly.

“Wow. That’s seriously cool!� Teddy said, his eyes pouring over the map, and following the little dots of the teachers moving around the place. “Ha-ha, there’s Hagrid!� Teddy exclaimed, pointing at the little dot inside the hut in the school grounds.

Harry smiled as he stared down at the small mark representing the very large, half-giant Game-Keeper. For a moment Harry let his mind stray back to Hagrid’s hut beside the Forbidden Forest, as memories of warm-fires, rock-cakes, hippogriffs, baby dragons and Fang the boar-hound flooded his brain. He smiled broadly. Good times.

“But Mooney and Wormtail and them, who are they?� Teddy asked, his eyes landing on the title of the map.

“Ah, now I’m glad you asked that,� said Harry grinning. “Remember that picture of your dad in school, with my dad and Sirius?�

“Yeah,� said Teddy, wondering where Harry was going with this.

“Well, they were part of a group of four friends, who called themselves the Marauders. They made this map.�

“I bet Moony was my dad,� Teddy injected, his face lighting up at the very thought. He stared down at the map as though he was holding a photo signed by the entire English Quidditch team.

“Yep,� Harry replied, proud that Teddy had made the connection so quickly, “and Padfoot was Sirius, and Prongs was my dad, and Wormtail was a boy called Peter Pettigrew. You see, James, Sirius and Peter were your dad’s best friends, perhaps his first and only friends for a very long time. When they discovered your dad’s condition, your dad was terrified they would dessert him, that they would no longer be friends with him.�

“Did they?� Teddy asked, desperately wanting to know.

“’Course not,� said Harry, batting the question away with a lazy flick of his hand. “They did something to help your dad: they became Anamigi.�

“Seriously?� said Teddy, clearly impressed.

“Yeah, they couldn’t accompany your dad as humans when he was transformed, so they did so as animals. My dad was a stag, Sirius a dog, and Peter a rat.�

“Why haven’t I heard about this Peter before?� Teddy asked.

Harry had anticipated this question. It went hand in hand with giving Teddy the map. He would, one day, tell Teddy of Peter’s betrayal, but today was not that day. “That’s a story for another day, I’m afraid, Ted,� Harry said, feeling slightly guiltily. He didn’t like leaving Teddy in the dark by with-holding information, but there was no time to explain today.

Suddenly, the whistle sounded, confirming Harry’s last statement. Prefects began to usher students onto the train. Harry would have to wrap this conversation up quickly.

“They made this map. I know that your dad would like you to have it while you’re at Hogwarts. I know it came in dead handy when I was there,� Harry said hurriedly.

“How did you get it?� Teddy asked, beginning to fold the map away.

“You have to wipe it clean first,� Harry said, stopping Teddy in the act. “Just tap it with your wand and say ‘mischief managed’.�

An excited grin spread across Teddy’s face at the thought of actually using his wand. He took the long thin piece of wood out of his pocket, tapped the map with it and said the words little hesitantly, as though he was afraid they mightn’t work. From the second his wand-tip touched the parchment, the map was wiped clean. It sat innocently in Teddy’s hands, hiding its secrets away from all but the most worthy mischief makers.

“Fred and George nicked it from the caretaker’s confiscated drawer,� Harry answered, suddenly remembering Teddy’s question. “Then, years later, they gave it to me.�

“How’d they do it?� Teddy asked eagerly. “Get it out of the drawer, I mean.�

“No idea,� Harry answered, though not entirely truthfully. He didn’t want to fill Teddy’s head with silly stories that might lead him to believe that crossing the Hogwarts Caretaker was a good idea. “All I know is that it involved a dungbomb and a lot of luck.�

Teddy grinned, before folding the map up and putting it carefully in his pocket.

“Look after it, Ted, won’t you?� Harry said seriously, his eyes following the map as Teddy put it out of sight. “There are very few things left of my dad, save that map, so it means a lot to me, promise you’ll take good care of it?�

“I promise,� Teddy replied, nodding to Harry “And don’t worry, I’ll give it back to you too, when I leave school, so that way James and Al and Lily can enjoy using it too.�

Harry was so glad Teddy had said that. He had misgivings about giving the map to his Godson. What if Teddy didn’t want to give it back? It was a much a relic of Remus as it was of James and Sirius. But Teddy wasn’t selfish like that. Harry should have known that he was doing Teddy an immense disservice by mistrusting him like that. Teddy was a good, honest kid. He would give the map back. “You’re a great man, Ted,� Harry said, putting his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Your mum and your dad would be very proud.�

Teddy grinned. “Cheers, Harry.�

The whistle sounded again. It echoed around the platform, like an urgent reminder that Harry’s time with Teddy was running short.

“Daddy! Daddy!� shouted James, running over to where Harry and Teddy stood. “I want to go with Teddy, please let me go with him!�

“No me! I want to go with Teddy!� said Albus, arriving moments after his brother.

“Me too!� said Lily, bringing up the rear, though Harry was quite sure that she had no idea what she was actually agreeing to, but was more making that statement to be included in whatever her brothers were doing.

“What house will you be in, Teddy?� Albus asked eagerly, looking up at Teddy in awe. Teddy was the first to go to Hogwarts of the new generation and that made him the height of cool.

“He’ll be in Gryffindor,� said James confidently. Harry noticed that Teddy shifted his feet uneasily at this statement. “He has to be in Gryffindor,� James persisted, as though he would not even contemplate another option. “Gryffindor is the best house. Your daddy was in Gryffindor, you have to be in Gryffindor too, Teddy. And don’t forget about the banner, you promised!�

Teddy was beginning to get very nervous. He was scratching his head and wasn’t making eye-contact with anyone.

“Leave him be, James,� Ginny said, a little sternly. Going to Hogwarts was tough enough without adding House politics into the mix.

However, completely ignoring Ginny’s attempt to spare Teddy from his conversation, Andromeda injected loudly: “Or he could be in Slytherin like his Grandmother.�

“Or Hufflepuff like his mother,� Harry added reasonably, before remembering that he should be putting an end to this conversation, not contributing to it.

“Or you could surprise us all, Ted, and be in Ravenclaw,� Ginny added kindly, bringing the awkward conversation to its finale.

Teddy gave her a grateful smile, but he looked more nervous than it had done at any point during the conversation. He wanted to please everyone here, but that was impossible. Teddy couldn’t be in all the Hogwarts Houses, he had to be in the one that suited him the most. This was about Teddy, no one else.

“Listen,� Harry began, aware that the train was just about to pull off. “If you have any problems talk to Neville - I mean Professor Longbottom - he’ll look after you!�

“Professor Longbottom?� Teddy repeated, absolutely nonplussed about who Harry was talking about.

“Ah you know him, Ted,� Harry replied loudly, not quite reprimanding his Godson. “You’ve seen him around my place loads of times. Tall bloke, obsessed with Herbology, married to Hannah Abbot, the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron?�

Teddy stared at Harry with a blank expression.

Harry rolled his eyes, giving up on trying to make Teddy remember and instead pressed on with the conversation. “Hagrid says you’re welcome to come around his hut for tea anytime you like, but watch out for his rock-cakes, alright, Ted? They will probably break your teeth!�

Teddy grinned again, though a little nervously. It seemed that he couldn’t stop grinning today.

“Let’s get your trunk on the train,� Harry said, noticing the items standing on the trolley nearby, almost forgotten. Teddy nodded and together he and Harry lifted Teddy’s school things onto the train, before returning to the platform.

They stared at each other for a moment, before Harry gave Teddy a hug. “See yah, Ted,� he said, though his voice sounded a bit high.

“See you Harry,� Teddy replied, hugging his Godfather back.

James, Albus and Lily ran over and joined the hug. “I don’t want you to go!� they each moaned over and over as they hugged whatever part of Teddy they could get their hands on.

After a moment Harry felt Teddy pull away, ending the hug, but Harry held on for a fraction longer than he should have. Harry’s eyes were burning. This is was it, this was the moment. Teddy was leaving. Those special Saturdays of going to Quidditch matches together or of long walks in the countryside together or of playing together with James, Albus and Lily in the garden had come to an end. They would never have time like that again. That passage of Teddy’s life was over. From now on Teddy’s time had to be shared with a boarding school miles away.

“Good luck, Ted,� Ginny said, hugging Teddy, while, at the same time, trying to extract James, who was clinging to Teddy’s leg with his whole body.

“NO!� James cried. “I don’t want Teddy to go! I’m going with him!�

Ginny looked at Harry, at a loss of what to do, however, it was Teddy who saved the day.

“If you don’t let me go, James,� Teddy said smiling, “how am I supposed to get you a Gryffindor banner?�

James let go instantly, “You promise?�

“I promise,� Teddy replied, ruffling James’s hair. James let out a shout of delight as he went over to stand beside his father.

Lily was crying, hot tears pouring down her tiny cheeks. “Don’t cry, Lils,� Teddy said kindly, bending down to hug her. “I’ll write you loads of letters and I’ll see you very soon, promise.�

“I love you, Teddy,� Lily said, her tiny arms surrounding his neck, as her tears fell onto his T-shirt.

“Love you too,� Teddy replied winking.

He turned to James and Albus now, hugging them each in turn. “Look after Lily, won’t you?� Teddy said. James rolled his eyes, but Albus nodded determinedly. Teddy ruffled his hair and Albus beamed.

It was Andromeda’s turn now. She shuffled forward and wrapped her grandson in a tight hug. “Send me a letter as soon as you get there. Look after yourself now, promise me that� she said, tears trickling down her face.

“Don’t worry, Nan,� Teddy said, hugging her back. “I’ll be fine, honest.�

The train was beginning to pull off now. Copious amounts of steam covered the platform. Andromeda still had not let Teddy go, it seemed as though she was not able to.

“Nan!� Teddy exclaimed, noticing the scarlet steam-engine behind him pulling off. “Nan! The train! I have to go!� He pulled away from Andromeda. Still she did not let go.

“I love you, Teddy, you know that?� she said through tears, finally releasing him.

“I know,� he said warmly, hopping onto the train, experiencing a trade-mark Tonks stumble as he did so. “I love you too.�

The train was gaining speed. Teddy was waving out of the little window in the door. He was getting further and further away. White-hot panic erupted inside Harry. “Watch out for Peeves!� he said quickly, walking fairly fast alongside with train, so Teddy could hear him, “and that trick step behind the tapestry on the fourth floor and don’t go near the Whomping Willow or the forest and stay well clear of Filch, that is if he is still caretaker, and - and,� Ginny suddenly took Harry’s hand and squeezed it. He stopped walking.

“He’ll be alright,� she said softly, kissing Harry on the cheek, “don’t worry.�

Teddy continued to wave out of the window of the train. “I’ll send Durrow along when I get there!� he shouted, his voice barely carrying over the noise of the engine.

James, Albus and Lily started running after the train, waving frantically and shouting indiscernible words, as the sound of the wheels and the whistle stifled their little voices. Andromeda was walking behind them, waving and pleading with Teddy take care of himself.

Harry’s eyes burned again. Teddy was speeding away from him. In a moment the train would turn a corner and he would not see Teddy again until Christmas. Harry had seen Teddy every week, without fail, from the moment he first held his Godson in his arms. Now, he will not see him until December, and that will have been the longest he will have ever gone without seeing Remus’s brown eyes, that mop of turquoise hair and that mischievous grin that made up the bright, happy face of Teddy Lupin.

Harry’s heart panged with grief, and, as it did so, the train turned the corner and Teddy was gone. Ginny gave Harry’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Teddy would be OK. He knew that. He, Harry, had had a brilliant time at Hogwarts. It would have been selfish to deprive Teddy of that experience. All children must grow up. It can’t be helped. That was just one of life’s truths.

James, Albus and Lily had run back to their parents now, but Andromeda stood alone at the end of the platform. Harry took Lily’s little hand in his, and put his arm around his two sons as Ginny stood beside him. And, it was at that moment that Harry thanked Merlin that today was not the day he had to let his small children take the first big step towards adulthood by starting Hogwarts.

***

The second Harry got home that afternoon, he opened the kitchen window, so as to allow Durrow an easy entrance when he arrived. Ginny rolled her eyes, but kindly did not point out to Harry that Teddy wouldn’t arrive at Hogwarts for another four hours at least.

Harry was edgy all day. He never left the kitchen for too long. He looked at the open window so often that Ginny was surprised that he hadn’t developed a creak in his neck.

“He’ll be just fine, know you,� Ginny said, a little exasperatedly later that evening, handing Harry a cup of tea.

“I know,� Harry replied. “But I can’t help it really.�

“If you’re this bad now, I don’t like to think what you’ll be like when it’s James’s turn to go to Hogwarts,� said Ginny, with a hint of a laugh.

“I try not to think about that myself,� Harry admitted, grinning at his wife.

Once eleven o’clock came around that evening, Harry gave up on expecting a letter and allowed Ginny to close the kitchen window. Teddy was just too excited about being at Hogwarts to send an owl. Harry collapsed into his favourite armchair by the fire in the sitting room and let out a long sigh. He stared down at the fire, the last of its glowing embers dying away. He half-thought about re-lighting them and using the fire to contact Andromeda to see if she had heard from Teddy. But then Ginny reminded him that it was very late and Andromeda would not like him to contact her at this hour of the night.

Half an hour later, Harry went to bed, but didn’t sleep. He was not quite sure why. Ginny drifted off almost instantly. She had to be up early for Quidditch training. Harry had work too, and he knew he would regret it in the morning if he didn’t get his seven hours sleep tonight, but he couldn’t help it; sleep just could not find him. He tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, before drifting into an uneasy sleep with dreams full of owls and unwritten letters.

He woke up early the next morning, and desiring not to spend another hour or so lying in bed and thinking; he got dressed and went down stairs on the off chance that any owls had come during the night. The kitchen was completely owl-free, looking exactly as it had done when he had gone to bed the previous night. He opened the kitchen window again, made himself a cup of tea and then went upstairs to check on his children. All were sound asleep. But Harry was just glad that they were there, that he still had years and years with them before they too went off to school.

He began making breakfast, and soon the kitchen was full of the sound of sizzling sausages and rashers, coupled with the smell of fresh tea and scrambled egg. Ginny came down an hour later, fully dressed in her Quidditch training gear.

“My mum will be over in about forty-five minutes,� Ginny said sitting down at the table, “to mind the kids.�

Harry put a plate of sausages, rashers and scrambled egg in front of her. “Thanks,� she replied smiling, “Looks lovely.�

Harry helped himself to some breakfast and sat down opposite Ginny.

“Have you been up all night?� she asked.

“Not really,� Harry replied. “Just got up early.� He looked over at the window again.

“Teddy probably isn’t even awake yet,� Ginny said kindly. “Don’t be worrying.�

Half an hour later, Ginny headed to training and Harry began to wake James, Albus and Lily up, so they would be ready when Molly arrived. He had long since learned not to get dressed into his official Auror robes until after he had gotten the kids up, dressed and fed, that way his robes remained immaculately clean for when he headed into the Ministry. This morning, however, the normal morning routine took longer than usual, because Harry’s mind and eyes kept wandering back to the open kitchen window, expecting to see a brown owl fly through it at any second.

But the owl did not come.

It wasn’t until much later, when he was upstairs helping Lily brush her teeth when he finally heard some news, courtesy of Albus and James. The two brothers had burst into the bathroom, fighting as usual.

“Daddy!� James moaned. “Daddy, Durrow came with a letter but he won’t give it to me!�

“That’s because it’s not your letter,� Albus told James. “It says Harry on it, so it’s for Daddy, not you!�

“’Course it’s for me!� James said smugly. “I’m Teddy’s favourite, of course it’s for me!�

“You’re not Teddy’s favourite!� Lily piped up, spitting foamy tooth-paste all over the bathroom mirror.

“You’re all Teddy’s favourite!� Harry injected, a little louder than he wanted. His heart was racing. “Now, could someone please tell me where Durrow is!�

“He’s flying all around the kitchen!� Albus said, his little hand pointing out of the bathroom.

Excitement bubbled inside Harry as he half-ran downstairs to the kitchen. He dash across the threshold of the door, only to find Durrow helping himself to Lily’s unfinished breakfast. Upon seeing Harry, the owl stretched out his leg, at the end of which was a rolled up piece of parchment.

James, Albus and Lily ran into the kitchen, jumping up and down, all demanding to read Teddy’s letter. Harry told them to calm down and be quiet so he could read the letter allowed to everyone. His three children fell silent almost instantly, their large eyes full of excitement and fixed on their father. Harry took a deep breath and read:

Hi Harry,

Real sorry, I have to be quick, because I’m supposed to be in Charms (that is assuming I can find it...). Hogwarts is deadly, really cool! There is armour and tapestries and ghosts and gargoyles and the paintings move and everything. I got lost trying to find the Great Hall this morning, but it was OK, because I was with a boy from my dormitory, Gerard, and together we found the way in the end. The feast last night was brilliant and Professor Longbottom was talking to me afterwards and everything (still don’t remember meeting him before though, but he remembers meeting me!). He told me that my dad was his favourite teacher ever, and talked about this class my dad taught where everyone had to fight a Boggart! He even said that he would show me my dad’s old classroom if I wanted, how cool would that be? Oh yeah, I tripped in the boat sailing across the lake and nearly fell into the water! But Hagrid caught me, so it was OK. Tell James, Al and Lily I will send them a big long letter at the weekend, but right now, me and Gerard have to set off and try and find the Charms classroom. Oh yeah Harry, please, please, please don’t be mad, but I’m in Hufflepuff.

Teddy

There was silence. James looked distraught, but Albus’s and Lily’s eyes were full of wonder and awe. A warm feeling flooded Harry. He was so proud of his Godson. A broad grin spread across his face, he couldn’t help it. He was so proud that Teddy was not following in his foot-steps, or even in Remus’s, but instead following in the foot-steps of his mother, Nymphadora Tonks.