It was a cold, bleak Scottish morning, appropriate given the circumstance. Rain was forecast, and several drops had just begun to fall. Harry opened his umbrella and held it over his head. He was glad he was wearing his coat as the wind picked up.

He looked around, not knowing anyone here. He'd heard names, of course, Hagrid, Mcgonagall, Weasley, Longbottom, but apart from spotting the only half-giant here, he had no idea who was who. He had been raised in America by his godfather, Sirius Black, from the age of ten. They'd been joined by Sirius' fellow Marauder, Remus Lupin three years later, and Nymphadora Tonks a year after that.

He amended his thought as the Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, began reading out the list of all those who had died fighting the good fight. He had met Kingsley briefly after the battle, as Harry described how he had defeated Voldemort. And he had met him again briefly yesterday morning after he had Portkeyed in to attend the Remembrance Day ceremony.

He felt a tug on his pants and looked down. Four year old Teddy tugged again and looked up. "I'm cold," he said, looking around. He kept a hold of Harry's coat.

Harry removed the scarf from around his neck and wrapped it around Teddy's. He made sure his godson was all wrapped up. "Okay?" he asked softly.

Teddy nodded, already feeling warmer. "Can we sit again?"

Harry nodded, spying a seat near the back where they had been standing. Teddy had gotten bored sitting still during the speeches, so they had stood and moved to the back. Harry guided the boy to the seat, picking him up and putting him on his knee. He closed the umbrella, as they were now under a marquee, in anticipation of the fore-casted rain.

Harry was completely oblivious to the looks of admiration he was getting from the younger females (and a few of the older ones too). His attention was completely on Kingsley's speech, keeping Teddy settled, and the flash of reds, golds and crimson waves he saw cascading down someone's back several rows ahead.

"Charity Burbage, professor of Muggle studies at Hogwarts...Colin Creevy, 16, Muggleborn, Gryffindor house...Cedric Diggory, 16, Pureblood, Hufflepuff house..."

Kingsley kept reading out names. Teddy wriggled and leaned back. "Harry?"

"Mmm?" asked Harry, leaning in to talk quietly in his ear.

"There's a girl, and she's looking at me," whispered Teddy.

Harry looked up when Teddy pointed. Sure enough, a few rows ahead, a little girl with golden hair with red hues was looking over her daddy's shoulder and smiling at Teddy. When she saw Teddy point at her, she waved and grinned.

"Should I wave back?" whispered Teddy.

Harry wasn't sure. He was already getting annoyed looks from an older witch sitting near them, eyeing off Teddy's turquoise hair like it was a personal affront to herself. "Erm, maybe a little one," he said.

Teddy held his hand up and wiggled his fingers, smiling at the girl. She smiled back, even broader and seemed to squirm in her daddy's lap.

/*/*/*/*

"Tori, sit still," whispered Bill, patting her back.

"But Daddy-" began Tori, when Bill shushed her. Fleur rubbed her pregnant belly.

"Gellert Grindewald, Pureblood, Durmstrang...Griphook, goblin..." continued Kingsley.

"Come to me, Tori," whispered Ginny, sitting behind Bill. She held out her arms for her niece.

Bill nodded and let Tori scramble off his knee and go to Ginny. She cuddled her aunt, and chanced another look at the boy with the colourful hair. "Aunt Ginny, there's a boy..."

/*/*/*/*

"Harry, when will-" began Teddy.

"Remus Lupin, Order of the Phoenix, Gryffindor house...Nymphadora Tonks Lupin, Auror, Order of the Phoenix, Hufflepuff house...Alastor Moody, Auror..."

Harry cuddled Teddy close as he remembered the boy's parents. Unfortunately, Teddy only knew his parents from photographs and stories.

"Can I have Rupert, Harry...please," Teddy hurriedly remembered his manners.

Harry unzipped his jacket slightly, reached in and pulled out a teddy bear. He handed it to Teddy, who hugged him happily.

/*/*/*/*

"We need to be quiet while the Minister is talking, Tori," said Ginny, softly. "The names he's reading out are important to everyone here."

Ginny held her finger over her lips to indicate it was time to be quiet. "Alastor Moody, Auror...James and Lily Potter, 21, Order of the Phoenix, Gryffindor house...Tom Riddle senior, Muggle...Mary Riddle, Muggle..."

Ginny shivered; the name Tom Riddle still affected her all these years later. She had been only eleven when she had first encountered Tom Riddle, or his preserved memory in a diary.

"Can I ask him to come to my birfday party?" whispered Tori, loudly. Nearby Hermione smiled sympathetically at Ginny.

"Rufus Scrimgeour, Minister for Magic 1996-1997...Hepzibah Smith, Pureblood...Severus Snape, Half-blood, Hogwarts Headmaster 1997-98..."

"He looks sad," said Tori, peeking over Ginny's shoulder at the unknown boy.

"Myrtle Warren, 13, Muggleborn, Ravenclaw house...Fred Weasley, Pureblood, Gryffindor house..." said Kingsley.

"Is that my Uncle Fred?" asked Tori.

"Yes, darling," said Ginny tearfully. Even though it had been four years, days like today still made it seem like it happened only yesterday. She spared George a glance and saw he was clutching Angelina's hand while looking at the ground. Ginny smiled gratefully at Angie; she had practically given George a reason to keep going every day since they'd lost Fred. The birth of little Freddie two years ago had also helped.

"This list of victims is long, way too long. I included people's blood status, simply to show Voldemort showed no mercy to anyone, no matter their blood status. Muggle, Pureblood, it mattered not. If someone stood in his way, he killed them, either personally, or by order. Let us bow our heads and have a minute silence while we remember our loved ones," announced Kingsley.

Tori noticed everyone looking down, so she did too. "Aunt Ginny, my laces are undone," she said, wriggling her foot.

"I'll fix it soon," whispered Ginny, closing her eyes as she pictured her brother's laughing face. It was the way she liked to remember him best.

/*/*/*/*

Harry bowed his head, his thoughts on Sirius, Remus and Tonks, his parents. Even Andromeda, who passed just a few months ago. Teddy looked down too.

"Harry?"

"Mmm?" replied Harry, still keeping his eyes closed and head down.

"I got different coloured socks on," noted Teddy, wriggling his foot.

Harry snapped his eyes open and looked at Teddy's feet. Sure enough, he had one brown and one navy sock on.

"It's okay, it'll be our secret," said Harry, hoping no-one else noticed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our ceremony here. Please feel free to wander up to the castle where you'll find the Hogwarts house elves have amassed a feast for anyone who is hungry. But as you leave, remember what today stands for, what Harry Potter fought for. A chance to live our lives in peace. Merlin bless us all," said Kingsley, stepping away from the podium to light applause.

"He said your name, Harry," said Teddy, watching as people began to stand and walk away.

"I know," said Harry, looking around to see if anyone was paying any attention to him. He saw some young witches looking at him, then whispering together. He flushed. "Are you ready to go?" he asked Teddy. The little boy nodded.

Harry stood and picked up his umbrella with one hand and took Teddy's hand with his other. A roll of thunder had people scurrying to either the castle or the Apparition points on the grounds.

Harry saw Hagrid, the half-giant that Sirius and Remus mentioned. He wondered whether now was a good time to approach him, but another roll of thunder made him decide to perhaps leave it for another day. He had planned to stay in London for at least a month, to see where he felt the best place to raise Teddy would be.

Several people rushed past. Harry was tempted to simply pick Teddy up to get to the Apparition spots quicker. Someone brushed by them, knocking the bear out of Teddy's hand.

" Rupert!" called out Teddy, anxiously. " Harry, I dropped Rupert."

Harry tried to stop, but he was in the middle of a crowd that was surging forward. Teddy was getting more anxious by the second. " Hang on, Teddy, I'll find him," he promised.

He tried to veer off to the side, then simply Accio the bear, but even getting out of the crowd was nigh impossible. " Excuse me, sorry, pardon me, I just need to...sorry, pardon me," muttered Harry, pushing through the crowd.

" Harry, I need Rupert!" cried Teddy, on the verge of a panic attack.

" It's okay, Teddy, I'll find him," vowed Harry, looking around the expansive grounds. He rubbed his hand up and down Teddy's back, knowing how important the little bear was to Teddy; a gift from his grandmother. To lose him now so soon after Teddy lost Andromeda would be unbearable. Harry mentally groaned at his bad pun.

" Excuse me, but I think this belongs to you."

Harry turned around quickly. In front of him stood a petite witch, she of the flaming, golden hair. She smiled, not at Harry, but at Teddy, and in her hands she held-

" Rupert! You found him," cried Teddy, practically snatching him out of her hands and hugging the bear close.

" Actually, he found me and asked me to help him find his human," said Ginny, her eyes twinkling.

Harry smiled in relief. Teddy looked at her, then his bear, then back to her. " He did not...did he?"

Ginny nodded. " He's a very smart bear. Told me his human gives him the best hugs and has odd colour socks on. After that, finding you was easy," she said.

" So it was a good thing I have different colour socks on?" queried Teddy, chancing a look at Harry.

" Definitely," agreed Ginny.

" What do you say to the nice lady, Teddy," admonished Harry.

" You're pretty," said Teddy.

Ginny threw back her head and laughed. Harry half frowned at Teddy, but smiled apologetically at Ginny. " Don't you want to say thank you for finding Rupert?"

" Thank you for finding Rupert," parroted Teddy. He looked at his teddy. " And Rupert says thank you for finding me."

" You're both very welcome," said Ginny. She looked curious. " I haven't seen you here before."

" We're from 'merica," said Teddy.

" We live in America, but we were both born in England, God Save the Queen and all that," quipped Harry.

Ginny nodded. " I didn't think your accents were very American," she said.

"Ginny!" Both she and Harry turned to see a red haired man gesturing to the castle. "Oy, Ginny, we're heading up to the Great Hall, I'm starving."

Ginny waved to him, and the bushy haired witch by his side rolled her eyes at Ginny and walked next to him. "When isn't he starving?" Ginny said affectionately.

"You're obviously Ginny," said Harry.

Ginny looked back at him. "Yes, I'm Ginny, and you are...?"

"I'm Teddy and this is Rupert," said Teddy, holding up his bear.

Ginny shook Rupert's hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Rupert and Teddy." Teddy giggled.

"I'm, erm, I'm Harry," said Harry quietly, after looking around to make sure there was no-one close enough to hear.

"Are you sure? You don't seem sure?" whispered Ginny. Her eyes sparkling mischievously.

Harry's eyes snapped back to hers. She was taking the piss, he realised with shock. He liked that, so he smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure. I'm Harry."

"He really is Harry," said Teddy, nodding his head earnestly.

"Harry Potter, I suppose," joked Ginny.

Teddy nodded earnestly again, while Harry flushed. "Erm, yeah. That's me...him, Harry Potter, I mean. I'm him."

Ginny's eyes widened. "You are? I was just joking, but...you are...really? Wow, Harry Potter!" she cried, fan-girling back to her nine, ten year old self.

Harry winced. "Not so loud, please," he implored.

Ginny suddenly understood. "Sorry," she apologised. "I'm sure you want your privacy. I should go." She backed up a couple of steps.

"Bye Ginny," called Teddy.

"Bye Teddy, look after Rupert, and Rupert, look after Teddy. It was great to meet you both, erm, all." She looked at Harry.

"It was nice to meet you too, Ginny, and thanks for finding Rupert," said Harry, almost sadly, knowing their time was nearly at an end. It had been nice, chatting to her.

She nodded. "I hope you enjoy your return to England," she said, before turning to walk up to the castle.

She felt his eyes on her back the whole way. She couldn't help but feel he was lonely, but quickly shook that feeling. He was Harry Potter! A hero, who probably had fans everywhere. He'd be the last person who would feel lonely.

/*/*/*/*

He watched her walk away, wondering why he had the urge to go after her. He watched her hips swaying as she walked, calling out greetings to other people, stopping to hug someone here and there. She seemed to know a lot of people, and Harry almost hurried after her, to beg her help in introducing him to some of the people he wanted to meet.

Teddy was getting heavy in his arms, and Harry realised the boy was nearly asleep. With a sigh he turned and headed to the Appartition point, relieved to find most people had already left. With one last glimpse over his shoulder, he Apparated back to Grimmald Place.

/*/*/*/*

Ginny walked into the Great Hall. It had been three years since she had been back to the castle. Memories, both good and bad, flooded her mind, memories of her time at Hogwarts.

"Ginny! Hey, Gin, how are you?" It was Dean Thomas, her ex boyfriend. They had started dating the end of her fifth year, his sixth. They spent nearly a year apart when Dean went on the run, because he was Muggleborn. They rekindled their relationship after the final battle when they both returned to Hogwarts to complete their seventh year. However, with Dean heading to Paris to focus on his art, and Ginny about to begin her career as a healer, they mutually agreed to end their relationship but stay friends.

Ginny hugged Dean. "You look great, Paris obviously agrees with you," she said.

"I had my first show last month," he said modestly.

Ginny smacked his arm lightly. "You never told me that. How did it go?" She had always encouraged his talent.

"Sold most of my pieces, and got a really good write up in the press," he said, smiling proudly. He brushed his knuckles against his chest. "'Very promising newcomer,' I believe they said," he laughed.

"That's brilliant, Dean," she said, hugging him again.

"What about you? You're finished your training, right? Fully qualified?" he asked after the hug was over.

She copied him, brushing her knuckles over her chest. "Graduated top of my class," she said cheekily.

"I never doubted it, Gin," he said, proud of her too.

"That's Healer Gin to you," she quipped, and he laughed.

"Ginny? Ginny, where are you?" They both heard her mother call out to her.

"Sorry, I should go. Are you in town for long?" she asked him.

Dean shook his head. "I'm leaving for Ireland tomorrow, it's been way too long since I saw Seamus."

"Well, tell him I said hi, and next time you have a show, I want to know," she ordered affectionately.

He nodded happily. "Will do. Oh, before you go, I saw you with a man and a little boy."

Ginny was suddenly wary and felt protective of Harry's privacy. "I really don't know him, the boy dropped his teddy bear and I found it."

"Damn, I've been asking around but no-one remembers him, probably because he was sitting at the back. There was just something about him..."

"What did you want to know?" asked Ginny, curiously.

"I wanted to give him something...this." He thrust some parchment at her. "Something about him and the boy caught my attention, and I started to draw. I wondered if he'd like to have it."

Ginny looked down at the parchment. It showed Harry holding up an umbrella, looking down at Teddy, who was clutching his thigh. It's simplicity was beautiful.

"It's wonderful, I'm sure he'd like it," she said.

"So you and he aren't...?" Dean's voice trailed off.

Ginny's head snapped up. "Merlin, no, we just met after the ceremony," she said. "Can I hang onto this?"

"Sure," shrugged Dean. "If no-one knows who he is, and I have no way to get it to him, then I'd only throw it out."

Ginny held the parchment to her chest. "No, I'll take it. You never know, I may see him again, and can pass it on. It's too good to throw away."

"Ginny, dear, we're leaving," called Molly. Ginny waved to acknowledge she had heard.

Dean and Ginny hugged again. "Take care, Dean," she said.

"I's been great to see you, Ginny," he said, releasing her.

Ginny walked to her mother. "Oh, is that Dean Thomas, back in town. Are you and he -" began Molly, before Ginny interrupted.

"Yes, it's Dean, and no, we're not. He's leaving for Ireland tomorrow, then back to his successful career in Paris. Me, I'm going to the Burrow to help set up for Tori's party, then going to my flat to sleep in preparation of my twelve hour shift tomorrow," she said.

Molly huffed. "Twelve hour shifts! You need some sort of life away from the hospital, Ginny. Unless there are some nice healers you work with?" she asked hopefully.

Ginny threaded her arm through her mum's. "There's no use starting something when I'm leaving soon, is there?" she asked, rhetorically.

"Well, that's another thing, why do you have to go so far away? I'm sure St Mungo's can find you a placement closer than the one you have, surely?" said Molly, not for the first time.

"Mum, the hospital I'm going to is the best when it comes to training for children's health. It's only for twelve months, and I'll be back for Christmas," laughed Ginny. "You'll barely know I'm gone, what with the new baby coming soon."

"Fleur's not due for another four months, and I know I'll miss my baby and only daughter," sniffed Molly.

Ginny laughed softly as she hugged her mother. "I'll miss you too, Mum, but you know I'll be bringing everyone the best Christmas presents this year," she teased.

Molly sighed, then chuckled, nodding. "What's that you've got there, love?" she asked, gesturing to the parchment in Ginny's hand.

"Oh, something Dean drew. It's quite good," she said, opening it and showing her mother. "Do you know him?" If anyone knew who was at the service today, it was her mother.

Molly gasped softly. "Merlin, for a minute I thought it was James Potter. But...no, it couldn't be him...could it? I heard a rumour he was in town, but-"

"Who, Mum?" asked Ginny, looking at the drawing.

"Harry Potter, himself," said Molly, solemnly.

Ginny felt a sudden thrill run through her body. So it was true, it had been Harry Potter himself. He was a hero in her world, yet he seemed so humble, so shy, so...normal.

A/N This fic was inspired by a work of art on Tumbler. The talented artist is anxiouspineapple, ( yes,one word) please take a minute to find it and like it, maybe even leave a message. Check out my blog reerox67. It is exactly as I described Dean's drawing, and, as in the story, I find it very moving and wonderful in its simplicity.