White Roses

When Teddy Lupin asked his Gran why she always had white roses all over the place, he was expecting anything but the answer he got.

"You're mother loved them. They were her favorite flower," she told him, voice cracking a bit at the end. She told him how they were in her wedding bouquet and how his father always got her a dozen on her birthday. This prompted Gran to whip out the dozens of photo albums she kept on a shelf in the family room and show Teddy pictures of his parents through the years. He had seen these pictures countless times and could predict what Gran would say at each turn of the page. Even though, Teddy couldn't help but smile as he gazed into the laughing eyes of his mom and dad.

Teddy thought back on that afternoon as he placed the bouquet of white roses against the polished black marble. Teddy was nearing the end of his third year at Hogwarts and today was the thirteenth anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. Each year on the anniversary of the battle, there was a small service for those who wished to attend at the memorial site by the lake on the school's grounds. Teddy attended each year with Gran and then began to meet her there when he started Hogwarts. In the past couple of years he started his own tradition of bringing a dozen white roses and placing them under his parents' names. The memorial was a circular courtyard surrounded by a brilliant garden with flowers of every color, size, and shape in it. Walls of highly polished black marble encircled the courtyard in two semi-circles. One side contained names of people killed during the First and Second Wars, and the other side contained the names of people who died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Teddy was always filled with pride whenever he came here. He was reminded of how brave his parents where and what they gave up to ensure he lived in a better world, and he always felt closer to them when he was here.

Teddy looked around at the dozens of people walking slowly around the circle, looking at the hundreds of names, and spotted familiar faces. Gran and Aunt Lyra, Dora's younger sister, were talking to some people whose names Teddy couldn't remember, but was introduced to them one year, and knew they were his parents' friends when they were at Hogwarts. A large crowd not too far from Teddy was the Weasley/Potter clan, presumably looking at Fred's name, with Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione's young children running around in the afternoon sun. Teddy turned back to the memorial wall and gazed at his parents' names. The beauty of the memorial was in its simplicity. Above each name there was a large portrait of the person, and below the name there was a small section of blank stone where family and friends could decorate as they please. Teddy looked at the many pictures that were stuck onto the marble with a Permanent Sticking Charm underneath where Remus John Lupin and Nymphadora "Tonks" Lupin were carved into stone. There were pictures of Remus and Dora while they were at school, on the beach at his mother's house during the summer, their wedding, and even a few pictures of Teddy as a baby. In between the many pictures, the words "To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die" were carved into the stone. Teddy was about to move on and look at the rest of the memorial when he felt a presence next to him.

"Hey kid," said a deep voice to Teddy's right. Teddy smiled; he could recognize that voice anywhere.

"Hey Sirius," Teddy said turning to him. Sirius Black was his mom's cousin and their best friend when they were alive, and he was also Teddy's godfather. Sirius was always close to Teddy, and never had a shortage of stories about his parents and their friends when they were at Hogwarts.

"I was just by James and Lily, and saw you over here," Sirius said to him. Teddy looked over at the other wall where he knew James Potter and Lily Evans names where. He couldn't forget to stop by their names as well as his grandfather, Ted Tonks, his namesake, before heading up to the castle. Sirius looked back at the wall of pictures and stared in silence at a picture of Remus and Dora on their wedding day, Sirius and James next to Remus and Lily and Lyra next to Dora. "You remind me of them so much," Sirius said after a few moments of silence.

Teddy looked up at his godfather, who continued to stare at the faded picture. His dark hair had gotten longer over the past few years and he looked a bit thinner and scruffy. Sometimes Teddy wondered if the reason Sirius was so close to him was because of the fact that Teddy was so similar to his parents. Teddy knew that it was an honor to be compared to such brave people, and his pride swelled even more. "Thank you," Teddy said to Sirius, looking up at him and giving him a smile.

Hours later, when the visitors had left the memorial and the students were back up at the castle, Teddy sat on the shore of the lake, enjoying the last few rays of the setting sun. He absentmindedly threw smooth stones into the still lake and watched as the ripples expanded and then slowly faded to nothing. A warm breeze suddenly ruffled his already messy hair and he looked in the direction of the memorial to his side. The sun reflected off of the polished marble, bathing the courtyard in a brilliant light. Teddy had been staring at it for a few moments when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Something was caught up in the breeze a few yards away from Teddy, but he couldn't tell what it was. The small objects moved closer to Teddy, piquing his interest. When they settled next to him, Teddy couldn't help but smile and emit a small laugh as a few white rose petals danced in the breeze at his side.

Disclaimer

Anything that is recognizable from any of the Harry Potter books is property of J.K. Rowling and I make no profit from it.