PROLOGUE

"Can I see it?" Teddy asked, his turquoise hair picking up brightly, "The baby, I mean." The eight year old boy's hazel eyes shone brightly.

"I'll check," Ginny smiled, stroking James' hair. She hurried towards Ron.

"Why would you want to see the baby?" Victoire demanded, her eyes narrowing. Her blond hair curled down in spirals down her shoulders.

"It's the newest member of our family, Vicky," Teddy shrugged uncomfortably.

"Don't call me Vicky!" Victoire snarled.

"Why not?" Teddy looked heartbroken and his hair turned a deep, midnight blue and sagged around his face. Victoire blinked.
"Why not?" She demanded, "WHY NOT?" Her voice sounded like a teacher's nails screeching down a blackboard.

"You may see her now," Ginny smiled, unaware of the recent argument between the two usually inseparable best friends.

"Thank you, Ginny," Teddy replied respectfully, bouncing over to the door. He walked in to see his Aunt Hermione carefully cradling a pink bundle in her arms.

"I don't remember the others being so… pink, Aunt Hermione." Teddy said cheerfully.

"Oh, it's a girl, Rosie's her name, Teddy. You can hold her if you like," Hermione chuckled. Teddy's hair instantly went to the colour of bright rose-red hair.

"Oh, could I hold her? Really?" Teddy asked, gaping in excitement. Hermione nodded reassuringly and Teddy grinned excitedly.

"Oh, thank you Aunt Hermione, thank you!" Teddy beamed. Hermione smiled and handed her precious baby daughter over to Teddy. He cradled the baby in his arms.

"Aw, she's so sweet," Teddy cooed, rocking the baby slightly in his arms. Hermione smiled proudly.

"Isn't she? Now, mind you, be careful." Hermione cautioned. Teddy nodded.

"I will be, I promise," Teddy assured her, peeking down at the little baby's face. Rose's eyes blinked open and she stared at him. He waited for her to say anything, but she just stared, then he remembered that babies didn't talk. He went red, but still cradled her carefully in his arms.

"Hey, little Rosie," Teddy whispered so only he and her could hear him, "How are you? My name's Teddy – Theodore Remus Lupin, actually, but everybody calls me Teddy. I suppose you'll want a little teddy bear, won't you, when you get home? Maybe I'll get you one. Would you like that?" Rose replied by blinking. Teddy took that for a yes. "Well, I'll get you one. I promise, Rosie. Every year, on your birthday, I'll buy you your very own Teddy. How would you like that? Every year, something to remind you of me. Starting today." He pulled out a cream teddy bear with a red ribbon that he'd bought especially for the baby.

As he cuddled the teddy up to her, he could've sworn he heard her say 'Deal, Teddy.'

It echoed in his dreams until her sixteenth birthday.