Author's Note: Sorry for the wait. I've been working on this chapter right to the last minute. Unlike previous chapters, this one is self-edited. I apologize now for any mistakes.

Once again, I'd like to thank Ladiefury for beta-ing chapters 1-6. I'd also like to thank keeptheotherone for coming along on this ride with me. She posted her final chapter of In Living Memory yesterday if you haven't read it yet.

Disclaimer: The characters and world belong to JK Rowling.

Twenty

Late March 2018

Looking around, the brick wall at full speed. Instead of breaking his neck, Teddy skidded to a halt in a parallel universe, or, more accurately, on Platform 9¾. It wasn't as packed as it was on September 1. Only a few parents milled about waiting for the Hogwarts Express to pull in, returning students home for Easter break.

Teddy spotted a tall ginger man with one hand in the pocket of his jeans. His hair flowed back from his face, brushing the collar of his shirt. The fang earring had been traded for a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. Teddy's life was often a comedy of errors, few of them crueler than his girlfriend's father being the coolest man alive.

"Wotcher, Bill."

Bill scowled at Teddy, or not. The scars raking across the older man's face made it hard to tell. Teddy was pretty sure that was how Bill liked it.

"What are you doing here?"

"Vic wanted me to meet her at the train."

Bill growled, but said nothing.

"So, where's Fleur?" Teddy wouldn't lie—he'd have much preferred running into Fleur than Bill.

"Delivering a baby."

Teddy nodded, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. Actually, he needed to speak with Bill, and this should be a good opportunity. Emphasis on should be. Ever since Teddy began dating Vic, his relationship with her father had been tense.

"So," Teddy started. "The Minister asked me to speak at this year's memorial."

Bill looked at Teddy.

"I was hoping you might be able to tell me…about my parents. Research."

Bill's eyes softened. "You're coming around for dessert tonight, aren't you? Give me a few minutes before you run off with Vic."

"Cheers."

The blare of the train whistle heralded the arrival of the Hogwarts Express.

oOo

"Bon soir, Teddy!"

Fleur kissed Teddy on each cheek upon meeting him at the door of Shell Cottage. He was barely over the threshold before Lou had him by the wrist, tugging Teddy to the table where dinner was still being served. So, Vic said to come at 7:30, but Teddy might have shown up a tad early. Fleur floated a plate in front of him and it automatically filled with French food.

He's my boyfriend, Vic signed to her little brother.

Lou smirked and began making kissing faces.

Vic had her wand out so fast Lou barely had time to duck, but there was no need. A shimmering bubble surrounded the fourteen-year-old and all eyes followed its source to Bill Weasley. He rolled his eyes.

"No magic at the table." Bill signed the words for Lou's sake. He could read lips, but he didn't like to.

Supper with this branch of the Weasley family was night and day from dinner with Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. The Potter house was a raucous affair with every one speaking over one another and vying for attention—James especially. Supper at Shell Cottage was nearly silent. They used sign language mostly, and took turns speaking so Lou wouldn't miss anything.

"Look what the kneazle dragged in," Dom said, sauntering into the room. She tapped Lou on the shoulder and signed something Teddy couldn't see.

"Dominique!" Fleur screeched.

The middle child laughed, smacked a kiss on her mother's cheek, and took the seat next to Vic. Dom, demon that she was, smirked at Teddy before placing her napkin on her lap. Teddy would flip her the 'V,' but Gran always said discretion was the better part of valor, at least when one's girlfriend's father was watching.

After supper, Teddy helped carry plates to the kitchen. He was vanishing scraps when Bill called his name. He was something of an uncle to Teddy growing up, but since he started dating Vic, that relationship had shifted. Bill wasn't just the cool uncle, now he was somebody whose approval Teddy craved. Of course, Bill was all too aware of that dynamic and used it to keep Teddy on his toes.

Teddy glanced at Vic, her pretty brow furrowed. He tried for a reassuring smile, but suspected it looked more like that of a man heading towards certain death. Well, might as well meet his fate head on.

The first rule of Shell Cottage was no one underage was allowed into Bill's study. There was a glass curio cabinet in one corner with artifacts from Egypt. An ancient map hung over the Muggle stereo cabinet, like the one in his late grandfather's library at home. Bill leaned against his desk.

"You've heard most of my stories about Remus and Tonks," Bill said.

"I know, but maybe a refresher," Teddy replied.

Anybody who knew his parents were eager to impart their memories with Remus and Nymphadora's only child, but for most of his life, Teddy was too busy being a kid to care that much. He had Gran and Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. There were the Weasleys and all those makeshift cousins. Even his best mate was an orphan. It wasn't until he neared graduation that Teddy began to be curious about his parents. By that time, he was a little embarrassed to ask all the people in his life to repeat the same old stories he'd heard a million times over.

"Sure," Bill agreed. He held up a packet of letters tied together with a piece of twine. "But I thought maybe you'd like these. I didn't meet Remus until I joined the Order, but we corresponded for years before that."

Teddy took the packet, turning it over in his hands. His father had touched these very letters. Remus Lupin committed quill to parchment and imparted his thoughts. The man lived a vagabond life. His possessions were few and his living friends fewer. If he kept journals, they were lost along the way. If Teddy went home to the Shire right this moment, he could lie down in the bed his mother slept in as a girl, but the number of things that had once passed through Remus Lupin's hands was preciously small.

"I'm sure you know about Harry's second year and the Chamber of Secrets?" Bill asked.

Teddy nodded.

"And Ginny's part?"

"Yes."

"The whole family came to Egypt that summer and Ginny…well, she was traumatized. I began corresponding with Remus as her Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I wanted to keep up with her studies, and just generally know how she was doing…But we became friends, Remus and I. Our letters continued after he left Hogwarts."

"Thanks for letting me borrow these," Teddy said.

Bill stood up and patted Teddy's shoulder. "Keep them."

oOo

"What did Dad want to talk about?"

Vic, wrapped in a thick jumper, was sitting on the porch with her ukulele. Her pale hair glowed like a halo against the dark sky. Teddy plopped down beside her on the porch swing. The letters were in his inner breast pocket.

"I had a visit from the Minister the other day," he reported.

"What did Aunt Hermione want?"

"She wants me to speak at the memorial."

Vic looked up from tuning her instrument. "About what?"

Teddy shrugged. "She didn't specify. But you know…"

Theirs was the Baby Boom generation. All the kids born in the years after the war, and there were a lot of them. Teddy understood why, out of all those kids, he was chosen to speak at the next memorial. After all, he was the child of not one, but two fallen war heroes. He was born just weeks before the Battle of Hogwarts. He was the future they were fighting for. Teddy could hear his best mate, Pax's, thoughts on the matter.

What a load of bollocks.

Like Teddy, Pax was a war orphan, but his parents weren't heroes. They were Muggle-borns who spent the last year of the war pregnant and hiding from Snatchers. Sure, Uncle Charlie raised Pax, but Charlie would deny his status as hero to anyone foolish enough to slap the label on him. In short, Pax didn't have any expectations to live up to other than his own.

Vic set aside the ukulele and snuggled against Teddy. "What are you going to do?"

"The speech, of course."

"I know that. What are you going to speak about?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well, it sounds like a nightmare to me."

Teddy chuckled. He was sure public speaking was Vic's worst fear.

oOo

Easter 2018

"What's this I hear about you giving a speech?" Pax demanded as soon as Teddy stepped through the gate at the Burrow.

Teddy flashed a look at Vic, who shook her head. "How do you know?"

"Somebody told Granny Molly," Pax replied.

Teddy groaned. "So everybody knows."

"That's about the size of it. You agreed to this bag of bollocks?"

Living on a dragon reserve provided Pax with a colorful turn of phrase.

"Of course you did," Pax answered his own question. "Head Boy can't disappoint the grownups, can he?"

"We can't all be juvenile delinquents," Vic spat out.

"Like your sister and her tribe of villains?" Pax waved his hand in the direction of Dom, Mol, and Roxy—the Weasley Three—who were most likely hatching an evil plot. "Bloody hell, they called you Victory."

"And you're peace," Vic reminded him.

Pax snorted. "Yeah, well, has it ever occurred to you that all the supposed adults have put too much pressure on us to be their effing salvation? Bollocks to that."

Pax was a cynic, but sometimes Teddy agreed with him. How many times had he been told his parents died to make a better world for him? He knew the adults meant well. They were trying to reassure him that his mum and dad made their sacrifice willingly for their love of him, but it was a heavy inheritance they left behind. How could any life Teddy built be worth the price they paid?

oOo

"Looking for a quiet spot to snog Vic?"

Teddy jumped, and whirled around. Uncle George sat in the rusted glider on the front porch. Eggs had been hunted and ham was consumed, half the Weasleys were taking a kip in the sitting room. Unfortunately, Vic was playing the piano. Her sudden absence would be noted.

"No," Teddy said. "What are you doing out here alone?"

"I've given my babyminders the slip."

"Babyminders?"

"What are the chances Easter would fall on April Fool's Day this year, do you suppose?"

Teddy leaned against the porch railing. "Would you like me to fetch Mol to figure that out for you?"

"Bloody hell, no." Uncle George squinted at Teddy. "I heard you asking the others about Remus."

Teddy nodded. "I've got this speech—"

Uncle George waved him off. "Save it. You don't need an excuse to want to know more about your parents."

Heat gathered in Teddy's face and he looked out over the garden. "I reckon."

"I didn't know Sirius and Remus were two of the Marauders, of Marauder's Map fame, until after they both stuck their spoons in the wall. Which is a damn shame. I would have liked to shake their hands."

The Marauders were legendary. Their escapades were Teddy's bedtime stories growing up. And that map! The Marauder's Map was truly ingenious magic, even more incredible than the products in Uncle George's shop. Before Teddy's third year, Uncle Harry left the Map "unattended." Of course, Teddy swiped it. He'd spent hours using the wrong phrase to open it just so he could be insulted by Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. The Marauder's Map was still in Teddy's top bureau drawer in his flat. He reckoned he should pass it on to James, the grandson of Prongs, but he hated the idea of parting with it. The Marauder's Map was another of those rare artifacts that had passed through his dad's hands.

"As far as professors went, Remus wasn't too stuffy," George said. "I mean, the man still wore cardigans and that definitely reduced his coolness factor."

Teddy stared at Uncle George, unsure if this were simply idle chat or if the older man had a point to make.

"I got to thinking about Remus—and Sirius," George continued. "That summer we moved into Grimmauld Place, Fred and I were seventeen. We were pretty chuffed to be living under the same roof as an infamous murderer."

"Yeah, nothing says 'cool' like the possibility of having your throat slit in the night."

"Exactly." For a split second, Uncle George smirked, but just as quickly it faded. "Sirius liked to live in the past. I reckon I can't blame him. His whole world got pulled out from under him when he was just twenty."

Teddy nodded, still wondering which direction this conversation would take. Most of the time Uncle George was everyone's favorite. He was funny and likely to look the other way when mischief was afoot. But as Teddy got older, he noticed sometimes Uncle George was melancholy. In fact, sometimes, he was downright irritable.

"Sirius liked to tell stories about their youth—especially their Hogwarts days," Uncle George continued. He shrugged. "Well, you've heard all those stories, and I don't remember them that well. It's just…"

"What?" Teddy asked quietly.

"In Sirius' stories, Fred and I recognized kindred spirits, pranksters. But sitting across from those grown men—they seemed so old to us then, but bloody hell, I'm older that the lot of them." George shook his head. "Anyway, after more than a decade in Azkaban, Sirius was haunted and used up, but there was still that-that spark about him. The thrill for action and mischief."

"And my dad?"

"I'm sorry to report that Remus was that most cursed of all things—a grownup. Remember the cardigan? It was hard to reconcile our professor with the kid in Sirius' stories."

"Oh."

"But then—"

"There you are." Aunt Angelina materialized on the front porch.

Uncle George hitched a thumb at his wife. "My babyminder."

"Stop." She sat beside him on the glider, whacking his arm. "No one is minding you."

"I was just about to tell Teddy how his dad lit up the moment his mum walked in the room."

Teddy's breath caught in his chest.

"Well, don't let me interrupt you," Aunt Angelina said.

"I didn't get it then," Uncle George continued. He laced his fingers through Aunt Angelina's. "Anytime Tonks was around, it was like someone lit a candle behind Remus' eyes. You-you could catch a glimpse of the prankster he must have been before Voldemort, before he lost everything."

Uncle George looked at his wife, one corner of his mouth tucking up. "It's a gift…finding the light when all seems so bleak."

Aunt Angelina rubbed the spot where George's ear should have been and murmured, "You're my favorite April Fool."

Teddy waited for a moment, hoping for more, but Uncle George had said his piece. Muttering his thanks, Teddy slipped back into the house. There were only a few photographs of his parents together—their wedding day when his mum wore boots with her dress, later when she was obviously pregnant and sporting St. Nicholas' hat, and another one shortly after Teddy was born. Their only family photo, and his father looked radiantly happy. Of course, Gran had hundreds of photos of just mum with her bubblegum pink hair and ripped jeans. Pictures of Remus Lupin were fewer, but somewhere in Granny Molly's albums, there was a photo. It was some Christmas, and Teddy's dad could be glimpsed in the corner laughing at something Uncle Harry said to him. The man was, indeed, wearing a cardigan.

Teddy tried to for imagine his cardigan-wearing dad with his mum of the combat boots. The picture was incongruous. And yet, it must have worked.

Returning inside, Teddy tried to distract himself with the possibility of cheese balls in the kitchen, but didn't find true diversion until he nearly ran into Lavender Brown. She snagged his shirtsleeve, smiling.

"I hear you're collecting stories of your parents," she said.

"Did Granny Molly take out an advert?" Teddy asked.

"Didn't you see it on the back of the Sunday Prophet this morning?"

It wasn't as if the speech was a secret, but it never failed to shock Teddy how quickly information traveled through the Weasley family. Last summer, when Teddy and Vic did have a secret to keep, it had taken immense effort to hide their relationship from the family. While Teddy had some experience at sneaking around, Vic was abysmal at it. He figured she'd tip off her dad within a week, but luckily they got Dom on their side. In the end, it didn't matter anyway. James caught them on Platform 9¾ as Teddy was saying goodbye to his girlfriend. The cat was well and truly out of the bag then.

"Anyway, you should call on Neville," Lavender said. "I think he'll have a few stories for you."

oOo

Second Week of April

"Thanks for seeing me, Professor."

Neville was wearing an apron and a row of pots was lined up on his desk before him. He smiled at Teddy and said, "Anything for my most mediocre student."

It was true. Herbology was never Teddy's favorite class, despite his Gran's affinity for gardening and a common room full of plants. He'd spent most of his time in the greenhouses doodling on his parchment or dodging murderous flora. He'd half expected Neville to personally request Teddy drop the class after O.W.L.s, despite scoring Exceeds Expectations.

"I don't want to take up too much of your time," Teddy said.

"Nonsense. Pull up a stool and I'll pour a cuppa."

"I'll not be expected to plant anything, will I?"

"Absolutely not." Neville set a steaming mug in front of Teddy. "Milk or sugar?"

"No, thank you."

"Now, what can I do for you?" Neville took a careful sip of his tea.

"I was asked to give a speech at this year's memorial."

"Better you than me."

Teddy laughed. "Well, it's not a job I was looking for, I'll admit."

"Are you looking for tales of the war? I'm sure you've heard more than most."

"Actually, I was hoping you could tell me about about...about my father. Lavender said to ask…"

Neville's forehead crinkled, making a dirt smudge near his eyebrow more noticeable. "I didn't know Professor Lupin well, I'm afraid."

Something small and fragile wilted in Teddy's chest, like a seedling deprived of sun. He was very much afraid it was hope. Until that very moment, Teddy hadn't realized that he hoped for anything from this interview other than to find out a bit about his dad.

"Just…anything you remember then."

Neville set the mug on the desktop. "You have to understand, I was a bumbling student. My family thought I was a squib right up until the moment I received my Hogwarts letter, but Gran was quite pleased when it arrived. She dug out my dad's old wand and his school robes. Of course, I ate my feelings as a kid and so they were a bit tight. For about a week she considered a reducing plan, which just made me eat more. Finally, she whisked me off to Diagon Alley and tried to insist the seamstress line all my robes in crimson—a Gryffindor for sure."

Neville shook his head. "Gryffindor seemed unlikely. In fact, I was rather hoping to be in Hufflepuff—less pressure there, no offense."

"Never underestimate a Hufflepuff," Teddy replied.

"Yes, well, I know that now. Anyway, my first two years at Hogwarts were a nightmare, and Snape was usually the villain. Do you remember the story of the boggart?"

"The one that took the shape of Professor Snape?"

The Weasleys were always a bit cagey about Severus Snape, ever since Al was born. Teddy vaguely remembered the dust-up after Al's name was announced. Uncle George told Harry and Ginny they were mad for naming their kid after that bastard (George's words, not Teddy's), but even Gran had thought Albus Severus was an unfortunate choice.

"Doing the right thing in the end only goes so far," she'd said once, but never brought it up again.

"He was my worst fear," Neville said simply, shaking his head. "I was utterly humiliated when I first saw him step out of that wardrobe, but your dad…He was the first person to have confidence in me. When I was in his classroom, I began to see myself as a halfway competent wizard for the first time. I reckon he changed my life, to be quite honest." Neville fell silent, then added, "I'm sorry I can't tell you more…"

"No," Teddy interrupted and shook his head.

He couldn't explain what he was feeling in that moment. Aunts Angelina, Audrey, and Lavender all knew Teddy's dad as a professor, and they all spoke fondly of him. This was different. Teddy may have been a subpar Herbology student, but there were few people he admired more than Neville Longbottom for his kindness and bravery. And Neville felt that same way about Teddy's dad. As modest as he was, Neville was a big time hero, but it was Remus Lupin who had made a difference in his life simply by being kind.

"I try to keep your father's example in mind," Neville added. "I try to see the best in each of my students, just as he did."

"Cheers, Nev." Teddy blinked a few times, his heart feeling full and sore.

"You should speak to Minerva."

Teddy gulped. "Professor McGonagall?"

"She was your father's Head of House. I'm sure she has stories to share."

oOo

Neville walked Teddy up to the castle and all the way to Professor McGonagall's office. The venerable lady was seated behind her desk, but stood when the pair walked in. Portraits of former Headmasters lined the walls, each of them sleeping in their frames. Albus Dumbledore's hung in pride of place behind Professor McGonagall's desk. To the right of that portrait, another one had been turned so that its paper back was facing the room.

"Ah, Mr. Lupin, I'm glad to see you."

Neville looked at Teddy, grinning sheepishly. "Harry tipped me off about the speech and your quest…"

"Quest?" Teddy said. Asking questions was hardly a quest.

"Er, to learn more of your parents—your dad. I told Minerva when I received your letter."

Professor McGonagall folded her hands before her. "Take a seat, Mr. Lupin, have a biscuit."

A tin was pushed in Teddy's direction, and he picked out a ginger biscuit.

"Where would you like to begin?" Professor McGonagall peered at Neville over her square spectacles. "Haven't you a class in twenty minutes."

"Oh! Right. Well, then, give Harry and Ginny my best."

The elderly professor waited until Neville closed the door behind him before she resumed her seat behind the desk. "Where would you like to begin?"

"Is that…" Teddy pointed at the portrait with its back to the room.

"Severus Snape? Indeed. He's being quite disagreeable today."

"So you've sent him to the naughty corner?"

Professor McGonagall glanced at the portrait and laughed aloud. "I suppose I have at that." She smiled. "You wish to learn about your father?"

Teddy swallowed hard. The truth of her words dawned on him. What started out as a bit of research for his speech had grown into something else. Teddy did want to learn about his father.

"Did you know he was a werewolf?"

"Oh, yes. Albus informed the professors before school began so that we could take the necessary precautions to keep Remus and the other students safe."

"Did you have reservations?"

"By that time I was accustom to Albus' idiosyncrasies, and I agreed with him in theory." Professor McGonagall's mouth thinned. "Remus deserved an education just like any other wizard. But I would be lying if I said I didn't have misgivings. I have found that prejudices, especially those sowed so early and so deeply, are not easily overcome."

Teddy could understand what the professor was saying, but he was still disappointed. Even now, it was no grand thing to be a werewolf. Before becoming Minister, Aunt Hermione had pushed through many reforms to the laws governing werewolves, but attitudes were slower to change, just as Professor McGonagall said.

"He was mature beyond his years," Professor McGonagall continued. "I could tell from the first moment I met him that he'd grown up too fast, and it made me sad. A child should be allowed to be a child, for those years are precious few. I reckon Remus didn't have a choice in that matter. A severe illness like lycanthropy does not spare children its horrors."

"Did you ever see him transform?" Teddy asked. He knew from Victoire a little of what Bill suffered at the full moon, but her parents had been careful to shelter her and her siblings from the worst of it. Nor was Bill a werewolf.

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "It was deemed too dangerous for any of us to be with him."

"So he suffered alone?"

"For the great majority of his life I should guess."

"Not always."

Teddy's eyes shifted up and found himself staring into the twinkling eyes of Professor Dumbledore.

"Ah," Professor McGonagall said. "I was wondering when he'd join us."

"There were a few years when young Remus knew the true bounty of friendship."

Professor McGonagall frowned deeply. "Those reckless young men."

"I know this story," Teddy said. "Harry's dad and Sirius became Anamagi so they could keep my dad company on the full moon."

"They did indeed," Professor Dumbledore said, smiling placidly.

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "We didn't know it at the time, or we would have stopped them."

Sitting up straighter in his chair, Teddy felt his hackles rise. "Surely my dad didn't deserve to be alone at the full moon."

"Of course he didn't." Professor McGonagall's mouth pursed. "But you must understand the risk those boys took on. Aside from the fact that they were exposing themselves to a werewolf every month, just becoming Anamagi could have killed them."

"Oh yes," Professor Dumbledore chimed in. "As noble as there cause might be, they were still foolhardy."

"Second years without supervision of any sort?" Professor McGonagall shook her head.

Teddy had never thought of it that way. The Marauders always seemed more like heroes from a book rather than flesh and blood men who had once lived and loved. Their escapades and achievements the stuff of legend. Thinking of the very real risk James Potter and Sirius Black took just to keep Teddy's father company once a month stripped away some of the mythology.

Teddy stared at his hands. "Surely…surely that shows great loyalty?"

"It does indeed," Professor McGonagall agreed, her voice softening. "Your father…Remus never saw the good in himself, but those boys did."

"You forget, young Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said. "The so-called Marauders were a quartet—Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew. Potter, Black, and Lupin were quite brilliant in their own ways."

"What was Pettigrew brilliant at?" Teddy sneered.

"Betrayal, as it turned out."

"On that delightful note," Professor McGonagall drawled. "I'm afraid I must end our interview. There's a staff meeting in ten minutes."

It wasn't as if Uncle Harry left Peter Pettigrew out of his stories, but Teddy chose to ignore his existence. He reckoned it was childish to erase the rat from history. After all, rats had their part to play, too. For instance, they played an important role in the spread of the plague. Still, Teddy's insides seethed as he turned Professor Dumbledore's words over in his mind.

At the top of the spiral staircase, Professor McGonagall placed a hand on Teddy's arm. "You must understand," she began. "Pettigrew is not merely a footnote. Potter, Black, and Lupin loved him as much as they loved each other."

"But he destroyed them all."

"He did." Professor McGonagall stared at Teddy for a moment. "It is quite obvious what Potter and Black lost at Pettigrew's hands, but Remus paid an inexorable price as well. I regret losing track of him after Voldemort disappeared, but when we met again… It says something about the strength of his character that loss, poverty, and betrayal did not erode his kindness or his dignity. He was a true Gryffindor."

Teddy might be a Hufflepuff and his gran a Slytherin, but he'd grown up in the lion's den. He knew there was no higher accolade a Gryffindor could pay than to say a person was a True Gryffindor. Normally, those words followed some sort of feat of bravery or endurance, but here was McGonagall—the truest of all Gryffindors—citing Remus Lupin's kindness as an act of bravery.

"What about my mother?" Teddy asked. "Did they seem an odd couple?"

A furrow formed between Professor McGonagall's brows. "I can see how, on parchment, that would seem the case, but no. Miss Tonks was a breath of fresh air, and that was something Remus Lupin was in desperate need of."

oOo

Being a Metamorphmagus had many benefits, and sneakiness was right up there. Professor McGonagall trusted Teddy, former Head Boy, to find his way out, but what he really found was a dark corner where he whipped out the Marauder's Map. Using his wand for light, Teddy studied the parchment until he found the dot he was searching for—Victoire Weasley. She was in Transfiguration. Glancing at his watch, Teddy figured class should end in thirty minutes. He screwed up his face, concentrating on each detail of the appearance he wanted to assume. First, he needed to add an inch to his height. His turquois hair went black, but he wasn't sure if he got the eye color quite right. He added a bit of muscle definition to his lanky form. When he was done, he was the spitting image of Professor Pucey, his old Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Merlin, Teddy always wondered what it felt like to be this handsome.

He stepped out of the corner only to dash right back. Teddy double-checked the Map to ensure Professor Pucey was nowhere near the Transfiguration corridor. Luckily, the man was in his office. Stepping out again, Teddy swaggered down the hall.

Once he was outside of Vic's classroom, Teddy still had too much time to kill. Boredom had always been his greatest nemesis. It was only when he was at loose ends that he found himself in hot water. Pulling all the plants out of Gran's garden. Sticking ice cubes down his aunts' blouses. Blowing up toilets. Uncle Harry always warned Teddy that ninety-five percent of Auror work was tedious—he would have to master his worst impulses. Once, Teddy asked Kingsley about this, and the older man had chuckled.

Teddy was making smoke rings with his wand, checking the time (two minutes before the bell sounded), when he realized there was one more complication to his plan he had not considered.

"Adrian?"

Oh, shite.

Teddy looked up to see Madam Spinnet-Pucey striding towards him.

"Uh, Ma—Alicia?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked. She stopped right before Teddy, looking over her husband's form quizzically, and no wonder. Adrian Pucey wouldn't be caught dead in skinny jeans.

Teddy stood up straight, throwing back his shoulders. Professor Pucey was from one of those old pureblood families like Gran. They all carried themselves in a way that conveyed their general superiority to the rest of mankind. Gran had spent most of Teddy's childhood encouraging proper posture, and he suddenly wished he'd listened.

"Where's Daniel?" Madam Spinnet-Pucey asked, referring to the couple's toddler. Or well, he'd been a toddler when Teddy graduated, but he reckoned Daniel was bigger now.

"Babyminder?"

"You are his babyminder while his governess visits her family. And why are you speaking in questions?"

"Excellent observation…dear?"

Madam Spinnet-Pucey jerked back. The bell rang, but it did not save Teddy. The woman before him was now examining him like a bug under a magnifying glass, and Teddy fervently wished he'd morphed himself into Professor Flitwick instead. He'd be a good sight less dashing, but he'd also be in less trouble. The door to the classroom opened and Teddy spotted a silvery blonde head walking in the opposite direction.

"Come with me." Madam Spinnet-Pucey latched on to Teddy's wrist and began hauling him away. He'd forgotten she'd once played Quidditch with Uncle Harry, but Teddy was being forcibly reminded.

The trek from the Transfiguration corridor to the Hospital Wing was not a short one. They garnered a few odd stares from students, and even staff. For a moment, Teddy wondered what kind of gossip this would generate around the castle.

Once inside the infirmary, Teddy was glad to see it was devoid of patients.

"Who are you?"

There was nothing for it—Teddy was caught. Screwing up his face, Teddy morphed back into his body. Standing with her fists propped on her hips, Madam Spinnet-Pucey's expression did not soften upon seeing Teddy Lupin.

"Wotcher?"

"What are you doing at Hogwarts, Mr. Lupin?"

"Technically I was visiting Neville and Professor McGonagall."

"And why were you…" She gestured broadly at Teddy. "…wearing my husband's appearance?"

"I wanted to visit Victoire before I left. I thought I should blend in."

Madam Spinnet-Pucey folded her arms. "Hm. You realize Adrian is not designed to blend in, don't you? He's ridiculously good-looking."

"The flaw in the plan, as they say. You won't tell Uncle Harry, will you?"

"You're no longer a student here. It's not my place to write your godfather about your misdeeds," she replied. "What I should do is call the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

A current of alarm zipped up Teddy's spine and he could feel his hair change color. Probably white. It had been a long time since Teddy lost control of the rather simple skill of morphing his hair, but it always turned white when he was caught doing something he shouldn't.

"Unless," she said, "you can give me a compelling reason not to."

Teddy raked his hand through his hair, trying to turn it turquois once more. "It's been…I came to talk to Neville about my dad," he confessed. "I'm a bit at loose ends."

Hogwarts' matron examined Teddy for a moment, her mouth melting from a stern line into a frown. At last, Teddy felt his hair change color. There was no way Teddy could be this near Victoire without longing to see her, but it wasn't simply a physical pull. He needed a confidant.

"Come," Madam Spinnet-Pucey said. She walked briskly to a curtained off bed, expecting Teddy to follow, and pulled back the curtain to reveal a bed stripped of its sheets. "Wait here."

"You'll get Victoire for me?"

"Against my better judgment, yes. BUT, I expect you to follow my instructions to the 'T,' am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Teddy sat behind the curtain at the mercy of boredom once more, but he was too afraid of Madam Spinnet-Pucey to move, much less get up to mischief. In three days, he would turn twenty, he was in his second year of Auror training, but at the moment he felt like a kid. In fact, most of the time, he felt like a kid. Yet, in little more than a year, he'd be a full fledged Auror charged with serving and protecting wizarding society. When his dad was his age he'd already been a werewolf for three-quarters of his life. He was fighting a war against a madman with megalomaniacal tendencies. Teddy needed to grow up.

"Is something wrong, Madam Spinnet-Pucey?"

At the sound of Vic's tinkling voice, Teddy stood up straight. He fisted his hands in an attempt to control the excitement rolling through his veins. He wished he could be as cool as Pax, who never betrayed his nerves in front of a crush. But Vic wasn't just some girl Teddy fancied, she was Victoire. He was rather in love with her.

"Is it Dominique?" Vic asked. "Has she done something foolish?"

"There's no need to worry," the matron replied. "No one's injured, yet."

Madam Spinnet-Pucey swept back the curtain and Teddy found himself staring into Victoire's big, blue eyes. Her pretty, pink mouth formed a perfect 'O,' but then everything about Vic was perfect.

"Teddy, what are you doing here?"

"You two have ten minutes," Madam Spinnet-Pucey warned. "Ten, Mr. Lupin."

"Cheers."

Before walking away, Madam Spinnet-Pucey transfigured the bed into a narrow chair. Vic's cheeks turned pink at the implication, and she looked away. Once the curtain dropped back into place and they were alone, Teddy took Vic's hand and laced his fingers through hers.

"What are you doing here?" she repeated in a whisper.

"Visiting Neville and Professor McGonagall actually, but I had to see you."

"How did Madam Spinnet-Pucey get involved?"

Teddy blushed. "Er, long story, and we don't have much time."

Victoire took out her wand and modified the chair so that it reclined. "Have a seat?"

Vic sat in Teddy's lap, her back was against his chest and his arm around her waist. She smelled of rose oil and something acrid—eye of newt maybe? Must be Potions day, Teddy surmised.

"Is this about the speech?" she asked.

"That's how it started." Teddy pressed his nose into her hair, feeling overwhelmed, but not by her nearness which was usually the case. He mulled over all the information he collected today. Only it wasn't truly information, just tidbits—parts of a puzzle from which most of the pieces were missing.

"And what has it become?"

"A quest to learn about my father." Emotion clogged Teddy's throat.

Somewhere along the line, Teddy came to understand how important it was to the adults in his life that he had a great childhood—and he'd had. Gran wanted to do well by the daughter she lost. Harry wanted him to have all the love and comfort he never had. Even the Weasleys wanted to honor the friends they'd lost. But aside from Gran, he didn't have a family he could truly call his own. It shouldn't bother him when he was so well loved, but it did. Teddy had always thought it was the institution he missed—a mother, a father, a child, maybe a sibling—but now he wondered if what he longed for were his actual parents. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.

All Teddy would ever have of them was the picture he pieced together from the parts they left behind. When it came to his mum—Tonks, Dora, Nymphadora—the picture was almost whole. Teddy grew up in her childhood home. He could go into the Attic at the Shire and find the toys she'd played with as a child. Gran could tell Teddy what kind of child she'd been. Uncle Charlie could tell him stories from their school days. Even Kingsley could tell Teddy about his mum, the Auror. There were letters she'd written, a smattering of essays from Hogwarts, and even journals she'd began and grown bored with. Teddy could assemble a picture of his mum that was missing only one piece.

It wasn't like that with Remus. The only concrete fact of Remus Lupin's childhood was the Lycanthropy he contracted at age five. Marauders stories came to Teddy third hand. Even the student's his father had taught knew only one small sliver of the man. There were so many missing pieces to the picture of Remus Lupin that he was forever obscured.

"I'll never really know him," Teddy admitted to Victoire.

oOo

Teddy's Birthday

Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny joined Teddy at the Shire where Gran made all his favorites for his birthday. Growing up, Teddy and Gran always took their meals in the kitchen at the small table by the window, but she always insisted on using the dining room when there was company—even when the company was just Harry and Ginny who had been over hundreds of times. Gran draped the table in her good lace tablecloth and got out the good china with the rose pattern. Everybody protested that it was too much.

"What's the point of owning good china if one never uses it?"

Teddy reckoned she had a point, and at least she didn't make him dress for dinner.

"Dinner was wonderful, Gran," Teddy said. He pushed back from the table, picking up plates to take to the kitchen.

"Let me have that," Ginny said, and took the dishes.

"Since it's your birthday, I'll let you off kitchen duty, dear," Gran said, kissing his cheek.

"So long as that isn't my only gift," he called.

Gran waved her wand at the table and the plates stacked themselves. "Don't be cheeky."

"I've got a bottle of Ogden's," Kingsley said as soon as the women left the room. "We could take this out to the veranda."

"Actually," Harry said. "I've something I'd like to show Teddy first."

Kingsley's face was carefully void of emotion. Over the last ten years, Teddy had learned that particular expressionless expression meant Kingsley was reserving judgment, but he didn't approve. Teddy peered at Uncle Harry. He was unfazed.

Finally, Kingsley nodded. "It's set up in the library."

Teddy followed Uncle Harry. Sitting in the middle of his gran's library was a stone pedestal and basin. For a moment, Teddy wondered why the birdbath had been dragged in from the garden, but then he noticed the runes carved into the bowl. Teddy's eyes shifted to Harry, and he swallowed hard.

"Is that…."

"A pensieve." Uncle Harry nodded. "I borrowed it from work—being Head Auror should be good for something."

"And what are we going to do with it?"

Teddy had heard of pensieves before, and he even knew what they were used for, but he'd never even seen one. A part of him tingled with excitement at the chance to use it, but another part was cautious. Did Harry have a vial of his father's memories?

Uncle Harry pulled his wand from its holster, held it to his temple, and extracted a long, slivery thread. "I hear you've been crisscrossing the country asking questions about Remus."

"I reckon I have. The speech…"

"Is that all?"

Teddy shrugged.

"Took you long enough." Harry grinned. "I was always in search of a father figure, and that desire only intensified when I learned I was a wizard."

"I have a father figure," Teddy replied. "I just wish I knew more about…about Remus."

Uncle Harry's smile grew smaller and he looked away before pulling another silvery thread from his head. "So, Aunt Ginny got you a button down shirt for your birthday—sea foam green."

"Cheers?"

Uncle Harry pushed his hand through his hair. "Yeah, she thought perhaps you were too old for a box of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes latest products."

"Uncle George shipped me a box yesterday," Teddy said. "Singed my eyebrows off when I opened it."

"Welcome to adulthood, Ted. George has been using that jinx on the rest of us for decades."

"Delightful," Teddy drawled. "Now, about the fancy, magical sink there?"

"Right." Time stretched out as Harry regarded the pensieve. "When I told Andromeda what I wanted to do here, she had reservations—to say the least. Actually, for a moment, I think she was considering hexing me."

"Well, the build up is excellent, Uncle Harry, I can hardly wait."

Harry grinned. "Right. Let's get on with it. Just stick your head in."

Teddy cocked one eyebrow. Just stick your head in? He had never heard less enticing words, but Teddy trusted Uncle Harry. Stepping up to the pensieve, Teddy followed Harry's actions, placing his face in the swirling silver memories. Immediately, it was as though he was tumbling down a hole until finally his feet landed on flagstone. He was in a kitchen with several people seated around a long table. The scene had a misty quality to it.

"Alright, Teddy?"

Teddy pushed his hand through his hair and forced a smile. "Peachy."

"Come along. This one…might be unpleasant."

They stepped closer to the table. There was something vaguely familiar about the kitchen, but it was only when he caught sight of the coat of arms over the fireplace did it click in place. This was the Sirius Black House kitchen, minus the modern updates and good lighting. Occasionally, Teddy visited the house with Harry and Ginny as a child, when it had housed war orphans. It was a bright and cheery place full of books and toys and laughter, but Teddy always found it a bit spooky. Now that all the children were grown, Sirius Black House was a charity.

"Do you know where we are?" Harry asked.

"It's Grimauld Place, isn't it?"

Harry nodded.

They were standing beside the table, but none of its occupants noticed the interlopers. Each of them was easily recognizable, though twenty years younger. There was Uncle Harry with his messy black hair, but he was wiry and tense, like an elastic stretched too far. Aunt Hermione's hair was twice as bushy as normal and Uncle Ron was missing the paunch around his middle. The fourth man was dressed in a heavy black traveling cloak. Thick hair hung around his lined face, prematurely gray. That man was Teddy's dad.

Teddy reached out, but of course his hand passed through his dad. This was a memory, a shade of what was. And yet Remus Lupin looked almost lifelike. Teddy could see clearly how his eyes were shaped like his dad's and how their hair shared the same thickness and texture. Teddy ran his hand through his hair again.

"I thought you might say that," Remus said. Teddy recognized the look on his face, he'd seen it on his own often enough—disappointment. "But I might still be of some use to you. You know what I am and what I can do. I could come with you to provide protection. There would be no need to tell me what you were up to."

Teddy's brow furrowed. He dragged his eyes away from his dad to look at Uncle Harry. "When is this?"

"August 1997," he replied.

Teddy tried to do the math in his head. He was born in April…he began counting on his fingers…

"But what about Tonks?" Hermione asked.

Yeah, Teddy thought, what about Tonks?

"What about her?" his dad replied.

"Well," Hermione said, frowning, "you're married! How does she feel about you going away with us?"

"Tonks will be perfectly safe," his dad said. "She'll be at her parents' house."

His tone of voice wasn't harsh, it was worse.

"Remus," said Hermione. Her tone was familiar to Teddy. She was about to say something that made her nervous, like when she suggested Granny Molly use less sugar in one of her recipes. "is everything all right…you know…between you and—"

"Everything is fine, thank you," said Teddy's father. As much as Teddy hated to admit it, he knew that crisp, exacting quality to Remus Lupin's voice—Teddy used it often enough on James. "Tonks is going to have a baby."

The others at the table were busy congratulating Remus, but Teddy stared at his father. He was grimacing a poor imitation of a smile. If Teddy's math was correct, his mom must have only just realized she was pregnant. Everybody told Teddy how happy his father had been at his birth. The story was part of the myth and he was told it more than any other—how Remus Lupin came through the storm to Shell Cottage to announce his birth and ask Harry to be godfather. The man sitting at this table didn't look overjoyed.

"Just—just to be clear," the younger Uncle Harry said. "You want to leave Tonks at her parents' house and come away with us?"

"She'll be perfectly safe there, they'll look after her," his father said.

Teddy stepped away from the table, but Harry caught his arm.

"I know this is tough," Uncle Harry said. "The first time I witnessed my father's flaws was devastating, but it's important to know they were real men. James wasn't some hero in a story to emulate, and neither was Remus."

"You don't understand," said Teddy's father.

"Explain then," said younger Harry.

The look on Teddy's father's face was pained. "I—I made a grave mistake in marrying Tonks. I did it against my better judgment and I have regretted it very much ever since."

"I see," said Harry, "so you're just going to dump her and the kid and run off with us."

Remus Lupin's chair toppled to the ground when he sprang from it. He glared at the kids at the table, but that wasn't an expression Teddy recognized. It was feral and frightening.

"Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and my unborn child? I should have never married her, I've made her an outcast."

Teddy had heard enough. He walked away from the table to the edges of the memory, wondering how he escaped the bloody pensieve. Did he just pull his head out? His stomach twisted.

"Wait," Uncle Harry called, jogging after Teddy. Harry grabbed Teddy's wrist. "Just…wait…"

"Don't you see what I've done?" his father raged. "Even her own family is disgusted by our marriage, what parents want their child to marry a werewolf? And the child—the child—"

That wasn't true. Gran didn't care if Remus Lupin was a werewolf or not. Did she?

From the corner of his eye, Teddy could see his father yanking at his hair.

"My kind don't usually breed! It will be like me, I am convinced of it—how can I forgive myself, when I knowingly risked passing on my own condition to an innocent child?"

"Why did you show me this?" Teddy demanded, glaring at Uncle Harry.

Harry sighed. "Andromeda and Ginny and even Kingsley asked the same thing."

"Maybe that should have told you something."

"You wanted to know your father, right? Well, this is part of him, Teddy. This ugly scene…I was so angry at him in this moment."

They both looked back at the action unfolding around the table. Younger Harry was now on his feet, too, and they were nearly shouting at each other. Aunt Hermione looked stricken, and Uncle Ron looked like he wished he was somewhere else. The grown Harry frowned when his younger self yelled, "I'd be pretty ashamed of him!"*

"I couldn't understand Remus then," Uncle Harry said. "And I didn't get it any better when I was your age. I could only think of what it would mean for the baby—for you—to grow up without a dad and how I'd never want that for my own child."

The memory played on. Teddy tried not to watch. His body was half turned to the wall, his head hung, but he couldn't keep himself from sneaking looks at his father. The man was stricken as Harry continued to shout at him.

"He's broken," Uncle Harry said. "He was afraid you would be born with Lycanthropy, that he'd cursed you. But look…"

Remus Lupin pulled out his wand with a speed that left Teddy breathless. There was a loud bang and the younger Harry flew through the air. He crashed against the wall and slid to the floor. Only the tail of Remus Lupin's cloak was visible as he disappeared out the door.

"But he was equally afraid that you would hate him," Uncle Harry continued.

Teddy stared at his trainers.

"It doesn't justify his actions…but I think he panicked. Remus knew so little love or happiness, and he was afraid of losing it when he did."

This mist grew thicker and the scene changed. They were standing in a spot Teddy knew instantly. Some of the furniture had changed and Victoire's piano was missing, but Teddy recognized Shell Cottage's sitting room. A storm raged outside, buffeting the house, lightning visible in the window every few seconds. Bill sat at the head of the table, his hair long and windswept. Younger versions of Harry and Uncle Ron, squeezed around one side of the table, a goblin at Harry's elbow. Aunt Hermione, Luna Lovegood, and Dean Thomas were on the other. Bill seemed to be regaling them with a story when a loud banging sounded at the door.

Teddy turned, a lump caught in his throat, to stare at the front door. He knew this story by heart. It was a stormy night in April and your dad came…Teddy was barely aware of Fleur running in from the kitchen, of Bill pointing his wand at the door. On the other side was Teddy's father.

"It is I, Remus John Lupin!"

Teddy let go the breath he'd been holding.

Bill jerked the door open and Remus Lupin stumbled in swathed in the same black traveling cloak. He straightened up, looking around the room. His face was pale, his graying hair sodden and blown askew. There was something in his eyes, something that Teddy recognized though he'd never seen it before.

"It's a boy! We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!"

There were squeals and cries of congratulations, but Teddy couldn't tear his eyes away from his father. He was affirming again that Tonks had had the baby. His excitement rushed out of him. It made him appear younger, more whole. Teddy had known a tenth of that happiness the day he was accepted into the Auror Academy. He'd known something much closer when he finally got up the nerve to kiss Victoire and learned she returned his feelings.

Merriment buzzed around Teddy, but his eyes followed his father as he walked around the table. He embraced the younger Harry who hesitated a moment before returning the gesture. Teddy wondered if they'd met before this moment, if they'd talked out what happened at Grimmauld Place, or maybe it hadn't mattered.

"You'll be godfather?" Remus Lupin asked.

"I had never seen him this happy," Uncle Harry said quietly. He was standing just behind Teddy, and put his hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"He just…went back?"

"You're gran says I talked sense into him, but I don't know…"

The celebration carried on. Bill handed Teddy's dad a glass of wine.

"To Teddy Remus Lupin," his dad said, and held up his glass, "a great wizard in the making!"**

How could this man, overjoyed by the birth of his son, be the same as the feral coward in Grimmauld Place's kitchen? Which was the real Remus Lupin?

"There's light and dark in each of us, Ted," Uncle Harry said.

The mist was returning, but Teddy kept his eyes on his dad's smiling face until it disappeared. They were now standing in the foyer of the Shire. Gran was holding a black traveling cloak, her face younger and drawn. There was no gray in her chestnut hair. Remus Lupin dashed in looking harried.

"What's this?" Teddy asked, glancing briefly at Uncle Harry.

"Andromeda only agreed to what she called my mad plan if I would show you this, too. It's her memory."

A baby was crying somewhere upstairs. Teddy's father paused before Gran, and glanced over his shoulder. His mouth was very firm, his face drawn. After a prolonged moment, he reached for the traveling cloak.

"Good-bye, Andromeda."

"I know it's too much to ask," Gran said, "but do try to return in one piece. They need you."

Remus smiled. "I'll do my very best." Before he walked out the door, he glanced at Andromeda and bowed his head. "But if the worst should happen…No, no, the worst would be defeat or the loss of Harry…If I should not return, tell Dora…she's made me immeasurably happy. Tell her for me please."

Gran laid her hand on Remus' arm, and whispered, "Of course I will."

Remus Lupin walked out the door and into the night.

Teddy drew his head out of the pensieve. He was standing in the library at the Shire. The very room he'd spent hours reading, playing, and taking tea while growing up. He looked around the familiar environs, but felt numb.

"Alright?" Uncle Harry asked.

Teddy nodded. "I think I just need a moment to process."

oOo

First of May

"Gran!"

The top half of the Dutch doors stood wide open, allowing in the spring breeze that was only slightly above freezing. Teddy' pushed open the bottom half and wiped his feet on the mat. A small, grey cat materialized from the sitting room to rub against his pant leg.

"Hello, Lady."

He scooped up the feline and held her against her chest. She purred happily. That old ginger Gran hated disappeared for good a few years ago. As much as she detested Tom Cat, Teddy figured Gran would be glad to be rid of him, but that hadn't been the case. She cried herself through two handkerchiefs and was absolutely unreasonable for days. Kingsley found Lady at the market—a farmer with a box of free kittens—and brought her home. This one was afforded the comforts of an indoor life.

"Gran!"

"For Merlin's sake, Edward!" Gran marched out the library with her glasses stuck in her steely hair and her thumb stuck in a book to save her spot. "I happen to know you were raised better than that."

Teddy smiled beatifically. "'Morning."

"Honestly." She rolled her eyes. "Have you had breakfast?"

"Well, if you're offering…"

She conjured a ribbon, placed it in her book, and set it on the console. "Come along."

Once Teddy's stomach was full, he followed Gran out to the garden shed. She showed him the plants she was planning to set in. Over the last decade, the back garden was absolutely transformed. Gran and Kingsley finally filled in the crater and built a gazebo. All the overgrown bush-thingies were trimmed back. It was half formal garden complete with statuary and sundials, and half kitchen garden overflowing with vegetables and herbs.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Gran asked.

Teddy fiddled with the leaf of a purple plant—petunia, maybe? "My speech is written. I've even stood in front of the mirror and practiced it—which made me feel like a complete ponce, by the way."

"Would you like to practice with me? Or Kingsley? I'm sure he can give you a few pointers."

Teddy shook his head. "Actually—"

He looked at his grandmother. More than any other person in his life—more than even Uncle Harry—Gran was his constant. They weren't quite mother and son, though she was the only mother he knew. But he'd seen Aunt Ginny with James and Albus, and it wasn't the same as what he had with Gran. He couldn't figure out what was different, but sometimes it seemed as though Aunt Ginny was invested in raising her sons and they were set on resisted her every effort. With Gran, it always felt as if they were in it together. She was as stern as any mother, and soft as any grandmother, and she was Teddy's friend, too.

Teddy pushed a hand through his hair. "I know you don't go to the memorial, and I know you have your reasons…"

"What is it, Teddy?" She gripped his wrist, squeezing slightly.

"Do you think…I'd really like you to come tomorrow?"

She became very still.

Teddy knew he was asking for a lot, but he was desperate for her support. When he accepted Hermione's request to give this speech, Teddy had thought of it as a burden, like an essay for Transfiguration. But the journey he'd taken over the last month turned out to be a deeply personal one. When he stood before the crowd at Hogwarts the next day, it felt like he was revealing a part of his soul.

"Please," Teddy offered. "For me."

Gran covered his hand with her smaller one. "Of course." There were tears in her eyes. "Anything for you, my darling."

oOo

The Memorial

Teddy's leg bounced unceasingly as he sat between Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione on the temporary stage. Behind them were the Black Lake and the white marble of Dumbledore's tomb. Before them, it looked like half the wizarding world. But Teddy could only see the first few rows where the Weasleys sat en masse. Gran and Kingsley were in the front.

Uncle Harry clamped down on Teddy's leg and shot him a dark look.

"Sorry," Teddy muttered.

Professor McGonagall was at the podium, welcoming the attendees to Hogwarts. It was a brisk morning, the breeze ruffling Teddy's hair. He wished he could make out Victoire, but she was somewhere in the back with the sea of students.

"And now," Professor McGonagall said, "our Minister for Magic, Hermione Granger-Weasley."

There was a smattering of applause.

Uncle Harry leaned close to Uncle Ron, on his other side. "Are we in for at least an hour?"

"No worries," Uncle Ron said. "I cut her speech by half."

"Good man."

Aunt Hermione's speech was not unlike a Modern History of Magic class. Teddy had heard all of it some many times—Voldemort's first rise, his disappearance, his second rise, the Boy Who Lived, sacrifice, reforms—he probably could have given that speech himself. When Hermione finally winded down, Teddy barely heard his name being called.

"You'll do great," Uncle Harry said, patting him on the back.

Before stepping away from the podium, Aunt Hermione squeezed Teddy's arm. The sun was just beginning to rise. Most of the sky was still midnight blue, but the edges were pearly gray. The crowd before Teddy stared at him, waiting.

The puzzle that was Remus Lupin would always remain unfinished. Before Aunt Hermione asked Teddy to give this speech, he hadn't even realized it mattered to him, but he did now. His dad was a man of heroic kindness and horrendous flaws. His life mattered. Teddy would never know his dad—and someday, maybe, he would make peace with that—until then he could honor Remus Lupin by living a good life, and that would be enough.

Pointing his wand at his throat, Teddy performed a Sonorous charm and looked out over the crowd. "I am proud to be the son of Remus John Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks…"

A/N2: The idea of Bill corresponding with Remus prior to joining the Order of the Phoenix comes from keeptheotherone's fabulous story, Hidden Chambers and Unseen Monsters about the Weasleys trip to Egypt. It's hard to choose which of her stories is my favorite, but this one is definitely a contender.

*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 11 The Bribe, pages 211-12.

**Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 25 Shell Cottage, pages 513-14.