Onward, to Greater Things

by killtherat

With the war over and a child to raise, Harry finds that moving on with his life was easier than he expected. But from behind closed doors and whispered secrets comes the betrayal that will tear Harry apart. What secret will ultimately break his trust in those he thought he knew? Whose betrayal will threaten those who Harry loves the most? Sequel to Chasing the Inevitable.

1. Chapter 1

A/N Welcome readers, thanks for joining us! An especially big welcome to readers who have followed this story on from Chasing the Inevitable. For those who have not read that story, it's not essential to this, but I like to think it's a good read (just a little drawn out).

This story doesn't follow the typical Post-Hogwarts format of what readers normally expect out of characters. It's not JKR's traditional plot, things have changed…please don't get upset about it, just enjoy.

As always, please review! I've been working on this for months, and have already written up to 21 chapters (as of 13/05/2013). I'll get them back to you as quickly as my beta can get them back to me. Hold onto your bloomers, it's gonna be a big ride!

On a final note…this is my last story…honestly, I need my life back! (And all the coffee I drink during the writing process is not good for my summer bikini.)

Panic was a bitter taste in Harry's mouth, creeping down into his throat and making him nauseous. This couldn't be happening...not again. He had worked too hard, he had done so much to make sure this didn't happen. So many times they had come close to taking everything from him...his lifeline...the reason he had stopped drinking...the reason he got up each day. He needed it more than anything...more than the air in his lungs, but he had lost his source of hope...again.

"Teddy!" Harry called, looking through the crowd of strangers, each of them intent on getting in his

way and stopping him. "Teddy, where are you?"

A flash of blonde hair, and Harry took off running. That was him, it had to be. No one he had ever known had hair so blonde it was almost white, no one but his son. Pushing through the masses of people he fought them off as they tried to grab him, tried to stop him progressing. His son...he had to find him before it was too late.

Another flash of blonde, followed by the sweet laughter he was so familiar with. Teddy was not far...he was getting closer. How could Harry have lost him again? He knew better than to let his guard down, knew better than to relax and believe that he might finally have some peace of mind.

"Teddy!" he called again, catching a glimpse of his son's face. His beautiful brown eyes were full of mirth, enjoying the trick he was playing on his daddy. "Teddy, stay there! Wait for me!"

"Daddy!" he called out cheerfully, but he kept on going. His little legs, so good at karate kicking his Uncle Ron, carried him with unnatural speed, and Harry could not keep up.

"Teddy wait!" Harry pleaded. Why wasn't he listening? "Please Teddy, I'm coming!"

The crowd ahead of him cleared, revealing to Harry his very worst fear. This couldn't be happening...it had come close before, but Teddy had never quite gotten away from him so quickly.

Remus Lupin stood in the distance, beaming with joy as he picked up Teddy and hugged him tightly.

"Teddy! You found me!"

"No, Daddy!" Teddy laughed gleefully. "You found me!"

"No!" Harry cried, rushing forward. He watched in horror as Remus kissed Teddy on the cheek before putting him down, taking his little hand and setting off at a walk. Harry ran now, as fast as he could, but it made no difference. He covered no ground, he would never reach them. "Teddy! Wait! I'm here!"

"For Merlin's sake, Harry!" Ginny cursed at him angrily, grabbing his arm and hauling him to a stop.

"You've got to stop this!"

"Ginny," he said breathlessly, still panicking. "He's taking him! He came back!"

"Yes! Of course he did! He's Teddy's father!"

"No, he's not!" he insisted desperately. Why wasn't she listening? "I am! Ginny, stop him!"

Shaking her head at him, she turned and walked away, leaving him in the middle of the street. Enraged, Harry made to run after Remus again, to stake his claim as rightful father...for that's who he was! Teddy was his son now. His! Remus had no right...he was dead...why couldn't he just stay dead? Looking down the street again, Harry slowed to a stop, realising that Remus and Teddy were gone. Standing there, completely alone, he became aware of a growing pain in his chest, one he had felt before. It worsened quickly, spreading through his veins to the very tips of his fingers and toes. He knew what this was...this was dying...death was coming for him again. Maybe it was for the best. What did he have now to live for?

Looking down at his chest, Harry parted his bloodied shirt and looked at the gaping hole in his chest, seeing only an empty space where his heart should have been. Feeling his strength fading fast, Harry fell where he stood...though his head kept falling...falling...

He awoke with a start, his eyes bursting open to reveal reality. He was dreaming...of course he was. After so many years of vivid dreams and nightmares, shouldn't he be able to remember that he was dreaming?

"Are you alright," Ginny asked in concern, lying next to him. He looked to her through the darkness, seeing the worry in her eyes. Her hand rested on his arm, but she lay well over on her side of the bed, knowing she needed to give him physical space. Once, trying to wake him, she had grabbed the front of his shirt and leant over him, repeating his name. In his confusion as he awoke, he had belted her, an instinctual reaction to finding someone leaning over him. They had both learnt from that incident.

"Yeah," he muttered, relaxing back into the sheets and catching his breath. The dream clung to him, like arms encompassing his chest that were closing tighter. Now, as in his dream, he could still feel the all consuming pain that reminded him of his death...or sort of death. "Sorry I woke you."

"It's okay," she mumbled, giving his arm a gentle squeeze before taking his hand in hers. "You're shaking...what was it about?"

He shrugged, his automatic reaction that they both knew to expect. "I don't remember," he lied as he did every time he awoke her. Rolling over, he coaxed her towards him, sighing as she lay directly beside him. From here he could reach out and touch her, slip his hand under her pyjama shirt and stroke her belly, which swelled with pregnancy each day.

"You were talking," she pressed, placing her hand on top of his where it lay. "About Teddy?"

He shrugged again, trying not to think about it too much. "Like I said, I don't remember."

"Okay," she said, giving him a gentle kiss. She didn't believe him, but understood enough to leave it alone.

Returning the kiss gratefully, he moved his arm out and allowed her to move into his embrace. Looking at her bedside table, he saw that it was just past four o'clock in the morning, and he wondered if he would manage to get back to sleep. Within minutes Ginny was snoring very softly, and though that was usually enough to settle him after a nightmare, Harry found himself still wide awake. Part of him needed to get up, to creep across the hallway and check on his son, who should be fast asleep in his own bed. Raising his head, Harry looked around the bedroom in search of the dog, who normally spent the night going in and out of each bedroom, keeping watch.

Finding that Tank lay on the floor beside his bed, Harry raised one hand and clicked his fingers, pointing across the hallway. Tank obeyed, knowing exactly what Harry wanted. He slowly walked out of the main bedroom and joined Teddy in his, staying there for the rest of the night. That was enough to satisfy Harry. If the dog was unconcerned, there was nothing to fear. One night when. Teddy had awoken in his sleep and wandered outside, Tank had gone completely mental, barking and nipping at Harry and Ginny until they awoke and found him.

Reassuring himself that all was well, Harry tried his best to go back to sleep, knowing all too well the difference that two or three hours could make on him these days. He'd gone soft in the four years since the war had ended. No longer could he stay awake all through the night and still function the next day. Perhaps it was no longer living in fear, or the exhaustion that came from looking after a baby who suddenly developed colic, but whatever it was suddenly made Harry a person who needed a full eight hours of sleep. Going without sleep and being overtired made him think of other times, times when he was strung up in the basement of Malfoy Manor, physically unable to sleep.

At the thought, Harry unwound his hand from beneath Ginny and got up, feeling the pang of nerves that struck him at the thought of such things. Pulling on his discarded tee-shirt, he wearily walked across the hallway and looked in on Teddy, smiling when he saw Tank lying across the foot of his bed. Teddy lay exactly as he had when Harry had checked on him earlier in the night, sprawled out horizontal across his bed, his head buried under his blankets while his toes dangled over the edge. In his arm he clutched his Woody doll, while Buzz Lightyear and Mr Potato Head were thrown onto the floor in his sleep. Stepping further into his little bedroom, Harry watched as Teddy's back rose and fell with each breath, the only indication that he was actually alive. Once Teddy was comfortable, he did not move in his sleep. On more than one occasion, Harry had found him kneeling by his little bed, his head rested up against his bedside table, fast asleep and quite comfortable. He had turned four last April, and as he often did, Harry wondered how it had passed so quickly.

Yawning tiredly, Harry stretched out as he made his way downstairs, gasping in pain as he stepped on a stray piece of lego. Swearing under his breath, he picked up the piece of lego and placed it on the kitchen bench, rubbing his foot as he waited for the kettle to boil. Sighing loudly, he folded his arms and rested his head on them as he leant on the bench, watching the Muggle kettle that Arthur had given them last Christmas, charmed so that it would still work in their mixture of Magical and Muggle home. Conjuring boiled water would be instant, and far more satisfying, but almost as if he feared Arthur was watching over his shoulder, Harry always took the long way. After all, he may have received permission to marry the man's daughter, but there was always some sucking up to do according to Ron. He would know, of course. His obvious sweet tooth and lack of Muggle intervention on a chipped tooth hadn't gone down well when he had met Hermione's parents.

At that thought, Harry sighed when he remembered what tomorrow was...as if he could forget. After three long years of putting it off again and again, he and Ginny were finally getting married. He had initially thought the hard part would be proposing, getting down on one knee and rehearsing a prepared speech without making an absolute fool of himself, but looking back now he knew that was just the beginning. He hadn't even been able to recite his short speech, one that had been painstakingly put together in the months leading up, not with Ginny finally cracking and shouting 'Yes,' before he could start. Maybe in hindsight he shouldn't have teased her about it for so long...but he was testing the waters...making sure she still wanted to get married. He wouldn't have blamed her for saying no, especially after what he had put her through.

He supposed watching your boyfriend spiral into a drunken mess was bad enough, let alone being topped off with him accidentally developing alcohol poisoning and being involuntarily admitted to St Mungos. That had been eight long days of drying out and learning to deal with his problems soberly, eight long days of having to tolerate invasive counsellors, who at the time had seemed like the worst interrogators he had ever faced. Take me back to Voldemort, he had said sarcastically on his fourth day of commitment, a joke which had not gone down well with the rehabilitation counsellor.

Rehab...Harry despised that word, possibly even more than involuntary admission. But of course, that's how it had been presented by the Daily Prophet, a series of front page headlines that had made any chance of lawfully acquiring custody of Teddy an impossibility. The day he had finally walked out of that damn hospital, eight days of involuntary sobriety, Teddy's location with his emergency foster care family had still not been revealed. Even if he hadn't just been released from involuntary admission, no one would have told him.

It was only through a little trickery and not all that much law breaking that he and Ginny had found him. Technically they ought to have been charged with kidnapping, with custodial interference at the least, but luckily for them they were good friends with the new Minister for Magic.

"That's your one free pass," Kingsley had said to Harry sternly, visiting them the very day they had brought Teddy home. "I mean it...I don't care who you are or what you did for the war...the war is over. You can't run around breaking the law and expecting to get off."

"Thanks Kingsley," Harry had said gratefully, watching as Ginny settled Teddy into his crib in hope he would sleep. By this time, he had been three weeks without a drink. He wasn't so sure whether or not he was okay with that, but he didn't have a choice anymore. "But I think we're done with our law breaking."

In the few months following that, Harry had been fearfully waiting for the other shoe to drop. There had been no sign of Remus, dead or alive, and the prospect of keeping Teddy long term was beginning to settle in. Harry was waiting for Ginny to leave him, for her to get sick of Teddy's constant colic crying and Harry's attention being almost completely focused on his needs. Anyone else would have left. Anyone else facing the prospect of becoming a full time mother at the age of seventeen would have run a mile, but Ginny had stayed. She had stayed all throughout the two weeks following Remus' disappearance that Harry had spent drunk, all throughout him being in St Mungos, and all throughout finding and looking after Teddy, she had been there. Even when Sirius had sued them both for custody, Harry's red headed tower of strength had never wavered.

Remembering that, Harry roused himself from his day dreaming and set about preparing his coffee, not wanting to dwell on the past. He and Sirius had been fighting for four long years...four years of ignored owls and ignored Christmases. Sirius had made no secret of the fact he thought Harry shouldn't be raising Teddy, that he and Sharon would do a much better job. He had argued that Harry needed to focus on himself, to deal with his own problems rather than pretend they were non-existent in the face of changing nappies and mixing baby formula. Harry had only laughed at him, daring him to try and take Teddy away from him. His own desires didn't matter anymore. Even before Teddy was born, Tonks had made it clear that Harry was her and Remus' choice as parent for Teddy in their absence, and it was a duty he was determined to fulfil. Now, however, in the wake of Ginny's pregnancy, they had finally begun speaking on civil terms, almost even enjoying each other's company again. Until now he hadn't realised just how much he missed his godfather.

Taking his coffee, Harry slumped down at the kitchen table and reluctantly took up the pregnancy book that Ginny had left out for him, the right page noted with a fold. Ever since she had told him she was pregnant, Ginny had all but turned into Hermione, and had promptly bought half a dozen books and subscribed to a parenting magazine. Harry knew it was just in her nature to know exactly what was going on, to know what to expect and anticipate the future, but her initial rush of shopping had frightened him at first. He was okay with babies...Teddy had taught him everything there was to know, but pregnancy? That was unchartered territory, for both of them, and Ginny's initial panic had only made Harry's internal worries even worse. Was there something to panic about? Did everyone do this? Perhaps it was his strange reaction to the news that had made her worry.

"Are you sure?" he had asked her very slowly, remembering the time she had taken a pregnancy test potion a year or so ago. That three minute wait for the potion to change colour had been excruciating, and their only reward after was the strangely mixed feelings they both had over the negative result.

"Positively," she confirmed apprehensively, still waiting for some indication of Harry's reaction, either positive or negative.

"How positively?"

"One hundred percent, I've already seen a Healer…we are having a baby."

That word made something inside him snap…a baby. They could do that. Babies were fine. They could handle babies. "A baby?" he asked, beginning to find some understanding.

"Yes," she said slowly. "I'm told that a consequence of most pregnancies is in fact, a baby."

"We-well that's fine!" he had breathed, finally smiling. He moved towards her, carefully touching her arms as if he was going to hurt her accidentally. "We can do that."

"Oh good," she mocked him. "Good, that's great because we're due in December."

"December! I love December!" he had exclaimed before he could help himself. That was a big fat lie...he hated the cold, not even Christmas made it alright.

"Oh Merlin," she sighed, kissing him on the cheek and heading into the kitchen. "Mum warned me about the panicked euphoria...I'm getting you a Calming Draught, okay Harry?"

"Panicked? I'm not panicked," he insisted, following her. "We're having a baby! We've wanted this...right? This is great isn't it?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "I know it's bad timing, horrible timing in fact, and a complete surprise-"

"Complete," he agreed nervously.

"But we're going to be fine."

"Fine?" he agreed quietly, beginning to feel a little bit of the panic she had mentioned. "We weren't going to have kids for a while...years."

"Yes, but I put you in charge of the contraception, didn't I?" she smiled, frowning as she made her way over with the Calming Draught. "Then again, maybe a Cheering Charm is more in order."

"What if something goes wrong?...What did the Healer say?"

"She said everything's fine."

"Well, did you check her credentials?" he asked skeptically, still not completely trusting the St Mungos Healers. "I mean, what if she's some kind of crock?"

"Everything's fine, Harry...now come on, we've got books to buy."

Opening said book, Harry flipped through the pages as he sipped on his coffee, frowning and tilting his head a little as he tried to make out the diagrams, trying to make the connection between them and Ginny's changing shape.

"Eighteen weeks...finger prints, that's cool...pregnancy amnesia," he muttered, frowning as he thought about Ginny's forgetfulness. "Hair that could sell shampoo...interesting."

More than he liked to admit, especially to someone like Ron, he had pored over the books and magazines Ginny had brought home, trying to be as prepared as possible. He still wasn't sure whether the books reassured him or terrified him, the two factors outweighing each other every other day. He had no idea about all the things that could go wrong. He had never questioned these things when his sisters-in-law fell pregnant, and he suddenly found himself watching Angelina a lot more closely than usual. She was about ready to deliver their first child, after a hastily planned wedding much like his one with Ginny.

Putting the book aside, Harry reluctantly turned his attention to the thick wad of parchment, the draft of his new three year contract with the Appleby Arrows. With a smug smile he only shared with himself, he thought about their climatic win at the Grand Final only three weeks ago, a pretty decent end to his second season. Secretly, he still wasn't sure whether their win was due to genuine talent and teamwork, or just a series of well timed flukes. He constantly doubted himself, even after adequately proving himself again and again. Perhaps the only thing that gave him comfort was his new position as Chaser, one that brought renewed excitement and thrill in comparison to playing Seeker. He didn't think it was possible to grow tired of being Seeker, but during the very first game he had played with the Weasleys at the Burrow, he had felt like he had outgrown the role.

Now though, things were getting serious with the Arrows. Investors were no longer viewing him as a potential liability, they way they did with every new player, but as a solid part of their team. According to his agent Timothy Greene, this apparently meant more money. But this made little difference to Harry, he and Ginny had other things in his contract to worry about than how much he got paid. After having avoided it for weeks, his meeting with the manager was that morning, and he needed to go through his contract and make his notes. He couldn't stand Richard Burrows, the lump of dung who managed the Arrows. He had been the first one to try and trick Harry into endorsing products and being spokesperson for various companies, even after he had distinctly refused all offers.

In spite of feeling that he had adequately proved his talents, Harry had a request that was sure to displease Richard. Draco Malfoy, the piece of shit he was, was still rolling in his family's fortune, despite the fact that his father was still a wanted Death Eater on the run. With no need for employment and little else to do, Draco spent his money doing what Lucius Malfoy had done, making donations and well timed gifts to the Ministry of Magic. Harry's only relief was that Kingsley Shacklebolt had taken position the as Minister very quickly when the war ended, and appeared to keep Draco and his mother's influence on a tight leash.

Despite the generous donations they made, Kingsley insisted he would never forget having to tell Arthur and Molly that Fred had been murdered, by Draco Malfoy in his crude escape from the Order. He may have been cleared of murder charges by the Wizengamot, but there were still people in the Ministry such as Kingsley and Ron who kept a close eye on him. Thinking about that, Harry thought that maybe Ron was a little too invested in keeping an eye on the Malfoys. It was understandable of course, that he would never forgive the wizard who had killed his brother and then walked away free, but Harry couldn't help wonder why he focused on them so much.

Now however, Draco Malfoy was beginning to impeach on Harry's life again. He had only his agent, Timothy Greene to thank for alerting him when Draco Malfoy began making donations to the Appleby Arrows. Harry had been forced to take that in his stride...he was only in his first season when Malfoy began donating, and he wasn't yet in the position to begin making demands. The following season his donations had turned into a season's worth of sponsorship, and there were rumours circulating among the tabloids that he was going to sign on as a Member of the Arrows Committee. The solid hatred Harry and the Weasley family held towards the Malfoys was well documented, especially after the circumstances of Fred's death had become public, but to their great surprise no one seemed to care about Malfoy's connection with the Arrows.

Looking at his contract now, Harry knew Richard was going to be spewing when Harry told him to refuse Draco Malfoy's application. But he was confident that everything would be okay, that Richard would agree. He would simply quit otherwise. Three other teams were lining up to take him on, and though he didn't let that fuel his ego, he wasn't afraid to mention it to Richard when necessary.

His attention diverted, Harry looked up from his contract, hearing the sound of familiar footsteps from the first floor. Listening carefully, he checked his watch, knowing that it was far too early for Teddy to be up...but there was no mistaking his quiet little footsteps. He waited patiently, and a few moments later Teddy began to very slowly descend the stairs, accompanied by Tank. Rubbing his eyes, Teddy sniffled as he trudged over to where Harry sat, his cheeks rather flushed.

With a great sigh, Harry pulled Teddy up and held him against his chest, feeling his forehead with the back of his hand. Yes...he was ill. Giving his little boy the few moments he needed to fully awaken, Harry stroked his hair and sipped on his coffee, still scanning through his contract.

"Daddy..." Teddy mumbled very slowly.

"Mmm?"

"My ear feels yucky..."

"Sore?"

Teddy was silent for a moment, having a long yawn. "Yes..."

"I thought it might," Harry sighed, awkwardly getting to his feet and carrying Teddy into the kitchen.

Opening the cupboards, he frowned when he removed the flask of potion that would normally treat Teddy's occasional ear infections, seeing that it was nearly empty. He poured the last of it out, luckily managing to make the full dose, before diluting it down with a little water.

"Here's your magic potion," he smiled, helping a sleepy Teddy hold the glass.

With one hand hanging onto his sore ear and the other the glass, Teddy slowly sipped at his potion, finally finishing it all before curling up in Harry's arms.

"Does that feel better?" he asked, knowing it would be working by now.

"Yes..."

"Does it need a kiss?"

"No," he said, covering his ear and turning it away. "It hurts..."

Being patient, Harry stood there in the kitchen and held Teddy, resting his chin on top of his white blonde hair. As much as he and Ginny enjoyed watching Teddy change his appearance, more often unintentionally, they rarely got to see him in his completely natural appearance. Only when he was sleeping did his morphing ability recede, and he took on his natural features that made him look so much like Tonks. His face was heart shaped just like hers, and his hair blonde and thick, curling a little at his ears. But while he mimicked Tonks in appearance and personality most of the time, Harry often felt his heart freezing as he caught Teddy in a particular mood, when his thoughts turned pensive and he sat quietly, as rare as that was. It was then, that Harry could see the resemblance to Remus.

Thinking about the dream he had that night, Harry kissed the top of Teddy's head and began heading upstairs, taking him back to bed. Remus hadn't been heard from in almost four years, seen for the last time the day before he disappeared. His Missing Persons report was still open, an unsolved disappearance that had gone cold. A long time ago, Harry had given up hope that Remus would one day return, his feelings very quickly changing to a fear that he would. If Remus was really alive, and he came back...what would Harry do? He'd have to leave...he and Ginny would have to abandon everything and run...Teddy was their son now. But would Remus understand?

Reaching Teddy's room, that had once been his own, Harry readjusted the blankets and tried to lay him down, groaning as Teddy began to rouse. Teddy whinged as he began to awaken, clinging to Harry in protest.

"It's still night time, mate," Harry said gently, pointing to Teddy's clock on the bedside table. The smiling moon was still illuminated, indicating to Teddy that it wasn't time to get up yet. Enforcing that clock had been an absolute saviour to he and Ginny, stopping Teddy's middle of the night crusades into their bed.

"I need you..."

"You've got Woody," Harry reminded him, picking up the cowboy and passing him over. "He'll look after you."

Teddy would have none of it, and he began to cry and sit up, his voice louder than usual in the silence of the early morning. Ignoring the tiny voice in his head that told him not to, Harry reluctantly lay down beside Teddy and pulled the blankets back up, gently taking his thumb out of his mouth as he began to suck on it. Teddy's eyes refused to close, watching Harry carefully for any signs that he was going to abandon him. Knowing he had picked up his stubbornness from Ginny, the master of it, Harry closed his eyes and waited until he felt Teddy beginning to relax, opening his eyes again when he sensed Teddy drifting off to sleep.

Now came the hardest part.

Carefully unclenching Teddy's fingers from his shirt, Harry slowly got up and climbed over him, readjusting the blankets and backing out of the room. With the thrill of success overwhelmed by his sudden tiredness, Harry trudged back into his own room and fell back into bed, falling asleep almost immediately. He roused a few hours later when Ginny's alarm sounded, listening to her light footsteps as she got into the shower and then returned a few minutes later.

"Harry," she said gently, rousing him. "You need to get up."

He grumbled at her and rolled over. "In a minute."

"You'll go back to sleep," she warned him.

"No, I won't," he grumbled again.

She scoffed at this, pulling back the light sheet and whipping open the curtains. "Come on, it's almost eight o'clock!"

"Bugger off," he moaned, swearing when she cheekily pinched his backside. "Woman!"

"Yes?" she said sweetly, smiling at him as he rolled over and looked at her.

"You'll pay for that," he sighed, sitting up and stretching his arms out.

"I'll pay for that?" she asked coyly, coming to stand in front of him. Bending down she gave him a lingering kiss, her hands ghosting across the sides of his neck. "Promise?"

"Promise," he smirked, running his hands up underneath her skirt before she pulled away.

"Come one then, get up," she said brusquely, darting away and choosing a shirt to wear. "You'll be

late."

"Yes, Mum," he muttered under his breath, making the final move to get up. He was surprised he had grown so tired again, especially after a nightmare that had seen him so rattled.

Low on time, Harry decided he would forgo a shower that morning, and instead focus his time on getting Teddy ready. He was slow and distractible at the best of times, and glacial when he was ill. When he sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to rouse him, Teddy was slow to awaken, his eyes fluttering open and closed until he managed to focus on Harry.

"Good morning, Ratbag," Harry said quietly, stroking his hair.

Teddy mumbled something in reply, his dark brown eyes beginning to lighten and turn green the longer he looked at Harry. Harry knew that if Teddy focused on him long enough, his would unconsciously morph into a spitting image of him. Needless to say, it meant keeping track of him at the wizard park an absolute nightmare.

"Aren't you ready to get up yet?"

Teddy shook his head, scratching his nose. "No...I think I'll stay in bed...all day."

"All day?"

He nodded.

"But then you can't come to the Arrows office with me," Harry reminded him. "To see Jane and Timmy."

"Will Timmy be there?" Teddy confirmed, his interest aroused.

"Ah huh."

"Will Jane let me help her with jobs?"

"I'm sure she will," Harry replied patiently.

"Okay," Teddy reluctantly agreed, getting up with more ease than Harry had. Leaving Woody behind, he trudged off down the hallway and into the bathroom.

"What would you like for breakfast?" Harry asked, following him out. "Worms on toast?"

"No, thank you!" Teddy said indignantly, closing the door loudly.

"Okay then...Weetbix it is," Harry muttered, heading downstairs where he joined Ginny. "How are your feet?" he asked her with a grin.

"Toasty warm…yours?"

"Practically boiling," he laughed, getting breakfast organised. "Where's my list?" he asked, grabbing the carton of milk.

"At your chair."

"Ah huh," he said, seeing Ginny's handwriting on a long piece of parchment right where he sat at the table. "Woah…you've organised me by the hour. Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'll floo the Apothocary when I get to work, see if they can't make room to see Teddy…I might have to push Madam Malkin back a little bit. I'll try to owl you, okay?"

"Sure," he murmured, pouring milk into Teddy's bowl as he came downstairs and took his seat. "Are you going now?"

"Yes," she said, taking out her wand and casting a Glamour Charm on her midriff. At eighteen weeks, her slim figure was definitely showing the distinct curve of her belly, and until they were ready to publicly announce their pregnancy she would continue with the concealment. She grabbed her bag and a heavy folder. "I'm going in early, try and get things done before I knock off after lunch."

"Okay then, I'll see you at…" He consulted his list. "One o'clock."

"One o'clock," she confirmed, kissing him hurriedly before doing the same to Teddy. "Be good for Daddy. I'll see you tonight," she added as an afterthought to Harry.

"Tonight?" he said with a smirk, making sure she knew exactly what he meant.

"If you're lucky," she grinned, pulling down her blouse a little so he knew what he was waiting for.

"If I'm lucky?" he called out as she walked outside, secretly pleased that she wasn't going straight to the Burrow after they met up at one o'clock.

Smiling to himself, Harry rushed to get organised, cooking a piece of toast as he watched Teddy carefully. He didn't quite tuck into his breakfast with his usual vigour. After a few more mouthfuls, Teddy put down his spoon and slid off his chair, looking at Harry as he came into the kitchen and put his arms around his leg. Resting his head on Harry's leg, he looked at his toast longingly.

"Daddy….when are we going to see Timmy?"

"Soon, mate."

"I like Timmy, a lot."

Before Harry knew it, Teddy had somehow managed to bargain for Harry's first piece of toast, happily eating it over his half full bowl of Weetbix he no longer wanted. He had a real talent for either interrupting Harry and Ginny as they ate, or somehow managing to tuck into their food as well. Checking his watch, Harry knew they had better get moving…the Ministry was sure to be busy at this time of the morning. Finishing off his breakfast, Harry quickly dumped the plates into the sink and set his sights on organising Teddy, praying that there wouldn't be a fight over what clothes he was going to wear.

"I'm going to wear my Arrows shirt!" Teddy declared excitedly, bounding into his bedroom as Harry followed.

Rolling his eyes, Harry waved his wand as Teddy removed his shirt from the drawer, making the shirt a little larger. Teddy had quickly outgrown his team shirt, but would still live in it if he were allowed. At least he wasn't asking to wear his Wimborne Wasps shirt, which was hidden at the back of his drawers as though Harry didn't know where his true loyalties lay. Opening the curtains, Harry made the bed and threw a few of the toys into the toy chest, searching through the cupboard for a backpack Teddy could take out with them.

"No, not that one!" he protested, bounding across to the cupboard when Harry removed a Thomas the Tank Engine bag. "I want my Buzz Lightyear bag!"

"What are you forgetting?"

"I want it, please," Teddy replied politely.

"Alright," Harry agreed, taking the bag and then reaching into the toy chest for Buzz. "Is Buzzy coming with us?"

"No," Teddy said solemnly, pulling his Arrows tee-shirt on. "He has to sit in time out…all day."

"In time out? Why's that?"

Teddy considered this for a moment. "He was mean to Woody, he called him names."

"Naughty Buzz," Harry said absently, choosing a pair of shorts and putting them on the bed. "Finish getting dressed and then brush your teeth. All of them, okay? Not just the ones at the front."

Leaving Teddy to himself, Harry made quick work of all his other tasks, stuffing his list into his pocket as he packed Teddy's bag with food and books. Aware of how quickly time was passing, he rummaged around in the kitchen drawers, looking for the draft contract he could have sworn he left on the dining table.

"Hurry up Teddy!" Harry called, hearing him playing with the taps on the bathroom sink. "Brush your teeth!"

He searched through Ginny's makeshift desk in the living room, once again remembering why they needed a larger house. Rifling through the drawers, he came across a small red notebook he had seen Ginny writing in once, being rather secretive. At first he had wondered if it were a journal, but now seeing it in the drawer along with all the other wedding details, Harry suspected she had been writing her vows in there. He had no idea how Ginny had managed to convince him to write their own vows, only that he sincerely regretted agreeing to it. The wedding was tomorrow afternoon, and he had no idea what he was going to say to her. Looking at the red book for a moment, Harry was tempted to look inside, to just take a peek at what she had written…for inspiration of course.

Ginny would know. She had a sixth sense about these things. Putting the book away, Harry raised his wand and summoned the contracts, rolling his eyes when they zoomed towards him from the kitchen where he had already looked.

"Teddy! Hurry up mate, I'm going."

"Just wait!" Teddy called, appearing at the top of the stairs and coming down slowly.

"Where're your shoes?" Harry said in frustration. "Go back and get your shoes...you can wear thongs if you like."

"Oh!"

When he reappeared next, he was wearing mismatched shoes, and it was all Harry could do to not get cross with him. Racing upstairs, they wasted the next ten minutes discussing why his shoes had to match, and finally settled on trainers with different coloured socks. In his protest, Teddy turned his hair vibrant green, and Harry forced himself to ignore it as he dragged him downstairs, fixing the backpack onto Teddy's shoulders and hastily feeding Tank.

"Are we driving in the car, Dad?"

"Not today, we're just apparating."

"But I want to listen to my Wiggles music," Teddy whined, dragging his feet.

"Not today," Harry repeated, struggling with the front door and then dropping his contract. As he crouched down to pick up the scattered parchment, Teddy gave a high pitched growl and stamped his feet. Harry looked up and glared at him. "Would you like to stay at home, instead of going on a holiday?"

Teddy huffed and then promptly sat down, making Harry groan and put his head in his hands. 'He's not well', he repeated to himself. 'He's not well."

"If you're going to misbehave you can stay at home. Only good boys go to Sirius' house for a whole week."

Teddy appeared to ignore him, and so Harry did the same. Bundling up his contract, he picked Teddy up and put him on his hip, apparating straight into the designated zone in the Ministry. Harry rarely came to the Ministry anymore, making a point of staying away when he could. He had heard too many stories of what went on there from Ron and Kingsley to want anything to do with it, he didn't even like that Ginny worked there. Even four years after the war had finished, there was still corruption and dirty politicians in every office, despite how hard people like Ron worked to prevent and stop it.

Harry's teenage dream of being an Auror had died along with the war, and he wanted nothing to do with that life anymore. Ron on the other hand still seemed to thrive on it, even more so now. The Auror office, corrupted by Death Eaters and spies, had been completely disbanded within a week, and had since been replaced by Investigators like Ron, who were a part of the new and somewhat mysterious Apprehension and Prevention of Evil office…affectionately known as the APEs. Their work there was very hushed, and very few people even knew what they did, but every few months they would come back into the headlines with a newly captured Death Eater or wannabe gang leader. Despite not wanting to know what went on there, Harry knew that Ron and the other Investigators were tracking down what appeared to be a large group of old Death Eaters, who they suspected were scouting for more members. The werewolves had been causing massive problems over the first twelve months after the war, though the rate of human attacks had steadily declined since. Quietly, the APEs feared another uprising of sorts. Publicly, everything was fine.

"Can we see Mum's name?" Teddy asked.

"Sure, mate," Harry said without hesitation, despite already being ten minutes late to meet Tim. It didn't matter how late he was, or how cross he was with Teddy, he would never deny him the connection with Remus and Tonks, despite how hard it was to see her name etched alongside the others who had died in the war.

Diverting towards the middle of the atrium, Harry approached the newly built water feature, made up of two large circular pools that crossed one another in the middle. The upper edge was plated in gold, and each circle bore the names of those who had been killed in the duration of each war. Putting Teddy down at the right spot, he pointed out Tonks' inscription.

"Nymphadora 'Tonks' Lupin. 1998," Harry read out.

"That's my Mum," Teddy informed him, touching the gold letters. "My first Mum, I mean. Where's Uncle Fred?" he asked in distraction, already taking off round the circle to where he knew it was. "Here he is!"

"Frederick 'Fred' Weasley. 1998," Harry read out again patiently.

"When is my other Dad's name going on here?" Teddy asked.

Harry flinched, hating that question. For a moment he was eighteen again, turning up at Remus' cottage to find him missing. Harry's heart fluttered as it so often did, picturing what might happen if Remus ever returned to them alive. He didn't want to think about that, as shameful as that was.

"I don't know mate. Maybe one day. C'mon, let's go see Tim."

"I like Timmy, a lot," Teddy said as they walked, reaching up for Harry's hand.

"I know, you told me."

"He's really funny. I like it when he sneezes."

Harry groaned at this, knowing that Teddy had never quite recovered from seeing Tim's false teeth go flying across the table when he had once sneezed.

"Are we going to see Aunty H at work?"

"Not today."

"What about Uncle Ron?"

"He works somewhere else."

"Mum?"

"No."

"Grandad?"

"No, just Timmy."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Dad, when you and Mummy go to Bali, I'm going on a holiday too."

"Shhh," Harry said imperatively. "We can't tell her that we're going to Bali. It's a surprise."

"I know," Teddy insisted, following Harry into an elevator. "But I'm going on a holiday too."

"I know."

"I'm going to stay with Sirius, because he's my friend. Sirius has a pool you know."

"I know," Harry said again, sighing. The few other people who were in the elevator looked at Teddy with big grins, knowing perfectly well who the two of them were.

"Signing on with the Arrows again, Mr Potter?" an older wizard asked him.

"We'll see," Harry said politely. "Hopefully."

"Oh, I'm sure they won't knock you back after your performance last season."

"Well, they might," Harry said under his breath, thinking about the changes he wanted to make to his contract.

"Daddy," Teddy said in frustration, tugging on the leg of his jeans.

"Yes, mate?"

"When I go to Sirius', you have to pack my toothpaste."

"I know mate."

"Don't forget this time. His toothpaste is yucky...it doesn't have the Wiggles on it."

Sighing to himself, Harry prayed Teddy would shut up some time soon. As the elevator stopped at another floor, Harry had to pick him up to make room for the extra people. "I won't forget."

"And Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Where is Tank going on holidays? Is he going with you?"

"No, he's going to Nana's house."

"To the Burrow? Why isn't he coming to Sirius' house?"

"Because he and Chief aren't very good friends."

"Why not?"

Harry pursed his lips, wondering how to explain male dogs and territory to a four year old. "Because they don't share their toys very well."

"Oh. Maybe they should sit in time out and think about it."

"Maybe they should," Harry replied, trying not to laugh.

"I always share my toys with Victoire, even when she doesn't share with me."

"I know mate," Harry agreed, wanting to cheer when they finally reached their floor. Squeezing out of the elevator, he put Teddy down and made him walk, checking his watch as they hurried along the corridor of the Magical Games and Sports Department.

"Dad, why is the floor blue?" Teddy asked as they entered the Appleby Arrows office.

"So it matches the Arrows colours, just like you," Harry said, ruffling his hair which he had just turned blue.

"Why are the Arrows blue?"

Frowning, Harry looked at Teddy. "I don't know…"

"You don't know?"

"No," he apologised, steering Teddy towards the reception desk. "Morning Jane."

"Morning Harry," she said, listening to Teddy ask question after question. "Did you know the average four year old asks around four hundred and thirty seven questions a day?"

"That explains a lot," he muttered, prompting Teddy to say hello.

"Hi Jane. Why are the Arrows blue?"

"Because it was the only colour that other teams hadn't taken."

"Oh," Teddy accepted, letting go of Harry's hand and going behind the desk. "Can I help you do jobs today?"

"I'm sure I can find filing for you to help me with," Jane said kindly, finally turning to Harry. "Tim's waiting for you, and then you'll be seeing Richard and the legal team in conference room three at nine thirty. Richard's in quite the mood this morning…apparently Stacey is threatening not to sign again."

Harry hissed comically, knowing Richard and the team Captain and Seeker Stacey didn't get along at the best of times. "Well I'm not about to make his day, that's for sure."

"Oh please, Harry, don't threaten to quit."

"I won't," he promised half-heartedly, peering around the desk to where Teddy was setting himself up in the corner, already munching on the biscuits he had packed for him. "Ted's not quite himself this morning, so if he plays up-"

"Go," Jane waved him on, unconcerned. "He'll be fine."

"Okay, but I'm expecting an owl from Ginny, and-"

"I'll bring it in to you," she said, waving his off again. "Go, make the day for all your fans and sign another contract!"

"Okay," Harry said, taking a few steps away. "Teddy, I'm going now."

"Okay," he said, not even looking up.

Harry sighed to himself, relieved to see that Teddy was happy to be left on his own, but still feeling the slightly painful feeling of rejection. Ignoring this, he set off down the hall to Tim's office, knocking on the door and preparing himself for the tirade that was sure to come for his being late.

"Tim?" Harry called, knocking again. When he didn't answer, Harry opened the door and went inside, rolling his eyes when he saw Tim asleep at his desk. "Timothy Green! Wake up you old sod!"

"Ah, Potter!" Tim said, perking up immediately. He pushed his large glasses up his snub nose and glared at him. "You're late!"

"And you were sleeping," Harry retorted, dropping his contract notes on the desk before taking a seat. "It's a quarter past nine!"

"I was resting my eyes," he protested, peering at the contract before him before swapping his glasses. "It happens a lot when you're ninety two!"

"Maybe you should retire."

"Feh! Retire," he muttered in disgust, raising his eyebrows as he read Harry's notes. "Ricky Sparks told me that in nineteen sixty six. Richard won't be pleased with this," he commented.

"Richard can go f-"

"Now now," Tim cut him off. "The man may be the biggest lump of dung to manage the Arrows, but he's a big lump of dung who's going to offer you Lead Chaser."

"What about Perry?"

"He's voluntarily retiring."

"And what's he really doing?"

"Going back to rehab."

"I knew it, he told me he couldn't go the wedding. So what does Lead Chaser mean?"

"It means the number on your uniform changes to from 4 to 2, and you get to stand in the middle for team photographs."

"The middle's for the Seeker."

"I meant the middle of the Chasers."

"Right," Harry muttered. "Ellen should have Lead Chaser, she's been on the team longer than me."

"Being Lead Chaser isn't about who's been on the team longest, or even who's the stronger player. It's about who can make the money, and who can bring new fans who will spend lots of galleons to get your face on a mug and a poster. Ellen Jenkins doesn't have a face as pretty as yours…she looks like a Pitbull."

"Gee, thanks Tim."

"No need to thank me, you already pay me."

"I wasn't thanking you."

"I know that."

"Are we going to talk about my contract?" Harry asked in frustration. "We've got ten minutes before we have to go in there."

Still perusing the contract, Tim frowned when he came across something. "Are you really requesting that you get lavender scented shower gel in the locker rooms? I mean, to each their own, but-"

"What?" Harry said in dismay, getting up and looking at the notation upside down. "No, scratch that out, that was Ginny…she thinks she's hilarious."

"Well she is," Tim sniggered. "But I'm glad we covered that before the meeting."

"So do you think they'll go for it all?"

"Go for it?" Tim looked up at him in surprise. "Of course they'll go for it. They're not going to let you go over just a few contract changes that aren't in their favour. Your health insurance will be extended to your family, the house and life insurance will continue…he won't be pleased about you still not endorsing any products though. That one will be tough to get by him."

"I know, but I'm here to play Quidditch, not sell toothpaste and shoes."

"Selling toothpaste and shoes is what makes money, it's what keeps our Treasury happy so that we can afford players like you. What's this about the handstands and chin ups in training?"

"I'm not doing them anymore," Harry said simply. "I've broken my left arm four times, it's too painful."

"Bah, don't worry about silly little things like that, it's the bigger things we're worried about today. You'll agree to the training schedule, the gym times and the media exposure. You've got the monthly team appearances for charity, including the children's Halloween carnival, the Christmas Carnival, Carols at Hogsmeade, and the Spring Carnival. Then there's the marathon in April, and the Muggle soup kitchen in May. Every second Sunday during season will be the rookie training session, which will include photos and autographs with the members."

"I'm not worried about any of that," Harry said impatiently, getting up and rounding the desk. He flicked through the contract, pointing out a few things. "I'm not doing the charity build in South Africa, three weeks is too long to be away from my family."

"The charity build is a big thing, it brings in new sponsors."

"And the rest of the team can do it without me, I said that last season. I'd also like my salary paid out upfront."

"They won't pay your salary upfront, I'm telling you that now."

"Well, I'm going to need it. Gringotts won't give us a house loan, and we're looking at buying a new house. I know he does it for Stacey, it's the only way they get her back every year."

"Here's how it works. The Arrows set aside your yearly salary and pay it to you monthly, the money yet to be paid to you is invested in Muggle banks, and they make money off the interest."

"I know how that works, but that's not what I want," Harry stated simply.

"They won't go for it."

"It's your job to make them."

Tim glared at him.

"Remind them that I have contract offers with the Tornados, Puddlemere and the national team...not to mention the unemployed agents who owl me every week."

HarHTim sighed. "Taking the salary payout is risky. If things go wrong and you have to break your contract you have to pay back anything still outstanding. If you're tying that all up in property, you'd have to sell. This type of thing has happened before."

"I'm not an idiot, why would I break my contract?"

"It's a three year contract, your life might change. You might even breech it accidentally, like if your behaviour reflects poorly on the team, or if you're caught taking performance enchancing potions, or if-"

"Tim. I need this."

He and Ginny had talked endlessly about this, and Harry knew it was the only way they could afford to buy another house. Four years of maintaining Remus' cottage and the family home that Tonks had grown up in had not been cheap, and had quickly begun to suck dry the savings Harry's parents had left him. Now that Tonk's property had tenants in it they practically paid for itself, but without a death certificate Remus' cottage could not be managed by Harry. All he could do was pay the rates and keep it maintained, with no prospect of ever having it rented. To make matters worse, Gringotts were not exactly forgiving of Harry, Ron and Hermione for breaking in, and Bill had struggled in vain trying to influence the Goblins to approve their home loan application.

Aside from a genuine desire to play, money was the driving reason behind Harry's decision to play professional Quidditch. The salary, bonuses and benefits were nothing to be scoffed at, and had gone a long way to completing the necessary work on their home in Godric's Hollow, and even Tonks' property. They had originally planned to live in their home for a few more years, having not planned on having children for a while yet. Now though, they needed to purchase a house, preferably before Ginny's delivery date in December, and without a home loan, their savings weren't going to get them very far.

"I only want this year to be paid up front," Harry said firmly. "I need this Tim, otherwise I won't have any choice but to go with a team who will pay it. I like the Arrows, I don't want to leave the team over something like money."

"We'll see," Tim grumbled, sorting through the rest of Harry's notations. "What's wrong with these three dates you've circled? What's wrong with the Remembrance Day service in May?"

"I go to that service with my family, not a sporting team," Harry explained, leaving no room for Tim to argue with him.

"Alright then…no one's going to argue with you on Remembrance Day, that's for sure. What about April first? What's wrong then?"

"It's Teddy's birthday, and my brother in law's."

"And April seventeenth?"

"It's a family day. We went through this all last year, remember?"

"Oh, that's right," he replied, putting down the contract and sitting back in his chair. "Your brother, Fred, he died then, right?"

"He was murdered, but yes."

"That won't be a problem," Tim said, getting up wearily and turning around to his bookshelf. He removed what appeared to be a leather bound book, but had a hipflask and two small glasses on the inside. "Well, that's business sorted."

"Erm, not entirely," Harry reminded him apologetically, knowing what Tim was going to say next.

"Oh, Harry...please don't make me do this...I'm an old man..."

"Then maybe you should retire."

"What difference does it make?" Tim sighed, throwing his hands in the air. "So Draco Malfoy applied for the board committee...he's not going to fire you! He'd need a majority vote..."

"It makes a major difference," Harry said firmly.

"I think you're getting picky."

"Picky?" Harry questioned, his hackles raised. "So it's picky that I don't want the man who murdered my brother in cold blood to be on the board of the team I play for?"

"Now hold on here..." Tim said patiently. "You yourself say...what happened during the war, was war! You killed people too!"

"Yeah, I did," Harry agreed, remembering. "But I didn't cut their throats and leave them to die like animals, did I? That's what Draco Malfoy did...he left my brother to die, completely alone, and then he set his sights on my father. I will quit over this, Tim...I really will. And I'll be employed by another team by this afternoon."

Tim sighed, opening his desk drawer and removing his hip flask. Harry watched uncomfortably as Tim poured a shot of amber liquid into two glasses. Alcohol poisoning was not something easily wforgotten, nor was the occasional desire to have one tiny little sip of whiskey, but he didn't want to seem ungrateful.

"You know I don't drink that stuff anymore, right?"

"I'm well aware of your history, Harry…these are both for me. Heres to...ruining Richard's day"

"It's nine thirty in the morning!" Harry protested.

"And I'm ninety two…go on, tell me it's bad for my health."

"It's bad for your health," Harry mumbled under his breath, watching as Tim downed both shots, remembering a time when he could do that without blinking.

"Are you sure you won't have one?"

"No thank you," Harry replied automatically, breathing a sigh of relief as another of many more offers came and passed.

"Well then," Tim clapped his hands together, swapping over his glasses again and picking up Harry's contract. "Let's go ruin Richard's day!"

"Hear, hear," Harry muttered, following Tim out of the office and down the corridor.

They passed the team photo that hung on the wall above the 2001-2002 Final trophy, which the Arrows had recently won over the Chudley Cannons, who had made a remarkable comeback. Ron still had not forgiven him. Harry on the other hand, had not forgiven Ron for backing the Cannons.

The meeting with the legal team and Richard was as long and boring as it had been twelve months ago, and Harry struggled to pay attention to most of what was being said, content to allow Tim to do his job and advocate for him, which he did an excellent job of even at ninety two years of age. Teddy must have been content with Jane, for a long hour had passed before the two of them made an appearance, Jane knocking politely on the door before opening it and sending Teddy in. Harry's heart sank as he saw Teddy's tired face, his hair white blonde now that he was feeling unwell again. Without even greeting Tim, Teddy came straight over to where Harry sat at the conference table and began to climb onto his lap, laying against Harry's shoulder as he pulled him up.

"What's wrong?" Harry whispered, stroking Teddy's hair.

"I want to go home," Teddy whined, closing his eyes and clenching his fingers into Harry's shirt.

"Okay, mate, we'll go home soon," Harry muttered lowly, knowing that they wouldn't be home all day.

With his head against his shoulder, Harry rubbed behind Teddy's ear to help soothe the pain, hoping that Ginny had managed to make an appointment. Jane discreetly passed him a note, and he was pleased to see her handwriting that detailed the appointment she had made at the Apothocary.

"Thanks Jane," Harry muttered, readjusting Teddy in his lap as he tried to concentrate.

The conversation had lapsed at Teddy's arrival, with one of the clerks astonished by the way Harry sometimes appeared to have a different child every day. Not wanting to stall their meeting, Harry raised his eyebrows at Tim, who quickly worked to bring the meeting back on track.

"One last item for the agenda," Tim began, addressing Richard directly. "Is the issue of Draco Malfoy, and his application for a place on the board."

"An application under very serious consideration," Richard said tersely, having anticipated this.

"Well...I'm telling you to reject it."

Richard scoffed. "Why? Because Harry's got a problem with him? If we refused to work with people we didn't like, we'd still be in the Stone Age."

Tim folded his hands beneath his chin and glanced at Harry, giving him a smile. He turned to Richard and the rest of the board. "Mr Potter has had several offers from various other teams, not to mention a very serious offer from the National Team. In fact, I have a meeting scheduled with them this afternoon...the outcome will depend on what happens in the next thirty seconds."

"We're not dumping Malfoy because he and Potter don't get along."

"Very well then," Timmy nodded, closing his folder and shuffling some parchment. "I suppose that concludes our meeting...you may very well see Mr Potter playing for the Tornados this season, or perhaps the National team is more his style. Thank you very much gentlemen...ladies."

Following Tim's lead, Harry got to his feet and carefully cradled Teddy in his arms, knowing he wouldn't awaken any time soon. There was a slight murmur from the table behind them, and it was only a matter of seconds before Harry heard Richards chair pushing back.

"Wait," he said impatiently, rounding the table and approaching Harry. "I'll agree to your terms, but we haven't got time to redraw up your contract. Will you take my word that Malfoy will not be on the board? A gentlemen's agreement?"

Harry raised his eyebrows, looking down at Richards held out hand. "No," he replied stiffly. "I'll take a contract stipulating those terms...nothing less."

Richard looked thoroughly displeased, an expression that made Harry's day. "I'll have them sent to you in the morning."

"Nice doing business with you," Tim declared loudly, shaking Richard's hand before steering Harry out. "Good day."

"See you at the wedding," Harry smiled politely.

They escaped quickly, breathing a sigh of relief as the conference room door closed and secured their freedom. "Great work, Tim, thank you," he praised, walking slowly as to not disturb Teddy. "I knew I kept you around for a reason."

"I don't know how I managed to wrangle that salary out of Richard, thought his head might explode when I brought up Malfoy."

"Gift of the gab, Tim. You're about as bad as this one," Harry remarked, indicating to Teddy. "What are you going to tell the national team?"

"That you gave their offer due consideration, but are not ready to commit to international travel."

"Sounds good enough," Harry muttered, quietly relieved that he had avoided the offer of playing for England. International travel was definitely not an option at the moment. "Have you got your dancing shoes ready for tomorrow?"

"Feh!" Tim exclaimed, rolling his eyes. "Who am I going to dance with at a wedding?"

"I have a lovely great auntie," Harry joked, thinking of Muriel. "And I'm sure Ginny won't knock you back."

"Hmmmph, and what am I actually supposed to wear to this wedding, Potter?" he asked grumpily, stopping as they reached his office. "What does 'dress robes not required' mean?"

"It means you don't wear dress robes," Harry explained patiently.

"So what do I wear? A skirt?"

"Wear a nice shirt, and some pants…black pants maybe, not those green things you wore to that charity auction in March."

"Don't go giving me fashion advice, look at you. You kids and your denim…shorts are not proper office attire."

"I can wear whatever I want, Tim," Harry smirked as he walked back to the reception. "I'm Lead Chaser, now. See you tomorrow."

Tim gave him a half-hearted wave before heading into his office. Reaching the reception, Harry thanked Jane as he grabbed Teddy's bag, slinging it over his shoulder, making a quick escape out of the department before he was recognised by too many people. His re-signing wouldn't be announced until next week, when Harry and Ginny were far away from the press release and the media, hopefully getting sunburnt on a beach in Bali. Not that it mattered if he accidentally let it slip, people were sure to be asking him at the wedding tomorrow, and it was generally expected of a new player to remain with their team for more than two seasons.

He made his way through the Ministry as quickly as he could, Teddy never rousing from the rocky elevators or the loud conversations around them, and somehow Harry made it to the apparation point in record time. Ginny's pre-wedding list hadn't left him much spare time, and he prayed that the Apothecary schedule was running on time today. He needed to be at Madam Malkin's in ten minutes, but there was no way he would be there on time. Still, she was responsible for his appearance at his wedding tomorrow…he didn't want to aggravate that witch too much.

Aparating into the Leaky Cauldron, Harry braced himself for Teddy to wake up, relieved when he seemed to rouse rather quietly. Maybe it was his stubborn insistence that he didn't need a sleep during the day, but when Teddy awoke unexpectedly he was usually in one hell of a mood.

"Shhh," Harry soothed him, nodding and greeting the patrons of the bar who waved and called out to him. "Did you have a nice snooze?"

"I wasn't asleep!" Teddy grumbled crankily, pushing against Harry's chest to make him release him.

"I wasn..."

Teddy trailed off, steadying himself on his feet as he rubbed his tired eyes. Keeping him moving, Harry took his hand and patiently walked at his pace, tapping the brick wall and entering Diagon Alley. Wasting no time Harry went straight to the Slugg & Jiggers and was thankfully seen quite promptly, with Teddy showing his best behaviour and patience while the witch on duty examined his ear. By the time the prescription was filled Harry was only a little late for Madam Malkin, for which he could hardly believe his luck. Meandering through all the people, Harry and Teddy slowly made their way down to Madam Malkins, who greeted them at the door. After an engagement lasting three years she was just as excited as them.

"Hello, Mr Potter," she greeted him as they entered the store. "How are the two of you today?"

"We're good thanks," he replied automatically, contrasted by Teddy who had grumpily plopped himself down where he stood. "Is Ron here yet?"

"No, he's not I'm afraid, he was supposed to be here a little while ago. I got the owl from Ginny, I knew you were going to be late, but we were still expecting Mr Weasley. Mr Longbottom picked up his order yesterday. Shall we get started?"

Following Madam Malkin through to the dressing rooms, Harry practically had to wrestle with Teddy to make him follow, constantly reminding himself to be patient. By the time they got there, Teddy was in tears, clinging to Harry with one hand while he clutched his ear with the other, and Harry couldn't bear to see him like that. Picking him up, Harry rubbed his back and swayed a little, trying not to take it to heart as Teddy pleaded to go home.

"Are you hungry?" Harry asked him, rifling through his bag in search of any remaining food. He couldn't take his potion until half an hour after eating. Knowing his son, he would have eaten most of what had been packed for him.

"Yes, please," he said slowly, sniffling as he lifted his head and looked into the bag. "Can I have a biscuit?"

"There's none left, your hungry tummy ate them all! What about a banana?"

"I don't want a banana."

"That's all there is."

Teddy glared at him and sighed, finally agreeing to the banana. Settling him down on the chair in the corner, Harry passed him the banana and then pulled out a Where's Wally? book, grimacing as he realised he had left Woody at home. That had been his next distraction.

"It's a banana. Not a weapon, not a broomstick, and not a telephone. Alright?" Harry reminded him as Madam Malkin came back in, holding up two garment bags.

When he stood on the stool, Madam Malkin charmed the clothing right onto him, and Harry gave himself a once over. The trousers were light grey and the soft shirt was plain white, creating a nice contrast with the grey vest. Although they were aiming for a very casual affair, Harry felt rather under-dressed as he looked in the mirrors, wondering again if this was really what Ginny had chosen for him to wear.

"I've let the sleeves out around the shoulders a little more after your last fitting, so you'll have much more room to move around in, but I've also taken them in a little more here...and here, just to get rid of the bagginess," Madam Malkin said as she flittered around him, her measuring tape making last minute checks against the notes she had on her clipboard.

"Am I wearing a tie?" Harry asked, absently touching the open buttons at the collar.

"A tie? Yes, it's just here," she said, passing him a silver tie.

Taking it from her he put it on, looking in the mirror as he fastened it. He couldn't help but notice the two scars he was so familiar with. One ran along the line of his jaw, while the other trailed down the side of his neck to his collar bone, both of them souvenirs from an encounter with Greyback. Five years after that attack, Harry had learnt to overlook all of his scars, even the ones he could see everyday, and even Ginny had come to overlook them. Others were not always so considerate. Witch Weekly called them rugged and attractive, while Appleby and sports magazines called them a sign of strength. Now though, they were all he could look at, the dark red marks standing out even more so against the crisp white shirt.

"So do I do up the buttons?" He had the feeling he had asked this question last time.

"Leave one button open, just like that. Otherwise it becomes a bit too formal, and you'd need to wear robes or a jacket over the top to make it work. And you roll the sleeves up just like this."

"So this is ready then?" Harry asked, looking himself over again. He still felt rather under-dressed. "This is what Ginny wants me to wear?"

"That's it. You'll look very dashing on your wedding day, I assure you."

"Thanks," Harry muttered awkwardly, looking himself over. Was this really it? He definitely felt under-dressed. He turned around and glanced at Teddy who also needed to try on his clothes. Charming his wedding clothes back into their garment bag, Harry considered his current mood.

"Teddy, would you like to try on your clothes for tomorrow?" Harry asked him, giving him the option. It didn't matter either way, his clothes hadn't needed any alterations last time, and Teddy usually just morphed his shape unconsciously.

Teddy looked up from his banana, chewing it slowly as he thought. "My clothes for tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"You can stand on the stool, if you like," Madam Malkin suggested kindly.

"Oh yes!" Teddy exclaimed, dropping his banana and book in his rush.

He bounded over and stood on the stool, happily allowing Madam Malkin to fuss and coo over him as Harry stood in the doorway and looked out into the main part of the store. He could see Diagon Alley through the front window, and he wondered if Ron was going to turn up. Ron had been acting strangely for the last few weeks, and at first Harry wondered if it was the announcement of Ginny's pregnancy that had made him a bit funny. He was lucky to have made it to Harry's bachelor party the weekend before, arriving late and being the first to leave again. And now he hadn't arrived for his final fitting before the wedding. Indignantly, Harry wondered if he would even make it to the wedding tomorrow afternoon.

"How do I look, Dad?"

Turning around, Harry smiled as he looked at Teddy, who wore pants, shirt and vest to match his own. Moving closer, Harry helped him tuck the shirt in, batting away the measuring tape that had tangled itself around Teddy's legs.

"You look good, mate. Almost as good as me."

"No, I look better," he insisted, admiring himself in the mirror. "I don't ever want to take it off."

"We'll see about that," Harry teased. Flicking his wand, he sent the clothes back to the garment bag, grimacing as Teddy gave a shout of anger.

"No! I want to wear my wedding clothes now!"

"Don't speak to me like that," Harry said firmly, wishing the day could be over. "You can't wear them now, you'll get them dirty, and then you'll have nothing to wear tomorrow."

"I want to wear them now!" Teddy shouted, stomping his feet on the stool.

"If you keep speaking to me like that, you can sit in time out while we have the wedding without you, understand?"

Teddy immediately shut up, while Harry thanked his lucky stars for the example that Bill and Fleur set for him. If Victoire hadn't been born only a few months after Teddy, Harry would have had no guidance on how to deal with a bratty and demanding toddler, and Teddy would be walking all over him by now. Molly too was an excellent source of information, and was the first person Harry and Ginny sought when they were having trouble with Teddy.

Being a father was a constant internal struggle for Harry, and he often wondered if it was this hard for everyone else. He doubted everything he did, and everything he didn't do. Was he too strict? Was he harsh in his discipline and rules? Or was he too soft on Teddy? Did he give him the right foods, the right clothes, the right toys? Did they do the right activities? Was he where other children were at in their development? He had almost nothing instinctual to guide him. The Dursleys were not an example Harry wanted to live by. Dudley was spoilt and disrespectful, while he had been neglected and uncared for, not welcome in what was supposed to be his own family.

But Teddy wasn't spoilt, Harry was certain of that. He had everything he needed, and nothing he didn't. He had books and toys which he played with often, nothing which was tossed aside the way Dudley would have done, and Harry was happy to buy these things for him, because he knew Teddy would take care of them. The vast majority of the time, Teddy's bedroom was immaculate, with every book and every toy having its place, and it drove him crazy when Victoire didn't help him clean up after they played in there. He was polite, most of the time, but he didn't speak terribly to Harry or Ginny...to anyone really. Today was an exception. Impatience and crankiness were to be expected when he was unwell.

As quickly as they could, Harry paid for their clothes and thanked Madam Malkin, who assured him that she would make time to see Ron, whenever he managed to turn up. Banishing the two garment bags back to Godrics' Hollow, Harry and Teddy made a quick stop at Quality Quidditch supplies, advising them again of where to deliver the uniforms and gear he would require for the next season. There was more whinging and tears from Teddy when they tried to leave the store, the other shoppers looking at the two of them sympathetically, grateful that today wasn't their turn to be embarrassed by their children.

Glancing at his watch, Harry sighed. They had only twenty minutes to make it to the Muggle jeweller in central London before he had to meet Ginny at one o'clock, but he knew Teddy was not going to last that long. Rushing, Harry apparated them both home, needing to give Teddy some time to settle down. Maybe he'd floo Molly, see what she was doing for the afternoon.

"Go straight into the kitchen, Teddy," Harry instructed him wearily. "We'll get you some more potion to make you feel better."

Setting Teddy up on the bench, Harry measured out a small dose of pain potion and the potion from Slugg and Jiggers, mixing them with water before passing them to Teddy. "Yum, yum, yum, drink it all up," he encouraged.

Teddy took a mouthful as Harry quickly scanned the label on the ear drops, shaking them up as he heard footsteps from upstairs. He felt a moment of panic before settling, spotting Ginny's handbag on the dining room table. She must be home early. As Teddy finished the potions, they moved over to the couch, Teddy settling his head across Harry's lap so he could administer the ear drops.

"How many this time?" Teddy asked, already appearing much more settled.

"Three, just like the other times."

"I don't want three, I just want one."

"I know, but we have to have three because that's what the label says, okay?"

"Okay," Teddy reluctantly agreed, jumping when Harry started unexpectedly.

"One," they said together. "Two. Three."

Rubbing the sore sport behind Teddy's ear, Harry brushed his fingers through the blonde locks, listening to Ginny's footsteps as she descended the stairs.

"What are you doing home?" he asked over the back of the couch, seeing that she had changed out of her work robes.

"You don't want to know," she grimaced, rounding the couch and sitting on the coffee table.

"But I do, desperately," he teased, watching as she tied back her long hair.

She looked a bit sheepish. "I threw up at work, got sent home early."

"Are you alright? You're not coming down with something, are you?" Harry began to worry. Her morning sickness had eased weeks ago…she shouldn't be feeling unwell.

"No, just normal type of queasy...I was in the elevator, and there was just no stopping it. I couldn't even try and swallow it."

"You chucked in the elevator?" Harry said in astonishment.

"Yep...got it all in my handbag though," she said proudly. "Not a drop on myself or anyone else."

"I'm proud of you," he laughed, thinking back to the time they had been sitting on the couch together, when she had suddenly been overcome with morning sickness and had vomited without warning. He still had not forgiven her. "So, how was work?"

"Oh you know," she said with a smile. "The usual."

"Oh okay," he replied patiently, knowing that today was hopefully going to be a big day for her. "Did you happen to get any owls today?"

"I did get one," she said, now beaming. "I got the job."

"You got the job?" he said in delight, waiting for her excitement to set in. Ginny had been hunting for a position in the highly sought after breeding program for Endangered Magical Creatures for two years now, and she was certain her recent application and interview had gone well. She had been waiting for a response for two weeks, with the administration assuring her she would hear from them today. "Why aren't you screaming my ear off?"

She laughed at this, pointing to Teddy who had fallen asleep on Harry's lap. "I'm all screamed out, everyone in the Beast Division knows...possibly the whole ministry. Martine already filed my transfer paperwork, Glenn's made me a cake, and Human Resources sent me flowers...I think they actually knew before I did."

"Congratulations," he said kindly, reaching for her hand and pulling her to sit beside him. "I'm happy for you...but you're not bringing home pets, and we're not minding any of them! Clear?"

"Oh but they're so cute!" she moaned, though he knew she was only teasing him. "They name the Jarveys after Muggle singers, and the Krups after actors, and guess what they name the Blast Ended Skrewts after?"

"Setting aside that they should not be in an Endagered Animal Breeding Program, I have no idea."

"Serial Killers!" she said as though it was the most creative idea in the world. "They've got one named Jack and his brother named Ripper. Get it? Jack the Ripper?"

"That's lovely, but you're not bringing Jack or Ripper home for a visit, okay. When do you start?"

"The first Monday I'm available, so straight after our honeymoon."

"How long will they let you take for maternity leave?" Harry asked, only just thinking of it. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that they were going to be parents of their own little baby, in addition to Teddy.

"Well, I only get eight weeks at half pay...after that, they don't have to hold my position any longer."

"That puts us around mid-February right?" Harry asked, trying to remember what was on his schedule for that month. In his head, he quickly did the financial sums of a few different scenarios, trying to find one where they could live comfortably without Ginny being forced back into work before she wanted to. Ron and Hermione were going to move into Godric's' Hollow, make sure the house wasn't empty while they saved up some money. Neither of their jobs paid terribly well. With the rent from Tonk's property paying for itself, Harry would still be sacrificing a years worth of salary to buy the house they would need. When Ginny finished work, what would they live on?

"Stop worrying," she chastised him, running her hand up his thigh and squeezing. "There's plenty of time to figure that all out."

"That's what you said about the wedding," he grumbled, thinking about his unwritten vows. "Have you written your vows yet?"

"Ah huh," she nodded, looking at him curiously. "Have you?"

Even though he was prepared for her question, Harry's voice still rose a little higher than normal. "Yeah, I wrote them a while back." He swallowed thickly, knowing she could see straight through his lie.

"Liar," she smirked.

"Am not!" he said indignantly, not ready to give up yet. "I wrote them ages ago...just you wait."

Leaning towards him, she kissed the bottom of his jaw. "Do I need to give you some inspiration later this evening?"

"Well, we do have cause for celebration," he smiled, turning his head so he could kiss her properly. "Do you know what your Mum's doing? I was going to ask her to take Teddy this afternoon."

"We are not making my mother mind Teddy so we can have a shag!" Ginny said, pulling away and fixing him with a stern look.

"No, I meant - look at him! He's not going to make it home alive if I have to drag him around to do all the stuff I need to! I'll kill him!"

"Has he been awful?" she asked, looking down at Teddy in sympathy.

"Yes," Harry moaned. "This is the second time he's gone to sleep. Otherwise it's yap yap yap, whinge whinge whinge. And I swear to Merlin, the questions are never ending."

"Suck it up you prat," she told him, getting to her feet before kneeling by the empty fireplace. "I'll just floo Mum."

He continued stroking Teddy's hair as Ginny threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and poked her head inside, her skirt riding up as she leant further inside. Unable to resist, Harry carefully lay Teddy's head onto a pillow and got up, walking softly over to where Ginny was crouched. He bent down and tickled the patch of skin below her bottom. She gave a mighty jump at this, and blindly reached back to swat him away. He tickled her other leg now, and she yanked the back of her skirt down, unwittingly exposing the top of her underwear.

"Bugger off!" she exclaimed as she pulled her head out of the fireplace, rubbing her lower back where he had flicked her underwear. "You won't get a shag if you're not careful!"

"Yes, I will," he said cockily, turning around when Teddy gave a short giggle. "Good thing he doesn't know what we're talking about."

"I'm surprised he hasn't learnt it all from Ron," Ginny muttered, bending down and giving Teddy a kiss. "How are you feeling, Teddy Bear? Would you like to see Nana for a little while?"

As she bent over again, Harry took the time to study the back of her legs beneath her skirt, looking at the three long scars that ran across the back of her thighs. Lucius Malfoy and Amycus Carrow had inflicted those on her when she had stolen the Sword of Gryffindor, and she had endured their torture to protect it. Harry had learnt to not notice them anymore, to pretend that they weren't there so that he didn't have to torture himself every time he looked at them. After so long together, they seemed to be just another part of her. Unlike his raised red ones, hers were smooth and white, almost blending in with her creamy white skin.

For the first time, he wondered if she had ever considered having them removed, quickly thinking that she probably hadn't. She didn't wear midriff tops, so the scars on her lower back were privy only to him, and few people noticed the ones on her legs. His on the other hand, everyone noticed. A Healer had once offered to remove them for him, a quick procedure they had assured him...but he had been uncertain.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked him, sending Teddy off to collect his backpack and a toy to take to the Burrow.

Suddenly he realised he was touching the scar on his neck, tracing it absentmindedly as thought.

"Nothing," he dismissed. "Have you heard from Ron? He didn't turn up to Madam Malkins today."

"No, but that sounds just like him lately. I'll ask Hermione when we show you the house."

"You're bringing backup?" he asked. "Why?"

"Because I like this house, and I don't want you picking it to pieces over ugly wallpaper," she told him, helping Teddy stuff Woody into his bag.

Harry shifted uncomfortably at this, wondering what house had caught Ginny's undivided attention. After only one day of house hunting together, they had quickly decided that for the sake of their upcoming marriage, Ginny should do it alone. When they had returned home, they had succumbed to quite the row that had lasted for hours, followed the next day by uncomfortable silences and overly polite manners. According to Harry, the worst part of it all was that it hadn't resulted in a makeup shag. They had since worked out exactly what they both wanted, though it seemed that whatever Harry liked, Ginny hated, and vice versa. Needless to say, he was somewhat concerned about what she had in store for him today.

"Be good for Nana," Ginny said, kissing Teddy on the cheek and sending him over to Harry. "I'm just going to change my shoes."

"We won't be long," he assured her, ushering Teddy out the front door so they could apparate.

"Can we take the car, Dad?" Teddy asked.

Grimacing, Harry recalled the request from this morning. "No mate, if we apparate we can see Nana straight away...the car will take a long time."

"Okay," he agreed, allowing Harry to sigh in relief.

They apparated to the Burrow, and appeared in the driveway under a deluge of torrential rain, and Harry quickly conjured an umbrella. Taking Teddy's hand they rushed to reach the porch, Harry's heart sinking as he looked at the muddy ground and the blackened sky. They were supposed to have the reception here tomorrow afternoon.

"Wipe your feet!" Harry exclaimed, grabbing Teddy by the neck of his shirt as he bolted through the front door.

"Nana!" Teddy called out as he sloppily wiped his feet on the matt. "Nana I'm here now!"

"Hello, Teddy Bear!" Molly greeted him, coming out from the kitchen with her arms wide open.

"Hi Nana," he smiled, rushing to give her a hug. "Did you know, that Tank is coming to have a sleepover, with you and Grandad?"

"Well, yes I did," she confirmed, picking him up and giving him a kiss. "Grandad's very excited."

"Is he at work today?"

"Yes, he is I'm afraid, but you'll see him tomorrow." She turned to Harry now. "Hello dear, how are you?"

"Good thanks," he said, putting down Teddy's bag. "How long has it been raining?"

"All day," she replied, putting Teddy down and ushering them both into the kitchen. "But don't worry about a thing, rain on your wedding day is good luck."

"Yeah, a little rain," Harry said in worry. "Not a hurricane."

"Don't worry, what will happen, will happen. Focus on today, get things done, and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow."

"Thanks, Molly," Harry said politely, still worried. Would they have to move the reception elsewhere? "Sorry I can't stay, but I have to run. Ginny and I are looking at a house...we're already late."

"That's alright, I understand."

"I won't be long in picking him up," he assured her, heading for the front door.

"Leave him here. He can help me with some cooking, and there's a few other jobs we need to do. How does that sound, young man?"

"Good," Teddy said cheerfully.

Harry hesitated, as he so often did before leaving Teddy.

"He's a bit ill, just his ear again. Did Ginny tell you? His mood had been yo-yoing all day, so if he gets too much just brin-"

"Alright then dear, that's not a problem."

"Ginny packed some of his medicine, he can have more in four hours, but he should be fin-"

"Go before I throw you out!"

He hesitated again. "Alright. Bye Teddy, I'll see you later."

"Bye," he said, barely giving him a wave as he sat down to take off his shoes.

Trying again not to feel rejected, Harry quietly left, picking up the conjured umbrella and jogging through the mud until he came to the apparation point. He looked around nervously, trying to think about what they were going to do if the rain kept up. Would Ginny be terribly disappointed?

Shaking his head, Harry told himself to stop worrying, that everything would be alright. Taking Molly's advice, he tried to think only about today, and so apparated home to where Ginny was waiting for him.