Happy 59th Birthday to Remus Lupin. Sorry the books did you dirty, so here is the birthday I feel like you deserved.
Remus Lupin felt old.
Of course, he had felt old since he was about fourteen, but this was different. He wondered perhaps if it was the years of untreated lycanthropy taking their vengeance on him, or the fact that he was fifty-nine today.
Fifty. Nine. Only a year left until he was right a proper old. He shook his head, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb. His head snapped up suddenly though, his still ever too keen hearing catching the sound of giggles and muffled whispers from the other side of his office door.
'Shh. He's going to hear you two. Stop it.' He heard his son, his oldest child, scold his younger siblings.
'You shh. He always hears us.' Came a reply from the youngest, his fourteen year old daughter, who sounded much too much like her mother when annoyed. 'You know he hears everything.'
"She's right, you know." He called, a smile playing at his lips. Merlin, how he loved them all.
Teddy, the eldest of them, was now twenty one, and gunning for Flitwick's job, who was rumored to be retiring the following school year. He was apprenticing under the old Professor, and from what his coworker had told him, the boy was an excellent fit for the job. He was also their only metamorphmagi, like their mother, though his face tended to more resemble his father. Next came Della, who was now nineteen and still bouncing about, a new job every few months, easily bored and unsure of what she wants to do with her life. She was very much Remus' daughter, though he felt it looked much better on her. Sandy blonde hair and green and gold flaked eyes, and the most mischievous smile. Hope, who came as a surprise, was fourteen, and still in school, a Ravenclaw at Hogwarts where Remus was the deputy headmaster under headmistress McGonagall. She looked very much like Remus' mother, whom she was named for.
The three of them burst through the door, bagged gifts and balloons and a boxed breakfast in tote. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!" They shouted in unison.
"How did you even find me this early?" He wondered, looking over at the grandfather clock in the corner by the window. It was only 7:32, and on a Sunday to boot. They would all normally sleep until at the least 10:30.
"Mum got called in. Reckoned when she woke up alone you were up here, in your office, moping." Della explained.
"Hmm. Did she now?" He couldn't help but laugh. His wife was always making sure he was not left alone for too long, it worried her too much to allow.
"Well, are you going to open these up, or should we just let Hope do it?" Teddy ask, mocking how his baby sister, who was famous in her younger days for wanting to open everyone else's presents.
"I think we should eat first." Della offered, holding the box of food higher.
"Oh, but I am 'overly Hufflepuff'?" Teddy said, rolling his eyes at his Gryffindor sister, who often picked on his undeniable snack habits.
"Food sounds good, if I am allowed a vote..." Remus said, after clearing his throat. He had to pretend to be annoyed with their squabbles, as was a father's job. But he loved it, every second he could just sit and watch them interact with one another.
"It's your birthday!" Hope squealed. "Of course you get a vote."
Hope and Della unpacked a breakfast feast of chocolate crepes, berries, and coffee, and placed it all out on a table that Teddy transfigured from an old stand globe for them to all eat at. They all insisted he not help at all, so he sat back and waited, amused.
"So, after breakfast..." Della trailed off, gesturing for their father to come and take his seat, "We were thinking you could maybe tag along with us."
"Tag along... Where?" He ask cautiously. He was suddenly very suspicious.
"London!" Hope cheered. "Please say yes, Daddy! Some of the things we already have tickets for!"
"Shut it!" Della and Teddy scolded together.
"Just how long have you three been planning this?" He snorted, amused more and more by them.
"A while." Della shrugged. Remus himself had never spent much time actually experiencing London, but Della made it priority one when she had left Hogwarts. She and two of her friends had rented a flat and gotten basic starter jobs at muggle restaurants and bars, mostly wanting the experiences the city had to offer.
"Right. " He nodded. "Breakfast, then I guess I can 'tag along...' he concluded.
As it turned out, each of the children had picked out a place they wanted to take him to.
First, because she was the most excitable and couldn't contain herself, was Hope's pick, which was the Sherlock Holmes Museum. She had chosen this one because of all the stories and books that Remus read to her as a little girl, the various adventures of the detective and doctor were always their favorites. It was an absolute delight, Remus had to admit, and they even had a stranger/ fellow tourist take their picture in at least three different places, including one where they all wore the iconic deer stalker hats that Sherlock himself was famous for.
After their time at the museum, came a break for Fish and Chips from a food truck, which Remus was always slightly wary of, but both Della and Dora would often drag him along, both preferring them over any other kind of fair. Then on to to Teddy's pick, Piccadilly Circus. This, Teddy had loved since Remus and Dora had brought him as a small boy, when shopping for clothes for Della, a few weeks before she was born. He'd loved the flashing signs and statues and street performers. They took their time, window shopped, and Remus even picked up a pair of earrings he thought suited Dora, and would be her souvenir from the trip she unfortunately had to miss.
As the day crept on, it started to grow darker. Around six that evening, Della started to get excited.
"Alright!" She said, bouncing a bit on the balls of her feet, "This next bit, we all agreed, was the best. So we saved it for last..."
"Today has been by far, my best birthday ever with you three. I don't know how you expect to top it." Remus mused.
"Don't ask too many questions." Hope said, grinning.
"And put this on." Teddy added, handing him a thick blindfold. Remus took it, but simply looked the three of them over, an eyebrow raised nearly to his hair.
"I don't think so." He refused, shaking his head. "No way."
"Come on." Teddy urged. "It'll be worth it! Don't you trust us?"
"NO!" Remus laughed out loud. "No, Heavens, no. You're my children. I have no reason to trust you."
"That's fair, really." Della agreed. "But seriously, Daddy. I promise, it will be worth it, like Ted said."
Remus sighed, defeated, and tied the blindfold behind his head. He stood, arms outstretched in a shrug, waiting. He felt Della place her hand on his shoulder and then before he even had time to think, he was getting his barrings after a disapperation had taken them somewhere. Della's hand left him and he heard the 'pop' of her leaving him. A bit more than annoyed with them, he jerked the blindfold off to find himself standing in a carriage pod on the London Eye. He was facing the outside, looking down at the city he'd just spent the day exploring with his children. The lights and the river were very beautiful, he had to admit.
"Not a bad view, that." He heard, and spun on his heels. Dora, his lovely Dora, was standing before him in her best black dress, next to a small table set for two in the center of their pod. Her hair was the same red as the rose on the table, and twisted delicately up onto her head. She came over and wrapped her arms around him.
"I'd argue the view this way is much better." He laughed, and she stood on her toe tips to kiss him.
"Happy Birthday, Baby." She said with a large smile.
"Thank you, my darling." He replied, picking up her hand to kiss her knuckles.
"How was your day?" She ask, as he pulled out her chair for her to sit before he took his own place at the table. He reached across the table and took her hand in his.
"Have I thanked you lately?" He ask, admiring her in the candlelight. "For our children?"
"Everyday. But considering the stretch marks I have I never hear it enough." She giggled.
"You're wonderful." He breathed. "This has be, or rather, is," He corrected himself, "The best birthday I could have ever imagined."
"Well, I should warn you that this pod is only ours until 7:30, and there is a party for you at our house at eight. And dinner won't even appear until half past six." She stroked at his arm.
"Can you see into this thing? Or just out?" He questioned.
"Just out." She assured him, watching his face grow more youthful, mischievous, and he smirked. "Did you have anything in mind to kill the time until we eat?"
"I might have to eat something now..." He winked, and even though it had been years, Nymphadora Lupin felt herself blush.
"I don't know, Rem. If you're such an old man, can you handle something as adventurous as a shag on the London Eye?" She barely had time to react when she heard the growl come from the back of his throat, but she did at least remember to set a reminder on her cell phone the kids insisted she needed so they would know when their food had arrived before she was backed against the glass.
Later that evening, after the guests had all filed out of their home, Remus lay holding Dora tight to his chest. He was idly stroking her hand with his thumb, thinking she had long since fallen asleep. "Wanna tell me what you're thinking?" She ask, snuggling back into his embrace.
"I'm not thinking." He replied, a bit sleepily.
"Right." She snorted, then rolled over so they were nose to nose. She kissed the very tip of his nose then backed away slightly so she could see him better.
"I'm not!" He defended, and he smiled. "I swear."
"You're so handsome when you look like you're up to something." She said, stroking the neatly trimmed beard adorning his jawline.
"I always look like I'm up to something." He reminded her.
"Yes. That's why we have three kids and then I had the tubal. You do always look like that, I can hardly stand it." She rubbed her nose against his.
"Well, I apologize. I guess the something I'm usually up to is thinking where I can sneak off to with my stunning wife." He ran his fingers up and down her spine.
"So it's all my fault?" She teased.
"Only always." He confirmed, and yawned largely.
"We should sleep. You do have to mold young minds in the morning." She reminded him. He hummed a small reply, but had already drifted off to sleep. She gently pushed herself up slightly in the bed and pressed her lips to his forehead. "Happy Birthday, Baby." She repeated, before she herself faded into sleep.
Thanks for reading this fic I did for Remus' Birthday!
Might use these OC daughters again if you guys like them!
Let me know what you think in the reviews!