A/N yay fanfic number 2! This one is gonna be AU – Sirius and Remus never died and James Sirius and Teddy are the same age.
"It feels so good to be on the train again doesn't it Mooney?" Sirius leant back in his seat and listened to the train as it steadily made its way across the Scottish countryside. They had just left platform nine and three quarters and had settled for the journey to Hogwarts. Remus had reclaimed his position as DADA professor and Sirius, now that Wormtail's body had been found and he was cleared, was going to be the Charms professor.
"Yes it does Pads." Remus looked up at the peaceful smile on his friend's face. The haunted look of Azkaban had been all but erased but he knew that was probably the best he could for. "Should be a fun year too, I mean look at the staff," He chuckled quietly.
Sirius grinned, "Planning a marauder comeback Remus?"
"Somehow I don't think that will be necessary gentlemen." The compartment door opened and there stood the new Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.
Remus smiled pleasantly, "What may we do for you Minerva?"
"I merely came to tell you that the entire staff is meeting in the first car for lunch if you are interested in joining us."
"Thank you, perhaps later on."
"Alright then I'll leave you to your chat."
Sirius sat up quickly, "Just a moment Professor what did you mean by a marauder comeback wouldn't be necessary?"
Minerva worked hard to supress a grin, "I daresay you will find out in due course. Good day to you both." With that she left them wondering how long it would take for them to figure it out.
Sirius stared at Remus, "What do you think she meant?"
"I have no idea." Remus was looking thoughtful when a knock came at door, "Come in."
A tall, lean boy with turquoise hair leaned against the doorframe with a sheepish expression on his face, "Err…hi dad – I mean Professor – do you mind if me and my friends sit in here?"
"My friends and I Mr. Lupin and please join us." Remus grinned at his 13 year-old son. When he told Teddy that he was going to be teaching this year Teddy had been overjoyed but, as Sirius so eloquently phrased it, "it still sucks arse that he was going to be having parental and teacher supervision rolled in one". Teddy returned with two boys Remus had only ever seen on the platform before now.
Teddy still look mightily uncomfortable but ploughed forward anyway, "Dad, Uncle Sirius, this is one of my best mates Nicholas Longbottom. Nick this is my dad Remus Lupin and my grand-godfather Sirius." Teddy smiled at Sirius knowing full well the man hated the title, "makes me sound like some old mafia crone!" Sirius scowled but good-naturedly all the same as he and Remus shook hands with the boy.
"Hello Nicholas I believe I know your parents." Remus smiled the similarity between this boy and Neville was like Harry and his father James. The only real difference between them were his hair and eyes which were an odd cross of blue—grey and blonde hair that belonged to his mother Luna.
"You do sir. Mum and dad talk about you sometimes, dad especially. They both said you're a great teacher." Remus let out a low chuckle at the boy; he even said things like Neville.
Teddy continued on, "and this is Shawn Williams." The second boy moved forward to shake their hands. He was long and lanky with hair that fell to his shoulders that he had tied back. He had a thin face and light brown eyes. While his face was innocent looking, he had a distinctly mischievous aura to him that made Remus immediately think of Sirius. Teddy started to relax as the boys brought out snacks, "We're just waiting on James, I don't know what's keeping him."
Shawn looked at Teddy with a crooked smile, "You really don't know?"
Teddy sighed but smiled, "A bloke can hope can't he?"
Sirius interrupted, "James? As in Harry's son who bears my namesake?"
Teddy laughed, "The one and only. James Sirius Potter. I should think we don't need introductions there."
"Not necessary Mr. Lupin, I can hardly forget the child that snuck a decoy detonator into my box of rare books." The boys roared with laughter having heard the story. Remus cringed at the idea of his precious volumes being nearly damaged while Sirius was trying to supress his laughter at the look on Remus's face by the mere memory.
"Well," Teddy said while he munched on a chocolate bar, "he did say sorry."
"Bloody hell Ted, where in the name of Merlin do you keep getting chocolate from?" Nick looked at Teddy exasperatedly. He turned to Remus, "Every time you look the other way Ted has a fresh one is his hand." Sirius had to smile at this "like father, like son".
Shawn looked at his friend, "Keep on like this and we're gonna cut you off."
"Not gonna work," said Remus and Sirius under their breath in unison. They looked at each other and started laughing in earnest.
Before Teddy could question the adults the compartment door flew open and in walked James looking thoroughly put out as he flopped on to the compartment seat. "Well hello to you too James," said Sirius dryly. James looked up and the two men, "Oh, hi."
"Alright who's turn is it this time?" Teddy asked the other boys. Nick sighed as he threw his liquorice wand to the side and said with the air of someone who had been through many, many times, "What's the matter James?"
"Matter? Nothing is the matter." The boys only looked at Remus and Sirius and silently held up their hands counting down five, four, three, two, one –
"HOW CAN SHE KEEP DOING THIS TO ME? YOU WOULD THINK THAT SHE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE HINT BY NOW?"
"I don't think she's the one who needs to take the hint," muttered Shawn knowing that everyone could hear him.
"How can you say that? You know I love her!" James looked utterly outraged. Remus and Sirius shared a wide-eyed glance.
"Yes, yes," said Teddy rolling his eyes with a plea to the beings above, "she is your world -"
"Your everything -" supplied Nick.
"The mother of your future children -" added Shawn.
"It's more than that she's -" James began.
"WE KNOW!" roared the three boys in unison.
Remus and Sirius now wore expressions appropriate for one being clubbed over the head. This was unreal. They looked at each, "whoa déjà vu much" they both muttered to one another. So this is what Minerva was referring to thought Remus. Sirius thought he fallen into that twilight zone thing he had seen on Lily's television. Teddy did not entirely misread the men's expressions as confusion and explained -
"Oops sorry dad let me bring you and uncle Siri up to speed," employing another of Sirius's hated nicknames Teddy sat up, "Last year James met this girl named Sarah Morgan. She's in our year and he is mad for her but she keeps turning him down, believes he's a right idiot. Any guesses at James's solution gents?"
Shawn pulled a face of mock concentration, "Give her some space?"
"Nope," replied Teddy with a pop.
"Change his ways so he could prove her wrong?" asked Nick.
"Wrong again."
"Oh oh I know I know," Shawn bounced in his seat, "Keeps asking her out, multiple times a day, practically stalk her and hope that he wears her down even though he's proving her right."
"Well done Mr. Williams. Full marks." Teddy said glowering at James.
"You mock my love now," said James with as much dignity as he could muster, "You'll see, she WILL say yes…..someday."
"Someday being the operative word." Shawn countered.
"Uncle Remus, uncle Sirius, you are professors now! How can you allow this?" James looked pleadingly
Might as well play along thought Remus, "Well they aren't breaking any rules that I am aware of. Can you think of any Sirius?" He looked towards to animagus who grinned as he caught on, "Nope but then we are NEW teachers, what would we know about the rules?"
James looked like he had been betrayed while Teddy snorted in amusement, "You not know the rules? Didn't you break them all?"
Sirius adopted a sage like expression, "Ahhh but my young metamorphagus one does not necessarily need to know the rules to break them."
"Touché," acknowledged Shawn.
"Just for the record though," put in Nick, "We have to take the mickey out of him purely for the principle of the matter."
"We wouldn't be his best friends otherwise." Teddy confirmed as though stating some iron clad law.
"It's true," threw in Shawn.
"Well boys, me and Professor Black here are going to the first car to join the staff for lunch. We shall see you later." Remus and Sirius stood up and stretched.
"It's "Professor Black and I" sir," Sirius had to laugh at that while Teddy innocently met Remus's glare.
"Bye boys." Sirius called.
"Bye," they all chorused.
As the two friends reached a suitable distance from the compartment, they only had to look at each other one more time before they started to burst out laughing so hard that tears ran down their faces.
"Remus mate," Sirius choked out between snickers, "I guess you were right, this year is going to be interesting."
"I guess we should count ourselves lucky it's not us that have to put with the famous Potter belly aching. We can pleasantly sit on the sidelines this time." Remus wiped his face unable to stop smiling like fool.
"Oh gods, what a relief! I mean I think James annoyed even the teachers in his day."
"And rightly so considering he used to take advantage of the classes to ask Lily out seeing as she couldn't run away." This caused a fresh wave of hilarity to rise and it was several moments before they could compose themselves to continue walking to the front car.
"Remember that one time when McGonagall got so fed up with James that she threatened to take away his quidditch privileges for the year?" Sirius asked.
Remus grinned, "James looked like he wanted to cry. He was so scared only to find out McGonagall was messing with him the entire time."
"Still think that justified transfiguring all her notes into mice?"
"James did." Remus answered with a snort.
"And that was good enough for us." Sirius smiled at the old times. "At least you know the tradition is being carried on."
"I know second generation marauders. Can you imagine that?"
"You know I did not envy the teachers back in our day. It would probably be worse now."
"All the new pranking items and more hexes and jinxes being invented. Lord help the ones who would have to deal with that."
Sirius stopped dead in his tracks. Remus barely noticed and turned to face his childhood friend who had become frozen like statuary. Remus, courtesy of his werewolf hearing, could just make out the "holy crap!" that escaped Sirius's lips.
"Padfoot…" Remus walked slowly to his friend, "what's wrong?"
"We're the ones." Sirius looked utterly horrified.
"Huh? Pads you're not making any sense."
"Remus!" Sirius grabbed his friend's shoulders and gave him a look of pleading to understand, "WE are those ones now."
"Sirius Orion Black I haven't got a – OH!" Remus now looked horrified.
"Enjoy your year boys." The both looked around to see a smirking McGonagall raise her goblet in a toast to them before walking away.