As Years Go By
"Teddy!" Andromeda called from the foot of the staircase.
A young Teddy Lupin opened his bedroom door and called out, "What, Gran?"
"Come down, please! We have visitors," she replied.
Teddy was down the flight of stairs in three jumps. He looked up at his grandmother from behind a lock of turquoise hair.
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are here," Andromeda said, "in the sitting room with your grandfather. Please go and say hello."
"Sure, Gran," Teddy said reluctantly. He shuffled his feet towards the sitting room. Immediately the familiar scarred face of Bill Weasley came into view. Bill picked him up and groaned a little.
"You've grown since the last time I saw you! How old are you now?" he asked.
"I'll be nine in May," Teddy said proudly. From the corner of his eye he saw Bill's wife, Fleur, and their daughter, who he had met seen before.
"Hello again, Teddy," Fleur said. "I do not believe zat you have met our daughter yet, hmm? Victoire, mon amour, say hello."
The young girl stepped out from behind her mother and introduced herself by kissing Teddy on the cheek. His hair turned purple and she giggled. "How do you do that?!" she whispered, her blue eyes curious.
Teddy's grandfather cleared his throat. "Bill has a message from his father for me, Teddy. Can you take Victoire into the kitchen for a snack until we are done?"
Teddy grinned and complied, and Victoire happily followed him.
A few years later, Teddy and Victoire were sitting outside Florean Fortescue's icecream parlor in Hogsmeade with the Potter kids. Teddy's godfather Harry Potter was sitting with his wife and Victoire's parents close by.
Victoire glanced inside some of Teddy's shopping bags. "Your books, your school robes, your potion supplies…" she counted off. "I'm so excited for you! You'll be at Hogwarts next week."
"What house do you think you'll be in?" Little James interrupted. "Mum says that Uncle Ron is just kidding when he says we have got to be in Gryffindor, but I dunno, he sounds pretty serious…"
Teddy shrugged. "Harry has already told me about the sorting, and everything else about Hogwarts," he said confidently. He always spoke with confidence, for an eleven year old. Harry told him it came from his mother's side.
"I'll miss you," Victoire said, "but only one more year for me!"
James sunk lower in his seat and mumbled, "Yeah, and four for me."
May of his first year Teddy received a birthday present from his godfather Harry. When he opened it he found a photo album with a note attached.
Teddy,
Most of my memories of my parents came from a photo album just like this one. I did not have any photos of your parents, but I asked around and received quite a few. Have a happy birthday. You deserve it.
Love,
Harry
Teddy stared at the album. He had heard many stories of his parents thus far, but seen very few photos.
After several moments he opened it. The first photo was of the original Order of the Phoenix, with a more recent photo under that. His parents were both pointed out.
The second photo was of his parents' wedding. They looked so happy. His mother's hair was a shockingly bright shade of pink. He grinned. The hair fit with the description of her clumsiness perfectly.
There were a few photos of his father at school with his friends. Teddy had heard stories about the famous Marauders from his godfather. There was a photo of his mother with his grandparents. There was a photo of Victoire's parents' wedding. He kept flipping through and finally, there was a photo of the day Teddy was born. He already had bright turquoise hair.
Teddy stared at the last photo. Several tears slipped down his cheeks, but despite them, he was happy.
Scorpius Malfoy's face looked like it had never seen a smile. "You don't have the red hair, but I know you're a Weasley," he sneered in Victoire's face. She whipped out her wand and took a step back.
"Don't try me, Malfoy. I won't just stand here and let you insult my family."
"You don't have to guts to hurt me. Now that you mention your family, let me start with werewolves."
Malfoy ignored her outstretched arm and strode towards her. Before he got within six feet there was a bang and he was on the ground, blinking stupidly. Victoire looked confused too.
"I know I told you to stay away from him, Vic."
Teddy Lupin pocketed his robe and grinned at her. Victoire stomped through the snow in a huff, her long blonde locks flowing behind her.
"Oh, sweet Merlin, Vic!" Teddy yelled as he ran to catch up with her. They were on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. "I was just trying to–"
"I can't take care of myself, you know," she said as she turned around to face him. "You don't have to watch me all the time."
"You're only a third year," Teddy began, and she rolled her eyes. "But you're braver than most," he admitted. He tugged on her scarf, which advertised Gryffindor's colors. The colors on Teddy's scarf were blue and bronze. Victoire caved and smiled. Teddy noticed the freckles on her nose. She started walking back to the castle with Teddy. "I'm sure Malfoy wasn't just thinking of your father when he mentioned werewolves," he said sadly.
Victoire slipped her hand in his and smiled sweetly at him. "Forget about it. Are you ready for Christmas holidays?" she asked.
"I'm going with my godfather again to the Burrow," Teddy said happily. His hair turned a darker blue, the shade that showed he was happy.
"I'd love that! I liked having someone to talk to last year… But really, I don't know if Grandma Molly can fit the whole family in the house again, especially with Uncle George and Aunt Alicia's new baby..."
It was Teddy's sixth year, and he was spending the day at Harry's house with the rest of the Weasley family. He and Victoire had just taken their younger cousins for icecream in town in Godric's Hollow, and the parents were inside following up dinner with some drinks.
Harry stepped out and said something to James, who was showing Hugo his new broomstick. Hugo had his beater's bat out, and they were organizing a game of quidditch with Albus and Rose before the sun set.
Teddy and Victoire joined and the game became three on three. Victoire was not so great of a player, but an excellent flyer. She liked flying around Teddy and distracting him rather than focusing on the game.
"Hugo!" Ron's voice came from below. Hugo didn't answer, considering he had the quaffle under his arm and was racing past his sister. His mother's voice was more insistent. "Hugo Frederick Weasley! We are going to floo without you if you're not down here in the next two minutes!"
Harry yelled outside and told Teddy that he would be spending the night with them. Harry and Ginny made sure than Harry's godson would have his own room in their house in Godric's Hollow. Teddy and Victoire sat down on the steps of the porch where they could here the remaining people laughing inside. They were alone.
"Your save during the game..." Teddy began, "I'd never seen you do anything like it!"
Victoire smiled and shrugged. "I was feeling up to it, is all," she said. "I'm glad my mum didn't notice me playing. She doesn't think it's all that witchlike."
Teddy laughed. He looked up at the sky. "Stars are coming out," he mentioned. Victoire looked up too. She nodded.
Even in the dim light Victoire seemed to glow. She looked Teddy in the eyes. As he leaned closer she slipped her hand in his. Then, he kissed her.
"It's the second day of school, you two!" Professor Longbottom said slowly. "You better not mention to your parents I'm not reporting you for this sort of display. They don't want me to show favorites. Now get out of here!"
Teddy and Victoire ran away from the greenhouses, laughing. They slowed to a walk, still hand in hand.
"I'm glad he isn't going to tell," Victoire said meaningfully. She glanced at Teddy.
"What, because they don't know?" Teddy asked, referring to their parents and family. "Listen, Vic, I know you think that they're clueless, but... I think they know."
Victoire stopped walking. "How?"
Teddy smiled a little. He was a head taller than her, so he looked down. "I always knew I was going to end up with you. Our parents know us and they understand. They trust us. Don't worry." He held her hands in his.
Victoire smiled and Teddy was momentarily startled by her beauty. He flicked his hair, which had remained a darker shade of blue since last Easter, out of his brown eyes. She licked her lips and said, "Ted, I'm falling in love with you."
"Victoire, I'm already in love with you," he said back.
Teddy groaned at the sight of the books on his desk. "Let's take a break, now," he said earnestly, flopping onto his bed.
"Teddy, I came over to your godfather's house to help you study for your NEWT's!" Victoire exclaimed. Today, they had cooked dinner for themselves at Harry's house since none of the Potters were home.
Teddy leaned forward and kissed her neck. "Please, Vic?" he begged playfully, his voice a little throaty. Victoire sighed. "Next week will be our one-year anniversary, you know," Teddy said.
Victoire giggled. "Of course I know." She leaned back and looked him in the eyes. "I think I'm ready," she said after a moment.
"Me too." Teddy kissed her again. "Are you sure?" Victoire lay on top of him on the bed and he slipped his hands under her shirt and onto her back. She kissed him, hard.
"I love you so much," Teddy whispered against her lips. His hair had turned a deep scarlet, and his eyes were dark.
Victoire's face was flushed and her hair fell around her face. "I love you too."
Teddy shuffled from foot to foot outside the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. It felt weird, not being in a Hogwarts uniform while he was in Hogsmeade. As he was thinking this he saw Victoire running towards him.
"Hey, stranger," she said quietly and gave him a lingering kiss. Teddy wrapped his arms around her tightly.
"How's my head girl?" He said gruffly against her neck. His stubble ticked her and she giggled.
"Excellent, now that you're here. It's been weeks."
Teddy grabbed her hand and walked towards the restaurant. He saw lit candles through the windows. "I promised you I'd visit every Hogsmeade weekend though, didn't I?"
"And you're one for one right now. Tell me how the Ministry is and I'll tell you about being head girl."
The restaurant was full of people but remarkably quiet. Halfway through dinner Teddy brought up James discovering them at King's Cross when Teddy had come to see Victoire off.
"You were right," she said. "My parents weren't surprised at all. They knew all along."
"Same with the Potters. And you know how my gran adores you, Vic. They just want us to be happy," Teddy told her. "I've even talked to your dad about it."
This made Victoire jump. She grasped his hand across the table. Teddy grinned and stared at her for a moment, and then scooted his chair back a bit. "Ted?" Victoire questioned.
Teddy reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. He got down on one knee and took Victoire's hand in his.
"Victoire Weasley," he said, looking up at her beaming face, "I know we're young, but I want to spend my life with you."
"There's no one in this world I would ever want to be with but you, Ted," she said softly.
"I fell the same way. That being said... in a year or two... will you marry me?"
Victoire was speechless. The restaurant had gone silent. Finally, with tears of joy in her eyes, she nodded and said, "Yes."
Teddy slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her to a round of applause.