He was back. Remus had no idea how he had gotten out. One moment he had been sitting next to Sirius and Tonks, just laughing and talking as usual, and now he was somewhere else. As he came to his senses he saw where he was. Hogwarts, his first true home, was before his light brown eyes. He was out on the grounds. When going to school this had been his favorite place to go; even as a child he loved the outdoors since he had grown up in an old town that seemed like it was back in time about twenty years.
Rather quickly he glanced around. How much longer did he have? What time of year was it? Even in the air he could feel the old magic that had brought him back pulsing around through the wind that blew through the trees. The second question that had run through his mind was answered quickly while he looked around his beloved grounds. Fall was upon the school; the leaves were fiery colors of golden yellow, burnt ember color, and a bright orange. On the green grass there were the crispy brown ones that he had loved to crunch when younger. From the sound of the people inside he could guess that it was the Halloween Feast. October 31st… but what year?—he could only hope to find out soon enough.
Remus's eyes settled on something, more of someone, in the distance. It was a person with a book in hand, nestled under a tree. The tree; that was the Marauder's tree that all had signed, more of carved, their name on it with a knife James had nicked from the kitchens. He walked closer, his feet feeling like they were gliding rather than touching the ground. When he stopped he had to be about five feet in front of the person. It was a boy, probably about seventeen. He had bright blue hair. For no reason it changed.
"Teddy." His voice sounded like a breath of air. It was his little boy, all grown up. A chill passed over him. If he was able to get goosebumps still, he would have had them. Teddy looked up and around, hair changing to a reddish color in alarm. Then his eyes settled on the ghost in front of him. His eyes, which were the same light brown as Remus's, widened.
"Dad," Teddy's answer was just a breath as well. He stood up. Remus looked over the boy. Teddy had his mother's hair ability, and probably her personality that went with it. But everything else was his; the small build for his age, the easy to manage hair, the light brown eyes that captured any kind of light that it could get. The moon was shining brightly in the background so both of their eyes caught the silver light. "H-how?" Teddy's voice was thick as he had spoken.
"I dunno… But I'm here right now, aren't I?" Remus couldn't help but smile at the person he had waited so long to see. He took quick steps forward and rested his hand on the boy's cheek. He could feel the warmth of him. Teddy's eyes closed and he rested, or attempted, to rest his hand on Remus's. The hand fell through the older man's face. "You're so beautiful. I couldn't have imagined how you looked Teddy. I've been waiting so long to see you. I think about you every day."
"I think about you too, Dad. I always do. How are you? And how is Mum? Are you both good?" The questions seemed to tumble out of his mouth without any warning. Teddy's eyes pooled with unshed tears. A few leaked out. Remus tried to wipe at them, but his fingers went through the boy's cheek. It was useless. He was just a ghost that was here for only a few hours.
"I'm good, better than good now that I'm right here with you. And your Mum is the same; I'm sure she's going to want to hear all about you and what you look like. She always said you would look like me… I guess she was right. And how are you? Are you good in school? What year are you?"
More tears leaked out of Teddy's eyes as he continued to stare at the ghost in front of him. "I never knew who I looked like most. There aren't too many pictures of a teenage you around the house. I'm really good, Dad. I'm, according to the professors, the top of my year. I'm a seventh year. After this year I'll be off on my own."
Remus had been absent Teddy's whole life. That was too long for anyone. He had missed everything from his first word to his first girlfriend. Everything. And nothing could get those years back. "That's brilliant," he said in a thick voice. It was starting to get to him. Teddy nodded his head as more tears spilled out; making his cheeks shine in the moonlight.
They stayed quiet for a long time, just looking at each other. Remus couldn't help but drink him in. The last time he had seen this amazing boy, he had been tucking him in before the battle at Tonks's mother's home. He still remembered how he had said to Teddy that he would be back when the battle was over and when they had won. He remembered saying how much he loved him. Remus doubted that Teddy could remember anything of that since he had barely been two months old at that time.
"Why did you have to die, Dad? Why did you both have to die? I wish you hadn't… I want you both back." Teddy had closed his eyes as he stood there. It didn't matter that his father's hand was freezing cold against his cheek. It didn't matter that he was missing out on the Halloween feast. His father was back, for now. He was back.
Remus closed his eyes at those questions. "Everything happens for a reason, Teddy. And your mother and I dying was just a part of something planned out for us. I died because I was protecting you. I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm proud to have died in battle, because I was fighting for your freedom. If we had lost, they would have killed the resistors and their families. I gave my life for you. That's the best way to go. And your mother did too. She ran off into the battle to find me, and was killed along the way. We both died for a reason, and that reason was you."
"No. I'm not the reason you died. I can't be. I don't want to be. If you were here, or if I was with you, it'd be better."
His eyes snapped open to settle on Teddy. "Now listen here; if you had died as well you wouldn't have this. You would be up there without ever really living your life. After Hogwarts you'll start living. Live out your days for those that have fallen. One day, many, many years from now, we'll be together again, but not today, not now."
Teddy nodded his head in understanding as he opened his eyes to look at his father. "I just wish I could be with you. If I don't change my hair and relax it naturally goes to your color. I only do it when I'm asleep though so I never get to really see it." Remus smiled sadly and dropped his hand from the boy's cheek.
"I wish that I could see it. I wish that I could see everything. In heaven you're kept away from seeing everything that would bring you back to the world you left. But I would come back here and see you as often as I wanted if it meant walking this world even when you were gone up to where I should have been." They both broke out into that identical smile that was small but conveyed that they were honestly happy. Remus sat down on the ground, which was an interesting feat since he had to try not to fall through it, and then patted the ground next to him. Teddy got the message and lowered himself to the ground as well.
Both of them stayed silent as they looked out onto the lake. For that moment they were simply father and son, together from odd circumstances. "Do you really have to go?" The soft question broke the silence. It sounded as if a child had asked that question even though it was a boy that was going to be an adult in just six short months.
"Yes, love, I do have to leave. I need to go back to your mother so she doesn't worry over me any more than she already does," he murmured back. There was a light pressure on his shoulder. When he looked over he saw Teddy leaning his head over to rest on Remus's shoulder. He wasn't truly transparent anymore. He watched in a slight wonder as the boy seemed to grow heavier as he got sleepier and sleepier. This wasn't something he had watched happen since the night he had gone off to the battle. Remus knew Teddy had slipped off into the heavy sleep that parents caused their children to go into when they were little children. Even after all the years he missed, this could happen.
Remus let himself sit in the silence of the outdoors while Teddy slept against his shoulder. The sun continued to go down on the world, shrouding them in darkness. The feast continued going on but as the time grew longer the voices grew softer and more distant. He could feel himself growing weaker as the time passed. After hours of the quiet except for Teddy's breathing, Remus knew that it was time for him to leave the earth as he was. "Teddy," he quietly called.
The boy sat up in confusion. His hair blinked to a different color. "Dad… you're becoming more transparent." Remus nodded his head. He knew it was his time to leave.
"Remember that I'll always love you. Your mother will always love you too. Remember that we're always here," he pointed towards the boy's heart, "If you remember that, we'll never ever leave you." Teddy's eyes filled with unshed tears as he could only nod his head.
"I love you Dad."
"I love you too, Teddy." Remus got up off the ground and looked at the sky that was growing lighter and lighter by the minute. "Always remember the fallen, because they gave their lives to make this a better life for you. Remember us." Again Teddy nodded his head.
Remus felt himself starting to fade to the place that he always was. Everything around him grew lighter as he entered heaven, but Teddy remained. Now the boy was openly crying and it was obvious to Remus that he was gone from the world Teddy was in. The last thing he heard was, "I'll never forget you Dad," as the boy too faded away into the light.
A/N
I really enjoyed writing this. It was written for a contest, with Remus coming back to life for a bit as a prompt. I would really enjoy some reviews (: