Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Characters: Theodore Nott, Harry Potter, Winky, OC Children, Teddy Lupin, Mentioned Hermione and Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, others
Summary: Harry and Theo discuss parenthood, love and exasperating children.
Author's Note: Hey everyone, so for those who are reading my Rebirth series, I have not given up, nope! Unfortunately, I suffered a really bad concussion a bit ago and some of the side effects during recovery has been an inability to read or focus on words for longer than a few minutes at a time. I've also had a hard time with word retention and I've scored considerably low in that aspect when doing my recovery testing. This fic was my first time I've been able to actually sit down and concentrate without it hurting long enough to write anything, even if it did take me three days to write it because of my many, many breaks I've had to take. Still, I'm proud of myself for finishing it. My next goal is coming up with another chapter of Rebirth next. Cheers!
The fire crackled from the fireplace, sending warmth and light through the small den, illuminating on the couple who sat contently against each other on the loveseat. The taller figure, a man in his early thirties, had a folder in front of him open, occasionally writing a note or marking something. His sandy brown hair was swept from his face, revealing aristocratic features and sharp brown eyes. His company, though smaller in stature, seemed to radiate presence. Soft, raven-colored curls framed her face revealing elegant features that spoke of high breeding. The most stunning part that seemed to immediately draw attention was not the lightning bolt scar on her forehead, but instead her luminous eyes the color of the killing curse. She, unlike her company who was focused on paperwork, spent her time engrossed in a novel.
Peacefulness radiated between the two of them with the man sporadically reaching a hand out to caress her cheek or hand, and her responding by briefly leaning into the touch. It wasn't for another hour that the man finally shuffled the papers back into the folder before it disappeared with a pop, presumably to his study. "Love?" He asked quietly, the soft rumble of his voice easily gaining the woman's attention.
"Yes, Theo?" She responded, placing a bookmark in the open page before setting the novel down to give him her full attention.
"I am so thankful for you." He leaned forward to place a kiss on the top of her head, eliciting a charming smile in response.
Hariel Lilian Potter-Nott laughed softly at her husband, "I love you too dear, what brought this on?" she asked, turning to face him. The years following the defeat of Lord Voldemort had been incredibly kind to her, and though her husband and herself were only just reaching their forties, they still looked as if they were in their early thirties. Magic occasionally had wonderful side effects.
"I am just thankful that you have a quiet bookworm a chance for friendship. As I doubt I would have never gained the courage to ask you out in our Seventh year, my dear." Theodore stated, reaching a hand out to tuck a flyaway black curl back behind her ear. He didn't immediately pull his hand away, instead using his appendage to gently caress the side of her face.
A soft laugh escaped her lips, amusement easily read across her face as she leaned into his touch. "Well, I'm just thankful that you survived my infamous Potter luck."
It was Theo's turn to chuckle, his deep voice sending shivers of pleasure down the witches back. "I am hoping that little Jamie does not inherit the cursed Potter luck."
"If she doesn't, Orion will." She shook her head lightly, "I still can't believe that Orion will be leaving for Hogwarts in a few months. It seems like just yesterday he was stealing the practice brooms to go flying unsupervised at night."
Theo smiled at the memory, adding, "The first time he broke his arm after falling off, I was ready to burn every broom we own." His smile turned wistful as he turned his gaze to the fire, staring off into place. "Poor Jamie is going to be so bored until she can join her big brother."
"Three years isn't that long. I think we can successfully keep her busy with another tutor and perhaps more family trips." Harry paused, tilting her head to the side in thought. "Perhaps another trip to Africa will keep her mind off missing him. We haven't been there since she was five, Orion was eight and Teddy was twelve. We can turn it into a learning trip - have her practice under a couple of the local shamans, possibly visit with Newt, last I heard, he was back in Africa with Tina."
"She is our little future Hufflepuff." Theo agreed, focusing his attention back to his wife. "Let us hope that she doesn't try to bring home a Runespoor like last time." He shook his head ruefully at the thought, "I don't think I've ever been so terrified in my life to seeing her coming back from the bathroom with one around her neck that was easily larger than her entire body."
"Well, at least she takes after her mother. Still, Teedle, Weedle, and Deedle were more than happy to give her some venom and an egg after being moved to a sanctuary. Jamie has quite a collection of rare potion ingredients already for an eight-year-old. If she decides she would like to practice her potion skills more, she has a large selection to choose from with experimenting." Harry mused thoughtfully. Her daughter seemed to have a real knack for animals and creatures, often befriending and bringing home a large variety home. They had had to repurpose one of the paddocks behind the manor into a suitable environment for the creatures she had brought home. It seemed more like an exotic zoo most days as they nursed what hurt animals she found back to health.
Draco, her godfather, made sure to spend several hours a week with Jamie and Orion teaching them the basic rules and proper procedures regarding potions. He had stated bluntly, "No family of mine will be less than stellar when it comes to the fine art of potion making." Jamie seemed to have a fine eye for Potions and Care of Magical Creatures and didn't do half bad at Herbology when she felt like it. "Thankfully Orion seems to take after you dear," Harry said.
"He does seem to spend most of his time in the library."
"He would probably spend more time there if Rose and Scorpius allowed him too," Harry answered with a chuckle. The trio had been best friends since birth, with Rose being the outgoing one who happened to get herself into trouble frequently (her parent's fault for making her Rose's godmother), Scorpius being the hothead strategist and Orion the bookworm. Hermione, Draco and herself had had quite a few laughs over the kids forming the next generation's golden trio.
"I'm betting on Ravenclaw," Theo answered with a chuckle.
"I don't know, he has displayed quite a bit of cunning on getting more time in the library with tricking us," Harry said.
"Can't deny that," Theo chuckled, "I still remember the time he cursed Father for interrupting him while reading that new textbook he had gotten for his birthday when he was eight."
Harry laughed loudly, "It took him two weeks to emerge from his house again out of shame of not being able to get rid of the polka dots."
"I don't think I have ever seen him so proud and so embarrassed at the same time. Once it wore off, he bragged to every single person who would listen, his first official moment of accidental magic." Theo shook his head, "Of course, nothing else could beat Jamie who somehow managed to apparate Elton John into her bedroom to sing her to sleep when she was five."
"That poor man was so confused but thankfully he had good humor. I think it's sweet he still sends her a card every Yule."
"Who knew the man was a wizard," Theo answered with a simple shrug.
"Teddy still wins by the fear factor by turning himself into Ladybird," Harry answered with a chuckle. The rambunctious child, when he was three years old and a year into them seeing each other, had decided to match himself to the dog that Theo had during one of their visits. When they couldn't find the metamorphmagus, Harry had nearly lost it, thinking he had been lost or kidnapped. It had only been Theo's quick thinking to summon a house elf to locate the child that saved Harry was rushing to the Ministry to report him missing.
"Are you almost done with your paperwork darling? I'm ready for bed." Harry asked, flicking her hand to have the fire douse itself as she stood up, placing her book on the end table.
"Yes, I can finish it up in the morning, I suppose." He straightened up the paperwork before calling out, "Winky."
The elder House Elf, a loyal companion after Harry had taken her in after the war, had turned her life around. She hadn't had a drop to drink since she had become Harry's Elf and even now in her older age, was a spritely and charming thing. "Yes, Master Theodore sir?" she asked after popping in, wearing her set of comfortable navy Elf Robes that Harry had custom made for all of their Elves, each had the Elf's name and the Houses Crests sowed on them.
"Would you mind taking all my paperwork into the study for me and just leaving it on my desk? Harry and I will be retiring for the night."
"Of course, Master Theodore sir." Winky bowed shortly before snapping her fingers, causing the paperwork to suddenly disappear before she disapparated back to whatever she had been occupying herself with. Knowing the older House Elf, she was probably knitting some clothes, her favorite hobby to do to give to the magical orphanage that Harry had set up after the War. It was one of the many projects she had started up after the War with all the donations she had been given by people who were grateful for her ending the War.
"Teddy will be coming home tomorrow, right?" Theo asked as they made their way from the living room and up the stairs to the master bedroom on the second floor.
"Yes, the To Live Like A Muggle camp ends in the morning and he should be home by 11 if Ron doesn't make everyone stop for lunch by that nice little cafe he enjoys in London," Harry answered as she headed to her dresser to take out her sleep clothes.
"I'm sure he will have plenty to tell us when Hermione and Ron drop him off." To the shock of no one after the war, Ron and Hermoine had gotten married several months after returning from Australia, just in time for Hugo to be born. Hermione had continued her goals of changing the government and while nothing had been announced yet, it was likely in the next election for her to run for Minister, having been the Lead Attorney for the DMLE for the past five years. Ron had decided to be the house husband, caring for Hugo and then later Rose while helping out George in the joke shop. Rose was only a year younger than Teddy and because of new regulations in the Ministry, every fifth and sixth year had to spend a week both summers staying at a camp in the muggle world to make sure they understood how to blend in and what electronic advances there were while they were in school over the year.
Harry finished dressing before slipping into bed beside Theo, taking a moment to give him a kiss on the cheek as she settled in. "Let's hope the counselors listened to us and separated him and Victoire this time." She chuckled as she got comfortable under the warm, soft sheets. "I swear, every time I turn around, they are sucking face."
"Ahh, young love," Theo remarked with a smirk as he turned over to embrace Harry from behind, cuddling into her.
"Hmm," Harry answered noncommittally, closing her eyes and falling asleep easily. While this wasn't originally how she thought her life would be like, she wouldn't change a thing.
Author's Note: Let me know what you think! I also post on AO3 as DarkLadyEris.