Harry's Promise
Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. Everything recognizable belongs to J. K. Rowling.
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I posted this on December 28, 2011 with terrible spelling and grammar. Updated version, same concept.
Harry Potter closed the door of his home in Godric's Hallow as quietly as he could, knowing that there were a few people who were still sound asleep.
Harry had moved back in to the home at Godric's Hallow, as it would have been left to ruin if Harry hadn't made use of it. Harry had gladly fixed the cottage up so that the derelict rooms were now humble and warmly decorated (which Harry hoped resembled what it used to when his parents had resided in it).
Ginny Weasley, his girlfriend, was staying in one of the rooms. Harry and his best friend, Ron Weasley had been sent on a mission where Ron had been injured and left bedridden. Harry had managed to stun and capture the Deatheater before he could do anything else, but Ron had been injured nonetheless. Refusing to be fussed over by his smothering mother, Ron compromised on staying home this mission and he and girlfriend Hermione Granger were also staying in one of the few but tasteful rooms at Godric's Hallow.
But the thing that made Harry especially happy was that his barely over one year old godson had also been given permission to spend the night. In truth, little Teddy Lupin had been over several times before, but with the adoption papers finalizing any day now Harry loved the reminder that Teddy was staying in the room that would be his officially in just a few short months. Andromeda Tonks, co-guardian of the little tyke, had asked to stay to keep an eye on her grandson while Harry was off at work, and, being welcome, she too was a guest at Godric's Hallow.
Harry slipped quietly through the house, heading directly up the stairs and to the room he knew held his godson. Sure enough when he cracked the door open, there in a crib filled with warm fluffy blankets that had small wolves and black dogs and proud stags of the sort, was the sleeping little boy.
Quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping child, Harry stepped into the room and looked into the crib with a soft smile pulling the corners of his mouth.
He loved Ginny with everything he had, and even as unheard of as that was for someone his age, it was true. And his best friends meant the world to him, including the rest of the Weasley family. Harry even considered Mrs. Tonks a part of his family. But his love for his godson was something that Harry had never felt before. And that was how a parent felt towards his child. Teddy was already like Harry's own, and it wasn't just because he was Remus and Tonks' son, either. No, Harry would never feel this strong a protection over Teddy simply because of parentage. Teddy had wormed his way easily into Harry's heart just as Ginny and Hermione and Ron had. All in different ways of course, but still nonetheless.
Teddy began to stir, a soft whimper coming from his small mouth. Harry carefully picked the boy up and rocked him gently in his arms until Teddy was calm again.
"There," Harry said softly to Teddy. "No more nightmares now."
Harry laid a gentle kiss on top of the baby's soft, now sandy brown hair. The exact shade of his late father's hair. Harry felt his throat close up for the grief his tiny godson would learn of one day.
"I won't ever replace your father, Teddy, I couldn't," he said, cooing to the baby boy. "But I'll be whatever else you need me to be, Teddy." He was now looking into the baby's wonder-filled eyes. "Friend, protector, uncle, cousin. All of them put together. Anything," Harry's voice dropped from cooing to a whisper, but somehow that made the promise he was always going to vow more pronounced. "And if I can be a parent figure to you too, then I will. I'll remind you all about your parents. And how they loved you so much they died to make your life happier. I'll tell you about everyone and how much they love you. Everyone, Teddy," he whispered to the boy.
"And you'll be the happiest kid alive if I have anything to do about it. I promise, Teddy. Your parents won the war, and I promise to keep fighting for you. We all will. Every day you'll know how loved you are. You'll know all the stories about you parents, though you grandma may have to help me out with some of them. And then," Harry was still whispering, but a small smile was on his lips, his eyes just becoming a tad bit watery. "And then you'll go to Hogwarts and be the Marauder you are. But, Teddy," he looked at his godson with a serious note in his eyes. "You can be whoever you want. As long as it's safe, and you're still you, you can be anything. You know that don't you?"
Teddy cooed lightly in response, and then yawned tiredly. Harry smiled. "Keeping you up a bit late, I guess. All right, Teddy, we'll talk some other time."
And with that he began rocking the boy back to sleep.
"I promise, Remus and Tonks," Harry said into the night, holding the child close to his heart. "I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep Teddy safe and happy. And he'll know everything I know about you. I promise I'll never let him forget you guys, any of you."
From the doorway, unnoticed, Andromeda Tonks felt a small smile lift the corners of her mouth. "You did a good job picking him, love." She said, using the nickname she had for her late daughter. "And you too Remus. I know that boy, and I thank God Teddy has him, has all of us."
From behind her mother, a certain pink haired woman had tears in her eyes. Happy tears, but tears none the less. A noticeably older man wrapped his arm around her as they stared lovingly at their son.
"I'm glad we picked him, Remus," the woman said.
"Me too, Dora." The man was smiling a sad, yet happy smile. "Me too."
fin