Meeting Teddy

Harry looked down at the bodies of Tonks and Lupin, tears welling in his eyes. It was just an hour from when he had defeated Voldemort but it felt like more. He was exhausted. More than anything he wanted to go to sleep and forget all the losses for a few hours but he couldn't, not just yet. There was something that had to be done first.

He placed a hand on both Tonks and Lupin.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "Sorry that you won't get to see your son grow up. I'll look after him for you like I promised I would…. I'll make sure he never forgets you both…"

Harry made his way through the Great Hall, into the Entrance Hall and out through the grounds to Hogsmade. Once there he disapparated appearing outside Tonks's house.

He slowly walked up to the door and rang the bell.

A pale looking Andromeda Tonks answered.

"Harry!" she exclaimed. "Shouldn't you be at the school? That's where Dora and Remus ran off to."

"It's over Mrs Tonks," Harry croaked. "Voldemort is dead."

Andromeda looked at him with a puzzled look on her face.

"Then what are you doing h-?" she stopped suddenly when she saw his solemn expression.

"Not Dora! No she's not. She's not…"

"I'm sorry," Harry told her. "Her and Lupin are both…"

He looked on helplessly as the older woman broke down in tears.

"First Ted and now Dora," she sobbed.

Harry squirmed uncomfortably. He could not help but blame himself for the pain she was going through.

From inside of the house came the cries of Teddy Lupin.

Through her tears Andromeda ushered Harry into the house and through to the living room. There she left him alone while she went to fetch the baby. Harry found his eyes drawn to a photograph of Tonks and Lupin on what looked like their wedding day.

A few minutes later Andromeda returned holding Teddy.

"Can I?" Harry asked hesitantly, reaching out with shaking hands to take Teddy.

Andromeda nodded and placed her grandson in Harry's arms.

Harry was scared to move. This was the nearest he had ever been to a baby. Never before had he held one.

"Am I doing it right?" Harry asked quickly.

"Mmm," Andromeda replied as she wiped the tears away from her face.

Harry's arms were beginning to get sore as he did not dare move in case he dropped the tiny baby in his arms.

"You know they made me his godfather?" Harry said quietly.

"Yes," Andromeda nodded. "Are you going to take him away?" she asked.

"Of course not!" Harry said indignantly.

He looked down at Teddy who was smiling up at him. Harry could see both of his parents in him already. As Teddy blew a raspberry at him Harry realised that despite having just met him Harry already felt love for Tonks and Lupin's son.

"I'm only seventeen," Harry continued. "I don't know the first thing about babies. I didn't even get to finish my last year at Hogwarts. Now that the war is over I have no idea what to do with myself. Anyway he belongs with you, his family. I couldn't take him away from you. You have both suffered such great losses. You need to stick together."

"Thank you Harry," Andromeda Tonks said quietly. "You don't know what this means to me. I thought at first you might take him… you would have every right to being his Godfather…"

Harry smiled weakly. "Of course not. I'll help you though. I've got plenty of money."

"Don't be silly dear," Andromeda dismissed him. "I can manage fine on my own."

"I want to though. Please," Harry said earnestly. "Anything I can do for him I will."

"He's lucky to have you Harry," Andromeda told him. "He'll need you when he's older. You can do all the things that I can't like teaching him how to ride a broom."

"I will," Harry promised. "You hear that Teddy?" he said gently. "I'll be here for you when you need me. I'll love you just as much as your parents did. Although I can never replace them, no one ever could, I'll be the best Godfather there is, just like Sirius was to me."

Teddy's hand gripped tightly to Harry's finger. Here was another innocent victim of Voldemort having to grow up in the absence of his parents but Harry was determined that Teddy was not going to go through the loveless childhood that he himself went through. He would have his Grandmother who clearly adored him, he would have Harry, Hermione, Ron, the Weasleys and all the members of the Order. This baby would grow up surrounded by love.