A Question of Titles

By: Amilia Padfoot

Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Just the idea and plot.

Summary: Teddy has been putting off telling Harry something, something that he thinks will change things between them ever so slightly, but enough to make him miss the way the way it used to be. For he was sure that titles changed things be it Sir or Uncle, they changed things.

A/N: Yes, yes another bloody one shot Not literally bloody, mind. Just so you know, in this fic Teddy's nearly passed Auror training, it's a Teddy/Vicky pairing, Teddy had raised by Andromeda till she passed away, Harry has adopted him and he's taken to called him dad, they are more father/son than anything, and there is some mild swearing.

ALSO! I know this is one day late, but this is especially for Theses Guilty pleasures Birthday! (unless it wasn't then, I'm stupid and you can ignore this)

Harry was about to pick up his quill and sign his signature for what felt like the hundredth time that day when he was interrupted by someone wrapping their knuckles against his office door. He sighed deeply, before calling his permission to come in. The door opened to reveal an irate-looking Smith, closely followed by Teddy, who strolled in with his hands in his pockets.

Teddy shot him a strange look, and Harry realised he must look weird simultaneously biting back a grin and a groan at the sight of his most-annoying-colleague-ever and his in-everything-but-blood-son. It had been ages since Harry had seen Teddy and he had long since come to the miserable conclusion that Teddy was avoiding him. He had tried not to sound too hurt at the half-heart excuses he made to leave whenever they were left in a room together, after a while he had taken to asking Teddy if had to be somewhere else when such an occasion occurred, just to save the awkwardness.

Harry quickly signed away his name, then placed the quill aside and with a wave of his wand conjured two chairs, gesturing for them to sit. Teddy flopped down with a casual grace, Smith sending him a disapproving look as he sat up straight in his, as though his spine was made of wood.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Neither man spoke up immediately, so he prompted, "Well? Smith? Lupin?" It still felt strange, calling his kid by his last name, just as he knew it was hard for Teddy to call the guy who had rocked him to sleep at night, 'sir', but it was necessary and both had become accustomed to adopting a formality while at work, one that was often abandoned when they were alone.

Smith opened his mouth and closed it again, as though having trouble getting the right words out. He almost looked comical, gaping like a fish before he finally spoke,

"This- this man- I cannot- I cannot work with him!" he blurted out waving a vague hand in Teddy's direction, who was looking around the office nonchalantly. A small smile appeared on his lips and Harry didn't have to turn around to know which picture he was looking at. He knew it was Teddy's favourite, he even had a copy of it his bedroom bedside his bed, it was his parents- Remus and Nyphadora's- wedding day. Smith sniffed loudly bringing Harry back to reality.

"Why not?"

"Well for a start, he is still a trainee is he not?" Smith leaned forward in his chair as if to exclude Teddy from the conversation.

"Yes"

"And I believe a fully trained Auror out ranks a trainee."

"As I am also aware Smith, what is your point?" Harry rubbed his eyes tiredly behind his glasses.

"He won't listen to me! I gave him a direct order and he well he- It's despicable, absolutely despicable! He refused - refused!- a direct order! And that's not all, oh no sir, he insulted me, a superior officer! Can you believe that? He threatened me, challenged me to a duel and called me illegitimate..."

"Now hang on a Merlin-damned second, I did not! I never called you that!" Teddy's normally sandy brown hair melded into a flaming read as his eyes flashed, breaking his cool for the first time since entering the office. He had half-risen in his chair as he glared at Smith who was trying hard not to cower back.

"Lupin" Harry kept his voice low, but Teddy did not miss the warning in his voice, nor the deliberate use of his last name to remind him of where he is. He took a calming breath and settled back down in the chair before shaking his head. His hair melted back into brown, as did his eyes that calmly met Harry's. "I did not." He repeated firmly, "I called him a bastard and told him to eff off"

Smith jumped up from his chair in outrage, pointing an accusing finger at Teddy.

"See! The man's a disgrace! A disgrace to the department! Never in my life have I ever witnessed such disrespect, such impendence, I demand retribution!" Smith looked as though he were about to go on but Harry cut him off getting tired of the theatrics.

"Sit down, Smith" again his voice was low and controlled but Smith reacted as thought he had shouted and immediately sat back down again. "What order did you give him?"

"Does it matter? He disobeyed" Smith snapped impatiently. Harry raised an eyebrow at him and he flushed involuntary.

"I ordered him to take some documents down the Department of Misuses of Muggle Artefacts office" Harry nodded, it wasn't unusual for trainees to be asked to do office work and fetch and carry as they gained experience of the work place, how things worked and most importantly of how being an Auror wasn't all field missions, and practical training but also a hell of a lot of paperwork.

Many trainees resented being used as leg-man, some protested, it wasn't anything he's never seen before and Teddy Lupin sure held a lot of pride, but what confused him most was why Teddy would protest so vigorously and violently about it. He was usually an easy going guy, not afraid of hard-work or getting his hands dirty, and certainly eager to learn. Out of all the trainees or indeed Aurors under his command Teddy was the least person he would suspect of causing him trouble. He turned to Teddy his expression neutral his tone detached,

"Why did you refuse?"

"We're here to learn how to fight, not be boys page boys!" Teddy protested, but Harry could tell he didn't mean it; all though his voice filled with passion there was no fire in his eyes when he said it. He didn't need the fact that he had know Teddy all his life, raised him, to know that there was more to it, something he wasn't saying.

"What good is learning how to fight if you can't take orders when there given to you, no matter how trivial?" He snapped, the irritation in his voice coming more from the fact that Smith was smirking in an all-to satisfied way in the corner of his eyes, and that it took such a petty argument for Teddy to even be in his presence. Teddy looked away, masking a slight hurt at the words. Harry sighed, before turning back to Smith,

"You should go, Smith. I'll deal with it" Smith looked as though to protest but caught Harry's pointed look and got up and nodded.

"Potter"

"Smith"

Smith sent Teddy a 'you're-in-for-it-now' look and left, closing the door behind him.

Harry picked up his quill again and signed his name on the last document before placing it on the rest, made sure the documents were stacked neatly then taped it with his wand, making them vanish of to anther department, before breaking the silence that had stretched over them,

"You told him to eff off?"

Teddy merely nodded, avoiding his eyes.

"Was that really necessary?"

"Yes" Teddy crossed his arms petulantly.

"You're not in school anymore Ted!"

"I know, I just can't stand him" Teddy looked down at his lap and Harry felt his momentary irritancy ebb away despite himself.

"There are plenty of people you won't stand in life, you've just go to put up with it. What's up with you? You're usually much calmer than this."

"I know it's just..." Teddy trailed off, his eyes falling upon the picture on Harry's desk. Harry was sitting with Albus on his lap, Ginny doing the same with Lily, James in-between them and Teddy behind with James in a headlock, all six of them grinning at the camera.

"Just what?" Harry prompted; bring him back to the situation at hand. It was hard that the Harry in front of him was the same in the picture, the same man that despite his protest had instated he had been in said photo. He knew he was treated the same as any other trainee, though he usually snorted when other called him lucky that the Head was his guardian as in reality they were the lucky ones, because Harry could read him like a book.

Teddy looked away, biting his lip. He looked so much like the eleven year old kid that had confessed to him about being bullied at school, that he had to resist the urge to wrap his arms around him like he'd once done and hold him close. Instead, he just allowed his voice to become gentler,

"Why get so worked up over being told to do some legwork? Be irritated, yeah, but curse at him? Invite him to duel? What's going on?" he couldn't help the concern leak thorough his voice and he could see Teddy's resolve slowly break,

"I just can't stand the way he talks about you!"

"Who? Smith?" Harry was slightly taken back at the answer. Teddy was mad because Smith had said something about him?

"Him and others yeah, but he's the worst"

"Teddy I don't give a damn what he says about me!"

"You might not, but I do!" Teddy's eyes were flashing and Harry felt a warm pang at the loyalty but shook it off, trying to stay firm.

"Teddy, we've been through this. You can't hex people because you don't like what they say."

"I didn't hex him!"

"You invited him to a duel! You can't go round inviting senior members of staff to duels!"

"I don't care if he's the minister of bloody magic!" Teddy exploded, leaping up, "It doesn't give him the right to go around saying things about you that aren't true..." Harry stood up just as suddenly and grabbed him by the shoulders firmly.

"And landing yourself in trouble is going to stop him is it? It's only going to give him the satisfaction, you know this!" Teddy let out a gusty breath, once again avoiding his adopted father's eyes.

"Ok, so I didn't handle it in the best of ways, ok? I'm sorry"

"Sorry isn't going to cut it anymore" Teddy's head snapped up at the uncharacteristically harsh tone.

"What, so you're going to kick me out are you?" Defiance was written across his face, somewhat betrayed by the worry in his eyes that Harry could pick up all too easily.

"No, you haven't actually hexed him, thank Merlin, so it isn't that bad, but I can't just let you get away with it now can I? I want you to apologise to him for a start."

"Apologise! I will bloody well not!" The red flames were back, brighter than before, voice ringing with indigence.

"You will do as you're damn well told!" Harry ran a hand through his hair, taking a breath. He rarely ever raised his voice to Teddy, he couldn't even remember the last time. Perhaps this job was stressing him out more than he realised "Be the better man Ted, just get it over and done with" he continued in a much calmer tone, sitting back down. Teddy followed suit but without his usual grace.

"Fine, but what about him? Is he just going to get away with all the stuff he said about you?"

"Ted, please, I'm touched really that you would want to defend me, but don't you think I'd rather have you fighting beside me? You can't do that if your suspended now can you? The best way you can get back at him is to become the best damn Auror this departments ever seen, don't lower yourself to his level"

"Yeah, I guess." Teddy muttered, smiling despite his anger.

"Now get out of here, can't you see I'm a busy man? I'm supposed to be running a law-enforcement department here" Harry huffed leaning back in his chair, ruining the effect with the twinkle in his eyes.

Teddy opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it.

"Something else, Ted?" Harry frowned, not liking the sudden desperate look in surrogate son's eyes.

"No, nothing" Harry couldn't help think that the nothing was the same kind of 'nothing' he'd given Dumbledore in his second year, but he decided to let it go, Teddy would tell him when he was ready, whatever it was. Well, at least he hoped he would - he wasn't so sure anymore. Teddy made to leave but Harry stopped him, suddenly wishing he would stay longer. He opened his mouth to speak but he didn't know how to approach the subject, to ask what was going on between them when they used to be so close, so he said instead,

"Oh and Teddy, try to act sincere, for Godric's sake" Teddy nodded.

"Sure thing, Harry." Harry let go of Teddy and watched him leave, stung. It had been years since he had called him that.

Harry apperated outside the Burrow and breathed in the sweet summer air. The conversation with Teddy still echoed in his mind; his last three words plaguing his thoughts, making it hard to concentrate through the rest of his shift. He made his way up the path and was about to knock on the door when Ginny pulled it open, smiling widely.

"Saw you through the window." she explained letting him in. "Had a good day at work?"

"Yeah, it was alright" Ginny through him a curious glance, picking up on the bitterness. He shook his head telling her he didn't want to talk about it. "You seem happy"

Ginny whirled round her eyes sparkling. "Of course I am!"

Harry smiled and hugged her, her cheerfulness infecting him. "Any particular reason why?"

Ginny gave him a look as though it was obvious, but he just stared back at her blankly and her eyes seemed to dim as it realising something. She pulled out of the hug suddenly looking uneasy, wondering why Teddy hadn't told him yet, but knowing she couldn't be the one to do so. She fixed her smile back on.

"I'm happy to see you of course!" She hit him playfully as though he should have known. Harry chuckled, not really buying it but deciding to go along. It didn't really matter as long as she was happy, though he couldn't help but think he was seriously out of the loop about something and somehow he knew it was to do with Teddy. People had been acting strangely around him recently after all.

"Well I'm going to go help mum with dinner" She pecked him on the cheek and made her way into the kitchen off on to the right, leaving Harry with his thoughts.

A sudden whooping sound came from the living room and Harry smiled recognising it as his son, James. Then came the sound of Teddy's laughter and he felt a pang of jealously. When was the last time Teddy had laughed when it was just the two of them? A part of him just wanted to go upstairs and leave them to their fun but curiosity peeked and he made his way in to the living room.

It turned out that Albus and Lily were also in the room. Lily was giggling and jumping up and down humming a strange yet familiar tune and pretended to scatter invisible flowers about the room while Albus was shaking Teddy's hand who was blushing, his hair unintentionally mirroring his completion. James had stopped whopping and caught sight of Harry. He gave a welcoming smile that was returned before he nudged Albus in the ribs. Albus frowned and looked about to jab back in practised retaliation then saw his dad and got the message. Grabbing Lily, who was still bouncing up and down hyperly grinning happily, he pulled her out the room and left with James, only after shooting Teddy a sly wink. Teddy simply smiled happily to himself, pleasure dancing in his now ocean blue eyes.

"Hey Ted." Teddy looked up at Harry just noticing that he was there. The smile became fixed.

"Oh, hiya Harry." Teddy tried to sound enthusiastic but failed, shooting the living room door a subconscious look as if he'd rather be anywhere else. Harry sighed, he'd never hated the sound of his own name more.

"Do you have to be somewhere else, Ted?" He asked sitting himself down in a comfortable armchair opposite Teddy. Teddy cringed at the all too familiar words. He wasn't daft he knew that Harry was trying to give him a way out and that he was hurting Harry's feelings, not even needing the barely suppressed pain in his emerald eyes to tell him. Be a man, he told himself sternly.

"No, not really" The guilty feeling returned as Harry looked up, eyes much lighter, and grinned. Normally he would feel a rush of warmth that Harry so obviously loved spending time with him but right now it was worse than when he was shouting at him in the office. He didn't know why, but every smile directed at him was like an arrow in the gut. Perhaps it was because somehow he knew that soon the smiles would be different somehow. Probably not even that difference but he would notice it, he knew he would. They would be different.

"You alright Teddy?"

"Yeah, I'm fine" he replied automatically, too quickly. He wasn't surprised by Harry's disbelieving look. Harry smiled hoping to defuse some tension, not knowing that he was making it worse. Teddy inwardly sighed and figured he might as well enjoy it well it lasted. He smiled back.

Just then Molly came in with two glasses of pumpkin juice.

"Hello dears, I thought you might want something cool after a hard day's work" she offered up the glasses which they took gratefully stammering their thanks. Molly just shook her head fondly, before looking straight at Teddy a look of pure joy in her crinkled eyes.

"I'm so happy for you, love" she told him, patting his cheek warmly. He smiled his thanks, noticing how Harry had his eyes squinted in concentration as if trying to figure something out.

"See you two at dinner time" They nodded absentmindedly and she left sniffing slightly, thinking that her grandchildren were growing up all too fast just like her kids had.

Teddy sipped the cool liquid not really tasting it. He thought of how different the Harry sitting in front of him was compared to the one he had sat in front of in the office. He knew why it was different; he understood the need for formality. He had often marvelled at how easily Harry could switch between the two, the loving dad and the calm, detached boss. He knew it didn't really change anything underneath it all, they still meant the same too each other. But the two were separate, Work and home. Here he was a son, Teddy, Harry was dad, but in the office he was a colleague, Lupin; Harry was Sir. It was a question of titles. Titles changed things, he though bitterly, they determined how a relationship would work.

He wasn't really bothered by the differences. He didn't mind calling him Sir or being called Lupin, they worked together, they got on, they trusted each other, they swapped titles when they were alone, swapped back effortlessly around others, and it didn't bother him at all. What did it matter really? But he had seen it, he had seen how titles changed things, how Smith looked down on him because he was a Trainee and how he considered himself superior because he was a Lieutenant. He was glad that Harry never acted like that but he was worried that yet another adaptation would be made, only this one would bother him, a lot. Work was one thing but the rest changing too?

"Teddy?" Harry's voice broke through his thoughts and he looked up.

"Yeah?"

"Why do I get the feeling that everyone knows something that I don't?" Teddy tried hard not to wince. He knew what was coming. He had to tell him soon. Victoria had already told everyone else, having gotten fed up of waiting, despite his constant pleads. She hadn't understood why he was so concerned about people knowing, (not that he was, he would shout it from the roof top is she would let him. It was just a certain person he couldn't bring himself to tell) she had been frustrated, pestering him endlessly till he had told her that he simply valued his life and didn't want Bill to know. She had laughed, that beautiful tinkling laugh, and told him it would be fine.

He felt guilty lying to her as he didn't really care if Bill objected. He could stand up to him if needed to; he was a Gryffindor after all. He snorted mentally. Ha, some Gryffindor. If he was so brave then why was he so scared? He told himself that he was being foolish. That it would be fine. He wasn't scared of Harry, he couldn't be (well unless he was really mad- no sane person wouldn't be), as it was hard to be scared of someone who had chased away the closet monster when you were little. No, he wasn't. Nor was he scared of him objecting, because he knew he wouldn't. No, he was scared of something else entirely, and although he despised himself for it, told himself that it was stupid, he couldn't shake it off.

"It's probably just your imagination" he tried to sound as offhand as possible, but Harry huffed, clearly not buying it, a quick spark of anger in his eyes that lasted a second.

"Right. So it's my imagination that Ginny is simply ecstatic about something in fact most the girls are, and Molly keeps getting all teary eyed, so does Fleur but Bill keeps glaring at you and Ron and George, and now James and Al, keep shaking your hand and slapping you on the back like you're a proud father or some..." Harry suddenly trailed off and his eyes widened. Teddy sucked in his breath, had he figured it out? "Oh my Merlin, she's not- is she? Is Vicky pregnant?" Teddy nearly choked on the idea then let out a slightly maddened laugh in his relief.

"No! No, good Godric, no! Nooo way am I ready for that!" They were not planning that sort of thing for a very long time, that they were both certain about. Though, Teddy felt a panic rise in him. What if Vicky changed her mind on that front? He wasn't ready to be a dad that much was sure. Could he be a good dad someday though? He felt his mind wander breaking off into crazed tangents. Where had all the time gone? Was he growing up too fast? He'd left Hogwarts, he had got a job and now...

"Ok. So what is going on?" Teddy dragged himself out of his mile an hour thoughts about where all the innocent times of going to school, playing with his stuffed toys, James begging him to play and sitting on Harry's lap, had all gone and sighed. He knew there was no getting up to do some 'just remembered errand' this time. He owed Harry the truth and he would just have to except what came with it.

"Come on Ted something's obviously going on, bothering you even, and you keep avoiding me." Harry sat forward looking Teddy straight in the eyes, concern etched across his face, hurt leaking through his voice.

"I don't! I saw you today!" He was grasping at straws he knew. There was no pointing in denying that he had been avoiding him, he didn't even know why he was bothering, perhaps to buy time. Any amount at all, he wanted every second. Was this how he wanted to spend the last moments though? Avoiding him? No, he knew he would have to tell him.

"Only because Smith made you! You won't even look me in the eye and you've started calling me Harry and-" Harry stopped abruptly biting his lip before reaching out and grabbing Teddy's hand. "Have I done something wrong? Is it something I've said- or did- or didn't do? You know why I yelled at you Ted. It's nothing personal-" He was starting to sound desperate and Teddy hated himself with a burring loathing for hurting Harry, making him think that he had done something wrong. He, himself, hadn't either, he reflected. There was no way in hell he was regretting his decision nor was he going back on it. Could he deal with the forfeit though? He knew it was no-one's fault; Just a side-effect to a beautiful thing. He would have to deal with it, and he would. It didn't mean it wasn't going to hurt though. That he was going to miss the way it used to be.

"No, no, it's nothing like that." He reassured him quickly.

"Then what is it? Come on talk to me. You've never kept anything from me before." Harry couldn't help think it was a lie. After all he'd never told him about Smith's comments until he'd gotten into trouble over it. What was going on? If he hadn't done something wrong than why was Teddy being so distant with him? Didn't he want to spend time with him anymore? Teddy was all grown up now he realised. An adult. Not the kid that had clung to him so desperately, that had needed him. He had always feared it, that there would come a time when Teddy wouldn't need him to look out for him anymore. Something he feared with all his kids. James had long ago dubbed it 'un-cool' to be hugged, and Albus was handling his own problems as was Lily, preferring to play with their friends than have 'family time'. They were all growing up so fast, too fast, he though unknowingly echoing Molly. Would they one by one stop needing him? Was it now 'un-cool' to be seen with him?

"I know it's just-"

"Just what?" Harry prompted wishing Teddy would just say it, to get it over with. Perhaps it would hurt less that way.

"Well Vicky and I, we're getting married." There he had said it. He looked up at Harry anxiously, trying to read his reaction.

Harry was hit by a tidal wave of emotion, shocked that Teddy had not said what he had expected, panicked that his fears were becoming more justified, but both feelings were over ridden with happiness. He jumped up and pulled Teddy into a bone crushing hug.

"That's brilliant Teddy! Congratulations! I'm so proud of you! Merlin! When did you ask her? When's it planned for? Have you started organising? Do you have a best man? You've got a ring?" It all came rushing out of him, Teddy beaming at him, he felt like jumping up and down in excitement then a horrible realisation hit him and all the hurt he had felt came racing back to him in a surge of anger "Why the hell is it that everyone knows about this except me!"

Teddy took a step back, looking as though he had been expecting such a reaction and in truth, he had.

"I'm sorry, really; I guess I've just been putting it off for as long as I could." He blurted out desperately, then winced realising too late what he had implied as fresh betrayal flashed across Harry's eyes.

"'Putting it off'? Thanks Teddy, it's not like it's a big part of your life or anything, nothing to include me in."

"No, no it's not like that, I've been wanting to tell you, really, I have."

"So why not just tell me? Did you think I'd be mad or something? Don't tell me that's it, Teddy Lupin, because you know me better than that and to be honest I think you should be more worried about Bill than anything..."

"She's your niece!" Teddy cut in suddenly

"She's Bill's daughter" Harry countered.

"No, you...don't... get...it, she's your niece!" Teddy exploded, running his hands through his hair looking more than a little deranged.

Harry took a step back slightly startled "I'm aware of that." He replied calmly reverting back to the voice he had used in the office.

"If I marry her I'll be your nephew!" Teddy snapped as it he was telling a particularly stupid child that one and seven was not in fact ten.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Harry retorted, inwardly wondering if it was.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I'm just saying I don't-" Teddy stopped not wanting to say it. He bit his lip cursing at the water welling up in his eyes.

"Don't what Ted?" He put a hand under Teddy's chin, "Don't what Ted?" He repeated insistently hating to see Teddy so distressed.

"I don't want to stop being your son."

"What? I- that's what you've been so worried about?" Teddy nodded. Everything made sense now. Why Teddy had been 'putting off' telling him. He had simply been scared that it would change the way they were. "Bloody hell Teddy" Harry shook his head not understanding how Teddy ever came to such a conclusion. Had he really thought that they wouldn't be as close just because of a sudden change in titles? That he would treat him more as a nephew than a son? That he would act more like and Uncle than a Dad? He tilted Teddy's head up so he looked him in the eyes. "You are and always will be my first child, nothing will ever change that. I don't need some piece of paper to tell me you're my son. Is this why you've been calling me Harry?"

"I thought it would hurt less if I got used to it." He admitted, looking down at the carpet.

"And it's why you didn't come to me straight away about Smith?" Teddy nodded again solemnly.

"Nothing's going to change between us Ted, I promise you that." Teddy allowed himself to be pulled into another hug and nodded into Harry's shoulder thinking of how so much pain and worrying had been caused for nothing. A sudden though struck him that he didn't want to go through all that apprehension again and he pulled himself out of the hug blurting out,

"Willyobemybestman?"

Harry gave him a bemused look, "Sorry, Ted, didn't quite catch that"

Teddy blushed, but tried again, "Will you be my best man?"

Harry opened his mouth but no sound came out. He closed it again, stunned and Teddy laughed at his expression un-able to help himself. Harry hit him lightly on the shoulder, though glad to see Teddy happy "I'd be honoured, Son."

For no matter how many titles he had, godson, son, nephew, brother, friend, husband, nothing was going to change.

Please review! Personally, If you don't already know, although I see them as Father/son I don't really think he calls him Dad, except perhaps in certain situations when they are really close, and just calls him Harry (see Egg plant perhaps) but hey if an author only wrote what they believed we'd never have had H.P to make fanfic out of in the first place! Yea, don't forget to review...