"Har-ee," screamed a flash of turquoise that only stopped upon slamming into Harry.
Harry happily embraced his godson, who even at the age of 11 wasn't embarrassed to hug anyone and everyone. "Where's your grandmother?"
Teddy's eyes widened and he began looking around frantically. He visibly relaxed upon spying her. "Oh, there she is" he said nonchalantly, as if he hadn't lost her just a few seconds before.
"It's alright Harry." Andromeda joined the two, "I learned a long time ago to put a locator spell on him—he's so quick. Just like his mother was."
Teddy shrugged. He was an easy-going kid, very little bothered him—even a locator spell.
"What have you picked up already?" Harry asked.
"Cauldron, potion kit, robes, and owl treats for Moony," rattled off Teddy. "Broomstick next?"
"I told you we'd get you a broomstick next year since you can't take one to Hogwarts until then," said Harry.
"I'd keep it a secret."
Harry and Andromeda grinned at each other. Despite the sincerity in Teddy's voice, they both knew he was horrible at keeping secrets.
"Sorry Ted—next year."
Teddy shrugged again. "Then let's get my wand!"
This was the reason Harry had joined their shopping expedition, to see his godson get his wand. "Let's go then."
"Yippee," and the flash of turquoise was off again.
"You'd better teach me the locator spell," Harry muttered to Andromeda, "James takes after Teddy in speed."
They caught up to Teddy whose wand arm was already being measured by Ollivander's magical tape measure.
"Okay, Mr. Lupin,"
Teddy giggled at being called Mr. Lupin.
"Let's start with this one."
Nothing happened when Teddy took hold of the wand but the box below it started twitching.
"Ah ha, the wand is choosing the Wizard." Mr. Ollivander's hand stopped the twitching box while he pulled the wand out. There was no question the wand had selected Teddy, when his hand clasped it a burst of sparks came out.
Teddy's hair turned grey like Ollivander's. "Is that a record?" he asked.
"Fastest I've seen," said Harry.
"No record Mr. Lupin. I've had others get it in their first try."
Teddy gave his usual shrug.
As they left the wand shop and headed for Flourish and Blotts Harry said to Andromeda, "I do want to get him a present for starting Hogwarts, especially since the broom has to wait."
Teddy overheard this. "Great, buy me ice cream!" His hair was back to turquoise, creating another turquoise streak as he headed to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.
"That wasn't quite what I meant."
Andromeda laughed, "it doesn't matter . . . the heart wants what the heart wants . . ."
"I wonder what house I'll be in?" Teddy said as they sat down with their ice cream.
"Well . . . your mom was in Hufflepuff," said Andromeda.
"Your dad was in Gryffindor," said Harry.
"But you were in Slytherin," Teddy said to his grandmother.
Andromeda smiled at Harry, both silently agreed that Teddy wouldn't be in Slytherin, he didn't have a secretive bone in his body. "I was."
"And there hasn't been a Ravenclaw in the family," said Teddy.
"You're smart enough for Ravenclaw."
Teddy frowned, "I really want to be Mum or Dad's old house."
"You can't do badly in Gryffindor, 'where dwell the brave at heart,'" said Harry.
"But Mum was brave and she was in Hufflepuff."
"Yes, she was," both Harry and Andromeda said.
"One of the best boys I knew at school was in Hufflepuff," said Harry, "he was the real winner of the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
"And Newt Scamander was in Hufflepuff," declared Teddy, "Aunt Luna told me."
"To Hufflepuff," said Andromeda, raising her spoon to toast the house. Both she and Harry agreed that it was very likely going to be Teddy's house too.
It had been a wonderful day but, aside from the ice cream, Harry still hadn't figured out a gift. Which Ron found very amusing for some reason.
"How about an extra book?" said Hermione as the two couples ate dinner while their children got a special treat of eating without 'the boring grown ups.' "I always liked Hogwarts— "
"—A History," said all of them together.
"Erm, I figured you were already getting that for him?"
From behind Hermione, Ginny winked. She knew full well Harry hadn't even considered that as a gift.
"Well I was planning on it," said Hermione, "but you can instead."
"No, it's a very Hermione present. It'll mean more to him coming from you."
"Give him some Wheezes," said Ron, "I'm going to but you can't have too many joke products."
"Says the co-owner of a joke shop," said Ginny.
After dinner as Ron and Hermione prepared to floo with their children, Ron smirked, "I really can't believe you don't know what to get Teddy for starting at Hogwarts." He flooed before Harry to get more from him.
"Yes," said Hermione with a smirk of her own. "Think about what you used a lot at Hogwarts—like I used Hogwarts, A History."
Not for the first time Harry was annoyed with his two best friends. Why didn't they tell him if they had it all figured out?
He awoke in the middle of the night knowing exactly what to give Teddy.
He apparated directly into Teddy's room.
"Har—"
Harry put his finger up to his lips, "shh, I have a present for you but your grandmother can't know."
"Oh, ok."
Harry handed it to him even though he knew Andromeda would know about it before the next day was over.
"It's a bit of old parchment?"
"That's exactly what I asked the Weasley twins when they gave it to me."
"It's a joke paper?"
"No, something far more valuable. I'm going to show you how to work it since you won't be able to until you're at Hogwarts." He tapped the parchment, likely for the last time, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Teddy's eyes widened as the words appeared, "Messrs. Moony—"
"That's my Dad!"
"—Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs—"
"That's your Dad! And Sirius! Who's Wormtail?"
"Wormtail isn't important, watch . . ."
The map of Hogwarts came to life.
"Wow!"
"Our fathers and their friends created this. I got to use it and now it is your turn."
"What about the Weasley twins?"
"They borrowed it for awhile. Your Dad confiscated it from me when he was a professor there but he gave it back at the end of the year. He told me my Dad would've been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle and now I'm going to tell you the same thing, your Dad would've wanted you to have this and to enjoy it."
Teddy stared at the map in awe. "Thanks Harry," he gulped. He looked away and pretended tears weren't building up.
"And when you're done, or it looks like you're going to get caught with it, you tap it and just say . . . 'Mischief managed.'"