-1'Now promise to write, won't you?' Andromeda fussed planting kisses on her grandson's rosy cheeks and ruffling his hair.

'Yes, Gran' he said wearily.

'Won't you leave it natural?' she said for the millionth time, eyeing up the hair Teddy had chosen for the day, jet black with red streaks over the fringe, she tugged at it disapprovingly. 'It's just so…'

Luckily teddy didn't have to find out just what his hair was because she was interrupted by a cry of his name amidst the smoke on the crowded platform.

He jerked his head and peered into the mist, suddenly he was hit full on around the stomach by a feisty five year old.

'Hi!' said James grinning up at Teddy toothily, 'Nice hair, can you make mine do that too?'

'No he can't' said Ginny appearing behind him and raising her eyebrows, 'Alright, Ted?'

Teddy smiled, 'Wotcher'

Ginny's forehead creased momentarily as if she was troubled and then she smiled sweetly, Harry approached her from behind and squeezed her hand.

'Wotcher, Ted' he said obviously hearing and Ginny squeezed back.

'Andromeda' said Harry with a polite nod who smiled back.

'Harry dear so nice to see you, why don't you bring the kids round for tea tomorrow eh? It will be awfully quiet at home without Teddy!' she said sadly, she looked older than Harry remembered her, the famous jet black curly hair showing traces of grey streaks and wrinkles around her smiling eyes.

'Where are the little angels today?' she said watching Teddy load his trunk onto the train with difficulty.

'Lily and Albus are at home with Molly and the other little ones, she is treating them to a day of education if I remember rightly.' said Harry with a grin.

Ginny groaned, 'I remember mum's education days' she said, 'in her attempt to educate us she would have us reciting poems, Millicent Prewett had apples, but Rosemary Weasley had pears Poor Albus…'

Andromeda laughed as Teddy returned with a nervous look on his face.

'So my dad was in Gryffindor and my mum was in Ravenclaw, right?' he said scratching his head on which the streaks had now turned purple. Andromeda nodded.

'So I could be in either?'

Andromeda shook her head, 'you could be in any! All of my family were in Slytherin, but I was in Ravenclaw and my cousin was in Gryffindor. It matters who you are, not where you came from'

Teddy looked even more confused, 'So I could be in slytherin?' He said horrified.

'Or Hufflepuff!' said James from below, a loud barking laugh from such a small child, 'Teddy Lupin in Hufflepuff!' he kept on laughing until Harry silenced him.

'Stop it James, if Teddy is in Hufflepuff then lucky Hufflepuff.'

James looked put out and pouted for a good few minutes until Ginny picked him up and tickled him into a reconciliation.

'Teddy can I talk to you for a minute?' said Harry leaning over and taking his godson's shoulder firmly. Teddy shrugged and followed Harry's tall messy head through the students and to the back of the platform.

'Before you go I have something to give you that, at one point, belonged to you father and I hope you will use it sensibly.' Harry produced a piece of battered parchment from the front of his robes and handed it to a bemused Teddy.

'An old piece of parchment? Harry you've really lost it.' he commented un folding the parchment.

'an old piece of parchment?' Harry repeated surprised, 'why don't you ask it?'

Teddy looked up with a look of sheer confusion, then looked back down at the parchment, wrapping it with his brand new wand and saying, 'are you an old piece of parchment?'

The wormy black lines on the Marauders map began to slither and slide beneath each other and a line of writing appeared.

'Mr. Pad foot thinks Teddy Lupin shouldn't insult the Marauders map.'

'Pad foot?' said Teddy still watching the map as more words appeared.

'Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Padfoot and thinks that Teddy Lupin must be either extremely boring or extremely stupid.' Harry grinned at this one as he watched Teddy's insulted face contort. 'Hey!' he cried angrily, 'is it meant to insult me?'

'Mr Worm tail thinks Teddy Lupin should work with the map, and not against it'

Harry smiled as Teddy scratched his head, 'well how do I do that then?' he said to the parchment, fully aware of the absurdness of talking to paper.

'Mr Moony suggests Teddy promise the Marauders he is only up to no good, and perhaps to leave his hair its natural colour.'

Teddy jumped and looked around the platform. 'Moony…' said Teddy thoughtfully, 'Harry how do I use this?'

Harry leant over and muttered, 'tap it with your wand when you get to Hogwarts and do what it said, you'll see. Oh quick the train is leaving soon.' Andromeda and Ginny were beckoning him to the steaming train and James was jumping up and down nervously his brown hair hitting him in his round hazel eyes. Teddy bounded over to his gran and permitted her one last kiss, hugged Ginny and gave James a quick High Five before shaking Harry's hand manly.

'Thanks.' he said quietly so the others couldn't hear, 'Moony. That was my dad right?'

'you're a smart boy Teddy.' said Harry equally as quietly, 'You'll do them both proud, and leave you're hair like that. Your mother would have loved it.' He said eyeing up the single bubblegum pink streak.

'It doesn't make me look gay?' he said fearfully.

'Not at all.' said Harry with a laugh, 'Not at all.'