Author's Note: Do y'all ever get in a writing mood? You're witnessing one. Also I can never recommend Ben Platt's album enough.
Disclaimer: The following characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and this story derives from her original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.
Warnings: Allusions to Harry's abusive upbrinigng.
Stacked with: MC4A; By Any Other Name; Specious Narrative
Individual Challenge(s): Gryffindor MC; In a Flash; Seeds
Representation(s): Family heirloom; Harry raising Teddy; Harry doing better than his parental figures.
Bonus Challenge(s): Nontraditional; Chorus (Odd Feathers)
Tertiary Bonus Challenge(s): Ameliorate
Word Count: 935
Pieces of Me, Pieces of You
We, we've only got so much time
I'm pretty sure it would kill me
If you didn't know the pieces of me are pieces of you
...
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you now
I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around
In case you don't live forever, let me tell you the truth
I'm everything that I am because of you
-In Case You Don't Live Forever, Ben Platt
"You're still coming to the station though, aren't you?" Teddy asked nervously, when Harry came to say goodnight.
"Of course. I wouldn't miss it," Harry said. He ruffled his godson's hair—which was flickering nervously from canary yellow to grass green to sky blue; and had been doing so ever since their trip to Diagon Alley to buy school supplies according to Andromeda. "I just needed to talk to you without Grandma around."
Teddy tilted his head to a side. Ginny always said it was like a puppy hearing a new noise for the first time.
Harry looked towards his godson's bedroom door and with a flick of his wand, it eased itself shut.
He'd come straight from work and he was still wearing his Auror robes. His shift had ended past his kids' bedtime, so he'd rushed over to Andromeda's to try and catch Teddy before his bedtime. He reached into the pouch at his hip and pulled out the slip of parchment he'd been carrying around with him all day. He took a deep breath, knowing how strange it would be to be seperated from it, and handed it to Teddy.
"Did you pack your wand yet?" Harry asked.
"It's in my backpack."
"Go grab it."
"I can't do underaged magic!" Teddy said.
"This isn't really a spell," Harry said. He gave the issue a second of thought more. Was it? Too late now. Teddy scrambled off of his bed, and came back with his wand. Harry drew his and tapped his wand to the map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Harry said. He watched the ink appear on the map, stretching across the parchment like a spiderweb and then rearranging itself to form the familiar words:
Merrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aid to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
The Marauder's Map
"What is this?" Teddy asked.
"A family heirloom of ours," Harry answered.
"How can we both have a family heirloom when I'm basically adopted," Teddy said.
"Here's your clue," Harry said. "Remember how my father was an Animagus? A stag? He was Prongs. And Sirius, he could turn into a dog, they called him Padfoot…"
Teddy thought of it for a moment.
"Was Moony my dad?"
Harry grinned at the expression on his godson's face and nodded.
"Exactly," Harry said. He told Teddy everything he knew about the map's history and showed him how it worked, how to orient it, and instilled a very serious but very fair fear of Minerva McGonagall and Argus Filch in his heart—since the two of them might still be looking for the map…
There weren't many people in the castle the day before school started, but they did find Neville and Slughorn in the professor's lounge.
"It's fairly good at keeping itself hidden, but you have to be careful with it," Harry said. "It does have one trick, though, let's see if it'll do it for you… Tap your wand to the parchment, and concentrate really, really hard. And then say 'show yourself.'"
Teddy obeyed.
"Show yourself."
Words appeared on the map, as though an invisible hand had just tipped its quill in ink.
Mr. Prongs passes his warmest congratulations on to Mr. Lupin for acquiring this most useful artefact, and may he add that that shade of turquoise is absolutely dashing on the gentleman as well.
Teddy gasped, and Harry smiled.
Mr. Padfoot agrees with Mr. Prongs and could only dream of finding a way to convey to Mr. Lupin his complete astonishment that his parents were ever cooperative enough to create him.
Mr. Wormtail would advise Mr. Lupin to stock up on candy aboard the train and really, really ask the Sorting Hat to place him in Gryffindor House.
Mr. Padfoot has already had his turn, but would like to reiterate that Gryffindor House is the best house.
Mr. Moony would like to reassure Mr. Teddy Lupin that any house will do for him to make his family proud. He would like to express his sincerest regrets at missing such an occasion but would like to wish Mr. Lupin good luck on his first day of school.
Teddy smiled at the map and bit his lip. Harry was torn between wanting to smile back and tearing out his own stomach, which was currently twisting itself in tons of odd shapes, to avoid the bittersweetness of the moment. He wondered if this was what Remus and Sirius had felt every time they had talked to him about his father. Introduced him to the man that James Potter had been, really.
"You gave it to me instead of Jamie," Teddy noted, looking up at him.
"Of course I did. You're next in line for it," Harry said. "Besides, Jamie would get it confiscated in a heartbeat. He could never be trusted."
Teddy laughed at that, and Harry swung an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. He knew Teddy was too cool for this, but he kissed his forehead anyways. As it turned out, his too-cool godson curled against him like a huge softie.
"You might hear more about your parents at Hogwarts than you did before," Harry said. "I know that I did, and it was hard. I felt so alienated. But I promise they're not some faraway strangers. They're yours and they loved you so, so much."
"I know."
"Good, and don't let people make you feel differently. And remember that I love you too."
"I know," Teddy said, nestling against him further.
And no answer could have made Harry happier than the one Teddy gave, for telling Harry exactly just how much more lovingly and fairly he had raised his godson than he'd been raised himself.
"Mischief managed," Harry said, closing the map.