A/N: This world is JKR's.
Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Fortnightly Event. Next-Gen: Teddy/Lily.
Writing for Hufflepuff.
A Very Sticky Job
When Lily Potter graduated Hogwarts, the last of the Potter children after James and Albus, she was quite sure she wanted to work in Diagon Alley. Growing up, she'd always loved it there best, and with all the drama that came from her father's Ministry job, she'd known right away she didn't want to pursue anything like that. So when she found herself in the Leaky Cauldron one day, chatting happily with Hannah Longbottom, and saw a job posting for the ice cream shop, she could hardly contain her excitement.
Her father had spoken positively of the original owner, Florean Fortescue, and since his forcible removal from the premises, the building had remained largely in disrepair. However, in the past few years someone had purchased and renovated the shoppe and signs had finally gone up indicating its pending opening. Strangely, though, no one knew would be running it and everyone who reported seeing anyone inside had conflicting stories.
Whatever oddities surrounded the situation, Lily could hardly imagine a better job. Located in Diagon Alley and in an ice cream shop? Perfect!
Bidding Mrs. Longbottom goodbye, Lily stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron and onto the busy street. Wizards and witches bumbled by, talking excitedly with their friends and family, and bringing a smile to Lily's face. When she was small, her favorite story had been when her dad told her about his first time in Diagon Alley. Or any of his visits to Diagon Alley, really. It was so full of magic that sometimes she could scarcely believe the muggle world was the more "real" of the two.
Picking her way up the road, her crimson robes fluttering around her feet, it didn't take her long to reach the old ice cream shoppe. Exactly as the rumors said, the front of the parlor had been entirely redone, neatly keeping hints of what the place had been in years past and bringing a certain modern edge to it. A note pinned to the door of the shoppe indicated that those interested in an interview should knock three times, wait for a knock back, and that the password would be their favorite flavor of ice cream.
Lily didn't think it was a particularly secure method, considering it was being brandished about to anyone who cared to read the note, but did what was asked of her. The door swung open a moment after she answered ("Chocolate Frog!") and she stepped carefully inside. She swept her eyes around the room and was surprised to see that renovations were nearly complete. It would be any day now before they opened their doors, and Lily was positively desperate to be part of it.
"Hello?" she called, wondering faintly where the owner might be or if she'd even get to meet them.
"Lily Potter," a voice responded from somewhere nearby. There was a familiar tone to it, as if she'd never heard the voice but it knew her. "I didn't think you'd be the one to show up!" A young man, dressed in flamboyant purple robes, stepped down from a small stool in the back of the shoppe and made his way towards Lily, arms out as if to embrace her. With each step, his features and colors changed, shifting across a wide variety of identities until he finally settled on one she knew quite well.
"Teddy Lupin!" She jumped forward, wrapping her arms around her old friend for a moment before stepping back quickly and blushing. Was he always so cute? "Are you the new owner? You never told us!"
"It was meant to be a surprise! After Victoire and I broke up, I just needed something to occupy my mind." He didn't sound particularly sad, but then Teddy had always been able to mask his feelings better than anyone. "Your favorite flavor of ice cream is really Chocolate Frog? That's so boring! Try this one." Grabbing her hand and pulling her forward, Teddy led her to the back of the shoppe where tubs of different flavors of ice cream, all kept magically frozen, lined the shelves.
"This is extraordinary!" Lily beamed, forgetting the previous moment's awkwardness.
When Teddy responded, he was suddenly very close, and Lily shivered at the warmth of his body so near hers. "Do you want any? We can try all of them."
She laughed sharply, forcing herself to act normal. "Does that mean I've got the job?"
His own laugh seemed much more natural as he handed her a spoon and touched her nose with the tip of his finger. "Of course it does, Lil'."
"And then we got to eat them all!"
"Awe, c'mon, Mum, don't stop there! When did you and Daddy kiss?" Two little girls, tucked in bed neatly next to each other, looked up at their mother with big round eyes. Normally they'd both be redheads like their mother, but recently one of them had taken to changing her entire head to look like whatever toy was her favorite at the time.
"What do you think, Teddy?" she asked her husband as he entered the room, a gentle smile on his face. "Should I tell them about our first kiss?"
"No," he responded sternly, evidently remembering the mess of ice cream puddles and sticky clothing. Not that their clothing had stayed on for very long. "How about I give each of you a kiss and we get some sleep?" He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on each of the girls' foreheads and then on Lily's. "Come on, dear," he said, pulling her from the room and waving off the lights. "Let's have some ice cream."