I haven't done a Harry Potter fic. before so any feedback you could give me would be great. Please R&R :) Criticism welcome :D

Disclaimer: As if any of you think that the characters and places in here are just an amazing coincidence.

"96… 97…"

Why him? They had so many other adults who would willingly croon over the kids. Not that he was a proper grown up yet, sixteen wasn't really Grown Up. His adopted Aunt actually liked to refer to him as a Grown Down. Not that he was short, in fact he was quite tall, but on account of his mature way of reasoning she liked to tease that he had started off life as a wise old man and simply aged backwards; grown down.

"…98…"

And yet here he was, hunched over in the dusty attic with his hands over his eyes counting to 100. Great. Well, he didn't really mind, he loved them all a lot and always took the time to be there for them. He regarded them all as brothers and sisters, or at least he thought he did never having had any real ones to compare it with.

"…99…"

He remembered when James had sulked because he didn't a little sister after Al was born and how his mother had ruffled his hair and said that maybe he would still get a little sister if he was patient and waited. Teddy had often wondered as a child if he would ever have any more siblings, of course he knew now that he wouldn't. Still, he had his own sort of family and that was plenty good enough for him.

"…100. Ready or not here I come!" He turned out of the room and shimmied down the cramped little staircase. He smiled to himself as he heard Hugo and Al giggling from inside Hugo's bedroom. They were terrible at this game. That was why he purposely found them last when it was his turn to be on. James, on the other hand exploited this weakness without mercy and always found them first.

He quietly tip-toed down the second set of stairs. There was a thump and an exasperated humph from behind one of the doors. That was odd. Rose was usually the best at this game. He poked his head around the door to see Rose stood crossly looking down at a big box with a pair of arms and legs sticking out of the top.

"Found you!" He called chuckling.

"It's not fair. I was about to climb in when James jumped in first. That was my space and I think it was perfectly beastly of him to make me lose."

"Yeah well you always win, that's perfectly beastly." Said the box.

Teddy helped James out of the box and then said, "How about we start again?"

They both agreed and the three of them left the room together.

"Al! Hugo! Lily! You can come out now we're starting again!" He called to the house in general.

Hugo and Albus came running down the stairs to join them. Teddy looked around. Where was Lily?

"Lil' you can come out now we're starting again! Lil'?"

No answer. Teddy raced back up the stair case. What if she'd gotten stuck somewhere? He didn't bother checking the other floors. She always hid in the attic, even if someone was counting there.

He flung open the door to find the little red head sat cross legged in the middle of a dusty pile of… things. She was wearing what was obviously one of her mother's old fancy hats, a big jacket that must have belonged to Harry which she had rolled up to her elbows and was clutching a little treasure box tightly in her tiny fists.

"Petal, there you are!" He said slumping down next to her.

"Teddy Bear?" She asked tilting her head back so that she could see him from under her hat. "There's a stranger in the attic. Who is he?"

Teddy jumped to his feet pulling his wand out of his sleeve (If there was one thing his godfather had taught him it was to never carry your wand in your back pocket). Of course he knew about the restriction on underage magic but under the circumstances…

Very quietly he said, "Where is he, Lily?"

"He's in here." She said, as though it was obvious, pointing to the box. She pulled out a folded photograph and showed it to him. "Who is he?"

"Oh." Said Teddy simply, feeling a little foolish for over reacting. He sat down and took the picture from her. She picked up the rest of the box and shuffled onto his lap.

"Well, this is my dad." His words were oddly choked. He'd seen pictures of his parents before but to have them sprung up on him like this had caught him off his guard.

"It doesn't look like dad." She observed, shaking her head and making the hat fall off.

"No, not your dad, Petal. This is my dad."

"Why doesn't he come 'round and laugh with the other dad's?"

He smiled a watery smile at her innocence. "That's because he's a long way away."

"Is he as far away as Bunny?"

"Yes." He said sadly trying to put on a brave face for her. "He's taking good care of Bunny where they are."

"I miss my Bunny."

"I miss my dad."

I know nothing really happens in this bit but it is just a prologue, I just needed to establish a few characters. I'm in the middle of exams at the moment so I hope I can update soon. Stuff WILL happen in the next chapter, I promise :)