Heh, I know that I'm a terrible person- I post yet another story when none of my others are done. But I've been writing this for a while, and I just re-discovered it, and I really want to know what you guys think of it.
It's the whole Remus/Tonks survive type story, and it picks up right after Harry defeats Voldemort. It's from Remus's point of view.
Enjoy!
-HARRY POTTER-
The first thought that registered to me was, It's over. Thank Merlin…it's all over now. But as I took in the devastation that Hogwarts Castle had taken, I searched frantically for any sign of reassurance that things would be all right again. Bodies, unconscious or dead, were strewn across the Hall, and I swallowed, watching for the one that I hoped would not appear. I vaguely saw the motionless body of Fred Weasley, nearly covered by Molly hugging his chest, tears streaming down her face. The young Colin Creevey…who, though underage, had snuck in to fight. I remembered teaching him back in his second year…and I found myself blinking back tears.
This could not have happened. None of these people could be dead. Any moment now, I, Remus John Lupin, would wake up at home, my wife beside me, Teddy sleeping peacefully. This was all just a nightmare…a vivid one at that…
For a minute, I waited for the realization and the relief that we were safe…together…a war against Voldemort nothing but a distant fear…something that we wouldn't have to worry about for years to come.
"Dora!" I barely heard myself call her name (or did I only whisper it?). Everything was a blur…was it even real? Sleep deprivation, worry; even fear… "Dora!"
Footsteps…footsteps rushed down the hall. Heavy breaths. I heard a whisper…nothing more. "Remus." My name. In the midst of this crisis…this period of mourning…only one would call my name. I turned, almost too fast.
My hair messy, in my face, I imagined myself a wolf whose hunger and anger had become too much. My voice caught, and I swallowed.
My wife…who had come to fight, against my pleading…looked up as I turned, her eyes red, hair brown and loose. My eyes widened as it hit me that she was here.
But she was alive.
We were both very much alive.
Time seemed to fast-forward as I felt her arms around my waist, my own arms wrapped around her as to never let her go. "You're alive," I managed to croak. "God…Dora, you're alive…"
"Remus…I was so scared…" she admitted, her voice still shaking, though only a whisper. "Bellatrix…she nearly killed me…"
"I told you to stay at your mother's," I mumbled, only a tear trailing from my grey eyes. If I'd lost her…
"I couldn't stand not knowing," she said, her voice hushed. She looked into my eyes, almost afraid of my enraged reaction. "Remus, if you'd been killed-"
"If we'd both been killed, Nymphadora," I growled, the thought of my son, alone, enough to scare me into anger. "Did you even think of Teddy for a moment before you rushed off to fight?" Seeing the true glare in my eyes, she shrunk back, her eyes pointed at the floor.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her head resting on my chest, her tears dampening my filthy, war-torn shirt. "I'm…so…sorry…" I propped my chin on top of her head and sighed, realizing only then that I was shaking just as much as she was.
"I know," I said softly into her ear. "But it's okay…it's over now. Thank Merlin for Harry…it's all over now." I rocked her body comfortingly, and in our embrace, I heard her tears eventually subside.
I took a clearer glance at the Hall. The entire Weasley family was gathered around Fred's body, minus Ron. I was concerned for a moment before I realized he must be with Harry.
Harry…the reason Teddy would grow up in a peaceful world. I promised myself then that Teddy would get many a chance to know his godfather.
And then I saw him. He was clutching James's old invisibility cloak in one hand, his face bruised and covered in dried blood. He looked around warily…and I understood. He was grieving…as the Weasleys were…but he was unsure, even after all these years…if he truly belonged. His glance rested on me, and I nodded slightly, with just a sliver of a smile. After a moment, he took a few steps toward up.
Dora wiped tears from her eyes and wrapped him in a hug as he approached.
"Thank you," I said gently, only to see his confused green orbs focus on me.
"For what?" he mumbled, and it was only then that I realized the toll that the war had taken on the seventeen-year-old. I recognized the look on his face: relieved that it was over, guilty that his friends had died, and the lack of purpose now that he'd done what he'd meant to do.
"You knocked some sense into me, Harry," I decided on saying. A tired smile appeared on his thin face.
"I'm glad it worked," he said quietly. "I felt terrible afterwards."
"Don't," Dora cut in, a genuine smile on her face. "Whatever you said to him…it brought him back."
Harry said nothing, merely smiled again. He continued up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. After what he'd done for all of us…for the world…the "Boy-Who-Lived" certainly deserved an uninterrupted sleep.
-HARRY POTTER-
After hours of disposing of the dead with the honor that they deserved and cleaning up the Hall, I could see Dora's eyelids sliding closed. I gently took hold of her arm, causing her to blink and look up at me blearily. "I think it's time to go," I said quietly.
"Remus-"
"Dora, you're exhausted," I said. She tried to stifle a yawn, but I raised my eyebrows. "We can come back later, but I must insist that you get some much-needed sleep."
"Like you don't need it?"
I groaned. "I didn't say that. We're both tired. And your mother's still sick with worry. And-"
"We need to check on Teddy," she said. After a silent moment, she finally admitted, "I know." Dora yawned again.
"Just grab my arm," I said, lightly kissing her forehead. "I'll Apparate us home." With the damage the castle had taken, the anti-Apparition wards had fallen, so once she obliged, I Disapparated, reappearing at the home of Andromeda Tonks with a loud crack.
-HARRY POTTER-
"Homenum Revelio," I murmured. Teddy. Andromeda. Nothing that wasn't supposed to be there. I sighed in relief. In my arms, Dora yawned, her eyes slowly opening again. She reached up to kiss me, and I smiled against her lips. "Home."
We approached the door and knocked, greeted by the customary "Who is it?" from Andromeda.
"It is I, Remus John Lupin-" Before I could finish, the door was yanked open and she enfolded Dora and I in her arms.
"You're safe," she whispered, a hint of desperation in her voice. "He's gone. It's all over…"
"Yes," Dora said, her eyes bright and her smile wide. "Is-"
"Teddy's upstairs in your room, asleep," 'Dromeda answered, her dark eyes twinkling.
Stepping inside, we rushed up the stairs to find our infant son asleep in his crib. I leant down and carefully picked him up, sure to support his head. His short, soft hair was turquoise, which seemed to be the color most often. Would it be his preferred color, as pink was his mother's? Dora stroked his forehead, and I felt my heart warm as I held both of them close to me.
"We can be a family now, Remus," my wife whispered. "No one can tear us apart now.
I frowned slightly. As wonderful as everything felt… "You do know that it's not going to change anything," I admitted sadly. "I'll still be an outcast. My lycanthropy hasn't disappeared- nor have the old prejudices."
"But you're a war hero," she protested. "There must be something in that…eh?"
"I don't know how much of a difference it'll make," I said, searching her eyes and gently laying Teddy back in his crib. "I'm sorry. You know I never-" But before I could finish, I felt Dora's lips on mine, and I closed my eyes, releasing a shattered breath once the kiss was broken. My grey eyes opened to find her staring at me with a smile.
"Shut up, Remus," she whispered, leaning in to kiss me again. I was only too happy to oblige.
-HARRY POTTER-
Please leave me a review to tell me what you think!
The next chapter goes even more AU than this one...basically tells what I THINK would have happened, had Lupin and Tonks survived. I'll just say this: Teddy is a key character in the chapters to come.
Thanks!