"Uncle Harry, can I ask you something?" Teddy Lupin asked. His hair turned orange, the color when he was feeling curious, and his young, chubby face turned up expectantly.

"Sure," Harry replied, turning and kneeling down to his godson's level.

"I was just gonna ask ... why don't I have parents like other kids?"

Harry swallowed. He always dreaded the moment he would have to explain death to the innocent boy.

"Well," he began, searching for the right words. "Do you know about the war?"

Teddy shook his head.

"Many years before you were born, there was a very bad man. He hurt many people."

"Like the bully at the park!" Teddy's face lit up with a sense of understanding. "He throws sand." At that his face scrunched up with distaste.

"Kind of, but Voldemort was much worse. So people decided to stop him. Your parents were two of those people."

"Did you fight him, uncle?" he asked innocently.

"Yes, and so did your aunt Hermione and uncle Ron."

"So what happened to my parents?"

"It was near the end of the war, and your parents were very brave. They were killed fighting to end the bad things that were happening."

The frown of not understanding on the boy's face broke Harry's heart.

"Killed." Teddy repeated, trying it out. "My parents were killed fighting Moldyvore."

"Voldemort, but yes."

The pair were still a while, Teddy mulled over the new information. Harry waited, not sure of the boy's reaction.

"So when can I see them?"

"Teddy, when people are dead we can't see them anymore."

"I can't see them?" Harry nodded sadly. "Why?"

"They went to heaven."

"Is it nice there?"

"It is very nice there," Harry reassured.

"As long as it is nice there, i guess it is okay if they stay." Teddy smiled. "Thanks uncle Harry!" He nodded, unable to speak past the quaffle-sized lump in his throat.

Teddy ran off to the door. It squeaked open and closed. Awkwardly but fast his frame raced off in the backyard, a smile firmly on his face.

Harry slowly stood up and stared at the counter top. It is not okay, he thought. Children shouldn't have to grow up without their parents. His eyes filled with tears.

A hand gripped his shoulder, and squeezed it gently. He turned to see Ginny gazing at him with concern. Her pregnant belly brushed against him.

"Are you okay?" her brown eyes searched his emerald ones.

"As long as you are here," he replied, placing his hand on her stomach. They smiled sadly at eachother.

Harry helped Ginny out to the back yard. She sighed as she leaned back in the creaky lawn chair. He relaxed into the one beside her. They held eachother's hand, Harry absentmindedly stroked hers with his thumb.

The couple watched in the waning light the young boy run and jump around, laughing shrill and true. Teddy's face the picture of complete joy.