A/N: I definitely rewrote this several times, and I think I'm finally satisfied with it. Written for round one of Penelope Fiction's competition. The goal was to write a story about discrimination in the wizarding world based on the song "That's Just the Way it is" by Bruce Hornsby.

Disclaimer: I own nothing...

I stood in the doorway and watched my husband playing with our son. He was beautiful. They were both beautiful. But something was troubling Remus. Most people wouldn't be able to tell through all the laughter that was coming from the two of them, but underneath this temporary distraction, Remus had something on his mind.

I walked towards the two of them. Remus probably didn't realize I was there, but Teddy saw me immediately. He smiled and clapped his hands and his hair turned the exact same shade as mine. I had to laugh. I could almost feel Remus smiling at us with those tired, sad eyes of his, and I looked up to confirm this. But I could still tell there was something wrong.

"What's going on, Remus?" I asked, looking up at him. The smile faded from his face.

"Nothing," he replied, turning away from me. Teddy stopped laughing, sensing the tenseness in the air, and looked up at me with big, suddenly blue eyes. I held him closer.

"I know something's bothering you. What is it?"

He was silent for a moment, but I knew he would tell me. "I was just thinking how difficult I may have made life for you and Teddy."

I sighed deeply, and set Teddy down in his chair. "Don't start this again, Remus. I love you. Teddy loves you. We don't care how difficult life will be for us."

"Yes, but, Dora," I tried to interrupt him, but he, surprisingly, kept going. "We're always going to be poor because I can't get a job. You will always be known by at least part of your family as the woman who married a werewolf. Teddy will get picked on because his father is a monster. These are the kinds of things that bother me."

"Firstly," I said, turning to look at him finally and glaring at him, "I don't care how much money we have as long as we have enough to support ourselves. Secondly, if I cared what that part of my family thought, I'd have joined You-Know-Who by now. And thirdly, Teddy's father is not a monster. Every child is teased for something. I think that he should be proud to be made fun of because his father was brave enough to overcome his circumstances. And besides, we're fighting this war, aren't we? When we win, the world will be a better place, and you won't have to worry about it anymore."

"That's just wishful thinking. Things like this don't change, love," he said, and I couldn't believe my ears.

"Of course things will change! Just because something is the way it is doesn't mean that it will be that way forever. It doesn't mean we can't change it." I seemed to be out of words.

He wrapped his arms around me, and I looked at Teddy, who was just watching us. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Well, then, stop saying things like that," I muttered, pulling myself closer to him. Teddy made a noise then, one I'd come to recognize as his way of saying, 'I want hugs too'. Remus and I smiled at each other, and I picked up Teddy, who immediately reached out towards his father.

"See?" I said, handing the baby over, "He loves you, no matter what other people think. And even that is proof that things can change. And that they will." I kissed his cheek and left the room, only to stand in the door way and watch Remus play with Teddy. And it was truly a beautiful sight.

A/N: This is without doubt the shortest story I've ever written. I hope you liked it. Review, please, because it makes me smile! :-)