"You're not my father so leave me alone!" Teddy screamed through tears.
"Teddy I never tried to be your father." Harry said in a soothing voice as he tried to calm his godson.
"Just leave me alone, it's your fault they're gone!" He whirled around and fled from the house missing the look of devastation that passed over Harry's faced and Ginny's sharp intake of breath.
"He didn't mean that Harry, he's just hurt." Ginny consoled her husband.
"I know that" Harry replied, funny how it didn't make it hurt any less.
He didn't know where he was going, not consciously anyway, his legs seemed to know exactly where to go though. As he walked his guilt rose, in his anger and hurt he had said things he deeply regretted. Now he'll leave you faster, the little voice in his head whispered.
Half an hour later he was standing in front of his parents' grave. It was located at the far left of the cemetery. A cemetery created solely for those who lost their life during the battle of Hogwarts, Fred Weasley's grave was located a few feet away. His parents' graveside usually gave him comfort, today it brought back his anger, reminding him of all he had lost. He glared at his feet angrily wanting to curse them for taking him here.
"Why did you guys have to leave me? It's not fair that every day I hear stories of all the amazing things you've done and I never get to see them myself. It's not fair that every day I hear how I'm growing so handsome just like my father and some days I can't remember how you look. What's the use of leaving a better world for me if you never get to see me enjoy it? His voice cracked on the last word. "How can you miss something you never had?" He asked as he wiped his tears. Maybe because every day he was reminded of them, of how everyone except you had met them and had stories about them. It helped most days but on days like today it just made his loss unbearable.
"You think you're so much better than us you're your Harry Potter's godson, but just remember that's just what you are, you're not his son, and you're not even related to him! You don't have anyone and he can get rid of you anytime he wants and he should do it soon before you contaminate his actual kids you little mongrel!" Though the words had been thrown at him in anger and jealously they had hit a deep seated fear Teddy had been carrying. Ever since James had been born Teddy had been wondering when Harry would grow tired of him and send him back to his grandmother indefinitely. Then his grandmother had died last year and his fear had grown. Was everyone gonna leave him? Where would Harry send him now when he got tired of him? He had started to distance himself from his god father, going out with the family less and staying in his room more. He had heard Aunt Ginny joke on more than one occasion that he was just a growing teenage boy when Harry had expressed his confusion as to why Teddy was now spending so much time in his room. He was just glad his hair didn't change color when he lied anymore.
It still changed when he went through a range of emotions quickly though he thought as he remembered his reflection when Harry had bought him home from the after pulling him off a bloody Carmichael. His eyes had been red and his hair was black and red, he'd looked like a demon. No wonder Carmichael's friends hadn't come to their friend's aid. Harry hadn't said a word as he took him inside and did a quick healing spell on his bruised knuckles. "You know how I feel about fighting Teddy so you better have a real good explanation." Harry had finally said through gritted teeth.
"I don't have to explain anything to you." Teddy had thrown back.
"Teddy don't talk to your godfather like that." He hadn't seen Aunt Ginny come in but she frowned at him with a less than pleased expression on her face.
"Why don't you just leave me alone? You're not my parents!" A look passed beside wife and husband of silent understanding.
"Teddy what did that boy say about your parents?" Harry knelt in front of his 14yr old godson who was quickly catching him up in height, he might not know it but his eyes had changed from red to grey and were filled with pain.
"He said they were mongrels." Specks of red returned in his eyes as he spoke. "For all I know they were, it's not like I actually know them."
"Don't talk about your parents like that, they were good people and died making a better world for you."
"Without them!" He cried angrily. "They left me alone."
"Teddy you're not alone, you have me and lots of other people who love you."
"I love you." Finished Ginny
"For how long?" He asked
"Teddy we won't leave you."
"Ha, my own parents did. Just leave me alone"
"Teddy-"
"You're not my father so leave me alone!" Teddy had screamed through tears
"I'm sorry Harry." He said quietly as he broke out of his reverie.
"You should tell Harry that." A voice said behind him, unknown yet somehow familiar. He whirled around and gasped out loud, it was impossible but his father stood before him, looking younger than he had in the pictures he had seen of him, his clothes less tattered. Teddy felt dizzy.
"He didn't deserve that son." A phantom voice said beside his father, the voice sounded disapproving. A small woman with bright pink hair seemed to shimmer into being in the empty space his father.
"Mom?" He managed to choke out after gaping at them for a few seconds. "How, are you ghosts?"
"No, this is a onetime offer, a favor if you might." Supplied his father, his eyes seemed to glow as he took in his son. They seemed more solid than the ghosts at Hogwarts but Teddy noticed they too hovered a few inches off the ground.
"You're getting so big." His mother said as she walked, well drifted towards him. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, she raised her hand against his cheek but it passed right through him, Teddy swore he could feel the warmth of her hands nonetheless.
"I wish more than anything that we were here for to help to ride you first broomstick, to wave you off on your first day of Hogwarts, to heal that first scrape or reprimand you the first time you got detention." His father's voice shook and his mom continued.
"But though we couldn't touch you and you couldn't see us we watched you while harry helped you on your first broomstick ride, we cried with you when you got your first scrape, we sat with you through your first train ride and your father and his friends cheered when you got your first detention."
"We're always here with you Teddy, in good times and in bad. Remember, the ones who love you never truly leave you. But if you keep pushing away the ones you have now you're going to regret it when it's too late."
"Baby don't push him away, he needs you just as much as you need him, and he will never leave you."
"How do you know?" He said as he wiped tears from his eyes, his chest hurt and his heart felt too big for his chest.
"Because although he's not your father, he loves you like you're his son." His father came up to him, a sad smile on his face, "I wish I could hug you. We love you so much, don't you ever doubt that."
"I don't." He managed to choke out.
"Honey we have to go." His other said tugging at his father's arm.
"Just one more thing, Victoire really likes you; make a move before someone else does." His father said winking.
"Lupin! I swear you've been hanging out with James too much." His mother scolded although her smile belied her words.
"Oh and awesome safe last year son!" His father shouted as their forms shimmered and slowly disappeared "And tell Harry his parents love the names and Snape actually smiled. He could hear his parents' laughter as they disappeared completely.
"Teddy?" Harry's voiced inquired softly, he opened his eyes and saw his godfather peering down at him, his green eyes laced with worry. He didn't know when he had fallen asleep and for a minute he felt disappointment wash over him as he wondered if he had been dreaming. "I could have sworn I heard laughter, it sounded like…" He eyed Teddy wearily before saying "That's impossible, are you ok?"
"I'm sorry" Teddy said contritely. "I didn't mean what I said earlier."
"I know that." Harry replied as he helped him up and ruffled his godson's hair "He scared me running off like that."
"I'm sorry again. Does it ever get easier? He asked looking sideways at Harry
"Yes it does." He replied after a slight pause. "You never stop missing them but once you know that they're always there with you, it gets easier. You know that they're still with you right?" Harry asked looking at his godson.
"Yeah I do now, oh and my dad says hi." He finished grinning up at his astounded godfather.
"I think we need to talk." Harry said finally.
"Yes we do."