Warning: Wrote this as a 30 minute personal challenge so it may be a little bumpy. I didn't realize it was the 20th Anniversary until later this afternoon and felt I needed to mark it one way or another...
He could hear his son crying in the other room.
"I've got him," he muttered under his breath, pulling up the covers to his wife's shoulder. The soft bubblegum locks falling in front of her eyes in a grateful curtain.
Maneuvering around their bed, he nearly tripped on the rocking hippogriff Andromeda had picked up when he was born. How the woman was able to get that while they were all considered in hiding he didn't know-let alone, why she got that for him, he was only 6 weeks old. He wouldn't be able to ride it for months-maybe a year-the thought of dodging a hippogriff every morning seemed too much and he picked it up by the neck and carried it into his son's room.
"Daddy's here Teddy," he crooned as the screams wailed on. "Look, I even brought you Beaky, where shall we put him?" he asked before setting it in the corner. Remus walked over to his son's cradle and lifted him into his arms. He was long and skinny. If his parents had lived to see their grandson, he was sure he could hear his mother say that's just how Lupin baby's were. Long and skinny, all limbs. While most parents had cute little loaves of bread, she raised a baguette.
The twisting arms and kicking legs slowed down as Remus tucked his son close to his chest, sitting down in the rocking chair they had bought months ago. Teddy's hair was turning from its fitful red to the turquoise he favored so much. "You like the rocker eh?" he asked, getting into the rhythm. It was actually what he bought when he came back to Tonks-after he had tried to join Harry.
James had done something similar. He could remember he and Lily had gotten into a large argument over their participation in the Order during Lily's pregnancy. He had gone with Sirius and himself on what Moody had later coined a carless suicide mission that should have ended them all-it was only Gideon and Fabian Prewett coming to the rescue at the last minute that had delivered them from the Death Eaters but straight into the wrath of Lily Potter. She had threatened James with all sorts of jinxes and curses-as well as leaving him for either of their parents. It was James coming home with a rocking chair that had smoothed everything over. "Take note on that Moony," he had said with a wink, "When your Missus gets fussy, just get them something for the nursery."
"You know, I think Uncle James was on to something about the rocking chair," Remus told his son. "Course, that was twenty years ago, well before I knew your mother-back then I didn't think I'd ever get either of you," he murmured, looking down at his boy. Adjusting to get his wand out, he waved it and a bottle came from the kitchen. Making sure it was just right, he gave it to his son and kept rocking.
"You know, it's May 1st Ted," Remus smiled, "When I was younger-before my condition, my parents used to take me to the May Day Celebration in town. It was always a carnival-flowers, sweets-everyone so ready for the summer holidays," he looked down at his son, "Someday, maybe next year we'll give it a go. I think you'd like it. We could go to the one in Godric's Hollow or Ottery-they'd be a little more understanding of your hair changes-but that's neither here or there son-"
He wondered what his son would be like in a year. If he would be a long and skinny toddler. Remus could imagine the three of them, he and Tonks pushing a tram that Teddy would jump out of too quickly to go find mischief. That would be a given. He was a child of a Marauder, and had the free spirit of his mother. Mischief would be his son's constant companion.
"Maybe your Godfather will be able to join us," he said aloud, "I think he's close Teddy. When I saw him last month he looked like he had a plan forming-he got that look from his Godfather, Uncle Sirius-I suppose someday you'll have that look too," He looked down at his son again, his fists waving merrily with a milky smile. " It's always been a frightening thing Teddy, Harry Potter's face when he has an idea-I suppose I'll say the same thing when you sport one around the house. Perhaps we should have asked mummy's friend Charlie-" Remus laughed for a moment, looking up at the mobile, "when your choices for Godfather is a man on the run or a man who works with dragons, I suppose it's safe to say your mother and I have questionable taste in guardians. But don't worry Teddy, we aren't going anywhere."
He rocked the chair still, wondering what the summer would hold. He knew Harry had to be close. And if the pattern would hold, the war would be over by the End of Year Exams and they would all be at the Burrow celebrating his 18th Birthday in Peace. Remus closed his eyes and thought of that scene. Harry would be uncomfortable about it all-the attention he was getting, but Molly would keep it small. Bill and Fleur would be there, a peace time smile etched on their faces rather than the worried glances they had so long ago perfected. Hagrid of course would be there, riddling off what animals he would be bringing back in the fall-
"And Hermione and Ron will be there too-" he said drifting off. "I don't know if there's something going on with them, Ron best figure it out or one of his brothers will for him. I think one of the twins might have a fancy for her," he said to his son, trying not to laugh at the thought of Fred and George trying to impress the brightest witch he had ever taught while their brother turned red in the face at the sight. Maybe Percy would be back-then there could be two red faced Weasleys.
And the three of them would be there. The Three Lupins-and Andromeda. For what would be one of many happy dinners in the garden of the Burrow in a series of endless sunny days. He could imagine his son growing up in that backyard over the years of summer Sunday Dinners. A little long and skinny toddler running around the apple orchard, his blue hair bouncing as he went.
"You'll like your Godfather Teddy, I promise," Remus said with a smile, "He'll probably want to teach you how to ride a broom by your second birthday. We won't tell mum." Although on second thought, Remus was sure his wife the auror wouldn't expect anything less from he and Harry.
Remus couldn't wait to see Harry again. It would be refreshing to see him during a genuine peace time. He hadn't seen him carefree since his third year, and even then the carefree was a farce hidden against the threat of Dementors and an alleged murderer on his heels.
But it would be different this time. When Harry beat Voldemort it would be real. It would be finished. And he could raise his son in the peace that James and Lily had always hoped Harry would get to enjoy.
"Someday Teddy, someday you'll ask about the war," he said, adjusting his son so he was at his shoulder, rubbing his back for burps. "I won't promise I will tell you everything, because there are some things you should never have to worry about. It won't be easy knowing you have a great aunt that would love to see us all dead-but I'll tell you why we fought, and that Mummy and Daddy were doing all of this for you."
Teddy gave a burp at this point. Remus smiled and tucked him closer. He still smelt like a new baby. His little, perfect son. He raised his wand again and sent a wave of stars over the ceiling where they rotated around for them. Casting a glow of celestial light on the father and son below.
"When the war is over, when your older, we'll go camping. I did that with my father when-I was able. I'll show you all the constellations-how you can look to the sky and always find your gran. And Uncle Sirius-"
"Are you already corrupting our son with Sirius stories?" a voice said from the doorway. There was Dora, leaning against the frame. She wore a Weird Sisters T-Shirt and a blue house coat. Her hair was still pink and her eyes shone at the sight of Teddy.
"He's the son of a Marauder, it's important he knows the stories," Remus said, rocking again. He adjusted Teddy to his left while Tonks came and found a spot on the right side of him. "Just promise me you won't tell him where the secret passages are until his third year? I think McGonagall will kill us if he gets caught running all over his first year."
"No promises," Remus smiled, "I might keep that promise, but his Godfather is Sirius' Godson and Teddy will probably hero worship Fred and George so-"
"That school is doomed," Tonks said, leaning her head on her husband's shoulder. She looked down at Teddy, her finger outstretched as he held it tightly.
"I like these early morning's with my boys," Dora said softly looking at her son and then at him.
"If anyone had told me last year, that I'd be celebrating May Day married with a child I would have called them a madman-" Remus answered, reaching his arm around his wife.
"And now?" she asked, a hint of trepidation.
"Now I cannot imagine a world where we are not a family," Remus said, looking down at his son, his eyelids heavy and starting to close.
She looked at him with soft eyes. Dora had always had them, but they had become softer as motherhood bloomed. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, "We always will be. And as soon as this war is over, we'll be a family on the run-parks, circuses, we can go on trips-see where you grew up in Wales-"
"We'll have a thousand splendid suns," he said, pulling her close. She had shifted over and now was holding Teddy, " A thousand splendid suns," she echoed, "or maybe one or two more?"
He jerked his head up toward this, "Is that so Mrs Lupin?"
"Well I was an only child-and so were you-you know how lonely it can get," she shrugged, "Besides, I was already thinking of names, we have one for my dad, we need one for yours, and then Sirius and-"
He bounced the rocking chair again, rocking the three of them into the night, "Shhh-" he said, to Teddy but may as well been both of them, "We have a long time before we start naming the rest of our brood. Let's get this one tucked in and we can head that way ourselves."
Dora got up and put the sleeping baby in his crib. She spun the mobile of a wolf, dog and stag and watched as her son smiled in his sleep.
"I can't wait to see what he grows up to be," she said with a smile, looking again at her little one.
"I know," Remus said, stepping in behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, "But I can tell you right now, he will be one of the happiest, most loved children that ever there was. Because he's ours."
((*))