A/N: As promised yesterday, the third chapter for you all! ^_^ Thank you for all your amazing reviews, they really mean a lot. Would you leave your thoughts on this one for me again, please? Thanks! I really hope you like this one and Merry Christmas or whatever it is that you and your family celebrate today! :)

CHAPTER 3: Farewell

A few minutes later that day, Remus and Dora were sitting by the table, which was replete with The Daily Prophet's pages, reading through the paper and having a hot cup tea; he had insisted she ought to have one to calm herself, little did he know that his presence could calm her more than any amount of tea ever could. Teddy had been peacefully sleeping on his carrier near them, it seemed as though her tranquillity had had an effect upon him as well and her steady heartbeat led to a calm morning nap. Her eyes came across the eighth page, the one they both, despite not saying a word about it to each other, had been wilfully avoiding as if they ignored it enough a pixie would take it away and make their problem disappear. However, she realised she could not postpone it any longer, it was merely getting more painful by the second.

'Rem,' called Tonks, her hand gradually going from his forearm towards his hand and intertwining their fingers.

'Hm?' he replied tilting his head towards her, but his eyes remained focused on the content of Kingsley's new pronouncement.

She stared at the title for a while, refusing to answer him with words. As she did not say anything, he looked at her and followed her gaze. His fingers tightened the grip around hers immediately and he let the page he had been reading fall on the table, reaching over to the one she had been holding.

'Do you want to see it now?' he asked eyeing her, breaking their mute agreement of not saying anything about that cursed page. Receiving not any look back, for her eyes were still locked upon the page, he awaited. A second later, she nodded and he began to turn the page. 'All right.'

They sharpened their breaths before checking the first name on the list.

Abercrombie, Jadon.

It did not ring a bell to either of them; a temporary relief took over as if they thought they could go through the entire list without seeing any dear name. After it there was Brown, Lavender and the girl's name was closely followed by the Carrow siblings, somewhat angering the two of them. How could they mix Death Eaters with members of the Order and Hogwarts' students? Putting them all in the same bag as if they were all the same thing? Their eyes continued to scan the names, searching for ones they knew, but hoping beyond hope to see none.

Gradually, a name would jump out of the list, being identified as a colleague or a recognisable surname from their Hogwarts years or merely from seeing it somewhere, were they Quidditch games, an article in the Prophet or at some shop in Diagon Alley even. Seeing Knight, Alan had surely hurt, but finding about the Lestrange's deaths made Dora laugh out loud in sheer contentment for a whole minute. Sure, she had wished to be the one to bring her aunt down, but since she could not, having Bellatrix dead was more than good enough. Snape's death, on the other hand, came almost as a shock, but why should he not be dead? He was a Death Eater after all.

However, none hurt more than when they finally caught a glance at Tonks, Theodore. Dora had to look away. Would it ever stop hurting? Every single time she spared a thought at her father's death, her heart would sink, feel like crying from the inside, she had never pictured never seeing him again, never hearing him laugh so unworriedly like he used to do, never hearing him call her 'Dad's little girl' even though she had retorted every single time since she turned fifteen, telling him she was most definitely not a little girl anymore. Remus put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as he sought for some way to comfort her either than holding her to his chest, but finding none. Seeing Weasley, Friederich at the end was almost a relief; as though she could escape her painful memories and replace them by grief for the boy they all were so fond of, hurting almost as much as her father's, even though they were still aware of the twin's death.

Downwards the list of the casualties of the II War, Remus caught a glimpse of a second list, entitled as 'Creatures Deaths'; his eyes lingered upon it long enough for his wife to also be lured to it, seeing how her husband was still focused on the paper. Names of goblins, house-elves and giants followed the headline, none of them really getting their attention for more than the second they took to read it, that was until... When they read Greyback's, a light happy squeeze was felt on their hands, the monster was truly gone, would never hurt nor threat any of them with perilous menaces. It could be said that that nightmare was officially behind them. She pulled him, kissing his lips and thinking that he had not responded for he was simply shocked towards her sudden action. However, Remus's features assumed an expression that revealed to Tonks more than simple sadness, but a deep down sorrow, clearly profoundly wounded; it did not take long for her to connect it with what was on her husband's mind.

'You wouldn't have been there,' she assured him. 'The Order wouldn't have let them ― I wouldn't have let them.'

'That's where I should have been.'

'It's not!' argued Dora. 'You are a man, a man, Remus! And you're the one I love! I want you, you and no one else!'

'I know,' his voice calm and steady, so dissonant of hers, obviously trying to sooth his wife; his thumb lovingly caressing her cheek. 'I jus ― Sometimes, I just wish ... I just wish you didn't.'

Tonks rolled her eyes, looking away from him and letting out an extremely annoyed puff.

'Don't get me wrong,' he pleaded, turning his face to hers. His tone begging for her to look at him and how could she deny him that? 'I'm more than glad that you do, I'm delighted to be the one you want.'

'Good.' She tried to resist the smile that tugged the corner of her lips and she grabbed his face with both her hands. ''Cause you're stuck with me.' And she pressed her lips upon his.

Remus smiled fondly at her and she seemed satisfied with the small gesture, for she let him go.

'If you're feeling well enough to go, can we leave at four?' he asked her.

'Whaaat?' The way she prolonged the word, showing just how confused she was.

'The funeral.' He pointed to a minor entitlement beside both lists, saying the Hogwarts School would hold a memorial that afternoon to honour their dead. 'Didn't you read?'

'I ―' Her eyes quickly scanned the paragraph, getting the essential of it. 'Yeah, 'course I did! Four sounds nice,' she added, hoping he would not notice that she had not read a single word more than she needed to.

'Right ...' The beginning of a smirk playing on the corner of his lips.

Tonks hit him on his ribcage, not strong enough to hurt, just so he knew she had caught his irony, but she had forgotten about his battle wound, having yet to fully heal, just where her arm had made contact. And the laugh he had begun to let out, was rapidly transformed into a grunt of pain as he leant his head on the, filled with the newspaper's pages, table.

'Merlin's beard!' She got up, tossing her chair on the floor and clumsily trying to take his hand away. 'I'm sorry, I didn't ― Lemme see,' she had pushed his chair to the side and knelt between his legs, trying to take his robes out of her way.

'Dora ... it's okay.' He tried to comfort her between deep breaths, but she did not seem able to listen to him.

Having finally been able to get to his bare skin, she saw his bandage being coloured by crimson, which certainly was not there that morning when they woke up.

'It's certainly not,' she pressed her hand upon it; as gentle as she could be since she had to be firm to stop the bleeding. 'Re-opened,' she confessed, looking up to him, her eyes asking for forgiveness.

Remus bit his lip, hating himself for not being strong enough to endure it, the closeness of the full moon not helping his situation in the slightest.

'I'll get a potion,' she told him, starting to get up, but he placed his hand lightly upon hers.

'Stay?'

She had sharpened a breath to tell him she would be back in less than a minute when she saw his eyes, pleading for her to just stay by his side and she exhaled with a loving smile.

'Sure.'

Tonks knelt before him once again, leaning her head on his chest to hear the echoing thumps of his heart and he placed his chin on top of her head.

'D'you think Mum would have us for lunch?' she asked after a minute of silence and he felt the words vibrating through his chest.

'Why?'

'Well, I'm not making my wounded husband cook for me and certainly I don't feel like poisoning him, so ...'

Remus chuckled along with her.

'I don't see why not.'

'Good,' she motioned to get up, kissing a scar on the centre of his chest. 'I'll owl her.'

He nodded, feeling much better to let her go now and sparing a look at his bandage before replacing her hand with his own. It definitely did not look bad, but it did not look good either and as they had to go to St. Mungo's for another round of pain potions later that day, Remus was sure a Healer could fix it.

'Yes, you should!' Andromeda shouted at her daughter the second she had exposed her concerns towards should not having to contact her mother every single time Teddy cried for something she did not know what was, just like it had happened that morning. 'Darling, what was the last thing I told you before I left at the Hospital?'

Tonks thought for an instant, crossing her arms over her chest and throwing herself upon the sofa before answering.

'To let you know if I needed anything,' she admitted, sounding too much like a child being caught whilst doing something wrong.

Andromeda raised her brows, glancing at her daughter, who seemed to be trying her best to ignore her mother's glaze as though she had proceeded exactly like she was supposed to. Remus smiled at that sight; he knew better than to get himself between two stubborn Blacks so, he took Teddy in the carrier and was about to get the baby's bag when he heard his wife finally take the plunge.

'Fine! I'll owl you next time.' Tonks frowned, still not happy on admitting it, but if her son's safety was on the board, she could not take the risk.

'You'll do well to do so,' Andromeda lectured. 'Don't be like that, honey.' She sat beside her daughter. 'I just want to help you, because I know how it feels, when there's a crying baby before you and there's nothing you can do and you're feeling just so powerless.' She exhaled heavily. 'And I really had absolutely no one to turn to, but you are not alone.' She reached for her daughter's hand, squeezing it. 'Believe it or not, you learn a few tricks after nearly twenty-five years.' She pulled Tonks to a hug, which, after rolling her eyes, she responded holding her mother tightly.

'I jus ―' She smiled, letting her go. 'I just wanted to be a better mother for him, you know.'

'Calling for help makes you a better mother, all right?' Andromeda cupped her daughter's cheek. 'Shows that you put him in first place.'

Dora nodded, feeling her chest extremely lighter.

'Now, let me see him. How's my dear grandson?' she asked with a playful tone, turning her head around the room, searching for Teddy.

'I was about to go change him,' Remus lifted the carrier up for Andromeda to see.

'Oh, no, I'll do it,' she grinned, walking over to where he was.

Remus wondered how someone could be so eager to change a baby's napkin, but he handed her both his son and the baby's bag without questioning.

'Mum,' Dora called, 'I just fed him and we didn't manage to burp him, so ―'

'Oh, don't you worry, Nymphadora ―'

'Mu-um!'

'― I'll get that done too.'

Tonks exhaled heavily at her mother's mention of the first name she hated so much, but after the amount of help her mother had just offered her, she did not feel as though she could do any more than a slight rebuke.

An hour later, they all had their stomachs filled with Andromeda's delicious food. Tonks wondered if her mother actually could make something as bad as the usual meals she would cook and she supposed not, not even if she tried. With a painful feature, she had been breastfeeding her son one more time, since his last feed, she had felt her breasts tender and heavier, but her mother had supposed her breasts engorged due to her four days without feeding Teddy whilst she was unconscious at St. Mungo's. Andromeda re-entered the drawing-room coming from the kitchen and by the sounds that came from said room, she had just set a spell on the dishes to wash themselves.

'Mum, is it normal for him to be eating this much?' Another concern she had not really thought of asking her mother, but since she had promised her she would ask for her help in every little thing, she had voiced it. 'I mean, I don't know, maybe my head's a bit shaken since I woke up last night, but it seems like he's eating much more than I remember.'

'Completely normal,' guaranteed Andromeda. 'They usually regain the weight around the third week, so you'll really have to wake up more during the night. Every two hours or an hour and a half even.'

Remus walked over to the couch and got his wife's feet, taking off her shoes and started massaging her feet before he turned to his mother-in-law.

'Andromeda, would I be bothering you if I asked for another embarrassing tale about my wife?' he requested, remembering his favourite pastime during the several months they were trapped in that house.

Tonks frowned, kicking his thigh lightly for having Teddy in her arms stopped her from doing something else.

'Careful, love, you wouldn't want to injury you husband any more, would you? Besides, I just miss them,' he grinned quite innocently at her, but she merely put her tongue out for him.

'Not at all!' Andromeda shook her head taking no notice of her daughter's reaction.

After a couple of hours of Dora's embarrassing stories as a kid and they all discussing which of them, they could picture Teddy ever doing in the future, they realised that if they did not leave for the Hospital at precisely that moment, they would not be able to get checked by the Healer before heading to Hogwarts. Before entering the fireplace, they said their good-byes to Andromeda with promises of seeing her again at the school.

In opposite of what they had thought, St. Mungo's could not be more different from the night before. Remus was right to suspect that it was due to the fact that the tribute to the casualties of the War taking place in an hour. At the third floor, they found a Healer that, probably due to her declining age, seemed free enough of her duties to spare a bit of attention to them.

'What can I do for you, dearies?' the old lady asked. 'Everything all right with this little … It's a boy, isn't he?'

'Yes, he is fine.' Remus smiled.

'Actually, love, wouldn't hurt to ask her to take a look at him, right?' questioned Tonks, who was extremely concerned about Teddy and had even casted a Bubble Charm upon him out of worrying of taking her son to such a contaminated place.

'Sure.' He nodded and then turned to the Healer. 'If you wouldn't mind.'

'Oh, of course not!'

She walked over to them and Tonks passed her the carrier. The Healer took him to the nearest bed, lying him on it and began running her wand upon the boy, murmuring what seemed to be exceptionally complicated enchantments. Both parents stood side by side, leaning their backs on another bed and attentively watching the work of the elder woman, who had materialised a set of potions and was now rubbing a white one over his foot. Remus could tell Dora was anxious, she had been chewing her lip the whole time and when she decided to no longer punish her lip, she had chosen her cuticles to be her new target, without being able to take it any longer, he took her finger out of her mouth and smiled at her.

'He'll be all right.'

'I know.' She swallowed hard.

After another long moment of silence, Remus was sure she would not say another word, but she sharpened a deep breath as though she was digging up the courage to voice something, and leant towards his ear and he bent down to show her, he had her full attention.

'Should we ask for a ― you know, some sort of lycanthropy test?' she murmured to him.

Upon his eyes, she could see her anxiety reflected. Sure when he was born, they had had every sign that Teddy had not inherited his father's curse and she had not once been concerned about it since then, but none of the tests would let them be one hundred per cent sure about it and they had yet to face the ultimate test, Teddy's first full moon.

Remus breathed deeply. It was all his fault, he had been the irresponsible one, no matter how many times she tried to tell him otherwise, she was not used upon having to deal with a werewolf daily then, how could he expect from her to be as careful towards it as he was?

'Just to be sure,' she added apologetically, letting him know that she was not blaming him in the slightest for it.

He nodded. She might not blame him for it, but he did.

'Excuse me.' Tonks stepped forward.

'Yes?'

'Healer …' she eyed the woman's name tag. 'Frobisher. Would you happen to have some sort of lycanthropy test?'

'I ― Yes. Was he bitten, the poor thing?' the Healer started to search for scars upon Teddy's skin.

'Oh, no,' she tried to sound nonchalant, but was not completely successful. 'We're just worried about parent transmission, actually.'

'Oh …' The Healer looked from her to Remus and back to her in mere two seconds, as if trying to find out which one of them was a werewolf, or if both of them were. 'Oh! Yes, of course. If you will follow me.'

Tonks was grateful that, unlike Dorothy, the Healer who took care of most of her pregnancy, she had the decency of not asking which of them was a lycanthrope. She held her hand for Remus to take, her husband did seem somewhat reluctant to follow the Healer, but ended up taking her hand and together they walked after their son towards the fourth floor.

The landing was considerably more organised since Remus had been there three days before. Healer Frobisher led them to an empty room, which Remus was quite surprised to see that those actually existed now, and excused herself, coming back after a minute with another Healer, this time a man, who went to talk directly with them.

'Very well, Mr and Mrs ―' he looked at them straightening his eyes.

'Lupin,' Dora answered for it seemed to her as though Remus had completely lost his voice; she tightened her grip on her husband's hand.

'Lupin,' he repeated. 'We'll need to collect a few samples from your son. Nothing much,' he added quickly, seeing her eyes widen in worry. 'A few drops of blood, some cells from his skin and a bit of his saliva. Are you familiar with the procedure to collect all of those?'

She nodded. Auror missions being responsible for nearly all her organs having a sample collected. It was still not enough to leave her completely unconcerned, however. No matter how many times a spell had been practised, one could never be completely sure of it not going wrong.

'Skin?' questioned Remus, surprising her by getting out of his stupor.

'Um, yes,' the Healer assented. 'It is a rather simple procedure. We'll delimitate a small area and summon the kind of cells we need to run the test; supposed to be a painless procedure, but patients may experience some local tenderness.'

'Is that really all that can happen? Some local tenderness?'

Tonks could feel in his tone how worried Remus was that Teddy became hurt because of something he was supposedly responsible for, even though she knew it was not how things really were. Her gaze fell upon the boy, still closely watched by Healer Frobisher, and she knew nothing bad would happen to him, he was a healthy little boy and would not be suffer from any harm his father had absolutely no intention of transmitting to him.

'We usually do hundreds of them during a day, it's routine here at the Hospital and I won't even get started about these last few days, but you know how these things are, there's always the bigger risk.'

'Let's do this,' she asked in a pleading tone, tugging his robes, her voice far less reassuring than what she had wanted it to sound.

The Healer materialised a roll of parchment, a quill and a bottle of ink, handing them the first item.

'Please, sign it if you wish to go on.'

Tonks got the parchment, holding it open so they could read, getting scared every time they read a line. Described there, were countless possible consequences, from the simple tenderness to losing the limb and the test would only offer them an accuracy of ninety-eight per cent, but she would not let what could possibly happen unsettle her and got the quill to sign it, showing to her husband that she was not afraid and neither should he be.

Remus sharpened a breath as her eyes met his. He could see nothing but determination and trust on them as she offered him the quill. He had always loved how optimist she could be, something it was crystal clear that he needed more in his life. Honestly, what would he do without her? He got the quill, put it in the ink bottle and signed his name beside hers.

'Very well, I'll get started on it right away.' The Healer collected the parchment and began to walk towards Teddy.

'Can we watch?' Tonks asked.

'We'd rather not, ma'am. I'm sorry.'

Tonks nodded, facing her feet.

'Don't worry, dear, everything will be all right.' Healer Frobisher tapped her shoulder as Teddy was taken out of the room. 'Anything else I can do for you?'

'We're here for another round of pain potions, actually,' she explained. 'And we needed to get a few wounds checked.'

Every minute away from Teddy seemed like an eternity for both of them. Although they were supposedly busy with bandages, potions and pomades, they could not help but to wonder if anything was going wrong with their son. How long did it usually last? What if it should have ended by now? What if Teddy was bleeding and there was nothing either of them could do? What if the Healers were trying to save his life and they remained oblivious to it? Sure, Healer Frobisher did not look worried, but did she really have any reason to? To help with her engorged breasts, she advised Dora to apply a cold compress ten to fifteen minutes before breastfeeding and a hot one right before it, as well as massaging her breasts as the baby suckled.

'No sexual intercourses until he's six-weeks-old, you two,' she said tapping the last bandage on Tonks's arm, pointing at both of them with her index finger and a grin on her lips, probably her idea of a joke to cheer them up.

'Six weeks?' Tonks frowned. 'We were told four, even three if I was feeling well.'

'That was before you went to fight when you should've been home resting,' the Healer's tone steady, but slightly accusatory, 'wasn't it?'

'Oh.' Dora blushed. 'Right ...'

'Don't worry,' Remus pulled her to him. 'I'll make sure she behaves.'

The Healer shot him a glare, as though analysing if she could trust him with it or not, but apparently she thought so, for she left them alone. It all seemed to amplify when she walked away, leaving them to wait for their boy to be discharged.

'He'll be all right, you'll see.' She squeezed his hand. 'We're worrying for nothing.' She smiled, but he barely nodded, not trusting himself to say anything without sounding as if he did not believe himself.

Remus and Tonks went to the first floor, waiting for Teddy amidst so many other anguished relatives. Finally, in each other's arms, they met the end of their torture, the young Healer that had taken care of her the night before, Jessica Campbell, entered the room, with Teddy in her arms. They stood to their feet hurrying to her the moment they recognised the cloths Teddy had been wrapped on.

'Oh, hm, afternoon, Mr Lupin,' Jessica wished, getting a smile from Remus in return as she carefully putting his son in his. 'He's perfectly fine, everything went as expected.' She smiled seeing their relieved faces. 'The results shall be owled to you in a couple of days if that much.'

They Floo themselves to the School, late, as they knew they would be, they were glad to perceive that Kingsley had just got started on his speech. Tears stained nearly every face they were able to see, their eyes soon caught a glimpse at the Weasleys, a bright orange spot amidst the sea of wizards, such as themselves, donning black robes. It seemed to have so much more gingers than the ones they knew, much like Bill and Fleur's wedding, but Remus indicated with his head, somewhere behind the crowd, an isolated group of chairs where he knew they would not be forcing their presence to the grieving family for a while.

Minister Shacklebolt talked for a long while, discoursing about how, thanks to the ones who, amongst many others, had given their lives to the cause, they were finally going to able to leave in peace, children would be able to grow in a world without their parents worrying sick on their whereabouts. How they would never forget the ones who were gone for they had surely been the reason to many witches and wizards were there at that day. How the world would be a safer place because of them and he, honestly, can think of no better way to leave this life, than protecting the ones you love, than fighting for what you believe and that should be the message they would all carry on regarding their dead.

Kingsley was going to call a relative to talk about each of the ones who had died when Remus showed Teddy to Dora for he had began shaking his head from one side to the other, letting them know he was hungry; she put the cold compress on her breast and ten minutes later the hot one. By the time, she started breastfeeding him, Teddy was moaning loudly, almost crying and her mother made her way to them.

'Do you want to say something about your father?' asked Andromeda, folding a piece of parchment in her hands.

Tonks was caught off guards for a second, watching her mother as she wondered about her question. Of course she wanted to tell everyone how great her father was, but she could not deprive her mother the opportunity of talking about her husband.

'I ― Yeah, but no, Mum,' she shook her head, 'you can go. I'm sure you'll say something wonderful about him and ... He knew how I felt so,' she nodded, 'go ahead.'

Unaware, her mind started to compose the speech she would never give. She would certainly begin by saying he was a wonderful father, overprotective as she knew they all were. After his fight with Remus, she could not say he was a perfect man, but then who was, right? Teddy, she answered her own question, looking down to her baby and not even bothering to feel sorry for what she would do with whoever thought differently, You're perfect. Either way, she would talk about the amount of things he had thought her, their experiences that did not end the way they were expected to, when he taught her how to fly a broom. All in all, she had loved him and she could not have asked for someone else to raise her.

Emotional speeches were being given as they waited, identifying the names they had read on the Prophet on that morning. Elisa Jones's had been the one to draw more tears from the audience, mentioning her now orphan grandchild, but Dora only tear up when, with her Brazilian accent, she heard Olivia's mother talk about her youngest son, Alan, killed a couple of months ago. As time passed, they recognised more and more familiar faces among the crowd, members of the Order, Ministry's workers, Hogwarts professors. When Andromeda finally left them to discourse, Tonks could see her mother's hand shaking almost imperceptibly.

'Edward Tonks,' began Andromeda, with a magically increased voice. 'This man was my husband. A man, I can tell all of you unafraid of being wrong that he was the best man I knew. He was a great husband, a wonderful father, a bit too much protective as I'm sure my daughter would say.'

The crowd laughed lightly with her, Dora felt, rather than she saw, many faces turning to her; after all, being known more by her old surname made the connection between them all too easy to be made.

'He di ―' Her voice failed her and, putting her hand above her mouth, she swallowed the lump on her throat; her voice choked when she spoke again. 'He died protecting us: me, our daughter, our grandson. He was never ashamed of his condition as a Muggleborn and always stood by it, teaching us all that was not worth to be loved by what you are not. He supported me against my whole family and together we were as happy as two people who love each other can be. So, all I really want to say is ... even though I didn't want him to go, I know he died the way he wanted to, guaranteeing a better life for the ones he loved and we must make the best out of it. Thank you. Quietus!' She walked over to his tombstone, placing a kiss on her fingers and them upon the marble, conjuring a beautiful flower arrangement of colourful hydrangeas to put on it.

'Mum ...' Tonks murmured as she closed the few steps that separated them, embracing her mother tightly and for the first time, knowing her mother needed her daughter more than she needed her mother. 'It was beautiful,' she whispered in her ear, 'I'm sure Dad's thinking of you, wherever he is.'

'Thank you, darling,' sobbed Andromeda; tears staining both women's cheeks.

They stood together, half listening to the discourses, half thinking about how wonderful it was to still have the opportunity of watching the sun rise once again, remembering how close they had all come to dying in numerous opportunities, how if they were less than half an inch closer, their names would also be amongst the dead ones.

At long last, came Fred Weasley, the last name to compose the list of the casualties of the II Wizarding War, having his twin to talk on behalf of his family. As he walked to the stage, they perceived George's eyes already visibly red and swollen.

'Hey, everyone. So, my brother, he ... he and I, we lived by one rule that we actually never really stated, we kinda just did and that rule was to have fun. Wherever we went, we just wanted to be able to have a good time. And I'm ―' George had to stop himself, eyes closed fiercely, but when he finally opened them, strong determination crossed them and he continued to talk, despite the pain it was so obvious he was feeling. 'Anyway, he died doing the right thing, like everyone else here, but he died like we lived, laughing and having fun. And he wouldn't have wanted any of us to sit here mourning for him, he would have wanted us to enjoy this world of peace.' He actually sounded bitter and angry to them at the end, which did not seem to fit, but could also have been something else.

As George got down and was soon tightly embraced by his mother, Tonks could not help but to wonder if he would be able to do what he knew his brother would have wanted him to do, if he would have the strength to get up every morning and look in the mirror to see himself and not his dead twin. In time, possibly, but she knew that now, he would still need to grief for a good while before it stopped hurting so much.

Kingsley stepped forward and thanked the members of the Order of the Phoenix and all the ones who had fought against Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. He announced then, the beginning of the feast, pointing to the castle, where they knew to have by now, tables filled with Hogwarts' wonderful food. However, neither Remus nor Tonks felt like eating. In fact, they suspected that very few did want to eat, but they needed to occupy their minds with something else other than the grief that was consuming them.

They walked over to the Weasleys, instead, who also seemed to think that food was not their priority at that moment. Whilst Andromeda offered Molly a kind hug, Remus, unsure of what to say, tried to comfort Arthur and Tonks tapped the shoulder of the one Weasley she had missed that most, the one she had not seen in months; when Charlie turned around, before they wrapped each other in a tight embrace, she could see his eyes covered in tears, although it seemed that he was doing his best not to let them fall.

'I'm so sorry, Char,' she choked, surprised to fell tears suddenly falling from her eyes once again.

'Don't be silly,' he denied. 'It's not your fault. How're you holding up?'

'Fine ...' she answered, letting him go.

'Yeah?'

She nodded, wiping her tears.

'Good.'

Slowly, they blended between the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione, consoling each other with embraces to the best they could. In return, they all expressed their relief to see they were safe and sound after thinking for so long that they had left the world of the living. Remus was able to see inside the eyes Harry inherited from his mother not only just how much he had suffered with the whole War and the ones who died because of it, but how strongly he was bearing the misery. He knew easy could never be used to describe what Harry had done, nor what he would have to deal with for the rest of his life, but if someone was able to endure such burden, it was James's son, especially if he was not alone anymore, he had all his friends and supporters behind him, they would always stand up for him.

The group gradually began to walk towards the castle and Remus and Dora still did not want to eat, but followed them. Pleasantly surprised, Tonks saw Ron and Hermione holding each other's hands. Finally, she thought. The Hogwarts School, despite being still shattered due the battle, felt warm and cosy as always. The Great Hall was not organised as it usually was; instead of the usual five big tables, there was a huge one and several minor ones all over it. The boys put a few tables in a row, so their big group could all sit together. Ginny approached Dora, when she had Teddy in her arms, followed closely by Hermione.

'How's he?' asked Ginny, the single path of a dried tear staining her cheek.

'Great, he's great.' She smiled, holding him a bit lower so they could see him better.

'Aww, he's adorable!' Hermione smiled.

'I'll get a drink, do you want something?' Remus questioned his wife.

'Just pumpkin juice,' she answered with a grin before he left.

Ginny seemed to hesitate for a moment before asking, 'May I hold him?'

Tonks straightened her eyes in mock threat.

'How many new-borns have you hold?'

'I ... Well ... You see, Billius, my uncle, he had a son, about ten years ago and I ... held ... him ... Or rather just his hand 'cause I was very young.' Admitting her joke, Ginny looked around, resisting a smile.

But Tonks merely laughed at her.

'Just kidding.' She stood up. 'Sit there,' she commanded, indicating her chair with her head.

Ginny sat promptly and Dora laid him carefully in her arms.

'There, support his head and keep it a bit higher ― Yeah, like that.'

'Oh, Merlin!'

For the first time in the whole day, Tonks saw Ginny smiling.

'My godson,' Ginny informed her friend proudly.

'Oh, really? You? You and Harry?' Hermione looked from her to Dora, who nodded. 'That's great!' She reached for his little hand, caressing it with her thumb. 'He's so tiny.'

'That's because he wasn't inside of you!' she joked, getting laughs from them.

'Was it really hard?' Hermione's voice more serious now.

'Well,' Tonks began, sitting on Remus's chair, 'the last weeks were awful. I couldn't find a good position to sleep, swollen feet, swollen breasts, but it was ... bearable. His birth, though ... Not gonna lie to you, it hurt a lot!' She looked both girls in the eye. 'And everyone fussing around me all the time wasn't the best, but they did help and well, I had to do it one way or another, so ...'

After having got a goblet of wine for himself, Remus was pouring some pumpkin juice for his wife by the main table when he felt someone approaching him, looking sideways he saw Harry smiling if somewhat awkwardly at him.

'Hello, Harry.' He offered the boy a curt nod.

'Hi.' Harry closed the few steps that separated them and pretended to be busy on choosing something.

Remus had the decency to not push him to say something he was not prepared to and simply commented, 'Beautiful ceremony, wasn't it?'

'Yeah ― Listen, Lupin, I ―' Harry called, appearing to finally have gathered the courage to speak. 'During the Battle, I ... There was this moment when Voldemort made the Death Eaters retreat and he didn't attack us for about an hour. And I saw you and Tonks with ... you know ...'

Remus nodded, indicating for him to continue, knowing full well that he meant the time in which he and his wife were thought to be dead.

'So, I don't know if anyone told you this, but before he died, Snape gave me some memories and I went to Dumbledore's office to see them in the Pensieve.'

'You shouldn't have done it, Harry!' he said, exasperated. 'What if it was a trap?'

'He was on our side, Lupin ... Snape was on our side.' Harry saw Remus's eyes cross with surprise. 'Then, I found out that I had to ― to die to defeat Voldemort because there was a part of his soul in me.' The boy's eyes were pleading with something Remus was not entirely sure what was, but suffering sure was mixed in it. 'So I went to the Forest, where he was, but Dumbledore had left me the Resurrection Stone, not sure if you ever heard of it, but it can actually summon the dead, only they don't belong here, so it's not really bringing them back ...'

Harry's eyes were now lost somewhere around the Great Hall and Remus suddenly knew it had meant for Harry to see his parents for once; even if they were no more than a shade of James and Lily's true selves, Harry had got to see them.

'I used it and I saw them, you know, my parents and Sirius ... but also you.'

He looked at his former professor as if searching for any signs that he had gone insane, but Remus stared wide eyed at him. Was he actually dead at some point? If not, how could he appear to Harry as a dead man when he was not one?

'I mean, I thought you were dead. I was sure of it ... We all were.'

Harry searched in Lupin's eyes for an answer; him being the last one of the ones who had helped and guided him throughout the Wizarding World, the last link between him and his deceased parents. Remus could see the boy expected him to come up with some magical, prompt, enlightening answer. However, he had absolutely no idea as to what had happened during the time he had been unconscious and he hated himself for letting that boy down.

'I ... I don't know what to say, Harry,' he said apologetically.

Harry swallowed and nodded, trying to understand. He grabbed a bun from the table and nervously rolled it in his hands as if deciding if he should say anything else. Apparently, he opted not to do so, for he smiled at Remus before saying, 'I'm really glad you'll be there for Teddy.'

'Likewise.' Remus smiled warmly. 'I'm sure you'd have done a wonderful job either way. Thank you, Harry,' he added, 'for everything.'

Not really knowing what to say, Harry nodded again and walked away, tossing half of the bun in his mouth. Remus was then, left alone and confused at the table. How could he have talked with Harry as someone ... from the other side when he was never really there? Or was he? It was a blank to him, although it was not the effect of the Decimus hex, he could not say precisely what happened whilst he was senseless. What if the Killing Curse had also hit him? Don't be such a fool, he told himself, besides Harry, no one ever survived a Killing Curse. But what if his wounds, in addition to the Decimus Hex had somehow left him closer to the world of the dead than to the one of the living? Furthermore, Harry had believed in his death and was definitely in need of strong support to walk with him to his death, was it strong enough to summon some sort of shade of himself whilst he was nearly dead?

He handed the goblet with pumpkin juice to Tonks, convoking a free chair for him to sit beside her.

'Thanks.' She smiled kindly at him, but taking a sip, she noticed that something was keeping him in deep thought. 'All right?' she questioned, reaching for his hand.

Remus took his time to take a good sip of his wine and swallow the liquid before squeezing her hand kindly.

'Fine,' he hinted her, looking his wife in the eyes, letting her know that he did not wish to talk about it in front of everyone.

In Ginny's arms, Teddy began showing a few cues of hunger once more and Tonks leant close to Remus's ear.

'I'll be over there.' She pointed to a quiet corner of the Great Hall, where there were no one else, but her best friend, Olivia. 'Bring him in a bit, yeah?' he nodded and she kissed his cheek.

'Don't worry, he's just hungry,' she explained after seeing Ginny's concerned look. 'You can have him for a while, Remus will bring him for me in a bit.'

She made her way to her friend; Olivia's eyes crossed with sadness, certainly everything about her younger brother had coming hushing through her, but Tonks was not the kind of person to let one sit and cry without at least trying to cheer them up.

'Wotcher!' she grinned, throwing herself in the bench.

'Hi ...' Olivia strived to offer her friend a smile, which she knew had come out way too much like a grimace.

'You know what I was thinking?' she asked the very first thing that came to her mind as she put the cold compress upon her breast. 'Imagine if you have a girl and then, she and Teddy started dating?'

Olivia seemed lost in thought for a moment and a genuine smile started to tug the corner of her lips, but then Tonks thought of what she had just said ... Her Teddy? Her Teddy bear ... dating?

'No!' Olivia shouted after having followed the same line of thought as hers.

'Definitely not!' she shook her head fiercely. 'Dunno what I was thinking.'

'No dating,' Olivia stated.

'They'll be ...' Dora straightened her eyes, thinking, 'four-year-olds forever. Yep, they sleep through the night, already learnt how to use the bathroom ...'

'Talk and walk ...'

'So we're stuck with two four-year-olds?'

'Absolutely!' Olivia agreed, laughing with her friend.

'Imagine if we were not!' Tonks suggested. 'I'll definitely have trouble with that.'

'How come?'

'Well, it's genetics!' explained Dora. 'After Mum fighting her whole family to be with Dad and then, the novel between Remus and I, I can only imagine what will happen to Teddy ... It runs in the family!' she added causing them both to laugh again.

Tonks perceived some steps approaching them, but they quickly turned around and she shifted to see who was.

'Charlie!'

He stopped and his shoulders tensed before he spun on his heels.

'Yeah?' he asked, innocently.

'Wanted to hear some girl talk?' questioned Olivia.

'No way!' He shook his head. 'I was going to give Teddy's gift, but then I realised it was you the one Tonks had been talking with so I left. You two are scary when you're together and laughing, I'm not getting in the middle of it.'

'Oh, quit that!' Dora rolled her eyes. 'Teddy's already braver than you! Get your arse here.'

Charlie exhaled heavily, slowly making his way to them.

'So...?' Tonks raised her brows when he was beside her. 'What is it?'

He waved his wand and a large package was in his hand.

'Wow ...' She got the package, ripping it to reveal a plush dragon and she could not help but to grin; so like Charlie to present her baby with a stuffed dragon.

He squeezed the toy's tail, causing a large burst of fire to come from its mouth and Dora threw it as far away as she could, standing to her feet, her heart nearly popping out of her chest both in fear and anger, not bothered by the compress that had felt from her chest.

'THE FUCK, Charlie!' she stared, panting and wide eyed at him, not even caring that she had broke her rule of not saying bad words after Teddy's birth.

'What?' he asked with that fake innocence she hated. 'Are you burnt?'

'NO! But if you really think I'll give that to my son ―'

'Accio!' Charlie summoned the toy, pointing its mouth to his hand and squeezing the tail with the other. 'It doesn't burn,' he explained.

'That proves nothing! You've probably lost all your sensibility after all those years.' Tonks crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to believe.

'Liv?' Charlie offered her the toy and Olivia took it. Was it guilt that crossed her eyes? She squeezed the dragon's tail and had the fire upon her own hand. 'Just thought it might help you overcome your fear and ... Well, Teddy's gonna like it,' he grinned warily.

Tonks took the dragon in her hands. Would she really let her fear stay between her son and a present he would probably enjoy very much in the future?

Having heard his wife's yell, Remus got Teddy from Ginny and made his way to them, just in time to hear Dora muttering a 'Thanks,' to Charlie whilst his eyes practically demanded an explanation from his wife, but she simply got his hand and pulled him to a nearby empty classroom.

She sat on a chair, placing the dragon if somewhat angry at the nearby table, supporting her head in her hands for a short moment, leaving Remus to watch it all anguished and not really knowing what to do. Teddy started to cry then and she lifted her head, immediately starting to unbutton her shirt and Remus sat beside her, passing Teddy to her arms when she was done and placing his hand upon her thigh to show her, his support.

'That stupid dragon just breathed fire in my hands, that's all,' explained Dora before smiling kindly. 'Doesn't burn, though, I was just startled.'

'Oh ...' His brows furrowed slightly. 'Perhaps we should save it for when he's a bit older, don't you think?'

'Absolutely!' she chuckled.

Remus rubbed one hand upon her back, watching his son feed and kissing her forehead wrinkled in pain caused by not applying the compress long enough.

A knock was heard on the classroom's door and the sound of a throat being cleared, when they turned towards it, they saw a man, apparently in his late twenties, a camera hanging on his neck, beard across his face and clad in brand new brown robes, standing there.

'Excuse me,' he solicited. 'My name's Simon Hunt, I'm from the Daily Prophet. I've been gathering testimonies and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions. If it's not much trouble, that is; I can come back later ...'

'Would you give us a few minutes?' asked Remus.

'Certainly.' Simon stepped back. 'I'll be right outside here,' he added, closing the door.

Remus looked at Dora, he knew it was not the ideal time, but he would leave it for her to choose.

'I can send him away if you want.'

'S'not a problem,' assured Tonks. 'Doubt it'll take long.'

When Teddy finally let go, Remus gazed at her quizzically and she shrugged with what he thought to be the beginning of a smirk, but well, he must have misinterpreted. He went to the door, opening it and inviting the reporter.

'Come in.'

Simon approached them, circumventing the chairs and tables until he chose one near them to sit and took out his Quick-quote quill and a piece of parchment.

'Remus and Nymphadora Lupin from the Order of the Phoenix,' he dictated to the quill.

'Wait,' Tonks leant forwards, 'can't you just use "Mr and Mrs Lupin"?'

'... Sure,' he agreed. 'Scratch that. Mr and Mrs Lupin from the Order of the Phoenix,' he re-started and the quill wrote it madly fast.

Dora offered him a reassuring smile.

'So, how does it feel to be in the winning side?'

'It's not about being in the winning side and more about being in the right side,' Remus responded.

'Winning is great, though!' Tonks countered. 'We can finally prove to the idiots who believed in Voldemort that they were wrong, including the Prophet!'

Remus instantly shot her a warning glare, however, she completely ignored him and continued smiling at Simon, who seemed uncomfortable for an instant, but proceeded.

'How was it to fight, in the front line, a war with such great proportions?'

'Utterly exhausting at a time,' Remus informed him. 'We were really fatigued, but ―'

'But so much fun!' Dora cut him off, placing Teddy above her shoulder. 'We used to laugh during our meetings, have some drinks and enjoy our plans to bring the Dark Lord down.'

'Wouldn't you call it irresponsible to bring a child to the world during a war?' enquired Simon right away, his voice tone raising.

'I think you've had enough,' Remus stood up, 'Mr Hunt.' He stepped between the reporter and his wife. 'If you would, please, leave us.'

'Hang on, dear,' Tonks stood up as well, 'let me just answer the last question.' She smiled mischievously. She would not let him win this when she could turn things to her favour so easily.

Remus swallowed hard, but saw no other way out than letting her proceed.

'I wouldn't call irresponsibility to bring a smile to sad faces,' she answered, simply, leaning the back of her head on her husband's chest. 'My father is gone, but my mother and I smile when we look at my son. My best friend lost her baby brother, but we were just laughing whilst we talked about children. So many that are dear to me and have lost their loved ones, manage to smile when they see him. I don't know about you, but that's not irresponsibility to me.'

Simon stood up and his quill and parchment went to his pocket by themselves as he got his camera and took a picture of them before they could say no.

'A picture for the article,' he explained with a wry smile and walked away.

'What were you doing?' questioned Remus the minute Simon was out the door.

'Teaching the Prophet a lesson.' She reached for Teddy's bag.

'You shouldn't ―'

'Oh, come on, Remus!' She placed the changing cushion upon a table and then Teddy on it. 'All those stupid questions! "How was it to fight a war?" Piece of cake, darling! We laughed and Voldemort was dead!' With a hand on Teddy holding him in place, she got a clean nappy from the bag.

'Still ...' Remus took off Teddy's black trousers and got the cream as she unclasped the onesie and the dirty napkin.

'I wasn't going to ―' Tonks folded the dirty one and got the cream from him, 'to let them pretend they weren't on his side for practically a whole year!' she tossed it away, cleaning Teddy's bum with a tissue.

'I know they were wrong, Dora,' he said, calmly and starting to work on the left side of the napkin. 'Everybody knows.'

'Yeah, well, but we gotta do something, Remus!' She finished clasping the right side. 'Or they're going to be acting as if it never happened!'

'All right, all right.' He buttoned the white onesie as she put on his knitted trousers. 'Just be careful next time, all right? For him?' He reached for Teddy's tiny hand. 'We don't know what they're capable of.'

Dora nodded bitterly as Remus got their son and kissed her cheek. With her hand around his waist and his arm around her shoulder, they went out the room to finally enjoy, as happily as they could, Hogwarts' finest meal. All thoughts from the disastrous interview nearly emptied from their minds.