Chapter 3
By the time Teddy had turned seven, he was already doing magic all of the time, and enjoying it more than anything.
On Thanksgiving of 2005, Ginny was baking a pumpkin pie. The family, and several others, were gathered at Grimmauld Place. Harry was in the living room with his entire extended family.
By this time, Fleur and Bill had three kids, Victoire, who was five years old, Dominique, who was three, and Louis, who was only one. George and Angelina had a newborn named Fred. Uncle Percy and Audrey had a one year old named Molly, after their grandmother.
Teddy was in the kitchen with Ginny. The pie baking in the oven smelled fantastic to Teddy, but Ginny had forbidden him from eating any until after dinner. When she turned to retrieve the turkey from the oven, the pie was suddenly in Teddy's hands and he was wolfing it down like he hadn't eaten in days.
Ginny placed the turkey back in the oven and removed her oven mitts. She noticed the pie was missing. "Where-" she whirled around. "Ted Lupin!"
Teddy froze guiltily, one hand in his mouth. He grinned sheepishly, mouth smeared with the pumpkin filling. Ginny angrily stalked out of the kitchen, heels clicking.
She returned with a different pie, one that she had already set out on the table. But Teddy, with his deep eyes and constantly changing hair color, was impossible to stay mad at. Ginny ruffled his hair affectionately.
"Sometimes I miss the days you hadn't discovered magic yet!" Ginny said to the boy who had just turned seven.
"Sorry, Aunt Ginny," he said guiltily. Ginny kissed his cheek, smiling warmly.
"It's okay, buddy. You finish that one, I'll bake another pie. But this one, you stay away from. Okay?"
"Okay," Teddy said, grinning stupidly, his mouth full of pie. Ginny chuckled and took the ingredients out of the pantry.
She carried the flour, sugar, baking powder, and confectioner's sugar to the counter, stacked up high enough to cover her face. She froze for a moment, then slammed the ingredients down on the table, and dashed down the hall frantically, one hand over her mouth.
Fleur, who was talking to Charlie, excused herself quickly and followed Ginny. Teddy turned back to his delicious pie, shoving more into his mouth.
Harry entered the kitchen. "Oh, hey, Teddy!" he stopped. "Nice," he commented, gesturing towards the pie. "Hey, do you know where Ginny went?"
Teddy pointed a pie-slathered hand in the direction that Ginny had left in.
"Thanks, Ted," Harry said. He ruffled his hair and set off in that direction.
Teddy turned back to the pie happily. Victoire entered the room, clutching the bottom of Bill's shirt and whining.
"Hey, Ted," Bill greeted him. He placed Victoire on the sear next to him. Teddy waved at her. "Victoire, play with Teddy," Bill said, and set off. He stopped. "Ted, have you seen Fleur?"
Again, Teddy pointed down the hall. Seeming confused that Fleur would have gone that way, Bill followed Teddy's directions.
Charlie walked in moments later. "Oh. I thought Bill was in here."
Teddy pointed again down the hall. Was everyone there now?
Hermione dashed in. "Oh, no, the turkey is burning!" She picked up Ginny's oven mitts and removed the turkey from the oven, fanning at it with the mitts.
"Where-" she began. Teddy interrupted her by pointing. Ron quickly followed his wife.
"Teddy, what's your favorite color?" Victoire asked.
Teddy pointed to his hair. Why was the five-year-old even with him?
"How old are you?" she asked.
"Go away, Victoire," he said irritably.
Stunned, she started to cry. She slid off the chair and ran away, wailing, "Daddy!"
Teddy shrugged and returned to his pie. The door opened. "Teddy!" called a deep growl of a voice. It was Hagrid. He walked in and slapped Teddy on the back so hard his face flew into the pie.
"Hey, Hagrid," Teddy said grudgingly, wiping his face.
"Where is everyone? On'y ones in here is Dominique, George, Angelina, an' Louis!"
Teddy sighed and pointed once more down the hall. Hagrid grunted and followed Teddy's directions.
Teddy sat alone, shoveling pie into his mouth. In a few minutes, everyone returned. Ginny appeared to be calming herself. She brushed her hair out of her face, and moved the turkey onto a platter. She walked into the dining room with it.
When she returned, she gestured for Teddy to follow her. "Ted, time for dinner."
Teddy slid off his seat and walked into the dining room. They all sat around the long table. Victoire sat across from him and kept shooting glares at him throughout the meal.
Teddy dug into his turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. He felt his hair slowly morphing brighter as he ate with his family.