Father of Mine

by mad-maddiy

Chapter 4: Clarifications

Sunday, July 12, 2015

The following week was simple for the men in the Potter's home. Harry took care of Sirius and Remus, helping them build up their strength and health once more, and by the next Sunday, they were free of their beds.

Sirius and Remus had picked up where they left off in their friendship; still the best of friends. They forgave each other over every disagreement they had left an open wound when one of them died, small problems, like Sirius borrowing one of Remus' shirts, or Remus using Sirius' toothpaste.

Currently, the two Marauders were sitting at the kitchen table, quietly chatting and sipping tea, while Harry made grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. Teddy had gone out to Diagon Alley, and still had spoken to neither Sirius nor Remus.

Harry had just flipped the sandwiches for the last time on the stove when the fireplace roared to life, and Teddy stepped through, laughing quietly at something his friend had said at his departure. Coming into the kitchen, he stopped short and his eyes grew wide at the sight of his father and his father's best friend sitting at the table.

". . .Oh, hey, er'body. . ." Teddy said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hey, Ted. Why don't you sit down, we're just about to have a light dinner," Harry asked, though it wasn't open for discussion. Teddy slowly fell into a chair, across from Sirius and in between Harry and Remus. He folded his hands together and looked everywhere but at his father.

Once the table was set and the sandwiches were in the center, everyone's plates full, Harry turned to his ward. "How was Diagon Alley, kid?"

Teddy glanced up at his father, silently killing him with his eyes for making him speak. "It was okay, I suppose. I got those dragon hide gloves you wanted. . ." He trailed off, looking down at his lap, and rubbing his hands together nervously.

"Wonderful!" Harry said happily, taking a large bite out of his sandwich. Remus cleared his throat and turned his attention to his son.

"Hey, Teddy. How's, erm, life been treating you?" He asked softly.

Teddy mumbled something unintelligible, until Harry kicked his foot under the table. "Fine, sir." He corrected himself, answering Remus.

The werewolf glanced at Sirius, at a loss for what to do. "You don't have to call me 'sir', Teddy." He assured. He only saw Teddy nodded in acknowledgement.

Harry stood up slowly, giving Teddy a pointed look. "If you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I need to have a little word with Theodore here." Teddy's eyes widened at the mention of his full name, but nevertheless rose from his chair and followed Harry into the next room.

"What the bloody Hell is up with you?" Harry asked in a hushed tone. "He's your father, not a Death Eater! Don't be such a baby--"

Teddy cut him off with a glare. "The last time I 'saw' him, I was a baby, Dad!" He snarled, clearly frustrated.

Harry took him by the shoulders and shook him a little. "Get ahold of yourself. You'll never feel any better until you talk to him and work this out." He squeezed his shoulders, and went back into the kitchen. From the room Teddy was still in, he could hear Harry come up with an excuse for Sirius and himself to leave, but not Remus.

The boy took a deep breath and went back into the kitchen, and sat across from his biological father. "I'm sorry," He apologized, looking into his father's eyes. "For everything."

Remus frowned at him, confused. "Everything? What did you do?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

Teddy broke the eye contact and looked at the table. "For disrespecting you," He muttered.

Remus continued to stare at him, urging him to continue.

"I don't think of you as my dad anymore! Sure, you're my father," He began, looking back at Remus again. "But Harry was the one that helped me after nightmares, and he's the one that gave me potions when I was sick, and the one that kicked my butt when I was acting lazy and stupid, and the one that made me the man I am today, and I'm just sorry!" He exclaimed sadly.

Remus reached across the table and grasped his son's hand in his own. "Don't be, Teddy--"

"Yes, I should!" Teddy interrupted. "I changed my appearance to look like Harry," He said as he gestured to his hair and face, beginning to cry. "I call him dad, and not you. . ." He trailed off, sniffling.

Remus rose from his seat and moved around the table, lifting Teddy by the elbows and engulfing him in a hug, beginning to cry as well. "I won't hold it against you, son. You needed a father, and you got one, one that loves you very, very much. You can call me whatever you want, Teddy." He kissed his son's head as they both cried softly, the burden slowly rising from their hearts.

Meanwhile, in the living room. . .

Harry lead Sirius away from the kitchen and into the living room down the hall, gesturing for him to take a seat on the couch. He went to the cabinet and got a bottle of firewhiskey and two glasses.

"Padfoot, you know what's odd?" Harry asked in a playful tone.

Sirius flashed him a grin. "What's odd, Prongslet?" He joked.

"I'm about your age now, give or take a year." Harry acknowledged, taking a sip of his drink.

Sirius copied him. "Crazy shit," he nodded in agreement.

Harry laughed, "You curse a lot, Padfoot." He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Sirius didn't say anything for awhile, until he whispered in an awestruck tone. "It's so odd seeing you as a parent, you know. And seeing you as old as I am. . .it's mind boggling." He watched as Harry nodded, his eyes still closed. "I missed you, Prongslet. I missed life." Sirius' voice broke at the declaration and he buried his face in his hands.

Harry stood up and crossed over to the couch, sitting next to Sirius and resting a hand on his shoulder. "I missed you, too, Sirius. Unbelievably so. . .wasn't myself for a very long time," He stated, taking another sip of firewhiskey. "You know, Remus was the one that stopped me from going in after you through the veil." He remembered.

Sirius lifted his head from his hands and looked at Harry. "You would've gone in after me? Are you crazy?!" He asked sharply.

Harry shook his head. "No, not crazy. But I loved you, you were the closest thing I had to a father, and you really didn't ever have the chance to play the part properly--" He was cut off when a mane of black curls covered his face, and arms embraced him.

"I love you too, kid. You're the son I never had. . .nor wanted, but got anyway and grew to love," Sirius joked, leaning out of the embrace slightly to flash him another grin.

Harry chuckled, hugging him back tightly. "Good to have you back, Sirius."

Later that day. . .

What is a father? Is it someone that donated half of their genes to make you? Is it someone that invests in your life, buying you everything you need? Or is it just someone that gives you irrevocable love, never asking for anything in return?

For Harry, he had two father figures, but was one himself as well. And of course, there was always the man who gave his life to protect Harry's.

Harry had confessed to Sirius earlier that day that one of reasons he loved and cared for Teddy so much was because of how similar the start of their lives were, and Harry wanted to make sure Teddy's life turned out differently.

He obviously succeeded.

Teddy, on the other hand, had three fathers in his life now. While Harry really took care of him and raised him during his childhood, Remus and Sirius could offer advice and help him with day-to-day complications.

So, one might ask, who was Teddy's father? Harry, or Remus? Did Sirius act as a father figure as well?

"And now you ask me through your tears

the age-old question, unanswered through the years.

Heredity or environment, which are you a product of?

Neither my darling, neither. Just two different kinds of love."

If you were to ask Teddy, well, he would respond the same way every time.

He'd flash you a grin, grip your shoulder and chuckle loudly. "All three, of course. They're all fathers of mine!"

Fin.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that reviewed, and/or added this story to their favorites/story alert. I really, really appreciate it, it makes me incredibly happy! I hope the ending was to your liking, I didn't really know what would be the best way of bringing it to a finish.

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I hope you enjoyed it!