The house was as quiet as a grave itself after Ted's death; Andromeda had found it incredibly difficult to pull herself round. Ted had been a much larger part of her life than she had ever imagined, and she was racked by guilt that she could have been a better wife to him. She was convinced that she had never made him truly happy and it fell to Dora to try to convince her she was wrong. It was not an easy job for, in truth, Andromeda had been difficult to live with. If she had completely cut herself off from her past, it may have been easier, but she never forgot she was a Black and Dora always thought her mother harboured some faint hope that one day she would be reconciled to her family.

Remus and Dora sat in the living room watching the embers of the fire slowly fade to black. It was after eleven o'clock on the 31st of March. They were alone; Andromeda having gone to bed early as she tended to recently. Dora took hold of his hand.

'It will soon be April, and by this time next month, we'll be parents.'

He smiled at her. 'You'll be a mummy, and I'll be a daddy. I never thought it would happen to me, you know? Having a family.'

'Remus, I'm scared. What are we going to do about the birth? Who's going to help me?'

He put his arm around her, pulling her in to a hug. 'We'll manage; your mother had you, and women have been giving birth for millions of years. You'll be fine.' He hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.

'Will you promise me something?'

'What?' There was something in her voice that made him suddenly wary.

'That, whatever happens, you won't take me to St. Mungo's. No, don't argue. If I turn up there they'll find out about it. I'll end up like dad and I don't want that. Promise me.'

He hugged her tighter to him. Surely nothing could go wrong; she was young and healthy. 'I promise.'

A few days later, Dora began to get very restless, and started prowling round the house. One morning they actually found her in the kitchen, on her hands and knees, scrubbing out the insides of the cupboards with a toothbrush. She also had this overwhelming urge to wash clothes and then iron them; in itself a sign something was very different. When they ran out of laundry, she started washing and ironing clean things. Remus couldn't understand what was happening, but Andromeda took him to one side and explained that Dora was "nesting". It was an indication that her time was near.

Remus asked her about the birth, confiding in his mother-in-law that Dora was worried.

'I think I know what to do' she said. 'If things go wrong, I think there is one person I could trust, who would come and help us out. Has she said anything to you about St. Mungo's? She made me promise we wouldn't take her there.' Remus confirmed he had had the same conversation. 'We'll just have to hope.'

A few days later, Dora went in to labour. For the first few hours they could do nothing but sit with her, keeping her occupied. As things progressed, Andromeda became more important, helping her daughter with advice through the contractions and trying to remember what had happened to her all those years ago. Apart from that, there was little they could do and just had to let nature take its course. The part that Andromeda was most worried about was the umbilical cord, which she knew needed to be tied and cut. She'd read up about it, and the book made it seem quiet easy, but that was in a book.

Dora's contractions started to come faster and faster, and Andromeda was convinced the baby would be born soon. She sent Remus to deal with Dora, whilst she stayed at the business end.

'Push, Dora, I think I can see his head! Next contraction, give me a big push!'

Dora did as she was told, and the actual birth itself was over in a moment; she had been very lucky. Andromeda had some thin string ready and tied off the cord as tightly as she could, and then sending up a silent prayer she made the cut. Dora's child, for better or worse, was an independent being.

They sat with her, drinking a welcome cup of tea whilst she nursed her baby for the first time. In one respect, Remus had been right; birth was a natural event, and most of what followed was down to instinct. The baby was hungry, and his mother could provide everything he needed – for it was a he, they had a son.

Andromeda looked at her daughter and grandson and some of the suffocating depression she had felt since the death of her husband began to lift. The baby lay, snug and warm without a care in the world, safe in his mother's arms. As they looked at him his hair, which had been black when he was born, began to change shade turning through auburn to ginger.

'Just like you, Dora' said Andromeda, smiling. 'Your hair started to change colour the day you were born. Have you decided on a name?'

Dora looked at Remus and smiled. 'I want to call him Ted, after his granddad. Do you mind?'

Remus suddenly found he couldn't speak, and his eyes filled with tears. Within moments, he found himself hugging Andromeda, who had collapsed crying in to his arms. It was the most perfect name ever and finally allowed her to express her grief.

-o0o-

Remus wanted to spread the news of his son's birth; it was important he told somebody, but whom? He knew Molly and Arthur Weasley would want to know, but wasn't sure if he would still be able to get in there. He could go and see Bill Weasley though. Bill had given him his address, which would allow him through the fidelius charm. Dora gripped him tightly before he left.

'Be careful won't you, and hurry back? Give them my love.'

Remus stepped out in to the wind and rain of that stormy April night and apparated to Shell Cottage. He had expected only Bill and Fleur to be present, but had been overjoyed to find the others there as well and to see that they were still safe. For some reason, it gave him a sense of great hope.

As soon as he saw Harry he remembered the last time they had met, and how Harry's harsh words had brought him to his senses, and eventually back to Dora. This young man was truly the son of his parents, and he could think of nobody better to act a protector to his son – not that it would ever be needed, of course. He asked Harry to be Godfather, and the boy had been thrilled. As they embraced all enmity was forgotten, and then somebody had put a glass in to his hand. It had been Christmas since he had last had a drink, and the wine went straight to his head, its effects heightened by the warmth and good wishes flowing towards him. The second glass had tasted even better, and it took a great act of self-control to refuse the third. He knew that Dora would be worrying all the time he was away from her.

Remus was only away for a couple of hours and came back with his eyes shining. One sniff of his breath told Dora it wasn't just caused by happiness and she gave him a hard stare, which he completely failed to notice.

'I saw Bill and, even better! you'll never guess who else was there?' She couldn't guess.

'Harry! He's there with Ron, Hermione and a couple of the others. They're all OK! I asked Harry if he'd be godfather, by the way, I hope you don't mind? It seemed right somehow, the next generation and all that.'

Dora didn't mind at all, and thought it was a wonderful idea. She knew how fond of Harry Sirius had become in the few months they had known each other and it seemed right somehow.

The next few weeks passed by as they often do for new parents; both wondering what had hit them. Ted – or Teddy as he was known – was completely oblivious to everything going on in the world. All he knew was that it felt good when he was dry and fed and being held. It didn't matter to him whether it was light or dark when he wasn't those things, and he soon discovered that making the loud noise helped put it right.

Dora spent quite a lot of time just lying in bed, trying to get some sleep when she could and waiting for the next cry to wake her up. Remus proved himself to be a caring and concerned father and found he had no problems dealing with nappy changes and bath time. Little Teddy was so small he could be easily washed in a hand basin and rather liked the feeling of being in warm water. It reminded him of something in his past that was already slipping from memory.

-o0o-

The next full moon was approaching, and they discussed how best to handle it. Remus would go back to the flat, as he always did. There had been no chance to make a secure room in Andromeda's house, so he couldn't stay there.

'We need to know, Dora, and we might as well find out sooner rather than later. As soon as the moon is up, expose him to it and see if he changes.'

'But he's so little, Remus. Won't it hurt him? I don't think I could bear to see him suffer.'

'If he is infected, it's something he'll have to get used to. I know it will be hard for you, but it's going to be with him all his life.' This discussion brought back all the reasons why Remus had never wanted children, and the guilt of what he might have passed on to his darling child gnawed at him.

'What if he does change? What do I do?

'He's so young he won't be a danger to you, but I don't think you'll be able to feed him. He's just got to get on with it. He'll be very hungry when he changes back though. I'll try to get back here as soon as I'm done, just for a few hours. If he is then I can take him back with me, if you want.'

Of course, it was all speculation but Dora became more and more nervous as the final day wore on and clung to Remus before he left. Eventually, he had to prise her hands away; he was already cutting it fine.

Dora sat with her mother in the bedroom with Teddy lying in his cot before the window. The curtains were open and they waited for the moon to swing round. They sat watching the baby, who was sleeping peacefully having been fed shortly beforehand, lost in their own thoughts.

Dora had already strongly bonded with her child and knew, come what may, that she would always look after him. Even if he did change, she would continue to be his mother and care for him; she could never turn him away from her.

Andromeda sat reflecting on the changes she had known in her life. Born to a powerful and noble family, she had given up everything for what she had thought was love. She had spent most of her married life realising it wasn't, and regretting the fact. Only when it was too late had she realised it was more than love she had found, better than love. She had been married to a man who cared about her and for her, and now he was gone. In front of her lay her grandson; the child of the daughter who had always been a slight disappointment and had married a werewolf. As a Black, she could not possibly sink any lower.

'But' she thought 'as a Tonks, I have a daughter who still loves me and a son-in-law who has taken care of both of us, and a grandchild to watch grow. Maybe being a Black isn't so special, after all.'

As the moon swung in to view in the window she reached across to hold her daughter's hand. The baby continued to sleep peacefully, and only woke when it was time to be fed again. He had not been infected by his father. Warm tears of joy ran down Dora's cheeks as she held her son to her breast. It was all going to be OK; she had a family to love.

-o0o-

May dawned and, even if he had wanted to, the most powerful dark wizard ever could not hold back the elemental forces of Nature. The 1st of May, May Day, has a long history and has been considered the traditional start of summer for thousands of years. Even Remus, the ultimate scholar, felt a stirring of something as he stepped out of the house that day to look up at the pale blue sky. He noticed, as if for the first time, the stirring of the Earth and the growth of new shoots over Ted's grave. After breakfast, he went in to the shed and came out carrying a garden fork and spade and began turning over the soil in the vegetable patch. They would need all the help they could get this year as far as food went, and the more they could grow for themselves the better.

He worked on steadily until late evening and got a good portion of the work done. He would finish it off tomorrow and went to bed pleasantly tired as a result of his labours.

The following day the weather remained fine and he continued with his work. Dora came down to join him with the baby once the sun was properly up and the air had warmed. They sat and had their lunch on a rug beneath a tree where there was a little shade. After they had eaten, they lay down with the baby between them and watched Teddy as he stretched and yawned then fell asleep. They lay like that for several hours; a family together on a warm summer day.

That evening, a lynx patronus soared through the window,

'Potter at Hogwarts. Meet inside Hog's Head. We're going to fight.'

Remus stood up immediately. 'I have to go, Dora, you stay here and look after Teddy.'

'Remus! No!'

'I want you to stay, Dora. Teddy needs you, and they need me.' He took her in his arms. 'Promise me you'll stay here.'

Andromeda came across to them, taking Dora from him. 'He's right, Dora, let him go. You're a mother now.'

Remus gave her and Teddy a kiss, then left the house. Dora gave Teddy his bath that night, drawing comfort from her son in his innocence and trying to avoid the dull pain where her heart used to be.

An hour later she still hadn't come downstairs so Andromeda went up. She found Dora standing by Teddy's cot, looking down at him sleep, crying. Andromeda crossed the room and put her arm around her daughter, stroking her hair; something she had not done since Dora was a small child.

'I know, Dora, I know. Go to him.'

'Mum, oh mum, I'm so sorry.' She threw her arms around her mother, clinging to her and wailing her grief. 'I love him; I want to be with him.'

'Shh, shh. I understand, of course I do. I've always known you'd want to be with him.'

'But the baby. What about him?'

'I'll look after him for you, I promise.'

Dora picked up her son and kissed him and held him tight to her breast.

'I love you Teddy, I want you to know that, but there's something I have to do. I have to do it for you and all the others. Please forgive me.' The tears ran unnoticed down her face and dripped on to his.

Andromeda took the child from her daughter's unresisting arms fighting to keep her own emotions under control. She had to be strong.

'One more kiss, then say goodbye.'

-o0o-

She stood and held the baby until the twilight faded and night fell before placing him gently back in the cot and pulling up the covers. He slept on, the deep dreamless sleep of pure innocence.

'I'll look after you, Teddy. We will survive this.'

She turned the light off and lay on the bed. She needed to be there when he awoke; she was his mother now.