Beta: Ahrnberg, the awesomest.
KEYNOTE: I totally deviate from cannon details. Deal with it ;)
Chapter 10 - Burned
The color was wrong. All wrong. The darkening lines should have been a good sign.
Her fellow wraiths roared in delight, whispered 'Our Lord.'
Our Lord has returned.
But her eyes had grown accustomed to the dark, and she saw, saw the lines of red and knew he was gone. Dead and gone, her Lord and Master, dead and gone.
Dead.
She saw it, felt it, tasted it.
Curling in on herself, Bellatrix lay on the thin mat on the damp stones. She ignored the food they gave her, if you could call the near inedible slime that.
She had only made it because of her purpose, her reward waited for her. But now he was dead.
She felt listless, the cold was no longer seeping into her bones, her bones were the cold. She was numb.
How long would she have to wait here before death claimed her?
The dementors seemed to have finally grown bored with her. They couldn't have her soul, and they had already taken everything else. There was nothing left to take now.
But the dementors relative distance meant for the first time in years she could think without a bombardment of scenes from the past.
"Siri!" she called out suddenly. Staggering to her feet, nearly tripping on her shackles. She fell against the wall, looking through the cracks between the stones. There were enough cracks to form a crude, small window between them. Just large enough to reach a hand through.
"Siri!" she croaked again.
Nothing.
Not even a curse in return.
"Siri! Siri! Sirius Black! Sirius Orion Black! Siri! Siri!" Bellatrix cried out over and over again.
Until someone, shouted back. "SHUT UP! He's gone, you crazy hag!"
Gone?
She fell to her knees, hardly feeling the impact against the stones.
"Gone?" she whispered to herself.
But Siri was always with her. Even after he betrayed the family, he came back. He had come back. He stayed with her.
He can't be gone. Can he?
A dim memory of a grim trotting by her cell.
Was Siri dead too? Siri and Master?
She was alone.
Days passed, nights passed. She couldn't tell the difference.
They were all gone. First Siri, though he had reluctantly returned. Then Drom with her filth, then Reggie, and Cissy…
Cissy wouldn't come to save her. Cissy changed after her spawn was born.
What was its name? Draken?
Regardless, they were gone and she was forgotten.
Forgotten.
How long until I die? She wondered. How long?
She closed her eyes and did not open them for a long, long time.
The sound of fluttering of wings drew her from a nightmare.
Though she wasn't sure if she had slept. There was no break in the nightmare, it was ongoing.
A falcon's screech nearly jolted her out of her skin.
Bellatrix looked toward her window to the sea.
A soot black falcon peered at her with one amber eye, then the other.
Bellatrix just stared at it. Crows and seagulls were the only avians that lived on this hunk of rock in the sea. But the falcon didn't dissolve into the mist of hallucination.
It rustled it's feathers and made a clicking noise.
She thought it might be asking to come in.
With more effort than seemed reasonable, she raised her hand toward the bird of prey. Her shackles loud in the little prison cell. The wind was quiet this morning.
The falcon flew from its perch and before it could flap its wings, it shifted into a woman.
A witch.
Her first sister.
Bellatrix tried to hurl herself at the traitor, tried to attack, but the most she could manage was lurching forward.
She remembered she hadn't eaten in days, possibly weeks. She had drank water because while the pain of hunger was easily shoved aside, thirst was its own type of torture.
"Oh Bella," the traitor said, taking a step toward her.
Bella could not move, but she could growl. And she did, low and threatening and-
Andromeda ignored her warning and folded herself into a seated position beside her.
"I'll kill you," Bella snarled.
Andromeda said nothing, her face giving nothing away. She gestured with her hands in looping, sweeping motions, and suddenly a silver falcon materialized.
A see-through falcon.
A patronus.
Bella sucked in a breath.
Another motion with the traitor's fingers and the room was warmer. Then another, and the cell no longer smelled like human waste.
Bella started shaking.
What was this? Has she come to save me? Has she come back?
"Bella," Andromeda breathed.
She closed her eyes against the bittersweet memories of that voice, of this traitor's once beloved and loathsome voice.
"Bella," she said again, reaching out a hand.
"Don't touch me, filth," Bella said with as much strength as she was able. The tremor in her body was uncontrollable.
Andromeda's hand paused, but then she kept reaching forw-
"NO! Don't. Touch. Me."
"I left him, Bella. I'm married to a half blood now."
Bella blinked at her, disbelieving, uncomprehending. "You came back?" she asked, hating the crack, the weakness she heard in her own voice.
A hand touched her matted hair, "I'm here Bells. Cissa and I are staying together now. Siri and Reggie too."
Unbidden, Bella let out a wail. They were dead. She was dead. They were all dead. And even in death she felt… she felt such pain.
No freedom. No escape. And they were all dea-
"Bella, shhh, Bells, shhh, I'm here. I'm here."
She jerked under the soft touch. The shackles fell from her hands and feet. The loss of their weight giving her a surge of energy she had not had before. She turned to her front and began clawing at Andromeda's robs.
Searching, searching, searching, searching! Pockets empty, wrists bare...
Where is it!?
Andromeda caught her hands in hers, "I didn't bring my wand."
"You're taking me away from here," she demanded, "You've come to take me away!"
Andromeda shook her head, squeezing her hands, "No, Bella. I'm not here to rescue you."
Bella's strength drained from her like a shit out the window. She collapsed against the warmth of her sister. The smell of clean clothes and a familiar perfume…
"Don't cry, Bella, I'm here. I'm here."
Nothing could have hurt her more.
Bella had not the strength to fight, nor the will. She waited at her sister's mercy, this sister who had come back, this sister who had not come back to save her.
Andromeda's fingers traced over her hair, and with each brush, the mattes eased, the tangles untangled themselves.
Bella gasped at the sensation of another person's fingers on her scalp. Her hands dug into the arm that held her to her sister's lap.
"Who?" she asked to distract herself from… she groaned, it felt too good, too good…
"Harry Potter."
Bella jerked.
"And before you tease, we time traveled. He's thirty, I'm fifty, and yes, that makes me the oldest sister now."
Bella huffed, then sighed when her rags were replaced with a cleaning spell and a pair of full length pajamas.
"Is he a good shag?"
"Yes."
Bella buried her face against Andromeda's skirt covered knee. "He's almost as bad as a-"
"No, Bella. Harry is everything. Everything."
"More than me?"
"You left me first."
"No."
"Yes."
"You were supposed to follow."
"You were supposed to kill him."
Bella curled herself more fully onto her sister's lap. "You were supposed to follow," she whispered again.
Andromeda rubbed her back, stroked her hair, wordless, giving more than Bella thought she would ever have again.
Time passed. A silver falcon soaring vigil around them.
"I have to go, Bella," Andromeda said after an eternity, after a moment.
"I should kill you."
Andromeda kissed her temple, "Drink this."
Bella drank the proffered potion. And was grateful when darkness took her, took her before Andromeda left, before she was left alone again.
"Hagrid, are you sure this a good idea?" Hermione asked.
"Come on, Mione," Teddy coaxed, "It's perfectly safe!"
"The hell it is," Astoria grumped.
"I'm good on the ground, thanks."
Luna hopped up onto Buckbeak's back behind Teddy without a word.
"Where's your Gryffindor spirit?" Teddy asked.
"On the ground," Hermione said firmly.
"Off you get then!" Hagrid said cheerily slapping the hippogryph on the hind.
Buckbeak bolted and with heavy wingbeats climbed into the skies.
Luna didn't scream, she laughed, even still, she held her arms tight around his middle.
Teddy loved Hogwarts.
"Has he told you anything about getting called to Dumbledore's office?" Astoria asked after Hagrid busied himself with feeding some creature or another.
"No," Hermione said frowning, "Who would have guessed a Hufflepuff would be this good at lying?"
"He isn't good at lying or else we wouldn't know he was lying," Astoria grumbled. "He has more secrets than a loyal house elf."
Hermione glared at the reference to the creatures but refrained from commenting. Astoria and she shared an odd sort of friendship, more a truce than anything else.
"He's powerful," Astoria remarked.
Hermione said nothing, a thought had occurred to her that should have occurred much sooner, "He has emerald eyes."
"What does his eye color have to do with anything?"
"Harry has emerald eyes."
"Harry Potter is dead."
"No, he isn't," she said sharply.
"Oh, really? You've seen him then?" Astoria asked caustically.
Hermione bit her lip and looked away.
"Merlin! You have seen him!"
"I didn't sa-"
"You're face did. When did you see him? Why haven't you told anybody? What happened to him?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know when you saw him?"
"No," Hermione said slowly. "I saw him a few months ago in the library?"
"And?"
"And he was older."
"What do you mean older?"
"He was an adult. Late twenties maybe."
"No way," Astoria breathed, "he time traveled…"
"He said he was from the future but… But I don't know that I didn't imagine it and it doesn't explain why he has stayed quiet for so long."
"Have you told anyone else?"
"Only you."
"Not even Luna?"
Hermione shook her head, "I'm- I don't know about Teddy. And Luna and Teddy are…"
"Smitten," Astoria agreed. "But I don't know why you're worried about Teddy. If Potter time traveled then that brings up the problem of Sirius Black."
"Harry said, or at least the man who looked and acted like Harry, said that Sirius was innocent and that it was Peter Pettigrew."
Astoria frowned, "Peter Pettigrew was murdered by Black."
"Not according to Harry. He said Sirius Black was framed."
Astoria was quiet for a long while. "Why haven't you told Teddy about this?"
"I don't know, some things just add up about him."
"Like what?"
"Like why doesn't Professor Remus Lupin know about his son whose name is Edward Remus Lupin? And why is he living with Andromeda Tonks?"
"Andromeda Black."
"What?"
"She and the healer Edwar-" Astoria stumbled over the name, "Edward Tonks… got a divorce."
Both girls exchanged a long look.
"You don't think…" Hermione began.
"No," Astoria said, shaking her head. "No, that doesn't make any sense, he can't have two fathers."
Hermione's brows pinched and then the light bulb went off, "Teddy said he lives with his grandmother, not mother."
Astoria blinked, "You mean Nymphadora Tonks. You think Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin are Teddy's parents? Granger, that doesn't make any sense. She would have had to be younger than us to be Teddy's mother."
"Not unless he's a time traveler too," Hermione whispered.
Hagrid waved to them, Buckbeak's silhouette emerging from the clouds.
"This is nuts!" Astoria whispered, "There's no way. It doesn't make any sense."
"No," Hermione agreed. "Why does Teddy have Harry's eye color? Like you said, he can't have two fathers."
Astoria watched her friends climb, weak kneed off the hippogryph. "He lives with his grandmother and godfather. Andromeda Black as Narcissa Malfoy's sister makes sense. If they are time travelers than Harry Potter makes sense as his godfather but I still think that leaves us with more questions than answers."
"Should we confront him?" Hermione asked.
A pang went through Astoria's heart. A fear that she might lose the best friend she had ever had. Did it matter where Teddy came from? Who his family was? He was her friend, and no matter what, Teddy would always be Teddy.
"No," she said finally, watching Teddy's radiant face as Luna laughed hysterically and outrageous looking like a complete loon. "We don't ask. It is none of our business. If he wants to share his secrets, he will."
"It is my business. Harry was my best friend."
Astoria began to walk forward, "And Teddy's mine."
Hermione warred with herself, her need for answers and the idea that she might lose her new friends if she pushed.
For once, she decided not to push. Astoria, Luna, and Teddy were more important to her than solving the riddle Harry had left her with.
They were all keeping an on Teddy Lupin, but for the life of him, Severus could not connect the dots.
He had kept Lucius' part in Wormtail's capture silent.
Why had Narcissa come to Teddy's defense? Why was he living with the Malfoys? Why was Andromeda living with her sister? Why had she divorced Ted for a new beau?
Why did Teddy Lupin have Lily Evans' eyes?
A week passed and Severus was no closer to a solution.
So he decided to go straight to the source.
When he knocked on the door, he expected it to be opened by a house elf.
Severus nearly Avada Kedavra-ed the man who answered the door.
James Bloody Potter, back from the grave, smiled at him.
"Hello Snape, long time no see," the dead man said warmly.
It took Severus a moment to register the green eyes and that it was… "Harry Potter?"
"Won't you come in? Tea has just been served."
"What's going on?" Severus demanded.
The stupid child -man, man-child, raised a stupid brow at him, "Isn't that obvious?"
"No, it is not obvious," Severus snarled.
"Time travel, Professor. Now, won't you come in? I don't want to let them out."
"Let what out?"
The cheeky bastard only smiled at him, and Severus' heart stopped. It was cruel that, with his stupid face and form, and cockiness, he would have Lily's smile. Cruel that beyond the grave he would ever see that expression, in just that way again.
"The children, Severus, the children."
Numbly Severus stepped into the manner, following Potter's lead to the parlor.
"Severus," greeted two pleasant voices, Narcissa and Andromeda sitting side by side on the love seat.
"Severus," Lucius greeted, a little more coldly -as was his usual. Though something on his face made Severus think that blonde was unusually relieved to see him.
"What the hell is going on?" Severus asked, as he watched Potter serve another cup of tea.
"Sugar or milk?" he asked.
Severus blinked at the boy, who was no longer a boy.
"He takes his tea black in the morning," Narcissa answered for him.
Potter nodded, then offered the tea to Severus, who took it and took a seat in one of the ornate armchairs.
Potter sat beside to Andromeda in a chair beside the love seat with his own teacup, who took his hand in hers.
Severus was lost. He saw the implication. He saw the look the couple exchanged, but he could not, absolutely could not accept what his eyes were telling him.
"Time traveler?" he asked finally.
"Harry and spawn, Andromeda, and Narcissa," Lucius said in agreement.
"Why? How?"
"We don't know," Harry said. "Fawkes visited us in the future and everyone in our house got transported back. Over-writing our younger ourselves."
"What?" Severus asked, "That doesn't- That isn't possible."
"Apparently," Andromeda said drily, "it is, because it happened."
He took that in for a moment. Then something truly extraordinary happened. Severus smiled, Harry Potter was no longer his responsibility. Albus could go turn himself. Severus was free. Sure, he would still spy on the Dark Lord if it came down to it but… but 'the one who has the power to vanquish the Dark Lord' was no longer a child.
It was a relief like no other.
He heard a scream. Severus stood and spun around, his wand out, his teacup breaking on the floor.
A girl with darkly tanned skin, dark brown curls, enough freckles to look like someone had gotten over enthusiastic with a prank, and bright emerald green eyes sprinted by him.
In her wake ran two other girls, both smaller. They nearly tripping over themselves as they gave chase. They had the same curls, although raven black, pale skin, the same ungodly amount of freckles, and emerald green eyes. They might have been twins if it wasn't for the obvious height difference. The youngest might have been five years old.
They all dove for Harry's chair, who had swiftly put down his tea as the two youngest ones collided into his legs and lap. The oldest ducked and tripped behind his chair.
A black grim trotted into the room. Tail wagging happily one moment and in the next Sirius Black, dressed properly in wizarding robes, trimmed beard, and clean hair, stood in its place. He looked a suitable heir to the Black family, and Severus was not prepared for that.
He expected the man to act hostile towards him, to be the bully he had always been, but he- nodded at him, picked some cookies off the tray on the low table and took a seat beside Lucius.
Severus had no idea what the correct response was in this situation. Not in a million years, not in his wildest nightmares could have pictured this.
"Girls," Harry said, "this is Professor Severus Snape. Professor, this is your approaching doom, Morwenna, Ophelia, and Persephone Potter."
"My doom?" Severus asked.
Narcissa smiled at him and it was Lucius who said, "They are all slated for Slytherin."
Sirius snickered, "The Black Sisters' second coming."
Severus felt the blood drain from his face as he observed the little girls peering back at him. 'The Black Sisters' second coming' with Lily's eyes, and Potter's blood running through their veins.
Any relief he felt at Harry growing up visibly unharmed dissipated.
"I think I might be retiring soon," Severus said slowly. He sat back down and flicked his wand at the broken teacup that righted itself, the mess on the carpet disappearing.
Harry grinned, "Don't worry, Morwenna has another two years before she turns eleven."
She stuck her tongue out at her father who only laughed and ruffled her hair.
"Wait," Severus said, the question that had been burning him now for months coming forth, "Why does Teddy Lupin have your eyes?"
"Because he's a metamorphmagus like his mother and little aunts. Harry raised him and Teddy took after him, he typically looks more like Harry than what you have seen. But he wanted to try a time at Hogwarts without being Harry Potter's son," Andromeda said.
"Godson," Severus corrected half in question. "He is Remus' son and-"
"My first daughter, Nymphadora Tonks," she finished for him.
Several things snapped into place at once, "That's why Narcissa came to Albus' summons."
"I swear if that man goes near Teddy again, anonymity aside, I will drive him out of Hogwarts," Harry growled.
Severus raised a brow, "You don't like him."
Andromeda laughed, "Of course not. And if Albus doesn't back off soon I will kill him."
Severus was taken aback by this and his focus returned to Harry's expression. "Why don't you like Albus?"
His eye flicked to the children.
Narcissa placed her teacup down and stood. Her pale golden curls falling free around her shoulders, she turned to the little ones, "Let's go ladies. We have some histories to go over."
The oldest groaned, "It's Saturday."
"Yes," Narcissa agreed, "And you three only get Sundays and holidays off."
Morwenna sighed, the petite girl began to walk primarily out of the room, the other two following reluctantly in her wake.
The smallest halted and turned to Severus. "Are you Draco's godfather?" she asked seriously.
"I am," Severus answered.
The girl smiled brilliantly at him.
The middle girl asked, "Professor, did you really trick Tom, protect Hogwarts, and save Mapoppy while everyone thought you were evil?"
Severus blinked, "Tom?" and wondered if Mapoppy is what they called their father. What an absurd name.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle, the Dark Lord," Harry clarified.
"Let's go, little ladies," Narcissa said again, ushering them out of the room.
"But-" the middle girl protested.
"Yes, Professor Snape did all of those things, though there are many things he hasn't done yet."
"But he did save Mapoppy's life and he's Draco's godfather?" they heard the girl's fading voice ask.
"Yes," Narcissa answered, and then they were out of earshot.
Severus was frowning, "What was that? Why do they care if I am Draco's godfather?"
"Because Harry is Teddy's godfather and Harry's godfather is Sirius. The girls' understanding of a godparent is that they are a part of the family," Andromeda clarified.
Now that the little ones were gone, Severus asked, "What happened to make you dislike Albus? Potter, you were always his favorite."
Harry's smile was bitter, "I was his favorite weapon and he raised me like pig for slaughter."
Severus shook his head, "Albus would never do anything to harm you, Potter."
Andromeda sat forward, "Riddle had a piece of his soul, a horcrux, lodged in Harry's scar. I imagine the night he tried to kill him as a baby, he was trying to use Harry's death to make a horcrux, but it backfired. Albus discovered this, he knew for years, and with the prophecy, 'neither shall live while the other survives,' he had Harry walk to his death at seventeen. Rather than try to find another solution, Albus's fix was to have the Dark Lord use another killing curse on him. Not to mention all the other dangers he allowed to happen to him over his years at Hogwarts."
Severus felt fury so strong, so instantaneously he felt light headed. How dare Albus put the boy in danger? After all that I have done to keep him safe…
"Albus is a moronic fool," Lucius said.
"He certainly plays that part well," Harry agreed.
The moment was a bit surreal for Severus. Who would have ever imagined that Lucius and Harry Potter would be on the same side of any issue?
Severus stood, "I should get back, they will wonder where I have gone if I'm not there to see the Quidditch match."
Lucius stood, placing down his cup of tea to see him out.
"Good day, Severus," Andromeda said, as Harry said, "Good day, Professor."
"Bye, Severus," Sirius said with a disconcerting amount of civility.
He nodded stiffly to them. He had more questions, but for the moment, he was having a hard time thinking, much less form coherent questions.
At the door, Severus turned to Lucius, "Are you alright with everything that has happened?"
Lucius' face went hard, "I lost eleven years with my wife, so no. However."
"However, what?" Severus snapped.
Lucius sighed running a hand over his face, "I failed, Severus. That misfortune with the book and the basilisk last year…"
"What of it?"
"I'm told that when the Dark Lord returns, he gives my son to Greyback. Draco contracted lycanthropy, and I find that there is a great deal that I can tolerate to avoid that fate for my son."
Severus understood now, and though despair filled his heart at what could have befallen Draco, he was also filled with -dare he think it, hope. If the Dark Lord came back now, Dumbledore and an army of children would not be what the Dark Lord would be contending with. And for those Death Eaters on this side of the prison walls, Lucius was more of a ring leader than a creature who had parsed his soul up into objects.
"Severus," Lucius said, drawing him from his thoughts. "You should know, Regulus is alive, we have him here."
Severus felt himself jerk. After graduating, Regulus had become a rather dear friend. Hardly a fighter, and not a shabby potioneer himself, Regulus had been the Dark Lord's scholar. His work with ancient texts and contemporary histories was remarkable, given his age. Perhaps the only reason he hadn't been considered a genius was that the wizarding world didn't value pure academia devoid of magic. Though, in Severus' opinion, a muggle wouldn't be able to survive the strain of reading some of the older rituals, where the very act of thinking through them could cause results. Like the teeth of a key against the tumblers of a lock.
"May I see him?" he asked hoarsely.
Lucius nodded, "You may, but he isn't consciousness yet and we don't know if his sanity will be intact if he ever does wake."
"What happened to him?"
Lucius explained the curse as he led him down a different hall, and Severus felt sick.
"How could we ever have followed him?"
"For family, for our culture, for power, and for our futures," Lucius said simply.
"The Dark Lord provided none of those things. And any power we accrued was his to plunder. It was all illusion, all lies."
"We were conned, and if or when we realized that, it was too late to turn back."
"No," Severus said, "it isn't too late."
"No," Lucius agreed, "not yet." He opened a door to a small room.
The curtains were mostly shut but for a line of light that illuminated the room. Severus went to the bed.
Regulus hadn't aged a day. Sitting in the chair beside the bed, Severus took his hand.
The hand was warm, the skin smooth and uncalloused. A scholar's hand.
A lesser man might have cried, but Severus was filled with too much self loathing for such a release. "What have we done to you, Regulus?"
Regulus's death had been one among many. His friend's death lost in the chaos and drama of Severus' choices, his choice that had led to Lily's death. But the soft spoken Black had been well missed in the years to follow.
Severus could have sat there all day, but he truly needed to return, he had no desire to be interrogated by the Headmaster.
He gave Regulus' hand a squeeze and released it too fast to register the hand that had squeezed back.
By Monday, Harry had decided to get ahead of the curve. The more people who started asking questions, who started piecing the puzzle together, the closer they would get to exposure. Which wasn't a terrible thing, but it would be bothersome and Teddy would face some troubles at school. Some of that trouble Harry hoped to counteract today.
With a basic glamour on his hair color -black to blonde, eye color -green to brown, and glasses -round and black to silver and rectangular, no one recognized him. Not even the goblins who would have been quick to dismiss him before he asked to please speak with Ragnok.
Ragnok saw him after a thirty minute wait.
Harry had forgotten how easy goblins could be to deal with if one remained polite and respectful in the face of their grumpy demeanor. That and if one kept to themselves that they had once raided one of the high level vaults, a process that had included using unforgivables on goblins and freeing guardian dragons. Yeah, that little factoid he was fully committed keeping to himself.
"So Mr. -" Ragnok began.
"Potter," he said, smiling, "Harry Potter."
He had the rare treat seeing the shock on a goblin's face.
Ragnok recovered quickly and said dispassionately, "Time traveler. May I inquire as to your younger self?"
"As far as I can tell, burned to ash and gone."
"So no hope in returning to your own time."
"It would seem. Do you know a lot of time travelers?"
"No, but higher ritual transports, that is outside of the effects of small scale or paradoxical records of time travelers have been recorded every five hundred years or so. We were due for one."
"I wasn't alone."
"Oh?"
"I have a godson and three daughters."
"Ah, so you are here not just to claim your vaults but your parental rights," the goblin assumed correctly.
Harry nodded.
"A simple blood test on your part, your daughters need not participate. But a signed document in your blood of their parentage and their dates of birth will do well enough as a claim once inserted into our records. Not even the ministry will be able to contest them."
"And my godson?" Harry asked.
Ragnok gave him a hard look, "The boy's name and parentage. From your tension, I will presume the boy's parents are still alive."
He nodded, "Edward Remus Lupin, Teddy for short, age eleven, son of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks."
Ragnok tapped a finger on the table. "Ms. Tonks would have been barely a decade old if the boy was born in this time. Which disqualifies her as his guardian. If a minor is born to another minor, the babe becomes the ward of either the grandparents or godparent."
"Andromeda Black helped me raise him."
"Are you and the recently divorced Ms. Black married."
Harry was quiet for a beat. "No," he said slowly, "but we have been partners for over ten years."
"In the way of lovers and parents? The daughters you mentioned, are they hers?"
"Yes."
"You will have to be remarried for it to be recognized as a legal union in this time."
"I understand."
"As for your ward, he is attending Hogwarts, is he not?"
"He is."
"Remus Lupin is the current Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, correct?"
"Correct."
"Then in the last three months since being aware of each other, Mr. Remus Lupin has neither inquired nor tried to lay any claim on the child. As the boy is legally an orphan and we have no reason to dispute your claim as godfather and as his grandmother, the natural guardian as next of kin have been raising and financing him, Edward Remus Lupin will be documented as your legal godson."
Harry let out a sigh of relief.
"Do you plan to have more children, Mr. Potter?"
Harry let out a small laugh, "No, I am quite content with my family."
"Your girls are certainly entitled to your fortune, however, you have no male to pass on your family name."
"That's alright," Harry said easily.
"Teddy Remus Lupin would be, with your consent, eligible to take on the Potter name."
Harry frowned, "I'm not going to change my son's name."
"He needn't change it, but on file, his name would be cross listed as Edward Remus Lupin and as Teddy Lupin Potter."
"Which would be his legal name? And why include his nickname?" Harry asked.
"Does the boy sign his name Edward or Teddy?"
"Teddy, typically."
"When wizards bother to come in to go over their paperwork and accounts, we like to have all names in use on file. It helps when a signature goes through. And to answer your question from before, both would be perfectly legal, he could go by either interchangeably, or a combination of the two, if he wished. The true benefit would be that he would be the holder of your vaults in the future. Of course, if you wished to write a will to specify how your inheritance is brokered between your children, everything is yours until your death. However, aside from your will, your son would inherit it all and be responsible to distribute your legacy to your daughters. Also, your name could continue, Teddy Potter could pass on that name."
Harry was silent for a long moment. Teddy was certainly the most responsible of any of his children. Morwenna, though devoted to her sisters, might use the inheritance, as the oldest, as a hold against Ophelia and Persephone. He hated to think that any of his children would do such a thing, but Morwenna just wasn't the type to waste an advantage. That wasn't a personality trait likely to dissipate as she grew into a woman.
Teddy would never do that to his sisters. He would never do that to anyone, period. No, if Harry wanted to place trust into any one of his children, he had the most faith in Teddy being the responsible one, and that went beyond being the oldest. Even at eleven, Harry regarded Teddy's choices above Nymphadora's.
And wouldn't it be a gift, to give Teddy his name? He wouldn't have to use the surname Potter for himself or his future children, but he would have the options. And what better way to prove to him that yes, I, Harry Potter, now and forever, see you as my son, equal in my heart and regard with my biological children.
Teddy didn't doubt that now, but he wasn't a teenager yet. Things could change, and Merlin forbid, Harry could die.
"Yes, I would like Teddy to carry on my name and be my heir."
"Excellent, our laws work so much smoother within the patriarchy. Now, I will need you-"
Harry spent the next five hours in the bank going over paperwork, legal contracts, and an inventory of his vault. Andromeda was listed as a mother for all four their children, though there was a notation that biologically Andromeda was Teddy's grandmother.
In collecting a sack of galleons, after transferring back the loan they had taken from Narcissa, Harry came across a ring box.
His heart nearly stopped when he saw the two gold bands. His father's ring was white gold, inlaid with white looked like a tiny grey sapphire. It winked at him like a star. His mother's ring was yellow with a tint of rose gold, with a floral grouping of stunning diamonds.
His father's band looked elegant and understated, and though Harry was no expert, probably cost a great deal less than the ornate wedding bands of his mother's ring.
He pocketed them both.
They weighed heavy in his pocket as he did some shopping for necessities and Yule gifts for the end of next month.
After he was done, he lingered before returning home. He would miss preparation for dinner if he didn't return now. But… but, he turned back into another shop that he had been eying all afternoon.
Harry missed dinner but read dramatically from Persephone's collection of children's book. His readings gaining the complete focus of all three girls, despite Morwenna's claim that she was too old for them now.
Harry made a note to himself to reserve time for reading an older series, just-for-fun books, to Morwenna in her studies. Last year, Teddy and she had started reading out loud to one another. And Harry worried a little more each day that Morwenna was being adversely affected by her brother's absence.
Once they were all tucked in and settled for the night, Harry made a detour to Narcissa's room before returning to his own bed. Andromeda was reading in Narcissa's study so there was no rush.
Lucius seemed to think different when he answered the door with a snarl. His hair was tousled and he was completely shirtless.
Harry smirked.
"What do you want?" Lucius growled.
"To speak with Cissa."
"You can talk to her in the morning."
"I could, but I want to speak with her now."
"I hate you."
"I'm okay with that," Harry answered with a grin.
Narcissa ducked under Lucius' arm, dressed in a robe that both covered and accentuated everything, "I'll be back soon."
"I'll be waiting," Lucius said, resigned, walking back into the room and falling back on the bed, looking utterly woebegone.
Narcissa and Harry exchanged a conspiratorial grin, then went to Lucius's study a few doors down the hall.
"What's up, Potter?" Narcissa asked casually as she folded into her seat.
"I wanted your opinion, advice, or whatever," he said taking the seat beside her.
"Intrigued, tell me more," she said smiling, folding her arms over her knees. Her blonde curls free from any restraints.
Eleven years really hadn't affected her beauty in any remarkable way.
The same was certainly true of Andromeda, and she had had three babies in the last decade.
"Harry?" Narcissa questioned, the levity gone from her tone. "What is wrong? You look nervous."
"Nothing, nothing," he said quickly, "I just, I was thinking-"
"Spit it out, Potter."
He took in a breath, "If I asked Andromeda to marry me, do you think she would say yes? Do you think she would want to?"
Narcissa went deathly silent and stared at him with unfathomable icy blue eyes.
After a time, Harry began, "Narciss- Ow!"
He lurched away from her, rubbing the spot on the side of his head where she had whacked him. She had struck like a viper, and even with his reflexes, he had been caught off guard.
"You moronic numb-skull, of course, she would say yes. You don't need to ask me that. Bloody bollocks, you should not even have to ask yourself that. You know you make her happy. She bore three girls for you, she has shared your bed every night since you first came together, and she officially divorced her now alive again husband. What more do you need, idiot? A declaration?"
Harry frowned at her, "The last time I brought it up, Andromeda didn't want to remarry."
"The last time you brought it up she was still wearing his ring, and if I remember correctly that was before Morwenna was born. You must have noticed her constantly rubbing her ring finger. Andromeda likes being a married woman, and maybe it escaped you, but that ring had gone from being a memory of love for him to a symbol of devotion for you."
Sighing, he said, "I know that, and I have noticed. I sort of hate seeing her hand bare of it."
"Then what are you doing asking my advice? Go get hitched."
He grinned reaching into his pocket, "I thought most people got engaged first."
Narcissa sat up and clapped her hands, looking like a young girl, far from the stoic lady she showed most people. "You bought a ring? Good boy! Let me see it."
Harry huffed a laugh and handed her the little black velvet box.
"Oh," Narcissa breathed, her eyes widening, "oh, Harry, you truly have a woman's touch. This is beautiful."
He smiled, "Thanks. What do you think of the grey sapphire as opposed to a traditional diamond?"
The ring was centered around medium sized, wide oval cut, grey sapphire, surrounded by a ring of smaller white topaz gems and set into a band of white gold.
Narcissa smiled, "Traditional you are not, but white gold, antique gold, and rose gold are more common for witches and wizards. Yellow gold is reserved for arranged marriages as a sign of wealth rather than affection. A subtle trend that became officially unofficial, an open secret as it were."
"Your band is just silver," He remarked. It was certainly a lovely ring, but it grew tarnished every now and then. It was the one thing she wore that wasn't immaculate.
"I threw the original ring he gave me in the Hogwarts lake. I think it was his mother's," she said, waving a dismissive hand, "but Lucius' band is white gold."
"So was my father's," he pulled at a second box and third box. "I could also give her my mother's but that feels... well."
"Absolutely not," Narcissa said, having opened his mother's ring box first, "Andromeda would hate this. It is pretty and rose gold, however, aside from Andromeda having been born before your mother, this floral ring is not suitable. She wouldn't wear it."
Harry nodded, "I thought so too, but I think I want to wear my father's ring."
"That would be appropriate." Narcissa opened the last box and said, "Oh and they match! You slick devil. You didn't want my relationship advice you wanted me to double check your jewelry choices."
"And I wanted to ask her to marry me on Christmas Eve and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind babysitting?"
"Of course, Lucius will not be pleased, but I will make it up to him. Do you know where you want to propose?"
"Your gardens?"
Her grin was positively evil, "Always under appreciated in the winter. And before you say anything, I am going to decorate the gazebo. You may have a woman's touch but the gardens are my specialty."
Which was certainly true, and though Harry had never seen a spec of dust on his sister-in-law much less soil, there was no one in the country who could boast a more beautiful and elegant garden.
He smiled, "Thank you, Cissa."
She kissed his cheek, "Be happy, Harry, you deserve to enjoy this life you've built."
That night after the sheets were had been sweatied, Andromeda laid back on the bed, limbs spread, breathing deeply.
"You are certainly energetic tonight," she purred.
Harry laughed, curling a leg over her legs, and resting his head above her breast, "What is there not to be energetic about?"
"Teddy's ours," she said seriously, but with no less happiness than the moment before.
"Were you worried?"
"That Lupin might have made a fuss? Yes. That we would lose Teddy? No."
"Let me guess," Harry said, reaching for the sheet to cover them before closing his eyes. "You would have tortured the poor werewolf professor until he gave you what you wanted."
"No, I think I would have killed him."
Harry opened his eyes and raised his head to meet her gaze, "That would have hurt Teddy."
"Teddy would have never found out."
"Andromeda…"
"No, Harry, you don't understand. You haven't seen the sides of that wolf I have. He's a sweet guy, maybe, but he is very weak. His flaws not only define him, but they also crippled him."
"His lycanthrop-"
"No, Harry. I knew his family. His father was doting, and a friend of Dumbledore's. Remus had every opportunity to succeed."
"He couldn't get a job because of hi-"
"No, he tried to get jobs on merit without any connections."
"What's wrong with that?" he asked.
"Nothing, if you want to work minimum wage for the rest of your life. Connections, recommendations, the world, the wizarding world in particular runs on a currency of who you know and what your background is. He was so afraid of being outed as a werewolf that he never took an opportunity offered that might risk his friends' reputation at risk."
"That doesn't sound so bad," he said lightly.
"He was a coward, I don't care how noble it sounds. He should have risen to the occasion. If he had been fired because of prejudices than that doesn't reflect on anyone but the management. Had he tried and failed... That's what he was worried about. Always running from mistakes before their made."
"I still don't see the justification for murdering him and lying to Teddy about it."
"If that bastard had tried to take my son away with him, put my son in danger because he finally decided to try manning up, I would have killed. Because as sure as I know you love me, I know Remus would fail Teddy when it counted most. And what he put Nymphadora through… I couldn't bear for our son to ever feel like he was less important than a coward's pride or fears."
Harry wrapped his arms around her, "He's ours, Andromeda. Our son, and nobody will take him from us."
He kissed her then, kissed her until she forgot the man who had not only abandoned her daughter but their baby-boy as well. Harry pulled out of the kiss and they shifted so that it was Andromeda curling into his embrace. They held each other in dark. They lived in an odd paradox where the loss of the things that had broken them most thoroughly, had directly resulted in their greatest happinesses.
Remus had come back, but even in his staying, he had been more hindrance than protection. And then he had led Nymphadora to her death, leaving Teddy behind.
Teddy, who was the spark that had reignited Harry and Andromeda's will to live.
Some say the love between lovers burns the hottest -and perhaps it did, but it was the love of a parent for their child that burned the deepest.
AN: Yeah, more complex relational emotions! Please, please, please review for this one? When I start getting in deep I am not sure how much of the content people are enjoying. Also in addition to the response on this chapter what would y'all think about a one shot of Narcissa and Lucius' engagement in relation to this story?