Harry was seriously contemplating violence. He was sat in the Prefect compartment listening to the Slytherin prefects and surprisingly Hufflepuff Prefects yell at each other. They had all had a late night last night after the ball and it seems to have made everyone irritable. Harry was sort of letting them get on with it when the Slytherin messed up
"I forgot that you guys are all Death Eaters!"
"Like you can say a lot Mudblood!"
"That is enough!" Harry bellowed silencing the compartment
"All of you sit down!" Everyone sat with a thud
"Now. I will only say this once so if you want to remain Prefects I suggest you sit down and shut up. Correct me if I'm wrong but we have just lived through a war due to falsely perceived blood purity! We have lost friends and family because of an ideology put up by purebloods to feel superior! Just because we all have varying degrees of magic flowing in our veins from our family members it is no indicator of magical capability or even who you are. My life has been saved several times by Muggle-borns" He looked at Hermione who was silently fingering the scar on her neck.
"And Slytherin is not the 'Evil' house it's a house of ambition and I have met plenty of evil Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs" He gestured to the scar on his arm currently not covered by his robes
"So if you continue to dictate your own superiority based on who your family is or generalise a quarter of our school due to a group of bad people. I'm afraid you're lower than the rest of us. If I hear a single complaint from anyone about slurs being used I will not hesitate to bring it up with Mcgonagall! This not only goes to those in this room but those in your houses." He took a deep breath and lowered his voice slightly
"Now I hope everyone has a good Christmas and I hope you don't drown in revision. See you in the new year." Harry slumped back in his seat and listened to everyone exit. He also heard some mumbled apologies and even saw the two Prefects shake hands (reluctantly but it happened).
"Merlin what a nightmare" Ron declared before kissing the top of Hermione's head and pulling her up. Harry stepped in front of them both and they looked up expectantly
"I'm sorry Hermione but we'll reduce it. We will all do it together"
"Besides give it a year and Harry can lock them up in detention all night long"
"Harry better not be out all night because of idiots" Ginny interjected
"I won't dear" Harry replied sarcastically causing Ginny to smack him around the head. They found an empty compartment and settled in for the journey.
"I can't believe it's Christmas already" Hermione started a few miles in
"Me neither. Merlin how did we get here" Ron exclaimed
"To be honest mate a lot of the past year is just a blur. It almost doesn't seem real" Harry replied moving closer to Ginny
"I'd much rather forget it all" Ginny exclaimed.
They settled into the journey and it was mostly quiet that was until there was some arguing outside the carriage and a quick peek showed it was two prefects. Both of which were part of the quarrelling group.Before Harry could move Ginny was up and out with her wand drawn
"BATRICULOUS HOAGIES" She bellowed and the corridor was suddenly filled with flapping bats
"LAST WARNING" She added before clearing her throat and reentered the compartment tucking a strand of wild red hair behind her ear. She sat down gently and propped her legs up on Harry's lap smiling bemusedly at the stunned group.
"Merlin you lot look like you've just seen a unicorn. I hadn't hexed anyone for a while and I wanted to exercise it on some idiots". Harry nodded silently more than slightly terrified of his girlfriend.
When they eventually felt the Hogwarts express grind to a halt they hopped out to see once again most of the Weasley family waiting expectantly. Molly spotted them first and promptly burst into tears and held her arms wide to her two oldest. Hermione's parents were also there and wrapped her in a hug leaving Harry to awkwardly mingle at the edge, not for the first time wondering how things would be different if it was his parents eagerly awaiting his return or even Sirius. Before he could ponder it any further he was broken out of his thoughts by an excited, childish cry. Harry spun on his heel to see Andromeda approaching holding a squirming Teddy who was desperately trying to get closer to his Godfather.
"Hello Harry" Andromeda stated before handing Teddy to him
"Hello Andromeda" He replied before completely melting "Hi Buddy, How are you?" Teddy gurgled excitedly in response before settling into his arms. Harry couldn't help but beam at the not so small baby in his arms
"How have you been Andromeda?"Harry asked casually
"I'm doing better Harry. Teddy has certainly kept me busy. How about you?"
"I'm doing much better," Harry assured while Teddy began to tug at whatever he could reach to try and regain his attention. Harry obliged willingly and soon Mrs Weasley tapped his shoulder to signify that it was time to go home. Harry went to hand Teddy back but he began to scream in the process the moment he was pulled away from Harry. Harry looked at Andromeda in dismay but thankfully Mrs Weasley caught on
"Andromeda would you like to come over for dinner?". She nodded gratefully and Harry ceased trying to pry away the tearful Teddy.
Harry apparated to the Burrow holding Teddy and felt Teddy get closer to him desperately. He saw the rest of the Weasley family and an excited Hermione holding her startled looking parents hands. Mrs Weasley did a quick headcount then hurried off into the house, no doubt to begin setting the table for enough food for an army. Teddy was still being incredibly clingy so when he reached for a windswept Ginnys hand he mewled in protest and tugged at his ear
"You're being ever so clingy today bud" Harry stated as he walked through the door behind Andromeda she turned and looked at him in a way he could not decipher
"I should warn you he's teething which is probably not helping"
Harry nodded and reached for one of the tea towels on the kitchen counter. He tried to remember what he could possibly do then it hit him. He vaguely remembered watching a family in a muggle park pulling out a ring and letting the crying baby chew on it. He cast a quick cooling charm on it and tentatively held it to Teddy's mouth. Teddy bit on it happily and visibly relaxed turning his hair from a slight red to turquoise.
Harry sighed in relief and smirked at the group watching him. Ron was gagging over a smiling Ginny's shoulder but quickly stopped when Hermione smacked him forcibly. Mrs Weasley, who had been fussing over a pot of what looked like soup, approached him and said
"Now he's calmed down, can I have a hug?" Harry nodded and went to pass Teddy to Ginny. The baby let himself be shifted and sat in Ginny's arms. However, when Harry moved back away to hug Molly, Teddy did something he had never done before.
Teddy's hair turned an odd green colour and he spat out the towel he then cried
"HAWWY" grasping desperately at the air. Everyone froze and Harry span around in shock
"Was that his first word?"Ginny murmured in shock. Andromeda nodded almost imperceptibly and Harry rushed forward and plucked him back out of Ginny's arms and looked into his still Amber eyes.
"I Love you Teddy Bear" He whispered
"Hawwy!" Teddy responded
"That's right, That's my name!" Harry said louder "You're so clever bud!" Harry pulled him close, not even bothering to wipe the tears that were currently pouring down his face.
"You're Mummy and Daddy would be so proud" Harry murmured, brushing his now dark locks out of his face. The action seemed to be lulling him to sleep and he was blinking sleepily.
"Sweet dreams clever boy" Harry whispered before placing him in his baby basket. Already with his colourful wolf waiting underneath his blanket. He gently picked it up and walked up the stairs to Ginny's room. Sighing for a second at the familiarity of the room and smiling slightly at the still shoddily extended bed. He placed the basket on the bed and set a rocking charm on it before casting a monitoring charm and backing out of the room.
He walked down the stairs fully aware that he was still grinning like an idiot. He walked into the kitchen to see Ginny grinning back and pulling a chair out beside her. He relaxed into the conversation about the previous term and he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty that he had been the one to be Teddy's first word and that he'd been the one to hear it. Maybe they did hear it. Sirius did say that the ones we love never really leave us, so maybe they were there too.
I know. Fluffy but I couldn't help myself. I'm slightly surprised that I've made it to Christmas, to be honest. I'm tempted to finish this at either Ginny and Harry's wedding or James' birth (I kind of want to do a hormonal and volatile Ginny) then do an epilogue. Thoughts?