Remus closed the door behind him, leaving Teddy to sleep in Andromeda's bedroom. His hands shook at his side and a tear fell down his cheek. Not knowing where else to turn, as he wasn't ready to face Dora again, he went into his newborn son's room. His son – the only son he thought he had – was sleeping peacefully. His hair was a deep midnight blue, a sign that he was fast asleep.

Two folded pieces of parchment on the nightstand caught his eye. Dora had given him a summary of the letter Andromeda left them; when Teddy mentioned how worried he was over Andromeda and Ted's fates, Dora burst into tears and explained what she could of the letter. Now that Remus was alone, he took the pieces of parchment to read what lay within.

Dear Nymphadora and Remus,

Please forgive me, for keeping information from you for so long. I've known about your son, Teddy, since last September. He wrote to me and at first I did not believe him. I didn't want to believe him. I didn't want to believe that in less than a year, I would be raising a little boy alone, after having buried my husband, daughter, and son-in-law. I didn't want to believe that my grandson would be orphaned within the first month of his life. I wrote Teddy back, with a vague message, in case he wasn't telling me the truth.

A few days later, I received a letter from Severus Snape. Teddy indicated in his letter that Severus was on "our" side, and Severus confirmed it in his letter, alongside the offer to send memories of what he'd seen when he performed Legilimency on Teddy to discover his identity. We don't have a Pensieve, as you know, and Severus was kind enough to have us meet in the old Black family home with a Pensieve and the memories.

Seeing Teddy's memories of being brought to your graves as a little boy with me at his side, his memories of trying your wands, and his memories of looking through photo albums broke my heart. You are parents now – you'll understand. Imagine seeing your son's gravestone, photographs, and other mementos being the only remnants of his life. It was too much to bear, so Severus and I created a plan.

Severus sent Dobby, a house elf, to rescue Ted from murder. Dobby was sworn to secrecy and was not told why his tasks were urgent, but only that they helped Harry, who Dobby considered to be his greatest friend. Dobby is the elf who took care of AJ tonight while I went to take your place, Nymphadora. He's been helping the Order for many months and was delighted to help Harry's godson.

Ted knew nothing of Teddy until recently, if I understand correctly. Severus and I have been corresponding for months, and he knew that Teddy was spending time in the Room of Requirement (a place I did not know existed) with many older students and rescued Muggleborns. It is my hope that when my husband learns about Teddy and his past, he will plan to make the same decision I did. We will fight in your places and die if we must, if it means you and your sons live.

Severus was reluctant to follow the plan; he did not want to change the certainty of winning the war. He was under a great deal of stress from his role as a double agent, and I believe he only agreed to help me in order to guarantee my silence with regard to Teddy's identity and his own survival. He knew he was likely to die at the upcoming battle and wanted to live until then so that his part could be played to help Harry with his tasks (Severus never divulged that information to me).

Don't worry for me. If I die, I'll die happily knowing that my daughter and son-in-law will live to raise their boys. I am sorry that I may lose the chance to get to know my grandsons, but I exchange my life willingly knowing that my daughter will get to raise her boys.

All my love,

Andromeda Tonks

Remus read through the letter twice before moving onto Teddy's letter to Andromeda. His head was spinning from the information; Dora had confirmed Teddy's identity, Snape's role, and Andromeda's decision, but reading the details, alongside reflecting on the hours spent with Teddy, overwhelmed Remus with emotion.

Nothing in his 38 years of life could've prepared him for the revelations of the last several hours.

He hadn't wanted to believe Teddy's claims. He had wanted to hope the child was a diversion…a ruse…a cruel prank from a Death Eater…but never his son. He didn't want to believe the child's outlandish claims of time travel, orphanhood, and pleas to keep Remus and Dora from fighting. He didn't want to believe any of it.

Remus felt he had no choice but to accept the claims of the twelve year old boy calling himself Teddy Lupin. Even the most advanced magic and Polyjuice Potion could not replicate the natural abilities of a Metamorphmagus. Teddy was clearly a Metamorphmagus. Teddy knew the Tonks home. Teddy knew precise details of Remus and Dora's lives. Teddy bore an uncanny, unsettlingly similar likeness to Remus.

Besides, Remus thought wryly, Polyjuice Potion doesn't work to or from Metamorphmagi and werewolves. Neither Dora's hair nor Remus's hair would've provided their likenesses to anyone else. Teddy couldn't have been a Death Eater or an impostor.

There was Teddy's scent, as another form of identifying him as part of Remus's family; like AJ, the boy's natural scent was the achingly familiar, perfect blend of both Remus and Dora. Remus's lupine sense of smell couldn't have failed in identifying Teddy's scent.

Teddy's behavior was another sign of his parentage. His mannerisms were his grandmother's; it was remarkable to see a miniature form of Remus Lupin behaving like Andromeda Tonks. It made perfect, but depressing sense to Remus. If the boy was raised almost entirely by his grandmother, he would have no other mannerisms to learn from. His facial expressions were his parents'. Dora's smile and frown, Remus's dimple and the way he crinkled his eyes were all found on the boy's face.

The most telling part of Teddy's behavior was not in his mannerisms or his expressions, but in the obvious, heartbreaking way he craved his parents' affection and approval. Teddy's magic was no more impressive than any other first year's; his potion-making skills were the same. Teddy's need to show Remus and Dora all he could do, and the desperate way he offered himself to them broke Remus's heart irreparably. It was clear the boy wanted nothing more than for Remus and Dora to be proud of him.

Teddy had called Remus 'Dad' many times. It was unsettling to Remus to be called 'Dad.' Remus knew he was a father, but the only child he knew of was a newborn. He was only just growing used to the idea that he was someone's father, and there was now a 12 year old child who looked up to Remus as 'Dad.' Remus didn't know how to be a father yet, let alone to a child who was, by all other accounts, a stranger to him.

All of these revelations lay under the palpable tension of knowing there was a battle at Hogwarts that he could not participate in; Remus had been told by Harry to go home with his family. Harry had told him the same directive last August, when he ran away from Dora in a stupid panic. Remus came home, repentant and ashamed, but experienced the greatest happiness of his life with Dora and the arrival of his son, AJ. Harry had sent Remus back to where he belonged once before, and he had done it again in the last day.

This time, his return home to his family likely came at a potentially brutal, fatal cost: the loss of both of Dora's parents. Neither Ted nor Andromeda were trained very well in dueling, and Dora could barely maintain her composure. Remus knew there were many more emotions brewing underneath her surface, but there was nothing he could do just yet.

He left AJ's room, deciding it was time to comfort Dora, knowing he needed the embrace as much as she did.

…..

Tonks was hiding under the covers, waiting for Remus to return from her mother's bedroom. The last several hours of her life had been among the worst, which filled her with more guilt and shame. Perhaps, she thought humorlessly, this is what it's like to be Remus.

The doorknob turned and Tonks took her wand out, pointing it at the door.

"It's just me," Remus said quietly. His eyes were glistening and the tip of his nose was slightly pink. "I'll join you in a minute."

In moments, he'd changed clothes and crawled into bed next to Tonks, facing her.

"Talk to me, Dora."

Tonks began sobbing into him, unable to keep her emotions in any further. She wept bitter, salty tears onto Remus, clutching him close to her.

"I read the letter," said Remus.

Tonks sniffled against his thin shirt. "And?"

"It's hard to believe…and I didn't want to believe it…but Teddy is proof by himself." Remus gazed at her curiously for a moment and added, "You don't believe him?"

"I don't want to believe him, Remus. I don't want to believe that this is reality."

"But?"

"How could I not believe him? Not after everything…" her voice trailed off, thinking of Teddy's behavior.

"He wanted me to tell you that he loves you," Remus said, cracking his voice. "He told me he loved me, too, right after asking me for a hug."

Tonks burst into a fresh bout of tears. Teddy Lupin, her son, who she could barely face out of shame and guilt, loved her. He loved her despite the fact that she had made him an orphan. He loved her despite the fact that he didn't know her. He loved her despite the fact that when she'd been given a choice not to fight, she'd taken it anyway and had been forced to go home.

"It's not any easier for me," said Remus. "I didn't tell him anything…I should have, shouldn't I?"

"I'm a terrible mother," she whispered. "I'm the reason he's an orphan."

"No, you're not. We both are."

"No, Remus," Tonks said forcefully. "I agreed to stay at home but I went anyway. I must have done it for Teddy as I did for AJ. If I'd just stayed home…he wouldn't have been an orphan."

"You didn't know that. You couldn't have known."

"How am I supposed to do this? What if…what if they die?"

"Don't worry about that yet," Remus mumbled. "Right now we need to plan for raising another child."

"He's practically half my age…I'm 25…he's 12! How am I supposed to be a mother to a child half my age?"

"We'll figure it out," he replied, but Tonks noticed he didn't sound sure of himself. It sounded as if he was trying to convince the both of them that they'd figure things out.

"We're strangers to each other," Tonks said softly. "He's so much like—"

"—your mother?"

She nodded weakly. "He's her grandson. All his mannerisms…the way he says things…the way he behaves…it's all Mum."

"But entirely him, too. He's like both of us."

They were silent for a few moments. Tonks ruminated on Teddy's demeanor and said, "Did your heart break, too?"

"When?" replied Remus. "Which time?"

"It started in the Room of Requirement for me, when he begged us not to fight…when he said we were going to make AJ an orphan, too."

Remus breathed erratically, saying, "It was when he asked why we hadn't stayed with him. Why I had let him go. The last time I heard those words—"

"—I said them to you," Tonks finished quietly. "I asked you why you let me go and why you didn't stay with me."

"The situation was different, but I felt the same. I felt I'd failed him…I'd broken his heart and mine."

"Mine broke again when I told him I was going to feed AJ upstairs, when he asked why I wasn't going to the kitchen, which is where he was always fed," Tonks said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Mum probably had to brew or buy those baby potions."

"He asked me if it was all right that he was a Hufflepuff and not a Gryffindor like me or Harry. The way he asked it – he was so scared that I wouldn't be proud of him. Dora," Remus said, his voice cracking again, "he said that when he was sorted, he wanted to make us proud of him, not your mum."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him that of course it was all right that he's a Hufflepuff, and he cheered up. He's afraid of disappointing us."

"I know," Tonks said heavily. "He was so excited to tell us about his marks and all those creatures he's read about…it was a good idea to get him to brew potions, even though we didn't need any of them."

"It kept him busy, but it broke my heart that he felt he had to do all of that to earn our affection."

"Just like he felt he had to earn his friends?"

"It reminded me so much of myself," Remus said dejectedly. "He volunteered to put himself under the Cruciatus Curse so others would like him. He's braver than I was at that age, but just as misguided in trying to earn others' affection."

"Or the fact that he begged that girl to be his friend?" Tonks said ruefully. "It sounded just like me begging for you to come back and be with me."

"It's astonishing…there's no other way to describe it."

"Do his friends like him? Those two kids who were with him?"

"That was another thing that made me feel strange," Remus said. "When I went to St. Mungo's to drop them off, I met their fathers. They thanked me for bringing their children to safety as if I was one of them…as if I belonged to their…"

"Club?"

"Something like that, yeah. As if it was perfectly normal for me to meet my twelve year old son's friends' fathers."

"Do they like him, though?" Tonks asked, thinking of how poorly Teddy had been treated in his first year because of the false identity he'd taken on. "I feel a little attached to him – d'you know what I mean?"

"I do. I barely know him, but I feel so sorry for him," he replied. "I think they do, though. Eneko's father, Inigo, told me that his son wrote often, speaking of his two friends warmly. Teddy befriended Eneko before anyone else did."

"What about the little Slytherin girl?"

"Yasmin? Her dad, Omar, worked with your dad. He asked after you, confused that you were old enough to have a twelve year old son, and I let him assume you were older for now. Omar thanked me for raising Teddy to be so empathetic," Remus said, shaking his head slightly. "Yasmin has an injury like Bill Weasley's, and Omar's son is a werewolf. She refused to get to know anyone until Teddy wore her down."

"Did you tell him that you're a werewolf, too?"

"No, but I think he could tell," Remus said grimly, gesturing to his face. "If we all make it out of this alive, I'm sure I'll be getting to know Omar and his son."

"At least he made some friends…I can't imagine what he's gone through." Tonks turned to her back, letting Remus's arm lay over her waist and draw her close to his chest. "Did you see his face when he realized his old friends – Bill and Fleur's kid, who hasn't even been born – won't know him?"

"Do you think he knows anything more about time travel?"

"I doubt it. It's a wooly branch of magic. He won't be able to go forward."

"It wouldn't be the same, even if he did."

Tonks sighed deeply and said, "Do you think you'll be able to sleep?"

Remus shook his head. "No. I can't go to sleep, knowing that the battle is ongoing. I know Harry told us to stay here, but if they need me, I'll go."

"What about Teddy?" asked Tonks, concerned about the boy's reaction if something happened to Remus.

"We're goners either way. Teddy could pass for Snape's kid if need be…or run off with the Weasleys and be a long-lost pureblood cousin. The rest of us don't stand a chance, and if it's me or you, you know what I'm going to pick," Remus said firmly. "They need you more than they need me."

"I need you," she replied fiercely. "I can't do this alone…I need you with me."

"You can do this, and if anyone survives, it'll be your mum. She's a pureblood. Your mum raised Teddy. You two can take on the boys."

"Please don't leave unless you're asked to go," Tonks said, crying again. "Please don't go."

"I won't. I'm going to stay until Harry or Kingsley ask for me…or another Order member, if they…" Remus choked on his words.

Tonks knew that neither of them could bear to think that Harry would die during the battle. If, in Teddy's time, Harry had won, he had to win again. The war had to be won, for all of them.

"We'll wait for someone's Patronus," agreed Tonks. She closed her eyes for a moment, attempting to keep calm. "Should we check on him? Teddy?"

Remus agreed and the two got up from their bed, padding quietly to Andromeda's room. Remus cast Silencing Charms on the floor and their feet, as Teddy had good hearing. They opened the door to the bedroom to see Teddy asleep, his hair the same midnight blue as AJ's when he was sleeping deeply.

Teddy clutched one of the pillows, as if it were a stuffed animal. His nose was buried in the pillow, but from where she stood, it was clear that Teddy was Remus's son. His cheeks, eyes, lips, and nose were all his father's. They slept similarly, with the same little crease between their eyebrows. While Teddy's eyebrows were as blue as his hair, everything else about his face was a copy of Remus.

Tonks stared at Teddy for several long moments, watching his chest rise and fall with his breaths, his lips twitching slightly as he dreamt, his small hands clutching the pillow tightly. Puck, his bowtruckle, snoozed on the pillow, unaware that he too was being watched.

Tonks met Remus's eye, and he nodded almost imperceptibly. The two padded out of the room, and Tonks, being unable to go back to bed, decided to go downstairs. Remus followed her, and they both sank onto the sofa.

As soon as Remus took a seat, he winced. A moment later, Tonks heard the sound of AJ crying upstairs and she grimaced. She was exhausted, but AJ's crying only grew louder, and at that hour of the night it was likeliest that he needed feeding.

"I'll get him," offered Remus, groaning as he got to his feet.

"No, he'll probably need to eat," countered Tonks. "You stay here."

Remus fell back against the sofa and Tonks got to her feet, dragging her way upstairs to meet AJ. She was surprised when AJ's door was already open and Teddy was attending to him. Tonks froze, wondering if she should panic because the near-stranger was with her son, or if she should watch out of sheer curiosity.

"It's okay, AJ," Teddy said tiredly, while picking up the crying baby from his crib. "Mum and Dad are asleep but I'll help you."

Teddy lifted AJ up and sniffed his bum, frowning deeply. "You need a change. I haven't done this in a while because of the time travel, but Auntie Molly showed me how to do it for baby Hugo and he's wiggly."

Tonks watched Teddy soothe AJ, bouncing him, and walked around the room with him. Tonks muttered a charm under her breath, opening the basket with the clean nappies in it. AJ began wailing again, and Tonks was unsurprised when Remus came up the stairs with a puzzled expression.

She placed her finger over her mouth to silence Remus, and pointed up at AJ's room. They stood, side-by-side, watching Teddy with AJ.

"Oh good," Teddy said brightly, finding the nappies in the basket. He placed AJ on the changing table and pulled out the supplies. "All right, AJ, you're really loud. With that hair you look just like Hugo."

He undid the buttons on AJ's onesie, and yelped, wiping his face off with the hem of his shirt. "Eww! No wonder Gran says she made me get out of nappies so fast!"

Tonks and Remus both stifled a laugh, and watched Teddy clumsily change AJ's nappy. AJ was settling down, thankfully, and his cries were down to whimpers. Teddy redressed him, looking pleased with his work.

"I did it," Teddy said to AJ, putting the baby back in his cot. "I'm going to help our Mum and Dad a lot. They'll see how much I know." He found a stuffed toy and shook it above AJ.

"This was mine first but you can have it now. That's what brothers and sisters do, right? They share. Sometimes they fight, though, so if you take my stuff I'll fight you, just like Victoire and Dominique and Louis. I always wanted a brother to play with but I'm too old for you now." He sighed and put the stuffed toy next to AJ.

"Okay, I'm going back to bed now." Teddy stared at AJ for a few seconds and added, quietly, "You are so lucky you get to have them for your whole life." His shoulders hunched forward and he wiped the back of his hand against his eye. He sniffled, turned around, and went back in the direction of Andromeda's room, closing the door behind him.

Tonks looked at her side and saw Remus wiping a tear from his eyes. Her vision was blurry, too, from the tears that had formed in her eyes. She cleared her throat, stepping back up to AJ's room, and cleaned up the small mess Teddy had left behind. AJ wasn't quite asleep yet, and Tonks knew he needed to eat. She took him out of the cot and fed him, while Remus stood outside the door to Andromeda's room, in case Teddy left again.

AJ was asleep moments after he was done eating, and Tonks brought him back to his cot, removing the stuffed toy and placing it back in the toy chest. She walked out of his room, closing the door behind her, and gestured for Remus to join her in their bedroom.

Once they were back in their bed, Tonks cried softly. She wondered how she still had any tears to cry, having spent so much of the last twelve hours shedding tears over the upheaval in her life.

"Did you hear him?" Remus said, trembling slightly. "He said AJ is lucky because he—"

"—gets us both for his whole life? He always wanted a brother? He's too old now…Remus, everything he says breaks my heart a little more. You have to stay—"

At her words, the room suddenly lit up with the arrival of a lynx Patronus, which they knew to be Kingsley Shacklebolt's. Tonks and Remus sat up, terrified for the news from the battle.

"There is a cease-fire," Kingsley's deep voice said. "Remus, return to Hogwarts. Apparate to the Entrance Hall. All protective enchantments have been destroyed. Tonks, stay with your family until further notice." The lynx Patronus disappeared, leaving Tonks with a low, swooping feeling in her midsection.

"He asked for me," Remus said hoarsely. "Dora, I have to go."

"But—"

"—we have to win, Dora. We have to. I'll do my damndest to come back to you and our sons. If it's me or the three of you…it will have to be me."

"Think of Teddy – he's going to be so crushed," Tonks said, her chest heaving with spasms. "Remus, you have to stay—"

"They asked for me and they need me," Remus said shakily. He was already on his feet, changing back into his clothes. "I have to go. We discussed this."

Tonks sat up, clutching his robes. "Please, please don't go."

Remus got to his knees in front of her. His honey brown eyes were glistening, the lines on his face more pronounced with the gravity of what lay ahead.

"Dora, I'm going to come back. I pro—"

"—don't make promises you can't keep," she said harshly. The pain crossed Remus's eyes and she bent down to kiss him, holding his face in her hands. "I'm sorry…I'm so worried…please come back."

"I'll do everything I can to come back to you and our boys, but I have to go."

Tonks stood and hugged him tightly, pressing her face against his threadbare robes. "Come back to us."

"Tell Teddy I love—"

"—you can tell him yourself, when you come back." Tonks kissed Remus again, softly rubbing the pads of her thumbs underneath his eyes. "You'll come back and we'll be a proper family, the way we were supposed to be."

Remus sunk his head into the crook of her neck, kissing her softly, and inhaled deeply.

"Wait for my Patronus," he murmured. "Stay here and keep our sons safe."

Tonks nodded, wanting to melt further into him, but he let her go, and disappeared through the doorway.

…..

Remus Apparated to the top step of the Entrance Hall. It was still dark, but he could see the silhouettes of the fallen on the lawn in front of Hogwarts. He didn't dare to find out who had lost their lives in the fight thus far; he needed to know what to do to move the battle forward.

"Reveal yourself!" Kingsley's deep voice called. "Show me your Patronus!"

Remus cast "Expecto Patronum!" and the silvery wolf danced around Kingsley, speaking in Remus's voice, alerting Kingsley of his presence. Kingsley came out of the shadows. He had a large cut across his forehead. His robes were torn and singed in many places, and his face was covered in dust.

"I don't want to know about any deaths yet…I won't be able to think about what I need to do," Remus said hastily. "Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

Kingsley nodded solemnly, and pulled Remus into the castle.

"The Death Eaters have retreated for an hour," Kingsley replied. "You-Know-Who wants Harry to meet him in the Forbidden Forest in that time. He has promised a total end of the battle if Harry turns himself over, but if Harry doesn't, You-Know-Who will kill anyone who stands in his way. The problem is that no one knows where either of them is."

Remus gaped at Kingsley. "What? But he can't do that? Harry can't just hand himself over! We've got to do something!"

"We don't know if You-Know-Who's telling the truth. We also don't know if Harry will surrender. I believe he was in the Great Hall earlier, but he might've gone by now to surrender or to help with something else, perhaps with the dead…we've got most of our bodies in there, but we haven't gotten to everyone yet, we think."

Remus swallowed hard, looking at the dead on the grass. Kingsley put a hand on his shoulder and added, "You're sure you don't want to know?"

"I…I'm sure."

"All right," Kingsley said, sighing, and took his hand off of Remus's shoulder. "The hour is almost up. We expect an onslaught…we're outnumbered. I wouldn't have asked for you to come unless I had to." He glanced around at the bodies on the lawn and put his head in his hands. "They're not all ours…we've hurt or killed as many as we can, but we're not winning. We're trying to rebuild the enchantments to keep them back when they do come back."

"I'll do that," Remus said at once. "I'll cast the enchantments. I'll put every charm I can think of on this place."

"Stay close to the castle walls and keep an eye out for those around you." Kingsley clapped Remus on the back and went back into the darkness of Hogwarts, leaving Remus to cast protective enchantments on the castle.

He was unwilling to look at any of the bodies on the lawn. Many of them showed signs of having been brutalized before they were killed; others were stiff and unmoving, as if asleep under the night sky, indicating the Killing Curse had been their manner of dying.

It was a rhythmic task, casting the same several charms repeatedly, and pacing the castle's perimeter. He kept his eyes either on the walls or the horizon. He saw no one coming or going from the castle, leading him to believe that Harry hadn't surrendered to Voldemort. The only thought that kept him going was knowing that in Teddy's time, Harry had won. Harry somehow defeated Voldemort and lived to marry and have children. Harry survived, but Teddy hadn't mentioned how or why. Remus consoled himself, knowing that Harry had a good chance of survival.

Faint hints of light shone in the distance. The sun was rising, but the battle would continue. The sun would reveal the faces of the dead, but it would not stop the onslaught.

Remus wondered why the battle hadn't restarted – was it possible Harry had surrendered? Was it possible that Harry gave in this time, and wouldn't live to see his future?

But no, thought Remus. Teddy had spoken with Harry before the battle began. Surely Teddy's knowledge of the future, having been heard from Harry himself, would have been an indication that Harry knew he could live? Remus shook his head, unsure of what to think.

He had, by now, circled the entirety of the castle. He was back at the steps of the Entrance Hall, where Minerva stood, tall, weary, and grim-faced.

As soon as she saw him, she drew her wand, and Remus put his hands up in surrender. "I'll cast my Patronus, Minerva!"

He flicked his wand, casting the incantation, and the silvery wolf ran around her.

"Thank Merlin, Remus," Minerva said, taking him into a hug. "You must be beside yourself with—"

"—I don't know about any deaths," Remus said abruptly. "All I know is I have a time traveling son, Teddy, and he's safely at home with AJ and Dora."

"Teddy?"

"You knew him as Edward Snape, if I'm not mistaken."

Minerva shook her head violently. "No, you're mistaken. That boy, while peculiar, is not yours."

"Trust me, he—" but Remus's retort was cut off. A high, cold voice spoke, magically amplified, sending a shiver down Remus's spine.

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

A terrible, heart wrenching pain struck Remus's heart. Minerva cried out, and Remus held her. It couldn't be – Harry had to continue living! He had a future, a wife, children awaiting him…he couldn't be dead! Minerva sobbed on his shoulder, and he trembled, knowing that if Harry was gone, their last hope was gone. If Harry was gone…his family was as good as dead, too.

Minerva suddenly clapped her hand to her mouth, pointing at the distance. Remus watched as a throng came walking toward them. Hagrid stood tallest among them; he was carrying something, but it was difficult to see what it was.

As the throng came closer, several figures came out of the castle. The remaining Order members, the Weasleys, older students, all bloodied, battered, and tired, emerged from the doorway. Remus couldn't think about who was missing; not yet, not now. He kept his eyes on the distance, watching Voldemort and his Death Eaters arrive in the early light of day.

Minerva screamed again; Remus's heart sank, seeing Harry, limp and lifeless, in Hagrid's arms.

Voldemort approached, taunting those who remained with Harry's body. To Remus's surprise, it was Neville Longbottom who stood up to him, challenging him with his refusal to join the ranks of the Death Eaters.

Just when Remus thought all was lost, when Voldemort tried to curse Neville into oblivion, all hell broke loose. Grawp, Hagrid's half-brother giant, came thundering from the Forest, with centaurs, thestrals, and hippogriffs at his heels. Everyone rushed into the Entrance Hall, Death Eaters and all, and Remus joined in the fight against Voldemort.

He joined Kingsley, Minerva, and Slughorn in fighting Voldemort directly. Remus's fury at losing Harry, at the potential loss of his family, and at the fact that in another timeline, his son had grown up an orphan all fueled him to strike Voldemort with every curse he could think of.

The four of them circled Voldemort, a man who had terrified them all for decades…who had torn families apart…who had been the reason why Remus had lost all of his friends…and he held nothing back.

There was a sudden cry: "Not my daughter, you bitch!" and Remus watched as Molly Weasley cursed Bellatrix Lestrange, who was laughing maniacally, even unto her death.

Voldemort screamed, and his fury at losing Bellatrix thrust Remus backwards in the air, flailing and writhing until he hit a stone wall, hard. He winced as he got to his feet, but was shocked when he heard other screams.

Harry appeared from out of nowhere, and the crowd became silent as Harry and Voldemort began circling each other.

"I don't want anyone else to try to help," Harry said loudly, and in the total silence his voice carried like a trumpet call. "it's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

Voldemort hissed.

"Potter doesn't mean that," he said, his red eyes wide. "That isn't how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody," said Harry simply. "There are no more horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good…"

Remus was aghast upon hearing of horcruxes – was it possible that was what Teddy was trying to tell Harry earlier? Remus was drawn out of his thoughts upon hearing the back and forth between Harry and Voldemort. He knew some of it, now, with Snape's allegiance, but the mention of the Deathly Hallows, the Elder Wand, and Dumbledore's pre-planned death were almost too shocking to believe.

Voldemort's red eyes and facial expressions betrayed his anger and his belief in all that Harry was saying. With every word out of Harry's mouth, Voldemort grew angrier, circling him with more and more rage.

It was when the red-gold glow of the rising sun hit both of their faces that Remus heard what he thought would be their last words.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The Elder Wand flew up into the sky, like the head of Nagini, the snake Neville had valiantly killed, and Harry, with the unerring skill of a Seeker, now had two wands in his hands.

Voldemort fell back slowly, but his body hit the ground with a final thud, and Harry stood, victorious and unscathed, looking down at the shell of the man who had once terrorized them all.

There was a moment of silence as the comprehension dawned on them all that Voldemort was truly gone, and then the tumult broke around Harry. Remus saw the tiredness in his eyes, the gleam of victory, and the sorrow all intermingled together. Remus tried to wish him congratulations, but instead went to the side, waiting for those around him to give their best to the Boy Who Lived – twice.

A hand clapped Remus on the back. It was Kingsley, who took him to the Great Hall, stopping him just short of where the bodies were laying.

"You need to get Tonks here," Kingsley said quietly, obscuring Remus's view of the dead. "Your boy, Teddy, should be here too…cast your Patronus now, so they know you're all right, and I'll show you what you need to see."

Remus nodded, allowing the happiness of finally defeating Voldemort fill his heart and soul completely. He swished his wand, casting the Patronus Charm, and sent the wolf Patronus with a message to Dora.

"I'm very sorry, Remus," Kingsley said, turning the corner. When Remus finally lay eyes on the dead, his heart broke for his wife and son. Dora and Teddy would be heartbroken beyond words.

…..

Tonks paced in the living room of her parents' home in the early light of day. She hadn't gotten a minute of sleep that night; after Remus left in the very early morning, she immediately dressed herself and hastily packed what she could. If the war was somehow lost, and all hope was gone, she would find a way to escape with her sons. She didn't know where she would go or how she would survive, but if everyone was slaughtered at the battle, she would take what remained of her family and bring them somewhere to safety.

"Mum?" a small voice startled her, and she fell back against the bed, wand drawn at the source of the sound.

"Oh, Teddy," Tonks said, relieved. "It's just you."

"Where's Dad?"

It took a moment for Tonks to realize Teddy was speaking of Remus; it would take her a while to get used to the idea of having a son only twelve and a half years her junior.

"He had to go."

Teddy's face fell. His hair, which had been a sleepy, deep blue, became solid white. He shook in place, and without hesitation, ran into her. She was confused when the boy's arms came around her midsection, but realized that he merely wanted comfort.

Tonks felt awkward, comforting a child she barely knew, but did her best to hold him and pat his back.

"Why did he leave me?" Teddy cried. "What did I do?"

Tonks shook her head, and took Teddy by the shoulders. "Teddy, you didn't do anything. He was called to come back and fight. I was told to stay here but he had to go."

"But he said – Harry said – he's going to die!" Teddy wailed. "They're all going to die!"

Tonks had no words for Teddy's predicament; she had been trying to convince herself that they would all live…that in a few hours' time, her parents and husband would come home, they'd make breakfast together, and be a reunited family.

"It'll be—" Tonks wasn't able to tell Teddy it would be okay, because a silvery wolf Patronus appeared in the room. It stopped in front of her, and spoke in Remus's hoarse, tired voice.

"We've won. Come to Hogwarts with our sons as soon as you can."

Tonks and Teddy stared at the silvery wolf for a long, silent moment, until they both erupted into cheers and laughter.

"He did it! Harry did it again!" Teddy cheered. His hair flitted through several colors, settling on a turquoise with golden streaks, and his face brightened with a giant, toothy grin.

"Mum! We have to go! We have to go now!" Teddy grabbed her hand and began dragging her to the stairs, when she stopped him.

"Teddy? I have to get AJ," Tonks reminded him. "There are two of you now."

Teddy's enthusiasm was slightly dampened, but he chattered excitedly about soul bits, the adventures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and something about riding a dragon, while Tonks changed AJ's nappy and prepared him for travel.

"Why don't you tell me some of this when we get to Hogwarts, all right?" Tonks said wearily. She was reminded of the many times in her youth that she'd been told she talked too much, and found that having a talkative child at her side was more work than it appeared.

When they were downstairs, she frowned, not knowing how to take two children with her to Scotland from London.

"The Hog's Head!" Teddy said, shaking the pot of Floo powder at her. "We go there!"

"I think I'm going to have to Apparate us, unfortunately," Tonks said, grimacing at the thought of Side-Apparating with her newborn son.

"What about an elf?" offered Teddy. He called several elves, including Dobby, Winky, and Zinky, but it was only upon calling Kreacher that an elf finally appeared in the Tonks residence.

"Kreacher?" Tonks yelped. "No. Absolutely not."

"He's good, I promise," Teddy said. He faced Kreacher, who looked happier than Tonks had ever seen him, and asked him to take care of AJ while he and Tonks went to Hogwarts.

"Kreacher will care for little master," the elf croaked, bowing for Teddy. Kreacher still eyed Tonks with an air of disdain, calling her a shape-shifting freak, and she hesitated before moving toward the door.

"He'll be fine!" Teddy said, tugging on her hand. "C'mon! It's time to see Dad, Gran, and Grandad!"

Kreacher had already placed AJ in his rocker, and swung him lightly, astonishing Tonks with his care. She bit her lip, but decided to trust Teddy and Kreacher, and went out into the early morning sunshine to find out what became of her family.