This chapter is set shortly after Teddy's birth in April of Deathly Hallows. The book remains unclear about if the Weasleys and the Order know that the Trio are staying at Shell Cottage at this time, although in this chapter I'm assuming that they don't. Surely if the Weasleys did know where the Trio were staying they'd be over in a heartbeat? So my headcanon for this chapter is that Lupin has told Tonks and Andromeda about the whereabouts of the Trio, but they aren't letting on to everybody else.
Visiting
It had been a strange year. But perhaps the strangest thing was the sight in front of Ginny right now- Professor Lupin wearing a baby.
"Hello," he chirped, holding out a hand to help Ginny out of the fireplace (why did men always do that?), "Good to see you, Ginny,"
"Is this him?" Ginny demanded, peaking into the sling Lupin was wearing across his chest.
Professor Lupin beamed, "This is Teddy,"
Before Ginny could get a better look, Mum came whizzing into the fireplace behind her, and squealed when she saw Lupin.
"Goodness, here he is, little Teddy. I've bought some clothes and a- oh, let me see him!"
"Where's Tonks?" Ginny asked, craning around.
"Asleep. Andromeda's just gone up to fetch her,"
"How is she? How was it? Oh, look at the little mite!" Mum crowed. Lupin smiled again and gently lifted the baby out of the sling. Teddy was tiny and pink, with a streak of blue hair across the top of his head. He was sleeping and still.
"Oh, Remus," Mum breathed, "What an angel,"
"Yes," Lupin agreed quietly, "He is,"
Ginny peered closer. "He's really cute," she said, "Look at his little nose,"
"Is he a Metamorph-whatsit?" asked Mum.
"We think so. Dora's thrilled about it,"
He sometimes called her Dora, which was totally weird. To be honest, Ginny reckoned, a lot of things about the two of them were weird, most of all the fact that they had had a baby, a whole human, in the time since Ron, Harry and Hermione had been away. And now at long last here was the baby, brittle and breathing and asleep in Lupin's arms.
"He's beautiful," Ginny added.
"Yeah, kid's going to be a total heartbreaker," said Tonks' voice. She was leaning in the doorway wearing scruffy jeans and one of Lupin's jumpers, looking as if she had just woken up. Ginny leapt across the room hug her tightly.
"Oh my God, congratulations!"
"Thanks, Gin,"
"I can't believe it. You had it, you actually had the baby," Ginny marvelled, gripping her tightly.
"I actually had the baby. Bloody horrible it was too, Merlin knows how you did it seven times, Molly," Tonks said, as Mum came over to hug her too. Ginny glanced over at Professor Lupin, who had sat down on the sofa and was watching them all happily, with the baby lying across his lap.
"Let's see him," Ginny said, kneeling down to inspect the new arrival. She wasn't sure who she wanted to talk to more- Tonks, Lupin or the baby.
"You can hold him if you like," Lupin offered.
"Be careful, Ginny," barked Mum from over Tonks' shoulder, displaying her uncanny knack for telling you off for something even when she wasn't even looking at you.
"I know," Ginny retorted.
"He'll be fine, he lived inside me for nine months so he's used to bumping into things," Tonks shrugged. She detached herself from Mum and came over to perch on the arm of the sofa, draping an arm around Lupin's shoulder. Ginny had never seen her do that before. They weren't coupley at all, which was a relief considering how disgusting Bill and Fleur were. Mum and Dad were pretty cringey together too. It was one of the things which had irritated Ginny about Dean- he'd been touchy-feely, whereas things with Harry were more natural. (Well, apart from their first kiss being in packed common room, and all the times Ginny had wound Ron up by snogging or cuddling Harry in front of him. She missed that). Lupin and Tonks were so discreet about their relationship that it had been easy to forget that they were together, especially before the bump started showing. The bump, who was now an actual person, swaddled in the blanket Mum had knitted for him weeks ago. Lupin scooped Teddy up off his knees and passed slowly him over to Ginny.
"Have you got him?"
"Yeah,"
Ginny hadn't held a baby in years, not since Dad's cousin Betty had given birth to baby Martha four years ago. It had been the Christmas after Tom and the Chamber, and stroking baby Martha's hands had made Ginny feel exonerated, a bit, from how bad she had been that year.
"Make sure you support the head," Mum barked. Ginny was about to retort, but helpfully Tonks' mum chose that moment to appear in the doorway and Mum was distracted by squealing her congratulations at the new grandmother.
"Hi, Teddy," said Ginny softly looking down at the little bundle of human, "Hi, baby,"
He was heavier than she'd been expecting. His weight was comfortable.
"I can't believe you're actually here," Ginny whispered, "We've been excited for you. We didn't think you'd be here this soon,"
"Twelve days early. Think he just couldn't wait to see the world," said Tonks proudly.
"Or perhaps he was making up for his mother's lifetime of being late for things," added Lupin. Tonks flicked his ear.
Teddy wriggled in his sleep, and his eyes fluttered open.
"Here we go," muttered Tonks' mum, wincing, but the baby didn't cry. He stared up at Ginny with his shining dark eyes. Nobody said anything for a few moments.
"He likes you," said Tonks eventually, "He's saying 'Hi, Auntie Ginny',"
"Hello, Teddy," Ginny repeated, "Cool hair,"
"I know, it's awesome, isn't it? I'm proper chuffed about it,"
"He looks more like you, though," Ginny told Lupin.
"Everybody's telling me that," he said, "I can't see it myself,"
He was leaning against Tonks' side while she rubbed her hand across his shoulders and back.
"Oh, he is," Mum chipped in, "He's got your look about him,"
"Black eyes though, right Mum?" said Tonks.
"Yes," Tonks' mum corroborated. She paused, then added, "They're like Sirius',"
Ginny saw Mrs Tonks and Lupin exchange a thoughtful look. It had never occurred to Ginny before that the two of them had that in common. Mum, unsurprisingly, had no ear for subtlety and ploughed on, "How much did he weigh?"
"Bang on seven," said Tonks.
"Good healthy size," said Mum. Ginny stopped listening- she didn't need to hear Mum rattle off how much all seven of Ginny and her brothers weighed, measured and how late or early they all were. Andromeda went to make a pot of tea, and Tonks dropped a kiss to the top of Lupin's head before coming to sit on the other side of Ginny.
"What do you reckon?" she asked.
"He's amazing," Ginny said, beaming up at her, "You had the baby. This is your actual child,"
"I know. Mental, isn't it?"
"What's giving birth like. Is it as bad as people say?"
"Worse. The worst thing I've ever gone through, including weekend missions with Dawlish. Would a million per cent not recommend it. Baby's bloody fantastic though,"
They watched him in silence for a few moments. Teddy's eyes flickered shut again.
"I can't believe how good he's being for you," Tonks noted, "Think you've found yourself a fan,"
That made Ginny swell with pride.
"Does he cry a lot?" she asked.
"When he's hungry. Well, I reckon so, haven't worked out which cry is which and all that. Remus is good at it, obviously. I just stick my tit in his mouth and hope for the best,"
Ginny laughed, trying to keep Teddy steady in her arms.
Tonks yawned and added, "Teddy's mouth, I mean, not Remus'".
"…which means that George was the lightest overall, but because the twins were early, Percy was the lightest at his due date," Molly finished. It felt like yonks since she'd had anybody to talk to about her babies. With everything that was going on it was good to have something nice to talk about. She'd been looking forward to meeting Teddy for months.
"I see," said Remus, nodding. He seemed healthier than Molly had ever seen him. He'd put on weight this year, his hair wasn't so thin and there was more colour in his face. And, more than that, he looked completely over the moon. His pride in Tonks and the baby couldn't be more obvious.
"You seem thrilled," Molly told him.
Remus grinned, glanced sheepishly at the floor, then the window, and then back at Molly. "I am. I didn't think he would make me this happy. It's only been a few days, but I…" he tailed off, looking puzzled at himself for a moment before murmuring, "I don't have the words,"
Molly patted his arm. "The words will come,"
He smiled again and asked, "Would you like to hold him?"
"Of course," Molly half-yelped. She hadn't held a baby since Arthur's Betty's Martha a few years ago, and then she'd been so busy worrying about Ginny, who'd been fragile and traumatised back then. She'd clung on to Molly and hadn't spoken much, and when Betty asked her if she wanted to hold the baby Ginny hung her head and muttered that she thought she'd hurt Martha. Molly told her that she'd help her to keep Martha steady, and Ginny had mumbled in a tiny voice that she didn't deserve to do nice things like hold her baby cousin. Molly knew then that she would never forgive herself for not protecting her daughter. She'd sat Ginny on one knee and held the baby on the other, and coaxed Ginny into stroking Martha's little face and fingers. Ginny had smiled then, though only very slightly. Back in Andromeda's living room, Molly glanced over to her daughter. Ginny was chatting to Tonks, cradling Teddy stably in her arms. She looked almost as pleased as Remus did. She stroked her finger around the shell of Teddy's ear, and when she laughed, she kept the baby secure. She was content and in control. The timid and ashamed girl who had hadn't thought she deserved to touch baby Martha was gone.
"In a minute," said Molly.
Considering Teddy wasn't doing much, he was mesmerising to watch. He winkled his nose up and blew bubbles, and when Ginny touched his fingers he gripped tightly onto her hand. Tonks explained about how she and Lupin agreed on his name, and how horrible labour was, and what the first few days with Teddy had been like.
"We're three against one so we're all kind of getting some sleep, just not at night," she told Ginny, "Well, not me anyway, and Remus stays up with me during feeding, so we try to get a bit of sleep during the day. Having said that," she conceded, "I have literally no idea what day it is,"
"It's Thursday," Ginny supplied.
"Right," Tonks nodded. She glanced over at Mum, Professor Lupin and Mrs Tonks for a second, then said in a hushed voice, "You know I said he was being really good for you?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I'm glad he likes you," Tonks continued, "Because we're asking Harry to be godfather,"
Ginny was so surprised she almost dropped the baby. "What?"
"Shh, don't let your Mum hear," Tonks whispered, "We haven't told many people yet. It was Remus' idea and he's right, I don't think there's anyone better than Harry. And, look, none of us know what's going to happen, and I know things aren't easy between the two of you, but if it does work out for you like it did for us-"
"I can be his godmother?" Ginny finished excitedly. Merlin's pants. She hadn't expected this at all- she'd barely thought about Teddy having godparents, and she was only sixteen….godmother, really?
"Yeah," grinned Tonks.
"Oh my God, thank you,"
Harry will be chuffed, Ginny thought. Baffled (had he ever even held a baby before?), but chuffed. Lupin and Tonks must have believed that he was out there and he'd come home one day, and Ron and Hermione too. They'd finish whatever it was they were doing, and they would win. They'd win and Teddy would be safe.
He would, Ginny knew it. He had a godson to be there for now.
Tonks tickled Teddy's toes. "You'll have to ask your boyfriend when he turns up again, but I think Teddy likes the idea".
The baby needed changing after a while, and Remus leapt up to take him into the bathroom. Molly watched him chatter to Teddy as he walked out of the room.
"It's wonderful to see him so pleased," she said.
"Yes," agreed Andromeda, although she didn't sound like she'd been listening. Molly had got the impression over the last few months that Andromeda had become more accepting of Remus- he'd lived under her roof for half a year, after all- but Remus was always cagey about the subject when Molly brought it up, and Andromeda could be haughty and cutting. Moreover, the birth of the baby so soon after her husband had died must have been overwhelming.
Molly cleared her throat nervously. "And how are you feeling?" she asked.
The other woman took her time before answering. "Tired," she said eventually, "There's been a lot of change very quickly,"
"Yes," agreed Molly.
"It's very difficult that Ted isn't here to see it". Andromeda's voice was factual, and she didn't sound tearful.
"Yes. That must be incredibly hard. Did he like children?"
"Very much," said Andromeda, then added after a pause, "Though not as much as Arthur, I dare say,"
When Molly met her eyes, she was relieved to see that Andromeda was smiling.
"He's been very good to Remus recently," Andromeda continued, "You both have, to both of them,"
"It's no trouble," Molly insisted. She'd enjoyed knitting blankets and advising them how to prepare for the baby. Arthur had shown Remus how to assemble a cot and change a nappy, and Molly had donated boxes of the babygrows, cardigans and booties which had been cluttering up the attic since Ginny grew out of them. The old baby bath Molly used to use was now a mop-bucket, and the dummies had been lost of chewed up, but she'd given Tonks the Moses basket, a box of bottles, and some toys which survived the twins' roughhousing. She was proud to recognise that the booties Teddy was wearing as ones she had knitted for Percy.
Remus reappeared in the doorway. He'd tucked the baby neatly back into the sling- Teddy was only four days old but already Remus seemed like a professional baby-handler.
"You can hold him in a minute, Molly," he promised, "Just let me get him to sleep,"
"Is he a good sleeper?" Molly asked.
Andromeda and Remus looked at each other. "Sometimes," said Andromeda.
"Afternoons yes, nights no," added Remus.
Tonks, who Molly had thought was busy chatting to Ginny, piped up, "He sleeps better when Remus is there,"
"I've told her that it's coincidence," Remus explained. His sheepishness was unconvincing.
"No, it isn't," insisted Tonks, "Teddy loves his daddy,"
"Because he spoils him," sighed Andromeda.
Molly expected Tonks to argue, but instead she chirped, "Totally," and went back to her conversation with Ginny.
"Remus can't keep his hands off him, Molly, he's setting Teddy up to be a clingy child," Andromeda explained, but she was smiling again.
"He's four days old," Remus protested.
"Still," Andromeda huffed.
"What do you reckon, Molly?" asked Remus.
"Molly's got seven children, she doesn't have time to coddle them," Andromeda interrupted.
"Lucky me, then," said Remus.
"You won't be saying that when he's eight and still won't sleep in his own bed," warned Andromeda.
But they were both grinning at each other and it was clear neither of them took their squabbling seriously. Whatever animosity Andromeda had held towards Remus appeared to have thawed, and Remus didn't seem remotely intimidated or self-conscious in front of Andy Black.
Molly had never been so pleased to see a man bicker with his mother-in-law.
Once Teddy fell asleep, Lupin handed him over to Mum then took his camera off the mantelpiece.
"He keeps taking photos," Tonks explained unnecessarily, "He's drawn him a couple of times too, it's so cute,"
Lupin must have heard, because he glanced round and winked at Tonks before taking a couple of paces back to get everybody on the sofa in-shot. He took photos of Mum holding Teddy, Ginny and Mum with Teddy, Ginny with Tonks, Mum and Mrs Tonks and the baby. It reminded Ginny of second-year Defence, when he'd explained how to handle pixies. That was the year Martha had been born, Ginny remembered. It was a long time ago now. Lupin had had the same steady composedness in the Order as he'd had as a teacher, although as far as Ginny could tell he'd been much more skittish when it came to Tonks. Being a werewolf, he probably didn't have much experience of falling love. He'd played the Harry "I'm so dangerous, you can't possibly come near me," Potter card with Tonks for most of Ginny's fifth year- Tonks had told Ginny about it, although Ginny had been sworn to secrecy. Once they unexpectedly announced they were getting married, Ginny thought that things had turned out okay for them (it had been only days after Harry split up with her, so although it hurt like hell to see Tonks so elated, it gave Ginny a bit of hope that things might work out the same with way with Harry), but they'd had another big argument not long after the wedding. The Ministry had just fallen and Harry, Ron and Hermione had disappeared, but even amongst all that everyone had been able to tell something was wrong between Tonks and Lupin. Tonks' caginess had hurt a bit- they were supposed to be friends, and Ginny had told her all about what had happened with Harry. Tonks had told her what had happened with Professor Lupin the year before so Ginny couldn't understand what had changed. Perhaps that was stupid- everything had changed and You-Know-Who was in power, Ron, Harry and Hermione were gone and the Order were clutching at straws. Although Ginny couldn't be hurt now that Lupin and Tonks had made Harry godfather. She couldn't help smiling again, thinking about what a gift it was, and how pleased and befuddled Harry would be when he found out. Yet another reason she couldn't wait to see him.
"We need some with you in, Remus," Mum pointed out. She held her hand out (Mrs Tonks was holding the baby), "I'll take some,"
That would be a bad idea. "Mum's hopeless with cameras, I'll do it," Ginny offered. Lupin handed her the camera and Ginny stood up to take a few photos of the four adults and Teddy.
"Even Posh and Becks' future kid won't have this many photos taken of it," said Tonks, grinning at Lupin, who'd gone to sit beside her.
"Who?" Mum piped up.
"Famous Muggles," shrugged Tonks.
"That's because their baby won't be as beautiful as ours," said Lupin.
Tonks fingered the button on his cuff, "No, it wont be,"
This lovey-dovey stuff was cute but getting increasingly weird. Tonks didn't seem to have noticed that her husband had been abducted and replaced with a new and much smilier version. (Ginny couldn't voice that out loud, otherwise Mum would snap that those sorts of jokes weren't funny nowadays. Ginny made a note to tell Fred and George later instead).
"Take one of all of us," chirped Tonks.
"How?"
"It's got self-timer, that button on the left,"
"Oh yeah," said Ginny, fiddling for it. She pressed the button, which made a pair of wings flick out of each side of the camera.
"It stays there in the air and gives you five seconds to get into place," Lupin explained in his teacher voice. Being godmother to Tonks' kid was awesome, Ginny thought, although being godmother to Professor Lupin's baby was bizarre. Her friends were going to be so confused. Colin was going to absolutely die- he'd loved Professor Lupin back in second-year.
"Take the photo, Ginny," prompted Mum.
"I am. Is everybody ready?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," chorused the four of them.
"Mum, budge up so I can run in next to you," said Ginny, "No, further than that. Okay- one, two three-"
She clicked the button and let the camera go. Its wings kept it hovering in mid-air. Ginny dashed over to the sofa and squashed herself in beside Mum, who was asking how many seconds until the picture took (she was utterly hopeless sometimes). Tonks reached over to squeeze Ginny's hand.
"Teddy with his family," she said, as the camera flashed.
A big THANK YOU to everybody who has read this story. An extra thanks to all reviewers- it makes my day when I get an email telling me someone has been kind enough to take the time to give feedback on this fic. Thank you all so much.
