It is now a few minutes and a few nanoseconds after my announcement that I am naming my second son Albus Severus Potter.
Things have calmed down.
Hermione looks up at me and asks me curiously, "Harry, if I may ask, did you give any consideration to naming your son after Remus Lupin?"
"That would have been a much better pick, " interjects Ron.
"No, I did not, " I confirm.
Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hannah look at me with some surprise, but it is easy for me to maintain my sense of calm.
"There is a very specific reason why I did NOT consider naming my child after Remus, " I explain, "As you know, Remus Lupin had a son. I have chosen NOT to name my son after Remus because I feel the right to name a son after Remus belongs to Teddy, not to me."
"Oh!" remembered Neville suddenly, "Teddy is your godson, right?"
"Yes, " I say with a smile, "I feel a strong emotional connection with Teddy. When he is old enough to understand what Remus died for and why, I want him to be able to honor his son with the name of Remus."
"That makes sense, " says Luna in understanding.
"Harry thinks of everything, doesn't he, " pipes up Ginny, "We may not like the choice of his name for his second son, but we can't say he didn't give everything complete thought."
""It's nice of Harry to think of that, " agrees Hannah, "I assume Harry never considered naming his first son Fred, knowing it should be George who named his son friend."
"True, " I confirm, "Even Ron would have more claim to name a son Fred than I would, and I know even he knew that name had to be reserved for George to use.
"No question about that, " adds Ron firmly, "if I had had a son before George did and had named him Fred, George would have seen that as a betrayal."
"And Fred is your brother, Ron, not mine, if you couldn't use that name, there's no way on god's green earth I could, " I acknowledge.
"OHH!" realizes Hermione suddenly, "Knowing how much it meant to you to name your own first son after your father, it occurred to you how meaningful it might one day be for teddy to have that same opportunity."
"Still the brightest witch of your age, Hermione!" I grin.
"I think Remus would really appreciate Harry NOT using his name for his own son and saving it for his son to use when the time came, " says Luna thoughtfully.
It doesn't surprise me that Hermione asked me whether I considered using the name Remus for my son.
I suspect at least a couple of the others wondered the same thing.
It's a fair question. I had a very strong relationship with Remus before his tragic and untimely death.
The most tragic thing about his death was Teddy becoming an orphan, just as I had been, as his mother had also died in the same battle as Remus.
Knowing what it ultimately meant to me to name my son after my father, I knew Teddy deserved the same opportunity and wouldn't think of stealing it from him.