Summary: It's been seventeen years since the Battle of Hogwarts, and Teddy Lupin is in his final year of Hogwarts. On May second, Teddy takes to the Astronomy Tower to stargaze, but a certain Professor finds him there.

IWSC

School and Theme: Ilvermorny, Ollivanders

Main Prompt: [Colour] Teal

Additional Prompts: [Object] Photograph

Year: 7th year

QLFC

Team: Pride of Portree

Position: Chaser 3

Main prompt: Telescopes - Write about a character who is very patient

Other prompts: [Quote] 'The stars will not be won by little minds; we must be as big as space itself.' - Robert A. Heinlein - [Action] Stargazing - [Setting] Astronomy Tower

QUIDDITCH SUPPLIES

Prompts: [Creature] Cat (Mystery Box #7)

Galleons Earned: 14

Story Title/Link: Stars and Memories

Wordcount: 1461

A/N: This is a next-gen fic. Andromeda Tonks nee. Black died when Teddy was 8 and Harry then took Teddy in as his own son. These would be the only differences to canon, but not much is known about the next-gen canon, aside from Cursed Child, but I personally have not seen/read it. I use two different headcanons, which I found work well with the story.

Trigger Warnings: Vague mention of character death, but nothing beyond that.

When watching the stars, his hair always changed colour to match what he was looking at. Not that Teddy minded, he always made sure his hair did that whenever he was out here. Of course, he always had to be careful of getting caught, both on the way up to the Astronomy Tower, and back down to the Hufflepuff common room. It did help that Teddy was a Prefect, and then Head Boy, and so on the nights he was supposed to patrol the corridors he could say he was doing the rounds, instead of the stargazing he usually did.

Stroking his cat, Smokey, Teddy continued looking at the stars, trying to spot all the constellations he knew.

"What are you doing, Mr. Lupin?"

Uh oh. He had been found by his favourite Professor, Harry Potter. Normally, Teddy wasn't worried about being caught by the DADA Professor, or any of them, but tonight was an exception. It was the second of May, and it was the day the Battle of Hogwarts had occurred in 1998, 17 years beforehand.

His hair turning it's normal teal colour, Teddy turned to face his godfather, who was looking at him in sympathy.

"You don't know what day it is, Professor?"

"Of course, I do, Teddy. I just wanted to know what you were doing, besides stargazing and, well, mourning. I tend to do the same thing as you each year. Bottle everything up inside, and then mourn on my own, where no one can see me. It makes it easier to be the rock for everyone when you mourn on your own, doesn't it?"

"Yeah."

Harry made his way over to Teddy and sat down beside him, ruffling his already messy, teal hair.

"I just miss them, you know? Like, they're hailed as heroes, but what was their story that came before that? What did they like? What did they hate? What were their hobbies? It's hard, because I know that I'll never find out for myself, I'll only have the stories from others to get to know them, I'll never have a proper family relationship with them. At least, not beyond seeing their portraits."

"Ted, Remus and Tonks would be so proud of you for what you've achieved, and for being who you are. You can't change the past, but you can influence the future. And you'll see them again one day. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, or any time soon, but you'll see them again. Just remember that, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks Professor."

"Come on, Teddy. You know I love you, right?"

"Of course, Harry. Why wouldn't I?"

Harry curled his arm around Teddy's shoulders, and the latter leaned into the touch. It was always hard for Teddy, growing up without his parents, but it always hurt more on his birthday, Christmas, and the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. Teddy knew he was lucky compared to others, but it didn't make it any easier to get through. He had not only a loving grandmother, even if she had passed on when he was eight, but also a godfather who could and did take him in. His life may not be perfect, but Teddy had a family, even if it was not through blood, and the family he had was a loving one.

The effect the Battle had on everyone was large. So large that all classes were cancelled on the anniversary, so that students and staff alike could mourn for the ones they lost. This year, it was a Friday, so the staff and students didn't have classes the next day. Most people went to the hallway that was solely there for the portraits of all the witches and wizards that died in the Second Wizarding War.

For most, the hallway meant finding namesakes or relatives, but it meant that Teddy got to meet his parents. When Teddy first visited the hallway, it had come as a shock that his parents had portraits there. He actually got to meet his parents. Since then, Teddy always waited until no one else was there, roughly 11 PM, and then spoke with his parents. He may never be able to hug his parents, but he knew they loved him, and he knew they would always support him.

Tonks had been shocked when Teddy's hair had changed to a vibrant red along with his face when he was complemented by Remus. It didn't stay the same colour, but Tonks was proud her son had something of hers. He still remembered what had happened when he showed up at the portraits looking identical to Remus the year before.

Teddy had been unconscious for a week but was dismissed from the Hospital Wing the day after he woke up. While he was unconscious, Teddy's features had changed to those of a 16-year-old Remus Lupin. McGonagall had been walking past and had to double back when she saw Teddy through the open door.

McGonagall had called Teddy to her office when he was released from the Hospital Wing. Teddy had been distraught that he couldn't actively reverse his metamorphmagus abilities when he was awake, and McGonagall had acquiesced to Teddy's request for her to take a picture the next time she found him without the influence of his abilities.

A week later, the Professor was in the library and found Teddy asleep, with his head on his Transfiguration essay. Madam Pince had offered her a camera after she explained the request Teddy had made, and so got a picture. McGonagall quickly had it developed in the necessary solution and gave the developed photograph to Teddy the next time she saw him. Teddy had started crying, but it was nothing compared to the reaction Remus gave when he saw his son.

Remus had been shell-shocked when he spotted Teddy, and then started crying. Seeing his son looking the same as he had at 16 had touched Remus' heart, and he was proud of Teddy. Teddy had been worried for a second that Remus wouldn't like him appearing as his father, Teddy was ready to change his appearance when Remus explained why he was reacting the way he was, and Teddy had started crying as well.

The feeling of his godfather stroking his hair pulled Teddy out of the memory, and his hair turned from the sandy brown of his father to the teal he had picked out for himself. Harry knew that Teddy had been pulled into a memory the second he saw Teddy's features change to the features he had the year before.

Harry had often wished that Teddy's parents could have raised him, but knew that they died fighting for what they believed in. Peering up at the stars, Harry saw a shooting star and made a wish; a wish for Teddy to meet his parents, a wish for Harry to meet his. Teddy, seeing Harry's line of sight change, looked to the heavens as well. When Teddy saw the shooting star, he made a wish as well; he wished for his family to be happy, and not face any more troubles. Though, knowing his godfather's luck, Teddy knew it was unlikely that would ever happen. Still, a person could dream.

Harry saw Teddy's focus change and knew, in that moment, that though Teddy wasn't his son by blood, he would always be Harry's son, and a part of his family. Harry could only hope his family wouldn't be pulled apart by another conflict. Taking a leaf out of his friend Luna Lovegood's book, Harry randomly said, "The stars will never be one by little minds; we must be as big as space itself."

"Heinlein?"

"Yep."

"Well, then we must slowly broaden our minds to all possibilities and accept things as they come. Only then would we become as large as space itself."

"Was that Heinlein, Teddy?

"No, I didn't quote Heinlein. That was all me."

"Becoming a philosopher now, are we Ted?"

A laugh spilled from between Teddy's lips. "Of course not, just becoming wise and starting to spout nonsense."

Harry ended up chuckling as well.

Leaving the matter, the godfather godson duo turned their gazes to the sky and started a competition to spot the most constellations, as was a family game they had created.

Come 11 PM, Teddy and Harry had tied, and they bid each other goodnight. Harry didn't know what his godson was going to do but decided to follow him just in case. Teddy snuck off down to the hallway of portraits. What Teddy wasn't aware of, was that his godfather had followed him, but had stopped when he saw Teddy speaking with his parents' portraits with a bright smile on his face. It seemed some things would never change.