Andromeda wasted absolutely no time in awakening everybody and bringing them back into the cold and down to the river bank. Tonks was still a little drowsy, so she handed off Teddy to her mother. But despite her weary disposition at the moment, Tonks' heart could not have been beating faster. This was it. The moment that she'd risked arrest, life, and limb for.

The three of them split up so they could look around for any signs of movement from the opposite bank. How far did Sirius and Bastet have to travel with the news that they had visitors?

Suddenly, emerging from the shadowy opposite bank, came Sirius and Bastet, who were still grinning like dopes. Right behind them came a redheaded boy who looked distinctively familiar to Tonks. He took one look at his brother standing there and gave a whoop of sudden enthusiasm. Fred Weasley.

The look on Charlie's face was indescribable as he splashed into the water despite its' freezing temperature, to greet his little brother. The pair began punching each others' shoulders and talking a mile a minute at the same time. The sight made Tonks smile.

Tonks sighed quietly to herself and looked up again as more of the dead emerged from the shadows. She looked at her mother's face, which was surprisingly set stiff. But after a moment, Tonks observed her mother;s face morph in to one of shock, tears, and joy at the same time. Her gaze shooting across the river. Tonks bit her lip as she saw Andromeda (with Teddy in hand) step into the river to greet her husband, Tonks' father. Tonks stayed up on the shore, even though her father was standing there (he was too busy kissing Andromeda anyways). She had someone else to wait for.

After what seemed like ages of watching Fred and Charlie gab, and her mother and father snogging, Tonks felt her heart skip about ten beats as she caught sight of a young figure moving towards the river. He looked younger, and happier (and handsomer…where was this man a year ago?). His hair was still long, but not at all grey-streaked, and it gave him an air of coolness. His face didn't have a single scar, and his posture gave off the feeling that he'd lost ten years off his life and was grateful for them to be gone.

Tonks beamed wider than she had since Teddy's birth months ago.

"Remus? REMUS!" she shrieked with delight. Remus smiled handsomely, showing off every one of his teeth, and stepped into the river, his arms open. Tonks fell over her own two feet as she waded into the water (the freezing cold didn't matter in the least. She bolted into Remus' waiting arms. Remus picked her up and spun her around, making water splash everywhere. But Tonks didn't care. She was back where she belonged, in Remus' arms. Tonks felt like crying.

No, she already was crying.

Charlie and Fred didn't find it very convenient to catch up with all the snogging and crying going on between the Tonks-Lupin families, so they got out of the river (on Charlie's side) and decided to stroll down river to where it was a little quieter.

Charlie, much to his surprise, didn't find talking to his dead little brother awkward at all. Fred was as much alive as he'd ever been…only he wasn't.

"So, Fred, what's it like? Being here? You don't stay here all the time, do you?" asked Charlie.

Fred shook his head and grinned as he always did. "No. There's a place where only the dead can find. It's like a village of our own, only there's no eating, because we don't need it, no money, and everyone's just…happy! Lots of parting and dancing, lots of games and recollections of good times, all that sentimental stuff…"

"No eating?! Don't you miss eating?" Charlie asked with disbelief.

"Not at all," answered Fred. "Not so much the EATING part as the TASTE of food. I miss Mum's pot roast so much sometimes. But what's the point? If you're not in need of food, then why bother trying to seek it out?"

"Are you confined to that one little village you talked about?" asked Charlie.

"Not at all, but we don't travel by land. The dead can't Apparate anywhere. You even wonder why some people see their dead loved ones in their reflections, or see them through a crowd or rounding a corner at the last minute?"

Charlie knew exactly what Fred meant, and he nodded silently.

"We travel through the minds of our surviving loved ones," Fred answered. "It's VERY confusing, so I don't think it's worth the time bothering to explain the whole process. It's just to make sure they're pulling through and all…but it DOES call for some excellent mischief once in awhile!" Fred winked. Charlie laughed heartily…it felt odd to do so.

"There's the brother I know!" Charlie said. Fred nodded. The wide smile dissolved as it was Fred's turn to ask a question.

"So…how are they doing without me?" Fred asked.

Charlie didn't know how to answer that. After all, he'd only seen his family briefly after the final battle before returning to Romania, which is where he met up with Andromeda, Tonks, and Teddy.

"I…I haven't been able to talk much with them. I was rushed away from the school…after, you know? Ginny was rather distressed…she was almost killed by Bellatrix—"

"—ugh, that bitch makes being dead quite annoying!"

"You mean—?"

"Yes, the evil ones come here too," Fred said. "But they have these huge chains that weigh a ton that they have to lug around with them for eternity. Old Voldie's even got a neat little device, so that when he bends over, fire shoots clear up his bum. My idea, of course. Bella's got some big chains, and she pisses and moans all day about it like she's under one of her own damned curses. Another thing is, Moldy-Voldie has no voice here, and he's blind too. Bella's blind, but unfortunately, she kept her voice."

Charlie nodded and sighed. He spoke after almost a full minute of silence. "So…did it hurt, dying?"

Fred shook his head. "Last thing I remember is a huge bang and a few screams. No pain. I woke up and Sirius was standing over me, looking at me curiously. The he yelled right in my face, 'DAMNIT, BOY! YOU'RE NINETEEN!!"

Charlie smiled.

"What about Holey St. George?" asked Fred. "How is he coping?"

"He wouldn't celebrate our victory," Charlie said. "He wouldn't leave your body. Last I saw before I went back to Romania, he was still there."

"Um, Charlie, can you do me a favor?" asked Fred.

"Anything," Charlie agreed quickly.

"Go back to England and tell George that I said if he doesn't stop crying over me and get the business back on its feet, I'll kill him."

Charlie's heart jumped as he smiled. "I most certainly will, brother. I certainly will."

Meanwhile, Ted and Andromeda had given Teddy back to Tonks, and now they were watching from a decent distance as Remus and Tonks both fawned over their son with tear-laced eyes, red cheek, and happy smiles. Andromeda leaned her head on her husband's shoulder, and Ted had his arms around her waist.

"She's still so young, the War has aged her a lot," Ted noted. Andromeda looked at him strangely. "What, you didn't notice the bags under her eyes, the way her skin is all pale? How her hair is colored…well…normally? She's been through a lot."

"We all have," Andromeda agreed. "It's worth it to be here."

"You need to make sure she becomes happy again someday, 'Dromeda," said Ted. "I want her to marry again and have more children."

"I already talked with her about this a few times, Ted," Andromeda sighed woefully, watching as Remus planted a kiss on his son's forehead while Teddy, in response, wrapped his tiny fist around Remus' index finger. "She won't budge. She insists she'll never marry again."

"Well, you can't expect her to agree so soon, darling!"

Andromeda turned her head. "Huh?"

"It's only been a month, after all. It will more than likely take years before Dora is ready again to fall in love. She will, though, in her own good time," Ted said, nodding.

"How can you be so sure?" Andromeda asked.

Ted winked at her. "Because she's your daughter!"

Andromeda gasped mockingly. "What?!" she asked playfully.

"Don't you remember when I proposed to you? We were eighteen, fresh out of Hogwarts! You didn't say 'yes' until we were twenty-two!"

"I…I don't recall," Andromeda lied.

"Don't give me that, 'Dromeda!" Ted said. Andromeda rolled her eyes and sighed in defeat.

"We were only eighteen! Besides, how was I supposed to know you were the one after all?" Andromeda said.

Ted was silent a moment and watched his daughter and her family.

"You remember how we met?" Ted asked.

"How could I forget, as much as I wanted to?" Andromeda replied. "Our fifth year, we were both named prefects from our specific houses. You tripped over me in the prefect's car!"

"At least we know that's where Dora got hers from," Ted muttered.

"At least she inherited your house over mine! IK cannot picture that girl in Slytherin! I can't even picture myself in Slytherin anymore! How I got through it, I'll never know," Andromeda said, shaking her head. Ted smiled.

"I know."

Andromeda grinned. "Oh, DO you, now? Well, enlighten me!" she said jokingly. Ted's face, however, was serious.

"Because you're strong."

Andromeda was completely cut o0ff guard by this statement. "Excuse me, Ted?"

"You are," Ted said. "'Dromeda, darling how can you NOT know your own strength? I personally see you to this day as the bravest person in the world!"

"What exactly did I do to make you say that?" Andromeda asked. "I'm no Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore!"

"You broke away from your family to follow your heart. You were widowed so suddenly, yet you still cried tears of joy at Teddy's birth. You stayed at home to protect your grandson while your son-in-law and daughter were off risking their necks. You then found the energy after ALL of that, to venture thousands f miles from home at a time when you didn't need the extra stress, to fulfill your daughter's wish to see the one she loves again. Andromeda, you deserve an Order of Merlin!" Ted said. Andromeda stared at him blankly for a moment.

"How am I going to live without you?!" she suddenly wailed, fresh tears coming to her eyes as she buried her face in Ted's shoulder. Ted embraced her and sighed. "I know! Nymphadora and I will set up a permanent camp here—"

"—Darling, don't—"

"—so every night when it's cloudy, we can see you—"

Ted groaned. "Dromeda!"

"—and during the day, it will be as if you were away for work, as usual—"

Ted put a gentle finger over Andromeda's lip to silence her. Andromeda heaved a deep moan. Ted looked deeply into his wife's eyes. "You need to promise me something, right now."

"Anything, Ted."

Ted smiled. Andromeda remarked in her head that even when he was dead, Ted's smile warmed her to the very core.

"You need to promise that at daybreak, you will leave this place and never come back."

Andromeda gasped." What?! Ted, I absolutely cannot—"

"—stay here. Darling, I love you, AND Nymphadora, AND Teddy. But you're being just as stubborn as our girl is. You need to move on with your life. The world still needs you. Otherwise, you'd be here already."

"Ted, I can't leave you again," Andromeda sighed.

"You never will," Ted said, placing his hand on his wife's heart. Andromeda placed her hand over his. How could his hand possibly be as warm as it was? "I'm here, and so are Sirius and Remus, and all our friends."

"Dearest, do you really think I'm going to fall for that?" Andromeda asked, smiling weakly.

Ted nodded confidently. "Yes, I do. I most certainly do."

A/N: For those of you asking why there is no Tonks/Remus dialogue here, just wait, for I wanted each of the travelers to have their own moment. Andromeda and Charlie share this chapter, but Tonks and Remus are going to have their own! So be patient, review and the next chapter might be up sooner than you think!