A/N: This chapter is from Teddy's POV! You'll notice a shift in the mood and time - it's a few months ahead! We'll hear from the adults again soon :)
...
Teddy had his nose pressed against the glass front of Quality Quidditch Supplies. A sleek broomstick floated mid-air, its tawny handle gleaming in the July sun. Teddy squinted to read the words written in shiny silver, engraved in the handle.
"C-o-m-e-t—" He frowned at the numbers that followed the letters, the combination not making sense to him. "—two-one-zero-zero."
"It's the Comet 2100, Teddy. The newest Comet model."
Teddy looked up at his father, an idea forming in his mind.
"Dad, for Hope! For her birthday!" His sweaty palms came to rest on the glass, fogging up his view.
"She's quite small for that broomstick, don't you think?"
"Mummy! Get it for mummy!"
Remus seemed to consider Teddy's proposal. "Your mum could use a new broomstick," he murmured. Teddy looked at it in awe. It was bigger than his Kidsweep and he wondered if his mother would let him ride it. He felt his father's hand on his shoulder, bringing him away from the glass front, and instead guiding him into the store.
Quality Quidditch Supplies was more wonderful on the inside. The shelves were filled with brand-new Quaffles, Bludgers, and Snitches. The walls were lined with more broomsticks than Teddy had ever seen: long ones, short ones, dark wood ones, light wood ones, and a selection of smaller ones for children. Racks were stuffed with merchandise from all the major Quidditch sports teams: from the violently orange Chudley Cannons to the deep green of the Holyhead Harpies, not a single team was missing.
Teddy didn't know where to begin. His dad was at the counter, asking after broomsticks for his mum, but Teddy remembered they were out to buy a birthday present for Hope. He zigzagged his way around the store until he found the section for the Holyhead Harpies, the all-witch team that Auntie Ginny played for. None of the options seemed right to him: Hope was too small for the jerseys, gloves, or hats.
Teddy had all but given up hope when he saw something up above. Sitting atop one of the displays was a stuffed bird with big talons – the team's mascot. He tried to reach for it but wasn't tall enough.
"Do you need help, young man?"
A kind looking witch, a store clerk, appeared in Teddy's eyeline. He nodded at her, and she retrieved the stuffed toy for him.
"Bring it to the counter," barked a different store clerk, just as the first one was about to hand it to Teddy. The wizard was big and grumpy, and though he tried to whisper to the witch, Teddy heard every word.
"He's with the werewolf. Don't give him a thing until it's paid for in full."
The kind looking witch offered Teddy a funny smile. She held the stuffed bird tightly and gestured for him to follow her to the till.
His father was still at the counter. Teddy, worried that he might not be able to get the gift for Hope, tugged on his father's robes.
"Dad?"
"Just a minute, Teddy," said Remus, bent over a parchment, writing quickly. Teddy stood by his father's side, noticing for the first time that all the other customers were gathered on the opposite end of the store. The counter was long and wide, but only Teddy and Remus stood there. The dozen or so others were crammed together, far away.
"Dad," Teddy said, with several pairs of eyes on him, "why are they all far away?"
Remus turned around. The others all turned away, but Teddy could still see them staring at him and his father.
"We'll discuss it later," Remus said, with a sigh. His eyes traveled to the till, where the stuffed bird lay.
"For Hope," Teddy mumbled. "For her birthday, like you said." Remus gave Teddy a tight smile.
"I'll add it to the order. It's thoughtful of you."
He returned to scribbling on the parchment and handed it off to one of the store clerks.
"All the information is listed there. The broomstick, the all-weather servicing kit, and the stuffed harpy should be it."
The store clerk reviewed the parchment and nodded at Remus. Teddy's hand found his father's, and Remus led him out of the shop without another word. They also walked out without a single wrapped package, unlike the other customers, who held brightly wrapped, broomstick-shaped parcels and big bags emblazoned with three Qs.
Teddy saw his father's mouth set in a thin line. The other lines on his face were more pronounced, including the lines on his forehead. His eyes weren't as shiny as before.
"Are you okay, Daddy?"
Remus stopped in his tracks and let go of Teddy's hand. A strange, little smile came up on his face.
"I am. Long day."
He took Teddy's hand again and walked to the next stop. A colorful storefront greeted them; through the window panes, Teddy saw shelves filled with toys and games. A model dragon flapped its wings and breathed smoke, a tiny witch doll waved her wand, creating an arc of sparks, and a pair of miniature unicorns flew around the display case.
Teddy had never seen such an array of magical toys. He let go of his father's hand at once and ran to the entrance, eager to see what else lay within.
He was ready to put his hands on the enchanted train set, like the other children were doing, when something invisible stopped him.
"OUT!" A voice bellowed. Teddy froze still. He saw his father at the threshold of the store, with a wand pointed in his face by one of the store clerks.
"OUT! GET OUT! WE DON'T SERVE YOUR KIND HERE!"
Teddy saw his father's shoulders slump and another funny, not-quite-right smile flitter on his face.
"If you'll allow me to get my son," Remus said calmly, his open palm pointed at Teddy. The store clerk's eyes widened when he saw Teddy.
"Have you touched anything?" the clerk growled, rounding on him. Teddy looked to his right, where his father stood red-faced. The clerk grabbed the collar on Teddy's shirt, but something forceful separated them.
Remus stood next to Teddy, with a frightening look in his face.
"You've no right to touch my son," Remus said coldly, as the store clerk grew purple in the face. All the other children in the shop had backed away. Their parents, grownup witches and wizards, all stared at Teddy and Remus.
Teddy didn't like the way the other people were looking at him. It was nothing like the way the Weasleys, the Wakefields, or even most of the students at Hogwarts looked at him. It was like what the big, mean Slytherin boys looked like when they saw him, especially when Gran wasn't looking. He felt his cheeks burn and his insides churn. Something was extremely wrong.
"Let's go, Teddy," said Remus, keeping the store clerk away. "We've other places to be."
Teddy grabbed his father's hand. They sped out of the store and weaved easily through the crowds. Teddy saw wispy white hair in his periphery; he scrunched his nose and tried to make it something happier, but all he managed was his natural sandy brown.
Teddy was sweaty and hot when they made it through Diagon Alley and to the Leaky Cauldron. They didn't stop for anything to eat or drink there, despite some of the friendlier faces Teddy saw, like Uncle Neville's.
Instead, they went through the Floo. Teddy heard his father call out the Ministry of Magic, and before he knew it, they were walking briskly through a place with cool, dark, shiny tiles and a big fountain. Like Diagon Alley, it was wallpapered with moving portraits of witches and wizards, all candidates for a big election.
Teddy knew he'd been at the Ministry before, long ago when he was a baby, but he had no recollection of it. The whole place was humming with important-looking people in robes, witches and wizards arguing with each other, voices calling out names and copies of The Daily Prophet, and yet others yawning as they moved about. Paper airplanes flew above them, whizzing about from one side to the other, some of them flapping their wings so wildly Teddy thought they'd break.
They stopped at a desk and Teddy was given a badge with his name on it. Moments later, they were in a lift, hurtling sideways to another location. Remus's face hadn't changed at all since the toy shop. Teddy was worried; his father was obviously upset. He didn't understand what happened at the toy shop or why it happened. One minute Teddy was about to play with a train set and the next, they were leaving the shop.
The lift stopped and the doors burst open. A less imposing, but still bustling place lay ahead. Everyone there wore familiar scarlet robes, just like—
"Mummy!" Teddy shouted, laying his eyes upon her.
"Teddy?" Tonks did a double-take, blinking rapidly. "Remus?"
Other Aurors stopped what they were doing and looked upon them. Some of them Teddy recognized, but many others were unfamiliar to him.
"Is there someone who can watch Teddy for a few minutes?" asked Remus, as something shifted in Tonks's face. Teddy had seen that look before. Something was still wrong.
"I've got him," Harry said, popping his head out from an office. Teddy grinned at the sight of his godfather, who opened his arms for Teddy to run and hug him.
"Thank you, Harry," said Remus, his eyes still set on Tonks. "It won't be long."
Teddy was already inside Harry's office, which wasn't a whole room, but had three half-walls and a desk covered in pictures of Auntie Ginny. There was also a photograph of Teddy and Hope, from Ron and Hermione's wedding.
"Me and Hope!" Teddy said, pointing at the picture. "Her birthday is soon."
"On the seventeenth," Harry replied, pointing at the calendar. "Do you know who else has a birthday in July?"
Teddy scrunched his nose, thinking hard. He knew his parents had an anniversary soon—they were going to be away for a night. He and Hope would stay with Gran.
"Gran?"
"Guess again, Ted." Harry smiled and leaned back in his seat. "Who was born in July?"
Teddy made a face as he thought. "I don't know."
"Me." Harry pointed at himself. "The 31st. Want to guess how old I'll be?"
Teddy knew Harry was older, but not as old as his mum and dad. He couldn't remember how old his parents were, however.
"You're 14."
Harry burst into laughter and shook his head. "I'll be 23."
"You're old."
"Your dad's twenty years older than I am!"
"Dad's old too! So's mum!"
They argued back and forth on what made someone 'old.' Teddy thought it was a silly argument, but Harry said it was important to figure out what made someone old. Not wanting to disappoint his godfather, they decided that turning 30 was when someone became 'properly' old.
Other Aurors joined in, too. Teddy was reminded of the many afternoons he spent at Hogwarts, talking to his friends. His parents told him they wouldn't be going back to Hogwarts in the fall, which was disappointing. Teddy loved living at the castle and would have to wait a long time before he got his Hogwarts letter. His parents and Gran were delighted to be home, or so they said. Although Teddy had tried, unsuccessfully, to Floo his way back to the castle, his parents or Gran would inevitably find him and make him stay home.
He'd have to wait, just like all the other witches and wizards his age.
Teddy's parents finally came back from wherever they were. Neither of them looked happy, but Teddy supposed that wasn't new. His mother was often tired, and Teddy could usually tell that his father had something worrying on his mind. They always told Teddy not to worry, that they had grownup problems, and they were their problems, but he didn't like seeing them upset.
"Come here, Teddy," said Tonks, crouching down and opening her arms. Teddy ran in for a hug, feeling his mother's arms tighten around him. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"
"Uh huh," he replied. "Did you know Harry's birthday is soon too?"
His mother let him go and held his face in her hands. "I did. We're going to the Burrow to celebrate. Ginny's birthday is only eleven days after Harry's."
Teddy squirmed out of his mother's embrace. She tussled his hair, smiling affectionately at him.
"You'll always be my little boy, Teddy bear."
Teddy scowled. He was a big boy now. He had friends at Hogwarts and he could read and write.
Remus bent down to meet his gaze. "Are you too tired, or would you like to go shopping with me again?"
"Shopping!" Teddy replied enthusiastically, looking back at his godfather. "We got to get Harry a birthday present!"
Remus chuckled and kissed his forehead. "We ought to get going then."
"Can we go back to the Quidditch store, dad?"
The peculiar, tight smile returned to Remus's face. "No, we'll go to some Muggle shops in London, so you'll have to be careful about changing your hair. We're done with Diagon Alley for the day."
"But Uncle Harry likes Quidditch," Teddy argued.
"Actually," Harry interjected, a funny smile on his face, too. "I'd love some Muggle clothes. I never had any that fit right when I was your age."
Teddy considered Harry's words and agreed. If it was what Harry really wanted, Teddy would control his morphing. He'd do anything for his beloved godfather.
Remus took Teddy's hand again, kissed Tonks goodbye, and went out of the Ministry. The way out was less hurried than the way in. They took the visitor exit, using a Muggle phone booth, and appeared in the street.
Teddy didn't know where they were, but he couldn't help wonder about what happened in the toy shop, or why they decided to go to the Ministry.
"Would you like some ice cream, Teddy?"
His father pointed to an ice cream parlor across the street that was filled with Muggles. Teddy could smell the sugar and cream. His mouth watered and his stomach growled, thinking of the flavors. Remus smiled—this one genuine—and took Teddy across to the parlor.
The kind Muggles at the parlor let him try as many flavors as he liked. It was hard to keep his hair one color with how tasty everything was, but he settled on a peanut butter and chocolate mixture, thinking it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted.
They went around the corner from the ice cream parlor and discovered a pretty, Muggle park. Teddy yearned for the fountain there, but his father insisted they chat and finish their ice cream first.
"Teddy," Remus addressed, his tone higher-pitched than usual, once they'd found a spot to sit that was out of the Muggles' way. "I'd like to talk about what happened at Diagon Alley today."
Teddy had the spoon upside down in his mouth, savoring the sweetness of the treat.
"Okay."
"You know our family is special, don't you?"
"Uh huh." Teddy took another spoonful of peanut butter ice cream. It dripped down his hand, making it sticky. His father dabbed it with a napkin, and tucked another one around Teddy's collar.
"Do you know why our family is special?"
"'Cause you're a werewolf and mummy and me are Metamorphers."
"Metamorphmagi," Remus corrected, "and yes, I am a werewolf. Do you know what that means?"
"You turn into Moony once a month, when the moon is full," Teddy answered, perplexed by his father's questions.
"Good. Is Moony dangerous?"
"Yup." Teddy licked his spoon clean, satisfied with the chocolate. "That's what you and mummy and Gran say."
"It's true. Moony is dangerous and can hurt people."
Teddy scrunched his eyes in the sunlight. "But I thought Moony won't hurt me."
Remus nodded and exhaled slowly. He spread his legs out on the grass, his ice cream already eaten.
"Moony knows not to hurt you, mummy, or Hope…but that's not how it is with everyone else. For everybody else, Moony is very, very dangerous."
Teddy shrugged. His ice cream was all gone, so he stuck his finger in the cup and licked it clean.
"You see, Teddy, most people are afraid of werewolves and don't like them. Moony won't hurt you, but he can hurt a lot of people. Other werewolves—"
"Like Denys and Wally!"
"Exactly, like Denys and Wally," Remus continued, "they can hurt you. They forget who they are at the full moon. Only Moony remembers who you are because you are his family."
Teddy frowned. He thought Denys and Wally were part of their family too.
"I know this is confusing, but the magic doesn't work the same with Denys, Wally, and me." Remus patted Teddy's knee, giving him that weird, not-quite-smile again. "Since Moony and all other werewolves are dangerous, other witches and wizards don't like us. They think we shouldn't be part of their world."
"That's not fair!"
"It isn't." Remus's face was set and grim. "It's something we've been trying to fix for a long time. But you see, Teddy, that's why the toy shop told me to get out and why the Quidditch store wouldn't sell me anything."
"But-but-but Hope's present!" Teddy cried, dismayed that the stuffed harpy wouldn't arrive in time for his sister's birthday.
"They wouldn't sell me anything today," Remus said consolingly. "I gave them our Gringotts vault information and told your mum about it. They'll sell to her."
"But not me?"
His father's eyebrows came together. He sat up straight, a curious look in his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Teddy explained that when he wanted the stuffed harpy, he overheard the store clerk claim that he couldn't have it until it was paid for.
Something flashed in Remus's eyes that sent a shiver down Teddy's spine. He'd seen that look before, when his father was angriest. The look disappeared in seconds, and Remus was back to his usual self.
"That shouldn't have happened," he said stiffly. "I'll let your mother know…it's one thing for me…but you, an innocentchild…half a mind to cancel all of it—"
"No! Don't cancel it!" Teddy pled. "Mum's broom!"
"I won't cancel it, son. Your mum already knows about it, anyway."
Teddy wished he had more ice cream. It was better with peanut butter and chocolate.
"We thought, after the changes of the last few months, we could try going out," Remus said softly. "The wizarding world isn't ready for our family."
"But at Hogwarts people are nice!"
Remus gave Teddy a look he didn't understand.
"Hogwarts is special, as are our friends like the Weasleys and Potters. Our family is lucky, Teddy, to have all we have. I've been extraordinarily lucky." Teddy finally saw the sadness in his father's eyes. "Sometimes it gets easier and sometimes it gets harder for people like me, or families like ours. Right now, it's hard. I wish it wasn't so."
The clouds above moved across the sky, obscuring the sun. Muggle passers-by continued with their day, walking their dogs, pushing babies in prams, and some of them even ran around the park for fun.
"Muggles didn't treat us different," Teddy said, recalling how nice the ice cream parlor was.
"They don't know I'm a werewolf, and I doubt they'd believe me," Remus replied, with a chuckle. "It's why, for your fourth birthday, I took you and Hope to the London Zoo. Muggles have their own problems, believe me, but they don't treat me poorly because of who I am."
"What problems do Muggles have?"
Remus looked up to the sky. "Why don't I tell you while we go shopping for Harry?"
Teddy stood up instantly. He was ready to go into shops where he and his father wouldn't be treated differently, and spent the way there wondering what he could do to change others' minds.
…
Teddy woke the next morning to the sound of several owls swooping around the house. Hoots, barks, and screeches startled him out of his slumber. He wondered if the owls were there for Hope's birthday, to deliver her presents, so he rushed out of bed to her room to wake her.
"Hope! Hopey!" Teddy yelled, bursting into her bedroom. "Happy birthday, Hope!"
His sister was already awake. Jelly the pygmy puff and Ophelia the cat were awake too, all three of them curious about the flapping owls outside the window.
"C'mon, Hope! They're probably for you!"
Teddy got to the window to open it, but it was sealed shut, probably by magic.
"Teddy!" His mother shouted, frantic. "Teddy?"
"I'm here, mummy!" Teddy yelled back, poking his head out into the hall. He saw his mother relax at once.
"Oh, good. With all the commotion, we didn't want you running off."
Hope toddled past them, but Tonks yanked her by the shirt.
"Not yet, Hope. Nappy change, clothes, and then we can go downstairs."
"I'm ready!" Teddy said proudly.
"You're not dressed," Tonks replied. "Put on trousers and a shirt."
Teddy didn't understand why pyjamas weren't good enough for breakfast, but he went into his room and found a set of clean clothes. When he was dressed, he sped past Hope's room to the stairs, eager to see what all the owls were about.
He was halfway downstairs when he saw the first of the parcels. The living room was chock-full of vibrantly colored packages of all shapes and sizes. He couldn't see the sofas. He could barely see the outline of the fireplace. A narrow walkway was made from the front door to the kitchen, with a stop by the stairs. Teddy gasped, seeing the piles of parcels, packed high. He was sure they were taller than his father.
"Dad! Dad?"
"Over here, Teddy! Come to the kitchen!"
Teddy strode into the kitchen, which was also filled with parcels, but not as many as what had been in the living room.
"Are those all for Hope?" Teddy said, awed. "Do I get some?" He saw some particularly big boxes, wrapped and tied with colorful bows, that he longed to open.
"Some are for each of you," replied Remus, serving a plate of bacon and toast to him. "Some of them will go to our friends and their children."
Teddy gaped at him. "More birthdays?"
"I'm not sure yet." Remus flitted his eyes to the narrow walkway to the stairs. "Your mum might have a better idea."
Tonks walked in with Hope toddling ahead of her, looking wide-eyed at all the packages around them. Teddy realized his mother wasn't wearing her work robes and wondered if she would be home all day with them.
"Is that all?" Tonks snorted, shaking her head at the living room. "We must've got everything they had."
"I believe that when the Minister of Magic himself tells you that you've fu—" Remus cleared his throat, eyeing Teddy. "—when you've made an error, you'll do all you can to rectify it."
"What does that mean?" asked Teddy.
"It means that someone got his comeuppance," Tonks replied, kissing his head.
"What your mother means to say," Remus explained, as he served Hope her breakfast, "is that the toy shop owner learned he can't treat us differently."
"So we get all the toys?" Teddy was halfway off the chair when his mother stopped him.
"They did send us many toys, Teddy, but we can't keep all of them. We're going to share them with our friends."
Teddy pouted. All those free toys were waiting for him in the living room!
"Don't you think Victoire, Kiki, and the other Weasleys might want toys?" his mother asked, looking at him just like Gran did when she was upset. "Or Harry and Ginny's baby?"
"Or little boys and girls who don't have enough money for toys?" his father suggested. "When I was your age, I had very few toys. Wouldn't it be nice to share?"
"Harry was like that once, too," his mother continued. "He didn't have much either."
Teddy felt guilty that he had all those new toys when people like his dad and Harry grew up without them.
"Can I pick some of them for me and Hope?"
"Of course, Teddy," Tonks said, smiling. "You and Hope will get some and we'll share with the others. You're a thoughtful boy to share."
"Can I open them yet? I'm done with breakfast."
His parents exchanged a look. Teddy sat at the edge of his seat, itching to get to the parcels.
"One at a time," Remus said, sighing, but Teddy already had his hands on the biggest parcel, eager to learn what awaited him.