Cheating Death

Written by Christina Elizabeth Lupin

A/N: Um… wow. I almost have 80 reviews! And I am sorry for the wait, everyone. I took my laptop into the shop and found out that it costs a lot of money to repair it. Apparently, the base of my laptop is broken, not just the hinge. So I'll just save money and buy a new one (preferably not a Gateway). Also, you will see less updates from me for awhile. I am going to school for about 6 months and I will have limited times to update, but I will manage to write out everything on paper. Before I begin the last chapter before the epilogue, I want to say thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and to those who answered my poll. I can say that 3 of the 5 people wanted me to do a sequel to Cheating Death. Keep on answering that poll before the epilogue! I just might do a sequel!

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Cheating Death

Chapter Eight

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"If you'll just sign here, Mr. Lupin…"

Remus picked up the quill and signed his name on the parchment, feeling a grin spread across his face. He was just one more step closer to owning his new house! He could finally be able to provide for his family, if what Harry had said was true.

According to Harry, a new law had passed that allowed werewolves to marry, hold jobs, and have children. James, Lily, Remus, and Tonks had a funny suspicion that it was Harry's doing, since the bill passed relatively fast. They wondered how Harry had managed to do it and how long ago it happened.

The woman perched behind the desk smiled as soon as the werewolf finished signing the parchment. "I have a couple more papers to go over with you, but otherwise I don't see how you can't move in straight away."

Remus nearly felt his heart burst at the grin he got from his wife.

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"Have you decided yet, Ted?"

Teddy looked over at James as they began their daily chess game. Harry had gone out, leaving his godson in his parents' hands while Remus and Tonks left for the paperwork for their house. The three had found it funny that they picked the little ranch house that Harry had shown him in the paper earlier, but Teddy found that he liked it.

"I have been thinking about it," Teddy said slowly. He made his move on the board.

"What have you decided, love?" Lily asked.

"That's just it, Lily. I don't know what to do. I know that my mind wants to go with my parents. I mean, it's logical, right, to want to get to know your parents, especially since I never knew them? But my heart wants me to stay here with my godfather." He pulled his hands through his now shoulder length brown hair. "I don't know what to do and it's tearing me apart."

James and Lily shared a look. They knew how he felt, to make a decision like this. Hell, they had gone through several of them before, even before their deaths. It broke their hearts to see such a young man make a decision as to where he wanted to live.

"What should I do?" Teddy whispered.

"We can't tell you what to do, Teddy," James replied. "It is your life and therefore your decision as to where you want to go. Both Remus and Harry would understand whatever decision you make. You don't have to live with your parents because you feel obligated to do so and you don't have to live with your godfather because you don't want to break his heart. Whatever happens, they will both be there for you. Remember that, Teddy." He then moved his knight, smirking. "Check."

Teddy's mouth fell open and he stared down at the board. "Oh no you won't, Potter!" he declared.

Lily smiled and leaned back. This would be fun.

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"We're back!" Tonks called half an hour later. Remus followed her, grinning like mad.

Teddy ran toward the door and hugged his parents. "How did it go?"

"We got the house," Remus replied, hugging his son tightly.

James and Lily entered the room, smiling. "That's great," Lily said and James nodded.

"Where's Harry at?" Tonks asked, looking around.

"He's still out," Teddy said. "He said that he had some important things to do and would be back later. Come to think of it… that's what he said before he got the approval of the werewolf law."

"How did he do it, by the way? It couldn't have been too long ago," Lily asked, looking curious.

"That's for Harry to reveal to you, but he was gone an awful lot. The only reason it came through so fast was because he used his fame to get it done. Who knows, he might be proposing that vampires get the same rights." With that, Teddy walked to his bedroom, almost snickering at the thought of what the four adults might be thinking.

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Harry came back just as Lily and Tonks were making dinner. Both women squealed when they heard a loud crack that resounded in the kitchen. They turned to glare at the Boy-Who-Lived, who had a smirk on his face.

"You didn't have to do that," Tonks growled, sounding a lot like a wolf.

"No, but it was hilarious." Harry ruffled her hair and she growled louder at him. "You need to lighten up a bit. It's not like Voldemort himself is going to Apparate inside my house."

"But the Death Eaters could," Lily interjected.

James and Remus, who entered to see what was going on, made noises of agreement with their wives.

"Most of the more prominent Death Eaters are either dead or serving life in Azkaban, including one Peter Pettigrew." Harry's smirk fell a little. "But Sirius is declared innocent posthumously, however."

"That's great, Harry," James said. "I'm sure Padfoot would be very happy."

"He would," Remus replied, smiling. "So, where have you been?"

Harry's smirk grew once again. "Oh, here and there. Mostly at the Ministry but I was around other places." His green eyes looked to Tonks. "Do you have the house now?"

She smiled. "Yes, we do. It's ours now to keep. They even made sure that the forest was just for Remus to use for his transformations."

"Splendid," Harry said. "I'm happy for you both." He glanced down at his wristwatch. "I'll let you ladies finish making dinner. I have work to do in the study anyway." He winked at the four and left toward the small study.

"That boy can certainly keep secrets," Lily grumbled, turning back to the pot she was using to cook pasta noodles.

"That he does," Remus agreed. He pulled James into the living room so Tonks and Remus could finish cooking.

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Dinner was a somewhat quiet affair. Tonks and Remus mostly talked about the house and how they would go shopping to furnish the house soon. Teddy pushed some of his noodles around on his plate, his mind far away.

While Harry had been away and when Lily and James left him alone, Teddy had been thinking about his living situation. He knew that his parents would want an answer soon, as the house had been bought and they were ready to move in.

"You okay, Ted?" James asked, breaking him from his thoughts.

Teddy blushed as he realized that everyone was glancing at him, looking concerned.

"I'm fine," he insisted. "Just thinking."

"That can be very dangerous."

"Speak for yourself, Prongs," Remus added, taking a sip of his wine. "Have you made a decision yet, son?" he wondered.

Remus' son swallowed what he had in his mouth and nodded, his gaze going down to his plate. "I have, and it wasn't an easy decision. It took me this long to settle on something. I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings."

"Teddy, we wouldn't love you any less no matter what," Tonks said, placing a hand on her son's shoulder.

"I know that now, Mum," he smiled when he saw his mother beam at him, "but I wasn't as convinced several days ago. It wasn't until James and Victorie talked to me that I finally made a decision." Teddy took in a breath and blew it out, feeling very nervous. "Mum, Dad, would you mind if I came to live with you? I want to get to you know you…"

He never finished as Tonks and Remus tugged him into an embrace. Teddy smiled brightly and hugged them back harder. He glanced over at his godfather, who smiled back at him and nodded. Lily and James were smiling too.

"We would never mind, Teddy," Remus said, moving his other arm to wrap around his wife's waist. "You are always welcome in our house, but we are very happy that you chose to live with us."

The Lupins stayed wrapped up in the embrace, love radiating off of the three. Lily and James banished the dishes and Harry excused himself, saying he would be in the study.

Harry closed the door to the study and blew out a breath, finding it came out shaky. He knew that his godson would want to go live with Remus and Tonks, but even that thought didn't make it hurt no less. He loved Teddy like he was his own son and he loved raising him. Running a hand through his hair, the Boy-Who-Lived seated himself in his chair and returned to his work: his lesson plans for the upcoming term at Hogwarts.

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Teddy went with his parents out shopping for their new house. He was often the mediator if Remus and Tonks couldn't decide on what would fit the house better. He even got to pick what went in his own room (though Harry did allow him to organize his own room too).

So when the three returned to Harry's house in Godric's Hollow, they were surprised how quiet it was. Remus immediately went to the study, relieved to see that Harry was still around.

"Where's Lily and James?" he asked, entering the small room. Tonks and Teddy had retreated to the living room.

"House hunting," Harry replied, scrawling something out on a scroll of parchment. "They are looking at the different Potter properties."

"Ah." The werewolf perched himself on a chair sitting in front of the desk. "What are you working on?"

"My lesson plans for this year. I kind of modeled them mostly after you, really. The first three years I teach the children about Dark creatures and how to kill them, or subdue them anyway. Fourth year on up I teach them on how to defend themselves in different situations. I also have a Dueling club for those who want to learn how to duel properly."

Remus smiled, proud of his cub's accomplishments. "That's great, Harry. I might take up a position at Hogwarts, as Tonks is trying to get reinstated as an Auror."

"She'll have a lot of work to do," Harry remarked. "Lots of training to get herself back into the groove."

The two men fell into a comfortable silence, as Harry continued to write and Remus was left to his thoughts. His eyes eventually scanned the titles of books in the room.

"I never would have thought you to be a book collector," Remus said, sounding amused.

"Normally that Hermione's forte, I know," the younger man grinned at the werewolf. "But I found that some of them were interesting and I couldn't help but buy them. I take most of my teaching material from them."

Remus let Harry continue to work for a few minutes before he let out a sigh. "Harry, I did have an ulterior motive to come here looking for you. I wanted to ask you for your honest opinion about Teddy's decision. I know you were very close to him and I know you don't want to leave."

Harry put his quill down and rubbed at his tired eyes. "I am upset at seeing him go, make no mistake of that, but I am happy for him. I figured that he would jump at the chance to finally know his parents. I told him what I knew of the both of you, but I could tell it wasn't enough. I stand by what I told him earlier: no matter what he decided, I would still be around for him to talk to."

"You'll find yourself being invited over a lot, if I heard my wife correctly," Remus teased, grinning.

The younger man laughed. "Merlin bless her, she's quite the mother hen," he chuckled.

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(A/N: A little time jump here. Just so you are warned.)

Teddy began to take down the posters in his room at Harry's house, feeling conflicted. He, on one hand, was very excited to be going to live with his parents but on the other hand, he was very sad to be saying goodbye to his godfather. No matter how many times Harry had said that that room would always be his, Teddy felt like he was abandoning the only man he knew to be a father figure. He vaguely wondered if this was what his godfather thought when Remus almost replaced Sirius in his heart.

Lily and James had already left, having found a place that was already furnished. They promised their son that they would return for visits and told him that he was welcome to visit them. Tonks and Remus were at the house, putting things away as Teddy stripped his room of his belongings.

Once he was finished, the Metamorphmagus teen tugged his suitcase out to the front room, trying to keep his tears from falling. Harry was waiting with Remus, both men talking quietly but they looked up when Teddy entered.

Harry was the first to move, pulling his godson into a tight hug. Teddy hugged him as hard he could, his tears betraying his order and falling down his cheeks.

"I'm always here for you, Teddy," Harry said into his ear. "You can always use the Floo or you could owl me." He unwrapped his arms from around the boy, smiling sadly as his eyes glittered with unshed tears. "I will see you at Hogwarts in September. And remember that you will always be loved by me."

"I love you too, Harry," Teddy said, wiping his face.

Remus shrunk the suitcase on the floor and pocketed it. He turned toward Harry and hugged him. "Tonks and I are very happy that you were the one to raise Teddy the way you did, cub," he whispered. "You did a fantastic job and we couldn't be any prouder. You are welcome to our house any time." He pulled back, fighting back his own tears. The werewolf offered his hand to his son. "Shall we?"

Teddy locked gazes with his godfather for a second before taking his father's hand. He gave Harry one last wave before following his father down the drive. Harry watched them leave before shutting the door behind them.

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Fin

A/N: Man, it's hard to believe that this is the final chapter. I had lots of fun writing this, even a few tears shed for some scenes I wrote, but it was fun. I would like to thank the several people who were nice enough to review the story. You guys were the only reason I kept going and it was your reviews that gave me the fuel to get this done.

I will get the epilogue up soon and I am debating whether to make a sequel to this or to let it go, leave it to your imaginations. Please use the poll in my profile to give me your thoughts about a sequel.

Have a wonderful spring break everybody!