A/N: enjoy!

Chapter 7: Resurgence

Sirius had felt his heart quickly drop to his stomach once McGonagall had brought the two newcomers into the large, homey room with which he, James, and Lily had become quite acquainted. He supposed that Ted Tonks should have been less surprising after hearing about the muggleborn regime during the last war. Unfortunately for Ted as well, his marriage to Andromeda placed an even greater target on his back for many of the Death Eaters.

Still, it hurt for Sirius to see the man that had always extended the offer of help, stand in front of him, ultimately having faced the same fate as he had. He was a good man, Ted Tonks, always a good man. During his tenure with the Potters, there would be some summer nights that Sirius would spend on his living room couch. While he was eternally grateful for Mr. and Mrs. Potter, it was nice for the occasional dinner and peaceful (once Tonks was asleep) evening to vent to someone who fully understood his point of view. It sent a sharp pain through his chest to think of painful demise Ted had probably endured, and the agony that this knowledge brought to his surviving family.

The redheaded boy- man- that stood next to him sent a different kind of pain surging down Sirius' spine. Fred Weasley, someone filled with so much life and laughter, that never failed to light up the room- dead so, so young. Sirius couldn't believe it- mainly because he didn't want to- but it was true. There was no denying that. However, one thing that did not die with him was the mischievous glint in his eyes, one that Sirius recognized so long ago in himself. It was refreshing. Hopefully, he would be able to reconnect with the other half of that adventure soon.

"McGonagall was only able to explain so much," Ted said, frazzled. His thin blonde hair was unruly atop his head, though Sirius was one to talk. "What happened exactly? We're dead- I collected that much. But how are we…not dead?"

"The Resurrection Stone," said James, simply. "It was used while it was hit by a bolt if lightning, and it enhanced its powers somehow. We're not entirely sure of the details either."

"The Resurrection Stone? Like from the children's book," questioned Fred.

"Harry insisted that that's what it had to have been," explained Sirius.

"He would know best I suppose," said Fred. "Who used it?"

"Ted's grandson, actually," said Sirius with a small laugh. "he's alright though."

"Grandson," Ted repeated quietly, a small smile creeping onto his lips. He broke into a wide grin, "grandson," he repeated louder.

Sirius looked at him quizzically, "did you not-"

"No, no, I knew," Ted insisted. "I was killed before he was born, so I never knew what they were having." He was sill grinning ear to ear, so there was really no reason to bring up Teddy also being struck by lightning, was there? That would be mentioned in time.

"I had to go on the run, so I wasn't around for a lot of it" Ted explained. "I would get updates, when it was safe, here and there, but nothing more. It's good to know everything went okay."

He continued to grin as if he wasn't discussing some of the most traumatic memories of his life. As if him having a bounty on his head for months was just water under the bridge. It was strange, but Sirius could still relate to it. It brought a strange semblance of peace that his death assisted in a domino effect that ended in the greater good.

Sirius was happier than anything to know that Harry survived in the end, even if it meant he hadn't. He could see it in James and Lily too, and even Remus in the way that he looked at Teddy and Tonks. It's pity for the life that could have been, for the grief that was felt on your behalf. In the end, if this is what had to happen to get them to this very moment, Sirius would die all over again. However, this second chance at living, truly living now, was a nice gesture from the universe that had fucked him over so many times.

The voices echoing from the hallways signaled to the room that the students were heading to their first classes. It was almost nine in the morning at this point and there was still no sign of Remus or Harry, both who had promised to have been there by now.

"They shouldn't be too much longer," said James. "Harry probably had to deal with something at work before coming here. I'm sure the Auror department is in shambles when six different people resurrect from the dead."

"And Remus was reunited with his wife after thirteen years. I'm sure there were more pressing matters needed to be dealt with than getting here in a timely fashion," said Sirius. "Sorry Ted."

The corridor was silent now as the door to the room began to slowly, but loudly, creak open. All five of them turned towards the door, waiting anxiously to see who would be returning first. However, it was neither Harry nor Remus, but Teddy, that came cautiously through the door. He looked around the room, growing pale and his eyes widening.

"Where's my Dad?"

"He went home with your Mum last night," Sirius explained. Teddy's color began to reappear to his face almost instantly. "He should be back any minute."

"Oh," said Teddy, letting go of his breath. "Okay."

"How do you feel," asked Lily.

"Perfectly normally actually," said Teddy. "I just got released from the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey says that everything looks normal but that I should see her tomorrow morning before class. Professor McGonagall excused me from my classes today though."

It was an interesting thing to watch a grandfather meet his grandson for the first time. Sirius wasn't sure if Teddy had realized that it was his grandfather the sat before him now. Besides, Ted had aged dramatically like the rest of them had, and he could be completely unrecognizable to the boy. There was one thing for certain though, Ted knew who he was. The hair was a give away, sure; as well as Teddy being a dead-ringer of Remus. He was easily identifiable, and Ted couldn't seem to want it any other way.

"Hello Grandad," Teddy said after surveying the man in front of him, realizing who it was underneath all of the rapid aging.

Ted grinned, "Hello…erm?"

"Teddy," the boy supplied.

"Teddy," Ted repeated, giving him a toothy smile before standing up and wrapping the boy into a tight hug.

With Remus and Tonks' return only a short while later, and McGonagall popping in and out of the room, the atmosphere began to significantly lighten up. The laughter and glee of the group seemed to bounce off the walls and echo loudly off of the high ceilings. Sirius almost had whiplash when he and James were being dragged to the opposite end of the room by Remus, who wore a very melancholic expression.

"What's the matter with you," asked James cockily, despite the look of concern on his face.

"She's angry with me," said Remus.

"Who? Tonks," asked Sirius.

"No, Sirius, the Grey Lady has been giving me the cold shoulder," said Remus, sarcastically. Git. "Yes, Dora!"

"Why? What did you do," asked James.

"What didn't I do would probably be easier to answer," mumbled Remus, gazing down. Sirius and James exchanged a quick, concerned glance before returning their attention to Remus. "I fucked so many things up that I wouldn't blame her for hating me."

"Oh good, he's still like this," said James.

"I'm serious," protested Remus.

"No, I'm Sirius, you're Remus," Sirius joked, which was, met with a very annoyed look from Remus. "But really, what's so bad that you have done?"

"Well for starters, I did leave in the middle of the night to fight a battle and got myself killed, which left her widowed and to raise our son alone," said Remus.

"You did what you had to," James comforted. "Believe me, I understand that better than anyone. She can't be mad at you for that."

Remus flushed," well yeah…but, that wasn't the first time I had left abruptly like that."

"What did you do," asked Sirius, an accusing tone creeping into his voice.

"Well first, after you died, I left her and joined a werewolf colony to spy for the Order," explained Remus. "Dumbledore's request, but she wasn't too pleased with me for it. Said I was using it as and excuse to hide from my problems, which I was. I kept up my argument that we shouldn't be together because of what I am."

"Of course you did," said James.

"But she wore me down eventually," said Remus with a small chuckle. "We got married quickly, and she got pregnant even quicker. I was terrified that Teddy was going to be like me, so I…"

Sirius sighed, "Oh Moony…"

"I know, I know," said Remus. "For me to walk out and back in three different times is a lot, especially when the last one was supposed to be permanent." He paused for a few moments. "I don't know how to fix this one."

"What did you do the last time," asked James.

"Begged," said Remus. "Pleaded. Cried. Anything to get through to her. She clearly wasn't happy with me for a bit, but we got through it."

"You'll get through it this time too," said James. "I promise. I see the way you look at her, you've never looked at anyone like that before."

"Hey," said a feminine voice behind them. The three men all jumped and turned to see Lily standing there. "Harry's on his way up with a guest, as McGonagall told us."

She turned and walked back toward the rest of the crowd, James following behind her before turning around to his friends quickly once again, "trust me, Moony. It will all be fine in the end."

Sirius continued to look at Remus, who was still staring at James's now empty spot. He slowly and somewhat hesitantly turned around to face Sirius again.

"I know," he said with a sigh, nodding his head.

"Do you," asked Sirius.

"What," Remus asked, a confused expression painting his face.

"Do you love her, Moony?"

"Very much so."

"Then talk about it with her," Sirius advised. "Merlin knows she isn't one to shy away from a conversation."

Remus chuckled softly, a pensive expression crossing his face as he produced a small smile. Sirius watched as he looked away to Teddy and Tonks, still in a conversation with Ted. James and Lily could be heard in a conversation with Harry and what looked to be….Ginny Weasley? Bloody hell. Sirius bypassed that for now, it would be an issue for later.

"Is he a werewolf," Sirius asked. "I mean…he doesn't look like one, but is he?"

Remus shook his head, "no he is not, which made me feel even more stupid because then it felt like I had had made such a mess of things for nothing."

"You would have made a mess of things for nothing even if he did turn out a werewolf," said Sirius. "Tell me, Remus, would you or Tonks loved him any less if he were?"

"No," Remus admitted. "Not at all."

The pair was abruptly disrupted from their conversation by the door being opened hastily by Kingsley Shacklebolt. He looked as though he hadn't slept a wink since last night, which he probably hadn't. He also appeared to have not had a moment to even gather his thought since he left last night either, which he probably also hadn't either.

He looked around the room, his eye rapidly darting from one person to the next, "well we're in deep shit, aren't we?"

He stepped fully into the room, quickly closing the door behind him as the corridor began to, once again, fill up with the chattering of the student body. He began to rub at his temple, letting out an elongated sigh.

"We need a search going in the Forbidden Forrest," he stated plainly. "For both more people and the stone itself." He looked only to Teddy now, "you are positive that you saw no one else in the forrest last night."

Teddy shook his head, "honest. I blacked out after the lightening strike, and like I said all I saw were the white figures. Victoire was there with me though, so she may know something."

"I need to ask her some questions on what she saw," said Kingsley.

"I haven't seen her yet today," said Teddy. "I came straight here from the hospital wing. I don't think she knows what's happened."

Kingsley sighed and turned to address Harry, "I suppose we can just send some aurors in there to survey if anyone else has appeared. And we need to increase security in old Death Eater meeting spots."

"Right," agreed Harry. "Why exactly?"

"Because it was already concerning enough when these four showed up," Kingsley began to explain, gesturing to the Potters, Sirius, and Remus. "Now it's incredibly concerning because if more people are showing up after being raised from the dead, then-"

"Who else could be out there," finished Tonks.

"Precisely," said Kingsley. "So we need your department to get on this as quickly as possible."

"And what are we supposed to tell our department," asked Tonks flippantly. "I really can't just dive into the story of how my son went on playing with rocks and brought my husband and his friends back from the dead, now can I? They'll think I'm absolutely off of my rocker."

"Pick your eight to ten best, most trusted aurors that you have, explain to them what has happened, and make sure that they know that any loose lips or warped motives will land them in the unemployment line," ordered Kingsley. "And let them know that's an order from me."

The rest of the afternoon went by incredibly slowly following the departure of Harry, Ginny, Tonks, and Kingsley. There were only so many questions that they could ask Teddy about his life and the remaining survivors of the war, what the world was like with little to no death eaters, and how much Hogwarts had changed in years passed. However, it was pretty much the only thing to do to pass the time by until the two aurors could come back with answers.

"What about quidditch," asked James. "What's going on with that now?"

Lily sighed, rubbing her temple, "James…"

"What," he asked her exasperated. "I want to know!"

"Well, we've only had one game here so far this term, where Gryffindor basically just got the shit kicked out of them by Slytherin for five minutes until Lukas Morgan, the Slytherin seeker, found the snitch practically resting on the Gryffindor seeker's shoulder."

"Ugh," scoffed James. "You know, I've only lost to Slytherin once. It happened in my third year during my first ever game, and it was dreadful. There was such a bad call on a blatant penalty. I didn't want to leave my bed for a week."

"I remember that," said Remus. "You tried to go on a hunger strike as if that was going to make a difference."

"Refused to look Madam Hooch in the eyes for months if I remember correctly," Sirius added. "Though, Prongs, since Voldemort was a Slytherin, that would technically be twice."

"Okay," scoffed James.

"And, Pads, you got your ass kicked by a Black for the…how many of times," interjected Remus.

"Shut up, Moony, you try and be on the wrong end of Bellatrix's wand," argued Sirius.

"Are you guys really arguing about your deaths," bemoaned Lily.

"Yes we are," said James. "And who exactly got you Moony?"

"Yeah sure, I'll give that information up so easily just for it to be used against me," laughed Remus. "I'll take it to my grave again if I'll have to."

The room's fireplace began to erupt with large, obnoxiously green flames as two people stepped out of them and into the room. The warmth of the flames quickly faded from the their faces and Sirius threw a mischievous look to James.

"Yeah we'll see about that one," Sirius commented smugly to Remus. Nymphadora-"

"Don't press your luck, Black," Tonks spat.

"Who killed Remus," Sirius asked innocently.

"Dolohov," she answered. "Why?"

"Dolohov," Sirius erupted. "You lost to Dolohov?"

"Yeah, Moony, at least Sirius and I got bested by two of the most dangerous people to ever exist, but Dolohov could barely hold a wand the last time I dueled him," said James.

"You have your dueling skills completely disrupted by needing to run into hiding because-" He quickly fell silent and shrank back into the sofa, not speaking and unmoving.

"Because of what," asked Sirius.

"Never mind, just forget it," said Remus, not looking at him.

"What's wrong," asked James, suddenly concerned.

"Drop it."

The room fell into a completely awkward silence, feeling as though the temperature had dropped significantly very quickly. No one moved and no one spoke as if they were anticipating an important announcement at that moment. But, nothing was announced and nothing nor no one in the room made a peep or moved an inch. That was, until Teddy stood up, being the first one to break the silence. His face was paler now then it had been, which made his bright pink ears more prominent.

"I'm going to dinner," he announced, his voice cracking slightly. He swiftly began to make his way towards the room's exit.

"Are you alright, sweetheart," Tonks called after him. He paused and quickly turned on his heel to face her. He nodded halfheartedly, "mhmm."

He turned again and hastily opened the door and left, the door slamming white loudly behind him.

"Nice one, Remus," Tonks loudly grumbled.

"I'm sorry," Remus groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "I got a little too carried away."

"We all did," admitted James. They all briefly fell silent again, which was quickly broken by Lily.

"Did you guys figure anything out," asked Lily.

Harry shook his head, "we have ten aurors on the case now that know about your erm…reappearance. There's two looking for the stone, four looking for any more newcomers and four stationed at different old Death Eater meeting spots, just as a precaution."

"Once we have the stone, we can look further into how this all exactly happened," explained Tonks. "We're going to let you know things as we find them out, so the information may be a little all over the place."

"Thank you," said Lily. Harry simply only nodded.