~April 1997~
Excitement was the one thing that was filling Remus Lupin up. This usually didn't happen to people like him. Around him there was a war raging on, but it didn't matter. Death Eaters or Dementors alike wouldn't be able to touch him because of all the happiness that was spilling out of him. A grin was on his face that showed just how happy he was. In his hand there was a bottle of firewhiskey along with a rose. He had never been one to drink except on special occasions. When at that grave he sat down, not caring that there was a bit of mud that was still drying. He was beyond the point of caring.
"Sirius, you'll never bloody believe it!" Remus put down the rose where he always did. "I can't believe it myself. I'm not dead, yet, and neither is Tonks. I think that's pretty bloody brilliant, don't you think?" He put the bottle to his lips, taking a long gulp from it. The liquid burned down his throat to leave a pit of warmth in his stomach. He could sense the Dementors that were swarming the cemetery, looking for someone to feed off of. Nothing could touch him. He set the bottle on the ground. The bitter liquid sloshed over the sides and thudded onto the ground. "I don't think that I bloody believe it!"
Nine months ago, in August, had been where it all started. He couldn't even believe that it had been nine months. Remus and Tonks were two months away from a year of marriage. That also marked that it was getting close to a second year in this war that was as uncontrollable as the first. This time they were going to lose, though. Their numbers were depleting fast while the Death Eaters were rising. The Death Eaters also had control over the Ministry. There was nothing that could be done except wait until Harry Potter, who was off fighting with his friends, did something drastic as always, died, or gave up. Dumbledore had put all his faith in the boy so Remus was going to do the same. There was no hope left.
All Remus had left was his family since he didn't know if his friends were still alive. He only knew that he had Tonks left… as well as Teddy. That little boy was the reason he was sitting out there to talk to Sirius. Tonks had given birth hours ago to a healthy little boy. His little boy. His baby. "Sirius… you won't believe it. Tonks and I had a kid. Yes, and I am the one who impregnated her. It's a bloody miracle. I don't know what's going to happen to him. What if I die? What if Tonks dies? Merlin… I need to stop thinking about it don't I? I need to celebrate."
Remus took another long swig out of his bottle. His mind spun around to no end for a few long moments. "Isn't it sad that I'm celebrating at a graveyard right on top of the grave of my old lover about my wife having a child?" He laughed loudly for a few moments before looking down at the dirt. "I'm a Daddy, Sirius," he whispered. Lightly he made swirls in the dirt with his fingers. "I hope I get to live long enough to hear those words come from his lips and not mine."
There was so little of a chance he was going to hear it, that it was scary. Remus didn't understand how the Weasley's had done it; by the time the war had ended they had had six children, one getting ready for school and one barely one year old. That was what made the Weasley family amazing in his eyes. They persevered through everything and kept all together despite all the deaths around them. Now that was something to admire in his eyes.
"Do you remember how in our seventh year that James gave us that puppy? And he said that it was our child and if we broke up it would have to go between us like a kid of people who were divorced? I can't even remember what he named it. Bamboozle? No. Barnaby? Yes! Barnaby. Barnaby Lupin-Black. Merlin… I remember staring at it and wondering what the hell we were going to do with it. In my head I promised myself I wouldn't break up with you because I knew that James would make sure it would pass between us." The memory made him smile widely as if it had just happened a few moments ago. But now all his friends were gone. There had been news that Peter had been killed at the Malfoy Manor; strangled to death by the hand You-Know-Who had given him.
"When you died I gave the dog away. I couldn't have it around me anymore. I still remember what it looked like, but I just couldn't keep it around. There are pictures of it alone and it with me and you still. Tonks likes to look at them." Remus looked down and smiled to himself. Maybe he should have kept the dog around, just for company over those years of trying to make ends meet. "Now I have something better than a puppy. It's called an actual child. It feels so good to say that. I don't think that you have a clue at it."
He took a drink out of the bottle before looking at the grave. Without thinking he poured some on the grave as well. Sirius had always liked firewhiskey for some odd reason. He and James had gotten drunk off of it too many times to count, many of the times right before James asked out Lily for the umpteenth time. Remus set down the bottle off to the side of the gravestone and stood up. "I had a baby!" His yell echoed through the empty graveyard. "Theodore Remus Lupin," he said in a softer tone than before. It felt as if he would say the name any louder, it would just disappear as if it was another casualty of the war. That wouldn't, no, couldn't, happen to his little Teddy; he wouldn't let it happen.
"I can't bloody believe it!" The drink was making him feel like everything was right in the world. Remus spun around for a few moments as if he was a teenager again before sitting down on the grave. "I wish you were here, just so you could see him. Wait… I think I might have a picture." He held up a finger as if to tell Sirius to hang on for a moment while he fumbled around in his pocket. After a few moments he came out with a picture of a little boy with black hair. "He was born like this," he explained quickly, "But within the hour it had turned ginger. I think he's going to be a Metamorphmagi just like his mother. He was also born with brown eyes but they shifted a bit to hazel as well."
All Remus knew was that his son was going to be brilliant no matter what. Even if he somehow got the werewolf gene from him, it would be okay. As his job as a father he would protect his little boy. The urge to go back to his wife's side at her parent's home was almost overwhelming. But he had to finish going around telling all the remaining Order members about the happy news that would be sure to brighten lives up at least for a few moments. He closed his eyes with that goofy smile on his face from a combination of the drink and pure happiness. While his eyes were closed a few drops started falling from the heavens above. Just a few moments later rain was pouring down.
Remus was soaked almost immediately. Without meaning to he recalled memories of him and Sirius playing outside in the rain, splashing each other, running around, and, most of all, kissing. He could almost remember how it felt to have their bodies pressed together with their shirts sticking to their bodies as well as the other shirt. In his mind's eye he could remember how it felt to wrap his arms around Sirius's waist to pull himself closer to the boy. Their hearts thumping together, beating as one in a fast rhythm. Sirius was the reason why he loved rain; he always had been and always would be. Easily he remembered their sixth year, on the day they first really kissed after their accident.
~*Flashback: 1977*~
It springtime and that meant rain. Remus wasn't too big a fan of rain, so he usually stayed in the library to read up on things he didn't really need to. And that's what he was doing now on this rainy March day. It was getting close to his birthday and he was sure that the rest of the Marauders had forgotten about it… again. Not that he cared too much. Presents weren't on the top of his list. In the chair he was sitting on, he curled his legs closer to himself which tucked his book closer. Mostly he was avoiding Sirius and he knew that the library was the best place to do that. But he had been wrong.
"Moony! Where are you?" The loud voice called him out. Madame Pince started shushing at once as Sirius wandered through, looking for his friend. "I'm not leaving until you show yourself." Remus hoped that he wouldn't find him. "Ah, there you are! Get up. I'm taking you somewhere."
"Sirius… no; go away so I can read."
"No! Now you get up or I'll… I'll do something."
Remus rolled his eyes and looked back down at his book. Sirius wouldn't do anything as long as he didn't want to get in even more trouble. Another time he was wrong. The book in his hands was ripped from his grasp and slammed on the table next to him. He winced involuntarily. "You're going with me." Sirius wrapped his arms around Remus's small waist and lifted him with a grunt, and then put him over his shoulder.
"SIRIUS!" A few more words he wasn't going to repeat slipped out. They were on the move. Sirius moved purposefully through the halls without skipping a beat. Remus knew there was no use in this; he was going where Sirius wanted him to go. After what felt like hours, Sirius put him down. They were in the rain and Remus was getting soaked quickly.
"There. You're where I wanted you to go." A triumphant grin was on Sirius's face which made Remus shove the boy roughly.
"You arse! I was sitting somewhere and reading. I didn't want to go outside. Do you know any bloody respect?" His now soaked sandy brown hair flopped down in his face. Light fingers, that weren't his, brushed it out of his eyes. Now he was standing face to face with Sirius. They were just inches away. Remus could feel his heart beating faster. It was kissing distance. The last time, or first time, they had kissed had been when Sirius had caught him crying over news of his mother's sudden death.
"Remus, I just wanted to spend time with you." The voice called him from his thoughts. "I just wanted to talk with you." Sirius lifted a hand and placed it on Remus's cheek. It was so light that it felt as if it was just a ghost touching him. From there it seemed so easy; Sirius leaned in and pressed his lips lightly against Remus's. And it was just as easy to give in and kiss him back. Soon enough he had wrapped his arms around Sirius's neck to hold him a bit closer. Arms had wrapped around his waist. Their bodies were close together. The rain was forgotten even though it was still making itself known.
~*End Flashback*~
When Remus opened his eyes again he saw that the rain was still coming down on him. He bit down on his bottom lip. There was a tear that had tracked down on his cheek and mixed with the rain on his face. There was no point in wiping it away. "I'll come around as soon as I can to tell you about Teddy." The jubilance that had been there just moments before was gone. He smiled faintly before standing and walking away.
A/N
There we go! This one made me cry, but only a little bit. Wimp of a guy, right? Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Remember to review!