Larentia focused on the twin redheads that had collected her and Grams from the designated Apparation point. They were cheerful and finished each other's sentences. Were it not for the hole where an ear should be in one's, was it Fred or George, head she would have assumed the talks of war were far from their lives. A glance at the glaring absence and they'd launched into a harrowing tale of Deatheaters and Polyjuice potion. Obviously recognized Grams from Order meetings, Tia thought, smiling at the pair of youthful soldiers for the "Greater Good". Inwardly she cringed. They were so young to be marred by the stains of violent conflict. And her godson had been in the midst of it all.
She let her mind wander as they walked over the slope. She thought about how she'd greet Harry, how she'd talk to him after all this time. Her gaze landed on the homey exterior of what the boys lovingly called "The Burrow" and "home". A large, white tent stood out on the grounds. She could make out five people mingling outside the tent. As they grew nearer, she realized she was looking at two redhead boys, an unnaturally blonde woman, a brown haired young woman, and she gave an inner gasp, Remus. She'd know him anywhere, from any distance. Her eyes burned with tears.
"You're still early for the wedding," one of the crimson duo, Fred was it, offered.
"But that'll give you plenty of time," George helped.
"To reacquaint yourself with whomever you want to reacquaint yourself with." Fred finished.
A slight smile passed her lips. Don't miss much, these two. Their parents must have the patience of saints. She tore her gaze away from Remus and scanned the faces again. Harry wasn't waiting for her at the tent entrance. Unless he suddenly became a redhead with perfect vision that is.
Remus looked up from his position beside the Polyjuiced Harry and gave a start. Fred and George were escorting Grams, forever the aged elegant lady, who was walking hand in hand with, his breath caught, Larentia. As they drew nearer he couldn't hold back a gasp. Merlin, she was as beautiful as ever.
He was watching them approach, his eyes trained on her. She could practically feel his gaze. Her eyes caught movement to his right and she saw the blonde woman put her hand possessively on his arm. Oh my, she thought slightly taken aback, Remus has an admirer.
Finally they were face to face. Remus drank in the vision she presented. Seeing her up close and in person made the past sixteen years all the more bitter. He stood before her aged and broken, no further along than when they last saw each other. She, on the other hand, was as lovely and untouched as before. He didn't even notice Tonk's hand on his arm.
"Hello, Remus." Her voice was huskier than he remembered, but it was still music to his ears. Say it again, his mind begged, say my name again.
Grams greeted the two new redheads and begged to be shown her seat. The shorter, plumper one complied, shooting a curious look back at Remus and Larentia. Fred and George made loud excuses about Apparating French cousins and hastened off. The younger, brown haired woman drug the remaining bemused redhead away amid mutterings of "range of a teaspoon".
"Larentia," Remus said quietly, not trusting himself to say more. He noticed her gaze sliding to his arm and realized there was a hand there. Tonks' hand on his arm, he thought, great.
"Hello," Tia said, offering her hand to Tonks. "I'm Larentia lefae Dorrington."
Tonks shook her hand with her free hand, making sure to not let go of Remus. "Nymphadora Tonks," she said, a curious smile on her lips.
"Tonks? Surely you're not little Dora Tonks, Ted and Andromeda's daughter?" Larentia couldn't hide her shock. She'd babysat the infant Dora, who'd had magenta hair now that she'd remembered. What the bloody hell is Remus doing with the toddler?
Tonks smiled wider. "That's right. Mum and Dad mentioned you before. It's nice to meet you, without the soiled nappies I mean."
Remus smiled, remembering the stories Tia had regaled him with about "little Dora Tonks". Bloody hell, she must think I'm a pervy old bastard. He shrugged Tonks' hand off his arm and addressed Tia.
"It's hard to believe you're here, Tia." His voice was soft with emotion and his hands itched to touch her.
"She stepped closer to him and unable to resist, reached up a hand to cup his cheek. Her thumb smoothed over the lines and scars while her eyes held his. Tonks faded into the background and only the two of them existed. A tear fell from her eye and his thumb swept it from her skin.
"You're real. I just had to be sure," she whispered.
The return of the portly redhead broke the spell. Stepping back from Remus and collecting herself she asked where she could find her godson. A cough came from the forgettable boy who interrupted her moment with Remus. She saw a look passed between the two men and realized she'd found him. Turning to the boy she'd waited so long to meet, she felt a slight disappointment in his disguise.
"Harry?" She asked, already knowing the answer. He nodded as she searched in vain the stranger's face for emerald eyes and unruly hair. "Shall we-" she started, looking around for a place to be alone.
"This way," he said in a voice much like his father before him. He led her behind the tent to a small clearing.
She looked around and, certain they were alone, drew her wand from her pocket. Harry had his drawn in a flash and she chuckled.
"I wasn't going to use it on you, Harry." She flicked the wand at two twigs and two comfortable chairs appeared. "Just thought we could be comfortable while we talk." She sat down and waited for him to do the same.
"Sorry," he said, stowing his wand again. "I can't be too careful, you know."
"She smiled at him, her light green eyes sparkling. "I understand, in fact, I'm happy you're not so quick to trust. These are dangerous times, Harry, especially for you." She reached inside her robes and retrieved three small items. "I told you I had a few things for you. Perhaps I should go ahead and give them to you."
She flicked her wand at each thing and in turn they expanded. In her lap rested a golden ball, a book, and a small square of material. She picked up the ball and handed it to Harry.
"It's your father's snitch. I'm afraid it stopped fluttering when he, well the night he was killed. At least that's what Grams told me." Harry held the small gold ball, so like the one Dumbledore had left him and felt a tightening in his chest. He'd seen his father playing with it, in Snape's pensieve. "James had great hopes for you to be a Quiddich player. I've read that you did play. He would have been so proud."
Tears glistened in her eyes, but she held them at bay. More to give, she thought, then a chance to talk. Harry held tight to the snitch as she passed him the swatch of cloth. It was soft and pale blue. Then he noticed the letters embroidered on the edge "HJP". His thumb traced the letters as Larentia confirmed his suspicions.
"That's the corner of your first blanket. You really put it through the ringer and this was all that Lily-your mum managed to salvage. Your grandmother Potter made it for you, before she was-before you were born."
So much death for one so young, Tia thought, fingering the book that remained in her lap. In a perfect world Lily, James, and Harry's grandparents would be here sharing the stories of where what came from and why it was important. In a perfect world, Tia would have been there to see Harry grow. But this wasn't a perfect world, Lord Voldemort and the other evil wizards before him made sure of that.
"This," she said, holding out the book for him to take, "is something very special." She watched him trace the "Harry's Baby Book" title. "Open it, you'll understand."
Harry opened the book to a random page. His mother's handwriting looked up at him, but before he could read a single word, her voice filled his ears.
"Harry's eight months old now and he's growing so fast I'm afraid to blink lest I miss anything." Harry's heart lurched, it was his mum, and she was talking to him. Well, about him, actually. "Uncle Padfoot stopped in today with a toy wand that sparks red and green. Harry's been torturing the cat with the lightshow." Another voice broke in and Harry's heart stopped.
"Serves the cat right, crowding him like that." His dad, joking. He looked up at Tia and her wet eyes. A tear slipped down his cheek and he smiled at her. He listened as his parents spoke of all the achievements baby Harry was making and pride was evident in their voices.
"There are a few entries with Sirius and myself." She said, dabbing her eyes with a lacy handkerchief. "It was my gift to your parents when they found out they were having you." She explained, "I never thought-"
"This would be one of the only ways I'd ever heard them," he finished for her, wiping his own eyes on his sleeve. He thought about the night Voldemort returned. This was different. This was definitely happier. "Thank you," he said looking up. "Thank you, Aunt Tia."
Tia let a sob escape as she leaned forward to grab Harry into a hug. They held each other until the tears slowed.
"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry." She whispered, pulling back. "I should have been here for you. I never should have-"
Harry raised his hand to stop her. Shaking his head, he said, "Don't. You don't need to apologize. You couldn't have known."
"But I had my doubts. If I hadn't gone," she started.
"No," he said firmly. "We can't change the past. Looking back and thinking on how we'd do things differently won't change anything. You're back now, that's what's important." He held her hand and realized just how small she was. Her hand fit easily inside his own and even in his shorter Polyjuiced state he stood half a foot taller than her.
"Is there anything you need, Harry? Anything I can do to help you?" Tia asked, tightening her grip on his hand.
"I'm not going back to school," he stated. "There's something I need to do, something Dumbledore asked me to do."
She nodded understanding he was telling her all he would. "Is there anything I can do to help? Anything you need before you go?"
Harry shook his head, then looking into his lap at the new treasures, he nodded. "Is there anything I can do to protect these? When they're small or large?"
She smiled and showed him the incantation, along with the same one she used to transfigure the twigs into chairs. He tucked the three newly shrunk and protected treasures in the pouch Hagrid had given him. As they sat together, Harry thought about her and Remus and the intense moment he'd interrupted. Blushing, he thought about asking her if they'd been more than friends.
Tia realized that the silence was feeling awkward and wondered what to talk about. Or maybe they should find their seats for the wedding. Harry cleared his throat and she refocused on him.
"You and, uh, Remus," he started, his blush deepening.
She smiled as she felt her own face heat up. She thought that mind reading would never been needed to gage her reactions to Remus.
"Remus and I, we were," she fiddled with the ring on her finger, "engaged."
