Harry Potter

After the War

Chapter 8

When Harry opened the door, he automatically recoiled, reaching for his wand. She's dead, Harry told himself, and I saw her die!

"Still not used to it yet?" the lady asked. Harry looked closer. The eyes were kinder, the hair softer, browner. Harry released his wand and relaxed.

"Sorry, Andromeda. I guess not." He let her into the house, pushing a buggy. "Ginny, they're here!" he called up the stairs. "Kitchen or living room?" he asked as he took her coat.

"Oh, I think kitchen. It's been a while since I've been in this house." She was looking around the corridor, distantly remembering her time here. Andromeda snapped out of it and wrestled Teddy from his buggy.

"He's adorable!" Ginny cried from the stairs. She hurried down to meet them and tripped on the bottom stair. She went crashing into Harry, sending them both spiralling into the corridor. Ginny left a winded Harry on the floor of Grimmauld Place as she reached for the baby in Andromeda's arms. "Look at his little hands! And he's got his mother's, no, father's" Ginny broke off, studying the squirming bundle in her arms. Her excitement softened into a happy sadness as she realised he had both. "He's like his mother, isn't he?"

Andromeda nodded, "Scared me half to death the first time he changed. Thought I'd brought home the wrong baby from his check up at St. Mungos until he turned back. Cheeky little thing he is, aren't you." Teddy gurgled at the attention.

A little while later, Harry having recuperated from his date with the floor, they were settled in the kitchen, Kreacher muttering to himself in the corner. Winky had taken on the role of babysitter, delighting a giggling Teddy with small flourishes of magic whilst the wizards spoke. "I must say, I'm pleased to hear about my brother in law. I hope he enjoys Azkaban. Sirius once told me how enjoyable it is there." Andromeda chuckled to herself.

Harry raised his tea, "To the Ministry finally getting their act together!" Mugs clinked together as Ginny and Andromeda saluted his toast. As their drinks returned to the table, a loud bang was heard from one of the guest bedrooms upstairs. A few moments later George's unruly red hair peeked around the corner of the kitchen door. The stench of booze was unavoidable but beneath the bloodshot eyes, sobriety had emerged.

"Mornin'," he rasped as he made his way to the table.

"Dear, I think you mean 'Afternoon'." Andromeda pointed to the clock positioned on the wall above him. George took one look at the small hand pointing to 5 and collapsed his head into his arms. Kreacher pushed a mug of coffee into his hand and left again. George stayed where he was.

They continued their conversation, leaving George to recuperate enough to talk with them. Winky left to finish her chores and Kreacher returned to his cupboard, grumbling about ungrateful wizards, namely the half dead Weasley with untouched coffee. A gentle gurgle came from next to George, rousing him from himself. Teddy lay in his chair, slowly changing his colours to match the room. Ignoring the sudden silence as he rose from the table, George made his way over to the baby, wiping sleep from his eyes. Teddy paused as he watched this strange man approach him. After a few seconds, he reached his arms out towards George and begged to be picked up. George reached forward and gently lifted the blue haired baby. Slowly, Teddy's features began to transform into a small freckled ginger boy, almost a younger replica of the man holding the child. For a moment, it was almost as if Fred was alive again, resting in George's arms after a spell gone wrong. It wasn't, but Harry could see the scenario play out in George's eyes. As soon as Teddy giggled, George broke, clutching the child to his chest and sobbing.

As the evening progressed, Harry and Ginny listened contently to Andromeda's stories of the Order and her own time at Hogwarts as well as stories of Tonks, running rampant round the castle grounds, "I remember once she morphed into Dumbledore for a whole week. He caught on of course. They were menaces, the both of them, confusing students by turning up at the same moment." George, on the other hand, spent the evening entertaining Teddy, displaying small tricks, both from the shop and his own wand.

As Andromeda readied herself to leave, Ginny quietly asked Harry, "Do you think he'll ever get better?"

Harry studied the lanky man levitating the baby as Winky chastised him, and a small smile crept onto his face, "I think he's already started to."

The muggle restaurant they went to that night was one Vernon had once taken the family to, minus Harry of course, to celebrate one of his promotions. It was in the heart of London and catered only to the most luxurious of guests. During their visit to Gringotts, Harry had changed up some Galleons into Pounds and now hefted enough to purchase the finest table at the finest restaurant in Soho. They'd had to take the tube, a first for Ginny. She'd kept taking pictures on a small disposable camera Harry had taught her to use, determined to show her father the muggle world.

"Sir, Madam, this way to your table, please." The waiter escorted them to their seats. Once they were alone, Harry felt compelled to say it again.

"You really do look beautiful." Ginny blushed at him. Her dress was simple, but on her it was exquisite. A pure white gown that fell to her knees and was held by spaghetti straps. It clashed wildly with her crimson hair. She made all other woman look redundant.

"Harry, you don't have to keep saying that,"

"Why wouldn't I?" Harry grinned at her, happy just to see her happy. Her scarlet cheeks began fading as she looked around, a look of awe painting her face. Every little thing to her was new; the electric lighting, the sleek modernity of their surroundings, the muggles eating and conversing with each other about mundane things. Harry couldn't help but imagine his face looked eerily similar the moment he first stepped into the wizarding world. The waiter stopped by their table, handing each of them a menu. Harry couldn't believe what was on offer, each item more delicious and decadent them the next. He went to ask Ginny what she wanted but paused at her expression. A worried frown overcame her features. Harry quickly looked back at his menu and the guilt hit him again. The food was not only exquisite; the price was too. Even in muggle money, the expense was obvious.

"You know you don't have to-" Harry started. Ginny immediately shut him up with that look of hers and he understood that he would regret finishing that sentence. "How about we go somewhere else?"

"Are you sure? I don't want to ruin our date."

Harry grinned, "I'm sure. I have a better idea anyway."

Ginny smiled back softly, "Okay, let's go."

A short while later, they sat on a bench overlooking the Thames, each with a portion of fish and chips. The lights flickered across the water, passing over what Harry was certain was a Kelpie.

"I kind of get it now," Ginny said. Harry gave a curious hum and tightened his arm around her waist. "Dad, I mean. His obsession with muggles. They did all of this," she gestured to the city across the river, "without any magic. It's incredible when you think about it."

Harry laughed, "Trust me, it's easier with magic."

"But even so! They did it, regardless of any handicaps." Ginny gave a thoughtful smile, "You never did answer dad, you know."

"About what?"

"What is the function of a rubber duck?"

Harry laughed again, "I forgot about that. It's a sort of toy muggles use in the bath." Ginny started laughing too.

"Oh wow. Please let me be there when you tell him that." They sat happily by the water a while longer before making their way back along the bank.

Little market shops littered the pavement where they walked, all taking advantage of the late summer nights. Each stall made Ginny stop and gawk over the items for sale. They actually did find a rubber duck and bought it for Arthur, giggling as if it were their own private joke. A few stalls down from the duck one, they found a small, elderly lady selling snow globes, each encasing a piece of London; the Eye, Big Ben and even a pigeon from Trafalgar Square. Hidden in the back, Harry found treasure. He lifted it so that Ginny could see inside the glass. Inside sat the arches of King's Cross station.

"You realise this is where we first met?" Ginny grabbed the globe and watched as snow fell around the building.

"God, that was embarrassing. We were so young back then. I think I even had bows on my socks. Remind me to have a go at mum for that when she gets back."

"You were adorable." Harry leaned down and gave Ginny a kiss. The lady at the stall smiled at them and forced them into taking the snow globe for free, shooing them away when they tried to pay.

They finally decided to head back and began making their way to the nearest station. Harry was jolted as a young girl bumped into him. "I'm sorry, I-" Harry froze as he saw her properly. Black hair and eyes as dark as coal. She hurried on quickly but there was no mistake. The girl from his dream. Ginny tugged his arm and he began walking again but he didn't hear a word she said until they reached home. The girl was dancing through his head and he felt something odd settle on his heart and his mind. She was real.