A/N: This is a really important chapter, despite its short length. Harry values his children (and Ginny) above everything else. He keeps watching Teddy struggle with himself and his identity and now time seems to have run out, leaving Harry to feel his job as a father will be left incomplete. Thanks for reading!

All I know

time is a valuable thing

Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings

Watch it count down to the end of the day

The clock ticks life away

In the End by Linkin Park

The wind was picking up, ruffling two raven mops of hair. Harry gripped his godson's hand tightly, his eyes darting between the small boy and the busy London street. Several cars, a few cabs, flew by. Somewhere down the road, a flurry of honks sounded over the general roar of the busy street.

"Don't let go, Teddy."

At five years old, he was full of joy and curiosity. Bright, blue eyes shined up. "Got it!"

The signal at the cross walk changed and Harry moved them swiftly across the black pavement, nearly dragging Ted alongside him.

"I'm a bit surprised your Gran never got on board with the muggle scene, considering your grandfather."

Teddy peered up at him before returning to his wonder, his head turning every direction in an attempt to absorb all that was around him. "Did my mum like muggle stuff?"

"Mhm." He nodded, focused on making their destination on time. His eyes bounced from street signs to the hold he had on Ted's small hand, ensuring he was safely attached. "From what I remember, she didn't know so much about muggles themselves. She just thoroughly enjoyed the fun aspects. Clothes, music..."

"The cinema?" He squealed, thrilled to be able to pronounce such an unusual new word.

Harry chuckled. "Yes, the cinema, as well."

They came to the large building, large posters adorning the outer walls and surrounded with bright lights. Teddy stared in amazement, forgetting to move his feet for a moment and causing his godfather to tug on his arm patiently.

The small boy watched as his godfather purchased the tickets. Harry grinned, bending down and handing a small paper to Teddy. "This is your ticket. Hold on to it. Tightly now."

Entering the building, the smell of butter and hotdogs swarmed their senses. After procuring a large bucket of popcorn for them to share, Harry lead them towards the back where a man stood at a podium, his hand outstretched already.

"Give him your ticket, Ted."

Shyly, he handed over the ticket, watching the large man tear it in two and handing half back to Teddy with a smile. He attempted a timid smile in return, his little arm wrapped around Harry's leg, fingers gripping the denim of his jeans.

The room they walked into was dark and cold, with tiny glowing orbs along the floor, just enough light so they could see where they stepped. There were a few other children in the theater, a few parents sitting with each group. Harry let Ted choose their seats: a pair high in the back, slightly off center.

He settled the tub of popcorn in his godson's lap, laughing at the awestruck expression the boy wore as the screen lit up, cartoon images moving across the scene.

"You like it?"

"This is wicked, Dad!"

Harry frowned. However, Teddy was far too absorbed in the movie to even notice the saddened and confused look on his godfather's face.

After the movie, he had dropped Teddy off back home with his grandmother. Harry entered his house wearily, shrugging off his coat and carelessly tossing it onto the sofa.

"Harry?"

His wife looked up from the armchair she was ensconced in, a book now closed in her lap. "How did Teddy like the film?"

"Loved it." He sighed, sinking down onto the worn sofa.

Ginny frowned. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Harry shrugged, looking up at the ceiling. He ran a hand through his hair, biting down on his bottom lip.

"Harry, what's bothering you? What happened?"

He fiddled with the hem of his jumper. "You know how Ted, sometimes when he's not paying attention, he calls me Dad?"

Ginny's face relaxed, a knowing look in her eyes. She rose up and took a few steps forward before sitting down beside her husband, letting his arm automatically wrap around her shoulder. "You are his father, Harry. And just because Teddy likes to acknowledge that fact does not mean he is forgetting Remus."

"I know, love. But, is it wrong that I love being his dad, that I love him thinking of me that way?"

"No. You have helped raise him since he was a week old. Everyone knows it too and everyone, Andromeda and Ted included, consider you his father."

He met her eyes, skeptical. "Isn't that an insult to Remus's memory? Like I'm replacing him?"

"Harry, you tell Ted stories about his parents all the time. You do everything to keep Remus and Tonks's memory alive for him. Would you have considered Sirius your father if he had raised you?"

"Perhaps."

"And if we had a son and then we died, would you want our child to think of his godfather, I dunno, Ron, as a father?"

He frowned. "Aren't we getting a little too hypothetical about this?"

Rolling her eyes, she leaned closer. "I'm just trying to explain to you that you shouldn't feel guilty. It's not like Teddy only calls you Daddy. Though he did try when he was an infant. He knows that both of his fathers love him more than anything. And that is what is important."

Harry nodded, knowing she was right. But that did nothing to erase the worry he had been feeling from the day nine month old Teddy had cried out, 'Da'.

"Dad! Wake-up! Get up, Harry!"

His eyes flew open to see Teddy looking over him with a worried expression. He was sporting shaggy brown hair, his eyes warm amber, not too unlike his natural irises. His words reverberated in Harry's thoughts. He had called him Dad.

"What time is it?" He sat up slowly, stretching out his neck. He was sitting in the rickety, woven chair on the back porch.

"A bit after seven. What are you doing out here?"

"Too unnerved to sleep. I took a peek in the room that will be my nursery though. Full of old junk." He chuckled, thinking about how he had been surprised to not find the yellow walls of his intended bedroom.

"Your mum had said last night that they only just chose it to be your nursery." Ted reminded him. "They only just found out she was pregnant a few days ago. Though you sort of ruined the shock factor."

"I haven't taken arithmetic since I was ten, so forgive me for fudging up the months a bit." Harry rose up slowly, feeling the usual aches in his joints. "Your brothers up?"

He shook his head. "No one is. Sirius is snoring on the couch actually."

"Figures." Harry reached out a hand and gave Ted's shoulder a squeeze. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Few hours. Like you said. Too unnerved."

"Strange to sleep so close to your mysterious father." Harry smirked, earning a weak chuckle from his godson.

"Yeah, something like that."

"How are you taking all this? I'm sorry I haven't really been here..."

"No, no, I understand. It's probably worse for you. Both parents, the godfather, the mentor..." Teddy stared off towards the woods, burying his hands in his pockets.

Harry sighed. "Want to talk about it, or would you like to brood on it for a few more days?"

The younger man glared in response. "I do not brood. I ponder. And, no I don't want to talk about the father I never knew sleeping in the other room."

"Want to talk about my father-I-never-knew sleeping in the other room?"

Teddy smiled a genuine smile, causing Harry to feel a thrill of success. He had been trying so hard to decipher what had been eating away at his godson the past few months. But then his diagnosis happened. And now they weren't even in the correct time period. Made being a father a bit tricky.

The sound of the back door opening caught their attention and they both turned to see Lily, wearing her dressing gown and standing in the doorway, embarrassed. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't think anyone would be up this early."

She blushed, glancing down at her feet for a moment. "The boys never get up before nine. Unless there's food." She paused, emerald eyes darting between both men. "Are you two hungry?"

Harry was amused. His mother was shy. He had never expected that. Everything he had seen and heard before had shown him that she was a fiery force to be reckoned with, so like his Ginny. Though, it was most likely due to the random appearance of child and grandchildren that evoked the timid manner. That didn't change the amusement in it, however.

He cleared his throat. "I was going to go for a quick jog actually. Teddy, you want to come?"

His godson nodded and Harry turned back to his young mother with a smile. Lily nodded before vanishing back into the house.

"Weird to call her Lily. Lily's my kid sister, not grandmother."

Harry chuckled. "I agree completely. C'mon, we can transfigure our boots into decent running shoes. Later we'll buy some real clothes. These will collapse if we keep transforming them."

Ted nodded, pulling out his wand. Transfiguration had, naturally, always been his best subject. Magical Creatures and Defense were a close second though. Harry smiled to himself. Remus and Tonks shone through Teddy in so many subtle ways.

They decided to run through the woods and fields, wanting to avoid the village and possible people. Plus, the scenic nature of Godric's Hollow was much more familiar and comforting than the village, where he would be able to notice all the changes forty years made. Something about snow covered hills and trees seemed timeless. He kept glancing at Teddy, observing the intense expression on his face. He was clearly thinking about Remus. Harry longed to know what was causing his godson so much confusion and anger the past few months. He had spoken to Victoire several times, before and after they had broken up. She was just as confused as anyone. Though she had offered insight similar to what Harry's thoughts were...

"I told you, Uncle Harry, he just seems so lost in his head."

He sat down his cup and smiled briefly at Ginny as she sat down on the couch beside him. "He's angry too."

Ginny spoke up. "Reminds me of you at fifteen to be honest."

"But Teddy isn't being hunted down by a madman and no one is withholding potentially vital information either." He sighed, leaning back in his chair and focusing back on his niece. "What was he like at dinner with Andromeda the other night?"

Vic shrugged. "Normal. That's what's so confusing about it all. He hasn't completely changed. Just little things with his mood and interests really." She paused. "He has been mentioning his parents a lot though."

"He's been asking me questions lately too."

"Yesterday he must've spent an hour sitting around with my Dad talking about them."

Harry draped his arm around Ginny, pulling her closer. "I think that's the root of our problem."

Yes it was. Which is why this situation was so much worse for his godson. He felt so hopeless. He had devoted everything to make sure Teddy never felt pain or loneliness. And it seemed like he had run out of time to ensure that. He had so much more to do for his godson. For his other children as well. Being a father, he constantly felt reminded of how fast time flew, watching his babies turn into adults. But now, time was moving too fast on him, on his life and everything he had worked for.

The cottage came into sight again and they slowed their pace to a walk, both of them sucking in deep breaths of frigid air. Harry groaned. "I'm too old for this."

Ted chuckled. "Not something an Auror should say, sir, especially not the department head."

"I'll retire."

As Teddy laughed again, Harry felt a pang of sadness. He was retiring. When he said it now, it wasn't a joke. His health would deteriorate and prevent him from working.

Entering the back door, they found everyone awake and sitting around the fireplace. Jamie was dramatically telling a story of his phenomenal save at the last Quidditch match. He looked at his father and god-brother as they came in.

"Dad, you and Mum were at the match. The one against Ravenclaw, remember that?"

Harry chuckled and sank down into the seat next to him, Albus on his right. "That was a pretty good game."

"Pretty good? It was bloody amazing."

"Language. Your mother would have none of that."

Jamie deflated and looked across the coffee table at Sirius. "I know Grandad did, but did you play Quidditch?"

Sirius grinned. "With friends on occasion. I'm afraid Prongs was the only one among us with any real talent. Seems it's genetic. Do you all play?"

Albus snorted. "Of course we do! Our mum was a pro and Dad could've been if wasn't saving the world all the time."

Harry sighed. "Story of my life, son. Wouldn't trade it for anything, though. Got you all out of it, didn't I?"

Lily was next to her husband sitting in front of the fireplace. She kept her eyes on Harry. "When did you decide you wanted kids?"

Leaning back, Harry blinked several times in confusion. She had so calmly thrown the question at him. He glanced around and noticed Remus and Sirius were also waiting for an answer. Finally, he shrugged. "I didn't decide. I was seventeen and had a week old baby thrown at me." He beamed at Teddy.

"You were only seventeen?"

He nodded. "Ted's parents both fought and died in the final battle. I had never been around a baby before but I think I picked it up pretty fast."

"Seems you've been fairly successful." It was Remus.

Harry smile widely. Save for his sons, no one knew how much those words meant. "I tried."

"Teddy was just the practice child though." Jamie smirked.

Ted snorted in response, glaring at his brother. "Practice child?"

"C'mon, Dad inherited you!" Harry had to grin at that, enjoying the humor in the way Jamie spoke. "People want to inherit cool stuff, not babies. The way I see it, you were just practice for when they had me."

"James, you do know you were an accident, right?"

He gaped at Ted before turning to his father. "Can you believe him?"

Harry shrugged. "You didn't know?"

"W-what? It's true? You and Mum didn't plan me?" He seemed rather put-out about the whole thing.

"Of course we didn't. Ginny was halfway through her season, she was hoping to go for another championship."

Teddy was chuffed, elbowing Jamie. "You were Oops."

Albus was howling at that one. Harry ended the fun with, "I wouldn't laugh. You were Uh-Oh."

"I don't believe this. We were all accidents?"

"Nah, just you boys."

Jamie narrowed his eyes. "So Lily was planned?"

"Planned? I started asking for her the day Albus was born. Not that I wasn't thrilled with you, son."

"Clearly."

His oldest son could not seem to accept the indignity. James Sirius had always had a bit of an arrogant air to him, so it did not surprise Harry that he had assumed his birth had been treated like a grand production.

"My life is a lie."

"No, just a nuisance for the rest of us."

Jamie dove for Ted and the room erupted in laughter. Harry chuckled heartedly, enjoying his sons' behavior. But the laughter suddenly caught in his throat and he fell into a coughing fit. Sirius came to his side and clapped him on the back; his coughing grew more painful.

A disgusting and far too familiar taste filled his mouth and the coughing finally subsided. He pulled his hand away from his mouth, staring down at the sticky, red mess. The room was silent. Harry wiped his bottom lip, feeling a coating of blood and frowned.

"Damn," he whispered, watching his sons' faces fade away and darkness consume him.