"Hey Dad!" Teddy said as his father finally stepped out of the Floo that morning with an envelope in his hand.
"What're you boys doing in here?" Remus asked, staring quizzically at the three boys sitting in his office chairs.
"We need you to fix the Map," Vic said and Remus raised an eyebrow as he sat down next to Ted.
"Why? Is it broken?" he joked.
"No. See. We need you to put in like a notification feature so it'll like flash or beep or something when someone goes near a certain spot," Teddy summarized.
"It's not a computer Ted," Remus said but he took it out of his son's hands anyways.
"Why do you need a notification?" Remus asked, taking out his wand and muttering the incantation.
We've got a Herbology assignment but someone keeps messing up our plants. We want to know who," came the casual lie.
"Yeah. I bet you it's that Kimblee," Vic supplied, deciding to play along with the fool, "I haven't seen him much this year but he gets around. Did you know he's a Prefect this year? How'd that slimeball get to be a Prefect? I bet you he bribed Snape. Bloody rich kids."
Remus sighed. On one hand he figured he should be the good teacher and question Jason Kimblee. On the other hand he could be the good parent and help his son track down the real culprit.
"Once you find out who it is you tell a teacher. I don't want you getting into any fights," Remus warned."
Teddy and his friends nodded dumbly
"We won't get into any fights Dad. Promise," Teddy said sounding as sincere as ever and Remus sighed again.
"Fine," he said much to the boys' delight, "Come back at the end of the day. I'll probably have something figured out by then. I've got marking to do."
"Thanks Dad you're awesome!" Teddy said, giving his father a bear hug beside him.
"Yes well, no promises," Remus said and Teddy and his friends nodded.
"What's in the envelope? Teddy asked curiously, pointing to the parchment in his father's hand.
"Oh. It's from the Weasleys," Remus said with a faint frown. "They'll be going to France in a few weeks. They'll be staying over for Christmas."
"Why?" Teddy asked feeling a bit dejected. He'd always spent his Christmas holidays over at The Burrow. It was like a family tradition.
"Well Victoire will be in school next year so I guess they want one last big family trip before everyone starts going to school."
Remus regarded his son's despairing face for a moment, "Cheer up Ted. We'll still have a Christmas party at our house. Vic and Roy will of course be joining us," he said, nodding to the two brothers opposite them.
Teddy and his friends instantly perked up at this idea with excited grins before Remus added.
"We'll send a note to your gran. I'm sure she'd love to see how much you've grown. Maybe invite some of the teachers along the way."
"Not Snape," Teddy said and Remus laughed, "We'll see."
"Ah come on. It'll be so awkward," Teddy complained but Remus only laughed more.
"How about Sirius?"
Remus frowned, "I haven't gotten word from Sirius in ages. I don't even know where he is anymore."
Teddy frowned again in thought, "How about Kingsley?"
"Kingsley has his own family to spend the holidays with but I can ask," Remus said with a shrug, "Anyone else?"
"Oh! How about Q and Helena?"
Remus nodded, "Sure. I can ask your mother to send a message to Helena. It'd be nice to see them again."
Teddy and his friends nodded their heads in agreement before Remus stood up.
"Well. Go on then. I've got a map to crack and you boys have breakfast to eat."
As the boys made an excited dash out of the office Vic couldn't help but turn to face Ted with a grin.
"Ted?"
"Yeah?"
"Your dad's awesome."
Ted grinned, "Knew that a long time ago Vic."
"Hello Professor Lupin," a gentle voice said soon after Teddy had left.
Remus was able to determine who the voice belonged to simply by the Italian accent that accompanied it.
"Good morning Ms. Heartfilia. Please just call me Remus," he said with a polite smile as he sat down at his desk.
"I'll call you Remus when you call my Lucy," the Italian witch replied with a smile.
"Alright then Lucy," Remus replied, two could play at that game, "Was there something you needed?"
"Oh no. I just wanted to stop by for a bit. Look at the grindylow. See if you'd managed to catch a bowtruckle that sort of thing," the professor replied.
"I'm afraid that would be more Hagrid's line of work," Remus said as he settled down to do some marking.
"But please take a seat," he added.
Truthfully he was quite curious as to why the other Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher would want to socialize with him at all. Surely she knew he was a werewolf and a direct combatant for her job.
Then again, she probably knew about Xavia and wanted to make good relations to dispel any distrust between the staff and students.
Whatever the case he would be polite to her as if she were any other but a part of his head was telling him it was all a show to win the rest of the teachers over.
"I heard when I was entering that you'd be having a Christmas party," Professor Heartfilia said, staring intently at the Defense books that lined the shelves on the other side of the office.
There was a considerable pause and Remus inwardly cursed himself.
"Yes. It seems like our regular Christmas party location has taken a leave of absense" he said, trying to play it nicely.
There was another long uncomfortable pause.
"I heard that you'd be inviting the rest of your colleagues," Lucy pressed and Remus resisted the urge to slam his face into the desk.
"Yes…"
"… but I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about Fiona and Kate and Mark. Severus at worst!"
Instead, being the gentleman that Remus Lupin no doubt was, his mouth spoke on its own before his mind was done ranting.
"Would you like to come?"
A few minutes after a cheerfully, enthusiastic display of affection from one Lucy Heartfilia, Remus didn't think he was all that up for teaching today.
She's seemed genuinely happy in which Remus had asked and had barely been able to say a rather dignified, "I'd be delighted!" before she had cheerfully begun to reminisce over previous summers as a girl.
Eventually the babbling stemmed down until the Professor left with a happy smile. Remus gave her a warm wave good bye, shut the door on her way out with a wave of his hand and promptly let his head drop onto his desk with a loud THUNK.
He felt a tiny bit happy seeing the delighted look on Professor Heartfilia's face but he supposed that was meant to be granted. Here was hoping the rest of the family and guests would approve.
"Lupin. So much as I don't want to disturb your…rest…."
Remus audibly groaned.
"What is it Severus?" he mumbled, head still on the desk.
"Your potion," Snape said bluntly, holding it up for Remus to take with a blind arm.
"Great. This day couldn't get any better," he mumbled as he frowned at the offending liquid.
There was a sizable pause.
"…Do you…want to….talk about it?" Snape mumbled.
Remus looked up at Snape, shocked out of mind as he stared at the depressing Potions master.
Did he just-?
And then, after Snape was no doubt feeling rather uncomfortable, Remus burst out laughing.
Snape scowled at the man and contemplated hexing him but Remus spoke before he could fetch his wand.
"What happened this summer Severus?" he said, trying in vain to muffle his laughter.
"You go from the most anti-social man on the planet to being concerned for my well being? I'm touched," Remus said with a sense of mockery.
"Just drink the damn potion Lupin," Snape snarled.
"Aww. But won't you let me talk about it?" Remus asked, feigning hurt.
Snape's wand hand was itching but Remus held the beloved potion close to him as a hostage. Should any attacks be made, Snape would be forced to make another batch and both men knew how much he'd hate to do that.
"Then talk for Merlin's sake," Snape growled, crossing his arms as he waited for the damn werewolf to drink his potion.
Remus on the other hand had gotten a better idea. He'd already screwed it up once. Once more couldn't hurt.
"How'd you like to come over for Christmas break?" Remus said instead and Snape looked taken aback for a second.
Remus took secret delight at the look of confusion that blossomed over Snape's face before the potion's master managed to collect himself.
"And why in Merlin's name would I do that?" the man asked.
"Well. It's either that or you stay and rot away in your dungeons all season. Not very festive if you ask me," Remus said with a shrug.
"Plus you'd have to baby-sit all of the children who're staying behind and McGonagall's going to be breathing down your neck, forcing you to participate in activities you don't want to."
"And that would be any different than your current suggestion?" Snape asked and Remus shrugged.
"You have an assistant."
"Changing the subject Lupin."
"You could bring her. I'm sure she'd like to come."
"I doubt she will have much say on the subject," Snape muttered.
"No one's going to make fun of her or anything. She'll have a good time."
"This is more about the blasted girl isn't it?"
"Free Firewhiskey?" Remus attempted with a grin and Snape rolled his eyes.
"Just drink your damn potion."
"So you'll think about it?"
"Drink it!"
"Promise?"
"Yes I'll bloody think about it now just-!"
Remus laughed, feeling like he'd won the battle. He downed the potion with a grin and didn't even make a face as he handed it back to Snape.
"Aren't you going to tell me something about her? Before I start making weird assumptions?" Remus teased and Snape threw him a withering look.
"I never said I would be coming," came the blunt response.
"Can't you at least tell me her name?"
There was a sizable pause.
"Celty Sturluson."
"Great. Anything else you want me to tell me? How old is she?"
"Twelve," came the automatic reply.
Remus on the other hand couldn't resist commenting:
"Severus Snape is raising a child? Oh Merlin I wonder how she turned out."
BANG
Lupin quickly ducked a spell that had been aimed for his head by an infuriate Potion's master.
The spell flew harmlessly past him and managed to get absorbed by the bookshelf behind him but Remus was too busy laughing to give it a glance.
"I am not raising her. She looks after herself. I am her employer. I pay her for her services," Snape said bluntly as he turned on his heel and left the room.
Remus shrugged to himself before calling out:
"I pay Ted too. It's called an allowance!"
Snape chose to ignore the werewolf as he stalked out of the office.
Remus watched Snape leave muttering obscenities under his breath and he had to admit that maybe having a child around could change the man in ways no other person could.
"Damn Severus. You don't stand a chance."
But then he shrugged to himself. He'd worry about that later. All and all it hadn't been too bad. And he'd even managed to get a good few laughs in along the way. Maybe he'd be up to teach after all.
A few hours later Remus found his son and his two friends back in his office again. In the mean time, Teddy also found that they were just following up the entrance of none other than Rubeus Hagrid.
"So as I was sayin' Remus, I'd love to spend Christmas over but I'm afraid I have plans already," the giant continued looking awkwardly out of place in Remus' small, neat office.
"That's a shame," Remus said, motioning Teddy over for a second.
"Here," Remus said, giving his son the map much to Teddy's delight, "Let me know if it's buggy and please for the love of Merlin don't get into an trouble with it," he warned.
Hagrid on the other hand seemed to have been listening in on the conversation, laughed.
"Oh come now Remus. If there's one boy tha' I wouldn' believe could get into any trouble it's yers," he said, patting Teddy firmly on the back as he blushed.
"Oh trust me you'd be surprised," Remus said giving Teddy a knowing grin before turning back to his guest.
Teddy took that as his cue to leave, silently shuffling out of the office to Roy and Vic out in the hallway.
"I wish he'd stop saying that," Teddy muttered as they mounted the stairs to the Astronomy Tower.
"Why?" Vic asked, grinning faintly, "If I had a dad like yours I'd be damn proud," he said encouragingly.
Teddy blushed and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Yeah but when I screw up it's always him that gets reflected on."
Vic shrugged, "Then don't screw up. That's what we're here for Ted," the boy said, pointing firmly to Roy and himself.
Teddy rolled his eyes.
"Oh yeah. As if that's going to help," he cried out sarcastically.
"To be honest I think you're the most likely to screw up than Ted," Roy said with a grin at his brother.
Vic gave them all a mock pout before the boys dissolved into laughter.
"Just you wait! One day you'll be begging me to save your asses from something and then I'll just laugh and say 'who's screwed up now huh?'" Vic cried before rushing off to the Astronomy roof.
Teddy and Roy exchanged a bemused glance before running off after him.
"So Ted. What're we going to do now that we have the map?" Vic asked, blowing on his hands a bit to keep them warm from the chilly night air.
The boys were now huddled on the roof of the Astronomy Tower, slight traces of snow had managed to coat the roof and Teddy found it hard not to shiver through his robes.
He should have brought his jacket.
"I dunno. It seemed like a good idea at the time," Teddy said with a small frown.
They had just received the map back from Teddy's father a few minutes ago and rushed to the Astronomy Tower to see what changes had been made.
It didn't look any different from Teddy's inspection but he was confident that it worked.
The only problem was. How did you know it worked?
"Tell you what? I'll fly down there, go up to the grave and you can test if it works or not," Vic offered but Roy shook his head.
"Just wait until morning," he said, "we won't be able to determine-"
And Roy was cut off when the Map suddenly went off.
Everyone was so surprised they jumped and Ted almost slipped right off the roof.
"It's just Hagrid!" Roy insisted, having snatched the Map out of Teddy's hands.
The boys crowded around the piece of parchment as they watched the name "Rubeus Hagrid" standing at the patch of ground where Dumbledore's grave should have been.
"Well at least we know it works," Teddy said with a slightly satisfied nod. He carefully closed the map, allowing the half giant his privacy before rubbing his hands together to warm them up.
"You realize if that thing goes off during class we'll be screwed right?" Vic said with a frown and Teddy nodded.
"Well. The perpetrators seem to only do it during the night time," he supplied before he was interrupted when Vic sneezed.
Teddy laughed, "Come on. Let's get inside before we all get sick."
"You really want to catch these guys don't you," Vic teased and Teddy nodded determinedly.
"If they really are the guys who stole the cloak during the summer then I want to make them pay," Teddy said determinately, "Besides. They're messing around with Dumbledore's grave! That's just not right. Not when you consider what Dumbledore's done for all of us," he added and his friends nodded back.
Really though, Teddy wasn't really sure why he felt compelled to stop these people from getting their hands on the wand. It might be a strong sense of justice or maybe even revenge for all the trauma he'd experienced during the summer break. Even if the incident here and the one over the Cloak were two separate problems Teddy still wanted a go at it just to feel somewhat even with the bad guys and him.
Still, his mind couldn't help but filter back to Hagrid's words from a mere hour ago.
"Oh come now Remus. If there's one boy tha' I wouldn' believe could get into any trouble it's yers."
Teddy couldn't help but feel a strong sense of determination stem from those words. It was a driving force, a feeling of self worth that made Teddy toss all logic to the wind. He was going to catch the person defacing Dumbledore's tomb.
He was going to make his dad proud.
Time skip at the beginning because I don't know what to write that could make time transition faster. Snape bashing is fun! And I figure having a kid around him could make him loosen up more to be poked at *pokes* (I think it started with the whole Teddy babysitting thing) :P
Reviews appreciated!
