Tonks in labor wasn't anything like he'd expected. She reclined in her mother's bed, with lots of fluffy pillows supporting her back. Trying to pass the time, she flipped through the latest copy of Witch Weekly in between grunts and moans from her contractions. Remus was tasked with making her comfortable and keeping her occupied, but it was clear she wanted to get the baby out as fast as possible.

Molly Weasley had arrived to help with the birth. She and Andromeda were downstairs, brewing potions to help with the pain. Lyall had arrived as well, delighted to hear that his grandson was arriving soon. Andromeda invited him to stay as long as he liked, in case labor took more than a day. She'd kept her eye on Remus as she said this, leading him to believe that Lyall was partly there to keep his son grounded.

Remus would've recoiled at the insult, but after his last try at leaving and the fatherly advice he'd been given, he was relieved his father was there. He was still in shock from the sudden turn of events, though he now dreaded that something would go wrong with the birth. Or, he thought darkly, the child would be cursed with lycanthropy and the anticipated, joyful occasion would turn into a nightmare.

"Potterwatch should be on soon," said Tonks, disturbing him from his grim musings. "Want to listen?"

"I don't think I should be distracted," replied Remus, as another contraction tore through her. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"N…ooo…" Tonks crumpled her eyes shut and panted. "How ma…ny minutes?"

"Eleven."

"No pushing?"

"Not for a while," Remus said, hearing her groan in response. "You're doing well."

She reached out for him and tossed the magazine aside.

"I asked you before, but what do you want him to call you?"

Remus was momentarily confused until he realized that she was talking about the baby.

"You didn't want 'Tad,' as it's too close to Ted or Teddy. You didn't like it when I called you daddy." Tonks winked at him and he shuddered. Hearing himself referred to as 'daddy' didn't sit right. "You made that face," Tonks giggled. "I think you said 'Dad' was fine."

"Did you just ask me that for my reaction?"

She smiled at him, her hair deepening to a magenta. Stripes of turquoise appeared in it too, the vibrant colors bringing a smile to Remus's face, despite his unease.

Molly arrived with two steaming goblets. One was Remus's Wolfsbane Potion, a textbook-perfect pale blue he downed in less than a minute. The other was a uniquely formulated Pain Relief Potion that brought an instant reprieve to Tonks's labor pains.

"Molly, are you listening to Potterwatch downstairs?" asked Tonks, wiping the corners of her mouth with her blanket.

"We aren't, dear, I'm sorry," Molly replied lightly. Remus noticed she didn't look at Tonks directly and chose the moment to fluff the pillows behind her. The action didn't seem lost on Tonks, as when the sound of Molly's steps disappeared, she turned to Remus.

"There's news they don't want me to hear," Tonks whispered. "Go find out what it is."

Remus's shoulders tensed. He'd seen what Ted Tonks's death had wrought upon his family, and though Andromeda was alive and well downstairs, Remus feared the next death would be one of her friends'.

"Please, Remus? Old Witch Weekly issues just aren't doing it."

He could've sworn that she widened her eyes and lengthened her eyelashes to bat them at him. Whatever magic she cast on him worked, however, and he found himself in the kitchen a minute later, listening to Lee Jordan.

"Rumor has it that the three were at Malfoy Manor," said Lee. "No one knows where they are now."

Molly clapped her hand to her mouth; Remus could only assume 'the three' meant Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"We've also heard the news that known Death Eater and traitorous rat, Peter Pettigrew, has died. Our sources say he was killed by hand." Lee's voice boomed in the kitchen. Molly, Andromeda, and Lyall turned to Remus, but whatever reply he'd formed was cut off by a new, deeper voice.

"Several others were killed in a massacre at Malfoy Manor, following the reported escape of several prisoners whose whereabouts remain unknown," said the deeper voice. "These prisoners were Garrick Ollivander, Luna Lovegood, and a goblin called Griphook, who was last known to be traveling with wizards Dean Thomas, Ted Tonks, and Dirk Cresswell. Whether the prisoners survived the escape remains unknown as well."

"They've got to be alive," a Weasley twin said. "You-Know-Who would want people to know if they were killed."

"I agree," the deep voice replied. "Until we hear otherwise, they're all safe and hidden." A short silence followed the pronouncement.

"And now," Lee said, "for the deaths we do know about."

A litany of names ended the radio broadcast. Upon hearing one of the names, Andromeda brought her hand to her mouth and leaned against a cupboard, as quiet tears streamed down her face. Remus wasn't sure which name it was, but Molly seemed to know the person too, as she and Andromeda embraced each other.

When the dead had been called, one of the twins mentioned the password for the next one ('Padfoot') and they signed off.

Molly was pale, sniffling, and trembling. Lyall sat in a chair, chin in his hand, staring down at the floor. Andromeda tapped her wand on the wireless, turning it off, and wiped the last of her tears away.

"He's right, Molly," Lyall said, interrupting the tense quiet. "You-Know-Who wouldn't let the world forget if any of the top undesirables were gone. They're safe. We've got to keep hoping they're safe."

Andromeda murmured a reassurance to Molly, and turned to Remus.

"Liquids only," she reminded him sternly. "I know she's hungry but it's all she can have."

"Yes, er, I know." Remus had the others' eyes on him, suddenly recalling why he was downstairs. "She's bored."

"She sent you down to hear the news?" Andromeda's hands were on her hips. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, dark brown curls swinging wildly around her, and returned to the steaming cauldron on the stove. "Tell her that no news is good news—and to be patient."

Remus turned on his heel and trudged back up.

"What did they say?" Tonks whispered loudly, once Remus sat down at her side.

"Nothing new. I didn't catch all the names of the dead—" Tonks's face grew ashen upon hearing this. "—no one I knew."

"But you've forgotten the last four years."

Remus gave a slight shrug. "I'm sorry."

"I'll find out eventually." Tonks sat back and hissed. Her brows came together. Even her toes shook as a contraction overcame her.

"Is that pain potion working?"

"Sort—" Tonks strained on the syllable and threw her head back on a pillow. "—of."

Remus offered to get Molly or Andromeda to see if she'd progressed with her labor. He sat next to her, letting her hold his hand, while they looked at how dilated she was. After seven hours of labor, she was nowhere ready to push. Molly gave her another dose for pain relief, while Andromeda broke the news that it would likely be the next morning before the baby made his appearance.

The next part of the night began with Tonks trying to sleep through the contractions, Remus trying to keep her comfortable, and Andromeda checking in to record the slow labor progress.

Remus slept fitfully, as Tonks wanted him at her side, but he could provide no relief but his presence.

It was around three in the morning when he finally managed to extract himself from Tonks's side to use the loo. Andromeda took pity on him and suggested he sleep on the sofa to rest before the baby arrived.

His slumber didn't last long. His dreams were punctuated by nightmares of a tiny werewolf scratching Tonks's eyes out, before turning to kill everyone around them. He woke up, drenched in sweat, terrified of what was to come.

He surrendered to his reality and gave up on sleep.

…

Five cups of strong coffee fueled Remus on the morning of April third. He felt jittery—not just from the caffeine—and his anxiety hadn't been helped by the announcement that Tonks was finally ready to push. Twenty-three hours of labor had led to this point, and Remus was too exhausted to keep going.

It didn't help that the last he'd seen of Tonks, ten minutes prior, she'd removed most of her clothes and had her legs spread apart, ready to bring a baby into the world.

"What are you doing down here, Remus?"

He jumped back, clutching at his chest, exhaling rapidly upon seeing it was his father in the kitchen.

"It's time for her to push," said Remus. "It could be a little while." He pointed to the pot of coffee, which was empty.

Lyall frowned. "I can make the coffee. You go on up."

"She's, er, not—" Remus wanted to say she wasn't wearing much, and it didn't feel appropriate to see her that way, but he couldn't find any words to express his discomfort.

"I thought I'd keep you company," he said lamely. "Until the baby's almost born."

Lyall's mouth was set into a thin line. "You ought to be in there for the birth of your son. If you wait too long, you'll miss it."

Tonks's pained cries pierced the air. Remus could hear Andromeda and Molly's assurances. His father gave him a stern look – it was this, listening to Tonks's screams with a disappointed father at his side, or going upstairs to watch the birth.

"Go on, son," Lyall urged. "You're needed up there."

Remus took the stairs slowly as Tonks continued to make inhuman noises. He stopped at the top of the stairs, glancing at the doors available. He could go to his room or the baby's room and wait, alone, or he could go to Andromeda's room and witness the arrival of the son he'd had so little time to prepare for.

"WHERE'S – REMUS?"

He sighed. The decision was made for him.

Remus entered the bedroom, where Tonks was naked from the waist down with her legs spread apart. Andromeda was at the foot of the bed, sitting on a wooden chair, staring intently at the place from which the baby would emerge.

"Good, you're here," Molly said cheerily to Remus. "This isn't something you want to miss!"

"Remus!" Tonks reached out for him. He found his way to her side, grateful he didn't have to look at the approaching bloodbath.

"Nymphadora, it's time," Andromeda reminded. "Breathe and push, just like we practiced."

Remus found his hand bones being crushed a second later. Tonks whined, squeezing his hand tightly, and he tried not to yelp as she tried to break his bones with her grip.

Remus didn't know how long she was pushing, but the repeated encouragements from Andromeda and Molly let him know she was progressing. Her swollen belly moved, her grip on his hand tightened, and the whole room stank of sweat, salt, and blood. Remus yearned to open a window and breathe fresh air, but while Tonks had a hold on his hand, he wasn't going anywhere.

"You're so close, Tonks!" Molly said excitedly.

"It—" Tonks grunted her way through another push. "—burns!"

Molly came up to wipe the sweat off Tonks's brow.

"Should I open a window?" said Remus, as Tonks uttered another cry. Molly nodded and Remus let go of Tonks's hand, feeling instant relief from the crushing pain. He opened the window, and a pleasant, fragrant April breeze arrived.

"Come here, Remus!" Andromeda ordered. "Now! It's happening!"

He wanted to refuse, wishing to stay next to Tonks's head and having his hand crushed again, but Molly had taken his place on that side. He would have to go to the other side whether he liked it or not, and that would involve viewing the birth.

"Remus, now!"

He willed his feet to move forward, keeping his gaze steady on his socks, and stopped when he was behind Andromeda. A piercing wail hit his eardrums.

Expecting a baby, Remus looked up, but it hadn't arrived yet. To his horror, he could see a large, moving mass within her body, making its painstaking way out.

"We can see his head!" Andromeda cried, pushing Tonks's legs further apart. "Push, Nymphadora, push!"

A primal screech, followed by a series of expletives, escaped from Tonks's lips. The being within her body moved further down, the mess of dark hair and bodily fluids making Remus feel faint and hot, much too hot.

A blast of cold air hit his face.

"If you need to step out," Molly called, over another one of Tonks's colorful phrases, "go! We don't need you fainting!" She had directed the breeze from the window to Remus's face, and he was sorely tempted to take her up on the offer to leave.

"No!" Tonks gasped, as he turned to the door. "DON'T—GO!"

Remus fought every impulse in his body and decided to stay where he was, mumbling an assurance to Molly he'd be fine. He'd seen more than his fair share of blood, but nothing had prepared him for the torn flesh and chaos between Tonks's legs.

He steadied himself on the back of Andromeda's chair, staring ahead as the baby fully expanded her entrance.

"Keep going, Nymphadora! A little more!"

"I'M TRYING!" she bellowed, ripping the sheet off her chest. She was fully nude—and for the first time in his memory, Remus had other places to look besides a woman's chest. "IT BURNS!"

"Like you're taking a poo, Tonks," Molly urged, squeezing Tonks's calf gently. "Just like that."

Tonks strained, her face red and puffy, with her legs shaking violently from the effort. Just as the stench of excrement hit Remus's nose, it vanished. He saw Molly's discreet wand movements, erasing all evidence of the odor and its source.

"His head's out!" Andromeda shouted, her hands covered in a filmy, slippery substance. She maneuvered her hands around the head of hair, helping the baby out until his head had fully emerged from her body.

Remus gasped at the scrunched up face. It was hard to see the boy's features, as he was covered in various fluids, and Molly was in his way, helping clear the baby's nostrils and mouth.

"A little more, sweetheart!" called Andromeda, with her hands inside Tonks, adjusting the baby's shoulders.

Tonks heaved, her whole body trembling, and in the blink of an eye, the baby was out of her body and screaming at the top of his lungs.

Andromeda brought him to rest on Tonks's chest, his body still attached to hers by the thick umbilical cord. Molly took Andromeda's spot, helping through the afterbirth, and Andromeda brought a blanket to cover the baby, who wailed on his mother's chest.

Tonks was crying too, holding her son by his bum and kissing his wet head. Remus didn't know where to go. His knuckles were white from how hard he gripped the back of the chair; he didn't know if he should watch the afterbirth or interrupt the moment between grandmother, mother, and son.

Andromeda was helping guide the baby to Tonks's breast; to Remus's surprise, Tonks waved her off.

"Remus!" Tonks cried, holding her hand out for him. "Teddy! Come see!"

Remus took a moment to steady himself. The baby wasn't wailing anymore, but merely whimpering against Tonks's breast.

He approached Tonks from where Andromeda stood, and thankfully, she moved to give him a good look at the newborn. Tonks looked up at Remus, her teary eyes filled with joy and adoration, a radical change from what Remus had seen before.

"Want to hold our boy?"

Remus opened his mouth, thinking the baby should be left where he was, but Andromeda was already wrapping him up to move him. Molly came to help, bringing a tiny, knitted hat to wrap over the boy's head. She then cut the umbilical cord and cast a charm to clean the spot that would become the baby's belly button. With the baby clean and wrapped, Andromeda brought him to Remus.

"Hold his head," she said, adjusting Remus's hands. "One hand under his bum, that's it. If you need to sit, there's room on the bed."

Remus had never seen anything so remarkable in his life. The baby boy in his arms blinked up at him groggily, his eyelids still glistening from the birth. He was perfect: a tiny nose, so like Remus's, a heart-shaped face like his mother's, round, ruddy cheeks, petite, pouty lips that curved just like his, and little, wrinkled hands that wriggled at his sides. He had fine, sandy brown hairs that peeked out of the sides of his hat, and the way his brow came together as he yawned reminded Remus so much of his father that it took his breath away.

There was no doubt in Remus's mind, as he contemplated the face of the little boy staring up at him, that he was holding his son. The baby whose birth he'd been unprepared for, the boy who he'd seen emerge from his mother's womb, the impossibly perfect child in his arms was his son.

Remus's vision became blurry. He gasped, seeing a tear fall on the baby's soft cheek, stunned that the sight of his newborn son could bring him to tears. He'd known the boy for mere seconds—or perhaps minutes, as time seemed to have stopped—and he couldn't understand how such a tiny creature could grip him by the throat with how much he loved him.

"Remus?" Tonks called. "Are you all right?"

He finally raised his eyes, his vision unclear, and nodded at her. It took him by surprise, the sudden burst of emotion he felt for Tonks at that moment. She had endured hours of pain to bring his son—their son—into the world.

It was at that moment that Remus had the overwhelming, almost unbearable realization that someone loved him enough to marry him and have his child. Tonks, the colorful witch sitting upright, her pillows being fluffed around her, had given him a family.

"Remus, dear," Molly said, interrupting the moment, "he'll need to eat."

Remus reluctantly brought his son to Tonks, no longer caring about the smell or sight of the afterbirth. He gently laid the baby on Tonks's breast, and with Andromeda's help, saw him latch on at once.

"That feels funny," Tonks chuckled, her finger grazing the boy's cheek. "Hi, Teddy. Mummy and daddy love you so much."

"Teddy Lupin," murmured Molly, watching the scene from behind Andromeda. "Does he have a middle name?"

"Remus," Tonks replied, turning her face to smile at Remus, who thought his heart couldn't handle any more happiness. "Teddy Remus Lupin."

"Edward Remus Lupin," corrected Andromeda, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "Just like my Ted. He would've loved him."

"Your father!" Molly cried, eyes now on Remus. "I'll fetch him!"

Remus had forgotten he had a father. He'd forgotten that anything existed outside that bedroom. The war looming around them was a figment of his imagination—nothing was real besides Teddy and Tonks.

Andromeda finished cleaning up from the birth. Remus hadn't realized how much she and Molly had done already; the room was almost back to normal. The only indication the room had seen any carnage was lying on Tonks's other breast, eating ravenously.

"Is it all right to come in?" asked Molly.

"Just a minute," called Andromeda. "He's almost done eating!"

Teddy finished his hearty meal. Remus's chest swelled with pride, seeing his son full and sleepy. Andromeda wrapped Teddy up again and handed him to Remus, giving Tonks a moment to dress herself before Lyall met his grandson.

"You can come in now," Tonks said, hoarse and exhausted. Remus turned to face the door.

Lyall walked in behind Molly, and as soon as he laid his eyes on Teddy, the softest, most tender look came over his face.

"My son," Remus choked, hardly able to keep his emotions in. "Dad…meet my son."

Lyall carefully took Teddy from Remus's arms. A huge, rare smile lit up Lyall's face; it was the kind of smile Remus had seen only a handful of times.

"Doesn't he look just like Remus?" Tonks said, with a yawn. "All those months inside me and I make a mini Remus."

Remus turned back to her. "He's got your face—look at his chin—and his ears—"

"—now, are my old eyes deceiving me," interjected Lyall, staring curiously at Teddy, "or is this boy's hair changing color?"

"Show me! Show me!" Tonks shouted frantically. Remus extracted Teddy from his father's arms and brought him to Tonks, yanking off the knitted hat that had been on his head.

They gathered around the bed, watching in awe as Teddy's sandy brown hairs turned a shade of blue.

"He's a—"

"Metamorphmagus!" Andromeda cried, clapping her hands to her mouth.

"—there it goes again! Orange!"

"No, look, it's blue!"

Teddy settled on a bright shade of turquoise. It suited him perfectly, just like Tonks's bubblegum pink. With a barely audible sigh, Teddy burrowed into his mother's chest and closed his eyes.

Andromeda and Molly each wiped tears from their eyes; Lyall squeezed Remus's shoulders and cleared his throat with a sniffle.

Remus finally gave in and let his head fall on Tonks's shoulder. He cried tears of joy at the sight of his brilliant, turquoise-haired son, resting contently after a long day's labor. Remus never known such happiness in his entire life, and it was all because of Tonks.