"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are."

Remus softly tapped Teddy's pudgy feet with each syllable. He watched as the baby's fine hair shifted from golden yellow to turquoise, his happy shade. It was the kind of magic that made Remus feel like a child again, filled with wonder and awe over what witches and wizards could do. He'd seen Tonks morph, and while it was impressive, seeing his almost month-old son change his hair color brought him a distinct sort of enchantment.

Remus supposed it had to do with his own state. He was becoming fast friends with Tonks. He was deliriously happy that she was his wife, as he found her more attractive by the day, though acting on those feelings felt foreign to him. She didn't hesitate to hold his hand, run her fingers through his hair, or kiss his cheek. He wanted to return the affection but felt foolish every time he so much as considered giving her a chaste kiss on her forehead. She told him to take his time, and anyway, they couldn't have sex for a while, until she was healed from Teddy's birth.

Imagining sex with Nymphadora put him in such a dizzying, baffled mood that he couldn't dwell on it for long, lest his body betray him. He was still adjusting to having a wife, a wife who very much wanted him to touch her, and who wanted to have sex with him when they could. She'd expressed concern, after the birth, that he'd seen too much and wouldn't want to be with her, but he'd made it clear that witnessing her bring their son into the world had only increased his growing affection and gratitude for her. He was certain she could tell he was attracted to her—she seemed to take pleasure in seeing him react to her body or what she could do with it—and for the first time in his life, he didn't care if he looked utterly stupid while staring at a beautiful woman. She liked the way he looked at her, and he wondered when he'd be comfortable enough to touch her the way she touched him.

Then there was Teddy, the most wonderful child Remus had ever laid eyes on. He had ten, perfect little fingers and toes. He was a calm baby, or so Andromeda said, and Remus was inclined to believe her. Teddy cried when he was hungry or uncomfortable, but Tonks was quick about feeding him and Remus was even quicker to change a nappy or rock him to sleep. Teddy couldn't smile or coo yet, but they thought he was close to smiling, especially when his hair became a vibrant turquoise and he wiggled his limbs around. He was happiest when he was being talked or sung to, or when he ate, and as Remus couldn't feed him, he was delighted to make his son happy with a nursery rhyme or a story.

"How are my favorite wizards?" asked Tonks, from the doorway. With a yawn, she met Remus by the rocking chair, plopped into it, and rested her head against the wooden spindles.

"Very well," replied Remus. "Teddy's got a clean nappy after making a mess all over my hands."

"Did he apologize?"

Remus shook his head, laughing. "No, he seemed wholly unrepentant."

"Rude of him, don't you think?" she said, a playful lilt to her voice. "But he's a handsome lad, so I reckon we can let it go, don't you?"

Teddy waved his fists around. Remus picked him up off the floor and cradled him, dazed by how much he loved someone he'd only met a few weeks ago.

A quick thudding on the stairs startled all three of them.

Andromeda, her hair unusually frizzed and messy, appeared in the baby's room, holding the wireless. An unfamiliar voice filled the room.

"We've just received a report that Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley, Undesirables wanted by the Ministry, have broken in and out of Gringotts bank."

Remus heard Tonks gasp from behind him.

"Several eyewitnesses claim that Potter and his accomplices impersonated Madam Bellatrix Lestrange, who was seen earlier today in Hogsmeade," the voice continued rapidly, "in the words of one anonymous witness, Madam Lestrange wished someone a 'good morning.' The unidentified wizard thought it unusual, but confirmed he saw Lestrange and another fellow step into Gringotts moments later."

Andromeda set the wireless down on Teddy's dresser and brought her trembling hand to her mouth.

"An anonymous witch, who was leaving Gringotts as Lestrange left, reports that there appeared to be trouble with Lestrange's key and vault. The anonymous witch believes Lestrange had more than one person with her, as she said, and I quote, 'a pair of shoes that flashed and disappeared behind her.'"

Remus held Teddy closer; more than once, he'd seen the Invisibility Cloak stretched in a way that wouldn't conceal shoes or ankles.

"It is unknown what happened between the key dispute and the escape," said the radio voice. "Witnesses in Diagon Alley claim a dragon burst through Gringotts's roof, shattering it completely, with three figures riding it. Several reports confirm the figures as Potter, Granger, and Weasley, though the criminals were not apprehended before flying away on the dragon. Dozens of Muggles have had their memories altered, after claiming they saw the dragon fly over London."

Tonks took Remus by the shoulder and squeezed it, whispering, "Not good, not good, not at all good."

"The goblins of Gringotts refused to state whether something had been stolen. Several goblins were hurt or killed in this vicious attack. The thieves escaped and their whereabouts are unknown. If you see any of the Undesirables, it is your civic duty to report their location to the Ministry."

As the voice continued, it was clear that it didn't belong a friend—it certainly wasn't Potterwatch.

The radio broadcaster wasted the next few minutes berating Harry, Ron, and Hermione, until Tonks flicked her wand at the wireless to shut it off.

"I can't listen to that anymore," she said hotly. "Lies, all of it!"

Remus turned around to face her. "You don't think they were telling the truth about the Gringotts escape?"

"They've been hiding for months! Why would they do something so public and stupid like that?"

"The Bellatrix Lestrange they spoke of is not my sister," Andromeda said darkly. "She wouldn't wish anyone a good morning, unless she planned to kill them first."

Remus cleared his throat. "The set of shoes…if Harry was using his Invisibility Cloak, it's not out of the question."

"But…" Tonks grew quiet. "Why would they do that?"

Something ethereal and blue came rushing into the nursery. A lynx-shaped Patronus stopped short of Remus, speaking in the deep voice he'd learned belonged to Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Potterwatch, password from last broadcast."

"It was 'Wulfric' last time, mum!" Tonks shouted. "Turn it on!"

Andromeda tapped her wand against the wireless, shifting through the frequencies, and then said the password.

"Lightning has struck! Lightning has struck Hogwarts!" Lee Jordan's voice boomed. "This is it, folks! Lightning has struck and you're needed for the storm! Stop to see the goats first!"

Lee repeated the message, reiterating that lightning had struck the castle, a storm approached, and checking-in with the goats was crucial.

None of it made any sense to Remus, but Andromeda had paled and Tonks gripped his shoulders painfully. Andromeda turned the volume down to its lowest level, and looked back at them.

"We have to go," Tonks said heavily. "We've got to fight."

Remus squawked in confusion; this was the first he heard of fighting.

"No, Nymphadora," Andromeda replied. "You have a son who needs you. You're not going anywhere."

"What is happening?" asked Remus, turning his head between mother and daughter.

"Lightning is Harry and he's at Hogwarts," Tonks explained quickly. "The storm means there's a battle and goats means we need to see Ab from the Hog's Head, probably to get us inside somehow."

A loud crack outside made Remus flinch; other than the news from Potterwatch, and what the others told him, he could hardly believe it was wartime. With Teddy's arrival, he'd all but stopped caring about anything other than his newly acquired family.

"It's Kingsley and Lyall," Andromeda said, peering out the window. "I'll ask them the security questions."

"We need to go, Remus," Tonks urged. "C'mon." She stood up, looking at him expectantly, and he handed Teddy off to her so he could get to his feet.

They came down to the kitchen, where his father, Kingsley, and Andromeda were, already deep in conversation.

"This is it," Remus heard Kingsley say. "You-Know-Who and his army are approaching. Harry's there to fight—" He dropped his voice to a whisper. "—or he'll die trying. Everyone who can help—we need as many wands as we can get."

"Nymphadora's not going," Andromeda said boldly.

"You're not talking for me!" Tonks shot back. "I'm going! I've got to fight!" She looked back at Remus and added, "We've got to fight! For Teddy! For our family!"

"You won't be any use to your family if you're dead," hissed Andromeda. "Your son needs you!"

Tonks turned around, her dark grey eyes shining with fury. Teddy was asleep in her arms, his hair a deep, ocean blue, with his fists tightly clenched on his chest.

"We have to go, Remus," she said forcefully. "We have to win this war, once and for all."

Remus stared ahead, at a loss of what to say or do. Andromeda was furious, Lyall looked at the scene with concern, and Kingsley glanced nervously at the clock. At the center of it all was Tonks, holding the sleeping baby; though an Auror before the war, she'd only given birth a few weeks ago and wasn't fully healed. Remus felt out of practice, certain he'd walk into his death if he met with Voldemort or Bellatrix Lestrange.

Suddenly, he wondered if this was the fate he'd deserved all along: he'd woken up to the life he'd always wanted, with a gorgeous wife, perfectly healthy son, and now it was time for it to be taken away. He felt idiotic for thinking this happiness could last—he'd never been truly happy for long, and it was time for the domestic charade to end.

"Remus? Say something!"

"I—"

Remus saw Teddy's arm flail about. His heart clenched at the realization that he'd likely held his son for the last time, that he'd almost surely never get to sing to him again, or see him smile. His eyes flitted up to Tonks's—he'd never even kissed her or told her how much the last few weeks had meant to him. He'd never get the chance to be a real husband, to make love to her, or tell her, one day, how much he loved her.

"No," Remus croaked, stunning everyone. "You're not going, Tonks, and neither am I."

"But they need us—"

"—no," Remus repeated, cutting her off. "I'm not—"

"Kingsley." Tonks rounded on her former colleague. "You said—I heard you—you need every wand you can get."

Kingsley hesitated. Remus could see his discomfort; luckily, Lyall saw it too.

"I'll take my son's place," Lyall told Kingsley, as Remus gaped at him, horrified.

"Dad, you can't, you're not trained—"

"I'll join you," Andromeda offered, shocking Remus further.

"No, mum!" Tonks cried. "Remus and I will go—or Lyall and me—not you!"

"Kingsley," Lyall said, turning away from everyone else. "Go to the Hog's Head. Two of us will follow."

Kingsley nodded at him and rushed out the door. A loud crack followed his exit.

All four adults in the kitchen spoke at once.

"You're not going, Nymphadora—"

"—Dad, have you lost your mind?"

"Remus and I are the only ones trained—"

"—I can't lose you, any of you!"

A high-pitched wail erupted from Teddy. Remus went to him instantly. Tonks still held him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Tonks," Remus said softly, "what if this is the last time…the last time you hear him cry…the last time you hold him…"

She squeaked, and gazed down at Teddy, whose hair was now neon orange and his cheeks red from his wails.

"Let me—"

Tonks held Teddy tighter and rushed to the living room. Andromeda followed her, and Remus heard Teddy's quiet gurgling as he ate.

"Dad, why are you volunteering for this? You'll get killed—all of us will get killed!"

"Son," said Lyall, placing his hand on Remus's shoulder. "I don't agree with Andromeda's decision to go in Tonks's place, but it's her decision. This is mine. You stay with your son. I've never seen you this happy…not since Dumbledore came to our door and offered you a place at Hogwarts. This is where you belong."

Remus scrutinized his father. Gray-white hair, a full beard to match, crinkled lines around his light brown eyes, and a too-big nose Remus hadn't inherited stared back at him.

"You need to stay with your wife and son, Remus. If something goes wrong—" He produced a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it over.

"I put my shed under the Fidelius Charm. Told the neighbors I tore it down," Lyall explained. "If you need to hide out until you can get out of the country, go here."

"Dad…"

"You've got a lifetime ahead of you. Don't waste it."

Andromeda returned from the living room with red-rimmed, puffy eyes.

"Nymphadora will stay here. I'll be going."

She crossed the kitchen to meet Remus and Lyall. She sniffled, and put her palm against Remus's cheek.

"Take care of them for me," she said thickly. "They need you."

"It should be me," Remus gasped.

He felt like a coward, sending his mother-in-law and father into battle, when he was younger, healthier, and more dispensable. He had a son, but many sons grew up without their fathers. His life was unsustainable; what had he been thinking, cursing Tonks and Teddy with a werewolf for a husband and father? If he cared for them at all—he'd be risking his life for them, not Andromeda or his father.

"We've made our decisions," Lyall said uneasily, glancing at Andromeda. "Go back to your family, son."

For a moment, Remus thought Andromeda would take him up on his offer to go in her place, but she stood firmly with Lyall, and sent him into the living room. Tonks was crying into her hands, with Teddy laying on the floor, wriggling on his play mat.

As soon as Remus sat down next to her on the sofa, he heard the twin cracks of Apparition.

"Why?" Tonks cried, staring at him. "Why would you send them?"

Remus hung his head, guilt wracking every nerve in his body. He felt he'd sent Andromeda and Lyall to their deaths, with no certainty that their fate would help in winning the war. Tonks, kind, brave, and strong, wouldn't forgive him for this. She wouldn't forgive him when they inevitably buried their parents, even if they defeated Voldemort.

Perhaps she'd forgiven the other Remus for leaving her twice, but she wouldn't forgive this Remus for staying.

Teddy began whimpering; Remus could smell the mess in the boy's nappy. Needing something to take his mind off the battle, he knelt down to clean him.

"Mum gave me this," Tonks said, pulling a compact mirror out of her pocket. "Dad left it with her. It's an emergency Portkey…but she didn't say where it would take us."

Remus clasped Teddy's fresh nappy into place.

"My Dad put his shed under the Fidelius Charm before he got here. We can go there first and take the Portkey."

Tonks's hair became mousy brown and limp. The dark circles under her eyes appeared, as well as a dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks.

Remus sat back on his heels with a question on the tip of his tongue. Thinking he couldn't disappoint Tonks any more than he already had, he let it slip.

"Why didn't you leave? Why didn't we leave? If your mum had the Portkey…why didn't you get out of the country?"

Tonks gawked at him, as if he were daft. She ran her hand through her limp hair and said, "I didn't know about the Portkey till a few minutes ago. I reckon mum didn't want to leave unless we had no choice. Or maybe…maybe she thought we'd never go with her, and we'd stay to fight…and we didn't fight." She put her face in her hands and whimpered. "We should've left the country…if I'd known you wouldn't want to…"

"I wouldn't have said no to going to fight, before Teddy was born," Remus confessed. "I wanted to leave, before…I would've volunteered to fight, before Teddy."

"But you wouldn't have stayed for me?" said Tonks, her face falling.

Remus inhaled slowly and closed his eyes. "I wouldn't have stayed for either of you, until you have birth to our son. I didn't understand what I almost walked away from…and I couldn't walk away today. I don't know if the other me would've…but I couldn't. I—I'm sorry, Tonks."

He couldn't look at her. He knew he was being selfish and cowardly, putting his own happiness over the safety of the wizarding world.

It felt the way he did when he lied to Dumbledore about Sirius, or when he'd lied about knowing what the Marauder's Map could do. He was a selfish liar, always putting himself before others.

Tonks came down from the sofa and took his hand.

"I'm selfish," he said, feeling wretched. "My dad and your mum will die, and it'll be my fault—"

"No, Remus. If our parents didn't want to go, they wouldn't have gone. I told mum we should get out and use the Portkey, y'know? Forget all the problems here. You know what she said? She told me no, because she wanted to fight for dad. For me. For Teddy. She told me that if I could understand why I wanted to fight for Teddy, I'd have to understand why she'd fight for us. I wanted to blame you—a part of me still does—but it's not fair to you."

She took a deep breath and looked at Teddy.

"I was angry at you, when you said I could've been holding him for the last time—"

"—it wasn't fair, I was manipula—"

"—it needed to be said. I'm not ready to fight. I'd get killed, and I'd never get to see Teddy again." Her eyes welled with tears. "But if we lose—he'll ask why I didn't do more, why I didn't go—"

Remus didn't know why he chose that moment for it, or how he found her pouty lips so appealing, despite her tears, but he interrupted her by bringing his mouth to hers.

She froze for a moment, and he wondered if he'd done something wrong, but her hand came up to his cheek, keeping him close. She started kissing him back, and Remus gasped when she straddled him and sat on his lap. He felt his body respond to hers, and he didn't care, not with her soft lips under his, her hands on the back of his neck, or her warm thighs gripping his hips tightly. His palms were on her backside, squeezing her greedily, his longing over her finally finding release.

A small whimper disrupted their activity.

Teddy's face was scrunched up. Remus groaned when he and Tonks separated, desperate for more, but Teddy's needs came first. Tonks lifted him from the play mat and rocked him, her lips swollen and pink and her chest rising and falling quickly.

"My sprog would interrupt me, wouldn't he?" she said, kissing Teddy's forehead. "You're lucky you're handsome, Teddy."

The baby calmed down, content with the attention he was receiving.

"Thank you," Tonks murmured, turning to look at Remus. "I needed you to—to do something like that. I almost forgot about the—the battle."

Remus nodded, remembering she'd said something similar when he told her how beautiful she was. If kissing her and telling her how attractive he found her was what it took to bring her joy, he was willing to spend all night like that, just to keep her mind off the battle.

He kissed her cheek, hungry for more, and hoped Teddy would stay calm for the night.