Spring 2010
Harry was making sure the gift he had bought for Teddy's twelfth birthday was ready to be mailed. Teddy was a second year student at the Clamath School for Magical Arts in Washington State. The first year he was gone, Harry had spiraled a bit, but having the older teens nearby had helped give him something to focus on.
Last summer, he had completed the paperwork to adopt one of the kids who had been with him a while, August, a genderfluid sixteen year old whose parents abandoned them. August was a Squib but got along great with Teddy as they both thought the idea of changing and reinventing yourself from day to day was the best thing ever.
He passed by the picture he kept of Severus in the hall and stopped. WHat would he say if he could see Harry's life now? He imagined there would be some grumbling about teenagers running roughshod over his beautiful house. But even as a mean Professor, Severus had always watched out for the kids in his knew Severus had cared deeply for Teddy once they were more familiar.
He smiled sadly. He missed his partner. But he had a wonderful life here in Montana. He was content to raise teenagers and the occasional animal. He had gone on a couple dates the girls in town had set him up with, but no one had caught him yet. He wasn't worried. If the world wanted him to meet someone it would either happen or not.
He looked at the calendar and smiled. Only a few more weeks and the Weasley clan would descend on the house. Officially it was to welcome August, but also to celebrate Harry and the teen's birthdays as well as Ginny and Percy if he came. All the summer babies at once.
Molly and Arthur had been so supportive when Severus had passed. With the house in Devon empty of children needing care, Molly had taken an international portkey back with Harry and had run a tight ship. She and Andromeda had cared for the kids and Harry for a solid three months that it took to recover himself and he appreciated more than he could ever say. The kids still called Gran Mol once a month, passing the phone among themselves. Arthur had been delighted to have a phone put into the house and from Mollys complaints, spent his retirement cold calling strangers.
With a final look at the picture of Severus, standing beside a palomino horse, ready to go riding, he turned and headed out to the post office. They were going to be fine.