Teddy Lupin liked to wonder around school grounds when it was late at night. In his third year his godfather had given him a family heirloom that many of his peers would kill to get their hands on. Harry had made him swear he would never tell anyone because if Minerva McGonagall found out that Cloak was in her school again, she would have Harry’s head on a silver tray, served at the next Halloween feast.
Teddy knew he had a tendency to get in trouble but he was very good at getting out of them, too. Now that he was a Prefect, he actually could wander around the castle late at night without being disrupted but he was bored. He had been everywhere in the castle, knew every way in and out, knew each hidden room thanks to Uncle George and his godfather, now he wanted to go outside and get a closer look at the Forbidden Forest, he had this feeling inside him for the past month that he had to go there. He wanted to go to the Forbidden Forest ever since Harry told him about how his father and his parents ran around the forest on full moons. He had been to Shrieking Shack in his fourth year after Harry told him how to get in there, there were claw marks everywhere and old piano and a broken bed but it was his father’s home during full moons and Teddy went there when he missed his parents more than usual, especially on full moons when his headache came to a point he would feel like his head would explode.
It was a few days before the full moon and Teddy had patrol that night, he planned to sneak out of the school after his patrol was done and wander around the Forbidden Forest for a change. He had tucked the Invisibility Cloak under his robes as he walked the same route he always did. First around the Hufflepuff common room, then to the kitchens to have some chocolate, next Slytherin dungeons and then Gryffindor common room, finally Ravenclaw tower.
After he looked around to see if there was anyone around or if there was any of the pictures awake Teddy pulled the Cloak around himself and vanished instantly, he realised he was getting a little bit too tall for the Cloak but he would rather crawl on the floor than give the Cloak back to Harry simply because he didn’t fit.
Teddy loved Hogwarts during spring, the weather was a bit chilly at night but he didn’t mind, perks of being the son of a werewolf was that he was warm whatever he did. Teddy slowly walked by Hagrid’s hut which still had it’s lights on, he was probably still trying to contain the Nifflers that got loose earlier that day when a Gryffindor girl ignored Hagrid’s warnings and kept her necklace on.
Teddy
Teddy turned around to see who was calling his name, it was a whimper but it was most definitely his name.
Teddy
It was coming from the Forest so Teddy not so slowly walked into the darkness. There were small beacons of moonlight that found their way in through leaves but other than that it was pretty gloomy.
Teddy
It was clearer now, it was like it came from the ground. Teddy looked down and took the Cloak off as he reached for a stone that shined a little bit brighter than others. Teddy put the stone in his right hands palm in examined it, turned it around, checked from each perspective but couldn’t find anything peculiar about it, he turned the stone once more and the stone brightened before it started letting out something what looked like grey smoke.
“Teddy?”
Teddy knew that voice, he had heard it before when McGonagall showed him memories of his father in the Pensieve and he slowly lifted his gaze back up from the storm.
“Dad?”
Remus Lupin was standing right in front of Teddy with a smile and right next to him stood a woman with pink hair who he knew was Nymphdora Tonks, what else could explain his blue hair.
“Mum?”
“Wotcher, Teddy?” said his mother grinning widely, Teddy knew her from Harry’s memories and Mrs. Weasley’s long talks about her. She looked better then everything he had heard.
“I– How?” asked Teddy as he stared at his parents for the first time in his life.
“That stone you are holding is the Resurrection Stone, Harry had dropped it during the Battle of Hogwarts,” explained Remus as he stared at his son like he would disappear any moment. “I’m sure he told you about that.”
“Yes he did,” replied Teddy, thinking about how Harry told him what his dad said to him before Harry dropped the stone, he had made him tell that story maybe ten times and watched the memory countless times. “So you are real? I am not imagining you?”
“No, love, we are very real,” replied his mother as her hair turned a vivid blue, he ran his hand through his own blue hair and grinned at her.
“Thanks for this,” he said as he walked a little bit closer to them. “So, um, how are you?”
Teddy had so much he wanted to ask but he didn’t have the words for it and after he asked how they were he felt stupid, it was an unnecessary question to ask since they didn’t have much to do.
“Forget about how we are doing, you are a Prefect now!” chanted Tonks, her pride could be heard clearly. “And, you are a Hufflepuff!”
Teddy and Remus both laughed softly at her excitement, he could see that he got his dad’s smile and body but his mum’s everything else.
“Um, dad, I was torn between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff but the Sorting Hat–”
“What are you talking about? Hufflepuffs are amazing, they are smarter than most Gryffindors are for sure,” interrupted Remus a warm smile on his face and then he turned to Tonks. “I’m starting to think Andy puts something in the water.”
Both of them laughed and Teddy couldn’t help but feel like someone just stabbed him in the heart, this was what he had been missing his all life, this was what he would have had if they survived. Sure he loved the Potters and the Weasleys but this was his real family and he couldn’t help but want them back.
“What’s wrong, Teddy?” asked his mum pulling him from the trance he was in.
“What– I–?”
“You play with your rings, our rings, when you feel down,” explained Remus. Teddy did not see that coming, how did they know he wore their rings? “We have been watching you Teddy, we are here with you even though you can’t see us buddy, we are always here.”
Remus was pointing at Teddy’s heart, of course they were there but he wanted more, having them in their heart was one thing, talking to them and joking with them was another.
“It is not the same,” objected Teddy barely whispering, he could feel his eyes watering and his hair changing colour as they always did when he was sad. “It’s just not.”
“Teddy your hair–”
“Yeah it turns black when I’m sad, I have no idea why.”
But his mum was laughing uncontrollably and his dad was just staring at him in awe.
“What’s so funny?” babbled Teddy angrily, “Why is she laughing?”. Black wasn’t that weird or funny considering the hair colours he usually chose.
“It’s just that black hair and the Black genes you have, you reminded us of someone we know,” replied Remus still not tearing his eyes away.
“Someone we know?!” yelled Tonks in between her laughing. “Sirius is going to kill you once more for that.”
“What do you want me to tell him?”
“You look like Sirius Black, darling, Remus’ soul mate and first love,” stated his mum, without a trace of jealousy on her face.
“Harry’s godfather? Oh I kind of figured that out from all those memories Minnie showed me,” said Teddy nonchalantly, his father looked relieved.
He never cared for what they did or what they were, Teddy always cared about the fact that they were his parents and they were perfect. He remembered how fondly Harry talked about Sirius and if his father never got over him, well that wasn’t really a problem because he didn’t have to, just like Teddy would never get over the absence of their parents. He could see that his father loved his mother, he knew that death was never expected and shit happened, he knew better than most. The fact that he loved Harry referring to him as his eldest didn’t mean that he forgot his actual parents, he would never do that.
This was what Teddy wanted, to talk to his parents about stupid stuff and laugh with them, ask for their advice every now and then. He didn’t understand how Harry left the stone here and didn’t keep it, just to talk to all the people he had lost. He was going to hold on to the stone, he didn’t have to be as brave as Harry was, he could talk to his parents every now and then when he needed to. As he was thinking this through Remus opened his mouth like he had read Teddy’s mind.
“Teddy, you need to promise me you’ll leave that stone here or give it to Minerva,” pointed out, he suddenly looked very serious.
“What’s so wrong if I want to talk to you every know and then?” protested Teddy. “All the other kids get their chances to talk with their parents, why not me?”
“Because it is dangerous Teddy,” said his mum with a worried voice. “You are a smart boy, you have heard about this stone before, you know the story. We may be real, you may now be talking to us but you can’t waste your time talking to the dead.”
“Don’t say that,” begged Teddy, the reminder was like a shot in the head.
“We listen to you, when you want to talk to us, just because you can’t see us doesn’t mean that–”
“Yes it does,” he interrupted his dad, feeling his anger rise in him. “Every damn full moon I shut everyone out and try to sleep through a head ache. I like my meat almost raw just like Uncle Bill does. My hair changes colours, my face becomes whatever I want it to be. Everyday bloody day is a reminder that I am your child without even meeting you.”
“Do you know what it feels like when Mrs. Weasley talks about you or McGonagall compares me to you? I can’t say anything because I don’t know you. Out of all the people in the world who got to meet you, only your son didn’t. People tell things, people know your shells. I don’t have Sirius, James or Lily to tell me about the real you, dad, without the bloody wall you put up against other people. Grandpa didn’t know you like they did, he tried and I am thankful but he is aware that all he has is you as a son and not as a Marauder. At least I know how mum was raised and have some of her in me but you, I need to get to know you.”
“Not like this Teddy, I’m sorry,” apologised Remus as he tilted his head to the side, he could see their resemblance each time he moved. The long limbs, the way they both wore their hearts on their sleeves only if they wanted to, he was so painfully Remus Lupin’s son that he hated it, he almost hated that he reminded everyone who his father was, how much it must hurt them, too. “You know why we did what we did, we wanted you to have the best future you can have, we never really meant for you to grow up without us and you should know that it hurts us as much as it hurts you.”
“You are not aware that we didn’t get to meet you either, love. When we want for you to give the Stone back, we are making a hard decision ourselves, too.”
“You really can’t control if I keep the Stone or not,” challenged Teddy.
“We can’t control if you keep it or not but we can control how we are and if it means that you’ll let the Stone go, that’s exactly what we will do,” said his mum, looking nothing like her usual cheerful self. Teddy never knew that she had it in her and he felt a little scared.
“I may give it to Minnie, I can’t promise anything.”
“Teddy!” scolded Remus. “Also, don’t call your Professor Minnie”
“Oh, so it’s alright when Sirius does and I can’t do it?” complained Teddy as he couldn’t help but laugh, he never had anyone tell him off for calling her that. “Next, you are going to tell me to stay out of trouble.”
“Why yes, I am,” said Remus as he furrowed his brows. “You really should be careful, I don’t know what Harry was thinking giving you that Cloak.”
“You planned pranks for the Marauders and you tell me to stay away from trouble. Remus I-was-a-prefect-but-who-cares Lupin tells me to stay away from trouble. Mum, do something.”
Teddy hadn’t realised up until now that his mother was doubled over laughing at them and they just stared at her as she tried to catch her breath.
“Do whatever you want, love, don’t listen to him,” joked Tonks as she smiled widely.
“You really should go back to the castle buddy, Forest is never safe at this time,” said Remus warily.
“But–”
“The longer we take to go away, the worse,” added his mum.
“You are a strong boy Teddy, you can do this, go make us proud and don’t forget, we are always with you,” said Remus, his eyes stuck on Teddy’s face.
“We love you so much and don’t you ever forget that,” reminded his mum, he had never seen her cry before and he felt like he never felt anything more painful than seeing her like that.
“I love you, too,” whispered Teddy as he fought the tears trying to escape his eyes. He gave the stone a one last squeeze before he put it in his pocket. He slowly walked up to the castle and just as he made his way to the Hufflepuff common room, it was too late to pull the Cloak over him now.
“Mr. Lu–”
McGonagall was staring at him like she had seen a ghost.
“Where were you?” she demanded as calmly as she could but Teddy could swear her eyes were filled with tears.
“Um, in the forest,” said Teddy as he reached for the stone, deciding if he should give it to her or not. “I was talking to my parents, Professor”
“How?”
Teddy held out the stone for Minerva to take, she took it immediately and examined it. The one thing his parents asked him to do, he just couldn’t say no.
“I’m sure you heard about it ma’am, the Resurrection Stone. My dad made me promise I would give it to you.”
“Have you seen yourself, Mr. Lupin?” asked McGonagall softly as she pushed Teddy to somewhere he could see himself.
His blue hair was gone now, he had visible locks of blondish hair and amber eyes that burned like fire, he looked so much like his dad, he thought he turned the Stone without realising.
“I know you miss them Mr. Lupin but I wish I could explain to you how much you are like them without even realising,” said McGonagall, she was smiling at Teddy with warm eyes. “Now off to bed and visit me tomorrow after your patrol Mr. Lupin, I have something to show you.”
Teddy nodded and went back to his dorm thinking about how the time will pass until it was 10 o’clock tomorrow.
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