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Chapter Text

“Edward Remus Lupin! You apologise to Ginny, right this instant.” Harry ordered sternly. Teddy had been a complete and utter nightmare since James was born three weeks ago. Harry would have given anything to experience the terrible twos again, because if this is what Teddy was like at five years old, he wanted none of it.

“NO!” Teddy yelled back, his face contorted in anger. His hair turned from brown to fiery red to prove his point.

“Teddy, do you understand how much you’ve upset Ginny? Hate is a very strong word, and you and I both know that you didn’t mean what you said, so I want you to go back downstairs and say you’re sorry.”

“I did mean it! I hate you. I hate both of you!” he cried, stamping his foot.

Harry clenched his jaw and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You don’t mean that.” He sighed. “Look, if you’re not going to calm down and apologise, you can stay in your room and think about what you’ve done.”

Teddy’s lower lip quivered, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. Before Harry could see him cry, he bolted into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him with as much force a little boy could muster.

Harry shook his head and made his way back downstairs to Ginny. He entered the living room and saw her perched on a loveseat, cradling James in her arms, who had now fallen fast asleep, despite Teddy’s tantrum.

“Don’t worry, Harry. He’ll calm down soon enough. Kids say stupid things.” She reassured him, offering him a small, sympathetic smile.
“I know. I know. It’s just…when he says things like that, I feel like a terrible parent. Remus and Tonks would have been much better at this.” Harry sighed, sitting down beside her.

“Don’t be silly, Harry. He’s lucky to have you. No one could ask for a better godfather. He’s just jealous of having a little brother. Mum said it was perfectly normal for young kids to feel this way. He’ll come around soon, you’ll see.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” He murmured, before pecking her gently on the cheek.

Upstairs, Teddy’s vibrant mop of red hair had mellowed into a lifeless mousy colour, mimicking his unhappiness. Harry and Ginny clearly didn’t want him anymore, now that they had another son, a real son. It was only a matter of time before Harry would realise he didn’t want Teddy anymore, and send him away. Teddy knew that they loved James more than him, so what was the point in pretending that he was a part of the family? This was it. There was no turning back now. He’d decided he was going to run away.

Sniffing loudly, Teddy pulled out his tiny blue rucksack from under his bed and began packing straight away. He stuffed his fluffy wolf toy into the bag, a photo of his parents holding him as a baby, his secret stash of muggle chocolate, a couple of half-chewed crayons and his parents’ chocolate frog collectible card. Zipping up the bag, he grabbed his Chudley Cannons cap and put it on. Now all he needed was some money. He wasn’t sure how much things cost, but whenever he went to Diagon Alley with Harry and Ginny they always brought money with them, so he was sure he would need to bring some with him.

Teddy quietly creaked his bedroom door open and tiptoed into Harry’s study. He knew he wasn’t allowed in there on his own, but he was sure that he could find at least a couple of coins in there. With great effort, he scrambled up on to the large armchair behind Harry’s desk and began pulling the draws open. On the third draw down, he came across a green velvet pouch. He pulled the bag open and dumped the contents onto the desk. Teddy was disappointed to find that there weren’t any Galleons or Sickles, but was surprised to see some sort of golden necklace. He stared at it in awe and held it up with his chubby fingers. In the centre of the pendant, there seemed to be a little glass filled with sand. “Cool.” He murmured, staring at it transfixed.

Suddenly, Teddy heard footsteps coming up the stairs. “Teddy?” he heard Ginny call out.

Teddy gasped and quickly wriggled off the chair. If Ginny caught him in here, he was as good as dead! He tried running for the door, but unfortunately, he wasn’t the most graceful five-year old. His shoe caught on the edge of the rug and he tripped. His knee slammed against the hard wooden floor, causing him to cry out. Tears started welling up in his eyes from the pain, but once he saw that he had broken the necklace too, he couldn’t help but burst into tears. Harry and Ginny were going to be so mad with him!

But before he could pick himself up off the floor, he suddenly felt a strong tug at the centre of his navel. The room began to spin violently. Then, just before he couldn’t take it anymore, the whirling began to slow down and eventually stopped.

Teddy furrowed his brow, looking at his surroundings in confusion. Where was he? It still sort of looked like he was at home. Yet, it was different. The room was darker and there were terrifying shrunken house-elf heads hanging morbidly on the walls. This wasn’t the home he remembered.

“H-Hello?” Teddy stammered, his heart beating painfully against his chest. He took a shaky deep breath in a vain attempt to calm himself down. He was a brave boy, almost five and a half. He wasn’t going to let himself be scared easily. “H-Harry? G-Ginny? I’m…I’m sorry I broke the necklace. I didn’t mean to.” He called out weakly, his voice trembling.

Teddy stepped into the gloomy corridor and screamed when an old painting of a woman in a black cap started screeching, “Filthy little half-breed! How dare you enter my house without my permission!”. He ran back into the room he came from and hid himself under the desk, terrified out of his mind.

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Sirius was about to pour himself his second glass of firewhisky, when he suddenly heard his mother shrieking upstairs like a banshee. Startled by the sudden sound, he’d managed to spill his drink on his robes. “Bloody mother.” He grumbled, yet there was a hint of apprehension in his voice. Why would she have woken up like that? Who would she be yelling at? None of the order members had visited the past couple of days. He was sure he was alone. Sirius placed his half-filled glass on the table and took his wand out, before silently making his way upstairs.

“Stains of dishonour…blood traitors!” Walburga continued to shriek.

Sirius rolled his eyes and yanked the moth-eaten curtain slightly, making sure her face was completely hidden from view. “Much better.” He muttered under his breath.

The weight of his foot made the floorboards creak loudly as he stepped into his father’s old study. Sirius frowned slightly, there didn’t seem to be anyone there. He was about to take another tentative step forward when all of a sudden, he heard the faint sounds of someone crying.
“Who’s there?” Sirius called out confidently.

He heard a small gasp, and noticed out of the corner of his eye, a child’s foot disappear under his father’s desk.
Sirius made his way over to the desk and crouched down, so that he could be face to face with whoever was hiding underneath it. Hiding in the shadows was a small boy, who could not have been more than five or six years old. He wore a hat that was far too big for him that almost covered his eyes, a Weird Sisters t-shirt and jeans. The boy looked up at him with his fearful, red-rimmed brown eyes.
“Who the hell are you?” Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. How did a bloody kid get into his house? The place was protected by the Fidelius Charm. It didn’t make any sense!

“T-Teddy.” He replied, swallowing nervously.

“Teddy what? What’s your last name?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“How did you get into my house Teddy?”

“I…I thought…I…I don’t know! I thought this was Harry’s house, but…but it looks different. I don’t know how I got here.”
“Harry’s house? What do you mean you don’t remember coming here? I don’t believe that for one second.”

“It’s true!” Teddy snapped back. “I…I don’t know. I was playing with the necklace and then I tripped and I dropped it. I think I broke it, but it was an accident, I swear. Please don’t tell Harry. I didn’t mean it.” He said, his soft brown eyes beginning to brim with tears.

This was a nightmare. Sirius didn’t have much experience with kids. Especially not crying kids. “Alright, alright. Don’t start the waterworks.” He huffed, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “Can I see the necklace?”

Teddy nodded meekly, dipping his hand into his pocket and pulling out the shattered time-turner.

Sirius grabbed it between his thumb and forefinger, and frowned. A time-turner? What was the kid doing with a time-turner? Hang on, did that mean…? “What did you say Harry's place was called again?” he asked, as he pocketed the necklace.

“Harry and Ginny’s house. It looks like this place, but it’s much nicer and not so dusty.” Teddy replied, wrinkling his nose.

Sirius inhaled sharply. Harry and Ginny? That couldn’t just be a coincidence, could it?

“What do you think the date is?”

“I…I don’t know. Why?”

Sirius sighed. How was he supposed to help this kid when he was too young to even remember his surname, where he lived or what the date was? “Come with me.” He instructed, standing up again.

Teddy crawled out from under the desk and slung his backpack on. “Where are we going? Harry says I’m not supposed to go anywhere with strangers.”

Sirius sighed again. “Fine, my name’s Sirius Black. Now you can’t say we’re strangers.”

“Sirius? Like in my bedtime stories?”

“Your bedtime stories?” Sirius repeated, giving him an incredulous look.

“Yeah. The Marauders! The stories about the Marauders are my favourite.” Teddy grinned, his fear slowly abating.

Sirius blinked at him in disbelief. The Marauders? Maybe Molly was right, maybe he did have a firewhisky problem, or he was finally losing his mind. “You know about the Marauders?”

Teddy gave a small, happy nod. “Yep! I always ask Harry to tell me their stories before bed.” He said matter-of-factly before slipping his chubby hand into Sirius’ grasp.

Sirius looked down at his hand surprised. The kid obviously trusted him. “Right…well, follow me then.” He said, slightly bewildered. He needed to contact someone else from the order to help him sort this mess out. This whole situation was too bizarre for him to even contemplate.

Chapter Text

After sending his patronus to Dumbledore to alert him of Teddy’s predicament, Sirius led the boy into the kitchen, waiting for his old headmaster’s arrival. Teddy scrambled up onto one of the wooden chairs and placed his backpack on the table, looking at Sirius expectantly. The fireplace spluttered, and then with a flash of green flames, Dumbledore appeared.

“Sirius.” Dumbledore greeted, offering him a small smile. “And this must be the boy that you mentioned…?” he asked, his head tilting to the side slightly as his gaze settled on the small form perched on the chair.

Teddy reciprocated his smile, albeit nervously. The stranger looked very, very old. His long wispy white beard and crimson robes instantly made him think of Father Christmas, although Teddy was almost certain that it wasn’t him, especially because he wasn’t anywhere near as fat as the stories had described.

“Yes. This is Teddy, and Teddy, this is Dumbledore.” Sirius introduced. “Maybe we should discuss this next door.” He contemplated, eyeing the boy warily.

“Of course.” Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his sharp blue eyes, before turning to face the boy, “We won’t be a moment.”

The two men made their way into the living room, making sure to shut the door firmly behind them.

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“I’m not sure what to believe or whether we can trust him. I know he’s only a kid, but what doesn’t make sense is how he got here, or how he seems to know all about me and my past.” Sirius deliberated. “And to top it all off, he had this.” He added, placing the time-turner in his palm so Dumbledore could take a look at it.

“Curious. Very curious.” Dumbledore murmured, peering over his half-moon spectacles at the golden object. “A shattered time-turner…and you say he believes 12 Grimmauld Place to be his home, but that it has been altered?”

Sirius nodded curtly. “He said it belonged to Harry and Ginny.” He explained with a frown.

“I see.” Dumbledore replied simply. “Well, I suppose the most probable explanation is that Teddy here has managed to send himself back in time. If this is true, this could have disastrous consequences for the future. He will have to stay confined here with you Sirius until I can determine a way to resolve this issue. After all this is sorted, it may be wise to obliviate everyone he interacts with so that we do not unwittingly change the future. That includes ourselves.”

Sirius raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. “You don’t really think he’s from the future, do you? I mean that’s…that’s insane. Time-turners aren’t supposed to send you back days, let alone years!”

“I highly doubt the young boy has any dark motives, Sirius. However, if you wish to quell your doubts, perhaps you could ask him a few questions, but yes, I do think that this boy is telling the truth. And I feel that it would be highly improper to use methods such as legilimency or veritaserum on a mere boy. In any case, I’ll see what I can do for the boy’s predicament, but yes, in the meantime, you’ll have to take care of him Sirius.”

Sirius nodded begrudgingly. He was supposed to be fighting You-Know-Who, not taking up a job as a bloody babysitter! On the other hand, maybe this was a blessing in disguise. He had been incredibly bored cooped up in here as a fugitive, maybe the kid could enlighten him with his knowledge of the future. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

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Teddy chewed on his lower lip nervously. The strangers had been talking for quite a while, and he was getting restless. What if they were going to send him away? He wanted to go back home, but he was also scared about facing Harry and Ginny after running away and breaking the necklace. The more he thought about it though, and the more he looked around this creepy version of his home, the more he wanted to go back. He’d rather get yelled at and sent to his room, than face the prospect of staying here.

Just then, the old man stepped back into the room, a wan smile lingering on his lips. “Sirius has explained to me your predicament. I will do my best to try and find a way for you to return home, Teddy, but for now, Sirius is going to take care of you, do you understand?” Dumbledore elucidated, but noticing the boys uneasiness, he added, “Don’t be afraid of Sirius. He will look after you, and you will return home soon, I am certain of it.” With that, Dumbledore returned to the fireplace and subsequently disappeared in a flash of vivid green light.

“What’s a pre-dic-a-ment?” Teddy asked Sirius when he entered the kitchen, cocking his head slightly as he carefully pronounced each syllable.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Sirius’ lips. “Your situation…how you got here. Dumbledore’s going to try and find a way to send you back home.” He replied simply, hoping he would understand. Sirius dumped himself down on the chair next to Teddy and placed a photo of Harry on the table.

“Is this your Harry?” Sirius asked curiously, his finger tapping the corner of the photo.

Teddy shuffled forward in his seat and glanced down at the picture. His eyebrows knitted together as he tried to recognise who it was. “I think so, but he looks different. This Harry doesn’t look old, and he’s skinnier here.” He replied, hoping he’d given Sirius the answer he was looking for.

Sirius exhaled the breath he’d been holding on to. So, Teddy really was telling the truth. He had almost been hoping that he wasn’t. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the future. Although, if Harry was still around, surely the future couldn’t be that bad? And if Harry was still around, did that mean they had won the war against Voldemort?

“And you said that you thought this was Harry and Ginny’s house?” Sirius prompted, as he tucked the photo back into his pocket.
Teddy nodded.

“Are Harry and Ginny your parents?” Sirius asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. Harry and Ginny being his parents would be the most logical explanation for him living with them, but somehow, he felt that he wasn’t going to get a simple answer. For one, the boy didn’t even look like Harry or Ginny, except perhaps he had Ginny’s eye colour. Although, he couldn’t see the boys hair under that Chudley Cannons cap he was wearing, so maybe he did have more of their features than he realised.

Teddy paused, contemplating his answer, then nodded again.

Sirius grinned from ear to ear. He couldn’t believe it! Harry…a dad! And he’d married Ginny! What was it with the Potters and redheads? The thought of Harry becoming a father amused him, although he had a slight nagging feeling that something was not quite right. If Harry and Ginny were his parents, then why hadn’t Teddy recognised him? Why didn’t he know that he was Sirius Black? Surely he didn’t look that much older in the future, and he must have visited Harry at least every once in a while. I mean, Merlin, he was his bloody godfather!

“So, what have you got hidden away in that bag of yours then, kiddo?” Sirius inquired as he lifted his feet up and rested them on the table, hoping that the change in topic would distract himself from his own unsettling thoughts.

Teddy hugged his blue backpack close to his chest. “My supplies.”

Sirius’ eyes twinkled with amusement. “Supplies…?”

Teddy nodded sheepishly.

“What’s a kid need supplies for?”

“I…I don’t want to say. It’s a secret.”

“Aww, come on. I thought we were friends by now. You can tell me.”

Teddy chewed his lip, unsure whether to agree or not.

“How about, you tell me your secret and then I’ll tell you one of mine.” Sirius offered with a shrug.

Teddy’s eyes widened slightly. Sirius would tell him a secret! He contemplated whether he should tell him or not, before finally deciding to give in, his curiosity for the secret overwhelming him. “Okay, but promise not to get mad?”

“I promise.” Sirius said whilst he dramatically crossed his heart.

“Pinky promise?”

Sirius rolled his eyes slightly. “Pinky promise.” He huffed as he waggled his little finger.

“I…I was going to run away.” Teddy admitted, deliberately avoiding Sirius’ gaze.

“Run away?! Why would you want to run away?” Sirius asked, looking at the boy in disbelief.

Teddy shrugged and pulled his knees up close to his chest.

“I’m sure Harry and Ginny love you. They’d be devastated if you ran away. Is that why you ended up here? Did you think the necklace would help you run away?”

“I know.” Teddy replied meekly, his lower lip trembling slightly. “No! I didn’t know the necklace would take me away! I don’t really want to run away. I swear! I want to go back! I want to go home.” He confessed, beginning to tear up.

Sirius gave Teddy a sympathetic look, and dragged his chair closer. “Come here.” He said softly, beckoning him over.
Teddy looked at him uncertainly, before giving into his emotions and crawling onto Sirius’ lap. “I’m really really really sorry. Please don’t tell Harry and Ginny. I didn’t mean to run away, and I really do want to go back.” He sobbed.

Sirius hugged the boy close, feeling the tears staining his shirt. “I believe you. I won’t tell them.” He murmured. “You’ll be back soon. Dumbledore’s the best wizard there is, you’ll be back home before you can say ‘Quidditch’.” He added, smiling down at the boy.
Teddy sniffed loudly and looked up at Sirius hopefully. “Promise?”

“Pinky promise.” Sirius said, laughing lightly.

Teddy nodded sagely, as if that was all the confirmation in the world he needed. “Now, it’s your turn. What’s your secret?” he asked, almost bristling with excitement.

“Well, when I was maybe 13, I bought a special sweet from a joke shop that could change people’s hair into all sorts of colours. I was supposed to give it to my little brother Regulus, so his hair would turn striped red and gold, the Gryffindor colours, because he had just been sorted into Slytherin, and I was still slightly mad about it. Unfortunately, my Dad had eaten it instead and he was so angry about it. Honestly, I was scared out of my mind and he was completely over-reacting. I ended up blaming it on Regulus in the end. I was pretty ashamed of it afterwards, it wasn’t exactly the brave Gryffindor thing to do. Anyway, they ended up punishing Regulus instead of me.” Sirius told him reminiscently. “You’re the first person I’ve admitted that to, you know.” He added with a small smile.

“You were so naughty!” Teddy exclaimed.

“Naughty is my middle name.” he grinned back.

“Is it really?” Teddy asked, looking at him doubtfully.

“No, it was only a joke.” Sirius laughed. “My middle name’s Orion, but you must never ever tell anyone that.”

Teddy nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

Sirius then adjusted him on his lap and brought his little backpack up on to the table. “Now, how about you show me your supplies?” he said with a smile, hoping to cheer Teddy up a little.

Teddy smiled back at him and nodded eagerly. He unzipped the bag and emptied the contents on to the table in a haphazard manner. “This is my favourite toy in the whole, entire WORLD!” He emphasised with a big grin, as he held up a small scruffy looking wolf toy. “His name’s Moony, and I never go anywhere without him.” He explained as he gave it a hug.

Sirius raised his eyebrows slightly, and glanced down at the toy in amusement. “Moony, huh? Good name.”

“Yeah, he’s named after my favourite marauder.” He clarified as he stroked the wolf.

“What!? I thought Sirius was your favourite?” Sirius said, feigning a look of horror.

“No! No, no, no. Moony’s my favourite. Padfoot is my second favourite, silly.” Teddy replied as if Sirius had said something completely crazy.

“Right.” Sirius smirked. “Well, at least he’s your second favourite. I’m not sure what third favourite would have done to his ego.”

Teddy placed the toy down on the table, and held up one of the muggle chocolate bars. “This is my emergency food. In case I get hungry.” He explained, looking very serious.

“Of course. Food is very important, especially chocolate. Who needs vegetables when you’ve got sugar, right?”

Teddy grinned. “Well, Ginny says you need veggie-tab-les if you want to grow up big and strong, but I don’t like them.”

“Don’t blame you, kid. Nasty green stuff…the lot of it!” He said, causing Teddy to laugh a little.

Teddy then held up his crayons. “I need these in case I want to draw. I love drawing. Ginny says I’m really good. And….” he said, spreading out his parents’ photo and his chocolate frog card on the table. “I have these too.”

Sirius leaned over him to take a closer look at what he was showing him. First, he picked up the photo and smiled at what he saw. It was a slightly nervous looking Remus embracing a happy looking Tonks who was cuddling a new-born baby with bright blue hair. It was strange seeing a photo that had not yet been taken. What was even more bizarre was imagining that Remus had settled down and had a family. He’d suspected that something was happening between Remus and Tonks, but Remus had always denied it, saying that he couldn’t do that to Tonks due to his infliction. Sirius shook his head and placed the photo back onto the table, then picked up the collectible card. Much to his surprise, inside the card, a holographic image of Remus and Tonks was displayed. “You’ve got some cool stuff there, kid.” He said, flicking the card back onto the table. It was true, he did enjoy seeing the photo and the card, but what bothered him was why Teddy had them. Wouldn’t it make more sense to have photos of your own parents, rather than someone else’s? Maybe they were really close.
“How come you’ve got lots of stuff to do with Remus? Is he your godfather? Are you close?” he asked, raising his eyebrow inquisitively.

Teddy turned around to face him and frowned. “No. Harry’s my godfather.” he said, giving him an incredulous look. “He’s my Daddy.” He said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sirius stared at the boy in confusion. Daddy? That didn’t make any sense. “But I thought you said Harry and Ginny were your parents?”

“They are! I have two Mummy’s and two Daddy’s.” he sighed, giving him a look that seemed to say ‘Come on Sirius, keep up!’.

Sirius was baffled. Why did the kid have two sets of parents? Unless…No, he couldn’t think like that. Remus and Tonks couldn’t be dead. The thought made his heart constrict painfully in his chest. “Do you live with your other mother and father too?” he asked, hoping he wasn’t crossing a line.

A flash of anguish flickered in Teddy’s eyes. “No, just with Harry and Ginny. Harry said my other Mummy and Daddy had to go away but…but that they live in here now, even if I can’t see them.” He said quietly, placing his little hand on his heart. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and looked down at his supplies dejectedly.

Sirius’ jaw clenched tightly. He hadn’t wanted to ask. He had been afraid of the answer, but at the time he felt like he needed to know. Now he wasn’t so sure if knowing had been a good idea. He blinked back his unshed tears and plastered on a forced smile. He tilted Teddy’s chin up and looked into his sad brown eyes. “Of course they are. The ones who loves us never really leave us, Teddy. You’re very brave, you know that?” he said, his voice wavering slightly.

Teddy nodded meekly and buried his face in his shirt again. He had decided he liked hugging Sirius. Sirius was warm and smelled a bit like a wet dog. It was a nice, comforting smell. Teddy felt like he could have stayed their all night, but their embrace was suddenly interrupted by someone rapping on the front door…

Chapter Text

The Future (2003)

“Harry, I can’t find him anywhere!” Ginny cried out, her eyes stinging from unshed tears. She’d searched and searched and searched downstairs but to no avail. She’d double checked the cupboards, behind the armchairs and even under the kitchen sink, but it was hopeless. Teddy was nowhere to be found.

She heard the familiar sound of Harry’s footsteps as he came downstairs, and turned around to face him. He raked his trembling fingers through his unkempt hair and held up a velvet pouch for her to see.

“What? You don’t mean…” Ginny said, her voice trailing off slightly as she shook her head. “No. He’s just a boy! Surely, if he’d used it, he’d still be here, in this house, wouldn’t he?”

Harry trudged down the final step and chewed his lower lip worriedly. “I don’t know Ginny. I walked into my study and saw that someone had been rummaging around in my drawers, and the Time-Turner’s pouch was lying empty on my desk. We have protection charms that secure this house, so no one could have got in. Teddy must have used it by accident.” He replied, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Ginny’s eyes began to well up with tears. “But…but how do we get him back? How do we know where…I mean, when he is? He’s only five!” she wept.

Harry sighed and shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’ll have to go to the Ministry and see what I can do. They’d told me the time-turner was broken, so I have no idea how this could have happened. If I’d known it was still powerful, I would have kept it locked away. If we can find out what time he was sent back, maybe they could help send me back in time to find him.”

“Oh, Harry.” Ginny cried, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around his wife in a comforting embrace, then planted a small kiss on her forehead. “Stay here with James. I’ll see what I can do.” He said, his voice cracking slightly. Harry refused to break down in front of Ginny. He couldn’t let her see how worried he was. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he bid her goodbye. Even if he was doubtful that they could find Teddy, he would still try his best, even if it was the last thing he did.

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The Past (1996)

Sirius peeled the door open, and eyed the newcomer suspiciously, but when he realised who it was, his shoulders slumped in relief.

“Moony!” he exclaimed, pulling his friend into a tight embrace.

“Padfoot.” He greeted, a small smile playing on his lips. “I know I was supposed to be arriving tomorrow, but I thought you’d appreciate the company.”

“Always.” Sirius replied, grinning impishly.

Just then, the floorboards in the corridor creaked. Remus turned his attention to the noise and when his gaze settled upon the unfamiliar boy, he quirked his eyebrow and gave Sirius a bemused look. “And here I thought we were alone.” He said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Sirius turned around and spotted the little boy eyeing them both warily. “Remus, meet Teddy.” He introduced, giving Remus one of his infamous mischievous smiles.

The corner of Remus’ lips twitched into a smile. “Nice to meet you, Teddy.”

Teddy looked down at the picture of his parents he held in his hands then turned back to face the stranger. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion, as he glanced back and forth between them. “You look like my Daddy.” He pointed out.

Remus laughed lightly. “Is that so?” he said. His gaze drifted over to Sirius, but he was surprised to see that he wasn’t amused in the slightest about the boy’s remark, but looked rather sheepish instead.

“Right…about that…maybe we should talk in private?” Sirius offered, as he gently guided Remus into the living room. “Teddy, why don’t you wait for us in the kitchen? We won’t be a minute.” He called out.

Remus looked at Sirius incredulously. Why was he acting so strange? And who was the child? Despite his confusion, Remus let Sirius lead him into the other room anyway.

Teddy, taking after his marauding father, decided he didn’t want to wait any longer in the boring old kitchen. Instead, he decided to eavesdrop on their conversation. Maybe they would be talking about him! He knelt outside door, and prodded it open slightly, making sure not to be heard. Looking through the slit in the door, he waited.

Remus folded his arms across his chest. “Who are the child's parents? I’ve never seen him before. Has Dumbledore invited another family into the order?” he asked with piqued interest.

“There’s no easy way to say this, but…” Sirius replied, raking his hand through his hair. “He’s yours.” He said, biting his lip as he tried to maintain his composure.

Teddy gasped, but it was quiet enough for them not to hear. This man was his dad? How was that possible? Harry had told him he had died. Unless Harry had lied? No…Harry would never lie to him. But then how could his dad be here?

“Very funny, Sirius.” Remus quipped, rolling his eyes. “If you’re going to prank me, at least have the brains to make it believable.”

“I’m not taking the piss!” he huffed. “That kid…Teddy…is your son. He even has pictures of you and everything!”

Remus grimaced. That wasn’t exactly the reaction he had been expecting. Why would Sirius carry on with the joke if he had been caught red-handed? “Well, you’re obviously mistaken. The kid’s not mine. It’s impossible.” He said, shaking his head, causing a few loose strands of his tawny hair to fall into his eyes.

“And why exactly would it be impossible?” Sirius sighed with exasperation.

Remus’ cheeks flushed crimson. “Well…I haven’t exactly…you know…at least not for quite some time.” he mumbled a little awkwardly. The last thing he had been expecting to talk about was his sex life.

Sirius looked at him in confusion, before realisation dawned upon him and he erupted into fits of laughter. Once he’d fully recovered from his outburst, he said in all seriousness, “Did I forget to mention he’s from the future?”

Remus’ expression was deadpan. “I haven’t got time for this. Who is he really?” he snapped.

“He is your son, and he is from the future!” Sirius sighed, before digging into his pocket and pulling out the time-turner again. “See? He was holding this when I found him. From what he’s told me, he seems to have broken it and the bloody thing brought him here. I’ve already spoken to Dumbledore about it, and he’s going to see what he can do to send him back.”

Remus observed the time-turner doubtfully. “Well, maybe I can bring myself to believe your time-travel theory, but I can’t accept that he’s my son. I would never have a serious relationship with a woman, let alone have a child with them. It’s completely irresponsible. I would never put a woman in danger like that, or force her to experience the same hardships as my parents.”

Teddy’s lower lip trembled as he listened to his father’s words.

Sirius shoved the necklace back into his pocket and glared at his friend with his fierce grey eyes. “Bullshit! Total bullshit! I have had enough of your self-deprecating bullshit. Teddy is your bloody son, whether you like it or not. I thought you would have been happy about that! You always used to tell me how much you wanted a family.” Sirius growled.

Remus clenched his jaw in anger. “Yes, I do wish I could have a family, but I know I can’t, not with my condition! That’s just how it is. It doesn’t matter what I want.”

“Well, looks like future you threw caution to the wind and knocked Tonks up anyway!”

Remus was about to spit back an angry retort, but as soon as he heard Tonks’ name, he inhaled sharply and froze. “…Tonks?” he muttered weakly, the colour suddenly draining from his face.

“Yes, Tonks.” Sirius sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for you to find out that way.”

Remus just nodded feebly. “I’m pathetic.” He mumbled bitterly. “I condemn a young and beautiful woman to marry an old, penniless werewolf and if that isn’t bad enough, I have a child with her too. He’s probably a werewolf too. It’s bloody selfish.” Remus spat.

Sirius was about to argue back, but he was abruptly interrupted by whimpering and the sound of running footsteps. “Shit.” He muttered. “Teddy.” He elucidated, giving Remus an accusatory look.

Remus felt his blood run cold. Teddy had heard everything! He’d lost his temper and the poor kid was suffering because of it. Whether he could accept whether Teddy was his son or not, he shouldn’t have witnessed that. He hoped Teddy would forgive him. Remus’ fingers twitched nervously at his side. “I’ll speak with him.” He decided, albeit reluctantly.

//////////////////////////////////////////

It didn’t take long for Remus to find the boy. The sobs were easily heard, and within a few minutes, he’d found Teddy’s hiding place behind the kitchen door.

“Teddy?” Remus called out tentatively, as he pulled the door away slightly to reveal the boy’s huddled form.

“Go away!” Teddy yelled as he furiously wiped away his tears with his fist.

Remus crouched down beside him, disregarding Teddy’s demand. He felt his insides twist with guilt as he saw the distraught state the boy was in. “I’m sorry you heard that.” He confessed. “I was…not myself. I hope you can understand and forgive me.”

Teddy sniffed loudly. “Why did you say those things?” he mumbled, avoiding his father’s gaze.

Remus sighed as he let himself drop fully to the floor. He propped himself up against the wall next to Teddy. “Well, I suppose you know that I’m a werewolf?” he began.

Teddy nodded. He knew his Daddy was a werewolf, but he didn’t completely understand what that meant.

Remus paused for a moment, wondering how he was going to explain this to someone so young. He had never had much experience with children. “Well, normally werewolves don’t get the chance to have families, so I was just a little…surprised, that’s all.”

“Why?” Teddy repeated, his soft brown eyes eventually settling on his father’s amber hues.

Remus let a small smile escape his lips. There was no doubt in his mind now that Teddy was his son. He seemed to be just as inquisitive as he was. Remus swallowed nervously, then proceeded to say “Because werewolves can be dangerous.”

“But Daddy, you’re not dangerous!” Teddy exclaimed, his crying had now completely ceased, and in it’s place, a flicker of confusion crossed his features.

At first, Remus was taken aback at being called Daddy, but then his smile broadened. He never thought he would get the chance to be called that. “I am dangerous on a full moon, but I would never let myself be around you then. I would never put you in harms way. You don’t have to worry about that.” He explained solemnly.

Teddy nodded sagely as he processed this new information. “Am I a werewolf too?” he asked, remembering how his father had been talking to Sirius about that.

“Seeing as you had to ask me that question, I suppose not!” Remus replied, grinning from ear to ear. His son wasn’t a werewolf! He couldn’t believe it. His whole life he’d been worried about having a child for that very reason. It was almost euphoric to think that his son was free from the curse of lycanthropy. Remus would never be able to live a normal life, but he was lucky enough to have a son who could.

“Daddy…” Teddy began, as he started to absentmindedly pick at a loose thread on his sleeve. “Are you going to leave me again?” he asked, his voice cracking somewhat.

Remus’ smile instantly faded. “What do you mean?”

“Are you going to send me back to Harry and Ginny, or can I stay with you now?” he asked nervously. “I mean…I still want to see Harry and Ginny again. But I don’t think they’d mind if I stayed with you now, so we can be a real family. I don’t think Harry knows that you’re back.”
Remus stared at him intently. Why was Teddy not living with Dora and himself? Why was he living with Harry and Ginny?

“Can you remind me why I left? I’m sorry, I’m not sure why I’ve forgotten. I must be getting old.” Remus lied, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Teddy gave him an incredulous look. “Harry said you were in Heaven and that you couldn’t come back. I think Harry made a mistake. He would never lie to me. Lying is bad, and Harry’s never bad.” He deduced.

Remus felt his stomach drop. Dead. He was dead. Teddy had only recognised him from the picture and…oh god. Remus wiped the back of his hand across his now sweaty forehead and let out a shaky breath.

“Daddy, are you okay?” Teddy asked innocently, as he shuffled over towards him and placed his tiny hand on his knee.

Remus plastered a weak smile on his face. “Y-Yes. I’m alright.” He replied. “Come here.” He added, finally giving into his paternal instincts, as he pulled Teddy into a comforting embrace. His heart clenched painfully in his chest as he felt Teddy snuggle further into his arms.

Chapter Text

Remus’ thoughts were interrupted by an obtrusive growling sound coming from Teddy’s stomach. He turned to face his son and quirked up his eyebrow. “You’re hungry?” he asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

Teddy’s cheeks flushed a deep red as he wrapped his arms around his stomach in attempt to stop the noise. He looked up at his father sheepishly and nodded.

The stomach rumbling was overshadowed by the thunderous sound of someone running recklessly down the stairs. “Did someone say food?” Sirius grinned, his head peering around the door.

Remus rolled his eyes. “Teddy was just telling me how hungry he was. I was going to make him something to eat…but I suppose now that you’re here, maybe you could whip us up something to eat instead.”

Sirius pretended not to hear him, and instead sauntered into the kitchen and draped himself languidly on one of the chairs. “You’re going to cook for us? How generous of you to volunteer, Moony!” He teased, propping his feet up onto the table. “I could really do with a steak, you know…”

“Princess.” Remus muttered under his breath. “I didn’t realise you’d be eating with us, Padfoot. I was thinking of leaving out some dog food for you. I know how much you like the Pedigree brand.” He said a little louder, as he took Teddy by the hand and led him into the kitchen.

Sirius placed his hand on his chest and feigned taking offence. “You wound me, Moony.” He tilted his chair back carelessly and asked, “So…if my chef’s a werewolf, should I be expecting my steak blue?”

“If you’re lucky.” Remus huffed, biting back a string of curses that he wouldn’t want his son to hear. He then turned his attention to his son. “So, what sort of things do you like to eat, Teddy?”

Teddy remained silent for a moment in thought. “Chocolate frogs…chocolate cake…Grandma Molly's chocolate brownies…” he began to list as he counted them on his fingers.

A small laugh escaped Remus’ lips. “So, everything with chocolate.” He summarised. Teddy really was his son. “Well, you can’t have chocolate for dinner. You need to have a meal with protein and vegetables.”

Teddy made a face of disgust, making Sirius chuckle.

Remus rolled his eyes, and began rummaging through the cupboards to see what meal he could concoct with their limited provisions. “Well…we haven’t got much.” He sighed. “How about some cheese toasties?” he offered. It was a compromise. A meal with no vegetables, but with at least some nutrition. He would give him greens tomorrow instead.

Teddy and Sirius beamed up at him.

“I’ll take that as a yes, then.” He said, shaking his head, a hint of amusement in his voice. He was beginning to think he was the only adult in the room.

He grabbed a few slices of fluffy white bread and after generously buttering them, he sliced some cheddar cheese and layered it onto half of the slices. Then, after sandwiching it all together, he arranged them on a scorching pan, and waited for them to heat through.

Meanwhile, Sirius had yanked Teddy’s cap off and placed it ceremoniously on his own head. Remus thought he looked quite ridiculous, especially because his head was noticeably too big for the hat.

“Hey! That’s mine!” Teddy yelled, attempting to snatch it back.

“Not anymore.” Sirius grinned back. “So, you’re a Chudley Cannons fan?”

“Not really. George gave it to me. He thought it would be funny.”

“George Weasley?...Funny? Why?” Sirius asked, looking at him quizzically.

“George said it would annoy Ginny ‘cause she played for the Harpies.”

Sirius chuckled, and looked impressed. “Bloody hell…Ginny Weasley a professional quidditch player! She’s done pretty good for herself.”

“Language, Sirius.” Remus scolded, as he began turning the toasties around in the pan.

Sirius mimed Remus’ whinging by gesticulating with his hand, which earned a giggle from Teddy.

“Sirius!” Remus chided. He hadn’t even needed to turn around to know what Sirius was doing. It was as if he had a sixth sense when it came to Sirius and his antics.

“I didn’t do anything!” Sirius scoffed.

Remus resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. He began to wonder if he could end up with a brain aneurism before he was forty if he rolled his eyes every time Sirius warranted it. Managing to balance all three plates in his arms, he dished out the sandwiches and sat opposite Teddy.

“Come to papa.” Sirius seemed to murmur to the toastie, before taking a repulsively large bite out of it. The melted cheese oozed out of the sides and dripped onto his fingers.

“You’re an animal.” Remus wrinkled his nose in disgust, as he picked up a knife and fork.

“You love it.” He retorted, his mouth full of a mush of bread and cheese.

Meanwhile, Teddy was humming contentedly, trying to savour every mouthful. He normally wasn’t this enthusiastic about grilled cheese sandwiches. He wondered if it tasted better because his dad had made it. He was enjoying his meal so much, that he didn’t notice his tawny hair begin to change colour. Suddenly, he was sporting a full head of flamboyant blue hair.

Remus’ mouth dropped open as he dropped his fork in surprise.

Sirius almost choked on his monstrous mouthful of bread. They stared at each other in stunned silence, then after a few moments, Sirius swallowed. “Still think Tonks isn’t the baby mama?” he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Remus gave him a deadpan look. He then turned his attention to Teddy. “You’re a Metamorphmagus.”

Teddy glanced up at his dad in surprise. He grabbed a lock of his hair, and pulled it down in front of his eyes so he could take a look at the colour. “Yeah.” He replied a little sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to change it. It just does.”

“You don’t need to be embarrassed about it. You’re lucky to have it…it makes you special.” Remus smiled endearingly.

“Really? I don’t like it. Ginny makes me wears horrible hats all the time ‘cause she says my hair will scare the muggles. And one time I was playing with Auntie ‘Mione’s cat and I accidentally grew cat ears. I had to miss playschool for a week ‘cause I didn’t know how to change back.”

Remus and Sirius chuckled.

“Well, I like it. Blue suits you.” Remus said.

Teddy grinned. “It’s blue a lot. It’s my favourite.”

“Your mother likes bright colours too.” Remus’ comment only made Teddy grin even wider.

Soon, they all finished their dinner and much to Remus’ dismay, both Sirius and Teddy had left their crusts. “Crusts? Really? You should be setting an example for Teddy, not encouraging him.”

“Who eats crusts? That’s just punishing yourself.” Sirius retorted.

“Remind me how old you are? Was it six or seven? I can never remember.” Remus said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Sirius held up his middle finger in response.

“Sirius! You can’t do that in front of Teddy. He’ll copy you.” Remus scolded.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” He smirked.

Remus shook his head in exasperation. He was starting to wonder if Sirius would ever grow up. He doubted it very much.

Teddy rubbed his bleary eyes and yawned loudly.

Remus gave him a fond smile. “I think it’s bedtime for you.”

“What? No! I’m…” he yawned mid-sentence. “I’m not tired!”

Remus laughed lightly. “It doesn’t look like it. How about Sirius gives you a bath and then I’ll put you to bed?”

“What!” Sirius exclaimed, caught off guard.

“I cooked, now you can clean.”

Sirius bit back a snappy retort when he saw the hopeful expression on Teddy’s face. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fine.” Those damn puppy eyes. How could he refuse?

“Yay!” Teddy exclaimed, leaping into Sirius’ arms with glee. “Can you make a bath with a gazillion bubbles?” he pleaded.

“The messier the better.” Sirius conceded, glancing over to Remus to see if he had managed to illicit the desired irked reaction. Much to his satisfaction, Remus was glaring daggers at him. Oh boy, he was going to have so much fun.

Chapter Text

All in all, the bath had been a success. A mess, yes – but a success nonetheless. There had been bubble-beards, a splashing war (in which Teddy had won) and at some point, there had even been a transfigured fish swimming about in the tub.

After performing a few quick cleaning charms, the bathroom had practically returned to its original state, save for the ripped shower-curtain and the missing transfigured fish, which had previously been Remus’ toothbrush. Sirius figured that he could get away with it as long as he transfigured a new toothbrush and made sure Remus used a different bathroom. Whilst running through a multitude of excuses in his head just in case, Sirius entered Teddy’s temporary bedroom, and to his surprise, found it empty.

“Teddy?” he called out, his brow creasing slightly in confusion. Where had the little rascal run off to?

Suddenly, Teddy emerged from under the bed, his fingers curled into claws. He attempted a growl but it ended up sounding more like a tiger on helium than anything else. Sirius figured Teddy was trying (and failing) to scare him, so he decided to humour him and pretended to faint melodramatically on to the bed.

“Sirius! Don’t be scared! It’s only me!” Teddy exclaimed, a big grin plastered on his face. He couldn’t believe he had actually managed to scare an adult, and Sirius at that! He was getting good at this, he thought to himself.

Sirius peeled his eyes open and pretended to sigh with relief. “Phew. For a second there, I thought I was done for.”

Teddy giggled.

Sitting up, Sirius glanced down at the boy noticing that he was completely nude. He raised his eyebrow and looked at him with an amused expression. “I thought you were coming in here to put your pyjamas on.”

Teddy glanced up at him guiltily. He didn’t want to get changed. He wasn’t tired and he definitely didn’t want to get into bed yet. Deciding to give Sirius the slip, he leapt to his feet and ran away from his grasp.

“Oi, get back here!” Sirius called out, as he began to chase a screaming and buck-naked Teddy around the bedroom. Eventually, he caught hold of the wriggling boy and threw him onto the bed. He then gave Teddy an evil grin and began tickling him until he squealed.

“HELP!” Teddy managed to shriek in between fits of laughter, his hair turning a vivid shade of pink.

Teddy’s laugh was so infectious, that even Sirius couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I leave you two alone for one hour and find you torturing my poor son.” Remus said, a small smile playing on his lips as he leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms against his chest.

Sirius’ head snapped up and he immediately stopped tickling, allowing Teddy to finally get a breath in. “Your crazy sprog deserved it.” He grinned. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Not long. My sons screams of help certainly helped grab my attention.” He smirked.

“Daddy, don’t let him tickle me again, please, please, please! I’ll even put on my pyjamas, I promise.” Teddy begged, wiping the dribble from his mouth.

Remus chuckled. “Oh? Well, in that case…” he said, making his way over to Teddy. Then, to the surprise of Teddy, he began to tickle his ribs too.

“NO!” Teddy giggled helplessly. “Sirius…help me!” he gasped.

“No can do, mini Moony.” Sirius grinned.

Eventually, Remus pulled away, deciding to show his son some mercy. “Ready for pyjamas now?”

Teddy nodded vigorously, eyeing the two adults warily.

Remus cracked a smile and dug into the chest of drawers by the bed. Eventually, he found a pair of someone’s old flannel pyjamas. “Reducio.” he muttered, shrinking the clothes to a child’s size. “There you go.” He said, handing the pyjamas over to Teddy. He then turned to face Sirius and added, “Thanks for the help, Padfoot.”

“Anytime. It wasn’t that bad actually. He’s a good kid.” He mumbled, shrugging his shoulders. “Night, Moony. You too, Teddy.”

“Good-night, Padfoot.” Remus replied. He watched him leave, wearing an amused expression on his face. Sirius was an old softie really, once you got past his tough exterior. He had been sure that Sirius would have liked spending time with Teddy, despite his earlier complaints.

“Good-night!” Teddy yelled as he wiggled into the blue and white striped trousers.

Remus couldn’t help but smile affectionately at Teddy. He looked completely ridiculous -- his hair had remained a striking fuchsia colour that clashed terribly with his pyjamas, and he had clearly struggled with the buttons on his shirt as they were all done up in the wrong places. “Here, let me help.” Remus said, as he pulled Teddy closer and began buttoning up his shirt properly.

Afterwards, Teddy let out a loud yawn and flopped himself down onto the bed. “Am I sleeping in here alone?” he asked, rubbing his tired brown eyes.

Remus nodded. “Yes, but I’m just next door and Sirius is across the hall if you need us during the night.”

“Ok.” He replied simply. Part of Teddy wanted to beg him to stay so he didn’t have to sleep alone, but the other part of him wanted to look brave in front of his dad. “Can I have Moony with me?”

Remus looked at him perplexed. He hadn’t realised Teddy knew his nickname. “You want me to stay with you?” he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.

Teddy shook his head. “No, no! Moony – my toy wolf.”

“Oh.” Remus said, his mouth making a perfect ‘O’ shape. He muttered a quick accio spell, then passed Teddy the threadbare wolf. Remus felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. “It’s a good name. I like it.”

Teddy beamed at him and snuggled the wolf close to his chest.

“Right, legs in.” Remus said, before grabbing the covers and tucking him in.

“Wait…can you read me a story?” Teddy asked, peeking through his pink fringe with pleading eyes.

Remus chewed his lip thoughtfully. It was already getting quite late. He wasn’t sure what time Teddy normally went to bed, but even he himself was getting tired. “Alright, but I want you to promise me you will close your eyes and at least try to sleep when I’m reading to you.”

Teddy nodded eagerly. “I promise.”

Remus walked over to the bookshelf, humming to himself as he scanned the names of the authors. The Tales of Beedle the Bard? No, too bleak for a five year old. Sleeping Beauty? Too dull. Secrets of the Darkest Art? Definitely not!

Soon his gaze landed on just the story he’d been looking for. He gently pulled the book from its shelf and plonked himself back down on the edge of the bed. “Do you know Tails by Edith Nesbit?”

Teddy shook his head, causing loose strands of bubble-gum pink hair to fall into his eyes. “No. What’s it about?”

“It’s a children’s book about magical beasts and beings, like centaurs, pixies and unicorns…that sort of thing. Does that sound good?”

Teddy stared at him with wide-eyed excitement. “Yeah! Let’s read that one. Will it have werewolves in it too?”

Remus chuckled slightly. “Yes, it does mention them briefly.” Thankfully, it has a toned-down version though, he thought to himself.

“Okay. I think I’m going to like it.”

Remus smiled and blew the dust off the front of the cover, before cracking it open. “Right, close your eyes and I’ll start.”

Teddy obediently shut his eyes and shuffled further down into his duvet. Within a few moments, Remus had already begun to tell the tale in his calm dulcet tones.

Before Remus had even finished the first chapter, Teddy had fallen fast asleep, his thumb jammed into his mouth. Remus brushed his now dark blonde curls away from his eyes and gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead. “Sleep well.” He whispered, as he placed the book on the bedside table and turned out the light. He remained in the doorway for a few moments, staring at the sleeping form of his son with a sad smile. How many more days would he have before Teddy was sent back to his own time? It seemed so unfair that he would never get to experience these moments in the future. He would never celebrate his birthday, never send him off on his first day at Hogwarts, never know what house he would be sorted into, never meet his friends -- it was all too distressing to think about. Shaking his head, he blinked back tears and left the room.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Remus had been in the middle of a very pleasant dream in which he’d won a lifetime’s supply of chocolate, when he felt something prod his shoulder. Just let me sleep. Five more minutes. “Go ‘way S’rs.” He murmured into his pillow, his eyes still shut. Bloody Padfoot. Instead of going away like he’d asked, the prodding became even more incessant. “Ughh.” He grumbled, his voice muffled by the pillow.

“Daddy.” Teddy whispered into his ear.

Remus blinked open one of his eyes and turned to face the prodding culprit. “Teddy?” he croaked, his voice thick with sleep. “What time is it?” He fumbled for his watch on the bedside table and groaned when he saw it was only two in the morning. “What’s wrong, Teddy?”

“I had a nightmare.” He mumbled, his voice almost inaudible as he fiddled with Moony’s moth-eaten ear. Teddy glanced up at his dad expectantly, a crimson blush staining his cheeks.

Remus rubbed his eyes, slightly amused by the hopeful look his son gave him. “Alright, you can sleep in my bed, but no kicking or stealing the duvet.” He said, as he shuffled onto the other side of the bed, letting Teddy take his place.

Teddy eagerly climbed up onto the bed and wormed his way under the covers. He snuggled against his father, feeling his body radiate warmth like a hot-water bottle. Sticking his thumb in his mouth, he let himself slip back into a deep sleep.

Remus wrapped his arm around Teddy and pulled him close. He smiled as he watched his son’s limp ebony hair transform into his favourite shade of blue. He wasn’t sure how long he stayed like that, watching Teddy sleep, but eventually he too drifted into a pleasant slumber.

Chapter Text

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Alright, alright. I’m coming!” Sirius bellowed, as he picked himself up off the sofa and traipsed over to the front door. Pulling it open, he was greeted by a rather unamused Nymphadora Tonks. Her arms were folded against her chest, and she was looking at him expectantly.

“Care to explain why you thought it would be a good idea to give my mum a bloody heart attack?” She demanded. She held up a pale blue greeting card, which sported an illustration of a baby on the front, with the words ‘CONGRATULATIONS, IT’S A BOY!’ written in print underneath.

“Oops.” Sirius grinned sheepishly. “In my defence, I had sent it to you. I didn’t think your old mum would see it.”
Remus came up behind Sirius and sighed. “What have you done now? Oh! Hello, Dora. I didn’t know you were coming round today.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, but Sirius here thought it would be funny to send me this!” Tonks huffed as she thrust the card into Remus’ face. She turned back to glare at Sirius again.

Remus made a sort of strangled noise in the back of his throat, staring at the card in shock. After managing to regain his composure, he sent Sirius a deathly glare. “Really not funny, Padfoot.”

“It is to me.” Sirius smirked.

“Am I missing something? I don’t understand the point of the prank at all.” Tonks said, her brow furrowing in confusion.

All of a sudden, a bright blue blur came barrelling down the hallway. “Daddy, daddy, daddy! I drawed you something. Quick, quick, come look!” He exclaimed as he jumped up and down with excitement.

Refraining from correcting his son’s grammar, Remus offered him a weak smile, the tips of his ears burning as he felt Dora’s penetrative gaze on the back of his head. “Thank you, Teddy. Why don’t you go and wait for me in the kitchen? I’ll be there in a minute.”

As soon as Teddy bounded back into the kitchen, Remus turned back to face Dora. The colour in her cheeks had drained, leaving her with an unnaturally pallid complexion. Even her hair had transformed into a mousy brown colour.

Sirius, feeling the tension in the air, decided to trail after Teddy.

“I…It’s not…He’s…I can explain.” He stammered, feeling his heart beat painfully against his chest.

“No need to explain. I see how it is.” Tonks retorted, her voice unnaturally clipped. “You lied to me. You lied to me and you led me on. If you were seeing someone else, you should have fucking said something instead of making up bullshit stories about why you couldn’t date me! Oh, I can’t date you because I’m a werewolf – but wait a second, you’ve got a KID. If you didn’t fancy me, you should have said so from the start. You’re a bloody coward, Remus Lupin.” She growled, her voice wavering slightly as hot tears pricked her eyes. Tonks thrust out her wand with the intention to apparate, but before she could cast the spell, Remus snatched her wrist.

“Wait!” he begged, his brown eyes boring into hers.

“Let go of me, Remus.” She snapped, attempting to shake off his iron-like grip.

“You’ve got it wrong! Please, hear me out, Dora.” Remus said, the look in his eyes desperate and pleading.

Tonks clenched her jaw and exhaled deeply. “Fine.” She ground out.

Remus loosened the grip on her wrist. “Shit, there’s no easy way to say this.” He sighed. “Teddy is my son, but he’s yours too.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, I thought you were going to be serious. I don’t have time for this.” Tonks said, shaking her head sadly. “Good-bye, Remus.”

“I am being serious! I would never lie to you. God, Dora, just hear me out for a second, please. He’s our son, but…but he’s from the future.” Remus explained.

“Stop—” Tonks began, but before she could finish her sentence, Remus interrupted her. “He’s from the future and I can prove it.”

Tonks’ expression softened slightly. She tilted her head to the side, considering the veracity of his statement. She licked her lips and said, “Alright. Prove it. But if I find out you’re pulling my leg, I’ll hex you into next week.”

Remus’ shoulders slumped in relief, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile. “I wouldn’t expect anything else from you, Dora.”

“Hmph.” She huffed.

Keeping his gaze fixated on her, he dug into his pocket and pulled out Teddy’s photo of the three of them.
With shaky hands, Tonks plucked it out of his grasp and inhaled sharply. “That’s us.” She murmured, almost inaudibly as her finger stroked the image of her son. Tonks giggled when the baby’s hair transformed from a vivid blue to her own bubble-gum pink shade. “He’s a Metamorphmagus.”

“Just like his mother.” Remus said softly.

Tonks tore her gaze away from the picture and looked up into his mellow brown eyes. “Alright. I believe you.”
Remus gave her a small nod as he took the picture back and tucked it back into his pocket. “I’m sorry you had to find out that way. I didn’t think Teddy would barge in like that.”

She shook her head. “Either way, it’s bloody nuts.” She said, huffing a laugh. “Teddy, huh? After my dad?”

“I assumed so.” Remus agreed.

“How did it happen? How can he be here? I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before.”

Remus explained the situation, and how Teddy was living with Harry in the future.

A solitary warm tear rolled down Tonks’ cheek. She sniffed and wiped it away with the back of her hand. How could life give her everything she had ever wanted, only snatch it away again before she could even get used to the idea of having a family? The worst part of it was that she couldn’t even do a bloody thing about it. She would be obliviated and would have to carry on living whilst clueless to the fact that she was on death’s door.

“Bugger. Sorry, I can’t believe I’m crying. I’m making a right fool out of myself today.” Tonks laughed weakly.

Wordlessly, Remus pulled her into a comforting embrace, his chin resting on the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around his torso, her sobs muffled by his threadbare jumper. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as her cries dwindled.

“I’m sorry…I just…it’s so unfair.” She sniffed.

“It is.” Remus agreed. He pulled away from the hug and cupped her face. The crying had made her skin blotchy and her eyes red-rimmed , but to him, she was still the most breath-taking woman he’d ever had the good fortune to meet. He wiped away her stray tears with his thumbs and gave her a lop-sided smile. “We may as well make the most of the time we do have. Come on, he’s probably burning a hole in his seat waiting to show us his drawing.”

She smiled back, and nodded, taking a shaky breath to compose herself.

Once they entered the kitchen, Tonks instantly spotted her blue-haired baby boy and grinned from ear to ear, concealing her earlier upset. “Wotcher, Teddy!”

Teddy stopped doodling and glanced up at the stranger. He stared at her with wide eyes, raking in her every detail. She had shoulder-length pink hair, big brown eyes just like him, and was wearing the same Weird Sisters t-shirt he had back home at Harry’s house. “Mummy?” he called out questioningly, worried that he might have made a mistake.

Tonks swallowed nervously and gave a tentative nod.

“Mummy!” he yelled as he leapt off his chair and barrelled straight into her, wrapping his chubby arms around her leg.

“Oof!” she exhaled, as he hit her full force. Tonks chuckled. “Alright there, kiddo?” she asked as she picked him up and balanced him on her hip.

Teddy buried his face in her shoulder and nodded as he began to suck his thumb. The presence of his mother seemed to have quashed his exuberance and brought out his affectionate side.

“Bloody hell, if all it took to calm Teddy down was his mum, we should have called Dora over a lot sooner.” Sirius snorted.

Tonks smiled and brushed Teddy’s now pink hair out of his eyes. The whole situation was surreal, but at the same time, she couldn’t doubt that the feel of Teddy in her arms just now felt so right.

“He probably takes after me in that respect. I was quite the mummy’s boy.” Remus grinned.

“Who can blame him? My hugs are the best.” Tonks said, matching his grin.

“I can attest to that.”

Sirius faked gagging. “Get a room you two.”

“As if we haven’t had worse from you, Black.” Tonks admonished, sticking her tongue out at him. Sirius, being the overgrown child that he was, stuck his tongue out too in response.

Rolling her eyes, Tonks soon turned her attention back to Teddy. “Rem—I mean, Daddy, was saying that you drew him a picture. Do you want to show it to us?”

Teddy nodded eagerly, some of his earlier liveliness making a reappearance. He indicated to the kitchen table. “S’over there.”

Tonks carried Teddy over to the drawing with Remus following closely behind. Sirius remained perched on the kitchen counter.

Teddy began to point at the different parts of the drawing. “That’s me, that’s you, that’s Daddy, and that’s Sirius. This bit is your house and that’s Moony over there in the garden.” He explained.

Tonks tilted her head to the side, trying to decipher who was who, but honestly, she couldn’t for the life of her work it out. “Moony?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“His toy wolf.” Remus supplied.

Tonks looked amused. “Huh.” She said, sending Remus a knowing smirk.

“And what’s that, Ted?” Remus asked, pointing to the giant scribble of brown on the far right side of the paper.

“Daddy.” Teddy sighed. “That’s the chocolate river.” He rolled his eyes, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Like father like son.” Sirius teased.

“The boy has good taste.” Remus retorted in defence.

Teddy yawned. “Daddy, can you read me and Mummy a story?”

“Yeah, come on Daddy. Chop chop, we haven’t got all day.” Tonks said, giving Remus a cheeky smile.

“As much as I love being read children’s books to…” Sirius began sarcastically. “I am going to do some…work…yes, work, upstairs. Very important work.”

“Does that work include a bottle of firewhiskey and David Bowie?” Remus quipped.

“Ask me no questions and I shall tell you no lies.” Sirius winked, as he started ascending the stairs. “Catch you later, Tonks and Mini-Moony.” He added with a salute.

The remaining three made their way into the library. Tonks plonked herself down on the plush Slytherin-green sofa and adjusted Teddy on her lap. She kicked off her boots and rested her smelly feet on the coffee table.
“Any requests?” Remus asked, as he leant against the bookcase, the corner of his lip twitching into a smile.

“Hmm…how about Little Red Riding Hood?” Tonks grinned.

Remus rolled his eyes.

“Yes! I love that one. Please read that one, Daddy.” Teddy implored as he bounced up and down on Tonks’ lap.
Remus gave Tonks the side-eye as he reluctantly plucked the book off the shelf.

“I hope you’re happy.” He muttered, attempting to look irked. However, much to his displeasure, the corner of his lip began to twitch into a smile on its own accord.

“Very.” Tonks beamed. Suddenly, she gasped and pointed at Remus. “My, Mr. Lupin, what big eyes you have!”

“You’re incorrigible.” Remus said, shaking his head.

“And don’t you just love it.” She winked.

Remus begrudgingly began to read the book. He was half-way through the story when Tonks prodded him gently in the arm. He paused mid-sentence and glanced over at her inquisitively. She nodded towards Teddy who was fast-asleep, his head resting on her chest. Remus noticed that some dribble had trickled out of his mouth and had begun to stain Tonks’ shirt. He smiled fondly at his sleeping son, noticing with amusement that his hair colour had remained bubble-gum pink since meeting his mother. Tonks slipped her hand into Remus’ and gave it a small squeeze. He squeezed hers back. This was all that he had ever wanted. He wished he could capture this moment and live through it every single day.

Chapter Text

“Sirius?!” Harry called out, stepping out of the floo and dusting off the Hogwarts uniform he was wearing. He had traveled straight from school through the Headmaster’s fireplace, after eventually getting permission. He had been concerned when his fire-calls to Sirius had been left unanswered all week, so he had gone straight to Dumbledore to share his concerns. After much persuading, Dumbledore relented and allowed him to visit for the Sunday to assuage his worries.

Sirius, who had been dozing in the armchair in the next room, jolted awake when hearing his name being yelled around the house. He cursed under his breath and placed a hand over his pounding heart, he’d been dreaming of his rather wonderful  dear old mum, and the yell had been a little too reminiscent of those unpleasant times. 

“Christ.” He sighed, raking a hand through his unkempt curly locks. Once we was fully awake and realized the visitor had not, in fact, been his deceased mother, he followed the racket.

In the room, he saw Harry, hair wild and eyes wide. 

“Harry?” Sirius said, eyebrows rising in surprise.

“Sirius!” Harry sighed in relief. “Merlin. I thought something had happened to you. Dumbledore told me you were fine, but when you hadn’t been replying to my fire-calls, I got kind of concerned…” He trailed off, scratching the back of his now flushed red neck. He realized how clingy he sounded and cringed inwardly.

“Oh fuck!” Sirius cursed, smacking his own forehead. “Harry, I’m so sorry. It’s been a bloody mad house the last few days.. It doesn’t really excuse my behavior…but I should have at least given you a warning that it would be more difficult to chat this week. I completely lost track of time.” 

“S’okay.” Harry replied meekly, feeling a little hurt, but knowing full well that Sirius would never intentionally hurt him. Something really must have been going on. “What happened?”

“It’s hard to explain…I”m not sure if–” Sirius began when suddenly they heard a sudden shriek from outside. 

Harry jolted in surprise and immediately ran over to the backdoor. 

“Harry, wait!” Sirius called out, but it was too late.

Harry yanked the door open, pulling his wand out, prepared to help whoever was in danger outside.

However, what he saw stumped him completely. 

Tonks was sitting on her broom, cackling like a madwoman, while a red-faced pink-haired young boy had his knees hooked over the broom, dangling his body towards the floor, exposing his chubby little tummy. He must have been the one to make the noise earlier, as he was still shrieking, but now Harry realized he was shrieking with laughter. Meanwhile, Remus was standing underneath them with his arms out, as if to catch the boy, and he looked simultaneously stressed and exasperated. 

“Dora, I have enough gray hairs as it is! Do you really have to show him these crazy tricks at his young age? What if he falls?!”

“Relax, grumpy. I’ve put enough safety charms on him that would put Flitwick to shame. He couldn’t be safer...and look at him, he loves it.” She chuckled.

As if to prove her point, Tonks lifts the boy back up and sits him on the broom and flies a backwards loop while holding him close to her chest with her left arm.

“BEST DAY EVER!” The boy whooped.

Remus meanwhile yelped in a very undignified manner and jerked backwards, following the broom’s path, whilst still holding his arms out as a safety net. 

“What in Merlin’s name is going on?!” Harry eventually shouted, completely bewildered.

Tonks startled at the noise and abruptly stopped flying, causing her to lose grip on the boy, who fell forward from the sudden motion. He tumbled off the broom and all three adults, plus Harry, cried out.

The boy plummeted down but luckily fell straight into Remus’ waiting arms. Simultaneously, something shimmered in the air and Harry realized it was an invisible stretchy rope attaching him to the broom so he couldn’t fall all the way down to the ground. 

Tonks vanished the rope charm and immediately flew to the ground and jumped off her broom, fussing over the boy who was held in Remus’ iron grip. 

Tonks waved her wand at the boy again. Harry assumed she must have removed a cushioning charm or something similar as well. 

“Teddy, are you okay?” Remus croaked, his hand trembling slightly as he carded through the boy’s now blue hair. 

“Sweetheart?” Tonks said, rubbing the boy’s back.

For an agonizing second, it was silent and then suddenly the boy grinned from ear to ear and yelled, “AGAIN!” 

“Fuc- I mean, Merlin, no.” Tonks shook her head, chuckling in relief.

“Ffwrch, roedd hynny'n frawychus–” (Fuck, that was scary–) Remus started muttering and cursing in welsh. 

“And you say I’m irresponsible.” Sirius snickered. “You’ve both got your work cut out for you, that kid has a bloody death wish.” 

“Can someone please tell me, what the hell is going on?!” Harry huffed.

They all looked at each other, seemingly having some sort of non-verbal conversation, before Remus sighed. “Harry, meet Teddy.”