A new family

“Gin, I need to talk to you,” Harry announced as he walked into the kitchen, where Ginny was stirring a pot of soup.

She turned to him, immediately picking up on his serious tone. “What’s wrong, Harry?”

“Come to the living room,” he said, already heading out.

Ginny quickly enchanted the spoon to keep stirring on its own and followed him, wiping her hands on a towel as she went.

It had been a year since the Battle of Hogwarts. A few weeks ago, they had finished their final year at school and moved out of the Burrow into the Potter family’s old manor in Godric’s Hollow. Harry would be turning nineteen next month, and Ginny would turn eighteen in August.

“What’s going on?” she asked, taking a seat as Harry gestured toward the sofa. “You’re acting like I’m about to get bad news.”

Harry took a deep breath. “Andy’s dead.”

Ginny froze.

“Andromeda?” she whispered.

He nodded. “The Ministry doctor said it was a heart attack.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Andromeda Tonks had lost her only daughter, Nymphadora, and her son-in-law, Remus, in the battle. She had been raising their son, Teddy, ever since. Harry and Ginny had been a constant presence in their lives, visiting almost every two weeks.

“But that’s not all I wanted to talk to you about,” Harry continued. “It’s about Teddy. We’re his only family now. I know we’re only legally related, not by blood, but that doesn’t matter to me. I wanted to ask… can we take him in?”

Ginny’s eyes widened.

“I get it if you don’t want that responsibility yet,” Harry added quickly. “We’re young, and if you think it’s too much, I can make other arrangements—”

Before he could finish, Ginny swung at his head.

Thankfully, Harry dodged just in time.

Arthur had warned him about this when he and Ginny had first started dating. Apparently, Weasley women had a habit of smacking their boyfriends, fiancés, or husbands when they said something particularly stupid. And Weasley men had a talent for picking fierce women. It was a survival skill, really.

“HARRY JAMES POTTER!” Ginny exploded. “HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST I WOULDN’T WANT THAT LITTLE ANGEL IN OUR HOME?!”

Harry stared at her, caught somewhere between relief and amusement.

“He stayed with us all last summer at the Burrow, and I loved every second of it!” she huffed. “Sure, Mum did most of the work, but we can figure it out! We’ll ask her for tips! And help! But how dare you think I wouldn’t want him?”

Harry grinned. “Relax, Gin. I knew you’d say yes.”

Still fuming, she crossed her arms. “Then why did you even ask?”

“Because I enjoy living,” he teased, pulling her onto his lap. It was his tried-and-true method for calming her down, and sure enough, she leaned into him, exhaling a little.

After a moment, she frowned. “Wait—where’s Teddy now?”

“He’s still at Andromeda’s house with the neighbor who found her,” Harry explained. “She heard Andy scream, but by the time I got there, she was already gone.” His voice softened for a second before he shook himself. “We can pick him up tomorrow before the funeral. But we need to get a nursery and a playroom set up first.”

Ginny nodded. “Hmm… true. But no magic. We’ll do everything by hand.”

Harry smirked. “Merlin, you sound like Hermione.”

Ginny shot him a look, and he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Since it was only six o’clock, they figured the shops would still be open. Ginny slid off his lap, went back to the kitchen, and turned off the stove, canceling the stirring charm. They’d just have to settle for peanut butter and chocolate spread sandwiches. Harry would live. He loved them anyway.

She quickly made the sandwiches (okay, she did use a little magic for that), wrapped them in napkins, and walked outside.

Harry was already there, impatiently waiting with his cloak and hat on.

She handed him his sandwiches and put on her own cloak, taking hers from him. Then, side by side, they set off for the shops down Godric Lane, munching as they walked.

Andromeda’s death still weighed heavily on them, but they knew that dwelling on it wouldn’t change anything. Right now, the most important thing was making sure Teddy had a home.

When they reached Henry’s Furniture, they stepped inside to find a small, good-natured man bounding up to them.

“Harry! Ginny! What a pleasure!” Henry beamed.

“Hey, Henry! Good to see you again,” Ginny greeted warmly.

“What can I help you with today?”

“We need a baby cot, a dresser, a changing table, a shifting crib, and a high chair,” Harry listed.

Henry’s eyes widened. “Oh-ho! Are you—”

Harry laughed, cutting him off. “No, no, nothing like that! Our godson is moving in with us. He’s about a year and two months old.”

Henry exhaled in relief. “Ohhh, got it. What kind of theme are you thinking?”

“Pastel rainbow,” Ginny answered immediately.

Harry blinked. That was fast. Then he smiled. He knew Ginny loved soft, light colors. And with Teddy’s Metamorphmagus abilities, a rainbow-themed room was perfect.

“Oh! Then you must see this.” Henry flicked his wand, and a cream-colored crib appeared before them.

“I love it!” Ginny gasped.

“It’s part of a full set,” Henry explained. “It includes the crib, dresser, changing table, shifting crib, and high chair.”

“That’s perfect,” Harry said. “Could you get them ready for us? We’ll pick them up later—we still have a few more things to buy.”

Henry nodded. “Of course!”

With that settled, Harry and Ginny stepped back out onto the street, ready to continue their shopping.

‘We still need to get wallpaper, a playpen for the living room, a bigger one for the playroom, toys, baby bottles, milk, diapers, and I’ll also get some cute onesies for him as a little gift,’ Ginny counted off.

‘All right then, I’ll grab the diapers, bottles, milk, and playpens, and you can get the wallpaper and onesies. We’ll meet back at Henry’s shop in half an hour. Do you have your wallet and Muggle money?’ Harry asked.

‘Yes, I do,’ Ginny replied. They split up, each heading to different shops.

About half an hour later, Harry arrived at Henry’s shop, carrying multiple bags. Ginny was already waiting, holding only two bags. ‘Good, I shrank the furniture packages and put them in my pocket. We can expand them at home. Let’s go,’ Ginny said, and they walked back to their house.

By the time they finished setting up, it was 2 AM. They had decorated Harry’s old nursery as Teddy’s and transformed a downstairs room into a playroom.

‘I think we’ve done a pretty good job, considering we didn’t use magic to unpack,’ Ginny said, looking around.

‘Good? I’d say we did an excellent job!’ Harry replied, grinning.

Ginny laughed. ‘Come on, we should get some sleep. We don’t want to be late picking up Teddy and for the funeral tomorrow.’

They changed into pajamas and went to bed. Their room was right across from Teddy’s nursery so they could hear him if he cried.

The next morning, Harry woke up first around 8:30 AM. He kissed Ginny awake, and they both got dressed. They had planned to pick up Teddy at 11:30, just before the funeral, but they wanted to check on him earlier.

They Apparated to Andromeda’s house, bringing Floo powder since Apparition wasn’t safe for Teddy.

A weary-looking witch opened the door. Her red-rimmed brown eyes and messy blonde hair showed she hadn’t slept. She was holding a crying baby. ‘Oh, Mr. Potter! I’m so glad you’re here. Teddy has been crying since last night. He didn’t sleep at all—he just kept calling for “Ga’ma!”’ she said with relief.

‘By the looks of it, neither did you, Mrs. Abbott,’ Ginny said kindly as Harry took Teddy from her.

As soon as Teddy was in Harry’s arms, he stopped crying and squealed, ‘Hawwy!’

Harry smiled. ‘Missed me, buddy?’

Teddy laughed and tried to hug him, though his tiny arms barely reached Harry’s sides. Then he spotted Ginny over Harry’s shoulder and wriggled in excitement.

‘Here, you take him—I’ll grab his things. Mrs. Abbott, you should probably get some sleep,’ Harry said, passing Teddy to Ginny before heading inside.

Ginny followed him while Mrs. Abbott retreated to her home. Harry went upstairs to Teddy’s room, where he found a bag charmed with an Undetectable Extension Charm. He packed up everything belonging to Teddy and went back downstairs.

‘Let’s go. I think Teddy needs some sleep before the funeral,’ Harry said, smiling at a yawning Teddy in Ginny’s arms.

‘Yeah, you’re right,’ Ginny agreed.

They used the Floo Network to return home. ‘I’ll put him to sleep. You should rest too—you’re exhausted from last night,’ Harry told Ginny, taking Teddy from her.

She nodded and went to their room while Harry carried Teddy to his new nursery. He rocked him gently, humming softly. Teddy quickly fell asleep, his head nestled against Harry’s chest. Harry smiled, loving his little godson. He laid Teddy in the cot and charmed it to rock gently before checking on Ginny, who was already fast asleep. He smiled, then went downstairs and sat on the sofa, picking up a book—something very unlike him. He had found it in Andromeda’s house; it was a guide on raising children from infancy to adulthood.

At 11:30, Ginny came downstairs. ‘Shouldn’t you get Teddy ready? I’ll make his milk,’ she said.

Harry nodded and went upstairs. He had only changed Teddy once before, but he knew the basics. He just needed to give him a bath. Waking Teddy, he undressed him and placed him in the magically enlarged sink.

Ten minutes later, Harry emerged, holding a clean, happy Teddy—while his own shirt and pants were drenched. Apparently, Teddy loved splashing water.

Ginny stifled a laugh. ‘Give him to me and go change.’

Harry grinned as he handed Teddy over and went to their room. Five minutes later, Ginny was downstairs with a giggling Teddy. Harry joined them, now dressed in a black suit.

‘He needs feeding, but we only have ten minutes,’ Ginny said, looking worried.

‘Give him to me, I’ll do it,’ Harry said, taking Teddy. They quickly fed him half a bottle, deciding he could have the rest at lunch.

The funeral was at Godric’s Hollow, attended only by the Weasleys and the Abbotts. After the service, the Abbotts went home while the Weasleys returned to Harry and Ginny’s house. The room was filled with chatter. Harry and Ginny were talking with Ron and Hermione, with Harry holding Teddy.

‘Oh, I need to finish making lunch! Mum, Fleur, Lilian, Audrey, Angelina, Alicia, and Hermione—could you help me in the kitchen?’ Ginny called over the noise.

‘Of courz, Ginny!’ Fleur said, handing Victoire to Bill as she stood.

The other women followed Ginny, leaving the men and babies in the room.

‘So, mate, you decided to take on parental responsibilities early?’ Ron teased.

‘Yeah. I asked Ginny, but when I accidentally suggested she might not want the responsibility, I had to dodge a serious blow and got yelled at about how much she wanted him here,’ Harry said, chuckling.

Teddy’s hair turned ginger as he reached for Ron. Ron took him, grinning as Teddy’s eyes turned blue.

‘If someone didn’t know better, they’d think he was yours,’ Ron laughed, tickling Teddy’s belly, making him squeal.

About half an hour later, Ginny called everyone to the dining room. The magically enlarged room accommodated over 30 people. The women levitated dishes to the table while the four babies were placed in high chairs.

‘Mmm, everything looks amazing! But who made what?’ Ron asked, piling his plate.

Ginny narrowed her eyes. ‘Ronald Weasley, do you actually care, or are you just fishing to compliment Hermione’s dish the most?’

Ron raised his hands in mock surrender. ‘Dearest Ginny, of course, I care. I wouldn’t want to risk the Weasley women’s famous hexes—your Bat-Bogey Hex or Hermione’s Bluebell Flames, which leave nasty burns! Besides, if I only complimented Hermione’s dish, I’d get hexed by her first!’

Everyone laughed.

‘It’s true. Hermione would hex him for bad manners first,’ Alicia giggled.

After lunch, they all returned to the living room, which quickly became loud and lively as they resumed the men vs. women competition tradition that had started the previous year. Today's matchups were: Ron vs. Audrey in chess, Arthur vs. Angelina in Exploding Snap, Fred vs. Lilian in Gobstones, Charlie vs. Molly in chess (she was surprisingly skilled), George vs. Ginny in Gobstones, Harry vs. Fleur in chess, Bill vs. Alicia in Exploding Snap, and Percy vs. Hermione in Exploding Snap.

The games continued until six o’clock, and in the excitement, they nearly forgot that it was the day of Andromeda’s funeral. Around that time, everyone began heading to their respective lodgings, except for Ron and Hermione, who were staying the night at Ginny’s request.

After a quick dinner—during which Ginny insisted on feeding Teddy herself, much to Harry’s protests—Ron and Hermione laughed, teasing them about how they already acted like a married couple, making both of them blush. Once Teddy was put to bed, Harry showed Ron and Hermione to their room.

Later that night, a baby’s cry pierced the silence.

Harry stirred, groggy and disoriented. What time is it? He forced himself awake and muttered, “Teddy.” Since his year on the run, he had become a light sleeper, always alert.

He got up and stepped outside. The upstairs corridor had three rooms—his and Ginny’s, Ron and Hermione’s, and Teddy’s nursery. With a flick of his wand, he cast silencing charms on both bedroom doors to prevent the others from waking before heading into the nursery.

Teddy was practically screaming. Harry picked him up, cradling him against his chest while rocking him gently. Balancing the baby in one arm, he awkwardly prepared a bottle with the other, mixing the formula into the warm water and shaking it. Finally satisfied, he sat in the corner chair, placing Teddy on his lap, supporting his head as he began to feed him.

Unbeknownst to him, Ron had been watching from the doorway. Now, he stepped inside, conjuring a chair beside Harry and sitting down.

“Well, mate,” Ron said after a moment, “I reckon you are—and will be—a great parent.”

Harry smiled. “His parents died for me and the wizarding world. I know what it’s like to grow up without love, and I don’t want that for anyone.”

Ron nodded, watching Teddy drink contentedly. Then he hesitated before speaking. “I’ve got to tell you something, but you can’t tell anyone. Not Ginny, and definitely not Hermione.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t used to keeping secrets from Ginny, not since they’d gotten back together the previous year. Still, he nodded.

“I’m going to propose to Hermione,” Ron admitted, exhaling as though he’d lifted a weight off his chest. “Probably this week—if I can find the perfect ring.”

Harry grinned. “That’s great, Ron!”

Ron smiled but looked nervous. “I just hope she doesn’t think we’re too young and say no.”

“She won’t,” Harry assured him. “She loves you—even if she doesn’t express it in, y’know, a sloppy way.” He chuckled. “Thank Merlin our girlfriends aren’t like that—always professing their undying love in front of everyone.”

Ron laughed. “Yeah, true.”

They sat in comfortable silence, watching as Teddy finished his milk. Harry rocked him gently until his tiny eyelids fluttered shut. Carefully, he placed the baby back in his cot and adjusted the blanket around him.

As they left the room, Ron whispered, “I know you and Ginny will be great parents to him.”

Harry froze at his words.

He knew that one day, he and Ginny would start a family—but he hadn’t thought that taking in his godson already made them one.

Sighing, he headed back to his room.