Chapter 5
It was now August 30th and Harry, Hermione, and Theo started packing up their things to prepare for their last year at Hogwarts. They would leave the next morning to get there to ensure that Teddy adjusted well to the new surroundings. And that way, no one would see them. They needed the extra day to plan out schedules for their classes, as well as the babysitting schedule for Teddy.
Harry's things were packed for the most part. The only thing he needed to add was Teddy's things before he shrunk everything down and placed it in a bag Hermione had placed an extendable charm on. Theo was almost finished with his things. He only needed to add his books.
Hermione, well. She was Hermione. She had most of her books packed, along with her personal artifacts packed a week ago. 'There's no point in waiting until the last minute' She said. Harry could understand that now, seeing as he was running all over the house trying to make sure he had every little thing that Teddy could want or need packed away in the bag ready for transport.
The group would be arriving via Floo straight into Headmistress McGonagall's office. That was the safest way to get Teddy there. Not only to keep him out of the public's eye, but also because he was too small to apparate with.
Just as Harry finished getting the last of his sons items packed away, Hermione entered the room with Teddy snuggled into her arms. "Aunty 'Mione cannot wait to show you all of the fun things at Hogwarts. No she can't!" Hermione babbled to him in her 'baby voice'. Harry sighed, "I think that little booger is a bit too small for Aunty 'Mione to be showing around the castle, hm?"
Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes and looked down at Teddy, "Fine, I'll just bring all the interesting books to you then, won't i?" Harry shook his head with a smile. In the direction they're going, Teddy is going to have all of the knowledge in the world at his fingertips before he can even talk.
"Well, I believe it is time that this little munchkin has his nap. Hm?" Harry reached for his yawning son and rocked him in his arms. Any time he held Teddy it felt like the first time and the last time he ever would, all he could do was admire the tiny human. As he walked into the nursery, he placed a kiss on Teddy's head before laying the sleepy child in his crib, watching as Teddy got comfortable before drifting off to sleep.
Harry exited the nursery and made his way to the den, "Well, Kreacher is already at Hogwarts so that means either we have to cook, or we order in." Hermione agreed to order in and Harry offered to go get it. "Let's go see what Theo wants."
As the pair reached Harry and Theo's room, they could hear the light sniffles coming from inside. Hermione shot Harry a worried look before knocking on the door, "Theo?? May we come in?" Shuffling could be heard before the door opened up slowly.
Theo was sitting on the floor facing his trunk. The sound of his sniffles and the shaking shoulders were obvious indicators that the young lad was crying. "Oh Theo, what's wrong?" Hermione questioned, hesitantly. Theo usually only allowed Harry to comfort him when he was like this, so she wasn't sure if her presence would set him off more or not. "W-what's going to h-happen when we g-go ba-back?" Theo whispered, "What—what i-if you g-guys leave m-me behind?"
Harry shot Hermione a look as he sat behind Theo and pulled the smaller boy into him, "Oh, love. We won't do that. We promise. You are family, and one of us will be with you at all times." That only seemed to upset the boy more, as he sobbed into Harry's chest, "They're going to hate me. They're going to try and hurt me. I didn't even do anything but because of my father, they'll only ever see me as a mini Death Eater."
"What makes you think that Hermione and I won't stop them? We have gotten quite creative with our hexes and jinxes," Harry joked. Theo let out another sob, or a laugh, neither could tell the difference. "How about I make you a deal?" Harry offered, kissing Theo's head and rubbing his back.
Hermione looked at her brother with a glint in her eye, she knew his idea and thought it would be perfect. She nodded her head towards Harry, letting him know that it was okay. The raven haired boy smiled at her before focusing his attention back on Theo, "How about you not only keep your last name, but we add a little spice to it? What do you think about that?"
Theo pulled away and gave Harry a funny look, "You know, you're quite horrible with jokes. Just get to the point." Hermione giggled before joining her brother and friend on the floor, "What Harry is trying to say is, how do you feel about becoming Theodore Nott-Potter?"
Theo snapped his head to look at her and then looked back to Harry. The bushy haired girl and the raven haired boy both shared the same smile. Theo deducted that they were genuine. They really wanted him to be part of their family. A happy family, one that was full of love and warmth. Something that Theo has always wanted.
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Harry, Theo, and Hermione exited an office at the Ministry. The trio made their way to the Floo Network to go back home after their little adventure of adding Theo to their family; in blood and the eyes of the law. A forever bond solidifying that Harry and Hermione loved and accepted him. Harry Potter, Theodore Nott-Potter, and Hermione Granger-Potter entered their home to find a mini party. Fred, George, Fleur, Bill, and Astoria stood in the living room waiting for them.
George was the first to step forward and pull Theo in for a hug, "I wanted to be the first to officially welcome you to the family, little brother." After George pulled away, Fred, Bill, and Fleur all followed in suit.
Astoria was the last, and the only thing she could do was pull Theo into her and hug him with everything she had. "I know I'm not very well liked by some people here, but thank you for looking out for Theo. Slytherin Rule #2; your house is your family, treat them well. And despite Theo being in a different house, you guys welcomed him with open arms. I can't thank you enough."
Harry smiled at his brother and his former lover. Theo and Astoria might not have been close, but a Slytherin always looked out for another Slytherin. And to Harry, that's all that mattered. "Well, that would be enough lovey-dovey feeling sharing for the sake of my sanity, how about we eat!" George spoke, summoning a buffet in the middle of the living room.
"And how, do tell, do you expect us to eat all of this?" Astoria questioned staring at the mountain of food on each plate. George smirked, "Oh, you'll see." Hermione shook her head in disgust at the way the Weasley boys all seemed to have bottomless pits in their abdomens.
"Well my dear, the Weasley's might be tiny, but each of them could eat a hippogriff and a half and still be hungry," Harry stated, slipping in next to Astoria and kissing her head. The shorter girl turned and slapped Harry.
"Dammit, I'm out five galleons," Bill laughed, handing Fred the money. George just smirked and Fred held out his hand as if he was expecting money from his twin, "Oh no, brother. I said that it would happen before we started our meal. If you haven't noticed, no one in the room has started eating yet." Fred looked around and huffed, handing George ten galleons while muttering something about everyone being "a bunch of bloody traitors". Fleur shook her head and walked over to grab a plate, handing Bill one as well.
"What was that for!" Harry yelled, rubbing his stinging cheek. "That was for you not telling me that you have a child. And that" Astoria said slapping him again, "is for making me find out by showing up to your house."
Theo, Harry, and Hermione froze. "Ria, wait. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't. We couldn't. No one knows about Teddy, and it has to stay that way. The only people that know about him are in this room," Harry explained, reaching out and grabbing her hands. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to, but I had to think of him first," Harry said. Astoria sighed and pulled him into a hug, "I'm just hurt that I showed up to your house to find Fred and George in a nursery playing with a baby that looks exactly like you. I could've helped you. How are you going back to school? Can I meet him? How old is he? Does this mean you were sleeping around in the middle of the war and the thought didn't cross your mind to tell me that you fathered some random witch's heir?"
"Nymphadora Tonks is his mother, Remus Lupin is his father," Hermione whispered. "After Tonks died, Remus realized that he couldn't be the father that Teddy needed. He signed over his rights for Harry to adopt him. No one has seen or heard from Remus since the day of the war."
Astoria nodded and kissed Harry's cheek, "I'll forgive you, if I can meet the little monster. Officially." Theo smiled and walked out of the room. Astoria looked at Harry with an eyebrow raised. "Theo is the only one who can wake him up without putting him in a mood."
△⃒⃘
Two hours later, the group had finished eating and sat around the living room watching some movie Theo likes.
Theo was cuddled into Fleur. Fleur was holding onto him while leaning against Bill's arm. Fred was sprawled out on the other couch, his feet resting in Hermione's lap. George was on the floor, while Harry and Astoria sat in the back of the room playing with Teddy.
"You are so precious," Astoria gushed over the infant. Harry sat by with a smile on his face. Apparently, Teddy liked her so much that what little hair he had morphed to match Astoria's. Teddy had a habit of changing his hair to match the person who held his attention, but his eyes never changed. He had Harry's eyes; Hermione said that it was probably Teddy's way of accepting Harry as his father.
As Harry watched his son and his ex-lover play, he didn't notice that everyone else in the room had turned their attention to the pair. "I guess Ria will have to go back to Hogwarts after all," George said.
Without taking her attention away from Teddy, Astoria pulled out her wand and sent a jinx to both Fred and George; turning both boys' red hair a bright blue.
"HEY! What was that for! I didn't even say it," Fred whined, trying to pull his hair over his eyes to inspect the new color. Everyone laughed. "Because I didn't know which one of you said it, I just recognized the voice and for calling me 'Ria' instead of 'Tori'," Astoria chuckled as she glanced at the blue haired boys. "But yes, I will be returning to Hogwarts. And I will be helping all of you keep this little monster a secret."
In that moment, Harry couldn't have been more thankful to have the family that he does.