Family Chats
Lily Evans Potter was nervous to say the least and had paced the length of her old common room what must have been at least one-hundred times by now. She was going to meet her son. Re-meet her son. But really, meet him. The last time she had seen her baby boy, her Harry, he had been sitting in his crib chewing on the end of his hippogriff toy. Now he was well into his forties and had a godson...and a wife...and children too! Not only that but according to Minnie he had defeated one of the darkest wizards of their time before he was twenty. All this on top of the fact that she herself had been dead these past forty years and was now back, physically younger than her son and his friends.
“Does anyone-?” She was stopped mid sentence by Sirius who handed her a flask and pushed her lightly onto the couch between him and James.
“Stop pacing, Evans. You’re making me dizzy.” She nodded and took a swig of what she found was firewhiskey.
Normally she wasn’t one to drink from a flask - especially one given to her by her sudo-brother-in-law. However, if there was ever a time to take a swig out of a flask, today would be the day. She looked over at Remus and Tonks and knew they were feeling similar. She stood up and handed the flask to Tonks smiling.
“I’m not usually one to...but….it might help with the nerves.” Tonks took the flask and smiled back at her shyly.
“Thanks, Lily. My nerves could use some help right now.”
Even though Lily had just met Nymphadora Tonks less than two hours prior and despite the seemingly whirlwind nature of her and Remus’s marriage, she automatically took a liking to the young woman. She seemed good for Remus and looking at James, who had been eyeing the couple curiously since they all first appeared outside of Hogwarts, he thought so too. Going back to sit beside her husband she put her hand on the back of his neck and smiled imploringly at him.
“You look like I feel.” She said quietly, now running her hand through his hair. He put an arm around his wife and sighed.
“What if he doesn’t like us or doesn’t want to know us?” He asked in a whisper. “He’s grown now, he has a family, a life. Maybe he won’t want us ruining that.”
Lily grimaced because it was the same thought she had had earlier. Looking into her husband’s desperate eyes however, she simply said “We at least have to try.” Before kissing him gently on the corner of his still frowning mouth.
A pillow was then thrown at them from across the room and Lily yelped.
“It has been close to fifty years...I thought death would have made you two get some control over your hormones!” Sirius said smirking as he picked up another pillow and aimed it at James.
“You’re supposed to be the old and wise one here, Padfoot.” Lily said, mirroring his smirk and arching one eyebrow in the process.
“Wise I’ll take...old however….oh sod off, Evans!” Sirius huffed as the rest of the group giggled quietly at his displeasure. Their laughter died down as they heard voices outside of the portrait.
The door swung open and two men climbed through the portrait hole. The older one looked less nervous than the younger, but not by much. James and Remus stood quickly, followed by Lily and Tonks. Sirius simply smiled. There was a short silence before Sirius spoke
“God alive, Harry, you got pretty old, huh?” Harry laughed and ran a hand through his messy black hair before accepting the back slapping hug his godfather offered.
“Yeah, I guess that happens after almost three decades.” He turned and looked at Teddy who seemed frozen where he stood, staring at his parents who were returning his gaze with just as much anxiety. “Well, this is Teddy...er….Ted.” He turned towards his own parents and Sirius and nodded.
“Maybe the four of us should give the Lupins some time down here, we can go upstairs.” Teddy frantically looked at his godfather but didn’t say anything and so the two groups seperated.
The small family unit, Harry, James, Lily, and Sirius made their way up to their old dorms. Once they were in the Gryffindor boy’s dormitory Lily turned to her son. “Oh, Harry.” she sighed pushing the sob that was close to overtaking her back down while she wrapped her small arms around her fully grown son. “We’ve missed so much. I’m so sorry we left you.” She let a few tears slip down her cheek.
“I-it’s ok, mum.” Harry said awkwardly, accepting his mother’s unfamiliar hug gladly.
“I’ve had a good life, really. The first seventeen years were a bit...um...challenging….but I did have some help.” He nodded towards Sirius who smiled brightly.
“I know, I know. Minerva told us most of the basics. At least, most of what everyone knows about you and what you’ve been through. She also gave me this, so I plan on catching up quickly.” Lily took out a book with the title “The Second Wizarding War: A History” emboldened on the cover.
Harry winced slightly but smiled and said “Oh, good. Glad you’ve uh - got that covered.” His father stepped in now and squeezed his shoulder warmly “Maybe you could fill in the rest for us, we really do want to know everything.” Harry nodded and motioned for the three adults to sit on the closest bed while he conjured a chair.
“Of course, well after the war I married my girlfriend from Hogwarts...Ginny Weasley… now Potter.” Sirius slapped his knee happily and exclaimed “I knew it!” Harry laughed and shook his head “Well then I wish you would have told me, I didn’t figure it out until close to the end of my sixth year. We really only had a few months together before I had to leave.” He took out a worn wallet from his cloak and handed a picture to his parents.
“This is us on our wedding day.” Lily and James smiled at the picture of the young couple laughing and stealing a kiss in their wedding garb.
“We have three children. Lily Luna, James Sirius, and Albus Severus. Although, really it’s four since we helped raise Teddy since practically the end of the war.” He took out another picture from years ago of the four children and handed it to the group.
“I’m sorry - did you say Albus Severus?” Sirius exclaimed hautely, as he handed the picture back to James and Lily.
“Oh, they’re all so lovely, Harry. Really, you and Ginny must be so proud.” It was strange for him to hear his wife’s name from his mother, nevermind his own. He had imagined many times what his parents would think of his family and the life he had built for himself. It was strange that he now, for reasons still unknown to him, had a chance to show them all that.
He nodded, “We are and you’ll meet them soon. In fact…” He looked down at his watch and saw that it was now almost quarter to twelve “I’m afraid I’m running rather late.”
His parents and Sirius all looked confused and Harry smiled “It’s my daughter, Lily’s, seventeenth birthday today.” he explained and was pleased when his family returned his enthusiasm.
“Well then!” James said as he swallowed heavily and wrapped an arm around Lily “Let’s go meet our granddaughter!”
****
Teddy sat quietly for a moment before his mother spoke. “I know this must be very strange for you, but we just love you so much and we want you to feel…” She paused her rather panicked monologue as if looking for the words that might come next.
Her mouth was moving faster than her head could parse out what she felt, Teddy realized and smiled a little because he was known for doing the same thing. Remus put his hand on Tonk’s knee, which seemed to have a steadying effect.
“We just want you to feel comfortable around us for now….we know you have your own life but we want to be a part of as much as you are willing to share.” His father looked at him with empathetic eyes that made Teddy feel safe.
Although he had only ever seen those eyes in the old pictures Harry and Ginny kept around the house, they were familiar and they were his father’s.
“Well...I’m sorry about before. I didn’t think I’d react so..viscerally. Anyway, I don’t know how much you know already...but, I’m an auror and have been for about ten years now. Harry and Ginny and Gran raised me. Starting when I was around five I spent time at both their houses….Harry and Ginny were always there for me as well as all the Weasleys and even the Longbottoms.”
"Oh Gods....I'm terrible! Has anyone told my mum yet? I can't believe I hadn't asked..." Tonks wiped her hand over her face.
He chuckled a bit awkwardly "Harry sent her a note...she'll be at the house so I'd prepare yourself."
He looked up at his mother “Her and Harry - they always made sure to tell me about you two and all you did for me.” Remus was the one that nodded solemnly while tears threatened to once again overwhelmed Tonks. They were interrupted by the Potter-Black group a few seconds later.
Harry smiled apologetically “I’m sorry to interrupt but I am afraid we should get going, Ted.” Teddy looked at his watch and nodded.