Chapter Four
Harry Potter turned seventeen the day before Bill and Fleur’s wedding—he insisted no one make a fuss, but several people did anyway. He was turning of age after all.
“HAPPY SEVENTEETH BIRTHDAY HARRY!” Sirius Black erupted into Harry and Ron’s room that morning with a bang, causing Ron and Harry to bolt upright in their beds (and Ron to pull the blankets up over his pajama vest for some reason).
Remus and Sirius had joined the Weasley’s (plus Hermione and Fleur) at the Burrow after their honeymoon at Hope’s Cottage.
After they had Apparated outside the wards and passed the security questions posed by Molly, an over-eager Teddy had sprinted across the lawn to an already crouched and waiting Remus, who had scooped the toddler up into his arms. Molly had already begun talking to Remus and Sirius about how much she’d appreciate their help in the coming days with the wedding preparations for Bill and Fleur and they had smiled and told her, “Of course, anything you need.”
The day after their arrival, however, Molly began her needling into why Harry was not to be returning to Hogwarts, as well as Ron and Hermione.
“May I ask why you both are letting Harry abandon his education?” Molly asked curtly as she set the napkins and tablecloths to folding themselves atop the kitchen table while Remus and Sirius polished the cutlery, plates, and goblets by hand.
“Harry? Want to answer that one?” Sirius called into the sitting room where Harry was playing with Teddy.
Harry sighed, having overheard, and led Teddy into the kitchen to join the adults. Teddy at once scrambled into Remus’ lap and wore an almost identical expression of focus on his face as he imitated Remus’ features and began ‘helping’ him polish the forks.
“Well…” Harry mumbled, “Dumbledore left me…stuff to do. He said I could tell Ron and Hermione about it, and they want to come too.”
“What sort of stuff?” Molly demanded.
“I’m sorry, I can’t—”
“Well, frankly, I think Arthur and I have a right to know, and I’m sure Mr. and Mrs. Granger would agree!”
Sirius and Remus exchanged a weary and slightly guilty look.
“Molly,” Remus said kindly, “Sirius and I’ll be keeping an eye on them.”
“From a bloody mirror!” Molly snapped, “When you’ve got Teddy and your own missions for the Order to worry about!”
Sirius frowned and opened his mouth but Remus beat him to it, “Harry may be almost of age, Molly, and taking his own path, but that does not mean we will take our guardianship of him any less seriously. He will always be under Sirius and I's care until the day we die.”
Molly blinked, looking addled, and stammered for a moment, “I…yes…of course…” she shook her head and squared her shoulders, “But come now, Remus, Sirius—if Dumbledore needed work doing, he had the whole Order at his disposal! He probably didn’t mean that he wanted Harry to do it—”
“It’s got to be me,” Harry said flatly.
Molly stared at Harry for a moment and then looked back at Remus and Sirius.
“Harry’s got something he needs to do,” Sirius said in a hoarse voice although his dark eyes were sharp with determination, “And he’ll see it done. It’s grand that he’s got the two best mates in the world to help him with it, isn’t it?”
Molly sniffed and turned away, fleeing into the laundry room. But she didn’t mention it again.
The days became non-stop work for the wedding for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Sirius and Remus went out on Order missions once more, leaving Teddy in the care of the teenagers or Fleur and Molly. Harry noticed that he, Ron, and Hermione were never set to the same task and Ginny illuminated that his suspicions for why that was were correct.
“Mum thinks that if she can stop the three of you getting together and planning, she’ll be able to delay you leaving,” Ginny said as they laid the table for dinner two days later. Sirius and Remus would be returning from their mission in time to eat with them, and they’d also be joined by Tonks and Kingsley.
“And then what does she think’s going to happen?” Harry muttered, “Someone else might kill off Voldemort while we’re color-matching flowers?”
Ginny’s face whitened, “So it’s true? That’s what you’re trying to do?”
“I—I was joking.”
“Do Sirius and Remus know?”
Harry stared at her. There was something more than shock in Ginny’s expression. But just then the door opened and Arthur, Kingsley, and Bill walked in.
After dinner, Fleur turned to Harry, “We must decide ‘ow you will be disguised, ‘Arry,” she said, “Of course, with Ziriuz and Remuz in attendance, people will be looking for you. It iz bezt to keep them looking.”
Sirius nodded, “Too right. I was thinking a red-haired glamour, eh, Harry?”
Harry grinned, “Sure.”
“Ron, have you cleaned your room yet?” Molly asked.
“Why?” Ron groaned and glared at his mother, “Is the wedding happening in my bedroom? No! So why in the name of Merlin’s saggy left—”
“Don’t talk to your mother like that,” Arthur interjected with a sigh, “And do as you’re told.”
Ron scowled at his parents while Sirius held in his laughter.
Later that evening, Harry bade goodnight to Sirius and Remus—Teddy had already been put to bed and the two men were joining Kingsley, Tonks, Bill, Arthur, and Molly for an Order meeting in the sitting room—and headed up to Ron’s room.
Hermione was sitting in the corner sorting through two enormous piles of books.
“Hi Harry,” she said as Harry sat on his cot beside Ron’s bed.
“What are you doing with all of those books anyway?” Ron asked her.
“Just trying to decide which ones to bring with us,” Hermione answered, “When we’re looking for Horcruxes.”
“Listen…” Harry said slowly, “are you sure that you two have thought this through?”
Hermione slammed down Hogwarts: A History and glared at Harry, “Let’s see. I’ve been packing for days, so that we’re ready to leave at a moment’s notice, which—in case they haven’t told you—involved Remus teaching me a load of pretty difficult magic and Sirius helping me smuggle some of Mad-Eye’s stock of Polyjuice potion. I’ve also modified my parents’ memories so that they’re convinced they’re called Wendell and Monica Wilkins and that their life’s ambition is to move to Australia, which they have done. Assuming I survive our hunt for Horcruxes, I’ll find Mum and Dad and lift the enchantment. If I don’t…well…I think I’ve cast a good enough charm to keep them safe and happy. Wendell and Monica don’t know they’ve got a daughter, you see.”
Hermione’s eyes were swimming with tears. Gently, Ron came and crouched beside her, putting an arm over her shoulders and looking at Harry as though reproaching him for his lack of tact.
“I—Hermione, I’m sorry—I didn’t—” Harry stammered.
“Didn’t realize that Ron and I know perfectly well what might happen if we come with you? Well, we do. Ron, show Harry what you’ve done.”
Ron nodded and said, “C’mon.”
“Why?” Harry asked as he followed Ron out of the room and onto the tiny landing.
“Descendo,” Ron muttered, pointing his wand at the low ceiling. A hatch opened and a ladder descended, leading them up into the attic.
“Come on and have a look at the ghoul,” Ron said.
Harry followed Ron up the ladder’s steps and into the small attic.
“But…it looks…do ghouls normally where pajamas?” Harry asked, staring at the creature curled up a few feet from him in the gloom.
“No. Nor do they normally have red hair or that number of pustules,” Ron said, “He’s me, see?”
“No,” Harry said, starting at the slimy creature, “I don’t.”
“I’ll explain back in my room,” Ron said, “the smells getting to me.”
They climbed back down the ladder, which Ron returned up into the cieling, and rejoined Hermione, who had resumed sorting books.
“Once we’ve left, the ghouls going to come and live down in my room,” Ron explained, “He’s going to be me with spattergoit. Good, eh?”
Harry stared in confusion.
“It is!” Ron said, frustrated, “Look, when we three don’t turn up at Hogwarts again, Death Eaters will go straight to our families to see if they’ve got information on where you are. But we can’t hide my whole family, it’ll look fishy and they can’t all leave their jobs,” Ron insisted, “So we’re going to put out the story that I’m seriously ill with spattergoit.”
“And your mum and dad are in on this plan?” Harry asked.
“Dad is,” Ron said proudly, “He trusts Remus and Sirius’ judgement. Alright, maybe he trusts Remus’ judgement slightly more but that’s by the by. Anyway, Dad helped Fred and George transform the ghoul for me.”
Harry stared at his two best friends. The measures that they had taken…all the risks…
“Thank you,” Harry said thickly.
Ron shrugged and sat back down on his bed, “So this R.A.B. person—”
Harry sank onto his cot, his legs felt slightly shaky, “Regulus Arcturus Black.”
Hermione and Ron’s heads snapped to attention.
“What?” Hermione squeaked.
Harry nodded, “It was Sirius’ younger brother.”
Ron gaped, “Bloody hell.”
“Sirius read the note and made the connection,” Harry sighed, “I’ll need to speak to him about what Regulus may have done with the real one…if he has any ideas…”
“D’you reckon he was able to destroy it?” Ron asked.
Harry shrugged, “We’ll have to track it down, won’t we? We’ll need Sirius’ help for that.”
“How do you destroy a Horcrux?” Ron wondered aloud.
“Well…I’ve been researching that,” Hermione piped up.
“How?” Harry asked.
Hermione turned pink, “Well…Dumbledore removed the books on Horcruxes from the library but he didn’t destroy them. They were in his office. After the funeral…after we decided we were going to come with you to destroy Horcruxes…I did a Summoning charm. And they zoomed out of his study window and right into my dormitory. And I…I packed them.”
Hermione pulled out a book bound in black leather, “Secrets of the Darkest Art, it’s called,” she said, “It’s a truly horrible book. It goes into detail about how to make a Horcrux and the more I’ve read about them, the less I can believe that Voldemort actually made six. It warns in this book about how unstable you make the rest of your soul by ripping it, and that’s just making one!”
“Is there any way of putting yourself back together?” Ron asked her.
“Yes,” Hermione said with a hollow smile, “but it would be extremely painful.”
“Why?” Harry asked, “How do you do it?”
“Remorse,” Hermione said, “You’ve got to really feel what you’ve done.”
“Damn,” Ron said, “So does it say how to destroy Horcruxes in this book?”
“Yes, because it warns Dark wizards how strong they must make the enchantments on them. From what I’ve read, what Harry did to Riddle’s diary is one of the only foolproof ways of destroying a Horcrux.”
“Stabbing it with a basilisk fang?” Harry asked.
“Oh well, lucky we’ve got such a large supply of basilisk fangs, then,” Ron said, “I was wondering what we were going to do with all of them.”
Hermione’s lips quirked upward, “It doesn’t have to be a basilisk fang. It just has to be something so destructive that the Horcrux can’t repair itself. Basilisk venom only has one antidote—phoenix tears. Our problem is that there are very few substances as destructive as basilisk venom. I hope Regulus found something…”
“I wonder how Dumbledore destroyed the ring,” Harry said, “Why didn’t he tell me?”
Ron and Hermione stared at Harry. They all seemed to be thinking that this was indeed a very important piece of information for Dumbledore to leave out of his lessons on destroying Horcruxes.
The Delacour’s arrived two days before the wedding. Remus and Sirius were not on missions that morning and so stood outside with the rest of the group to meet the new arrivals. Arthur had gone to meet Fleur’s parents and little sister on a nearby hill where they were arriving by Portkey.
Suddenly the air around the Burrow shimmered and Arthur appeared carrying luggage beside a tall white-blonde woman in leaf-green robes.
“Mamam!” Fleur cried, rushing forward, “Papa!”
Monsieur Delacour was a head shorter than his wife and quite plump with a pointed black beard, and was smiling widely with bright, kind eyes.
Monsieur Delacour bounced over to Molly and kissed both her cheeks, “You ‘ave been to much trouble,” he said in a deep voice, “Fleur tells us you ‘ave been working very ‘ard.”
“Oh it’s been nothing!” Molly blushed.
“We are most honored at the approaching union of our two families,” Monsiuer Delacour said, “Let me present my wife, Apolline.”
Madame Delacour glided forward, “Enchantée,” she said, “your ‘usband ‘as been telling us such amusing stories!”
Arthur gave a maniacal laugh and Molly threw him a look, upon which he immediately went silent and assumed an expression akin to the sickbed of a close friend. Harry saw Remus step lightly on Sirius’ boot to keep him from erupting in his classic barking laughter.
The Delacour’s turned to look at the two men standing near Harry.
“Sirius Black,” Sirius said, stepping forward while coughing to abate his laughter as he shook the Delacour’s hands.
“Remus Lupin,” Remus said, shaking their hands. Harry saw both the Delacour’s stare at the scars on Remus’ face before flashing fleeting glances over to Bill. But quickly, Madame Delacour recovered from her dawning realization.
“Ooh Gabrielle, there is a leetle one for you to play with!” Madame Delacour cooed.
Fleur’s little sister, eleven-year-old Gabrielle, stood behind her father’s robes with waist-length silver-blonde hair, her dazzling smile directed at Teddy Lupin, who stood behind Remus’ legs.
Gabrielle lifted a hand and waved at Teddy.
Teddy blinked, clearly affected.
Remus chuckled and patted Teddy’s shoulder, “Come on, Teddy. She’ll be your friend.”
Teddy’s cheeks went beetroot red as Gabrielle stepped forward, batting her long eyelashes. To everyone’s delight, a second later, Teddy’s hair was no longer short, turquoise, and curly but waist-length and pure silverly-blonde. His eyes were Gabrielle’s same stormy-grey, and his skin pearly.
Gabrielle’s smile widened and she threw Teddy a glowing look. Teddy beamed back.
Everyone soon came to see that the Delacour’s were helpful, pleasant guests. Madame Delacour was excellent with household spells and happily set herself to cleaning the oven and hobs while Monsieur Delacour talked animatedly, declaring everything from the seating arrangement to the bridesmaid’s dresses to Sirius’ leather jacket to be “Charmant!”
“And you are married as well?” Monsieur Delacour said later that afternoon as he, Sirius, and Arthur were magically erecting the canapé in the back garden, nodding toward Sirius’ wedding ring.
Sirius grinned, “I am. To that man over there,” he said, nodding his head toward where Remus, Fleur, Gabrielle, and Teddy were watering the newly planted rosebushes, which were bursting with blooming white roses, by the back door.
Monsieur Delacour lightly slapped Sirius’ wrist, “Lucky you!”
Sirius looked at Monsieur Delacour like he’d like to give him the best bottle of champagne money could buy.
The only downside was the fact that Burrow was not built to accommodate so many people. The twins arrived that evening, and so Sirius and Remus insisted on sleeping in the sitting room, so that Madame Delacour and Monsieur Delacour could take Percy’s old room. Gabrielle slept with Teddy in Charlie’s old room, and so Fleur and Bill shared with Charlie in Bill’s room (Charlie was Bill’s Best Man and made many jokes about how incredible a job he was doing as Best Man seeing as he was sleeping with the Bride and Groom each night).
Later that evening, Molly approached Sirius and Remus.
“I know Harry won’t want a fuss,” she said, “but he’ll be of age tomorrow and we should celebrate, oughtn’t we?”
Sirius, who had been lounging on the sofa beside Remus, straightened at once, “Too right, Molly. But don’t worry yourself at all—Remus and I’ll get all the food and drinks sorted.”
Molly smiled but looked a trifle nervously at them both, “I hope it’s alright, that you haven’t picked it out yet for Harry that is, but I wanted to give him something traditional.”
Sirius’ eyes widened, “Blimey, I’d forgotten about that old magical tradition. My parents or Moony’s didn’t give it to us when we came of age, see. My parents…well…I was disowned by then…”
“And my father had died by the time I turned seventeen,” Remus said, nodding, “My mother was a Muggle she didn’t know…” he looked up at Molly, focusing, “That is to say, we haven’t picked one out for Harry.”
“So you don’t mind then, if I give it to him?”
Remus smiled warmly, “It’d be an honor from you, Molly.”
Molly blinked and wiped her eyes, “Well, that’s sorted then. And I’ll invited Tonks and Hagrid for the dinner, shall I?”
“That sounds grand,” Sirius beamed at her.
And so, on the morning of July 31st, Harry and Ron bolted awake to Sirius’ shout of, “HAPPY SEVENTEETH BIRTHDAY HARRY!”
Harry blinked and rubbed his eyes, reaching for his glasses on Ron’s desk before Sirius cried, “You’re of age, pup!”
Harry grinned, “That’s right!” He seized his wand and pointed it toward the desk, “Accio glasses!”
They zoomed to Harry’s face, promptly poking him in the eyes.
Teddy giggled and Ron snorted, “Slick.”
When they trooped down to the kitchen, Remus at once sought out the teapot which Madame Delacour handed him with a charming smile. Remus smiled back at her politely while Sirius sat so close to Remus at the table that their shoulders and thighs were touching.
Harry blinked, staring at the pile of gifts in the center of the table.
“Arthur had to leave early for work but told me to wish you a happy birthday,” Molly told Harry beside the stove, beaming at him. “Our presents’ on top.”
Harry took the square parcel she indicated and opened it. Inside was a watch very much like the one Arthur and Molly had given Ron for his seventeenth; it was gold with stars circling around the face.
“It’s tradition to give a Wizard a watch when he comes of age,” Molly said, watching Harry a little anxiously, “I’m afraid this one isn’t new. It was my brother Fabian’s—”
Harry stood up at once and hugged her.
Sirius and Remus bowed their heads and held hands under the table.
Harry’s other presents included a new Sneakoscope from Hermione, a book which Ron insisted Harry open in private (it was a guide to girls, apparently), a thick black well-fitted winter traveling cloak from Sirius, a Wizarding radio from Remus that also tuned into Muggle stations as well as a box of Chocolate Frogs, an enchanted razor from Bill and Fleur, macarons from the Delacour’s, an enormous box of merchandise from Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes from the twins, and a colorful drawing of Harry and Teddy from Teddy himself.
“Ron and I’ll pack these for you,” Hermione said brightly as she took Harry’s presents after breakfast.
“Harry, will you come here a minute?” Ginny called from the first-floor landing.
Harry stared nervously up the stairs but felt someone push him between the shoulder-blades and looked back to see Sirius grinning wickedly at him.
“Go on,” Sirius said in a low voice, before winking at him.
Harry took the stairs and followed Ginny into her room.
Ginny closed the door and then turned to Harry, “Happy seventeenth.”
“Thanks,” Harry breathed.
She was looking at him steadily, “I couldn’t think what to get you.”
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Harry said at once.
She took a step closer to him, “I’d like you to have something to remember me by, you know, if you meet some veela when you’re off doing whatever it is you’re doing.”
“I think dating opportunities are pretty thin on the ground to be honest.”
“That’s the silver lining I’ve been waiting for,” she whispered and then she was kissing him like she’d never kissed him before and Harry was kissing her back—it was blissful oblivion, better than Firewhiseky (which Harry had no experience with in all honesty) but she was the only real thing in the world.
Ginny, the feel of her, one hand at her back and the other in her long auburn hair—
The door banged open and they jumped apart.
“Morning,” George said, grinning widely, “Ginny—Mum wants you to help her with the dishes.”
By late afternoon, Hagrid and Tonks had arrived at the Burrow to join in Harry’s birthday celebrations.
Sirius bewitched red and gold lanterns, emblazoned with a large number 17 to hang in midair over the outdoor tables and Hermione made red and gold streamers come forth from her wand which draped themselves over the trees and bushes while Teddy clapped his hands in awe.
As the guests sat down at the table, Remus emerged from the kitchen carrying a huge tin-covered birthday cake.
“The honors, Harry,” Remus said with a smile as he set the covered cake in front of Harry.
Harry smiled back and lifted up the lid.
It was an enormous replica of the Marauder’s Map of Hogwarts. In the place of the usual nametags of students and staff that the Map revealed, were smiling figures waving up at Harry like magical pictures.
Fred and George were beside their magical swamp they made to annoy Umbridge from the end of Harry’s fifth year, Hermione was in the library, Tonks was in her old Hufflepuff Common Room, Bill and Fleur were in the entrance hall, Ron, Ginny, and Charlie were on the Quidditch pitch, Arthur and Molly were walking by the gates up to the oak front doors, Hagrid was at his hut, and Remus, Sirius, and Teddy were standing at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Even Harry’s other friends were included—Neville in the greenhouses, Luna in the Ravenclaw Common Room.
It was stunning. Absolutely stunning.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Moony,” Sirius said, shaking his head in awe, “It’s even more well done than the Map!”
Arthur whistled lowly and Hermione groaned, “Oh no, we can’t eat this!”
But eat it they did, and just before everyone tucked in, Sirius raised his wine glass and rose to his feet.
“To Harry Potter,” Sirius croaked before clearing his throat and saying in a booming voice, “The Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One. The son of Lily and James. My godson. To his triumphs, and many more of the best of times ahead!”
“To Harry Potter!” Everyone chorused and Harry bowed his head, slightly overwhelmed.
The summer air was balmy and pleasant, with a light breath of a breeze. Harry leaned back in his chair, unable to stuff himself further with his third slice of birthday cake.
Hagrid was talking happily with Charlie; Molly and Arthur were talking to the Delacour’s; Bill and Fleur were making eyes at each other while Gabrielle kept trying to chat to her sister in rapid French; Fred and George were telling Sirius about how it was going at their joke shop and their new products; Hermione and Tonks were asking Ginny about her upcoming sixth year, and beside Harry, Ron was looking longingly at Harry’s uneaten cake.
“Go on then,” Harry told him with a grin and Ron thanked him and tucked in.
Harry looked across the table to Remus, who was seated in between Sirius and Hagrid (with the twins on Sirius’ other side and Charlie on Hagrid’s other side). In Remus’ lap, Teddy was smiling and bouncing and whispering up by Remus’ ear—the child’s hair was the same grey-brown mixture as Remus’, his eyes an identical brown with green flecks.
Remus smiled and drained his wine goblet. His cheeks were pink and he lifted a scarred hand to sweep his hair out of his face with a casualness that seemed to Harry as if the wine was taking effect on him. Harry realized that he had never seen Remus inebriated before, even as only slightly as he seemed to be now.
And then Harry smiled widely, for Remus had placed his hands below Teddy’s underarms and swept the child up as he himself rose on his long legs, a smile on his lips and mischief bright in his eyes.
Sirius turned in his chair, “Oi, where are you off to, Moony?”
“I’ve a game to play,” Remus replied easily, his voice slightly slurred.
Teddy giggled as Remus easily swung Teddy behind him so that the toddler was riding piggy-back as Remus strode over to the wide green yard a bit away from the table. And then Harry watched as Remus knelt onto the grass—not even minding the likelihood of grass stains on his trousers—and Teddy slid eagerly off of his back and at once crouched in front of Remus on his hands and knees.
Teddy’s hair was now thunder grey; his eyes bright yellow.
“On the count of three,” Remus said to Teddy, mirth in his voice as he knelt on the grass, “One…two…three!”
Teddy leaned his head back and let out a high-pitched howl and then he crawled forward and tackled Remus, who fell back at once, playfully feigning defeat as Teddy pounced on top of him—but Remus reached his arms up and tickled Teddy’s ribs, and the child broke out in shrieking giggles mixed with wolf howls as he fell back onto the grass.
Remus tickled the child, laughing, before Teddy scrambled to his feet and ran, laughing and howling as Remus rose to his feet and chased him, catching Teddy in three long strides and lifting Teddy up into the air as he shrieked and kicked, squirming to reach for Remus and tickle Remus’ neck.
Remus once more feigned being bested—he released Teddy back onto the grass and doubled over on his hands and knees and Teddy at once tackled him, leaping onto his back and howling once more.
Now Sirius couldn’t contain himself, with the sound of a soft exhale Padfoot was running across the yard to meet them, barking and wagging his tail before letting out his own wolf-howl. Teddy squealed in delight as Padfoot joined in the fray, pouncing on top of Remus beside Teddy and licking Remus’ and Teddy’s faces between howls.
Teddy released his tackling of Remus to tickle Padfoot’s belly and Padfoot scampered off with a howl and Remus seized his opportunity. He lifted Teddy off of him, pausing to tickle the child, before running after Padfoot.
Harry watched in pure-hearted awe.
Remus’ face was pink with exertion and joy, his eyes bright and his smile wide as he ran with long limber legs after Padfoot, Teddy not far behind him. The big black dog was exuberant; panting heavily as he made them chase him in circles before pausing to throw his big furry head back and howl just in time for Remus and Teddy to tackle Padfoot together.
The light-hearted rough housing soon turned into a game of tag of sorts, as Remus and Padfoot would tackle and tickle Teddy, and then Remus would leap to his feet as Teddy and Padfoot chased after him, and then they’d tackle him, and then it’d be Padfoot’s turn to run as Remus and Teddy tailed after him; Teddy howling and giggling all the while.
“Do they do vat often?” Madame Delacour said, smiling as she watched.
“Nope,” Harry said, rising to his feet.
He’d be dammed if he was going to miss out on this; the idea of missing out on his little family while he was away chasing Horcruxes had been nagging at him, and this seemed a perfect opportunity to make the most of their remaining time.
Harry ran around the table and bolted toward where Teddy and Padfoot were pouncing on Remus and Harry tapped Teddy and Padfoot’s shoulders, threw back his head, and howled as loud as he could before sprinting away across the yard, the sound of Padfoot’s doggy pants and Teddy’s giggles following behind him.
But it was Remus who reached him first—undoubtably Remus had been holding back his preternatural werewolf speed and agility and now released it to catch Harry.
Harry felt himself getting lifted off his feet before Remus carefully and playfully tackled him to do the ground. Harry couldn’t help himself from laughing as Remus beamed down at him, lifting a hand to sweep the grey hair out of his sweaty face just in time for Teddy and Padfoot to leap on top of Harry.
“Harry!” Teddy cried, tickling Harry’s ribs as Harry rolled over, laughing and saying, “You’ve got me! You’ve got me!”
The game continued until at last, Remus laid out long on the grass, a hand on his stomach as he breathed heavily, smiling widely as Teddy continued to chase Harry. Padfoot came to sit beside Remus, panting, his pink tongue hanging lopsided from his mouth.
Remus reached a hand up to pet Padfoot’s back, and a moment later Sirius was sitting in the grass beside him, Remus’ hand in between his broad shoulder blades.
Sirius turned to look down at Remus, and from Harry’s vantage point—crouching nearby and letting a giggling Teddy crawl all over him—he thought that he might one day fancy a Pensieve.
So that he could relive this moment: sweaty and red-faced in the summer evening, covered in grass and totally free, Teddy laughing by his ear and Remus and Sirius looking exactly like the two young Marauder’s they once were.
Sirius leaned over and swept the hair out of Remus’ face, and Remus caught his wrist, lightly pulling Sirius toward him.
Sirius tasted red wine and warm breath on Moony’s lips.
Remus could feel Sirius’ accelerated heart rate from running, smell Sirius’ blood pumping with pure unaltered joy, and oh…oh…he wanted it swim in it.
They kissed deeply, but chastely, and when they broke apart Harry released Teddy, allowing the child to bolt over to Remus and Sirius and pounce onto Remus’ stomach.
Remus caught the toddler just in time to soften the landing and then he propped himself up by his elbows, and threw his head back, and howled.
It was a sound of freedom, of liberation. And pure happiness.
At the table, Ron and Hermione were gaping.
Ginny shook her head, grinning, “Merlin’s beard.”
“Does ‘e do vat often?” Madame Delacour said again, but there was only sincere curiosity in her voice.
“Only once a month,” Fred said with a wicked grin.
“And not usually in his human form,” George said.
“Do you fancy joining in, Bill?” Fred said, turning to his older brother, “Howled lately?”
Bill threw up two choice fingers in Fred’s direction, but couldn’t contain his snort of laughter.
Molly blanched a bit at that joke, but she wasn’t able to stop herself from smiling as she watched the little family on the grass a few feet away.
“That was brilliant, Moony,” Sirius said a little while later as he joined Remus on the grass, passing Remus the remaining bottle of red wine, “Come on, you deserve this.”
Remus laughed and took the bottle, bringing it to his lips. His face was still flush from running in the warm air, and he’d finally removed his jumper—even despite the heat, he’d insisted on wearing it around the Delacour’s.
But they had gone inside now, along with Bill and Fleur, Arthur and Molly, Fred and George, Charlie, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry. Hagrid and Tonks had said their goodbyes and departed. Sirius had just given Teddy a bath and had him brush his teeth before reading him a short story and then tucking him into his cot in he and Gabrielle's shared room. Remus had offered to help but Sirius had told him a low voice, “Wait out here for me, eh? Enjoy the summer air, Moony…”
Now it was just the two of them under the early night sky, sitting on the grass where a short while before they had been playing like kids themselves.
“It was Teddy’s idea,” Remus said, handing the bottle to Sirius with an easy smile, “He wanted to play ‘wolf.’”
Sirius sipped the red wine and then said, “You know…I’ve never seen you embrace it like that before.”
Remus shrugged, his eyes flitting up to the dark night sky—it was a New Moon that night.
“It was just a game,” Remus said.
“Still. You howled.”
Remus turned to look at him, and found Sirius smiling wickedly at him.
“You’ve heard me growl before, haven’t you, Sirius?” Remus said lowly, raising an eyebrow and lifting a hand to trace along Sirius’ jaw. Sirius shivered.
“Uh-huh,” Sirius said, swallowing.
“I believe you’ve heard me make quite a great deal of noises which were perhaps…more of a base instinct…”
“I have, yes,” Sirius said, his blood now hot in his veins. He had made those noises come out of Moony and Sirius held immense pride in that.
Remus leaned closer, and now his lips were on Sirius’ throat, his fingers sliding underneath Sirius’ shirt…
Sirius leaned his head back, dizzy.
“Fucking hell…” he gasped, “This is a challenge…”
Remus moved back, Sirius’ throat cool now where Moony’s warm lips had been a moment before, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to tease—”
Sirius cut him off with a kiss, setting aside the wine bottle and coming to sit in Remus’ lap, straddling his hips, “Never apologize for that,” Sirius growled against Moony’s lips.
Remus kissed him back, his hands roaming along Sirius’ chest, down to Sirius’ waist before Remus broke the kiss, breathless and smiling widely.
Remus looked up at Sirius, who was still straddling Remus’ hips, his hands now laced around Remus’ neck, and shook his head as if in disbelief, “Perhaps it was our wedding, Sirius…or perhaps it’s Teddy…or the wine,” Remus smiled still wider, “but I don’t know…I just feel…free. Lighter, somehow. I know there’s a war on and Greyback’s still out there and Harry’s leaving soon on his own but—”
“Carpe diem,” Sirius said, “We mustn’t forget what we’re fighting for, eh Moony?”
Remus nodded, smiling up at him with his brown eyes burning, “Of course.”
“And I for one,” Sirius said lowly, moving one hand along Remus’ neck to trace along a scar that led down to Remus’ collarbone, “feel younger than I have in years…”
“You look it too,” Remus told him, beaming and reaching for the wine bottle to take a hearty pull before continuing, “I wonder if that’s your own brand of magic, Sirius Black.”
Sirius barked a soft laugh, “Didn’t get named after the brightest star in the sky for nothing. And what of you, Moony?”
“Hmm?” Remus asked, reaching for one of Sirius’ hands to interlace their fingers.
“You remember what you told me when we first met? Way back at the Gryffindor Table as first years?”
“Something extraordinarily witty, I’m sure,” Remus said with a wry smile.
Sirius huffed another laugh, “It was simple and sweet. It was, your name’s Sirius, right? Finally, someone with a name as bad as Remus.”
“I was lying, you know,” Remus chuckled, “I already knew your name well enough by then.”
“Well, what of your name?” Sirius pressed, “Where’d your parents pull it from?”
Remus was quiet for a moment, looking down at their intertwined fingers. Sirius helped himself to some of the wine as he waited.
“My mother had a Naming Seer come to our house right before I was born,” Remus said quietly.
“Come off it!”
Remus nodded, smiling softly, “My mother knew the likelihood that I would be a Wizard like my father. She wanted to leave no stone unturned. My father never was one for Divination—”
“Sounds like a certain someone I know,” Sirius said with a wink.
Remus chuckled, “Yes, I get it from him, I know. Anyway, my mother was all for the…er…spiritual realm. Her reading of the Bible and her predilection for a Naming Seer before my birth are just two examples. Anyway—the Seer told them that they ought to name me Remus. ‘Nothing to be done for it,’ I believe is what my mother said her words were, ‘his destiny is right here in the cards’.”
“But why ‘Remus’?” Sirius asked, “What was in the cards?”
Remus looked down at he and Sirius’ interlaced fingers, using his free hand to lightly touch Sirius’ wedding band, “She said the cards showed a significant role for a wolf, of course. But she also said that one day I would be one of a set: like the twins Remus and Romulus that founded Rome. And like the twin Remus, I would be the lesser known of the two. That I would walk in the shadow of my brighter half. She said that what I would help found would be akin to what Rome was—a new age. A Golden Age, I believe, were her exact words…”
“Jesus Christ, Moony…that’s…that’s incredible…”
Remus chuckled again, “Come now, Sirius, I never placed any merit in Divination—”
Sirius cut him off with a passionate kiss and within seconds Remus found himself moaning into it…Sirius’ lips crushed against his, Sirius had brought both of his hands to Remus’ face, and then he abruptly pulled back.
Remus bit his lip to stop himself from pleading, No don’t stop, keep kissing me…
“I place merit in all that, Moony, I’m telling you. But she was wrong about one thing,” Sirius said with a defiant, set look on his face, “You do not walk in my shadow. You walk at my side.”
Remus smiled coyly, “I never minded being lesser known than you.”
Sirius barked a laugh, “I know you don’t, but that’s not the same as walking in a shadow—which you do not. And together, we will help make the world a better place, eh? We have been, haven’t we? And we’ll see it finished. A Golden Age does sound rather nice, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, Sirius. It does.”