Chapter 4
Dear Teddy,
My deepest condolences for the passing of Andromeda. She was a brilliant witch and a good friend. I promised her I would take care of you when she was gone, and I would have done it anyway if she hadn’t made me swear. The ministry’s rather backwards ideas on ancient documents are incredibly frustrating, but I might have someone who can help. Please remember, you always have a home whether it is in Grimmauld place or with me in America.
Yes, Ron was correct about my “secure location.” The git got way too excited about it, but it’s not some secret lair hidden in the mountains. I have arranged for a portkey at the department of transportation for you on Oct. 11th at 9 am. We have much to discuss, and I promise to explain everything. I’ll meet you at luggage retrieval.
Good luck. - Harry
Harry couldn’t help but fidget, shifting from one foot to the other as the American magical society moved around him. The traffic of luggage and families reuniting with loved ones was nonstop. Once one crowd thinned out another wave of people would replace it. If Pepper wasn’t there anchoring him by a firm handhold, Harry didn’t know what he would have done. Stormed passed the security to find his godson in magical customs? Let his paranoia consume him causing Harry to break down in a public area? Most likely.
The two of them must have been some sight. A panicked dark, short public figure scanning the crowd for threats clutching on to a tall, blonde businesswoman typing away on her muggle device with her other hand as if she wasn’t the least bit concerned of the famous wizard about to go feral on an elderly couple that got just a bit too close, well, it wasn’t exactly something the average American wizard saw everyday. It was one of the first times the famous wizard made an appearance in America let alone a magical government building. He had half a mind to make himself scarce around populated areas. Hell, the man wore glamours in his own ministry office. But Harry’s eyes darting into every corner wasn’t for nothing. He heard the whispers, he saw the quick camera flashes as the crowds went by, and he didn’t like it one bit.
“This was a mistake.” Harry muttered pulling into Pepper’s side.
“Harry, it’s alright. A few blurry photos of you is worth seeing your godson.” The non-magical, but no less spectacular, Pepper slipped her phone into her jacket pocket, and gave Harry smile that melted his nerves just enough for him to take a deep breath. “No one's going to ruin this for you. Not while I’m here.”
“Thanks, Pep.” Harry finally smiled.
She was right, of course. Harry didn’t want his reunion for Teddy to be in the back of Happy’s car or even on the porch of the cabin making Teddy ride in a car for possibly the first time by himself. Harry wanted to see Teddy as soon as he got through Magical Customs, as soon as he stepped on American soil, as soon as he was allowed to hug him again.
Checking his watch another time, it finally read 9:15. That should have been well enough time for Teddy to arrive and make his way through the building. Sure enough, Harry looked up from his watch, and there he was staring right back. Disrupting the flow of witches and wizards entering the luggage retrieval area, the two men practically leapt into each other's arms.
Breaking apart, Teddy spoke through a wide smile. “You have no idea how good it is to see you.”
“I could say the same thing for you.” Harry laughed. Despite the redness in the younger man's eyes, Teddy looked good for someone who just transported internationally through portkey. The man really grew into himself while playing professional quidditch, and seemed to be displaying himself the way he wants to rather than copying looks that are deemed “appropriate” or “palatable” for public consumption. His hair was in bright blue, thick curls reaching passed his shoulders and shaved on either side of his head. Teddy’s face closely resembled his mother, and his eyes matched the muted green of his father’s. Although Teddy dressed very extravagantly during his Hogwarts years, Harry noticed he toned it down for press conferences and magazine shoots for the Wimbourne Wasps, most likely by the pleadings of his coach. But standing before Harry now was exactly how Harry wanted him to see him: in his element. Teddy wore his beaten up platform boots which brought the 6 foot tall man to an even more intimidating height making the two’s previous embrace rather cartoonish. He also wore a larger yellow and black jumper embroidered with an equally large letter T, which was no doubt knitted by the Weasley monarch herself, over a crisp white button down shirt and black jeans.
Harry lead Teddy back to where he had left Pepper as Teddy called out to her, “and you must be the American seductress that drove our saviour to leave his home!”
“That’s me alright.” Pepper laughed holding out a hand. “Pepper Potts, and you must be the godson that has Harry rearranging the house for the past three days.”
“Well, I am hard to please when it comes to interior design.” Teddy shook Peppers hand, and then slipped into a more serious, sincere tone. “Thank you again for allowing me to stay in your home. It means the world to me, really.”
The blonde woman gave him a look of understanding. “It’s your home too for as long as you want it to be.”
Harry found his eyes wandering the crowd again. He just wished he could enjoy this moment further, but the wizard could feel that more eyes were following his family now, and decided to cut the conversation short. “Let’s head to car. I’m sure we’ve left Happy waiting long enough.”
“Absolutely,” Pepper said. “Can I help with your bags?” She gestured toward the two trunks Teddy left discarded when he jumped into Harry’s arms.
“Oh no. I got them.” Teddy easily swooped them up as if they weighed nothing. Pepper looked rather impressed being a non-magical person, but Harry knew it was no problem since he recognized them as the newest edition in the Bumpton’s Weightless Baggage collection. Perks of being a professional quidditch player.
Exiting the building, Teddy excitedly talked about the research he had done on non-magical life in America before arriving. He was especially fascinated by cars and how they functioned, and especially that he was going to be able to ride in one. Pepper matched the young man’s enthusiasm and met every one of Teddy’s questions with an eloquent answer. It reminded Harry of some of his first interactions with Arthur Weasley. He made a mental note to write to him soon. Once they met up with Happy and introductions took place, they were finally on the road.
“Harry tells me you’re an athlete?” Pepper asked.
“Right, well,” Teddy let out a short laugh. “Not exactly at the moment.”
“I can’t believe they actually disbanded for the season.” Harry cut in passionately. “They could’ve just suspended Bagman and Cooper replacing them easily!”
“Wait, what happened?” Pepper asked with as much excitement as the two wizards.
Teddy ran a hand through his long hair. “So, Thomas Cooper and Rupert Bagman are the beaters for my team, the Wimbourne Wasps. Their job is to hit bludgers away from our players and aim them at the other team. Well, the two idiots charmed the bludgers to look like wasp nests, but only to the other team. While it was hilarious, the Appleby Arrows’ seeker was badly injured.”
“The Prophet said she’s thinking of retirement.” Harry grimaced remembering the terrified face of Maggie Shapiro on the front page flailing her arms through the air trying to swat away wasps that weren’t there. “Poor girl.”
Pepper shivered feeling the same empathy that hung in the air of the car. Regaining her composure, Pepper then asked, “who decided to completely disband the team?”
“The team did, actually,” Teddy explained. “None of us wanted to associate with Bagman or Cooper, and the coach refused to continue the league without them.” He rolled his eyes. “They were “star players” as it were. So, we told the coach either they were out or he didn’t have a team.”
“Wow,” Pepper said with a look of admiration at the young man.
Harry felt pride swell in his chest watching Pepper’s reaction to his godson. He could just picture Teddy standing up to his coach and fighting for what he believed in. Teddy had always been like that, and Harry was sure it was this quality that landed the kid in Hufflepuff. Even though Teddy showed courage and determination, his caring nature and strong morality is what stuck out the most about him, well, besides the bright blue hair.
With a brief announcement from Happy, the three finally arrived at the cabin. They quickly brought Teddy’s trunks to the guest room where Harry once stayed, and helped the young man settle in. It was nice seeing the room full of life again since Harry left it nearly barren when he moved into Pepper’s room permanently. Finally having someone occupying it made the cabin feel a little less empty.
Harry looked down at the empty dresser top remembering what had filled the space in the past. Picture frames, candles, little gadgets Tony wanted to document how they reacted in a magical environment all flashed before his eyes in an instant as if he had just cleared it off that morning.
“... and I’ll have Harley take you shopping for anything else you may need.” Pepper was now helping Teddy hang up his robes with obvious concern that the young man may not own enough muggle clothes.
Teddy watched her face in amusement. “Thanks. Getting my mind of the funeral and shopping would be pretty nice.”
“Great,” Pepper then pulled out her phone and began typing, most likely to the aforementioned Harley, about the shopping plans. “He can pick you up this afternoon, and it shouldn’t take too long so you can meet Morgan right after she gets out of school.”
“Sounds like a plan.” With a polite smile, Teddy turned back to one of his trunks and began unloading an obscene amount of books.
Harry shook his head in amusement as Pepper withdrew herself from the room leaving the two to talk. “Quite the collection you got there.”
“Right?” Teddy began stacking them into the book case which stood opposite to the bed. “Don’t think I have as many as my dad though.”
“I don’t think even ‘Mione has as many as your dad.” The two men laughed. Harry then placed a hand on Teddy’s shoulder. “He’d be very proud of you.”
“I know.”