Chapter Text
“Hey, Teddy-Bear, can I talk to you about something?” Harry knocked gently on his godson's door, peeking into the open doorway at Teddy. He was lounging on his bed with an open potions journal held up in front of his face.
“Dad! I’m not four anymore!” Teddy was grinning anyway, as he always did when Harry called him that, which was, well, often.
“I know, I know, old habits die hard, you know?” Harry sat in the desk chair and rolled it to Teddy's bed.
Teddy’s room was a mess of yellows, reds, blues, and even greens. There were banners that covered the walls, as well as moving photographs of Teddy and his friends from all of the Hogwarts Houses.
Harry had heard that the House rivalry had calmed down much more than it had been when he was in school, but he was still immensely proud that his godson went out of his way to make friends with the quiet or hurt students no matter what House they were in or what people thought about it.
After the war was hard on everyone. Ron and Harry decided not to go into the Aurors, for two different yet similar reasons; Ron to help support George, Harry to raise Teddy.
***
Andromeda was tired, that much Harry could see. She watched her grandson sleep in his crib, his hair changing color almost too quick for her eyes to track. Harry watched a tear speed down her aristocratic face that was weathered by age and two wars that cost her so much of her family.
“I can not raise him, Harry.” The admission plagued the room, and the silence was deafening. “It’s no excuse, I know, but I’m old; I’m tired.”
Harry said nothing, watching the woman he had come to think of as family break down in a way he had never seen her do before; it was clear this had been coming for a long, long time.
She took a deep breath for composure. “Go to Gringotts, get the incident cleared up, do whatever they tell you to do, take control of your family names, and blood-adopt Teddy as your son. Even the strongest of Wixen cannot argue with a Gobin bound blood-adoption.”
“You’ve thought about this,” Harry’s voice was hushed, his eyes still on the Witch. More tears fell even as she nodded.
“I do not have time,” she whispered, gazing at her grandson whose hair flickered with the dreams playing against his eyelids. “I’m sick. I found out four months ago. Unknown disease, they said, but I figured it was the curse my mother shot at my back when she saw me for the first time after I ran. It’s shutting everything down. I will not live for much longer, I’m afraid.”
It was then when she took the glamour off that has been hiding her deteriorating features. Her skin was sagging and a shade of gray that is worn by individuals close to death. Her hair was lank and much more gray then the glamour had shown. The worst part was her eyes. They were empty and dull-like.
“It was a curse she made herself, and she burned all her spellbooks before she died.” She laughed humorlessly. “I doubt even Bella got her hands on mothers books.”
Teddy babbled incoherently, and Harry knew that she was seeing her only child in the crib.
“I’m sorry, Harry," she held out her hand for the teen to grasp, “I am so sorry, but I know you can do it.”
“Alright, Andy,” the nickname slipped out without notice of the two. “Is there anything else I can do?”
“Will you visit my sister, ask her to come? I would write but,” she held out her other hand and Harry finally noticed the extreme shaking that made his gut go sour.
“Of course. She’s still in the Manor, I assume?” Harry asked, cradling the woman's hand in his. She nodded, looking utterly exhausted. “I’ll go straight after Gringotts.”
“Good. Thank you, Harry. I’m sorry, again.” Harry stopped her, shaking his head.
“Don’t apologize, Andy. We’ve all been dealt a shite hand." Harry murmured before surprising the both of them by drawing the woman into a hug. “I’ll take care of Teddy. You just rest, you’ve done more than enough.”
***
Andromeda died on the 29th of December, 1998. She passed with her sister, nephew, grandson, and Harry at her bedside. The two sisters reunited tearfully, and the teenagers learned they could get along quite well without pressure weighing down on their shoulders.
A lot could happen in four months, but it still came as a surprise when Ginny regretfully pulled away from Harry and the baby in his arms, but Harry understood. He let her go without any resentment and still attended Sunday dinners.
He moved into a little cottage that was a comfortable fit for two, though he kept Teddy in his room until he was five. He insisted on raising Teddy in a mix of Muggle and Wixen house-hold, though he didn’t hold much experience in the latter, Draco helped a great deal.
He taught Teddy the basics, and then the higher schooling, of Muggle academics, and enrolled him into football, something he loved dearly and spent many summer days playing with Muggle children.
Harry sent Teddy off to Hogwarts tearfully, but happily, knowing his godson would flourish in the school. He made friends easily, and completed work even quicker. He was the first to hold out a hand when someone needed help in any way.
Harry made sure he knew all about his parents, his family, the good and the bad. Harry did everything he could to give Teddy the childhood he wished he had, and felt pretty confident in his succession.
“So, dad, what did you want to talk about?” Teddy asked, the journal temporarily discarded to the side of him, giving his godfather his full attention.
“I know you’ve expressed a desire to take a year off between Hogwarts and getting into the Healing field, but I was wondering if you would like to move with me to Forks, Washington. In the States. We would keep the cottage, obviously, and there would be a floo connected, of course, but–”
“Dad,” Teddy cut in with a fond smile. “You’re rambling.”
“Sorry,” Harry huffed, his skin flushing in embarrassment. He plopped a folder containing all of the information he retrieved in Teddy’s lap. “You don’t have to answer now, and you can do your own research if you please, and I won’t be mad if you decide to stay here, or go touring and sightseeing somewhere else.”
Teddy hummed, already sifting through the folder. “Alright, munchkin, I can tell I’ve lost you. I’m going to go make dinner. Don’t get too submerged into it or I'll drag you to the kitchen by your ankles, ask your Aunt Hermione.”
He laughed, his hair going a blinding yellow in his laughter and nodded. “Okay, dad, I’ll be down there, I promise.” Harry’s eyes shone, and he bent to place a soft kiss on his kid's forehead. Teddy’s squawking laughter followed him through the house.
Harry found a small but comfortable place in Forks, Washington, while going through the Potters’ ledgers, a job usually handled by Goblins’, but passed on to Harry due to his past actions during the war temporarily. He had fallen in love with the charming place, and thought Teddy would like it as well.
It had enough similarities to their home to be comforting, while also allowing them to experience new things. Not that they weren’t happy with what they had.
Harry was Lord to two very powerful Houses, has enough money for them to live comfortably if they didn’t wish to work, finally removed his name from the press unless he authorized it, he pulled all of the books about him that he did not consent to, and Teddy had grown up happy, safe, and fed.
Harry had to officially acknowledge his Heirship of the Black Family to get his Lordship right, therefore had to take the Black name, as he always should have had as Sirius’ godson when he was blood-adopted. For Teddy to become his son and Heir, he had to take his name and heirship ring when he was at least ten.
Harry felt everything was coming together, he had just sent Teddy off on the train with his friends that he had made quickly, until he was home and the items he hadn’t seen in eleven years were sitting innocently on his kitchen table.
***
Harry rested his back on the kitchen's doorjamb as he surveyed the Deathly Hallows almost glitter on his table ominously. No one could have gotten into his house, much less in the trunk that he hadn’t used in eleven years without his wards alerting him.
No one could have found the stone amongst the forest floor with tons of rocks that looked eerily similar.
No one could have gotten into Albus Dumbledore’s casket with the Elder Wand in it, without people noticing.
No one but Death itself, it seems.
“I see you’ve found my gifts.” In the corner of Harry’s eye a shadow pooled together and reorganized into a vaguely humanoid form.
“So I have.” Harry answered wearily. “I should thank you for not showing up when my godson was here on his big day.”
“I figured it wouldn’t be the best time to pop in.” Death’s features had turned into a man with dark brown hair and light hazel eyes. He wore a simple robe that was buttoned carefully with the Deathly Hallows symbol in pendant form above the breast.
“Smart.” Harry smirked, crossing his arms as the entity necked him forwards. With an eyeroll, he dutifully strode up to Death and tried not to shudder at the long fingers that brushed his neck as the Invisibility Cloak was secured with Death’s very own pendant. Or when his wand halter adjusted to place the Elder Wand alongside his own Holly wand. The stone was connected to a necklace that the entity gently clasped around his neck.
“You know what you are, who you are, why I’m here.” Death spoke, his unneeded breath brushing against Harry’s mouth.
“Yes, I’ve had a few years to accept it.” Harry nodded, his hands coming up on their own accord and grasping the entity's biceps.
“As you requested,” reminded Death, drawing the Wizard’s hand and placing a gentle kiss on his left ring finger.
“As I requested.”
“I will be waiting, my love.” Death waited until Harry’s chin dipped into a nod, then vanished as silent and quick as he came.
***
Harry may have been eighteen with a baby, but he made it work, and he had one hell of a support system backing him up. Molly and Narcissa, hell, even Fleur, had helped in teaching him how to properly care for a baby, even if it made them chuckle in watching him flounder.
It helped that Teddy was such a good kid for him. If Harry didn’t know his kid any better, he would have been surprised that the little tyke was a Hufflepuff. He was brave enough to stick up for his family and friends, he was wickedly smart, loyal to a fault, and cunning enough to pull one over on his Uncle George at just seven.
Hogwarts Houses were not at all black and white, instead they are shades. They find the strongest qualities an eleven year old has and sorts them to their House that they would flourish in. Of course, Harry was a special case, as usual, but Harry was sure there would come a young Wix that would be as stubborn as he was.
Harry hummed as he went through his memories with a sense of content fondness. Meatloaf was easy enough to whip up without thinking much about, as was mashed potatoes and broccoli with cheese.
“So, Forks, Washington,” Teddy started, placing the folder he had brought in with him on the counter, he grabbed plates and utensils that weren’t silver on the table.
“Mhm,” Harry replied, mashing the potatoes as his magic stirred the broccoli. It was a neat household spell that Molly taught him.
“There’s a high school there,” Teddy came beside Harry to lean against the counter. “I was wondering if you could enroll me as a student.”
Harry looked up, stunned. “You want to come?”
“Dad, I have the availability to come see you after classes and actually stay with you everyday instead of staying there for ten months out of the year. I think it would be a good learning exercise as well.”
“Alright, Teddy-Bear. If you want to come stay with me just for the Muggle schooling you completed when you were twelve be my guest. You little ‘Claw.” Harry laughed, delighted.
Teddy flushed, pushing gently at his godfather's shoulder. “Aunt Hermione and Uncle George are brilliant and they are both Lions and besides–”
“Houses are shades of gray, nothing about traits are black and white.” Harry and Teddy recited at the same time. It was something Harry repeated quite often when Teddy was younger, therefore it became their motto in certain situations.
“You’ve grown up so much.” Harry smiled, brushing his son's now curly black locks out of his amber eyes. “I’m already so proud of who you’ll become.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you guys, but especially you.” Teddy’s eyes shone, his grin carefree.
Harry laughed wetly. “Don’t let your cousin Draco hear that, he may just hex me around the world.”
“No, he won’t, ‘cause I’ll protect you!–” He swooped Harry up, just as he used to when Teddy was just a kid, swinging him around the kitchen in dizzying circles.
“Edward Remus! You put me down this instant!” Harry was laughing his guts up.
*
“Wow.” Teddy whistled at his first true sight of the cottage in Forks. Harry let Teddy take in the new place before wandlessly unlocking the door and letting it swing open to invite Teddy in. “This place is beautiful, dad.”
“I remember when I saw it first, I was in quite a similar state of mind.” Harry laughed, tone fond. “Go pick a room and I’ll send your things up after. I’m going to get set up in the kitchen. Oh! Don’t forget, we still have to go to the school to get you enrolled.”
“‘Kay, dad!” Humming softly, Harry shut the door behind him and placed fourteen small boxes on the kitchen floor. Maybe he had gone a bit overboard, but he loves his kitchen things. It’s his favorite room of any house, it displays so much of a home.
He set a timer for their set meeting with the Principal of Forks High School. It would be easier and quicker to use magic to send everything to its designated place, but Harry liked placing his own belongings in their spots the Muggle way. Hermione would say it’s due to how he was raised, as if he hadn't also caught her doing the same thing in her own home. It just made a home feel, well, home.
“Alright, Teddy-Bear! Wrap it up for now, we hit the road in five!” Harry calls out, neatly placing the rest of the still shrunk boxes on the table he had placed up just moments before. There were still four more boxes left, but he could see the barely there writing that it was for the pantry, so he left them be for now.
Teddy bounded down the stairs and donned the usual glamours for the Muggle world, making his hair look exactly like Harry’s and his skin just a bit tanner than usual. He kept his eyes the same brown-amber.
“All ready?” Teddy nodded, bouncing on his toes. Harry was happy to see him so giddy, even if it was for school. Harry sure knew it wasn’t him the young man got it from. Probably Remus. Or maybe he let Hermione overindulge in Teddy’s learning curriculum.
Not that he minded, of course, Teddy’s delighted laughter sealed the deal for him. Harry knew when Teddy was five and reading chapter books with a fond and eager look that he would buy every book and tutor that the child wanted.
Though he was great with people, even as a child, Teddy always went to close family members before requesting a tutor. Money wasn’t the issue, so Harry thought it must just be a way that Teddy used to bond.
Teddy was already in his seat buckled in when Harry locked the door with his wards and got to the car. With a point me spell and a promise to buy a map and learn the town quickly, they made it to the school with ten minutes to spare.
Harry gently taps his knuckles on the counter to get the woman behind the reception desk's attention. “Hi, I have a meeting to enroll my son with Principal Greene at twelve-thirty. Harry Potter-Black is the name.”
“Oh! Your accent is just lovely,” she commented, clicking on her chunky computer. “You’re early, I see.”
“My professor always did say: ‘If you aren’t early, then you’re late.’ I believe it stuck with me.” Harry gave a laugh and grinned at the woman while Teddy shook his head fondly.
“Wel, that is certainly good advice to have,” she laughed as well, before getting up and coming around the counter to lead them to the Principals office. “In fact, it’ll do you well to remember it,” she added with a smile to Teddy.
“I’ll be sure to remember it Mrs…?” Teddy grins, knowing he looks almost identical to his godfather.
“Cope. Shelly Cope. You can find me in the main office, I handle the paperwork, even though it’s mostly just tardy slips in a small town like this. You’ll hopefully be getting your schedule from me come Monday.” She knocked on the door and poked her head inside, murmuring to the man in the room. “You guys have a lovely day, it’s brilliant to have you here!”
“We’re happy to be here.” Teddy gave a smile and entered the room after his godfather.
“Mr Potter-Black.” A man stood beside a desk with a hand extended towards Teddy’s godfather. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, as I am sure Shelly had told you already. You must be Teddy.”
“Yes, sir.” Teddy shook the man's hand.
“Well mannered, too!” He huffed out a laugh, his small eyes squishing closed. “Very good. So, you plan on enrolling?”
“Yes, we do. I filled out all of the necessary paperwork beforehand,” Harry placed the quite thick folder he had been carrying in the man's hands with a charming smile.
“You are very prepared; you have no idea how relieving that is.” He stood from where he just sat, making the two Wizards stand as well. “Many students that enroll without having been here before, usually do not take that step. It makes the enrolling process much, much easier.”
He clapped his hands together and flicked through the folder. “Let us drop this off with Shelly and the only thing I can think of other than signing a few things and answering whatever questions you may have, is the tour!”
*
“Well, Teddy-Bear, what do you think?” Harry asked as they turned into their driveway. They had toured the school then got directions to a store where they could buy a map to know where they were going.
“I love the school, and the town is great. Homey.” Teddy leaned his head against the headrest with a content sigh. “I’m really glad you found this place, dad.”
“Me too, bear, me too.”
*
“Dad! Wake up!” Teddy burst into his dad's room, just to see a made bed and empty room, where he had been expecting his godfather to be bed rumpled and in a mess of sheets.
He gave a musical laugh and trotted downstairs to the kitchen where his dad–surprise, surprise–sat with breakfast and tea ready.
“I thought you’d be sleeping still,” Teddy said, surprised.
“It’s your big day, Muggle high school in America. I wouldn’t oversleep, kid.” Harry pushed the plate towards Teddy with the tea, before standing and putting a backpack with textbooks already in it and a lunch box on the table beside him.
“Eat breakfast then get ready, you still have an hour until you’re required to be there. You remember the rules?” Harry arched a brow that made Teddy laugh.
“Yes. Don’t use magic unless it’s an emergency, contact you if anything happens, and have fun–but leave everything and everyone intact, if I do a prank: don’t get caught.” Teddy rattled it all off like a child with a free grin on his face.
“That’s my kiddo!” Harry tousled his hair before going to get ready himself as Teddy ate.
Once they were ready, they rode to the school with idle chatter filling the air. Harry parked in the front, per Teddy’s request, and sat there for a moment, just looking at the school.
“Dad? You okay?” Teddy asked, concerned.
“Yeah, I’m alright.” Harry shook his head and let out a breath. “Rules, remember. You have my cell, the bracelet, and if the two before fail, your patronus.”
“I know, dad. I’ll remember.” Teddy smiled in fondness, letting his dad brush his hair away from his eyes and fuss over it.
“Okay. Have fun and tell me all about it when I come later.” Harry grinned, “love you, Teds.”
“Love you, dad!” Teddy got out, feeling lighter than he had moments before when it was obvious his dad was worried over something.
Harry blew out a breath, checking his rearview mirror to see Death appear. “He’s going to be okay.”
Death nodded, a peculiar look on his face. “Yes, he is going to be, my love, never worry.”
Harry laughed at the sentence. “Me? Worry? That’s funny.”
Death didn’t laugh, but he had a fond look on his face. “This place will be good for you, no matter what happens, my love.”
Before Harry could ask what the entity meant, he was gone, and Harry was left alone in the car once more. Harry shook his head at the ominous entity and pulled away from the school, heading towards the town.
*
Teddy didn’t skip as he got his paperwork and schedule, but it was a near thing. He was going to an actual Muggle high school in the State where he could go home every day!
He never did Muggle schooling in an actual building, he was too advanced to properly focus, and well, accidental magic. He was tutored sometimes by Wixen who his dad or close family employed but that was usually magic knowledge he’s expected to know.
He probably already finished the curriculum of this school's requirements but that didn't mean he’d slack off or anything. He was here for the experience mostly. Aunt Hermione tried putting her children through Muggle schooling, but their magic was prone to release energy that destroyed light bulbs and shut down the school's electrical system. Nana Molly said it was the Prewett's gene.
Over the course of four classes, it was finally lunch, and Teddy sat with one of the girls named Alice that was in his fourth period and her friends. Most of her friends actually turned out to be her family, and she introduced her brothers to be Emmett and Edward, her boyfriend to be Jasper, and Jasper’s sister, Rosalie, who seemed annoyed, so Teddy didn’t bother her. She also introduced Bella Swan, who was Edwards' girlfriend.
“It’s nice to meet you all.” Teddy said once the introductions were made. “We have the same name, you know,” he told Edward, grinning. “Teddy’s short for Edward.”
“That’s really neat!” Alice jumped in, grinning brightly and instantly matching Teddy’s energy, so very like Aunt Luna, he actually told her that.
Surprisingly, the rest of his classes didn’t have Rosalie, but Bella was in his sixth period, and Alice and Edward were in his seventh physical education period. Rosalie had been in every other class, which was why he was surprised.
As promised, his dad was there at exactly two fifty-five. Before the door had even shut behind him, Teddy was speaking in a rush.
“I made friends with the adopted kids of Dr Cullen and his wife today; there’s five of them! And their other friend Bella Swan, the chief's daughter, I think. I ate lunch with them. Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett, are the kids' names. All of them took Dr Cullen's name, but Rosalie and Jasper kept their last name Hale. Alice is just like Aunt Luna and I think she might be a psychic. They were all so pretty, too. Like Aunt Fleur–oh! Rosalie is very pretty and aloof, she reminds me of Aunt Cissy. Emmett is like Uncle Ron, or maybe Uncle Charlie…”
Harry just grinned and was thankful that his son never lost the ability to smile and make friends in the blink of an eye. In the back of his mind, Death’s words lingered like an unwanted taste in his mouth.
Teddy continued on about his day well into the evening, talking about more friends that weren’t the Cullens’, Swan, or Hales’. Harry pushed away death’s words and settled into making his wards stronger now that Teddy was back for the night and he didn’t have to worry as much.
Only individuals who entered with Teddy or himself would be able to enter the ward line, and Harry felt quite secure in his actions. Maybe he could start a garden in the yard, it would be a good pastime.