❛Reminiscence❜ ─ Harry Potter Oneshots

✨ Never Not Mine

"I'm going home," he stated, now meeting Victoire with a blazing look. "I'm going to mend our relationship."

Victoire smiled and kissed his cheek as he nodded. "That's the Teddy I know and love."

-xoxo-

It was one of those days when nothing could make Harry peaceful. He felt like a werewolf dreading the upcoming new moon. Tensed about his eldest son's feelings and hurt, he stood facing the lawn of his house. The setting Sun's rays fell upon his glasses and tiny specks of dust could be seen travelling yon. The setting of his garden was tranquil and, serene but his mind was as restless as a monkey.

Earlier that day, Harry had sat Teddy down and explained his real ancestry. The boy had not taken it well. He had explicitly stated the hurt and betrayal he felt upon not being told this small yet vital piece of information regarding his life. The broken emotion which was held in his eyes was still afresh in Harry's mind, reminding about the grave mistake he had committed over the years. The mistake of withhelding the truth.

A pair of small arms wrapped around his midriff. "Harry?"

"I was never cut out to be a father, Gin. . . what am I going to do? I knew this would happen one fine day, but I had never anticipated this soon." He laughed bitterly. Ginny's grip tightened around his stomach. "But I guess it's over. I have failed Ted. I'm going to fail Jamie, Al and Flower too. Heck, I have already failed you once. I was never meant to be born. . . Why be alive when all you do is hurt someone and break them?"

"Harry," Ginny's voice was firm. "You do realize that I can't imagine a world without you in it, don't you?"

"I can't imagine a world without you in it, either. . . I don't want to let go either. I know I'm not that strong."

"You are strong, Harry. I have belief in you."

"Don't." Harry withdrew away from her embrace and looked away. "I'll have to live with the burden of not living up to it."

"Harry Potter!" she roared, coming around to face him. The sun was behind her right now, her eyes blazing the way he loved. "You have gone through so much and when a problem as small as this arises, you withdraw into that shell that you have created by yourself!"

"He hasn't created it by himself. It's because of me." The sound of the voice Harry had been anticipating perked his ears but something in his mind told him not to turn around. "I'm sorry, Dad. I shouldn't have shouted at you like that. . . I shouldn't have run away like that. . . I was foolish to get mad at you and Mum. Victoire made me realize that it was no fault of your own. . . she opened my eyes, Dad, and with the same, I would like to start anew. My first step to a new chapter is by gaining yours and Mum's forgivance. Please, I'm sorry. . ."

Harry felt Ginny leave his side and a cool breeze settle by his side instead. He was holding back, restraining himself from going back to Teddy. Feeble sobs were heard behind him. He bit back the urge to comfort both of his loved ones in fear of messing everything up again.

"Dad? Dad, please listen to me. I'm really sorry. . . You can scold me as much as you want, even ground or hit me but please don't stay silent. Please, tell something, Dad. Please. . ." Teddy's pleading tone was unbearable for Harry's heart but his mind stayed firm.

"Harry, don't listen to your mind. You know it, love," Ginny tried. "Remember the promise Sirius made to you and, the one you made to Teddy? Remember it, Harry. I'm sure it will guide you through this."

"I promise that one day we'll be living under the same roof as a happy family, Harry. If it's okay with you, of course."

"Yes, yes it is! Unless you don't want to host me. . ." Harry's voice trailed off.

"Of course I wouldn't want to host you!" Sirius exclaimed, looking rather stern.

"I get it. I don't mind it, Sirius. Just. . . just knowing that I have a godfather is enough for me. . ." Harry responded sadly, emotion evident on his face. It was surely known to him that no one would ever want him in their house. He was a freaky little pest as his Uncle loved to call him.

"You really believed that?" Sirius started laughing like a maniac. In addition, his resemblance to one was oddly in favor to his behaviour. "Merlin bless this boy. I meant that I would not like to host you like a guest, I would like to have you in my house as a godson, a friend, or rather as my son." Sirius grabbed Harry's shoulders firmly and with a determined face, brought him into a hug. It lasted for several moments of new familiarity and Harry could say, at that moment he had felt the most heart-touched and loved in his life.

That was Sirius's cautious yet impactful approach to an abused young boy. Yet here was Harry, with a meek soul, unable to face his godson. The sharp contrast between the two situations could have never been more explicit.

"Dad? May Ted come in?" A small voice asked unsurely. The baby in his arms cuddled closer to him as he spoke.

"Of course, Teddy. You do know that you don't have to ask permission for that, right?" Harry smiled as a sheepish looking Teddy Lupin walked into the room, a stuffed wolf in his arms.

"B-but tat baby wonta ask permiss too which meant Ted has to," the little boy spoke up, flailing the toy around.

"You are partly right, Bear Cub. This baby doesn't have to ask permission either," Harry replied, glancing fondly at his newborn son before looking up to Teddy again. "But it doesn't mean you have to ask for it. You are still my son."

"Foreva?" Teddy asked with big blue eyes which gleamed sapphire, melting Harry's heart.

"It's forever, I promise."

Where had his word gone? As he reminisced, the further he realized his flaw. The infamous nobility flowing through his veins had never lessened. Every corpuscle of his blood still blamed himself for everything but perhaps his heart did not. For, it would not have melted upon looking at Teddy's pitiable state if it were to have been made up of ice and stone. Ginny was right. He should have listened to his heart rather than his mind; feelings rather than thoughts and instincts rather than weaknesses.

"It's okay, Teddy. He'll come around soon. He's just. . . blaming himself. He's not mad at you, I can assure you that," Ginny's whispered consolation reached his ears and he acted on his feelings right away.

"No, Ginny. I know I am at fault here but," he paused, his head bent low as he turned around. "I'm going to try my best to keep the promise I have given to Teddy. To you and my family. If you forgive me, Bear Cub." Harry looked up and opened his arms wide, hoping his little son would embrace him.

Ecstatic and driven to tears, Teddy nearly knocked him off balance when he fell into Harry's embrace. The feeling of finally being able to patch things up filled Harry's contented heart like a ray of light illuminating a dark room. He would not let go. He would never allow misunderstandings and monophobia within his family. The sense of responsibility only increased as Teddy gripped the helm of his shirt helplessly. "I'm still your godson, right, Dad?"

Sirius's response echoed in Harry's ears and with an air of finality, he spoke, "No, Teddy. You are not just my godson but you are my eldest bear cub and will always be."

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x