Chapter Forty-Six
Hester House, July 2016
Hester House was an ever-changing maze of halls, moving portraits, and breathtaking landscapes. Teddy, though he had spent much of his life at Hester House, still got lost. He would wander until he found his way to a room with shutters in the wall; he would open them, lean out and see what section of the library they opened to.
The circular room was one of Teddy's favourite places, next to the music room.
Andrew found him there, sitting at the piano, running his fingers over the ivory keys. The deep red of the walls, dome ceiling and high arching windows were elegant, and Andrew could still picture Hazel and Remus sitting at the curved long, curved window seat. Red wine in hand, they would talk or read or just sit. Andre had a foggy memory of being very little and looking up at them from the ground, their hands just a little bit apart, not touching.
"Hey, Ted." Andrew stepped into the room, arms crossed. "What're you up to?"
Teddy turned a little, smiling. "Just thinking about my Dad."
"Hm." Andrew wished Harry were here – they were always a better team together. Neither of them were very good inspirational talkers. "Do you – uh – want to be alone?"
"I'd like to talk, actually."
"Oh. Okay." Andrew walked over to the piano, placing his hands on the polished surface. "What do you want to talk about?"
Teddy bit his lip, staring at the keys. "Where Dad and Mum in love?"
"Of course, why – why would you ask?"
"Because in all the pictures, all the stories...it sounds as if Dad was in love with your Mum."
Andrew coughed, uncomfortable. How did he explain this to an eighteen year old? "I don't want to lie to you, Ted, so yes. Remus was in love with my mother for a very long time."
"How long?"
"Since they were sixteen."
"You're very nice, Hazel." Remus said shyly, looking at the snowy ground.
She smiled at him "So are you."
Neither said anything for a moment, and Remus moved closer to her. "Hazel?"
Standing straight, Hazel looked up at him "Yes Remus?"
"I'd like to try something." He blurted, hands shaking in his mitts.
"Okay."
Teddy was still staring at the keys. "And when did he stop?"
"Not for a very long time." Andrew remembered the day Remus had stormed out of the house, back when Joseph was alive.
"We could be together!"
Hazel had ben crying. "No Remus, we couldn't. You are my best friend, Andrew's godfather – I owe you so much, but I could never give you what you want. I just...can't."
"I've spent half my life loving you."
"I'm sorry, Mooney."
"I know you are." Remus had turned around "I'm going to go. Goodbye Hazel."
"He loved my Mum though? Really, really loved her?"
"I had never seen your father happier than when he was with Tonks." Andrew smiled. "He truly adored her in every way Teddy, and he was overjoyed when she got pregant. Terrified, but overjoyed. He swore the day you were born that it was the happiest day of his life."
"I know you will be a good godfather to my son, Andrew – together you and Harry will make sure he is safe if anything ... well, if Dora and I aren't around."
"I hope that never happens Mooney," Andrew told him "I'm honored though. I can't wait to take him out on hikes and teach him all the things you taught me."
"Really?"
"Really. Harry and I were honoured, couldn't wait to meet you. Unfortunately Harry never got the chance to see you three all together, but I did – it was...precious."
"Tell me. Please, Andy."
"I've been waiting for this day," sighed Andrew, sitting beside him on the bench. "I'll tell you about the first day I met you, and what Remus said to me. I'll never forget it."
The wind tore at Andrew's clothing as he knocked heavily on the cottage door, jumping a little to keep warm. The door opened and a beaming Tonks stood in the doorway.
"There's the Godfather!" she cried, hugging him tightly. "Come, come – I can't wait to introduce you to Teddy."
"How are you feeling?" It had only been two days since Teddy's birth.
"Wonderful!" she looked it. "I've never been happier. REMUS!" she called up the stairs, and the sound of feet on the stairs could be heard. Remus appeared, a swaddled Teddy in his arms.
"Andy!" he gave him an awkward one armed hugged. "Meet your Godson."
Andrew stared into the tiny, fresh face of Teddy Lupin; he was flawless. "He...he's perfect."
Tonks laughed. "See Remus, its not just us."
Remus snorted and held the baby out. "Want to hold him?"
"Please." Andrew accepted the tiny babe, rocking him gently. Teddy yawned and snuggled in some more.
"I'm going to go for a nap, will you two be alright? I just fed him, so he should be fine for a while."
"Of course love," Remus kissed the top of Tonks' head and invited Andrew to sit down.
"I need to speak with you, Andrew." He said gravely, watching his son yawn in Andrew's arms.
"I suspected you might."
"I love that baby, Andy." Said Remus thickly. "And it gives me great pain that the boys I love most in the world were both born during a war, but I can't change that." He wiped his eyes. "I hope that I have helped shape you into the brave man you are today."
Andre felt as if his throat were sandpaper. "You have, Remus."
"I have a bad feeling, Andrew." Remus couldn't hold it together; his shoulders shook with his words. "I am afraid that this dream will not last, that my son will grow up without me – I need to know that he will be at least half the man you have become."
"Don't say that, Mooney." Andrew begged. "Please. Please can we be happy?"
"This has to be said." Remus shook his head as he spoke. "Promise me that you will make sure he is a happy, healthy child with good morals and a loving family. Even if it is made up of his grandmother and Harry and you, I want him to know...to know what it means to be loved, to give love."
"Of course." Andrew rocked Teddy, watching his sleepy face.
"Tell him that Dora and I love him, that we will love him always – no matter what. If he is bad at arithmetic or doesn't like Quidditch or wants to become an artist or is gay – whatever. We love him because he is ours."
Andrew handed Teddy to Remus, moving so he sat on the arm of his own godfather's chair. "He will know, Remus. I promise."
Teddy's tears plopped onto the keys, shoulders shaking. "Thank you."
Andrew hugged Teddy tightly. "There's one more thing I've been saving." He got Teddy to stand so he could open the top of the piano bench, taking out a folder. "Remus left these here, I think because he knew he might not be around to play them, and if they were anywhere else no one would ever find them."
They sat beside each other, Andrew playing and Teddy listening, head on his shoulder.
"I know these." He whispered.
"I used to play them for you when you were little, and I think Remus did too." Andrew smiled. "It was a way of bringing a little bit of him into your evening."
"Thank you Andrew," Teddy whispered, tears wetting the shoulder of Andrew's shirt. "For keeping him alive for me."
"You're welcome." Andrew played on, not trusting himself to hold it together if he stopped. "He would have been very, very proud."
Teddy thought he saw a flicker by the door, but brushed it off as a trick of the light. He wanted so badly to believe that his father was watching.
At the edges of the room, Hazel stood with Remus; he had his arm around her shoulder.
"Look at our boys," Hazel whispered to him.
"He did well." Remus nodded.
"They both did."
"I'm so proud of them, Hazel."
"I know Remus, I am too."
A/N: I have been waiting such a long, long time to write this. I was sceptical about putting that bit with Remus and Hazel in, but I think it just makes it all the better.
Question: Did you like the little flashback? Reminds me of Glimpse.
Rose