Regulus stood by the door Teddy asleep in a bundle in his arms, as he waited for Andromeda and Tonks to get ready.
They had just received word that they were needed at the Ministry immediately, and all three people rushed to get themselves, and Teddy, ready.
Tonks stumbled down the hallway, managing to catch herself against the wall in front of Regulus, and took her son from him.
Andromeda came a few seconds later, and they made their way to the Ministry via the Knight Bus (as trying to Floo or Apparate with Teddy could be difficult). The bus did, however, wake up Teddy, who cried for the entirety of the bus ride.
When they arrived, Regulus and Tonks led Andromeda to the room, her not having been there before, and went inside. Harry and Kingsley were speaking in hushed tones, but stopped when they saw them. Harry gave a face-splitting grin, and ran over to them.
"More Returnees!" Harry said, bouncing in his spot. Despite being almost eighteen, this was the most jovial Tonks had ever seen him. He seemed almost childlike, especially compared to the fifteen year old she had met only three years before.
"Who is it this time?" Regulus asked, but took it upon himself to search around the room, stepping to the side to see around Harry. His eyes widened slightly when he saw who he assumed Harry to be talking about, "Sirius!"
"That's not all!" Harry exclaimed, "Remus and Ted too!"
"Remus and Dad are here?" Tonks asked, looking around the room as fast as she could. "Why are we just standing around then!"
Ted had already noticed them, and had come over, "This must be my grandson, Teddy."
Andromeda embraced him, and gave him a deep kiss, "I've missed you, Ted."
"Missed you, too." He looked over at Teddy, who was staring at him with bright blue eyes, and hair a matching shade. "Seems as if he's a metamorphmagus too."
Tonks nodded, "He seems to have taken a liking to that specific shade of blue."
"Oh, and thank you for naming him after me, Dora. Remus told me a little while ago. Speaking of which, did he die? I never got to ask him, though that would seem a little rude."
Tonks nodded, "Do you know where he went?"
Ted gestured towards the direction he came from, "He, Sirius, and who I'm assuming to be James Potter, were over in that direction."
Tonks gave her father a one-sided hug as best she could with Teddy. "Come on, Regulus, Harry."
Before they could move, Kingsley made his way over, and asked to borrow Harry, who gave Regulus and Tonks a guilty smile, but had to go off in the other direction.
"My brother won't want to see me," Regulus muttered sadly, "We haven't had a real conversation since I was ten. He'll think I'm a Death Eater."
"James knows you're not, though," Tonks reassured him.
"I guess you're right."
"Do you see them?" Tonks searched through the crowds of people that were forming.
Regulus nodded, and led her through the crowd.
James was the first person to see them, and smiled, gesturing them over. "Hello, Regulus, Tonks, Teddy."
Remus turned at the sound of his wife and son's name, and ran over to her, kissing her before taking Teddy into his own arms. eyes darkened to the same shade of amber as Remus's, which made him smile.
Regulus walked over to his brother and James, his face stone-cold. "Hello, James." He greeted before turning to face Sirius. "Look, I know we haven't been on speaking terms in years, but I'd like my brother back."
Sirius looked skeptically at him, "What about—"
He was interrupted by James, "Regulus died for our side. You'll hear the story soon."
"You died for our side?"
"There isn't an organization without a traitor. You had Pettigrew. The Death Eater's had me." Regulus chuckled, "I may only be eighteen, but I'm not as naive as people think."
"But didn't Voldemort kill you?"
"Nope. But let's not think about the past. Whatcha say, Siri?"
Sirius pulled Regulus into a hug, "I'd like that Reg."
Remus and Tonks walked over, and Sirius let go of his little brother, and looked at the baby in Remus's arms. "Is that Teddy?"
Remus nodded, and Teddy tried in his best effort to lift up his head, and looked at James, Sirius, and Regulus.
Sirius smiled at Teddy, and told him, "Hi, Teddy. I'm your Uncle Padfoot. Your mum's my cousin, and your dad's one of the best friends I have. Your Uncle Prongs and I are going to make your life really fun, aren't we?"
"Of course we are," James laughed. "We're going to teach you all about pranks, and tell you bedtime stories, and Harry too! Your godfather has almost seventeen years of bedtime stories to make up for."
"Harry's his godfather?" Sirius asked.
Tonks nodded.
"And," Remus said, "I don't think we should tell him about our Hogwarts pranks. I don't want him to get any ideas."
Tonks looked at her husband, "That's fine. I'll just tell him about the time I morphed into Professor Binns and taught a History of Magic class. Ask anyone in my year, I'm the only reason that class was bearable." Tonks's hair flashed pink at the memory. "Or the time I morphed into Snape! I successfully gave Hufflepuff 1000 house points just because, and Gryffindor 500 house points for Charlie's breathing technique. I was in detention for a month, but it was worth it."
James and Sirius let out a barking laughter, and James managed to choke out, "Congratulations. You've passed our prankster test with flying colours!"
Remus rocked Teddy, who closed his eyes, "I think Lily and I are going to have to hide him from you three."
"I'll join you," Regulus laughed, "I think Harry'll want to join us too."
"We're," Sirius gestured to himself, James, and Tonks, "are fun. We don't want to bore Teddy with reading books all day."
"Reading's fun." Lily walked up behind them, causing James to jump in his spot. (To Sirius, he looked a little like a deer in a headlight, though James would deny it.)
"I agree, Lily," Remus said. "You just haven't found the right books."
"I've read almost every book about Quidditch," James stated, "Does that count?"
Lily and Remus shared a look, "No," they said simultaneously.
Sirius stepped back, "Oh no, the nerd virus is affecting them."
James put his hand up, as if to tell them to stop. "I am ordering whatever nerd spirit that has possessed them to be banished from my wife and Moony. Tonks, you should—"
"Already ahead of you, James," Tonks said, taking Teddy from Remus's arms, and scurrying over to Sirius and James.
Regulus looked at them like they grew two heads and were related to Fluffy. "I think you're overreacting."
Sirius shook his head, before looking at James and Tonks, "I think they've gotten Reg too."
"I've got this," James said, moving forward, and pretending to karate chop the air.
"What did I just walk into?" Harry stood back, looking at his father in concern.
"We're performing an exorcism, riding them of the evil nerd demons." Sirius said. His tone sounded as if he wasn't joking. "Don't worry, Harry, we'll save you."
"You know my best friend is Hermione, right?"
James turned abruptly, "We'll save you!" Before tackling Harry in a hug.
Harry started laughing, as Sirius joined in their hug. This was all he had ever dreamed of, and Sirius seemed happier than he had ever seen him. Maybe Harry's life was looking up. At least it was changing for the better.
That was soooooo much fun to write. Especially the end.
It's almost 11 p.m. but it's still July 31st where I am, so I'm saying Happy Birthday to Harry! Again!
The portrait at the top is from Hogwarts Mystery. I think from my Divination class. Anyway, Tonks turning into Binns is like my favourite part of the game, so I had to add it.
Have a good night/morning/day! Hope you enjoyed this pure fluff chapter. ~ Maddy