What do you mean we are going to the Weasleys'?" Andromeda
asked.
Harry sighed, "I did tell you about this."
"But we are going to my sister's tomorrow."
"Yes, but Fleur is having her baby shower tonight."
Andromeda crossed her arms, "Only women are supposed to show
up to those."
"That's why you were invited," Harry said dryly as he prepared
Teddy's to go bag. "I think she is having two, the 'girly' one she
already had back at her parents' house."
"That doesn't explain why you were invited," Andromeda said bluntly.
"Arthur, Charlie, the twins, and Bill will be there," Harry defended.
"You were miserable when you came back from the Weasleys on
your birthday," she attempted to persuade him.
"I wasn't miserable," Harry protested.
"You were upset," she insisted.
"Mrs. Weasley can be… overbearing," he conceded.
"Molly Prewitt was always a twat."
Harry sighed, "If you can't be civil, don't bother coming."
He placed Teddy in the baby carrier. Teddy was gnawing on the toy
they had given him as if his life depended on it. He had been staying
up late at night because of the pain, he didn't cry much but he was
fussy from lack of sleep.
"You already said yes on my behalf," Andromeda grumbled.
"You said yes when I asked," Harry said, growing irritated with
himself. "And as I said, you don't have to come, I can make up an
excuse for you."
"I can watch Teddy," she offered.
"Everyone wants to meet him, Andromeda. I have been living with
you two for seven months, I don't want rumours to start that there is
something wrong with him."
"Since when do you care about rumours?"
Harry ignored the question, "I'm leaving now, are you coming or
not?"
Andromeda sighed, "Fine, to the blood traitors' house we go."
Harry froze, "You're a blood traitor, as was my dad was a blood
traitor."
"Molly was a prefect, a year above me," she said as if that explained
everything.
It didn't, at least not for him.
"So what?"
"We didn't get along."
"Clearly," Harry stated.
Andromeda's lips tightened, "If she tries anything, I'll flatten her ass."
"You could just stay here," he said, getting a distinctly bad
impression of what was more than liking going to happen.
"I am not afraid of her."
They were going to be late at this rate and Harry didn't have any
more time to argue about this. Ever since Narcissa had visited,
Andromeda had been better, more awake, but she had also been
more irritable. Harry had always believed he had a temper, but he
had nothing on hers.
"Just try to behave," he said.
They apparated to the Burrow. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione wouldn't
be there because they were at Hogwarts.
Teddy announced them with a sharp cry.
Handing the baby carrier to Andromeda, Harry picked Teddy up and
began rocking on his feet and rubbing the baby's back to calm him
down.
They entered the house and Molly was the first to greet them. Harry
was dreading her hug but was saved by Andromeda taking a step
between them.
"Andromeda," Molly said with a false smile, coming to an abrupt halt.
Andromeda just stared at her silently.
Seeing the two women squaring off, Arthur hurriedly made his way to
them. He put an arm around Molly's waist, angling his wife behind
him a step, "Hello, Mrs. Tonks, Harry. Is that little Teddy?"
Harry moved forward so that he was at Andromeda's shoulder, "Yes,
he's a little upset from the trip here though."
"Quite understandable. How have things been going?" Arthur asked.
"Really well, Teddy has started to talk with real words and aside from
the teething he's been adjusting well-"
"Adjusting well to what?" Molly asked, glaring at Andromeda.
Andromeda eyes narrowed, "To losing his mother, you-"
Harry grabbed Andromeda's hand and yanked her back to his side.
"He's too young to remember his parents," Molly said.
Logically, Harry knew that she was talking about Teddy but 'not
remembering his parents' was a wee bit of sore spot. He glowered at
Molly and he let go of Andromeda.
Arthur caught on to the shift in his mood and spoke before Harry
could respond, "Maybe not in memory, but all children understand
they have a mother and know their absence if they disappear." It was
more diplomatic than Arthur typically managed. "But enough of this,
let's join the party, shall we?"
The last was an almost plea.
The two witches glared at each other but they walked into the living
room without another word.
Harry whispered in Andromeda's ear, "Behave."
"She killed my sister," Andromeda hissed back.
"I have tried to torture and kill your sister," Harry shot back. "And I
am glad your Bella is dead."
"'Arry!" Fleur called from across the room. She came to him as
beautiful as ever and Andromeda did not stand in her way. In fact,
Andromeda found a chair farthest from the cluster of people and
seemed to do her best to disappear in plain view.
Fleur bent forward and kissed both of Harry's cheek, her belly and
Teddy not allowing for a real hug.
"How are you?" Harry asked, "How soon until the baby arrives?"
"Bill and I have been wondrous," Fleur gushed.
Bill made a face behind her back that said he hadn't enjoyed the last
few months quite as much as his lovely wife had.
Fleur continued, "Another month or two. Veela babies take a bit
longer than human ones do to arrive. So there is no official due
date."
"Hi Harry," Gabrielle said, coming to stand next to her older sister.
Harry smiled brilliantly at the little girl, "Why hello, how have you
been? You've started at the academy, right?"
Gabrielle flushed but said sweetly, "Third year. Things are good. I
was let out of my afternoon classes to be here. I am glad I am not at
Hogwarts."
"Aren't we all," Harry said.
"Is that your godson?" Gabrielle asked.
Teddy, who had settled enough that Harry could turn him to face the
people, blinked at the Veela women and pointed at Fleur's tummy
and said, "Pie."
Charlie snorted a laugh eliciting a smack on the back of his head
from Bill. The twins lost it, their laughter filling the room making
Teddy grin and laugh because there were people laughing at
something he had said. It made Harry a little sad that there wasn't as
much laughter in their own home.
Maybe he could get the twins to visit more often?
Fleur frowned, "Pie?"
"One of the picture books we read had a character who got fat from
eating too many sweets, such as pie," Harry explained.
Fleur smiled and laughed, her laugh was like the tinkling of bells.
Teddy blinked up at the Veela and his eyes turned to match her blue
and his hair changed to her blonde.
"Oh, wow," Gabrielle breathed.
Charlie came to his sister-in-law's side, "Takes after his mum, then."
Molly was drawn closer to the group gawking at the baby, she
reached out a hand to touch Teddy's cheek and Teddy shrank into
Harry's arms. His eyes flashing back to emerald green and his hair
back to an inky black. Harry stepped back as subtly as he could from
Molly.
No one else had asked to hold Teddy. He wasn't sure why but he
was glad of it.
Bill grinned, "Well, he might be Tonks' son but he seems quite taken
with you, Harry."
"He picks up people's traits like a chemilain. I put a glamour spell on
him anytime we go out in public so he doesn't cause a scene," Harry
said.
"You take him out?" Molly said, "But we haven't seen you in months."
"I wonder why," the twins muttered in unison.
Molly glared at them but Harry shifted the conversation to Bill,
Charlie, and the twins' work, which was more than enough to distract
Molly who was incredibly proud of her sons.
The rest of the night went by nicely. Teddy was a bit on edge with so
many new and loud people, but in the safety of Harry's arms, he was
alright. Although instead of his toy he played with Harry's fingers as
he talked to the grown ups.
The conversation focused mainly on Bill and Fleur. What quickly
began to stun everyone and attract Fleur's attention was Harry's
knowledge in baby care. Where Andromeda stayed sulkily silent,
Harry got into the nitty gritty about babies.
Teddy had been less than four weeks old when Harry had taken
over. There had been a substantial learning curve.
The other men in the room were out of their depth, Molly on the other
hand was growing angrier and angrier. She was glowering at
Andromeda when she cut in midway through Harry's explanation of
Teddy violently hating baths with, "And why, Harry, have you been
forced to do so much?" She had addressed Harry but was glaring
daggers at Andromeda.
Andromeda stiffened and ever so slightly hunched in on herself.
But Harry was having none of it.
"Because Molly," he said, tone sharp, "I love Teddy and I love being
a father. I am fortunate enough to not have to work and have,
therefore, been allowed to monopolize my time with Teddy."
"Is Andromeda the reason you decided not to go back to school with
Ron and Hermione?" Molly demanded. "Because she's making you
do all this work to live under her roof?"
Andromeda looked at Harry, a soft expression of horror stealing over
her features.
Had it been her fault? Had she been the one to hold Harry back from
his potential? His friends and loved ones?
"Molly," Arthur warned, "we've been over this."
"No, Arthur," Molly snapped. "I want to know, after all Harry has been
through, no one should hold him back-"
Harry stood, hugging Teddy to him, " Stop it! Did you ever stop to
think that maybe this is where I want to be? That maybe for once in
my life I would like to have a family who needs me? Free from
political bullshit and the reputation of my stupid scar. That maybe I
enjoy being the one and the only person who gets to dictate my
future is me?"
"Your future?" Molly asked. "If you are that child's primary caregiver
then your future is never going to be your own. You will never have
freedom if you are a parent."
The Weasley kids exchanged looks, he could practically see the
whispers of guilt building in their guts. Harry knew that they had
always believed that their mum wanted to have them, all of them.
"You don't get it, do you?" Harry asked, his voice staying even so he
didn't upset Teddy who seemed close to tears. He had fisted some of
Harry's hair at the nape of his neck and was tugging gently, like a cat
kneading. "I don't want a life without responsibility, without purpose. I
am not trying to claim some fantasy childhood I never had. I
survived, I am alive, and all I want to do is move forward."
"Forward is an education, a job, and a family of your own ," Molly
entoned.
"This is my family," Harry said, voice coming from his chest. "All my
blood is dead and I am not ready to pick up a romantic relationship
with anyone."
"Girlfriends come before babies."
"You are not his mother," Andromeda said, finally speaking up.
"I am the closest thing he has to a mother," Molly said, turning on
Andromeda, who she had been the one she had been trying to pick
a fight with to begin with.
"No, Lily is his mother," Andromeda said. "She taught him that you
do everything in your power to protect the innocent. Not pride, or
selfishness, not even your own life; nothing comes before them. For
your child, you protect them and you love them, for as long as you
can, and you hold nothing back."
"And you don't think I've shown Harry love?" Molly screeched.
"I don't think you see him," Andromeda said calmly at first. "I don't
think you know him. I don't think you know any of your children.
You're so busy 'taking care' of them and loving them as your children
that you have missed who they are as individuals," she finished with
more emotion than she probably intended.
"Don't you lecture me, you drop out. You may have done better than
your sisters, but I remember who you are. I think there are reasons
Dumbledore didn't let you into the Order," Molly said, voice strident.
"Some people are incapable of change. Some people-"
"ENOUGH!" Harry shouted, the windows shook, some of the panes
of glass cracking.
He may have been very mature for his age but his power had yet to
manifest into its full potential.
Teddy clung to Harry, a little desperately, upset because Harry was
upset. Though by the way he clung to his godfather, clearly Teddy
didn't think he was the danger to be afraid of.
"Enough," Harry repeated. "Molly, Andromeda and I are Teddy's
guardians. Insulting one of us, is insulting all of us. I am not going to
come back here if you are going to keep attacking my choices and
Andromeda's past. We were all affected by the war, or I suppose
wars, we were all subject to our families' backgrounds and the crap
we dealt with at Hogwarts. But I am not going to raise my son in it.
Grudges, revenge, bitterness; they help no one.
"And stop trying to tell me I need to fend for myself because, for the
first time in my life, I am making my own choices. You don't have to
like them but you do have to respect them or you will not be seeing
much of me."
The Weasley brothers, Arthur, Fleur, and Gabrielle glared at Molly.
Molly apologized, "Harry- you are quite right. I am sorry for making
you feel- you feel-"
"Like he's a particularly slow child who can't get ice cream without a
hand to hold?" Fred supplied.
George whacked his shoulder.
Arthur coughed.
"I'm sorry for my behavior towards you and your-" Molly hesitated,
"your family. Teddy seems like a healthy boy. You are doing good."
Bill, Charlie, and the twins rolled their eyes at the understatement of
the happy, adorable youth in Harry's embrace.
Harry nodded, "Thank you and I forgive you, but I think it is best we
return home for the night."
The relief coming off Andromeda was nearly papabubble.
Kingsley slammed the stack of papers down on his desk.
Lucius Malfoy had been cleared of all charges. All charges.
Kingsley was furious but there was nothing he could do. The position
of Minister had lost significant power after the war.
Which had Fudge been in charge still that would have been useful
but now- now people were using the lack of order, lack of leadership
as a way to skirt the laws.
Veritasium had been used, but only the lawyers had been allowed to
ask questions. Lawyers who had no idea how to phrase a proper
question!
Had Kingsley asked a question any answer Malfoy might have given
would have been dismissed. 'The minister can't overstep his office.'
It was infuriating.
Although Malfoy's description of his time imprisoned in his own home
had not been a picnic, Kingsley felt no pity for the scum. Truly, the
only good thing about Malfoy's hearing had been the others he had
ratted out. Kingsley couldn't help but think that had Severus not been
dead, he would have been the one to reveal this information.
Severus Snape had died a traitor to both sides, only the Order
listened to his redemption story delivered by Harry. No one else -
aside from the devoted readers of the Quibbler, believed it.
For the man who had killed Albus Dumbledore, there would be no
medal.
Kingsley shook his thoughts away, shoved his anger down, he had
no time for this either. Under the threat of losing their jobs and a
pointed speech about if the lawmakers were protesting who would
be there to change the laws had put most everyone back behind
their desks.
The Ministry was still severely understaffed and many had walked
out of their offices with desks packed. Some of those people had
been relatives who came to retrieve their dead family members'
possessions. There was no doubt that the dark times were far from
being beyond them.
Luckily, there was a surge in interns. But those interns needed to be
trained and it would be years until their ranks were back to capacity.
The Auror office was one of the most severely hit and they had been
forced to hire from overseas.
Of course, this was nothing to the problem that ran into his office on
the stumbling feet of Rolf Scamander, a freckle-faced lad with wild
dark hair. He nearly slammed into Kingsley's desk as he tried to stop
his momentum. Extending a shaking hand, a plea for a moment of
Minister Shacklebolt's time.
"What is it now?" Kingsley asked, knowing bad news when he saw it.
The boy was sweeting, "Giants-" he gasped.
"What?"
"The giants," he said again more firmly.
"What about the giants?" Kingsley asked, dreading the answer, if
they had a break in the Statue of Secrecy-
"The giants are dead."
"What?" Kingsley asked in a hushed tone, his mind reeling as he
tried to shift gears. "What do you mean the giants are dead? Which
giants?"
"All of them, Sir," Rolf said. "A nameless group of wizards got
together and attacked their camp. They left a message, claiming that
these 'monsters' could die with their master and that they were never
wanted in this world."
Kingsley's mind was reeling, "All of them?"
"It was a slaughter, no one was spared, not the women, or children,
or the ones hiding in caves in the nearby mountains. It must have
been a huge hunting party and a skilled one at that. No human
bodies have turned up, but then, not everyone has been fully
accounted for after the war yet."
Giants had existed since the dawn of human magical history.
Kingsley had always seen them as a part of the United Kingdom's
culture, it was a part of what set them apart from other wizarding
communities around the world. "They're gone?" Kingsley asked,
sinking into his seat, understanding the travesty that had befallen
their world and he understood that many in their world would not
care.
"There are the human-giant descendants but the full giants..." Rolf
took in a long breath.
Kingsley looked up at the boy, meeting sad hazel eyes with his tired
brown ones.
"The giants are extinct.