Harry's body slammed onto the floor, as he stretched and just
managed to snag the leash Andromeda had transfigured around
Teddy along with a harness.
If toddlers throwing tantrums were bad, they had nothing on Teddy's
wolf pup form.
Teddy rolled on his back and began biting at the leash, trying to
gnaw through it, even as he kicked out with his paws as if he could
swim backward through the air.
He snarled and yipped and generally made a spectacle of himself.
Harry was more relieved than ever that they had moved out of the
Tonks House. His neighbors weren't quite far enough to not hear
anything but far enough away not to be out on their doorsteps.
Getting to his feet, his joints aching, Harry slid off his cloak and
tossed it over Teddy.
Not five second later, Harry had Teddy wrapped up and back in the
house. Andromeda held open the doors and Harry didn't release the
wolf pup until they were back in the basement.
This was the third time Teddy had shifted outside of the full moon,
each time because of an extreme emotion. Teddy it was because
Andromeda had gotten back from work late and Harry had insisted
Teddy go to bed at his normal bedtime.
Harry slid to sit on the ground. Andromeda joined him, both their
backs to the closed basement door. Andromeda waved her wand
and the harness disappeared.
Teddy snarled at them before turning to tear up an empty cardboard
box.
"There has to be a better way to handle this," Harry said with a sigh.
"He needs to go out for a run," Andromeda said, her eyes sad for the
boy who had to deal with drives that were not entirely human, not
entirely his own.
Harry was quiet for a long moment before he said, "For Remus, his
friends became animagi so they could run safely with him during the
full moon."
"But we don't need to be kept safe from Teddy."
"No," Harry agreed, "We need to keep him safe and be able to keep
up with him. He's so small that even on a broom I think I might lose
him in the woods."
"But you think as animals we could stay with him. You know
becoming an animagus isn't an easy endeavor."
"Wormtail could do it, so can we."
"I suppose you'll ask Minerva for help."
Harry nodded.
"What was your father and my cousin."
"Sirius was a black dog, he looked like a grim. And my father was a
stag, same as my patronus."
"You'll probably be a stag too then, Patronuses often reflect the
animagi form," she said putting her head on her knees as she
watched Teddy tear into yet another box.
"What's your patronus?" Harry asked.
"A bunny."
Harry laughed.
She glared at him, "What's funny about that?"
"I'm sorry, I just can't picture you as a bunny, with a little cottontail
and a pink twitching nose."
Andromeda huffed. "I suppose a bunny isn't very practical for
keeping up with a wolf."
"You'd make a good distraction," Harry said seriously.
She jabbed his side causing him to wriggle away as she started
tickling him. Harry laughed but began to back away in earnest. He
found himself on the ground again, Andromeda lying on his back, her
laughter filling the space around them.
It was good to hear her laugh.
The next morning, Harry slipped out to visit Hogwarts. It turned out to
be a Quidditch weekend and Harry made his way up to the
professor's stand.
It was Slytherin versus Hufflepuff. Despite the Hufflepuff team having
the advantage with older students, Harry was surprised to see how
well the Slytherin team played. In Harry's time, the Slytherin team
had played brutality and with cheap tricks, but as the underdog…
well, Harry supposed he was seeing Slytherin at their best.
Too many people focused on 'cunning' being the defining Slytherin
trait, but when push came to shove it was their ambition that best
described them. Harry watched the small players zip past the larger
seventh years, relentlessly retaliating with the bluchers, and retain a
focus on the game that was almost frightening. Their determination
not to be 'won up' was remarkable even with all the odds stacked
against them.
The game was even with points and even though the crowd at the
Slytherin stand was made up of more parents than students the
tension in the stands was palpable.
"Harry," Filius greeted warmly, spotting him, "Come sit, come sit."
Minerva smiled at him briefly before turning her attention back to the
game. Harry could tell how much she was enjoying the competition.
The game lasted for another two hours. The Slytherins lost by a
hair's breadth when the Hufflepuff Seeker shoved the Slytherin
Seeker to the side and caught the snitch. Slytherin team had been
four goals ahead and looked sorely disappointed.
The crowd cheered and the teachers stood up to clap.
"Imagine what that team will be like in another two or three years,"
Minerva said.
Horace chuckled, "The other houses best enjoy their victories while
they last."
Filius only grinned.
After everyone had made it back to the castle, Minerva saw Harry in
her office in the Headmaster's Office.
"Hello, my boy," Albus greeted as Harry stepped into the room.
Harry's entire being stiffened. He didn't respond to the painting, it
was just a painting after all.
"Arrogant as always," Headmaster Black sneered at him.
Harry left, stepping out onto Minerva's balcony without asking
permission.
She stood by his side waiting for him to speak first.
"Does that ever bother you?" he asked after a time.
Minerva looked out at the horizon, the day was uncharacteristically
sunny for this time of the year. "Sometimes, but mostly I find it handy
when I feel like losing my temper at someone."
Harry raised an eyebrow, "And how does that work out?"
She sighed, "It typically doesn't. He simply gives me benign advice,
hallow words he might have said in life. Sometimes he shows
remorse, but it is only a portrait, his emotions only run so deep."
"Have you spoken to Aberforth?"
"Some, he doesn't seem to mind that Albus is dead, sometimes I
wish-" She didn't finish the thought and Harry didn't pry.
Eventually, Minerva asked, "What did you want to discuss with me,
Harry?"
"Andromeda and I want to learn how to become animagi."
Minerva didn't appear the least bit surprised, "Alright."
"Would you being willing to help us?" Harry asked.
She nodded, "I would but I was wondering if she might be able to
assist me in return?"
Harry tilted his head, a habit he was beginning to pick up from Teddy,
"Anything."
She turned to face him, jade green to emerald, "As you know there is
little less than two months of term left."
Harry waited.
"I was wondering if you might be able to come in to teach a few
seminars? As the year draws nearer to the end, as the anniversary
of the-"
"I understand," Harry said cutting her off.
"So you'll-"
"I can't teach full time, Minerva, Teddy is too young for that yet."
"Andromeda-"
"Is already working every weekday and he isn't taking the adjustment
well. And I am the primary caregiver."
"What about weekends?"
Harry thought for a moment, "I can do Saturday and Sunday
afternoons, I suppose."
"Two afternoons isn't much time for as many students as we have."
"Not nearly as many as were in my time here. Even half the school's
population might just be a few more kids more than was in my fifth
year club."
"I will leave it to your discretion," she said.
"You want me teaching DADA, correct?" Harry asked.
"Yes."
"Well, I'll take the fifth through eighth years on Saturday and then,
first through fourth years on Sunday."
"Thank you," she said, the relief in her voice audible.
"How bad has it been?" Harry asked.
"What I've seen has been bad enough, that I've caught. But I
suppose you know better than most that it is what happens outside
of the teachers' sights that is the true measure of bad. The students
are afraid and angry in ways I doubt they could define or give voice
to. "
Harry laid a hand on her shoulder, "It will be alright."
She gave him wry smile, "And since when did you become the
optimist?"
Harry's smile was dazzling, "When I found people to live for."
Minerva smiled brightened despite herself, "Fly home to your family,
my friend. I'll visit you every Friday night for training."
"I'll have dinner waiting."
A look crossed Minerva's face that could only be described as
longing, "You really are an excellent cook."
Harry grinned, "It was the one good thing living at the Dursleys
taught me."
"Mapoppy!" Teddy screeched, "That's cheating!"
Andromeda tsked and moved her piece across the board, falling into
yet another trap. "Winning isn't cheating, Teddy."
Teddy pouted and rolled the die again, he got closer to the finish line
but not close enough to beat Harry before he crossed the line.
Harry smiled and rolled the die. He had only to roll above a three to
win, and with two die that should have been easy. But what
Andromeda had begun to call Potter Luck struck him and he rolled
snake eyes.
Harry groaned and Teddy clapped, laughing in triumph as Harry
moved his token piece onto the square that worm-holed him back to
the middle of the board.
Andromeda's turn had her in second place until Teddy rolled again
and he landed on the same spot Harry had hit.
"Nooooooooooo!" Teddy despaired.
Andromeda and Harry laughed good naturedly.
Andromeda lay awake that night staying at the outline of Harry's face
in the darkened room. Her hand was on his chest, her head resting
on his shoulder. She felt so blessed to have him in her life.
It struck her again how much he meant to her as well as what he
was to Teddy. A more devoted father she had never met.
Her sister's words came back to her once more. Andromeda was a
witch, she was young enough, still young enough to bear another
child.
She thought of the way Harry held Verona, of the way he looked at
any passing baby and she wanted to give him another child.
Andromeda supposed the question now was if she wanted another
baby? If she wanted the trouble of being pregnant and giving birth
again? She might be young enough but Merlin, she had by a spring
hen when she had Nymphadora. It was far easier to bounce back
from such physical trauma at age sixteen than at age forty.
But she remembered the joy, the awe of creating life, there was no
magic in this world so astounding as creating life. Of holding in your
arms flesh of your flesh. And the idea of a little piece of Harry
running around in the world was a good thought.
Andromeda had wanted more children but Ted's clear reluctance and
with most of the work falling to her. Well, having more children had
seemed more like a burden than a gift back then.
Harry wouldn't do that to her though. Harry wanted children more
than she did, and he did more of the housework than she did. Harry
wanted a family more than he wanted a career.
As noble as a profession being a healer was, Ted had prioritized his
work hours over his time at home. Which in the muggle and
wizarding world was completely normal and readily expected.
Perhaps what she and Harry had was far from conventional.
But perhaps she had been fooling herself in ever believing that she
had ever wanted a conventional life.