After a few more minutes, Teddy and his parents came apart and saw a door open from out of nowhere. Out of it stepped a man that Teddy had only heard of in stories from his distant family and seen in a portrait in the Hogwarts he had left behind in life. Such a portrait, or indeed, any portrait was absent in this castle. The man was a tall, elderly man with kindly blue eyes behind some very uniquely shaped spectacles, and a beard as long as his navel, tucked into a belt.
It was Albus Dumbledore, former Headmaster of Hogwarts and the first namesake of Albus Severus Potter.
"Ah, young Teddy Lupin, a pleasure to be acquainted with you at last." he murmured kindly.
Teddy shook the man's hand with admiration, though he couldn't help but think that Albus looked rather distant, as though hiding something. Apparently, he was not the only one. James, Severus, the two Lilys and all the other people in the welcome party noticed, but Albus simply held his smile and spoke on.
"I have not heard the end of your exploits from your loving parents. They have never passed a day without observing your life from here."
"How?" asked Teddy, looking to Remus and Tonks in a surprised and hurt way. He was sure, always sure that if his parents were somehow able to see him, they would surely have shown themselves to him.
"Through this." smiled Albus pointing to the Mortal Glass, known to all who came through this version of Hogwarts, was a device through which the dead could look upon their loved ones still alive, although to Teddy, it seemed like a normal mirror.
"Take a glance, right in front of it." said Remus, patting Tonks' shoulder, whom looked downhearted at Teddy's expression.
Teddy uneasily advanced directly in front of the Mortal Glass, a movement that reminded Harry very much of how he had to operate the uses of the Mirror of Erised.
Teddy looked into the plain glass which suddenly began to cloud over and then the glass reappeared in plain view but the reflection was not Teddy's, it was like a scene of a play, and the main characters were his children being comforted in what seemed to be the wake of a funeral. The comforters were Albus Severus Potter and his cousin, Rose, who were both best of friends now, after a four and a half year long estrangement.
Teddy watched in ecstasy as he watched the children who he thought he had now lost, maybe even forever, grieve, cry, sob, sniffle for his death. He thought he had only been dead a few short hours, but time was clearly different between this Heaven and the living Wizarding World. He did not want to move away from the Mortal Glass. He craved the sight of his family left behind, to watch Rose stroke his daughter's shoulder, to see his son smile softly at Albus' kind and reassuring words.
"Teddy?" said Tonks softly.
Her voice revived him. Teddy broke away his eyes from the Mortal Glass and hugged his mother sobbing once again. Once again, he was having a fit of tears, but this time, in despair.
"How they suffer!" he moaned, "Will we ever see each other again?"
"Of course!" replied Tonks urgently.
"When their time comes, they will come to you and...Victoire too." added Remus rather darkly.
Teddy sniffed and nodded to show he understood.
"I do not wish to look at that mirror again...not right now." he said emphatically.
"Then let us all depart from this small and cramped room." came the cheery voice of Albus, "Let's officially welcome young Teddy here with a feast! Dobby, would you please oblige?"
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A Family Reunited (A Teddy Lupin Afterlife Story) (Book 4)
FanfictionTeddy Lupin is like his godfather, Harry Potter in one very unique respect; they were both orphaned as babies. Teddy lost his parents, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks almost straight after his birth during the Battle of Hogwarts. As he grew up rais...
