A Family Reunited (A Teddy Lupin Afterlife Story) (Book 4)

Chapter 11: Forgiveness

Teddy traipsed the grounds of Hogwarts at a huge loss of what to do. He loved Victoire so much and was so unhappy in the last year of his life after she died. He had been so happy to find her again after his own passing, and couldn't wait to spend the rest of eternity with her. But now he had been reunited with his parents. It was clear that they loved him in spite of only knowing him for a day.  And to Teddy's realization, Tonks' erratic hair colour change and depressed and slightly desperate behaviour was all down to the choice he had to make. Remus was trying to keep a straight face back in the Great Hall, when Albus told him it was time to choose, but it was obvious for anyone to see that he was fighting the same frustrations as his wife, albeit internally.

Teddy loved his parents. He had wanted that part of his family since he turned three. When he first saw how happy the Weasleys and the Potters and all the other families were with their parents. He grew more and more bitter and jealous each day, knowing he would never experience that kind of love. He was blind to realizing that Harry related to him in that way. Mrs Weasley was always able to be a surrogate mother figure in Harry's life...but Harry knew deep down that she could never have filled the void left behind by Lily. Teddy wanted his parents now that he had the chance. And he wanted Harry to forgive him for how he behaved towards him in the early years of his life...but he also could not bring himself to abandon his wife.

He didn't know what to do. It was as simple as that. He had no answer to the choice.

After what seemed half a day in this conflicted state, Teddy heard a crack and Kreacher appeared.

"Masters Harry and Dumbledore wish for your return to the castle, Master Teddy." said Kreacher respectfully.

Teddy and Kreacher made their way back up to Heaven Hogwarts.

"What do you think I should do, Kreacher?" asked Teddy.

"Kreacher has no family apart from the families he has served, Master." came the croaky response. "As a house elf, Kreacher can only say that family always comes first."

As understanding as this answer was to Teddy, it left him with no clearer an option. Both his wife and his parents were family, and there wasn't any way for him to have both.

As Kreacher led Teddy back into the Great Hall, Teddy noticed that there were some newly arrived guests. Among them were the Weasleys, Molly looking determined, with Fred, George and Arthur winking at Teddy, Percy behind them looking equally determined and at the same time, slightly apprehensive. Charlie stood there too, with the chosen mate Heaven sent him, an Amazon girl, with a tan that could have been given to her by the flame breath of the dragons Charlie loved so much. Her name was Tanya. Ron, Hermione and any other descendants of the Weasley-Granger clan were there too, next to Harry and Ginny.

The other guests were Bill and Fleur Weasley, Teddy's parents in law. Bill didn't have a single mark on his face, not that Fleur cared about his scars inflicted upon him in life; that was what earned Molly's blessing.

And between the two of them, shining with the radiance of her mother and the strong expression of her father, was Victoire.

Teddy's heart seized up and he looked between his wife and his parents, and noticed that Tonks was staring between him and Victoire, and whenever her direction changed to Victoire, her hair changed for a slightly longer period of green, for envy.

This only made Teddy feel worse that he couldn't make the choice. Not choosing may have been just as bad as not choosing. It prolonged his parents' suffering.

Albus stood before him, with a very distinctive gleam in his eyes and a broad, comforting smile. Teddy looked at Harry and saw that he too had a confident smile. He trusted Albus with anything.