small_gifts | Bonus fic: Stone Steps

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Title: Stone Steps
Author:

seren_canis
Recipient:

rhye
Rating: PG
Highlight for Warnings: *Sirius trying to parent*
Word Count: 1289
Summary: Teddy had been acting strange ever since being picked up from the Hogwarts Express.
Author's notes: Merry Christmas

rhye! :D This is my first attempt at raising!teddy au-ness, hope you all enjoy it. So, context for this fic: in my mind, Sirius fell through the veil during Ootp, Remus married Tonks, she died during the final battle, Remus was alone to raise Teddy until a couple of years later, when Sirius miraculously showed up. Now they raise Teddy together. That is completely irrelevant, so on with the fic! :D Thanks so so much to magnetic_pole for her patience and kindness.

Teddy had been acting strange ever since being picked up from the Hogwarts Express.

As they walked from the station to a safe place to apparate home, Teddy would usually be full and bubbling with talk of the pranks pulled in school, classes he hated, the leaving feast and the train-ride home, amongst other things. But this day he was quiet and reserved, only answering direct questions and giving polite smiles.

Sirius thought sadly this was probably how the rest of the world saw Teddy Lupin. Curt and polite, but never expanding answers or giving personal details.

Sirius frowned. He knew that this was how he sometimes acted with others, fifteen-year-old Teddy Lupin seemed to be in the peak of his eerily-quiet stage, but he never acted like that with Remus. Never with him.

Teddy sat stone silent at dinner, giving one word answers to his father’s tentative questions about school and schedules, and staying even more stony faced at Sirius attempted jokes. (Which confused Sirius immensely. His jokes were hilarious).

As Teddy pushed his food around with his fork, Sirius looked at Remus and raised an eyebrow. Remus simply shrugged, in a I-don’t-know sort of way, and resumed eating.

Sirius sighed internally, but as he was about to eat a fork-full of roast beef, he was hit by a sudden, unhappy thought.

Usually, either Remus or Sirius picked Teddy up from the station. They’d stand, waiting patiently and quietly proud by the entrance to the muggle platforms as Teddy spilled out from the carriage. His blueberry head would peer around anxiously until he saw either Remus or Sirius waiting for him, then he’d rush over, all smiles and crimson-robed pride. If Sirius was working late hours at the DMLE, then Remus would take Teddy home via side-along-apparation, asking him questions about text-books and friends along the way, always listening intently. If Sirius was the one to pick Teddy up, the times when Remus was busy finishing paperwork and cursing bureaucracy, they would ride home on Sirius’ bike and talk about Quidditch scores and the best pranks of the year while waiting in line at the take-away.

But Sirius realised with a gut-wrenching feeling that this was the first time they had ever picked up Teddy together.

Oh God, thought Sirius, what if Teddy was embarrassed of them? What if he was ashamed?

Sirius made a very stern mental note not to mention this to Remus.

*

Later that evening, after a polite decline to Remus over the suggestion of a game of chess, Teddy slinked out of the back door.

Remus didn’t seem to notice, he was frowning at a piece of parchment in his hand that Sirius knew was a report that had been causing him particular grief, but Sirius saw Teddy quietly leave the room and heard the soft thud of the back door shutting.

Sirius rised and left the room before Remus even looked up from his paper.

*

Sirius sits down silently next to Teddy, on the cold stone steps of the back-garden door.

Frost bites the night, turning their breath into silver steam and the stars glitter like sand-paper in the sky overhead.

After a moment, Teddy asks, “Did Dad send you?”

“He didn’t, actually,” replies Sirius.

He nudges Teddy.

“You okay there, pup?”

Teddy nods slightly. After a moment, he says “Sirius-”

“Mm?”

“How…how do you tell someone you like them?”

Sirius, astounded, laughs. When he sees Teddy’s surprised look, he laughs even more.

“Is that what this has been about, Teddy? Dear lord I thought you’d got some girl pregnant or something!”

Teddy blanches in the darkness, his skin moon-white. “Did you two really think that?”

“Well, I suggested it. Remus brushed it aside at once, of course.”

Teddy looks relived to find out his father, at least, still has some faith in him.

“No, Sirius, nothing like that! I just - “ Teddy plays with his watch strap, “I really like her.”

Sirius watches the gold light of the watch reflect onto Teddy’s polished shoes, glinting on the deep-black surface. Teddy watches his shoes worriedly, but looks up as Sirius speaks.

“I can tell you really like her. It’s not just any old girl turns Teddy Lupin into a brooding, moping teenager!” Sirius grins.

“Hey, I wasn’t moping-”

Sirius gives him a look.

“- not much anyway,” Teddy adds sheepishly.

Sirius stretches out his legs. “So, who is this magnificent girl? What‘s her name?”

Teddy looks at him, only slightly incredulous. He wasn’t about to give away that precious piece of information so willingly, Sirius can tell.

“All right, all right…her house at least?”

After a few moments Teddy says, “Ravenclaw.”

“Ah, Ravenclaw!” says Sirius enthusiastically, “good choice. Feisty and independent, but sharp as a knife edge. Your dad was almost sorted into Ravenclaw, you know.”

Teddy looks up, and Sirius thought that if he was a dog, his ears would prick right now. “Really?”

“Mm-hm. He’s a clever one, you know. As are you.” Sirius nudges Teddy again with his thigh.

Teddy blushes, but smiles appreciatively.

Sirius watches the porch light play on the glistening paved steps, and after a moment says, “We’re really proud of you, you know, Ted. You’re smart and loyal and as quick-witted as lightning. Any girl would be stupid not to see that.”

Teddy blushes more at this, still staring at his shoes, but Sirius can see he is smiling to himself.

“Thanks, Sirius. You’re not half-bad yourself.”

“I’ve also heard that Ravenclaws are great in the sack.”

Teddy laughs for the first time since getting picked up from the station. It makes Sirius smile, the rolling brassy sound tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“This isn’t, uh…the time where I give you the ‘talk’ is it?” asks Sirius uncertainly.

Sirius anxious face makes Teddy laugh even more. “Oh God, no Sirius. Dad took care of that last summer.”

“Phwew,” says Sirius, relived. “I thought for a second there things were about to get really awkward.”

Teddy looks at him, then turns to look at trees in their garden, a grin still playing on his face.

After a few moments, Sirius coughs, then says in a quiet voice, “I…I thought maybe it had something to do with me and your dad - “

“What?” says Teddy, sounding genuinely puzzled. He frowns, and Sirius is hit with the realisation, (that seem to be getting more frequent now that Teddy is getting older, and playing less with his metamorphmagus abilities), that he looks ridiculously like Remus. At this moment he reminds Sirius of the 5th-year-Remus that would stay up all night, scowling, and determined to figure out the answer to a particularly difficult ancient runes translation.

“Yeah, I…today at the station…”

Now it is Teddy’s turn to laugh at Sirius confusion.

“Sirius -”

Sirius looks at him.

“- don’t be daft.”

And that’s all the reassurance he needs.

“I love you, you daft git. Of course I’d want you to meet me off the train.”

“Really?” Sirius doesn’t care how stupid or unsure he sounds.

“Mm-hm. Anyway, “ Teddy grins with his teeth, “everyone on the train was hoping for a glimpse of the famous Sirius Black, terrifying mass murderer, martyr for judicial injustice-”

Sirius shoves him playfully on the step. “Ha, ha. Don’t think you’re name-dropping me just to help you get girlfriends, Teddy Lupin.”

Teddy laughs happily, rubbing his arm in good-spirit. Sirius thinks to himself how happy he is to have Teddy home for the holidays.

“Can I ask you something, Ted?”

“Of course.”

“A girl? Really?” Sirius wrinkles his nose, “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather a nice boy?”

Sirius yelps as Teddy punches him hard on the arm, and laughs loudly.

*