Snarry-a-Thon11: FIC: The Wedding Weekend Title: The Wedding Weekend Author:mrscake Other pairings/threesome: Ron/Hermione Rating: PG Word count: 3,112 Warning(s): (highlight for spoilers) *Evil!Ginny, EWE* Prompt: #149: Young Teddy Lupin often mirrors the appearance of people he knows and likes (he spends a lot of time with green eyes and messy hair, or with red hair and freckles) so why does he suddenly start sporting greasy black hair, black eyes and a hooked nose?
The Wedding Weekend
Harry knocked on the worn wooden door; he could already hear loud laughter from the house. He adjusted the strap of Teddy's bag on his shoulder. It was still a constant source of amazement that someone who had only recently turned one year old had so much stuff.
Harry knocked again, more loudly this time, wishing he'd found an excuse not to come.
It was Ron and Hermione's wedding, but all this noise and chaos was going to be a shock to the system for Harry and Teddy both. Sure, Teddy often spent an afternoon or morning with various members of the Weasley clan. But Teddy had never slept in a new bed or different house and he was used to everything at home. So was Harry for that matter.
Finally Ginny flung the door open and beamed at him. "Harry!!" she screeched. "You're finally here." Her eyes fell on the bundle asleep in the crook of Harry's arm. "Oh, you brought it with you. Couldn't you have left it at home? Given it a bowl of water and food?"
Harry scowled at her. "Don't talk about my son like that, Gin," Harry told her firmly, stepping into the house.
"It's not your son," Ginny spat, all smiles were gone now.
"Ginevra Molly Weasley, don't you dare talk about young Teddy like that," Molly scolded.
Ginny stomped off to find her latest boy toy.
"Thanks, Molly, I don't know why she's like that," Harry lamented.
Molly gave him a calculating look. "No, I don't suppose you do, do you? Anyway, I've put you in the room closest to the bathroom on the first floor. Go get yourselves settled."
Harry smiled gratefully and took Teddy to their room.
He took out all of Teddy’s things and put them away while Teddy slept on in the travel cot. When Harry had finished Teddy was just waking up.
"Hello, little man. How was your nap? Did you have lovely dreams?" Harry asked picking up the child before he could start crying.
Teddy smiled up at his Da. "Da Da Da Da..." he babbled happily.
Harry beamed, as he always did when Teddy called him Da, which was every time he saw him.
"That's right: Da. Good boy, Teddy, you’re very clever," Harry praised.
Now he was settled on Harry's hip, Teddy's brown hair and eyes morphed to messy black and rich green.
"Da," Teddy said proudly.
Harry chuckled and tousled the already messy hair, "That's my boy. Come on, it's time to face the masses. They'll be making a start on dinner soon. We can help. What do you think, hmm?" Harry asked, exiting the room and warding it out of habit.
Downstairs the Weasleys were bustling around the rooms cleaning and some were in the garden putting up the marquee.
They mostly all greeted Harry warmly, apart from Ginny who was sulking. “Why did you have to wake it up? It's weird."
"Shut up about my godson, Gin," Ron said pushing past the others to get to his friend. "Alright, mate?"
Molly swooped in and lifted Teddy out of Harry’s arms. Teddy wasn’t pleased about this.
“Da, Da, Da, Da!” Teddy demanded, holding out his arms for Harry.
But Molly wouldn’t pass him back. “What’s the matter, Teddy, my sweet?” she asked him, moving further away from Harry.
“Is he all right, Harry?” Ron asked, concern evident on his face.
“He’s fine, he’s just going through a phase of only wanting to be with certain people. I haven’t been able to leave him with your mum for more than half an hour. But I don’t mind.”
“DA, DA, DA!” Teddy was screaming now.
“I’d better go and rescue him.”
Harry crossed the room and took the now wailing child from the distraught Molly’s arms. “Shhh, now, little man, what’s wrong?” he asked consolingly.
“Da, wan Da, wan Se,” Teddy sobbed.
“It’s alright, shhh now. Shall we go for a walk?” Harry asked.
Teddy stopped crying and snuggled into Harry’s arms.
“We’ll be back in a bit, just going to walk around the garden,” Harry told Molly. The Weasleys watched him go. Most looked on in indulgence and some pity, that one so young should be so burdened. Only one watched with a look of disgust and anger.
Molly had tried to take Teddy after the final battle when Andromeda couldn’t take care of the child; he reminded her too much of her lost Dora. But Harry wouldn’t allow it. Teddy was his godson, and he was going to look after him.
It had taken Molly quite some time to stop interfering. In fact, it took Harry telling her point blank that if she didn’t back off she’d never see either of them again. But finally Molly had taken an objective view and saw how happy both Teddy and Harry were. Teddy was well cared for and was inquisitive and always smiling. Harry looked at peace and truly happy for the first time since Molly had known him. Now Molly was happy to have Teddy for an hour or two when Harry wanted to get something done, but Molly suspected that Harry found reasons for Molly to babysit as much for Molly’s benefit as his own.
Hermione had come inside and hugged her soon-to-be husband. They watched though the window as Harry pointed something out to Teddy. They knew something was off with their friend. They were three parts of what was for over seven years a whole. They knew he wasn’t telling them something, but they also knew when he was ready he would tell them.
Ginny watched Harry with ever-growing fury. Harry was supposed to be hers. They were supposed to go off and explore the world, spend money on buying things for her, nice dresses and jewelery. It was all going wrong and it was that stupid thing’s fault. If it wasn’t around Harry would see that they were meant to be together.
An hour later Harry and a much calmer Teddy returned. Teddy had made his hair grow longer. It now reached his shoulders and looked greasy. His eyes had darkened, too.
“Are you feeling better, Teddy?” Hermione asked, holding her arms out for a cuddle. But Teddy wouldn’t let go of Harry.
“Se?” Teddy asked looking around.
“Let’s get you something to eat shall we?” Harry asked sidestepping everyone’s questioning looks. “I brought his favourite foods. I’ll just go and get them. Will you stay with Uncle Ron for a few minutes?” Harry handed Teddy over to Ron.
Teddy added a few freckles to his face but kept the long black hair and the black eyes. From this close Ron could see that Teddy’s nose was now a little crooked, too.
The rest of the evening went smoothly. The Weasley clan was surprised that Teddy didn’t change his appearance for the rest of the evening. At eight o’clock, Harry took Teddy up to bed, saying good night for himself too.
Much later, when Ginny tried the door, she was annoyed to find it locked and warded.
The morning of the wedding arrived with the early morning sun. Harry watched it rise from the kitchen while feeding a sullen Teddy his bottle.
The family soon started to wake up and filtered into the kitchen.
“You’re up early, Harry.” Arthur commented, drinking a cup of very strong hot coffee.
“Teddy didn’t sleep well, I think he misses home.”
Ginny snorted but refrained from making a comment.
“Yes, kids can be like that. I can’t remember the amount of times we had to take the kids home early from somewhere.” Arthur smiled in remembrance of times gone by.
“The ceremony starts at eleven, but it’s not even eight yet. Why is Hermione panicking?” Ron asked, plonking himself down next to Harry and his dad.
Arthur laughed, “Your mother started panicking the night before. Count yourself lucky.”
“I’ve been banned from the second floor.” Ron told them with a half smile.
“Have you got the rings ready?” Harry asked.
Ron paled dramatically.
Harry laughed now, too.
Teddy, not wanting to feel left out, took the toast he was sucking on within an inch of its life, out of his mouth and giggled.
"I think I left them at our place. Oh God, Hermione's going to kill me. I had two jobs at this wedding: turn up on time and bring the ring, and I can't even get that right," Ron panicked.
"Don't worry, mate, go. Get something on and we'll floo to your place and find them. Problem solved."
Ron looked at his friend in relief. "Thanks, I’ll be back. I should probably shower too."
"Go get ready. Just don't put your suit on. You don't want to get it all dirty with the floo." Grinning, Harry pointed at the stairs; Ron would never change.
When Ron disappeared up the stairs they could hear shrieking as he passed the first floor.
"Don't snigger too much, Harry, my boy. You'll probably be the same on your wedding day," Arthur advised him.
Harry gave a small smile and turned his attention back to Teddy.
Ginny, who had sat up at the mention of Harry getting married, expecting him to glance in her direction, saw the smile; it cemented everything in her mind. Her plan would go ahead and it would be today.
Almost an hour latter Ron came rushing down the stairs dressed in smart, dark blue jeans and a red polo shirt. Harry was waiting for him having fed, washed, and dressed himself and Teddy in the same amount of time. Harry had on black jeans and a button down shirt of dark green. Teddy had on an exact replica of the suit Harry would be wearing for the wedding.
"Your dad said he'd watch Teddy for me," Harry told his friend, seeing Arthur coming into the room. He held Teddy up to his face. "Be a good boy for grand-dad Arthur."
"Se, wan’ Se," Teddy said his bottom lip wavering.
"I know love, soon ok," Harry handed over the now crying child to Arthur and followed Ron into the floo.
When they tumbled out of the fireplace with an equal amount of grace or lack thereof, Ron started hunting. Harry searched the front room while Ron took the kitchen. By the time they had searched the bedroom, the study and, for some unknown reason, the bathroom, Ron was in full panic mode. He was pacing worriedly in front of the fireplace when Harry started laughing.
"Have you lost it? Hermione’s going to kill me, bring me back and kill me again.”
“What do you reach for just before you floo?” Harry asked still with a grin on his face, although he’d stopped laughing.
“The floo powder, but I don’t....” Ron stopped; he’d turned around to gesture at the floo powder box. Next to it were two small ring boxes. “Oh, right. I put them there so I wouldn’t forget.”
“Worked then.”
“Shut up, Harry,” Ron was grinning now, too. “We should get back.”
“Come on, then. It’s a good job Hermione is marrying you, you need a keeper.”
They flooed back to the Burrow to get ready.
The Burrow
As Harry and Ron flooed out, Arthur waved goodbye with Teddy’s hand, then carried him back to the kitchen, cooing at Teddy who was still inexplicably looking unwashed, and his dark eyes were staring around over the tip of his slightly hooked nose, as if looking for someone.
“Dad,” Charlie called from the garden. “We need to move your shed or we won’t have room for the band. Can you come and do it? We don’t want to be accused of breaking anything.”
Arthur looked pained at the thought of his things being moved around. “I trust you son,” he told him as he walked into the kitchen. “I’m holding on to Teddy boy until Harry and Ron get back.”
Knowing his father as well as he did, Charlie knew that the only person to move that shed would have to be his dad. God only knew what he’d done to the stuff in there. Some of the things were downright dangerous. Honestly, and people wondered where the twins got it from.
“I’ll hold onto Teddy while you do it,” Charlie offered, holding out his arms for Teddy who was now playing with his own hair and repeating “Se, Da, Se, Da” over and over again.
Arthur gratefully handed Teddy to his second eldest son and all but ran to save his shed from accidental damage.
Charlie, seeing that Teddy was distressed, took him for a walk to see the chickens. Charlie loved the chickens; when he had been four, the chickens had been his dragons. He had spent time in the pen with them, gave them all names and they in turn loved him. All the original chickens had all gone now, but Charlie knew the new ones too. He knew each one by name and who their mum was.
“Charlie,” Ginny called as Charlie was introducing Teddy to Bethany.
“Yes, sis, what’s up?”
“Bill needs a hand with the dance floor,” she smiled sweetly at them. “I’ll take Teddy.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Gin, thanks.” Not noticing that the last place Teddy wanted to be was passed over to Ginny, Charlie handed him over and rushed off to find his big brother.
“Just you and me now. No one will save you. No one cares if a monstrosity like you disappears. I’ll probably get a medal for ridding the world of one more evil thing,” Ginny told Teddy. Her eyes had a mad quality normally found in people locked behind padded walls.
Harry was still laughing when he and Ron flooed back to the Burrow. He saw Arthur outside, so he and Ron walked out to reclaim Teddy before they went to get ready.
“Arthur, where’s Teddy?” Harry asked looking around.
“I left him with Charlie while I helped with the shed.”
Charlie and Bill crossed the garden laughing.
Now Harry was starting to panic. “Charlie, where’s Teddy?” Harry was trying not to shout, but he was only just managing it.
“Bill asked me to help with the dance floor, so Ginny offered to take him.”
Harry’s insides went cold. “When?”
“I didn’t ask for help,” Bill said, looking confused.
“Where did you see Ginny last?” Arthur asked understanding Harry’s concern.
“It was about ten minutes ago.”
“Mum’s asking if you want tea,” shouted Ginny from the kitchen as if nothing had happened.
“Where’s my son?” Harry growled, advancing on her, the other men following closely.
Ginny stepped out into the yard, smiling. “Don’t be silly, Harry, we don’t have kids yet.”
The force of Harry’s magic slammed Ginny into the wall and lifted her from the floor. “Where. Is. My. Son?” he repeated, raw magic swirling around him.
Ginny’s smile vanished. “It’s not your son, it’s a thing, an abomination; it should have died with its parents,” she spat vehemently.
“I blood-adopted Teddy a month ago. He is my son, in blood, magic and love. Now where is he?” Harry demanded.
A crack of Apparition distracted Harry and he turned around. A relieved sob escaped his lips and he rushed into the arms of a disgruntled looking Severus Snape.
“What’s going on?” Severus asked, eyeing Ginny who was now being restrained by her brothers now that Harry’s magic had calmed.
“How did you know to come?” Harry asked looking up at Severus.
“Your son is more your son than we ever thought,” Severus said looking down at his feet. Prancing around at Severus’ feet was the strangest looking wolf cub ever to be seen. It was a Patronus, that much was obvious. It was solid and well formed apart from the fact the wolf cub had long antlers on its head and a long puma tail.
“It came to me almost ten minutes ago and nipped at my feet to follow: here I am,” Severus explained.
Harry looked over at Ginny. She was surrounded now. Hermione, Molly and Fleur had heard the commotion and had come down to find out what was going on. They all looked furious, Hermione not even noticing she had her wedding dress on, standing on the muddy part of the yard.
“Where is he?” Severus asked, this time in a voice no student had ever dared to ignore.
Ginny’s eyes flickered to the woods on the outskirts of the property.
Every member of the family, barring Molly who was busy securing Ginny to a kitchen chair, surged towards the woods. But they were trailing behind Harry and Severus who had already started running, following the cub for better tracking.
They climbed over the fallen trees and searched the area of the woods the cub had brought them to, all of them shouting Teddy’s name.
“Will you be QUIET!!” Severus shouted. “If you could silence yourselves I might be able to hear Teddy.”
Silence descended, even the woodland animals seemed to be obeying Severus’s command.
Finally Severus rushed off, the others followed quickly, slipping and falling in the mud the overnight rain had left.
Teddy was wrapped in a blanket and lying on the floor next to a fallen tree; he was happily cooing to his Patronus. When he spotted Severus he shrieked. “SE! SE!”
Severus picked him up and hugged him close, Harry joining him and hugging Teddy from the other side, making him the filling in a hug sandwich.
“I was so worried,” Severus admitted quietly. Even though the others could hear him perfectly.
“Don’t worry, our little man is just fine,” Harry reassured him, although his heart was still beating fast enough to be causing him pain.
“Harry Potter, you and I will be having a chat after my honeymoon. But right now, I have a wedding to get back to,” Hermione said, hands on hips. The intimidating pose was slightly diminished by the amount of mud she was caked in.
Back in the Burrow’s garden, the guests had arrived and were sitting in the tent with the minister. They were all shocked to see the wedding party emerging from the woods and crossing the grass, Hermione leading the way, all filthy dirty.
As Hermione, in her stunning dress, (well it was before the mud, rips and added branches) and Ron, in his ruined jeans and ratty old trainers, exchanged vows, no one in the congregation could remember seeing a couple that had been happier and more in love, apart from, perhaps, the best man and his Severus and Teddy.
When the bride and groom disappeared to change, Mr Granger turned to his wife and whispered, “Is that a wizarding thing?”