The one where James messed up

Unveiling the past

The glow that had filled the room began to fade, leaving everyone in Grimmauld Place frozen in anticipation. The tension was palpable as Teddy Lupin sat on the couch, his hands clenched together, still reeling from the time-travel mishap that had landed him and Victoire in 1995. The words he had spoken moments ago hung in the air, sending a ripple of unease through the room.

"I think they had a secret," Teddy had said, referring to his parents, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. Now, all eyes were on him, waiting for an explanation.

Harry, standing by the fireplace, broke the silence first. His voice was steady, but there was a note of urgency to it. "Teddy, what do you mean by a secret? What did you find out?"

Teddy glanced at Victoire, who nodded reassuringly. She reached for his hand, and with her silent encouragement, Teddy took a deep breath. "It all started a few months ago. I was going through some of the old things my parents had left behind—letters, journals, anything I could find. I felt like there were parts of their lives I didn't really know."

He paused, his eyes scanning the faces of those around him—his godfather, Harry, who had been like a second father to him; his grandmother, Molly Weasley, who had doted on him throughout his childhood; and the rest of his family, all waiting for the truth.

"In one of my dad's journals," Teddy continued, "I found something strange. A reference to a meeting he had shortly before the Battle of Hogwarts. He didn't write much, just that he and Mum had to keep something hidden—something that involved me."

Harry's brow furrowed. "Something about you? What could that mean?"

Teddy swallowed hard, the weight of the revelation pressing down on him. "I don't know the full details, but it seems like they made some kind of arrangement before I was born. They didn't want anyone to know about it, not even you, Harry. I think they were trying to protect me."

The room fell silent again, each person processing the implications of Teddy's words. Hermione, ever the logical thinker, spoke up. "If they were trying to protect you, it must have been something serious. Do you think it had to do with the war?"

Teddy nodded. "I think so. But there's more." His voice dropped, almost a whisper. "I found a letter addressed to me. My mum wrote it right before she went to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts. In it, she hinted at something—a connection to dark magic. She didn't explain it fully, but she mentioned a spell that had been cast on me when I was a baby."

Harry's eyes widened. "A spell? What kind of spell?"

"I don't know," Teddy admitted, his frustration evident. "But whatever it was, it was meant to keep me safe. I think my parents were worried that someone—someone dangerous—might come after me."

Ron, who had been listening quietly, leaned forward. "Who would want to come after you, mate? I mean, your parents were in the Order, but after the war—"

"It wasn't just about the war," Teddy interrupted. "It was about my family's bloodline. My dad... he was a werewolf. And Mum, well, she was part of the Black family. I think they were worried that there were people who wouldn't be happy with me existing, given my heritage."

The room went quiet again as everyone considered the weight of what Teddy had said. The Black family, notorious for its dark legacy, had always been shrouded in secrecy and danger. And Remus Lupin, one of the most prominent werewolves of his time, had faced prejudice and hatred his entire life.

"So, what now?" Ginny asked, her voice soft but filled with determination. "What are you going to do about it?"

Teddy hesitated. "That's the thing... I'm not sure. I was trying to find more answers when Victoire and I ended up here. We weren't planning to travel through time—it just happened."

Victoire, who had been quietly holding Teddy's hand, spoke up. "But we think there's a way for us to get back to our time—and for all of you to return to the future as well."

Everyone turned toward her, curiosity piqued. "How?" asked Albus, leaning forward in his chair.

"The Vanishing Cabinet," she said, her voice steady. "The one in Borgin and Burkes. It's still in Borgin and Burkes in this time. We think it could be used to travel between the past and the future. The magic in that cabinet is ancient and powerful. It might be the key to getting you all back home."

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. "That could work, but we'd need to be careful. The magic involved is unstable, and if it's not used properly, it could be dangerous."

Harry, his mind racing, looked from Teddy to Victoire. "We don't have many other options, do we?"

"No," Teddy replied, his voice filled with determination. "But before we figure out how to use the cabinet, I need to know more about what my parents were hiding. I need to understand what they were protecting me from."

There was a collective understanding in the room. The Vanishing Cabinet might be their way home, but Teddy's discovery was bigger than any of them had anticipated. There was a secret buried in the past—one that could change everything.

Ginny stood up, crossing the room to where Teddy sat. She placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes full of empathy. "We'll figure this out together. Whatever your parents were trying to protect you from, we'll face it. You're not alone."

Teddy nodded, grateful for the support. But the weight of the unknown still loomed large.

As the evening wore on, the family sat together, discussing the next steps. They would need to plan carefully if they were to find the Vanishing Cabinet and use it to return to their proper time. But as they spoke, there was an unspoken fear that lingered—what if Teddy's secret was darker than they could imagine? What if the past had more power over their future than they realized?

The crackling of the fire filled the quiet moments between their conversations, each of them lost in thought.

As the fire flickered low and the night deepened, the house held its breath, waiting for the next chapter of its story to unfold. Time was fragile, and the threads of fate were intertwined in ways none of them could fully grasp.

And so they waited, caught between the past and the future, as the secrets of both eras began to surface.