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

Chapter 4: The Joining of the Ways

Teddy stepped out from a carpeted floor onto a marvellously clean and green lawn, and as he looked along it, he noticed a familiar looking lake and forest, although the forest was a rather tamed version of the one he knew, but he recollected the fact that he was now in the domain of Heaven, so anything forbidden and intimidating had no place here. The forest looked very beautiful, but it paled in comparison to the flowered lawn and the sparkling lake, both stood side by side to the tall and elegant castle, known to Sirius as Heaven Hogwarts.

Teddy felt very content, something he had never felt when he attended Hogwarts in his youth on Earth. But he still felt a sense of foreboding. He knew that Sirius had brought him here for a reason. He was certain that his parents would be there; after all Hogwarts was Remus' happiest place, where he made his friends and where his times as a werewolf were fun. Tonks had finally brought Remus round into requiting her feelings for him at Hogwarts too and they died there together...it made sense to live here after death.

Sirius watched Teddy take in the surroundings for a moment, then he diplomatically led him towards the stout doors of the castle, but every step made Teddy feel more queasy and ill at ease. Soon the doors opened and Sirius brought Teddy inside. He noticed immediately that there were no portraits or ghouls or poltergeists lurking behind a suit of armour. It was a peaceful dwelling.

Sirius suddenly muttered cheerily, "Expecto Patronum!"

A big dog Patronus came from his wand and he murmured some words into it and then it took off.

"Just informing the party that we are here." he explained.

This didn't put Teddy's mind at ease at all.

With that, Sirius led Teddy up the staircase, after the dog. On their route up the changing stairway system, a silver stag galloped to them and the words from its owner replied, "Usual meeting place, Paddy."

Sirius smiled and led Teddy on, the latter assuming this meeting place was the Gryffindor common room. After all, Sirius lived there at Hogwarts, as did his father. But instead, Sirius led him to a lower floor and took him to the entrance to the Head office, which in Teddy's time, was the home of Minerva McGonagall. He wondered if she was there, as she had died some time before.

There was no password required and the gargoyle simply let them through onto a normal staircase that led to the office. Sirius didn't knock either, he opened it without hesitation. Teddy however did hesitate. He listened out for McGonagall's chastising for Sirius' rude intrusion but none came. There was a silence. Sirius turned back to him and waved him over impatiently.

Teddy paled deeply and put one foot in front of the other, both feeling numb. Sirius ushered him into the office and the silence became a raucous cheer from a group of assembled people.

Teddy was surrounded by excited people. One was Harry. He was very gleeful and had a broad grin on his face. He pulled Teddy into a hug of joy. His wife, Ginny and his in-laws, Ron and Hermione stood behind him with welcoming smiles. Then Andromeda and her husband, Ted Tonks hugged him too. There was no time for a formal introduction to his long dead grandfather, for he was already pulled into a warm embrace by a woman he never met. She was Petunia Black, wife of Sirius.

"You won't know me...you've likely heard of me...but I swear I've changed, I've seen you and heard of you. And I'd love to get to know you!"

Before Teddy could express his confusion, Sirius hugged her and him and James and Lily Potter hugged him too. 

"So you're my buddy's boy!" smiled James, and Teddy recognised his voice to be the one that spoke through the Stag Patronus a few moments ago.

"You're more handsome than you looked in the years we've observed you in the Mortal Glass." squeaked Lily Potter joyously.