The Ones Who Lived

VI - Christmas Holidays

19 – 26 December 1998

Chronology

2nd of May 1998 : Battle of Hogwart

When Harry and Ginny descended from the Hogwarts Express, Molly, Andromeda, Hermione and Ron were waiting for them. But the traveller's attention was immediately captured by Teddy's presence, towards which he ran as fast as he could. The baby wasn't feeling any differently: as soon as he saw his godfather, he started moving his arms and legs frantically and uttering excited cries. Harry took him in his arms and kissed him, making him shake with joy. Harry was surprised to see how much he had changed. He had terribly grown, his little face was a lot more expressive and his fluorescent hair was a lot thicker.

Harry felt strangely overwhelmed. While he was holding the tiny body tightly in his arms, he realised the place that Teddy had taken in his life, and the place he had taken in the baby's one. He was simultaneously proud and touched by this new responsibility.

"His hair has never been this red," remarked Andromeda. "I suppose it's from emotion."

"He recognised me!" cried Harry, ecstatic. "Even though we haven't seen each other for four months!"

"I put a picture of you in his room," explained the grandmother, "and I give it to him every time I read him one of your letters. And he's ten months old now, he isn't a baby anymore."

Harry thought that she was probably also showing him pictures of his parents and he wondered whether Teddy was sad not to see them anymore. The child was currently moving his hands all over his godfather's face with ravishment. When he started to gnaw at his collar, Harry decided to finally greet to the others.

Ron and Hermione had also slightly changed during his absence. He found them a lot more mature. He detected wrinkles in Molly's face that he hadn't seen on her before and he felt that some of her hair's radiance had faded away. Only Andromeda still had the same pained dignity.

They met George and Arthur at the Burrow. Ginny jumped into her father's arms and hugged her brother strongly. Teddy didn't want to leave Harry and he therefore kept him on his lap during the whole meal, giving him his puree and compote. Ginny tried her best to replace him for a while, but the baby refused to eat anything from her, slightly vexing the young girl.

There was a drama when Andromeda tried to take her grandson back at the end of the evening. Finally, Mrs Weasley suggested that the child stay here for the night and started to install a cradle in the room where Harry was sleeping – the twin's old room.

Harry kept Teddy against him until he fell asleep, and he could finally lay him down in his little bed. But his peace and quiet was of very short duration. Not more than five minutes later, the baby woke up in a jolt and started to cry.

Harry rocked him again until his eyes closed. The young man laid him back into his bed and went to brush his teeth. He had to come back to the room in catastrophe, his mouth full of toothpaste, and finish his ablutions with one arm less. He had to do difficult contortions to undress while holding Teddy, trying to explain to the troublemaker that it was time to sleep. Teddy finally dozed away. Harry put him back and went to bed as well. As soon as he started falling asleep, a desperate howl forced him to stand up again.

After three unsuccessful tries, Harry decided to simply shove the child into his bed while wondering how on Earth Andromeda managed to do this every night.

*

When he arrived in the kitchen the next morning with a very enthusiastic Teddy in his arms, Ron and Ginny answered to his 'good morning' with a mocking smile.