(A/N: I don't own Harry Potter (or Remus Lupin). Welcome to my new story. I am excited to work on this alongside Learning to Breathe. I've got some cool things planned for this. Let me know what you think!)

Harry sighed. He had done hard things before, sure. In fact, his life was made up of hard things, especially in the last year. But this…this was something else altogether.

Harry would be the one to tell Andromeda what happened to her daughter. He wanted to, but he dreaded it.

Harry dropped the floo powder and in a flash, he was standing in a large hearth. Andromeda was sitting beside the fire, anxiously rocking back and forth.

She flinched when she saw who her visitor was. "Harry Potter? What are you doing here? Where is Nymphadora? Where is Remus?"

"Mrs. Tonks," he said, trying to keep his voice even. "Your daughter and son-in-law died fighting Voldemort."

"Oh," Andromeda said. "Well, then. It is better that I know."

Harry blinked in shock. Andromeda didn't look surprised, or even upset. "Mrs. Tonks, do you need anything."

"No. No, absolutely not. You go, my dear boy. I'm sure you have lots of other grieving parents to attend to." She glanced away from him and gestured to the fireplace.

Then Harry understood. She did not want him to see her scream and cry and throw things. But he knew better than to leave.

"Mrs. Tonks, Tonks—er, Nymphadora— and Remus were like family to me. This isn't just a duty, I wanted to come."

Andromeda sighed. "That is kind of you, Potter. I appreciate it. However—"

Andromeda was interrupted by a loud wail in the next room. Her brave face fell, her eyes filling with tears. "Oh, Teddy," she breathed.

Harry put one arm around her, giving her an awkward squeeze. His chest felt heavier with each noise his godson made.

Harry and Andromeda rose to their feet, Andromeda swinging open the door to a room Harry hadn't seen. It was simple, but pleasant, the wall decorated with shiny animals.

Inside a white crib lay a tiny human, fist clenched, making pitiful wails. His hair was a tasteful lime green, his skin flushed red with babyhood. Harry leaned over the crib and stroked the baby's green hair. "Hey, Teddy."

Andromeda scooped up Teddy and held him across her chest. She reached and for a bottle on the nearby shelf, and carried it and Teddy back towards the living room. Harry was relieved, he had no idea how to properly carry such a little creature.

"Shh, darling." Andromeda muttered as she settled into a chair. "Shush, everything will be fine." Teddy fixed his little mouth around the bottle, making sucking noises. Harry saw Andromeda crying as she rocked back and forth, holding Teddy.

"Mrs. Tonks, I'm rotten with babies…but I'll give that a try."

Andromeda gave a watery chuckle. "Sure, dear." She stood up, and Harry sat down in her place. She carefully lowered Teddy, his mouth still on the bottle, into Harry's arms.

Teddy was warm, and his skin was so smooth. Something of Harry's grief seemed to leave him as he supported Teddy's weight and watched him gulp down the milk.

Andromeda's tears flowed more freely, and she shook with sobs. Harry could think of nothing to say.

They stayed like that for several minutes, silent and in deep pain.

It was Andromeda who broke the silence. "I'm not surprised, you know. I knew Nymphadora would never stand back and allow such terrible things to happen. I just hoped she would go long after me…and Teddy…Potter, I'm in no fit state to be a mother."

"I don't know you well, but if you raised a daughter like Tonks, you must be special. Teddy is lucky to have you."

Andromeda blushed through her tears. "Well, he is lucky to have you, too, Potter."

"I wanted to ask you about that. I'm Teddy's godfather, I want to be there for him. Would you like me to take him with me so you can have some time?"

Andromeda shook her head. "No, Teddy is the last thing keeping me sane. But if you want to be with him, you could stay here, Potter. You are welcome for as long as you want."

Harry's stomach clenched as he thought of the Burrow, with warmth and family and love. Andromeda's place was lonelier, more open, but perhaps she and Teddy would be better off with someone else around. Harry was still moody himself, and he didn't know Andromeda well. But it could be better that way.

"I'll stay," he heard himself staying. "I'm not sure how long, but I'll stay."

Andromeda smiled weakly. "It will be a pleasure to have you."

Teddy stopped eating, squirmed, and shut his eyes. "I think he's sleeping," Harry said. "The bottle is still in his mouth."

"Just pull it out and set it aside." Andromeda shut her eyes and took a deep breath. "Potter," she said, "Thank you for coming to tell me in person. It must have been difficult."

"Well, yeah…but I'm sure it was more difficult for you."

"You are minimizing your own grief, dear. I have lost a daughter, but in a way, you have lost a father."

Harry winced. "Not my own father. But something close to that."

"Remus always spoke so highly of you."

Now that the conversation was moving to Remus, Harry felt sharp pains in his chest. It hurt to think about Tonks, but Remus had known him longer. Remus had seen him when he like Teddy, Remus had helped him through hard times.

"That reminds me," Andromeda said. "I am not the only parent grieving today. Who did you send to tell Lyall Lupin?"

"Remus' father?" Harry's heart jumped. He had not thought of Remus' parents. He didn't even know they were still alive, honestly. "We haven't told him. None of us know him."

Andromeda nodded. "I'm not surprised. Lyall is a bit of a character. Very few people know him."

"Have you met him?"

"He came to the wedding."

Harry felt his blood run, he was terrified of telling another parent of their child's demise. "Is he connected to the floo?"

"Yes, I believe so. He knows me; I suppose I should do it." Andromeda's voice sounded weary.

"No, Mrs. Tonks. You've got enough going on."

Relief crossed Andromeda's features. "Thank you, Potter. I see why they named you godfather." Andromeda lifted Teddy from Harry's arms, and a wave of despair passed over him as he parted from the warm little body.

"It's no trouble," Harry lied. "I want to meet Remus' dad, anyway."