"Cronus Rising"

"Epilogue"

Twenty Years Later

Teddy Lupin shifted his weight in the uncomfortable chair in the hospital waiting room. Victoire slouched next to him, her blonde hair cascading into her face and her mouth opened in the most unflattering way but it made his chest clench lovingly at the sight. A large bump resided under her breast. On the other side of Teddy lay a small boy of two. His sandy-colored head rested idly in his father's lap and soft snores escaped his pink lips.

Remus Harry Lupin was the epitome of his father from the hair down to the curvature of his lips. Behind his closed eyelids were wide, amber-colored eyes that watched the world pass him by with an abundant curiosity. His body was covered in baby fat down from his chubby little hands to his protruding belly.

Teddy had seen children grow before having been raised by his godfather since the age of five. When James came along, Teddy had taken to him immediately. In fact, after Harry and Ginny, he was the first one to hold James in his arms with the help of his godfather and godmother. He supported the plump neck with one arm and the other curled to hold slightly bowed legs and his bottom.

By the time Lily came around, Teddy was an expert when it came to babies. He often wanted to hold the children and play with them. He even instructed the Weasley children on how to hold and handle their baby brothers and sisters. Harry always said that Teddy was the best big brother figure his kids could ask for. Teddy glowed with pride anytime those words escaped his godfather's lips.

None of the Potter children captured Teddy's heart like James did, however. By the time he could walk and talk, Teddy made it his mission to teach James everything. Under the watchful supervision of Harry and Ginny, Teddy taught James how to ride a broom and a bike. When James exited his toddler years and entered adolescence, the two plotted grand pranks and jokes together.

James had graduated Hogwarts two years prior. Having inherited his parents' Quidditch abilities, he instantly got a Seeker position with Puddlemore United. James had been beyond excited and the Potter/Weasley/Lupin clan once again purchased one of the top boxes for their personal use.

It had been a Quidditch match that had brought them all to St. Mungo's. James had fallen off his broom after a nasty collision. His body had smacked into one of the tall pillars on the edge of the field. Medics on the ground magicked him the rest of the fall but James had been knocked unconscious and rushed to the hospital.

That was how Teddy, Victoire, and little Remus had found themselves at the hospital that night. Harry, Ginny, and their two other children were situated across from the Lupin family. Molly and Arthur Weasley were situated on a couch next to Teddy. Ron, Hermione, Rose, and Hugo had joined the group as well. The rest of the Weasleys had went to their respective homes but made sure to tell Harry and Ginny to send them a Patronus as soon as they heard something.

Teddy could not move without disturbing his wife and son. So, he concluded that he would have to deal with the uncomfortable position and not complain. His gaze glanced at the clock at the wall to see it was nearing midnight.

Glancing across from him, Harry Potter seemed to be in a similar predicament. His wife was curled up at his left side, her face buried into the folds of his jersey. On his other side, little fifteen-year-old Lily Potter was sprawled across her dad's lap. Resting on his shoulder, squished behind Lily, was seventeen-year-old Albus Potter who had been consumed by sleep like the rest of the lot.

Harry grimaced at his godson, his eyes rolling behind his glasses at the sight of their families. Teddy smiled back and attempted to move his leg which was rapidly becoming numb from his son's slight weight.

"Family of James Potter?"

Harry unwrapped his arm from around Ginny's shoulders and raised his hand to beckon the healer who was already on her way to the large group of people. Teddy let out a small chuckle. His godfather needn't introduce himself. Everyone in the Wizarding World knew who the Potters were. Harry Potter – head of the Auror division, war hero twice over, the most famous wizard in all of the United Kingdom. Ginny Potter – former Quidditch player and famed Quidditch commentator. James Potter – another famed Quidditch player. Albus and Lily Potter were certainly household names but they were still in school. Head Boy and prefect respectively, they would too be great one day.

"James will be fine. He's suffered a concussion but nothing damaging. You can see him now if you like."

"Thank you," Harry responded with a tired smile.

Teddy was immediately lifting Remus up in his arms. Victoire didn't move from her spot as soft snores escaped her mouth. Situating the sleeping boy on his hip, he crossed the way to his godfather. Ginny and his kids had failed to wake up.

"Why don't you go see James?" Harry suggested. "Tell him I'd come but everyone has made me into their pillow. Let him know we're all out in the waiting room."

Teddy walked along the corridors of the hospital with his son still in his arms. The slight weight was comforting against his chest. Small puffs of breath hit his neck every few seconds.

He opened the door to the hospital room and saw James looking pale and tired but virtually untouched. Under his right eye was a fading cut and a bruise shone brightly on his neck that disappeared under his hospital gown.

"Merlin, we only have a hundred family members but you and Rem are the only ones to see me at the hospital at my worst. I could have died from blunt force trauma!" James said with a smirk gracing his features.

"Oh, there's a gaggle of people out in the waiting room but they've all fallen asleep waiting for your fat arse to wake up from your concussion. The mighty Harry Potter managed to fight off sleep, but, alas, he was transformed into a pillow for three and can't move at the moment."

James laughed as Teddy took a seat next to the bed. Remus slid down until his bottom was sitting in Teddy's lap. The young boy groaned as a fist came up to rub his eyes.

"'Ames?" the little boy croaked.

"I'm fine," whispered James. "Go back to sleep."

"'Ames," the little boy spoke again as he lifted his head off his father's shoulder and reached out for the man.

James was Remus' godfather, a title that James took very seriously. He had saw firsthand how a godfather was to act growing up, had long talks with Harry when Victoire's pregnancy was announced and he was asked to take on that duty. It was, perhaps, the only thing in James' life that he deemed worthy of taking seriously. He normally joked and pulled pranks. He tended to make even the most serious situations light hearted. Remus though? No, that boy was his godson and he viewed it as the most important role of his short life. He did not joke about his responsibility towards the young boy. Teddy often thought James deemed himself a second father to the boy instead of just a godfather.

Teddy lifted Remus onto the hospital bed. The small child latched his arms around James' neck. He settled himself into his godfather's arms and closed his eyes.

"Did I at least look good when I passed out? I remember hitting the stands but then nothing else," James asked as he ran a hand through the boy's hair.

"You looked like a bloody fool," Teddy replied with a smirk. "I think you may have pissed yourself as you fainted."

"Nah, mate, that's when you die."

"Ah, simple mistake."

James had perked up, any sight of sleep disappeared as soon as Teddy and Remus entered the room. He seemed full of energy as though he wanted to jump off the bed and go play Quidditch some more.

"They had news coverage on your fall on in the waiting room. I think they replayed your fall every half hour," Teddy said lazily. "Every time it got funnier and funnier."

"Did they remix it with a funny song in the background?" James said in a hopeful voice.

"No, but I'll have to see if your mum can get the coverage so I can do it myself. We can replay it at every holiday."

"It could easily become Potter and Lupin tradition."

"On your wedding day, we can play it behind you and whoever you'll marry as you kiss."

"Oi, I gotta find myself a lady with a good sense of humor then to achieve that goal."

Teddy laughed. He was merely joking but he got the distinct impression that James was rather serious about this tradition.

"We can recreate it at my wedding too. The missus and me will be on brooms for the ceremony. We'll kiss. Right after the kiss, it will happen. You'll be best man, obviously. You can make a wall appear out of thin air and knock me off my broom, can't you? You are an Auror."

"Seeing as you have no girlfriend, it will certainly give me some time to practice this feat of magic."

"It'll stun the audience. They'll gasp before standing up and applauding as I stand up and give a great bow."

Teddy laughed tiredly as he propped his head up with his fist. Remus had fallen fast asleep in James' arms.

"I'm just sorry I was too young to make anything epic happen at your wedding. I wasn't even your best man!"

"Well, James when I got married, you were fourteen," reasoned Teddy who felt slightly guilty. "You were still in the wedding."

Teddy thought back to his wedding. He had been twenty, Victoire eighteen. He had asked Harry to be his best man. James, Albus, and Louis had been his groomsman. It had been a massive affair in France. All the Weasleys had traveled for it and quite a few of Teddy and Victoire's friends had made the journey as well. Not to mention, a boatload of family friends attended. It was a massive 300 plus person event. It had caused issues with the French Ministry of Magic to accommodate so many wizards in one place where alcohol had been served. He remembered the night ending in fireworks courtesy of George and Ron. He also remembered Ron being absent of an eyebrow for the next month having scorched his off in the celebrations. He also remembered Mrs. Weasley screaming at the top of her lungs when they set off said fireworks while clearly intoxicated. He remembered, very clearly, his drunk godfather falling out of his chair laughing hysterical at the shouts while a very sober Ginny had started to scold him.

"Had my first firewhiskey that night right under Mum's nose. Uncle George snuck it to me to try," James reminisced with a smile. "That was awful. Never dared try it again until I was eighteen."

"I'd say my wedding was thrilling enough without your added input."

"I was too naïve at fourteen. Didn't understand what big of a deal it was. Why don't you and Victoire renew your vows. I'll make the second wedding even more memorable."

"Ah, James, I'm afraid with another baby on the way, there isn't the time. Guess we will just have to make yours the party of the century."

There was a knock at the door. Both boys looked to see Harry, Ginny, Albus, and Lily meander in.

"Glad you're okay, James," Lily said with a yawn as she made her way over to the hospital bed to give her brother a hug.

"Me too. You hit the stands so hard that we saw the whole pillar shake," Albus added.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Ginny asked as she placed a kiss on top of James' unruly hair.

"I'll be even better when I can go home," replied James.

"They said they will release you as long as you don't spend the night alone," Harry told him. "Your mom's going to take your siblings home. I'll wait for you to be discharged."

"I'll get your old room ready," Ginny announced as she wrapped an arm around Lily.

The Potters bid James goodnight and disappeared out of the hospital room. Harry sank down into a chair next to Teddy.

"You can go home with Victoire and Remus," Harry announced. "Ron and Hermione already left. So did Molly and Arthur. Victoire is still sleeping in the waiting room, snoring actually."

"I'll wait with you," Teddy replied.

Harry reached out a hand and squeezed Teddy's shoulder. Teddy could not remember how many times Harry had stayed up with him. The night his grandmother died, he remembered Harry holding him in his arms as he cried until the wee hours of the night. He thought back to all the times Teddy had been sick only to have Harry sleeping in a chair next to his bed in case he needed anything. He remembered the late nights that his godfather sat with him at the kitchen table helping him prepare for his Auror exams, quizzing him into the early mornings. He remembered Harry coming over when Remus was born, willing to help out so him and Victoire could get some rest or even have a date night to unwind. Harry was always there for him through the good times and the bad. He couldn't abandon his godfather now to wait alone with James until he was discharged. No, Teddy would stay with him as his godfather as his godfather had always stayed with him.

The door opened slowly and Victoire's blonde head peaked into the room. Noticing her husband and uncle, she stepped inside and walked to the edge of James' bed.

"I'm assuming he's alright if everyone has left," Victoire reasoned with a playful smile creeping onto her face. "Way to ruin a good Quidditch game, James."

"Ruin it?" he replied aghast. "I make the games worth watching!"

"You can take Remus home, if you like," Teddy said. "James is being discharged so I thought I'd wait with Harry."

Victoire nodded. She reached out and squeezed James' shoulder before crossing to the other side of the bed. She kissed Teddy briefly on the lips and Harry stood up to give her a hug. She then scooped up the child who moaned, "'Ames." With a small wave, Victoire had disappeared out the door.

"We were talking about making a new Potter and Lupin tradition," James broke the silence as he looked at his father.

"I don't even want to know," Harry responded with a slight laugh.

"Awe, come on, Dad, we're not that bad."

"I seem to remember you two plotting to have Teddy transform himself into you to sit some of your exams first year," Harry said trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh, I forgot about that!" Teddy announced. "Molly overheard us and owled Percy to tattle. Of course, Percy had to owl Ginny."

"Fred was mad. He wanted to take turns using Teddy!" added James.

"You're lucky your cousin told on you. You would have been expelled," reasoned Harry.

"We weren't actually serious," James replied with a wink in Teddy's direction.

"Sometimes, I wonder how Gins and I made it out alive raising you lot."

"You're the one mad enough to have four kids," James reasoned.

"Why do you think he spent so much time at work?" retorted Teddy playfully as he gently tapped Harry's shin with his foot.

Harry sighed deeply but there was a smile dancing on his face.

"You think grandmum will throw me a dinner tomorrow for my brave endeavors?" James asked with a grin. "I know I'm her favorite."

"You think you're everyone's favorite," Teddy retorted.

"Well, I'm your favorite. We all know that. I'm not dad's favorite though. We all know your dad's favorite."

"I don't have favorites," Harry spoke up evenly.

"He doesn't have favorites," James said with a roll of his eyes. "You hear that, Ted? He apparently doesn't have favorites."

"Fine. Teddy is my favorite godson. Lily is my favorite daughter. I, daresay, you and Al tie for my favorite son. There, you happy?" questioned Harry.

"Exceedingly," James retorted with a grin.

Teddy leaned back into his seat, his smile never faltering at the playful banter between his family. His family. Harry and Ginny ensured he was always wanted, loved, included. They treated him as their own son. Their children treated him as their sibling. The Weasleys treated him like a grandson, a nephew, and a cousin. There was nothing better than this. They were and always had been a family.

Whelp, it's finally finished! I ask you all to review if you took the time to read the story. Feedback would be greatly appreciated and reviews will make me work quicker on the sequel as they always inspire me and make me want to write even more! I'm still planning out the sequel (Just Desserts) and have started to write it. My Teddy chapters are giving me some issues as Harry's POV really drives the main plot along. I say check back next Friday. If I don't start posting by then, then check back the following Friday. I'll start posting on a Friday so you guys know when the sequel starts. I just want to get a few chapters ahead of schedule before I start posting. Thanks for reading and taking the time to review!