#remus lives

Remus and Teddy at Harry's wedding (couldn't figure out how to do tartan on Remus' waistcoat 🤷‍♀️)

and that is precisely why remus lupin sits at the kitchen table, eyeing the staircase that leads to harry’s room, wondering how exactly the boy is going to smuggle the person that had spent the night out of the house.

the invisibility cloak was resting useless, draped over the living room’s couch and remus knows harry would not be foolish enough to try and apparate through the house wards. that left the front door and floo connection.

all in all, watching the teenager run down the stairs to retrieve a pair of abandoned purple trainers and shoot him a pleading look had been quite funny. remus winked.

he also had to admit that pushing whoever-was-with-him into the chimney before pretending to have a very loud floo-call was not a bad move at all.

later, when sirius is out of earshot, harry approaches him with a scowl.

“you could have helped, you know!”

he'd text very dryly, but entirely unintentionally. an example of their conversations:

teddy: hey dad! would you mind picking me up from the library at 12? no worries if you can't, i can totally take the bus home, but just if you were in the area. hope you're having a good day! anyway, let me know, but no worries if not. :DDDDD

remus: 👍

he'd also not get emoticons and they'd have to be explained to him a million times ("but why don't you just use the faces they already give you?" "they're called emojis, dad, and sometimes they just don't work in context") and would not understand why teddy wants to text instead of call. when he makes phone calls he speaks super loudly almost unintentionally because he thinks just because his phone is on low volume, the person he's calling can't hear him either. he uses facebook for birthday photos and videos of animals killing each other (he doesn't know how to get rid of them and they fascinate him in a strange, dislikeable way so they keep getting added to his feed).

Snippet

“So,” she ventured. “What is your relationship with Harry?”

Remus pulled an awkward face and shifted in his chair. To her relief, however, he answered. “I taught him several years ago at Hogwarts and he is Teddy’s godfather.” He looked a bit embarrassed.

“Godfather? You must be very close.”

Remus seemed to contemplate the statement, his brows knitting as his eyes peered sideways in search of an answer. Finally, he shook his head. “No,” he said, sounding half-asleep. “No, we aren't close at all.” He folded his hands and dropped his head. Elaine waited patiently.

After a long moment, Remus looked up, dry-eyed but mournful looking. “I should have - I had meant to be there for him. I tried, I suppose. It was easier before he knew, but then Sirius was there and -” to Elaine's relief, he appeared to realize that his words made no sense to her.

“I'm sorry, I won't bore you with the details of our non-existent relationship.” He forced a small laugh and smiled at her.

“Remus, I want to hear the details. That's why we're here, so you can talk through things like this.”

He maintained a smile but shook his head again. Elaine fought to keep her face calm as she imagined strangling the man.

“There's nothing to talk about, really,” he said, his tone light. “I didn't put in the effort I should have, so we are friendly with each other but nothing like - nothing like we should have been.” His false smile fell.

“Why do you say that?” Elaine prodded. “How ‘should’ you be?”

As she had half-expected, Remus tensed at the question and she could see in his eyes that he wished he could escape.

“Could we talk about something else?”

“I think it would be helpful to talk about this.”

“I would rather not.”

“Very well. Why did you make Harry Teddy's godfather, if you have a ‘non-existent relationship,’ as you say?”

For a moment, Elaine thought he might laugh, maybe even tell her “touché,” but he merely made a vaguely amused sound before looking deep in thought.

“I suppose it just felt like the right thing to do. Morale.” He clearly wasn't giving her the full story.

“You made him godfather to your only child for ‘morale’?” He actually did chuckle at that, a short burst of mirthless laughter.

“Well, I suppose it was more of an apology. He and I parted on bad terms and -” he seemed to decide that he had said too much. “Honestly, I am not sure why I made that decision. It seemed right at the time, but now - I am not sure how to talk him anymore. You can’t be ‘Professor Lupin’ to your kid’s godfather, can you? But that’s all I know how to be around him.”

Elaine was bursting inside with excitement. This was deeper than anything he had said in the entirety of their sessions so far.

“Do you want to be something - someone - else to him?”

She half-expected him to recoil, to tuck back into himself, but he surprised her by giving the matter some serious thought.

“I - yes, I do, but I am not sure what I want that to look like - do you know what I mean? He is my friend’s child and I am not sure we can ever be what you would call ‘friends’ but I want to be more than just his old professor.” He blushed and looked away. “Sorry.”

“No, this is wonderful! So, if you don't want to be friends, what do you want to be?”

He reddened even more and peered at his knees. He mumbled something that she didn't catch.

“Sorry?”

He sighed and looked up. “Back when he was little - before everything happened - I was ‘Uncle Moony.’ He -” he choked up momentarily, blinking back tears. “He called me ‘Moo-Moo’ or ‘My Moo.’” He looked like he had more on his mind than the name. “Anyway, I guess I want the relationship we were supposed to have before James and Lily died.” He looked away, still blinking rapidly.

“Uncle Remus?”

He let out a surprised laugh and gave her a cheeky grin. “Read much American literature?” She made a bemused face and he shook his head, still looking mildly amused. “Nevermind.”

“Is that something you think you can achieve with him? That sort of uncle-nephew relationship?”

He shook his head sadly. “Probably not. He's too grown up now, he's seen me in some pretty bad lights, and -” he seemed to decide that he had said too much and, as unexpectedly as he had opened up, Elaine saw his walls go back up.

Knee Socks by @nauticalparamour

Hermione is trying to brainstorm ideas to seduce the object of her affections -- Remus Lupin. Only, she quickly realizes that her parchment is enchanted. Whoever Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are they are quite keen to help her with her task. Afterall, they know Remus better than anyone, you could say.

Rated: M; Chapters: 1; Words: 10093