Till the End of the Road.

Chapter Thirty-Four

A woman stood at the kitchen sink, washing the dishes in the Muggle-fashion. She glanced up every so often, looking out the window at the garden, where her husband would be Apparting home; he had been to see his family again. A boy sat at the kitchen table, his hair was a messy, dark brown today; he was finishing his eggs and toast that the women had made him for breakfast. Suddenly there was a crash, a small boom that rattled the sealing, the women turned around quick.

“Remus, what in the name of blazes are you doing up there?” she yelled, the messy, dark haired boy looked up, his young-adult face still had a gleam of childishness hidden within it, as if he would enjoy watching someone get in trouble.

“Sorry, mum” came a voice from the stairs. “I dropped my drunk.”

The women turned around again and went back to washing the dishes, by this time the boy sitting at the table had finished and got up and handed her the plate and fork.

“Thanks for the breakfast, it was great as always” he smiled, the women beamed at him.

“It was nothing, Teddy.”

Teddy Lupin traveled into the living room, where he wondered over to the mantel, the fireplace held many pictures, many of the child that had just dropped his trunk, he smiled, big and happy, in all four of the pictures he was in. Then there was one of a beautiful woman on her wedding day, looking quite angry with her groom, who looked to be laughing quite a bit at something. Then there was a few hand drown pictures, Teddy knew who had drawn them, she had always been fond of drawing, Teddy would ask her to draw him things when he was little, he still had a few hanging in his grans house. The first portrait was of a man, a man with rather long hair and a bit of a beard, the paper looked old, it looked to be the oldest drawing there. The next showed a boy, whom couldn’t be much older than Teddy was now, sleeping with a sort of smirk on his lips, his red hair falling over his forehead. And the last picture on the mantel, it stood far from the others, it was also the biggest. This picture wasn’t hand drown, it was a wizarding picture, the only one on the mantel. Teddy stopped and ran his finger over the frame, he knew these people, they were his parents, though sadly he had never met them. His mother stood beaming by a wedding cake in his grans kitchen, she held on to the man next to her as though she would never let go. The man he smiled, though he looked rather worried about something, he kept glancing toward the door that Teddy knew was there, just to the right.

Suddenly the women walked in, smiling at Teddy, drying her hand on a towel as she walked over to him and looked at the picture, Teddy stared as he saw a look of longing wash over her face, but it vanish just as fast.

“Erin….”Teddy trailed off. She looked up at him and smiled.

“Yes?”

“Er…can I ask you something?”

“Anything” Erin smiled at him.

“Well..er….I’ve heard something’s, and I…er.. I know you knew my dad and…er…you named your son Remus….um, I just wanted to know if you…er…if you really were in love with my dad?” he closed his eyes tight, afraid she would be mad, afraid she would yell, she had been very good to him over the years, Teddy didn’t want her mad at him.

“Who told you that?”

“Fred….”

Erin rolled her eyes, heaving a sigh.

“Is it true?”

“Yes….” She trailed off. “Yes, it’s true….”

“So, er….did my mum…did she know?”

“Everyone knew” Erin laughed, looking at the photo again. “Everyone knew I was in love with him, was ….and still am.”

“And er….but your….”

“Don’t get me wrong,” said Erin, suddenly looking over at Teddy. “I love my husband, I am happier then I could never wish to be, but…your father….well, when you love someone, your love just doesn’t go away one day, not when you truly love them.”

Teddy stared at Erin for a few minutes; she smiled at him, though he saw her eyes were starting to get a bit damp. She taped at them with the dishtowel she still held.

“How do you know?” Teddy suddenly asked. “How do you know you’re really in love?”

“I haven’t a clue, Teddy,” she said, shaking her head. “Sometimes you just know.”

Teddy nodded his head in agreement and then looked down at his watch, he had promised Victoire he would meet her before she had to leave for Hogwarts.

“You should get going” then said Erin, smiling still at him. “I’ll see you soon, right?”

He nodded and hugged her, she walked him to the door and watched as he Apparted away, when she turned back around she heaved a great sigh before talking into the kitchen, where she busied herself for something to do, until she heard a pop and then a few seconds later the back door open and shut.

“Oh, hello my wonderful and caring and understanding wife” boomed her husband’s voice. He strutted over to her and kissed her cheek. “Oh, how I have missed you, my love.”

“What did you do?” she asked, knowingly. A very fake hurt look washed over his face.

“Me?” he asked, looking almost bewildered. “Me? What have I done? How dare you ask such a thing….”

“Fred…”

“Alright, don’t get mad….”

“Every time you say ‘don’t get mad.’ I always get mad….” Erin trailed off.

“I know, and it’s really quite annoying,” rambled Fred. “I mean I ask you not to get mad and you just go right ahead and do it anyway….”

Erin gave him a questionable look and he smiled sweetly.

“What did you do, Fredrick?”

“I hate when you call me that….” he muttered, she raised her eyebrow. “Alright, you remember me telling you about the flying car my dad used to have that went rouge and is still in the Forbidden Forest somewhere?”

“Yes…”

“Well, Ron thought it would be a good idea if we….er…made another one to surprise dad….”

“And…”

“And well….er…Ron…it was all Ron, I swear. He wrecked your car.”

“You let Ron wreck my car?” she yelled, floored by her husband’s newest dumb trick.

“Well, I didn’t let him…”

“YOU LET HIM WRECK MY CAR!”

“I don’t see why we need two bloody cars anyway!”

“Fred Weasley, you are the biggest….the most stupidest…”

“Mum?”

Both Erin and Fred looked over at their son whose mild, red hair was messy and he looked rather red faced, as if he was upset.

“What is it, Remy?” Erin asked her voice no longer angry. Remus Weasley walked over to his parents, his head down, looking still, very upset.

“I’m scared.”

“About what?” Fred asked, confused, it was his son’s first year at Hogwarts, Fred remembered there being nothing to be scared of.

“I’m scared I won’t get into Gryffindore” Remus muttered. Erin sunk down to her knees and pulled her son into a hug.

“There’s nothing to be scared of, if you don’t get into Gryffindore then you will get into another fine house.”

“But I’m a Weasley…..every Weasley gets into Gryffindore.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” said Erin, playing with her son’s hair. “Whatever house you’re in we will love you all the same.”

“But James said that Sirius Black’s family was all in Slytherin and he got in Gryffindore and they disowned him.”

“Don’t worry we won’t disown you if you get into Slytherin” said Fred with a cool smile. Remus looked horrified at this.

“But…but…but James said….”

“James is a git,” Fred stated, then got a very cold look from Erin. “But that’s a very good trait in a person….”

“It doesn’t matter what house you’re in, Remy,” said Erin, hugging her son again. “Don’t worry.”

Remus nodded and backed away from his mother, not looking fully convinced, he smiled up at his parents, but then frowned.

“Were you two fighting again?”

Erin stood up and looked at Fred, who looked slightly worried.

“No, Rems, that’s just the way your mum says she loves me” Fred then smirked.

“But why can’t she just tell you?” asked Remus. “She tells me she loves me all the time.”

“Yeah, but it’s more fun this way” Fred smirked again. “Right, Erin?”

Erin nodded with a bit of a smile, Remus laughed at this and made his parents sigh in relief.

“Oh, Remus, you should go get your trunk, it’s almost time to go” then said Erin, looking at the wall cloak.

“I’ll help you; I’ll tell you how Uncle Ronny broke mums car.”

“You let Uncle Ron break mums car?” Remus exclaimed.

“Oy….” Fred trailed off, as he followed his son up the stairs.

An hour later, the family of three walked through the wall between nine and ten and found themselves on platform nine and three quarters. The had only walked a few steps when they found George and his wife Angelina, along with their twins.

“Gorgie” Fred grinned as though he hadn’t seen his brother in weeks, though they had just seen each other hours ago.

“Fred” George called back, hugging his brother. “Ron just gave me a wicked idea; I think we should head back to the joke shop and….”

Fred and George looked at their wives and both shrugged. Both men beamed and kissed their wives, before leaving together, Angelina went off to meet her other family while Erin and Remus walked along the busy platform.

“You should go find a seat now, before their all filled” said Erin.

“Mum…but…what if I do get put in Slytherin?”

Erin laughed.

“Listen to me, Remus Sirius Weasley, I highly doubt you will be put into Slytherin, but if you do, they will have gained a wonderful student, any of the houses will, Hogwarts is one big family, no matter the house you’re in, no matter what, it won’t matter.”

Remus looked down, looking still rather scared.

“Will you be there?”

“I will be right there, love” Erin smiled.

“You’ll be there when I get off the train?”

“Well…” Erin trailed off. “No, but Hagrid will, you’ll love Hagrid, everyone does. But I’ll be at the feast, you’ll see me.”

Remus nodded and hugged his mother, before she ushered him onto the scarlet red, steam engine. Erin watched as the train pulled away soon after, then turned around to see her cousin and her brother and sister in-law, along with her brother in-law’s wife.

“Hello, Erin” Harry smiled. “How’re you?”

“I was fine until I heard about my car…”

Ron turned an ugly red color and muttered something Erin didn’t quite catch, but Hermione seemed to, for she then started to scold her husband.

“Where’s Fred?” Ginny then asked.

“He went to the shop with George.”

“Harry, we should stop by after our meeting with Kingsley” then said Ron, Harry nodded in agreement.

“Don’t do anything stupid” said Hermione. Ron looked rather put out at this comment and said nothing.

“Well, I have to get home, pick up a few things before I head off to Hogwarts.”

“Say hello to Neville for us, will you?” said Ginny. “I don’t think our kids will listen to us much.”

“Of course…hey, where is Lily?”

“She went home with Angelina and the twins” said Ginny, Erin nodded then turned back to Harry.

“Have you thought about coming with us to Paris for the Christmas holidays?”

“We would love to,” said Hermione, Erin smiled.

“Yeah, we’d love to” said Harry, Erin smiled bigger.

“Now just to convince Molly.”

“Good luck” said Ginny, making Erin laugh, she had been trying to convince Molly Weasley to come with them to Paris for years, she nor Aurthur still hadn’t. Soon after Erin walked along the crowded Kings Cross, heading back to Fred’s car to take it home, that was until she heard a voice behind her.

“Erin….Erin…”

She turned around to see Teddy running after her.

“What’s the matter, Teddy?” she asked, as he got close enough.

“What? Oh nothing….” He smiled. “Just thought I’d say hello, I just saw Vic off.”

“Oh, I hope she’s doing well.”

Teddy smirked knowingly, nodding his head, making Erin laugh.

“Where’s Fred?” Teddy then asked.

“He’s with George at the joke shop,” she said tiredly.

‘Oh” Teddy nodded.

“Would you like to come back to the house for a cup of tea before I’m off?”

“I wouldn’t want to impose…” Teddy trailed off; though it was clear, he did indeed want to come along.

“If you don’t I’ll just be sitting there all by myself, that’s sort of boring, isn’t it?”

Teddy shrugged before Erin pulled him along. Soon they arrived back at Erin and Fred’s house, where she made them both tea and after Teddy helped her pack up her stuff. He then offered to help her apparate to Hogsmeade. Once appearing in the street as she had done so many times before, she fixed her bunned hair and sighed.

“I still hate apparting” she muttered.

“I’ve always liked it…well, since I could do it anyway,” said Teddy, as he helped her carry her bags.

“You can’t come into Hogwarts, you know that, Teddy” she said, as they walked up the hill to the gates of the schools grounds. Teddy looked over at her, he smirked and looked at her with pleading eyes. “I’m not letting you in…..”

“C’mon, I want to surprise Vic….”

Erin sighed, knowing she would give in, knowing she gives in much too easily.

“Alright fine, but if I find out you were in any broom cupboards….”

Teddy laughed as they reached the gates, she did a spell to open them and they started up to the castle. Once inside Erin went to put her bags in her privet quarters while Teddy went off to find Victoire Once Erin had unpacked she walked to the Great Hall where all the children were coming into the feast.

“Hello, Professor Weasley” a few students called.

“Hello!” she smiled at them as she walked to the teachers table and took her seat. She smiled as she saw Remus walk in, following in the line of new first years, it was while till Weasley Remus was called, the whole time both Remus and Erin were extremely nervous, Remus stood biting his nails, looking rather pale while Erin watched. When Remus was called he staggered up to the stool and sat. The sorting hat slowly fell onto his head, over his eyes and it took a minute….a long minute, that minute Erin sat on the edge of her seat, breathless.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

An eruption of cheer from the Gryffindor table erupted and Remus jumped off the seat beaming up at his mother, who smiled proudly down at him. Remus took his seat with James and Albus, Albus had gotten into Gryffindore too. Erin smiled at how happy he looked, laughed when James tussled Remus’ hair. Soon the Feast was over and Erin wondered out of the Great Hall, she suddenly remembered Teddy was still about somewhere, though she had seen Victoire at the feast, so where had Teddy gotten to?

It didn’t take much finding, Erin had found Teddy standing in the first floor court-yard, she had always tried to void this part of the castle, the memories of the battle were too much for her, through she tried to hide it was she walked up to Teddy who was just standing there, looking up at the starry sky.

“I used to study a lot here, there’s something about this place that….” He trailed off, looking at her, she nodded.

“Yes, there is something about this place…”

“I should get going, James already seen me, who knows who he’ll tell” then said Teddy, after a moments silence, Erin nodded and hugged him.

“I’ll see you soon, Teddy” she said, as she watched him walk out of the court-yard and out of sight. Erin sighed and looked up at the sky, not willing herself to cry any more, it had been years, it was done. She pulled a stiff upper lip and turned around, walking back into the castle. Where she was quickly stopped by Rose Weasley.

“Professor Weasley” Rose beamed.

“Rose, sweetheart, it isn’t the start of term till tomorrow; you don’t have to call me professor.”

“Right..err..Professor…”

Erin laughed.

“What can I do for you, Rose?”

“I read all your materiel for this year and I think it’s just fascinating,” said Rose, smiling proudly.

“Rose, you don’t start my class for two whole years.”

“Oh, I know, but Muggle Studies is just a marvelous subject, isn’t it?” asked Rose, smiling still.

“I think so….” Erin trailed off, laughing a bit.

“My mum let me read your book, Cooking Muggle, it was wonderful, I can’t wait to start your class” said Rose, Erin smiled again, wondering if Rose was just a bit too much like her mother or perhaps she inherited her grandfather’s love for Muggle things.

“Would you like to have a cup of tea in my office and talk a bit more about this?” Erin then asked her. Rose lit up and nodded, Erin laughed and ushered her along the corridors.

“James said you were a great teacher,” commented Rose as they walked.

“Oh, that’s because I’m the only teacher who hasn’t given him deletion yet.”

Rose laughed and Erin smiled down at her, this was the start of a very good year....