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HannahLongbottom · 07-24-2009, 08:27 AM

Thanks fawks

One, Pale Silver Blue

Andromeda Tonks sat in a deck chair, sipping pumpkin juice, in the garden of The Burrow, talking amiably with Molly Weasley.

“That really is lovely Andromeda, thank you. Ron’s a disaster in the kitchen. He cooked for Hermione last week and almost managed to put the poor girl in St Mungo’s! Well, if I’d have known about this new cookbook, he wouldn’t have had any problems, but you can only do so much!” She put the book down onto the small rickety table.

“Very true. I remember telling Nymphadora that if she ruined another of my pans, I would have to go the whole hog and take out shares in a dragon reserve so that I’d have plentiful supplies of blood to get them clean!”

The women laughed. At their feet a small boy with bright turquoise hair and a pale heart-shaped face sat on a picnic blanket, playing with a silver rattle. Whenever the boy shook his rattle a different sound was made, eliciting small joyful coos from its owner. Between the mooing, quacking, whizzing and popping came a hoarse laugh, followed by a lighter musical chuckle. Andromeda stiffened and looked at Teddy, but the rattle was now chugging like a steam train. Dismissing the thought that she had just heard her daughter’s laugh, she returned her attention to Molly.

“How’s George?”

“Oh, he’s… well, I can’t say that he’s better, I doubt he’ll ever be the same again, but he smiles more now. The shop is doing really well and he’s taking over what used to be Zonko’s in Hogsmead next month. He wants it to be up and running when the children go back to Hogwarts in September.”

“It’s good he has something to focus his energies on.”

Molly gave her an understanding smile. Andromeda was glad that she had Teddy to take care of. Without him she would have given up when Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived on her doorstep, his face a picture of abject misery when he should have been so happy.

The conversation moved on to Celstina Warbeck, the concert that she was rumoured to be giving in Manchester and how they might be able to procure tickets. Unnoticed by either woman, a large brown snake with dark red-brown markings that zigzagged to the tip of her tail slithered toward Teddy. She could smell them, she wanted to get away from the people, but couldn’t see another way to go. Closer and closer she came, until she was on the rug, close to the boy.

Teddy swung the rattle and sensing an attack, the adder reared, ready to strike. A pale silver blue light sudden appeared between Teddy and the adder and despite its best efforts, the snake could not sink its fangs into the little boy. It simply could not penetrate the light. Teddy began to cry as the adder hissed, its anger increasing. The light grew brighter. Andromeda looked down at her grandson to see why he was crying and let out a shriek of panic.

“Teddy!” Andromeda snatched him up and the light disappeared.

“Evanesco!” Molly waved her wand and the snake vanished. “Is he alright?”

Andromeda checked her grandson carefully for any sign the snake had bitten him. “He’s fine. Goodness that was lucky, if he hadn’t cried…” Her voice caught in her throat. She clung on to Teddy fiercely, she couldn’t lose him too. She wouldn’t. She rocked him gently, trying to calm him and herself.

“Did you see that light?”

“What light?”

“Between Teddy and the snake. It was almost like a patronus, but it can’t have been, can it?”

Molly frowned. “I doubt it. He’s too young for unintentional magic. Perhaps it was a reflection from the rattle?”

Andromeda thought that this was unlikely, but could think of no other plausible explanation. The light had seemed to act as a shield and she had never heard of such a thing.

“Maybe I imagined it.”

Teddy was still mewling; his grandmother was gripping him very tightly. Suddenly there was a loud crack and a young man with messy black hair appeared by the garden gate. He walked across to where they sat, kissed each woman lightly on the cheek and turned his attention to the crying boy.

“Are you a grumpy guts today Teddy Lupin?” Harry lifted Teddy up and stroked his face. Teddy gripped his finger tightly and hiccupped. His hair turned a mirror image of Harry’s. “Pleased to see me then?” He swung Teddy lightly through the air and soon the boy was chuckling happily again.

Harry’s brow became furrowed as Molly related the story of the snake and the light. “I’ve never heard of such a small child doing magic, let alone a patronus. I can ask Kingsley if you like, he might know.”

“Oh, there’s no need to fuss, he’s fine.” Andromeda felt slightly silly. She so dearly wanted to think that Teddy was protected that she had started to imagine things.

“Will you stay to dinner? Percy has some sort of announcement for us all.”

The group made their way inside. Andromeda stooped to pick up the discarded rattle, and as she lifted it she distinctly heard the husky laugh again. A chill ran down her spine. She shook the rattle experimentally and it clucked like a hen. She shook it again and it fizzed, beeped and honked but it did not laugh or chuckle. Molly was watching her closely now, a look of concern in her bright brown eyes. Andromeda decided not to share the fact that she was hearing things with her friend. Molly was already worried by the silver blue light; add to that the laughter of her daughter and son in law and Molly would probably be calling in the healers before Andromeda could finish her sentence.

Dinner turned into quite a party. The place was very full of Weasleys; the only people without red hair were Andromeda, Harry, Hermione, Fleur and a pretty young woman whom Andromeda had never met before. They were sitting out in the early evening air, enjoying some mead and easy conversation when Percy jumped to his feet, dragging his pretty friend with him. “Well, everyone, I’m so very pleased… I mean we are so very pleased you’re all here. Audrey and I have an announcement to make. I’ve asked her to marry me and well, she said yes.” There was applause, Molly had burst into tears and Arthur was pulling Audrey into a tight hug. Under the general cries of happiness Andromeda heard George whisper “I wonder what he’s been putting in her tea.”

It was time to go home. Andromeda went to collect Teddy from the cot that Molly had conjured in the sitting room and on her way through the kitchen she picked up her bag and the rattle.

The rattle made a light musical chuckle. Dismissing it as the product of a long day and a grieving heart, Andromeda carried on into the sitting room. She pushed the door of the darkened room open and froze. There, over the cot were two orbs of light, one pale silver blue and the other a heart breaking shade of pink. Teddy was sat the cot, staring at the lights, his hair flashing between silver blue and pink, a wide gummy smile on his face. Andromeda blinked and the lights were gone. She pressed her self against the wall, racked with sobs. This has to stop she thought to herself; I can not punish myself like this. Gathering Teddy into her arms, she kissed him lightly on the head and hurried from the room.

“Good night everyone.”

“Good night little Lupin.” Ginny kissed Teddy very sweetly on the forehead, and then noticed the tears on Andromeda’s face. Her bright brown eyes wore the same look of concern that her mother’s had only a few hours before. Hopefully making it clear that the matter was not up for discussion, Andromeda squeezed the young woman’s arm and stepped towards the fire, took a pinch of Floo powder and disappeared in a burst of green flames.

07-24-2009, 08:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
HannahLongbottom SS 100 Triumphant! Ramora Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: PININ for the FJORDS Posts: 5,639 Hogwarts RPG Name: Hadley Taylor Fourth Year Ministry RPG Name: Malachi Brown International Cooperation	Canon Niffler \|\| Neville's Yorkshire Pudding \| \| Teddy's Biographer \|\| P + R = ♥ Thanks fawks One, Pale Silver Blue Andromeda Tonks sat in a deck chair, sipping pumpkin juice, in the garden of The Burrow, talking amiably with Molly Weasley. “That really is lovely Andromeda, thank you. Ron’s a disaster in the kitchen. He cooked for Hermione last week and almost managed to put the poor girl in St Mungo’s! Well, if I’d have known about this new cookbook, he wouldn’t have had any problems, but you can only do so much!” She put the book down onto the small rickety table. “Very true. I remember telling Nymphadora that if she ruined another of my pans, I would have to go the whole hog and take out shares in a dragon reserve so that I’d have plentiful supplies of blood to get them clean!” The women laughed. At their feet a small boy with bright turquoise hair and a pale heart-shaped face sat on a picnic blanket, playing with a silver rattle. Whenever the boy shook his rattle a different sound was made, eliciting small joyful coos from its owner. Between the mooing, quacking, whizzing and popping came a hoarse laugh, followed by a lighter musical chuckle. Andromeda stiffened and looked at Teddy, but the rattle was now chugging like a steam train. Dismissing the thought that she had just heard her daughter’s laugh, she returned her attention to Molly. “How’s George?” “Oh, he’s… well, I can’t say that he’s better, I doubt he’ll ever be the same again, but he smiles more now. The shop is doing really well and he’s taking over what used to be Zonko’s in Hogsmead next month. He wants it to be up and running when the children go back to Hogwarts in September.” “It’s good he has something to focus his energies on.” Molly gave her an understanding smile. Andromeda was glad that she had Teddy to take care of. Without him she would have given up when Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived on her doorstep, his face a picture of abject misery when he should have been so happy. The conversation moved on to Celstina Warbeck, the concert that she was rumoured to be giving in Manchester and how they might be able to procure tickets. Unnoticed by either woman, a large brown snake with dark red-brown markings that zigzagged to the tip of her tail slithered toward Teddy. She could smell them, she wanted to get away from the people, but couldn’t see another way to go. Closer and closer she came, until she was on the rug, close to the boy. Teddy swung the rattle and sensing an attack, the adder reared, ready to strike. A pale silver blue light sudden appeared between Teddy and the adder and despite its best efforts, the snake could not sink its fangs into the little boy. It simply could not penetrate the light. Teddy began to cry as the adder hissed, its anger increasing. The light grew brighter. Andromeda looked down at her grandson to see why he was crying and let out a shriek of panic. “Teddy!” Andromeda snatched him up and the light disappeared. “Evanesco!” Molly waved her wand and the snake vanished. “Is he alright?” Andromeda checked her grandson carefully for any sign the snake had bitten him. “He’s fine. Goodness that was lucky, if he hadn’t cried…” Her voice caught in her throat. She clung on to Teddy fiercely, she couldn’t lose him too. She wouldn’t. She rocked him gently, trying to calm him and herself. “Did you see that light?” “What light?” “Between Teddy and the snake. It was almost like a patronus, but it can’t have been, can it?” Molly frowned. “I doubt it. He’s too young for unintentional magic. Perhaps it was a reflection from the rattle?” Andromeda thought that this was unlikely, but could think of no other plausible explanation. The light had seemed to act as a shield and she had never heard of such a thing. “Maybe I imagined it.” Teddy was still mewling; his grandmother was gripping him very tightly. Suddenly there was a loud crack and a young man with messy black hair appeared by the garden gate. He walked across to where they sat, kissed each woman lightly on the cheek and turned his attention to the crying boy. “Are you a grumpy guts today Teddy Lupin?” Harry lifted Teddy up and stroked his face. Teddy gripped his finger tightly and hiccupped. His hair turned a mirror image of Harry’s. “Pleased to see me then?” He swung Teddy lightly through the air and soon the boy was chuckling happily again. Harry’s brow became furrowed as Molly related the story of the snake and the light. “I’ve never heard of such a small child doing magic, let alone a patronus. I can ask Kingsley if you like, he might know.” “Oh, there’s no need to fuss, he’s fine.” Andromeda felt slightly silly. She so dearly wanted to think that Teddy was protected that she had started to imagine things. “Will you stay to dinner? Percy has some sort of announcement for us all.” The group made their way inside. Andromeda stooped to pick up the discarded rattle, and as she lifted it she distinctly heard the husky laugh again. A chill ran down her spine. She shook the rattle experimentally and it clucked like a hen. She shook it again and it fizzed, beeped and honked but it did not laugh or chuckle. Molly was watching her closely now, a look of concern in her bright brown eyes. Andromeda decided not to share the fact that she was hearing things with her friend. Molly was already worried by the silver blue light; add to that the laughter of her daughter and son in law and Molly would probably be calling in the healers before Andromeda could finish her sentence. Dinner turned into quite a party. The place was very full of Weasleys; the only people without red hair were Andromeda, Harry, Hermione, Fleur and a pretty young woman whom Andromeda had never met before. They were sitting out in the early evening air, enjoying some mead and easy conversation when Percy jumped to his feet, dragging his pretty friend with him. “Well, everyone, I’m so very pleased… I mean we are so very pleased you’re all here. Audrey and I have an announcement to make. I’ve asked her to marry me and well, she said yes.” There was applause, Molly had burst into tears and Arthur was pulling Audrey into a tight hug. Under the general cries of happiness Andromeda heard George whisper “I wonder what he’s been putting in her tea.” It was time to go home. Andromeda went to collect Teddy from the cot that Molly had conjured in the sitting room and on her way through the kitchen she picked up her bag and the rattle. The rattle made a light musical chuckle. Dismissing it as the product of a long day and a grieving heart, Andromeda carried on into the sitting room. She pushed the door of the darkened room open and froze. There, over the cot were two orbs of light, one pale silver blue and the other a heart breaking shade of pink. Teddy was sat the cot, staring at the lights, his hair flashing between silver blue and pink, a wide gummy smile on his face. Andromeda blinked and the lights were gone. She pressed her self against the wall, racked with sobs. This has to stop she thought to herself; I can not punish myself like this. Gathering Teddy into her arms, she kissed him lightly on the head and hurried from the room. “Good night everyone.” “Good night little Lupin.” Ginny kissed Teddy very sweetly on the forehead, and then noticed the tears on Andromeda’s face. Her bright brown eyes wore the same look of concern that her mother’s had only a few hours before. Hopefully making it clear that the matter was not up for discussion, Andromeda squeezed the young woman’s arm and stepped towards the fire, took a pinch of Floo powder and disappeared in a burst of green flames. __________________ Last edited by HannahLongbottom; 09-07-2009 at 09:15 PM.