rt_morelove

Author/Artist: Evenscribbles

Title: Match Against the Darkness

Rating & Warnings: PG, references to a canon characters’ deaths, grief, and drinking.

Word Count: 2240 words

Prompt(s): #5, a moment of weakness

Summary: Tonks and Remus die in 2015, not 1998, but it's still because of prejudice and Dark magic.

Notes: This story is a sad AU of my death-denial AU (I don't know what my mind is doing either). So since the Lupin family has grown larger in this universe, I thought I'd give you, their names and birthdays for prosperity. They are as follows:

Ted Remus Lupin ('Teddy'), born April 1, 1998. (Age 17).

Hope Celeste Lupin, born November 3, 2000. (Age 15)

Lyall Alastor Lupin born November 3, 2000. (Age 15)

Orion Sirius Lupin ('Orry') born September 15, 2004. (Age 11)

A Match Against the Darkness

December 2015

Teddy stared down at the double caskets and felt colder than ice. Next to him, his Gran was crying but it didn't seem to touch him. Nothing did until she turned to him and managed around hiccup sobs to make her opinions known.

"Where is Orry? He should be here."

Teddy shrugged, a frown prominent on his face.

"He's probably hiding away in a broom cupboard somewhere so he doesn't have to face this."

Gran shivered, "Well in the long run, he'll have wanted to say goodbye. Go find him."

Teddy nodded, touching her elbow in support. "I will Gran. I'll be right back."

He turned and slugged his way through the line of mourners to where he assumed his brother would be. It was slow going however as everyone stopped him to offer their personal (but achingly similar) condolences and to tell him what wonderful people his parents had been. How missed they were going to be. He managed to respond with what he hoped was a mediocre amount of grace and excused himself as quickly as possible.

Once he finally got to the back of the church, he started his ordeal by looking in all the side rooms off the main hall. After the first ten, his irritation was getting to him and he was about ready to forget the whole endeavor, Gran's disapproval or not, when he found him.

Orry was sitting in the middle of one of the sitting rooms, his hands wrapped around his knees and his hair a mousy brown. However it wasn't that, that had Teddy gasping, but the miniature blizzard that was whirling its way around him.

Noticing that Orry's lips were turning blue (and not from metamorphosing) and he was shivering slightly, Teddy took his wand out and casted the strongest finite charm he could muster. The snow stopped with a whimper and Teddy sighed with relief. With that out of the way, he made his way, crunching snow in his wake, to his youngest brother's side.

Once he was close, he kneeled down near him and waited. It was always a waiting game with Orry, who was the most like their father. The most calm and collected out of the kids and overly addicted to hiding his emotions. Eventually though, Orry looked up from staring at the floor.

"Why'd they have to die, Teddy?"

Teddy swallowed, "I-I guess because they got out of their depth."

Orry frowned, his fingers clenching into fists. "It was suppose to be a simple reconnaissance mission! They were supposed to come back, not die!"

Teddy reaching for Orry's hands, unclenching them so he could hold them in a tight grip. "Better people would tell you it was their time and that they're happier now. I cannot promise that, but I can tell you that you need to say good-bye."

Orry shook his head, his shoulders stiffening. Teddy sighed and realized he would have to use guilt tripping instead or Orry would never budge.

"Orion Sirius Black, if it was you out there, what would mum and dad do?"

Orry sniffed, a stray tear running down his cheek. "That's a morbid thought, Teddy."

Teddy shrugged, "It's a morbid day. So what about it? What would they do?"

Orry sighed. "They would say good-bye."

Teddy nodded, "So you are going — "

" — to say goodbye. But only if you go up there with me. I don't think I can do it alone."

Teddy released his hands and helped him up.

"I promise to be with you, every step of the way. Now let's go.”

He led him by a gentle arm on the elbow, until they were both in front of the wooden caskets he had hoped, less than twenty minutes ago, to never set eyes on again.

Orry walked up to them easily now that he was faced with them head on and reached out to touch both. "Mum? Dad? I'm not quite sure what to say, but that I'm angry... I'm angry that you left, even if I know it wasn't your choice...But I think you'd both be okay with that. Mostly I-I miss you already... I'm suppose to go to Hogwarts next year and you won't be there and I find myself really scared of the thought. Because —".

He paused and then continued when Teddy touched his shoulder. "B-B-Because you were the best parents a boy could have and I wanted to show you that I could live up to all the dreams you had for me... I-I-I love you...Goodbye."

After a moment of silence, Orry pushed away from the caskets, hugged Teddy, and then walked out of the room with quickening steps. Teddy let him go as he pivoted to face his own turn with their parents.

"Like Orry, I don't quite know what to say. What would be good enough to describe what I feel right now? But something I kept thinking of, ever since I heard the news, is something I think you both would want to know. I'll watch out for them...Hope, Lyall, Orry, and Gran. Make sure they're alright. I promise. I love you both and I guess this is goodbye for now."

As soon as he was done speaking, he stepped aside so the twins could have their turn and headed outside. The twins deserved privacy, like he had been granted, and Orry hadn't been able to have.

He would find out what his Gran was doing and offer what help he could. Starting on his promise now, rather than later.

-O-

Teddy sat in his Gran's kitchen later that same evening, the day of the wake, and tried to not think.

But that was getting harder and harder to avoid. Knowing even as he made it, that it was a bad decision, Teddy accio-ed Gran's private Fire Whiskey stash that she kept tucked away for guests and poured himself a measure.

He had barely been able to slouch the first sip on his tongue, when Harry stepped through the front door. Teddy quickly spat the drink back into his tumblr and tried to look innocent. However, his act was wasted on his audience as Harry gave it barely a glance.

"Teddy, I know you don't want to hear yet another comforting platitude. I'm sure you'll hear more than your fair share in the coming days, but I do have to tell you that if you ever need anyone to talk to...I'll be near by."

Teddy nodded, "Thanks, Harry. I'll keep that in mind."

Harry gave a humourless smile, "Good. Well... I have to confess that wasn't my only reason for coming."

Teddy raised an eyebrow, though he was only mildly curious. "It wasn't?"

Harry shook his head.

"No. You see, your parents left me some letters before — the mission. Two of which are addressed to you."

Teddy felt his mind go blank. "Do you have them on you? Oh sorry...silly question, you wouldn't have mentioned them if-"

"I have them and I'll leave so you can read them in private", Harry said as he placed two envelopes on the table.

Before he left, looking conflicted, he gave Teddy a hug and whispered his love. Teddy responded in kind and waved good-bye as he disapparated. Once, Teddy was sure he was gone and had also used a full minute to listen for the others, he reached for the first letter.

The spidery writing on the envelope let him know that it was his father's; even before he finished opening it. Knowing that his hands were shaking he pulled six creamy pages free from their confinement. Five were addressed to his remaining family, which he put aside, the last was for him.

He laid it flat on the table and begun to read.

Dear Teddy,

I hope you are not reading this letter in distress and you just happened upon it in some long forgotten box. But if you are and I am gone, than I am truly sorry son. Know that I almost didn't write this letter. I am that sure of my immediate success. However, if the Wizarding Wars taught me nothing else, it was to be prepared for all eventualities. So I am writing this and leaving it with Harry — just in case. He will make sure you get it at the correct time. I trust his judgement on that and in looking after all of you and your mother—

Teddy stopped for a second to breathe and choked back tears. It seemed Dad hadn't know that Mum would go running after him, as soon as she had provided her children and mother with a safe haven in which to hide in. He continued once he could breathe without his ribs aching and snot dripping out of his nose.

— But I know that no matter how good a job he does that there will still be holes. Holes he will not be able to fill. So I hope with this letter I can go about patching up some of them. The best I am able to that is, which your mother is constantly telling me is wonderful enough to be most people's great. We shall see.

Teddy, you are my firstborn and as such you fill a special place in my heart. That is not to say that I don't love all my children at the same level. I'd gladly die for any of you in a heartbeat. But our love is a different kind of love. Since I came so close, in my own stupidity, to losing it and you.

I have so many dreams for you. The first being, that these last few werewolves I've gone to talk to, will be the last of it. That you will finally live in the world I envisioned at your birth. Not a place without evil— that's not truly possible with how humanity is— but a place where evil is defeated without too much of an issue and you can live without fear.

I also wish in a more long-term kind of way, that you will be able to gain love with Victorie (or someone else, I'm not limiting you to one person. You are only seventeen after all) that brings you peace. Peace and the kind of assurance where you know you are complete. And that you never have to feel broken, constantly searching for something more, again. I also hope that you'll gain your dream job. Though if it's to be an Auror like you've been muttering lately (don't think your old man hasn't heard you) then I just beg that you work until you don't enjoy it any more and not a moment longer. I also ask since I'm a worrywart and you know it — that you keep a first aid kit at hand.

There is not much more I can say as I have to leave soon. But know that I love you Teddy, with all of my heart.

Dad

P.S. Before I forget, enclosed are letters to your siblings and Andromeda. Please make sure they get them.

Once he had finished and had a chance to re-read and run both hands through his hair, a common gesture of his that showed he had no words, he turned to his Mum's.

Teddy,

I know you are probably angry at me for running off after your father—again. But I find, just like I did on the eve of the Last Battle, that I cannot stay behind not knowing and unable to protect your father's back. I truly believe that my going will mean that you will have both parents back in due course. But in case I am wrong, I wanted to let you know—

There was an illegible line that looked like it had been washed away by a tear.

— with all my heart and soul. You, Hope, Lyall, and Orry are the best gifts I have ever been granted. You have made these last few years when Death Eaters and Werewolves of an unsavory nature, not like your dad, have popped willy nilly out of the woodwork. The happiest of my life so far. The only thing that will make my life better is seeing when you get older and you achieve the many dreams that right now only live in your head. I'll be watching, from the top of the stairs or from whatever celestial plane there is. I'll be watching and fighting back tears from how proud I am of you.

I love you my Teddy bear.

Mum

P.S. Similar to your father, I added some other letters. Please make sure they get delivered. I'm counting on you.

Lots of love, again. — Mum

Once he was done, Teddy shouted as loud as he could, "Gran, Hope, Lyall, Orry - everyone come quick. You'll want to see this—"

His whole family came tumbling down the stairs with pale faces and sleep-tousled hair. Their expressions became even paler when they saw the letters, though they were all quick to read them.

As his family concentrated on his parent's last farewells, Teddy looked around and felt slightly better. He was once again assured of his parents' love and he had his remaining family to help him battle the coming days. Like a solitary match against the darkness.

He would just have to raise it high and see how far the light could go.

Fin.