[Fic] Commemoration

[shimotsuki]

As I was walking home from work tonight, it hit me that we are coming up on the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. I'm firmly planning to end Kaleidoscope in some appropriately philosophical way a day or two before the battle, and my canon-escape/denial AU story By a Thread picks up after the battle, so I don't think I'll ever write the Battle of Hogwarts at all.

But tonight, I started wondering what Threadverse Remus and Tonks might be thinking about on the first anniversary of the battle, which led to this one-shot.

Commemoration ( PG | 1444 words | AU )

Commemoration
1 May 1999
Remus glanced at the clock and turned on the wireless, tuning it to the news-only channel.

"...in talks with the German Minister for Magic..."

CLANG-clang-clang SMASH!

"...the ban on flying carpets may be lifted..."

WHAM! WHAM!

"...to the Cannons in a completely unprecedented upset..."

Remus's head jerked up at that last bulletin. The Cannons? Over the Harpies? Maybe Gwenog Jones needed to find her team some fresh talent.

CRASH diddle-diddle sproing CLANG!

"All right, Teddy," he said, between waves of cacophony. "Are you ready for your supper?"

Teddy dropped the pot lids he'd been wielding like cymbals (CLANG-ang-ang-ang-ang) and held up his arms eagerly. "Aaa." He wasn't talking yet, at more than twelve months old, but he was already a terror on two legs, so Healer Carmichael insisted there was nothing to worry about.

Remus deposited his son in Dora's old high chair and handed him a piece of banana. "Try this first, and then you can have some mashed sweet potato."

Teddy gnawed silently at the banana. The wireless, now uninterrupted, droned on. "Welcome to Wizarding Wireless News. We begin this hour with a look at today's headlines."

Six o'clock. Remus grinned. Dora would be home from work any minute.

"Preparations for tomorrow's festivities proceed at a breakneck pace all over magical Britain."

Remus froze.

Tomorrow?

"In addition to a solemn ceremony led by Minister Shacklebolt on the grounds of Hogwarts School at sunrise, many local parades, speeches, and events are planned all up and down the country."

How had he not realized that was already tomorrow?

He flicked his wand and shut off the wireless with an emphatic click. Teddy looked up, startled.

"Here you go, little lad." Remus smoothed a hand over his son's mussy hair (pale lavender today, like his favourite plush badger). "Sweet potatoes!"

"Aaa," said Teddy again, opening his mouth like a robin hatchling and waiting for the spoon to descend. Remus managed to administer most of a dose of sweet potato, scooping the bits that missed back onto the spoon and waiting for Teddy to open up again.

Tomorrow. Parades, and speeches, and moments of silence. To commemorate the victory, and the losses.

But for Remus, tonight there would be anniversaries too. All night long.

He fed Teddy another spoonful.

"On this night, last year..." He swallowed. "I stood here in this kitchen and I kissed you and your mother goodbye."

Dora's eyes were bright with tears, and Remus could feel his own eyes burn. "I love you," he told her, over and over, stroking her cheek with his thumb, rubbing Teddy's fuzzy turquoise hair with the tip of his finger. "I love you both so very much."

"Be careful." Tears or no tears, her expression was fierce. "You have to come home to us. You have to promise, or I will follow you and make sure you come home again."

"You know I can't promise anything." He buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply—as if he could ever forget her scent—and revelled in the surprisingly strong grip Teddy had on his finger. "But I will do my best...to give Teddy a future, and to come home and live it with both of you."

Dora nodded once, sharply, kissed him very thoroughly, and pushed him away. "Go. And come back."

Remus turned around for one more look before he stepped through the door. Dora stood tall and watched him leave with fire in her eyes.

. * . * .

Tonks pulled off her boots, hung her cloak on a peg by the door, and asked her usual home-from-work question. "Where are my boys?"

"In the kitchen," came the usual answer.

But then Tonks broke from the script. Instead of pausing at the kitchen door to make faces (literally) at her son, she went straight to Remus and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, burying her face in his back.

Remus set down the bowl of mashed sweet potato he was holding and turned in her arms, gathering her close. She heard his heart beating under her ear and sighed, clutching at fistfuls of his jumper.

He pressed his lips to her temple. "Are you all right?"

"Do you know what tonight is? I didn't realise—not until I got to the Ministry this morning—"

"I know," he said softly, brushing a kiss along her hairline. "I know."

"On this night, last year..." She drew an uneven breath. "I let you go without me. And then the owl came."

Tonks stood beside Teddy's cot, staring in terror and fury at the ragged piece of parchment in her hands. The owl had got past the security spells and into Mum's house. Into Teddy's room.

That was supposed to be impossible.

The words in the letter were impossible, too. Bellatrix taunted her, announcing her intention to kill Remus at the battle and then come to kill the rest of the family. Here, in the house. Where Tonks had promised Remus to stay with their son and keep him safe, no matter what.

She'd been itching to join the battle—wasn't fighting the Darkest wizard of them all the epitome of her sworn duty as an Auror?—but she knew perfectly well that she wasn't in proper fighting form, not after giving birth mere weeks ago. And so they had agreed: When the time came, Remus would fight with the Order, and Tonks would stay safe with Teddy. So that if the worst happened, he would still have one parent to raise him.

But the owl had changed everything. Home was no longer safe at all. And someone had to warn Remus—someone had to stop Bellatrix.

"I love you, Teddy," Tonks whispered, kissing her baby's soft cheek and smoothing a hand over his stomach as he slept. "I will always do everything I can to protect you."

She turned and tiptoed away.

. * . * .

Andromeda heard the baby fussing as soon as she stepped inside the door, so she made a beeline for the kitchen without even removing her cloak. But when she got there, she smiled at what she saw.

Remus was spooning sweet potato into Teddy—only, he was trying to do the job one-handed, because Nymphadora was sitting in his lap and his other arm was wrapped snugly around her waist. Judging from the orange streaks smeared across Teddy's face and bib, this was not the most efficient of feeding methods.

Indeed, the dish of potato scooted along the table away from Remus as he tried to scoop some up, and Teddy, tired of waiting, fussed again.

Nymphadora looked up and saw her watching. "Mum." Her daughter slid from her perch on Remus's knee and caught Andromeda up in a fierce hug. "Do you know what tonight is?"

"Of course I do." Andromeda's arms tightened around her daughter. "On this night, last year..." She heard her voice crack. "I waited, and I watched. And I thought I would never see you again." She reached out and rested a hand on Remus's shoulder. "Either of you."

The ticking of the clock sounded eerily loud in the silent house. Andromeda sat bolt upright in a stiff chair in the living room, with Teddy asleep on her lap and her wand pointed at the door. Bellatrix would not touch a hair on her grandson's head—not while Andromeda lived.

If only she could say the same for Nymphadora and Remus. New parents, who hadn't had a full night's sleep since Teddy was born.

What kind of chance would they have in a battle?

"There is only one choice," Nymphadora had said. "If we lose, then what kind of world will there be for Teddy to live in?"

Andromeda knew that her daughter was right.

But that didn't make the waiting any easier.

. * . * .

"Aaaa!" said Teddy, startling Remus out of his morass of memories.

And then—

"Daaa!"

Andromeda gasped.

Dora squealed. "He said 'Daddy'!"

"It's just sounds, Dora," Remus eyed his squirming son, bemused. "It doesn't necessarily mean anything yet."

"The boy is old enough to be talking already, you know," Andromeda countered. "I think it's a word."

"Da!" said Teddy again. He leaned forward in his high chair, pointing at Remus with one chubby, banana-covered finger. "Da da da da!"

Remus gathered the last of the sweet potato onto the little blue spoon and grinned at Teddy. "At any rate, I think it's quite clear that a request is being made." The sweet potato disappeared into the eager sticky mouth.

"It's definitely 'Daddy'." Dora, standing beside the chair where Remus sat, slipped an arm around his shoulders.

"On this night, this year," she said, firmly, "Teddy Remus Lupin said his first word."

. * fin * .

"Warp and Weft" series index

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Comments

[fthpfthpfthp.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That was a lovely bedtime story.

What a wonderful poetry-of-the-everyday you have described here. Their remembrances of the horrible day being interrupted at each turn by the wonders of their present peaceful family life.

I'm still heartbroken over Deathly Hallows. The A/U fics help though.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! poetry-of-the-everyday just made me very happy. I'm really glad you enjoyed this.

I'm still heartbroken over Deathly Hallows. The A/U fics help though.

My thoughts exactly.

[katyhasclogs.livejournal.com]

Lovely. Sweet and sad, light and dark, a perfect combination. Teddy is rather cute too. I've always pictured him as being a Daddy's boy. :)

*Hugs them all, and you too*

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

*hugs back* Thank you -- I'm so glad you liked this, and I'm happy to hear you thought I got the balance of the mood right.

[tegdoh.livejournal.com]

That was just... perfect.
And as far as I'm concerned, Thread is canon!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Aww, thank you so much! :)

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was a lovely post to wake up to today! It really, really does feel like a more real ending to me than the end of DH did! This is Remus as he was always meant to be, stay-at-home daddy, feeding Teddy and not having any more shocking news on the WWN than the Cannons having a freak win against the Harpies. (Who clearly need Ginny Weasley on their team!)

I really like the way you told this, with your use of flashbacks. They make this a realistic AU, I think, depicting two soldiers who carry battle scars even though they won and survived, and it's really effective to see what they almost lost, what they were prepared to give up for their son, against what they held on to, and what they have given him. Also shows how they're not quite secure in this new world without the war; fear is still fresh and raw! And I think that's very realistic for them.

Really love the spin you put on Tonks charging off to battle. A lot of people have a problem with her going off like she does, though I'm not one of them; but I still like that you prompted her, and set up something to put her in the particularly Remus-focused frame of mind we see her in when she turns up at the battle. How very like Bellatrix. And it was also a nice touch that you had Tonks and Remus both exhausted new parents and Andromeda wondering how they'll possibly hold up as soldiers.

But best of all was Teddy saying his first word on this day, to give them something even more personal to remember instead of just marking life by the war. It really is slipping farther away from them, and some of the fear and insecurity will slip away.

Thanks for this! I really do love your AU storyline and hope to see more of it. :)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Hee! You caught the Ginny-foreshadowing!

I'm delighted that you thought the flashback structure worked here to highlight the contrast in their situations then and now. Another reason for doing it this way was that I wanted to be able to write about why I thought Tonks went to the battle, without actually having to write the battle itself (which would break my heart). Doing battle-related flashbacks from the safety of an AU future seemed much more appealing. ;)

I don't have a problem with the basic idea of Tonks deciding to fight at Hogwarts, assuming she was well enough physically to be a asset instead of a security risk for the Order (which leads us right back to the question of Teddy's birthday, heh). But there are so many points I think need explanation about her behavior/characterization that night -- like why she would start off by staying home and then change her mind, instead of going to fight from the start or staying home for good. And -- more disturbingly for me -- why she was acting like her entire reason for being at the battle was simply to find Remus, when I would have expected her to be in professional Auror mode. So the threat from Bellatrix was the best idea I could come up with to set these things up. (Although it still doesn't explain why Tonks started off by hanging out in the Room of Requirement instead of joining the fight or looking for Remus immediately...maybe Molly was trying to keep her there?)

You will eventually see more of this AU 'verse...I hope! We will find out that Kingsley has appointed Remus to head a special project, but his hours are flexible and let him spend most days at home with Teddy. :)

Thanks so much for your kind and encouraging comments.

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

But there are so many points I think need explanation about her behavior/characterization that night -- like why she would start off by staying home and then change her mind, instead of going to fight from the start or staying home for good. And -- more disturbingly for me -- why she was acting like her entire reason for being at the battle was simply to find Remus, when I would have expected her to be in professional Auror mode. So the threat from Bellatrix was the best idea I could come up with to set these things up. (Although it still doesn't explain why Tonks started off by hanging out in the Room of Requirement instead of joining the fight or looking for Remus immediately...maybe Molly was trying to keep her there?)

Isn't it so frustrating? I think that's one of the weakest things JKR wrote in the whole book, because it really has absolutely no logic to it, and I just refuse to believe that Mad-Eye's protegee would act without reason, no matter how little sleep she's had since the baby was born. And it just makes it so devilish to write from Tonks' or Remus' POV in a way that is satisfying. But you've pulled it off here! Especially with an AU ending, lol.

And I'm very excited to see what Kingsley's appointed Remus to. I can guess. ;)

Oh, and btw, I had mashed sweet potatoes for lunch today. Not good as a stand-alone meal -- much better as a side dish -- so Teddy should be very glad he had banana, too.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I just refuse to believe that Mad-Eye's protegee would act without reason -- Hear, hear!

And I'm very excited to see what Kingsley's appointed Remus to. I can guess. ;) -- Yeah, it's not too much of a mystery! It's almost the opposite of working for a typical Unemployment Bureau (where they only have jobs as long as other people don't) -- Remus can start getting paid for his work just as soon as his project succeeds. Kingsley promises to make his salary retroactive, though. ;)

Re: sweet potatoes -- I am such a geek. I went browsing for British baby-food web sites last night so I could pick something plausible for Remus to feed Teddy!

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

LOL The things we research for fanfic, huh?

[under-crisis.livejournal.com]

i agree with mrstater, that was a pretty good reason for dora to come after remus. ever since i read the discussions on the wisdom of that, it's been niggling at the back of my brain...

but the thing that struck me is the first few paragraphs, because you showed just how AU this ficlet is... imagine, germany cooperating with british MoM? removing the ban on flying carpets? and the clincher, the canons, who never won anything in the last 100 years, beating gwenog jones' team? it's so freaky;)

thanks for the special treat, and a lovely look at the life that could have been. it's may 2nd here as i write this (it just turned midnight), so, happy 10th anniv?

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thanks for letting me know you liked this! I'm glad you thought the owl idea worked. Tonks at the battle is a puzzle!

Hee, AU news. Honestly, I've never understood why brooms are okay, but carpets are not... And even the Cannons have to have a good day sometime, right?

(I love your icon, by the way -- I've always liked that art by Hito.)

[pinkhairedauror.livejournal.com]

Oy, this is absolutely lovely! Got me right between crying and laughing all through, really neat work! Thank you for sharing, and they are so so so wonderful a family, together!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! right between crying and laughing is what I was trying to aim for. :)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

If you can see a grinning face reflected on your side of the screen then it's mine.:D (Hope it's not too scary;))

I enjoyed this such a lot. The flashbacks and the contrast of desperate times, when they were soldiers as well as new parents fighting for exactly what they have in the present - a simple, domestic evening for the family, which means so much to them all - works extremely well. I certainly agree that Tonks' behaviour that night seems to have gaps (or jumps) that I wished had been filled in just slightly more in canon, and using Bellatrix as a personal threat nicely answers both why she apparently sudenly changed her mind about fighting and why she was fixated on finding Remus. Teddy, with lavender hair and covered in sweet potato, uttering his first word, is absolutely lovely.

I loved Tonks "literally" pulling faces at him when she comes in, and her greeting of "Where are my boys?" made me swallow hard!

Thank you for this. I'll look forward to many more in your lovely AU verse. Perhaps a prompt or two at Meta soon will fit something you have in mind... ;)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much. I'm happy this made you grin -- and glad to hear you think the Bellatrix threat works as backstory.

I loved Tonks "literally" pulling faces at him
Oops, is "making faces" an Americanism? The "literally" might not work quite as well if I need to change it to "pulling faces"...but I will if that's better phrasing!

And now I'm even more curious about what's coming up at Meta. I'll try to wake up some potential plotbunnies in anticipation. ;)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Oops, is "making faces" an Americanism?

Either, it doesn't matter. :) In your sentence 'making' definitely sounds better. And more Tonks-like anyway?!

And now I'm even more curious about what's coming up at Meta.

There might be a hint tomorrow of what's coming up soon... ;)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Either, it doesn't matter. :)
Good! Thanks. :) Tonks-like is exactly what I was going for.

There might be a hint tomorrow of what's coming up soon... ;)
Ooh, fun! I will keep an eye out.

[belladonna1986.livejournal.com]

I very much like this and your different approachs on the anniversary of the battle of Hogwarts. I like the way Remus takes care of Teddy and the loveliness of it all, it's the way it should have been, but we still have AU left? ;)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think both Remus and Tonks would have made fantastic parents. (*sniff*)

but we still have AU left? ;)
Exactly! ;)

[merryb87.livejournal.com]

This was beautifully done and even though it is an AU, it fallows Cannon very nicely and makes it as though you can believe that it could happen!

You have Remus and Tonks down perfectly, and of course Remus is a stay-at-home Dad, it just makes since! And Dora, with her "Where's my boys?" it just so her!

The flash backs work so well with the story and Dora's decision to go was well done, because she feared the safety of her baby and just wanted to give him a bright future.

I also love the since of peace and hope through out it, you can since that there are still battle scars left and sadness, but I can since calmness and peacefulness that would only grow in the years to come!

I do hope you write more in this time line because you have an amazing talent and I just loved this fic! Great work!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Aww, thank you so much for the kind words and the encouragement! I'm glad you thought the pieces of the story fit together, and that the combination of sadness, hope, and peace I was going for came through for you. And I'm especially happy that you thought this was believable, because even though I know I'm writing AU, I want to try to make it fit with canon as much as possible.

(Remus is a mostly-stay-at-home-dad with a research project he's doing at Kingsley's request. ;) I hope to write about that sometime.)

[carnivalgirl.livejournal.com]

To echo the other reviewers, AU is the finest genre! This was absolutely perfect, I love how you wrote from all their points of view. The letter idea is a masterstroke; I, for one, never believed that Tonks truly abandoned Teddy. It's wonderful to see them all united and being family-ish, and to have something special to remember in place of the war. 'Daddy'...awww. Thank you very much for writing this!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the lovely comments! I used to feel guilty about writing AU, but now I just do it, heh. I'm glad you liked the shifting points of view, and that you thought the threat letter makes a plausible backstory.

[sspring92.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness for AU! this was very nice! I can just see Remus being very silently pleased that his son's first word was "Daddy"!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I figure, if Remus is taking care of Teddy most days, he deserves some major recognition from his son. :)

Thank goodness for AU! -- I am in complete agreement...

Thank you for your comment. I'm glad you liked this!

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is lovely, I've gone all gooey - reading about Remus as a father is bound to do that but you wrote it so well and he was truly adorable. The image of Tonks sitting on Remus' lap as he attempts to feed Teddy with one hand is such a strong on and such a lovely one - three cheers for AU (and you) because that is exactly the kind of family situation we'd all hoped for them and I'm just so glad that you're writing this series.

The explanation for Tonks running of to the battle is fantastic, original and absolutely plausible. I thought your use of flashback was excellent and again the scene where Remus says goodbye to Tonks and Teddy is so clear and full of emotion. I really liked the way you rounded it off with the night becoming less the anniversary of a very difficult event and more the day Teddy Remus Lupin said his first word - and what a great word he said, too. ;)

Really wonderful job you've done here and I'm very much looking forward to more in this series - at Meta perhaps?!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the lovely comments! When I first started playing with this AUverse, I felt guilty about departing from canon, and I was sure that no one would want to read any of this stuff, so it makes me really happy to hear that other people find it as comforting to read as I do to write. I'm glad you like this take on Remus as a father -- I think he'd be fantastic at it.

You're the first person to actually call this a series, but it is turning into one, isn't it! I'll have to make a series index page for it. :)

(Hmm, another hint about something coming up at Meta, eh? ;) I'm looking forward to whatever it is, and if something from this ficverse will work for it, that would be fun to try.)

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Just in case you get an influx of reviewers (which I hope you do!) I thought I'd let you know that I've just posted this

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Oh, my goodness! Thank you so much for the recommendation and your kind words over there!

[hrymfaxe.livejournal.com]

What a lovely piece. The flashbacks worked really well, and you handled the showing of their emotions at that time very believably. :) And nice foreshadowing of the Weasley quidditch star! Oh and *kicks Bellatrix*

And this is really the end I wish for them all, but especially Remus - he has been through too much to have it all stop just as it was becoming good.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your comment! I'm glad you liked the flashbacks, and the Quidditch foreshadowing.

he has been through too much to have it all stop just as it was becoming good. -- YES. *sniff* Which is why I was foolish enough to think he might get a happy ending.

Oh and *kicks Bellatrix* -- Good! >:)

[fics-by-fumph.livejournal.com]

This was just lovely! I've never read any of your fic before, so it's wonderful to find a new author to add to my friends list (if that's ok).

I'm looking forward to catching up with the rest of your fic.

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm very happy that you liked this. Please friend away -- I really enjoyed your story "Beautiful Boy" over at PhoenixSong and look forward to reading more of your fic as well. :)

[sal-lumos.livejournal.com]

I love this fic! And I too have been self-medicating, as it were, still trying to get over the end of DH by reading AU fics. :)

It's such a pleasure seeing Remus at home with Teddy, not angsty, not in pain, just trying to get some mushy baby food down his son.

And I, too, like the Bellatrix owl angle. I for one totally support Tonks's decision to fight at Hogwarts; it suits her personality and if the roles were reversed, Remus most certainly would break his promise to be with her, especially since their son's future truly does depend on the outcome.

Fabulous piece!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for your kind comments!

I was very much looking forward to a post-war future for Remus, a real chance for him to heal and enjoy some well-deserved happiness (*sigh*). As for Tonks at the battle, I wasn't surprised she went, but I was surprised that she seemed focused more on finding Remus than on fighting -- so this was my attempt at trying to make that make sense...

[(Anonymous)]

Gah! You really know how to choke people up, don't you? This was beautiful.

Oh, I was so upset when J.K. Rowling killed them. (I almost didn't read the rest of the book!)

This was a very nice AU fic. It's a shame this could not have really happened. Wait, what am I saying? This is what happened. (Excuse me, I'm in serious denial about their deaths.;)

Teddy is so precious and Remus and Tonks's chemistry with him is just so beautiful.

I was a little disappointed, however, with Rowling for making Tonks take a back-seat to almost everything in DH. Tonks is an Auror for crying out loud! She should have been allowed to go look for Mad-Eye's body with Remus and Bill.

And I was also mad because she made Remus abandon his wife and child and for his irrational explanation for doing so. Furthermore, she led us to believe that everything would work out between them, and them kills them off. What the heck was she thinking!

Sorry, enough raving. I really did enjoy the book. And I also enjoy this fic very much as well.

Keep it up!:)

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the comments! I'm glad you liked the chemistry between the characters here. (You're not the only one who's in denial! ;P )

I agree that it's kind of odd how little we got to see of Tonks in DH -- I completely agree (http://community.livejournal.com/rt_challenge/381187.html) that she should have been involved with the search for Mad-Eye, for example! But since Remus and Tonks are secondary characters, I guess it can't be helped that they didn't get much page space, heh.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, but it's okay, I mean reading stories like yours makes it all seem like it's all going to end well. I was just wondering, though, if you were going to include a Battle of Hogwarts scene in your fanfic.

I'd hate to read about Remus and Tonks's death in one of my favorite R/T writer's fics, but I would be interested in seeing what your take on it would be. I know that you have your "By A Thread" fic, and it is very good and I cried reading it, but I was wondering if you'd actually have when Tonks goes to find Remus in the Battle of Hogwarts and sees him being killed by Dolohov and then she gets killed by Bellatrix.

I love the flashbacks that you had in this one, about Remus leaving Tonks and Teddy, and that sort of counts as a Battle of Hogwarts scene, right there, but I think it'd be interesting to read where they actually get killed. But, then again, that would just be accepting the tragedy of their lives, and I like staying in denial!

But, I definitely think that you would write a wonderful fic if you had to about their deaths.

Anyway, onto happier requests. I've read that you're going to include Teddy's birth in your Kaleidoscope series, but I was wondering if you could also include an actual wedding as well. (as mentioned by you already)

I think that your take on a wedding, as well as Teddy's birth would be absolutely brilliant. I loved your take on Remus's leaving Tonks and then his return. However, I especially loved your take on their honeymoon. The sex was very subtle and sweet. And I loved how Remus was still a gentleman that night, even though he most certainly did not have to be.;)

Sorry, this is a very long comment. But, I love your fics so much. You are amazing.

I just had one question:

If marrying werewolves was illegal, then are Remus and Tonks "legally" married?;P

I wondered that during DH. I'm very glad that they were married, but I had also wondered if they were properly married to one another. Goodness, I hope they were, but if their marriage was illegal that would be a very interesting plot twist. However, I'm sure that J.K. Rowling intended them to be married in the right. But, then again....Mmmm. LOL.

I always imagined that they might have gotten married in the muggle world, or even eloped and then gotten married in another country. Or, as you had mentioned, they found a way into the Ministry and had gotten married, with Molly and Arthur as witnesses, and hopefully a preacher, or whoever weds witches and wizards.

Anyway, delightful fic and I hope that you will be posting new stories soon.

BTW, I read "Messages" a few days ago and it was wonderful!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

I was wondering if you'd actually have when Tonks goes to find Remus in the Battle of Hogwarts and sees him being killed by Dolohov and then she gets killed by Bellatrix.

Heh. Actually, that is one scene I do not ever plan to write. (I think it would hurt too much.) I'm going to end "Kaleidoscope" soon after Teddy is born, and then "By A Thread" will be the next thing in the sequence.

I love the flashbacks that you had in this one, about Remus leaving Tonks and Teddy, and that sort of counts as a Battle of Hogwarts scene, right there

That was exactly my plan, actually. Writing this story allowed me to write a little bit about what happened the night of the battle, but from a safe, denial/AU distance!

I was wondering if you could also include an actual wedding as well

Oh, definitely -- I have a lot of ideas for the wedding fic. I've been sort of saving it in case there's an event at metamorfic_moon and I get some appropriate prompts, but if that doesn't work out I'll certainly write about the wedding anyway. (Actually, you can see all the fics I'm currently planning to include if you peek at the Kaleidoscope index (http://shimotsuki.livejournal.com/5460.html).)

If marrying werewolves was illegal, then are Remus and Tonks "legally" married?;P

I haven't worked out all the details yet for my particular ficverse, but where I think I'm going with this is: (1) the marriage itself is a perfectly legal marriage, because they got married right before a new law went into effect that makes a werewolf unable to sign a marriage license, and (fortunately) the new law can't undo existing marriages. On the other hand, (2) being married to a werewolf also becomes illegal under the new law, so although the marriage is a real one, that very fact has drastic consequences for Tonks's position as an Auror.

BTW, I read "Messages" a few days ago and it was wonderful!

Aw, thanks!

[(Anonymous)]

That makes sense. I even asked my mom about laws abolishing things after they have already happened, and if whether or not it was then illegal! Ha, ha!

Thanks for answering my questions and I really do love your fics! You have such a knack for R/T canon.

I'll be looking foward to reading more R/T!

Thanks, again!