Tonks was several feet ahead of Harry and Lupin as they traipsed across the yard, giving the men a respectable amount of privacy. She spun around and smiled at them, her face wrinkling up as if she were going to sneeze, and suddenly her hair went from dark shoulder-length waves to a sleek, platinum bob.
“Whadd’you think, Remus? Harry? Something more stylish for Paris, eh?” she called to them.
“Lovely! One of the best yet!” Lupin responded, chuckling.
“Brilliant, Tonks!” Harry added. She fluffed the new style with her fingers, pretended to vamp, and promptly tripped over her own feet. Harry glanced over at Lupin and they both burst out laughing.
“Nympha “ Tonks! You alright?” Lupin suppressed his laughter for the moment and hurried over to help her up. Harry could see that she was grinning sheepishly at them through her new blonde bangs as she regained her feet. “Like a swan, so graceful,” Lupin chided her, examining her grass-stained hands and clothes.
“S’ok, green looks good on blondes,” she replied tartly. They looked at each other for a moment, and Harry felt distinctly like he was intruding on something private. Then Tonks shook her head, grinned, and gave Lupin a quick kiss at the corner of his mouth. For good measure, she kissed Harry’s cheek too.
“I know Remus has got something special for you,” she said, “I’ll just go sit “ carefully “ under that tree over there ‘til you two finish up.”
“Thanks, Tonks. And thanks for your help, for performing the Fidelius Charm, it was “ was pretty cool spellwork,” Harry said.
“Cheers, Harry,” and she wandered toward the big maple, whistling to herself. Lupin gazed after her briefly, and Harry had a moment to think of how happy the two of them seemed now, especially considering the listless, cheerless Tonks of last year. Love, he thought, Love. McGonagall said it. Dumbledore’s been saying it to me for years. Guess there’s something to it, after all.
“Harry, I’ve got something for you, that was meant for your seventeenth birthday. It’s from your dad,” Lupin started rooting around in his robes, and Harry’s heart leapt into his throat. A gift from my Dad? “I was actually with your father when he bought it for you “ you couldn’t have been more than a few days old, in fact. I remember “ remember James asking me to tag along when he picked it out, because I think he was afraid our other chums, especially Sirius, would’ve thought it was rather sentimental he was buying a coming-of-age gift for a baby. Which it was, of course, but I for one am glad he did it.” And with that, he pulled a small, grubby package wrapped in plain brown paper out of his robe pocket.
“Thanks, Professor,” Harry replied, trying to clear his throat of the lump that kept threatening to form there. Lupin placed the small object on his palm. It was heavy, despite its size. “Erm…Professor? Why do you have this, now? I mean, if it was from my Dad, how did you get it?”
“After Voldemort killed James and Lily, someone had to handle their affairs,” Lupin began softly, “As you know, Harry, you became the responsibility of your mother’s Muggle sister, but Dumbledore wanted to ensure that your parents’ legacy to you was safe from your aunt or anyone else. All of “ of the funeral and monetary arrangements “ had to be taken care of, and as your mother’s survivors wanted no part of it, and your Dad’s parents had already passed, it was up to your folks’ friends. I was one of the only ones left.” Lupin sighed, looking very tired indeed. “It was a rough time Harry, no doubt about it. Two of my dearest friends were dead, another one presumed dead, and yet another, a convicted murderer, on his way to Azkaban. Most of the wizarding world was celebrating, but I wasn’t. I was sorting through your parents’ belongings and found that -” he pointed at the package “-and remembered James buying it the year before. How proud he was.” And for the first time, Lupin smiled at Harry. “Well, go on! Open it!”
Harry tried to still his shaking fingers, and imagined his Dad and Lupin, choosing a gift for the infant he had been. He could almost picture them, Lupin less ragged, his hair grey-free, clapping his father on the shoulder, James Potter, proud, excited, hopefully a little less cocky than the fifteen-year-old Harry had seen in the Pensieve a few years ago. James Potter, forever frozen at age twenty-six, still enough of the star Quidditch Chaser in him to feel a bit silly buying a sentimental gift for his baby son.
Harry unwrapped the little package and a beautiful engraved silver pocket-watch and chain gleamed on his palm. His initials were carved across the front in bold letters. He lifted the watch open, and gasped. Tiny constellations revolved on a dark blue background in the silver mouth created by the watch’s two halves, the hour and minutes swirling in a tiny circle around a central star. “Wow,” Harry breathed. He didn’t feel capable of saying much else.
Lupin chuckled. “A bit showy, but your Dad was very proud, Harry. He’d be even more proud of you now. It was my pleasure “ no, my honor “ to be the one to pass this gift onto you.”
Harry placed the watch carefully in his pocket, and reached out to shake Lupin’s hand. “Thank you, sir. And “ and “ I don’t just mean for giving me the watch. Thanks for taking care of everything “when, well, when you know.”
“Of course, Harry, I wouldn’t have done anything but. You’re the last person I need to explain friendship to,” Lupin shook Harry’s hand vigorously in both of his.
“Erm…Professor?” Harry had just remembered something else he needed to say. “I know “ I know that I just appointed Ron Secret Keeper so that you and the rest of the Order could use Number 12 as headquarters again, but “ but I was wondering “ I was hoping, to, well, look around myself this week before the Order started using it again?”
Lupin gazed at him appraisingly for nearly a minute. Harry felt as if all of his secrets were written plainly across his face. “Of course, Harry. I understand…you haven’t been back to Grimmauld Place since Sirius’ death and the place is rightfully yours. Just, promise me you’ll be careful, and don’t stay in the house alone. There’s lots of questionable, if not outright Dark, magic in the Black family house. Take your friends along, ok?”
Harry nodded. “Of course, Professor.”
Lupin paused, apparently decided whether or not to say something further. “Harry, look. I know that Dumbledore had a theory, a plan, for destroying Voldemort. I don’t know all in entailed, but based on the different things he had Order members working on, including myself, I have an idea. I also know that he was confiding certain things to you because of your “ well, unique, let’s call it, connection with Voldemort.” Lupin stopped again, pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed. “I just want you to know, that I’d never try to stop you from fighting this battle. It’s yours just as much, if not more, than most people’s. Molly Weasley, she’s well-intentioned but is trying to protect her loved ones. And she’s not alone. All of us are trying to hold onto what we have, the people that make life worth living. But, despite that, I respect your need to take action. You can confide in me, if you need to. If there’s anything you might need help with.” Lupin searched Harry’s face again.
Harry took a deep breath. He almost told Lupin everything. Almost. With Sirius gone, Lupin was the closest thing Harry had to an adult confidante. But, something stayed his tongue. “Thanks, Professor. But “ but, no, there’s nothing I need help with. Everything’s fine.”
“Nothing’s fine, Harry, but I’ll leave you be, for now at least,” Lupin clapped him on the shoulder, shook his hand again. “Take care, Harry, and stay in touch. Tonks and I will be in Paris the next few weeks, at least, if you need to find us.” Lupin walked toward Tonks, who stood up, brushing her robes off. They both waved at Harry, spun in place, and were gone.
Harry turned towards the Burrow, his hand stuffed deep into his pocket, gripping the solid, real weight of the watch his father had purchased for him seventeen years ago. He pulled it out, and again, it gleamed at him, a promise from a lost time. And for the first time since Dumbledore had toppled over that tower on the darkest of nights, Harry felt capable of the task ahead. His Dad was with him again. It was time to start fighting.
The Time is Now by Hermione816
Chapter Notes: Before heading to Paris, Lupin gives Harry a gift seventeen years in the making.