[Spitfire : Chapter Eighty-Eight]

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30 April, 1998

The eleventh of April was a hectic day of birthday celebration, and rushed labor. Eventually, by midnight, both Weasley twins were significantly undone by colossal quantities of fire shikey, and a baby was born. Teddy Lupin came mid-day, delivered by Mrs. Weasley after Remus panicked, and apparated his wife there before St. Mungos. The delivery was smooth on Tonks' end, hardly painful except for the climax of her pushes. Teddy faced other challenges as he came out with a blue face and umbilical-noose wrapped around his neck.

He was quickly saved, but Tonks grew exceedingly worried over her son's health following the incident. She denied any visits, and banned anyone from under gereatric-age from visiting her son. Finally, after several weeks of convincing, Tonks allowed many masked friends take their first glances at her son. On the thirtieth of April, Cassie, Sirius, and the twins were invited to visit.

George declined his invitation to visit, traumatized by his two younger siblings' time as infants. Fred, grudgingly, went alongside Cassie who had a ridiculous one-sided grudge against her metamorphmagus second-cousin. Sirius was ecstatic to meet the baby, practically ripping the two from bed at eight o'clock in the morning.

By noon, they were outfront of the cottage of Remus and Tonks Lupin, waiting excitedly for a response at the door. Sirius' foot tapped rapidly against the cement porch, cracking every knuckle like he hadn't just cracked it seconds before. Cassie planted a hand on his shoulder, "Do I have to call a doctor?"

"Why?" he spun around, "everything alright?"

"Oh yeah, we're fine," Cassie assured, "you, however, look like you're about to pop a blood vessel."

Sirius glanced at Fred, "So does he."

Now it was Cassie's time to spin around, and she was faced with her boyfriend red in the face, and gnawing on his fingernail. "Why are you all stressed out?!" Fred shrugged, not removing his hand from his mouth. She turned back to face her father, "Why are the two of you so riled up, it's just a baby!"

Before either of them could respond, the door swung open to reveal Remus. His eyes carried bags the size of baby hippogriffs, but he wore a welcoming smile that was more relaxed than his usual grins. "Hi mate," he greeted Sirius, "Cas, Fred, how d'you do?"

"Fine," Cassie answered, smiling. She suddenly felt guilty for being so wide-awake as the man in front of her looked ready to fall over, and nap. "You?"

"Fairly well, thank you for asking." He bowed his head, "Ready to meet the baby?"

Sirius stopped tapping his foot, regaining his posture as if he wasn't dying in his form moments before. "'Course, mate, why else are we here?"

"To beat him up for knocking up your little cousin," Fred mumbled, Cassie punched him in the shoulder. She then pulled an old hospital mask from her robe pocket and put it on her face, either loop holding it in place.

"His name is Teddy, yeah?"

"Edward, really." Remus corrected, "Tonks prefers we call him 'Teddy' like how they did with her father."

From the background she shouted, "Quit talkin' 'bout my da' and bring 'em in here!" Followed by the shout was an infant's whine, something causing a shiver to go down Sirius' back.

"The missus wants ya," Remus chuckled, opening the door wider to lead them in. Cassie had never been in the Lupin household before, and was pleasantly surprised to find it heavily decorated in magical and muggle plants alike. If there wasn't some oddly-large venus flytrap, there was a vine slithering up a branch like a snake. While it did unsettle Cassie a bit, she easily forgot the predicament ahead of her when she spotted Tonks and her baby.

"Wotcher, Snow," Tonks greeted, not many people called Cassie by her former surname anymore, so Cassie felt nostalgic from the address. "Weasley, Sirius. How's ye' Thursday been?"

"Marvelous," Sirius responded, eyeing the sleeping infant. "Wow, lad's got a whole head of hair, doesn't he?"

"Occasionally," Tonks sighed, "today it appears so."

Cassie's heart plummeted . . . 'occasionally?'

Sirius' mouth fell agape, "You're not saying . ."

Fred sobered up from his previous moments of silence, and dread. He punched Cassie softly on the shoulder, laughing, "Another one!"

Tonks grinned, "Showed it right when he was born, every time he cried he went bald as an old man!"

"Oi Moony," Sirius cheered, "we both got switchy-kids!"

Cassie looked toward her father, wearing a face of disgust. "Pardon?"

The infant in Tonks' arms began to squirm at the loud noise, his face scrunching before relaxing again. Next, his eyes open, revealing a similar chocolate brown to his fathers. Tonks looked toward Cassie, ignoring the younger girl's snotty behavior, "you want to hold him?"

Cassie wanted to say 'no' primarily due to the fact Tonks made her want to rebel constantly, to the fullest extent, but she couldn't hold in the inability to deny the offer. Cas nodded, stepping forward and offering out her arms. Right there and then, Cassie realized sh4e's never held a child before. At least, not one so small and fragile. Her hair glistened white with worry as Tonks stood up and cautiously placed the child into her arms. Teddy squirmed a bit, his sighltless eyes struggling to stay open. Finally, with the young metamorphmagus comfortable in her arms, Cassie allowed herself to relax a bit. "My Gods, he's adorable!"

Fred walked over, now wearing a mask and peeking over Cassie's shoulder at the baby. "Why's he eyeing you up? Mum told me babies were practically blind at this age."

"He can see when things are up close," Tonks said, observing her son. "He's probably noticing Cassie isn't me, he does it with Remus and immediately cries. It's loud, but heartwarming."

Cassie went wide-eyed, "Should I be expecting anything?"

Tonks thought about it for a moment, "I don't think so, if he hasn't cried by now I think you should be good. Hm, it's odd . . . perhaps he can feel our gift in you."

"Is that even possible?" Fred asked, his mask was now pulled below his nose.

"Over your nose, mate, otherwise wearing it would be for nothing." Tonks said, motioning toward his mask. "And I dunno, there isn't much known in metamorphmaguses yet. It sounds accurate, doesn't it? A werewolf can detect another werewolf, why can't we detect each other?" The infant's head turned, and Cassie's heart leapt. Immediately following the sudden movement, Teddy began wailing. He sounded like a squeaky toy, not having enough lung capacity to properly cry. Tonks smiled, "Oh no, no, no, why are we crying, eh?"

Panicked, Cassie backed into Fred after Tonks took back her son. "I'm sorry!"

"It's alright, lass, you didn't do nothing." said Tonks, Teddy went immediately silent in her arms. "He's just a baby, he cries."

Cassie slowly nodded, looking around the room. Sirius had gone into the kitchen with Remus, the two talking as Remus poured them both glasses of soda-mixed rum. Fred placed a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped. Chuckling, he spoke. "You alright?" Tonks had entered the kitchen with her husband and cousin, fixing to prepare a bottle of fridge-stored breast milk for her son.

Cassie spoke quickly. "Yeah, why, what's up?"

"Nothing, you just seem . . . off?"

"Off?"

"You seem like how I was before we came in here," Fred explained.

"And how was it you were feeling?"

"Nervous, like I was going to witness something terrible," Fred said. "I can still feel it . . . a happy family, a new addition to the family. Blessings like these never end happily."

Cassie understood how he felt, while she hadn't felt it at first, she surely felt it now. Differing from his concerns, Cassie was more worried of ruining the family herself. When she held the infant, she felt like a giant holding a very delicate fly. With any movement, she'd end up harming the baby and even ending its life. And she knew she had the power to do so, as she had killed a man many months before during Bill and Fleur's wedding without blinking an eye. "Nothing'll happen Fred, w-we're protected. They're protected."

"I know, I'm thinking irrationally," Fred sighed, he placed an arm around her waist. "Just livin the war-life, isn't it lovely?''

"Positively gruelling, my dear. But better with you," Cassie grinned, leaning up to plant a kiss on the tip of his nose.

Fred looked ahead toward the kitchen, Sirius was now holding Teddy, feeding him a bottle as his friend watched over him. Tonks was gone, most likely taking five minutes of peace and quiet before Teddy realized Sirius Black wasn't his mummy. "Have you ever thought about having a baby?"

Cassie's heart stuttered, "Er, no. Why, have you?"

He shrugged, "Not much, but recently . . a little."

Cassie turned to face him, a smirk arising on her pale lips, "You . . you want a baby? With me?"

Fred looked away, the tips of his ears turning red with embarassment, "I mean, who else would it be with?"

"Good answer," Cas tutted, she then quickly sobered up to respond to her boyfriend. "I . . . I never thought about having kids, haven't really thought much about my future, either. But I'm not against the idea, I don't think."

Fred grinned, growing excited. "It doesn't even have to be ours, we can just get someone else's elses, iof you want! Mum always said how dreadful pregnancies were."

"There are so many ways to say that, Fred, but I understand where you're getting." Cassie giggled, she immediately cringed at the action. Fred noticed and smiled. "Don't say a word, you're not that funny."

"That little 'hehe' tells differently," he teased. "I uh, I know I brought up the whole thing but . . . we should wait, y'know. If we have kids."

"Oh, that's already given," Cassie frowned, "I am not bringing anyone into this world if there's the slightest possibility that either of us would be gone within the start of their life/ And I'm not letting some poor child get close to us, to finally form bonds after whatever trauma they've been through, just for their strength to be broken. Dumbledore had my back, gave me Kendra to grow up with, but everyone's now in as much danger as anyone else. I-I can't risk it, I can't ruin a poor kid's life."

Fred was silent for a moment, "That's alright, Cas, no one's in a rush. I'll be here for as long as you need, and I trust you'll do the same for me."

Cassie pursed her lips, "Hmmmm, I don't know, patience isn't really my best virtue . . ."

Fred shoved her, and she returned the gesture. While he fell back into the sofa, he grabbed onto Cassie's wrist and pulled her on top of him. As Cassie awkwardly laid on top of her boyfriend, Sirius entered the room wide-eyed. Quickly, she jumped off of him and stoof eye-to-eye with her faher. Quickly regaining himself, he chuckled, "Uh, w-when i was in the kitchen you two seemed to be in a very important conversation . . . came out here to ask if everything was alright."

"Oh yeah, fine," Cassie began, grinning sweetly.

"We've decided we want kids!" Fred finished. Sirius' face fell, and Remus exited the kitchen behind him with wide eyes, and a crumb-covered face.

"Kids?!" Remus asked, "did you say you're having a kid?!"

"One day, we're just not ready right now." Cassie said.

"Right now . . ." Sirius went pale, "You're pregnant right now?!"

"Oh, that's marvelous!" Remus said, his expression bright and genuine.

Cassie panicked, "No, no, I said we're not ready!" From behind her, Fred was snickering. He set them up and he knew it.

"Oh," Remus covered his mouth with his hand, and then to hide his surprise, he used it to scratch his back. "I- erm, I'm sorry? I could get Tonks if you want to talk about it, she could help you get an appointment at the clinic."

"Huh?!" Sirius was still in shock. "You two have had sex?!"

"Yes," Fred replied

Simutaneously, Cassie answered 'no!'

"Spitfiiiire . . ." Fred cooed, "there's nothing wrong with having sex!"

Sirius turned from them, stressed, "I'm going to be a grandfather. I-I'm too young! My hair's still black, wrinkles are scarce, I can do this--," he kicked a leg high in the air, much further than Cassie could ever attempt. "I can't be a grandpa! I'm practically still a kid!"

"Mate," Remus said, cringing. "You're not, believe me."

"I'm not pregnant!" Cassie shouted, the tint of a whine in her voice.

"Good, you're practicing for tomorrow." Fred jested, Cassie restrained herself from hitting him again. Fiona said it was concerning, and that people looked at them oddly when she'd whack him in public.

"Moony, catch me, I might faint." Sirius said, planting the back of his hand onto his forehead.

"What the bloody hell are you guys up to?" Tonks asked, emerging from the stairway. She had her baby in one arm, and a folded robe in the other. "Sirius, get yourself together, you look foolish. Remus, clean up your face dear there's crumpet in your stash. Cassie--what's going on?"

"They think I'm pregnant!"

Tonks went wide-eyed. "Are you?!"

"NO!" Cas exasperated, she pointed towards Fred who was red in the face from laughing. "He set me up!"

Tonks rolled her eyes, planting the robe onto the arm of the sofa and pointing toward the door. "Weasley, you menace, get in the front yard. You'll drive her to pieces. Remus, why is there still crumpet on your face?"

He blushed, "I--"

"Never mind that, just go in the kitchen and wash yourself up." Tonks looked toward Sirius, "Quit your drama, fool. She's not pregnant. And if she was, this isn't a moment of despair--just celebration! Go get yourself together, and calm down. There's some mary-jane in the washroom if you need it."

Silently, nodding his head thoughtfully, Sirius excused himself toward the washroom. Leaving Cassie and Tonks alone in the room with a slumbering infant. Tonks sighed, "I hate using that voice, I sound like my mum."

"They're ridiculous," Cassie huffed, crossing her arms. "Couldn't get a word out!"

"Their Marauders, being drama queens is the numer one requirement of the ruddy group." Tonks joked, "especially with Sirius--he's been the biggest fool since I met him."

"Doesn't act like that with me," Cassie sighed. "Every movement I make it's like he's inherited Madam Pince's personality."

"You're his kid, and he found you as an infant bloodied up in the arms of your dead mother,'' Tonks said bluntly, "of course he'd act accordingly. If he didn't, he'd win a spot as 'Britain's Worst father.'"

Cassie nodded her head, growing uncomfortable as she stood alone with Tonks. Causing a shift in mood, she sat down on the sofa into a comfortable position Teddy agreed with. "Sit down, lass, you're making me tired standing up like that." Grudgingly, Cassie followed in suit. Fred should be arriving back soon, hopefully. "I know you don't like me," Tonks began, "but I've got a favor to ask of you." With her cheeks turned red, Cassie nodded. "Be there for Teddy."

"Yeah?"

Tonks nodded, smiling. "I've never had the best luck, so my deal in this war is uncertain, but I am going to ensure everyday that Teddy is safe. Even if that means I'll lose my own life, or if Remus will lose his. But no matter what, I want someone to be there for him to lean back on. You don't have to be an auntie, nor a mentor, just . . . just be a friend."

"I--of course," Cassie said, "w-why me?"

"Because Ginny's too young," Tonks jested, "and because I see fire in you. Fred's nickname for you isn't too far off. I know you'd protect him no matter what, I heard what you did for that little girl on the night of Dumbledore's death. And then the child at Bill's wedding. You're a protector, a patronus embodied, you're like me."

"That's . . . very sweet of you," Cassie's heart panged with guilt. "I'll do my best, I promise. I'm sorry for always being so--"

"Bitchy?"

"Precisely," Cassie mumbled, blushing. "I suppose I have an issue with jealousy. It's not like I don't like you, I just don't like . . not being the go-to metamirphmagus in London."

"Fair enough," Tonks shrugged, "I tried begging my mum to 'make you go away' when you were born, I was five . . . but I suppose the metamorphmagus-jealousy runs in the Black family bloodline."

"We could just be irrational, since it's just the two of us," Cassie snickered.

"And him," Tonks reminded, "want to hold him again? He's asleep, so he shouldn't cry this time."

"Er, yeah, sure," Despite her reaction, Cassie was quite excited to say 'yes.' She held out her arms, waiting for the infant to be placed like a tray of food.

"Alright, mask up," Tonks said, Cassie quickly followed orders and was handed the baby. She quickly got comfortable, and was delighted to find Teddy stayed asleep. Tonks then stood up, stretching and then placing on the robe she brought out. "Great! Now, I believe your bonding time shall begin. Remus and I are going to stop at Hogsmeade to get a good meal. Diapers are upstairs, in his bedroom, and there's some breast milk in the fridge. Make sure to warm it up a bit before giving to him, armpits work best."

"Wait, you're leaving?"

Tonks turned and called Remus, who entered the room looking as ready as her. "Yep, just for a couple hours. No need to worry, lass."

Cassie looked to Remus, "You're allowing this to happen?" She asked, dumbfounded.

Remus shrugged, "Lady wants what the lady wants."

"And this lady wants a mocha-mixed butterbeer," Tonks said, "Rem, is Sirius alright?"

"Yeah, just fine. Put him in the guest room, but he should be out soon ready to make a meal for four." Remus said.

Cassie looked down at the sleeping boy in her arms . . . only to discover he was awake, staring back at her. She would've yelped if she hadn't held her mouth shut. Cassie watched as the boy's hair turned blue, mimicking Cassie's head of hair. Going wide-eyed, a warm rush went through her heart. Tonks and Remus were too busy to notice, preparing for their first outing since becoming parents. However, Fred noticed as he walked into the home after regaining himself. He smiled, and Cassie grinned back. And moments later, Teddy's parents left.

Five minutes after that, chaos began. Teddy blew up his zero-month diaper, and Sirius decided he was craving some medium-rare steaks after ingesting some mary-jane.

AUTHORS NOTE

ah shit, *bites lower lip seductively* whasss poppingggggg

i hate this!

4-5 regular chapters, and 1 epilogue until the end of this story. get your tissues ready.

happy pride month!!

vote and comment if you liked this chapter, or if you just want to be nice—it'd be appreciated. (:

June 27, 2021
3,243 words