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Chapter 3 - You Just Know

He was bent over his desk, writing, taking notes, crafting charms that needed wands and words to be activated by a wave of a hand, a feeling of intention.

Henry Peverell was the crazy town librarian, a library so small the contents could be held in a medium sized shed. But it was his place of solace. The most frequent visitors were children, children that rather liked Mr. Rell's magic tricks.

It was with regret he locked up for the night and began his walk home. His salary didn't allow for him to own a car. He rented a room from a sweet cat lady -a squib, which took nearly all his paycheck. But anything was better than living with his foster family.

He had a bit in his pocket tonight, and it being a Friday night, he decided to head to the pub.

Which is where he met her; Naomi Lupin.

She was a pretty young girl, with wispy sandy-brown hair and large honey-gold eyes. She was not, perhaps, the most beautiful woman in the room, but Henry was attracted to her bell-like laugh and the way she waved her delicate hands around as she talked.

Naomi was rather flustered by Henry's attention, she could not imagine a man being interested in her, for she had claw marks all across the left side of her body. Her face was marred so that corner of her mouth was tilted down in a half grimace.

Henry did not care, for he had his own scars from a childhood not worth calling a childhood.

He pursued her, and that night, she brought him home to her small house across town. She -unlike him, had a car. She was a manager of a chain restaurant downtown.

Unclothed, she had yet more scars, and he kissed every one of them.

In the morning, he made her breakfast, and she dropped him off at work.

She never called him again after that, though he had been sure to leave his number.

Months passed and he feared his chances with her were over.

But one day she parked in front of the library as he was closing up. When she got out of the car, he saw that she had brought with her an addition.

His addition.

"I can't do this alone," she gasped, leaning against the car, looking to be in the grips of some great pain, a hand to her rotund stomach.

He ran to her. "Did your water break?" he asked.

She nodded, biting her lip.

He offered her his hand and helped her into the back seat. As he was about to shut the door, she caught his wrist, "Will you marry me?"

"What?" he asked, startled.

"Marry me," she said roughly.

He had always wanted a family, and whether this was his baby or not -it could have been. He or she could be his child.

And he had always wanted a family.

"Yes," he said.

She nodded, "Then drive to the court house, I don't want my son to be born a bastard."

"A hospi-"

"We are getting married today!" she screamed at him.

He didn't argue after that. They signed the paperwork in the parking lot and just managed to make it to the hospital before their son started emerging into the world.

Henry moved in with his new wife and newborn child. The boy they named Theodore Lupin Peverell, though they called him Teddy.

It was the happiest six months of Henry's entire life, although Naomi was withdrawn and skittish, as if she expected monsters to come out of the closest.

One evening, Henry took his son out for a walk, the weather too pleasant to remain indoors.

Naomi Peverell stayed home, she did not like to be outside when the light from the sun faded.

When Henry returned from watching the sun set behind the hills, he found his life irrevocably changed.

A snake and skull floated above their house.

Harry woke with a shout. He hadn't remembered falling asleep, but his dream was sharp in his mind, more like a memory than a nightmare.

He scanned the bedroom, "Teddy!" he called, his son wasn't beside him.

Teddy emerged from the small bathroom.

"Teddy," he sighed in relief and opened his arms, the little boy came running. And Harry hugged him tight. Teddy was his only reason to be, and he would rewrite this world over to ensure he had a better future. If that meant playing nice with Blacks, if that meant going to Dumbledore begging for a job, Harry would do anything for his son.

"Bad dreams, Daddy?" he asked, petting and pulling Harry's hair.

Harry sighed, "Not initially. But they were certainly strange."

And far too realistic.

"What's that?" Teddy asked suddenly, pointing over his shoulder.

Harry turned and lifted a piece of paper of the bedside table.

It was a photograph, the figures waved at them, well aside from the infant who merely smiled toothlessly at the camera. It was a picture Harry could not remember posing for, though it was certainly him, and beside him stood the woman from his dreams, and the house behind her was also from his dreams.

"Mommy!" Teddy said, pointing at the woman with the claw scars as if he had seen the photograph before.

Harry flipped it over and felt his blood run cold.

Henry, Naomi, and Teddy Peverell.

Dated: a place out of time and space.

At this point Harry was concerned; rapid time travel, fine. Helping and getting 'persuaded' to dinner by Bellatrix Black, fine. But memories and photographs of his that weren't really his -or were they?

"Can I keep it, Daddy? Please?" Teddy asked.

Harry didn't want to give him an image of a family that wasn't really his. But technically, Naomi Lupin would have been his great aunt, and besides that it would help keep their secrets safe. He gave the photograph to Teddy who waved at the figures who waved back at him, smiling.

Harry really didn't want to know the repercussions or legalities of time traveling were or what DMLE might make up.

He looked up at the door, wondering-

Harry jumped when he saw who was standing at the foot of the bed.

Kreacher, who looked younger but not much better than he remembered, was staring at them silently.

"Er, hello," Harry said, careful not to say his name.

"Kreacher came to tell guests that breakfast will be served soon."

"Right, thanks Kreacher, we will be down soon."

Kreacher stared at him with large unblinking eyes.

Harry decided right then and there that, no, time travel wasn't the weirdest thing going on here.

Sirius was waiting for them in the hall and he all but skipped down the stairs talking a mile a minute. Harry smiled and Teddy threw in the odd comment, Sirius was talking much to fast for the toddler to keep up but Teddy had a knack for fitting whatever he had to say into relevance.

At the base of the steps Walburga, and Sirius went down on his butt and sprinted toward the dining, successfully avoiding his mother from wacking him upside the head.

"Be silent, you ungrateful wretch!" She screamed at him.

Harry needed to get out of this house. "I need to get going. Thank you so much, Mrs. Black for your hospitality."

Sirius ducked back around the door frame, not looking at all surprised that Harry was on his way out, "Best of luck getting the job! Hope to see you in September!"

"You can apparate out of the greeting room," Walburga said, not sounding sad to see the back of him.

Harry had just been astounded that wanted him here in the first place, he and Teddy were wearing muggle clothes after all.

Clothes, just one more thing they would need that they couldn't avoid.

"Bye Padfoo!" Teddy said as Harry waved.

Turning on his heel, he nearly walked into Narcissa. Her hair seemed to glow in a beam of like coming in from one of the small windows.

"It was lovely to meet you, Mr. Peverell."

He nodded, "Miss Black." He walked around her to the next room.

"Mr. Peverell," she called just as he pulled out his wand. And whatever she would have said was lost as he was pulled away by his own spell.

They appeared on the outskirts of the Hogwarts and with Teddy in his arms, Harry began the long walk to the castle.

He kept looking over his shoulder, into the trees along the road, the feeling that someones or somethings were looking at them inexplicable.

On that walk, he thought of how he would present his case to Dumbledore.

Hey, Albus, this job is cursed but I'm the best candidate because -well, because I'm the best.

"Daddy, I'm hungry," Teddy said, pulling down on the collar of his shirt.

"There will be food at the castle," Harry said, knowing that among Dumbledore's faults, inhospitality wasn't one of them.

They had just gotten to the grounds when they spotted a familiar face. Teddy waved both arms, and Harry made a detour at once.

Hagrid.

The half-giant paused upon seeing them and in typical Hagrid fashion, he waved a big hand back, smiling back. He looked much the same, though his hair was darker without any grey and his cheeks were a bit more full.

"Ello," Hagrid greeted warmly, "And who might you two be?"

"Henry Peverell, and this is my son, Teddy Peverell."

"Hi!" Teddy greeted, knowing perfectly well who Hagrid was.

Since Hagrid and Minerva were the two visitors they received most often, more so even than Hermione and Ron.

Harry's break up with Ginny hadn't gone over well with the Weasleys, and he hadn't made time to repair any bridges between them.

"My name is Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

"Hagrid, I'm hungry," Teddy told him.

Hagrid grinned, "You're in luck! I made scones. I just finished feeding my hippogriffs, so the scones should be ready now."

"We couldn't possibly impose," Harry said.

"Nonsense! I'll be glad for the company."

"Alright then, thank you," he said as Teddy grinned at being in the company of what were perhaps his two favorite people in the world.

Not having the typical greeting of Fang was the only thing truly different about Hagrid's hut. He served Harry tea and a blueberry scone and Teddy a large mug of milk and a chocolate scone. Teddy, knowing the ropes, immediately dunked his scone in the milk to let it soften.

"Thank you, Mr. Hagrid," Harry said.

"Thank you!" Teddy echoed, holding his scone down in his milk as if he were trying to drown it.

Hagrid flushed, "Hagrid is fine, no mister needed."

"I must insist you call me Rell then, that's what my friends call me." He didn't add that most of his friends weren't entirely potty trained yet. But that's what one gets when you become a social recluse, outside of work.

"Rell," Hagrid grinned, "What brings you to Hogwarts then?"

"I was hoping to apply for a job. Do you know if the DADA job is still available."

Hagrid laughed, "That job is always open. Bad luck that position is."

Harry shrugged, "Yeah, a lot of that lately."

"How about you, Teddy, hoping to see anything at Hogwarts?"

"Dragons!" Teddy looked up smiling.

Hagrid's warm laughter filled the hut and their conversation quickly turned into a discussion about dragon keeping and dragon lore.

After Harry finished his second cup of tea, he said, "I think I better go see if the Headmaster is in."

Teddy's expression fell, and Hagrid offered, "I can look after him for a bit, if you like? I have a litter of half-kneelzes that I would sure like a hand with."

His son looked up at him with large, pleading, emerald eyes.

Harry smiled, "That sounds like a marvelous idea. I cannot thank you enough, Hagrid."

Hagrid grinned, his cheeks slightly pink, he looked a bit relieved and rather pleased. Harry realized that it probably wasn't often people trusted him, it was one reason he had always been so loyal to Dumbledore.

But Harry knew Hagrid, and one was always safe with Hagrid -unless one was discussing blast-ended skrewts.

Harry guessed the password on the fourth try, blood-pops. At the top of the steps, he knocked and a cheery, "Come in!" answered him.

The room was just as it had been before Harry's sixth year. And seeing a younger, healthy Albus sitting behind his desk stole Harry's breath away. So many feelings, so many regrets, and sorrows, but in the end, it boiled down to being grateful for simply seeing this man alive, with his colorful robes and twinkling eyes before him.

For better or for worse, Albus Dumbledore had been his hero, his family, and Harry could not be anything but relieved to see him alive.

"Hello, my dear sir, I don't believe we have had the honor of meeting," Dumbledore greeted.

Harry stepped into the room with a benign smile, "Hello, Sir, my name is Henry Black Peverell. I've come in hopes that you are still accepting applications to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Position."

Dumbledore looked at once suspicious and intrigued, "Well then, I will be happy to inform you that I am indeed looking for a professor for that position. I am, as I am sure you know, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Am I correct to assume you did not attend school here? I believe I would have remembered you."

"I did not graduate from Hogwarts," Harry confirmed, which wasn't a lie.

"Please, have a seat. Lemon drop?" He motioned toward the little glass box at the front of his desk.

Harry nodded and wandlessly lifted the lid, taking three drops out before gently returning the lid.

Dumbledore observed him carefully and when Harry made eye contact, he felt a twinge on his awareness. But Harry had had too many sleepless nights and extreme paranoia not to re-approach Occlumency more seriously. Dumbledore couldn't even scratch the surface, and Harry made no indication that he noticed anything out of the ordinary.

"Well, Mr. Peverell, would you care to tell me which institution you did attend?"

"My muggle foster family refused to let me attend Hogwarts -or any freak-school. I am largely self-taught." Again, it wasn't much of a lie, yes, he had learned quite a bit at Hogwarts, be it was hardly anything to what he had been able to teach himself in the last three years. Since the end of the war, Harry had found himself quite more powerful than anyone had given him credit for.

"And you feel that you are qualified to teach at a school as prestigious as Hogwarts?"

"I do. Magic is not something reserved for those who attend private school."

"True enough, you said you foster family is muggle. Surely with the names Black and Peverell, you are not muggleborn."

"No, my parents were murdered by a dark wizard when I was a year or so old. I have only the briefest of memories of them. Don't ask me who they were, I don't know anything but for what the goblins deemed to tell me, which wasn't much."

"Are you related to Ignotus Peverell?"

"Yes, that much I was told. He didn't leave much of a legacy," not one that Harry had wanted anyway.

"Forgive me, but do you know the name of the dark wizar-"

"Tom Riddle," Harry said at once. He wouldn't be playing games with this. One way or another Riddle would end up being after him, and Harry wanted to do as much damage before he caught on. "He calls himself Voldemort."

Dumbledore went very quiet, observing Harry over his half-moon glasses.

Fawkes trilled and flew to Harry's lap, settling himself as if they were old friends. As he began petting the firebird, Dumbledore seemed to relax.

"Do you have experience with teaching?"

Harry nodded, "I do. I ran a library for a few years, school groups came through often for programs. I have also spent the last two years working full time at a daycare. These were muggle institutions of course, but I can assure that my abilities in Defense and Charms are most excellent."

"Daycare?" Dumbledore asked with a smile, "I cannot say I've heard of a young wizard who has worked at a muggle daycare before. What was your motivation?"

"After my wife passed, my son grew very quiet. I couldn't quite bare to be apart from him, so I found a job at a daycare and enrolled him there. I found the work quite rewarding."

"But you chose to leave?"

"Someone burned down my house."

"My sincerest apologies, do you know-"

"No," Harry said with a bit more anger than he intended, "And the Goblins have been less than helpful. We lost everything. Everything. I stayed away from the wizarding world because I didn't believe it was safe, but now I find that nowhere is safe. I am a teacher, Headmaster Dumbledore, and I would like to do my part in helping to keep the next generations safe for what's coming."

"And what is coming, Mr. Peverell?"

Harry gave him a hard look, "I might not have graduated from Hogwarts, but my wife did. She told me enough, and for the short time we had together she lived in terror of the rising unrest in this world."

Dumbledore raised a brow, "Who was your wife?"

"Naomi Lupin."

Dumbledore's eyes went very wide, and he leaned back in his seat. Harry could see the shimmer of tears in his eyes. "Naomi has been missing for a number of years… We had hoped…" he couldn't finish.

Harry looked down at the bird in his lap, his own chest tight, the memory of Naomi was fresh, and the pain of her loss was twisted together with Andromeda's death.

"You have a son?" Dumbledore asked after a long moment.

Harry nodded, "Teddy Lupin Peverell, he is the only thing that keeps me going most days." That was the absolute truth. Had it not been for Teddy...well, Harry didn't know where, or who, he would be.

"Lyall, her brother, is a dear friend of mine, did you not think to reach out to him?"

Harry nodded, "Naomi spoke of him, but they were estranged and she gave no reason as to why, nor did she leave an address to find him. I suppose I should have searched harder, but it was a murder and Teddy was barely a half year old."

"Murdered?" Dumbledore asked, and this time he too sounded angry, though not at Harry.

"Riddle, again, I think. His symbol was above our house. I don't know why he was after her." And he would have liked to know.

Harry wasn't sure what would have happened next because a pounding sounded at the door. And a man burst into the room, his hair a thinning and blonde, eyes a light brown. He held a letter clenched in his hand. "Albus," he said, he moaned.

The man paid no attention to Harry. Albus stood to his feet at once, walking around the desk to the distraught man. He extended the letter to him, shaking it at Albus. "My boy's friend sent him a letter. Albus, oh Albus, she's gone! My sister, my little sister… what have I done?"

Dumbledore embraced the other man, and the man held on, tears falling from his eyes, "I did this, my fault, it's all my fault! My son, my sister… Albus, oh Albus, what did I do?"

The man began to sob and Harry felt very inadequate sitting in the room. After some time Dumbledore asked what was in the letter.

Sniffling and pulling back, shakily, he said, "She died two years ago, murdered by the Dark Lord. She had a son, Albus, a son. She got married without telling me. Not so much as a note. After her attack... "

And that's when Harry realized that this must have been Lyall Lupin, and the letter was presumably from Sirius.

Harry stood, Fawkes in his arms. "Lyall Lupin?" he asked.

Lyall looked up at him startled, "Yes? Oh, you're- weren't alone, I'm so sorry, I'm-, My apologies, Mister-?"

"Peverell," Harry finished for him, "Henry Peverell. I was Naomi's husband. It is I who owes you an apology. When she died, I was quite lost."

Lyall stared at him, then shook his head and held out his hand.

Harry shook it, and balancing Fawkes in one arm like a baby. "No, don't apologize. My sister and I… I invited much grief into her life, it is not your fault. I am glad to meet you."

Harry flinched inwardly at the lies, though he remembered Naomi, he hadn't been her husband not really. Even if his emotions were telling him another story.

There was an awkward silence and Lyall asked, "You had dinner with the Blacks?"

Harry grimaced, "Bellatrix Black, I met her on my way out of the bank, she was in a duel, three to one. I helped her, and she insisted we come to dinner with her. It was an -interesting experience."

Lyall nodded, "Sirius Black is one of my son's closest friends, I don't care for that family much though."

Harry couldn't argue with that sentiment.

"You- did you- How was it you and my sister met?" Lyall asked thickly.

"A pub. I was the librarian and she was the manager of a restaurant downtown."

He nodded, "She always feared… that is after she was scarred, that she would never find anyone. They didn't, but you were able to see her."

The sensation of scar-tissue beneath his lips as he- Harry looked away, the memory vivid and searing. A lump formed in his throat as he said, "Naomi was a beautiful woman."

He felt foolish reacting so, but he couldn't help remembering, it went beyond the memory of the dream, he had known her. And her loss overlapped with Andromeda's death so that he couldn't tell which sorrow was more real.

"I'm sorry," Lyall said, "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too," Harry said.

Fawkes began to sing, and after he was done, and the tears had been swept away, Dumbledore sat them down for a cup of tea.

Lyall asked, "So, you have a son?"

"Theodore Lupin Peverell. He goes by Teddy. He's three years old. And your son, Remus, yes? Is he Sirius' age?"

"Yes, he's fifteen, now. I'm sure he and my wife, Hope, would be happy to meet you both."

"Speaking of which," Dumbledore interjected, "Your son, where is young Teddy now?"

"Oh, he's with Hagrid," Harry said easily, "I believe they are taking care of half-kneazle kittens."

"The grounds keeper?" Lyall asked, surprised. "You left your three year old with someone you had just met?"

Harry shrugged, "It's Hagrid."

"And what about Hagrid won your trust?" Dumbledore asked curiously, "You have not appeared to me to be an overly trusting man."

Harry met his gaze, "There are some people, some people, you just know, you know?"

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling, "I do, indeed. Well, I have places to be, but I trust that Lyall will be able to assist you, Mr. Peverell."

Harry placed his teacup down on the side of the desk, "About the position-?"

"Consider it yours, I'll send you a recommendation of textbooks for each year, but as there is no one else vying for the position, I will be happy to see you and your son on the 1st of September."

Harry grinned, but then said more soberly, "I hate to ask, but might I ask for a month's advance? We are rather stretched at the moment."

"Nonsense," Lyall said, "Our family takes care of our own. No, Albus, I won't hear of it. The Lupins take care of their own."

Albus Dumbledore watched his good friend and the new, curious professor go. Once they were out the door, he accioed the record book of names to himself. He found the name Henry Black Peverell a few spaces down from Alexander Nott. Beside Mr. Peverell's name was a little 'X', indicating that he had declined his invitation to attend.

Quite curious, indeed