An alternative origin for Baby Teddy

[sunnyskywalker]

Because I was re-reading some old recaps in various places, and it suddenly struck me that there's an awful lot of speculation that if someone screwed up/deliberately skipped the contraceptive potion, that someone must have been Tonks. I've wondered about that possibility myself. It seems primarily based on two factors: (1) Tonks was pursuing Remus in the previous book, and he was reluctant for various and possibly-not-all-stated reasons, and (2) that's how the most reliable Muggle contraceptive method works.

Tonks was indeed pursuing Remus. She pressured him by debating the merits of their relationship in public, thus bringing more peer pressure to bear on his decision. But do we know her well enough to know whether she'd force a baby to participate in this drama? Hard to say, really - I'd be open to arguments either way. And since for the most part she only discusses her relationship issues in private with a very few people as far as we know during that whole year - granted Harry isn't around enough to provide reliable observation on that point, but at least she doesn't ever start telling the kids her woes - it's possible that the scene in the hospital wing was a stress-induced lapse on her part, if you want a more charitable reading.

So point 1 could go either way, and as for point 2, we can't rely on magical contraception being a perfect analogue of ours. Why couldn't they have a Spermus Mortalitus potion? (Or an easily-reversable Vasectomus or Fallopius Tie-us spell, for that matter... And yes these are all bad Latin, but so is JKR's.)

Just because Tonks ended up being happy about the results doesn't mean it was her actions that led to them.

And in canon, who is the person we know to have forgotten to take a very important potion at least once before, consequently endangering others and causing himself trouble as well?

Comments

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure that Teddy was an accident. This is because Lupin and Tonks asked Harry to be Teddy's godfather, despite the fact that Harry was only 17 and had a very high likelihood of dying in the near future. Indeed, given the fact that Voldemort wanted him dead, it was highly likely that Harry would die young. And he would probably die childless. Which means that Teddy, as Harry's godson, probably had a very high likelihood of inheriting both the Potter and Black estates.... or at least the Black estate.

[oryx_leucoryx]

That gives a completely new twist to evil Remus! Send Tonks to her mother, where she can be hidden safely. Join the trio on their mission to make sure Harry stays alive long enough until Teddy is born and Harry can be named his godfather, then bring Harry to Voldemort to ensure his death and Teddy's inheritance.

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

Yup! :) I originally thought of this when discussing evil Remus with Swythv. But I think this idea also works if Remus was "good." Harry was very likely to die, and Harry didn't have an heir. Who would have gained control of the two estates if Harry had died without an heir? I can imagine this potentially being a concern for the Order.

Come to think of it, this might explain why several of the families who were actively involved in the first war conceived children during the height of that conflict. They were producing heirs in case they died.

[sunnyskywalker]

Now this is an interesting idea! Iirc, if Harry's out of the running, some of the other possibilities would by Draco, maybe Neville, or Andromeda's descendents. And if Tonks already wants to marry him anyway, and Harry's life expectancy isn't good... Yeah, it probably works better with evil Remus, but as a contingency plan to make sure Draco doesn't get it could work too.

I wonder how that conversation would have gone, though (for a non-evil, non-potion-sabotaging version). Post-7 Potters battle: "Well, you did say you wanted children, and the way things are going, maybe we shouldn't wait..." That would have been some tense and interesting conversation.

[600ants.livejournal.com]

I do realize this thread is as dead as something that died, but I couldn't resist. :-)

Athough Harry knows that he's very likely going to die, he doesn't like anyone well enough to leave them money. And without a living will, ALL should go to the Dursleys, Harry's closest living relatives. Even if Harry was Teddy's godfather at the time of his death, it wouldn't be enough. After all Harry himself only inherited the Black fortune (such as it was :)) because Sirius named him in his will. Otherwise, he wouldn't get a knut. Since the Dursleys are mere Muggles, and there are no other relatives close enough to claim them, Harry's earthly possessions would probably go under the MoM. Unless Lupin somehow persuaded Harry to make a living will and name Teddy his heir, but I can't see how he could possibly manage this. :)