Warning: This story consists of pretty deep thinking in the beginning to kinda funny family business to deep feeling family business . . . . and yea well just read.

TIP: this is sorta kinda based off the song Home is where the heart is by McFly so it might sound better if you read it while listening to it. It doesn't really go with the funny family part but the beginning and near ending and hopefully the ending it does.

Disclaimer: We all know the drill.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Kiley 1 09 fic.

O.o.O

Home is where the heart is. It will always be there. It's where we started. It's where we belong.

For James Sirius Potter, Lily Luna Potter, and Albus Severus Potter home was the best place ever. At least when they were little it was. When they got older it wasn't as important. But that happens to all children. The third generation Potter (speaking from Lily and James on,) children were no exception. They couldn't wait to move out and get their own place when they finally graduated Hogwarts.

Of course that was in a matter of years for Lily, and Albus still had a short time to go, but James was in his 7th year and next year he wanted to move out. But deep down none of them really truly wanted to leave their haven. To be truthful the three didn't actually know that though.

James could hardly wait to get out of school, though he would miss Hogwarts dearly, and find himself his own place somewhere in London.

Albus in his 5th year, with his head wrapped around girls, wasn't really thinking about getting a place just yet but still his home wasn't that homey to him anymore. He rather snog girls in his bedroom instead of admire his backyard like he used to.

Now Lily in her 4th year at Hogwarts probably still liked her home some and undoubting slightly more than her brothers. She did have to spend a year without them when they were both in Hogwarts and she was left at home with her parents. She loved her parents very very much and couldn't imagine not seeing them at least once a year. But even as different as she seems from Albus and James she really wasn't. Just like Albus she didn't have that soft warm spot in her heart for her home anymore. She just ..... kinda grew out of it we could say.

Now for Ginny Potter her home was the most amazing place in the world. She would always love her Burrow, as that was her original home, but she did love her Grimmwauld home just as much since she shared it with probably the person she loved the most in the world, her husband, and she raised three kids in this house. Her first memories as a family were made here and probably will stay in her mind and heart for eternity.

And for Harry Potter he couldn't remember a place just like this besides Hogwarts that he loved so much. He had three brilliant children and the best person in the world to be his other half that lived here with him. He watched as his kids grew up, maturing more and more. He and Ginny would fear the day they moved out and didn't need them anymore. And it seemed like that day was coming up. Way too fast.

~Coming home for Christmas break~

Lily's POV

I got off the Hogwarts Express saying good bye to my best friend, Alicia, and walking forward with my boyfriend, Erik, walking with his arm around me. I liked him very much. As he did me, I felt so fortunate to have him. We spent so much time laughing so hard tears would roll down our cheeks and then he would kiss them away and we would fall into a proper snog. I wasn't going to spend my life with him and we both knew it. And surprisingly enough that was fine with both of us. We just wanted someone to hold for awhile, someone to love properly while understanding each other. So just for now me and him being as we were was just fine.

I saw my parents through the bunch of people, standing, holding each other's hands as they do every year. They were standing next to the pillar they stood every year. So it was easy for me and my brothers to find them. After giving my boyfriend a nice long sweet kiss and bid him goodbye as he walked away I turned around looking for my brothers through the crowd. I found James saying bye to his friends and good bye to his girlfriend who happened to be a red head. Go Figure. I believe 100 hundred percent that my brothers will marry red heads and continue the Potter's curse/gift/tradition/thing. Next I turned around to find my 'lovely' brother, Albus snogging the lips off this girl behind a pillar.

Beautiful.

My eyes did not have to see that horror. Ugh.

I hear this snort kinda chuckle behind me and turn around to find James grinning at me looking at Albus and his girl.

"What?" I ask

"I see that disgust all written on your face. Obviously, baby sis, you don't understand what it's like to have a nice snog with your girlfriend. Or in your case, a boyfriend." James said shaking his head.

That dolt. He had no idea I've had a boyfriend (a.k.a Erik) since the beginning of the year. And like I mentioned early, me and him did share many, many, many, snogs. No it was my turn to shake my head and smile at him. I love my big brother immensely but I can't help but thinking he can be a total idiot sometimes. Of course all of a sudden Erik came running up to me and grabbed me around the waist at that second.

"Erik!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I shrieked giggling at his antics. He came back I guess to say good bye one more time. I was pretty sure he had no idea James was right there watching us and probably having a thousand questions race through his mind about me and this boy who still had his hands on my hips.

"You know you enjoy it, love!" he teased me. I nodded and went up to touch my lips against his. He passionately returned my kiss a couple times over. And then I heard his mum call him from awhile away. We broke apart and he sighed sadly.

"Aww damn. I got to go, you hear my mum calling. Promise not to forget me, and write to me!" He said grinning.

"Like I could forget you. You won't ever let me!" I joked. I kissed him hurriedly one last time as him mother's call brought him away from me. I grin at his retreating back knowing that he probably has the same expression as me on his face. I turn myself so I'm totally facing my brother for who I forgot about for a second. His face was simply priceless.

His jaw probably smacked the ground a long time ago and he never brought it back up. His eyes were wide with shock and after about thirty seconds with no hint of responding to me calling his name I was going to yell to get dad and mum over here. But they were talking to Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron, whose children wasn't anywhere to be seen anyways.

"Merlin . . ." I finally hear my brother whisper.

"Ah thank god! I thought I completely lost you!"

I grin at him knowing that was probably the best surprise an older brother could ever get!

"What were you saying about me never snogging anyone before?"

"EWW! I didn't need to see that never the less hear you say that come out of your mouth! Now who was that boy? I'm going to kill him."

"That was my boyfriend and you are not killing him."

"You have a boyfriend!?!?" James screeched

I rolled my eyes and suddenly my 'lovely' other older brother came into the conversation.

"Oh you just found out? Don't worry I took care of him in the beginning of the dating season. I made him promise not to shag our baby sis here until, well forever." Albus said coming into the conversation and slinging his arm around my shoulder. I groaned.

"SHAG!?!?" James terrifyingly whispered. "My baby sis does not . . . Sh- - I can't say it, anyone at all!!!!"

I went red and whistled a little bit to take my mind off of what the hell they were talking about.

Let's just say they took it the ABSOLUTELY MOST wrong way they could've ever taken it.

"NO! NO! NO! No I didn't!" I yelled

And at the same time they were screeching like banshees (I am amazed at how no one noticed our conversation),

"OH MY GOD OUR LITTLE SISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She—OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!"

"MERLIN HELP ME! Can't be happening! I will hunt that little piece of sh . . I WILL KILL HIM!"

"She--- I can't even think right now . . . ."

"My breathing- I can't breathe!"

AHHHH shit! This was not good. NOT good at ALL. And if my other best mate and cousin, Hugo, heard this I would be dead before I could even say 'no'.

"GUYS!!!! I DIDN'T!!!!!" I yelled as I could. Just enough that thank Merlin those two prats heard me. They shut their mouth but still looked at me suspiciously. Their eyes roaming over me seeing if they could tell a difference about me. Those complete morons.

All of a sudden there was a HUGE shout and we all turned to the familiar voice. It was Uncle Ron. And he was red. And he was shocked. And he was mad. And he was staring at his daughter, my older cousin, Rose, snogging Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy to be exact. Of course I've been waiting for this for a LONG time. So I'm just happy. James's jaw drops again to the floor and my whole family everywhere they were on the platform stopped and stared at the two. Than next to me Albus screamed,

"First LILY than YOU, Rose! Snogging all these boys!" he threw his arms up in exasperation and then narrowed his eyes on Scorpius who looked very, very afraid. "And you! How could you kiss my cousin!? That's just . . . ick.

I raise my eyebrows. But he continues and was about to start stalking towards the poor bloke, but luckily me and James grabbed his arms before he could take a step.

"this is the worst day ever!!!! Lily first! Then I find my best mate snogging my other best mate who happens to be my cousin and he's Scorpius MALFOY never the less. Merlin save me from this dramatic world!"

No, Merlin save ME from this dramatic world. My brother is such a dolt!

Uncle Ron was about to charge at Scorpius if mum and dad and Aunt Hermione didn't stop him. I hear a 'holy shit' from behind me and turn around to find Hugo. Holy shit is right. Rose is ear deep in trouble. I feel bad for her.

"Scorpius! I told you to stay away from my sister!" Hugo said angrily.

"I really did try, mate, I swear. It was much, much, much harder than you would know." Scorpius told him.

Aunt Hermione than interrupted everyone by asking Scorpius if he wanted to stay for dinner at their house. Uncle Ron and Hugo and Albus stared at her like she was way off her rocker.

"Thank you. You are very nice. Thank you so much and only if it isn't too much trouble for you."

"Nah. No problem at all." She went on.

I believe I just heard Uncle Ron growl under his breath. Poor Scorpius. Poor Rose. This was not going to be a lovely dinner for them tonight. I shook my head sadly. After Uncle Ron and Hugo calmed down enough that it looked Uncle Ron could refrain from hexing him and Hugo from punching him they said good bye and did their apparition and side-along apparition to their home.

Everyone else cleared out and soon the whole wizarding community that was on the platform was nearly gone and mum and dad stared at me and James and Albus all standing in a line. The air changed in a split second. From the situation just a couple of minutes ago that was pretty funny, you must admit, went straight to a type of sadness.

We all just stood there without anyone saying a word. Me and my siblings on one side and the opposite our parents. It was kinda awkward. More like sad though. We weren't who we used to be. I remember practically flying into Mum's arms when I got off that train years previous. Now I just stood there. James had sadness in his eyes, knowing what was happening. Albus looking oblivious to it all, although I could tell he actually knew what was going on. The air between us all were a weird sort of tense. We were all waiting for the first one to make the move. And the first person who did surprised everyone.

James moved forward pretty fast into mum's arms. She hugged him tightly and if it was up to her, she wouldn't ever let go. I could see the tear trickle down her face as her oldest baby was hugging her like he used to. I could almost feel that shine of hope that you feel when you know that in some way you guys are still connected by that string that used to be a rope but shed its layers from the years. We all probably thought that the string finally broke but it didn't. And I should of felt it earlier when me and Albus and James were all discussing the 'Erik problem' I guess we could call it. I should have felt the long lost slim layer come flying back sewing itself back onto the skinny string making it just a tiny bit stronger.

And then at the same time as if we could think the same exact thing me and Albus nearly ran to our parents. It would be the last year we would all be coming home on the Hogwarts Express. Since James would be already graduated from Hogwarts and probably started on his Auror training and what-not. Mum opened one arm, making sure she still did not let James go, and tugged Albus in with her and he rested his head on her shoulder like a tiny kid. I ran into dad's arms. I was his little girl after all. And no matter how old I got I would always be his little girl. I hugged him tight and he folded me into his warm and secure father brace. His green eyes flashing with happiness made our little string have a couple fly away parts come back together.

Than we started walking to the apparition point, Dad's arm around my shoulders, my arm linked with Albus's, Mum's hand locked with Albus's other hand, and Mum's other hand locked with James's.

It was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

And then we were home. Mum and dad immediately went inside not realizing that we weren't following them. I, James, and Albus just stood, silently, outside our house, staring at it. Maybe we were all thinking of different reasons or maybe, just maybe, we were all thinking of the same reason in some way or another.

I always loved my home but after awhile I just went there because I went there. It's where I slept, ate, talked to my parents, be loved by my family, and learned more about magic in every corner. It's just where I went. No special reason. And soon I didn't love it as much. I still found it great and probably one my best places ever to be but it slowly my haven unraveled. It was just a home.

And that's when it hit me. It was my home. It's where everything happened. It's where I rode my first broom, even though it was a mini broom, it's where my brothers and I had our great adventures under the covers' of our beds. There was so much more to this house than the naked eye would see. And I was happy that I could see what others could not.

(End of Lily's POV)

James loved his home and now he wants his own. Or at least he did. As he stood in front of his old house that his parents were inside of and that he and Albus and Lily grew up in and made memories within he felt some type of old feeling, almost ancient, tread back to him. It was a warm feeling, a cozy feeling. And he absolutely loved it. He grinned and looked at Lily who smiled back. He knew she knew. And she knew he knew.

Albus searched over the boring outside of his house with his bright green eyes. Nothing new. Nothing old. And then he looked a bit closer. Albus almost yelped with excitement and shock. He could see these three little kids who were them when they were younger running around like crazy outside. Giggling and laughing so hard. And that was almost the weird thing. They were laughing at nothing. There was nothing funny to giggle at. It made no sense. Than the little kids ran to the backyard. Albus in an almost-like-trance jogged to the backyard and saw his younger ghostlike self sitting in the grass with his eyes closed just breathing in the scent of outside and letting his mind turn over all the information that he has been taught. Albus felt so relaxed he didn't even think you could feel so as stress-free as this. And Albus could actually remember that day with its shining glory and warm sun blaring its lazy heat across the world. It was all so peaceful. That was a memory. One of many Albus collected from this household. His house was an area that every emotion thinkable and beyond could be felt. Albus jumped with joy, literally. And jogged back to the front of the house where Lily and James still stood reliving some of their memories as well. He laughed a bouncy little-boy laugh that felt so real. Lily just had to grin and James had the weirdest feeling to laugh and never stop.

Lily knew James knew.

James knew Lily knew.

Lily knew Albus knew.

Albus knew Lily knew.

James knew Albus knew.

Albus knew James knew.

They could all see. They saw all the memories, felt all the feelings, and knew all the knowledge.

Home is where the heart is because that's where your heart is the truest to itself and to others.

The string was braiding itself into a strong and unbreakable rope and all the Potters could feel it. Even the ones up in heaven.

So when the third generation of Potters walked into their home they couldn't be happier. They were themselves. They were their old selves and new selves put together.

Home is where the heart is. It's where they started. It's where they belong.

A/N-I hope you all liked it. It went completely different than I originally pictured. I don't think it's bad but my other version which I just couldn't even explain in words was better. I encourage you all to listen to the song Home Is Where The Heart Is by McFly because it's very inspirational and in a way very honest to the world we live in. Okay Kirsty is all out of deep meaning and words today. Phew. It's been a long day. REVIEW PLEASE!