Disclaimer: The story and character development belong to me, but everything else, including character names in the Potter universe belongs J.K. Rowling.
12 year old Albus Severus Potter bounded down the stairs and burst into the kitchen with a wild excited look in his eyes.
"Guess what day it is today?" He asked excitedly.
James Potter looked at his younger brother and rolled his eyes, their mother nodded absently as she read the Quibbler and Harry and Teddy nodded at Albus before going back to their conversation.
"Not fair!" Albus complained.
"What did you say dear?" Ginny asked Albus.
"I wanted you to guess, what day it is today." Albus pouted.
"Aren't your friends supposed to be visiting today?" Harry asked.
"Yup." Albus chirped.
"What are you so excited about?" Lily snapped. "You lived with them for a year. You saw them two weeks ago."
Harry was about to intervene when Ginny stopped him with a "they will sort it out among themselves look".
"Harry, I think we need to discuss that thing, I was telling you about last night." She said firmly.
Harry looked at her confusedly before playing along. "Oh yeah. That thing. Yes. We should certainly discuss it. Let's go to the study. Kids if you need anything we will be in the study. Okay?"
"Smooth, Dad." James muttered as Harry and Ginny got up to leave the kitchen.
Albus stared at Lily, his brows furrowed. Lily was not one for temper tantrums; she was one of the most accommodating children out there. He exchanged a quizzical look with Teddy and James, who were looking at Lily too. Lily meanwhile, ignored her brothers and attacked her breakfast with a vengeance. After a non-verbal battle of wills that Teddy lost, he nudged her shoulder gently.
"Everything alright, birdie?" He asked gently.
Lily said nothing, just continued shoving her breakfast down.
"Slow down, Lils. You are going to choke this way." James said gently.
"And what do any of you care?" Lily snapped.
Teddy held Lily's hands gently and forced her to look at him, "What is it, Lily? Did someone say something mean to you? Do you want us to talk to them?"
Lily shook her head, trying to stem the tears coming to her eyes.
"What happened Lils? Did James or AL do something? Do you want me to set them straight?" Teddy asked again, as he saw her eyes sparkle with tears.
Lily shook her head mutely, freeing her hands from Teddy's grip to wipe away her tears.
"Lily, Come on, talk to me. What happened?" Teddy urged.
Lily just shook her head hopped down the chair and ran out of the kitchen.
"Okay, what did the two of you do this time?" Teddy asked patiently.
"Nothing!" James exclaimed as Al nodded beside him. "We don't know what's up with her. She has been this snarky since last night, only now we don't know why she is crying."
"I hate it when she cries." Al said, "Mostly, she throws things at us, but when she cries, we know we really messed up. But I don't know why she is crying now."
"Uh oh!" Teddy exclaimed.
"What?" James asked.
"Err… James you remember when my friends came over for the first time during the summer after my first year?"
"Vaguely. Why?"
"Remember how Al and Lily acted?"
"Well, Al locked himself in his room and refused to come out for the entire day and Lily bit Adam. Oh no!" James exclaimed before exchanging a look with Teddy, "You think she is…" Teddy nodded.
"What?" Albus asked. "She is what?"
"Oh! This is going to be fun!" James said gleefully.
"I have work today." Teddy lamented. "I hate missing this."
"James, Teddy. What are you talking about? You guys are freaking me out?"
"Oh come on, Al! Get it already, aren't you supposed to be the smart one amongst us?" James said.
"Al, think about it. Lily and you were very mean to all of my friends when they first came over. James' best friends are Roxy, Louise and Fred so you could never be mean to them, but…"
"But now, I have friends that are not family and Lily is what Jealous?"
"I don't think she has it in her to be jealous." Teddy said. "I think she is just afraid that she would lose you to your friends."
"But that's ridiculous! You cannot lose family and your friends are the family you kind of, find for yourself!"
"Yes." Teddy said patiently, "But think about how Lily feels. Year after year, she has seen all her cousins and brothers leave for Hogwarts and she waits for them to come back and when they do, none of them are interested in what she has to say anymore. How do you think she feels?"
"I never ignored her." James piped up.
"You changed James, that's why she was so mad at you after your first year." Teddy informed him.
"Shucks! How do you know all this?" Albus asked.
"Well, I had to face this with the three of you. I talked to you about this. Obviously, you don't remember a thing, but my first summer back, you three were horrible to me. Yes, you too James."
"So, what do I do?" Albus asked alarmed. "Scor and Alex would be here any minute."
"Talk to her later, once she has calmed down." Teddy said. "I doubt you will be able to find her now. You know how good she is at hiding in the Manor."
"Makes you wish for a map for the Manor." James remarked.
"I still don't know how you nicked it from his office, but I am proud of you."Teddy said grinning at James.
"Will you guys help me with her?" Al asked timidly.
"Sucks to be you." James said with a sly grin.
"Sometimes, I wonder how you are a Gryffindor and Al is a Slytherin." Teddy said rolling his eyes. "Of course we will help you. I will drop by for dinner tonight; we will talk to her then, okay?" He said getting up from his chair. The two boys nodded.
"Good. Now, I am off to work. God, I hate going to work, we never get three month long summer holidays anymore." Teddy whined. James and Albus laughed as Teddy walked out the door.
"Reckon she will come out of her hiding place anytime soon?" Albus asked James.
"I don't think so, you know how she is. She will write about it, cry about it and then fall asleep. She will come out once she wakes up."
"You think we have been a little unfair to her?"
"I dunno." James said with a shrug. "You heard Teddy, younger siblings are a tad bit dramatic."
Albus threw the last piece of bacon at James. "Stop being mean to her, she is our little sister, didn't Teddy say we have to protect her once she gets to Hogwarts?"
"Oh yeah!" James said with a groan. "But we don't have to worry about anything right now. Wait till she gets in her fourth or fifth year, that's when we will have to curse every boy that walks in her direction."
"I don't think that's fair." Albus said flatly, "Victoire has been dating Teddy since she was 15."
"Yeah and she has known him all her life. Look, if it's a guy we know would take care of Lily then good enough, but what about some stupid git, who hurts her?"
"Well, we can knock some sense into the guy if he hurts her, not before that."
"I don't understand you, Al. We are supposed to protect our little sister."
"Yes. The same little sister, who has been practising and perfecting all known hexes since she was 8. The same little sister who is the granddaughter of Lily Potter, Molly Weasley , Arthur Weasley and James Potter and the daughter of Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter. Do you know who we are? She would kick some ass on her own, I am sure of it."
"Yes." James said rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "She is pretty scary on her own, isn't she?"
Albus grinned, James and he sat in silence for a while, taking second helpings of the breakfast when Sleepy informed Albus that his friends had arrived.
Albus and James ran to the visitor's room and found themselves face to face with Astoria Malfoy.
"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy." Albus said beaming at her, "Hi Scor, Alex. Mrs. Malfoy, I believe you remember my brother James."
"Oh Hello dear. Yes, Yes, I do remember your brother James, although you were quite young when I last saw you." Astoria said kindly.
"Astoria!" Ginny exclaimed as she entered the room.
"Ah, Ginny! How are you?" Mrs. Malfoy said warmly, moving over to hug Ginny Potter. Albus, James, Alex and Scorpius exchanged disbelieving looks, as both Albus and Scorpius had received long letters from their fathers about what great prat the other's father was.
"Mum?" Scorpius asked tentatively, "Ugh… How do you know Mrs. Potter?" James, Albus and Alex stared at the two women in unison.
Astoria Malfoy laughed, "Oh! We have been friends since forever dear. We were quite thrilled when Albus and you wrote to us about being friends with each other. We tried so hard to set up play dates for you, but you know how your fathers are." She said waving her hand dismissively.
"Yeah." Alex said nodding wisely, "Dad says he doesn't understand why Mr. Potter and Uncle Draco are so intent on acting as world class prats."
James grinned at Alex, "I like you, kid." He told Alex.
Alex grinned back, "I think you are pretty cool too. Awesome pranks. Alex Zabini by the way, big fan."
"See mum!" James said, "People actually like our pranks."
Ginny glared at her son as Astoria laughed, "I am glad the tame one is friends with Scorpius." She said softly.
Albus and Scorpius smirked at each other.
"Why are we standing here though, come on Astoria, let's leave the children alone. You can come say Hello to Harry at least and I insist that you stay for tea."
"I can come say Hello to Mr. Potter but I am sorry I would have to decline your offer for tea today. I must return home, Carina is slightly upset about being left alone at home."
"Oh! Why didn't you bring her along? Lily would have loved to meet her. I believe she will be going to Hogwarts this September?"
"No. She is 10, she will be going next year. Oh! I forgot, your Lily is the same age. I do believe it would do the girls some good to know each other. Do you think it would be okay if I take Lily with me? These boys would be trouble enough; also I think young Lyra would love to meet Lily too."
"Oh, not a problem! Why don't I do this, I will have one of our elves drop Lily to your place. She is hiding somewhere in the Manor currently."
"Oh yes, Sure. I guess, Carina, Lyra and Lily could sulk together now." Astoria said with a laugh.
"Elder siblings, never really do understand." Ginny agreed.
"So, I guess, I should get going, I have to prepare for their visit then."
"Oh no! You can't just go. Stay for a cup of tea, please."
"Okay, but only a cup of tea."
"Yes. Yes" Ginny said waving her hand dismissively, leading Astoria out of the door.
"What. Just. Happened?" Alex asked as soon as the two women were out of the door.
"Your guess, is as good as mine Zabini." James muttered eyeing the door sceptically.
"Did our mothers just say that our dads were prats?" Scorpius asked.
"I think they called us prats too, and they arranged a play date for our sisters." Albus said.
"Good. Carina really needs friends. She never talks to anyone, apart from Alex's sister, and our cousins."
"Your sister is weird mate." Alex said.
Scorpius punched his arm. "Is not. She is just shy."
"Lily would set her right then." James commented, "Lily does not have a shy bone in her body. Anyway, you kids enjoy yourselves, I am going off to the joke shop, to help Fred. Al, just tell mum if she asks."
"So, what do you guys want to do? We could go swim in the lake, or play Quidditch or both, it's a good day out there."
"Let's go swim first!" Scorpius said, "We don't have a lake at the Manor and I love swimming."
"Okay, come on, this way." Albus said, leading the two boys out to the lake.
"I still can't believe, your grandson is friends with Malfoy's grandson." Sirius told James as they watched the three boys walk out to the lake from a nearby empty portrait.
"I still can't believe, Harry named him after Snivellus." James replied.
"That should have been our cue that the kid is a goner." Sirius said.
"The two of you are being ridiculous!" Cassiopeia Potter said, rolling her eyes.
"When have they ever been normal?" Remus asked.
"Good point. I am glad that Albus is friends with Scorpius, they are two of a kind, aren't they?"
The other portraits made noises of assent as they watched a new generation forging its own future.
AN: So, first attempt at Scorily. Please read and review and let me know what you think of it. Please don't forget to favourite/follow this story or me if you like us. Hoping to hear from you.
Happy Reading.
Much love,
The fishes