A few things.

1) Hey, guys. In case you don't know, I'm ChristineNicoleBlack. This is my first Harry Potter story on - I'm also a member of MuggleNetFanFiction. This is a two part story, but my plan is to keep them together as one story. I've already finished Part One, so I thought the time was ripe for this to be submitted. Part Two, I just began writing tonight.

Obviously, this is Chapter One of a multi-chaptered story. I really hope you guys enjoy this, I've been working on this concept for two years now, so I'm sure you can understand when I say this story is my pride and joy.

Thank you guys in advance for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoy it enough to keep coming back.

2) THIS IS AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE FIC. Yes, I'm well aware there was an epilouge in Deathly Hallows and none of this ever happened. Like I said, I worked on the concept for a while, before even beginning to write the story. Also, this is a next generation fic, featuring Lily Luna Potter and her brothers James Sirius Potter and Albus Severus Potter. I'm going to apologize in advance, because I did rearrange their ages a bit, and I know some people don't like that, but it was necessary to the story.

3) This fic is rated T for 'sensitive themes' (I have to say that, people might get upset), language, and a few minor romance situation between teenagers, which I will tell you now are all of a sweet and tender nature, not a freaky, obessessed nature.

And, that's it. So please enjoy, and, oh yeah, Merry Christmas.

Chapter One

I sat on the hard wood floor of the bedroom I shared with my mother, flipping through our old photo album for the umpteenth time… this month.

I had always loved this album. It was like a whole time line.

It started off with a picture of mum and my uncles and grandparents standing in front of huge pyramids, taken when my mum was only in her second year of Hogwarts. Egypt? Yeah. Where else would pyramids be? My attention was always drawn to Uncle George when I looked at this picture, and the boy standing beside him. I could never remember his name. Franklin? Fabio? Freddie? Fred. Mum didn't talk about him a lot. The next several pages were full of shots from my mother's time at school, with certain people reoccurring frequently, mostly Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron, Uncle George and his twin, Aunt Luna, Uncle Neville, and a particular raven-haired, green-eyed boy. There weren't many pictures from her seventh year, and on the rare occasions I asked her about this, she always said she would tell us when we were older. After the school shots ended, there were several pictures of mum and our family and the raven-haired boy, who was a man now. The only reason I was able to recognize him were those familiar eyes… There were a few blank pages, and then the pictures of mum and the raven-haired man began. In front of a house… Visiting Hogwarts… In an office… Further into the album my mum's stomach grew, and eventually it showed a picture of mum at St. Mungo's holding a newly born baby with the raven-haired man by her side, both of them smiley widely as the baby slept, a tuft of black hair on his pink little head. My brother, James. Several pictures later, most of which contained James in his earliest state and my mother's stomach growing ever larger once again, there's was another picture of them in the hospital, this time in a different room and my mother holding something swathed in a pink blanket and the man holding my brother, who was maybe one year old. A happy little family…. Another year's worth of pictures later, featuring myself and my brother, my glowing mother and the smiling raven-haired man, there was one last hospital shot, this time featuring an at this point two year old James, one year old me, and our newly birthed brother, Albus, and our exhausted but ecstatic mother. The raven-haired man was not seen in this particular photo, and he disappeared all together soon after that. The rest of the album just presented me and my brothers as we grew up, from the last maternity visit to St. Mungo's to two weeks ago when Aunt Hermione had taken us to a Muggle Park.

"LILY!" I jumped out of my reverie, and recognized my brother's voice calling me from the kitchen.

"What?" I yelled back.

"Come and help with dinner!"

"I'm busy!"

"LILY!"

"FINE!"

In a huff, I slammed the book shut and shoved it under my bed, where I usually kept it, mostly because my mother never showed any true interest in it enough for me to have to constantly put it back in its desired place.

I stomped down the hallway to the kitchen- in true drama queen fashion, I might add- to find James manually stirring a pot of some red sauce.

"Why can't Albus help you?" I muttered, irritated.

"He's sleeping," James replied simply.

"So?" I asked, his answer agitating me even further. "Why don't I go wake him up for you?" I turned to leave.

"Don't you dare go in my room, Lily," James said a little forcefully, adjusting the setting on the stove. I folded my arms, and gave him a disapproving look, but leaned against the counter. "Besides, you know he wasn't feel to great this morning."

"He's faking it," I muttered. James ignored me.

"You know you can use magic now, right?" I asked suddenly, eyeing the wooden spoon in his hand. James had turned seventeen three weeks ago… and he was still living like a Muggle.

"I'm well aware of that, Lils," he replied condescendingly, jerking his chin towards a stack of plates on the counter. "Set the table, please." I scowled at him and yanked the plates off the granite, setting them not-so-gently on the hardwood table.

"Why can't you just wave your wand and be done with all this?" I turned and leaned against the edge of the table, my view of James partly blocked by the white wall that was the entry way to the kitchen.

"Because that would be setting a bad example for you and Albus. Don't forget the glasses and flatware." I rolled my eyes and marched back into the kitchen, yanking open the cabinet.

"I think me and Albus are old enough to make our own decisions, James. Thanks for your concern." I brought dinner glasses back to the table then turned around and pulled open the drawer nearest the sink. James sighed and flipped his black hair.

"Please, Lily, don't be so sarcastic. Just because I can use magic doesn't mean I will. Besides, maybe I like doing things the Muggle way." I snorted.

"That's a load of crap, James. You're one of the most talented Wizards at Hogwarts. Why in Merlin's name would you want to live like a Muggle?" My brother's expression soften.

"Thanks, Lils," he said, genuine surprise in his voice. "I don't remember the last time you gave me a compliment." I smiled.

"Don't get used to it." I looked at him, and we both laughed. I finished setting the table then leaned against the counter next to the stove again.

"Seriously, James," I said quietly. "You're Head Boy, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, the brightest student in your class, you got O's on all your O.W.L's in your fifth year, and your N.E.W.T's will probably be a repeat… Why do you insist on acting like… well, a Muggle?" James set down his wooden spoon.

"Simply because it's amazing to me how Muggles live without magic. Plus, I really do have to set a good example for you and Albus. If you guys have to do things the Muggle way, I will, too." James smiled at me. I cocked my head to the side.

"There's more," I said quietly.

"Hmm?"

"I'll accept that you want to be a good example and that you think it's just so cool and all that crap, but there's more. I just know it." James laughed at me, but it didn't meet his eyes.

"You're strange, Lily, you really are."

"Sure, I'm the strange one." James peeked at me from the corner of his eye, but didn't reply to my comment. We stood in silence for a few minutes until we heard the front door creek open and mum's voice call out.

"Hey, guys!"

"In the kitchen, Mum!" James called back. A moment later, mum appeared in the kitchen, in her usual business woman façade (she actually worked Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions in Diagon Alley, but since we lived so close to Muggles, she always had to change before coming home. After all, coming home in bright pink robes is rather… Odd.). She smiled at us, weary but cheerful.

"Thank you for starting dinner, James," She said, making her briefcase disappear.

"It's no problem, Mum," James said quietly, as he stirred the red sauce. Mum, smiled and looked towards the archway, absently.

"Where's Albus?" Me and James looked at each other.

"He should be up in our room," James muttered quietly. Mum nodded.

"He wasn't feeling well this morning, either." James nodded and shot me an 'I-told-you-so' look. "I hope he's not ill." Mum looked back towards the archway. "I'm going to go check on your brother."

"Dinner will be ready in ten," James called after her. She called back a thanks.

I turned my attention to my brother again, staring at him, not saying a word. He didn't acknowledge my gaze as he transferred the spaghetti to one big bowl and went to set it on the table, and piled garlic bread onto a plate.

Finally, when the table was beautifully set and he had called out to our mum and brother, he looked at me, his expression soft but his eyes weary.

"Yes, Lily, I'm well aware that you've been staring at me for the past ten minutes. Yes, Lily, I'm choosing to ignore you." He smirked playfully. I rolled my eyes, standing my ground.

"There's something up, James," I muttered. "I can feel it."

"Just because I cook dinner like a Muggle?"

"…"

"Maybe you're a little paranoid, Lils," he said in a casual voice as Mum and Albus appeared around the corner.

I caught sight of Albus, his skin pale and his eyelids drooping, still in his pajamas, but he was cheery as always.

My brother Albus was a strange one, immensely talented but opting instead to joke around and waste his Hogwarts years causing trouble along side his friends. He was a widely popular boy at Hogwarts, even among the Slytherins, of course him and his siblings all were. We were the Potter trio, after all…

Albus flipped his brown hair out of his eyes as he sat down, and we all followed his lead.

"This looks delicious, James," our mum, said, obviously trying to start a conversation. James smiled his thanks as he began piling food onto everyone's plates. It was awkwardly quiet for a few moments as we began eating. Then Mum spoke again.

"So do you guys want to go to Diagon Alley next week to get your school supplies? You should be getting your Hogwarts letter within the next few days." Albus's eyes twinkled.

"Sounds great!" he said enthusiastically. "I'll have to send an owl to the guys. We've been needing to stock up on our Weasley's Wheezes supplies." Albus continued to smile, but his grin was wiped off his face at the sight our Mum's expression. Me and James smiled at each other, holding back a laugh.

"That's probably not the best idea, Albus," James said, still managing to sound paternal even though he was obviously trying not to laugh. "Besides, I'm sure Lily wants to use Orion to send a note to Kendall." James wagged his eyebrows suggestively. My fingers tightened around my fork, but other than that I ignored my brother's comment. My mum's eyebrows raised slightly.

"Kendall?" She asked, maternally curious.

"He's no one," I said too quickly. James and Albus howled with laughter, and mum continued to gaze at me.

"Kendall, huh?" Mum said thoughtfully through my brothers' guffaws. "Isn't he a friend of yours, James?" He nodded, still shaking with laughter.

"His best friend," Albus verified. "And how terribly awkward it is for poor Jamesie, here. His sister and the boy who is almost his brother dating." I dropped my fork.

"We are not dating," I whispered in a deadly voice. James practically chocked on his garlic bread.

"PLEASE!" He said loudly. "You two were inseparable last year! I'm surprised you even passed your O.W.L's, you spent more time snogging him than you did studying."

"Shut up!" I said, exasperated. But Mum just chuckled.

"How cute," she said, smiling. "Lily's got herself a boyfriend." And this sent James and Albus into another fit of laughter.

"He's not my boyfriend…" I said, picking my fork back up.

"Okay, Lils, we'll go with that." James winked at me. I rolled my eyes and proceeded to puncture the meatball sitting atop my pile of noodles. James and Albus continued to laugh. Mum smiled, well, maternally, but didn't say anything, thank Merlin. I'm not usually a touchy-feely person.

"Anyway…" My mother said, obviously trying to change the subject. "I wonder what classes you all will be taking? Merlin knows there's so many opportunities, as talented a bunch you are. I remember, your f-…"

I dropped my fork, as did my brothers. Mum never talked about our father. Ever. We just barely knew his name.

"Yes, Mum?" Albus prompted, very carefully.

In the earlier days, back when Albus was just beginning at Hogwarts, we heard stories constantly about our father, and our uncles, and Aunt Hermione, a lot of them told by Uncle Neville, saying how much of troublemakers they all were, how talented our father was, how much Albus and James resembled him… But whenever we asked Mum to elaborate, she just got glassy-eyed and muttered something about an emergency work call. We learned not to mention him, but there were times Mum did slip up, and sometimes we would learn a tid bit or two; He had a holly and phoenix feather wand, a lightening bolt shaped scar, was the only one ever to survive the killing curse…

"Umm…" My Mum muttered, her cheeks flushing red. "I… Don't feel… well. I'm going to head onto… bed… yeah…" And she stood up abruptly and hurried off, leaving me and my brothers to stare wide-eyed at each other.

"Wow," I whispered, unable to help myself.

"Wow's right, Lily," James said, almost to himself, a loaded look in his eyes.

"Wonder what she would have said?" Me and James looked at our younger brother. He had a knack for stating the obvious at times, but also for saying aloud what it's obvious that everyone is thinking, but unable to put into words.

"We may never know," James said, and I knew he was answering as truthfully as he could.

"Should I go…" I said, starting to stand up. But James grabbed hold of my wrist.

"Don't, Lils. Not tonight." And I sat back down as James stood up, and- with a meaningful look at me- waved his wand towards the dirty plates, causing them to fly into the kitchen and land under the running water in the sink. "You guys want dessert?" He asked, walking into the kitchen.

"No thanks," I muttered automatically.

"No," Albus said, rubbing his stomach. "Excuse me," he said. "I don't feel so well…" And he, too, hurried into the hallway. A moment later, the bathroom door slammed.

So I was left sitting there awkwardly as James hurried around the kitchen, trying to look busy.

Maybe I imagined it, but I thought I heard him sniffle…

"James?" I said quietly, not looking up.

It took him an moment to answer. "Yes?"

"Have you ever thought about… finding him?"

"Finding who, Lily?" I heard him drop a pan in the sink, and had the distinct impression he was standing in the kitchen doorway.

"You know. Harry… Our father."

"Of course not." James's tone was rough, cold, uncaring. This was so unlike him. I turned around so I was facing him.

"But aren't you ever… curious? Everyone always says you and Albus look like him, that I have his eyes, our grandmother's eyes. Don't you want to know him? Who he is…"

"No, I don't, Lily," he said, and his voice was almost frightening. I cringed, but he continued. "He ditched us, Lily. His wife and three kids. No phone calls, no letters. No damn explanation. Just left us here to fend for ourselves, while he's probably off in a new witch's bed every other night-"

"He loved us, James-"

"HE DIDN'T LOVE US, LILY!" I've never heard James shout before, not in anger. I cringed again, tears springing to my eyes. I looked up at him, his face full of remorse for what he had done. He shuffled over to me, putting an arm around me and pulling me into a sideways hug. Much more quietly, he said, "I'm sure he loved us… someway… at one point. But he left. And as far as I'm concerned a real man wouldn't do that, to his family, not to anybody. And, I'm sorry, but I don't want to waste my precious years searching for a man that doesn't have enough pride and self-respect to be there for his family. And I hope you won't either." I looked at my brother.

"We deserve to know him-"

"He doesn't deserve to know us," he cut me off, in a tone of finality I had heard Professor McGonagall use many times before. "Not if he walks out on us." And with that, he stood up, hugging me one more time and whispering I should get some rest, that it was obvious I was stressed out. But I stayed firmly in my seat. James looked at me for a moment, but decided not to again, and he, too, turned the corner and disappeared down the hallway.

I stared at the wall. I knew James was right, in a way. A real man, a real father wouldn't have walked out on his children, his wife. But somewhere inside of me, I knew. Knew that he didn't walk out on us for his own selfish reasons. Knew he was only trying to make our lives better somehow, in some way….

If we were as much like our father as everyone said we were, then there had to be a reason.

When I went to bed that night- Mum, of course, sleeping, or at least I was probably suppose to assume she was- with that idea nagging at me, on the edges of my thoughts.

Find him.

Find him.

Find him.

Again, hope everyone enjoyed the story. Thanks for reading, feel free to review, and constructive critisism is gratefull accepted. Good day, and good night, everyone.