Chapter 1

The most shocking memory I have of my childhood is when I found out my brother, Albus, was in the Slytherin House. Then again, I'm still technically a child and I'm sure there are many more crazy things to come.

It was the day after I went with my Mum and Dad to take Al and James to the Kings Cross Station to go to the Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. I was only nine; thus giving me two more years until I got to join them there. It was Al's first year, and the day before he had been scared to death. Of the school, James tormenting him, being a Slytherin. James kept taunting him, telling him he would be one, but when never expected it to be true. Besides, since when is James ever right?

James' owl, Snitch, was pecking at the window. Mum was in her office writing the results of the latest Quidditch match between the Appleby Arrows and the Wigtown Wanderers for the Daily Prophet since she was the senior Quidditch correspondence. Dad was off doing his Auror duties. So, I excitedly let the owl in, took the note that was tied to his foot, and watched him fly off to the mysterious world that was Hogwarts.

As I tore open the note, I couldn't help but be suspicious. James would never risk his popularity by writing this soon after being there, and Al wouldn't risk being made fun of by James. Something was up. The note was short.

Dear Mum, Dad, and Lily. I'm a Slytherin. Love, Albus

I ran to Mum's office, note in hand. "Mum, Mum!"

"What is it, Lily?" She asks, frantic. I was freaking out a bit, with good reason.

I mean, Al couldn't be a Slytherin. We were Potter's, for crying out loud! Our father, Harry Potter, had killed the darkest wizard of all time! How in the world could his son possibly be in the same House as Lord Voldemort, who killed my grandparents?

He couldn't! Not sweet, loving Al, who always stuck up for me when James was being a jerk. The same Al who felt guilty when he got rid of our Garden Gnomes! Who was by far the nicest, most sensitive of the Potter's and Weasley's! This just couldn't be. The Sorting Hat had made a mistake was all. Yes, that was it. Or so I tried to convince myself.

I watched as Mum read the letter. Then she read it again. And again, and again, and again. Finally she looked up, her face blank.

"Maybe this is James joking with us?" She's tries to say reassuringly, but it comes out a question.

"Maybe." I murmur. "Or maybe Al is secretly a Dark Wizard."

"Lily Luna Potter! Do not say that about your brother! Albus is the sweetest, kindest, most loving child I have!" Mum says, giving me a pointed glare.

"Fine." I grumble. "Well? What are we going to do?" I say, bouncing up and down. The excitement and anxiety of the situation was getting to my little nine-year-old self.

"I don't know what you're talking about. It's fine. Wash up for dinner." She says.

"But, Mum, he's a, a…Slytherin." I protest.

"And it's fine if he is! Wash up!"

Later, when Dad got home, he didn't take it nearly as well. I watched him read Al's letter at the dinner table. He only read it once, but as he did the color drained from his face. He put the letter down and ran his hands nervously through his hair. "A Slytherin." He muttered. "A SLYTHERIN!" I almost jumped out of my seat when he yelled that at the top of his lungs.

"Now, now, Harry. You said at the station…" Mum started.

"I know what I said at the station! But Bloody hell, Ginny! Albus, a Slytherin!" He put his head in his hands.

The day before when Al was worrying about be a Slytherin, Dad pulled him aside, but I head every word. "Albus Severus, you were named after two Hogwarts Headmasters. One was a Slytherin, and probably one of the bravest men I've ever known." I know now that all of his useless pep talking was a bunch of BS.

"Daddy, I know! The Sorting Hat must be wrong!" I say.

"The Sorting Hat is never wrong." He mumbles, almost to himself.

"What'd you say?"Mum asks.

"It's nothing. I better go write him back." And with that Dad gets up from the table, his food untouched, and heads into his room muttering, "I don't believe it. Albus, a Slytherin."

The second most shocking memory was during my first year at Hogwarts. I had taken the trip across the lake with Hagrid leading the way like all the first years do. We had all entered the Great Hall and were standing in a long line of first years, waiting to be sorted.

I was nervous, I had to admit. I'd liked to tell myself that I didn't care what House I got in, but that was a lie. I hated the Slytherins, all except Al, with a passion. I couldn't help it; I had been raised that way. And the Ravenclaws, well I just wasn't smart enough to get in that House. The Hufflepuff House, to me, seemed like the House for losers who didn't have any special qualities. But that's just me. So, yeah, I wanted to be a Gryffindor so bad!

I was near the back of the line talking to a girl who I sat with on the train, Alana Patterson. We were betting on which House the students would get in once they got up to the Sorting Hat. I was getting way more right; so far she owed me six Sickles and fifteen Knuts. She kept claiming that since she was a Muggle born and I knew all these kids plus their siblings and parents, I had an unfair advantage, and I guess she was right. Like I cared.

The next kid to walk onto the stage was Leo Malfoy. Unlike his brother and father, he had dark brown curly hair and dark brown eyes like his mother.

"Oh, no doubt about this one. All or nothing Slytherin." I tell Alana.

"Deal." She replies. "But why are you so sure he's going to be a Slytherin?"

"Because he's a Malfoy. And Malfoy's are dirty, rotten, no good…" Leo had sat down on the chair and was placing the Sorting Hat on his head. Before he could even set it down, the hat screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

My mouth dropped. I was thoroughly shocked. In its old age the Hat was losing its touch. That was two mistakes in the past three years! I looked towards the Gryffindor table. They were cheering, except James who wore a similar expression to my own. Finally he gained his composure and started cheering along with everyone else. I looked to the Slytherin table. I saw Al who also looked just as shocked as I did, and beside him Scorpio Malfoy who had his fists balled up and was raging.

"Well, Potter. Looks like you owe me six Sickles and fifteen Knuts." Alana says smirking.

These memories came back to me as I was packing my school trunk. James, Al, and I were leaving tomorrow to Hogwarts and I hadn't even started packing. Some would call that procrastinating. James was entering his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, Al's sixth, and I was a going to be a fourth year.

I began taking out all the clutter in the bottom of my trunk. Empty ink wells, quills, parchment, and lots of stuff from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Extendable Ears, a Skiving Snackbox, Ton-Tongue Toffees, Instant Darkness Powder, all from Uncle George's shop. James and I went through this stuff like the Cookie Monster goes through cookies. There was also a much wilted flower in the bottom of the trunk from my first trip to Hogsmeade last year. Hunter Evans gave it to me when we had our first kiss. My very first kiss. Ah, good times. Even better when I found out he was screwing with a Hufflepuff fifth year.

"James, Al, Lily, dinner!" Mum called up.

"Teddy and Victoire are here, too!" Dad adds. I quickly rush down the stairs at that. Teddy was a brother to us. Heck, I liked him better than my real brothers. His parents were killed in the Battle of Hogwarts almost twenty-five years ago. Dad is Teddy's godfather; Teddy was practically raised here. Victoire was our cousin, Bill's daughter, and had been dating Teddy for five years.

"Teddy!" I squeal like a child and rush up to hug him. He laughs.

"Hey, kiddo."

"Hey, Victoire." I say hugging her as well.

"Hi, Lily!" She said. She was beaming. Something about her made her look like she was glowing. And she couldn't stay still; she was practically jumping up and down. Teddy came and put his arm around me.

"So, Lily. Excited for Hogwarts? Fourth year, whoo hoo!" Teddy says.

"She better enjoy it because next year will kill her with the O.W.L.s." James says coming down the stairs. "Teddy, my man! What's up?" He asks bumping Teddy's fist.

"Albus get down here right now!" Mum yelled.

"Just a minute!" He yells back down. Al had spent his whole summer locked in his room or out of the house. We hardly ever saw him and I didn't think I was the only one worrying if he was finally living up to his House.

"Al get your butt down here!" Victoire yelled. Sheesh, impatient, aren't we? Al trudges down the stairs.

"Bloody! What's your problem, Victoire?" Al asks.

"Okay, Teddy said I had to tell you all at one time, so, WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!" She holds out her left hand for all of us to see. Teddy was grinning proudly.

"Oh my Gosh! Congratulations!" I say, now jumping up and down with Victoire. Mum hugs her.

"This is wonderful!"She says.

"Congrats, man!" James says, slapping Teddy on the back. Al nods in agreement.

"Thanks." He says. Dad stays in the background, smiling hugely like the real father, or godfather, he is. I'm sure he's have his sappy talk with Teddy later.

"Well everyone, let's eat!" Mum says.