Hello! I'm BAAAAAACK! Check my profile.
So, here's the first of the updated chapters. I warn you, there have been a couple of fairly significant changes, as my ideas have developed a bit since I posted this in...2011? Was it really two (almost
three?!) years ago? Enjoy!

The last thing James Potter saw was a flash of green light….

He opened his eyes and stared. "Aren't I…where…oh…am I dead?" he wondered. The place seemed familiar, but he'd never put much thought into what, if anything, was present after death. He'd been too focused on the here and now for that. An odd noise made him turn. Then he knew he had to be dead: he was looking at his parents….and cousins.

Haydn, the youngest of the latter, nodded slowly, while Charlus and Dorea appeared lost for words. His mother whispered, "I'm so sorry, Jamie." She hadn't called him that in years…..ten years, in fact. His father said gruffly, "This should never have happened, but…."

He didn't finish, because James remembered Lily – and Harry. "Oh no." he muttered, "Oh no oh no oh no…."
Haydn said, "The Lake is a viewing pool. Use it."
It was only then that James realised they were at Hogwarts. He ran towards the Lake, but before he reached it, there was another flash of green light. James turned back and one of his worst fears was confirmed.

"Lily," he whispered faintly. Lily looked round wildly, spotted James and ran over to him. He enveloped her in his arms and she began to cry softly.
"He's going to kill Harry," she cried, "I tried to protect him the best I could but….."

Hayden said, "You two might want to get over here. Now." He was standing at the Lake.
James and Lily turned in time to see Voldemort point his wand at Harry – they both gasped and shouted "No!" – then miraculously the Curse rebounded….and Voldemort vanished.

The group gathered around the water gasped. There was a long moment of silence, then Harry started crying. Not that they could hear him – James gathered it was just pictures with this thing.
Lily sniffled and stretched out her arms, wishing she could hold her baby, who was bleeding from a cut on the forehead.

Then Harrison Potter, James' dad, let out a low whistle. "I don't believe it. I just don't believe it. He's a little baby and yet…."
Haydn pronounced, "Your kid sure is somethin', James."
James' mum Jessica clarified, "Your Harry just defeated Voldemort."
Haydn added, seeing James' face, "I know that look James. He'll be fine; Your friends will look after him."

James grimaced, then gasped, "Oh! Sirius'll go mad….I hope he doesn't do anything too stupid…..Damn! Remus'll be devastated – we didn't tell – he – and the rest of the world will think….As for that rat…." For him, that was the major shock of tonight. Such betrayal….

Haydn pulled him up short. "James and Lily, you're both gonna hate me for saying this, but you can't get caught up – you can't Live in That World any more. You have to Live in On." he said, "That's what we're all doing; we're Living On."

James sighed. He and Lily exchanged glances, then Lily answered for both of them. "That's going to be difficult."
"Harry's going to have a tough time over the next few years," James added, "and he, hopefully with luck, won't remember tonight."

Haydn nodded and put a hand on James' shoulder. "Of course! He'll be famous." He paused. "I know it will be difficult – Merlin knows, I struggle – but… Look, it doesn't mean you can't... 'watch over them'. Just...remember to Live, too." he smiled, "I'm proud of you, Jimmy -" (another old nickname) "- you really did listen to me."

James nodded. "Hard not to," he muttered.
Haydn replied, "Yeah. Now it looks like I get to make it up to you."
"Yes," Harrison suggested, "Now, isn't there something we should be doing?"
"?!" James and Lily were puzzled.
Jessica explained, "Let's celebrate. The downfall of Voldemort and the survival of little Harry!"

Haydn chuckled a little sadly. "I'll get glasses," he turned to go, then added, "On second thoughts, perhaps we should celebrate in the Great Hall – a lot of people are headed this way. Word travels fast."

Lily groaned. "Great," she muttered.
James grinned. "I know," he said. She rolled her eyes at him.

Then Dorea interrupted. "Lily... James... wait a moment." The group turned to her and saw that she held a baby in her arms. "Lily, were you pregnant – in There?"

Lily gasped and nodded. "Yes."
James glanced at her. She sounded almost scared.
Dorea continued, "Many things will need to be explained to you about the quirks of On...later. But the one that you need to know is that, well, foetuses can appear here too. I'm guessing -" she glanced at Lily, "- that you were about three months along?"

Lily nodded again, almost robotically, but said nothing. James stepped into the breach. "Yes. She was thirteen weeks yesterday. We were going to have a girl... at the end of April." he hesitated. "Are you saying that...?"

Dorea smiled at him. "Your daughter is thirteen weeks old, then."
Lily stepped forward and peered at the bundle in Dorea's arms, then glanced at James. James stepped forward also and then took their daughter from his cousin when Lily hesitated further. He adjusted the blanket around her and glanced at Lily with a smile. Lily falteringly returned it. She must still be in shock over the events of the night. James thought.

Charlus said, "So, what's her name?"

Lily spoke in barely a whisper. "April Lily Potter. April was her due date, and it means spring and new beginnings." her voice shook slightly over the last words.
James adjusted his hold on April and wrapped an arm around Lily. "Even more appropriate now, then. For the reign of the Supreme Psychopathic Idiot has ended, after all. We'll have new beginnings here, as they will have them There." he glanced towards the Lake and felt Lily flinch. James sighed. Looks like I'll have to be the "tough one" again.

Haydn seemed to sense James' unease. "Well, then. On that note, perhaps we should adjourn to the Great Hall? People might come looking for us otherwise."
The others agreed.

As they made their way to the Hall, Harrison remarked, "So, what will Harry be called now?"
At James' and Lily's incredulous, startled looks, Jessica jumped in. "Oh come on, James! You were the one who told me every hero has a title!"

James laughed sheepishly. That had been a while ago. He mused, "Well, he did survive a Killing Curse ….and he is only a little boy….What about….'The Boy Who Survived'?"

Lily smiled sadly. "Hmm….No, I think 'The Boy Who Lived' has a better ring to it." Her voice was rather brittle. He had survived...but they had died. Who would take care of him? Who would take care of her baby? Her first baby, that is...

"The Boy Who Lived?" the voice of Gideon Prewett parroted.
Beside him, Fabian added, "That sounds about right."

Lily smiled as James greeted the twins enthusiastically. "Thanks. Now let's get to this party-thing."
Perhaps meeting old friends again would help her. James seemed to be managing well enough, after all.

The twins smirked. "We'll make sure you Potters are the centre of attention." Lily groaned. That was one thing she didn't want.
"I thought it was about Harry?" she asked. They laughed.

The party lasted until after midnight. The Potters were toasted and cheered several times; but the main cheer was for Harry Potter – as Lily had said – 'The Boy Who Lived'.

So there you have it. Lily & James have a daughter, April; James has three cousins (based on the Black Family Tree) instead of an OC for a brother; but what's with Lily's mood & reaction to April?

As an aside, "Haydn" is a first name derived from the same last name. The surname version belonged to a composer called Joseph Haydn (1732-1809). Mr J Haydn was a classical composer. I say Dorea liked his music. "Harrison" means "son of Harry" and it is also a surname. I gave James' dad this name so James could name his son after him. So it could mean two things; either "Harry" and variants thereof are common in the Potter family tree, or it could simply mean that Harrison's mother liked the name. Perhaps she'd heard it as a surname. Whichever you prefer.