It was a typical Friday night dinner at Potter manor, which meant the whole family was there; James, Lily and Harry Potter, of course, but their extended family also comprised Sirius Black, Remus and Tonks Lupin, and their son, Teddy. It was a time for these closest of friends to catch up, to share their latest news and gossip, Sirius being the worst for a juicy piece of news.
James and Lily loved hosting their friends at James' family home. It really was too big for just them and their son, Harry, 21, but Sirius stayed over often, and it had hosted many epic parties.
So on this night, like every other Friday before, the food was good, the company better and the noise was loud. It was James and Remus' combined birthdays too, so the mood was extra celebatory. James and Sirius gossiped about Ministry goings on, Remus, a professor at Hogwarts, added snippets about the latest happenings at their old school, and Lily and Tonks watched over and complimented Teddy, who was finally learning to get some control of his metamorphagus talents at just four.
So when Harry cleared his throat everyone quietened, expecting him to have news to share. He didn't disappoint.
"I've...er,"– he gulped, looking at all the expectant faces – "I've met someone."
Lily's eyes flew to James'. The moment she had both waited for and somewhat feared. As their only child, their thoughts about their future centred around their son, their only child. His job, his dreams, his love-life. They had long debated on the type of woman Harry would find – would they like his future someone, would she like them and be happy for them to stay the close family they had always been. So many questions about this unknown someone.
And now this someone had finally come along.
James and Lily were immediately under no illusions that this someone was special. He had dated at Hogwarts, what they secretly dubbed the 'Chang Fiasco', and an on again, off again thing with Susan Bones for a year, but he had never made any sort of announcement to the family. And those three words weren't the last surprise Harry had for them that night.
Aware of all eyes on him, he flushed but looked at his parents. "I'd like to bring her to dinner next Friday."
The room was silent, except for Teddy beating his spoon on his plate, demanding ice cream.
"Don't you think it might be a bit much, all of us at once," suggested Lily gently.
"I'm afraid I won't be here anyway, I'll be on rounds that night," said Remus, head of Gryffindor House.
"And I told my mum we'd have her over for dinner at ours, so Teddy and I won't make it, either," realised Tonks.
"So just you, me and Lily, Prongs. How's that, Harry? Think your bird can handle just the parentals and your godfather?" asked Sirius.
"Just don't scare her off before we get a chance to meet her, Sirius," suggested Tonks to her cousin.
"Who, moi?" asked Sirius, pretending to be surprised. Everyone snorted.
Harry smiled a secret smile. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure she'll be fine."
"Then it's settled," smiled Lily, placing her hand over Harry's and squeezing lightly. "Dinner next Friday."
"I'll owl her to confirm after dinner," said Harry happily, tucking into his meal now that the ordeal was over.
"So," began Sirius, as the meal resumed, " what's her name."
Harry swallowed. "Ginny. Her name is Ginny."
James and Sirius smiled indulgently, nudging each other, while Lily simply stared at her son. Never had any of them seen Harry in a dreamy state, or talk in a breathy voice, the way he had said her name.
Lily had a sudden feeling that this Ginny held the future of her family in her palm.
/*/*/*/*
"Lils, relax," urged James, resting his hands on her shoulders and massaging gently.
"I just want everything to go perfectly, for Harry's sake," revealed Lily, checking the table yet again. "Do you think the flowers are too much? What if she doesn't like flowers? Merlin, what if she's allergic?"
"Harry would have told you, love, he knows you like to do these beautiful centrepieces for special occasions," reasoned James, looking at the colourful tulips in a vase in the centre of the table.
"Where are they, anyway? Harry said he'd go to pick her up at four, and it's now five thirty," worried Lily, turning in his arms, grabbing his arm and twisting James' wrist to check the time on his watch.
"Ow, Lil," protested James, shaking his wrist when she released her hold on him. "Love, please, relax. Besides, if anyone should be nervous, it's this Ginny, not you, Lily."
" What if she doesn't like us?" wondered Lily, aloud, "or what if we don't like her. He's told us practically nothing about her."
"Trust in our son, Lily," said James, enveloping his wife in his arms.
Lily sighed, burrowing her face against his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. "I know, you're right," she conceded. "I don't want to let Harry down."
"You never could, Lily," said James, gently, brushing his lips against her forehead. "You never have."
/*/*/*/*
She was his best friend's sister, a Weasley. That already gave them good feelings about her, for over the course of their Hogwarts years, they had, of course, met and hosted the Weasley family in the summer holidays, with Harry and Ron eager to spend time together.
"Dad was transferred to the Paris Ministry for awhile, the year Ron started at Hogwarts," Ginny explained. "Mum and I went with him; it gave us a chance to spend time with my eldest brother, Bill, who works for Gringotts there. I fell in love with the country and when I was offered the chance to go to Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts, well, I decided to stay."
"I can't imagine any school better than Hogwarts," declared James, indignant on behalf of Hogwarts.
Ginny took no offense. "I know, believe me, I had grown up on stories of Hogwarts from all my brothers. I asked to stay for a year at Beaxbatons, to see how I liked it. I boarded with the Delacour family after mum and dad returned home and I became really good friends with their daughters, especially their eldest, who took me under her wing at school. When the time came to decide to stay or go to Hogwarts, I chose to stay."
"Pity. Gryffindor lost the chance for a great Chaser," murmured Harry. Ginny laughed, reaching out to grab his hand and give it a squeeze. Lily noted she didn't let go.
"Chaser?" James perked up. "You played Chaser?"
Ginny nodded, but Harry spoke before she could. "Dad, she's brilliant. She actually plays for the Holyhead Harpies."
James eyes widened. "You play professional Quidditch?" he asked.
"Isn't that dangerous?" asked Lily, remembering Harry's sixth year when he was thinking about a career in Quidditch. She and James had made several trips to the Hogwarts infirmary, for he played Seeker quite recklessly. Luckily, he had had a change of heart of career choice in his seventh year, and now worked as an Unspeakable, although in a different department to her.
"I started playing reserves in Paris and was just picked up this year by the Harpies. I've followed them all my life and it was a great chance to return to England. I missed my family and that's when I met Harry again," she said, shooting him a grin.
"Again? You've met before?" asked Lily, surprised.
"At the Burrow, one day in the summer after our first year," explained Harry. "I thought she was cute."
Ginny flushed but her eyes sparkled attractively. "I thought he was a specky, scrawny prat. Ron was, back then, teased me terribly, so I figured his best friend would be one too."
James laughed, remembering how skinny Harry had been back then. "And now look at the two of you," he teased.
"How did this happen?" asked Lily, gesturing between the two.
"Ron happened," they chorused, then laughed, shooting each other fond looks.
At James and Lily's confused look, Harry explained. " He thought we'd be perfect together. You know, 'my best friend is the only man I trust for my sister. My sister is the perfect person for my best friend'." He mimicked his best friend's voice
"And for once, Ron was actually right!" chuckled Ginny. She frowned. "You know he'll hold that over us forever, don't you" she asked Harry, who nodded happily.
Forever. Lily didn't miss the implication, and she knew James hadn't either. Plus the fact they could barely eat their meals, as it meant they had to stop touching each other briefly.
Lily remembered those exciting days of being a new couple with James. The looks, the touches, the feelings. It was all very heady but even then, there was something that was just so right about it.
But this was her son, her Harry. She pictured him at two, toddling after James and Sirius, eager to be a 'roarder! At seven, a cheeky boy discovering flying and school and magic. At eleven, excited to receive his Hogwarts letter; at seventeen, newly graduated and ready to start his chosen career.
And here he was, Harry at twenty one, going on twenty two, happy...and in love.
It had been a pleasant dinner; everything had gone perfectly, possibly because Sirius hadn't turned up. Lily had begged James to warn Sirius 'no Marauder-esque behavior', for his godson's sake. James had said he had agreed, but he had been a no-show on the night.
Ginny had been complimentary on the meal and the centrepiece,
exclaiming over the colourful flowers, with Harry explaining tulips were her favourite. She accepted a small glass of wine with the meal, apologising that she couldn't drink much as the Quidditch players were regularly tested for banned substances, and if one was found guilty, they faced fines, suspensions or banned completely. "Not that I drink much, anyway," she hastily added.
James had been fascinated with Ginny being a Harpy and asked her lots of questions. Lily was more content to sit back and watch her husband fall under the same spell her son had fallen for.
Despite her own overprotective attitude on behalf of Harry, Lily also couldn't help but like this girl. She had an engaging personality, was modest in her own achievements and, even when her attention was on James' story of his own Quidditch achievements, she often looked to Harry, and Lily certainly hadn't missed her hand on her son's knee. Although she did have a feeling the girl was holding back, perhaps being on her best behavior, which was understandable when meeting your boyfriend's parents.
She had a hearty appetite, yet a trim figure. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and fun. Lily could see why Harry was besotted, for he truly was. His eyes barely left her, and the way his eyes looked at her with a fondness, with amusement, almost with pride. Pride that she was here, with him, that she was his.
They were sated from their delicious meal, having a break before pudding, when a familiar sound from outside drew all their attention. James looked at Lily, who looked at Harry.
"What's that?" asked Ginny, looking around.
"Sirius just arrived. He's on his motorbike," explained James. He looked to Harry to lead. "Shall we?" He gestured to outside.
Harry looked to Ginny, who nodded. All four then stood and made their way outside.
Sirius had just alighted from his bike and was heading for the house. "Potters!" he greeted exuberantly, "and a non-Potter." He smiled at Ginny. " Sorry I'm late."
"Have you eaten, Pads?" asked James, "Lily set a plate aside for you."
Sirius nodded, patting his stomach.
'Well, you're just in time for dessert," said Lily.
"Sirius, this is my girlfriend, Ginny," introduced Harry, before Sirius could reply to his mother.
"Hello, Mr Black," greeted Ginny, pleasantly, stepping closer to him.
Sirius' eyes opened wide. "Bloody hell, she's a ginger!"
Harry felt Ginny bristle. "Sirius," he warned.
"Actually, I prefer to be called Ginny," replied Ginny to Sirius, "and what about you? Shall I call you Mr Black? Or Padfoot, or dogfather?"
Sirius looked slightly taken aback. "Hell, don't call me Mr Black, that was my cold, heartless father! Harry's the only one to call me dogfather, and Padfoot is reserved for my closest friends," he explained gruffly.
Ginny took no offense at his tone. "Sirius, it is then," she said.
Sirius eyed her. "So, I can't call you Ginger?" he asked.
Ginny shook her head. "Nope. Ginny's already a nickname."
"Gin?" he asked, persisting.
"Is an alcohol," she stated.
"Gin Gin," he suggested.
Ginny crossed her arms, amused. "Unfortunately already taken by my twin brothers."
"Gin bug," he deadpanned, " cos you're so cute!"
"I don't do cute," she huffed, making them all think how cute she was, especially Harry.
"Red, then?"
"Sure, if you want to meet my Bat Bogey hex," she said cooly.
"Ginny, it is," decided Sirius quickly, opening his arms. "Welcome to our little family."
Ginny walked into his hug. "Thank you, Sirius," she said warmly, hugging him back. He patted her back and she returned the favour before turning back to Harry, James and Lily. "Did he just pin something on my back?" she asked warily.
"No, of course not," they all assured her.
"Oh, good," sighed Ginny in relief. "Hey, cool bike," she said to Sirius.
He turned around to look at the machine. "Yeah, she's my baby," he cooed.
James, Lily and Harry tried to stifle their laughter, for Ginny had stuck a sign on Sirius' back. 'Neuter your dog, he will be less nuts'.
As Sirius explained several features of his bike to a very interested Ginny, she shot a wink over her shoulder at the Potters.
That was when James knew she was the one for his son.
HGHGHG
Sirius joined them for the actual meal the following Friday, and the laughter was loud around the table. Ginny was more relaxed now that the initial meeting was over, and, as Lily had suspected, was more herself, which was even more endearing.
She had a snappy comeback to all of Sirius' attempts to wind her up, refusing to cower down. She happily handed out passes to the next Harpy's- Tutshill match, flushing with pleasure that the Potters and Sirius would be keen to attend to support her.
This, of course, led to James talking Quidditch and Chaser tactics animatedly with Ginny again. Harry seemed content to simply sit and stare at her in wonder. The two were at it for the next hour.
"May as well book St Jerome's church, Lily," snickered Sirius quietly to his best friend's wife. "He's a goner. Merlin, I think he's even worse than James was, when you finally agreed to go out with him."
Lily nodded, deliberately ignoring the quip about her early days of being
courted by James Potter at Hogwarts. But she definitely recognised the look in his son's eyes, all adoring as he looked at Ginny. It was exactly the way James had looked at her, still looked at her, even after all this time. And Ginny returned it to Harry.
And that's when Lily knew Ginny was the one.
HGHGHG
A month later, and James had finished work on this Wednesday night and had met Harry and Sirius for a quick drink at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry was eager to return home, for Ginny was coming by sometime after training, but James and Sirius were content to linger; Sirius was always keen to hear stories from the Auror office, where James was head Auror. Usually Harry would be keen to listen too, but his mind these days was always on Ginny.
"You know," started Sirius, "Gin-bug said something the first day I met her -"
"Don't let her catch you calling her that," warned Harry, with a grin.
Sirius waved his concerns off and continued. "She mentioned a hex, the Bat Bogey hex. I've never heard of it, what does it do?" he asked.
Harry shrugged. "I've never seen it, but I know every time Ginny mentions it, her brothers shut the hell up real fast, like they're scared of her, or something."
"Is it bats? Is it bats with bogeys, or bogeys with bats? So many questions?" asked Sirius, tossing the last of his Firewhiskey back.
"Yeah, well, you might find out soon enough. She's angry at you for setting her up at Remus and Tonks' last week," said James.
Harry nodded. "You know you set her up when she met them for the first time."
Sirius rubbed his ear. "Your Ginny sent me a Howler! I haven't had a Howler since my Hogwarts days. Remember James, my dear mother sent me one when I was Sorted into Gryffindor," he said dryly. James nodded.
"Sirius, you told her Remus had a furry little problem and she wasn't to touch him or she'd catch it. Then you told her to call Tonks, Nympho. Do you know how embarassed she was? And so was Remus, you know how he is about his telling strangers about his lycanthropy," reminded Harry. "I wanted Ginny to get to know him first."
"Now, now, it's all done now, and Remus and Tonks were understanding," reasoned James. He looked at his best friend. "We all agreed you're an idiot with too much time on your hands, Padfoot."
"I resent that," scoffed Sirius. He looked at his best friend and his godson. "Am I in trouble with your ladies?" he asked them.
"Have a guess," quipped James.
"No?" asked Sirius, more in hope than anything.
"Guess again," said Harry.
"Hey! I am the responsible Marauder," protested a wounded Sirius, gesturing to the bar tender for another round of drinks.
"You upset Ginny, Tonks and Remus," reminded James, "and Lily is upset that you upset them."
"And I take responsibility for that," nodded Sirius.
"You'll apologise to Ginny and the others," said Harry, firmly.
"I will," agreed Sirius. "What?" he demanded, when his best friend and godson looked doubtful. "I promise."
"Tonight. Ginny's meeting me at home, you can apologise to her then," decided Harry.
Sirius had to admire Ginny, the Bat Bogey hex was truly a Marauder- level type of hex. He suspected she had even held back, not unleashing the true strength of the curse on him. Her anger and embarassment had abated since the meeting at the Lupin's but he had deserved it, he knew it. He vowed to never give her a reason to use it on him again
The end result was a firm friendship between Tonks and Ginny, Remus only shaking his head at Sirius' attempts at a joke and the knowledge that Ginny was a witch not to be messed with, and he respected that. He realised she was now a real part of his family. His true family.
And he was more than okay with that.