This is written for the Unheard Of Pairing Challenge.

Prompt: Opening Sentence. Once upon a time...

Please enjoy.

Not A Typical Fairy-Tale

"Once upon a time..." he begins which immediately silences the children's "Story!"-chorusing. Suddenly they are looking at him with wide eyes while Albus is still trying to ascertain whether he should really tell them that story… in the end he smiles, though, and concludes that they will not understand who it is about, not yet anyway. Even if they know the people he is talking about.

He exchanges a quick glance with James, who is leaning against the wall, nodding.

Both of them know that Lily will not, cannot tell them, so he is going to do it. It is about time that someone else but them and Fred knows the truth. Even if it is the children – or rather especially the children, they do deserve to know.

"Please continue, Uncle Albus?" Clémence begs, the young witch's eyes huge and pleading and disturbingly puppy-like for a nine year old girl. They should be forbidden, really.

"Yes, sweetheart," Albus smiles, "I will." And with an old sadness that has never left his heart, he begins.

oOoOo

Once upon a time, there were three lovely young girls. This is nothing special in itself, however, those girls were more than special.

First, they were not just friends, they were cousins. The children of two brothers and one sister, and they had many more uncles coming from the same family.

Second, they all had blazing red hair.

And third, they were witches.

Their close friendship was also a special one, for at the time this story takes place the oldest of them was seventeen, and the youngest eleven years old. She had just begun to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and her elder friend was there for the seventh time, her last year. The third of the girls was fourteen, also attending the same school.

Now, with being related to each other they had, of course, met before, at the countless, und usually incredibly chaotic get-togethers of their family. There had never been time to really get to know each other, though, for everyone else had been there as well, and while the older ones were allowed to sit with the adults the younger children usually were splitting up into groups matching their age and interests. The only thing they ever really did together was play Quidditch, which always had everyone old enough to participate on a broom.

So, when the youngest of the three girls came to Hogwarts for her first year she could have told the names of all her cousins, and their second names, and age, and their hobbies, and what profession they were planning to take up later at that point, however, she could not have told anything else.

Then, however, she stepped into the Great Hall for the first time, absolutely in awe despite having been told everything and even having visited before.

She stared at the head table, Headmistress McGonagall sitting in the middle, countenance distanced but kind, as always. She stared at the house tables, and the countless red thatches of her family members clustering mostly in Gryffindor, but also in all of the other houses. She stared at the floating candles, and the ghosts, and the enchanted ceiling, and she felt the magic lingering in the air.

Then Professor Flitwick, charms teacher and Deputy Headmaster, brought forth a three-legged chair, and an old ragged hat. Unrolling a long piece of parchment he began to call the students forward one by one, and the eleven year old girl's heart was beating faster and faster.

Then, finally, she heard her name.

"Potter, Lily!"

And for a second her heart stopped as everyone in the Great Hall was staring at her, before she stepped forward, knowing that it would not matter which house she would be sorted into, yet, she would prefer the lions, despite being not exactly courageous…

And then the hat shouted "Gryffindor!" and with her heart as light as a feather she ran for her new house table, sitting down between two of her cousins: Roxanne Weasley, with her dark skin and flaming red hair, a fourth-grader, and Dominique Weasley, beautiful with a Veela's elegance and hair like lava running down her long back, this year's head girl.

From across the table her brother James was beaming at her, congratulating, and she could see a few disappointed faces throughout the hall – Albus', for example, who had wished for her to join him in Slytherin.

"It's cool to have you here, with us," Roxanne grinned. "If you ever need help with pranks of any kind-"

"-or homework-" Dominique chipped in, trying to be responsible.

"-don't hesitate to ask. I'm sure Fred'll help, too."

"With pranks? Always," the future inheritor of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, who had the same dark skin as his sister and listened in to their conversation, immediately agreed.

A little overwhelmed Lily just smiled at them and nodded, which caused Dominique to put an arm around her shoulders. "Don't let them annoy you," she said, ignoring the siblings' indignant calls. "Just take your time to acclimate yourself, ask if you have any questions, and everything else will come on its own."

And that it did.

Within a few weeks Lily knew where the classrooms were, what each professor was expecting of her, how and where to hide when she was breaking the rules, which Slytherins were arrogant bitches, and which Gryffindors would make great friends.

Most important of all, however, she knew that she could always count on Dominique and Roxanne.

Unlike her brothers and other cousins they never let her down, not once. Not even when she was getting them into trouble. So, it was no wonder that she spent more and more time with the two older girls who always seemed to stick together, afraid that she was imposing, and being told otherwise all the time.

Of course all three of them also had friends in their own year, however, Eoghan Finnigan and Thetis Greengrass just could not compare to Dominique and Roxanne. Never.

At first, everything was easy.

Nearing Halloween, though, things began to get complicated.

Of course Lily knew what falling in love was supposed to be like – her cousin Rose had told her everything about the way her heart was racing and her stomach doing somersaults whenever she ran into Flavio Zabini. So, Lily had been expecting to find a nice guy a little older than herself, not now, but maybe in a few years, and to be pining over him like Rose was pining over Flavio.

What she had not expected, though, was to be nervous and excited and scared all at once when she thought about being with Dominique and Roxanne, or to be drawn to them, wanting to spend all her time in their presence. Or to feel devastated over the thought of them being with someone else.

And, somehow, Lily's perfect little world broke in two when she realized what all of this meant.

Because it was wrong, and nothing could ever come of it.

After all, they were girls, like here. They were two of them. And they were cousins. So, it is no miracle that young Lily was shocked when she finally understood that her first real crush… was lesbian, incestuous, and directed towards two people at the same time – not taking into account the fact that she was only eleven years old, Dominique being six years older than her!

So, how else could she react than retreating to herself, hiding from everyone but mostly from her two cousins?

She was confused, disgusted and scared.

Without a warning, she stopped meeting with Dominique and Roxanne. The young girl, who had barely ever shut her mouth, suddenly would only talk when asked something. Over the weeks she was eating less and less, and she took up hiding behind her books, just like her Aunt Hermione would have done. Not even her friends from Gryffindor found their way beneath her protective wall any longer.

So, it was no wonder that Eoghan and Thetis asked for help. And it was probably a good thing that they chose to ask Albus who, albeit a Slytherin, was probably the one closest to Lily, and also the one most sensible.

They headed him off after Quidditch practice, and as soon as they mentioned his sister's name the thirteen-year-old sent even Scorpius away, leading them to a place close to the lake where they would be undisturbed. He stared at the two young Gryffindors, shocked and guilty that he had not seen it himself. Then he promised them that he would try and talk to her and as Eoghan and Thetis strode back towards the castle, relieved, the Slytherin went to find his brother. He had to talk to James about Lily's unusual behaviour.

They spent a whole night, hiding underneath their father's invisibility cloak, and discussing what to do. Because what could they do? Observe, try to make their sister talk, tell their parents.

In the end they settled for the second option, for Albus would be observing her anyway.

And parents were to be kept out of Hogwarts business by all means. Because.

Lily, however, knew nothing about her brothers' plans. She was busy with watching her two cousins from afar, wishing nothing more but to be with them, yet not allowing herself to give in. She tried to distract herself, tried to ignore her feelings, for she was a clever young girl and she listened when her parents talked. So, she knew that this was nothing but a crush, a phase that would pass rather sooner than later, and then she would be able to move on, being nothing but a normal eleven-year-old. Well, normal for a witch anyway.

So, she tried to forget about Dominique and Roxanne, busying herself with homework and extracurricular studies, just like her Aunt Hermione would have done.

She expected this shameful… situation to go by, so that she could try to find her way back into normal everyday life at a magical school, with friends she did not have to keep an indecent secret from, and cousins she could be open with.

What she did not expect, however, was for those emotions to stay.

Neither did she expect to be cornered by her two brothers one Friday afternoon, two weeks after Halloween – a date the family used to spend together, thinking about those James and Lily Potter who had sacrificed their lives for their son, and an event she had passed over this year. Of course this made her brothers, who were already worrying, worry even more. She did not know that, however, and so she also did not expect to be dragged towards the Room of Requirements on said Friday afternoon, or to be locked in there, and least to find herself in the midst of an interrogation.

And still, what an interrogation it was!

Albus and James first tried asking nice, then opting for a different approach. In the end they even tried their luck with handcuffing their sister and torturing the very ticklish girl with a feather, however, Lily would not spill. At first she did not understand what her brothers wanted from her, what kind of information they were asking for, and as soon as she did… she refused to say anything at all.

After about three hours and trying everything from coaxing to blackmailing her brothers finally let her go, realizing that they would have to think up of a different strategy to find out what was bothering their sister.

Lily, in the meantime, hid in her bed, knowing that Thetis and Eoghan were watching the Hufflepuffs' Quidditch practice, and cried her eyes out.

Because she knew, she could not tell anyone, not even her brothers, who were only trying to help her. Still, she could not risk it, for she was sure they would be disgusted if they realized the way Lily was feeling for two cousins. No, nobody could ever know.

In the end, though, Albus still found out.

He had taken to watching his sister, and her interactions with others, or rather the lack thereof, and when the Christmas Holidays came… he was sure he had got it right.

So, he exchanged a few words with Dominique and Roxanne, trying to assess the situation, and on the train ride home he managed to get rid of everyone in the compartment he was sharing with his sister. And because he was a Slytherin, and friend of one Scorpius Malfoy, and grandson of no one else than James Prongs Potter, and carrying the name of the Severus Snape, he knew how to lock a door magically and place a silencing bubble around him and his sister, even if he was only a third former.

So he did exactly that.

And then he made her spill.

"You don't have to be ashamed, you know?"

Lily raised her head, confused but visibly nervous. "About what?"

"About your feelings for Roxanne and Dominique."

"W-what?" the young girl squeaked, blushing and reeling backwards.

Albus smiled. "Let me tell you something almost no one else knows – a secret for a secret, alright?"

She nodded slowly, knowing that he had already found out anyway. Still, he was offering her a chance to say no… or rather a bait to say yes.

"Well, you know Scorpius. Now, this is something I have promised him not to tell anyone, but I'm sure you'll keep his secret. He'll understand that I told you, he always does, however, he will never forgive you if you let on about it. Understood?"

"Yes," she answered softly, her curiosity – just like her Aunt Hermione's – roaring to life.

Albus smiled. "Great. So, as you know, he's a Malfoy. And although his dad isn't such a prick as his granddad, he still expects Scorp to marry a pretty blond pureblood witch one day, and have lots of pretty blond pureblood children with her, just like he married Astoria. Fact is, however, that Scorp has been in love since he has come to Hogwarts, and that it isn't a blonde. Nor a witch, really."

Lily, who had been listening hesitantly, tried her best to keep the curiosity at bay. "Who is it then?" Her brother really knew her too well.

"You can't tell anyone!" Albus, reminded her.

"I won't, promise!"

He grinned. "It's James," he finally revealed, gleefully watching as his sister had a coughing fit. Surprises like that always could draw some interesting reactions. Anyway, he continued, "And I know that Jamie at least isn't completely straight, although he is still convinced that he'll marry a Gryffindor one day, and definitely not a Slytherin… however, he'll come around. So… would you help me setting them up when the time's right?"

Lily felt the beginnings of a smile tug at her lips. "Of course," she said softly.

Albus was beaming at her. "Awesome! Now, I know what your next question will be – and I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I haven't found anyone to pine over yet. And that's not what I wanted to talk to you about, anyway. So, back to the reason for me throwing everyone else out."

He could see his sister getting paler and paler, and beginning to shake again.

Sighing slightly he rose and set down next to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his chest.

"Shh," he murmured, "it's okay. Please, don't be scared. Not of me. I don't think any less of you in any way because of what you're feeling. You can't choose whom you love, and those two are wonderful witches. Wonderful witches, who are missing you terribly."

Lily, who had buried her face in his pullover, slowly raised her head. "Really?" she asked tentatively, tears swimming in her brown eyes.

Albus smiled softly. "Really," he confirmed. "So, please… talk to them. Tell them. They would never hate you, or be disgusted… they just want to understand why you began to avoid them so suddenly."

Lily was crying now, her shoulders shaking. "They… really w-won't h-hate me?" she sniffled, her face once again hidden in Albus' pullover.

"I promise," the older one answered softly. "And do you promise to talk to them in exchange?"

"I… I do," she whispered.

Smiling he let his fingers run through her soft red hair, waiting for her to calm down before he finally reversed the spells he had cast.

Immediately James was rushing into the room, complaining loudly, Rose and Hugo trailing behind him.

Albus just winked at his sister before setting himself the task to give his brother a sufficient explanation. One that had nothing to do with the truth, of course. There was no way he would tell James, not with Rose and Hugo present, that would have to wait until they arrived at home.

Thus it came that young Lily Potter was dreading Christmas Day, for it was the date of her family's yearly festive get-together at Grimmauld Place, celebrating between dark windows filled with snowflakes crafted by the children and house elf heads decorated with red and green festoons. Each year the atmosphere was eerie and creepy and a little surreal, and each year all of them enjoyed it.

After all, not every family had a house full of dark magic as a vacation home.

This year, though, Lily did not spend much time thinking about the atmosphere, or the slightly morbid decorations, or the sheer irony of celebrating Christmas just here, because it was the biggest house one of their family owned.

This year, she had completely different problems – namely that she was dying of nervousness, and wishing she had never given Albus that promise.

Yet, she had, and Lily Potter was not one to break her promises.

Thus she flooed over to Grimmauld Place together with her parents and brothers on the morning of Christmas Day when the first sunrays were just coming up, voice wobbling so much that she almost did not manage to state the address clear enough. Then she made it through greeting everyone, and wishing them a Merry Christmas, carefully avoiding two of her cousins. Somehow she managed to sit through breakfast – Gran had outdone herself once more – her hands shaking, and she also survived the exchanging and opening of everyone's presents, her heart beating way too fast, way too loudly.

Then, finally, the huge amount of Weasleys, spouses and children slowly began to scatter everywhere over the house. Lily watched Dominique and Roxanne make for the older one's room, closing the door behind them; following them.

She built up all the courage she could find and then burst into the room, in her nervousness without knocking.

It is not hard to imagine how surprised she was when she saw the two witches break apart, staring at her with eyes as wide as hers, still holding each other in a compassionate embrace.

And maybe, for a few seconds, her heart stopped beating.

"We," Roxanne muttered, being the first to find her voice, "should probably take to locking the door." Breaking away from her older cousin she motioned for Lily to come in, closing and sealing off the door behind the youngest of them.

Lily was white as a sheet – beginning to understand that they probably really would not hate her, but that they… were together. And while she was happy for them, and happy that they were with each other rather than anyone else, she could not help but feel her heart break just a little when she saw those two, in love with someone other than her.

In the meantime Dominique made her sit down on her bed as well, smiling at her. "So," she stated, tearing the younger one from her thoughts. "Now that you are here, finally… will you tell us why you stopped talking to us?" she asked, opting for the easier topic first. "Why you were suddenly avoiding us? Did we do anything wrong or-"

"No," Lily interrupted her softly, blushing heavily and finding herself unable to look either of them in the eye. "You didn't do anything wrong, quite the contrary… it's just that… I was… scared. And confused. And… I thought you'd hate me," she slowly began to admit.

"Sweetie, we could never hate you!" Dominique immediately exclaimed, trying to reassure her. "Besides, why would we?"

The blush was increasing in intensity. "Because… I… had… a crush. On… y-you two," the youngest forced herself to stammer, looking away.

"Why would we hate you because of that?" Dominique asked at the same time as Roxanne inquired: "Had? And on both of us?"

Lily, jumping in at the deep end, decided to answer the younger one's question first and get it over with, gaze still averted. "Well… no. Still have," she admitted. "And… yes. On both of you."

"Oh, darling," the eldest of the three smiled. "I'm sure after what you just saw you know that we don't judge you. And even if it were different, we could never have hated you!"

"But… I like both of you," Lily reminded her, desperation clear in her voice.

"Who says that you can't love more than one person?" Roxanne asked softly, the two older ones exchanging a glance.

"So… you're… okay with me feeling… this for you?" Large brown eyes filled with tears were staring at the two witches.

"Of course," the oldest of the witches answered, as if it was really the most natural thing in the world. Well, to her it was.

"And… you aren't mad at me either? Because I avoided you, and I'm so sorry for that, but you mean so much to me and I was so afraid you hate me if you found out and I wasn't sure I would be able to keep it secret, not wit-" she was interrupted by a soft, dark finger on her lips, and an even softer smile.

"No, we aren't mad at you, and never were. We were just very confused, for we couldn't tell what we had done wrong," Dominique calmly explained, smiling as well.

Lily tentatively returned the smile, obviously very relieved. "What…" she began, not knowing whether to continue or not.

"…are we going to do now?" Roxanne took over, smiling softly. She exchanged another glance with Dominique, the older one nodding. "Well. As you're already guessing, the two of us are a couple – with all the bells and whistles. We have never told anyone, although I think Albus and my dad are suspecting something, as well as Fred. He always knows more than he should. Anyway… we do both like you very much, however… you're still very young, and while we don't know whether it is really only a passing crush on your part, or whether it'll become more given time… we're also feeling a little paedophilic, especially Dom. Please don't take it personally, it's just… you're still a child."

Lily nodded, she knew that very well.

Smiling Roxanne continued, "So, why don't we just wait and see for a few years? You stay one of our best friends, the only person who knows our secret…"

"… and you'll be the only person who can charge into our rooms without knocking, who can come over any time, who we'll cuddle with for days on end, if you should wish so. And if, at some point, all three of us can say 'we're really, truly in love with each other, and we think this relationship will work'… then we make it work. How about that?" Dominique's smile was wide and dazzling and beautiful.

So what else could Lily do but nod and tentatively lean her head against Roxanne's shoulder?

And suddenly being together was easy again.

Lily would spend most of her spare time with her cousins, whether that was in the Head Girl's single bedroom, the lake, the common room, the Quidditch pitch – after all Roxanne and Fred were Gryffindor's infernal beaters, having learned from the best – or the Room of Requirements.

She was never asked to leave, spending ours with her head on Dominique's lap, quizzing her for her NEWT exams, the older girl letting run her fingers through the red locks. The witch with the Veela blood flowing through her veins would never understand how she could read the books and notes upside down, however, she could not have cared less. At other times Lily would be found leaning against Roxanne's shoulder, reading along or engaging in a conversation and quite often falling asleep there.

And although she tried her best to give them time for themselves during the nights she ended up sleeping in Dominique's bed quite often, nestled between the two of them.

She returned to being the lively girl she had used to be, which relieved everyone – and most of all probably Eoghan and Thetis, who had gotten someone to help them with their homework back, as well as a mind filled with pranks – to which Roxanne and Fred would contribute quite often.

And while the Roxanne and Dominique would never go farther than that, they still ended up kissing in front of Lily more often than not. So the younger girl observed and learned and yearned to participate – yet she never asked, for she knew that neither of them was ready.

Then, suddenly, the year was over. Dominique had taken her NEWTS and graduated with great grades, applying for an apprenticeship with a St Mungo's healer for Spell Damage.

The summer holidays went by way too quickly, with the three girls spending every free minute together, their parents happy that they were getting along so well. In the end, however, September came and Lily and Roxanne had to return to Hogwarts, while Dominique took up training under healer Derwent.

Still the year went by pretty fast, with Christmas holidays, letters to be written, and small gifts to be sent, and before long they had another summer to spend together.

They lived like this for the next few years and Lily had the chance to grow up, and explore the nature of her feelings for her two cousins.

They had never dwindled, only becoming stronger, and it was in the summer holidays after Roxanne had also done her NEWTS, and Dominique was almost done with her apprenticeship, that they went on a trip to Spain. Just the three of them.

Settling down in a tiny but cosy holiday lodge near the Atlantic coast they enjoyed being young, and free, and careless – and having two witches allowed to do magic among them.

Everything was easy that summer, and somewhere between the beach, the restaurants and their lodge the two older ones finally decided that Lily was old enough.

It happened in the sea, and they were just enjoying a proper splashing battle – there was nothing said about them being mature – that Roxanne finally lost her patience, for both of the elder witches had watched the youngest growing into a very nice woman's body, which they found harder to ignore with every passing day. The lovely bikini Lily was wearing did not exactly make it any easier and seeing her curves like that they could not have been any farther from feeling paedophilic.

Roxanne had her arms wrapped around the fourteen-year-old, one around her shoulders and the other around the waist, trying to keep her in place for Dominique to splash at her.

Lily was struggling, fidgeting and trying to free herself – and suddenly the iron grip around her loosened, only for quick hands to turn her and then hold her in place again, and dark eyes to almost drown in her own. She forgot everything else then, the splashing battle, the muggles, Dominique- … for all that mattered were Roxy's fingers trailing along her jawbone, and her lips which were coming closer and closer- …

They were warm and soft, and tasted of the salty sea water, Lily somehow managed to think, clinging to the older witch as if her life was depending on it, her heart racing and her blood rushing through her veins. And then there was another body pressing against her back, another pair of arms wrapping around both of them, another pair of lips, trailing along the sensitive skin of her neck… and a husky voice next to her ear, complaining, "you couldn't wait for me, could you?"

Then she was being turned around again and that second pair of lips captured hers, the first one occupying itself with dancing across her shoulders, and then then the lips parted and a tongue was waiting for her, pulling her deeper and deeper, and Lily was ultimately lost.

She found out later that day that the muggles had not said anything, had not even looked, because of a spell Albus had found and given to Dominique – a specified Confundus, that would keep everyone from seeing anything that could be even close to the expression of more than sisterly love. In short, it kept their secret a secret, even if someone looked directly at them, their brain could not process the information. After all, Dom had cast the spell on them already two years prior.

They stayed in the water for quite some time, kissing and pressing their bodies against each other, and it took them rather long to let go, put on some clothes, and find a restaurant to have dinner.

The way they were cuddling changed that night and while the two older girls did not try to seduce the youngest it just so happened that they did not wait to be alone any longer when they went beyond kissing.

Maybe it was a week after their first kiss, maybe a month – it did not matter, for there were no doubts between them. They had been testing themselves, each other, their feelings, Lily-… for three long years, and now they just knew.

So what if one night Lily watched her two lovers kiss more and more hungrily, and did not miss the bold hand sneaking underneath a tight shirt? So what if she felt her heart rate accelerate, and her breathing turn slightly erratic? It happened anyway, and it was perfect for each of them. Somehow Lily found herself having the courage to tiptoe towards the bed, slide into place behind Roxy, and let her lips run along a sensitive outer ear while she dared to sneak her own fingers towards the hem of a short summer dress.

She heard Roxy's breathing hitch, and Dom's as well when the older one opened her eyes to look for the reason.

Everything went smoothly from then on, the two graduates leaving Lily to go as far as she wanted, all the while carrying each other along. And when the youngest finally pulled Roxy's dress off the tanned girl was already breathing heavily between them, however, she did not stay the only one for long – Lily ran with them into that tempting exciting darkness, trusting them to lead her the way and take her only as far as she wanted to go.

Which maybe was not all the way – at least not that night – but far enough to learn that the two older witches not only knew how to use their wand, but also their hands and tongues, and why Veela and their descendants were considered the most sensual lovers in the world.

They did not leave their lodge at all for the next three days, exploring all those exciting abysses they could fall into together.

After that… their relationship was even easier, despite Lily being the only one left in Hogwarts, as Roxy had taken up studying transfiguration, after all it was her brother who had taken over the joke shop – including the creative department, doing his name credit.

During Lily's seventh year, however, something happened that none of them had expected: They found themselves threatened by a new Dark Lord.

And it hurt everyone, especially their Aunt Hermione, that his name turned out to be Victor Krum.

Suddenly Lily was no longer exchanging romantic letters with her lovers, but coded messages dealing with the on-going war.

Harry, her dad, had been the one to re-activate the Order of the Phoenix, and her whole family was caught in it.

So by the time Lily graduated from Hogwarts her world was crumbling once again. Despite the fact that Albus had finally managed to create the potions necessary for them, as well as for James and Scorpius, to have a family – a family that would be perfect, no matter how unusual, but always in an incredible danger.

After a few years Lily had spent with perfecting her duelling skills, as well as every other aspect of Defence against the Dark Arts, they took the potion despite the war – the potion that joined their DNA and turned it into a zygote, a child of which all three of them would be the parents. Magic made it possible, just like it gave James the necessary body parts to carry a child, or rather two of them.

And despite the war raging in Europe Hogwarts was safe, with Headmistress Minerva McGonagall keeping it that way.

So it was in the Hospital Wing of their former school that the three witches were finally holding three tiny children in their arms, each the one they had carried: Dominique was admiring Clémence, Roxanne holding Brice close and Lily could not take her eyes off of Aimée.

They took their time to recover, however, by the time the children were six months old – nothing could keep them behind Hogwarts' safe walls any longer. Especially since Molly and Arthur, the toddlers' great-grandparents, had been killed a few weeks prior, Charley had been taken captive, Thetis, by then Albus' wife, had miscarried, and George, Roxy's dad, had died of the blood loss he had suffered due to a curse wound he had gotten during an ambush.

None of the others knew about their relationship and the children's parentage, the Confundus still being in place.

So, they decided that one of them would stay with the children, and the other two would go out and help, taking turns every time.

And Lily would still hate herself years later for letting Roxy and Dom go on what had to be a suicide mission, despite herself being the best dueller.

Roxanne and Dominique did not return that evening.

Neither did Ginny, Ron, Fleur, Scorpius, Teddy and Filius.

The only one who did was Harry, who came home only to tell his children that three of their partners had died – of course he only knew about Scorpius, but still – along with their mother. And it was also Harry who marched against Victor the next day, alone, or so he thought… until his children swept into the room without a warning, giving him the chance to kill the Dark Lord while they were distracting his followers.

And probably it was the pain and the hatred in their hearts, over having lost so many loved ones, that gave them the strength to fight like they did.

It most definitely was true for Lily, who was battling regardless of the consequences, giving everything to create a safe world for her children – they had already lost two thirds of their parents, they should have the opportunity to grow up in peace. And she would have gladly given her life, but it never came to that.

So in the end Lily returned home – a war hero, a widow, but with her brothers and father at her side.

She never spoke of neither Dominique nor Roxanne ever again, though, for it hurt far too much.

And at least the rest of the family lived happily ever after.

oOoOo

"Not the typical fairy-tale," James quietly remarks when all the children have run from the room. "And not completely true, either. At least not the ending."

Albus smiles sadly. "Not the typical family, either," he answers quietly. "And I know that she's not happy… but the children are, as are your twins, and that's all we can ask for."

James nods, slowly. "Maybe you should not have told everything in so much detail," he comments. "After all they're only nine years old – at least the five of them, the others are even younger. And how can Lily's children not understand it's their parents you were talking about? After all you used everyone's real names and everything."

The younger one grins a little lopsidedly. "You are forgetting about my Confundus," he murmurs. "It's still in place. And I'm sure they'll have figured it out pretty soon, at least Aimée, Brice and Clémence. They're clever and just like you said – they're nine years old already. They'll be off to Hogwarts in two years, I think they do deserve to hear the truth, even if it is confounded. After all, we both know that Lily can't talk about it."

James nods again. "You're right," he finally agrees, gulping "they do deserve to know. Thanks for telling them." He darts his brother one of his rare honest smiles, before turning towards the door, intending to find his father and father-in-law, who are discussing the twins' birthday party. After all, if your last name is Malfoy you are used to having proper parties thrown for you. Especially if your family also consists of lots of Potters and Weasleys.

With a soft expression Albus twitches his wand, tidying the room, before he steps out into the garden, his eyes immediately finding Thetis Potter, nee Greengrass.

Yes, it may have not have been the typical fairy-tale he has told, and it does not have a typical happy ending, but it is also not the typical family he has told it to and about.