If only, if only, the woodpecker sighed.

The bark on the tree was as soft as the sky.

As the wolf waits below.

Hungry and lonely.

Then he'll howl to the moo-oo-oon.

If only, if only.

James Potter the Second liked this tune. It was from a well-known English Muggle book and even though he didn't understand it, it filled him with joy. James was surprised at this. He hadn't felt joy since his sister died.

Lily Potter was diagnosed with HIV in 2024 when she was still at Hogwarts. She was 16 and notorious for sleeping around. Nobody realised this until she became pregnant with Scorpius Malfoy's triplets. They were born 2025, when Lily was 17. Their names were Donna Astoria, Bella Ginevra and Tella Daphne. Tella died at 3 months. AIDS killed Lily 3 years later, when she was 20 years old. Bella & Donna, who were 9 that year, were raised by their godfather, James. James hadn't married but he had a girlfriend in Hisae Chang, Cho Chang's daughter. Malfoy came to see them every Saturday. The girls were happy.

***

James got out the big chocolate cake in the shape of two overlapped wands, courtesy of their Great-Aunties Hermione and Fleur. It was a Saturday and James could tell by the shrieks of joy that Scorpius was staying for the party. Soon everyone was here. The girls unwrapped their presents:

Mini quidditch robes from Great-Nanny Ginny & Great-Grandad Harry,

Personalized talking storybooks from Great-Aunty Hermione & Great-Uncle Ron,

Play wands from Great-Uncle Bill & Great-Aunty Fleur,

Love potions from Great-Uncle George & Great-Aunty Angelina,

Weasley jumpers from Great-Nan Molly & Great-Grandad Arthur,

Stationery from Great-Uncle Percy & Great-Aunty Audrey,

Alive teddy bears from Teddy & Victoire,

Sweets from second cousin Louis,

A knitting a rag doll kit from second cousin Dominique,

Dolls from second cousin Molly II,

Money from second cousin Lucy,

Dungbombs from second cousin Fred II,

A mini quidditch set from second cousin Roxanne,

A little magic gardener set from second cousin Rose,

Bertie Bott's All Flavour Beans from second cousin Hugo,

Matching cardigans from Uncle Albus,

Pedigree cats called Noble (for Donna) and Goth (for Bella) from Scorpius,

Toy brooms from Great-Aunty Daphne

Felix Felicis from Nana Astoria and Pop Draco.

***

"Hello everyone! Sorry we're late!" Neville and Luna's voices said. "Here you are girls."

"Uncle Jamie, Uncle Jamie!" Bella and Donna ran into the kitchen holding bags. Donna, the tomboy, had blue denim while Bella, the girly girl, had pink and purple glitter. James smiled sadly. Lily would have loved to be here. She would be 26.

"Cor, those are nice! Who got you those?" James said, faking enthusiasm.

"Aunty Luna & Uncle Neville." the girls answered excitedly. They ran off as Roxanne, James' cousin and their second cousin, entered the room.

"How are they?"

"You saw them. They're fine. Hyper. Overexcited."

"No. I mean, how are they?"

"I keep pictures of Tella and Lily around the house. I tell them stories about them. I'm sorry Roxanne, but I can't do any more than that."

"I suppose you can't." Roxanne sighed. "It's not like you can turn back the clock and take them to see them."

***

The party was a success. The cake went down a treat. After everyone went James tucked his nieces into bed. James sighed. He heard the phone ring and ran to answer it. It was Hisae.

"Hi Hisae! I'm so upset you couldn't have come. It was great-"

"James. I'm pregnant. James? JAMES? I can't believe you have done this to me! You know I hate children! And my mother will kill me for having your baby! You know, they had a relationship in Hogwarts..."

James had fainted.

***

Bella and Donna found their uncle, an hour later, passed out on the floor next to the glass topped coffee table.

"How do we wake Uncle Jamie up, Donna?" Bella asked her sister. Donna ran to the bathroom and brought back a bottle of T-Gel, a muggle shampoo that Donna needed for her itching scalp problem. It stank to high heaven and she was sure a strong smell would wake him up. She was right.

"Oh my-! Donna! Put your shampoo back! AND HURRY YOUNG LADY! I've got something to tell you both." Donna ran back. James told them his news and the room exploded. Literally. Donna went scarlet when Bella and James stared at her.

"Oops?"

***

After medical checks and Molly Weasley Sr. pushing everyone out of the way to get at her great-granddaughter it was decided that Donna had shown her first sign of magic. Everyone was glad, but they worried for Bella. Bella had been caught slightly in the blast. She was the only one badly injured and was taken to St. Mungos. Her left arm, leg and side were burned. The Healers also said her brain activity was odd, like the brain activity commonly found in Squibs. They took some tests.

"The test results will be in an hour," Healer Ambrose informed James, Albus, Harry and Ginny. They were all silent. After 55 minutes James broke the silence.

"Mum, Dad, Hisae's up the spout."

"What?"

"She's up the spout Dad."

"What?"

James wanted to scream.

"PREGNANT! PREGNANT, ALL RIGHT!"

"Erm, I have the test results," Healer Ambrose said nervously as she walked into the room.

"Thank you, Healer," Ginny smiled warmly. "Calm down boys."

Ginny opened the white envelope. She looked down at the sheet of paper that came out of it, and then gasped.

"Harry, James, come here, Bella..." Her voice trailed off. James looked at the letter. It said:

The Brain Activity Examiner Test shows that Bella Ginevra Malfoy-Potter is a Squib.

For the second time in a day, James fainted.

Two years later

It was 2036, the year the girls turned 11 and the year Donna was setting off for Hogwarts. James handed baby Cedric to his wife Hisae. She was 8 months pregnant, this time with a little girl they were going to name Chihiro.

"Donna," he called "I'm going to get your trunk in the car for tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok Uncle Jamie. C'mon sis."

Donna led Bella into the garden.

"You do realize this will separate us for most of the year, don't you?" Donna asked her sibling.

"Yes, but St Sarah's Squib Academy isn't far. Plus we can send owls."

"I'll miss you." Donna looked sadly at Bella.

"I'll miss you too." Bella grabbed her sister and hugged her fiercely.

"Oh, I have something to give you," Donna remembered. She reached into the worn, blue denim bag that Luna and Neville had bought her for her ninth birthday. She brought out two two-way mirrors, not unlike the mirrors that their great-great-grandfather James had shared with Sirius Black. Bella looked at Donna in surprise.

"Aunty Hermione helped me make them. It's taken months." Donna explained.

The girls held hands and walked into the house.

James looked at his sister's offspring and sang Lily's favourite tune, the one from the old muggle storybook.

If only, if only, the woodpecker sighed.

The bark on the tree was as soft as the sky.

As the wolf waits below.

Hungry and lonely.

Then he'll howl to the moo-oo-oon.

If only, if only.