2

Harry spent the rest of the next day—and night—sleeping. This was the first time he felt no pressure by work and took the advantage to sleep in. Molly had Bill's room prepared for him, and Harry adjusted to it quite well. He slept soundly, comfortably, and undisturbed. Ron and Hermoine had to check on him a couple of times just to see he was still alive and it amazed them that the man could be gone for so long.

"When is he going to wake up!" Ron growled in breakfast, "it's really thick of him to be taking his time here sleeping!"

"Ron, it's not as if he's a stranger to this house. Let him have his rest." Hermoine said coolly while scooping up a good amount of flavored porridge in a tiny spoon. The little girl next to him giggled as Ron made faces.

"Well, if you ask me, it's about time someone went in there and dragged him out of bed." Ron said still sounding annoyed. He looked at the little girl, "Isn't that right, Lils?"

"Indeed!" she said actively with her shrill voice, throwing her hands up in the air almost knocking off the spoon in Hermoine's hand.

"Helena Lily! You nearly ruined your dress!" Hermoine gasped, moving her hand away. Lily put her hands down on her lap and pressed her lips sorrily. Her

"I'm sorry, Aunt Herminee." Lily said. Hermoine moved by the child's cuteness patted her head, accepted the apology and fed her. Nobody said anything until Lily finished her bowl clean, and once that was over she hurried off to the living room to watch the muggle television set.

"Look Ron, if you want something done, you might as well do it yourself." Hermoine began once Lily ran out. She was now helping herself to some food. Ron scoffed and leaned back in his seat leisurely to stretch.

"Yeah, I think I will... Even though the thought about telling him about Lily is killing me. Killing me, Moine!" Ron said, slamming a fist on the table.

"What's killing you?"

Together, Hermoine and Ron turned to the kitchen stairs. Harry was walking down with a hand scratching his head. He smiled at them with squinting eyes. He wasn't wearing his glasses.

"Harry! You're up!" Hermoine said cheerily. She stood and cleared off Lily's bowl to make room for Harry just as he sat. Hermoine whipped her wand in the air and a bowl flew in the empty space. Harry yawned.

"Yeah, morning guys."

"Glad to see you finally out of there, mate." Ron said now learning forward with his arms on the table. His empty plate flew out of his way and dropped into the sink where the other dishes were already washing themselves.

"I got hungry. I didn't have much of a choice." Harry chuckled while picking food. He looked at them and noticed how they watched him eagerly. "Why? Did I miss something?"

"Oh, of course not." Hermoine said, returning to her plate.

"Nothing at all." Ron added. Harry threw them a curious smirk before beginning with the pastry he chose.

"What were you saying earlier, Ron? What's killing you?"

Ron shrugged and sucked in a deep breath, "nothing. I was just telling Hermoine something about work."

"Oh?" Harry mumbled, looking to Hermoine and back, "about what? Go on, you can tell me."

"Say, Harry, you've been in London recently, right? What's the latest, you know, new thing?" Ron quickly asked for a hasty subject change. Hermoine sighed quietly.

"Yeah, I have. But um...I don't really...I haven't had much time to look around, really. Although, technology's developing really fast. Hermoine'll understand this..."

So Harry told them about how handphones have drastically changed and been up on the market. He told them about their computers and how interactive everything's gone, and so on.. He told them what he thought they really wanted to know when, in truth, all they needed was for him to get his mind off track of what they really were dying to tell him. As Harry talked, Ron argued with himself about being such an idiot for letting his friend be without knowing the truth about his past, and Hermoine wanted to scream at herself for worrying so much and doing nothing about it. And as they both listened, they only felt sorry for their friend who was just about to discover something about himself that would truly change the way he would leave.

It had gone dark. The sun disappeared behind the hills and in it's place was the moon in all it's glowing glory, king of the sky—loved by many; taken by none.

Harry and Ron decided to stay in while Molly, Hermoine and Lily spent the day out. "Girl's day out," was what Molly said before apparating out of the Burrows with the two. It seemed like any ordinary day out, but only Ron knew why they were left alone. Molly and Hermoine were expecting to be home with Harry knowing the truth about Lily, and it wasn't easy for Ron to live through every hour unsuccessful. That is, until Harry brought it up first.

"Ron, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, mate."

They were sitting out back on separate magical folding chairs with a box of Pumpkin Juice propped by floating ice to keep them chilled. Ron took a sip of his second bottle.

"That little girl, she isn't yours and Moine's, is she?"

He didn't look at Ron, but when Ron turned to him with a pale face, Harry looked at him. He thought Ron was going to throw up when Ron put the bottle down and burp. Ron shook his head.

"Harry," he began, "there's...there's something I've... Something I must tell you."

Harry sat up this time and put his bottle down as well, next to his two empty ones.

"About what?"

"About you, and her, and well...loads of things." Ron didn't look at Harry, but kept his eyes on his fingers as they pressed against each other nervously. Harry waited, truthfully nervous too.

"Her name is Lily, did you know?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head, brows narrowed curiously.

"She's named after your mother. Lily Evans."

Harry continued to stare at him, more puzzled now. Ron let out a breath, ready to take whatever reaction or response Harry might give him after this.

"Harry, do you remember Elle Matthews? Slytherin, Malfoy's girlfriend..."

"Oh her...that poor, pretty thing Malfoy's got under his skin? Yeah, I remember her...why?"

"Well, we all thought the same thing about her, but...things...you know, things change. And by change I mean...you and her, you sort of...okay, not sort of, but you could actually say—"

"Ron," Harry nearly shouted.

"Alright! You two fell in love. Madly, Harry. And apparently, unfortunately, her parents were linked to the murder of your parents. But her parents were killed too, by Voldermort. He tried to kill her too, but like you...she lived. Only, you finished him off, Harry. She's...your match. She's a part of you, Harry. The missing link to you and Voldermort. The part of you that you need to finish him off. And you were in love."

Harry gaped speechlessly at Ron as he continued.

"And Lily...she's yours. Yours and Elle's. But there's more to it... You had triplets. Two girls, and a son. A son who...is probably the strongest wizard I've ever seen, even as a child. He's incredible. They're incredible. Lily can already use magic without a wand, and it is said that Torch is advanced, much more advanced than both his sisters combined. There's only so much to tell you, mate. But I'm afraid...I don't have it all. Hermoine can tell you more, but this is about everything I can tell you. Mate, you lost your memory saving your son from him. Both you and Elle. It's why you feel you've lost track of time, because you have. He's taken a part of you that you need greatly."

Harry didn't move, didn't blink and—if Ron could take a guess—didn't breathe. There was something in his eyes that Ron could tell didn't register in Harry's mind. Something Ron knew Harry hadn't taken very well.