Chapter One- Home From Hogwarts

Lily Potter sat alone in a small compartment on the Hogwarts Express. She had finished, graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She watched as the ancient castle disappeared from the horizon and her view was replaced with green sloping hills and clusters of pine trees. Lily pulled open her knapsack and rummaged around in it. Smiling, she pulled out a leather bound album, filled with pictures and such. It had once belonged to her father and he had passed it on to her. She flipped it open to a particular page. A smiling Weasley family smiled up at her. There was a knock at the door and a slender, blonde haired man, Scorpious Malfoy, walked in with a grin on his pale face. He was handsomely dressed and Lily blushed as he entered, embarrassed at her own appearance.

"You're all dressed up Professor Malfoy…" Lily mumbled, as she stared down at her plain Hogwarts robes, then examining Scorpious' beautiful emerald robes. (Scorpious was two years older than she and was interning as Transfiguration professor.)

"It's for my father, he always wants me to represent the family well, but…" he pulled his robes over his head, revealing his sweater and jeans. Lily laughed.

"You are so rebellious. Considering he would have had you enter as Potions intern." Lily giggled as Scorpious sat down beside her, casting his removed attire away. He flipped Lily's bright red hair out of her face and kissed her.

"Well he can deal with it." Scorpious shrugged.

"And just think about what your father is going to say when you tell him you are coming home with me for the summer holiday. A student, Scorpious, honestly." Lily declared.

"He can say anything he likes, because I am in love with you Lily Potter. And nothing he says can change that. Besides, we were fellow students first." He kissed her again and then she leaned into his side resting her head on his shoulder.

"I haven't told my mother, father, grandparents, cousins, or brothers. I only told my Aunt Hermione." Lily said meekly. Scorpious sighed.

"What did she say?"

"What do you think she said?"

"Oh my word, that horrible boy!" Scorpious imitated a squeaky version of Hermione. Lily gave him a look.

"Hermione is not like that. But my Uncle Ron is." Lily joked.

"And your father?"

"I don't want to think about it…" Lily said returning to her album. Scorpious looked over her shoulder.

"When was that taken?" he asked her, indicating a newspaper clipping from the Daily Prophet featuring the Weasley family many years before. Lily grinned.

"My grandfather won a whole boatload of galleons in a contest and took the entire family to Egypt to visit my Uncle Bill when he worked there." Lily explained, turning the page.

"Wow, sounds like a good story. Can't wait to hear it." Scorpious said.

"I can't wait for you to hear it." Lily answered.

The two sat together in the compartment until their friends started arriving. Cassandra Longbottom, Lily's best friend, entered and plopped down on the bench opposite the two lovebirds. Cassandra was very much like her mother, Luna. Cassandra's tie-dyed dress robes that she had worn to graduation were clutched under her arm.

"So your mum and dad went home after graduation?" Cassandra asked Lily.

"Yes, I told them I wanted one last ride on this train." Lily sighed.

"Can you believe we graduated?"

"No, I can't. It seems like yesterday we were sailing over the lake in the little first year boats." Lily reminisced.

"And this little red haired, brown eyed girl gets up on the sorting hat stool and it almost burst with excitement as it screamed Gryffindor!" Scorpious said, laughing. Lily nodded.

"It was meant to be." Lily giggled as Cassandra chucked.

Hugo Weasley was next to arrive.

"Lily, my mother's owl dropped this by me mistakenly." He handed his cousin the parchment.

"What is it, Hugo?" Lily inquired and Hugo shrugged.

Lily groaned as she read the note. It read:

"Dearest Lily,

I thought it important to inform you that your parents are meeting you at the station. They wanted to surprise you and I knew you would be with Scorpious so I thought I would forewarn you. Have a pleasant trip home,

Love from Aunt Hermione"

Scorpious dodged Lily's glance as she crumpled the note.

"I told them I would meet them at the house…" Lily groaned. Hugo took the wad of paper and read it.

"I haven't told them, honest!" Hugo said, throwing his hands up innocently.

"I know, let's just hope for the best." She answered.

A couple hours later, the train arrived at Kings Cross Station in London. Lily had changed into her Muggle attire and loaded all her belongings in her luggage. She, Cassandra, and Hugo all headed off the train carrying their bags, trunks, and cages and Lily was almost instantly greeted by her mother.

"Surprise!" Ginny said, embracing her daughter. Harry kissed Lily on the cheek. Cassandra waved goodbye to the Potters as she headed off to find her father and mother. Ron Weasley walked up beside Harry, with Hermione. Hugo kissed his mother.

"What are you two doing here? Hermione said she would meet up with me." Lily asked, trying to sound shocked.

"We came to meet the boy you were bringing home for the summer. You were terribly vague in your letters." Harry said, searching around.

"Well, he is around here somewhere." Lily laughed apprehensively. Scorpious nervously approached the family, his briefcase in hand.

"Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter, I am Scorpious Malfoy." He extended his hand and Harry shook it, curiosity striking him.

"Very nice to meet you, Mr. Malfoy." Ginny said politely.

"Mum, Dad, this is my very, very, very good friend who was going to be spending the holiday with us…" Lily explained slowly, looking to Hermione for a silent plea of assistance. Harry was silent, Ron shocked, but Ginny and Hermione welcomed him with open arms.

"It will be very nice to have you, Mr. Malfoy." Ginny smiled.

"Lily, do you have all of your things, dear?" Hermione asked, as Hugo loaded his stuff and his cousin's onto a trolley. Lily nodded. Scorpious was quiet as Harry turned and walked off the platform, back into Muggle London. Ginny rushed after him.

"Harry, what's the matter?" she asked.

"He is Draco Malfoy's son! What do you think is the matter?" Harry exclaimed. Ginny crossed her arms and gave her husband a look.

"Harry, that was over twenty five years ago… it is time to move on and it is for our daughter." Ginny said calmly. Harry sighed. He saw the smile on Lily's face as she clutched to Scorpious' arm.

"We are honored to have you as a guest, Mr. Malfoy." Harry said, walking back up to them. He shook his hand.

"The pleasure is truly mine." He walked with the family as they headed out to the Weasley's car.

The family pulled up to the Burrow, and Scorpious was instantly greeted by a delighted Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh welcome, welcome!" she said, ushering them inside.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Scorpious stumbled through the doorframe, with all his belonging and Lily's, on which he insisted on carrying.

"Cor, I could have carried my own." She hid her laughter as he tripped and fell flat on his face.

"Lily, would you?" he said, getting to his feet.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Lily commanded and the luggage soared through the air.

"First time I have done magic away from Hogwarts." Lily grinned.

"You did a fine job, dear." Harry said. "Your Aunt Hermione floored them all the first time she did that spell. First Year, First Try, was it not, Hermione?" Harry laughed. Hermione blushed.

"Yes, haha. Ron couldn't say it." She giggled as Ron's ears turned red.

"I like hearing family stories." Scorpious said as they all sat down in the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came bearing scones and tea for everyone.

"We are quite a family." Mrs. Weasley beamed at her daughters and sons.

"Indeed we are!" George Weasley said, as he came around the corner.

"Uncle George!" Hugo and Lily shouted running up to him. Their parents smiled.

"Lily Nymphadora! Hugo Fredrick!" he grinned. Lily sped into his arms and he spun her around. Hugo gave him a big hug.

"How are you?" Lily asked, escorting him to a seat. George laughed.

"Just fine, Angelina wishes she could be here, but she is out with the team." He pulled his wand out.

"But these are for you." He flicked his wand and bright ribbons erupted from the end, package developing from the ribbons. Lily and Hugo were like children around their uncle. Scorpious laughed as his girlfriend sorted through the stacks of presents.

"There are also presents for James, Albus, and Rose. When they arrive." George grinned, as Lily found her present. She sat back down next to Scorpious, and unwrapped her gift. She gasped as she pulled out a gorgeous silver charm bracelet. There was a little Gryffindor emblem; a silver witch's hat embedded with blue sapphires, a small snitch with little wings, an L, and many others charms.

"Oh Uncle George, it's beautiful." She said in awe. She hugged him.

"Well, I think head girl, Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, all star Seeker, and all over wonderful student should have something as beautiful as her." He responded. Ginny and Harry smiled at each other. Hugo thanked his uncle for the new broom attachments.

"Well, I am sorry." George said noticing Scorpious sitting there. "I am George Weasley, and you are?" He held out his hand.

"Scorpious Malfoy, sir." He replied. George quickly glanced at Ginny and Harry, before smiling and shaking the lad's hand.

"Glad to have you here." George smiled. There was a sudden clatter from the kitchen as Lily's older brothers, James and Albus, arrived.

"Sorry, Gram, we sort of knocked over your cauldron with the wash in it…" James said as Mrs. Weasley rushed into the other room.

Lily laughed at her brothers.

James was much like his parents, with jet-black hair that was untamable, but deep brown eyes that were solely his mother's. James was tall, while his younger brother Albus was shorter, and the spitting image of Harry. Same hair, eyes, and even glasses which made him almost identical. Lily remembered how many senile witches would mistake Albus for Harry.

Ginny gave her sons a look as she hugged them.

"Hello Mum. Just flew in. How are you?" James kissed his mother on the cheek, and then shook hands with his dad.

"Yeah, well, James nearly was spotted a little old Muggle woman on one of those airplane things." Albus said, snatching a sweet roll from his grandmother's platter.

"Oh, those are very interesting!" Mr. Weasley chimed in. "Boys, did you happen to see what kind of engines it had?" he asked eagerly. James and Albus shook their heads.

"Ah well," Mr. Weasley shrugged.

"Are you even going to say hello to your sister?" Lily asked, standing up and looking at her brothers crossly.

"I wasn't but…" James ran at her and she screamed playfully as both of her brothers began to hug and kiss her.

"Oh gross!" She complained, but she didn't care.

"Enough you two, leave her alone." Rose Weasley had entered behind them. Rose was gorgeous, her bushy brown hair and delicate freckles only accented her piercing blue eyes. She was slender and she always looked so elegant, even when just flying in. She held her broomstick in one hand and her hat in the other.

"Hey sis," Hugo hugged his sister and she kissed him on the cheek. Hermione and Ron greeted their daughter before Lily and Rose got the chance to talk.

"How are you?!" Rose said, excited to see her cousin. Lily embraced her.

"Oh my gosh, I missed you!" Lily said, fixing Rose's hair. She stopped paying attention to Lily when she noticed Scorpious on the sofa, casually talking to Ginny.

"Lily, isn't that the Malfoy boy?" Rose whispered. No one noticed because they were all talking amongst themselves.

"Rose, he is my boyfriend." Lily hissed back. Rose thought for a moment and then proceeded to pull Lily by the arm out of the room and up the staircase to the bedroom that had once been Ginny's. Lily, puzzled, hurried inside. Rose shut the door quickly and turned to Lily.

"Are you serious?" she asked sternly.

"Rose, of course I am serious!" Lily responded, insulted. Rose began to laugh.

"No, No! I am happy for you!" Rose said, sitting down on the bed and unbuttoning her cloak. "Oh Lily, I can't believe it. My little cousin has a boyfriend. I am only sad I could not snag him before you could." Rose giggled.

"Well, I am glad you are so happy about it. " Lily laughed.

There was a knock on the bedroom door and Mrs. Weasley popped in.

"There are my girls." Mrs. Weasley came in and sat down next to them.

"I missed you so much, Gram." Lily said, laying her head in her grandmother's lap.

"Oh I missed you both too." She kissed them each. "But Lily, I want to know about this boy." Lily groaned.

"Gram…" Lily stood up, and paced the room.

"I want to know your intentions…like any good grandmother would."

"Well," Lily began, "I love him…" she sighed. Mrs. Weasley and Rose looked at each other smiling.

"Lily, I am so happy for you. And extremely proud." Mrs. Weasley hugged her youngest granddaughter and Lily was surprised.

"I thought you would be angry."

"No, your grandfather and I hoped that one day our families would mend from the pain of that awful era of the Dark Lord. When two completely different people from different heritages, backgrounds, and sides of the war, can come together and be in love, it is simple wonderful!" Molly Weasley could not have smiled broader. Rose nodded.

"You are making history, Lily." Rose beamed. Lily sighed.

"But I don't know if he loves me." Lily reminded them.

"He does, trust me." Mrs. Weasley kissed Lily on the forehead.

"So you don't mind if I love a Malfoy, Gram?"

"You have my blessing…" Mrs. Weasley grinned. "Ask your aunts and uncles that is something that is hard to get." Rose and Lily laughed.

Mrs. Weasley realized the time hurried away to start supper.

"I am fixing all the favorites tonight, girls! All the children will be home! Could you two set the table in the garden please?" She called happily. Both girls headed for the door, and Rose gave Lily a playful push. Lily stuck her tongue out her cousin and they went to assist their grandmother.

Later that night, the entire family gathered in the garden to enjoy the enormous feast Mrs. Weasley had prepared. After everyone was seated, Mr. Weasley stood, beaming.

"Here's to our family. Those old and young, to the children, grandchildren, and hopefully great-grandchildren..." he gave looks to Teddy and Victorie, everyone laughed.

"And to those passed on…" Mr. Weasley raised his glass. "To Fred, Tonks and Remus. You will live in our hearts forever." Everyone paused then took a sip in memory of their deceased family.

"Let us eat in the company of those we love. Feast!" Mr. Weasley finished his toast as food came zooming out the back door, flying gracefully across the yard on gleaming golden platters. Roast chicken, buttered potatoes, green beans with bacon, mincemeat pies, and countless other dishes adorned the tabletop and everyone dove in.

While most of the family participated in the heated conversation about the performance of the Holyhead Harpies in the Quidditch playoffs, Harry edged his way over to the other side of the garden and stared out into the orchard.

"Can I join you?" a voice said from behind him. It was Hermione.

"Of course," he said, sitting down on the stone wall and she sat next to him.

"How are you doing?" she asked compassionately as Harry stared up at the darkening sky.

"I've taken up golf, you know, the Muggle sport. Well of course you know. Work is going well. Being minister for seven years comes with its perks. And we finally got rid of that infestation of…" Harry rambled until Hermione stopped him.

"Harry… I mean with Lily." She whispered. He was silent. He glanced over at Lily, who was sitting under Scorpious' arm, laughing and smiling. He shook his head.

"He is Draco's son…" Harry mumbled.

"I know…" Hermione responded.

"I don't think I can do this, Hermione. His family supported Voldermort, who killed my parents. His other supporters killed all those people who we all cared for deeply… Sirius, Fred, Tonks, Lupin, all of them. How can I let Lily be associated with that boy?!" he said, running his hand through his black hair in frustration.

"Harry, that was so long ago. If we never forgave each other for all the stupid stuff we did over the years, I would not be friends with any of you and vice versa."

"That was different; we weren't going to kill each other!"

"I thought about it! You and Ron were pretty stubborn." Hermione laughed, and Harry chuckled softly. He and Ron did get into some rotten arguments with each other and Hermione too.

"I just feel like a failure nowadays, Hermione. The ministry is always telling how I am doing my job wrong, Lily is dating Scorpious Malfoy… what have I ever done right now to think about it?!" he asked. She shook her head in disbelief.

"Harry Potter, I am going to tell Ginny not to have butterbeer at home anymore! You have done plenty of stuff right!" Hermione scolded him. "Harry, you have a wonderful wife and three beautiful children who love you and are intelligent, respectful, and kind. You have run the Ministry of Magic more effective that any other minister in a century! You have friends who wouldn't trade you for a billion galleons. And there are people out there thanking God every night that you saved them, and their families!!"

Harry looked at her.

"Who would thank God for me?" he groaned. Hermione hit him in the back of the head. Harry yelped for it sorely reminded him of their days at school.

"Harry, do you remember that letter I gave you the day we graduated from Hogwarts?" she asked angrily. He thought for a moment.

"Wow that was a long time ago..." Harry whispered.

"You should read it again." Hermione responded, much calmer. She hugged him. Harry nodded. He looked up at the sky once more, watching as it faded from orange to red to purple. He watched as the family who had so well adopted him so many years ago sat around laughing and reminiscing. Maybe, just maybe, he could adopt Scorpious Malfoy into his family. On trail basis of course. Harry sighed and rejoined the group, hugged his wife. She smiled up at him.

"You okay?" Ginny asked, putting her arm around his back. He nodded.

"I will be..." he answered and they shared a kiss.