Ron demanded refreshments so they stopped and got some things to eat. Everyone was passing around Hugo and Lily's wands, examining them and commenting. Hugo was beaming - apparently very elated. Lily, who was also very excited, was feeling slightly ill, but she didn't dare say anything to anyone because they would have her in Mungo's before she could protest. So she sat glumly.

The ice cream that she was eating was having a curious effect on her fever that was growing steadily. her stomach, which had been tossing and turning, was now still, and the fever grew, although the warm feeling in her head ebbed, leaving her chilled to the bone and shivering.

"Are you feeling okay?" Lily jumped, turning quickly to see her grandmother, Mrs. Weasley.

"Yes," Lily lied immediately

"Are you?" her grandmother muttered "you realize that I have raised 6 children?"

"Yes." Lily replied again, feeling a bit ashamed about lying.

"I see." her grandmother walked away, and Lily heard her strike up a conversation with Albus about plants. Lily shook her head and let out a sigh of relief. Her grandmother was amazingly perspective after all those years of raising children.

"Here you are," Lily turned and saw Hermoine there, holding out her wand.

"Oh. Thanks." Lily took the wand and buried it in her robes

"Can I sit down?" asked Hermoine, gesturing to the empty seat by Lily

"Yeah. Sure."

Hermoine sat down, and studied Lily, who was doing her best not to shiver or show any signs that she wasn't feeling well.

"You know," said Hermoine slowly. Lily tensed. "You don't have to draw yourself out so much."

Lily narrowed her eyes at Hermoine "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Hermoine considered for a moment "you're going to Hogwarts. Here you are, buying your things. And you're not even chatting! You're sitting alone, at this table in the sun, just sitting there." Hermoine paused, expecting Lily to say something, but Lily just shrugged. "You're not normal," Hermoine muttered

"No I'm not," Lily's temper was flaring. She hated it, absolutely hated it, when someone said she wasn't normal. When someone singled her out. When someone mentioned the disease. "and I'll never be normal because some loony Voldermort-supporter decided to curse me just because of who my father is!" To Lily it seemed like a cruel, unfair punishment of some sort, but Hermoine just nodded slowly.

"Funny how things work out like that" and she stood, and walked away, leaving Lily to puzzle over these words

Later, arms laden with books, the family left the book store and went to get fitted for new robes.

Harry insisted that Lily go first, for he had caught her staring blankly at a wall the way she did when things got bad. So Lily was fitted, and sitting in a chair beside Rose when the Malfoys came in.

"Hullo!" cried Luna "Harry! Is this your family?"

"Oh, hullo Luna," Harry greeted her "yes, this is James, and Albus Severus, and Lily."

"Ah, yes," Luna turned to look at Lily, and Lily felt rather self-conscious in her wide-eyed stare "Lily. How unfortunate." then Luna seemed to shake herself and turned her gaze to Ginny "Gorgeous children you have, Ginny."

"Why, thank you," said Ginny, who had moved over to Lily and was running her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"And Ron and Hermoine!" Luna turned to them, shaking their hands "it's been too long."

"How quickly time goes," said Ron, a bit rudely. Hermoine stomped on his foot "OW!"

"Good to see you, Luna," Hermoine said, smiling warmly "Of course, you haven't met the kids."

"Hello," said Rose, who had hurried up with Hugo in tow "I'm their daughter, Rose." She shook hands with Luna and then waited for Hugo to introduce himself, finally giving up and saying, "And this is my brother, Hugo."

"How nice to see you all again!" cried Luna, looking around at them all "and of course, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. A pleasure, a pleasure. Of course, you know Draco." she urged her husband out of the doorway as she said this, and he nodded vaguely at him. Lily looked at him curiously. What was his problem?

"Well," said Luna, pursing her lips and looking very pained and uncomfortable "yes. This is Scorpius." and she stepped aside to reveal a 12 year old boy that she had been hiding, waiting to reveal. he was the spitting image of his father, although he had Luna's wide and distant eyes

"Hello, Weasley," he snapped to Rose, who clenched her fists and turned away. Harry's first thought of the child was that he had inherited all of Draco's attitude and none of Luna's cheerful goodness.

"Well, that is Scorpius?" Ron muttered, looking at the child critically. He then turned and gave Rose a significant look.

Lily was staring at the boy, her head tilted. He looked very...almost...evil...but then again, her mother always said that nothing is completely evil. Scorpius must not be all his father - he had to have a bit of his mother in him somewhere. But where?

Later, they entered the Owlry, which was customary for the Potters. They always stopped by, and when a child was going off to Hogwarts (whether it be theirs or a Weasley) they Potters would buy them a pet of their choice.

Hugo and Lily looked around eagerly. Hugo wandered over to the owls and had a large brown male that he wanted in seconds. Lily, however, took her time. The disease was starting to grip her and it took more work to focus with each moment. After a few minutes, she decided that she wanted a cat.

So she wandered over to the cats, looking at them all, and after a long moment of looking, decided on a small white kitten that looked thin and sickly. Petting it, she buried her face in its fur, murmuring, "We are alike – both sick, but both still persevering. Both still alive. We shall help each other, little one."

They were outside when Hugo started his pestering about the broomsticks. He kept turning to Lily for support, but she was feeling so unwell now that she kept shrugging him off. She was going to puke.

"Mum, I'm going to the bathroom," Lily said, and, without waiting for an answer, she scrambled toward Madame Malkins. She nodded to Luna and Draco, who were still being fitted, and went back to the bathroom. It was closed. Scorpius must be in there. Feeling horrible, Lily leaned against the wall, praying that Scorpius would hurry.

The door opened and Lily, on the verge of fainting, hurried to scramble inside, only to start to fall in a dead faint. Arms caught her quickly, and a voice started to call out for help as a hand felt her forehead...