Rambles: Yay! Another chapter! I should put an alarm in my phone to remind me to post every other day. But where's the fun in knowing a chapter is coming? ... Wait, silly question, I love knowing when the fics I'm waiting for are posting... Hmm...
Chapter Words: 3,900+
Family Fun/Birthmonth
Starlight/Rogue
Part Nine.
Friday, July 4, 2025.
After Vikki's visit to the Potter-Malfoy house, the count down to the reunion sped by. Everyone was trying to ignore the impending trip to the Weasleys, unfortunately, it was hard to do as they were packing for it.
In another part of their world, in a different house all together, two blonds were cuddled up in the elders massive bed and they had not bothered to begin packing yet. They were far more interested in what they could be doing with each other, then what they would be doing for eight days with the Weasleys and the rest of the world. Lorcan mentally sighed at the thought, and whined aloud when Lysander paused in his actions. He turned his head to look at their bedroom door as someone knocked on it.
"Now boys, I do hope you're packing in there!" Their mother, Luna Scamander, called from the other side. "The warblers will not do it for you after all, neither will the munchkins!"
"Yes Mum!" Lysander called out, his fingers splayed open palmed over Lorcan's taut stomach. "We are doing that right now!"
"Good boys," Luna said, and they heard her humming as she walked away. Lysander grinned at Lorcan and licked his neck in interest.
"Now, where was I?" He asked.
"There is good," Lorcan replied heatedly. Their suitcases were open on the floor, and did not get packed for a long long time yet.
#
Luna was still humming to herself as she finished packing her bags. Her husband's bag was already packed and tucked into the corner of the room. Rolf Scamander was always well prepared for everything. Luna did not know how he did it, because she was usually still finding things she needed as they were running out the door.
"Oh, hello friend," she smiled at her reflection as she caught sight of it in the wall of mirrors that took up one side of her dressing room. She adjusted her headband and pushed the big black and pink flower attached to her headband away from her face as her reflection waved back.
"Ho hummmm, I wonder if the boys are done packing? You would think they would be ready, but my boys are my boys, you do understand." Luna's reflection nodded in understanding. "They would forget their heads if they were not attached. They would never forget each other though," Luna smiled and zipped up her bag.
"I was always glad I had twins, it runs in Rufus's family, you see? I am glad they had each other growing up. Being an only child is rarely much fun. I would have liked to have a twin, you know. The closest I came was Harry in school. We were very much alike, you see." Her reflection nodded sombrely and Luna stood up.
"Well, time to see to dinner. It was fun talking to you!" Luna charmed the handles of her bag and floated it out of her room to stop beside her husbands bag. Their tent was already packed and all that was needed still was Lorcan and Lysander's bags. Tomorrow morning they would leave for the Weasleys and spend just over a week with all her school friends, and ones she had made since Hogwarts. Luna always enjoyed going to the reunions.
Luna turned around and walked back into her bedroom. She opened the night stand drawer and pulled out a sealed envelope full of abalone buttons and placed them into her pocket, so she could add them to her bad. You never know when you would need to defend yourself against a linchgnome, and the only thing that could repel them was abalone buttons. Luna had several placed around her home.
"Luna, my only love," Rolf's deep voice said from the door way and Luna turned, a smile on her face as she stepped into her husbands open embrace. He cupped her face delicately, and kissed her thoroughly, leaving the shorter blond breathless.
"Rolf, you are home early. I am glad."
#
James Potter was sitting at the breakfast table, his food untouched and probably cold. His bag for the week was at his feet, and James kicked it once just to make sure it was there still. His fathers and siblings were still running around upstairs. James ignored the thudding feet and shouted comments, choosing instead to stare into the dreads of his tea, wondering if he would see something in the tea leaves that would give him a clue. He did not believe in divination, but any clue to fixing his friendship would be better then nothing.
"Oh hell!" Lily cursed as she jumped down stairs, knocking over a brass candlestick. She straightened the candlestick and dumped her bag by the front door. In the doorway to the kitchen she frowned at the distracted look on James' face.
Walking up to him, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, rested her chin on his head briefly. Then she kissed the top of his head and moved to sit beside him, her head on his shoulder. "I love you James," she said and looked up at her brother when he said nothing. "James?" she said after a moment. He finally looked over at her, his smile was sad. "I love you."
"I know, I love you too, Lily."
Lily smiled up at him, and cuddled into his side. "I haven't heard you say that for a while. I missed it." Lily sighed and snuggled closer for a moment before she pulled away to watch James closely. "If you want to talk about whatever it is, you know I am always hear to listen right?"
James nodded once and looked away from her. "I know," he said.
"Alright," Lily said, and dropped the subject.
"LET'S GO BOYS!" Harry Potter shouted from the front room. "Or you are not going to get to eat breakfast!"
"SINCE WHEN DO I EAT BREAKFAST ANYWAY?" Albus shouted back and there was stomping from upstairs as Score cursed.
"THEN DON'T COMPLAIN THAT YOU'RE HUNGRY LATER!" Harry shouted back up the stairs. Lily laughed into her drink and James snorted, playing with his food. His stomach was too tied in knots to eat anything. Unlike Albus, James knew he was not going to be hungry until after the reunion was long over.
Score ran into the kitchen, looking slightly hassled and sat down quickly beside James. House elves appeared with his breakfast as Al walked in. Albus dumped his bag, and Scorpius's beside the kitchen door and settled into a free seat. Teddy stumbled into the kitchen and fell into a chair, laying his head on the kitchen table without looking at the assembled breakfast choices.
Breakfast was only half done when Draco was ushering everyone out of the kitchen. Teddy looked longingly at the eggs he had finally started eating, and picked up the plate along with his bag. He continued to eat as they gathered by the front door.
One of their house elves, Quiver, was standing at his feet, glaring up at him disapprovingly. Teddy smiled around a mouthful of food, and continued eating.
"Does everyone have everything?" Draco asked, looking over each of their five children suspiciously.
The last time they had been leaving for the reunion Albus had sprinted back into the house for fifteen minutes looking for something. Draco could not remember if he had even found it. Then Lily had realized she was missing her new diary, and oh no Daddy, a new one just wont work, I haven't finished this one yet after all. She'd gotten distracted and Scorpius had had to drag her back out from her bedroom, where she had settled on the floor with one of her diaries. Only then did James have to go to the bathroom.
Their kids looked amongst themselves and shrugged.
"We suppose so," Lily spoke up finally, and Draco nodded, before saying the spells to lock down the Estate from intruders for the following week. Harry was arranging the portkey as Draco finished and held it out for everyone.
Harry and James stumbled on their feet as they arrived outside of the Burrow. Several tents were already set up. One with blue sparkles on it Harry knew belonged to Luna, a red tent off in the corner belonged to Neville and his wife, and Harry thought maybe one of the other tents belonged to Dean or Seamus, but he was not sure.
Teddy and James worked together to set up their family's tent as Molly Weasley, the matron of the Weasley family, headed in their direction. Draco give Harry a indescribable look and Harry shrugged helplessly, a half smile on his face.
"Just in time!" She greeted and hugged Harry tightly, as well as James, Albus and Lily. She greeted Draco and Scorpius before turning to Teddy. "I am ever so glad you are home, dear. I do hope America was good to you."
"Of course, Mrs. Weasley," Teddy hugged her quickly, glancing over her shoulder to see Victorie watching him. Her father called for her attention so the blond looked away finally.
"I actually learned a lot about the different forms of government over there. They have entire sections of Wizarding Laws that I needed to learn to do my job. It was an experience."
"But you are glad to be home, of course," she decreed and Teddy gave her a strained smile, his eyes going back to Vikki and her parents.
Albus helped James finish securing the tent to the ground.
"Well, I must go, plenty of other guests to see to!" Molly chimed and fluttered off towards another set of arrivals.
The Potter and Malfoy tribe picked up their bags and hurried into their tent to somewhat unpack before the socializing began.
It was barely half an hour later that James was leaving their tent, clearly the last one to do so. Instantly he was bombarded by an antsy brunette. "Oh thank Merlin!" Rose Weasley cried as she grabbed James' hand.
The Ravenclaw looked relieved as she pulled James alone the path between tents. She did not get far before James dug his heals into the gravel pathway and refused to budge.
"What is it, Rose?" He asked and Hermione and Ron's oldest looked briefly annoyed before realizing she hadn't explained herself.
"You need to fix Hugo!" She exclaimed. "I don't know what is wrong with him, but he is being ridiculous! He's driving me absolutely batty and will not tell me what's wrong! I figured you would have much better luck then I did."
James shrugged her off and opened his mouth to reply, before shutting it again. "I'm sure Hugo's fine," he finally said and Rose scowled at him.
"Hardly! You act like I don't know my brother's moods! And this one is crazy. He has not stopped moping since he got home from school! You would think he'd be glad to finally be finished!"
They were still very close to the Potter-Malfoy tent, and Lily was hanging around outside, watching the conversation discreetly. Finally, she scowled at her cousin, and made her way to James's side.
"Trust me," she said to Rose. "Hugo was beyond thrilled to finally be graduating like the rest of you. It was all we talked about before we left Hogwarts."
"Harrump!" Rose said, frowning. "Then, what could possibly be wrong with him?" She asked out loud and shook her head as she wondered off, probably contemplating this new information. She waved distractedly behind her, in their general direction.
Lily turned to James and just stared. Her red headed big brother scowled at her but did not say anything. She nodded, resolved. "Fix this, because you both are hurting, and you're best friends. And I don't like it."
"We're cousins, too," James muttered and Lily merely stared at him.
"Then deal with that," she whispered. "Do not lose what you could have, because of that." Lilly patted his hand, and made to leave. "Also, James? You do remember that Lorcan and Lysander are twins, right?" Lily smirked. "You never even paused about that."
"Lily," James called out after a minute, and Lily turned to him, her green eyes sad. "How did you..." He stopped and shook his head.
"I'm your little sister," she answered anyway. "I always know when my brothers are up to stuff."
"Alright," he resigned. "Hey, Lily?" he spoke again. "If you... if you want to go out with Jayden? I will cover for you."
Her family all knew about her crush on Jayden (thanks to Albus reading one of her diaries), but that was about as far as the knowledge went. Excluding Diane.
Lily smiled and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, you know, should he ever actually ask me out." Then she hurried off into their Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron's tent.
"Hi Daddy!" Lily chirped upon seeing her father in the tent. She had wanted to ask Aunt Hermione something, but that would have to wait.
"Hi, sweetheart," Harry Potter said, looking up at his daughter. Lily smiled down at him and moved to sit beside him on Aunt Hermione's tent couch.
"Hi Aunty Mione!" She smiled sweetly at Rose and Hugo's mum. "Where is Uncle Ron?" She asked.
Hermione looked startled for a moment and looked around the tent. "Oh, right, I suppose he's off with one of his brothers. Probably Bill," she decided. "They are both still upset that the engagement got called off. Hard to believe since Ron would rather hex people then let anyone near Rose." Hermione shook her head and cast a grin at Lily.
"I don't know how you do it, sweetheart, with six of them to contend with. Rose is lucky Hugo's willing to let her have a life."
"Yes," Lily shook her head with a smirk. "My brothers and fathers are not nearly as understanding."
Harry swatted at her, but Lily just grinned, completely unrepentant. Hermione froze for a moment, and nodded, muttering to herself as she looked back up at Lily. "Yes, well, that would be a problem. Your brothers have definitely proven to be over protective! Why to hear James and Hugo talk, you would think they do not let males within 100 feet of you unless they are family."
"And even then it's never a sure thing," Lily confided. "But it's also sweet and chivalrous that they don't think I can't take care of myself." The last few words were stressed with an obvious glare at her father.
"Uh oh," Harry mock scowled at her. "Let us take care of you, at least until you're happily married. Then you can start complaining."
"If guys can't get within 100 feet of me, how am I ever supposed to get married?"
Harry shrugged, "Well, I guess you are never getting married then," he teased and Lily rolled her eyes at him.
Hermione laughed, and put her book away. "Yes, that would be your way, wouldn't it Harry?" She turned to look at Lily, and smiled sadly. "Your father was always over protective about us when we were in school, Luna, myself, even your... even your mother."
"I am sure he was," Lily agreed, cuddling into her father. "He has "over protective" written across his forehead. Honestly, it is his middle name in most situations."
"It is his first name in some," Hermione agreed. "Though the last name has always been, and will always be, Potter."
"I don't know," Lily shook her head, She gave her Dad an evil grin before smiling innocently at Aunt Hermione. "Should Draco ever make an honest man of him, Dad may decide to change his name to Malfoy."
Hermione froze in sitting back down, her brown eyes huge on her face. she had taken to wearing glasses a few years ago, a result of all the time she spent staring at books and parchment. They were thin wire framed glasses, much like Lily's and Hermione took them off habitually to clean them. She did so now as well, rubbing the lenses against her cotton shirt.
Harry choked on his breath and swatted his daughter again. Lily pouted up at him. "You know, I could probably get you for child abuse on that one, Daddy."
"Try it, princess," Harry scowled and Lily laughed.
#
Albus opened the door to the twins room in Luna's tent and smirked at the blond pair lounging on their bed. "Hello boys," he said, and slid onto the bed and into the small space between their bodies. Lorcan blinked slowly, and returned to reading his book, while Lysander stretched across Al to continue reading over Lorcan's shoulder.
"You should have brought your own copy," Lorcan reminded his twin and Lysander pouted.
"Why would I bother doing that when I have yours dear twin of mine?"
"We have a dilemma boys," Albus said carefully.
"You make it sound like everything I have is yours," Lorcan grumbled. Lysander slid over Albus, settling in his lap, and pulled on the front of Lorcan's shirt, dragging him up for a searing kiss.
"Oh, well, hum," Albus said, grinning at the two blonds. "As fun as this would be, Score would be pissed if he missed it. So why don't I just summon him in here, and we can deal with the dilemma later?"
"Dilemma?" Lorcan said, licking his chapped lips. He pulled out a tube of chap stick and handed it to Lysander first. "What dilemma would that be?"
"Besides your brother withering in my lap?" Albus snarked, pushing at Lysander playfully.
"You like it," Lysander snarked back, and slid off Albus, and around to Lorcan so he could sit next to his brother.
Lorcan swatted Lysander lightly. "No flirting with Al when there is a dilemma on hand. You know how distracted he gets!"
Lysander pouted, batting his eyelashes and sticking out his lip in spite of his brothers 'are you kidding me' look.
"Now, this dilemma, what would that be?" Lorcan asked Albus.
"I... uh, I can't actually tell you." Albus shrugged at the incredulous look on the twins faces.
"Why not?" Lysander demanded. "If you're asking for our help, lovely, we need to know the story."
"Yah, except that they don't want it getting around."
"Excuse me?" Lorcan arched a delicate blond eye brow at Albus. "We need more then this, Al. We can't do clean up without the actual information."
"I'm sure two smart boys like yourselves will figure it out rather shortly. It's kind of obvious. And we need to fix it before the 'rents figure it out."
"Is that so?" Lorcan looked interested and Lysander nodded.
"Alright then, give us some time to figure it out, and then we'll fix it, all without the parents noticing."
"Well... without them figuring out the root cause, anyway," Albus said. "I'm pretty sure some of them have noticed something's wrong..."
"All the more interesting," Lysander grinned and pushed Albus off his bed. "Let's go play with the normal people."
Lysander followed Albus to the door of their tent's room and Lorcan stood stiffly, back straight against his twins lazy slouching.
"Normal people scare me," Albus agreed and the fifteen year olds laughed. Lorcan slid his fedora onto his head and followed his brother and friend out of their tent. People were milling around in greater numbers then before, people who they all considered family, however loosely they defined it.
George Weasley was sitting at a magically enhanced faded green picnic table, a stack of playing cards in his hands, as he shuffled them smoothly. Bill and Fleur's youngest and only son, Louis, and Percy and Audrey's oldest daughter, Molly, sat on the other end of the table, watching their uncle closely. Hugo was sitting beside his uncle, head turned slightly to watch George's slight of hand.
Hugo glanced up and laughed as Albus left the Scamander tent with blond book ends. Al always did look good with blonds. Lysander waved at Hugo, snaking his arm through Albus's and dragging him towards Hugo. Lorcan shook his head in amused exasperation, and trailed after the duo.
George slid through the card trick again as the trio sat down, he offered them a quick grin and then went back to the pair in front of him, showing them step by step how the illusion was created without magic at all.
Dominique Weasley, Fleur and Bill's second and youngest daughter, strolled passed them, head held high and her back straight. Her mouth was opening and closing and as she passed, Al caught her words.
"How much wood can a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" Over and over she said it and Albus shook his head, smirking at the scoff from Lysander.
"She's an actress remember, Lysander?" Lorcan emphasized slowly, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "Annunciation is all part of the job."
"You know, considering you don't see my sister often," Louis glanced over at the twins, a line creasing his brows. "You really don't like her, do you?"
Lysander leaned back from the table, flattening his back against Albus's side and staring at the younger teen. "Whatever gave you that idea, Louis? We adore your sister, just like we adore everyone else in this world."
"We're very loving people," Lorcan agreed, "It's in our nature."
"Right," Louis stretched the first letter for emphasis and shook his head at the twins. He, like his sister, rarely saw the older blonds, but he heard enough about them through their mutual family connections to know they rarely cared about people outside of their close circle.
"I don't think he believes us, dear brother," Lysander pouted, and batted his eyelashes dramatically. "That... hurts me inside."
"I'm sure it does, you diva," the smooth voice came from behind them, and Al turned with a grin as Scorpius stroked a hand down his neck.
"I'm hurt, Score, really," Lysander latched an arm around Albus, and smirked. "And Albus here's going to make me feel better."
"Uhhuh, I don't think so," Scorpius grinned at the other blond and tugged on Al's shirt. "You're coming with me," he said sternly, a playful grin on his face.
Al grinned and dislodged the dramatically pouting Scamander twin. "I'm sorry, Lysander," Al grinned. "You're pretty and all, but I'd rather be draped over my boyfriend, I'm sure you understand."
"Of course, Albus, I can understand you playing my heart like a fiddle." Lysander mimed playing a fiddle, holding his dramatically pouty face. "You go run off on me, I'm sure Hugo wont mind cuddling with me." Lysander turned to grin at the red head. "Wont you, Hugo?"
Hugo blinked at Lysander, finally removing his attention from Scorpius and Albus, "Course, Lysander I," a playful grin fell off his face and he stood suddenly. "Any other time, but I've got homework to do. Maybe latter if you can't find anyone." He winked extravagantly, and tossed another look over the people filled yard, before fleeing off to his tent.
Lysander and Lorcan glanced at each other, and then at Albus. The black haired Potter blinked slowly at them, the action as good as any other form of conformation.
George laughed as he watched the twins interaction, longing stabbing him deep in his heart. Lysander and Lorcan could make him miss Fred like one one else could. Being around them only served to remind George of what he'd lost so long ago.
TBC.
