I apologise for the shortness of this chapter and how long it has taken me to upload it. I have been too many kinds of busy and sadly that has meant that I haven't been able to write as much as I would like. I've just been accepted onto a HND course (So I am on my way to getting my degree) and it's eating away at my time.

Also this is it, the start of the reveal of the main plot. This is pretty much where Lily's life starts to break down. Obviously i'm not throwing everything out there in this chapter but you can start to see a few cracks begin to form.


Chapter Eight

It Is Never What It Seems

Harry James Potter watched as his daughter walk away from him and Hermione, her heels clicking on the stone floor of the balcony. The light wind made her few loose red curls dance around her face and Harry had to admit that Lily was the spitting image of her namesake and of her mother. She was, in all, beautiful. Harry and Hermione both watched Lily walk towards the ballroom as Hermione rested her hand onto Harry's arm protectively. With a smile and a sigh she rested her head against his.

"It's beautiful out here. Isn't it?" Hermione said, a playful smile on her lips. Harry nodded and looked out across both magical and Muggle London. "It's silly but I always love seeing the mixture of my new life and my old life. The magic and Muggle…it fascinates me." Hermione said looking out across the city, the lights a mix of yellow, blue, green, red and many others. Harry couldn't help but look at Hermione, he looked to see the wonder in her eyes. Both of them knew this was something that only they could appreciate. Ron would never understand. Hermione reached for Harry's hand and held it tightly. "Are you still coming over for dinner next weekend? The whole family are invited don't forget." Hermione asked.

"Yes, of course. We would never miss it. James has Quidditch practice in the morning but after we'll be flooing to yours. Minerva has said that it's fine for the kids to leave the castle for the night. " Harry said reassuringly.

"That's brilliant; I've been obsessively planning this night of weeks." Hermione said with a chuckle. "I can't help it really; my cooking has never been that magnificent and I really do not want a repeat of two years ago when my mat was undercooked."

"Yes but the vegetables and potatoes were overcooked so it made up for it." Harry said with a grin. Hermione rolled her eyes and hit him lightly on the arm.

With a chuckle Hermione said "You're not helpful at all Harry."

"That's because we compare every meal we ever eat to that of Molly's food." Harry pointed out with a smirk.

With a nod Hermione said "That is true. So, how are you enjoying teaching the impressionable youth of today?"

"Oh it's a learning curve. You find out the most interesting things about people." Harry said with a chuckle as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Such as?"

"It turns out that your very own Dominique is actually a genius." Harry as Hermione cracked up laughing.

"Dominique?" She asked between her laughter.

"Don't sound so shocked, she does have Victoire as a sister." Harry pointed out.

"How are Rose and Hugo doing? I know they write but-"

"Are you asking me to snoop on your children Hermione?" Harry said with a loud laugh while Hermione smacked his arm affectionately.

"No, but please tell me at least one of them has my brains."

"It depends, whom do you wish had your brains?" Harry asked.

"It is horrible to Hugo if I say Rose?"

"No, though you should be happy as Rose does have your brains when it comes to Defence Against the Dark Arts…Hugo on the other hand…"

"Oh I give up on that boy I really do. Neville says the same thing. Ron just points out that he didn't do that brilliantly at school and it never did him any harm. I hate to point out that he'd probably be dead if it weren't for my brains…that sounded harsh didn't it? Don't tell him I said that! Harry James Potter you better not tell him that I told you that!" Hermione said frantically.

"Hermione, calm down. It is true though, we would have been stuffed if we didn't have you and your time travelling jewellery and bottomless beaded bags." Harry said. He honestly couldn't help but laugh at his best friend. She smiled and sighed contentedly. She then rolled her eyes and groaned. "What? Have you seen Lavender Brown?" Harry asked ducking slightly.

"No, the baby has just woken up. My nights are its days I am convinced off it. I am also sure that it is going to be a bloody athlete, as it uses my bladder as a football."

"Blunt and to the point." Harry chucked.

"Here, feel." Hermione said grabbing Harry hand and pacing it on her stomach. Harry could tell that Hermione was watching him anxiously. Suddenly Harry felt something inside Hermione stir; the baby. He couldn't help but nearly broadly. Hermione smiled back at him and for those few moments it felt like they were the only three people in the world.

"Oh…here you are. Harry there are several people waiting to talk to you." Ginny said walking out onto the balcony. Harry quickly let go of Hermione's stomach and he could have sworn he saw a flash of something, maybe annoyance, in Ginny's eyes. "I'm sorry Hermione but I am going to have to drag my husband away from you. Besides, Ron is looking for. You two have been out here long enough." Ginny said coldly. Harry stared at her, not sure if he had heard the bitterness in her voice or if he was just imagining it. The past nineteen years had taken its toll on everyone really but Ginny had taken the brunt of it. After her accident that ended her Quidditch career Harry had tried to be there for her but it had been nearly impossible. She had slowly become a highly bitter woman and had thrown herself into becoming the ultimate society housewife. She wrote for The Sunday Prophet, she gave interviews to Witch Weekly and never did anything anymore without turning it into a massive event that people would be talking about for weeks after. "Harry, are you coming or not?"

"I'll be right there Gin." Harry said. He touched Hermione's arm lightly and she smiled weakly at him before she walked back into the ballroom. Hermione glanced at Ginny and gave her a smile which Ginny did not return. "What's the matter Gin?"

"Oh I don't know Harry, maybe it's the fact that I've been talking to important people for ages while you'd rather be standing out here in the cold with Hermione. With your hand on her stomach." Ginny snapped at Harry as she crossed her arms across her deep gold dress.

"I'm sorry Gin, we were just talking about the job at Hogwarts then the baby started to kick, who did you want me to speak to?" Harry asked trying to defuse the fight before it really started. Harry walked over to Ginny and kissed her on the lips. She merely stared at him. "Come on Ginny." Harry said placing his hand in one of Ginny's. She still didn't smile but she let him hold her hand as the two of them walked back into the ballroom to smile and pretend to be the perfect married couple. The couple the world believed them to be.

"Lily and James darlings!" a voice called room across the ballroom. James who was stood next to Sirius and I ducked slightly as none other than Rita Skeeter came striding across the room towards us.

"You're on your own here mate." Sirius said to James as he quickly grabbed Rose who was sat down with Tom and Jasmine. "Want to dance?" Sirius asked Rose who, after spotting Rita, nodded quickly and the two of them raced onto the dance floor.

"I hate them both." I muttered to James as the pair of us fixed fake smiles on our faces once Rita was in front of us.

"Well my my my don't you two look marvellous!" Rita cried. She, on the other hand, looked very…well colourful in a skin tight lime green dress with purple shoes, a pink feather boa and her trade mark glasses. Her finger nails were painted a shocking blue colour and in her hair was an elaborate head decoration made up of different brightly coloured feathers. It hurt to look at her directly. "Do either of you have a couple of words you would like to say about the party? Especially you Lily who, only this summer, stormed the Ministry on a house elf rights march." Rita said, it was then at James and I noticed a quill in her hand. James jumped in to speak.

"We're both having a brilliant time and have been very lucky to be given a chance to attend the ball. We're both very excited to be here and may I say Rita that you look very outstanding." James said with a broad smile. I sniggered to myself as Rita went red at James' compliment.

"Why thank you James! Now your younger brother Albus joined the school and has been placed in the same house as you two. Are you glad to be joined by your brother?"

"Of course, Albus is a brilliant kid and we're happy that we have part of our family with us." James said smoothly.

"Speaking of your family joining you how do you feel about your father taking the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Rita asked. This time I quickly answered.

Like James I smoothly said "In our family education is very important so we are always thrilled to have a teacher that is not only talented in the subject that they are teaching but has years of experience. Who else could teach us the importance of fighting the dark arts like our father?" James looked at me briefly and smiled. Rita looked thrilled with her 'scoop' and gave us both big hugs. The acid smell of her perfume stayed in the air even after she had gone.

"I'm scared." James mock whimpered. Tom and Jasmine were smirking at each other as I sat down and poked Tom on the arm.

"Well." I said with a huff "You're a useless date, I despise of you." Tom shrugged with a grin before I swiftly kicked him on the shin. "Stop being useless and ask me to dance before Rita or someone worse suddenly appears and forces me to talk to them." Tom chuckled as he pulled me into a standing position and we skipped off to burn a hole in the dance floor.

We arrived back at Hogwarts in the early hours and I, for one, was completely exhausted. Tom, as it turned out, could dance for a surprisingly long time even if he did look like a mentally backwards frog trying to ballet dance (honest to God that is how Tom dances). My feet were going to drop off, I was sure of it. I pulled off my shoes and threw them across the room with a clatter. Aphrodite and Amelia jolted awake, ripping eye masks off their faces in the process and glared at me, Dominique and Rose.

"Do you mind?" Aphrodite hissed at us, her eyes lingered over our dresses. "Some of us are trying to sleep." Aphrodite added with a huff. Rose snorted and walked over to her bed and began to pull her dress off.

"Oh we are so sorry." I said sarcastically. "I forgot that hags needed there eight hours sleep if they don't want to turn into dirt…on second thoughts…"

"Don't bother Potter." Aphrodite snapped. She shoved her eye mask back on and burrowed under her sheets with another loud huff. Rose looked at me with a shrug, clearly Aphrodite was beyond furious over the fact that we had gone to the ball and not her. I was past caring about anything to do with Aphrodite so I quickly changed into my pyjamas and snuggled down under the thick covers of my bed, glad to finally be back at Hogwarts where no one, well no one of importance, cared about social standing.

I woke the next morning quite late, as did most of the school really as it was a Sunday and didn't go downstairs to the Great Hall for breakfast until mid-morning. There were several signs of the night before; many students were nursing headaches from clear overindulgence of drink. Marianna Harris, a seventh year Ravenclaw whose mother was secretary to the Minister of Magic was drinking a large goblet of smoking potion that was no doubt a Decongestion Draught, which, coincidentally, Tom was currently drinking while he sat next to Victoire, Rose and I. Tom pointed at Victoire with a glare.

"I am never entering a drinking contest against your boyfriend ever again. He could drink anyone under the table." Tom muttered as he went back to clutching at his head. Victoire snorted as she nibbled on a thick piece of toast. I poured myself a large mug of coffee and sprinkled in some cinnamon.

"Oh please, you have no one to blame but yourself. You were trying to impress Leonie and, spectacularly, failed." Victoire pointed out. Tom groaned and drained his goblet with a shudder. Rose, herself suffering slightly from one too many butter beers, sniggered loudly while Jasmine joined our table. She sat down next to rose and smiled brightly. "Someone is in a good mood." Victoire pointed out. Tom rolled his eyes and groaned once again.

"Well I didn't drink last night so I'm as right as rain." She said. I gave her a swift high five. Tom glared at me.

"Stop glaring and cure your hangover already." I said poking him in the arm. We continued to eat our breakfast in comfortable silence while the hall filled up. I saw James, Hugo, Albus and Sirius, minus the apparently Ryan, Amelia and Aphrodite, walk into the hall in cheerful moods. Sirius waved to me as he sat down. I smiled back before a shadow fell across my plate. I looked up and groaned. I really wasn't in the mood to listen to whatever she was about to rant to me about.

"Well well well, aren't you a sneaky little thing. You go on and on about being a decent person and doing the right thing and yet here you are, flirting with a Slytherin. The son of a Death Eater Slytherin as well. No wonder you're friends with his pathetic freak of a sister." Aphrodite sneered as she held a copy of The Sunday Prophet. She threw the Culture and Style section at me; it hit my glass of juice and sent it flying over Rose. On the front cover was a stunning photo of the ballroom where the ball had taken place, I could see Tom, Leonie, Rose and Sirius as some of the couple dancing. The headline said 'Not a fright in sight at the Ministry Annual Halloween Ball'. I quickly turned the page and saw photo upon photo and laughing, smiling an dancing couples. Wizard chatting over goblets of oak matured mead. Witches gossiping over glasses of gillywater and there was a brilliant photo of Teddy, Tom, Leonie, Victoire, Jasmine and myself all smiling at laughing between ourselves. But it was one photo that caught my eye and that was clearly the one that Aphrodite had been talking about.

Scorpius had me wrapped in his arms, one hand on my hip as we danced, his face was serious but friendly and I looked compassionate and open. I could see what Aphrodite meant, even if I didn't want to admit it. The pair of us looked close, we looked together. The caption below didn't help matters: Lily Luna Potter, daughter of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley-Potter, seen dancing with rumoured boyfriend Scorpius Malfoy. She was later introduced to the young wizard's parents (photo bottom right). The bottom right photo showed me shaking hands with Draco Malfoy while Cissia, Scorpius and Astoria looked on, all smiling. Lavender bloody Brown. If I ever saw her, smirking, face again then I was going to hex her into the next century.

"Aphrodite will you go away?" Victoire snapped angrily as she glanced at the paper. "If you believe the lies that Lavender Brown spreads then you are stupider than you look, if that is possible."

"I just think it's wrong. You stand for so many things and yet you go and fall for the son of a Death Eater and the brother of a little freak."

"Say that again." A voice snapped from behind Aphrodite. "Call me a freak again Aphrodite, I dare you." Cissia hissed. None other than Scorpius Malfoy, my rumoured boyfriend, was standing next to her. "Call my father a Death Eater again while you are at it." Cissia added. I saw her hand curled around her wand.

"Cissia leave it, people like Aphrodite like to be prejudice even without valid proof." I said, Scorpius whispered something in Cissia's ear before giving me a swift nod and returning to the Slytherin table. I spotted Azalea refuse to ever look at him. "Just go away Aphrodite. I am not in the mood to listen to your crap." I said flapping away her with my hands. Aphrodite stood her ground and continued to glare at me. Something, most likely my anger issues, snapped and the next thing I knew Aphrodite was squealing loudly on the floor, her hands covering her nose as blood spurted from it. I was on my feet and breathing heavily while my wand was pointed at Aphrodite. People were crowding around us and pointing at Aphrodite while she howled. A hand grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away.

"Office. Now!" Professor Longbottom snapped dragging me along the corridor. Just when everything was going so well.

"I honestly thought we had gotten through to you. You've kept your nose out of trouble, you've been working so hard and your father has been so proud of you. Now you throw all that way by hexing Aphrodite Patil-Reade, Do you have any idea what her mother will do when she finds out? She will complain and complain and complain because her daughter is her precious little angel."

I sighd before saying "How delightful." And the sarcasm was highly clear in my voice. Professor Longbottom glared at me for a moment.

"You understand you will have to have detention for this." He said.

"Looking forward to spending time with you again professor." I said giving him a facetious sault.

"Lily be quiet. As well as detention I shall also be taking away fifteen points from Gryffindor."

"I can live with that-"

"Lily be quiet. When Harry told you that you only had one more chance he meant it and so do I. You're one your last legs and this time I mean it. Now get out my office." Professor Longbottom snapped. I rolled my eyes and dragged myself out of his office. Rose, not very surprisingly, was waiting for me. She grinned at me as we walked back up to Gryffindor tower to finish off our potions essays due for the next day.

"That was hilarious. Aphrodite's face was priceless." She chuckled. When she saw my annoyed face she stopped. "What's wrong? You're not pissed about the newspaper report are you or did you get another detention?"

"Both. Detention, points deducted and the stupid report. Why can't my life be simple and not in the press? Also why on earth did I agree to dance with Scorpius."

"To be honest I was going to ask you that but you do sort of owe him after the whole Merlin's Revenge thing. Ignore Little Miss Snooty Patil-Reade, what have ever done that is of any substance? Nothing what so ever." Rose said linking her arm through mine. "Please please stop pouting and come to my aid with this damn potions essay before I lose the will to live and throw myself of the Astronomy tower." Rose said. We got to the Fat Lady who waved us in once we had given her the password. We were ready to face the heap of parchment that would soon, or in Rose's case after I had hit her a couple of times to pay attention and stop looking at Sirius, beyond our potions essay.