Here it is - the 'filler' chapter. I call it a mini-chapter, although it isn't all that shorter than my usual chapters, it just seems like it is. Sorry, again, for the long wait, I had a severe case of writers block, and I was putting it off for weeks. But the next instalment is, at last, here, and I hope you all enjoy it.

Message from Scolander: Hi, this is Kwidditch's beta. Sorry for this to crop up in your inbox again, I had to re-upload it with this message; in case you didn't see her profile, Kwidditch has decided to leave fanfiction and she has (surprisingy) entrusted me with her account. For the moment I will just beta and upload some of her pieces she has half written until I get a feel for her writing style. So, thank you for reading her stories, she greatly appreciated it and I can only hope I do her writing justice.

Landing neatly on the doorstep, Harry knocked on the door of his best friends' house. Almost immediately it was answered, and when Hermione saw who it was, she threw himself on him.

"Harry! Ron, it's Harry. Are you okay? Ginny didn't tell us – oh, come in, come in." She headed inside, Ginny and Harry following. "We were so worried. Ginny, you never explained, we thought something truly dreadful had happened. Is Teddy ok?"

"Were the kids alright?" asked Ginny, avoiding the question. "I'm sorry to foist them on you, but I couldn't think of anyone else. Mum and dad have just left for France, you know, and..."

"They were absolutely fine," said Hermione, cutting her off. "Rosie and Hugo love having them over. I sent them all down to the river with Ron, they enjoyed it. But what happened with you two?"

At that moment Ron came striding in. "Is tea nearly ready?" he asked "I am complete– I mean – the kids are getting hungry. Hi, Harry, Gin. You okay?"

"Yes, we're both fine, honestly," Harry replied. "Teddy too. Did you say tea? We could do with some, if you didn't mind, that is, Hermione."

"No, that's fine. I can just enlarge. It's no bother really," she said. A beeper started in the kitchen. "Ronald, go and call the kids in, would you? And you two," she added, turning to Ginny and Harry, "if you wouldn't mind, could you lay the tables please?"

"Sure." They both started to bustle round the tables, a small one for the kids, a bigger one for the adults. A few minutes and a couple of summoning spells later, the tables were set, and on them pots steaming with food.

"Now, Harry, we really must know why Ginny was all in a bother earlier. I'm guessing it had something to do with Teddy." Both Hermione and Ron had been told about Harry's weekend trip to Hogwarts.

"Yes, okay. Wait a sec." He cast muffliato on the children's table, and started to speak.

"Basically, Teddy hit a nerve when he was asking me questions, and I got slightly...upset."

"More than slightly upset," said Ginny, in a tone not dissimilar to her mother's. "I'm not exactly sure what it was Teddy was asking – Harry refused to tell me – but I know it was something to do with the Dursley's." She spat out the name as if it were some sort of dirty word. "Anyway, she continued, "Harry, um, collapsed, for want of a better word, and Teddy called me using those mirrors Harry has. He showed me Harry on the bed, and couldn't' explain why, and so obviously I was in a panic because it was – it was almost like then. I was really quite scared. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I needed to get to Hogwarts as soon as possible."

"I understand." Hermione smiled knowingly. "Harry, what did Teddy ask you that got you into such a state?"

Harry was silent, looking anywhere but the friendly but inquisitive faces surrounding him. Then, grudgingly, he whispered, "I almost hit him."

"What?" asked Ron sharply.

"I almost hit him, alright?" stated Harry again, this time verging on a shout. "I'm not proud of it. It just – happened." He added this softly again, blinking furiously.

"Oh, Harry." Hermione crossed to stand by his chair and put her hand on his shoulder. He immediately shrugged it off. "Why?"

"His questions were too...personal. And about stuff that happened years ago. I couldn't answer it. You guys have never been told – I don't know if you've even asked."

"Harry, mate, this isn't like you. Normally something like that would never even pass your mind," Ron said.

"I know," muttered Harry. "Don't make me feel worse, Ron."

"What was the question, Harry?"

"Otherwise what."

"And that means...?"

Harry sat in silence for another few minutes. He then decided to tell them part of it – Teddy would tell them anyway sooner or later if he didn't.

"He wanted to know why I didn't rebel against my aunt's and uncle's rules. I told him it was just the way it was."

"Otherwise..." Ron added. "You said the question was 'otherwise what'? What is the answer?"

Harry sighed. "I don't want to go through this again, please. I told Ted that I couldn't tell him, and I cannot tell you either. Sorry. But don't go on, or I'll get angry again, and I really don't want to Get Mad."

His three companions all looked at each other, silently communicating. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Okay, we'll try not to mention it again," Hermione said. Then, changing the subject, she asked how Teddy took the tale of Harry's Hogwarts years.

"Better than I thought he would, actually. He was very mature about it, although he did get upset at hearing some parts, didn't he, Ginny. But I think he enjoyed finding out about me, about us, on the whole."

"Hmm, it's something we ought to talk about more," Hermione said, the other three looking her in surprise, "Hogwarts, I mean. Not everything, obviously, but some stuff, like Quidditch, or something. Just because it was... Before the war, we all seem to clam up about it. I know," she hastily continued, "it can be hard, but," she carried on, "school stories should really be in abundance, even with the war separating us and then. Our kids won't get to know half the things that others know about their parents if we don't start opening up. It's been years now."

Her speech finished, Hermione walked back to her place (she had still been standing by Harry), and put her head on Ron's shoulder.

"I agree," said Ron, stroking Hermione's hair. Our children will start wanting to know about Hogwarts soon. We don't have to tell them about Voldemort and the rest of it until we think they're ready – I know you've told Al and James, Harry, but the others can wait. We could tell them other stories though, harmless ones, like the troll..."

"That troll was not harmless, Ron," interrupted Hermione. "It almost killed us all."

"Okay, okay. Harmless ones like – the love potion in 6th year?"

"That almost killed you."

"Oh yeah. Hard, isn't it? Um, Norbert?"

Before Hermione could start about how she didn't want her children being given bad ideas, Harry spoke up.

"You two, I think it's going to be hard to find 'harmless' stories of our Hogwarts years. They were kind of irrevocably bound up with Voldemort, and mischief, and trouble. I say we answer any questions truthfully, and if it's too complicated to explain without the whole story, we tell them it."

"Says you," said Ron, but without any malice.

"I know I'm a slight hypocrite, Ron, but... It isn't like they're not going to find out through some means or another. Look at Teddy. I don't want any of the others finding out through something, or someone other than ourselves, agreed?"

They all nodded.

"Yes," said Ginny, firmly, "but only if they ask. They are going to, for sure. I guess this extends to the whole Weasley – Potter family."

"Definitely," said Harry. "And I think also the Scamanders and the Longbottoms. They have a right too, to know the later stuff, anyway." Everyone nodded again, respectful of the role that both Neville and Luna, above all others, had played in both their lives then, and still played now.

"Will you be up for it, dear?" asked Ginny gently, taking his hand in hers.

He looked at her.

"I don't know," he said, truthfully, "but I'll try."

I need to say an extra-special thank you to a very faithful reviewer – Starzinmieyez. This chapter is dedicated to you. Thank you for encouraging me to write this chapter, I probably would have forgone it completely had you not reviewed.

Also, as ever, thanks to my beta Scolander.

The next chapter probably won't be finished for weeks. I haven't started on it yet, and I don't really have much of an idea about it, other than the fact that it's going to be the last ever chapter (probably!), and Harry will tell the story of 7th year to Teddy. Suggestions will be appreciated (but I won't wait with baited breath).

Sorry for the unusually long AN, sorry for the wait for this chapter, and in advance for the next. But I will never give up on this last chapter, however long it takes me to write :)