Harry is nibbling on a licorice wand when Teddy stirs.

It's nearly time for his lunch, so Harry isn't surprised when both of Teddy's eyes blearily open. It's always a bit cute, watching his godson wake up from a nap, but it's decidedly not this time.

Teddy's brown eyes open as wide as saucers when he spots Harry sitting on a chair beside the bed, and then promptly shut tight. Barely a second later, snores that are too evenly spaced out to be real fill the room and Harry has to bite down on the candy to stop the unexpected laugh threatening to burst out of him.

"I know you're awake, Ted," he says as sternly as he can, and reaches forward to pull down the blanket he had covered the boy in earlier.

Teddy always sleeps better with a blanket over him, and tiny fingers brush against his as Teddy tries to pull the ends of the fabric back over himself. He probably thought he was being inconspicuous or whatever, but Harry holds firm.

"Not gonna happen," he says, and pulls out his real wand to banish the blanket back into the linen cupboard two floors down. He pockets his wand, crosses his arms over his chest and leans back in his chair, and counts backwards from a hundred.

He's been here before, having woken up the boy in this manner countless times before, and like clockwork, by the time he reaches twenty seven, Teddy stirs again. This time, he opens both his eyes and stares at the ceiling. Harry blows out a breath he didn't realise he had been holding.

"Good nap?" he asks, and receives a rigid nod in return. The nerves and the anger from several hours ago return to him slowly, and Harry breaks his licorice wand in half and offers one to Teddy. "Want one?"

Teddy stares at the peace offering from the corner of his eye, tucks his neck into the collar of his uniform, and mumbles something incomprehensible.

"Pardon?"

"I said no," the boy replies in a louder voice, but doesn't look at Harry.

"Well, more for me, I suppose," Harry muses out loud and pops in both the pieces into his mouth, not caring that the jagged ends stick out of his mouth like the tusks of an elephant. It takes a while for the air in the room to turn into something uncomfortable, and by the time Harry gets thoroughly sick of the taste of star anise coating every inch of his mouth, Teddy's face has pinched into a cross between apprehension and anger.

It reminds Harry so much of Tonks for a moment that he has to look away from her son and toss the half eaten candy into the trash behind the closed bedroom door to collect himself.

He clears his throat and says, "I talked to Miss Patterson today. She was really worried about you."

Teddy doesn't reply, but at least his little shoulders relax a little on hearing he wasn't in trouble at school. At least.

"I told her you were sick, by the way. She was going to call up your grandmother and ask after you if she hadn't heard anything by noon."

Teddy shoots up from his position at that, and looks at Harry with horror on his face. The tips of his hair are a moldy green belying his true feelings on such a scenario for anyone to see.

"Yes," Harry says. "Andy would have sent you back to school the moment she found out where you were. In fact, I came very close to doing the same thing to you!"

He takes a deep breath and tries not to yell.

"Do you have any idea what you put me through? Haven't I told you that you shouldn't be using my Invisibility Cloak unless I tell you to use it?" He pinches the bridge of his nose in a futile effort to calm down and not scare Teddy. "What if you had hurt yourself? Worse - what if something had happened to you and I wasn't able to get to you on time? Merlin, what if you had been hit by a car when coming back home?! "

He's towering over Teddy now, somehow having stood up over the course of his rant. His fingers shake with anger and disappointment, and even Teddy's tear filled eyes cannot calm him down.

"Your grandmother would have skinned me alive! Not to mention the fact that if we lost you, we wouldn't be able to -"

"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!"

Harry stumbles back into the chair, flabbergasted. Teddy is crying, and his hands are outstretched before him.

"I told you I didn't want to go to school," Teddy sobs. "You never listen to me. I HATE SCHOOL! I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!"

Harry's chest throbs a little, and he theorises that Teddy must have pushed him back. Around the time of the full moon, Teddy had always been unnaturally strong, and it's sheer luck that Harry hadn't fallen to the ground and broken his neck on impact. Instantly, Harry switches his stance towards the crying boy into something gentler.

"Hey, it's okay, shh," he whispers, and so as to not startle Teddy, he grabs his hands, and envelopes the smaller hand in his. Andy had once told him that no matter how much he liked to consider himself as the 'strict' parent, he's the one that caves in the second Teddy bursts into tears. Teddy's young now, but Harry simply decides to not listen to Andy's voice in his head singing that it won't be long before his godson sees the pattern and tries to game it to his advantage.

Teddy's posture slumps, and Harry picks him up into his lap and rocks him. It's been a while since Teddy has had a breakdown like this, and yes, he feels a bit guilty about pushing Teddy and Andy to choose a Muggle school instead of a Wizarding one.

"What don't you like about it?" he prods as he rubs comforting circles on his back. "I know it must be hard to hide your magic before the other kids, but Ted, you're really good at all your subjects! You always bring home good grades, and you make the best sandcastles!"

The last compliment tugs a reluctant half-smile from the boy, so Harry presses a kiss to the top of his head.

"I thought by the end of last year, you were liking the school," he continues quietly, thinking about how excited Teddy was to be cast as one of the children in the school's production of Matilda; he had even been invited to a cast after party. "You now hate school enough to actually run away from there?"

Teddy is silent for a beat, and amidst his sniffles, Harry strains to piece together his words into a sentence.

"They call me a freak."

It's as if a Dementor has entered the room.

"What?" Harry whispers, his throat suddenly dry.

Teddy looks up at him finally, and Harry finds that he's the one unable to meet his godson's eyes now as the words echo in his head. Visions of his uncle and aunt fill his mind and Harry visibly shudders to shake them off.

"Billie saw Mum's photo in my pencil case some days ago," Teddy explains. "I guess Billie told his Mum that my Mum had pink hair and tattoos, and Billie's Mum said only freaks look like that."

Calm down, Harry says to himself in a desperate bid to not just Apparate into Billie's mother's house and knock some sense into her head.

"Everyone calls you that now?" Harry questions. Teddy nods. "Did you tell Miss Patterson about this?"

Teddy shakes his head slowly, and in a miserable voice, says, "She wouldn't care. She really likes Billie."

Harry clenches his jaw and tugs Teddy close to him. He smells faintly like the baby soap Hermione still buys him.

"You're not a freak," he says with conviction, lifting Teddy's chin up and looking into his eyes. "And your mother was the coolest person I've ever known; You're cool by association."

Teddy fidgets a little, and looks up at Harry shyly.

"I know," he says.

"Good," Harry replies and for good measure, drops another kiss on his head. "I'm going to call Miss Patterson about this, okay? Calling people names is not okay."

"But Uncle Ron calls Draco a ponce all the time," Teddy inquires, wide-eyed. "Will you tell on him to Nana Molly?"

Harry's ears turn red and he chuckles to avoid the embarrassment.

"You can call someone names if they deserve it," he says, crossing his fingers that Teddy doesn't relay this conversation to his grandmother. "Only sometimes, though, not always."

"Wicked."

Teddy's face splits into a wide grin and Harry thinks one day in the future, he's going to sincerely regret this moment.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Teddy asks as Harry ruffles his hair and gently lowers him to the floor.

"We are going to eat lunch first," he replies, and grasps Teddy's hand with the intention of leading him down to the kitchen to cook something for them. "Then, you're going to tell me the names of everyone who called you a freak so I can report them to Miss Patterson when I drop you off at school tomorrow."

Teddy freezes and wriggles his grip out of Harry's hold.

"You're still going to send me to school?"

Harry sighs at the look of betrayal on his godson's face and kneels down before him.

"School's important Teddy," he says, holding his shoulders in spite of the efforts to shrug his hands off. "Classes will help you learn about all sorts of exciting things you can use to solve problems."

Teddy scowls.

"Am I going to use multiplication tables at Hogwarts?" he questions, almost sarcastically.

"If you take Arithmancy, yes," Harry replies. Teddy rolls his eyes at his response.

"I can learn everything from Aunt Hermione's books," he says petulantly which is, well, fair. Then, Teddy adopts an expression Snuffles has whenever he really wants an extra piece of bacon, and pleads, "Can't I just hang around with you until I get my letter?"

Harry's stomach swoops, and a part of him wants to give in. It's ridiculous, he repeats in his head. Andy and he had decided it was crucial for Teddy to be kept away from all the celebrity that was associated with both his godfather and his parents for as long as possible. Not to mention that with the Moony Project, Andy was slowly appearing in the papers as much as Harry.

"I'll tell you what," he says, licking his lips. "You can stay home with me for the rest of the week. But - you have to tell Grandma about the whole name calling business, okay? So we can take care of it at school?"

Teddy nods vigorously, having whooped at Harry giving him permission to cut school tomorrow, not completely registering that it was only one day of truancy and he preferred to spend the weekend at Grimmauld anyway.

"If anyone bothers you after that - doesn't matter how old you get, or where you are - you have to promise me that you're going to tell me or Grandma. No running away on your own and hiding behind the Invisibility Cloak."

Teddy's eyes are bright and clear, and it settles the last of his anxieties.

"Okay, I promise." Then, a hint of mischief appears and he runs out of the room before Harry can blink. "Race you downstairs!"

He lets out a silent laugh as Teddy's footsteps reverberates through the bedroom. Still laughing, he stands up and dusts off the rug marks on his knees. It's when he closes the bedroom door behind him does he acknowledge - grudgingly - that Parkinson's advice on having a conversation with Teddy after his nap is decent advice.

Maybe he should thank her when she comes over for breakfast.

Only if her owls don't poop on his head.

Pansy wakes up at six the next day but is still late because Godric refuses to get into his carrier even though he's always been a mild mannered cat.

Pansy knows it's because he doesn't want Helga to be alone when she comes back and she'd shed a few tears over that if she had time. Nevertheless, Pansy locks him in his prison with a sigh of victory, pushing a strand of sweaty hair away from her face. She isn't showered or dressed yet, knowing at least one of them would give her trouble.

"She'll find us," Pansy tells Godric exasperatedly as he tries to unlock the door with his hairy paws. "Trust me, I wish she was here to monitor you as well."

It's been months since Pansy had an opportunity to dress up, but she doesn't allow herself to go overboard with her outfit or her makeup. She wears her combat boots and baggy jeans along with a thick sweater that she had worn every single day for two weeks before the N.E.W.T.s.

She feels like she's preparing for war and a bit ridiculous for letting Potter intimidate her. But the day is more likely to end with her outraged and crying in the rain than any place that's more suited to a nice dress.

Outside, it's unnaturally warm for winter and she starts sweating as she starts to walk towards Grimmauld Place. Her ten minute journey feels much longer with her arms shaking from carrying the cats and snarling at people who gawk atSalazar perched up on her shoulder.

"You could've carried yourself there, you know," she complains out loud when they reach Grimmauld Place, "Take a weight off my shoulders."

"You guys better act properly in there," she whispers with a tight grin as she waves to the gossiping women who scramble away when they notice they've been spotted. "We cannot give Potter any leverage."

"No scratching at the furniture." She shakes Rowena's box first. She lowers her voice and holds Godric up to look him in the eyes. "No rutting on anyone's leg."

She glances towards Salazar, who turns his head away knowing what's to come. "Look at me," she orders. When he doesn't comply she whistles, making him hoot in indignation. "You're not allowed to attack the dog or I'll give your food to Helga and you'll eat bread for two weeks."

Salazar keeps quiet.

"Am I understood or do I have to send you to Bulgaria now?"

"Is that how you maintain your authority?"

Pansy jumps, letting out a scream as Potter's head swims in the air without the rest of his body. She takes a few hurried steps back to get away, hitting the back of her ankles against the stairs and losing her balance.

It's a war, like she predicted.

Potter catches her by the scruff of her coat, his arm appearing out of nowhere. She attempts to bite at his wrist, causing him to let go of her immediately, making her stumble again.

This time she falls on her butt.

At least Potter catches the cats before they fall to the ground.

She scrambles to her feet, unable to meet his eyes at the moment. She breathes in and out-

"Parkinson?"

She looks up. Potter seems to be in a good mood, which isn't surprising since Pansy would've been happy too if the first thing she saw was Potter on the floor.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. I was just startled."

"Yeah," his mouth turns slightly upwards on one side. "I sometimes forget not everyone knows about the Invisibility Cloak."

"Everyone knows about those," she corrects him, grabbing the cats back from his hands, "It's just people think it's basic manners not to use them when you walk up to someone."

Potter raises his eyebrows. "Is it good manners to get coffee for our guest?"

"Oh," she breathes out and blinks because she doesn't see them. "I'll give you points for that if you've actually gotten them."

"They're in my pockets."

"In your pockets."

"Hermione. I basically have a Bottomless House inside here."

Pansy clears her throat, averting her eyes. "That's a useful invention."

"Yeah," Potter grins, no malice, no mocking, no insincerity. "She got tired of me tripping over my own feet whenever I had my hands full."

"You played Quidditch," she deadpans.

"Yeah, but you cannot miss a rock or a step when you're in the air."

She tries to give back a smile that at least looks neutral. "Maybe she should help out at her husband's shop."

Potter's smile dims.

"What?"

"Nothing," he shuffles his feet. "It's exactly what Ron said back then."

She stares at him before she laughs, incredulous. "My apologies."

His mouth falls open, clicking it shut when Pansy climbs a stair to stare into his eyes. "Do we go inside?"

"Wait a second," he steps into her way, and Pansy extends her back away from him to put some space between them. Potter looks abashed, wetting his lips and scratching at his beard like Pansy makes him as nervous as he makes her.

She leans her hips on the door, balancing the cages on her knees, sighing loudly to make a point.

"Thank you."

She urges him to go on with her eyes.

"For helping me out yesterday."

Pansy snickers, hiding her face into her scarf when Potter's pained expression turns annoyed.

"Potter, you're a lot more naive than I gave you credit for if you think that was out of the goodness of my heart."

Potter's face is still red when they step into the garden, warmer than inside of the house which refuses to warm up properly whenever Andy is there. Her mouth waters at the sight of the table all set with all kinds of food she never bothers to cook. She hopes Edward won't eat her favourites before she can sit down.

"Are you sure it's safe?" she nibbles on her lips, crouched next to cats.

"Yes," he huffs, craning his neck to check where Edward and Andy are, probably uncomfortable with being alone with her after offering his gratitude to her. "We put the spells up for Snuffles. They won't be able to go out without the owner's permission after they come in once."

Salazar hoots.

"Don't say 'owner' when the owls are around," she says, patting his feet placatingly.

He looks confused, which makes up about half of his expressions. "Why?"

"My owls were born as mail owls," she turns her cheek to Salazar, who rubs his head on her face like a cat. "I kidnapped them. They caught me but Father paid off the owner of the mail service and some journalists. It never made the news and I got to keep them."

Potter doesn't reply, but Pansy hadn't expected him to, Mr. I-Use-Mail-Service. She unlocks the carriers, her heart beating wildly in her chest as they cautiously exit, sniffing at the grass, tails puffed up.

"Let them," Potter's voice comes nearer than she realised. Potter rubs a finger over Salazar's beak, his expression far away. "It's safe, I promise."

For the first time since she met him, she's lost for words.

She finds them when he looks at her. "I'll hold you to that."

Potter smiles. No malice, no mocking, no insincerity and Pansy can't bear to look at him.

"Good morning," Andy calls them from the table, a hand on Edward's shoulder to stop him from taking off. She looks natural in her pink dress, despite how fancy it is.

Jealousy is not cute, she reminds herself, looking down at her own boots.

"Morning," she replies, her eyes on the boy who's eyeing the cats with glee. She glares at Potter, "Is this the first time he's seeing a cat?"

"Harry doesn't like cats," Edward pipes up and three heads turn to him in tandem.

"I like cats," Potter squeaks, "I just don't like the ones who don't listen to what I say."

Pansy throws her head back in laughter.

"Can I play with them?" Edward asks with his eyes fixed on Rowena. Pansy hesitates, perturbed about the manic glint in the boy's eyes.

"Depends," Pansy crosses her arms against her chest, "what's your idea of playing?"

The boy wrinkles his nose, then takes off after the cats, leaving two of them exasperated and one of them enraged.

"I'll take them back right now if you chase them," she calls after him. "That's not how you introduce yourself to a cat."

He ignores her and Salazar takes off, trailing behind them. Pansy crosses her arms, glaring down at the boy running after them with slightly alarming pace but still unable to catch them. She keeps an eye on them while Potter and Andy chat behind her without worrying about the boy or the cats.

She scowls.

I guess Andy really only cared about the mice problem.

She motions the boy with her fingers when he looks behind him with desperate eyes and he shuffles his feet back to them. She sighs when he stops defiantly in front of her and says, "They're predators Edward. They feel threatened."

"So what? I'll only pet them."

She shrugs and discreetly watches as the cats crawl closer to each other to form a pack across the garden. Salazar flies higher, either to have a stroll or hide better somewhere else.

"How should they know you won't harm them?" she says when Edward whines, "Especially after you gave them a fright?"

The boy sulks, kicking at the ground and leaving a deep dent. "It's not like I'm going to eat them."

"They don't know that," she repeats and throws a glance at the table. "Why don't you leave some sausages and some plain yogurt for them? They'll smell your scent and will probably allow you to come closer if you approach them calmly next time."

The boy thankfully heeds her advice and does as she orders. He probably remembers his own hunger as he carries the food over them, and returns quickly after leaving the food without checking if they're interested.

The urge to grab the cats and leave surges when Potter and Andy fuss over Teddy's meal, forgetting Pansy who is still standing a few feet away. She wonders if they'll notice if she takes off.

She walks over the food and crouches, waving the sausages in the air. Rowena lets out a tiny meow and runs towards her, sniffing the meat before she grabs it between her teeth. Godric keeps watching from his spot warily, not intended to leave his relatively safe haven.

A shadow approaches her, Potter, and he comes too close before she can decide if she should get up to release the ache in her thighs. He stands still behind her for a few moments before he crouches next to her, handing her a cup that warms her fingers at once and she takes a sip-

She barely hides her grimace as the taste of milk overwhelms her taste buds.

"What?" Potter frowns. "Is it not good?"

"No, no," she forces a smile, "I'm just… lactose intolerant."

Potter stares at her, and takes the cup back from her hands."Is that dangerous? Do we need to take you to hospital?"

A laugh escapes her mouth. "Not at all," she giggles, covering her mouth. "It's just a bit uncomfortable if I have milk."

"Okay," he says, not looking convinced. "Tell me if you start feeling unwell."

She nods, without any intention of ever telling him even if she was bleeding to death.

"Which one is that?" he asks, jerking his chin towards Godric, whose tail was swishing around.

"That's Godric. The least brave of my animals."

He huffs out a small laugh. "Was it on purpose?"

"No, it was purely because of his fur."

"Yeah," he muses, "I suppose Godric Gryffindor would look like him if he was a cat."

"He wishes."

Potter smiles fleetingly at that, not meeting her eyes or looking over her direction. He lays the cups down, snaps his fingers to get Rowena's attention, then pushes the food over her. She doesn't come closer, her bright green eyes fixated on him with her ears on the air. "This one? Salazar?"

"Why did you think so?" she muses.

He shrugs. "Eyes?"

She snorts, "Why haven't you been sorted in Slytherin then?" she asks, grinning at him. Potter opens her mouth like he's got a reflexive response but he refrains from telling whatever insult he's got on the tip of his tongue.

"She's Rowena," she says when the silence stretches.

Potters hums. "Looks a lot like McGonagall."

"What?"

"You know, her Animagus form?"

"Oh," she shakes her head. "I've only seen that once. But I remember she was a tabby."

"She is," Potter confirms and pushes himself to his feet, putting a rather abrupt end to their first lighthearted conversation. He bends down to take the cup back. "Shall we go? And let these guys have their space?"

She follows her back to the table, seeing Edward has already started eating. Potter shares a look with Andy but no one comments or scolds him.

Potter gives her the cup in front of him, sipping from the cup she drank from and she jolts with surprise.

"That one is without milk," he says, averting his gaze. "You can have this."

"Oh," she breathes out, "I wouldn't want to-"

"It's okay. I'd rather give you the cheap one," he says, taking another sip pointedly.

"Deal," she accepts his sudden playfulness, smiling at Andy who passes her the omelette palate. She realises the tight knot that has been on her belly since the morning has loosened.

She makes a move towards the croissants in front of Potter, her appetite coming back, but he takes one before her.

"Gotta take the best one too," he says through his full mouth.

"Charming. One would think you're tight for money."

"Oh he is," Andy cuts in, "even if there's a quite easy solution to that."

"Andy," Potter mumbles in a low voice, but something in his tone makes Andy take a step back.

Pansy wants to prod but doesn't want to ruin their fragile peace.

That is built upon the leverage she has over Potter.

The revelation, somehow doesn't make her feel strong or vindictive. She's… disappointed.

For a moment there, she thought there was an improvement.

Edward yanks at her arm, far stronger than a normal seven year old. She winces, her shoulder making a sound she'd normally cry over if she was alone. Potter unclamps his fingers, with an apologetic grimace.

"Pansy," he talks with his mouth half full, "can they please stay?"

As if.

"Sorry," she rolls her shoulder to ease the ache, "I'll need to head out after a while. I'll bring them back home."

Andy hums in interest, giving a scowl to Edward when he whines, holding out a rather large piece of toast to shut him up. "Any plans?"

"Nothing like a rendezvous, but I think I've found a place for the gala," Pansy murmurs into her cup. "I'll head there after I leave."

"Where?" Potter asks, his head whipping towards her, eyes wide in alarm. "You're aware of our budget, right?"

"Yes," she drawls, "isn't that why I'm looking for a place instead of your planners?"

Andy snorts, pushing the fork between Edward's lips, ignoring his lumpy cheeks already full with the food he's refusing to swallow. Potter sends Andy a vengeful look which she misses as she tries to wipe at her grandson's mouth.

"I'd like to see the place," he says, uncharacteristically polite, holding himself back from saying whatever he's thinking.

Pansy's stomach twists inside. "I…" she wets her lips, "I'm not sure about it yet."

"We can decide together," Potter dismisses, stabbing his fork on his egg yolk and spreading the yellows everywhere. He shoves it into his mouth, his brows meeting together in the middle as he chews strong enough for them to hear his teeth clink together.

Potter's and Edward's obnoxious chewing are the only sounds for a few uncomfortable minutes. For Pansy, and undoubtedly for Andy, who were raised by people who are dictatorial about table manners, it's nerve-wracking.

"How's Zhenia?" Andy's voice cuts the silence, Pansy's head whips in reflex upon hearing a name as familiar as her own.

It shouldn't surprise her that Potter's chewing sent Andy's mind into a similar path. Unfortunately, she'd been away from that life for a long time and had forgotten to mask her reactions. Too busy being scandalized, her mouth makes a sound, one which she'd give her monthly salary to take back.

Potter raises his head, quirking an eyebrow in an almost teasing manner, his lip curling to one side.

She twirls a strand of hair between her fingers as she crosses and uncrosses her legs, sipping twice in a row from her tea as the two of them stare at her with varying degrees of suspicion and disbelief.

"She's fine, I guess," she croaks out in the end. "She had always wanted to settle in Bulgaria."

"Oh?" Andy says, but Pansy is pretty sure it's out of politeness rather than curiosity. She merely nods to end the topic.

But Potter has other ideas. "And your father?"

She is used to hostility and suspicion. She'd been asked many questions that didn't ring any bells. She'd been accused of things she wasn't aware that happened.

Her teaspoon clatters on the table. She slams her hand over the spoon to stop it, but her aim is off and she accidentally shoves it towards Potter, who vanishes it into thin air with a careless wave of his hand.

He looks into her eyes expectantly.

"He's happy if mother is happy."

His face sours. "Do you really not have any idea about how they are?"

"Ignorance is bliss," she replies, forcing herself to look into his eyes. "You have no idea how uninterested I am about their lives, personal or professional."

"Do you expect me to believe you don't know about the new wave your father is leading?"

She scoffs. "I thought I made it perfectly clear that the only thing I expect from you is for you to think of me as a kettle?"

"Why would you want to be a kettle?"

"Why wouldn't I want to be a kettle? At least people leave it alone."

"Wouldn't it be boring?" Edward enquiries.

"Edward," she says seriously, making the boy scrunch up his nose, "you'll soon learn there are worse things than being bored in this life."

The boy giggles, his hair darkening as he twists his torso and leans back on his elbows, throwing his head back to look at her. "Pansy," he says, failing to keep a straight face, "you've never met Percy, have you?"

"I have actually," she blows at a strand of hair falling over her nose. "A fu-"

She stops herself when Potter straightens up in alarm. "A funky person?" she says as if in a question, wincing at her choice.

"Yes, he's funky," Potter says with conviction.

"Funky?"

"Yes. Use that when you want to punch someone in the face."

"Not before or after," Potter intervenes with a slightly anxious grimace, "you call them funky instead of punching them."

Andy cuts them off with a sigh. "Children," she mutters to herself. "Can you behave yourselves while I'm in the bathroom?"

Edward giggles, causing Pansy to pat his head. "See, there's not much difference between you and your godfather." She pauses until Andy disappears, grinning at Potter. "Maybe you should take him to school with you? So he learns how to play with others."

"I'm not the one who needs to learn-"

"I never said I had any intentions of mingling with the fine society Potter," she throws her hair back, taking the last toasted bread right from his plate before she bites half of it in one go. She swallows it quickly without chewing. "I'm planning on living in the country all by myself and scheme to ruin your life from afar."

"What're you going to do all by yourself?" Potter ignores her threat, looking genuinely curious as he props her chin on his fist.

Pansy doesn't feel comfortable looking at him when his whole focus is on her, staring at her without blinking.

She fixes her gaze on her knee and imagines that life.

"I'm going to leave all the doors unlocked."

"That's not safe," he argues, ever the Auror, "Either in our world or the Muggle world."

"That's why I want my own world," she shrugs, clearing her throat when their eyes meet for a tiny moment. "Visits are allowed once in a month, Edward."

"Okay," the kid replies plainly. "Can Harry come too?"

"No."

"Grandma?"

"Of course."

"Draco?"

She pauses, throwing Potter a look. "Did you meet him?"

He nods enthusiastically. "He always brings me presents. He's very rich."

"Is he? He should share some of it, then."

"You can ask him," Edwards offers, "he always gives me when I ask."

"Teddy!" Potter gasps next to her.

Pansy takes a sip from her water coolly. "Over my cold, dead body."

Potter lets out a hiss from her left and pokes her in the shoulder. "Don't say that to him."

She scowls at him and slaps his hand away. She turns to Edward again. "That doesn't mean you can have him kill me."

"Harry? He wouldn't-"

"No, I meant Draco," she rolls her eyes, ignoring Potter who is tugging at her arm insistently, "Besides I've got a restraining order against him, so if you try to bring him they'll put you in Azkaban."

Edward's eyes go round in wonder, and he grins, her sticky fingers clutching the table.

"Can I get a raining order against Billie?" he asks Potter, who kicks her under the table. Pansy kicks back.

"It's a restraining order ," Pansy corrects him, "it's up to Potter whether or not you can get it. But if it was up to me, I'd get it for you."

"Parkinson," Potter stands up, his chair squeaking. His hand on her shoulder tightens. "A word."

Pansy grabs his index finger and bends it backwards, smiling innocently when he yanks it away and shakes his hand in the air to relieve the pain.

She puts a finger on her mouth when he bares his teeth and beckons him with a finger. He looks like he's about to hurl her outside but he bends down to her when his eyes catch the sight of Edward and Andy, who both watch their exchange with interest.

Pansy covers her mouth with her hand and whispers. "I don't think Andy would've liked it if we left him alone."

He closes his eyes and laughs incredulously, throwing himself back on his chair, shutting his mouth as Andy approaches them with an unreadable expression.

"We'll be leaving," is the first thing she says, her mouth pursed. She exchanges glances with Potter, a dialogue occurring between them within seconds.

Pansy nods eagerly to get out of there, jumping to her feet. "I'll head out as well," she announces. Potter follows her with his eyes with a determined line to his mouth. She gives him a polite bow. "You don't need to waste your time. I'll show the-"

"No, I want to see it," he cuts her off, "Andy and Teddy are leaving anyway. You can leave your pets here and take them back in the evening."

"They don't like staying in places they're not familiar with."

Potter gives a meaningful look towards Rowena, sunbathing in the middle of the garden, then to Godric, nipping on the grass.

Pansy hesitates.

Rowena lets out a jaw cracking yawn.

She nods.