* ~ The Eighth Year Universe Series ~ *

PART FIVE

Blame it on Hate

All I Need is a Little Warmth

The chapter title is from the song:

Cold by James Blunt

Christmas snuck up on the group of friends faster than they were expecting that year. Since Theo's return, things had happened and changed very quickly.

Harry's new workload kept him busy, but he spent an increasing amount of time at home doing paperwork or taking floo calls rather than on stake-outs.

In the few weeks he'd been on the job, Neville had revolutionised the filing room. Any gaps from Voldemort's reign of terror had been marked clearly, and the files were in order for the first time in years. With Lilly's technical guidance, Neville was currently working on a memo system so that an Auror could request a file and have it land on their desk five minutes later. Harry was already trying to work out what he could get Neville to do next because his mental health suffered when he wasn't busy.

Theo's 'one-shot' wands had been renamed and marketed as "Single-Use Self-Defence Wands". They had been mass-produced and pre-loaded with stunning charms. Every household in the Closes had been issued a free one by CPS, mainly due to the grant Harry had anonymously given the department. They were available for sale in all major retailers too, and they were a massive hit, so Theo was feeling rather proud of himself.

His map was invaluable too. Harry installed a secure 'Map Room' and ensured it was well protected as soon as it was finished. They couldn't have just anyone walking in and seeing a map of London with every soul who lived there and their whereabouts. As such, to get in, Aurors had to scan their wand, have their retina scanned and then get their finger pricked and their DNA checked before the door would open and grant them access. This was to ensure that no disguises could get through it, even polyjuice.

The map was worth it anyway, it was a vital resource for tracking petty criminals, and it had helped them stamp down on crime in Knockturn Alley and the Closes.

With one week to Christmas, Harry was just beginning to get excited. He had never been a big fan of the holiday, but Daphne was, and that made it great for Harry. Now that he had kids, he fed off of their excitement too. He had just had the end of the year board meeting at the Ministry, which had been the most boring thing he'd had to sit through since Daphne had forced him to watch "Titanic".

It was now time for another end of year board meeting – this time, it was for a charity, though.

Harry looked along the table and caught Howard Abbott's eye. He smiled and gave him a nod.

Howard rose to his feet in the 'meeting room' at Lupin House. It was actually the arts and crafts hall, but at 9 pm, all of the kids were tucked up in bed, and it doubled as an excellent meeting room.

"Shall we begin?"

All the little conversations died away, and Howard took his seat once more. In between Howard and Harry, who were at the two ends of the table, sat the matriarch of Lupin House – Molly Weasley, their Matron in charge of the hospital wing – Ginevra Zabini.

Molly nodded, "The staff have raised some issues, Howard."

"I would like to say I am surprised by that, but remarkably, I am not," Howard said dryly.

Harry chuckled, "There are always complaints, but that is the purpose of these bi-annual meetings, Howard."

Howard raised an eyebrow, "Indeed."

"What issues were raised, Molly?" Harry asked calmly.

"The Healers require some assistance," Molly said, looking at Ginny.

Ginny nodded, "Morag and I have always split the duty between ourselves and delegated to the elves, but it is getting more difficult. In the summer, we can almost manage, but in the winter, when the bouts of flu go around, things get difficult."

Harry glanced down and nodded, "Things got difficult earlier in the year when we had dragon pox spread through the nursery too. Did you find that calling in some help from St Mungo's was useful?"

Ginny met his eye, "We couldn't have coped without it, if I'm honest."

"Maybe we need to discuss that with St Mungos then Howard," Harry said, looking up at the older man, "A contract perhaps, to call in relief Healers when needed?"

"Treat our hospital as an extension of St Mungo's itself, you mean?" Howard asked.

"In essence," Harry replied, "A contract wouldn't be that difficult to negotiate. It would cost us, of course, but I don't think that would be a problem."

Howard shook his head, "No, our latest investors ball was a great success. We are rather flush in the cash department at the moment, so I shall get on that request in the new year."

Ginny smiled, "Thank you, Howard. It would be nice for Morag and I to get a bit of a break. She is finally settling down, and with my second baby being due next year, I will need to take some time off too."

"Which we completely understand," Harry promised with a smile, "Any other issues, Molly?"

"Just the obvious one," Molly remarked, "We are over-capacity and under-staffed."

"As always," Harry said with a sigh.

"Even after the extension," Howard added.

"I'm trying everything to improve conditions in the Closes so that fewer kids have to get sent here," Harry admitted, "But it's a slow process, unfortunately. I know we could extend again if we need to, but we are not quite there yet."

"We need more staff, Harry," Molly cut in, "Having the elves to cook and clean is a godsend, but with so many children residing in the house now, we don't have the resources to tutor them all. One tutor to a class over 30 children is far too much."

"Especially when you consider that they are all at different ages and therefore levels," Ginny added.

"I know," Harry said with a sigh, "I know it's a problem, and I'm not sure what we can do about it. Short of building another extension, that is – a separate building on the grounds even, we could turn the schoolroom into a schoolhouse and hire more tutors."

"That is an awfully modern idea, Harry," Howard pointed out.

"He's good with them," Ginny said, shooting Harry an amused look.

Molly smiled too, "Yes, but Howard has a point. It does sound a little…Muggle."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "Coming from a blood traitor?"

"I did not say that was a bad thing, Ginevra," Molly pointed out.

Harry frowned and tuned their words out, "It is Muggle, you're right, Molly. What I'm describing is, in essence, a primary school, or a junior school, whatever you want to call it."

They all looked at Harry. They could see an idea growing in his eyes; he pushed himself to his feet, "And when you think about it, why isn't that a thing? Why do wizarding children not go to school until they are 11? Muggles start school when they are five; some of them even go into nurseries at the age of three."

Molly answered first, "Some wizarding families have always sent their children to the Muggle school in the village where they live to give them a grounding in basic Maths and English. However, the more traditionalist families always had the money for tutors, so they ensured that their children were home-schooled to preserve their…ideals."

"If you are trying to suggest that home-schooled children are on the more extreme end of our political spectrum, you are sorely wrong," Howard interjected, "My Hannah was home-schooled, and she was a fine scholar."

Harry bit back a snort and thought, no, she fucking wasn't.

"Nobody is suggesting that all home-schooled children became Death Eaters," Harry said, holding up a hand, "My wife was home-schooled, and she is one of the purest people I know, so let's nip that in the bud right there."

Molly and Howard didn't argue it any further.

"I understand the premise," Harry admitted, "But when the likes of Hannah or Daphne were home-schooled, it was when pureblooded women weren't expected to work. Look at Narcissa when she was a Malfoy, she wanted to be a Healer, but Lucius wouldn't let her. Almina Nott worked in the DMLE until she had Theo, then her husband forced her to stay at home. Molly, you are an immensely talented witch who could never follow a career path because you couldn't afford a tutor to look after your children."

Harry took a breath and paced the room, "But now? Pureblooded women are strong and independent. My wife is a Curse Breaker, co-owner of her firm, shareholder in Greengrass Industries and a mother of four. We've evolved, so shouldn't our schooling system evolve too?"

Howard frowned, "You cannot be suggesting what I think you are."

"I'm suggesting a school," Harry said, "A pre-cursor to Hogwarts. A day school to teach children about magical theory, magical creatures, plants. To teach them basic Maths and English, possibly even the basics of Quidditch. To prepare them for Hogwarts, to take the pressure off of amazing witches like Hermione Black and Sadie Nott, who should be kicking ass and taking names rather than being subjected to the dull life of a pureblood housewife."

Ginny grinned, "I think that's a great idea. A Hogwarts junior school?"

"Exactly," Harry said eagerly, "We would need to work out the logistics – it would need to be close to Lupin House, of course, so that we could get all of the children to school easily. Other wizarding families could just floo their children in, but we wouldn't be able to use that method every day with the 34 children we have here."

"And then there is the matter of cost," Howard said dryly, "Because, like all of your great ideas, Harry, it will be expensive."

Harry smirked, "And as you just pointed out, Howard, we are rather flush with cash at the moment. I agree that the upstart will be costly – the construction of a building, staff hiring, and all of the required materials. But once we get it running, the upkeep will be minimal."

"The Ministry will not fund it," Howard pointed out, "Getting them to pay out for the upkeep of the house and grounds here is difficult enough."

"Then let's not do it as a Ministry funded project," Harry said, "Hogwarts isn't under the control of the Ministry, so why should the junior school be?"

"Where do you expect to get the money and support from?" Howard quipped.

"The Wizengamot," Harry answered, "And through a few choice fundraisers. I am sure I could convince Greengrass Industries to put a stake in this, and I doubt convincing the Longbottom, Black, Nott and Bones families to support us would be difficult either."

Molly nodded and spoke up, "You will be surprised by the support you receive, Harry. So many families would benefit financially if they were able to have both parents working."

"Which, in turn, would be good for the economy," Harry pointed out, "Come April, when the Ministry introduces taxation, they will be very grateful to have an influx of taxpayers."

"It would put the kids on a level footing too," Ginny pointed out, "You won't have some kids like Draco Malfoy coming in at first-year level knowing it all while others who haven't had as thorough a home-schooling experience feel left behind."

Howard hummed thoughtfully and leant back in his chair, "It could take the Ministry years to approve planning permission to build on the land here. You know how long it took to get the extension approved."

"Then we don't build here," Harry said, "We find somewhere nearby, but land that is owned privately, so we don't have to abide by the Ministry's timescales."

"I knew getting involved in business with you would be interesting, Harry," Howard said, eyeing Harry with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, "But there never is a dull moment, is there?"

Harry grinned broadly, "Never," he replied cheerfully.

"We will discuss it in more detail in the new year," Howard promised, "I expect plans for a schoolhouse, confirmation of at least four investors and an estimated cost before you present the idea to me again."

Harry chuckled; he had expected nothing less of his business partner, "Of course, Howard."

When Harry got home, the house was tranquil, which made him nervous. He jogged past the giant Christmas tree that lit up the entrance hall and ducked his head into the kitchen.

"Are you baking?"

"It's Christmas; I'm attempting to make gingerbread men," Daphne said. She was covered in flour, and Harry couldn't help but grin.

He walked into the room and picked one up, "You know they aren't meant to be chargrilled, right?"

Daphne threw one at him in response.

"Ouch!"

Daphne cocked her head, "Huh, what do you know? Gingerbread men make great projectile weapons."

"Yeah, yours do anyway," Harry snorted, "Bin them and ask the elves to make some more in the morning, then pass them off as your own. The kids will never know."

"Teddy will," Daphne muttered, wiping her hands on a dishcloth, "He always knows."

Harry bit back a grin, "Because he says, 'This tastes good Mum, you didn't make it', yeah?"

"You are going the right way if you want a hex in the back," Daphne said, pointing her finger at him, "And you're in a remarkably good mood considering you had to spend an hour listening to the complaints of the staff of Lupin House, by the way."

"That is because I had a brainwave," Harry said, grinning at her and pushing himself up on the kitchen counter, "I'm going to open a school!"

Daphne frowned, "We already have one of those; it's called Hogwarts."

"Yes, I know," Harry said, "I'm going to open a Junior School. For children aged five and upwards, taking them up till they are ready to start Hogwarts. Think about it – no more sending the kids to private Muggle school where they are constantly struggling to fit in. They can go to school with their own kind and learn basic maths, English, etc. While also getting a basic grounding in magical theory. We would still need nanny elves and tutors for the younger kids, obviously, although I am wondering about a nursery…."

"Like for plants?" Daphne quipped.

"No, for children," Harry said, "Honestly, Daphne, you're such a pureblood sometimes."

She threw a hex at him, which he deflected with a wandless shield charm, "You didn't even mean that."

Daphne smirked, "Well, it is Christmas."

Harry chuckled and continued explaining his idea, "In the muggle world, kids can go to nursery school once they turn three. Could you imagine how much easier life would be for you if Teddy was in school and Alastor was at nursery? You wouldn't be so run off your feet all of the time, and Narcissa would only need to watch Andie and Thea while you worked."

"True…" Daphne said slowly, "Is the Ministry going to fund this, or is it just another crazy pipe dream that you pulled out of nowhere?"

"It's a crazy pipe dream, but I'm pretty sure I can get people to fund it," Harry admitted, "I know lots of people, who know lots of people, who have money."

Daphne smiled slightly and cocked her head at him, "Tell me about it over a coffee?" she asked.

Harry smiled brightly and set the kettle onto boil wandlessly.

The moon shone brightly above Diagon Alley, and it was beautifully scenic in the wintry weather. It was going to be a white Christmas this year, across the whole of the country, not just in the north of Scotland as it was every year at Hogwarts.

For that reason, Daphne, Theo and the three kids who had accompanied them on this 'cousin date' as Theo had christened it were all well wrapped up. They were standing atop Weasley's Wizard Wheezes at an attraction George had created one year by accident. He had been experimenting with ice magic in an attempt to develop portable ice rinks in the style of portable swamps when he converted the entire roof of the building into an ice rink. The Weasley kids had so much fun on it (after Molly had ensured that shield and bubble charms had been placed around the entire area, of course) that George had decided to make it a yearly thing and open it up.

He didn't charge for it, per se, but it was only open to customers, so you had to buy a WWW product to gain entry. Daphne had taken Teddy a few times, and last year, she had invited Almina and Charlus along too. They'd had so much fun that they had begged to come back again this year.

As such, it had fallen to Theo to take them because Sadie was terrified of heights.

"Want to watch or skate?" Theo asked, hooking his arm through hers.

Daphne glanced from the coffee stand to the ice rink, "Skate, I think."

Theo smiled and transfigured his shoes into skates, "Shall we then?"

Daphne took his hand, and they stepped onto the ice together, immediately gliding off gracefully.

"How come you never bring your husband here?" Theo asked, letting go of her hand and skating backwards to talk to her.

"Because he has as much grace on ice as a pregnant penguin," Daphne replied with a grin.

Theo barked out a laugh, "Yeah, good point. He's far more graceful in the air than he is in the ground. That's why I'd never bring Hermione here. She'd fall on her arse before five minutes was out."

"It's Draco's scene, though. He's light on his feet," Daphne said, twirling and gliding to catch up with Theo.

"Yeah, we normally come for a skate after we do the Christmas shopping," Theo admitted, "We don't admit to it though. There's nothing manly about figure skating, is there?"

"There's nothing manly about you and Draco's relationship, so I doubt anyone would be surprised," Daphne quipped.

Theo chuckled and grabbed her hands, pulling him towards her and saying, "Over or under?"

"Under," Daphne replied.

Theo pushed her through his legs, and she skidded through and around, pulling herself up to full height.

Teddy grinned and clapped, "Awesome, Mum!"

Daphne laughed and waved across the rink at him.

"His friends are going to fancy the pants off of you when he goes to Hogwarts," Theo said with a snort.

"Maybe before that if Harry gets his way," Daphne mused.

"What do you mean?" Theo asked as they settled into a slow skate around the perimeter of the rink.

"Oh, Harry wants to open a wizarding junior school," Daphne explained, "It's just a plan at the moment; he doesn't have any real funding or momentum. The idea is to take the strain off of Lupin House and wizarding families in general. Children from age five get educated there until they are of Hogwarts age."

"So a primary school for wizarding kids," Theo mused.

"Exactly," Daphne replied, "And don't get me wrong, I'm on board with the idea. I even said I'd sit through an investor meeting with Greengrass Industries to try and get them on board-"

"What did he have to offer you in return for that?" Theo cut in.

Daphne smirked, "A weekend of shopping for baby clothes for Lilly's twins in Paris."

"It's always Paris with you," Theo chuckled, "But fair enough. I like the idea too, and I hate Mina and Charlie being at Muggle school. It was all Hermione's idea, obviously, and Sadie got behind it because education."

"Hm, education, Theo," Daphne said sarcastically, "Such a bore, right?"

"Muggle education is," Theo muttered, "It's pointless, Daph. I hate the fact my babies get bullied for being bad at stupid Muggle sports. Who gives a shit if Mina can't hold a lacrosse stick right? Those stupid girls haven't seen my girl catch a snitch."

Daphne smiled over at him, "You're stupidly protective of those kids. It's probably your most endearing quality."

Theo just smiled and looked over at said kids – Charlus was the bolder of the two; he skated a little bit ahead of Teddy and Almina. Being the kind-hearted boy he was, Teddy stuck with Almina, who was a bit less sure of herself.

"The point is that they should be with their own people," Theo said, "I think a wizarding primary school is a brilliant idea. Do you think Harry will get it off the ground?"

"I don't know," Daphne answered honestly, "It's a big upfront cost. He has to buy the land, build the place, you know? And the sticking point is that it has to be near Lupin House so that the kids there can get to it easily, but it can't be on the grounds of Lupin House because it's Ministry owned and you know how difficult it is to get planning permission through them."

Theo nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah…." He said as an idea started to brew in his head.

Daphne's mind was elsewhere anyway. Teddy had just taken Almina's hand and gently guided her along, and Almina was beaming at him.

"Oh, Merlin, no," Daphne muttered as she stepped off the ice.

Theo followed her line of sight and stepped off the ice after her. Teddy was a couple of years older than Almina, and the seven-year-old was being very sweet and patient with Theo's five-year-old daughter.

"They're kids; it doesn't mean anything," Theo said, "Want a coffee?"

Daphne nodded, but she kept her eyes on the kids while Theo ordered. He joined her by the railing a few minutes later and handed her a hot cardboard cup.

"You wouldn't care if Mina became a Potter one day then?" Daphne quipped, looking at her cousin.

"I wouldn't care if Mina became a Potter or a Longbottom, hell she can be a fucking Weasley for all I care," Theo said, his eyes on his daughter, "As long as she's happy, she can be with whoever she wants."

"Apart from a Black," Daphne cut in.

Theo made a face, "Oh, well, yeah. That goes without saying, doesn't it? We're a family. What is it you call us?"

"The Black-Notts," Daphne chuckled.

"Exactly, our kids have grown up together; they're like siblings," Theo explained.

"It would be the same if any of my kids wanted to be with a Longbottom," Daphne mused, "They would be cousins, I suppose."

"Because of Harry and Neville's dark magicky blood ritual," Theo said with a grin.

"Go on, Theo, I'm sure you could say that a bit louder in public," Daphne muttered sarcastically.

Theo chuckled under his breath, "You know, if you insist on double-barrelling our names, I think I'll start calling you the PotBottoms."

Daphne looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "Say that one more time and I'll throw you off of this roof."

With a cheeky grin, Theo got up and peered over the edge of the railing.

"What are you doing?" Daphne asked in disbelief.

"Checking the drop," Theo replied, smirking at her, "Seeing if it's worth it."

Daphne rolled her eyes and pushed him over the railing with a click of her fingers. Of course, there were countless safety measures in place on the roof that Daphne knew about because she was a Curse Breaker who worked in the office underneath it (and had helped put most of them up). She sipped her coffee and waved cheerfully to Theo as the anti-gravity charm caught him and sent him floating back up onto the roof.

"You're a bitch!"

"I know!"

Christmas Eve snuck up on everyone that year, but it was a welcome break from work for the most part. Because it was Theo's first Christmas after his 'death', they had made a bigger deal of it than usual. The Potters, Longbottoms, Notts and Blacks had always gotten together on Christmas Eve, but it was more of a party this year.

They were joined at Blacknot Castle by Lacey and Salvadora, Narcissa, Cygnus, Astoria, Charlie and Amber. Even John and Elizabeth Granger had made an appearance, as had Sorenson, Clara and Oscar. Sadie's Mother, Lotus, was here too, but they mainly had been obliged to invite her because everyone else was here and it was Christmas after all.

During this party, Lacey threw herself into a seat next to Theo and complained, "Theo, I have school problems."

Theo looked over in surprise, "I thought you loved Hogwarts?"

"I do," Lacey sighed, kicking the ground absentmindedly. It made Theo smile; that was what he had always done when he was frustrated.

"So what's the problem then? Is there a subject you're finding difficult? Because you know I'll tutor you if that's what it is," Theo said.

Lacey smiled up at him, "I know, Theo. It's not a subject; it's a girl."

Theo's eyes widened, "A girl? Oh…right, well I mean that's absolutely fine, love, but you are only 13, so you can't make any big decisions about your sexuality until-"

"Theo," Lacey chuckled, grabbing his hand, "I don't mean it like that. I don't like like her, you know? I just like her as a friend."

"I used to like Draco as a friend; that's a slippery slope," Theo teased, grinning at his sister.

Lacey laughed and shook her head, "The point is, she wants to be my friend, and I like her too. She seems nice, you know? But I just don't think we should be friends."

Theo frowned, "Yeah, Lace, I gotta admit, I'm not getting this. She's nice, but you don't want to be her friend, so what, you want horrible friends or something?"

"No, Theo," Lacey said irritably, "She's a Slytherin."

"And?" Theo asked, "I was a Slytherin, and there was nothing wrong with me."

"You were a literal Death Eater, Theo," Lacey deadpanned.

"Okay…yeah, but apart from that, I was a nice guy," Theo said awkwardly, "I fought for the light, didn't I? Hid out in a bathroom all year, my hair looked terrible, don't you remember?"

Lacey rolled her eyes, "No, because I was like six at the time, and I was stuck at home with Dad."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, kiddo," Theo sighed, "I didn't do right by you that year."

"It wasn't your job to do right by me. You're my brother, not my Dad," Lacey pointed out.

"It kinda felt more like I was your Dad than your brother for a long time, if I'm honest Lace. Kind of still does, actually."

"Yeah," Lacey said, glancing over at him, "I know. Are all Dads this bad with advice, though?"

"No, I'm pretty sure that's just my downfall. Why don't you talk to Lil? She's a Ravenclaw with a Slytherin best friend. Maybe she'll get it?"

Lacey jumped up and smiled, "Wow, a bit of decent advice. Thanks, Theo."

Theo gave her a mock salute and chuckled as she crossed the hall in search of Lilly.

"No wonder you always wanted kids," A voice said from behind him.

Theo leant back as the person leant forward to kiss his cheek.

"Hey, Princess."

Hermione dropped down next to him and didn't bother shoving his arm off when he put it around her shoulder, "You were a Dad at 11 years old, to Lacey."

"Hm," Theo mused with a nod, "I had to be more than a brother to Lacey; that much is true. I mean, she was only seven when our father died."

"Knowing what I do of your father, I think that's a mercy," Hermione said, turning her head to look at him, "You've been a better father to her these last seven years than he was for the first seven."

Theo smiled and kissed her on the forehead, "It's funny to think that I freaked out when Sadie told me she was pregnant with the twins. We were so young, and I didn't know how we were going to do it. I thought for sure it would break us apart; I thought I'd turn out to be bitter and twisted just like him."

"You're nothing like him," Hermione promised, "You were Lacey's Dad when you didn't have to be, and you have always done right by Almina and Charlus. And you love Elladora and Caspian so much. You're such a loving person, Theo, and you give your love so freely. The people you give it to? We feel blessed."

Theo smiled a little tearfully, but he turned his head to cover it up.

"We all love you," Hermione said softly, "And we're all so glad to have you back."

Theo smiled and got to his feet, "Fancy a dance?"

Hermione glanced out at the dance floor and chuckled when she saw that Draco had been dragged up to dance by Almina, and Sadie was getting her feet stomped on by Charlus.

"Yeah," she said, smiling warmly at him, "I do."

"Hey, Lilly."

Lilly looked over and smiled, "Hey Lacey, how are you?"

"I'm okay," Lacey said.

Lilly raised an eyebrow, "Missing your boyfriend?"

"Does Dad – I mean Theo – really think he's my boyfriend because I mentioned his name in my letters a couple of times?" Lacey asked with a roll of her eyes.

Lilly saw the colour rise in her cheeks when she called Theo 'Dad'. She smiled, "It's okay to call him 'Dad', you know? He pretty much is your Dad, and can I let you in on a secret?"

Lacey nodded, and Lilly lowered her voice, "He's a really good one."

Lacey's smile was genuine then, "Yeah, he is," she agreed.

Lilly smiled too, "And yes, he does think Jack Sheppard is your boyfriend because you mentioned him in a couple of letters, by the way."

Lacey shook her head, "Well, he's just my friend and I kinda…wanted to ask you about something."

Lilly leant back in her chair, "Shoot."

Lacey leant forward, "There's this girl, she wants to be my friend, and I like her, but she's a Slytherin and…I try to stay away from Slytherins because of how my…well you know…."

"How your dad was?" Lilly guessed, "By that, I mean your dad, not Theo, by the way."

Lacey nodded.

"Okay – first things first, just because people like your dad and Lucius Malfoy were in Slytherin, it doesn't mean all Slytherins are like that," Lilly began, "Your brother was in Slytherin, and he's a good guy, he was an Auror, he saved people, and he raised you like you were his kid."

Lacey bit her lip but nodded.

"So here's a little life hack for you," Lilly said, glancing across the hall at Daphne, who had her head thrown back with laughter as she danced with Harry; it was nice to see her being herself again.

"Be best friends with a Slytherin," Lilly said with a smile at Lacey, "They are brilliant people, and they make the best friends. They will steal cupcakes from work for you and tell you to drop toxic people from your lives – no reservations, no questions asked, just cut them out."

Lacey smiled.

"They will be the one ordering you to stop and breathe and call in sick, to screw your commitments if they see you sacrificing your mental health," Lilly said with a shake of her head.

"They don't say 'I love you' they say 'don't you dare settle' and 'you deserve better' in a ruthless, matter of fact tone," Lilly continued, "They will be the one who says it's okay to put yourself first and the voice you need to hear after a long day, or week, or even month."

Lacey's eyes were wide as she looked at Lilly.

"So trust me," Lilly said, smiling warmly at Lacey, "Be best friends with a Slytherin."

With a smile, Lacey nodded, "I get it."

"What's this girl called anyway?" Lilly asked curiously.

"Briar," Lacey answered, "Briar Gibbon. She has a twin sister, Blair, but they don't get on. Blair's in Gryffindor, and she's a rebel, but Briar is pretty traditional, I guess."

"Well, that's not a bad thing. Traditional is okay; the Death Eaters, though? They were extremists," Lilly pointed out.

Lacey nodded again, just as Daphne approached them.

"Does pregnancy affect your ability to dance, Lillian?"

Lilly rolled her eyes, "No, I just don't want to because you lot are all up there looking fabulous while I look like a whale."

Daphne held out her hand and gave Lilly a stern look, "What a load of Hippogriff shit. You are pregnant with twins, Lilly, and you are glowing, so come on, dance."

Lilly grumbled.

"It releases happy endorphins and makes you feel good," Daphne said in a sing-song voice.

Lilly gave Lacey a knowing look and took Daphne's outstretched hand, "See? Be best friends with a Slytherin," she said, making Lacey chuckle.

~ TBC ~