Chapter 1: The Evening Before

Date: 30th of December, 2007

Location: Godric's Hollow

The beautiful yet small cottage lay peacefully, its roof and front garden's fence partially covered with fresh snow. It was the early evening, the sun had set a few hours ago, dinner had been served and consumed and now, it was time for the cleaning-up. Cleaning up after dinner and the various chores that surrounded it - like clearing the table, washing the dishes by hand (without the use of magic!) and sweeping the floor - had the potential of sparking heated debates on a normal day, but tonight, the tension in the family's kitchen was especially thick and carried a touch of dark foreboding.

In the middle of the kitchen stood one Harry James Potter with his arms crossed firmly over his chest, glaring down at his soon-to-be eight-year-old daughter. The little girl, one Lillian Pandora Potter, named after both her grandmothers, didn't seem all too intimidated by her father's fierce look – on the contrary, really. She confidently stared up at him, a stubborn glint visible in her bright, clever eyes.

"You're stupid and unfair, and I'm not gonna listen to you, Daddy," she grouched.

Her younger brothers, also soon-to-be eight-year-old Xenophilius James Potter, named after both his grandfathers and thus continuing the eccentric tradition reserved for the firstborns in their family, and five-year-old Finnick Sirius Potter had stopped their tasks of sweeping the floor and drying the dishes and were now throwing anxious as well as curious glances in their Daddy's and older sister's direction. Both were rather intrigued by the scene unfolding before them, but only Lily's twin brother Philius felt a wave of apprehension going through him as he watched.

He didn't like it when one of his siblings got in trouble with their parents; his older sister in particular. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he and Lily were fraternal twins. Miraculously, they didn't share the same birthday, though – they weren't even born in the same year... or century. Lily had been born during the final minutes of the 31st of December 1999, while her younger brother Philius was welcomed by his overjoyed parents only minutes later, at precisely 00:01 o'clock in the morning on the first of January 2000. Consequently, their birth was special in more than one way. Being born twins, albeit not sharing the same birthday or year or even century… well, that certainly caused various sets of eyebrows of perplexed family members and friends to rise until said sets of eyebrows met their owners' hairlines. Then again, maybe something like that had to be expected, maybe it had even been destined for Lily and Philius, given their rather unusual, rather magical parentage. Their parents were none others than The Boy Who Lived – The Chosen One who'd defeated the dark wizard Lord Voldemort almost ten years ago – and Miss Luna Lovegood, daughter of the famous writer and founder of The Quibbler, Xeno Lovegood.

If Harry had been presented with the question whether he preferred taking down one of the darkest wizards of tall time or having a heated argument with his not-quite pre-teen daughter, he probably wouldn't have known what to pick. Or maybe he would have. Seriously, eight-year-olds could be little pests sometimes.

"Lillian Potter," Harry all but growled, drumming the long fingers of his right hand against his left bicep where he still had his arms folded and with the last bits of his patience slowly slipping away. "I'm not entirely sure I heard right, so I'm giving you the opportunity to take a deep breath and rephrase what you just said to me."

He took a step back and leaned with his lower back against the kitchen counter, his eyes never leaving his eldest. His wife chose that exact moment to make an appearance in the kitchen, a confused look forming on her even face almost instantly.

"What's going on?" she wanted to know, her sapphire eyes darting from her husband to her daughter, then over to her two sons. While both Harry and Lily wouldn't answer and simply continued their rather long, rather hard staring contest, the youngest Potter took pity on his Mummy.

"Daddy's angry at Lily," Finnick informed her with an impish smile, seemingly proud that it wasn't him in the firing line for once – maybe both Harry and Luna should have taken the namesakes' natures and character traits into account while naming their children. Maybe if they had, they would have remembered Sirius Black's mischievous and downright trouble-magnetic streak and thus would have refrained from choosing Sirius' first name for their second born son... maybe then, the little boy hadn't grown to be trouble incarnate.

Luna sighed as she looked again at Harry and Lily.

"That's not quite the whole truth," Harry remarked, turning his head towards his wife. He reached up a hand and took off his glasses for a second, then rubbed his hand tiredly across his face. He could feel a proper headache forming already.

"What's the whole truth, then?" Luna wanted to know, crossing her arms as well.

"Lily is angry at me because I told her that we'll celebrate the twins' birthdays as a family this year," her husband explained quietly, ignoring the insolent snort that emitted from his daughter at that and also ignoring the fact how much it made her sound like a teenager rather than a pre-teen. He gave his youngest son a pointed look. "I'm not angry, Finn, I'm just not happy about the colourful words your sister used to describe her feelings on the matter. All three of you know that it is never a good idea to curse at either your Mum or me."

Lillian's scowl deepened and her face that was so much like her Mum's flushed in annoyance and embarrassment.

Luna almost sighed, but thought better of it. She looked down at Finn before letting her eyes roam the kitchen floor pointedly.

"Finn, good job sweeping the floor," she praised, giving the little boy a warm smile. "If you want, you can go ahead and already pick out the story you'd like Daddy to read to you tonight."

Finnick whooped, totally oblivious to the fact that Luna had simply wanted for him to leave the room, so she and Harry could sort the twins out. He quickly scampered from the kitchen.

"And change into pyjamas while you're at it, scamp!" Harry called after him, the amusement evident in his tone.

As soon as her little brother was gone, Lily huffed.

"Mum, it's just not fair! I wanted to have friends over, like every year," she complained, concentrating solely on her mother now. "Phil wants to have Teddy and Lyall over, too," her eyes flicked to where her twin brother stood, "Right?"

For a moment, Philius looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He didn't reply, though, knowing even at his young age when it was better to keep one's mouth shut and not be dragged into an argument like that one. His sister narrowed her eyes at him.

"Lily," Luna said, her voice a mixture of placation and warning. "What did we talk about yesterday when we first discussed yours and your brother's birthdays this year?"

"But, Mum-" the little girl began to whinge, but she was cut off by her mother giving a firm shake of the head.

Lily groaned, but in the end, she acquiesced. "Uncle Hanni is visiting, so we need to be good hosts and make him feel welcome."

"And?" Luna pressed gently, sharing a quick look with Harry, who was now sporting a much calmer expression and had dropped his arms to his side.

This time, Lily sighed in defeat. "And he shares a birthday with Phil, so we have to make him feel extra welcome."

"That's my girl," Luna smiled at her oldest, then walked over and opened her arms to invite her for a hug. Lily didn't even hesitate one second before stepping into them. "I know it's not exactly how you two wanted to spend your birthdays…," she looked up and over at Philius, who was now standing beside Harry, an unsure smile on his lips. "But I'm sure you'll have a great time nonetheless. We'll have Treacle Tart and lots of other treats, we can play Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess and we'll listen to all the marvellous stories from abroad that your uncle has to tell."

Lily still seemed unconvinced, so Harry took pity on her. He gave Phil's shoulder a comfortable squeeze, then walked up to Lily and Luna and crouched down before his daughter.

"How about this: Our special guest won't arrive before tomorrow afternoon, so there's still some time that we can use to go out and have some fun. How about breakfast at Diagon Alley and we'll stop at Gambol and Japes', QQS and whatever else you would like to have a look at...?"

A hopeful glimmer glinted up in Lily's eyes at her father's suggestion, just as a small smile started to tug at the corners of her mouth.

Harry grinned. "Now that's more like it, huh?" he said knowingly, reaching out and tweaking his daughter's nose gently.

"What do you say?" Luna prompted, ruffling Lily's hair.

"Yeah, okay," the little girl mumbled.

Harry looked at his son. "And you, cub, are you okay with that plan, too?"

Philius regarded his Dad thoughtfully. "Can we fill a bag at Sugarplum's, too, Daddy?"

Harry narrowed his eyes at his son playfully. "Against my better judgement, you may… even though I already know for a fact that you'll get enough sweets for your birthday to fill up the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. A small bag, though-"

"A large bag," Phil countered, folding his slender arms across his chest and jutting his chin forward stubbornly. Luna snorted quietly. Her son would make a brilliant solicitor one day, she thought to herself.

"Little rascal," Harry exclaimed, ignoring Luna's snort and Lily's winning expression and beckoning his son over with the wave of two fingers. "You can fill a medium bag each, but that's my last offer, young man. Take it or leave it!"

Philius smirked triumphantly and shuffled over to where his father and sister stood. Harry reached out a hand.

"Deal?" he asked, expecting his son to take and shake it.

"Yeah, deal," Phil put his small hand into Harry's larger one and thus sealed the deal. Afterwards, Harry stood up again and shook his head good-naturedly as he drew his little boy in for a brief hug.

"Come here, cub."

Inwardly, he groaned. Those kids were responsible for every single grey hair he owned – and for all those that were soon to follow, undoubtedly!

"I'm glad we've come to an agreement," Luna smiled down at her twins once Harry had released Phil. "Now that that's settled, how about the two of you go upstairs and get ready for bed, too? It's getting late."

"Okay, Mummy," Philius nodded. Now that he had something to look forward to tomorrow – something else than just the arrival of his great-great uncle – he was fine with the prospect of going to bed soon. He turned around and ran out of the kitchen.

Lily, however, lingered behind, looking shyly up at Harry as she suddenly remembered her poor choice of words from earlier. "I'm sorry for being… cheeky to you, Daddy."

Harry raised a single eyebrow at her, then quickly morphed his facial expression into a thoughtful one.

"Ah, yes, now that you mention it…"

Before Lily could react, he'd grabbed her by her waist and had lifted her off the floor, hoisting her over his shoulder. As soon as she was in place, he began tickling her.

Luna smiled at her husband's antics and laughed along with him and their little girl's mirthful giggling that soon followed. He was such a good father.

"Daddy! Please, stop! I'm ti-hi-hi-cklish!" she hollered, squirming around and trying to dive forward and off his shoulder.

Of course, her father had already anticipated that move and quickly draped his free arm over the backs of Lily's legs, holding her firmly in place.

"That's kind of the point, you know," he deadpanned, poking his right forefinger into her side, then reaching behind and letting it ghost over the backs of Lily's knees.

"Ahhhh, Daddy!" Lily shrieked.

"And, I might add, you've brought that on yourself," Harry smirked at Luna who merely rolled her eyes in amusement. "That's what happens to little girls that cheek their fathers!"

The little girl's only response was some more laughter.

Harry paused his assault for a moment. "Have you learned your lesson, young miss?"

Lily nodded her head eagerly. "Yes, Daddy, I promise!"

"Alright then," he hummed, reaching up and lifting the still giggling girl off his shoulder. He placed her on her own two feet, then gave her a warm bear hug.

"You're forgiven, sweet pea," he told her, then leaned down and placed a kiss to her forehead. He straightened again and gave her a more serious look.

"Next time you get frustrated or angry at me or your Mum, I expect you to let us know in a more respectful way, though. We don't call you names or swear at you kids, either, do we?"

Lily blushed once more, looking away.

"No, Daddy."

"If it happens again, you can expect a more serious consequence, Lillian," Luna put in bluntly, giving her husband a meaningful look. "I can guarantee you that you won't get away with just some tickles, young lady, if I hear that you've done it again."

"Yes, Mummy," Lily pouted. "'m sorry."

"It's okay, love," the blond-haired witch dropped her stern gaze and smiled again. "Now, go and see to it that those brothers of yours really get ready for bed. The more you stall, the less time you have later to read before bed. And at any rate, you want to be well-rested for your special day tomorrow, don't you?"

Lily, being a bookworm by heart and naturally studious (just like her Mum and her Auntie Mione), knew when her favourite pastime was at stake and so rushed to obey her Mum.

As soon as she had disappeared from the kitchen, Luna turned her head and narrowed her eyes at Harry.

"What?" Harry exclaimed, holding up his hands in a placating gesture.

"I swear, Harry James, you're a terrible disciplinarian sometimes," Luna mock scolded, placing both her hands on her hips. "And here I thought I was the soft parent!"

Harry grinned apologetically as he shrugged his shoulders jerkily.

"Have you seen her sad puppy-dog-eyes, though?" he asked exasperatedly. "Only Finnick is worse, because he's the baby of the family. Not to mention the fact that apart from being a boy, he's the carbon copy of you, sweetness… your beautiful eyes, your pretty face and, of course, your golden locks…"

Luna tsked at him with a smirk. "Flattery won't get you anywhere, Mr. Potter."

"No?" Harry leaned down, aiming for a kiss, but before he could touch her lips, Luna had wriggled out of his arms.

"No," she confirmed, laughing when his face fell rather comically.

"Aww," her husband whined with a pout, so she strained her neck a bit and placed a feather-light kiss on his lips.

"You're ruthless, Mrs. Potter," Harry breathed, pulling her close again. "You're lucky I enjoy it so much."

"Indeed," she flashed him a perfect white smile, then sobered up a little.

"Luna, what's wrong?" Harry asked, instantly picking up on the change in her mood.

"I wanted to talk to you about the next few days… the twins' birthdays in particular," she began, looking up at him. "And, well… your great uncle's visit."

"Okay," he replied easily, letting go of her. "I'm all ears."

Harry walked over to the sink and poured himself a glass of cold water as Luna watched.

The kitchen was one of her favourite rooms in their house – it wasn't large by any stretch of the imagination, but it was cosy and thanks to some tricky enlarging spells that she, Ginny Thomas and Hermione Weasley had tinkered with, it was roomy enough for the five of them and could even be extended for family gatherings, holidays and birthdays. There was a small sitting area at the far end of it, framed with nearly room-high windows and shaped like an octagon where they consumed most of their meals. Depending on where you sat, you could oversee the better part of the back garden – Luna liked to sit there with a cup of steaming hot tea or some lemonade when the children were playing outside. Harry, on the other hand, liked to sit there when everyone else had already finished their breakfast and have a thorough read through The Daily Prophet or The Quibbler before heading to work.

"Do you think we're being unfair regarding Lily's and Philius' wishes?" Luna asked, sounding uncertain. "I mean… while I don't condone how she spoke to you earlier, I can understand that she's not quite happy with us for taking away a party with her friends and cousins."

Harry took a long sip of his drink before answering.

"I know what you mean and quite honestly, it has crossed my mind, too," Harry allowed. "That's why I offered the trip to Diagon Alley in the first place… it sure wasn't meant as a reward for Lily's cheek earlier, mind you."

Luna chuckled. "I figured as much."

"You know, when I last talked to my uncle about his plans of moving to the UK, he wasn't really forthcoming with an explanation about it all," Harry put his empty glass beside him on top of the counter. "At the time, I thought he was a bit in a hurry and didn't have the time to elaborate his decision further, but now…"

When he simply trailed off, Luna prodded: "… now?"

"Now I can't help but find his lack of explanation odd," Harry admitted thoughtfully. He adjusted his glasses on his nose – something he often did when he felt nervous or confused. "I mean… he's planning to move his whole life to England-"

"Didn't he say something about a job offer at a Muggle forensic institute that's based in Exeter?" Luna wondered aloud, cutting Harry off midsentence.

Harry nodded. "Yes, but when I attempted to ask further questions, he changed the subject."

"Odd," his wife muttered.

"But there will be enough time to discuss his plans when he arrives," Harry smiled. "I have to admit, I'm really looking forward to seeing that old know-all again. The last time I met with him was before the twins' birth, during my two-month long training for the Department of Aurors at MACUSA in New York."

"Oh yes, I remember," Luna's facial expression changed into a slightly annoyed one at the memory. "If the twins had arrived any sooner, you probably would have missed it..."

"I wouldn't have, darling. Wild centaurs wouldn't have been able to hold me back and make me miss it," Harry insisted. In two large strides, he was in front of Luna and pulling her back into his arms again. "I still deeply regret that I left you alone for two whole months so close to the birth, though."

Luna sighed, pressing her face against her husband's strong shoulder.

"I know, love," she replied. "And I'm sorry for making you feel guilty about it still. It wasn't your fault back then and I should be grateful that you were able to make it home safely before Lily and Phil were born."

With a sigh of his own, Harry placed a loving kiss to the parting of her golden hair.

"It will be alright, you'll see," he murmured, hugging her even closer to him. "We'll have a great time the next two days – with even three birthdays to celebrate!"

They stayed like that for another minute, both young parents happy and a lot more content than just moments before.

"Luna?" Harry suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" she stepped back as he loosened his hold on her, looking up at him again.

"You have Lily's and Philius' presents sorted, right?"

She grinned. "Why, certainly, dear… you know presents are my responsibility. Although…"

He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "Although?"

"Remember the talk you had with the twins about a pet?"

Harry's eyes widened. "Oh, no… Luna!"

"Yes, Harry?"

She fluttered her long dark eyelashes innocently at him.

"Tell me you didn't buy a pet for them," he demanded, using his stern voice that was normally reserved for his children if they had misbehaved.

"No, of course not! Just imagine what the kids would do with a pet…," his wife responded evasively, laughing when Harry visibly relaxed.

Before he could ask more, though, there was a loud yell from upstairs.

"Mummy! Daddy! Finnick won't leave Lady Mallory alone!" Lily cried, sounding utterly irritated that her youngest brother would even dare touching her favourite stuffed rabbit. "Give it back, you little-"

"Lillian, you had better not finish that sentence, young lady," Harry called sternly. "And Finnick, if I have to come upstairs and make you give your sister her toy back, you'll lose yours for tonight. I mean it, little boy!"

There was some audible shuffle and the pitter-patter of small feet, but then… silence.

Luna cringed. "They're quiet again. That's not a good sign, love."

"I know," Harry sighed. "I'll better go and check."

Before he left the room, he turned around once more to face his wife, cocking his head to the side.

"Harry…?" Luna asked with a smile.

"You bought two pets, didn't you?"