"Uncle Harry did NOT agree with you Scorpius" I told him for I don't know how many times it had been now.

"He didn't disagree." Scorpius pointed out. Again.

"He only said that he would look in to things, Scorpius." I held up a hand when he looked like he would protest. "Looking into things does not mean he agrees with you."

"It does not mean he disagrees." Like Amata with a moth! "He thinks you could be in danger or he would not even look in to things."

"For my mother's sake, not for mine." Which was true, Uncle Harry never said he thought I could be in danger at all.

"That makes it a tie. And it is MY turn to win a tie." Scorpius crossed his arms and gave me a so there look.

It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. "OK, since when did we start taking turns at winning ties? And when did I win the last one?"

"You are doing the two points thing.' Albus murmured earning him a glare.

"When I wanted to the bookshop first and you wanted to go to the Three Broomsticks, but we went to the Three Broomsticks. That was a tie and you won, so this time it is my turn to win." If his grin got any wider his head would split in two.

"Albus wanted to go get something to eat too. That makes it two against one so NOT a tie." Merlin I WAS doing the two points thing, he was making me daft!"

"Yes but Albus didn't care where, we went where you wanted so the tie went to you." Oh that triumphant look made me want to… to do something reckless!

"This is a bit more important than where we go first on a shopping trip!" I was nearly pulling my hair out.

"Exactly, which is why it is important that you won the last one so I get to win this one." I was wrong, his grin could in fact get wider.

"Albus help me out here." I pleaded. "Tell him your dad does NOT think someone is trying to kill me."

"Nope." Albus went back to his comic book. Who knew wizards had comic books? I mean unlike muggle comics, these moved and had sound effects, but still…

"Well… why not?" I grumbled. "With one well thought out argument you could…"

Albus looked at me like I actually had lost my mind. This was hardly surprising, that was the affect Scorpius had on me. I am not exactly sure the moment Scorpius went from being the one who brought sanity and normalcy to my day to being the one who turned it upside down but I am pretty certain it would take advanced arithmancy to calculate it.

"When did I become the member of our trio who came up with well thought out arguments? THAT is Scorpius job! I am the angst ridden angry one with family issues. You are the popular, athletic one. Scorpius is the smart one. We all have our roles. Go to him for your smart answers." He waved a hand at Scorpius. "I could teach you how to use passive aggressive silence against him, but settle your own argument."

"I don't want to be silent I want to win." I pouted.

"And I want you to be safe!" Scorpius shouted.

"Alright, this is getting ridiculous." His intensity was starting to scare me. "Uncle Harry said he wanted to make certain that everything was just as the muggles thought it had been with my mother... just one of those things. That her sister is a terrible person, but she was locked up long before my mother died. She could not have harmed my mother and she isn't a danger to me Scorpius. I wish you could relax about this."

He frowned. "I wish I could too. I am just worried."

I smiled gently at him, so he wouldn't think I was mocking him. "You like to worry."

He chuckled a bit. "Yeah, I guess I do." Crisis averted,

We had been back at school for a few weeks and I was to play on my first solo game. It was a non critical game against Gryffindor. It would not hurt either of our standing in the play offs no matter which house won. Although it would certain boost our points and be a nice feather in my cap if I managed to secure the win for us, so it was still important.

Something Nigel pointed out.

Repeatedly. Once or twice a day. Everyday. So, you know, no pressure.

I had played in other games. Theoretically. I had suited up and taken to the field. But mostly I had warmed the bleachers. I would pop in for a bit to give Nigel a break and to give me some practice, but I had never caught the snitch. This would be it.

Xander gave us our pre-game instruction and we were off.

"This is not a critical game, Dursley, no fancy tricks. We don't need you injured before the end of the season." He cautioned. "Get to the snitch; end the game when we are up by just a few points. No one has such an over whelming advantage right now that we need to stress this one. It is a good game to cut your teeth on."

The look Nigel gave me told me I better cut my teeth some other time and take this seriously.

Which was probably a good thing. Rose was the Gryffindor seeker and she was not about to make this easy on my and trash talk was her bread and butter. We may be friends and family off the pitch. On it? We may as well be mortal enemies.

"Don't worry, Lils." Rose grinned evilly. "You won't be in the air long enough to get game day jitters. They should really have tested you against the Hufflepuff seeker. He has only been playing for a year."

I shook my head laughing. Oddly enough her mocking actually made me feel better. "YOU have onlu been playing a year, Rosie."

She tossed her hair. "Maybe, but I have natural talent."

This made me laugh again. Rose grinned back at me and we were off.

I'd like to say it was a grueling nail biting game, but it really wasn't. It was an awful lot of fun though. Rose and I tossed back teasing insults at each other and it kind of felt like a family home game. In the end I did managed to catch the stitch, but only because Rose was telling off her own captain for daring to order her to stop trading insults with me that she completely missed it.

When we all touched down Rose was telling off her captain for distracting her and the rest of my team was slapping me on the back all the way to the locker room.

Xander was happy, Nigel was happy. I was happy. It was a good day. A GREAT day.

So of course something would mess it up. I am not sure if this was a Slytherin thing, a me, Scorpius and Albus thing, or just a me thing.

When I stepped out of the lockers Uncle Ron was there with Albus and Scorpius. I was surprised to see him. I guess I shouldn't have been. After all he was there when I tried out so for my first game I guess I should have expected him to show up. Since my own father couldn't be here it was really nice that he always showed up for me. Especially since he had Rose and Hugo. And Rose was on the other team, and I just beat that team and all.

"Hey Uncle Ron!" I called out happily. "It's really great that you showed up! Did you see how great Rosie looked out there?" I wanted to make sure he noticed her too, I mean not that he wouldn't, he was her father and all, but still… "She helped keep me calm by making me laugh and…"

He looked serious… he never looked serious. I was starting to get worried. Rose was behind him She smiled at me when I told him how she helped him. Rose smiled at me gently. That was probably not a great sign. Rose is a great prankster and all, but gentle isn't really her thing.

"Yeah… I saw kiddo…" Uncle Ron sounded serious too. "Hey, your Uncle Harry asked me to come and get you, and bring these two with us." He nodded at Albus and Scorpius.

"Why?" I tried to keep the fear out of my voice. "What is happening?"

"It is about his aunt." Uncle Ron ran his hand through his hair. "Your grandmother I guess…"

"Is she sick?" I was suddenly really worried. "Is she asking for me?"

"No, sorry kiddo." He looked down at me sadly. "She isn't sick. She… ummm… she passed away."

I found out later that while I had been at Uncle Harry's my grandmother had been in the hospital. They knew she did not have long left. They had known since last summer.

It was cancer. My grandfather… he didn't want me around upsetting her. That was why I kept being shunted away. That was what Aunt Hermione and Uncle Harry had been talking about in Italy. What she had wanted him to tell me.

And now she was dead. It was final. There would be no fixing things. No coming back. No hope that if I could just act normal around them maybe they would love me again.

She was gone and could never forgive me for being different. And I would never forgive my grandfather at all.

Not after the funeral.

It was all horrible enough. Uncle Harry met me at his home. I could tell he didn't know what to say. Was he even grieving for her? I couldn't blame him if he wasn't. But she was the last living link to his mother. I just looked at him sadly.

"How are you feeling Lilliana?' He asked carefully.

"I… I don't know." I answered truthfully. "I miss the grandmother I thought I had… but I am not sure she was even real. That grandmother I thought she would always love me no matter what. The woman who I have learned about the past couple of years… she was the real Petunia Dursley… wasn't she?"

Uncle Harry frowned and thought for a long time. "We are all both good and light. She was both of those people. The grandmother who loved you and the woman who was jealous and fearful and hated witches. It is OK to feel sad and miss the grandmother who loved you."

I nodded. "I… I think I understand."

"Good, a really wise man told me something along those lines once." He smiled. "I think he would be pleased to know I remembered."

The next day we attended grandmother's funeral. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny took me. None of my muggle clothes fit me any longer so Aunt Ginny took us shopping for appropriately somber attire. I barely paid attention. I was glad for Scorpius and Albus. Without them I wouldn't have bothered to eat. They had each taken up a position beside me, rather like an honor guard. I know Uncle Harry must have said something to them about not leaving my side. When we got out of the limousine even though I should have gone with my father and brother they did not let me leave them. Angus came to get me but walked away looking confused.

I took a seat near the back. I don't remember making that decision, but it didn't matter to me where I sat. I was still processing how I felt and Uncle Harry's words. It was OK to miss the grandmother I remembered. I did not have to miss the woman she became. That sort of made sense.

How did I feel about my grandfather? I know I had never wanted to be like him. Loving him had been more a sense of duty than any true affection. I think… I think I could let that go. I can be grateful he taught me about the kind of person I do not wish to be and let the rest go.

I was finally led by Albus and Scorpius to the front to say my final goodbye. I looked down at my grandmother's still face. "Goodbye grandmother."I whispered. "I hope you find peace and comfort and whatever it was you have always been seeking now." And I turned to walk away.

I had only then realized that Scorpius and Albus had left me for the last. But they had underestimated the power of a Dursley to cause a scene. Stomping heavily up the aisle was my grandfather. His jowls quivering in righteous indignation.

"How dare you come here where you are unwanted?' He sputtered. "Haven't we made it clear that you are to stay with your own kind? To pollute my wife's funeral and to bring these freaks with you! Your father may be too much of a coward to toss you out of here but I am not!"

Albus and Scorpius moved to stand in front of me. They both pulled their wands.

Grandfather sneered at them. "You two, you aren't allowed to perform magic outside of school, you'll be expelled."

Scorpius shrugged. "So? Ever hear of homeschooling? Besides there are loads of wizard schools."

I could almost laugh. THAT certainly got grandfather's attention.

"What is going on in here?" I heard Uncle Harry's voice. And he sounded furious.

"You were right, Dad." Albus didn't take his eyes or wand off of grandfather. "You said he might try to come after Lilliana and he did."

"What's that now?" I heard my father. "You attacked my daughter at my mother's funeral? Have you no shame at all father? I gave you what you wanted while mother was ill. She is gone now. Lilliana will not be treated like an outcast."

"This is all your fault Dudley." My grandfather roared. "This is what comes of coddling your children."

My father snorted. "If that were the case then I would be the most powerful wizard in the world!"

Something odd happened after my grandfather walked out.

My father and Uncle Harry looked at one another, sat down right in the middle of the aisle and laughed like two raving lunatics.

...