"Well… you don't look like you have been treated too badly by those muggles. I guess no harm was done." Scorpius was holding me at arm's length and looking me up and down. "You look pale, and a bit peaky. But I guess that comes from eating muggle food. Can't be helped. Some real food should sort you right out."

"Gee… thanks." I laughed. "You say the nicest things." I had run ahead of father who was sorting things out with Uncle Harry at Gringotts.

"Don't start, Lils." Albus grumbled. "He has been impossible all summer."

I looked over at Albus. He looked… different. All in black and his hair was different too. "Trying a new look Albus?"

"I'm Slytherin aren't I?" He shrugged. "I decided it was time I looked the part."

"Slytherins have a "look" now? And it is funeral chic?" I asked him teasingly while I hugged him tight.

I looked at Scorpius over his shoulder when I hugged Albus. Scorpius mouthed "Uncle Harry." I nodded a bit to let him know I understood. Uncle Harry and Albus love each other but they sure know how to push each other's buttons.

"Anyway." I hissed. "Enough with talking about my muggle family, my father is on his way. And we are good." I glared at Scorpius' disbelief. "Good enough. Leave it alone Scorp, please?"

Scorpius blew out a puff of annoyed air. "Fine, but only because Mum asked me to be nice."

"You mean Aunt Aly threatened to cut off your sweets if you stepped on toe out of line this year." Albus scoffed.

I was very skeptical about his statement. "Scorpius? In trouble? I get in to trouble. YOU get in to trouble. Scorpius makes frowny faces and reminds us we are getting in to trouble."

Scorpius turned pink. "I get in trouble sometimes."

"Yeah especially when…" Albus stopped and laughed when Scorpius glared at him.

Some stupid boy thing then. "Uggghhh…. Boys. Whatever, keep your gross secrets. Like I want to know about some smelly boy… thing… anyway."

"Lillian!" I heard my father bark sharply behind me.

Great. Just great. I glared at the two idiots in front of me.

"Sorry father." I took the pouch of coins from him. "Just a best friend thing."

My father sighed and shook his head. "Yes, I am certain it is. Well, come along, we need to get your school supplies."

"Yes father." I tried for a proper submissive attitude after my father caught me publicly berating my two best friends while shouting about "smelly boy things" and I didn't mean anything naughty by it but I knew it could have sounded like that to a very conservative father.

I am not certain from my father's exasperated look that he was one bit fooled.

We went to Madame Malkins first. I hate being poked and prodded for robes and so do Albus and Scorpius so we liked to get this over fast.

Polly Chapman was in there and gave me a nasty glare. My father raised a questioning eyebrow at me.

"Her parents are "pureblood" and so she…" I started to explain, but how does one explain to their muggle father that some people thought he was… not worthy?

Father placed a hand on my shoulder. "You must make allowances, Lilliana, remember, she has not had the advantages of a decent upbringing and all of the advantages the way that you have. Why imagine, not even a decent trolley here. And only one train." He tutted. "It is hardly her fault she was raised… differently."

The look on Polly's face was priceless. I don't think it had ever occurred to her that muggles did not sit around crying in to their tea that they were not born witches. I impulsively threw my arms around my father's waist. "Yes father, I will remember to make allowance."

Our next stop was potion supplies. I looked over not only our standard list but the extra list Professor Slughorn had sent me.

Father frowned down at my second list. "What's all this then?"

"Well…" I started. "There is a competition in my sixth year. Potioneer students from all over the world will come to compete and Hogwarts is hosting this year. My professor thinks I have a good shot if I study hard and take extra lessons."

Aunt Hermione was there and took a look at my list. "Very good, Lilliana, this is a huge honor!"

My father's chest puffed out a bit. "Well, naturally. Both of my children are very bright. Angus is top of his classes as well. I am not a bit surprised that Lilliana has been singled out this way."

Aunt Hermione smiled at him. She is a huge supporter of education and rumor has it that she was behind Hogwarts hosting the competition this go 'round.

Aunt Hermione helped me pick out the ingredients I would need and taught me how to choose the very best ones by smell, sight and feel. Surprisingly Uncle Harry had a few tips on how to get the most out of some of my ingredients.

"The trick," Uncle Harry said with authority, "is not to be afraid to experiment with ingredients. Crush instead of cutting. That sort of thing. Switch up stirring. Add a twist of the wrist. Think outside of the instructions."

I noticed Aunt Hermione had gone awfully quiet when Uncle Harry spoke. Not quite angry, but almost disapproving. There was definitely tension there.

We were sitting down at Finnegan's having ice cream discussing where to go next while Uncle Harry talked to me about potion brewing.

And as usual Uncle Ron broke the tension. "And as long as you don't pull a Seamus and blow your eyebrows off you'll do just fine!"

A sundae slammed down on the table and Seamus Finnegan was glaring down at Uncle Ron. "I'll have ye know it 'as been years since I blew off my eyebrows!"

Everyone laughed at that including Aunt Hermione, who shook her head in mock exasperation at her husband while he and Mr. Finnegan shoved each other good naturedly for a bit.

It was a nice normal moment. One that over the next year I would think about often. I did hear Aunt Hermione whisper to Uncle Harry "You had better not be thinking about giving her that book Harry James Potter."

"The Room of Requirements was burned up by fiendfyre, Hermione, remember?" Uncle Harry whispered back.

"Don't take me for a fool." Aunt Hermione hissed. "Ginny and I know very well you went and got it back out of that cupboard. We have never been able to find it but I am not stupid."

What book? I couldn't help but wonder. And was I the one he was not supposed to give it to? And why? Was it a very good book? About potions? Why couldn't I have it? I mean if it would make me a better potioneer, shouldn't I have all the help I could get?

I was definitely asking Uncle Harry later. I bet it had like test answers in it. It was probably a professor's edition or something. No way would Aunt Hermione agree to let me have that.

NBut Uncle Harry was way cooler than she was. And if he wasn't, Uncle Ron was. I read about these competitions. They were fierce. These other students would have all of the help they could get. I NEEDED this book!

Our next stop was the Potage's Cauldron shop. I needed a new cauldron. The iron one I had been using was not going to do.

I need a brass cauldron, but I so wanted a copper. The copper cauldron would really increase the speed I could brew potions.

I was looking in the windows longingly at one when my father stood next to me. He cleared his throat. "So… er… tell e about these different pots."

"Cauldrons." I corrected. "Well, we started out with pewter and then last year we got me an iron one."

He nodded, waving for me to continue.

"For basic brewing I could continue to use an iron one forever." I pointed those out in the window. "Let's say I just wanted to pass my exams, brew simple cures for boils and the like."

He looked at the simple plain iron cauldron. I could tell his practical side approved. "But you want to brew these advanced potions?"

I nodded. "It is like cooking. The better equipment you have the better results you get. In fact, brewing potions is almost exactly like cooking and baking combined with making medicine"

I could tell this comparison really resonated with him. "And you need the different cauldrons because they help with this?"

I pointed at the copper. "Brass is a little acidic and has other properties so it speeds up potion brewing by a bit, up to 15% faster."

He considered this. "That makes sense. And the copper one?"

"That one is the very best in my opinion. It has even more good properties. You can increase your brew time by almost 25% faster." I sighed. "But it is also a lot more expensive."

Father smiled at me wistfulness. "And these self stirring ones? I suppose you want one that takes all of the work out too?"

I was horrified at the thought. "NO! I mean, even if they could stir exactly the way I want, and they can't, they are notoriously bad at stirring the exact number of times. They are fine for home cooks for pasta sauces and the like. But for potions? Never!"

Father held up his hands in surrender. "Very well, cauldrons in the right materials but no other special characteristics. Got it." He held the door open for me. "After you."

We went in and I inhaled deeply, loving the coppery metallic smell of all of the cauldrons. The gentle clanking of the self stirring ladles hitting the sides of the cooking pots was almost a symphony.

Father stepped up to the counter. The witch looked up from her small silver cauldron where she was engraving a customer's name. "Good afternoon, sir, how many I help you today?"

Father admired the craftsmanship of the silver cauldron a moment. "My daughter is taking advanced potion lessons. She will require one of your copper cauldrons. And what is the purpose of this silver cauldron? Will it aid her in her lessons?"

The clerks eyes grew round. "Some special potions require silver cauldrons sir. But not ones students are likely to…"

"We'll take one of those as well." He interrupted her, laying coin down on the counter.

"Father!" I squeaked. "If I do something wrong… if I melt my cauldron, it can't be used again…"

"Well, that is simple enough." He bopped me on the nose with his finger. "Don't melt your cauldron."

Not fifteen minutes later we were at Flourish and Blotts with my two cauldrons.

Scorpius let out a whistle. "Those are really something!"

"I told my father about the competition and the differences between cauldrons and… he may have gone a bit over board."

"But why the silver one?" Albus looked down at it.

"The sales clerk." I rolled my eyes. "She tried to tell him I wouldn't really need it, but she didn't try very hard."

"At least YOUR father is trying." Albus grumbled.

"Albus, Uncle Harry loves you." I admonished him sharply. I could NOT have them fighting, I wanted that book! I mean, if it was a potion book. Or even if their conversation had been about me. But of COURSE it had been!

Albus rolled his eyes. "Of course he loves me. He is contractually obligated to. It was written into the paperwork before he could take me home from the hospital. But I can see him looking at me wondering how he produced a loser like me. Especially after a perfect son like James."

"Well I think you are a perfect best friend." I told him. "When you aren't acting like a broody git."

Albus shook his head laughing. "Then I shall try not to mar my perfect reputation for you."

We brought our books up to the counter in time to hear my father say. "It is settled then. When I dropped Lilliana off at the train I will meet you in front of the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Yes, that sounds wonderful, Dudley." Susan beamed. "I haven't been in muggle London in so long."

"Neither have I actually." Father laughed. I had not heard him genuinely laugh in so long. "But I am certain I can imagine something better than a greasy chippy and a walk in the park."

"I have no idea what a greasy chippy is but I am certain a walk in the park would be just lovely." Susan blushed.

I could not believe how happy my father looked. I was so glad. It had been a long time for him. And Susan was incredibly sweet.

...