"How long were you waiting up here?"

"How long were you down there?"

"William! Why did you follow me?"

"I thought you- Oh never mind. It doesn't matter."

"No, tell me." Lily said, looking at him. He hadn't put a cloak on, and his teeth were chattering in the cold.

"I was worried you were going to jump. Off of that ledge there. I thought, oh Lily! I was so scared."

Lily looked at him and all of the emotion that had been raging inside of her during her talk with Draco opened like a dam. She burst into tears. She fell into his arms and sobbed on his shoulder, soaking his jumper, right down to the vest he wore beneath it. "I would never do that. People need me."

"That's what Aunt Moiré said." Will replied indifferently. "Too many people love me for me to rest. And she went over that ledge right there. Accidental drowning they said. She must have slipped, she seemed to have misjudged the length of the cliff. But we all knew it was a different story. We all knew she jumped off. The water is so cold this time of year, you would hit it and you wouldn't be able to breath, to move. It's like being poisoned, your body is killed, but your mind stays alive. The longer you hang on, the closer to insanity you get."

"But why would you think that I would do something like that?" Lily said, shaking her head. "I don't understand it."

"I don't know. So much pressure." He looked out over the gentle sea, so unthreatening in the early morning light. His teeth stopped clacking and he turned back to Lily. "I would have.

"Don't get me wrong." He said, tucking his hands under his armpits and rubbing his cheek against his shoulder. "I don't think you're mentally unstable. It's just, sometimes everything gets overwhelming, and the water looks so, oh I don't know. Welcoming. Even when it's raging. It's like it could just wrap you up and take you away somewhere." He shrugged. "Come on, best we get home afore the others start to fret."

They walked in silence for a while, and Lily turned to look at Will. "Thank you, Will, for coming down here."

"No problem. Sorry I worried like that, it's just, you know."

"I know."

((((((((((((())))))))))))))

"I don't want to go back to school."

"When I was a boy-"

"Yeah, well I'm not a boy. Unless you know something I don't."

Harry sighed. "Cocky as hell isn't she?"

"I wonder who she get's that from." Parvati said, grinning.

"Well you hav to go back," Harry said, ignoring Parvati. "Today! Lucky you."

"Oh yeah, lucky me. Can't wait."

"You like school." Harry said pointedly.

Lily opened her mouth to make a cutting comeback and then shut it again. Though it pained her to think of it, this could very well be the last time she ever spoke to her father, and she couldn't bear to think that her last words, however much in jest, were insults. "Yeah, of course I love school. But I would rather be home with you."

"Oh come on! Look at all the loot you got for Christmas, what more could you possibly want?"

"A pony."

"You'll get a pony alright, right in the-"

"Look at the sunset!"

"Parvati, it's ten in the morning."

"The sun is setting in Greenland."

"It's actually earlier in Greenland."

Lily barely looked up as Ron and Seamus walked in the door, pushing to get through the door frame at the same time, their spontaneous arrivals and departures had become so routine. "Scotch anyone? Blue label, the very finest." Seamus said, grinning.

"It's ten o'clock."

"It's happy hour in Sydney." Ron said, opening the bottle.

Harry looked at Parvati and shrugged. "I'll drink to that."

Shortly after Seamus and Ron left Lily went over and sat next to her father. "Are you and Parvati going to have another baby?"

"It's a possibility. Why?"

"Then you'll forget about me like you've forgotten about mum."

"Oh Lily. I haven't forgotten about your mum in the least. But I do need to move on."

"Yes, but this time you didn't even ask me. You just moved right along without me. You're forgetting me already."

"No I'm not. That's nonsense. Complete and utter nonsense. Oh! Before I forget, next summer Parvati and I were thinking about going on a cruise around Scandinavia, just the two of us."

"See! Look at you! You're such a liar! I need to go for a walk."

"lily, come on back."

"No!" She said, slamming the door behind her.

Harry sighed and looked up as Parvati came down the stairs. "What was that about?"

"Oh nothing. I'll be right back." He pulled his cloak on and walked out the door, following Lily to where he knew she would be.

He slid beneath the rock face and looked at Lily. She turned away and he said nothing. They sat in silence for a while and Harry waited patiently for Lily to look at him. Eventually she did, and he spoke, though he didn't look at her. "It's nice out. Warm and dry."

"Am I not good enough?"

"It has nothing to do with that, you know it perfectly well."

"So why couldn't we discuss it?"

"Because it isn't your descision Lily. Your entire life it's been you and me, and you've always had free rein over everything we do, but I have decided to bring a new person into this family. And if Parvati and I decide to have another child, that will be our decision as well."

"You didn't even ask her when I wa there! You did nothing to let me know! Ron told me for god's sakes! RON!"

"Lily, I know it was unfair but-"

"Unfair?" She cried. "You call that unfair? You're cutting me out of your life dad! Well I can do that just as well as you can! I lived without you there all the time when I was little, well I can do it again, only this time I'M going to leave, and you'll have to wonder where I am. Or maybe you and your stupid wife won't even think of me! That's what you'd like isn't it? For me to be gone!"

Harry, who had been trying to keep calm lost it. "Lily Elisabeth Marie! You are being a miserable wretch! I spoiled you and spoiled you and now it's coming right back in my face."

"Ha! You never spoiled me," Lily taunted. "You were hardly ever there." And she turned and ran.

"LILY! GET BACK HERE NOW!" Harry roared after her, but she disappeared. "Godammit!" He said, kicking the rock wall behind him. "Jesus Christ."