A/N - Hey everyone! I'm sorry I'm taking so long this time…! I've been super busy what with getting ready to move back up to school and moving into my apartment! Good news is, when I'm in school I tend to find more time to write so the end of the story will be quicker…at least I hope so!

"Hey," Ron said as Hermione and Harry appeared through the fireplace upon returning home. "How'd it go?"

Hermione gave Ron an exasperated look and she dusted herself off. "We didn't get to see him. After talking to pretty much everyone in the entire building we come to find out that he wasn't even in his office today."

"That's no good," Liz said as Harry looked over to the group. Ron, Liz, and James were all playing a game of chess.

"You're telling me," Harry said. "However, his secretary seemed very interested in talking to us. Said he would be too, and that he'll be contacting us."

"Wouldn't doubt it," James said not taking his eyes off the chess board.

"So how are things around here?" Hermione asked checking the clock on the wall. "My, we were gone for ages. It's almost supper time."

"Ginny called," Ron said. "Said she can't make it tonight for dinner. Had to go to the hospital for Thomas."

"What?!" Hermione asked worried.

"Nothing serious," Liz said. "Just spilt his knee open. He apparently didn't even want to go to the hospital because it would cause him to miss his favorite television program."

"Go figure," James said still not looking up.

"You two make up?" Hermione said sitting down next to Liz.

"Do we ever not?" James said grinning a little while Liz rolled her eyes.

"Good to hear," Hermione said. "Tell you what, why don't we get some take out food? I'm really too tired to cook."

"Sounds good to me," Ron said cheerfully. "I'll apparate down to Bilby's and get something. Bilby's sound good?"

"Yes!" James and Liz said excitedly.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Italian," Hermione said. "Bilby is Mr. Bilbinio, an aged Italian wizard with a talent for baked ziti."

"Ok then," Ron said. "I'll go, and be back in about five minutes. Everyone get ready and cleaned up."

"Sounds good," Hermione said. "Liz will you set the table? I'll go get the boys."

"Ok," Liz said standing up and walking into the kitchen, while Ron and Hermione both went their separate ways leaving Harry and James.

"So," Harry said sitting down. "Busy day?"

"Nope," James said. "Just played with the rug rats and talked things over with Liz. Not as exciting as yours I'm sure."

"Your day sounds better," Harry said as Ron suddenly reappeared in the room with food in his hands.

"That was quick," James said.

"No line," Ron said smirking as Liz finished setting the table.

"Yum," Hermione said coming back into the room. "Smells good."

"Yeah it does," one of the twins said as he ran up to the table. "I'm so hungry I could eat a hippogriff!"

"You probably would," the other twin said gloomily. "I don't like Bilby's…"

"Too bad, Con," Ron said looking at his son. "This is what you're getting."

"I can't eat this," Conner said looking at the plate of lasagna that sat in front of him. "It has meat in it."

"So?" Liz said.

"I'm a vegimitarian," Conner said.

"It's vegetarian," James said smiling at Conner. "And since when? You ate all that bacon this morning."

Conner was silenced for a moment as he watched Aiden stuffing his face. "That was this morning. I've seen the error of my ways and realized that eating meat is bad."

"Riiiight," Ron said skeptically. "Eat the spaghetti then."

"I can't," Connor continued.

"Why not now?" Liz asked. "Are you against eating noodles too…?"

"Ummm…" Conner said searching his brain for something to say. "I believe that those noodles were made under unfair working conditions…"

"Oh stuff it," Aiden said. "You just like to whine."

"Do not!" Conner said defensively.

"Boys," Hermione said rubbing her temples. "I've got a headache, can we please just have a peaceful dinner?"

"He started it," Conner said picking up a piece of bread and chewing on a corner.

"Watch it," Aiden said. "The wheat in the bread was picked under unfair working conditions…"

"Aiden…!" Ron was beginning to say before he was suddenly interrupted by a sudden tapping on the window.

"It's an owl!" Liz said jumping up and running over to it.

"Is it from the Ministry?" Hermione asked excitedly.

Liz took the letter and read the cover. "No, but it's for James."

James looked up at Liz and then around the table. "I wonder who it's from?"

"Well open it," Hermione said.

James took the letter and quickly read the front before turning it over. "It's from Hogwarts. See the seal?"

"Oh," Hermione said a bit disappointed. "Well, what's it say?"

"Dear Mr. Potter," James began to say. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to be…" he paused. "Head Boy."

"Oh James!" Hermione said excitedly. "That's wonderful!"

"Yeah," Harry said. "Congratulations!"

"Good job, James," Ron said smirking at Hermione. "We've got ourselves another one."

"Well," James said shrugging. "It's not too big a surprise I suppose. I didn't have any competition really."

"Oh don't undermine it James," Hermione said beaming. "It really is quite an honor."

James just smiled and shrugged as he glanced over to Liz, who was slowly moving a piece of spaghetti around her plate. "So Liz?"

"So what?" she said quietly.

"So…." James said. "You've been saying I'd get this for…who knows how long! Now that I've gotten it you're not going to say anything?"

"Good job," she said quietly without looking up.

"Is something the matter, Liz?" Hermione asked.

"No," Liz said. "I've just lost my appetite. May I be excused?"

"I suppose," Hermione said looking at her daughter skeptically. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Fine," Liz said as she stood up and walked out of the room.

"What was that?" Ron asked.

"Maybe she's upset she didn't get a letter too," Conner said as he picked up another piece of bread.

"That's not it," James said. "I mean she'll get hers. It probably just hasn't arrived yet."

"Why would they send the Head Boy's letter, but not the Head Girl's?" Aiden asked.

"Oh dear," Hermione said. "Maybe the owl got lost?"

"It better have!" James said aggravated. "There is absolutely no way that I'm going to be Head Boy while Regina Boot is Head Girl! No way! Absolutely not!"

"Well," Ron said looking at Hermione. "Why don't you owl Professor McGonagall and ask? I mean you were going to anyway to see if they had a way to get Harry back to his own time."

"Yes," Hermione said. "I think I will…this isn't good. Being Head Girl is all Liz ever wanted…"

"It's not that big a deal," James said.

"Don't tell her that," Hermione said turning quickly to James. "That's all she needs right now. For you to have gotten what she wanted and you not even care that you did."

"Should I go talk to her?" James asked.

"Finish your dinner," Ron said. "She'll be fine right now. She doesn't go jumping out of windows when she's upset…"

***********************

Later that night, Harry and Ron were deeply involved in a game of chess. Harry thought that perhaps he had a chance now that Ron was older and had more important things to worry about other than chess. He was wrong.

"Checkmate," Ron said.

"That's the eight times in a row dad!" Aiden said excitedly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Harry said as Hermione suddenly came down the stairs.

"How is she?" Ron asked.

"Taking it hard," Hermione said. "It was hard to tell her that she was three tenths of point away from being Head Girl…"

"It must be rough for her," Harry said. "I mean I can only imagine it would be the same as if you hadn't gotten it."

"She's just in her room moping…" Hermione said. "I wish I could do something."

"Hmmm…." Harry said standing up. "I'm going to go and talk to her."

"Good luck," Hermione said. "I'm going to apparate over to Ginny and Neville's and see how they're doing. You ok here with everyone else, Ron?"

"Always the babysitter," Ron said smiling.

"Just because you're that good," Hermione said smiling as she kissed him.

"Ewwww…" Aiden and Conner said in unison, while Harry made a face.

"Them I expect," Hermione said, "but Harry, you?"

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that!" Harry said grinning a little as he headed up the stairs and over to Liz's door.

"Liz?" Harry asked as he knocked on the door. "It's Harry. Can I come in." There was no reply.

"Liz?" Harry asked as he turned the knob slowly and peaked in. She was sound asleep. He smiled a little and shut the door. He started walking when he noticed James's door open a crack. He knocked.

"Come in," James's voice said. He was sprawled out on his bed reading the newest edition of Quidditch Through the Ages.

"Hey," Harry said.

"Hi," James said with a look of surprise. "You need something?"

"Not really," Harry said stepping in. "Just thought I'd come say hi."

"Oh," James said sitting up. "Ok I suppose."

"You mind?" Harry asked as he pointed to a nearby chair.

James shook his head. "Not at all. Have a seat."

"Quite a lot of Quidditch stuff you've got in here," Harry said looking around the room.

"Yeah," James said smiling a little. "You can almost say I'm obsessed."

"Almost," Harry said smirking. "You know you're not too different from me. I think if I wasn't your father at the age of sixteen we would have been great friends."

James laughed. "Yeah probably. Everyone tells me that I remind them of you. Even before you went and disappeared."

Harry stared out the window. "Was I a good dad? I mean before all this disappearing crap…"

James stared at Harry. "Yeah, I mean…" He paused. "Yeah you were."

"No, what?" Harry asked. "I'm curious. I mean we all want to be good parents, and you don't get a chance to ask very often."

"You were great," James said softly. "I mean we used to spend a lot of time together. There was this one time, the first time you put me on a broomstick. I fell off and broke my arm. I was terrified to have another go at it." He paused and looked up at Harry. "But you made me get back on it the first chance I had. Now look at me!"

Harry laughed.

"You always let me know you cared." James continued. "You said that the one thing you had missed out on in life was the love of a parent. Since mum had died you were going to double that so that I wouldn't ever feel a moment of lost love."

Harry smiled and then stopped. "Guess I screwed that up…"

"The day you went missing…" James said. "I didn't know what to do. I mean when mum died, I was too little to suffer grief. I don't remember any of it. With you gone, it was like my entire world had just come crashing down. I felt like it was over. Ron and Hermione helped a lot. I don't know what I would have done without them. Hermione taught me to focus some of my energy on school. I had 'potential,' as she puts it. Ron helped me focus my energy on Quidditch. Instead of moping and hating the world, they taught me to take out my aggressions in other ways. They've been amazing."

"They are amazing," Harry said. "I really can't imagine what I would have done without them either." He got quiet. "What do you know about your mum?"

"Just what you used to tell me," James said. "I've only ever seen one picture of her. We met one of her best friends from her childhood one day while in Paris. She had heard Harry Potter was coming and I suppose mum must of said something about you when she was alive. So she decided to seek you out. She had a picture of her from when she was about 20. Dad…I mean you…stared crying when you saw it."

"It was the only picture?" Harry asked shocked.

"You two had met in the forests of Calcaid." James continued. "Very rustic surroundings. Even if you did have cameras, the Great Fire would have destroyed everything…"

"What about your grandparents?" Harry asked.

"Dead," James said. "Died when she was seven. One of the many things you two had in common."

"Wow," Harry said.

"She was Parisian," James continued. "Went to Beauxbatons. From her picture she had jet black hair and blue eyes. She was beautiful."

"Do you still have the picture?" Harry asked.

"Dad does…did…I don't know," James said. "Always carried it around in his wallet."

"It's a little weird to hear about the person you inevitably fall in love with," Harry said grinning a little. "What was her name?"

"Collette," James said. "Collette Ronan. That's why my middle name is Ronan."

"James Ronan Potter," Harry said.

"Yeah," James said smiling a little. "I wish I would have gotten to know her. She died eleven days after I was born."

"Wow…" Harry said solemnly

"Apparently it was love at first sight," James said grinning. "That's why I believe in that sort of thing. You always told me too."

"So that's why you think this Anne girl and you might be it?" Harry asked.

"Hey," James said standing up and stretching. "A boy can hope."

"Too true," Harry said as he stared at James. He was thoroughly enjoying this conversation. It seemed to be the first real connection that he and James were having. It made him think that this entire trip was worth it.

"Harry?" came a voice from outside. It was Hermione.

"In here," Harry said as Hermione opened the door. "What's up?"

She walked over and handed Harry a piece of paper. "Look," she said.

Harry took the paper and realized that it was a letter. "What's this?"

"Read it aloud," Hermione said.

"Dear James Potter," Harry began. "I was informed of your interest in speaking to me. I must admit that I too am interested in speaking to you. You're appointment to see me has been bumped up to tomorrow. Anytime after noon. Just inform any ministry employee of your identity and you will receive immediate priority. Hope to see you soon…Sincerely, Draco Malfoy."

"Tomorrow afternoon," Hermione said.

"Tomorrow afternoon it is then," Harry said grinning. "He's taken the bait…"