Harry checked the GPS system in the console of his SUV as he slowed to take the off-ramp into the city of Greenfield and proceeded down a wide commercial boulevard.

"Almost there, mate." He reached over and nudged Albus awake. "Welcome to Greyswood."

Albus yawned and looked out of the window. When they'd arrived in the U.S., Harry and Albus had spent a day in New York City at Kingsley's apartment while Harry attended briefings at MACUSA headquarters and the International Confederation of Wizards. Then they set out on the long drive to their new home in America's Heartland.

They drove down a colorful boulevard lined with businesses—fast food restaurants, office blocks and commercial retailers before Harry turned again. This road was less populated, and only had two lanes. Albus was reminded a bit of the roads near his grandparents' home in Ottery St. Catchpole. Neat neighborhoods were obscured by tall hedges or masonry walls. A significant difference that he'd noticed as they'd traveled, was that most American homes were detached from one another, unlike the duplexes and terraced homes in Devon, or the townhomes like those on Grimmauld Place and even Prewett Lane, the upscale wizarding suburb where Hermione and Ron lived in the Minister's Residence.

Harry slowed and turned onto a drive that boasted and elaborate stone fountain surrounded by lush landscaping. Above the fountain was a large sign that read The Overlook at Greyswood Lake in backlit letters on a stone background. A tree-lined traffic island divided the road for several yards before it merged together again.

"Is this our neighborhood?" Albus asked.

"That it is, son. Keep a look out for Shoreline Road," Harry replied.

The tree lined road wound past handsome residences set back from the road, with curving driveways and lush landscaping. As they rounded a bend, two women riding along on horseback gave them a wave.

"Ah, here we are!" Harry announced, and turned onto Shoreline Road. The avenue began to slope somewhat, and after less than a minute, they pulled into a curving stone drive in front of a large craftsman style home.

"This is it?" Albus stared in wonder.

"This is it!" Harry proclaimed. "What do you think?"

Albus climbed out of the SUV and looked up at the expansive three-story house. The low-pitched gabled roof and windows were trimmed in dark brown, as were the tapered, square columns that supported the deep porch which wrapped around the side of the house. Shingled and tongue in groove siding was accented with hand-crafted stonework about the house's foundation. Its sprawling design made it appear much larger than the tall, narrow townhouse at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.

"May we go inside?" he asked.

"Sure. I'll start unloading our things while you select the room you want." Harry surreptitiously flicked his wand as he opened the back of the SUV. The front door swung open and Albus ran inside.

He found himself in a large foyer, and saw immediately that the house was fully furnished with a parlour to his right and a dining room on the left. The floors were hardwood, as was the wide stair that rose in front of him. He stood for a moment, pondering whether to explore the rest of the main floor, or move to the next level. Harry helped him with the decision when he entered, carrying Albus' pets, both of whom appeared extremely agitated after having been confined for such a long period.

"Haven't you gone up to select a room yet?" Harry urged. "I'm sure these two would like to stretch a bit."

"Oh, right." Albus took Gonçalo's cage, while Harry carried Fancy, following him up the stairs.

"That's the Master suite just there," Harry pointed to a set of double doors just off the landing at the top of the stairs. "And there's three more suites on this floor. Here," he pointed to a room across from the master. "There and there." He pointed in the opposite direction across a walkway that overlooked the stairs and branched in two directions at the other end.

Albus chose the last bedroom, which featured a bay window that looked out to the road. The room was outfitted with a modular bed system, featuring beadboard paneling in a rich, cherry finish. A large bed adjacent to the door boasted storage cubbies underneath, and an over-the-bed hutch was flanked by two tower bookshelves. There was a chiffonier with a full-length mirror on the front, and a large desk with a well-appointed storage hutch with matching paneling and finish. Beneath the window was a low-slung plush modular loveseat in grey corduroy. A textured wool rug pulled the room together. All of the bedding and window dressings were in neutral shades. Albus also noted the large walk-in closet, and en suite bath, which also opened into another corridor. He placed his ferret's cage on the desk, and Harry set up the owl's cage in a corner beside the window.

"You can change the décor any way you like," said Harry. "A simple color-change charm should do the trick." Albus grimaced, remembering the disaster he'd made of his last attempt at the spell.

"I think I'll leave things as they are for the moment," he said. "Is it alright if I look around?"

"Of course! Make yourself at home. I'm dying for a shower, and then I think I'll try to floo your Mum. After that we'll scare up a bite to eat, yeah?"

"Sure." Albus shrugged.

"Brilliant. Why don't you let Fancy out of her cage? She looks angrier than a nest of doxies." Harry gave him a wink and left him alone. Albus opened the raptor's cage, and held out his arm. Fancy hooted resentfully.

"Look, it's not my fault. Besides, you didn't like travelling by portkey all that much either," Albus apologized. He went to the window and pushed it open. "This is a new place, so be careful out there." The owl hooted again before taking off.

Albus set off to explore the rest of the house, peering into the other bedrooms, where he assumed his sister and brother would take residence when they came on holiday. There was a large room just beyond his own, which was comfortably furnished much like the common rooms at Hogwarts, with grouped seating that facilitated conversation, and gaming tables, including a billiard table. A narrow stair led to yet another large room with a hearth and a wet bar. He took a back staircase that landed in a small vestibule just outside of a large, well-appointed kitchen. Albus curiously examined the gleaming stove and electric appliances. Though he'd seen them in movies and in advertisements, he'd never actually experienced one up close.

When he'd visited the Thomases' home, Albus couldn't recall ever entering their kitchen. Besides, Mrs. Thomas—being a witch—used magic for most of her entertaining needs. He wandered on past a dining nook and what he supposed was a drawing room—this house had a lot of common areas—to a set of double doors. Albus let out a sigh of wonder when he pulled them open.

"A cinema!" he exclaimed. "Merlin's beard!" He ran into the room and sank into one of the comfortable seats, gazing at the large blank screen beneath an architectural arch. "I wonder how it works!"

Albus fished inside his pocket and pulled out the silver compact mirror, opening it up. He saw only the interior of the other mirror compact, and sighed. Albus and Scorpius had only had one conversation since his arrival in the United States. He recalled at the time Scorpius mentioned that he and his father were going abroad again. Perhaps they were travelling at that very moment. He tucked the mirror back into his pocket, wanting to keep it close in case the other wizard tried to contact him. He left the theatre and wandered out to the porch at the back of the house.

"Yesss!" Albus exclaimed, seeing the stone patio and swimming pool in the garden. He walked out to the low stone wall on the far end of the patio and saw that the property sloped downward in a series of terraced gardens with a winding path that led down to the shore of a large lake. He was immediately reminded of his first arrival at Hogwarts, as he gazed out across the large body of water. A girl in a skimpy bathing suit waved from a gleaming wood runabout, driven by a boy who appeared to be close to his age, as it zipped past. He hesitantly waved back.

Harry raked his fingers through his still damp hair as he waited patiently for Ginny's head to appear. Though international floo calls tended to take a bit longer to connect, he'd been waiting for over two minutes for her to respond. He'd already tried her office at The Prophet, and was told that she had called out for the day. After she'd stormed out when he'd initially informed the family about the assignment, Harry had attempted to reason with Ginny and persuade her to join him in America. She'd steadfastly refused. Tensions did not improve when she learned that Albus had chosen to join him rather than return to Hogwarts, and she accused Harry of attempting to turn the children against her and take them away. They'd not spoken since he and Albus had departed, except a brief floo in which she only acknowledged that they'd arrived safely before ending the connection.

After another minute passed, Harry quickly scribbled a message, giving the new address and floo connection, and asking her to please call as soon as she could. He passed it through with a pair of tongs and got to his feet with a sigh. He went to the window and looked out over the sloping gardens towards the water below. He saw Albus waving to someone on the water.

"Maybe he'll finally make some friends," Harry thought to himself.

The doorbell rang, and he had to stop himself from apparating down to the foyer, instead taking the stairs at a trot.

"Hello!" Harry opened the door to a smiling couple who looked as if they'd stepped out of an upscale outdoor clothing catalogue. The man wore a madras plaid button-down shirt and khaki colored cargo shorts with boat shoes, while the woman wore a nautical striped crew-neck blouse and white shorts with shoes that matched her husbands. She held a plastic travel cake carrier.

"Erm, hello?" Harry smiled curiously.

"We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood!" the woman smiled.

"Oh, right! Erm, come in!" Harry pulled the door wide and stepped back.

"Dad!" Albus called as he entered from the porch. He noticed the couple in the foyer. "Oh, erm..."

"This is my son, Albus," Harry gestured to him as he closed the door. "Albus this is—erm—"

"Tarquin!" said the man. "I'm Tarquin."

"And I'm Harlowe!" said the woman.

"We're the Cains!" the proclaimed together. Harry and Albus were slightly startled by their enthusiasm.

"Oh, uh. Forgive me. I'm Harry. Harry Potter." They shook hands all around.

"Oh, my word! I just love your accents!" Harlowe Cain gushed as Harry led them into the great room off the kitchen.

"Oh, erm…thanks." Harry blushed. Albus rolled his eyes.

"Harlowe's a huge Anglophile," explained Tarquin. "I think that's why she married me!" he chuckled.

"Doesn't Tarquin sound positively English!?" she giggled.

"Actually, Tarquin was believed to be the seventh and last Etruscan king of Rome. He was expelled for his cruelty," Albus interjected. He took the container from her.

"Well, aren't you just the book of knowledge!" Harlowe grinned. "We brought muffins! I hope that's okay. They're blueberry. The ones with the white paper cake cups are sugar-free and gluten-free…just in case!"

Albus and Harry exchanged a look as the adults sat. He placed the dish on the island, and hung back.

"So, is your wife at home?" asked Harlowe.

"Honey!" Tarquin chided. "Maybe give them an opportunity to speak."

"Oops! You're right. I can be such a chatty Cathy!"

"Ah, it's—it's fine. Really. Actually, my wife stayed behind in England. Her job…" Harry grimaced. "Our other two children are also there. Albus was the only one who was keen for a new adventure. The others will join us at holiday, I'm sure." He smiled with more confidence than he felt.

"Oh!" Harlowe cooed sympathetically. "That must be difficult!"

"Guess you're pretty happy to have the old man to yourself, though. Right tiger?" Tarquin suggested. "You two must be pretty close. Oldest? Youngest?"

"Middle, actually," Albus replied.

"James, our oldest, is seventeen. Lily, our girl is thirteen."

"So, I guess that makes you…about fifteen?" Tarquin guessed. "Same age as our Bella."

"Will you be going to Lakeside Prep?" asked Harlowe. "It is simply the school to be in, if you've even a hope of getting into one of the Ivies."

"But of course this young man is probably planning to return home for college—"

"University," said Albus.

"Right, Right. Oxford? Cambridge?"

"I haven't quite decided," said Albus. "May I be excused, Dad?"

"Sure. Go on, mate."

Albus dashed up the stairs to his bedroom and dug the vibrating compact out of his pocket. He closed the door and leaned against it, sliding to the floor as he opened the compact and let out a sigh when he saw Scorpius' smiling face.

"So, what's it like?" Scorpius asked. Albus heard a piano in the background.

"It's really pretty," Albus replied. "We've only been here about an hour or so. The house is big. It's spread out, so it's hard to tell whether it's actually bigger than Number Twelve. i think it might be. There's a swimming pool and you won't believe—a cinema! Right inside our house!"

"Really! That's brilliant!"

"I can't wait to find out how it all works! The only down side is that my bedroom doesn't have a fireplace." Albus frowned. "There's only four, and all of them, except the one in mum and dad's room are in common areas—no privacy."

"Good thing we have the mirrors then." Scorpius gave a half smile.

"Are you still in Italy?" Albus asked.

"No. We're back at Malfoy Manor. Father has taken me up on my challenge to learn more about muggle culture and life."

"Merlin! Really?"

"He discovered some old family diaries and letters in the library archives, and it appears that some earlier Malfoys weren't quite as intolerant of muggles as Grandfather might have led us to believe." Scorpius arched a brow. Albus gasped in surprise.

"What did he find?"

Scorpius looked over his shoulder before he held the mirror closer and lowered his voice.

"Well, it seems that Lucius Malfoy, the first, was in regular correspondence with the lovely young Queen Elizabeth!" he raised a brow. Albus gasped again. "Their letters are quite the read! He also had numerous conclaves with the likes of Sir Francis Bacon and William Cecil."

"Wow!"

"And despite his assertions that wizards and witches who consorted with muggles lacked intelligence and magical ability, Brutus Malfoy seemed to have no compunction about hosting performances by Jean-Baptiste Lully. He even had the organ installed in the drawing room at the Manor for a recital by Dieterich Buxtehude. Septimus Malfoy engaged Felix Mendelssohn to play the very same organ for the wedding of his daughter, Mathilda.

"Septimus Malfoy, patron of muggle arts!" Albus laughed. Scorpius grinned.

Ever since he found that out, Father has been immersed in research. He's even asked me to take him to the London Library!" Scorpius laughed. "I'd never even been there myself! We stayed for hours! It really is an interesting place. Did you know, that a muggle named…ermmm…oh, yes—Bram Stoker wrote an entire novel about a vampire named Dracula? The library even has several copies of the books he used for research. Apparently they found them about three years ago. Albus!" Scorpius lowered his voice to a whisper. "Some of them were written by wizards!"

"Merlin! How do you know?"

"I recognized some of the names, and I've seen one or two of the books in the library here at the Manor." The music in the background stopped, and a moment later, Albus heard a loud crack. Scorpius looked away.

"Master Scorpius. Master Draco would like to see you," said a small squeaky voice, that Albus assumed was a house elf.

"Alright, Mimi." Scorpius turned back to the mirror. "I've got to go. We're meant to be going abroad again soon, but Father insists that it be a surprise. I'll let you know as soon as I get there."

"Alright then. See you soon. Albus kissed his fingers and touched them to Scorpius image. Scorpius did the same."

He sat for a moment smiling to himself before tucking the mirror compact into his pocket once more, and heading back downstairs in the hopes that the far too exuberant and somewhat nosy neighbors had departed. He found them in the foyer with his father.

"Now, every year we host a Labor Day barbecue with some of the neighbors. You simply have to come!" Harlowe insisted. "It's nothing fancy. Tarquin tosses a few brats, some hot dogs and burgers on the grill. There's plenty of drinks, and it's a great opportunity to meet everyone!"

"A few of the more acceptable families from across the lake come by boat," added Tarquin. Harry raised a brow at his use of the term 'acceptable'. "The kids like to swim, or play tennis. Do you play tennis, Albus?" he asked, noticing the boy on the stairs. Albus shrugged noncommittally.

"And you can meet our Bella!" Harlowe suggested. "I'm sure she'd love to introduce you to the other kids."

"Well, erm. Thanks for the invite," said Harry, opening the door.

"Oh, absolutely! We're just around the bend!" Tarquin smiled. "Two-two-three-seven."

"Right."

"Or pier nineteen, if you decide to come by boat," he added, following his wife out onto the porch.

"Got it. Thanks—and thanks for the muffins."

"Enjoy! Welcome to Greyswood Lake!" They called with a wave.

Harry closed the door and watched the couple climb into their Porsche Cayenne, before he turned to his son with arched brows.

"Merlin's balls!" he breathed.

"No kidding!" Albus agreed. "I hope all Americans aren't like that!"

"I doubt it," said Harry. They made their way back to the kitchen where they attacked the platter of muffins.

"Ugh!" Albus pulled a face and summoned a napkin, wiping his tongue. "What the hell?"

"Guess that must be the gluten free," replied Harry, choking down his own with a grimace.

"Good god!" Why?" Albus complained.

"I think these are the regular ones." Harry took a muffin from the other side.

"You really wanna risk it?" Albus asked.

"I will, if you will." Harry broke a muffin in half, handing one half to his son. "Together."

They simultaneously took tentative bites. Harry pulled an expression of delight, and Albus smiled.

"That's quite tasty!" he declared.

"I was just about to beg you not to make us go to their gathering."

Harry chuckled and went to the refrigerator, examining the contents.

"Fortunately we've magic on our side, if necessary. Now, how about a proper meal? Man doesn't live by bread alone." He levitated several ingredients from the refrigerator to the countertop. "See if you can't find a pan, yeah?"

"Erm, Dad, are you sure it's safe to use the appliances?" Albus asked, opening a cabinet. It was filled with glasses. He moved to one closer to the stove.

"It'll be fine. The electronics have all been charmed to protect against the magical energy that is expended by spell-casting or accidental magic."

"Oh." Albus found the cabinet containing the baking pans. "Which one?" he asked. Harry pointed to a medium-sized casserole.

"Grab one of those bowls too, yeah?" Harry said. "Would you like to help me cook?" he asked.

"Are you sure?" Albus asked, looking over the food with apprehension.

"Why not? I've been cooking for as long as I could reach the stovetop."

"Okay, well what do I do?"

"Start by cracking a couple of eggs into the bowl."

Harry showed Albus how to operate the stove and the oven, and the pair worked together to make a traditional toad-in-the-hole and joined one another at the table.

"Looks pretty good," Harry observed, serving their plates. "Tuck in."

"Only one way to find out," Albus shrugged, plunging his fork into the fluffy Yorkshire pudding. He hesitantly took a bite.

"Not bad, Al. Cooking may very well be your thing." Harry smiled. He lifted his glass in a toast. "To new experiences."

"Cheers." Albus lifted his glass.

They enjoyed their meal in companionable silence for a few minutes before Albus spoke up.

"Erm…Dad, c-can—may I ask you—"

"What is it, Al?" Harry asked. He set his silverware aside and gave his son his full attention.

"W-well, erm…Mum...she isn't going to come, is she?" he asked.

"No, son. Not right now."

"Dad…" Albus sighed. "I didn't mean to—"

"Oh, Al. It's not your fault—"

"N-no, Dad, that's not what I—I heard you and Mum that night." Albus took a breath and plunged ahead. "You said you saw her with another—with Gordon Horton. She's not ever coming. You guys are splitting up." He gave Harry a guarded look. Harry sighed and took a sip of his beer before he spoke.

"I don't know, Albus. I won't lie to you though. What you heard was true; probably even some of the things that your mother said about me too. I do tend to forget about the little things when the greater good is at stake. It's regrettable. I should have given more time and attention to your mother, and to you and your siblings. What I want most in the world is for all of you to have a better life than I ever had. I know that sounds cliché, but I want you to have things, and I want you to live in a world of peace. Instead I gave you an impossible legacy to live up to, and I apologize for that, son. As for your mum. That's something that he and I will have to work through on our own. Perhaps we can come to an understanding—perhaps not. Just know that no matter what happens, we both love you very much, yeah?"

"Alright." Albus nodded.

Harry studied the boy sitting across from him pushing the remains of his meal around with his fork. Suddenly, he saw another tense fifteen-year-old who felt all alone in the world, overwhelmed with pent up frustration, and feeling like no one would ever understand what he was going through.

"Albus."

"Yeah, Dad?" He looked up.

"I hope you know that you can talk to me about anything." He looked into the green eyes that mirrored his own.

"Sure, Dad." Albus gave an uncomfortable smile, and looked away. "This house is brilliant!"

"It's amazing isn't it? Did you see the cinema?"

"Yeah! Can we really watch movies there?"

"Well, it's designed for cinematic viewing of DVDs and television and the like."

"Oh. Well, it's still awesome!"

"It is." Harry chuckled. "So, erm…I suppose it's time to discuss your education. You can't sit around here all day, you know."

"I know." Albus replied flatly. "I…kind of don't really want to go to Ilvermorny."

"You don't?"

"It'll just be like Hogwarts all over again, just with American kids instead," Albus complained.

"Albus, you'll never be able to master your magic if you allow yourself to be intimidated," said Harry. "I hadn't given it much thought, but looking back, you remind me much of your godfather when we were your age."

"Professor Longbottom?"

"I'm sure you read about how Neville's parents were tortured to insanity by Bellatrix LeStrange and her husband. They thought that his mum and dad knew where to find your grandparents and me. The Longbottoms were talented and well-respected Aurors. His grandmother even gave him his father's wand to take to Hogwarts. Neville was nervous and often worried that he couldn't live up to his parents' greatness. It didn't help that Draco Malfoy and his gang made him the target of their maliciousness for more than a year."

"But Uncle Neville is a powerful wizard! He used to be an Auror!"

"He is now, yes. He was then too, but he didn't know it. He had to find it within him to stand up for what was right. When the Death Eaters took over the school, he and your mum rebelled against their authority with the other members of the D.A., and protected the younger students from the Carrows. I was never more impressed with him than the moment he stood up to Riddle himself, when everyone thought I was dead, and pulled the Sword of Gryffindor from the sorting hat. I don't know where he summoned that courage, but he did. You have to do the same for yourself, Al. I know you have it in you. I don't want you to be me. I want you to be Albus Severus Potter."

"I don't know who that is." Albus stared at the tabletop.

"That's for you to discover, son." Harry gave him a pointed look.

"Do you think I might discover it at a muggle school?" Albus asked. Harry was taken aback.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I don't know. I did alright at Rotherfield, yeah?"

"That you did, Al, but what about your magical education?" Harry pointed out.

"Well—I mean—couldn't you teach me? Everyone says you're better than a dab hand at teaching defense, and—you are Harry Potter after all." Albus sighed. "I just—can't we give it a try?"

It looks like Harry and Albus may be on the road to building a proper father-son relationship. What about Scorpius and Draco? Will Ginny ever decide to reconcile with Harry? Stay tuned to find out what happens when Al meets Bella... (Sorry about all of the updates for those of you who are following. I've noticed numerous spelling errors and a few that are messing up plot continuity, so I'm fixing them as I work on the next chapter. Stay tuned. Things are beginning to get a bit interesting)