Harry Potter stepped out the fireplace, brushing ash off his shoulders. Traveling via Floo powder had become even more uncomfortable, a feat he had previously thought impossible. He'd grown taller since leaving school and he bumped his head on the mantel.

Suddenly, something wrapped around his knees, nearly knocking him over. He looked down, bemused, into the face of his younger son, Albus. "Mummy, Daddy's home!" cried a slightly older boy as he hurtled down the stairs to his father. James had Harry's dark hair, but his eyes were his mother's; only Albus had inherited Harry's emerald green eyes. Only Albus and … he pushed the strange red-haired girl out of his mind.

"Hello, Albus. What have you been up to?"

The little boy's face was smeared with jam and he spoke in mid-chew. "Nuffin," he said. "We wah havin wunch."

"And we eat lunch at the table, Albus." At the sound of her voice, Harry looked up. Standing in the doorway, balancing Lily on her hip, was Ginny. Even in jeans and an old blouse, he thought she looked beautiful. "Go finish your sandwich and then you can bother your daddy. James-"

"I've already finished, Mum, and Dad said he take me to visit Uncle Ron when he got back!" the boy whined. "He was going to tell me all about the wizard from Edinburgh with the cursed dragon eggs."

Ginny looked at her husband for confirmation. Harry shifted uncomfortably. "Well … I was going to, James, but something's come up. Why don't you go and play outside with your brother; I need to talk to your mum alone."

"You heard your father, boys. Go on."

"Come on, Albus," said James grumpily, detaching his younger brother from Harry's legs and half-dragging him out the door. "We're not wanted here."

"He has your moods, you know," said Ginny as she watched them leave. "Wants to be included in everything. What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked, gathering plates from the table with a flick of her wand.

"I was at Hogwarts today, spoke to a class of first years." Harry hesitated, unsure of where to begin.

"Oh, did you say hello to Teddy? I admit, I miss him coming round for dinner. I keep setting an extra place for him." The plates were now washing and rinsing themselves as Ginny focused her attention on the crumb-covered rug. Harry had always admired her skill with a wand, but right now he hardly noticed. "How is he doing? Still have that blue hair?"

"He's good. And yes. Lucky the teachers like him or he'd be told to change it. He's made a few friends, I think. I met one and she seemed like a nice enough girl. Gryffindor as well."

"Hah, it would be a girl. Little Teddy, with a girlfriend already." Harry didn't join in his wife's laughter. "Harry, what's the matter? Did something happen at the school?"

Harry didn't reply. He had taken Lily and she was sitting in his lap, playing with an old doll. Lily's hair was going to be as red as her mother's, and she had Ginny's warm brown eyes. "This girl," he said finally. "There was something about her."

"What do you mean? She looked familiar?"

"In a way."

"Maybe you know her family from the Ministry, or from your days at school. You've met a lot of people, Harry; it's probably just some sort of coincidence."

"You didn't see her," he replied. "She looked like … like …"

"Like who, dear?"

"Like you."

Ginny was facing away from him. When she spoke, her tone was light and carefree, but he noticed that her shoulders remained tense. "Well, isn't that curious! Another redhead, I presume?"

"Yeah, but that's not it. She looked just like you, Ginny."

"Well, isn't that just the strangest thing." There was a slightly panicked tone in her voice. "What's the girl's name?"

"Marietta Spiro, or something Italian like that. Of course, she couldn't look less Italian. Her parents are Muggles, but she told me she was adopted. Never knew her real parents, but 'a witch from the Ministry' said she was likely half-blood at least."

"Not Hermione?"

"I can't imagine who else."

"How old is she then?"

"Eleven, almost twelve. Just a little older than Teddy."

"Ah."

"Ginny, you have to tell me," Harry urged. "Do you know something about this girl? Anything? Please, I have to know. Tell me the truth."

She turned to face him and he was startled to see tears glistening on her face. "Harry … please don't be mad," she said quietly. "It was a long time ago and I was so, so young."