I don't own Harry Potter.

Harry could hear his daughters sobbing from outside her room. He knocked gently and it stopped.

"Who is it?"

"Sweetie its me can I come in?"
He could practically hear her deliberating in her head.

"All right then."

As he walked in she straightened herself up and smoothed out the sheets on her bed.

"I'm so sorry dad. I know you don't like him but...but he's my friend and he has it hard enough as it is without you stopping me writing so please don't."

He sat on the edge of the bed.

"Lilian Luna Potter I am not going to make you do that. What do you mean he has it hard enough anyway?"

Lily almost smiled.

"You are so nosy dad. Imagine it. The son of a death eater (Harry winced) going to a school where everyone hates anything to do with Voldemort and having to listen to the mutters about his family. That's not him dad its his dad and he has to spend his whole life making people realise that."

Harry was silent. He sat taking in the most complicated speech his eleven year old daughter had ever made and hoping that she hadn't noticed the extendible ear poking through the floorboards.

"Lily I'm not trying to stop you and Scorpius being friends. Just promise me that if he ever upsets you in any way you will tell someone. Even if it is James."

Lily muttered tosser. Harry ignored this.

"Now I'm going to go downstairs okay? Come down whenever you are ready sweet heart."

Lily nodded and hugged her father. He left quietly as she sat at her desk and began to write.

Harry walked in to see James and Albus standing on a chair attempting to get the extendible ear out of a knot in the floorboard.

"James go to your room. Al why don't you and the others go and play?"

James nodded and headed up silently. Albus left with the other children.

"Retracto."

The ear came out of the board.

Ron was at at the table reading the paper.

"I'll bet he's in it for the headlines."

It took Harry a moment to register what Ron had meant.

"Ron she's sure he's harmless. What do you mean the headlines?"

Ron looked at Harry as if he were missing something very obvious.

"Harry don't you see? The only daughter of Harry Potter friends with the son of a death eater. The Daily Prophet would have a field day."

Hermione nodded.

"I'm just worried that history will repeat itself."

Harry sat down. Ginny walked over to him.

"What do you mean love?"

"Well my mum was friends with a Slytherin. Seemed safe to her at the time. He fell in love with her Ginny. Then he turned bad and told someone something that lead to her death. I don't want that happening to Lily."
Ginny wrapped her arms around him. Ron and Hermione looked at him sympathetically.

"It won't Harry it won't."

*~*~*

Lily sat at her desk. The parchment was blank despite the small mountain of letters she had written and thrown away. She tried again.

Dear Scorpius.

I miss you too. I feel so alone and now something has happened that made me feel even worse. James read the letter you sent to my family. My dad is taking it surprisingly well but I'm not sure how long that is going to last. Not much ever happens here in Godrics Hollow. I may help grandma de-gnome the garden. My life is so thrilling huh?

Please reply.

Lily.

She tied it to the leg of her owl before sending it out of the window. She was debating whether to go downstairs or stay in her room when she heard a knock at her door. Note to self she thought grimly having your own room only means more interruptions. She opened it to reveal a very sheepish looking James.

"Dad sent you didn't he?"

James nodded.

"Well say it then and I'll pretend to believe it."

James looked at her. He looked almost....sorry? Blimey.

"I'm really sorry Lil' its just...well he's a Slytherin and I'm a Griffindor....."

"And I'm a virgo! It doesn't matter James! Aunty Luna was in Ravenclaw!"

James looked at her for a moment.

"I suppose you're right. It's just I don't want you being hurt you know?"

She smiled.

"It's okay James. I forgive you."

"Well that's good because otherwise I would be in big trouble."

"What did he confiscate?"

"My quidditch card collection."

"Not good. He can have them back dad!"

James grinned and ran away down the hall. Lily had never felt so tired.