"So what do we do now?" Albus asked, putting his hand on Sophie's back. She tensed up under him and he felt his heart sink a little.

"I'm done Al," she said tiredly. "I'm done with this family."

"Sophie-" he started.
"No I'm really done," she said. "I'm twenty-seven and I can start again. Far away from all of you."

"Start again with me," he said recklessly. "Come on Soph. We could be happy. You know we could."

"I don't think so Al," she said, turning around to face him. "And you'll thank me for walking away. Maybe not today but you will. Do you really think James will ever forgive you with me still in the picture?"

"I don't care," Albus said firmly. "I really don't. I love you. You know that."

"You do have a knack for this sort of thing don't you," Sophie sighed. "First your boss, now your brother's wife."

"And you love me too," Albus persisted. "It could be so easy. Just stay."

"James and I still have the flat in New York," she said. "I'm sure he'll be more than happy to let me have it. It'll get me out of his hair and he can move on with that Longbottom girl. And I'll start over. I like New York. I like it better than London. This won't be a hardship for me Al."

"And what about me?" he asked, traces of anger coming through in his voice. "This has to mean something Sophie."

"This?" Sophie asked incredulously. "You want this to mean something? Why?"

"Because I did a bad thing," Albus cried. "I did an awful thing and if this doesn't mean anything I would've done an awful thing for no reason."

"Oh Albus," Sophie said, gently placing a hand on his cheek. "It meant something. It did. I do love you. And that's why I'm going to let you go. For once in my life I'm going to do the right thing."

"I don't want you to go," he said, but he sounded defeated and Sophie knew she had won her point.

"I know," she said as he put one of his hands over hers.

"When are you going to leave?" he asked.

"I'll sort it out with James," she said. "We should get an easy divorce. Merlin knows there are grounds aplenty."

"Are you going to wait till Scorpius is done with his campaign?" Albus asked. "Because of y'know-"

"Bad publicity?" Sophie asked ruefully. "I think that ship's sailed Al."

"I'm not going to see you again am I?" Albus said.

"Probably not," Sophie said, her smile sad. "But I think that's for the best."

And with one last wistful look she apparated away, leaving Al in an apartment that suddenly seemed painfully empty.

There was a whooshing sound from the fireplace and Albus looked up hopefully, but instead of Sophie, it was his mother.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with a sigh.

"Came to check up on you," she said, but her usually warm voice was oddly flat.

"You don't need," he said. "I screwed up. I'm not the one you need to check up on."

"That's why I need to," she said. "Albus did you really think you could get away with this?"

"No," Albus said. "It just happened."

"Things like this don't just happen Al," she said, unable to remain stoic. "It's James we're talking about. Your brother. He's never hurt anyone in his life."

Albus laughed bitterly. "Are you kidding Mum?" he asked incredulously. "James has never hurt anyone?"

"If you're talking about Sophie-" his mother started.

"Yes I'm talking about Sophie," Albus cried. "And Ariana. The problem with James is that he doesn't realize that he hurts people. He just walks through life being charming and assumes there are never any hard feelings.

"And are there?" Ginny asked, her tone steely. "Is it possible that you're defending what you did?"

"Are you crazy?" Al asked. "This is the worst thing I've ever done. But you can't go around acting like James is some sort of saint. Because he isn't Mum. He's just as fucked up as the rest of us."
"Well at least your brother's never done anything like this," his mother said. "Of course I know he isn't perfect, but he isn't-"

"Isn't a terrible awful human being?" Albus finished for her.

When his mother didn't say anything else he let out another bitter, entirely-without-mirth laugh.

"You know," he said, almost conversationally. "I learnt pretty early in life that I wasn't your favourite."

"Albus you know I love all of the same," his mother said automatically. "If you even think-"

"I didn't say you didn't love us all the same," he said. "But I wasn't your favourite. Most people wouldn't be able to tell, but I could. It wasn't that treated me any worse... If anything you were way more lenient with me than you ever were with James. But I never was your favourite. And James was."

"Stop talking nonsense," his mother said sharply.

"I don't think you and Dad should get involved with this," Albus said steadily. "It's between me and James. And if he decides to hate me forever then well…Merlin knows I deserve it."

"Just so you know," Ginny said fiercely. "I will never stop trying to make us a family again. Never."

"I know," Albus said with a tired smile. "And I wish you all the best."

Ginny flooed back to her house with a heavy heart.

"How did it go?" Harry asked. He was sitting on the couch waiting for her. Ginny noticed the tension in the curve of his back and felt a terrible ache in the pit of her stomach.

"About as badly as could be imagined," she said, flopping down next to him.

"Ever thought we'd be having these problems?" she asked.

"Not really no," he said, with a shake of his head. "Honestly I'd rather duel Voldemort again than go through all this."

"See you're only saying that because you know it won't happen," Ginny said attempting to be slightly teasing, but Harry could tell there was something totally off in her tone.

"What did he say to you?" he asked seriously.

"Was I a bad mother?" she asked, worry colouring her voice.

"What?" Harry asked perplexed. "No. Why would you even ask that?"

"Al said…" she trailed off.

"What?" Harry asked, his tone a little dangerous. "What did our son say?"

"Nothing," Ginny said. "It doesn't matter now."

"If he said you were a bad mother-" Harry started hotly.

"No of course he didn't," Ginny said forcing out a laugh. "Though the way things have turned out you have to wonder don't you?"

"What did Al say?" Harry persisted.

"He said I liked James more," Ginny said so lowly it was almost a whisper. "And Harry I can almost see why."

"That's ridiculous," Harry said firmly.

"James was one when Al came along," she said. "And we sort of divided duties didn't we? I took James and you took Al just because we thought it was easier."

"We didn't neglect our children Gin," Harry said. "I mean your Mum had seven and she managed to love them all equally. I don't see why it's such a leap of the imagination that we managed to love all our three."

"Yes but even when they grew older," Ginny continued. "I don't know. James just reminded me so much of Fred. And Al never took to me the way he took to you. You made him laugh. He was always yours."

"Sometimes you just wish for a nice war to make all this easier don't you?" Harry muttered.

"Stop joking about it," Ginny cried. "This isn't funny Harry."

"The way I see it," Harry said. "Is that our children have too much time on their hands to worry about who loved who best. We loved all our children Ginny. And we tried our best. We can't do much more than that can we?"

a/n: So a little heavy on the drama. But I promise everyone won't be too sad for too long. Okay maybe for a little longer. But I was actually wondering if you guys could do me a bit of a favour. I entered a writing contest and I really want to at least be considered. So if anyone has an inkitt account (or you feel like making one) you could go to the link in my profile and read my story and if you like it click the heart recommending it and/or leave a review. As always reviews on this story are much appreciated. Thank you so much
-LifeOnTheMoon