Chapter Fifteen: November 1977

"And you didn't think to tell your sister there was no way in hell we could get away from school in November?" James asked Lily as they walked in the direction of McGonagall's office.

"She was being nice to me, James! I wasn't about to shut her down," Lily admonished. "Petunia already resents me; I'm not going to give her another reason to hate me. I will meet her future husband before the wedding, come hell or high water."

"Understood," James mumbled. Personally, he wasn't too keen on meeting Petunia and Vernon, but he wanted to stay in Lily's good graces.

Since they had returned to Hogwarts in September, they had gone on three dates and kissed once. However, despite James' best attempts, Lily still refused to make their relationship exclusive. She claimed she wasn't quite sure. It drove James bonkers.

But he had wanted a date with her for four years. He'd wait until he was twenty if he had to.

"I know you think this is ridiculous, but it's my sister," Lily said. "It's only right that I meet her fiancé. You wouldn't understand; you're an only child."

"I understand all right," James replied, "but I think you're out of your mind if you think McGonagall is going to just let us off school grounds for a night. Especially since it's not an emergency situation."

"McGonagall is cool,"Lily said, shrugging. "Trust me. I talk to her all the time. For a while, she was one of my only friends."

James looked at her disbelievingly. "You've always had friends, Lily."

"Yeah, but..." Lily looked away from him. "Never mind."

"No, what?" He grabbed her arm. "Lily, I'm not about to run away from you now. You can tell me whatever you want."

"Fine." Lily released a slow breath. "It's stupid, but when I got here, I didn't feel like I belonged at Hogwarts. I had friends, yeah, but I couldn't tell them I felt like a complete outsider. And," she added, "that includes Severus. So, I talked to McGonagall. She's a good person. Kind of like a magical mum."

James didn't know what to say to that, so he said, "I guess that makes sense."

To his surprise, Lily laughed. "I know you don't understand, but I appreciate your effort to make it seem like you do."

"I mean, no, Lily, I don't look at any of my professors like parents." James made a face as they continued walking. "Hell, I don't even like talking to half of them. But I also grew up with magic. If I didn't have anyone to teach me this stuff growing up, who knows what I might have thought?"

Lily grinned. "I like it when you have an open mind."

James felt his cheeks go red. "I'll try to do it more often, then." He looked at McGongall's door as they reached their destination. "You're sure this is a good idea?"

"I didn't say it was a good idea. It's my only idea. Besides, James, as I said: McGonagall is cool."

James didn't think of his professors as cool, either, but he stood resolutely beside Lily as she knocked on the door.

Minerva groaned quietly when she heard the knock on her door. Between an increased frequency of Order meetings and an uptake in Ministry correspondence, she had fallen woefully behind on her grading.

"Come in!" Minerva called, hoping it wouldn't be a colleague with designs on her time. She was pleasantly surprised to see Lily and James enter the room. "Oh, it's you two!"

"Do you have a minute, Professor?" Lily asked.

"Of course." Minerva gestured to the seats on the other side of her desk. "What can I do for you?" She disguised a smile as James pulled out the chair for Lily.

"Well, Professor," Lily began, "I was hoping you could do us a favour."

"What is the favour, Miss Evans?"

"We need to spend dinner one night this month away from Hogwarts. On the 19th, to be exact."

"You both require an evening away from Hogwarts?" Minerva asked, an eyebrow raised. "Enlighten me, please, as to why I should let both the Head Girl and Head Boy leave the grounds for a night—the same night—in the middle of the term."

"Because Petunia wants me to meet her fiancé, and I won't be invited to the wedding if I don't meet him first," Lily blurted out. "She already told me I'm not part of the bridal party. And I can't meet this guy alone, Professor. You know how mean she has been lately. I thought if I took James—a reinforcement, if you will—then he'd help even it out. He'd be someone on my side."

James looked at Lily, seemingly disarmed by her casual manner of speaking to a professor, before turning back to Minerva. "That's what I am, Professor. A reinforcement."

Minerva, however, was focused on another part of Lily's speech. "You're not part of your sister's bridal party?"

"No," Lily replied quietly. "No, Petunia said I couldn't be a part of the fittings and her pre-wedding planning sessions because I'm at school."

"Hmmmph," Minerva hummed. Whilst she was happy that Lily had ended up with her biological mother, her sister sounded like a right piece of work. "Well, the day should certainly be less stressful if you're not looking after the bride."

Lily clearly knew what her professor was trying to do, and smiled. "One would think. Thanks, Professor."

"You both know it would be going against school policy to let you leave the grounds for a non-emergency," Minerva added.

"We're of age, though, Professor," James supplied. "Surely that counts for something."

Minerva cocked an eyebrow at him. "I didn't say I wasn't allowing you to go. I simply said that it would be against school policy."

James grinned and leaned back in his chair. "I like the way you operate, Professor."

"Oh, will you let us go?" Lily pleaded. She reached out and clutched one of Minerva's hands. "Really?"

"I will. Potter is right: you're of age, and as Head Boy and Head Girl, you are afforded certain liberties that other students are not." Minerva looked between them sternly. "Having said that, I will need to know where you are going, as well as your arrival and departure times. Additionally, there will be a curfew."

"I'd expect no less," Lily said softly. She brightened. "And I expect that you'll want to hear how the evening goes?"

"If you wish to tell me, Miss Evans, I hope you know by now that I will listen." Minerva smiled kindly at them. "Is that all you needed to talk to me about?"

"Yeah," James said. He stood and helped Lily up. "Thanks, Professor. I really appreciate you letting us go. I promise I won't let anything happen to her."

"James," Lily muttered, blushing.

Minerva chuckled. "I'm glad to see you two are finally getting along. My life would be infinitely more complicated if the Head Boy and Head Girl didn't work well together."

James looked at Minerva appraisingly. "You know, Professor, Lily was right."

"About what, Potter?"

"You really are cool."

With that, he took Lily by the hand and led her out of the classroom, leaving Minerva to smile bemusedly after them.

Later that night, Minerva decided her husband should know what she had given their children permission to do.

"I believe James and Lily are now officially an item," Minerva said, interrupting Albus as he read the latest copy of Transfiguration Today. "Or, if they're not official, they're at least acting like they're a couple."

"Well, we knew that would happen at some point. I'm happy for them." Albus smiled. "They are well-matched, after all."

"Yes, they are." Minerva looked at him intently. "I'm telling you that as Lily's father. Now, what I'm about to tell you next is for Albus the Headmaster."

"This hardly sounds pleasant," Albus grumbled. He closed his magazine and placed it on the table. "What is it?"

"Lily and James asked for leave the night of the nineteenth, and I have granted them that leave."

"Why on earth do they need leave? And why would they need it together?"

Quickly, Minerva explained Petunia Evans' upcoming nuptials and Lily's desire to be a part of her sister's life.

"Do you know where they're going?"

"Not yet," Minerva admitted. "They'll tell me before they leave, obviously. I believe Lily is trying to work out the details with Petunia."

"Has James spent much time around Muggles?" Albus asked, a wry grin on his face. "Or will he need help counting the Muggle money?"

"You also require help sorting Muggle money, my love," Minerva pointed out, chuckling. "I honestly have no idea if he has spent time with Muggles. I very much doubt it. Most of his friends have at least one magical parent." She pursed her lips. "And, seeing as he grew up with the Potters, James would have been exposed to all of the Pureblood rituals from childhood. I've heard the Potters are nice enough—Iolanthe certainly likes them—but I can't imagine they're knowledgeable about Muggle customs."

"Hmmmm."

"Why do you ask, Al?"

Albus sighed. "Petunia Evans seems to me to be a very no-nonsense person. She does not like things she cannot explain. Petunia cannot explain magic, nor is she allowed to participate in it. I can only imagine her intended husband has the same demeanour. And if that's the case, I worry about how someone like James—whose magic is woven into his identity—will get on with Petunia and her fiancé."

"You met my father, and your aura exudes magic."

Albus hardened. "I may have met your father, but you remember how that went. Neither of us held much love for the other."

Minerva closed her eyes. During their first meeting, her father had drunk so much alcohol that he had accused Albus of seducing his students before screaming at Minerva, Callum, and their mother, Isobel. Albus had done his best to step in and defend them without magic, but Robert McGonagall was not a man who liked to be challenged.

"Let's hope that this meeting between James, Lily, Petunia, and her fiancé goes better than that meeting did," Minerva said softly, and she smiled as Albus placed a comforting hand in hers.

"Is this okay to wear to a Muggle restaurant?" James asked Remus nervously. "I've never been before."

Remus laughed. "Prongs, you're wearing a jumper and jeans. I'm sure it's fine."

"I'm nervous," James said, grumbling. "This needs to go well. Not only for me and Lily, but for Lily and her sister. I can tell Lily is bothered by this constant fight she has with Petunia. If tonight goes well, maybe things will get better." He took one last look in the mirror and sighed. "I hope this Vernon guy isn't a right twit."

"Either way, you certainly look the part of a Muggle," Remus offered. "Where are you meeting Lily?"

"At McGonagall's office. She's going to let us use her Floo."

"Where are you Flooing to?"

"The Hog's Head." James shrugged. "It seemed like a weird choice to me, but McGonagall was pretty stuck on it. From there, we'll Apparate to the restaurant."

"Best of luck, mate." Remus clapped James' shoulder, and left James to finish getting ready.

James eventually met Lily in front of McGonagall's office. "Are you ready, Evans?"

Lily smiled nervously at him. "I suppose."

"Look, I know you two haven't always gotten along, but she's your sister, right? That counts for something. It's not like we're going to whip out our wands and strike them with a Petrificus Totalus. We'll be completely respectable."

Before Lily could answer, McGonagall opened her door. "Well, you two look lovely. I sincerely hope your dinner goes well. Now, you both know how to use the Floo. The bartender at the Hog's Head will lead you to the Apparition point. Remember, you're to be back at the Hog's Head by ten tonight, or I'll be made aware."

"What would happen then?" James joked.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow menacingly. "I'll come looking for you at that restaurant myself, and I can assure you, you do not want that to happen."

"Understood." James swallowed. "We'll be back by ten, promise."

"Good," McGonagall said. "Now, off you go. Miss Evans, why don't you go first?"

Lily nodded and stepped into the fireplace. "The Hog's Head!"

James moved to enter the fireplace, but McGonagall gently took hold of his arm. "Potter?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Take care of her tonight, all right?" McGonagall's voice was softer than James had ever heard it. "This is a big night for her."

"I will, Professor. I'll guard her with my life," James promised.

McGonagall nodded. "Good. Now, go. Don't leave her alone in the Hog's Head for too long."

James took the Floo and encountered Lily standing with a man who looked awfully familiar.

"Bloody hell, Dumbledore?" James exclaimed. "You're taking us?"

The tall, bearded man glared at James. "I'm not Albus Dumbledore, thank ye very much. I'm doing this as a favour to Minerva. C'mon, I haven't got all night. I can't leave my bar alone for long."

"'A favour for Minerva?' What's that about?" James whispered to Lily as they followed the strange man to the Apparition point. "Is he shagging McGonagall?"

"James!" Lily admonished. "Honestly, you can't go around just saying things like that! They're likely good friends. If he owns the bar here, he probably knows Professor McGonagall well."

"Off ye two go," the man grumbled. "Be back by ten, or I'll have to get Minerva. Who, by the way, I am not shagging. Not that it's any of yer business."

James flushed. "Right, sir. Sorry. Thank you for taking us here."

"Be back by ten," he repeated, and he turned back towards the Hog's Head.

"That was odd," Lily muttered. "He does look familiar."

"Yeah, like Dumbledore. Like exactly like Dumbledore."

"I wouldn't say exactly," Lily scoffed. "They might be related, but that's none of our business. Now, come on. We have to go."

James clutched Lily's arm as she Apparated them to an alleyway near their destination.

"Merlin, side-along Apparition is gross," James complained. He gagged. "It's so much worse than Apparating yourself."

"Remember, you can't say things like Merlin," Lily said anxiously. "Or Apparating. Or anything magical."

"Relax, Lily! I know." James kissed her temple and took her hand. "Let's get there, sit down, and have some water. We'll be just fine. You'll see."

An hour later, James realized they would very much not be fine.

Vernon Dursley was a pompous arsehole. He was loud and obnoxious and talked way too much about drillings, whatever the hell those were. Vernon spoke over others, laughed too loudly, and, to James' increasing anger, kept belittling Lily.

"I know you're at some boarding school," Vernon scoffed, "but it's too bad that you couldn't be educated at home. Students do better with their parents at home. It's why Petunia here will be a stay-at-home mum when we have our child."

"Just one?" Lily asked. She did her best to smile. "I'm not sure that can be planned."

"We only want one child," Vernon said fiercely. "After all, it must be hard for you, being the disappointing child after Petunia here. Life's easier with only one child. No one to compare yourself to."

That just about did it for James.

"Listen, Vernon," James began, "I don't know where you get off thinking that Lily is the disappointing child. She has top marks and is at the top of our class. Lily is the Head Girl for our entire school, and she's in so many extracurriculars, it would make your head spin."

"Petunia went to a good university," Vernon retorted. "From what Violet and Gabriel told us, Lily doesn't even want to go to uni."

"Lily wants to conduct further research under one of our professors!" James exclaimed. He narrowed his eyes. "Besides, a fat load of good a fancy degree will do Petunia if she's stuck at home raising your one child and cooking for you as you complain about your stupid drills."

Vernon turned bright red. "My drills are not stupid!"

Petunia glared at Lily. "Lily, you promised you'd behave. I'm sorry, Vernon. I didn't realize my sister had such bad taste in men."

"Men?" Vernon sneered. "This lad is hardly more than a boy."

To everyone's surprise, the water glass in front of James exploded.

"Oh, James," Lily sighed. She purposefully ignored Petunia's hateful gaze.

"I'm sorry, Lily! It wasn't on purpose! It was an accident!" James cried.

"You're telling me that you caused that glass to explode?" Vernon said, laughing. "Nice one. I'm not about to fall for that."

Petunia—who James truthfully didn't like much more than Vernon—turned white. "Lily, behave. Now, or we'll leave."

"Petunia, you can't believe your sister actually caused the glass to burst," Vernon said dismissively. "Tonight must be harder on you than I'd thought."

"Petunia," Lily interjected before her sister could reply, "how is the wedding planning going? I'm excited to be there next month." She looked shyly at James. "And I'm sure James would be honoured to be there, too. If you let me bring him, that is."

James' heart quickened. He loved it when Lily admitted to wanting him around. Swallowing his intense dislike for this Dursley character, James said, "That would be very nice. It would be lovely to show my respects to you on the day."

"I'll let you come, boy," Vernon said, waving one of his fingers at James, "if you clean up your act."

"You're, like, one year older than me," James muttered. "Two at most."

"James, please," Lily whispered.

"I promise to clean up my act," James tried, sarcasm evident in his tone. "I promise to be a model companion. I promise I will not offend you. Sir."

Lily groaned quietly.

"If only your kind could keep promises. You're a stupid wizard, and yet you can't even control your emotions," Petunia snarled, and then she clapped her hands over her mouth as she realized what she said.

James glanced quickly at Lily, raising his hands. "It wasn't me."

"What do you mean, a wizard?" Vernon scoffed. "You can't be serious. Petunia?"

Petunia bit her lip and scowled so deeply that Lily suddenly felt like she was sitting in front of her mother.

But her sister knew when the jig was up.

"There is something I have to tell you, Verny," Petunia said. She breathed through her nose to try and calm down. "Something that explains the exploding glass and Lily's boarding school."

Vernon simply stared at Petunia with his mouth hanging open. "You can't be serious."

"I'm sorry, Verny!" Petunia wailed, her eyes tearing up. "I didn't tell you because it's too ridiculous to believe!"

Vernon threw some money on the table and stood. "Petunia, we're leaving." He didn't wait for a response before walking away.

"Lily, if he leaves me because of this, I will never speak to you again!" Petunia hissed, leaning over the table. "You will not cost me my fiancé!"

"Tuney, I didn't tell him!" Lily begged. "You did! I didn't say anything!"

"Don't call me that," Petunia snapped. She rose to her not inconsiderable height. "I'll send you a letter if you're still allowed at the wedding. Potter, I'd say it was nice to meet you, but that would be a lie."

"Oi," James muttered as Petunia walked away. "She's blunt, isn't she?" He looked at Lily and felt his heart drop at the sight of tears in her eyes. "Lil?"

"I think this is the end," Lily whispered. "Our friendship was disrupted the moment I got my letter to Hogwarts, but deep down, I always knew she still loved me. Now, I don't know that she does. I think she loves Vernon more than me, and I guess that's fair, but he won't want me in her life! And she'll listen to him!"

"Come here," James said, holding out his arms so that Lily could fall into them. "I'm sorry if I made this worse for you, Lily."

"You didn't. I mean, you didn't have to egg him on, but he was bound to find out about my secret sooner than later." She released a shaky breath into his shoulder. "God, what a mess."

"To be fair, he was a bit of an arse," James supplied. "At least with him, you're not missing much."

Lily snorted. "No, he is awful. Petunia has had her fair share of evil boyfriends over the years, but I've always avoided them." She smiled crookedly. "One benefit of attending Hogwarts, I suppose."

"I hope there's more than one benefit." James' voice was soft, but to Lily, it sounded like a question.

"You are a benefit, James." Lily looked at him earnestly. "If I had known when we met that you would go from being the biggest pain in the arse to a more than decent boyfriend, I would have listened to you earlier."

Despite the evening, James grinned. "That's one heck of a way to tell me we're official, Evans."

"After this, don't you think you deserve an answer?" Lily asked, chuckling. "Come on. Let's go home."

A few days later, Albus waited inside Minerva's classroom for his wife to return from her meeting with Filius. Filius was seeking more research money, and since Minerva had largely been responsible for the budget whilst Albus was away with the Order, she had taken the meeting. Albus felt bad that Minerva was required to continuously pick up his slack, so he thought he would surprise her by taking her to dinner.

He was not prepared for a surprise of his own when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Albus called. He knew he wasn't Minerva, but if a student needed help with Transfiguration, he was confident in his ability to aid them.

After all, he had taught their teacher.

"Professor Mc...oh, Professor Dumbledore." Lily stood awkwardly in the door frame. "I take it Professor McGonagall isn't around?"

"No," Albus chuckled. "I was just waiting for her myself."

"Ah." Lily nodded, but Albus could sense the disappointment rolling off of his daughter. "I'll come back later, then."

"Actually, Miss Evans?" Albus asked hesitantly. His heart hammered in his chest. "Is there something I could help you with?"

Lily bit her lip. "I'm not sure. Professor McGonagall already knows the situation, and I don't want to waste your time explaining it to you."

"I have all the time in the world while I wait." Albus gestured to Minerva's desk. "Why don't you have a seat?"

"All right," Lily agreed. As she approached the desk, Albus could see her fist was clenched around a piece of parchment. "Are you sure this is okay?"

"I wouldn't have offered to listen if I didn't have the time," Albus replied gently. "Now, why are you here? Is it about your duties as Head Girl, or some coursework, perhaps?"

"No, Professor." Lily hesitated. "It's actually about my sister. Did Professor McGonagall tell you that she let James Potter and I leave school grounds over the weekend?"

Albus smiled. "Yes, she did."

"We went to meet my sister and her fiancé," Lily explained. "I'm not sure if you knew that already."

Albus waved her concerns away. "Tell me whatever you want, Miss Evans. If a detail helps to complete the story, it does not matter if I have already heard it."

"Right. Anyway, the night was pretty much a write-off from the get-go. Petunia's fiancé is a horrible, cocky man, and he and James did not get along." Lily groaned. "It escalated to a point where James released some accidental magic and broke his glass of water."

"Does your sister's fiancé know about magic?"

"He does now," Lily said, rolling her eyes. She held out her hand. "Then, I received this. She must have written it last night."

Albus took the parchment and quickly scanned the words. "My, this is awfully harsh."

"Which part? The part where she calls me a pathetic bitch who ruined her life? Or how about the paragraph where she says the wedding is the last time she hopes she'll ever see me?"

"All of it," Albus admitted softly. "I'm so sorry, Miss Evans. You should not be ostracized by someone you love simply because of who you are. It's not as though you chose to be a witch and leave her behind."

"I appreciate the words, Professor, but please, don't apologize. It's not your fault."

And that, Albus thought, is hideously incorrect.

"I still am sorry, Miss Evans."

"Thank you," Lily accepted. "I wish it could be different, but I doubt Petunia would ever agree to move forward."

"Miss Evans, if I may be so personal, I know something of what it is like to endure a fraught relationship with a sibling," Albus revealed. "My best advice is to allow your sister enough time to reflect and heal, but never, ever give up on her. Not everyone has a sibling, and it is a relationship that should be cultivated."

Lily nodded, and then grinned. "Professor? Do you happen to know anyone at the Hog's Head?"

"I'm sure I know many people that frequent the Hog's Head. I do live at the castle, after all, and I am in Hogsmeade often enough."

Lily rolled her eyes, and in that moment, Albus was taken back to his daughter's childhood. "Professor, you know what I mean. The barkeep there. He took us to the Apparition point. He looked almost exactly like you."

Albus chuckled. "Yes, he does look like me."

"So he is your brother!"

"Yes, but please do me a favour, Miss Evans, and do not reveal that to anyone. My brother wouldn't thank you for it."

"I won't tell anyone, but James certainly figured it out. Even he isn't that dense."

Albus released a hearty laugh. "I have been operating under the impression that Mr. Potter is academically gifted."

"Yeah, but he's still a stupid boy," Lily said, rolling her eyes again. "No offense, Professor."

"None taken." He grinned. "I believe the professor you were actually seeking is about to arrive."

Ten seconds later, Minerva entered her classroom. She saw the two of them and almost dropped the stack of papers in her hand. Not unkindly, she asked, "What on earth is going on here?"

"How did you know she was coming, Professor Dumbledore?" Lily laughed. "Never mind. You probably won't answer that."

"And reveal one of his secrets?" Minerva smiled. "No, I doubt he would do that. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," Lily said. "I came looking for you—as you know, things didn't end well the other night. As it turns out, things got worse." She picked the letter from Petunia off the desk where Albus had left it, and stuck her hand out in Minerva's direction. "Here."

Albus watched as his wife strode over and read the letter. He saw her eyes narrow and felt her stomach tighten through their bond.

"Lily, please forgive me, but this letter is full of rot." Minerva looked sternly over her spectacles at Lily. "You are not anything like the person she describes in this letter. You are kind and caring, and you are incredibly intelligent. You are not the bad sister in this equation."

"Thanks, Professor," Lily said, blushing. "Could we talk about it over tea soon?"

"Why don't we discuss it when you come to discuss next month's patrol schedule?" Minerva suggested. "Would that work?"

"Perfectly," Lily agreed. "I should let you get to it. I'll see you in class tomorrow, Professor McGonagall."

"Have a good evening, Lily."

"Oh, and Professor Dumbledore?" Lily looked cautiously at Albus. "Thank you for listening. I'm sure you have better things to do than listen to a seventh-year's woes."

Albus smiled. "Nothing is more important to me than my students' feelings, Miss Evans. Enjoy the rest of your night."

Minerva waited until Lily had left before waving her wand, locking her office door, and leading Albus through the hidden corridor to their quarters. Inside, she simply looked at him, a smile on her face.

"What are you smiling for?" Albus asked, bemused.

"That's the first substantial interaction you've had with your daughter in ten years," his wife said softly. "I'm happy for you, that's all."

"It's intoxicating," Albus admitted. "Talking to her again filled a hole in my soul I've done my best to ignore ever since the children arrived back at Hogwarts."

"And now?" Minerva wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest. "How do you feel?"

"I feel proud of her. I'm sorry for what she's going through with her sister. And part of me simply feels touched—she was willing to confide in me." Albus snorted. "How often did that happen when she knew I was her father?"

"It is almost comical that they have no idea who we truly are," Minerva replied, laughing. "They tell us more because we're more removed from their personal lives. They feel comfortable complaining about their families because we no longer fill that role."

"Speaking of family," Albus said, scratching her scalp gently, "did you tell Aberforth about Lily's true identity? She let slip that he was their escort to the Apparition point."

Minerva tensed. "Not exactly. I informed him that she was Violet's daughter and that, for Athena's memory, we should keep her safe."

"Except Lily doesn't look anything like Violet. She looks like me."

"If your brother has any questions, he'll ask you," Minerva said firmly. She sighed and made a tsk noise. "Aberforth did ask you, didn't he?"

"The letter I received was only slightly nicer than the one Petunia sent Lily. He accused me of de-aging my daughter and hiding her from him."

"Oh, no," Minerva muttered. "Albus, why don't you tell him?"

Albus' eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You think I should tell Aberforth about the truth of Dalton and Athena's deaths?"

"Yes, I do." Minerva looked up at him carefully. "I've never mentioned it before because he is your brother—and Merlin knows your relationship is complicated. However, Lucy and Callum know. Hell, Ro and Poppy know. Aberforth is Athena's uncle. He deserves to know the truth. Besides, who the hell would he tell his suspicions to? No one else knows Athena ever existed—not in relation to you, anyway."

"It still seems risky, Minerva." Albus fidgeted with the top button on Minerva's robes, a surefire sign that he was nervous, but considering it.

Minerva smirked. "Riskier than letting James and Lily go to a Muggle restaurant alone? I win the risk award, my love."

"You could have gone with them," Albus replied pointedly.

"I didn't want to seem too overprotective," Minerva said airily. "And I didn't want to know where they were going. After reading that letter, I have half a mind to claw at Petunia's hair; I don't know that I could have refrained myself if I had been present during that dinner." She pursed her lips. "Especially if that oaf Petunia calls a fiancé went after James."

"They're strong teenagers, Minerva. James knows how to take care of himself."

"And how are you so sure of that?"

"Because he is yours, Tabby, and you're as brave and self-sufficient as they come."

Minerva smiled against his robes, and hugged him more tightly.

"What were you doing in my office, anyway? Was there something you needed?"

"I wanted to take you to dinner as a thank-you for doing most of the heavy lifting around here while I've been off busying myself with Order business."

Minerva beamed. "I'd love that, Al. But, please remember: you don't have to thank me for doing my job. I happily do it as Deputy, and not-quite-so-happily as your wife."

"I seem to have you cornered on all fronts," Albus murmured, kissing her mouth softly.

"Al, dinner," Minerva said, smiling as she pushed him away. "If you keep kissing me like that, we'll never eat. We'll end up in bed instead."

"Would that be so bad?" Albus called after her as she walked towards their bedroom, presumably to change.

Minerva simply laughed, leaving him smiling to himself.