They went over to a fireplace and Heather said, "We will be using the floo to get where we are going. Just say Packard's Garage when you say where you are going. Its is the magical mall of Palo Alto, California. From there we will travel to the Ruttle House."

Julia and Irene's eyes widened. They knew that Palo Alto was a very nice area in California. You had to be rich to live there and that it was part of the area known as Silicon Valley.

A half hour later, they were at the Ruttle House. It was a five bedroom ranch house. It seemed cozy to Lily. Irene and Julia were paired together. Henry had his own room of course. Renee and Lily were in the same room together and finally Emily had her own room.

In their room, Lily said to Renee, "Do you know who all is coming?"

Renee said, "You really never know who is coming. Wayne and Kyle can't always get away from the reserve. They try to rotate the holidays with the other workers. With Amanda and Michael, it depends on whether they are filming at the time. My parents and our grandparents are more than likely to be there. However, I don't know if anyone from Mr. Ruttle's family will be here."

Lily nodded. She said, "I do hope I can go and see Deidra this weekend. I think she lives in Washington state."

Renee said, "Her parents run a broom shop in Seattle's magical shopping district, which is right next to the ocean from what I hear."

Lily said, "That's what I've gathered."

The next day, the girls helped Heather in the kitchen with the cooking while Henry worked on his homework. He was always one that liked to wait to do his homework, but his mother had told him that if he wanted to do anything on Friday, he would have to have all his homework done.

In the kitchen, Heather was showing Irene how to make the pie crusts while Lily and Renee pealed the vegetables. Emily was making coleslaw.

Renee said, "Aunt Heather, do we know who all is coming?"

Heather said, "Just Allen, Victoria, and Wanda. Father has to go to England to attend to family matters over there due to the estate and mother is going with him. However, Michael's parents are coming. We found out this morning. His siblings are visiting their in-laws and they decided to come and visit us instead of staying home."

Heather spat out that last part, which made Lily think that there was some bad blood between Heather and her in-laws. Considering Michael's attitude towards Lily, Julia, Irene, and Wanda at the usual family gatherings, it didn't really surprise Lily. Michael was a pureblood and thought he was superior to everyone else. Heather didn't care about whether you were first-gen, half, or full-blood (pure). It was how she was raised.

The next day, Lily stood in the living room with the rest of the family. They were dressed in their best, which meant for Lily that they had to go shopping the night before when Heather realized that Lily didn't have a dinner dress to wear. How was she supposed to know that she would need such a dress? At previous family dinners, they were able to wear just everyday clothes.

Allen and Victoria arrived first with Wanda. The exchange was casual. Even they looked uncomfortable being dressed up, but the Ruttles were very stiff and if they weren't dressed their best, they let it be known. Wanda hugged her sisters.

Emily remarked, "You need to stop growing Wanda. Geesh. You are going to be taller than me before I know it!"

It was true. Wanda was the taller of the family. Apparently she took after their biological father in height who was over six feet. The Murphy family moved off to the side as they knew that more might be coming.

Five minutes later, A man came out of the fire-place. He was definitely Michael's father and Henry's grandfather. He turned and helped a beautiful woman out of the fireplace. Michael stepped forward and said, "Mother, Father. Welcome to our home."

Mr. Ruttle said, "Michael, I hope you are doing well?"

Michael said, "Yes sir."

Mr. and Mrs. Ruttle greeted Heather and then Henry. He moved onto Emily and Renee and smiled at them along with Victoria and Allen.

Michael said, "Father, may I present the newest family members of the Murphy family. In order, we have Julia, Irene, and Wanda."

Mr. Ruttle took each girls' hand and kissed the back of it. He said, "I do hope my son and his family are treating you girls okay."

Julia said, "They are sir."

Michael then turned to Lily, who was for some reason the last in the receiving line. Lily who was familiar with the protocol of receiving high ranking people, knew normally she would've been place between Julia and Irene as the receiving line usually was by age.

Michael said, "And finally, we have a distant cousin visiting who is attending Ilvermorny from across the pond, Lady Lily Potter."

Lily's eyes wanted to shoot up. The fact that Michael acknowledged that she was from a noble family, and actually used the title of Lady when introducing her to Mr. Ruttle. Lily curtseyed and said, "Mr. Ruttle, it is a pleasure to meet you. Henry has talked about you."

Mr. Ruttle raised his eyebrow. He took Lily's hand and kissed the back of it. He said, "I do hope you are enjoying your time in America, Lady Lily."

Lily said, "I am, Mr. Ruttle."

Mr. Ruttle smiled, but the said smile didn't reach his eyes. He didn't believe the rumors that the girls' namesake was one of the lost daughters of the Murphy family. He and some of his like minded people were thinking that Lord Potter was just using the Murphy family in their time of loss to get more fame and money.

During dinner, nobody talked. Lily hated not being able to interact with her family. It was not the norm for her, but Heather and Emily, heck even Henry had told her that when his grandparents were in attendance, there was no dinner conversation. If there was, it was mostly between the adults and the children were to be silent the whole meal.

There was a brief break in between the main course and desert as Heather and Emily went to get the desert. Lily sighed heavily. Renee gave her a hard look.

Mr. Ruttle said, "Michael, how is your latest research going?"

Michael said, "Its going good father. Our latest improvements show some potential."

Mr. Ruttle said, "Good to hear. Im glad that you have a good job and income to support your family. Hopefully, young Henry is able to follow in our family's footsteps."

Michael said, "Unfortunately, Henry's talents lay in Potions and defense father, instead of charms. He's more talented like his mother and her family."

Mr. Ruttle replied making a face, "Potions….it has potential. You can come up with some good potions."

Henry nodded his head in response.

Just as Heather and Emily walked in with three bowels of pudding, Mr. Ruttle said turning to Lily, "Ms. Potter, how are you finding Ilvermorny?"

Lily was stunned to be asked a question. She replied, "I love it. All the different classes offered, and I'm also learning the non-magical side of things also, which pleases my father. I went to non-magical primary as a little girl before getting my letter."

Mr. Ruttle tutted. He said, "I didn't think that magicals in England did such a thing."

Lily commented, "My father didn't want his children to forget about the non-magical side of the family. We even got to know our cousin, Dudley and his family. Father wanted us to be able to interact with the non-magical world and not stand out as most British magicals do when they interact with the non-magicals."

Mr. Ruttle said, "And what is your favorite subject at Ilvermorny?"

Lily considered his question. After a few minutes of thought, she said ,"I don't really have one, sir. I love all my classes."

Heather said, "Renee, Lily, and Julia are in the top ten of their class and have been since the beginning. Their friend group is in the top 25."

Lily blushed.

Mr. Ruttle nodded.

As desert wound down, Mr. Ruttle said, "Lovely dinner as always, Heather. I had hoped to have a slice of your famous apple pie though."

Heather said, "The pies didn't quite turn out this year. I will make one in the next week to make up for it."

Irene looked down. The crusts were the reason they the pies didn't turn out. Julia squeezed her sister's hand.

Mrs. Ruttle noticed Irene's dipped hand and tutted about first-gens not knowing their place and had to go and ruin the family dinner. That was it for Lily.

Lily stood up and threw down her napkin. She said, "How dare you! Cousin Heather worked hard on this meal with help from us girls to make sure everything was perfect. One thing doesn't come out right, and you make a fuss and blame it on cousin, Irene. Mistakes are made especially when it is someone's first attempt to make something! I have sat here throughout this dinner, very uncomfortable to please you, but I've had it with the snide comments that you and your wife have been making about me and my cousins." Mr. Ruttle looked surprised. "Oh, didn't think I heard them? Oh, I did, Mr. Ruttle."

Allen said, "Lily, you need to calm down."

Lily said, "I will not calm down. You guys have sat here and listened to them knowing what their comments may make us feel like. You might not realize it, but those are hurtful comments. My grandmother Lily was a wonderful lady from what I have heard, and learned from her portrait. She could probably beat you in a duel with one hand tied behind her back, Mr. Ruttle. She was talented in Charms and Potions. Im done. I'll be in my room." She turned to leave. "Oh and by the way, its okay to talk at the dinner table."

Lily stormed out. Everyone was stunned silent. Irene burst out crying and ran out of the room crying also. Mr. Ruttle said, "Well, I never. Allen, you need to teach those children some better manners."

Allen said, "I don't think so, Nathan. Those children have shown great restraint. You do realize who Lily's father is? Who he defeated in 1998? Wanda, go and get your sister and tell her to pack her bag. Julia, Emily, Renee, go and pack. Your coming back to Texas with us. Renee, tell Lily also. I do not know what Heather saw in you, Michael, but this is the last dinner I will be attending if your parents are in attendance."