The scene switches over to Iola Potter having her birthday.
"Happy birthday Anthe!" Callie Potter bounces over, mischief in her eyes, "I got you a gift."
"Please tell me it won't blow up," Iola nervously eyes the crudely wrapped gift, "far too many birthday gifts from you have."
"She takes after her aunt," Lydia brags, "I'm surprised Benjy and Iola aren't more unhinged though."
"Dorcas was a good influence," Tina smiles, "she ensured a Lydia and Sirius 2.0 wasn't created."
"I think all of us helped," Lyetta added, "we all love Lyddie dearly, but there should only be one of her in this world."
"I promise it won't," Callie said, a strangely serious look on her face, "you've put up with enough stress this year. Your birthday should be a time to relax."
"Thank you Callie," Iola kissed her sister on the cheek, "that was considerate of you."
"Open it!" Iola's classmate, Anya Floress, squealed eagerly.
Iola opened the package, and found an album in the packaging. On the cover was a white rose that was dripping with blood. Intricately painted and etched, a picture of a young Lydia Potter holding her daughter is in the photo slot of the cover.
"It's well made," Lydia commented, "whoever painted it has skill."
"I agree," Sirius looked at the picture of Lydia and her daughter, "you look so happy in that picture."
"I do," Lydia agrees, "and it's probably because of little Iola."
"You made this?" Iola asks, flipping through the album. Pictures of Lydia Potter are shown in all the photo slots. There's photos with her and the Scamanders, her and the Longbottoms, and some with her friends. Of course, there were many others, but Iola would have the time to peruse the album later.
"Yeah," Callie sheepishly confessed, "I know your mom was called the Bloody Rose, so I painted one one the cover. Then, with Uncle Reggie's help, I owled friends and family of your mother, and asked for copies of their pictures. We wanted to get you something special. Benjy's the one who enchanted the book. It has all sorts of protective charms, and what-not. I'd ask him for the details."
Iola looks at the album in tears. Suddenly, she stands, and embraces her sister. "Thank you Callie," she whispers softly, "this was the best gift you could give me."
"Your welcome Anthe," Callie responds, "have a happy birthday."
The scene shifts to Iola sitting in a tree. "Hey Mum," she whispers, the ghostly spirit of her mother sitting beside her, "happy birthday.
"So Lydia and Iola share the same birthday," Euphemia smiles, "how special."
"Happy birthday my dearest star," Lydia wished her daughter, "may you have many more in prosperity."
"Thanks Mum," Iola smiled at her mother, "I just got an album of your old pictures. You think you could tell me about them?"
"Of course my little spark," Lydia laughed, and flew closer to her daughter. Iola opened the album, and one of the first pictures was a picture of a beautiful silver haired witch holding a young Lydia Potter on her lap. Lydia, about six years old, is seen pulling on the lady's hair.
"That was my Auntie Ekaterina," Lydia explains, a fond look on her face, "but everyone just called her Rinny the do gooder."
"Huh?" Amelia asks, "why'd they call her that?'
"I'm sure on screen me will explain," Lydia grins at her friend, "if she doesn't, then I will."
"Okay," Amelia smiled back, and returned her attention to the screen.
"How did she get that name?" Iola asks curiously.
"My aunt was an effortlessly good-hearted lady," Lydia fondly relates to her daughter, "always taking orphans in, feeding the poor, fighting those who harmed others, you know the drill. My own mother, your Granny Euphemia, told me that she really got the name for being a tattle-tale as a child. But the other reason is a lot more respectable, so that's the one she always said."
Iola laughed at the story her mother told. It was nice being able to speak to her mother, just the two of them, on their shared special day.
"And this one is my favorite," Lydia pointed to another picture, "it's me, your father, Siri, and Reg. We were playing Rummikub, a muggle game your father loved. Reg was so confused though, which made the whole thing ten times more amusing. Siri and I enchanted the tiles to tickle Reg, he was being far too serious for our taste, and he retaliated. Your father used to get so exasperated during game nights." Lydia smiled broadly as she recounted a moment of her past.
"Poor Benjy," Kingsley shook his head, "he's in for it."
"You and Dad were complete opposites," Iola breached the topic, "how did you ever get together?"
"It was a long story," Lydia said, twirling a strand of hair, "we only got together in his last year. Up until that point, everyone was under the pretense that I was dating Siri."
"People thought you were dating your brother?!" Iola gasped in shock, "that's so gross!"
"I know right!" Lydia's hands flailed, "I never understood where they got that impression. As soon as Siri took the blood adoption potion, though, it stopped. I still had a hard time processing it."
Iola flipped through the album, her spirit mother telling her the stories behind all the moments captured.
"And lastly," Lydia smirked as she explained the last picture to Iola, "is Prince Charming and I."
"Even in death you won't stop calling me that," Kingsley scowled at his friend, "what is wrong with you?"
"Many things," Lydia smiled, "would you like the psychiatrist's diagnosis?"
"I'm pretty sure that's just Kingsley," Iola frowned at her mother, "and he was a shrimp back in the day."
"Hey!" a disgruntled Kingsley protested, "I'm not a shrimp."
"In comparison to your future self you are," Sirius answered, "you were so much taller by Regulus's wedding."
"Fair enough," Kingsley sighs, "still not a shrimp though."
"He was," Lydia fondly insulted her friend, "I used to call him Prince Charming, because his name was Kingsley. I used to tell him, 'you're no king, you're a prince.' Eventually, it evolved into Prince Charming. He used to hate it."
"Not used to," Kingsley adds unhelpfully, "still hate it."
"Why'd you do it then?" Iola asks, "if he didn't like it, you should have stopped."
"I wasn't a nice kid, dearest starlight," Lydia's face contorted, "despite others telling you that I was. I had a certain twisted nature. I took pleasure in making people squirm, and I loved to put people in uncomfortable situations. Boredom was my curse. Nothing stimulated me very much. I took my boredom out on people. I was never in class, the classes themselves boring and redundant. It's the curse of a genius, my love. I never listened to anyone, rules were only guidelines. I broke so many rules and laws, I couldn't give you a full list even if I wanted to."
"You are a good child," Fleamont turns to his daughter, "why would you think otherwise?"
"I think I see the route my future self is taking," Lydia speaks confidently, "watch until the end. If my prediction is wrong, then I will explain myself."
"But Lyd-" Fleamont is cut off before he can continue.
"I don't want to discuss it until the end Daddy," Lydia looks at her father, "please respect that."
"Alright my sweetest heart," Fleamont sighed, "but you can talk to your Mum and I. You know that, right?"
"Of course I do," Lydia's voice holds no doubt, "I have the best parents that a person can desire."
"Mum," Iola is shocked to hear this, "but you were an auror. You saved hundreds of people, made over 30 arrests, gave multiple people family, home, and sustenance, and volunteered for St. Mungo's in your free time. How could you call yourself a bad person?"
"I agree with Iola," Remus insisted, "How could you call yourself a bad person?"
"Lay off Lydia," Sirius hissed, "she knows what she's saying."
"Why aren't you protesting this?!" Remus shouted back, "Lydia's your best friend! Your sister! How can you allow her to be this self-detrimental?"
"Number one," Sirius replied harshly, "who are you to talk? Number two, Lydia and I have discussed this matter at length. We are very similar in this matter. I am the same as her in every way."
"Sirius!" Andromeda gasped, "you as well?!"
"Why don't you watch until the end before making accusations?" Lydia snapped, "you have no context. Sirius and I do. Stop making a big deal out of something small."
"I never said I was a bad person," Lydia calmly corrected her distraught daughter, "I said I wasn't a nice kid. I said I had a twisted nature. However, nature can be overcome with a lot of effort. I wanted to be a good person, so I did good things. I pushed myself to be an auror, so I could use my twisted nature for good. I wanted to transform my negative qualities into positive results. In my heart and mind, I can be as twisted and sick as I want or need to be. But in my actions, I strove to be as good as possible. A fake it 'till you make it if you will. And eventually, with Sirius's help, I made it. Together, we were able to overcome our depraved nature, and managed to help people. We stopped dismissing the lives and feelings of others, and learnt how to work around and with them. We matured."
"Lydia," Euphemia was heartbroken. How could her little pearl, her sweet girl, think herself inherently corrupt? How could her child have such a mentality?
"Don't be upset Mum," Lydia reassured her mother, "all is well."
"How is that well?" Tina asks her niece, "you consider yourself inherently twisted. That's not a healthy mentality."
"You just stated the issue," Lydia's tone was unchanging, "I'm not mentally well. Some people are just like that. I do talk about it, and I have gotten help. It's simply not public future me said, I'm learning how to overcome my darker tendencies. I'm growing. Please don't make this more difficult than this needs to be.
"Who's giving you help?" Euphemia questioned desperately, "you need to speak with a professional."
"I've spoken with Madam Pomphery extensively," Lydia smiles at the mentioned lady, "and with Panda. Alos, as the films mentioned, Sirius and I went on this path of self-discovery together. We hope to be able to overcome the remaining hurdles."
"I assure you that your daughter is in good hands," Madam Pomphrey's professional manner calmed the frazzled family and friends of the mentioned witch, "as is Sirius. We are making good progress. Please allow for the matter to drop."
Lydia and Sirius's family and friends hesitantly dropped the matter.
"I don't know if I like that more than you calling yourself a bad person," Iola told her mother, "but I guess it's not my position to interfere. Let's move onto happier topics."
The scene shifts to Sirius walking in Godric's Hollow. He's holding a bouquet of daffodils, roses, and poppies.
"Hello Prongs," he whispers, approaching the tombstone and laying down the flowers, "it's been awhile."
"Oh," Sirius tensed up, "it seems that I'm at Lydia's grave."
"I miss you," Sirius whispers, words being carried by the wind, "I wish I could speak to you. Ask you for advice. But I will respect your wishes. You do not want what happened to Cadmus to occur to me. I can accept that. It's a wish of love, not hate."
Sirius sits down beside the grave. "I'm sure you've spoken to your Iola. She really is the loveliest girl. Kindhearted in a way we couldn't be as children. Talented in a more subtle way than we were. Less of an arrogant toerag than you were. Oh how Lily loved to call you that. I've always asked what made her sing a different tune, but she says that it's between the two of you to know."
"So we become close friends," Lydia looks over at the flaming redhead, "neato. You're definitely the type of person I'd go for as a friend. It's only circumstances preventing us from friendship. Hopefully we will overcome it soon."
"I hope so too," Lily found herself agreeing, "I could use more excitement in my life."
"I wish you had gotten to meet my twins," Sirius's melancholy speech continued, "you would have loved my Callie. She's as boisterous as you were at her age, but lacks the malice to it. She's a perfect mix of our craziness. Benjy is more serious, takes after Dorcas a lot. Doesn't make him any less a menace. He drives Susan bananas. It's only gotten worse since they became step-siblings. But deep down, they know they love each other."
Sirius pauses, hearing strange noises. He ignores them, and continues to speak to Lydia.
"You're going to be the first to know after Amelia and I," Sirius chuckled nervously, "but we're adopting a little girl and boy. The girl's 5 years old, and the daughter of Corban Yaxley and the late Iris Rosier. Amelia rescued her from his abuse when she raided his manor and arrested him. She has no living relatives out of prison or house arrest, and Amelia and I were discussing adoption amongst ourselves for a bit already. We're currently her temporary guardians, but we're going to ask if she wants to be adopted. After that, we're going to ask if she wants to be blood adopted. Her name's Esmeray."
"You did what to our daughter?!" normally soft spoken Iris Rosier shouts at the man she'd sire a child with, "how dare you?!"
"Calm yourself," Narcissa Malfoy cooly said to her cousin, "it's unbecoming of a lady of House Rosier to shout like that, especially to men of status, such as the young Yaxley heir."
"Don't preach to me Narcissa," Iris scoffs, "you may be willing to let status do the talking for you, but I'm not going to allow this to slide. You would do anything for your own child, I know this. So do not try feeding your agenda to me."
"Iris!" Celeste Rosier gasped at her daughter's behavior, "apologize to your cousin."
"Absolutely not," Iris swiftly answered, "I will not bow my head towards her attitude."
"Why you-" Celeste was cut off by her husband Lazarus.
"That's my girl!" he high fived his daughter, "put Druella's egotistical brat in her place!"
"But propriety," Celeste moaned, her French sense of manners aching at the rudeness. Despite her agreeing with her husband that Druella's child was a brat, there was no need to be rude!
"I'm afraid you cannot hold me responsible for my future actions," Corban smirked, "and truly, I wonder why I chose you to bear my child. You are far too independent for my taste."
"I wonder as well," Iris snapped, "and I'm glad you get arrested. Thank goodness kind people are going to take care of her."
"I agree," Lazarus spoke confidently, "I'd rather all traces of my blood be gone from the child, than allow her to continue to live with someone who harms her."
"I'm in full agreement," Celeste speaks softly, "but can I just say her name is beautiful."
"It is," Iris agrees, "a beautiful name for my beautiful girl."
"The boy was found in a similar situation," Sirius tells Lydia's grave, "he's Thorrfin Rowle's boy. Mother is unknown. Rowle, remember the big blond brute of a kid? Well, he was sent to Azkaban for torturing muggle's in a fit of rage. Hurt the kid too. Seemed to be a raging alcoholic. He's gotten a bad scar on his face, and he's only 8. He's already expressed a wish for blood adoption, so Amelia and I told him we'd do it as soon as Esmeray made her decision."
"I'm glad we get to help two children," Amelia smiles broadly, "that's the best part!"
Sirius stood from his seat on the floor. "It was nice speaking to you Lyds," he kisses the tombstone, "happy birthday."
"Didn't expect to bump into you here," Kingsley Shacklebolt greets Sirius, "I saw you speaking to her grave, so I left to give you space." Kingsley drops his own bouquet on the grave. "I'm heading home now. Feel free to stop by, and we can drink to Lydia's memory."
"Thanks Kingsley," Sirius turns to the dark skinned man, "perhaps I will."
The two apparate away, and a montage of Lydia's grave is shown. The grave is seen being visited by many friends, family members, and grateful citizens.
"Look at the impact she made," Delancy Abbot whispered to her brother Herman, "I wish I could do something like that."
"I'm sure you'll do something amazing too," Herman reassured his sister, "but I'm afraid it probably won't compare to defeating you-know-who.
The scene shifts to Lydia in labor.