Saturday, 20th December 2025
It really was not necessary to celebrate your birthday on the exact day you were born but James Potter had always insisted on it. James argued it was because his birthday fell so close to Christmas that he wanted his birthday to have a defined, separate day. Lily just thought he was spoiled and craved attention. For Merlin's sake, the man actually enjoyed it when people sang him happy birthday. At his insistence she had left Hogwarts Friday evening right after the winter exams to apparate back to Godric's Hollow rather than take the relaxing train journey back to King's Cross Station. She loved James, truly she did but Merlin he could be a diva when he wanted to. Lily had always wondered what spending Christmas break at Hogwarts would be like. She had heard stories over the years of course, of the feast with all of Hogwarts inhabitants on Christmas day and all the extra festive decorations and enchantments that would ensnare the school. More than anything she would have loved to have seen an undisturbed snow capped Hogwarts. Her family, however, were far too busy and nosy for her to ever consider a Christmas staycation in Scotland.
Lily looked out her bedroom window to the Potter back garden. A light sheet of frost covered the grass, shrubbery and garden furniture. It would be as close to snow as she would get in December this far south in the country. Each year for as long as she could remember she would wish and hope for a white Christmas and each year she was sorely disappointed. Her and Albus had snuck outside to sleep in their treehouse one Christmas of their youth, convinced that they would wake up to snow. The only thing they woke up to was an irate Ginny, a trip to St Mungo's for hypothermia and missing out on Christmas day at her grandparents house with all her family.
Lily was not a morning person. That much had become clear at a very young age to all who knew her. Lily needed minimal personal contact, quiet and some form of caffeine in the morning before she should be approached. Rarely did she get all three in Hogwarts but she cherished being home where she could actually avail of the peace and quiet. The Potter house had been tense during the Summer months before Albus and James discovered shoving a cup of tea or coffee at their sister and leaving her alone for at least twenty minutes would improve her morning mood. Quiet time, an empty kitchen and caffeine were what Lily had hoped for that day, at least until she arrived downstairs in the kitchen to a very noisy and not at all peaceful and empty room. She glared at the doors before pushing it open.
'No, no, no. It was supposed to be purple, not green.' A blonde lady with her back to the door, who Lily suspected was Marguerite, argued.
'Well that's because green is James's favourite colour.' Harry replied through gritted teeth.
'Jim.' Marguerite corrected. 'Loves purple.'
Lily could see they were arguing over a birthday cake that was a lovely Hunter Green, truly James favourite colour and shade of green.
'Since when?' Harry asked.
'Oh, always.' Marguerite said quite pompously.
'He likes green.' Lily grumbled and mildly shoved James' girlfriend out of her way. The kettle was in her sights and appeared to have steam coming from its spout. Should she have coffee or tea?
Marguerite very exaggeratedly stumbled out of Lily's way and she heard a gasp of shock from behind her.
'You could have asked me to move.' The haughty voice said.
Lily grabbed a mug for the cupboard, threw in a tea bag and lifted the kettle from the hob. It was empty. Lily felt a wave of rage wash over her, she imagined it was what people described as their vision turning red. She looked to her father who was leaning against the counter to her right.
'It's empty.' She said, holding the kettle.
In the history of the Potter household and indeed in the wider Weasley family, if someone finished the kettle they should have the good grace to refill the pot and boil it so the next person would have a readily available cup to them. Her father shrugged his shoulders and tilted his head almost imperceptibly toward Marguerite, who was standing behind her. Lily whirled around to face Marguerite. She was stood with her hand on her hips and her eyebrows raised. A mug of steaming coffee was on the counter in front of her
'It's empty.' She repeated, empty kettle still in hand.
'Um, excuse me. Did you hear me?' Marguerite asked.
'It. Is. Empty.' Lily said, announcing each word slowly.
'Okay congratulations. Are you going to apologise for knocking me over?'
Lily realised at that moment that she had left her wand upstairs because she wanted nothing more than to use her mum's famous Bat Bogey Hex on the rude Canadian lady standing in front of her. Rather than choosing violence, her preferred option, Lily instead turned her back and wordlessly filled the kettle from the kitchen sink.
'I thought Canadians were supposed to be nice?' She muttered to her father.
'Common misconception, my dear.' He replied. She thought she could hear a hint of mirth in his voice.
'I can hear you.' Marguerite said haughtily.
'Congratulations, you have ears.' Lily said sarcastically.
'Ugh.' She heard from behind her and then footsteps leaving the room.
'This is why you're my favourite.' Harry said and kissed her on the head.
Marguerite insisted on infesting the Potter residence for the entire day before James' party that evening. And that was what it felt like to Lily, an infestation. At every corner she found her critiquing some piece of art or trying to rearrange the furniture in the room or explaining to anyone who would listen (which was few and far between) what exactly could be done to 'improve' the room. Lily thought the room and indeed the house by and large would be vastly improved if Marguerite was removed from it, but she restrained herself from voicing those thoughts out loud. Marguerite had insisted on stringing a ghastly purple bunting all over the house, complete with purple plates and cups and all other manner of purple memorabilia. The only thing not purple from the whole décor was the cake, which Harry had, thankfully, been responsible for ordering. The party kicked off at six that evening, and by the time James' friends and their family had arrived it was closer to seven. Even Roxanne and Hugo who had taken the train home had arrived by half seven. At this point Lily was wondering why she didn't take the train, she could have saved herself a day of torture from Marguerite and her incessant nagging.
'I was told there would be fit boys. Where are the fit boys?' Roxanne said by way of greeting to Lily and Hugo.
'I don't think I'd call any of James' friends fit, aren't most of them his family?' Hugo replied, looking around the room.
'Blake's not bad looking but his personality is ass.' Lily said.
'Ugh, you're more sour than you were before the exams.' Roxanne said in disgust.
Lily plastered a fake smile on her face.
'I got to spend the day with Marguerite. You tell me how you'd feel after that.' Lily replied.
'Oh, Mums been on one about her. Some bill, or something, that she's been hyping up.' Hugo said.
'Yeah mums not a fan either. She met her when she was out one night with the girls and was like hella rude.' Roxanne chimed.
'Well Mum is her biggest fan. Margy can do no wrong in Ginny Potter's eyes. It's driving me and dad round the bend.'
'Okay, pause. Like are we toxic? Are we contributing to villainising an innocent woman?' Hugo interrupted, dramatically. That boy better pursue theatrics, Lily thought to herself.
'No, I hate her. Like for reals. She was going around the house pointing out everything she hated. She said she would have chucked out that vase and put a sculpture of a horse there.' Lily said, nodding at the vase on the bookshelf behind them.
'Wait that one?' Hugo asked, pointing behind Roxanne.
'Yes, the very same.'
'Mum and dad got them that, it's like a rare piece of art. Like the sculpture's dead. It's one of a kind, it's like, actually incredible. What a bitch.'
'Okay Hugo, no.' Roxanne interrupted. 'You can't say that. WE, She motioned her arms to herself and Lily, 'can say that but you can not say that.'
'Like come on Hugo.' Lily chimed in, shaking her head
'Honestly! It's like you're trying to get yourself cancelled.'
Hugo threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.
'I can't win.' They heard him say as he walked away.
Lily chuckled evilly.
'He's too easy to wind him up.' Roxanne said, shaking her head at him.
'He actually crashes out over the simplest shit.' Lily added.
'Well, I mean, uncle Ron is the same to be fair.'
'So true.' Lily said with a snort.
Lily followed Hugo's back as he disappeared into the crowded sitting room until her eyes settled on her father's figure. Harry was stood by the fireplace, Lily's uncles Bill and Percy, either side of him, clearly speaking animatedly. Harry however looked disinterested or unfocused on the conversation at hand, Lily thought he looked irritated. No it wasn't irritated, that had been his expression for the majority of the day being forced to close proximity with Margy. No, her father looked uncomfortable, kind of how he looked when she had first came home that summer. She vaguely remembered a conversation with her mother last night when she had arrived home about potions. It hadn't clicked in her head until just then that it was about her father. The potions seemed to always take its toll on her father, and really she couldn't blame him with the number that he was forced to ingest. The healers were trying to make adjustments each month to find the perfect medley that would not leave him so unwell but thus far thay had clearly been unsuccessful. It was unfortunate that this round of treatment would fall during the winter festivities.
Lily was roused suddenly from her thoughts by a hand landing firmly on her left shoulder, and then wedging themselves between her and Roxanne.
'Oh Rox, I'm so glad you're here,' her mother said. 'Is Freddie here with you? He was supposed to pick up part of Jamie's gift.'
'Um no, I came with Hugo and mum.' Roxanne replied, exchanging a confused look with Lily.
'I thought I saw him talking with someone earlier.' Lily interjected.
Ginny heaved a sigh of frustration
'Well if you see him, please tell him to come find me, girls.'
'Of course. Love the decorations by the way, Aunt Ginny .'
'Uh huh' Ginny said in an unconvincing tone and raised her eyebrow.
'Yeah, you can barely see the Christmas decor under all the purple.' Lily replied sarcastically.
'Lily.' Ginny warned.
Lily raised her hands defensively.
'I'm just saying. But like let's be so for real, yeah? The man's never liked the colour purple in his life.'
'Yes, well.' Ginny started
'Love makes people do crazy things, Lils.'
'Or you know, just a lack of a backbone.' Lily shot back.
'I'm pretending I didn't hear that.' Ginny pointed to Lily. She turned to Roxanne. 'If you see Freddie-'
'Yes, we'll send him your way.' Roxanne finished.
'Aubrey!' Ginny cried, making several heads turn to look at her including her sister-in-law. Ginny set off across the room, a new target in her sights.
'I don't think Freddie's even here yet.' Roxanne said to Lily.
'Yeah no he aint.' Lily shook her head. 'But if I said that she would have actually gone mental. I thought he had the evening off from work?'
'He's the manager, the wanker can have whatever evening he wants off.' Roxanne replied with a snort.
'Oh my littlest Weasleys,' Dominique said by way of greeting. 'So good to see you.' Dominique was not a tall woman but she had the highest heels Lily had ever seen and for the first time in her life was standing a whole head above Lily, overspilling the goblet of wine in hand. A few drops escaped the glass each time she moved or spoke.
'I'm a Potter.' Lily pointed out.
'Are you drunk?' Roxanne asked.
'No.' Dominique replied quickly.
A rather large splash of red wine escaped from the goblet and landed on Lily's mother's couch.
'She's so drunk.' Lily stated. She squinted her eyes at the stained splotched against the cream surroundings
'Yes I am and you could be too.' Dominique attempted to wink at her younger cousins, however, she ended up blinking twice at them. 'I've missed you guys. I can't wait for you to be free. You've missed so, so much.' She patted Lily lightly on the head.
'I'm sure.' Roxanne replied, taking a step out of Dominique's reach. 'What exactly have we missed?'
'Oh so much but I couldn't possibly tell.' Dominique replied, looking down at her goblet and swirling it mildly.
Lily raised her eyebrow in thought.
'I know where the good stuff is.' She offered.
Dominique pursed her lips and observed Lily and Roxanne before deciding to speak.
'I know where Freddie is, or rather who he's with.' She said matter-of-factly. 'Oh and apparently Albus has a new fling, MJ too. And, Louis is starting some kind of business with some secret donor. Oh and Rose and Scorpius broke up. And I,' She paused looking on the verge of tears. 'am so desperately single.'
'Wait wait wait roll that one back. Fred's with who?' Roxanne demanded.
'Rose and Scorpius broke up? No way. Does Al know? 'Lily whispered.
She looked around the room to find her brother. She found him across the room by the snacks table chatting with one of the Scamander brothers. He laughed loudly at something he said as Lily scrutinised him.
'Wait, what?' Roxanne asked.
'That's what she just said.' Lily pointed to Dominique.
She stepped forward and pressed her pointer finger over Lily's lips
'Shhh! I'm not supposed to tell you.' She whispered.
Lily swatted her hand away
'Is Rose here?' She asked, looking around the room trying to make out her cousin. It wasn't like it was easy to spot a redhead amongst the crowd gathered.
'No, she had to go to the ministry. She had some meetings today for all her travel stuff.' Dominique said with a wave of her free hand.
'What travel stuff?' Roxanne asked,
'For her holibops, obviously.'
'Okay, Dom, explain everything.' Lily narrowed her eyes at her cousin.
'Nuh uh. I was promised the good stuff.'
'Merlin help us.' Lily sighed
'I don't even think he can help us.' Roxanne muttered.
Perhaps it was not Lily's finest moment, to ply her already inebriated cousin with more alcohol but when there was tea on the line, all bets were off. Freddie, as it had turned out, had gone home with one of Dominique's friends after the work Christmas party the night before and neither had been heard from all day. Dominique would not reveal her name but the woman only had so many friends so Lily and Roxanne had been able to deduce it was either Ashley Jordan, Uncle George's best friend's daughter, or Cecily Turner who had the new bakery 'Turner's Treats' in Diagon Alley. Lily's money was on Ashley because she was pretty sure she had heard that Cecily had a boyfriend. Albus had apparently got back with his on-again, off-again girlfriend from Hogwarts, Martha MacDougall, since he had got back from Jordan. Now this was news to Lily who had been plaguing Albus for updates on his love life since she got home the evening before. Martha was nice, Lily had always liked her when she had been in Hogwarts. But they had been so volatile when they were together that she hoped it would soon be off again before it got to the toxic part, this was in part due to his off-again, on-again boyfriend, Evan Mallory.
Dominique knew so little about whatever Louis was up to that it was almost redundant to even consider it tea to begin with. MJ and her new girlfriend were interesting to Lily, however, Dominique had apparently not met her but she had forced MJ (unclear if it was or wasn't at wand point) to provide some details on the budding romance. Apparently they had met through a friend at work. Considering MJ worked in the Portkey Office, Lily was sceptical that anyone you could meet from there would be in anyways interesting but hey if they made Molly Junior happy she was all for it.
The news on Rose and Scorpius did come out of left field. Dominique only guessed that Albus knew about it but she had not received any confirmation from Rose that she had told him. Rose who also happened to be crashing at Dom's place after ditching her own apartment after she had been kicked out by Uncle Ron. Really did no one tell her anything anymore? Apparently the breakup had really shook Rose so much that she had quit her job, moved out of her apartment and ditched Maisie Fawley as a friend. Thank Merlin on that one. That girl was the walking embodiment of the second coming of Pansy Parkinson, who Lily only knew from when her mum and Aunt Hermione would have a few too many glasses of wine and discuss their old classmates. Lily had actually liked Scorpius out of all of her cousins' significant others, Teddy not included for obvious reasons. People tended to get shy or tongue tied when they encountered the wider family. Most relationships tended not to last very long but Scorpius was so indifferent to the notoriety of their family and their celeb-like status that it seemed that he would stand the test of time.
Dominique being single was not personally what Lily would have considered breaking news. The manner in which she had become single though was, simply because she thought it was iconic. Apparently, Dom had brought her former boyfriend, Thaddeus, around to Shell Cottage over the summer and he had been hazed horrendously by Uncle Bill along with Louis and Teddy, the latter of which Lily firmly believed was under duress. Thaddeus had responded pretty averagely and all seemed to be well but when Aunt Hermione and Ginny came by Fleur and Bill's house one day, he had apparently forgotten he was supposed to be dating Dominique and professed his undying love for Ginny. Or was it Aunt Hermione? That part was unclear. To Lily, who was on track to receive an Outstanding in Potions for her N.E.W.T's, it sounded a lot like he had been slipped a love potion by Uncle Bill or possibly even Louis. Lily had only just made Amortentia for her Potions exams the other day and it sounded a lot like the side effects. Lily elected not to share her suspicions of that matter with Dominique. No need to rub further salt in her obvious wounds particularly not when quite clearly under the influence.
'You know sometimes I ask myself am I really a part of the family?' Roxanne commented as they headed to the had left Dominique on the couch between MJ and Louis who were thankfully not quite as tipsy as she was.
'Tell me about it! They don't tell us shit.' Lily said as she poured two glasses of firewhiskey for herself and Roxanne.
'Did you know Rose got kicked out by Uncle Ron?' Roxanne asked, accepting the glass of firewhiskey.
'I mean I didn't even know my own brother changed his favourite colour to purple until this morning.' Lily said with a shake of her head.
Marguerite, who was sitting on the other side of the table talking to Fleur, heard Lily's comment and shot her a dirty look.
'Purple? Since when? I always thought it was green?' Roxanne replied, confused.
'Funny that, eh?' Lily said.
Saturday, 27th December 2025
Lily had always loved Brighton. When her and her brother were children they would always take a trip to Brighton at least once a Summer. Lily loved the brightly painted beach huts and the architecture of the older paintings and of course the pier. James and Albus had always loved the beach but Lily had never been a fan of beaches that had pebbles instead of sand. Her Mum had loved all the quaint and eclectic shops that were a staple of the city. Visiting the city in December was vastly different than in the height of Summer. It was a lot cooler for one and the streets were not nearly as crowded as they were in the warmer months. But it was such a bright sunny day that if Lily closed her eyes, focusing on the sound of the seagulls and the distant crashing of the wave, and let the sun engulf her she could almost imagine it was like it was a summer's day.
'Why didn't we push this off to the new year?' Harry said grumpily. He was walking a little slower than usual and falling a little behind herself and James as they walked along the boardwalk by the beach.
'Because I'm not here in the new year.' Lily replied with a roll of her eyes. 'Are you sure that potion isn't affecting your brain?'
'Lily.' Harry warned.
'I'm just saying. I swear we had this conversation before, Dad.' She replied but slowed down so her father could catch up to her. Lily had thought he had looked quite pale the last few days but had made an effort not to bring it up as her father was clearly trying to push through whatever was ailing him.
'No. I'm just tired. I didn't sleep last night.' Harry argued. A scowl had settled on his face.
Lily grimaced. She really did not want to think about what her parents did in their bedroom.
'I don't really want to know why, Dad, truly I don't.'
'From the potions, Lily. The potions.' Harry said exasperatedly.
'To be fair, I too am tired.' Lily conceded. 'Honestly, I think I need to do a detox. I'm still wrecked from Christmas day'
'Sign of getting old there, Lilykins.' James quipped.
'A detox, at your age? Just how many firewhiskey did you have at the Burrow.' Harry joked with raised eyebrows.
'No, no. From the family, Dad. They're exhausting!' Lily exclaimed.
'I mean we did play a game of Quidditch for most of the day.' James argued.
'Failed at a game of Quidditch.' Harry muttered.
'I mean,' Lily continued, ignoring her brother. 'We didn't get home until, what was it? Almost three.'
'Four.' James corrected.
'Four?' She asked incredulously.
'Yeah it was four. Me and Freddie swapped all the clocks around, I don't think any two were telling the correct time by the end of the night.'
'You know on second thought, I think I'm not going to the next three family parties, maybe the next four.' Lily said thoughtfully.
'Okay, dear.' Harry replied. He was clearly not paying attention to the conversation. He had his hand shielding his eyes as he squinted at a crowd of people just ahead of them on the boardwalk.
'Bullshit.'
'James.' Harry warned, quickly snapping back to his adult children's antics.
'What?' James cried. 'But it is, Dad. Lily, you have way too much fomo to ever not go.'
'Wanna bet?' Lily offered her right hand to James. He narrowed his eyes at her and grabbed it to shake.
'Five galleons?'
'Ten galleons.'
'I would say I hate taking your money, Lils, but you just make it way too easy.'
'I think that's them there.' Harry said, interrupting them. He waved to two people in the distance. How anyone could distinguish who was who from this distance amazed Lily. 'Come on then.'
'Merlin, I haven't seen Ruby in like forever.' Lily said dramatically.
'Or as some people like to call it, last summer.' James drawled.
'You know, she started a muggle finishing school or something this year.' Lily said knowingly.
'A University.' Harry offered.
'Yeah, that's it.' Lily said clicking her fingers approvingly at her father
'I would actually rather spend the day in bed today but I hate cancelling so last minute.' Harry said with a rather large sigh.
'I think he'd understand, Dad.' James replied. He had a look of worry on his face.
'Yeah, if he knows but I haven't seen him since I got diagnosed to tell him. Well, not when I was in the mood to explain it all, I didn't think his aunt's funeral was really the place.' Harry replied with a chuckle.
'Harry!' The booming voice of Dudley Dursley called out. 'Good to see you. My God James, I swear you've gotten taller since I last saw you.' He greeted Harry with a warm hug.
Dudley Dursley was a tall man, much taller than Harry by at least a head. He had started to go grey much before Harry had and while Lily did recall him having darker hair when she was younger, he was entirely grey now. He had an imposing presence due to his larger build but Lily had only known him to be her fathers goofy, thrill-seeking cousin who would bring her and her brothers to Muggle theme parks and adventure centres when they were younger.
'Yeah, it's been a few years now, eh?' James replied bashfully.
'Oh my god! Lily, it's been way too long.' Ruby Dursley cried, enveloping Lily in a hug. 'How's your final year going?' She questioned, pulling back to look at her.
Ruby, Dudley's youngest child, was less than a year older than Lily and only a little taller than her. Like Lily, Ruby had red hair though hers was a shade darker. Even though Ruby was a Muggle, she and Lily had always gotten on like a house on fire, and were as close as any of Lily's other cousins with the assistance of mobile phones. Unfortunately, it was only useful when she was home from Hogwarts.
'Ugh, it's the worst. I swear all I do is study these days. You know, I used to have a social life, I swear.' Lily replied with a roll of her eyes. 'But tell me everything about university.'
'Oh my god it's amazing. I, like, can't wait to go back after the Christmas break.'
'Ah yes Ruby, good to see you too.' Harry interrupted in a sarcastic tone but there was a small smile on his face 'No Alfie today?' Harry directed his question to Dudley.
'No, no. He's actually gone away with his girlfriend. They're gone to Paris for New Years. I wouldn't be surprised if she comes back with a ring.'
'Oh, Paris? That is so romantic. Teddy only proposed in Nana's back garden.' Lily swooned.
'Eww. Do not call anything Alfie does romantic.' Ruby replied with a shudder.
'What you feel like, folks? Grab a coffee and go for a walk?' Dudley asked, turning to face James, Lily and Ruby.
Lily saw her father's face pale when Dudley mentioned a walk. James must have noticed the same
'I'm actually wrecked,' James said apologetically, 'I was out with a bunch of my school friends yesterday.'
'Oh yeah and I was studying all night.' Lily added, trying to help James' excuse. 'Yep, that's me. I was studying.'
'Dedicated student there, Harry.' Dudley joked, nudging Harry with his elbow. 'Mine could take some notes.'
Lily saw her father flinch slightly at the motion.
'Well, there's this lovely coffee shop/ bakery down by the pier. If we're lucky we might even get some seats inside.' Ruby said excitedly, to the group.
The Dursleys had moved to Brighton around when Ruby was starting secondary school. As a result Ruby arguably knew Brighton like the back of her hand. As Ruby was a coffee connoisseur, much like Lily, she tended to sniff out all the best coffee shops in town along with which ones had the best views or who had the most delectable sweet treats. Ruby had recommended Olive's which had apparently only opened the previous summer but had become a hit with local and tourist alike. They were indeed lucky and managed to snag a table inside and even ones with a view of the coastline and pier.
'That is one of the best pan au chocolait I've had in England in a long time.' Harry said. For the first time that day, Lily could see a healthy flush had washed over his face.
'I know,' Ruby replied in agreement, 'I told you it's good.'
'So, how is everyone in the Potter household?' Dudley asked, he was halfway through a chocolate filled croissant. 'James, you still dating that American?'
'She's Canadian.' James corrected.
'And not the nice kind.' Lily added.
'Lily!' James cried.
'What about you Lily?' Dudley asked with a chuckle.
'I honestly don't have the time. I'm trying to get into this Healing traineeship and that is so competitive. I just can't afford any distractions.' Lily replied. She sipped her flat white with an extra shot of coffee. It was perfect.
'It's like medical school.' Harry provided at Ruby and Dudley's perplexed expressions.
'Ahh.' Dudley nodded his head in understanding.
'I spend most of my free time studying.' Lily continued. 'I don't even go to watch the quidditch matches anymore.'
'You never watched them anyway, Lil.' James argued.
Lily glared at her brother. He wasn't wrong but that didn't mean he was right to say that.
'How's Sarah?' Harry asked.
'She's good. She had to go into work, unfortunately. The life of a theatre nurse.'
'What does that mean, exactly?' James asked. 'Does she do theatre… as a nurse?'
Dudley choked on his coffee and started coughing loudly.
'No, James, it's like surgery.' Harry laughed. 'Its an operating theatre.'
'Okay, no, that makes way more sense than what I was imagining.' James nodded.
'I guess it will be something you have to look forward to, Lily. Working over Christmas.' Ruby said.
'Yeah, that will be odd.' Lily agreed. 'I don't think I've ever spent a holiday away from the family, ever.'
'How is Ginny? Still killing the reporting?' Ruby asked the group.
'Yes she is … killing it.' Harry replied, unsure of his wording. 'The, uh, the world cup is coming up so she's going to be very busy next year with all her travelling.'
'Oh, where's it on?' Dudley asked, after clearing his throat.
'In Australia.'
'Oh wow, Australia? Myself and Sarah have always wanted to go.'
'I'm actually travelling there for work this year, so it's two Augureys, one stone, you know?' James added.
Dudley gave James a strange look.
'Are you going Lily?' Ruby asked. 'Imagine the tan you'd get there.'
Lily balked at Ruby's suggestion.
'Oh Merlin, no.' Lily said with a shudder. 'I can't stand Quidditch. I just about go to the Harpies games and that's only because they're Mum's old team.'
'Myself and mum are going to a few together.' James continued. 'And I think Albus is going to meet us over there for a week or two.'
'You know myself and Alfie were talking the other day, we were saying, you know we wish we could go. Like I'd love to see a game one day.' Ruby said wistfully.
'We could probably sneak you in.' James joked.
'You do know I'm the head of the Law Enforcement, right?' Harry stared at his son.
'Yeah so you could pull some strings.' James agreed.
'So I could get arrested and lose my job.' Harry argued.
'Oh, let's be real, no one's firing Harry Potter.' Lily rolled her eyes.
'Yeah if she wants to lose the government.' James added.
Harry shook his head at James.
'What about you then Harry?' Dudley asked. 'Can't imagine you being away from Ginny for that long, you going to travel with her?'
Harry cleared his throat and looked down at the table.
'Uhm probably not as much as I would like to.'
'Why's that? Busy in the office?' Ruby asked.
'Something like that.' Harry said, staring out the window.
Ruby shared a confused look with Lily who shrugged her shoulders. Harry seemed to get lost in thought looking out at the crashing waves. Lily felt a leg move under the table and guessed James had just kicked their father under the table as he startled suddenly, and if she knew James, it was not a gentle kick. Harry looked around the table and cleared his throat once more.
'Actually,' Harry began. 'That brings me to something I wanted to talk about. Well, you see, I'm not sure if I'll be going, more um, because of me. Not work that is. I've uh…' He trailed off.
'You're sick, aren't you?' Dudley stated. His tone was serious, so unlike himself.
'Yeah. I am.'
'What is it? Is it, uh, one of your lots?'
'Yeah. You wouldn't have heard of it. It's called Petrovych Syndrome. It's a magical disease but it's, uh, well, kind of like cancer.' Harry explained.
'When did you get diagnosed?' Dudley asked.
'In April. They keep saying I'm lucky because they caught it pretty early on so …' Harry's voice trailed off as he avoided the sad gazes.
'Is it…?' Dudley didn't finish his question as he looked expectantly at Harry. Harry met his gaze.
'Yeah. Yeah it is.'
'I'm sorry, mate.'
'Me too, Dudley. Me too.'