Saturday, May 3rd 2025

Ginny was sat at her kitchen table, her empty breakfast plate pushed slightly away from her, a cup of coffee had taken its place on the placemat instead. The sun from the kitchen window was warming her back and perfectly lighting up the letter from her son Albus in her hand.

I still can't believe Rose published that article on Aunt Hermione in Witch Weekly. I know, i know it was on the Ministry but come on mum. We both know she was taking aim at Aunt Hermione. Did you and Dad say that magazine used to target her or something when you were in school? Have you been over? Is Ron sleeping at the Weasley Wizard Wheezes yet? Fred, Louis and I have a bet going for how long it takes Ron to abandon ship. I need to know if I'm still in the running because I mean, five galleons is still five galleons. All jokes aside I feel for him there are not two people I would rather be less around during a fight than Aunt Hermione and Rose. I mean I'm going into ruins that haven't been entered in over a thousand years with who knows how many curses, hexes and deadly creatures and I still feel more safe than Uncle Ron. Might be the whole continent in between that helps, eh?

Ginny found herself chuckling at that. Despite being a curse-breaker-in-training, the only thing that seemed to scare her Albus, were his aunt and cousin.

'Something funny, love?' Harry raised his eyebrow at her from his place across from her, the Daily Prophet open in front of him.

'Our son, or should I say your son.' Ginny said as she smiled.

'Oh he's my son now, is he?' Harry laughed as his eyebrows shot up.

'Oh definitely. Because if he was my son, he would not be terrified at the mere thought of being near Hermione and Rose after Rose's Witch Weekly article. '

Harry winced at that.

'I don't know what Rosie was thinking, Honestly. And of all publication, Witch Weekly? Really?' Harry said as he shook his head, returning his gaze to his paper.

'Yeah I don't know how Rose can recover from this one. Reminds me a lot of Hermione actually, in her righteousness. But Albus is all you. Terrified of an angry Hermione, screams Harry Potter.' Ginny joked as she returned to Albus' letter.

Harry snickered from behind his newspaper.

Did Dom bring her new boyfriend to the last Sunday dinner? I hear from Teddy, who heard from Vic, that Bill is not too fond of him and was planning on getting the cousins to haze him at the next dinner if he showed up. Also, you didn't hear this from me but apparently Teddy has something big planned, so when it happens (I'm sorry mum, I can't tell you what it's about), please tell me all the details. You'll know, I promise. Also tell James to stop stealing shit from my room. I don't know what he's doing but I know he's up to something in there.

I'm sorry I couldn't get the day off for the anniversary. I hope everything went okay. I'll be thinking of you all. I should be home for Dad's birthday, I put in the request at the office and it looks promising. If anything changes, I'll let you know but hopefully I get to see you all before October.

Love you loads, Al. X

'Harry?'

Harry glanced up at her.

'What is this big thing that Teddy is planning?' Ginny asked.

Harry's eyes widened and he spluttered as he attempted to form a response.

'Harry.' her tone was a lot firmer.

'No idea.' Harry said, and quickly brought the paper up to cover his face.

'You wouldn't lie to me, oh husband dearest.' Ginny warned. A tense silence followed.

'I made a promise to my godson not to tell anyone about it, you wouldn't make me break that promise now would you, love?' Harry's voice said from behind the Daily Prophet.

Ginny opened her mouth to tell Harry that oh yes, she most certainly would but was interrupted by a gentle tapping sound from behind her. Harry was saved f by the appearance of a grey owl at the kitchen's sliding doors. Ginny could vaguely make out the crest of St Mungo's on the letter in it's talons. She furrowed her brows as she got up to open the door and retrieve the message from the owl. St Mungo's don't usually send you letters at the weekend, she thought to herself.

'Who's it from, Gin.' Harry asked from his chair behind her.

'It's from St Mungo's.' She said as she turned to look at him. A pit forming in her stomach. 'It's for you.' She handed the letter to him.

Harry took the outstretched letter and opened it, seemingly unaffected by this disturbance to their Saturday.

'Oh they got my results back? That was quick, right, Gin?' Harry said as he smiled at Ginny. Ginny couldn't make herself return the smile.

'What else did it say?'

Harry looked back down at the letter and his smile faltered.

'Oh, they want me to come in. Today, actually.' Harry looked up at Ginny and she could see a hint of worry behind his glasses.

'Okay, then. Well, let's go.' Ginny said, grabbing her wand from by the letter from Albus. Harry didn't move from his seat. 'Come on, Harry.'

'Ginny, this can't be … You were right, weren't you?'

Ginny waved her wand at the plates to levitate them over to the kitchen sink to be cleaned, the 'proper way' as Harry liked to call it, by hand.

'Well look, we won't know anything unless we go. Okay? No point fretting just yet, anyway.' Ginny said as she nudged his arm.

Harry nodded and got up slowly. He followed her wordlessly into the sitting room and into the fireplace to St Mungo's.

Sunday, 11th May 2025

Ginny really shouldn't have been surprised after twenty five years of marriage that when Harry Potter called in a favour, it always came through. That very favour had led her to being sat in a booth in a quiet corner of the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade with both Lily and James sat across from herself and Harry. Harry had politely asked Headmaster Flitwick if they could meet Lily in Hogsmeade for a family emergency and he had of course obliged. And well, really, who can say no to the Saviour of the Wizarding World?

'So…' Lily said trailing off as Verity Towers, the proprietor of the Three Broomsticks, dropped their Butterbeers to the table.

Neither Harry nor Ginny made any effort to start the conversation, choosing instead to take drinks from their tankards. The four quickly lapsed into silence once more.

'Seriously guys. What's going on? Why are we here?' Jimmy said, glancing at his watch.

'Why? Somewhere to be, Jamie?' Lily teased as she elbowed James in the ribs.

James winced but laughed good naturedly at his little sister. Ginny smiled at the pair. She had received an elbow from her youngest child on more than one occasion and knew how painful those bony elbows could be. They were the very reason that she made such a good chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

'No,' James said indignantly, not unlike a child. 'I was just hoping to catch Margy before she heads over to her parents in Toronto for the next week.'

'Oh, what time is her portkey at?' Ginny asked, taking another sip of her butterbeer, and wishing it was something a little stronger.

'At four. so we'll see... I guess.' James said as he too took a sip of his own drink.

Ginny looked over to Harry and saw him smile mischievously at the information. The clock behind the bar showed 2.20pm and if she knew her husband well, and Ginny liked to think she did, she was almost certain that Harry would try to stretch out this conversation as long as possible. She shook her head at him thankful that James thus far remained unaware that his father was not the biggest fan of his current girlfriend.

'We're just waiting for Teddy, and then I'll explain everything.' Harry said.

'Wait, Teddy's coming?' Lily said excitedly. 'What's next? Is Al going to walk in the door too?'

'Oh please, Lily, the only person that could tear away Albus from a dangerous time is Scorpius screaming fire and maybe Rose if she asked nicely.' James scoffed.

'Oh no, believe me, he wants to be as far away as humanly possible from Rose while the Hermione-Rose war wages on.' Ginny said as she recalled his most recent letter.

Just then a a man entered the pub. He took a quick look around the room and then started heading towards the Potter's table, nearly knocking a hunched over figure off their barstool as he passed, truly Nymphadora Tonks son.

'Sorry, sorry, I'm late.' Teddy Lupin said as he nudged James to move over in the booth and took a seat beside him. 'I was stuck in a meeting with my counterpart in the Lichtenstein Office. And then the translator didn't show and by the time we managed to find one we were already running an hour behind schedule and then O'Connell barged in because she had the meeting room booked for a meeting with the Andorran office. It was a whole ordeal.' He motioned his hand to Verity and then turned back to the table. 'So, what did I miss?'

Harry smiled at his godson. Teddy Lupin had worked at the International Magical Office of Law in the Department of International Magical Co-operation for the last seven years after a brief stint in the Wizengamot Administration Services for two years after he graduated from Hogwarts. He had quickly risen through the ranks and was regarded as a valued member of the department.

'Absolutely nothing. They wouldn't tell us why they summoned us until you arrive.' Lily said as Verity dropped over a fresh butterbeer for Teddy.

'I am sorry to pull you from your studies, Lily. I'm sure you've a lot of studying and notes to go over before the examinations kick off.' Harry said.

'Oh please,' Lily said, rolling her eyes at her father's words, 'This was a welcome blessing. Hugo was trying to get me to arrange a study session and invite Martha Clearwater because he's too chicken to ask her out. Like, please. Martha Clearwater, of all people? The girl has about as much personality as a Flobberworm.'

'Lily.' Ginny admonished.

'What, Mum? It's true. And it's not like he couldn't get anyone he wanted. His mums the Minister for Magic for Merlin's sake. Like, hello? Up your standards, pal. Like at least try to let me set you up with Farah Lawlor, Hugo. Ugh.'

Ginny stared at Lily in something akin to awe as her daughter rolled her eyes dramatically.

'Wow, Lils. What a difficult life you live.' James said sarcastically.

'No, honestly, James. You have no idea. And then, Mum, get this. Then, I have Roxanne talking my ear off about Percy Blackbeard, who's like in the year ahead of us -'

'Oh really?' James muttered, his eyes narrowing at the news.

'-You didn't hear that, James, okay? Anyway, he's like some Quidditch prodigy or whatever. And that's great I'm happy for him but I really don't need to know how Rox thinks that the way he swings his beaters bat -'

'Lily!' James and Teddy shouted in disgust, attracting the attention and curious glances of the other patrons in the pub.

'-oh get your heads out of the gutter. He's a beater on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, you idiots. Anyways, apparently, it's "ground breaking" and really elevates the game or some shit.'

'Lily!' Harry warned.

'What?' Lily fired back. 'As if it isn't complete bull, Dad, come on? Like, just say you want to snog him and stop going on and on and on about it. You know, some of us have real exams that we want to somewhat study for. I swear if they cost me my Potions grade again, I think I may actually cause them bodily harm and I promise you Nana Weasley won't be able to stop me this time.'

The boys all balked at the memory of the summer of Lily's second year. The exam results had come out while the cousins had all been at their grandparents house. Lily had received an Outstanding or Exceeds Expectations in all her classes except Potions, where she only received an Acceptable. Ginny to this day was still unsure on the exact details of what had transpired but from what her mother could make out between the incoherent screams from Lily and the sharp objects that were magically hurled in Roxanne and Hugo's direction, there was something about homework being set on fire, on more than one occasion. And there definitely had been rumours over the years about a potion that had grown legs and walked out of the Potions classroom door.

'Well I hope I don't have to bail you out of Azkaban, Lily.' Harry said finally.

'Oh don't worry, Dad. I'll make sure I get away without any eye witnesses.' Lily smiled sweetly at her father.

'And they used to worry about us when we were in Hogwarts.' James says as he nudged Teddy conspiratorially.

'It's always the youngest of the family that you have to watch out for.' Teddy nodded.

Lily opened her mouth to reply but Harry interjected by waving his hands.

'Okay, okay. Look as thrilling as this all is. I did want to speak about something pretty important with you all.' Harry said. He picked up his butterbeer to take another quick drink.

Lily glanced between Ginny and Harry before she made a face.

'You're not getting a divorce are you? Because like that is really sick and twisted timing. I've exams tomorrow!' Lily said, affronted. Harry choked on his butterbeer and started coughing, loudly.

'What? Lily, no.' Ginny said, shocked. Reaching over to clap her husband on the back.

'Why, Lily? Why would you think we were getting a divorce? What made you even think that?' Harry asked as he cleared his throat.

'Well why else would you gather us all so suddenly?'Lily shot back.

'You're not sick or dying are you?' James asked, face turning into a grimace.

'Well…' Harry said.

'Harry!' Ginny admonished, lightly hitting him on the arm.

'What?' Lilly whisper-yelled

'Well the healer did say there's no definitive treatment course.' Harry said back to Ginny.

Not for the first time, Ginny wondered if Harry ever thought about the words he said before saying them out loud.

'No. She said there's no definitive life expectancy.' Ginny replied.

'Life expectancy?' Teddy said, staring incredulously at his pseudo parents.

'Woah! woah! woah! Walk it back, now. What in Merlin's beard are you on about, Dad?' James said as he set his tankard loudly on the wooden table.

Ginny shot Harry a look. This was not at all how they had rehearsed telling the children. There was to be an explanation of the diagnosis and the treatment plan, and they would shed some tears and hugs and go on with their day. Or something to that effect. Harry at least had the good manners to look guilty at the outburst.

Harry took another drink from his butterbeer and then cleared his throat. The three across the table staring at him expectantly.

'Okay, well. I had not been feeling well for quite sometime actually. And your mother, Ginny. She had noticed and forced me to go to St Mungo's to get checked out.' Harry said as he stared at the table.

'When?' Lily asked in a whisper.

Harry furrowed his brow looking at Ginny for answer.

'It was the Monday after Easter Sunday Dinner at the Burrow.' Ginny said in explanation.

'So, uh, yeah. We went to t Mungo's.' Harry continued. 'And they ran a bunch of tests. Honestly, with it being Easter, I really thought we'd have been waiting longer for them to et back to us. But, um, we got and owl from them last weekend to come in urgently and, uh, they …' Harry's voice trailed off.

Ginny looked up at his face and saw some tears sliding silently down his cheek. She reached over and grabbed his hands in her own and squeezed lightly. He looked up at her and shook his head. Ginny smiled and cleared her throat, looking across at the three shocked faces.

'Healer Kamal diagnosed Harry with Petrovych Syndrome. It's, um, not curable, unfortunately. But it was caught very early on. Healer Kamal said it was stage one. Apparently most people are diagnosed at stage four and it's only weeks to live.'

'So he is dying?' James asked softly.

'In a sense,' Ginny replied. Harry squeezed her hand. 'The whole team of Healers from the Deadly Diseases Department were quite optimistic but of course no one really knows how long your dad has. This is all new territory in terms of treatment and preventing the spread of the disease.'

Her words were met with silence. She had expected more questions. The questions will come, she thought, once they've processed the information.

'The healers said it's similar to this muggle disease called cancer. Essentially the body starts attacking itself. In this case it's attacking the magic in Harry. They're putting him on this new potion. It has Belladonna berries and peppermint oil, it smells . It's quite toxic to the average drinker but the active ingredients target the disease. They've had some great results with it in Eastern Europe where the disease is more prominent.'

'Why? How?' James asked, his eyes glassy.

'It's believed to be caused by radiation. You know your dad been on many missions around the world where he could have been exposed.'

'But why?'

'Who knows why anyone gets sick, Lily.' Ginny replied.

Harry cleared his throat and let go of Ginny's hands to clear his tears form his face.

'Look, I know this is not … I've always made it a point not to hide anything from you all. And I just want you to know I'm not going anywhere just yet and I'm going to fight this until the bitter end.' Harry said, squeezing Ginny's hand. It was unclear if it was for comfort or for strength. Ginny blinked back tears. She had done enough crying when the healer broke the news last week.

'Okay.' Lily said, nodding her head at her parents, her cheeks glistening. ' So just wo we're clear. You're not going to be using this as an excuse not to do things right? We're still going to the Harpies game after the summer exams, right?'

Her comment caused the other four to laugh.

'I wouldn't miss it, love.' Harry whispered back.

'Only because he values his life.' Ginny shot back. This caused them all to laugh once more.

'Does Albus know?' James asked.

'We flooed over to Jordan this morning and explained it all. I have to say, he was remarkably more composed than all of you.' Harry replied.

'He's so weird. I told you I don't think he's human, Dad. I genuinely think he's part niffler. Put a shiny thing in front of him and he loses focus.' Lily interjected.

Ginny laughed at Lily's words.

'Albus sure is something.' Ginny agreed with a smile.

They sat at the table for some time talking mindlessly, ordering a second round of butterbeer before a comfortable silence settled on the table. Ginny looked over at the clock behind the bar now reading 4.30pm and she shook her head. She really didn't understand her husband's dislike for James girlfriend, wasn't that supposed to be her job?

Harry downed the last of his butter beer and set it loudly on the table.

'Okay then, Lilykins, I think it's high time we get you back up to the castle. I will not be the reason you fail your Potions exam tomorrow.' Harry said standing up from the table.

'Oh don't worry Dad. Tomorrow is Ancient Rune and I have that in the bag.' Lily said, nudging James, who winced, to get out of the booth.

'Why do you even take that class? You don't even need it.' James asked as he massaged his side.

'Because Dromgoole loves me and it's an easy N.E.W.T.' Lily replied.

'I don't think anyone in the history of Hogwarts has ever called Ancient Runes an easy class.' Teddy said as he shook his head at Lily.

'We'll walk you back, Lily, come on.' Harry said. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out some galleons to leave on the table. Ginny thought it was definitely more than what the rounds of drinks had cost, as they headed to the door.

'Well I've definitely missed Margy now, so I might as well walk with you lot.' James said. He checked his watch once more but Ginny knew it was definitely well after four. 'I'll not hear the end of this from her.'

'Oh just tell her your dad's dying. She can't be mad at you then.' Lily said blinking up at the late afternoon sun.

'Lily!' Ginny hissed lightly smacking her daughters arm.

Lilly looked at her offended.

'What? It's the truth!'

Harry laughed and wrapped his arm around his daughter and steered them in the direction of Hogwarts.

'That it is but let's not go around telling everyone until we've told the rest of the family, sweetheart. You coming Teddy?' Harry said.

'Yeah, no, that's fair. My bad. We'll keep this one on the down low.' Lily winked at Harry.

Ginny and Harry shared a look of bewilderment.

'Teddy?' Harry asked again.

'Yeah, I'll walk.' Teddy replied, catching up to the Pooters. 'Vic's at her parents anyways. I think Dom brought some boyfriend home and if I'm there Bill is just going to make me join in on the inquisition. I don't have the heart, like sure he's a bit of a prat. But he doesn't deserve Papa Bear Bill.'

'No one deserves that, son.' Harry said, laughing.

'So when are you telling the rest of the family, Dad?' James asked.

'Well I'm starting treatment at the end of the week, and then I've to meet with my counterpart in MACUSA. And then I've the interdepartmental meeting with all the department heads. I also have to head to Athens for an our thirdly International Wizarding Committee meeting. Um, and there's something else I'm forgetting. Oh that thing, Teddy, when's that happening?'

'The next Sunday dinner at the burrow that we get to, James.' Ginny answered for her husband, rolling her eyes. 'What's this thing, Harry? Is it what Albus wrote to me in the letter?'

Teddy paled.

'Oh, um, no. Nothing, Ginny.' Teddy answered, avoiding eye contact with her.

'Teddy, I can only keep this a secret for so long. I thought this was a done deal at the last dinner.' Harry said, laughing at his godson.

'It is.' Teddy cried indignantly.

'Ooh, a secret. What's it about?' Crooned Lily.

'Never mind, you. How come Al knows of this so called secret and not me?' James cried, smacking Teddy hard on the arm.

'Ow! Well you would know James if you spent more than two seconds away from the girlfriend of yours. Besides you're useless at keeping secrets.' Teddy fired back.

'Rubbish! I'm brilliant at it, ask anyone. Tell him Lily.'

'Yeah, no, he's useless. I'd trust him with a secret about as far as I could throw him. I, however, can keep a secret. Just ask Albus. Did anyone ever find out how Mum's quaffle from her first Quidditch match exploded? No, and they're never going to.'

'Well, I didn't exactly think it blew up on it's own accord now, Lily. It's also why it was a copy of the actual quaffle. I had three under five, I knew better than to leave valuable in range of your temper tantrums.' Ginny said, laughing at Lily's shock.

'You left that vase that your uncle gave us for our wedding all those years.'

'Like, I said, dear, valuables.' Ginny laughed.

The gates of Hogwarts were now coming into view, and the large castle loomed in the distance as magnificent and grand as the first day she saw it. She wondered briefly how Professor Flitwick would know to let Lily back in.

'So Edward, when is it happening?' Harry quipped.

'Look, Harry, I have a plan-'

'I've heard that before.'

'-yes but I mean it this time, Harry. I still need you to do the thing, though.'

'What thing?' Lily asked, looking between Teddy and Harry.

'Teddy, you can't chicken out again.'

Ginny's eyes narrowed.

'I don't like being excluded from secrets, boys.' Ginny said.

'I know, Ginny, I just. You'll understand why soon. I promise.' Teddy said, a look of pleading in his eyes as stared imploringly at Ginny.

'I need a deadline.' Ginny said, as the group came to a standstill.

Harry waved his wand and a Patronus of a stag ran through the closed gates of Hogwarts and up the winding pathway to the castle.

Teddy stared at her incredulously.

'A deadline?' he asked.

'Yes, a deadline or I need to know, today. Your choice, dear.'

Ginny had long mastered the art of negotiations with her children and Teddy. And the one way to guarantee success in her endeavour usually involved an ultimatum.

'Alright, okay, um, Harry?'

'The end of summer? August 31st?' Harry suggested.

'Okay, yeah.' Teddy nodded. 'The end of summer. That okay?'

'Ginny smiled wide.

'Perfect. Oh and I better be there for whatever it is that's happening that I mustn't know.'

Teddy looked back at Hogsmeade in bewilderment.

'Yeah, sure. August. Okay. I can do this. Okay.'

Ginny heard footsteps approach the group and smiled as the aging Professor Flitwick came into view.

'Professor Flitwick! A pleasure as always.' Harry cried, unwrapping his arm from Lily's shoulder.

Professor Flitwick unlocked the gates with a wave of his wand and reached out his hand to shake first Harry then Ginny's hands.

'Harry! Ginny! So good to see you both. I trust you're both keeping well.' Professor Flitwick replied, his glasses catching the sun and making Ginny blink.

Harry and Ginny shared a look and smiled at the irony of his statement.

'Couldn't be better, professor.' Harry smiled.

'Right, well, best of luck with your exams, Lily. We'll see you in a few weeks.' Ginny said as she pulled her daughter into a tight hug.

Harry also hugged her and whispered something in her ear that Ginny couldn't hear but whatever it was it made Lily giggle. Lily had been such a giggly child but as she aged her giggles had become less and less but Harry could still rouse them from her on a rare occasion. James mussed up her hair and pushed her towards Teddy who gave her a half armed hug before pushing her towards the castle grounds.

'Please try not to maim your cousins.' Ginny called after her as the gates closed behind her.

Lily turned around a gave them all a cheeky smile and winked before hurrying up the path slightly ahead of Professor Flitwick.

'I fear for Rox and Hugo.' James said as they watched her wind her way up the path towards the castle entrance following the same route Harry's Patronus had just taken.

Teddy wrapped his arm around James' shoulders.

'You and me both, James. You and me both.' Teddy said.

Will be posting new chapters on Tuesdays. Enjoy this Saturday update!