Hello all, just a quick note. I keep trying to do the math and progress the plot in a timely order while not making too many dramatic time skips but fuck that. It's getting too hard and it's low-key stressing me out. So starting at this chapter it is August 25th, 2017. Teddy is about to start his 7th year and James is about to be a 1st year. Albus is 10, and Lily is 7 almost 8. Rose is also 10, and Hugo is 8. So I think that might be about a year and a half to a two-year time change.
Glad I clarified that and enjoy the chapter!

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"But muuummmmmm!" James whined looking up at Ginny. "I can't have gloves made out of dragon hide!"

"And why can't you?" Ginny sighed scanning over both James' and Teddy's lists.

"Because uncle Charlie works with dragons and he told me all the terrible things those poor creatures go through just to give me some measly gloves that I'm going to grow out of in two years anyways."

"Yeah, mum," Teddy added, mocking James. "You should obviously know these things."

"Fine then." Ginny crossed her arms. "What kind of gloves do you want?"

"Snakeskin!" James said pumping his fist. "To show Slytherin where they can stick it."

Harry who had just returned with Lily and Albus handed ice cream to Teddy and James. "For the last time J, there is nothing wrong with Slytherin or anyone who's in it."

"That's not what grandpa said," James muttered taking his ice cream and licking it greedily.

Ginny rolled her eyes and took a scoop out of the cup of chocolate ice cream Harry bought for the two of them to share.

"How successful were we?" Harry asked peering at the lists over Ginny's shoulder.

"Well we were able to get James a cauldron and all of their potions ingredients, we need to get robes for James and I want to have the hemming of Ted's things looked at, we also need their books and a wand for James."

"What about brooms?" James asked interjecting himself into the conversation.

"Haha," Harry laughed dryly. "No."

"You already have a broom," Ginny said. "First years also aren't allowed to bring them to school anyways."

"But I want a new broom!" James whined. "All I have now is a lousy Nimbus 2001."

"Oh please," Harry scoffed. "You can have a new broom when you make the team. How's that sound?"

"Oh, dad! C'mon!" James cried. "You're gonna make me try out on a school-issued broom."

"If you deserve to be on the team the broom you fly won't determine your success," Harry said dismissing the conversation.

"You'll have to wait until next year too," Teddy said. "The only house without a full team this year is Ravenclaw, so you'll just have to be patient."

James turned his attention to Teddy looking affronted. "You think I couldn't be a Ravenclaw?"

Cackling, Teddy rumpled James' hair. "Oh buddy, I know you couldn't be a Ravenclaw."

This led to James shoving his much older cousin. "Boys," Ginny said with a warning

The pair separated instantly. Ginny hit them with a haughty look. "Finish your ice cream in peace, please. Also, don't get sticky before we go to Madam Malkin's."

"How about while you're getting their robes all set I'll pop into Flourish and Blots to get their books," Harry suggested to Ginny.

"Yeah," Ginny nodded handing him the lists. "Then we'll get anything else he might need and then we will get James that little stick he wants so bad."

"You, dad, and Teddy have one! It's my turn!"

After a few more minutes everyone had finished their ice cream and they headed down Diagon Alley to the clothing shop and the book store right next to it.

Kissing Ginny on the cheek Harry departed. "I'll meet you our front once I'm done."

Walking inside Harry decided to grab all the books he needed for James first. They levitated in a stack behind him while he searched for Teddy's book list. Those books were proving to be harder to locate.

Staring down at two different copies of the same book and woman ran directly into Harry. She bounced off of his shoulder and let out a startled yelp.

"So sorry!" She said fixing her hair. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"That's alright," Harry said returning one of the books to the shelf and looking at the woman. "Are you okay?"

The woman gasped as she made eye contact with Harry. She looked to be in her late fifties, she was wearing a faded red sweater and her hair was pulled back into a slightly frizzled, but very curly ponytail.

"Miss?" Harry questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh my." The woman brought a hand to her mouth. "You look like-"

Harry clicked his tongue. "Yes my father, I get that a lot-"

"Lily." The woman fished her eyes filled with tears.

This caught Harry off guard. "Ex- excuse me?"

The woman held her heart and sighed. "Oh just like Lily."

"You- you knew my mother?" Harry questions shock growing in his chest.

The woman nodded tearfully. "I was in school with her. We shared a dorm. Marlene, Lily, and I."

"What's your name?" Harry questioned. "I was told all my parents' friends were dead."

"Mary MacDonald, and I very well should be. Once we graduated and all joined the Order, I wasn't as involved as the rest of them. Reverted back to the muggle world, especially after. Oh but I was around, I remember when you were just a baby. Without that ghastly scar."

"So you knew, all of them?" Harry asked shell shocked. "Like my parents, Sirius, Remus, and Wormtail."

"Yes," Mary nodded tearfully. "Oh, and I slept with Sirius and Rem too."

Harry's eyes boggled out of his head.

"I was a bit notorious in my youth."

Harry had no response to that.

"I loved those girls." The woman kept talking without missing a beat. "Marls were my best friend. She- she was murdered before your parents, they got her whole family. Then we all had thought Sirius betrayed Lily and James. I was just heartbroken over Peter. Was. Then Sirius died when you were young, Remus was there too right?"

"Yeah after the Order reformed, it was in the Ministry, I was fifteen," Harry said in broken fragments.

Mary nodded sorrowfully. "I wonder that in the those few years Sirius was free that he and Remus were able to rekindle. Sirius thought Rem was the spy, can you imagine. It was hard between them before everything fell apart."

"I- what?" Harry shook his head. "Rekindle? They were best mates, they rekindled instantly."

Mary placed her hand over her mouth once more. "Oh, my dear boy, Remus and Sirius were more than mates."

"What?" Harry shook his head in bafflement. "You mean they-"

Mary nodded.

"But you just said you shagged them both. Sirius was a ladies' man, and Remus- Remus had a wife, and they had a child. The two of them? Together?"

"Remus has a child?" Mary gasped.

Before Harry could respond the bell on the door rang and a familiar voice shouted over the stacks of books.

"Hey, Harry? Ginny sent me in here to see if you need help!"

"Over here, Ted!" Harry called back. Then looking back at Marry he asked, "Did you know Nymphadora; or any of the Tonks family?"

Mary looked confused. Teddy appeared from around a corner his blue hair on full display and stood next to Harry giving Mary a small smile.

"Remus had a child," Harry said again.

"Hiya," Teddy said with a small wave. "Edward Lupin."

"Mary MacDonald," Mary said staring at Teddy in shock. "I-I uhm went to school with your father. I met your mother once or twice too."

"Okay," Teddy nodded smiling. "Nice to meet you."

"Here Ted," Harry handed Teddy the stack of books in his arms over to Teddy. "I think there's one or two more than you might need. They're upstairs. Meet me at the counter and we'll buy both yours and J's."

Nodding Teddy departed.

Harry shook his head slightly after watching Teddy leave and looked back at Mary. She gave a mournful sigh.

Grasping one of Harry's hands she gave a smile. Forged from years of grief and pain, Harry could see the sorrow in her eyes. Harry was a reminder of all she had lost. "My dear boy, I know you don't know me, but I knew you and I loved you. And I loved your parents."

"Seems like a lot of people loved them," Harry nodded. "Everyone I've spoken to says the same."

Mary dipped her chin and squeezed her eyes shut, and a single tear fell from her eye. "Lily and James were the glue that held the world together. Everyone loved them because they were the best. Actual good and pure souls. The best of us all. I ran away and became a full-blown muggle after what happened to them. It broke my heart thinking about you all those years."

"Well I didn't turn out that bad, did I?" Harry grinned hoping to keep the woman from crying.

Mary gave a watery laugh. "No, I suppose not. They'd be mighty proud of you."

"Thank you," Harry smiled. "I'm sorry I have to go but I've got my family to attend to. My oldest, discluding Ted, is starting at Hogwart this year."

"Oh, how wonderful, he'll love it there. What's his name?"

"James," Harry smiled. "James Sirius Potter."

Mary gave a small giggle. "Merlin help his poor professors. Well tell him good luck, and Harry, it was truly wonderful to see you again."

"Thank you," Harry said turning to go. "It was nice meeting you."

He walked two steps before Mary called after him. "Hold on just a second."

She handed him a yellowing piece of paper. "Have that, it'd be selfish of me to keep it any longer."

Harry didn't even get a good look at what she had handed him. Mary was gone before he could say thank you.

Teddy called for him once more, so Harry put the paper in his back pocket and went to the register. They met the rest of the family outside, finished their errands, got James his wand (mahogany, eleven inches, jackalope antler core), and went out to dinner before they were home.

Even then Harry and Ginny had to put the kids to bed, talk an over-eager James down from trying to perform magic, and tackle the very messy house.

It was just before ten when Harry was finally able to sit down and examine the paper Mary MacDonald had given him. It was small and worn, there were a few places where it had looked to have been damaged by tears.

It was a wizard picture, the figures moved in what was about a seven-second loop.

Ginny was in the bathroom brushing her teeth, walking into her bedroom she was greeted with the sight of Harry sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching a wrinkling piece of yellow paper, and sobbing softly.

"Harry," Ginny said, softly her voice filled with worry. "What's happened?"

Harry said nothing and took off his glasses so he could better wipe his eyes. Ginny gently took the picture from him, as to see why her husband was in shambles.

There were three women in the photo. With short brown hair, a fair-skinned woman stood to the right, holding a bouquet and laughing so hard that her eyes disappeared. The woman to the left wore the same dress but her skin was much darker and her hair fell in gorgeous black coils, she was also laughing as she threw her arms around the one in the middle. The woman in the middle was wearing a white dress and had flowers woven into her hair like a crown. She gave the woman hugging her a kiss on the cheek between giggles. Ginny had seen enough pictures to know who she was.

On the back, there was someone's slightly crooked cursive that read.

Marlene McKinnon, Lily Potter, and Mary MacDonald
1978

Then underneath there was the rushed scribbling of someone else's handwriting, and now Ginny knew why Harry was crying.

Lily's officially hitched. And to Potter no less

There wasn't a signature but there was mention of his parents, and Harry didn't have nearly enough of his parents. It's no wonder he was crying.

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"Teddy please!" James was almost in hysterics now.

He'd been panicked since the car when Teddy told him there was a test that decided his house.

Teddy walked smugly, pretending not to notice James tugging at his jumper. "You'll find out when you get there."

"But what if I need to prepare for it?" James exclaimed, desperately. "How will I know what to do to get into Gryffindor?"

Teddy shrugged.

James shoved him. "You arse! At least tell me it doesn't hurt."

Teddy shrugged again. "Everyone reacts to it differently."

James groaned and threw his hands up in the air. Shooting Ginny a pleading look.

Sighing Ginny shook her head. "Oh Ted, stop teasing him. James, you'll be fine. If you really wanna know you might be able to get one of your cousins to tell you on the train."

"You won't tell me either?" James cried turning fully around, his eyes flicking back and forth between his parents.

"No," Ginny said with a small grin as Harry shook his head.

"You find out when you find out," Harry said. "Oh look there are the others."

George, Angelina, Fred II, and Roxanne approached. Behind them Ron and Hermione with Rose and Hugo. 

The cousins quickly mingled, and James whispered hurriedly to Fred II. Both of them looked worried. 

After hellos were said Ron checked his watch. "It's a quarter till let's get this lot onto the platform, sere if we find any of the others. 

Harry who had been pushing James' trolly whilst he was peppering Teddy with questions handed it off. 

Ron walked with Rose through the barrier, and Hermione quickly followed with Hugo. 

"Teddy," Ginny said. "You next. James after him."

"Then you Freddie," Angelina added. 

The three boys with trollies lined up, Teddy walked confidently, disappearing into the wall, James opted to make a bit of a jog, he winced noticeably when coming into contact with the barrier. Fred II pursued quickly and then it was just the adults, Lily and Albus. 

Harry and Lily decided to run at the barrier because Lily was frightened, then the rest followed. 

Once on the platform, Teddy began to scan the crowd, looking for Victoire. "She's always early to everything." He muttered to himself. Then saying to everyone, "I'm gonna go find Victoire."

Trying to be off Teddy is stopped short by Ginny grabbing his back collar. "No no mister. You're not getting off that easy. Come here."

Ginny embraced Teddy tightly, even though he was a whole head taller than her by now. Then Ginny pursed her lips and made a humming noise. Going up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Teddy's cheek.

"No! No!" Teddy shouted trying to wiggle out of Ginny's grip. "Ginny please!" 

Ginny grabbed Teddy's head and lowered it to her level. "Mwah!" Ginny left a fat sloppy kiss on her godson's left cheek.

"Belch." Teddy groaned, wiping at it with his sleeve. "Did you have to make it that wet?"

Ginny cackled in reply. "I love you, Teddy!' She smiled in a sing-song voice. 

"I love you too," Teddy grumbled, trying to hide his smile. 

"C'mere head boy," Harry said pulling Teddy into an embrace. Teddy gratefully hugged Harry back. 

"Last year," Harry said into his ear. 

"Last year," Teddy replied with a sigh. 

Putting his hands on Teddy's shoulders Harry smiled. "You've got this." 

"Thank you, Harry." Teddy grinned back. 

Harry looked at Teddy a bit more seriously and lowered his voice. "Look after him, won't you?"

"Yeah," Teddy nodded immediately. "Of course I will, he's my little brother."

"He's more nervous than he's letting on," Harry murmured.

"I'll look out for him. All the cousins will."

"Thank you," Harry whispered. Then clapping Teddy on the arm he smiled joyfully. "Alright, away with you. To find your precious Victoire." 

Teddy backed away from the group slowly. "I love you guys, see you at Christmas."

Everyone waved by as Teddy disappeared into the crowd, fog from the steam engine concealing even his bright blue hair.

James turned to Hermione and Ron suddenly. "Why are you here?"

Hermione barked out an astonished laugh and Ron feined offense. 

"Yes," Ron said. "Hermione, why are we here?"

"Beats me," Hermione shrugged, acting on to Ron's joke. "Our kids aren't even at Hogwarts age."

"You know," Ron said tapping his dramatically. "I could have sworn we had a godson who was going to Hogwarts this year."

"Wait-" James said realizing his mistake. 

Ron gave a shrug. "Ah well, we best be off then." 

"Hold on!" James said moving towards the pair.

"I agree," Hermione said with a grin. "Kids let's go." 

"Stop!" James said grabbing their arms. "My mistake, stay."

"Oh if you insist," Ron smiled. 

James rolled his eyes before wrapping his arms around Hermione. "Thank you for coming, truly."

Hermione hugged him back excitedly. "Oh, I wouldn't miss it." 

James went and loaded his things into a compartment with Fred II, Lucy, Molly II, Dominique, Teddy, and Victorie. During this, the group found Percy, Audrey, Bill, and Fleur. 

All the kids came out for one final goodbye. Dominique was whispering in distraught Frech to her mother. Dominique was to be a first-year with James and Fred II. 

Everyone hugged everyone goodbye. James had to suffer through cheek kisses from both his mother and Hermione. The train whistled and they all turned to board. 

James, forever gallant led the way. He was almost instantly stopped by a few excited kids coming up to him. Harry couldn't hear what they said but felt relief James's older cousins smoothly stepped in front of the strangers and led everyone to their carriage. 

Ron stepped next to Harry's ear and said, "What do you reckon that a couple of parents saw James get hugged by Harry Potter, the famous Holy Head Harpies player Ginny Potter, and the Mistress of Magic and told their kids to go make nice with him. "

"I reckon it was more than a couple," Harry said sadly. "I just want him to have a normal school experience." 

"Oh, James ravishes the attention and you know it," Ginny said wrapping her arm around Harry's side. "He'll be just fine." 

Harry sighed. The train whistle blew loudly and all the cousins hung out of the window waving enthusiastically.

"Remember to write!" Ginny called out. 

"We'll send you post every hour if you don't!" George shouted. 

James and a few of the other cousins gave sarcastic thumbs-ups as the train began to move. 

The train began to chug and Harry moved with it, doing his best to keep James in sight, he walked, and he ran. He went as far as he could before the train disappeared around the bend. 

Walking towards the group Harry smiled and ruffled Albus' hair. "All right you lot. Home it is."

"I miss James," Lily said. 

"You'll see him soon enough," Ginny said. 

Albus scoffed. "You won't miss him during the Christmas holiday when he's back home being a twat."

"Oh, you be quiet." Harry laughed.

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yes, before you say anything I know I haven't updated since January. But to be fair I started writing this during Spring break, so like the middle of March.

But when I brought Mary into things that prompted me to re-read all of All The Young Dudes. Which if you haven't is phenomenal. personally, I think it is the best HP fanfic there is. Here's the link if you're interested. https://archiveofourown.org/works/10057010/chapters/22409387

But ATYD is about 507K or some odds words so I was reading that well into April then yk AP exams and finals. 

BUT, at long last, HERE is an update. *wait for applause*

Thank you so much for reading I really hope you enjoyed. Yk you can like vote and comment if you feel like it. Up to you tho, mwah.

See you next time Loves!