"When was the last time we did this?" Ginny asked taking the bowl of pretzels from Hermione's hands and setting them in her lap.

"Three weeks ago," Hermione answered setting down a pitcher of iced tea.

"Really?" Harry mused leaning back on the couch with his arm around Ginny. "Feels longer."

"Well, the last time we were all together was at Seamus and Dean's wedding," Hermione noted. 

"Ha!" Harry laughed poking Ginny in the ribs. "You were so drunk!"

"Excuse you!" Ginny gasped. "I was not drunk!"

"Really?" Harry countered. "When we got home and I tried to help you out of your dress you literally screamed at the top of your lungs, 'STOP! I HAVE A HUSBAND!' Then made me sleep on the couch."

"So that's why you were in the living room." Ginny nodded sipping her tea.  "At least you know I'm loyal."

"That's pretty bad," Hermione snorted. "But it can't be worse than the time Ron chased me around Grimwald Place with tampons."

Ron turned bright red and put his face in his hands. 

Harry looked absolutely bewildered. "Context?" He gasped at Ron.

"They look like little ghosts," Ron muttered.

Ginny wheezed into her hands and fell sideways over on the couch. Harry was trying and failing to hold in his laughter.

"It's getting better." Hermione giggled. "He chased me around yelling that the tampon ghosts were haunting me."

Harry snorted loudly and slapped the floor. 

"Well, one time Harry ran up to some old muggle man and hugged him!" Ron burst out. "Shouting, 'Dumbledore! You're alive!' He was very nice about it. Telling Harry his name was Samual, not Dumbledore.

"I thought that was a dream," Harry said distantly. 

Hermione was cackling. "Am I the only one who doesn't have a crazy drunk story?"

Ginny scoffed loudly. "No!"

"Name one time!" Hermione cried.

"Do you remember Hannah's bachelorette party?" Ginny questioned cocking her eyebrows. 

"I- er- Didn't we go to a muggle club?" Hermione asked. 

"Yeah, you were downing vodka like there was no tomorrow," Ginny explained. "But then the E.J dude said something into the microphone thingy they use and you sank down to your knees screaming about the Lord speaking to us."

"That's a lie." Hermione shook her head uncertainly. "You just made that up."

"If I remember correctly your exact words were, 'The almighty Lord Jesus has rained his blessings down upon us. BOW YOU PEASANTS!' I had to carry you out of the pub."

"I saw some Irish bloke do something like that at the world cup after they beat Bulgaria," Ron said. 

"Oh!" Harry gasped excitedly. "Did you hear? The Quidditch World Cup is in America this year!"

"Man, they haven't hosted there in ages," Ginny said. "It's going to be packed."

"Actually," Hemione grinned reaching into her pocket. "Speaking of the world cup, we have tickets." She flared out ten plum-colored slips of paper. 

Ginny yelped and threw the pretzels into the air, flinging them all across the room. Harry stared at Hermione slack-jawed.

"Are these real?" Ron gasped taking the tickets from her hand and examining them. 

"Yeah," Hermione nodded her cheeks full of blush.

"How did you get those?" Harry gasped at long last. 

"The guys down in the Sports department were practically falling over themselves to give me tickets. All I had to do was ask."

"I love you!" Ginny gaped flinging herself into Hermione's arms.

Hermione laughed at the other's reactions. "I think we should go three days before the game. Go camping, I think the kids would like it. I could talk to someone about getting a few tents-"

Hermione was cut off by a blood-curdling screen from upstairs. Pausing for just a moment the four adults flew from their seats and up the stairs. All five children were in Rose's room. They were all cowered in a corner. Across from them was a giant spider. 

Rose was standing slightly in front of the group trembling at the sight of the large arachnid.

Ron moved to step in front of his daughter but Harry wrenched his arm back. "No!"

At that exact moment, Hermione cast a spell that sent the spider flying back into Roses wardrobe. 

"It's a boggart." Harry breathed out. 

"Kids," Ginny said turning to them. "Why don't you go play somewhere else for a bit while we get rid of the boggart."

Nodding the five scrambled from the room and down the steps. Once they were gone Ron turned to Harry looking livid.

"Why the hell did you stop me! In case you hadn't noticed, that was my daughter standing in front of that boggart!"

"Do you really think it would have been any better if you stepped in front of her and instead of a giant spider the kids saw Hermione lying dead on the floor!" Harry shot back.

Ron opened his mouth to retort but closed. it. "Yeah, you're right."

"Who's going to get rid of it?" Hermione questioned gazing at the wardrobe warily. 

"That-" Harry started. "Is a good question." 

"Well, we all know what mine would be," Ron said. 

"Mine would be Bellatrix," Hermione said. "No question."

They turned to look at Harry and Ginny. "I honestly have no idea." Ginny shrugged. 

"Same." Harry nodded. 

The group stared at the shaking closet for a solid minute before Ginny spoke up. "I'll do it."

Harry looked at Ginny vigilantly. "You sure?"

"Yeah," Ginny nodded pulling out her wand and shaking her limbs. "Hermione, go open it."

Hermione walked over and placed her hand on the handle. "Okay, three, two one." She swung the door open and out walked Hagrid carrying a deceased Harry.

Ginny gasped as she pointed her wand at the boggart. "Riddikulus!"

With a crack of the whip, the boggart began to change. But instead of becoming something humorous the figure of Hagrid shrank and turned into a seventeen-year-old Slytherin boy.

Ginny froze in place, her wand held out in front of her. Her eyes widened in terror at the sight of the young man.

"I going to be sick." Ginny gasped placing a hand over her mouth and running from the room.

Harry was directly behind her so the boggart cracked again the figures began to multiply. People started looking down at him. His parents. Fred, Remus, Tonks, Dobby, Sirius, and Cedric to name a few. 

"Riddikulus." 

There was no sound but it looked like Fred cracked a joke and all the people around him began laughing. This made Harry smile and begin to laugh. Although it wasn't very genuine. The boggart cracked once more and disappeared from the room. 

Harry watched the spot the smile fading from his face. "That was worse than when we were thirteen."

Hermione nodded and gave herself a hug. 

"Who was that boy?" Ron demanded. "Why did he made Ginny sick?"

"That was Tom Riddle," Harry explained. "The version of him that possessed Ginny when we were in second year."

Hermione gave a pitiful gasp. "That's still her boggart? After all this time?"

"Well, you saw it. Dead Harry was first." Ron sighed. "I hate boggarts and I hate that bloody war."

"We were just children," Harry muttered. "In an adult war."

Ginny was back looking pale. "Then it ended, and we weren't children anymore."

"Can we go back to five minutes ago?' Ron asked. "I liked it better."

"All the time turners were destroyed when we broke into the Ministry." Hermione smiled. "We can't, it's impossible."

"We should have been more careful," Harry grinned shaking his head playfully. 

**********************************

"No!" Ginny shouted. "Go to your room young man!" She pointed up the stairs looking absolutely furious.

Teddy trudged up the stairs with a grin on his face. 

"What are you smiling about?" Harry demanded. Sounding calmer than Ginny but feeling no less. 

"Nothing," Teddy shrugged. He kept walking up the stairs seeming without a consequence in the world.

Once he was gone Ginny blew out hot air. "A nose piercing." She seethed. "He's fourteen! He shouldn't even have a piercing! I don't even want to get into the fact that he didn't ask! Harry, go take his mobile! That's his punishment until we think of a better one!"

"I'm going to go talk to him," Harry said calming himself. "See why he did it."

"If you do not come back down here with that boy's cell phone I will go up there and get it myself!" Ginny cried. 

"I will get it, love. How about you finish packing. Help you take your mind off of this." Harry suggested. 

"Yeah," Ginny grumbled. "Fine."

Harry nodded and went up to Teddy's room, which he always stayed in. He was laying on the bed looking up at his phone his thumbs moving at lightning speed and he was still smiling.

"Give me that," Harry said holding out his hand. 

"But I'm texting Victorie!" Teddy protested.

"Too bad." Harry sighed taking the phone from Teddy's hands. "You can text her later."

Teddy grumbled and sat up to face Harry. "Is she really mad?"

"Yeah, she's mad Ted!" Harry said. "I'm mad too. You didn't ask us or your grandmother and don't try and lie, we owled her. You went to a muggle shop without permission and alone. The nose piercing is one thing but everything about that whole situation was stupid."

"I'm sorry," Teddy said, but he was still smiling. This infuriated Harry.

"Edward Lupin, this is serious! Why are you smiling?" This was the first time Harry had actually shouted.

Teddy knew better than to keep a grin on his face. "I didn't even morph when I went in. The guy who did it asked me if my parents knew I was there and okay with me getting the nose ring. I told him my parents were dead. He didn't ask any more questions and did it."

"So to honor your parent's memories you getting an illegal piercing?" Harry demanded. "You think that's funny?"

"No," Teddy explained. "I'm smiling because you're acting like parents. You and Ginny are acting like my mum and dad."

"Shit, Teddy, we're practically are your parents." Harry put a hand over his mouth after he realized he swore.

"I hear worse at school," Teddy said waving it off. "But would my parents would have reacted like you two?"

"No," Harry laughed. "Tonks would have been mad at you for all of three minutes before telling you how nice you look. Remus would probably be more like me. He would be mad and yell at you, but they wouldn't make you get rid of it. I'm pretty sure that's what Ginny and your grandmother want."

Teddy covered his nose with his hands. "Please don't make me take it out. It hurt really bad and cost a lot of money."

"We won't take it. But when we get to the airport Hermione is checking it out to make sure it's not infected. But I'm keeping your phone. Consider yourself grounded until further notice." Harry stood to leave. Just before he shut the door he said, "Do your schoolwork."

Harry walked back downstairs to find Ginny putting six rucksacks In a suitcase far too small to fit all of them.

Handing her the phone Harry sat on the couch as Ginny pocketed it and began searching through all of the children's stuffed animals. 

"Did you notice that he was smiling the whole time you're shouting at him?" Harry asked. "I reckon he wanted to give you a hug."

"No, I wasn't looking at his mouth, I was little preoccupied with his nose. There's a piece of metal in it in case you hadn't noticed!" Ginny said picking up a green blanket that looked a little worse for wear, and a giraffe. 

Harry told Ginny what Teddy had told him and Ginny's features softened. "I'm not saying I approve or forgive him, but that poor boy. Telling the muggle that his parents were dead! No wonder he did it."

"I know," Harry nodded. "I reckon if I hadn't lived with the Dursley's I would have been the same way."

Ginny's eyes sparkled as she sat down next to Harry. "Could we adopt him?"

Harry's mouth set in a line as he shook his head. "I looked into, Andromeda is his legal guardian, so while she is alive we can't take Teddy. But that child cannot lose another family member, it's better if he's raised by her."

Ginny sighed. "I guess your right. But he said we reacted like parents." 

"He's practically already our son Gin," Harry said wrapping his arm around her. "What difference does it make if we're his legal guardians or not?"

"The difference is that we aren't legally obligated to feed him." Ginny cackled.

Harry opened his mouth in shock. "You're horrible!" 

"But you know you love me!" Ginny shot back playfully. "Now go round up the kids, we need to leave for the airport soon."

"I will, as soon as you put muggle clothes on," Harry said gesturing to Ginny's robes. 

Ginny peered down at her perry winkle robes. "But they're comfy!" She whined.

"The statue of secrecy is in effect for a reason, babe," Harry said. "I'll get the others in the car while you get ready." 

Ginny grumbled as she heaved the mustard-colored suitcase into Harry's arms. He took it out to their car and loaded it along with the children. Teddy sat in the back with Lily. He told Harry and Ginny that he could stand her the most. James and Albus were in the middle row of seats fighting over the dragon coloring book. 

After four long hours, they arrived at the airport. Waiting outside the gate entrance were the Granger-Weasley's. Ron was holding their marron colored suitcase. Rose was standing at his legs looking at her book. Hugo was in his mother's arms playing with his stuffed lion. 

"Took you long enough," Ron joked clapping Harry on the shoulder. 

"Sod off," Harry said pushing Ron's shoulder. "In case you hadn't noticed I have four children. You only have two!"

"You two can bicker like an old married couple once we're on the plane," Hermione called tapping her foot. "Now let's go!"

They all followed in tow of Hermione. She and Harry handled most of the muggle transactions and interactions. Making sure all the children knew how to handle themselves outside of the wizarding community.

Once they were through security and waiting for their flight to bored the group was able to relax. Ron and Ginny made a game of pointing out obvious wizards and witches who were failing to blend in with the muggles.

"You can see his wand!" Ginny gasped pointing at a man who was wearing bright yellow trousers and a woman's blouse. 

"Oh, Hermione, " Harry asked. "Will you check out Teddy's nose for me?"

"His nose?" Hermione asked bewildered. "What's wrong with his nose?"

Harry gestured Teddy over. "See for yourself." 

Teddy gave Hermione an uncomfortable smile and did jazz hands as she gasped. "I presume you already yelled at him?"

"Ginny did an excellent job of shouting at me," Teddy replied. "Took my mobile and everything."

"Then I don't see the need to lecture you," Hermione said, taking Teddy chin in her hand and peering at his piercing. "Angry Ginny is terrifying."

"You're one to talk." Ginny scoffed.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It doesn't look infected. I will be able to make sure when I can use magic."

Ginny stood up and held out Teddy's phone to him. "You're damn lucky that didn't get infected. You're also not allowed to go out alone now."

"For how long?" He asked.

"Until you can earn our trust back," Harry replied as pulled Lily onto his lap. "So you better be on your best behavior."

Teddy laid a hand across his heart. "If it means I shall never prank again."

"That's a lie." Ron jeered under his breath. 

"Leave him alone," Hermione said swatting Ron's arm. "Needn't I remind you of all the stuff we did by the time we were his age."

"Finding the Sorcer's Stone. Illegally exporting a dragon. Flying a car half-way across the country and to Hogwarts. Going to the Chamber of Secrets and taking Lockhart's memory. Traveling through time, sneaking into Hogsmade multiple times almost getting attacked by a werewolf. Freeing the most wanted criminal in the country and a wrongly accused hippogriff." Harry listed off on his fingers. "To name a few."

"Well, when you put it like that," Ron muttered. 

Harry and Hermione were pleasantly surprised that through their entire time in the airport and on the plane not one single person stopped either of them. Wizard or muggle alike. 

As their flight landed in Denver International Airport Teddy awoke in his seat with a jolt. "Did we crash?" He gaped looking around wildly. 

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "No, we didn't crash, we're almost there."

Hermione turned around in her seat which was in front of Ginny Harry and Teddy. "Our portkey is in some car park, we have to take a shuttle to get there."

"We're not apparating?" Teddy asked.

"No," Ron shook his head. "That's not legal."

"Thank Merlin," Tedy said grabbing his chest. "I hated appearing."

"Teddy," Harry hissed through his teeth. "That was supposed to be a secret."

Hermione put her face in her hands. "I ought to just send you to jail. Do the world a favor."

"That's a horrible thing to say." Harry gasped in mock hurt. 

"Oh save it," Hermione scolded. "Let's go. I want to get to the campsite before dark."

They all went through the airport, groggy from jetlag. Somehow the group stumbled onto the correct shuttle. Teddy was carrying Lily who had fallen asleep and Ron had Rose on his shoulders. Hugo was riding on the suitcase that Hermione was pulling and James was in charge of holding Albus's hand.

When the group arrived at an empty expanse Hermione illuminated her wand. "It's a rusty pair of scissors. It's leaves in about a minute so we best hurry."

Once the scissors were found everyone touched it with their fingertips. The children's screams were audible as they hurtled through the air. With a thud, all the kids feel to the ground whereas Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and Ron were able to land with some grace. 

Ginny cast a spell on the suitcases so they began to hover behind them. "So, where are we?"

"Wyoming," Hermione answered. "It has the smallest population in the United States less chance of us being discovered."

"Where exactly is it?" Ron asked looking around at the seemingly empty plain.

Harry took a few steps forward and gasped. He had stepped through some sort of magical protection barrier and his eyes met an explosion of tents and color. 

"Found it!"

The rest followed suit and each of their mouths fell open respectively. 

"Damn," Teddy whispered. Earning a light smack upside the head from Ginny. 

"Let's go," Hermione yawned. "The tent is closer to the pitch."

Too tired to make small the group walked through the crowded grounds in search of their space. They stopped in front of a dark brown tent that looked as iff would only sleep four people in sleeping bags.

"How many rooms?" Ginny asked as they opened the flap.

"Five," Hermione answered. 

The tent was huge. Much bigger than any they had stayed in before. There was a sitting room, dining room, and kitchen in the largest part of the tent. Then off to the right were two full beds separated by a thick curtain. On the left, there were three rooms with bunk beds. 

Ginny heaved the suitcase into a chair and began pulling out bags. She laid the rucksacks on each child's respective bed. Ron and Harry were unpacking the food in the kitchen as Hermione helped the children prepare for bed.

Once they were all sleeping the adults collapsed onto their beds. Fully clothed and not even bothering to sleep under the sheets.

**********************************

"Hermione Granger," A man spoke rising from his seat as the group entered the Minister's box. He stuck his hand out to Hermione. "Joshua Hensworth. Head of International Relations."

Hermione smiled and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you." 

Joshua smiled back and turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter! It really is an honor."

Harry chuckled uncomfortably. "Thank you. it's nice to meet you. I haven't seen you around the Ministry before, though."

"I wouldn't expect you to," Joshua said. "I was born in Nevada and grew up there. I was just promoted this position last month. Two years before that I was just in charge of managing the relations between North America. Then a year before that I was just a field agent."

Harry nodded understanding the man's thick American accent.

"Mr. Weasley," Joshua turned to Ron. "I haven't heard much about you since you left the Auror department. What do you do now?"

"I'm the co-owner of Weasley's Wizards Wheezes," Ron replied giving Joshua a wary grin. "I work with my brother George."

Joshua nodded enthusiastically. "You two should consider expanding. The kids over here would go nuts if they got their hands on your merchandise."

Ron gave a smile and a nod. "We'll think about it."

The man finally turned to Ginny. "I presume you're another Weasley."

"Maybe a lifetime ago," Ginny scoffed. "Ginny Potter, editor of the Daily Prophet."

Joshua shook her hand warmly. "A pleasure."

"Are you here all alone?" Hermione asked looking around the box. Then at the kids sounding her legs. 

"My sister and her four daughters are here somewhere," Joshua said with a wave of his hand. "I'm mainly here to meet the higher-ups from the other countries. I bet I will be seeing a lot of you in the coming months. Nice to meet you all!" Then he was gone.

As they all took their seats Ron nudged Harry. "What'd you think of that bloke?"

"Seemed fine to me." Harry shrugged. "A bit overeager. Why?"

"I didn't like him," Ron answered. "The way he was looking at "Mione just rubbed me the wrong way."

"He said he would be seeing us soon. That probably means he's coming to work at the Ministry." Harry explained reassuringly. "He's probably just trying to make a good first impression."

"Yeah, okay," Ron nodded. "There's just something I don't trust about him."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Harry said with finality. 

Ron was still uneasy but decided that he shouldn't worry until there was something to worry about. Before long the match began and all thoughts of the American man became fleeting. 

For most.

"THAT WAS WICKED!" James exclaimed jumping through the air as they walked back to the tent. "I love quidditch."

"You and me both." Harry smiled bringing his son's head affectionately. 

"That was the coolest thing I have ever seen!' Rose exclaimed. Her face paint was smudged but there's were alight with excitement.

"Cna we stay up late tonight?" Hugo begged. "Please?"

Hermione exchanged looks with Ron before nodding. 

"Oh!" Albus cried. "Us too?"

"Yeah," Ginny nodded. "But just this one night!"

"What's for dinner?" Lily asked Harry from on top of his shoulders. 

"Chicken, I think," Harry answered.  

"Did you say chicken?" Ron asked, perking up. 

"Oh my God," Hermione laughed putting her face in her hands. "Remind me why I married you."

"My rugged good looks," Ron replied instantly. 

Ginny barked out a laugh. "Yeah, and I'm the Queen."

"You're just jealous," Ron replied. "I'm royalty and you're not."

"Ronald, I assure you that nothing you have is a cause of jealousy for me," Ginny said. "Except maybe your wife."

"What!" Harry shouted. 

Ginny shrugged innocently. "I just saying, I would totally hit that."

"Will you please STOP!" Teddy cried. His hands were over his ears and he looked like he was either laughing or crying. 

Ginny wrapped her arm around Teddy and pulled him close to her side. "I assure you Mr. lupin that I can say much worse."

"I'm putting up a petition for a new family."

"You can't do better than us." Harry smiled. 

"Oh, I beg to differ!" Teddy exclaimed. 

Hermione fixed Teddy with a completely deadpan look. "Then beg."

For just a second, Teddy was scared for his life. "I'm good," He squeaked. 

"You scare me more than Voldemort," Harry said to Hermione. "I think it's important you know that."

"Damn straight." Hermione nodded. 

After a very filling dinner of chicken, mashed potatoes, greens, and butterbeer the children raced in, out and around the tent while the adults and Teddy sat in the sitting room.

"I don't get it," Ron said gazing at Harry quizzically "You literally ate almost half the food in there. How do you still look like that? You're thirty-one and still fit. I don't get it."

"The sex," Ginny replied instantly. 

"No!" Harry said shooting her a look. "I run."

"You run?" Ron asked skeptically. 

"Yeah, three kilometers every morning." Harry grinned, proud of himself. 

"Don't be getting any ideas," Ron said to Hermione. "That's not happening!"

"No, defiantly not," Hermione agreed. "Three kilometers would just be cruel. We'll start you on one."

Ron made incoherent sounds of protest. He was cut off by a shrill shriek from outside. Harry's eyes found the kids who were all currently inside the tent.

When another person screamed they all looked at the tent flap in concern. 

"What?" Teddy asked looking between them uneasily. "What is it?"

"It's probably nothing," Ron answered still looking at the entrance. 

"We should probably still go and check," Harry said standing and pulling out his wand. 

Ginny put a hand on his arm and looked at him pleadingly. "Babe, it's just some fans having a good time."

Hermione looked torn. She looked between her husband and Harry hovering a few inches above her seat and her hand ready to draw her wand. 

"It couldn't hurt to check." She said deciding a readying herself. 

She and Harry nodded at each other before heading out of the tent.

"Harry please!"

"Hermione, c'mon!" Ron called after them. "We're safe now."

Ginny gave her brother an empathetic look. "They're never going to stop being paranoid about stuff like this."

Teddy was sitting in his armchair looking incredibly confused. "Why are they paranoid?"

Ginny sighed and look at Ron. "Do you want to take this one or should I?"

"Your turn."

Ginny put her hand on Teddy's knee. "Last time we came to the world cup some bad stuff happened. Death Eaters showed up and they started touring this muggle family. It was chaos. They lit tents on fire and were hexing people at random."

Teddy was taken aback. He looked at Ron for confirmation, his eyes were wide and fearful. Ron gave a sorrowful nod.

"It's true."

"But while that was happening Grandpa Weasley, Bill, Charlie, and Percy went out to help the other Ministry officials. Harry, Ron Hermione, Fred George, and I were told to go to the woods and wait. But while we were running we got separated. Ron Harry and Hermione were gone. Before we knew it the Dark Mark was in the sky."

"His mark?" Teddy gasped. 

"People were terrified, "Ron said softly. "That mark meant someone had been murdered by Voldemort or one of his followers. Hermione and Harry just want to make sure we're safe."

"But we are safe," Teddy said. "Voldemort is dead. The death eaters are in prison."

"Not all of them" Ron sighed. "We caught as many as we could and we're still hunting for them, but as long as they're out there no one is totally safe."

"This sucks!" Teddy said. "The war ended fourteen years ago. Why does it still feel like it just happened?"

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," Ginny responded. "We're alive but the stuff that happened to us was terrible. It's hard to feel safe when you've seen so much destruction."

"But you're safe, Teddy," Ron said. "I promise. As long as we're living nothing bad will happen to you."

Teddy smiled. "Thanks, Ron."

"Anytime."

******************************************************************

OH. MY. GOD.
THIS CHAPTER IS HORRIBLE
I HATE IT

But I hope you liked it. If not let me know.

Yeah, more chapters are coming and I know I just finished with the emtoinal trauma, but buckle up, because we're on the Bridget Express of Depression.

YEET

bye

See you next time Loves!

💜💚🎆🎆