Striking It Up

Prologue

It's been a long road since we first learned of the Boy Who Lived and how he was revered by the magical world. We saw him embark on his journey to Hogwarts at the age of eleven, watched him befriend the infamous Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and waited with baited breath for him to battle and defeat the Dark Lord Voldemort. We've seen the highs and the lows of his social life. We've seen the inevitable come to pass; Ron and Hermione were married and had their first child, Michael Arthur Weasley. We've seen many surprising yet happy endings; Harry and Ashley had just gotten married when we last saw them.

In case you have forgotten, things sort of went like this: Ron and Hermione were married at the age of 22 on December 7, 2002, and on November 29^th of the year 2003 their son came into the world. On August 2, 2005, Harry and Ashley tied the knot, to everyone's delight. Draco and Ginny had already had two children, twins by the name of Elizabeth and Damien, before marrying in a very small, quick ceremony in 2006. Everyone else who had been engaged during that time was already married.

We have moved very far ahead, into the year 2020. The Weasley and Potter families have expanded by many since then. Along with Michael, Ron and Hermione have:

Mark Ronald Weasley and Jason Neil Weasley, twins born on December 24, 2006;

Lucille (Lucy) Molly Weasley, born on September 9, 2007;

Emerson Vivian Weasley, born on January 1, 2008;

Ephram Donald Weasley, born on December 24, 2008

Andrew (Drew) Joseph Weasley, born on October 10, 2009;

Nora Jean Weasley, born on June 16, 2010.

Yes, that's quite a lot of children, but then again, the last name is Weasley. At least there are more girls this time around.

The latter couple welcomed their first child, Lily Amelia Potter, into the family on April 16, 2007. More siblings soon followed:

William (Liam) Harold Potter, born on May 2, 2008;

James Sirius Potter, born on September 30, 2010

Kimberly (Kimmy) Ann Potter and Sarah Lorraine Potter, born on March 21, 2012;

David Jacob (D.J.) Potter, born on February 6, 2013;

Violet (Vi) Helen Potter, born on December 17, 2013.

(If you notice anything funny about the dates, it's best you keep your thoughts to yourself.)

Draco and Ginny also had more children, but not nearly as many. They had two more children, Landon and Sabrina, on September 12, 2008 and November 7, 2009 respectively.

Of course there are more children, but it's these sets that you really have to worry about.

Lily Potter had immediately bonded with her cousin, Lucy Weasley, since they were the same age and it seemed tied to their blood that a Potter and a Weasley become best friends. Joined at the hip since the age of five, they have been attempting to bring back the age of the Marauders to Hogwarts, hearing many marvelous stories from Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus. Their mothers strongly disapproved, but when they weren't looking, their fathers gave them high thumbs up.

They encountered the help of fellow wizard in training, Eric Spellman; a Muggleborn wizard who came to Hogwarts late in first year after being in St. Mungo's for a practiced spell gone awry. He was the voice of reason in the group, the weight that balanced the hectic scale that was Lily Potter and Lucy Weasley. It was like looking at the Trio once again.

Though they tried, the two girls simply could not and WOULD NOT get along with their older cousin, Damien Malfoy. Oh, Elizabeth was a sweetheart, just like her mum, but something about Damien rubbed them the wrong way. Perhaps it was that time that he tried to give Lucy a phobia of spiders like her father by placing it in her cereal (it didn't work. Now every time she sees one, she imagines it's Damien and smashes it to bits). Maybe it was because he tried to get Lily to kiss Scott Finnegan in primary school, unheard of in the years of cooties. Maybe it was just an old feud making its way round again.

The point is that once they started, only the respective parents of each could quiet them. But that didn't stop them from starting later. Wars would often break out between the Malfoy children and the Potter clan, with a few of the Weasley children thrown in. Everyone else saw it as a game, but between Lily, Lucy, and Damien, it was real.

Well, now that you have the family history, let's move on. We'll just fast forward to when our main characters are 13 and ready to start their third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...

Chapter 1: Encounters at Diagon

Chocolate Frogs, Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best-Blowing Gum...

"Lily, it's time to get up."

Lily Potter moaned and slammed her pillow over her head. She was sure it was way to early to even be thinking. Her mother gently shook her awake.

"Come on, Lil, it's getting late. Remember, we're supposed to go shopping for school supplies later," she heard her mother say. Lily smiled unwillingly. Even if this wasn't her best morning, she liked being woken up by her mother, who was always so gentle and loving.

"What time is it, Mum?" Lily asked groggily, throwing the pillow to the side and rubbing her eyes. Her mum caught it and fluffed it up, smiling.

"11:45," she replied, tossing the pillow toward the end of the bed. Lily sat up and stretched.

"Definitely late," she agreed, throwing her legs over the side and wiggling her toes. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Good," Ashley Potter said, ruffling her daughter's hair before getting up and making her way downstairs. "Don't forget to brush, Stinky-breath."

Lily grinned at her mother's retreating form. She got up and walked over to her mirror, breathing into it. The mirror hacked and coughed, its surface fogged up.

"My dear, today is not your best day," the mirror wheezed. Lily made a face.

"Didn't ask your opinion, did I?" she retorted, wiping away the fog. Though it had no facial expression, she could have sworn the mirror glared at her. Ignoring what it was saying, Lily peered into it, pulling her hair into a low ponytail.

Everyone always told her that she was the spitting image of her mother. The same lips, the same face, the same everything. Her hair was as black as both her parents, but in the light it shone with brownish streaks, just like her mum's. Lily inherited her father's brilliant green eyes, and had grown to love them over the years. All of the Potter girls had some shade of green eyes, but it was Lily's shade, the one that matched her father's and her late grandmother's, that captivated most people. It was part of the reasoned she was named after her.

Luckily, though, Lily didn't have to put up with vision problems. None of the Potters did, except her father, and every so often one of them would comment on it, to his dismay. He always got them back in the end, though. She smiled when she remembered last summer; he had caught all of them by surprise with the hose, Mum cheering him on. It was the best summer ever

She blinked twice before opening her bedroom window. The sunlight shone inside and the wind blew stray strands in and out of her face. She closed her eyes and embraced the morning. The Potter household wasn't exactly a manor, like where Aunt Ginny and Uncle Draco lived, but it wasn't exactly the Burrow, either. It was a large house, large enough to accommodate its inhabitants and extras to boot. The backyard was a miniature Quidditch field, and if you walked a bit to the east you would find their private lake. It barely ran 15 feet deep, but was fun nonetheless.

Quidditch! Another famous trait passed on to Lily. Instead of becoming a Chaser like her mum as was expected, Lily showed greater passion for Seeking, just like her father. She loved the thrill of deciding who won or lost on her own, and watching the Chasers throw the Quaffle back and forth between goal posts. She liked being one of the main targets by the Bludgers; it made everything a bit more dangerous.

The only one of her siblings who didn't go crazy over Quidditch was Kimmy. She preferred a number of other things, but she still liked the sport. She only played games in the backyard with Dad and the rest of her brothers and sisters, no real competition involved. She preferred other types of play, which was perfectly fine with everyone else. To each her own.

"Lily! If you don't come down now, we're giving your lunch to Dodger," her father yelled. Dodger, the family dog, barked his approval. Lily glanced at the clock. 12:00 and not a minute later. She hurriedly brushed her teeth, slipped on some presentable clothes and ran downstairs toward the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~

"Mummy?" Violet Potter voiced quietly. Ashley threw the dirty towel away and faced her youngest child.

"What is it sweetie?" she asked. The little girl held up her spoon and shrugged innocently.

"I can't remember how to eat soup right," she explained. Ashley bit back a laugh and sat next to her daughter. Violet was very quiet, but she could throw quite a tantrum if one provoked her enough. She was very bright, but something about tomato soup just...well, no one knew if she was kidding or if she really had forgotten, but it was all right with them all.

Violet was very attached to her mother, following her around every so often, but not so much that it got annoying. She was very inquisitive nowadays, and came to her mom expecting her to know the answers. She trusted her. I hope that doesn't change when she's thirteen, Ashley thought, hearing Lily thunder down the stairs. The other Potter children filed in, the twins being carried on the shoulders of her husband, Harry Potter. He sat them on opposite sides of the table and gave them both a stern look.

"No more messing around. Eat," he ordered. Huffing silently, Kimmy and Sarah Potter crossed their arms and pouted, waiting for their food to come to them. It was amazing how they did things simultaneously. Harry shook his head.

"Mummy." Violet's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "My lunch?"

"Oh, Vi," Ashley said, grabbing the spoon from her daughter's hand and showing her how to eat soup without making a mess. "You're almost seven years old. How can you forget how to eat soup?"

"You haven't made it in a while," was the child's reply, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. Ashley saw Harry hide a grin behind his glass out of the corner of her eye. "Oh, I remember now!" Violet exclaimed brightly. Ashley folded her hands in front of her and peered at her daughter.

"You never forgot how to eat it," she accused. Violet grinned and blushed.

"Why'd you go along with it, then?"

"It made me feel good," Ashley admitted. She liked the fact that she was still needed even though their children were growing up. Violet grinned even wider.

"Me too. But let's not do that anymore. It takes away my d...dig...itty," she announced, digging into her chow. Harry did a double take, as did the others.

"What?" he asked, wiping his glasses on a napkin.

"That doesn't sound right... You know, that thing that Uncle Charlie says Aunty Tonks takes away from him when they fight," she said. Ashley slowly got up and turned away, pretending to mess with something on the countertop. Unfortunately, Harry couldn't get that kind of distraction, so he held back a laugh as best he could. The both of them knew perfectly well that their daughter had meant to say "dignity."

"Is that so?"

"Yup! And she just calls him a stupid arse and walks away," she told them. Harry's eyes bulged out of his head before he frowned. Ashley turned around and placed her hands on her hips. They were both thinking the same thing.

"Violet Helen Potter, watch your language!" they reprimanded. Violet, seemingly unaware that she had uttered a curse word, was surprised.

"What did I do?" she asked. Her brothers and sisters laughed at her, and she glared at them, her light green eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Whatever she calls him..." Ashley started.

"Never finish it out loud. In fact, ignore it. They are just being very mean to each other," Harry interjected.

"It's a mean word?" Violet inquired, suddenly timid. Her father nodded, face still set in stern mode. Violet clapped her hand to her mouth and shook her head.

"Mmmm-mmm-mm," she mumbled.

"She said she's sorry," Liam announced. Opposite as to what was said about Lily, Liam was the spitting image of his father, with his mother's brown eyes. Clad in shorts and a Puddlemere United shirt (he had one of every team), Liam was hoping to try out for Chaser this year for the Gryffindor team, as a spot had just opened up. He hoped he got it; he loved Quidditch, and wanted to make his parents proud. They had always told him he could do anything he set his mind to, and he was bent on being Gryffindor's new Chaser.

"Thank you, son," Harry said, still a little shocked at his daughter's ignorance of swear words. He wasn't shocked that Liam understood her mumblings, though. The two were very close. He glanced across the table at the rest of his family.

Sarah and Kimmy were calmer versions of Fred and George. Instead of pulling pranks on people and causing mayhem, the girls were just rambunctious and a little playful. They only really bothered each other. Sometimes, like today, it got out of hand, but a little time apart would patch things up. Unlike most twins, they were easy to tell apart, for Sarah had curly black hair while Kimmy had wavy auburn hair.

James was probably almost as calm as Liam, but he definitely got in a wise crack now and then. He had unruly, wavy black hair that was impossible to tame. He loved to write stories, stories that he would share with his younger siblings.

David Jacob, commonly called D.J., was an exact image of what it must have been like to see Fred and George at that age. Black hair that was surprisingly tame and cropped short on his head with mischievous hazel eyes, D.J. was a little terror that never seemed to grow out of the terrible twos. He could calm down at any time, but he loved tormenting his little sister.

His little sister, everyone's little sister, Violet, was a sweetie pie. Long black hair that reached her elbows and seemed to glow purple in the sun set her apart from the rest. Her light green eyes were very inquisitive and innocent; she was the observer. One wrong move, though, and she could get on your case.

Liam was never any trouble. He was entering his second year at Hogwarts and was less trouble than Lily was at school. Speaking of Lily, she hadn't come down in a while. This didn't surprise Harry very much. During the summer, Lily had taken to sleeping in late, which meant 10:30, usually. Today was one of her later days.

"Good morning, everyone. I mean, good afternoon," Lily said, kissing her father on the cheek before poking her siblings in the back as she sat down. Her mother tutted.

"Must you do that as you sit down?" she asked, handing Lily her sandwich.

"Just today. I wanted to try it out. Lucy does it to her brothers and sisters all the time. I just wanted to see what it's all about," she explained, biting into her lunch. She chewed on it thoughtfully before adding, "I don't like it."

"Yeah, well, me either," D.J. remarked, rubbing his shoulder where his sister had poked him. "She hits them in the back, not the shoulder, you know."

"So I missed my shot," she said, "big deal."

"Thank Merlin you're not Chaser or Gryffindor would be doomed," James added, grinning. At the mention of Chasing, Liam seemed to puff up a bit more and turned a light shade of pink. Lily caught him and grinned.

"Oh yeah! Well, you won't have to worry about that, little bro, because Liam here is trying out for the team this year," she said, shaking his shoulder slightly. He smacked her hand away. "Don't worry, if they don't put you on, I'll threaten them."

"Lily!"

"What?" she asked.

"You curse them," Ashley replied, earning a laugh from Lily.

"Knew you had it in you, mum," she said, taking a sip of juice. The family talked animatedly about seemingly trivial things. Most people would turn their heads if they heard the topics discussed among them. After all, who cares what happened in the backyard yesterday, especially concerning a flobberworm? But that was what kept the Potters together: the little things along with the big things.

It was nearly one o'clock before everyone finished with his or her lunch. The children rushed out to play before they headed to Diagon Alley, but Lily and Liam were held back. Harry and Ashley motioned for them to sit down. Frowning, the two complied, slightly apprehensive.

"Are we in trouble?" Liam asked tentatively. Lily nodded her agreement with his question.

"Yeah, cause I don't remember doing anything as of late," she said. After all, it was summer vacation, too hot to pull pranks on people. Her mother shook her head.

"No, honey, you're not in trouble, we just wanted to ask you something," she said. Their father leaned forward and addressed them quietly.

"Have you noticed anything weird going on between Charlie and Tonks lately?" he asked. The two siblings glanced at each other before shaking their heads. "Have they been arguing more than usual?"

"Well, yeah, but I guess that's just menopause or something like that."

"Liam."

"Sorry, Da, but it's true. I mean, Aunt Tonks is getting old. Almost at that age when things don't go right," he explained. Ashley rolled her eyes.

"All right, Mr. Healer, off with you then," she said, waving them off. "You've been reading my books too often, young man." Liam just shrugged as he chased his sisters across the backyard. Sighing contentedly, Ashley got up to take care of the dishes. She was pleasantly surprised when she felt a pair of arms snake around her waist. She threw her head back in ecstasy as Harry placed gentle kisses along her neck.

Minus a few wrinkles here and there, time had been kind to them. Of course, having children had calmed their spunky personalities down a bit, but otherwise they were still the same as they were 15 years ago. Now at forty, they still loved each other very much, and found new ways of showing it.

"Harry," she giggled, "stop."

He didn't listen, only responding by lifting her onto the counter top. He smiled crookedly at her, making her heart melt. "Come on. How can you resist when you've been staring at me all morning?"

"You had something on your face," she insisted. He nodded.

"Whatever you say," he said, leaning closer to her.

She was about give in to his advances when they were interrupted with someone clearing his throat. Burning red, the two gazed into Liam's smirking face.

"You do have a room, you know," he stated. "I'm just glad no one else has had to witness this. Come on, Vi, let's get your bunny." He practically dragged Violet up the stairs to the playroom. She was eager to find out what Mummy and Daddy had been up to. Once they were out of earshot, Ashley smacked Harry with the kitchen rag to his amusement and laughter.

"What?" he asked.

"This house is G rated," she said, still smacking him. He grabbed it and yanked her toward him, catching her into his arms.

"Then what about the bedroom?" he asked huskily. She shivered.

"Later. We have to go to Diagon Alley," she said regretfully. He sighed.

"Can't we just leave the kids with Ron and Hermione?" he asked hopefully. She laughed at the expression on his face.

"And let them suffer? No way," she said, pushing him away so she could change her clothes. He let loose a slow, steady breath.

"No one ever thinks that I might be suffering, you know," he whined, walking out of the kitchen. He turned around with a smirk on his face. "You were checking me out, weren't you?"

She grinned. "Yes. Do you object?"

He shook his head. "By all means go ahead. I just find it unfair that I don't get a show."

"I don't think anyone can look at his own butt without a mirror," she told him. He laughed.

"You know what I mean," he said. She smiled and put everything else away, purposefully bending over without bending her knees so that her backside was in clear view. Once he got his share of a show, he made his way upstairs, whistling a merry tune.

~~~~~~~

Diagon Alley was no surprise to them. After all, it was as if they were growing up there. The Potter children hurriedly made their way up the street to Florean Fortesque's, their parents following a few feet behind. The children were so excited they passed up the chance to gaze at the new Firebolt 3000, which went naught to 350 in 10 seconds. They weaved their way through the crowd until familiar shocks of red hair could be seen. Lily's was the first voice that rang out with greeting.

"Hey, everyone!" Ron and Hermione Weasley jerked their heads up to see Lily bounding toward them for a hug. They returned it eagerly.

"Lil!" A girl shrieked.

"Luce!" Lily greeted, jumping up and down as she hugged her best friend. Lucy had her hair cut short to her chin, and her eyes were a startling blue, just like her Dad's. She was the only one of her siblings to inherit them.

"Hey, Lily," Michael said, gently shoving her. She shoved him back.

"Yeah, way to show the love, Mikey," she mocked. He glared at her. He hated that nickname, and she used it at every chance she had. Hermione laughed.

"Come now, Lily, you know he doesn't like that," she berated. Then she beamed. "Ashley, Harry, come on!" The parents greeted each other warmly as the kids gathered together.

"Where's Eric?" Lily asked. Lucy and Michael shrugged.

"I thought you'd seen him," Lucy admitted. Lily sighed in frustration.

"How are we supposed to work things out if he won't even come near us?" she asked no one in particular. During the last month, Eric had gotten angry at the two girls when they accused him of stealing some of their most precious possessions: a bracelet Lucy had received from her grandma on the day she was born that would magically adjust to her wrist size, and a silver locket on a chain Lily had gotten when she had been accepted to Hogwarts that held a picture of her family.

The girls still weren't sure why they accused him, but at the time he seemed a right suspect. He had been acting very dodgy around them at the time.

He had denied it, and it wasn't until later when they found out it had been Damien Malfoy who had stolen them that they actually believed him. He then accused them of disregarding his alibis because he was Muggleborn, which enraged Lily to no end. She had gotten into a rant about how almost everyone she knew had fought to protect Muggles, Muggleborns, and others from prejudice, and he was only encouraging it by using it as an excuse. The argument had continued, Lily's hair flashing red every so often, a sure sign that she was furious. Eventually, it led to a falling out, and Eric hadn't spoken to either of them since.

"I invited him to meet us here, but I don't know if he ever got it," Lucy said, fumbling around her pockets.

"I did," they heard a voice say behind them. They turned quickly to come face to face with Eric Spellman. Tall and skinny with curly brown hair, Eric was the studious one of the group, encouraging Lily and Lucy to the same. They only did it for his sake. Even if they never studied, they were guaranteed a good score on the test; they never slacked off on homework or in class unless it really mattered.

Now he simply stared at them, his pale skin turning red in the sun. Well, it should have, anyway. He had gotten a tan between the last time they saw him and the present.

"Where've you been?" Lily asked, sizing him up. He shrugged. Lily rolled her eyes. "See that? The sun's given him brain damage."

"Maybe it's just amnesia," Lucy suggested, picking up two spoons and measuring his head. "I wonder if his brain is good for the picking." He swatted her hands away, grinning.

"Relax, I'm fine. Just a little miffed, is all," he told them. He relented upon seeing Lucy adopt a puppy dog expression. "Well, not anymore."

Lily clapped her hands and jumped for joy. "Good, cause we apologize for the way we acted. But I'm NOT taking back what I said about you encouraging prejudice."

"Fine," he said, "and I won't take back what I said about your hair."

"You never said anything about my hair," she said.

"But I was thinking it," he explained.

"Then you didn't say it," she corrected him. He tossed a Galleon into the air, ignoring her. Lily jerked her thumb in his direction and laughed. "And he says we should pay more attention to things around us."

"The nerve!" Lucy exclaimed, causing the three of them to break out into raucous laughter. Lily was the first to regain composure.

"All right, you two, let's get going." Waving good-bye to their families, the three set off. Eric led the way to Gringotts.

"Yeah, we need some revenge on little Damien," he said. Lucy giggled.

"He's older than you are, you know," she pointed out. "In fact he's older than all of us."

Lily and Eric stopped and stared at her. All at once, the three linked arms and said loudly, "But not mentally!"

~~~~~~

"I think that one is good, Da," Liam said, pointing at the window. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"That looks like a Firebolt 3000, Liam," he said, hands in his pockets. They had been walking by Quality Quidditch Supplies and had stopped to take 'a quick peek.' All of a sudden, the conversation turned to Liam trying out for the team and how a good broom would better his chances. Liam was starting to turn a little pink.

"Really? I didn't know," he said nonchalantly. Harry sighed and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. Liam could tell what his father was thinking. "Come on, Da, it's not like we can't afford it. I've kept my grades up, done my chores, and haven't gotten in trouble or been disrespectful. I need this broom if I want to make the team," he explained, face pleading.

"You need talent, Liam, not a broom," Harry pointed out, entering the store anyway. Liam followed, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Even if I'm good, a fast broom will only aid me. Maybe someone worse than I am will get on the team because his or her broom is faster, and that's not fair. Why shouldn't I have an equal chance just like everyone else?" he asked, brow furrowed. Harry moved to the side to allow two acne-stricken teens to pass by him before moving forward.

"And if you're all the same level, you'll only get on the team because of your broom. Does that sound very rewarding?" he suggested, looking at knock-offs of Chudley Cannon Uniforms. Liam shrugged.

"I can't help it if it turns out that way," he admitted. Harry chuckled.

"That's the Weasley in you talking," he said. Liam scowled.

"Like I said, it's not like we can't afford it anyways," he muttered, tossing a Quaffle between his hands.

"Just because you can afford things doesn't mean you have to buy them. Besides, you have a perfectly good broom at home. Why can't you use that one?" Harry asked. He didn't understand where his son had gotten the "more expensive, more useful" mentality. Probably from Malfoy, he mused.

"I--I don't know," Liam admitted defeatedly. Harry sighed.

"When are the tryouts?" Liam perked up ever so slightly.

"September 16^th," he answered.

"If you manage to make the team, your mother and I will consider buying you a new broom. On the conditions, of course, that you maintain your good behavior at school and keep up your studies," Harry said. Liam jumped into the air and pumped his fist.

"Fair enough!"

~~~~~~~

"Why can't I go to Hogwarts yet?"

Ashley, Hermione, Violet, D.J., and Hermione's daughter, Nora, were making their way toward the apothecary. Violet was very upset that everyone else was closer to Hogwarts than she was. Even D.J. was farther ahead than she was, and they were born in the same year. Smirking at his little sister, D.J. walked happily ahead of his mother and aunt, speaking of how wonderful it would be to start Hogwarts in four years. As her birthday was past the deadline, Violet had to wait an additional year after that before she got her letter.

"And the food! Oh, it'll be excellent, won't it? I've heard that the Sorting is quite nice too, and the--"

"Stop it, D.J., before I pound you!" Violet screamed, shaking her tiny fist. Her light green eyes began to flash with anger. Her mother jerked at her hand.

"Violet, that's not very polite," Ashley reprimanded. Violet started to pout, which only motivated D.J.

"That's okay, Mum. It's a classic case of jealousy among siblings," he said, acting like an expert. Violet let out a frustrated shriek.

"Stop! You've had your fun, you big turtle-head!" she yelled.

"By the time you're a first year, I'll be a second year," he told her.

"Like I can't do the math," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at her brother's ability to point out the obvious. D.J. crossed his arms in front of him as he walked backwards, facing her. Violet had long ago let go of her mother's hand and was now walking next to Nora, four years her senior. Hermione and Ashley were hanging back, discussing something quietly.

"Deej, you really should quit it now," Nora reasoned. She looked down at Violet kindly. "If you want I could write to you and tell you everything that happens to me when I go so you'll have a head's up when it's your turn."

Violet hung her head, dragging her feet as she walked. "No, s'okay. We get enough letters from Lily and Liam. Plus, I don't need another person reminding me that she's at Hogwarts before me."

D.J. laughed. "That's true." His tone changed from kind to teasing very quickly. "Ever get tired of being left behind by everyone else, Vi? Must suck being the youngest in this big ole family, eh?"

Violet peered at him from underneath her long, dark lashes. "Don't start," she warned.

D.J. paid her no heed. "It's always going to happen, too. I mean, so what if we're only a few months apart? I still get to do everything before you do."

Nora glared at D.J. and he shrank back ever so slightly. "Shut it, you! Don't worry, Vi, Uncle Fred's kids are way younger and have to wait even longer than you do," she said, squeezing the younger girl's shoulder. Vi jerked away, fuming.

"But they're only babies," she argued. D.J. pretended to chuck rocks at her, catching them all in his other hand.

"So are you, Vi," he announced, juggling the rocks in his hand. "You'll probably go to Hogwarts in your footie pajamas and a pacifier in your mouth!" That was the final straw; Violet had had it.

"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE HIPPOGRIFF CHOW!" she cried, jumping on D.J. and knocking him toward the ground. Nora tried to stop her, but the younger girl was already punching her brother in the chest, releasing battle cries from her lungs. D.J. rolled them across the street, scratching and punching her back. Violet screamed, attacking him with more vigor. People stopped in the middle of the street to watch the two children slug it out. Nora tried prying them apart, earning a few bites and scratches herself before giving up and allowing their parents to intervene. Ashley and Hermione ran ahead of the gathering crowd.

"You two had better stop right now!" Ashley yelled, grabbing each of them by the collar and holding them at arms length. The two were still trying to grab each other. Hermione pulled Nora away and told her to wait near the Apothecary. Reluctantly, Nora complied, looking back at her cousins as she walked on. Both of them carrying one child, Hermione and Ashley walked quickly back to the Leaky Cauldron, where Ginny and Draco appeared with their children. Ginny smiled and greeted them when she saw the stern expressions on their faces.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

Ashley practically threw D.J. at them. "Take this one. He is not to buy anything or do anything fun all day until he has learned to behave," she explained. D.J. tried to protest but was silenced by his mother's glare. Draco nodded.

"A little row with the little one?" he asked, glancing at Violet but he knew the answer. He had already heard many stories about the youngest Potters fighting.

"Yes," Violet interjected, struggling in her aunt's firm grasp. "But he started it!" she yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at him. He jumped, trying to pounce on her when he was held back by Ginny.

"We've got it covered. Come on, D.J.," she ordered, dragging him along. D.J. didn't like her tone of voice. "We're going to do a little shopping. For me." D.J. paled at the prospect of searching for Lady's Things.

He turned to send a pleading look his mother's way, but she just waved and smiled. "Have fun!"

~~~~~~~~

Lily, Lucy and Eric entered Madame Malkin's Robes For All Occasions after lightening their Gringotts vaults. All Eric had to do was exchange his Muggle notes, but Lily and Lucy had to deal with a disagreeable goblin who was unwilling to let them do anything until they presented the note from their parents stating they were allowed to draw a certain amount of money per year without a parent present. Grumbling the whole time, the goblin (TouCain, pronounced too-kane) complied. The three had enough money to buy their school supplies and a little something extra.

Eric was now getting fit for new school robes, as he had grown an extra three inches over the last few months. Lily and Lucy watched, checking over their own robes and counting their leftover money.

"Done yet?" Lily kept asking. Eric would look at her incredulously and say no, that he had a few more robes to fit. The girls would roll their eyes and revert back to their counting. Lucy, bored with the silence, stuck up conversation.

"Ready for third year?" she asked them. Lily nodded excitedly and was about to speak when Eric interrupted.

"Yeah! I can't wait to start those new classes we signed up for. I can't believe you two didn't sign up for Divination. It sounds pretty cool so far," he said.

"Yeah, but that old bat Trelawney is still teaching it. Besides, Mum says it's very woolly," Lucy explained. Eric scoffed.

"Maybe the teacher's changed. And since when do you start to badmouth teachers? That's Lily's forte," he said, to an exasperated look from Lily. Lucy shrugged.

"I would never lie about a teacher, unless it was Snape," she said.

Eric smirked. "Yeah, especially one you've never met," he said sarcastically. Lucy ignored him.

"Anyways, ERIC, you interrupted Lily. She has a mind that she uses too, you know," she remarked. "Go on, Lil."

"I was going to say," she said, staring pointedly at Eric, who shrugged, "that all of that sounds okay. But I'm much rather looking forward to Hogsmeade visits!" Lucy and Eric brightened up at this. As third years, they were allowed to go into the village of Hogsmeade on designated weekends. Their parents had abruptly signed the forms, saying it would be a nice little break from harsh schoolwork, to which the three of them agreed with.

"I want to see Zonko's joke shop! They get new stuff every month! Too bad we only go twice a semester," Lucy decided.

"I've heard it's got the most haunted building in Britain, The Shrieking Shack!" Eric told them. He was a little hurt to see Lily and Lucy stare at him incredulously. "What?"

"You're kidding right?" Lucy asked. Eric was confused.

"About what?"

"It's so not haunted," Lily said. "That's just a myth. No ghosts." Eric shook his head.

"How would you know? You've never been there," he accused.

"Our parents have," Lily retorted, "and they never saw anything weird there. Plus, think about it. No ghosts have ever really haunted a place. It's moving portraits most people are worried about."

"Yeah," Lucy said, "and if ghosts haunt places, you would pee in your pants every time you saw Nearly Headless Nick float through the dorms."

"Why do you have to prove me wrong about everything?" he sulked. Lily shrugged and grinned.

"Be right for once and it won't be that way," she said. Eric glared while Lucy laughed. Finally, Eric had gotten everything he needed and the trio left, talking of their expectations of Hogsmeade. All was going well when all of a sudden they bumped into--

"Damien Malfoy."

~~~~~~~

Upset, Violet had tried apologizing to her mother, revealing how unfair it felt to be the youngest. Ashley had tried to console her daughter, saying it was normal to feel that way, and that being the youngest came with its perks, too. She told her to wait and that soon enough she would be at Hogwarts, and would meet great friends and have lots of fun; she should enjoy having no responsibility now. Happy with her mother's explanation, Violet skipped ahead to join Nora near the unicorn horns (5 Galleons a dozen).

Hermione and Ashley were lingering near the powdered root section, talking in hushed whispers. There really was no need to, as there were many others hustling and bustling about.

"So what do you plan on doing?" Hermione asked, wiping the sweat off of her forward (it was rather hot that day). Ashley stammered and shrugged.

"It's like--I don't know--it's just--you know," she finished lamely. Hermione nodded slowly, laughing.

"Of course."

Ashley shook her head. "I just feel so bored nowadays. I mean, with Lily and Liam at Hogwarts and the rest at primary school and Harry at work, there's just too much time for sitting. Even with my job, it's getting pretty boring."

Hermione peered at jar of asphodel root as she spoke. "Maybe you just need a hobby."

"I guess I should."

"What are you really interested in?" Hermione asked. Ashley shrugged. "So that's where they all get it from."

"Get what?"

"The shrugging. All of your kids do it, and so do you," Hermione explained. Ashley laughed.

"I guess we all got it from Harry," she said. Hermione grinned evilly.

"Ever thought of making Harry your new hobby?" she suggested. Ashley smacked her on the arm.

"Mione, there are children within earshot!" Hermione giggled into her hand, blushing.

"Much worse has happened, believe me," she said, watching the girls. They were dipping their hands in a barrel of something Hermione couldn't see very well.

"What could be worse than your own children hearing about alone time with your husband?" she heard Ashley whisper next to her.

"The kids have heard Ron and I, you know..." she trailed off. Ashley had to cover her mouth to keep from disturbing other customers with her laughter. "It's not funny!"

"Yes it is!" Ashley hissed. She suddenly stopped laughing and squinted toward the girls. "Oh, no."

"What?"

"They've dipped their hands into a barrel of armadillo bile! Violet, get out of there!"

~~~~~~~~

"It's nice to see you three have enough brains to recognize me."

Damien Malfoy hadn't inherited anything from the Weasley side of his family. With his platinum blonde hair and stormy gray eyes, he was exactly like his father was at the age of fourteen, lip and all. It was the sort of thing that most adults frowned upon, even his own parents. Of course, he was the perfect angel in front of them, but once they were gone...

Lucy narrowed her eyes. "How'd you find us? Even for a dog, you sure get around fast, wouldn't you say?"

Damien put on a fake smile and threw an arm around her. She tried to shove him off of her, but he was stronger than she was. "Come now, cousin. Must we be so vile to one another?"

"Yes," Lily cut in sharply, knocking his arm away. He rubbed the area she punched, smirking.

"Have to fight dear Lucy's battles for her, don't you, Potter?" he spat. Lily stepped forward threateningly.

"That's what friends do, Malfoy, but you wouldn't know that as you have none. I can see why, though; no one wants to befriend someone whose head takes up all of Slytherin House," she remarked, causing Damien to scowl deeply. Suddenly he grinned.

"You know, mate, people will start to think you're a pouf if you keep hanging around these birds," he told Eric. Lily and Lucy stepped forward indignantly.

"Birds?" they repeated, held back by Eric's arm.

"Jealous, Malfoy, that I have two women to your none?" he spat back smartly, wrapping his arms around his best friends' shoulders. They smiled innocently, playing along. Damien's eyes widened. Then he relaxed.

"I could get any woman I wanted," he said.

"They'd have to want you first, though," Lily stated.

"We're cousins, anyway. It would be inhumane to think of you that way," he uttered, waving the thought aside. "Yecck."

"Whatever," Lucy said, rolling her eyes and throwing Eric's arm off of her shoulder. "I'd like to see you get a girl."

"I can," he insisted. Lucy grinned.

"Fine then. I bet that you can't get a girl to go out with you on her own accord by the first Hogsmeade weekend," she challenged.

"And I bet I will," he said. She nodded curtly.

"Fine, it's a wager. What shall the rules be?"

"I know!" Lily exclaimed. "It has to be a girl that's not in Slytherin. Neither of us can interfere with her decision in anyway. You have to show up with her at...The Three Broomsticks at noon, and she has to genuinely like you and you must genuinely like her back. No cheating," she said. Damien nodded.

"It's a deal," he said, shaking each of their hands before wiping his own on his trousers. He began to walk away when he shouted to them over his shoulder.

"I'd drop Potter if I were you, Spellman. Lucy is better looking!"

"Why that little--" Lily started but was cut off by Lucy.

"Don't pay attention, Lil. He's just mad because the male population at Hogwarts pays better attention to you and I than it does to him."

"EWW!" the two girls screeched, laughing. Eric shook his head and walked away.

"Girls." He stopped when he saw a group of people coming in their direction. Smirking, he addressed the girls. "Speaking of the male population..."

Intrigued, Lily and Lucy followed his hand gestures to find a sight that made them want to shrivel up and die. Evan Zabini and his fellow Ravenclaws were walking toward them, laughing about some crazy thing that must have happened at some fancy party they attended. Also in third year, the group was the most desirable group of boys out of all four houses at Hogwarts. Eric turned around to comment on this when he found that his two friends had disappeared.

"Hey, Spellman," Evan greeted. Eric waved.

"Later, Zabini," he said, watching as they moved farther away. Once they were gone, he blew the hair out of his eyes and went off in search of Lily and Lucy. Girls just acted so silly around boys.

~~~~~~

"Lily, this is absolutely ridiculous!" Lucy exclaimed, hands flying everywhere. The two of them were currently hiding out at Flourish and Blotts. Once Lily had gotten wind of Evan Zabini and his gang heading their way, she bolted, Lucy trailing behind her. Lucy, of course, knew everything that was going on. Lily had developed a crush on their Ravenclaw friend during their second year after she had bumped into him on accident. He had helped her pick up her fallen items, made sure she was okay, smiled and left, leaving one awestruck Lily behind him. Since then, Lily always turned bright red whenever he was close by. Sometimes it was funny, but other times it was annoying.

Much like today.

Lily ran her hands over her face, still blushing. "I know! I just can't help it! He's so...what's the word?"

"Irritating?" Lucy supplied, pulling a stray leaf from her hair. Lily raised an eyebrow.

"He's not," she argued. Lucy glared and chucked an old edition of The Daily Prophet at her best friend.

"I'm talking about you!" she exclaimed. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Lucy, get a grip," she said. Lucy's eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed like a fish. She tugged at the ends of her hair, holding back a shriek.

"Don't tell me to get a grip, Lily Potter," she spat. She wagged a finger in Lily's face. "You've been acting a fool for months." Lily shivered.

"You sound like Professor Snape," she remarked. Lucy glared, but she was fighting a smile. "Come on, Luce, what do you want me to do? I've never had this problem before." Lucy sighed and squatted down on a low bench, knocking some books onto the floor (Care of Blast-Ended Skrewts: How NOT to Burst Into Flame)

"I know that," she said. "None of us have." Here Lily grinned. "What now?"

"Nothing, Luce, never mind," she said, turning her head to the side. Now Lucy was bothered. She hated it when Lily just turned everything she did around. One minute she was infuriating, the next you were eager to hear from her. Not only that, but if Lily had some juicy news, she tried to suck you in so you would appreciate it. It was no different now, apparently.

"Lily, come on!"

Lily shook her head. "Come on. We need some books on Arithmancy."

The two headed toward the Magical Studies section, Lucy tormenting Lily endlessly. But Lily was not going to say a word about how she happened to spot Lucy's open journal on her bed with the words "Mrs. Eric Spellman" scrawled on every spare bit of paper.