You Will Always Come Home

* * *

Hermione was happy that the Christmas holidays were here. Every Christmas she got to go home, and it was pleasing to see everyone. She could remember how much she thought Ron would have a hard time with the kids alone, but he hadn't. He turned out to be the one everyone went to for anything.

But after today's events Hermione was very anxious. Fiona Harrison's dad was the one person she was anxious in meeting because of Fiona's appearance. It turned out he wasn't much in looks, but the way he held himself, and had trouble lying. She could always tell whenever Harry was lying, and well he was the same was. But what caught her the most was his smile. She could recognize it everywhere.

Ron was walking next to her. Jackson and Lana had already flooed to the house. "Honey, are sure you wouldn't rather we take the train instead of apparate?" Ron asked his wife.

"No, I'll be fine. Anyways it would take much too long." Hermione had used this excuse more often than Ron could remember.

Ron could remember when Hermione was home all the time after both twins were born. Ainsley and Lucy had been premature, so Hermione had taken two years off work. After they were two, Ron took over and Hermione went back to work. They were not only professors, but on-call aurors. In the past ten years they had maybe been called in four times.

It was hard for them to be away from each other so often. It had been a long time since they had just had infinite time together, but that had been taken away by work and kids. Ron and Hermione wouldn't give up their jobs for anything. It was awesome to teach kids, especially the older ones, and it was nice to see Remus all the time.

In the twenty-something years they had known Snape, he had never changed. He was still a greasy git, as Ron liked to refer to him, but he was much more civil to them. Still he was still evil, or at least Ron would say that. Snape had also been aging badly, which Ron said was because he is so sardonic. His hair had turned grey towards the end of the war, and after it was over.

Remus had been doing well, but you could tell that he felt as though he were missing something, and it was very sad. He had lost both his best friends, and now his best friend's son. Remus was an awesome teacher, and once the kids got over the fact that he was a werewolf, they loved him. Ron, of, course, took over for him that one time a month, so that way the kids wouldn't have to bother with Snape as they had.

Hermione was nervous and she was anticipating what her heart and feelings were telling her. She tried very hard to keep up with her prenatal Potions, but it was complicated, and she would forget to take them every now and then. Those days would be completely filled with complicated emotions. Some days she would be depressed; others, she would be in the best mood ever.

***

Fiona was very happy to be home, but she missed the normal sounds of Chay's snores and such. Danyella and Lily had been a bit anxious about her coming home because they knew they would have to share their room once again.

"Guys it's not that bad, especially when you share a room with three other girls," Fiona said. "My friend Chay snores every night, and once her owl had come in early, and started hooting loudly at her snoring. It was very funny!"

"What's Hogwarts like?" Lily asked.

"It's huge!" Fiona said. "It like a million stories tall, and has many towers and stuff. The first year Gryffindor girls' dormitory is in a tower, so whenever I looked out a window, I could see almost all the grounds. It's really cool."

"Wow!" Danyella exclaimed. "What are your friends like?"

"Well, Kay is Japanese, and she's really good in Charms, but Chay is really good at astronomy, or well astrology. Devorit has a pretty good with most of her classes, except Potions," Fiona explained.

"I wish I went there," Lily said looking out the window forlornly.

Fiona just smiled. She hoped all her siblings would be able to attend Hogwarts. It was just an awesome experience. Chay had told her that just because she may be a witch doesn't mean her siblings will be. Fiona was muggle-born, and her brothers and sister may not be witches and wizards, but then again some of them might but not all.

Grandma Vien had come to Surrey for Christmas. Two years ago Grampa Vien died, and it had been hard for her, but she always had them. Now they were far away, and she and Fiona's parents had been thinking of moving her up here with them.

Fiona was very happy to see her grandmother, but since she'd been at Hogwarts, she'd wondered if maybe she had grandparents on her father's side. (A/N: imagine her knowing Remus would kind of be like her grampa!!)

While Fiona was busy explaining to her sisters about Hogwarts, the adults were still up at the kitchen table chatting. James had a growing unease in his stomach from his experiences that day, but he wasn't about to alarm his wife and his mother-in-law. Layna was busy explaining to her mum about what they saw at Hogwarts.

"Mother, had you seen it you would've been shocked," Layna explained, her eyes glowing. "She could change a mouse into a frog! Isn't that just weird?!"

Mehgan Vien just nodded at her daughter. It was hard to come back to see her family, and find them all changed, but she was open to change. It was quite a shock to find out that her eldest granddaughter was a witch. She hadn't believed in witches since she was a little girl, and it was a shock to know that they are truly real.

"She seemed so happy there. When we got there, she and her friends were having a snowball fight," Layna said. "The older boys were bewitching snowballs to follow the other students around."

"Meg, it was very interesting, you would've loved it," James said. "Well it's almost eleven, and we have tons of stuff to do tomorrow."

James and Layna bade Meg goodnight, and headed to their bedroom to go to bed. Meg was sleeping on the couch-bed in the family room, and the curtain was drawn for privacy.

Layna had excitedly explained everything to her mother, but James had barely said a word. He was at a loss for what to think about everyone's reaction at the school. He had been wondering about what he should tell Layna or if he should even tell her at all. Layna was fast asleep before James even began dozing off. Pretty soon James fell into a light sleep; a sleep full of dreams.

* * *

A young boy of about eleven is being shown around an odd place by a humongous man. Then the scene changes and you see the same boy but older fighting with an enormous green serpent. The boy gets bitten, then he changes and looks older again. He is tied to a tombstone with a frightened but determined look on his face as a man with snake-like features approaches him. Then boy changes once again looking much older, and wiser. His eyes seem to be bright-green fires full of hatred and determination.

He seems to be facing the same person as he had been in the previous scene, but the scene is disrupted as a voice penetrates it. Dad, it's time to get up, dad!

* * *

James was out of it for most of the morning. Layna just thought he had a few problems sleeping, but he knew otherwise. He had slept badly that night, and he didn't have any dreams he could remember. It's like when you wake up just before your dream ends, and then you can't remember it. James hid his exhaustion from everyone, but only three people could tell how run-down he felt.

Fiona had always been able to feel or at least tell what her father was feeling. She and James had a very close bond, and in the last year it had been strained. It had been strained the most when they moved, and it hurt James loads.

The one of the only people other than Fiona was Meg. She had been adopted by a family when she was a baby, and knew the oddities of not knowing any of your biological family. She had readily taken James in with open arms when he came in the hospital. She had been one of the physical therapy nurses, and that was why Layna had been able to help in that particular area.

Meg was just like a mum to James, but there was this awful ache that somewhere in the world someone else wanted and needed him. But that was over fifteen years ago. Whoever he had been involved with, must have not known how to find him or wanted to. He had spent almost three years in and out of hospitals for either treatment or another appointment with a psychiatrist who asked him the same dumb questions over and over again.

For the rest of the day, James's wife and kids went in and out of stores. James following silently. A comment here or there when needed. Every now and then Fiona would give him a questioning look that clearly said she knew something was wrong, but she didn't have time to stop and chat with her mother and siblings dragging her through every store along with them.

The only person who had a chance to say anything was Meg. She would stand with him while he watched his children enthusiastically go through every store. Layna was eagerly going everywhere with her children, but she too knew something was wrong with her husband. She never showed her concern to everyone, but that night she asked him what was up.

* * *

James was in the adjacent bathroom to their room putting his towel up when Layna asked him.

"What's been bothering you today?"

James stopped momentarily. "Nothing, just had a few problems sleeping."

"What d'you mean?"

"I couldn't fall asleep last night, I just kept waking up at everything," James explained.

"Oh," was all Layna said, then, "well mother seemed to think there was something wrong. Anyway, you're always the most excited out of all of us when it comes to Christmas."

"Well, I guess I'm nervous about that Christmas party for work."

"Oh yeah, your boss really knows how to rile you up," Layna commented, shaking her head. "I'll be there, and mother is watching the kids, so don't worry so much."

James just shook his head and got into bed. He wrapped his arms around his wife their bodies intertwined. "He suspects or knows something. He's always asking about Fiona."

"Well our life isn't any of his business," Layna said matter-of-factly. "We'll have a great time, and it'll be one of those few times the kids won't be with us."

Pretty soon James could hear Layna's soft breathing slow, and he knew she was asleep. There were just too many things going on in his head, but pretty soon he too doze off.

* * *

The next day they went to the countryside to get their Christmas tree. As soon as they had arrived there, the children took off. James, Layna, and Meg watched the kids run off through the trees to find their favourite and laughed. It was nice that the kids were still young enough to enjoy this.

"What time does that party of yours start?" Meg asked.

"At eight, we'll leave around seven-thirty, forty-five," James answered.

"The kids and I are putting up the decorations right?"

"Yes, mother. You all have fun, we'll be out late, and call if you need anything," Layna said, teasing her mother a bit. "We won't be home too late, but if we're not back by nine-thirty Christopher and triplets need to go to bed. I already promised Fiona she could stay up until eleven, and we will be home by then."

Meg nodded. She had eagerly said she would watch the children for them, so they could got to the Christmas party. She knew they didn't get much together time with the kids and work. Actually she was quite happy to just be with the kids since she hadn't seen them since last Christmas, and it was hard not to see them everyday like she used to.

After a while, Fiona came back to walk with the adults. Pretty soon the adults spilt up. Layna looking for the children, Meg admiring the poinsettias, and James and Fiona wandering around. It was the first time in a while that James and Fiona had some time together. James was very happy his daughter was home for the holidays, but he was anxious about what had happened to her at Hogwarts.

Fiona was excited to be back home with her family, but she didn't feel like she fit in anymore. She knew everyone loved her, but she was very different from them all. She did things that they would probably never be able to do, and it made feel as though she were an outsider. It was weird to some back home after being gone for three months. Everything was different, and she was too.

She knew she would be growing up away from home, but everyone else would be too. While she was gone, Christopher started reading, Lily won the spelling bee and was top in her gymnastics class. Fiona had been in gymnastics as well, and she missed it terribly. Danyella had gone up two belts in karate, and Damion wasn't in football anymore but did art.

She knew she be home for only three months out of the next seven years, and she wasn't ready for it. But at the same time she couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts where everyone was just like her.

"How've you been doing dad?" Fiona asked her dad.

"Fine, nothing exciting happening here," James said, preoccupied with his own thoughts.

"School's been tough, but it seems to be pretty easy for me too," Fiona explained. "They load us with homework, but when it comes to doing the real thing, it's not really all that hard."

"That's neat. Sounds like you've been having tons of fun," James said, enjoying this time he had with his eldest daughter.

"Yeah, and my friends are so funny. Well Jackson is, and he's just like his uncles," and Fiona launched into a story when Jackson's cousin Madison's dad came to the school with Ron. "He was hilarious! He would always cut some joke. He and his twin own the most popular joke shop in Britain, Weasley Wizard Wheezes, and their expanding out of the country this summer with a store in Ireland, back home in the states, and France."

"That's interesting, seems like Jackson has a very extended family," James commented. "How big is his family?"

"It's huge!" Fiona exclaimed. "He has five other siblings, and his mum is pregnant. His dad has five older brothers and a younger sister, and they all followed in their parents footsteps with large families. His grampa is the Minister of Magic."

James nodded. It seemed like Fiona's friends came from a very good and a seemingly prestigious family. Fiona had stopped talking because they had just come into view of the rest of their family. Everyone was gathered at the cashier to buy their tree.

Layna came up to them. "There you two are! We've been looking for you."

* * *

James and Layna made sure they had all their Christmas things down, so Meg wouldn't have to bother going to get anything in the attic. James seemed very nervous about going to this party since Mr. Dursley didn't seem to like him much, but she knew how much James meant to the company. Mr. Dursley had also mentioned that his son would be there with his girlfriend.

Once they were in Layna's small car, since they didn't need the mini-van, James voiced his nerves. "I really don't want to go to this damn party."

"Well it's for work, and you know he can't do anything to you since you're such a big part of the company," Layna said, trying to calm her husband. "We'll have fun, and just try to stay away from them."

James shook his head, "They're just so... I don't know, preppy. And if anything their son is probably just like them."

Sooner than James wanted they pulling next to the curb with other cars at the Dursley household. He told himself to just keep everything in, and to control his uncomfort and anxiety. Nothing was going to happen, and James wasn't going to let Dursley get to him.

They entered the house amongst some of James' co-workers. Lorne Caleb was one of James' closest friends, and they worked together on many assignments. Lorne told James that Mr. Dursley didn't necessarily like anybody.

"Hey, James!" Lorne called. "Nice to see yeh came!"

He spoke with a bit of an accent that made him seem very rough. He had an ex-wife and two kids who were ten and seven. Lance was the oldest and Kathy was the baby, and they lived with their mum in Edinburgh, Scotland. Meredith and Lorne had a good relationship, but the roughness about Lorne made Layna a bit wary of him.

"Yeah, we came," James said resignedly. "Layna bullied me into it."

"I did not," Layna retorted, but she was smiling. "We almost didn't come."

"He weirds yeh out thet much?" Lorne asked, an eyebrow raised questioningly.

"No, he just seems to think that my personal business is his business," James said. "And he seems to think he owns me in some strange way."

Lorne shook his head. "I've been with this company fer fifteen years, and he's like thet with evry' person who takes your job. I've known 'im longer than you 'an he'll always bee thet way no matter what."

Before James and Lorne could really get into a conversation, Mr. Dursley came over as he made his way amongst everyone to say hi.

"Mr. Harrison, Mr. Caleb, so nice of you to join us," he said, putting on his fake welcoming act. "Refreshments on the table, and Petunia will be bringing out the entrées in a second."

Then he moved on to visit with everyone else. James, Layna, and Lorne spoke for a bit longer, but Lorne got distracted by some blonde, and he went to chase her. Layna stood in a corner watching her husband socialize. Soon he came back, and they chatted.

"Well, seems like it's almost over, and we'll be able to get home," James said, looking at his watch once more.

Mr. Dursley was moving around the crowd introducing his son, and James and Layna hoped he never made it to him. But he did, "Hello Mr. Harrison, I would like to introduce you to my son, Dudley."

James shook hands with a Dursley look alike, but he was a bit beefier, and he had blond hair. "Nice to meet you, Dudley. I'm James Harrison and this is my wife Layna."

They shook hands, but Dudley's eyes never left James's face. James started getting uncomfortable with the gaze, and tried to distract him. "What do you do?"

Dudley jerked his eyes from James's face, and answered, "I'm in real estate."

"Interesting, I was back in the states."

"You used to live in the states?" Dudley asked, a bit shocked.

Layna answered, "Yes, we used to live in Avig, Maine."

"That's really interesting," Dudley commented. "I would love to visit there sometime."

"Yeah, it's really nice there," James said, eager for him to leave.