Juniper donned her black cloak, and crept out of the dorm quietly. The sun had barely risen, the stars and the moon still twinkling in the night sky. It was Halloween, and while most students spent the occasion at Hogwarts, Juniper was not most students. Her and her brother had been doing this since their very first year at Hogwarts, and then the following with Nessa, and now Cali.

They'd wake at the crack of dawn, Juniper's least favorite part, and then journey to McGonagall's office to use the Floo network. Originally, their aunt had been there to supervise, but once James and Juniper hit third year, it didn't make sense anymore. October 31st wasn't just another holiday for the members of the Potter family, and they'd never forget it.

"James! Psst, James!" Juniper whispered into the dark dorm room, then remembered their newfound ability.

James!

What?

Are you ready?

Sure.

That's not an answer

Are you sure?

Nessa's going to kill us if we're late again

We had a very good reason

James...

Coming, coming.

The pair walked briskly down the halls and opened the door to the Headmistress's study, climbing the winding staircase up, up, up.

"Did you bring the cloak?" Vanessa nudged her older siblings, knowing full well just how forgetful they could be.

"It's hurtful how little faith she has in us." James sniffed haughtily, pulling the cloak out of his bag with a flourish.

"I know," Juniper placed a hand over her heart, pinching her sister's cheek teasingly. "We're the most trustworthy people we know."

Vanessa rolled her eyes, "Because that's really saying something, honestly I still don't know why Dad would entrust the two of you with an ancient magical artifact."

"Jealous, Nessa?" James winked.

"More like questioning Dad's mental sanity. It's certainly not because you're his favorite, we all know who that is." James, Juniper, and Vanessa all turn towards Calista, who holds her hands up defensively.

"Guys, dad doesn't have favorites."

They all just give her a look.

"Ok it's me." Calista giggles sheepishly, "It's not my fault you've all been such terrible examples."

"Are you sure you're a Hufflepuff" Vanessa tilted her head, ribbing her little sister, "Now c'mon, youngest to oldest, remember to enunciate, we all remember DIAGONALLY!" She guided her sister to the front and Calista took a handful of Floo powder, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

One by one, the Potter children took their turn at the fireplace, and in a chorus of "Godric Hollow!" They tumbled out onto the frost covered ground of the small village, looking around for their parents.

This day was always very bittersweet for the Potter clan. Their father was sad, understandably so, but tried to keep the mood upbeat. Their mother was in a constant state of worry, making sure their father was ok. Sirius, who joined them each year without fail, usually shed a tear or two, but pretended like he hadn't. Sirius would go and talk to James and Lily apart from everyone else as well, after all, he had known them best. Evelyn would come later, have supper and reminisce. The children were never certain of how to behave, but it didn't matter really. The important part was that they were there, and that James and Lily Potter's legacy lived on.

It was odd. Juniper often forgot that her parents had so much trauma in their early childhoods. Her mum never met her dad or her sister, and her mum died when Miranda was Juniper's age. Juniper's father had never met his parents, and didn't have any siblings either. It struck Juniper on these types of occasions, that she had no true grandparents. This was something that she didn't often reflect on, Molly Weasley and Arthur Weasley were the best surrogate grandparents a child could ask for. There was always more than enough love to go around when Juniper had been growing up, and she had to stop sometimes and recall that her parents had been through a lot. More probably, then she knew, or could even fathom.

"There they are." Calista pointed to the two figures a couple yards away at the entrance to the graveyard.

The four siblings moved forward as their parents waited patiently. The glistening light of the morning sun was weak through the thick overcast of grey clouds that permeated the air. However, the crisp fall leaves made for an excellent pop of color against an otherwise drab landscape.

Their father was easy to spot, dressed in the classic red and gold scarf that had been James's, "Thought you lot would never show up." He called, waving them closer, and immediately hugging his youngest daughter. "Cali girl you've gotten so big!"

"Oof, Calista's voice is muffled, I've barely been gone two months Dad."

"You'd think it was two years from the way he mopes about the house." Miranda grinned, embracing her other children while Harry gave her an affronted expression.

"S'ok Dad," James piped up, "Nessa hasn't gotten any bigger, and I don't think she will."

Miranda stifled a laugh, shaking her head at her son. She put a hand on his shoulder warningly, "James...don't tease your sister."

"Sorry mum." He kissed her on the cheek, sticking his tongue out at Vanessa, who proceeded to flip him off.

Juniper hugged each of her parents, squirming slightly as her mother spun her around.

"Ohhh," her mother sighed sadly, giving her another hug, "I'm glad you aren't taller than me yet Junebug."

At his rather impressive height of 6'0, James towered over his mother, who wasn't that short. He was even a few inches taller than Harry now, it wasn't by much, but it made him look a lot older than he was.

"Where's Uncle Padfoot?" Vanessa asked, looking around for the long haired man, or the fluffy black dog they'd all grown up throwing sticks to.

"He's already at their grave." Harry took a deep breath, and Juniper noticed her mum touch her fingers to his. It was such a small gesture it was almost imperceptible, but Juniper could tell that her father relaxed a bit.

"We should be going too, guys." Their mother nods for them to start walking into the cemetery, taking Harry's arm, "Did you two bring the cloak? Nessa you mad sure they didn't forget right?"

"Where is the trust?" James threw up his hands dramatically.

"You've wounded us, Mum." Juniper acted as if she had been stabbed in the gut.

"I trust you," Miranda pacified. "I do, it's just...I trust Nessa more." She winked at the blonde.

Vanessa beamed, batting her eyes innocently at James and Juniper as if to say, take that!

"Don't worry guys," Harry whispered. "She trusts Nessa more than me too. Frankly, I trust Nessa more than myself."

"There's Sirius." Miranda said, ignoring her husband's teasing remarks. "Oh lord, did he fly here on the motorbike again? One of these days that thing is going to break down."

"But it's tradition, Miranda!" Sirius chuckled, hugging all of them, "It's so good to see you all."

Respectfully, each member of the family placed a white lily on the grave, when they were finished, Harry put the cloak delicately down as well. This is a well practiced routine, but each time the impact is the same. Juniper can almost feel her grandparents looking down on them from above. There was beat of silence, her father said a few words, his voice thick with emotion, and quietly, they all raised their wands to the sky.

"For Lily and James." Sirius muttered, as he always did, at tear rolling off his chin.

Juniper grabbed her brother's hand tightly, and he grabbed Vanessa's on his left. Vanessa linked hands with Calista, that way they were all connected. Their parents stood behind them, Harry's arm wrapped around Miranda's waist as the wind nipped at their faces, noses and cheeks becoming redder.

Juniper and James saw their mum whisper, "You okay?" to their dad, and then felt the unfamiliar presence of her voice in their mind.

Let's go, your father and Sirius need a moment.

To the house?

Yes, tell your sisters, come on.

The five of them slipped away, leaving Sirius and Harry at the grave.

"What do they do mum? When we give them some time." Calista questioned, looking up at her mother earnestly.

"I suppose they talk to them." Miranda smiled, "I'm not sure Cali."

"You've never asked?" Vanessa furrowed her brow in confusion.

"I trust your father, if he chooses not to tell me something because it's too personal I"ll give him that privacy. Parents are a touchy subject with the two of us."

Silently, Juniper admired the strength of her parents' marriage. The group stopped in front of  what was once her father's childhood home. It didn't matter how many times she saw it, that house made her emotions flare. She couldn't imagine how her father must feel.

"Alright you know what time it is!" Her father's excited tone broke Juniper from her thoughts.

The kids all groaned simultaneously, another tradition of the thirty first, and it was not a family favorite. They all tolerated it, however, because it was their dad's way of trying to keep things upbeat. Sirius and Harry never liked to dwell on the more depressing parts of the day, though Juniper noted the redness in their eyes.

"I'm taking your groans as expressions of your anticipation, Harry smirked, because this is everyone's favorite part right?"

The kids sighed, and their mother mouthed, "Play along, or Howlers!" So they pasted on their cheerful smiles, secretly they all truly did enjoy the story portion of the day. Juniper was pretty sure her and James knew it by heart by now.

"Once upon a time, Harry cleared his throat, a very important baby boy was born to two wizards."

"But before that could happen, Sirius interjected as always, a devilish, messy haired bloke with excellent taste in best friends had to convince a certain red head to fall in love with him." He raised his head to the sky, looking upwards, "Still don't know how you did it mate, I thought you had standards Lil! Anyways, they fell in love, got married, and they had a baby." Sirius patted his godson on the back, this part was guaranteed to make Juniper's father turn red, "Proof that James Potter and Lily Evans shagged, which if you ask me is a better nickname than the Chosen One." He looked up at the sky again, "Sorry, Lil."

"Any guess on who this baby was?" Harry played dumb, raising his eyebrows at his children, "Any at all? No? Well this may come as a shock but that baby was none other than your dear old dad."

His children gasped on cue, earning them a smile of appreciation from their mother.

"Like I said, Harry continued, this baby was very important, special even by wizarding standards. He was marked by a noseless man as the Chosen One, and even though I was only a wee little child, this noseless prat thought I was dangerous. He decided that he had to kill me. 34 years ago today, I became the Boy who Lived. My parents, James and Lily Potter died to give me a chance. They died so I could live. So I could go to Hogwarts and become the handsome, successful man I am today. So that your mother could fall head over heels in love with me." He grinned at his wife.

"That is so not how it happened." Their mother swatted Harry softly.

Their dad turned more solemn, he was nearing the end of the story, "Every day, I remember what you have done for me," he looked above, "and I every day I try to make you proud. Thank you mum and dad."

"For everything."

awww i thought this was a sweet chapter about their family dynamic

ik it was short i'm sorrrrryyy, but i hope you like it anyway :)))

all i want is for james and lily to be alive

xoxo,

colleen