If you are thinking "Hang on, I've already read chapter 28", stop.

The chapter here before was meant to be used later on in the story. This is chapter 28, not the other one. So please read this, and don't dismiss it.

Hermione

"Ron, Rose, are you ready to go?" I called up the stairs.

Footsteps came from the living room, so I turned around to find Room waiting there with Rose, both if them with their shoes on, a present in Rose's hands.

"We've been ready for ages. We've been waiting for you. Isn't that right, Rosie?"

She nodded.
"Bad mummy."

"Okay, well let's get going. We don't want to be late, do we?"

"No." They said at the same time.

So, after I went with Rose, followed by Ron, we arrived at the Burrow by floo powder.

I was never a big fan of it, but with Rosie being too young for apperation, and neither of us having the time to learn hiw to drive a car, it was the quickest method of transportation that we had.

When we arrived, Molly greeted us and let us all know that the others were outside, playing Quidditch.

We went into the back and spotted Harry in the shade, keeping an eye on his children as Ginny flew around, scoring goals.

It made me smile; the Harry I knew ten - five, even - years ago would never have been trusted with such responsibility.

He would've just provoked Ministry Officials... Umbridge, Fudge and Scrimgeor? Who said those names? Harry would never've angered not one, but two Minister of Magics. Never.

Rose ran off to play - after having given us the present - as Ron and I went over to our friend.

"Harry, what would you do if I told you that you ought to stop James from climbing that tree ant further?" Ron asked casually.

"I'd tell you not to tell me how I should handke my kids- wait, what? Where is he? Which tree? Gin is gonna kill me."

"I asked what you'd do, not that he is."

"Ron, don't scare me like that. You've surely seen Ginny in a rage, right? When it concerns the safety of any children of hers, that rage intensified by a thousandfold."

"What have you done this time Harry?" Ginny asked as she landed.

"Says who I've done anything?"

"One... you've always done something."

"No I've- actually, yeah, I usually have..."

"And two, either you've let James scale the house wall like Spiderman - again - or there's another female who can scare you. In which case, I think I might to be worried."

"Dont worry, you're the only girl who can terrify me."

"Good."

I could see Ron laughing at Harry, which was stopped as soon as he realised that I had noticed.

"Anyway, where's Albus?" I asked, changing the subject.

"With Scorpius, Louis, Lucy and that lot. Rose has probably found them by now."

"Okay then, well if you want we'll leave his present here."

"Sure. Mum has some butterbeer and stuff by the way, so help yourself if you're thirsty." Ginny told us.

"I wouldn't say no to a fire whisky." Ron said, only to receive looks from Ginny, Harry and I, all of which told him that he was being stupid. "What's wrong with that?"

"This is Albus' second birthday party. James is Albus' brother. James would find any firewhiskey nearby and do who knows what with it. Not a good idea, Ron." He was told by his sister.

"He's there. It's not like he's gonna drink it. I bet he'd hate the taste."

"Yes, which is why he'd put it in our drinks, food, cake and whatever else he can get his hands on. Trust me, mate, James within a ten mile radius of anything that can cause any kind of destruction is a reason to move to another country." Harry interjected. "Speaking of moving country, Gin, I was thinking-"

"Harry, for all of our sakes, please don't pitch another one of your ideas." She turned to me. "His last one was about us moving to live in the mountains so that James and Albus can play Quidditch without there being any risk of muggles seeing them. He forgot that mountains have drops which young children can fall down, and that the air pressure is rather low."

"Really, Harry?" I asked. "You know, a more effective way for Voldemort to get rid of you would be leaving you to your own devices."

"You guys are so mean to me, I swear-"

"Don't swear. There are children nearby." Ron teased him.

"Like you can talk. I'd be surprised if Hermione didn't know about the time that you were looking after Rose and she said-" Harry was cut off with a glare from Ron.

"No, don't stop. What did Rose say?"

"Er..."

"Ron, what did you cause Rose to say?"

"I didn't... she didn't say- perhaps this is a conversation for later? No? Okay, well... Oh look, Albus is over there! I'm going to go and say happy birthday to him."

He hurried off before I could protest.

"Yeah, and I'm going to hide si that he can't kill me later." Harry informed Ginny and I, looking around for the best hiding spot. "Any er... any suggestions, Gin?"

"I'm not getting into this one."

"Well thanks for that, oh loving wife.'

"Any time, husband." She turned to me. "I think we may have married children in disguise as adults."

I glanced over at Ron, who was playing as though he were the same age as the two year olds.
"Do you know what? I think you're right."

Teddy's POV

"TEDDY!"

I turned around to see James running towards me.

"No, I will not-"

"Help me an' Fred?"

"No. I always get into more trouble."

I walked away from him, but he grabbed my sleeve. "No James! Let go!"

"Prank Vi'torie?"

I stopped tugging my arm away, thinking. I made my decision when I remembered last week, when she had broke my Shark Attack shark. "What do I need to do?"

***

Being ten years old meant that I was going to Hogwarts next year, so by now I was used to using my metamophagus abilities.

Willing myself to grow, I carefully placed the bucket on top of the door, making it balance on it as it leant against the doorframe.

Everything was set. Now, the target needed to enter.
"VICTORIE!" I yelled, "VICTORIE, I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!"

"Is everything alright in here?" Percy asked,

"Don't -" I was midway through telling him not to enter, but it was too late.

The camera flashed as he stood there, coated in Weasley's Trickster Paint. The unremovable liquid changed colour to a sort of sea-sick green.

"It was Albus." James immediately said, as he shrunk in his spot.

"I need to go and tell Victorie something." I said quickly, hurrying past him and bumping into Ginny.

"Teddy? Why have to left footprints across the floor?" I looked back to see a set of colourful tracks that could be traced back to the crime scene.

"Erm... I didn't mean to do it, but-"

"What did James get you to do this time?"

"Who says it was me?" James appeared behind me, frowning at his mum.

"I do." Percy said. "You even told me that it was you and Fred who had the idea, and Teddy who carried it out."

"James Sirius Potter, you better explain to me right now why your Uncle is covered in paint. And it better be a good reason, mister, because if not-"

"Fred, James, Ted, Ginny? I heard yelling."

"Oh, hello brother dear."

"Whatever has happened Ginny, don't blame me." George said, putting his hands up. "Unless it has anything to do with our new paints, in which case yes, I gave it to them."

"I thought you don't admit to your crimes?" I asked him.

"Well, Ted, you're about to learn a serious life lesson: always admit that it was you if you're dealing with either Ginny Potter or Molly Weasley. Trust me on that."

"Tell me, George, what you were thinking when you offered a large amount of paint to your son and mine?"

"Honestly? I was thinking about how it was going to be the perfect opportunity to test it out, and see what they could come up with for uses for it. I can now use the suggestion of pouring it over someone on the packaging." He looked at James, Fred and I. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"Y'welcome. What next?" James replied, glancing at Ginny to assess her reaction. "I mean... sorry mummy. Sorry Uncle Percy."

"George, I don't think that was the right answer." Percy whispered.

"Ah, yeah... I er... I shouldn't have given them that paint, it was very irresponsible of me- wait, I can't do that. Apologising is weird. And wrong."

Seeing that he was in need of help, I - rather bravely, I believe - stepped towards Ginny.

"You shouldn't really get cross with him, Ginny. Without me, they wouldn't have been able to do the prank. I'm sorry, Percy."

I bowed my head in a shamed manner, and made my eyes more innocent looking. Oh, the perks of being a metamophagus.

"It's okay, Teddy. You know Ginny... you shouldn't be too hard on the kids. It's Albus' day, after all, and there was no harm done." Percy replied.

"George, Fred is your responsibility, not mine. James, I'll have a word with you later. Ted..." She sighed, "I thought you'd have a little more sense."

"I did. I mean, I do. It's just that... it wasn't supposed to be Percy who walked in. Victorie was supposed to, because last week she broke the shark for Shark Attack."

"Shark attack? What's that?" George asked.

"It's a game where you have to push down the teeth in a toy shark, but one of them will cause the shark to close the mouth and bite you. You should try it sometime." I told him.

"George, please just... Actually, I won't tell you to grow up, that seems impossible-"

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm offended that that thought could even cross your mind! I shall never grow up." He sat down on the floor and crossed his arms. "Take that back!"

"Really? Sometimes you're worse than James-"

"Hey! Take that back! No one is worse than James." James sat down on the floor, arms crossed like George's as he stared at his mum.

"Okay then, Ted, Fred, Percy, which of you is next?"

"How could you even think I'd do such a thing? Take that back!" Percy joked, yes joked, as he too sat down and crossed his arms.

Fred looked shocked.
"You're actually joking, Uncle Perce? I haven't heard you joke since..."

He thought for a moment, but never had a chance to finish his sentence.

"Why do you look so sad?" I asked Percy, George and Ginny.

George started to cry.

"You're so much like him, Freddie. How can you be so much like him?"

I didn't know what was going on, nor did James, by the way that he looked just as lost as I felt.

George pulled Fred into a hug, still crying. "You're Uncle would be so proud of what you're going to end up being. And so am I. I'll always be proud of you, Fred. Remember that, yeah?"

"Okay..."

Harry's POV (Yet another swap, I know... sorry...)

"Ginny, are you okay?" I asked when I saw her come out of the house.

We had been waiting for them all to go outside so that we could do the cake, but with one glance at her tear-stricken face, I pulled her into a hug as she cried.

We sat down, and I saw Angelina and Audrey dealing with the same situation. Unusually, Percy was covered in what looked to be paint. Fred looked like he didn't know what he'd done wrong, and Teddy and James were just standing at he sidelines, doubly confused.

"What happened, Gin? In fact... don't worry about it. You can tell me later."

My mind briefly flickered to a similar situation when she had been pregnant with Albus. I just hoped that it was hormones from the current pregnancy.

"I shouldn't be crying, it's Albus' day." She said at last, once her crying had subsided into sobs.

"Hey, look at me." My eyes met hers and I felt like a twenty year old falling in love with her all over again. "I love you, Gin, I love James and I love Albus. And I know that both James and Albus love you. If you're this upset, I think Albus is the kind of kid who wants you to be okay before thinking about cake."

On cue, Albus came over to us.
"Why's mummy upset?"

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Do you want us to get the cake?" She told him, wiping away the last tears.

"Are you okay?" Was his reply, ignoring the question entirely.

"I'm fine. All better."

"Good." He gave her a quick hug, before running back to the table.

We stood up and followed suit. Molly came out with the cake - a frog (because Albus had recently became obsessed with the amphibian), and we all sang Happy Birthday. Albus seemed delighted with the cake and was even more pleased when he discovered that it was chocolate.

That evening, as we lay in bed, Ginny turned away from her book and looked at me as I nudged her.

"I was just thinking about earlier, and Albus putting your happiness before his and... James can be a real menace sometimes, but do you know what? I think that so far we're doing all right on the whole parenting thing." I told her, smiling a little.

"I think so too. I'm sorry for being emotional recently, I've just been stressed and there's been the whole thing with it being a possibility that I'm..." she paused, in which time I had a big enough opportunity to fill in the gap.

"Don't say you've miscarriaged."

"No. That's not it... I've been stressed because they've been laying lots of people off at work, so it's possible that I will, too."

"But they wouldn't-"

"Harry, less people are reading the Daily Prophet. After those years when it fed readers lies, and it called you a liar... people are less interested in the paper that caused their relatives to be careless and ignore the signs that a war was building up. All the awful things about you and Dumbledore... it's not good for anyone. The Sunday Centaur and Pixie's delivery are both more reliable, cheaper subscriptions."

"This is the point where I ought to tell you that everything's going to be fine, isn't it? But with everything that's happened in life, if there's the things that I've learnt it's that one, that's not true at all, but two, with the right people you can get through it."

"What number three?"

"Turning a hedgehog into a pincushion is a lot harder than you'd expect."

She laughed.
"I can't disagree with that. What I can add to that list though is that number four, for me, you're the right person to help me get through all of the rough patches in life."

"And number six... forget number five, I can think of a child-friendly word that is one letter different from six. And by child-friendly, I mean that it creates more children with whom you can be friendly." I told her, before kissing her gently.

"Who am I to argue with logic like that?"

Hi.

Here you go.

It was a really long chapter (over 2,600 words), so I hope you all enjoyed it.

Thoughts?

Also, sorry about any/all of the feels caused...

I hope none of you are angry with me, even though you have every right to, for making Fred say those words...

- Alice xoxox