Ginny 

I was sitting on the sofa at home with Albus and James. Teddy's old Fireman Sam videos were playing, as the boys watched the animated show, engrossed by the tale in which Norman was painting the Fireman's pole with grease.

In fact, James' favourite character - it appeared - was Norman, due to him being not only a boy who played lots of tricks, but a boy Teddy's age who played lots of tricks. 

"Don't go getting any ideas." I warned him as I saw a glint in his eye, one that usually indicated that trouble was on its way.

In reply, he shot me a wicked grin.
"No promises." 

I somehow had a feeling that it was going to be a rather taxing day... or week.

Albus was - so far - the complete opposite of his brother. While James was loud, confident and a people-person, Albus was quiet, shy, and prefered to keep to himself; James enjoyed to be in the center of attention, Albus would squirm under the spotlight and send either me or Harry a pleading look; James was bold and impulsive, Albus would think before acting.

Yet despite this, and the fact that they were both still young, the two shared one particular trait that sometimes caused them to clash: they were both strong characters. Al didn't seem to, until you either got to know him or got onto his bad side. 

Anyway, he sat there quietly, watching the programme happily as he was snuggled into my side. Suddenly, he moved to face me.
"Wha's tha'?" He asked, poking my stomach in indication to the baby bump.

"That's a baby, Al. Remeber that mummy and daddy told you that you'd be having a little brother or sister? They are in mummy's tummy right now."

"When will it arrive?"

"Soon." I told him. "It could be anytime, really."

Three weeks later...

Harry 

"When I get out of here, you'll be dead, Potter!" My wife yelled at me from her bed in the hospital. "And don't even think of using a smart quip about being the boy-who-lived. I will succeed where Voldemort failed."

The last sentence was said in such a low, menacing tone that I didn't dare say a word.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, of course I do. Don't worry, I won't run away like last time."

"You better not." She informed me, before crushing my hand as she held it tightly. As she pushed, I watched her knuckles turn white and felt as though my fingers were going to turn blue any moment due to a lack of circulation. 

"You're almost there, Mrs Potter." The Healer told her, "One more big push should do it. On the count of three, okay? One, two, three-"

She was cut off by Ginny's screams. I say screams, I mean yells of murder. 

A baby's wailing sounded as my son/daughter arrived.

The Healer picked the child up, smiling at the pair of us as she cleaned it up. After weighing  him/her, the Healer - Nancy - turned to us.

"You have a healthy girl, who weighs 6.8 lbs." Carefully, she handed me the child.

Given that it had been a good two years since Albus had been born, I had forgotten how delicate newborns were. I couldn't prevent the smile that spread across my face, nor did I want to. 

Ginny and I spent a while with our new daughter before our family and friends entered and also began to fawn over her.

"So, have you got a name?" Bill asked.

"We discussed this right before you all came in actually. This is Lily Luna Potter." Ginny announced.

"D'you hear that, Padfoot?" Came a voice from the portraits that had been taken here. 

"I most certainly did, Prongs."

"We're not the only loved ones." Dad placed a hand over his heart and wiped his forehead in a melodramatic way. "And to think we thought that we were special."

"I know, it's heartbreaking." Sirius agreed, wiping away non-existent tears. He sniffled. "How ever will we get over this, Prongsie? Our furry friend has no namesake, and yet Snivvy and your wife did."

"I don't know how I'll recover. I've rubbed it into Lily's face for the past three years that our legacy will be passed on, and she has no one to do so. Now, we both owe Moony five galleons each, and I have nothing over Lils."

"I think the worst part about this coversation betweeen them is that their furry friend isn't even me." Lupin told me, "Sirius likes himself so much that his furry friend is Snuffles, Padfoot, whatever you wan to call his own animagus form." 

"Hey, Pads, do you think we can transform into our animagi in portrait form?" Dad asked curiously. 

"I don't know... Try it."

"You try it."

"You're the one who wanted to know."

"But you also want to know now."

Sirius tried to think of an argument, but came up with nothing.
"True enough." He shrugged, before clenching his eyes shut.

If you've never seen a portrait try to transform into an animal before, let me tell you now: it is hilarious. 

To put it bluntly, he looked like he was both constipated and trying to lay a Quaffle-sized egg. Like Ernie MacMillan when we were learning how to apperate during sixth year. 

Dad started laughing.
"You're right, Lils, it is a funny expression."

"You tricked me!" Sirius cried, opening one eye and pointing an accusing finger at his friend/brother. "That's it, we're getting a divorce."

"Isn't that a little harsh? C'mon, Paddy dear, think about it. Let's not be rash-"

"What we had isn't there anymore. I've got to go my own way. I'm sorry Prongs."

"I'm sorry, I solemnly swear-"

"Don't. Please, Prongs, let me go without a fuss."

"I can't. I know what this is, though- you've met someone else, haven't you? Who is it?"

"You're right... There is someone else, and I shouldn't have kept it from you. They're just so handsome though..."

"What's their name, Siri-bear?" My dad's portrait asked, a mock-hurt expression on his face.

"It's Sirius Black, okay? I just - I know how many people fell for his devilishly good looks, but I love him. I'm sorry Jamsie-"

"Don't call me that. Leave me, please. I can't take the pain of seeing you for much longer." He turned away.

"And that, Harry and Remus, is the reason I was doubtful about a relationship with James. When he proposed, Sirius was there to let me know that he was part of a package deal." Mum told us, rolling her eyes.

"Well, Little Lily, that is your grandfather and his best friend. I apologise now, but you'll have to put up with the two for a long time." I informed my daughter who was looking around. 

"Don't apologise for that." Sirius told me, "she should be honoured."

"I agree." Dad nodded. "We can raise a child that seems as angelic as Lilyflower the first, but when Minnie least expects it... BOOM! Out of nowhere, her worst nightmare will arrive." 

"I thought that was your plan for James?" Ginny asked. 

"No, he was gifted from the start. They'll be no surprise when he teams up with Peeves. Albus will be the quiet one, and Lily will seem to follow in his footsteps at first. Then she'll reveal her true colours at Halloween, where she can do all sorts. Flavour everything sweet to taste of pumpkin, and every pumpkin thing to taste like a different sweet. Wait, she could get all of the cutlery to tap-dance. Or-"

"Don't get too far ahead of yourselves when deciding exactly what our child is going to do in the future." I told my Godfather. 

"Too far ahead? Oh, Harry... I haven't even began." He grinned at me, as Dad entered his portrait and the two shared a high-five. 

"And on that note, I'm going to thank you both now." Mum told Ginny and I. "I'm honoured for you to have named your child after me. You don't have to, you know."

"We know we're not obliged, but we both want to." Ginny told her, smiling. 

"Well thank you."

"You're welcome."

Another chapter already? 

Questions: Do you like the bits with the portraits or is it boring?                                     

 Do you prefer dialogue or description?                                          

What are some of the key events you'd like me to include?

Where do you want me to go up to with this story? I know I've asked before, but  a) do you still want it to go up to James leaving to attend Hogwarts, or would you prefer it to b) show some of their Hogwarts life (e.g. Sorting, general school), or c) end it before James attends Hogwarts?

I am going away next week, so yeah... I'm going to Italy and it'll be a full two day drive, so I'll probably (hopefully) be writing during the journey, and either upload a load as soon as I'm able to, or I'll write a load and then upload throughout the weeks, or I'll spend most of the journey writing and will not have anything to upload... Hopefully not the latter. 

Unfortunately though, without feedback I won't be able to write masses; I need to know what you want. So please, please, please answer the questions above, if you want updates soon. 

-Alice xoxox