Months had passed, over a year, after Lily had been born.

She had grown so much, and had the ginger hair that was signature to any family that had a Weasley as a parent.

Despite their being no shortage of the firey colour amongst the family, Molly was delighted to discover that her granddaughter had it.

When Dad and Arthur had both been in the room during the discussion of her hair, they started arguing over which grandmother she took after...

It was getting a little heated until Ginny raised her hand and pointed out that it was probably neither, it was more than likely a combination of the two.

That shut both grandfathers up.

She had several friends as Kat's son, Newt, was around the same age along with Jayda and Zac (Wisteria and Dean's twins), and Violet (the eldest child of Mollie and Lucas).

Out of her siblings though, her favourite was clear. From the beginning it seemed, she couldn't be bothered with Albus or James and instead preferred to spend time with Teddy, who was more than happy to play with and entertain his God-sister.

It was genuinely really nice to see the pair interact, as Teddy would look out for her and make sure she didn't listen to James and Fred's ideas. When they were younger, James and Albus weren't anything like that. It was always bickering, with James doing his best to wind his brother up.

This would usually leave Albus screaming the house down.

Lily was quite a quiet baby in comparison. If James tried his tricks on her - for example, prodding her belly - she would give him the most bizarre look. It was pretty much the same as Ginny's whenever Ron was around: "What on Earth are you doing? You're really weird".

Teddy, however, could get her to giggle and laugh all day long.

It was one afternoon in particular when she was babbling nonsense, playing with her toys. The family were around, and she handed Ginny a red block of Duplo.

"Thank you, Lils."

"A ba ba la." Lily replied, babbling nonsense. She picked up an orange piece and looked at me, as though debating on whether or not to give it to me.

In the end I was passed it.
"Thank you Lily." As soon as I said the words she snatched it back. "Way to show favouritism to your mother." I muttered.

The icing on the cake was when she handed my block to Ginny. When she looked back at me though, I felt myself forgive her.

Why do kids have to be so cute?

"So, Lily, what were you saying?" Ginny asked, encouraging our daughter to "speak".

"Ba ma la ca."

"Ah, I see. Harry... have you realised that other than Lily, the house is silent...?"

"I'll check on the boys," I immediately replied, jumping up. "Merlin knows what they're up to. Other than destroying the house, that is."

I went upstairs and found James and Albus in the middle of James' room, crouched on all fours like animals. They were clearly sizing one another up, despite being 3 and 4 years old respectively.

"What's going on here?" I asked in my most serious-stern-father voice.

"He started it!" They both yelled at the same time. "Stop lying! You stop lying!"

"Whoa, calm down the pair of you or you'll both be sent to a night corner each." I warned. "Now tell me - one at a time. James?"

"He came into my room without asking!"

"Albus, why did you go into James room without asking?"

"He took my book!"

"James, did you take his book?"

James glared at me, a pout on his face.

"James, answer me."

"No."

"Albus, which book did he-"

"I didn't take his stupid book!"

"Albus, which book did he take?"

"Little Rabbit FooFoo."

I spotted the book on the floor, hiding under James' bed.

"James, are you sure you didn't take it?"

"I didn't take his book. It was my book first!"

"And now it's Albus'. You know it's his."

"He still went into my room!" The four year old yelled at me.

"Did you go into his room to take the book, without asking?"

James went silent.

"I asked you a question, James. Did you go into his room without asking to take a book that is not yours?"

"Yes." He mumbled.

"I didn't hear you."

"YES!" He yelled.

"Don't yell at me, young man."

"Sorry daddy."

"Now, what do you say to Albus?"

"Sorry stupid-face."

"James, don't call your brother names. Now apologise properly or I take away your racing broom game for a whole day."

He gaped at me.
"No! Don't take it away."

"Say sorry to your brother."

"Sorry. There, I said it!"

"Say sorry like you mean it."

Sighing, James turned to face Albus.

"Sorry Albus."

"For?"

"For going into your room without asking and taking your book then getting angry at you when you went into my room without asking to get it back."

"That wasn't so tricky, was it? Now, what do you say Albus?"

"It's okay, I forgive you."

"And?"

"And? And I will give you a hug to make it better."

"Al, you need to say sorry too. Even if James took the book you tell us. Don't just go into his room without asking, because then this happens."

"Sorry James. I should not have gone into your room without asking. I won't do it again."

"Well done, now that's fair, isn't it? And James, I'm taking your broom game away from you until the morning."

"What? Why?"

"For talking to me rudely."

I noticed out of the corner of my eye Albus stick his tongue out at his brother.

"And Albus, you're going to the naughty corner in the living room."

"What? Why?"

"You know exactly why, young man. Don't stick your tongue out at your brother, particularly when you think I'm not looking can't see you. I may not be Quirrell, but I still have eyes on the back of my head."

"Who's squirrel?"

"Ah, don't worry about it. I was just joking to myself..." Because I'm lonely like that, I thought. "Now, James give me your game, and Albus go to the corner."

Reluctantly, James handed me his lost prized game: a wizard equivalent to those muggles racing car games with the tracks and the controllers. I used a banishing spell so that neither of them knew where I put it, and Albus walked downstairs with me.

We were back in the living room, and James had decided to sit next to his brother in the corner to "keep him company".

No matter how much we tried to stop him, he just returned there.

"James, don't poke your brother. Sit away from your brother or you'll be put in the other naughty corner." Ginny told him.

"I didn't poke him.".

"I watched you, don't lie to me."

"I didn't! I prodded him."

"James, stop acting like you're-" I stopped myself there. Telling a four year old to stop acting like they're four didn't really work very well.

"Stop acting like you're a little baby. Even Lily is being better behaved than you right now." Ginny finished off.

"I'm not a baby! I'm-"

"Ted!" Lily suddenly yelled as Teddy walked into the room.

We all turned to look at her as she yelled her first word gleefully.

"Ted Ted!"

Ginny was the first to react.

"Oh well done, my clever girl. Did you just say Ted? Yes, you did, didn't you? Can you say Mama? Or Dada?"

"Ted-ma! Ted-da!"

"That's not how it works Lilyflower, nice try though." The portrait of Sirius told her. "Hey, can you say Sirius?"

"Let's focus on the more basic things like Mama and Dada first."

"Si'rus!"

"...Or not."

"Si'rus! Ted! Drom'da!"

"She's kept her speaking a secret, hasn't she?"

"Yes Prongs, despite only saying a few words she can definitely say "I can speak now"." Remus rolled his eyes.

"No need for the sarcasm Moony." Dad replied. "You should know by now that I am as fragile as- wait, what's something really fragile?"

"A flower? A glass sculpture? Bone China?"

"That's a good one. I, Moony, am as fragile as bone China and your words hurt me deeply. However will I recover from the sting of your sarcasm?"

"Even in death you're the biggest drama queen to have ever lived." Mum mused. "I don't now how you do it."

"It's a talent."

"You say that about a lot of things. But I assure you, dear, the only thing your talented at is cursing your name to bring trouble with it. That, Quidditch, and being able to fail so miserably at Divination."

"Funnily enough, I think I inherited all three." I told them.

"How can you fail at divination? All you do is make up a load of nonsense. The more ridiculous the scene, the better the grade."

"Remus, I thought better of you." Dad cried.

"We taught you well, young one." Sirius agreed. "Ah, look at us Jamie. We're old. Your kid has has kids, and our own little Remus has announced that he's discovered the way the world works. I'm tearing up a bit."

"Tearing or tearing? Because if the canvas is tearing you need to get that fixed, mate."

"Silly." (Little) Lily contributed.

***

"How has she still not said anything about either of us yet?" I asked Gin at dinner a week or so later. Lily had continued to spout the same words ever so happily but never said anything about her parents. Ginny shrugged.

"Maybe she's saving the best until last? Or... she doesn't think we're that important in her life, besides giving her life, food, drink, shelter and all the rest of it."

"Mama?" Lily asked from her highchair.

"I think she's just showing off actually." She decided. "Don't worry, she'll call for you."

"Hey Lily, can you say Dada?"

"Da- Lily!" She pointed to herself, before smiling at me, "Dada.".

"Finally." I muttered to myself, turning back to the grinning baby before me.

She lifted up a hand and splatted it in her dish, laughing as mashed potato flew.

"And dinner time in the Potter household has begun."

So... it's been a while...

I know I said I'd try to write loads whilst travelling but it just didn't happen.

I went to Italy a few weeks ago, and we went there by car, so it took 3 days each way from home to the house we were staying in. On the way there, we went through 8 different countries (including England and Italy). I saw a glacier, and overall it was pretty cool.

So I didn't really have time to write then. And aa well as not really having any ideas, I kind of wanted to enjoy my holiday more than update, if truth be told, as selfish as that sounds.

Also, my sister recently moved out, which is a big change. So I don't know how that's going to affect me, but it's going to be different now, that's for sure.

Oh and the day after tomorrow I go back to school. Which means that I'll be in the year where I have loads of exams, ones that matter because depending on my grades I'll either be able to do certain A level courses or I won't. Homework loads are already pretty heavy, and I don't doubt that they'll be heavier than ever before.

So that is a warning: updates are most likely going to be incredibly infrequent, as much as I don't like it.

This'll be the last chapter before term starts, so a little feedback thing that I haven't done for a while:

Liked or disliked it?

Which parts did you like/dislike?

Which parts have been your favourite/least favourite?

What would you like more/less of?

Thank you all for sticking with this story, despite my awful job at being a reliable author. You all deserve a medal each.

-Alice xoxox