Harry's Life with Parents Beyond Deathly Hallows

Onward

Summary: It's time to move on following the funerals of those who died in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Harry did something he hadn't done since he was a little boy. He walked outside, closing the back door behind him, walked to the back garden, and laid down in the middle of the garden, looking up at the sky. Today's weather was nice, sunny, and clear. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, only blue as far as the eye could see.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of nature around him. The buzzing of the bees in Lily's flower garden, the birds chirping, the neighbors down the way mowing grass, adding the scent of the freshly cut grass to the smell of the flowers and fresh air.

The last time he did this he was eleven and was about head off to Hogwarts for the first time. There was excitement over going to a new school where he could start fresh. He would have Ron and Neville there. At least he'd have a few friends. Only if Harry could go back in time and tell that little boy what the next six years were going to bring.

Opening his eyes, Harry let his mind wander over the last week.

Funerals, over fifty of them, and he attended each one. Some of them, he slipped into the back without being spotted and others, like Fred's and Remus and Tonks's joint one, he was front and center as one was his girlfriend's brother, and the other was a man he thought of as an uncle his whole life and the woman he loved.

The only one he dreaded was Colin Creevey's. He had done his boyfriend duty and accompanied Ginny to her dear friend's funeral. Dennis greeted them when they entered the church, hugging them both and asking if they would stay a bit after the service as he had something he wanted to give them. It turned out Colin had taken some pictures of them, unaware and had planned on giving them to Harry and Ginny…as a wedding present.

Upon returning to Potter Cottage, Harry and Ginny sorted through the pictures, duplicating the favorites so they both had a copy.

As Harry predicted, Lily made them go to Severus's service. They were the only ones and it had rained that day. Sirius said it was fitting.

"Harry?"

Harry closed his eyes, counting to ten. He hadn't had a free moment to himself since he got home and it was getting on his nerves.

"What, Mum?" He called.

"Lunch is ready," Lily replied, returning into the house.

Harry sighed. Since coming home, he hadn't had much of an appetite. He forced himself to eat because he knew if he didn't Lily would be pouring nutrient potions down his throat. He didn't want that, or the stomach cramps they caused.

Getting up, he dusted the grass off his backside as he returned to the back door.

"Hold it," Lily said before he took the first step inside. "Shoes off and then come in."

"I remember Mum, I'm not twelve," he grumbled to himself as he kicked off his shoes.

Entering the kitchen, he washed his hands in the sink and took the plate Lily handed him.

"Eat what you want," She said, patting his back.

Sitting down at the table, Harry ate his sandwich in peace, a rarity around the Potter household these days.

"I made an appointment for you," Lily said.

"For?" Harry asked.

"Dr. Jacobs. Last one you'll ever have to go to. Then you'll see Healer Morris. One is on Monday and the other is on Tuesday."

Harry sighed. "Do I have too?"

"You don't," Lily amended. "But I'm advising you too. In the case of Dr. Jacobs, it's going to be your eighteen-year well checkup."

"Yay," Harry said, sarcastically.

"And I might make you an appointment with Healer Jackson to get established as a patient with him."

Harry sighed again. "Alright."

Lily watched her son from the other side of the kitchen, grateful she still had a son. She couldn't begin to imagine the grief Molly was feeling. She told Arthur that Ginny was welcome to come over anytime she wanted. In confidence, Ginny admitted that she sometimes wanted to escape the Burrow for a few hours and Lily told her she could come here.

"Mum, you're staring."

Harry's voice broke through her fog and she shook her head.

"Sorry," She murmured and returned to washing dishes. When Harry finished, he brought his plate over and to Lily's surprise, it was empty.

"Where's Dad?" Harry asked.

"In his study," Lily replied. "He's doing the fatality reports from where they also lost Aurors in the Battle."

Harry hugged Lily before leaving the kitchen and heading up to his room. He and the family had attended the funerals for the Aurors. James and Kingsley both spoke at the funerals. Harry remained beside Lily, both thinking how they've narrowly escaped this many times in James's career. When Harry was fifteen, James came home one summer night and wasn't completely himself. Later, when Harry came down for a glass of water, he overheard James and Lily talking.

"I hate this for Jeanette. How's she doing?"

"As one would expect," James replied. "I went with Kingsley to tell her and their son answered the door. He's the same age as Harry."

That was the first time Harry realized how dangerous James's job was. Any Auror funeral they attended after that, Lily and Harry both took a moment to be grateful it wasn't James. Or Sirius.

Walking up to his room, Harry glanced around the house, noticing that despite having to move out for close to a year, it still looked the same. Pictures lined the wall leading up the staircase. The table with a potted plant sat in the corner on the other side of the door with hooks for coats and a mat for shoes. The same rug ran from the front door to the arched doorway leading into the kitchen, matching the runner on the stairs, covering a small portion of the hard wooden floor.

The door to James's study was closed as Harry turned to head up the stairs, glancing at the pictures. All of his school pictures from primary school with the evident change of glasses in Year 3. Pictures from trips to the beach and a couple of family pictures were among them making the wall leading up the stairs like a photo wall.

Harry stopped at the last one before the wall ended and the stairs continued. It was of him, Sirius, Remus, and James the summer before he went to Hogwarts, on the deck of the house on the coast. Well, Harry was sitting on the railing and Remus, Sirius, and James were standing. They updated that picture every year and Lily had the first one framed.

Now Remus wasn't with them.

Harry continued up the stairs before he felt the raw emotion of losing a family member. Sure Remus wasn't technically family, but he was to James.

Entering his bedroom, he sat down in the armchair, noticing, not for the first time how much things had changed.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Lily was putting breakfast on the table when she heard the floo flare. James had put an alarm on the floos if anyone they didn't want to enter the house came by floo. Entering the sitting room, Lily found Ginny dusting herself off.

"Ginny? What's wrong?" Lily asked before she remembered she told Arthur that Ginny could come anytime she wanted.

"I just needed to get out of the house," She murmured. She smiled appreciatively, at Lily when she banished the soot from her clothes and hair. "Thank you."

"What's going on, Ginny?" Lily inquired. Over the years, she had developed a close relationship with Ginny and Hermione. Jane appreciated Lily watching over her daughter and knew Hermione valued her relationship with Lily. The two had a lot in common and Hermione often seemed to seek Lily for help or advice.

In Ginny's case, she was someone who isn't her mother she could talk to. Lily took the fact she was dating her son off the table and told Ginny she could be completely honest with her.

"Mum came out of the bedroom this morning," Ginny began.

"That's good," Lily said. Remembering Ginny's sad expression when she came over, she inquired, "Did something happen?"

"Mum found out that Ron wasn't going back to Hogwarts and neither am I," Ginny said, sitting down at the kitchen table. Lily joined her, flicking her wand at the teapot and cups, sending them to the table.

"Is it because of last year?" Lily inquired, asking wordlessly if Ginny wanted a cup.

Ginny nodded to both the question and the tea. "Mum didn't give me a chance to finish before she declared I was returning and that it was final. Professor McGonagall had sent a letter to the seventh year students, telling them that they would have the option, if they had a working floo, they could stay home and still attend Hogwarts. I'd chosen to stay home and go to Hogwarts during the day. I had talked it over with Dad and he's okay with it."

Lily smiled softly, pouring Ginny a cup of tea. "Has Harry told you he's….."

Ginny nodded. "He talked to me about Kingsley's offer and asked what I thought. I pretty much threw back at him what he's been telling me. I'm not going to stand in the way of his dream. If that's what he wants to do, then I'll support him. He supports me in my decision to play Quidditch professionally and for a while, he was the only one."

Lily paused her movement of stirring sugar in her tea. "Who else?"

"I told Dad about my plans when I told him about staying home instead of the dorms and still attend Hogwarts. I plan on still getting my NEWTs if anything to have in case I decide to have a second career, even though if I don't play Quidditch I'll write about it." Ginny looked down in her teacup. "According to Mum, Quidditch isn't for women."

"But you play in the pickup games at the Burrow don't you? You played on the Gryffindor team. Ginny, there are many girls who are Quidditch players. To you, there a role model. I know you don't want to go against your Mum, but you have your own life to live."

"True," Ginny agreed, nodding.

"I'm sure once your Dad has a talk with your Mum, she'll come around. I take it she's never seen you on a broom?" Lily asked.

"I told her the broom Harry gave me was a late birthday present. I told everything to Dad, including how much work Harry did to pay for the broom," Ginny murmured.

Lily reached for Ginny's hand. "He wanted and still does want to make you happy. He loves you. I see a younger version of James and myself when I see the two of you and it makes me happy. So, again Ginny, thank you for making my boy happy."

"You're welcome," Ginny replied.

The two redheads turn to the sound of footsteps and Harry entered the kitchen. He stopped short at seeing Ginny.

"Oh crap, did I forget a date or something?" He asked, slightly panicked.

"No," Ginny replied, shaking her head. "Mum didn't take the news of me not staying at Hogwarts too well. She blew up before I could tell her I was still finishing my education at Hogwarts, just not staying there."

Harry approached his girlfriend, pressing a kiss to her head. "Once she cools down you can explain it to her. Take it from someone who also has a mother with a redheaded temper."

Lily pinched Harry's arm lightly. "Did you have breakfast, Ginny?" Lily asked, getting up.

"Not yet," She answered.

Harry stopped Lily before she went to the stove. "I'll do that Mum," He said.

The three made small talk as Harry collected the remaining platter from the counter and sat it down on the table. He and Ginny went to the downstairs bathroom to wash their hands.

As they ate Harry explained that he wouldn't be starting with the Aurors until September, which was when the new recruits started. Harry would be skipping the training and he and Ron would spend the first year observing and remaining in Auror Headquarters. They would be sent on missions after their first year was up.

Lily watched Harry and Ginny, remembering when she and James were young and how they were as a couple. She imagined them getting married one day and having a family. While she was looking forward to it, she could wait before she became a Grandma.

"George wants to go to the shop and check on things. He asked me to tell you," Ginny said, breaking the sudden silence.

"I'll meet you in an hour," Harry said. "At the Burrow?"

Ginny nodded.

He walked her to the sitting room and kissed her before she picked up the floo powder and flooed back to the Burrow. He was about turned to head to his bedroom when he turned around and picked up a handful of powder.

"Dad's office, Auror Headquarters, Ministry of Magic," he called.

When James's office appeared, along with his father, Harry called out, "Hey Dad, send a few Aurors to Fred and George's shop on Diagon Alley. I think they might be needed."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

The alley was quiet when Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, and Charlie came through the brick wall. Shops were beginning to open, clean up was underway, and there was still some shops closed due to the destruction of the shop itself or the part of the alley hadn't been opened back up.

The joke shop was at the corner, with the large replica of one of the twins greeting them on the roof.

As they approached the shop, they found James, Sirius, and a few other Aurors waiting on them.

"Thanks, Harry," George said over his shoulder.

"No problem," He said, letting loose of Ginny's hand and approaching his father. "Thanks for doing this, Dad."

"Sirius and I had talked about coming to check to see if this place had been ransacked by Death Eaters or if there were curses and deathly charms. We didn't find anything," James explained, adding when George approached, "Everything looks good. Whatever you used for security seemed to do the job."

George smiled softly. "It's a combo of charms and jinxes we've used for pranks," he explained. "Want to make sure no one else would consider breaking in."

Sirius chuckled. "Maybe you should come to headquarters. We've got a few in the dudgeons who look like they've been cursed by some of yours and….." he trailed off.

"I will," George murmured. Approaching the door, he tapped the knob with his wand and pushed the door open.

"Well, it looks like it just needs a good clean," Hermione commented.

Harry sneezed as he walked past the counter. "Understatement," he deadpanned as he sneezed once more.

Sirius walked by Ginny and whispered, "The underage rule has been lifted for the summer. You use magic."

Smiling, Ginny pulled out her wand and began to clean the counter. Hermione joined her as Charlie charmed the broom and mop to clean the floor.

"You know, maybe this would be a good distraction for Mum," He commented. "We can get the worse of it and….."

"Let her loose in here," George finished. To Sirius and James, he explained, "When Mum isn't baking, she's cleaning."

"She made enough biscuits that even the….." Charlie trailed off. "We can't eat them all."

James squeezed Charlie's shoulder. "While I don't know what it's like to lose a sibling, I know what it's like to lose somebody. It took me a while not to talk about going to Mum and Dad's. Sometimes, I still refer to Potter Manor as Mum and Dad's."

Ron looked up when he heard James's comment and whispered to Harry, "Was that was that place was they held the Order meeting two years ago?"

Harry nodded. "It was my grandparent's house. Dad doesn't like going there because of the memories. Their happier then the one's Sirius has from Grimmauld Place."

Ron nodded. Leaning closer, he whispered, "Wasn't that somewhere we stayed at when we were on the run?"

"Yeah," Harry replied. "Remember, I apparated us there. Only a Potter can enter the property and the only reason you and Hermione were able to enter is because I brought you."

Ron and Harry noticed Sirius was looking at them and continued to check over the inventory.

Harry had closed the floo to prevent anyone from entering the house. They stayed in the same bedroom with an ensuite. While it provided food, shelter, and warmth, they were still on edge of being found.

James came over to tell the boys they were heading back to the office.

"And Harry," James said after he told them he was leaving. "We knew."

"What?" Harry asked, making Ron paused.

"We knew you three were staying at Potter Manor," He explained.

"We needed somewhere to go and it was getting colder. Hermione was getting hypothermia."

Sirius and James both turned towards Hermione as she helped Ginny move chairs to behind the counter.

"I knew we were near and I told Ron I knew somewhere to go. I took Hermione first and came back for Ron."

"We were there for about a month," Ron added. "The first time we had actually slept in a real bed since leaving…"

"Grimmauld Place," Sirius finished.

"Speaking of…" Harry was cut off.

"It's safe," Sirius said. "There was no damage done to or anything. "Whatever traps you left worked."

"I just worried that we might have caused….."

James cut Harry off this time. "Harry," he said, warningly. "We were just glad to know you were somewhere safe…well now we are."

After setting up a time for George to meet with Robards to partner with the Aurors for some defense products, James and Sirius left to check a few other shops.

"Harry."

"Yeah?"

Ron put his hand on his shoulder patting it, "I don't think I ever thanked you."

Confused, Harry asked, "For what?"

Ron smiled and looked at Hermione. "For saving her life."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Lily appeared in the padlock of the Burrow. She decided to come and see how her friend was doing and to have a little catch-up. She hadn't even made it to the door when Molly opened it.

"Hello Lily, how are you?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Lily asked.

"I'm fine," she assured her. "Come in."

"It seems odd," Lily commented as she entered the kitchen. "I'm used to the noise."

"So am I," Molly murmured. "I miss it even though it drove me mad."

Lily lightly chuckled. "I keep thinking Remus is going to floo over or walk through the back door. In the years we've lived in Potter's Bar, he never used the front door. Sirius does sometimes, but he always uses the back door."

"How's James?" Molly asked.

Lily sighed. "Work is keeping his mind off of everything. He and Sirius sometimes sit on the couch in the family room and don't talk. If they reminisce, they catch them when they said 'Moony' and then it dawns on them again he's gone."

Molly nodded, collecting teacups and the kettle.

"I called George Fred yesterday. The one ear should have been my giveaway." Molly handed a cup of tea to Lily.

"How's Arthur doing?" Lily asked.

Molly sighed. "If he's not at work, he's in his shed. Ron went out there last night to tell him dinner was ready. Ginny went out there this morning to tell him she was going to Luna's as I wasn't up yet."

Closing her eyes, Molly sighed. "Minerva flooed yesterday afternoon to ask how we're doing and to find out for Ginny decided. She's decided to finish her education and stay at home."

Lily nodded, knowingly. "She told me the other day when she flooed over."

Molly reached across the table for Lily's hand. Lily took it gave it a light squeeze. "I think I also need to tell her she can do whatever she wants in life. The war has shown me life is too short and….."

"What?" Lily inquired.

"Arthur reminded me of what you said when I came to talk to you after Ginny's Career Advice meeting, about….." Molly trailed off.

"Being careful of pushing Ginny away?" Lily said.

Molly nodded. "I don't want that."

"I don't neither," Lily admitted. "I also don't want to be the person who tells you that you have a son in law, which we both know who, or that you have a grandchild you'll never see."

"I asked Ron how good Ginny is and in his words, 'Brilliant'," Molly said.

"She is," Lily confirmed. "She's fast, she's quick, and she will go far if she chooses to go down the Quidditch path."

"She also told me Harry had bought her the broom she's been using," Molly commented.

"He worked at the diner down the street from our house. Every bit of pocket money he earned went to buying her that broom. He told us he wanted to buy her a broom and said he wanted to work for the money to buy, so she wouldn't feel it was…." Lily trailed off.

"I know," Molly said. "Percy and Ron, well more Percy, were the two who seemed to be ashamed of wearing second-hand robes and books. If someone gave them anything new outside of the family, they felt it was charity. Well, except for you and James or Sirius and Remus."

Lily smiled. "I grew up in not exactly poor family. It wasn't until I was eight that Dad got promoted and we were able to afford more things. Mum held Dad down a lot because she feared that we'd back to being on benefits. While Dad would spend until he was broke, Mum saved. When we were better off financially, Mum and Dad gave back to the charities that helped us. To this day, I still do."

Molly gave Lily's hand a gentle squeeze. "And that is one thing you've taught Harry. He's kind and caring. Honestly, I wouldn't want anything else for my daughter."

"Mrs. Winston, our neighbor, told me that James and I did a wonderful job raising Harry," Lily began. And even though in the early years it was tough, I'm happy we made it to the other side closer than we've ever been."

Molly smiled. "I remember after my parents died. Dad died within days of Mum. He couldn't live without her. My siblings and I, unfortunately, drew apart and I hope for my children that don't happen."

"If Mum could see Petunia and me now, she'd roll over in her grave. But after I went to Hogwarts, we drifted apart and her marrying Vernon just sealed it. I haven't spoken to her in ages."

Then Lily smiled, "But then I have the family I chose. I have James, Harry, Sirius, and Hestia. And I have you and Arthur and your children. We might as well start calling each other family because we will be one day."

"I know we will," Molly murmured.

Lily stayed until Arthur came home as she had something for him to play within the shed. Molly just rolled her eyes and went to make dinner.

"Ron went to Hermione's, George and Charlie are going to the pub, and Ginny went home with Harry."

Lily got up and brought her cup to the sink. "On that note, I better be off." She hugged Molly, telling her to come over and then hugged Arthur before leaving the Burrow and apparating back to Potter's Bar.

Entering the house, she found James and Sirius sitting at the table, Chinese takeaway on the table."

"Harry took Ginny into town for dinner," James explained.

As Lily wash her hands, she thought about how much things have changed over the last few weeks. Looking at her husband and one of their dearest friends, she smiled. Sitting down at the table, noticing James had gotten the paper plates.

"Is this so you don't have to do dishes?" She asked, smirking.

"You caught me," James chuckled.

Lily leaned over, kissing his cheek, thankful to still have most of the ones she called family with her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Ron was sitting on the edge of the pond on the other side of the padlock. It was here where Fred and George tossed him and Harry when they were eight and kept eavesdropping on them. He remembered because he had to dive down and get Harry's glasses because they had fallen off. He remembers it Sirius who found them. He had come to collect Harry and he dried their clothes and repaired Harry's glasses.

"I won't say a word," He promised. Ron wondered if he remembered that.

He heard someone come up behind him. Turning to look and see who it is, he noticed he was alone. He looked around to see if he could see anyone or hear anyone. George was at the shop, getting it ready for its reopening, Hermione and Ginny had gone to the village for something to do and Molly was at the shop with George. The shop needed Molly's touch in terms of cleaning and George knew if he took Molly, she would have the place clean in no time.

And it was a small miracle she didn't drag him, Ginny, and Hermione to help.

Still a little unnerved from hearing someone behind him, Ron stood up.

"Hello," he called. "Anyone there?"

Suddenly, he felt himself being pulled back and he fell into the pond. He came up splattering and turned when he heard a familiar laugh.

"Really, mate? How old are you?" He asked his best mate.

Harry shrugged. "It was too tempting to resist," Harry admitted as he came over to sit beside Ron. "Remember when we pushed Fred and George in here?"

"And ran back to the house as fast as we can?" Ron asked, laughing. "Yes, I do. The summer before our fifth year," he added as the memory came back.

"Didn't we push Neville off this branch?" Harry asked, pointing to the branch above them. There was a rope tied to the next branch above it, allowing them to swing and then dive into the water.

"We did," Ron confirmed. "I pushed him, you showed him out to swim."

Harry pushed back his hair away from his eyes. "You know Mum sometimes referred to me you and as Dad and Sirius. Because we do things that remind Mum of things Dad and Sirius have done, only we've never taken it to the extremes Dad and Sirius have. And now that we're older and I look back on things we've done. She's right."

"Only we've not cursed or jinxed anyone," Ron amended. "I mean we could have done a lot of things to Malfoy and we didn't."

"And I told Dad that after Snape had tested me on my Occlumency skills," Harry added.

Ron remembered when Harry came back to the common still steaming from the whole thing. He waited until it was just him, Ron, and Hermione until he exploded. He unleashed it all. The bullying he dealt with a child, the teasing, and how angry he was with his father. It was James who told him things would get better, only Harry didn't know that his father was a bully himself.

It wasn't until the next evening that Harry was cooled off enough to talk with James.

"I'm glad you survived mate," Ron said, suddenly. "I couldn't imagine…." He trailed off. "I mean, who else who I ask to be my best man when I marry Hermione?"

Harry chuckled, "Are we both thinking of the same thing, proposing?"

"I wouldn't want to yet. Hermione wants to go back to Hogwarts. Besides we have time now," Ron said.

"We do," Harry agreed.

The two sat in silence, listening to the birds singing the songs of spring. A soft warm breeze blew through the trees, making it feel slightly warmer than the actual temperature. A frog appeared from across the pond and leaped into the water. Ron looked over at his best friend, noticing for the first time, how relaxed Harry seemed to be. The last time Ron could remember seeing Harry like this was….fourth year.

Was it that long ago?

"You know," Harry began. "It's going to be odd not going back to Hogwarts."

"It is," Ron agreed. "But at least the girls aren't going to be staying at Hogwarts. Hermione is going to live with her parents for a while. Jane said I was welcome anytime."

"And we won't have a reason to go besides Quidditch matches and Graduation next spring. We can go to Hogsmeade anytime we want and stay as long as we want," Harry added.

Smiling, Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "It's going to be brilliant mate," Ron commented.

"It is, well seeing Hermione and Gin will be home and not in Scotland, it will be. But work…." Harry trailed off.

"Thank your Dad for me for the Handbook, it's helpful," Ron said.

Harry nodded. "I will. And one more thing Ron."

"What's that?" Ron inquired.

Smirking Harry said, "Don't be surprised if not only do we get partnered together, but also we share a cubicle."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

"I thought we've been to enough funerals," James commented as he walked through the back door, taking off his tie.

"I know," Lily murmured. "This one at least wasn't because of the war."

She looked behind her as she took off her shawl. Harry came through the back door, closing it behind him. He shrugged off the suit jacket and flung it on the bench in the kitchen.

"It seemed odd," Harry said. "I mean I knew Mrs. Winston was old."

"I know," Lily murmured.

The call had come in the middle of the night three nights ago. Lily had answered it, as anyone else they knew would floo them. The Muggle phone was something they had installed in the house when they moved in for the purpose to have something for the primary school and the Muggle doctors to call the house. It had taken Lily a while to teach James how to use one and Harry took to it easily.

It was Mrs. Winston's daughter, Jolene. She was calling to tell the Potters of her mother's passing.

"She had a stroke," She explained she stopped by the next day to personally thank Lily for looking out for her over the years. "The doctor at the community hospital said there was nothing he could do."

Lily took food over the day before the funeral, Harry came along to help to her load and unload the food.

Jolene and her sister, Marylyn were much appreciative.

"You must be Harry," Jolene commented when she saw Harry. "Mum's spoken a lot about you."

The funeral had taken place in the local church and James felt like a fish out of water. Lily elbowed him when he fell asleep in the middle of the speech a dear friend of Mrs. Winston had said during the services. It was when the minister began to speak that James had to fight to stay awake. At the end, a woman who reminded Harry of the Fat Lady stood up and began to sing.

Lily kicked off her heels and picked them up. "Well, life goes on."

"It does," James agreed. "It's time we've moved onward towards happier things. Besides….."

"Uncle Remus would have wanted it that way," Harry whispered, but James and Lily heard him.

"That he would," Lily agreed, hugging Harry to her side, thankful for the millionth time that she still had her son.

"It is time to move onward towards happier things and the future, whatever it may hold," James said.

"As Mum used to say onward and towards the future, whatever it may hold. As long as we're together," Lily commented.

James smiled and approached his wife and son, pulling them into a hug, something they hadn't done in a long time. "We will be, Lily-Flower, we will be."

It's time to move onward.

AN: Many apologies for not updating this series. I wanted to finish this fic as after this one, one-shots would be at random time periods. Events like Harry and Ginny's wedding might be a series on its own. I've gotten requests for the Hinny wedding, Lily taking care of James Sirius, and a few other requests. If you have something that you would like to see, please leave it in the reviews or PM me.