Bit of fluff and nonsense to finish up. I've loved playing with this little family for a while. I hope you have too.

See chapter 1 for disclaimer.

-0-

"James Potter!"

Her heart was in her mouth as she watched him sit on the stool, and flinched a little as the sorting hat was placed on his head. She clapped a little harder than she had for everyone else when he was put into Gryffindor, a little piece of her thankful for that at least. They'd both told him there was nothing wrong with being placed in any of the other houses, but she was glad, and she knew that Harry would be too. He ran off to sit with his friends, purposefully not meeting her eyes. She got up to give her speech, looking down at the sea of young faces looking up at her eagerly. She did love this part. She kept it short and simple and invited everyone to eat, sitting back down with a smile.

It was only when she released them all, that a few of the first Gryffindor first years stayed seated and she grinned behind her napkin.

"If you would excuse me a moment, gentlemen," she said to her colleagues, touching Filius' shoulder in apology. "I believe my presence is required."

They chuckled quietly as she stood and walked over to the Gryffindor table sedately, where James and Fred and Rose were sitting.

"Good evening younglings," she smiled, chuckling when Rose wrapped her arms around her. "Hello, darling. Everything alright sweetheart?"

"Yeah," James said, looking sideways at her. "Just wondered whether you -" he looked around the hall and she crouched down in front of him and leaned closer.

"If you whisper, I'll hear it."

"Can you tuck us in tonight?"

She smiled, touching his knee.

"Do you really think I wouldn't?"

"I just wanted to check," he said, keeping his eyes down. She took pity on him.

"I'll be there after lights out," she whispered.

"Dad too?"

"He won't be back until tomorrow night, but I'll let you know the moment he steps foot in the castle?"

"Us too Aunty?" Rose asked.

"Yes darling," she smiled, glancing at Fred who nodded just barely. "You too. Now off you go. Make sure you brush your teeth."

They ran off and she had only just stood up when a small body crashed into her middle.

"Love you, Mama," he whispered, before running away again and joining his friends at the door.

She returned to the Teacher's table with a smile on her face and well prepared to take the gentle ribbing from her colleagues.

"I reckon you've never looked cuter," Rolanda chuckled, passing her a glass of Fire Whiskey. "Absolutely no credibility left."

"Shut up Ro," she quipped while winking at her friend. She accepted the drink Rolanda offered with a smile.

"When is Mr Potter due home?" Filius asked quietly as the conversation carried on around them.

"He tried to get home tonight but it seems he couldn't make it. I'm under strict instructions to take notes," Filius smiled. "He is scheduled to be home tomorrow, which is good," she smiled. "As we have missed him terribly."

"Then perhaps you would let me take your duty tomorrow?" he asked, looking at her carefully.

"I," she blushed. "Would like that Filius, thank you. I will make it up to you."

"Nonsense," he smiled. "We've spoken about this before. You've done it enough times for Pomona and me, and everyone else. It is good to see you happy my friend. Peaceful."

"I am happy," she muttered, squeezing his hand. "Very."

"Then it is payment enough," he smiled. "Now, if you excuse me?"

One by one, the other Professors left, leaving Poppy, Rolanda and Minerva walking back to Minerva's quarters slowly.

"Hey Aunty Poppy! Hi Aunty Ro!"

James was coming down the corridor as they neared Minerva's room.

"Hello young man," Poppy smiled, letting him hug her. "How was your dinner?"

"Really good," he grinned. "Mama told me it would be, but it's so cool the way it pops up like that!"

"Did you have a good day?"

"It was great," he grinned, cuddling his Aunty Ro too. "We played Gobstones and," he slid his hand into Minerva's, hanging on to it heavily as they neared her quarters. "Do you know that if a boy goes up the stairs to the girl's dormitories, it turns into a slide!"

Poppy chuckled and ran her hand over his messy hair.

"I had heard that, yes," she smiled

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Minerva interjected gently.

"Yep," he grinned. "My bag's packed already! I'm totally ready."

"You sound almost happy about starting your lessons?" Rolanda said, looking at him quizzically, grinning as her wife nudged her.

"I am," he blushed. "I kinda can't wait."

"Just like his Mama that one," a voice made both James and Minerva spin around.

"DADDY!"

Minerva let James go and run to him. Harry's laughter filled the corridor as James jumped into his arms. Harry spun him around in the air and drew him in. She followed a little after with a little more aplomb than their son but smiled just as widely as he pulled her in and kissed her soundly.

"Hello family," he smiled, nuzzling James' hair. "How was your first day, Jamie?"

"Better now," he whispered, his arms wrapped around his Dad's neck like he would disappear again.

"Good. Poppy, Ro, how are you?"

Minerva had honestly forgotten they were there and blushed as Harry's hand wandered down her back to her ass.

"Not too bad Harry," Ro smiled, her arm around Poppy's waist. "Got tickets for Sunday if you're free?"

"I will make sure I am," he grinned. "Poppy, you look radiant tonight."

"Oh Merlin, how have you hurt yourself this time?" she chuckled, kissing his cheek as he opened the portrait for them.

Minerva let him take the lead and followed them into her rooms. Their rooms. She called for tea and hot chocolate, deciding that they might as well have a party of sorts. She wasn't sure where Rose and Fred were but if they didn't turn up tonight, she'd go and see them before she turned in. All the Professors had duty on the first night to stave off any homesickness and mischief, so she wouldn't be saying a proper hello to Harry until later. With a free night tomorrow though, she would make plans to have a late supper in their rooms.

"Mama?"

She blinked, having been completely lost in thought, looking at James' leaning tiredly against her legs like he'd done most of his life. Harry and her friends, their friends now, talked quietly about whatever they fancied.

"You alright love?" she asked, pulling him onto her knee. He cooed into her neck and she smiled as he wound his arms around her.

"Sleepy."

"Would you like me to walk you back?" she asked, running her hand through his hair. Just like his father's.

"Yes please."

She let him say goodnight to his Dad, her insides squeezing happily as Harry cradled him as if he was a tiny baby again and muttered how proud and happy and beautiful he was. They kissed on the lips, something they'd always done, and Minerva grinned as Ro and Poppy gushed at how beautiful her boys were. She leaned over and kissed Harry softly, whispering in his ear and nodding goodnight to her two friends, ignoring their smirks. James waved goodbye to his Aunties and slid his hand into hers as they walked quietly back to Gryffindor tower. He stopped just before they got to the portrait and she smiled as he looked up at her. After knowing and loving his father for nearly a decade, this little one was rather predictable.

"What's wrong sweetheart?"

"How did you know something was wrong?" he frowned.

"You are very like your Daddy," she chuckled, patting his hand. "I always know a long time beforehand that he needs to talk about something."

"Cos you taught him?"

She considered it.

"In part," she nodded. "And because I've been with your Dad for a long time now," she smiled, running her hand over his head. "Nearly as long as you've been alive." She sat on the sill of a nearby window, patting the space beside her. "Is that what is bothering you? Has someone said something about us?"

"No," he muttered. "Well, yeah but it wasn't bad. Rosie was talking about how cool it was that you taught her Mum and now get to teach her. And that Daddy was in Aunty 'Mione's year too. Just thinking I guess."

"Okay," Minerva said quietly. "Do you want to ask me anything about it? I don't want people to be talking about it, but they might. People can be cruel sometimes even though they don't know us or our lives."

"Is it weird?" he frowned.

"Is what weird, love?"

"That he was your student?"

"It was, in the beginning," she smiled, taking a moment to remember that beginning. "Although more so for me than him." She'd never been anything but completely honest with him and she wasn't going to start lying now. "Your Daddy helped me see that if I never gave anyone I'd taught a chance, I'd never get to love anyone at all because by now I have taught pretty much every single person in Wizarding Britain," she smiled, as he laughed, leaning against her. She held him. "Does it seem weird? That I'm a lot older than Daddy?"

"No," he shrugged. "Not even when we have dinner with Aunty 'mione, Aunty Alex and Uncle Fred and Aunt Angie. Cos you taught all of them too didn't you?"

"I did," she smiled. "Uncle George was very naughty. He and Fred were the funniest people I've ever met."

James giggled like she was telling him a big secret.

"I know," he whispered, looking around. "I'm not supposed to tell you, but he gave me some of his things."

"Oh Good," she chuckled, swallowing her fears. "Well, you can choose what to do with them, but if you break the rules here, you'll get a detention, just like everyone else," she grinned as his eyes went wide. "What else is bothering you, baby?"

"You always know," he grumbled, his face falling.

"Quite aside from being your Mama, little one, I've been talking to children for a million years," he giggled again. "It's ok, you know, to need to just talk for a while. Or to tell me something that's hard to talk about. I've heard a lot of things in my life sweetheart."

"There is one thing," he whispered. She nodded, waiting patiently. She knew the Potter men very well. "I know you didn't," he frowned. "Have me in your tummy," he touched her stomach cautiously. "Like Aunty 'Mione had Rose and Hugo," he faltered, looking up at her with tears in his eyes. Her heart hammered, shattering all at once as she remembered that day when he was 9. "But I'm really glad that you're my Mama. Thank you for loving me and being my Mama."

It healed just as fast and had she been less of a woman, she might have actually had a heart attack. She gasped, pulled him up onto her knee and into her arms, holding him tightly.

"Darling boy, I love being your Mama," she whispered, kissing his hair and breathing him in. "It is one of my greatest joys to have you as a son." He leaned against her but pulled away a little to look at her.

"Even though you didn't have me in your tummy? Even though I'm bad sometimes?"

"Sweetheart," Minerva smiled, blinking the tears from her eyes. "You've not got a bad bone in your whole body," he opened his mouth to argue and Minerva didn't need to hear it to know what he was going to say. "What happened back then was what it was, you and I both learned a lot that day. Don't carry it with you baby," he nodded and snuggled into her arms. "As for not carrying you in my tummy? I was too old to have babies when I fell in love with your Daddy. The fact that I get to love you and have you as my son is the best gift I've ever been given."

"Even better than your Firebolt 3?" he asked, wide-eyed. On her last birthday, Harry had repaid her for his first present from her, outlaying a massive amount of coin on her new broomstick that she often took James on whenever then had a free weekend. She'd taken Harry on it too, but it had been a very different type of ride.

"A hundred million times better. I would snap that Firebolt in two right now if it was a choice between it and you. You," she kissed his nose like she used to when he was tiny. "Are the most important treasure I have and I could not love you more if you had come from my tummy."

He beamed.

"I love you, Mama."

"I love you, baby," she whispered. They hugged for a bit before she felt him yawn. "Don't go to sleep here baby, you have to go back to your dormitory," she whispered wishing he could fall asleep in her arms. "Want me to come in?"

"Um," he shook his head. "No thank you."

"Alright. I'll be in later. You'll be asleep, but I'll kiss you goodnight. Like I do every night."

"Love you," he whispered, kissing her lips like he'd done with his Dad earlier. "Thanks Mama."

"You're welcome," she grinned, watching as he gave the password and stepped in, stopping to wave goodbye to her.

She stood, looked at the ceiling, trying to stop the tears from coming and was only partially successful as two strong arms wrapped around her middle.

"I love you, Minerva," Harry muttered, holding her close. He'd obviously been there for a while. "Thank you for loving us. Thank you for being his Mama."

"It is the easiest thing I will ever do," she smiled, letting him rock them side to side as the candles burned low. Life was completely and utterly right and unexpectedly, forever.