The house was in darkness when Harry arrived home that night. He'd been held up at the Ministry with a last minute break through on a case. If it hadn't have been Kingsley who'd asked he would have said no. The children had just returned from Hogwarts for the summer and he felt guilty to already be working over time. Stepping through the thick wards he sighed starting to relax. Being home had always meant being safe, even if it had taken a few years to feel that. Removing his coat he hung it up kicking off his boots going upstairs to check on the children. Ginny recently been saying he couldn't call them children anymore. At 16,14 and 12 they were growing up fast but Harry could never shake the protective feelings he'd built up since becoming a father.

Lily's room was closest to his own. Peeking around the bright pink door he smiled softly seeing a shock of red hair between two squishy unicorn toys. She looked so much like Ginny had as a child. Seeing she was sleeping peacefully he closed the door carefully moving on to James' room. After the neatness of Lily's room James' looked even more of a mess that usual. There were exploding snap cards spread out over the carpet, various chocolate wrappers and rumpled school robes strewn about. In the midst of it all was a broom left right by the bed. Sighing Harry quietly walked over picking it up to lean on the wall by the bed. James would be heart broken if he woke in the morning and stepped on his precious broom breaking it. He'd have to have words about caring more for things the next day. Pausing to look down at his eldest son Harry smiled tucking the blanket back over his shoulder from where it had fallen down.

The last room was Albus'. Easing the door open he leant against the frame watching his middle son for a moment. Looking at Albus asleep was like plunging into a pensieve and seeing himself all those years ago. Sometimes it scared him how much Albus resembled him. He knew it made him far more protective of him than James or Lily, a fact which neither seemed to mind too much. Everyone seemed to protect Albus most. His room was a mix between Lily's tidiness and James' chaos. His robes were hung up neatly, his school books arranged on his desk ready for homework to be completed but there was a chess board still set up in the middle of the floor. Two pawns still fighting it out even though the game looked like it was long over. Casting a silent reparo over the broken pieces Harry carefully shooed them back into the box making his way over to the bed where his son lay asleep. Looking closer he froze feeling his auror instincts kick into action. The bed looked…weird. There were dents in the blankets where there shouldn't be any weight applying pressure. The pillow beside Al's head was squashed down instead of puffed up like it should have been. Everything else in the room looked normal. The wards hadn't been broken when he'd returned home but this… Looking back at the bed Harry moved closer reaching out nervously, holding his breath. When his fingers hit the familiar, gauze like material he sighed relaxing. He knew that feel by heart. Grasping the invisibility cloak he gently pulled down the hood revealing a shock of blonde hair. Scorpius. Chuckling quietly he carefully replaced the hood looking at Al's sleeping face amused.

"How very Slytherin of you Al" Harry whispered as he left the room heading for his own.

Mornings were always loud and full of chatter and laughter at the Potter house. Everyone was an early riser especially when they hadn't seen much of Harry. Lily had woken him up with a hug and a loud squeal that had made Ginny mutter some words she must have learnt from Ron. James had given him a rib crushing hug before he'd run out the door eager to meet up with Teddy and George, he'd yelled something about seeing a Quidditch game as the door had shut. Letting Lily drag him downstairs Harry had glanced into the living room seeing Albus sitting on the couch with his breakfast on the table in front of him. He appeared to be talking to himself, though he was being careful to keep his eyes on his plate and not turn to the space next to him. Grinning Harry followed Lily into the kitchen kissing Ginny's cheek. Piling eggs and toast onto a plate he picked up a glass of juice walking back to the living room.

"Good morning Al" Placing the food down next to Al's plate he leant closer "Good morning Scorpius" He added quietly not wanting to be overheard. The look of shock on Al's face and the gasp from an invisible Scorpius made him laugh as he sat down in the chair opposite them.

"Dad! How…he's meant to be invisible!" Al looked over to where Scorpius sat frowning as if he was doubting not being able to see his friend.

"I'm head auror for a reason Al"