"We have to press charges," James insisted as they walked quickly up the long, winding driveway towards the magnificent house. "They can't get away with this."
"We can talk about it later," Lily said quickly, shooting a look at Harry, who was walking a bit ahead of both of them, but he didn't seem to have heard. "Let's just get settled in first, alright?"

"Fine," James said shortly. "But they're not getting away with treating our son like that."
Lily smiled tiredly at him, then gestured towards Harry and start walking faster to catch up with him.
"Are you all right, Harry?"
"Mhm." He mumbled. "I'm fine."
"It's just up here," James pointed up at the front doors, taking the lead easily with his long strides. "I wonder if Lola's still here…"
"Oh she was lovely!" Lily gushed. "But wouldn't she have…left by now?"
"Let's find out!" James declared, drawing out his wand and tapping the tall front door three times sharply. Harry watched with slightly wide eyes as a small black tray extended from just above the old-fashioned door knocker and James put his hand on it. The tray hummed with magic and when James removed his hand there was a large metal key clutched inside his fingers.
James shoved the key in the lock roughly and wrestled with it for a moment until he managed to turn it in the lock, then turned to explain to Harry.
"I'm only doing this because it's been locked for years, it looks like. When you need to get in, just put your hand around the door knocker and it will open for you, okay?"
"Okay." Harry nodded, and with a grin James turned the knocker and pulled the door open, beckoned Harry and Lily inside and shut the door behind them.

It was pitch black in there and Harry was seized by instinctual, irrational fear before Lily whispered something and a lamp on a table next to them lit suddenly, so Harry could see the hallway.
The hallway was luxurious and elegantly decorated, and as James lit a few more lamps Harry could see that, although it wasn't modern, it was beautiful, and Harry could imagine ladies in ball gowns walking up and down the corridor. It reminded him of one of the stately homes he had seen on a documentary while at Mrs Figg's.
He'd expected it to be covered with years' worth of dust and dirt, but the sides still seemed sparkling clean. James had only just stepped off the welcome mat when there was a loud crack and a small figure barrelled into him, nearly knocking him over.

"Master James! Master James! How long it is has been since you last visited Lola!"
"I'm sorry Lola, I was kind of busy being dead." James grinned, crouching and hugging the small house elf. "Have you stayed here all that time?"
"No, mister, I have helped at the Mistress Augusta Longbottom's house, but I have always cleaned the Potter Manor. Mister Dumbledore told Lola Master James and Miss Lily had…had…" Her big watery eyes welled with tears. "And he told Lola she could go and work in the Hogwarts kitchens if she wanted, but I said no, Lola would stay, even if the Potters never came back." She brightened and clapped her hands. "But here you are! And Master Harry, how big you've gotten! It has been so long since I have seen you! And maybe you do not remember Lola." Her ears drooped, but she smiled brightly at him. "Good! Now you can know Lola! Please, please, come in, masters and mistress."
"Lola, first names please. We call you Lola, don't we?"
"It has been a long time since you have told me, Master James, so I must have forgot." She grinned cheekily, and clapped her hands. A drawer under the table by the door opened, and Lola gestured to it excitedly. "Please put your shoes in the drawer, masters and mistress, and then I'm sure you will want to settle in while Lola prepares dinner."
"I'll help you, Lola. Lily, do you want to take Harry upstairs?"
"Is that okay with you Harry?" Lily asked him, face kind.
Harry shrugged and then nodded, so James followed Lola down the hall then turned left into another room. Lily motioned for Harry to go first, so he started up the wide stairs in the middle of the entrance hall, his feet sinking into velvety red carpet on the stairs.

"Are you alright, Harry?"
Harry looked up at Lily, who had stopped going through the cupboards in the kitchen to frown at him, concerned. He nodded quickly, but his expression was confused as he glanced back down at the letter in his hand. "Yeah."
"Who's that from?"
"Hermione." Harry muttered.
"Is everything okay with her?"
Lily knew that she was pressing him, but it paid off as he exhaled, frustrated.
"I don't know. She sounds weird."
"What do you mean?"
"Morbid. I don't know. She asked if she thinks she did the right thing."
"About what?"
"This whole thing." Harry mumbled.
"Oh." Lily didn't know what to say. "Okay."

Harry stared at his mother for a moment, then shook his head.
"I don't even…I shouldn't…I think I'm going to go upstairs."
"Oh…um…goodnight-"
She trailed off as he strode past her and up the stairs.

"I found it!"
A triumphant yell came from down the hall and James came running into the kitchen.
"I told you I'd find it Lils! Here-"
He brandished the photo album victoriously, then frowned. "Where's Harry?"
"He…went upstairs."
"Really? Why?"
"I…I don't know." Lily sat down in the chair Harry had discarded. "He's…he's not the son I remember, James."
"The Harry you remember was zooming around on the toy broomstick Sirius gave him. He's grown up."
"I know." Lily sighed.
"He plays Quidditch, you know that? But as a Seeker, not a Chaser. He's excellent. Not that I would expect anything less from him, he played around so much on that broom." He grinned. "Do you remember that time he tried to take Kitty up on the broom with him?"
Lily smiled tiredly. "Yeah. God I miss that cat."
"We could get a cat, if you wanted, Lil."
"Maybe."

James set the photo album on the table and kissed Lily slowly, lingering.
"Don't worry, Lils. We'll work this out."

Hey! Sorry it's been a while! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the next one should be up soon! Reviews are greatly appreciated!
Fly xx