I know we haven't had these talks...TBD

I was glad that the twins were there, despite the hard relationship I had with Evan.  I honestly could not blame him for having some resentment towards me -- I was not there during his childhood, either.  But I despised Peter for influencing his thoughts in me being as bad of a man as Peter thought I was because that was definitely misconstrued.  I heard Lyla fuss in the other room and went to grab her and hold her.  My little angel... my only child that I could actually see grow up.  It broke my heart that I was not there for Harry, Faith, or Evan.  I went to walk back into the dining room when I saw Evan still standing in the hallway after grabbing the coats.  I was his father and I knew to make the first attempts at mending the bond that Peter destroyed.  "Look who's come to visit, Ly," I said gently as the youngest Potter fidgeted in my arms slightly.  "It's your big brother, Evan... would you like to say hi?" I smiled at Lyla and looked up at Evan.  Maybe this could be a way to help Evan bond with the family.  Perhaps Lyla could bring all of the Potters back together.

I head James' voice talking softly and lovingly to someone - Lyla, my little sister.  It was odd to have a sibling that much younger than me, but I suppose things like that happened.  I honestly did not know or care if she had been planned or not.  I just hoped her childhood and upbringing would be much more stable than any of ours.  She looked so small and fragile in James' arms.  I looked at him and then to the baby.  He would trust me -- someone who hated him -- with someone so small and innocent?  "Are you serious?" I asked him, not sure if he was just playing a mean joke and would pull her away from me at the last second saying that I was not good enough to hold her or something.  Peter told me James liked to do things similar to that when they had been in school -- obviously it was not a baby, but situations similar anyways.

Lyla was so little that I was a little bit hesitant to giving her to someone who most likely had no experience with children at all.  I nodded at him.  "Of course," I told him, walking towards him to hand her over to him.  "Just watch her head," I added as he actually started to take her from me.  I let my little baby girl go into the arms of someone who hated me with a passion thanks to Peter.  I was surprised to see how his guarded expression seemed to soften as he looked down at Lyla.  "We'll be in the dining room finishing up supper... you're more than welcome to join us, Evan.  Please do..."  I walked away and entered the dining room.  I felt all the tension and knew that this would end up ending in disaster.

I held the little girl in my arms and I felt a smile start playing at my lips.  She already had beautiful red hair... I imagined that she was going to end up looking just like Lily.  I was not sure if anyone else really wanted me in the dining room -- I really did not blame them.  But I doubted any of them would listen to my side of things.  I was guessing that Ginny and Harry did not tell Lily, James, or Faith what had happened between the three of us.  I could explain myself; not that they would forgive me, but perhaps it would make things a little more understandable.  Peter... he just... I could not believe I had been so gullible to believe every lie he fed me.  And by the time I was old enough to know better, he had gotten me to believe him so thoroughly that I did not even question a word he said.  Until Jetty told me that they were all alive.  And that last year that Peter was alive -- between the rescue and the war -- he had been nowhere to be found by me.  I could not have my questions answered.  I had trusted him so much and then James killed him.  I was not entirely sure what had angered me the most when James did that -- the fact he killed the only man I trusted and the man who raised me or the fact that I could not get my answers. 

I looked down back at my little sister and sighed.  I may as well go in and face my demons.  I walked into the dining room and took a deep breath.  I looked up at Lily and smiled at her.  "She is beautiful," I said to her about Lyla.

I turned when I head Evan speak, pleasantly surprised that he had come into the room. I smiled at him, and walked over to where my baby sister laid in his arm. I was happy that out father had let Evan hold Lyla and I hoped he wouldn't regret it. I made my way to stand next to my twin and placed my head on his shoulder, looking down at Lyla. "She is beautiful and so tiny." I agreed. I turned to Evan, "You're really good with her." I looked up at the rest of my family. I really hoped that Harry wouldn't do something to ruin this moment. I knew he wouldn't intentionally, but Evan and he still harboured negative feeling towards each other and there as no telling what he would do. I just wanted Evan to feel like he was part of the family, because he was.

I smiled as James had come to sit down as I assumed correctly when Evan made his way out with her. He looked like he was enjoying her company. Which is a good thing when he is an older brother. I am glad that they are trying to be civil to one another. Despite all the pain Peter had caused this family I think we all deserved a little time together. I looked back to Ginny who had tears in her eyes and noticed how tense Harry had gotten when Evan came back in the room.

Standing up, " Well, who would like dessert?" I asked the group. " Ginny, darling would you come to help me please?" I asked her waking her up from her apparent terrible thoughts. I wanted to help her as I knew her and Harry are meant to be together. We had walked into the kitchen as I took out the tiramisu. " We'll put some strawberries with it as well. " I said, " We'll just get one for everyone out there...." I said as she looked like she was trying to keep something to herself. " What's wrong Ginny?" I asked her almost at a whisper.

Lily was leaving me, Evan, and Harry all in the same room together with just Faith and Lyla?  I shot her a worried look but I was not sure if she saw it or not.  I smiled at the twins, nodding at their sentiment of the youngest.  "She's going to look just like your mum," I said, knowing that Lyla looked identical to Lily's baby photos.  I looked between my children and wished there was a way for me to diffuse the tension.  

"So - er - what have the two of you been up to lately?" I asked.  They were going into their final year at Hogwarts -- well, Evan was.  Faith had to do some catching up since she had been locked away with Lily for the first fifteen years of her life.  I was so grateful that Remus was the Headmaster now and could help the twins the best that he could anyways.

<< Let me know if we want this later than a couple of years after Harry should have graduated (so about a year or so after the war)... I just sort of guesstimated a time >>

I smiled slightly at Faith when she said I was good with our little sister.  I wanted to just go into a different room and be with just the family I cared about, but I knew that was not going to happen.  When Lily - Mum - went to get dessert with Ginny, I realized that they must not know.  If they did, James would most likely not be letting me hold Lyla.  What they did not understand was that I was just listening to Peter -- it was not as if I enjoyed hurting Ginny.  It was just Peter's idea of getting Harry from going after the horcruxes... clearly it did not work.  I easily backed off when Ginny went to her older brother for help despite what Peter had told me to do then.

My gaze went back to James as he spoke.  It was clear that he was reaching for something to talk about.  "School," I said flatly.  If he had been a real father, he would have known that answer.  I refused to live with them, despite me not being of age quite yet. My old living habits nevre seemed to concern anyone before, so I would not let them concern people now taht Peter was gone.  It was not like he was there an awful lot anyways, not until his disguise had been ound out, anyways.

<< I like the time frame >>

Ginny looked like she had tears in her eyes as she followed mum into the kitchen. I wanted to follow them, to figure out what was wrong, but I had to stay here to make sure nothing happened between everyone. I glared slightly at Evan, dad had just been trying to make conversation. "We've both been working hard at school, I'm hoping to graduate next year so this might be my second last year." I turned slightly towards Evan, "I'm a bit behind you but Professor Lupin is helping me a lot so I can graduate as soon as I can. You're helping me a bit too." I smiled at Evan before turning back to dad, "Evan's right on track through." I glanced back at the kitchen and bit my lip slightly. I had a feeling that Ginny being upset had something to do with Evan and if it did, I had to make up for it. I sighed, if I left, I feared a fight might break out. I couldn't let that happen either.

I took a deep breath and wanted to not roll my eyes at Evan for the way he answered me.  "Yeah, Remus is really great," I agreed, smiling.  "He knows how to handle all situations.  You know, he always made me behave myself most of the time..."  I chuckled slightly at that.  He at least tried his hardest to get us all to behave.  It was the only reason why Dumbledore made him Prefect -- well, that was what we joked about anyways.  "And Faith, you don't need to call him professor here... just Remus or Uncle Remus works.  As long as your respectful and professional at school, he doesn't care."  That was what he told me, anyways.  "I am glad that you're both doing so well.  Is there anything that we could help you with?"

I sighed, knowing I was being an ass.  I shook my head slightly.  "I don't need any help," I said quickly.  "But thank you."  I figured that I would have to add that just as fast so I would not be entirely rude.  I looked down at the resting baby in my arms.  I was going to have to hold onto her for this entire visit.  I was not sure if I could stand being here otherwise.  There was too much strain.

I nodded at dad, remembering the stories mum told me about dad and the group of friend they had while at school, including Remus and Peter. I suppressed the shudder that always seemed want to rack my body when I thought of him. I shook my head to clear it and glared slightly at Evan but softened my gaze when he was somewhat polite again. I turned back to my dad and had to think back to the question he asked. Of course I needed help, I needed help to convince Evan that he really was part of the family. I knew that we all wanted him to feel as such, even if he and Harry still didn't really care about each other. I couldn't ask for help with that though, I wasn't sure how Evan would react to me asking our dad for help with anything. I forced a smile at dad. "I think we're both good, thank you though." I looked over at Evan and smiled at my twin and my little sister. Evan was being pretty good. I had a feeling it had something to do with the little baby in his arms. I turned back to dad. "How is everyone?"

I wanted to point out to Evan that no one was keeping him here, but I needed to act like his father and not like some teenager who got irritated with the way someone was acting.  I knew that this was difficult for him all thanks to Peter.  I smiled at Faith.  "Well, I'd say things are nearly back to normal after two years... your mum is at St. Mungo's again.  I'm in the auror's division at the Ministry... Lyla is doing well.  She's all normal with her health," I said, looking over at the tiny little infant in my younget son's arms.

I shook my head nervously at Lily as she spoke. How on earth do I start this conversation. Well Lily, I went on a date with your son Evan when Harry was looking for the horcruxes and that apparently meant that we were in a serious relationship where he started to hurt me because I didn't care about him. " Uh....just some tension...." I said quietly receiving the look from her, I sighed I knew I wasn't going to get to not say anything. " Evan.....well, when he asked me on a date. I said sure...it was a harmless date." I paused she nodded, tears welling in my eyes as I continued. " Well.....he started to ......" I whispered the next part it was almost inaudible. " hit....me.." I finished. I looked to her as she seemed to have heard me when the dessert tray dropped and she pulled me into a hug. To which I just broke into tears, " I'm sorry " I said muffled into her as she held me tightly.

I pulled her into a hug as it was my son who was hurting her and she was in love with our other son. Who cared very much for her as I could tell by the tension. I understood it now, I held her tighter when she broke down in my arms. " You don't need to apologize. " I said quietly to her. " Never apologize." I said as I couldn't believe Evan would do this to her. I assumed Peter had something to do with it. That was just sick to take it out on the children. I couldn't believe he made her this vulnerable. I would not stand for this. I was going to handle this somehow. Just not sure on how we would do that. I bit my lip as we parted. " You do not need to apologize for something you couldn't control. I am sorry that it happened to you. " I told her as I tried to smile as my heart ached for her.