Harry shifted from foot to foot waiting anxiously for the arrival of his aunt, uncle, and two cousins from Surrey. His Aunt Petunia, whom he called Tuney, was his mum’s older sister, and she had married Vernon Dursley just out of high school, he was an up and coming manager working for a major drill company called Grunnings. They had two little boys, one of whom was Harry’s age, named Dudley and the other who was just Rosie’s age, named Vernon after his daddy. But the family all called the youngest Dursley Little Vern. They were Muggles but they knew all about wizards since it was permitted by the Ministry for Muggleborns to inform their immediate family and any other relations about magic. There was a Statue of Secrecy in place for those Muggles who were deemed totally unaccepting or untrustworthy for learning the truth about magic, but for those with a wizard or witch in the family, it was encouraged for Muggles to learn as much as possible about the wizarding world, to foster tolerance and understanding.

“Are they here yet, Harry? Are they?” asked Eric, tugging on his brother’s shirt. It was two days after Harry’s birthday party and he was eager to see his cousins, who usually were unable to come visit all that much during the year, except for holidays.

“Nope. Not yet.” Harry replied, smiling at his little brother, who was shy and quiet, unless he was curious about something, then he asked about a zillion questions.

Eric sighed and went back into the den to peer out the window. He wanted to be the first to see his aunt and uncle and cousins arrive.

“Harry, I want you to remember your manners and be on your best behavior when your cousins arrive,” Lily said, coming out into the hall where her eldest was standing in front of the door to the flat. “No playing tricks on your cousin and making snakes come out of his pocket or his ears turn into an elephant’s.”

“Aww, Mum! They were just fun potion pranks. Dud thought they were funny!” Harry pointed out.

“Your Aunt Tuney nearly had a heart attack,” Lily reminded him. Petunia had never really been comfortable with magical pranks, having been the victim of one too many of them when Lily was dating James and he had decided Petunia was too serious for her own good and needed to lighten up.

Harry sighed. “Okay, I’ll be good,” In front of you an’ Da an’ Uncle Vern an’ Aunt Tuney. But when we go play in my room . . .

“And remember to smile and greet your aunt and uncle politely, Harry James, when they arrive,” Lily continued.

Harry rolled his eyes. “I know, Mum! I’m not a baby.” Then he recalled something his aunt was overfond of doing and groaned. “Aww . . .do I hafta let her kiss me and pinch my cheeks too? Yuck!”

Lily’s mouth quivered. “I’m afraid so, imp. You know Aunt Tuney can never resist a child’s cheeks. It comes with the territory.”

“Ugh! It’s disgusting!”

“Be glad your aunt doesn’t insist on inspecting your fingernails and behind your ears like my Aunt Lanie Prince used to do to me when I was your age,” Severus remarked, coming into the hallway from the kitchen. He had caught the last bits of the conversation and bit back a chuckle at his indignant stepson’s scowl. “She even insisted on seeing my teeth like I was a horse.”

“Nuh-uh! You’re making that up!”

“Wizard’s honor,” said Severus solemnly.

“Yuck! I would have run away when I saw her coming!”

Severus laughed. “My mother wouldn’t let me. So don’t complain about your Aunt Tuney, Snakeling. Because there’s a worse aunt out there somewhere making some kid’s life a misery.”

“Severus!” Lily swatted him playfully on the back of the head.

Just then there came a meow of distress from Mousekins, whom Harry called Mousie for short, because Rosie had crawled over to where the kitten was lying in the den and grabbed her by the tail.

“Kitty! Mine!” Rosie shrilled.

“Rosie, no! Bad!” Eric cried. “Da, she’s hurtin’ Mousie! Bad baby!”

Then they heard Rosie screaming and Mousie came racing out of the den and jumped into Harry’s arms. “Poor kitty!” he soothed the distraught Kneazle. “You okay?”

Mousie purred in response, nestling closer to her wizard.

Rosie crawled out of the den, bawling, followed by Eric.

She came over to Sev, who knelt down and asked sternly, “What did you do, Rosalind?”

Rosie pulled herself up into a standing position by grabbing Sev’s knees. “Eri bad!”

“Am not! You was!” Eric defended himself stoutly. “You’s not s’posted to pull Mousie’s tail.”

“Your brother’s right, Rosie,” her father scolded. “That’s bad to hurt the kitty. You need to be gentle to the kitty. Pet nicely.” He took Rosie’s hand in his own and demonstrated by running her little palm over his knee. “Like this. Gently.”

Rosie sniffled and he conjured a tissue to mop her nose. “Gennlee?” she repeated.

“Close enough.” He said, lifting his fiery-haired daughter into his arms. Though she resembled his wife a great deal, she usually could be found glued to her da’s side at any given moment. She had a penchant for mischief that rivaled her elder brother’s at the same age, but in spite of that, she had been her daddy’s girl from the moment her dark eyes had gazed into his at the hour of her birth. And she knew that perfectly well, young as she was.

She leaned her head on his shoulder and sucked her thumb.

“Troublemaker,” Lily said fondly.

“Not me,” Eric spoke up, anxious to not be given that particular label. “I is good, right, Mummy?”

“Yes, Eric. You’re my good boy.” She knelt to hug her middle child. Eric beamed happily. He was so quiet that people tended to forget he was there, much like his father had been as a child. But he had a sweet disposition and was easy to please.

“Thanks, Eric, for protecting Mousie,” Harry said. “I owe you a chocolate frog.

“Yay! I loves choco froggies! You’re the bestest brudder, Harry!”

“You mean he is the best brother,” Lily corrected gently. “Not bestest.”

“How come?” asked Eric.

Lily shrugged. “It just is.”

She was saved from any further questions on grammar by the doorbell ringing.

Mousie jumped out of Harry’s arms and ran to hide under his bed at the jarring noise.

Harry looked at his parents. “Can I get the door, Mum?”

“Yes, you may get the door,” Lily said. “But first use the peephole.” She indicated a peephole at Harry’s eyelevel that he could use to see who was standing in front of the door before he answered it. She had drilled him relentlessly in always using it before he opened the door for anyone.

“Okay.” He looked through the peephole and saw his aunt, uncle, and cousin standing there, with his baby cousin being held by Vernon. “It’s them, Mum!” he sang and threw open the door.

There on the threshold stood his Aunt Petunia, looking a bit more plump, she had put on weight after her second child, but did not seem to care. Next to her was Dudley, who was a little taller and broader than Harry, with a round face and golden blond hair, wearing a rugby shirt and jeans. Behind him stood his dad, Vernon, who was about six two and heavyset, with a black moustache and red cheeks, holding his little boy, Vernon Junior, who was a fat roly poly dark-haired baby.

“Hallo Aunt Tuney, Uncle Vern, Dudley, and Little Vern,” Harry said, then he stepped back to let them into the flat. “How come you took so long to get here?”

“Traffic,” sighed his uncle.

“Happy birthday, Harry dear!” Petunia cried. “Sorry it’s a bit late.” Then she leaned down and took his face between her hands. “My, but you’ve grown! You’re almost as big as Duddy now!”

“Mum, please!” Dudley groaned. “You’re so embarrassing!”

She bent down and kissed Harry on both cheeks and pinched them too for good measure. Harry sighed to himself and wished his aunt didn’t pinch so hard. He exchanged glances with his cousin over his aunt’s head.

Dudley made a gagging motion and rolled his eyes. “Gross, isn’t it?” he mouthed. He held a brightly wrapped box in his hands. “Aunt Lil, where can I put the present?”

“On the couch, Dudley,” Lily said and hugged him. She knew how sensitive seven-year-olds were about their dignity and so she did not kiss him, but just ruffled his hair. He looked relieved.

Dudley went and put the present down, then came back to greet Severus and Eric and Rosie.

Lily hugged and kissed her sister and then turned to say hello to Vernon and her littlest nephew. “Oh, look at Little Vern! He’s gotten so big since I saw him at Christmas! Come here to Auntie Lily sweet thing!” she cooed, picking up the baby, who babbled at her, and hugging and kissing him.

“And he’s started to walk and say words already!” Vernon said proudly. “I think he’s quicker with that than Dudley was.”

“Oh, sure he was, Dad!” muttered Dudley. “He’s just the most brilliant baby! Grown-ups.”

Harry gave him a sympathetic look. “C’mon, Dud. I got some really neat things for my birthday. Wanna see?”

“Sure!” he quickly followed Harry to his room.

Meanwhile, Vernon and Petunia entered the flat and Vernon went and chucked Rosie under the chin. “Hello, pretty baby! You just get cuter every time I see you!” Rosie went and pulled his mustache. “Ouch! And quicker with those hands!”

Severus gently unwound Rosie’s fingers. “Rosie, no! Mustn’t pull your uncle’s mustache. Sorry about that, Vernon. She’s at the stage where she likes to pull hair.”

“Little Vern is too,” Vernon admitted, smoothing his mustache. “I’m glad I don’t have a girl though. You’re gonna have a heartbreaker when she’s older and need to get a big stick to beat off all the boys, huh, Severus?”

“A stick and a Repelling Charm,” Severus said. “But I’ve got another twelve years, thank heaven. Come in and have a cup of tea and some birthday cake. Cissy baked it special.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Vernon said, and followed Severus and Rosie into the kitchen.

Severus set Rosie down in her playpen and Lily did the same with Little Vern, there were plenty of toys both magical and Muggle for them to amuse themselves.

Lily began to cut slices of cake and brew up coffee and set out the sandwiches she had made earlier.

Petunia helped, asking softly, “So, how are things going, Lil? You look kind of . . .worn out. Is the apothecary not doing well?”

“Oh, no. The apothecary is doing fabulous. We have more orders than we can fill sometimes. Sev thinks we need to hire a new apprentice, since Mark left and went to start his own apothecary in Devon. I should really start advertising in the Prophet and Witch Weekly.”

“Then what’s the matter? And don’t tell me nothing, Lily,” Petunia said in her best bossy-elder-sister tone.

“It’s James.”

“I should have known. What did he do this time?”

Lily waved her to a seat. “He accused Severus of being a child abuser because he spanked Harry and then he let Harry ride his hippogriff Buckbeak and Harry fell off and broke his arm.”

“That bloody incompetent fool!” Petunia cried. “What else?”

Lily told both Dursleys what had gone on, from the time Harry stole her wand and blew up the cauldron to the fateful ride and the aftermath with the supervised visits.

Vernon looked outraged. “He called you a child abuser in front of his son? Because you paddled Harry’s bum on the bare? Humph! Why, my dad, God rest him, used to take a paddle to my bum once a week if I deserved it and if I’d done something like what Harry did, I wouldn’t have been able to sit down for three days. Is he one of those touchy feely blokes into crystal gazing and getting in touch with your inner child and all that rot? I only met the fellow once, at the wedding.”

Severus started laughing. “Potter is . . .well there are times I think he’s the adult version of Peter Pan, and he never quite grew up. And he sees Harry as a chance to relive his childhood all over again, Merlin help me! I keep hoping that one day he’ll start to grow up, and maybe this last debacle will finally do it.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t petition the court to have the custody visits revoked,” Petunia said angrily.

Lily sighed. “I didn’t want to take that step just yet, since Harry still wants to see James. But if something else happens . . .that’s the next step. And James knows it. He has regular appointments with the social services worker, Mathilda Bagshot. He seems to be trying to become a better father.”

Severus snorted. “We’ll see.”

During this time they had all been eating the lunch Lily had set out, and halfway through his salami, ham, lettuce and tomato sandwich, Vernon swallowed sharply and burped loudly. “Sorry, I just . . .seem to be having some trouble with an acid stomach lately. I’ve tried all the over the counter remedies in the pharmacy but nothing seems to help.” He looked inquiringly at Severus. “Sev, would you happen to have a . . .er . . .potion that might help?”

Severus, who as an apothecary was trained to dispense medicine and diagnose symptoms, almost like a Healer, looked thoughtful. “I may have. But . . .the first thing you ought to do, Vernon, is to avoid foods with a lot of fat, like salami and dried sausage and acid, like tomatoes. That’s not good for someone with a stomach that overproduces acid or has heartburn. You should avoid onions as well, any kind of citrus fruits or juice, fried foods, milk shakes and salad dressings heavy with sour cream and vinegar, chocolate, peppers, and garlic. And try to limit your intake of coffee and soda as well. It’s also best if you don’t wear belts and tight clothing about your waist. And try not to lie down right after you eat and when you sleep you should elevate your head. However, I can also give you a Heartburn Reliever, to be taken twice a day, once in the morning and once before bedtime.”

As he had been speaking, a quill had been writing down the list of foods to avoid and actions to lessen the onset of heartburn and the time the potion needed to be taken on a pad of parchment.

“You can eat apples and bananas and drink apple juice and eat lean meat, chicken, fish, and lots of fresh vegetables and whole grain bread and low-fat salad dressings.”

“Sounds a lot like being on a diet,” Vernon sighed. “Although that weight loss potion you gave me over the summer worked great. I lost half my weight and now I go and take walks in the evenings with Tuney and the boys instead of watching the telly.”

“That’s good, and how do you feel now?”

“Like a whole new person. I haven’t felt this good since I was in school.”

“Good. Here’s the potion.” Severus summoned several vials with a sharp snap of his fingers. “Drink this now. One bottle will be enough for two doses, and you have enough here for three weeks. Let me know when you run out, I’ll brew up some more.”

Vernon took the vial Severus handed him, it was smaller than the others the Potions Master had given him, and gulped it down. “Hmm, not too bad. Thanks, Severus.”

“You are most welcome.”

While that conversation was going on, Tuney and Lily were discussing recipes for various dishes and the two babies were playing with toys. Eric had gone into the den and began to play with his blocks, while in Harry’s room, Harry had managed to coax a frightened Mousekins out from under the bed and was now holding her.

“See, Dud. I got her for my birthday from Mum and Dad. She’s a Kneazle, that’s a magical kitten,” Harry explained.

“Neat! What can she do?”

“Uh . . .she’s real smart and she can tell if you’re nice or not and . . .I dunno, I have to read some more,” Harry said. He stroked Mousie, who began to purr loudly.

“Can I pet her, Harry?” asked Dudley wistfully.

“Sure. She likes to be scratched behind the ears and the chin.”

Dudley very gently began to pet the cat. “She’s soft! Like cotton!”

Harry smiled. “Yeah, she is.”

“I wish I had a cat. Maybe I’ll go and ask my mum and dad to get me one for my birthday next year.” Dudley said, and rushed out of the room, yelling, “Mum, Dad, can I have a cat for my birthday like Harry? Please?”

“Dudley, what on earth are you shouting about?” asked Petunia as her eldest rushed up to her and fixed her with his most begging look.

“I want to know if I can get a cat like Harry, Mum. Her name’s Mousie and she’s sweet and I want a pet. Please can I have one? Please?”

Petunia looked at Lily. “Did you really get Harry a cat?”

“Yes, he’s been begging us since Christmas, and we finally said yes, since now he’s old enough to take care of one.” Lily said.

Petunia looked over at her son. “Well, Dudley, if you prove to me that you can do your chores without whining and make good marks in school, I’ll consider getting you a cat for your birthday next year.”

“I’ll do it, Mum.” Dudley said, a determined look in his eye. Then he yelled, “Harry, come and open your present!”

Petunia winced. “Dudley Winston Dursley, what have I told you about shouting in the house?”

“Oops. Sorry. Forgot.”

Harry came down the hall, still holding his kitten. “Okay. Here, Dud. You can hold her a little.”

Dudley took Mousie and hugged her and Petunia looked at her son and the kitten and thought that maybe a pet wouldn’t be such a bad idea. The kitten was soft and cuddly and she purred very soothingly.

Harry eagerly tore off the paper and found . . .”Wow! A cricket set! Thanks, Aunt Tuney and Uncle Vern and Dudley.”

Dudley grinned. “You know how to play, Harry? Dad and I watch games all the time on TV and I’ve played on the Junior League at school.”

“No, but it looks like fun.” Harry said.

“Why don’t you take Harry outside and show him how to play, Dud?” Vernon suggested. There was a small piece of grass in back of the apothecary, enough for a swing set for the kids and a play area next to the herb garden.

“All right, Dad,” Dudley agreed. “C’mon, Harry.”

“Can I come too?” asked Eric.

Dudley shrugged. “All right, but I think you’re too little.”

Eric frowned. “I’m not a baby! I’m big.”

Harry and Dudley giggled at the three-year-old’s statement, but then they generously allowed Eric to tag along with them.

Once Dudley had explained all the rules of the game to Harry and demonstrated all the moves, they started to play an abbreviated version. Eric was on Harry’s team.

The three started out playing amiably, until Dudley proved he was better than Harry and Harry got sort of annoyed and competitive and said that Quidditch was better than cricket. “Cause you can fly and use brooms.”

“So? It takes skill to handle a cricket bat,” Dudley argued. “Just ‘cause you need magic to play Quidditch doesn’t make it better.”

“Does too!”

“Does not!”

“Does too!”

“Does not!”

“Quidditch is harder and better!”

“No way!”

Eric looked alarmed, he hated it when his brother argued with anyone. It made his tummy feel funny and he knew Harry wasn’t s’posed to fight with his cousin. He quickly ran inside, calling, “Da, Harry and Dudley are fighting!”

That made both men get up and go outside, thinking that a fistfight was in the offing.

The two cousins were nose to nose, staring each other down. In another minute they might have lost their tempers and begun swinging but the timely arrival of both fathers forestalled any bloodshed.

Severus laid a hand on Harry’s shoulder and turned him about. “Harry, what’s the problem? Why are you fighting?”

“Cause Dudley says cricket is better than Quidditch! And it ain’t, Da! Is it?”

“You mean it isn’t. Well, son, that’s a matter of opinion.” Severus began.

“Dad, Harry says magic is better and so’s Quidditch,” Dudley objected. “But I like cricket better.”

“Hmm. Dud, I’d say that sometimes magic is good and sometimes bad and there’s only one way to settle this.” Vernon said.

“What way?”

“We play a game of cricket, us against your Uncle Sev and Harry.”

“Do you know how to play, Uncle Sev?”

“It’s been a long time, but yes, I’ve played cricket before.” Severus said. “And afterwards why don’t we play a game of Quidditch.”

“But Da, Uncle Vern and Dudley can’t fly like we can.” Harry pointed out.

“They can if we charm the brooms and Stick them on there, Snakeling.”

“Oh. Good idea, Da.”

“And I’d better Stick you on your training broom too, so we don’t have another accident,” Severus amended. “What do you think about that, Vernon? You game?” There was a challenging gleam in his eyes.

“Anytime, Snape. Okay, Dud, let’s show these wizards how it’s done.”

Then the two fathers and sons began to play a friendly if somewhat competitive game of cricket, followed by another of Quidditch.

When the two women looked out the window a few minutes later, they saw both men and boys playing and arguing good-naturedly over scores and laughed. Until a scream came from behind them, from the playpen where Rosie and Little Vern were.

Little Vern had confiscated Rosie’s favorite toy, a doll called Bitty, and Rosie, who was not accustomed to sharing her toys, since she was the youngest and the only girl in a house full of brothers, decided to make her displeasure known by clonking Vern over the head with her rattle. “That MINE!” she howled at the top of her lungs.

Little Vern began to wail—at the top of his lungs.

The resulting screams brought both sisters into the den just in time to see Rosie draw her little hand back for another wallop, her little face screwed up in fury. “My Bitty! MINE! You no have!”

“Rosalind Eileen Snape! You do not hit.” Lily reprimanded, going to grab her feisty daughter and remove the rattle from her hand and pick her up. “That was very naughty.” She carried the little imp over to a small stool that faced the corner, which her older two called the Naughty Stool or the Time Out Corner, and sat her down facing the wall. “One minute, little Miss Temper, for hitting poor Vern and making him cry.”

Petunia was inspecting her son, who wasn’t really hurt, only shocked that his cousin had walloped him in the head, and he soon stopped crying after his mum cuddled him a bit. “There now, Baby. You’re not hurt, only a little shook up.” She gently removed Bitty from her son’s fingers, knowing that was what started this, and gave him a soft toy train that lit up instead.

Petunia turned to see Lily holding a bawling Rosie on the stool and chuckled. “Oh, but she reminds me of you at that age, Lil, and you sounded just like Mum there for a minute. She used to call you that too when you were small.”

Lily sighed. “I wish I had a tenth of her patience. Be still!”

Rosie sobbed and hiccoughed, but at last the minute of eternity was over and Lily allowed her to get up and hugged her. “Hush, child. I forgive you, now behave.”

Petunia smiled reminiscently. “Some days, so do I. But you’re doing a good job, Lil. And remember, Mum didn’t work outside the home like you do. It’s a lot harder nowadays.”

Lily patted Rosie on the back and rocked her. “Someone needs a nap, I think. And you’re right, Tuney. It’s harder, but I could never do what Mum did and just stay home. I tried, back when I was with James and I just couldn’t do it. I need to work, to brew potions, to use my mind for something besides singing lullabies and all. I love my children, but I also love being an apothecary.”

“I know. And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Petunia reassured her. She had always admired her sister’s perseverance and intelligence and thought it a crime that James had tried to stifle it by forcing Lily to play the doting society wife. Thank goodness Severus was cut from different cloth and appreciated Lily for all that she was.

When the boys and their fathers had come inside, they were still arguing a little over the merits of both sports, but that was all right. After washing up, they all sat down to a wonderful dinner and Lily brought out some ice cream, with a candle on Harry’s, and they all sang “Happy Birthday”.

Harry eagerly ate his sweet, thinking that this year had been the very best birthday anyone—wizard or Muggle—had ever had.