Harry stretched and smiled drowsily, his eyes still closed. He was comfortable and warm and nestled in someone’s arms. He felt safe and happy, as if it were the first day of summer holidays. He snuggled deeper and sniffed a few times, enjoying the sweet, citrusy smell that was all around him, then his eyes flew open in surprise. “Mummy?”

To his astonishment, it was indeed Lily who was holding him. Her face was just like in the pictures he had, though she was simultaneously laughing and crying at his astonished face. Over her shoulder, a grinning James watched him. “Hey, Pronglet! We were wondering when you’d wake up.”

“Mum! Dad!” Harry threw himself at them, and for the first time in his memory, he knew what it was like to be engulfed in his parents’ arms.

For a long time, the three could do little more than hug and cry and babble endearments at each other. “Mum, you smell just like your jumper!” Harry blurted, them blushed at the comment’s silliness.

His mum just laughed – a beautiful noise, like the sound of springtime – and said, “You need to be sure to thank Molly for me. I had no idea she was keeping that for you.”

There were lots more hugs and cuddles and declarations of love, but slowly Harry became aware of the sound of someone sobbing heartbrokenly in the distance. As happy as he was, Harry couldn’t help but be distracted. He looked around, but saw nothing but a sunny meadow, stretching in all directions as far as the eye could see. He and his parents were sitting on a picnic blanket under a cloudless sky. “Mum? Dad? Who’s that crying?”

Lily and James exchanged a look. “That’s Severus, love. He’s mourning for you,” Lily explained gently.

Despite his happiness at being reunited with his parents, Harry felt a pang of distress. His poor da! “Isn’t there something we can do for him?”

“Well, yes, Harry, there is,” James said slowly, one arm around his son’s shoulders. “You can go back to him if you want.”

Harry blinked, confused. “I can? But I thought I was AK’d.” His parents nodded soberly. “But I can still go back?”

Lily and James nodded again, and Harry felt a surge of overwhelming hurt. If he could go back, why hadn’t his parents returned to him?

As if they could read his mind, his mum and dad quickly hugged him. “Oh, love, we didn’t have a choice,” Lily explained swiftly. “If your dad and I could have come back, we would never have left you.”

“Harry, I promise. If there had been a way for us to return to you, even as ghosts, we would have been there so fast, your little head would have spun,” James smiled, tweaking the nose that was a copy of his own and drawing a grin out of Harry. “But you’re in a special situation, my lad.”

“How come?” Harry asked, puzzled.

“Well, son, when old Moldy Voldy – “ Harry burst into snickers at his dad’s term for Voldesnort “ – cursed you the first time, he did something he didn’t intend. See, he had tried to make himself immortal by breaking off pieces of his soul and putting them into objects for safekeeping. That way, even if he was AK’d, parts of his soul would survive and he wouldn’t die.”

Harry wrinkled his nose. “That’s creepy.”

James snorted in agreement. “I’ll say!”

“And each time he split his soul, he lost more and more of his humanity and his sanity,” Lily put in.

“That explains a lot,” Harry said feelingly. “He’s really barmy now!”

“Never was a truer word spoken,” James grinned. “By the time he tried to kill you back when you were just a baby, his soul was in so many pieces that it could practically be broken by a strong breeze. And that night, without even meaning to, he sent a piece of his soul into you.” He tapped Harry on the forehead.

“You mean my scar?” Harry asked, eyes wide. “It was a piece of Volauvent?”

“Yes,” Lily said, hugging him again as if she never wanted to let go. Harry didn’t really mind the hug. He was twelve, but he figured his mum had a lot of hugging to catch up on. “That’s why you could speak to snakes and why that smelly turban wearing old fraud made your scar hurt. Because there was a piece of him in you.”

“Ugh!” Suddenly Harry wanted to take a hot bath. He rubbed at his forehead. “That’s just nasty!”

“Yes, but it does have its advantages,” James told him. “When The Red Eyed Menace AK’d you tonight, your horcrux absorbed most of the power of the curse, and it was destroyed. Enough of your mum’s blood magic remained in your body – the same magic that burnt Quirrel when he tried to harm you – that the remaining power of the AK wasn’t quite enough to kill you. Nearly so, but since old MoldyShorts isn't yet fully reincarnated, his power isn't quite what it used to be. Between the blood magic and his reduced power, if you want it badly enough, you can return to the world. If you don’t, then you will die, just as we did,” he ended softly, carding his hand through his son’s hair.

Harry bit his lip, unsure what to do. He was deliriously happy to be with his parents – at last – but he also missed his da, and he felt bad about leaving behind the man who was so obviously devastated, if the heart-rending sobs were any indication. “I – I don’t know,” he said at last. “I want to stay with you, but I don’t want to leave my da – I mean Professor Snape – either.”

James smiled at him and gently pushed Harry’s glasses up his nose. “You can call him your da, Harry. I don’t mind. I’m glad he was there for you when I couldn’t be.”

His mum smiled and nodded. “Harry, it will never make us unhappy if you find other people who love you like we do. We’ll only be unhappy if you don’t have people who care about you.”

“What should I do?” Harry asked helplessly.

Lily folded him into her arms and pressed a kiss onto his head. She wasn’t as – erm – squishy as Auntie Molly, but she still felt awfully good. “Sweetheart, it’s your decision. We will always, always love you and be with you, no matter what.”

Harry perked up. “Really?”

James grinned. “Yup. Just like we were there to see you grab the snitch at your first Quidditch game – even without a broom!” He nudged Lily. “I told you he was a natural!”

She rolled her eyes. “James, you said that when all he did was use your broom as a teething ring.” She looked back at Harry. “But we have always been there with you, Harry. We saw you when you were so unhappy with that bi- erm, horrible sister of mine and her whale of a husband and pig of a son…”

James made oinking noises, much to Harry’s glee. “Did you see what Hagrid did to him?”

“I only wish he had turned Vernon into Shamu and left him to suffocate on the floor of that horrible hut!” Lily snapped.

Harry blinked and scooted a little closer to his dad. His mum was fierce when she got mad – just like Auntie Molly! James tugged Harry onto his lap and draped a comforting arm over him. “We saw you making friends with all the other kids – Ron and Hermione and Draco… Did you know that Neville used to come over for play dates when you were both babies?”

“Yeah?” Harry asked in surprise. “I didn’t know that!”

“Oh, yes, you used to love to take your baths together,” Lily said fondly, oblivious to Harry’s choking noises of mortification. Okay, do NOT mention that to Neville!

“Erm, when you say you watch over me, you don’t mean you watch me all the time, do you?” Harry asked, abruptly realizing that some of his activities were definitely not something which he wanted to share with an audience, let alone his parents!

James sniggered until Lily shot him a Look. “No, no, Harry. We don’t peek at private times – we just watch over you when you’re out and about.”

“Oh. Okay. It doesn't really matter; I was just wondering,” Harry's tone was elaborately casual to conceal his overwhelming relief.

“Yeah, Pronglet. We know that a guy needs his privacy,” his dad reassured him with a wink. “But we do like watching when you’re setting up a prank – like the one on the ‘Puffs? That was definitely Marauder material!”

“Or when you do something nice, like help Neville with his Charms assignment,” Lily put in. “Or when you and Sev are having breakfast together.”

“And we saw how –“ Abruptly James frowned, and with a quick tug he had Harry sprawled face down across his lap.

“Hey!” Harry yipped as his nose ended up smooshed into the fuzzy blanket. “What’s - OW!” He let out a loud yelp as the first of several hard slaps landed on his bum. “Ow, Dad! Stop! Ouch!”

He squirmed and protested, but James held him in place until he had delivered a dozen sound swats. Once he was released, Harry scrambled to his knees, both hands flying to his insulted posterior. “That hurt, Dad!” he complained indignantly.

“It was intended to,” James retorted sternly. “Didn’t Snape tell you to go to your tower? And didn’t you disobey him so you could stick around just to eavesdrop? And then didn’t you rush into the room and get captured rather than going for help when you heard he was in trouble?”

“Oh. Well, yes,” Harry admitted sheepishly

“You know better than that, Harry James,” his father scolded. “You’re old enough to listen to your da and do what you’re told. What has Snape told you about putting yourself in danger? You earned yourself a good smacking with that behavior.”

Harry hung his head and pouted. It wasn’t fair. He was dead – well, nearly – and he was still getting walloped. It didn’t seem right to have to go into the afterlife with a sore bum. Wasn’t getting AK’d punishment enough?

Besides, smackings were for little kids. He was twelve, for Merlin’s sake. Even his da hadn’t whacked him for ages, not since he’d nearly followed Voldemold’s snake into the Chamber, and that had been way back last year when he was only an ickle firstie! His dad should know better than to use such a babyish punishment on him… especially one that stung so much. Harry rubbed his smarting backside and felt very sorry for himself.

James rolled his eyes and pulled his pouting son into a hug. He’d known he was going to be pants at discipline. “I suppose it’s my fault anyway,” he sighed. “The reckless genes are pure Potter.”

“Really?” Harry asked, peeking up through his fringe. He’d resisted the hug at first, but he couldn’t yet manage to stay mad at either parent, not even just after getting spanked.

James nodded, eyes twinkling a bit like Dumbledore’s. “Yes, though even I never called Voldemort ‘a sick fuck’, let alone a '*****'.”

“Da said it was okay to use that kind of language to Voldesnort,” Harry said quickly. “Just not anywhere else.”

He was relieved to see both parents seemed more amused than horrified by his choice of words. “I told you that teaching him the phrase ‘sod off’ when he was so little would have long term effects,” Lily told James, giving him a poke in the side.

“Did you really?” Harry asked his dad, delighted.

James laughed. “Sure did! Well, it was your mum’s fault really,” he teased. “It was her idea to have Petunia and the piglet visit. I just made sure you were prepared.”

Harry laughed so hard he nearly choked.

“So you see, Harry, those Potter genes will get you in trouble every time.”

“Did you get in trouble a lot when you were a kid, Dad?” Harry asked eagerly.

“Oh, yeah. Padfoot hasn’t told you half the stories yet. We used to get into some real scrapes, and my dad wasn’t nearly so soft on us as Snape is on you,” James said, giving Harry a poke in the tummy. “Sirius and I got slippered so often one summer, I practically forgot how to sit down.”

Harry grinned. He didn’t mind the whacking so much any more. It was practically a tradition for Potter men.

Then gentle fingers were under his chin and his face was being pulled around towards his mother. “I hope you’ve learned your lesson, Harry,” Lily said firmly, “and if you do go back, you won’t be so silly.”

“No, Mum,” Harry agreed softly. He would have promised anything just to see her smile at him.

“Good,” she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Harry squirmed into a slightly more comfortable position, off the spots where James’ hand had fallen hardest. “If I do go back, Da will probably wallop me too. He hates it when I do something stupid or dangerous or disobedient, and this was all three,” he sighed, sounding as pathetic as he could.

As he’d hoped, he was instantly engulfed in two sets of arms. He did his best to keep the happy smirk off his face as both parents clucked and fussed over him.

“I think you’re worrying over nothing,” Lily smiled at him. “You know Sev is a big softy, and he’ll be too busy hugging you to punish you.”

James nodded. “Why do you think I whacked you?” he asked. “Now Snape won’t have to feel obligated. You’ve had your punishment, right?”

Harry brightened at that thought. His da would never punish him twice for the same thing, and knowing that James had smacked him – a lot harder and longer than he would have, too! – would surely be enough.

“Are you sure you won’t be upset if I go back?” Harry asked, his voice quavering a little. “I really don’t want to leave you, you know.”

“Oh, love, you’ll never leave us, and we’ll never leave you,” Lily promised, brushing away a tear.

“It’s true,” James promised, winking at Harry. “You’re stuck with us, Pronglet. We will always be with you and we’ll always love you. And one day – many many years from now, we’ll be together again.”

Harry sniffled. “Promise?”

“Promise. And by then, you’ll be too big to spank, no matter what you do,” James grinned.

Harry grinned back. “I won’t be too big for us to go flying though, right?”

James hooted. “You’re never too big to go flying! Haven’t you figured that out?” He ruffled Harry’s hair. “You’re my kid, all right.”

Lily punched him in the shoulder. “Were you ever in any doubt?” she demanded icily.

James swallowed hard. “Ah, er…”

“Well, I would kinda like to go back and figure out what my animagus form is,” Harry said quickly, diverting his mum’s attention. “And to graduate an' all.”

“Oh, Harry, that’s perfectly understandable,” Lily reassured him. Behind her back, James mimed wiping his forehead and mouthed a “thank you!” to his son.

Harry grinned.

“You know,” Lily said wistfully, “I’d like to be a grandmother…”

Harry lost his grin and looked appalled.

“Not for a while yet,” James reassured him, patting him on the back.

“No, no, there’s no rush,” Lily agreed. “But someday,” she said pointedly.

“Yes’m,” Harry gulped.

“If you do go back, you’ll have to say hi to Padfoot and Moony for me,” James told him.

“And you’re to remember to thank Molly for me for the jumper,” Lily added. “And tell Sev that he was my first and best friend, and that I’ll always love him,” she finished with a sweet, sad expression.

Harry squirmed. That was an awfully mushy message.

“And you can also tell him from me that he’s been the best dad you could have,” James put in.

Harry beamed. He knew his da would like hearing that.

“And tell him I said he should be more strict with you,” James added, mostly to see Harry pout again.

“Daaaaaaaaaad!” Harry complained, only to hear James burst into laughter.

“You’re too easy, son,” James grinned, tackling Harry into another hug.

“Well,” Harry finally forced himself to say the words, “I guess I’ll go back then.” He loved being with his parents – they were everything he had hoped for. His mum was soft and gentle and loving, while his dad was fun and teased him, but he now knew that they’d be with him no matter where he went. And he also knew that he’d see them again eventually.

He already missed his da and his friends, and he wanted to learn more spells and see if he and Ron and Draco could really convince the ‘Puffs to declare war on the Ravens and he really wanted to have more of those sundaes like Snape promised… It just seemed wrong to die with unused Fortescue’s gift certificates.

“But, erm, I don’t have to go right this second, do I?” he asked a bit timidly.

His mum smiled at him. “I think there’s time for one last cuddle, don’t you?”

Harry grinned and nodded.

At last, he sighed and worked himself free. His mum brushed the fringe off his forehead and gave him a last kiss – and one more task. “Now, Harry, I want you to find a nice girl for Sev. You’re growing up and before long, you’ll be out on your own. I want to make sure Sev has someone even after you’re grown up.”

Harry’s jaw dropped. Suddenly killing Volauvent didn’t seem so hard by comparison. “How am I s’posed to do that?” he demanded, horrified.

James just sighed. “Don’t argue with a woman, son. You’ll never win.”

“But – but – “ Harry sputtered.

“You don’t have to do it right away, but start thinking on it and get Minerva and Molly to help. That Brunhilde is very nice, but just in case, you should have some other candidates as well. You know, it might be better to find someone from outside Britain,” Lily mused, “to get away from the whole War thing. Maybe someone from Canada? Or New Zealand? Sev always wanted to go there to study the local potion ingredients and learn about Māori defensive magic. Yes, try there first. See if you can coax him into taking you to New Zealand for the holidays.”

Harry nodded helplessly. “Yes, Mum.”

James grinned approvingly and Lily gave him a big hug.

Then Lily kissed her son one last time. James ruffled the same unruly hair that graced his own head, and without any more fanfare, Harry found himself back in his body.

He groaned and blinked. His head really hurt, and he wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. Everything in his mind seemed somehow muddled.

But then he heard Volauvent’s hissing voice taunting his da, and Lucius Malfoy’s strangled cries as some of the Death Eaters cursed him, and a cold, burning rage abruptly swept over Harry.