Through the Veil a man stumbled. He fell on the floor, banging both of his knees and palms.

“No!” The man wailed, and crawled over to the Veil and clawed at it, trying to go back through it.

But, the Veil had cemented itself. It was hard, and no longer moved as it had mere seconds before.

“No! Noooo!” the man continued to wail.

“You will get nowhere screeching as you are, Old Man. You have been brought back for one reason and one reason only: you have debts to pay. You no longer have the magic you once did. It is little more than a day sorted first year has. You no longer have the respect of those who once respected you. And you have little time to beg for forgiveness to those who you owe it.”

The man turned to look at the voice.

Several paces away, a mere shimmer of a woman stood. Her red hair and brilliant green eyes stood out more than anything else.

Even in death, Lily Elisabeth Evans Potter was beautiful.

“Lily…I had choices to make...all for the greater good…”

“Damn you, Old Man! The choices you made were for no one but yourself! You will beg forgiveness; forgiveness you will probably not get, but forgiveness nonetheless. In less than a minute, Aurors will come through that door. They will take you to the new Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley. He is whom you will beg first, and he is whom will bring my Harry in.”

“Lily…” the man began to beg.

“No! I must go now. But, Dumbledore, Harry is not the one you must worry about. Even Draco Malfoy, husband to one Pansy Parkinson…oh yes, the truth quickly came out about that poor girl…is not one you should worry about. However, you may want to watch what you say to my daughter-in-law. You hurt two of her children, her friends, her husband. She shan’t be nearly as lenient nor forgiving as Harry…she is but a Snake in Lion’s clothing after all. Not that you did no already know this.”

Lily Potter then instantly shimmered away, leaving a half broken man in her wake.

But, Lily thought to herself, if a man ever needed to be broken, it was most definitely Albus Dumbledore.

~sdrawkcab~

Later that night, all of the boys were at home and in the midst of various play. Severus, Teddy, and Alby were in Severus’ room playing one game or another…mainly with Teddy, as the older brother, trying to explain the rules to Severus and Alby, and the two younger boys simply moving the various pieces around. Ginny and Harry were thankful that Teddy held the same disposition that his biological parents had had, and was both patient and calm with his younger brothers.

Sirius, who was much quieter than normal given the circumstances earlier, was in Jamie’s room and the two of them were playing with quidditch figurines.

Harry and Ginny were cooking dinner, listening vaguely to the monitoring spells that they had over the boys so that they could hear them.

“How about ice cream for dessert? We have a gallon of Fortesque’s in the freezer, and the boys have had a rough day. A treat may do them good.” Harry said.

Ginny nodded as she stirred the spaghetti she was making around with a plastic spoon. The blissful silence was welcomed after such a tiring night and day. To hear the children’s quiet chatter was making the evening that much more enjoyable.

“Do you think that Sirius will have a nightmare tonight?” Harry asked. Ginny stopped stirring and looked at Harry.

“I don’t know, Love. He is not prone to nightmares. Even after Azkaban he told Mum every time that she asked that he never had nightmares.”

“I think that it helped. Going to Privet Drive. I think that it will just take time for him to be able to accept it. Everything will work out eventually. Everything has to calm down in our lives eventually.” Harry said.

And at that moment, the Floo chimed, letting them know that there was someone was waiting to talk to them.

“I’ll get that.” Harry said, and rushed into the living room.

~sdrawkcab~

“Boys, dinner is ready, come on.” Ginny called. Within seconds, she could hear the tell-tale noises of feet hitting the floor as her boys ran into the kitchen.

“Walk!” Ginny told them as the lined up to wash their hands.

Harry came in and shot Ginny a look that made her freeze.

“Harry, what is wrong?”

“That was your Dad. He wouldn’t tell me, but requested that I come to his office immediately. Are you okay here?”

Ginny looked at him, a bit concerned because that was not like her Dad, especially this late at night.

“Of course, go. The boys are fine here. After supper I am going to start packing the things the boys have to have when we are at Hogwarts since we are going back soon. Then after the boys have their baths, it will be time for bed, so just take your time, Love. I will see you when you get back.”

Harry came over and kissed Ginny, and whispered, “I love you. I’ll be back soon.”

He then turned and walked out of the room towards the Floo.

Ginny turned back to the boys and watched as they finished washing their hands, as Severus helped Alby step up to the stool that helped the shorter boys reach the sink.

At the table, the other three boys were already sitting at the table waiting for food. They all looked tired, and Ginny had high hopes that it would be an early night for them, as she was also quite tired because of the night before.

“Come on, Sev, Alby.” Ginny said, picking up Alby and placing him in his high chair, something, she realized, was going to have to be fixed soon. Which also meant that the seating arrangement would have to be rearranged; something that may or may not cause issues with the boys.

But, it was not something that she even wanted to think about at that moment.

“Okay boys, let’s eat.” Ginny said as she spelled a helping of spaghetti, green beans, and bread onto each of their plates.

Ginny started eating her food, thinking about what Harry and her Dad were talking about. She listened to the boys talk amongst themselves.

“I don’t want to eat this.” Severus said, poking around his food with his fork.

“Severus, you have to eat.”

“I don’t like this. It’s all touching. And it smells funny.”

“Severus, honey, you have to eat. If you do not eat, then you cannot have dessert.”

“If I don’t have to eat this then I don’t have to have dessert.”

“Regardless, you have to eat, Sev.”

“No.” Severus wailed, and placed his head on the table.

Inwardly, Ginny rolled her eyes.

“Severus, just eat. I heard Daddy ask Mummy about ice cream and that’s what we are having for dessert.” Sirius said lightly.

Severus looked over at the boy and glared.

“Shut up!” Severus hissed.

“Severus, that is enough. What is wrong with you?” Ginny asked.

“Nothing! I don’t want to eat this.”

Ginny looked at him. His sudden change of tone always took her by surprise.

“Severus, do you want to go to bed early?”

“No.” Severus snapped.

The other boys were keeping their heads down and eating their food. Which, surprisingly, was what they always did when one of their brothers were in trouble.

“Severus, you know the rules.” Ginny said, placing another piece of bread on Alby’s plate. The child loved bread, and usually ate his weight in it.

“Screw the rules!”

Jamie looked up, shocked.

“Oh! You said a bad word!” Jamie said.

Severus stared at Jamie and scooting down in his chair and thrusting his foot out, kicking Jamie in the shin.

“Owwww!” Jamie cried, and promptly burst into tears.

“Severus Potter! Ginny said, standing up, grabbing Severus’ arm and hauling him out of his chair, and landing one almighty smack to his backside.

Afterwards, Ginny stood the child up in his chair and forced his chin up to look at her.

“That was very naughty. I am disappointed in your actions, Severus.”

“Don’t talk to me! I am mad at you!” Severus wailed and then, jerking his arm from her grasp, got on the floor and fell to his knees, and then placed his head in his folded arms, his little bum sticking in the air as he cried his heart out.

“Okay, Severus, you can sit down there and cry. Once you are done, you may finish eating, take a bath, and then go to bed.”

“Mummy, I am done, can I go to my room?” Sirius asked.

Ginny nodded.

“Please pick up your room while you are in there. There are toys and clothes everywhere.”

“Okay, Mum.” Sirius said, walking out of the room.

Ginny was wiping Jamie’s tears off his face, and listened to Severus’ crying.

“Sevy, you know you were kinda mean to Jamie, and he didn’t really do anything to you. Sometimes, Sev, even if you aren’t really all that happy, you just gotta be nice. I mean, we are all brothers, and sometimes, brothers just have, you know, look out for one another.” Teddy was whispering to Severus.

Ginny looked over to the two children, and her heart nearly burst from the sight. Teddy was kneeling beside Severus, whispering into his ear. For the first time in a long time, Gnomie didn’t appear the moment that Severus was distraught.

“It’s not fair.” Severus wailed.

“What?”

“I don’t wanna eat. I don’t want Mummy to be dis’pointed in me. I don’t want to take a bath or go to bed.”

“But Sev, we all have to eat and then take a bath and go to bed. And, sometimes, we do things that make Mum and Dad mad, but they still love us. Even if we are bad.”

“You sure?”

“Of course! Now, why don’t you eat dinner before Mum takes you into the study? We both know how that will end!” Teddy said with a small laugh.

Ginny smiled at the two boys as Teddy sat back into his seat and then as Severus slowly stood and climbed back on his seat, sitting on his knees.

Ginny said nothing as she watched the boys finish eating, then realized that Alby had fallen asleep in his chair, spaghetti all over his face and hands.

Twenty minutes later, Ginny had cleaned up Alby and put him to bed. Teddy was in his room, and Severus was in the bath.

Ginny walked into the bathroom to get Severus out of tub. Both were silent as Ginny helped Severus dry off and then watched as the boy dressed, as he sometimes had the habit of putting his pajamas bottoms on backwards, causing them to twist while he slept.

“Mummy?” Severus asked as he pulled his t-shirt over his head.

“Yes, Severus?”

Severus sniffed.

“I’m sorry I was bad.”

“Sev, sometimes you are going to be naughty, sometimes you are going to fight with your brothers, and sometimes you are going to do things that Daddy and I do not like, but Teddy is right, we will always love you.”

Severus started to cry as he wrapped his arms around Ginny’s neck, pressing his tear stained face into her neck.

“One day, Sev, things are not going to be this hard. One day, I think that you are going to be able to look past everything that has happened and live in the future. One day, Sev. But, before that happens, Daddy and I are going to help you along the way.”

Severus just continued to hold onto Ginny.

And he knew at that moment, that it was completely okay.

~sdrawkcab~

Harry James Potter walked through the Floo of Arthur Weasley’s office at approximately 6:03 p.m.

And what he saw made his see flames. Accidental magic, which was the rarest of magic in adults, cracked around Harry’s body.

“What the bloody, effin HELL is he doing here? How is this even possible?” Harry shouted at the sight of Albus Dumbledore.

“Now Harry…” Arthur started.

“No. I want to know what he is doing here. How he is here. And what the hell he wants.” Harry shouted.

Arthur took a deep breath. He was used to dealing with irate sons, after all he had seven, counting Harry, as he and Molly had practically raised the boy during his school years and then after. He was most definitely a full fledged Weasley now.

“Harrison Potter, you are going to have to calm down before I speak to you.” Arthur said sternly.

Harry looked at him, shocked. Sure, Molly had lectured him dozens of times; Arthur never.

“I apologize, but if you could explain…”

“The Veil, Harry. He came out through the Veil today. He tried to go back through, but the Veil cemented itself so that he was unable to do so.”

“Serves him right. He should have to face us! And then he should rot in Azkaban!” Harry hissed.

He didn’t notice Dumbledore flinch at his harshness.

Not that he would have cared had he noticed. The old man deserved whatever he got.

“Harry, I realize that you are upset…”

“Dad! Upset is an understatement! That man screwed up so many lives! He practically ruined two of my sons’ lives with his manipulations! And what about Pansy? What about me? Just wait until Ginny and Aunt Cissy see him! They will not nearly be as calm as I am!”

Arthur stared at the man, knowing that he was distraught. He called him Dad more when he was distraught.

“Harry, boy, I know that you think I made some mistakes…” Dumbledore started.

Harry immediately pulled his wand and pointed it at the man sitting across the room.

“Listen to me, you manipulating old fool, I don’t care what you think that you did for the bloody greater good, but I will tell you here and now, that if you cross me, if you come near my family, which includes my sons, my wife, Pansy…anyone who was connected to any of your damn manipulations, I will hex you. I will make you suffer. Any ounce of self respect that I once held for you…well, let’s just say that they were naïve thoughts of a school age boy. I have five children now and one on the way. I am much wiser than I was in school!” Harry yelled.

Dumbledore looked at him.

“Five children, my boy…”

“Stop! Arthur, I am leaving. If I don’t leave, I will cast a hex of my own invention that will cause him to beg me for mercy. Because,” he turned to Dumbledore, “I am no longer the boy who would only cast the predictable Expelliarmis. The war changed us all. A war that you managed to get out of by have Severus murder you. You are a fool. Arthur, I will talk to you later.”

Harry walked to the Floo, grabbed the Floo powder, and jumped into the fireplace.

He had a lot to tell Ginny.