A Twist In Time - A Harry Potter Next Gen Fanfiction

Eight.

"Sounds like something Fred and George would do." Ron said.

"Also sounds like Harry here is going to have his hands full." Hermione said, trying not to smile.

Harry paled slightly. It sounded like he was going to spend a lot of time stressed!

"What about our kids?" Hermione asked suddenly, gesturing between herself and Ron.

This time Ron paled and cast a nervous glance at Hermione.

"Rose and Hugo are great. Rose is just a mini you, Hermione. She's smart, always got a book in her hands. Very mature for her age." Teddy grinned fondly. "And Hugo is a lot like Ron, loves his food and a bit clumsy."

Harry snorted as Ron went bright red. Apparently neither of them had quite wrapped their heads around the fact they were to become fathers. Hermione on the other hand seemed quite excited and had already taken on a motherly role to Rose and Hugo. The only thing that eased Harry's guilt was knowing that Ginny was struggling too.

"They're all good kids. They've all got great parents." Teddy smiled.

"Your parents are great too, Teddy." Hermione said softly.

Teddy nodded his head and swallowed a lump in his throat. He knew they were great, everything Harry had ever told him about his parents told him so.

Victoire entered the room, followed by Albus, Rose, Hugo and Lily.

"He's not happy, but he'll get over it." Victoire said, sitting beside Teddy.

"Is he always like that?" Ron asked.

"More or less." Teddy nodded. "James is kind of a free spirit. He doesn't do well being cooped up. He also doesn't follow rules very well."

"Oh." Ron nodded. "Sounds like fun."

"I love the kid, but I don't envy Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, having to deal with him all the time." Teddy chuckled.

Just when Harry thought his head might explode, Ginny entered the room.

"You guys realise that James is up there smashing up the attic, right?" Ginny said, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.

Teddy rolled his eyes and heaved himself to his feet. "Doesn't surprise me. I'll sort him out."

Ginny sat down beside Vicky, in the seat Teddy had just left. She avoided eye contact with Harry and offered a small, awkward smile to Albus and Lily.

"Sounds like you guys are in for quite a ride with James." Hermione whispered.

"Can't be much worse than Fred and George." Ginny shrugged. A knot formed in her stomach at the mention of Fred. Knowing that her brother wouldn't be joining them in their future still made her angry.

"I don't think even Fred and George have done anything to require eight muggles being obliviated from one incident." Ron said carefully.

"Eight?!" Ginny exclaimed. "What the hell did he do?"

Ron, with the help of Albus, repeated Teddy's story of James' incident to Ginny. By the end of the story, Ginny didn't know whether to laugh or be scared.

"He's annoying but he's a good big brother. He's very protective over Lily." Albus said.

"I noticed a lot of you are." Hermione said thoughtfully.

"She's Dad's pride and joy. I mean, he loves us all equally, but his bond with Lily is like none other. She's the youngest out of the whole family. There was also an issue when she was born but I've never been told." Albus shrugged. 

"Lily was born early." Vicky said softly.

"What happened?" Ginny asked cautiously. 

"I'm afraid I don't know the full story, but Teddy does." Vicky said. "I do know that it was a really scary time for everyone. Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry especially." 

Harry and Ginny suddenly found themselves very curious about Lily's birth story. Ginny shocked them all by gripping Lily's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

****

Later that afternoon, Ginny entered the kitchen to get a drink, only to find Harry already in there. Looking around the room she realised they were alone. Harry saw her enter and looked sheepish.

"Hi." Harry mumbled.

"Hey. You alright?" Ginny asked awkwardly.

"I think so." Harry nodded lamely.

Ginny opened her mouth to speak again but hesitated. She closed her mouth again and looked down at the floor.

"Everything okay?" Harry asked, sensing her discomfort.

Ginny looked at him for a moment, considering whether or not to ask what she wanted to know. She didnt want to sound like a complete looney. Finally, she decided she needed to know.

"Can I ask you something?" Ginny said, looking straight at him.

"Of course." Harry nodded.

"When Vicky was talking about Lily, you know, about her being born early and having troubles. Did you.. Feel something?" Ginny asked cautiously.

Harry looked as though he was debating whether to tell her the truth, but eventually he nodded his head.

"Yeah. I wasn't quite sure what though." Harry said softly. "Did you?"

Ginny nodded her head. "I don't know how to explain it. I felt like I needed to.. I don't know."

"Protect her?" Harry suggested suddenly.

"Something like that." Ginny nodded again. "Like something pulled at my insides."

"I know what you mean." Harry said.

"So I wasn't imagining things then?" Ginny let out a breath of laughter. "I was starting to think I was going crazy."

"No, I felt it too." Harry nodded. "I keep thinking about what they said about Lily being my pride and joy, well she will be, you know what I mean."

Ginny nodded her head. "Yeah. I have to admit, as weird as I find this whole thing, it is nice to hear them say so many nice things about us."

"Yeah." Harry smiled softly. "The more time I spend with them, the more I think I understand what they're talking about, especially with Lily. She just seems to innocent."

"She does." Ginny agreed. "And she's taken a real liking to you."

Harry let out another small laugh and nodded his head. "It's still really weird though. Having this little kid so attached to me when I don't really know anything about her. I feel bad for them all, really."

Ginny nodded her head in agreement. She felt relief that she wasn't the only one feeling this way. So confused and conflicted. She also felt concerned that she'd felt something so strongly about a girl she hardly knew. Before she could confess this however, there was a loud bang from the hallway.

"What the hell?" Ginny mumbled.

They rushed into the hallway and froze at the sight before them. Ginny grabbed Harry's arm as a taller, much older version of him rose to his feet.

"That's you!" Ginny gasped.

Sure enough, Harry stared into the eyes of his future self. Now this was weird!