Unofficial Portkey Archive

A/N: Hey y'all! Thanks soo much for the reviews! I truly appreciate it. I realize the story doesn't make any sense so far, which is completely understandable, right? It's only the beginning! Frankly, I would be disappointed if y'all understood everything just by reading the first chapter. And the Potters seem so wonderful, don't they? Too bad it's gonna.. hmm.. can't say anything more. And you'll find out who the "she" in the prologue is, of course. All in due time.. heh heh.

Don't forget to review. Please. It really helps, don't ever doubt that. Enjoy and rock on!

Chapter Two - No Place Like Home

Later on in the evening of her first full day back at home, Emerson Potter sat outside on the wide swing of Ballynore's back porch, looking out on the rolling green hills of their backyard. All her favorite plants were still in bloom, even though it was almost autumn and Em - secretly, of course - believed that it was because they knew she was back and were letting her know how happy that made them.

From where she sat, the small mixed orchard wasn't visible but she could smell the wild rosebush that she and Dad had discovered when she wasn't quite a year old. She hadn't told anyone but that rosebush was her favorite of them all, simply because she and Dad had found it first.

She breathe in deeply and closed her eyes, turning her face to the slight wind and rush of happiness filled her heart. She was so happy to be home! Certainly, she had enjoyed her time in Dallas, especially since Lyna had gone with her, and it had been great being with Enigi and Herb. But they felt somewhat separate from her, from who she was, even though she'd known them her whole life and what they were to her. She knew they were blood relatives, her birth mother's parents, but perhaps because she only saw them twice a year, if that...

She reached up to release her long, ebony hair from its ponytail and it tumbled and danced about her shoulders in the wind. Her thoughts turned back to the people in the house at her back and she couldn't help the smile that bloomed on her face. Being here with Mum and Dad and her brothers and sister; was there anywhere else she would rather be than with them?

'Well, be honest,' she thought. 'There are a few places - key word here is 'few'.'

But being with her dad - it'd been a shock to her when she'd realized how famous her dad was, that he was the 'Legendary Harry Potter'. The first time she'd gotten an inkling of his fame was when she was three years old. They'd been out at a restaurant in Muggle London. Mum was huge with Ben and that had actually turned out to be the last time it was just the three of them out to eat.

After dinner, Harry stood up and helped Hermione from her chair. Mum needed a lot of help getting up from a sitting position these days. Em had heard her say to Daddy that it felt like an elephant was camping out on top of her pelvis. She'd asked what a pelvis was but Mummy and Daddy had only said it was a type of bone, while they made the funny faces that she knew meant they were trying not to laugh.

"Oh, you are so cute!" the girl gushed. She turned back to Harry. "Could you say hi to my friend Katy real quick?"

"Did you hear that?! That was Harry Potter! Harry bloomin' Potter! I know, I know, I couldn't believe-"

Em nodded.

And that night they'd told her an abbreviated version of the story that was in all her Hogwarts History books. A story that seemed too fantastic to be true, much less to be about her own parents! And Uncle Ron. And a mysterious Professor Dumbledore, after whom Ben had been named.

Not to mention an evil wizard named Voldemort, whose name some people still whispered with furtive looks as if they expected him to be summoned up like a genie if they said it too loud.

Harry Potter might be the savior of the Wizarding world to everyone else but to Emerson, he was just her dad. He was just the man who'd raised her with Mum's help, beginning back when Mum was still Hermione Granger. He was the man who'd taught her how to fly, who'd wiped her tears when she fell. She worshiped the ground he walked on; though she hadn't told him that, of course.

Emerson's thoughts drifted to the woman she called "Mum". As far as she was concerned, Hermione Potter was her mother. She certainly couldn't remember the woman who had given her life, though she knew most everything there was to know about her. Herb and Enigi and, increasingly, Julia's old best friend Merry Reynolds made sure to share every scrap of memory they possessed about the woman they all said she physically resembled so closely, it was scary.

And she was happy to possess that knowledge. It gave her insight into who she was, who she was developing into as her own person.

But Hermione Granger Potter was her Mum. They had a great relationship. Emerson knew she could tell her mum anything and Mum would be right there, treating her as an intellectual and not being condescending or talking down to her. Her mum was brilliant and the love between her and Dad was so apparent that even though Em groaned and "Eww"ed when she saw them kiss, somewhere in her heart she prayed for a love like theirs when she was older. She loved hearing about how they'd discovered their feelings for each other; she and Mum always got really giggly and she delighted in the fact that she'd had a bit of a hand in bringing them together.

And her siblings - they got on her nerves sometimes, for sure, but she wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

Ben was the one she could have long, smart/silly conversations with. Even though he was not quite nine years old, he'd read so many books that he knew a little about a lot of things, Wizarding and Muggle alike. Sometimes last term, she would be at Hogwarts doing homework and the thought would suddenly pop up "I wonder what Ben would think of this?", "I wonder what Ben would say about that?"

And don't let his bookish appearance fool you because Ben, when he put his books down long enough, was dazzling on a broomstick! Already, Dad was predicting he could get Seeker at Hogwarts if he wanted and Em quite agreed. Ben would start Hogwarts when she'd be in fourth year and frankly, it'd be cool to play on the same team with her brother. But that was something she wouldn't tell him, of course.

Now, Luke-

Emerson grinned as she thought of Budget, her Tasmanian Devil of a little brother. If you had some energy that needed to be used up in boisterous play, Budget was your man. Grandpa Granger had nicknamed him "The Fuss Budget" when he'd been a small and, well, fussy baby and the name had stuck. Over time, it'd been shortened to just "Budget" and Luke only answered to it when it was uttered by family or people he knew and liked. He was the one everybody said was most like her and not just because they'd both inherited Harry's eyes.

And the kid was hilarious! He asked the weirdest questions but showed remarkable logic for his age. Tomorrow would be his fifth birthday, though, so lately that was all he talked about.

Then there was Davina. She was so cute. Emerson never knew how much she'd wanted a little sister until Mum had taken her aside and asked her how she would feel about having one. For some reason, Mum had thought she would be upset. Em had liked being the only girl but once the idea entered her mind, it had become more and more appealing as the months of Mum's pregnancy had gone by.

And now Davina was her little shadow, the two Potter girls, and she was the one Em missed the most when away at Hogwarts. Perhaps because she'd been present during the entire babyhoods of Ben and Luke but she felt really sad about being away from Vina. Mum and Dad sent her urgent owls when a 'baby milestone', as they called it, occurred. But a part of her resented that she couldn't witness the first few times for herself. By the time she got to see it, Vina had usually been doing whatever it was for a while and that "wobbly baby aww" factor was gone.

Soon she would be returning to Hogwarts for her second year. There was still a week to be had at home with those she loved most in all the world, though, and she intended to treasure it.

The sliding door behind her slid open and Em turned around. It was Luke and, as usual, he ran rather than walked over and clambered onto the swing beside her.

"Hi!" he said enthusiastically.

Emerson mimicked him. "Hi!"

He laughed and snuggled up to her and Em hugged him. Luke's sheer presence, it seemed, caused the swing to move slowly back and forth and for a few seconds they swung quietly. Then he jerked back suddenly and peered into her face.

Expecting one of his bizarre inquiries, she was surprised when he said, "I'm really glad you're home, Em. I missed you."

Touched, she hugged him again. "I missed you too, Budget. And I'm glad to be home."

"Cause tomorrow is my birthday and I want you to help me open my presents," Luke continued matter-of-factly.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Uh-uh."

Emerson pretended to frown in thought. "Ok. But I'll have to keep half of your presents."

Luke's green eyes widened in horror but just as Em was about to inform him that she was just joking, he grinned. "That's ok. I'll give you some of them."

She giggled. "I was kidding, Budget. Your presents are all yours. But it's really nice of you to want to share."

"Mummy and Daddy say we should share," Luke stated wisely, looking up at his sister, who nodded.

"Yeah, we should."

"Do you know how old I'll be?" he asked suddenly, abruptly changing the subject.

Em grinned. Time to have some more fun with him. "Of course! You'll be twenty."

Luke burst out laughing. "No, you silly rabbit! I'll be five," he chortled, holding up the correct number of fingers.

"Oh, you're right. You're right."

"How old are you, Emerson?" he asked, the mirth still dancing in his eyes.

"I'm twelve," she replied. "How many fingers is that?"

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten-" Luke counted, then his face fell and he looked up. "Emerson, I don't have enough fingers," he whispered as if ashamed of the fact.

Em fought to keep a straight face. "Everybody only has ten fingers, Budget. See?" She held up her hands. "The secret is you can count them over and over again. Like this-"

And as she showed her brother how to get past the "shortfall" of only having ten fingers; as she watched his eyes light up when he figured it out; as she showed him how to calculate how many years he would need to wait before he could go to Hogwarts too (six); and as she laughed when he bemoaned the length of the wait, Emerson Potter was at peace.

She was back where she belonged, with her family, and at this moment in time, there was nowhere else she would rather be.

*******

"So, Moppet, how was your month in Dallas, really?" Harry asked Emerson that evening after dinner. They had just finished washing up and everybody except Hermione and Davina were scattered out on the back porch, enjoying the last late rays of the setting sun. Hermione was upstairs putting Vina, who still wasn't feeling all that great, to bed.

Em turned to look at her father. "It was good. Really. I'd never been there that long before, you know, but after a while I didn't notice. Other than missing you lot, it was all good. Especially since Lyna was there too."

Harry smiled. Emerson and Remus and Tonks' youngest daughter, Carolyna, had been inseparable since they were five years old. This had been Carolyna's first trip outside Britain and he knew the girls would enjoy themselves, if only because they were together.

"How're Herb and Enigi?"

"They're ok," she replied. "Getting older, but they're still pretty strong. Herb is so funny and Enigi..." her voice trailed off. "She seems kinda sad. Sometimes I'd catch her staring at me and I'd always want to hug her."

Harry gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. She was so empathic, one of the things he loved most about her. She genuinely cared about people. Like Hermione. In fact, Em was so much like Hermione that sometimes he completely forgot the circumstances surrounding her birth.

Another effect of time, he guessed.

"Anyway," Em was saying. "I'm excited about going back to Hogwarts!"

He grinned. "Can't wait to leave us again, heh?"

Em scoffed. "No, Dad. But I'm trying out for Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team this year, remember?"

"That's right. How do you feel about your chances?"

"I'm pretty confident," she answered, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I've been looking forward to this my whole life!"

"I know," Harry said, smiling at his daughter. "I've been there for pretty much the whole ride."

"Yes, you have," she said softly. "I love you, Dad."

"Love you too," he answered, hugging her to him, his heart pounding with happiness and pride. His daughter loved him and he knew his sons, loudly chasing each other on the grass below, loved him too. He knew the little girl upstairs clutching an oddly-named rabbit loved him and he certainly knew the woman tucking her in adored him.

And he loved them too, so much that his heart ached - but in the best way in which a heart can ache.

"I wonder who'll be Captain this year, though," Emerson's musing brought him back to the present.

"Maybe Marc or Marissa?" Harry supplied. Fred and Angelina's twin terrors and Quidditch powerhouses.

Em shook her head. "I doubt it. It'll be either of them or both next year, definitely. But they're only sixth years this year."

"Well, I got Captain my sixth year," Harry pointed out.

Em rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and you got Seeker your first year! Dad, you're the exception, not the rule."

Harry chuckled. "I suppose so. Well, I'm sure whomever it is won't be anything but dazzled by you."

Emerson beamed. "Flatterer."

"No, it's the truth. How could you be anything less?" He stood up. "Let's go inside, though. It's getting rather chilly."

"Yeah, and I need to finish my Transfiguration homework," said Em.

Harry frowned. "I thought you said you'd finished that."

She nodded. "I have. I'm just tweaking it a bit."

'Just like Hermione,' he thought, smiling to himself as he called to his sons to come inside. The boys rushed by him laughing, heads wild and cheeks flushed with the innocence of idyllic youth. It did Harry's heart good to see his children so unburdened. Why, when he was their ages, he'd had to put up with the indifference of the Dursleys and the bullying of Dudley and his gang. Not to mention the knowledge that he was this famous name and face for something he couldn't even remember contributing to.

He watched Ben and Luke flop down onto the lush beige carpeting of Ballynore's expansive living room and felt a rush of joy. When he'd first bought this place, it had seemed so huge and empty with just himself and baby Emerson in it. He'd hoped, sure, that one day Hermione would live there too and help him fill it up but his hopes had seemed to be merely wishful thinking and extremely unlikely to come to pass.

And now.. the walls were covered with winking, smiling, sleeping, rough-housing pictures of his children. They had filled and converged on every square inch of the place, imprinting their own unique insignia wherever they went and frankly, Harry wouldn't have it any other way. They reminded him why he got up in the morning and why he went to bed every night having been reassured that fate could actually be nice sometimes.

The layout of the house made for efficiency as well as aesthetic grace. All the bedrooms were upstairs, five of them in all, as well as Hermione's office. There was the Master bedroom, a guest bedroom and the boys shared a room - they'd both wanted to. Emerson had her own sanctuary and little Davina still owned the nursery. Four bathrooms, numerous closets and other storage space completed the upper storey.

A gleaming marble and mahogany staircase gently curved to the downstairs. This contained the living room, a spacious dining room, an almost professional-grade kitchen with a breakfast nook, a Family/Playroom and Harry's office. There were also two half-bathrooms downstairs. Both Harry and Hermione's offices looked out onto the backyard and porch so they could keep an eye on things and get some work done at the same time. Everything was, of course, sensibly decorated and furnished, lots of colors that were at once elegant and cozy.

Both his and Hermione's offices sported the requisite colored drawings of their children, masterpieces each and every one. There were little mementos of the children's presence everywhere - a single shoe, a stray gobstone, the latest edition of 'Martin Miggs.' His house was a home, filled with love and laughter.

And it was primarily because of the woman coming down the stairs now, twisting her long hair into a bun at the nape of her neck.

"She's finally down," Hermione said, bypassing the wiggling bundle on the floor that was Luke. Ben was already flipping the pages of his book, trying to find his spot and Emerson had spread out her Transfiguration parchments and was scrutinizing them with her quill tip in her mouth.

Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and led her into the kitchen. As soon as they were out of sight of the kids, his lips descended on hers and he was kissing her as if it had been years since he'd done so. She melted against him and kissed him back with equal fervor and skill.

When they broke apart, Hermione's cheeks were flushed. "Wow," she murmured breathlessly. "What's the occasion?"

"I just love you so much," he whispered, blushing a little as he said it.

She smiled and touched his cheek. "I love you too."

They hugged each other and Harry would have been content to stay that way indefinitely. A soft humming reached his ears after a while, however, and he smiled.

"D'you hear that?" Hermione asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. She's really home, isn't she?"

Hermione pulled away and led him back to the living room. They gazed out at their children sprawled on the carpet, all of them listening to Emerson. Em had always loved music and boy, could she sing. Most of the time she didn't even seem to be aware that she was humming, and although the instances were fewer now than when she was younger, she would burst into song every now and then.

Tonight seemed to be one of those times as the humming faded and was replaced by Emerson's sweet soprano:

Down the way where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop

But I'm sad to say, I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down, my head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town

She went back to humming and nodding her head in time to a beat only she could hear and Harry grinned at Hermione. This was classic Emerson.

"What's Jamaica?" asked Luke suddenly.

Emerson looked up and seemed vaguely surprised by the question. "Um, it's a country. It's an island."

Luke frowned. "What's an island?"

"It's land that is completely surrounded by water," supplied Ben from the floor.

Luke's eyes widened. "So everybody has to swim underwater like goldfish and plimpies?"

Harry and Ben snorted. Hermione shot Harry a look, but he could see that she was fighting a smile too. "No, Luke. They don't have to. The land is surrounded by water, not covered. That means the water is all around them."

"Oh," he said, his brow furrowed. Then his eyes widened again. "So they have to take a boat to go to school?"

"Well, no," Emerson said, grinning. "The schools and stores and everything are on the land with them. They don't have to go into a boat unless they're trying to go to another country."

Harry got down on the floor beside his inquisitive son with the rich, chocolate curls and Hermione's mouth and sat him on his lap. "Tell you what, Budget. If your Mum says it's ok, we'll all go to Jamaica on our next vacation. Then you can see for yourself."

"Dad, you're joking!" cried Emerson, her eyes shining. "Mum, can we go? Please, please!"

"Well..." Hermione said, frowning. Of course Harry knew she was just yanking their chains. The Potters typically took one family vacation a year so they'd already discussed it. Hermione had reacted pretty much the same way Emerson had when he'd mentioned Jamaica.

"Mum, please!" Ben joined in, his book forgotten for the moment.

Hermione sighed theatrically. "Well, I suppose it couldn't hur-"

The rest of what she said was drowned out by the cheers of Emerson and Ben. After a few seconds, Luke joined in too, though Harry was sure he didn't really understand why his brother and sister were so excited. Luke just liked making noise and didn't really need an excuse to do so.

Harry and Hermione grinned at each other, the kids' excitement being very infectious. The vacation would likely be a year from now since this summer was drawing to a close, but it would be something for them all to look forward to.

After another half-hour of excited chatter, it was time for one last cup of hot chocolate and the kids were herded upstairs. They all got ready for bed and Harry and Hermione went around reading bedtime stories, giving hugs and kisses and hugs and kisses and "I Love You"s, little sleeping Davina included of course, as per their nightly ritual.

When at last he and Hermione were snuggled together in their own bed, Harry Potter heaved a sigh of contentment. His life was full and blessed and not for the first time, he thought to himself that if this was the reward for all the hardship of his earlier life, he would gladly go through it all again.

Because this was so worth it.

*******

That same night, someone stayed up late into the darkness, however, too hard at work to notice that the things of the day had succumbed to slumber.

She was pleased with her progress so far. She knew what she was going to do, and she thought it might succeed. It really worked in her favor that Harry Potter was so famous, that the media had gone into a foaming-at-the-mouth type of hysteria at the news of his daughter, as well as of his other children. Trust Julia Thomas to aim high and not fall flat on her stuck-up arse. No, she'd actually snagged The Harry Potter. And not only that, but she'd had his child.

Now, how was that fair? How?

But she mustn't dwell on that. Sometimes you have to make your own way; you have to exact your own justice.

Well, boy howdy, was justice coming. And it would not be swift and short either. Slow and steady wins the race.

And this time she would win. No doubt about it.

*****
End Notes: The song that Em sings is "Jamaica Farewell", and performed by Harry Belafonte, Jimmy Buffett, to name a few. Copyright of Cherry Lane Music and whomever else owns it. Full lyrics can be found at: http://www.theguitarguy.com/jamaicaf.htm.

Plimpies are a kind of fish from that HP 'schoolbook' "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". Check: http://www.hp-lexicon.org/bestiary/bestiary_n-s.html#plimpy for a description, if you don't have that book.