Tom pulls Ruby into his lap and gently tugs on her ponytail.

"Loveable Muggable," he says as he peppers her face with kisses.

She wrinkles her nose and pushes him away.

"Dad," she groans.

"Thomas Riddle, I told you not to call her that anymore," I say.

Harrison Riddle, you told Bellatrix quite the opposite just yesterday," he quips back.

I smile.

"Your father is ridiculous, Ruby Jean," I say.

"You're both insane. Can I go back inside? Dora said she'd firecall me when she got her new broom," she replies.

I sigh loudly. She rolls her eyes.

"I have to see it, Papa. She said her mom might spring for a Nimbus," she says.

"If you must," I say.

She twists and looks pointedly at Tom until he releases her.

"You're too much like your father," Tom says as Ruby brushes off her skirt and flounces inside.

I roll my eyes and lean against the chair.

Actually, it shocks me how well Ruby mirrors us. Twelve years ago, when we walked into the first wizarding orphanage and found that little muggleborn girl. She was so quiet, so

reserved. I thought we might have trouble understanding her, connecting with her, even with who we are. But she's so similar to us both.

Tom is an amazing father. He thinks I don't know it, like it's some big secret, but he keeps a stash of Disney Princess Band-Aids just for the satisfaction of cleaning her wounds for her. I

suppose I'm not supposed to know this either, but he sings to her at night. She told me she'd grown out of being tucked in. I guess I'm just not the favorite anymore.

"The Malfoys are coming over still," Tom says.

I smile. He deserves the spot.

-Sev-

I lie in my bed with my eyes closed. The sun streams against my face, trying to coax me awake. I have to use the restroom, but I've found a spot on the bed where everything is warm.

The space beside me is mercifully empty and I have the entire bed to myself, which means I can utilize the entirety of the covers, a rare thing. I've never felt the need to sleep in before,

but I recognize the appeal now.

"Se-ver-uss," I hear.

I close my eyes more tightly and groan when a heavy weight presses on my chest.

"Lucius, I'm sleeping," I grumble.

"No you aren't. I have it on good authority sleeping people are rarely so responsive," he says.

I swat at him without opening my eyes.

"Your hair is in my mouth," I say.

"The Riddles are expecting us," he says.

"For dinner!" I groan.

"Get up!" he says as he rolls off of me and leaves the room.

The house is filled with the smell of coffee and those scones he's been so fond of. I stomp off to the bathroom as loudly as possible.

Lucius comes in with my clothes in his hand and a scone in his mouth while I brush my teeth.

Toothpaste slips to the corner of my mouth. Lucius kisses my nose.

"You're cute when you're grumpy," he says.

I growl. He squeezes my butt.

"You loove me," he sings.

"Of course I'll just bow and scrape at your feet, husband," I say.

He tugs on my earlobe and kisses my cheek.

"Fancy a scone?" he asks.

-Harry-

"Remind me again why I let you have a party the night before we left for Romania?" Tom asks.

I kiss his nose.

"Because you love me," I say.

"The night all of our house elves went on vacation?" Tom grumbles as he stirs a batch of cookies.

"It builds character," I say.

"I have enough of that, what I need is-" Tom says.

I slam my hands enthusiastically into the meatloaf.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

"Kneading the ingredients, what do you need?" I say.

He shakes his head.

Moments like these make me miss Hogwarts. 1940s Hogwarts, that is. Teasing Tom was always more fun when Bal was around, and Severus. But snakes don't live very long and

people move on.

"You're wistful," Tom says.

"Where's Ruby?" I ask.

He calls for her. Loudly. She stumbles down the stairs, all cheer and a suspicious amount of glitter.

"Rube- what were you doing?" I ask.

"Nothing!" she says.

Too quickly. I raise my eyebrows.

"So do you need help making cookies?" she asks.

I stare at her.

"I'm good at it," she says.

Tom smiles.

"Yes, I'm afraid I'm not very good at it," he says.

I look over at him and the flour on his forehead. We all collapse into laughter before the easy silence of cooking together settles in.

"I've missed you. How've you been?" I ask.

"Well Rodolphus and I have been traveling. I think he wants to be an Auror, but he won't tell me. Just lots of him meeting new people to duel with and us lounging around. We're having a

baby," Bella says.

"That's great!" I exclaim.

She smiles.

"How's Ruby?" she asks.

"Ruby's great. She's been up in her room doing something involving glitter, but she won't tell me what it is," I say.

Bella smiles.

"That's my girl," she says.

"Then you can clean up the mess!" I say.

We both laugh.

Tom and Lucius stand off in the corner looking stiff. I walk to them.

"What's the matter, Tom? Too many people who aren't set on world domination?" I say.

He reaches for my hand.

"You could say. I find I'm a bit out of touch with the current gossip and Quidditch game. I'm a political man," he says.

"You're a bore. Lucius, surely you can liven him up?" I say.

Lucius laughs.

"I'll do my best, Harry. Don't you let us old men get you down," he says.

I laugh and tap his shoulder lightly. My arms are lifted up as I'm hugged from behind.

"Who is this?" I say.

"Papa, I made you something," Ruby says.

"Hello, little missus. May I see it?" I say.

She hands it to me and holds my waist tightly. As I suspected, there's an excess of glitter.

"Thank you. I love your paintings. I hope you didn't get any on the carpet," I say.

"I didn't," she says.

"Go put this somewhere safe for me, okay?" I say.

She runs off.

Tom smiles at me. I hit his arm.

"Oh, hush. It's you who'll have to clean it up if she made a mess," I say.

His smile fades and I laugh.