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19 YEARS LATER, professor mcgonagall upgraded to the position of headmistress of hogwarts: school of witchcraft and wizardry.

the year albus severus potter was admitted into hogwarts along with the many friends that he'll make along the way, mcgonagall had allowed certain parental figures to join the hogwarts express one last time.

a certain groups of adults with their children stood on the staircase of the great hall. with two stairs leading different ways, on the center of the wall was a wondrous painting.

"father, who are they?", albus potter asked.

the girl with dark brown locks smiled, waving in her baby blue dress. the thin man with a hooked nose and greasy black hair simply scowled.

"I'm lily! lily phoebe snape", the portrait giggled.

it was seven year-old lily, the painting—from the girl's seventh birthday—was hung for everyone to witness.

"and he's my papa. severus snape", lily introduced, seeing that the man clearly was still not fond of the potters.

ginny and harry smiled, putting a hand on albus's shoulder.

"the spawn of potter I see...", snape spoke with disgust.

"I'm sorry about my brother james. he could be quite a handful", albus apologized.

lily just laughed.

"he's quite the prankster. kind of like you two am I right, fred and george?"

the twins smiled as they nodded in agreement, meanwhile lily had spotted a girl with red hair.

"and you are?", lily asked, making the girl slightly shy away.

"go ahead darling. tell her your name", hermione encouraged.

"rose, rose granger-weasley", the girl meekly responded, glancing over at the son of draco's.

"it's nice to meet you rose. I assure you that you'll fit in quite perfectly", lily grinned, making the girl slightly blush.

"and last but not least, draco malfoy's son", lily said, looking over at the blonde boy who was standing in front of his father.

"my name's scorpius hyperion malfoy", the boy self introduced.

"would you look at that papa! a potter and a malfoy! surely I've never seen such a thing", lily teased, making the children confused.

snape just shook his head as harry and draco glanced at each other, giving a subtle nod.

"as much as I hate to interrupt you all, it's time for the sorting", neville—the new herbology professor—said, smiling.

albus reluctantly left his father's side, making lily stop him before he was fully gone.

"albus was it?"

"y-yes ma'am...?"

lily chuckled. "lily's just fine. don't be nervous for it okay? every house is amazing on its own. hufflepuffs can be brave like gryffindors. gryffindors can be witty like ravenclaws", lily said, glancing over at hermione.

"ravenclaws can be kind and loyal just like hufflepuffs", the girl said, looking over at luna.

"and slytherins...they're not a breeding ground for evil. they can be just as strong, as intelligent, as caring as all the other houses", lily explained, smiling at draco.

"then can I...can I come back and visit? I'd like to tell you which house I get sorted into after", albus said.

"me too!", scorpius chimed in.

"m-me three!!", rose said.

"well then, I shall see you all later", lily waved as the children ran off with neville.

"thank you lily", harry said, making the girl just lightly shake her head.

"not at all harry, not at all".

"thank you...for 19 years ago", hermione smiled, feeling tears brim her eyes.

"it was all because of you...", fred started.

"that we are here today", george finished.

"so thank you", draco said.

"of course", lily responded.

//❁//

"I made gryffindor like mother and father!!", rose excitedly said.

"and I'm in slytherin, as expected", scorpius answered.

"slytherin for me too", albus uneasily said.

"congratulations to you three!!", lily smiled, glancing over at snape.

"indeed....congratulations", the man somewhat sarcastically said.

"say, do you have any stories about mother and father?", rose asked, making lily grin.

"stories? oh I have tons!! your father was quite slow coming to realize his feelings for your mother actually", lily said, making scorpius snort.

"oh your father wasn't any better. I must tell you the time that he turned into a ferret!", lily said, making albus laugh.

"you too albus! harry took years to notice your mother. I'd say all three of your fathers were quite dense", lily teased.

"then what about our mothers?", albus asked.

"mione and ginny were quite the fierce warriors. and I'm sorry scorpius, but I've never met your mother while I was here. do you know anything about her, papa?"

snape raised a brow.

"astoria greengrass was a fine student. she was average in potions and excelled in charms", snape answered, not exactly amused.

"so you went to school with them?", rose asked.

"mhm! well...I was four when they were in their fourth-year", lily said.

"four?? why's that? were you like a brilliant witch at that age?", rose curiously asked, making lily chuckle.

"not at all! not at all!! it's a long story though", lily said.

"we have time!", rose excitedly chirped.

lily glanced back at snape, who just sighed.

"well, it all started when I went to hogwarts with papa..."

the little girl had spent a good few hours talking about her first year at hogwarts, making the trio laugh as draco turning into a ferret was extremely amusing.

"what happened next?", albus asked.

"find me another day. curfew is coming up and the prefects will start their patrols", lily said.

the three kids bid the girl goodbye, with albus reluctantly doing the same to snape.

"aren't they nice, papa?", the little girl asked.

"just swell", snape sarcastically answered.

"aw don't be like that. I know you're secretly happy that albus got sorted into slytherin", lily grinned.

snape scowled, glancing away.

lily then leaned her back against snape's stomach, lower half of his chest.

"hmm, how I wish I could be a hogwarts student too".

snape looked down, patting the girl's head.

"I'm sorry for it".

lily shook her head.

"don't be papa. you were just trying to protect us. protect harry".

"indeed. I tried..."

"and you succeeded".

"but I couldn't protect you after all", snape softly mumbled.

"I said so myself papa, that I would always stay with you didn't I? I promised", the little girl cheerfully said.

"yes, yes you did....though I did not get a chance to say it when we were alive, I love you, lily", snape whispered.

"I love you too, papa! and I'll be staying here with you, forever and always".

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