BY NO ACCOUNT DID HARRY ENJOY THE work he was currently doing. It was just a matter of it was a job that had to be done, and he didn't trust anybody else to do it.

He could tell his sister shared the same thoughts as she nervously fiddled with the wedding ring on her finger, making him glance down at his own. Seventeen years. That was a long time.

His sister was beating him by one year. Which, was a fact he only knew because she had announced she was pregnant on her wedding day and her eldest was currently in his last year at school.

Harry's were only in their fourth, third and first years. His youngest was a girl called Lily Luna, after his mother and a dear friend of his. It was also a small reference to his old Professor who had been lycanthropic. Then there was Arthur Cedric, the third year, who was a Slytherin. That certainly left them with a bumpy relationship. And then finally, his oldest was James Albus, who was so much like his namesake Sirius often mistaked them.

"In here," Jasmine muttered, breaking Harry from his thoughts by gesturing at a pair of double doors.

"Are you ready?" He asked, watching her in concern.

Jasmine raked her fingers through her hair, "Are you sure this has to be done today? I mean, the kids are here..."

Harry internally grimaced as she trailed off. Kids at work day had been his wife's idea, and she wasn't going to be very happy that he had ditched it. Unfortunately, this truly was the only day the task could be done.

"It's the anniversary," He reminded her. "The time turner is going to be all rearing to go. We got close in destroying it last year, and you know this is when it's at it's weakest-"

"Yeah yeah, okay, I didn't need the speech," Jasmine chewed her lip. "I just don't want to,"

"Would you prefer we get somebody who has no idea what they're doing?"

"Oh shut up,"

***

"Holy shit!"

"Language,"

Regana Black rolled her eye's as she rubbed her sore backside. Of course she had tripped over the step. Who else would've been stupid enough to miss it?

Her brother held out his hand for her and she took it, allowing him to haul her up. She avoided passer by's eye's as she continued to nurse her bruise. And in the middle of a crowded corridor too.

"Are you okay?"

Regana nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. The floor just- looked like it needed a hug, that's all,"

Victorie laughed as Teddy picked up the vase Regana had knocked over, "Well, it didn't break this time. So that's something I guess,"

Leo huffed, "Of course it didn't break. This is the Ministry, everything's protected by magic,"

"Even this horried thing?" Victorie asked, cringing at the orange and green paint.

"Clearly yes,"

"She was just asking," Teddy muttered, raising their hands.

Leo took in a deep breath and Regana rolled her eye's again. She looked around, "Isn't this where we're supposed to meet them?"

"Floor seventy two, room sixteen," Victorie read aloud. "This should be it."

"Oh my Merlin- is that Binki James?!"

They quartet swiveled their heads to see a gorgeous, six foot tall, auror standing beside the commemorative fountain for the second wizarding War. She was talking to a co-worker while twirling her wand in her hand.

Teddy whistled. "She got hot,"

"What happend to her glasses?" Victorie murmured, peering over his shoulder.

"She must be wearing contacts,"

"Must we creepily watch our ex housemate?"

"Shut up Leo,"

"Guys!" Regana exclaimed loudly, "Let's go, uncle Bill's gonna be waiting,"

"Oh he'll be fine," Victorie waved her hand dismissively. "Look, she dyed her hair too,"

Regana groaned dramatically and spun on her heel, ready to leave the group. Only to crash into somebody. Of course, this was what tore Teddy and Victorie's attention to her. The first snickered into their fist.

Regana quickly took a step back, her brother's hand landing protectively on her shoulder. "I am so sorry, are you okay?"

First thing Regana realised, was that she was talking more to the man's chest the his face. The second thing was that he was tall, taller then Binki James tall, and handsome too. Not very old either. His eye's were a jaded green, and his face looked like someone who taken the exact science of perfection literally and carved him from stone. His hair was a sandy brown and brushed to the side.

He raised his eyebrow at her, looking a cross between annoyed and confused. He tapped the badge on his robes once before brushing past them, not saying so much as a word.

"Rude, wasn't he?" Teddy voiced their thoughts. Teddy's eye's following the man with their brows raised.

"Didn't you see his badge?" Leo said impatiently, "He was an unspeakable."

"No way! Are they all that gorgeous?" Regana wasn't sure if it was Victorie or Teddy who asked, but she couldn't help but agree with their question.

Using his grip on her shoulder, Leo guided his sister through the double doors in front of them and looked around for Bill. Teddy and Victorie followed, not looking too happy at being ignored.

They looked around and waited in the reception room for twenty minutes before getting bored. Teddy had the idea of using the accio spell and summoning something of Bill, Jasmine's or Harry's so they'd come looking, and, after five more minutes, the group agreed.

Harry Potter's schedule came hurtling through the window, smacking Teddy in the cheek. They cringed and picked the parchment up, "Merlin, that's harder then it looks,"

"Oh believe me, I know," Regana muttered, taking the parchment and scanning it. "What the hell? Mum has an appointment from one pm to four pm-"

"She's gonna be another two hours?" Leo asked incredulously.

"So will uncle Harry! What bullshit- why are we even here?!"

Victorie raised her hand, "Uh, my dad?"

"Well, I don't see him either," Regana shrugged. "What are they even doing?"

"Why don't we go find out?"

"What?"

"Well, the corridor name's right there, so..."

"That's a terrible idea. Absolutely not."

***

So, that's what brought them here, Harry's schedule in their hand as they stood before the huge, double doors where Jasmine and her brother were supposed to be.

"Looks kind've omnious, doesn't it?" Victorie whispered.

"That lack of lightning certainly isn't helping," Leo added.

"I can go first if you want?" Teddy took in their dubious expressions. "What? Oh come on, if there's a boggart in there I'm clearly the best choice. I have no fears,"

"What if you woke up one day and Albus was taller then you?" Regana asked curiously.

Teddy blinked. "I have one fear,"

Leo shook his head, "Let's just get this over with and go in together."

"Aw, didn't take you for a scaredy cat, Black,"

Leo ignored Teddy's jab and pushed open one of the doors, while Victorie took the other. The moment the quartet stepped inside the doors slammed shut again behind them. The room was dark, practically pitch black beside the odd, golden glow coming from a podium dead centre in the room.

There was nobody inside, and the walls were lined with boarded up doors. It looked like something you saw in a fantasy movie, and any minute you would get a flash back telling you it was once a thriving civilisation. When that didn't happen, Victorie spoke up.

"What... the hell?"

"That's a good question," Regana responded, looking at the doors, but her attention was quickly drawn back to the gold glow. "I probaly can't answer it, but it's a good one."

"That doesn't look safe," Leo put his hand on his sister's shoulder, but she shrugged him off.

"I'm sure it's fine," She said. Like a liar.

Regana took two quick steps up the podium, and, making sure her hands were well behind her back ( not only to reassure Leo, but to stop her doing anything stupid ) she leaned over the gold light, trying to get a glimpse of what was making it.

For some odd reason, all she could were the words carved elegantly on the podium.

"Why are you making your reading face? Why is she making her reading face?" Teddy turned to Leo for answers.

"There's words on here!" She called over her shoulder.

"Are you gonna tell us them or are you just gonna leave us on that cliff hanger?"

She rolled her eye's. "Give me a second, would you? They don't make sense,"

"Well just... say what you see!"

"Ut copio me,"

And then it all went to hell.

***

A/N

I'd like to think this is an improvement over the first chapter of Eternal, but I'm not entirely sure.

Just a quick note - Teddy's pronouns are They/Them/Their so sorry if some parts don't make sense, I probaly should've mentioned that earlier.

Anyway!

Let me know if you liked it, what your thoughts are, and what you'd like to see.

Q: Favourite part of Eternal?