I do not own Harry Potter or it's characters, this is merely a work of fanfiction.

This chapter is very short compared to usual. It is just to bridge the time between the last chapter and the beginning of the school year. I would prefer to keep the format we have of half the school year per chapter as long as we can, but this had to be put in. Hope you enjoy:)

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"The wee mistress liked her things folded like this," Mipsy insisted, elbowing Trixie out of the way. Trixie shoved right back. Before Holly knew it she was holding back each house elf with a hand on either of their wrinkled foreheads.

"Dobby!" Holly called.

The diminutive elf popped into Holly's walk in closet. He looked at Holly with wide eyes, taking in the scene of the feuding house elves.

"Please get Mother," Holly begged. Dobby nodded his head, and popped away.

A moment later Lady Malfoy walked in the closet to see the house elves sitting in opposite corners of the closet, with their arms crossed, like naughty children. Holly was standing in front of them, staring them down.

"What is going on my dear?"

Holly took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself. She felt like a mother of toddlers.

"These two," she pointed between them, "can't seem to get along. Mipsy is sure she knows best, and Trixie is certain she knows best. It almost came to blows a moment ago."

Lady Malfoy gave them a scolding look. They knew better than that, neither one was a young elf. The real problem was that both wanted to dote on Holly. Mipsy was technically Lady Malfoy's elf though she did always dote on the children. Trixie was the head of the Potter elves that had come to live at the Manor, and she had a right to help Holly as Lady Potter.

"You will have to learn to work together. You both love Holly, that much is clear. Fighting will only cause her strife. Mipsy, you also have Draco and myself to care after. Trixie, you also have Ginny. Perhaps you can work out some kind of schedule. If you can not find it within yourselves to work together, I will have to order you to. Is that understood?"

Trixie and Mipsy shared a look and nodded. They would figure it out.

"Lovely, now why don't you two go try to talk about it, and I will help Holly put her new purchases away."

Mipsy looked like she wanted to interrupt, but with a glare from Lady Malfoy, both she and Trixie popped away to try and work out their differences.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Holly asked as she removed a dress from a shopping bag and hung it on a hanger. Lady Malfoy used her wand to steam it quickly, removing the wrinkles from where it had been folded.

"Yes dear, this kind of thing happens sometimes if households merge during a marriage, or adoption. They are used to doing things in their own ways, but they will find a way to work together."

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"Have you seen Godric?" Neville asked as he entered the breakfast room at Malfoy Manor. He hadn't been able to find his snake familiar anywhere this morning, despite his best efforts. From the moment he introduced Godric to Sally they had been near inseparable.

Ginny pointed towards a patch of sun by the window where Godric and Sally were tangled up in a rainbow of glistening scales, soaking up the sun's rays.

"How in Merlin's name did he get here? I took him home last night."

Ginny shrugged, and took a sip of her tea. The magical snakes had taken to each other quickly, and seemed to live in their own little world. For all she knew the snake had figured out how to use the floo.

Trixie handed her and Holly their vitamin vials. Holly and Ginny shot them back and chased the nasty taste away with a sip of coffee. Draco laughed at them, but the laugh died quickly when Trixie produced a vial for him and looked at him expectantly. He held it disdainfully, but took it under the watchful eye of Mipsy.

The house elves had indeed found a way to work together. It meant two sets of eyes on them, making sure they were doing what they ought. Holly almost wondered if she would grow to regret her interference.

Trixie had insisted that regular vitamins were necessary for growing girls. She also insisted on them taking a mild cleansing potion once a week in case someone had tried to enchant them as Dumbledore had done to the Longbottom's.

It was much too Ginny's liking, but they needed to go shopping for Quidditch equipment today. It was one of the few things Holly refused to let someone else do for her.

Marcus would be here any minute to go with them, since he was Captain again this year.

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"What happened to Draco?" Ginny asked, looking around the busy shop. People were pushed into every bit of space. Some of it was the back to school rush, but some of the people were clearly there to stare at Holly. Ginny threw a grimace at anyone who looked too long. She hated people who wanted to use her sister.

Marcus turned his head to look around the shop.

"Over there," he announced, pointing towards the wall with the newest brooms mounted on it.

Of course. She should have known.

The Firebolt would be released soon, and Draco was desperate to get his hands on one. Holly grabbed Ginny's hand, and they followed Marcus across the shop.

The crowd parted easily for Marcus' hulking presence. Holly was grateful once again that she had brought him into her inner circle. Greg and Vince were great but they couldn't be everywhere at once, and Marcus had the advantage of being older.

Marcus stopped and turned back towards them, motioning that they should stand in front of him so he could shield them slightly from the bustling crowd. Ginny and Holly stepped in front of him, and he turned his back to the crowd.

Draco was standing in front of the display of brooms, reading a placard that sang the praises of the Firebolt. Neville was doing his best to pretend to be interested, since Draco had accompanied him to several greenhouses in Italy.

Two brunette girls were loitering near them, giggling and simpering as if they had nothing better to do. They kept looking at the boys, but they didn't even notice, they were too focused on the brooms. Marcus noticed though, and he pointed them out to Holly.

"Looks like they don't know that they're taken."

Holly and Ginny shared a sinister smile. They couldn't go around hexing everyone who annoyed them, but they didn't think it would be necessary here. Holly let go of Ginny's hand.

"Follow my lead," she whispered to her little sister.

Marcus watched with great amusement as Holly and Ginny approached their soulmates. Draco's face lit with excitement when he saw Holly. She took his hand when he offered it, and showered him with attention. Ginny did the same with Neville, and Marcus had to stifle a laugh as the boy's cheeks flushed.

The brunette girls were staring at where their hands were connected, looking thunderous. They scrunched up their faces in annoyance and stormed off. Marcus did laugh then, but waved away Draco when he looked at him inquisitively.

Marcus had never encountered this problem for himself. He was not particularly handsome, or particularly wealthy enough that women bothered to try to get close to him. Well that, and he was sure Pansy would not hesitate to destroy any witch who got near him, even if they were purely friends at this point.

She was very territorial.

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"Will you accept the position?" Healer Tonks asked his wife. She set down the letter in her hands, and placed her teacup back into its porcelain saucer.

She raised her eyes to her husbands. She hadn't worked since she got married, as was common with many witches, but her baby girl was all grown up.

"I suppose so, it seems very generous. The Headmistress says I can floo into her office every morning, and I should be home in time for dinner every evening. But Ted, do you think I'm qualified?"

Ted sat down next to his wife and put his hand on hers.

"Dromeda, no one brews like you do. You took some time off when Dora was little, and that was lovely. You've been doing private research for years, and that's okay. But it's time to move on."

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"Have you seen the course list?" George asked, passing the list to Fred. Fred's eyes grew wide as he looked at the list. Some of the classes had been eliminated entirely, while several new ones had been added.

Percy was looking at the list with wide eyes. He had a five year plan, he had a ten year plan, he had a fifteen year plan, but he hadn't accounted for this.

Muggle studies and divination had been removed from the curriculum all together. No wizarding family would have let their seer children take such a class, anyways. If someone had the gift, they were much better off to study on their own, and keep their secret.

"The book list is shorter and updated," Fred noted. They would be better able to afford the supplies now.

Ron was shovelling food into his mouth, and not paying much attention. He figured he was still young. It couldn't affect him, could it?

George turned his eye to the back door. He could just make out his father's form approaching through the morning fog, suitcase in hand. George could tell something was different as his father approached the house.

He seemed...taller? No, it just seemed like he was standing up straight for once.

He was a damn sight taller than George ever knew. Guess that explained why he and Fred were pushing 6'2 and nowhere near being done growing. His father's face looked thunderous, something he had never seen before. He had seen him amused, annoyed, and most of all simply vacant, but he sure was present now.

He opened the backdoor and set down his suitcase. George and Fred greeted him happily while Percy continued to fret, and Ron continued to eat.

"Where is your mother?" Lord Weasley asked.

"In the living room," Fred shrugged.

"Right then, boys, go outside and play," he looked at Fred and George pointedly.

Though they had not had the urge to "go outside and play" since they were ten, they heeded his words. There was something in his face that warned them he wasn't in the mood for nonsense. They grabbed Ron by the scruff of his neck and drug him outside, followed by Percy who was still trying to sort through the new course offerings.

Arthur steeled himself before he went into the living room.

He had never thought of himself as someone who would get a divorce, never even considered it. It was extremely uncommon in wizarding society, though he learned through his studies that it was fairly common among muggles. He loved Molly, or he loved who he thought she was, but he couldn't let this go on any longer. He couldn't trust her around their children.

With a final deep breath, he pushed open the door and went into the living room.

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Ginny looked up at Holly as she entered her bedroom. They were supposed to be double checking that they had everything they needed for the school year, but Ginny was sitting on her bed with her journal. She had been that way for an hour before Trixie had thought it pertinent to get Holly.

Holly sat down beside Ginny and leaned her head on her shoulder.

"What's wrong? Trixie said you've been sitting here for an hour."

Ginny looked up at Holly. She still felt overwhelmed, shocked, and confused. She handed Holly the journal and let her read what her brother's had written.

"Your father is divorcing your mother, and taking his seat in the Wizengamot? Isn't this a good thing?"

"Yeah...I guess. Just, divorce doesn't happen very often in magical families, Holly. It's saved for rather extreme cases. Most couples stay together even if they don't particularly like each other. Bill told him everything. He didn't think the boys were safe around her...he was probably right."

Ginny was staring across the room blankly. Holly could tell she was having a hard time processing this. Just because she was a Potter now, didn't erase her affection for her brothers and father.

"Why don't you invite them over for tea? They'll always be precious to you, Ginny. You can still love them too."

Ginny's lower lip wobbled as tears began to spill down her face. Holly gathered the younger witch into a hug and held her as she cried. Lady Malfoy paused in the doorway of Ginny's room, watching the two young witches. It warmed a part of her heart that had long been frozen. She turned to leave and give them their privacy. Perhaps, she thought, it was time to put some real effort into rebuilding her relationship with Andromeda.

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"Are you nervous?" Neville asked.

"Of course not," Draco denied, attempting to tie his tie for the third time.

"Yeah, what would give me that impression?"

Neville rolled his eyes and held out his hand for the tie. Draco knew how to tie a tie ten ways to Sunday, but he was too nervous to do so. It was stupid, really, he told himself. They were just going to Potter Manor today.

'They're just portraits,' he reminded himself, 'it's not really them.'

But it felt the same, and he knew it felt the same to Holly as well. He wanted the Potter's to like him. He had never cared about someone else's opinion, outside of his own parents or Holly.

Neville handed him back the tie, and Draco slipped it over his head.

"Holly loves you," Neville reminded him. That seemed to get his arrogant smile back on his face.

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Draco rubbed his hands through his hair. Even in portrait form the late Lord James Potter could be intimidating. Even though he was young in the portrait, just over twenty, he still managed to carry authority in his tone.

Draco took a bite of the lunch that Mipsy and Trixie had provided, and watched as his father and mother talked to the late Potters. It had been awkward at first, as it tended to be when those on opposing sides of The War tried to make nice.

As the day progressed, fears were eased, and by the time they left, everyone was smiling as if they had always been friends, except Sirius who grumbled insults whenever he got a chance.

"Did you know?" Holly asked, after she explained her plan to claim the title of Lady Slytherin. Sirius and James shook their heads, but Lily bit her lip guiltily. James looked over at her in surprise.

"Lily?"

"Look, it got boring in Godric's Hollow! There was nothing to do but read! I might have figured it out, but I kept it to myself. It would have only caused even more problems if Riddle knew you were related, and you never would have been able to leave it alone! It would have driven you insane!"

James crossed his arms as he thought. She was probably right. He would have felt compelled to do something, to try to leave Godric's Hollow. Not that staying put had done any good.

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Remus looked at the portrait of his soulmate. He had once again been left as the last person in Potter Manor, to say goodbye to Sirius. The portraits the girls commissioned should be done within a couple of months, so he supposed he could always visit them at Hogwarts if he wanted to.

"Moony," Sirius called, drawing him out of his reminisces.

Lily and James had squeezed into his frame with him, and Charlus and Dorea had squeezed into Lily's frame to listen in.

"We've been talking about what you told us last time, Moony."

Remus' face scrunched up in consternation. They had all told them so much, it was hard to pinpoint what could have drawn the most attention.

"Did it ever strike you as odd that Dorea and Charlus died so suddenly?"

Remus' eyes turned to the couple in question. They looked at him expectantly.

"Well, not to be rude, but they were older."

Sirius scowled and rolled his eyes at Moony. "Seems awfully convenient to us that Dorea and Charlus were killed, allowing Dumbledore to get close to Lily and James, and gain their trust."

"I would never have allowed my son to cease practising the Olde Ways. To leave Potter Manor in the midst of a war was a death sentence. Why should they leave when those of Potter blood are safest within the wards of our ancestral home? It makes no sense, Remus, unless Dumbledore wanted to make them vulnerable."

He looked between the portraits. This was a lot to take in.

"Why would he want to do that?"

"I'm a bloody painting, how would I know?! That's what you need to find out."

Remus scowled at Sirius even as he accepted his words. It seemed he had a lot more than just teaching to do at Hogwarts this year. Remus promised to figure out what he could before he said goodbye to his old friends.

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Holly walked with Draco in the gardens. They would board the train to return to Hogwarts tomorrow. She kept a wary eye on Ginny, who was having tea with the twins and Lord Weasley on the veranda.

Draco carried a basket for her so she could collect some flowers that she would braid into her and Ginny's hair the next day. It was something the elves might have done usually, but it was as good an excuse as any or her to be able to watch out for her little sister.

Holly knelt down and took a pair of shears from her pocket and began to cut a particularly pretty flower and put it into her basket. She had traded her fine lace gloves for gardening ones, and was grateful when she saw thorns upon the stem.

Draco crouched beside her with a knife and carved the thorns off so she wouldn't hurt herself the next morning.

He watched how the sun glistened off her black hair, and was struck again by how pretty she was, He gulped heavily.

"You know Holly, we get to start going to Hogsmeade this year."

Holly hummed her acknowledgement as she continued to watch Ginny and the flowers she was working with. Ginny was smiling, so surely everything was going well. She cut another flower stem and handed it to Draco.

"Well, lot's of people use Hogsmeade weekends to...well..."

Holly turned and squinted at Draco. She held up one hand to block the sun that was blinding her. He never stuttered, what was he so nervous about?

"What Draco? You're never nervous."