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The whole clan of Weasleys and Potters had gathered at the Burrow for the Annual Family get-together. School would reopen in a week, and everyone was determined to make use of their last days of freedom as best as they could. Or almost everyone.
"Why haven't they sent our letters yet?" Rose asked angrily for the millionth time.
"Relax, Rose, you're definitely going to be Head Girl," Al said through gritted teeth, also for the millionth time.
"You don't know that! Someone else could get it!"
"Then they'll probably jump off the Astronomy tower, 'cause no one wants to cross you, Rosie," Scorpius teased, earning him a glare.
"Hugo, you ought to be more worried," Rose said, turning her attention to her younger brother, who was playing gobstones with Lily and Lucy.
"Why? There's no way I'd be perfect!" Hugo said alarmed.
"Good of you, Hugh," James said, entering. "Who'd want to be a perfect prefect?"
"Don't you have work?" Al asked him.
James grimaced. "Let's just say I skived off."
"Dad's going to kill you."
"Not with Lily-flower on my side," He said, giving her an overly fond smile.
"Did you get the tickets?"
"They were sold out!"
"No tickets, no helping."
"Aw, Lils, please!"
Just then, an owl swooped in. Rose wrenched the letters away, causing the owl to let out an indignant hoot. She threw away the rest, holding her own, and weighed it, muttering feverishly.
"It's heavy, but it could just be the prefect's badge again."
"Just a perfect badge," Al muttered to Scorpius, taking his own. "She should have heard herself two years ago."
"-Should I open it? No, I'll wait, I need to be prepared-" Scorpius took it from her, and a badge fell into his hand.
"Well? What does it say?" Rose whispered peeking through her fingers.
"Oh, Rose, I don't know what to tell you-" She snatched it from him to find a gleaming Head Girl's badge, and shoved him. "You git!"
"Mum, I got it!" She screamed happily.
"So did I," Hugo said, staring at his own, with Lily and Lucy peering over his shoulder with incredulous expressions.
"No way," James breathed. "Oi, guys, Hugo's a prefect!"
"What? No! Don't call them yet-"
"Hugo? Hugo?" Freddie asked, bouncing in with Roxy.
"Thought you were one of us," Roxy said, with an air of disappointment.
"Go over to the other side, out!" Dom said with hands on her hips.
"What about you two?" James asked Lily and Lucy.
"I'm on the other side," Lucy said apologetically to her sister's great delight.
"I'm not," Lily said quietly.
"What?!"
James snatched the letter from her, and turned it upside down, shaking it.
"What's going on?" Teddy asked, entering with Vic.
"Lily's not prefect," Louis said, taking the envelope from James.
"Really?" Vic asked, surprised.
"All right, give it back," Lily snapped.
"My little sister! Not a prefect! I'm so proud! Thought I was the only cool one in the family!" James exclaimed, always one to break an awkward situation.
"Welcome to the Fun side," Dom grinned.
"Yes, yes, I want to find out who got the badge," She said, taking her phone.
"Is it Liv?" Rose asked.
Lily snorted. "No way, she's been eyeing Quidditch Captain for years."
"It's Mel," Hugo said disbelievingly.
"What?"
"As in Dursley?" James asked, shocked.
"She's lovely, James, not like the rest of them," Hugo scowled.
"Were they drunk while selecting prefects?" Rose demanded, looking more pissed than Lily about her not getting the badge.
"Would explain you," Freddie sniggered.
"I think it's for matchmaking," Scorpius smirked.
"Oh yeah," James agreed.
"That's not how it works," Teddy said.
"It is! How else do you explain Mum and Dad being prefects?
They broke as many rules as Uncle Harry," Rose said.
"Well, I did end up dating my co-head," Vic mused.
"I hate the system," Teddy scowled.
"I don't want to be prefect," Hugo moaned.
"Don't be ungrateful," Molly admonished.
"But my Charms club!"
"You had two members," Lily rolled her eyes.
"Still!"
"What's going on?" Ginny asked, entering with Teddy and Vic's baby in her arms.
"Oh, I'm so proud," Hermione squealed as she hugged Rose and Hugo, the former glowing at the praise, while the latter gave her a weak smile.
"Yeah, that's all of us," Ron beamed.
"All of us too," Percy said smugly.
"We'd have a set if it weren't for these two," Bill said, teasing his youngest children.
"We'll remember that the next time you want Designer robes to Ministry balls," Dom said, flicking her hair back.
"We reserve the right to deny entrance to lousy customers," Louis nodded.
"Look at you all, celebrating your uncoolness," George said, with fake disappointment.
"We're the only amazing ones," Angie said, giving her husband a high-five.
"See what you lost us?" Ginny tsked affectionately at Teddy and Al.
Lily watched them, wishing to go back home. Nana was fussing over Hugo and Lucy, and she felt inexplicably annoyed.
"You okay, Lil?" Her Dad asked.
"Fine," She said in a clipped voice. He raised her eyebrows at her.
"Fine, I can't believe Hugo, and even Mel got to be prefects while I didn't."
"Believe it or not, I know how you feel."
Lily turned to him, with a disbelieving look.
"How do you think I felt when your Aunt and Uncle made prefects? I didn't even have any other friends back then."
"What about Mum?"
"She and I weren't close until sixth year."
Ginny, overhearing them, settled down on Lily's other side.
"What's wrong, love?"
"I want to be perfect too," She sniffled, laying her head on her shoulder.
"Being prefect isn't that big a deal," Ginny said. Lily raised an eyebrow and pointed to Ron who was forcing a new broomstick onto Hugo, despite his many protests.
"Okay, it is a big deal to some people," Harry corrected, holding back a snort at his friend's antics. "But not to us."
"I always thought prefects were pretty lame," Ginny said loudly. "Your Uncle Percy was insufferable."
"He can't hear you," Harry told her.
"But I can," Al said.
"And we're very proud of you," Ginny called back, before turning to Lily. "Still lame."
"I can still hear you," Al said, with a scowl.
"You know I'm joking!"
"Sure, Mum," James said cheekily.
"Don't think you're off the hook," Harry glared at him. "You were supposed to finish the rest of the paperwork."
"But it's so boring!"
"I told you it was, and you wouldn't believe me. Now suffer."
"I want to quit."
"You will not," Ginny told him sharply. "This isn't like Quidditch. You made a commitment."
"You were the one who convinced us. Now you have to see it through." Harry added firmly.
"Fine, you'll have no one to blame but yourselves if I die," James glared.
"You're in Magical Maintenance. What are you going to die of? A broken sink?" Al asked.
"Maintenance for the Auror Department! They destroy everything!"
"We're sorry, James. Next time we're after evil mass murderers, we'll try to do minimal property damage," Harry said sarcastically.
"That would be appreciated," James deadpanned.
"Al, heads up, your crush is here," Ginny said happily.
"Mum!" Al hissed.
"Hey, Al, Al's here!" Scorpius yelled from the other side of the room.
"I'm going to kill him," Al muttered.
"Hi, Al!"
"Hi, Alice," He said flushing.
"Still prefect, huh?" The blonde grinned.
"Yeah."
"Hope you won't put me in detention," She winked, and James wolf-whistled.
"You're such a moron," Rose said exasperated. "Just ask her out."
"You're one to talk," He hissed back.
"You're all morons," James said helpfully.
"Lily, heads up, your godfather's here," Ginny said, waving at Neville.
"I don't want to talk to him," Lily said petulantly.
"How's my favourite Gryffindor doing?" Neville asked as he reached them.
"Not good, thanks to you," She scowled.
"Good luck getting out of this, Nev," Ginny said, walking over to Hannah.
"This one can hold a grudge," Harry chuckled, kissing the top of his daughter's head, before joining his wife.
"Are you really mad at me, Lily? You never liked special treatment."
"But-but- why does Hugo get it, and not me?"
"Because Hugo needs that extra boost of confidence," Neville said.
"But he hates all this. Says it's Rose's thing."
"Exactly, he never tries to do anything Rose is good at, because he thinks he won't be as good as her."
Lily grimaced. That did sound like Hugo.
"And Melanie, well, she's always been more of a rule follower."
"Is it that important to follow the rules?" She asked sheepishly.
"Unfortunately." Neville grinned.
"Fine, I forgive you," She sighed dramatically.
"I just wished I had one badge. Even James had one badge!"
"You know I never had a single badge at school," Neville said.
"Why not? You are so brave and responsible!"
"Oh, Lily, I was far from brave in my childhood. You know who inspired me?" He asked, leaning in. She shook her head.
"Your Mum and Dad," He said simply.
"Really? Them?"
"Yes, even though they weren't prefects, they were the most inspiring people I knew. They stood up for what they believed in and weren't afraid to break a few rules to get what they wanted. And you're exactly the same way. You don't need a badge to be a great person, always remember that."
They were quiet for a moment as Lily let his words sink in.
"Thanks," She hugged him. "And Uncle Nev? You're the most inspiring person I know."
Neville cherished those words for the rest of his life.