Chapter 1

Back in Kings Cross Station, it was 11:00pm. All the parents awaiting the Hogwarts Express tapped their feet nervously, pulled their hair out pretentiously, and looked around for the scarlet engine anxiously. The train was supposed to arrive hours ago.

Harry rubbed his tired eyes as he sank down the pillar he was leaning against into a sitting position. The others were doing the same. He let loose a frustrated sigh and pulled at his unruly black hair once more. Ron patted his arm. "Mate, I know. But pull at your hair anymore and you'll be like me!"

He gestured to his thinning red hair. Hermione scooted over to her two best friends across the concrete. She faced them with a worried expression. "Do you think I should write another owl?" she asked anxiously. "I sent one to Rose and another to Neville, with no reply. I'm going to send another" she concluded. She reached into her beaded bag but Ron laid a hand on her arm. He gave a meaningful look.

"Hermione, you're wasting parchment. Besides, we don't have any more owls to send more letters. Also, your hands are shaking so bad, it wouldn't even be legible. Just calm down, the train probably broke down"

Harry watched the witch take deep breaths and nod uncertainly. She muttered to herself. "Yeah, yeah…of course. The train, silly train" Hermione brushed off the imaginary dust off her jeans and starting pacing the platform. Ron and Harry rolled their eyes in sync at her antics, but they were also equally worried inside. Ron eventually drifted off to sleep while Harry stayed vigilant. 'Constant Vigilance!' screamed an imaginary Mad Eye Moody in his head. He smirked at the memory while straining his ears for the faintest sound of a whistled. He forgot how long he stayed in that position, but he experienced hallucinations every five or so minutes. Then, he heard one clearer than the rest. Harry dared not to let his hopes up, so he dismissed it.

Suddenly he saw everyone standing up and heard Hermione sobbing tears of relief. Everyone present on the platform cheered as the Hogwarts Express rolled into the station in all its glory. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, well maybe it looked a bit shorter, but it was probably just a trick of the light.

The kids poured out of the train looking traumatized and relieved as they united with their families. They all had a similar story that Harry could only hear snatches of. He waited for his kids to fly out of the mass of students patiently.

After a while, all the other families left the platform with their children in tow. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were the only ones left. There was no sign of Hugo, Rose, James, Albus, or Lily. The foursome began to seriously panic until a solemn Neville Longbottom exited the train.

Immediately, Platform Nine and Three Quarters was flooded with reporters and photographers. Every camera, quill, and eye alike was pointed at Neville with baited breath.

He cleared his throat nervously and looked around, meeting Harry's eye. "Your children are nowhere to be found"

There was an instant uproar among the four schoolmates.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?!" screamed an out of character, outraged Hermione.

Harry tried to reason, "Did you check everywhere? I mean, my kids have an Invisibility Cloak on their hands. This would be their idea of a joke" Neville shook his head.

Everyone crowded around poor Neville, getting closer and closer. His back was pressed against the train now. "I'm sorry! I really am. But don't shoot the messenger. The conductor has agreed to stop all journeys from London to Hogsmeade until the matter is sorted out. And the Ministry is here to check up on it, but I swear, I don't know any more than you do about the situation!"

Rita Skeeter called out, "That tone sounds like a guilty tone to me. I request the first interview at once for the morning issue of the Prophet!"

"Dibs on second from Longbottom!" demanded a stout wizard with robes that had the Quibbler logo emblazoned on it.

A tall witch from Witch Weekly shouted, "I call fourth on the parents!"

"No, I called fourth. Back off!" retorted another witch from Transfiguration Today

The clamor for stories went throughout the night and into the morning, where the parents were bombarded with countless interviews and condolences. The morning after the incident, just as Skeeter promised, every newspaper, news bulletin, magazine, and gossip column alike read, 'Kidnapping of the Century takes Wizarding World by Storm'

This is my first Fanfiction! I've been obsessed with Arial Narrow Font. I have rewritten the first three chapters to this story so they don't stink as much anymore. You're welcome.