Here We Go Again?

By

Mae Silverpaws

It was September First. Harry Potter never missed a September First at Kings Cross Station. This was a special September First this was Harry's son Albus' first trip to Kings Cross as a student at Hogwarts. Of course the whole family had come to see James, Harry and Ginny's first born, off to Hogwarts but Harry knew that stepping foot on Platform 9 ¾ as a first year was very special.

Harry always came to Kings Cross on September First though just in case.

He remembered his first time there. How scared he was and how he would have never admitted that to his Uncle. How worried he was when no one he asked knew what Platform 9 ¾ was. He had been worried that the wizarding world had changed its mind and didn't want a freak like him.

Pulling into the car park Harry glanced into the rear view mirror at his children. The boys James and Albus were bouncing and excited while his daughter was quiet and subdued. A very unusual attitude for his Lily. Harry knew she would miss her brothers terribly.

"Quick go and get a trolley for the trunks James." said Ginny to her oldest boy.
"Yes, Mum." He said hopping out of the van and heading to the trolley park.

"OK Al you start pulling the trunks out of the boot so we won't be late." She said directing her comment to her second born.

"Yes, Mum." Said Albus as he hopped out of the vehicle and made his way to the boot of the van.

Harry glanced around the carport settling his gaze onto his son as he pushed a trolley to the car.

"Once an auror always an auror, dear husband?" inquired Ginny as she watched her husband take in his surroundings.

"No just looking and remembering. Remember how excited you were on your first official trip to Kings Cross, Gin? I just like to look around and see if I can spot any of the new muggleborns as they come in."

Ginny smiled as she watched her boys struggle to place their trunks on the trolley.

"Mum, can't I go too?" asked their youngest.

"Now Lily," she began "we have talked about this already. You are going to Hogwarts in 2 yrs. I had to stay home without my siblings too you know."
"Yes I know and you said you and Grandma learned lots of cool stuff that year and you loved having your parents' full attention. I know all this I just wanna go now." Lilly's comment ended on a slightly whiney note and she blushed. "Sorry Mum." She added.

"It's OK this time Lils." Said Harry tugging his daughter's pigtail playfully. "Ready everyone?" he asked sheparding his children and wife in front of him.

Harry scanned the crowd of people as the family made its way through the crowded station. He thought he saw something and quickly scanned back over the crowd but the lone head was gone. As they came closer to the platform entrance Harry scanned the crowd with more care. Yes, there it was again a lone red head. Harry directed his family a little closer to the lone little boy. "Ginny? What do they call people not like us again?" he asked keeping his eye on the redhead.
"Harry you know its muggles" said Ginny shaking her head at him. Harry nodded toward the child and Ginny's mouth made a perfect O. "Yes Harry muggles is the term you are looking for. I don't understand why you always seem to forget the term, muggles."
The child's gaze shot toward the family when he heard the term.

"Umm excuse me, but.." came the timid voice of the young redheaded boy.

"First time, dear?" asked Ginny "Its Al's first time too would you like to come through with us?"
"Yes please, ma'am" he said

"James you go first and we will be right along." said Harry nodding at his son.

"OK Dad, Mum I'll see you on the other side." James gave his family a mischievous grin to rival his Uncle George.

"Best if you go at it at a bit of a run, dear." Said Ginny to both the boys who nodded and made a speedy run at the wall between platforms 9 and 10.

Harry helped the two first years hoist their trunks up onto the train and carefully slipped Albus a couple galleons with the instructions. "Buy one of everything off the trolley cart, son, it's a bit of a Potter first year tradition". Albus smiled and hugged his dad one last time.

"I'll write as soon as the sorting is over. I promise. It's Ok no matter where I end up right Dad?" he asked.

"Yes of course" now go find your cousins and have a great time."

An owl tapped on the window of the Potter's kitchen the next morning. Lily ran to open it so the owl could come in.

"Mum, Dad the boys wrote us." She said removing the letters from the owl's leg and giving it a piece of bacon.

Ginny unrolled the letter from Albus and started to read:
Dear Mum, Dad and Lils, Hogwarts is GREAT! You will love it here Lils.

Jeremy (the boy we helped at the station) and I were both sorted into Gryffindor!

The ride there was amazing! We made some new friends too. We helped a girl, Sarah find her pet. It kept on getting away. Uncle Lee would love this pet it's a tarantula! Fuzzy got out 4 times. We also met a muggle born named Erick he boasted about having already read the course books 3 times but once we got him to stop talking about that he seemed to be an ok chap a little bossy but ok. Well we all got into Gryffindor which is amazing! I love and miss you all. Uncle George told Fred to tell me to tell Lils I'd send her a toilet seat before term ends. Said it was a Weasley family tradition. James wants to write and then get this letter off. I will write again about my classes start. Al"

Ginny smiled as she looked over at her husband.

"Well Harry" she said " here we go again?"

Harry smiled and nodded.

"Sure looks that way Gin, sure looks that way."