Lily opened her eyes and smiled. She was so excited she couldn't contain the nervous laugh that escaped her lips. Today she would start Hogwarts! She heard a disturbance in the room next door; her brother James had obviously woken up early just to annoy Albus by waking him up at 6 o'clock in the morning.

- James, layoff…what time is it? - she heard her brother murmur from the bedroom he shared with James, the eldest of the three.

- 6 o'clock- laughed James

- 6 o'clock! Go back to sleep, man…you're so annoying…

- Says who?- teased his older brother

- Says me!- interrupted their father, Harry Potter, the Chosen One, who had freed the wizarding world of the terror of Voldemort, one of the most powerful dark wizards in all of history.- now go back to sleep, you two!

- Told you- said Albus to his elder brother

- Whatever- replied James

Five hours later, Lily, James, Albus, Ginny and Harry met Ron, Hermione, Rose and Hugo on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The children were all pulling heavy trunks full of new school books, robes and general supplies.

- First one to the compartment gets to sit next to the window!- shouted Hugo and started running towards the Hogwarts Express. Rose, James and Albus ran after him.

- Daddy- whispered Lily- what if I'm in Slytherin?

- Slytherin's a great house and one of the bravest men I ever knew was a Slytherin and proud of it- replied Harry, bending down so that only his daughter could hear him- and if it's that important to you, your choice counts too.

- Really?

- Yes…the Sorting Hat let me choose- he confided, just as he had told Albus on his first day. Lily looked at him with the same expression as her brother had: wonder.

- I'll miss you, Dad- said Lily- and you too, Mummy.

She hugged them one by one.

- I'll miss you too, Uncle Ron and Aunty 'Mione.

- We're all going to miss you, Lils- Ginny assured her- now, hurry up or you'll miss the train!

- Bye Mum! Bye Dad! Bye Uncle Ron! Bye Aunty 'Mione! – Lily called over her shoulder as she ran towards the train.

- Hurry up, Lils!- shouted James, leaning out of the window of the Hogwarts Express.

- Wait there, I'll come and help you with your trunk- called Albus from behind James.

A minute later, Albus was dragging his little sister's trunk onto the scarlet train.

- Thanks, Al.

- No prob, Lils

James, Rose and Hugo all waved goodbye to their parents, uncles and aunts. A few minutes later, they were joined by Albus and Lily.

- Bye!- they called

- Bye!

- I'm going to miss them- murmured Ginny to her husband

- Me too- he replied, drawing her close- but they'll be back soon.

The train pulled away and Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny waved until it turned the corner.

- You guys coming over to our place?- asked Ron

- Sure- agreed Harry

Hermione and Ginny burst out giggling.

- What is wrong with you two?- asked Ron incredulously

- You…you…- gasped Ginny in between giggles

They carried on giggling all the way home, completely annoying their husbands.

When they were all sat around the garden eating scones and jam, the conversation turned to their old Hogwarts days.

- Do you remember in third year, with Neville's boggart?- laughed Harry

- Snape in Augusta's clothes!- agreed Ron

- He was so angry- put in Hermione

- It's funny, isn't it, how it turned out that Hermione was right all along.

- As usual- she said.

- About what?- asked Ginny, who had been in the year below them

- Severus- said Hermione

- You were always telling us to trust him.- said Ron

- And you always called him a slimy git

- Well he was!