AN: Hello guys! This is my newest fic and this one starts right after the epilogue and follows the next generation's journey through Hogwarts. The epilogue is in bold and then the start of my story is normal. I hope you enjoy it! I would love to know what you think!

Peace

McFudge

Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp and golden as an apple, and as the little family bobbed across the rumbling road toward the great sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air. Two large cages rattled on top of the laden trolleys, the parents pushing; the owls inside them rooting indignantly, and the redheaded girl, trailed tearfully behind her brothers, clutching her father's arm.

"It won't be long, and you'll be going too." Harry told her.

"Two years." Sniffled Lily. "I want to go now!"

The commuters stared curiously at the owls as the family wove its way toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, Albus's voice drifted back to Harry over the surrounding clamor; his sons had resumed the argument they had started in the car.

"I won't! I won't be in Slytherin!"

"James, give it a rest!" said Ginny.

"I only said he might be," said James, grinning at his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth-"

But James caught his mother's eye and fell silent. The five Potters approached the barrier. With a slightly cocky look over his shoulder at his younger brother, James took the trolley from his mother and broke into a run. A moment later, he vanished.

"You'll write to me, won't you?" Albus asked his parents immediately, capitalizing on the momentary absence of his brother.

"Everyday if you want us to." Said Ginny.

"Not every day," said Albus quickly. "James said most people only get letters from home about once a month."

"We wrote to James three times a week last year." Said Ginny,

"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," Harry put in. "He likes a laugh, your brother. "

Side by side, they pushed the second trolley forward, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Albus winced but no collision came. Instead, the family emerged onto platform nine and throo-quarters, which was obscured by thick white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Indistinct figures were swarming through the mist, into which James had already disappeared.

"Where are they?" Albus asked anxiously, peering at the hazy forms they passed as they made their way down the platform.

"We'll find them," said Ginny reassuringly.

But the vapor was dense and it was difficult to make out anybody's faces. Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud. Harry thought he heard Percy discoursing loudly on broomstick regulations, and was quite glad of the excuse not to stop and say hello…

"I think that's them Al." said Ginny suddenly.

A group of four people emerged from the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces only came into focus when Harry, Ginny, Lily, and Albus had drawn right up to them.

"Hi." Said Albus, sounding immensely relieved.

Rose, who was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him.

"Parked all right, then?" Ron asked Harry. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner,"

"No I didn't," said Hermione, "I had complete faith in you."

"As a matter of fact, I did Confund him," Ron whispered to Harry, as together they lifted Albus's trunk and owl onto the train. "I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and lets face it, I can use a supersensory charm for that."

Back on the platform, the found Lily and Hugo, Rose's younger brother, having an animated discussion about what house they would be sorted into when they finally went to Hogwarts.

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," said Ron, "but no pressure."

"Ron!"

Lily and Hugo laughed , but Albus and Rose looked solemn.

"He doesn't mean it," said Hermione and Ginny , but Ron was no longer paying attention. Catching Harry's eye, he nodded covertly to a point some fifty yards away. The steam had thinned for a moment, and three people stood in sharp relief against the shifting mist.

"Look who it is."

Draco Malfoy was standing there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. His hair was receding somewhat, which emphasized the pointed chin. The new boy resembled Harry as much as Albus resembled Harry. Draco caught sight of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny staring at him, nodded curtly, and turned away again.

"So that's little Scorpius," said Ron under his breath. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake," said Hermione, half stern, half amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

"You're right, sorry," said Ron, but unable to help himself, he added, "Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood."

"Hey!"

James had reappeared; he had divested himself of his trunk, owl, and trolley, and was evidently bursting with news.

"Teddy's back there," he said breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!"

He gazed up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction.

"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing-"

"You interrupted them?" Ginny asked. "You are so like Ron-"

"-and he said he'd come to see her off! And he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" James added as though worried he had not made himself clear.

"Oh it would be lovely if they got married!" whispered Lily ecstatically. "Teddy would really be part of the family then!'

"He already come around for dinner about four times a week," said Harry. "Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"

"Yeah!" said James enthusiastically. " I don't mind sharing a room with Al- Teddy could have my room!"

"No," said Harry firmly, "you and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished."

He checked the battered old watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's.

"It's nearly eleven, you better get on board."

"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" Ginny told James as she hugged him.

"Mum! I can't give a professor love!"

"But you know Neville-"

James rolled his eyes.

"Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into herbology and give him love…!"

Shaking his head at his mother's foolishness, he vented his feelings by aiming a kick at Albus.

"See you late Al. Watch out for thestrals."

"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!"

But James merely laughed, permitted his mother to kiss him, gave his father a fleeting hig, then leapt onto the rapidly filling train. They saw him wave, then race up the corridor to find his friends.

"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," Harry told Albus.

"They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."

Ginny kissed Albus good-bye.

"Bye Al," said Harry as his son hugged him. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you've learned how and don't let James wind you up."

"What if I'm in Slytherin?"

The whisper was for his father alone and Harry knew that only the moment of departure could have forced Albus to reveal how great and sincere that fear was.

Harry crouched down so that Albus's face was slightly above his own. Alone of Harry's three children, Albus had inherited Lily's eyes.

"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to be pretending to wave to Rose who was now on the train "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But just say-"

"-then Slytherin house will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your opinion into account."

"Really?"

"It did for me," said Harry.

He had never told any of his children that before, and he saw the wonder in Albus's face as he said it. But now the doors were slamming all along the scarlet train and the blurred outlines of parents were swarming forward for final kisses and last-minute reminders.

Albus jumped into the carriage and Ginny closed the door behind them. A great number of faces both on the train and off, seemed to be turned towards Harry.

"Why are they all staring?" demanded Albus as he and Rose craned around to look at the other students.

"Don't let it worry you," said Ron. "It's me. I'm extremely famous."

Albus, Rose, Hugo, and Lily laughed.

The train began to move and Harry walked alongside it, watching his son's face, already ablaze with excitement. Harry kept smiling and waving, even though it was like a little bereavement, watching his son glide away from him…

As the last trace of steam evaporated in the autumn air the train rounded a corner. Harry's hand was still raised in farewell.

"He'll be alright," murmured Ginny.

As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand, almost absentmindedly, and touched the lightening scar on his forehead.

"I know he will."

The scar had not pained Harry for 19 years. All was well

On the train, everything was also well. Albus and Rose sat in a compartment with James, Luna and Neville's daughter Evanna, and Victoire. James was a third year, Victoire was a fifth year and Albus, Rose and Evanna were first years. As the train rounded the bend, James's best friend Fred, who also happened to be George and Angelina's son joined them in the compartment. He was also a third year.

All of the kids were very excited, but no one was excited as Rose. She already had her robes on and was super excited. He mom had shared stories of all of the classes and told Rose of the many great opprotunites there were at Hogwarts. Rose had inherited her mother's love of learning and her father's sense of humor. From her dad, Rose learned all of the not strictly academic aspects of Hogwarts. Rose had tried flying and found herself to be quite good. She couldn't wait until she was old enough to play Quidditch.

Albus was also extremely excited. True, his brother had gotten him riled up, but now that he was on the train, his fear was forgotten. He was very kind, like both Harry and Ginny and was also fairly intelligent. He might not be as brilliant as Rose, but he would definitely hold his own in his classes. Quidditch was not his thing, but he was a good boy.

Evanna had inherited her mother's looks and personality. She was a bit out there and believed in a whole host of things that most wizards did not. She did get along well with Rose, Albus, James, Victoire, Fred, Hugo, Lily and the rest of the Weasley-Potter clan. From her dad, she inherited her love for herbology. Evanna was always outside, discovering some plant or animal and was good with nearly anything to do with outdoors.

James was a huge jokester and was very similar to his uncle George and deceased uncle Fred. He for one could not wait to have Albus to intimidate. He also reminded some of the older professors of the marauders. Although James enjoyed many laughs, he was loyal and generally good at heart.

Fred was also much like his father and deceased uncle. He and James were as thick as thieves. Together, they caused more trouble than the rest of the Hogwarts students combined. Fred however, was studious on top of being a joker.

Lastly, there was Victoire. She was the second oldest of the next generation of kids and was very similar to her mother. She was extremely beautiful and, at her father's displeasure had quite a fan club. She was also intelligent, and with a dose of the Weasley loyalty.

All of the kids joked and talked all the way to Hogwarts. The three youngest were enthralled by the trolley and bought a large amount of candy. Everyone was on a sugar high and generally having a good time. However, the train ride seemed to pass in no time and then the routine call telling the students that they would be at Hogsmeade soon and to get into their robes reverberated throughout the train. Then the train pulled up, and the first years were taken to the boats. When the boats rounded the bend, Evanna, Rose, and Albus were amazed. Finally, they were at Hogwarts, the place they had waited their whole lives to see.