Disclaimer: I'm NOT JK! I do not own the characters!

Lily was very excited about her first year at Hogwarts. Her eldest brother, James, was in his fourth year already and her other brother- Al- had started last year with their cousin Rose. She had been reluctant to show her brothers how much she wanted to go with them, but now her excitement was uncontainable.

The moment she stepped onto the platform, she let go of her father's hand, and went in search of her cousin Hugo. She found him easily, stood between his mother and Rose, playing with his new rat, and ran towards him. He looked up from his new pet; "Hi Lil!" he beamed. The breathless Lily smiled back at her cousin and looked behind to see if her parents had followed her. They had and were currently engaged in a rather animated conversation with her Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron.

The cousins remained locked in a most informative discussion about which house they would be sorted into, until it was time for them to get on the train. Lily ran to hug her mother, who helped her onto the train, her father behind them; carrying her trunk over his shoulder. Harry felt so proud of his little girl at that moment. Seeing her go and sit in the compartment with her friends, to have a family, a proper family, on the other side of the glass to wave her off.

As the train pulled away from the platform, Ginny rested her head on her husband's shoulder. "She'll be fine," she whispered. Harry looked into her eyes, and replied;

"I know."

They waved to Lily, Albus and James until the train turned around the corner and out of sight. The made to leave the platform, weaving in and out of witches, muggles and wizards who had deposited their children onto the train.

When they arrived in the car park, Harry was shocked to see a face from his past. A small boy stood next to his mother, they were dressed in muggle clothing. Next to the woman, stood a man he knew all too well, fumbling in his jeans pocket (probably for his keys). He was portly, blonde and red-faced. Just like his father. The man noticed Harry and nodded; Harry smiled and slid into the car next to his wife.

The man's eyes followed the car as it pulled out of the parking space. "Who is he dad?" asked the little blonde boy, noticing his father's acknowledgement. He was worried that his youngest son would turn out like him, and have a complete fear of his older brother, the fear of the unknown. It was because of this, more than anything else; that made it hard for him to explain to his son who the dark haired man was.

His hatred of him had burned strong throughout their childhood and he had done everything in his power to make the man's boyhood miserable. He took his time to think of the words to explain to his little boy, but he eventually found them. He took a deep breath and said; "He's a very brave wizard who saved my life once, that's all." And he left it there.

If he'd had to elaborate, that would mean admitting to his little boy how badly he treated his cousin, because he was afraid of him. Him and what he could do. The fear of the unknown, the unexplained, of Harry was a side of himself that he'd left at No. 4 Privet Drive, when he left almost twenty years ago. He wasn't going back there. He couldn't go back there.