On the Hogwarts Express, on their way home for summer vacation, Albus and James make a discovery about their father and plan to confront him!
Dedicated to my beautiful, wonderful, loving twin 3
Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding the Harry Potter world and phenomenon. Dear Rowling owns rights, and her and Warner Brothers can fight that out all day. The chocolate frog summary courtesy of harry potter wikia. Org and a few additions of my own liberties.
Chocolate Frogs:
Albus Severus Potter sat with his close group of friends, reminiscing about their first year at Hogwarts. Stories about professors, hijinks, detentions and long days by the lake – and weren't exams brutal? The end of year chatter drifted on as the Hogwarts Express traveled the country side back to London. Around midday the trolley came 'round with every sweet imaginable. Albus restrained himself with only buying a chocolate frog and some licorice wands.
As conversations continued, turning into plans for the summer and "Oh you have to come visit" Al opened his chocolate frog, hoping for a new one to add to his collection. Uncle Ron had almost a thousand of them and he was determined to catch up some day. He turned the card over to see his father's face smiling at him; the name "HARRY POTTER" written plain as day underneath the portrait.
"That's Uncle Harry!" Rose Weasley leaned over studying the card.
"It is…" Al said puzzled.
He jumped up and left the compartment, running to find his brother, Rose following close behind.
"James!" he burst into the compartment and thrust the card at James.
James read the back of the card then looked at the picture.
"Dad's on a frog card?"
"What's it say?" Rose asked.
"Harry James Potter – the first wizard to survive the Killing Curse, earning the title 'The Boy Who Lived.' Most famously, for the defeat of the most dangerous dark wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort in the second wizarding war in 1998 and his work and revolutionisation of the Ministry of Magic along Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger." James read aloud.
"Blimey! I knew dad was head of the Auror office but what war?" Al asked.
James shook his head and even Rose (who usually had all the answers) shrugged apologetically.
The train pulled into Kings Cross Station and the brothers hurried off the express to find their dad. They were greeted by their mother and sister. Feeling slightly disappointed at not being able to bombard their father with their bursting question they greeted their mother and sister.
"Hello boys!" Ginny called excitedly. She hugged her sons, placing kisses atop their heads.
"Hi mum." They hugged back.
"Hi Lily." Al smiled to his little sister.
"Hey brat." James stuck his tongue out at Lily, "Mum where's dad?"
"Oh he had urgent work and couldn't get away." Ginny apologized.
"Made it!" the voice was Harry's and severely out of breath.
"King's Cross is packed. Almost apparated on a group of tourists." Harry smiled as he kissed Ginny's cheek.
"Dad!" James shouted allowing Harry to barely get a hug in before he thrust the chocolate frog card at his father. "Why are you on a chocolate frog card!"
Harry's jaw hung open and his face flushed. "Oh, well, erm…"
"Dad's on a frog card?" Lily asked.
"Yea see!" Al took the card and showed Lily.
"It says you're the 'boy-who lived' dad." James said.
"And you fought in some big war." Al added.
"Why don't we talk about this at home kids?" Ginny interrupted, knowing how much Harry hated talking about his triumphs. "Uncle Ron, Aunt Hermione, Hugh and Rose are coming for dinner so we have to get home."
"Yes!" Harry leapt at the opportunity to turn the attention away from himself. "We need to get home."
"But dad," James complained.
"James, later." Harry looked around, embarrassed.
"Potter." A slick voice said to his left.
He nodded once, "Malfoy."
"Bye Scorpious." Rose said, "Hi Aunt Ginny, Uncle Harry."
"Hello." They said in unison.
"We'll be seeing you in a little bit." Ginny smiled.
Harry smiled to Ron, Hermione and Hugo as they made plans to come by around seven thirty for dinner.
"Come on kids," Ginny said ushering them out the gate.
They loaded up the car – Mr. Weasley's trick of the undetectable extension charm coming in handy.
"I'll drive." Harry said, trying to swipe the keys from his wife.
"I've got it dear." She smiled, keeping the keys out of reach.
"Gin, love." His tone sickly sweet.
"Harry… sweetheart." She mocked.
Harry held his wand behind his back and silently summoned the keys; suddenly they were in his hands.
"Thanks love." He laughed at the look of horror on Ginny's face.
"You work for the ministry of magic!" she said in mock horror. "You can't just accio in public! In front of Muggles!"
Harry laughed as he opened the car door – the 3 kids already arguing in the back seat. "Ginny, when have I ever followed the rules?" he winked and got in the driver's seat.
Ginny sighed and took the passenger's seat. "You're a horrible example." She said, but harry knew she wasn't mad.
"So dad," James piped up. "About you and this Lord Voldemort…"
"Er, well, I'm sure the frog card summed it up nicely." Harry evaded.
"It said you're the boy who lived, and that Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione helped you beat Lord Voldemort." Al summarized.
"Many great people helped with that, including your mum and all your uncles." Harry hastened to say.
"Is that when Uncle Fred died?" James asked.
They had been told Uncle George's twin had died but that was all. It wasn't that they didn't want to talk about Fred; Fred was very important, but it seemed tragic to burden them with the sadness of death and loss at such a young age.
"Yes." Ginny said, "Your Uncle Fred was a brilliant and brave wizard. He died during The Battle of Hogwarts."
"What's that?" Lily asked.
"I don't know that you're old enough for this." Ginny said.
Harry thought of all the times he was "too young" to know something. He now fully appreciated the difficulty of such heavy burdens and decided to apologize to Dumbledore next time he was at Hogwarts for a chat with his portrait.
"We're home." Harry said pulling up to the curb.
Harry helped the boys with their trunks and owls, he was tempted to levitate them into the house but there were too many pedestrians about; the downfall of living on a Muggle street. "Go ahead and unpack boys." Harry said.
"Can't we do it later dad?" James asked.
"Yea, I want to hear about why you're famous first!" Al agreed.
"Your dad's not good at talking about himself." Ginny said.
"But we're your sons." James said exasperated.
"And daughter." Lily piped up.
There was a knock on the door and Harry leapt at the distraction. "Coming!" he called.
The door opened on a green haired youth, "Teddy!" he hugged his Godson.
"Teddy!" James, Al and Lily ran into the hall.
"Hey!" Teddy smiled, "How was Hogwarts? I do miss it."
"Did you know Dad is famous?" James asked.
"He's on a chocolate frog card!" Al added for emphasis.
"He defeated Voldemort!" Lily continued.
Teddy laughed, he knew the entire story of the war, his own parents having died valiantly in battle.
"Dad hasn't told you yet?" Teddy asked amused.
"Teddy knows too!" James said indignant.
"Well, he's a bit older." Harry reasoned.
"You have to tell us dad! Who's Voldemort?"
"Boy-Who-Lived?"
"Don't forget Chosen One." Teddy added.
"Teddy!" Harry reprimanded.
Teddy laughed, "Sorry Harry. Any one for a game of exploding snap before dinner?"
Harry escaped into the kitchen as the kids went in the living room.
"How do I explain the card?" Harry asked his wife, who was bustling about the kitchen making dinner for nine.
"Honestly Harry, they're your children. Your inability to talk about your accomplishments can be reeled in for five minutes."
Harry groaned. He hated taking credit for what so many brave people had united to fight for. He was just on the verge of hoping that maybe his children would let it go (not likely) when he heard a pop and a knock on the door.
He went to open it. "Ron." He smiled letting his best friend in the house.
"Where's 'mione and the kids?" Harry asked.
"The others are flooing over. Hermione wanted me to come first and let you know."
"Excellent. Teddy's here. We only just got back so dinner won't be for a while."
"That's alright. It'll be good to have a chat." The pair went into the living room as Teddy's card exploded.
"Uncle Ron!" Al exclaimed as though he hadn't seen him on the platform an hour ago. The others looked up with similar exclamations.
"Hey everyone."
"Uncle Ron, who's Lord Voldemort?" James asked.
"We found dad on a chocolate frog card, and you're mentioned too as well as Aunt Hermione but dad won't tell us!" Al explained.
"Your dad's never been good at talking about himself." Ron said, taking a seat next to Al. "So it goes like this. When your dad was a baby…"
"Oh Ron, really?" Harry's face was turning red.
"That's where it starts." Ron rolled his eyes. "So, when your dad was a baby…"
Ron delved into an account of their seven years battling evil forces, at one point jumping up on the couch to imitate their trip on a dragon – to which Lily shrieked in horror – before finally coming to the conclusion of the thrilling adventure they had endured together (leaving out some of the less theatrical parts). "And then all was well." Ron finished.
Hermione, Rose and Hugo had arrived during Ron's thrilling tale cataloging the first seventeen years of Harry's life.
"Dinner's almost ready." Ginny said. "Harry, Ron, want to set the table?"
"She's just like mum." Ron mumbled.
"Oh shut it Ron." Ginny called. Harry laughed.
"So wait," Al said, following Harry and Ron into the dining room. "Basically Uncle Ron, what you're saying is we're constantly around the most famous people in the wizarding world, and you never told us!"
"Well, it was twenty years ago." Harry said.
"Still. This is something we should know." James insisted.
"Well now you do." Harry noted.
"It's pretty cool; being the son of the chosen one." James bragged.
"That attitude's not going to happen James." Harry said with a hint of warning in his voice.
"Boy who lived then." Al smirked, goading his father.
"Albus, James." Again the hint of warning was there.
"And he's head Auror." Lily added in awe.
"What can't he do?" Teddy joked.
"That's it. All of you are going to be on the receiving end of my tickling charm." Harry said as the children ran into the living room being chased by their father. Teddy and Ron jumped out of the way.
"Honestly, dinner's almost ready!" Ginny warned.
"Uncle Ron, help!" James called as he rounded the table.
"Aunt Hermione!" Al screamed with laughter.
"Mummy!" Lily's echoing laugh filled the room.
"You started it." Ginny said with a smile.
"Yea, I don't cross the chosen one." Ron smirked.
"You're next." Harry warned.
Harry caught James around the middle tickling him mercilessly, trapped Al in the corner and had Lily in his other arm. The children laughed as they rolled with their father, being tickled. Out of breath and with Ginny's one-minute dinner warning they all lay on the floor breathing hard.
"You know dad, they should add something else to your frog card." Al said once he caught his breath.
"What's that son?" Harry asked amused.
"Best dad ever."
