19 Years Later
Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning o the first of September was crisp and golden as an apple, and as the little family bobbled 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 were pushing; the owls inside them hooted 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 to," Harry told her.
" Two years," sniffed 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 brother, James took the trolley from his mother and broke into a run. A moment later he had vanished.
" You'll write me won't you?" Albus asked his parents immediately, capitalizing on his brother's absence.
" Every day if you want us to" said Ginny.
" Not every day," said Albus quickly. " James says that most people only get letters from home once a month."
" We wrote James three times a week last year," said Ginny.
" And you don't want 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 9 ¾, 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?" said Albus anxiously, peering at the hazy forms they passed as they made their way through 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 form the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces had just come into focus when the Potter's reached them.
" Hi," said Albus sounding immensely relieved.
Rose who was 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's drivers test, did you? She thought I'd have to confund the examiner,"
" No I didn't I had complete faith in you" said Hermione.
" 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 let's face it I could use a suspensory charm for that."
Back on the platform, they found Lily and Hugo, Rose's younger brother, having an animated discussion about which House they would be sorted into when they finally get 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 Draco as much as Albus resembled Harry. Draco caught sight of them staring at him, nodded curtly, and turned away again.
" So that's little scorpius," said Ron under his breath. " Make sure you beat him on every test, Rosie. Thank God you got your mothers brains."
" Ron for heavens sake," said Hermione half stern, half amused " Don't try to turn them against each other before they even get to 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 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?" said Ginny. " You are so like Ron"
" And he said he came to see her off! And then 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 a part of the family then!"
"He already comes over for dinner four times a week," said Harry. " Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"
" Yeah!" James said enthusiastically. " I don't mind sharing with Al—Teddy could have my room!"
" No" said Harry firmly. " You and Al will share a room when I want the house demolished."
Harry checked the battered old watch that had once been Fabian Prewetts.
" It's nearly eleven, you should get on board" said Harry.
" Don't forget to give Neville our love" Ginny told James as she hugged him.
" Mum! I can't give a Professor love," said James.
" 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 later, Al. Watch out for the thestrals."
" I thought they were invisible? You told me they were invisible!"
But James merely laughed, permitted his mother to kiss him, gave his father a fleeting hug, he then leapt onto the rapidly filling train. They saw him wave, then sprinting away 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.
" See you at Christmas."
" Bye, Al" said Harry as his son hugged him. " Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeve's. Don't duel anyone until you know how. And don't let James wind you up."
" What if I'm in Slytherin?"
Harry crouched so that he was level with Albus. Albus was the only one of Harry's children to get Lily's eyes.
" Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train, " you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was Slytherin and he was 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 choice into account."
" Really?"
" He did it for me," said Harry.
He had never told any of his children that before, and he saw the wonder in Albus's face when he said it. But know the doors were slamming all along the scarlet train, and the blurred outlines of parents were swarming forward for final kisses, last minute reminders. Albus jumped into the carriage and Ginny closed the door behind him. Students were hanging from the windows nearest them. A great number of faces, both on the train and off, seemed to be turned toward 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 all laughed. The train began to move, and Harry walked alongside it, watching his son's thin 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…
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 all right," murmured Ginny.
Harry lowered his hand and touched the scar on his forehead.
" I know he will," said Harry.
The scar had not pained for nineteen years. All was well.
" Hey Harry want to go fetch a drink at the leaky cauldron?" asked Ron
" Sure a little firewhisky would hit the spot, and kids how about a butterbeer?"
" Yes please Daddy can we, can we" said Lily anxiously.
" Sounds like a plan. Hermione and Ginny can you take the kids and go in the Potters car I want to show Harry my muggle driving?" asked Ron " Harry you can follow me to our car."
Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Hugo, and Lily all passed back through the barrier.
Harry and Ron turned left at the end of the platform while Hermione, Ginny, and the kids turned right.
As the Harry and Ron exited Kings Cross Harry spotted a turquoise Ford Anglia parked next to a fire hydrant with a ticket on the windshield. As the boys preceded it turned out that this was Ron's car.
" 'Member this one Harry back in our second yea when we missed the train?" asked Ron.
" I remember now we couldn't get in because Dobby sealed the barrier," replied Harry.
" Well get in then 'Ermione hates it when I'm late" added Ron.
Harry and Ron piled into the Ancient Anglia with caution. As the car successfully pulled out of its illegal spot a fast moving car was headed straight for the side of the Ford Anglia.
"STUPEFY!" yelled Harry.
The car jerked backward and rolled over on its side. It was a strict punishment for the other car saying that Ron had missed the Stop sign.
" Bloody hell that was close 'Arry" yelped Ron.
" Maybe you should pay attention to the road and I wouldn't have to punish innocent people," replied Harry.
" I must say your job must be pretty boring Harry. Being an Auror in the Post-Voldy era leaves you nothing to do. I mean the greatest Dark Wizard in history goes down and the rest of them scatter. What do you do all day?"
" It's mostly desk work I'll get an occasional call of a thief in Diagon Alley but nothing like it used to be" replied Harry " But I have to say I feel pretty bad for you. You're the goalkeeper for the Chudley Cannons the worst Quidditch team in history."
" Hermione and I have been talking about that. I'm away to often I'm thinking of ditching it and getting a job at the Ministry. Hermione could help me get a job. She's head of the Department of Magical Law," said Ron.
The car jeered right and pulled up to a sudden stop. Harry and Ron stepped out of the Ford Anglia and before them stood the famous Leaky Cauldron. The two walked into the Bar and noticed that Hermione, Ginny, and their kids had beaten them there and were already sitting at a table. Harry and Ron walked over to the table and joined their spouses. Ron ordered a round o Firewhisky and the waitress set down glasses on their table. She pulled her wand out of her apron and waved it. A bottle of Firewhisky appeared in the woman's hand and she poured them their drinks.
" I understand now how Ron passed his drivers test," commented Harry.
Ron blushed a deep red similar to the shade on top of his head.
" I did not confund him, when he saw a wooden stick in my pocket he probably thought I was mentally challenged," responded Ron.
An elderly man walked through the door of The Leaky Cauldron. He was carrying a sac full of newspapers.
"PROPHET! GET YOUR DAILY PROPHET!" the man yelled.
Ron put his hand in the air to signal the elderly man that he would like to purchase one. The man came over and Harry studied the man's face carefully. He soon recognized this man as none other than-
"Mundugous Fletcher"