Disclaimer: All the characters and places in the story belong to J. K. Rowling. The plot and the kids are mine.
A/N This is my first fanfiction - if anyone has any tips or comments please review.
Harry Potter, Minister for Magic, and his wife Ginny, Head Healer at St. Mungo's, were sat in their lounge, looking through their old photo album. This album spanned the last 13 years of their lives since the Last Battle of the Second War. After the battle, all the Weasleys and the Lupins had moved to Godric's Hollow in the North of Scotland
This first picture was of Arthur and Molly Weasley. They were now in their late 60s. Arthur was retired after being Minister for Magic from late 1997 to 2000. Molly, although she was arthritic and tired in her old age, could still bring all the children and children-at-heart into line when necessary.
The next pages of photos were of Remus and Nymphadora Lupin who had been Harry's guardians after Dumbledore's death. Remus was now in his early fifties but still had the Marauder spirit about him and 'Tonks', still with bright-pink hair, was now the Head Auror though her grace had not improved with age. They had one son, Sirius, an eleven-year-old. He had inherited metamorphosing from his mum but he preferred to have light brown hair like his dad. He enjoyed plotting mischief with the Potters, obviously this was a common trait shared from their fathers' love of misbehaving.
Next was Bill and Fleur who lived with their gentle toddlers, Pierre and Jacques. Bill had no lasting condition from the bites he had suffered during the night of Dumbledore's death but he was covered in scars from it. Fleur had left her mark on the village in her own quintessential French way. Charlie featured in many these photos. He had stayed single through the torrent of engagements and marriages and hoped to remain that way for the near future.
After this was Percy and Penelope, they had no children yet but Penelope was pregnant. When Percy had helped with the final battle, the family allowed him back into the fold; however, the twins pranked him weekly.
The next section started with a picture of two large semi-detached houses with scorch marks all over them. This was definitely the home of the founders of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, a household name all over Britain and the World. In one house lived Fred and Angelina, with their 11 year-old twins, Percival and Wulfric. George and Katie lived in the other with their twins, also 11, Albus and Brian. The four kids all looked the same and were always up to mischief.
Ron and Hermione came next. Ron was the Chudley Cannons and England Keeper and Hermione was the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher and also Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. Their oldest child, Jayne, was a bookish 11-year-old who was just like Hermione though her bushy hair was red rather than brown. Dennis was their troublesome six-year-old with constant foot-in-mouth disease, just like Ron.
After this were the pictures of their own nine children, the oldest of which were Lily and Petunia, at 11. Petunia was splitting image of Molly Weasley and she was very protective of her younger siblings. Lily was so like her namesake as well as her Aunt Hermione and it shone through her all the time. She always stood up for the underdog or the victim. James, at nine, was very close to his little brother Alex who was 8. They were both very mischievous, plotting with Sirius Lupin. The triplets came next. The five-year-olds Cedric, Amelia and John were usually found high in the sky searching for a snitch or maybe tossing a quaffle back and forth. These were closely followed by Neville and Luna. They had been good friends so it had seemed fitting to name twins after them.
Later that evening, a party was raging in Potter Manor, all 38 residents of this small hamlet were there for the party celebrating Harry Potter's 31st birthday and the 13th wedding anniversary of the Potters and Ron and Hermione Weasley. During the party, Hermione Weasley had an interesting announcement for everyone.
"Apart from the things we are celebrating today, what is so important about 31st July?" she asked
There was silence as nobody could think of anything else to do with today. Fred surprised everyone when he knew the answer.
"Today is the deadline for replying to this year's Hogwarts' letters." He explained.
"Yes, there is a new addition this year where the teachers introduce students to the school and, especially muggle-borns, to living in the magical world during the last week of August and help then get their supplies." Penelope and Katie seemed to agree with this idea, both being muggle-born, but Fred and George seemed disappointed.
"We were looking…" Fred started.
"…forward to giving…" George continued.
" …the kids all our tricks!" they finished in unison.
Hermione frowned as she began again "We go on the 24th August and staff members have been allocated an area of the UK to collect the students and introduce them to the school. I was given the Highlands, this includes Godric's Hollow and an orphanage in Aberdeen that seems to be where the Ministry dumped the kids of Death Eaters."
A gasp of shock, surprise, horror and amazement rippled round the room.
"Like who?" Molly wondered aloud.
Hermione did not want to say so she gave the cake to Harry to blow out his candles.
"Finally, Dad" shouted Cedric "hope you made a wish!"
When the 24th of August dawned, it was a warm sunny day as Lily and Petunia Potter awoke at 6 am. Yawning as they went, they set off to round up all those starting Hogwarts this year. Jayne Weasley was ready, sitting on her packed trunk in her kitchen and her book bag, that weighed more than her trunk, was in her hand. Her Mum had already left for Aberdeen. When the three of them reached the pranksters' house; Albus, Percival, Wulfric and Brian were running round the house at 90-mph looking for this item or that item.
When they had all found all they needed and said goodbye to their parents, the cousins all waited for Aunt Hermione to return from Aberdeen. When she did, she had two scruffy boys; one with long, silky, white-blonde hair and the other had long, thick, greasy, black hair. There was also a girl reading a tatty book that looked like she had owned it all her life.
"Who are those people?" asked Brian curiously.
"Just some of your classmates so can you keep your nose out for 15 minutes until the sorting ceremony", she whispered to Brian. She then said to the group, "Right everyone, all put a finger on this feather." Hermione was holding out a bright gold feather that seemed to have come from a phoenix, probably from a certain phoenix. When they all had a hold of the feather, there was a sharp tug from behind their navel and they landed in the picturesque village of Hogsmeade.
"We have to be moving on quickly. You will get to visit this village in your third year so come along." As the group turned the next corner they saw it for the first time with the grand turrets reaching high into the sky. They walked up the lane towards the massive castle. At the gates, a giant of a man greeted them. Of course, this was Hagrid. Professor Hagrid, has he now is, was married Olympe Maxine and they had one daughter, Athena.
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry", Hagrid announced to the first-years while he open the iron gates.
" The other groups arrived five minutes ago, you're the last group", he whispered to Hermione. When they were through to the entrance hall, they joined the other groups for the lecture on the different houses. They walked into the Great Hall, towards the Sorting Hat and the High Table where the teachers sat. Jayne was telling everyone about Hogwarts: a History; her copy was from her parents as a present for her eleventh birthday. The pranksters were considering when to do their first prank when suddenly, the Sorting Hat burst into song
You are now here
at the start of the year.
The house for you will
soon become clear.
It's Hogwarts' special
sorting tradition.
And to place you
is my only mission.
This school was founded
many years ago
by four wise friends,
now as dead as the dodo.
To keep their legacy
from dying out,
put me on your head
and your house I'll shout.
If Hufflepuff is the
place for you,
then sticky situations
won't get you in a stew.
True and loyal
is what you are,
and for your friends
you'll go far.
But cunning and sly
and anything to win
will see you go
into Slytherin.
Now Gryffindors
are always brave,
young or old,
girl or knave
Our Gryffindors are
never queasy,
They do what's right
and not what's easy
Last but not least,
Our fourth house forever
Ravenclaws are smart
and clever.
Now I must sort you
so listen to the stakes.
You must band together
to forget past mistakes.
The Hat went quiet and Hermione unfurled the parchment and started to read the list of first years.
"Albers, Louise", a two-second decision placed her in Hufflepuff, Louise went and stood by Professor Sprout. The next name sent shock waves along the high table…
"Black, Sarah".
