Kailor: Wow, thank you all for the reviews! I'm thrilled to see how many questions are popping up. Shows how interested you all are. Quick answer for a couple of the questions:

About which kids are werewolves and why, that will be answered soon enough.

Llyr was mentioned in the first chapter, but Ven was actually there before Albion or Llyr, (hence me listing her first). She was their first kid. Then they adopted Albion and Llyr together then got Harry.

Pronunciations: Ven (rhymes with Ben), Albion (Al-be-on), Llyr (Leer), Anwen (Ahn-when), Lee (well...yeah, it's Lee), Leith (Lay-th), and Aurelia (Aw-rail-ya).

Llyr? Well, we'll get to him soon. And as for my ship plans, I've got something quite special up my sleeve. A pairing I have yet to find anywhere else, so if someone should find it later on, I want to read it. But that's in future! Thank you all for reading and here's cookies for everyone who figured it all out!

Back at Castle Stalker, Ven and Harry excitedly showed their younger siblings all their new supplies. Harry was also pleasantly surprised to find that their brothers and sisters had pitched in their allowances to get Harry and Ven presents. Ven got a heavy ring, enchanted to always fit the wearer's finger. It bore the Lachlan family crest: A knight's helmet above a shield that had a lion between two swords on the top half and three crescent moons on the bottom half. Harry got a snowy white owl. Both children were ecstatic and bouncing around happily.

Lyall caught Faolan's arm and brought her out into the courtyard while the kids played. A few minutes later he returned. "Alright, listen up, pups." After a moment the hall was silent. Moody, still there, raised an eyebrow across the table at Faolan. She shook her head. Lyall continued. "Since this is a birthday, it means you're all older, right?" The kids agreed, cheering. "Then we're going to step up your training as of tomorrow-"

"Aww, Da! No!"

"You've already got us climbing the castle forestair! Come on!"

"But Da, we're still young, yeah!"

Harry, Albion, and Llyr were silent. Harry didn't mind the training increasing. He actually enjoyed the routine they'd settled into. Ven, to his surprise, was grinning. "Perfect. I'll be in shape for the Quidditch team!"

"You can't even try out until second year," Albion reminded her.

"Even more time to get ready!" Ven cheered.

XXXXXXX

Once the presents were done and they'd eaten the cake Faolan whipped up, their father called them together. "Get your things, pups. We're going to Kintyre for the day."

The kids were soon gathered around Lyall clutching towels and blankets. A few of them carried surfboards. Harry found himself standing between Ven and Leith. His sister leaned around him. "Don't think we've forgotten what you did. Better hope nothing at Kintyre pulls you under the water." Harry laughed as Leith's face lost color.

Lyall took half and Faolan took the other half. Harry took Ven's hand and Leith's. Aurelia was quick to grab Ven's other hand, smiling up at her big sister. Lyall took Aurelia and Leith by the hand and said, "Right, you know the drill. Close your eyes. Focus on me."

Harry closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt Ven's hand tighten on his and he was being pressed on from all directions. He couldn't breathe. Iron bands tightened around his chest. His eardrums felt like they were being forced into his brain. For a minute Harry was sure his head was going to explode. Then he heard a small 'pop' and felt his feet on steady ground. He opened his eyes, blinking in the sudden sunlight. They were standing on a small beach, the tide reaching for his shoes. He gazed around at the rocky cliffs that sheltered their little cove, thinking about how beautiful they were.

"Bet we could sneak off and jump from one of them," Ven whispered in his ear.

Lyall clapped an arm around his and Ven's shoulders. "As you know, it rains more than it shines in Scotland. So lucky you, we've got a clear day for your birthday. Enjoy it." He pushed them towards the water.

Harry, Ven, and Albion took to the water, their surfboards in hand. Harry loved surfing. It felt almost like flying, with the wind whipping his hair back and stinging his face. Faolan soon joined them, claiming she needed to "show them how it was done". Llyr paddled out after her.

On shore, Lyall had his hands full trying to keep Aurelia from swimming out too far and making sure Anwen didn't disappear, as she was known to do. He glanced at his youngest son, the only boy on the beach. "Not swimming today, Leith?"

"Uh, no, Da. Just thought I'd get a bit of sun this time. Maybe next time."

When there was more sun in the water than in the sky, Lyall called them in. Harry and Ven were the last to leave the water, gushing about the big waves they'd caught. Harry was exhausted and happily dropped to the sand beside Lee. His dark-haired sister offered him a towel, which he gratefully took. Their da had lit a fire and he was handing out sticks and treats to hold over the fire. Harry snatched the bag of marshmallows and he and Lee tore into them, only half making it onto their sticks to be held over the fire. The cliffs echoed back their laughter as the family spent the rest of the evening just relaxing. A few times Harry caught his father's gaze over the fire and was surprised to find there was a sheen of tears in his eyes. He frowned, raising an eyebrow. Lyall just shook his head. Harry figured his father was just getting emotional because it was his birthday. He did that every year.

Night crept around them. Outside of their circle of firelight the only other light was the moonlit silver crests of waves rolling in. Lyall lifted his wand, conjuring a tiny guitar. They roasted the last of their snacks as he played a soft tune. He recognized the song and hummed along.

The small talk going on amongst the kids stopped as their mother's voice joined their father's guitar. "Mull of Kintyre. Oh, mist rolling in from the sea. My desire is always to be here. Oh, Mull of Kintyre." Across the flickering flames, Harry watched Faolan and Lyall's eyes meet. His father's smile grew, the way it always did when he looked at his wife. Faolan was swaying to the beat, her eyes caressing her husband's face as if no one but he existed for her. Harry smiled. He knew marriage was a long way off for him, but he knew he would only marry a woman who looked at him that way. And who he couldn't help but look at the way Lyall looked at Faolan.

Albion's surprisingly deep voice joined their mother's, along with Lee's gentle lilt. "Far have I traveled and much have I seen. Dark distant mountains with valleys of green."

Harry jumped as Llyr's husky voice rose from beside Albion. It was so rare to hear Llyr say anything at all, much less singing. "Past painted deserts, the sunset's on fire. As he carries me home to the Mull of Kintyre."

Ven threw her arm around Harry's neck and began to sing as well, her grin making him laugh. Harry joined her, not caring that he couldn't carry a note in a bucket. "Mull of Kintyre. Oh, mist rolling in from the sea. My desire is always to be here. Oh, Mull of Kintyre."

Aurelia and Leith were right behind them. When Anwen's warbling voice merged with theirs, the whole family sang. "Sweep through the heather, like deer in the glenn. Carry me back to the days I knew then. Nights when we sang like a heavenly choir, of the life and the times of the Mull of Kintyre. Mull of Kintyre. Oh, mist rolling in from the sea. My desire is always to be here. Oh, Mull of Kintyre."

And as Harry sang, he knew that no matter how amazing Hogwarts was, he would miss this every day.

XXXXXXX

The days up until September 1st were filled with training. Each morning Lyall got the kids out of bed and had them do stretches in the courtyard. Then they would have races from the castle to The Point and back. They would do push-ups and jumping jacks on the lawn. Small tree trunks were conjured for each child to balance on for thirty minutes each day. They no longer climbed the castle's forestair, but the actual wall. Faolan cast an invisible net in case anyone fell, which happened often, and Lyall stood on the battlements, yelling encouragements. Any time Harry reached the top his da would clap a proud hand on his shoulder. "Good job, son." At those times, despite his burning arms and aching legs, Harry felt he could easily scale the wall again.

Just before dawn on September 1st, Lyall shook Harry awake. "Get up, lad. Wake your sister. We'll be leaving shortly."

Harry drowsily nodded, sitting up. Once his da left, he placed his hands on Ven's back and shoved. She hit the floor with a yelp and he laughed, much more awake, until her pillow hit him in the face. They had a quick argument over who got the bathroom first, then dressed and hurried downstairs. Albion was already there eating the breakfast Faolan had shoved in front of him. They took their own plates, watching as their mother dashed around making last minute additions to their trunks and fussing over their hair. The fourth time she asked if Harry had packed enough underwear, he jokingly said, "Oh, Mum. I think I was wrong. I must have forgotten every pair!" Before he could assure her that he was kidding, she was gone up the stairs to check his room, nearly running over Llyr in the process.

Llyr took his seat, looking to Harry. What was that about? he signed.

Harry shrugged. "You know Mum."

Indeed, his brother replied, smiling.

"Why are we even going to London, Da?" Ven said. "I thought Hogwarts was in Scotland."

"It is. But riding the train to school is a tradition. I met a lot of my best mates on the train."

"I met Cedric on the train," Albion said. "You won't regret it."

When it was time to go they gathered in the courtyard, receiving last minute hugs and kisses from their mother. Harry took Ven's hand and gripped his trunk with the other. Llyr grabbed his arm, holding it tight. Lyall made sure everyone was ready then Apparated the lot of them from the castle, leaving a teary-eyed Faolan.

XXXXXXX

Harry stumbled as they appeared in an empty waiting room in King's Cross Station. A tall wizard with a goatee and no eyebrows greeted them outside the door and ushered them along. "What's he there for?" Harry asked.

Lyall laughed. "He makes sure muggles don't notice us apparating our kids here." He stopped to grab each of them a trolley for their trunks.

At platfoms 9 and 10, Lyall said, "Here we are. You'll go in pairs and I'll follow you."

Harry jumped as a voice behind him cried, "George! I told you to leave those blasted fireworks at home this year!" He turned to see who had spoken. The redheaded woman making her way towards them reminded him so much of his own mother that he nearly said, "Yes, ma'am" when she told one of her sons to stop dawdling. Though his mother was thinner and looked younger, this woman had the same commanding presence and fiery hair. Her children, as they must be since all of them had the same hair, ended up in line behind Harry and Ven.

"Molly?" Lyall said.

The woman's eyes widened. "Why, Lyall? Is that you? I haven't seen you since you left the Ministry! My God!" She did a double take when she saw the four children with him. "Are all of these yours? Last I'd heard you only had two!"

Lyall laughed, his gray eyes moving to the kids at her elbows. "I could say the same to you! Kids, say hello to Mrs. Weasley."

"Hello," they said together. Llyr simply waved.

Harry noticed that the twin boys behind Mrs. Weasley were looking at him and Ven. "You two twins?" one of them mouthed over his mother's shoulder. Ven and Harry shared a glance, then looked at the boys and nodded, grinning. The Weasley twins threw them a thumbs up.

"All together, then, Molly?"

"I believe so, Lyall. Percy can go first, if you like. I see you have quite a few first years. Ron is in his first year, as well." Mrs. Weasley said, indicating her youngest son. He was a tall gangly boy with a lot of freckles and a long nose.

"That would be great." Lyall said.

The oldest Weasley boy strode forward, his nose in the air. He pointed his trolley at the barrier between 9 and 10, moved quickly through the crowd of muggles that seemed to appear from nowhere, and he was gone.

"Wicked," Harry and Ven said together.

A fake sob sounded from behind them. The Weasley twins were gazing at them like they were their favorite pets. "They're so cute," one of them said.

"Twinsies after our own hearts, Georgie," the other replied, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.

Albion and Llyr went next, followed by the Weasley twins. Ron was partnered with his little sister, who Harry heard complaining the whole way that she wanted to go to Hogwarts too.

"Go on, you two," Lyall said. "We'll be right behind you. Just straight at the barrier. That's the ticket."

Harry lined his trolley up with Ven's, noting that his sister looked just as nervous as he felt. As one, they started toward the barrier. As they got closer people began to swarm around them and Harry felt himself speed up. Beside him, Ven did the same. The barrier grew closer and closer and Harry closed his eyes, prepared for the impact.

But he just kept running. He opened his eyes and found himself on an entirely new platform, looking up at a giant scarlet train. In gold letters across its engine it read, "Hogwarts Express". Ven's appreciative whistle made him nod. "My sentiments exactly."

Lyall and Molly Weasley appeared behind them. "Let's go, kids. Hurry now," Molly said. "The compartments fill up quickly."

Near the end of the train they found an empty compartment. Harry and Ven quickly moved their things in. Harry stored his owl, Hedwig, then hopped back down to the platform to say goodbye. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a flash of brown hair and he turned. A little way down the train was the girl from the bookstore. Her bushy brown hair was tied back in a ponytail and she was trying to lift her trunk up the stairs. He glanced back at his sister. She was hugging their father and chatting animatedly with the little Weasley girl. Harry figured he had a minute. He hurried down the platform.

"Here, let me help you," Harry said, grabbing the other end of the trunk.

"Oh, thank you," the girl said, obviously surprised. Together they fought the trunk up into the train and he helped her store it in a compartment where a few girls were already sitting. She followed him back to the door as he hopped back onto the platform. "Thank you again," she said, showing off her slightly buck-toothed smile.

"Anytime," he said. "Where are your parents? Wouldn't they have helped you?"

"Oh, they're muggles," she said. He already knew her mother was, but he didn't mention that. He felt she might get weirded out if he told her he'd once spied on her in a bookstore. "They couldn't come on Platform 9 and 3/4. So I probably would have still been fighting with my trunk if you hadn't come along."

Harry heard Ven's voice. She was hanging out of the train, waving for him to hurry. "I've got to go," he said. "It was nice to meet you."

"You didn't really. You just helped me with my trunk. Meeting me would mean you learned my name and I learned yours."

Harry laughed. "Alright then, what's your name?"

"Hermione Granger. And yours?"

"I'm-"

"Son, the train's leaving!" Lyall yelled. He was waiting with open arms for one more hug.

Harry dashed towards him, calling over his shoulder, "Guess I'll meet you later then, Hermione Granger!"

He tackled his father, hugging him tight as the train began to move. Ven held out a hand and he grabbed it, letting her pull him onto the train and they shut the door. They hurried into their compartment and leaned out the window, waving. As they rounded the corner, Lyall Disapparated.

Kailor: Hope that answered some questions and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Reviews appreciated, as always. Thank you for reading.

Quick add on! Totally forgot to mention that the song they sang is "Mull of Kintyre" by Wings. Written by Paul McCartney. Wonderful song. Look it up.