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GOLDEN ERA 01 | THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS

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- King's Cross Station

King's Cross was bustling as families said tearful farewells and excited children boarded the Hogwarts express. The years had flown by since the end of the war, and Hermione once again stood on platform nine and three quarters for the first time in over a decade.

Harry was finally going to Hogwarts, along with Ron, Neville, and Draco.

She'd anticipated this day for years, and even standing on the platform now couldn't help her anchor herself in reality. A comforting squeeze to her hand brought her back to the moment as she glanced over at her husband.

"Alright?" His tranquil grey eyes probed hers.

"Yeah, just... a little anxious."

"Do you see yourself?" He whispered curiously.

"Not yet, though I remember we cut it close that first year because I couldn't find my way onto the platform. My parents couldn't cross the barrier on to nine and three quarters, so we had to say our goodbyes out on the muggle platform."

"Mum! I see them!"

Sirius and Hermione whirled around to the voice of their eldest calling out to them. Following Nova's line of sight, they smiled as they saw the Potters headed towards them. While Hermione and Sirius were planning to see off Harry today as his godparents, their children had stubbornly insisted on accompanying them to see off their friends.

Yes, children. As in plural. The story behind them was absolutely ridiculous. As much as she loved her kids, Hermione never planned on having quite that many, especially as young as she had them. Nova Aylin Black herself was a surprise that forced them to rush their wedding. Only a year later, she found herself pregnant again—that time with twins.

Hermione had never been so frustrated, her body still recovering from Nova. Sirius had never felt guiltier even though it was no more his fault than hers. Magical forms of contraception simply didn't seem to work for them. This time Sirius took his job of helping Hermione through labor a lot more personally. While Hermione couldn't take too many potions during labor since she had to minimize exposure to the fetus, Sirius had no such restrictions. This time, he managed to take nearly all her pain and drown it to a dull version of itself, with probably too many pain potions. It didn't take away the nine months she had to carry the baby herself, nor the time afterward her body spent recovering. They both knew it. But it was all he could do, so he would do it.

And with that, they welcomed Leo and Caelum Black. At that point, Hermione had asked her healers for more permanent solutions like having her tubes tied or eggs removed. All the wizarding healers seemed horrified, as though she'd suggested bloody murder. Even Mary, with all the progress she'd made in the maternal ward, could not push to have the procedure done. They decided to use muggle contraceptive pills for a while, but over the years, it seemed Hermione's magical core wore the efficacy of those down as well.

So two years after the twins, Hermione was pregnant yet again. And while she could never regret the birth of their youngest, Regulus Black, she swore she would not do that again. She decided she'd go to a muggle hospital to get her tubes tied regardless of whatever her healers may advise. Sirius was wholeheartedly on board- he'd hated seeing Hermione's frustration and worrying that trying to be intimate with his wife could become a cause for anxiety. Life had been good to them, though. They adored their four children, who were surprisingly wildly different from each other.

Their kids ran over to the Potters with excitement. They'd all practically grown up together since their families were so close. Not only was Hermione godmother to two of the Potters' children, but the Potters were also godparents to the Black twins, Leo and Caelum.

"Are you scared?" Nova asked Harry and Neville curiously.

"Not at all!" Harry puffed his chest proudly. "I'm going to be in Gryffindor!"

"Me too!" Neville added excitedly.

Neville and Harry were so similar yet so different from the children she'd met at age eleven. While Neville was still warm and sensitive, he was also much more confident in himself. He also knew about the history of his parents, which had always grounded him in a way only tragedy does. Harry was surprisingly similar to the boy she'd always known, just more carefree and affectionate. Lily had done a remarkable job keeping the boy firmly grounded despite the marauder's shenanigans.

"Me three!" Ron added, rushing up to them.

They turned to greet the incoming Weasleys warmly. Molly still hosted all of them once a month for one of her grand brunches, which had eventually turned into a potluck. It was one of their standing events over the years, and all their kids were incredibly close as a result.

"Oh, look, our copy cats!" Fred smirked as he and George ruffled the hair of the Black twins.

Leo glanced up at them in awe while Caelum jerked away, straightening his hair immediately. The two boys could not be more different. Leo was like the manifestation of the marauders. She had no doubt Fred and George would easily bring him under their wing when they started Hogwarts in three years. Caelum, on the other hand, was very studious and serious, much like Hermione.

"You lot ready?" Lily asked them. "Have everything?"

"We went through the checklist like ten times," James reminded her endearingly. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Draco's not here!" Harry reminded them.

"I got an owl from Narcissa this morning," Sirius told them. "They'll be here."

The two Malfoys showed up a few minutes later with their chosen family: Fabian Prewett. He and Narcissa had a torturously slow courtship before they got their act together. He'd been scared of demanding too much, knowing her first priority was being a mother. She'd been too scared of voicing needing or wanting someone, as she was very protective of her newfound independence. In the end, it was little Draco who pushed them together. He'd reached his limits of patience and eventually demanded, in true Malfoy fashion, that Fabian stay permanently instead of leaving them every night. Their relationship progressed very quickly after that.

Narcissa almost called off the wedding when she confessed to Fabian she wouldn't be able to have any more kids. Draco himself was a bit of a miracle since she'd had two miscarriages before him. Like the Malfoys, the Prewetts were an old but diminishing line of Wizards. Fabian had no problem with the situation. Draco was more than enough for his fatherly aspirations, and Fabian had a brother who could carry the family name. He and Narcissa were also godparents to Hermione's eldest, Nova. His predictions turned out to be true. While Gideon and Marlene were together for a while, they waited to have children. But now they had 5-year-old twin boys- Kai and Hugh Prewett- and a precious two-year-old girl- Carynn Prewett. And Fabian was a proud uncle and godparent to all three of them. He never felt lacking when it came to kids.

"Hi everyone!" Narcissa greeted them openly. She'd become much more friendly and openly affectionate over the years. It was, as she herself admitted, a working process.

A young, subdued Draco followed beside her. On the surface, he looked very similar to what Hermione remembered. He stood straight and proud, holding himself with every bit of poise as his mother. On the first impression, he seemed as closed off too. But really, he just took after his godfather in that he was introverted. Funnily enough, when left to his own devices, Draco Malfoy did not like the spotlight- he liked to observe others. He was still wildly ambitious and competitive, and every now and then, you'd see him smirk with a scheming intention glittering in his eyes. But overall, he might be the most well-mannered out of their lot of kids since Narcissa still prioritized teaching her child proper decorum.

"Hi, Draco," Hermione waved with a friendly smile.

Only when he met her eyes did a soft smile finally grace his face. "Hello, Lady Black," he tilted his head properly.

Sirius snorted, and Hermione immediately elbowed him.

"How many times do I have to ask you to call me Hermione?" She reminded him.

Draco looked up at his mother, and she smiled softly. "It's alright, dear. Sirius is my cousin, so Hermione is essentially like an aunt to you. You know that."

"Okay," Draco nodded cautiously.

"She's my godmother, though!" Harry boasted proudly, smiling widely up at Hermione. "Right 'Mione?"

Lily reddened. "I'm so sorry," she muttered. "These Potter boys- they're so possessive."

"You wouldn't have us any other way." James laughed.

"I can't wait until we get to go next year," Ginny Weasley sighed wistfully, latching arms with Bryony Potter.

In a family full of so many brothers, Ginny had latched on to Bryony like she was a life preserver. Granted, Bryony had no complaints as she too was often exasperated by her bothers. Though, after seeing the Weasley brothers' hecticness, Bryony was grateful that hers did not have a penchant for pranking her. The youngest Weasley often visited the Potter household to get some quiet refuge from her family. The two girls were practically attached at the hip.

"They won't know what hit them," Bryony agreed.

The large congregation of close friends gathered as they bid their children goodbye. Draco, Harry, Neville, and Ron stuck together as they boarded and looked for a cabin together. And Hermione belatedly realized how different things would be for young Hermione. Neville was the first friend she made on the train when she helped him look for his toad. Neville no longer had a toad. He and Harry shared an eagle owl to help them keep correspondence during the year.

When everybody was waving their goodbyes from the cabin windows, Hermione glimpsed her younger self rushing towards the far end of the train from the corner of her eye.

"That's her," Hermione tugged on Sirius's sleeve.

He glanced over to the frazzled young witch, rushing to board the train all alone. She struggled with her trunk as she lugged it behind her.

"I'll be back," he whispered to her, dropping a soft kiss to her temple.

Sirius slipped from their group unnoticed, and Hermione watched as he jogged up to little Hermione. He gave her his friendliest, most dashing smile. Hermione snickered as her younger self stuttered to a halt, peering up at the handsome stranger in wary curiosity. He took her trunk and helped her board the train a few carts down from their own children. He waved goodbye, stopping to whisper something to her quickly.

"What'd you say to her?" Hermione had an amused smile on her face when he got back to her.

"I told her about the featherweight spell."

"That's a third-year spell!" Hermione laughed.

"Well, if she's as brilliant as you, I'd daresay she'll master it in a few weeks if not a few days."

"Thank you," she leaned into him. "For helping her."

"She won't be alone," Sirius assured. "I know you're scared she won't make friends again. But we'll watch out for her."

"I love you," she whispered up to him.

"And I love you."

»»— ༓ —-««

Potter Manor

"I can't believe they're already starting Hogwarts. Why do I feel so old?" James groaned, sinking to the couch beside Lily.

"You're the one who decided to have a kid right out of Hogwarts!" Sirius snorted.

"Harry was an accident!" Lily exclaimed. "Believe me, I'd have rather waited a few years too."

The two couples were gathered for a casual dinner and drinks. They were anxiously awaiting owls from the kids or Remus- whoever took the time to write first. While they were all pretty sure which houses Harry and Neville would get into, they were still anxious for the confirmation.

Their parental anxieties were assuaged by the fact that their best friend, Remus, had been the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor for the past five years. The kids were so excited they'd be able to see more of Remus. At first, his being a werewolf was a subject of concern for the staff, only in that they wanted to be sure he had the proper support during full moons to not endanger the student body or himself.

To all their surprise, the perfect solution came from Severus Snape. In the past decade, he'd become something of a world-renowned potioneer. Despite sticking to his humble little shop, he'd patented dozens of potions over the years that kept him and his family very, very comfortable. For the longest time, it was just him and Mary. Both of them were very busy with their careers and enjoying their time with each other. And given both their occupations, they were too careful to even have an accidental surprise. Around five years ago, though, Mary got a serious case of baby fever. But she'd been too self-conscious to ask Snape for what she wanted. She just didn't want to ruin the lovely life they already had. She didn't even know if he'd ever want kids. He didn't seem to like them much, aside from his own godson. But Snape, ever the sharp observer, had noticed the growing burden on Mary and eventually figured it out. According to his logic, if he were going to have a child with anyone, it would most certainly be Mary. The very next year, they welcomed Dina Marie Snape into the world. She was the exact replica of her mother, and she very quickly became the apple of her father's eye.

Among the numerous potions Severus had patented over the years, one of them was a new and improved wolfsbane. Unlike the past potion, Remus only needed one vial of this anytime in the week leading up to the full moon. The flexible timing for dosage and its potency assured the Hogwarts staff that Remus could comfortably stay on as full-time staff.

Dumbledore had offered Snape the potions position when Slughorn was ready to retire, but the wizard had firmly refused. He had no interest in teaching unmotivated drones of children.

Soon enough, the boys' owl flew through the open window and landed on the coffee table. Lily gently took the letter before ripping into it with excitement.

"Okay, this one's from Harry," she said, handing it over to James. "And one from Neville."

James unfolded the parchment before beginning to read out loud.

Dear Mum and Dad,
(and Sirius and 'Mione)

I'm a Gryffindor! The hat was barely on my head for two seconds before it shouted it out. Neville and Ron are here with me as well. Draco got put in Slytherin. The hat barely even touched his head before it decided. The food is every bit as good as you described, and the castle is so huge I feel like I might get lost. Hope I don't miss any classes because of it.

Funny story, actually. There's a girl who was sorted into our house who looks a little like Mione. I don't think Ron and Neville agree, but I swear she does. Even her name is Hermione! She's nothing like you, though, aunt 'Mione. I swear she's like a walking encyclopedia. Did you know the ceilings in the great hall have been bewitched to look like the night sky since the beginning of the school? Well, neither did I until tonight.

Anyway, I think I'm most excited about flying lessons. Even though dad's already taught me everything I need to know, it'll be nice to get up in the air again.

Love you,
Harry

"A walking encyclopedia?" James grinned, looking at Hermione.

The witch in question groaned loudly. "Okay, so I was a tad precocious back then. Don't blame me. It kept all three of us alive for 7 years!"

"Why does it feel like I'm living vicariously through my sons?" Lily smiled fondly at the letter before opening up Neville's, which she also read aloud.

Dear Mum and Dad,

I got into Gryffindor! Do you think my mother and father would be proud of me? Honestly, the hat said it might've put me in Hufflepuff, but then said it saw a spark of potential that was curious. And then the next thing I knew, it was shouting Gryffindor. Harry's here too. People are already asking about why Harry and I have different last names if we're brothers. I guess I expected the questions, but not exactly so soon. Ron's with us as well, and his brothers have been pretty helpful. But Draco ended up in Slytherin.

I actually feel kind of bad for him- all his friends are in other houses. I see what you all meant by house rivalries, and I really hope it doesn't drive us apart. Anyway, I'm going to unpack and settle in.

I feel like I'm forgetting something... maybe I'll remember in time for the next letter.

Love you,
Neville

»»— ༓ —-««

Dear Mum and Dad

Guess what? I'm the youngest seeker in a century! I can't believe it- I literally thought I was about to be expelled, but McGonagall introduced me to the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain instead. We were about to have our first flying lesson, and you know how Neville has always been a bit shaky with brooms? Well, his broom freaked out on him, and he ended up breaking his arm. When Madame Hooch took him to the hospital wing, she said if she saw a single broom in the air, she'd have the student thrown out of Hogwarts.

Neville had dropped his remembral when he left, and a couple of the Slytherins picked it up and began making fun of him. I told them to give it back, but one of them challenged me to catch it. And before I could say no, he flew up on his broom and threw it! I couldn't just let it go- it was Neville's!

One of the girls- Hermione- called me an idiot for going after it, but what does she know? Neville's my brother! So I went speeding after it when I almost crashed into one of the tower windows. Apparently, McGonagall saw my catch because she immediately introduced me to Oliver Wood, our captain.

Isn't that great? Please don't be mad, mum. I didn't even get in trouble.

Love,
Harry

"How did Neville get a remembral?" Lily asked them all curiously.

Hermione blushed shyly. "I might've sent it to him."

They all chuckled, obviously thinking it was something she did because Neville tended to be a bit forgetful. Little did they know, she was still reeling in shock from the similar turn of events.

"Here's one from Neville. He probably wanted to let us know he was okay." James opened the letter.

Dear Mum and Dad,

I had a bit of a flying accident earlier today. I'm fine, I promise. Madam Pomfrey has been very attentive. But apparently, there was a scene after I left, and now Harry's the youngest seeker in a century? I still can't quite wrap my head around how that happened.

While I was in the hospital, all my friends came to visit, which was nice. Apparently, Harry fought Slytherins to get my remembral back. Ron said it was wicked. Draco wasn't with them, but he stopped by later, looking really guilty. I told him it wasn't his fault, but he told me I wouldn't have to worry about the other Slytherins bothering me anymore. He seems a bit broody these days. He spends most of his time trying to beat this one girl in our year for the highest marks. I suspect it's just an excuse because he's uncomfortable with some of the people in his house, but he sure does seem peeved by the whole competition. I honestly think the competition is in his head. Hermione (that's the girl in our year with the highest marks) doesn't seem like she's even thinking about Draco. She's definitely wicked smart, but she seems more concerned about the teachers than the other students.

Actually, she visited me in the hospital wing today after everyone left. She left me her notes from the afternoon classes I missed, which was nice of her. I don't think we've spent much time with her, but she seems alright.

I'll let out of the hospital wing by tomorrow, so please don't worry!

Love you,
Neville

»»— ༓ —-««

Halloween

Hi Mum and Dad,

So something happened tonight. It's kind of serious, but please promise not to tell anyone. Earlier tonight, one of the students almost had a run-in with Professor Lupin... you know- on the full moon. It was an accident, really. We honestly had no idea she had gone outside. It's a long story...

Remember I told you about that girl, Hermione? Well, Ron and her haven't gotten along so well. Today in class, we were doing a levitating charm, and she tried to correct Ron's pronunciation. To be honest, she was right, and that was the reason I wasn't getting the spell to work either. But Ron didn't take to that too well. We were walking and talking after class when he basically mentioned that she was a menace, and that might be the reason why she had no friends. I don't know why I laughed in the moment- I guess I was just responding to Ron. Apparently, Hermione was walking right behind us and overheard. She shoved her past us, and I felt awful. I wanted to say something, but I wasn't sure what, and she walked away too fast anyway. It wasn't until dinner time that we heard Hermione had spent all afternoon outside by the Black lake, crying. Neville and I remembered that it was the night of the full moon, and we rushed outside to find her right away. Luckily she wasn't anywhere near the whomping willow, But we could hear the howls in the distance.

I finally got the chance to apologize for what she overheard, but it was Neville who finally convinced her to come back inside. Please don't tell Professor Lupin – I know he'd be upset to know we were so close on a full moon. It was a fluke anyway. It was a bit of a scare. But we're alright.

Love,
Harry

"I can always jinx Ron when they come home for Christmas," Sirius suggested, squeezing Hermione's hand.

Little did they know her shock was not about their mistreatment of young Hermione, but rather the parallel to her own timeline.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," James said contritely. "I'll write him back and let him know it's not nice to treat you like that."

"No, don't!"

They all looked at her in confusion.

"Surprisingly enough, this situation is pretty similar to what happened in my first year. Granted, back then, it wasn't a werewolf in the woods but a mountain troll that Voldemort's accomplice had let into the castle. And it wasn't Harry and Neville who came to my rescue, it was Harry and Ron. That's how our friendship started."

"I'm sure Rom and her will work things out eventually," Lily assured. "At least Hermione met Neville this time around."

"I was already friends with Neville by this point," Hermione said in a bittersweet tone. "We bonded when I helped him look for his lost pet toad on the Hogwarts Express."

They all grimaced, and Hermione immediately perked up, snapping herself out of her nostalgia.

"This is honestly more than I ever expected! The parallels are a little bizarre. Seeing their story unfold is like watching a movie."

"Speaking of movies, can we please go to the theatre to watch another one?" James begged Lily with a pitiful gaze. And instantly, they were back to their joyful selves.

»»— ༓ —-««

That Christmas, Narcissa Malfoy hosted them all for a grand Christmas Eve party. The Blacks, Tonks', Potters, Weasleys, Prewetts, and Snapes were all there. Remus had come as a guest of Sirius and James.

It was rather incredible to see all the families together all at once. It was slightly overwhelming as there were so many of them by this point. The adults had been outnumbered by their own kids, but luckily Narcissa's house elves were eager to keep the younger children occupied.

Hermione watched Harry and Ron tugging on their robes and Draco and Neville playing a game. This was nice. Compared to her Harry's first Christmas break spent exploring the library's restricted section, this was loads better.

This was home. And as unconventional as it was, they were all family.

»»— ༓ —-««

A/N:

If you think it's over, think again 😉
-adharyn