Chapter 22
A new Beginning
"Dad, Daddy wake up we are almost there." came the soft voice of an eleven-year child named Lily. "What, what is it dear, there already? Well you better get into your robes then you wouldn't want to miss the boat ride now would you." The young man answered, he was sitting in his chair gazing out the window, his shoulder length hair was moving from the breeze, and he was rubbing his goatee as he always had done.
"Boat ride, what do you mean boat ride, you know I hate boats." Lily answered; she was struggling to get past all of her books in order to pull out her new robes. "Lily dear, is that what I think it is, who gave you the Marauders map, did you uncle Ron give that too you?" Harry asked, after how many times he had used it, he easily recognized it.
"Dad, don't take it, you know how much uncle talks about your days in school, I am only trying to live up to the family name." She answered, all the while giving Harry the look. "Sweat heart, I'm just not sure if it works anymore, that's all, I mean the school was rebuilt fifteen years ago if you remember, and this map was made by your grandfather in his time." Harry answered.
"Any way, your mother would skin me alive if she new I let you keep it." "But Dad, if I get caught with it I will just blame it on uncle Ron, she will never know." Lily answered as Harry gave in to her gaze, and handed the map back
"Very well, but use it wisely, us Potters don't get caught, and hurry and get dressed, your right we should be there shortly." Harry laughed, that look was so much like her mother. Closing the door quietly behind him, Harry made his way to the front of the train.
"Where did all the time go?" He asked himself as he walked past young children enjoying the trip from London to Hogwarts, on the Hogwarts express. "I swear it was only yesterday that I was a first year" He said to his best friend as he reached the front.
"Oy, Harry, everything alright?" Ron asked. "Remember the first time we took this trip mate, I mean what's it been 22 years." Harry asked, and Ron shook his head. "I remember, I miss it sometimes, our youth, but look at the bright side, Geoff is a third year, and beater on Gryffindor, and now your Lily, I mean next year our little Lucy-Ann will get her letter, and can you believe it, Hermione was made Deputy Headmistress.
"You guys have done well Ron." Harry answered, and Ron smirked. "Us, you should be talking. The next Minister of Magic, Order of Merlin first class, Head of Magical law enforcement, Married to none other than my little sister." "I remember that day," Harry interrupted giving Ron one of his famous innocent looks. "I thought Charlie would set a dragon on me." Harry laughed
"He almost did Harry, I told you that you should have warned him before you popped the question in front of Mom and Dad." "Don't remind me, God knows he does every other day. How is Arthur anyway, I haven't seen him since Christmas."
"Dads doing good, Hermione thought it was a good idea to send the two on a muggle vacation, you know after Dad retired. You know Arthur though, the sight of all the muggle things, I mean Mom's howler was enough." At this both Ron, and Harry broke out laughing.
"I can only imagine" Hey, its looks like were here, do you think Hagrid is still the caretaker, I haven't seen him since Remus's initiation as Minister." "Firs years firs yeare dis way." Came the sound of none other than the half giant.
"Looks like it mate, hey, why don't we take the boats, I mean like you said it's been 22 years." Ron asked, and Harry couldn't help but smile.
"Good idea Ron, I wonder if it is the same as when we were 1st years, I mean I have not been back here since.. that day." Harry spoke as he followed his first-born to the docks, and climbed onto one of the old boats with Ron.
"I guess we will see in a minute mate, and welcome back, with Hermione working as the transfigurations teacher, I am here all the time. Just then however the boat rounded the forbidden forest. The castle lights shinning over the quiet lake was just as Harry remembered, and he couldn't help but fill that his life had gone complete circle.
Simply staring at the castle in the distance, Harry was filled with joy. His children Lily, and Sirius would in fact attend school there, he had always hopped it, and as they stepped into the warmth of the great Hall, Harry couldn't help but think of the lasting friendships he had himself made it that very room.
"Dad, cousin Geoff told me I would need to wrestle a mountain troll in order to be sorted, is that true?" Lily asked, as Hermione brought the first years into the great Hall. "Now as I call your name, please step up to the stool, and put the sorting hat on your head." "Lily A. Potter." "Gryffindor"
"Dad, Daddy wake up we are almost there." came the soft voice of an eleven-year child named Lily. "What, what is it dear, there already? Well you better get into your robes then you wouldn't want to miss the boat ride now would you." The young man answered, he was sitting in his chair gazing out the window, his shoulder length hair was moving from the breeze, and he was rubbing his goatee as he always had done.
"Boat ride, what do you mean boat ride, you know I hate boats." Lily answered; she was struggling to get past all of her books in order to pull out her new robes. "Lily dear, is that what I think it is, who gave you the Marauders map, did you uncle Ron give that too you?" Harry asked, after how many times he had used it, he easily recognized it.
"Dad, don't take it, you know how much uncle talks about your days in school, I am only trying to live up to the family name." She answered, all the while giving Harry the look. "Sweat heart, I'm just not sure if it works anymore, that's all, I mean the school was rebuilt fifteen years ago if you remember, and this map was made by your grandfather in his time." Harry answered.
"Any way, your mother would skin me alive if she new I let you keep it." "But Dad, if I get caught with it I will just blame it on uncle Ron, she will never know." Lily answered as Harry gave in to her gaze, and handed the map back
"Very well, but use it wisely, us Potters don't get caught, and hurry and get dressed, your right we should be there shortly." Harry laughed, that look was so much like her mother. Closing the door quietly behind him, Harry made his way to the front of the train.
"Where did all the time go?" He asked himself as he walked past young children enjoying the trip from London to Hogwarts, on the Hogwarts express. "I swear it was only yesterday that I was a first year" He said to his best friend as he reached the front.
"Oy, Harry, everything alright?" Ron asked. "Remember the first time we took this trip mate, I mean what's it been 22 years." Harry asked, and Ron shook his head. "I remember, I miss it sometimes, our youth, but look at the bright side, Geoff is a third year, and beater on Gryffindor, and now your Lily, I mean next year our little Lucy-Ann will get her letter, and can you believe it, Hermione was made Deputy Headmistress.
"You guys have done well Ron." Harry answered, and Ron smirked. "Us, you should be talking. The next Minister of Magic, Order of Merlin first class, Head of Magical law enforcement, Married to none other than my little sister." "I remember that day," Harry interrupted giving Ron one of his famous innocent looks. "I thought Charlie would set a dragon on me." Harry laughed
"He almost did Harry, I told you that you should have warned him before you popped the question in front of Mom and Dad." "Don't remind me, God knows he does every other day. How is Arthur anyway, I haven't seen him since Christmas."
"Dads doing good, Hermione thought it was a good idea to send the two on a muggle vacation, you know after Dad retired. You know Arthur though, the sight of all the muggle things, I mean Mom's howler was enough." At this both Ron, and Harry broke out laughing.
"I can only imagine" Hey, its looks like were here, do you think Hagrid is still the caretaker, I haven't seen him since Remus's initiation as Minister." "Firs years firs yeare dis way." Came the sound of none other than the half giant.
"Looks like it mate, hey, why don't we take the boats, I mean like you said it's been 22 years." Ron asked, and Harry couldn't help but smile.
"Good idea Ron, I wonder if it is the same as when we were 1st years, I mean I have not been back here since.. that day." Harry spoke as he followed his first-born to the docks, and climbed onto one of the old boats with Ron.
"I guess we will see in a minute mate, and welcome back, with Hermione working as the transfigurations teacher, I am here all the time. Just then however the boat rounded the forbidden forest. The castle lights shinning over the quiet lake was just as Harry remembered, and he couldn't help but fill that his life had gone complete circle.
Simply staring at the castle in the distance, Harry was filled with joy. His children Lily, and Sirius would in fact attend school there, he had always hopped it, and as they stepped into the warmth of the great Hall, Harry couldn't help but think of the lasting friendships he had himself made it that very room.
"Dad, cousin Geoff told me I would need to wrestle a mountain troll in order to be sorted, is that true?" Lily asked, as Hermione brought the first years into the great Hall. "Now as I call your name, please step up to the stool, and put the sorting hat on your head." "Lily A. Potter." "Gryffindor"