It's told from Molly's point of view.
Bill
"What number platform, was it again?"
I knew the answer very well after all the times I had gone with the Hogwarts Express myself. But despite all the years that had passed and everything that had happened, now we were finally here with my oldest son who was about to leave, along with all of his younger siblings. I just needed to check if he could remember…
"Nine and three quarters." He said just as we stopped by platform nine and ten, and looked around with a confused scowl on his face. "But I can't see it and…" He looked to the big watch hanging by the platforms. "There are five minutes until the train leaves… Where is it, mum?"
I looked around for a split second, of course muggles were throwing eyes on myself and all of my kids. with all of our bright red hair and young children. People would watch us wherever we went. But each of us only needed a few seconds to get onto the platform and we'd be gone invisible from the muggle world.
Bill was pushing his trolley and both of the twins and little Ginny were sitting on Bill's bag riding along. I was holding onto Ron's hand and right in front of me were Charlie and Percy- both of them old enough not to have to hold someone's hand.
"I think we're okay now…" I said at last with one final look around. "…Fred, George, Ginny… Just stay right where you are. It's right here…" Bill raised an eyebrow. "Just run straight into the in between platform nine and ten… I'll come right behind you… Are you also alright boys?"
Even though Bill was the one of them going to Hogwarts this time, Arthur was at the ministry and I had to come to the platform with all of them…
"Okay… go!"
With Ginny still sitting on top of his bags, and I having taken the twins sternly by the hands (otherwise they'd probably run off in opposite directions) Bill pushed the trolley forward, slowly at first. But being his mother, it was- even though I was behind him I could feel how hard his heart was beating in his chest. In fear of crashing right into the wall…
Then, just like that he had gone through the wall and disappeared out of our sights, in the next second I was looking around on the group of boys I still had with me. What would be the best way for us to go through the vail?
It would probably be for the best if Charlie and Percy, who were still only nine and six but they could take each of the twins. Without magic it would take a bit of time to get the straps off Ron that was holding him onto me and by then the train would have left…
"Charlie, can you take George. Fred, you go with Per…"
"Why do I have to go with Percy?" I hadn't even finished the sentence when four-year-old Fred protested. "Georgie can go with him…"
"Nuh-uh. I won't go with Percy…" George let himself be lifted down by Bill from the latter's bag and took a grip of Charlie's hand with both hands. "Not Percy…" Percy silently pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose- he didn't even seem to mind that he wasn't exactly the most popular brother among the other ones.
"I don't wa…."
"Fred!" I said sternly. "You go with Percy, it's only for a few minutes…" He was about to start protesting. "Now! Or I will make sure you both go through the vail with Percy every year from now on." Fred pouted and they were now all turned towards platform 9 and three quarters. I looked around one more time. "Charlie, George. You go."
Charlie was holding sternly onto George's arm while they moved, we both knew that if we gave either of the twins as much as a chance they'd run off and get lost in the morning mess of King's Cross Station.
"Percy, Fred…"
Fred was still pouting over having to go with Percy. But while Percy took an as tight grip of his arm as Charlie had on George's he half ran along- while I, with one last look around me with right after them.
At last all of us were platform nine and three quarters and had left the muggle world behind. Just as I came through I saw Bill, Ginny still sitting on his bag and keeping him from taking it up on the train and with Ron still in the straps towards my chest I took her.
"None of you…" I untucked Ron from my side and made sure the older brothers went away. "…move from here." Bill had gone to leave his bag on the train but came back and I moved onto hugging my oldest, meanwhile I couldn't help the lump that had formed in my throat. "Come here Bill. I can't believe my baby is going to Hogwarts."
"Mum." Bill whined with a smile while he took Ginny in his arms again. "I'm not a baby anymore."
"Hush. You're always going to be my baby."
"Fair enough… Come on Gin- Gin. You have to let go of me now. Can you take her mum? There's just seconds until the train leaves." Bill lifted Ginny over into my waiting arms, but Ginny of course wasn't happy with having to let go of her favorite brother, not even when he came and stopped leaning out the window to be on the train but talk to me on the same time. "Come on…" Ginny started whining out loud when I held onto her.
"Sch." I tried to rock her and calm her down. "Sch. It's okay. He'll come back…" The train blew out loud and the clock was nearing eleven- it was about to leave. "Sch… Here he comes."
"Billy…"
I had a feeling that in some years, these two would be the only ones that could call them Billy and Gin-Gin.
"…I wish I could just pack you down in my backpack and take you with me." Bill moaned. "Can't I just try that mum? I'm sure no one would mind her at Hogwarts? I'll take very good care of her."
"Billy…"
The lump in my throat was now too big for me to answer him out loud when he hugged Ginny, then his brothers one by one before he had to turn towards the Hogwarts Express again.
"Now, be nice to everyone…" I told him, if so, a bit shakily. Just like I should as the mum I was. "…Send us an owl as soon as you can, do all of your homework…" My voice was interrupted when the train blew. "Okay. Time to go."
"Can't I bring her with me mum? I could pack her in my backpack and I'm sure Professor Dumbledore wouldn't mind. I'm sure everyone would love her." I gave Bill a meaning look. But I couldn't help for my heart to beat with pride of how much Bill loved his younger sister. "Don't cry Gin- Gin…" The train had started moving now and Ginny was screaming bloody murder. "Don't cry… He was now so far away we could barely hear his words when he yelled. "SEE YOU FOR CHRISTMAS."
Christmas felt like years away…
But then, when the train moved faster and faster and turned as sharp as only a magical train could. The Hogwarts Express disappeared out of our sights, meanwhile one final yell must have been heard all over our magical world.
"BILLY?"
Charlie
"What number platform was it again?"
Two years after Bill left for Hogwarts the first time, when he was leaving for his third year. It was for the first time, time for more than one of my children to leave for Hogwarts at September the first. This year, I turned towards Charlie while asking. Charlie just smiled slightly and pushed his trolley towards the right platform.
I looked around in silence, first before we went through the veil, around on all the muggles that had no idea about what we were going into just in the middle of their crowds. And then second, coming onto platform nine and three quarters- it had for certain been more people here the times I was leaving for Hogwarts myself.
I shook the thought off. The war was over and soon enough our big crowds would have grown again…
"Mum?" Bill and Charlie came down from the train again after having left their bags in a coupé, and like he usually did when the two were together Bill was the one to speak. "Are you alright? You look like you were so deep in thoughts."
"I… I…"
I looked over all of my children and couldn't think of an answer, Bill was now starting to hug all of his brothers, one after one and Charlie went after him.
Charlie usually went after what Bill was doing. He was a bit more insecure and less confident than Bill. Charlie was better with animals than with other people, and I was hoping now he came to Hogwarts, where he'd only have one brother without having to take responsibility over all his younger brothers and sister he might start to bloom and open up.
Still, Bill was only starting his third year by now. But with their own classes, dorms and friends…
And of course, just that I and Arthur and Bill were in Gryffindoor, it didn't mean for sure Charlie would…
"Bye mum…" Bill hugged me tight and I couldn't help but hold on tight for several seconds. "If this is the way we're always going to do it when we're in time for the train then I'll make sure we're always late…" He pretended to whine like any teenage boy would. "…Come on mum…." He didn't pretend to be annoyed when I squeezed him even tighter. "I have to say goodbye to Ginny too."
Ginny- at three years old was now understanding that while Bill left now, he would return. But that didn't keep her from crying so tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Oh Gin-Gin…" Bill hugged her and lifted her up. "I'll be back before you know it. And I'll send you letters all the time… and I can go to Hogsmeade now so I'll buy you the best Christmas gift ever." Bill felt his shirt and chest pocket. He and Charlie both had earned money this summer from helping out at our friends' houses with things like de-gnoming, feeding chickens and cleaning out sheds.
It would be yet another couple of years until he could go to Hogsmeade himself. But I could tell for a fact that the quill pen in his bag, and the book about dragons Charlie was holding to his side with one hand was nicer than anything Hogwarts had ever seen of its kind.
"I'm so proud of what you've done this summer…" I ran a hand over his shoulder, sorting out a wrinkle in his sweater- so little only a mother could have seen it. Bill was holding Ginny on his hip but turned to us two. In both of these boys' trunks were secondhand robes, secondhand books, secondhand wands.
"Mum. It's okay…" Bill said and he had a look in his eyes as if he really meant it. "And besides, earning our own money felt nice. Didn't it Charlie?" Charlie nodded agreeing. "I think I might go back to it next summer."
"Me too."
Money and shopping wasn't exactly the favorite theme to talk about, I didn't want to waste any time talking about that the last time I saw my two oldest sons before Christmas.
"Christmas feels so far away…" Once again, I fixed an almost invisible wrinkle in Charlie's shirt. "But make sure you send an owl at least once a week. Hogwarts has many owls to use for that. Or I could send Errol…."
"The last heavy letter, when Errol went to get our Hogwarts letters was almost the end of Errol." Bill said with a smirk. "Come on now Charlie. We have to get on the train…"
I could see something new in Bill's eyes and expression. Something when he looked at Charlie, about that he wasn't going to be the only Weasley at Hogwarts ever again.
The two boys, Charlie still clutching his new book to his side not to lose it got on the train and we lost sight of them for a few seconds before they were leaning out the window of a coupé to say goodbye. Or at least they were both, until they suddenly turned their heads when a purple-haired girl came up behind them.
"Hey… Can I sit here? It's full everywhere."
"Sure. " Bill answered, and moved a bit so the girl too could look out the window when a couple, I only briefly recognized from being at Hogwarts at the same time. "I'm Bill, this is my brother Charlie."
"And I'm their mum." I reached up my hand to the window and she shook it. "Molly Weasley, are you going for your first year too, dear? So is Charlie."
"Yeah… How cool is this?... I'm Tonks by the way…" She sent a glare towards her parents next to me. "Just Tonks."
"Dora!" I heard from who must be the girl's mother. "Why?"
"Because you named me Nymphadora, that's why… Wow!" Tonks looked over all of the red-head's in front of her. "Are all of these yours Mrs. Weasley?" I nodded in pride. "You have a big family. I wish I had as many siblings. Although if you would have come up with more names like mine…" I couldn't help but smile slightly and shook my head, just in the same moment as the train started moving.
"Bye…" Bill stayed leaned out the window like he always did. "See you for Christmas. Then I'll bring lots of gifts from Hogsmeade…"
"Come here Ginny."
Ginny hadn't stopped crying since we came to the station, and I picked her up to try and calm her down even though she wanted to run. If she did I was scared her toddler legs would stumble and she'd end up on the tracks.
"Well…" I turned to Tonks' parents when the dad talked to me. "Our children seemed to make friends so we might as well get to know each other. My name is Ted Tonks and this is my wife Andromeda."
"That you're right about…." I answered. "My name is Molly Weasley. And these, that will go to Hogwarts in the future are Percy, Fred, George, Ron and…" She was kicking and wanted to run after the train. "…Ginny."
Percy
"What number platform, was it again?"
I didn't worry this would be the time the newest Hogwarts Student wouldn't know how to get onto the platform. Percy, as always with glasses on his nose and his back straight looked towards me and nodded slightly while Bill, Charlie and himself steered their trollies and towards the veil in between platform nine and ten.
"It's number nine and three quarters mum."
Bill smiled at me while he said it, then looked at Charlie- and Tonks who was right next to him before they disappeared out of our sight. I laid a hand on Percy's shoulder and gently pushed him forward and soon he had disappeared too.
And all along I was making sure I knew where I had my twins…
Fred was holding on to Ron's hand, and George was holding on to Ginny's. I thought maybe the responsibility of each younger sibling could keep maybe enough of control of them for them not to run off.
Well, I could always hope.
Still, nowadays all of the kids were at least big enough for me not to have to hold their hand or carry them.
"Your turn." I told nine-year-old George and six-year-old Ginny just while the first twin disappeared out of our sight. "I'll come right after you."
When George and Ginny disappeared, I could see a muggle boy- maybe about five looking in our direction and his eyes grew wide. I pretended that I wasn't going anywhere but looked at the timetables and soon he was gone out of my sight and I continued through the veil.
When I came out on the other side my four younger kids were waiting on the platform, but just as Bill came from one part of the train towards the front with the other prefects, Charlie and Percy came from a part of the middle of the train.
I really had never seen Percy like this before. As always, he had his head held high, but something in his tense figure and straight back wasn't his usual.
He might never have been the most confident or social one among his brothers. But he'd always done well for himself. And since he was little, he had enjoyed the chances he got to go with Arthur to work on the ministry.
This summer, and before I, Arthur, Bill and Charlie had reminded him over and over that it wasn't like he was going to be kicked out of Hogwarts if he didn't get as good grades as Bill and Charlie. And we'd tried to remind him that I and Arthur would never love or be proud of him any less. No matter what happened at Hogwarts. Or that he'd have to show up with second-hand-robes and the rat that had just suddenly turned up in our garden almost ten years ago. Acting like he wanted to be our pet.
"You don't have to be nervous." I stroke his cheek and almost whispered- for the others not to hear it. "Just be yourself and the right people will come to you. And until you can find around all Hogwarts stairs and hallways yourself you have Charlie and Bill to help you."
Percy looked as tense as ever and didn't say anything. I would have liked to get some more time to think of anything to say to him. Something that would help him at last. But at that exact moment I saw it as the twins made Ron and Ginny stand next to each other to then disappear out of my sight.
"Fred!" I shouted. "George! You stay here."
"Ugh!" They moaned in unison. "But we want to go to Hogwarts."
I took Ginny and Ron's hands to make sure they didn't get lost in the crowd, meanwhile the older brothers were shaking their heads at their younger twin brothers.
"It's not that long left." Bill told them. "Only two years, so not this year or the next. But next year."
"But we want to go now."
"Yeah." George agreed with his twin. "And we want to go to Hogwarts when you're there too. When we will be there with you and Charlie and not just Percy."
The twins really hadn't grown to like Percy any more right now than when they had when they were little and I brought them with me here for the first time. After all, I guess they were just too different to ever be friends even though it crushed my heart that my children disliked each other so much.
"There are only two years left until you'll be going…" Charlie smiled sadly towards me and then laid a hand on each of their shoulder and span them around so they faced me and their younger sister and brother. "You two are the oldest ones at home now. So you have to take care of mum and Ron and Ginny. Okay?" Next to me I heard Ginny snivel and when I looked down on her I saw her wipe her eyes and nose on her sleeve before she frowned in an attitude.
"I don't need you to take care of me… I don't need anyone to take care of me."
"Don't worry about it Charlie." The twins left him and went and put each arm around Ginny's shoulders. "We'll teach her everything we know." Charlie grimaced slightly towards me.
"That's what I was afraid of." He mumbled to me. "But well…" He looked on the train behind him, and then towards first Bill and then towards Percy who looked more nervous and tense than I had ever seen him before.
And in the middle of it all, all of a sudden I found Albus Dumbledore standing right next to me. A thought flashed by for only half a second of wondering what he was doing here. But it didn't take me any longer than that to figure who it actually was.
"Tonks!"
I had to say along with her, Charlie had ended up in a bit much mischief for my liking. It didn't help she could change her looks however she wanted.
Now, wincing slightly she returned to her usual self with bright pink hair, and still a smirk, but kind of annoyed- looking.
"Why did you figure it was me?"
"Oh please. Professor Dumbledore has enough to do at this time of year without having to show up on the platform. So who else could it have been? Now. Can you two just try and stay out of trouble this year?"
"Trouble?" Tonks questioned. "We? Never!"
"Come on mum. You know Dumbledore loves it when all of a sudden, he meets himself in the hallway. He thinks it's hilarious."
"I know…"
"It's fine mum…" Charlie looked back on the train that was just about to leave and they started walking towards it while I took steady grips of Fred and George's hands. "Don't worry. I'll take care of her and make sure she sticks to the rules…" He patted Percy's shoulder a bit. "And I have a feeling you will too my little brother."
"Exactly." Bill took over when Charlie, Tonks and Percy stepped into the train together. "So that's all…. See you for Christmas everyone… And like Charlie just said," He looked down towards the twins. "You guys are the oldest ones at home now. So you have to take mum and Ron and Ginny until we come back for the holidays."
Charlie and Tonks- who had turned her hair red to show she was with us had turned up again to lean out the window and say goodbye.
"I don't need them…" Ginny stomped her foot but was wiping tears and snot on her sleeve. "I don't need anyone to take care of me. I can take care of myself."
For some reason I wasn't doubting that.
Fred and George
"What number platform, was it again?"
The latest two years had just flown by. This year was the first one I didn't bring all of my kids with me to the platform September the first as Bill had gone to Egypt almost right after graduating in the summer. Charlie, who had gone into his footsteps and become a prefect had to keep an eye on his best friend whether he liked it or not. Percy was going to his third year, the first visit to Hogsmeade and with top grades long gone was the Percy that had come with me here trembling from head to toe two years ago.
"Platform nine and three quarters. "The twins answered in unison, as if all of us didn't know by now which way we were going. "Are you looking out mum?"
"I am…" I promised. "…You go, the both of you- now!"
Fred and George had been by each other's sides since the moment they were conceived, as babies and growing up. But when I saw them disappear through the veil, I couldn't help the feeling that they might have disappeared when I came through.
"Charlie, Tonks. You two go next. And keep an eye on the twins until I get there."
Also, this time, just like she had done every year Tonks had made her hair red like ours. And despite, now being one son short when we had gone to Kings Cross' Station we were many enough for people to turn around and watch us even despite not realizing we ran straight into a wall and disappeared out of their sights.
"So typical…" Just while I was looking around to make sure no one was watching us leave I heard a voice behind me. "Someone who got so many kids they had to take care of each other… Some of them must have gone on the train because earlier there were so many redheads around her."
I kneeled and pretended to tie Ginny's shoelaces, boiling with anger. What did another muggle among thousands and thousands have to do with how many kids I had? If she had only known what my world had been through the past decades, and how many fewer people I saw around our platform when coming through the veil, compared to how many were there when I went to Hogwarts myself…
"That's okay mum." Ron said, I had gestured for him and Ginny to go through the veil and didn't realize they had heard what the muggle woman said until Ron turned back to me. "We take care of each other. We're a big family. Some people don't get that. And we don't have to listen to some random, judging muggle like her." I stroke his shoulder and kissed the top of his red hair, my children really were the more than "random, judging muggles" as he'd just expressed it. Then I had to turn and try and find the twins that I found helping lifting a bag of a dark-skinned boy with dreadlocks and an orange hoodie. Then he disappeared out of my sight for a bit and the twins lifted their own bags.
During their whole eleven years the twins had spent all of their time together, and there wasn't a doubt in my mind that going to Hogwarts wouldn't change that. But at least there would be someone else there to worry about them and keep them on track. At least they had something to lose.
I could always hope that they made some other friends. With the dark- skinned boy or with someone else. Although maybe, with Bill, Charlie and Percy being as they were the twins had already shown everything they were going to be before they came down to the platform again where they came over to me right before the same boy they had spoken to before came down and jogged over to us.
"Thanks for the help." The boy held out his hand to shake Fred and George's. "That was nice. I'm Lee. Lee Jordan."
"Hello Lee Jordan. My name is Gred Weasley."
"And I'm his brother Forge Weasley."
Well first day of Hogwarts or not, the twins could only stay serious for so long.
"You must be Mrs. Weasley." Lee turned towards me and held out his hand again. "Lee Jordan…"
I had to admit it was very nice to have someone so polite. Perhaps the twins could learn something from that.
"That's right sweetie." I answered. "But… aren't your parents here somewhere?"
"I practically forced my mum to stay home." Lee said with a smirk he couldn't drop the nervous glance in. "You know… Going to Hogwarts. I'll just have to learn how to do some things of my own. Be independent you know… She was just always kind of… fussing."
"That's what mothers are supposed to be like Sweetie…. I'm sure she does it only because she cares for you. Just like I am like that with my twins, whose actual names are Fred and George."
"I figured their names might be something like that. And I know… and I love her too. But this is so cool. I mean, I'm going to Hogwarts. Being independent. I mean… wow."
The twins, although always together, I and Arthur had always known they were a special kind of independent. And I would have gone on talking to Lee, he looked like he wanted to be independent for the first time in his life and maybe he and the twins could have something to learn from each other if they made friends. But that was when I realized I hadn't had them next to me for a long while and this must be the calm before the storm.
I looked around and quickly realized that when I saw the twins standing a bit away, Fred holding his bag open (Bill's old school backpack) on the ground. And Ginny had put one of her feet into it, someone had put an expansion charm over it because almost her whole leg was down and she was just lifting her other leg to put it down next to the other.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
The twins and Ginny stopped moving when I yelled, and like deer in the limelight were staring at me while I hurried over to them and ripped the bag out of George's hands and looked down into it. Like I had thought they had used a charm to make the bag big enough to fit Ginny in it.
"How did you even?"
I remembered back until the time Fred had turned Ron's teddy bear into a giant spider, making Ron forever afraid of spiders.
Maybe I had known already back then that the twins had more in them than what it seemed when they played pranks, made other people laugh and made me crazy.
"We managed to do that before we left the school for the summer. And several times this summer we have checked and Ginny does fit in it perfectly well."
"Come on mum." Ginny looked at me with her best puppy eyes. "Let me go."
I didn't have to say anything- I just looked back on them. And I knew very well that if looks only could kill there wouldn't be much left of any of them. Ginny pouted and I had never seen the twins so disappointed, but she did step away from the backpack and George threw it over one shoulder before they- without another word to me left to enter the train.
As if I hadn't already been worried enough something in my stomach twisted. How were these two full of mischief going to make it at Hogwarts without being thrown out during the future seven years?
When Bill left, Charlie and Percy, I knew that after everything I didn't have to worry about trouble. Charlie could of course cause some, but he was as kind as a lamb and wouldn't hurt a fly. And with it, the twins were double the trouble. And the thought that I now wouldn't be able to keep an eye on them for months at the time made my stomach churn again.
"It's okay mum." Charlie patted my shoulder as if he could hear my thoughts. "I'll keep an eye on them. And if there's too much trouble. Tonks can just pretend to be a teacher and tell them off and the real teachers will never have to know about anything."
I just glared at the two. Charlie had been such a good boy earlier, then Tonks had joined his life….
And of course. Being away from me.
"Mum…." Charlie only looked at me. "You know what I mean."
"I know." I hugged him. "Just make sure you keep an eye on them. Okay?"
"I will. But I'm quite certain nothing I could do would keep them from causing trouble. You know what they're like."
"I know." I said again. "Although maybe they'll change some when they come to Hogwarts once and for all."
"Mum?"
The twins now stood inside a coupé but leaned against the window and Ginny right outside, the twins' looks had turned into something more apologetic but Ginny was still glaring at me. And without talking for the moment I went over and waited for them to say something.
"Well… it was worth a try Ginny." I sent them another, stern look. "I know you really want to go. But next is Ron. And then it will be your turn." Ginny just glared back, then turned and walked away from me. I might have wanted to keep an eye on her, but she was eight years old and I didn't need to hold her hand every second, I also saw her stop a bit away and still had her in the corner of my eye when I turned back to the twins.
"She really wanted to come with us this year."
"Yeah. And we wanted to make her happy. And you had to admit it was a good idea after all. After all, Bill or Charlie or Percy wouldn't have done it…"
Well yeah. They were right. And if the war, and my brothers had taught us anything it was that we could lose one another at any time. September the first meant I wasn't going to see these two, or their older brothers again before Christmas.
It was easier not to be angry with them since I knew they had only tried to make their little sister happy. And that was something that almost had me filled up with pride.
They hadn't put anyone in risk of getting hurt. They must have known it wasn't going to work.
"I know." I said at last, just before the train was about to leave. "But you know there aren't many years left now until she comes with you too. Still, it was a stupid thing to do!"
(But quite imaginative I had to admit.)
"Try and stay out of trouble you two. Will you at least do that for me?"
"Don't worry mum."
"I and Gred will make sure not to let you down."
I rolled my eyes hearing what they called themselves, but when the train started moving decided to leave it be.
"LOVE YOU." I yelled. "SEE YOU FOR CHRISTMAS."
"LOVE YOU TOO MUM."
They shouted it in unison like only the twins could, but then at last, while Ginny had to stop running as she reached the end of the platform and the train was moving too fast for her to keep up. And slowly she came walking back- more towards Ron than towards me though.
"That bag would have been big enough to fit me. It would have been so cool."
Ron
"What number platform was it again?"
It was time for the youngest of my sons, the second youngest of all of my children to leave for school. Charlie, the second oldest and his best friend Tonks had now left the school and the oldest to leave hadn't stopped talking about becoming a prefect since the letter came.
"Platform nine and three quarters." Said Ron in confidence, but I barely heard him and wasn't concentrating on that for the moment when I had looked around the station and suddenly noticed a dark- haired boy who seemed terribly alone. But with the thought that his parents were probably somewhere I couldn't see and I turned to Percy, Hermes secure in his cage upon his trolley, head held high and so unlike the first- year- student that I had brought with me here four years ago.
"Now what's the platform number?"
I asked again, a bit louder this time and hoped that the boy was eavesdropping somewhat.
"Nine and three quarters." Ginny answered. "Mum, can't I go…"
She hadn't even stopped giving up after she had tried to get into Bill's old backpack. And even though she knew that very well the only thing I could do was to answer her loud and clear.
"You're not old enough, Ginny. Now be quiet. Alright, Percy, you go first."
I, holding onto Ginny's hand took a few steps to the side to leave the way open for him. All of a sudden a large crowd of tourists came walking, but it was too late for me to stop Percy and by the time they had passed us he had disappeared on the other side of the veil and I turned towards the twins.
"Fred, you go next."
"I'm not Fred, I'm George. Honestly, woman, call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"
Well! I was their mother. But the twins were identical, and while I thought I could tell them apart and tell who was who even I could get it wrong from time to time. Especially after one night with all the stress tthat always came with the evening before leaving.
"Sorry." There wasn't really much else to do than apologize and leave it be until I did that the next time. "George, dear."
"Only joking, I am Fred."
"Just hurry up."
The one of the twins that was actually Fred (that stupid joke always got me!) half-ran towards the veil, and the other one went after him and was within seconds out of my sight and left me with Ron and Ginny.
"Excuse me." Just as I was about to tell Ron to go I heard a voice behind me, and for some reason it was- already before I saw him, obvious the dark- haired boy was talking to us, and I turned slightly to see him coming towards me.
"Hello dear…." He looked insecure and what was going on. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new too…" It might feel good for him to know he wasn't the only one and I gestured towards my youngest son.
"Yes." He answered- confirming my theory. "The thing is- the thing is I don't know how to…"
He paused insecurely. I could just as well help him.
"How to get onto the platform?" The boy nodded; we wouldn't have had to make this any harder than it would have to be. "Not to worry. All you have to do is walk down straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."
"Er…." The boy hesitated. "Okay."
It was almost like, if he did things slowly, he expected me to change my mind and explain how to get onto the platform, but I just smiled at him and took a step back to be out of his way. And hoped that would be comforting….
It might not be. I could tell he wanted to seem safe and secure, but nervousity was shining from the green color in his eyes behind the black, round glasses before he turned away, towards the platform and then set off. My idea that it might be best if he went too fast to stop if he was nervous must have turned out to be right, because he went faster and faster until he was almost running. And then disappeared through the veil.
"Mu-um? Can't you hear me?" Not until the boy had disappeared, I noticed Ginny was trying to talk to me. I then blinked and turned towards him. "Have you ever seen that boy before? Who was he?"
"I don't know…" I answered, still staring towards the veil and where he had disappeared. "…But I don't think that poor dear should have come here alone."
"Maybe he's a muggle born. If he is then there would have been no way for him to come here if this is his first year…" Ron tried to answer my questions. "…now come on mum. It's my turn to go." Ron turned towards the veil and excitedly almost ran towards it.
"I still don't think he should have come here on his own."
It was nothing more than a whisper that time, but quite sadly I thought about that in our world too there were parents that just didn't care about their children or even wanted to spend one last morning to take them here, not to meet them again before Christmas.
When I and Ginny came past the veil Fred and George had, just like the two last years gone to see if they found anyone that needed help, and helped their brothers. I waited right behind and didn't move my arm from Ginny's shoulders just yet.
"Fred?" I saw him- or at last I thought it was him and had to say my goodbye's when there were only seconds left before the train left and I needed to talk to them all. "George? Are you there?"
"Coming. Mum."
The twins came off the train, and Ron from just another door and over to me. Still, despite the two oldest boys and Tonks here, I could feel people watching myself and my big family but tried to ignore it. And with that I noticed a grey mark on Ron's nose.
"Ron, you've got something on your nose." With one hand I grabbed onto his arm and held him close to me, the other hand I pulled into my sleeve and tried to wipe his nose- he must have been helping Arthur with his car before we left.
"Mum. Geroff." Ron wriggled free.
"Aaah." Fred teased him "Has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?"
"Shut up."
I hid a smile, even though annoying it was always somewhat amusing to see my sons- and daughter for that matter, tease each other like siblings always should. And it always reminded me of Fabian and Gideon.
"Where's Percy?" I asked, noticing he was missing with the train soon to be leaving.
"He's coming now."
Just as George answered Percy came down the platform and towards us, already wearing his new robes and with the red and gold badge, with the letter P glittering in the sunlight towards his chest.
"Can't stay long mother." He was so different from what he had been four years ago- so confident and so much taller- both literally and with inside. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves."
My heart beamed with pride as soon as it was mentioned he was in Bill and Charlie's footsteps. But of course, not even that could keep his younger brothers from teasing him.
"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" Fred asked in faked surprise as if it hadn't been talked about pretty much non-stop since the letters from Dumbledore came. "You should have said something, we had no idea."
"Hang on." George agreed with his twin and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at them. "I think I remember him saying something about it."
"Once…." Fred and George continued after each other's and I couldn't stop them.
"Or twice…"
"A minute…"
"All summer…"
And I really couldn't blame them! Becoming a prefect was such a big deal, just like it should have been. The twins were just so different from everything that Charlie and Bill, but especially Percy had ever been.
"How come Percy gets new robes?"
Every year we were here. And I saw how so many people had owls, new robes, shining badges, new wands and books while I had to get everything second hand or hand me down, it just broke my heart a little. I wanted to give something special to someone I knew had done the extra work.
"Because he's a prefect." I decided to switch the subject. "All right, dear, well, have a good term- send me an owl when you get there." I reached up and kissed Percy's cheek, he was at least the one I could trust the most would do what I asked him to. Then I turned to the twins that were going to their third year and wondered if it was a good idea to let them go to Hogsmeade. I shook it off but still had a bad feeling, what letters would come from Professor McGonagall this year? "Now, you two- this year…" I could always hope. "You behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've…" I brainstormed for something they would most likely do. "You've blown up a toilet or…" They interrupted before I had the time to regret what I had said.
"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."
That seemed like something they, with their childish humor would find funny though.
"Great idea though, thanks. Mum"
Why did I even say that?
"It's not funny." I could make one try to let them know that but I couldn't help but regret I had even mentioned it. "And look after Ron…"
I wanted to tell that something about that now they weren't the youngest in the family to go to Hogwarts anymore and now it was their turn to set an example.
"Don't worry." Fred said. "Ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."
That's what I was afraid of.
"Shut up." Ron mumbled, and I would have taken him towards me and rubbed the mark on his nose off but he pulled away from me and before I had done anything else Fred had suddenly changed the subject and it was merely seconds until the train would leave.
"Hey, mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train." Both of them suddenly looked impressed. "You know the black- haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?" I thought for just a second but couldn't think of anyone I should know was about to start the same year at Hogwarts as Ron.
"Who?"
"Harry Potter."
Time had nowadays passed since the war. And while none of my generation would ever be able to forget any little part of it memories passed by. I had heard from someone who had heard from someone that Harry- the toddler that had saved all of those that he- who-must-not-be-named could have come after if he hadn't been the one and only that he couldn't kill, now lived among muggles…
And today came to King's Cross station without any idea of how to get onto the platform…
"Oh mum…" I had barely been gone in my thoughts and memories for half a second, yet they seemed so many when Ginny's light voice almost yelled up. "Can I go on the train and see him, Mum, oh please…."
For a moment I was afraid that Ginny would run from me and get on the train to find him before I had the chance to stop her. And within I took a grip around the colorful fabric of her sweater answering the only logic answer there was.
"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo." After all of this time, not until now I did realize how I must have forgotten he'd be going to Hogwarts at the same time as Ron. "Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"
"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there- like lightning."
"Poor dear." Sure, who sent an eleven-year-old alone to a big train station? He must have some family. "No wonder he was alone. I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."
It just didn't make much sense to me. He must have some family, even muggles that could have come with him here today. Even though James and Lily Potter obviously couldn't have, like I did with mine.
But if he did, would he had been so careful and polite…
"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"
"I forbid you to ask him, Fred." He raised an eyebrow at me while something clenched in my stomach. It really wouldn't surprise me if they did, the first thing they did despite how stern I was. "No, don't you dare." I put on my most stern tone. "As though he needs reminding of that on his first day of school."
"All right, keep your hair on."
I felt something clenching still, that poor boy! And I wished I had something to say, something to remind them all about how terrible the war was. How we'd lost so many- including their two uncles- my brothers and Harry's parents. How much it must hurt him, worse than any of us could ever imagine…
But I didn't even have the time to open my mouth until the whistle suddenly sounded out loud as one last signal before the train left. Percy had already gone into the front of the train and now I tried turning to all three of the ones left.
I couldn't say it felt quite right that the youngest of my sons was now leaving for Hogwarts- already or finally or all at once.
"Hurry up." I gently led the twins and Ron towards the train, for a little while they disappeared in all of the students trying to get on to the train all at once, then they came leaning out a window and I came near enough to kiss them each goodbye.
Ginny was too little to kiss them and started crying next to me, I laid my arm around her shoulders but she shook me off and I should have understood she was quite angry at me right now. First I didn't let her go to Hogwarts this year neither, nor any year back as far as she could remember. And then I had stopped her from meeting her idol. But with a little girl with this one boy she had heard so much about, what could I have expected? I must have known Ron and Harry were about the same age…
I shook the thinking off, glanced towards the window by which Harry sat. He looked so alone where he was and didn't see me. And I had to turn back to my own boys and Ginny, who had her tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."
"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."
How could I ever have been so stupid I joked like that?
"George!"
At last, they were big brothers who wanted to take care of their sister. And together eye to eye or not they wanted to do everything to make her happy.
"Only joking. Mum."
Before I had the time to say anything more the train started moving, Ginny started moving away from me, laughing, crying and waving and faster and faster running along the platform until the train was moving too fast for her to keep up. Then she stayed a bit away from me for a few seconds until she came walking back.
"Those are all going to meet Harry Potter, be in the same house as him, every day of their lives all until Christmas." Ginny scowled at me, but continued. "You could at least have let me go and seen him mum."
"The poor dear isn't something you google at like an animal at a zoo…" I said again but Ginny just pouted while I watched it as the train went further and further away, not knowing even if I spoke to Ginny or myself anymore. "And I really hope your brothers are respecting that. Despite being in the same building as him now and until Christmas."
Ginny
"I can't believe you forgot your broomstick Fred" George said, just as all of us reached King's Cross Station with only bare minutes to spear. "Your broomstick out of all things. We better not let Oliver Wood find out about that."
"That's no better than firework." George threw back on his brother. "I mean…"
"CAN WE," I yelled to interrupt the two twins. "PLEASE JUST CONCENTRATE ON GETTING OUR THINGS AND GETTING ONTO THE TRAIN IN TIME. Then we can do the fighting afterwards."
Where I wouldn't have to hear it. After all of the time that had passed since the war, I tried not to think about everyone we had lost and every time we said goodbye. But every time coming to King's Cross Station it would be either until Christmas, or maybe even until next summer until we saw them again. And during those months so much could always happen.
"And you forgot your diary Ginny… I never even knew you wrote a diary."
"Me neither." Fred agreed with his twin and I had to say I agreed too even though I didn't say anything. Ginny had never been much for anything that forced her to keep still. "And a diary, if anything mum could have just sent with an owl as soon as she came home."
"I want to write in it during the first train ride."
Arthur and Percy had gone to get several trolleys for all of those leaving for Hogwarts today and now cam back towards the rest of us while the seconds were way too fast ticking by and I had to realize that it was now or they'd all miss the train.
"You three, stop that now." I grabbed a trolley sternly and passed it over to Ginny. "We could have sent you an owl with all of those things. But things would also have been done faster if you had packed all of your things last night instead of waiting for this morning. But now come on, we'll have to hurry…" Arthur was more or less throwing the right trunks onto the trolleys, then finally, our whole group turned our steps towards platform nine and three quarters while I glanced up towards the clock that showed it was barely five minutes left until the train would leave. "Percy first."
Percy looked around and saw that no one was watching him, he had soon disappeared out of my sight, right before Arthur, Fred and George that left myself, Ginny, Ron and Harry.
"I'll take Ginny…" I explained to the boys and laid a hand on Ginny's back. "…and you two come right after."
Ginny might not ever have left for Hogwarts before, but she had gone into Platform nine and three quarters, and the Hogwarts World over and over as far back in time as she'd be able to remember. And when we reached the magic world, and I turned against her, seeing the baby and the toddler I had been holding onto for her not to run after the train. And the nine-year-old that had tried sneaking into a bag, and the little girl that had just wished to go after her biggest idol…
Now here she was, and her eyes were glittering. I turned back to see Harry and Ron come through after us, but that was when I heard a voice behind me.
"Mum? Ginny?"
"Bill?" I span around to see my two oldest sons standing there, well- along with their three other oldest brothers. "Charlie?" I went over to hug them. "What are you two doing here?"
"Well…" Charlie answered. "My one and only sister came to see me off at my every year at Hogwarts. I'd have to at least come see her off for her first… Although, all of you were so late I and my big brother were starting to wonder where you were. Maybe you wouldn't even make it in time for the train…."
As if the Hogwarts Express heard him and knew exactly what Charles Weasley said it sounded out loud as one last signal before it left for its route up north.
"Did you see Ron and Harry come through?" I asked Bill and turned towards the veil where I hadn't seen the last two boys come through due to turning towards the two first. "I didn't see them. What if they didn't come? Why wouldn't they come?"
Such as every year, all students trying to come into the Hogwarts Express at once at the last second the rush was thick and I backed away to keep out of their way until I could suddenly see Ginny leaning out one window, grinning from ear to ear.
"Did you remember to ask Ginny if she knew the number of the platform?" Charlie smirked while all of the children disappeared into the train. "Or were you in such a rush, you forgot?" I tried to remember back and remembered how the boys were teasing me for asking every year despite us all knowing the way in our sleep. Charlie could see the answer in my expression now and Ginny came leaning out a window.
"Hey Ginny, I guess mum trusted you to know what platform you were headed to." Ginny laughed. "How does it feel?"
"It feels great. It's finally my turn to go. I know I've looked forward for this moment ever since you left. Even though I can't remember anything that far back…" She laughed and leaned as far out of the window as she could without falling so I could give her a kiss goodbye.
"Did you see Harry and Ron get on the train Ginny?"
"No…" A worried glance turned up in her eyes when I asked. "…Why are you asking? Where are they?"
"Don't worry Molly." Arthur laid his arm around my shoulders and spoke to me just like he always would when he thought I was worrying too much. "They just had to hurry and got on the train in the mess of all people here today… And if, for some reason they didn't come through the veil then we'll meet them again by the time we come back."
The train had started moving when Arthur was trying to calm me down. And I couldn't help bit feel the tears burn behind my eyes when I watched my only daughter and my youngest child "finally" leave for school. And just like she had, Bill and Charlie ran with the train- smiled and waved until they could no longer run fast enough to keep up with the train.
"Well, mum… I have to get to Gringotts and then back to Egypt."
"Oh no." I tried begging. "I haven't met you two for so long. At least come home with me for an hour or two. I'll make you some lunch. You're both way too skinny." They smiled slightly at each other, as if speaking something I couldn't hear before Charlie- the ever so hungry said exactly what I wanted to hear.
"How could I ever say no to any of your cooking!"
All four of us had watched the red Hogwarts Express until it had disappeared around the corner before we turned back towards the gate back towards the muggle world and our light blue Ford Anglia (or so we thought)
"I…" When we came back onto the street outside, all four of us started looking around for the car. "…Could have sworn this is exactly where I left the car…"
We were all quiet for a few seconds, but the boys smirked at each other and I knew they thought that their father might be forgetful. But the thing was I could have sworn so too and I was starting to have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.
A feeling that was somewhat confirmed what a mother and a little boy said right next to me- despite not even knowing why I could hear their voices so clearly.
"Aw. You have such a great imagination." The woman told her little boy. "What do you say Alfie? Shouldn't you write a story about what you just saw? Where that car went? I'm certain that could turn into one of your best ones."
"But it wasn't a story…" The young boy- perhaps four or five years old protested. "I saw it myself. There was a car right there, it's true…" The mum shook her head.
"Did you fall asleep in the car again?"
"I wasn't dreaming, I swear. There was a car right there. It was an old car that was blue. And it was there and all of a sudden it just disappeared."
Something clenched in my stomach when the little boy's squeaky words made it very easy to put one and one together and I realized what must have happened.
"But why…" I whispered to Arthur, who had gone bright red on his ears, while feeling the anger boiling up inside of me. "…why didn't they just come after us? I trusted them to. Harry and Ron aren't the ones that…" I tried to think of some words to explain them. "…They're not the ones that try and cause trouble… are they?"
I looked around as if I'd be able to see the car even if it was here, Bill and Charlie had gone to discreetly mixture with the muggle boy's memory of our car, and Arthur looked as bright red I was almost expecting smoke to come spurting out his ears.
All until now, we and our other children were the only ones who even knew about the car. And how it had disappeared I could only figure they knew about the button that made it invisible. I had seen the twins and Percy getting on the train. Despite me wanting to think something else, the only ones that could have caused this were my youngest son and his best friend.
It couldn't be kept secret anymore now!
What if Arthur had a hearing at work after this? Maybe even lost his job?
What if the boys crashed in some spot before the long way to Hogwarts? How badly could they be hurt?
What if other muggles, more trustworthy than a little boy with a good imagination had seen them before they had made themselves invisible? What if they were stopped by the muggle police if they had seen two twelve-year-old boys behind the wheel.
What if the boys were expelled?
I could feel the anger boiling in me. I wanted to be angry more than worried, but ended up worried more than anything. How could I not?
Although, I'd know later. If I had known what was to happen during this year, and what was so special about Ginny's diary, I would have known muggles seeing our flying car was the least of our problems…
Luke Youngblood, who plays Lee in the movies, also played Ben in Tracy Beaker. And there's a point where he's wearing an orange hoodie so that's what I describe at the first time Molly sees him.
The lines in Ginny's part, ""I can't believe you forgot your broomstick Fred" George said, just as all of us reached King's Cross Station with only bare minutes to spear. "Your broomstick out of all things. We better not let Oliver Wood find out about that." Is inspired by something that was in a Fanfiction years ago, a Swedish one writing by Lealover1.
Random fact ¨
So I was listening to cos audiobook. And I was thinking about that in the chamber of secrets, when Ginny's upset because she thinks she'll be expelled, she says she's looked forward to going to Hogwarts ever since Bill went. As we all probably know this doesn't make much sense, she was only one when Bill left and wouldn't remember it. But then, she was upset and terrible things was happening to her and it came out with everything else.
And then the idea to this oneshot came to mind.
I hope there's someone out there who liked them. It ended up more than 10 000 words so I put some time to it.
