(Diaries)

River's Diary

In just a couple of weeks I'm leaving all of this. Not forever, I assure you, just till Christmas. I won't even be properly alone; I'll have Star. At least I hope I will. Oh, don't get me wrong, she'll be there but how much we'll be together I can't say. Lately it's like she's slipping away from me. If she's not in her room packing, she'll be round at Maisie's, or down the park with Kieran or sometimes I have no idea where she is. I don't want to be overprotective and she's her own person, it's just she's growing up too fast for me. It's not like we're fighting, we get along fine, it's just we're… drifting. I don't want to lose her. But I'm so scared we're growing apart. I've never been just River. It's always been River-and-Star. But I guess it's not that healthy to only be half a person. I just hope I'm whole enough alone.

Star's Diary

I had an OK day today. What am I saying? It was great! I went ice-skating with Kieran and Maisie and her boyfriend Dustin and it was really fun-but I missed River. He taught me how to ice-skate when I was six and I kept slipping and I started to cry and wanted to go home but he wouldn't let me. He said I would be fine and he practised with me for ages but he didn't get impatient and he was the first to congratulate me when I got it, wanting none of the credit himself. He's really modest that way.

Because we're pretty different I think they might separate us when we go to Hogwarts. According to Mum the houses pick on whether you are brave, clever, hard working or cunning. I'm not sure where I would put myself. I don't want to upset Riv though. I'll just keep my thoughts to myself. They're safer that way.

Jake's Diary

Everything's changing at the moment. And I don't like it. Star and River are leaving soon. I don't want them to go. Lots of kids from round here are leaving; Maisie, Kieran, Patrick, Freddy, Robin Creevy… plus loads more. At least the twins won't be lonely. I might be lonely. Mum says I can make new friends with more kids round here because they'll be less busy when Hogwarts starts. Dad said I could even have people to stay over. My best friend at the moment is Jimmy Longbottom. He has a sister who is Ruby's age and is called Anna so we see a lot of them. River suggested that we could have a double sleepover and invite Jimmy and Anna. Mum says this is a very good idea because their mum is having another baby and will want them off her hands for a while. I can't wait! Tomorrow I am going over to see another friend who is called Connor Finnigan. He is really nice too. But his grandma has a funny accent from Ireland.

Ginny's Diary

We've got almost everything ready for the nursery. People keep saying to me 'it will be easier to organise things with Star and River at school' as if this is supposed to be some consolation for the fact that half of my children are going off to Scotland! Harry says that they will come back sooner than I think and that four months will fly. He doesn't mean it though. He's trying to be brave: he always was a hero. He also doesn't want Riv and Star to feel guilty. It really isn't fair. Dad gave me very wise words when I was talking to him. He said,

"Don't forget you have two more children. These children are losing a brother and a sister ". He wasn't saying it like 'who cares, you've got a spare pair. He was warning me about how Jake and Ruby will feel. He was reminding me how I felt standing each year on the platform at King's Cross watching Hogwarts steal away another brother leaving me feeling more and more alone.

Jake is already feeling left out as the older two go out into the big wide world. I want him to branch out more; make new friends. Neville and Luna's kids Jimmy and Anna are coming over for to see Jake and Ruby for a sleepover on the night of the 1st of September. I wanted to keep their minds off their missing siblings, help out a very pregnant Luna and anyway, judging by their parents, Jimmy and Anna will be excellent friends.

Oh my babies are all growing up. My mum used to sigh sorrowfully when I left for school each September, January and April. I will do much more than sigh. Inside I'll be crying oceans. Always inside, never outside. I must think of my babies before me. I must view this as an exciting adventure. I must be a mother.

Harry's Diary

River. Star. Jake. Ruby. None of them are more important than any of the others, no matter what snide things Rita Skeeter may publish about 'now Potter has his own children the adopted ones will have to take a backseat'; articles that will never be shown to any of the kids. It is all lies; lies that hurt. I don't want them to get hurt. Until now no one would ever say it to them. None of their family takes into consideration that they were adopted. They've always known. They loved to hear the story of how we had chosen them and would giggle over the infant Jake who was thrust upon us.

Hogwarts is looming closer. Thanks to me and my 'celebrity' status everyone will know their story and, please let me just be neurotic, everyone will judge them on it: favourably or otherwise.

Oh God, please protect them. They're only children. They are only my children. And they've got a lot on their minds and their life is destined to be complicated…

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I hope you enjoyed!! This story has been on hiatus for a bit while I work on y new one 'Fireworks'.

Here's a little quesstionarre I woullf like you to fill in…

Should River and Star be in the same house? Which one?

Should Ginny's nursery go according to plan?

Should Hermione and Ron return?

NEXT CHAPTER THEY WILL ARRIVE AT HOGWARTS!!!