Chapter One - Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Friday, 1st of September

The Potters' house, 2017

"Al! Get up, you lazy pig!"

Autumn had officially begun. It was a crisp morning, and for most of the country, it was just a normal day, going to work or school. But for around forty people, who were probably just waking up, it was a very important day

Albus Severus Potter slowly opened his eyes. "Do I have to?" he mumbled sleepily. He'd just had a bad dream, and was hoping to get a bit more sleep before getting up.

James Sirius Potter, who was coincidentally, his brother, leaned right up to his ear.

"Do you want to be in Slytherin?" he asked innocently.

Al was suddenly wide awake. "Shut up. I will not be a Slytherin!"

"Sure you won't be," James sang, and almost skipped out Al's bedroom as the latter picked up a pillow threateningly.

Al swung himself out of bed and stood up shakily, legs wobbling from non-use. He was worried about being put in Slytherin, more than he let on, and his dream had not helped. Crossing the room, he looked in the mirror, and smoothed down his hair. It went willingly, unlike his father's and older brother's. However, sometimes he preferred it to be sticking up.

James and Al were very similar in other respects. They had similar hair colours - James had black, Al had dark brown, the combination of ginger and black-haired parents. If one did not know them, they could easily be thought of as twins, as James was only slightly taller and they had the same face. However their eyes were different, James inheriting the brown of his mother along with his sister, and Al getting the striking green eyes of Lily Evans, his grandmother on his father's side.

Al looked at the clock beside his mirror. Crap, he thought, it was ten o'clock! They were leaving in twenty minutes! He ran downstairs and grabbed a bowl from the counter, and pouring cereal into it.

His parents and younger sister Lily Luna Potter were sitting at the table finishing their own breakfasts.

"Oh look! He emerges!" his father chuckled. "You'll get detention if you do that at Hogwarts!"

Al glared at him as he poured milk into his bowl and began to wolf down his breakfast.

"Woah, slow down, you'll get indigestion! Look, do you want a drink, I'll get you one," his mother said. "Juice? Tea? Milk?"

"'uice 'ease," Al said, his mouth full of cereal.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you lot about talking with your mouth full?"

"Sorry Mum," Al apologized as he gulped down the last of his cereal and drained the glass of juice his mum had set out in front of him.

"I don't know why you're in such a rush anyway, it's not like you still have to pack," Ginny said as she sat back down in her seat.

"Eh..." Al laughed nervously as he edged out the kitchen.

"You've not packed yet?" Ginny exploded.

"Well... I'm mostly packed," Al said nervously, then practically ran out the room at the glare he got from his mother.

"You're way too scary sometimes," Harry laughed, then was silenced by a look from his wife.

King's Cross Station, London

Forty-five minutes later, a small family of five were walking towards Kings Cross Station. At first glance, there was nothing unusual about them. At least until you saw what exactly their luggage was. People looked at them strangely, probably because on their trolleys, along with some large and heavy-looking trunks, and perched atop the piles on stuff, there were two owls, each hooting indignantly in their cages.

Not that they took any notice of the looks though. The family looked perfectly at ease as they made their way over to platforms nine and ten. Well, almost perfectly at ease. The girl was tearful and pleading with her father; the two boys had resumed their argument that had begun in the car.

"I won't! I won't be in Slytherin!"

"James, give it a rest!" his mother sighed, in a 'not now' sort of way.

"I only said he might be." James grinned at Al, who was scowling at him. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth-"

At this moment, James received such a look from his mother that he broke off. Taking the trolley from his mother, and with a slightly smug and cocky look at his brother, ran straight into the barrier.

Albus waited for the crash that never came. His brother had gone. He quickly turned to his parents.

"You'll write to me, won't you?"

"Every day, if you want us to," Ginny smiled kindly.

Al looked slightly horrified. "Not every day. James says most people only get letters from home about once a month."

Ginny raised her eyebrow. "We wrote to James three times a week last year."

"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts. He likes a laugh, your brother," Harry added wisely, turning to the barrier with the trolley.

"Come on Al. Together," he said, and they ran straight at the brick wall. Al flinched, but no crash came.

They emerged into a very noisy platform. A gleaming scarlet steam engine was waiting and belching steam everywhere. While his mother and sister came in behind him, James was no-where to be seen.

Al relaxed a little and took a deep breath. Then he looked around the murky platform, peering through the mist.

"Where are they?" he asked anxiously.

"We'll find them," Ginny reassured him.

They began to walk along the platform, the smoke clearing a little the further away they got from the train. Al could hear snatches of unusually loud conversations as they walked, the voices detached from their owners. He heard his Uncle Percy talking about broomstick regulations and for once was quite glad he didn't have to stop and chat.

"I think that's them, Al," Ginny pointed out.

A small party of four were standing at the end of the platform - Ginny's brother and Harry's best friend Ron Weasley, his wife Hermione and their other best friend, and their two children, Rose and Hugo, Al's cousins.

"Hi," Al said, sounding immensely relieved.

Rose was starting Hogwarts too this year, and the pair were best friends. She wore her brand new Hogwarts robes, and a massive smile from ear to ear.

"Parked all right, then?" Ron asked. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass the muggle test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner."

"No I didn't!" Hermione said. "I had complete faith in you!"

At this Ron murmured something to Harry, who laughed. They went to heave the trunks onto the train. When they got back, Lily and Hugo were having an animated discussion about what house they would be in when they went, in two years time.

Ron joined in the conversation. "If you're not in Gryffindor we'll disinherit you, but no pressure."

"Ron!"

Lily and Hugo laughed, but Al and Rose looked serious; Al was suddenly worried about his house again.

"He doesn't mean it," their mothers said quickly.

Ron ignored this, and instead nodded at a point some metres away to Harry.

"Look who it is."

The whole family turned to look at the point indicated.

As the steam thinned, Draco Malfoy came into view, standing with his son and wife. He was wearing a black coat, buttoned all the way to the top. His son was starting Hogwarts this year too, and was almost a carbon copy of him - pale, blond hair, pointed chin and clothed in some dark fabric.

"So that's little Scorpius," Ron said under his breath. "Make sure you beat him in every test Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake. Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!" Hermione said, half strict, half amused.

"You're right sorry," Ron apologized. But he seemed to have to say something on the matter as he leaned forwards. "Don't get too friendly though. Grandad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood."

Hermione looked furious and she opened her mouth to say something, but Ron was saved as at that moment, James came up to the group.

"Hey!" he said breathlessly, dying to tell them news.

"Teddy's up there! Just seen him! And guess what he's doing! Snogging Victoire!"

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione just looked at him. James looked slightly disappointed but ploughed on, undeterred.

"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing-"

"You interrupted them?" Ginny asked. "You are so like Ron-"

"-and he said he'd come to see her off. And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!"

Ginny rolled her eyes, and Al heard the conversation continue, his sister all excited, his dad making some off-hand comment, and then James getting all enthusiastic. But he wasn't really paying attention; his mind was back on his house again. What happened if he was in Slytherin?

His brother woke him out of his reverie by aiming a kick at him, which Al just managed to dodge.

"See you later, Al. Watch out for the Thestrals."

Al, who was already stressed, did not need any more provocation.

"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!" he screeched.

James just laughed as Ginny kissed her son goodbye, making sure he had everything he needed, and that his trunk was on ok, and gave his father a hug before jumping onto the train.

Harry patted Al on the shoulder.

"Thestrals are nothing to worry about. They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway," he added, "You won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."

Al let his mother kiss him goodbye.

"See you at Christmas," she smiled.

Al turned back to his father and hugged him.

"Bye Al. Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone until you've learned how. And don't let James wind you up."

Rose got on the train and waved at her aunt and parents.

"What if I'm in Slytherin?" Al whispered at the last moment, desperate to hear his father's opinion.

"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, crouching down beside his son.

"You were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But just say-"

"- then Slytherin house will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?" asked Al in wonder.

"It did for me," his father smiled. "Come on, or you'll miss the train."

Al kissed all his family goodbye, then hopped aboard, letting Ginny close the door behind him.

"Bye Dad!" he called. "Love you Mum!"

Many people in the station, both on board and on the ground, were staring openly at Harry.

"Why are they all staring?" Al said, evidently confused. He and Rose were hanging out the window, and attempting to see the other students.

"Don't let it bother you. It's me," Ron said, tossing his head in the air. "I'm extremely famous."

Al laughed along with his cousins and sister. It was the first time he'd smiled or been happy that day. After what his father said, he wasn't quite as worried. He began to feel excited. This was it - he was going to Hogwarts!

The train began to pull away. His father walked along with the train, waving and smiling at Al. Al waved until the train rounded a corner, when his father was finally out of sight. He thought he could sense a little bit of sadness in his father's face and suddenly realized how much he would miss him.

Rose was beside him, waving madly too. Then she sat down and eventually he left the window and sat down to have a long conversation with her.

A/N:

1) All names and majority of dialogue are J. K. Rowling's, not mine.

2)I hope this answers any confusion about the past chapter. And the end, he was basically falling into some bottomless pit. You probably realized, but it was a dream! So that was the end before he woke up

3) thanks if you have already followed/favourited. It's much appreciated!

4)I already have a review! Thanks to awesomeness - I'm glad you liked it, hopefully this explained it?

Please review, I'm very grateful for those who do!

Jenny xxx