Autumn seems to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September is crisp and golden as an apple and as the little family bobs across the rumbling road towards the great, sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkles, like cobwebs in the cold air. Two large cages rattle on top of the laden trolleys the parents are pushing; the owls inside them hooting indignantly, and Lily trails off tearfully behind her brothers, clutching her father's arm.
"It won't be long now, and you'll be going too Lil," says Harry, voice filled with doting exasperation, though this was not a new conversation.
"Two years," sniffles Lily. "I want to go now!"
The commuters stare curiously at the owls as the family weaves its way towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten.
Before anything more could be said, Dudley, his wife and daughter appear in the crowd and fall into step beside Harry, who flashes them a tired smile.
"Morning, Harry. Morning, Ginny," Dudley says, with a weary expression of his own. He, too, is pushing a cart.
"Morning Uncle Harry," says Emily excitedly.
"Good morning," says Sarah, between sips of tea, one of which she passes to Ginny.
"Morning," Ginny and Harry reply.
Emily darts over to Albus, and James; the former's voice carries back to them over the noise.
"I won't! I won't be in Slytherin!" Albus screams.
"James, give it a rest!" says Ginny.
"I only said he might be," James says, grinning at his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth-"
But James catches his mother's eye and falls silent. They approach the barrier. With a slightly cocky look over his shoulder at his younger brother, James takes the trolley from his mother and breaks into a run. A moment later he vanishes.
"You'll write to me, won't you?" asks Albus, turning to his parents immediately, capitalizing on the momentary absence of his brother.
"Every day, if you want us to," says Ginny.
"Not every day," says Albus quickly. "James says most people only get letters from home about once a month."
"We wrote to James three times a week last year," says Ginny.
"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," adds Harry. "He likes a laugh, your brother."
Side by side they push the second trolley forward gathering speed, followed quickly by Emily and her parents. As they reach the barrier, Albus winces, but no collision comes. Instead the family emerges on to platform nine and three-quarters, which is obscured by thick, white steam that is pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express.
Indistinct figures are swarming through the mist, into which James has already disappeared.
"Where are they?" asks Albus anxiously, peering at the hazy forms they passed as they made their way down the platform.
"We'll find them," says Ginny reassuringly.
But the vapour is dense, and it is difficult to make out anybody's faces. Detached from their owners, the voices sound unnaturally loud. Harry thinks he hears Percy discoursing loudly on broomstick regulations, while two little girls – most likely Lucy and Molly, are chatting away, and is quite glad of the excuse to not stop and say hello.
"I think that's them, Al," says Ginny suddenly.
A group of four people emerge from the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces only come into focus when Harry, Ginny, Lily, and Albus draw right up to them.
"Hi," says Albus, sounding relieved.
Rose, who is already wearing her brand new Hogwarts robes, beams at him.
"Parked all right, then?" Ron asks Harry. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner."
"No, I didn't," says Hermione. "I had complete faith in you."
"You've never driven before, have you?" questions Sarah.
"Once," admits Ron.
"Wizards," says Dudley, shaking his head.
"As a matter of fact, I did Confund him," whispers Ron to Harry a few moments later, as together they lift Albus's trunk and owl onto the train. "I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it; I can use a Supersensory Charm for that."
Back on the platform, they find Lily and Hugo having an animated discussion about which House they would be sorted into when they finally went to Hogwarts.
"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," says Ron. "But no pressure."
"Ron!" exclaims Hermione.
Lily, Emily, and Hugo laugh but Albus and Rose look solemn.
"He doesn't mean it," says Hermione and Ginny, but Ron was no longer paying attention.
Catching Harry's eye, he nods covertly to a point some fifty yards away. The steam had thinned for a moment, and three people stood in sharp relief against the shifting mist.
"Look who it is," says Harry.
Draco Malfoy is standing there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. His hair is receding somewhat, which emphasises the pointed chin. The new boy resembles Draco as much as Albus resembles Harry. Draco catches sight of the group staring at him, nods curtly and turns away again.
"So that's little Scorpius," says Ron 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," says Hermione, half-stern, half-amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"
"You're right, sorry," says Ron, but unable to help himself, he adds, "don't get too friendly with him though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood."
"Hey!" cries James.
James has reappeared; he had divested himself of his trunk, owl and trolley, and was evidently bursting with news.
"Teddy's back there," says James breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him! And guess what he was doing? Snogging Victoire!"
James gazes up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction.
"You interrupted them?" says Sarah.
At this Emily just snorts.
"You are so like Ron -," starts Ginny.
"And he said he'd come see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" adds James, as though worried he hasn't made himself clear.
"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married," whispers Lily ecstatically. "Teddy would really be a part of the family then."
"He already comes around for dinner about 4 times a week," says Harry. "Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"
"Yeah!" says James enthusiastically. "I don't mind sharing with Al – Teddy could have my room!"
Dudley watches this amused.
"No," says Harry firmly. "You and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished."
"Well this year should be interesting," stated Emily.
He checks the battered, old watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's.
"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board," says Harry.
"Don't forget to give Neville our love," Ginny tells James as she hugs him.
"Mum! I can't give a Professor love!" cries James.
"But you know Neville –" say Ginny.
James rolls his eyes.
"Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him love…" says James, shaking his head at his mother's foolishness; he vented his feelings by aiming a kick at Albus.
"See you later, Al. Watch out for the Thestrals," says James.
"I thought they were invisible! You said they were invisible," cries Albus.
"Thestrals?" asks Emily confused." Uncle Harry?"
But James merely laughs, permits his mother to kiss him, gives his father a fleeting hug, and then leaps on to the rapidly filling train. They see him wave, then sprint away up the corridor to find his friends.
"It's a type of animal, and Thestrals are nothing to worry about," Harry tells Albus. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."
Ginny kisses Albus goodbye.
"See you at Christmas," says Ginny.
"Bye, Al!" says Harry, as his son hugs him. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone 'til you've learned how. And don't let James wind you up."
"What if I'm in Slytherin?" whispers Albus.
The whisper was for his father alone, and Harry knew that only the moment of departure could have forced Albus to reveal how great and sincere that fear was.
Harry crouches down so that Albus's face is slightly above his own. Alone of Harry's three children, Albus had inherited Lily's eyes.
"Albus Severus," says Harry quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could her, and she is tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who is now on the train. "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," starts Albus.
"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 you choice into account," says Harry.
"Really?" asks Albus.
"It did for me," says Harry earnestly. He had never shared this story with any of his kids, and he saw the wonder in Albus's face when he said it.
Emily letting go of her dad's sleeve, grabbed him for one last hug, squeezing as tight as her skinny little arms allowed.
"You better not forget to write me," mumbles Emily as he hugs her back.
"Write home after the sorting all right?" says Dudley, who then smiles broadly as, not a moment later, she pulls away to punch Hugo in the arm for calling her a baby.
"You have your jumper right?" asked Sarah.
"Yes mum," replied Emily.
"Hey mum, what if I am the worst in the class?" asked Emily. "I mean I don't know anything about magic."
"I am sure you'll do just fine," said Sarah. "Harry says that even the kids from wizarding families don't have much of a head start."
"I know they don't really use magic at home, but they still grew up hearing things," said Emily.
"You'll pick it up, and you've already learned a lot," assured Dudley. "You'll have your cousins there to help you as well. Plus, I am sure you can always ask Harry questions."
"Thanks," said Emily sheepishly.
"No problem dear. Good luck Love," says Sarah, kissing Emily's forehead, before giving her a hug. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too," said Emily.
Finally, the children boarded the train and a great number of students are hanging out the windows to wave. A great number of faces, both on the train and off, seem to be turned towards Harry.
"Why are they all staring?" demands Albus sarcastically, as he Emily, and Rose crane round to look at the other students.
"Don't let it worry you," says Ron. "It's me. I'm extremely famous."
Albus, Rose, Hugo, Lily, and Emily laugh.
"Don't let it get to your head Al," teases Emily.
The train begins to move, and Harry walks alongside it, watching his son's thin face, already ablaze with excitement. Harry keeps smiling, and waving even though it was like a little bereavement, watching his son glide away from him.
The last trace of steam evaporates in the autumn air. The train rounds a corner. Harry and Dudley's hands both still raised in farewell.
"He'll be alright," murmurs Ginny.
As Harry looks at her, he lowers his hand absent-mindedly, touching the lightning scar on his forehead. The scar had not pained Harry for 19 years.
"I know he will," says Harry earnestly. "Strange, Al being worried he'll be sorted into Slytherin."
"That's nothing," said Hermione. "Rose is worried whether she'll break the Quidditch scoring record in her first or second year. And how early she can take her O.W.L.s"
"I have no idea where she gets her ambition from," said Ron.
"And how would you feel, Harry, if Al – if he is?"
"You know, Gin, we always thought there was a chance you could be sorted into Slytherin," said Ron.
"What?" asked Ginny, stunned.
"Honestly, Fred and George ran a book," said Ron.
"How do you do it?" asks Dudley. "Get used to them not being here, I mean."
"I can't believe she's really gone," says Sarah.
"There's no easy way, but it does get easier," says Ginny thoughtfully.
"Couldn't have said it better myself love," adds Harry.
Dudley and Sarah just nod.
"Can we go? People are looking, you know," said Hermione.
"People always look when you three are together. And apart. People always look at you."
"She's got you there, Hermione," said Harry, and they all go back through the barrier.