AT KING'S CROSS STATION

Cherry blossoms were fluttering in the breeze, like scented snowflakes. The sun gently warmed the brick walls, dazzling when it brushed on the enamel sign "Platform 7 ¾" which swayed slightly down its silver chain. It was a crispy, pleasant spring morning with a big blue sky above the rooftops of London.

- "Attention please... ladies and gentlemen, the Northen Express will now enter King's Cross Station. Attention please..."

On the nearly deserted platform, Ginny squeezed Lily's hand. They were both very pale.

- "We do not stare at him, we behave normally", repeated the red-haired woman through clenched teeth.

James growled at her side. His fists were buried in his pockets, so that no one would see how his nails were carved into his palms.

- "Rubbish. As if we could", he muttered. "And anyway, one day or another he'll have to show himself as he is and he'll have to deal with the gossip... He's not going to finish school at home, that'd be ridiculous!"

His mother glowered at him.

- "Your father and I, we will decide when Al will go back to Hogwarts. Meanwhile, if I hear you say anything..."

The boy shrugged bitterly.

- "I'm not as bad as you all think..."

Ginny decided to ignore that last sentence, even if the words had slapped her in the face. Lily was watching for the train whose whistle could be heard from far away.

There were no nurses, no stretchers, no anxious families and journalists gathered under the brick arches like there had been two days earlier, when the wounded and the first Auror contingent had returned from the Hebrides.

Harry had sent an owl: Albus was not yet healthy enough to travel. He had not explained why he had allowed the other three teenagers to stay in Islay even though their parents were dying to see them.

A few steps away from the Potters, Draco was pacing and the tails of his black jacket were sharply flapping in the air when he suddenly changed directions. His thin lips were pursed irately and his dark eyebrows were knitted together. His wife was watching him sadly, her hands clasped over her velvet pouch, standing like a statue by the empty bench.

A bit farther, Francis Swanson was pretty much in the same state as Scorpius' father, but his wife showed much less countenance than Astoria Malfoy. She was rummaging feverishly in her bag, looking for something she could not find, and swearing under her breath. Her keys fell on the stone floor and the noise made everyone jump. She crouched down to pick them up and the thermos she had tucked in between her chin and shoulder rolled to the ground. It opened and emptied on her diary.

- "Oh, no… no, really..." Amelia moaned, pushing her brown hair back in a desperate gesture. Her knees flumped and tea stained her jeans.

Calloused hands wrapped her diary in a lace handkerchief and gave it back after drying it a bit.

- "No harm done, ma'am."

She blinked to fight back the silly tears threatening to spill over.

- "They're safe. They will be here soon and the nightmare will be over. You'll soon be able to hug your son as much as you need..."

The man was speaking to her in a slow voice, reassuring and serious. He was wearing an elegant tweed suit that contrasted with the awful scar on his bald skull. His thick blond eyebrows and his bright blue eyes were giving a gentle look to his austere features.

- "Are you Wendy's father?" Amelia stammered, accepting the hand he held out to help her up.
He was tall - much taller than anyone else on the platform. He turned his head toward the locomotive that was entering the station with loud bangs, releasing a torrent of white steam.

- "I came for her", he said simply.

Francis walked to his wife – the anger on his face was now giving way to anxiety. Amelia gave a small nod to the man and snuggled against her husband.

Terrence. Oh, Terrence...

Astoria had stepped forward, biting her lip. A red pearl was shining on her porcelain skin. Draco looked for his wife's hand and grabbed it almost violently.

Scorpius. Scorpius. Scorpius.

In the racket of steel bearings and copper sparks, as the train slowed down, James squinted and Lily covered her ears.

Ginny was holding her breath.

Albus.

With a last hiss, the train stopped completely. It was not red and black - not like the Hogwarts Express - but royal blue and silver. The doors opened noisily and the cloud of smoke dissipated.

The first to jump off the train was Ron Weasley, who turned to reach out to help Hermione who went down the stairs with her eyes searching the platform as if she had been hoping to see her children.

Then Harry came out, his back turned to watch the progress of those who were following him.

Scorpius and Terrence were smiling encouragingly, Albus' arms on their shoulders, their hands crossed behind his back to help out. Wendy joined them a second later, carrying the crutches. Her soft brown hair was not tied and filled the hood of her sweater.

- "Home sweet home", exclaimed Terrence. "Hmm, London's smell!"

- "Muggles cars' gas, rather", Scorpius groaned. "I'm hungry."

- "You wouldn't be if you had eaten Mother Gerta's cheese sandwiches instead of being picky", scoffed Wendy, giving Albus the crutches.

- "Guys... ", said this one softly.

His chin pointed at the group in front of them and the three teenagers' faces turned serious. Wendy recoiled and bumped against Harry who put his hand on her shoulder.

- "Hi, Mum", Albus said, hopping on his crutches to go to Ginny who was frozen in the middle of the platform.

Lily had put her hands over her mouth and one could only see her eyes widened in horror.

James was forcing himself to keep his head up and to look at his brother, but he did not realize that the pain oppressing his chest was drawn on his face.

The red-haired woman was trembling in the silence broken only by the clatter of the crutches. The breeze was fluttering in the wisps on her forehead, like a caress.

He was here.

Her son.

His emerald eyes were smiling at her beneath his unruly dark curls. He was pale but did not look sick. The trip must have tired him, but in the joy of seeing her again the discomfort he must have been feeling under the stares was fading off.

He was wearing one of the irreplaceable Weasley sweaters, but the loosen wool was not hiding the feline grace of his shoulders. The empty piece of his trousers' right leg was pinned just above his knee.

A sob choked in Ginny's throat.

She had promised - sworn to herself – she would not cry in front of him. She could not show him how broken her heart was. She was not going to be weak...

Her eyes locked with Harry's begging gaze, behind their son.

- "Hey, Mum..." Albus tried again, trying to hold the warm smile on his lips. "I'm back..."

There was so much courage in his green eyes...

The courage of a man.

Ginny gasped. She grinned back and took a step forward.

- "Hey, Al..."

She quickly walked up the few meters that separated them and wrapped the boy in her arms. She buried her face in the black curls and inhaled his scent, feeling intoxicated.

He was here.

Alive.

And his missing leg was not going to change what she felt for him.

My son.

She could feel his heart pounding against hers, a bit breathless, as if he had been afraid she would reject him. She tightened her grip fiercely, found that he was almost as tall as her, now.

- "I missed you so much, kitty cat..."

Harry relaxed for a moment, then his eyes fell on his other son and his daughter and he begged them silently to find the right words.

Tears were streaming down Lily's cheeks, but she smiled when their mother let go of Albus and ran to him.

- "Welcome back, bro!" she cried, jumping to his neck.

He nearly lost his balance, let go of a crutch and hugged his little sister with one arm, grinning widely. Terrence had caught him by the elbow, but Lily pushed off her brother's friend to slip under Albus' armpit to support him.

- "Yo", he said affectionately. "Sorry, I didn't bring back a gift for you."

He let her kiss him on the cheek without pulling a face, ruffled her red hair as he usually did.

- "But I do have stories to tell."

- "Cool", whispered Lily with a wink.

James cleared his throat and the other two Potter children looked up.

- "You took your sweet time to come back", muttered the sixteen years old boy. "You've missed a dozen Quidditch workouts."

Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry shared the same alarmed look. Lily, Scorpius, Terrence and Wendy glared at James, looking equally dangerous.

Albus calmly looked at his brother's eyes.

- "At least, I wasn't in detention, this time", he said simply and his amused tone lightened considerably the atmosphere. "Don't worry, James. I'm not done playing Quidditch. Terrence already has an idea to tinker with my broom and I can't wait to try it out."

James grunted.

- "'Kay", he muttered.

He hesitated, lowered his eyelids, biting the corner of his mouth.

- "It's good... you're here."

He had spoken so softly that even Lily was not sure she had understood what he had said.

But Albus' green eyes lit up and he raised his hand with a grin that could have beamed the locomotive to the stars.

- "Thanks, bro."

James wryly shrugged as he always did, but he high-fived back.

The wind swirled in a storm of cherry blossoms and the world began to rotate again slowly.

Francis and Amelia timidly came to the group. Draco held back Astoria who wanted to run to her son and gave a brief stern cough.

Terrence quickly squeezed Albus' arm before heading to his parents and Scorpius turned to Ron.

- "Goodbye", he said, very serious.

The red-haired man nodded and took off his black glove.

- "See you soon", he said.

They shared a firm handshake under the dumbfounded eyes of Draco and the bearded Auror grinned, thumbing at Astoria.

- "Someone's waiting for you, Cadet Malfoy."

Scorpius nodded and his gray eyes flickered to Hermione who was listening to them with emotion.

- "Someone's waiting for you too", said the boy, knitting his dark brows and slicking back his pale hair. "Do something about that, Mr. Weasley."

Ron rolled his eyes.

- "It's lieutenant-Colonel Weasley', he corrected. "Now, run along. And don't you think of flirting with my Rosie when you go back to school!"

Scorpius allowed himself a disgusted wince and he went to his parents.

Astoria hugged him tightly, drowning a torrent of relieved whispers in her son's hair, then she pulled away and Drago faced the boy. He checked him for a few minutes, as if looking for a reason to sue someone, and Scorpius forced himself to stay still, despite the uncomfortable tingling of the scar hidden under his shirt.

Then the man sighed deeply.

- "You disobeyed me. You left during the school year, caused the death of an elf and risked your life. Never asking for my permission. Without any regard for your mother's sorrow."

Scorpius swallowed the lump forming in his throat and his dove gray eyes sustained the steely gaze of his father.

- "Forgive me, Father", he said firmly. "I'm sorry I made you worry, Mother."

The sincerity of his voice was also saying, "but I did what I thought was right and I would do it again if necessary."

Astoria smiled softly and Draco rubbed his temples wearily.

- "What will become of you..." he muttered.

Scorpius lifted his chin defiantly.

- "Someone who will take good decisions... Father."

For an endless second, Malefoy closed his eyes as if about to explode with anger. When he opened them again, shadows old of more than twenty years were dancing in his gray eyes.

- "Come here", he only said.

Scorpius took a step forward, uncertain.

And Draco wrapped him in his arms.

- "I was so scared for you", the man whispered as he felt his son's shoulders stiffen. "I am sorry, Scorpius. I never should have spoken of taking you away from your friends or of sending you to another school. Give me another chance, please."

Scorpius breathed in deeply and his hands clutched the black fabric of his father's jacket.

- "I missed you, Papa..." he mumbled.

He forgot he was fourteen and that a Malfoy did not show his emotions. He buried his face in his father's shoulder just like he did when he was younger. Astoria's perfume and her long hair brushed on his neck and he knew she was there too, hugging her two men who had come back a long way.

A few steps away, Amelia was also burying her face in her son's shoulder and Francis had had only a brief moment of hesitation before hugging Terrence too. Then they sat - dropped, rather - all three on the station bench. Amelia fiddled with the boy's collar, touched him as if to ensure he was really there, alive. But Francis was again looking very serious.

- "Don't you ever do that again", he croaked.

Terrence gently pushed his mother's hand, his blue eyes locking with his father's stare.

- "I won't go with you to New Zealand", he said calmly. "I will stay in England and I will continue my education at Hogwarts."

He lifted his hand impatiently when Francis opened his mouth to protest, and his mother thought she no longer knew the young man sitting in between them.

- "I'm sorry I got you worried. I thought we would be able to write to you once there. Next time I'll do things better."

- "Are you thinking of running away from school again?" Francis uttered incredulously.

- "Terri, sweetheart, you know... we... we could..." Amelia began helplessly.

Terrence shook his head and his gaze softened.

- "Let's go home, he suggested.

It was not yet time to tell them about the profession he had already chosen, and the promises he made to himself.

He got up, let his mother take his hand and smiled at her reassuringly. His father was watching him silently.

Maybe they would talk. Later. When some time would have passed...

He cast a glance towards the Potters. James and Lily had taken the place of his two friends on either side of Albus. Ginny was snuggled against Harry, but carefully watching her son.

For them too, there would be much to say, to accept, so little time to get reacquainted.

Everything had changed.

The children had grown up.

The station platform filled with a whirlwind of white flowers like snowflakes felt like a new page turning.

Ron scratched his neck, looking a bit embarrassed.

- "I'll see you at the Burrow later, then, when I'm back from reporting to the ministry. And... hum... Hermione? I was thinking of taking Hugo to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, next summer... and... well... er. There's a pretty big library there."

- "I know", said Hermione.

She nibbled on her lip as if she was struggling with something inside, while he waited without daring to look up.

- "Rosie and I really need to go to the beach, sunbathe, have a swim", she finally said with a weak smile.

Ron nodded and his face showed exactly the same awkward look, happy and embarrassed, as when he was seventeen years old.

- "O-okay. Great. Cool."

The woman sighed, rolling her eyes. She met Harry's amused gaze and she grinned back.

It was over.

Just like a long time ago, the three of them were there at the end of all things, when a new era was beginning.

She made sure her bag was well hung on her shoulder and spun round, determined to make a stop at her apartment before going to the Burrow. Seeing Molly and Arthur face Albus was going to be rough and she wanted to call Hogwarts by Floo powder first and ask Minerva if she could speak to her children.

She almost bumped into the teenager who was right behind her.

- "Oh. Wendy. Sorry."

She cast a glance around.

- "Someone came to get you, isn't it?"

The girl's chin gestured toward the arcades where a very tall man with an horribly scarred bald skull was standing. Hermione frowned: he did not look anything like Wendy. Was it really a family member? Her instinct resurfaced.

- "Do you want me to take you home?"

Wendy slowly shook her head.

- "You'll be alright?" tried again the woman affectionately.

- "Yes."

The girl shifted from one foot to the other, playing with a lock of brown hair. Her eyes were downcast and she was nibbling her lips.

- "Can I... can you..."

Hermione had to lean to hear and suddenly two arms locked around her neck. She froze.

- "Thank you", Wendy whispered briefly before stepping back and running off.

The woman straightened up and looked at the man who was welcoming the girl.

She had had no time to return the hug and her heart sank.

Wendy was Rose's age...

She could have been her daughter.

Maybe she could write to her, invite her during holidays at the Burrow... Albus would surely be delighted...

Those two were…

She smiled and began walking towards the exit of the station after greeting the Potters. The Malfoys and the Swansons were also leaving. Ron hesitated, then caught up with Hermione in a few strides and started to talk to her.

Wendy watched them, then chuckled.

- "Who's this lady, Miss Wendy?" asked the butler, putting his hand on her shoulder.

- "Albus Potter's aunt", replied the girl. "She's very nice."

She looked up and the morning sun sparkled on the carbuncle at her left eyebrow.

- "Is Mother mad because of me?" she asked casually. "What did my father say? The twins must have thrown quite a tantrum when the ministry's owl arrived."

She was putting up a brave front but her fingers were fumbling with the hem of her sweater and the man with the scarred skull was not fooled.

- "Monsieur said nothing, he was in Dubai for a fortnight. I do not think he's aware of your... breakout."

He crouched in front of her and cupped the stubborn chin in one of his calloused hands.

- "Madame... Madame was very worried, Miss Wendy. She cried."

The girl shrugged.

- "She'll tell me off and I'll end up at the Covent, she squeaked. "She'll be glad to be rid of me."

The butler smiled softly.

- "I don't think so, Miss Wendy. Madame prepared your bedroom herself, and gave orders to the cook to make your favorite cake."

Wendy looked away. Her pursed lips quivered.

- "Come on, let's go home", said the man with broad shoulders, his clear blue eyes gazing at her with paternal love.

She sniffled.

- "T'was war out there, Barrie", she uttered, as if suddenly a bubble of air was blurting out of her chest.

He patiently nodded.

She stepped aside in a daze, let him grab one of her hands.

- "I fought, you know. Like a proper soldier."

She was so pale he came closer, afraid she'd fall.

- "It's not a crocodile who gave you this scar, isn't it?" she stammered.

- "Indeed no, Miss Wendy."

She gasped. The breeze was tangling her chestnut hair and sticking white petals on her now wet cheeks.

- "It's over now, Miss Wendy. You're back, safe and sound."

She staggered and put her arms around the giant's neck. He hugged her gently.

- "I'm sorry, Barrie... I didn't know..."

- "You were very brave", he whispered, patting her back to soothe her. "I'm so proud of you..."

He waited until she straightened up, wiping her nose with her sleeve, then tucked a lock behind the girl's ear and smiled.

- "Let's go eat that cake, Miss Wendy. Nana prepared tea to perk you up and I know she went out early this morning to buy soy milk, despite her awful rheumatism."

- "It's in her head", giggled the girl despite herself, her cheeks still shining with tears.

- "It's in her head, indeed", the butler confirmed with a discreet nod. "But hush!"

He stood up and resumed his dignified look when seeing Albus' father coming to them.

- "Hello", Harry said, holding out his hand.

The man with a bald head did not take it, but saluted instead.

- "Major Peter Barrington, Sir", he greeted in a loud voice.

The Auror hesitated a moment, then also brought his hand to his forehead.

- "Colonel Potter. Nice to meet you. Are you Wendy's family?"

- "Yes", said the girl before the butler could reply. "Are you leaving?"

Harry glanced at his wife and children.

- "Yes", he said. "This day is far from being over and Al needs to rest."

He grinned.

- "You too, young woman."

The former Legionnaire vigorously nodded and Wendy chuckled.

- "Then... just a moment, please."

She crept up to the Potters and planted herself in front of Albus.

- "See you at school", she said.

The green eyes smiled back at her.

- "Yeah."

- "I'll be waiting for you."

Albus cocked his head to the side, very seriously.

- "Thank you."

- "Terrence and Scorpius will be too", she added quickly.

Behind them, James rolled his eyes.

- " Oh My Gosh. Isn't This Subtle?" Lily sighed, crossing her arms.

Ginny stifled a giggle behind her hand, astonished at the wave of tenderness and peace she felt around her.

Wendy shifted from one foot to the other.

- "I'm off, then", she said.

But she did not move.

Albus blushed, but he did not pause for long.

He leaned forward, supported by his crutches, and kissed her.

Barrie cleared his throat and Harry shot him an apologetic wince. The sun was bathing the station in dazzling light, blurring the two teenagers who had forgotten people were looking at them. The blue sky was high above London and spring was filling the streets with a tangy scent full of promises.

oOoOoOo

The night lights were giving a bluish glow to the familiar corridor on the first floor. Everything was quiet.

Through the open door of the first room, Harry could see James busy polishing his broom, sitting cross-legged on the chair in front of his cluttered desk. A bewitched quaffle was bouncing against the walls covered with posters of Quidditch and pictures of alluring witches. A little further, the ajar door half hid Lily laying flat belly on her bed, immersed in a book. The moon-shaped lamp hanging above her head was slowly turning on itself at the end of the silver wire.

In the parents' room, Ginny was brushing her auburn hair, wearing the silky green nightgown that Harry found so sexy on her porcelain skin. She was smiling at nothing, then frowning, staring at something invisible and sighing. She was probably debriefing the day in silence, as she usually did. He was eager to go to her, to lie beside her and to feel - finally - at home.

He put his hand on the latch of the last door.

Albus had held on all day, smiling bravely and letting his grandparents pamper him to their heart content. He had gone to bed very quickly after dinner - with the help of his brother and sister.

And now he was on the other side of that shut door, as if cut off from the world, and Harry was afraid that he might be sobbing quietly, just like when he had discovered he had lost his leg.

He took a deep breath and turned the latch.

But the door did not open.

He raised an eyebrow, reached for his wand in the back pocket of his jeans.

- "Alohomora."

The lock did not even shudder.

Harry thought for a moment, then tried another spell, a more advanced one.

The door was locked - enough for a wizard of NEWT level to not be able to come in.

He tried something else and gave a little sigh of relief upon hearing the lock crack open. For a moment, he had thought that the dying dragon had given Albus a magic well beyond that of an Auror.

He gently pushed the door, tiptoed in the room.

His heart stopped.

The bed was empty. The crutches were leaning against the tidy desk and the sheets were not even rumpled.

- "Albus?"

A breath ruffled his hair and he looked up.

The ceiling was again enchanted, like in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, like when adults had united to turn into a fairy tale the bedroom of a sick little boy, years before.

Thousands of stars were falling to him, like pearls in a black pond.

- "Albus?" Harry whispered, looking for the beam where Toothless used to perch with his son.

Two golden split green orbs opened in the darkness.

"He's sleeping, Father."

Harry shuddered violently.

- "You are alive!" he gasped.

Now he could see him. The dragon was crouched on the beam, his paws huddled under his satin fur craw, his black wings swollen like sails and his spade-shape tail making waves in the ocean of stars.

"I never died."

The voice in Harry's head was almost amused.

"It's a good thing everyone believed so. The ministry will leave Albus alone."

The man swallowed hard.

- "Terrence, Scorpius, Wendy... even Charlie believed you died", he accused. "Albus couldn't morph anymore. You..."

The dark dragon's head bowed toward him and he caught a glimpse of the gleaming fangs.

"No. Keeping the secret was his decision, Father."

Harry tried to calm his breathing.

- "You are unharmed. And he lost his leg", he snapped harshly. "He's just a child. Do something. Give him back his life. How can he go back to school, face the stares, the gossip, looking like this?"

The hot breath, irritated, swept his hair against his glasses. He did not step back, glaring accusingly. He had suffered so much from being different, from the stigma that was his scar, from the voices whispering in his back when he had fainted in front the Dementors.

"I cannot give him back his leg. Albus chose to pay the price to save the heart of an old man lost in the dark. It was not my wing the dragon's fangs were grinding. It was his body because it was him – with all his soul - who was facing the Anghenfil."

Harry swallowed hard. His throat was so dry that doing so hurt him.

The golden split green eyes were staring at him in the magical night of the ceiling and he felt like they saw - they knew - all of him.

"He is no longer a child."

The man clutched his wand in his fist.

- "For me, he will always be a child!"

The dragon's wings unfurled slowly. The ancient creature came down slowly and stood facing the Auror.

- "Give me back my son", Harry hissed through his clenched teeth.

The majestic black head bowed to him and the silky forehead of the dragon leaned against the man's chest.

And he felt a wave of peace and tenderness overwhelming him – stronger than his doubts, his rancor, his memories.

"I'm here, Father."

He could hear the beat of both their hearts in the silence. Closing his eyes, he felt like he was hugging his fifteen years old boy.

Oh, Albus…

He opened his eyes and stroke the head of the dragon who did not move, purring softly.

- "I'll keep the secret, since it's his decision. But will you take care of him, Toothless? Will you stay with him forever? He doesn't show it, but I know that he's hurt and he's afraid, he often forgets about himself because of his love for the others. Will you make sure he never had to fight on his own or to cry alone? Will you help him remember he cannot do everything? Remind him it's okay to fail, to make mistakes, to try again. Tell him he has the right to be happy..."

He leaned his forehead against the dragon's head, as if to communicate all that he could not word.

- "Please, Toothless. Watch over him."

The golden split green eyes dived into his and the great wings wrapped him in a cocoon of ebony feathers.

"I promise."

A cloud of white petals was billowing with the night wind, and light flakes were dancing over the peaceful plain, as if snow was falling in spring.

TBC

This is technically the end, but I'd keep an eye on the story, if I were you, for I will add an epilogue in the coming days, in which Albus will meet Severus Snape's talking portrait…

I hope you liked this story! I very much enjoyed writing it and I can't wait to share the next one with you. It's called "the Shufflers of Light" and will take us seven years later, to the last part of this trilogy with the dragon.

Thank you so much for your reviews all along the writing of this story! You were of tremendous encouragement to me!