Ch 30 The Last Train Ride
Monday morning January second, twenty-twenty-three, just before breakfast, Jesus Rios called Albus. "Do you have a room Ginny and I could stay in tonight?" he asked. "Our situation is … awkward, at least, and we could really use a place to stay tonight."
Albus looked over at Cleo, who was finishing dressing in their Grimmauld Place bedroom.
"I should check with my mother, but I think you could stay at Potter's New Burrow, or even the New Burrow. I know there are empty bedrooms in both houses. Hold on; I will ask right now."
Albus put his mobile on hold and called his mother. A short time later he was back. "Come anytime."
"We are in China, but we are not that many Floo connections away. We should be there before noon your time," Jesus replied. "Thank you!"
"I will make sure the Elves know for lunch. We will meet you at Potter's New Burrow. Good bye."
"Good bye."
"Jesus and Ginny are going to be here before lunch, and staying, I guess, until we take the train," Albus told Cleo. "There was a fair amount of tension in his voice. I hope everything is all right. Our plan for today is to go over to the New Burrow and Potter's New Burrow after breakfast here at Grimmauld Place."
"Hello Cleopatra, Albus," Raphael Vaud, head of the Swiss Aurors, greeted Albus and Cleopatra. They had agreed to meet at Potter's New Burrow about ten in the morning, coming in through the kitchen Floo of Potter's New Burrow. It was a mirror image of Molly's kitchen in the New Burrow, but less crowded, and while not as well used, still filled with love and memories. It didn't quite smell like a new kitchen, but it sure didn't have the rather delightful smell of years' worth of cooking that Molly's kitchen greeted you with. It wasn't near as cluttered either.
"I understand that there is a world of hidden security on the Floo and the Closet of the New Burrow," Raphael proposed, trying to look at as much of the kitchen as he could."
"Hello, Mr. Vaud," Albus replied.
"Call me Raphael, Al, Cleo. It looks like you will be my bosses soon."
"It sounds really odd and not quite right that I would be your boss," Albus replied. "I'm not going to boss you around."
"It is odd," the older man nodded. "If I am going to be responsible for your security you may have to obey me. The responsibility of guarding the two of you and your staff has passed on to me and an international group of Aurors and DMLE officers."
"We are still in danger?" Cleo asked, sounding very disappointed. "I thought we defeated my great-grandmother."
"You did," Raphael agreed, "but she was not the only danger you are facing. The most serious threat is from The Lord of the Dementors, but there are a number of goblins and their allies who are threatened by the two of you as well as by Galadriel and Thorin. There are also a number of Magi who are mad at you and all the changes that are taking place, and a few of them are violent."
"So we are going to have to be as careful as we were before?" Albus confirmed, taking Cleo's hand and squeezing it in comfort. Albus had no illusions that the world was a safe place, not for him and Cleo.
"Pretty much, although the people in charge will be different, and it will certainly be different than the Potter and Weasley family security.
"I want to introduce to Benjamin Huynh Nguyen and his wife Karen Phuong Nguyen. They are going to be leading a team in charge of securing you and your family and staff."
Al and Cleo both looked at the couple, trying to judge their ages. Both guess that the couple was reasonably young, just a few years out of Auror training. They looked Oriental, and the names sounded Vietnamese.
"Richard and Annabella Fagan are, I guess, my staff now, our staff," Albus told Raphael as he introduced the couple. "We've hired them to help us. Ever since we defeated Jezebel there have been big demands on both of our time, and we needed help."
"We will be coordinating with Jim and Sue Shook," Karen informed the group. "Our team will be staying in Hogsmeade. I understand that they have driven some magical trailers into the village for us to live in. No one in the village has ever seen anything like those little homes on wheels. They just use magical tents, but the magical trailers have some advantages."
Karen brought out a couple of photographs of shiny aluminum trailers, looking something like half an aluminum hot dogs on wheels. You could see Airstream written on one of them. "Of course they are much bigger on the inside than on the outside," she commented.
"How well guarded is Potter's New Burrow?" Raphael asked. "I don't like people coming in through the Floo unannounced. There is almost always someone in the kitchen at the New Burrow, but this place is empty much of the time."
"There are Elves upstairs," Albus countered. "I understand what you are saying, though. I guess we could have anyone who visits come here through the New Burrow."
"I can even arrange it so if someone makes a Floo call to Potter's New Burrow they are redirected to the New Burrow," Raphael replied. Without asking, he took out his mobile and made the call.
Raphael, Ben and Karen were touring the downstairs, and were in the large formal but still child friendly living room, when James Potter came storming up to Albus. "What in Merlin's messes have you done now, Albus Potter?" James all but yelled. "Jake tried to come and was told the Floo was blocked. She is bringing one of our recruits as well, so whatever you did fix it!"
"You are James Potter?" Raphael asked, realizing that he might have messed up.
James nodded yes, turned to his brother, and asked, pointing at the older man, "Who is he?"
"He is Raphael Vaud, head of the Swiss Aurors," Albus replied. "Have your guests come through the New Burrow."
"Jake isn't exactly a guest!" James insisted. "Until we have actually purchased the Canons or can obtain an office somewhere else this is the closest thing to an office for the Quidditch team that we have. I don't think grandmum wants Quidditch players and publicists and financial people trouping through her kitchen."
"You don't have an office here?" Raphael gasped. "An open to the public office?"
"Two offices and a conference room," James replied. "We are trying to get some things done before Erica and I have to go back to school AND YOU ARE MESSING IT ALL UP!"
"We will only have to guard this kitchen Floo for a day," Karen suggested. "Besides we may be able to meet some famous Quidditch players."
"Famous Quidditch players like James Potter," Ben kidded. Karen looked a little uncomfortable, before laughing herself.
Frerin reminded Raphael, "Between the Elves and your Aurors we can keep Cleo and Albus safe, even from rogue Quidditch players." He went on to explain they were used to guarding adults. These were still children who were still in school and had lives outside of being royalty.
James grumbled, "Sometimes I think the more famous the players are the dodgier they are."
"I'll have the Floo opened," Raphael sighed, shaking his head. This was a home, not an office, and he couldn't treat this as anything less. Raphael was not fond of Quidditch, and something about the game and the players made him somewhat uncomfortable. He called to have the Floo opened again.
"Are we going to be able to ride the train now?" Albus wondered once back in the kitchen of Potter's New Burrow.
"Yes, but in your own car at the end of the train. There will be room for a number of other students in that car, but we will check with you and check them before we let them in," Karen responded. "There are a few students I don't trust."
"We still have our Elf guards, Frerin and Dis," Albus pointed out, nodding towards the two.
"I will need to be on leave in April," Dis told the group. "Having a baby."
"I didn't know you were married," Cleo replied, "Who is the father?"
"Frerin, my brother," Dis replied. "The curse worked on Elves too, but not so much nicely. All Elf babies honored, not a problem there, but not ideal."
"Are there any more Elves pregnant at Hogwarts?" Albus wondered.
"Yes, and a few awkward parentages, but Elves do not object," Dis responded. "Too many awkward situations with Elves and Magi over the years. All Elf babies loved and honored and good. But too many all at once."
Shortly before noon Jesus and Ginny walked into the kitchen of Potter's New Burrow.
"Security?" Jesus wondered. "We took the Floo to 'the New Burrow,' and then we had to pass through security to get here."
"The Swiss are in charge of Cleo and me now," Albus explained with a sigh. "All sorts of things have changed and are changing. I thought the Floo was open, though."
"It may be open now," Ginny responded. "We tried to Floo right here a while ago. Congratulations on your big victory."
"It came at a big price," Albus replied. "Charles Koizumi's mother was one of the dead. We lost a lot of Magi in the battles."
"From what I understand, it was worth it, though," Jesus proposed.
"It doesn't make the loses any less tragic," Albus reflected, frowning and shaking his head.
"So, how are you two?" Cleo wondered.
"We are married, but just," Jesus explained. "What a nightmare. My parents were not happy, but since it all came about through the magic and curses or whatever they were, they were a little understanding."
"My parents were livid," Ginny bitched. "They called it rape, which I guess it was. Not Jesus raping me, but that spell raping us both. My parents wanted me to get an abortion, they were upset I didn't tell them right away, they didn't want us to marry. It was only when I told them that we would marry when we reached seventeen in any case, but meanwhile they would cause their grandchild to be illegitimate, and did they really want to cause us to have a bastard child, that they relented. Not nicely, though."
"Hello, Annabella," Jesus said, looking at her. "What are you doing here?"
"Richard and I are working for Cleo and Albus," she replied. "I've been disowned, and Richard's parents did something similar when they learned he was a wizard, so we needed jobs. We were talking about how hard it would be if we married, but we were really hoping we could work into it slowly. My parents did everything but physically throw me and Richard out of the house. They did make us take all of my possessions out that day, yelling at us the whole time. It was horrible!"
"Annabella is smart, and I'm good with languages, French and German especially which is going to be very helpful in Switzerland," Richard further explained.
"Are you two going to be moving to Switzerland when you graduate?" Jesus asked.
"I think before the end of this year," Albus replied. "We fulfilled some prophesies when we defeated Jezebel, and from all I have read about over the last few years, we really don't have much choice."
"Are Richard and Annabella coming with you?" asked Jesus, flopping down at the kitchen table where the other two Magi students were sitting. Ginny sat down next to Jesus.
"Yes, if they are going to keep working for us they need to be with us," Albus replied.
"We are going to need a job as well," Jesus thought. "I have not exactly been disowned, but both parents think that when you are married you should support yourself. America is all about getting advanced education, and being pregnant when you are as young as we are, especially when your parents are educators, is really bad."
"I cannot see us in China," Ginny added. "Jesus's parents were disappointed, but my whole extended family was not nice. Neither of us want to teach, so going back to California doesn't make any sense either. We are both interested in how the world of the Magi is governed, and how it is changing. Would you have jobs for us?"
"You could finish your schooling in Switzerland, and work for us," Albus suggested. "I have an idea, but want to talk to the prophets and several other people in Switzerland first."
A good size crowd gathered in the kitchen of Potter's New Burrow for lunch. James, Erica and Jake had several people with them, some Quidditch players, a couple of sports agents who represented a few of the better known players, and others. After lunch Harry came over to Potter's New Burrow and told Albus and Cleo, "I want you to come with me to meet a couple of the families who lost Aurors."
Ginny was with Harry, and after Harry, Albus and Cleo left she showed Jesus and Ginny Wang Rios a room they could stay in. The room was furnished with a king size bed, and had an in-suite bath.
"I thought you would rather have this room than the room with twin beds," Ginny joked. "Enjoy!"
"Thank you, Mrs. Potter," Ginny Wang Rios replied, smiling but slightly embarrassed.
Midafternoon Al and Cleo were back from their visiting. Karen Nguyen had gone with the couple, along with the Elf guards, and Ben Nguyen had stayed at Potter's New burrow to guard the kitchen Floo. By this time Ben had also arranged for two additional Aurors from Switzerland to help him, one stationed in the kitchen, another who seemed to be escorting people up to the offices upstairs. By this time Jesus, Ginny, Richard and Annabella had gathered in the kitchen/dining area. They had assembled in the dining room area of the large room, at a table some distance away from the Floo and kitchen table where Ben was guarding the Floo. That way they could see when Al and Cleo were back, while talking among themselves.
"Any problems?" Karen asked Ben as the group came into the kitchen.
"There were a fair number of people coming and going, but no problems," Ben replied.
The two couples left the dining room and went over to greet Al and Cleo.
"I'd like to go into the living room," Annabella suggested. "This kitchen reminds me of King's Cross sometimes." As she was saying this another person came down from upstairs and left through the Floo.
The group left for the living room, and sat down.
"Meeting families who lost their husband or wife, father or mother at the battle must have been hard," Ginny Wang Rios told Al and Cleo.
"I'm glad that is not part of our job," Annabella added.
"It is hard," Albus admitted. "The wizard who lost his wife has two children at Hogwarts, first and third year. He works for the DMLE, not an Auror though. Great-grandparents took care of the two children when they were little, but they are getting too old for that. The children do not want to be taken care of, and the great-grandparents are not as spry and healthy as they were. He's a little lost now.
"The witch seems to have it together more. She is a homemaker with two small children, two and five, but she was explaining how a witch can live on not a lot of money. If you know household spells you can take an inexpensive fish and turn it into all fish fillets, no bones or guts to get rid of. You can do something similar with a chicken or almost any animal. She also has a modest size greenhouse, and sells some produce to Muggle neighbors. Between the life insurance and a pension from the Auror department, she says she will be fine financially, although she will be lonely."
"We may have a solution to that," Cleo suggested with a wistful smile. "Al and I are soulmates, but that is rare. Mostly it is a combination of compatibility and availability. If you don't meet someone you will never marry them. If you meet them at the wrong time, or one of you is married, nothing should happen, and with the marriage charms with Magi it seldom does. But if you are both compatible and looking, you can make a marriage work. You need to work at falling in love and staying in love.
"He is fascinated by how domestic she is, and how she can make a tight budget work. She is not bothered by him having an erratic schedule. Before our meeting was finished she invited him over to dinner, and the two families are eating together tonight, at her house.
"I am going to make them new soap, shampoo, and perfume. If won't force anything, but it may encourage it."
"You just want everyone to marry and have babies," Ginny suggested.
"Well, not really," a pensive Cleo replied. "I used to, but it is more complicated. I am sure that there will be too many babies because of how out of control the fertility goddess was at my wedding. Too many and some to the wrong people or at the wrong time."
Cleo didn't want to share what she had sensed about Lucy Weasley, now Hudson, and Bob Hudson. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't quite right either. Cleo was sure they were not the only couple where the wedding or baby would be less than ideal, and it bothered her.
Besides, she had committed to being Christian and being a good person, and being good and doing what you wanted to do were not always the same thing.
Tuesday morning, very early, Albus and Cleo, their Elf guards, plus the Nguyens', their new Magi guards, took a Closet to platform 9-3/4 to see how they would Apparate to get into the train.
Albus had to admit that the Hogwarts Express was a strange looking train. He had seen photographs of it when his parents took it to school. It looked old fashion, but all of the same era. Since then they had switched to a diesel engine, admittedly an old one, and added newer cars. The car they had added to the end of the train, however, looked even older than the old cars on the train, with an old fashion elegance that reminded Albus of some photographs of the eighteenth century.
The back half of the car was a room that Albus and his friends would travel in. It was decorated in velvet covered benches and chairs, and the decor looked like it came right out of the Victorian Era. The front half had offices and a kitchen. There was one room that had been re-purposed as a room you could Apparate into during certain times, and that is how Albus and Cleo were supposed to enter the train.
Actually, much of the world of the Magi was similar. The Magi had spells to repair or transform almost everything, so if things wore out or became obsolete they were almost never thrown out. That saved a tremendous amount of money and time, but it was also why the magical world could look so strange to No-Maj. Recycling certain types of plastic was difficult, but they had even made significant progress there.
Later that morning first their Elf and Magi guards, then Albus and Cleo, and then Richard and Annabella Apparated to the special compartment and entered the special train car at the rear of the Hogwarts Express.
Narcissa accompanied Rose and Scorpius to Kings Cross. The train was the same as the last time they took it, except for an old fashion car on the end of the train. They entered the front car where the prefects met, and joined a group gathering in the largish gathering space that was part of the prefects' car.
"I still feel bad that you are not going to be a prefect," Scorpius told Rose.
"Prefects need to sleep in, be part of, their dormitory," Rose reiterated. "I do understand that, and agree with it. I would much rather room with and sleep with you, and if you are going to stay a Slytherin prefect we are going to have to room in Slytherin. You are the one with political ambitions, not me."
Shortly after Rose and Scorpius entered the prefect car at the front of the train, Patty Finnigan entered. She immediately went over to Rose and wondered, "Why did you give up being a prefect?"
"We are going to be rooming in the Slytherin dorm," Rose explained. "Scorpius is a Slytherin prefect, so he has to room there. I think it is more important for him."
"But why did you have to resign as a prefect?" Patty asked.
"Prefects have to be available to talk to the students in their house," Rose replied. "Professor McGonagall and the heads of the houses talked with the head boy and girl, and the prefects, and we all agree. So a prefect moving to another dorm needs to resign as a prefect."
"You and Scorpius have always been so competitive, and your mother is Vice-Minister of Magic, Rose!" Patty exclaimed. "It just doesn't seem like you, not as ambitious as I always thought you were."
"Ambition comes at a cost I don't think I am willing to pay," Rose admitted. "Mum is a good mum, but the only way she was able to do all she did was to have plenty of help, and she delegated a whole lot of the child raising duties. Grandmum Granger was my teacher most of the time before I went to Hogwarts, mine and up to a point Albus's too. Grandmum Weasley and Aunt Audrey taught Hugo, and my father has spent a lot of time with him at the store. Aunt Ginny takes me clothes shopping and talks to me about girl things.
"Mum loves us, and does what she can, but I want to be a more hands on mother. I'm not as personally ambitious as my mother. Maybe ambitious for Scorpius and me?"
"Well, my parents are thrilled I'm a prefect, so thank you for stepping aside," Patty ended with.
"Hello, Annabella," Scorpius greeted his fellow Slytherin prefect. "Hello, Richard."
"May spouses of prefects sit in the prefect's car?" Annabella wondered.
"I assume so," Scorpius replied. "Rose is with me."
"But she is a prefect too," Annabella argued.
"She gave that up so she could room with me," Scorpius grinned. "I don't think Hogwarts has ever had married prefects before, so a lot of this is new."
"A lot of everything is new," Annabella replied. "I've cut my coursework in half to work for Cleo and Albus, and so has Richard. We are going to be rooming in the dormitory and I will still be a prefect, though.
"My parents threw me out of the house, so everything I own is in three trunks, or still at Hogwarts. It is going to be hard to fit everything in our room, unless it is much larger than I think it will be."
Rose told the couple, "I will help you with your room this weekend if not before."
"Thank you!" Annabella replied.
Ginny Wang Rios, who with her husband Jesus Wang Rios had entered the car with Rose and Scorpius, added, "I assume Jesus and I are going to be rooming together too. I expect we are still prefects."
"You are only in fifth year!" Annabella exclaimed, shocked.
"We both turned sixteen in September," Jesus explained. "Really bad timing, or really good timing, depending on how you look at it. I think it is a little of both, but mostly bad timing. It is the right person, just at the wrong time."
At this point Abraham Sanford, the Slytherin seventh year prefect and head boy, and Elizabeth Reynolds, the Gryffindor seventh year prefect and head girl, went to the head of the compartment. Abraham called to the group, "I think all of the prefects are here now. The seventh year prefects met with several of the staff yesterday to talk about housing. All the married students are going to be in their own bedrooms. Providing bathrooms has proven to be a bit of a challenge, and many of the rooms will have a shared bathroom, one bathroom to two bedrooms, but that we all feel is far better than having you go to the dormitory bathrooms.
"There are also many couples from different houses, and one of the couples is having to move to the other's dormitory. Or not sleep together, which we doubt anyone will want."
Annabella then spoke. "I am going to be in one of the Slytherin rooms with my new husband Richard Fagan. Scorpius Malfoy, excuse me, Scorpius Granger-Malfoy and Rose Granger-Malfoy are in another. Jesus and Ginny Wang Rios are in a third. Finally, we have Rudolphus Dearborn and Helena Rosier Dearborn."
Abraham continued, "In the Gryffindor rooms we have James and Erica Potter, Charles and Patricia Koizumi, and our fellow prefects Gideon and Elizabeth Reynolds Prewett."
They went on to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff couples. The only ones Rose took special note of were 'Flower' Sprout and Joshua Firewalker, both in Hufflepuff, and Zeus Sinistra and Emily Susan Macmillan, Emily going to Ravenclaw even though she was in Gryffindor.
Finally, Elizabeth noted, "We have one more couple. They cannot have become pregnant in October. She was with other girls in the dorm that Saturday. Well, they are pregnant now. Sheryl Shook in Ravenclaw with Merlin Middy."
"I'm a little surprised they were not pregnant before October first," Rose laughed. There were a number of smiles and knowing nods at this remark.
The senior prefects left to find the couples and give them their new room assignments.
"I think this car at the end of the train is rather pretentious," Albus observed. "It is not like we are royalty."
Ben Nguyen countered, "But you are, or will be. Cleo has the prophesied wand, and the second of the three CrystalBalls is on Resort Cleo, the island that the two of you own."
"I am being told that we need to bring the Crystal Ball to Switzerland, but we need to wait until Galadriel says they are ready," Albus told Ben. "I'm not eager to go, but we are going to have to. I like Switzerland, and Cleo loves the castle, but we are being asked to do more than I feel we are ready for."
"Do you understand what is going on with the Elves?" Ben asked. "They have hidden much of the turmoil from us, but I understand that there are battles going on between all the Elf factions as well."
"A small but powerful and sometimes violent faction of Elves, many but not all of them Goblins, are against what Galadriel and Thorin, Cleo and I are trying to do," Albus replied. "I don't understand all of it, although I personally probably know and understand as much as almost any Magi. I complain about the security, but I do think it is needed."
Charles Koizumi, his wife Patricia, and his sister Cara entered the train car, Charles leading. He looked around, and said, "We have been told we should sit with you," looking between Albus and Cleo.
"I am so very sorry about your mum," Cleo told the three as she went up to them, giving them each a hug. Albus followed.
"The Christmas holidays must have been horrible," Cleo sniffed, just holding back tears.
"It has been hard," Cara frowned, close to tears herself. "Mum was going to retire and be a grandmother to the baby, and now … it is just so unfair."
Just then Zackery and Molly O'Mara came into the car. Molly saw the Koizumi children and told them, "We are so sorry about your mother."
"Thank you," Cara replied.
"Zack and Molly's mother was also killed in the battle. She was one of the Aurors in Mrs. Chang's team," Albus volunteered, going over to greet the two young Magi. Cleo also went over, giving each of them a big hug.
"That's awful!" Cara exclaimed. "How is your father handling it?"
"Not well," Molly replied, eyes downcast. "I never realized how much mum ran the family. Dad is lost. Just lost. He is no good with household spells, or cooking anything but simple things. We've eaten with grandparents and great-grandparents, and even spent a couple of evenings with Mrs. Murphy."
Molly started to cry. "Sarah Murphy is a nice witch, and she lost her husband in the battle, but it is like she is putting up with my father, and he is just so lost. I'm afraid that she will marry him out of pity. I mean, I like her little children, but there ought to be more for her than feeling sorry for my father."
"The wedding charms help," Patricia replied. "That and understanding when you sign the documents that you are signing a contract to love each other. I mean, your father and Mrs. Murphy were both married to Aurors, so they have that in common. Do they talk about things?"
"They talk about everything," Molly replied. "It isn't like falling in love, though. Just talking about practical things, and about the problems of schedules, and I don't know.
"When did you and Charles fall in love?"
"Charles was born a witch, and I was a wizard, but it never felt natural to either of us. So with some very advanced magic we transitioned to the other sex, at the same time, in Switzerland, and just stayed friends. We really were not all that lovey with each other, just best friends, until last October when I became pregnant. I love being pregnant, and being female, and all, and it got better and better with the wedding spells and all."
"Being married is fun, but it is also work," Charles added. "Your whole life changes, like you are not just yourself but are part of something bigger. I always wanted to be a hero and go off and do dangerous things, but I have the responsibility of taking care of Patricia and our baby now, and I don't want to leave her a widow and our child an orphan."
"I think what Charles means is that we were best friends," Patricia proposed, "and we still are. So we have worked at falling in love, which is quite delightful, really." Patricia sighed and hugged Charles. "But it is all more complicated than just falling in love."
"I've made perfume, soap and shampoo for many individuals and couples over the last five years," Cleo volunteered. "I've examined emotions as couples fell in love. There have been a few cases where things were not right, and even a couple where I made scents to try and drive couples apart. There are some wizards who should never marry anyone; all they want is to possess the witch instead of loving her and being a partner in the marriage, and that is just wrong."
"Could you make scents for us?" Patricia pled.
"Yes," Cleo replied. "Did you get any maternity outfits? You are going to need them before Easter break."
Patricia giggled, and Charles became a little embarrassed. Patricia and Cleo talked about the maternity outfits they were going to have to start wearing, and other pregnancy issues. Cloe Koizumi eagerly joined in, and even young Molly O'Mara drifted over to listen.
The three boys gravitated to another part of the car to talk about Quidditch and other things.
Eventually Rose and Scorpius entered the car at the rear of the train.
"Annabella and Richard are catching up with other classmates," Rose announced.
Cleo introduced Rose and Scorpius to the students they didn't know. Albus introduced Ben and Karen as well.
"Did you buy maternity garments, Rose?" Patricia wanted to know.
"Girl talk," Albus announced as he waved all the boys over to one end of the compartment.
"What is so private about clothes?" Young Zackery O'Mara wondered once the boys were at the other end of the car.
"I'm sure they will talk about more than clothes," Albus explained. "They will talk about the special knickers they will need to wear, and nursing bras, and stuff to spread on your stomach so you don't get stretch marks, and support spells for your breasts and tummy as you get big, and all sorts of female things."
Zackery looked askance at the animated discussion going on at the other end of the car.
Meanwhile all the witches did talk about all of the above and more, as the train wound its way to Hogwarts.
2022