Sorry it's been a long time since I have posted. I am going to try to be better at finishing this story. Enjoy and please review :)

Chapter 8

Ginny gave her youngest child a tearful hug; her long red hair spilled over Lily's face. "I can't believe you're going to Hogwarts."

Platform 9 and ¾ was busy, as usual. Not much had changed about it since Harry had taken the Hogwarts Express for the first time when he was eleven. He looked around, seeing familiar faces, wrinkled with age. He wondered if he would still come here with his grandchildren; at this point, it didn't feel that far in the future.

They saw Percy and his wife Audrey right away. Of course, their daughters were already on the train; Percy had engrained it in his children that to be on time was to be late. They said hello to Bill, who was dropping off his son Louis quickly before work. His wife, Fluer, wasn't with him; she was taking their daughter, Dominque, to her final year at Beauxbaton's Academy of Magic—the same school that her mother had attended. Fred and Roxanne, George's children, came up to give their aunt and uncle a quick hug before getting on the train. Harry and Ginny said hello to George and his wife briefly before they left the station. Ginny's hello to him was short but polite; she still hadn't quite forgiven her mischievous brother for giving her eldest son the potion to turn her hair bright pink.

Ron and Hermione had met up with their family a few minutes ago, their two children in tow. James, Albus, and Lily's faces lit up when they saw them. Out of all of their cousins, they were definitely the closest with Rose and Hugo.

"She'll be fine, Ginny," Teddy responded with a laugh in between his conversation with Harry and Ron telling them about his new position as Head of Security at the Ministry of Magic. His hair, colored blue with red stripes today, stood out at the station. Although Teddy had long completed his years at Hogwarts, he still came with the family to see the younger children off. "You're lucky, Lils. I think she held on to me for a whole five minutes. I thought she was going to come on to the train with me."

Hermione chuckled. "Just wait until you have your own children, Teddy…" Standing behind him, she put her arms around her son, Hugo, who was also beginning Hogwarts this year. In fact, Percy's daughter Lucy and George's daughter Roxanne would be starting their first years as well. It seemed that the entire student body of Hogwarts was made up of Weasley's and Potter's this year. Only Bill's oldest daughter Victorie had already graduated, two years after Teddy.

The thought of Bill's daughter reminded Ginny to ask her godson by marriage about his girlfriend. He and Victorie hadn't been official for long—but they had been friends since the girl was born. They were the oldest of the children by many years, so they naturally gravitated toward one another. Harry didn't think it would last; Teddy could be impulsive, and he had been worried from the start that the boy and girl's friendship would be ruined. However, things seemed to be going smoothly, and Ginny couldn't remember when she had seen Teddy happier.

"Are you excited, Hugo?" Ginny asked her nephew, who was slowing pulling away from his mother.

Hugo smiled. "Yes, Aunt Ginny. I just hope Lily and I are in the same house." Ginny didn't say so, but she hoped for the same thing. Griffyndor, of course—but she would be happy with whatever house the Sorting Hat chose for them.

"Oh mother!" Hermione's daughter, Rose, exclaimed suddenly. "Can I go say hello to Scorpious?"

"Scorpious?" Ginny asked. "Scorpious Malfoy?" She glanced at Ron, who didn't seem to be paying attention to what his daughter was saying.

"Sure, Rosie," Hermione told her only daughter. "Make it quick though. You'll see him on the train."

Ginny couldn't help but watch as her niece walk over to Scorpious, who was standing with his mother and father. Ginny gave Malfoy a polite wave and turned back to smile at her friend. "Please tell me that Ron knows about this…"

"He knows they're friends," Hermione said with a laugh. "Things seem to be building slowly. I think I have some time to soften the blow a bit."

"Mum, can I have some pocket money for the trolley?" James interrupted suddenly, tugging at his mother's arm.

"James. You just interrupted," his mother scolded, absent-mindedly turning her attention back to the Malfoy's. Rose was giggling something that Scorpious had just said, twirling her hair with her fingers like Ginny used to do when she would see Harry. She felt a pang of worry for her young niece; although it would be poetic justice for Draco Malfoy's son to marry into the Weasley family. Scorpious seemed nice enough; at least, Albus never complained about him.

"Sorry, Aunt Hermione," James said with an apologetic half smile. "So, Mum, can I? Please?"

"For goodness sake, James," Albus mumbled. "Bring your own money…"

The young boy contemplated giving Albus a light punch in the arm, but he knew if he did that then he would never taste a delicious chocolate frog on the train. His mother, having not heard what Albus said, placed a soft hand on James' shoulder. "I didn't bring any money with me, sweetheart. Ask your father."

With a frustrated sigh, the boy turned to his father. "Please Dad?"

"Please what?"

He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Can I have some money for the trolley? I want to get a chocolate frog."

"Oh that sounds good. Can i have some money too, Dad? Pleeease," Teddy teased.

"Oh, shove off, Teddy," James protested, giving his "brother" a playful push. "We can't all have cushy Ministry jobs. If I were you, I'd buy a house full of chocolate frogs."

"Speaking of chocolate frogs," Ron began. "I just got Thorton Fretter's card. You want it, James?"

James grinned. "Really? I've been looking for that one for years…you sure?"

"Yeah, I saved it for you. I'll send it soon," his uncle replied.

"Brilliant, thank you. So Dad…pocket money?"

Harry looked down at his eager son. "I actually want to talk to you real quick, James…"

With a grunt of protest, the boy felt himself being led away from the group by his father's strong arm. When they reached a quiet spot, James leaned against the train station wall and placed his hands back in his pockets with another annoyed sigh. "Look…I'm sorry I asked for money. I just wanted something to eat and maybe a new card…"

"Slow down. It's not about the money," his father said with a chuckle. His son was always so defensive about everything.

He wrinkled his nose. "Then what is it?"

"Is there anything you want to talk about before you get on that train?"

"Bloody hell, no," his son said, turning away from Harry. "Why do we have to do this now? I just want to get on the train."

"I know you do. But I'm not going to see you until Christmas," Harry said. "I want to make sure you're okay before you go."

James looked down at the ground and then back up at his father. "I'm fine. It's my fourth year. I'm Chaser of the Quidditch team. I have a lot of friends. There's nothing wrong."

Unconvinced, but knowing he wasn't going to get much more out of his stubborn son, Harry pulled him into a tight hug. "Have a great school year. Please try to stay out of trouble. No letters from McGonagal…your mother still freezes every time an owl delivers the mail."

"Keeps life exciting though, doesn't it?" James said with a small, mischievous smile, causing his expression to soften once more.

"Honestly, I think I've had enough excitement in my life. I would really appreciate a quiet school year from you this year. Like you said, it's your fourth year, you're Chaser for the Quidditch team…do you realize you would have the potential to become the captain in a few years if you put your mind to it?"

"My broom's lousy…" his son mumbled.

"Well, maybe we can think about getting you a new one."

Knowing what he was thinking, Harry laughed as his son's face lit up. "The new Firebolt?" James asked hopefully.

"How about we'll talk about it before Christmas. If you keep your end of the deal."

James kicked the ground with his foot. "Yeah, yeah. You never answered me about the pocket money."

Harry gave the boy a few Gallons with the promise that he would share with his siblings and cousins. He then led his son back to the rest of the group, who were just finishing up their goodbyes.

"Watch out for Lily and Hugo," Ginny told the boys as James came back into the group.

"We will, Mum," Albus said sweetly.

James, however, threw his arm around his little sister's shoulders. "Hugo can take care of himself. But gotta keep little Lilypad safe. Especially from her new Slytherin friends…"

"I won't be in Slytherin!" Lily wailed as Teddy stifled laughter.

"James…" Harry sighed.

"You're bolder than I am," Teddy said, patting James on the back. "Have fun this year, kid."

"Thanks Teddy. You coming to Christmas? Victoire will be there…" the young boy said in a teasing tone.

Teddy smiled, but ignored the last comment. "Do I ever miss it? Love my grandmother to death, but she can't make ham like Ginny."

"You're too sweet, Teddy," said Ginny. Harry smiled at the exchange; he and his wife adored their godson as if he was their own; in fact, Ginny fussed over him as if he was her own. The only difference was, Harry and Ginny didn't have the problems with Teddy in his fourth year that they were having with their eldest child.

"I have to get to work. I'll stop by the house this week…unless you want to enjoy your empty nest for a few days," he said, giving his godfather a teasing look.

James and Albus both stuck their tongues out in disgust. "Gross," James said.

Each of the children hugged Teddy goodbye. "I wish you were at Hogwarts still," Lily said softly to Teddy when it was her turn to hug him. "I don't think James and Albus will take such good care of me."

Teddy laughed and kissed the top of her head. "You'll be just fine, Lils. Promise. I'll be looking forward to your owls."

After Teddy had left, James, Albus, Lily, Hugo, and Rose hugged their family one last time just as the train whistle sounded. Ginny took James' face into her hands. "No trouble this year. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mum," James replied in a muffled tone due to his cheeks being pushed in.

Three red heads and two with messy dark hair made their way into the queue of students waiting to get onto the train. Lily, who was last in line, turned back and gave her mother and father a final wave goodbye.

"Empty nest." Harry repeated Teddy's words as they watched the train pull away.

"When did we get so old?" Hermione answered as she put her arms around Ron. "It doesn't feel that long ago when we were boarding that train."

"Hey, I'm not old…" Ron replied quickly.

Harry laughed. "Those wrinkles have always been there, then?"

"You're about to get a few more too…" Ginny said with a laugh, thinking back to Rose and Scorpious. She glanced at Hermione, who could barely hold back from laughing herself.

Ron looked back and forth from his sister to his wife. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, Ron…I'll explain later," Hermione replied. "Much, much later."