Dursley's Daughter (A Harry Potter Next Generation Fan Fic)

Epilogue

They knocked on the front door.

I could hear my mum welcoming them and was already halfway down the steps before she could call for me. I had remained in my room even as three o'clock grew closer, not wanting to seem too desperate to leave.

Rose and Albus stood with Harry in the hallway. With my mum shaking Harry's hand, me being pulled into a hug by Albus, and my dad emerging from the kitchen, we were soon packed almost too tightly to move. We spent a minute working our way back out. Dad stepped back into the kitchen and my mum flattened herself against the wall in order to slide behind Rose and follow him. The rest of us spilled into the kitchen after her.

"I'll put the kettle on," said Mum. "You will stay for a cup of tea, won't you?"

Harry took a seat across from Dad at the kitchen table. "Yes, thank you."

"Help yourselves to the Ribena and biscuits."

Albus immediately took advantage; he went for a handful of cookies but when his dad gave him a disapproving look, replaced half of them. As soon as Harry wasn't looking, however, he snuck three more off the plate, putting them directly into his mouth. He poured himself a massive glass of Ribena next. I laughed.

"It's good to see you guys again," I told him and Rose.

"You too!" Rose said. "I'm so excited to have you come and stay. I've been making lists of everything we should do to make sure you get the full experience. Games you may not be familiar with, food, places to see, that kind of thing. And Hugo's been brushing up on his skills so he can pretend as though he's been practicing for the whole summer."

I grinned. "I won't tell him you told me."

"Teddy's going to be around in a couple of days," Albus said, "so our Quidditch matches are going to get intense."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

Albus nodded. "Have you spoken to Scorpius recently? His last letter to me was just a list of activities. He and Rose should get together and compile their ideas."

Rose rolled her eyes. "We're all just excited to show Esther the ropes, that's all."

"Yeah, but so am I, but you don't see me going around creating obsessively detailed lists."

"Is it going to be a bit of a shock, do you think?" Rose asked me. "You know, going from being the only child to being in a house that's overrun with loads."

Harry turned to add to our conversation. "Half the kids that are in and out of the place don't even live there."

"It's as though we've got two homes," said Albus.

"I don't mind being the only child," I said, making sure my mother could hear, "but I think I'll enjoy having a lot of others around for a change."

"Um, Albus," said my dad.

We turned to look at him.

"Congratulations," he said. "Esther told me all about your victory in the Quidditch cup at school."

"Oh," said Albus, nodding. "Thank you."

My father nodded back, but he wasn't done. "I'm sure there won't be a repeat of that this year. Esther had only just taken over the team. She had to adjust to leading and having a new team."

I felt my draw drop slightly. When I was younger and playing football for the local children's league, my dad had trash talked to no end. He had never done so for Quidditch. But then again, maybe that was only because he had never been given the chance.

Harry didn't miss a beat. "Well, we'll have to see about that. The Gryffindor squad is going to be strong this year. A team of veteran players."

"I'll admit that I don't know much about Quidditch," said Dad, meeting my eyes across the table, "but I definitely know my daughter. She's the one to beat."

~~~

The conversation flowed with ease from then on. My mother asked endless questions things that would've been embarrassing if Rose wasn't so eager to answer them all. Albus and I spoke about Quidditch and my dad managed to make some remarks on the topic from what I'd told him in past years. And then, before I knew it, the tea had been drunk and it was time to leave.

We congregated outside for our goodbyes, as we had learned that there wasn't much room in the hallway when the Potters had arrived.

Dad clapped me on the back and kissed my forehead. "We'll see you soon, Esther." He faltered for a minute, watching the Potters nervously, and I gave him time. "Get lots of practice on that broomstick of yours," he said. "You're going to need it to lead your team to victory this year."

I beamed. He knew perfectly well that Albus was one of my competitors during the school year. I gave him a huge hug. "I will, don't worry."

I turned to Mum.

"Have fun," she said.

"I will, Mum."

"Not too much fun."

I squeezed her hard. "You don't have to worry, Mum. No matter how much I love being a witch, I'm always going to love being a Muggle, too."

"I know, darling." When I pulled away, she ruffled my hair.

"Don't miss me too much."

"Oh, by this point I'm used to having you gone," she said. "Just not during the summer."

I stepped back from her and moved towards where Rose and Albus were waiting with my trunk, Pavo's cage tucked under Rose's arm. She poked a treat through the bars and Pavo hooted happily.

Back on the front steps, I watched my dad extend a hand towards Harry. I found myself slightly surprised, and overwhelmingly proud, that it had been him to initiate the handshake, rather than the other way around. I watched my dad's hand clasp Harry's and the two of them nodded to each other as they shook. Besides me, Albus seemed similarly still as he watched this unfold.

I turned to look at him. When my cousin gave his slightly crooked grin, pushing the messy hair he inherited from his father out of his face, I smiled back. Our fathers' hands separated. There wasn't a hint of antagonism between us.