Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp and golden as an apple, and as the little family bobbed across the rumbling road towards the great sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air.
Two large cages rattled on top of the laden trolleys the parents were pushing; the owls inside them hooted indignantly, and the brunette girl trailed tearfully behind her brothers, clutching her father's arm.
"It won't be long now, and you'll be going too," Harry told her.
"Two years," sniffed Minnie. "I want to go now!"
The commuters stared curiously at the owls as the family wove its way towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten.
Ethan's voice drifted back to Emily over the surrounding clamor; her sons had resumed the argument they had started in the car.
"I won't! I won't be in Slytherin!"
"Eric, give it a rest!" said Emily.
"I only said he might be," said Eric, grinning at his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth — "
But Eric caught his mother's eye and fell silent. The five Potters approached the barrier. With a slightly cocky look over his shoulder at his younger brother, Eric took the trolley from his mother and broke into a run. A moment later, he had vanished.
"You'll write to me, won't you?" Ethan asked his parents immediately, capitalizing on the momentary absence of his brother.
"Every day, if you want us to," said Harry.
"Not every day," said Ethan quickly. "Eric says most people only get letters from home about once a month."
"I wrote to Eric three times a week last year," said Harry. And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts. He likes a laugh, your brother."
Side by side, they pushed the second trolley forward, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Ethan winced, but no collision came.
Instead, the family emerged onto platform nine and three-quarters, which was obscured by thick white steam which was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Indistinct figures were swarming through the mist, into which Eric had already disappeared.
"Where are they?" asked Ethan anxiously, peering at the hazy forms they passed as they made their way down the platform
"We'll find them," said Emily reassuringly.
But the vapor was dense, and it was difficult to make out anybody's faces. Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud. Emily thought she heard Percy discoursing loudly on broomstick regulations, and was quite glad of the excuse not to stop and say hello. . . .
"I think that's them, Ethan," said Emily suddenly.
A group of four people emerged from the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces only came into focus when Harry, Emily, Lily, and Ethan had drawn right up beside them.
"Hi," said Ethan, sounding immensely relieved.
Rose, who was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him but she immediately ran and squeezed Minnie.
"Parked all right, then?" Ron asked 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," said Hermione, "I had complete faith in you."
"As a matter of fact, I did Confund him," Ron whispered to Harry, as together they lifted Ethan'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 found Minnie and Hugo, Rose's younger brother, 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," said Ron, "but no pressure."
"Ron!"
Minnie and Hugo laughed, but Ethan and Rose looked solemn.
"He doesn't mean it," said Hermione and Emily, but Ron was no longer paying attention. Catching Harry's eye, he nodded 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."
Draco Malfoy was standing there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat.
His hair was receding somewhat, which emphasized the pointed chin. The new boy resembled Draco as much as Ethan resembled Harry. Draco caught sight of Emily, Harry, Ron and Hermione, staring at him, nodded curtly, and turned away again.
"MINNIE!" Scorpius shouted across the platform, "YOU BEST BE IN SLYTHERIN WHEN YOU JOIN!"
"SHUT IT, FERRET!" Minnie shouted back.
Draco turned around and looked at Emily, they both gave each other a respectful nod.
"So that's little Scorpius," said 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," said Hermione, half stern, half amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"
"You're right, sorry," said Ron, but unable to help himself, he added, "Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood."
"Hey!"
Eric had reappeared; he had divested himself of his trunk, owl, and trolley, and was evidently bursting with news.
"Mum, Teddy's back there," he said breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!"
He gazed up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction.
"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing—"
"You interrupted them?" said Emily. "You are so like Ron—"
"—and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away! He's snogging her!" Eric added as though worried he had not made himself clear.
"Just like his older brother." said Emily, "Ethan would be proud."
"Huh?" Ethan asked, looking up at his mother.
"Not you, you're uncle."
"Where is uncle Ethan?" asked Ethan, looking behind his mother, "He and uncle Eric said he'd be here."
"Right here, kiddo." Ethan said, tapping his nephew on the back.
Ethan squealed and ran into his Uncle's arms, "You came! Where's Uncle Eric."
"Teasing Scorpius." Ethan smirked, realising his nephew, shaking hands with Ron, Harry and Hermione and kissing his sister on the cheek.
"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married," whispered Minnie sarcastically. "They'd always be around!"
"He already comes round for dinner about four times a week," said Emily. "Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"
"Yeah!" said Eric enthusiastically. "I don't mind sharing a room with Ethan -Teddy could have my room!"
"No," said Harry firmly, "you and Ethan will share a room only when I want the house demolished."
"It's a bit weird." said Ethan, "Aren't they technically related?"
"No, not by blood." said Emily, "Remember, we're not related to Victoire's parents. We just call them our family because we're close to them."
Harry checked the battered old watch which had once been Fabian Prewett's.
"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."
"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" Emily told Eric as she hugged him.
"Mum! I can't give a professor love!"
"But you know Neville!—"
Eric rolled his eyes.
"Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him love. . . ."
"What?" Emily asked, "So when I get to that school in a bit, you won't give me your love!"
"You're the headmaster! I'll look like a Kiss-ass!"
"Language, Eric."
Shaking his head at his mother's foolishness, he vented his feelings by aiming a kick at Ethan.
"See you later, Ethan, Watch out for the thestrals."
"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!" But Eric merely laughed, permitted his mother to kiss him, gave his father a fleeting hug, then leapt onto the rapidly filling train. They saw him wave, then sprint away up the corridor to find his friends.
"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," Harry told Ethan. "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."
"See you at Christmas, dad!" Ethan said, "See you at school, mom!"
"By, Ethan," said Harry as his son hugged him. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you've learned how. And don't let Eric wind you up."
"What if I'm in Slytherin?"
The whisper was for his father alone, and Harry knew that only the moment of departure could have forced Ethan to reveal how great and sincere that fear was.
Harry crouched down so that Ethan's face was slightly above his own. Alone of Harry's three children, Ethan had inherited Harry's mother's eyes.
"Ethan Severus," Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Emily could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train, "you were named after one of the headmasters of Hogwarts. He was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."
"But just say—"
"—then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Ethan. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."
"Really?"
"It did for me," said Harry.
He had never told any of his children that before, and he saw the wonder in Ethan's face when he said it. But now the doors were slamming all along the scarlet train, and the blurred out-
lines of parents were swarming forward for final kisses, last-minute reminders.
Ethan jumped into the carriage and Emily closed the door behind him. Students were hanging from the windows nearest them. A great number of faces, both on the train and off, seemed to be turned towards Harry and Emily.
"Why are they staring?" demanded Ethan as he and Rose craned around to look at the other students.
"Don't let it worry you," said Ron. "It's me. I'm extremely famous."
Ethan, Rose, Hugo, and Minnie laughed. The train began to move, and Harry and Emily walked alongside it, watching their son's thin face, already ablaze with excitement. Harry kept smiling and waving, even though it was like a little bereavement, watching his son glide away from him....
The last trace of steam evaporated in the autumn air. The train rounded a corner. Harry's hand was still raised in farewell.
"He'll be all right," murmured Emily.
As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand absentmindedly and touched the lightning scar on his forehead.
"I know he will."
The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well.
"And he has the best head mistress to keep him safe." Harry smiled at his wife.
"I best be off." said Emily, "I've got a school to run. I hope I get their on time."
"You will, darling." Harry kissed his wife, "Make sure you keep an eye on Ethan, I suspect he'll always be around you for the first few months."
"I will." Emily nodded, "Minerva will be wondering where her boss is, I'll see you all later."
"Mommy, do you have to go?" asked Minnie, tugging at her mothers jacket, "I Won't see you for ages."
"I'll see you soon, dear. Minerva said she can take over for a while if I ever wanted to go." Emily said, kneeling in front of her daughter, "Now remember, keep practicing the magic I spoke about."
Minnie lifted up her hand and aimed it at Ethan, white mist emerged from her fingers and soon enough, Ethan was flat on his back.
"Thats my girl."