~Chapter One~
Train Station Introductions
Ginny let Ron and Harry push the luggage trolleys while she and Hermione corralled their broad of children. The excitement was contagious to say the least. The youngest two would be finally leaving for Hogwarts. Rose and Al laughed at their younger counterparts, Rose's brother Hugo and Al's sister Lily were nervously running back and forth between their mothers and their fathers. They would be first years, and they were nervous about whether or not they, too would be in Gryffindor like the siblings and parents before them.
Hermione leaned toward the men as they continued along the crowded station. Her hair was tamer now, shorter than she had worn it in her youth. They were approaching the barrier between nine and ten.
"So, do you think the rumors are true? That the Riddle child, heir of Slytherin, would be in Slytherin house?" Ron whispered to Harry, not eager to get over heard. Hermione nearly boxed his ears.
"Honestly, Ron!" Hermione chastised.
"Daddy," Lily whined as she tugged on Harry's coat hem. "They are blocking the platform."
Harry looked to where his daughter was pointing, straight ahead. A young child, a girl, with long, wispy blond hair and remarkable good looks for a child, held an aged parchment envelope with the Hogwarts crest in one hand and a cage with a snowy owl, much like Hedwig, in the other. She looked quite distressed, but the man she was talking to looked just as annoyed. Harry cautiously stepped within listening distance.
"Sir, if you will please," the girl said quietly, trying not to draw attention to herself. She was failing miserably by the way that even grown men were stopping to stare at the small child.
"Every year, I swear it, every year one of you punk kids come down here, asking for some cock-a-many platform nine and three quarters," the man said walking away, reminding Harry very much of his Uncle Vernon, "Complete Absurdity!"
The child looked at the man, mouth open, with a look of complete and utter loss. Harry felt the emotions flood back over him before he could get them in check, and he remembered his experience. Hot shame and understanding flooded over him. Slowly, the child looked directly at Harry Potter and for a brief moment, he swore he felt a twinge of something there in his head, by his scar. She blinked, and the twinge was gone. Harry walked up to her cautiously.
"Are you looking for the train to Hogwarts?" He asked. The child, wide eyed, and who hadn't actually gotten as far as shedding a tear sniffled and nodded.
"I can't find the platform, sir," she replied politely.
Harry pointed at the solid wall between the platform numbered nine and the platform numbered ten. He leaned forward to the child, who looked as if all she owned just did not fit her properly. Harry felt sorry for the small girl, knowing what it was like to have all you own be the second hand cast-off of a much larger family member.
"The trick is, you have to know it is not solid," Harry said. He winked at her and then signaled for Ron to push the first trolley though the barrier. "My mother-in-law gave me some good advice the first time I went through. If you're a bit nervous, you should take it at a run."
"Ok," the child said nodding. She balanced her owl on top of her trunk and began pushing the cart towards the wall, it moving very slowly. James rushed to her aid.
"Let me help you," James offered as he grinned at her broadly. The girl smiled back slowly and nodded.
"Velas," Ginny giggled at Hermione. The girl looked over at them suddenly, causing Ginny to stop giggling. The girl did not look amused. Hermione frowned as James and the girl disappeared through the wall.
"Do you think she heard me?" Ginny asked Hermione, a little affronted. Hermione shrugged.
"I don't think she is a Vela, though, at least not purely Vela," Hermione said wisely. She was always a wealth of knowledge. "A pure blooded Vela would have been irresistible to all of these testosterone toting fellows, reverting them back to their primal ways."
"Though I see her effect didn't go unnoticed on James," Ginny whispered as James effortlessly loaded the girl's trunk onto the train. The girl thanked James, shyly kissing his cheek before disappearing onto the train.
The Weasleys and the Potters mulled around the platform, saying their last good-byes. There were promises of letters and packages, as well as a family feast for the Christmas Holiday. Albus, James, Hugo, Lily, and Rose climbed aboard the train to get settled in before departure. Scorpius Malfoy, a third year like Rose and Albus, climbed aboard as well, waving to his mother and father.
"Hullo Draco," Harry said cordially. Draco nodded curtly.
"Hullo Harry," Draco replied. He shuffled his feet a moment. "Have I introduced you to my wife, Alana?"
"Pleasure to meet you," She said quite softly. "Draco speaks of you often."
"Only good words, I hope," Ron interjected.
"Yes, of course," Alana Malfoy said blushing. "You must be Ron and Hermione Weasley."
"We are," Hermione confirmed as she shook Alana's hand.
"Where did you and Draco meet?" Ginny asked pleasantly. Alana smiled warmly at Draco. "The ministry?"
"No, no, nothing like that," Alana said genuinely. "I am, as you call me, a muggle, you see. No, I met Draco at the market in Surrey."
"Wow, a muggle, you don't say," Ron said with an impressed look on his face. Hermione cleared her throat.
"Draco, I have to say that I am impressed," Harry said smiling at his old foe. Draco finally cracked a smile.
"What can I say, Potter? The heart wants what the heart wants," Draco said.
"Excuse me, sir?" a small voice interrupted the chatter of the adults. "I don't mean to interrupt you, sir, but I wanted to thank you for helping me at the barrier between nine and ten, and the train is set to leave in a minute, so you see, sir, I must interrupt."
The group of six adults looked down at the smaller than average child was. She was even shorter than Lily Potter, who was fairly short for her age. She had silver-blond vela-like hair, long and gossamer, but it was her eyes that held Harry Potter transfixed. He hadn't noticed them before, but they were wise before their years in a shade of bright, clear blue that Harry had only seen on one other person: Albus Dumbledore. The child held out her hand, a tiny paper crane sat there, folded perfectly. It itched to stretch its wings but did not leave the child's hands until she willed it to fly into Harry's own outstretched hand.
"Thank you again, sir." She said quietly. She shook Harry's hand as she nodded at the other respectfully.
"The pleasure is all mine," Harry told her. "This will be your first year at Hogwarts, I assume?"
"Yes, sir," the girl said nervously. Harry was still holding on to her hand.
"My sons, Albus and James- I believe you met James- as well as my daughter, Lily, niece, Rose, and nephew, Hugo, attend with you," Harry said. Ginny glanced at Hermione, who shrugged. The child swallowed nervously, her eyes darting to the giant clock: just a minute until the train left.
"Harry, she is going to miss the train," Ginny said. The child's eyes opened wide.
"You are Harry Potter, the Harry Potter?" The child asked with such amazement that made Harry remember Colin Creevy. The clock struck the hour and the train began to roar to life. Harry released the child's hand and she ran to the train, climbing aboard.
"Have a good year!" Parents all around the platform called to the children that were leaning out the windows of the train. Harry wasn't looking at his three children, instead he was focused on the girl.
"It was nice to meet you, Mr. Potter!" The girl called waving. "It was nice to meet you all!"
The train disappeared around the bend. Ron looked at Harry and shrugged. They had gotten used to witches throwing themselves at Harry's feet, just never so young. Draco and Alana were already heading way while Hermione and Ginny stood by their men's sides.
"What a strange little girl," Ron said. "If I didn't know better, I would have thought she was Luna's child, nutter!"
"Ron!" Hermione chastised. Ron rolled his eyes. "I couldn't imagine having to do this all alone."
"I could," Harry said quietly. Hermione nodded, not really remembering until that very moment that Harry must have been alone that first time all those years ago.
"Potter, how are you?" Percy asked rather self-importantly. Ginny stuck her tongue out at her older brother.
"Always so full of yourself, aren't you Percy," Ginny teased.
"Harry, there have been rumors leaking out from the registration office that a child with the surname Riddle id going to Hogwarts," Percy said.
"Now, now, Percy, you above all at the ministry know that what information Aurors manage to dig up can't be released," Harry said laughing.
"Aurors," Percy grumbled, leaving the four to their own devices.
"What a nosy git!" Ron laughed.
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