mirrorball

epilogue

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

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 Lily. "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. Remus' voice drifted back to Clara 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!" 

"James, give it a rest!" said Clara. 

"I only said he might be," said James, grinning at his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth— " But James 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, James took the trolley from Clara and broke into a run. A moment later, he had vanished. "You'll write to me, won't you?" Remus asked his parents immediately, capitalizing on the momentary absence of his brother. 

"Every day, if you want us to," said Clara. 

"Not every day," said Remus quickly. "James says most people only get letters from home about once a month." 

"We wrote to James three times a week last year," said Clara. 

"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," Harry put in. "He likes a laugh, your brother." Side by side, they pushed the second trolley forward, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Remus 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 James had already disappeared. 

"Where are they?" asked Remus anxiously, peering at the hazy forms they passed as they made their way down the platform.

"We'll find them," said Clara reassuringly. Her middle child was the anxious one of the bunch. His desire for perfection and success reminded Clara a lot of herself. The nerves too. The vapor surrounding them was dense, and it was difficult to make out anybody's faces. Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud.

"I think that's them, buddy," said Clara suddenly. A group of four people emerged from the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces only came into focus when Harry, Clara, Lily, and Remus had drawn right up beside them. 

"Hi," said Remus, sounding immensely relieved. Rose, who was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him. 

"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 Remus' 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."