Jupiter | Harry Potter

post-war ; nineteen years later

   September 1st, 2017

Autumn seemed to settle in suddenly that year, the morning of September first crisp and golden, as if the season had been painted onto the world overnight. The sunlight stretched across the rumbling road leading to King's Cross, catching on the sleek black taxis, red buses, and bustling commuters weaving through the morning rush. The breath of passersby rose in faint clouds, sparkling like cobwebs in the cool air. Amid the crowd, a large family made their way across the street toward the sooty, towering station, the wheels of their laden trolleys clattering against the uneven pavement.

On top of the trolleys, three large cages rattled with the indignant protests of their inhabitants: an owl flapped its wings irritably, feathers flying, while a small orange Puffskein and a stripped ferret let out a series of similarly high-pitched squeaks. Three children were tasked with guiding the trolleys, their movements a mixture of excitement and barely contained chaos. A dark-haired girl trailed behind them, her tiny hand wrapped tightly around her father's arm as if letting go would cause her to vanish into the crowd.

"It won't be long now, and you'll be going too, Luce," Harry said gently, his voice full of warmth as he glanced down at the girl.

"Two years," Lucine sniffled, her voice breaking as she pressed closer to him. "I want to go now!"

The stream of commuters passing by craned their necks to get a better look at the family as they wound their way toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten. People couldn't help but stare at the large family weaving through the station, their trolleys piled high with cages and bags. James' owl's restless flapping and the occasional screech drew particular attention, though most passersby quickly looked away when caught staring.

"Maybe you won't get to go at all," James said, his tone full of casual mischief as he looked sideways at Lucine. Jupiter's lips pursed in irritation immediately; she could sense her son's trouble brewing before the words were even fully spoken. "How do you know you're not a Squib?"

Lucine froze, her small face twisting in a mixture of disbelief and indignation. She stomped her foot, her voice rising in a desperate wail. "I'm not a Squib, I'm not! I grew a flower, you saw it!"

James shrugged, the grin on his face growing wider. "I didn't see anything," he said, his voice deliberately indifferent, every syllable crafted to push his younger sister's buttons.

"James, drop it, or you'll be the one staying home instead," Jupiter interjected sharply, her tone cutting through the clamor of the station. She shot her son a look that left almost no room for argument, her sharp gaze practically daring him to press his luck.

"Winnie did the same thing to me our entire lives!" James protested, jerking his head toward his twin sister in search of an ally. "She never got in trouble!"

"Yeah, I did," Liliwen said coolly from Jupiter's other side, her tone calm and matter-of-fact. She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder and shrugged. "I just didn't care. Besides, if you're going to mess with someone, mess with Stella."

"What'd I do?" Estelle asked suddenly, snapping out of her deep thoughts. Her voice carried a defensive edge, though the tension in her posture betrayed the nerves simmering just below the surface.

"It's your first year, you're an easy target," Liliwen replied, as if the explanation were obvious.

"Leave them alone, both of you," Harry said, his voice lacking the bite that Jupiter's carried so easily. He looked down at Lucine, who was still clinging to him with wide, watery eyes. Jupiter watched as he glanced at James, clearly struggling to be the enforcer.

James opened his mouth to argue with his father, but Jupiter silenced him with a single arched eyebrow. The mixture of warning and exhaustion in her expression seemed to reach him, and he sighed dramatically in defeat.