Death at Hogwarts: The Next Generation

Chapter One

I kissed Luna as we readied the kids for their trip to Diagon Alley. It had been nineteen years since the Battle of Hogwarts, and Luna and I had been married for seventeen of them. Neither of us had aged much, and I still wasn't sure how it had happened, but at some point during our relationship, some of my agelessness had somehow passed its way into Luna, and through her, into our children. I'd checked with Death, my other self, to make sure that they were all actually Immortal now, like me. He'd shown me their hourglasses, they were like mine - completely empty and shining. I'd taken Luna aside the day I found out and told her. She'd simply smiled and said that it meant we got longer together than most wedded couples, and for that she was very happy.

"Ready to go kids?" I called upstairs.

"Coming, Dad!" came a chrous of voices. Footsteps soon sounded, and our children came thundering downstairs.

First in line was our oldest child, Jason, or, as he preferred to be called, Jase. He was thirteen years old, the same age as Harry's oldest son, James. Next came the twins, Laura and Elizabeth. They were both twelve. Lastly came our youngest child, Shaun, who was eleven and was starting Hogwarts this year. James and Laura were both Gryffindors, while Elizabeth was a proud Ravenclaw. Shaun had been writing to Albus for a long time now, and both were terrified of being in Slytherin.

"Da-ad!" Shaun said as he came close. "When we get to Diagon Alley, can I have a broom?"

"We'll see." I said, privately determined he would have no such thing just yet.

"Ooh, can we go to Fortescue's?" Elizabeth asked, hopping up and down.

"I suppose so." I said, shaking my head at my kid's love of ice cream. All of them had a huge sweet tooth, and I could never work out where it came from. Even after seventeen years of being human, I was still learning new things, which is why I'd made the choice I had. Luna already knew about it, but we had decided to wait until the 1st September to tell the kids.

The kids all cheered as we all vanished, appearing by Diagon Alley. The kids had all inherited my powers and magic, as well as Luna's magic, making them all extremely powerful. If Luna took my hand, I could take her anywhere, and where we went, our children followed.

Diagon Alley, as always at this time of year, was full of people, all of whom were chatting and laughing with one another. We first headed to Gringotts, where we ran into Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and their children. All the kids immediately took off into Gringotts, leaving us to shout after them to slow down.

"Alright Dean, Luna?" Harry said, shaking my hand while Luna hugged Hermione and Ginny with a smile.

"Alright Harry, Ron." I said, shaking Ron's hand and falling into step with them.

"So, what's been happening with you two and the wonderkids?" Ron grinned.

I rolled my eyes. "They're not wonderkids, Ron, hey're just more powerful than your average witch or wizard."

"Well yeah, cause the average witch or wizard doesn't have Death for a dad." he said.

I shot him a look.

"Anyway, Luna and I are fine. I'm going to be going back to Hogwarts this year."

"What for?" Hermione asked, overhearing.

"To learn. You know I was only there for one year, and while I was there as Death, I never really took part in lessons. Now I want to make up for it."

"You're going back there to learn?!" Ron said, looking aghast at the very thought.

"Yes, Ron, I am. The kids don't know a thing. I'm going to tell them when we get to the Hogwarts Express. I've already written to Minerva about it."