Promise to the Past | 🐾 ᴍᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀs ✓

Golden Era 01 | The Hogwarts Express

-- King's Cross Station

King's Cross was bustling as families said tearful farewells and excited children boarded the Hogwarts express. The years had flown by since the end of the war, and Hermione once again stood on platform nine and three quarters for the first time in over a decade.

Harry was finally going to Hogwarts, along with Ron, Neville, and Draco.

She'd anticipated this day for years, and even standing on the platform now couldn't help her anchor herself in reality. A comforting squeeze to her hand brought her back to the moment as she glanced over at her husband.

"Alright?" His tranquil grey eyes probed hers.

"Yeah, just... a little anxious."

"Do you see yourself?" He whispered curiously.

"Not yet, though I remember we cut it close that first year because I couldn't find my way onto the platform. My parents couldn't cross the barrier on to nine and three quarters, so we had to say our goodbyes out on the muggle platform."

"Mum! I see them!"

Sirius and Hermione whirled around to the voice of their eldest calling out to them. Following Nova's line of sight, they smiled as they saw the Potters headed towards them. While Hermione and Sirius were planning to see off Harry today as his godparents, their children had stubbornly insisted on accompanying them to see off their friends.

Yes, children. As in plural. The story behind them was absolutely ridiculous. As much as she loved her kids, Hermione never planned on having quite that many, especially as young as she had them. Nova Aylin Black herself was a surprise that forced them to rush their wedding. Only a year later, she found herself pregnant again—that time with twins.

Hermione had never been so frustrated, her body still recovering from Nova. Sirius had never felt guiltier even though it was no more his fault than hers. Magical forms of contraception simply didn't seem to work for them. This time Sirius took his job of helping Hermione through labor a lot more personally. While Hermione couldn't take too many potions during labor since she had to minimize exposure to the fetus, Sirius had no such restrictions. This time, he managed to take nearly all her pain and drown it to a dull version of itself, with probably too many pain potions. It didn't take away the nine months she had to carry the baby herself, nor the time afterward her body spent recovering. They both knew it. But it was all he could do, so he would do it.

And with that, they welcomed Leo and Caelum Black. At that point, Hermione had asked her healers for more permanent solutions like having her tubes tied or eggs removed. All the wizarding healers seemed horrified, as though she'd suggested bloody murder. Even Mary, with all the progress she'd made in the maternal ward, could not push to have the procedure done. They decided to use muggle contraceptive pills for a while, but over the years, it seemed Hermione's magical core wore the efficacy of those down as well.

So two years after the twins, Hermione was pregnant yet again. And while she could never regret the birth of their youngest, Regulus Black, she swore she would not do that again. She decided she'd go to a muggle hospital to get her tubes tied regardless of whatever her healers may advise. Sirius was wholeheartedly on board- he'd hated seeing Hermione's frustration and worrying that trying to be intimate with his wife could become a cause for anxiety. Life had been good to them, though. They adored their four children, who were surprisingly wildly different from each other.

Their kids ran over to the Potters with excitement. They'd all practically grown up together since their families were so close. Not only was Hermione godmother to two of the Potters' children, but the Potters were also godparents to the Black twins, Leo and Caelum.