MetaFic

1 Sep 1991

“Now, you remember what we talked about,” Darius told the boys. “I know it's something that makes you unhappy, Harry, but that's just the way life is.”

“Yes, Da,” Harry offered quietly. Caitlin reached out one hand and nudged Harry before smiling at him.

“Ah, it's not so bad,” Seamus said brightly. “Da's basically giving you his permission to tell people off, Harry.”

“Seamus!” Aoife scolded, though she secretly had to agree with him. “That's not what he said! Harry, all we're saying is that you need to be prepared. I feel like you know right and wrong well enough, and all we're saying is, don't let what's about to happen get in the way of that judgment. Right?”

He was a bright lad, and she was happy to have him in the house. Harry's joining them had completely overloaded the expectations she and Darius had when Seamus was born, all of the plans they had made. Looking back at it, though, she knew she would never trade a second of those first two hectic years. Her husband had told her much the same many times. Harry had ultimately been the reason they decided to have another child, even though she would never tell him that. She liked having a small one about, though she hated actually being pregnant.

“Yeah,” Harry said, finally flashing them all a smile. “I reckon it's the fame thing. You've warned me enough, I just need to figure out what people are really after.  Me or my name.”

Darius leaned down and put a hand on each boy's shoulder. “That's exactly it, Harry. Don't let people walk over you, and don't try to walk over others. Just be yourself, and eventually everyone should see you for who you are.” Her husband's smile turned a bit wicked as he winked at the boys. “And it's not like Seamus will let you get away with much by yourself, eh?”

“Da, we already promised not to cause too much chaos,” Seamus laughed. “What more can you ask for?”

“None at all,” Aoife reminded them. “Don't cause a bit.” When they looked at her in horror, she smiled and gave each a firm hug. The boys did not protest much, which is why she did it then and there, in the privacy of the corner away from the crowd in the station. She knew there was no way they would allow her to embarrass them once they were near the train. “And no, I won't ask it of you,” she told them as she hugged them. “Just don't be cruel, boys.”

As she let each one go, Caitlin stepped up and gave them both crushing hugs as well. “Don't forget your promises!” she told them firmly. “I want to hear about everything.”

“Yes, Cat,” Harry told her, smiling again. “We'll write.”

“Right, then!” Darius announced. “Shall we?” Without waiting for acknowledgement, he steered the trolley full of luggage toward the corridor that would take them to Platform 9 ¾, the boys scampering ahead of him in the blink of an eye.

Aoife looped one arm around her husband, keeping pace with him as Caitlin walked beside her. She could tell her daughter was sad, but she would still have her friends to visit with regularly. Aoife was sure that in no time, Caitlin would be just as happy as if the boys were still home.

The congestion in the station picked up as they moved from the remote area where they had arrived toward the main corridors. It was a bit of a hassle, honestly, having to move through the packed crowds of Muggles. She rather wished they would switch the platform to another part of the station to make it easier, but that was a lot of work for an event that only happened six times a year. As the crowds became thicker, the boys automatically dropped back to walking just in front of the cart.

“- packed with Muggles -” Aoife looked around as soon as she heard the magic word, wondering if she knew who else was going to be there. She realized her whole family was looking around at the same time.

“- can't I go on the Hogwarts Express to say goodbye this time, Mum? I'd love to see -” The voices were nearby, and she heard a young girl talking. Seamus must have found them, for he was pointing out to Harry a knot of redheads just a few feet off to the side.

“- not allowed. Stop being a child, Ginevra,” a taller boy in glasses admonished the girl. It was obvious the sharp tone and abrupt manner upset her.

With a start, Aoife realized she knew the people across the way. And that Harry and Seamus were whispering sharply, which she knew was going to come to no good.

“Boys!” Aoife whispered, “What are -”

“Percy Weasley!” Molly Weasley's tone brooked interference and drowned out Aoife's efforts to gather the boys' attention. “You apologize to your sister!”

Before anyone could say anything, the boy with the spectacles let out a loud shriek and began hopping about on one leg. He shook his other leg vigorously while a crowd of people stopped to gawk at the spectacle he was making. The girl, Ginevra, started grinning at the antics, while Aoife noticed Harry and Seamus giving each other a slap on the back.

“This should be interesting,” Darius murmured in her ear.

A long, green garden snake whisked out of the redhead's pants and shot off into the crowd, causing a bit of hysteria as it went. As Aoife was preparing to yell at Seamus and Harry, Molly's voice cut across the area. “Fred! George! I told you to behave!”

Two of the other redheads jumped a bit and began vehemently protesting their innocence. Aoife, however, grabbed onto an ear of each of her boys, reeling them in close. “Care to explain where that snake came from?”

“Aww, Ma, I was just going to show it to Michael and Neville,” Seamus whinged. “Stop pulling on me ear!”

“Sorry, Mums,” Harry told her with a perfectly straight face. “He deserved it.”

Inside, she had to admit the Weasley boy's actions had been uncalled for. “It may be that he deserved a bit of somewhat, but you heard his mum. She was going to straighten him out herself.”

Harry and Seamus traded a long look before they both looked up at her. They were far from repentant, of course, but she could see they were willing to concede the point. “Consider it a lesson,” she told them. “Before you act, look to see if someone more responsible is taking care of it.” They nodded their acceptance, and she knew that would just have to be good enough.

“Now, let's get to the train. Caitlin, Harry, you two go first.”