Necessary Conversations

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, London...

Stepping off the train at platform nine and three-quarters, Harry scanned the crowd looking for his parents and brother. The platform, while not as busy as the first of September, had a good number of people milling around searching for family members.

Harry eventually found his parents standing next to a red-haired couple, who could only be the parents of Ron Weasley. A younger redheaded girl stood next to her mother with wide eyes and an excited look on her face. Harry briefly wondered just how many Weasleys there were. He knew Ron had twin brothers that were in their third year as well as a fifth year brother who was a prefect.

"Mum, Dad," Harry greeted with a smile.

"Harry." James happily pulled his oldest son into a hug before looking around curiously. "Where is your brother?"

"Oh, um, I'm not sure. We didn't sit with each other on the ride back."

Lily glanced down at her son, concern evident in her eyes. "Why not?"

"I was talking to Professor Flitwick, and I arrived late to the station. Nathan had already found a compartment, and I didn't want to search the entire train trying to find him."

"Well... alright," James said hesitantly, deciding not to press Harry in a public setting. He'd ask Nathan later if they'd had some sort of falling out. "How was your first term?"

Not really wanting to talk about his first term at Hogwarts, Harry turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "I'm sorry for not introducing myself, sir, ma'am. I'm Harry Potter, it's nice to meet you."

"Such a polite young man." Mrs. Weasley smiled at Lily and James.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Harry," Mr. Weasley said, subtly guiding an embarrassed looking girl forward. "This is our daughter Ginny. She will be at Hogwarts with you starting next year."

"Are you excited about Hogwarts?" Harry asked, trying to be polite.

Ginny just nodded her head, appearing uncomfortable for some reason.

Seeing that Ginny wasn't about to talk and being in no mood to coax a conversation out the girl, Harry turned his attention to the discussion between his parents and the Weasleys.

"...completely agree, Arthur. Perhaps Boxing Day would work?" James asked.

"Unfortunately, we'll be in Romania 'till the 28th, James. We're going to visit my son Charlie who works at a dragon preserve."

Harry could only shake his head. There was another Weasley in Romania? How many kids did these people have?

"Ooooooo, Mum, is that him?" Ginny squealed.

Slightly surprised by the quiet girl's outburst, Harry turned to where Ginny was frantically gesturing. The girl was practically jumping up and down at the sight of Nathan, Ron, and Hermione. Harry shook his head in annoyance – he had a feeling that it wasn't the sight of her brother or the Muggle-born witch that suddenly had Ginny excited.

Looking up at his father, Harry was hoping to see him give the girl a reproaching glare for her annoying fan girlishness. Unfortunately, his dad simply looked amused by Ginny's antics.

"Ginevra, it is not polite to point," Mrs. Weasley chided, while sending an apologetic look to the Potters.

"Mum, Dad," Nathan said, arriving with a bright smile, "these are my friends Ron and Hermione."

"It's very nice to meet you both," Lily said kindly.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Potter," Hermione said as Ron was getting what looked to be a back-breaking hug from his mother.

Harry couldn't help but notice that Ginny had yet to look away from Nathan. It was slightly disturbing.

"How long have you been waiting here?" Nathan asked his dad, seemingly oblivious to his creepy redheaded stalker.

"Harry got here a few minutes ago, and before that we were speaking with the Weasleys."

"How are we getting home?" asked Harry.

"Portkey that the Headmaster was kind enough to make for us," James answered. "Now, tell me. Did you two pull any good pranks?" Seeing that Lily had suddenly turned around to glare at him, James quickly added, "Because I would hate to have to punish you over the break if you did."

"No," said Harry, "I didn't really do any pranks."

"And I've been really busy with Quidditch," Nathan added.

"I know. Minerva wrote and explained how you had made the team. I'm very proud of you, Nathan. Youngest Seeker in over a century," James said excitedly. "I know your uncles have been over the moon about it as well."

"And how are your grades, Nathan?" Lily asked sternly. "You're not letting them slide because of Quidditch, are you?"

"No, Mum. I think I'm doing alright," Nathan said hesitantly.

"And you, Harry?" Lily asked.

"I think I did very well this term."

"Nathan, I need to go find my parents. I think they're waiting for me on the other side of the barrier," Hermione said.

"Oh, why don't I go with you so you aren't by yourself," Lily offered with a smile. "I remember how hard it was to find my parents because of the Muggle-repelling ward on the platform. Honestly, I've told Albus that he needs to find a way to help the parents of Muggle-borns get onto the platform for the Christmas holiday and the end of the spring semester. Having children wandering around King's Cross looking for their parents is just asking for trouble."

"Why didn't the charm affect them when we came here on the first of September?" Hermione asked, clearly hoping to learn more about the magical world.

"Your ticket to get on the Hogwarts Express was charmed to let your parents pass the Muggle-repelling ward on the platform for that instance," Lily explained as she led Hermione towards the Muggle part of King's Cross.

"Well, Ron, I'll see you in January. Enjoy Romania," Nathan said.

"Thanks. I still can't believe my parents are letting me go when Percy and the twins are staying at Hogwarts," Ron said smugly.

Harry snorted slightly. If all the time he had seen Percy hanging around Penelope Clearwater was any indication, Harry wasn't surprised that Percy would want to stay at Hogwarts since Penelope wouldn't be going home this break. As for the twins, Harry heard that their best friend Lee Jordan was staying at Hogwarts as well.

"Ron, Ginny. Come on, we've got to be going," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Coming, Mum. I'll see you later, Nathan," Ron said before leaving with his sister and parents.

"So, boys, how was your first term?" James asked.

"Great! Hogwarts is awesome, Dad, just like you said," Nathan said happily.

James smiled at his son's exuberance. "Harry, how do you like being in Ravenclaw? I remember back in my fifth year, Sirius, Remus, and I charmed that stupid knocker to speak in limericks after it wouldn't let us into the Ravenclaw common room."

Before Harry could answer, Lily arrived with a smile on her face. "Nathan, your friend Hermione seems like a very intelligent girl."

Nathan just rolled his eyes. "Hermione's a genius. She's the only person I know who spends as much time in the library as Harry."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Harry smirked. "We'll see who's laughing after our grades are delivered."

"I'm sure you both did well," James said, stopping any argument that might develop between his two sons. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bizarrely multicolored striped sock.

Lily looked at the sock and shook her head slightly. "I honestly don't know what Albus was thinking, choosing that to be a Portkey."

"I try not to contemplate why Albus does half the things he does, Lily. Fruit punch," James said, activating the Portkey and sending the Potters back home.