Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, any characters or places named in these stories. They belong to JK Rowling.

The Hogwarts express pulled into the station. Hundreds of students swarmed around the platform finding their trunks and owls, saying their goodbyes and promising to write.

A tall boy with untidy black hair pulled his trunk onto a trolley and located a few red-haired friends before moving as a pack to join the queue leaving the platform. The girl pinned a prefect badge to her muggle clothing, ready to show it off to her parents. An old guard was letting them through in small groups so they wouldn't be noticed by any muggles, but the station was too full for anyone to notice. Parents stood in their masses between platforms 9 and 10.

James turned to his friends as they reached a lady with bushy hair standing with another ginger man. Though they clearly all knew each other, the hugs were mainly for the boys friends, and his attention is elsewhere. Saying goodbye to his friends he scanned the platforms.

He passed his eyes over the swarms of first and second years hugging their parents, the third and fourth years trying to look nonchalant, and the older years chatting in groups. Many of his fifth year friends called out to him, and he waved back.

Finally he spotted what he was looking for. A man standing alone in the corner. As the boy sees him he looks up and smiles. He had been waiting longer than the other parents, sitting on a bench by platform seven for several hours, as if he didn't quite get the time right.

Muggle parents were standing near him, baffled by the owls and trunks, amazed by the tales being shouted at them by excitable small witches and wizards.

He ruffled the boys' hair and hugs him but little is said as they leave the station. In fact, silence reigned until they were on the train, in an empty carriage.

"The headmaster wants you to come in and do a speech in Defence against the Dark Arts next year."

"What did you tell him?"

"That you won't have changed your mind; even now you've got your magic back."

Harry smiled at James, thankful that his con could be counted on to predict his answers. The headmaster had besieged him with owls all year, and even more in the last few months.

"Dad, you never really told me how you got your magic back."

"Another day James."

James took that to mean that the story involved Ginny. They were nearly home so he didn't feel like pressing the matter.

Harry unlocked the door and carried James' trunk in for him. The hall was untidy, though a quick glance into the lounge told James that it was clear. The front door opened again behind them and James looked up expectantly. Sure enough there she was. He had missed his dad of course, but he'd missed Ginny too.

Hugging her, he noticed she'd put on some weight, but he knew enough about women not to tell her.

Later that night James decided to take advantage of his father's absence.

"Ginny. How did my dad get his magic back?"

"He hasn't told you?"

"He said he'd tell me another day."

"He would. It's not as great a story as you might think though. Don't go expecting a blockbuster."

James shook his head, just wanting Ginny to get on with it. He didn't think his dad would stop her telling him, but there was always a chance.

"Well, you won't have noticed it, but he's been a bit strange about he using magic around the house. When the dishwasher broke, he bought a new one, thought I could have mended it or washed the dishes using magic. Stuff like that.

"Well this year we decided paint the box room. We'd decided on light blue and green and your dad came back with a load of paint samples from B&Q or somewhere. This was, I'd got home from work a bit early and set to work on the room with my wand. Your dad got really mad and started yelling. I've never seen him so angry and it was a bit scary."

"What? But dad never yells."

"I hadn't realised just how much he missed his magic. I wont say he was jealous, but it was a bit mean of me to go on using magic around him when I knew that he's never be able to do it again. Or thought he wouldn't anyway."

"Anyway, halfway through his rant the lamp exploded and the window smashed. He didn't realise what it meant, but it was just what happens to young children as their magic becomes evident. He didn't say anything more to me, but vanished. It turned out later that he'd gone straight up to the attic to where he'd hidden his spell books."

"What? There were spell books in the attic all this time."

"Looks like it."

"That's why I was never allowed up there!"

Ginny laughed. "Anyway, he was holding his wand and managed to set fire to some pictures. Then he used Augmenti without even thinking about it to put the fire out. By the time I came back upstairs the window was repaired, there was a new light and the room as a slightly different shade of blue."

"And there was a large bunch of roses waiting for you, I seem to remember." Came Harry's voice from the door.

"How long have you been standing there? James said you wouldn't tell him."

"Because you always make such a better job of it than I do."

"You've told all of two people, that's hardly a comparison."

Silence fell as Harry sat down, and James had a feeling that they weren't done.

Harry began, "James, there's something else."

Ginny moved her hand onto her stomach, and James noticed the ring.

"You're getting married?"

Ginny and Harry nodded

"That's great!"

"There's something else."

"You're pregnant Ginny?"

"How did you know?"

"I'm not an idiot dad. That's amazing. I've always wanted a little-"

"Sister, it's a girl. We're going to call her Lily"

And here we leave them. Sat round a table as a family, soon to get bigger, as James enjoys a magical family in more senses than one.

Fin.

Wow…. That ended up SO much longer than I thought it would. The plan was for six chapters and it's ended up at nineteen!!!

Thanks to everyone that reviewed at any stage in the writing of this, you've all been a great help!

Many more fanfics in the planning stages, so please let me know what you thought of this one, and keep reading!!!