Chapter 21

19 Years Later…

September 1st, 2017

10:50 AM

King's Cross Station was alive and buzzing with people, some simply going on a normal train, while others were running through a brick wall to enter the magical platform that would take them to Hogwarts. Adalyn Dare and her family of ten were the latter.

"Hurry up, kids! We want to make sure you do not miss the train!" Adalyn called back to the kids and Tom who stayed at the end of the group to ensure no kids fell behind.

After graduating from Hogwarts at top of her class, Adalyn rebuilt her family manor and opened it as an orphanage for kids whose families had been killed in the War. In only the first month, she was looking after three kids (Yvonne, Mitch, and Janelle, all of whom graduated from Hogwarts two years ago), with the help of Tom, who was working on getting all of the necessary qualifications for a teaching job at Hogwarts. At first, it was overwhelming for the two eighteen-year-olds to have such responsibility, but as time went on, their jobs became easier and the couple fell into a nice flow, and were soon able to offer daycare services for parents who could find no one to watch over their children while at work, as well as being an orphanage.

Then a big changed occurred in 2000 and Adalyn and Tom got married, though she kept her family name to pass on to her kids. It had been a quiet ceremony, away from the Wizarding press who wanted to get the inside scoop on the couple's marriage, with only Isabelle, Jesse (who was Isabelle's fiancé at the time), and all of the kids Adalyn looked after at both her old orphanage and the one she ran now. If that alone was not hectic enough, three months after the wedding, Adalyn became pregnant with her first child. She could still remember the day she broke the good news to Tom.

Sitting him down on the couch, Adalyn decided to just let the news out quickly, like ripping a Band-Aid off. "I'm pregnant."

Tom stared at her in shock, his eyes widening with the news. "With a baby? Our baby is in your stomach?"

"No, our dog is in my ass," she answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Yes, our baby is in my stomach!"

"Right. I'm going to be a father!" he smiled widely. "I promise, I am going to be the best father the world has ever seen for both you and little Frederic."

"We are not naming our child Frederic," Adalyn said sternly.

Hoisting herself up from the couch, Tom practically had a panic attack. "Do you need help?!"

"I am one month along, I don't need any bloody help!"

"I see the hormones have kicked in."

"What was that?" she asked.

"Nothing, dear," he sang.

A small smile spread across Adalyn's face as she watched Frederic go through the wall and onto the platform, entering his last year at Hogwarts as House Head for Slytherin. He was incredibly handsome, with dark brown hair and facial features much like his father, only with Adalyn's green eyes. From what she had heard, his looks also made him quite the lady's man, and rumor had it he was dating the female House Head for Slytherin, not like he would ever tell his mother.

Next came her fifteen-year-old twins, Mason and Thalia, both sorted into Ravenclaw, and both obnoxiously smart. Despite being of the opposite genders, both looked extraordinarily like Adalyn, with her natural blonde hair and bright green eyes, and seemed to inherit many of her behaviors. They seemed to know everything, and never failed to share their opinion, a trait the Adalyn knew they got from her.

Finally came their youngest, Margo, who was starting her very first year at Hogwarts. She had been a surprise to both Adalyn and Tom, since neither of them had dreamed of having more than three kids, yet she had become Tom's baby girl. She seemed to be a perfect blend of both her mother and father with dark blonde hair and grey eyes. She was quiet though, hardly ever saying a negative thing about another person, something that seemed to come with being raised around an abundance of children all the time.

Speaking of many children, Adalyn was also in charge of four other children – Lydia, Marcus, Holly, and Bianca - all the girls entering their fourth year while Marcus was starting his fifth year along with the twins. Usually, there were about twenty kids at the orphanage each day, dropped off their by their parents while they worked, only to return home in the evening, but those four were the only ones who stayed constantly.

Marcus was four when he was dropped off at the orphanage by his aunt who could not afford to raise him any longer. He was a lanky boy, with dark hair and glasses that give him an adorable cuteness that seemed to make girls feel comfortable. Consequently, causing him to have more girl friends then guys, not that it really mattered. He was studious, and worked hard for his good marks, landing him a spot amongst the Ravenclaw House alongside Mason and Thalia.

Bianca was found in a Muggle orphanage at age seven when unexplainable events began occurring around her. Adalyn met with the young girl and explained that those unexplainable events were a result of magic. Only two days later, she had transferred to Adalyn's orphanage. Bianca was a beautiful child and always seemed to have a numerous string of boys falling behind her. Adalyn saw no problem with this, as long as the girl did not do anything rash, while Tom made a pointed note to scare every boy she every dated. The ginger Hufflepuff never seemed to mind Tom's actions, since she continued to talk to boys, despite his warnings. Tom was almost as protective of her as he was with his own girls.

Lydia and Holly were two girls that the Order had been raising until further arrangements could be made. After hearing about them, Adalyn went to the Order and offered to raise the two girls. They were brought to the orphanage at age three and had remained there ever since. Lydia and Holly were practically joined at the hip, both two of the leading Gryffindor ladies. Lydia had brown hair and warm hazel eyes, while Holly had dyed her hair a light shade of blue, making her easy to spot in a crowd. Not only were they the Beaters of the Quidditch team, but they were both notoriously for of getting into pranking wars with James Potter, Hugo Weasley, and Scorpius Malfoy. Adalyn had received many letters in the mail about the girl's shenanigans, but did not ever punish them too harshly. It was just a few silly pranks, some even being pulled on Tom.

Adalyn was swiftly dragged out of her thoughts as she entered out of the darkness and onto the platform, the train's shrill whistle breaking through the numerous conversations between children and parents.

Placing a swift kiss on Adalyn's cheek, Frederic said, "Goodbye, mum. I will see you at Christmas."

"Goodbye," she called as her son hopped onto the train.

From behind her, Adalyn heard a familiar voice laugh, "I came over to say hello to Freddy, but he was gone before I could say a word."

Turning around, Adalyn saw the familiar blonde hair of Isabelle, with Jesse standing by her side. Smiling, Adalyn nodded, "That is Frederic for you – there one moment, then gone in the blink of an eye."

"I still can't believe he is seventeen," Tom said coming up behind her, followed by the rest of the kids. "Where is Gina?"

"On the train," Jesse laughed, referring to his eldest daughter who was starting her first year of Hogwarts this year along with Margo. "The little girl was so excited that she practically threw herself onto the train."

While Tom continued to chat with Isabelle and Jesse, Adalyn turned to face the mob of children who stood behind her. One by one, she kissed their cheeks before sending them off onto the train.

"Alright, Marcus have fun this year and don't work yourself too hard. Lydia and Holly, don't do anything dangerous, but if you prank Tom make sure to tell me all the details. Bianca, don't listen to Tom, feel free to date whoever you choose as long as he treats you right. Margo, remember that we do not care what house you are in, as long as you are happy, we will be happy. Oh, and Gina has a seat saved for you in one of the compartments. And Mason and Tha – where are the twins?" Adalyn turned back to her husband and said, "Tom, we lost the twins."

Breaking away from Isabelle's family, Adalyn and Tom began to search the platform for their two missing children. They found them standing in a small group of fifth year students, all exchanging Chocolate Frog cards. As they grew closer to the group they could overhear the conversation that was happening.

"Oh, cool!" one of the kids exclaimed. "I got Adalyn Dare!"

"I've got the real one at home. Bit of a tosser, really," Thalia answered flippantly, unknowing that her mother stood within earshot of her.

Adalyn's jaw dropped. "Do you hear our child?"

"She takes after you," Tom teased playfully.

Interrupting the group of students, Adalyn walked up to her daughter and said, "Is that any way to speak about you mother?"

"Well…"

"Come here, you idiots," she laughed, pulling the twins in for a hug, purposefully embarrassing them in front of their peers. "Don't correct too many professors, and try to avoid helping Holly and Lydia out with their pranks."

"Don't worry, mum, we will be perfect little angels," Mason replied with a smirk that suggested otherwise.

"Go get on the train," Adalyn laughed, handing the kids their luggage.

Returning to Tom, she stared up at her handsome husband. Small signs of age were beginning to show on his face, small wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes. In direct sunlight, she could see thin grey hairs, starting to frame the edges of his face. He even had some grey stubble forming around his jaw and mouth since he had forgotten to shave last night. Slight bags under his eyes made him appear slightly tired, though he probably was since he had had many late nights planning Defense against the Dark Arts lessons for the students at Hogwarts. Still, in Adalyn's eyes he looked as handsome as when they were seventeen.

"Maybe we should have another kid," Tom sighed as the last few kids hurriedly boarded the train.

"Do you want to give birth?" Adalyn asked. "Because if so, I will gladly agree to another kid."

"I hate to inform you, but that isn't exactly possible," he laughed. "I have to go, Hogwarts will be expecting me any minute now."

"I'll miss you," Adalyn smiled, give him a quick peck on the lips before he Disapperated. Sometimes it got lonely, having her husband away for more than half the year, with only the holidays and summer to be able to see him, but she was happy that Tom got to have his dream job.

Looking to the side, she saw Draco Malfoy standing beside his wife, Astoria Greengrass. Over the years, the boy had matured to a man, becoming a much respected figure in society. Since both were important, rich families in the Wizarding World, Adalyn and Malfoy had been invited to many of the same events that were usually full of snotty, old aristocrats that were completely dull. Thus, the two bonded and eventually became civil with each other. Malfoy even apologized for the way he had treated Adalyn back at school, though she never did stop referring to him as Malfoy. Adalyn gave him a small wave, which he returned before turning his attention back to the moving train.

Adalyn watched alone as the train left the station, many kids' arms waving out the windows to parents who had tears streaming down their face. Even she could not help but shed the smallest of tears, one of her babies was graduating while the other was just starting school.

She smiled slightly, thinking about the note she had left in Margo's school bag. It was a tradition that she had started when Yvonne, Mitch, and Janelle had first gone off to Hogwarts, the three orphans nervous about life away from her. She had given all them the same note, unknown to the others, only to later decide that she would give it to each of the children as they went away to school.

By the time you are reading this letter you are probably at school. I write this letter in to give you the secret to surviving your first year at Hogwarts. Find true friends you can rely on - even if you can only find one. I went through most of my schooling with only one person who I found real friendship in, and that was Aunt Isabelle.

Don't let any boys, or girls, treat you like you are nothing, and if they do, don't be afraid to slap them. Mr. Malfoy can vouch for me when I say that I did my fair share of slapping during my time at Hogwarts. Feel free to be yourself because I will always love you, no matter who you decide to be.

Finally, if you find that one person who makes your heart fill with joy, that one person that you always find yourself smiling around, the one that makes you feel like a better person, never let them go. And if you manage to stay true to this person, and they stay true to you, do I what I did, marry them.

Never let your demons block out your light.

Love,

Mum

4/25/16 - Guess who officially finished the story! I wanted to get this posted about a month ago but so much has been happening lately that I had no time. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. As always, please R&R!

- KC