Author's Note: There is a short story titled "Softly: Pancakes" that takes place between chapter 20 and this epilogue. I highly recommend reading it before reading the epilogue, though it is not entirely necessary.

I think we deserve

a soft epilogue, my love.

We are good people

and we've suffered enough.

Seventy Years of Sleep # 4. nikka ursula

Scorpius woke with a start.

The first thing he noticed was that it was well after dawn and the sky looked heavy and gray outside his high window.

The second thing he noticed was that the bed was rather cold. When his mind started to work as he took a few deep breaths, he remembered that this was a common occurrence these days - no need for panic.

He groaned, rolling onto his back. He stretched himself out, feet dangling over the edge of the bed and felt his shoulders and knees crack. As he had every morning this week, Scorpius took a moment to silently lament his age. Normally it didn't bother him – when he looked in the mirror, he saw the lines around his eyes and mouth and knew that they were from smiling and laughing and he could never be ashamed of that – but the last week of August had been a personal battle for him for the last six years, and this year was no different.

"Up," Scorpius muttered to no one. "I have to get up."

A whimper rose from the floor beside him. He turned to the edge of the bed and saw Ridgebit, an aging English Shepherd, lying on the small carpet beside the bed next to his slippers. He reached down and scratched behind her ears.

"You don't want to get up either, do you girl?"

Ridgebit only panted in response.

With great reluctance, Scorpius swung his legs over the side of the bed, grabbed his glasses and pulled on his slippers, and got to his feet. He shook out the wrinkles in his pajamas and ran a hand back through his hair before pulling on his glasses.

Scorpius looked down at his feet. These weren't his pajamas at all – there was far too much of his pale ankles on display. Clearly, someone had sorted the laundry poorly.

"I've got to get a House Elf next summer," he sighed before tucking his wand into his pocket and walking across the wooden floor to the door.

He descended from the renovated attic slowly – the stairs were narrow and creaky but the climb was worth it for the extra space – and paused when he got to the second floor. He looked at the four doors – three still closed – and decided he was better off going downstairs to get his coffee alone.

Scorpius made his way downstairs to the kitchen, walking slowly so Ridgebit could keep up (she was always slower in the mornings). The kitchen was a disaster from the previous night – dishes stacked in the sink and empty Butterbeer and ale bottles on the massive island table that often served as their dining room. While the coffee brewed, Scorpius started clearing the mess with a few charms, sending the bottles into the bin in the corner and enchanting a scrub brush to clean the dishes. He pushed a vine from the hanging plant over the counter out of the way – keeping a fresh supply of dittany around wasn't just a prudent move these days – it was a necessity.

He didn't look up until he had his coffee in-hand. Outside the kitchen window he could see across the green field that had a bit of early morning mist hanging over it. The field was lined with a strong wooden fence, and at the back corner sat a barn – freshly painted and well-kept. The grass had small hoofmarks in it, and a patch of scorched earth lay to the right near the fence. A large tub of feed sat unmolested at the center of the paddock, and just barely in view was the addition Albus and Scorpius (mostly Albus with Charlie and Harry's help) had built two years ago – a free-standing library and workspace that let Scorpius work from home on the days he wasn't physically needed at the ministry.

The Department of International Academic Collaboration was a well-oiled machine now, though it had gotten off to a rocky start. With Jin's help, Scorpius had helped build a network of wizarding academics worldwide, and had overseen the development of a digital network and offices run by squibs and muggles to help share information internationally. It was his third most important accomplishment – one he proudly shared with his collaborators in wizarding governments worldwide, and he was happy now to take a back seat and answer questions from the quiet comfort of his own study when he could.

Well, quiet when the kids weren't home.

Scorpius looked to the clock on the wall. It was just about time. He watched the doors of the barn closely, sipping at his coffee contentedly and enjoying the silence for just a moment longer.

Just like clockwork, Albus emerged from the barn just past eight o'clock. He was dressed in work clothes – a t-shirt and a pair of long pants with pockets down the side tucked into his boots. He was laughing as their eldest daughter Avery emerged beside him, and together they shoved the barn doors shut and started walking back to the house.

Avery was very tall – taller than Albus – lithe and strong. Her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail and Scorpius noticed she had simply pulled her boots on over her pajamas. She often got up early during the summers to help Albus tend to the animals – she was particularly fond of the mooncalves and had become very attached to a slightly-deformed infant that Albus had been fostering. The greatest achievement of her holiday had been helping the creature learn to walk and nurse like its adopted brothers and sisters – something Scorpius was proud to say he'd aided in, as he'd helped her research muggle methods of helping similar creatures. Avery was an inherent bookworm, which was likely what earned her a spot in Ravenclaw, and could have figured it out on her own, but Scorpius had been overjoyed that she'd come to him.

He grinned as he watched Albus wrap his arm around their daughter's shoulders, pulling her down to ruffle her hair and kiss her temple as they walked. Sometimes Scorpius still found himself watching Albus when he wasn't looking and was always caught off guard by his husband's fierce protectiveness over his family and his easy laugh. Albus was more comfortable with himself now as they neared the end of their thirties than he'd ever been – running his creature rehabilitation clinic and caring for his family. He was strong, though he still walked with a bit of a limp some days, and he'd long since given up trying to tame his hair, which only grew more unruly as the years went by. Two years ago, he'd had a particularly frustrating day with it falling into his eyes while he worked and hadn't cut it since, choosing instead to twist it up and tie it back each morning.

It reminded Scorpius of old photos of his Uncle Bill, and when he'd relayed that to Albus, his husband had only laughed.

"Well, one of us has to live up to the Malfoy name," Albus had said, ruffling Scorpius' shorter hair directly into his face.

He watched now as Albus retied his hair as he walked before drawing Avery back under his arm, holding her close. His smile faded a bit as he did so. September 1 was always hard for both Scorpius and Albus, but they did their best to make sure the kids felt as loved as possible before they left.

Albus and Avery sauntered in through the kitchen door, laughing and happy until Scorpius yelped as they walked past the entrance mat.

"Take your boots off! It's muddy out there."

"Good morning to you too, dad," Avery said sarcastically, crouching down to untie her new boots (which she hadn't needed, but Harry had insisted). Albus wiggled his way from his and tossed them onto the mat. He walked into the kitchen barefoot, smiling.

"Good morning," he said to Scorpius. Even though Scorpius felt there was a dark cloud hanging over them this particular morning, he couldn't help the warm feeling he got every morning when he first saw his husband's face each morning.

"Hello," he replied. As Albus passed him he raised up and gave Scorpius a quick peck on the lips before reaching for the coffee. Avery wasn't far behind, and she kissed Scorpius' cheek before hopping up onto the kitchen counter. Ridgebit sat at her feet and Avery bent over to scratch behind her ears.

"I had to say goodbye to Molly," Avery lamented. It always took Scorpius a second to remember she was talking about her Mooncalf, not her late Great Grandma Molly. "I think she knows I'm leaving. She seemed a bit sad. Papa?"

Albus turned at the sound of his name, holding his favorite mug. It was one their eldest son Adam had made for Father's Day one year – a lumpy ceramic thing with "Worlb's Best Papa" etched into it (Adam had a problem with telling 'b' and 'd' apart as a child, and Albus refused to throw the mug away despite Adam's pleas as a method of friendly torture via embarrassment).

"If she gets depressed, can you take my quilt outside and put it in her stall?" Avery asked Albus. "I don't care if it gets ruined. The smell might make her feel better."

Albus smiled proudly at her. "Sure thing."

Avery seemed relieved.

Adam and Samuel came downstairs. Adam was the only Malfoy-Potter child who was as tall as Avery – something he regarded as an achievement. However, Scorpius thought he was the least menacing of their children with his glasses and thin build. Where Avery was well-rounded, Adam was their quintessential geek – awkward, kind and brilliant. He'd learned to communicate better with other people over the last year or so, and Scorpius was happy to see a smile on his face as he stepped into the kitchen with Samuel not far behind. At fifteen, Adam was growing into his intelligence and quelling his awkwardness – something Scorpius knew was helped by being in Ravenclaw with Avery, who took no prisoners when it came to people picking on her siblings.

"'Morning," he said through a yawn. He gave Scorpius a half-hug as he stepped in and glared at Albus' mug.

"Ugh, why?" he asked, but gave his papa a hug as well anyway.

"Because it makes you make that face," Albus replied simply. He embraced Samuel next and ruffled his hair.

"G'morning," Samuel muttered. He was clearly still half asleep, and appeared to have forgotten one of his slippers.

"A letter came for you," Scorpius told Adam as he prepared his morning tea. Adam only nodded. He was the only one of their children whose birth mother had requested contact, and he obligingly exchanged letters with her every few months once he was old enough to make the decision to do it for himself. "I think she sent a care package too."

"Oh!" Samuel cried. "Muggle sweets?"

"Most likely," Adam grumbled. "She sends them every year before I go back to school."

"Be nice," Albus reminded him. "She's trying. Where's Will?"

"Getting dressed," Samuel said.

"And Lexi?"

"Checking her trunk for the fifth time," Adam answered. "She's worried she forgot one of her Quidditch gloves, but I saw her pack them."

Samuel sighed. "You know how she is."

Samuel's twin brother Will came downstairs moments later. They were identical in every way – broad shoulders, long straight noses, and stick-straight brown hair – except for where it mattered most - in personality. Samuel was an outgoing Gryffindor and kept his friends and family smiling and laughing most of the time, and Will was a sweet, quiet Hufflepuff who had cried when the Sorting Hat had separated him from his brother three years ago.

"Lex will be down in a second," Will announced. Like the others, he took turns hugging his parents good morning, and Scorpius held him for an extra second and kissed the top of his head. Until today, Will was the one Scorpius worried about the most when the kids went to Hogwarts. Scorpius knew all too well how cruel children could be. Adam's intelligence was a shield as the other students often needed his assistance, but Will… well, Will's kind heart made him vulnerable.

Samuel, on the other hand, was remarkably resilient and had wound up in Gryffindor. Despite the separation of all the siblings amongst the houses, Samuel and Lexi were a terror together with an endless supply of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes at their fingertips, courtesy of their uncles and cousins – something Albus and Scorpius couldn't control when the kids were away.

"I can't wait to get back," Samuel said. "I was talking to Grandpa Harry the other day – he said third year was the best."

"That's because it was the only year he wasn't nearly killed," Albus said. "I mean, he thought Sirius was after him, but he was never in any real danger."

"Still, he said it was the easiest."

"Aunt Hermione said fifth year was the hardest," Adam said. "I'm not looking forward to OWLs. I'm quite worried about them. I hope I don't have to stay over the holidays to study."

"Don't you dare," Albus said quickly. He took holidays very seriously. "You're coming home for Christmas. I've already decided which tree we're cutting down and I need you to organize the ornaments. We couldn't possibly decorate it without you."

Adam blushed. He had the habit of compulsively organizing everything he could get his hands on and it had been especially limiting as a child until Albus started finding ways to put that energy to good use, starting with the Christmas decorations when he was seven. Adam excelled at evenly distributing the colored ornaments across the Christmas tree each year.

"Besides, why would you want to spend Christmas at Hogwarts when you can come home and help papa take care of the mooncalves in three meters of snow and in the mud?" Avery asked innocently. Adam rolled his eyes at her. Of all their children, he was the least talented with the animals.

Samuel and Will settled into their seats at the table, and Adam sat next to Avery on the counter, watching the bottom of the stairs closely. He and Lexi were very close despite their stark differences and acted more like twins than Samuel and Will did, though they couldn't have looked more different. Where Adam was tall, pale and freckly with hazel eyes, Lexi was small and dark skinned with wild hair.

Lexi came downstairs moments later, already wearing her Slytherin Quidditch t-shirt and a wide grin.

"Morning, all!" she said brightly. She bounced into the kitchen with early-morning energy that Scorpius thought should be outlawed or bottled and sold – he wasn't sure which. Like her siblings, she hugged and kissed her parents before pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"Did you have your gloves?" Adam asked softly.

"I did," Lexi admitted (she hadn't needed the gloves, but Ginny had insisted). "I just had to check, though."

Lexi seemed to have a sixth sense for Adam's anxiety and quickly moved to her brother's side and settled there.

"You okay?" she asked.

Adam nodded and tucked the tag on the back of her shirt into her collar.

"Yeah. Just nervous."

"Don't be. We'll get you through OWLs just fine."

"I've already made a study schedule," he admitted.

Lexi laughed and shook her head. "Of course you have."

"But we have to deal with the library's curfew. That can be very limiting."

"We don't have a curfew," Samuel said. "Orion is Head Boy. We can do whatever we want!"

Albus shook his head at Samuel. "I'm pretty sure you still have to obey the rules, Sam."

"Besides," Avery added, "Harriet is Head Girl and he'll do anything to impress her."

Scorpius sighed and shook his head, thinking of his little brother. Well, Orion was hardly little anymore. He was seventeen and somehow managed to look just like both Draco and Scorpius while still being far more handsome (though Albus disagreed). Scorpius and his father found it infuriating. Dania couldn't have found it funnier.

"Harriet likes rules," Albus reminded them. "Expect Orion to follow them as long as she's watching."

Scorpius looked around to the five children in the kitchen. As the clock continued to tick towards their departure time, he started to get more and more nostalgic. He remembered the first time he'd held Avery when Ainsley had handed her to them as a crying infant. He remembered orphaned Lexi coming to them just after her first birthday – confused and energetic, much like she was now, and sweet Adam whose troubled teenage mum had decided to give him up before he was born coming home at only three days old – tiny and particular.

He and Albus had nearly stopped adopting at three children – they were certainly a handful – but when Ainsley contacted them about Samuel and Will, they could hardly say no. At two the twins were adorable – Samuel with all his energy and quiet Will whose sweet demeanor won everyone over quickly.

Five, they'd said, was their limit. They said five was enough. They said five had been a part of their plan, like the barn and the library. Five children – none of them named after relatives or stars. Life was hard enough without having a weighty name to carry, and their compound surname was enough.

But, like the library that had to be moved downstairs into an added room, their idea of only five children had fallen by the wayside.

Scorpius met his husband's eyes and knew Albus was thinking the same thing he was. Albus cleared his throat and looked at their kids who were excitedly chatting about tonight's feast.

"We need to talk about Charlie."

That got their attention very quickly. They'd never intended for any of their children to carry a family member's name, but as Albus and Scorpius always said when someone brought it up – this wasn't really their doing.

"Yeah, before she gets down here," Avery said sitting up straighter. Albus folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the sink.

"She's been acting weird, right?" Adam asked, looking between his fathers. Adam was notoriously bad at reading people, and had been making a serious effort to get better at it. "I'm not imagining it?"

"No," Lexi confirmed. "She's definitely been acting weird."

Adam smiled at her, grateful for the guidance.

"You lot need to keep an eye on her," Albus said. "You've got all four houses covered. No matter where she winds up – you take care of her."

"Obviously," Avery said.

"Yeah, Uncle James gave us a really long lecture last night," Samuel added, rolling his eyes at the memory. "Apparently he takes the importance of looking after your younger siblings very seriously."

Scorpius cut off Albus' undoubtedly snide comment. "As he should."

Albus took the hint and backed down with a huff. "Anyway," he began, "I'm worried about how she'll do her first few weeks."

"Orion has already arranged for all of us and Ella to have dinner with him in the Head Boy and Girl's quarters on Thursday nights," Will said. "He told us last night at dinner."

Ella, Ainsley and James' eldest child, was going into her second year at Hogwarts – something which astounded Scorpius constantly, since she always seemed to be a bit younger than her age.

"I hope she's in Hufflepuff," Will added. "I'm all alone down there."

"At least you're near the kitchens and get some sunlight," Lexi scoffed. "The squid creeps me out at night."

"I like the squid," Avery muttered meekly. The two sisters had a well-documented difference of opinion on the matter.

As Avery and Lexi started squabbling, Scorpius moved over to Albus and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "I'm going to go check on Charlie," he said.

"I'll come with you," Albus offered. "These guys are fine."

Scorpius led Albus up the stairs past Avery and Lexi's door, past Adam's, and past Samuel and Will's door to the smallest room near the stairs to the attic. He paused for a moment and looked back at Albus, uncertain, until he felt his husband's hand come to rest between his shoulder blades.

"You okay?" Albus said quietly.

Scorpius nodded, though he wasn't so sure. He didn't feel that he had the right to be anything less than okay when the kids were headed off to school. Today, he needed to be okay with letting them all go for the first time.

"I'm just worried about her," Scorpius said.

Albus' hand moved in a small, soothing circle across his back. Scorpius tucked a stray lock of dark hair back behind Albus' ear with a small smile.

"I know," Albus said. "It's the first time they'll all be gone."

Scorpius sighed and leaned into Albus a bit, resting his forehead against Albus' shoulder.

"But," Albus continued, sliding his free arm around Scorpius' waist, "that does mean I have you all to myself for the rest of the day. And when was the last time we had the house to ourselves for more than a day?"

Scorpius wracked his brain, trying to remember.

"Three and a half years ago," Scorpius answered. "When I brought you home from the hospital after the Dragon Pox."

Albus cringed at the memory, and Scorpius kissed one of the few small pock marks on Albus' neck. Albus had contracted a mutated strain of Dragon Pox working in the field, and before he knew it had passed it on to Lexi when he'd visited the kids on a Hogsmeade Trip while Scorpius was away. By the time Scorpius came home from a visit with some colleagues in Canada, Albus was nearly unconscious in the study, having sent Samuel, Will and Charlie off to his parents because he thought he had the flu, and no less than ten letters from the Hogwarts nurse telling them to come quickly.

Three weeks in Saint Mungo's – only two for Lexi as her youth had helped her heal faster – and some excellent medical care later, Albus had only a few visible scars, and Lexi only had a small patch on her calf.

Scorpius, however, had been scarred for life after watching Albus and his daughter struggle to breathe for days on end, and when Albus had come home, he vowed never to call his husband dramatic when he talked about Scorpius' kidnapping or the Greengrass Curse again. Now, he understood.

"Precisely," Albus said. "And I was in no fit state to monopolize upon having you all to myself."

"You were in no fit state to do anything," Scorpius said with a smirk. "I had to spoon feed you."

"I could have done it myself if I wanted," Albus countered, letting go of Scorpius and heading to Charlie's door. "Maybe I just like being doted upon."

Scorpius couldn't argue with that.

Albus knocked on Charlie's door and waited respectfully for the sound of her small voice.

"Come in!"

Albus nudged the door open and Scorpius followed him. Charlie's room was small and warm with cream colored walls and lights Scorpius had enchanted to float along the edges of the ceiling and respond to her moods. He was sad to see that right now they were far dimmer than he'd seen them in recent memory.

"Do you have everything packed?" Albus asked, as though that was their real reason for coming in.

Scorpius looked around him to see their youngest daughter seated on her brand-new Hogwarts trunk, tracing her fingers across her initials on the top – CMP. Her long golden hair was pulled back into a careful plait – something Lily had taught her a few months ago and she'd been practicing it ever since – sometimes on Albus and Avery.

Though Charlie was small for her age she seemed older than eleven. There was a gravity to her – something in her green eyes that held people's attention. Those who knew little about her often said she was intelligent and called her an 'old soul,' but Scorpius and Albus knew better. She'd had to be intelligent and grow up fast. Charlie had never had a choice back when she went by Charlotte.

"I think so," Charlie said, looking around the room – everywhere but at her fathers. "I know I can't take everything. If I forget something – maybe I can come home and get it?"

Scorpius frowned at her uncertainty. She was already looking for excuses to come home and she hadn't even gone through her sorting. Her hands were moving constantly – tracing the letters, then twisting together in her lap.

The rest of Albus and Scorpius' children had been adopted before the age of three – only Will seemed to have any memory of his birth mother, and Adam exchanged letters with his but had never met her in person until he was ten. Charlotte, on the other hand, had come to them under duress – a late night visit from Ainsley who didn't know what to do with the tiny witch the ministry had found wandering the London street outside the visitor's entrance with an anonymous note saying "I cannot take care of my daughter anymore" pinned to her skirt.

"Sure," Albus said. "You always know you can come home, but it's important to spend time at Hogwarts, too."

"Yeah," Charlie muttered, looking down at her brand-new trainers (which she hadn't needed but Draco had insisted). "I know."

Albus looked at Scorpius, confused. Scorpius mulled over Charlie's behavior over the last few days – being alternately clingy and distant and repeatedly discussing how the semesters really weren't that long and she'd be home plenty – and started to piece things together.

"Charlie," Scorpius began. "Is something bothering you?"

"No," she grumbled with some adolescent petulance. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you're about to break your fingers," Scorpius said.

Charlie's fingers froze immediately, and she looked down at the knot and the tiny ring on her pinky finger (something else she hadn't needed, but Ginny had insisted). She sighed and separated them and sat on her hands. Albus looked at Scorpius, confused, but Scorpius gave him a nod that clearly said, 'I got this.'

Scorpius crouched down in front of Charlie's trunk and bent into her eyesight, forcing her to look at him.

"Charlie, are you afraid we're going to forget about you?" Scorpius asked. Charlie looked away from him and looked out the window. Already at eleven her face had lost some of the childlike roundness it had when she'd met them. She was going to be a beautiful young woman with straight features and piercing, intelligent eyes. Already he was worried about all the attention she'd get from boys her age (and maybe from those a bit older).

"You are, aren't you?" Albus said, aghast.

"Charlie, look at me," Scorpius said. She begrudgingly looked over at him, her lips pressed together and her shoulders taut. He took her face into both his hands until she met his eyes. She'd figured out long ago that those big celery green eyes could melt both her fathers (and her eldest brother) in a heartbeat, but she wasn't using that now. She was searching Scorpius' face for reassurance, and that was something he was happy to give her.

"No one is going to forget about you," he said slowly and intently so she couldn't miss a word. "I know that might be difficult to believe, given some of the things that have happened to you, but no one in your family – not me, not your papa, not your grandparents or aunts or uncles, will forget about you. Ever. And certainly not just because you went off to school."

Charlie sniffed and hung her head. "Lexi says she barely sees anyone because the houses don't mingle," Charlie lamented. "She sees Adam almost every day, but she also said they're so busy all the time –"

"Lexi is in Slytherin by herself," Albus reminded her. "And Lexi's a bit of a loner. You know that. It doesn't mean she doesn't love her family and they don't love her."

"But what if I'm in Slytherin too?" Charlie asked. "I think that's where I should be. I'll never see Orion and Avery! And Orion's only going to be there for another year and then he'll just be gone!"

"Orion isn't leaving," Scorpius reminded her, though he was always happy when his kids showed just how much they loved his little brother. "Just because he's leaving Hogwarts doesn't mean he's leaving. He'll probably live with dad and Dania for a while, and then move somewhere nearby."

"You'll still see him all the time," Albus added.

"Especially if Albus keeps making lasagna," Scorpius added. Charlie nearly smiled. For a relatively thin kid, Orion's lasagna- and pasta-eating skills were legendary. Their family trip to Italy a few years ago had been something to behold.

"I just don't want to go…" she muttered. "I don't want to leave. I'll miss you both so much."

"We're going to miss you too," Albus assured her. He sat down on the trunk beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you here. The last two years it's been just the three of us. Who am I going to make pancakes for on Sunday mornings?"

Charlotte shrugged as though she wished she had an answer.

"You're going to love Hogwarts," Scorpius told her. "You're going to make friends. You're going to be around your brothers and sisters and cousins all the time without your parents around –"

"Merlin help us," Albus added.

"And if you hate it – and you might for the first little while – you write to me and your papa every day," Scorpius said.

"There's also a two-way mirror in the hidden compartment inside the lid of your trunk," Albus added.

"Albus!" Scorpius hissed. They weren't going to tell her that unless it was necessary, but Albus shrugged. Apparently her distress made him feel that it was necessary.

"There is?"

"Yes," Scorpius sighed. "So you can talk to us whenever you need to – but we want you to have fun, Charlie – not spend all your nights talking to us."

"I know," she said. Scorpius wiped a small tear away with his thumb. The next time he saw her, her summer freckles would likely have faded, and the thought made him want to keep her home more than ever. "I just don't want things to change. I only came here five years ago."

"Just because you're going off to Hogwarts doesn't mean you're not our little girl," Albus said. "You'll always be the baby in this family."

"Unless you adopt another kid," Charlotte said.

"Not happening," Scorpius said. He caught Albus' introspective look and added a firm "no."

"I don't know if we ever told you this, but we only intended to have five kids," Albus said.

"You didn't want me?"

"That is precisely not the point," Albus said. "We wanted you so badly that we changed a plan we'd held to for a very long time."

"Yes," Scorpius agreed. "The minute you looked up at me with those big green eyes, you had me wrapped around your little finger."

Scorpius took her hand and tapped on her pinky.

"Ah, the big green eyes," Albus said wistfully. "Fastest way to get Scorpius to do what you want."

Charlie laughed at their long-standing joke. "He's easy to manipulate."

"Slytherin," Scorpius said. "Slytherin to the bone."

"Or Gryffindor," Albus argued. "She's pretty brave."

"I'm smart, too," she said. "I could be a Ravenclaw. But I hope I'm a Hufflepuff. Will is down there all alone."

"Lexi is alone in Slytherin, too."

"Lexi doesn't need anyone," Charlie said, and Scorpius had to admit it was a valid argument. Lexi had a core group of Slytherin friends that seemed to make her happy, but she made sure to see her siblings and cousins at least once a week. Will, on the other hand, would likely be over the moon with Charlie in Hufflepuff. Somehow, Scorpius could see her in any of the houses.

"Wherever you end up, we're proud of you," Scorpius said. "And I can promise, if you're thinking about us then we're thinking about you."

Albus leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Do you want to come downstairs for breakfast?"

"Is it pancakes?"

"Well, person going to Hogwarts for the first time does traditionally get to decide, so yes. Pancakes." Albus said.

"Then yes," Charlie said. She got to her feet and Albus ushered her from the room. Scorpius followed close behind, ready to get back downstairs and start helping with breakfast, but Albus held him back.

"Go on, Charlie," Albus said. "Your dad and I need to check on something."

Charlie gave him a thumbs up and headed downstairs, calling to her siblings as she did.

"What do we need to check?"

Albus answered him by grabbing his arm and backing him up against the wall. With his free hand, he skillfully removed Scorpius' glasses, folded them in one practiced motion, and slipped them into his pocket.

Scorpius grinned. "Oh."

Albus slid his hands up Scorpius' shirt and placed them on his hips – his mild callouses scratching at the skin enough to send a shiver down Scorpius' spine before Albus kissed him, his mouth moving impatiently against his husband's. Scorpius slid down the wall a couple inches to Albus' height and wrapped his arms around Albus' waist, pulling him close until their bodies were flush against one another.

After a moment, Albus pulled back and started kissing down Scorpius' neck, his hands moving over his sides. Scorpius laughed, trying to see if he could tug Albus closer (he couldn't), and settled for wrapping one arm tight around his waist and burying his other hand in Albus' hair, tugging the elastic holding it back loose. He sank his hand into it and Albus laughed against him.

"I didn't grow it out for you to play with," Albus said. And it was true – Scorpius knew he'd let his hair get longer out of frustration, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it.

"Thought you were living up to the Malfoy name."

"If we were living up to the Malfoy name we'd have peacocks and one son."

"True," Scorpius said, and immediately resumed kissing his husband. There was a commotion from downstairs – an eruption of noise and laughter and a shriek that sounded like Lexi, but Scorpius couldn't be sure. He was distracted by Albus' mouth and the heat of his hands and by assessing whether or not they could get away with a quick trip upstairs. Surely they had time –

"Ugh!"

Scorpius broke away and looked at the source of the noise. Samuel was at the top of the stairs with an exaggerated look of disgust on his face.

"Did you find them?" Avery yelled.

"Yeah, but they're up here being gross again," Samuel called back. He looked at his parents and shook his head, both amused and disapproving. "Seriously?"

"What is it, Sam?" Scorpius asked with a sigh.

"Orion is here."

Scorpius grinned. He hadn't been sure if Orion was going to come over, but he was glad he'd have the chance to see his brother for more than just a moment at King's Cross.

"We'll be down in a second," Albus told him, and Samuel stalked off quickly, clearly having seen enough.

Albus chuckled and withdrew his hands from under Scorpius' shirt.

"So clearly you know what I'm thinking about for tonight," Albus said with a smirk.

"I didn't need a demonstration," Scorpius assured him, tugging Albus back close again. "But I clearly appreciate it."

For a moment, Albus leaned against him, head bowed against Scorpius' shoulder.

"It's our eighteenth anniversary this week," Scorpius reminded Albus, combing a small knot from Albus' hair with his fingers.

"I know," Albus said. "I have a plan."

Scorpius wrinkled his nose and leaned back to look at him with suspicion. "The last time you 'had a plan' we wound up stranded in Russia with a toddler and a screaming infant."

"One time," hissed Albus. "One time."

Scorpius quirked an eyebrow at him. Albus sighed.

"Ok, it's not a real plan," Albus said. "It's a couple of really good bottles of wine from that French vineyard you like and a roast dinner."

"How is that not a real plan?" Scorpius asked, grinning. "It sounds perfect."

"Good, because that's basically my plan for today, too," Albus admitted. "I'm not good with plans."

"Ah, that's fine," Scorpius said, kissing the side of his head before standing up straight. "I'll handle the planning. Speaking of plans –"

Scorpius consulted his watch and sighed. "Can you go get the kids fed? I'm going to go get dressed. We're going to be rushing as it is."

"I've already got the boys' trunks downstairs," Albus said, handing Scorpius his glasses before heading towards the stairwell. "We should be okay."

Scorpius nodded and headed towards the stairs to the attic. "Right. I'll meet you down there."

Albus had all the children eating around the massive table by the time Scorpius reappeared. He was dressed and had all the remaining trunks and bags levitating before him and stacked them up out of the way. He caught Charlie watching her dad closely, eyeing her own trunk with a bit of apprehension and discomfort, so he slid an extra chocolate chip pancake onto her plate.

"She's never going to go out with you," Avery said to Orion, who was already dressed in his Hogwarts uniform, his striped blue tie twisted into a complicated knot that was surely not standard.

"She most certainly will," Orion said. Albus watched as he and Scorpius exchanged a quick hug before Orion continued seamlessly. "Forced proximity, Avery. Forced proximity. She's Head Girl. I'm Head Boy. We have to work together all year."

"So you're going to coerce her," Lexi suggested.

"Of course not!" Orion said, outraged. His volume made Adam jump. Albus could tell Adam was getting fidgety – he always did before going back to Hogwarts. Albus slid him an extra pancake as well.

"Over the course of the year I'm going to continue to be a perfect gentlemen and eventually she'll see that I'm the perfect man for her," Orion continued.

"I think you might want to broaden your horizons, mate," Scorpius said. "I'm not saying Harriet Lupin will never go out with you, but you might want to get to know some of the other girls in your year too."

Albus cleared his throat and gave Scorpius a pointed look. Scorpius muttered, "not that I would know."

"You'll see," Orion said confidently, sitting up with perfect posture. His Head Boy badge gleamed on his chest. "She'll finally have to spend some time with me and I'll win her over."

"I don't see it," Will said. "She's nice and all, but she keeps changing her hair color. How can you ever find her in a crowd?"

Albus smiled. His cousin's metamorphmagus skills had fully matured over the last few years, and since she was, after all, a teenage girl, she rather enjoyed playing with them, much to her family's chagrin.

"I could find her anywhere," Orion said, his voice a bit distant and dreamy.

Charlie rolled her eyes at him. Albus heard her mutter something that sounded a lot like "delusional."

Adam looked over to Orion. Albus knew his son had a difficult relationship with Orion, who never stopped moving and was always excited about something. It made him difficult for Adam to read and understand.

"I thought you'd be heading to King's Cross with Grandpa Draco and Grandma Dania," Adam said. Orion shook his head.

"I spent all night with them," he said. "They'll meet me at the station with my trunk and all, but I told them I wanted to ride over with you guys – let my big brother take me."

Scorpius grinned at him. They had a large vehicle that was magically enhanced just for occasions like this, but it wasn't that big. Albus wanted to argue that the SUV would be packed enough as it is, but he couldn't deprive Scorpius of this little joy. He knew how much Scorpius loved his brother – he spent so much time with them that he often felt like a part-time seventh child, and Albus loved him too.

"You three can sit in the back, then," Albus said, pointing to Orion, Avery and Adam. "You're too tall for anywhere else."

"Don't be bitter just because you're short," Orion said.

"I'm not short," growled Albus. "I'm above average height. I'm just surrounded by tall people and I'm always next to the beanpole over here." He jerked a thumb at Scorpius.

"Wouldn't it have been faster to go to the station with your parents?" Charlie asked Orion.

Orion grinned. "Maybe, but I told dad that I wanted to go to King's Cross with you lot for the last time. Besides, I know there's an extra seat on the Al-Bus."

Everyone groaned at the pun. Lexi threw her fork down in disgust. Adam stared at Orion in disbelief and Albus gaped at the audacity of his brother-in-law's awful play on words. Scorpius, however, was delighted and offered him a high-five, which Orion met with enthusiasm.

"Seriously?" Albus said to his husband. "Are you sure your father didn't clone you and then that clone wound up in Ravenclaw somehow?"

"Positive," Scorpius said.

London seemed busier than usual for a Tuesday before lunch. Albus swore it had never been like this when they'd lived here – never this busy and crowded mid-weekday, but he supposed muggles were working less and were out and about more these days with advancing technology. At least that was what Scorpius told him – his job forced him to stay up-to-date on these things, and Albus was often subjected to his husband's excited rants about muggle technology. He never minded, of course. He loved Scorpius' excited ramblings about how life was improving around the world, but right now he wished just a few more of these people had been stuck in an office somewhere.

They had to park up a smaller street near the British Library. Judd Street was narrow but mostly quiet, and gave them cover enough to let an impossible number of people out of the vehicle and remove an inordinate amount of luggage. By the time everyone had all their things, they were running truly late and Scorpius cast quick lightening spells on the kids' trunks to make it easier and tossing most of them onto a folding cart. Orion carried Charlie's just to speed things up when it wouldn't fit, and they headed impatiently down the street.

They rushed down the street – Avery lamented that she couldn't stop at the cafe – and crossed Euston Road with some difficulty. Traffic was heavy and someone used their horn when it took a moment too long for the large family to cross, causing Adam to trip and nearly drop his owl. Albus had to restrain Lexi from screaming at the driver, and ushered the kids along the road, past St. Pancras International to King's Cross at precisely half past ten.

They crossed the large concrete courtyard at a near-jog – the sky was starting to darken already and the last thing Albus wanted was to deal with seven wet students, two sodden owls and Will's drenched cat, so they hurried along, holding cages steady with Albus pushing the trolley behind Scorpius who was moving as quickly as he could with Charlie clinging to his hand and arm. He watched as Will ran to catch up with them and took Charlie's free hand in his own, disregarding any scrutiny he might get from fellow Hogwarts students that might be in the crowd of people around them.

Extra chocolates for Will at Christmas, Albus thought, and then felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Christmas was so far away. He hoped the kids would come home sometime during the semester – three and a half months was a terribly long time.

They made their way into the chaos of the train station. Albus spotted Rose and Henry up ahead, their arms around their thirteen-year-old son. Rose was lithe and graceful as ever and Henry looked like he'd put on a bit of weight. Albus suspected Rose didn't mind much, as her husband was still looking at her with the same worshipful expression he always did.

They were so far ahead that Albus couldn't call to them – they were through the barrier before he could, followed closely by Hugo and his two daughters, which meant Teddy and Victoire couldn't be far with Harriet – something that hadn't escaped Orion's notice. Albus caught him craning around the crowd, but it was no use. There were too many muggles about.

"Come on," Albus heard Scorpius say, ushering the kids along. "We need to get your things on the train."

They made it to the barrier and Adam took the trolley from Albus so he could walk Charlie through to the platform for the first time. Albus thanked him quickly and joined Scorpius with Charlie, who looked quite nervous. She'd always stayed behind with a grandparent before since the first day was so busy, and had only gone to the platform a few times to pick her siblings up.

"Nervous?" Scorpius asked. Charlie looked up at him and shook her head, but her trembling hand in Albus' said otherwise. He gave it a squeeze.

"We're just going to run at the wall, okay?" Albus said. "We did this once before."

"I remember," she said stubbornly.

"Of course you do," Scorpius said. He met Albus' eyes over the top of her head, amused with their daughter's tenacity, and nodded.

They rushed at the wall with Charlie between them and all at once they were on Platform 9¾, full of steam from the train, anxious parents and excited students in various states of dress from muggle street clothes to Hogwarts uniforms to their robes.

Charlotte looked around. This was the busiest she'd ever seen it, and she stood rooted to the spot taking in the line of scarlet and black that was the Hogwarts Express until Adam appeared behind them with the trolley, followed closely by Avery, Lexi, Sam, Will and Orion.

"There you are," came a slow drawl from beside them. Albus would have jumped at the sudden appearance of his father-in-law, but he was used to Draco's sudden appearances. He was a far cry from the Draco Albus had seen on the platform on his first day at Hogwarts clad in all black and stiff as a board. Aside from being older and grayer, this Draco was far more relaxed in a green button-up Albus knew was meant to show Slytherin pride and spite his youngest son. Dania wasn't far behind him, pushing the trolley with Orion's things.

"Mum! Dad!" Orion called, flashing them a brilliant grin.

"We thought you were going to be late," Dania said.

Draco smirked. "Harry's holding a compartment for you," he said.

Together, they wove through the crowd of greetings and goodbyes, and Albus spotted his parents standing near one of the compartments, the luggage door beneath the train open to show a blessedly empty area.

"Thank Merlin," Albus muttered.

"Come on," Harry greeted them quickly. "Let's get these loaded up."

While Ginny and Dania made sure the animals were safely aboard, Albus, Draco and Orion started putting the trunks into the luggage compartment. While Orion arranged Charlie's trunk atop his own, Albus looked up to see Harriet Lupin, beautiful as ever with a shock of dark purplish-brown hair eyeing him with interest and biting her lip. It took only a moment for her to realize she was being watched, and she met Albus' eyes. He quirked an eyebrow at her and gave her a knowing look that sent her off blushing to her parents and Uncle Ron.

Albus looked back at Orion and debated telling him, but Scorpius, who seemed to have noticed the exchange, shook his head.

"They're all in," Draco said. Harry closed the compartment. Albus noticed that retirement looked good on both his parents. They were tan and well-rested with little more to do than focus on their kids, grandkids, and whatever they intended to have for lunch. It suited them both.

Ginny checked her watch.

"Less than ten minutes," she said and immediately started gathering her grandchildren into her arms, starting with Lexi.

"I've got to go," Orion announced. "Head Boy and Girl have to be up front to check the train before we go."

He hugged Albus first before heading to his parents and brother, and Albus noticed Scorpius holding onto him for a second longer than was normal. When he let go, Albus thought he saw a few tears in his husband's eyes and hoped he was wrong. Crying in front of the children was not a good way to send them off, and they'd made that mistake before with Avery.

"Have a great seventh year," Scorpius told him. "Write to me – even if it's not cool to write to your big brother."

"I will," Orion assured him with a chuckle before waving goodbye to everyone and disappearing toward the front of the train.

"They grow up entirely too fast," Dania said. Ginny nodded in agreement, but Harry scoffed overtop Samuel's head as he hugged him.

"That's not what you said when he was teething and kept biting you," Harry reminded her.

Dania grimaced at the thought.

Albus hugged Samuel next and then Will, ruffling their hair.

"You both be good," he instructed. He looked at Samuel, forcing a stern expression that didn't come naturally. "I expect those Transfiguration grades to improve this year."

"Yes, papa," Samuel said. Will gave him one more hug before they left to climb onto the train.

Lexi was next. Albus smoothed down her intense curls and kissed the top of her head. "Keep us proud, Little Slytherin," he said. Lexi grinned up at him.

"Of course," she said. "I'll send you my first 'O' mark of the year."

"See that you do."

And then she too was gone.

Avery flung herself into Albus' arms after saying goodbye to Scorpius.

"Take care of Molly," she implored again. "Please?"

"Of course," Albus assured her. "I promise."

"The quilt –"

"I know, love," Albus said. She backed away, looking sheepish.

"I'll send you my Quidditch schedule as soon as I can."

"Yes," Albus said excitedly. "First string seeker this year!"

She grinned at her father's pride.

"I'll send your broom along as soon as I can," Albus promised. The whistle blew down along the platform. "Go! Go on."

Avery rushed up onto the train and disappeared.

Adam looked around nervously, his hands shoved in his pockets as he stepped away from Draco to Albus and Scorpius. Ginny and Dania still had Charlie's attention and were bent over whispering to her, now joined by Ainsley and Hermione (who were often seen in each other's company now that Ainsley was Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and Hermione was mentoring her through her first few months under the new minister). James was nearby, and judging by the empty look in his eyes, he'd just finished saying goodbye to his daughter. Their son, eight-year-old James Potter III, was standing at his side looking rather bored.

"Are you okay?" Scorpius asked Adam. Albus was glad his husband was next to him again – saying goodbye to their children was hard enough – but he knew from experience that sometimes you had to say goodbye to your parents separately. Adam though, seemed grateful they were both there.

"I'm fine," Adam said. "Just anxious."

"Remember what we practiced," Scorpius said. Adam nodded and took a deep breath like he'd been instructed, and removed his hands from his pockets and unfurled his hands, stretching out his fingers. Scorpius nodded, approving, and smiled.

"You've got nothing to worry about," he said. "You're brilliant, Adam. I've seen your papers – you could have done wonderfully on your OWLs at the end of your third year."

"And if there's anything you need help on, we'll get it sorted over Christmas," Albus said. Care of Magical Creatures was Adam's weakest subject. "Uncle Charlie will be here too."

That seemed to be of some comfort, and Adam smiled.

"Right," he said. "I um… I better get going. I'll write to you tonight and let you know what happens with the sorting– in case Charlotte forgets to."

"Thank you," Scorpius said, as relieved as Albus.

Adam hugged Scorpius and then Albus before joining his siblings on the train.

Charlie looked over her shoulder to her parents. Albus caught his father's eye and noticed the solemn expression – he was thinking about their exchange on Albus' first day too. That had been a long time ago – a very long time – and Albus smiled at Harry. He wanted his father to know that it was okay – every issue they'd had and problem they'd faced since then was okay because they'd worked through it. Harry smiled back at him, proud and content. Ginny wrapped her arm around him as Charlie walked over to Scorpius and Albus, her head held high.

"Are you ready?" Scorpius asked her.

Charlie nodded, but Albus could tell she was nervous, so he did exactly what he knew his father would have – he kneeled in front of her and looked up at his daughter's worried face as Scorpius wrapped his arm around her, shielding her from everyone else.

"You're going to be fine," Albus said. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, and it might not seem like it today or tomorrow, but in a few weeks you're going to have settled in. You'll have made friends – I promise."

"What if I don't?" Charlie asked, earnest.

"I wasn't a likable kid," Albus admitted with a shrug. "Not at first glance. And everyone thought Scorpius was son of Voldemort. If the two of us can make friends, you'll be just fine. You're friendly and kind and smart. You're going to be brilliant at Hogwarts, Charlie."

She bit down on her lip another question clearly on her mind.

"What is it?" Scorpius asked.

"What if I'm not put in Slytherin," Charlie asked. "That's where I really want to go, like both of you."

Scorpius smiled at Albus before pulling Charlie close and hugging her tight. She buried her face against his chest and gripped at his shirt.

"Trust the hat, love," Scorpius told her. "It knows where you belong more than you do. It takes your choice into account, but in the end, the Sorting Hat knows best."

"It does," Albus agreed.

He watched Charlie's chest rise and fall in a deep breath as she gathered herself and stepped away from Scorpius. Albus wanted nothing more than to quiet her mind and protect her when she was away. He knew she was strong and brilliant, but she was still their youngest. He wanted her safe.

Albus dug into the collar of his shirt, feeling around for something. He knew he had only a minute left, but this was important – he didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before. He drew out the small amber amulet and looked at it for a moment. There was a great scratch down the side from some creature scuffle ages ago, and a chip on the corner he knew had been earned the night he, Draco and Harry had rescued Scorpius from his Aunt Daphne. He'd barely taken the amulet off over the years – it was always there, unnoticed by everyone else, but Albus always felt its weight and knew it was keeping him safe.

Wordlessly, Albus pulled the black cord from around his neck and looked at Scorpius, whose face betrayed such affection and care that it gave Albus pause for a moment. He saw both his parents looking on with some pride, and it gave Albus a sense of conviction.

Albus put the black cord around Charlie's neck and adjusted it so the small piece of amber hung right over her heart. Charlie looked up at him, confused.

"But it's yours," she said. "You always wear it."

"It's yours now," Albus told her. He carefully dropped the amulet down her shirt so it was hidden from sight. "It's a bit old and a bit beat up, but it will keep you safe – just like us."

Scorpius' brilliant smile and kind eyes told him it had been the right thing to do. Albus caught Charlie as she threw herself into his arms – he knew she trusted that he would – and he carefully stood up, bringing her with him as the whistle blew from the Hogwarts Express one more time.

"We love you," Scorpius said, smoothing her hair down as Albus held her. Charlie stood on her toes and Albus bent down to hug her properly.

"So much," Albus added. He kissed the top of her head, squeezed her one more time, and let her go. It was harder than it had been with their other five children, and the hardest thing Albus had ever had to do was watch her walk away and hold Scorpius' hand, knowing he felt the same way.

Charlie backed up and smiled for them, and Albus thought it might have actually been somewhat genuine and he hoped he'd helped reassure her, because he knew she was going to do brilliantly. Her hand rose to the amulet and she felt over it beneath her t-shirt.

"See you soon," she said. It was so much better than goodbye.

Albus and Scorpius watched as she climbed onto the train, and saw her join her siblings through the compartment window. She sat down between the window and Avery, who casually wrapped her arm around Charlie's shoulders and gave her dads an understanding nod.

The whistle blew again, and this time the train began to move before the echo faded. Albus had to fight the urge to walk alongside it – to keep an eye on their kids as long as he could, and he held Scorpius back from doing the same when he took a few steps forward. Scorpius gave him a sad, wounded look and Albus pulled him close to his side. He saw Scorpius glance over their shoulders to their families behind them, and in Albus' periphery, Draco gave a solemn nod.

"They'll be okay, right?" Scorpius asked.

"They will," Albus said. "And if they aren't, we're only an owl away."

"We all raised our kids to take care of each other," James said from behind them. As the train slipped from sight, Albus turned around to their families, keeping his arm around Scorpius' waist.

"They will," Ainsley said. "Just like Charlie will be there to look after Jamie when he goes to Hogwarts."

At James' side, the youngest James Potter's expression brightened.

The idea that so many Malfoys and Potters had gone to Hogwarts before and so many would follow was of some comfort to Albus and he started to follow the others back towards the platform exit. They were already in London – there were so many things they could do with the day if they wanted. Albus felt Scorpius lean into his side and was pleased to find that he was smiling contentedly, and he hoped maybe Scorpius felt a bit better too. Absently, Albus brushed the hair back from Scorpius' face as Harry, Ginny, Draco and Dania started talking about dinner plans for later in the week, and Ainsley and James tried to talk Jamie into a quiet day at the cinema.

"What do you want to do?" Albus asked as they crossed the barrier back into King's Cross and into the hustle of the station. He knew they could visit with their families or go with Ainsley and James, but Albus knew what he really wanted and he hoped Scorpius did too.

Scorpius smirked. "Rumor has it we've got a good bottle of wine or two, and I could use some time with my husband."

Albus grinned at him, thinking of their warm couch, a hot meal, and some quiet time alone. There was nothing he wanted more.

Albus and Scorpius said goodbye to their families – hugs and kisses and promises to see them in a day or so – and Albus noticed both their fathers held onto them a bit longer than normal. Just a beat. Just enough for Albus to know Harry was proud of him and that he was loved.

Ginny kissed his cheek and Ainsley made them promise to come over for dinner the following night. Draco and Dania told Albus and Scorpius a vacation was in order, and they agreed quickly before heading back out to Euston Road toward where they'd parked.

Albus was content to hold Scorpius' hand as they made their way back to their SUV. They were quiet – both thinking about their kids on their way to Hogwarts and both hoping they all had a wonderful year while also wishing they'd miss their parents just a little bit.

Albus climbed into the drivers' seat and waited for Scorpius to get settled before leaning across the console and kissing him softly and squeezing his hand, touching the ring on his finger.

"Let's go home."

Author's note: I sincerely hope you've enjoyed this story. I want to thank my beta reverseclock for her fast reading! Come and find me on Tumblr: ijustwalkintomordor.