Just Wait and See

Chapter 1: King's Cross Goodbye

It was a crisp day – one that signified the cooling of summer and the fresh commencement of another school year. While King's Cross was abnormally busy rail station on the average Friday, this particular Friday roused a substantial amount of anxiety and terseness out of its everyday Londoners. While no adult on the way to work would outwardly say it, as to not attract unnecessary question of their sanity, the addition of hundreds of unusually packed trolleys nestled with owls, cats, cauldrons, and colorful baggage pushed by eager teenagers and nervous children who looked no more than 11 was more than a little unsettling, not to mention a hindrance as travel space became even more scarce; however, as the clock approached 11:00, much to the surprise of the slightly disgruntled commuters, this traffic jam of bags, oddly dressed 'grown-ups', and mewling cats, hooting owls, and croaking toads began to thin.

Unbeknownst the Londoners, these flamboyantly appareled people were actually witches and wizards, all swelling with joy knowing they were sending their children or grandchildren to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Among the more unusually dressed wizards was a couple wearing kind faces of pride with mildly teary-eyes. Molly and Arthur Weasley couldn't be happier. They had survived two wizarding wars and suffered the loss of a son and more friends than one could count; but here they were, sending off nine of their grandchildren to the school they had attended over 50 years ago. It had taken a long time to nurse their emotional scars, but after years of joyous weddings, births, and family closeness, the Weasley family was content.

This year was the first year when no Weasley child was new to the Hogwarts Express. The twins, Molly and Lucy Weasley had nervously bid their father and mother, Percy and Audrey, farewell with a mixture of trepidation and glee.

"About time," said Ron, with an air of relief. "I'm sick of seeing so many teary goodbyes. Percy was behaving a right git last year with his talk of 'now don't do this, Molly, or you'll be docked so many points it'll make your head spin.' Merlin, you'd think he's lighten up after a few decades. The twins must've been wound so tight they could hardly —"

"Ronald!" interjected Hermione. "Just give it a rest. We get it, Percy likes order."

Ron, Harry, Ginny and Hermione stood about 8 metres from the shining scarlet train, comfortably standing in an archway as to distance themselves from any parents that might be overly eager to ask for an autograph or disturb their annual goodbyes. Still snickering at Ron's blatant annoyance with his humorously stringent brother, Harry looked towards his children, interested in watching them interact with their peers when they thought no parents were taking note.

James was chatting idly with Louis Weasley furthest away. James and Harry looked uncannily alike. Both roughly 5'11, athletically built with jet black hair, similar face structure and poor posture. Dissimilarly, James had no glasses, Ginny's eyes, had the air of someone who had been well taken care of (like his paternal grandfather) and showed no signs of teenage hardship as extreme as war, loss, or torment. Harry smirked at his James's confidence, knowing that his 17 year old son an extraordinarily talented chaser, who had surprisingly great Arithmancy grades and quite a good way with the witches. He wished that he could have been so effortlessly suave and collected when approaching his female peers while still a Hogwarts student, having had no grace with Cho and was successful with Ginny only because of the longevity of their friendship prior to dating.

Currently, James and his Ravenclaw cousin were discussing their final year. In 10 short months they would be relinquished to the real world and they had yet to even think about possible futures. Both popular, tall, cocky, intelligent 17 year old Quidditch captains had only one thing certain: they would make sure that they would be having fun – be it with girls, alcohol, or in the air.

Turning his attention to his youngest child, Harry was surprised to see Lily Luna dragging Ron and Hernione's Hugo over to a pack of rising 4th year girls. Lily was a firecracker. Receiving both her parents' tempers made for hilarious family get-togethers. White fiery red hair like Ginny and trademark Weasley freckles, Lily was the most 'Weasley-esque' member of the Potter family; while her anger could flair to unsurpassable heights, she was also the most voraciously sociable and outwardly generous of the 12 first cousins. Hugo, he had gathered from his best friends, had a crush on one of Lily's crew, so his lack of protest didn't seem all that shocking.

As Harry searched for his third child he saw James's close friends, Padric and Miles, approach the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw duo. Quite a pack, Harry thought to himself.

Scanning over the thinning crowd as tearful goodbyes and words of comfort were placed upon new first years, Harry saw Draco Malfoy and his wife, Astoria, give uncharacteristically sincere hugs to their son, Scorpius. Draco and Harry, along with Ron worked in the Auror office. With the Death Eater Trials of 1998, as they now called them, Draco and his mother were cleared of all charges with Harry's testimonies. Lucius Malfoy was sentenced 5 years to Azkaban for active participation in both wars, but was given a shorter term than most for his lessened role in the months before the final battle.

While Ron and Draco's relationship was still mildly icy and showed little promise for a truly amicable future, Harry and his Slytherin ex-rival developed a strong sense of respect and formal acquaintanceship. Though they did not actively see one another out of office, they spent the occasional lunch together in Diagon Alley during break and often shared jokes at the coffee station in the morning. Draco proved to be a highly desirable Auror as his childhood was spent in a dark household which often provides natural insight into the workings of shady wizards.

As Scorpius, who Harry noted grew about five inches over the summer, bid his farewells and approached his crew of respectable-looking Slytherins, the once Boy-Hero spotted Hermione and Ron's older child, Rose talking animatedly with his son. Rose had inherited her mother's unquenchable thirst for information and relaying that information to any and everyone who would listen and as such, was doing much of the talking. While one might mistaken Rose's apt for learning as being a 'know-it-all', Albus loved her studious personality and saw that her intellect spanned far beyond that of books and facts – she was unbelievably observant socially, which proved useful for both of them in the horrible game called 'the teenage years.'

Harry beamed at the sight of his son. The only of his children to inherit Harry's mother's eyes, Albus was the also only one to have been given her supposed universal appeal and genuine disposition. He had bright viridian eyes, dark mahogany hair and sun-kissed skin with a few freckles decorating his cheeks. The 16 year old boy was short. About half a foot shorter than his older brother, Albus's vertical limitations were his biggest insecurity. That used to be his second biggest source of anxiety, but after coming out in 4th year to his father, being called 'shorty' or 'little Potter' became his greatest sources of embarrassment. Charlie Weasley had been out for years, but coming out at 35 as a post-war hero and working as an aggressive dragon trainer and breeder received far less backlash than that of a young teen.

The look on his son's terrified face as he stuttered to get out his confession tore at Harry's heart. Never had he seen one of his children so nervous in his life.

flashback

"Dad?" ask Albus shakily, "can I, uh… talk to you about something?" He looked petrified. Eyes darting around the room seeking for privacy and a lip so chewed Harry thought it might fall off.

"Of course, Al!" exclaimed Harry. He scooped up his petit son with ease and flung him over his shoulder, earning a sharp squeak of shock and a 'put me down, Dad, you're crazy!' He had always thought Al would make an unbelievable seeker, with his smaller, agile frame and piercing determination when he applied his attention to a task. But alas, the youngest male Potter was never drawn to the sport like his older brother and found his focus occupied by Charms, Transfigurations and socializing with his cousin, Rose and some close friends.

"What's been up in your head, son? You seem a bit preoccupied," asked Harry, a look of concern growing when his son only looked more anxious. "Are you not enjoying the party? Your mother and aunts Hermione and Angelina put a lot of effort into it and would hate for you to not be joining in the festivities. Plus if you give him a half hour, Uncle Ron'll be plastered off Firewhiskey!"

"No, no no, Dad the party's great!" exclaimed Albus with relative force. "I just…"

"Alright son, let's go upstairs." He led Albus up the stairs of the newly renovated Burrow – that currently tripled in size, due to all of the grandchildren being teenagers – and into Albus and James's bedroom. He wanted his son to be in a space he felt comfortable talking in. "Okay, shoot"

"Well.." Albus began, "you know how you told us to come to you with problems and stuff?"

"I think I remember saying something like that on a weekly basis," said Harry with a knowing look and a bit of a playful smirk. His son didn't look any the more reassured. Harry got down on one knee so that he had to look up slightly at Albus sitting on his bed.

"Well… well… well you see," he stammered. It looked as if he was about to cry. Harry blanched, but recomposed quickly.

"Whoa, whoa, son! No need to get nervous, you can tell me anything! You know that!"

"I know, Dad. I just… it's just….I'm sorry! You must think I'm so dumb! It's really nothing! I should just get back to the par—"

"Nonsense, there's something on your mind and I think you need to get it off your chest. Are you okay? You're not hurt or anything, right?" interrupted Harry. He had never seen his usually spunky and joyful albeit somewhat shy son so dejected seeming.

"Dad! Of course not! I'm fine," he tried to plead. Suddenly, Harry's son's face was glistening. Tears were pouring down his face as he leapt at his father's chest, throwing his arms around his neck and sobbing into his shoulder.

"I..I..." he sniffed. "Ithinkimgay"

"I'm sorry, son, I didn't quite hear that," said Harry, as he rubbed his weathered hand in a circular motion on his son's slender back.

"I said, I..I think, well more like know, I'm gay, Dad" he practically whispered.

Harry had of course suspected that his son was not particularly into girls for the past year or so. James had been quite rambunctious when he first passed through puberty – going on and on about which members of the Holyhead Harpies were hot, much to Ginny's dismay – as some were past teammates. Even Harry himself had started noticing the opposite sex around 13 and Albus just oozed sexual uncertainty. He never participated in discussions of witches with James, Louis, Teddy, or Fred, and he recoiled slightly when Ron would pat him on the back upon his return on the Hogwarts Express for summer holiday and bluntly announce "got yourself a lady-friend yet, Al?"

He had not suspected his son to reveal something so personal so quickly, and certainly not during the annual Potter/Weasley New Year's Eve party.

Suddenly he was aware of the wet pressure on his right shoulder to be lessening.

"I'm..a..I'm… sorry, Dad," said Albus through broken sniffles. "I didn't mean to disappoint you so much."

"What? No, no, no, son!" he all but shouted after seeing his defeated-looking son's scrunch up into to more pain-filled tears. He had not realized he had not answered his son's confession for several minutes. "You could never disappoint me! I am so very grateful that you felt you could trust me enough to tell me this! You have no idea how proud I am of you!"

Albus looked stunned.

"R-re-really?" was Albus's shocked, timid response. "You-you're not mad?"

"Of course not, son! Jeeze, Uncle Charlie's gay in't'he? And how could you think I would be mad at something that is a part of you?" Harry inwardly felt triumphant at his son's look of overwhelming relief and happiness at the thought he had not let down his father.

"Thanks, Dad! I was so nervous you'd be angry. Wait, Uncle Charlie's gay! I completely forgot!" said Albus, with even more confidence. His voice then got quite small one more. "Do you… do you think you could maybe not tell anyone about this, yet, Dad? I just.. I donno…I just don't think I'm ready for everyone to know yet. 'specially not James."

A warm chuckle greeted his unsure tone. "Of course, Al. You've got nothing to worry about. But promise me you'll open up to the family soon. You know how much everyone cares for you and wants to see you happy and open. And I'm sure James won't give you any flack….okay maybe a little but I'll set him right if he upsets you too much."

"Thanks, Dad," said Albus, still a bit watery. And with that he gave his father another tight embrace, trying to put as much gratitude into it as possible, as to convey the praise and thanks he was unable to say.

present

He had never been prouder of one of his children than they day his son trusted him with his greatest secret. Harry was a firm believer in openness and trust with his family. Whatever the issue, be it a tease at school (although no one would dare tease a Potter child) or anxiety over the next Quidditch match, Harry asked his children to come with him with personal concerns. The more honest they were, the tighter they would be by addressing fears before they consumed them – or as Harry thought. This led to outlandishly open table discussions, usually resulting in Lily throwing a fork at her perverted older brother James's escapades.

Soon after that New Year's Eve revelation from Albus, he opened up to the whole Weasley clan and to his peers at school. While Albus would never deny his sexuality if someone asked or accused him, he was still, a year and a half later, rather shy and wasn't extremely open to the Hogwarts student body as a whole.

Simultaneously, both Albus and Rose's conversation along with that of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's were interrupted by the 5-minute-till-departure whistle. Harry's focus was immediately pulled back to his wife and friends.

"Alrighty then, let's wrap this up," said Ron with half-seriousness. Hermione's rolled her eyes. "I saw that, babe."

"I meant you to…" she jabbed.

Rose and Hugo rushed to say their goodbyes to their parents just as Lily, James, and Albus did theirs. Louis practically glided over to his mother and father with refined and graceful masculinity. Oddly enough, the veela genes of Fleur still overpowered the Weasley genes and all of Bill and Fleurs children had perfectly silvery-blonde hair like their mother. Between the three of them, Harry guessed, there might have been only five freckles and not a red hair in sight.

After being kissed on each of their foreheads by their father, the Potter children rushed back to their trunks and quickly boarded the train. As James walked back to his friends, Harry caught many admiring looks from several of the older looking students. A bit of his Gryffindor lion purred knowing that one of his children was so revered by his peers.

"Well good to know our son will be having the whole female population hanging off his shoulder again," Ginny said will snickering. "I wonder where he got all of his good looks…"

"Certainly not from you, Gin," Harry playfully poked. At her joking scowl he rephrased. "Of course he got if from you, my darling.." knowing his wife hated it when he called her such a term of endearment.

"Well, Harry, maybe you should be worrying more about your other son," said Hermione. She smirked. "He's got some admirers too, now that he's grown out of his awkward phase."

With that, Harry spotted his younger son. As Albus returned to Rose and a few friends, Harry looked at some of the other students. He paled. A few of the older boys were glancing at his son in a less than platonic way. Over the summer, Albus had definitely lost most of his awkward baby fat. He had discovered a love of running and went for long ventures by the small river that cut through Godric's Hollow. As a result, he looked rather toned and slight. It looked as though many of the boys wanted to capitalize on Albus's petit frame.

If Harry could find one flaw with Albus it would be that he was grossly naïve and innocent when it came to things like romance. And he had no idea that several of the other guys were looking at him like a piece of juicy stake just waiting to be served. This would not do.

"They're looking at Al like he's some sort of Honeydukes chocolate!" exclaimed Harry with surprising force.

"And a mighty tasty piece he would be," joked Ron. Harry looked outraged. "Oh come off it, Harry! He'll be fine. He's 16 and should get to experience that age properly! If you're so concerned, just right him a letter – or better yet, James a letter and tell him to keep an eye or something."

With the platform void of students and hundreds of hands waiving out the windows of the ruby-red train, Harry plastered a 'happy' face for his children as they motioned their final goodbyes for the next few months.

As the train rounded the corner and out of sight, Harry took his wife's arm and walked out with the remaining Weasleys, a small look of worry on his visage.