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"Come on!" Alastor Snape called, and Hermione crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at him, though the seventeen-year-old paid her absolutely no mind.

"Are you in a rush?" Hermione teased, repressing a smirk because she knew there was a very good reason why her son wanted to get on the train. He and Teddy Tonks-Lupin were both hoping to court the same young witch, a Hufflepuff in their year. Who, as fate would have it, just happened to be the Muggle-born daughter of Sirius' Muggle partner. Maeve was a lovely girl. It probably didn't help that they'd both noticed she was a girl around the same time, despite them having known her nearly all their lives.

Alastor straightened his tie, looking sideways at his mother as he lifted his chin. "Of course I'm not," he said, almost convincingly.

She nodded slowly, before craning her neck to look up at him. "Who were all those witches simpering after you?"

There had been a gaggle when they'd first arrived on the platform, all blushing and batting eyelashes with a "Hi Al." They'd then proceeded to squeal and go into a minor fit when he gave them a wave.

He sneered. "Dunderheads, the lot of them. Not a full brain among them."

Hermione had to admit that, while baring the same demeanor as his father, Alastor could get away with it simply because of his looks. He was, like his elder sister, the best parts of her and Severus. His hair was black, kept short, and slicked in such a way that made the greasy sheen to look like part of the style. He had his father's nose, but it wasn't as dominant as it was on Severus, balancing out his strong lean face. His eyes were amber and honey. And he was tall, so much taller than even Leo had been at seventeen and built just slightly wider. That, she figured, was due to being a Beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team, like his sister and brother-in-law.

"So, not in your N.E.W.T. class, then?" she mused.

He snorted. "Like Professor Snape would ever let those idiots near a cauldron."

"Yes, well, your brother has a reputation to uphold."

"One he stole from father."

"No, but no one needs to know that. Just plays into the vampire myth."

Alastor snorted, and a smile nearly broke out just then.

It was at that moment that a large crowd came through the barrier, and the reason for his smile was clear.

Lilia Snape was holding on to her big sister's hand, yammering excitedly, pointedly ignoring her nephew as he tried to get her attention. Despite being weeks apart, Lilia acted as though she were years older than William and had from the very moment it was understood that she was his aunt.

Will, on the other hand, was quite adamant that she was no better than he and deserved none of the respect he afforded all of his many uncles and aunts.

"Sorry," Severus said as they all met up. "Lil was adamant."

"I do hope you aren't going to do that at school," Alastor said to his little sister. "If you hold Leo's hand like that, you're bound to get detention."

"Leo wouldn't let me to start with," Lilia countered, little chin pointed high.

She was Hermione in miniature, except for her pin-straight hair. She wasn't quite as much of a know-it-all set to prove she fit in, but she sometimes acted as pretentious as Draco had when he was a child, believing that her family status meant something. It was something that Hermione and Severus had tried to deter, but they hadn't had much luck. They each blamed each other for it.

"Lil," they both warned in unison, making their daughter blush and bow her head.

"Hi Uncle Al," William said, giving a wave.

"Will," Alastor greeted, crouching down. "And what sort of contraband are you going to try to sneak in?"

William blushed. "None. Dad wouldn't let me."

"Darn right, I wouldn't," Fred said, making his way over with Gideon on his shoulders, leaning only a slight bit on his cane.

The boys, both of them, had auburn hair instead of having the famous, easily-spotted Weasley hair, and both had their parents' brown eyes. William, though, had more Snape features than Weasley, which was the opposite of Gideon.

"Only because I warned you not to even think about it," Rory reminded him, lifting her arms for their younger son to come down from his father's shoulders to give him a rest.

"Well, you wouldn't be wrong, would you? Just remember that when Fred and Roxanne start, they aren't going to be going empty-handed."

"And George will get all those lovely Howlers from Aunt Min when he does," Rory countered.

"Right, yes, that was the other reason we aren't sending things in." He nodded, then looked down at Will. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"You have everything?" Aurora checked.

"Yes, Mum," Will groaned.

"Good," Aurora said, kissing him on the head and ruffling his hair. "Now, go on. Might as well head off. We'll still be here until the train goes."

"Well, if he's going, I'm going," Lilia said, turning to her parents. "Love you."

"Have a good time, sweet pea," Hermione said, bending down to hug her, kissing her cheek. As Severus did the same, she turned to Alastor, who promptly put his hand up, face stern.

"Don't even think about it," he ordered.

"Love you," she said anyway, and he rolled his eyes.

"Love you both," he said just loud enough for them to hear, then quietly followed behind his younger sister and his nephew, a silent guard ensuring that they got on the train safely.

They turned as another large crowd came through the gate, and Maeve rushed by in a blur, dashing for the train. Sirius shook his head, his partner Alan merely sighing, this rush to the train already a common occurrence for them.

The blond and black-haired wizards that came through with them, however, seemed much more harried.

"You have all your books?" Harry asked the little blond wizard.

"Yes, Dad," James replied.

"And your cauldron?"

James glared at Draco. "Why aren't you asking Sev if he has everything?"

Severus cringed, never enjoying the reminder that Draco had named one of his sons after him, and it just had to be the one that looked like Potter.

"Because Severus didn't wait to pack until this morning. Now, do you have everything or not?"

"If I don't, you'll just send it to me anyway," James retorted.

Hermione sucked in her lips and pressed her face to her husband's shoulder, barely stopping from laughing.

"James," Harry sighed.

"We're going to be late!" little Severus protested, picking up his trunk.

"Yes, you are. We love you," Harry said, and there was the quick shouting of returned affection before both boys took off.

Harry and Draco came to join them. "You watch," Draco said to Aurora as he came up beside her. "Next year, that'll be Will."

"Nope," she said adamantly. "That's your family entirely. I don't think one spec of Luna ended up in James at all."

"Sev most definitely didn't end up like his namesake," Harry taunted, glancing at Severus.

"Watch it, Potter," he warned, and Harry snickered.

Hermione turned to the train, the whistle signaling departure cutting through the noise of the crowd. She glanced around, spotting Theo Nott a ways down with his daughter. Third year, Hermione thought. He didn't keep in touch that often, but she couldn't blame him. Severus, much as he was an aid, was also a reminder of a dark time for him. A bit past him, Nymphadora and Remus were helping little Kingsley with his trunk.

"Have you heard from Gin?" Harry asked, and Hermione half listened as she looked at the crowd, taking in the moment.

"She and Luna are somewhere in South America," she heard Aurora say. "And did you hear?"

"About Ron and Astoria? Yeah, though now Molly will start harping on Ginny to settle down and give her grandkids," Harry retorted.

"Mum's already got seven grandchildren, plus your little ones. Does she really need a full dozen to be happy?" Fred asked.

"'Course she does," Aurora said. "And just think, if we told her our news before Ron and Astoria said anything."

"Yes, let's keep the attention on them for a bit," Fred agreed, and Hermione smirked as Aurora laughed, having been let in on that secret a couple weeks ago.

"Don't know why you would want more than two," Draco said. "Sometimes I think my parents had it right with one."

"Just the other day you were trying to convince me that we should look into another surrogate," Harry countered.

"That was before James reminded me that he and Severus are very nearly teenagers, and frankly, I don't think I want to go through it again."

"We did," Severus reminded him.

"And look what happened. Grandchild was born two weeks after your youngest," Draco retorted, but no response came.

The whistle blew, signaling that the train would be departing soon, sending the next generation off to Hogwarts for another peaceful, boring, uneventful school year.

She hoped.