Remus watched Harry saunter slowly and carefully towards the wall between Platform’s Nine and Ten and could already feel his shoulders sag with a welcome relief as he disappeared onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
September had begun. The security that Hogwarts offered was second-to-none. While he would be taking up a post in Hogwarts once again, and would be able to personally keep an eye on Harry, it was still a relief to know that Dumbledore would be close by should the need arise. Lupin knew that the more eyes that were trained on Harry’s welfare the better.
He imagined Sirius’s reaction to what Harry had endured during the summer. Sirius would have kicked his butt for not preventing Harry from going through all of that and Remus knew it. He knew he wasn’t to blame for all that had happened but still wished he could undo it somehow.
He still felt proud every time he remembered the conversation he and Mrs Weasley had overheard between Harry and Ginny. Remus had been amazed at just how eloquent and honest Harry had been. He knew for a fact that when he had been Harry’s age he was by no means as mature as Harry seemed to be. Then again, he had not had to endure as much as Harry had in his fifteen years. Harry had been forced into maturity at such an early age by such tragic circumstances.
As much as he didn’t like to admit it, he had been forced to take several deep steadying breaths after witnessing that particular conversation. The lump in his throat had prevented him from doing anything more than silently comforting Mrs. Weasley as best he could. Mrs. Weasley wasn’t angry with Harry or Ginny. She was upset by the blatant proof that her little girl was growing up and was old enough to love a boy with all her heart. She finally had to admit that she couldn’t protect Ginny any longer. She would have to accept that Ginny was now well on her way to becoming a young woman.
Remus secretly wondered if even now, he were that eloquent. He still found himself wincing when he though back on his conversation and rejection of Nymphadora, and he wondered yet again had he handled the whole situation well? Had he made the right decision?
Ron and Hermione stood hand in hand after they had said goodbye to their parents. They could see the tension on Harry’s face as he watched for Ginny’s appearance through the barrier. They watched the play of emotions on his face turn from tension, to relief, to sadness before being masked deep within his green eyes as he watched Ginny’s progress through the crowd towards her mother and brothers.
He had deliberately separated himself from the Weasley’s in order to spare Ginny any unease. Instead he had wandered over to where Rupin stood alone. Together they watched Mr and Mrs. Weasley’s emotional and affectionate parting with their children in silence.
Mrs. Weasley didn’t comment on what she had witnessed between Ginny and Harry. The only sign that she knew was the way in which she hugged Ginny to her for longer than any others at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, the way she had unquestioningly brushed away Ginny’s tears and comforted her in the way that only a mother could.
Fred and George had accompanied them to the train station as well. They added a certain amount of chaos, amusement and general noise that was necessary to relieve the tense atmosphere generated by the separation of parents and children at a time of war.
Lupin watched for Tonk’s appearance. She would be accompanying them on the Hogwart’s express. He tried to look disinterested when she did appear, but on catching Harry’s eye, he knew that he had failed. Harry smiled, sighed and shook his head at the older man. It was pointless arguing the point. Remus would need to realise in this own time that you can’t push away love. Even if Remus didn’t know it, Harry did and so he didn’t despair for Remus and Tonks, if it were meant to be, the stubborn ways of a certain werewolf weren’t going to stand in its way.
Mrs Weasley had waited for Ginny to climb on board the Hogwarts Express before turning to Harry. She could see the confusion in his eyes as he struggled to think of a way to explain everything to this woman what he had done and why he had done it. She could see the pain in his eyes of having hurt Ginny and himself by finishing their budding relationship.
Without a word she pulled the boy into her arms and hugged him tightly. As she released him from her embrace, she whispered, “I know you wouldn’t hurt her intentionally Harry, so stop worrying. You did what you needed to do.” She didn’t need an answer from Harry. The look of relief on his face that she understood was worth a thousand words.
Slowly Harry turned and climbed the steps of the train after Ron and Hermione. He turned to watch Mrs Weasley, sandwiched between Fred and George wave them away from the Platform.
The train chugged and smoked and whistled it way out of the station and onwards to yet another year of magic and memories. Harry kept looking out the window and back towards where the platform was, even though it was no longer visible and the view had turned into a wide expanse of open countryside and trees. He allowed the tears, which had been threatening to overcome him to dry in his throat. Bit by bit he locked away his memories and feelings for Ginny. He knew they would be kept safe in his mind and in his heart. Safely locked away until the war ended and he would be safe to love again. Once the key had been securely hidden in his soul, Harry turned and walked into the nearest carriage to join his friends.