I don't own anything in the Harry Potter Universe!
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A light breeze passed over King’s Cross Station as an eleven-year-old boy, pushing a battered secondhand trunk, made his way towards the entrance. He was short for his age, skinny, with blond hair and a square jaw. However, none of these traits were what people noticed about this young man. It was his eyes that drew attention. They were brilliantly green, and carried in them a look of intelligence and compassion as clearly as if the words were written there.
He looked at his ticket again. September first, 2020, platform nine and three-quarters.
Little Vincent Dursley walked through the entrance to the station. Vincent was the oldest son of Dudley Dursley, who worked for his father selling drills. His mother, Millicent, had shocked her nonmagical husband on their wedding night by declaring herself to be a witch. Vincent was named for one of her old school chums that he had never met and knew nothing about.
After scanning the platform numbers, Vincent found the barrier between nine and ten. He had been told by his mother how to get onto the platform, so, pushing his trunk ahead of him, and clutching his ticket in his hand, he ran to the barrier. To his relief, he passed right through it, coming out beside a massive red steam engine.
A pang of sadness passed over him as he watched the happy families saying their goodbyes. He had never known why his mother seemed to merely tolerate him, and his father was almost afraid to touch him. He had never felt completely at home with his family. His younger brother, who was eight, had shown signs of magic too, but was always in trouble at school and seemed to enjoy bullying everyone he saw, and yet his parents seemed to love him so much. In fact, they had dropped Vincent off at the station on the way to take Dudley Jr to an amusement park that morning.
He sighed and began walking to the train. He noticed two identical red-haired men waving at a girl as she got on the train. They looked at him, smiled and then turned to go. Vincent followed the girl onto the train. She didn’t seem any older than he was.
He walked towards the back of the train, noticing for the first time that many of the students had animals with them, owls and cats mostly. He found an empty compartment towards the end of the train, put his trunk on the rack and sat down. He was feeling very lonely.
Just outside the window, he thought, just for a second, that someone was pointing at him. He turned, but saw only an older man talking quietly with a lady, with spiky pink hair, who seemed a good deal younger than he. They were holding hands. He wondered what his Granny Petunia would say to that hair. This thought made him smile briefly, but he again began wondering why he was so disliked in own family.
The train started to move and the door slid open; the girl he had followed into the train had opened it. She was taller than Vincent and had dirty blonde hair. “May I sit here? My cousins don’t want me with them,” she said, a frown forming on her face.
Vincent smiled warmly at her. “Oh, yes.”
She sat down across from him. “I’m Molly, by the way. Molly Weasley.”
“Vincent,” he said, blushing slightly, “Vincent Dursley. This is my first year at Hogwarts.”
“Mine too. I have several cousins there and I just couldn’t wait to come!” Molly exclaimed. “What about you, do you have any family at Hogwarts?”
“I don’t think so. My mum mentioned something about a second cousin once, but she didn’t ever mention it again.” Vincent had learned early on in life, not to ask questions. “Was that your dad with you at the station?”
“Well, one of them was. My dad and uncle are twins. My mum couldn’t be here, so Uncle Fred said he would come along and make sure dad didn’t get lost.”
Vincent, although he had a witch for a mother, had never known much about the magical world, and he had many questions. “So, what does your dad do?”
“Oh, he and Uncle Fred own a joke company: Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes International,” she said. Vincent did not get the impression she was bragging, but simply explaining the truth. “They own joke shops in London, Paris, Hogsmeade, and even in New York City.”
“Wow, you must be loaded!” Vincent exclaimed before he could stop himself.
Molly blushed slightly. “Well, I think we have a lot of money but dad doesn’t let us use much of it. It’s always going into our savings. ‘Have to think about the future,’ dad is always saying.”
“Still, it must be nice”you know, not having to worry about money and stuff,” Vincent responded.
Just as Molly was about to reply, the most beautiful girl Vincent had ever seen entered the compartment. She had flowing blonde hair that almost shimmered as she came in. She wore a red and gold “P” on her chest. “Molly, don’t let William get to you. Come back and sit with us,” the blonde said kindly, sitting beside Molly.
Molly scowled at her. “He doesn’t want his stupid cousin sitting in his compartment. He said so, so I am going to just stay here, thank you. Besides, Vincent and I are having a lovely conversation, so tell your brother he can just go and sit on a tack.”
Vincent was a little startled, in part by being brought into the conversation, but also because the beautiful girl had smiled at him. “Vincent, is it?”
He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Molly giggled. The older girl got up to leave, smiling pleasantly. “At least take some of these. William sent them as a peace offering.”
“Humph,” was Molly’s only response.
“Well, nice to meet you, Vincent. If you need anything, let me know.” She turned and left the compartment. Vincent suddenly had an urge to follow her, although he didn’t know why.
“Here, take one,” Molly stated, handing him a box.
Vincent seemed to come out of a daze as he took the box and opened it. A small Chocolate Frog wiggled around in the box. “Eww, what is it?”
“It’s a Chocolate Frog, silly. You’ve never had one?”
“No, is it a real frog?” muttered Vincent, looking warily at it.
Molly suppressed a giggle. “Of course not; you eat it.” With that, she popped one into her mouth, smiling as she chewed. She swallowed the frog and pulled out the card. “So you don’t know about the cards?” She held up the card in front of her.
Vincent watched as a man with bright blue eyes and a long flowing beard winked at him from behind half-moon spectacles. “No, what are they supposed to be?” He was not surprised by the moving picture, as he had seen some of his mother’s do that on occasion.
“Well, you collect them, of course,” Molly replied, tossing him the card. “That one is Albus Dumbledore. He was Headmaster at Hogwarts back when my dad and all my aunts and uncles went there. One of my uncles actually saw him die.”
Vincent was adequately impressed with this information and he looked at the card. He then grabbed the card from the box his frog had jumped out of. The frog now lay on the seat beside him. “This is Herm… Hermy…Hermio…”
“Oh, you got Aunt Hermione!” Molly squealed with excitement. “I heard they were putting her on one; read the back.”
Vincent looked at the witch smiling warmly back at him. She had bushy brown hair, with the lightest touches of grey. He turned the card over in his hands.
Hermione Weasley
Currently Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration Professor of Hogwarts
Considered by many to be the brightest witch of her age, Hermione Weasley is particularly famous for her efforts in helping to defeat the Dark Wizard Voldemort, for which she received the Order of Merlin, Second Class. She was also pivotal in passing legislation extending new rights, pay and vacation time for house elves (if they request it), broader rights for werewolves, and for being the youngest full-time Hogwarts professor in history. She is also the head of the Wizengamot, and has four children.
“Wow, she’s your aunt?” Vincent said in a slightly awed voice.
Molly beamed at him as she opened another box. Vincent craned his neck, trying to see who was on the card. Molly noticed and held it up for him to see. A man with a round face, kind eyes and black hair smiled back at him. Molly turned the card and began to read.
Neville Longbottom
Currently senior research fellow at the French Institute of Herbology
A world renowned Herbologist, Neville Longbottom is well-known for his successful crossbreeding of Mandrakes with Screechsnap plant. The “Moon Mandrake” (Luna Mandragora) is a powerful restorative plant that, when browed properly, can reverse the effects of spell damage on the mind. It was used to restore celebrated author Gilderoy Lockhart to full health. He received the Order of Merlin, Second Class for his efforts in the defeat of the Dark Wizard Voldemort.
“My dad told me about him. He went to school with dad, a couple years behind him. It was sad about the plant; he worked on it for his parents, but they both died before he was successful. I heard he is thinking about coming and teaching at Hogwarts.”
Vincent sat up, reaching for another box. “Speaking of Hogwarts, is it true that there is a swamp that covers the second floor?”
Molly giggled. “No, where did you hear that?”
Vincent turned pink. “Oh, I heard someone mentioning it before I got on the train.” He began to open another box.
“My dad told me,” Molly responded as she swallowed another frog, “that there is a small patch of swamp under a window, and that a couple of brilliant students put it there during their school days. They didn’t say who.”
Vincent popped another frog into his mouth and drew out the card underneath. A red-haired wizard smiled and waved back at him. He was standing further back on the card than either of the first two, and Vincent could tell that he was tall, with a broad chest. He could also see a world of freckles on the wizard’s face. He flipped the card over and began to read.
Ronald Weasley
Currently head of the Auror office
Mostly known as the Keeper for England’s two Quidditch World Cup victories in 2002 and 2006, being named the Most Outstanding Player during the 2006 tournament. Ronald Weasley also received the Order of Merlin, Second Class for his efforts in the defeat of the Dark Wizard Voldemort. He was promoted to Head of the Auror office after his successful capture of notorious mass murderer Vincent Crabbe in 2012. He has also won Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award six years in a row from 2004 to 2010.
“He’s my uncle,” Molly stated simply.
Vincent goggled at her. “How many famous aunts and uncles do you have?”
“A fair few,” answered a boy with curly red hair, and rather large front teeth. He looked a couple of years older than Vincent. “Afternoon, Molly, I see you got my dad’s card. Who’s your friend?”
“Hi, James,” Molly answered with a wide smile. “This is Vincent. It’s his first year at Hogwarts too.”
James reached out and grasped Vincent’s hand. “Welcome to Hogwarts, Vincent. My mum teaches Transfiguration, so you’d better work hard.”
“That must be nice for you; does she give you an easier time?” Vincent asked, pulling another Chocolate Frog from the box.”
James nearly fell over laughing, and Vincent wasn’t sure what he had said. James pulled himself up and spoke. “Are you kidding? She is the worst with me. I mean, she’s tough on everyone, but I never get a rest. She’s head of my house too”Gryffindor. Best house in the school.” The pride James had in his house was evident.
Molly pulled out another card as James sat down. She looked quizzically at the picture on the front; it was of a very young witch with dirty blonde hair, protuberant eyes, and radish earrings. No older than her blond cousin, actually. “Why is she on a card? She looks so young.”
Vincent looked at the card. “I don’t know, what’s the back say?”
Molly flipped the card and began to read:
Luna Lovegood
Currently Deceased
Molly looked up. “That’s so sad.”
“Keep reading,” muttered Vincent.
One of the youngest witches ever to receive an Order of Merlin, Second Class, for her efforts in the defeat of the Dark Wizard Voldemort, she was killed during the final confrontation with him in the Death Chamber of the Department of Mysteries. She received the award posthumously. She was sixteen at the time of her death.
“I think I’ve heard of her. Mum and dad have talked about her,” James commented. “I think she was in Aunt Ginny’s class. Speaking of which,” he pulled out a card with a beautiful brown-eyed woman smiling serenely out at him, on it. “Look, it’s Auntie Ginny’s card.”
Vincent gaped, but Molly began looking suspicious. “Did William send these so that we could see all these cards?”
James looked only slightly abashed. “Well, he felt bad, so he thought it might be nice for you to see this batch of cards. Grandma and Granddad gave them to him last night at dinner. We got a whole set.”
Molly grinned. “So what does it say about Aunt Ginny?”
James looked at the back of the card.
Ginevra Potter
“Oh, they used her full first name, she’ll hate that,” Molly said, frowning slightly. Vincent shushed her.
Currently chief Potions Master and Researcher of St. Mungo’s
Mostly known for the development of the Aconite Werewolf Suppression Draught, a potion that, when taken monthly, disrupts the transformation process for werewolves, allowing them to lead normal lives. Received the Order of Merlin, Second Class for her efforts in defeating the Dark Wizard Voldemort. She is the mother of two.
Vincent was awestruck that the little blonde girl who had asked to sit with him was related to all these famous wizards and witches. His face must have given away his feelings.
“Oh, don’t make too much of all this, Vincent. That Voldemort stuff was ages ago. Mum and dad don’t even talk about it. Well, you two had better get your robes on, I suspect we’ll be there soon.” James stood up and left the cabin.
Vincent began to get up, but Molly grabbed his wrist. “Hold on, there are still a couple left. We won’t be there for a while yet, I think. Here.” She handed him a box.
Vincent opened it quickly, feeling a bit of time pressure. He gobbled down the squirming frog and pulled out the card. He almost choked as he saw his eyes staring back at him from the card. They were the same shape, size and brilliant green colour. The face belonged to a middle-aged wizard with very untidy hair flecked by specks of grey, wearing round wire glasses, and with a lighting bolt scar on his forehead.
“Blimey,” Vincent whispered. Molly looked up. “Who’s this bloke?”
Molly looked at the picture and smiled. “Oh, that’s Uncle Harry, he’s …” she looked shocked from the picture to Vincent and back again. “You’re Vincent Dursley.”
“Well, yes,” Vincent responded, surprised, since he had been sitting with her all afternoon, that she had just realized he was who he had said he was. He flipped the card over and began to read aloud:
Harry Potter
Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts
Widely considered the greatest wizard of the age, Harry Potter is most well-known for his defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort in 1998, for which he received the Order of Merlin, First Class. Amongst his many accomplishments are his victories as Seeker, in the 2002 and 2006 Quidditch World Cups, being named Most Outstanding Player in 2002, his work alongside Ron Weasley in the capture of notorious mass murderer Vincent Crabbe and his victory in the Tri-Wizard Tournament in 1995. He spent several years as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and, upon the retirement of Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, has been named Headmaster of Hogwarts”the youngest in the history of the school.
Vincent turned the card back over. The wizard still stared kindly at him, although he seemed just a little embarrassed to be there. Looking up, Vincent saw Molly gazing intently at him. “What?”
“You’re related to some pretty famous wizards too,” Molly explained.
“No I’m not, it’s just mum.”
“Vincent, your dad and Uncle Harry are first cousins. Didn’t your mum and dad ever tell you?” Molly inquired, exasperation spreading across her face.
“Well, no, not really.” Vincent was at a loss. He had never known about his extended family. “That means I’m sort of related to all those others that you’re related to and”I’m sort of related to you.” His eyes widened. This was the first time in his life that he thought he may have family who liked him.
Molly smiled. “Yeah, I suppose you are.” She began to giggle as she pulled out one last card. “Look at this. I’ve never seen a card like this one before.” She held the card up for Vincent to see, but instead of having one person on it, there were six people standing at the top of a staircase. They all looked to be in their teens. They smiled at each other and then at Vincent. The tallest, a boy with red hair, waved jovially.
“What’s on the back?” Vincent asked breathlessly.
Molly turned the card and read:
The Ministry Six
Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood.
This is the only known picture of the famous Ministry Six together. It was taken just hours before their confrontation with the Dark Wizard Voldemort.
Vincent stared at the picture, transfixed for some reason. The thought that these teenagers had had to face a dark wizard, that they had defeated someone dangerous enough to have earned them some big award was quite surprising, and a little unnerving.
The train lurched. Vincent pocketed the card and he and Molly sprang up quickly to pull down their robes. When the train finally stopped, they grabbed their trunks, Vincent helping Molly with hers, and joined the queue of students working their way off the train.
Once outside, they heard a loud booming voice shouting, “First years! This way, please. All first years.”
Molly grabbed Vincent by the hand and dragged him and his trunk towards the voice. Finally, they saw, along with gaggle of scared looking first years, yet another red-haired man.
“Uncle Charlie!” shouted Molly, pulling Vincent along behind her.
Charlie was holding a lantern and turned quickly. “Mollywobbles,” he said with a broad grin. He reached down and gave her a hug.
“Don’t call me that,” Molly said, looking scandalized. “I’m too old for that.”
Charlie smiled even more broadly. Then he caught sight of Molly holding Vincent’s hand and raised his eyebrows. “Something we should know about, Molly?”
Molly and Vincent looked at each other, then at their hands, blushed and took a giant step away from each other. Charlie grinned all the more and began surveying the group of first years.
Molly, still scarlet, grabbed his arm. “Uncle Charlie, this is Vincent Dursley.”
Charlie looked down at him. “So it is. Welcome, Vincent, it’s nice to have you at Hogwarts.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Uncle Charlie teaches Care of Magical Creatures. We won’t have that until our third year, but I can’t wait. He knows all the animals and creatures in the Forbidden Forest,” Molly explained as they got into their boat, along with a mousy-haired boy who was smiling a little too enthusiastically at everyone and a small brunette who looked like she would rather be anywhere but there.
The boy introduced himself. “I’m Dennis Creevey,” he announced and shook Vincent’s hand so furiously that the boat almost tipped. “This is Katie Wood. She doesn’t like boats,” said Dennis, pointing to the girl next to him.
Molly and Dennis talked excitedly, and Katie looked like she would soon be sick. Vincent pulled out the picture of the Ministry Six again. He didn’t know why that photo had such a profound effect on him. It almost felt like the people in the photo were his true family, and the people he had grown up with were the strangers. He sat there and gazed at it. He vaguely heard Dennis mention that his father had taken the picture Vincent was looking at. He watched as the figures moved around each other, all of them smiling and happy.
Then he heard distinctly in his head, from a voice that was not his own, Welcome home, Vincent.
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Across the lake, another pair of brilliantly green eyes was looking at the moving picture of the Ministry Six”the original one. He was standing behind his desk in the Headmaster’s office, getting ready for his first ever Welcome Feast as Headmaster. He was extremely nervous and excited at the same time.
There was a gentle song floating in the room, coming from a red and gold bird sitting on a gold stand. Harry looked up from the picture as Ginny walked into the office. “Hey, Ginny.” He smiled.
Ginny had entered with a six-year-old boy in tow, who looked very grumpy indeed. “Your son has been flying with Ron again.”
Harry looked down and noticed that the boy looked very windblown. “Uncle Ron’s fun,” said the boy, implying that his mother was the opposite of fun.
Harry allowed a slight grin, but quickly schooled his face at a glare from Ginny. “Ronnie, you aren’t to go flying, even if Uncle Ron takes you. You just aren’t old enough.”
Ronnie glowered at his father, causing him to smirk all the more. Ginny looked down at her son as the flame in the fireplace flared.
“Grandma!” shrieked Ronnie and raced at Molly. He wrapped his arms around her and she gently lifted him in the air.
“Hi, Mum,” Ginny said, going over and kissing her mother. “I’ll be along in few minutes.”
Molly smiled, still holding the boy, whose arms were wrapped tightly around her neck. “Take your time, Ginny dear. Janey is sleeping on your father’s chest again, so they won’t be awake for hours. Harry, dear, how are you? Don’t be nervous about tonight; I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
“Thanks, erm…Mum,” he blushed slightly as he got up.
Molly walked back to the fireplace. “Harry, it’s been seventeen years, you would think that you would have gotten used to calling me that,” she stated in mock annoyance.
Harry smiled again as she and Ronnie left to back to the Burrow, where Harry’s daughter and father-in-law were sleeping quietly. Harry walked around and stood in front of the mirror, trying to straighten his hair.
“It’s never going to work,” Ginny said, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms lovingly around his chest.
Harry breathed in and smelled the fresh-cut flower scent he had always loved so much. There was a knock on the door. It opened without a word from Harry.
“Harry, the students are here,” Hermione said as she stepped inside. “Charlie and the boats will be here any minute now.
“I’ll be down in a just a minute. Oh, and tell Ron that Ginny would like a word with him while they have dinner at the Burrow,” Harry replied, grinning at Ginny.
Hermione began to scowl. “He took Ronnie flying again, didn’t he?” She then took the Sorting Hat off the shelf and stormed out of the office.
Harry stood there fidgeting with his robes, tying to make them look right. Ginny grinned as she came around in front of him. “Ron’s not going to like you for that. Hermione’s twice as bad about it as I am.”
Harry winked at his wife and then kissed her on the forehead. She stepped aside and handed him his hat. “Why do you want that mirror in your office, Harry?”
“I like to know what I want out of life. The mirror makes the decision for me. It is a lot less confusing that way.” A smile showed that he really didn’t mean what he’d said. He took the hat and put it on.
Ginny came back over and kissed him. “So, what do you see now?”
He leaned down and whispered into her ear conspiratorially, “Me, holding a nice pair of woollen socks.” She punched him in the arm and they both laughed.
“I’ll make sure to let Dobby know. He’ll love to get them for you.” Ginny grinned back at him and disappeared through the grate.
Harry turned back to the Mirror of Erised. The Mirror had been in his possession since right after Voldemort was destroyed. A note attached had encouraged him to enjoy simpler dreams, but to remember to live as well.
Over the years he had seen many things in that mirror. He had seen himself holding the Quidditch World Cup the night before they defeated Bulgaria in the final. There had been the nine months during both of Ginny’s pregnancies when he saw himself and Ginny with a healthy baby in their arms. He had seen him and Ron completing Auror training, and Hermione having recovered after a very difficult delivery of her and Ron’s third child, Fred. He had even caught a glimpse of Neville’s parents healthy again, when Neville was close to developing the Moon Mandrake.
Over the years, the image had changed often and so, tonight, he looked into the mirror to see what he would find. There, standing before him was a tall wizard, with messy hair, in dark green robes, the office behind him. Dumbledore’s words about the mirror came, unbidden, into his mind.
“The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is.”
And that was all Harry saw. Just himself, the boy with the scar.
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A/N: Well there it is ladies and gentlemen, my version of book 7. I hope this story was as much fun for you to read as it was for me to write and. Thanks to all who took the time to read this story. Many thanks to the faithful reviewers that kept encouraging me along, and finally, major thanks to my writing team, cableguysmom, kerrbear, Ginny Guerra, JenC, and Ravensgryff. See how many people it took to make this story readable for you all. THANKS LADIES. Take Care!