“Slithering Slytherin, stop with your dithering, time to get on the train.” James teased Albus as they prepared to board the Hogwarts Express.

 “Unnecessary, James,” Harry said.

 “I won’t!” Albus yelled. “I won’t be in Slytherin!”

 “James, give it a rest,” Ginny said.

 “I only said he might be. There's nothing wrong with that.” James said.

 “Shut up, James,” Marigold said.

 “You may not want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts. He likes a laugh, your brother.” Harry reassured Albus.

 James walked away to find Teddy, who was with Victoire; she was wearing a Head Girl badge.

 “Dad?” Albus asked. “What if I am in Slytherin?”

 “Albus Severus Potter,” Harry said softly. “You were named after two of the greatest headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was the bravest man I’ve ever known.”

 “Sure, Snivellus was so brave,” Sirius muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes at Harry’s comment.

 Marigold also made a face; she remembered hearing about Snivellus, or Severus Snape, from her fathers before. Whenever Snape’s name was brought up, Sirius made it a point to remind her how horrible Snape was; now, Marigold could easily come up with a list of all the terrible stuff Snape had done.

 “Sirius,” Remus said sternly. “We weren’t exactly kind to him either, how many times do I have to remind you?”

 “Did I ever tell you that Snape’s portrait glares at me every time I walk past it?” Marigold asked them.

 “See?” Sirius turned to Remus, who frowned and nodded in response.

 James came running excitedly.

 “I just saw Teddy snogging Victoire!” he exclaimed for everyone to hear.

 “Oh, did they?” Harry asked dryly.

 “That’s nice, James,” Andromeda said indifferently.

 “You interrupted them? You are so like Ron.” Ginny added.

 Marigold noticed a brunette woman with a redhead man and their children. Marigold recognised both of them from chocolate frog cards; she also remembered hearing about the woman, Hermione Granger, from the Daily Prophet.

 “So that's little Scorpius.” the man, Ronald Weasley, told his daughter, who had the same red hair, as he gestured towards a blond boy. “Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains.”

 “Ron!” Hermione nudged him with her elbow. “That really isn’t necessary!”

 Marigold took a better look at Scorpius, who was with a man with the same platinum blond hair and a woman with wavy dark brown hair who resembled Professor Greengrass. Marigold felt sorry for Scorpius and hoped that he hadn’t heard Ron’s comment.

 “Ron! Hermione!” Harry called out, waving at them.

 “Harry!” they waved back at him.

 “Sirius and Remus, you remember Ron and Hermione, don’t you?” Harry asked.

 “Of course,” Sirius said.

 “It’s really nice to see you again,” Remus added.

 “Marigold and Andromeda, I don’t believe you’ve met my best friends, Ron and Hermione?”

 Ron and Hermione introduced themselves to them; luckily, it seemed like Ron harboured no hard feelings towards Marigold.

 “I’ve heard all about you!” Marigold exclaimed. “You helped Uncle Harry defeat Lord Voldemort, didn’t you? And Ms Granger, I’ve heard about your work at the Ministry. I really admire how you advocate for Muggle-borns and house elves.”

 “I’m glad to hear that.” Hermione smiled.

 “And yes, being on the chocolate frog cards is something I am proud of,” Ron added.

 Marigold noticed other students boarding on the Hogwarts Express.

 “I think I better get going,” she said. “It was really nice to finally meet you!”

 Ron and Hermione waved at Marigold as she went to find James, who was with the Potters.

 “It won't be long, and you'll be going too.” Harry was talking to Lily, who was crying.

 “Two years. I want to go now!” she whined.

 “Don’t cry, Lily,” Marigold said. “James and Albus will send you owls.”

 “We’ll also send you a Hogwarts lavatory seat,” James said.

 “James!” Ginny said.

 “Only joking, mum,” he replied. “Let’s go, Goldie.”

 Marigold hugged Sirius, Remus and Andromeda, and waved at Teddy before she headed to the Hogwarts Express with her trunk and Clover’s cage. James and Albus also hugged their sister and their parents before they followed Marigold.

 Marigold found an empty compartment and set down her luggage. James sat next to her, setting Castor’s cage next to Clover’s. Albus set a cage, which had a grey and black ferret inside, next to Rose; they sat across from Marigold and James. The four waved at the adults as the train left the station.

 “Albus, your ferret is so cute.” Marigold said.

 “Thanks,” he replied.

 Scorpius, who was looking around for an empty compartment, noticed the four.

 “Excuse me,” Scorpius said, knocking on the compartment door. “All the other compartments are full, so do you mind if I sit with you?”

 “Of course,” Marigold said.

 “No, I’m afraid our compartment is also full,” Rose said, somewhat coldly.

 “We can make room,” Albus said, putting his trunk down.

 “Albus, don’t you remember what my dad said?” she asked. “He’s a Malfoy. Our enemy.”

 “Rubbish,” Marigold said. “He seems quite nice.”

 “Yeah, I don’t see why he can’t sit with us,” Albus added.

 “If you two are gonna be like that, fine,” Rose scoffed, picking up her toad and grabbing her trunk. “I’m gonna join Victoire.”

 Marigold and Albus shrugged as Rose walked away, annoyed; Scorpius set his stuff down and sat down next to Albus.