บท 88: Every First-Year's Fear
Years had passed in peace and prosperity, and now it was time for the next chapter of the Potter family's story. Harry and his wives watched their children, all now old enough to attend Hogwarts, bouncing with excitement as they stood around the living room at Potter Manor, discussing one topic and one topic only: the Sorting Ceremony.
"So how does it work?" asked Celeste, Hermione's daughter. Her nebula-like eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Do they read your mind? Or do you have to fight a troll? Mum, you fought a troll in your first year, right?"
Hermione chuckled, patting her daughter's shoulder. "I did, but that wasn't part of the Sorting, darling. That was... extracurricular."
Orion, Daphne's calm and composed son, sat cross-legged on the carpet, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. "Whatever it is, it can't be that hard. It's just a hat, right?"
"Just a hat?" Harry gasped theatrically, his eyes wide in mock horror. "Orion, that's not just any hat. That hat has been alive for centuries! It can see your soul, your deepest secrets, and your wildest dreams."
"Dad, stop," said Aurelie, Fleur's serene daughter, her lilting voice tinged with disbelief. "A hat can't do that."
Harry leaned forward, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Can't it?"
The twins, Lyra and Felix, practically bounced in unison. "What if it talks back?" Lyra asked.
Felix grinned mischievously. "What if it doesn't like what it sees? Maybe it sends you to—"
"Felix!" Tracey scolded, but even she had a smile playing on her lips.
Harry leaned back in his chair with a grin. "Let me tell you the tale of the Sorting Hat of Doom…"
The children gasped. Aurelie crossed her arms, clearly skeptical but intrigued.
"Once upon a time," Harry began, his voice low and dramatic, "there was a student so indecisive that the Sorting Hat couldn't make up its mind. The Hat hummed and hawed for hours, until it finally exploded!"
"Exploded?!" Celeste yelped.
Lyra and Felix exchanged wide-eyed looks.
Daphne shot Harry a warning glance but couldn't entirely hide her amusement. "Harry…"
"Fine, fine," Harry said with a laugh. "The real truth is—"
"No spoilers!" Hermione interrupted, grinning at her husband. "Let them wonder. That's half the fun."
The children groaned, though their excitement only grew.
The next morning, the family stood on Platform 9¾, the Hogwarts Express gleaming on the tracks, steam billowing into the air. The platform was alive with chatter and laughter as families said their goodbyes.
Harry crouched down to adjust Felix's collar, ignoring his son's playful protests. "You lot behave," he said, though his tone was teasing. "And remember, no matter what happens, the Sorting is just the beginning. The real adventure comes after."
"We know, Dad," Celeste said with a roll of her eyes, though her smile betrayed her excitement.
Daphne kissed Orion's cheek, smoothing his hair despite his stoic protests. "Remember what we talked about," she said. "Be kind, but don't let anyone walk over you."
"I know, Mum," Orion replied, his tone calm as ever.
Tracey hugged her twins tightly, whispering something that made them both giggle. Fleur knelt to brush Aurelie's hair back, her expression tender. "Be brave, ma chérie," she murmured.
As the whistle blew, the children began climbing aboard, turning to wave furiously. Lyra leaned out of the window. "Dad! Mum! You're sure you can't tell us anything else about the Sorting?"
"Not a word!" Harry called back, cupping his hands around his mouth. "But you'll love it. Trust me!"
"We love you!" Celeste shouted.
"We love you, too!" all four parents called back.
The train began to move, and the children's faces pressed against the glass, waving and shouting goodbyes until they were out of sight.
Harry stood there for a moment, his arm around Hermione, his other hand brushing against Daphne's. Tracey and Fleur stood close, their faces glowing with pride and just a touch of melancholy.
"Our little ones," Fleur murmured.
"They're not so little anymore," Tracey said, smiling wistfully.
Harry chuckled, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "They'll do great. They're Potters, after all."
And with that, they left the platform, their hearts full of pride and anticipation for the adventures their children would soon embark on.
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