Work Text:
Nineteen Years Later
… ‘Thestrals are nothing to worry about,’ Harry told his youngest son. ‘They’re gentle things, there’s nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won’t be going up to school in the carriages, you’ll be going in the boats.’
Ginny kissed him goodbye. ‘See you at Christmas.’
‘Bye, kiddo,’ said Harry, as his son hugged him. ‘Don’t forget Hagrid’s invited you to tea next Friday. Don’t mess with Peeves. Don’t duel anyone ’til you’ve learned how. And don’t let James wind you up.’
‘What if I’m in Slytherin?’ The whisper was for his father alone, and Harry knew that only the moment of departure could have forced the boy to reveal how great and sincere that fear was. He crouched down so that their faces were level.. Of Harry’s three children, only his youngest son had inherited Lily’s eyes.
‘Harry Remus,’ Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train, ‘you were named after the greatest person I ever knew, the most reliable, responsible and truly beautiful man to walk this earth. You were also named after a werewolf. Yes, he once tried to kill me, but I loved him to pieces anyway. If you end up in Slytherin, then you use your fucking parseltongue to befriend the basilisk and scare the shit out of everyone. It will be hilarious.”
“Really?”
“Yup. It’s what I should’ve done in my second year. Learn from my mistakes. Also, if you see a rat anywhere, throw it out of the train. I learnt from that mistake as well.”
“A ra… okay dad. Sure.”
Harry Jr. turned to step onto the platform, but was pulled back at the last moment.
“And Haz?”
“Yes dad?”
“If you see a pale blonde child who looks like he’s just eaten a lemon, make sure you tell him about your pet ferret.”