August 25th, 1996

Today is Elio's twelfth birthday.

We've been staying at the Black Manor in the Scottish countryside for the past few weeks. Being in London is too painful for everyone right now.

Regulus has spent the past few weeks throwing himself at projects around the house. He cleaned the library and organized it by alphabetical order, he went through everything in Alphard's study and threw out a bunch of stuff, and he put up quidditch hoops in the backyard for the boys.

Atlas and Elio have spent a lot of time playing quidditch with Regulus. Atlas helps me cook sometimes, and Elio spends a lot of time reading in the library.

It's been a rough couple of months for everyone, but some time away seems to be doing some good.

I'm finishing up the icing on Elio's birthday cake when I hear footsteps in the hallway. I can already tell that it's Regulus by the sound of his footsteps on the hardwood.

The kitchen door swings open and Regulus joins me in the kitchen. His hair is messy and he's wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt.

He smiles when he sees me and comes up behind me to wrap his arms around my waist.

"Morning," He mumbles, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Good morning," I reply, turning my head slightly to kiss him on the cheek.

"Have you been up awhile?"

I shrug, "Long enough to make a cake."

Regulus lets go of me and leans up on the counter beside me, watching as I spell out 'Happy Birthday' on the cake in dark green icing.

"You should try to get some more sleep, angel," He says.

"I tried, I promise," I say. "But she decided to start doing bloody flips at four in the morning. So I figured I might as well get up and make a cake for Elio."

Regulus laughs and rests his hand on my stomach. "Be nice to your mum, she needs her sleep."

The baby responds to his voice by kicking right where Regulus's hand is resting on my stomach.

"You little shit," I mutter.

Regulus grins and turns around to get the kettle started on the stove. He sets two mugs down on the counter and gets out the sugar.

"What if we stayed here?" Regulus asks.

I turn to look at him. He's carefully watching my face, trying to gage my reaction.

"Obviously we would still go back to London tomorrow so that the boys can get everything packed for school," He continues. "But what if we came back here after? I just-, I'm not ready to go home yet. There's too much of Sirius there."

I nod, "I like that idea. I think a few more weeks away would be nice."

"Really? Because it's up to you-"

"I want to stay here with you, Reg," I assure him.

Before my husband can respond, I hear the sounds of footsteps once again. This time I can tell that it's Atlas and Elio. Their voices get less and less muffled as they get closer to the kitchen.

"Shut up-"

"It's my birthday, you have to be nice to me."

"You called me a prick on my birthday."

Their conversation trails off as they enter the kitchen.

"Good morning," I say. "Happy Birthday, darling."

Elio begrudgingly lets me hug him, then swats Regulus's hand away as he messes up Elio's hair.

"Happy birthday, Elio," Regulus says, grinning.

Elio smiles, and he looks like the spitting image of Regulus when he was his age. Sirius always used to say how much Elio reminds him of Regulus.

Atlas takes a seat on one of the stools on the other side of the island. He still looks half-asleep. While Elio is a carbon copy of Regulus, Atlas has always looked like a mixture of Regulus and I. Personality wise, he's always been his own person since he was little.

"You sleep okay?" I ask.

"It's so early," He mutters.

I laugh, "It's nine in the morning."

"Too early."

Elio sits down beside him and kicks Atlas underneath the island. Atlas goes to hit him back, but Elio dodges, a grin on his face.

"Can I open presents now?"

- - - - -

September 1st, 1996

Platform 9 ¾ is crowded with parents and kids this Sunday morning. I walk with Regulus behind Atlas and Elio. They're pushing trolleys full of their luggage through the crowds, heading towards the train.

Normally, I would mind my own business and politely wave if I saw anyone I know, but this year I'm very pointedly ignoring the Malfoy's and Nott's and looking for Mary MacDonald.

If I've made it three years without spotting her at the platform, I'm either an oblivious idiot, or she doesn't really want to be seen.

"Oi, Black!"

All four of us turn to look.

One of Atlas's friends, Jimmy Peakes, comes running over. He's on the quidditch team too, and he's one of Atlas's dorm mates. Atlas meets him halfway and they hug, both of them already starting up a conversation about their summers.

They stop talking long enough for Atlas to say goodbye to us. He quickly says goodbye and promises to write weekly.

I spot Jack and his daughter Natalia standing a little ways away. He meets my gaze and waves us over.

Regulus sighs dramatically, and I elbow him in the side.

"Hi, Jack," I say.

"Hey, Meredith," He replies, "Regulus."

Regulus nods, "Morning."

Elio and Natalia are talking quietly about something that I can't quite hear. Over the past year or so they've become good friends. They're in the same year, Elio's in Slytherin and Natalia's in Ravenclaw, and whenever Order stuff is happening and Jack is there, so is Natalia.

"Did you know that Mary has a daughter?" I ask.

Jack frowns, "MacDonald? I haven't seen her in years."

"Same, she's got a daughter in Atlas's year, Gryffindor."

"Wow," Jack says, "I thought she left the wizarding world for good."

Elio comes up to Regulus and I. "We're going to go get a compartment," He says.

"Bye, darling," I say, hugging him. "Be safe, and make sure to write."

Regulus hugs him next while Natalia says goodbye to Jack. "Have fun, we love you," He says.

Elio grins, "Bye mum, bye dad." Him and Natalia disappear onto the train, leaving Jack, Regulus, and I standing on the platform.

I glance over at Atlas, who is still talking with Jimmy, when one of his other friends walks up. Marcus Griffiths. He says something to Atlas, then nudges him, both of them looking at someone across the platform.

That's when I see Mary. She's standing with her daughter, Ruby, who looks like the spitting image of her. Ruby notices the boys and waves, which makes Atlas blush while Jimmy and Marcus wave back.

"Oh, there's Mary," I announce, "I'll be back."

"Meredith, don't meddle," Regulus says.

I frown, "I'm not meddling. I just want to go talk to her. It's been two bloody decades."

The crowds of people have started to disperse as children say goodbye and go to find their friends.

Mary is saying something to Ruby, when she spots me walking towards her. She looks a lot like she did twenty years ago, except her hair is longer and she's wearing business clothes. I stand a little bit aways from them as Mary says goodbye to her daughter.

Ruby brushes past me to get on the train with her friends.

"Meredith?" Mary asks, looking at me.

"Mary, hi," I say. "Can we catch up?"