The Last McKinnon
The next morning everyone in the Lupin house woke up very early as they had to drive up to London, but none earlier than Stefan.
Stefan had woken up at five o’clock in the morning and was trying on his uniform trying to tie his new tie which was currently plain black.
Remus had shown him how to tie it dozens of times, but Stefan seemed to be getting his tie in one huge knot today.
‘You ok mate?’ asked Remus coming into Stefan’s room.
‘What if I mess up,’ sighed Stefan looking up at Remus. Remus was thirteen years older than Stefan, and was actually twenty four even though Stefan was only eleven. But Remus had always been like an older brother than an uncle or a father to Stefan.
‘What do you mean Stefan?’ asked Remus.
‘I’m the last McKinnon,’ said Stefan, ‘there are no more. I’m it. If I mess up, or I’m not good at magic, the McKinnon’s one of the eldest pureblood families there is will disappear forever. The reputation of my family is entirely in my hands.’
‘Stefan,’ said Remus sitting down on the bed next to Stefan, ‘don’t worry about it. I’m sure you’ll be a great wizard.’
‘Don’t worry about your family, I’m sure that whatever you do you will make your parents and Marlene proud.’
‘You say that in the future tense,’ said Stefan confused, ‘they will be proud of me, how can they be proud of me, they’re all dead?’
‘I’m a Christian Stefan, I believe in the afterlife. You believe in ghosts right, you’re about to go to Hogwarts were ghosts float through the corridors.’
‘Yeah,’ said Stefan looking up from his shoes.
Remus put his hand around Stefan’s shoulders.
‘Well, if there’s ghosts, that means that there is an option for an afterlife. I believe that your parents and Marlene are watching over us and looking after you from the other world.’
‘Do you seriously think that?’ asked Stefan surprised.
‘Of course,’ said Remus nodding.
‘As for being the last of the McKinnon’s, and the family reputation. The fact that you’re the last McKinnon could be a good thing.’
Stefan looked at Remus unconvinced.
‘If you’re the only one left, you can create your own legacy, you can rebuild the reputation of the McKinnon’s. Whenever anyone thinks of the McKinnon in the future, their first thoughts won’t be of Cressida, Ignatius or Marlene who were killed and tortured by the deatheaters. They’ll think of their wonderful son Stefan McKinnon who is a bright young wizard who was revolutionised the publishing industry.’
‘Do you seriously think that?’ asked Stefan.
‘Of course, Stefan,’ said Remus, ‘now let’s go get sone breakfast, you’ll be needing it.’
Remus winked and passed Stefan his wand from his bedside table. Stefan smirked and put the wand in the holster on his belt, so he could never lose it.
He folded his robes away in his school bag along with a copy of History of Magic so he could put his robe on, on the train.
Stefan walked down stairs, and found a surprise at the breakfast table. Hope had made his favourite breakfast, which was pancakes with sausages, he usually only got this on his birthday on when he’d done something extra wonderful. Served with the pancakes was a large number of blueberries, and Lyall was wearing bright blue robes today.
Lyall was still trying to get his point across about how wonderful Ravenclaw was, Stefan was getting sorted tonight so his personality was as fixed as it was going to get. Tonight, either he was going to get sorted into Lyall’s old house, or Lyall wouldn’t talk to him for a week. Stefan didn’t believe it, but Lyall kept on threatening.
‘Are you going to write as soon as you get to school?’ asked Harry.
‘Of course, I am Harry,’ laughed Stefan.
‘Promise?’ asked Ophelia.
‘I promise because I love you very much,’ said Stefan kissing his niece on top of strawberry blonde curls.
‘I’m afraid I’ve got to get going to work,’ sighed Lyall.
‘Now Stefan what house do we want to be in?’
‘Slytherin,’ smirked Stefan.
‘Don’t you dare!’ gasped Lyall.
‘Don’t worry Uncle Lyall,’ chuckled Stefan, ‘the McKinnon’s have been Ravenclaws for hundreds of years.’
‘The Blacks were Slytherin’s for hundreds of years before Sirius,’ smirked Remus.
‘Stefan no Slytherin!’ said Harry hitting his little fist on the table.
‘Get them trained young,’ said Hope shaking her head at Harry.
Stefan had gone paper white, what is he was sorted into Slytherin? If he got put into Slytherin, he was going to pull out and come back home!
‘I’m sure you’ll be fine Stefan,’ said Lyall hugging Stefan, ‘good luck boyo.’
‘Thanks Uncle Lyall,’ said Stefan.
When they finished breakfast, they all climbed in the car and headed up to London. Harry and Ophelia were strapped into their car seats in the back, and Stefan sat between them. Harry was very excited and was bouncing in his seat. Stefan played count the red cars with Harry and Ophelia.
When they got tired of playing count the cars, Remus led them in singing The Seekers greatest hits. When they were stuck in a traffic jam for half an hour, they sang We Shall Not Be Moved, until the traffic started moving again.
They arrived at the station at half past ten, and Remus got him a trolley for the trunk.
Harry wanted to ride on the trolley, so Stefan pushed Harry and the trunk until they reached platforms nine and ten.
‘But where’s the platform?’ asked Harry.
‘It’s right there,’ said Remus indicating the brick wall.
‘Through the brick wall?’ said Stefan terrified.
Remus nodded beaming and walked behind Stefan and gripped onto the trolley standing behind Stefan.
‘Hold on tight boys,’ said Remus walking towards the wall pushing the trolley with purpose.
Remus went through the wall, with the trolley and the boys and Hope followed carrying Ophelia.
‘Wow!’ said Stefan looking around in amazement. There were owls hooting, and cats yowling, students shouting, and children running between legs. Legolas Stefan’s owl was looking around in interest and hooting in greeting to the other owls.
Stefan and Harry were so busy looking around the platform, that they didn’t notice quite how many people were looking at them. At Harry.
Adults and children alike were gawking at the four-year-old boy riding on the trolley, his scar clearly on show.
‘It’s Harry Potter!’ people were whispering all around them, pointing obviously at him.
Ophelia hid behind her Daddy, as she saw everyone pointing at them. Remus shook his head and muttered how Harry was only a little boy and they should leave him alone, as he picked Ophelia up and comforted her.
‘Percy!’ yelled Stefan running over to the Weasleys.
Mr Weasley had taken the day off and driven the whole family up in the Ford Anglia that he had magically enlarged so he could fit the whole family in. They had all come to wave Bill and Charlie away, and Fred and George were rushing in and out of all the families on the platform.
‘Hey Stefan!’ said Percy hugging Stefan.
‘Got the crown?’ asked Percy.
Stefan pulled the bronze charm from out under his school shirt and touched his crown to Percy’s ring.
‘You are going to be a very busy owl this year Legolas,’ said Bill petting Legolas through the bars of Legolas’ cage.
‘Dad?’ asked Fred noticing all the strange looks their group kept on getting, ‘why are people looking at us?’
‘They’re not,’ stammered Mr Weasley.
He was trying to ignore what looked like a Daily Prophet photographer who was attempting to get a picture of Harry who was playing with Ron.
‘It’s because of Harry,’ said Percy glaring at the people staring at them.
‘Alright you’ve got your photo,’ snapped Bill at the man from the Daily Prophet, ‘now fuck off!’
‘Bill!’ scolded Mrs Weasley only half heartedly, as the disgruntled photographer walked away. The photographer walked away though satisfied that he had a dozen good photographs of The Boy Who Lived.
‘Git,’ muttered Charlie and Bill.
‘Look after yourselves,’ said Mr Weasley.
‘Whatever house you’re sorted into Charlie we’ll be proud,’ said Mrs Weasley hugging Charlie.
‘Stefan,’ said Remus pulling him aside, ‘it doesn’t matter what house you’re in. I know Da makes a big thing about you being a Ravenclaw, but don’t take it seriously. Dad always said I should be a Ravenclaw, and then I fought in the Battle of Hogsmeade with your Mum, and I proved my Gryffindor bravery.’
‘So whatever house you’re put in, ignore the others opinions, the hats never wrong!’
‘What if I’m a Slytherin?’ gulped Stefan.
‘You won’t be,’ said Remus ruffling Stefan’s hair.
‘Now get on that train, or it will leave without you.’
Charlie and Stefan got a compartment and waved out the window.
Remus picked Ophelia up, and she waved goodbye to her Uncle with tears streaming down her face.