A/N Here it is, the last chapter. At least for this book. :)
Chapter 50: Epilogue
***********************The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole*********************
June 19, 2006
3:35 PM
With a hesitant sigh, Ginny poked her head into the slightly decrepit, but eminently comfortable living room of the house she had grown up in. She found, as she had half expected and totally dreaded, Ron, half asleep on the couch, with Luna lounging lazily next to him. Her back was to his shoulder, her legs dangling over one end of the couch as she worked on a crossword in the Quibbler, upside down and backwards. Occasionally Ron would mutter something and Luna would respond, though the responses probably would not make sense to anyone else on the planet.
Today, Ginny, Ron and Luna were alone in the house. Molly having found out she was going to finally be a grandmother...Bill and Fleur's that was, had taken the half-veela out shopping for baby clothes. All the while ignoring Fleur's half-hearted protests that the baby wasn't due for months and they had plenty of time. Arthur was working, Charlie was back with his dragons in Romania and Fred and George were supervising the reconstruction of their Diagon Alley shop. For their part, Harry and Hermione were at Grimmauld place. Which, depending on who was describing it, had already picked up the monikers of Gryffindor south and Auror headquarters. Either was substantially correct.
Originally Ron and Luna had come over from Grimmauld for the afternoon to talk to Molly about some trivial matter, but finding her gone, and no food cooked, Ron decided to take a nap and wait. Which he proceeded to do. With a soft sound, Ginny cleared her throat and moved fully into the room. Shaken awake by Luna, Ron looked up curiously at the odd expression dancing in her eyes and yawned. "Oi, Gin, what's up?" He muttered, having thought he was alone in the house with his wife, he hadn't noticed the soft ka-clunk as the clock clicked over showing her arrival.
Ginny crossed to him and stood, a nervous air was about her, which even Ron could discern. "Ron we talk?" She asked softly, even as internally she yearned for Neville to back her up. But it was her fault that he was not there. Neville had wanted to be here, but Ginny, fearing Ron's reaction, had kept him away.
Ron glanced at Luna, who shrugged. Prying her gaze from the copy of the Quibbler crossword in her hand she looked at Ginny, really looked at her for the first time in days, and after a minute let out a shocked gasp. Her eyes flicked sideways to Ron, who mouthed, "what?" She just shook her head, and waved to Ginny.
Ginny looked at both of them, her eyes scanning back and forth for a long bit, and finally settling on Luna. Let's just get it over with, "Luna, Ron...I'm pregnant." Luna nodded sagely, she had already known; well at least for the last few minutes anyway. She could see the dual auras surrounding her; it was easy enough with a family member. But Ron's reaction, Ron's was a bit more...demonstrative.
"WHAT!" He snapped, jumping to his feet in an instant. Letting out a sound halfway between a growl and a roar, he glared at Ginny; she gulped. He drew his wand, Ginny flinched and without any warning he vanished with a thunderous, CRACK. Behind him, Luna and Ginny shared a panicked look. The two witches looked at each other for several minutes, not daring to speak; then as if they had come to a shared decision, the pair of them vanished as one, in hot pursuit of Ron before he could find Neville.
**********************# 12 Grimmauld Place******************************
"That feels good." Hermione purred as Harry lazily ran his fingertips up and down her spine. They were ensconced on one of the comfortable couches in their private study on the second floor. One of the many changes Dobby and Winky had made in the old house in preparation for its occupancy was a private "family" area for each couple. Dobby had insisted that a "proper" family have a place to retreat from their guests. It was easier to let the elf have his way most of the time, and with, at least for now, three other couples and Sirius in the large house, it had turned out to be a good idea in the end. Hermione was sitting, straddling Harry's lap, as they were settling down for a good snogging session. Her fingers were already tangled in the disheveled dark mop he called hair, her nails lightly scratching his scalp in time to his fingers running down her back. He leaned forward to nuzzle her neck right as a CRACK of disapparation rang out throughout the house.
Harry was suddenly very grateful that Hermione had chosen to wear a skirt today, as it tended to hide any outward sign of his interrupted bliss. She started to move from his lap, only to pause as she caught his eyes. She giggled softly as Harry glanced over her shoulder at his...brother. "Ronald." Harry said, slightly dangerously, "Do you need something?" Hermione giggled again, and with a sigh, she picked up where Harry had left off as she kissed the side of his neck.
'Bloody Hell." Ron moaned, "Could you two stop, it's an emergency."
"Ronald" Hermione muttered, with threadbare patience, "we are newlyweds...this is our house, that last time I looked, you lived in on our suffrage. Unless Voldemort has come back..."
"Not bloody well even then..." Harry interrupted softly. She nodded and gave him a kiss as a reward.
"Not even if Voldemort has come back...stop quivering Ron, he's dead, where was I..." Hermione muttered.
"Necking" Harry put in helpfully.
"Yes, Love. It can wait Ron." Doing her level best to ignore the ginger-haired interloper, Hermione turned back to Harry, she had never left his lap, and kissed him once more. It had always worked at Hogwarts as eventually Ron, on those few times he wasn't attached at the hip to Luna, would pretend loudly he was grossed out and leave. With this thought in mind, the Potters continued, only to stop as a knock came at the door to the room. A tightly synchronized sigh came from both Harry and Hermione, and as one, "COME IN." Utter annoyance was mirrored in each's tone.
The door opened with a small squeak and Neville looked in, a slightly sheepish look in his eyes. He looked directly at Hermione and Harry, not turning to look at the rest of the room, "Sorry guys, but I was heading out and I wanted to know if..."
Neville never got out the rest of his inquiry, a small helpful question to see if anyone needed him to pick something up for them at Diagon Alley. For as soon as he uttered the phrase, a harsh, sputtering roar came from the end of the room. "Neville...I'm gonna..." Ron's wand came from behind his back...and time stopped. Hermione tumbled backward out of Harry's lap, a flickering of her hand sent a orange bolt across the room, petrifying Ron, at the same time Harry's hastily cast shield deflected Ron's spell into the ceiling. A heartbeat later, Harry and Hermione were standing between the pair, taking turns flicking glances back and forth between Ron and Neville.
I guess Ron didn't take the news well. Harry rolled his eyes as Ron glared at them from the floor.
Guess not. Hermione agreed, honestly...can't they go somewhere else and fight? Her hand flicked again and Ron became unfrozen. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but before another word could be uttered, a pair of apparation cracks and the soft POP of Dobby's arrival sounded in the room. Ginny and Luna looked from Ron to Neville, each pausing on Harry and Hermione as they took in the scene, the knocked over couch that Harry and Hermione had been on, the flushed looks in their faces, the rage on Ron's and the bewilderment reflected in Neville's eyes. It was obvious that they had arrived right in the middle of things. Immediately Ginny ran over to Neville and stood in front of him protectively, even though he was pretty well protected already. Luna on the other hand, stalked over to Ron, her hands on her hips.
She glared at him as she looked down at his horizontal form. In a voice, so eerily reminiscent of Molly Weasley that everyone in the room looked over at her, startled, she growled at Ron, "Ronald Bilius Weasley, what the bloody hell do you think you are doing?" She huffed, "you are being an arse."
"But..." Ron sputtered, "I told him, that I'd..."
"Ronald," Luna cut him off, exasperation leaking into her voice. It was anything but dreamy at the moment. And Ron gulped. "You say that to everyone," she leaned forward and rapped him on the head, softly, "She is old enough to make her own decisions now." Her expression softened as she knelt down next to her husband, "Dear you are going to have to let her make her own decisions and mistakes."
Ron looked at her with a funny expression as the rest of them looked on, "Then you agree she's..."
"I never said that Ronald," Luna retorted quickly, a touch of fire slipping into her words. "Just that it's time for you to let go." She reached out and pulled him to his feet with a strength that her lithe frame hid well, "Now apologize, you do want to see your nephew when he's born...right?" A blond eyebrow crooked as her hands returned to her hips, a finger tapping softly on the front of her thigh. Ron glanced at her, and just as quickly glanced down. In the background Harry looked quickly away, biting his lip as his gaze crossed Hermione's. He didn't even need to be able to read her thoughts to detect the laughter she was barely holding in check.
"Yes Luv," Ron whispered as he crossed to Ginny and Neville, Ginny flinched slightly as Ron approached, his wand still in his hand. Ron noticed and sheepishly slid it into the back pocket of his jeans. He looked down at his sister, then behind her at Neville. Neville wasn't cowering or hiding, he hadn't moved Ginny aside, but in all honestly that was more because he was more afraid of her wrath than Ron's. Ron sighed again and in a low voice, "I'm sorry Ginny...Neville, it was foolish of me to react like that. Please forgive me."
"Sure Ron," Ginny replied graciously and the scene was diffused. Even Dobby seemed to know it. With a muffled pop, he vanished only to reappear a moment later with a tray of butterbeers. He placed it on a convenient table and vanished again. A long minute then two passed. Finally, Ron nodded and gave her a slightly reluctant hug, even though it was genuine. Luna gave him an encouraging smile, like one would give to a child behaving under duress.
Ron did make an effort; he smiled and began talking to Neville about Quiddich, his default ice-breaking topic. Harry joined the conversion, with a touch of exuberance as Hermione rolled her eyes in the background and bent low to talk to Ginny. She nodded, and with a quick hug to Hermione, Ginny went over to Neville, and a moment later they disapparated away.
Ron kept talking about the Cannons to Harry, until finally even Luna started to get annoyed. Murmuring goodbyes to Hermione, she went over and grabbed Ron, kissed him on the cheek and vanished with a muffled CRACK. Ron suddenly grinned at the space she had just occupied and vanished a moment later.
Harry looked a touch confused. He glanced over at Hermione, and cocked an eyebrow. She took pity on him. "I pointed out that they could be doing much more enjoyable things on such a nice afternoon." Her lips quirked as she started walking away, a finger crooked over her shoulder. A smile lighting his suddenly dark eyes, he followed her, his gaze locked to hers. It was enough to see her eyes widen suddenly in annoyance, right as his senses felt the magical energy in the room skyrocket, almost exactly by another third in fact. Harry didn't turn, his head drooped as he spun in place and dropped onto a nearby couch. He lowered his head to his hands and started chuckling, with a touch of hysterical mirth, the kind that comes out when it just gets too much to believe. Harry didn't even look up as Hermione sat on his knee and wrapped her arms around his neck. Nor did he as he spoke to the newest guest of House Potter.
"Hello, Grandfather." Hermione dropped her head to his neck and giggled hysterically. His eyes rolled in his head before he raised his head to meet the twinkling blue gaze that looked down on them happily. "What can we do for you?" Harry asked calmly, his voice showing almost no trace of incredible vexation he was feeling right now...from more than one source.
Dumbledore stood near the door; quite honestly he had forgotten that they might be...busy. The old wizard looked almost embarrassed, but he recovered quickly. "Am I interrupting something, perhaps?" He inquired with the exact same air he had had the night he had caught the pair of them coming out of an empty classroom, just barely decent after a brief interlude during rounds. At their silence he went on. "I am sorry for barging in, you need to forgive an old man his follies." Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes in unison at that one. "However I needed to speak to you two before tomorrow. First, the portkey will be ready for you two to leave in the morning as we discussed. I am glad you are taking me up on my offer." Harry gave him a quick smile and a nod. "And while I am at it, I thought I would bring by your N.E.W.T. results."
Hermione gasped and jumped to her feet. Harry rolled his eyes again, and without looking she whacked the back of his head lightly with her free hand. He laughed as she turned and shared a small, knowing grin. With a flick of a wand, a pair of large book size packages appeared, an official envelope resting on the top of each. Hermione grinned again as she read the header on hers:
Hermione Potter
#12 Grimmauld Place, London.
Dumbledore nodded knowingly as she picked it up, her hands shaking slightly. She extended the package to Harry. "Here Harry, you open it...I'm..." She shrugged, and without a pause Harry grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down into his lap with a squeak. "HARRY." She snapped, but no one in the room mistook her tone for anger, not really.
"Well look at them together, Mione...ok?" Harry whispered in her ear, as she looked at him, her bottom lip in her teeth, and just a tiny touch of fear in her eyes. Love. You've done fine.
I guess. Hermione agreed reluctantly. Dumbledore had taken one of the plush armchairs in the corner and was watching them closely. His eyes caught Harry's and even without Legilimency, Harry knew he was barely holding in his laughter.
Harry ripped open Hermione's envelope and held it up for them both to read. She gasped, and slowly, tremulously, a huge grin erupted over her face.
Mrs. Hermione Potter
I am pleased to present to you your scores for the N.E.W.T. exams for this past year. Please take time to examine the results and please bring any perceived discrepancies to the attention of myself or Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Minerva McGonagall
Assistant Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Head of Gryffindor House and Head of the
Transfiguration Department.
Order of Merlin, Second Class.
Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Written O+
Practical O+
Average O+ *
Advanced Transfiguration
Written O+
Practical O+
Average O+*
Advanced Charms
Written O+
Practical O+
Average O+ *
Care of Dangerous Magical Creatures
Written O+
Practical O+
Average O+ *
Advanced Herbology
Written O
Practical O
Average O
Advanced Potions
Written O+
Practical O+
Average O+
Advanced Arthimancy
Written O+
Practical O+
Average O+ *
Ancient Runes
Written O+*
Practical N/A
Average O
History of Magic (NEWT level)
Written O
Practical N/A
Average O
Muggle Studies
Written O
Practical N/A
Average O
Astronomy
Written O
Practical O
Average O
Mrs. Potter you will find in the subjects marked with a * that you achieved especially high marks. The score for Defense Against the Dark Arts tied one other student for the highest ever recorded in that subject. For the subjects, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Charms and Muggle Studies, extra points were awarded basis the theorem presented in your N.E.W.T. thesis, a bound copy of which is enclosed, of An Examination of Physical Law Via an Arithmatic Examination of the Unified Underpinnings of Spells and How They Relate to Interactions with the Universe. For the Ancient Runes examination, the Ministry is happy to present extra points for determining the error in the examination. The error that showed RADIS translated as total defeat, should have been, as you pointed out to Professor Sidemore, Victory at a Price. The error will be fixed in any future examinations of this type.
Hermione had tears coming from her eyes as she nearly strangled Harry with the force of her hug. "Told you Mione." He whispered. She shook in relief.
Across from them, Dumbledore was sipping from a cup of Earl Gray that Dobby had brought in without asking and vanished. "It seems, Harry, Hermione," He took a sip, "that several records were shattered on this last round of NEWTs. In fact, I have been told that the Ministry is looking to rewrite the tests perhaps. It seems that the Head Girl of Hogwarts scored the second highest cumulative score on the N.EW.T. exams ever recorded." He didn't seem to notice Hermione giving Harry, a quick, deep kiss as she bounced on his lap, like a little kid. "It seems that the entire Gryffindor and Ravenclaw seventh year class scored outstandings in Defense Against the Dark Arts. It also seems that certain theses belonging to the Head Boy and Head Girl have already been accepted for publication in Dark Arts Defense Quarterly and Arithmatic Investigations. Hermione looked stunned, even Harry looked taken aback, it was unheard of for a seventeen, ok eighteen year old Wizard or Witch to get published in either of those publications, even Dumbledore had been turned down by them once, once. Dumbledore laughed heartily. "Yes Harry, your theories on the Patronus Charm and its possible eventual modification into an actual weapon to destroy the Dementors were brilliant. I know Lily would be proud that you took her bare theory and expounded on it so elegantly." It was Harry's turn to gasp now.
"Hermione, I should mention a couple of matters before I leave." A sudden thought, visibly crossed his face, "And oh by the way Harry, since you haven't opened it up yet, you got all O's and O+s as well, though not quite as high as your lovely bride I am afraid." Harry and Dumbledore shared a grin, as Dumbledore pushed his half moons back up his crooked nose. "Hermione, I took the liberty of applying for a patent on your "technology protection charm" as you outlined it in your paper at the Wizengamot Patent Office." He nodded at her, "I think you will be pleased to know that it does work, I tested it myself on some appliances at a muggle store on the way. I doubt it will work at Hogwarts or Stonehenge, but we were able to get a muggle flashlight to work right in the middle of Hogsmeade. I think that the Weasley Twins will be contacting you soon about licensing."
"Thanks," Hermione replied quietly, "we hadn't had time to actually test it, as there was no electricity at Hogwarts. I knew it would block the EM field from active magic, I had Harry test the ward with a stunner, that effect is the same on nervous systems as you know, so it was a good simulation, but I wasn't sure that my modification to let the electrons flow in and out would be successful."
"It was." Dumbledore laughed heartily as Harry gave her a congratulatory hug, "and while you two are away for your much needed time away..." he paused, as the twinkle in his eye became almost blinding in its intensity, "if you manage to get time in your month away, I have taken the liberty of contacting an old friend near where you are staying. He is a professor at a combined Muggle/Wizarding University there, of course the muggles don't know there is a wizarding component." Harry, Hermione and Dumbledore shared a chuckle; "he has been studying an odd Muggle field of science called Quantum Mechanics...I noticed certain congruities with your equations in some of the work he has shown me, I feel that he would be delighted to speak to you about the subject. I have left information as to how you can contact them in the house." He rose, "Now if you will excuse me, I have to get back to the school, they are bringing in the new supports for Ravenclaw tower this afternoon. I will see you tomorrow." And just as he had come, Dumbledore vanished without a sound.
Hermione turned and looked at Harry, a slight, wordless pleading in her eyes, "Ok" he replied, he never could really deny her anything anyway, "We'll meet with the guy."
"Thanks Harry." She said with a small smile, then with a breath her voice dropped, her soprano becoming husky, "but we can do that near the end of the trip love." Any response on Harry's part was lost to the walls as with a slight push on the non-resisting wizard, Hermione pushed him down to the cushions of the couch, her lips never leaving his. Still without breaking contact she pulled her wand from behind her back and flicked it oddly. An odd feeling filled the house for a moment as the wards shifted, locking anyone else out. "Privacy...at last." She whispered as she tossed her wand to the side carelessly. "And we don't even need to do the charm any more."
********************************Manchester****************************
June 20, 2006
8:35pm
"Barris Odom, open up, this is the Ministry of Magic, we are serving a lawful warrant for the search of your residence and for your detaining for questioning Under the Defense of the Magical Realm Act." Tonks yelled through the door of the apartment. They were standing in the hallway outside apartment thirteen in a purely wizarding apartment building so they didn't have to worry too much about secrecy. Tonks heartily agreed with Harry and Hermione's speech at graduation that the worlds needed to come together, but even so, now was not really the time. She looked back at the four Aurors she had with her. All four towered over her natural, lithe frame. She waved at the door, "Jason if you would?"
"REDUCTO" the spell shattered the door, fragments spinning into the room and pinging off hastily erected shields. The four dove into the room, Jason fanning right, his partner Tim Window to the left and the third wizard, a hulking, dark skinned man named Samson Shacklebolt took the center. He was a distant relative to the late, great Auror. He had recently gotten his ears pierced to honor the fallen Hero, a great Uncle on his Father's side. The last wizard, Hakim Bashir danced into the room, his wand questing for a target. A moment, then two passed. "CLEAR...CLEAR...CLEAR...CLEAR." The words rang from four throats and a moment later, Bashir stuck his head back out into the hall, "it's clear boss." He confirmed to Tonks, his voice containing a faint Mediterranean accent.
Tonks walked into the room, her wand still sheathed. She still wasn't really used to this Head of Field Operations thing. She was already scheming how to keep doing actual work. She stopped in the middle of the front room, her hand on her hips, almost like Molly looking at a messy kitchen. "Search it." She commanded, and like a pack of trained wolves, the Aurors tore into the room. Tonks walked into the kitchen and started opening cabinets, hearing all the while sounds of a raucous search going on. They were here looking for Barris Odom. The man was, or rather had been, an Unspeakable with access to secrets and devices that should never, ever see the light of day. The Ministry held many, too many secrets, both dark and light. The British Ministry was the oldest of the worlds Ministries, it anchored the wards that hid magic from Muggles, for the most part, and deep in its bowels certain projects and researches had been buried to keep from unworthy hands. Excalibur had lain there for a while, as had the grail, both gone now. Late last night a newly captured Death Eater had revealed the man's true allegiance during interrogation, in hopes of gaining a lighter sentence. He had failed, but the Ministry used the information anyway. Auror teams had set up a trap for him at his office but he had never showed. An emergency examination showed several highly, highly classified files had vanished along with him.
Just as Tonks opened the Icebox, Shaklebolt yelled out. "OI TONKS." She ran into a back room, following his voice, to find their worst fears were true. Laying on top of a cluttered desk, in the midst of shattered drawers and piles of paper where Samson had thrown them in his search, a coal-black, formerly sealed folder lay half open. Scrawled across the front of the folder in blood red, were the words: PROJECT GREEN SUN: TOPSECRET EYES ONLY: APRIL 13, 1945.
Tonks' stomach sunk to her knees, she had talked to Arthur and Dumbledore before she had left the Ministry, and she alone of the Aurors here knew just what was in the file, and God did she wish she didn't. Unfortunately the people she would have loved to have had here had just left the country for a month, Harry, Hermione and Ron had all left for their discrete honeymoons just this morning. She looked up as all four of the wizards squeezed into the room and stood opposite her. She graced them with a small, sad smile, and snapped up her wand, "OBLIVATE."
TO BE CONTINUED in Harry Potter and the War of Shadows.
Afterword :
May 30, 2005
There it is, who would have thought a five thousand word one-shot of Harry proposing would have grown into two published novel-length stories, a related one shot, and another one shot that was a spin-off of possible events from Darkness. As it looks right now, there are at least 1-2 sequels planned in this series. They won't be cannon as of HBP, unless I was really, really good. We can hope Harry and Hermione find each other in the chaos that will surely be HBP, but ultimately that is up to Rowling as it is her universe after all. Each one of these books has had a purpose, Darkness Before the Dawn was to let Harry and Hermione finish growing up, and Hermione's adulthood came too early in Lions. It was also on that path to show Ron that one needed to earn what one had, not for it to be given to him. Lions was there for Ron to finish growing up, and for Harry and Hermione to truly realize the power that would in the end destroy Voldemort.
The next book in this series is currently titled Harry Potter and the War of Shadows. Voldemort is gone, but his evil remains, just as it did after Dumbledore defeated his dark wizard in the forties. It picks up, after a brief prologue set immediately after Lions, six years down the line. The time jump is purposeful as I responded to BEC I believe it was, that it takes time for kids, relationships, and for the bad guys to recover from the blow dealt them at Hogwarts.
The Death Eaters are still there, Voldemort was just the leader of the moment, and the Knights of Walpurgis still owe their allegiance to the dark. Along with the Death Eaters, the mysterious Dark Ones, are still out there, their allegiance to Voldemort was questionable, but what of their seeming relationship to the Dementors. Who are now free of Azkaban. The side of Darkness has learned from the fall of Voldemort and there are those that have been plotting their own rise to power since his first defeat.
All is not bleak for the side of light, new weapons, and old allies from the past will arise to fight the darkness. Discoveries made in the night, will come to light.
In the end, loyalties will be tested to the breaking point, and choices will have to be made.
And one last thing, that ending, isn't as bad as the original one was. It is a cliffhanger in a sense, but H/HR/R/L are all fine at the end. As are most all of the good guys. Everyone will make it back from his or her honeymoons, etc.
Listening for Harry Potter and the Lions of Gryffindor
Evanescence, Wake me up inside, Fallen Album
Evanescence, Taking Over Me, Fallen Album (Actually the Entire Fallen Album is appropriate)
LeAnn Rimes, Commitment, Sitting on top of the world.
Here in the night
Motley Crue, If I die Tomorrow, Red White and Crue.
Accidentally in Love, Counting Crows Ron and Luna's song
Ever the Same, Rob Thomas, Something to be.
Van Halen, Dreams
Ingram Hill, Will I Ever Make it Home, June's Picture Show.
Satisfaction, Rolling Stones
Right Where I Belong, 3 Doors Down, 17 Days.
You and Me, Lifehouse, Lifehouse
Duel of the Fates, John William, Star Wars Episode I
Window to the Past, John Williams, POA (This is the classic H/HR theme, even if JW didn't intend it to be.)
Hedwig's Theme, John Williams, All the HP movies.