Epilogue
Harry couldn't ask for a more perfect day. The flowers bloomed, the birds sang, the sun shone, and happy. A few weeks after he restored his family, he felt giddy. He supposed men shouldn't feel giddy, but who cared. He wanted to feel giddy. He was after getting married again, he had three wonderful boys and a castle full of people who loved and respected him for who he was.
He'd gone out of the room after Marietta and Simon were taken away. He stood by his grandfather's side as he addressed the 500 men and women.
"If there was ever a time to stand together, it is now. The future is still uncertain as we know it. But as you can see from what happened, there will always be someone who will try to take over and gain an ultimate power. Do not be so easily deceived next time. I give you a chance now to profess your loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix and become defenders of good. There are still Voldemort's followers I'm sure and we have to band together to find those people."
"I will not give you empty promises. And I will not promise that you will be fighting anytime soon, but if and when a fight ensues, I want to be able to call on each and every one of you to defend the world from the evil that tries to take over our world."
The 500 or so men and women declared fealty to the Order and were dismissed. They were given each a coin to carry - both to track them as they were still under probation and to call them when needed.
The rest of the family returned to Hogwarts and rested like they've never rested before. Harry and Hermione went to check in on their sons before heading for the bedroom to make love as they'd never had before.
They'd decided to renew their vows after hours of love making. Hermione insisted they renewed their vows for their children's sake. Harry, of course, who could communicate with his boys knew that the boys really didn't mind at all either way. But Hermione insisted.
"I want a new beginning Harry."
"Anything you want, love."
So there he stood at the altar once more as he awaited his wife to join him. The boys wore their dress robes and sat next to their cousins in a fashioned play pen for the toddlers. The invisible rails were Harry's idea. He wanted to give them the sense of freedom, yet he didn't want any of the babies to wander off.
Next to him, Ron stood. Lavender heard about the renewing of the vows and decided to do it as well. Ron was more stubborn than anyone anticipated, but Harry talked him into doing the manly thing and give in to his wife. "After all," he told Ron. "A renewing of vows could spark of a honeymoon."
To which Ron liked more that the dressing up and standing at the altar.
Next to Ron, stood Dumbledore. He stood there hoping everything would be over soon and he and Minerva could get away for a summer holiday. Harry talked Dumbledore and McGonagall to finally tie the knot. They both insisted that they were too old for such nonsense, but Harry convinced them that they wouldn't want to confuse the boys when they grew up and asked whether or not to call Professor McGonagall grandmother or not.
All the people invited were actually asked to renew their vows or exchange new vows if they were getting married for the first time. As the men awaited their ladies, some fidgeted nervously, but the more experience just stood patiently.
The women then walked down the staircase one at a time, about 12 steps away from each other. The men then became focused at their brides. Not all wore white of course, but all were beautiful.
The sprinkles of baby's breath adorned their hair. They held beautiful roses, all different colors. Their beautiful dresses all had at leas a 12 inch train so as not to trip the other.
Hermione's periwinkle dress fit her snugly everywhere to Harry's delight. Except for the train that loosely fell behind her, all the other parts of the dress hugged her figure like a glove.
Since Dumbledore was also in the ceremony, the only one left to officiate was Merlin himself. For the special occasion, Rhia and Ellen also joined in the celebration.
That day was filled with wonderful memories. Children laughing. Adults laughing. All was right once again.
Harry stood up and waited for silence. In a very emotional voice, "Many of you here today mean a lot to me. Without you, I don't think I could have survived all the challenges that fell on me. I thank you all for being my family, my friend and my mentor. I would like to thank my wife especially." He looked at Hermione and raised his glass. "You mean the world to me. Without you I am nothing. I love you with all my heart." Hermione kissed him to let him know she felt the same. Then he turned to the crown before him, lifted his glass and said, " To new beginnings!"
"HERE, HERE!" they all shouted in unison.
A/N: Hey there. That's it for this one. The last of the trilogy. I know, I know. It could have been better. But this other story of mine is dying to come out and I can't just leave this one hanging. So I'm ending it. Thank you for keeping up with it. Stay tuned for a new story about Harry and Hermione.
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