Author's Note: Here is the very last of what was begun with "Safe in Harbor" and continued in "Rubber Chickens and Cake", and "Above It All". I must say that I certainly never envisioned writing something this long and connected when I began scribbling SIH. But it has been a very fun and enjoyable journey and has made me discover some things about myself, (that I love to write! Who woulda thunk it?) and I thank you all for sticking with me for the ride.
I very much appreciate all your comments, encouragement and suggestions. This epilogue ties up the whole series and there will be no more of these characters. Of course Harry and Hermione (or any of the other HP characters) are not mine, so the above statement doesn't apply to them. I'm not planning to write any more fanfic this year, but who knows? Something might jump to mind and refuse to leave me alone until I jot it down. For now, I'm hunkering down with GOF and then OOTP, while the days steadily tick down to HBP. I tell you, my eagerness for book six is almost obscene, lol.
Profuse thanks and a thousand hugs to the wonderful Lissanne, who is an incredible beta and friend. Thank you so much for everything . You are wonderful and I love ya! *glomps*
Your comments would be appreciated once again, and thanks a great bunch! Enjoy and so long...
Epilogue
They were married on a bright, sunny April day, on the top of the slope that led down to beautiful Lake Louise. All the
guests would marvel for years to come about the beauty of the wedding locale, about the towering snow-covered peaks of
the mountain and glacier. The lush greenness bordering the lake and peaks was blanketed luxuriously with vivid,
multi-colored wildflowers, newly awoken from their winter's sleep. They lent a freshness and vibrancy to the
proceedings that nothing man-made, whether by Muggle or by magic, could ever have contributed.
And how could they forget the breathtaking turquoise waters of the magnificent lake itself? Truly, a more captivating place on Earth had yet to be encountered.
If it were any other couple, they would likely have run the risk of being overshadowed by the grandeur of the surroundings. But in this case, even more than the beauty of the location, the guests spoke of the radiant young couple, so blissfully in love. Being the famous children of famous parents, the danger was high for the event to be overwhelmed with materialism, but Emerson and Brandon had sworn very early in their planning not to let that happen.
"I will be damned if my wedding gets turned into some kind of stage production," she'd vowed, green eyes shining with steely determination.
They had succeeded admirably in that regard and no damnation would be forthcoming, that was for certain. Everything, right down to their attire, was simple and understated. Indeed, those in the know bemoaned the lost opportunity to showcase the very latest in wedding finery, even as they grudgingly admitted that the couple was undeniably radiant in their choices.
At first glance, their attire was deceptively informal but even then, a quiet elegance shone through. Brandon was dressed in crisp tan slacks and a lightweight white v-neck tunic. If one looked closely, intricate silver embroidery could be detected, phoenixes and mysterious star burst patterns elegantly sewn into the fabric. It had been a gift to him from Emerson's Cherokee grandmother, and when he'd received it, he had looked at his fiancée and known instantly that it was what he wanted to be married in.
Em had had the exact same sentiment, and was even more positive when she saw the matching white dress that her Maman had made. The dress was a simple, spaghetti strap Empire waist of the same lightweight material as Brandon's tunic. It fell in a gentle a-line skirt to the floor and was covered with the intricate yet subtle silver embroidery of the Cherokee Nation.
On her wedding day, no fancy coiffure or accessories could be found on her head. Rather, her long, ebony hair tumbled in loose, luxurious waves about her shoulders, jumping and dancing in the slight breeze. She wore next to no makeup, her happiness being more than enough to grant her features a glow that needed no enhancement, and her emerald eyes shone with joy and adoration. A beautiful diamond and pearl necklace encircled her neck, while matching earrings dangled daintily from her ears. She carried a bouquet of the same wildflowers that carpeted the fields around them, causing more than one patron to comment in hushed tones about how one with nature, how goddess-like she appeared.
How perfectly they belonged, to each other and to this place!
Her father cried when he placed her hand in the groom's, but then he clasped the joined hands in both of his and smiled through his tears.
The young man, looking overcome, swallowed hard and said, "Thank you, sir."
"What have I told you about the sir thing?" Harry Potter said gruffly. "Call me Dad."
And the bride wept.
Actually, there was not a dry eye to be found in the vicinity, though some loud protestations of that claim would surely be voiced by a handful or two of the young men in attendance.
Following the brief but poignant ceremony, they were all transported to Ballynore Estate via specially-designed Portkeys that turned into souvenirs after that single use. No expense was spared for that part as the guests feasted on a scrumptious and varied menu, while beautiful live music was played in the background. After dessert and a series of emotional, heartfelt speeches, the band charged headlong into more rocking fare and the reception lasted long into the night, as everybody got down and boogied, all self-consciousness be damned.
Emerson and Brandon slipped away during a particularly raucous number and took a Portkey back to what they thought of as "their" cabin. There they discovered a fantastic surprise -- it really was their cabin! Unbeknownst to them, their grandparents had collaborated to purchase the Lake Louise property as a gift to the young couple. How did they take it? Let's just say that anybody peeking through those windows that night would've wondered at the sanity of its occupants.
Upon returning to Britain after their honeymoon, the newlyweds purchased a beautiful estate in the Upper Woodford Valley of County Wiltshire, where they settled into married life. Actually, the first few years of their marriage was mainly of the "Hi. Love you. Bye." variety as they both bustled about with their careers -- he as Assistant Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports and she as a rising star in the field of Magical Zoology, as well as in Muggle Veterinary Medicine. They joked that their two year long-distance romance had merely been practice for their everyday life together.
But they were very dedicated to their relationship and madly in love with each other. They made a point to go away to their cabin on Lake Louise every few months, just the two of them, to recharge and reconnect. And the time they spent with their families, growing and strengthening in that love and support, was invaluable in its own way. Thankfully, by their fourth anniversary things slowed down somewhat; which was just as well because Emerson became pregnant that year. Needless to say, they were both beside themselves with joy and their son was received with open arms and many happy tears.
He was the spitting image of his father, the same thick and shiny brown hair, the same nose and mouth... but he had his mother's eyes. They named him Evan Christopher, for his great-grandmother, Lily Evans, whom he (like his mother and famous grandfather) would never know but from whom he had inherited his emerald eyes. Evan was the pride of their life, the apple of their eye and was doted on by his adoring family. Being the first grandchild of both the Woodhaven and Ballynore households, he was showered with love and attention, and as any child will in such ideal surroundings, he thrived. Evan was vibrant and outgoing, full of energy and laughter and he enjoyed four years as the center of attention before the time inevitably came to share the limelight.
That was when his sister, Bethany Jane, arrived, a beautiful child who had also been gifted with the Potter eyes. Bethany had the kind of photogenic presence that made perfect strangers pause to compliment the young parents on their adorable baby, who gurgled and cooed as if in agreement.
"She's my sister," Evan would contribute proudly.
"Yes, I can see that. And aren't you the handsome lad yourself!"
"I hope so," Evan replied, to hearty laughter.
Although friendly, affectionate and blessed with a smile that could light up any room, young Miss Wood was quite a spitfire from the very beginning. Her Gramma Hermione was fond of saying that Bethany had been born knowing exactly who she was. Indeed, a handful of hapless individuals who made the mistake of calling her "Beth" found themselves fixed with a disdainful emerald gaze and informed, in no uncertain terms, that "My name is Bethany." The chastised adult would apologize profusely and at the first chance would exclaim to the young parents over their sassy little daughter and are you sure she's only three?
"Erm, yeah, I'm pretty sure she's three," Emerson would say, looking amused.
"Going on twenty. Takes after her Mum, that one," Brandon would add, grinning proudly at his raven-haired daughter, before turning to his wife. She would stick out her tongue at him and wink, whereupon he gave her a well-practiced look and a wink in return. She would blush and excuse herself, a few moments later he would do the same, and within a minute or two, they would just happen to bump into each other in some room and fancy meeting you here, Mrs. Wood.
"Yes, indeed, Mr. Wood. What a coincidence. It unhooks in the front."
"Ah, yes. But what's this... no knickers, Mrs. Wood? Tsk, tsk."
"I'm a very, very bad woman, Mr. Wood. Oh, do that again."
"Gladly, my woman, my wife, my love."
They are quite happy, you see. And what more could possibly be hoped for than that?
*******
Professor Ben Potter went on to become a bestselling author, with his "What in the Word!" book series topping the lists in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds. On one of his worldwide promotional tours, he met the woman who would become his wife, a petite Jamaican woman with a personality that more than made up for her diminutive size. Camille Potter was intelligent and articulate, a perfect match for her well-spoken husband.
At the age of twenty-seven years, Ben was offered the position of Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts, which he accepted. A year later, Camille joined him on staff as the teacher for Muggle Studies. They are both extremely well-liked and respected by their colleagues and their students.
Ben and Camille live in Hogsmeade with their sons Isaac, Liam and Atticus.
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Luke Potter was the only one of his family not to immediately go on to higher education upon graduating Hogwarts. Instead, he became the drummer in a hard rock band called Anime At Hand, and toured the world raising hell in wizarding and Muggle establishments alike. After a few years, he decided to move on, finally accepting one of the many professional Quidditch offers that had been poured on him during his last year at school. During a brutal, storm-ridden match against the Pride of Portree, one of his Bludgers knocked a Portree Chaser off her broom, she gave him the finger and Budget was instantly smitten. He courted the feisty black-haired and blue-eyed Irish Chaser, using everything within that made him who he was, and it wasn't long before Allyson McCormick fell in love with him, too.
After all, who can resist Budget?
Less than a month before his wedding, Luke helped lead England to victory over France in the Quidditch World Cup. He and Allyson were married at the same stadium where the victory had taken place, and less than a year later, they had a son, Dylan. Finding himself increasingly intrigued by the workings of a Quidditch organization, Luke finally took the University route and earned a degree in Quidditch Management. He rose quickly through the ranks of Puddlemere United, the company that his father had successfully co-managed for more than thirty years.
Luke and Allyson live in the Scottish Highlands with their sons Dylan, Gavin, and Nolan and their daughter, Meghan.
*********
Davina Potter graduated Hogwarts having successfully established a contemporary program of the Arts at the institution. She went on to full-time study at the Royal Ballet School before being admitted to the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School, the oldest dance school in the western world. Vina thrived there, quickly becoming one of their principal dancers in numerous stage productions, before being appointed to a teaching position at the school.
While in Paris, she met and fell in love with Jéan-Marc Roche, a Belgian instructor at the Sorbonne who was fifteen years her senior. Against the disapproval of her parents, who thought he was too old for her, she continued dating Jéan-Marc. He must have truly loved her because he took a sabbatical from his job to give her parents a chance to get to know him. The honest and selfless gesture impressed Harry and Hermione and two years later, Davina and Jéan-Marc were married, with their blessing.
The couple maintain a home in Paris with their daughter, Mallory, but visit Ballynore regularly.
*********
To say that Harry and Hermione Potter are happy would be the understatement of the century.
Both of them find themselves as busy as ever because they both still hold prominent positions in their respective careers, he with Puddlemere United and she with St. Mungo's. But now, instead of just the four boisterous children, there are additionally two sons-in-law, two daughters-in-law and ten wonderful grandchildren.
Gatherings at Ballynore are surprisingly frequent, considering the families are so far flung, but neither Harry nor Hermione are complaining. The very best times are when everyone is present and the venerable estate has never seemed more like a home than it does when the loud and happy children are underfoot, their variously colored heads bobbing all over in carefree chatter, while their parents alternately tut in disapproval and beam with pride. The level of love between them all is truly heartwarming, and more than once, Harry and Hermione have been reduced to wiping away tears of happiness at how wonderfully life had turned out.
Yes, indeed... to say that Harry and Hermione are happy would be quite the vastest of understatements. Is this happily ever after, though? Could this be it? Not quite, no. Because, sad to say, there is no such thing.
But if, by some blessed twist of fate, happily ever after does exist, this was as close to it as one could possibly get.
And wherever that closest place to happily ever after is situated, Harry and Hermione Potter are there...
******
Finis
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