Title: The Missing Pieces
Summary: Set between the end of the final chapter of DH and the Nineteen Years Later. I wasn't happy and I figured there was a bit of time to fill in, so I decided to fill it. My version of what happens in those nineteen years, and makes it seem a lot better to read!!!
Rating: PG-13 for now
Authors Notes: When I finished reading DH, I realised that the oldest kid from H/G, R/Hr was about 12/13. Which leaves a gap of five years from the last chapter to the epilogue. A lot can happen in five years. So I'm writing that five years for Harmony shippers. I already know how it will end, and it will make that epilogue so much easier to read. Hope you enjoy!!!
One
How he made it through the days and weeks after the battle at Hogwarts, Harry never knew. The war was over and the magical world was in chaos still. Every other day there was a funeral- so many that Harry found them all blending into each other and he found himself several times not knowing whose funeral he was actually at.
Too many had died.
The worst had been the funerals for Fred, and Remus and Tonks. Fred's had come first, and Mrs Weasley had been hysterical, clutching the coffin. Harry and Hermione had stayed in the background, letting the Weasley's grieve as a family.
Mrs Tonks had asked Harry to speak for Remus at their funeral, but when the day came, Harry couldn't find the words and hadn't said anything. He had sat in the front row and nursed baby Teddy. He had never held a baby before, and he was surprised at how naturally it came to him. He almost didn't want to give him back to Mrs Tonks, but she was Teddy's guardian now. He, Harry, was only godfather.
It was a shock to Harry when he realised that it was July. Time had been going by in the weird fashion that it had during the Triwizard Tournament. It was even more of a shock when, after the funerals, he found himself thinking of what he knew he had to do.
It was the nicest day of the summer so far when he Apparated into the back corner of the park that he had lurked in so often over the summers he had been forced to spend with the Dursley's. He had no idea why he had felt the need to come here, but he knew that it would be answered when he went there.
He walked slowly, relishing the fact that even though he was there, he didn't have to be. He could leave, if he wanted too. He'd never had that freedom before.
Number 4, Privet Drive was the same as well Harry had left it just under a year ago. The brass number 4 shone brightly in the sun and Harry actually found himself smiling as he walked up the front path. He guessed it was because no matter what happened, it couldn't be worse than anything he'd gone through since he left.
He knocked sharply on the door twice and stood back. He could see a dark form appearing behind the glass and he held his breath for the explosion from Uncle Vernon. He was shocked when he saw that it was Dudley, not his uncle.
'Er, hello,' Dudley said awkwardly, staring at Harry. Harry knew he hadn't expected to ever see him again, and was embarrassed about their goodbye scene.
'Hey, Big D,' Harry said, stepping forward and clapping him on the shoulder.
'You're not allowed to stay here,' Dudley said quickly, looking over his shoulder. 'Th… they said! You're not to come back here again.'
'I don't want to live here,' Harry said, trying not to laugh. 'I can think of 100 places I'd rather live.'
'Then why are you here?'
Harry looked at his cousin for a few moments, wondering how to best phrase his thoughts.
'I wanted to check.'
'Check what?' Dudley asked, looking like Uncle Vernon.
'That you made it ok,' Harry said shrugging. 'That the order did their job?'
'We're all fine, they were great. Is that all?'
Harry didn't know why he was so surprised by Dudley's attitude. He knew he should've known what to expect. But he couldn't just never find out what happened to him. Their existence kept him safe for many years, no matter how badly they treated him.
And then he heard the girls voice and he knew it wasn't Aunt Petunia. Uncle Vernon's car wasn't in the driveway. His Aunt and Uncle weren't home, and Dudley had snuck his girlfriend in. Wanting to laugh, he gave a small smile and wink, and after checking over his shoulder, Disapparated.
~*~
Harry had made his home at 12 Grimmauld Place. It was his house and it was safe from the gawking witches and wizards that seemed to follow him everywhere. The house seemed to realise that it had a new owner, and with Kreacher's help, Harry was slowly turning it into something he might even be proud to call home. Slowly all traces of the Black family were being removed, including Mrs Black's awful portrait. It was a relief to be able to make noise in the hallway.
It was Harry's 18th birthday before he knew it, but he didn't really feel like celebrating. Ron was still shut up at the Burrow, grieving over the loss of his brother, so only Hermione had come to spend the day with him. It wasn't until he was hugging her goodbye at midnight that he realised it was the first time they had been alone together since the night they went to Hogwarts.
He didn't realise until that moment how much he had missed her and that time they had been on their own when Ron left them. He was kept awake the rest of the night, his mind filled with images of his best friend.
His voice kept reminding him of what he had said to Ron- she's like a sister to me. But the other voice in his head kept popping in, reminding him that he had thought his feelings for Ginny had been sisterly at first, thought they were older brother protective feelings. Was that the same was as he felt about Hermione?
~*~
The wizarding world was changing. Kingsley Shacklebolt had been voted in as Minister and had set about changing the Ministry in a way that had never happened before. A week after the result was announced, Harry had received an owl over breakfast summoning him to a meeting.
Moments after this owl, there was a rapping on the front door. Kreacher answered and returned minutes later with Hermione, who was holding an identical letter.
They needed no words. Harry shrugged to convey that he didn't know anything further, and retreated upstairs to change quickly.
They apparated holding hands- Harry had become so used to apparating that way with her that it seemed second nature. When the closed off feeling left, he saw they were standing in the wide hall of the atrium. This was the 4th time Harry had come to the Ministry, and again, it had changed. Gone was the 'Magic is Might' statute. Instead, a tall obelisk made of black stone stood where it had stood. As they walked closer, Harry saw it was inscribed with hundreds, thousands of names. He could make out a larger inscription on the bottom.
Nunquam Iterum
'It means never again,' Hermione whispered. Harry felt a rush of gratitude to her knowledge of Latin. Underneath the Latin, Harry could make out a tiny passage in English.
Over a period of 70 years, the magical community has stood together and fought the darkest of wizards and the foulest of magic. This stands as a monument to those who lost their lives in that fight, regardless of what side they belonged to.
We are all one and let us all declare, Nunquam Iterum.
Harry thought it a nice sentiment, but knew it was just words. He had known from the outset that Voldemort would not be the last dark lord. He might be the worst, but not the last. It was only a matter of time.
An older, matronly like woman was waiting for them outside of Kingsley's office when they arrived on Level 1 and she ushered them in as soon as she saw them. Harry didn't really know what to expect of Kingsley's office, but he was pleasantly surprised when he realised that it was almost the same as his Auror cubicle had been 3 years before when Harry had visited it, though no photos of Sirius.
'Harry, Hermione,' he said in his deep booming voice, waving to the seats in front of him. 'I'm glad you could come, I have very urgent business.'
Harry sensed Hermione's eagerness as they both lent forward, waiting for Kingsley to reveal why he had needed them.