Chapter 21: The Aftermath

One of my reviewers for Breaking Free, Calebros, gave me the idea for the history lesson. I hope you like it.

Not much changed in this chapter either, since most of it was pulled off the web, but I did rearrange paragraph in a more linear fashion.

*blah* taken and adapted from Harry Potter Wiki.

**blah taken from another Villains wiki.

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After Harry heard the casualty lists, he Apparated directly outside GrimmauldPlace without waiting to be tended to. He had a personal mission to complete and no amount of pain or blood was going to stop him. He ran to the door and flung it open. He ignored the questions thrown his way and ran up the stairs. He banging on Tracey's door and yelled for her. The door was wretched open and he heard her gasp.

"Harry, Oh Merlin, Harry," she exclaimed seeing her bloody and beaten up boyfriend at her door. His clothes were torn and his body was gashed in many places. She couldn't seem to find a place that wasn't covered in blood. His hair was in complete disarray and his left arm was hanging useless beside him, he seemed to be favoring his right leg. However, he had a goofy grin showing through all the blood and grim and since he was here and not still fighting she could only come to one conclusion.

"We won, didn't we? It's finally over. Get your arse in here and lay down before you fall." She grabbed the part of his arm that looked to be undamaged, which was his upper right arm and slowly led him to the bed.

"Yeah, I killed the bastard and he's not coming back this time," Harry said, letting himself be tugged to the bed. He really needed to lie down, but first he needed to ask something. "Tracey I need to know… will you will marry me? It was my love for you that helped me win. Please, say you'll be my wife," you could hear the pleading behind the pain.

"Don't be stupid, of course I'll marry you. You'll never get away again," she answered more concerned about his wounds than doing something they'd already talked about.Later she would make him ask again, in better surroundings, but for now he needed to be tended to.

Though Harry was still injured, not badly, because magic was a wonderful thing, he celebrated his birthday with his fiancée, while everyone was celebrating the final downfall of Voldemort.They took their OWLs and NEWTs like they had planned and Harry did study History and was hoping to be taken on as a Professor for History until the DADA spot was open

On the last week of August the Headmaster came to Grimmauld Place and Harry had one final conversation with Dumbledore.

"Harry, my dear boy, I was hoping we could talk," he said after Harry opened the door. "Shall we find a place to sit and finally have our discussion?"

"Sure, come on in. We can sit in the kitchen. Dobby should have tea ready. We're going to be moving soon and I need to get this house ready to be vacated. So you're lucky you caught me here," Harry said, leading the old man to the kitchen, which still looked bright and new. The table was scrubbed to shine, there were chairs to replace the benches and tapestries hung on the walls with vibrant color.

"I have a few things I need to talk to you about, my boy," the old wizened man said as he sat at the table.

Harry noticed that he looked really bad, like he was feeling his 115 years all at once. "Sir, what happened, I thought you took care of the curse?" he asked, seeing the darkened hand cradled against the Headmaster's chest.

"Do not concern yourself, Harry, my time is coming soon. I have had enough time to make sure no one suffers when I go to my next great adventure," Dumbledore said calmly, he really didn't fear death —sometimes he almost welcomed it. He now felt he had been too long in this world. "I came to you today hoping we could clear up your misunderstandings," still believing everything he had done to the young man in front of him was the correct course of action. "I want you to know that I've always done what I felt was right for the greater good…"

Harry interrupted him, "What is the greater good? How is putting one life above another good for anyone? Do you really feel that you are above all us other mere mortals? That you can play God? Headmaster, I will never understand that. Just like, I will never understand that you let some people, good people, die while trying to save others that have caused more harm." He gave the man a glare. "There are laws for a reason you know. And it wasn't just one man making those laws; it was a group of men that argued about them and then passed the ones they thought would be helpful. That is what a government is for you know. You should know this being the head of two governing bodies."

"Sometimes even great men don't look at the bigger picture, Harry, and it is up to us to use our knowledge to help turn all we can to the light…" Dumbledore started to explain only to be interrupted again.

"Voldemort was looking at a bigger picture, as was Hitler," Harry spat, banging his fist on the table. "Their bigger picture is what they thought they needed to make a world that they thought would be more powerful," he said shaking his head. Do all powerful men think this way? If so I don't want to be powerful, he thought and then returned to the conversation before him.

"Now, Harry, it was not polite of you to compare me to those men. I only did what I did to help the wizarding world be better," Albus said calmly, sipping from the tea Dobby had placed in front of him.

"Headmaster, Albus, I think you've been in charge for far too long," the teen stated softly. "You know that is why Ministers can only hold office for ten years, so they don't let power go to their head. Don't get me wrong I do admire all you've try to do, I just feel… I don't know, maybe, that you could have done it a lot better if you let people know just what you were up to. It was the secrets that almost cost us this war."

"Harry, I do care for you and I wanted you to have a good life. I felt… no, I knew what I was doing was correct. With the prophecy and the horcrux in your scar, I felt that there was nothing I could do to save you. Please, you have to understand, if I had trained you, let you get powerful and you killed Voldemort or he killed you before I could find the rest of his horcruxes then the war would have been lost. You were the one foretold to beat him. The plan was, I would hunt the horcruxes and you would be his main focus, as you were while you were in school. Please," he begged, "you have to understand I only did what I did for the greater good," Dumbledore tried again. He didn't want to pass this world with Harry still mad at him.

"That is exactly my point. You didn't talk to anyone about what you were doing. The horcrux could have been removed from my head the day after it was placed there. Snape and others could have helped you find the others ages ago. None of my school years would've been as bad if you trusted people to know things you don't." Harry looked dead into Dumbledore's eyes and said, "I don't think we're ever going to see eye to eye on this. I'll try not to hate you for the hell you made my life 'cause I know you are a good man. But, I am really disappointed in the fact that you can't trust anyone, but you expect them to trust you."

The conversation went on like that for a half an hour, either man getting their point across. A week later Dumbledore passed on because of the curse and the wizarding world mourned him. He and Harry never really settled anything because the Headmaster always used the excuse that he did what was right for the 'Greater Good'. And Harry never felt that was good enough. Dumbledore's last act as Headmaster was to get rid of Binns so Harry could teach.

Dumbledore left Harry the other two Hallows with a cryptic message, 'May these serve your family better than they have anyone in the past.' Harry never wanted that kind of power; he just placed the wand and stone in his vault and forgot all about them. Many years later one of his descendants would accidently take up the Hallows and win a war against a Dark Lady, who was far viler that Voldemort. However, it was long after Harry died.

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The Malfoys left as soon as the war was over. Lucius never got out of Azkaban and Narcissa and he did get remarried after Harry drew up a good contract for them. Draco when on to marry Astoria Greengrass and had at least one child, Scorpius Malfoy. Harry never knew what he did for a living or if he did anything at all, after all the Malfoys were richer than he was.

Hermione and Snape finally asked for their books and Harry was more than happy to let them have them now that all the curses were removed. When Snape came, they tried to see what path their faltering relationship would go. Would the truce remain or would they go back to despising one another?

"Potter, you know that when that mangy mutt of yours passed on he left me some books from the Black library. Now that the war is over and the Headmaster has gone on to his," Snape sneered with a painful look, "next great adventure. I require those tomes, if you would be so kind."

"Sure, I had always wondered why you never came and got them beforehand. I told Dumbledore months ago that I knew about the will," Harry shrugged and led the way to the library, it looked much better in here without the dust and the Dark magic that polluted the air. "Here you go, this is the potion section. Take the number of books left to you in the will." His face lit up with a wondering expression, "Hey, now that you don't have to worry about Azkaban are you going to continue teaching, 'cause now that I'm not a student I can tell you, you suck at teaching." He held up his hands in a placating manner, "You're great at potions, I don't know of anyone better than you, but you really do suck as a teacher."

"Stupid boy, of course I'm not staying in the dreadfully, cheery castle with all you dunderheads that can't tell one end of a cauldron from another. I've already moved out and Minerva has already replaced me as a DADA professor, so if you were hoping to take my place, too bad," Snape snapped at him a customary sneer polluting his face. "I will leave this forsaken country as soon as I retrieve these books. Not that it is any of your business."

"Well, I'd say I hate to see you go, but that would be a lie. So I'll just say good luck with whatever you do," Harry said, holding out his hand.

Snape looked at the hand with mild distaste; nevertheless placed his hand in Harry's and shook it. Though they had a truce with each other these two men will never be friends.

A few days later, Harry went to the twins shop to give them the timer. "Hey guys," he said as he entered the shop, "got some place we can talk?" he asked, looking around the busy shop. Summer was really good business for the twins. School would be starting soon and the students wanted to stock up it seemed. He was going to have to watch out if he was going to be a professor.

"Hey Harry…" George said

"good to see you. What…" Fred said

"can we do…"

"for our wonderful…"

"magnificent..."

"hero today?"

"Knock it off, you two. I wasn't the only one in that battle, you know. Anyway, let's go somewhere we can talk. I've got pressies, sorta," Harry said, waving a box in front of the twins' faces.

"Oh, pressies," The twins said together, leading Harry to the back room where they experimented. "Give us pressies now that we are all alone," The boys joked.

Harry laughed and threw the box between them letting them wrestle each other for it.

George finally won and opened the box. He saw the timer and the pamphlet and looked to Harry with awe. "Harry, are you serious? You want to give this up. Do you know what we can do with this? If only one of us uses it at a time we can create marvels." He handed the box to Fred whose eyes got just as big as his brother's.

"Yeah I know what can be done with that little beauty. I'll remind you to make sure you have a loo though and plenty of food," Harry warned, remembering the first two times he used the timer in his room at Privet Dr. "I've thought long and hard about this and feel that it would be best served with you guys. Besides, I do want it back when I have kids, which is what I meant by sorta."

"Harry, you are the best partner anyone could ask for," Fred said, jumping up from his chair and toppling Harry to the floor. Followed closely by his brother. The three joked and played around for a while until hunger set in and they parted ways back to their homes for the night.

It was a three weeks after the battle that Harry told Ron and Hermione everything that happened to him that year. They used the pensieve that Harry had found last year in the trunks. Even after all the memories were viewed, the other couple was not very understanding and chastised Harry for keeping secrets.

Oh well, this was something we're going to have to work out, maybe it's for the best 'cause if they were really my friends they would understand. Then again if I was their friend then maybe I should try and be a little more understanding. I hope we can be closer in the future, were his thoughts after the second argument he had with the other couple. He'd still invited them to the wedding. Tracey and Harry had gone to theirs and he was ever so proud of Ron, he had matured a lot, he felt that his best mate would be the first to come around.

A month after the war Harry wrote one last letter to the Prophet.

To All of Wizarding Britain;

I want to thanks each and every one of you for listening to me, this last year. I'm hoping to make this world a better place. I want to remind everyone, the Ministry works for you whether you're pure-blood, half-blood or Muggle-born. We must stop the hate that is plaguing our world and work to make sure that the next Dark Lord that comes has little to work with. Ministry jobs need to open to everyone. Magical creatures need to be studied from an unbiased point of view and the laws about them revamped.

I have done my part and will do what I can to promote goodwill. However, it's not just my job to make the world a better place. That can only be done if we all work together. If you feel that the Ministry is not doing a good job —then tell them. They can only know what you want if you let them know.

I once again thank all those who fought and died in the last battle and want you all to remember those that didn't make it.

Thanks again

Lord Harry James Potter-Black

Cornelius Fudge was kicked out of office for letting the war happen in the first place, the reason it was done after the war was to not cause dissent in the Ministry. Kingsley Shacklebolt was named Minister in a land slide vote.

Months went by and his friends moved on.

Hermione continued * her education at Hogwarts. Later she found employment with the Ministry of Magic, furthering the cause for the better treatment of house elves, before being promoted to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Ron* joined the Aurors at the invitation of Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, in order to track down Death Eaters who escaped capture. Eventually, he went to work at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes with his brothers George* and Fred, not wanting his wife to be his boss. *They soon had two children: a daughter, Rose and a son, Hugo.*

The relationship between the Potters and the Weasleys did settle down, but was never as strong as it had been.

*Neville briefly served as an Auror, before becoming Hogwarts' professor of Herbology,*working alongside Harry and Tracey,* and married Hannah Abbott. She became landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, which the couple lived above. She retrained as a Healer in 2014; and applied for the job of Matron at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.*

The two couples became close, and when Neville's parents finally passed away, quietly in the night, he got his full inheritance and they mourned together. His gran was none too happy about it, but they survived her wrath and raised a wonderful family. Neville took up the position on Herbology at Hogwarts and Hannah soon joined him. They left the Leaky Cauldron to one of their cousin, so they could live together at the castle.

*Luna became a Magizoologist (magical naturalist) and eventually married Rolf Scamander, with whom she had twin sons, Lorcan and Lysander.* They stayed in the Rookery and lived fulfilling lives.

Harry and his fiancée met with the Lords that Harry had written during school. They gained many connections and were working on doing business with a few. Most it was just social though. They did wind up having three children, after they married and were settled in Hogwarts. Their first son was named James Charles, second son Michael Evan, only daughter, Lily Rose. Tracey retired from her post as Muggle Studies Professor after they were born and lived with the children at Godric's Hollow. Harry would come home on the weekends. He never did teach DADA, but found he liked teaching History and maintained that position for over fifty years.

His first lesson went like this:

"My name is Professor Harry Potter, I'm sure you've heard of me," he smirked, looking around the class as they all started to settle. "I studied for years to be the Professor of Magical History. So I've done the research and now I'm passing it on to you." Snicker broke out and soon he calmed the students down.

He started by telling them all about the Grindelwald wars and the Headmaster's role in them. "In the last century there have been four men in great power, three, at one point, tried to take over the wizarding world of Britain, one was just caught up in the shuffle. That last one was me; you already know my story, so I'll tell you about the others."

*"Gellert Grindelwald was born 1882," the lecture began, "and was considered one of the most powerful Dark Wizards of all time, second only to Tom Marvolo Riddle, who later became known as Lord Voldemort," Harry said and glared at the gasps coming from some of his class. "Mr. Grindelwald was schooled at Durmstrang Institute until his expulsion. History is not sure why he was expelled, though rumor has it that it was for practicing the Dark Arts on students and faculty. The Durmstrang Institute is a Wizarding school that is notorious for teaching the Dark Arts. It is located in the northernmost regions of Norway or Sweden. We're not sure exactly where; they tend to keep it is a secret. Durmstrang has, however, taught students from as far afield as Bulgaria, according to my good friend, Viktor Krum, whom you might remember was a Tri-Wizard champion," he explained, pointing to the chalkboard that held the dates and page numbers in their new books, that he and Tracey had written.

Professor Potter looked around the room to make sure everyone was paying attention and then continued when he saw they were. "Later Gellert fostered a friendship with Albus Dumbledore, while living in Godric's Hollow for a summer with his great-aunt, Bathilda Bagshot. Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was the headmaster of this school, until he died in 1997. He was a half-blood wizard, the son of Percival and Kendra Dumbledore and the elder brother of Aberforth and Ariana. His father died in Azkaban when Dumbledore was young, while his mother and sister were later accidentally killed. His early losses greatly affected him early on, but in turn made him a better person.

"Albus Dumbledore was considered to be the most powerful wizard of his time. He was most famous for his defeat of Gellert Grindelwald, the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with Nicolas Flamel (we'll learn about him in another class) and he became, the Transfiguration Professor and later Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Dumbledore also served as Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot," Harry continued on, in a sharp voice that garnered no nonsense.

"The two young men —Gellert and Albus— made plans to find the Deathly Hallows…," he paused seeing more blank looks. "The Deathly Hallows are said to be three highly powerful magical objects supposedly created by Death and given to each of three brothers in the Peverell family. They consisted of the Elder Wand, an immensely powerful wand that was considered undefeatable. The Resurrection Stone, a stone which could summon the spirits of the dead and the Cloak of Invisibility, which, as its name suggests, renders the user completely invisible. We will learn about the Peverells in another class," he said ignoring the grumbles. "According to legend, he who possesses these three artifacts would become the Master of Death. Though this is just that a legend," he informed them, with a firm look in his eye, confirming that this was not a fact.

He knew the Hallows were very real, but the kids didn't need to know that and he wasn't lying, he had no idea if they gave great power and he never would test them to find out. They were sitting in his vault right now, protected against Dark wizards looking for power.

"Grindelwald and Dumbledore wanted to find these and wield their new-found power as Masters of Death, leading a Wizarding revolution with the aim of ending the International Statute of Secrecy and creating a benevolent global order led by wise and powerful witches and wizards," Professor Potter continued, "Their partnership fell apart after the two were involved in a three-way duel with Aberforth Dumbledore that resulted in Ariana Dumbledore's death,* he summarized, realizing he didn't have much time with this class as it was almost over.

"Grindelwald then left Britain and soon stole the Elder Wand, preceding alone with the revolution he and Dumbledore had planned. He established a power base in continental Europe at the fortress Nurmengard. He was a highly idealistic man, but marred by sociopathic tendencies and his links with the Dark Arts. He was a revolutionary, operating outside the law. He was not a wanton killer or torturer," he educated them steadfastly, tapping his ruler on his hands punctuating his words. "But, he and his followers, in a single-minded and unpopular quest, committed numerous crimes, including several known murders. His allies must often be unsavory characters as well.

"In 1945, at the height of Grindelwald power, Professor Dumbledore confronted and defeated him in a legendary duel. Grindelwald was subsequently imprisoned in his own fortress for where he resided to this day," * he concluded the Grindelwald war, then he paused to see if everyone was writing his lecture down, seeing that they were he continued.

**"In the 1970 there came another more fearsome Dark Lord, his name was Tom Marvolo Riddle, he was born on New Year's Eve, 1926 in an orphanage in London. He was born to Merope Gaunt, a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin and Tom Riddle Sr., a wealthy and extremely snobbish Muggle. Merope magically tricked Tom Sr. into marrying her and kept him under control until she finally let him go, hoping he would have fallen in love with her on his own after, but he abandoned her without second thoughts. Desperate and miserable, she died shortly after choosing a name for her newborn son. Due to the fact that he was born because of a love potion, it made him unable to feel love and made him the monster he was, though it would have been different if Merope survived and loved him.

"We know he came here to Hogwarts, when he was eleven, he was sorted into Slytherin. He was top of his class and Head Boy. After being turned down for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, he took various jobs, searching for valuable artifacts. Soon after he gathered what he was looking for, Tom left the country to learn more of the Dark Arts. In 1970 he came back and started to gather his army. Most of you know what happened after that, eleven years later he came to my parents' house and killed them and tried to kill me. You know the rest of that story. What I want you to do for homework is research one of these men and do a twelve inch essay on what they did right or wrong and how things like these could be prevented in the future. It doesn't need to be in-depth, just show me you understand what I am trying to teach you. If you don't learn from history, it will always repeat itself," Harry said, waving his hand and letting the instructions appear on the blackboard. He wanted to educate the children that both of these wars could have been prevented.

This was a good place to start.

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Thanks for reading this rewrite of the rewrite of my first fanfiction. I worked hard on it and hope it is better than the first two. I want to thank everyone who supported me in both stories. I have a total of eleven fics, swing by and read them. They are all different.

Most of the history lesson is on another of my fics, a oneshot called 'Replacing Binns with Isobel', which is housed in my collection of oneshots, 'Little of this; more of that.' I mean, now in two of my fic, it is also in 'Potters Stand United'.