Welcome to the epilogue and final chapter to Mirror, mirror. Thank you for reading the story and I hope you've been enjoying it. It's been great returning to the world of Bellamione and I have plenty of new stories coming up. I know this story hasn't been for everyone (which I quite understand). My next one will be a more 'traditional' Bellamione story (if such things exist!) titled Self-Prevention and will start next week with the usual weekly updates.

I hope you enjoy this final chapter.

Mirror, mirror

Chapter 22: For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky

Stood behind her humble stove, Bellatrix looked out the window. It was snowing quite fiercely outside, blanketing the land outside in the whitest of snow. Christmas would be white this year. Inside her shack, however, it was nicely warm and cozy and would remain so throughout the winter.

How quickly a life could completely change. If one had told her last Christmas that, in a year's time, she would be decorating a Christmas tree in her own home together with her muggle-born live-in girlfriend, she would have laughed. And then likely hexed that person into next Wednesday for daring to insult her as such. As it stood, her past life felt as if it was a distant memory.

Truth be told, they were rather late with their Christmas tree. There'd been fierce debates with Hermione at the dining table every day in the first weeks of December; a debate which Bellatrix ultimately lost as was evidenced by their lovely tree which now stood proud and fierce near the fireplace. Unfortunately, they found out quickly that the tree wasn't dog-proof as an excited Spock basically cleared the lowest tier of decorations from tree with a single sweep of his wagging tail. Some repair work later and they were up and running again. Though, this time, a charm was applied which would subtly nudge the dog away from the tree if he ever got close again.

Bellatrix had learned the valuable lesson that a simpler life could be its own reward. No more dark lords to follow, no more wars to fight, no more night raids, nothing more of the 'wizarding aristocracy' she used to be part of. Living in a cozy little shack and doing simple yet worthwhile work could be so fulfilling. No more servants, no elves to wait on her: she cooked regularly now and she daresay her food tasted some much better when made herself.

Of course, when it was Hermione's turn to provide dinner she usually turned to take-away. Not that Bellatrix minded all that much.

She and Hermione would stay over at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays and Bellatrix was tasked with overseeing the serving of the Christmas Feast for the remaining students and staff members. After that, she and Hermione would join the rest of their family to celebrate the new year at... Azkaban wizarding resort. According to the brochure, it was very nice there this time of year. She would be lying if she said she wasn't dreading the idea of going more and more by the day.

It had been Terry's idea, really. Supposedly it would be good for her to confront her fears. But she'd have her family and Hermione for support if things were to go wrong. Narcissa had even invited her ghostly counterpart to come along, but the ghost girl had politely declined after apparently having already made plans for New Years.

The last six months had been rather tumultuous to say the least. While stirring the chicken in the frying pan, she thought back on everything which had happened since the demonstration at the Wizengamot. Her words turned out to be prophetic: their lives would indeed never be the same. The demonstration had made headlines across the world, turning Lucius, the trio and herself into household names overnight. Magazines profiled all of them. Interviews followed. As a result, Bellatrix's outlandish story became public knowledge. Most were intrigued. Some were suspicious.

Unfortunately, it was then that the wheels of the Ministry started turning. Technically, Bellatrix did not exist as there was no proper paperwork regarding her in the Ministry archives. One particular drone had come to the conclusion that she was the Bellatrix Black of this universe whom had faked her own death and the Ministry proceeded to charge her for thirty years worth of back-taxes. Thankfully, the unusual nature of her case managed to attract the attention of Minerva McGonagall, in this universe a high profile solicitor whom often came out of retirement to take interesting cases while waiving her usual fee. In an unfortunately widely publicized courtcase, McGonagall called Ghost-Bella to the stand to prove that Bellatrix was a separate and unique person. Furthermore, she managed to legally prove that Bellatrix was from another universe by calling on experts to review Lucius' original readings showing that Bellatrix used to have a different magical constant when first arriving.

Unfortunately, this brought even further attention from both the press and the ministry. Constant requests for interviews to the point that Hermione joked that Bella should write a book. The upside was that the Blacks living in Montana were even more eager to meet her and she and Hermione were planning their first vacation together there next summer.

Around this time, Lucius and the others were being courted by every wizarding school in the world. Everyone wanted a piece of this new school of magic and Lucius was more than a little overwhelmed. Narcissa, however, came to the rescue. First of all, a proper royalty contract was deftly negotiated by Narcissa for all researchers involved. Second, after a grueling five-day negotiation with Snape, it was decided that the first Research Department of Teleportation Inquiries would be located at Hogwarts, with Lucius at its head and with proper Ministry funding. Seeing this would bring renewed prestige to the school, Arthur Weasley quickly agreed. Draco and Luna were also assigned to this new task force, with she and Hermione acting in a consulting role for now. Bellatrix smiled to herself: already there were tests being done by connecting fireplaces together. Perhaps in a year or two, three-hour train-rides to Swindon would be a thing of the past.

Unfortunately, the Ministry hadn't been quite done with her yet.

The next visit from the Ministry was from Wizarding Immigration stating that, technically, Bellatrix was an illegal immigrant. Though the case collapsed on technicalities, since any deportations would leave her stateless, it did have the effect of the Ministry developing an entirely new protocol for dealing with inter-dimensional immigration. In exchange for her help with this, the Ministry provided her with all the necessary paperwork and made her an official citizen of the Wizarding UK with all rights and privileges thereof. A humorous turn was taken when, to establish familial ties to the Black family, she had to be officially adopted as a sibling by Andromeda.

Just in time for another drone to decide she'd been in violation before attaining her citizenship. The reason? Being employed while not an official citizen without having applied for a work permit. This time, however, it was the Hogwarts administration which was found negligent and was presented with the appropriate fines. Snape actually did well by her for saying the full responsibility had lain with the school and its 'previous' administrator. He promised everyone involved that he would do right by her, coming off looking like the hero in this whole sordid affair.

Bellatrix approved: Snape was a shrewd, shrewd man.

Hopefully, this would be the last of it. Until another drone would think of something banal to charge her with.

"Arf!" sounded a high-pitched bark besides her, the sound of which rather ill-fit for a dog of that size. Spock had sat down at the stove, looking at her with the saddest eyes only a dog could give when there was food to be had.

"Put those away," Bellatrix glowered. "I just gave you a piece five minutes go."

"Arf!" the dog pressed, pushing his muzzle into Bellatrix's dress.

"Fine!" the dark witch sighed, fished a piece of chicken out of the pan and tossed it into the air where the dog deftly caught it.

As the dog was eating his prize, Bellatrix prepared two plates. She poured off the rice and divided it over the plates, then putting the chicken and the spicy sauce it was cooked in over the rice, creating a very simple yet tasty meal for the both of them. With two plates in hand, she stepped towards the sofa.

All of Hermione's belongings had now found their way into the caretaker's shack now. Her books piled out of the bookcase, the Enterprise model had been hung from the ceiling above their bed and all her muggle contraptions were located in a constructed Faraday cage in the middle of their living room.

She passed the framed poster of Kirk, Spock and McCoy as it was located quite near the bay window where Bellatrix kept her easel. She smiled: Hermione had been so delighted when she had told her girlfriend that she was painting again.

Of course, she also encountered the downside of living with Hermione, as she almost tripped over something left on the floor. As downsides went, this was certainly a minor one. But honestly, was it really that much trouble to pick something up from the floor once in a while?

And then, of course, there was Hermione herself, currently sat on the sofa, wearing a baggy t-shirt, comfortable slacks and a pair for fuzzy footie slippers.

"Smells good!" Hermione greeted as Bellatrix plopped down on the sofa next to her. "What's for dinner?"

"Chicken vindaloo," Bellatrix said, giving Hermione her plate.

Where her Dark Lord stood for great magical power, a place by his side as he ruled and a grand pure-blood society he would build, Hermione stood for love, happiness and self-improvement. And, of course, new beginnings.

Hermione cuddled up against her as they started to eat their dinner. A cozy fire roared as she popped a piece of chicken in her own mouth. While Bellatrix enjoyed the fruits of her own cooking, Hermione added to the cozy feeling by laying her head on her shoulder.

Content. In that moment, she was utterly content.

"So," asked Bellatrix as their evening post-dinner ritual began. "What's Captain Kirk up to today?"

"Let's find out!" smiled Hermione as she handled the little black button-y boxwand she operated the muggle viewing machine with. A few moments later, the familiar fanfare sounded as the starship Enterprise entered standard orbit around some planet or other. Truth be told, it was more about spending time with Hermione than whatever on the screen, but there were certainly worse ways to pass the time.

Also, there was the fact that the both of them had finally heeded Lily's advice and had decided to quit smoking together. So basically any distraction from the dire nicotine-starvation was welcomed.

With the first royalty checks coming in there was a more-than-nice amount of extra income between the both of them. They had discussed buying a nice house in the wizarding quarter of Swindon: it was close to their family, both of them could still help out Lucius with his research while Hermione could still pursue her dream of becoming an electrician. It seemed perfect. Or Hermione could simply stay in the wizarding world after graduation: become a permanent member of Lucius' team. That way, Bellatrix could stay on as caretaker or perhaps join the team as well. Perhaps they could live at Malfoy manor, as Narcissa was using Lucius' first royalty money to have the manor restored. More recently, Hermione had expressed desire to become a construction witch: even the wizarding world required skilled people to build things for them. Also, Bellatrix had been subtly trying to press Hermione into at least considering the myriad of offers from professional Rugnarok teams as she definitely had it in her to go pro. Perhaps Bellatrix could now live a more humble life and become the artist she had always wanted to be in her youth.

Point was that they both had a future. One of choices and endless possibilities.

One thing was left to do. Bellatrix had bought a nice ring a few weeks ago and it had been burning a hole in her pocket ever since. She was simply waiting for the right moment to ask Hermione to be her wife, but there was no hurry yet. She could wait at least until Hermione had graduated. Perhaps for one hell of a gift for her twenty-first birthday.

Bellatrix snaked her hand underneath the hem of Hermione's baggy T-shirt and started gently rubbing her abs, causing the girl to giggle somewhat. If the pattern of the previous day held, Hermione would soon lay her head on her lap and watch the rest of the episode prone on the sofa.

"Hermione?" Bellatrix asked.

"Hm?" replied the younger witch, those soulful brown eyes gazing into hers. Soulful brown eyes that were only for her.

"Thank you," Bellatrix whispered.

"For what?" Hermione asked.

"For shoving that bezoar down my throat."

Hermione gave her the warmest possible smile and pressed her lips against hers for a moment. They kissed happily before turning back to the screen to see Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy walking through the corridors of the Enterprise. There was nothing left to be said.

The future could bring many new things for her, but one thing Bellatrix knew for certain: whatever happened, her Hermione would be in it.

Elsewhere, laying on her side of the snow, Ghost-Bella looked down from her perch on top of a high hill in the distance. From her vantage point, she could just see the caretaker's shack over the castle wall. It looked quite cozy, its thatched roof covered with snow as lights shone through the windows and smoke came from the chimney. It was a sight right out of those old Victorian postcards she used to collect when she'd been little... and alive.

Still, she was content. Happy for her friends. Happy for her other self. And, more importantly, happy for her own self.

Her head lay rested in the lap of a most beauteous creature. Long flowing black hair, a soft robe, beautiful empty eye-sockets... A skeletal hand ran through her ghostly hair as her beloved Sarah had finally deemed to acknowledge her presence enough to decide that she actually did quite like to have her around.

Ghost-Bella closed her eyes and enjoyed this happy moment. Around her the snow had melted as for the first time in decades, warmth radiated from her ghostly body.

Yet elsewhere, literally universes apart, Hermione Granger was looking through a deeply modified pensieve, a literal eye between worlds. In the magical waters, she could see Bellatrix Lestrange and the Hermione Granger of that other world sharing the sofa in their home.

A most peculiar thing had happened during the Battle of Hogwarts, now so long ago. During the battle, Bellatrix Lestrange had disappeared. And where she had stood appeared a plump round green apple. She didn't really think much of it at the time: transfiguration was nothing new and being transformed into an apple certainly meant Bellatrix was no longer in the fight.

But then the strangest thing happened: it turned out to be a normal, regular apple. Deeper research revealed that something odd had happened due to the powerful concentrated magical discharges in the Great Hall at the time. By a chance of one to a billion in the tenth power, it connected to a magical discharge in another universe which caused Bellatrix and the apple to swap places.

Which meant Bellatrix Lestrange was on the loose. But Hermione Granger was on the case, and she would make certain that Bellatrix Lestrange would not escape her just punishment.

She had swiftly discovered that there was a magical connection still between the apple, now magically preserved in a glass case, and Bellatrix. A connection she could follow and, with some alterations to a pensieve, could actually see what Bellatrix was up to in the other world.

What she saw at first frightened her: Bellatrix was up to her old tricks at Hogwarts, lying and manipulating people. Another thing was that she was quite dismayed when she first saw her counterpart: she quite considered the other Hermione a flake, an academic disgrace and far too naive for her liking. That she'd be friends with that ferret-face Malfoy, different and nicer though he seemed to be, did not endear the other Hermione to her either.

This led to utter shock the moment she saw the other Hermione kiss Bellatrix: it caused her to hasten her efforts since the other Hermione obviously needed to be protected from herself. The poor girl obviously had no idea who she was dealing with.

But... something changed along the way. Hermione watched as the other Hermione prevented Bellatrix's suicide and couldn't help but cry right along with her when she told her tale about losing the only family she had left to a suicide. She wasn't ashamed to admit that she had taken the rest of the day off to spend some time with her dad at Camden market. It made her realize just how lucky she was to still have her family, unlike the other Hermione.

She gasped when she first realized what was happening between Bellatrix and the other Hermione. Love. Actual mutual love. Something she didn't think the dark witch could be capable off. She actually had to steel herself to continue the work, remembering that this was still the woman whom had tortured and maimed her, the magical wound still opening at times being a stark reminder.

Then came Bellatrix's therapy sessions, which she watched with both a horrid fascination as well as a growing sense of shame, feeling much like a voyeur considering the deeply personal things Bellatrix discussed with her therapist. Still, it did a lot to change her views on Bellatrix even more.

She had cheered when Hermione successfully appeared on the other side of the teleportation contraption in Lucius' lab and actually smiled when the dark witch rushed to the other Hermione, hugged her tightly and told her she loved her.

Then came all the business with the Ministry. Well, it was somewhat comforting to know that, despite the many difference between their universes, Ministerial bureaucratic nonsense was still a constant.

Honestly, Harry had often joined her for these viewings and honestly he seemed to be more curious about the differences between world. He rather liked the idea of Professor Snape and his mother being alive, happy and together somewhere, even if that meant he didn't exist in that world. In fact, the both of them had a really good chuckle about Voldemort being the muggle studies teacher: part of her wished she could see the look on that old snake's face if he'd been able to find out. The Tom Riddle of that world seemed like a nice chap, really, and a stark improvement over theirs. Dating Andromeda Black, even. It made her wonder what could have been.

Unfortunately, Hermione did catch Bellatrix and the other Hermione in some very private moments. Usually, she quickly shut those off. She had standards, after all. Thing is, it was getting a bit harder to avoid as the two of them were like bunnies. Hermione knew better than to tune in at night, but there were plenty of times in the day when they'd be having it off: in a bloom closet, in the library, on the jetty, in random empty classrooms. Apparently those two had never heard of the term 'no sex, please. We're British!'.

But one time Harry was actually with her and she couldn't shut it off quickly enough. In fact, Harry couldn't stop apologizing to her, since he had effectively seen his best friend naked and... doing things to Bellatrix. Even though it hadn't really been her but another version of her, that particular technicality wasn't exactly comforting. Hermione stopped short of obviating him, but made him promise to take what he had seen into the grave.

Yes, she absolutely was insanely jealous of the other Hermione's sculpted abs. There was no denying it.

That left them where they were today. She had actually finished the work weeks ago. In front of her lay a scroll containing all necessities to, essentially, yank Bellatrix back into her own universe. But to this day, she hadn't told anyone except Harry.

"I just can't do it, Harry," Hermione shook her head. "If it had just been a few days after she'd arrived in that world, sure. But now?"

"That's still Bellatrix Lestrange, Hermione," said Harry, but it sounded as if he was trying to convince himself of that too.

"Is she?" Hermione frowned. "Look at her. She's the Hogwarts Caretaker, is in a loving relationship with a muggle-born and is watching old Star Trek episodes with her. Is that something you see Bellatrix Lestrange do?"

"Not the person she used to be, at least," Harry replied. "But it's moot."

"Is it?" Hermione asked. "Is it really? You've been on this wild trip me with me, Harry. You've seen enough. Heard her speak. See her change. Her life doesn't just belong to her, Harry. It belongs to everyone she touches."

Wise words. From her other self, back when Bellatrix had decided to end it all. Over the months she had watched the two of them develop, grow and change, curiosity had turned into sympathy.

"I just can't do it, Harry," Hermione repeated. "I can't do this to the other Hermione. I can't take the love of her life away from her. She's lost so much already. And what about the new family Bellatrix has? What about them?"

"So what's the alternative, Hermione?" asked Harry. "We leave Bellatrix Lestrange unpunished?"

"Haven't we had enough death and misery?" Hermione said. "If we destroy this newfound happiness, we won't be a hair better than Voldemort was."

"Don't say that, Hermione," said Harry. "This is different."

"Is it?" Hermione replied. "Is it really?"

"I know what she did you you."

"Harry," smiled Hermione. "I forgave her a long time ago."

"Decision is yours," said Harry. "But what are we going to tell the Wizengamot?"

"The truth," said Hermione. "Bellatrix Lestrange is gone. And she's never coming back."

"That's not exactly the truth, Hermione," challenged Harry.

"Perhaps not. But it's not exactly a lie either," replied Hermione as she regarded her other self and Bellatrix cuddled up on their sofa in their lovely home, sharing a brief kiss.

Hermione felt a great weight fall off her shoulders as, in her mind, she had finally come to a decision. A smile to Harry later, Hermione took the scroll and held it into the candle on her desk. Months of work went up in flames. Then, to make sure no one could ever continue her work, she took out her wand and aimed it at the apple. A spell shot out, disintegrating it on a molecular level and permanently severing the connection between Bellatrix and her home universe.

In front of them, the image of the other Hermione and Bellatrix together on their sofa in the pensieve started to fade.

"Goodbye you two. I wish you both the very best," Hermione smiled as the last thing she would see of the two women would be the other Hermione laying her head on Bellatrix' lap while the dark witch gently stroked her long brown hair.