Final Flight…
Ten Years Later
"Have you any idea what kind of weather you'll have?" asked Hermione.
"I don't know" said Harry. "I'll check in from BATC before I set off" he added, stopping to kiss his wife on the lips. The pair had married in the grounds of Hogwarts with all of their friends and family around them. Hermione, in Harry's opinion, was the most radiant bride that had ever lived. Her dress was the most expensive silk that could be found, crafted by Goblins, Elves and Mer-People all working together. All of their female friends had been Bridemaids, with Dobby being Harry's best man – or elf in this case. People had come from far and wide to see them join together as husband and wife such as Harry's old Quidditch team, the Delacours, Firenze and many, many others. The pair had done it on the last day of term so that the entire school could also attend.
"What time are you setting off?" Hermione asked.
"I think I'm due to set off at about eleven" Harry replied. "I'm sure that Susan will tell me when I get to the Ministry" he added.
Susan had joined the Auror Corp after taking a year's holiday upon graduating from school. She had worked hard and fast t make the youngest Senior Auror. Her husband, Dean, had opened a restaurant in partnership with the Patil twins. Over the years since the battle, the group had gone on to other things and done so much. Harry had remained Headmaster for as long as it took to rebuild the school, quit on his leaving day and turned it over to McGonagall. Since then, and at McGonagall's suggestion, a museum had been built on part of the grounds so that what happened would never be forgotten by anybody in the future. All kinds of exhibits were in there, and Harry had been asked to donate a few things. His Firebolt was getting a bit long in the tooth for doing the flying that Harry was fond of, and he had agreed to donate it after a last flight from their home in London. For some months previous to the flight, it had been sitting unused and in a bad state of repair in an old trunk in the attic of Grimmauld Place. It had been brought out, checked out, fixed up before prepared for the ferry to Hogwarts.
"Thank god my parents had the kids last night" said Hermione. "After last night…" she smiled as Harry pulled his flying gear out of the wardrobe.
"I didn't hear you complaining" Harry replied as Hermione put some cream on her nipples. He had clamped them hard during their bondage session last night – a kink they had discovered one quiet night. "Will you be alright handling the comms from Hogwarts?" Harry said, brushing off the dust with his hand. Luna had developed, in partnership with the Weasley twins, a headset that could transmit to a receiver which would be hooked up to the WWN. Two way communications with Harry's ferry flight was, therefore, possible so that the listening public could hear him and keep up with the progress of the flight. After turning it over to the museum, Harry would then return south with his repaired Nimbus 2000 for addition to the Nimbus museum in Kent – taking possession of his Firebus there.
"I'll be there before you set off to make sure the system works" Hermione said, rising from the bed to put on a robe. "If it doesn't, we could always put the flight back an hour" she pointed out.
"Lets give it a good and trouble free send off" said Harry. With a long twenty minutes goodbye to his wife, Harry left the bedroom to have his traditional pre-broom ride breakfast.
#
"London Broom, Good Morning. This is Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot requesting flight to Hogwarts" Harry spoke.
"Alpha Foxtrot, Good Morning. You are cleared to Hogwarts" came the voice of a Wizard assigned to London Broom Traffic Control. "Line up on square one and ready for takeoff"
"Lined up and ready for take off, Alpha Foxtrot" Harry said, increasing the power to the Firebolt and feeling it respond to the lightest touch. One of the things done to it was to restore all of the original settings, bar those improvements Harry had had made, so it was completely operational.
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot, you are cleared for take off. Climb and maintain flight level four. Advise on reaching Big Ben"
"Alpha Foxtrot cleared for take off. Flight level four" Harry put more power in and the broom took to the air. After he had cleared the roofs of the buildings in Diagon Alley, Harry swung it around, did a low and slow over it before heading to Big Ben.
"Alpha Foxtrot, be aware you have traffic in your area at your nine o'clock. Distance is one hundred feet. It will keep clear of you at all times"
"Understood traffic warning, Alpha Foxtrot" Harry felt the wind rush through his hair and hit his face. The weather was exceptionally good that day, and he suspected that it would be all the way to Hogwarts.
"Firebolt, this is American 137. You're beautiful"
"Thanks, 137" Harry said. He watched as a flying carpet rocked from side to side before peeling away to land in Diagon Alley. The Americans had come up with the idea to build them as a lot of their nation could not use Floo or Apparition for medical reasons. The solution was to fly via carpet – the ban on them overturned several years before. "London, passing Big Ben"
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot, turn left heading 015. On behalf of all of us at BTC, may I wish the broom a happy retirement"
"Acknowledged" Harry said. "And thanks…"
"Broadsword calling Danny Boy" Hermione's voice came in on a different frequency.
"Danny Boy" Harry replied.
"What is your position?"
"Leaning forwards in the middle of the broom" Harry told her. "I've left Diagon Alley, and I'm heading to Hogwarts" he said. "I should be there in a couple of hours"
"Oh, have to go – the tea is here"
"Talk to you later" Harry said, then flicked the headset to the first frequency he had been on.
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot, turn right to 025. Climb and maintain flight level two zero"
"Turn to 025 and climb to two zero, Alpha Foxtrot" Harry turned the broom round and headed higher.
"Alpha Foxtrot, for the last time tune to 121.5. Farewell and Goodbye"
"121.5. Thanks you and see you soon" Harry said. "Oxford control! Good morning. Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot heading 025 at flight level two zero"
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot, Oxford control. Good Morning, Sir. Maintain two zero. Traffic information: advanced broom riders on test at five miles distance to you. They will keep clear at all times"
"Information acknowledged, Alpha Foxtrot" Harry replied. "Oxford, can you give me the latest weather information?" he asked.
"We certainly can" the voice replied with a laugh. "Scattered cloud between flight levels two zero and four zero. Suspected rain in area. Should not happen until you have cleared area"
"Understood" Harry said. As he flew on the journey north, his thoughts turned to his life after Hogwarts. After the honeymoon was over, he had gone to work as an Auror and had soon become a Senior Auror. The job, though, was only part time as he had other important things to do. He was the Ambassador at Large for the Ministry, and had attended functions given by a number of leaders in his honour. He and Hermione hosted dinners for friends, gave parties for charities and lived as normal life as possible. Harry and Hermione had two children, James Sirius and Andromeda Rose. Both of them had been taught in Muggle primary school so they could get a better education then others of their age. They enjoyed seeing Granddad and Grandma Granger greatly, and loved being taken out to theme parks, picnics and the cinema.
"Alpha Foxtrot" the voice of the Oxford controller came on the headset – rousing Harry from his thoughts. "Climb to flight level four five and maintain. Speed is at your discretion"
"Acknowledged, Alpha Foxtrot" Harry said, pulling the broom even higher. The broom was performing just as it should do, but it was telling Harry it wanted to keep flying and never stop. He could well understand that, and he knew that brooms were meant to fly on the ground.
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot from Oxford Control. Sir, it is with regret that we hand you over to Yarmouth for the final time" Harry looked at the time on the broom's handle. He was making better time then he thought, but then he thought he knew the owner of that voice.
"Oxford? Alpha Foxtrot here. Is that Natalie McDonald?" he asked.
"Affirm"
"Isn't it time you picked your sister from school?" Harry asked.
"For lunch" agreed Natalie.
"Want me to pick her up for you?" Harry asked.
#
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot from Oxford Control. Sir, it is with regret that we hand you over to Yarmouth for the final time – this time"
"Thanks for the help over the years, Oxford" Harry said, knowing that his every word was being beamed live to hundreds and, perhaps, thousands of homes over the country. "I just want to say that it has been a pleasure. Don't forget I'm coming back this way tomorrow" he added.
"Affirm. Alpha Foxtrot, for the last time contact Yarmouth Control on 118.9. Goodbye"
"Yarmouth 118.9, Alpha Foxtrot. Bye" and Harry switched frequencies again. "Yarmouth, Alpha Foxtrot on course 025 at flight level four five"
"Alpha Foxtrot, Yarmouth control. Steer 020 and descend to flight level four zero. Traffic information: there is none. All brooms grounded until you have passed over area" the unseen male voice called Harry. "Weather information: as previous notice, but with turbulence at flight level four five"
"Understood, Yarmouth. Descending to flight level four zero, Alpha Foxtrot"
#
"As Harry Potter comes to the east coast of England, last minute checks are being made for his arrival at the Hogwarts museum. What do you think he will be thinking of, Gina?" asked a Wizard.
"Well" Gina replied, "Mr Potter is an experienced flyer so he will be thinking of getting his broom to its destination safely. He will be, of course, thinking of the good times he has had with his Firebolt – the oldest Firebolt of its type still in existence. He was part of the winning team for Gryffindor several times. Listeners will also remember that Mr Potter set the world record for going around the world by way of broomstick on this very broom. His wife, Hermione Potter, is in contact with him at all times during the final flight. His next call in should be in around an hour and a half from now. Back to you, Dave, in the studio"
"Thank you, Gina. We'll be back after these messages"
#
"Edinburgh control from Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot. Entering your area at flight level five two heading 317"
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot, Good Evening, Sir. You are cleared to head direct to Hogwarts at present speed and altitude"
"Control from Alpha Foxtrot. Request refilling of flight plan"
"What destination?"
"Same destination. Request visual flight rules approach"
"Alpha Foxtrot, message received. Clearance granted"
"Thanks, Control" Harry said, and took the broom a little higher to 5,000ft, slowed his speed down and glanced down at the scenery below him. He could feel the broom asking and begging not to be retired from use, but all things had to come to an end, and he turned for Hogwarts and was handed over to Inverness control.
"Broadsword calling Danny Boy" Hermione's voice came through.
"Hey, Mione. How you doing?"
"Never better" she replied. "We're all ready for you to come here at any time" and Harry nodded to himself.
"I'll be there in about half an hour" he told her. "Get the welcome mat out. Inverness Control from Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot, request descent to flight level one eight"
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot from Inverness control. You are cleared to descend to flight level one eight. Turn right and come to 347. Sir, the entire control room joins me in wishing you a safe landing. Upon arriving at Hogwarts, you are cleared to land at your discretion"
"Inverness from Alpha Foxtrot. Confirming that. I just want to say that it has been an honour to have had such help over the years" Harry replied. "Inverness, Alpha Foxtrot. Is there any traffic in my area?" he squinted at the blob in the distance. It was something in the sky coming close to him.
"Nothing on our screens, Alpha Foxtrot"
"Well there is something approaching me at some speed" Harry said. "Am turning right" and he nudged the broom away from the incoming object.
"Alpha Foxtrot, can you describe what you can see?" asked the controller.
"It looks like some kind of huge black triangle" Harry told them. "Jesus…! It just changed course to hit me"
"Alpha Foxtrot, expedite climb at maximum speed"
"What do you think I'm doing?" Harry said hotly. Despite his undiminished skills as a Quidditch player, the object came around and followed him all over. "Is there anybody in the area at all?" he asked.
"Just a carpet at 900ft" the reply came quickly. "But that is heading away from you, and should not cause any concern with regards to this. Can you describe what you can see? Is it a muggle aircraft?"
"If it is" Harry said, turning tight left in a corkscrew, "Then it is something that I have never seen before. It is a black triangle and is very large with no visible engine. It appears to have four lights on the underside. One in each of the corners, and the forth, a much bigger and brighter light, is in the centre" Harry looked back to see it still following him.
"Alpha Foxtrot, we have been told that it is no muggle plane of any sort known to us. Try any measures you think fit to protect yourself"
"Understood. I'm going to try and flip over and head towards it. I might be able to get a good look at who or what is controlling it" and Harry put the broom into maximum speed, drew a short distance away from it before flipping the other way and heading straight towards it.
"Broadsword calling Danny Boy. Harry, I don't think that think is piloted by humans. Or at least, not by anybody civilian" Hermione's voice filtered through.
"You have got to be joking…" Harry couldn't believe his ears.
"Try hitting it with a blasting hex. If it thinks you are going to attack, it might go off. They often do that when faced by a lock-on"
"Wait…" Harry said. "That's an Aurora" he said, referring to the Hypersonic aircraft that had been rumoured t be the successor to the SR-71. He took his wand and painted it with a pre-spell lock. The triangle veered off course, turned right and headed away at high speed. "Broadsword and Inverness. Object is leaving the area fast"
"Alpha Foxtrot from Inverness control. Resume previous heading and flight plan. Come right until you attain 334 and maintain flight level two eight"
"Turning, Alpha Foxtrot" and the minutes passed. Harry was just on the outer edge of Hogsmeade when he was called by Inverness.
"Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot from Inverness control. Just want to say thank you for all the years of happiness and joy you gave to us here. Wishing you a safe landing. Descend to flight level one zero for photos. Goodbye"
"Same from here, Inverness. Goodbye" and Harry turned to Hermione once more. "Firebolt Alpha Foxtrot entering your airspace at 1,000ft"
"Understood, and welcome home" Hermione replied. Harry looked at the rebuilt castle which showed no signs of the immense damage caused during the battle. One could, if you had actually been there, still see the debris and bodies scattered around the place like a hand had swept them into a jumble.
"Alpha Foxtrot is requesting a flyby"
"Granted, Alpha Foxtrot. At your choice, nothing will supersede your own judgement on this last flight" and Harry went on to make a pass over the castle with smoke coming out of the broom's twigs, before turning and coming gently to the grassy lawns of Hogwarts. He slowly moved it up until it was inside the museum building and took it gently to the floor. With a waiting and cheering crowd around him, he rang off the dials on the broom's handle for the last time and climbed off it.
It was over
#
One Hundred Years Later
(One Hundred and Ten Years After The War)
I knew something was up when I got a letter.
Getting one from Harry was not, in itself, all that different from others I had got over the years. Whenever he and Hermione had hosted dinner parties over the many years that I had known them, I was always on the top page of their list.
The reason this letter was different was the way it was written.
Dear Fliss Parkinson
You are invited to attend a dinner party held at the Potter Mansion on Tuesday 3rd June 3007. Casual formal will be the style of dress.
Signed
Harry James Potter
After what happened, it should really have been my first clue.
# # # # #
Harry knew it was nearing the end…
They had come from far and wide to attend, though it was for a limited number of people. The entire group of friends from the Battle of Hogwarts had gathered in response to Harry's summons. After Hermione's tragic death the previous decade, Harry had rarely been in a mood to have one of these events. Hermione had died after being hit by a car whilst Harry was away on business. Muggle doctors, not knowing she was magical, tried to treat her without success. Minister Susan Bones had ordered a week of national mourning.
"Thank you for coming" Harry said as his elves brought out the starter. "It has been a long while since we last did this" he added.
"Last time would have been at Griphook's burial service" Dean said.
"Too long ago" Pansy said.
"So what is the big occasion?" asked Seamus.
"I thought that it was time I had some private time with my friends" Harry said.
"Sorry, but I'm married" giggled Parvati.
"I don't swing that way" said Neville.
"There is, of course, another reason. Today was when it all kicked off" Harry said.
"I guess time really does fly" said Susan with a shake of her head. Harry picked up his glass of wine as the others did.
"A toast" he said. "To Hermione" and, one by one, the others mentioned the name of a friend or person close to them that had been lost during the war. Once they had finished, Harry had the last word. "To absent friends…" before they sipped the wine and started their meal. All during this time, Luna would look at Harry with a tilt of her head and a frown on her beautiful features. Something was wrong with Harry, though she could not put her finger on the exact cause.
"I like that mask on the wall" Padma nodded at the wooden mask to the right of the table.
"You can have it if you want it" Harry said. "I was meaning to chuck it out" he added.
"Why?"
"I got it whilst I was away – whilst Hermione died. I don't need a reminder of what happened that day hanging over my shoulder" Harry shrugged. "I understand that you are working on some kind of childcare reform, Hannah" he said.
"Mmm…" she finished her mouthful. "We're looking into building the most modern Children's Hospital with dedicated Healers. I also want to build new care homes for those orphaned by one thing or another"
"How much do you need?" asked Harry.
"Millions…" Hannah said. "Building, staffing and equipping these things is easy – getting the money is hard enough" she added.
"I'll give you a million" Harry said, sipping his wine. "On one condition"
"What?"
"Tell Susan to stop fingering you under the table" and Susan gave an audible squeak and pulled her left hand out from under the table.
"Ho… How did you know?" she stammered.
"Apart from the fact you have had that hand under the table since the start of the meal? The wards tell me what you were up to. And may I say, Hannah, I think it is very nice" Harry looked at the expressions of the pair.
"Well it is going to be stretched pretty wide soon" said Hannah.
"How long have you got left?" asked Harry.
"About another six weeks. I'll be glad when it is out"
"Morning sickness?" asked Padma.
"No" Hannah replied. "My darling wife is turned on by a pregnant woman, and uses that blasted magical dildo all the time" she looked at Susan who was cleaning her hand with a quick spell. "I'm going to find where you hide that thing and blow it to pieces"
"I still don't understand how women get pregnant" Fliss said.
"I'll explain when you are older" Pansy said.
"I'm a hundred and eighteen!" protested her sister. "What I meant was that I didn't understand how the genetics of two women could be altered to create a baby"
"With a lot of hard work" Hannah assured her.
"Has anybody seen Daphne and Seamus?" asked Lavender.
"They left in a hurry about five minutes ago" said Parvati.
"They could have said they were leaving"
"Upstairs, second bedroom on the fifth floor" Harry said. "And way to go Seamus…" he added.
# # # # #
We found out what Harry was up to a few days later. After dressing and putting on his old cloak with the Gryffindor crest and great hat, he had gone to Hogwarts to have a look around. After that, he had gone to museum to have a walk in his memories.
# # # # #
The broom was in the exact same condition as it was when Harry had left it, and the controls and dials still showed their last displays when he had rung them off over a hundred years before. Harry ran his hand over it, felt the smoothness of the wood and felt the power in the broom when he brushed it with his palm.
"I know" he said to it. "One more ride for me" and he took it off the display stand, mounted it and took off from the entrance. The sun was setting as he hovered over the grounds to take a long look at the castle. Then, and with a sigh, he gave the broom a slight touch of the helm, turned it around and moved away. As he headed into the brilliant and dramatic sunset, Harry could feel the wiriness stop being a problem, and his aching bones ceased throbbing…
# # # # #
They found Harry's broom hovering over the misty lake the following morning without Harry being on it. A search was undertaken on the surface, under it and on the edges of the lake – backtracking all the way to the museum.
No body was ever found.
The Goblins kept saying that he would return one day, but I never saw him again – not in my lifetime.
It hit his friends the hardest – more so than his family. Every year on the day he was last seen, we gathered to toast his memory and share stories.
Harry once told me that sunrises were one of the most spectacular and beautiful things in the world, and something to be enjoyed for as long as possible. And so, for the next hundred and thirty years, I got up early each morning to watch the sun come up.
Sometimes, and just sometimes, I thought I saw him watching beside me…
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A/N:
So, what did you think of the final chapter? I hope it was good. Also, you wouldn't believe how long it took to do the THE END! I only hope that fanfiction allows it.
First of all, some references:
Harry's final flight on the Firebolt for retirement is like the retirement of Concorde. Alpha Foxtrot was assigned to the Firebolt by me as a tribute to the final flight of Concorde from Heathrow to Filton. A few other fics have had Concorde references in, and this one is exact as I can make it – even down to another person calling the Firebolt beautiful.
As far as most people know, the Aurora plane does not exist… But I know something a little more then others and believe it does exist as I, myself, have seen one here in the UK.
Harry's sending out of invitations for a final dinner with his friends is taken from the finale of Babylon 5. The part where Harry's broom is found without a body, the Goblins and the sunrise is also taken from that episode.
Before anybody points out there are no dials on the Firebolt, I believe a remark is made about some kind of compass or dial on Harry's Firebolt. If not, then it is a clip on attachment for his.
Broadsword to Danny Boy is so famous you should get it easily!
Natalie McDonald sneaks in at the end because she is the only real person in the entire Harry Potter series, and because she doesn't get much mention. Her story is quite sad, and those that don't know should read it on the web. It made me cry the first time…
The final chapter could be taken two ways. Either Fliss was telling her version of the vanishing of Harry into the sunset or the entire story was written by her at some point after the battle – You decide…
Finally, I would like to say how much of a pleasure it has been over the last few months to write this story, and I hope you have enjoyed it and would like to know your favourite parts of the fic. I do know that somebody once cried at work when Luna was killed by Harry. After a much deserved break from writing, I will be back with a Harry Potter / Star Wars crossover in partnership with my good friend and ally XRaiderV1. My own HP/SW will also be done at the same time. My other outstanding fics will also be completed as I've been working hard to put them out into the fanfic vault for a more leisurely release schedule – I wish!
For the final time in this story, your reviews please
Warmest Regards
Pixel and Stephanie
(Undisputed Harry Potter Fan Fiction God)