Epilogue

Durley Manor was looking very elegant and very festive, as its owners were getting ready to celebrate the twenty's birthday of their eldest son, who'd become Lord Durley at the occasion.

"Grandma, can you help me with this tie?" young John Durley asked Petunia.

"Sure, dear. Don't you think it's about time you learned how to properly tie it yourself?"

The young man pouted like a child. "You know I got excellent grades at Hogwarts and I'm doing just as well at college. I just don't seem to get a hold on putting on ties."

"Your grandfather would have been able to teach you," Petunia said, her eyes tearing.

Vernon had died of a stroke more than a decade earlier. His initial reluctance to exercise and to eat healthier, smaller portions, finally won over after Marge died when Ripper got mad and attacked her. Vernon returned to his old ways of eating and no exercise. He even started drinking occasionally. It all resulted in him collapsing in the middle of a board meeting at Grunning.

Petunia had then moved to Durley Manor, where she got her own apartment, although she spent some time at Potter Manor as well, where a similar arrangement had been made for her.

With his tie properly tied, John put his robe on, proudly displaying his Durley coat of arms. "Has Uncle Harry arrived already?" he asked.

Petunia smiled. "He wouldn't miss his favorite nephew's birthday, so he said."

"I'm his only nephew, sort of, and he isn't even my real uncle," John noted, yet he looked relieved.

"Johnny, are you ready?" his sixteen years old sister came in running. "The guests will be arriving soon. You should be at the door with Mom and Dad, you know."

"Sure, Daphy." His sister was called after her godmother, Daphne Longbottom, yet had no trace of being an 'Ice Queen.' If anything, she could be named the 'Fire Queen' as she reminded many of Ginny Malfoy, except for the color of her hair.

"Has Celeste arrived already?" he asked. He had started dating Celeste Lovegood at third year and they stayed together since.

Daphy smiled. "She wouldn't miss her fiancé's birthday and the private celebration you two are surely going to have later, would she?"

Dudley and Pansy were waiting downstairs, talking softly with Harry and Hermione, who seemed to be pregnant again. "I thought you had enough, after James, Lily, Sirius, Remus and Nym. What are you going to call this one?"

Hermione smiled, leaning comfortably on Harry. "We wanted a large family, and now, after my two eldest are no longer living at home and Nym is going to Hogwarts next autumn, we thought we'd like another child. We still have a few months to decide on a name, though."

"You may call it after one of your parents. I've heard many people like it," Pansy said.

"We've considered it, but my parents prefer it otherwise. Oh, I've met Lavender when I visited the healer. She seemed ready to give birth already."

"What will that be – her tenth? She's birthing more children than even her mother-in-law did."

Hermione chuckled. "You know Ron can't hold a job since he lost his position as the Cannon's keeper. His main entertainment seems to be in bed. At least he's very helpful with the kids, or Lavender would have sterilized him long ago."

They had no more time for idle talking, as the guests started pouring in. The Malfoys were among the first, coming with only their eldest – Scorpius, a younger boy, about fourteen and a girl younger than him. "We couldn't leave the house elves alone with the twins, you know, so mother agreed to stay and keep an eye on them as well. She actually uses any excuse not to be seen in public since Dad died in Azkaban. I think she really loved him, despite his obvious faults," Draco said.

Ginny hugged them all as much as her swollen belly would allow. "Mom says that I still have a way to go, but I think this will be my last time. Whoever heard of a Malfoy having six kids?"

Harry smiled at her and winked. He was sure there would be more. Ginny wouldn't let Lavender win this unofficial competition.

"Congratulations, Professors," Harry heard a familiar voice. Minerva McGonagall was congratulating Dudley, the current professor of Muggle Studies. He had become appreciated by both teachers and students soon after he and Pansy joined the staff, when Daphy started her Hogwarts years.

"I'm sorry that my husband couldn't come. He has an emergency at work and left early in the morning. Developing applications for mobiles seems to be a very erratic way of life, but he loves it," Daphne Longbottom said as she came. She was now the Hogwarts healer and was also lecturing at a Scottish school of medicine, after having achieved both magical and mundane medicine titles.

Susan Bones came with her husband, a muggle she had met at college. This really solved her dilemma, as she didn't want the Bones line to end, yet having a magical husband would have made her children considered of his line. "I can't stay long," she apologized. "One of the young aurors is getting married this evening and as his superior, I should at least come for a while."

Susan was now the head auror, despite being the mother of two. People were already comparing her favorably with her late aunt and she was sure so become head of the DMLE in a few years. Harry had already promised her his support. Although not having any job within the ministry (or anywhere else, for that matter), the political influence of Lord Potter-Black was very significant.

Luna seemed as dreamy as always, leaning on her partner. She had chosen not to marry, so she could keep her line going, and her man didn't mind. Luna looked at John and her daughter and smiled. She would be a grandmother within a year, she was sure.

Petunia was watching that same couple with a nostalgic smile on her face. Vernon would have been so proud to see how his grandson had grown to become a good and powerful wizard. Pansy had told her that John was almost as powerful as Hermione and just as smart. That was certainly something to be proud of.

Much later, when the guests were dancing some modern dances, to the sound emanating from the loudspeakers, Dudley took Pansy's hand in his and looked in her eyes. "Isn't this wonderful, dear?"

She smiled back, barely keeping her happy tears under control. "It is, dearest, and it was all made possible when a young muggle helped a young witch to her feet. I love you, Dudley."

"And I love you, Pansy."

As they kissed, they didn't notice a certain fiery blonde smiling happily at the view, holding hands with a redhead boy. "Aren't they cute, Scorp?"

A.N. I wasn't sure about the ending. The story was 12 chapters only, originally, but then I felt it needed some more about the Durley manor restoration and about Harry/Hermione becoming a pair. Still, that was not enough, didn't feel the right ending. So, here we are with an epilogue, which gives a nice wrapup, depicting a wizarding community which is much changed, but maybe not enough, with some real hopes for better future. I liked writing it. I hope you enjoyed reading it, and as always -

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