Chapter 7: Epilogue

-O.o.O-

After the final battle at Hogwarts, Harry was more busy than ever before. He cleared Severus Snape's name using Dumbledore's and his own testimonies. Now the former Double-Agent was completely free. He didn't have to work for anyone and he didn't choose to continue teaching at Hogwarts. Harry guessed that he had had enough of teaching for now. The Potions Master focused entirely on Potions instead and published some incredibly famous Potions books. And no doubt that they became Hogwarts's textbooks afterwards. When Slughorn declared his official retirement and he asked Snape to take his place, again, The former professor finally said yes. Nothing seemed to change for him, except that now he was more loved by the students and had his fans following him every time he was going back to his office, which bothered him a lot at first. Harry would go back to Hogwarts sometimes for visits and realized that the Potions Professor hadn't changed very much. His sarcastic comments and strict teaching style were still enough to make first year students cry like babies, and Harry found himself actually missing his school years and the classes when he had been mocked by Snape all the time. One day Harry saw the Potions Master smiling at some students' perfect homework along with two little gifts and a bunch of flowers for him in his office, and he knew that professor Snape had finally found his happiness.

There were no casualties during the final battle of Hogwarts because really it had been just a duel between Harry and Voldemort. Bellatrix also had died, that was for sure. Most Death Eaters were sent to Azkaban and sentenced differently for their different crimes. The Malfoys, however, had not gone to trial except for Lucius and he wasn't found guilty since he had served his sentence in Azkaban anyway. Harry claimed that the Malfoys had not been part of the final battle because all Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy had done during that time was looking for their son. And Narcissa Malfoy actually had saved Harry's life by lying to Voldemort. Draco Malfoy became quieter, calmer and smarter. He had grown up during the war and his relationship with Harry was much better than before. They actually often talked like old friends.

Ron and Hermione had got married quickly after the Battle of Hogwarts before they had one boy and one girl. Harry became a happy and busy godfather of their children and the exciting couple welcomed Harry at their house at any time. Ginny and Dean Thomas got together which didn't seem like a surprise after they had fought side-by-side and had told each other about their feelings in the Battle. However, Harry was left single just like his god father Sirius had been. Ron and Hermione got their dream jobs and Harry became a successful Auror, too. They were super famous for a while that the envelopes from fans were piling up at their doors but Harry didn't seem to care about fame and money. He spent most of his galleons on Ron and Hermione's or Dean and Ginny's children and their educations and entertainments, while a large amout of money was donated by him to the charities. He actually built an orphanage for young wizards who had lost their parents because he didn't want to see another Harry Potter or Voldemort in the magic world again, ever - the two of them had caused enough trouble already. The money left was just enough for himself.

Merlin knows how hard he had tried to 'move on' and maybe find a girlfriend. It was not difficult at all since witches from all over the world was eager to be with the Saviour and become the lucky one. But Harry hadn't been able to feel anything more than pure friendship among them and finally decided it would be better for him to remain a bachelor. Well, not only witches... Many wizards offered their numbers and stuff, too... But Harry just wasn't interested in general.

He was famous and great with enough money, close friends and too many fans, yet he felt lonely in that cheering crowd. He had a fabulous life ahead of him with a wonderful job, various entertainments and endless fun, yet he still felt tired and empty like everything was not meaningful anymore.

He missed Tom Riddle. He missed that voice in his mind, he missed his friend and may-be lover and he even missed being a Horcrux. But Riddle was gone just like his parents and his soul felt so empty again. Every night his dreams became dead and blank. The one person who had always been with him since he was one year old had died to protect him. Sometimes when it was a raining day, Harry would sit by his fireplace and tried to remember Riddle's traces in his life. Now he realized that he had been a parselmouth only because of Riddle, and he knew why he could survive so many dangers with what seemed like good luck. Riddle had been with him all the time. He had been watching over and helping Harry all along like a guardian angel... A guardian angel! Harry chuckled sadly, he could imagine Riddle making a grimace after hearing that silly title. And Riddle had probably been the most similar and the closest person to him in the world.

The dead were resting in peace, and the living must move on and get going in their lives again.

But Harry remembered everything. He remembered the dreams, Riddle's smile, his voice, their hugs and their kisses. And again, if moving on was that easy, no one would ever need to try and move on in the first place.

-O.o.O-

Harry closed his eyes, wondering in the darkness. What had Tom been feeling in his mind? He had been so used to tell Riddle about his feelings. he hadn't even realized the fact that Riddle had never said much about himself. Taking a deep breath, he tried to feel like Riddle and think in Riddle's way...

He woke up, confused and terrified. He couldn't remember anything except for his own name and he was trapped in the darkness, alone. He started shouting as loud as he could, but there was no answer. He was in a panic and had no idea what to do. Desperate and helpless, he waited and waited but nothing happened. Just before giving up, he saw the light.

Gradually, he realized that he wasn't trapped in a prison, he was trapped in a mind. A young boy's mind. After days and nights, he began to remember his life and he found out that the boy was a wizard just like him. The longer he stayed , the more information he got. The similarities between that boy and himself were astonishing. He watched the boy getting sorted into Gryffindor, he watched him going on adventures with his friends and being lectured by his teachers; he heard the boy laughing when flying in the sky, he heard him sobbing in pain and shouting loudly with great courage; He felt the boy's happiness, he felt his loss and melancholy. He saw everything through the boy's eyes, and he understood everything because they were so similar. But the boy was also different from him. He watched the boy growing and becoming more and more brilliant every day. His boy was braver, kinder and more sensitive than him, and he was proud of it.

Harry. He whispered the boy's name again and again when the night came and he felt lonely again, Harry, Harry. That boy was everything he had, and that boy was everything he needed. When others tried to hurt the boy, he fought back with his own magic power and kept the boy safe every time. No one could ever harm his Harry, he wouldn't allow it and he would try everything to protect the only one in his life.

And one day, Harry heard him. The joy was flooding in his mind and he was so happy that he couldn't help but kept talking to Harry. It felt so good, and he enjoyed being heard by the boy whom he had always wanted to talk to. They became friends, and more than friends. He began to feel something special when he was with Harry and the first time they kissed, he understood.

That was why he chose to face the Death. He had always feared death, but his Harry was more important than everything. Finally he knew what Lily Potter had felt when she had been standing between her son and the killing curse without thinking twice. Nothing had the power more incredible than love, and he understood at last. He was happy that the boy whom he had been watching over would have the chance to live his life to its fullest.

Harry gasped and sat up. He was right. One could never know what another person was thinking about, unless he looked at everything with that person's eyes.

His wiped his face and finally relaxed in sound sleep. When he woke up the next morning, his pillow was wet.

-O.o.O-

The silver moonlight shone softly on the graveyard, colouring the graves ivory-white. He stood before the black marble tomb stone, staring into nothingness, tired and sad. His black hair was longer and his eyes emerald like jewels. The darkness of night filled his heart with melancholy and loneliness and he sighed like an old man.

The moonlight was dancing on the stage, and all the audience below were silent like stones. Harry James Potter knelt down before the tomb stone and put a fresh white rose under the golden name carved the plain silver name plate.

Tom Marvolo Riddle.

He smiled sadly, his fingers tracing the letters gently and his eyes beginning to be watery, but he didn't cry. Riddle would be sad seeing him cry.

If anyone else knew what he was doing right now they would probably condemn him with curses and think he was insane, but again, why should he care? It would not even be the first time.

"Hello, old friend."

Yeah, talking into thin air, maybe he was not so sane after all.

-O.o.O-

Harry opened his eyes to see the same place where he had been to before. The bench was still there, like nothing had happened. He stared down to his hands and found them smooth and without wrinkles again. He walked to the bench and held the baby in his arm - the little boy looked perfectly healthy now, waving his little fists and smiling at Harry.

His life had been indeed wonderful and amazing. But he was never married. He had died of age, satisfied and happy without fear, for he knew he would meet that person again.

The scarlet train arrived and he heard the familiar sound of horn and the white vapour covered his eyes. He held the baby gently and looked around. Suddenly, the baby disappeared in his arms and he started to panic, rising to his feet and looking around nervously. He was technically dead but his heart seemed to start pounding when he saw Riddle standing at the door to one of the compartments.

Riddle was standing there, looking at him, beaming. He still looked like a fifteen-year-old boy and behind him, his parents and Sirius were waving at Harry. And Harry ran. He ran as fast as he could like wind and he felt the warm liquid running down on his face. For the first time after Riddle's death, he felt like himself again.

He ran past the red compartments and traffic signs, ran past the colourless nothingness and the posters on the brick wall, and left everything but his soul behind. Riddle opened his arms, and Harry hugged him, tight.

"Hey Tom, nice to see you again."

He was home.

-O.o. FIN .o.O-

Author's Note:

Yeah! This is all, and a prequel or a sequel is clearly not needed. Hope you enjoyed reading my first story and thank you for reading. I lied, maybe it's a happy ending for everyone after all. Well, it depends on you but I think the ending is happy enough. I know my writing is horrible but this is my first try in writing a fan fiction in English so I'll hopefully get better at it. Who knows, maybe I will see you again in another Harry Potter fan fiction! Au revoir and bye! Please review :)

Thanks to AvaTheDarkLord, Nayeri, Death Wand and chloezhou7070, Ben and HeartlessVampireGirl for reviewing! Your reviews are greatly appreciated and I'm happy that people are reading and loving this story.

By the way, I am write another Harry Potter Fan Fiction NOW about Hogwarts Four and if you are interested, please go to the story called The Tragedy. The genres are Tragedy and Drama and if you want to read it, you can search it or simply find it on my profile page.