Chapter Twenty Four-Epilogue-Going Home
Harry sighed as he and his friends walked into the Great Hall and sat down. The hall was decorated in Gryffindor colors. The hall was full of talk and laughter, the teachers all sat at their table up at the front.
"Another, year gone," Dumbledore began, "another year of tears, laughter, and pain. A year of important moments and not so important moment. The year was a good one, and maybe even helpful. There will of course be changes over the next several moments, and when you return things might not be the same, but I promise you that when you do return you school will feel safe again. I of course wish all of you the best summer you can have, and ask that you remain safe. As the year comes to an end, I'm also told it's time to give the house cup once again. The Points now stand Hufflepuff 395, Ravenclaw 412, Slytherin 468 and the winner Gryffindor with 471 points. The tables all clapped, except for a few at the Slytherin table.
~~~~~~
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Emily and Sirius all stood on the train platform in Hogsmeade train platform. Harry and Emily stood hand in hand as they prepared to say goodbye.
Harry's glasses were gone, they had been replaced by thin contacts, and he now looked more like Severus and Lily. Meanwhile Emily was looking more like Lily had.
Sirius sighed, while he hated the fact that Severus was his God-son's father, he also hated the fact that Severus would be caring for the boy. Sirius leaned forward and ruffled the boy's long jet black hair. He forced a small smiled and pulled Harry into a hug. Harry sighed, for the first time since he had arrived at Hogwarts, he wasn't dreading going home. He knew he would be safe. Harry felt loved.
"I love you kid," Sirius said in a thick voice. He would be going back to the states for awhile, then return at some point. Glancing past Harry's head he spotted Severus who wasn't standing far away.
"I love you too," Harry felt Sirius squeeze him.
"If he lays a hand on you, in anyway, just owl me, I'll be there." Harry smiled and looked over his shoulder to his father, who nodded, but said and did nothing more.
"He's a good guy, Sirius. I know you're angry at him, but he'll never hurt me. Please feel free to visit. I'd like to spend some real time with you."
"Sure thing kiddo. Take care of yourself Harry," Sirius released his God-son and looked at Emily. She didn't truly trust the man, like she did her father and Remus.
"I know we just met and all, and my first impression wasn't great, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends," Emily, although hesitant, smiled softly.
"I'd like that," she said. He nodded and shook her hand. With a nod he boarded the train. Harry watched him, and then turned towards his friends. Ginny wrapped her arms around him, as well as Hermione.
"Maybe your dad will let you come to my house Harry," Hermione said. He pulled away and smiled, dawning her soft cheek with a kiss he smiled at her.
"We'll see if I can't pull something off. Ginny, be good," Harry said, kissing her forehead. She nodded. Hermione moved over to her newly found best friend and smiled, as did Ginny.
"Take care of him, and yourself. I love ya," Hermione said hugging her new friend.
"I'm so glad I met you," Emily said hugging Hermione.
"Me too, it was so lonely being the only girl," she whispered. Pulling away and wiping a tear away Hermione turned back and headed into the compartment of the train. Ginny smiled and also hugged Ginny.
"You're the best big sister," she said and then boarded the train as well. Ron looked at them.
"I'm glad you found your home Harry. Even if it is with that 'greasy git', you deserve the best, both of you do. I'll owl you," Ron said. Harry nodded and smiled at his best friend.
"Your dad has a new job now, so, maybe we can spend a little of his newly earned cash sometime," Harry said. Ron smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that. Dad says if I did good on my O.W.L.S, he might teach me how to drive." Harry chuckled.
"If your dad is smart he won't let you drive. I'll see you around Ron," the red head nodded and smiled, he looked at Emily and kissed her cheek.
"Take care of your brother. You're an awesome addition to our group," with that Ron stepped onto the train, turning around he waved out the door. Harry and Emily smiled and waved. They waited until the train was out of sight.
Emily wrapped an arm around her brother's shoulders and looked at him. He looked back at her.
"What?"
"I'm glad you're my brother."
"I'm glad you're my sister." Just then they felt a hand on their shoulders, turning around they saw their dad smiling.
"I'm glad you're my kids. Ready to go home?" They both nodded.
Yes Harry was finally safe, happy and accepted for who he was... but his summer is a different story.
Harry sighed as he and his friends walked into the Great Hall and sat down. The hall was decorated in Gryffindor colors. The hall was full of talk and laughter, the teachers all sat at their table up at the front.
"Another, year gone," Dumbledore began, "another year of tears, laughter, and pain. A year of important moments and not so important moment. The year was a good one, and maybe even helpful. There will of course be changes over the next several moments, and when you return things might not be the same, but I promise you that when you do return you school will feel safe again. I of course wish all of you the best summer you can have, and ask that you remain safe. As the year comes to an end, I'm also told it's time to give the house cup once again. The Points now stand Hufflepuff 395, Ravenclaw 412, Slytherin 468 and the winner Gryffindor with 471 points. The tables all clapped, except for a few at the Slytherin table.
~~~~~~
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Emily and Sirius all stood on the train platform in Hogsmeade train platform. Harry and Emily stood hand in hand as they prepared to say goodbye.
Harry's glasses were gone, they had been replaced by thin contacts, and he now looked more like Severus and Lily. Meanwhile Emily was looking more like Lily had.
Sirius sighed, while he hated the fact that Severus was his God-son's father, he also hated the fact that Severus would be caring for the boy. Sirius leaned forward and ruffled the boy's long jet black hair. He forced a small smiled and pulled Harry into a hug. Harry sighed, for the first time since he had arrived at Hogwarts, he wasn't dreading going home. He knew he would be safe. Harry felt loved.
"I love you kid," Sirius said in a thick voice. He would be going back to the states for awhile, then return at some point. Glancing past Harry's head he spotted Severus who wasn't standing far away.
"I love you too," Harry felt Sirius squeeze him.
"If he lays a hand on you, in anyway, just owl me, I'll be there." Harry smiled and looked over his shoulder to his father, who nodded, but said and did nothing more.
"He's a good guy, Sirius. I know you're angry at him, but he'll never hurt me. Please feel free to visit. I'd like to spend some real time with you."
"Sure thing kiddo. Take care of yourself Harry," Sirius released his God-son and looked at Emily. She didn't truly trust the man, like she did her father and Remus.
"I know we just met and all, and my first impression wasn't great, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends," Emily, although hesitant, smiled softly.
"I'd like that," she said. He nodded and shook her hand. With a nod he boarded the train. Harry watched him, and then turned towards his friends. Ginny wrapped her arms around him, as well as Hermione.
"Maybe your dad will let you come to my house Harry," Hermione said. He pulled away and smiled, dawning her soft cheek with a kiss he smiled at her.
"We'll see if I can't pull something off. Ginny, be good," Harry said, kissing her forehead. She nodded. Hermione moved over to her newly found best friend and smiled, as did Ginny.
"Take care of him, and yourself. I love ya," Hermione said hugging her new friend.
"I'm so glad I met you," Emily said hugging Hermione.
"Me too, it was so lonely being the only girl," she whispered. Pulling away and wiping a tear away Hermione turned back and headed into the compartment of the train. Ginny smiled and also hugged Ginny.
"You're the best big sister," she said and then boarded the train as well. Ron looked at them.
"I'm glad you found your home Harry. Even if it is with that 'greasy git', you deserve the best, both of you do. I'll owl you," Ron said. Harry nodded and smiled at his best friend.
"Your dad has a new job now, so, maybe we can spend a little of his newly earned cash sometime," Harry said. Ron smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that. Dad says if I did good on my O.W.L.S, he might teach me how to drive." Harry chuckled.
"If your dad is smart he won't let you drive. I'll see you around Ron," the red head nodded and smiled, he looked at Emily and kissed her cheek.
"Take care of your brother. You're an awesome addition to our group," with that Ron stepped onto the train, turning around he waved out the door. Harry and Emily smiled and waved. They waited until the train was out of sight.
Emily wrapped an arm around her brother's shoulders and looked at him. He looked back at her.
"What?"
"I'm glad you're my brother."
"I'm glad you're my sister." Just then they felt a hand on their shoulders, turning around they saw their dad smiling.
"I'm glad you're my kids. Ready to go home?" They both nodded.
Yes Harry was finally safe, happy and accepted for who he was... but his summer is a different story.