Epilogue

In the end, Voldemort fell.

Drifting somewhere through the void of damnation, he was gone from the earth, and that was what mattered in the story of the wizarding world's salvation. All peoples rejoiced in their redemption from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his corruption. They cheered. They celebrated. They memorialized the proper heroes.

And then they forgot.

Standing on the edge of La Cascade de Gavarnie, Harry Potter grimaced with deep and fierce burden, laden by what only he and a handful of his closest comrades were willing to acknowledge. Rain pelted his body, streaming down his cloak, as he watched the waterfall plunge 400 meters to a twisty crag.

The orb of Harry's staff cast a translucent beam into the storm, a holy white needle through torrential black sheets. The light would find nothing on this night. And by then, what he had been searching for would be long gone. The last opportunity to end wicked designs before they began… snatched from his grasp.

"What do we do now?" Ron Weasley asked, stepping beside him and raising a wand. Its light offered no hope.

Hermione Potter joined them, brushing back swabs of soaked hair from her eyes. "We're back at square one."

Harry pushed the bridge of his spectacles back in place, grimacing even deeper. The lightning scar on his furrowing brow shrunk. In a world of magic, he knew best the consequences of power imbalance. Of power itself. Beyond true regulation, the sorcery of the world's wizards and witches could collapse the whole earth in the hands of just one talented monster. Of just one Salazar Slytherin or Tom Riddle. Or one Harry Potter.

To the Aurors, those nameless guardians, this was the herculean task. To find the monsters before they became the Voldemort within. And for the first time, Harry had failed. And he knew, without a doubt… someone more dangerous than the Dark Lord had just slipped through his fingers.

"We take the portkey back to London tonight," Harry said, glowering with emerald fire behind his eyes. "Tomorrow, every wizard and witch from New York to Shanghai will hear my words. I can't be passive about this any longer."

Ron smirked. "And as for Minister Winston's order for silence on the matter?"

"For one day, I'm going to be the Minister. I've been their enforcer, judge and executioner for ten years now. Let him try and stop me."

"Normally I would protest," Hermione said softly. "But this is beyond even us. The world has to be warned. We need help."

Harry nodded, turning slowly. "Let's go."

The waters of La Cascade de Gavarnie continued to fall, collecting with the heavy rain into a deep pool. Where once a ravine of trees had existed, now only a flat plain of water existed. Trees were leveled… obliterated and charred black. Rocks were smashed to nether. The crater still glowed red beneath the waters, formed with jagged edges and a deep gullet. Almost as if the devil himself had taken a bite from the earth, and torn off a bold, ill-boding piece.

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Author's Note: This is my official entry into the next saga. It's a long way off, so give me time, but I wanted those who were watching to know I would be following through on my promise to continue the story. I'll be starting a new story after this so watch for Chapter 1. Title to be announced on my website. Thanks all!