Prologue to the Epilogue

The End of it

The light turned to blackness and he felt himself falling, falling, as if it would go on forever, until he came to an abrupt halt. And yet, he didn't touch the ground. There was nothing around him, no light, no sensation, no sense of smell or taste.

Where was he?

Up ahead a bright light beckoned and he turned in it's direction. He saw himself, his other self, and he wondered at it's appearance.

"Tom?" He questioned, noticing the diary chained around his neck. He felt something over his shoulder and he turned again to find yet another Tom Riddle, this one bearing a chain and a ring. He turned again and again, on each side was a version of him, the face getting murkier and murkier, and each wearing something different, a locket, a ring, a cup, a diadem, all chained around his neck, the chains heavier and tighter with each. Nagini slithered around the body of yet another him, the last chain bore the shadow of a face…

Harry Potter's face.

"Where am I?" he asked the 'him's', but they only moaned in response.

He moved away from the 'him's' and came across a woman, curled up, her knees drawn up to hide her face. He stopped in front of her and she looked up at him with hatred.

"All I gave up for you! My very life! Oh how you shame me!"

Mother?

His arm was grabbed from behind and he was whirled around to come face to face with a man. He had a wild beard, and foggy, crazy eyes.

"Murder! Not fit to wear the family name!"

Morfin?

The man coughed loudly, then spat in his face. He took Voldemorts arm and began to drag him along, then stopped before one more person.

"My bastard grandson, a disgrace to the name Marvolo Gaunt! Voldemort be damned!" He grabbed him by the back of the neck, then shoved him into a room teaming with fire and black smoke.

"Welcome to hell!"

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Epilogue

Sixteen Years Later

The sun was shining brightly while the little family made their way across the street into Kings Cross Station.

"But why can't I go too Daddy?" The little girl with red hair said sadly.

"Two more years Lily," Harry patted her head, giving it a reassuring ruffle. "Then you can go."

"Ready guys?" Ginny tightened her grip on the dolly " On three, one, two…THREE!"

Harry watched his wife, daughter and son vanish into the barrier, then turned to his youngest son. Of their three children, only this boy was like him. He had black hair and brilliant green eyes behind his round glasses, he even had his fathers knobbly knees.

"Dad, do you think I'll be in Slytherin?"

"I don't know, does it matter?"

The boy shrugged and Harry knelt down next to him.

"Albus Severus Potter, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and the bravest man I ever knew."

"I know that dad!" Albus rolled his eyes "But Scorpius says that he will probably be in Slytherin. James says that I will probably be in Gryffindor. What will I do if Scorpius and I are in different houses? He's my best friend!"

Harry sighed "Well, if it really matters all that much to you, the sorting hat will take that into consideration."

"Really?"

"It did me." Harry smiled and brushed his sons hair off his forehead, then stood and took his shoulder. "Remember now, fast and don't hesitate."

Albus ran and took a running leap at the wall. Harry was pretty sure that he landed on his nose on the floor on the other side. He was right.

"Okay, next time, a little less fast, and a little more hesitation." he laughed, wiping a smudge of dirt off Albus's nose.

Albus rolled his eyes, then stood on his tip toes to look around. "Where are they? I don't see them!"

Harry looked around, then pointed towards the train where Ginny was in conversation with a blonde man and woman with two children. James was nowhere to be found, but Lily was deep in conversation with the youngest of the two children. The older boy had icy blue eyes and snow blonde hair, the girl had dark hair and aqua eyes.

"Ah, there they are!" The blonde man, who was also his Godfather, waved and beckoned them over.

"Albus!" Draco gave him a subtle hug, and then, hopefully without his father noticing, slipped a bag of candy into his pocket.

"Dad!" Lily yelled out "Uncle Draco slipped Al candy again"

"Tattletale." Draco rolled his eyes and produced a huge bag of Bertie Botts out of his pocket and gave it to Lily. "Thought you promised not to tattle anymore?"

Lily and Pansy, Draco's youngest, grinned at one another, then went about sharing the Bertie Botts.

"Ready for this Scorpius?" Albus said, drifting over to stand next to his best friend.

"Yes, but, what if we don't end up in the same house?"

"Don't worry," Albus said confidently "I've got it covered."

"You guys better get on now," Ginny glanced at her watch "It's almost time."

"Hey dad, guess what?" James returned "I just caught Daisy snogging a boy!"

"You're such a big mouth!" A pale hand reached in through the adults and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Who were you snogging?" Harry turned to face his niece, over her shoulder he spotted George and Luna, their other four children trailing in their wake.

"None of your business Uncle Harry." Daisy narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue.

"Manners young lady," Luna lightly admonished, giving her daughter a gentle swat at the back of her head.

"Get's crazier and crazier every year doesn't it?" Ron grinned, pulling up with their own packed dolly.

One by one they loaded the kids trunks up onto the train, then watched them run off to find a car with enough room for all of them. They were back a moment later to give out final hugs and kisses, and promises to send treats and letters.

"Give Neville our love!" Ginny called out.

"Gross mom! I can't give the Headmaster love!" James looked disgusted.

"But you know Neville!"

"Not at school I don't. Besides, he gave me three detentions last year!"

"You deserved them too." Daisy laughed and pulled his hair "Little git."

"Daisy!" Luna warned, next to her, George stifled a laugh in his hand. Luna cuffed him on the back of the head, making all the kids chortle.

The train started to move, picking up speed as it moved down the tracks.

"Almost makes you wish we were on it, doesn't it?" Draco sighed, thinking of the past, grateful for the present.

"Almost," Harry grinned. "So, who's buying lunch?"

They stopped and looked around at one another.

"George is loaded, he just opened another shop." Ron offered "Or you, you're head of the Auror's department, you got plenty of money."

"Your wife's a lawyer," Draco smirked "She supports you pretty well."

"My wife does not support me." Ron looked at him with disgust. "She just makes more money than me."

Ginny grinned "Face it Ron, you're a kept man."

The sunlight was warm on their face's while they walked to the diner for their yearly post Hogwarts train lunch. It would be much quieter than their other outings together, with all the kids in tow. Eventually, they would catch site of the D's on George and Luna's hands, then they would remember. They would share a memory or two of Pansy, Goyle and Blaise, and Lavender and Parvati. They would talk about the professors, and Fred. Then, they would talk about how much things had changed at Hogwarts, and in the magical world. And in the end, they would all agree.

All the pain and suffering, the loss and heartbreak.

It had all been worth it… they were free.

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I apologize deeply for the length of time it took me to complete this story. Thanks to everyone who stuck with it, through the fits and starts, and my sucky attempt at writing action. This is most likely my last Harry Potter fiction and possibly my last fanfiction, though i have a Hunger Games fic that is burning a hole in my head, so we will see. The world of Harry Potter seems to have ended with the end of the movies, and I think I have covered all the bases with my storytelling for that world.

But, we will see. You never know when George and Luna might spring some new thing into my mind.

Best wishes,

CJ-LOG