SWEET EVER AFTER, by James.

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A/N:

Honestly, this is just something I've been messing around with. Nothing too difficult, and it definitely won't be updated regularly, if at all.

This is an AU. Changes will pop up and be explained over the course of the fic. Now for the timeline: Masrani indirectly ordered for the Indominus Rex's creation in 2012. I'm going to say development finished in 2014 (when this fic is taking place), with the events of Jurassic World (largely ignored, concerning the I-Rex, though the Mitchells will make an appearance no doubt) ocurring in 2015. Therefore, everything HP has been shifted forward so that Alex (fem!Harry) finished what would have been her Seventh Year in 2010. This means she was born in 1992, and is twenty-two at the time of this fic (2014). I'm going to put Owen at about 1979 (going by Chris Pratt), and so he's thirty-five. Cool? Cool.

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Warning:

There will be plenty profanity, graphic violent scenes and references to self-harm, abuse and suicide. If any of these topics offend or affect you, please do not read.

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Relationships:

[Owen/Alex] [Fleur/Bill] [Claire/Zara]

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Disclaimer:

I do not own anything you recognize.

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Bill sighed. "Alex, stop."

Alex stopped shifting and sent her best friend a sheepish look. "Sorry."

"No, don't apologise." Bill ran a hand down his face, fingers unconsciously tracing the rigid scars. "Where are you thinking of heading?" he finally asked.

"Kingsley pulled some strings," Alex explained meekly. "There's this Muggle park on an island in Costa Rica and I have a job waiting for me over there."

"Training dinosaurs?" Bill clarified, deadpan.

"Training dinosaurs," Alex nodded.

"Fuck," he cursed. "I let you spend too much time with Charlie."

Alex laughed loudly. "Probably," she shrugged. "But it'll be fun."

Bill rolled his eyes. "If you come home missing a limb, Fleur will have a fit."

"I will!" Fleur screeched from the kitchen, where she was feeding baby Victoire.

"I'll be fine!" Alex shouted back good-naturedly.

"Tell zat to Charles wiz 'iz burns!" Fleur poked her head around the door. "I will believe eet when you return 'ome to us, safe."

Alex shifted awkwardly at that and Bill narrowed his eyes. "What?" he demanded.

"It's sorta- you know- a year-round job," Alex said quickly. "It's not like I can leave them. I'm the one imprinting on them at birth and- yeah. . ."

The silence pulsed between them for a moment.

"Are you completely out of your mind?" Fleur near-screamed. "You cannot go on your own! What if ze creatures turn on you- or you starve to death- or you 'ave a nightmare and you know how only Bill and I can calm you down and-"

Alex was out of her seat quickly and engulfing Fleur in a hug. "Shh," she soothed. "Everything will be fine. I'll be fine. We'll keep in contact and I'll travel back here with a Portkey if I truly have to. And you can come visit the park whenever."

Bill was clenching his jaw and had evidently went to settle Vic in the other room, for she was now squirming in his arms. She was just three-months, and Alex thought she loved her Goddaughter more than anything. It would be hard to leave, but she knew she needed to - the war was finally over, and she couldn't stand staying in Britain any longer. She had tried, honestly. She lived with Bill, Fleur and Vic. She loved them more than anything. But she couldn't stay. Not after everything that had happened, everything she'd done in the name of the 'Greater Good'.

"I expect to have you visit once a month, at least," Bill stressed suddenly, voice strained.

"Of course," agreed Alex quickly. "We have the notebooks. Everything will be fine."

Fleur ran her fingers through Alex's dark mane of hair soothingly, and the younger girl leaned into the feeling. "When are you leaving?"

"I have another week or so. I need to get to the park early to meet the babes while they're in the egg still."

Bill managed to crack a smirk. "Look who's becoming a mother already."

Alex flushed. "It's- well-"

Fleur laughed that beautiful laugh of hers, and Bill - of course - cackled that dreadful cackle of his. Vic soon joined in (thankfully inheriting more of her mother's genes) and Alex rolled her eyes.

"Laugh it up, people with an actual little person."

Fleur rolled her eyes. "You are getting two little reptiles, Alexandria. Willingly. I should zink you win."

Bill grinned suddenly. "Charlie's practically going to orgasm when he realizes you're going to work with actual, living dinosaurs."

"Bill!"

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"Do you 'ave everything?" demanded Fleur, checking Alex over with her hands.

"If I don't, I have an excuse to come back here sooner," Alex said, grinning, and Fleur smacked her lightly on the arm.

"You 'ave children to bond with."

Alex groaned. "Not children."

"They practically are," Bill laughed. "Big, scale-y babies."

Alex sent him a mock-glare. "I'll be sure to send you pictures."

Bill grinned wider. "We'll be waiting on it, if just to show off to Charlie."

"He had to be talked down from being sent hourly updates." Alex rolled her eyes.

Bill snorted. "Wouldn't expect anything less. Now, are you really ready to jump ship?"

Alex sent a small smile. "I'll be fine. I promise I won't get myself eaten."

"You best not," Fleur glared before bringing Alex into a tight hug, kissing her forehead. "I will miss you," she declared heartily.

"'iss you too," Alex said, muffled.

"Let the poor girl go, Fleur," Bill laughed. "Now, c'mere."

Alex shrieked when Bill hefted her up. "Put me down, you ginger buffoon!" she screeched.

"'Ginger buffoon'?" He mimicked, laughing, but conceded. "You need to eat more. You're too light."

"Maybe you're just a massive lump," Alex retorted without heat. She knew she was underweight (years at the Dursleys had not helped her bodily development) and they did too. They'd been trying to help for years, but nothing had worked thus far.

"Ze Portkeye will activate in two minutes," Fleur said morosely, handing an old quill to Alex.

Alex swallowed uncomfortably. "Well, then, let me see Vic for a bit."

The babe was in her arms swiftly and she held her closely to her breast, planting a kiss on her head. "I love you very much, Victoire Gabrielle Weasley. I shall miss you the most," she added in a mock-whisper.

"Of course you will," Fleur sniffed. "My daughter iz ze best zing on zis planet."

"Good luck, Lex," Bill smiled sadly.

Alex tried to lighten the mood. "I'm not going to die, guys. Besides, I'm not even sure that would work anymore," she muttered to herself.

"Remember to write!" Fleur shouted as the Portkeye took hold and she yelled a final "I love you!" before disappearing from Shell Cottage and appearing in front of Simon Masrani and Claire Dearing.

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Simon Masrani had told Claire the Indominus-Rex trainer would be arriving by unconventional means. She had not expected for the trainer to simply appear out of this air, but worse things had happened. The trainer - a young female, by the looks of it - had stumbled over upon entry before straightening up.

She offered a grin. "Uh, hi."

"Hello," Masrani greeted deeply. "You are Alexandria Potter?"

"Just Alex, please," Potter requested and Claire allowed herself to watch the girl for a moment - dark hair, long and pinned back messily; pale with a very thin physique; a white, grotesque scar marred her forehead, as though something had torn it apart and crudely tried to fit it back together. She donned a leather jacket that smelled distinctly of cigarettes (Claire could not help the upturning of her nose) and scuffed lace-up boots, with dark jeans and an undershirt. Overall, quite average - not someone people would assume was going to train one of the most dangerous creatures on the planet.

"This is my associate, Claire Dearing," Masrani introduced.

Potter nodded politely to her and she inclined her head, offering her standard smile. "Yes, I'm Claire. I will be overlooking this project."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Dearing," Potter smiled. "I understand that the eggs are in an incubator at the moment, but shall be transferred to my custody?"

"Yes," Claire nodded. "They can be transferred to a paddock immediately-"

"I'm afraid I'd rather not, Miss Dearing," Potter interrupted. "If I am to imprint with these animals, I need some personal space. Somewhere isolated should do."

Claire nearly spluttered. "You wish to have the Indominus-Rex out of containment?"

"They're mere babes, Miss Dearing. And I need to bond with them alone."

Masrani intercepted, "It would do to remember that these are creatures born of violence, Miss Potter- Alex."

"I am aware," Potter said simply. "But you are aware that I have successfully dealt with worse. I shall raise sufficient wards myself."

Masrani looked interested. "Wards?"

"To limit their inevitable wandering," clarified Potter.

Claire was even more confused. "Wards? What on Earth are wards?"

Potter turned to her, frowning. "You do not know. . .?"

"Yes," Masrani sighed. "That is a fault of mine, Just Alex. Claire- you have no prior knowledge of an Alex Potter?"

"No," Claire shook her head. "I'm very confused," she admitted reluctantly, feeling incredibly out of the loop.

"Well," Masrani clapped loudly, "you, my dear Dearing, are in front of the youngest ever recipient of the Victoria Cross."

Potter shifted uncomfortably. Claire resisted the urge to gape, swallowing her shock.

"How old were you, again? Sixteen?"

"Fifteen," Potter admitted grudgingly.

"How-" Claire didn't know what to say.

"I was involved in countering some terrorist attacks back home," Potter shrugged. Claire did not think "countering some terrorist attacks" warranted a simple shrug.

"Of course," Masrani input, "Just Alex is also blessed with the gift of magic."

"Wouldn't call it a gift," Potter muttered quietly.

"Magic?" Claire repeated, scandalized. "There is no such-"

"Ah!" Masrani said loudly. "With what proof?"

Claire spluttered. "It is simply not possible-"

"Show her," Masrani demanded. Potter flicked her wrist sharply and suddenly Masrani had bunny ears. Claire very nearly screamed.

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Claire was still shaken from Potter's open display of magic (and didn't that sound insane), but was fighting valiantly through it. "You're establishment is as requested - in the middle of our forest."

Potter offered her a smile. "Thank you. And I'm sorry for frightening you, by the way."

"It's not your fault - I rather blame Masrani," Claire said levelly.

Potter chuckled. "Yes. The man seems rather. . . exuberant."

Claire did so desperately want to ask some questions, though. "The talk of terrorists. How much of that was true?"

Potter shrugged uncomfortably. "All of it. A disgusting man called Voldemort was attacking the Wizarding world. He had a certain - unfortunately common - racist belief: that people with non-magical heritage, or non-magicals themselves, were lesser than magical people."

"That's. . ." Claire couldn't think of anything to say.

"It was horrible," Potter continued. "Dozens of Muggles - what we call non-magicals like yourself - would be strung up, shredded and bleeding with all sorts of messages carved into them. Men, women, children. . ." She shuddered. "Our world was at war, Miss Dearing, for a very long time. I happened to be a major force in the war."

"You fought?" Claire didn't know what to be more horrified with - magical persons' stigma, or the fact that the magical world apparently condoned child soldiers.

"I had to," said Potter simply. "They attacked the school. They infiltrated our Ministry - put all the leading officials under mind-control spells. They named me Undesirable No. 1. It was an open manhunt for me, and any opposition to their cause."

"It's disgusting," Claire managed quietly.

"Yes. It's why I came here."

Claire realised, "You wanted to escape?"

"I wanted to leave all the blood - all the death - behind. I'd done my bit - I won their war - and I wanted an out."

Potter's words echoed in Claire's head - "I won their war." Potter was a fighter, and apparently a very proficient one.

Claire cleared her throat. "Right," she said uncomfortably. "You have two eggs, as I'm sure you know. Both are female and expected to grow to 50 feet in length at full maturity."

Potter whistled. "Impressive. They're hybrids, right? What are they made of?"

"Primarily T-Rex strands," said Claire. "The rest is classified. You will have to approach Dr. Henry Wu about it yourself."

Potter exhaled. "Okay. . ."

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Henry Wu was an asshole, Alex quickly decided. An absolute fucking asshole.

She resisted to urge to growl at him herself, her inner Animagus rising to the surface.

"Fucker," she cursed to herself, holding the eggs close to her chest. Claire had offered to take her to her new home, and Wu had given her all of the necessary equipment. The place was small (though she'd been used to much smaller) - there was a single bedroom and bathroom, and a joint kitchenette and living room/lounge area.

"Thank you," she nodded to Claire after the woman had helped bring everything inside.

"Not an issue. Do call if you have any problems." The woman spoke in clipped tones and departed quickly afterwards. Alex slumped into a seat and simply stared at the eggs - they were smaller than she expected, but then she was used to dragon eggs. However, the first egg was also significantly larger than the second, which she silently worried about.

After a while of simply staring, she knew she had to speak while they were incubated so they recognised her when they hatched and decided now was as good a time as any. "Hullo, lovelies," she greeted, feeling a bit odd about talking to unresponsive eggs but shrugging it off. "I'm Alex. I'm your. . ." What was she to them? Well, that was one thing to figure out. "I'm going to be raising you little guys. Hopefully you'll be out here soon." She realised she needed to name the pair, then, and had no clue. Quickly enlarging her trunk and digging for the notebook linked to one at Shell Cottage, she quickly began writing:

Hi, guys. Everything's good over here. I met a lady called Claire; she'll be overlooking everything and she seems nice enough, if a bit stiff. I'm looking at the eggs now - there's two of them. They're tiny! Fit in the palm of my hand, they do. I haven't named them yet.

Alex was met with Bill's scrawled script soon enough:

That's good. We miss you already (Fleur told me to put that in).

Alex snorted.

She just slapped me. She's reading over my shoulder with Vic (who just projectile vomited all over me, by the way - I thought you should know). Anyway, I really don't have a clue on names. . . What do you call a dinosaur? Don't follow Hagrid's route, please. Having a Spot and Stripes is not appropriate - we clear?

Oh, poor you. Baby vomit.

I'm going to be laughing my ass off when you come screaming to me after your little carnivores drop a dead puppy on your lap.

Please don't.

Alex shuddered at the thought and glanced back at her eggs.

Has anything disastrous happened since my leave?

Magical Britain has fallen to shambles.

She snorted.

Vic is refusing a nap.

Even worse.

I know. Still, she's cute, so she makes up for it. Are your eggs cute? I don't think so.

Alex rolled her eyes.

They're reptiles, Bill.

Reptiles that'll be dropping dead puppies on your lap soon enough.

GOOD-BYE, Bill.

Sweet dreams with your little murderers.

Alex shut the book and turned back to her eggs. "What to name you. . ." she wondered aloud. "Lu- La- Li- Lila- Lilo. Lilo. Alright, babe #1, you're Lilo. Babe #2. . . Nul- Nol- Nala. Lilo and Nala. Nala and Lilo. Lilo and Nala. I'm Alex. You're Lilo. You're Nala. Great," she muttered quietly. "Glad that's settled."

She continued just speaking aloud, knowing it helped their development and wanting to start on their bond as soon as possible: "You're going to live here with me a for a good few months before getting moved to your paddock. I hope you like it here. I have food ready for you and everything, though it smells rank. I don't know what you're going to look like when you come out because you're a new breed, you know? You're completely unique." She beamed a little at this. "You're going to be sisters, so you need to look after each other. Especially you, Lilo. Nala's a lot smaller than you right now, so you're going to be the big sister. You'll have to be really careful with her when she hatches, because I think you're going to hatch first."

Alex stopped speaking for a moment, unsure of what else to say. Instead, she quickly renewed the heating charms on their eggs and grabbed a drink from her fully-stocked kitchenette. She'd have to thank Claire for that later.

"My friend, Charlie - he's like a brother to me -, he works with dragons. He loves animals more than anything - ran off from his family to go work with them. I'm sure he'll love you, too, when he meets you. I'm not the best at this sort of thing - I have a Mastery in Ancient Runes and Curse-Breaking, not Magizoology, after all - but I really want to do right by you. I helped out at the Romanian Dragon Reserve a couple years back, actually. Voldemort, a real asshole that you'll never have to meet, was hunting down all magical creatures, you see? We were worried he was going to attack the dragon reserves and it would have been terrible if he got actual, fire-breathing dragons on his side. So I started training to become a Dragon Trainer under Charlie, which is how I got here. After all the Auror and Hit-Wizard shit, that is."

Alex frowned deeply.

"But I didn't really have a choice. It was either work for the Ministry as one of their weapons or they'd seize all of my assets and throw me in Azkaban for Voldemort's murder or some shit like that. It didn't matter if it was legal or not; it was a real threat. You know they trained me against the Cruciatus Curse? Wanted me to be immune, they said," she snorted. "Like that'd happen. The only thing that happens from that is severe nerve and brain damage. Alice and Frank, my friend's parents, are proof enough of that.

"Anyway, so I 'trained' for years under them - Aurors, Unspeakables, Hit Wizards, you name it - until Kingsley, another one of my friends, got me an out when he became Minister. And thank fuck for that. I wouldn't be here without it otherwise, and you'd probably have been raised in isolated containment. Like that'd work out," she snorted again. "You'd more likely go on a killing rampage. Which reminds me - no killing. No eating people. You eat the food I give you. You don't hurt people. You are good dinosaurs, you hear?" Alex sighed. "Good dinosaurs, I swear. And if you bring a dead puppy into this house I'm shipping it straight off to Bill. See how he likes it."