For Hermione Granger, it was only the beginning. Overcoming Voldemort wasn't enough, she knew. Lord Voldemort wasn't the disease infecting the wizarding world, just a symptom. Harry Potter's and Albus Dumbledore's work wouldn't truly be done until what created Voldemort was dealt with, and to this, Hermione dedicated her life.
Ron Weasley remembered thinking she was daft for her notions, her challenges to the way things had always been done. Now, he joined her in her cause for the rights of all those the culture he'd been raised by, that he had so long accepted, oppressed and abused, the goblins, the werewolves, the centaurs, and, of course, the house elves.
Their campaign would ultimately lead to Andromeda Black-Tonks's appointment to the position of Minister for Magic, finally realizing the destiny her parents had given her when they named her. It was funny how these things worked out. Andromeda would make sweeping reforms. The werewolf issue was especially personal to her. Hermione negotiated a treaty and alliance with the Seelie and Unseelie Courts of the Sidhe, having become acquainted with them through her adventure with Luna.
Neville Longbottom made many advances in the field of Herbology, revolutionizing the healing and potions fields, the latter being ironic considering Neville never did get the hang of potions. He married Ginny Weasley, who became quite famous in her own right by leading Britain to victory in the Quiddich World Cup. Her brother Ron would make them quite a fortune by introducing merchandising and endorsement deals he'd learned from his study of muggle sports. Hermione had first been annoyed that sports, of all things, what what Ron had embraced when she introduced him to the culture she was from. But, she realized, that was part of what she loved about him, and the wealth that resulted certainly had it's advantages.
Neville, for his part, remained humble regardless of his fame and fortune. He credited everything he accomplished, both during the war and after, to the inspiration provided by his wife, and Harry Potter.
Luna Lovegood wrote the definitive biography of Harry Potter, in seven volumes. She married Draco Malfoy, who surprised the wizarding world by breaking tradition and taking her surname as his own. "Love being good is much better to pass on than bad faith," he explained.
Luna approached Headmistress of Hogwarts Minerva McGonagall about introducing Alchemy as an advanced course for the school. McGonagall agreed, as long as Luna would teach it. It seemed Luna reminded the Headmistress of her mentor, so she knew the young woman would be an excellent teacher.
Luna incorporated a variety of things in her classes, which those that didn't know her would think completely random. They included familiar subjects such as transfiguration, potions, charms, and history, but also muggle music, poetry, and literature, where Luna said the greatest magical secrets were to be found. While most would wonder why she assigned the works of writers such as Lewis Carroll and James Joyce as texts, and included the music of the likes of the Beatles in her classes, Alchemists understood.
"Some things can't be expressed in anything but through poetry, music, and literature," she told her students. "That's the reason Christ taught in parables, and Aesop in fables. A very wise man said that music was a magic beyond beyond anything we teach here."
A major part of her teachings was the story of the journey of Harry Potter, what he did, the example he set. She told of how he learned unconditional love and mercy, even for the fractured soul that was Tom Riddle. She told of how Harry finally found how to overcome Voldemort, how to reunite the pieces of Tom's soul. She told of Harry's love for the world, and what he ultimately did for them all.
"But, don't feel sad for Harry," she said. "He found a joy and completeness that we all seek, whether we know it or not. He knew the unconditional love and peace in his soul that we usually only find in Heaven. What we must do in our lives is find that. Bring a little bit of Heaven on Earth, as he did. Touch other lives as he touched ours, with love, compassion, faith.
"When darkness and despair are upon you, remember the power of love and faith, and know those we love are waiting for us, as Heaven is eternal. Always remember what we learned from the boy with the scar."
