Epilogue

In which my story is done and the Gods have had their sport.


Harry and Ginny Potter stood with their children at the graveside in Godric's Hollow, where they had brought their oldest son to be buried beside the grandparents he had never known. It had been a very small funeral; only his other grandparents, from the Weasley side, had attended. They turned away and went home, where Harry drafted his letter of resignation to the Ministry. It was accepted "with regret".

George and Angelina Weasley sat in a small, soulless office in that same Ministry of Magic and watched as their son Fred was charged with Wounding. At his subsequent trial he would plead guilty to the lesser count of Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm and be sentenced to six months in Azkaban. His parents had already withdrawn him from Hogwarts.

Mr and Mrs Volio sat at their son's bedside, as usual, talking to him and holding his hands and hoping against hope that one day his coma would lift. Miranda sat with them as she had done now for many days. He did recover, eventually, and they married. They had twins, a boy and a girl, but did not name them after their childhood friends – it would not be fair on them.

Draco Malfoy sat on the sofa with his wife, staring out of the window over the land that had been in his family's hands for centuries. With his death they would become extinct in the male line and join the Peverells, the Gaunts and the Blacks as a footnote of history. Between them lay a letter written in a neat, intelligent hand that began "My Dearest Husband"

Ron and Hermione Weasley sat in their daughter's bedroom, surrounded by the detritus of her life; her cuddly toys, her books, her summer clothes. Each one brought back a memory that twisted the knife still further in to their hearts. They were holding a letter they had just found, quilled in a boyish, scrawling style to "My Darling Wife".

-o0o-

The gods had not yet quite finished with their playthings. By what appeared to be no more than co-incidence the Malfoys and Weasleys arrived at Hogwarts at the same time on a cold and grey February morning to bring their children home.

They were still in the Chamber where they had died, but the school had made every effort to prepare them for their parents. Both were clothed in the Dress Robes they had worn to the Ball just a few brief weeks beforehand. They lay with their hands crossed upon their chests, looking so young and yet so wise.

Hermione went to Rose and hugged and kissed her, the tears running unnoticed down her face. Then she took off her wedding ring and placed it on the third finger of her daughter's left hand. Astoria nodded in understanding and did the same to her son with her ring.

-o0o-

Ron Weasley Draco, will you take my hand?

This is my daughter's dowry; no more can I demand.

.

Draco Malfoy 'But I can give you more.

I will cause a statue to be raised

So that in Hogwarts, whilst it by that name goes,

No name shall be so highly praised

As that of true and faithful Rose.

.

Ron Weasley And for eternity shall Scorpius by his lady lay;

Poor sacrifice for our hostility.

.

Minerva McGonagall A gloom hangs o'er us this morn

The sun, in sorrow, will not show its head.

Go, and speak of sad things borne;

None are pardoned and all are punished.

For never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.