Epilogue
Wood and I, or rather Oliver and I, as I should call him now, sat on the floor against the wall of the tent. Our legs were intertwined and my head rested on his shoulder. The sun was setting against a vivid pink sky, it was a beautiful evening.
"This might be a bad time" I said, "but I'm going to Peru."
It was reassuring to see, after all we'd gone through, that I still had the ability to surprise him.
"Wow" he said, "how long?"
"I don't know" I shrugged, "I've got a job out there as a code breaker. Professor Vector put me forward without telling me." That was the piece of paper I had received from Lupin what felt like an age ago. "I'm going to Peru" I suddenly felt serious, "is that going to be a problem? For us, I mean."
"Well, I can apparate, you can apparate, there's floo powder, and of course, the trusty owls. I'm sure we can work something out."
His surety made me sure. We'd worked things out to this point, we could work this out too. This thing had been too long coming to throw away over a little thing like distance. Leonard nuzzled into my neck, as if in agreement.
"So come on," Wood grinned, "when did you first fall madly in love with me?"
I gave him a disdainful look, he just shrugged. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, I'm curious."
"Well, I guess, I first stopped hating you completely that night we were on duty when Black was in the castle, but, probably when you let us use the pitch after I was injured."
"Bloody typical."
"What about you?"
"You mean aside from the small crush I've had on you since second year?"
That came as a surprise, "Really?"
"Yep."
"But you said, and I quote, no guys want headstrong, cynical, bossy Quidditch Captains."
"Yes, I know, I was angry. And you can hardly talk, you are the queen of saying things you don't mean when you're angry." I couldn't argue with that. I simply shrugged. "To be honest, it was probably turned Flint into a pumpkin."
I laughed. I knew he wasn't being serious, but there would be plenty of time to be serious in, what I hoped would be, our long future together.
"You're pretty awesome. You know that?" he told me, kissing the top of my head.
"I had a pretty good inclination, you're not too bad yourself."
The music and the chatter surrounded us, we sat watching Henry and Flora dance in front of us like the ice skating figures on Christmas cakes. They looked so happy, I was happy. I was in love, I had a the best friends in the world, and I had a life worth waiting for to look forward to. Some would say it was like living happily ever after, but I looked at Wood, and I looked at Leonard, and happily ever after was just too dull an ending for this. I much preferred, to be continued…
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Shakespeare, Sonnet 116
AN: So this is it! Here we say our goodbyes, and, for now at least, leave Riza and Oliver, Henry and Riza, to their own affairs.
Despite having some ideas towards a sequel, I am really not sure when I'll get round to writing it. There is more of this story to be told, but I don't want to do it when I don't have the time and not give it the effort it, and you guys, deserve. My advice would be stick me on Author Alert (shameless self-publicity) or whatever helps you keep track if you want to stay updated. If not then I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. If you have any questions feel free to message me.
I did want to do some personal thanks to all the wonderful reviewers who have consistently encouraged me throughout the story, however, I am loathe to make a list in case I miss someone off. So I will just say a massive thank you to everyone who reviewed, especially the people who left reviews on multiple chapters, and of course the people who were there from the very beginning.
The very best,
Cautellis