Epilogue: O Children
O children
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice
Children
Rejoice, Rejoice
~O Children by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
I try to wrangle my children into a sort of hoard as we walk towards Kings Cross. Peggy, the Sixtuplets, and the Quadruplets all managed to finally form an organized group as we got onto Platform 9 & ¾.
Neville follows behind us all, smiling slightly as he encourages Seamus to walk forward. He had been sorted immediately into Ravenclaw. Peggy had been sorted into Slytherin, Luna into Hufflepuff, Kylie into Gryffindor, Jethro into Hufflepuff, Severus into Gryffindor, and Minerva also into Ravenclaw. The rainbow of robes they carried with them was amusing to say the least.
"I'm terrified, mum," Ginny whispers to me as the other seven get up onto the train. Hermione, Harry and Ron watch us, clearly trying to hear whatever pearls of wisdom I might pass on.
"Well," I knelt down to her heart, "In my experience, Ginny, dear, this doesn't matter much. It doesn't matter whether you're in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin."
"No one in our family is in Slytherin," Ginny mumbles.
"To be honest, if we had lived in Britain growing up, your Aunt would have been, I'm guessing. Probably your grandmother as well," I laugh, "And there is no harm in Slytherin. Look at your cousin Lily. Look at Peggy."
"I just… Gryffindor seems to be a family tradition," Ginny finally sighs.
"Out of your whole family, only your father, Alice, Nate, Kylie, and Severus have been in Gryffindor. The rest are from other houses. You'll be fine, no matter where you go," I sooth.
"You probably would've been," Ginny mutters.
"I don't count for anything. Maybe I would have been, you're right. But still. It doesn't matter to me or your father either way. All that matters is that you're happy and you do your best in your schooling. We love you no matter what," I reassure.
"Alright, mum," Ginny sighs. I kiss the top of her head and do the same for each of the others before they get on the train.
Soon after Jethro and Elena appear, walking towards us without any children, thus making me amused.
"What happened to Carlie, Desmond, and Renee? And who has Scipio and Christopher?" I ask cheerfully as they stop in front of us.
"The triplets are already on the train, and the twins are with Ezra and Kita, since those two don't have kids at Hogwarts yet. Next year we'll have to do something different," Elena answers with a small smile, "Seen Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny? Or are they late again?"
"Very, by the looks of it," I roll my eyes, "Unfortunately Neville has to get up to the castle soon, so we'll have a big catch-up later."
"Sounds good," Jethro nods, "I think I'll wait up for Harry. I have something to discuss with him about work, anyway."
"Always work with you two," Elena laughs, "I'll head home then and get the twins. See you Maggie, Neville," and she apparatus away. I nod at Jethro and Neville and I did the same.
"Tired, love?" Neville asks as I sit down at the kitchen table. I nod and he reaches his arms around me, planting a kiss on my forehead.
"Exhausted. Listening to your tale yesterday- and partaking in it for a bit- took a lot out of me," I answer quietly.
"I'm sorry," Neville sighs, "I know it did."
"It's OK. It's done now," I look up at him and smile, "Shouldn't you be getting ready to go?"
"Alright. I'll be back afterwards love," he kisses me on the forehead again and goes upstairs.
That evening, as I read by the wireless and massage my aching feet, he returns and comes to sit next to me by the fire.
"Well? Verdict?" I laugh, holding tightly to his hand.
"Ginny's in Slytherin," Neville smiles, "Hermione's with her. Harry and Ron are both in Gryffindor."
"Interesting, that," I sigh, "They're upset? The girls?"
"They both seemed rather happy, actually. I assume they're going to be fine there," Neville kisses me briefly, "You doing better?"
"For the most part," I look up at him, "We have an empty nest."
"The first time we've been alone since you left Britain when you were eighteen," Neville cheerfully reminds me. I laugh.
"You're right," I reach up and kiss him again, "It's nice. Too bad we aren't randy teenagers anymore."
"No," Neville pulls me closer to him, "Just very much so comfortably in love adults."
"Truth," I embrace him and look up at him, "I want the rest of my life to be peaceful."
"I do too," Neville pauses, "I think, now that the whole Shadows fiasco is over with, the Wizarding World will take a break from wars. What do you think?"
"I think we can never count on that, but we should be able to enjoy the peace while it lasts," I murmur before kissing him again.
"We've been through a lot to be together," Neville mumbles against my lips, "So much so that I can't just take it for granted anymore."
"Of course not," I agree, "But we are now. And we have been for a long time. All is well, love."
He kisses me another time before sighing, "All is well."
AN: Well, there it is. Hard fought, sorely won. The end of the story. I have so many other stories to write- the universe where Maggie and Harry grow up together (the general plotline skeleton is the same, but the details are much, much different;) Melinda and Snape's story in this universe, and my next-gen story about Scorpius, Rose, and Albus (and their friend Mae) in this universe as well. Probably will get around to all of them, though I am feeling particularly about the first at this moment.
Thanks for sticking with this story and I hope you'll grace me with a last review… though, as usual, I'm not too hopeful.
