If Harry had expected life to return to normal immediately following Legion's capture, he had been sorely disappointed. An hour after Malfoy's sacrifice, Harry and Hermione stood by Kingsley in the Atrium as he delivered an address to the public. While they had both been checked by St. Mungo's Healers and new clothes and a quick shower had been provided, it was evident, based on the pictures that ended up in The Daily Prophet, that they had certainly been through the ringer.
Harry had coasted through Kingsley's speech and the subsequent interview before returning to Safe House Four and instantly falling asleep, a sleep that lasted all the way through to the following morning. When Harry finally woke up, it was to dozens of articles, once again hailing Harry Potter as the hero of the day.
Harry quickly scanned the articles, growing more frustrated with each word. None of them mentioned Draco Malfoy as anything more than just another unfortunate casualty of the battle. Most neglected to even include the names of Legion's victims prior to their final struggle with the demigod. The only consistent piece of information between all of the articles was that Harry Potter, hero of the Second Wizarding War, had once again triumphed over evil.
When Harry returned to work the next day, he was immediately called in to a series of interviews with investigators appointed by the Wizengamot. They had been tasked with determining if there was any action that needed to take place, specifically after the deaths of Draco Malfoy and four Aurors. For days, Harry repeated the same stories over and over again until finally, the investigators seemed satisfied and let Harry go.
He had thought that he was done with the Wizengamot until he was given a summons for Friday morning to appear in front of the entire assembly. All Harry could hope, as he stood in front of the Wiznegamot that Friday morning, was that this was the last part of their show for the public. For nearly two hours, the same investigators that had interviewed Harry earlier in the week summarized the results of their interviews. They detailed that while they believed that there were some issues with parts of the investigation, on the whole, there was no blame to be assessed to any particular member of the Ministry of Magic or the Auror Office.
However, that didn't stop the Wizengamot from badgering Harry for another two hours about protocol. Harry fought the urge to snap back and answered each question calmly and succinctly. He was respectful to each member of the Wizengamot, even ones like Theodore Nott, who more than once implied that the investigation would have been handled better had the Head of the DMLE been a Pureblood.
Still, after well over four hours of listening to people talk and answering questions, the session ended and Harry was finally allowed to leave. As he made to walk out the door, one of the Aurors stepped in front of him.
"Sir, The Minister would like to see you in his office."
"Thanks," Harry said. Within just a few minutes, Harry stood across from where Kingsley sat. Kingsley looked quite pleased with himself as he invited Harry to sit.
"Well, all in all, that couldn't have gone better," Kingsley mused as Harry took the seat. "What do you say, Harry?"
Harry bit his tongue and simply nodded.
"Personally, I'm glad that we can put this all behind us now and focus on the future."
"When are you intending to announce your resignation?" Harry asked suddenly. Kingsley was clearly knocked off guard by the question.
"I hadn't given it much thought to be honest."
"When we talked a few weeks ago, you said that it would be in a few weeks. Yet, I've heard nothing about your resignation. No one has. It's like you aren't planning to resign."
Immediately, Kingsley averted his eyes from Harry's, staring at the ceiling above him.
"Kingsley?"
"I've been asked to remain as Minister of Magic by the Wizengamot," Kingsley replied. "They appreciated how well this crisis was handled and would like me to stay on. I went to the Chief Warlock a few days ago, intending to resign."
"But you couldn't resist when they asked you to come back," Harry replied in disbelief. Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. He finally got out of his chair and started pacing Kingsley's office.
"I thought that you would be happy about this. The Ministry will be stable again."
"I'm not looking for stability right now," Harry replied sharply. "I'm looking for someone who will lead, not simply placate the Wizengamot for another ten years."
"Are you implying that I've simply sat in this chair for the last decade, Harry?"
"I'm not implying it, Kingsley. I'm saying it outright. When you were elected, you promised to remove the Dementors from Azkaban. You promised to eliminate every prejudiced law from our books. You promised that you would lead our people into a new generation of witches and wizards."
"Yes, I know that I said those things, but-"
"But there are still dementors at Azkaban. Sure, they only guard the most dangerous prisoners and sure, they only surround the buildings, but they are there."
"Yes, well, you see-"
"And it's still legal for a business owner to refuse to hire someone because of their blood status," Harry added, his fury building with each word. "Did you know that Gringotts can legally charge different rates to different families based on their bloodline? It's been ten years and we still don't have a way for our people to actually make a difference in who our leaders are. The Wizengamot is appointed by the Minister of Magic and then the Wizengamot appoints the Minister of Magic!"
"And that's how it's been for hundreds of years."
"Well, no more," Harry growled. "No, I'm done and if there's ever been anyone who could change that, it's me."
"I thought you said that you weren't interested in being Minister of Magic."
"At the moment, I'm not," Harry replied. "But I am interested in seeing who the people want to be Minister of Magic."
"We don't have any provisions for that in the Wizard's Code," Kingsley replied. "There have been any fundamental changes to the Wizard's Code in a hundred years."
"Sounds like it's about time for some changes then," Harry said as he walked to the door. "Here's the deal, sir, you have twenty-four hours to resign on your own or I'll do it for you."
Finally, Kingsley had had enough of Harry's insubordination. He stood and marched around the table towards Harry.
"Who do you think you are to order me around? I am the Minister of Magic, Harry, not you, and the sooner you understand that, the sooner things will get to the way they were."
Harry scoffed at just how pompous Kingsley sounded.
"You don't get it," Harry muttered. "I don't want things to go back to the way they were. Things should be better. Our people deserve better and they certainly aren't going to get it from you."
"That's not for you to decide."
"It's not for you to decide either, Kingsley," Harry countered. "Now, come hell or high water, I am shaking the foundation of the Ministry. If that costs me my job, then so be it. But people are going to know that they don't just deserve a better Ministry, but a say in that Ministry."
Harry had had enough. He opened the door before turning back to Kingsley.
"Take this opportunity to get out on your own. Resign now while you can do so with some dignity."
Twenty-two hours later, Kingsley Shacklebolt officially announced his resignation, effective at the end of January, a little less than two months away. He also announced that, for the first time in the entire history of the Ministry of Magic, he would recommend that the Wizengamot allow for a public vote of its citizens for the next Minister of Magic. While this wasn't technically something that he could enact, the recommendation would put so much public pressure on the Wizengamot that they would stand no chance of turning him down, especially since Harry and Hermione and a dozen others immediately expressed their support for such a measure.
Sure enough, less than a week later, the Wizengamot announced that they would no longer be selecting the Minister of Magic, but would be allowing a vote of the public on January 2nd for the new Minister of Magic. Almost immediately, Harry and Hermione's names were thrown into the ring, but both respectfully declined. There would be time enough for that kind of work in the future, but for now, they were content to simply live their lives.
That Sunday, Harry, Hermione, and Teddy were getting ready to leave Hermione's home when a letter arrived from Molly and Arthur.
Harry and Hermione,
We've decided to cancel Sunday dinners for the foreseeable future. We hope to see you soon.
Arthur and Molly
Immediately, Harry bid a quick farewell to Hermione and Teddy before Apparating to The Burrow. Moments before he reached the backdoor, it opened to reveal Molly standing in the doorway.
"Did you receive our letter?" she asked sadly.
"I did. I wanted to talk to you about it," Harry said as Molly stepped aside, allowing him to enter the small kitchen. Just as Harry walked in, Arthur entered from the living room.
"Harry, did you get our letter?"
"We did," Harry replied. "I wanted to know why you wanted to cancel dinner."
Arthur looked at Molly, who turned to Harry and smiled sweetly.
"We just...we can't," she said as she took a seat at the dining table. "We didn't have much time to really mourn for Ron and now that it's all over…..well, it's all I can feel."
"We'll bring the dinners back at some point, Harry, but we need some time to ourselves."
Harry took a seat across from Molly and then reached across the table and took her hand in his.
"I understand," Harry said with a sad smile. "I think part of the reason that I've been keeping myself so busy these last few days is because it keeps me from thinking about it. But you know what else helps me with that? Teddy and Hermione. I know that Teddy is still broken up by Andromeda's death whether he shows it or not. And Hermione is just as devastated by Ron's death as I am."
"But overall, the three of us are surviving," Harry said. "We're surviving because we're together. I've messed up a lot in the last few years, but I know a lot about grieving. I know that my grief was never so overwhelming when I had Ron and Hermione at my side. It was better still when I had the two of you."
"I understand perfectly if you want to cancel dinner. It's certainly your right," Harry said before leaning across from the table. "But think about Ginny. Think about George and Angelina and all the rest of them. Right now, they are out there on their own. Sure, they have each other, but eventually, they'll need to turn to someone else. Eventually, they'll need some time to just unwind and not think about things for a while. That's what you started these dinners for after the Battle of Hogwarts and while it may be painful, I think that there's some real value to having them now."
Molly looked at Arthur, each of them considering what Harry had said. Finally, Molly turned back to Harry.
"You may be right," Molly admitted, "but I just don't have the energy for it right now."
"And if I knew someone who did?" Harry asked.
"You know someone who is going to cook for this family? Where would you even put us all?"
"Well, there's a lot that can be done with magic, Molly Weasley," Harry said with a grin. "With your permission, I'd like to take over Sunday dinner, just this once."
Molly laughed, the first time he had even seen her smile since he walked in the room.
"If you think you can handle it, you have my blessing."
Within an hour, Harry and Hermione had completely redesigned much of the library in her home. The room itself was plenty large enough for the number of people that they needed, but Hermione's kitchenware would never be close enough in size. Therefore, Harry and Hermione had created the menu items quickly and then duplicated them until they had enough to serve everyone.
Once they were certain they could handle everyone, they sent out invites, letting everyone know that they were ready for them. Within minutes, the entire family had arrived. All except one. When Bill and Fleur arrived, they pulled Harry aside.
"Gabrielle will not be coming," Fleur said sadly. "She 'as gone back 'ome to visit with my mother and father."
"Is she alright?" Harry asked, although he was certain that he knew the answer.
"She eez struggling," Fleur admitted. "I 'ave not spoken to her for days and from what my mother and father tell me, she 'as not spoken much to zem either. She simply wants to be alone at ze moment."
"I know that she probably won't want to hear from me, but tell her that if she needs anything, all she needs to do is ask."
"I imagine zat she will need time, but thank you, 'Arry."
The rest of the evening was a casual affair, highlighted by the moment when Hermione accidentally set her apron on fire. Overall, they had been able to avoid thinking too much about all of the bad things that had happened. Still, they all knew why they were there. It was the same reason that these dinners existed in the first place. The first one had been for Fred and this one was for Ron.
And so, as the night began to wind down, Harry grabbed a glass, filled it to the brim with some of Fred's Finest, and made his way to the head of the table where he lifted his glass held high.
"To Neville and Andromeda and everyone we've lost over the last few months. But most importantly, to Ron, the best friend I'll ever have."
"To Ron," came the subdued call from the rest of the room as they followed Harry's lead and emptied their glasses. Once the toast was over, people slowly started to file out until only Molly and Arthur remained with Harry and Hermione.
"Thank you so much," Molly said, her eyes wet with tears as she wrapped her arms around Harry. "You were right. We needed this."
"He would have wanted us to be together," Harry said as Molly let him go. "I'm sure of it."
"We are, too, son," Arthur said as he too embraced Harry firmly. "Maybe we'll talk about alternating weeks from here on out."
"We would be honored," Hermione called from across the room as she began the cleanup process.
"Sounds like a deal," Harry said. "However, before you go, there is one thing I want to do."
"What's that?"
He wanted to visit The Burrow later that night. He wanted to go and sit by the pond and have a drink and just talk, like he had done with Ron dozens of times over the years. Molly and Arthur quickly agreed and then left, leaving Harry to quickly help Hermione tidy up.
Once they had finished that and Harry tucked Teddy into bed, Harry Apparated to The Burrow, just a few feet from the spot where he and Ron had always sat. Instinctively, Harry flicked his wand and two chairs appeared out of thin air.
Harry froze as he looked at the second chair. He hadn't meant to create a second, but he had done it so many times over the years that it had become second nature. For a moment, Harry considered getting rid of it before deciding that the extra chair would stay. Instead, he sat and took out his bottle of Fred's Finest, pouring two glasses, one of which he set on the arm of the extra chair.
For nearly an hour, Harry sat and simply watched the water on the lake, hundreds of memories flashing one by one into his mind.
"We did it, Ron," Harry eventually said, tears already streaming down his face. "We beat that bastard."
"I keep telling people that everything will be alright. Together, we'll get through it, that's what I say. And then they turn away and I fall apart. You know, it was kind of easy to deal with when Legion was still here. I could focus on that and just ignore the fact that you were gone. I'm still trying to do that. I'm burying myself in my work again when I know that I should spend more time with Teddy and Hermione."
"But I see Teddy and then I see Andromeda. I see Hermione and I see you. I know that with time, that will pass. But it's never been this hard before, not even with Sirius. Every day, I wake up and I want to tell you how things are going and then I remember that I can't. Every. Fucking. Day. It's pure agony, the kind of torture I wouldn't wish upon my greatest enemy."
"I know that you're out there somewhere. I hope that you hear this. I hope that you're watching. I'm going to do everything I can to make you proud of me. Wherever you are, I hope you are well. Say hi to Mom and Dad for me."
About thirty minutes later, Harry Disapparated from the Burrow, the two chairs remaining at the lake as a permanent reminder of the time that he spent with his friend.
The next day, Harry did three major things. First, he officially closed the Helen Greene murder investigation, now known as The Legion Case. He had spent almost all of his spare time at work, between interviewing new potential Senior and Junior Aurors and attending state funerals for the departed, writing copious logs and notes about the case for the record.
Just as Harry officially sealed the record and sent it to Kingsley's office for approval, he heard a rumor from one of his Aurors that Roger Davies, a member of the Wizengamot and an employee with the Department of International Magical Cooperation, was considering a run for Minister of Magic. It would make him the youngest Minister of Magic in a century.
Roger wasn't a particularly inspiring choice, but at the moment, he was better than the alternative. Plus, the next Minister would be someone selected by the people. If they were terrible, then no one could blame the Wizengamot any longer.
The second major thing that Harry did was finally go to Ollivander's to replace his wand. Despite his rapidly advancing age, Garrick Ollivander remained the sole man in charge of the operation, although he reportedly had a nephew who was working on the craft to take over. Still, when Ollivander heard that Harry's phoenix wand had been destroyed, he had only one question for Harry.
"Why not take the Elder Wand as your own?" Ollivander asked. While Ollivander didn't believe in the Hallows, he definitely believed in the Death Stick. The news that the Elder Wand existed hadn't spread much after the war, but for a certain population of the world, they knew that the wand likely belonged to Harry Potter, although none of them were certain where it was.
At the moment, it was sitting in Dumbledore's tomb under nearly two dozen different wards that would burn someone to a crisp before they could access the wand.
Harry didn't bother to answer the question and simply asked Ollivander to help him in procuring a new wand. Unlike the last time that Harry was in, it didn't take him long to find a new wand. The second wand that Ollivander placed in his hand was beautiful and the moment it touched his hand, a surge of magical energy traveled up and down his arm.
"Red oak," Ollivander said, his excitement palpable. "Fools believe that red oak is the sign of a hot temper and while, yes, that may be true, the true match for a red oak was in someone in possession of unusually fast reactions. Maybe a former Seeker, for instance?"
"It's a dueling wand?"
"It certainly can be, although that does depend on how you use it, dear boy," Ollivander replied. "The core is dragon heartstring, a powerful material suitable only for powerful wizards. Capable of the most stylish and flamboyant magic. Just as good for putting on a show as dueling. The wand itself is mildly flexible, twelve inches in length."
The wand felt good in his hand. It wasn't his holly wand, although Harry doubted that he would ever connect with a magical object in the way that he had with that wand ever again. Still, the moment it touched his hand, he could feel the power coursing through the wand. He would be able to produce great magic with this wand, Harry was sure of that.
Harry returned to Herimione's place that night where Hermione and Teddy were already waiting. Hermione had made a wonderful pasta dish that included some of his favorite sausage and spinach.
After dinner, Harry and Hermione joined forces to get Teddy ready for bed. Once Teddy was tucked in, Harry did what he had done every night for the last two weeks: he told Teddy every part of his day. While he left out some of the more boring aspects, he told Teddy everything he did. Teddy often had wonderfully insightful questions that would lead them astray for a few minutes. Usually, by the time that Harry had finished talking about his day, Teddy was ready to go to sleep.
Tonight, Teddy didn't even make it through Harry's lunch before he was asleep. A smile on his face, Harry turned out the lights and gently closed the door behind him. When Harry reached the bottom of the stairs, Hermione was waiting for him.
"Is he asleep already?" Hermione asked as she escorted him to the couch.
"Passed out in less than five minutes," Harry replied as he sat on the couch. Hermione joined him and tucked her head under his arm.
"Did you tell him that you closed the case?"
"I was in the process when I noticed he was asleep," Harry replied. "I'll tell him tomorrow. Hey, did you hear that Roger Davies is planning on-"
"Running for Minister? Yeah, I heard," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes. "Not exactly the kind of man you had in mind when you said you wanted to replace Kingsley."
"I wanted someone chosen by more than just the few witches and wizards of influence. If that ends up being Roger Davies, then so be it. If he's terrible, then we can replace him with someone else soon enough."
"Right."
"Why don't you do it?" Harry asked.
"Why don't you?" Hermione replied.
"I asked you first."
Hermione sat up and sighed as she considered the question.
"Because we have a lot to figure out here. We have Teddy and we're still very much getting used to that. I just don't think I could justify running for Minister of Magic at the moment," Hermione replied. "What about you?"
"Pretty much the same. While he may have been off about a lot, Kingsley was right that I will probably end up with the job one day. Of course, that was before the Wizengamot enacted elections. Who knows what will happen now?"
"Speaking of what will happen now, you and I need to talk," Hermione said. Based on her tone, Harry could tell that she wasn't upset but that she had something important on her mind.
"Alright."
"We're a couple now, right?" Hermione asked.
"I thought we were. I mean we never said it "officially" or anything like that, but I thought that we were."
"And are you living here?"
"Well, that depends on Teddy and you. I know that he loves the hell out of you and I know you love him too, but that doesn't mean that you are ready to be a full-time mother."
"And you are ready to be a father?" Hermione shot back.
"No, not particularly," Harry admitted, "but Teddy is my responsibility. I'm his legal guardian now. I'm his father. So, I'm going to live wherever I can live with Teddy. I understand not wanting to rush things so if you aren't comfortable with any part of this, I want you to tell me now."
Hermione stood up and walked around the room, pacing as she thought. Finally, she turned back to Harry.
"I want to rush things," Hermione said firmly. "We spent so long avoiding this. I think we owe it to ourselves to do it right. Everything about it will be hard, but I love you and Merlin, I love Teddy. I want the two of you to live here with me. Permanently."
"You're sure you want to rush things?" Harry asked.
"I'm sure."
"How sure?" Harry asked as he rose from the couch.
"I'd bet my life on how sure I am."
"Good," Harry said as he dropped to a knee. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a simple diamond ring that he had found in his vault years earlier. There was no note attached to it, but the ring was decidedly modern, unlike a lot of the jewelry inside the vault. As a result, Harry firmly believed that it must have been his mother's.
"You are right that we spent too long avoiding this," Harry said as he held the ring high in front of him. "We wasted time. Time that we can never get back. But I don't ever want to lose another day with you. Hermione Granger, will you marry me?"
For a moment, Hermione froze, her eyes wide, as she stared at the ring. For just a moment, Harry feared the worst. He feared that he had asked too soon, that he had misread the signs. Then, Hermione held her hand out in front of her with glistening eyes as she nodded her head.
"Yes, Harry Potter, yes, I will marry you. Of course, I will marry you."
May 16, 2009
Harry stood at the edge of the pond, watching Teddy, dressed in a black suit that matched Harry's, as he skipped rocks on the pond. Then, he looked down at his watch.
Twelve minutes left.
"Harry, Minister Davies wants to speak with you," Harry heard Arthur say as he approached.
"You can tell the Minister of Magic that I am a little busy at the moment."
Arthur approached, also dressed to impress, with a letter that he handed Harry. Harry had intentionally been out of communication with the rest of the world since Wednesday. Still, the letters came pouring in. Five solid months as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and people still couldn't figure out how to do their jobs without him holding their hand.
Harry thought he was a better teacher than that.
Harry took the letter and, without reading it, balled it up and threw it in the pond.
"Apologize to the Minister on my behalf," Harry said with a smirk. "What did it say?"
"Something about some sort of magical explosion in the North Sea."
"Is Elaina taking care of it?"
"As always."
"Then, I don't see any reason for concern," Harry replied.
Roger Davies had been elected Minister of Magic by an overwhelming margin in January. Of course, it didn't hurt when you ran against Theodore Nott and former Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge. Nott drove himself out of the race by running such an aggressively pro-Pureblood campaign that even some of the strongest Pureblood families refused to endorse him.
And while everyone enjoyed getting a chance to laugh at Cornelius Fudge being on a stage again, almost no one seriously considered voting for him.
All in all, Davies wasn't a bad Minister. He was young, intelligent, and decidedly not Fudge or Nott. He was also inexperienced, a bit naive, and, at the moment, overly reliant on his senior officials like Harry and Hermione.
That made things a bit difficult when Harry and Hermione, now the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, took off work for two weeks in order to get married.
Harry checked his watch again. Eleven minutes, this time.
When Harry and Hermione had been in the process of planning their wedding, the first question had been the most important: Where? Almost immediately the answer had been given to them when Molly had offered them the same thing they offered all of their children: space at The Burrow. Considering the fact that they knew they would be limiting invites to a small number of people, it was a perfect location and one that made setting up much easier.
Hermione had taken the entire week off prior to the wedding, mostly because her parents had decided to come. When she had sent out the invitation, she had been uncertain if they would even come. It had certainly been a load off Harry's mind when they sent a letter back, indicating their intention to come.
On Harry's end, he had worked all the way until Wednesday, helping new Head Auror Elaina Andrews continue to get settled into her position. While Harry was no longer the Head Auror, Davies had asked that Harry retained operational control of the Auror Office. Effectively, Harry planned the missions and Elaina executed them, which was just fine for both of them. Harry expected that he would be able to convince Davies to allow Elaina to fly solo by the end of the year, which would give him significantly more time to do the rest of his job.
After that, Harry had spent most of his time here at The Burrow, helping get everything set up. Because the wedding was for two high-ranking Ministry officials, there was a requirement that the event be staffed by Ministry Hit Wizards for protection. Of course, any idiot that dared attack this wedding would quickly be vanquished.
Harry looked down at his watch. Ten minutes left.
"Are you nervous?" Arthur asked as he noticed Harry check his watch.
"I'm excited," Harry replied. "I get to marry my best friend. I just wish that Ron was here to see it."
"Ron would be happy for both of you," Arthur assured him. "Just like Molly and I are happy for both of you."
Harry turned away from Teddy, who had just successfully skipped a rock six times, and faced Arthur.
"Arthur, I just want to thank you again for all of this. You didn't have to do this-"
Arthur put a hand up in front of Harry's face, stopping him in his tracks.
"This is what we do for family, Harry. You and Hermione, the two of you have been family for years. We were just happy that we could make your day easier."
"You haven't just made it easier. You made it better," Harry replied. "Thank you."
"You are quite welcome, son," Arthur said as he pulled something out of his jacket pocket. "Here. This is for you."
In Arthur's hands was a small, wooden box. The wood had been stained a cherry color and in the center was a simple, silver clasp. Harry took the box from Arthur and opened it to find a small compass. The compass itself was small, just big enough to sit in your hand. It was made entirely of silver except for the hand itself which appeared to be gold.
As Harry examined the compass more, he noticed that there were no directional markings on it. Yet it clearly still pointed in the same direction no matter how Harry turned it.
"It is enchanted. No matter where you go, pull that out and it will always point you home."
"Home?" Harry asked. Then, he looked down and noticed that the arrow was pointed straight at the house. It pointed to The Burrow.
Of course The Burrow was home. Harry was about to thank Arthur for such a thoughtful gift when he suddenly saw something inscribed on the side. Harry turned the compass on his side and read the inscription.
RBW
A gift for my son, a man I could not be more proud of
Harry looked back up at Arthur who was smiling at him as he tried desperately not to cry.
"This was supposed to be Ron's," Harry said and he immediately tried handing the compass back to Arthur, who refused him.
"It was," Arthur admitted. "When Ginny was born, we told my parents that we were finally done having children. My father was very old at that point and he knew that he wouldn't live long enough to see them grow up. But he had always enjoyed making little trinkets, especially compasses."
"My father died two or three years before Ron went to Hogwarts. When you have seven children, it's difficult to keep track of these things," Arthur said with a chuckle. "In his will, among the number of items that he left to me was a box. Inside this box were seven compasses, each of them with the initials of one of my children on it. There were instructions inside that would allow me to enchant the compasses in two ways. The first would give them the point to focus on, in this case, The Burrow."
"But the second would allow me to inscribe something on the side, just below the initials. For years, I kept these compasses, wondering when I should give them to my children. Then, Bill announced he was getting married and I realized that it would be a perfect wedding present. It was a gift that would remind him of home while being something of my father's that I could give to them. And so, the night before his wedding, I enacted the enchantment and inscribed the compass."
"When George got married, I decided to make it a tradition. And so, on the night before his wedding to Angelina, I enchanted the compass. Then, Ginny got married and again, on the night before her wedding, I enchanted the compass, although Ginny might wish for a second chance with that seeing as how things turned out."
Arthur suddenly reached out and took the compass out of the box and set it in Harry's hand.
"And then, just a few months ago, my youngest son told me that he was getting married to the woman of his dreams. And so, on the night before his wedding, I enchanted the compass."
Harry looked down at the compass, the true meaning of Arthur's story washing over him. The compass may have originally been intended for Ron, but the words that accompanied the initials, those words were meant for him. Harry looked back up at Arthur, who had finally given in to the tears that were now cascading down his face.
"A gift for my son," Arthur said as he took Harry's hand in his own. Arthur reached into the box, pulled out the compass, and placed it in Harry's hand.
"A man I could not be more proud of."
Harry had always viewed the Weasleys as family. Over the years, there was no doubt that they were the surrogates for the family that had been taken from him. But a gift like this, a gift intended for one of Arthur's sons, specifically a gift intended for Ron, given to him was too much and, unable to contain himself, Harry threw his arms around Arthur's neck as he pulled his father close and held him in his arms.
Harry held onto Arthur until he heard someone say his name. It was Molly, who had approached from the bottom of the hill.
"Harry?" Molly asked as Harry finally let Arthur go. "I see Arthur gave you his gift."
"Uh...yes," Harry said, completely at a loss for words. Then, he looked down at his watch, which showed just a few minutes until three-thirty. "Is it time?"
"It's time."
Before anyone went anywhere, Harry turned to Arthur.
"I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for me. Everything that your family has done for me."
"They're your family, too, Harry. That's what family does."
"Right," Harry said with a smile as he pocketed the compass. "Teddy, let's go!"
The three men walked down the hill towards the ten that had been set up in the yard. Unlike when Bill and Fleur had gotten married, Harry and Hermione had opted for a much more subdued affair. Obviously, all the members of the Weasley clan would be there. Luna and Hagrid had been invited as well.
For the rest of their friends, the members of The Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's Army had been invited to a party at Harry and Hermione's home that night that would likely last until the morning. For now, they had all the people in the world present.
Harry, Arthur and Teddy arrived just as Minerva McGonagall stepped to the front of the room. The second question that Harry and Hermione had needed to answer before they could get married was: Who would officiate the wedding? They wanted someone they knew, but they couldn't pick among their friends.
That's when Hermione had a brilliant idea: Minerva McGonagall. Hermione had approached the Headmistress with the idea the following day and McGonagall had agreed on the spot. Now, she stood at the front of the small ceremonial space and nodded. Harry's attention moved from McGonagall to the back of the room. Harry and Hermione had decided that, rather than play favorites among their nieces and nephews, they would just use all of them.
And so, one at a time, Bill and Fleur's children, Brian, Dani, and Aimee, came down the aisle, followed by Fred and Kat, George and Angelina's children. All was going well until Kat decided that she would rather play with the streamers than throw flower petals. She grabbed one of the streamers off the floor and started sprinting up and down the aisle, waving it over the head like some sort of strange interpretive dance as George desperately tried to track her down. Needless to say, it was a very funny scene.
Then came the Best Man and The Maid of Honor. When Harry had originally thought about this, he had considered leaving the space next to him empty in order to honor Ron. But when Hermione suggested that Teddy be his Best Man, Harry couldn't resist, especially once she told him that Ginny was going to be her Maid of Honor.
And so, Teddy, all of eleven and just a few months away from his first year at Hogwarts, walked arm-in-arm with the twenty-seven year old Quidditch superstar that he had idolized since he could walk. Teddy's reaction when he had learned that he, Teddy Lupin, would be escorting Ginny down the aisle had been legendary.
This was even better. Ginny looked gorgeous in the silver dress that she wore and Teddy couldn't keep his eyes off of her, which forced Harry to do his best to stifle a laughter, an effort that he did not succeed at. Ginny rolled her eyes at Harry as Teddy and Ginny reached the front, knowing just how much Harry was enjoying Teddy's reaction to escorting his favorite Quidditch player down the aisle.
It was a story that he would tell at Hogwarts for years.
And then, Harry looked up and, for what could have been a moment or possibly the rest of his life, he stopped breathing. Standing at the back of the room, dressed head to toe in gold, was his soon-to-be wife. She was, without a doubt, the single most beautiful thing that Harry had ever seen.
And she was flashing that million Galleon smiling, that smile that gave Harry life.
As Harry saw her, the gathered parties rose, but Harry barely noticed. For the time being, for these few precious seconds, she was it. She was all that mattered and the only other thing in the world. Her father stood at her side, arm in arm with her, as she walked down the aisle. When they reached the end of the aisle, Harry stepped down from his place to greet him.
"You best take care of my daughter," he said with a smile on his face.
"Sir, I would give up every ounce of gold in my vault for your daughter."
"Good answer."
Then, he turned, kissed Hermione on the cheek, and then offered Hermione's hand to him, which Harry took eagerly. Hermione quickly reached up and wiped away a tear from his eye.
"Have you been crying already?"
"It was Arthur's fault," Harry replied as they turned to McGonagall, who was smiling at both of them.
"Thank you for coming today," McGonagall said as everyone else sat. "Today, we are here to witness the marriage between Harry James Potter and Hermione Jean Granger. These two have asked that we keep the ceremony as brief as possible. Therefore, I will do my best to keep my personal comments brief."
When they had asked McGonagall to officiate the wedding, her only request had been that she be allowed to say a few words, a request that Harry and Hermione granted immediately.
"The only two students that frustrated me more over my time at Hogwarts than Harry and Hermione were Fred and George Weasley," McGonagall said to instantaneous laughter from the crowd. "Not for the same reason as The Twins, obviously, and not for the same reason as each other. For Miss Granger, my frustration usually stemmed when I was trying to end a class. As I would finish my thoughts for the day, I could count on Hermione Granger's hand to shoot in the air. Typically, I encouraged my students to ask questions, but when you are already getting perfect marks in my class and you are keeping the entire class waiting, patience can run thin. It got bad enough that for an entire week during her seventh year, her year after the war ended, that is, that I banned her from asking questions at all. Still, I would find little notes on my desk after class, as if by shrinking her writing, she would be subject to less punishment for having asked the question in the first place."
"And, of course, for Mr. Potter, there was no end to the list of frustrations. He was an obviously bright student, despite what some of my moodier colleagues would say, who was clearly content to be nothing more than average. Then, there were the trolls, basilisk, hippogriffs, dragons, thestrals, acromantulas, and giants. If Harry Potter went more than a week without causing massive amounts of property damage or getting put in detention, I believe that he considered it a week wasted."
No one had ever heard Minerva McGonagall speak like this about anyone before, but let alone her two most famous students. The Weasleys were rolling in their seats and Hagrid nearly fell off of his chair entirely, which would have made it two for two on that particular wedding event.
"And yet, I can honestly stand here and say that I have never been more proud of two of my students. They are remarkable in a number of ways, gifted in magic that most people dare not to even attempt. And yet, the thing that makes them such excellent people is not their gifts, plenty though they may be. No, it is their nature as human beings that make them such wonderful people. There is no one more determined than Hermione Granger when faced with someone who she believes has been wronged. There is no defender more fierce than Harry Potter when standing between those who would seek to abuse power and those who would be abused."
"It is what has made them our greatest defenders. That, and as my oldest friend would have said, their capacity for love. Albus Dumbledore believed in the power of love over everything else. If you only had these two as proof of that, you would make me and every person here a believer. It is my great honor and pleasure to stand before these two fine people today and join you in witnessing their union."
Finally, she turned to Teddy.
"Do you have the rings, young man?"
Teddy, who had clearly been preparing for his big moment, reached into his pocket and quickly pulled out two rings. She handed the first to Hermione, who took Harry's hand in her own and placed the ring on his finger.
"Hermione Granger, do you take this man to be your husband?"
"I do."
Then, McGonagall passed Hermione's ring to Harry, who swiftly placed it on her finger.
"Harry Potter, do you take this woman to be your wife?"
"I do."
McGonagall smiled at the two of them.
"Then, it is my great honor and privilege to declare you as husband and wife. Mr. Potter, you may now kiss the bride!"
Harry stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Hermione as he leaned in to kiss her as everyone else in the tent shouted for joy. Harry stood there for just a moment, his lips locked with Hermione. More than anything, he wanted to catalog this moment as the single happiest moment of his life.
In the future, if a Patronus would ever be needed, Harry would never find himself wanting for a memory ever again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you Mr. Harry Potter and Mrs. Hermione Granger!"
The last few months had been hard, some of the hardest of his life. He had lost more in those months than he had ever thought possible. But he had also gained. He was a father now. He was a husband. The world took and the world gave.
It was how you responded that determined who you were. And at the moment, despite all the horrors of the past few months, Harry James Potter was the happiest man in the world.
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Elsewhere…
He stood on the balcony overlooking the world around him and found it wanting. He was tall and thin, so thin that some might worry that a stiff breeze would knock him over. Yet, as he stood, looking over his domain, there was no question that it would take much more than the wind to knock him over. His face was worn from years of a life spent researching the hidden secrets of magic. He wore long robes and a cloak, the robes green and the cloak black. His eyes pierced the barren landscape in front of him as if he was attempting to destroy everything in sight simply by the look of it.
At first glance, he would appear to be nothing more than an old man. Maybe he had been spectacular in his youth, but that time had long gone. But in the world of magic, age had little to do with power. In his world, there were none more powerful. He was The Phoenix, the only one who was prepared to burn the world to the ground in order to create a new one. Yet even he lacked the power to do so as of yet. But soon, even that wouldn't be an obstacle for he knew of a new world that he could draw power from.
The Phoenix turned and considered the glowing orb in front of him. Once he placed his hands on it, he would be whisked away through the very fabric of time and space to a new world, leaving this one behind. The time had finally come to leave for his pursuers were getting closer with each passing day.
Once he left this world, there would be no following him and no stopping his master plan. Once he left this world, he would be able to draw on the power of magic itself and create a new world, a better world. and not even the great Potters could stop him.
Well, this is it for this story! For the few of you that have made it this far, thanks for reading. I hope you liked it and you should leave a comment if you did. The framework for the followup is already in progress and it's going to be a doozy! I don't have a title or an anticipated start date so make sure to follow me so that you get notifications when I post it!
Thanks,
MrZ
