Chapter 20: It's Your Fight

"So what happens now?" Arthur asked, as no one quite knew what to do with themselves now.

"We go home," Severus said as he stood up and began accioing all of his belongings to him and his wife.

"What're you leaving, you're not gonna stay and help?" Ron asked.

"This isn't our fight, this is yours. We are done fighting. Now it's time to go home," Severus explained.

"It is up to you guys now to figure out what your next step is," Hermione said as she too stood up and began collecting themselves for their journey home.

"What are you two going to do now? Now that your work is done?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I guess that's something we are going to have to figure out. Together," Hermione said as she looked at Severus. Then she made her way to her parents and hugged them. "Goodbye Mom, Dad, I guess in a way you will see me again. One way or another I am here with you. All of you," She said as she looked at everyone in turn throughout the room.

"Also I've left a little parting gift. Consider it an early birthday present Harry," Hermione said as she replaced the book that held the memories with a small handheld pocketbook. "Everything we brought with us will self-destruct once you view the last memory. Time will also resume once we leave.

Severus and Hermione moved towards one another and stood in the middle of the room holding hands.

"Goodluck."

"Try not to fuck everything up," Severus said. Resulting in his wife glaring at him in shock.

"Severus!" She exclaimed.

And as they arrived they left in a flash of bright light.

"I gotta say this has been the weirdest couple days of my life," Tonks said.

"I agree," Kingsley said.

"Na, we've had weirder," Ron quipped.

"Yes I think we are all aware of that," Mrs. Weasleys said with her arms crossed over her chest. She still had much she wanted to discuss with her family.

"I guess we should watch the last memory," Harry said, trying to diffuse the upcoming situation. Everyone retook their seats as Dumbledore placed the cube on the memory projecting it for all to see.

At once two people protruded from the cube. One had long flowing red hair and green eyes. While the man beside her had messy hair and a pair of glasses. At once everyone recognized who the two people are. If not from memory then from pictures. It was Lily and James Potter. But they looked younger. Not like their early twenties when they died. They looked to be around 17/18.

"Hello Harry," James said. Hearing his voice, caused Sirius and Remus to immediately start crying but it wasn't until lily started talking when Harry joined them with tears streaming down his face.

"I don't know why we are even making this. It's not like you will ever see this. But I can't help but hope that one day you will hear the same words," Lily said with a sideways glance to the man beside her. "We are so proud of you. You accomplished more than what has ever been expected for you. It is scary to know what life might have in store for you. We want you to remember that even though sometimes it can be scary there's still time to be a kid and have fun."

"For pranks," James said with a wink.

"To live life," Lily corrected with a roll of her eyes.

"I hope we will get the chance to be a proper family. Me, your mom, and you. Together. But know that even if this time around things don't change the way we want. Know that you are not alone. You still have Padfoot, and Moony, hell even an uncle Snape," James said, running a hand through his hair, messing it up more than it already was.

"No matter what happens we will always be there looking out for you, in this life or the next. Lily said. She too had tears in her eyes. But she was smiling, the both of them were.

"We love you." They both said in unison. Waving and smiling. They disappeared along with the memory book and the crystal. They were gone but they weren't really there, to begin with.

"Damn now that was one hell of a parting gift," Ginny said, trying to break the silence.

"Yea," Harry said quickly wiping away at his eyes.

"How the hell are we supposed to top this for your birthday, mate?" Ron said, causing Harry to look up at his friends and his family. Smiling he said jokingly;

"Yea, good luck with that."

6 Years Later.

"Well, we won the war against Voldemort. Just a little differently then what was supposed to be.

The final battle took place on Nov 12th, 1996."

"It took only a couple of days to begin gathering the Horcruxes, but it took a bit longer to get into Gringotts to get Hufflepuff's cup. Once we gathered all of the Horcruxes except for Nagini we destroyed them all at once. Right at the moment when Snape revealed his true loyalties to Voldemort by killing Nagini during one of the death eaters meetings. Snape was able to lower the wards protecting the manor and the Order was able to storm the area and eradicate all threats. In the end Dumbledore, Snape and Harry faced Voldemort. I'm not sure which one of them cast the final spell that ended him but this time around we have a body to prove it."

"Now I'm guessing you are wondering what about the Horcrux inside of Harry. Well, we actually have the thanks of Snape, Hermione, and Lupin for it. They were able to destroy the Horcrux inside of Harry without resulting in his death. Lupin assisted Hermione and Snape due to some discomfort of having the two working alone together but it was a needless worry, the three worked extremely well together and in fact, some might say they were on the verge of becoming friends."

"That's what happened during the golden trio's sixth year but what about their Fifth year?"

"Well, Mad-eye and Tonks were able to prove that Umbridge sent the dementors after Harry. She was sent to Azkaban and thankfully never graced the halls of Hogwarts again. So for the post of Defence of the Dark Arts position went to Remus Lupin. Due to popular demand by the students when asked, Lupin was reinstated onto the staff despite his furry little problem. Which isn't that much of a problem anymore thanks to Snape who created a cure. Dumbledore's army wasn't needed but was still created as the school's new defence club, which is still running after all of these years despite Voldemort's fall. Before their sixth year began Kingsley was able to prove Sirius' innocence and his first act of newfound freedom was to pay a visit to the Dursley's and have a little chat with them, then he made his way to Hogwarts as the Defence teacher while Snape continued with potions."

"Thanks to our favourite time travellers;"

"The ministry was never overrun."

"Hogwarts never fell."

"But lives were still lost."

"Mad-eye still died, he lost his life in the final battle, but no other Order members perished. Dumbledore was severely injured in the battle but he still has a few years left to live if not another decade. There were still attacks on muggles and several influential wizarding members but nowhere as severe as what we were once told."

"Now what happened to everyone locked in Grimmauld place all those years ago?"

"The golden trio graduated from Hogwarts. Harry made it as an Auror and is in fact partnered with Tonks. Ron is also working in the Ministry but in a consulting division as a strategist. He is amazing at it. Hermione first went into the ministry for a couple of years working in law and the magical creatures regulation department but now she is working as a forensic archaeologist. Spending her days analyzing artifacts lost to time. Ginny is working a career as a professional quidditch player while Fred and George made their joke shop as planned. Dumbledore is still headmaster, however, once their seventh year was up, Professor Snape quit and no one has really heard from him since. He is apparently travelling around the world. We do hear about his newest creations though in the prophet every now and then. Neville became the new Herbology professor, while Remus and Sirius now work the joint Defence position."

"Fleur and Bill got married. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are happy and their family is also complete again after Percy came crawling back begging for their forgiveness."

"Now it's 2001."

"Lupin and Tonks have had little Teddy just as planned. However, he doesn't know it yet but he is about to be a big brother. Tonks is currently pregnant with a girl, I think they are planning on asking Hermione to be the godmother. Everyone is in good health and on their way to expanding their families. Ginny and Harry got together and are going strong. Ron has decided to play his hand as a bachelor while Sirius is just not yet ready to settle down. I doubt he ever will. He is firmly content as being the Uncle to the group and he does enjoy entertaining any new babies that come around as Padfoot."

"Hermione and Snape, you ask? Well, we never heard from them again after they travelled back to their timeline, so I'm assuming we did something right. But if you mean our Hermione and Snape they are doing pretty good. In fact, rumour has it that Snape came back to Britain a couple of months ago, we will see for sure at the monthly order meeting coming up next month. However, my gut is telling me it's true since a couple of weeks ago Hermione stopped by and mentioned that she ran into an old friend at the bookstore. She seemed pretty happy."

"It's funny how things come around isn't."

"And that mom and dad, is everything you have missed." Harry Potter said as he was stretched out in front of the graves of his lost parents. It has taken several years but he finally was able to catch his parents up on everything they have missed. All was well, now that the dust has settled. It has been one crazy life, it would make an even better story don't you think.

Well, it's finally complete. I never thought that I would ever write an entire story. Thankfully one good thing came out of this whole Quarantine. I am surprised at how quickly I was able to write this story especially in between working. It only took me 4 months. I'm hoping that I will finish the prequel in half that time.

Comment and give me your opinions. As my first multi-chapter story, which isn't a one-shot I am curious as to what everyone thought.

Also, let me know what characters I should include in the prequel.

Guaranteed Characters Include: James, Lily, Sirius, Remus., Severus

Possible Character:

Regulus

McGonagall

Dumbledore

Alice Smith

Frank Longbottom

Peter Pettigrew

Petunia.

Suggest others if you want to see me write them. Also, let me know if you want a future Severus or Hermione to visit their timeline.