Author's Note: So here it is, the final installment of Birthday Wishes. I hope you have all enjoyed this journey as much as I have - and if you have, don't hesitate to let me know! I just want to end by thanking you all for the support along the way; I couldn't have done it without you!

July 6, 1997
London

She left for Bath the next morning and arrived at their front door a little past noon. After returning to her room the previous evening, she had found herself staring up at the ceiling with only one thought on her mind. How? And despite the many hours that had passed in such a fashion, no answer came to her. The next morning, she had slept in, until Draco – bored and mischievous – had come banging on her door and had returned her to her previous ponderings. They had discussed the matter over a late breakfast, Narcissa once again being absent from the house, and then it had already been time to leave for the train station. Draco had been courteous – or at the very least bored – enough to accompany her there but even then the time to say goodbye came soon. When it came, it wasn't too heartfelt, not with their next date already planned in less than a week, and she'd soon disappeared into the throng of people.

Back in Bath, she spent a good two minutes fumbling for her keys before at last inserting the correct one into the lock. It unlocked with an audible click, and opened to reveal their narrow hallway.

'I'm home' she called, while hoisting her bag back over her shoulder and stepping inside. No response came and she walked in further, peaking her head into the living room only to find it empty. She was just considering the option of them being in the garden despite the less-than-spectacular weather when a sob sounded from the kitchen.

On guard, Sophie lowered the bag to the ground before quietly making her way to the kitchen. There, she was relieved to find both of her parents at the table, looking if not happy then at least alive and well. They were seated next to each other at the far side of the table, her mother's face buried in her father's shoulder.

'Mom? Dad?' Sophie asked haltingly, 'What's wrong?'

Her father turned his gaze on her, one hand comfortingly patting his wife's hair as the other gestured towards an official-looking piece of parchment on the table in front of them that she hadn't spotted before. 'It was delivered this morning. It's a letter, from the Minister of Magic.'

Sophie felt the blood drain from her face, standing rooted to the spot as her mind supplied her with the only reason why the Minister of Magic would contact them. The Breach of Secrecy. Now that the war and the emergency situation was over, he needed to have her – maybe even her father – Obliviated.

Seeing the tears that sprung to her eyes, her father carefully extracted himself from Tilly's embrace, kissing her on the top of her head once before standing. 'I'll be outside,' he stated simply and, as he moved past her, squeezed her shoulder before disappearing through the back door.

A moment of silence followed the sound of the closing door and Sophie slunk into the newly-vacated chair, mind still stuck on the realisation that all that she knew would soon be gone. Hogwarts, the Weasleys… Draco. Soon it would not even be a distant memory. It would be as if it had never happened.

Her mother immediately took hold of her hands, gazing at them thoughtfully for a moment before offering her daughter a watery smile. 'We always knew you were special,' she confessed, 'From the very moment that you came to us. However, we didn't realise quite how much.'

At seeing the confused look on her face, her mother continued, 'Mr Shacklebolt told us about all that you have done for the magical world – for the world in general.'

This wasn't what Sophie had expected. Not at all. In a way, though, she knew even less what to do with this information than with the imminent erasure of her memory. And so she scoffed, a bit awkwardly, 'It wasn't that much, really…'

Tilly shook her head, releasing one hand's hold of her daughter's to brush a lock of hair away from Sophie's face, 'We are so proud of you. Our little Soph.' Her expression as she stated that was so full of love and pride that Sophie couldn't help but smile in return. 'Mr Shacklebolt said that you have the eternal gratitude of the wizarding community and that if there is ever anything you need, you need but ask.'

Sophie was halfway nodding in understanding when she remembered the passings of the previous evening. 'Actually,' she started, hesitantly, not sure how her mother would take to the news, 'There might be something. I need a wand.'

'A wand? But I thought…'

'I thought so too,' Sophie smiled down at her hands that were still intertwined with her mother's. She explained to her what had happened the day before, and her suspicion that it had something to do with her choice to remain in this life rather than go back to the old – and birthday wishes being granted at long last.

Through it all, she found that the grip on her hand did not slacken, nor did her mother pull away. Only for a moment did Tilly hesitate, asking her if this was what she really wanted. At Sophie's confirmation, her mother smiled despite her aversion of the magical world that she had turned her back to all those years ago, and promised to take her to London to purchase a wand together.

When her father returned to the kitchen twenty minutes later, he found the two of them working out a schedule of how to fit their shared magic lessons into their daily schedule. He smiled at the sight, seeing the two most important women in his life find each other again at long last.