EPILOGUE - As the life goes on

- December 2017, Ilvermorny -

Professor Thomas was sitting in a classroom in a castle of Ilvermorny. He took a snake treat with a sleeping draft inside and placed it in Meret's basket. It was better if she wasn't awake during the longer trip.

He was glad that DADA classes were held in dungeons, it reminded him of his past, when he was still just a student of Hogwarts. There was yet another bonus to that. He knew a very sweet potion teacher who was just finished with her own classes and had her own office right around the corner.

He heard a few knocks and opened the door for the person outside with his wand.

- How is the sexiest teacher in the USA feeling today? - A chestnut-haired beauty took a few steps towards his desk.

- I don't know. How are you? - He could see Hermione blushed again.

Oh, how he loved her peachy blush. It was the same as when he first asked her out to the Yule Ball. So many things have changed since then.

His identity (at least among his family) was no longer a secret, Ginny was back, and even that one boy she tricked to go inside the diary was free. Harry was forced to destroy that thing to get rid of Voldemort, but he allowed him to keep the remains for sentimental reasons.

None of his brothers or little sister were forced to leave Hogwarts, and maybe for the better, as they helped in war. Order of Phenix didn't trust Weasleys at first, thanks to Dumbledore's wonderful bad mouthing of his character, but when they helped with Sirius Black allegations, Padfoot believed their loyalty never shifted, then mr. Lupin, Harry Potter… slowly, one by one they get what Arthur and Molly saw in Tom. Not just an evil spirit, but a human being with potential to be his own person, separate from the one who made him.

Even the blind person could see that Tom mourned Fred's death alongside the rest of his siblings. George too. It made him finally realize that Tom was just as much of a brother to him as the others. That Fred wouldn't want them to fight…

Even though a year later than Tom planned, he finally started his apprenticeship with Bill. Later on, this made a wonderful reference to his job application in Ilvermorny.

From letters from home, he found out that Harry started to get interested in Ginny. Tom strongly suspected a heavy dose of love potion, knowing his little sister (who not so subtly was trying to get rid of Tom every once in a while… oh, how he enjoyed her devious ideas), but turns out they really were meant to be.

And he loved James, Al and Lily. The knowledge that Albus was sorted to Slytherin recently made him proud. He never thought he would live to see another Weasley in a snake house. He wished there were more, but most of his nephews and nieces were sorted to Gryffindor. But he loved them nonetheless. Never in a million years would he suspect that an orphan, whose own biological parents left him behind, would end up with the family that barely fit in one frame on a portrait. Loud, big, and loving. The biggest problem was keeping track of every important date, but he could live with that. He already had a habit of having a journal.

Speaking of nephews, for the longest time Tom was worried if Ronald would ever find the right girl. There was Lavender Brown for some time, but… Everybody could see that wasn't working out. Tom suspected that his feelings for Hermione just never really faded away.

Then the young man decides to travel the world again, instead of finishing 7-th year of school like his female friend. This time, purely for fun. Not much later, Weasleys received a long letter explaining how he met Padma again, as just so happened she was also in India at the same time as he, with her grandparents. Turns out, that after nasty break up they understood each other far better then their past, 4-th year, selfs. But did he really have to come back to England with a baby in his arms? Then again, Panju was such a cute boy, nobody was that upset about them holding a wedding reception after the fact. And the youngest Weasley brother beamed with joy and pride every time he was talking about his son

- Hey, what are you thinking about? - Hermione patted his cheek, stopping his train of thoughts.

- Oh, just how lucky I am to have you. - He stood out from his desk and grabbed her waist carefully. - All of you.

They now looked outside the window, it was snowing again. They were going to join the rest of their family feast soon.

- Are you ready to go? - He asked, taking a floo powder out of his pocket.

- I was wondering if we could buy Luna a postcard from Diagon Alley. She wasn't in England for years. - She stated. - Since we have to buy a few things there anyway.

- Sure, my love. - He looked at her. - But I think when they see you we are going to get everything we need for Christmas.

She only giggled

- That's true. I don't think there was one year so far no one had a spear crib or baby clothes.

A small swell under her dress was already visible, but they decided to keep it a secret, to reveal during the dinner. For now, they just let the rest of the family guess what their Holiday surprise may be. Although, since her muggle parents used video-chats to talk with her, they already had a clue. She wished they could spend Christmas on Australia's beach, not England but Molly would argue that only The Burrow could hold so many guests. Her parents apartament was indeed small. Not to mention they didn't have an active floo connection, or even a fireplace. She highly doubted so many wizards and witches would just hop on board and travel by plane or ship with, and the porket key was too risky for her current state.

She leaned towards her husband again, resting her head on his shoulder a bit.

- Arthur! - Hermione yelled, only to see a young boy with black, curly hair in his Weasley sweater from last year. He was slim, and tall for his age. Minus the curls, and slightly bucked front teeth, he looked just like his father as a kid. - Come here, son, we're going to be late. Do you have everything?

Boy lifted a bag full of gifts and two sets of robes for change and smiled.

- And I have a book about runes Lucy asked for. - He pouted. - I just hope she will give it back to me, not like the one about potions…

He took her hand, and Tom spread the powder around the fireplace that was in the corner of his office that changed color and flickered with warm light.

They step into it only to be greeted by familiar faces and cheerful smiles of the entire family. But for a moment you could hear a pin dropped as they saw the witch's belly.

Then the noise was even louder than before, everyone wanted to touch it and congratulate them. Meanwhile Arthur Percy II was talking to Lucy over the book he brought to her. He never expected her to return it. He was just happy to see his favorite cousin pulling a lock of her ginger hair, behind her ear, and correcting her glasses on the bridge of her nose as she was pronouncing the runes out loud.

Teddy glanced at both pre teens with a knowing look, it reminded him how he first met Victorie, and how awkward it felt at the beginning. He wondered if the boy knew there was no drop of blood between them. He smirked as Lucy gave her "cousin" a small kiss on the cheek to thank him.

- Ron! - Hermione hugged him tight as her best friend approached her. Padma, Parvati, Tom, Harry and Ginny standing right beside them.

- You look beautiful. - He said. There was a warm expression in his eyes. - You did it again, you sly snake. - Ron joked, bumping Tom's arm.

Tom only winked.

- How about you? Any new lion cubs? I notice Padma didn't drink any champagne during the toast. - He looked at his sister in law. To everybody's shock she gulped the saliva and blushed.

- No way… - Ron turned his head as Padma nodded. He swirled the woman in the air and shared a deep kiss with her.

- Twins in fact… - She whispered with a slight embarrassment. - I just found out this morning…

Molly squealed and pulled both of her daughters in law into a bear hug. They were slowly sitting on their seats next to a giant table. Tom rolled his eyes a bit, when his own muggle mother in law kissed both of his cheeks for about 3 times, but enjoyed it non the less.

This year Christmas was full of unexpected events. But Tom got used to expecting the unexpected ever since he first joined the Weasley's family.

He was looking at everybody, passing the gravy bowl to Bill. Merlin, how much he loved them all…

THE END

Note: Thank you all for reading, commenting and leaving likes and kudos. It was fun creating this au for you. And I enjoyed ending it on a happy note. I hope you had as much pleasure diving into the story as I do.