EPILOGUE: Nineteen Years Later

Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The air was cool and crisp the morning of September 1st, as the little family of five strode into the busy station. The blonde-haired mother with a round, heart-shaped face was murmuring sweet assurances to her little girl, who was being tearfully guided by her father's hand.

"It won't be long now, and you'll be going too," Neville joined in the chorus of soothing.

"Two years…." Alice sniffled. "I want to go now!"

Neville chuckled. "Reminds me of your Aunt Ginny. She would chase after the train when she was your age!"

"I wouldn't give her any ideas, love," Luna hummed, demurring, though meeting her husband's eyes, she smiled softly at him. "We don't want our little Wrackspurt falling off the platform." She floated this catastrophic scenario with almost stupefying calm, and Neville couldn't help but bask in her as she maternally whispered something to their little girl. More than fifteen years of marriage, and his brilliant Ravenclaw's beauty had never diminished.

A crash from behind them made him bite back a groan; their sons had resumed the argument they had started in the car.

"I won't! I WON'T be in Slytherin!"

"Frank," Luna cooed, her tone calm yet admonishing all at once. "Mind your brother."

If it was possible to love her more, it was now. As a wife, Luna was the sexiest woman in all the wizarding world. As a doting mother, she was a wonder. He could still recall with clarity the day she had come to him in his greenhouse, out back of the Rook, and breathlessly told him she was pregnant, carrying his baby. Neville now grinned dopily as he fondly remembered how he had reacted, taking her over the main gardening table. He smirked. That greenhouse had never seen steamier times.

"I only said he might be," Frank laughed, trying to shrug off his needling as innocent, brotherly teasing. "There's nothing wrong with that, Mother. He might be in Slytherin…"

He caught the flash in his mum's silvery eyes and fell silent. Luna merely clucked her tongue, chiding.

"You know if Xeno is Sorted anywhere, it will be in either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. It runs in the family….!"

Neville leaned into his wife, cheeky. "So when our baby boy winds up Sorted into Hufflepuff, I'm allowed to laugh really hard, right?"

Luna smiled at him sweetly, but even with the airiness in her timbre, Neville intimately knew, after more than a decade and a half of marriage and three children, even light joking – at least lighter than that of their eldest boy – would not be tolerated. "I suppose, if you'd be content in never sleeping in the same bed again, dear."

Neville nervously giggled off what he hoped was just an idle threat, but rapidly let the ribbing drop. The five Longbottoms now approached the barrier leading to Platform 9 and 3/4s.

"Hmm, the Muggles are out in force today," Luna marveled, tone back to its even dreaminess.

"We'll be careful, love," Neville promised, as he braced himself behind Xenophilius, their middle son and named after his grandfather. The middle Longbottom child was understandably nervous, easing only slightly when father whispered to son, "Together."

Then they charged the barrier. Emerging onto the bustling train platform, Neville could sense his wife corralling their other little ones behind him as they approached the scarlet locomotive. Even with the din and the crowds more congested than Neville could ever remember, that didn't stop his son from attempting to crane his eyes over the tops of people a full head taller than him.

"Uhhhh….. where are they?!"

"We'll find them," Luna assured her son. "Ronald's always on time."

"You mean Hermione's always on time, and Ron's just along cause he got dragged here," Neville muttered dryly.

"Yes, of course, that's what I meant," Luna purred breezily, grinning at her husband. A few passersby parted to make an opening and the little family squirmed through it. Neville shifted his head, squinted, then nudged his son in the arm.

"Oi – I think that's them, Xeno."

The mist dissipated to reveal a family of four huddled together about midway down the length of train cars. Hermione, her brown hair sleek and done up in a bun, was busily fussing over her and Ron's daughter.

"Bag. Jumper…." she could be heard checking off her list as the Longbottoms approached. Blinking back tears, she pulled in her first-born for a hug. "Gonna miss you…"

"Hi," Xenophilius chirped, looking immensely relieved. Rose, his cousin-in-all-but-name and looking smart in her brand-new Hogwarts robes, craned her neck around her mother's arm to beam at him.

"Parked all right, then?" Ron greeted Neville with a firm handshake and a familial kiss on the cheek for Luna. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner."

"No, I didn't," Hermione denied. "I had complete faith in you."

Ron smiled mushily at her. "That you did, dearest. Because you're always right." He bent and kissed his wife chastely on the lips, Hermione accepting it and looking immensely pleased. Rose made a face at her parents getting lovey-dovey.

"Was I like that at our wedding?" Luna murmured sotte voce, watching the public display of affection.

"Oh, trust me, darling, you were worse." Neville's cheeky quip earned him a half-hearted slap.

"Nev!"

Now it was his turn to stoop and kiss his wife purposefully, and in full view of their children. Luna blinked, taken aback a little, but she held the kiss, unable to help but grin as her husband drew away. "You were inspiring, love…."

"Yoo-hoo! Lovebirds!" The mocking trill, though it lacked any bite, caterwauled over to the pair of gathered families. Hermione's big brown eyes widened as she caught sight of whoever was behind them.

"Ginny!" And the brilliant witch dashed past the Longbottoms to embrace her sister-in-law, drawing back with a gasp, both hands to her mouth, to take in Ginny's swollen belly. "Oh my Godric! Your figure is just glorious!"

"Liar," Ginny quipped, though she appeared secretly pleased. She rubbed a tired hand over her pregnant stomach. "We've picked out a name – Lily." Hermione squealed at this, rushing to embrace Harry as he sidled up next to his wife.

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you," Harry chortled, tugging his wife into his side and looking immensely proud with himself. "She'll be due by Thanksgiving yet."

"And whaddaya know? My sister can show herself in public, pregnant and decidedly not cranky!" Ron jabbed, smirking as he squirted around Hermione to examine his sister.

"Prat." Ginny stuck out her tongue at him.

Ron's eyes jerked along with his head in Harry's direction. "He's been treating you well?"

Ginny now full on scowled. "Yes, Mum….."

"Just making sure! Can I help it if I act like a big brother?"

"Oh, yes, you can help it!" Ginny glowered. "Ron, I am a happily married woman with two babies and a third on the way….!"

"…. and Harry is the best thing that ever happened to you, I know," Ron finished what Neville knew to be a tired lecture. "I suppose you could have done a lot worse…." He eased up on taking the mickey out on his brother-in-law by tossing Harry a wink. "Will your parents be by, mate?"

"Hmm, I don't know," Harry warbled. "I didn't receive any owl post from Mum. But considering what year it is, I expect perhaps…."

But Ron was no longer paying attention. Catching sight of something behind Neville, he discreetly elbowed him. "Here they come."

The mist now revealed a woman with flowing auburn hair arm-in-arm with a tall, hook-nosed man. Huddled between them was a little girl of eleven, who seemed to be a rather pleasant-enough looking blend of both her parents.

Ron could only stare, a little in awe, as he whispered to Neville, "How Harry's mum could let a greasy git like that knock her up, I'll never know…"

"Don't let Harry hear you say that, unless you want your bollocks hexed clean off!" Neville bit back through the clenched teeth of a tight smile.

Harry turned absently, beaming. "Mum!" He pulled Lily Snape (neé Evans, formerly Potter) into a tight hug, then shook his stepfather's hand. Harry finally glanced down at Eileen, awkwardly patting her on the head.

"Hi, Uncle Harry!" Eileen, his half-sister, chirped.

"I'm not your uncle," Harry tried to chuckle it off.

"You're old enough to be."

Ron whistled under his breath. "Bloody ouch. Even I wouldn't say that!"

"Bollocks, love, you used to give Lockhart so much snark and grief!" Hermione clucked.

"He was a bloody….!" Ron cowed at Hermione's prissy glare. "Damn….." he amended. "Fraud, darling! Just because you never got over that schoolgirl crush on him…"

"Nonsense! Of course I got over it! I married you, didn't I?"

"Bloody ouch," Neville echoed, cringing.

Knocked off-step by his wife's witty riposte, Ron turned away, grumbling, beckoning Neville to help him. "OK, just for the record, I did Confund that examiner," he came clean as together, he and Neville lifted Rose's, then Xenophilius's, trunk onto the train. "I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it, I can use a Super-Sensory charm for that!" Neville nodded along absently, while checking the pocket watch that had once belonged to Fabian Prewett – a wedding present from Molly and Arthur Weasley, who practically viewed him and Luna as their own children, and their babies, more grandchildren.

"Frank," he warned, hardly needing to lift his head to know his eldest was back to ribbing Xeno again. "It's nearly 11:00; you lot had better get onboard."

"Don't forget to give Hagrid our love!" Luna trilled, bending to give her son a hug.

"Mum! I can't give a professor love!"

"But you know Hagrid; he's practically family!"

Frank rolled his eyes. "Outside, yeah, but at school, he's Professor Hagrid, isn't he? I can't walk into Care of Magical Creatures and give him love….!" He vented his feelings by aiming a kick at his brother. "See you later, Xeno. Watch out for the threstrals."

"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible…..!"

Neville was intercepted in going to his son by Ron, who now, craving controversy, tapped him and nodded towards the rear of the train. "Look who it is…."

Two blonde figures – one a perfect miniature of the other - were standing alongside the very last carriage. Draco Malfoy's hair was receding somewhat, yet his boy was a carbon copy of himself.

"So that's little Scorpius," Ron muttered under his breath. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank Godric you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake!" Hermione chided, half-stern, half-amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

"You're right, sorry," Ron apologized rotely. Then: "Don't get too friendly with him, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood!" Rose nodded gamely, like a Quidditch player listening to her coach.

Hermione let out an affronted noise, gawping at her husband's gall. "Um, excuse me, I married a pureblood, and it jolly well turned out fine!"

"I should hope so," Ron tried to send her a smoldering smile; his wife didn't take the bait. "Cause if you're not in Gryffindor, my girl, we'll disinherit you," he continued to lecture Rose. "But no pressure."

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, I swear to Merlin…..!"

Neville laughed, ambling away from where Ron was now receiving a passionate lecture from his wife about how we don't disown anyone in this family, etc. etc. etc. to kneel down beside his son. Xeno appeared quiet, eyeing the train nervously.

"Best get on board, lad, or it'll leave without you."

"It wouldn't," Xeno countered, though his gaze was unsure.

"It left me and Uncle Ron behind once."

Ron heard him even in the middle of being chewed out by his bride of close to twenty years. "Please don't tell that story!" he called over, all but begging.

Xeno clutched at his father's arm. "I wish you could come on the train with us…"

Neville supposed that he could, as a professor himself, but when Frank had started last year he had made a policy to no longer hitch a ride to the castle on the Express. "I think it would be better if I let you and your brother have your space. I'll get to the grounds by Portkey." After all, the students would need their Professor of Herbology… and occasional guest lecturer in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Dad?"

"What is it, son?"

"….. What if I'm in Slytherin?"

The whisper was for his father alone and Neville studied his son closely: alone of his and Luna's three children, Xeno had inherited his grandmother Alice's eyes.

"Xenophilius Serverus," he murmured. "You were named for two very great men. One of them was a Slytherin, and all ribbing aside where Uncle Harry is concerned, he was – is – the bravest man I've ever known."

"But just say…."

"Then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, and a wonderful young wizard. It doesn't matter to Mummy or me, Xeno. But if it really means that much to you, you can choose Gryffindor, or even Ravenclaw, over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?"

"It did for me."

He had never told any of his children that before, and he watched the wonder grow in Xenophilius's eyes when he said it. The Express's whistle blew and all around them, parents were clamoring to the windows of the train, to blow kisses, give last minute reminders. Luna flitted over to her husband and son, pecking Xenophilius on the cheek.

"See you at Christmas."

"Bye, Xeno," Neville murmured as his son hugged him. "Don't forget Hagrid has invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you've learned how. And don't let Frank or James wind you up."

Xeno nodded. Then he bounded onto the train, in the last few moments before it started to move. Neville ambled alongside, finally picking out his son in a compartment with Frank, Rose, Eileen Snape and James Potter. He noted, but didn't comment on, how many heads were starting to turn in his direction.

"Why are they all staring?" Xeno demanded.

"Don't let it worry you, Xeno," Ron drawled. "It's me! I'm extremely famous!" That earned him a whack on the arm from Hermione, even as she held her other hand to her mouth, hiding a bittersweet smile while blinking back emotional tears.

Rose, Frank and Xeno all laughed. Back on the platform, Albus Potter and Alice were both struggling against their mothers, wanting to make a break for it and board at the last minute. Lily Snape was leaning against her husband, tears falling and not even bothering to hide them. Neville merely continued his leisurely stroll, accompanying the train out of the station, waving, watching his son glide away from him…..

The Hogwarts Express picked up momentum and thundered out of Kings' Cross at powerful top speed, rounding the corner. Neville's hand was still raised in farewell.

He felt Luna drift into him. "He'll be all right," she crooned.

Turning to smile at her, Neville bent and kissed his wife on the mouth tenderly. As she leaned into him, prolonging the kiss, he felt her one hand glide up to cradle his face, brush her fingers along his which now just touched the lightning scar on his forehead.

"I know he will."

The scar had not bothered Neville Longbottom for nineteen years. All was well.