It was a couple of days later when a nervous and terrified Draco Malfoy approached the end of the table where they sat eating breakfast. Even though Snape was absent and Dumbledore was no longer an issue, the Potters and their friends had grown accustomed to sitting there. Their conversations fell silent as the blond Slytherin drew near.
"Lord Potter?" he asked, a tremor in his voice.
Harry immediately fell into a more formal demeanour. "How may I help you, Scion Malfoy?" His voice was carefully neutral.
Draco's nerves were obvious. "My family has been approached to provide funding for an operation that I do not believe is in our best interests to pursue," he carefully stated. "When the operation fails, as it inevitably must, there would be no way for my family to survive. However…" His face reddened before he continued. "Thanks to certain, ah, actions taken by my late father prior to his passing, this person has particular leverage over my family which would effectively force our compliance."
Harry's expression betrayed nothing. "And you're telling me this why?"
Draco looked down. "I don't like you, Lord Potter, you know this. But I've also seen this year that anyone who moves against you is destroyed. I respect that. Word is, you have the ear of the Minister and the Director of the DMLE, maybe even the goblins. I don't know if any of that is true, but I'm hoping that in exchange for the information I possess my family will be granted clemency. You're also a man of your word – if you tell me that we'll be protected then I know you'll do everything in your power to make it a certainty."
Harry exchanged a surprised glance with his wife before turning back to his one-time tormentor. "Malfoy," he said, "you are an arsehole and a bigot. I have a serious problem with that. But you're not a murderer, and to the best of my knowledge neither is your mother. The fact that she still has her magic allows me to give her the benefit of the doubt.
"Very well. In exchange for this information, I will vouch for you. But know this: I am putting my name and reputation on the line for you. If you say or do anything that will cause harm to either, then understand I will have to retaliate appropriately. My name will not be sullied by any of your nonsense. And if you ever think to betray me, think of your late father, Albus Dumbledore, and Ron Weasley."
His voice softened. "Just learn how to behave like a decent human being, Scion Malfoy, that's all. You'll find true nobility can be found down that road instead of the one that supports the persecution of those deemed inferior by the twisted views of a corrupt and decaying society."
Draco nodded. "I accept, Lord Potter, as Scion of the Noble House of Malfoy." He took a deep breath, knowing that his next words would shift the course of his family's path for generations. "Dolores Umbridge plans to storm Gringotts with as many people as she can sway to her cause. She believes that by conquering Gringotts, the families currently in limbo will become hers, not to mention the bank vaults of our entire nation. She has demanded that the Malfoy gold be used to hire mercenaries from the mainland, the same mercenaries Grindelwald used so effectively."
Harry and his friends had paled considerably by this time. "Scion Malfoy," Neville said carefully, a thoughtful frown on his face, "if it's not an impertinent question, does your family have enough money to hire sufficient mercenaries to take Gringotts?"
Draco shook his head. "It is impertinent, Scion Longbottom, but under the circumstances don't worry about it. No, we don't have the money to pay for those kinds of forces. That woman plans to use my family's gold as a down payment, with the opportunity to loot Gringotts as the added incentive. She would bankrupt my family on a venture doomed to failure before it even begins."
"Would you be willing to give testimony under veritaserum to Director Bones?" Harry wanted to know.
The blond Slytherin gave him an even look. "Lord Potter, if you can guarantee my family protection and immunity, I'll even swear vassalage to you. Just tell me when and where."
"I don't think vassalage will be necessary, Scion Malfoy," Harry said, "though I would certainly not object to a permanent cessation of hostilities between us. Just cooperate fully with Director Bones. I'll go ahead and send her a letter telling what you've just shared with us."
"Thank you," Malfoy replied, inclining his head as he did so.
Harry quickly penned a note and called Dobby, asking if the elf would mind delivering it to Director Bones. Dobby of course was eager to help out, and came back a few minutes later with the Director's reply.
After reading that she wanted to speak with Draco as soon as possible, Harry took him up to speak with Professor McGonagall. She read Director Bones' missive and authorised the two young men to leave the school.
Draco Malfoy accepted the veritaserum and was thoroughly questioned, finishing his statement with a magical oath as to its authenticity and truthfulness. Bones confirmed Harry's word that Malfoy's family would be kept safe, and the two returned to Hogwarts soon thereafter.
Dolores Umbridge was arrested that same evening and interrogated with veritaserum (though she had to be forced). She was tried the next day before the Wizengamot, and after the revelation of her plot to violate the treaty with Gringotts, which would certainly plunge the magical realm into a war it couldn't possibly hope to win, she was convicted of high treason, kissed by a dementor, and thrown through the Veil of Death in the Department of Mysteries.
She tried to throw the Malfoys under the bus in a last-ditch effort to save her own hide, but Bones silenced her before she could say anything incriminating. The Director went on to explain to the Wizengamot that Scion Malfoy had shared his testimony in exchange for his family's immunity, which the DMLE had accepted. Besides, she went on, it was Lucius Malfoy who would have had the spotlight on his actions, instead of his wife and son. Since Lord Malfoy was dead, the DMLE had no interest in investigating the family – unless and until sufficient evidence beyond the word of a traitor surfaced to warrant such. The fact that Lord Potter vouched for Scion Malfoy certainly didn't hurt. There wasn't a soul in the courtroom that didn't feel some measure of relief when Umbridge's soulless husk collapsed at the feet of the dementor, and not a one of them mourned her passing. Even amongst the Dark faction, the loathsome witch had not had a single friend.
***FTR***
With Umbridge out of the picture and permanently dealt with, there were no further obstacles of any significance to establishing official constructive dialogue between the Ministry and Gringotts. Officially recognising the goblins as their own sovereign nation and reorganising the Goblin Liaison Office to fall under the remit of the diplomatic branch went far towards encouraging the goblins to be more cooperative than they had in the past. When Minister Fudge, Chief Warlock Greengrass, and Director Bones arrived for the inaugural diplomatic meeting with Legate Ragnok and the Gringotts Board of Directors, their respectful greetings as befitted their positions built even more goodwill.
The meeting was brief but successful. Knowing the nature of the Houses in limbo, Gringotts relinquished their hold on them with the sole proviso that they be turned over to Lord Harrison James Potter as de facto Head of House for each by right of conquest. "After all," Ragnok pointed out, "while it was goblin hands that slew the pretender Riddle, it was Friend Potter who instigated it all. He informed us of the means by which Riddle attempted to cheat death, which in turn allowed us to track down his trophies and dispose of them. As his was the will behind our hunt, we will be willing to turn those Houses over to him. To you, however, we will gladly release all financial records of House Dumbledore, as well as all Houses headed by those known to be Death Eaters."
"Thank you," Bones said. "I'm sure that information will benefit us in the upcoming trial. We will consult with Lord Potter to see how he wishes to proceed. The records of House Malfoy, however, will not be necessary. In exchange for testimony that convicted Dolores Umbridge and prevented an ill-conceived attack upon this very institution, the Malfoy family has been granted immunity." She couldn't help smiling. "Lord Potter has effectively mandated that they change their ways, though."
"Naturally." Ragnok returned an almost-feral smile of his own.
It took several days, but after consulting with the affected Houses he now ruled as well as with his brilliant wife, Harry presented them each with a carefully-worded oath that said in effect that they would never seek to overthrow the legitimate government, would never support any group seeking to do the same, would never support any law or legislation that did not apply equally and fairly to all, and would never seek to pervert the course of justice in any way. All future Heads of House would also be required to swear the same oath before taking the Headship. Failure to do so would result in the immediate dissolution of the family and forfeiture of the contents of the family vaults.
With the Wizengamot fully assembled once more, Director Bones felt that it was time to posthumously put Albus Dumbledore on trial. Though the old man was dead and gone, he still had a few staunch supporters, holdouts who completely dismissed the lambasting Dumbledore had received in the press. Fudge, Greengrass, and Bones all believed that the myth and legend of the old man had to be torn down and destroyed once and for all, and only by holding a full trial before the Wizengamot could his perfidy be laid to rest forever.
After a week of testimony and presentation of evidence, Dumbledore was declared guilty of all charges. As he was already dead, the Wizengamot stripped him of all titles and awards, including the Order of Merlin (First Class). Whatever wealth he had possessed was liquidated and split between all the families he had harmed, either directly or through inaction, and his wand was given over to Harry.
Without a moment's hesitation, Harry snapped it and incendioed the two pieces, ending the legend of the Elder Wand forever.
The secrets, lies, and manipulations of Albus Dumbledore were exposed to public scrutiny, ending any and all opportunities to make a martyr of him. Several issues of the Daily Prophet were dedicated to the decline and fall of one of the magical world's most celebrated leaders. The papers also included full-page advertisements for a tell-all biography set to be released the following October, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore by Rita Skeeter.
***FTR***
As things began to calm down again, Harry and his family and friends turned their attention back to their studies and the final task of the tournament. A distracted Ludo Bagman called the competitors together at the quidditch pitch on the last Friday evening in May to discuss the third task. Somewhat disgruntled that Harry still did not show up, the ex-quidditch star hurried through the explanation without prelude or any dissembling.
"The third task will be a hedge maze," he said in a brusque tone, gesturing to the growing shrubberies. "You'll have magical traps, creatures, and puzzles to work through, with the Triwizard Cup as the prize in the centre. You will enter the maze based on points. Since you all tied the First Task with forty points each and were all disqualified from the second, the three of you are tied for first. With each point in the gap worth fifteen seconds, Lord Potter will enter ten minutes after you. First one of you to reach the cup in the centre wins. If you can't continue, shoot sparks from your wand and one of the staff will collect you. Any questions?"
There were not. Bagman took his leave and strode away, his gait indicating that he was still upset that Potter ignored his summons. The three champions smirked at each other as the perturbed Ministry official stalked off.
"Together, then?" Cedric asked.
"Da," Viktor replied.
"I wish Harry would join us, though," Fleur mused.
"Yeah, I know," Cedric agreed. "He still wants nothing to do with this, and I doubt we'll be able to convince him otherwise."
Cedric's prediction was spot on. Harry thanked his friends profusely for their consideration but reiterated that he had no intention of detracting from the focus that should be on them. "Besides," he said, "I'm so far behind in points you three may very well be at the cup before I even enter the maze."
Just the same, he helped the champions train for the event. Utilising his memories of the maze from when he'd gone through previously, as well as the prodigious imagination and intellect of his wife, they successfully configured the Room of Requirement into maze after maze, each larger than the last and filled with an ever-changing series of obstacles, puzzles, and conjured creatures.
The next month passed uneventfully. The initial furore over what was being considered a valid execution of Dumbledore, coupled with the purge of the Death Eaters and the restructuring of the Wizengamot political factions, had died down somewhat. The oaths that the new Heads of House had sworn to Harry had effectively shifted their stance to the Neutral faction, giving it a significant advantage. The debates on the Wizengamot floor were decidedly more civil than they had been even a month ago, with very little hate and vitriol being spewed, and what little was aired was quickly smacked down by Chief Warlock Greengrass. Himself one of the leaders of the Neutrals, Greengrass welcomed differences of opinion but did not tolerate uncivil speech or behaviour. His stern but fair approach was a welcome change from Dumbledore's permissive and wishy-washy attitude.
During this time, the Potters, Luna, the champions, and their significant others all drew even closer. Daphne was pleased that her father was so well-received as the new Chief Warlock. In her opinion, he brought a measure of dignity and aplomb to a position that had been marked for years by the previous seat-holder's eccentricities and familiarity that bordered on disrespect. She received her friends' congratulations with equal grace, showing them that she was indeed her father's daughter.
***FTR***
At last June 24 rolled around. As it was the Saturday after finals were completed, most of their classmates were having a lie-in after the previous night's celebrations. The Potters, though (including Luna), as usual met their friends at the foot of the Great Staircase for breakfast. As they were finishing up a relaxed, leisurely meal, they were approached by Professor McGonagall.
"Good morning," she greeted them. "As a special treat today, we have a surprise for you all in the Entrance Hall. Lord Potter, though we recognise that you are not a participant in the tournament by choice, we decided to extend this surprise to you too. Rest assured that we have no ulterior motive of trying to embroil you in it any further."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Professor," he said. Standing with the others, he offered his arms to Hermione and Luna. "Shall we?" he said.
Just as he expected from before, the officials had invited the champions' families to the school in order to spend the day with them. This time, fortunately, there were no Weasleys.
As before, Viktor's parents awaited him, but this time they were accompanied by Lord and Lady Greengrass, as well as Daphne's little sister Astoria, who had just come up from the Slytherin second-year dorms for breakfast.
Likewise, the Delacours were in attendance for Fleur, including her little sister Gabrielle. They were talking with Neville's parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom, and his grandmother Augusta. As they were still recovering from the mysterious curse that had been anchored to the late and unlamented Bellatrix Lestrange, Frank and Alice sat in mahogany and wicker wheelchairs that were magically propelled.
Lord and Lady Diggory stood there along with Madam Bones, waiting for Cedric and Susan. They were talking about something in voices too low to hear very far, but from the smiles they wore it could have been anything from possible betrothal contracts to the new direction their society was taking.
At the end of the group stood Sirius and Remus, both of whom Harry had actually expected, but also Ted, Andi, and Dora Tonks. And next to them…
"Mum! Daddy!" Hermione cried, unhooking herself from Harry's arm and running to greet her parents as soon as it registered that they were there. "What are you two doing here?"
Harry and Luna followed at a more sedate pace, laughing as Hermione glommed onto Emmett and Danica both.
"Well, we are Harry's family, princess," her father chuckled.
Introductions were made all around before the students led a tour around the castle followed by a picnic by the Black Lake, complete with bug-repelling charms. Plans were made to visit each other over the summer in Varna, Bulgaria, where Viktor and his family lived in a lovely manor that overlooked the Black Sea; the Côte d'Azur, where the Delacours holidayed every year; and Ottery St Catchpole, where the Diggorys and Luna lived. Luna also invited the whole group to accompany her and her father on their annual expedition to try to find the elusive crumple-horned snorkack. Most of the young people had never heard of such a creature, but when the blonde Ravenclaw described their previous excursions and all the new places she and her father had seen, everyone agreed that it sounded like a grand time.
At last it was evening and time to assemble for the task. Everyone made their way down to the quidditch pitch, where they found that the hedges of the maze were now twenty feet high. The seating in the stadium was plenty high enough to see over the top of the maze and even figure out the way through, but the angle was insufficient to actually be able to see the ground between the hedge rows, unless there happened to be a long enough corridor positioned so that it appeared to be heading straight away from a particular seat. Even then, there couldn't have been any more than two or three corridors in the entire maze that were even long enough to qualify, let alone be positioned where any of the seats could be at that perfect angle.
Once more shaking her head at the lack of sense shown by the organisers, at least as far as accommodating the spectators was concerned, Hermione led her parents, Luna, and the other guests and friends to seats overlooking the entrance to the maze. Harry and the champions had taken their leave outside the stadium, all four kissing their significant others for luck, and gone in through the athletes' entrance while their friends and families used the spectators' entrance.
Ludo Bagman once more announced the task, his sonorus-enhanced voice reaching every seat in the stadium. Though he obviously tried to keep it light and carefree, in accordance with his public image, Hermione detected an undertone of stress in his voice. Maybe his jokes were a little too forced, or his laughter was a little too jovial, but it was obvious to her that Bagman was worried, maybe even scared. He probably made some bets involving Harry early on, she mused. Oh well. Too bad for him if he had. She really had no sympathy for him, especially after he used leprechaun gold to pay his losses to the Weasley twins at the World Cup last summer. Not that she really approved of the twins' shenanigans, or gambling in general, but honestly! Using coin you know will disappear in a matter of hours to pay off a debt is a special kind of low. As she scanned the crowd, she noticed a pair of goblins, each wearing a three-piece suit that could have come from Saville Row, one of whom carried a leather briefcase. They were seated not far from the judges' box, where their attention was focused rather than on the competitors.
Oh my, she thought to herself, suppressing a smile. He probably has a wager with those goblins. Not at all the people you want to owe more than you can afford, if at all.
Shaking her head with an amused smirk on her face, she shifted her focus back to her husband, who waited patiently with the champions.
"Now," Bagman announced, "as the three champions are tied, they will enter the maze together when the cannon…"
He was interrupted by the sound of said cannon going off. The champions strode forward, wands in hand, and disappeared into the hedgerows. A smirking and unapologetic Argus Filch stood beside the smoking cannon as he prepared it for the next blast.
Disgruntled at the interruption, Bagman glared at the Hogwarts custodian, who simply began whistling a merry tune as he worked. "Yes, well," the former quidditch star continued with a sour voice. "Lord Potter will enter the maze in a little less than ten minutes' time. Though the other three have a significant head start, he still has a chance to win it all!"
Harry scoffed quietly and shook his head. Apparently the idiot still didn't get that he had no interest in competing.
Ten minutes after the initial cannon blast, Filch fired off a second, signalling that it was Harry's turn to enter. Bagman did his best to whip up the audience into a frenzied cheering for him (and was moderately successful at that), but Harry simply strolled over to the entrance, left hand in his pocket and wand held loosely in the other, took a single step inside, turned, and shot a thick spray of sparks out the end of his wand.
Professor Flitwick, who was stationed near the entrance, stepped inside with a bemused smile. "Withdrawing already, Lord Potter?" the diminutive man asked.
"As soon as possible," Harry agreed.
"Come along, then," Flitwick laughed.
As they stepped out of the maze, Bagman actually whimpered. The entire stadium heard him thanks to the still-active sonorus. A moment later, the unfortunate man leapt to his feet and fled, robes billowing behind him as he barrelled down the flight of stairs leading down to the ground.
"Someone's in trouble," Hermione said aloud as she watched him go. She noticed that the two goblins were now laughing and pointing at the fleeing official.
Luna turned and arched her eyebrows in a quizzical manner.
"Bagman," Hermione clarified.
"Ah," Luna said. "He really shouldn't have bet on Harry at the beginning of the tournament, even if Dumbledore told him that Harry would do well. Especially with the goblins."
Hermione gave her best female friend a playful nudge with her shoulder. "Luna dear, I have no idea how you know these things," she said, "but I love you anyway."
Luna gave her an entirely too-innocent look. "Blibbering humdingers are quite the chatterboxes, Mione love," she said. "Otherwise they'd probably be called quellering humdingers, don't you think?" She giggled at Hermione's gobsmacked expression before kissing the older girl on her nose and laying her head on her shoulder while holding tightly to her arm.
Hermione just shook her head ruefully before laying her head atop Luna's. The little blonde still managed to catch her out with some really zany statements from time to time, but she honestly wouldn't have it any other way.
Harry joined his family in the stands a few minutes later, greeting his wife with a passionate kiss. He pulled Luna into their embrace as well a moment later. "Finally, this Triwizard bullshit is done!" he exclaimed.
"Looks like Bagman is too," Hermione laughed. "Luna said that he bet on you winning the tournament after listening to Dumbledore, and the goblins covered his bet."
"Ouch," he said, wincing. "And that's why I only gamble with my life, never my money."
Luna giggled. "Of course, gambling with the goblins is gambling with your life!"
"Very true." He squeezed his girls again. "So the tournament's over, Riddle's over, Dumbledore's over, Weasley's over, and the Death Idiots are over. Think we'll be okay with our reapers for now?"
"I bloody well hope so," Hermione said. "I do not want to spend eternity with those two pissed off at us."
Luna hugged her best friends tightly. "Don't worry, they're both proud of the job you've done," she said. "Even Machete smiled when he heard."
"Machete…?"
"Oh, sorry Mione – that would be Chopper."
The brunette girl thought for a moment before shrugging. "Well, either one seems appropriate for him."
After greeting the rest of his friends and family, Harry sat between Hermione and Luna to await the completion of the task. Both girls cuddled into him as he put his arms around their shoulders.
It was not quite an hour later when there was a bright flash of light from the champions' platform. When the glare receded, all three champions stood there holding onto the Triwizard Cup, all three sporting smug grins on their faces.
Harry, Hermione, Luna, Daphne, Neville, and Susan were the first ones to their feet cheering and applauding like there was no tomorrow, but the rest of the stadium followed suit in a matter of seconds. After a brief exchange, Viktor and Cedric hoisted Fleur up on their shoulders while she in turn held the cup aloft over her head. They slowly turned around so that everyone could see them before gently lowering her back down. The cheering intensified as they did so, and it was several long minutes before it died down enough for a beaming Cornelius Fudge to be heard.
"Congratulations, champions!" he said, his voice amplified as Bagman's had been. "Never before has there been a three-way tie for the win in this tournament, and the fact that we are now witnessing this historic event speaks to unprecedented levels of sportsmanship and international cooperation. This has been quite the difficult year for many of us, but the behaviour of the champions – Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour, and our own Cedric Diggory – has been a blessing and a privilege to see. The three of you have represented your schools admirably and honourably, and seeing you working together to not only survive but secure an impressive joint victory compels me to adjust your prize. First, two more identical Triwizard Cups will be cast, and each of the three will have your three names engraved upon them. And second, you each will receive a thousand galleons, if I have to make up the difference out of my own vaults!"
More cheers followed this declaration of goodwill, and not a few considered that such magnanimity might well secure Fudge's next election.
The minister let the applause continue for just the right length of time before raising his hands once more for silence. "There is one more we should in all fairness recognise," he went on. "Through no fault of his own, his name was submitted as a fourth contender for the Triwizard Cup by party or parties who intended to sabotage the tournament and use this remarkable young man for their own nefarious purposes. He has been let down repeatedly by those in authority – by supposed caregivers, by school staff, by government officials even – including, to my shame, myself.
"This tournament, for him, was the last straw. While giving the authorities who failed him a much-needed serve, his sense of fair play was made manifest by his refusal to participate beyond the bare minimum, thus ensuring to the best of his abilities that the contest remained true to its original intent. As if that was not enough, he proceeded to work with each of the champions and help them train, and in the process helped to forge deep and lasting friendships, such that any of us should hope to achieve.
"I could continue, but I am positive that he would become most wroth with me if I do so. And so, without further ado, and at the behest of the three champions, I would like to invite Lord Harrison James Potter to stand and be recognised."
More than a little shocked, Harry reluctantly got to his feet. This time the applause began on the champions' platform in addition to his friends and family. He raised a hand of acknowledgement to the crowd before taking a seat again.
"That was nice of them," Hermione remarked as Fudge wrapped up his speech.
"Could've lived without it," her husband countered.
"Still better than blaming you for everything that goes wrong, though."
"True," he conceded. "I guess it'll be okay, so long as they don't try to hang a fucking Order of Merlin around my neck."
"And if they do?" Luna teased.
"I'll politely tell them to shove it up their collective arses, then remind them that Dumbledore, Pettigrew, and Lockhart were also recipients, and that I consider it a mortal insult to be compared to them even in such a way as that. Why, I might even have to declare blood feud to satisfy my honour! We certainly wouldn't want to have to do that now, would we?"
The girls laughed at his antics and stood along with him as Fudge officially closed out the tournament. The Potters exchanged a poignant look with each other as they waited to leave the stands, both thinking of the last time they'd been in this spot.
Then, a psychotic murderer was poised to renew his mad campaign to subjugate everyone, ably assisted by his band of ravening thugs. The ministry was hopelessly corrupt, and the only one willing to stand against the darkness (or at least appear to) was a sick and twisted Machiavellian old man who had his own perverted agenda. Harry had been kidnapped, tortured, and almost murdered before escaping the graveyard of Riddle's resurrection, bringing with him the body of Cedric Diggory, and with nothing to look forward to other than another summer of misery at the cruel hands of the Dursleys, yet again cut off for weeks from the person he loved the most.
Now… he was married to that same person he loved the most, his worst enemies were vanquished forever, and the ministry was making great strides in the right direction – especially since the Dark faction had been effectively gutted. Instead of being mocked and reviled, he held a measure of respect in the eyes of both his peers and society, and even had a close circle of friends – a circle in which a very-much alive Cedric Diggory played a key role. Friends and family – the two truest indicators of a person's wealth, or lack thereof.
There were, of course, future trials and battles in which he would have to contend, but he knew that his allies were second to none. Each of them had proven themselves. Whether on the duelling piste or the legislative chambers, they would have his back as quickly and as effectively as he'd have theirs.
He wasn't overly concerned about the future anymore. He knew that the job he'd been assigned was successfully concluded (besides his projected centenarian life expectancy), and with it now out of his way the future would be whatever he could make of it.
As he gazed into the beautiful brown eyes of his beloved Hermione, he knew without a doubt that he was the wealthiest man in the world. He lowered his lips to hers and reaffirmed his love and devotion with her as their beaming friends and family looked on.
In Harry's back pocket was the wallet gifted him by his reaper, stamped with the phrase Bad Mother Fucker. Unbeknownst to him and Hermione, at least for the moment, a folded note materialised within.
Harry, my man! You've done well, let me tell you! I've spoken with the Boss, who said to tell you "Damn good job," and I'd like to be the first to tell you that you and your girl are officially off the hook. Now, we'd all prefer the two of you not to show up here for another hundred years or so, but accidents can happen. If it does, you need not worry about your final destination – well, so long as you don't go losing your goddamn minds or something stupid like that. Both of your files have been taken out of probationary status, so the next time y'all come up here you'll be fully processed and sent on to your afterlife together. We love you, and we're looking forward to enjoying some beers with you again!
See y'all later (but not too soon),
Jules "Shepherd" Winnfield
***Finite Incantatum***
