A/N: sorry for not having updated so long, but I had two bloody exams and two bloody presentations in the last few days I had to prepare for. Also, I'll have some other stupid exams in the next one month, please, wish me May the Force be with you! Thanks.
Although the title contains the word 'ends', the story has one more chapter, so it's not over yet. I could have written only 30 chapters, but if I had put the text of chapter 31 into this chapter, then it would have been way too long, and I sort of wanted to write an epilogue as short as the prologue, because I have never before done so :)
Look what my brilliant friend Indigo Ziona wrote (I'm sure she wouldn't mind that I quote her):
Norbert: *deep breathing* Lucius never
told you what happened to Tatyana...
Harry: He told me enough. He told me he buried her.
Norbert: I.... am your son!!
Harry: Nooooo!
Norbert: Search your heart... you know it to be true...
Norbert: All my family has Gryffindor blood. My father has
it. I have it. My sister has it.
Lily: Oh...
Norbert: Yes Lily, you are my sister!
Lily: Pervert!
Chapter 30
All's well that ends well
I'll lean on you and
you lean on me and
we'll be okay
/Dave Matthews/
Two days had passed since those fateful events in Gryffindor's chamber had taken place. The news that Voldemort had returned and got killed again travelled like a wildfire through the school, Hogsmeade and even Rhea Skeeter had a field day with it. Still, parts of the real events had been hushed up. People knew that Norbert Devilsmoor-Malfoy had been the reborn Dark Lord, and Lucius got a life sentence at Azkaban the very night Norbert had been killed. People also got to know that Draco Malfoy had had no idea about his little 'brother's' real identity, and that Narcissa Malfoy had been under Imperius for twelve whole years.
However, no one except those present in the chamber knew Norbert's real parentage. Albus Dumbledore had asked everyone to keep silent about it – it was hard enough for Harry even without people talking about it.
Harry really seemed crushed. From a certain point of view, Voldemort had managed to accomplish a part of his plan: breaking Harry's soul. But he hadn't done it by killing Ginny's unborn child, not even by setting fire to the Potter house and causing Hedwig's death, not even by turning Lily against her father – no, he had managed it by uttering that single word of three letters: 'you'.
You, you, you, it kept echoing in Harry's mind, you are my father!
Harry just couldn't believe it… but he knew it was the truth. He knew he wasn't faulty in it, but it still kept eating at him, making him accuse himself… especially since Cho was dead. Her death had been Voldemort's fault, but Harry was still blaming himself. Cho had died saving his life, after all.
He had felt bitter many times before, but never like this. This feeling strongly reminded him of that one he had felt after the third task and Cedric's death… in both cases, he had been blaming himself. In both cases he had been made aware that he had contributed to the Dark Lord's return. Only that the first time, he had merely done so by – unintentionally – giving Voldemort some of his blood. This time he had done so by siring a monster… not giving blood, but his seed…
When Dumbledore had asked him where to bury Norbert's body, Harry had apathetically replied that he didn't care, that the body should be chucked into some pit because Voldemort didn't deserve a decent funeral.
However, Albus had replied with the following words: "We are talking about the body, Harry. It was the soul that was evil, not the body. We could put it this way: the body was your son. The soul was Voldemort."
Harry had just nodded, feeling very empty. Dumbledore was right. The boy he had fathered was innocent; he had only become evil when Voldemort's soul had taken possession of his body after the birth. As long as the child had been in his mother's belly, he had been unspoilt. Harry wondered what would have become of the boy if he had been born as someone else, with another soul, not Voldemort's… if he had been raised by his mother… would Tatyana have been a good mother? Would the boy have become a decent person?
That was something he'd never have a chance to know.
Norbert was buried the day after the chamber-day, with no one but Harry and Albus present. They didn't put a headstone over the tomb, didn't make a cross of wood, didn't put any sign onto it. In the shadow of an old pine tree on the edge of the Forbidden Forest stood a small mound overgrown with grass, and it would stand there until the end of times, with no one ever knowing what was beneath it…
Now, one day after his son's funeral, Harry had to take part in another one – Cho's. The sky was overcast, and it started to rain, as if the clouds were lamenting too, showering the ground with their tears.
Just a few people were present – those who had witnessed Cho's heroism in the chamber (with the exception of the still unconscious Daniel), and Liu.
Harry stole a glance at the little girl who was weeping by her mother's grave. Ginny put an arm around her and she melted into her embrace, crying into her shoulder. Harry felt a bit of relief seeing that Liu wasn't shunning Ginny. He was sure that his wife would do everything to help Liu feel comfortable with the Potters – to make her feel that she was loved and cared for.
For one fleeing moment his glance met that of Cho's daughter, but she looked away. He couldn't blame her at all. She had lost her mother and was aware that Cho had died saving Harry.
Harry knew that Ginny would easily make the girl like her, and probably the Potter children as well, but he wasn't sure whether Liu would ever like him after what had happened. He feared that he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to Cho – at least not the way she would have expected from him. But today wasn't the day to ponder what the future held, whether Liu Chang would ever forgive him or not… today was the day to mourn.
* * * * *
Draco was one of the first to leave the funeral. He had pulled his black robes tightly around himself to protect himself from the buffeting wind, but against the rain he couldn't do anything. Probably didn't even want to.
The raindrops felt cool and refreshing on his skin and he didn't mind that his blond locks got plastered together with wetness. Strangely, he felt light. As light as a feather. Most people couldn't tell the same when coming home from a funeral, but Draco really felt that way. He felt that the downpour had cleansed his soul, washed away the remains of doubt and self-accusation that had been infecting his heart for years.
He had always hated Norbert. He had never been able find out why, though. One was supposed to love his brother, even though it was just his half-brother… but now, at last, he knew that Norbert had never been a relation of his. He had been a relation of Harry's.
The old Draco would very likely have felt malicious joy over Potter's misery, but he was no longer the old Draco. In fact, he hadn't been the old Draco for thirteen years… his love for Ginny had turned him into another, much nicer person, and even though he had tried to keep up his bad reputation, deep down he wasn't mean anymore.
He felt it was ironic what love was capable of… turning him into a better man… and now he wanted to be an even better person. For Gabrielle.
He hadn't even realised that he had reached his house until he was standing in front of the gate. He opened it, walked through the garden and entered the house.
To his surprise, the house wasn't as empty as he had left it. A friendly fire crackled in the fireplace of the living room, though Draco clearly remembered that he hadn't made a fire. His house-elf had a day off, it couldn't have been him, either. Then who?
Suddenly the armchair facing the fire creaked and a figure emerged from it.
"This is breaking and entering," Draco grunted. "I should report it to the Magical Law Enforcement."
"And what will you tell zem? Zat you 'ad found your wife in your 'ouse?" came a mocking reply.
"My wife?" he crossed his arms. "Come on, Gabrielle, you have never properly been my wife… neither the Magical Law Enforcement nor any kind of wizarding authority have any knowledge about our troth. You have also given me the ring back. Nothing proves you're my wife."
"You are right. Nothing does," she nodded. "But rest assured, I 'aven't come to rob you or anyzing… I just wanted to talk to you. To ask you what 'as really 'appened… I need to know, Drhaco."
He shrugged and walked closer. "Voldemort happened. You have been accusing me of being nasty to my little brother. Well, I must admit that I had pangs of remorse about not being able to love him as an older brother should love his younger brother, but I no longer have pangs of remorse. He was not my brother. He was Voldemort."
"But 'ow…? 'Ow could 'e 'ave been?" she asked, her huge blue eyes scanning his face in a nervous way.
"He was reborn in this body, Gabrielle. And my idiot of a father had taken on to raise him… he never told me who or what Norbert really was. My mother knew it, but couldn't tell anyone, since father was keeping her under Imperius… then two days ago, she finally managed to gather enough strength and break free from Malfoy Manor and come to Hogwarts. A great woman, my mother. I have never really respected her, but now I do. She deserves to be respected for having opposed my father, risking her life… I barely can believe that father compelled her to play mummy to the Dark Lord. It must have been terrible for her… every time she had to hug him, she knew whom she was hugging!" a disgusted expression spread on Draco's still dripping face. "I'll never forgive father for exposing mother to Voldemort… for letting Voldemort into the family!" he banged his fist hard onto a nearby table. "I'm happy that I could kill him."
"Kill 'im?" she whispered. She had only known that the Dark Lord had died, but she had had no idea who had done away with him. The newspapers had mentioned that Draco had killed his 'brother', but Gabrielle hadn't read the newspapers just heard people talking about the case. "You… you killed 'im? You killed… You-Know-Who?"
"Yes, Gabrielle, I did," he drew himself up. "He ruined my mother's life, he ruined the Potter's life… not that I should care for them, but… hell, I do. You have no idea what terrible things he did to them…"
"Zen tell me," she said.
"All right… firstly, he killed the Potters' baby."
"No…" Gabie breathed.
"Yes. He poisoned Ginny to make her miscarry. Then he set fire to the house."
"Wasn't… wasn't it done by ze goblins?"
"Goblins?" Draco laughed bitterly. "No. My dear little 'brother' had seen to it that people would think that it had been the goblins' doing, but it was him. He made me live in fear ever since New Year… he didn't only ruin the Potter's life, but mine as well. And yours, too."
"Mine?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Had he not done this little goblin-deception then I wouldn't have felt worried about getting killed and leaving no one to take care of the bank… and I wouldn't have married you."
"You zink… you zink zat ze marriage 'ad ruined my life?" she breathed.
"Why, hasn't it?"
"Now you tell me: it 'as!" she snapped. "'Ow much better it would 'ave been for me to ignore your pleas to marry you! I should 'ave left you in ze lurch, letting you take care of zat ruddy bank on your own! Oh, my foolish good 'eart, zat will be my undoing someday! You know what? I no mohre care for you! Go, leave me alone!"
"All right!" he shouted and headed for the door, where he suddenly stopped. "I'm not going anywhere. This is my house. You leave!"
"Oh, o' course I will!" her eyes sparkled with fury as she marched past him, out into the rain. For some seconds, he just watched her then suddenly he realised that if he let her exit through that gate now, he'd lose her forever. With a thought he flicked his wand towards the gate.
The girl pushed down the handle, but the gate refused to open. Angrily, she started looking for her wand in her drenched robes. When she finally found it and was just about to point it at the lock, she felt a hand grab her hand holding the wand.
"What?" she growled at him, trying to free her hand, but he was holding it in a vice-like grip.
"You're not going anywhere."
"Why not? I'm free to go anywhere I want! You cannot 'old me back!"
"But I can."
"No, you can't!"
"I bet I can."
"You can't 'old me back wiz anything!" she stamped her foot angrily, right into a puddle.
"I love you," he said very quietly.
"Now look at my shoes!" she huffed. "Zey're all muddy and… what 'ave you said?" she blinked, wiping a wet lock of white-blonde hair out of her face.
"I said I loved you. I love you, Gabrielle. I don't want to lose you," he reached out to cup her face.
"Oh, Drhaco, your 'and is so cold…" she whispered. "You're… you're soaked to ze skin!"
"So are you," he reminded her.
"Oh… really," she smiled.
"I think we might as well go in and get changed. What do you think?"
"Well… I'd like to drop zese wet zings for shure."
"Good. Then we can share body heat," he grinned.
"Oh, you phrat!" she playfully boxed into his chest.
"Why…? Wouldn't you like to become my wife… in all respects?"
She cocked her head, sizing up the heavily dripping Draco. He was so endearingly cute that way… "First give me zat rhing back, zen we might talk about it…"
"Talk?" he pouted. "I had more interesting things in mind."
"What sorts o' zings?" she squinted at him mischievously.
"Well, this, for instance…" with that he pulled her to himself and kissed her thoroughly.
"Uh, even your lips are cold!" she pulled back, laughing.
"You are right. We don't want to catch a cold, do we?" he winked at her, then, with a sudden motion he picked her up and swung her over his shoulder.
"'Ey, put me down zis instant!" she wailed, punching his back with her fists.
"No way, my lady," he replied, heading for the building with her. "A nice fire awaits us in there… along with a fluffy hearthrug…"
"You know… it didn't ruin my life," she whispered half an hour later, resting her head on his shoulder, gazing into the flames dancing in the fireplace.
"What?" he asked, absentmindedly stroking her bare shoulder.
"Ze marriage," Gabrielle replied. "It didn't ruin anything… on ze contrary."
"Oh, really?" he grinned, lowering his lips to catch her earlobe when the doorbell buzzed. "Who the hell could it be?" he growled, standing up, fastening a warm blanket around his naked body and padded to the door. "Potter," he wrinkled his nose.
"I'll be right back," Gabrielle said, picking up her scattered clothes and heading for the neighbouring room. Draco was a bit relieved to see her leave the living room – Potter didn't need to see her here, wearing nothing but a blanket, now, did he?
Young Malfoy let his visitor in, who was just as drenched as he had been.
"I hope I don't disturb," Harry said.
Draco felt a great temptation to say 'you always disturb, Potter', but knowing what had happened to Harry recently, he held himself back.
"'Course not. I hope you don't mind me welcoming you in a blanket," Draco said. "You seem to be in need of a drying charm, you know."
"Oh, yeah," Harry said and performed the charm on himself, then took place on a sofa. "So… the reason of me coming here is…"
"Let me guess: Norbert?"
"Well, yes," Professor Potter nodded.
"Listen, Potter," Draco said before Harry could start his monologue, "I know I probably shouldn't have…"
"Shouldn't have what?"
"Killed him… I know I could have just stunned him from behind, but hell, I was mad at him! He did so many terrible things to your family, to my family, and he was even going on about punishing me in the future… when he started dragging your daughter out of the chamber, I just snapped and I had to act. I had to do it… kill him."
"I'm glad you did," came an answer as silent as a whisper.
Malfoy looked up, staring at the other man incredulously.
"I'm glad you did," Harry repeated. "Otherwise I would have had to kill him… I helped him come back, I should have been the one to do away with him… but I'm not sure I would have been capable…" he took a deep breath and stared into the flames. "Probably I wouldn't have been able to… he was… he was…"
"Your son."
"Yeah," Harry hung his head. "I'm grateful to you, Malfoy. You saved my daughter and you saved all of us."
"It isn't me whom you should thank… it was Dumbledore's idea to borrow your cloak from your study and go to the chamber without Norbert knowing… he deserves the credit."
A sad little smile appeared on Harry's lips. "The Draco I knew wouldn't be talking like this… giving the credit to someone else… what happened to you?"
"What?" the banker was taken aback by the question. "Well… I suppose I have just grown up."
"Grown up?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Trimming your neighbour's bushes just to annoy him isn't my idea of grown-up behaviour…"
"Oh, come off it, Potty!" Malfoy waved. "That was a long time ago. A lot happened since then…"
"Uh, Drhaco?" a voice spoke up.
Both men looked in the direction of the door that opened into the adjacent room.
"Ah, 'ello, 'Arry," Gabrielle, standing in the doorframe smiled, turning slightly pink.
"Hello, Gabie. What are you doing here?" the unsuspecting Charms professor asked.
"Well… I'm sort o'…"
"She's at home here," Draco replied without thinking, wearing a rather strange expression… Harry couldn't recall when he had seen Malfoy wearing a similar expression, but he was sure he had seen him that way before.
At Draco's comment the girl blushed even more. "I just wanted to ask whezzer you two wanted some 'ot chocolate or tea."
"Oh, you already find your way around my kitchen?" the lord of the house smiled.
"I do," she shrugged. "It's not 'ard at all. A really tidy kitchen, zis is."
"I'm glad you like it," Draco replied, seemingly having forgotten about his guest… that was when it struck Harry: he had seen Draco look the same way at Ginny years and years earlier.
"Well, thank you, Gabie, but I cannot stay for tea," he stood up. "I have to go. Thanks for the talk, Malfoy. Now I do understand what has changed in your life," he added with a knowing look and headed for the door.
* * * * *
It was later that afternoon when Daniel finally woke up. The shock and the over-use of his powers had exhausted him so much that he had been out cold for two days.
The last time he had been in the infirmary it had been Snape whom he had spotted first when waking up. There was someone sitting by his bed this time, too, but seeing this person made him feel much happier than he had been when seeing Snape.
"Hi, sleepy-head," Gilda whispered with a small smile. "Had a nice rest, I hope."
"I s'pose so," he whispered back. "What are you doing here?"
"Sitting and talking to you," she replied.
"No, I meant… how long have you been here?"
"Just a few hours. I came in when your mother left."
"My… mother?" Dan breathed, sitting bolt upright. "Is she alive? And dad?"
"Calm down, Dan, they are all right."
"Oh, thank goodness," the boy sighed. "And… Norbert?"
"Well…" Gilda looked away. "He's dead."
"Oh," Dan said. "I think he deserved it… after all he did… I still can't believe that he has been lying to us all along… he was such a great friend! I liked him so much…" his voice faltered. "No… I think I loved him… as a brother."
She reached out to squeeze his hand. "But he wasn't your brother, Dan."
"You're mistaken."
"What?" she raised an eyebrow.
"You don't know?" the boy frowned. "What exactly do you know?"
"Well, what the newspapers wrote, of course… that Norbert was the reborn Dark Lord but he got killed by his own brother, Draco Malfoy…"
Daniel gasped. He had had no idea… he had passed out well before Draco dropped the Invisibility Cloak. He hadn't known that Draco had been there in the chamber at all.
"Allegedly he had accompanied the others to the chamber, wearing your dad's cloak and he killed Norbert when Norbert took Lily hostage," Gilda carried on.
"What?" the boy shouted. "He dared… do that to Lily? Oh, that bastard! I hate him so much! I hate the mere memory of him!" he punched his pillow angrily. "I can't believe I was related to this… this…"
"Related?" she cut in.
"Oh… you don't know. Of course you don't, my parents and Dumbledore wouldn't tell the press something like this… not even Snape would… but I think you deserve to know. Norbert was your close friend as well… and my brother."
"Your… brother?" Gilda gasped. "But he… he was Draco Malfoy's brother!… I don't understand this."
"Then I'll explain. Twelve years ago my dad met some mad chick in Durmstrang who bewitched him and forced him to… to…"
"To what?"
"To have sex with her," he said, feeling embarrassed. "Don't ask her reasons, for I don't know. I'll ask dad someday… the point is that that woman was believed to be dead, but she hadn't died. Lucius Malfoy had taken her to his manor and kept her there, because he knew that she was expecting a child from my father… after she gave birth, Lucius Malfoy killed her. The only way Voldemort could return was to be reborn in the body of his greatest enemy's child. His greatest enemy was my father, of course. So… Norbert was my half-brother," he sighed. "It's so hard, Gil… I truly loved him as my brother, when I had no idea that he was indeed my brother… I always felt some inexplicable tie between the two of us… I think it must have been the blood-tie. Gil, promise me not to tell anyone about this, not even your parents… if my parents didn't tell anyone, then they surely want it to remain a secret."
"I promise, Dan," she replied. "And I thank you for trusting me enough to tell me."
"Hey… that is what friendship is about, isn't it? Trusting each other," he replied.
"Yeah," she nodded, smiling. "Friendship," her smile somehow seemed sad, but Dan hadn't the slightest idea why. Certainly she must have been sad about losing a friend – or a supposed friend -, but… he didn't know that she was sad about his last words. The fact that he was still considering their relationship as a mere friendship…
"Hey," he broke the silence, trying to cheer her up somehow, "remember that question you had to answer?"
"Which question?"
"The one about meeting someone famous… you said you'd like to meet Voldemort. Have you realised that you have actually met him? You met him but didn't get to know why he had gone evil."
"No, I haven't thought of this like that," she shook her head. "But it's true. I have met him… I have befriended him… but I wish I hadn't."
Now it was his turn to reach out and squeeze her hand reassuringly. "Hey, it's okay. We're still here for each other."
"Yes. We're friends," she nodded, blinking back a tear.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why have you got rid of your long hair?"
"Well…" she turned slightly pink, "you got expelled, Dan, and I no more had anyone I wanted to… fancy me," she turned away to hide her flushed cheeks, but the boy sat up and cupped her chin, making her face him.
"I do fancy you, you know. Even without those long locks…"
"Really?" her huge blue eyes widened, both with surprise and happiness.
"Yeah… Want me to show you?"
"If you want to…" she shrugged, trying to look nonchalant and levelheaded, but her level-headedness dissolved into nothingness as he pulled her into a firm embrace and plastered his lips to hers.
They only parted when someone cleared their throat.
"Our patient needs to rest, Miss Lockhart," Madame Pomfrey said with twinkling eyes, and Gilda hurried out with a complexion as red as the setting sun.
* * * * *
Kevin, David and the twins were appalled to get to know the truth about Norbert-Devilsmoor Malfoy. Lily had told them everything, including that the boy had been her half-brother but asked them not to tell anyone else. It was supposed to remain within the family. Her four cousins gave their word to keep the secret.
"And he still dated you? That disgusting bastard! He was your brother!" David Dursley was beside himself with anger. He had given up on Lily back in February because he had seen her kissing Norbert. Fortunately he had managed to fall out of love with Lily and fall in love with Circe Diggory, but the news still peeved him.
"Uh, Dave…" Viviane whispered, "I sort of remember a discussion between you and Val and me on Valentine's Day… you had quite different ideas about Lily dating a relative back then…"
David flushed and Lily turned to him with an intrigued expression. "Why? What kind of ideas did you have?"
"Oh, I've just spotted Circe! Got to go!" Dave blabbered and dashed away.
"What got into him?" Kevin frowned and the twins giggled madly.
"Lily!" someone spoke up behind the eldest Potter girl. She turned around to see Christopher Wood standing there with an unusually timid expression.
"Oh, Chris… hi," she smiled.
"Oh, Chris, hiiiiiiiiii." the twins imitated her.
"Uh, could we talk… privately?"
"Well, of course," Lily nodded and let him lead her out of the hall.
"Ooooooh… I sense love in the air!" Val chuckled.
"You just don't talk about love, 'Miss-I-have-a-crush-on-Snape'!" her twin said.
"I don't have a crush on him!" Val stamped her foot.
* * * * *
The weather was wonderful. After the previous day's heavy rain the whole landscape seemed to be cleansed and the sky seemed to be washed and polished to be brilliantly blue.
Christopher Wood led Lily to the lake without saying a word.
"So?" she asked when he finally stopped.
"So… I have broken up with Yvette."
"Oh. Have you?" she said nonchalantly, though her heart was trying to jump out of her chest.
"Yeah. I have realised that she wasn't the one for me… she is pretty, that's true, even clever, but… she seems empty compared to you."
"Empty?" the girl knitted her eyebrows.
"Yes. She is cold like an ice-sculpture… beautiful but cold and I can't feel warmed up when I'm with her… but… but when I look at you… I do feel warm."
"Warm?" she blinked. "In other words, what does that mean?"
He took a deep breath. "You aren't going to make this easy for me, are you?"
"No," she grinned. "So, what were you about to say?"
"I… I'd be honoured if you considered becoming my girlfriend, Lil. I like you very much."
"Like me?"
"Well, yeah," he ran his hand through his hair as a sign of embarrassment. "I think I'm not… not exactly in love with you – yet. But I believe that I could fall in love with you if you gave me a chance to get to know you better."
"That was honest at least," she said. "Norbert has never been honest to me."
"Oh, Norbert!" he fumed. "You don't still love him, do you?"
Seeing the boy's desperate expression she let out a chuckle. "No, I don't. Though he did kiss well, you know… I suppose not many girls can say that they have been kissed by Lord Voldemort, now, can they?"
"No," Christopher grimaced, "I don't think so. But I seriously don't believe that he has been such a good kisser… I bet I'm better."
"Well," she shrugged, giving him an impish grin, "prove it to me."
* * * * *
Harry had Charms class with the first year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, but Liu Chang was absent. He felt worried about her. She had lost her mother only three days earlier, after all… he decided to go and look for her and had a very good idea where he'd find her.
He crossed the park, heading for a bunch of trees not far from the Quidditch pitch. Under those trees stood a pretty white stone that shone in the bright sunlight and was visible from a great distance. That was where Cho was resting. Near the pitch, where she had always been so happy… and there was a lonely figure standing next to her grave.
The figure didn't turn around, not even when she heard Harry's footsteps.
"She is happy now," she said without looking at him.
"Excuse me?"
"She is happy. Mum is happy," Liu repeated. "She's in heaven with… with Cedric Diggory, right?"
Harry was taken aback. He had no idea that Cho had told her daughter about her onetime love… but of course, why wouldn't she have told her about Cedric? She had told Liu about Harry as well, so why not Cedric?
"Yes, I believe she's happy now," he said quietly, his gaze slipping to the epitaph:
You are gone but have not left,
Didn't leave our hearts bereft,
You live in us, we still hear your laughter,
You'll be remembered forever after:
Your smile on your lovely face,
Your kind gestures and your grace,
Soaring up above the pitch,
In the fervour of Quidditch,
Joking, laughing, having fun,
Cho Chang, you're not really gone
"Then it's okay, I s'pose," the girl said. "If she's happy, then I should be, too… right?" she slowly turned around and Harry saw tears glinting in her eyes. "But then… why am I not happy?"
Harry closed the distance between them and gathered her into his arms. To his great relief, she wasn't pushing him away.
"I'm a bad girl…" she sniffed. "Mummy's in heaven and very happy, and I still want her to be here, where she has never been so really happy… I'm selfish."
"No, sweetie, you aren't," he whispered, caressing her hair. "You just miss her… that's understandable. We all miss her… but as long as she lives in our hearts, as long as we remember her, she'll be among us… and we will always remember her as a wonderful, courageous woman…"
"She… she saved your life, didn't she?" Liu pulled back a bit and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.
"Yes, dear," he replied. "She saved me… and died so that I could live. I want you to know that if I could turn back time and make this change, I'd do it… but it's not in my power to do so."
"You are… blaming yourself, aren't you?"
He nodded. There was no use denying it – this girl seemed to be able to see into his soul.
"Don't," she said seriously. "I'm proud of mum for having saved you. After Cedric, you were the second great love of her life. She really… really loved you, you know that?"
"Yes, yes, I know it… she couldn't have proved it better," Harry gulped, feeling a lump in his throat.
"Don't blame yourself, Professor Potter," Liu said. "I'm not blaming you, either."
Harry looked down at the little girl, a grateful smile spreading on his face. He felt much, much lighter. He felt absolved… "Don't call me Professor Potter… at least not outside class."
"Then… what should I call you? Harry?"
"You can call me Harry if you want… but I would be honoured if you called me dad."
"So it's true then… that you and Ginny are adopting me?"
"Your mother asked us to, and we'll gladly be your parents if you accept us to be."
She didn't answer – her attention seemed to have been diverted by something… something cute and golden approaching them.
"It's Angel, isn't it?" she asked.
"Yes, it is," Harry said, crouching down to be at the same eye-level with the baby unicorn. Angel had grown a lot since Kevin and the twins had found her in the Forbidden Forest, but she still seemed to like Harry, regardless of his age and gender.
"Hi, little one," he patted her head and she snuggled close to him, giving him a loving look. Strange how much the colour of her eyes resembled Hedwig's…
"I think she has adopted you," Liu smiled at the crouching Harry.
"Adopted?" he looked up with an incredulous expression. "Well… dunno… maybe I should just let myself be adopted by her, huh? Or would you like it the other way around, Angel?"
The foal neighed sympathetically, as though giving her consent. "I'd be happy to have her around the house," Liu said suddenly. "My siblings would like her, too… don't you think dad?"
Harry nodded, smiling. So, she had accepted him… Angel had also accepted him… it seemed that there would be three additions to the Potter family in the near future. He couldn't wait.
* * * * *
When Dan was released from the hospital wing, accompanied by Gilda, Albus Dumbledore walked up to him.
"I have to talk to you, young man," he said. Gilda was just about to say she'd leave, but the headmaster carried on: "Miss Lockhart may stay, there's nothing she cannot hear. I'd like you to come up to my office."
Gilda was awed by Dumbledore's office; she had never been there before. Professor McGonagall, Severus Snape, Professor Sprout and Stella Sinistra – the heads of houses – were awaiting them in the circular room. Daniel had no idea why the headmaster had invited the others, but he didn't have a bad feeling about it at all.
"So, Daniel, I have good news for you," the old wizard said. "The staff has decided to allow you to continue your studies, because you are no longer considered dangerous. I will personally continue your Imaginer education from Viviane Vablatsky's book and in a couple of years you'll be a fully-fledged Imaginer. Besides this, we have got to know that the Sorting Hat has been magically manipulated by Lucius Malfoy to sort you into Slytherin, thus the staff and myself have thought that you deserve a new chance."
"A new chance, sir?"
"Yes, Daniel. That is why I have asked the heads of houses to be present when the Hat decides which house to put you into. I think it is only fair to let you have a sorting in which your true qualities are judged and not some evil curse directs the Hat's decisions. So, be so kind and put it on," he pointed at the frayed hat lying on the three-legged chair.
With wobbly legs, Daniel approached the stool and lifted the hat with shaking hands. He cast a glance at Gilda whose face radiated excitement and concern. And also sadness.
Only Dumbledore caught Dan's glance at Gilda and his mouth tucked into a grin.
The Sorting Hat sank onto the boy's head, blocking his vision.
"Ah, you again!"
*Well, yeah.* Dan thought. *The headmaster said that you had to re-sort me. *
"Oh, yes, I know, I have been bewitched to put you into Slytherin," the Hat replied. "And I did so, didn't I?"
*Well, yes, you did.*
"Hm… hard decision, really… Slytherin, Slytherin… I'm not sure I would have put you into Slytherin if I hadn't been bewitched. Perhaps rather into Gryffindor. Yes, I think you're rather a Gryffindor than a Slytherin…"
Though Daniel couldn't see anything since the hat had sunk down to his nose, Gilda's sad face flashed into his mind. *Tell me, Hat, do you have to place me into Gryffindor by all means?*
"Why? Don't you want to be there?" came the surprised answer.
*Do you or don't you?* Dan insisted.
"Well… I really cannot decide. I think you are a bit more of a Gryffindor than a Slytherin, but…"
*But I could stay in Slytherin if I wanted, couldn't I?*
"Are you sure that this is what you want? A Potter in Slytherin? Rather weird idea!"
*I know. You have no idea how much I have wanted to be in Gryffindor for months…*
"But of course I do have an idea! I can see into the students' heads, remember? That is why I'm so surprised that you want to stay in your house."
*Maybe you cannot fully see into my head. * Daniel grinned. *If you could, then you'd see the reason why I want to stay in my house…*
"Oh… that girl?" the Hat sighed.
*Yes, that girl. Gilda. She's my best friend… and even more than that. I don't want to leave her.*
"Is this your last word?"
*Yes. It is.*
"All right, then. SLYTHERIN!"
With a relieved smile, Dan took off the Hat and placed it back on the stool. Professor McGonagall seemed dumbfounded, Snape looked strangely contented, and Albus Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling in a knowing way.
Gilda Lockhart was beaming.
"I can't believe it, Dan!" she said enthusiastically when they had got far enough from the headmaster's office. "I was so sure that it'd put you into Gryffindor!"
"Well… it did not. It thought I was all right in Slytherin," he replied, sneaking an arm around her. "And I'm really okay here. Who knows? My horrible triplet-siblings will come here in September, and knowing them, they have a good chance to be Slytherins, too."
"You know… I'm really happy that you haven't left," she whispered.
"Exactly how happy are you?" he grinned.
"This happy," she grinned back, catching his lips with hers. They had been snogging for minutes when they suddenly heard Gilderoy Lockhart's voice:
"Honestly, Severus, I really don't understand you. Why on Earth are you keeping it a secret? You can't be so selfish as to not want anyone else to have flashy teeth like yours!" his voice was getting louder and louder, he and Snape must have been approaching.
"Come!" Gilda whispered to Dan and they raced down the stairs, the farther from Gilda's father, the better. Neither of them thought that Gilderoy would be happy seeing his only daughter madly snogging a boy on the corridor…
They had no idea how much they had run, but they stopped only when they were both panting and exhausted. Laughing, Daniel backed the girl against a door and gave her another kiss.
"Uhhh, you're stifling me!" she pushed him back.
"Why are you protesting? Isn't it a beautiful way to die – while snogging?"
"Oh, you prat!" she laughed, when suddenly they heard Lockhart's miffed voice again:
"You are one selfish man, Severus Snape! I don't care, keep your ruddy secret!"
"Can one not get rid of these?" Dan groaned and pushed the handle of the door Gilda was leaning against, but it refused to open. "Alohomora!"
The door opened and they entered, shutting it quietly behind themselves. "At least I learnt one useful thing from Norbert," the boy murmured, but she wasn't listening – she was occupied with sizing up a huge mirror in the corner.
"Oh… Erised again? I wasn't even watching what kind of room we entered," he said.
"Erised?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah – desire read backwards. If you stand in front of it, it shows you the deepest desire of your heart."
Without thinking, she stepped in front of the mirror, stared at it for a while then turned around, frowning. "The mirror's malfunctioning."
"What do you mean?"
"It doesn't show anything special… just me."
"Step aside, let me have a look," he said and she moved away, giving him space to face his greatest desire. "I think you're right. It isn't working. It just shows me… exactly the way I am…"
"Well…" she looked around, "is that the famous Hogwarts parchment book?"
"Yes, it is," he nodded. "But I don't really care about parchment books or mirrors when I'm alone with you in a disused classroom…"
"Then… what do you have in mind?" she cocked her head, looking innocent.
Without replying, he pulled her to himself again and started their longest ever snogging-session, unaware what the 'malfunctioning' of the mirror had meant… that they were happy. That they couldn't have been happier…
* * * * *
A couple of hours before the end-of-the-year-feast Harry was in his study, packing things he'd need for the summer. He grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and dropped it into his trunk, sighing. Had Draco Malfoy not 'borrowed' it, Lily would be probably dead, or all of them would have died.
Life was so ironic, he thought. Why did everything have to happen to him? Oh well, Trelawney had foretold it back in September, hadn't she? But Harry would never admit that the old fraud had been right. Never. His lips tucked into a smirk as he recalled the Halloween night – Petunia visiting Trelawney in 'Sybill's nook' then leaving the festivity tent, having hysterics… He had received a letter from his aunt a week earlier. It was a rather cheerful letter. Petunia told him about the birth of her second (third) grandchild – it depended on your point of view – if you counted David as Petunia's son, then Dudley and Millicent's second daughter Dee Dee was her second grandchild, but if you counted Dave as her grandson, then Dee Dee was the third. It seemed so that both Daisy and Dee Dee Dursley would be witches, but Petunia didn't seem to mind that much. Vernon was still grumpy about it, but what could he do? Petunia had also written Harry how much Marge had been taken aback by the talking painting he had sent her for Christmas. Harry had to grin imagining Marge pointing at the painting with her fat index finger, her eyes bulging – he just couldn't help picturing her another way than looking like a balloon…
He had just finished with the packing when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" he shouted, and to his surprise, Remus Lupin entered.
"Uh… I hope I'm not disturbing," he said.
"No," Harry shrugged. "Do you need some books for the summer? Feel free to borrow any."
"No, I haven't come to ask anything from you… or perhaps maybe…" he heaved a huge sigh. "I've come to ask for your forgiveness, Harry."
Professor Potter knitted his eyebrows. "What for?"
"For everything," Remus hung his head. "I… I got to know the truth…"
"The truth? About what?"
"Your wish," he looked up, his apologetic stare meeting Harry's surprised one.
"Oh. I didn't want you to know," Harry said, bending down to close his trunk.
"But I still got to know… don't ask how, it's not important… what is important is that I feel ashamed. I… I have been such an idiot, telling you such things when they weren't true at all…"
"Don't apologise. I also told you horrible things," Harry replied. "And I'm sorry about them."
"I'm also sorry, Harry. I have been so unfair to you. You deserve better friends than me… so I understand if you don't want my friendship back, but… at least forgive me, please."
Harry gave him a serious glance. "I have long forgiven you, Remus."
"Have you?" Lupin blinked.
"Yes. But you're right… you're really an idiot… an idiot if you think that I don't want your friendship back."
A huge smile spread on Remus' face. "Thanks, Harry."
"You're welcome," he smiled back. "What else are friends for than understanding and forgiving each other?"
"True," Lupin nodded. "I'm going to keep this in mind for the future."
* * * * *
The students were filing into the Great Hall for the end of term feast, chattering happily and excitedly. Kevin stopped Daniel at the door.
"Hey, I just wanted to give this back to you," he pulled the Marauder's Map out of his pocket. Daniel had given it to Gilda to give it to Kevin after he had been 'expelled'.
"Oh, just keep it," young Potter smiled. "You and the twins need it more than I do."
Certainly this was true – he was an Imaginer, and a very powerful one at that. If he got into trouble with a teacher, he had more of a chance to be able to get out of it even without a map, so his cousins could use it better than him.
"Wow, thanks," Kevin's face lit up. "Viv and Val will be overjoyed."
"I have no doubt of that," Dan nodded. "Well, I've got to go to my table."
Before the dinner appeared on the golden plates, Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet to deliver the usual end-of-school-year speech.
"Another year is gone. I hope that all of you have managed to learn a lot and enjoyed yourselves throughout the school year. Lots of things have happened, both good and bad, but we can state that at least we haven't been bored," the old wizard said with twinkling eyes. "Before I announce the winner of the house cup, let me make another interesting announcement. First of all, you have to get to know something about our caretaker, Mr. Bradley." he pointed at Beryl, who was smiling sheepishly. "I'd like you all to know that his name is Beryl Bradley, and he's a she."
A loud murmur ran down the hall and everyone's eyes fixed on her.
"Miss Bradley requested to work at Hogwarts in order to flee from her ex-husband who escaped from a Muggle prison. I consented to let her work here, under one condition: if she pretended to be a man. I trust she has held up her little illusion quite well, hasn't she?" Albus smirked and most of the students nodded. "Fortunately her ex-husband got caught by the Police a few days ago, thus she is free to live her life as a woman again. The first step she takes to re-establish her life is getting married… to our prominent Potions Master, Professor Snape."
An even louder murmur ran down the hall, most students gasped, others giggled, again others expressed their compassion towards Beryl. Snape looked a bit pinker than usual and kept staring at his plate.
Valentine Weasley burst into tears.
"So, you really don't have a crush on him, do you?" her twin teased.
"And now, let us get down to the house-points," the headmaster clasped his hands. "They stand thus: in fourth place Gryffindor with 297 points," the students applauded politely. Daniel felt pangs of remorse – those minus 300 points had left their mark on Gryffindor's results. "In third place Ravenclaw house with 331 points. In second place stands Slytherin with 409 points," Slytherin had won the Quidditch cup, but it still wasn't enough to make first place in the inter-house championship, "…and the winner of the house cup is Hufflepuff house with 482 points!"
Everyone in the hall (with the exception of some Slytherins) burst into applause, especially the happy winners. David Dursley was the loudest of all the Hufflepuffs, but little Julie Dumbledore also did her utmost in cheering. Hufflepuff hadn't won the house cup for more than a century, but this year, thanks to the Halloween bonus points for the costumes, they finally won.
"It was high time, really," Harry whispered to Hermione, who nodded.
"They deserved it," she said. "But you know… Snape's marriage is a bit… er…"
"Funny?" Harry helped her out.
"Exactly."
"I had no idea that Bradley was a woman… and now she is marrying Snape," he grinned, reaching for his spoon as the soup appeared in his plate.
"I think she's not merely marrying Snape," Hermione added.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, look at her. She wears robes, but even those show that she has… um… grown a bit… round the middle."
Harry almost spat out the spoonful of soup. "You don't mean…"
"Why not?" she smirked.
"Uh… the poor kid," Harry sighed. He remembered Minerva and Aberforth's wedding, and that he and Ginny had been joking about Snape marrying and having kids. 'Imagine his kids: crooked nose, greasy hair and an obsession for Potions.' Ginny had said. Harry had found it particularly funny back then… but now… he couldn't help but laugh. He still found it funny.
* * * * *
That night was the first he and Ginny spent together since the fateful chamber-day. It was a nice, warm summer night and the stars above were sparkling like little diamonds. The Potter couple was standing at the window, staring out into the garden, Harry's arms tightly wound around Ginny.
Things had not been easy for them, but perhaps the future would be more gracious to them than the past… and Voldemort belonged to the past. He would never come back again.
Harry and Ginny had not been surprised when one day Lily and Daniel had come to them and asked them to tell the accurate story of Tatyana. Harry hadn't been exhilarated by the question, but he had felt that his children deserved to know… that they deserved to know why they had had to go through those terrible things… and Lily and Daniel had understood him. They had said that he shouldn't be blaming himself, for it hadn't been his fault. Harry couldn't help but wonder how his two eldest children had matured so suddenly, but he had to realise that shocks and trials made one grow up quicker than they would normally have.
Harry was happy to see his daughter with an appropriate boyfriend for a change – Christopher Wood seemed to be very nice and gallant towards Lily. As for Daniel… he disappeared more and more often, and Harry had no doubt that he was visiting empty classrooms with a certain Miss Lockhart. He had no idea how Gilderoy would take the news of their children dating, but he was quite sure that Mr. Goldylocks had no idea about it at all.
"It seems that everything is going to be settled, after all," Ginny said quietly, bending her head on his shoulder. "Liu is happy with us. I know how much she misses her mother, but whenever I look at her, I no longer see sadness in her eyes. She has managed to grow to love us all, especially Lea. She said she had always wanted a little sister like her."
"Good," Harry whispered, taking a deep breath, enjoying the fragrant aroma of the elderflowers. "Gin…"
"Yes?"
"I wanted to ask you something."
"Then ask."
"Why… why did you teleport yourself down into the chamber… when you exactly knew that things like Apparating could be harmful for an unborn child?"
"Oh, you potty Potter," she disentangled herself from his embrace to face him properly. "I love you and you are very important to me… more important than an unborn child. Had I lost him, we could still have conceived another, but had I lost you, I don't know what I would have done… I love you so much, Harry."
"I love you, too," he said and bent down to kiss her. She melted into his kiss that got more and more feverish by the second. She started pushing his robes off his shoulder and he began to undo her buttons, when she suddenly drew back, panting. "What?" he knitted his eyebrows.
"You… you remember what Voldemort said?" she gulped. "That the dead could see… everything we do…?"
"I remember, but I don't care," he replied. "Let Voldemort see us and let him explode with anger seeing how happy we are."
She giggled. "True. So, then, what do we do now, Mr. Potter?"
"First of all we close the window… then we perform a Quietus charm on the room… then…"
"I think I can guess the rest," she laughed.
Despite the Quietus charm they had placed on the room, they were awoken by some crashing noise early in the morning. Harry yawned, put on his glasses and boxers, and walked up to the window.
"What is it?" Ginny asked, still curled up under the blanket.
"It seems that Gabrielle is moving out."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, have a look at it for yourself," he beckoned to her. She padded to the window and was appalled to see all kinds of wardrobes, chairs, tables and carpets floating over the Potter's garden, out of Gabrielle's house, towards Malfoy's. One of the wardrobes had been dropped right into their garden - that had made the crashing sound that had woken them up.
Harry told Ginny about his last visit to Draco's house and voiced his opinion that Draco and Gabie had already been together for a while.
Even before breakfast, the Potters decided to go down into the garden and ask Miss Delacour how long the removal would last.
Gabrielle was standing at the gate of her house, watching over the carrier wizards' work, clearly miffed that they had let her favourite wardrobe fall.
"Good morning, Gabie!" the Potters greeted her. "Are you moving?"
"Yes," she blushed slightly. "Drhaco and I decided to live togezzer and I 'ave sold my 'ouse."
"Sold it?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. "And may we ask who bought it?"
"Well," Miss Delacour shrugged, "I don't rheally know 'im… some Potions Professohr called Snape or who…"
A/N: believe it or not, I wrote the epitaph for Cho's tomb in a cemetery. It was shortly before Christmas that my mum and I visited some deceased relatives' tombs and I thought I should write an epitaph for Cho, and no other place seemed more perfect for that purpose. Weird place to write a poem, isn't it?
Well, the story's not over, one short epilogue is left.
BigDaddy753: I know it's sad that this doesn't have a sequel, but it's so 'closed' that I couldn't make up anything else to continue it, I've run out of evil-guy-ideas.
colei: loved your arts!
sikokid: there's one more chapter, and no, there's no sequel, sorry. But I promise to come up with a whole new storyline during the summer and continue entertaining you in autumn.
Houou: bingo, you have managed to find out whom Becky married! Clever girl!
Katrina: I'm glad you didn't think the action scene was that terrible :)
Katrina #2: (I had to put 'number two' there, because there are two readers called Katrina:): well, I was playing with the thought of putting Dan into Gryffindor, but then I thought that it'd be much cooler if he insisted on staying in Slytherin just as much Harry had insisted on being a Gryffindor.
2Coolio: one more chapter.
figgiesblazin: I don't know either how I managed to come up with this stuff… but I'm glad you liked it :)
Tap Dancing Widow: yes, Harry technically lost a son. I'm proud of Lily, too :D
cat: I answered you in a mail.
candycaneOgram: well, yes, this chapter was pretty much a wind-up one, but things aren't totally over yet… there's a double-wedding coming in the epilogue! Norbert ripped that page out after their first visit to the chamber. Dan only noticed the Book of Imaginers when they were in the chamber for the second time, he had no idea that Norbert had been there between their two visits to the chamber. I tried to send you the sketch, but I got a failure notice, dunno why. Maybe your inbox was too full? Or you gave me an improper email-address?
Nefertiri: well, I think it's obvious why Norbert got into Slytherin – he was Voldemort, after all. Dan got into Slytherin because of the hexed Sorting Hat, and now stayed there because he CHOSE TO (remember, Albus said that Harry got into Gryffindor because he chose not to be in Slytherin). As for Gilda: I believe she's quite ambitious (remember how hard she was studying to win the title Queen of Beauty and Love), and I believe that really ambitious people belong into Slytherin. The Potter baby won't be born in the fic, but I suppose it's a boy. As for Snape's kid, I believe it'll be a girl. Although I'll never write a fic of this, I've imagined the following scene:
Severus emerged from the Hogwarts infirmary with a tiny bundle in his arms and a stupid grin on his face. The Potters and the Malfoys (who had known that Beryl had gone into labour, since they were Snape's neighbours) now rushed to the new father to peer into the little bundle he was holding.
"Oooooh… isn't she cute?" cooed Ginny.
"She's a little angel!" nodded Gabrielle enthusiastically.
"Of course she's beautiful, since she doesn't look a thing like her father," added Harry, only to get a murderous look from Snape.
I think the Malfoys had more than one house-elf, so they didn't really mind losing Dobby. There's one more chapter. Snape and Beryl' wedding in the next chapter. Sorry, no more about Lucky the Niffler.
Inigma: I don't know Lizzie Maguire, sorry. One more chapter left. What? Amelia with goat babies? Noooooo!!! (though I was laughing madly when I read this, LOL). I'm sorry that your fic got deleted :( But I'm happy that your performance went cool :)
The Millenium One: yes, Draco/Gabie wedding in the epilogue. Thank you very much for your appraisal *Agi's grinning stupidly at the computer screen*. I promise to come out with a new story in autumn.
Mooniala Trials: thanks a lot :)
CloverWeave: I'm glad I managed to make you cry, well sort of, because I was also crying when I killed off Cho, no matter how much I hated her. I don't think that the story was overall sad, there was a lot of comic relief throughout it. And don't worry, next chapter will have some humour as well.
Lioness-07863: no, he can't come back, rejoice!
Kit Cloudkicker: spank Norbie? LOL! :D
kitch: no sequel, sorry. But I promise to write a whole new fic over the summer. I'm not sure I'd write a 6th year fic, perhaps a 7th year again (in seventh year the characters are one year older and it isn't that bad if they do… certain things – but only in PG-13 terms, of course!)
Beauty in Disguise: yes, it runs in the family, mum and I have a lot of talents in common: we both write poems, make up weird plots and also draw quite well :)
maureen: yes, both wishes at the wishing well are fulfilled now. Did you like the Sorting Hat part? I hope so :)
Alexander Phoenix: though your review was really short, it made me feel really happy, because the words 'wow, what a chapter' perfectly assess everything :)
VegaKeep: I had no idea that there were two trilogies in the Dragon Lance series. We only have the Dragons of the Autumn twilight, the Dragons of the winter night and a third one that I haven't bought yet, but it's called Raistlin's daughter. The other trilogy hasn't been published in Hungary yet.
seashell: yes, I have a little bit of sympathy for Cho, but not much I swear!
L-chan: thanks, I'll try not to be self-degrading! :D And I'm glad I didn't mentally scar you this time!
goldenstar555: Draco's your fave? I also like him, and I looooved writing the Draco/Gabie scene in this chapter.
C-chan: no, I said there were four deaths, not five. Sure, you may have Norbert :)
Alex: I thought that Snape falling for a Muggle would be a slap in the face for him, but I believe he has got over the 'crap, she's a Muggle'-part, and he loves for despite that.
Mistri: *grins and blushes*
PheonixFire: don't worry, he'll stay dead this time, for ever. One more chapter left.
Red Ridding Hood: well, old Draco got some sex in this chapter, didn't he? ;) My mum's name is Lea (I named Harry's youngest after her, as I mentioned it in chapter 2). No, I haven't seen X men.
ArgiCallista: no, no sushi (yuck)
Laura: when will you graduate? This year?
Any last requests: don't worry, you're not the only one who still likes Norbert. Well, you got a lot of Daniel in this chapter, didn't you?
xaebhal: thanks a lot!
Zenon Lee: *blushes* you're exaggerating… but it feels so good :) I hope you thought that Harry's reaction was okay, I tried to make him quite depressed in this chapter, have I managed? No, of course Harry won't feel love for Cho, he feels sad that she has died, but he's not in love with her, he loves his wife. Draco has long ago 'turned on' Lucius, not in that spectacular way, but he has been living separately for more than a decade, he hasn't liked his dad for a long time. The 'Asian chick' wasn't supposed to be a racist expression, but I thought that Norbert would think of such things.
Lavendar Brown: yes, Voldie's really dead, he will never ever come back again (at least not in this story-line). So, there's no sequel, but I'll write a totally new fic over the summer, I promise.
Delta T: glad you think so.
Indigo Ziona: I liked Lily, too. Funny that you hadn't realised the incestuous streak ;) Yes, Dumbledore had found out how to help Dan get his powers back (remember, he and Cho had found the 'brother' of the Imaginer book in the Wizarding Library of Arizona).
Toby Haine: I'm always so happy when my readers tell me that I made them like Gildy! :D Were you REALLY shipping H/Hr and I turned you into a H/Ger? Oh, that's great!!! No, I have never written the bathroom scene. Some day I might, when I'm really very bored to death and have nothing else to do ;) Sorry for the lack of cliffies, but I simply couldn't include more of them.
rebkos: thanks :D
Lady Schezar: I'm glad you thought that chapter 29 was the best :D But somehow chapter 30 also belongs to my favourites, although there's no action, I think this chapter was full of emotions. What do you think?
Inken: I'm sorry it disappointed you, but thankfully you seemed to be the only one who thought so. Not everyone can like everything :) As for the 'reborn-as-his-greatest-enemy's-child', I also thought that it was way too simple, but I didn't feel like making up twisted theories about this, since I still remember that my readers complained after chapter 31 of TGSiHH and chapter 28 of TGSaWCS that I had given them way too difficult explanations and they had problems understanding them. This was simple enough to make sure that they would understand it.
X-Tow-Naga: I don't think I could write 'vague' action scenes. *shrugs*
Elfangor19: I only have a very vague plot for a new story, and it might change when I read OotP, so I can't tell you anything. You said I should write SW fics and draw SW arts. Well, I used to write SW fics, but got bored of them, but I have some old SW arts that I could send to you if you gave me your email address.
Tyleet: I hope you no more feel like sending me a Howler :)
sabby: even if I made Cho sort of nasty, I let her die a hero's death, and I think it made up for my writing her evil.
Myr Halcyon: congrats on getting such good scores. You asked whether I also got this 'confused review' a lot. Well, this is funny. Many people told me that chapter 31 of TGSiHH and chapter 28 of TGSaWCS confused them, because I wrote such difficult explanations. Now I wrote a simpler explanation to how Norbert could be reborn, and now I got a complaint that it was way too simple and disappointing. Just a little advice: not everyone will like what you write, you cannot please everyone. There were several readers who had complained about the lack of H/G romance in this fic, then again others complained about those very few mushy H/G scenes… totally controversial. A fanfic author must get used to this, because there'll always be people who criticise what you write. But chin up and continue posting!
Altec: by half-Indian I referred to Padma (both Parvati and Padma are Indians, aren't they? At least everyone in the HP fandom considers them as Indians, their names are also Indian).
Angela: I don't think I have ever had a reviewer called Angela before, so you must be the first Angela :)
Black Ice: you know, I never really thought of the 'incest is fun' remark showing Norbert's eleven year old self… but now that you tell me, it's true. I haven't started a mailing list, somehow I thought it'd be a bit… stuck-up to start a yahoo group or something based on my fics. Perhaps I'm just way too modest?
AmandaPanda: my mum says she's happy that you think so! :D
'mione we@sley: one more chapter left *sob* it's almost over! I loooved posting it! Well, chin up Agi, you'll write another one over the summer (stupid me, talking to myself!;)
Princess Ginny: nothing special in my life, only that the damn exams are approaching again :( But at least I have something to look forward to: OotP! With the knowledge that I'll get it on the 21st June, it'll be easier to study for the exams!
apple-pie: funny that people still have such controversial feelings towards Norbert… they loved him and hated him at once. Don't feel that bad for Liu, she'll be okay with the Potters.
Phoenix_Kiss02: glad you liked Draco killing Voldie :)
Mage: sorry, I don't have AOL instant messenger, only ICQ. But feel free to email me if you want to talk :)
SparkleCharm: thanks for the review on phoenixtears! Oh, poor Voldie, run over by a U. S. tank! May I present you the Voldie-pancake? ;) I hope you did well on your finals. Since I haven't updated any earlier, I couldn't wish you good luck here on ffnet, but I thought of you and hoped everything would be all right :)
K. C. Hunter: thanks, it did sound all right :) Hehe, so I'm granted permission to use clichés? LOL, that's great.
Kristen Michelle: for the time being I'm not planning to publish anything original, but I'll remember to mail you when I do so :D In about ten years, LOL. You weren't the only one who hated Cho, but still felt sorry for her, it's quite natural, I think. I also felt sorry for her when I killed her off, actually I even cried.
thecrazygirl: um… you could give me one single spoiler… please! Who dies in OotP? I have to know! Is it Hagrid or Lupin or someone else? (Please, email me with the information, so that others don't get to know if they read the reviews). I don't want to know anything else but this little piece of information, I simply need it to be able to prepare 'mentally' for it and then perhaps I won't cry when that person dies.
Punky Poet: thanks a lot! :)
Kamatazi Yumi: sorry, this plot world will not be continued, one short epilogue left, and it's over :( But I'm sure I'll use some ideas from these fics in my future fics (e.g. book titles like Beautiful Bill's Biography or elf-names like Kinky).
Colibi: no, it's not over yet. One more short chappie to go.
Amaranta: sorry, no sequel. But be sure to look at my author site in autumn, because I'll definitely write a whole new fic over the summer, based on the newly acquired knowledge from OotP.
Romina: yes, I'll surely write a new HP fic over the summer, so check back on my author site in September/October.
ruffled owl: glad you liked it, but it's not over yet – one happy double wedding coming up!
JenniferW: I hope now you understand the Lucius-involvement.
Makayla P.: your poor friend got dragged across the dance floor? LOL :D
aprenticeofdobby: it's a great honour to be compared to Cassie Claire and Nemesis, because they wrote the two best HP fanfics ever: Draco Dormiens and I am Lord Voldemort. These two are really the best ever, so thanks for saying that my story rivalled theirs :)
heavenly182angel: no, actually it didn't take that much time to plan it all, most of it was spontaneous. Sorry, but it's really just a trilogy, and it's almost over. But there's one more short epilogue that'll be surely fun :)
Wood's secret lover: usually I like fantasy books, but IMHO the Dark Materials just lack the fantasy. Well, okay, there's a lot of interesting things made up in there, but they just don't sound believable, while e.g. in HP the fantasy parts DO sound believable. And I don't like stories in which I don't like the main character, and Lyra irritates me to no end, a fibbing little freak, that's what she is. Not to mention that the whole series is totally against Christianity. You know that I didn't think HP had anything anti-Christian, but Dark Materials is 100% anti-Christian. The Sally Lockhart series sounds believable, much more interesting and much more 'intelligent'. Sally isn't a little freak like Lyra, she's a really cool character. I used to like Fred too, pity that he has been killed off. Don't worry, some others also like Cho (but there aren't too many of you out there). I have read the cliché collection, but not here on ffnet, but on Riddikulus. Really funny fic!
Katie Bell: don't worry, I also felt sorry for her when I killed her off!
Bucky: no, Gilda won't kill Liu! And you know, Liu isn't even as bad as her mum was. And don't worry, she'll stop badgering Dan, she'll be merely his sister, while Gilda will be his girlfriend.
Shazzman: bravo, you're clever, you're the only one who guessed that Dan would stay in Slyhterin for Gilda! :) Yup, Lucius is in Azkaban and will stay there until he dies. The promised 4th fic will come in autumn :)
Wizzabee: Cho loved both Cedric and Harry. She loved them to the same level, Harry wasn't just a substitute, but she uttered Cedric's name when she was dying, because as 'the tunnel' opened in front of her, she saw Cedric there, waiting for her… at least that's how I imagined it. And I'm glad I managed to make you cry, because I was bawling like a baby when I wrote that scene :)
TaMaraR: don't worry, Voldie can't come back. And no, I didn't want Dan to become a Gryffindor. Glad you liked the consistency.