Chapter Twenty-Two: Quiet

Hogwarts was quiet once again, and it seemed even more of a home than it had before the adventure had started.  Delia had now faced things that she had never even dreamt of facing – and overcome them.

Now she was a different person. A Healer… a girl in her own right, with none of the labels or qualities her father had liked to slap on her before. Now she had a better idea of who she was.

And whom she loved.

Soft footsteps from behind alerted her to the presence of someone else.

"Hello, Jessica," she said as she turned, and a smile lit her face. She had been gazing out the window, but now she directed her full attention to her friend's face.

"Hello, Delia," Jessica returned jovially, and went to stand next to her at the window. "How are you?" There was more to the question than what appeared on the surface, Delia knew.

"I'll be all right soon enough," Delia responded with a smile. "It's just funny, you know? I don't quite feel eleven anymore."

"What do you feel?" Jessica asked.

Delia sighed. "I don't know… not older… just…"

"Wiser?"

"No, not that either. Just different than before."

"I hope so. I feel different too," Jessica said, quite honestly, and leaned forward on her elbows. "I don't think you're supposed to feel the same after something like that…"

"You mean after you watch someone die?" Delia asked, her bluntness surprising even herself.

"Yes," Jessica agreed, and closed her eyes. "That's exactly it. I don't know why I don't come right out and say it."

Delia smiled, and then suddenly the smile disappeared. "It was worse for me because I knew what was going to happen. I could see it all in my mind, you know? Because I'd already seen what that virus was going to do to Sirius."

Jessica frowned. "Maybe it was better. You could prepare yourself."

"Maybe."

"And you also knew that he wasn't going to live long enough to kill Uncle Sirius or Dad or Mum or anyone."

"Hmm."

Jessica sighed in frustration. "I think we all had a pretty rough time. At least you're pretty sure you won't turn out to be a monster!"

"You won't be a monster. He was just saying those things to make you angry."

"It's not just him, it's Professor Snape, and sometimes I think Professor Lupin…"

Delia grabbed her arm roughly. "Professor Lupin does not think you'll turn out to be a monster. Of all people, he would be the one to least blame circumstances for emotional problems."

Jessica blinked, and looked at the hand that held her forearm in check. "I… I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry." Delia sighed. "I shouldn't have done that. I just…"

"Couldn't help yourself?"

"Exactly."

"Delia… I mean…"

"What? What is it?" Delia looked at her friend with sharp eyes. "Tell me what you want to say."

"You and Or… Professor Lupin… you seemed pretty… close."

"Yes?" Delia raised her eyebrows. "Is that it?"

"I just wanted to know…"

"I know. I know. I would like to know, too. It's difficult to say, really. He's sixteen and I'm eleven. He's a professor and I'm a student. But there isn't really any other choice for us from this point on."

"Why do you say that? You always have a choice."

Delia shook her head, not quite sadly. " I do not have a choice in this anymore."

"What?"

"We're sort of… bonded. He had to show me everything in order for me to be able to Heal Sirius. Everything he's ever Seen, do you understand?"

"Yes. He showed you all of his visions."

"Looking into the vision of a Seer is like… Oh, I don't know. Looking in the window of a loo… only much more private. I was looking inside of his mind, and I could see what he was thinking.

"He could see into my heart, as well. That's where a Healer's power lies. He now knows exactly what buttons to push to get me to do what he wants, and vice versa. "

"Sounds creepy to me."

"It is."

Both girls laughed nervously, not quite sure where they stood with each other now.

"Delia, I'm grateful to you."

Delia looked up at Jessica, confusion on her face. "Excuse me?"

"You've been a good friend… an amazing friend, really! I don't want the school year to end."

"I don't either!" Delia confessed, and they both giggled, simply reveling in one of the few opportunities they'd had in a while to simply be girls.

"I don't blame you, either," Jessica confessed.

"What's there to blame me for?"

"For liking Orion, you know. He's got really pretty eyes."

Delia blinked, then nodded furiously. "You know, they never really stay the same color, either. They sort of switch between these two shades, especially when he's angry."

"Your brother's eyes kind of do that too," Jessica confided.

"What?" Delia was shocked, and straightened up. "Oh, don't tell me you want to snog my brother?"

"I didn't say I wanted to snog Gareth… Though a kiss would be nice…"

"I can't hear you. I've gone temporarily deaf and I can't hear you…" Delia walked away, and Jessica followed her down the hallway, teasing her mercilessly.

**

Anna Lupin walked through her now silent house, devoid of all the human life and death that had been there only a short time before.

She wanted to say good-bye.

There were rooms here that she hadn't been able to bring herself to enter after Remus's death. The nursery. His study.

It appeared he hadn't abandoned her, even in death.

She opened the door to what had once been his study, and sat at his desk. From his drawer she pulled out his pen, which she had long before wrapped in an old handkerchief of his, and inhaled the his scent.

With a shaky hand she began to write.

The villain is now dead, thanks to Sirius, my brother. Perhaps he is not the last incarnation of the evil and destructive powers of Voldemort that you, my friends, my child, will ever see. He will certainly, however, be my last.

I am weak now, and there is nothing that I want anyone to do for me. I go to join my husband in eternal bliss.

Anna Lupin

She finished the 'n' with a flourish, and looked around the room one last time. "I will see you soon, Remus."

And with that, she died.

**

The Characters…

Harry Potter lived to the ripe old age of 175, when he died of heart failure. All told, at the time of his passing, he had 8 children, 57 grandchildren, 104 great-grandchildren, and 25 great-great grandchildren. He died a happy man.

Ginny Potter died suddenly at the age of 105 from complications of a long-standing medical problem. She considered her greatest achievement to be the perfection of a recipe for pumpkin bread, due to the fact that she wasn't the world's best cook. However, the rest of the world will forever remember her contributions to Defensive Magic.

(Minister) Ron Weasley died at the age of 142. During his lifetime he was responsible for the development of no less than 54 security spells. He rose through the ranks of the Department quickly, and when Raina Black retired, he took the position of Commander with grace. It is said that no one ruled the Department with more style and competence than he.

Hermione Weasley continued to be an advocate for the rights of minorities until her death at the age of 173. She worked hard to pass bills promoting the rights of goblins, house-elves, and werewolves. A statue of her stands outside the Department of Civil Rights For Minorities.  

Sirius Black died from a medical condition aggravated from his long years in Azkaban, his contact with the Lestrange virus in the years that followed, and prolonged contact with extreme heat and cold. He was 95 at the time.

Raina (O'Reilly) Black married Sirius shortly after Sirius made a full recovery from the virus. Her only regret in life was that she had not spent more time in the company of her husband, around whom her world revolved.

Orion and Delia Lupin were married after Delia's 7th year. They had 3 children.

Jessica Potter Williams married Gareth, to no one's surprise. She came to grips with her heritage, and formally disowned her biological father and his name when she was 13 years old.

Mick and James Potter became partners with their uncles in the family joke shop, but also did some work on the side for the government. Mick mysteriously went missing in 2036, and James followed him. They returned home in 2038, and settled down with two women they brought back with them, Zeta and Creta, also twins.

KC Allen followed the Potter family for years, as well as doing a number of highly dangerous and involved assignments for The Daily Prophet. His fast moving lifestyle tired him out quickly, however, and he retired from newspaper writing at the age of 67 to begin his first novel, which was published post-mortem, and was an instant bestseller. The book's title was Beater Battles, due to KC's well-known love of Quidditch. The story centered around several Quidditch Beaters and their lives.

**

Author's Farewell

It seems I have arrived at an impasse: my two roads diverging in a yellow wood, as it were. I have closed one chapter of my life, and must go on to another.

The Harry Potter fandom has taught me so much about writing… how to structure a plot, how to use grammar properly… etc. etc. I feel sort of sad to be closing the book on my series now, but it is, after all, inevitable. All good things must one day come to an end, and here lies the end of the "Tested In Fire" universe.

I'm finding it hard to say good-bye. I know my way around this world… I like the characters, especially the ones I've created… Delia, Jessica, Anna, Raina… the twins.

In light of my moving on, I've begun to write an original novel. It's a bit like jumping out into an ocean when you're not entirely comfortable with your ability to swim, but you know you've been in water before, and hope that will save your life.

The good Lord, in His infinite mercy, has graced me with support that goes beyond measure in many different forms. Without the help of His grace and the love of the following people, I would have never made it this far, finishing my second fanfiction novel.

Thank you, Anne, for beta reading this, the second of my series, which will end with this installment. I couldn't have asked for a better editor, mentor, and friend.

Thanks also should be extended to KC Allen, a friend whose comments I always welcome.

Thanks to Maria, without whom I would have stopped writing years ago. Honestly, she's the best friend a gal like me could ask for. She'd be the first to tell you I don't deserve her… Here's to continued years of friendship!

Thanks should also go to my other best friend, Michelle, without whom I probably wouldn't stand before you today. She's a rock, an anchor, and a dear heart. The world may change, but our friendship moves with it – steady. Let's hear it, Michelle, for kindred spirits! Cheers!

Thanks to Lourdes, who faithfully reviewed every chapter of DT and TiF.

Thanks to all of my reviewers! You all are amazing!

Thanks to PhoenixSong.net and all the other websites that have graciously agreed to publish my works.

I say good-bye now to you, my readers, and hope to see you again sometime after I finish my other projects with my return to the fandom in the form of a MWPP fic.

Au revoir!

LadyChi