Here we are.. the last chapter.

If you want to put any input into what you'd like to see in the sequel, please don't  hesitate to ask. And while I know that many of you have kindly reviewed, I'd like those  who've been reading and haven't reviewed to step forward and tell me what you think. And  I'm pressing on you tons of cookies and such because you have all been fantastic. Thank  you! Thank you! Thank you!

I'll be updating Aude Sapere regularly now. I just wanted to finish this story first. I'm  also starting on "Epiphany" which is the sequel to my other Buffy story "Epitaph". I'll  probably start the sequel as soon as I know what I want to write. Accepting all sequel  inputs. Just tell me what you want. And it might become reality.

Because I find this as sad as any goodbye from an episode, like say "Tabula Rosa"...  well... imagine the whole themesong as Michelle Branch's "Goodbye to You".

- - - - -

Chapter 35

Goodbye, England

Epilogue

- - - - -

It was a warm breezy day as Harry left the hospital wing cheerfully. He waved goodbye to  Madam Pomfrey before joining his friends by the lake to say goodbye to the Slayer and her  friends.

Willow had been taken the night before with Angel and Spike, the two vampires, back to the  states.

Quite a few students had gathered. Buffy had just spent nearly a half hour hugging them all  goodbye. When she saw Harry, she smiled, beckoning him forward.

"Look at you," she said, sounding as proud as a mother. "You sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine," he grinned before hugging her tightly. "Thank you for everything, Professor."

"Call me Buffy," she grinned, stepping back. "This world, all of this... it's up to you  now."

"I know," he said, stepping back to let Hermione and Ginny step forward to hug Buffy.

As she let go of Hermione, she held on a moment. "I knew from the moment I met you,  Granger... you were no Slayer. But you're something more. Keep that in mind. You're going  to do fantastic things. Both of you."

As she said that, her eyes lingered on Ron a moment before she turned to Ginny. "Goodbye,  young Weasley. And good luck."

Ginny stepped away, leaving Dawn standing there, next to Cho. After promising Cho she'd see  her soon, Buffy turned to her little sister.

"Here we are," Dawn said, stepping into her sisters arms. "I love you Buffy."

"Me too," Buffy said, squeezing her sister hard. "I mean, I love you too. I'll see you  soon, right?"

"It'll be like tomorrow," Dawn said, grinning through the tears in her eyes as Buffy stared  at the castle. She turned toward the Slayers and Faith, who were climbing into the  carriages. Xander and Tara were both going with them too.

Buffy made to step into the carriage when another voice started behind her. "Leaving so  quickly?"

"Sir," Buffy said, pulling back to see the Headmaster with a throng of Professors moving  swiftly down the hill towards them. "I didn't want to make a scene."

"You shall not have one, except to accept my eternal thanks and gratitude... without your  assistance, my school would have fallen," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

"Not to be a pain, sir, or step outside my boundaries, but you had enough power and even  more to destroy that army..."

"But you never would have gotten what you were looking for," Dumbledore said, extending his  hand. "And for that..."

"Thank you," Buffy said, taking his hand and shaking it swiftly. "We need to go. Our flight  leaves in just a few hours."

As the carriages swept down the road, Buffy turned to see the students and Professors all  watching them leave before returning to the castle.

Buffy turned in her seat. And smiled.

"Let's go home."

- - - - -

Harry was almost melancholy as he approached the Hogwarts Express just a few days later.

The night before, at the final feast and the awarding of the House Cup, Gryffindor bowed  slightly as Ravenclaw took the honor. Watching Cho and Dawn sitting together for the last  time made his stomach knot with emotion. He congratulated Cho afterwards. She had kissed  his cheek before thanking him. And then she had said goodbye.

"Come now, train'll be leavin' any moment!" Hagrid's voice boomed over the students as they  quickly boarded the train. As Harry stepped forward, Hagrid's voice dropped. "Suspected  yeh'd be comin' down here to say goodbye."

Harry nodded before hugging what parts of Hagrid he could reach. "Thanks, Hagrid, for  everything."

"Not a problem," Hagrid said gruffly, shooing him away gently.

Harry boarded the train, stowing Hedwig's cage in the corner.

"Might want to put her up a little higher if I were you," a crisp, slightly familiar female  voice spoke behind him.

He turned to see Faith standing there.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm your rear guard," Faith replied, sitting down next to him. "That and I've never ridden  a train before. I beat Tara fair and square at rock-paper-scissors to get this spot."

He laughed, the sound warming the fractured remains of his heart.

"Willow was going to do this... but..." her voice cut short and she became interested in  her fingernails just as the train started moving.

About an hour later, the door barged open as Ron, Hermione and Ginny all spilled in,  giggling. It was Ron that was shaken from his stupor when he saw Faith sitting next to  Harry.

"Rear guard," Harry said dolefully as Ginny sat on his other side, taking his hand.

When the elderly witch came around, Harry treated with cauldron cakes and the largest bar  of chocolate he could find.

But it was all too soon when the trip came to an end and they were pulling back up at the  station.

Dawn waited while Draco heaved at her trunk before letting Goyle and Crabbe take over.

"Are you ever going to go easy on them?" she asked, wrinkling her nose as she watched the  effort the used just to tug down two large trunks.

"Are you ever going to go easy on me?" he asked, grinning as he took her hand, leading her  into the corridor, his heart lightening with her laughter.

Harry got off the train, feeling isolated. Ginny hopped down next to him, taking his hand  the minute she'd landed.

After gathering their luggage, Faith lead him through the barrier back into the Muggle  station.

He looked around, blinking when he saw his advance guard waiting for him. And, standing  there, was Tara, grinning. Dawn tumbled through the barrier behind him, Draco Malfoy right  behind her.

"This is it," Tara said, stepping around the Weasley parents, who were hugging their  children in relief of seeing them alive again. "This is it."

Harry hugged her wordlessly while Ginny gently stepped back toward him. "Be careful, all of  you," Tara warned them, gesturing toward Harry's aunt and uncle, who were waiting for him  at a slight distance. "You know the rest of the drill."

He grinned, pulling Ginny aside to speak with her quietly. "You okay?"

She nodded, glowing. "I'll see you soon, Harry... in a month or so."

He nodded, hugging her tightly, kissing her forehead.

She looked up at him, eyes sparkling in adoration. "I know."

"You'd better go, Harry," Dawn said from behind him, waving as Draco swept away with his  mother's entourage and his two thug friends Crabbe and Goyle. "Your aunt and uncle don't  look very happy."

Harry grinned as he pushed his cart away.

"We'll see you soon, Harry!" Hermione called behind him.

"Bye, Harry!" Dawn yelled cheerfully.

"Real soon, Harry! I... uh... we promise!" Ron shouted.

And yet, as he joined his aunt and uncle and followed them from the station, it could never  just be soon enough.

- - - - -

Fine.