This is the last chapter. I know you have been anxious for it...so here it is. I'm a tad bit sad right now. Now it's over. You'll read this, maybe reflect on it, and then a month from now you'll forget it ever existed. Please. Before you forget about it, tell your friends about it. I appreciate reviews of any kind. And I would really like to thank all of the people who have given me wonderful reviews. The success of this story is truly in your hands. Thanks again.

Katelyn (AKA venusgreenight)

P.S. If you liked this story, please please please check out my other story, "This is How the Story Ends."

Cool wind whipped at Peeves hair. It felt tight and crusty on his scalp, his sweat having dried. He tried to move, but found he couldn't. He opened his eyes slowly and sorely and gasped painfully. He was souring through the sky, facing the white twinkling stars against navy darkness. Turning his head agonizingly and ever so slightly, Peeves realized he was lying upon a flying bed. Sitting at the foot of the bed, was Sourdine. Peeves let out a barely audible moan. Sourdine leaned forward, a worried expression on her face.

"Don't worry dear," she whispered. "We're on our way back to Mungos."

Suddenly everything rushed back to Peeves. Third Task, Malaclaws, Adrian, Grandfather's wand, Unforgivable Curses, pain, horrible pain...

"We...we're going to see your family. They've been called. Everything... everything's all right." Sourdine gulped.

Somehow Peeves had the feeling that everything was not all right. He realized that there were objects souring through the air around the bed. Several witches and wizards with very solemn expressions on their faces rode on broomsticks alongside the bed.

Peeves closed his eyes, trying to blot out of his mind what had happened. Nevertheless, anger surged through him, his blood felt hot in his veins. Suddenly, he heard Sourdine give a great gasp. He peered through drooping eyelids and drew in air sharply through his nose. Sourdine was transforming...back into Gloria Mirable! She must have forgotten to take the Polyjuice Potion. There was a cry of surprise from one of the broom riders.

"Ministress?" shrieked a small witch flying at the end of the bed. Gloria looked up, a horrified expression on her beautiful face.

"What is the meaning of this Gloria?" bellowed a big burly wizard to Peeves' right. Gloria sputtered, turning pale.

"Well...well..."

"S-she s-switched places w-with Headmistress Sour-Sourdine," Peeves said hoarsely. Everyone looked at Peeves in surprise.

"Don't be silly," Gloria stammered.

"It's true," Peeves rasped. "The M-Ministress has been take...taking Sourdine's place since...since Christmas." Many of the witches and wizards gasped. Gloria glared at Peeves in hate.

"Is this true?" asked the burly wizard.

"Harriet requested my help, so I complied," Gloria murmured softly. The wizard bristled.

"Gloria Mirable! That is against the law!" he hollered. Gloria hung her golden head. "This will destroy you! Why did you do it?" Gloria looked up, her beautiful eyes flashing, her hair fluttering in the rushing wind.

"It was because of him," she said scowling at Peeves. "Harriet couldn't handle him anymore. She needed help, she was under emotional strain."

"Ministress, you said you were on vacation in Ireland!" shrieked the small witch.

"Harriet Sourdine is in my place in Ireland," Gloria wailed, tears glistening in her stunning blue eyes. Those eyes snapped back at Peeves. "How did you know?" she demanded.

"I saw...saw you and Professor Juven together... talking about it," Peeves said in a throaty voice. Gloria paled even more. A hook nosed witch to Peeves' left peered at him suspiciously.

"Are you the one who sent the Ministry an anonymous letter saying Headmistress Sourdine and Ministress Gloria switched places?" she asked in a high haughty voice.

Peeves nodded slowly and painfully. The witch's sharp eyes flickered towards Gloria. "Yes indeed, Mirable. I believe this is the end for you," she said gleefully.

Everything became fuzzy as Peeves felt himself slip into unconsciousness again, the angry voices of the witches and wizards echoing in his ears.

₪

It was voices that woke him again. If possible, Peeves felt even weaker as he was jostled along the halls of Mungos, the florescent lights whizzing past. The burly wizard was leading the bed along, staring sternly ahead.

"Oh Peeves, Peeves, my darling!" cried the dramatic voice of Peeves' mother.

"Mum," he croaked. She rushed up to him, closely followed by his dad, Erica and...Sherman.

Mrs. Radley ran her cold hands along Peeves' face, reassuringly touching his shoulder.

"Mum...get...off...off..." Peeves gasped.

"Ma'am, would you please step away," said the stern wizard leading Peeves' bed. "Your son is in critical condition, he needs medical attention immediately." The bed began to move again, heading for the stairs. Peeves reached out his hand to Sherman as he passed. Sherman walked along with the bed, tears filling his eyes.

"Must...do...more...pranks..." he muttered, and Sherman nodded, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Swear...to...get...even..." Sherman nodded again.

"Yeah, Peeves, tha's right," Sherman whispered blearily, his nose sounded stuffed up.

"You...zonko..." Peeves garbled. He flinched in pain and said, before lapsing into silence, "Adrian..."

"Peeves!" Sherman wailed as Peeves' bed was rushed into the hospital wing and Sherman was pulled back by one of the witches. "Peeves..."

Realization flooded through Sherman. Peeves wanted to get even with someone...but who? Adrian! Adrian had done this to Peeves. Memories flashed through Sherman's mind...most vividly the anger Adrian showed when Peeves broke his wand. Numbness flooded through Sherman. He slumped into a chair at the waiting end of the hospital corridor, thinking hard.

₪

Later that morning, Professor Juven brought the rest of the Hogwarts students back to their school. Sunlight flooded into the entrance hall as the front doors opened. Sherman looked down from the top of the stairs, staring glumly down at them. He had just arrived at Hogwarts from Mungos minutes before the others. Lawson caught sight of Sherman, and bounded up staircase.

"Sherman! Old buddy!" he cried. Then he stopped. "Uh...how is he?" Sherman chewed at his lower lip.

"Not too good. Healer Redivius doesn't...doesn't expect him to make it through the day."

Lawson's shoulders sagged. "Are you okay?" he asked. Sherman didn't answer; he was starring with great dislike at Adrian Malfoy, who had just walked into the hall.

"Sherman?" Lawson asked worriedly. Sherman swept past Lawson and down the stairs, his eyes not faltering from Adrian's pale, pointy face. Sherman walked swiftly over to Adrian and gazed strait in the eyes.

"I know what you did," he whispered coldly. Adrian looked back with mock innocence.

"You know what?" he answered airily. Sherman growled.

"I'll get you for hurting my best friend," Sherman spat, his voice trembling. Adrian smirked and walked away without a word.

Epilogue

Peeves Radley died June 24th, shortly after noon. Bound by his promise to cause havoc in the life Adrian Malfoy, Peeves' spirit was never let free. It remained at Hogwarts, haunting the students and teachers, enjoying his half-life by performing spiteful and far-fetched pranks.

The day after Peeves Radley died, the body of Adrian Malfoy was found just outside of the Forbidden Forest. Although the murderer was never discovered, Peeves has a very good idea of who it was.

Gloria Mirable's career was destroyed. She had broken a very stern and precise law that stated the Ministress, or Minister, must, at all times, be honest, vigilant, responsible, and stationary in their profession (M.O.M. Law F number 17, 1724). She was fired. In despair, Gloria Mirable traveled to Durmstrang and sought out the condolences of Professor Enoch Juven. Worried her bad reputation may ruin his own; Juven turned her out. Full of anger and betrayal, Gloria traveled to a rural place in Central Scotland; she later met and married Brian Skeeter.

Sherman Tilford lived in despair for a short while, but then remembered Peeves' last words to him; "Must...do...more...pranks...Swear...to...get...even... You...zonko..." Sherman took this to heart and began a joke shop so that Peeves' mischievous spirit could thrive outside of Hogwarts. He named it Zonko's Joke Shop.

Sourdine arrived back at Hogwarts only to find she had been found out. She also was striped of her title. Not able to handle her shame, she collapsed into madness and spent the last of her days at St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Ailments and Maladies.

Enoch Juven also spent his life in despair; later regretting is resistance to Gloria Mirable. He continued to work at Durmstrang, but in his sorrow, turned it into a school that strongly influenced the Dark Arts.

Amy won the Triwizard Tournament by collecting all of the items and returning just before sunset. Marshall didn't come out. He was found barely alive a few days later, apparently attacked by a yeti.

Erica, Peeves' favored sister, was accepted as Chaser on the Appleby Arrows Quidditch team. However, shortly before the season began, Erica was injured in a tragic Quidditch practice accident. She never rightly regained her sanity from the near fatal blow in the head by a Bludger and was thrown from the team. The exact location of Peeves and Erica's parents were never discovered after the mishaps to their two children. Some believe they retreated to a solitary island close to Ireland were they nursed their insane daughter until their death.

Rene, Peeves' Beauxbatons friend, did not get a chance to see Peeves before he died. He grew up and become Headmaster of Beauxbatons and lived a long and prosperous life.

Sean Idealian grew to be Minister of Magic and became famous for his invention of a motion sickness prevention potion known as the Ideal Stomach Brew.

Adrian's spirit was also at unrest. The weight of recent murder held it to the earth. Adrian's body was discovered covered in blood. To this day, Adrian Malfoy's ghost is commonly known as the Bloody Baron, a nickname created by a frightened first year some ten years after Adrian's death.

Peeves became mortally afraid of the Bloody Baron, quite like his fear of snakes. And today, if Peeves ever becomes a problem, most call upon the Bloody Baron to sort him out.

But even then, he might need some harsh provoking.