(A/N) This is it! I want to thank everyone who reviewed this story, and supported me, with out your encouragement this wouldn't have been finished. The war is over, and now everyone is coming together. I just finished watching The Virgin Suicides, so forgive the slight smiliarities between the four Malfoy girls and the five Lisbon Girls.
Epilogue – 13 years later- October 29th, 2021
Rory sat outside on the fRont lawn of her family home in Stars Hollow, and she slowly rocked back and forth on the swinging bench as she dwelled in the crisp air, and waiting for the afternoon sun to finally slip below the trees. The green lawn infRont of her was perfectly mowed, and Rory had truly never seen it so kept when her mother was in charge of the gardening. Jess and Harry were inside, and no doubt watching a football match, which was something Jess had hooked Harry onto, and Ginny never forgave him for. Rory heard Ginny squeal in laughter from the kitchen, where she helped Sirius cook. Harry and Ginny Potter's litle three year old daughter, Gemma Potter, was lying sleeply beside Rory, curled up into a little ball.
"Hey," said Ginny as she walked out on to the fRont porch. She no longer looked like a little girl, but had grown into a mature adult. Her hair still held its red shine as it flowed in the cool air. "Fall's certainly on its way, right?" she asked and Rory gave a nod.
Ginny sat down next to Rory on the bench and crossed her legs. Then the two women fell into a peaceful silence. Harry and Jess gave a loud shout as some one made a goal on tv, and Rory could hear a small yell that followed after. A little boy with black hair came tearing out of the house, his face beamed and his blue eyes found Rory.
"Mommy!" he shouted, and Rory put her finger to her lips.
"Your cousin, Gemma is sleeping, Riley!" Rory scorned.
"Sorry," Riley said, trying his best to look appolgetic, but it soon faded as excitement took him once more. "The Dallas Cowboys are winning, mom!"
"Yay," Rory said sweetly before Riley dashed back in to the house. "He gets more and more like Jess with every day." Rory said to Ginny.
Ginny checked her watch, and with a sigh she said, "And soon there will be six more like him swarming this house."
"So we should enjoy what little peace there is while we can," Rory muttered as she settled back in the seat.
"I love afternoons like this," Ginny muttered as finally the sun began to drrop in the sky, letting the clouds begin to turn pink. "They are so peaceful."
But just as the words were leaving her mouth, there was a loud yell as a car drove up in fRont of the house and parked. And both Rory and Ginny sighed, as they stood to greet the new comers. Johnathon Weasley, was getting taller by the minute, and the moment the car's engine was switched off the thirteen year old boy shot form the back seat. He waved at Rory and Ginny, and they waved back with smiles. Hermione got out of the driver's seat and Ron got out beside her.
"Here we are," Ron called happily. His hair stood on end, like it always did, and he waited for Hermione before she came up and wrapped her hand in his.
"Hey you too," Hermione said with a smile as they walked up the pathway. "Are we late?"
"Just on time." Rory replied.
Riley's head poked out the fRont door, and once he spotted the new comers he emerged fully. He shot down the stairs and wrapped his arms around Ron's knees.
"Hey uncle Ron," Riley beamed and Ron bent down and messed up his hair.
"Hey scamp," he said, and he handed Riley a cake box. "Can you get that to your Grampa."
Riley snapped his ankles togther and stood up straight, and with a salute he said, "Can do, Sir!" Then Rily shot off back towards the house.
"Riley's just so energetic," Hermione said as she walked up to where Ginny and Rory stood. And as they gave each other kisses on the cheeks, Rory replied.
"He was so looking forward to seeing you too, he just loves Ron's jokes." she said and Ron nodded.
"Who doesn't?" he asked witha proud smile.
"I don't," Jonothan said as he stepped out from behind his father's tall form. His hair was just as messy and red as his dad's, and he had the same freckled complexion, he could have been Ron's exact double if he didn't have his mom's, Hermione's, bossy tone and brown eyes. "And no one else would if they ahd to live with them 24/7."
"Aye," Ron said, grabbing his son's head and messing up his red mop. "You dodn't mean it, you love your old man. And stop showing off, Felicity isn't here yet."
Johnathon went bright red at the mention of Luna and Draco's eldest daughter and he just shrunk back into the back ground. Ron smiled, feeling proud that he had put his son back in his place, but Hermione gave him a small scowl.
"Aw," she cooed sweetly as Hermione spotted the sleepy Gemma. "Look, she's so cute!"
"Yeah, she's saving up her energy, she loves to play with Luna and Draco's girls, so she made me promise not to wake her until they arrive." Ginny said. "She had no interest in playing with Riley or John."
"Can't blame her," Hermione muttered.
"Hey!" Ron said hotly. "You hung out with Harry and me!"
"Yes, yes, Ronald," Hermione said, waving him away.
"Harry and Jess are inside watching the game." Rory said with a kind smile to Ron.
Ron let out a thankful sigh and he walked into the house, and happy shouts of greeting filled the air as Harry and Jess greeted Ron. Johnathon gave up waiting for Feleicity Malfoy outside, and slunk into the house. Hermione just rolled her eyes and brushed a long tendril out of her eyes.
"Its so nice to see you two again," Hermione said happily. "We barely have time anymore!"
"Tell me about it!" Ginny said and she wrapped her arms around Hermione.
"Ah Hermione," Sirius called from the fRont door.
"Hey Sirius," Hermione said with a smile. "Did you make your famous meatballs?"
"You know I did," Sirius said happily and he turned back into the house.
"How's he doing?" Hermione asked Rory once Sirius was definetly gone.
"He's doing better then last year," Rory replied with half a smile, though when this subject arose she always felt liek throwing herself into a heap of tears. "He drinks far less now..."
"Its so sad how as soon as the magical war was over, Sirius started his own internal war," Hermione sighed. "It must be hard though, to live with what he did."
Rory didn't want to continue on about this topic, so she merely just cleared her throat excessivly and scuffed her feet on the wooden porch floor, letting the soft air and birds being the only sound to fill the air.
"Oh, Rory!" Hermione gasped. "I should have known..."
Thankfully, an airy voice sang out to them from the fRont lawn, and provided a distraction. On the lawn seven people began to float up towards the house, beautiful and pale white like ghosts. Draco Malfoy had his hand snaked around his wife's, Luna's, waste as they walked gracefully up to the house, their five girls in the lead. Coraline, Ophelia, Tabitha and April were their 6 year old quadruplits and Felicity was their eleven year old beuty.
First came Coraline, her engaging grey eyes sparkled in her pointed pale face, and her long soft hair flew in the dusk air. She was the quietest of all four Malfoy girls, but even though she was by far the fairest and most perceptive, she was a mere shadow to her other sisters. Following Coraline came Ophelia, her hair was long, and it fell down her back in bouncy curls. Ophelia had acquired her mother's oddness, and she darted about the lawn, collecting small white stones. And though she will no doubt be mocked by others, she has her father's anger and hexing skills to make others quiver. Skipping in thier wake was April, and she had the most bewitching voice that could convince anyone to do her beckoning, and though she appeared beautiful and innocent on the oustide, she no doubt used her angelic appearance to get exactly what she wanted. Next came Tabitha, who had recieved her father's serious nature, and his temper, her hair was short and bouncy, and she seemed to demand people's attention. But none of the girls held the same passion and conviction that Felicity Malfoy had.
She was a spirited girl, who had large grey eyes that dominated her soft fetured face, and her long straggly white blond hair fell down her back in an oddly becoming way. She was what the poet's described of as fair, as a true beauty. And even at eleven, she grabbed most men's heart and played with them as toys. She had a life in her that would scare others, and she knew it. Felicity felt perfectly at ease with her bewitching beauty, and even though she played everyone around her like pawns on a chess board, she was careful with one person's thoughts and feelings. Poor Johnathon had captured Felicity's heart, and she him, and though it will take them both forever to recognise it, everyone knew what was in store for the two of them.
Luna looked the same as she always had, her eyes wide and seeming lost, the only thing that had changed at all was that she had a long scar running from her ear to just below her bottom lip, where she had been cut in the final fight. Draco looked a lot more relaxed, because ever since he and Luna moved into a large cottage estate just off form Stars Hollow Draco had learned to relax and trust people.
"Hey you guys!" Rory called, rushing away from Hermione and sweaping Coraline into her arms.
"Hey there, Rory," Draco said and he gave her a one armed hug. "Sorry we're late. Its so hard to get my six girls out of the house."
"Oh, its fine, Ron and Hermione only just arrived themselves." Ginny explained, as she smiled at the Malfoy family.
"Johnathon's here?" Felicity asked, smoothing out her yellow sun dress and fluffing up her long hair.
"Yeah, he's inside," Hermione said kindly. "I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."
"Yes, well I'll see him when I'm ready," Felicity said calmly. She then turned and took her father's food box from his hands. "I'll take this inside for you, papa." And before Draco could answer she ran into the house with the box.
"Hey, Draco buddy!" Called Harry from the porch. Rory turned and saw that Jess, Harry and Ron had all stepped out to greet the Malfoy's.
"Game over?" Ginny asked hopefully.
"Half time," Harry said back as he descended the stairs, and Ginny had to stifle her low groan, but Tabitha didn't miss it, and she let out small tinkling laugh.
And as Rory put Coraline back down with her sisters, Jess came up and slung his arm over Rory, smiling down at the four small girls. They scuttled under their legs and ran up to the house with loud laughs that danced on the night air. April grasped to Coraline's hand and jumped high in the air, using their magic to soar high, and then landed softly on the ground. Riley walked out onto the porch just as Coraline and April were running in, but when he spotted Tabitha walking towards him, an evil grin spread acorss her face, he darted back to safety.
A small hand tugged on Roy's jeans, and when she turned to face who ever it was, she saw Ophelia beaming up at her. Rory lowered herself to Ophelia's level and smiled at the young girl.
"Hey Rory," Ophelia said in a shy voice.
"Why can I do for you, Ophy?" Rory asked, giving the girls belly a small tickle.
The young girl spread out her hands where the small stones sat, and Rory knew what was coming. Ophelia had been entranced with Rory's small power since she was a baby, and though Rory found it rather dull compared to what she once had, she was glad that she could make Ophelia smile.
"Will you morph these for me?" Ophelia asked.
"Ophelia Anne Malfoy," Draco said sternly. "You shouldn't be so rude!"
"No, no," Rory said with a sigh. "Its fine."
Gemma walked down the stiars, sucking on her thumb, and as she approached the group on the lawn timidly she saw Rory begin. She blew on the small stones and small yellow and pink aprticle came from her and fell onto the stones, and they began to glow brightly. Suddenly the light intensified and then dimmed to show twenty beutiful butterflies that sat for a moment on Ophelia's palms then lifted into the sky in a pink cloud.
Ophelia stared up at them with a happy smile, and she stared at them until they were long gone. Gemma came and held onto Ophelia's hand, and that snapped her from her trance. She turned and smiled at the small black haired Gemma. They turned towards the house, and walked slowly discussing the butterflies in quiet voices.
"What do you say!" Harry prompted after them.
"Thank you, Rory!" They called before entering the house.
"That girl will be the death of me," Harry said in a joking tone, and then all seven adults walked toward the house, the goup back together again like they had been all those years ago. Though they had changed so much, and grwon away from their small teenageselves, they managed to find moments when it was just them.
Luna cmae up and put her small hand in Rory's, and with a smile she spoke to Rory. "I'm sorry about Ophelia, she doesn't udnerstand... I understand how hard it mustbe for you to redurce your magic to entertaining little kids."
"It is hard," Rory admitted, squeazing Luna's hand slightly. "But I chose to come back without the magic, my life is so much more normal with out it. I can get on with the life I wanted."
Luna gave a knowing smile and then moved away from Rory, and it made Rory feel ill at ease. Sure, the war was over, but it left wounds that will take ages to heal. She heaved a heavy sigh and looked to Jess, who threw her a comforting smile. Oh how she loved him so, only he knewthe extent that Rory had greived the loss of her power, how much she still missed her mom, and how angry she was at Sirius for slipping into the bottle after the war.
Inside Sirius conjured up a long solid wood dining table and then sent it flying trouhg the fRont door at break neck speed. They all had to drop to their knees as to avoid being decapitated by the table that fell witha hard thud on the fRont lawn. And with low disgruntled murmurs, they all stood back up and walked into the house. Avoiding the string of chinese lanterns that Sirius was sending out by magic, and they began to hand thmeselves on the trees surrounding the table. And already, Rory could tell Sirius was going all out on making this dinner special.
"Is it terribly frieghtening?" Felicity asked Johnathon. The two of them sat on the window bench that looke dout on to the dimming lawn. She was looking completely engrossed with Johnathon, as he told her tales of Hogwarts.
"At first, but once your sorted into your house it gets better," Johnathon replied.
"Were you scared, John?" Felicity asked, her eyes were wide and reflected the lantern's light from outside.
"N-no," John said, suddenly flustered. "Well, I knew I'd get into Gryffindor, so I was ok."
"Do you like Gryffindor?" Felicity asked him.
"Yeah, its great there! Everyone rocks!" John said, suddenly spirited. Feleicity smiled at the thought of being in Gryffindor.
"But not everyone gets into Gryffindor, do they John?" Tabitha asked.
John looked over to Felicity, where her smile had completely wiped from her face. "Well... not really there are three other houses."
"And don't they always fight?" Tabitha asked.
"They some times do... they used to fight a lot, like when Mom and Dad were there." John answered.
"I want to be in Gryffindor." Riley said lcouldy, pretending to growl like a lion. He pounced on Gemma and she cried out as he pretended to gobble her up. "You can be an innocent Hufflepuff! I'll eat you, you foolish badger!"
"Hey!" Coraline said, pulling Gemma free of Riley. "I like Hufflepuff! They are kind, you will be in Slytherin! They aren't nice!"
"Daddy was in Slytherin, you fool!" Tabitha yelled.
"And Daddy wasn't always nice," Coraline replied.
Now it seemed that it was only Rory paying Felicity any mind. Tears were falling down her eyes as she loked around at everyone, as their peace had been destoryed by talk of Hogwarts houses. Suddenly, as tears fell down her eyes, Felicity bolted form the living room and into Rory's room.
"Fee?" John called after her, standing to follow her. But Rory shook her head, and followed after Felicity instead.
Rory found the young girl lying face down on her old bed, her body shaking with tears. Rory closed the door on the noise outside and cautiously walked up to Felicity. Rory lowered herself so she perched on the bed, and patted Felicity's back.
"Its going to be ok, Fee," Rory muttered.
Felicity looked over at Rory from her tear soaked face and shook her head. "No, its not! What if I'm not in Gryffindor? What if I get into Hufflepuff and John starts to pick on me?"
"Fee, there is a possibility you'll be in Hufflepuff, but I assure you its small," Rory said.
"Even so," Felicity said, pushing up herself up from her lying position, and sat up, her thin legs crossed and her hands fiddling with the covers nervously. "If I'm not in Gryffindor, John will hate me!"
"John could never hate you, Fee," Rory said. "The rivalry between the houses were once stRong. And your father, and my brother, are great evidence of that. But they are also evidence that the rift can be closed, if you just believe."
Feleicity seemed unmoved and she just gave Rory an angry glare. "That's too cheesy for me to take seriously."
"Maybe it is," Rory said with a nod. "But, Fee, if John does truly know you, then he'll know that you are a good person, and no amount of 'sorting' will change you."
Felicity wiped the tears from her face with a long heavy sigh as she looked to Rory. Fee seemed deep in thought, but suddenly she gave Rory a nod. Then Felicity wrapped her arms tightly around Rory in an embracing hug, and a bodn was shared between them.
"This talk never leaves this room," Felicity said in a warning tone.
"I never abuse people's trust," Rory swore.
"Dinner's ready," Sirius called, and Felicity began to take deep calming breaths. Rory hopped off the bad, and took Felicity's hand in hers as they walked out of the room.
"Come on, lets put up with all of Uncle Sirius' long winded speaches," Rory said, and Felicity giggled evily as they pushed the door open and walked out into the foyer.
John was leaning against the door frame, playing with his shirt nervously. Once he spotted Felicity, he stood up straight to greet them.
'Hey, Fee," he said unsurely. "Are you ok?"
"Of course I am, Johnathon," she replied hotly. Her hand slipped from Rory's as she walked by John who was looking confused, but still happy to have the old Felicity back. "Now hurry up, or your dad and Uncle Harry are going to eat up all the food."
Johnathon looked at Rory, who just shrugged, and then he turned and ran after Felicity. Jess walked up behind Rory and then they both walked down into the forn yard, where the table was set up.
Night time had fallen quickly onto Stars Hollow, and now the only light that lit up the table, were the warm red lights from the chinese lanterns strung in the trees, and the candles that were held in golden candle holders down the centre of the table. Sirius had taken head of the table, and the kids had tken the opposite end. Rory and Jess took up the last two seats available. Rory sat at the end of the table, and across from her sat Harry.
"A toast," Sirius alled, and they all raised their champagne flutes, the children's glasses filled with apple juice. "To new beginnings."
It was the same toast they had at each one of these annual dinners, but they all echoed the words with passion anyway. Sirius stood to the table, and he braced his slightly trembling hands against the firm table, and Rory had to hide her shamed cringe.
"Well, we are about to bid farewell to Felicity, who is going to start on her new journey to Hogwarts in three days time." Sirius began as he looked fondly down to the other end of the table, where Felicity sat next to Johnathon. "And begins her new school life. I believe I speak for everyone when I say we all wish you the best of luck." Everyone cheered Hear, Hear. "But today, things are changing, we are loosing another child to Hogwarts, and though it is a long time away we will soon loose four other girls to the same cause. Lives change, times change, and people perish. But if you keep your heart and wits about you, then you can make the best out of what this world hands you."
Though everyone else sees it as the ramblings of a faded soldier, Rory can tell it has affected Feliity, and she is beaming down at her plate of food. John look over at Felicity too, and thier eyes lock, and for the briefest of moments, Rory can see a blush spread across both thier pale faces. Finally they all dig in, and a happy quiet descends on them.
That night, as Rory tucks the sleepy Riley into his bed, and Jess sits on their living room couch, Rory is finally free to think. Those dinners are always so distressing, each time she sees her father, she expects him to be over the shakes and constant need for alcohol, but she is constantly let down.
She and Jess fianlly retire to bed, and each night after those dinners, Rory breaks down into tears and night, and Jess holds her close. Its not really because she has sucha horrid time that she cires, and its not mainly because of her father, or the fact that being around all those magic people makes her crave for what she's lost. But rather she cries because she can, because she is still alive. Rory's tears are for the future they all have, for the futures that were taken away from those who died, and for the memories of war that they all shared.
She always cried, and she always would, but she would wake up feeling like the normal Rory the next morning, and she would carry on leading her normal life. Jess brushed her hair from her eyes and kissed her tear spent eyes tenderly.
"Your with me, and everyone is safe, there is no more fear," Jess whispered. "You'll be ok, we'll be ok."
"Peace?" Rory croaked.
"There is always going to be peace now," Jess replied.
He was right, there always would be peace... Harry and Rory made sure of that there always would be.
(A/N) Well, there you go, the last installment. What do you think? Please comment? If you don't liek it tell me! I love feedback, and seeing as this is the last ever chapter, it deserves a reply! Tell me what you thought of teh story over all? How about teh ending? Too cheesy? Too depressing?
I wanted to shwo that even though the war is over, things weren't completly solved, and though there is over all peace, there are other inner conflicts.
THANKS!-- M. Love
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