Author's Note: Well, here is the final chapter. My beta hasn't seen it, there may be errors. I lost my thoughts in the craziness my life has been recently, but I wanted to finish it. This chapter mirrors one of the early chapters, where Harry sits and talks with Sirius and Remus about what he wants. It was the beginning of turning his life around. Thank you to my beta, Arnel, who will undoubtedly send me a betaed copy of this chapter today, just in case I want it. Thanks too to Old Crow for inspiring this rearrangement of his amazing story. Thanks to for everyone who has read, reviewed and shared the story. I am humbled by the response. MNF

Chapter 46:

Lessons Learned?

3 January 2002

Harry and Sirius were both dressed in the royal blue robes of the House of Lords of the Parliament of Magical United Kingdom. This was the compromise that was agreed on during the five years that the Prime Minister of the UK had control over the wizarding world. To hold the title of Lord, and therefore be seated in the House of Lords required one of two things. First, if one was indeed gentry by blood, recognized by the crown as such – as both Harry and Sirius were – you were immediately given a seat. Harry was please that Justin Finch-Fetchley was also seated this way, his father was an earl of something, and would bring a fresh perspective to the body. The second way you could be seated in the House of Lords was if you owned a certain amount of land and petitioned the Prime Minister's office, based on who you are and what you have contributed to wizarding society.

Arthur Weasley owned a fair bit of land, several orchards worth, but it had been cursed several generations ago and it no longer bore fruit. Harry and Neville took a short trip to the UK two years ago and lifted the curse. Since then, Weasley Cider had made the family rather rich. Harry and Neville were glad they could help, as they felt guilty about how their friendship with Ron had ended. Arthur had successfully petitioned and given the family's help with the post Wand Out recovery, he was immediately granted the seat. With the non-magical Prime Minister making the decisions, it was a far fairer process.

"I don't think I like that you have that out," Harry said as he stepped into his Pater's office.

"I have no plans to use it," Sirius stated as he patted his Auntie Cassie's Book of Secrets, "but if we need it, we have it."

"I think you should burn it," Harry said. "Why are these robes so itchy?" he asked as he ran his fingers along the back collar, trying to ease his discomfort.

"Well, when was the last time you wore robes? We never wear them at work, or at home, and definitely not when you're with Hermione at her Healer training."

"Sometimes I need to wear them when we go out for the evening with other trainee Healers or well, the thousands of people who want to meet her. My brilliant fiancée."

"Bit of the turning of the tables, isn't it?" Sirius teased.

"Believe me, I am much happier with having her being out front and me being the supportive 'other half'. She handles the press far better than me," Harry said, sitting down and pouring himself a cup of coffee. The gents enjoyed afternoon tea still, but mornings were for strong black coffee.

"You brought beans from home," Harry commented after taking a sniff.

"Of course, I did," Sirius countered. "Have you tasted what passes for coffee here?"

"No, I always drank tea before."

"It comes as granules, and you spoon it into hot water and stir. It tastes like piss-water and it's the palest shade of brown no matter how much you spoon in. Yes, I brought beans from home!" Sirius had become a connoisseur in two beverages in the last five years; coffee and whisky.

"Daddy, you said a bad word. I telling mummy," Lyra came in, still in her nightdress and rubbing her eyes.

"It's I'm telling mummy, sweet pea," he said lifting her up to sit on his lap. She immediately snuggled into him. While Lyra loved her mother, she was most definitely a daddy's girl.

"Why are you and Harry in those ugly robes?" she asked. "That blue looks yucky."

"We didn't pick it, princess," Harry said. "Our dad, Uncle Frank, Susie and I need to go to an important meeting today and these yucky outfits are the kit for it."

"It's not only an unfortunate colour, but the thread count is far too low," the six-year-old said, sounding far too much like her older sister. Harry laughed, while Sirius looked a bit aghast.

"You're spending too much time at your sister's boutique," Sirius stated.

"I love Susie," Lyra said before sticking her bottom lip out and starting at Sirius. "We talk fashion. She even did my nails for me." Sirius looks down and notices that his daughter has a perfect manicure.

"I thought it was your big brother who was going to make me grey, now I think it's you, little miss." Sirius said while tickling her tummy.

"You'll still have great hair, daddy, even if it is grey! We have the best hair!" It was true, Lyra had her father's perfect hair. Even upon waking up, Lyra had good hair. Harry was naturally quite jealous.

"Come on, princess, let's get you some marmalade toast," Harry said, plucking his sister from Pater's lap.

"Did we bring my kind from home?" she asked. Pineapple marmalade, who knew?

"Yes, my little diva, I did," Sirius responded.

"Like you're one to talk. You not only brought coffee beans from home, you brought your grinder, your French press and your favourite coffee mugs," Harry said with a congenially mocking tone.

"Why do I have children again?" Harry just laughed at his father.

ITWAU ITWAU ITWAU

Very late that night, three men sat around the fire in Sirius's study. Two of the three, along with the rest of the family, would return to Hawai'i. Remus was sticking around. They all had glasses of whisky in front of them, no "fire" to it – the older gents found the burning sensation unpleasant and heartburn inducing – and none enjoyed the steam pouring from their ears. No, this was a fine whisky, Glenmorangie. The flavour was warm, buttery with hits of cinnamon and a floral bouquet.

"I can't believe Frank didn't tell us anything about his becoming the Lord Speaker of the Magical House of Lords," Sirius said. "He could have warned us."

"He was probably worried we'd try to talk him out of it," Remus replied.

"You had to have known something," Sirius said, and Remus shook his head. "You're his assistant!"

"He sent me an owl this morning," Remus explained. "I only accepted when I saw him at the Ministry today. We haven't even talked about what my duties are."

"What am I going to do without you blokes?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, you don't need us," Remus said emotionally. "You have built a life of your own, and don't need a pack of guys to run with anymore. Your enchanting business is brilliant, you have a wife and family. You've been standing on your own feet for quite a while." Sirius sat back in his chair and considered what his oldest friend had to say. The three were silent for a long while, listening as the logs cracked and hissed in the grate and they slowly sipped their neat beverages.

"Do you think the changes that were proposed today will be effective?" Harry asked in a soft voice. "I mean, changes have been proposed before and within a few months or years everything was back to the way it was."

"I think a more honest attempt will be made," Sirius answered him. "Amy worked very hard on these, but she and Greengrass were the only native members of the committee. The international community is watching us closely, and if we fail this time, I do not believe they will give us another chance. The implementation and acceptance of these new laws are tied to the UK's trade agreements and acceptance for a seat on the ICW and for the World Quidditch League. Can you imagine if Ireland, Scotland, Wales, or England are never able to field another team for the World Cup?"

"Well then, it's a stroke of genius for them to have tied participation in such events to the UK living in the twenty-first century," Harry said. Another comfortable silence fell over the gentlemen.

"If you're back living here full time, Remus, will you marry Maia?" Harry asked. It had always been a hippogriff in the room when the gents sat down to talk. Sirius and Harry knew Remus had continued his relationship with Maia after the family took off for the US; and he saw her on his frequent trips home. The two had not, however, taken any steps forward.

"I don't think we will ever marry, Harry," Remus answered thoughtfully. "Maia sees the institution – at least how most magicals have used it – to imprison women."

"I think Amy and Luna might disagree with you," the young man quickly retorted.

"Yes, but Sirius, Neville and even Frank are far more forward thinking than most. We won't have children – I can't we discovered – and she'd such a free spirit I feel no need to demand a piece of paper to validate what we have. We live on the edges of society, and we are both happy to be there," Remus explained.

"I don't think you can say you live on the outskirts of society when you're the Secretary to the head of the magical House of Lords," Sirius pointed out.

"Our private lives are on the outskirts," Remus said. Sirius looked as if he was opening his mouth, so Remus changed tactics. "What about you, Harry?" Remus asked. "Your life has changed quite a bit in the last few years."

"That's an understatement," Harry answered. "The big change was Hogwarts closing and Sirius deciding to take charge of my education. I learned so much I wouldn't have even been exposed to. I know I was being shuffled into a showdown with Voldemort and if I lived, a career as an Auror. I don't think I would have been happy, even though I thought it was cool when I was eleven."

"I can't see you spending your life catching dark wizards and putting your life in danger," Sirius said. "You would have headed straight into a breakdown."

"I agree, as does Dr Phillip," Harry said with a nod to his father. "I appreciate the quiet, predictable nature of my life. I somehow doubt Hermione and I would have ever gotten together if we'd stayed at Hogwarts."

"I don't think you're right on that account," Sirius said. "I've seen the two of you together for years, and it was obvious you belong together. When you rescued me in your third year, you two just moved like one organism. You can hold entire conversations with a look. You were destined to be together."

"Oh, I agree," Harry said. "But Ron had always told me how much he liked Hermione, but he was too frightened to ask her to Hogsmeade. He was convinced I should marry Ginny. I don't know what I would have done, but if we were living together, I would have forgiven Ron just to keep the peace. Ginny would have been someone easy to date and …well...before Dr Phillip I just went along with things. Ginny was there and…"

"You never date the girl who fawns over you," Sirius said. "Your dad made that mistake his fourth year."

"Oh," Remus bemoaned. "I haven't thought of Lexi Barton-Bellowfellow in years. I would have been happy if I never remembered her."

"She couldn't have been that bad," Harry defended the woman.

"She was," Sirius confirmed. "I made the Quidditch team my second year – they were desperate for a beater with a longer throw, and I was already tall, so my throw was…anyway – your dad didn't join the team until this third year. Lexi went to the extreme in her outfits for the matches. I don't think Hogwarts has seen anything like them since."

"I don't know, Luna made a lion's head that actually roared," Harry interjected.

"Yes, but Luna might not always be in the same universe we are, but she wasn't a stalker," Remus retorted.

"Anyway, after a year of basically following James everywhere, he asks her to Hogsmeade. It went as well as you'd expect. Your mum and dad ended up in same carriage and quickly Lexi was nothing to your dad."

"Well, that wasn't so nice of him."

"Harry, your mum was everything to your dad. If Lexi stalked your dad before, now she was determined to make his life hell. She'd stand outside our dorm room door and meow like a cat. She'd send him hundreds of wasp shaped notes that could sting. It was only having Padfoot charge out of our dorm near the end of the year that stopped her. Never date the fangirl."

"Well, I don't plan on dating anyone besides Hermione for the rest of my life. Ginny is sweet and I like her as a friend, but she grew up at the Burrow, and its always chaos. I like quiet. Speaking of fame, I find it fascinating that in the states, Hermione is the celebrity, but here people still look at me like the second coming of Merlin."

"Well, you save the magical world not once but twice, you're going to be seen as something special," Remus answered.

"Naw, just a guy who can think quick on his feet," Harry said. "Mum did the hard work the first time and the second, I don't know what happened. All I cast was Expelliarmus."

"I suppose we will never quite understand what went on," Sirius said. "So let's not linger on the past. When are you and Hermione getting married and when am I going to be a grandpap?"

"Grandpap? You have an infant of your own!" Harry said. "I get Amy pestering Susie, that's what happens to girls of a certain age, but don't pester me about being a grandpap. Enjoy your own kids, Padfoot." Sirius looked to Remus for help.

"Don't look at me you, old dog," he retorted. "I'm not going anywhere near Hermione with questions about babies."

"Smart move," Harry added. "Look, Hermione is never going to want some grand affair as a wedding. It will be like yours and Amy's," he said looking at Sirius. "Our friends and family on the lanai at sunset will suit both of us just fine."

"What about everyone at the factory?" Sirius piped up. "They claim you as their own, pup."

"I'm too old to be called pup, Pater. We have already agreed we'll need to have a large reception so everyone involved in the business, or in her medical career, can come and celebrate. But the wedding itself, we'd be happy to have Augusta or maybe Frank in his new position marry us at home." The three raised their glasses and had another drink.

"To family," Harry said. "Be they legal, friends who become more or those who found their way to us. The family I have wouldn't have begun if the two of you hadn't stepped in when you did that summer. Thank you."