Forgive me for taking so long to get the epilogue posted, but things have been hectic around here in the last two weeks. Plus, I found it a challenge to work in all the information I wanted to cram into it. An appendix should soon follow this chapter, as I've mostly completed that. After taking a bit of a break, I should soon be posting a new story, so keep me on your author alert lists. Once again, I would like to thank my loyal readers and reviewers for supporting this story. I don't think I could have done it without you. Special thanks go to Arsinoe de Blassenville, for her support and encouragement in the nearly two years I've been writing this story.
Author's Note: For the purposes of this story, the cutoff birthdate that decides which year one will begin Hogwarts is on December 31st.
EPILOGUE -- 11 Years Later
"Why do I have to go to London to take the train to Hogwarts when we live right here in Hogsmeade?" Lucia Malfoy asked her father in irritation. "It's simply not logical. Really, it would be much easier to just meet the train when it arrives and go in with the others then."
"Tradition," Lucius replied, his lip quirked up in amused smile. He'd remembered asking his father just before his own first year why they just couldn't take a portkey to the entrance to Hogwarts, as that would save a lot of time and bother. Looking down at his oldest daughter with affection, he added, "It may seem like a waste of time now, but daresay you'll enjoy it."
"There's no need to be nervous, dear," Hermione told her, putting a reassuring hand on her daughter's shoulder. "All the other firsties will be a little nervous, too. The train ride will allow you to mix a bit, and to start to get to know one another before you get sorted. Teddy and Samantha will be there to help if you have any questions. Plus you'll have your sister and James with you. You can all share a compartment if that would make you feel more comfortable." After a pause, she added, "You should have it easier than I did, considering that I was muggleborn and knew nothing of the wizarding world, save what I'd read from my new schoolbooks."
"I'm not nervous, Mum," Lucia said, rolling her eyes in indignation. "After all, I'm a Malfoy. Malfoys don't get nervous."
"How could I have forgotten that?" Hermione replied, laughing merrily, exchanging a knowing glance with Lucius.
Over the years, Lucia had grown into a unique blend of her parents' personalities. She had a healthy dose of her father's haughty demeanour combined with her mother's thirst for knowledge and with more than a touch of her know-it-all nature. She was a tall eleven year old with her father's piercing blue eyes and had wavy honey-blond hair.
"The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree, hmm?" Lucius murmured in Hermione's ear.
"That's for certain," she replied, leaning up for a quick kiss.
Ignoring her parents' disgusting display of affection, as she'd grown used to it over the years, Lucia continued, "And, besides, I already know quite a few of the people who will be in my year from primary school. Plus, I've already seen several of the new muggleborns when they were in Hogsmeade attending the orientation classes with their parents."
Looking at her mother sideways, she insisted, "It's not fair. It will be your first year as a Hogwarts professor and they're not making you ride the train!"
"Regardless of the logic of the matter, you still have to do it, so you might as well make the best of it," Hermione said seriously, knowing her daughter was nervous despite her protests to the contrary. "Besides, I have to be there early for a meeting, which I'm sure will be quite boring. I think I'd much rather enjoy a nice, relaxing train ride than do that."
"I suppose you're right," Lucia conceded with a barely audible sigh.
"We need to get moving so that you don't miss the train," Lucius urged them. "We're supposed to meet everyone at ten thirty."
Hermione turned to locate their other two children so they could depart. Athena, who was ten, was sitting on a nearby chair, her nose in a book, as she waited for her family to be ready to leave. Athena was built like her older sister, but her hair was brownish-blond and she shared her mother's brown eyes. She was more introverted than Lucia, but she shared her thirst for knowledge.
Though both sisters loved to learn, their motivations were different. To Lucia, knowledge was power, but for Athena, learning was its own reward. It had been noted several times by those who knew the Malfoys, that Athena had been aptly named.
"Where is Severus?" Hermione asked Athena, looking around for her youngest child.
Looking up from her book, she said in a bored tone, "He's still upstairs in the loo, I'd expect." After a pause, she added, "He was going in there when I came downstairs."
Before Hermione could react, the sound of pounding feet reached them. A moment later, her only son appeared. Named after the late Severus Snape, who had been Lucius' best friend, the eight year old boy was a miniature replica of his father.
"All right, then, let's go," Lucius said briskly. "We're running a bit behind schedule, so let's get to the portkey in the garden."
Moments later, the Malfoy family appeared at a public apparition point on the wizarding side of the train station. As they entered Platform 9 3/4, Hermione took in the bustling scene with a pang of nostalgia, remembering her first time there.
"I can't believe that Lucia is starting Hogwarts already," Hermione murmured to Lucius as the family walked onto the platform. "It seems like only yesterday that I first came here."
"Time flies," Lucius replied. "And the older you get, the faster it goes."
"Isn't that the truth," Hermione agreed, as he leaned down to give her a quick kiss.
"Oh, look!" Severus called out, pointing. "There's Regulus!" Looking up at his father, who gave a nod of approval, Severus ran to greet his half-brother, who would be starting Hogwarts with him in three years.
"Hello, Aunt Narcissa," the young boy said, looking up at his stepmother with genuine fondness. "Have you been waiting long?"
"No, not at all," she said with a smile. "Dori couldn't find her new wand, so we were momentarily delayed."
At this moment, Hermione and Lucius reached Narcissa and Andromeda, who were helping Dori and Teddy to organize their things on their trolleys.
"Good morning, darling," Lucius said, leaning down to give Narcissa a kiss. "You're looking wonderful, as usual."
Smiling at his second daughter, he said, "Are you ready to go?"
"I've been ready for two years now, Father," Dori said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You should know that." Dori was a near replica to her half-sister Lucia, except that her blond hair was straight rather than wavy, and she was somewhat slighter in build.
"How could I have forgotten," Lucius said in mock consternation.
"I wonder what's keeping Draco and Luna?" Narcissa wondered. "It's nearly time for them to board."
"You know how Luna is," Hermione said. "I love her dearly, but she does tend to be rather scatterbrained."
As Narcissa nodded knowingly, Luna suddenly appeared, rushing up to the group with Scorpius leading the way. His nine year old sister, Calista, brought up the rear, casually strolling along.
"I see you finally made it," Hermione teased Luna.
"I was working on lesson plans for my six year old class and the time got away from me," Luna explained.
"I remember you'd told me that you and Hannah had switched which age groups you were teaching," Hermione said.
Luna had been teaching at Hogmeade's primary school from the time it had opened a few years ago, along with Hannah Longbottom. The job was perfect for both women, considering that both their husbands were Hogwarts professors.
"Grandfather!" Calista called out to Lucius, reaching up to him for a hug. The young witch, who was Malfoy in appearance, but Lovegood in temperament, adored Lucius and thought he could do no wrong.
After giving his granddaughter a hug, Lucius turned to Luna and said, "I thought Draco was coming with you today."
"He had planned to, but the Headmaster called a last minute meeting for the Heads of House," Luna told him.
"Well, he'll see Scorpius soon enough, as he's likely to be sorted into Slytherin," Lucius conceded, though disappointed that Draco wasn't there to see his firstborn child off to Hogwarts.
Luna wasn't so sure her son would end up in Slytherin, but did not comment, as she and Lucius had had this discussion before.
Noting that students were boarding the train in greater numbers, Lucius said, "I'd say it's about time for all of you to get on board." Taking both his daughters' hands, he walked with them to the train, with Scorpius following closely behind, with the Malfoy women following with the younger children.
As they reached the train, Lucius looked down at his daughters and grandson and said, "I expect all of you to do the Malfoy name proud. I want you to study hard and make the most of the education you're about to receive. I want you to keep me and your mothers regularly updated about how you're getting along in school." After a pause, he added, with an amused smile, "And don't forget to have some fun along the way."
After hugging them each in turn, he stepped aside to watch as they said goodbye to their mothers.
Narcissa kissed Dori on the cheek then said, "I expect regular owls from you, so that I know you're all right. Lucia and Scorpius will see a parent every day, so they won't need to owl home so much, but I won't be able to see you until Christmas. I'll be waiting for your owl tonight."
"Yes, Mum," Dori said dutifully. She was eager to go, but at the same time would miss her parents and Malfoy Manor.
At the same time, Hermione was hugging Lucia. "I know you'll see me again in a few hours at the sorting, but I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. I don't have any doubts that you'll be an excellent student and it doesn't matter at all to me what House you'll be in."
"Even if it's Hufflepuff?" Lucia asked.
"Even if it's Hufflepuff," Hermione said firmly. Privately, she was hoping for Ravenclaw for her, but hadn't told anyone, even Lucius.
"I'll see you soon," Luna told Scorpius, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Luna often visited Draco at Hogwarts during the day, though they now had a home in Hogsmeade they used during the school year, so she'd be able to see her son regularly. "Have fun on the train."
As the three Malfoy firsties boarded the train, Harry and Arabella Potter appeared out of the crowd, with James and his trolley leading the way. The two younger Potter children, Albus Severus and Lily, followed close on their brother's heels. The oldest girl, Samantha, followed at a sedate pace, as she was now a jaded fourth year.
After the family exchanged goodbyes, James and Samantha followed the Malfoy entourage onto the train. James was still a miniature replica of Harry, sans the glasses. Harry, now filled out in the prime of manhood, sported long hair and a moustache.
"Harry, it's so good to see you!" Hermione said after the children had boarded. "We've not seen much of you since you got that position with the Ministry's Child Welfare department."
"And with you starting as the new Muggle Studies professor today, we'll likely see even less of one another," Harry lamented.
"It shouldn't be so bad, considering that I'll not be boarding at the school," Hermione pointed out. "Once we both get settled properly into our jobs, we'll have to have you and Arabella over for dinner one night."
"We'll look forward to that," Harry said. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to get to the ministry."
"That's perfectly all right," she said. "I need to get to Hogwarts soon, anyway, as they're having a meeting with all staff."
"See you soon, then," Harry said in parting.
As the train pulled out of the station, Regulus came up to his mother and asked, "Mum, may Severus come home with us and play?"
"I don't see why not," Narcissa said. Turning to Hermione, "If that's all right with you, of course."
"I have no problem with it," Hermione said. "They'll be starting school next week, so I suppose they need to get some playing in while they have the chance. I'll pick him up on my way back home after classes today, as I do want him to read a little bit each night in his course books for the new year."
"Athena is welcome, too, of course," Narcissa added.
"I've just started a new book, so I suppose I'd just rather go home with Father," Athena said, not really relishing spending the day in the company of her noisy younger brothers.
"And I'll be spending most of the day working on my memoir, so it will work well if you take the boys and I take Athena," Lucius told his wife.
After several years of encouragement from both his women and several others, Lucius had finally decided to tell his story about his years as a Death Eater and was currently about halfway through writing the manuscript. It was a story that he felt needed telling, as he believed that those who were ignorant of history were condemned to repeat it. His publisher agreed, knowing that no one could tell the story better than someone who had been in Voldemort's inner circle.
After the train pulled out, Lucius kissed both his women in turn, then left with Athena to the apparition point. Narcissa, Andromeda, and Luna followed shortly thereafter with the rest of the children to do likewise. Hermione was last, apparating directly to Hogwarts' front gates.
---
"Well, where you want to sit?" Lucia asked Dori, Scorpius, and Teddy once they'd boarded the train.
"Let's see if we can find an empty compartment," Scorpius suggested. "We can all sit together."
"You can all sit where you want," Samantha said dismissively. "I'm going to go find my friends and sit with them." Not waiting for a reply, she hurried off.
"How about this compartment?" Teddy suggested. He had no intention of abandoning them to their own devices. "It's empty."
"One is as good as another," Lucia said as she went inside and plopped herself down by the window.
The other kids followed suit and they amused themselves for awhile speculating about their house placements, as they enjoyed the changing scenery rolling forth outside the window.
"Well, let's hear what each of you thinks about which house you'll be sorted into," Teddy began, to get the ball rolling. "I wasn't really all that surprised to be sorted into Hufflepuff last year, as that was my Mum's house."
"Father and Draco expect us all to be Slytherins as you might expect," Lucia told him. "But my Mum told me it didn't matter to her which house I went into as long as I was happy." Chuckling softly, she added, "But she was a Gryffindor, so that's about what I expected her to say." Not wanting to ruffle any feathers, she did not add that she'd be mortified if she was sorted into Hufflepuff, and wasn't really too keen on Gryffindor, either.
"My mother said pretty much the same thing," Dori added. "But I know she must feel the same way Father does."
"I expect I'll be a Gryffindor," James remarked. "Both my parents were, so it won't surprise me if I go there, too."
A short time later, the snack trolley came by and students came out of all the nearby compartments to queue up for their treats. The Malfoy group ended up in the middle of the queue, seeing many familiar faces from their primary school. Several faces, however, were unfamiliar, as a sizable minority of wizarding families still preferred to home school their children for primary education. And some, no doubt, were muggleborns.
"Hi, Trudy," Lucia called out to a large girl with glossy raven hair. "I didn't see you on the platform earlier." Trudy Goyle was the daughter of Millicent Bulstrode and Greg Goyle, whom Lucia saw fairly often as a casual friend.
"We were rather early, because I wanted to get a good compartment," Trudy explained. "I just can't wait to get to Hogwarts!"
"Hey, James, how's it going?" Algernon Longbottom greeted as he joined his friend in the queue. Dark haired with a diffident manner like his father, he'd been James' best friend since early childhood.
"Good to see you, Algie," James said. "I hope we get into the same house."
A short, reserved boy with vaguely Asian features nodded at them all, but otherwise minded his own business. Stanley Scrivenshaft had been home schooled, as his mother, Cho Chang, felt she could better educate him at home, even while working in her consort's shop.
The last girl in the queue, with strawberry blond hair and a lithe build, stood well away from the Malfoys. This was Victoire Weasley, who'd had a rather rocky relationship with both Malfoy sisters since their first day of primary school.
Vicky, as her grandmother Molly called her, could not abide the Malfoy sisters' high-handed ways, always acting as if they were smarter than everybody and always sticking their noses into everything. Her Grandmum had told her that they were "Death Eater trash" and had no business acting so high and mighty. Following Grandmum's advice, she was determined to avoid them whenever possible.
As she stood waiting her turn, she desperately hoped she wouldn't be stuck in the same house with them. Watching her cousin James chatting easily with Lucia and Dori, Vicky couldn't understand how he could stand to be around them.
A nondescript girl with straight, medium brown hair standing just behind the Malfoys looked at the the two girls and Scorpius with frank curiosity. Finally, she couldn't stand it any longer.
"Excuse me," she said to get their attention. "Are the three of you triplets?"
The trio burst out into laughter at this absurd notion.
Turning to face the girl with one raised eyebrow, looking so much like a younger, female version of her father, Lucia said. "And you are...?"
"I'm Jennifer Bentley," the girl said, introducing herself.
"Bentley," Lucia said, frowning at the unfamiliar name. "I've never heard of any wizarding families named Bentley."
"Oh, I'm muggleborn," Jennifer explained cheerfully. "I expect that I'm the founder of the wizarding Bentley family."
"That explains it," Lucia noted, her tone carefully neutral. "To answer your question, he's our nephew and she's my sister." The young witch pointed to Scorpius and Dori in turn. "I'm Lucia Malfoy and they are Scorpius Malfoy and Dori Malfoy."
"So you and Dori are twins, then," Jennifer guessed.
"No, we have different birthdays and different mothers," Lucia explained, somewhat exasperated.
Somewhat shocked at the unorthodox family configuration, Jennifer attempted to school her facial expression. There was so much she had to learn about the wizarding world! She now wished she'd paid better attention in the wizarding orientation classes she took that summer.
"Well, it was very nice to meet all of you and I expect we'll be seeing one another at school," she finally said lamely.
"No doubt," Lucia said dryly, already turning away from the muggleborn girl.
Several hours later, they'd arrived at Hogwarts and were now waiting in the anteroom prior to being sorted. Most of the new firsties were still oohing and aahing about the boat ride and the magnificent night time view of the old castle. They were all eager to be finally sorted and be official Hogwarts students at last.
They didn't have long to wait. Within a few short moments, the big door squealed open to admit a wizened, diminutive wizard."I'm Professor Flitwick, Deputy Headmaster," the little man said. "If you'll all queue up and follow me...."
A moment later, the group walked through a huge, cathedral-like room, which had four long tables all filled with older students. Professor Flitwick stopped at the far end of the room, where a battered hat sat waiting on a table by a plain wooden stool.
Looming in front of the stool on a dais was the staff table, set at a perpendicular angle to the long student tables. Lucia looked up to see her brother and mother smiling down at them, which helped the young witch to feel confidently at ease.
Lucia tuned out when the hat began singing some ridiculous song, spending the time looking around the Great Hall, getting her bearings. She sighed, wishing the hat would shut up already, so they could get on with it.
Finally, Professor Flitwick told them to step forward as their name was called.
"Bentley, Jennifer!"
The muggleborn girl stepped forward hesitantly and giggled as the hat slid down over her eyes.
Within a minute, the hat called out, "RAVENCLAW!"
Several names later, the diminutive professor said, "Goyle, Gertrude!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Well, that was a bit of a surprise," Lucia thought to herself, thinking that she'd have been a Slytherin like both her parents.
"Longbottom, Algernon!" The clumsy young man nearly stumbled as he moved forward to take his turn, accompanied by a bit of snickering from older students.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Soon, they got to the Ms and it was Lucia's turn.
"Malfoy, Lucia!"
Heads turned to see where the firstborn daughter of former Death Eater Lucius Malfoy and his muggleborn consort would end up.
"Hmm, another Malfoy," the hat said as soon as it had settled on her head. "And a halfblood at that. My, how times have changed! You have your father's keen powers of observation on what makes people tick and how to use that knowledge in practical ways to your benefit. But you also have your mother's deep desire for knowledge for its own sake. Where shall I put you? Hmm, it's a tough one. You'd do well in Ravenclaw, but I think it better be..."
"SLYTHERIN!"
Lucia exchanged happy glances with her mother and brother, then trotted off eagerly to join her new table, as the room clapped for her, unsurprised that a child of Lucius Malfoy would end up there. She looked down at her robe where the Slytherin patch had already appeared and noticed that her plain black and white striped tie had turned green and silver.
"Malfoy, Nymphadora!"
Dori walked up to the stool confidently, taking the hat from the professor. As with her older brother before her, it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" before it had a chance to properly settle on her head.
A bit of laughter followed her as she hurried over to the Slytherin table to join her sister, amid comments about how Malfoys never change.
"Malfoy, Scorpius."
Exchanging a glance with his father before donning the hat, the young wizard sat down expectantly.
"RAVENCLAW!"
This announcement was greeted by stunned silence. A Malfoy who wasn't a Slytherin? Unheard of! But, then again, this was Lucius' grandson, one generation removed from the two girls.
Scorpius wasn't all that surprised, however. After all, he was just as much a Lovegood as he was a Malfoy. He looked up at his father sheepishly as he took his place at the Ravenclaw table, hoping he'd not be too disappointed. He was relieved when Draco smiled at him, giving him a thumbs up in encouragement.
"Potter, James!"
Everyone in the room craned their heads expectantly to see where the firstborn child of the Boy Who Lived would be sorted. The room waited with bated breath as James obligingly allowed Professor Flitwick to place the hat on his head.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The sound of hundreds of jaws dropping in unison greeted the young wizard as he took the hat off and went to join his table. He was happy with his placement, knowing that he could just be himself there, without his father's shadow following him around as it would have in Gryffindor.
Stanley Scrivenshaft ended up as a Ravenclaw like his mother, and Victoire Weasley, unsurprisingly, was placed in Gryffindor, like countless Weasleys before her.
----
Later that evening, Hermione returned to her home in Hogsmeade after a long, productive day, first stopping to pick up Severus from Malfoy Manor. Now that all seven of her Muggle Studies books had been published and adopted, she was looking forward to teaching from them. She hoped she'd be as good of a professor as Minerva McGonagall had been, who had sadly passed away that summer.
She found Lucius and Athena out in the garden with their Afghan hound, Balthazar. Strolling across to them, she kissed them each in turn. "Oh, it's been a wonderful day, but I'm so glad to be home and get off my feet," she said as she seated herself in a lawn chair.
Severus ran forward to join his sister playing with the dog, as their parents sat companionably side by side watching them, holding hands. Though they'd been together for twelve years, their passion for one another had not dimmed. As they watched their two younger children cavort with the dog on the grass, both felt supremely satisfied with the life that had resulted from the bold choices they'd made over a decade before.
"I love you, Lucius," Hermione said, sighing with contentment.
"I love you more," Lucius replied, leaning over to kiss her.
END
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Next: Appendix