I'd like to thank brianna-xox, fredfred and Otium for betaing. They improved the story a lot.

Chapter 24: Aftermath

The Weald, Kent, Britain, October 2nd, 1999, 09.15 hours

Albus Dumbledore had never been as relieved in his whole life as when he saw the green shade appear again, floating in the air. He held the Resurrection Stone, but before he could use it, he saw that the shade was not moving as before, but fading. And he heard it scream in terror.

"Noooooo!"

The scream grew weaker as the shade dissipated. It didn't take more than a few seconds, and the Dark Lord was gone. It was over.

Harry pulled his cloak off. The cloak that had not hidden him from Voldemort's soul. Something Albus should have anticipated. The boy was on his knees, panting and retching. Miss Weasley and Sirius were there, kneeling in the mud next to him, holding him, hugging him.

A flick of his wrist and a whispered syllable told Albus that the boy, no, the man, was not seriously hurt. Not like other victims of a possession. Harry's scar was bleeding, but that was it. Though Albus didn't know how badly his mind had been hurt by the Dark Lord trying to take over his body. He could only hope for the best.

"What happened?"

Albus turned towards the Wand-Commander. "The Dark Lord's shade tried to possess Harry. He failed."

"Did he survive the attempt?" She stared at him.

The old wizard shook his head. "He is dead for real now. He will not be coming back." Not unless Albus summoned his soul with the Resurrection Stone, at least. But even that might fail with a soul damaged by Horcruxes. Not that he had any intention of doing that. The Wand-Commander looked a bit doubtful, so he met her eyes and added. "I am certain. I have been working for twenty years to achieve this, Commander."

Sarah nodded at him. "It's over then."

"The battle is over," he answered, "though I fear that the aftermath will keep challenging us for quite some time." The seeds Tom had sown had not all been dealt with, after all. "And the price we paid for this was very high indeed." Although not as high as he had feared, he thought, looking at Harry. The last resort that Albus and the young man had talked about, in private, had not been needed.

"Indeed. We've lost the entire Curse-Breaking team. Twenty Wands were killed and more are wounded. And most of your friends died as well." Sarah sounded very matter-of-fact. He hadn't expected anything else - she was the leader of the Wands, and had known what to expect from previous battles.

He nodded. "The Order members were brave, but most of them lacked your training and experience."

"Most, but not all," Sarah said, looking at the small group that had gathered around Harry. "We've identified Rabastan Lestrange among those killed while attacking our position. He was the last ranking Death Eater who had not yet been accounted for. Unless that was a decoy."

"Unlikely. The Lestrange were fanatical in their devotion to the Dark Lord. They would not have deserted him." They had spent almost twenty years trying to resurrect Tom.

Sarah nodded, accepting his reasoning. "I've called the Obliviators to help with the mopping up." She looked at him, as if waiting for a reaction.

"Good." Albus smiled. If the young witch thought he'd make an issue about her ordering the exiles who had taken up the duties of the Obliviators, then she was mistaken. Lucius might have cared about such power plays, but the old wizard preferred to care about things that mattered. "They have their work cut out for them."

Sarah shrugged, unconcerned. It was understandable, of course. Compared to fighting the Dark Lord's followers and monsters, this was an easy task. Not that the Wands were the type to avoid hard work.

Albus watched Harry and his family and friends again. They were alive, whole, and together. He was happy for them, proud of what they had achieved, and yet sad - he wasn't part of them. Couldn't be part of them, not after what he had done, and had been willing to do.

He had sent so many to their death, risked the lives of friends and innocents… all to defeat two evil men before they could do worse.

Then and there, watching the survivors of his campaign, and the dead laid down in rows nearby, many of them old friends of his, people who had trusted him to lead them, he hoped that it had all been worth it.

Ron Weasley didn't remember how Hermione had ended up in his arms. Sometime between the moment Harry had started screaming, and the end of Voldemort he must have grabbed her, he thought. He wouldn't be able to tell how much time had passed either.

But it was over now. Voldemort was dead. His shade gone. And Harry had survived. Ron's best friend was on his knees, retching and in pain, but he was alive. Dumbledore had even said that the mec wasn't seriously hurt. Unless Ginny hugged him to death now.

Ron turned his attention to his girlfriend. "Hermione," he whispered. When she turned her head towards him, he kissed her. The twins made some remarks, but he ignored them, and everyone else, for a while.

After they broke off the kiss, she stayed in his arms, leaning against his chest. He suddenly felt guilty for being happy while Hermione had lost both Dean and Colin - her closest family. And yet he couldn't help it. They were alive, they were together, that was all that mattered, right now.

"I pushed him out. He was trying to break my mind, possess me, but I pushed him out."

Harry's voice drew his and Hermione's attention. Ron's friend was standing now, if on still trembling legs, but Ginny steadied him. He shook his head. "So much fear and hatred…"

"Those emotions often go hand in hand." Dumbledore smiled faintly. "I am sorry for my mistake, Harry. The truth behind the legend was not what I thought, and it put you at a grave risk."

Harry waved the old wizard's words away. "It ended well, sir. It seems the prophecy was not fulfilled in 1981."

Ginny glared at Dumbledore, but didn't say anything. His little sister had grown up, Ron knew.

Sirius shook his head. "As long as it doesn't happen again."

"What? You don't want me to survive the next attack by a Dark Lord?" Harry grinned when his godfather started to splutter.

"Professor, what were those monsters? I did not recognise them." Hermione apparently had decided that if Harry was joking, she could ask questions.

"Blood Inferi, Miss Hermione. Those abominations were theorised by Herpo the Foul, but he did not succeed in creating them. They were created by Grindelwald, but he didn't use them in his war, mainly because his own followers would have been appalled at their creation. You too have felt how wrong and unnatural they were. I had thought the secret of their creation lost with Grindelwald, but obviously Voldemort must have found the knowledge to create them. And the desperation to use them." Dumbledore sighed. "I can but hope that this time, the knowledge died with the Dark Lord."

Hermione shuddered, no doubt recalling just how unnatural those abominations had felt, and Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He felt queasy himself, remembering those monsters.

Around them, the last of the creatures were burning down to ashes. Wands were spreading out, setting more on fire, all over the battlefield. And the wounded were being evacuated - the twins were already protesting.

"Some might be stuck underground," Hermione said. "There was quite a lot of the ground transfigured into stone."

"Indeed, Miss Hermione." Dumbledore nodded. "But their presence will not be too difficult to detect. And I think most of them, maybe all of them, even, managed to reach the surface. They are, or were, remarkably resourceful for such creatures, at least with regards to killing. Quite a difference to normal Inferi."

"While this talk about bloodthirsty undead is quite fascinating," Harry cut in, "what happens now? Apart from cleaning up after ourselves."

"We return to London, to rest and recover," Hermione said. "Relief forces will take over for us." She snorted. "Even Aurors can manage that."

"It's over then." Ginny smiled. "It's finally over."

"The war is over, yes," Dumbledore said, "although that does not mean we have achieved peace yet. The future of Wizarding Britain has yet to be agreed upon."

"What about the deal with the Ministry?" Harry asked.

"Without the threat from the Dark Lord, there will be quite a lot of support among a certain segment of the population to renegotiate that."

Hermione scoffed. "They didn't fight here. They didn't bleed and die for Britain. If they think they can dictate terms to us…" she trailed off with a grim expression.

"I do hope that the remaining differences will be amicably, or at least peacefully handled." Dumbledore said, with a rather tired smile.

Ron shrugged. He shared Hermione's view. "That depends on them."

His girlfriend nodded. "The privileges for purebloods ended with Malfoy and Voldemort. If they don't realise that, they'll have to be taught a lesson."

"The Old Families still have gold and influence," Sirius added.

"I think a number of them will be quite willing to help with rebuilding Britain, and restoring what was lost in the last two wars." Dumbledore smiled. "In fact, I am reasonably certain."

Ron grinned.

London, Ministry of Magic, October 2nd, 1999, 10.30 hours

'... Wand Colin was killed in the first attack by the creatures later identified as 'Blood Inferi'. One of the creatures emerged from the ground behind him, killing him with its claws.'

Wand-Leader Hermione put her quill down and leaned back in her seat, sighing. She closed her eyes, then wiped away the tears that leaked out. Wand-Leader, without Wands to lead. Colin and Dean were both dead. Killed in action. Like so many others. Curse it!

She stood up and filed the basic reports. She could write a detailed report tomorrow. She'd need more information anyway. The battlefield was still getting cleaned up by the Aurors - they'd drag their feet, of course, fearing lingering Inferi - and most of the Wands were in St. Mungo's, getting treated, or resting. She should be resting as well, or so the Healer had said. Technically, she had been resting - desk duty was light duty. And she hadn't been really hurt. Nothing life-threatening. No dark curses. She had been lucky. Unlike Colin and Dean.

Sally-Anne was standing guard at the entrance. The Wand looked as bad as Hermione felt. She had been with the main force and come through the battle physically unscathed, but the loss of so many of her friends had hit her hard. Hermione nodded at her, then sighed and went over to hug the witch. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Sarah ordered everyone who was not wounded on their posts."

Hermione blinked. "That sounds ominous." The only ones who might move against the Corps would be the Aurors or the exiles. And she didn't think Dumbledore would do anything.

"Yes." Sally-Anne shook her head. "I thought it would be over, after today. Finally over."

"It is over," Hermione said. "Some idiots simply might not have realised it yet."

Sally-Anne snorted, but she was looking a bit better.

A few minutes later, Hermione was holding Luna in their shared quarters. The blonde witch was sobbing into Hermione's chest. "Dean, and Colin, and Jenny, and…" The Wand had expected this, knowing how close Luna felt to the Corps, after Hogwarts.

She caressed her friend's head and back. There wasn't much she could say that wouldn't sound stupid or trite. She tried anyway. "The war's over though. The Dark Lord and his followers are dead."

Luna took a few minutes to calm down, then pushed back a bit, nodding slowly while she vanished her tears and cleaned her face with her wand. "It's over then?"

"The war's over." Hermione smiled faintly.

"Tell me about the battle!" Luna pulled out her notepad. She sounded determined, but also almost desperate. Seeking refuge in a task she could do.

Hermione knew the feeling very well. It was how she dealt with such a loss, or tried to deal with. She nodded and started to tell her friend what had happened this morning. "We attacked in the early morning, encircling the hideout of the Dark Lord, and covering the area with Anti-Apparition and Portkey Jinxes, before our Curse-Breakers went to work on the wards and our flyers covered the airspace. But we had underestimated the Dark Lord…"

Hermione had to stop and compose herself a few times during her tale, and Luna didn't release her hand while the witch's Dicta Quill took notes. In a way, telling the events helped her as much as her friend, she found. "...and then the shade started to fade, and disappeared," she finished.

"A failed possession?"

"So I was told," she said. She wasn't privy to all details, Hermione knew. "It certainly was impressive." And some details didn't need to be told. Like the Horcruxes.

"The last Lestranges dead, the Dark Lord dead - many will sleep more easily today." Luna smiled. A weaker smile than her usual one, but it wasn't forced.

Hermione nodded. "I just hope that rebuilding and reforming Britain will go smoothly."

Luna grinned. "The Rookery is coming along nicely."

Hermione hadn't meant it quite that literally. She nodded anyway.

"But you were hurt as well, weren't you?" Luna narrowed her eyes now.

"Just some scratches. Easily treated." Hermione smiled, or tried to.

"I should ask Ron about that."

Hermione lost her smile, and Luna shook her head. "What did the Healers say?"

She wasn't about to lie to her best friend. "They wanted me to rest."

"Then you will rest!" Luna stood up. "Or I'll have Voley sit on you."

"I was resting!" Hermione protested, though her friend was already dragging her out. "Where are we going?"

"To Ron, of course! He's probably the only way to get you to rest while I write the article."

She wasn't quite wrong there, Hermione admitted, if only to herself.

London, Diagon Alley, October 2nd, 1999, 12.21 hours

Once more Diagon Alley was filled with yelling people and loud explosions were heard in the distance, though this time the explosions were fireworks, and the yelling came from wizards who were celebrating the end of the war. Ron Weasley shook his head, almost bemusedly, watching the crowd as he headed for the Leaky Cauldron with Hermione and Luna. "How quickly they turn around."

"Hm?" Luna looked up from where she was making notes on her pad while walking - or rather, while being gently steered by Hermione.

"I'm certain at least some of those cheering in the streets now were yelling at us a few days ago, ready to riot." Ron didn't say that too loudly though. He didn't want to start a fight.

Hermione scoffed. "They might very well try again. With the Dark Lord gone, some of the fools might think they don't need us anymore."

"Even with Dumbledore having defeated the Dark Lord in single combat, just as he defeated Grindelwald, therefore once more proving he is the most powerful wizard in Britain and Europe?" Luna cocked her head sideways. "Some of the purebloods might just be foolish enough to ignore that."

"Dumbledore's not one to flaunt his power. But I think the Ministry will know better," Ron said. They had made the deal, after all.

"A threat display might help. Like Chattering Chimpanzees, many purebloods react well to that." Luna nodded sagely. "Hermione knows how that works."

Ron raised his eyebrows at his girlfriend. Hermione hissed: "Luna! I told you back then! That was a standard exercise for Wands in training, not a threat display!"

"Same thing." Luna grinned, then blew on her pad. A sheet of parchment detached itself from it and rolled itself up. A minute later the ugliest bird Ron had ever seen landed on the blonde's shoulder. "Groucho! Excellent timing! Please take that to Daddy!" she cheered, and handed the scroll over. The bird took off again, with a screech that made half the street flinch and look around.

"What was that?" Ron asked.

"Plumed Georgian Spirit Vulture," Luna answered.

"Why is it called 'plumed'?" Hermione asked, blinking. "That bird was anything but plumed!"

"Daddy made a typo when he named it. He wanted to call them 'plucked'." Luna shrugged. "Renaming it would hurt Groucho's feelings, so we kept the name." She beamed at the couple.

Ron glanced at Hermione, who grinned and shrugged. He decided not to pursue that topic. "Let's head into muggle London. I doubt there'll be any tables free in Diagon Alley right now."

"And if there was, I'd not trust the cook to be sober," Hermione added.

"But drunk cooks make the best surprise menus!" Luna pouted. "Many great new dishes have been discovered with the help of alcohol!"

"Any many great poisons too, I bet," Hermione muttered. "Muggle London it is."

Luna kept pouting, but neither Ron nor Hermione caved, and the blonde soon was distracted by the need to dress as a muggle, and to pick one dress, instead of the four she wanted to combine into some unnatural mixture of styles, fabric and patterns. Nevertheless, a bit later the three found themselves in a small restaurant in the middle of London, waiting for their orders.

"What will you do now that spying and fighting is no longer needed?" Luna asked while twisting the straw of her drink into something else.

Ron glanced at Hermione, then answered: "I thought about joining the Ministry. I'm an experienced Gendarme, after all." He grinned. "Though I've been told by a reliable source that the Aurors are no place for a decent wizard."

Hermione grumbled something uncomplimentary about British Aurors that made Luna giggle. Ron grinned. Though if he was honest with himself, then he was a bit at a loss. He was no great Quidditch Player, like Harry, he hadn't an inheritance waiting for him, like Neville, and he had liked working as a Gendarme Magique. But the thought of working under the kind of wizards Hermione had told him about…

He sighed. Hopefully, something would come up.

London, Ministry of Magic, October 3rd, 1999, 09.40 hours

Wand-Leader Hermione was in Wand-Commander Sarah's office, delivering the reports from Benjamin and herself, when Sally-Anne informed Sarah that John Dawlish had arrived. Sarah glanced at her watch and shook her head. "For once, he is early. He must be really eager to have this meeting."

Hermione stood and prepared to leave, but the Wand-Commander held her back. "Stay. I might need your unique perspective."

Meaning, her ties to Dumbledore's Order. Hermione nodded, and took up a spot next to Sarah's desk, presenting a united front of sorts when Sally-Anne let the Head Auror into the office.

"Good morning, Head Auror." Sarah greeted Dawlish. Hermione nodded at the wizard, and hoped her disdain for him was not too obvious.

"Good morning, Wand-Commander. I'm happy you found the time to meet with me." Dawlish's smile was as sincere as an Obliviator's report, Hermione thought.

"It was no problem," Sarah claimed. "How can I help you?"

Dawlish smile dimmed for a moment, but he recovered at once. "Oh, I'm here to help you, Given how many casualties the Wands have suffered, you must be struggling to handle all your tasks. Fortunately, the Aurors are ready to step in and relieve you."

So, that was his game. Hermione fought not to scowl at the idiot. Of course the scumbag would try this now. He probably had some backing from the Ministry as well.

Sarah looked puzzled. "Struggling? I fear you've been misinformed. The Wands are fulfilling their duty, as usual."

"You've lost half your force, Sarah." Dawlish was scowling now. "We had to finish the fight in Kent for you, losing half a dozen Aurors!"

That made Hermione blink. Did Dawlish actually claim his Aurors had fought in the battle against the Dark Lord? She almost drew her wand at the presumption of that idiot, trying to claim a victory her friends had died for!

Sarah must have had similar thoughts since the witch leaned forward and glared at the Head Auror. "Finish the fight for us? Your people were tasked with cleaning up a battlefield after we beat the Dark Lord's army. You lost six Aurors to two creatures which had been stuck underground - creatures we killed by the dozens." She scoffed. "And now you're trying to twist this blunder into an attempt to take over? The Corps could have lost nine out of ten Wands, and your Aurors still wouldn't be able to fill our boots!"

Dawlish lost all pretense of joviality and was scowling at Sarah. "Don't act so high and mighty, Sarah! Did you forget that with the changes to the laws, you can't replace your losses? Sooner or later, the Wands will be gone!"

Sarah snorted. "That's what you think. The Corps will not fade away. We'll adapt and overcome this, just as we have done against the Dark Lord. Your Aurors? You can continue patrolling Diagon Alley and finding lost familiars while we continue keeping Britain safe. Now get out before I teach you why you shouldn't even dream of trying to claim a victory the Corps paid for with blood as your own!"

Dawlish paled, and all but fled - though he'd be blustering soon enough, once he was back in his office, Hermione knew. She turned to Sarah as soon as the door had closed behind the Head Auror. "That was great, Sarah."

"Thanks."

"But," Hermione bit her lower lip, "does that mean you like my idea?"

Sarah nodded. "It's not perfect, but it seems the best way to keep us going, without the Corps ending up as a bunch of privileged idiots like the Aurors." She sighed and sat down in her seat. "The sixth and seventh years we currently have at Hogwarts will have to tide us over until the first of the new recruits finish their training. But we'll have to set up an academy, and we might lose some of the instructors."

Hermione nodded. It wouldn't be easy, she knew that. But they'd succeed. Wands always did.

Watford, Hertfordshire, October 5th, 1999, 17.20 hours

"Betty! Betty!"

"Mum!"

Wand-Leader Hermione watched as the little girl was hugged by the muggle woman. Both were crying. So was the woman's husband, who was embracing both. She felt happy to see the family reunited, ashamed she had let the kidnapping happen, and envious. Her own parents were dead. She also felt a tad uncomfortable in the muggle clothes she was wearing, though Ron had assured her that they fit her cover. Even if she hadn't seen the likes of them in the Cosmopolitan magazines she had read for her research.

It took a while for the Hendersons to calm down enough to address her and invite her inside their house. Hermione didn't mind - she understood their reaction. She just hoped they would be as understanding when she told them what had happened.

"When you called us and said you had news about the kidnapping… we feared the worst," Ben Henderson said. His wife held their daughter, nodding.

Hermione winced. In retrospect, that hadn't been a good way to handle this - she had thought it made keeping magic a secret easier. "I'm sorry. I didn't consider that."

"I'm just happy my girl is safe," Mrs Henderson said.

Her husband nodded. He hesitated. "Did you find out what happened? All we know is that Betty disappeared from our backyard six weeks ago."

"Evil wizards took me!" Betty said. "But good wizards rescued me."

Betty's parents frowned. "Wizards?"

That was addressed as much at her as at the girl, Hermione knew.

Betty nodded. "They had wands, and magic. They messed with my head, but the good wizards fixed it."

"She is correct," Hermione said. She drew her wand. "If I may demonstrate?"

"She's a good witch!" Betty said, smiling.

The Hendersons nodded, staring at her. Hermione transfigured the table into a teddy bear, then animated it. Betty clapped her hands happily, while her parents stared some more.

Hermione sighed. This wouldn't be pretty. "Your daughter is a witch. She can use magic. This is why evil wizards kidnapped her - they wanted to take her from you, and raise her to become an obedient soldier." Mrs Henderson gripped Betty tightly, gasping, and Betty's father set his jaw. Hermione went on: "She wasn't the only victim. This conspiracy has been going on for almost twenty years. More than a dozen children were kidnapped each year."

"But… why didn't anyone notice?" Mr Henderson asked. "So many kidnappings…"

"Magic was used to hide the disappearances. Or frame someone else. Like the parents of the children." That caused another gasp.

"Did they… did they do something to us?"

"They wanted to frame you," Hermione nodded at Mr Henderson, "for her disappearance. Your memories of the kidnapping were wiped and replaced with fake ones. Those were removed during the investigation. At that time, we didn't know the scope of the conspiracy yet, so nothing more was done."

"You knew Betty was kidnapped, but you left her with the criminals?" Mr Henderson sounded both shocked and angry.

Hermione nodded. "I'm sorry for the grief this caused you, but rescuing her and her alone would have warned the criminals. Since the highest levels of the magical government were involved in the kidnappings, you can imagine what would have happened. We had to topple the government before we could arrest the kidnappers." She didn't mention murdering the Minister and his family.

"You said 'we'. Do you mean the magical police?"

"Not exactly. I'm a member of the Wands of Britain - all of us were kidnapped as children, and raised to serve. When we found that out, we arrested the ones responsible."

"You were…" the woman trailed off.

Hermione knew what she was asking. "Yes. I didn't know what had happened to me and my parents until I interrogated the kidnappers myself." She didn't go into details with Betty around. The Hendersons probably already suspected what had happened.

"Now, I'm certain you need time to work through this. We will inform you when the trials start. We'll also send you some brochures about raising a magical child… once we have them." They were currently being translated and adapted from the French versions." She stood up and stared at them. "But I have to inform you that you are not allowed to tell anyone but your immediate family about magic."

"They'd send us to an asylum anyway," Betty's father muttered.

"That's a likely outcome, yes." Hermione nodded and handed them a slip with a phone number. "You can call this number if you have further questions. Good evening."

"Bye Hermione!" Betty waved.

The girl's parents bid her goodbye, still looking shocked.

Hermione apparated away, glad this was over. And aware that there were dozens of children left to be returned to their parents. Those who were still alive. Dozens of lives and families to be set right. It was a daunting task, doubly so with the current state of the Corps, and the pressure from the Ministry and others.

But the Wands would do it. They took care of their own.

London, Ministry of Magic, October 13th, 1999, 10.25 hours

Albus Dumbledore wasn't quite happy with his office. Neither the room nor the position. The room was far too big for his preferences, and even after he had replaced most of Lucius's decorations with shelves for books and a variety of devices, still too pompous. But even Albus couldn't go against tradition and reduce the size of the Minister for Magic's office. People would not understand.

And, as he understood all too well, in the current times, preserving ultimately harmless traditions was of utmost importance since it reassured the pureblood population that they would not be subjected to the kind of discrimination they themselves had visited upon others for so long.

If the situation had been different, Albus wouldn't have become Minister for Magic. He did not seek the office, he never had, and he disliked politics, even though he was quite adept at playing the game. He'd rather teach young wizards and witches than guide a country, but needs must. And compared to the sacrifice many of his friends had made, this was nothing.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. A second later, Miss Greengrass peeked inside. "Sir? Your 10.30 appointment has arrived."

"Thank you Daphne. Please send him in." He smiled. That he had kept the former Minister's secretary was another reassurance for the purebloods, showing that having been fooled by Lucius would not be held against them. Even if the young witch was not quite as skilled as Albus would have liked. But she came from an Old Family, which had been close to the Malfoys. That her younger sister was a close friend of Miss Lovegood didn't hurt, of course.

"Good morning, Albus!" Horace entered with a beaming smile, though Albus saw that he was not quite at ease as he acted.

"Good morning, Horace. Please have a seat." He summoned a tray from the corner.

The Headmaster of Hogwarts placed his corpulent frame on one of the soft seats present for visitors, and availed himself of some tea and scones. "My favourite tea!" He made an appreciative noise. "Let me congratulate you once more on your election, Albus."

"Thank you, Horace." The Headmaster was delighted, Albus knew, since that meant his own position at Hogwarts was secure.

They chatted a bit about old acquaintances and shared anecdotes, until Albus addressed the reasons for this meeting: "Now, you have heard about Lucius's crimes against the families of the muggleborns."

"Of course! Shocking and disgusting!" Horace sounded sincere - he wasn't a bigot, Albus knew, just a snob.

"Indeed. And with this foul practice ended, there are changes ahead for Hogwarts, and the Wands of Britain." Albus took a sip from his own cup. "The current system, where muggleborns are schooled separately from the other students, cannot be continued."

Horace nodded. "Of course. I'm already preparing for the merge."

"This leaves the Corps with a recruitment problem though. As you are aware, their standards are quite high, and most Aurors candidates would not meet them." Albus hid his smile when he noticed Horace twitch at that indirect criticism of his school. "Fortunately, they have found a solution."

"Oh?"

Albus nodded. "They will create an Academy of sorts, to train recruits after they graduate from Hogwarts. Open for everyone, of course - provided they meet the standards."

"That sounds like a good idea, but…" Horace frowned. "You're poaching my teachers, aren't you?"

Albus smiled. "Just the current instructors for the Wands." He didn't mention that a few of the British exiles Horace had been courting to come teach at Hogwarts might pick the Academy instead. Filius had been particularly enthusiastic about teaching not just Advanced Charms, but Duelling as well.

"Good." Horace was smiling again. "When will this new Academy be ready?"

"Next Summer." Albus nodded at the surprised expression. "You know how quickly the Wands can act, if needed."

"Of course."

"Which brings me to another thing. In order to prepare the prospective students for this Academy, a few elective courses are needed to be offered at Hogwarts. Fortunately, instructors are already available."

"I see." Horace slowly nodded. "Aren't you concerned about the potential trouble you could cause if you teach students to fight like that?"

Apparently, Horace had internalised Lucius's policies to some degree. Dumbledore shook his head. "No. If anything, the past, both distant and recent, has shown us that not teaching students how to fight will spell more trouble, since it means a Dark Lord will not need quite as many trained followers to threaten the country. And you know that many purebloods are being taught some duelling already. And darker things."

Horace grudgingly nodded. "The prefects will have their work cut out for them then, with the young Wands not around anymore."

Albus shrugged. "You will be able to pick more capable prefects as well, now that you are no longer limited to purebloods."

"Point." Horace leaned back. He was undoubtedly already planning how best to include future Wands in his Slug Club. "And how have you settled in as Minister?"

Albus grimaced, a bit theatrically. "It's been as bad as I have always feared. Herding teachers and students was never that demanding. Nor as frustrating." Even though Albus knew that many purebloods thought he was the only one standing between them and the muggleborns avenging years of discrimination, and therefore were quite supportive of him. And it did help that Lucius spent twenty years turning Britain into an easily led country. Not to mention that Lucius and Tom could, both conveniently and truthfully, be blamed for much of the troubles Britain had suffered and was facing still.

Horace chuckled. "The perils of politics. I'll stick to the infighting in the teacher's lounge."

The two old wizards chatted some more, until it was time for Albus's 11.30 appointment. Albert Selwyn from the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office had been a font of information about Lucius's plots. Information that was proving very helpful in ensuring the cooperation of a number of influential people with the new regime. At least until the elections for the new Wizengamot. Switching from inheriting to electing the majority of the members had been a very controversial decision, one Albus had been certain wouldn't have passed without using Lucius's secrets for blackmail.

He sighed. Needs must, indeed.

London, Diagon Alley, October 14th, 1999, 12.01 hours

Wand-Leader Hermione - still without a team to lead - folded the Daily Prophet she had been reading and dropped it on the table in the café she was sitting in. The newspaper was trying its best to suck up to the new Minister, which meant it was barely more than a propaganda piece. A loyal one, to be sure, but a propaganda piece nonetheless. The only thing that didn't read as if it came straight out of the Ministry was the article speculating about the Lovegoods. Speculating in a way just this side of slander.

"Hermione!"

Speaking of Lovegoods... There was Luna, waving wildly as she skipped towards Hermione.

"Hello," the muggleborn witch greeted her enthusiastic friend.

"How are you doing?" Luna asked, sitting down after hugging her, but before Hermione could answer, the blonde pouted. "Were you reading that rag?"

"There wasn't anything else," Hermione defended herself.

Luna sniffed. "They're just jealous of our scoops! It's pathetic how they are trying to flatter Dumbledore! Truly independent journalism would never stoop that low!" She shook her head, causing her long hair to whip around. "And they have the gall to accuse us of opportunism!"

"That can't be helped without revealing just what exactly happened to the Malfoys," Hermione said. When Luna perked up, she quickly added: "And you promised not to reveal that!"

Luna pouted once more. "It would show them all just how principled the Lovegoods are!"

"It would also endanger the still fragile peace in Britain. There are already dozens of conspiracy theories around." Hermione placed her hand on Luna's. "This will pass. Trust me, in a few months, no one will accuse you of being a turncoat."

"Truly?" Luna looked at her with wide open eyes.

"Trust me." Hermione hoped she wouldn't be proved wrong. The Lovegoods were known to have been friends of the former Minister, and unlike other families, they were not rich enough to make others overlook that easily. On the other hand, Dumbledore was very fond of them.

"Thank you!" Luna beamed at her. "How are things in the Corps?"

"You know that we're still stretched thin. I've been kept busy contacting the surviving families of the Wands, and informing them of the fate of their children." Hermione sighed - meeting Colin's grandparents had been a very emotional scene. And Dean's mother…

This time it was Luna who patted her hand to console her. "That'll be over soon, won't it?"

Hermione nodded. She wondered what new task she would then be assigned. Sarah had pulled her out of the Investigative Branch for special duties, which meant she could be ordered to do anything. Or almost anything. She didn't think she would be assigned to clear the names of those people who had been framed by the Obliviators and subsequently imprisoned by the muggle authorities; that was a job for the muggle liaison.

"What's Ron doing?" Luna asked, looking around.

"Helping Harry and Sirius move," the muggleborn witch answered. She couldn't help feeling jealous - all of Ron's closest friends and his family had survived the war while she had lost Dean and Colin. And then she felt guilty about feeling jealous.

"Oh! I almost forgot that the will of Orion Black has been read. So, Sirius inherited all?" Luna was already pulling out her notepad.

Hermione sighed. "I'm not privy to the details of the will. But Sirius did inherit the ancestral home of the Black family. And the Tonkses were reinstated in the family as well."

"Oh! Does that mean Orion Black was a sleeper agent for Dumbledore? Or… maybe Andromeda hadn't been cast out from the family at all, that was just a cover? Or… that hadn't been Orion Black at all, but Nymphadora Tonks impersonating him!"

Hermione smiled weakly - she just knew the next issue of The Quibbler would create another conspiracy theory or two.

London, October 23rd, 1999, 19.04 hours

"Relax. We're just five minutes late."

Ron Weasley grinned when he saw Hermione scowl at him. His girlfriend was very fond of being punctual. Even when it came to dinner invitations from close friends.

"You were not quite that relaxed when we visited your family," the witch spat.

"Sirius is not like mum. Very much not like her."

"But Sarah could be there!" Hermione said. "I can't be late when she's waiting!"

That was a fair point, but Ron was far from conceding. "If she is still with Sirius, then she has to have relaxed a bit. Or she'd have dumped him weeks ago."

It didn't seem to do much to calm down his girlfriend, so he took her arm. "Shall we?"

A second later, the two appeared in the hidden apparition spot inside the garden of No. 12, Grimmauld Place.

"It doesn't look as bad as you said," Hermione remarked.

"Now it doesn't," Ron said, eyeing the lawn. "You should have seen it before a dozen Curse-Breakers went over the house. Curses and traps everywhere." The snakes in the garden had been particularly vicious, until Harry had talked to them. After getting bribed with with rats the snakes had been moved to a more suitable area. Fortunately, Ginny had put her foot down when Harry had wanted to keep them.

The Repair Charms had worked wonders on the facade too. The door was opened as they approached, and a beaming Sirius stood there. "You're late!" he said, instead of a greeting.

"Told you!" Hermione whispered.

"But don't worry, Sarah's not here yet either!" Sirius grinned.

Hermione visibly relaxed, which made their host's grin grow wider. "Come in, come in! Don't worry - but for the attic and the cellar, the house is now safe."

"Can Dobby take the cloaks?"

Ron looked down at the house elf standing there, dressed in a white towel, and handed his jacket over. Hermione did likewise, after a brief hesitation. Ron knew that she still wasn't that used to muggle fashion. Her dress was close enough to a robe at least, or so she had told him a few times. The little elf disappeared with both garments through one of the small doors elves used to get around. The house elves' passages had been the only untrapped areas, Bill had told Ron.

"Come to the living room, Harry and Ginny are there!"

"Are you moving in for good?" Hermione asked as Sirius led them through the house.

"It was a stipulation in the will," the older wizard answered. "It's no big deal though - with the Vanishing Cabinet, the villa in Argelès-sur-Mer is like an extension to this house. The twins are working on charms that will transmit sound as well, so we can hear the doorbells in both locations."

"Smooth solution," Ron agreed. On the other hand, Floo travel would work as well, if not across borders. Legally, at least. "Just test if Fred and George didn't install some trap 'just in case'."

Sirius nodded. "Ah… there were some proposals, yes." He seemed to be a bit evasive though.

They arrived in the living room, and Harry and Ginny jumped up from the couch to greet them.

"Did you tell them already?" Harry asked.

"Of course not!" Sirius sounded affronted. "We've been talking about housing."

"Tell us what?"

"Harry's signed on with Puddlemere United!" Ginny piped up, smiling from ear to ear. "They're the best British Quidditch team!" With a grin she added: "Not as good as the Aigles, of course."

"We'll see about that once the next training season starts and we're looking for sparring matches," Harry retorted.

"Congrats, mate!" Ron smiled and clapped Harry on the back. Hermione's congratulations were less physical, but just as earnest.

"Speaking of jobs, have you decided what you're doing?" Ginny asked. "Mum's been commenting about opportunities at the Ministry. You know how she is…"

Ron cleared his throat. "Well… it's not yet official, but… I'll probably be working for the Ministry." He glanced at Hermione, and smiled as she took his hand.

"Oh! Mum will be very happy! About your work, and your relationship!" Ginny didn't quite squeal, but she came close.

Ron smiled, though he thought mum wouldn't be quite as happy if she knew what kind of position at the Ministry he was planning to apply for.

A gong sounded, interrupting the talk.

"That's Sarah!" Sirius exclaimed, and stood up. "I'll get her!"

"He's got it bad," Ron said as soon as the wizard had left the room. "Is he serious about her?"

Harry shrugged. "He's happy, that's all I know."

Ron nodded, wrapping his arm around Hermione. Being happy was good enough, in his opinion.

Stevenage, Hertfordshire, October 30th, 1999, 15.02 hours

Wand-Leader Hermione took another deep breath, standing in front of the gate leading to a small but well-tended house. She could do this. She had to do this. She had done this dozens of times, for others. She bit her lower lip. She could do this. She was a Wand.

Ron, standing next to her, didn't say anything, just wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She closed her eyes, took another deep breath, then straightened up and pushed the gate open. "Let's go!"

She didn't falter on the way to the door, though she almost gasped when she read the name on the door, and it took her a second to ring the doorbell.

"Coming!" she heard, faintly, from inside.

The seconds until the door was opened were some of the longest in her life. What would they say? What would they do? Would they curse her, or welcome her? Her parents had been killed because of her, after all.

The door opened, and she was looking at an old woman with familiar if grey hair. Hermione swallowed. "Mrs Fields?"

"Yes, dear?" The woman looked a bit distracted.

"My name is Hermione Granger. I'm here to talk to you about your daughter and her husband. My parents."

The woman - her grandmother - gasped, and grabbed the frame of the door to steady herself. "H… Hermione?"

She nodded.

Then the tears started to flow.