Chapter Twenty-Eight: Epilogue
Daphne Greengrass sat down her quill, having finally finished writing her very last spell into the new family grimoire, the same one Harry had started in their fourth year. It had been three years since that fateful day, when their lives had changed for the better. As one would expect, the merging of their older and younger selves after the battles with Voldemort and Rhassel'Thoth had a profound impact on both of them. It had taken a fair amount of time and regular application of Occlumency to sort out all their combined memories, but things had worked out better than they could have ever imagined.
Little by little, they had grown into the power and personalities of their older selves. They had retained their youthful personas, as Death had promised, but otherwise their combined souls didn't seem to particularly favour the essence of either timeline's version. Instead, both of them had become something altogether different, unique individuals who had inherited the best qualities from both versions of Harry and Daphne.
Daphne had long since left her Ice Queen mask behind. She could still be cold and stoic when needed, but more often than not, she could be found smiling and laughing among her peers. She had greatly enjoyed working in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey, even if she had to pretend to be less knowledgeable than she actually was. She had worked hard over the years and had gained the respect and confidence of the matron, who had begun to see her as an unofficial apprentice, and even a peer of sorts.
Harry's adjustment was slightly more complicated, which wasn't surprising considering how different his two former halves were from one another. Even with the older Harry's memories, he was a bundle of nerves his first day back with the snakes, the day after the events of the third task. Fortunately, everything the older Harry had done that year meant that his reputation was already fully entrenched, and his position in the house was never questioned.
His friends had noticed something was a little off about him those first few days, but they had chalked it up to his recovering from a traumatic experience. In the end, he had successfully navigated those last weeks with Daphne's support, and after having the summer to get used to everything, he was the confident boy people were used to seeing by the start of their fifth year.
Unsurprisingly, Harry was granted a place in the Slytherin Triumvirate. His lordship of House Slytherin was obviously a deciding factor, though his accomplishments the previous year would have likely seen him invited anyways. With his influence, the house would gradually move away from the pureblood dogma that had prevailed for decades, in favour of an ideology that focused on the good of all magical beings and preserving their way of life.
As was expected of him, he joined the Quidditch team as Seeker and was also named captain. Under his leadership, Slytherin ended up winning the Quidditch Cup all three years Harry was on the team. He had proven particularly adept at crafting unique strategies for their opponents and making in-game tactical decisions. When Daphne told him how impressed she was by his planning, Harry admitted that some of his schemes were adapted from his older self's war-time memories.
The Harry Potter who would leave Hogwarts after his seventh year had all the loyalty, selflessness, and moral sensibilities of the young boy he had been, but with the cold logic, intensity, and magical prowess of the Harry who had travelled back in time. The boy had grown to become a great man, and there was no doubt he would become greater still.
Daphne smiled at her thoughts as she took a final look at what she had written, and then she waved her wand over the page to dry the ink. Satisfied with her work, she closed the tome and ran her fingers over the black leather cover with the embossed Potter-Slytherin crest.
"Dobby!" Daphne called, and the elf popped to her side, ready to serve as always.
"Mistress?"
"Where is Harry?"
"Outside, speaking with Scylla," Dobby replied.
Daphne nodded. When Scylla was younger, she was still small enough for Harry to take her home during their breaks. Over the past year, however, Scylla had grown to the size of a fairly large anaconda and had to remain in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry would never leave her at Hogwarts by herself, so he had arranged it so that she would be going with them once they graduated. Perhaps one day, Scylla would be returned to the Chamber to be the guardian for future generations of Potter-Slytherins. Daphne smiled at the thought.
"Is everything ready at the manor?" she asked a few moments later.
For the past three years, Harry had lived with the Blacks at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Now that they were finished with school, Harry wanted to officially move into Potter Manor, and Daphne wholeheartedly agreed.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Harry had proposed to Daphne at the beginning of their seventh year. They intended to marry much sooner this time around, so Daphne had no qualms about moving in with Harry immediately after graduation. Her parents were so eager for the match that they didn't object at all; in fact they encouraged her.
"The manor is ready for you to move in, Mistress. The copies of the Slytherin Library were added to the Potter Library, the rooms have been cleaned and decorated as you commanded, and your belongings have been moved into the master bedroom. The cave for Scylla has been excavated in the cellar, and as the master insisted, a training area and a vault have also been added."
"Very well, thank you, Dobby," Daphne replied as she got up from the table.
She walked into the main chamber, where she found her betrothed conversing with Scylla, just as Dobby had said. Daphne wrinkled her nose slightly at the sight of the dead goat on the floor next to them. Scylla's appetite had somewhat diminished over time, but Harry liked to make sure there was always food available for her. It was the least they could do, considering how many galleons they had made selling all the venom and shed skin she regularly offered them.
Harry noticed Daphne approaching and reached up to pat Scylla's muzzle.
"We'll be leaving now," Harry hissed to the basilisk. "Make sure you're ready, because in a few days, we will all be going home together. You'll have your cellar with access to the pond, and a big rock so you can be lazy and sleep under the sun."
"Finally!" Scylla replied giddily. "I am getting tired of being stuck here."
"I thought you liked it here," Harry replied, frowning slightly. "You certainly never complained."
"I was a hatchling, I didn't know any better," Scylla responded cheerily. "I prefer the dark and damp, but a bit of sun never harmed anyone. As long as I don't have to hunt..."
"Lazy reptile," Harry replied, shaking his head in amusement. "You're supposed to be our family guardian."
"And I am," Scylla insisted. "The moment your enemies see me, they will all run away in fear of me and the power of our family."
As much as Scylla had grown, she had yet to lose the childish arrogance that Harry had come to know and love. She had matured a bit, thanks to her many discussions with Harry and some of the older snakes in the Forbidden Forest, but she was still the same Scylla. Besides, it wasn't as if her arrogance wasn't well-earned. She had travelled the length and breadth of the forest and had yet to meet an enemy who wouldn't fall to her gaze, or even her venom, on the rare occasion.
Harry just shook his head again and gave her one last pat on the head. Scylla slithered back to her nest inside the statue, and Harry and Daphne returned to the Chamber's living quarters.
"How is your work going?" Harry asked.
"I'm done," she replied proudly.
"And it only took you ten months," he teased, and Daphne responded with a chuckle and an elbow to the ribs.
"Says the one who spent over two years writing his spells," she countered, linking her arm with his. "Come now, Head Boy. We are late for our patrol."
"Of course, Head Girl," Harry replied with a wry smile, then took out the Marauder's Map.
"Shouldn't take too long. Third floor, right?"
Daphne nodded, and with a quick call to Dobby, the couple were popped directly to the third floor.
"Shall we?" Harry asked, and the two of them started down the corridor.
After being at the top of their year academically after their eventful fourth year, they had both been named Prefects for their fifth. Their continued outstanding performance and leadership over the next two years was rewarded with their being named head students. They performed their duties admirably, and the school had experienced relative peace and quiet under their watch.
"Do you have any ideas for Cassie's gift?"
"Cassie's birthday isn't until August," Daphne reminded him, while smiling to herself.
She knew that Harry loved his little cousin to pieces and enjoyed spoiling her at every given opportunity. Daphne had no room to talk, though, because she loved the little girl too. She always looked forward to spending time with Sirius and Isabella Black's daughter, and not just because she was great practice for their own future children.
It was during Christmas dinner of their sixth year when Andromeda figured out that Isabella was with child. The eldest Black sister was apoplectic at first, demanding a name and threatening to curse whoever was responsible. It was a shock to them all when Sirius got up from his chair and knelt down in front of Isabella, asking if it was true. The woman was red-faced with embarrassment, but when she nodded in confirmation, Sirius's face lit up with joy and he picked Isabella up and twirled her around in his arms, laughing all the while.
A quick wedding took place a few days later (after many, many, many pureblood jokes), and Isabella had been the Lady Black ever since. There had been quite a buzz when the news broke in the Daily Prophet. Isabella was often seen with Sirius at events or simply walking around Diagon Alley, but no one ever suspected there was a romantic relationship between them. Just as stunning for the general populace was seeing the renowned rogue and mischief-maker Sirius Black turn into a proud, protective father when little Cassiopeia came along.
"I think a big stuffed animal is a good choice," Daphne suggested after a moment's thought. "She's really too young for anything else yet."
"What, no training broom?"
"Harry…"
"Fine… A stuffed animal is a good idea. Maybe I can enchant it to talk, move around, or something fun like that," Harry replied thoughtfully. "Speaking of August, I received Istanbul's confirmation this morning."
"That was quick," Daphne responded. "Didn't you just send out the request last week?"
"I did, but they seem really keen to talk to us," Harry replied with a small chuckle, and Daphne conceded the point.
As far as their friends and families knew, Harry and Daphne would be embarking on the traditional world tour after Hogwarts. While they did intend to visit several spots of curiosity throughout Europe and Asia, they would be taking an important detour in Istanbul to meet with the Meharjhai Council.
In the aftermath of their fourth year, they were contacted by an acquaintance from Harry's former life, a vampire known as Count Bahadir Asil. He was intent on learning more about what happened with Rhassel'Thoth, so he had requested a meeting with Harry and Daphne at their earliest convenience. They agreed, and the count travelled to Britain to meet with them shortly thereafter.
Harry began the meeting by saluting the count with the standard Meharjhai greeting, confusing and intriguing the vampire. It turned out that the Meharjhai in the graveyard had been in communication with their superiors during the battle, and Harry and Daphne's names were mentioned at least once before they were silenced. The couple had no interest in being at odds with the Meharjhai, so they agreed to share their memories of the battle and tell them enough of the truth to satisfy the clan's leadership.
All in all, the meeting went well, and a few days later Harry received a missive from the count stating that his membership among the clan had been reinstated, and that Daphne had also been invited to join. They had also received an invitation to meet directly with the Meharjhai Council, which was explained to be an honour in itself.
The count's letter also made it clear that it was an open invitation, recognising that the two were still young and may not be permitted to journey alone for some time. With both of them now of age and finished with school, the opportunity had finally presented itself, and they were both very much looking forward to it.
"Have you decided about the mastery?" Daphne asked, changing subjects.
"I've been thinking about it, and I'm going to retake the Defence Against the Dark Arts mastery," Harry said, with no trace of excitement. "I know I've already been through it once, but I need something to point to if anyone questions where I got my skills. I figure that since I'm considered a prodigy anyway, I could finish the mastery in half the time and no one would question it. At least I wouldn't be as bored that way."
"Well, thank you for the support," Daphne replied sarcastically. She was faced with the same problem in obtaining her healing qualifications. The training period for healers was three years, and unlike Harry, there was no way Daphne would be permitted to graduate sooner.
"What if we just elope and travel for a few years?" Harry proposed. "Then we could come back and say we earned our degrees abroad, that way we wouldn't be stuck redoing everything."
Daphne seemed surprised by the suggestion, but she was definitely intrigued.
"Think about it. Just you and me, white sand beaches and crystal-clear water, visiting interesting places around the world, making contacts for the future... What do you think?"
"I think you make some fairly compelling arguments, Mr. Potter. Don't the Blacks have a private island in Greece?"
"I believe so," Harry replied thoughtfully. "Are you thinking we live there for a while, maybe get your healing qualifications from Greece?"
"As nice as that sounds, things would be more difficult once we come back to Britain," Daphne responded, taking the map from Harry and starting to examine it herself. "I wouldn't be taken as seriously if I were educated abroad. You know how closed-minded some people are. That being said, I wouldn't object to spending a few months..."
Daphne trailed off when she saw two familiar names on the map, huddled in a broom closet just down the hall. She stopped walking right in the middle of the corridor, and a wide grin formed on her face.
"What is it?" Harry asked, and then he looked down at the spot on the map where Daphne was pointing.
"We finally caught them," Daphne replied with a laugh.
Harry's eyes lit up when he saw the names.
"I suppose you want to go first?"
Daphne nodded and marched down the corridor with her wand drawn, followed closely by Harry. They both put on their most severe expressions as soon as they arrived at the door. Harry crossed his arms and tried to look intimidating, while Daphne worked on breaking the security spells on the door.
"I have to admit I'm impressed. This is not shoddy work," Daphne muttered as she analysed the protections.
As soon as she broke through the final spell, she opened the door with a wave of her wand to reveal the occupants, who happened to be none other than Astoria Greengrass and Jason Hallys. Their clothes were rumpled and their hair was messy, and they were both blushing furiously with wide-eyed expressions.
"Get out here, both of you," Daphne ordered, her frosty tone and fierce demeanour masking the amusement she felt at the situation.
The surprising couple, who were now in their fifth and fourth years, respectively, slowly walked out of the closet while attempting to put their clothes and hair in order.
"Umm... Hi?" Jason attempted, earning a glare from Daphne and an amused smirk from Harry.
"What are you doing here?" asked Astoria, clearly distressed over being caught. "I didn't think you had patrol tonight."
"You thought wrong, sister," Daphne responded.
It was a known fact that Harry and Daphne always caught those engaging in broom closet rendezvous, so most couples had learned to avoid their shifts. The Marauder's Map continued to be a useful tool, even when used for discovering mischief rather than creating it.
"Start explaining," Daphne ordered, as she folded her arms in front of her.
"We weren't doing anything wrong! We were just…umm..."
"Improving inter-house relations," Jason offered.
"Yes…that," Astoria agreed, flashing Jason a smirk while trying to control her blush.
"Really? And here I thought you were just snogging," Harry replied dryly. "Looks like a bit of roaming hands too…"
Astoria's cheeks flushed again, but Jason couldn't help himself and grinned at the reminder.
"Wipe that grin off your face, Hallys, before I do it for you," Daphne growled.
"Daphne, leave him alone!" Astoria said angrily. "Jason did nothing wrong."
"Except for being in the corridors after curfew, same as you," Harry responded. "Perhaps a detention with Filch would teach you both a lesson."
Astoria groaned, but Jason just shrugged indifferently.
"It was well worth it," the boy mumbled while directing a grin towards Astoria. She smiled shyly and reached out for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his.
At that point, Daphne and Harry decided the charade had gone on long enough, and they both broke out into laughter. The younger pair looked at each other in confusion, then let out sighs of relief.
"So, how long has this been going on?" asked a smiling Daphne as she pocketed her wand.
"Umm..."
Astoria hesitated for a moment, confused by Harry and her sister's sudden change in demeanour and not sure what to say.
"We found out two months ago," Harry explained. "We didn't want to interfere, so we decided to show a little trust in you two. I hope it wasn't misplaced."
"Four months," Astoria confessed.
"And we haven't done anything that would break your trust in us," Jason added seriously, which Harry acknowledged with a nod. Only Daphne noticed the disappointed look that flashed across her sister's face.
"So, how did this all start?" asked Harry.
"It was because of Malfoy, actually," Astoria admitted, while Jason slid his arm around her waist.
"Excuse me?" asked Daphne.
"Remember when I told you I thought Malfoy was attempting to...gain my attention?" Astoria asked, and Daphne nearly growled just thinking about it.
"When was this?" Harry asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"A few months ago," Daphne replied, nodding for Astoria to continue.
"Well, it actually started before that," Astoria said. "Malfoy had already approached me twice before I even told you. He started by paying me a few compliments, but then he went on and on with some drivel about pure blood and how old families such as ours should be united. At first, I thought he was looking for some sort of alliance, but then he asked me on a date. I was honestly horrified."
"That son of a..." Harry muttered to himself, noticing Daphne practically trembling with rage.
"Luckily for me, I saw Jason entering the library right then, so I came up with a plan on the spot that I knew would make Malfoy leave me alone."
"She embraced her inner Gryffindor and snogged me in front of Malfoy, right there in the library," Jason blurted out, making Daphne and Harry's eyebrows shoot up in unison.
"J-Jason!" Astoria exclaimed as she slapped his shoulder, completely mortified by the admission.
"It was awesome," Jason continued, still grinning broadly. "She called out to me to get my attention, and then she started walking over with that look she gets when she's mad. My first thought was, 'Oh shit, what did I do now?', but then she grabbed me by the shirt and snogged my brains out. I swear my brain froze up, and for a solid minute, the only thing I was aware of was the taste of Tori's strawberry lip balm."
"ANYWAY!" Astoria interjected, her face red with embarrassment. "Malfoy left, and I explained everything to Jason. I also asked him...well, I asked him for a favour..."
"You asked me to help you to keep the blonde creep away," Jason said helpfully. "And being the noble Gryffindor that I am, I would never say no to such a fair lady when she was in distress and clearly needed my help."
"You said you'd gladly help if it got you a few more kisses like that!"
"Well, I had to make sure I got something out of it, didn't I?" Jason replied cheekily, making Astoria snort.
"You've been spending too much time with us Slytherins."
"Is that a bad thing?" Jason asked, and Astoria gave him a withering look.
"Yes, you should be spending all that time with me instead," she replied, jabbing Jason's chest with her finger to help get her point across. The young couple laughed together, while Harry and Daphne exchanged smiles with one another.
"The plan was for us to pretend we were dating whenever Malfoy was around, which of course meant we had to spend a lot of time together," Astoria continued. "It worked, too. Malfoy approached me once or twice more, but he never bothered Jason. He was probably intimidated by him," she added, somewhat proudly.
"For some reason," Jason he muttered, shrugging off the praise.
The boy was being too modest. Over the past few years, Jason had become a rising star in the school. His skill with a wand was better than many older students, and there were few who could match his power. Gryffindor House didn't have a formal power structure like Slytherin did, but Jason had the respect of even the most diehard lions, and his voice carried significant weight. His association with the Black Wands certainly didn't hurt either, since the group now had the reputation of being the most powerful students in the school.
"That was also around the time Granger decided to make her move on Malfoy," Astoria continued.
Harry and Jason looked at each other and started laughing hysterically.
"Sorry," Harry said, still chuckling even after seeing Daphne's raised eyebrow. "I know it's been going on for a few months, but I still can't believe they're a thing."
"Yes, well, that took up most of Malfoy's attention and he finally started leaving me alone, but by then I was really enjoying my time with Jason and didn't want to stop seeing him. We tried going out on a serious date, and we've been together ever since."
"And I am one happy and very lucky guy," Jason added, making Astoria smile.
"That's a nice story, congratulations to you both," Harry said sincerely. "That said, I want you go back to your respective common rooms before we have to dock points."
"You already interrupted us anyway..." Astoria muttered under her breath, with a look of annoyance.
Daphne and Harry exchanged meaningful looks, but they decided to let it go. Jason pulled Astoria to him by her waist and kissed her cheek, before mumbling something in her ear that made her laugh. Astoria wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.
"Come on, that's enough now," Harry ordered, and Astoria let Jason go after one last peck.
"I love it when you do that," he mumbled, looking slightly dazed.
After taking a moment to get his bearings, Jason started making his way back to Gryffindor tower. He took one final glance backwards before rounding the corner, the smile never leaving his face. Astoria waved goodbye to him, then sighed wistfully once he was out of sight.
"What's wrong?" Daphne asked her sister.
"How do you know when you're in love?" she asked, her thoughts muddled enough to look to her sister and future brother-in-law for guidance. The older couple just shared a look and chuckled for a moment.
"If you're asking that question, it means you probably already know the answer," Daphne answered kindly, reaching out to entangle her fingers with Harry's. "I'm happy for you, Tori, I really am. There are a lot of boys out there, but I don't think you'll find many better than Jason."
"I really like him, Daph," Astoria replied, meeting her sister's gaze. "I don't care that he's a Gryff, or that he's younger than me and a muggleborn. I like him a lot."
"You don't have to worry about me, Tori," Daphne said reassuringly. "As long as you're happy and he treats you well, I have absolutely no problem with you two being together."
Daphne turned to Harry.
"What?" he asked. "I'm all for it. Jason's a good kid, plus he's the only Gryffindor I actually respect."
"Thank you, but it's not you two I'm worried about," Astoria replied apprehensively, and Daphne knew exactly who she was referring to.
"Don't worry about Mother and Father. If they give you any trouble, I will deal with them," Daphne promised.
Astoria seemed slightly taken aback for a moment, but some of the tension left her and she gave her sister a grateful smile.
"Now, go back to the common room and get some rest. We'll talk more tomorrow."
Astoria nodded and waved goodbye to the couple, leaving them alone in the corridor.
"It's funny how some things just work out," Harry commented.
"My sister and Jason?"
"Yeah," Harry replied, as he wrapped his arm around Daphne's shoulders. "I guess all they needed was a chance."
"I'm happy for them. Maybe this time they'll have the life they deserve."
"I'm sure they will, because this time they have you looking out for them," he replied confidently, and then a satisfied smirk appeared on his face.
"Even if that means getting Granger and Malfoy together."
Daphne burst out laughing at the comment, and Harry soon joined her.
After the merging of their souls, Daphne had demanded the right to deal with Granger herself. Fully understanding her need for revenge, Harry had agreed without reservation. Being the consummate Slytherin, she decided on a systematic approach to ruining the girl's life before finally taking it from her. Holding off on killing Granger to prolong her suffering would be an exercise in patience, but one Daphne felt would be well worth the effort.
In the aftermath of their fourth year, the three remaining Weasley siblings were expelled from Hogwarts after admitting they had helped their brother Bill kidnap Daphne. They served no prison time thanks to Dumbledore's interference, but between their actions, Ron's murder of Neville Longbottom, and Bill being revealed as a Death Eater, the Weasley name would forever be associated with treachery and dishonour.
Molly Weasley took her surviving children and fled the country to seek a new life on the continent, which meant that Hermione Granger was now well and truly alone at Hogwarts. Daphne saw this as the perfect opportunity to show the girl that even though her life was already in tatters, she could still be brought even lower.
A large part of her plan was undermining Granger's academic performance, which was the one piece of her personal identity she had left. Daphne started by subtly outperforming her in class, just enough so that the Gryffindor wouldn't be seen as the best at anything.
After a few months of this, Daphne started actively sabotaging the girl's work through a combination of undetectable spells and Compulsion Charms. Add in a series of minor mishaps and accidents caused by runic arrays keyed specifically to her magical signature, and the muggleborn witch finished her fifth year in a state of constant paranoia.
A couple of additional Compulsions around exam time guaranteed that Granger's O.W.L. results would be positively shameful for anyone, let alone for the girl previously viewed as one of the school's best and brightest. The teachers attributed her poor exam performance to the stress she had gone through that year, but even they couldn't hide their disappointment.
Hermione elected to completely repeat her fifth year in hopes of improving her grades, but Daphne simply continued where she left off the prior term, and Granger's second go at her O.W.L.s wasn't much better than her first.
The girl was a shell of her former self, and up to that point, Daphne had been satisfied with her progress in crushing Granger's hopes and dreams. She intended to let the girl try and fail to secure meaningful employment after Hogwarts, and then, when it would be easier to avoid suspicion, Daphne would be merciful and end Hermione Granger's worthless life.
Her plans changed after Astoria told her all about how Malfoy was beginning to show interest in her. There was absolutely no way Daphne was going to let history repeat itself, so she decided to immediately intervene. Recognising the poetic justice of using Malfoy's own plan against him, she used Harry's Veritas Imperio spell to force Granger to brew a love potion and start dosing the ponce.
The potion was given to him in low doses as to not raise suspicion, but that was only part of the plan. With Granger and Malfoy both under her thrall, Daphne could ruin the two of them with little additional effort. The pair had been dating for less than a year, and her plan was already paying dividends.
The unlikely couple had made several disastrous appearances at society events, and they had even co-authored letters to the Daily Prophet that somehow managed to insult both sides of Magical Britain's political divide. They were well on their way to permanently tarnishing the Malfoy name and reputation, to the point where his mother was seriously considering dropping the surname and asking Sirius to let her go by Narcissa Black again.
In any case, Daphne intended to make sure the once-proud Malfoy line ended with Draco, but only after leaving the family broken and destitute. She and Harry had fantasised about killing the pair in a number of gruesome ways, but Daphne was leaning towards arranging a murder/suicide, once the time was right. In addition to minimising the chances of an in-depth investigation by the Aurors, that method felt like a fitting end for the scum whose schemes and manipulations had cost Harry and Daphne's family so much.
"Come on, let's finish up our patrol and go back the common room," Daphne said, resting her head on Harry's shoulder.
Slytherin House had been Daphne's home for the past seven years, and she had mixed feelings about leaving it. Harry had been a snake for just under four years, but there was no doubt that Slytherin was where he belonged. He had finally found his home. One needed no further proof than the exuberant way their friends greeted them once they returned to the common room.
Theo and Tracey were set to be married shortly after graduation. They both intended to join the Aurors, though Tracey was beginning to take more of an interest in the law itself. Theo's Death Eater father had obviously not approved of his son's partner or his allies, but he ceased to be a problem after he mysteriously disappeared around Christmas of their sixth year. Theo was initially suspected, but both he and Tracey were able to provide airtight alibis, aided by their friends and allies. The Ministry didn't have much interest in spending time and resources searching for a missing former Death Eater, and the case would remain unsolved.
Blaise had proposed to Millie with an enormous emerald ring, but neither of them were in any hurry to set a date. Blaise was in the process of using his family contacts to get his import/export business off the ground, and Millie would soon be working towards her Potions mastery. Between her talent and Blaise's knack for obtaining rare and exotic ingredients, they couldn't be anything but successful.
Pansy, Greg, and Vince planned to stay together as a trio. Their futures likely didn't include marriage, but they did intend on moving in together after graduation. Their parents had attempted to force or manipulate them to choose futures that would better benefit themselves, but they had severely overestimated how much authority they had over their children.
Without the Malfoy gold and influence, the Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle families had very little real power. In contrast, their children had developed close friendships with Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass, and through them, the resurgent Black family. The younger generation now had all the power and influence, and they would use it to ensure they had the futures they wanted for themselves.
All three had been rather tight-lipped about their actual career plans, but Pansy had spent the last few years developing a rather impressive business acumen. Between that and the boys' respective passions for magical plants and creatures, entrepreneurship was as good a guess as any.
Daphne and Harry joined their friends in front of the common room fire and fell into easy conversation, reminiscing about their time at Hogwarts and their hopes for the future.
Harry sat back and observed their little group for a while. It was nice to be surrounded by so many people he could trust, especially after all he'd been through. He knew he could always count on every single one of them, which is more than he could say for his former Gryffindor associates and the rest of Dumbledore's flunkeys.
It had been three years since Voldemort's demise, though that news had never been made public. As promised, Harry and Daphne had met with Amelia Bones and Dumbledore the day after the third task and shared just enough information to tell the story without revealing their secrets. Harry did admit to finding out about Voldemort's Horcruxes and destroying them, but he refused to explain how he accomplished either task.
~Flashback~
"What matters is that Voldemort is finally dead," Harry insisted to the headmaster. "The specifics of what happened are unimportant. I never asked to be dragged into any of this in the first place. I came to you for help many times, but you offered nothing but empty platitudes in return. I have no desire to share with you any more than necessary."
"But Harry, surely…"
"No, Headmaster, that's my final word."
Daphne tried to keep her stoic mask in place, but she was almost positive her emotions were slipping through. She simply couldn't help it. She absolutely loved it when Harry got all authoritative and put imbeciles like Dumbledore in their place. She squeezed his hand in appreciation while thinking that she had never felt more attracted to him.
Harry turned slightly and gave her a subtle wink before addressing the head of the DMLE.
"As for you, Madam Bones, I do want to assure you that it's nothing personal. For years, the Minister has surrounded himself with Death Eaters and other supporters of the Dark Lord, simply because of the gold and influence they can offer. To this day, there are still Death Eaters with seats on the Wizengamot. I refuse to place my trust in such a corrupt institution, especially when the safety of those I care about is on the line."
Madam Bones sighed deeply but conceded the point. She very much wanted to know exactly what happened the prior evening, but she could live with simply being reassured that the danger was over.
"I'm giving you what assurances I can; I am simply refusing to answer specific questions, as is my right as the lord of two ancient houses. From a legal perspective, all you need to know is that there was a direct threat to my family, and I took care of it. That is all."
~End of Flashback~
Naturally, Dumbledore would never have enough information to satisfy his curiosity. The old man was constantly on the lookout for signs of dark influences or other troublesome behaviour from Harry. When his observations yielded no results, he attempted to entice Harry to speak with him by offering to train him personally, teach him all about Voldemort's history, or even introduce him to noteworthy wizards and witches.
In short, nothing useful.
Harry shook those useless thoughts out of his head. The old goat wouldn't be his problem for much longer anyway. He was about to graduate, after all. He sat up a bit straighter and started listening to what Tracey was saying.
"...and by meeting at the Leaky Cauldron around eight, we'll have plenty of time for dinner before the celebratory party. I was able to gather that the duffers and the 'claws are both meeting there around seven."
"Sounds like a plan," Pansy replied, before wrinkling her nose as a new thought occurred to her. "We're not going muggle, are we?"
"I don't really see the need for it," Tracey responded. "There are plenty of good night spots for young witches and wizards these days."
"I believe the Old Rowan will be having live music that night. Weird Sisters, if I'm not mistaken," Blaise added.
"I'm in," Pansy said immediately.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same," Theo chuckled, joined by the rest of the group. "What about you two?" he asked, turning to Harry and Daphne. "You're going on your trip around the world, and then what?"
"I'm taking a DADA mastery and Daph will work on becoming a healer. After that, who knows? I may try my luck on the duelling circuit, or even join the Aurors for a while. I really don't know."
"I'm planning on making him run for Minister in a few years," Daphne revealed, which certainly got everyone's attention. "First, though, Harry has to actually use his Wizengamot seats."
Harry groaned at the reminder.
"Sirius will be delighted to know I plan on taking up my seats," he replied morosely. "He'll probably give me proxy of his seat too, just to annoy me."
"And that's a bad thing, how?" Daphne asked, and everyone laughed while Harry just shook his head.
"Well mate, the sooner you two come back the better," Theo remarked. "Things just won't be the same without all of us together."
Blaise nodded and suddenly produced a bottle of firewhisky from his robes.
"And where did you get that?" Daphne asked sternly.
"Don't get all Head Girl on me, Greengrass. I just thought this would be the perfect moment to make a toast," Blaise countered, while Millie conjured glasses for everyone.
"Make a speech, Harry," Tracey ordered.
"Why me? The toast was Blaise's idea," Harry complained, earning a smirk from the man himself.
"You're the boss, Harry," Blaise replied simply, as if that explained everything.
"You were the one who started all this," Millie noted, smiling and gesturing to their group of friends.
"The one who rid us of Malfoy," Pansy added.
"Besides, you need to practice for both the Wizengamot and your tenure as Minister," Tracey quipped, triggering another round of laughter from the nine Slytherins.
Harry turned to Daphne for help, but she just smiled back at him expectantly.
"Oh, fine," he huffed, standing up from his seat. "I obviously gain nothing by complaining, except for lost time."
"Truer words were never spoken," Pansy replied with a cheeky grin.
Harry accepted his filled glass and looked around at each of his friends, taking a moment to think about what he wanted to say.
"Seven years ago, I was a scared, lonely boy living in the muggle world with no place to call my own. That's when things changed for me. I was finally brought back to the world where I belonged, a world of magic, filled with promises of adventure and a proper life with others like me. I'll never forget the sense of wonder that filled me the first time I laid eyes on Hogwarts."
"That night, I sat under the Sorting Hat...and I made a mistake," he admitted, shaking his head and snorting to himself.
"That night, the hat told me that Slytherin would help me on my way to greatness. Sadly, I was young and allowed myself to be influenced by others, and I demanded to be placed elsewhere. If only I knew then what I know now..."
Harry closed his eyes for a few moments.
"When Gryffindor cast me out, I realised I was no longer shackled by my jealous year mates and their bigotry. I freely dedicated myself to my studies and learned more in a month than I had the previous three years, and yet, something was missing."
He looked around at his fellow seventh years as a smile crept onto his face.
"Did I ever tell you how the hat said 'I told you so' during my re-sorting?" he asked, and his friends all started snickering. "Well, he did."
Daphne shot him a radiant smile, which he returned in kind.
"Our fourth year gave me the chance I never even knew I wanted. In Slytherin, I gained much more than just simple alliances with other like-minded people. Here I found my true family, friendships that I know will last a lifetime. If not for my re-sorting, I would never even have considered using my heritage to claim lordship of House Slytherin."
Harry's friends quietly cheered when he mentioned their founder's house. Theo looked at him with a satisfied smirk on his face, prompting a subtle eye roll from Harry. Even after all this time, the other boy still had not gotten tired of calling Harry Lord Slytherin just to irritate him.
"This house, this Hogwarts house, may share nothing with the house of my ancestor besides the name, but at the same time, it's a symbol."
Harry rose to his feet, oblivious to the fact that his speech had drawn a crowd.
"A symbol not only of power and achievement, but also of leadership. For too long, Slytherin House has been seen by the outside as a symbol of darkness and bigotry. It's time for our house to re-embrace Salazar's vision, one where the preservation of magical life takes precedence over trifle issues such as the so-called purity of blood. We've made progress over the last few years, but it's up to us to help guide the next generation. Our role is to be leaders, protectors of the magical world. We are all magicals, and it will be us who lead our world into a new age, not the old farts who already screwed up the last hundred years."
He paused for a moment and raised his glass to his friends.
"The future is ours. It's up to us to make our vision a reality."
"Yeah!" shouted a third year from behind, and then the entire room erupted into applause. Harry blinked and looked around, having finally noticed that he was once again the centre of attention. As it was barely thirty minutes past curfew, the common room was practically full, and they had all heard Harry's speech.
He raised his glass to the rest of the house, and they cheered even louder. Theo and Blaise stood up and hoisted Harry onto their shoulders, ignoring his protests and parading him around the common room.
"Harry for Minister!" someone shouted, triggering another round of cheers and laughter from the gathered Slytherins.
Daphne laughed as Harry was tossed in the air and smiled proudly at her once and future husband. He had certainly come a long way from the shy little boy he had been, and she was proud to have been a part of his growth. Harry had become exceedingly powerful, and he was bound to be one of the most influential wizards of their age.
More importantly, he was extremely protective and caring towards his family. He doted on his little cousin, and his godfather considered him as good as a son, the likes of which many pureblood lords would kill to have. Harry had shown time and time again that he was willing to do anything for those he cared about. They had become family over the past three years, and they were gradually becoming the family they had been in their former lives.
Daphne smiled wistfully and absent-mindedly touched her hand to her stomach. No, there still was someone missing; someone who needed to join them before they could be a proper family again.
"Soon, Daphy. In just a few years, you'll be with Mummy and Daddy. We can finally all be together, along with your little brothers and sisters."
Daphne lost her train of thought when they set Harry down in front of her and he pulled her into a kiss.
"What were you thinking about just now?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing important," she replied, beaming at him.
"Then allow me to make better use of your attention," he said, before joining his lips with hers. Daphne smiled into his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Harry responded by picking her up by her waist and twirling her around, making her laugh with all the joy of one who knew the world was theirs for the taking.
They were powerful.
They had influence.
They had no more enemies left.
Granger and Malfoy didn't count, since they were essentially slaves who happened to be useful tools for the time being. It wouldn't be long before they were forced to pay their debts. In blood.
Their lives were their own and they would live them to the fullest, up until the very end, which hopefully, would be many years to come.
THE END