Poppy kept Dumbledore under her care for almost a week. While his body recuperated within three days, she wasn't that sure about his mind. Something had changed in him, she was sure, but she couldn't understand if it was a problem or not.
Albus seemed more humble, readier to listen to others and accept other's opinions. That in itself was a welcome change, of course. His mood also seemed to improve, although he had usually presented such a facade even years earlier.
Yet he would turn pensive and irresponsive for an hour or two every day, sometimes even more than once. When in that state, he seemed almost catatonic. That was certainly worrying.
Poppy called for a mind healer to check Albus, but the results stayed ambivalent. "I see no immediate problem, but I recommend that he rests longer and more often. Old people may not need many hours of sleep, but they need more rest than younger people. He has already resigned from his political positions. I strongly suggest that he consider resigning from his position as headmaster, too."
"Have you told him? As my superior, I can't tell him to resign." Poppy was torn between her medical responsibility and her position as an employee.
The healer nodded. "I told him and he seemed to consider this option quite seriously, but due to his condition, I'm not sure he'd even remember this by tomorrow. You know he's probably the oldest wizard alive, at least in Britain, so we don't have much experience with people his age. His magic seems to keep him healthier than many younger people, and you probably have a part in that too, but we can't predict how his mind may function even a day or two from now."
Poppy sighed. "I'll need to tell the owners somehow. I'm not sure who they are, but Minerva seems to know. Thank you for your help."
–..–
Dumbledore resumed eating at the Great Hall the next evening. He also had an announcement to make soon after all the students and staff were present. "You all know I'm no longer young. As a matter of fact, I'm very old. I've already resigned from my political roles, finding them too taxing. Now it looks like I need to also resign from leading this magnificent school of ours. I seem to get more forgetful and more distracted than before, which makes me less suitable for the position than a younger person. Therefore, I gave my resignation to the owners. I'll stay in this position until the end of the fall term, as requested by the owners."
He took a sip from his goblet before talking some more. "I thought that Professor McGonagall, my deputy, would become my successor, yet she declined the offer, stating that she prefers to be a better teacher than handle the administrative tasks. She even suggested resigning from her other positions, staying a Transfiguration teacher only. The owners are now looking for two administrators to fill the headmaster and deputy positions. You will be informed of any additional changes as soon as they become relevant. Thank you for listening."
–..–
While Dumbledore still kept his position, the school was changing. Rules were enforced more strictly and punishments became more meaningful. Some girls who still tried to bully Luna found themselves suspended for a week with the threat of expulsion if they repeated the offence. Some prefects also lost their badges for not intervening on time. That was a far cry from how Dumbledore would have normally handled such events.
–..–
The new Potions teacher was not the one Dumbledore had recommended. Although Slughorn had been a very good teacher, he was already older than all the other teachers and was enjoying his retirement. The Potters and Susan thought it would be better to find a younger teacher, one who would be able to teach for many years to come, if he'd prove good enough. The one chosen was in his mid thirties, married, with one child. His wife was expecting their second child and was willing to act as a replacement teacher whenever one was needed. Her excellent NEWT grades made her very welcome.
The new couple seemed to form a close friendship with the Black couple. Both Potters considered it a positive step for the school.
Another change was History of Magic. While Binns kept lecturing to an empty classroom, a new teacher, one who also had a muggle mastery at general history and at education, started lecturing in a different classroom. That made the subject much more interesting, as expected. Harry also planned to rid the school of Binns as gently as possible, although he had not yet gone into the details.
The most significant change was Muggle Studies, as expected. The Potters found the current book and curriculum outdated by almost a century. The teacher, a proper pureblood, was not very cooperative with the proposed changes, so she was replaced with a muggle-born wizard who had also learned some science and became a high-school teacher before the Potters asked him to join the Hogwarts staff. They also intended to build a fully muggle annexe for these lessons and write updated books, but that could not happen so soon.
–..–
Dumbledore gave his farewell speech as a headmaster at the leaving feast before the winter vacation. "But you won't get rid of me, yet. I plan to teach Mastery students in transfiguration and also help Professor McGonagall until she can pass her deputy position to another. I'll be staying in the teachers' lodging, of course, letting the new headmaster get the appropriate apartment."
Yet Dumbledore was no longer in a good condition. He seemed to become more and more forgetful and his attention wandered, making him more prone to mishaps. Luckily for him, most were quite minor, for a while. Then, shortly after Easter, his lack of attention caused him to misstep on the staircase when going to lunch. He tumbled down the stairs and was badly injured. He needed treatment that Poppy couldn't give him at Hogwarts, so she moved him to St. Mungos. He'd stay there for almost a year until he'd leave for his next great adventure.
–..–
The sixth and seventh years were as normal as can be for such a young married couple in a school with magical children. The Potters had some minor "incidents" where they had to assert their authority, but nothing too significant. They graduated top of their class, sharing the first place. Both declined the head boy and girl positions. "As the owners, we already have more responsibility and privileges than that position entails. Let the honour go to other deserving students."
Padma Patil and a Hufflepuff boy were selected, proving very good for the position and for each other. They got married only a few weeks after graduation. Padma gave birth to a beautiful baby girl only eight months later.
–..–
"Should we stay at Hogwarts now or should we find somewhere else to live?" Harry asked.
Hermione gave it some consideration and then shook her head. "If we stay, it may seem like we don't trust the staff to do its job correctly without supervision. I don't want anybody to feel that way. I'd also like us to complete our muggle studies and get some titles, some that can help in administering a school. We'd probably like to rent an apartment near the college while we study, or maybe buy one."
Harry smiled. "Well, we may already have something appropriate. We need to check our property list."
Hermione nodded in agreement.
She then had another nagging subject. "What about Susan? She reminded me a few days ago that you promised to consider her for a different cooperation after graduation."
Harry deflected the question back to her. "What do you think I should do?"
Hermione sighed. "When she first suggested that kind of cooperation, I was appalled. It didn't go well with my muggle ideals and the way I was raised. By now, I believe I understand the magical world a bit better. I'm not even sure if Susan may still want you to marry her, although I don't doubt she'd like you to shag her. She'd been with nobody until now and I think she wants you to be her first and only, like you are for me."
"But why? I've seen quite a few young men trying to interest her."
She smiled. "A few who don't know us showed interest in me too, yet I wasn't interested at all. She's the same. I believe she's already deeply in love with you. She may not marry, needing to continue her line, but she made it very clear that she wants to join us and cooperate in intimate matters."
Harry looked confused. "Then, are you suggesting we accept her? How can that affect you?"
Hermione smiled, enjoying how much he cared for her. "I'm soul-bound to you. Nothing can change that. What may change is the amount of time you dedicate to me. I'll need to share you with her if she joins us one way or another. That means you'll have to dedicate some time to her too."
Harry frowned. He didn't dislike Susan, of course, but it felt wrong to take some of his attention from Hermione for Susan.
Hermione thought she could help him a bit. "Harry, I think it would be wiser to let Susan have her own house unless you marry her. She may still join us several times a week, but it will help her look more dignified."
"But if she wants children with me, how can I be a good father to them too? I won't neglect any child of mine, you know."
Hermione smiled, despite the internal sigh. "We'll find a way. All three of us together. I have no doubt."
Harry only hugged and kissed her tenderly. He trusted her completely, but he was still worried.
–..–
The Potters moved to a house near their selected college just before the academic year started. Susan officially rented a room there, not needing more than that.
Three years later, when all three graduated college, both young women were expecting. A few months later, both brought boys — the Potter and Bones heirs.
Two years later, when they got their masteries, both women were expecting again. Both brought girls this time.
Susan then went into politics, pushing for modernization and more egalitarian laws. It was an uphill struggle that she didn't expect to finish in her lifetime, but she was making nice advances. Potter and Ravenclaw supported her wholeheartedly. Nobody needed to know that most of the decisions were taken in bed, usually after some fun activities. Black also supported her but was not a part of the initial decision-making.
–..–
When James Potter reached eleven, Minerva McGonagall decided to resign from Hogwarts. Oh, she loved the boy and his half-sibling, but she had been witness (and occasional victim) to their pranks and had no intention of trying to control them as Hogwarts. She'd let younger and more energetic professors try that and wish them good luck. They'd need quite a bit of it. After suffering the Marauders, the Weasley twins and then Harry Potter, she had no desire to try and control another generation of pranksters.
By then, Hogwarts also changed quite a bit. It was no longer an old-fashioned boarding school. It was a modern school with optional boarding, using the latest educational technology and magic to teach students how to live in both worlds just as comfortably. The muggle universities were quite glad to accept Hogwarts graduates, knowing they would easily become the top students.
–..–
After having two Bones children, Susan asked Harry to marry her. It was no surprise, really. She had expressed her intentions as soon as Hermione had agreed to take her into the family in whatever form. With the Bones line survival ensured, she wanted to finally make her relations with Harry formal.
That didn't matter to all their friends. Susan had been a part of the family for many years. The rest was merely formality.
–..–
The three lived and influenced quite a few generations of Hogwarts students and then, through their political activity. When they died, after they all passed the one hundred and fifty mark, they left after them many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to carry on their legacy.
The End