Chapter 25 by Kinsfire
Chapter 25 /* /*]]>*/ /**/
Chapter XXV
Epilogue
Harry had been Minister for Magic for two weeks when he heard an odd noise one night outside the school. It
sounded as if someone were screaming, but it wasn't terror. It sounded … joyful?
He looked out the window and cast a spell that sharpened his vision. His next reaction was to open the link to
Hermione. "Damn," she breathed. "We all thought he was sexy back in third year, but … wow … I wonder if that's a
side effect of his lycanthropy?"
Um, Hermione? It's a full moon out there at this very second. We have our old defense teacher bouncing around the
lawn in a naked condition - as a human. How in hell did that happen?
Maybe we should go out and ask him?
You just want to get near him while he's naked and see if he reacts, don't you? he teased her. I'm hurt. Thrown over
for a debonair, charming, and extremely well-hung werewolf. Well, ex-werewolf.
She laughed and put her arms around him from behind. "Shall we go bring him a robe?" she asked. Harry laughed
and threw his own robes on, grabbing another to give to Remus. Hermione headed off to the Headmaster's office to
talk to him.
"Hey, Remus!" Harry yelled as he got close to the man a short time later. "Got something here for you!"
Remus turned to see Harry and ran at him. "I'm cured!" he shouted. "I don't know how, but I'm cured!" He grabbed
Harry in a hug.
"You're also naked," Harry laughed. "I brought you a robe until you can get your own clothes. If I don't, every fifth
year and above is going to end up with a view that I'm not sure you want them to have. You'd probably end up with a
few proposals of marriage from the seventh year girls, though." Harry grinned evilly.
Remus chuckled, blushing. "Sirius would have loved to make fun of me for this."
"I just want you covered so that I don't feel inadequate," Harry responded dead-pan.
"Trust me, Minister, you have no need to feel inadequate," came a voice so sultry that Harry felt the blood leave his
brain.
"Hermione, why must you do that to me? Now we have to find the nearest broom closet!"
"Good," she laughed quietly. "We haven't christened them all yet."
Albus Dumbledore laughed quietly. "Perhaps we should take this conversation inside?"
---
Once in the Headmaster's office, the four sat for a time, sipping tea. Harry reached out and popped a sherbet lemon
into his mouth, which brought a smile to Albus's face. "You're the first to take one in many years, Harry."
"This is one of the few times when I don't feel like I'm in trouble. My stomach isn't usually too happy with me when
I've had to be here before. I'm not really in the mood for a sherbet lemon then."
Albus nodded. "Understandable." Finally, he turned to Remus. "Well, it looks as if something needs to be removed
from your rèsumè, Remus."
"I don't know how, but I suspect that Harry had something to do with it. How do I thank you?"
Harry met Hermione's eyes for just a second, and she nodded. No actual conversation took place, even mentally.
"Well, you could probably do it by agreeing to be the godfather of our son."
"Are you sure?" Remus asked, flabbergasted.
"Of course we are, silly!" Hermione said. "Our little boy is going to need someone to teach him how to be a proper
Marauder and how to cover his tracks," she added with a wink to the headmaster.
"Oh dear, I shall have to have Poppy examine me. My hearing seems to disappear at the most inopportune moments,"
he said with a wide grin.
Harry thought for a moment before changing the subject completely. "Sir …"
"Minister?" Dumbledore responded with a twinkling smile.
"Very well. Albus. I know it's only been a few weeks, but has anyone figured out, or got any ideas as to what made
that Avada simply rebound off my wife? I'm not complaining," he added, starting to tear up unintentionally at the
thought of what he had almost lost. "I'm just curious."
"We may never know," Albus responded, "but the leading thoughts on the matter involve an odd confluence of the
Conceptigenus Puer, the blessings that both of your parents placed upon you, and the fact of the soul bonding.
Separately, none of them would have had the power, but it is my belief that between them all, there was enough to
throw off the curse." He paused and laughed. "Even deities have been drawn into the possibilities for explanations,
explaining why both Helen and Hermione were impregnated by you. The person who suggested that is aware that even
contemplating testing such a theory would be excessively bad for his continued existence above ground, but he
theorises that something similar would have happened if Helen had been the target, because you, her daughter and her
husband would all have been willing to jump in the way, much as Helen, you and Doug would have been willing to
leap in front of Hermione. One theory suggests that the baby may well have had an effect on the curse, sending it
back, considering that the child is the child of the most powerful wizard and witch in existence." He paused.
"Amusingly enough, this theory would also have saved Helen's life as well, for the same reasoning, at least as far as
the most powerful wizard is concerned. Expect your children to be intriguing, Harry."
"Any other theories?" Remus asked.
"Many, but the only other one that I lend any credence to is the one that states that the Conceptigenus Puer combined
with the soul bond and the protections that both of Harry's parents placed on him caused the curse to mutate and
bounce. I honestly doubt that we will ever know."
"Not like we could test it," Harry said. "Or that I'd let anyone survive the attempts to test it, since it would require a
minimum of two murders."
Hermione caught something that Albus had said. "Most powerful?" she asked.
"Harry has shown greater power than anything Merlin ever did during those tests we have run with your bond
suppressed. You are extremely close to his level. When the bond is active?" He chuckled. "Mister Weasley may
have understated things. I would not be surprised if you both were capable of celebrating your two hundredth wedding
anniversary still being quite agile and spry."
"Good heavens," Hermione breathed, and Harry chuckled at the quick thought that he picked up from her mind - the
sex from two hundred years of study of the subject would be intense, to say the very least.
And you say that I have a one track mind,he laughed at her.
Well, I must have gotten some of your sex drive with the bond, she thought primly, knowing that he could read
otherwise.
If that were the case, beautiful, then why aren't you walking into classes every day with your feet a yard apart? If we
were sharing a sex drive as well, we'd never get to classes. He laughed out loud, and she did as well.
"I won't pretend to understand why you're laughing," Remus said with a smile.
"My wife is pregnant, and has a sex drive. Let's leave it at that," Harry said, grinning, making Hermione blush.
"Reminds me of some of the stories your parents didn't tell me when Lily was pregnant with you, if you get my
meaning," Remus laughed. "Showing up at all hours and finding them rumpled with certain scents hanging in the air
… well, you can guess what they were doing."
"Practicing for the next ones?" Harry asked with a laugh.
Remus laughed as well before finally settling down. "It's good to hear you speak of it without getting depressed,
Harry."
"Well, now that I have my own child on the way -"
"Children," Hermione corrected quietly. "A son and a daughter. Poppy told me just yesterday at my last check-up."
"Twins?" Harry asked, his face brightening even more. "How is that possible? Conceptigenus Puer should only have
caused a son!"
Hermione was glowing at the feeling of barely contained happiness at the thought of another child. "We don't know,
but it may connect back to the same reason that there's an aardvark, a hippopotamus and a giraffe gracing a local zoo.
Also the reason that Remus is no longer a werewolf. You were doing it most strongly immediately after the battle, but
you still are having odd little effects that by all rights shouldn't happen magically. I think that you subconsciously
thought about consummating the marriage, and since some children are conceived on the wedding night, I think you
made one of my eggs receptive and in the right place at the right time. You did things with magic that simply aren't
possible by our current understanding, love."
"I'm … wow. I was happy enough with one, but two? Twins?" He stood and did a little jig, drawing Hermione to her
feet and dancing with her. The aura of happiness was palpable in the office, and Remus and Albus got to their feet
and joined Harry in the dancing.
Finally everyone calmed down and sat again. Remus spoke. "I have no idea what to do now. I'll be able to work a
normal job, but who'd hire a known werewolf? Well, ex-werewolf."
Harry grinned in response. "I can think of one person who'd hire you in a heartbeat."
"Who?" Remus asked.
"Me. I need an advisor who isn't afraid to kick me in the arse when I need it. Someone that I trust to bounce ideas
off. Someone I can ask to talk to the other werewolves. I'll be getting rid of those werewolf control laws pretty soon,
but we need to set up a board to figure out what to do with them."
"How do you mean 'what to do with them'?" Remus asked a little warily.
"Sorry, bad phrasing. We do need to figure where best their existing talents lie. Like you, they're mages and whatnot.
They need training in a lot of things, especially since it was unusual for one to come to Hogwarts, and they need to be
able to work. Find something to do, and make sure that they've got the days around the full moons off. Fairly simple
sounding, really, but a hell of a lot harder to pull off in real life." He paused. "Will you do it? Will you hire on as my
advisor?"
"I don't know much about it, to be honest."
"I've got someone set up to train you before he goes to work in a different office. He asked to be relocated to the
Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. I figured I'd grant Percy's request to work with his dad."
"Percy asked to be relocated elsewhere?" Remus asked incredulously.
"Yup. Realised where his prior ambitions had led him, and didn't like it. Yeah, he was high in the Ministry, but when
everyone you love has trouble dealing with you, it's hard on a guy. He's currently trying to woo Penelope Clearwater
again, from what I understand."
"So he is out of St. Mungo's?" Hermione asked.
"Actually, no. We've been talking by owl, and during my daily visits to London." He looked to Dumbledore. "Sorry
for the disruption of the school day, sir."
"When one is teaching the Minister for Magic, one does what is necessary," Albus replied with a chuckle. "The
disruption is not that great, and since you and your wife take the same classes, it works quite well for you both. She
hears the lessons and leaves the link open for you to assimilate, as I understand it."
"And helps me work on it when I'm back home. Uh, here," he said with a blush. He looked at Remus. "By the way,
what is your answer? Yes or no to the advisor position?"
"Isn't it nepotism?" Remus asked.
"So what? It's a time-honoured tradition in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds. I'm just going to shock people by
appointing my people by competency. For example, Griselda Marchbanks is retiring in two years, just after I finish
here at Hogwarts. I've already chosen her successor, if the person I'm thinking of is interested."
"Really?" Hermione asked. "Who? That is a very important job, because all the real educational decrees go through
her office."
"What would you think of my asking one Hermione Potter to take the job when she finishes school then?" he asked
with a cheeky grin.
Hermione's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? Me, in charge of that office?" She stopped to think for a moment, and
then grinned evilly. "Wouldn't that put a bee in so many pureblood family bonnets?"
"Yes it would." He looked back to Remus. "We've managed to skirt around it a number of times now. Can I assume
that you'd prefer the job go to someone else?"
Remus blinked. Harry was acting a great deal more forcefully than he could ever remember him being before. "I'm
sorry. We got off on tangents. I want the job, but … well, with my life prior to this, I think you can see where I'm
heading with this. If you're serious about it, then I'll take it." He held out his hand to Harry.
"Excellent. I was going to offer it to you anyway, but now that you're no longer eligible for our children to call you
Uncle Woofie, it'll make it that much easier to get you the job. I'd have forced it anyway, but now I don't have to burn
so much of my fame up." He yawned widely. "Oh goodness. I think we need to get back to bed and get a little
sleep." He punctuated the comment with another very wide yawn.
"Agreed," Hermione said with a quiet purr. "Let's go, honey."
Despite his words, they didn't get to sleep for a while.
---
The rest of the year passed fairly uneventfully, with the only big shock being when Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy
Parkinson came out as a lesbian couple, and any potential problems that might have developed were nipped in the bud
by Harry greeting them as such with no fanfare - he simply treated it as a fact of life. He had developed something of
a friendship with Millicent after the battle, and had apologised publicly for some of the things he had said about her,
both public and private. She had been forgiving, and had introduced him to the real Pansy, not the one who had felt
that she would have to marry Draco.
The trials of Draco, Dolores Umbridge and Cornelius Fudge were widely attended, and many were shocked that Harry
had not gone to any of them, except to be a witness. All three trials had taken some time to go through, since Harry
had insisted that they be scrupulously fair, and had set Amelia Bones to ensure that.
Umbridge's trial was the shortest, lasting only three days before it went for a verdict. She was convicted of fraud,
having become involved in the funding schemes that Lucius Malfoy had begun. She was also convicted of torture,
abuse of minor children, and improper usage of Ministry personnel and resources. Her worst crimes were those of
attempted murder and attempted use of an Unforgivable. For these crimes, she was given a total of seven life
consecutive sentences plus community service if she somehow managed to survive long enough to be released. (The
community service was for the misuse of Ministry resources and personnel.)
Fudge's trial lasted a month, once all the fraud he had committed over the years was discovered. His trial covered all
of it that they had found enough proof with which to prosecute him, and his fortune was stripped and given to those he
had defrauded. He also was given 2,597 consecutive ten year sentences for fraud - one for every count he was found
guilty of. His body was found hanging from the rafters of his cell in Azkaban three days after he began his sentence.
Draco was sentenced as a Death Eater, and his pleas that he had been under the Imperius were tested thoroughly and
found to be false. He was sentenced to be executed, and was beheaded two days later. Harry refused to use the Veil
as an execution method, because he still felt that something might be done to at least rescue Sirius' body from the
other side.
One trial that happened that had an attendance that dwarfed the other three trials combined was the trial of Severus
Snape. Harry was unable to avoid this one, since he was the one who had brought the case to trial. While the insult to
Hermione was satisfied by the duel that they had fought, there was the attack on Harry and Hermione that needed to be
dealt with. When word came out that Severus Snape was to go on trial, many others came forward with requests to sue
him for mental torture of students. During the trial, even current and older Slytherin students stepped forward and
spoke of his prejudices.
What surprised people during the trial of Severus Snape was when someone attempted to bring forth his Death Eater
past, and Harry and Minister put his foot down. "Unless someone has incontrovertible proof that he was more than a
spy within Riddle's forces, I don't want to hear anything about that during this trial. Suspicions are not to be used.
Bringing forward his allegiances during the first war is nothing more than a tactic to win at all costs. I want this to be
a fair trial."
"Mister Potter, do you have any opinions on the allegations?"
"Yes, I do. My opinion is my own."
The trial continued, with an eventual sentence of twenty years, which were to be served working for St. Mungos as
their Potions Master after his arm had been completely regenerated and was back to full efficacy. His freedom was to
be nil - he would go from home to work and back home. With Harry's backing, it was decided that ten years would be
cut from his sentence if he could develop a cure for lycanthropy, and an additional five would be removed if he were
to find a way to return some of the catatonic patients to health.
Helen gave birth at the end of May, naming her children Lilianne Harriet and Juliette Minerva. Not to be outdone,
Hermione gave birth in mid-June, and they named their children Cedric Douglas and Marietta Lily. No one had a
problem with the tears that Cho Chang shed at hearing the names, because she certainly was not the only one.
---
Seventh year was surprisingly uneventful for Harry, except for one Saturday in October. He had gone to the Veil to
look at it and speak to Sirius as one would to a headstone. "I wish you were here, Sirius. Tom is gone, you've been
pardoned, and I'm a married man. I wish you were here to meet my babies. I wish you were here to hold them and
tell them all the stories about the Marauders. I wish you were here to exasperate us with your intention to be a bad
example." Tears slid from his eyes and splashed to the ground unchecked.
Suddenly, the Veil moved as if in a high wind, and someone burst from it. "Harry!" bellowed a voice as a form shot
out of the archway. Standing there, wand at the ready, was Sirius Black, looking no different than the day he fell
through more than a year earlier.
Harry's wand was out in an instant. "Prove to me who you are," he said sharply.
Sirius blinked at him. "What happened to the fight? Where's Bella? Where are the rest? What happened to her?
What are you doing standing here so calmly in the midst of a fire-fight?"
"Who are the Marauders?"
Sirius finally realised that the situation was not as he originally thought, so he calmed and answered Harry's question
as he put his wand away. "Your dad, me, Remus, and the rat Pettigrew. James was Prongs, I was Padfoot, Remus was
Moony, and Pettigrew was Wormtail." He shifted to his Animagus form.
Harry's response was to blink furiously for a moment before running forward and hugging Padfoot, tears flowing
freely. "Oh my God, Sirius, it is you!" was all that he could say for several minutes. When he finally let him go,
Sirius finally shifted back.
"Harry, we have to get out of here. I don't know what happened, but I can't exactly get caught, you know? Can we
escape? Please?"
Harry grinned. "I can manage that. It's been a little time since you went through the Veil, so a few things have
changed. I'm in my seventh year at Hogwarts. Right now, it's Saturday, October the eighteenth. Let me grab this
portkey and sneak us back to my quarters at Hogwarts. There've been some changes, so don't react too oddly, okay?"
He touched the portkey, and as soon as Sirius was touching it, they disappeared to the quarters that he and Hermione
had shared since the previous year. The appeared in the study, and Harry said, "Let me prepare Hermione." At the old
man's raised eyebrows, he added, "One of those changes. She's my wife." Before Sirius could say anything, Harry left
him in the study.
"Hermione?" he said as he exited the room. Evidence suggested that she had recently finished breast-feeding and put
the children down for their naps, and he reacted as he always did.
"Can we at least wait until we're in the next term before we start the next ones, Harry? I don't fancy waddling through
my NEWTs." she said with a smile as she stood and flowed into his arms. "Don't worry, we can practice all we can
manage."
"Sorry," he laughed as he gently disengaged from her. "Something has happened that has kicked in my Marauder
genes, and I have an odd little prank to pull on someone. I need you to come into the study and see someone. You
might want to put on a robe first, though." She absently waved for one and it flew into her hand. She slid it on as
Harry got to the door. "This is what it seems, love. I'm sure of that." He opened the door and motioned her to it.
Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of the shaggy haired man and leapt at him, hugging him with a hug that
would have made Molly Weasley proud. "Oh my God, Sirius! How?"
"I don't know. Bella Stupefied me and then I came running back through once the spell wore off. Is everything going
to be okay with my being here? How am I going to sneak out without getting caught?"
"You don't need to," Harry said with a grin. "When Voldemort was finally defeated by a group of us, the Minister was
more than willing to grant you your freedom posthumously, and even a Order of Merlin, First Class for your efforts in
the war. After all, you could have turned your back on the wizarding world, but you fought for them anyway."
"I fought for you, Harry. You and your friends." His eyes sparkled. "See you caught yourself a babe. Married her
too? And not even out of school yet? Fast worker, aren't you?"
"That reminds me," Harry laughed. "I need to introduce you to our twins, Cedric Douglas and Marietta Lily."
"I was joking, kid!" He turned and leered at Hermione. "Are the twins at least lucky enough to breast-feed?" He
wiggled his eyebrows at her.
She responded by dropping the robe to the floor. "Just finished a little while ago. I'm getting comfortable again, if you
don't mind, Harry." She turned and headed back into their common room.
Harry laughed as he heard Sirius chanting, "She's married; she's married; she's too young; she's married…"
"Yeah, she does have a great ass, doesn't she?" Harry asked. Sirius' look made Harry wish that the man had been
drinking something right then, because he was certain that there would have been a classic spit-take.
"What was that about my perfect ass?" Hermione called from the other room with a laugh.
"Sirius was in here reminding himself that you're married," Harry called back. "Tell you what, Sirius. You go into the
common area with her, and I'll contact a couple people who really need to be made aware of this, okay?" As soon as
Sirius nodded and left the room, Harry knelt and activated the Floo connection to the Headmaster's office. As he
stepped through, he heard Hermione say, "Don't be embarrassed, Sirius. It's a compliment …"
"Harry!" Albus said with a start. "What brings you here without warning?"
Harry looked around to see Remus conferring with Albus, as well as Minerva McGonagall. "We need to get Tonks
here as soon as we can, sir. I just portkeyed back from the Chamber with the Veil. I'm going to be pranking
someone."
Remus shook his head. "Wait. What does the Veil have to do with a prank?"
"I'm pranking a man who just stepped back through it after more than a year."
All three were on their feet in an instant. "Sirius is back? Are you sure?" was the general consensus as to the
questions asked.
"To my satisfaction. Right now he's in my quarters trying not to let Hermione know that her being naked in front of
him is causing him some … heh … Sirius blood flow problems." He looked to Remus. "He's a boob man, isn't he?
He's trying not to look at her like he wishes he was one of our children, if you catch my meaning."
Remus nodded weakly. "What's your prank?" he finally asked. When Harry explained, Remus burst out laughing,
and even Minerva grinned outright.
---
Harry returned to the study and headed out to the common room. "It's okay to look, Sirius. Wait 'til you meet her
mother and father. Her mother could pass for her not-very-much older sister."
"As Lily and Juliette prove," Hermione said with an evil twinkle to her eyes. "It's a long story, and we have years to
explain," she told the confused Sirius.
There was a knock at the door, and Harry headed over to it as Sirius hid from force of habit. "Harry?" Albus said. "I
followed through on what you told me, and have brought Tonks and Remus here. Ronald and Ginevra also wished to
come along, and I did not believe that there would be a problem with that. We are the only ones in attendance."
Sirius came out quietly from his hiding place and looked at the group in the doorway. Tonks let loose with a crying
gasp and threw herself onto the ex-convict, crying incoherently with joy. Remus simply walked over and hugged the
two tightly.
When they had finally parted, Ginny threw herself at Sirius and hugged him tightly. "Missed you, Padfoot. Missed
you a lot." After a pause, she added, "Thanks for the compliment. If I weren't with Neville and Susan, I'd think about
it." She was rewarded with a laugh and a blush from Sirius.
"The Ministry is aware of Sirius' return, as you requested," Albus said to Harry. "I was informed that the Minister has
come to a decision. Since Sirius is no longer dead, what moneys are possible to be returned to him will be. You, Miss
Tonks, and Mister Lupin will be returning their shares from the will, as well as whatever properties were transferred.
That money that Narcissa Black was given will not be taken from her."
Sirius turned purple. "I'm gonna … oh, Fudge is gonna pay for this one. As far as anyone could tell, I was dead, so
my will was read, right?" Remus nodded, and it appeared that Sirius did not see the twinkle there. "Then the money is
yours! I don't want it back!"
"Well, the Minister has decided that even if Remus and Nymph don't return theirs, I will be returning my share,
especially since the title and the properties, as well as something like ninety percent of the money went to me."
"That son of a bitch won't let up on you, will he? Why should you be punished …" He stoped in mid rant and stalked
to the fireplace, grabbing the Floo powder. "Office of the Minister for Magic!" he bellowed.
Percy Weasley's face appeared in the flames. "Office of the Minister," he said officiously.
"I need to speak to your boss!" Sirius said carefully.
Percy turned to the side. "Dad, it appears that the rumours are true. Sirius Black is back and is asking for you for
some reason."
"Arthur?" Sirius asked. "You're the Minister?"
"No, where did you get that idea?"
"Well I called the Minister's office and got Percy and asked for the Minister, and he gave me to you."
"Actually," Percy corrected, "you asked for my boss. I work in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office now, with Dad.
I'm sitting here as a favour to the Minister."
"Well, can you tell me where the bloody prick is?" Sirius asked angrily. "He's punishing Harry, Remus, and Tonks for
my being alive!"
Arthur grinned widely. "You might wish to turn around then, Sirius. The Minister is in the room with you." He cut
the connection suddenly.
Sirius stood and turned around, and Harry made certain that they captured the look on Sirius' face when he realised
that Harry was wearing the badge of office of the Minister for Magic. "So, what is it you want to say the prick?"
Harry said with a wide grin.
"How … you … Minister? At seventeen? While you're still in Hogwarts?"
"Sixteen, actually. I've been doing this for more than a year. Splitting time between Hogwarts and London. Hired
Remus on as my advisor, and I'm grooming Griselda Marchbanks replacement."
"Is that what they're calling it these days?" Ginny asked impudently. "I can never stay up to date with the euphemisms
for sex."
"Brat," Harry said with a laugh. "Now, what did you want to say to me about giving you back your money and title?"
"Harry, I left those to you!"
"And you're alive! I have more than enough from my parents, and as of thirty minutes ago, I can live up to something
I've felt for a long time." He walked over and put his hands on Sirius' shoulders. "I'd give up everything you gave me
just to have my godfather back. Whether or not that was an Oath, I consider it a more than fair bargain. You're back.
I don't want the money. Or wait a hundred years or more and give it to your many, many, many children."
"I haven't left any behind, Harry."
"Well, it's time to play catch-up, then!" Harry replied brightly. "You're free, and we'll announce your return soon, so
you'll be able to walk the streets a free man."
"Won't that be a spit in the eye of Bella and Lucius and Narcissa?"
"Trixie and Lucius the Unlucky died when their lord and master did. Narcissa, on the other hand, is somewhere on the
continent, after disowning her son and then divorcing Lucius." He paused. "Long story. What say we sit down and
talk a while, and we can bring you up to date?"
---
It turned out that Harry had managed to heal Doug as well, much to his and Helen's delighted surprise. Harry was
unable to convince them not to name their son after him.
---
The years passed, with Harry inadvertently making Sybill Trelawney correct a third time when Hermione gave birth to
her tenth child. Fred and George gave Harry a salute that day, since he had proven himself an Honorary Weasley with
that feat. (It didn't hurt that the Potters seemed somehow 'doomed' to twins at each birth.)
Ron had married Luna and both Patil girls after Hogwarts. He had been in love with all three, but didn't wish to hurt
any of them, so all four were becoming rather frustrated. It took them setting up anti-Apparition wards and showing
up completely nude in the Chudley Cannons locker room before he realised that they were willing to share him. They
proved it immediately. Luna's first child was born nine months to the day later.
Neville had been stunned when he came across Susan and Ginny making love on his bed in his apartment, and tried to
leave quietly, his heart breaking. He found it healed quite quickly when they pounced him and proved to him that the
three of them could be quite happy.
Everyone was surprised the day that those three proceeded to pounce Sirius, Sirius being the most surprised. Susan
was the one who provided him with a male heir to the Black family, although only days ahead of Ginny.
Tonks had to make the first move with Remus. She had to go so far as to have Hermione spell her to Remus' bed with
the only release mechanism being the two of them talking out their feelings. The fact that Tonks was naked when she
was tied to the bed helped Remus realise a few things. Luckily, the spell required only that they talk out their feelings,
or else Tonks would have been in trouble, because Remus' Gryffindor honour kicked in, and he refused to make love
to her until their wedding night.
They weren't seen for a week.
---
Harry's biggest surprises came after he and Hermione had been married for five years. He and Hermione were
luxuriating in the sun when they received word of a Floo call from Dobby. They went to catch it and found
themselves talking to Pansy and Millicent, both of whom seemed to appreciate Hermione's choice of sunbathing
costume.
"Pansy! Mill!" Harry said. "What can I do for you?"
Millicent bit her lower lip. "Can we come through and talk to you? It's private, and anyone can listen in on these
things."
"Come on through." A moment later the couple was standing before Harry and Hermione, both trying hard and failing
in their attempt to not react to Hermione's state of undress. "So, what's up?"
"Besides my interest in screwing your wife?" Pansy murmured in a voice he was certain she thought was inaudible.
Millicent snorted. "We want your help, if you're willing. We want children, and we'd like to talk to the two of you for
a very good reason." For the first time that Harry could ever remember, Millicent blushed, a surprisingly pretty sight
on her.
Hermione looked at them for a long moment before chuckling. "Old fashioned or some of the new Muggle
techniques?"
"What are you talking about, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"I'm asking them if they'd rather you do the sperm donation by going to a doctor's office and thinking about the
implanation of a fertilised egg, or if they'd prefer a fertility potion and lying on their backs thinking of each other."
Harry's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?" he asked. Both women nodded.
"You proved why you were the best choice for so many things when you - after all the shi … garbage we put you
through in Hogwarts, you still put that behind you and treated us … you treated us better than we deserved," Pansy
said. "The way we acted toward you, no one would have blamed you if you'd taken some revenge on us."
"Well, in a way, what I was doing was - only you accepted the hand of friendship I put out, which means that revenge
wasn't needed. If you hadn't been sincere, you'd have been wondering when the kick in the arse was going to come."
Pansy laughed. "That's so Slytherin!" she finally said admiringly. "You got something you wanted either way!"
"I probably would have been Slytherin if I hadn't met Hagrid and Ron, and even more importantly, Draco." Both girls
nodded knowingly. "As for the answer, well, it all depends on Hermione as to whether or not I …"
"Harry," Hermione interrupted, "I know you better than any woman on the planet. If you don't mind being the father
of their children, then by all means be the donor." She kissed him. "And I'm certain we can locate a couple fertility
potions."
"Hermione?" he squeaked out.
"I know you, beloved. There is no woman you will place before me. We are soul bonded, and I can feel your fear that
I'll hate you for this." She smiled. "We're soul bonded, Harry. I know, beyond any shadow of doubt, that you love
me. Remember, you're the man who made me able to Arithmantically prove how much you love me. Remember that
two mile diameter anti-Apparation ward? If you want to take these ladies somewhere and give them their children,
then I know that you will not suddenly decide you want them more than me. I am secure in your love for me." She
kissed him in a manner that certainly seemed to prepare him for the activity.
He accepted the role of godfather when their babies were born.
---
It wasn't long after that when Hermione entered their home, eyes twinkling, having come from visiting her parents
while Harry was at work. They talked quietly for a while, nuzzling at each other's neck, and generally being
newlyweds. It was as she held him close to her that she said, "If you had the chance, Harry, would you make love to
Mum again?"
He was embarrassed by how rapidly he stiffened against his wife. "Rhetorical question, thank God," he murmured in
her ear. "I admit that you have benefited from some of their visits, so you know that I find Helen sexy."
"It wasn't rhetorical, Harry. Even though Dad is fertile again, they've been talking about more children, and
specifically your children." She blushed furiously. "Apparently they've been interested in a ménage a trois for years,
but the only man they've ever trusted enough is married to their daughter, and tried to kill himself when he fathered
my sisters." She looked him in the eyes. "I know now how much you love me. I said it with Mill and Pansy, and I
say it again - I love you, and I trust you."
"They really … you …" He was at a complete loss for words.
"But … oh, we need another family meeting," he said faintly.
"Are you having trouble thinking?" she purred erotically at him. "Imagining Mum in your arms again and making her
squeal?"
"Urg," he said. Hermione laughed and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"Let's work off that pressure," she said, and quickly they were making passionate love against the counter.
When he had calmed, she asked, "So, can we talk about this without losing all the blood from your brain?" She
giggled as she felt him twitch against her.
"I'm sorry, love," he said seriously. "You know how much I love you, and I still remember the way I was a few years
ago, but I'll admit that the concept of being in a threesome with Helen as the meat in a sandwich is extremely erotic to
me. I think I fell in love with her as more than my mother-in-law."
"I know you did," Hermione said. "You're finally learning something about our family. I'm monogamous because I
choose to be. I won't be involved with this, because I don't want to be involved in incest, but I'll be very hurt if you
choose to close the link when you're with them."
His jaw dropped. "You actually want to feel me making love to your mother?"
"It's the closest I'll ever be to understanding how a man feels when he's inside a woman, and I'd rather it be with
someone that I love as well. Mill and Pansy were both a quick fling for the right purposes. They're our friends, and
we love them as such, and I know you could never lose your heart to them. You already lost your heart to Mum in so
many ways, which simply proves that you're a smart man."
---
Helen's next children were Harry's - twins again, named Sirius and Melody.
---
By the time that Harry left the Ministry and moved into teaching, he was nearing ninety, and looked as if he were
barely into his thirties. Hermione still appeared in her mid-twenties when she left the Ministry to teach as well. It was
noted by this point that most of the people closest to Harry seemed to be aging slower than perhaps they normally
would - even Albus was still alive and rather spry, although he had left the running of Hogwarts to Minerva years ago.
The point was driven home how young the saviours of the wizarding world were remaining when Hermione became
pregnant and gave birth on her hundredth birthday. Everyone that Harry loved survived to celebrate their hundredth
wedding anniversary sixteen years later.
The world was mostly peaceful, especially after Harry made a concerted effort to blend the Muggle and wizarding
worlds. He still occasionally was forced to stomp on an up and coming dark lord, but his children were enjoying
getting into the act as well.
Each of those they loved were given a fond farewell as their time for the next great adventure came along, and the
tears were minimal, for they knew they had lived good lives and would see each other again. When at last he and
Hermione died gently in their sleep, they had both managed to surpass Nicholas Flamel by more than a hundred years,
leaving behind a world that had not known war in any form for more than two hundred years.
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