"Yes! Ron met them. He managed not to scream, and Hagrid said they really liked his red hair. I don't think Ron's going to be willing to go anywhere near the Forest again, though," she giggled. "Neville helped Professor Sprout make all the defensive flora around the castle grow, and I patrolled with Jones."
"Wow, Hermione. Weren't you scared? I mean, what if a Death Eater had broken in or something?"
She waved a careless hand. "I wasn't worried at all. Jones taught me that spell she nearly used on the Ravenclaw last year, and I was just waiting for a Death Eater to try to sneak by us."
Harry, remembering the spell, turned rather pale. "Uh, that's not a very nice spell, you know."
Hermione gave him a rather evil smile. "Why, Harry, Jones says that's just one of several witch-only spells that we get taught here."
Harry's jaw dropped. "Is that what they teach in those girls-only classes?"
His friend laughed. "Of course. What do you boys think we're learning about? Magical tampons? Anti-cramp charms?"
Harry тАУ the boy who had faced down the Dark Lord тАУ looked ready to melt from embarrassment at this mention of "Girl Problems", and Hermione took pity on him. Boys were always so easy to fluster. "Meanwhile the twins were busy organizing victory parties to take the other students' minds off what was happening, so I'd guess that the four Common Rooms are going to look pretty awful by tomorrow.
"Now," she fixed Harry with a compelling stare, "what happened to you?"
Harry opened his mouth to answer, but Dumbedore's voice cut through the excited chatter, and everyone quieted. "Yes, I can confirm that Voldemort is truly defeated once and for all. He is dead in body and soul."
A loud cheer swept through the Great Hall, and after the ensuing hugging, Harry ended up on Snape's lap. For once, he didn't really mind sitting there, even as a much-too-old twelve year old, and he noticed that even Draco was scooched next to his father, with Lucius' arm around him, and the Weasleys were shoving each other for their turn to sit on or next to their mum and dad.
"Just because Volauvent's dead, you're not going to stop being my da, right?" Harry asked anxiously.
"Of course not," Snape said sharply. "Foolish child. You saw the adoption papers. Did you notice a termination clause labeled 'until the demise of the Dark Lord'?"
Harry grinned. "No. Guess you're stuck with me."
Snape huffed, but he squeezed Harry tighter even as he did so.
Molly leaned over and patted Harry's hand. "Remember, Harry dear, you'll always be a part of our family as well. Both you and Professor Snape."
Harry beamed at her. "Thank you, Auntie Molly." Then, as a thought struck him, he blurted, "My mum says thank you for remembering the jumper, Auntie Molly."
That stopped conversation cold all around the room, and Dumbledore тАУ with many a twinkle тАУ suggested that it had been a long night and perhaps it was time to try to get some rest. Soon only Snape, Sirius, and the Weasley parents remained in the Great Hall, all watching Harry expectantly.
"Well?" Snape said, trying not to let his concern show. Harry had actually communed with his dead parents? What might James have said to the boy about his disgust with Snape acting in loco parentis? And what if Lily were still angry with Snape over his "mudblood" remark?
Harry did his best to remember all that he could of his conversation with his parents. "Ummmm, they're happy, and they're in a nice place, and they send their love to Padfoot and Moony and DaтАж And they said thank you to Auntie Molly for the jumperтАж" Molly smiled through her tears. "And, erm, they said that they're watchin' over me and тАУ oh!" Harry turned to Snape, "My dad was real cross that I didn't listen to you back in our quarters, and he whacked me for it, really hard, so you don't need to punish me again. Okay, Da?" Harry was reassured by Snape's automatic nod, but in truth, Snape was in such shock at the notion that James Potter had supported him that he would have agreed to nearly anything. "Uh, and Mum says she'll always love you 'cause you were her first and best friend," Harry tried to get the mushy bits out as quickly as he could, "but she wants you to be happy and to find a nice witch and settle down."
Snape was deeply touched by Lily's concern and the last of his worries that she still resented his disastrous insult evaporated. It warmed him to know that she wanted him to be happy and wouldn't feel betrayed if he were to find love elsewhere. But then he caught sight of the assessing look that Molly Weasley was giving him, and his pleasant feelings were abruptly replaced by cold apprehension.
-##-
A huge party at Hogwarts was held the next weekend, and everyone who had participated in the battle тАУ even Lucius тАУ received a medal. Professor McGonagall and Madame Bones were released from St Mungo's into Poppy's care so that they could participate despite their ongoing recuperation.
After the ceremony, Harry stood on the front steps of the castle, watching the spectacular fireworks over the lake with Snape and idly playing with the medal that hung around his neck.
After a few moments, concerned by the boy's silence, Snape looked down at him worriedly. It was hard for anyone to appreciate all the trauma the boy had been through recently тАУ kidnapped, killed, confronted by his dead parents, returned to the living, caught up in a pitched battleтАж "Are you all right? Are you missing your parents?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain steady.
Harry smiled up at him. "I'm okay. They're here with us, y'know. And I'm with you, just like I wanted."
Snape cleared his throat. The cool air must be giving him a cold. "Sentimental Gryffindor," he scolded, putting an arm around his son and holding him close as they watched the sky erupt in a blaze of multi-colored glory.
THE END
(well, except for the Epilogue)
*Chapter 64*: Epilogue
Epilogue:
18 October 2009: less than 24 hours after posting this epilogue, my waters broke. How's that for timing? I'm off to hospital - send good thoughts and prayers that all goes well despite her being early. She is just over 36 weeks so hopefully all will be well, but I could really use some of that fanfic support that's been so great over these past months. Keep us both in your heart please. I will post again as soon as I can...
What actually happens in the "happily ever after"? Well, for Harry, "happily ever after" means he finally gets his wish to be "just Harry". He is no longer a horcrux, no longer able to survive an AK (not that his still-overprotective father would permit anyone to discover that!), and is just a nice, mostly-normal boy with friends in all the Houses and great talent on a broomstick.
Remus did become eventually human again тАУ though it took until after the next full moon. In the meantime, he made friends with several of the dragons at the preserve and now has additional creatures to play with during "his time of the month".
Snape is, with great relief, leaving his teaching post at Hogwarts to focus on his Potion Master work and research. Dobby will go with him as his House Elf (while he awaits Harry's growing up and having a home of his own). Harry has again broached the subject of freeing him, but Dobby is now enjoying being universally acknowledged as Harry Potter's House Elf, and he has thus far refused all offers of clothing and wages, much to Hermione's despair. He is no longer considered odd by his peers and is in fact now a highly respected House Elf Elder, thanks to his actions in the final battle.
Harry was initially a bit sad at Snape's announced departure from Hogwarts, though he recognizes it will be very freeing not to have his da on staff at his school any longer. Harry will now truly be just another studentтАж though of course he will still have his godfather (plus Remus) on staff so he hasn't wholly escaped having a parental figure nearby (though Sirius' disciplinary abilities remain dubious.) Also, Snape has agreed to give special lectures and tutoring for OWLS and NEWTS students, so he will actually be around the castle quite a bit, though he would strongly deny that his tutoring agreement had anything to do with his wanting to keep a close eye on a certain trouble-prone young Gryffindor.