—EPILOGUE—

Time passes, as it always does.

The end of year ceremony came around as it always did. Slytherin won the House Cup, and the table roared merrily in celebration, as most of the school looked on with ire.

Somewhere else, the Minister for Magic was ordering his Elite Squad of goblins to track down Harry Potter by all means necessary, dead or alive.

In another corner of London, Harry Potter was consolidating his cover story for the final time with his wife before going into hiding.

From Romania, Victoire Weasley was planning a portkey back to England. From Ottery St Catchpole, Teddy Lupin was finalising his false identity in order to enter the Goblin Kingdom.

Ron Weasley was spending every spare minute tracking Romnuk's gang with the rest of the Order, and Hermione Granger was spying on the Ministry.

And time passes still, so that summer had soon arrived, along with the Hogwarts Express.

"You'll write me," Rose insisted for the millionth time as she hugged Scorpius tightly on the train. They had spent most of the carriage ride together, as most of their mutual friends were still not speaking to Rose. Neither had minded. They had disappeared to patrol the train corridors in the morning and never returned, instead spending hours talking about first-year, talking about what their families did for holidays, talking about which of their subjects they wanted to keep next year.

"Muggle Studies," Rose had asked, her eyebrows raised. "You want to be the kid who takes Herbology and Muggle Studies for his N.E.W.T. classes?"

"You're taking Ancient Runes," he accused. "Get off your high horse."

They talked about all the places they had travelled, about Scorpius going on a trip with his family to France over July, where they would see the Hippogriff racing. Rose spent an hour going into significant detail about her family tree, drawing out a map with all her cousin's ages and names.

And still, they talked. Time passed, as it always does, far too quickly.

And then, the Hogwarts Express had arrived at Kings Cross Station, and the day had come to an end. And still, because talking to him for hours so freely had not been enough, Rose insisted again, "You'll write me, won't you?"

"I will."

"Because that's what couples do over the summer, apparently."

"I'm sure you know better than I. You had such a long, successful last relationship."

"And you promise we'll meet up once you get back to England?"

"I look forward to fashioning elaborate excuses to escape my family and see you."

"Likewise." Rose nodded.

Scorpius hesitated. People were filing by the frosted glass door of their compartment, dark shadows against the white light. They were murky and unrecognisable, shapes on the periphery of their two-person secret.

He turned back to Rose. They had both grown a little over the year, without noticing it, but both were still around the same height. They easily met the other's eyes.

"You need to forgive me," Rose said suddenly, with urgency, like it had almost slipped her mind. "For all the trouble I caused this year."

"And you'll have to forgive me also," he said. "It takes two to foxtrot."

She smiled, and the light that streamed in from the window caught the flecks of gold around her blue eyes. Scorpius took a step forward and wrapped his wiry arms around her. Rose hugged him back just as tightly. Time seemed to be passing much more swiftly than usual, and soon he would be gone and she wouldn't get to see him every day. How she had taken him for granted during all those silent prefect patrols, all those Potions classes she sat beside him without uttering a word. What she would do to extend this moment just a little longer.

She felt him sigh, his lungs rise and fall with hers, with nothing but clothes and skin separating them. His sigh, one of contentment, seemed to inflate her own.

"Now," she said in his ear, her chin resting on his shoulder. She felt him twitch.

Scorpius leaned back, leaving his hands around her. They looked at each other for the briefest second—freckles and wide cheekbones, cherub lips and silver hair—and then they both leaned in to meet in the middle.

Time stopped passing, as it always does, when two people share the perfect first kiss.

For him, it was his first first kiss. He was cautious and careful as their mouths brushed; his lips were clumsy and light. She relished the feeling of his hesitation and longing, trapped in the corner of his mouth. It was not smooth or confident, which was what Rose was used to; it was human. Her lips parted for his, like a promise.

It was short, and sweet, and perfect. Perfectly imperfect. Private. Impossible to ruin.

After those few short seconds, that seemed to have stretched on for a lifetime, they parted. They were both blushing and felt incredibly young, a strange feeling for two teenagers on the brink of adulthood.

It was the sort of kiss you were supposed to share at eleven, but both had somehow missed out on it then.

Scorpius smiled shyly, tucking his hands in his pockets. "I'll see you in a month, I suppose."

"Yes," she said, still blushing. "Stay safe."

His grey eyes were tinged with the tiniest drop of sorrow before he retrieved his owl and his trunk and slipped out of the compartment.

Rose steadied herself and followed with her only belongings a few minutes later.

The train platform was crowded. Cats wove between their owner's legs and parents helped their children with their trunks. Rose eagerly scanned the crowd, looking for her mother's bushy hair and her father's thinning red mop. They were not alone, but the Potter children had already found them. Hugo and Lily were chatting while sitting on top of their trunks. James was already gripping his trolley, prepared to leave, and Albus was a few paces ahead of Rose, heading towards them.

She raced up behind him and threw her hands around him.

"Oi! What're you—"

"You're my best friend," she said, gripping him as tightly as she could. "And I may be a rotten mate, but I will always be on your side, alright? If you murder a goblin, I will help hide the body."

"You're going to snap my neck!"

She released him and Albus shuffled around to hug her, too. They gripped one another for a moment before letting go.

"I suppose I have no choice. Beggars can't be choosers," he said, with a bit of a smile.

"Are you two ready to go?" Hermione asked them, her hand on Lily's shoulder. "We're starting to get looks from parents."

"Let's go," Albus agreed, linking his hand through Rose's arm. They headed for the wall dividing their magical world from the world of muggles.

So much can happen in the span of a single year.

For instance, one summer ago, Teddy was provoking goblin extremists and proudly supporting the running candidate Curtius Gladstone, who promised a fairer future.

One summer ago, Albus would never have imagined that goblins would gain wand-rights, or that his father would lose his position as Head Auror.

One summer ago, Rose would never have guessed that she would become Slytherin's Beater, or that she would befriend a first-year, or that she would develop a friendship with Scorpius Malfoy.

All of this changed over the course of a single year-span.

There was still so much change to come.

For instance, in a year's time, the Ministry of Magic would have fallen.

Teddy would have tied the knot.

Albus would have lost another bet.

James would lose hope.

Rose would be able to see Thestrals.

Scorpius would spend Christmas in a Weasley jumper.

They would be preparing for an all out war.

This was all a year away, but a year comes around quite quick. Rose, Albus and Scorpius knew that now, as their fifth-year drew to its end.

Time passes, but things do not change. Still, humans and non-humans would find new sources of conflict, and regimes would be overthrown.

That was the nature of a revolt.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: I can't believe this was first published in Feb 2014, and it's finally completed in Dec 2015, and I've been planning it for several years. I haven't even put this much commitment into a relationship. The next story will be out soon, probably in the New Year (I need a bit of a break) but check my profile for details.

I must say a big thank you to the reviewers (especially the loyal crew who've been around from the beginning). You gave me the fuel to finish this and you'd be surprised how much you influenced the story. Thank you for your support and feedback.

If you enjoyed this story and want me to produce another two stories to complete The Revolt trilogy (oh my goodness, let's hope I pump them both out within 2 years though, I was way too slow with Part I) please review, favourite, follow, share and babble incessantly about this story as much as you can.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a gentle start to 2016. Van xx

A/N: (Revolt II is up! Go read and review) x