~::Alas, but I have reached the end of this. My baby's all grown up. Sniff.
Thank you SOSOSOSO very much to everyone who's read this and a million
virtual cookies to those who've reviewed! I can't believe it's already
over. (Thinks) Oh, wait! I still have to write the Companion piece! Yeah!
By the way, that might take awhile because I've only JUST begun it, and
homework has just been. AGH!!! It kinda sucks. So, anyway, one of these
days, it'll be out. Wow, this has been too long. Anyway, onwards!::~
~Epilogue: The End of Harry Potter's Seventh Year~
My platform was empty, but I had heard the news, and still I rejoiced.
Harry Potter, with the help of his all of friends, had defeated Voldemort. By now, most of the Death Eaters - those not killed in the final assault at least - had been tried and convicted.
During the trials, the entire world finally discovered that Severus Snape was not a heartless Death Eater when he spoke against his former companions and Dumbledore explained his role as a spy.
I knew Snape would take the right path. I just knew it.
The best news, of course, was that Peter Pettigrew - Wormtail - had broken down sobbing upon seeing his master's death and confessed his entire life story...then repeated it upon seeing Sirius and Remus at the trial.
Sirius and Remus... I saw Remus again four years ago, when I had heard about Sirius' escape, and he looked terrible. His finger was empty of a certain ring, but, when he turned to look at my familiar platform once more, a glint of gold peeked through his shirt. He wore a pair of identical rings on a chain around his neck. He looked far too haggard for such a brilliant man.
Suddenly, a pair strolled in through the archway, breaking through my memories, and I heard a laugh I'd not heard for many years indeed, and my heart swelled at the glorious sound.
Sirius and Remus had returned.
'They're back! What the hell?! What are they... OH! They're here for Harry, since Sirius is his guardian. Early once more! What a surprise.'
Remus looked much healthier than last I'd seen him, much happier and less faded. Sirius, while still thinner than last I saw him, looked much better than last I had heard when he escaped Azkaban.
Naturally, he had an arm draped over Remus' shoulders.
'Some things never change.'
It was Remus who was laughing, his amber eyes glinting.
For a few minutes, they spoke of nothing important, and I was still trying too hard to overcome my shock to listen all that carefully.
As I came back to my senses, I saw the two sitting side-by-side upon a familiar bench, their hands clasped. When Sirius began fidgeting, idly playing with Remus' fingers, Remus suppressed a smile. Both he and I knew Sirius had something significant to say but, after all these years, still retained his inherent shyness.
'Some things really *don't* change.'
"Remus..."
"You want to ask me something, Sirius?"
Sighing, Sirius shook his head fondly. "You know me far too well." A pause of silence, then he jumped right into it. "With everything finally settling down and me being able to show my face again and all, I was wondering if we could...go back to where we were before...before."
Remus rose an eyebrow. "You mean you still want to get handfasted?"
Sirius quickly shook his head, and Remus' face fell
Before even I could get furious, Sirius scooped the man into his arms, practically pulling the brunette into his lap. "Oh, Moony! How can a person so brilliant be so completely ignorant? I mean, well...remember when everyone found out we were both off the market, so to speak?" He tenderly kissed the tip of the blushing man's nose.
Remus nodded, eyes twinkling and a small smile on his lips. "You kissed me in front of everyone in the Great Hall."
"Yes, well, I want that again. But differently. Remus...will you marry me?"
"M-M-Marry?" Remus stuttered. "Oh! Uh...marry..."
"Magniloquence, Remus, nothing but magniloquence."
Without a single one of his precious words, Remus kissed Sirius, trickling a laugh into it. In the end, Sirius was chuckling as well.
"So, what's your answer?" Sirius asked, still uncertain.
"Where're the rings?"
Sirius blinked. "Rings?"
"To get married, we need a rings."
Sirius looked down at the unadorned hand he held. Then, he glanced at Remus and smiled. Without hesitation, he unclasped Remus' necklace, the two rings falling into his palm. Handing the necklace back to Remus, who silently put it in a pocket, he gave one ring to Remus and slid the other upon Remus' left ring finger. Remus repeated the action, the ring sliding easily onto Sirius' finger.
As they kissed once more, the first people began trickling in.
The whistle blew, the train approaching the platform.
Remus and Sirius broke off, watching the scarlet train slowing to a halt. When the doors opened, Sirius whispered into Remus' ear, with a strong British accent, "Je t'aime, mon amour."
Remus murmured back, "Moi, aussi. Is that all you can say?"
Clearing his throat dramatically, he clearly pronounced, "Je suis très desolé!" (*1)
Remus laughed, delighted, hugging Sirius close.
When he pulled back, Sirius asked, "So, what of my godson's letter?"
Remus peered over at the group of four emerging from the train, the four who the professors had begun nicknaming the "Second-Generation Marauders."
Ron and Hermione walked out first, hand-in-hand and still starry-eyed over the each other, ever since fifth year. Well, officially since fifth year. I personally believed that they began caring for each other long before that.
Their fifth year was also the year Harry's boyfriend had joined their group. I didn't know the specifics of how the only son of Lucius Malfoy could end up in love with a Gryffindor, but the two of them had found each other past their façades of a Purebred Slytherin slime and a Gryffindor Golden Boy. Since their relationship had begun at school, I only knew that the first night of their affair had begun in violence and ended in tears.
By the way Draco smiled genuinely and happily at Harry, not a cold smirk or superior yet pale upturning of his mouth, I knew that the violence and tears had ended for good.
"I think Harry knows what he's doing," Remus responded lightly.
Sirius smirked. "A Malfoy and a Potter. Who would have guessed?"
"Who indeed." He paused. "So?"
Sirius sighed. "Only if you agree."
Grinning, Remus laughed aloud. "A Malfoy living under our roof. This just keeps getting stranger and stranger."
The so-called "Second-Generation Marauders" found the two men and waved enthusiastically, even Draco, walking over to the men on the bench.
"Ready to act normal?" Remus quipped, standing up.
"Against my nature," Sirius responded, standing next to his fiancé. Then, he quickly kissed Remus before adding, "But, for you, anything."
And my unbeating heart warmed.
Even inanimate objects wanted a Happily Ever After.
(*1) Translation: "I love you, my love." "Me, too." "I am so sorry!"
La Fin
Feedback: [email protected], and it staves off the plot bunnies' chanting of, "Write us a fic...a glorious fic...so very bright and gay. Write us of Care Bears...crossed-over with Lord of the Rings...without feedback, you'll write it today!" AGH! Make them stop! Tell me something else! AGH! Oui, je suis une foulle. Pourquoi? (Yes, I am a crazy one. Why?)
~Clamat, sed ubi asinus est?~
~Epilogue: The End of Harry Potter's Seventh Year~
My platform was empty, but I had heard the news, and still I rejoiced.
Harry Potter, with the help of his all of friends, had defeated Voldemort. By now, most of the Death Eaters - those not killed in the final assault at least - had been tried and convicted.
During the trials, the entire world finally discovered that Severus Snape was not a heartless Death Eater when he spoke against his former companions and Dumbledore explained his role as a spy.
I knew Snape would take the right path. I just knew it.
The best news, of course, was that Peter Pettigrew - Wormtail - had broken down sobbing upon seeing his master's death and confessed his entire life story...then repeated it upon seeing Sirius and Remus at the trial.
Sirius and Remus... I saw Remus again four years ago, when I had heard about Sirius' escape, and he looked terrible. His finger was empty of a certain ring, but, when he turned to look at my familiar platform once more, a glint of gold peeked through his shirt. He wore a pair of identical rings on a chain around his neck. He looked far too haggard for such a brilliant man.
Suddenly, a pair strolled in through the archway, breaking through my memories, and I heard a laugh I'd not heard for many years indeed, and my heart swelled at the glorious sound.
Sirius and Remus had returned.
'They're back! What the hell?! What are they... OH! They're here for Harry, since Sirius is his guardian. Early once more! What a surprise.'
Remus looked much healthier than last I'd seen him, much happier and less faded. Sirius, while still thinner than last I saw him, looked much better than last I had heard when he escaped Azkaban.
Naturally, he had an arm draped over Remus' shoulders.
'Some things never change.'
It was Remus who was laughing, his amber eyes glinting.
For a few minutes, they spoke of nothing important, and I was still trying too hard to overcome my shock to listen all that carefully.
As I came back to my senses, I saw the two sitting side-by-side upon a familiar bench, their hands clasped. When Sirius began fidgeting, idly playing with Remus' fingers, Remus suppressed a smile. Both he and I knew Sirius had something significant to say but, after all these years, still retained his inherent shyness.
'Some things really *don't* change.'
"Remus..."
"You want to ask me something, Sirius?"
Sighing, Sirius shook his head fondly. "You know me far too well." A pause of silence, then he jumped right into it. "With everything finally settling down and me being able to show my face again and all, I was wondering if we could...go back to where we were before...before."
Remus rose an eyebrow. "You mean you still want to get handfasted?"
Sirius quickly shook his head, and Remus' face fell
Before even I could get furious, Sirius scooped the man into his arms, practically pulling the brunette into his lap. "Oh, Moony! How can a person so brilliant be so completely ignorant? I mean, well...remember when everyone found out we were both off the market, so to speak?" He tenderly kissed the tip of the blushing man's nose.
Remus nodded, eyes twinkling and a small smile on his lips. "You kissed me in front of everyone in the Great Hall."
"Yes, well, I want that again. But differently. Remus...will you marry me?"
"M-M-Marry?" Remus stuttered. "Oh! Uh...marry..."
"Magniloquence, Remus, nothing but magniloquence."
Without a single one of his precious words, Remus kissed Sirius, trickling a laugh into it. In the end, Sirius was chuckling as well.
"So, what's your answer?" Sirius asked, still uncertain.
"Where're the rings?"
Sirius blinked. "Rings?"
"To get married, we need a rings."
Sirius looked down at the unadorned hand he held. Then, he glanced at Remus and smiled. Without hesitation, he unclasped Remus' necklace, the two rings falling into his palm. Handing the necklace back to Remus, who silently put it in a pocket, he gave one ring to Remus and slid the other upon Remus' left ring finger. Remus repeated the action, the ring sliding easily onto Sirius' finger.
As they kissed once more, the first people began trickling in.
The whistle blew, the train approaching the platform.
Remus and Sirius broke off, watching the scarlet train slowing to a halt. When the doors opened, Sirius whispered into Remus' ear, with a strong British accent, "Je t'aime, mon amour."
Remus murmured back, "Moi, aussi. Is that all you can say?"
Clearing his throat dramatically, he clearly pronounced, "Je suis très desolé!" (*1)
Remus laughed, delighted, hugging Sirius close.
When he pulled back, Sirius asked, "So, what of my godson's letter?"
Remus peered over at the group of four emerging from the train, the four who the professors had begun nicknaming the "Second-Generation Marauders."
Ron and Hermione walked out first, hand-in-hand and still starry-eyed over the each other, ever since fifth year. Well, officially since fifth year. I personally believed that they began caring for each other long before that.
Their fifth year was also the year Harry's boyfriend had joined their group. I didn't know the specifics of how the only son of Lucius Malfoy could end up in love with a Gryffindor, but the two of them had found each other past their façades of a Purebred Slytherin slime and a Gryffindor Golden Boy. Since their relationship had begun at school, I only knew that the first night of their affair had begun in violence and ended in tears.
By the way Draco smiled genuinely and happily at Harry, not a cold smirk or superior yet pale upturning of his mouth, I knew that the violence and tears had ended for good.
"I think Harry knows what he's doing," Remus responded lightly.
Sirius smirked. "A Malfoy and a Potter. Who would have guessed?"
"Who indeed." He paused. "So?"
Sirius sighed. "Only if you agree."
Grinning, Remus laughed aloud. "A Malfoy living under our roof. This just keeps getting stranger and stranger."
The so-called "Second-Generation Marauders" found the two men and waved enthusiastically, even Draco, walking over to the men on the bench.
"Ready to act normal?" Remus quipped, standing up.
"Against my nature," Sirius responded, standing next to his fiancé. Then, he quickly kissed Remus before adding, "But, for you, anything."
And my unbeating heart warmed.
Even inanimate objects wanted a Happily Ever After.
(*1) Translation: "I love you, my love." "Me, too." "I am so sorry!"
La Fin
Feedback: [email protected], and it staves off the plot bunnies' chanting of, "Write us a fic...a glorious fic...so very bright and gay. Write us of Care Bears...crossed-over with Lord of the Rings...without feedback, you'll write it today!" AGH! Make them stop! Tell me something else! AGH! Oui, je suis une foulle. Pourquoi? (Yes, I am a crazy one. Why?)
~Clamat, sed ubi asinus est?~