A/N: Well, here we are at the end and I'd like to say thank you to you for sticking with it. I really do appreciate you taking the time to read my story. I'd also like to once again thank my beta, Mamacita for everything she does for me. Dx

I couldn't risk Severus running into me — the other me — in that corridor at the end of lessons. I didn't want to take the chance of him getting caught up in that conversation again and inadvertently changing the timeline in a way I couldn't control. Instead, I arrived just as lunch was finishing. It didn't take much persuasion to get him to bunk off his afternoon class — History of Magic revision — to go to the Room of Requirement for some far more productive study time. By the time we emerged just before dinner I knew I had made the right decision, whatever happened next. My future was with Severus; it was destined to be, whatever anyone else thought.

Now that Severus and I were so clearly not going to split up, our relationship with the Marauders and Lily changed. Lily, understanding that she had lost Severus forever, had taken to treating him as the friend he had once been; and having become much nicer she and I resumed our friendship, becoming best friends as time went on. Sirius finally realised that I was never going to fancy him, whatever he did, and that being nasty to my boyfriend did nothing but upset two strong witches who were more than happy to show their disapproval with magic. Now no one, not even James, would back him up when we were angry with him.

Eventually, he and the other Marauders called a truce and Severus was inducted into our Gryffindor family. It had taken a long while, to be fair, and hadn't been without trauma and the occasional breakdown in relations on both sides, but by the time we had all taken our final exams and set foot outside into the adult world we were a pretty close-knit group. The seven of us set out into the big wide world feeling fairly hopeful about our futures, even if Voldemort was still an ever-looming presence in our lives.

I know you're wondering how this was any different from what happened after I left Severus last time and how the timeline was going to change to the one I needed it to. The difference was that this time I was there and, just as the others did, I joined the Order of the Phoenix.

No, of course, I'm not saying that me being in the Order was enough to defeat Voldemort — as if!

But me remaining in 1978 was enough for me to be able to convince Severus, with the help of our friends, into reacquainting himself with his Slytherin colleagues and becoming a Death Eater in the service of Voldemort — not for real, of course, just as a spy for the Order — although he did have to submit to that disgusting tattoo, unfortunately, and believe me I paid for that for a long time afterwards.

It was also me who talked Severus into becoming a potions specialist when he had wanted to become an Auror, and this placed him in the prime position for taking on the job of Potions Master at Hogwarts when Voldemort ordered him to take it. In turn, that's right, this put him in the right position to hear the prophecy when that semi-fraud Sybill Trelawney told it to Professor Dumbledore in the room above the Hog's Head pub, and hence the Chosen One could finally come into being.

Of course, I had no intention of letting Harry's parents die in order for the prophecy to come true, although it was pretty close as I forgot all about bloody Peter Pettigrew and his treachery until it was almost too late. The original timeline was still there in my mind but becoming sketchier by the day as each change I effected eroded the original a little bit more.

Voldemort almost found and killed the Potters before we were ready for him. But fortunately, they all escaped with their lives, and it seemed that Lily's intention of dying for her son was enough to trigger the magic that protected him even though she didn't actually die. Once again the Killing Curse rebounded, leaving Harry scarred and the Dark Lord crawling around Albania for the next decade.

With Voldemort seemingly gone, Severus and I got married in August 1982 and settled down to life at Hogwarts, although we actually lived in Hogsmeade rather than at the castle as we wanted our marriage to survive rather than being overseen by Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Severus was content to continue his work as Potions Master, and no, he didn't covet the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher — I did — although it was a cursed position, and everyone knew it.

I took a job in Honeydukes initially, because we were still in our honeymoon period. Severus liked to nip home whenever he had a free period and the owners were pretty good about me taking irregular breaks as we lived just around the corner. When I discovered I was pregnant with our first child, in October 1982, it was a good place for me to work as it wasn't too strenuous and I could take lots of rest breaks.

Once Magda was born I gave up work to look after her full time. We spent a lot of time with her godparents, Lily and James, and Magda and Harry pretty much grew up together and get on like a house on fire. She's a clever girl but she's not bossy with it, and Severus and I are very proud of her.

It always fills me with delight when I see Harry treating her as if she was his sister although it's going to be interesting to see what happens in the future because she and Ronald are much closer than either of them have admitted to me so far.

Obviously, none of the children has any idea that I used to be Harry and Ron's best friend rather than their teacher, godparent, and a friend of their parents but that's fine by me. They don't need to know why I take such a strong interest in them — even more than they realise, actually.

My daughter won't be taking part in the upcoming battle even though I know she intends to fight if she gets the chance. She is still too young and I will not risk her or her brother and sister getting hurt, even to help Harry. I have taught him well and he is ready. They are not.

I didn't return to work as 1987 brought Severus and me a son called Christopher, who is like a mini-Severus, so much so that sometimes it makes me laugh. His best friend is Daisy, Harry's younger sister, who is the same age as Chris and is the spitting image of Lily — I think you can see where I'm going with this, can't you?

The two of them together can be terrifying, particularly since they got their magic. They really are a pair of pranksters and we have to keep them away from Fred and George's shop although somehow they still manage to get hold of the products. Once again, I blame Ronald.

Severus will get them next year when they start at Hogwarts. He can calm them down, although from what Magda tells me he's almost as grumpy as he was when I was at school with him. I'm sure that's all for show, though, and because she's his daughter. Normally he's adorable and he's forever being cited as the students' favourite teacher, which is nice and always makes me proud.

Our third child, Sarah, was born towards the end of Harry and Ron's third year at Hogwarts, in early 1994, after two years of trouble with Voldemort which Harry handled without much trouble thanks to me still remembering most of what happened in the original timeline and being able to give hints and dispatch help when required.

Remus came back to us that year, too, having returned from working with Sirius on Order business, ready to take on the task of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Having found myself pregnant again — not planned, I can assure you — I couldn't accept the job I had finally been ready to teach.

I was happy to let Remus teach in my stead as I knew he would give the children solid advice. My entire tenet was that the students needed to learn how to fight properly, and the sooner the better. But I drew the line at Sirius taking over during those monthly occurrences when Remus couldn't work and instead, co-opted my, fortunately, agreeable husband, who was already brewing him the Wolfsbane potion every month, into taking his place.

Honestly, I love Sirius to bits but there's absolutely no way on earth I would ever leave him in charge of a roomful of children, especially ones fighting each other!

I had hoped to take over the Defence Against the Dark Arts post the following year but Severus wasn't keen as it hadn't been that long since Sarah was born. With the Triwizard Tournament bringing all sorts of interesting and shady people to Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore — on the suggestion of my husband, no doubt — decided to employ the ex-Auror 'Mad-Eye' Moody for the year instead.

I'll admit I was frustrated, to begin with, but when I heard he had turned Draco Malfoy into a ferret my admiration for the man grew no end. By now Severus was employing me as his assistant, much to the total disgust of Magda, who was just starting her first year at Hogwarts as she seemed to believe I was only there to check up on her. I wasn't . . . at least not just to check up on her.

By now the original timeline was long gone and those odd flashes I occasionally remembered made no sense even if I read my old diaries, but it didn't really matter. Our entire goal was to prepare Harry and his friends including, I'm pleased to say, Neville Longbottom, to face Voldemort and his Death Eaters. I didn't need to be a Seer or remember what had happened originally to ensure that they were ready.

Moody's unmasking as a Death Eater did come as a shock, I'll admit, and unfortunately it came too late to stop the death of one of the Triwizard Champions, a lovely boy called Cedric Diggory. He was killed by our old friend Peter Pettigrew, the traitorous little git, as he assisted Voldemort back to power.

Harry managed to survive, in part thanks to our preparation but mainly because he's an incredible boy who truly understands what his role is, even if he doesn't always like it.

With Voldemort returned, the Order prepared itself for battle at any time, although we hadn't originally anticipated having to fight the Ministry of Magic. Cornelius Fudge, about whom the less said the better, was so blinded by the fear that Professor Dumbledore wanted his job that he completely ignored the real threat.

Determined not to let Dumbledore put one over on him, Fudge tried to install his own Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, but with the number of Order members already working at the school that was never going to fly. So the Ministry teacher, an evil-looking old baggage called Dolores Umbridge, was sent back to the Ministry with a flea in her ear while I finally took on the job I had wanted for so long.

I have spent almost the last two years teaching every child in the school how to defend and fight. Even the first years could stop the Death Eaters from getting into the school although they won't be able to as they have already been sent home. Everyone under the age of seventeen has been sent home although I've no doubt a few will try to return as other members of the Order and parents are arriving all the time, knowing that Voldemort is coming and the final battle will take place at Hogwarts.

Harry has found and destroyed all of Voldemort's Horcruxes except two. One, the snake Nagini, was always going to be a difficult one to destroy as it stays near its master at all times. But everyone is ready so if the chance comes one of us will kill it, which will leave Voldemort almost helpless.

The other Horcrux Harry doesn't yet know about, although Professor Dumbledore is talking to him at the moment so perhaps by now he does. Somehow, during the attack that made Harry the Chosen One, part of Voldemort's soul transferred itself to Harry and until that part of him dies Voldemort cannot die.

Although I know it will upset him to hear it, Harry was my best friend for six years and I know how he will react. He will give himself up to Voldemort and allow himself to be killed, as this will remove the Dark Lord's final chance of survival. Harry will do this because above all else he is a hero and he knows it is the only way the wizarding world can ever be free.

We are ready and we will fight for Harry, and with Harry, and we will win.

We have to win.

Do I regret any of my actions? Not in the slightest. I have a wonderful husband and three beautiful children, which would never have been possible if I hadn't been selfish and ignored Professor Dumbledore's order.

Yes, I know I broke the law and irrevocably changed time. But from it came more happiness and a greater hope for the future than there ever was under the original timeline. And I think, as I've shown, I've done more to help Harry in this future that I created than I could ever have done had I remained purely as his friend.

And so it's time to leave; time to join my husband and my students in the battle that, from the sounds coming from above, has already started.

They are too young to fight, these youths, hardly more than children, yet they have the hearts and souls of warriors. Having trained with them originally in the D.A. and having taught them, too, I know they will all do everything required of them to ensure that Harry can fulfil his destiny without thought for their own safety.

Ronald and I, too, will fight and help him in any way we can although this truly was not how I had expected the story to end when I first told them of my plans, so long ago now.

Judge me however you will, dear reader. I honestly believe my actions have helped, not hindered Harry's cause, and that in the end, he will emerge victorious.

Hermione Snape
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, 2 May 1998