A/N: So, this is the final entry! It's always bittersweet ending a long fanfic. Zayhad and I are pretty satisfied with how this one turned out.

We would like to thank you all for coming along for the journey and supporting us with reviews. It has meant a lot!

Please let us know what you think of the ending and the story as a whole.

To those of you who have missed some Remus/Regulus - I have good news. Our next fic will be an AU set in the States - and it's going to get steamy! I'm not sure precisely when we're going to start posting, but probably within a few months.

Epilogue

Regulus buckled his small suitcase and checked the closet and drawers for the third time to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. He looked at his watch. Ten minutes to ten. Ten more minutes. They were always very punctual.

"Ready to go?" Sirius asked, smiling at his little brother. "The room is going to feel empty with you gone, but at least my flat will be ready in a week so I'll be getting out of here too."

"Yeah..." said Regulus. "I'm glad they've fixed you up with that flat. I really hope it works out for you and you stay out of trouble. I don't want to come visit you in prison." Truth was that Regulus was terrified that his brother would ruin things for himself by falling back into the lifestyle he had when he lived on the street. And even though he had improved a lot over the past months he still had a hot temper and tended to act before thinking.

"Guess you have to come see me often, then, so you can keep an eye on me," Sirius grinned and scratched his neck. "Don't worry, Reggie. Those social workers are looking out for me. Getting me a job and everything. Maybe I'll get myself an education too. Being a star witness makes you a popular person!"

"Well, don't blow it. Don't lose your head if something doesn't go your way or someone offends you. Promise me!"

Sirius sighed. "I promise. You need me to pinky swear too or is my word good enough?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I need you to be serious and really mean it," said Regulus. "And don't make the name joke!"

Sirius had been about to do exactly that but since Regulus had beat him to it he just sighed. "Of course I mean it and yes, I promise. You think I want to be locked up again?"

"No. But you always forget to think about the consequences. When are you going to testify for the first time?" Regulus asked. The Knights of Walpurgis trials had just started.

"Next Friday, I believe. If things move along as planned. I can't wait to get up on the stand and bury them."

"Don't... Don't be too hard on Mum and Dad, yeah?" Regulus said softly, picking at a small hole in the knee of his jeans.

Sirius tilted his head, studying his little brother. He wanted to inform him that Hell yes was he going to be hard on them! but he didn't want to hurt his brother, who for some unfathomable reason was still protective of their abusive parents, so he just put a hand on his shoulder and said "I'll focus all my anger on Voldemort, yes?"

Regulus looked up at him and nodded. "And Bella and Malfoy. And the Lestranges. And the rest of them. Make them pay for what they did to Kreacher."

"I will make them pay for what they did to you," said Sirius, eying his brother with a fervent gaze.

There was a knock on the door. Lily stuck her head in and smiled at the two. "You ready to go, Regulus?"

Regulus nodded. "Yes." In a way he was scared to leave this place he had called home for over a year. How was he going to deal out in the real world? He had not lived there since he was four, and he could barely remember any of that. He had read a lot about the world but that wasn't the same as living in it. He had had a bit of practice the past few months, however. Lily had taken him out on a few daytrips to different places, such as restaurants, the cinema and downtown during rush hour. They had also visited Remus (who had lived with his mother the past two months) and he had even stayed the night there once. It was all part of his acclimation to the outside world.

Lily studied him, then sat down next to him on the bed, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Are you nervous?"

Regulus swallowed a lump and nodded.

"I will be fine, Regulus. We found you the best foster family possible."

Regulus nodded again. "I know, but…"

"You're scared that you will be a burden?"

He nodded again. "Just that perhaps she's only taking me in for charity and will come to regret it."

"Rubbish. She will come to love you. I know it."

"Yeah, she will, Reggie," agreed Sirius. "She already likes you loads. I've seen when she visits you."

"Well, let's go," smiled Lily at Regulus. "They're waiting out in the hallway."

Regulus bit his lip and got up. Sirius made to take his suitcase but Regulus stopped him. "I'm like to take that myself."

"Sirius, could you perhaps keep the others occupied in the common room so Regulus can get a bit of privacy until he's ready to say goodbye to everybody?"

Sirius rushed ahead to take care of his mission and Regulus followed Lily out with his suitcase in tow.

Out in the hallway a woman and a teenage boy stood waiting for Regulus. The boy stood with a straight back and a big smile on his face, looking healthier and happier than Regulus had ever seen him (even though it had only been a week since last time). Two months living with his mother had done him good.

As the boys hugged each other, the blond woman said, "We have been looking so much forward to taking you home, Regulus. Remus has been too excited to get much sleep last night and he has been so busy making your room perfect the past week."

Regulus let go of his friend and offered his hand to the woman. "Hello, Mrs. Lupin. Thank you for taking me in. I'm very grateful."

"Please call me Hope," she said and pulled Regulus into a hug instead of shaking his hand. "And you don't have to be grateful. You're such a good boy and I'm very glad that you want to live with us. I always wanted two children."

Regulus felt himself blush and didn't really know how to respond, so he just mumbled a shy thank you.

After he had met his mother for the first time, Remus had spent another two months on the ward. Partly because he needed to get to know her and because she needed time to find a house and get settled in London. Remus had continued his sessions with Doctor Lovegood and had even had his mother sit in on some of them so she could come to understand what he had been going through and get counselling on how to best take care of him.

Although not gone, his anxiety towards men had diminished greatly, well enough so that he could handle living outside the hospital. He had even managed to shake Hagrid's hand when he said goodbye to everybody on the ward. The giant had beamed as if it was the best day of his life.

Doctor McGonagall - Dumbledore's successor - came out to meet them. "Well, I will see you for our session Monday," she smiled at the boy.

She was quite different from Dumbledore - much more serious, for one thing, but very professional and dedicated to her work. Regulus liked her, although he had had some difficulty opening up to her. Dumbledore's betrayal had taken its toll on Regulus' trust in therapists. He had stayed two more months after Remus had moved out. McGonagall thought he needed some more time working through the traumatic experience with Dumbledore's capture. Still, he was going to be an outpatient for the time being, coming in for a session every week, and a social worker would come visit him at the Lupins once a month to see how he was doing there.

"Yes, Doctor McGonagall," nodded Regulus. "Every Monday."

The doctor gave him a quick nod and a little smile before heading back to her office.

"Oh, Lily – would you like to come to dinner tomorrow?" asked Hope. Lily came to visit once in a while.

"I'd love to," smiled Lily. "It would be nice to see if Regulus has settled in."

"Well - are you ready to go, Regulus?" asked Hope.

"Yes. I just need to say goodbye to someone..."

o0o0o

Regulus found Emmeline in the common room. She looked sad as she sent him a smile.

"Hi," she said and scooted over, offering him a seat next to her on the sofa.

"I have to go," said Regulus, eying the seat. "They're waiting for me." He studied the girl, who, although a little sad now, looked healthier than she had since she came in. She had gained a few pounds lately - namely after Regulus had cleverly told her that he thought she was pretty, but that she would look even prettier if she gained a bit of weight.

"You promise to come by and see me?"

"I'm coming in for a weekly session. You know that," smiled Regulus. "And Remus too, so you'll have two visitors every week."

She nodded. "Yes, I know. I'll be looking forward to that, then. Anyway, I'm going home soon, I think. At least Pandora thinks I might soon be ready."

"Yeah?" smiled Regulus and sat down for a minute anyway. "Do you live far from here?"

She looked at him fondly. "About half an hour south of here."

"Well, Remus and I will come visit, if you like. And I'm sure you're welcome at Remus' house as well. His mother is very nice."

Emmeline's face split into a grin. "I would love that very much."

"Will you be alright?" Regulus asked. "I mean, with your mother. And your father... he isn't going to move back in when he gets out of prison, is he?"

"No. My mum has come to terms with what happened. At least that's one good thing Doctor Dumbledore did. He helped her see the truth and helped the two of us learn to communicate and understand each other. So… he wasn't all bad."

"I know," said Regulus quietly. "He helped me too."

They chatted for a moment longer until Regulus spotted Remus in the doorway. He smiled fondly when Regulus caught his eye. Regulus knew that Remus held him in extremely high regard; that he thought of him almost as some sort of saviour who had brought him out of his shell and taught him all sorts of things. But Regulus suspected that he would never understand just how much he, in turn, had done for Regulus. Not only had he become the best friend he had ever had; he had made Regulus feel needed, made him see that his existence could make a positive difference in someone's life. He had stopped Regulus' ongoing descend into his pit of despair.

Regulus said goodbye to Emmeline and to the rest of the common room. Sirius walked him to the end of the ward where they hugged goodbye.

As Remus and his mother passed through the sliding doors of the hospital main entrance Regulus stopped, hesitating. Then he stepped through, standing for a minute at the pavement just outside. It was a cold but beautiful day, the winter sun bright. He took a deep breath and stepped into the parking lot, heading out into the real world.