Epilogue – Ten Years Later

Harry walked slowly through the field that led to the Orchard. He was careful to let James set the pace of their stroll while keeping an eye on his rambunctious daughter. At eighteen months old, James had only just begun walking but was determined to do it on his own. At three, Molly was as wild and crazy as children came. She was full of wonder and wanted to know how everything worked. A large smile plastered on Harry's face as he watched Molly eagerly chasing a grasshopper. She ran, jumped, pounced and squealed with each attempt to catch the bug in her hands. Her long black hair danced around her as she continued her quest.

James stopped to survey his sister. He looked at her trouncing around with his emerald eyes set in a serious expression. "Wha Ma-ie doin', Dada?" he asked his father.

"She's being a very silly girl," Harry explained to his red-headed son.

"Si-wee girl," James repeated with a yawn.

"Are you tired?" he asked the little boy. "Do you want Daddy to carry you?"

"No, nigh-nigh," James said quickly and began walking again as if to demonstrate that he was perfectly capable on his own and not the least bit tired.

Harry resisted the urge to lift the little boy up into his arms and squeeze him tight. He loved his son's stubborn streak. It reminded him so much of Ginny. It seemed that the only thing that James had inherited from his father were his green eyes. Ginny and little James were already butting heads over simple things; baths, meals, nap times. Harry always had to turn away and laugh when he saw his wife arguing with their small son. Of course it irritated her even more when Harry would laugh and tell her she was fighting a losing battle, and that Harry always seemed to be able to get James to agree to the tasks his mother requested of him.

Molly's delightful scream brought Harry's attention back to her. She had just caught the grasshopper and was now running, with her hands cupped together, towards her father.

"I got him!" she exclaimed. "I got him, Daddy!"

When she reached Harry she opened her hands to show her father her prowess at grasshopper catching but the bug took the opportunity to escape her grasp.

"Oh, grasshopper escaped," Harry told her with a bit of playful disappointment in his voice.

She scrunched up her nose nearly hiding her brown eyes with her scowl. "I'll get him again," she mumbled before running off to search for the former captive.

Harry's eyes followed his daughter as she ran off again. As he looked up he saw a figure approaching. Ginny's long red hair was blowing back behind her as the cool October wind bustled past her. She pulled the fold of the blanket tighter around the small bundle in her arms. Raven's messy black hair was visible sticking up above the thick quilt Ginny had bundled her up in.

"Mummy," Molly bounded over to Ginny. "I'm catching grasshoppers," she declared before chasing off after another unsuspecting creature.

"Don't hurt them," Ginny called after her then proceeded over to Harry, stopping right in front of him and James.

"Hi, sweetheart," Harry told her as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Do you want me to take the baby?"

She nodded quickly as she passed Raven into Harry's arms then swooped down on James, throwing him into the air and then catching him before cradling him against her chest. He squealed with delight as he laid his head on his mum's shoulder.

"I need to give this little guy a bath," she told Harry as she planted a kiss on the top of James's thick red mane.

"Molly too?"

Ginny nodded at her husband. "Hermione offered to watch the kids tonight so that you and I could have a night to ourselves."

Eight months after searching every temple and pyramid in Egypt, Harry and Ron had located the Eye of Horus and Harry used it as a replacement for the Eye of Osiris. He was able to return Hermione's soul to her body. At her request he immediately removed her immortality. She wished to live out life as intended, as a mortal. When they got back to England, Hermione had goaded the boys into completing their seventh year. Even Neville had returned to complete his NEWTs and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville graduated Hogwarts with Ginny and Luna. It all seemed very fitting that they were together again.

Hermione was the last person in the world that Harry thought would turn into Mrs. Weasley, but she definitely was the one who seemed to channel the Weasley matriarch. Three months after leaving Hogwarts, Ron and Hermione married and were now the proud parents of five children. Of course having two sets of twins did help increase their family size at a rapid pace. Samantha and Sara were eight already, Seth had just turned six and Shane and Shayla would be three in December.

All of Hermione's plans to revolutionize the wizarding world sort of fell by the wayside as she put her children first in every endeavourer she made. She always said they were the best contribution she could make to the wizarding world. Being a mum seemed to bring true joy to her life and Harry was thrilled for her every time he saw her, happiness just radiated from her. He half expected to hear she was expecting again every time they went over for tea.

"Doesn't she have enough kids to look after?" he joked.

"Well, three more won't hurt any, will it?" Ginny replied playfully. "Unless you don't want to take your wife out on a date tonight," she suggested with a pouty lip.

"No," he objected quickly, "I'd love nothing more than to play honeymoon with you tonight."

Ginny just chuckled. "Wasn't five years a long enough honeymoon for you?"

After Hogwarts, Harry and Ginny had traveled the world. They took five years of playing to themselves before finally deciding it was time to have a family. They both had always wanted kids but Ginny had been adamant that Harry deserved a childhood of his own before they started raising children. He also needed time to heal and come to terms with what life could be now that the war was truly over. Their travels had definitely been worth every moment and Harry was grateful for all of the experiences they had accumulated together. He wouldn't have traded them for the world and now they had three beautiful children to add to their experiences.

"Are you complaining?" he teased as he put his free arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Most women don't get a five year honeymoon," he told her as he nipped her ear.

"Well, most women don't have to hide their marriage and wait a year and a half for a honeymoon either."

"True," he said with another kiss to her ear.

The baby in Harry's arm let out a little cry. He shifted her so that her head was lying against his chest.

"It's okay, Raven," he soothed the four month old. "Your mummy's just teasing me." She blinked her green eyes at Harry then yawned widely. "What about feeding her tonight?" he thought as soon as he saw Raven's little mouth. Ginny was still breastfeeding her.

"Hermione and I have it all worked out already," she told him. "Don't worry about it." She kissed him quickly then went over to Molly. After a small protest from the little girl, Ginny was walking away carrying James in one arm and holding Molly's hand. "Don't stay out too long," she called to her husband over her shoulder. "I don't want Raven to catch a cold."

"I won't," Harry promised as he shifted Raven again so he could look into her eyes. She was the spitting image of Harry. "I hope Uncle Severus isn't too hard on you when you get to Hogwarts," he told her. "You look too much like me for your own good." The baby just gurgled as a response. "Of course I don't think your godfather will treat you like he treated me, but don't expect him to go easy on you either," he warned and she cooed in return.

He continued his stroll with his daughter gnawing on the lapel of his jacket. It was a crisp Autumn day and the golden leaves on the tress were beginning to fall. Winter would be there soon and Harry could hardly wait to celebrate Raven's first Christmas. The first Christmas for all of his children was special and he couldn't wait to see her reaction to the lights on the tree and the feel of snow.

Harry looked up as a broom zoomed by overhead. Harry couldn't tell which of his brother-in-laws it was but he knew it wasn't Bill since he and Fleur had returned to Egypt over the summer. It was unlikely it was that Charlie would make a trip by broom from Romania, especially since he wouldn't be too keen on leaving Luna and their newborn son. So that left only Ron and Fred to choose from. Harry headed towards the broom shed to see who it was. When he got there Fred was coming out.

"Hi'ya Harry," he said as he stole the baby from his arms. "And how's my little niece today?" he asked in his most ridiculous baby voice.

"Hey Fred, what's going on?" he asked as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

"Just here to see dad," he told Harry as he tucked Raven close to his body. "What about you?"

"Visiting granddad too," he answered. "You know how Molly has him wrapped around her finger." Fred just nodded. "So how are things going at the shop?"

"Hectic. Ron's no business wizard, but he makes one hell of a test subject," Fred said with a wink.

"Are you still pulling that 'I invented it, you test it' crap on him?"

"Would you stop?" Fred asked with a laugh.

"No," Harry laughed, "I love it every time you 'mess' something up and send him home to Hermione two feet shorter or with green skin. It's brilliant."

It had taken Fred years to get over the loss of his twin and for a while it seemed that Weasley Wizarding Wheezes was doomed but Ron had pulled Fred up by the bootstraps and helped him save his company. Now the two brothers were partners and doing very well again. They had several stores in England and across Europe now.

"How's Angelina?" Harry asked suggestively.

"Real smooth, Harry," Fred joked. "You're almost as bad as Ginny."

Harry just shrugged. "Well I happen to agree with Ginny on this. I think you should marry her already. How long do you think she'll stick around waiting for you to get off your arse?"

"All right, you've talked me into. Will you be my best man?"

Harry blinked twice as he saw the seriousness on Fred's face. "You've gone and asked her finally, have you?" Fred nodded as his response. "Yeah, of course I'll be your best man. What about Ron though?"

"Well, I was planning to ask both of you," he admitted. "You both have really been there for me over the years. I just don't know what I'd've done without you two."

Harry just nodded as he clapped Fred on the back. "I know how you feel, Fred, it's never the same."

"I know, Harry," he admitted as he nodded his head. "Next month all right for you?" he asked changing the subject away from his deceased twin. "We want to get married before she starts showing."

"You devil," Harry laughed. "Yeah, next month is fine. Not like I've got to run off to work or anything."

Harry had played Quidditch professionally for three years but suffered a season ending back injury the previous season and didn't renew his contract with Wales. He'd yet to decide on another line of work. Ginny was still freelancing for The Daily Prophet and The London Times and with Harry's inheritance they weren't hurting for money, so Harry hadn't been motivated to do anything but be a husband and father for the past eight months. He and Ginny had talked briefly about him becoming an Auror but Harry didn't think that was the wisest idea. Aside from the possibility of injuring his back again, he didn't really want to ever have to duel another individual again.

Of course Arthur was always offering Harry a job and Professor McGonagall had told him that Professor Sprout was going to retire soon and Harry immediately inferred that she wanted to move Neville from the Defense Against the Dark Arts post that he'd held for the past seven years to the Herbology post. That would leave an opening in Harry's strongest subject. While McGonagall hadn't asked him outright, Harry knew perfectly well that she was hinting at it. He'd been thinking about it but didn't know how he could spend that much time away from his family. Being a professor at Hogwarts was well more than your average work week.

"Lazy git," Fred whispered.

They both laughed as they entered the Burrow. Ginny had obviously not made it to the loo with the kids as Molly was sitting on her grandfather's knee bouncing around shouting 'more' over and over. James was in a high chair stuffing biscuits into his mouth at an alarming rate. He looked so very much like Ron as he ate as if tomorrow weren't coming.

"I gave up," Ginny answered Harry's unasked question. "I'm sure Hermione will clean them up at Auntie Muriel's."

Ron and Hermione had moved into Muriel's home after she passed away four years ago.

"When are you going to start calling it 'Weasley Romp'?" Harry asked his wife.

"When they think of something better to call their house," Ginny said defiantly. "Weasley Romp, mum would have had a fit!"

"I don't know, it seems appropriate," Fred said as he swiped a biscuit from James's tray, eliciting a dirty look from the toddler. "They do that a lot, don't they? What do they have, six, seven kids now?"

"You know perfectly well they have five children," Ginny snapped at him, sounding very much like their mother as she did this.

"Well, I say it's high time for another," Fred joked as he banged his fist against the table. "And at the rate Hermione produces twins; perhaps two more in one go! And what are you two waiting for?" he pointed his happy question at Harry and Ginny. "Three kids are hardly enough! You haven't even had a set of twins yet."

"Fred, I've had three children in three years," Ginny pointed out to him. "And Raven's only four months old, give a girl a break, will you?"

Arthur just chuckled at their friendly banter. "Well, I personally think being a grandfather is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I love getting to spoil all of my grandkids rotten…"

"And then send them home," Harry finished the sentence for him.

"That's right. So you all go on and have a dozen, I can handle it."

"And be Minister for Magic?" Harry asked playfully. "I'd think that may be a bit much."

Arthur remained the Minister even though he hadn't actively run for the position. Every time an election came about the Prophet would ask Harry whether or not he was ready to run and he always answered that his father-in-law was the best man for the job. Arthur was easily re-elected twice now.

"Actually Harry, I've been meaning to talk to you about that," Arthur told him as he set Molly down. "I'd really like you to reconsider my offer for you to come and work in my office. I don't want to be Minister forever and the public is just dying to get you into office."

"No way," Harry said quickly. "I'd rather be a house-elf at Malfoy Manor than be Minister for Magic."

Ginny and Fred both burst out laughing. They laughed so suddenly that Raven startled and started whining. Ginny took the baby from her brother and rocked her to comfort her.

Harry looked at Dobby standing at the stove brewing up a soup for dinner. "Sorry Dobby, didn't mean to offend."

"Not at all, Master," Dobby squeaked. "Dobby is preferring to be Minister than at that place again."

Harry just smiled at the little elf that had sprouted little grey hairs from his ears. Dobby had obediently stayed with Mr. Weasley after Harry gave him the choice. Dobby understood it was Harry's wish for the elf to take care of the Weasley patriarch. While he missed being with Harry everyday he still got to see him quite frequently.

"I'm going to go home and get the kids' things together, Harry," Ginny said in a quiet voice so she wouldn't upset Raven anymore. "Will you bring Molly and James over to Auntie Muriel's?"

"Of course love," he answered with a sweet smile.

Ginny nodded and left the kitchen. A few moments later Harry heard the fireplace roar and Ginny call, 'Potter Place' and he knew she and Raven were both back at home in Godric's Hollow. Back to the home that his parents had wanted to raise Harry in. After many repairs to it, the house was now home to this generation of Potters.

"Well, I think I'll get going too," Harry said as he magiced the crumbs and biscuit goop off of James's face then removed him from the high chair. "Come on Molly," he called to his daughter, "time to go see Auntie Hermione and Uncle Ron."

"Bye Granddad," she planted a big kiss on Arthur's face and skipped over to her father waving at Fred. "Bye Uncle Fred."

"Bye sunshine," Fred said to her.

Harry held onto his children tightly and Apparated away.

"Hello Harry," Hermione greeted him with a warm smile as he popped up out of the kitchen floor with two of his children.

"'Lo Hermione," he said with a smile.

"Auntie Hermione!" Molly squealed as she dashed over to her. "I caught a grasshopper!"

Hermione knelt down to her and placed her hands gently on the little girl's shoulders. "How wonderful. Did you let him go too?"

"He got away," she confessed, "but I wouldn't have kept him," Molly added in a whisper. "I know he's happier in the orchard."

Hermione tweaked her button nose. "Your cousins are in the family room. Go play."

Molly didn't need to be told twice as she took James's hand and skipped out of the kitchen and went to find her cousins for some playtime.

Hermione stood back up and looked at Harry. He was staring at her curiously. "What?"

He just shrugged. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you had something to tell me." Her entire disposition looked different. Her color was a bit off but she seemed very cheerful. Harry drew in a sharp breath. "You're pregnant again?"

She nodded at him. "I can't put anything by you."

"Have you practiced potions at all since we left Hogwarts?" he asked her jokingly. "Perhaps you'd better ask Ginny to show you how to brew the contraceptive potion."

"You think you're so funny, don't you Mr. Potter?"

"Actually—"

"Well, I'll have you know that I love and want all of my children, including these two," she told him as she rested her hands on her stomach.

"Twins again?" he asked and she nodded. "I take it back, Hermione, you're fantastic at potions, and you obviously excel at the fertility potion."

She was about to share a witty retort with him when the fireplace flared green and Ron stepped out.

"Hey Harry," he greeted his friend with a slap on the back. "Come to dump more kids at my house?"

Harry just laughed. "How can you tell if I've added to your brood?"

"Most of yours have black hair," he told him as he walked over to Hermione and planted a kiss on her lips. He snatched up a biscuit from the counter and promptly put half of into his mouth, causing him to slur when he spoke. "Except James, can't spot him in our sea of red."

"Speaking of your sea of red," Harry prompted. "I hear congratulations are in order again."

"Again?" Ginny asked as she entered through the back door carrying Raven and a bag, staring directly at her sister-in-law. "Hermione, you really need to let me show you how to brew the contraceptive potion."

"I'll have you both know I got an 'Outstanding' on my NEWT potions."