OMG. I cannot believe that it has been more than three years since I posted the Christmas chapter. For a while I contemplated simply leaving that chapter as the ending, but I recently unearthed my old draft for this concluding chapter and decided to actually end things properly. I apologize for the wait, everyone, and thank you for supporting this story thus far! To new readers, welcome and thank you as well!

Note: The previous chapters have been revised to various extents, particular in the OoTP arc (chapter 9 onwards), so you're recommended to re-read them! Also do leave reviews for them if you can, I would love to know what you think of them.

Either way, read on, and I hope you enjoy this final chapter!

Chapter 15: Home

In the half darkness, a boy raised a finger to his lips. The only light that guided the children through the inky hallway was the faint lamp light filtering up from downstairs through the stairs, just barely illuminating him enough for his companion to see. Both younger children mirrored his action to show that they understood. Satisfied, the eldest boy nodded and inclined his head towards their intended destination further down the hallway. The two younger children quietly followed his lead.

With identical grins on their faces, they crept as one towards the closed door that separated them from their prey, tiptoes soundless against the old carpet floor. Said door, while forming a barrier against their target, was one that would be all too easily overcome, leaving their would-be victim defenseless. Quietly, the second boy reached for the doorknob and carefully turned it, inching the door open just wide enough to slip through the crack, holding the door open to let his two siblings sneak in as well.

Inside the room it was almost as dark as the unlit corridor, the early dawn sunlight struggling in vain to penetrate the thick curtains that shaded the room's sole window. In this faint light the two boys shared a loaded look, and with twin whoops pounced onto the bed to rain havoc on its peacefully slumbering occupant – or at least tried to. They didn't quite get past the whoop.

"Just what do you twerps think you're up to at this ungodly time in the morning?" With a swift movement, Sirius had the two Potter boys locked between his arms and chest. Groaning, he fell backwards back onto the bed and proceeded to roll the laughing pair into the comforter. While the dark-haired man was performing this task in a sleepy but very determined fashion, the youngest Potter took the chance to bounce onto the bed as well.

"Good morning, Sirius," Lily chirped, the very picture of innocence as her brothers struggled to free themselves from the confines of their new fluffy prison.

Sirius yawned and settled back down on the bed. "I can't say the same thing, sunshine, but I suppose one could wake up to worse things." With a smile, he picked her up and tucked her into the crook of his arm. "Now go back to sleep, kids."

That was how Ginny and Harry later found them, their concern about the absence of their usually very energetic children at breakfast having led the couple to search the rooms. Sirius was sprawled haphazardly over the blankets, limbs outstretched save the one arm that held little Lily protectively against his side. Al was curled up on his other side, and James slept on his stomach next to him, one leg thrown over Sirius' much larger one. It was a picture of chaotic bliss.

"He would have made a fantastic father," Ginny whispered with a fond look at the sight.

Harry's eyes were moist. This scene was one that should have been, yet unfairly would never be seen in the future that they lived in. "Of course," he managed a grin that was only a little watery as he gently closed the door behind them, leaving the man and children to their peace for a little longer. "After all, he was the best godfather I could ever ask for."

As the heavy wooden door shut behind him with a soft click, they looked at each other, the conflict hidden behind their calm facades only betrayed by their eyes. The longer they stayed, the more they wanted to just never leave. But how could they leave knowing that this would be their final goodbye?

Harry found Professor Dumbledore in the kitchen with one other person, who turned to give him a hard stare as he entered. Harry met Moody's sharp glare squarely. Moody's original eye flickered faintly with approval when Harry didn't waver, but the crusty old man characteristically didn't show it on his face.

"Constant vigilance, Potter!" he finally barked. "Don't get all complacent just because Voldemort isn't around anymore!"

"Yes, Professor," Harry answered meekly, but with a slight teasing tone as well.

The older man gave a very distinct roll of his eye. "Don't go calling me professor or rubbish like that. Didn't do much teaching," he growled grumpily.

"But you taught me a great deal, you know. Thank you, Mad-Eye."

Casting a still half-suspicious but much mellowed look at him, Moody grumbled something about sappy brats and dust in his eye. Harry chuckled. A smile still lingered as he turned to face Dumbledore, though it faded into seriousness. "Professor."

The old Headmaster gazed at him understandingly. "Are you leaving, my boy?"

"Yes, sir."

Ginny was ushering their three children into the kitchen, the trio looking positively morose. "Daddy, can we not leave?" This query was given voice, surprisingly, by quiet Al, but could see that the sentiment was echoed by all three of them.

He knelt down before them, caressing their heads gently. "We have to, Al. Grandpa and Grandma and everyone else are waiting for us back home, remember?"

"But Sirius and Professor Dumbledore won't be there... and, and..." Al was more than half in tears.

Harry pulled all three of them into a hug. "It may be true that they won't be with us in person, but I remember something a very wise man once told me. Those who we love never truly leave us, even in death." Harry met Dumbledore's eyes, filled with a well of indescribable emotion. "They'll always live on in our hearts."

Dora squeezed Teddy's hand, turning to beam at him despite the moisture that filled in her eyes. "So this is it, huh? We'll miss you, Teddy."

"Mum, Dad..." Unable to withstand the force of his emotions any longer, Teddy half-tackled Remus and Dora, surprising them so much that the three of them tipped right over onto the ground.

He knew he wasn't able to hide his shaking as he buried his face in Remus' shoulder. A moment later, two warm hands, one big and one small, rubbed soothing circles down his back. Dora rested her cheek against the top of his head as Remus' other arm came round them both. "Teddy, darling, shhh, it'll be okay." His mother raised his chin to press a soft kiss on his forehead. Her eyes matched his perfectly, gray like the stormy sea as a single tear escaped from its watery depths to fall below.

"We love you."

"Hey, kiddo. Take care of your Daddy for me, okay? I'll be counting on you."

At the heartfelt request, young James Sirius puffed up his chest with a irrepressible smirk that banished his previous forlornness and told Sirius that he had nothing to worry about. The boy had inherited not just his name, but the will of those who would love Harry even in death. They bumped fists, sharing understanding grins. "I won't let you down."

"Professor Dumbledore?"

The elderly wizard gazed down at the owner of that voice to see young Al staring up at him. He smiled kindly at the child, kneeling down to put them at the same eye-level. "What is it, Al?" A wizened hand threaded through soft dark curls in a gentle caress.

Impulsively, Al threw his arms around the startled headmaster's neck and gave him a tight hug. "I'm really glad I got to meet you."

Dumbledore's eyes were wet. "And I you, my dear child."

"'We'll definitely meet again', is it? That's what you want to say." Severus looked at the little girl clinging to his side. Sighing, he gave in and lifted her into his arms. She beamed.

"We will," Lily Luna said confidently. She looked calmly into his eyes. "You know, Sev, Daddy said that the people we love will always stay with us. So you'll always be with me here, in my heart. And I'll always be right here too." Her little hands were so gentle and pure as they settled right over his heart. "Forever and forever."

His breath caught.

"Forever..." he echoed in an involuntary whisper.

"Forever," she affirmed. "And we will meet again, Sev. I promise." She held out her little finger expectantly. Her smile was the sun that dispelled all clouds of doubt.

Severus had always thought that it was that person that he fought for, that Lily who he had loved and always would. But now he knew that he had gained another reason to fight.

For the creation of a world where these children could grow up without fear.

Gently, he hooked his finger over hers. "I'll hold you to that."

Harry turned to see his godfather, arms held wide. He smiled, vision blurring as he almost fell forward. Sirius caught him in a warm embrace that quivered, just a bit. Harry hugged him back just as tightly, ingraining the feeling into his memory. "You've grown into a fine man, Harry. I'm so proud of you."

Harry just tightened his hold, warmth and longing mixing in his heart. They finally pulled away after a long moment, exchanging watery smiles, and Harry turned his gaze to his younger self who stood the side watching them wordlessly.

Green eyes looked into green. "Harry," the older man's voice was quiet. "I won't lie to you and say that it will get better right away. The path you have stretched in front of you will be rough and unforgiving, and too often you will curse yourself, thinking why couldn't I save them? But even then, you should never forget that there will always be people around you who love you. Cherish them, cherish their smiles, cherish their love for you. You are not alone. Remember that."

Ginny brushed away tears from her eyes as Harry gently coaxed their children to where she was waiting with the timeturner. Teddy had finally detached himself from his parents and came to her as well, and she squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. The boy gave her a wavering smile. Brave boy.

"Hey, Ginny." The woman's eyes widened at the sight of Fred by her side, and even more when her brother caught her in a sudden hug. "Don't miss me too much, kay? Love you, lil sis," he whispered in her ear.

"Fred..."

But he had stepped back to stand with the others, forming an invisible river between present and future. Swallowing down her tears, Ginny brought out the timeturner.

Harry gazed around at the room. These were the men and women who had risked everything for a better future. Some had died for the world they had sought to create, even more had lost loved ones for that same cause. His eyes swept through the room once, burning each face into his memory, before he sank into a deep bow that he poured all his feelings into.

"Thank you," he said in a choked voice. "Thank you all so much."

For a brief moment, a mere few seconds as the timeturner spun in whirl of golden sand, a connection was made between present and future. The current inhabitants of No 12, Grimmauld Place stared in surprise at the Weasley family of the future. The figures were seen as if through a haze, yet they could clearly see Molly raise a hand to her mouth and Arthur take a half-step forward. Bill (that was some nasty scar there), Charlie (looked the same as ever, which was kinda unfair), Percy (oh, he came back, did he) and Ron (baby Ronnikins grew up!) stood rooted to the spot as if frozen.

But Fred's eyes landed unerringly in those few seconds on the one man who looked just like how he imagined he would look in twenty years' time. George looked shocked beyond coherent thought, but then his mouth twitched into a small grin that mirrored that on the faces of the Fred and George standing on this side of the mist. The smile told Fred that George would be okay.

Fred gave his family on the other side of the mist a cheery little wave before Harry's firm command of "Oblivate" wiped the memory from his mind.

Fred would no longer remember that short yet significant meeting, but George – the George beyond the mist – would never forget it. And in the end, that was what truly mattered.

The golden light faded from the living room of the Potter family's home at Grimmauld Place, faster than they would have wished. Arthur squeezed his wife's hand, producing a large spotted handkerchief to gently dry her tears. Teddy's gaze fell on his grandmother, whose dark eyes were filled with tears as well, the usually proud woman betraying her genuine emotions. Silence remained, no one quite willing to break the spell by speaking. Teddy rubbed the moisture from his own eyes clumsily with a sleeve.

"TEDDY'S BACK!"

And then all of a sudden it was chaos as Lucy and Rosie and Hugo and Molly and Louis all tumbled in a heap on top of him, shrieking and laughing. With a sudden widening of eyes the teen tipped right over from the force of the surprise attack. "Wha-?" When the three Potter children unhesitatingly joined the fray, Teddy gave up trying to extract himself from the giggling pile of Weasley cousins.

"Need a hand there, soldier?" Victoire was there, leaning over him with a look of vast amusement. "Not that I'm sure I can do anything to help..." she continued, a tremor of laughter in her voice.

Teddy chuckled. "Nah, I'm good." He poked the closest culprit, who happened to be James. "Oi, geroff, you're heavy. And you're squashing Molly." The black-haired boy stuck out his tongue at him, but shifted to allow the smaller girl to escape. "Yes, that's a very nice painting, Roxi; whoa, Hugo, slow down, I can't understand anything you're saying; oh did your Daddy give you that for Christmas?; yes, yes, I'm sorry that we missed the Christmas dinner; okay, we'll play Quidditch tomorrow, yes I promise; honestly, one at a time, please!" Sighing, Teddy gave up in responding to the barrage of questions and excited chatter, letting his head fall back onto the carpet with a soft thump. A light laugh was heard from somewhere above his head.

"Hey, Teddy." Victoire's voice called him again and he met her eyes, warm brown orbs crinkled by her smile. "Welcome home."

The other children had also stilled then, bright expectant eyes turned towards him. Gently, little fingers curled around his larger hand, and he turned his head to see Lily's sweet smile, overflowing with love. That same smile that shone from everyone in the room. His parents may not be alive in this time, but these were people who loved him just as much as they did. This was where he belonged, and now he truly understood that. Right here, this very time.

Through tears that no longer held sadness but only joy, Teddy smiled at his family. "I'm home."

It's been an amazing journey writing this story and hearing your amazing feedback. Thank you so much for reading till the end! Please look kindly on my future stories as well. Till next time!