Disclaimer: Harry Potter, most characters and the magical world as depicted belong to J. K. Rowling.

Chapter 15, final chapter:

Two weeks into the school holidays, Julia left the Moores, and joined Harry at his place. There was a certain divorcee very much looking forward to her visit, and now that she was sixteen, it was even legal.

For a potential dark witch, delving in poisons, and dark magic, Julia was very good company. Harry regarded her with distrust, but he loved her still, and enjoyed having her with him.

There were some invitations that year for his daughter. One was to a cocktail party at the Malfoy mansion. Harry and Ginny were dubious, the Malfoys did not have a good reputation, and they felt that Julia should not have anything to further tip her away from respectability. They were invited, too, but Julia had her own separate invitation.

Julia had such potential. The OWL results arrived the same day as the invitations. In every subject, she had scored extremely highly, to no-one's real surprise. As for ambition, she still spoke only of maybe joining the Ministry when she left school.

In the end, Harry agreed that they would attend, and that they would take Julia.

Draco's son was at the party, and as he didn't go to Hogwarts, Julia had not met him before. Draco's son was called Lucius, after his grandfather. Draco's son was tall, blonde, and held himself with an air of arrogance. Julia and young Lucius regarded each other with considerable interest, before strolling off together.

Draco was standing next to Harry, and watched them with a satisfied smile on his face.

"She's only a halfblood, you know," said Harry, "And I thought your family inclined to blondes."

"Usually," said Draco smoothly, "But your daughter is exceptional."

Harry was wishing they had never brought Julia to the Malfoy house, and not just because of Julia. He disliked many of the people he found there, and he was feeling as if he were being measured up as potential prey. He had shaken hands with people there that he suspected he might have met before, possibly when they were wearing masks, and Draco introduced him to a man called Smith-Burton, who sent prickles up and down his spine. The man had only stayed near him a moment, but Harry knew that he was being scrutinised.

Within half an hour of arrival, Harry was very nervous, had his back to the wall, and his eyes were flicking warily over the company. In the end, he decided being polite was not important, and insisted they leave. Ginny collected Julia, who was at first inclined to object, but Ginny tolerated no argument. If Harry thought they were in danger here, he was probably right. Harry, Ginny and Julia Moore left the party almost before it had begun.

Harry relaxed as soon as he arrived home. He still never apparated with a passenger, and Ginny had taken Julia. Julia was angry with them for taking her away from the party so soon, and went to her bedroom, seething. A polite apology was sent to Draco the next day, using the obvious excuse of Harry's poor health.

That night, Ginny reached over automatically, murmuring meaningless soothing words as her husband struggled in the grip of a nightmare. But instead of settling down again, Harry wrenched himself out of bed, away from her, shaking and white faced, flooding the room with light as he did.

Ginny sat up, too, a bit shocked, and he immediately apologised, coming back to sit next to her. She held him close, feeling his trembling slowly calm. They lay down again, holding each other, and neither was asleep when Harry said, "I know when I've seen him before. Andrew Smith-Burton, he was there at the main gate of Hogwarts when I was so sick and they sent me back to you. He was just watching, though."

The Hogwarts letters arrived a few days later, and both Adam and Julia needed new textbooks, and some other supplies from Diagon Alley. Harry wished that he could take either Adam or Julia as a passenger, but while he acted as if he was totally healthy in every other area, he still did not consider apparating with a passenger. It was a difficult skill, and few people could do it aside from trained aurors, but Ron had long ago taught both Hermione and Harry. Most families with children used floo powder, but, for security reasons, Harry had never had his home connected to the floo network. It was eventually decided that Adam and Julia would just have to make separate trips.

Ginny took Adam the following day, purchasing what was needed without incident. She also bought most of what Julia needed. But Julia had to be fitted for new robes, and besides, she wanted the treat of the visit to the colourful alley.

Harry was to do that with her, although Ginny would have to bring her. Harry enjoyed the company of Julia, while Ginny never had managed to overcome her dislike of the girl who had nearly killed her husband, and so badly damaged his health. Julia enjoyed being with her famous father, and may have had some affection for him. With this unusual girl, it was hard to tell.

Wednesday, Harry would be going to do his spell-breaking stint, and was to meet Julia afterward at the robe makers.

When Harry finished his healing jobs, he visited the robe makers, but Julia was not yet finished being fitted, and Harry leaned against the wall outside the shop, as he waited. Aurors started appearing close by, one that he knew as Trevor Jackson, and also Jebedee Shacklebolt, who had taken Harry to Hermione's place some months before.

Harry nodded to them in recognition, but they were still firmly on duty, and while they acknowledged his greeting, they didn't approach, but only watched alertly from their chosen nearby vantage points.

Julia put her head out the door, and called to Harry, and he joined her inside the shop. Julia had found some very beautiful and very expensive material, and wanted a new set of dress robes.

Harry agreed, and resumed his place outside, starting to think that he was staying too long in the one place. He was tempted to suddenly dive for his wand, which would probably bring another couple of aurors. He didn't really have any sense of danger though. It was just mischief.

At length, Julia emerged from the shop, and both Trevor and Jebedee forgot what they were supposed to be doing, and stared at the radiant young woman. There were a lot of people in Diagon Alley that day, and Harry was amused that he was ignored for a change, often totally unrecognised, as people stopped to stare at Julia.

Julia appeared unmoved, smiling remotely at a few people she recognised, but Harry had the feeling that, underneath, she was thoroughly enjoying the interest and admiration she aroused

The next stop Julia wanted to make was to the Joke Shop, so Harry moved off back the way he had come, Julia beside him. Trevor and Jebedee had remembered what they were there for now, and were alert for any possible attacks.

Inside the shop, Harry chatted to Fred and George, who were both there that day, while Julia inspected the goods on sale, especially those that she knew Harry had invented. The complicated but useless silver desk gadget had been a big seller, and George asked Harry to organise some more.

Harry stopped in briefly to the bookstore, making a couple of purchases, and arranging the books to be delivered as usual, but now he knew it was time to be going. He wasn't even planning on an ice-cream.

Julia objected, and as Harry didn't really have any sense of danger yet, he allowed his daughter to persuade him just to visit the magical creatures shop before they left. Harry had rarely visited this shop, and was enjoying himself as they inspected the strange creatures on display.

Julia was animated and charming, drawing all eyes.

No-one was looking at Harry. And as they left, still only a few steps from the shop, no-one but Julia saw the green streak of light hurtling toward his back.

Julia started to scream, as she threw herself behind her father. The scream was cut short. Julia was dead, and Harry cried out in anguish as he dropped to his knees beside her, gathering up head and shoulders of the daughter he had loved. But his head turned in the direction of the disapparation crack he had heard, and he concentrated. Harry Potter squeezed with his mind, and John Dawlish, who had just apparated back into the Ministry of Magic, dropped to the floor, as dead as Julia.

Harry Potter killed, knew that he killed, but that was already in the past. He still held cradled the head and shoulders of the girl he had loved, the girl who had tried to kill him, the girl of such extraordinary potential. Julia Moore was dead, and the potential would never be realised.

Harry's head was bent, he was crying, tears wetting the clothing of the dead girl he cradled to his chest. Spectators stared. Photographers took their pictures.

The aurors sent their messages, and more aurors started appearing. John Dawlish was not among them. There was another fuss going on in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic, where Dawlish had so suddenly dropped dead. Harry Potter would never be blamed for this death. It was impossible to follow someone who had disapparated, and it was impossible to kill from a distance. It was impossible, therefore, that Harry Potter had killed John Dawlish.

Word spread, and Ginny came to Harry, kneeling beside him as he cried. Jebedee was there, too.

"Let us have her," the auror said, "We will look after her."

Harry finally looked up. "No, I'm taking her home." And he stood, lifting his daughter in his arms, and silently vanished.

Ginny stood, too, and also disapparated, finding him at home, laying his daughter down gently on her bed, and arranging her limbs. Julia had always been tidy...

**x**

Julia's funeral was held three days later. Edward and Rachel Moore buried their daughter in the muggle cemetery of the town where they lived, the same town where, years before, Harry had met Rachel at the hairdressers. Edward and Rachel were always Julia's real parents, irrespective of genetics. They grieved for their daughter. They may have been frightened of Julia, but she was their daughter, and when she was small, she had been their most precious joy. Julia Moore was deeply and sincerely mourned.

Julia was a witch, and was buried with her wand in her hand, as is the custom for witches and wizards.

It was a small funeral, those men who lived close and had known Julia, thought it advisable to discreetly stay home. Julia's Uncle Harry was there, in a muggle suit - a thin man, with hollow cheeks, and long black hair.

In the end, Julia had made her choice. She had thrown away her life to save the life she had so nearly taken.

**x**

Harry Potter continued his slow recovery. Two years later, Hermione's treasured monitor finally read 95, effectively normal readings, and, to Harry's relief, his healer and friend had no further excuse for its use. His body had become strong and muscular again, his overflowing energy returned, but he never lost the hollow cheeks that marked his ordeal, and he was always just a touch thinner than he had been once. Julia had left her mark.

**x**

The end.