Epilogue I: India

India Cohen grinned in anticipation. It had been several months since she the Battle of Hogwarts - some called it the "Invasion of Hogwarts", but those were wizards. It was a battle, simple. It hadn't taken her long to recover from her wounds; she was tough - and she had been back to hunting vampires and other demons quickly. And to unwind with Kit, of course. But there hadn't been a real challenge since then, no fight that really tested her. The mission - or hunt - she was on now though could be such a challenge.

The local watcher in British Guiana had called the Council after a wave of disappearances from villages near an old ruin in the jungle. Local legends spoke of were creatures - were jaguars, probably, according to Kit - haunting the area. India hadn't had a good fight against a were yet, at least not during the full moon, and since they arrived right on time, she might get her wish.

As long as their native guide, Mister Alan Smith, whose parents had come over from Birmingham, didn't lose his nerve and leave them before they reached the haunted temple, or whatever it was called. She was India the Slayer, not Indiana Jones.

The man Kit had hired had not impressed her. She was certain the only reason he had agreed to guide them was that his greed had won out over his fear - and India was rather sure that the closer they were getting to the temple ruins, the more his fear would grow. He was already nervous, jumping at any noise he heard - even if it was, as it had always been so far, just an animal fleeing from them. Though now that she thought about it, it had been a while since she had heard the last such sound...

"What is the matter, India?" Kit asked. Of course he had noticed her reaction, and had his Steyr Scout rifle ready, with silver bullets in .308 Winchester. With his khakis and floppy hat, Kit would just need to stop shaving for a day or two, and he'd make a great Indiana Jones. India banished the thoughts that had evoked - there would be time later, when they were back, or maybe in the evening, at the camp. The guide had been making comments about them, when he had thought they wouldn't hear him. India hadn't told Kit, of course. Even though she liked it when he became protective of her, they needed the guide.

"The jungle has gone quiet." She drew her machete, and inhaled deeply. No scent that did not belong. They'd be downwind then.

"Too quiet." Kit was looking around.

"What are you doing?" Smith was staring back at the couple, leaning against a tree. He was sweating more than either of them, and India thought it was fear and not the heat.

"The jungle's gone too quiet." She told him, looking up. The canopy provided an excellent cover where the lack of sun had killed the underbrush. And too many humans never looked up in the jungle.

"Fuck, you're right." Smith unslung his own rifle, a Lee-Enfield No. 5, but India saw his hands tremble. He'd not hit much like that. Then she saw something move above him.

"Watch out!"

Smith froze and looked at her, and before India could say anything else, a noose dropped on him from above, and the man was hauled up towards the canopy, choking and kicking. India tried to cut the rope with a throwing knife, but she missed and then she had to dodge an attacker trying to get the drop on her - literally.

What looked like a catman pounced on her from above, but she slid to the side, and before the monster had recovered, her machete - with silver inlays - had split his head.

Behind her Kit started shooting. India heard a monster scream, and another, but even as she turned, he was getting tackled by a third. India yelled and charged the monster - no one hurt her Watcher! Her first swing cut into its back, and with an inhuman roar, the werejaguar - at least she thought it was one - let go of Kit and swiped at her while blood ran down its back. India ducked under the swing and drove her shoulder into its stomach, smashing it against the tree behind it, then drew a silver throwing knife and cut its throat before it had recovered its breath. It was still choking on its own blood when she was already whirling around.

A dozen of the monsters were closing on her, and Kit. Her lover's left arm was bleeding and he was drawing his Browning, his rifle probably lost already. He wouldn't make it though; those monsters were too fast. Almost as fast as the Slayer. Almost.

India ran at the first to get close to Kit, and swung her machete at it. The catman jumped back, as she had expected, and her foot caught the other trying to get to Kit in the ribs, smashing it to the side. Kit shot it twice and India beheaded the one she had driven back.

Then the other ten were upon them. India heard Kit shooting rapidly while she gutted one pouncing on her with a slash with her blade. While dodging the corpse she got hit by another attacker from behind and screamed when she felt claws rip into her side. Bleeding she stumbled, but caught the monster with a backhand swing. Then she heard Kit's pistol run dry, followed by his scream.

"Kit!" She whirled around and saw two monsters on top of her Watcher. Before she could do anything to them though, another hit her from behind, the force of the blow driving her to the ground. She managed to flip around, and catch the next attack on her blade, slicing off a paw, but another was already grabbing her leg, and a third was striking at her head with a club.

She couldn't block that one, not with her blade buried in a monster chest, and she couldn't roll away with the corpse on her. Kit would be so disappointed that she had let herself be distracted…

India woke up with a splitting headache, and found herself bound hand and foot. Her side ached, and she felt weak, and cold - she had lost a lot of blood, she knew the symptoms. She twisted her body, and hissed at the pain that caused. She was lying on the stone floor of a ruined temple. A temple decorated with skulls, fresh skulls. Around her about a dozen of the werecreatures were chanting, and one of them, wearing what looked like the skin of one really big snake, had his arms raised and was holding an obsidian knife… and in front of him, tied to a stone block, was Kit! He was bleeding, bruised, but alive.

"Kit!" India yelled, and saw him turn his head. Before he could say anything though, the stone knife descended, and the monster with the snakeskin started to cut into his chest. Kit screamed, but kept looking at India. The monster was cutting his heart out! Someone was screaming louder than Kit, and she didn't realize it was herself until Kit was dead.

Her Watcher was dead. Her lover was dead. India screamed again, but not with horror, or anguish, or pain, but pure hatred and rage. She snapped her bonds and jumped at the closest catman. Her fist smashed into its face, her knee into its groin, and down it went. She grabbed its neck, and twisted until it broke. The remaining monsters seemed shocked for an instant, and India used the opportunity to grab the club of her first victim and smash the skull of the next.

Then the slaughter began in earnest. India was cut and hit, her face laid open, but they couldn't stop her, couldn't stop the Slayer. Soon she had a knife, like the one that had taken Kit's life, and the monsters screamed and bled and died. The one with the Snakeskin was screaming too, and holding Kit's heart into a fire. He was still screaming when her club smashed its ugly head. She pulled Kit's heart out of the fire before it could burn.

Kit was dead, but she had avenged him. Holding his heart, she collapsed over his body, bleeding from a dozen wounds.

A few hours later, in Los Angeles, a fifteen year old girl woke up from a nightmare filled with monsters and girls who fought and died. She didn't realize she had somehow smashed her alarm clock until she had wrecked the doorknob to her bathroom. Her parents were not amused.

Epilogue 2: Hermione

Hermione Granger stared at the parchment in her hands. Her N.E.W.T.s results, dropped by a Ministry owl just a moment ago. It had been over two years since Voldemort had been killed. Almost two years since the Slayer had died. She knew another girl had been called, but she still thought of India when she thought of the Slayer.

A lot had changed since then, for her and Harry. They had passed their O.W.L.s before India had died, but, as planned, they had not returned to Hogwarts. Many of their friends there had not understood. Ron had, though. Even if he had joked that he had only gone back for Quidditch and his mother, their friend had done the same they had done - studied for his life after Hogwarts. He was going to be an auror.

Hermione was happy for him, even though she had hoped he'd become a Watcher too. It would have been nice to stay together, the three of them. Saving the world, once again. But Harry had been correct - Ron wouldn't fit in with the Council. Too many of the other Watcher Wizards had issues with purebloods, and being the best friend of Harry and Hermione wouldn't go that far with those Watchers. Their friend had changed too, of course. As one of the Heroes of Hogwarts, having faced Voldemort himself, and being responsible for the evacuation of most of the children, he had become quite famous. He was handling his fame better than she would have expected - but then, so many had died at the Battle of Hogwarts, Ron knew the cost of his fame. But he'd be a good auror. At least in the field, judging by their last training session. Hermione pitied whoever had to deal with his paperwork though.

Sighing, she ran a finger over the seal on the parchment. Soon Ron would marry Lavender. Who'd have thought the flighty girl from her dorm would change into a serious young woman? A bit possessive, in Hermione's opinion, but that was quite understandable. The young muggleborn witch had had to deal with a number of witches after one of the Heroes of Hogwarts herself. And if she ever managed to meet Skeeter without witnesses and with a secure alibi…

"You haven't opened it yet?" Harry's surprise voice shook her from slightly evil thoughts. "I'd have thought you'd have ripped it open before the owl could land!"

Hermione smiled wrily. "I would have thought so myself. But then I realized - this is it." She held the parchment up. "With this, we are done with Wizarding Britain."

Harry frowned. "It's not as if we're abandoning our friends. Or our family."

"Not that. I know we're not leaving them. But we're done with the official part. Parts. No more tests, no more regulations, no more permits. We're done with them, we're fully adults as far as they are concerned, and there's nothing they can hold over us anymore." Hermione grinned.

Harry snorted. "There was nothing they could do to us once Voldemort was dead and we were with the Council. And we'll still have to deal with the press and fans."

"You have to deal with them, you mean." Hermione smirked, though a small part of her couldn't help feel annoyed at the fact that she, the muggleborn witch, was not quite as famous as Harry or Ron. Despite the reforms of Minister Bones, Hermione felt that Wizarding Britain was still not a place where muggleborns had truly equal chances. But another part of her, a cynical one, welcomed that - it made recruiting other Watcher Wizards a bit easier. She didn't like thinking those thoughts, either thoughts.

"That's just because of what you did to that reporter from "Teen Witch Weekly" when she claimed that the power of love defeated Voldemort."

Hermione glared at him. "She made up some 'tantric ritual', and claimed that the sacrifice of my virginity to you mortally wounded Voldemort! Despite all the witnesses and evidence at Hogwarts!"

"Well… yes. But Dumbledore set them straight. Cursing the letter asking for another interview was a bit too much."

Hermione sniffed. "I have no idea who did that. Given her style of writing, she must have a number of enemies." If only Skeeter had been as careless… "How is Dumbledore doing, anyway?"

"He is doing 'as well as one can expect at my age'," Harry answered, frowning again.

Hermione sighed. The Headmaster still hadn't recovered from the curses he had been struck with during the battle with Voldemort. He was so frail, he had stepped down from his political offices rather quickly.

Harry stepped up to her, and pulled her in an embrace. "Cheer up. Ron's wedding is coming. We'll meet everyone from school."

"You're not the one who has to wear bridesmaid robes picked by Lavender and Parvati." Fashion in Wizarding Britain needed an update too, in her opinion.

"I am certain you'll look stunning in them." Harry grinned.

He likely had asked Colin for pictures already. Maybe she should talk with Fred and George, about a few pranks for Ron's best man, to liven up the wedding… No, she couldn't do that to Ron.

"Come on, open it!" Harry nudged her.

Hermione smiled at him, and then broke the seal, and read her N.E.W.T.s results.