Hello there everyone! I am terribly sorry for my long absence from this story. Rather than rattle off a list of excuses, I will just say that I started university this year, which included moving away from home and that in itself has been rather traumatic and hard to deal with.

However, I'm falling back into place and I am ready to deliver this long awaited chapter - THE EPILOGUE! A lengthy thank you will be attached to the bottom of the chapter which I would love you all to read.

For the last time, enjoy!

4 years later

Rose's POV

"Mum! Lyra and Cassie are fighting again!"

Instead of groaning aloud as I desperately wanted to do, I called out from the kitchen calmly, "Scorp can you go separate the girls please?"

With my hands deep in a bowl of minced meat, trying to make handmade sausage rolls for the family lunch I had foolishly decided to host, I was in no position to separate my 3-year-old twin daughters from another one of their conflicts.

Yes, twins.

Shortly after our wedding - two weeks to be exact - we found out I was not only carrying one child, but two. Scorpius literally fell off of his chair when we saw the two little beans on the ultrasound screen, while I instantly began plotting my argument with grandma Molly for passing this genetic blessing down through the bloodline.

Our families went insane, as expected. Our parents were over the moon, ready to take on two new grandchildren, while my cousins - namely James, Fred and Lily - continued a tradition, being the elaborate betting system, for everyone to put money on the gender of the babies. Scorpius was adamant this time he'd be getting two little girls, and he was proven right - and thankfully so, given the amount of galleons he'd bet on it - on May 10th, when my early labour brought us Cassiopeia Ella and Lyra Eliana Malfoy. I hold Scorpius accountable for any queries regarding the naming of our girls, though I was quick to start the nickname of Cassie for our first born daughter.

The girls were a spitting image of myself; curly, Weasley-red hair, bright blue eyes, freckles spilled across their noses even at the age of 3. If you looked closely, you could see they had Scorp's lips, and their unusually tall height for their age was not inherited from me, but rather their father, but besides that, the girls appeared like Weasley's through and through. Grandpa Ron sure was smug about that.

One particular trait the girls had inherited from the Weasley side of the family was their mischievous behaviour. It must just be a twin thing too, because Antares didn't get into half the trouble the girls did and he didn't have half of their tempers either. Yes, my adorable, innocent looking daughters secretly had the Weasley rage, which I try to blame my father for. Antares often played the mediator of the pair. Scorp and I would often find him holding them apart from each other or calming them down. Obviously this time had proven too hard for a five year old to manage, as he'd called out to me for back up.

"Aye you two, what are we fighting about now?" I heard Scorpius begin as he approached them. The children were all playing in the living room so I was close enough to listen in on the intervention, I just couldn't physically step in, unless I wanted minced meat dropped all over my floor.

"She bit me!"

"She first!"

Scorpius sighed loudly before he asked, "Why are we resorting to biting all of sudden, when was this a thing?"

"Lyra stole Cassie's chocolate frog and Cassie bit her," Antares, ever the mature one, explained the situation calmly.

Scorpius gasped softly, losing his focus on actually sorting out the conflict, "I thought mum banned chocolate frogs!"

"I did!" I called out, making them aware that I was definitely listening in on their conversation.

"Well, where are you finding them Tares?"

Antares boasted proudly to his dad, "I have my hiding places."

Scorpius spoke cautiously, his voice lower than before, "Tell me where they are and I won't tell your mother."

"I heard that!"

"Damn…" Scorp cursed and I couldn't help but smirk.

"She has big ears."

"Your mother doesn't have big ears, Tares, she has good hearing. So if you're going-" Scorpius reduced his voice to a whisper, "-to get up to mischief, it's best to keep your voice quiet around her."

"I heard that too!"

"Merlin!" he growled frustratedly, "Tares, can you watch the girls for me? I'm going to go help mum."

"You're gonna be in trouble," I could tell Antares was smiling as he said this.

Just a few moments later, Scorpius' footsteps could be heard right behind me. With a deep breath he exclaimed overly cheerfully, "Hey honey, I'm here to help!"

"No you're not, you've come to eat the food."

"Guilty."

And with that, Scorpius reached over me to pinch a strawberry tart from the kitchen bench. I tried swatting him away but the tart was already in his mouth before I could do anything to stop him. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his immaturity. You'd think after over five years together and having three children he'd have matured, but no. With the dessert still in his mouth, he mumbled, "Remind me why we're doing this lunch again?"

Ignoring his bad manners, I explained the reason to him for about the fourth time, "Because, you decided putting the kids to bed early and having sex was a better idea than us attending the family dinner last week and we need to get out of the bad books."

"Oh yeah, I remember now," he smirked sheepishly, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. "But did you have to invite my side of the family as well?"

"It's our family lunch, which means our families attend!" I said pointedly. "Which also means you better go make the girls look nice and pretty for everyone."

Scorpius let out a groan - a noise silenced once he saw my death glare from over my shoulder - and he pulled away from me compliantly, but not before giving my bum a playful slap with his hand. "Fine, I have to battle our two very terrifying daughters just to get them looking presentable, while you get to be surrounded by delicious food for the next hour."

"Sounds great," I said with an overly sweet voice.

"This really doesn't seem like a fair deal to me."

"Of course not, but I wasn't the one who said 'I'll deal with the consequences' when we skipped the dinner, was I?"

He smirked down at me, "Mmm, I don't know what you're talking about."

I caved into his cuteness, giving him a soft peck on the lips. Seizing the opportunity, Scorp pulled me around so that my body was flush against his, deepening my simple peck into a proper snog. My hands found their way up to his neck and my fingers began fiddling into his hair, causing him to moan very softly into my lips. I could feel myself losing focus as Scorp's hands trailed down my waistline, holding me closer against his body as his tongue trailed across my lower lip delicately. Things were getting far too heated, especially for a mid-morning with three young children in the house.

So with great strength, I pulled away from his grasp and put him back on task, "Now go dress those girls before we have to cancel again! And you better get that minced meat out of your hair now too!"

"Bloody hell Rose," he tried to hide his smirk before he turned away to leave the room, "this really isn't a fair deal!"

Lunchtime rolled around quicker than I wanted it to, with some family members showing up earlier than expected. Luckily, I'd timed the food quite well, it would be ready as soon as the more unorganised Weasley's and Potter's arrived, which would probably be up to an hour behind schedule. Only about half the guests were here, and the house already seemed to be bustling with noise and drama.

I was strategically levitating the drink jugs from the fridge to the dining table when a dark-haired, out of control child tore through the kitchen, knocking me from my focus and momentarily ceasing my levitation charm. Thanks to quick thinking, I managed to re-charm the jugs mid-fall, saving a potential disaster and huge mess. Once the drinks were placed safely on the table, I went to find the culprit of the near disaster. As I entered the living room, the voice of my older cousin led me to the little menace.

"Alex, spit out the coin!"

"M-no."

James was knelt down in front of his son, little Alexander Potter. Alex was a handful of a child. If he wasn't sleeping, he was causing havoc on his family. He was the spitting image of James as a child; same features, same attitude, same menacing mind. It appeared the reason for his sprint through my kitchen space was to escape his father, most likely with the coin James was now begging for.

"Alex, you're going to choke! Please, spit it out!"

"Nah nah nah nah nah," he called, coin still stuffed in his mouth as he pulled out of his dad's grasp.

James let out a defeated groan as Alex ran away, while Taylah used her wand to force the coin out of their mischievous son's mouth. The coin came flying through the air, with Taylah catching it and tucking in in her pocket effortlessly. Although Alex was a troublesome kid, Taylah was an amazing mother. She could handle any situation that child put her in; from the time he learnt the word 'shit' from Albus and began saying it repeatedly in public, to now, when he was running around the house with a choking hazard in his mouth, Taylah knew how to tackle every ordeal perfectly, or at least a tonne better than her husband did.

As Alex searched the room for something else to destroy, James came to stand next to Taylah and I, huffing defeatedly, "Is this the world punishing me for my behaviour as a kid or what?"

"Definitely," Harry smirked, entering the conversation from the doorway, "And I'm so glad you're finally getting a taste of your own medicine."

"Grandpa!" Alex cheered excitedly, bounding across the room to attach himself to Harry's leg. Harry picked the boy up and swung him on his hip, giving him a tight, welcoming squeeze. Harry was extremely proud of his grandson, even more so because he was just like James as a child.

"Hey uncle Harry, glad you could make it," I greeted him while James huffed once more.

"Of course, what could be more important than attending a family gathering?"

"Having sex, apparently, right Rose?" James grinned, his mood changing immediately when he saw the opportunity to take me down. I shot a stinging hex at him instantly, trying to redirect the attention away from my colouring cheeks. The sting caused James to double over, letting out a yell of pain while I thought of a way to shift the conversation.

"Nothing is more important than family, thanks James. Anyway, most of the others are outside enjoying the sun for a while, you might want to head out there Harry."

With a knowing smile, he said nothing, his green eyes twinkling mischievously the same way all the Potter men's did. He quickly left the living room with Alex in his arms to go greet the other relatives while I took a moment to slap James a few times on the shoulder for his absurd comments.

"James that was rude," Taylah said, moving to her husbands side.

"It was pretty funny though, right? Not to mention true!" he grinned stupidly despite my readiness to smack him again.

"Just go watch Alex with your father, make sure they both stay out of trouble. And don't let Alex touch the veggie garden!" Taylah directed her husband, but softened her command with a soft kiss on his cheek.

James nodded and similarly to his father, he left the room without a word, but the twinkle of mischief was definitely present in those emerald eyes of his. Once we had both enjoyed enough uninterrupted silence - something mothers rarely got to experience - Taylah and I took a seat on the couch and let our minds relax and trail off to more casual conversations.

"Are you sure you can handle him for a sleepover tonight?" Taylah said, concerned about her son's erratic behaviour.

"Trust me, one extra kid for one night is not impossible, he'll love it!"

"He's pretty full on, I'm just a floo line away if you need an intervention."

I chuckled lightly and shook my head. "So, are you really sure you want another one of James' genetic terrors running around the place?"

Taylah laughed back, getting more comfortable in her seat on the couch, "You know if I could I'd have a house full of children, genetic terrors or not."

"How's the baby-making going?"

Taylah shrugged and explained, "We're not trying anymore, but we're not stopping anything from happening, if that makes sense. We aren't going out of our way to make a baby like we did with Alex, but we're not exactly… preventing it? It seems the less pressure we put on ourselves to have a baby, the better off we feel. So who knows, I guess. What about yourselves?"

I shook my head and chuckled softly, "Yeah look, I think Scorp and I are done in the baby making department. Although we don't really have a good track record when it comes to preventing it so there's no ruling it out."

Honestly, our baby-making days were definitely over. Once I'd had the twins, Scorpius and I knew we just couldn't balance another kid without completely falling apart. Children were hard work, especially when all three of said children were under 5. Scorpius had once suggested we try for another, but all I had to do was gesture to the messy state of our house and the screaming, hungry children in their highchairs and he never brought up the crazy suggestion again. Also, pregnancy did not do any good to a woman's body, so I was kind of thankful to not be going there again.

"Hey girls, what are you talking about?"

Taylah and I both turned to see Dom standing in front of us. Her hair was now grown out long and dyed a light brown - a refreshing change from her jet black shade she used to sport. Levitating a bean bag from the children's play area in the corner of the room, Dom dropped it in front of us and took a seat in it, a smug grin on her face as she stretched out wide on the floor.

"We're discussing trying to have children, how are you and Brian going?" I smirked, knowing full well her response.

"Oh trust me, Brian and I are definitely not trying," Dom said sharply, before further emphasising, "nor will we be any time soon, or possibly ever."

Brian and Dom were a couple and had stayed that way since the night before my wedding. They were completely monogamous and very much in love. Dom settled down from her party-animal phase mostly - she calls Saturday night her 'night off' from being a responsible adult - and Brian became more… accommodating to Dom's needs, making them, finally, a perfectly balanced couple, give or take a few things. Although despite being a couple for over four years, they saw no need to be married, and certainly had no interest in having children like the rest of the family seemed to be. The biggest commitment they had made since moving in together was buying a pet cat, and even that was a big handful for them.

Despite their very different lifestyle to the rest of our family, I definitely admired the pair. They were out enjoying their lives with each other, not fussed about the opinions of others or striving to follow the social norm. Dom kicked off a successful business partnership with James, joining his defence business and holding defence classes specifically for witches, while Brian was still doing very well as an Auror. Most importantly, they were happy just the way they were.

"Well it looks like Al and Ash are the only ones adding to this family for a while then," Taylah nodded, "I doubt anyone else is. I'd put my money on Lily to be next after Al but she doesn't seem to be in any hurry either."

"I say it's about time this family stopped growing, we're like a bloody army," Dom snorted.

Ashley and Albus had tied the knot two years ago, two years after Al had proposed. They had their wedding in Venice, where he'd popped the question, meaning the whole family scored a mini-holiday out of the occasion. It would've been a really amazing getaway, if only I didn't have 3 very young children to tend to the whole time. Not that I resented the kids, it's just Venice was not the place you take your children for a holiday, so they were positively bored the whole time while Scorpius and I were just exhausted from the whole ordeal. Still, it really was a dream wedding, "The Fairytale Wedding" as it was penned in all the newspapers and magazines, and Al and Ash had been living a fairytale life ever since.

Ashley, being the independent and career-driven goddess that she was, had managed to hold off on the baby-making for a couple of years into their marriage. This was thanks to her taking control of the contraceptive charms and - as a back-up - the help of a muggle form of birth control that Albus didn't quite understand. This year she had decided they were both ready to try for a baby and they were now just months away from the little terror Albus had been dreaming about for years. Apparently, they got pregnant on the first try, so the back-up birth control had been a blessing.

"Everyone clear the road! Albus and his girls are here!"

"Speak of the devils," Dom smirked as they entered.

Ashley entered the room first, with Albus standing cautiously close behind her as she waddled uncomfortably to the closest resting point, being the couch I was sitting on.

"You're alright love?" Albus asked carefully.

"Fine, babe. Would you mind getting me a glass of water though?"

"Of course," he smiled lovingly, planting a soft kiss of her forehead and heading into the kitchen to fetch her request.

"How are you going mumma?" I smiled softly as I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, letting her get comfortable in the seat next to me.

The blonde tried to smile, however it turned into a grimace as she adjusted her positioning on the couch. "Yeah fine, my back is killing me though!" she sighed in a way only heavily pregnant women could, "Is it meant to feel like you've got a troll standing on your back the whole time?"

"Yeah."

"Pretty much," Taylah confirmed.

"Well then, I can't wait to get rid of this feeling," she sighed.

"How's Albus been?"

She shrugged gently, "Well he's left me alone for a few minutes at least, so I guess he's improving."

I couldn't help but laugh, "He's still a worry wart though?"

"Oh yeah. Did you take your medication today love? Don't move, I'll go get you more! Oh you need to go to the bathroom? Here, let me assist you with the 5 meters of walking it takes to get there!"

"Trust me love, you'll miss that attention when it's all over. James was the same when I was pregnant, just an absolute worry wart - I nearly hexed him a few times! But now, he's the most casual man around, Alex could be setting fire to the house and James would be sitting there watching!"

"Ugh these Potter men! Impossible! Ginny should have warned us about them!" Ash groaned.

At that moment, Ginny appeared in the doorway, a smug grin on her face as she explained, "And have you two run off scared? As if I would've risked that!"

Ashley huffed exaggeratedly and muttered something along the lines of 'all the Potters are trouble' to herself. However, she quickly ceased her complaints the second Albus returned with her vital glass of water, which she grabbed eagerly and downed in just a few gulps. The rest of us stifled our laughter at her immediate change in mood. There was no denying Albus really was good value to her, especially in her pregnant state - something I think she realised in that moment.

I left the living room when I heard the front door open again, signalling the next family member to arrive. By the time I got around to the entrance, the platinum-haired man was well down the hallway already, heading in the direction of the backyard, where most of the family tended to be located before food was ready.

"Hey Draco," I called, causing him to spin around quickly, a casual smile on his face. "Where's Astoria?"

"Hi Rose, she's coming by floo, won't be far away. Where are my grandchildren?" he asked quickly. Draco was always rather impatient when it came to seeing the kids.

"Running around the backyard causing a muck, probably. You should go find them for me and bring them inside!"

"Sure thing, Rosie," dad butted in as he stumbled out of the fireplace in the hallway, obviously just catching the end of my conversation with Draco.

Draco and dad froze in a tense, challenging stare off. Despite all the years they had spent together since Scorpius and I had joined or families, these two always seemed to keep a rivalry. Amazingly, Scorpius had kept to his vows, managing to develop a friendship between the two - a friendship both of them denied constantly, though they had no explanation for attending quidditch games together or catching up for drinks on the odd occasion. Their rivalry was on a different level now - it was a rivalry between friends. While they pretended their competitions were serious, most of the family knew that it was all just fun and games now.

"It's okay Ronald, Rose asked me to get the kids."

Dad grinned, slapping his hand down hard on Draco's shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "Well there are three of them, Draco, I'm sure I could look after two of them for you."

"Such a genuine man aren't you?" Draco slipped out of his grasp, "Still, I think I've got it."

Both the men began stalking towards the back door with big smirks on their faces.

"Guys…." I began with a warning tone, though they were well out the doorway before my words even had their intended effect on them. Rolling my eyes, I decided to follow them outside in case their challenges got out of hand - especially since they involved my children.

"Cassie!" Draco called.

"Lyra," Ron cheered at the same time.

"Tares!" the both said in unison. Both men were on their knees in the backyard, their arms stretched out wide to invite the girls over to them. Kneeling next to each other, and especially with those huge grins on their faces, they almost looked like jesters, much to my amusement.

Cassie and Lyra split apart and ran to the grandfather that called their name first. It wasn't that they had a favourite grandpa, they were just very attentive and obedient girls, so they would always greet the first person to call upon them. Cassie jumped into Draco's arms and gave him a tight hug, while Lyra - the more adventurous twin - climbed onto Ron's shoulders and squealed happily.

Once upon a time I would have never thought Draco Malfoy would be a physically affectionate person. I'd seen him hug Scorpius once every now and then, sure, but not on a regular basis and not without reason. However, give him grandchildren - especially two adorable granddaughters - and suddenly a cuddly Draco was to be revealed.

"Antares buddy, come give your grandpa a hug!" Draco smiled at the little boy, who was smack bang in the middle of the two men.

"Or how about you hug me first, Tares?" Ron suggested, "You are a fraction closer to me anyway!"

"He is not!"

"Oh yes he is."

Antares crossed his arms over each other and let out a frustrated sigh. Looking back and fourth between the competitive pair, Antares spoke diplomatically, "I'm sorry grandpa and granddad, I can see what you're doing and I'm not taking sides."

Both men let out defeated sighs, upset that they couldn't convince their grandson to choose a side and help triumph over the other grandfather. Draco and Ron both locked eye contact, as if they were trying to decide what to do to claim defeat over the other. A minute passed before they surrendered, both of their mouths breaking into wide smiles.

"Well played Tares," I went over and gave him a hug.

"When did he get so smart Rose?" Ron grumbled, walking back towards the house with Lyra resting on his hip.

"He is my son, dad. When wasn't he smart?"

Draco chuckled, "Are you sure he's five years old?"

"Mum says I'm a ten year-old stuck in a five year-old's body," Tares beamed proudly, uncrossing his arms and resting them on his hips.

"She's not wrong," Draco smiled down at his grandson before he rose from the ground with Cassie in his arms. "Come on Cas, let's go back inside before it starts getting too cold. Plus, grandma will get jealous if I keep you all to myself out here."

"Good idea Draco," I nodded before raising my voice to grab the attention of everyone in the backyard. "Okay, everyone inside now! Food is about to be served!"

Lunch flew past, mostly because I was fretting over whether or not there was enough food for everyone the whole time, but also because there were plenty of conversations to be had when the table - magically adjusted for the occasion, of course - hosted over 40 people.

Dom and James spoke loudly and proudly about their defence classes, while Albus and Harry argued about whether or not Ashley was having a girl or a boy. Astoria spoke animatedly with Hermione about when they thought the children would start showing signs of magical ability, while Ron got extremely heated towards Ginny when she made comment about the poor effort of the Cannons recently. Draco - amazingly - stayed silent on this topic, most likely because Ron was getting him pretty great tickets to quidditch games and he didn't want to lose those privileges.

Ashley and Taylah were busy warning Lily not to give up on dating, while Percy was telling Lucy to focus on her career and stop dating. George and Angelina were begging Teddy to help Fred hold down a girl and Scorpius tried to give his own advice to our 5 year old son which I quickly stopped. The rest of the family - the more reserved of the bunch - ate their meals and stayed rather silent to help balance the noise in the room.

Alex spent most of the time refusing to eat any vegetables, Cassie and Lyra decided to smear most of their food on their clothes, and Tares sat calmly, chopping his foods into little pieces and eating them carefully. I really didn't understand where he had inherited his maturity from, but it was no secret that everyone adored Tares for it.

Yes, it was a family lunch like most others - loud, large and stuffed with food, big personalities and a whole lot of mess. I took a moment to observe the busyness instead of contributing to it and found myself overwhelmed with my love for everyone in the room. Despite how crazy and complicated everyone was, they were my family and they were beautiful - even my girls who were covered in some sort of pumpkin mash. Before anyone could catch my moment of sentimentality, I quickly dug back into my food, letting the sounds of Ron and Ginny's quidditch argument drown out my thoughts.

As I was moving the leftovers into the kitchen, I noticed and older man with long white hair in the backyard, sitting still on one of the garden benches. Despite my invitations, Lucius would never attend a dinner or lunch itself, but would always make an appearance once the 'formal' stuff was done. Over the years I had made him attend many events; birthdays, Christmases, baby showers, New Years parties - all of which he would arrive at the least busy or least attention-drawing moment, and would leave within a flash.

The fact that he was even attending events at all was an achievement, though I was still confident that within time I could break through the cold shell of Lucius Malfoy and get him involved in the family unit (a challenge Scorpius deemed impossible, only making me want to succeed even more).

"Lucius, how are you?" I asked once I'd gotten close enough to him.

"I am fine, Rose. And you?"

"Perfect. Absolutely perfect!" I smiled over-excitedly. Lucius cringed at the loudness and happiness of my voice, "The food was great, you really should have arrived earlier, we saved you a spot!"

"Right. Where's Tares?"

I couldn't help but laugh at how serious Lucius was. He was there simply to see his great-grandchildren; not to mingle with other relatives or enjoy the food I'd prepared as everyone else was doing. Luckily, Tares had already noticed his great-grandfather, and was on his way across the lawn while the rest of the family continued mingling inside.

"Tares, come say hi to grandpa!"

Lucius' outraged eyes quickly met mine, "I thought we agreed I would be called Lucius or grandfather at most?"

"Hi Grandpa!" Tares called as his running came to a halt in front of us, a wide smile his face.

"Yeah, sorry," I shrugged, holding down my smirk, "grandpa seems to have stuck."

Lucius cleared his throat and spoke down to Tares, "Good afternoon Tares. Are you well as of late?"

"Grandpa," Tares sighed, pushing his blonde hair out of his eyes as he did, "You don't need to speak so formally to me, I may be smart but I am only five."

Honestly, I was more amazed that he knew the word 'formally' than I was over his request for Lucius to chat casually with him. Tares was a very confident child, so it was no surprise that he would request Lucius to stop talking like there was a stick up his arse. I was rather proud of his forwardness, honestly.

Usually a man of no emotion, Lucius' eyes shot up wide and his mouth opened in a small 'o' shape. He seemed to be conflicted with his own thoughts for a moment, before he fumbled, "Right then. Uh, well… How are you then? Is school good?"

"It's kindergarten, but yes it is so cool. My best friend Caitlyn is coming over to play next week - her mum is a doctor!"

"A doctor?" Lucius started slowly, "As in-"

"-A muggle healer, yes," I grinned. "I have a lot in common with her actually! You'd like her too."

"A muggle…"

Tares continued speaking over Lucius - something I didn't even bother correcting - while Lucius' skin paled even further than it already was, "So last week I learnt that muggles use big red trucks and long, powerful hoses filled with water to put out fires!"

Lucius really did try not to look confused but the furrow of his brow gave him away, "Uh… Right…"

"So they don't use magic to put out fires! And they use great big ladders to rescue things down from high places and-"

As Antares continued his excited babble about his latest brush with the muggle world, I began to walk back towards the house, leaving Lucius trapped. I will give him some credit - he was trying extremely hard not to look uncomfortable from Tares' keen interest in muggle studies. I saw his horrified eyes follow me as I left him there with a huge, unmissable smirk present on my face. Ah yes, it sure felt good to have the whole family together - especially when one of them was being forced to listen to things that conflicted with his ancient beliefs.

Once I made it inside, I found Astoria watching the scene from the kitchen window, a secret smile on her face. I came to stand next to her, my face looking similar to her own.

"I take it Tares is subjecting him to an educational lesson about muggles?" she spoke casually.

"Of course he is, I've trained him well."

"I must say, you've done a great job moulding him into a better man. A decade ago he wouldn't have let anyone talk about muggles in front of him, let alone his own great-grandchild who attends a muggle school!"

"Well I told you I'd stop at nothing," I grinned at her, "You may not have warmed up to him yourself, but I'm starting to grow fond of the man."

Astoria's warm eyes crinkled fondly s she spoke to me, "You're one of a kind Rose, I'm glad my family's got you."

"Likewise Astoria," I said sincerely, and the look in Astoria's always-observant eyes showed me that she knew how much more I wanted to say beyond those words.

It wasn't long before Tares had found his way back to the house, informing me that Lucius had left. I tried not to be angry - he'd showed up, after all - but I couldn't help my mind sifting through new ways to get him more involved. One day, I was sure I'd get him sitting at the dining table with the rest of the family, it was all a matter of persistence and progress. Scorpius swore I would get him next time, and deep down, I was sure I would.

Thankfully the afternoon came by quickly. Not that I wanted the day to be over, but family functions could sure take their toll on the host's energy levels. Everyone said their goodbyes and made for home, although it took Taylah a good hour after that to leave because she was so worried to leave her little tyrant Alex with us for the night. After an obscene amount of comforting from my behalf, Taylah and James finally left and it was just me, my gorgeous husband, and four adorable kids left.

I found myself lounging out on the back lawn, enjoying the relaxation while the kids played over in the sandpit. The sun was starting to set, indicating we'd been out for quite a long time when I saw a shadow fall beside me, indicating that my husband had finally decided to join us.

"Here, I got you a Slow Comfortable Screw."

"Well there's something I haven't had in a while," I grinned up at Scorp as he took a seat on the grass next to me and handed me the cocktail. "Isn't it kind of irresponsible to be drinking when there are four young children in our care?"

"Maybe, but who's going to stop us?" he smirked.

I beamed back at him, "Man I love being an adult."

"I'll have you know, I've cleaned up all the dishes and I even wiped down all the bench tops and the table."

"Oh my, what a man I have got myself! Who would've thought bumping into you at Gringotts all those years ago would've lead to all this," I motioned over to the house and the kids playing in the sand pit in front of us, "And a husband who does the dishes!"

"And who makes you delicious and inappropriate cocktails!"

I let out a soft chuckle and continued our playful banter, "What a catch."

"I'm pretty sure I caught you, love."

"Well what a good fisherman you are then."

We let a comfortable silence fall over us as we both focused over at the children. Alex and Tares had broken away from the girls, it seemed, because they were digging a large hole while Cassie and Lyra starting stacking up a sandcastle on the opposite end of the pit. They were all giggling and mumbling their secret children talk, while I laid back into Scorpius' side, breathing in the smell of the grass and Scorp's familiar cologne.

As I looked out at the setting sun, my head and heart full of love from the day surrounded by family, Scorpius spoke nonchalantly, "We've done pretty well for ourselves, I think. I know we've done nothing according to plan-"

"-You've got that right, none of this was part of the plan," I chuckled lightly. "Although if we'd stuck to our plans I can't be sure I'd have been this happy."

"Me either, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Just as Scorpius and I shared a chaste kiss, we heard Antares call upon us.

"Mum, Lyra hit me! And Cassie is biting Alex!"

I pulled my lips away from Scorp's as he stifled a groan. With a raised eyebrow and challenging grin I asked, "Are you sure you wouldn't?"

We both sat up and Scorp nodded. "I'm sure. Plus, I think it's your turn to go separate the kids, love," he smirked.

"No wonder you looked so smug," I huffed and got up from our spot on the ground, ready to whip my 'mum' voice out and sort out the latest trouble.

Before I could take even a few steps, I felt Scorp's hand grab my own and I was pulled back around to face him, our noses almost touching. He wrapped his hands round my waist to hold me closer, while my hands found themselves on his chest. His grey eyes glistened in the sun as they stared into mine, a loving smile on his face.

"You keep enjoying that slow screw, I'll handle the kids this time."

"What a man," I blew out a whistle, adding some humour to the mood before I whispered seductively, "You might find yourself getting your own slow, comfortable screw tonight."

He let out a uncontrolled groan, "What a woman! You love to torture me don't you?"

"You love me for it."

"I do love you."

"Go separate those kids."

As he headed for the mess of sand and small children in the pit nearby, I couldn't wipe the look of adoration from my face. In the space in front of me lied my whole world; Scorpius, Antares, Lyra and Cassie - and even Alex. Nothing would ever change the way my heart swelled when my family was altogether and nothing could change how proud of was of the path I'd taken in my life. Through all the troubles and tumbles we'd had in the last five years, Scorpius and I had made a family and loved each other deeper than I thought my love could go. It was a love more pure than gold and more powerful than magic - my love for the people in front of me was embedded in my soul and I knew it was a love that would never leave.

Before he even reached the kids - perhaps sensing my emotional moment - Scorpius turned back around to face me, and he paused for a moment. His face held the same look of love and passion and pride that it had held for the past five years. With a sheepish grin and playfulness dancing in his eyes, he shook his head and light-heartedly said a phrase that left me in a fit of laughter;

"Who would've thought such a wonderful life could've been possible because of a one-night stand with a Weasley?"

So there you have it! All was well. ;)

I hope the epilogue does the characters justice - I wanted to try and wrap up the loose ends neatly, so hopefully this was tight enough and didn't leave too many questions unanswered!

I hope you have all enjoyed this dramatic, emotional rollercoaster that was Not Part of the Plan, I certainly have enjoyed writing it!

A big thanks goes out to anyone who followed the story, or favourited the story (that's amazing thank you!) and those who followed and favourited me (even more amazing!) after reading this fanfic.

A special thanks to all my reviewers - especially my regulars! I cherished every review that was left on this story, nothing could motivate me more than a review from a reader.

REVIEWERS, YOU ALL RULE:

barby03, Ray, Azure, OceansOwlLover99. DracoRocks, Sroman, Awesomeperson254, ivngrzn, Escapingthisworldwithfiction, Ladderandsteps, The Ice-Hearted Queen, a-panther-and-her-prince, Beth, quicksinver, .machado, UKHPFan, Limocito, Daisy, Crazyaboutmusic7, Key, baronnis, an oap, bloodyjvalentine, Instanatick, Ellie, The Chirpy Bitch, Ady71, Mariana, Siobhykayy, Stampykitty, Wolfieplayz24, MissesE, Theendproductions, ToomanyshipsI'llsink, ultimateanthropologist, Rose Weasley85, LoveLoganNiallGrey, DutchScorRoseFan, Crystal Jupitar, Songbird6802, Mariah, Minime460, Abbey, Midaoru, Orion, Nicknack2814, Encantria, Jessabenny, Posey, Jackattack7, WildKat25ShadowWolf13, llamamoose23, AMBERJANUS, LillyMay77, Rose Wazlib, ddaaaaaaaaaisyy, as13119, nightlynisgay, reheni, pullynnnhah + all the anonymous guest reviewers!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT, FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT! XOXOXO

I'm not sure when my next fanfiction will be posted, or what it will consist of, but if you want to give me ideas, I will be more than happy to consider them! Probably nothing this long though - this was a challenge!

Anyway, it's been a long time coming, but it's finally time to say goodbye to this version of the Scorpius/Rose pairing. Thank you all for your support and interest in my writing, I'm wishing you all happiness and love for the future!

Lots of love,

Alicia xx