Epilogue

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"I don't know why I'm so nervous, Albus," Minerva admitted, fumbling with the pins to keep her knot of hair together.

"Well I think I may know," Albus replied, coming up to her from behind and grinning at her flustered reflection in the mirror. Putting his arms around her waist, he dropped a feather kiss on her collarbone and rested his chin there.

As she finished with the pins, she tried to duck out of his hold. "Albus, stop it," she giggled, "You _know_ that tickles." However, the pins that held her knot together also pinned the headmaster to her. She gave him an exasperated look and he chuckled, tugging at the silver stands of his hair binding him to her.

Methodically taking out the pins with a serious air, he set them down on the dresser and ran a gentle hand through her hair. With all the care of a lace maker, he threaded her hair together as she watched quietly in the reflection. When he finished placing the last pin back in her hair, he stood back, frowned, and made to take out the pins again.

"Don't you dare," she reprimanded, catching his hands before they could redo the braid. "It's beautiful."

"It is, isn't it?" he said playfully, and kissed her before leading her to the door of her chambers. "I do believe you have first years to greet," and with a final kiss, they went to welcome the students.

*

Even though he knew fully well what the Sorting entailed, Harry still felt his stomach give a leap as his mother explained the ceremony to the new first years. Ron Weasley stood at his right, his face a bit green with nerves, but all the same, the redhead gave Harry a wavering smile of support. Harry felt himself give a smile back, every bit as apprehensive as Ron's.

Minerva watched the exchange and stifled a grin as she called the first new student forth. The list went on without a hitch until "Longbottom, Neville" was called forth. As the hat and the boy sat there quietly, Minerva wondered at the hat's indecision. Both of the boy's parents had been in Hufflepuff, and from the little she had seen of him, the boy seemed suited for that house. However, the hat surprised her (yet again) and shouted,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Resisting the urge to raise an eyebrow at the decision, Minerva continued, reading off name after name until she came to the one she had been waiting for all night.

"Potter, Harry," she said and gave her boy a small wink before the Sorting Hat dropped over his eyes.

As the seconds ticked by, Minerva's nervousness came back in full force and she cast a glance at Albus. As always during the Sorting Ceremony, he sat with an aggravating air of omniscience and flippancy, refusing to give away anything. Narrowing her eyes at him as he gave her a wink, Minerva turned her attention back to her son and the Sorting Hat. As it opened its "mouth," Minerva waited with bated breath.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Behind her, she heard Severus give a derogatory snort, as if to say, "And you were expecting. . . ?"

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AN: TA-DAH!!! And they you have it ladies and gentlemen - the conclusion of my first ever successful work of fanfiction. YAY!!! ::happy dance:: I really hope I haven't disappointed anyone with this ending, but it was the only one that would really work and I like it - so there. =) And now for the insanely long list of Thankums:

HUGE BIG GIGANTIC THANKUMS AND MUCH LOVE TO: Aeryn Alexander, Andromeda Snape, Anndy Malfoy, Angel, Anneliese, arina, Asellus, Ashley112, Ashumzz, athenakitty, Athenia McGonagall, arcee, ariannariadna, Arye, Aurelia, Aurumlupi, Avlyn, AzSapphire, Barbara, barbarataku, bdb869, Bill, Blind Joker, Blue Phoenix2, bob, Bukama, Butler, Captain Amelia, CapriceAnne Hedican-Kocur, Carey Miles, Caroline Hal, Cataclysmic, Calm Serene, Charm, Chibi Chingo, Child-of-the-Dawn, chocolurver, Corgi, cooncat, CR, Crazygurl70, Creamy Mimi, Crookykanks, Cyberwolf, dalamma, Daughter_of_Light, Deerose91, Deidre, Delilah Medea, Desertrain, dice- wildmage, Dicere, Dragongirl, DUK, Emerald32, Enialedam, ER, EriEka127, Erin, Eris, eris wannabe, Eternal Rose, EuGIeBeAr, Eva, evenescence55, Eyes of a Dreamer, Fage of Hyren, Fanfic Fan11, Fallen Dragon, floramorada, Freelancer, Frizzy, Frog, Galaxy-Gal, gaul, GEM, Gil-Celeb, Goldenfire, Griselda La Fay, Gus, Harriet Potter, Harry's Muggle Sister, Hazel Eyed Witch87, H. Sanders, Ian, Ice Lupus, Illustrious Sorrow, Inmemoryofpadfoot, im so innocent, I'm-Mike, Immortal Rose, Immortalis_Vespers, insane flautist, Isis Malfoy, Jade, jade dagger, Jaime, Jay, Jedi Buttercup, Jedi Cosmos, Jenna-chan, JerseyGirl03, Jestana, JJ, Jon, Jordon, Juliette, kangaroo, Kathleen, kateydidnt, kat-tak, KeeperOfTheMoon, keizinathebrat, kel under the couch, Kemenran, kneh13, Kira6, kitty demon, Kristine Thorne, knot2be, kt, Kylena, kynight, kytheria, la cle, Lady abbey Bartlet, Lady Cinnabar, Lady Fox Fire, Lady Knight, Lady Russel Holmes, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, lama, Lanzer, Laura, Laura Kay, Lea Black, Leanne, LeapordDance, leaps, Lei Dumbledore, Lemondropaddict, Lemon_Drops, Lewen, LG, Liedral, Lilmissperfect, Lily Smith, LinZE, Little Sango-Chan, Liz O'Brien, LonelyWolf, lovely, Luna Rose and Phoenix Child, LuxDragon, Madame Mooney, mad-eye potter, Malon, March, Mel, Melanie, Melinda7190, Mel-chan, MEM-Severus, Midnight-Kisses, minervarette, Mini-Minerva, Minty Hippo, Mistress Demonstress, Mistress Of Anime, Mistri, MJ, MK in lala land, momo, Moonlight, Morbane, Mortadella, Mrs. Fawkes, Muah-baby-Muah, Myst4Drgn, Mystic Queen, MysticSoceror, Natara, nefarious vixen, Nerwen Faelvirin, Neo- QueenRini1, NightSpear, Nora Lena Potter, Of Lace and Feathers, Old Fawkes, Petra, petriebird18, Phillip, Phoenix Flight, phoenixfan, phoenixrising, piper, PrincessWitch, Potter-Snape, PotterMania22, the Queen of Fire and Ice, Rarity88, rayvern, reanne080, Redwoman06, ReflectionOfReality, Relinquished, Renee Fay, Rhea, rofro05, Rose, Rosie, Runny nosed spider brat, ryleeblack, Sailor Sol, Sakura Le, Sakura Ryou, Sanguine Quill, Sasinak, Scarlet Secret, Selena Silverwing, Selene, Selina, Serpent of Light, Setsuna, Shadow of a Cat, Shadow-Kat, shadows-zephyr, shdurrani, SilentPhoenix, Simple Confusion, Sirabella, SithTahiri, skipastarseeker, skye, smilez, Snapdragon, snickerdoodle, Snidget-And-Co, spiffycool, Star Mage, Starr Light, soul, soymilk, Spetre, Static-Filled Star, stoneygem, Tainted, tati1, Tereth Dragonstar, Thalia the Muse, Time Twins, Tourmaline, Tristin Sliver, twixxler, uhohgirl, uselessinfoqueen, VoyICJ, Vulcan_Child_13, Walpurgis, wanderer-243, Werepup, Wishweaver, The Wolf of Were, Wytil, Xany Kaos, Xela, Xirleb70, Zailie Eaphana Marinu, Zeta Star

And THAT is an example of what happens to your brain on CHOCOLATE! ::giggle:: I'm the only dork who puts it in aphabetical order, aren't I? hehe - Go figure.

PEACE, LOVE, and SUGAR!!!

PS: Look out for a new fic from moi! =) Adios!