AUTHOR'S NOTES: Whew! Finished another story! Always a good feeling. I'm happy so many people have reviewed. It makes me feel loved.
Now… since I'm sure I didn't touch on everything going on I'll give you the rundown starting with Petunia who married the police inspector who asked her out. They are foster parents with 7 kids in their care ages ranging 8-16.
Dudley and Leslie are married with two children, one of whom we meet in this chapter. Dudley works with muggle child services and Leslie is a pediatric oncologist.
Sirius and Anna have 1 daughter and while Anna is still working as a muggle doctor, Sirius teaches an Animagus course at Hogwarts.
Ron Weasley plays Keeper for the Chudley Cannons and Hermione is a medical researcher working with both magical healers and muggle doctors. Their only child, Rose, is just like her mother with her father's temper.
Draco Malfoy took over teaching Potions when Snape retired along with the post of Head of Slytherin House. Ginny is the star Seeker for England's Quidditch team. They have a 15-year-old son, Nicholas and a 12-year-old daughter, Claire.
Harry was the former DADA professor but has retired to act as counselor for Leslie's patients. Luna continues to teach divination. They have 5 children.
If there is anything else you'd like to know, let me know.
Thanks a bunch for reading!
Chapter 26 Epilouge
15 Years Later
Autumn seemed to arrive early that year.
To Harry it seemed like mere days since greeting his children as they got off the Hogwarts Express at the end of last year.
The triplets, Adrienne—Addie—Camille, and Gwen, grinned as they each held the signed permission forms to visit Hogsmeade and although it would be Cedric's first year at Hogwarts, Harry knew full well that his oldest son, James, had already handed over the Marauder's Map.
Luna smiled at the kids as she helped them get their trunks on board and just as Harry pulled his wife close for a kiss, he heard someone shouting, "Oi! Not in front of the kiddies!"
Turning, Harry saw Dudley walking up with a wide-eyed little girl who looked as though she'd never seen a train before in her life. "You didn't tell me…"
"That Nicole was a witch?" Dudley finished. "It was certainly a surprise. But I couldn't be happier… or prouder."
"Is Leslie coming?" Luna asked, looking at the entrance.
"She was meeting with patients all day today," Dudley replied. Glancing over at Camille, he asked, "How's Cami doing?"
"One year check up last week," Harry said, a relieved smile on his face. "And still in remission. Thank God wizards recover from cancer quicker than muggles. And that Hermione was successful with that new chemotherapy drug."
"Well, I'm sorry I couldn't come by this summer," Dudley said, watching his daughter talking with Harry's kids. "But I was so busy. Mum even took in another foster child."
"What's the count now?" Harry asked, still amazed that his aunt was now a foster parent.
"Seven," Dudley replied. "The newest girl, Joanna… Her father actually put her in the hospital. She'll likely have a permanent limp but she'll be okay."
"Uncle Harry, James is teasing me!"
Harry turned to see 12-year-old Claire Malfoy running away from James and back to her father. "Ready for another year of teaching, Draco?"
Draco Malfoy grinned as he walked up to Harry. "Yeah. I'm looking forward to having Cedric this year."
Harry looked over at his youngest son who was still standing off to the side of everyone else. "Try and get him out of his shell, will you?"
"I will certainly try," Draco promised. "You're not going to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts this year?"
Harry shook his head and Dudley looked surprised. "But you love teaching, Harry."
Harry shrugged. "Luna's still teaching Divination. And Leslie wants me to help her out this year as a counselor."
Dudley nodded, knowingly. "I understand. Still, I wish you—"
"What the bloody HELL?!"
Draco, Harry, and Dudley whirled around to see what was going on and Harry and Draco gaped at what they saw.
James Theodore Potter was in the middle of a tender, loving kiss with none other than Nicholas Radcliffe Malfoy. The two 15-year-olds pulled away and didn't meet their fathers' looks.
Finally, Harry grinned and Draco just shook his head in disbelief.
"Dad?" James said, looking confused. "What's so funny?"
Harry replied, "Your mother told me that she suspected you and Nicholas were closer than best friends." Looking at his oldest child, Harry said, "I'm not mad. And if the two of you are happy then I'm happy for you."
Nicholas looked at his own father and said, "Dad… Are you okay with this?"
"Your grandfather would be spinning in his grave," Draco replied, smiling. "So I have no problems with this."
Glancing at the clock on the wall and seeing that there was only a short amount of time before the train left, Harry looked over at Cedric and decided to have a quick chat with him.
Cedric looked sheepish when he saw his father limping over but said nothing.
Harry smiled at his youngest child and led him over to a bench, sitting down so he could look at the boy more directly. "Ced… did I ever tell you who I named you after?"
Cedric shook his head and Harry went on. "When I was 14 I was entered in a dangerous competition. Another boy from Hogwarts—an older boy—was in the competition as well. His name was Cedric Diggory." Seeing that his son was listening intently, Harry went on. "At the end of the competition, Cedric was killed because he wanted to be fair. If he had lived he and I would have both won. Cedric Diggory was an honest, hardworking, and truly noble person. And I named you after him because I always hoped that you would be just like him."
Cedric smiled. "You really think I'm that special?"
"You have always been special to me, Ced," Harry replied. "And I know you're going to make me proud."
When Cedric hugged him, Harry hugged back, happy that his son was finally opening up a bit.
--
"And then James kissed Nick on the lips!" Addie said to her best friend, Deanna Black, as they sat in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express.
Deanna's jaw dropped. "They kissed? I never knew your brother was gay!"
"I thought Uncle Draco was going a coronary," Gwen said, still not quite believing what had happened.
"So… do you think Mum knows?" Addie asked, curious.
--
Sitting at the Staff Table between Luna and Sirius Black, Draco looked down at the students waiting to be Sorted. Cedric Potter looked unbelievably nervous while Nicole Evans was looking around the Great Hall in awe and wonder.
Further down the line of first years Draco saw a familiar head of bushy red hair: Roslyn Weasley who had, Draco was amused to note, her nose in a very worn copy of Hogwarts, A History. "Like mother, like daughter," Draco commented to Sirius.
"Oh, don't be fooled by the book," Sirius replied. "Rose Weasley is twice the spitfire Hermione is. The kid just looks sweet and innocent."
Once everyone had taken their seats, Professor McGonagall stood by a rickety stool holding and old, frayed, patched hat in one hand and a list in the other. "When I call your name, please sit on the stool and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head. Nicole Evans."
Nicole walked up and sat down and the Hat was set on her head. After a while, the Hat called out, "RAVENCLAW!"
Draco clapped along with the other teachers and watched until the last student, Cedric Potter, was called. Luna, Draco, Sirius, and Neville Longbottom—the new DADA teacher—leaned forward, wondering where the boy would go.
Luna could tell her youngest son was nervous and when he looked up at the table, she gave him a smile and a nod.
Cedric smiled back and once the Sorting Hat was on his head, he heard a small voice in his mind. "You're just like Cedric Diggory when he was first Sorted. Quiet, shy… But you also have the strength, courage, and heart of your father… Any House would serve you well… But I think you will do best in your father's House."
Out loud, the Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
As Cedric ran off to join his siblings, Dumbledore smiled as he watched his students. Standing up and spreading his arms in welcome he said, "Welcome one and all to Hogwarts School. Before we begin the feast, I'd like to say a few words…"