Epilogue

by Matthew W. Quinn and Kyli Ann Rasco

Author's Note: This will be my last Harry Potter fan-fiction project and my next-to-last fan-fiction project, period. When I am finished with my Transformers story "The Revenge of the Fallen Reboot," I will dedicate all efforts to my original fiction. Those interested in keeping up with me can follow me on my blog www . accordingtoquinn . com.

September 1st, 1998 AD

8:20 AM

Remus Lupin, professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sat at the desk that once belonged to him and had since passed through the hands of Barty Crouch Jr, Dolores Umbridge, and Severus Snape before returning to him once more. He went over his first lesson plan for the class.

Got to make this a very good one. Everyone's eyes are going to be on me.

The Hogwarts board of governors had complained mightily about a known werewolf teaching at Hogwarts, but the Wizengamot had honored the terms of the deal he'd made with Shacklebolt. Hopefully the governors would have settled down by the time they did their customary review of a first year of teaching.

He smiled as he looked over at the class roster for the NEWT-level class. He'd have Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and Hermione Granger to testify to his effectiveness as a teacher. Given what they did during the war, he expected them to do very well on their exams and that would reflect well on him. It would have been even better if Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had returned as well, but they had thought lending their talents to the rebuilding of the Ministry was a higher priority than finishing their seventh year.

That reminded him that he'd have new werewolf students, scattered across all years. And that would be just the beginning. Most of the werewolf children weren't advanced enough to attend the classes with students their own age. They would undergo intensive remedial education, with birth parents who had reclaimed them if there were any interested in doing so and at the colony if not. Hopefully they would reach the appropriate academic level by the next school year.

Fifteen werewolf students this year. Possibly double that next year.

Housing all of them during the full moons would be difficult, even with the Wolfsbane. In the interest of safety, Lupin arranged for a new dungeon to be built over the summer, at considerable expense to the werewolf colony's budget. It was close to the Slytherin dormitories and all werewolves, including himself, would retreat there during the full moons.

The Shrieking Shack is too small for all of us. And it belongs to someone else now.

It had been transformed into a memorial to Severus Snape, Dumbledore's spy among the Death Eaters. The building had been repaired and surrounded by red lilies. Despite his old rivalry with the former professor, Lupin found it rather touching.

In any event, if the werewolves were regularly provided with Wolfsbane and stayed out of the moonlight, it was possible they might not transform at all. After all, the night he and Padfoot had cornered Pettigrew, he did not transform until the moonlight touched his skin.

This would be easier on the students' bodies and minds. It would also have interesting ramifications for pregnant werewolves, if Wolfsbane wasn't toxic to children in utero.

He made a note to look into that later.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" he asked.

The door burst open and his wife Nymphadora Tonks bounded in. It would have to be something important — even months after the Dark Lord fell, the Aurors were still busy.

"Hallo, Remus," she said enthusiastically, rushing around the desk and throwing her arms around him before he could even rise from the chair. "I've got a surprise for you."

Lupin smiled.

"That's capital. Do tell."

She laughed.

"Then it wouldn't be a surprise!"

"I suppose I'll have to guess."

She nodded, her grin widening. He looked up at her.

"Well, have you decided on a new hair color?"

Tonks changed the color of her hair from its usual pink to teal, purple, blond, and black before settling back. She shook her head.

"Nope."

Lupin stroked his chin.

"Perhaps you've cooked a steak without burning it this time?"

Tonks laughed.

"Remus, I'm not that bad a cook!"

"Okay, then. It can't be that you've broken something valuable, because…"

She smacked him on the shoulder.

"I'm not that clumsy!"

Lupin smiled.

"Really?"

A surreptitious gesture made the floor slippery. Tonks' feet scrabbled for purchase, but she managed to hang onto him and the chair.

"Really."

Lupin shrugged.

"All right," he said. "What's the surprise?"

Tonks grinned.

"We're going to have a baby."

For a moment, the old fear flared, and then it was gone. Joy took its place, a joy more profound then any he'd felt before. He felt like bursting out with laughter.

"Really? Dora, that's excellent. When do you think?"

"May, probably. Just before the end of the school year."

"Do you know what it might be?"

"Well, based on the test, I'm pretty sure it's a boy. Got any ideas for names?"

"Well," Lupin began. "Your dad might appreciate a grandson named Ted."

Tonks laughed.

"He would."

Lupin paused for a moment.

"But what about Connor?"

The loss of his friend Connor Lykos still pained him. Lycos had been the first to join the plot against Greyback and had seen the evil werewolf die. Unfortunately, he hadn't lived to see his plan reach fruition.

Tonks nodded.

"Connor," she repeated. "I think that'd be a good name."