Epilogue

(One Year Later)

It was late afternoon, and Sarah sat in between Harry and Ron in the fourth chair of the second row of chairs in the Great Hall. The teachers sat up front where the High Table usually was in one row of chairs, and Dumbledore stood up before them.

"This seventh year class has seen a great many things, and have time and again proved that they can do anything.", Dumbledore started. "The teachers here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have been preparing you for even more troubles and challenges and hardships to come."

There was suddenly a flutter of wings and everyone looked up. A barn owl had flown into the Great Hall and was headed for the teachers.

"Ah, and here is our guest speaker now.", Dumbledore said cheerfully as the bird landed and turned into none other than the Goblin King. Sarah grabbed Harry's arm with a soft gasp

Jareth bowed to Dumbledore, muttering, "Thank you, Albus.", before turning to them. "Now then, students. As you guys know, I was the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor last year. My sister, Laura," he gestured to the red head sitting next to Snape, "took my place after that. I was asked here to discuss a particular hardship in life with you all: heartbreak." Jareth ran his fingers through his hair at the very moment Sarah's grip on Harry's arm tightened considerably. "I, myself, have gone through it several times. The first time was around, oh, eleven years ago. I saw a girl, six years old, and I fell for her instantly, though I knew I'd probably never see her again. As perverted as that may sound, many young girls where I come from are married off when they are only six or seven, so... Anyway, the second time was three years ago, same girl, mind you, when I offered myself and everything she'd ever wanted to her, and she turned me down." Jareth took something from his pocket. "The next few times happened a year or two ago. Let's see here... While I was a teacher here at Hogwarts, as most you know, or have at least guessed, I fell in love with one of the students." He unfolded the piece of paper. "Unfortunately, it did not work out with Miss Luna Lovegood, so I had to find another beau." He was smirking now. "Miss Chang was rather torn up at the time, so I didn't it work out with her either. The giggly ones there in the first row, Miss Brown and Miss Patil, the ones who tried to slip me love potion... I didn't even try to go there. I would never sink so low."

Harry snorted at that one.

"Mr. Potter, do not interrupt me." Jareth cleared his throat. "Seeing as if I killed Mr. Weasley over there if he tried to kill me for trying to make it work with his sister Ginny, my sister would be dead as well, but I'm sure she would've found a way to kill me first." Jareth looked up at them from his piece of paper as Harry hissed in pain. With every word he'd spoken, Sarah's grip on his arm had become tighter and tighter to the point of vice-like.

"Would you hurry it up before she tears my bloody arm off?!", Harry shouted, trying to pry off Sarah's fingers.

"Please, Mr. Potter, don't interrupt me. I'm getting there, I'm getting there." Jareth folded his piece of paper back up and put it back in his pocket. "And so, I finally figured it out: I had to go for the brains of the litter."

"Oh, no.", Harry muttered.

"That's right, everyone. Contrary to popular belief, I fell in love with Hermione Granger.", Jareth said and bowed.

Suddenly, Sarah couldn't help it anymore. The angry, impassive mask she'd been wearing cracked and she started laughing. She laughed so hard, she didn't notice when she fell out of her chair. She laughed so hard, she didn't notice when Hermione, along with several others, joined her. She laughed so hard, she missed Harry jumping over the first row to tackle Jareth and start hitting him.

Afraid she might just break a rib if she kept on like this, Sarah forced herself to calm down. When she sat down in her chair, Harry was being held back by Snape. He had a busted lip and a black eye, and the entire left side of Jareth's face was different shades of blue, though the bruise was already fading.

"Damn, Harry, I didn't mean it, you know.", Jareth said, shaking his head and conjuring a crystal, shoving it into Harry's face. Harry's lip and eye healed, and Harry nodded.

"I know that, moron. But you're being a jerk Jareth... again.", he said before walking back to his seat. Sarah had a hand over her mouth and her eyes were shining with mirth. Harry shook his head and chuckled. "Honestly, Sarah. I don't know what you see in that guy."

Sarah glared at him. "You're the one that encouraged me to tell him how I felt in the first place.", she hissed.

"Yes, and I regret every moment of it.", Harry replied seriously, but the gleam in his eyes told Sarah that he really didn't mean what he said.

Jareth straightened his clothes and dusted himself off. "Now, then, as you've probably figured out, it was not Hermione Granger. I only said that to piss Mr. Potter off. It worked quite well, don't you think?" Everyone nodded quickly. "No, it was Sarah Williams, as the lot of you probably already guessed. That's right, the same girl that tried to kill me the first night here." There was laughter. "Not to mention the same six-year-old I saw in the park so many years ago. And that brings us to the third time my heart was broken. How many pieces is that now, Mrs. Pot-, erm, Miss Granger?"

Hermione held up a hand to her mouth for a moment before saying, "Six."

"Right, right. Well, this time, I did it to myself. I had to leave, but I left without even giving her a chance to say goodbye. It was wrong. And though my ego will suffer greatly once I say this, I am sorry." He cleared his throat and stood up straight. "I came here today prepared for a fourth time, if she refuses me yet again." He bowed. "So, my little goblins, watch out for those broken hearts as you walk into your life." He started to walk towards the door, but stopped at the second row. He turned slowly, and for the first time in a year, he looked Sarah in the eyes. He clicked his heels together and bowed, keeping eye contact with her. And then he winked. He ignored her questioning look as he turned back toward the doors and walked out.

Everyone was silent for a moment before Neville pointed up and shouted, "Look!" Everyone looked up. Floating in midair was some sort of thick brown liquid.

"What is it?", Blaise Zabini asked in disgust.

The smirk on Laura's face was nearly identical to her brother's. "It's chocolate sauce.", she announced, looking at Sarah.

As Sarah groaned, the chocolate sauce fell on them, covering them. Some laughed, some screamed, and when it was over, some were complaining about having to take a bath whilst others were licking their fingers. Sarah simply stood there, arms crossed, as Jareth appeared in front of her, covering the closest students with glitter, making them resemble human-shaped, chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles on them.

Jareth tapped his chin. "Now who on Earth would've done a thing like this?", he wondered out loud, looking around and smirking.

It was Sarah's turn to lunge at him, but he caught her, and as soon as he did, they were gone.

The next morning, in the Goblin Kingdom, when one of the smarter goblins walked into the Goblin King's quarters to clean, he was utterly bewildered as to why there was chocolate sauce all over the bed... and the bath tub... and the desk...

Well, in the words of Porky Pig.... Th-That at's all, folks. That is the end of Once Again. But, if any of you are interested of any of my other work, I am currently writing a story in the Labyrinth section, in case anyone wants to drop by and read "The Heir".

I enjoyed this story so much, and thank you for all the wonderful reviews. That is the reason I really write, because some of things I've gotten back from you guys just lifted my spirits so much, and I will be forever grateful. So thank you all. *bows*

Jareth: *gags* Why do we have to go back to that other one?

Lp: Because this one is over, that's why.

Jareth: I'm picked on more in that one than this one.

Lp: All the more reason for me to go back to it.

Jareth: *sigh* Somebody shoot me.

Lp: *gets out paintball gun* If you insist...