Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter or anything associated with it, blah blah blah.

A/N – Well as it was requested so it shall be. The Epilogue.

Epilogue

Dumbledore sighed as he adjusted his glasses, looking unseeing over the paperwork on his desk, he thought back to all that had happened the previous night, a subconscious shudder went down his spine as he recalled the list that had been given to him by Rufus barely an hour ago:

The Battle of the Burrow:

Dead - Twenty three.
Expected to die within 24 hours - Five.
Expected to die within 7 days - Two.
Persons missing one or more limbs - Nine.
Other serious injuries - Twelve.
Minor injuries - Three.
Those that have been identified are listed on the attached sheet from St Mungos.

"So much pain. So much death." he sighed and stared at the empty perch beside his desk, he had witnessed what Fawkes and the others had done with his own eyes, and he still had trouble believing it...

He looked over to the ring on a metal chain, sitting on a small cushion by some of his shiny trinkets, he saw first hand what power that ring used to possess, yet now it was just another ring, its power gone.

He glanced down at the official looking parchment given to him by Kingsley who had accompanied Rufus:

Notice from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Due to the circumstances involved, the standard prison sentence has been commuted, instead a fine of 1000 Galleons has been deemed appropriate to compensate the additional work required by the Obliviators and the Non-Magical Law Enforcement.

To this end the sum of 1000 Galleons is required to be paid within 30 days of receipt of this notice, failure to comply with this request, will result in the prison sentence being un-commuted.

He also looked at the other two identical still sealed parchments on his desk for Sirius and Remus, before muttering to himself, "So we gave the obliviators a bit of extra work, I really don't see the need for all this fuss." He reached down to his bottom desk drawer and got out his Gringotts draft book, and started filling in all the details for the payment, whilst bemoaning the loss of all those Lemon drops he could have bought with a 1000 galleons.

He was just about to stand and make his way to the owlery when two owls came in through his open window and dropped their letters of.

Expecting news he quickly grabbed the first letter, absently recognising the handwriting of his charms professor as he tore the parchment open.

Albus,

Pomona should make a full recovery. The Weasley parents are alive, I know nothing more on their condition.

It is with the deepest sadness that I must report the passing of Minerva. Poppy and the healers here did all they could, but the spell was unidentified and just too powerful. I'm sorry. She will be sorely missed. I know you are her next of kin, but I swayed them to let me and Poppy bring her bo-
bring her back to the castle.

Filius

Dumbledore slumped back into his chair, the piece of parchment floating down to the floor from his limp hand, "Minerva..."

Ginny adjusted the blanket over her as she tried to sleep in the chair in her parents room. After a few more minutes of tossing and turning, she gave up and threw the blanket aside. Only to quickly pick it back up again after a loud high-pitched screech emanated from under it, "Sorry Hedwig, I'm a bit distracted." The now slightly larger but still infant sized Phoenix merely glared at its master's mate, as it shuffled around the small straw bed that had been made for her.

Ginny sighed as she reached for her mothers hand, she had done all she could to protect them, she snatched her mothers wand out of her hand, and used it with the skill of an Auror, to the shock of her parents. She smiled a small smile at the look on their faces when she did. The smile faded when she looked across to the other bed.

Her father had fought harder than she had ever seen him fight, she knew he must have taken at least three of the attackers down before he succumbed to the onslaught of curses sent his way. Ginny had rushed to aid him, but was forced to retreat back upstairs to get out of the line of fire. The next thing Ginny knew the world had gone sideways as the entire house toppled over, she tried to cast a cushioning charm around her mother before they were crushed under the rubble.

Ginny shook her head of the memory, as she gently squeezed her mothers hand, the healers had told her that she would be okay. But she wouldn't believe that till she woke and hugged her. As for her father, his life was still hanging by a thread, the healers said if he made the weekend he should make at least a partial recovery.

Ginny looked up as the door opened and closed seemingly of its own accord, "Hey" she said to the empty air.

Her husband faded into existence as he dropped his disillusionment charm, "Hey Gin" Harry replied wearily as he gave his wife a hug and peck on the cheek, before giving Hedwig a pet, and settling down in an absently conjured armchair.

"The others are all alright, but..." Harry dragged his hand down his face as he cleared his throat, "but Mcgonagall didn't make it."

Ginny froze from stroking her mother's hair to stare at her husbands moist glowing eyes, she could see the truth in them staring back at her. "No, no.."

Harry was out of his chair and had her in his arms before she could finish her first sob, "She will be honoured and remembered as a hero, who died fighting to protect her students. Albus has already sent a petition to the board to have the classroom renamed in her honour."

"Amelia is also going to push for her to get an Order of Merlin." Harry gave a small laugh, "Merlin help them if anyone objects." Even Ginny gave a small smile at that. "Theres my Gin, we knew this was a war. Mcgonagall knew the risks when she went down there. But down there she went, she died doing what she loved, helping her students, protecting them. You saw her at the Battle of Hogwarts, the way she fought.."

Harry sighed in remembrance as Ginny adjusted herself on his lap, "Amelia asked me to help her question the surviving attackers." Ginny looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

Harry's eyes glowed, "I just had to show my face and they were spilling everything. They were all there, they know what I did." Harry closed his eyes as his mind wandered back to the battle, though he absently pondered, battle was an incorrect name, more like a massacre.

"So who were they?"

Ginny's question drew the young battle mage out of his morbid reflections, "Werewolves mostly, and Death Eater sympathisers that escaped the new dark magic laws. Greyback was the one who led them, emphasis on was. I... I slaughtered him like the wild animal he was." Harry took a steadying breath as the image of Fenrir's body flashed before his mind, before he continued, "Tom approached him after all the dark magic and pro-werewolf laws got passed after the sweep. The attack on the Burrow was just a diversion for Tom to get the stone. Thats why there were so many attackers for just a raid, they knew me and Albus would come running, the force was there to stall us so Tom could get the stone. They just weren't anticipating me."

Harry sighed as he carried/half-levitated his wife back to his conjured armchair and settled down on it with her in his lap. "On a different but not unrelated topic, Albus, Sirius and Remus have all been fined 1000 Galleons for breaking the statute of secrecy when they apparated from the hospital."

Ginny gave a small laugh that turned into a hiccup at that, "All of the attackers assets are being given to your parents if-when they wake up." Harry subconsciously used his magic to keep his voice steady. "We have also been legally declared as of age and Married. Algie and Amelia saw it hushed and rushed through. Albus also passes on his apologies for stunning you, but both he and I agree, it was the best thing to do."

Ginny frowned at her husband but eventually nodded her agreement, "What have the students been told?"

Harry grimaced "The truth. For the most part." Harry slowly transfigured the chair into a lounger as the young newlyweds moved from sitting to lying down, "They know that the Burrow was attacked by a large group, they know that Quirrell went after the forbidden item on the third floor, and that I went down there and with the aid of all the senior staff and a few others we managed to stop him. With no survivers of my actions at the Burrow, everyone will just assume the aurors stopped the attack."

Harry sighed again 'I'm doing that a lot lately' "Voldemort is not being mentioned anywhere, Albus and I discussed it and we feel that its for the best if no one finds out that he was actually brought back, if only for an hour or so. Quirrell is just being painted as a crazy dark lord wannabe."

Ginny nodded at that as she snuggled up to her husband twice over, "Wait you said no survivors? What hap-"

"Already executed." Harry's hollow voice sent a chill down her spine. "Amelia, didn't want them to have public trials; she didn't say it, but I know its because she was afraid that my actions from the battle would come out. So they were all pushed through the veil as soon as we were finished questioning them."

Harry closed his eyes as he absently sent some charms and light wards at the door. Ginny seeing that her husband was nodding off, decided to join him, and for the first time in a weeks, the Potters drifted of to sleep together.

Three weeks later

Harry stood with his in-laws as they watched the construction of the new Burrow take shape, funded entirely by the seized assets of the attackers, with a small contribution from Harry, but he kept that quiet.

He reached across with his left hand to give the one resting on his right shoulder a squeeze before glancing up to its owner and smiling as he saw the happy tears in Arthur Weasley's eyes. The man had been left with a scar going down the right side of his face, and a limp in his left leg, but Arthur wasn't worried about those, his first words as soon as he woke up, 'Ginny! Molly!' The two ladies in question had quickly made their presence known with hugs and kisses.

Molly had made a full recovery, waking up two days before her husband to the sight of her only daughter in a sleeping lovers embrace with a boy. Harry had sensed his mother in-law awaken and was waiting for the explosion of noise but it never came, he peeked his eyes open and looked at her, she gave him a small smile and a nod, he returned both before he gave Ginny a squeeze and a shake. As soon as Ginny saw her mother awake, she leapt out of the lounger with enough force that she pushed her husband off the other side of it.

Three Months Later

Harry was staring down at the Aurors in the DMLE training room, his wife, Sirius, Remus and Albus were all stood behind him. Amelia stepped into the room accompanied by Kingsley and Rufus.

Amelia gave a nod to Harry to speak, she had suggested this meeting after a number of the Aurors expressed concerns about the attack of the Burrow and Harry's involvement in it.

"Good evening." The talking stopped as Harry's voice carried throughout the room. "The Minister has requested I speak to you all regarding the battle back in September. As she has already told you, I have been trained for years by the best there is." Harry slowly rose himself into the air without his wand so that all of the Aurors could see him, some of them started fidgeting and looking a little nervous at the casual display of the impossible.

"I believe in the truth, therefore I-" Harry closed his eyes and sighed, before opening them again, "I am going to show you what happened at The Battle of the Burrow."

Harry summoned Albus's pensieve from behind him with a negligent wave of his hand and pulled the memory of the battle out of his head with his index finger, before placing it in the bowl and tapping the side.

The memory began with Harry delivering his warning in the headmasters office, before he apparated through the wards to the Burrow's orchard.

What followed would stay with the minds of all present forever, watching as a mere boy of eleven wielded magic at a level so advanced they knew they would never reach it. Even those who knew the truth stared in shock as they saw the sheer power, and control that was on display. Everyone stood in slack jawed amazement as Harry flowed majestically through the attackers, his golden aura shield providing total protection and shining brightly as he became a beacon of light.

When he reached Greyback; the werewolf turned and opened his mouth to taunt him, it was his last act. Everyone in the training room winced, and a few lost their stomachs when they saw what Harry did to Greyback, and all of them decided to never ever piss the young man off.

There were a fair few tears shed when they saw and actually felt Harry's pain upon seeing Ginny. They were all so caught up in the memory that everyone cheered when Ginny's eyes opened after the phoenix song.

When the memory faded Harry locked eyes with everyone there for a fraction of a second, before taking his memory out of the pensieve and landing gently, Ginny gave him a smile as he reached for her hand, and led his wife calmly out of the room.

Three years later

Harry called out before his class left, "Miss Granger, Mr Weasley." His two friends approached the front of his class with their hands intertwined.

"Yes Professor?" Hermione gave him a cheeky smile as he gave her a small glare.

"Gin and I are taking dinner in our quarters tonight, we wondered if you two would like to join us?" Harry asked.

Several hours later found the four teens in-body in the Potter's quarters having a wonderful dinner cooked by Dobby.

Harry was idly marking papers whilst the other three chatted on the sofa, he knew the topic upside down and backwards, he had made the entire syllabus for his predecessor after all, Harry smiled as he recalled the evening back at the beginning of Summer when Remus and a heavily pregnant Tonks came to their door, begging him to take over from Remus so he could be with his family.

Harry had taken the position at his wife's urging, she knew that after the Battle of the Burrow and dueling Voldemort that he didn't have the fight in him to be an Auror anymore.

The lack of qualifications was soon taken care of as Harry and Albus walked into the Ministry the next day to 'formally' submit the apprenticeship paperwork, backdated by a few years. Amelia was called down by Harry to silence the questions about the secrecy of Harry's training. A few hours later, Harry had walked out of the Ministry with Seven Newts and Three Masteries.

Harry also worked as a part-time consultant with the Department of Mysteries, Algie called him every other week or so, for help with some project or another, Harry had nearly given the unspeakable a heart attack when he showed him his other patronus, and told him what it could do. The unspeakable had practically dragged him to Azkaban so he could see it in action.

Rufus also occasionally asked him to give lectures and demonstrations to the members of the DMLE, though even after three years most were still extremely weary of him. Harry hung his head slightly whenever he walked past them and they backed away.

He had approached Rufus around Christmas about doing something about it, but as he sat there talking to him, he realised that even Rufus was scared of him, Harry decided to be a Gryffindor and call him out on it, "Rufus, why are you and pretty much the entire department scared of me?"

Harry mentally applauded Rufus for not being taken completely off guard by the question, "Harry, we all saw what you did at the Burrow. No one, and I mean no one could have done what you did. That is why we fear you somewhat."

Harry just stared at him, "I don't believe you." When Rufus opened his mouth to protest Harry raised his hand and continued, "Let me restate that. I don't believe that is the sole reason."

The head of the DMLE closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, "You are correct. The main reason is what you did to Greyback."

Harry flinched as the image of the werewolves burned body flashed through his minds eye.

"Don't get me wrong, we are all glad he is dead and gone, but..." Rufus sighed, "But seeing a person's bodily fluids all instantly transfigured into molten silver... More than a few lost their lunch at that part, myself included. To be capable of such magic, well I hope you can understand why some fear you."

Harry just nodded and stood, flaming out after his first step, and re-appearing in his living room, Hedwig fluttered down to her masters shoulder as he collapsed to his knees and started sobbing uncontrollably. Ginny came running down at the sound of Hedwig's singing; as soon as she saw him, she called dobby for a blanket, and she laid down next to her husband, and let him carry on. It had taken three months, but Harry's conscience had finally caught up with him.

Six months later

Harry beamed as he applauded with the rest of the staff as Gryffindor won the house-cup. Harry had earned his reputation among the students, as nice and fair, but not someone to get on the wrong side of. The three Slytherins that Harry had caught bullying a first year, had begged for a transfer out of the school after one night of detention with him.

Harry's eyes found his wife's sitting next to her brothers, Neville and Hermione, she had dropped out of all of her classes to spend time with Harry. Much to her parents dismay, but when Harry mentioned that he had taught Ginny a few things over that first summer, Molly realised that those things had probably saved their lives, and decided to keep her thoughts to herself, and when Ginny got 9 O's on her Owl's three years early, she knew she had made the right decision to not interfere.

At Harry's suggestion Neville had taken his Herbology Owl with Ginny, and his Newt this year, he would be joining Professor Sprout as an assistant next year.

Hermione was jealous at first, but after Harry had taken her aside, and reiterated his statement from the first night; she nodded and let it go. She had made the decision to follow in her parents footsteps and go into healing, Harry had made a few quiet suggestions, and Hermione soon found herself getting one on one tutoring from Madam Pomfrey every weekend.

Ron had joined the Quidditch team in his second year as Oliver's second, taking over as the starting keeper and captain in his fourth year. Harry and Hermione made sure he didn't neglect his studies, though Harry suspected Hermione's method of persuasion was a lot more effective.

Eight years later

Harry smiled as he rubbed his wife's ever expanding belly, "I've been thinking about names."

Ginny smiled at her husband, "Lily Minerva Potter."

Harry looked into his wife's eyes through his tears, even after all this time, McGonagall's death still weighed on his mind, but with a new Potter on her way, a ministry and Wizengamot that put the needs of the people first, a Hogwarts with the highest pass rates for decades, no dark lords, and no death eaters about... things were looking up.

la fin

A/N - Well well well after all this time; 4 years, 3 months, and 17 days to be precise; My first FanFiction is complete.

I don't know what to say now, its been such a long time coming, I've had the main points of this story planned for years, heck I've had the main points of this epilogue planned since the start!

A massive thank you to me readers who have stuck with me since the very start, I'd apologise for the cliffhangers, but I'd be lying, I will apologise for the massive gaps between chapters tho. Life is a rollercoaster.

Well I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed making it.

I hope to see you all again when I launch my next story.

I have loads of ideas for my next story. Any suggestions?

I am tempted to do another time travel fic, as I kinda hate canon Harry up until his death. But then the question is, who do I send back and how far, and why?! There are soo many options! Tho I am leaning towards an apocalyptic slightly AU future.