A/N: Okay, just a very few notes:
Lady Python: congrats on being my 2500th reviewer for this fic! :)
GinnyPotter387: don't worry, I didn't take your review as a flame. Just to remind you: not everyone is pretty and sexy in my story – for example Mileta isn't/wasn't/won't be. But Dennis loved her despite her being unattractive. In my next story there's a female who isn't particularly pretty and she has quite a problem with it, but there's a guy who falls for her, because he sees the beauty in her soul. So, not everyone is beautiful, really! :)
veronik: thanks, my grandpa is feeling better. I hope you are also feeling better. Actually I am going to post my first fic to gryffindortower.net, but chapters will appear quite slowly on the site, because my beta is very busy and cannot work on my story all the time. Actually I have sent her the first chapter two weeks ago but she hasn't corrected it yet. So, which school will Gilderoy's child attend? Well… that's obvious, isn't it? :)
Elfangor 19: good work in Hungarian is 'szép munka'.
Melinda Malfoy and Kim: I'll try to start uploading the next fic in a month. I'm progressing with it pretty well, 27 chapters are written, another 3-4 to go.
C-chan: no, AgiVega isn't pronounced as Aa-jih-vay-guh. You have to pronounce both 'g's in there like the 'g' in the words 'game' or 'goal'. And the 'vay' part is false, too. It has to be pronounced like 'egg', only with one 'g'. So, but a 'v' before 'egg', take one 'g' away, then add an 'aa' to the end. But the 'i' part was written well, it's like the 'i' in the word 'ink'. Thanks for giving me that link, but I don't really think that there will be eight books. It might be just a hoax (very possibly it is). I could imagine eight books under one condition: if Harry got expelled from Hogwarts and had to attend it for one more year. Then the eight books would make sense. I still don't believe in it. Someone just wanted to make sensation… very Rita Skeeter-like, isn't it? :)
Sapphire Selia: certainly Petunia and Vernon could have taken the child back, but Dudley and Millicent explained them why they shouldn't raise David: because they cannot handle a wizard.
Cee: gosh, Claire, how nice to see you again! I have just been re-reading all the reviews for TGSoHH (hehe, took me two weeks) and I saw how many times you reviewed for it and was a bit sad that you forgot about me. I'm happy that you finally remembered me!
zzxm: who is the author of Ella Enchanted? I'm not sure it has been published in Hungary yet, but I'll keep a look-out for it.
Moony Lover: the main reason for me making the characters have all the babies is to fill Hogwarts with children for next fic. Well, the triplets won't be at Hogwarts yet, but all other kids born in the first and the second story will be there.
jennaration: your email-address is quite funny! Congratulations in Hungarian is 'gratulálok!'
LilGinny: how could I email you when you forgot to give me your email address? I hope your grandpa is feeling better.
Evil Yellow Day Moon: why do you find it fascinating that I'm from Hungary? Just wondering… I have been reading a very interesting book on intercultural communications in which I read that many people in Western Europe and the USA think of us Hungarians as barbarians who are illiterate and live in a jungle (which, of course, is totally false). Is it the reason why you found it fascinating that I'm Hungarian and still writing fanfiction? Please, answer me, I'm very interested in the opinion of people of other nationalities – what do they think of us Hungarians? With your answer you could actually help me with studying this particular subject :)
WolfEyes: nice to see you again! You had some questions. So, The Kirk is the Scottish church. GCSE means General Certificate of Secondary Education, eisteddfod is a Welsh musical festival. The House of Lords is one of the houses of the British parliament (the other one is the House of Commons). Tories are the conservatives in British politics. The Times is a very popular newspaper, and BBC is a television channel. Last year I had a seminar about Great Britain and even had to take an exam in it, so that's how I know these things. Thanks, my grandpa is feeling better and I feel really fortunate to have had an opportunity to know him. I don't know whether Guillaume means William, but as far as I know it's a typical French name, not a Spanish one.
Crazycutee831: no, the third fic isn't written yet. 27 chapters written, another 3-4 to go. Hi in Hungarian is 'szia', bye in Hungarian is 'viszlát'.
Nefertiri: Lily will usually call Ginny mum, but you'll see in the next fic that she'll have a problem with calling Harry 'dad'.
And now: yes, this is the final chapter, people. So, here comes the thank you-section:
First I would like to say thanks to the wonderful J. K. Rowling for having given us Harry Potter.
Secondly: I'd like to thank my supportive mother for betaing this story and suggesting lots of great ideas.
Thirdly: I'd like to thank all my readers for reading and reviewing.
Here is the list of reviewers who gave feedback for this story at least once and to whom I'm saying thanks (special thanks to my most faithful readers who reviewed at least 15 times – your names are in bold, hopefully ffnet shows it, if not, then sorry):
Almah, AmandaPanda, Abbi, Aurumlupi, Amen, AniMourner, Angel of Death, Angel Solo, Apple-pie, Anna, Ariana Black, Angel kisses, Aurora Riddle, Alan Smithy, Amaranta, Artesima, Ari Potter, Arif, Agi Vega's Great fan, Alexander Pheonix, Alice Dumbledore, Alli, Anigurl88, Aleydis, Agivega*fan, AngelWings, Aimee, Analyse, Anonymus, Any last requests, Afromonk, amazing typo, Artistic Nightmare, Alyssa, Aretha F, Alexandra Black, Blue Ice, Black Ice, Bache Zeith, Brigade, Blondie in Disguise, Bucky, Blaubaerin, baybee-xoxo, Baby Angel, Baladar, Bienfoy, Bob33, Bexpotter, CandyGurl83, casvv, Crazycutee831, Crazy One W.N.E., Caitin22888, Cecile, Cassandra Anthemyst, Cherie, Chronicle, Cathy, Coolio, Crystaline Blood, Cindy Moon, charleepotter, CaittyLin, chocolate frog, cloudzi, Celtic Ember, chicory tee, Cedric Diggory Fan, Cara, Caroline, Charm, C-chan, coolgal4u, Child of Universe, Cressida, Colibi, Dragon Singer, Derkaun Zarion, Dark Faery, Draco's Secret Lover, dujourfan1, Daydream, Devil Moon, Diana levy, denverhockey girl, Debra T. Lewis, Dana & her cousin Mia, dipstick, Dauphin, em1701e, Evil Monkeys Abuser, Ellifi, Elfangor 19, Emma, Erised Lily, Embyr Black, Eclectus, Evil Yellow Day Moon, fan, Faunix, Finnigan, Forgot the Spotz, Fire Cracker Poni, figgiesblazin, Fairy Bubbles, Fairy Tale, goldenstar555, Gryffindor Galopper, goodbook3989, GinnyPotter387, Ginny house3, Gringotts, Ginny Potter, green smurf, Grizabella, Grungechika, Gala, Girl in the Mirror, Gwen Weasley, Griffle, grambones, Gabernell, Harrysgirl, Hermioneqc, Hobbit Feet, Hermione/Nina/Ginny, Helen, HP Blone Crazy Chick, Hanna frankport, Hayley Mills, Hpgoldy Snitch, hahaha, Harry PotterCC1, Heart2Heart, HerbieWerbie, Hedwig, howler109, hogwartsgirl228, Haley Lynn Reynolds, Hollis, Harryismyhero, Hazel Harman, Hermione Weasley, Houou, Heather Fair, Hazel_eyed-fairy, Haley J., Ilovelinkinpart222, Irish Innocence, italianchick54, Irish Immortality, izean, Isis, Infinite Enchantress, Insane Pair of Tennis Shoes, Indigo Ziona, Ice Kitten, Incubo Artistico, jos8, JoeBob1379, Jazz Goddess, Jeanine23Dr, jennaration, jenny KT, Julie, Julie Anna Nicholson, Just Push Play, jenna, J-kid, jen, jenny, jo, Jessica, Jaz, Jess, jona, J, Kit Cloudkicker, Katie Bell, Kristen Michelle, K-K, Kristen, K. C. Hunter, Ksiezniczka, Kat, Kara, kitch, Kim, Kamatazi Yumi, kwok, Lionheart Eternal, LupinsLover, lizzy, LisaQT3, Leani Lopez, Lana Potter, Legolas red wizard of oz shoes, LightningScar, Lilangel_612, Luisa, Lady Cinnibar, Lazzy too Login, LilGinny, Luya Tessa Coreena, Lilith Ceridwen, Lilbit, LadyLupin, Lavendar Brown, linj, ladyyuy, Laurenna, Lydia Van Buren aka Dear Lydia, Lady Schezar, Lily Chelstane, Lady Godiva, Lemondrop514, Lady Python, Lana Riddle, Lemona Snicket, Lupin's Angel, Liger Zero Schneider, Lyny, limbada-the forbidden dance, Lady Mauricia, Moony Lover, Mage, Michelle, mazipoto, Mikey, Maddy, Maddie Fidd, muggle, momoko, Morning Twilight, Molto Bella, Mabel Weasley, meenotyou, makulit, Mauve Lipgloss, Myrtle, Midnite Sunrise, magicalmischiefmaker, Melinda Malfoy, Magisch Machen, Myr Halcyon, McKenzie, Megan, 'mione Weasley, MauiGoddess3, Melee, Maureen, music_princess, Nikkianna, Nova Puppy Gurl, Notebook Girl, nutmeg, Nicky, Nefertiri, NuttyBuddy, not fish not duck, Neverwhere, NightmareSweety, nycgal, One-Winged Butterfly, Owl Twrite, obi_ewan_maul_lover, Orange Sulphur, princesswitch, PrincezzShortie, Pumpkin3223, PUNKsarcasm, PepsiAngel, phoenix6545, Paura, Pantalaimon, PadmeSkywalker, PeggySue, Potpourri, potter_hal, Pudadingding, Padfoot, Paperdoll58, Pottermouth, Princess Ginny, Pamela-potter-24, Puck, Quahira Galatea, rubyjuls1722, Rab, Ro, Ronniekin's Sweetheart, Rose, Rebecca Elizabeth Metz, Romina, Renai, rebkos, reviewer, Rabble, Reala Welana, stargal, spangle star, spangle*star, Slytherins R Sexy, star queen, saheel001, Sleepy Tee, Stellarsiren, Super saya-Jin Gotan, Shalara, Scratches, ShortNSweet, Sean Mulligan, Saru I Am, Sherylyn, Snuffle muffle, Seyna, Silverchocolate, stargirl, Stupid girl, Saphron, Sarah the kitty kat, Steph, SpoiledGurl2687, Starheart, sLyThErIn*4*ever, SariMoon, SkyeLeah, Sirius B, Sara, Sky, Slytherin Angel, Sapphire Selia, Sk8reagle, Silver Wolf, Siri Dragon, Toby Haine, teacherchez, The face of Evil, Tessa, Tina borofry, thebiggesthpfan, The Firefaery, The Dragon, torvadea, Tlaka, Tinabedina, tory, the coffee fiend, Tomoyo Pota, The_Girl_Who_Lived, Trekgirl01, TaMaraR, 2Coolio, Tifanee Weasley, twinkle-toes, Teri, tina, teazer, Twink, unsigned, Usagie's Oven, veronik, verywildwitch, VWW, Vanilla, Viviane, Wish I was Wizard, Waldomier, Webba, Wood's secret lover, Whit2005, WolfEyes, writingfreak-14, White Raven, X-Tow-Naga, xenocide, Xixi105, Yibble Legnets, your fan, zzxm, Zenon Lee, zoidberg
Hopefully I haven't forgotten anyone. If yes, then I apologise.
"I never used to be able to finish anything,
but now I"
/Graffiti/
Chapter 39
Wedding – almost at Christmas
10th December, 2000
The Great Hall of Hogwarts was decorated for a wedding again – this time for Minerva and Aberforth's wedding. Pink garlands of flowers were hanging from the ceiling and enchanting music was coming from somewhere. The hall was full of people – mostly Hogwarts students, but there were lots of guests as well.
"I can't believe that old McGonagall is getting married." Bill Weasley smiled at his wife.
"Yes, vairy funny." Fleur nodded, holding her one-and-a-half-year old daughter, Yvette in one hand and resting her other hand on Gabrielle's shoulder.
"I don't think it's funny." Hermione said. "It's rather… beautiful… that love can touch people at any age."
"Yeah…" Ron grinned. "You know what? I'd like to see Snape marrying professor Trelawney."
"Oh, poor professor Snape!" Hermione laughed.
"Poor professor Trelawney!" Ron countered.
"Well, I don't think we'll ever see Snape getting married." Bill shook his head. "Really, are the rumours true about Lupin's engagement?"
"Yeah. But I guess Harry or Sirius could tell you more about this." Hermione shrugged. "All I know is that professor Lupin turned out to have been in love with Professor Stella Sinistra since they were together at school. But then she got to know what he was and left him… Now that he's back to normal Stella confessed that she still loved him. He even changed a lot… he isn't that shy anymore. He's turned out to love socialising… he's there at all parties, he's laughing and joking… you can't recognise him, really. What a change! He really deserves to be so happy."
"Great… though pity that he and professor Sinistra won't have cute little werewolf cubs." Ron smirked.
"Ha-ha. What would you say if Viv and Val were werewolves?" Hermione furrowed her brow.
"Well… I'd let you change their nappies at every full moon." he replied with a grin.
"Not that you are changing their nappies that often, Ronald Weasley." Hermione snapped.
"No. But I'm the one telling them bed-time stories." he pointed out.
"Like two three-months old babies understood what the stories were about." she said accusingly. Since giving birth to their twins – Viviane and Valentine (the latter named after the day she realised she was pregnant) – Hermione had constantly been complaining about Ron who wasn't spending enough time at home (at least not enough according to Hermione.) 'You rather go and watch Harry break his neck during those silly matches than to be here with your daughters!' was her most frequent complaint. But even she had to admit that Ron loved Quidditch too much to miss a good match – especially when his best friend was playing Seeker for Puddlemere United.
"Great party, huh? Can't wait to see the bride!" Fred said as he, George and Angelina (holding her five months old son, Kevin) passed by.
"Yeah." Ron nodded. "How's Kevin, Angie?"
"Very well, thanks." Mrs. Fred Weasley replied with a huge smile. "With two such wonderful fathers he can only feel wonderful."
"Two fathers…" Hermione tutted as the twins and Angelina walked away. "I still don't understand why Angelina agreed on living with both of them!"
"She's not really living wiz both o' zem." Fleur replied. "She'z actually living wiz Fred. George only lives zere in zeir house."
"But that's the same!" Hermione retorted.
"Not the same." Bill said. "She only sleeps with her wedded husband."
"I believe it, but most people do not!" Hermione snapped. "Remember all those articles in Witch Weekly? Headlines saying 'Threesome'? I first thought those articles had been written by Rita Skeeter, but of course they couldn't have been."
"Listen to me, Hermione." Ron took her by the hand. "Fred, George and Angelina do not care what the rest of the world says, and they're right. If they are happy this way, then let them be happy. Both Fred and George make cool fathers for Kevin."
"I still don't like this." she shook her head.
"You know what your problem is? You're prudish!" Ron said.
"Prudish? Me?" his wife gasped. "After all that I did to you in the b…?" she turned red and looked around to see whether anyone had overheard. Besides the keenly listening Bill and Fleur no one seemed to have heard anything. She let out a relieved sigh.
"Come on, Herm," Ron put an arm around her. "If you didn't condemn Harry for his little fling with that Russian chick, then you mustn't condemn the twins and Angie."
"But Harry wasn't faulty at all. He was only a victim of that woman."
"Really, iz zat true zat 'Arry slept wiz anuzzer?" Fleur asked. "I only 'eard things wizin ze family but I wasn't sure whezer zey were true."
"They were." Hermione sighed. "Bit it's over and we'd better forget it. For Harry and Ginny's sake." she cast a glance at Ginny who was standing a couple of feet away with Harry, Dennis and Mileta, talking animatedly. Ginny was in her eighth month but looked as though she had been at the end of the ninth – the three babies made her look like a whale, still – according to Harry – she was the prettiest woman in the world.
She was just asking Dennis about the summer holidays when Aaron had visited him.
"Aaaah, you won't believe it!" Dennis laughed. "When Aaron saw the first TV set, he asked how I had magicked all those little figures into that crate. It was particularly funny when one night he simply disappeared and next morning we found him sitting in our biggest refrigerator. He wanted to see whether it had been bewitched to stay so cold and he accidentally melted it down. All the food got spoiled. Once he almost got run over by a car and he started to shout at its driver that he should train his funny horse better. Then one cool, foggy morning we awoke to a terrible smell – he had seen us heat food in the microwave oven, and he decided to warm up his socks before pulling them on… and put them into the micro. You can imagine it – his socks got reduced to ash and we couldn't breath properly in the house for a whole day! Then came his adventure with the computer – Colin and I told him how to use it and stuff, and then we went to sleep. In the middle of the night we woke up to electric discharges… Aaron allegedly had wanted to turn that poor 'mouse' back into a real mouse but accidentally set the computer on fire! Luckily his wife arrived soon and with their combined power they restored our PC to its original form." Dennis finished his story. "One thing is sure: we aren't going to invite him for a while."
"Right." said a voice behind him. "Next summer Des and I are going to invite you and Colin to Azgard."
"Uh… Aaron… Desideria." Dennis turned around, blushing. "I wasn't… I didn't mean to…"
"It's okay, young Creevey, I admit that I made a couple of blunders…" the black-bearded man laughed. "Oh well, maybe not just a couple…"
"Attention, please!" Albus Dumbledore's voice spoke up. Suddenly everyone went silent in the hall. "Let… the wedding begin!"
The crowd parted to admit Aberforth Dumbledore, who was clad in deep blue robes (Minerva had beseeched him NOT to wear his usual Santa Claus-ish cloak) and had a navy blue pointed hat with sparkling little stars on it. His beard was very well groomed – Harry had never seen him this tidy before.
Aberforth stopped in front of his brother, who gave him a sour look then diverted his glance, stepping sideways to make room for the priest. Albus had refused to marry his brother and Minerva like he had married the three couples last Christmas. Harry put this down to the two brothers' hostility, though he still didn't know why they were so angry with each other. Angry was not the right expression for Albus when McGonagall asked him to let her and Aberforth marry at Hogwarts. Allegedly he was close to exploding with fury. How Minerva had eventually convinced him, Harry did not know. And it didn't even matter.
As the groom adjusted the edelweiss on his robes, the door of the Great Hall opened and the bridal march sounded from magical tone amplifiers. The groom turned around and his knees buckled.
There she was, standing in the door, wearing burgundy robes and an enchanting smile.
"Minnie!" he sighed.
McGonagall, holding a bouquet of edelweiss, slowly walked down the red carpet that led to the priest and her future husband. Little Lily Potter – now two and a half year old – was walking before the bride, dressed in a frilly pink dress that clashed terribly with her red hair. Ginny waved at the small girl who kept throwing petals on the carpet before the bride.
"My daughter!" Harry said proudly.
"Uh, and another daughter or son of yours has just kicked me!" Ginny flinched, massaging her bulging belly.
"Oh, have they?" Harry put his hands on her stomach, gently caressing it. "Ssshhh, little ones, be quiet for a while or mummy will miss the best part of the wedding!"
And the best part was really beginning.
"Aberforth, do you want Minerva to be your wife, aid and company throughout your life?" asked the priest.
"I do." the groom beamed at the bride.
"And do you, Minerva, want Aberforth to be your husband, partner and aid all the days of your life?"
"Yes, I do." Minerva, the always strict and indifferent Minerva, allowed herself a smile.
"The best part – kissing!" George whispered to Fred, who started to snicker.
"And how they're doing it!" Ron gasped, seeing the new couple kiss. "Wow! Never thought this of old McGonagall!"
"Had you seen her on Valentine's Day when she got shot by an arrow…" Hermione giggled. "They were so good at kissing that they even won the prize of the kissing contest: a broom for two."
"I wish I had been there to see them!" Fred laughed. "Though I don't understand the headmaster." he pointed at Albus. "Why is he so bitter? His only brother and his deputy are getting married!"
"Maybe that's why he's so miffed." Harry interjected. "Since his deputy is marrying Aberforth, he's very likely to see his brother almost every day now."
"But… what's the problem with it?" Angelina raised an eyebrow, caressing little Kevin's back – the child had fallen asleep in her arms. "They are brothers… they love each other, don't they?"
"Not really." Harry shook his head. "They had had a row… and I still don't know why they had one!"
"Maybe they both wanted to be headmasters here and they were fighting over the job." Sirius guessed.
"Oh, nice to see you, godfather." Harry crossed his arms. "We haven't seen you for three weeks now."
"Well, you know…" Sirius blushed, "I was kind of… visiting… someone."
"Rosie?" Harry smirked.
"How did you know?" his godfather's eyes widened in surprise.
"I've been spying on you." Harry winked. "No, really… I just remembered our little chat of last November when you told me about the great love of your youth. So, getting along well with Madame Rosmerta?"
"Quite well." Sirius grinned. "I've just come from her. We were having dinner… but I decided to come over to Hogwarts and have dinner once more."
"Men." Ginny sighed. "Always thinking with their stomach."
* * * * *
After the wedding ceremony ended, everyone resumed dancing and eating – in Fred, George, Ron and Sirius' case drinking.
Suddenly a very excited Percy burst into the hall: "It's a boy!" he shouted with an enraptured expression.
"What?" the twins asked.
"I HAVE A SON!" Percy yelled. "I'm a father!"
"Urrgghh… that poor child… having him for a father!" Ron whispered to Hermione, who only gave him a chastising look.
"And what's his name?" Harry asked.
Percy drew himself up. "Lancelot Percival Galahad Weasley."
"WHAT?" Fred spat out his champagne.
"Heavens, that poor kid!" Ginny gasped.
"Not that bad…" Harry grinned. "We'll call him Lance. That's cute."
"I just hope he takes after Penelope and not Bighead Boy." Ron added.
* * * * *
"Another Weasley child, huh?" Draco Malfoy stepped to the Potters and Weasleys with a despising smirk. "You Weasleys seem to procreate as fast as rabbits." he glanced at Ginny's huge belly. "Triplets, I heard."
"Exactly." Harry pulled his wife to himself. "Maybe you should also find someone and start a family, Malfoy."
"That will be a sad day for the wizarding world when Malfoy starts a family." George commented.
Draco gave him a contemptuous look and left.
Seeing him leave, the up till now silent Gabrielle Delacour heaved a sigh: "Oh, what a man!"
"Man? This one?" Fred laughed. "I tell you, little one, you'd better have higher standards than to fall for a Malfoy. Not that he isn't an eligible bachelor…"
"Eligible?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. "I thought the Malfoys were not exactly rich anymore."
"Oh, they're not, but they'll be, soon." Fred replied. "They have an extremely rich uncle in France, so I heard. An old uncle… gonna kick the bucket soon and the Malfoys will inherit everything. Too bad." he cast a glance at Fleur's sister. "Listen to me, kid, forget this guy, even if he's going to be rich. He's not the one for you."
Gabrielle, however, didn't hear him. She was eyeing Draco with her hands on her heart, a dreamy expression on her face. "What a man!"
* * * * *
Aaron was feeling slightly sick, because he had tried all the different types of food he found. Eleven centuries ago sweets had been quite different and now he wanted to taste everything.
"Really!" his wife tutted, performing a charm on him that helped him in digestion. "Did you need to eat seven of those pumpkin pasties? And eight of the ice mice?"
Aaron shrugged. "They looked so inviting… Oh, look at them!" he pointed at Harry and Ginny who were kissing in a corner. "Aren't they cute?"
"Yeah." Desideria nodded.
"You look concerned." Aaron slipped an arm around her shoulder. "What happened?"
"I just… Harry's third wish… I fear it wasn't all right." she sighed.
"What do you mean?" his husband asked.
"Well… I'm just not sure that it was a wise one..." she whispered.
* * * * *
Draco was bored. There was no one to talk to at this party – he had already regretted coming at all. Of course he couldn't turn down the invitation – Aberforth and Minerva had invited him and his father to say thanks for their help back at Azgard.
Draco looked around – his father wasn't here. Lucius had promised to come, still he hadn't arrived yet. Draco shrugged, reaching out for a slice of cake. That was when he noticed that someone was watching him.
He turned to his left to see a cute, blonde girl of about fourteen years, in lacy peach-coloured dress, staring at him with her huge, deep-blue eyes.
"What are you looking at?" he asked.
"You." she replied with a sweet smile.
"Why?" he knitted his eyebrows.
"Becauze I was wondhering… are you an angel? A male angel, I mean?"
"Angel?" Draco spat out a bit of his cake.
"Yes… zey are vairy beautiful creathures and zey 'ave fair 'air just like yours." she shrugged.
"You're a funny little girl." he replied, munching his cake. "What's your name?"
"Gabrielle. Gabrielle Delacour." she smiled at him.
"I'm Draco Malfoy." he put down his plate. "And trust me, I'm as far from being an angel as Neville Longbottom is from ever getting a girl."
Gabrielle frowned, not understanding his sarcasm. "I'm going to marry you." she said suddenly.
Draco began to laugh – the first time he had laughed for months.
"I mean it." she insisted.
"I fear I cannot marry you." he replied, wiping away the tears of laughter. "You're just a little girl."
"I won't always be."
* * * * *
"Potter. A word." professor Snape stepped to them.
"I'll be back soon." Harry told Ginny and followed the Potions Master into a corner. "Yes, professor?"
"I just wanted to tell you, Potter, that I was quite amazed by your essay. Most convincing theory of why your birth-control potions didn't work. I was truly surprised when I received your owl with the essay. I never thought you'd ever write it after that memorable sex education class… I thought you had long forgotten it."
"I didn't forget it, professor." Harry shrugged. "Pity that I hadn't found out about this earlier… before my Potions N.E.W.T. I might have got a better mark for it."
"Not very likely, given your dislike for my subject, Potter." Snape said. "Hopefully your children will have more of a liking to Potion-making than you did. It's in their own interest if they are to put up with me."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "So it's so obvious for you that your students… well, not really like you?"
"My aim has never been to be popular, but to teach well." Snape folded his arms. "And that requirement, I believe, I have met. Haven't I?"
"I hate to admit it, professor, but you're a damn good teacher. Even if I never was a fan of yours." Harry smiled. "I'll try and prepare my children for the trials of studying Potions from you, and I'm sure they won't cause you as much trouble as I did."
"Hm, speaking of children…" Severus seemed contemplative, "I wanted to ask you something: how did your son become a wizard? And why did the parchment book register his name with the date 5th April?"
"Well, for the date thing… I guess 5th April was Daniel's birth in magic… that's why the book registered him that day. And how he became a wizard…" Harry looked away from Snape. "…that's quite a long story, professor. Let's say that it was the deepest and most desperate desire of my heart and it came true." he cast a side-ways glance at Remus Lupin who was dancing with his fiancée, Stella Sinistra. Back at Durmstrang he had made his friends and relatives promise that they'd never tell anyone about his second wish to the goldfish – especially not Lupin. Remus, being a werewolf, had always been very shy and – according to Sirius – he was really hard to make friends with. All those years he had spent as a werewolf, Lupin had felt inferior and had taken it as a downright insult if people wanted to help him. At first he had felt hurt by his three Marauder friends' compassion as well. Thus Harry didn't want him to know that he had been helped again. *I hope you'll never get to know who your patronus was, my friend.* he thought, seeing Remus twirl the giggling Sinistra.
"Ah, Harry!" Albus stepped to them. "At last we meet! I have heard so much about your adventures in Russia and I have so many questions!"
Snape excused himself and left. Albus didn't mind at all – at least now he had the opportunity to ask the question he had wanted to ask for months: "What did it feel like to lose your magic powers?"
"It felt… like you went blind after having been able to see all your life..." Harry replied quietly, almost whispering. "It felt like it'd feel for a bird if it suddenly lost the ability of flying…"
"I see." Albus nodded. "It must a terrible memory for you… so I'm not forcing you to talk about it if you don't want to."
"It's okay, professor. It's over. Just a bad memory and I'm ready to talk about it some time if you want me to."
* * * * *
"You're coming with me!" Minerva took her new husband's hand.
"To your room?" Aberforth' face lit up.
"No." she shook her head. "To your brother. You two are going to reconcile."
"What?" the groom gasped. "No way!"
"Listen to me, Aberforth Dumbledore, if you're not willing to reconcile with your brother, you won't be seeing me in your bed tonight!"
Aberforth cringed. "That is some threat, my dear… all right." and he let her drag him to the headmaster, who was in conversation with Harry.
"Albus, we need to talk to you." Minerva said. "Aberforth wants to talk to you."
"Then I'd better go, I guess…" Harry said, seeing the groom's jittery expression.
"No, Harry, stay, please." Albus replied. "Anything my brother has to say, he can say it in front of you. So, Aberforth, what exactly do you want to tell me?"
"Well… Albus… you know, my wife… seriously threatened me to come and talk to you… hehe, we've just got married and she's already being bossy with me… but I digress. All right…" Aberforth straightened himself. "I think this stupid hostility between us should be put to and end, Albus. Let's bury the hatchet, shall we?"
The Hogwarts headmaster looked at his brother's outstretched hand but didn't move. "You are offering me to reconcile? After what you did to me?"
Aberforth was starting to feel awkward. He cast a side-ways glance at his wife, clearly waiting for her help. She saw the despair on his face and turned to the headmaster.
"Albus, I do not know what my husband has done to you, but I don't think it is so serious that you wouldn't be willing to reconcile."
"You have no idea what he did." Albus pointed at his brother. "No idea at all."
"Then tell me so that I know it." Minerva crossed her arms.
Albus seemed to hesitate for a while then nodded. "Right, then. I tell you what your husband did to his own brother… one hundred and three years ago."
*One hundred and three years? Wow, professor Dumbledore must be quite vindictive if he hasn't been able to forgive his brother for more than a century!* Harry thought. *This must be interesting!*
"Well?" Minerva raised an eyebrow.
"Well… my brother played a trick on me." Albus replied.
"It was April Fools' Day!" Aberforth interjected.
"He turned a goat into a woman." Albus carried on.
"I was just having fun!" Aberforth responded.
"He introduced that goat to me as an old acquaintance of his!" Albus snapped.
"I thought it was a cool joke…" Aberforth shrugged.
"…and I fell in love with that goat!" Albus growled, his moustache trembling with fury.
Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "What? You… fell in love with the…?"
"Yes." Albus' voice faltered. "She was so charming… with her blonde hair, sky-blue eyes… and that sexy little red hat she was wearing… I… started to fancy her right on the first of April… and my brother must have had fun seeing me being smitten with her, because he… forgot to turn her back into a goat!" the headmaster gave Aberforth a rather nasty look. "Amelia – that was the goat's name – quickly grew on me… one day in May I invited her to a picnic…" Harry looked at Aberforth, who seemed to be struggling with his facial muscles to remain indifferent, but didn't succeed. Not noticing his brother's grin, Albus carried on: "Amelia and I put a nice, checked blanket on the grass, pulled the sandwiches out of a basket, then I got the idea of picking flowers for her. I left for a couple of minutes…" he gulped. "When I returned, Amelia wasn't anywhere to be found… there was… a goat sitting on the blanket instead… wearing Amelia's red hat, bleating…" Harry saw the headmaster's hands clench into fists. "When I got to know that it was my brother's little joke, I felt like throttling him!"
"But you have to admit that it was a neat little charm!" Aberforth grinned. "She looked wonderful!"
Albus' eyes sent fire-bolts at his brother. Harry had never seen him this furious before. "Professor…?" he cut in before Albus could kill his brother. "This was, as you said, a hundred years ago…"
"Time doesn't matter, Harry." Albus grunted.
"But a heart-felt apology does matter." Harry replied. "And Aberforth just wanted to apologise, didn't you, Aberforth?"
"Exactly, kid." the groom nodded, turning to his brother. "I admit that it was quite a bad joke and that I should have taken the charm off the goat right after April Fools' Day… but you know me, Albus… you know what a clown I am! I just couldn't resist the temptation to continue my little deception…" he heaved a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Albus. Forgive me, please." he stretched out his hand again.
Albus grimaced, then slowly – very slowly – reached out and shook Aberforth's hand. "Bury the hatchet, brother… but promise me that you'll never – NEVER – play another trick on me!"
"I promise… that I'll try and refrain from it, brother." the groom beamed. "And now… let's see that wedding cake, Minnie, my little kitten! Come, Harry, you don't want to miss it!"
Harry followed the new couple. When they were out of Albus's earshot, Aberforth turned to Harry: "Thanks for your help, kid."
"You're welcome. At least now I know the big story about the goat…"
"You don't know everything…" the groom leaned closer, "Albus has left out a little piece of the tale…"
"What?" Harry got really curious.
"That he… shhh, don't tell anyone…" Aberforth whispered into the young wizard's ear, so that his wife couldn't hear. "So…"
"Hey, Harry!" Neville waved from a long table that was laden with all kinds of sweets.
"Oh, hello, Neville." Harry waved back. "Will you excuse me, Aberforth?"
"Of course, kid." the groom smiled and led Minerva to the wedding cake.
Harry stepped to Neville. "How are you?"
"Very well, thanks." the other boy grinned, stuffing a chocolate mousse into his mouth.
"Haven't seen you since July, but I heard you've been winning all matches you played in."
"Yeah… my only loss was when we played against each other." Neville grinned. "That was some match!"
"Uh-huh…" Harry started to chew some kind of an éclair. "Wonderful match… Ginny was getting a bit jittery, you know, when it turned out to last more than a week."
"And what did she say when you returned home two weeks after the beginning of the match?"
"She said I looked like shit and I needed a week's sleep." Harry grinned. "Really… that was my first match that lasted two weeks! Oliver Wood still hasn't been able to recover fully… those Bludgers… poor Oliver. He has been trying to arrange that Puddlemere United would not play Wimbourne Wasps in the near future… It was really funny, you know… almost all the spectators had gone home by the time the match ended… with the exception of Ron, of course… and your parents."
"Yeah… I was so close to getting the Snitch for at least a hundred times but you always thwarted me." Neville commented.
"I thought you thwarted me." Harry grinned. "You're one hell of a Seeker, Neville!"
"Ah, yeah…" Longbottom pouted. "That's why you finally got the Snitch…"
"Hey, it wasn't your fault… you just fell asleep." Harry replied. "I myself was barely being able to stay on my broom, I was so sleepy after two weeks of playing…"
"You can't imagine it, Harry…"
"What?"
"My grandma… when she got to know that I missed the Snitch because I fell asleep on my broomstick, she decided to force me to drink several cups of coffee before each match."
"At least you don't need to fear falling asleep." Harry shrugged. "And as I heard, you have caught the Snitch in a couple of minute's time at every match since then…"
"Of course I have…" Neville smirked. "When you drink so much coffee, you… need to pee. You know… the urge is always so terrible that you simply need to catch the Snitch as soon as possible…"
"Not a bad tactic." Harry laughed.
Neville fell silent for a minute, a dreamy expression on his face. "Nice wedding, huh?"
"Yeah, very nice."
"You know what, Harry?"
"What?"
"I'm… also getting married." young Longbottom turned red.
"Wow! Congrats, Neville!" Harry slapped him on the back. "Who's the fortunate one?"
"You don't know her." the other boy shrugged. "Her name is Mary Sue. She's the sister of one of my team-mates. She's Muggle. But I don't care. She loves me and that's enough."
"That's more than enough, Neville." Harry nodded. "I wish you all the happiness of the world."
"Thanks… Er, Harry, don't you think that Madame Maxime's got a bit… um, bigger?" Neville pointed at the half-giantess, who was dancing with Hagrid.
"Bigger…" Harry mused. "Round the middle, you mean?"
Longbottom chuckled, accidentally knocking his plate with half a slice of cake off the table. Both boys bent down at once to pick it up and their heads clashed.
"Ouch!" Harry clutched at his forehead. Neville just laughed, glancing back at Olympe.
"Do you think she could be…?"
"Why not?" Harry grinned, still massaging his forehead. "It's time for them to have a child… their biological clocks are ticking aloud."
* * * * *
"…and where are you going for your honeymoon?" asked Hermione.
"Well… the reason why we wanted to have the wedding two weeks before Christmas, is that we wanted to spend the holidays and the honeymoon on the Christmas Islands… but only after we have visited Snow White." Minerva replied.
"Snow White?" Hermione laughed. "The yeti?"
"Exactly." Aberforth nodded. "I've been missing him. And, though she doesn't admit it, Minnie misses him too. After our trip to the Himalayas, we'll be off to the Christmas Islands. We are taking our two-person broomstick to go for local excursions. And I'm going to teach Minnie to swim."
"What? You don't know how to swim, professor?" Ron asked.
"No. But Aberforth will surely be able to teach me… he has taught me to skate, after all." McGonagall (who decided to stick to the name McGonagall even after getting married), replied.
"Oh, so you can skate?" Hermione giggled, remembering Minerva's skating skills (or rather lack thereof) on the Durmstrang lake.
"I had a good teacher." the bride smiled. "Well, I guess it's time for me to throw my bouquet, isn't it?"
"Oh, yes!" Ginny nodded eagerly.
"Yeeees, old McGonagall throws her bouquet!" Peeves cackled, hanging from a garland of flowers. "I never thought this day would come! The old wench getting married!"
"Fiscella!" Aberforth pointed his wand at Peeves, who clutched at his mouth – he had a muzzle!
Everyone started to laugh at the poltergeist, who started madly tugging at the muzzle to come off – but it didn't.
"Thank you, dear." Minerva gave her husband a charming smile.
Albus silenced everyone by sending up red sparks. "Ladies and gentlemen – especially ladies – the bride is going to throw her bouquet. Remember: no Accios now, no use of wands at all!"
McGonagall turned her back on the crowd, and flung her bouquet of edelweiss backwards.
"Got it!" Gabrielle Delacour squealed with glee and shot Draco a victorious glance.
* * * * *
Ginny watched Draco and didn't understand his sour expression when Gabrielle caught the bouquet. Her glance fell on Albus and Mrs. Figg who were waltzing in the middle of the dance floor. She had to grin: Harry had just told her about Aberforth and the goat. Poor Albus… how terrible for him!
By the way, where was Harry again? Ginny looked around, scanning the crowd. There he was, standing next to Aberforth, who was leaning close to him, clearly whispering something into his ear. That 'something' must have been rather amusing, because Harry burst into peals of laughter, doubling over, clutching at his side. Ginny decided to ask him about it later.
* * * * *
"Ooooh, Minnie, where exactly are we going?" asked Aberforth in a rather excited tone after they had left the Great Hall. "To your room?"
"No, dear." she shook her head. "I have a single bed, but the room we are going to has a double bed. A new bed shall be installed into my room soon, but until then we have to put up with this one."
"Oh, I can't wait, my kitten!" the new husband grinned and let her lead him down the corridors. When they turned right on a corner, Minerva stopped him and dragged him back.
"What?" he asked.
"Look!" she pointed at a figure leaving a room – the room they were about to visit.
"Lucius Malfoy?" Aberforth raised an eyebrow, watching Malfoy walk to the other end of the corridor and disappear on the corner.
"Yes." she nodded. "But what was he doing in that room?"
"What room?"
"The one we are going to visit." Minerva replied, leading him to the door. She opened it and they entered.
"Hm… nice little room." Aberforth looked around. "Is this the famous Hogwarts parchment book?"
"Yes." his wife nodded. "I wonder…" she stepped to the book. "Would you look at that!" she exclaimed.
"What?"
"That." she pointed at the book. There were two entries in it for today:
Lancelot Percival Galahad Weasley, born 10th December 2000, parents: Percival and Penelope Weasley
Norbert Devilsmoor-Malfoy, born 10th December 2000, parents: Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy
"The Malfoys have another child?" Minerva furrowed her brow. "I never knew Malfoy's wife was pregnant. But nothing is impossible… I haven't seen Narcissa for about half a year, after all."
"But… what was Lucius doing down here?"
"I don't know…" she shrugged. "Maybe he was just afraid that his son would also be a squib and wanted to make sure that he wasn't. I heard from Arthur Weasley that Lucius had been bugging him about having a squib for a grandson all along their journey to Durmstrang."
Aberforth read the last note again. "Devilsmoor… What kind of name is that?"
"As far as I know it's Narcissa's maiden name. They might have agreed to give their second son both parents' names, so that the name Devilsmoor would not die out. I knew Narcissa's father… he was very proud of their family name and was quite disappointed when his wife only gave him a daughter, who didn't carry on his name."
"I see. So the Malfoys gave this double name to their son out of pride and respect for their ancestors." the groom nodded. "But you know what, Minnie? I'm not interested in it!" he pulled his wife into an embrace. "All I'm interested in right now is you!"
"Oh, really?" she giggled. "Then show me how interested you are!"
"As you wish, my lady." Aberforth grinned and kissed her firm on the lips.
* * * * *
"All's well that ends well." Harry sighed, gathering his wife into his arms in Black Manor. It was already two in the morning – they had just come back from the party. "Aberforth and Minerva… Remus and Sinistra… Sirius and Rosmerta… Neville and Mary Sue… "
"I wonder who's going to be the next." Ginny giggled.
"Hopefully not Snape." he replied, kissing the tip of her nose.
"Yeah… imagine his kids: crooked nose, greasy hair and an obsession for Potions." she laughed. "Really, what were you and Snape talking about?"
"About the reason why neither potions nor charms worked for us." he placed his right hand on her bulging belly. "And about Dannie becoming a wizard. He wanted to know why the parchment book had registered him on 5th April, and I told him that it was Dan's birth in magic."
"Yeah." Ginny nodded. As soon as they had come home from Durmstrang, their first way led to Hogwarts to check whether Daniel had been registered in the book. "It means he'll start the school a year later, right? As if he had been born in 2000, not 1999."
"Yeah, that's good – he'll start school with Hermione's twins, Angelina's son and… uh, Percy's son… hopefully little Lancelot won't be as irritating as his father."
Ginny slipped into her night-gown and pulled the covers over herself. Harry joined her in the bed, taking her into his arms. "I wonder," he said, "what McGonagall and Aberforth's marriage will be like. McGonagall can't be an easy person to live with."
"Still you've spent almost all your free time with her lately." she said accusingly. "And you never told me what you two were doing!"
"Nothing dangerous I can assure you." Harry laughed.
"What then?"
"She has been teaching me." Harry replied.
"Teaching?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"How to become an animagus."
"Huh?" she sat bolt upright with an incredulous expression on her face. "And have you… have you learnt it yet?"
"I guess so."
"What kind of animal can you turn into?" she asked excitedly. "Show me, show me, show me!"
"Er, all right." he replied. In the next instant there was a reindeer lying in the bed next to Ginny.
She jumped out of the bed with a scream then inspected the animal a bit more thoroughly. It had light grey fur, but under its antlers it had a tuft of hair that had a bit darker shade – it formed a lightning.
"Harry…" Ginny started the giggle. "Why haven't you chosen to become an owl? That would be a bit smaller…"
"You cannot choose what animal to turn into." he replied after having changed back. "Uh, I guess we'll have to clean the pillows of fur tomorrow…" he grinned. "You really can't choose. You turn into the animal that you feel the closest to... according to McGonagall."
"I wonder why McGonagall felt close to cats?" Ginny smiled.
"Dunno… but Aberforth seems to have developed an attitude of calling her 'my little kitten'." Harry grinned.
Ginny slipped back under the covers, snuggling herself into the crook of Harry's arm. He kissed the top of her head and grinned at the ceiling. He felt happy. Satisfied. As though nothing bad could happen… If he had now looked into the Mirror of Erised, he would probably have seen himself exactly the way he was, for he felt the happiest man on Earth.
Neville had been right: if there was love, then nothing else mattered. Not even the lack of magic…
Love was magic itself.
Harry was just about to sink into a blissful dream when Ginny poked him.
"Harry?"
"Yes, dear?" he blinked, seeing the excited expression on her face. "Not the babies, is it?"
"No, they won't be coming for another month… at least I hope so." she smiled. "I just remembered seeing you with Aberforth, madly laughing at something he whispered to you. What was it?"
"Oh…" Harry started chuckling. "You remember what I told you about Albus and the goat?"
"Yeah, and?"
"Well, when Aberforth first told me about it he wanted to add something, but Neville cut in… so he told it later."
"What?" Ginny was really curious now.
"So…" Harry couldn't stop smirking. "So… Albus not only fell in love with the 'goat'."
"No?"
"No. He even slept with it."
THE ENDA/N2: no, not really the end, since you know that I'm working on the third part of the trilogy. I'm ready with 26 chapters, so I can promise you that you won't have to wait more than a month to get the third fic. It will take place eleven years after this one – it will be about the new Hogwarts generation (don't worry, you'll see a LOT of the old characters as well – Harry will still be one of the central figures because I love him and couldn't make him become a side-character.)
You might have noticed that I haven't tied up everything – I've left things deliberately unexplained. I'm going to get back to those in story #3.
I have hidden some little hints in this chapter that refer to/foreshadow things happening later. So, there were lots of things that seemed to happen just for fun or just to make the characters talk about something, but there's more to them than meets the eye.
Before you ask, the Mary Sue pun was intended, and I didn't make Neville get married just for fun or just to form more and more couples – I have a good reason for it for the future plot.
The Latin word Fiscella means muzzle.
You may wonder how Albus and Aberforth could have had a quarrel 103 years ago, but remember that Rowling interview in which she had told that Albus was about 150 years old in book one. In this story he is almost 160, thus he indeed could have had a quarrel with his brother 103 years ago.
I know that Valentine in English is a boy's name, but in French it's a girl's name (at least it was in The count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas). I thought it was cute, that's why I gave that name to one of Ron and Hermione's twin daughters.
I wonder whether you have realised that the Draco/Gabrielle conversation originates from a book… I only re-wrote it because it perfectly fitted their situation. Can you guess which book that was? (if no, then I'll tell you the answer in the first A/N of story #3.) Just a clue: there's a film version of that book as well, but – to my greatest regret – this particular scene was left out of the movie.
If you want to receive a mail when I start uploading the third fic, drop your email-addresses in the review (those who have already done so don't need to, of course).
THANKS A LOT FOR READING!
Your author,
AgiVega
P.S. a request: I know that about the half of the readers of this story never cared to send me a review. Don't get me wrong, I'm not mad at them. I've seen in my stats that I'm on the favourites list of 149 people, but I know only about 80 of them – the other half never clicked 'submit review'. And it kept me wondering: why?
I would like to know how many people are actually reading this, so, just this once, could all of you who are reading this (both signed and unsigned), drop me a line? I'm not asking much, am I? I only would like to have a clear picture of how many readers I have. It would be nice to know it. You don't need to sign in, just tell me that you exist, okay? Thank you.