Harry Potter

Their Biggest Challenge

By xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related concepts do not belong to me. I am merely borrowing them for my own personal enjoyment. All OC's and anything you do not recognize is copyrighted by me: xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx

Rating: K

Pairing: Marcus/Charlie - Fred/Riley - Harry/Ginny - Ron/Hermione

Genre: Adventure/Friendship/Romance/Suspense/Drama

Warnings: Please do not flame me for anything. If you do not like the story then why are you reading it?

Summary One: On their own and on the run, the Hogwarts Five must not rely on one another more than ever. Their Biggest Challenge is about to begin as they set out to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes and fight the Dark Forces that threaten to tear them apart.

Summary Two: It all ends here. For six months the Hogwarts Five had been on their own and relying on no one but themselves as they set out to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. Now the battle between Good and Evil has escalated into an all-out-war, and it is up to Harry and Charlie to finish what was started sixteen years ago.

Overall Summary: It all ends here. Six months ago the Hogwarts Five disappeared, determined to stop Voldemort, they set out to find and destroy his Horcruxes. Now, the climatic showdown between Good and Evil has arrived, the stakes are high and no one is safe.

Dedications: This final chapter goes out to those who have stood by me throughout this entire series. It would take too long to list all your names but I just want you all to know that you mean a great deal to me and I cannot thank you enough for your support, kind words, and help throughout this seven series.

Author's Note: Oh, my god, it's over! I can't believe I am actually letting it end.

I would just like to thank everybody who's supported me. Without you guys, we wouldn't be where we are today: the end. I never though Charlie and Riley would make it this far, but they have. It sucks that it has to end. I've been writing this series for two years and I have loved every bit of it and parting from it, and all the characters I've created and loved isn't an easy thing to do.

With any luck, I won't be gone for long. Now that I don't need to focus on Charlie and Riley I can free up my mind to finish Phoebe Blackheart and hopefully start something else.

Goodbye everyone. Hopefully I'll see you all next time around!

Nineteen Years Later (Finale)

Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp and golden as an apple, and as the little family bobbed across the rumbling road toward the great sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air.

Two large cages rattled on top of the laden trolleys the children were pushing; the owls inside them hooted indignantly, as a dark haired toddler grinned as she sat on the edge of her brother's trunk as the barrier grew nearer.

"Almost there, Tom!" she squealed excitedly, clapping her hands in happiness.

"Hold on, Serena!" the boy pushing the trolley smiled, as he run towards the stone pillar that blocked his path. The girl, Serena, did as instructed and seconds later they run straight through the wall leaving their parents behind.

Charlie Flint, nee Hunter, smiled as she approached her youngest son, Hunter, who had stopped short of the barrier his older brother, Tom and younger sister, Serena, had disappeared through, she wrapped an arm around his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

"C'mon on, Hunter," she said softly, "You don't want to miss the train now, do you?"

Eleven year old Hunter Flint shook his head and glanced back at his father, Marcus, who gave him a small nod and smile. "You'll write to me, won't you?" he asked, turning back to his mother.

"Every day, if you want us too," said Charlie.

"Not every day," said Hunter, quickly. "Tom says most people only get letters from home about once a month."

"You don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," Charlie said. "He likes a laugh, your brother that is why he and James are such good friends!"

Marcus smiled as he touched his son's shoulder.

"Together." he said.

Hunter nodded and smiled.

Side by side, Charlie watched as they pushed the second trolley forward, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Hunter winced, but no collision came. Instead, father and son emerged onto platform nine and three-quarters, which was obscured by thick white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express.

"Where's mum?" Hunter asked looking over his shoulder to see that his mother hadn't followed him through.

"She'll be here," Marcus promised, leading his son down the platform towards the open doors at the back of the train.

"Over here, Dad!" Serena Flint shouted she was standing at the very back of the train, leaning out of the door and waving them over. Marcus smiled at her and helped her down from the train as Tom appeared to help Hunter with his luggage. "Where's mum and everyone else?" she asked, hugging her father.

"We'll find them," said Tom, dragging his brother's luggage into the compartment his sister had chosen and then returning to the platform. He leaned against the side of the door and looked around, but the vapor was dense, and it was difficult to make out anybody's faces.

Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud.

"I think that's them, Ser," said Tom suddenly.

A group of people emerged from the mist, walking towards them. Their faces only came into focus as they gradually reached the last carriage. The original Hogwarts five grinned as they reached Charlie's children, all of which were prepared for the school term ahead.

"Hi," said Albus, sounding immensely relieved.

Rose, who was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes, beamed at Tom as he helped her get her luggage on board.

"You were saying about Fred," said Charlie, turning back to Riley and continuing the conversation they had been having as they searched for Marcus and her children.

"Oh, yeah," Riley nodded. "There's been a bit of trouble at the shop this morning, something about wrong shipment, he and George has had to stay behind and sort everything out! They aren't happy!"

"I wouldn't expect them to be," said Charlie, "I mean it's their children going to school that they are missing. Is that how Roxanne is with you?"

Riley nodded as her niece boarded the train behind her cousin Rebecca and Rose.

Back on the platform, they found Lily, Hugo, Serena and Carol, the youngest of the Hogwarts Five's children, having an animated discussion about which House they would be sorted into when they finally went to Hogwarts.

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," said Ron, "but no pressure."

"Ron!"

Lily, Hugo, Serena and Carol laughed, but Albus Potter, Harry's youngest son and Rose, Ron's eldest daughter, looked solemn.

"He doesn't mean it," said Hermione and Ginny, but Ron was no longer paying attention. Catching Harry's eye, he nodded covertly to a point some fifty yards away. The steam had thinned for a moment, and three people stood in sharp relief against the shifting mist, they seemed to be searching for someone.

Draco Malfoy was standing there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. His hair was receding somewhat, which emphasized the pointed chin. The new boy resembled Draco as much as Albus resembled Harry and Hunter resembled Marcus. Draco caught sight of them, nudged his wife and nodded in their direction.

Charlie turned when she noticed Harry's attention had been diverted, and gasped as she caught sight of her best friend.

"Daphne!" she exclaimed, rushing forward and throwing her arms around the platinum blonde. It had been a while since they had last seen each other, seeing as Daphne had moved to France for the last few years to finish her degree in Transfiguration and Charms.

After the final battle Charlie watched as those she once associated as friends were carted off to Azkaban where they would spend the rest of their miserable little lives. Those who remained were the ones that she deemed worthy enough to outlive the Death Eater associations that they held; Draco Malfoy and Nathan Lestrange had only been expelled from being locked up because they were her best friends, and while some argued that they were just as bad as the rest of them not one was foolish enough to say it to Charlie's face.

Lucius Malfoy and his wife Narcissa had also been saved from the life imprisonment list mostly because Charlie knew that they only participated in the final battle to make sure their sons -yes, son's- were still alive. Nathan had been raised by Narcissa and Lucius is whole life, he was more a Malfoy than a Lestrange, and he had openly admitted that he would have changed his name in a heartbeat if given the chance. ("You're seventeen; you can do what you like now!" Riley had reminded him,) and when Nathan had told Narcissa that he wanted to change his name to Malfoy, Charlie could have sworn she saw the older woman tearing up.

Unfortunately, not all their Slytherin friends' families made the cut. Daphne's parents were taken away the moment they had been captured on the school grounds, trying to usher their youngest daughter out before anyone could notice them.

They had disowned Daphne on the spot for her disloyalty to the Dark Lord, but Daphne wasn't fazed by her parent's actions she had chosen her path and stood beside her friends throughout the war and that was all she cared about.

Her parents were more of Drill Sargent's than they were parents anyway. But while at first her parents had been sentenced to life imprisonments, the Ministry changed their minds at the last minute and decided on House Arrest for the Greengrasses', their wands were snapped, and Astoria was permitted to finish her last year at Hogwarts, before joining her parents at their home in Devon.

Daphne was more fortunate and was able to go onto further education if she wished, or choose whichever job she thought suited her best. Further education was the choice she chose, and Charlie was aware that she was currently away in France studying for a degree in Transfiguration and Charms. While supporting a relationship with none other than Draco Malfoy, life-long best friend and soon-to-be husband.

Charlie remembered the fire call she had received the night Draco had proposed.

"Auntie Charlie! Auntie Charlie!" Scorpius exclaimed running towards his aunt and hugging her.

"Hello, Scorpius!" Charlie laughed as she hugged him back.

"Hey!"

James and Tom had reappeared from wherever they had disappeared too, and were now pelting back across the platform in a rush to tell their parents something important.

"Teddy's back there," said James, breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victorie!"

Tom frowned as he gazed up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction.

"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victorie! Our cousin! And when we asked Teddy what he was doing -"

"You interrupted them?" said Riley. "You are so like your parents!"

"Hey!" Charlie and Harry exclaimed.

"If I remember correctly it was Ron who did all the interrupting when we were in school!" said Charlie, pointing at the gawking red head beside her.

"Hey!" Ron frowned.

"- and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told us to go away. He's snogging her!" Tom added as though worried he had not made himself clear.

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" whispered Carol ecstatically.

Lily nodded in agreement. "Yeah! Teddy would really be part of the family then!"

"He already comes round for dinner about four times a week," said Charlie. "Why don't you just invite him to live with you and have done it with?"

"Yeah!" Carol grinned. "Can I mum? Can I! Can I! Can I?"

She was jumping excitedly on the balls of her feet now and tugging at her mother's hand energetically.

"No," Riley said, before glaring at Charlie. "Stop putting ideas into her head! We don't have room for another one, especially when the twins are born!" she added, placing a hand on top of her swollen stomach. She was seven months pregnant with a boy and a girl, and the flat she shared with Fred was cramped enough as it was.

Charlie grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, it's not my fault she gets her hyperactiveness from me!"

Harry checked the old battered watch he had received from Mrs. Weasley on his seventeenth birthday.

"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board," he said, looking around at the children that were going to Hogwarts.

"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" Ginny told James as she hugged him.

"Mum! I can't give a professor love!"

"But you know Neville -"

James rolled his eyes.

"Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him love -"

Shaking his head at his mother's foolishness, he vented his feelings by aiming a kick at Albus, but decided against it as Charlie appeared behind his younger brother.

"Come on, Tom," he said, instead, pulling his best friend towards the carriage door. "See you later, Al, you too, Hunter, watch out for the Thestrals!"

"I thought they were invisible?" said Hunter, his eyes wide. "Tom, you told me they were invisible!"

But Tom merely laughed, permitted his mother to kiss him, gave his father a fleeting hug, and then leapt onto the rapidly filling train behind his best friend. They saw the two boys' wave, and then sprint away up the corridor to find the rest of their friends.

"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," Harry told Albus and Hunter. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."

Charlie kissed Hunter goodbye and turned to Albus.

"We'll see you at Christmas, yeah?" she asked the two boys.

They both nodded and Charlie could sense the uneasiness inside them.

"Hey," she said softly, "just remember a few simple rules and you'll be fine. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone until you've learned hose, and don't let James and Tom wind you up."

"What if i'm in Gryffindor?" Hunter asked.

"And me in Slytherin?" Albus nodded.

The whisper was for Charlie and Harry alone, and it was in that moment of departure that both parents became aware of how great and sincere their son's fears were.

Charlie crouched down so that her son's face was just above her own. "Hunter listen to me," she said, cupping her son's face with her hands. "Do not let your brother's words get to you!"

"But what if I get into Gryffindor and I don't have any friends?"

"I was in Slytherin," said Charlie, "and my best friends were all in Gryffindor! They didn't turn against me because I was in what was dubbed as the 'worst house' at Hogwarts. It was our friendship that changed the rules. Hunter, I will be very proud of you if you are chosen to be in Gryffindor... you will be every bit a Flint as you are now!"

Hunter smiled, tearfully and hugged his mother, while Harry reassured Albus that he would not be disappointed if he became a Slytherin.

"Albus Severus Potter," Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Charlie could hear, "you were named after two Headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was the bravest man I've ever known."

"But just say that I am,"

"Then Slytherin House will have gained a wonderful young wizard," said Harry. "It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?"

"It did for me," said Harry.

Albus smiled and turned to his godmother. "Would you be disappointed in me?" he asked.

"Why would I be disappointed in you?" Charlie asked.

"Because I chose Gryffindor over Slytherin,"

"Albus," said Charlie, "I could never be disappointed in you! If being in Gryffindor means that much to you then choose Gryffindor, you'll be my rabid reject no matter what house you choose!"

Albus smiled. "Thank you,"

"You're welcome," Charlie said, kissing his forehead as the doors all along the scarlet train were starting to slam shut, and the blurred outlines of parents were swarming forward fro find kisses, last-minute reminders.

Albus and Hunter jumped into the carriage and Charlie closed the door behind them. Students were hanging from the windows nearest them. A great number of faces, both on the train and off, seemed to be turned towards Harry and Charlie.

"Why are they staring?" demanded Albus as he and Hunter craned around to look at the other students.

"Don't let it worry you," said Ron. "It's me. I'm extremely famous."

"He wishes," said Riley, earning a round of laugher from Carol, Serena, Hugo and Lily laughed.

The train began to move, and Harry walked alongside it, watching his son's thin face, already ablaze with excitement as he and Hunter leaned out of the window and waved goodbye to their parents. Harry kept smiling and waving as his son and nephew glided away from him.

The last trace of steam evaporated in the autumn air as the train rounded a corner. Harry's hand was still raised in farewell, and it only dropped as Charlie appeared beside him, and lowered it back to his waist.

"They'll be all right," Charlie murmured.

Harry glanced at her and then raised his hand to touch his lightning bolt scar.

"I know they will," he nodded. "If they are anything like us..."

"They'll be together forever!" Charlie smiled.

It had been nineteen years and finally... all was well.

Copyrighted ©

That is it, folks.

The finale. Well, it's been an amazing run. I had a real fun time writing this series, putting in all the drama and twists, and in the end it was a really amazing story, if I do say so myself.

Now, where I go from here is an entirely different story. But rest assured that this is not the end of Charlie and Riley, we still have 'Everyday Conversations' and the 'Deleted scenes' there is also the sub season 'Friendly Warning' that I have yet to finish so be on the lookout.

Anyway, I'll stop rambling on and let you all get on with your lives, but not before I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with me this long. You reviewers mean the utmost to me, and without you this story would not have been completed. I cannot thank you enough.

Until next time

xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx

Chapter written by xXxKaraBeckerCutterxXx

Chapter updated Wednesday, August 01, 2012 at 11:54pm