(A/N: *sighs deeply* The day has finally come, guys. Honestly, I'm an emotional wreck. I've been dreading and looking forward to this for a while now. So, without further ado, here's the epilogue of 19 Years Later. Enjoy :)
Several years later
"Give me my hat back this instant, Sawyer Malfoy!" a girl with raven hair shrieked, chasing a blonde-haired, mischievous boy down the train platform, bothering nearby commuters walking in the opposite direction of them.
"You'll have to catch me first!" the boy yelled behind his shoulder, a devilish grin plastered on his freckled face as he waved the girl's knit hat in the air while he ran.
"Kids, don't run! And Sawyer, stop messing around and give Ebony her hat back!" Rose Malfoy called after her son, attempting to catch up to them but stopping short, out of breath because of her very pregnant belly.
"Easy, darling," Scorpius chided his wife, making her stop and rest. "Wouldn't want to overdue it now, would we?"
"I've had four children already," Rose countered, waving off her husband's arm for support. "I know what I'm doing."
"It's best not to argue with a pregnant woman, mate," Albus joked, nudging his best friend with his elbow. Then he craned his neck to search for the raven-haired girl who had just run off. "I really wish your hormonal son would stop flirting with my daughter. They're cousins, for Merlin's sake!"
"Technically they aren't, Uncle Albus," a young girl standing next to Rose said. She was the perfect mixture of Rose and Scorpius, with frizzy blonde hair, gray eyes, and a splash of freckles on her nose. Eliza's mannerisms were very similar to her mother's when she was her age. "Ebony is adopted, remember? She and Sawyer aren't really related."
"That may be true," Albus replied, then crossed his arms stubbornly. "But I still don't like it. Sawyer is two years older than Ebony and-"
Holly Potter laughed, cutting off her husband's sentence while rubbing his shoulder to relax him. "Dear, calm down. Ebony is eleven now. I think she's fully capable of taking care of herself while she's at Hogwarts."
Albus sighed. "I know. I'm just worried, that's all."
Rose gave her cousin a reassuring look. "Aren't we all?"
The Potter and Malfoy families were making their way through the ever so lively Kings Cross Station. The sounds of whistling trains and hyper children filled the air, as they approached the well-known brick wall that separated platforms nine and ten. The families stopped before the wall, the fathers of the households wanting to rest a bit from pushing the laden trolleys. The children were practically bouncing with excitement.
"Mummy, Daddy, can Charlotte and I have an owl?" asked a smaller girl with short blonde hair. She and her spectacled twin sister were pointing in awe at a beautiful white owl in a cage on a passing trolley.
"We'll see when you girls are eleven, Juliet," Rose told her youngest daughter.
Juliet huffed and pouted her lips. "But we won't be eleven for," she paused to count on her fingers, "four years!"
"Three, actually," said Charlotte, her twin.
Scorpius chuckled and ruffled the two girls' hair, making them squeal. "How about this, girls? First one through the wall gets to choose what bedtime story I read to you tonight!"
The twin girls gasped and immediately made a run for it, bolting straight through the wall, Scorpius right on their heels while pushing their family's trolley, allowing his daughters to win their race. Rose laughed and rolled her eyes at the sight.
Ebony and Sawyer caught back up with the group after their little chase escapade. The dark-haired girl frowned and glared at the boy with her dark eyes, her hat clutched tightly in her fist.
"You owe me three chocolate frogs when we get on the train," Sawyer told her, before his lips grew into a cocky smirk as he turned around and broke into a run, disappearing through the brick wall.
"Honestly, that boy is the most infuriating human being I've ever met!" Ebony exclaimed, stomping her foot in irritation.
Albus chuckled at his daughter. "If he gives you any trouble at all, write to us. I'll tell Uncle Scorpius and Aunt Rose to send him nothing but underwear for his birthday." Ebony beamed in approval at the idea.
"I may just do that," Rose said thoughtfully. "Merlin knows he probably needs them anyway."
Everyone laughed, faltering when the clock chimed, signaling that it was almost time for the Hogwarts Express to leave. Albus and Holly noticed their daughter's evident nervousness.
"It's almost time, darling," Holly said, brushing a stray hair out of Ebony's pale face. "Are you ready?"
Ebony gulped. "I don't know. Were you guys scared?"
"Absolutely terrified," Albus answered honestly, chuckling lightly. He remembered the day like it was yesterday. Then his voice softened as he added, "It's just first day jitters. They'll go away when you arrive. Trust me."
Ebony nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Daddy."
Eliza held out her hand to Ebony. "Want to run through with me? Don't worry, it's not as scary as it looks."
Joining hands, Ebony and Eliza charged towards the brick wall, moments later, vanishing. Albus, Holly, and Rose hurried after them, rushing straight through the wall as well. Platform nine and three-quarters was as vibrant as ever, with emotional parents parting ways with their children and the whistling of the Hogwarts Express ringing about. It was a lot to take in for eleven year old Ebony Potter.
The group soon found Scorpius, Sawyer, Juliet, and Charlotte waiting for them near the rapidly filling train. The families separated to say their individual goodbyes. Sawyer and Eliza were quick with their farewells, though they were forced to wait for Ebony, who was still hugging her parents. Albus and Holly were having a hard time letting their only child go.
"I'll write to you guys as much as I can," Ebony promised, finally pulling away from her parent's tight embrace.
"We'll be eagerly awaiting your letters," Holly told her, wiping her teary eyes with one hand while tucking a piece of Ebony's hair behind her ear. This became a habit for Holly over the years.
The whistle blew again, and the Potter family joined the Malfoy's, prepared to send their designated children aboard the train. Sawyer and Eliza were grimacing against the shower of kisses their mother was giving them.
"No harassing Ebony while you're at Hogwarts, you hear?" Rose warned her oldest born, the tips of his ears turning bright red when Ebony and Eliza covered their mouths to suppress their laughter.
"Yes, Mum," Sawyer replied.
"Also, remember to write!" Scorpius added. "And you two watch over Ebony!"
"Yes, Dad," Sawyer and Eliza said in unison.
"We'll see you at Christmastime, darling," Holly said, giving her daughter one last kiss. "Goodbye, Ebony."
"Remember to make as many memories as you can," Albus reminded her. "Hogwarts won't be your home forever. Enjoy it while you can."
"I will," Ebony assured, waving to them as she turned around to follow Sawyer and Eliza onto the train. "Goodbye!"
And with that, she was gone, off to make lifelong memories at the place that started it all for Albus, Holly, Rose, and Scorpius. Their children would soon have their own stories to tell.
A window nearby opened, where Sawyer, Eliza, and Ebony stuck their heads out, waving goodbye to their parents and siblings as the train began to chug forward. Soon, the Hogwarts Express approached the corner, leaving a trace of white steam behind. Holly buried her head in Albus's chest as they watched the locomotive disappear fully.
* * *
Three more years later
It continued to amaze Holly everyday at how fast Ebony was growing up.
She felt like it was just yesterday when she held her month old daughter for the first time at the adoption center, fragile and slightly premature. Holly recalled watching Albus cry with undeniable joy as he first held her, marveling at his new daughter. Raising Ebony alongside Albus was everything she could have ever hoped for in her adult life. Holly just wished she could have stuck around to finish raising Ebony into her own adulthood.
Three years after Ebony began attending Hogwarts, Holly began to get sick again. She and Albus both knew that wasn't a good sign. At first, Holly thought this was just like the other several times she'd gotten sick, and it was just another unfortunate obstacle she'd have to get through. Well, her personal demon known as cancer had other plans for her.
Cancer hit Holly like a bludger on steroids.
The sickness overtook her at an alarming rate, far worse than any previous time. She lost count of the amount of different treatments that St. Mungos doctors offered her. None of them were powerful or quick enough to stop the monstrous tumors devouring Holly's lungs.
Soon, Holly found herself unable to breathe without the support of magical substitutes. And before she knew it, she was told that her life was in danger. At times, and she truly hated feeling this way, Holly wanted nothing more than to drift off into the dark void of death ready to end her constant pain and suffocation from her collapsing lungs. But she knew she couldn't leave Albus and Ebony. They were her life.
Holly fought a long and hard couple of months to defeat the cancer. Poor Albus never left her side, while Rose, Scorpius, her parents, and the majority of the Weasley's were there whenever they could be. Each of them assured her everyday that she would get through this. Holly wished that she had the strength and optimism to believe them. Having cancer kind of rid you of all hope you once had before.
Then one gloomy December night, near the anniversary of the Third Wizarding War, Holly's life was hanging on barely by a thread. Albus had to pull Ebony out of school for a few days due to the situation, ready to say goodbye to her. Ebony knew her mother was terminally ill, though Holly kind of fibbed and told her daughter that it wasn't anything to worry about. It was to simply prevent Ebony from worrying so she could do well at school. Oh, how Holly wished she could have seen her daughter's beautiful face one last time.
Albus was retrieving Ebony from Hogwarts when the cancer finally took over Holly's lungs, causing her to take one last, and horribly painful, breath. It was too late for Albus, Ebony, and the rest of her family to see her alive one last time.
Dying is quite a strange phenomenon. One second, Holly was wheezing and fighting to inhale and exhale oxygen. The next, she felt light as air, free from any pain. She recalled looking down and seeing her own lifeless body on the hospital bed, realizing her soul had left her body. Death was very disorienting.
Holly remembered floating, and floating, and floating...for what seemed like an eternity. She saw so many clouds and stars, for it was nighttime when she passed on. Perhaps she was heading to heaven. Or she was to aimlessly float in the air as a wisp of wind forever. Either sounded splendid.
Then, Holly's body stopped floating, and then she was standing in front of an exact replica of Hogwarts. Was this heaven? Or when everyone died, they were to spend the rest of eternity in their own personalized idea of heaven? If so, Hogwarts was Holly's place to be.
This version of Hogwarts was sitting atop clouds, giving it a more heavenly atmosphere. Holly stepped across the drawbridge and walked inside the castle, watching figures glide across the cloudy floor gracefully. Everyone wore white robes and expressions of pure tranquility. Holly realized that she was also wearing white, and that her feet were suspended slightly off the ground. She felt like an angel.
Smiling to herself, she glided up the staircase, knowing exactly where she wanted to go. It took barely any time to reach the Astronomy Tower, which always offered excellent views back at the original Hogwarts. This Astronomy Tower's view was extraordinary.
"Enjoying the view?" a soft female voice said behind Holly.
She jumped slightly and spun around, only to be even more shocked when she realized she was joined on the Astronomy Tower by several people, each smiling warmly at her. There was a woman with red hair and dazzling green eyes, a man who had his arm around the beautiful redheaded woman with messy black hair and round spectacles, a tall boy who identically resembled George Weasley, Xander Holmes, Holly's grandfather Xenophillius Lovegood, Severus Snape, and Albus Dumbledore.
"Sorry to disturb you," the redheaded woman said, chuckling lightly. She looked very familiar...
"Wait, you're..." Holly began, amazed that this important woman was standing before her.
"Indeed," said Lily Potter, Harry Potter's mother. He really did have her eyes.
Holly gazed at the row of incredible people standing in front of her. She couldn't help but feel utterly starstruck.
"And you're James Potter," Holly acknowledged James, who reached out to shake her hand. She gladly accepted the gesture. Then Holly turned to the man with familiar bright blue eyes like her own and long white hair. He'd been gone from her life for about fifteen years now, so the reunion was wonderful. Tearing up, Holly smiled at him and whispered, "Grandfather..."
Xenophillius Lovegood beamed back at his granddaughter, tears brewing in his eyes. He whispered back, "Hello, my dear Holly."
Close to crying, Holly moved on, her eyes meeting the tall boy with fiery orange hair. Genuinely, she told him, "Good to finally meet you, Fred. I've heard a lot about you."
"You better have," Fred joked, grinning.
Giggling, Holly switched her gaze to Xander Holmes. Seeing him made her remember the exact moment he pushed Rose out of the way to prevent that chunk of ceiling from falling on her. Choking up, she said to him, "I believe you should be a Gryffindor after what you did."
Xander smiled. "I would've done it again in a heartbeat."
Then Holly's eyes met Severus Snape's obsidian ones and Albus Dumbledore's kind ones sheltered by his half-moon spectacles. The last time she had seen them was when she almost died during her coma in her 4th year. The two wizards had shown up in Holly's dreams and guided her out of her comatose state.
"Hello professors," Holly greeted them. Both of their mouths curled up in small smiles. Yes, Severus Snape actually smiled.
Then Lily Potter stepped up to Holly and grabbed her hands, squeezing them lovingly. Her motherly presence reminded Holly of her own mother.
"You have lived such a wonderful life, Holly," Lily said, smiling and looking Holly straight in the eyes. "And I want to thank you for making my grandson so happy for all these years."
At the mention of Albus, Holly almost burst into tears right then and there. Lily gently wiped a stray tear off her cheek, whispering, "I know it's hard leaving behind those you love. Trust me, I'm familiar with the feeling."
Holly nodded, whimpering, "I'm going to miss him and Ebony so much."
James Potter strode over and set a reassuring hand on her shoulder, saying, "It's going to be hard for them without you, but their lives will go on. You have to believe that."
Holly peered down at her feet and replied solemnly, "The last time I believed in something, I ended up dying."
"You must keep believing, Holly," Albus Dumbledore advised, his kind eyes glistening with sympathy. "Hope is important in one's life, as well as the afterlife."
They were all right. Holly had to believe that Albus and Ebony, as well as her friends and the rest of her family, would be alright. All Holly could do is watch them live on without her.
Then she turned to each of the amazing people standing around her and asked them, "Why have you all come to talk to me?"
Fred glanced down the line of his companions and shrugged, replying, "We figured you needed company right now. You just died."
Holly couldn't help but chuckle at his statement. He was just like his twin. Then she looked to each person individually and said, "I appreciate the company. I really do."
"Could you do with one more person?" a familiar voice said. Holly watched as Helga Hufflepuff strode into the room, appearing joyful as ever.
"Long time, no see, Helga," Holly said, smiling. "What brings you here?"
"The same reason each person here is standing here," Helga answered, smiling warmly. "And I have an offer for you."
"What kind of offer?" Holly asked curiously.
"Well," Helga began, her mouth slowly spreading into a grin. "I heard from the grapevine that the Fat Friar is retiring from his duty as Hufflepuff House's ghost. So, if you are interested, I think you are a likely candidate for the job..."
"Yes!" Holly exclaimed, bouncing up and down on her toes, giddy like a little girl. "Yes, I would be honored! But how am I a likely candidate if I wasn't even in Hufflepuff House?"
"I'm sure an exception can be made for my reincarnation," Helga told her simply.
And an exception was indeed made. From that moment on, Holly Potter was the official Hufflepuff House ghost. That meant Holly could roam the halls of Hogwarts and watch over her dear daughter. It wasn't the same as actually being with Ebony, but it was better than not being able to see her at all. She got to experience firsthand the growth of Ebony, as she met lifelong friends and blossomed into womanhood.
Holly became a wonderful replacement to the Fat Friar. Carrying on his legacy of being friendly and jolly to all, she became a helpful guide to not just Hufflepuff students, but to all students, doing good deeds such as offering routes to lost new students or even advice to sad students. In a way, she had become a trusted motherly figure to Hogwarts's entire student body. The job was plenty rewarding, and helped Holly cope with being dead.
As expected, everyone Holly knew mourned over her, which was extremely difficult to witness. Rose and Scorpius barely talked to each other for months, grief causing them to isolate themselves.
Albus was the most affected by Holly's passing. He didn't leave his deceased wife's bedside at St. Mungos for hours after she passed away, sobbing and crying out Holly's name. Even months after, he'd wake up in the middle of the night crying, begging the heavens for his wife to come back to him. Holly wanted nothing more than to fulfill his request, but she could not abandon her duties at Hogwarts. So, she went to Professor McGonagall and they came up with a solution.
Once every month, Hogwarts had a day where parents could visit their children at school, which solved many cases of homesickness. This way, Albus could come to Hogwarts and visit Ebony, as well as Holly. Rose and Scorpius could visit her as well, reuniting the group of four each month. The first parent visit day at Hogwarts was quite emotional. Holly would never forget the look of happiness upon Albus's face when he saw her again.
Like James Potter Sr. had promised, everyone's lives went on. Parent visit days continued, putting a smile back on Albus's face as he had something to look forward to each month. Rose and Scorpius had their fifth child, who they named Xander Ronald Malfoy, after the heroic Xander Holmes. Then two years later they had their sixth and final child; a baby girl named Holly Natalia Malfoy. Holly cried the day that beautiful baby girl was born, and by a funny coincidence, it rained that day.
As for Ebony, she prospered at Hogwarts. She triumphed at school and almost had the highest marks in her class, and even had a few male admirers. Holly couldn't help but laugh as Ebony would get teased, though not in a mean way, by Sawyer Malfoy, Rose and Scorpius's son. Even though he was two years older than Ebony, and they were non-blood-related cousins, he had always fancied her. All through their years at Hogwarts, the two bickered and teased with each other, which Holly always found quite amusing to watch everyday. She nearly shouted with joy the day the two flirting teenagers confessed their feelings for one another, when Ebony was in her 5th year and Sawyer was in his 7th.
Ebony was 20 and Sawyer was 22 when they got married, which Holly couldn't believe Albus allowed. She, on the other hand, was thrilled about it. Although, her heart ached as she couldn't be at the wedding in her ghostly form, with her husband and family, watching as her daughter officially became a woman and marrying the love of her life. Time went by so slowly when you were an eternal ghost. Before Holly knew it, Ebony was a grown woman and a mother, sitting at a large dining table at Christmas with her husband Sawyer, and their eight children.
Luckily years later, when they were all old enough to go to Hogwarts, Holly got to meet all of her eight grandchildren.
Ebony grew up to be an amazing woman and mother, and Holly was so proud that she could call her her daughter.
Eventually, Holly's parents passed on, and before she knew it, so had Albus, Rose, and Scorpius. Following the three's deaths, Sir Nicholas, Helena Ravenclaw, and the Bloody Baron retired from their positions as Hogwarts ghosts. Albus, Rose, and Scorpius were chosen to replace them, courtesy of Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and yes, even Salazar Slytherin. The famous four reincarnations of the Four Founders were reunited to serve Hogwarts once more.
Together, they watched their children finish out their lives, and their children grow up, and even their children grow up. It was a continuous cycle of their descendants entering and leaving their lives, growing up at Hogwarts, falling in love, having children, and eventually dying. It's quite beautiful thinking of what all can happen in a lifetime.
Whether it's 19 years later later, or even 19 hundred years later, stories continue to occur, as they begin and end.
Holly wished she could continue retelling about the lives and whereabouts of every descendent of hers for the rest of eternity, for some of their stories are quite interesting. But, the amount of stories would never end! As all good things do, this tale must come to a close. From Holly, Albus, Rose, Scorpius, Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, James, Lily and Hugo, Luna and Neville, Draco and Astoria, the Weasley's, and every other bloodline mixed in, they all agree on the perfect concluding sentence that wraps up this magical story, and the infinite amount of stories after this one.
All was well.
~ ~ ~
Aaaaand that's a wrap :')
Turn the page for a very important author's note/farewell!