The Man Who Lives
By: PenPatronus
Epilogue

Author's Note: This story is complete! After over 2 years of working on it, and over a year of publication. Thanks so much for all of the reviews and please continue to submit them, even if you're reading this 5 years from now:) Eventually, probably not for many months, I'll put up an updated/ edited version of this epic, no big changes of course but some minor ones to make it a more complete story (and spelling corrections). In the meantime please read my other stories, and look out for some new ones! Thanks again, I hope you've enjoyed this:) (you might want to review the prologue if you haven't read it in awhile, just so that the epilogue makes sense) Is JK Rowling a goddess, or what?

-PenPatronus-

The Man Who Lives

"Dad?"

"Daddy, is that it? Is that all?"

Ron Weasley, husband and father,blinked his blue eyes and tears fell. He didn't know where they came but they landed on his knee next to Lily's cheek. Harry Weasley sat beside his sister, the Chocolate Frog Card of Harry Potter in his lap. Both pairs of eyes were wide and impatient. Ron looked at his oldest children, thought of his twin sons sleeping above them and of his brilliant wife, Hermione, no doubt holding Harbor's book. The book. That he had written so that Ron would never forget the lie he was supposed to tell the world, his family, his children. Ron stared into their eyes and doubted if he should tell "the truth," or what actually happened.

"Dad? What happened?"

"Yeah Ron, what happened?"

Ron's head snapped up at the ghost of a voice. Just inside their porch steps stood Harbor Rowling. He was aging, with soft hands and hunched shoulders, strained cheek bones and thin brown hair. Both Harry and Lily shouted Harbor's name and had him in a furious hug of Weasley love that lasted long enough for Ron to wipe the remaining moisture out of his eyes and sit up straighter on the couch.

"Hello Harbor." Hermione, in blue velvet robes and her hair pinned up, emerged from the staircase and over to Harbor who hugged her, kissed the top of her head.

Harry, never one to be distracted, turned back to his father. "So Dad, how does the story end?" Ron looked up at Harbor who nodded back and took Hermione's hand as Ron continued.

Ron took a deep breath and forced himself to say it: "Harry…Harry died that night. The green light that came from the bad curse was in him just too long…"

"Oh…" Harry Weasley frowned, his eyes back on the Card.

"I'm sorry you lost your friend, Mommy," Lily whimpered, snuggling against Hermione's thigh. Hermione's chin quivered a bit. She ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"Harbor did you know Harry Potter?" Harry asked.

Harbor looked at Hermione before he replied, "By reputation only, Harry." Ron snorted. "Now," Harbor continued, shooting a scolding look at Ron, "I believe I have some new godchildren to meet!"

Minutes later Lily and Harry took the Floo network to the Warren and Weasley family and food, and Harbor was upstairs leaning into a crib. "Which one is which?"

Hermione looked over his shoulder. "Remus has that birthmark on his neck, Remus Percival. And his brother is James Albus." Hermione said their names gently, as if they would hurt Harbor's ears.

Harbor looked up at her and a "Thank you" managed to come out.

But Hermione gasped and recoiled form him, "Harbor! Your eyes!"

"What?"

Hermione pointed him towards the mirror above the twins' crib.

Harbor looked up, and swore, "Oh bloody hell I forgot to take the potion." Harbor reached into the pocket of his robe and took out a flask. He flicked it into the air where it floated, muttered a few choice magical words and its lid unscrewed.

"Don't let that happen around the kids, Harbor," Hermione scolded. "And I hope you don't do Wandless Magic in public considering you're supposed to be a Squib."

"Of course I don't. Though it amazes me how Filch kept from letting it slip for all those years." Harbor sighed. "But, I don't want to get too rusty in case our Aurors get soft."

"Hey!" Ron grinned as he entered the bedroom. Harbor looked up and Ron stopped in his tracks at the sight of familiar green eyes. "Hey…"

Hermione crinkled her nose at the flask. "How can you stand drinking that stuff everyday?"

"Cinnamon, actually," Harbor said. "Accio!" A small salt shaker floated out of Harbor's other pocket in his robes and at a Wandless command, emptied its contents into the flask. "Polyjuice Potion actually isn't that bad with a bit of cinnamon."

"Is Evander bald by now?"

"His leg hair re-grows in a month," Harbor chuckled. Ron was still staring at him as if seeing a ghost. "Well, bottoms up!" Harbor shut his emerald eyes, grabbed the flask and tilted it into his mouth.

"Wait."

Harbor and Hermione both pivoted to Ron.

"Wait…please…"

Harbor shook his head. "No, Ron." He started to swallow the potion but Ron crossed the room and snatched it out of his head. He looked drained, pale. There were still traces of tears on his freckles, connecting each dot. Harbor stared at his friend and Ron watched as the last of the Lupin brownness left the green eyes. Harbor averted his eyes and moved to turn away.

Ron grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. "Someday I might tell that story and forget the real ending," Ron said in a hoarse voice. Harbor looked away, clenched his eyes shut. "Open your eyes, Harbor…Please. I miss seeing…please just once…" Harbor wrenched out of Ron's grasp and turned his back. He walked across the room and leaned wearily against the wall. One of the twins yawned in his sleep. Hermione reached out to take her husband's hand but Ron advanced on Harbor, whose back still faced him.

"The ranks of Death Eaters are swelling, Harbor," Ron raised his voice angrily. "Dad's having an emergency meeting first thing tomorrow morning with everyone—even who's left of the Order. There are rumors of some new leader, someone called Nefarious. This sounds big, Harbor…Voldemort sized." Ron watched as the Polyjuice Potion continued to wear off and reveal black hair beneath the brown. Ron took a deep breath. "We need you. We need you, H—"

Harbor turned slowly around. The body and face of Evander Lupin melted away. Hermione gasped despite her self-discipline.

Before them stood a skinny, pale, wrinkling man who looked as frail as that 11-year-old asking about Platform 9¾. Without the glasses on, his eyes looked even greener…and so sad.

"Harry…" Ron breathed through the tears in his voice. He had always had his friend…but to actually see him after so many years…

"Harry Potter is dead."

Ron took a step forward. "No, no!" You are Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, The Man Who Lives! We need you, Harry, stop hiding! I want—" Ron's voice broke. "I want my children to know you."

Harry flared up and yelled back, "The Boy Who Lived is dead! Just like you told your children!" He advanced on Ron, went right up to his best friend's face. "Just like Ginny!"

Just then the baby Weasley twins, whose eyes had opened at their father's voice, burst into double crying fits that would've deafened a Mandrake. Shocked, both Harry and Ron hurried to the crib and picked up the babies, Ron handing Harry's Polyjuice Potion to Hermione.

"Shh, shhh Remus," Harry soothed the child in his arms. Ron watched as his real best friend held his son, godfather holding the namesake of his own godfather.

James went quiet almost exactly when Remus did. Ron stared at his sons for a long moment before trying to speak again. "I've lied to my oldest children," he muttered, smiling at James to keep from glaring at Harry. "Can't I tell my youngest the true story?" Ron didn't wait for Harry's permission. He rocked James in his arms, who lay transfixed with his father's voice. Hermione leaned against the crib and smiled.

"You know what happened, James? After your big, strong, handsome Dad pulled Harry Potter out of the Veil, Harry, Sirius, your Mum and I all went to Grimmauld Place where your Mum cured and healed Harry! Yes she did, oh yes she did!" James giggled and swatted at Ron's long nose. "And your Mum made a Polyjuice Potion and Harry drank Evander's hair! Eww!" Remus cackled and flexed his fingers. "And we told everyone that Harry was in that Veil when it blew up and now he's parading around with a silly name being a stupid git and now you'll have to fight Voldemort's—"

"Ron," Harry growled. Hermione moved to wrap her arms around Ron while Harry turned his attention back to Remus who was reaching playfully for Harry's nose. Harry Potter smiled and dipped his face to accept the baby's touch. But Remus wasn't aiming for Harry's nose or chin or hair.

Remus stretched for his godfather's forehead, and his tiny fingers thumped affectionately against the lightning-bolt shaped scar. Harry froze. Remus stared at him, already loving the man just for holding him. Harry shifted baby Remus and gently wrapped the baby's fragile fingers around one of his own, brought them to his lips and kissed them. Then Harry met Ron and Hermione's eyes. His two best friends.

"One of the reasons I decided to fake my death was to protect you," Harry whispered. "It's not fair but it was for your own good—and for mine! It's for peace. If Harry Potter is alive then the Death Eaters have a target, and my friends would be in danger but now…" He rubbed his cheek across the centimeter of red hair on Remus' head. "…but...now my godchildren are in danger…"

Ron frowned. Was Harry actually considering coming out of hiding?

But then: "Accio!"

Before Hermione could react, the flask of Polyjuice Potion flew out of her grasp and Harry downed all of it before Ron could protest. Remus wasn't scared but giggled as Harry transformed back into Harbor: the black hair replaced, the green eyes turned to brown, the scar disappearing through bubbling flesh.

Ron hung his head, never more disappointed in his life. "Dammit, Harry…" His best friend was going to hide, from the world and from him, for the rest of his life...Ron felt defeated.

"Your family thinks I'm dead. Do you want me to give your mother a heart attack?" Harry asked in a deadpan.

Ron's eyes widened. He looked up, and Harry grinned.

"I think it would go better if we told them all first and then they watched the change, otherwise Molly might faint right into the Easter dinner."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "You mean you're…you're…back?"

Harry gleefully tossed the flask into the trashcan.

"Mum is going to kill you," was all Ron could manage. "And Dad…and my brothers, and Dean and—and Dobby…they really are going to kill you."

Harry grinned and lowered his face back down to Remus who nuzzled against his godfather's chest. They smiled at each other as if sharing an inside joke. "I can't hide behind…scars when I should do all in my power to protect you," he whispered to Remus. "And I will…I promise."

"And—oh—man if they don't kill you? This Nefarious guy is just going to weep like a baby when he hears you're alive," Ron sputtered, still trying to comprehend what was happening.

"You two do realize what day it is," Hermione said, tears in her eyes as she took James and headed downstairs.

"Easter." Ron snorted.

"What better time for a resurrection?" Harry laughed.

The three friends grinned: they'd just regained their childhood, their future and their children's future. They were together. For always.

The End/ Mischief Managed/ Finite Incantatem ;)