AN: Wow, we have come to the end of this journey. And I say journey, because it was one for me, for the characters, and hopefully for you, the readers, too. Thus, many thanks to everyone who has accompanied me to this point, and special thanks to my beta reader Verlor, who has checked all the chapters since chapter 13 (over 225,000 words in total)! Even if the quality has probably not always been consistent, I'm very proud to have finished such a long story, and I also think that my writing style has improved over the course of the last year. Regarding the future: I definitely have ideas for more stories, but unfortunately I now have a lot less time to write. So unfortunately I cannot say when there will be something to read from me again. Anyway, here is a short epilogue for our two birds and monsters (I prefer the first option). Cheers! :)

Epilogue

A light breeze played with Daphne's strands as she let her gaze slide over her surroundings, water shimmering red in the light of the setting sun. It wasn't the sea she had thought of so many years ago when she and Harry had seen the shooting stars in the Room of Requirement. Even so, all her wishes had come true, the pain and despair from her previous life long forgotten.

Lost in thought, she stroked her bulging belly before she suddenly felt a wet dog's snout on her hand, bringing her back to reality. Smiling, she looked at their German shepherd, Fang, who did not leave her side since she was pregnant again. It was her first pregnancy that Fang witnessed, and she was deeply moved by his behavior.

Then Daphne heard shouts behind her. She turned around to see Harry stepping out of the house with their four-year-old daughter Lilian on his shoulders, both waving at her. A cozy warmth spread inside Daphne, while she smiled happily at them, the people she loved and by whom she was loved, her family. Moments like these made her wonder why on Earth she had once thought that life was not worth living.

When Harry stepped next to his wife, noticing her dreamy smile, he returned it from the bottom of his heart. However, before he could say anything, a shrill voice rang out over his head.

"Daddy, daddy," Lilian called, "put me down."

Laughing, Harry followed his daughter's instructions and put her down, where she immediately began to play with Fang, squealing with joy. Harry then turned back to the beaming Daphne.

"You were gone so suddenly," he said while kissing her gently on the lips.

"The sunset was just so beautiful," Daphne replied. "I wanted to see it from outside. And I have the feeling that the smell of the sea calms our son."

"You think it's going to be a boy?"

"Of course, we still need a cute little Harry Junior."

"All names except that, please!"

They both laughed amused when a sudden tail of light lit up the sky.

"There, a shooting star," said Harry, pointing to the falling star that was burning up in the sky. "Make a wish, Daph."

"I can't, Harry. I'm perfectly happy."

Smiling, Harry wiped a strand of hair from Daphne's face, around them laughter, dog barks, and the sound of the waves. "So am I, Daph," he said. "So am I."

Indeed, everything was perfect.

The End