Epilogue

"Major Weatherwight? The Queen will see you now." The secretary said.

"Major? No, I'm only..." but the man ignored him, and his commander was suddenly in front of him. Smiling like a loon. This couldn't be good.

Alex bowed better than any pureblood to his monarch and was clearly not expecting the small crowd.

"We have heard of your exploits at Hogwarts. The start that you have made of cleaning up a huge mess. Good work, major. Please, please keep doing so. For all our sakes. For the sake of the country, and all of the vulnerable citizens."

"Of course, Your Majesty. But I wasn't alone."

"No, you weren't. You had help of people who were worried about an orphan, and wanted him to have a better life too. The work is not done. When it is, I will publish the notification that Sirius Black is to be released from prison."

"But that's just his mirror, my liege!"

"Quite correct. A clever ploy. Should you need anything at all, send Us word. And you have the grateful thanks of your Queen. Your knighting ceremony will take place in a few months. Be sure to keep in touch with our Royal Wizard. He's going to retire in a decade or two. You might consider the post when he does. I have a feeling a good deal of your and your team's work will be done by then. Dismissed, major. And bless you."

She had a waiting servant turn over an exquisite box. The servant opened the lid of the box.

Alex Weatherwight bowed and accepted the gift given. There was an enchanted gold cup inside! It was Hufflepuff's Golden Chalice!

"How in the world?"

"Mr. Potter-Black arranged it. You may thank him and his goblin friends."

A completely overwhelmed and bewildered Headmaster and spy for Her Majesty was led away back to the entrance of the palace.

"What are you going to do about Harry Potter, if I may ask ma'am?" The head of the commandos asked.

"Nothing for now. That boy! Keep an eye on him. And one day We will likely give him a title. A real one."

Captain Burns bowed. He too would be keeping an eye on the boy as well. A close eye.

*****OO*****

Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys were relaxing/studying in the runic library tent's large living room. Quieter than the common room. Well, normally.

"Harry! You get back here right now!" Hermione shouted. "Now!"

"Look, I didn't know that would happen!"

"You could ruin the economy this way! Didn't you read history in school? The discovery of the New World and the impact on Spain?"

"Um, no, but you aren't listening to me!"

The girl put down her lethal weapon, well, her pillow, and pouted.

"I always listen to you, Black!"

"You know about the letter, right?"

"Where Goldrub wanted to meet you, and have you turn in your scrap metal bits. Sure."

"Hermione, I swear I didn't know! The goblins, they well, they didn't want the Sorcerer's Stone in the bank. They couldn't give it back to Dumbledore, they didn't trust him. And it wasn't his. Abeforth didn't want it. The stone that they gave Hagrid must have been a fake. But the goblins couldn't keep the real one either. That would be stealing. And Dumbledore always claimed in public I was his apprentice, and he was officially Flamel's apprentice. And Flamel doesn't use Gringotts, and they had no way to get in touch with him."

"So they gave it to you?"

"Yes, well, sorta. They put it in the moke-skin pouch. Without telling me." Harry explained.

"But your account manager told you to put metal bits in the bag?"

"Yep. And I did. A lot. Years and years worth of melted cauldrons."

"Harry! You blew up hundreds in a session. And you did it every night for weeks!" Hermione realized.

"And that's why Goldrub was laughing so hard. I go to Gringotts, and he's got these carts ready, and instead of ore…

"Gold. The Sorcerer's Stone turned all of that metal into gold."

"Yep. Gringotts normally mines gold. They put it all in the Black heir vaults. New vaults. And they will slowly turn them into new galleons. Priceless jewelry. Gold cauldrons. Slowly. We're not going to ruin the economy. Did I mention slowly?"

Hermione gaped.

"What happened to the stone?" she asked.

"Well, it wasn't as big as it had been, but there's still some of it. They don't want it in the bank, after all."

"Harry! Don't tell me you're going to continue to make gold?"

"Of course not! Well, at least not right away. All of the cauldrons are gone, after all."

"Black, I know that look. You're up to something! Spill!"

"Well, did you know what happens when said stone comes in contact with common glass?"

Hermione face-palmed.

Harry stole her pillow and ran a few steps.

"Gotcha!"

"Oh! You! You!" Hermione sputtered.

"You're in trouble Harry, she called you a 'You, You'. Fred said coming in.

"Hey, did Padfoot tell you his idea for the latest prank?" Harry asked, ducking Hermione's death glare, and her dodge for the pillow. "It's going to be epic."

"Please tell me that it doesn't involve Miss Smith this time. She's scary!"

"What? No! And it wasn't my idea to send her chocolates from Snape. I don't know where anyone got that idea. Fred first, then George pointed.

Hermione blushed.

"You? You came up with that? I just thought I was in love. Now it is confirmed. I, Harry James Potter-Black am completely in love with Hermione Granger."

"Good. Then you get to tell my parents that we're engaged when we get together with them at Christmas."

"Christmas? But that in just a few weeks! My new birthday is coming up. You wouldn't want to spoil that, now, would you Hermione? Huh? I'd like to live a little longer."

"Oh, Harry! My father is former military and friends with Captain Burns. You have nothing to worry about."

"Fred, George, help your brother out?"

"Of course, Harry. We'll write them a nice long letter. All about you. Dear Mr. and Mrs Granger. Harry Potter-Black is a pranking prodigy!"

"Percy! Ron!" Harry pleaded.

"Sorry Harry, studying for transfiguration. Wouldn't want McGonagall mad at me." Ron said.

Percy and Hermione together "Professor McGonagall"

"Her too!" Ron said. "But I would be happy to write a letter to them. I can tell them how well you do kitchen chores and such. And what a good cook you are. A real asset to any family."

"I'm doomed, doomed!" Harry complained.

Hermione kissed him, right on the lips.

Well, maybe not completely doomed.

*****OO*****

Finis

And they all lived happily ever after.