I do not own Harry Potter or gain anything from writing this other than the opportunity of expanding on an already brilliant universe for my own entertainment, and hopefully yours.

Epilogue

Harry Potter sat in his Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom early one Saturday morning, quietly marking a stack of homework assignments from his third year students about the different dark creatures that dwell in the Great Lake. In front of him sat a student grumpily answering a small pile of fan mail as part of her detention. Even after all these years, people still sent him bloody letters, mostly invitations to dinner or requests for private lessons from lonely witches. Apparently the fact that he was happily married wasn't a fact the general public cared much about, it was an extra frustration when he would receive those letters from former students. Thankfully he no longer had to deal with performing the meld himself on those he tutored privately though.

Normally he would have never had a student serve a detention in such a manner, it just so happened that Lily Potter was fairly used to these kinds of punishments. His darling second year daughter was spending far too much extra time in his office this year for conduct unbefitting a Hogwarts student. Too much of her grandfather in her, or else she spent too much time with her best friend, whose father was one half of the greatest pranksters in Harry's own time at school. Roxanne Weasley seemed keen to follow in her Uncle Fred's footsteps (not her father's as that would be too embarrassing) and Lily was altogether too eager to do the same.

It didn't help that Roxanne had an endless supply of pranking materials at her disposal. Harry tried to talk to George about cutting her off but the father of the up and coming prankster was far too proud to do so.

The professors quickly learned to separate the two of them during detentions though; any time the two best friends spent together was time they enjoyed, no matter how many cauldrons they scrubbed or lines they wrote. Even this current punishment would only be mortifying for Lily if she were alone, nothing like reading a load of poorly written love letters and unsubtle hints of marriage proposals about a girl's father to make her turn green. With Roxanne here the embarrassment would have turned to gleeful ammunition that Harry would have heard repeated as soon as his next class with them.

'Dad, this one sent you a pair of knickers.' Lily said in disgust.

Harry grimaced, floating the lacy undergarments in the air and torching them on the spot, then removing any potential contamination from his daughter's hands.

'That's Professor Dad,' Harry joked.

Lily just groaned and went back to her work.

Not that he would admit it to his daughter, but Harry was secretly pleased that she was receiving so many detentions. He didn't get to spend as much time as he liked with his kids as it was, any excuse to be with either of them for even a bit longer was worth it.

A tickle at the edge of his sensory spell had him pack up the rest of the homework to finish later, sweeping his wand toward his daughter for the remaining letters and what she'd finished so far to pile neatly on his desk. Lily scrunched her face questioningly but her unasked question was answered a moment later when the door swung open and a familiar witch with curly reddish-blonde hair walked in.

'Professor Potter!' Marietta Edgecombe called excitedly, pausing as she walked when she saw Lily seated there. 'Detention or daddy-daughter time?'

'Both,' Harry chuckled, coming around to give his old friend a hug. 'It's good to see you, Mary.'

Lily was up a second later to replace her father in hugging the family friend. 'Did you bring me any presents, Aunt Marietta?'

Marietta snorted. 'I heard about what you did with my last gift, you know. What makes you think I would support such retched behaviour?'

Even if Lily didn't have such a poor poker face Harry still would have caught the covert handoff of some unmarked package. He wondered if he was showing his bias for his own daughter by letting it slide but decided he didn't really care if he was.

'Looking forward to later?' Marietta asked Lily.

'You mean to watch James get thrashed?' she asked with an evil grin. 'Absolutely.'

'So little love for your own brother,' Marietta chided good naturedly. 'From what I hear James is the favourite.'

'That's what the Prophet says,' Harry said with a smirk. 'It won't be easy for either of them though. It's actually pretty close to a rematch of you and Luna.'

Marietta made herself comfortable on top of a desk, idly toying with one of the Ravenclaw diadem replicas that were now a key part of the curriculum.

'So why's he the favourite then?' she asked.

'Cause he's a Potter, obviously,' Lily said, rolling her eyes.

Marietta chuckled. 'It's not as if the Weasleys didn't get special treatment from your dad.'

'The press has always called James a prodigy,' Harry sighed. 'Poor boy works himself far too hard trying to live up to it.'

'Well he is a Ravenclaw,' Marietta said proudly.

Lily scoffed and snagged her diadem out of the grinning Marietta's hands, stuffing it in her bag while absently smoothing the red and gold tie she wore. Every student had their own diadem, or Educational Melding Crown (EMC) which they purchased from Diagon Alley before their first year. It was a useful tool that held limiters that were removed automatically over time. The rush of too much information could be harmful to younger students so the increase needed to be gradual.

Since its invention, Harry has only ever melded with his wife. Even his kids refused once they were old enough. They were very adamant at not wanting their father to see their minds, though Lily did allow her mother access occasionally.

'Who do you think's got the edge?' Marietta asked as she ruffled Lily's dirty blonde hair.

'Like I said, it's similar to you and Luna. James excels at chain manipulation and Victoire is simply a brilliant all around fighter … clever too. Though she hasn't used much of her real strength yet in the tournament.'

'Which is?' Marietta prompted.

'Evocation,' Lily piped up excitedly. 'Dad says she's more of a natural at it than even Professor Macmillian. Hasn't used a lot of it in the tournament and James expects her to go full tilt. Roxanne says Victoire even has a Link spirit!'

'Really?' Marietta asked, impressed, turning to Harry. 'Is that true?'

'Not my place to tell even if I knew,' Harry shrugged. 'I can say that if it is true she's the youngest ever to get a Link spirit, if you don't count me, which you shouldn't.'

'She'll be the thirteenth right?' Marietta asked.

'She would,' Harry confirmed. 'You and Luna were the only ones to achieve it before your twenties. If she did manage it … well, maybe she's the prodigy.

Marietta whistled sharply. 'To think someone could potentially be better than Luna …'

'Speaking of Luna,' Harry said with a grin, 'I should warn you that she's going to ask you for a rematch, it being the twentieth annual tournament and all.'

Marietta blanched, giving Lily an exaggerated grimace which made the girl laugh heartily.

'Think I'll pass on that,' Marietta said in a high pitched voice. 'Remind me not to tease her about being the uncontested champion of Ravenclaw until after the tournament.'

The Potters laughed good naturedly at her expense, not blaming her in the slightest for having a healthy dose of fear for Luna Potter. Even Harry was unsure if he would win a duel with his wife, not that he would ever try to. Luna had become hailed as one of the most powerful witches in the world, not to mention one of the brightest and the wealthiest. Harry and Luna made an obscene amount of money with the invention of the EMC's, not that they desired such wealth. It was handy for Luna's extravagant family vacations they had every summer though. Not to mention to fund the magical orphanages worldwide. They were so nice that Harry's even heard some students jokingly muse over murdering their parents just to be able to live in one of the glamorous orphanages.

'So, Aunt Marietta,' Lily said in a teasing voice, 'meld with anyone lately?'

Marietta let out a loud musical laugh at Lily's cheek and Harry rolled his eyes (not for the first time) at the mundane purpose such an incredible form of magic was being used. Nowadays people only melded when they were a couple, the new hip way of asking two people if they were going out was by asking them if they were melding.

After Harry's botch he'd committed to Hermione and Susan he tried to limit the amount he melded with multiple people and put all his efforts into creating the EMC's for mass production with Luna's help. Susan always complained that Harry chose Luna because the two of them never took time off melding because of that project. Add in the fact that during her seventh year, Luna was the only witch he was melding with on a regular basis and the rest was history. They fell thoroughly in love and married soon after Luna graduated. James Xenophilius Potter was born shortly thereafter, followed three years later by Lily Ginnerva Potter.

Ron had found a partner to meld with in Hermione and now Harry was teaching their daughter, Rose. Susan and Ernie Macmillian had shared a similar beginning and were happily married with a young son. Ginny had never learned to meld, which was just as well as she was with a man who couldn't handle the process anyway. Apparently Neville had a massive crush on Ginny since his fourth year and finally found the courage to come clean. The Herbology Professor won her heart with the help of an amazing floral display that, in Neville's words, was not even half as beautiful as Ginny. Harry had never seen his two friends happier.

Marietta on the other hand had been far too busy with her dangerous career to think of such frivolous things as romance and Luna was always trying to set her up with a friend of hers who was a magizoologist. Harry heard that she finally relented but didn't have any fresh information on that front.

'How I miss Hogwarts gossip,' Marietta said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. 'You should give your girl more lines for disrespecting her elders.'

'Don't worry,' Harry said with a dry look at his daughter, 'she's perfectly capable of getting punishments without any outside help.'

Lily smiled innocently and stood up with her bag.

'Is detention over then, Professor Potter?' she said in a sweet voice that made Harry want to extend the detention to summer break.

'Get out of here Lil's,' he said, squeezing her in a hug and planting a kiss on her head.

Lily squealed and giggled as her dad tickled her until she managed to break free and run for the door.

'Love you, Lily,' Harry called.

'Love you too, Dad,' she called back exasperatedly as she left the classroom.

Harry smiled after his girl, knowing he would be entertaining her for another detention soon.

'I almost died the other day,' Marietta said suddenly, making Harry turn sharply to her. 'My whole team almost went.'

Harry took a moment to study her face, making sure Marietta wasn't still worried for her life in some way.

'Well I'm even more glad to see you then,' he said seriously. 'What happened?'

'What we thought was a group of hags turned out to be a bunch of witches and wizards,' Marietta said with a grimace. 'We handled them but it was a close thing. Two of them … must've been students of yours.'

Harry cursed in a way he never would have done in front of his daughter.

'Do you have names?'

'No, sorry, Harry,' she sighed. 'They got away, dark robes and all that … saw one though. A wizard - had blonde hair and really blue eyes. Was pretty tall too … six and a half feet or so.'

'Could you tell how old he was?' Harry asked, already mentally going through who it might have been.

'Not really … twenties, I guess.'

Harry sighed, narrowing it down to a few most likely in his mind.

'You almost died?' he asked, waving his wand over her to ensure she was healthy.

'We were ambushed,' Marietta explained. 'Before we even knew what was happening we were tied in black rope. Then the long incantation for the Magma-Swamp spell was being intoned by two people. If it weren't for Chepi …'

Harry spun his wand in a tight circle and summoned the small blue dragon called Chepi. It launched itself immediately at Marietta, beating its four insect-like wings madly and wrapping the woman's arm up in a tight hug with its six stubby legs. Without another word, Harry rested his head against the dragons and melded. Melding with a spirit wasn't something that he taught, they were creatures that died once, to connect minds with the dead was risky.

Chepi was an intelligent creature, she knew what Harry was looking for and brought it to the forefront of her mind. Harry recognized both wizards who attacked Marietta immediately.

'I'll deal with them once term's finished,' Harry said darkly.

Marietta let out a long sigh. 'Sorry for bringing this to you, Harry.'

'Don't be,' he said easily, 'if anyone is using what I taught them for things like this then I want to deal with them myself.'

The two of them made their way out of class and toward the Quidditch pitch where the arena for the finals was set up and a handful of people had already arrived, lounging in their seats chatting excitedly for the upcoming spectacle. Victoire Weasley was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the arena, meditating with an EMC on her head, her parents waved to Harry from the crowd when they caught sight of him and Marietta went to join them.

'Ready?' Harry asked quietly, sitting down in front of Victoire.

'Yes,' she answered simply, her eyes were serious and tense when she opened them.

'Don't go easy on him just 'cause he's cute,' Harry teased.

She snorted loudly, swatting her Professor and pseudo uncle on the knee as some of the tension left her shoulders.

'Who are you rooting for?' she asked, smirking.

'That no one gets hurt,' he answered dryly, then looked at her seriously. 'Are you going to use him?'

'No,' she replied quickly. 'He's … dangerous. Don't think he could hold back.'

Harry nodded approvingly, he felt similarly about his own Link spirit. Victoire was the only one since him that was chosen by a humanoid. His Kritanta and her Titanus were fiercely strong but far too dangerous to bring out for something that was meant to be a friendly duel.

'Well good luck anyway,' Harry said, rising to his feet. 'I know you'll be brilliant.'

She nodded to him with a happy smile and returned to her meditation.

Harry next made his way into the Ravenclaw Quidditch change rooms. To his surprise his wife was inside sitting back to back with a boy everyone always said was the spitting image of his father, except for the eyes, he had his mother's silvery-blue-grey eyes.

'Don't ruin this,' Luna said quickly with a giddy smile on her face, 'I haven't been able to get him to meld with me since he was eight.'

'Wouldn't dream of it,' Harry chuckled in disbelief.

James didn't say anything, just kept his eyes closed and concentrated on whatever conversation he was having with his mother in their minds. Harry sat silently, watching them for a time before he decided Luna had things handled. He sat himself down near them and took some time to meditate until the show began.

'Ladies and gentlemen!' Harry intoned in a magically amplified voice, 'finally it's time for our main event, the finals of this year's Duelling Tournament!'

The crowd erupted in loud applause for the two champions standing at opposite ends of the arena. They watched each other with a quiet intensity as if the audience didn't exist.

On the sideline Harry saw Luna, Marietta and Fleur talking excitedly, their nerves not quite as obvious as Bill's, who was already watching through his fingers. Hermione and Ron were sitting beside them with Rose, Hugo and Lily. Next Susan Bones sat with her son Nigel and her Aunt Amelia. The retired Minister of Magic had her young grandson on her lap, who was bouncing happily, waving at his dad who was on duty keeping his Hufflepuffs in line. Then was Ginny and Neville with their two kids Alice and Frank, with Mr and Mrs Weasley beside them cheering uproariously for Victoire.

'From Gryffindor house, in her seventh year at Hogwarts, Victoire Weasley!'

The cheering from the Weasley clan got even louder as the crowd erupted once more but Victoire just kept her intense stare directed at her competitor.

'From Ravenclaw house, in his fifth year at Hogwarts, James Potter!'

The Weasleys didn't let up much but the caw of a raven made Harry glance over at his wife who had recovered her father's loud Ravenclaw flag, it only took a few waves for Lily to point her wand at it and silence it, making Marietta laugh uncontrollably as Luna pouted.

James did the same as Victoire, staring down the girl he had a crush on. Harry knew his son wasn't planning on pulling any punches, but who knows what would happen once the fight began. If he did, his loss would be a certainty.

'Fighters ready?' Harry called, they both nodded. 'Bow!' They did. 'Begin!'

As the next generation began their fight Harry took a moment to think of the two people who made everything that was happening here possible. Without the space Rowena Ravenclaw and Hezoch Peverell created what would the world be like today? Would Voldemort have succeeded in conquering Magical Britain and beyond? Would Harry have managed to defeat him anyway but had to sacrifice himself to do it? One thing Harry thought was a certainty, James wouldn't have been here now. Nor would Lily.

Thanks to their efforts there was peace and Harry could live his life one day at a time with the people he cared about, passing on the knowledge they gave him. According to Rowena they spent over two-thousand years together in that room, he spent more time with them than he could possibly spend with anyone else.

Harry stopped the fight as James' wand went flying out of his hands and into Victoire's outstretched one. The twin headed white wolf that was digging its fangs into James' arm stopped immediately to lick at the wounds they just caused. Victoire transferred Nova into him quickly so the wounds would heal immediately. Even through Harry's declaration of Victoire being the victor she was still hugging James all the while, crying and telling him he was a prat and she knew he was holding back. That is until James found his inner Gryffindor and pulled the older girl in a kiss, much to the amusement of the crowd apparently, and much to Victoire's approval.

Harry smiled down at his bold son, shaking his head bemusedly, glad that in these days, defeat was sometimes more worth it than victory.

THE END