As many suspected, this story is reaching its natural end. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Hopefully, you'll enjoy my future stories too.

27 Summer and Epilogue

Sirius was waiting for them at the train station, along with the Grangers. Harry was glad to see none of the Dursleys there.

Hermione rushed into her mother's hug as soon as she spotted her parents. By the time Harry and Elsa joined them, Hermione was being hugged by her father and Jean was free to hug the two youngsters and look them over, just the way she had done with her daughter. She then smiled at them. "You all look well. Lord Black has already told us, but it's not the same as seeing you three happy and well."

Dave also hugged them shortly, seeming not quite sure of the right way to behave. "I'm happy to see you three," he then said.

Sirius waited for the Grangers to greet the children before joining in, hugging Harry and kissing Elsa's and Hermione's knuckles, making them giggle. As they all started walking out of the train station, he asked, "So, have you thought of what you'd like to do during the summer vacation?"

Hermione was the one who answered, sounding very serious. "Well, we're staying with my parents for this weekend and the next, and we have our summer homework to do. Then we should also visit the different Potter houses and see what we need to do about them. Elsa's parents expect us to visit for a week or two as well. Then we also need to work on our tan and catch up with our muggle school studies. Before returning to school we need to give a formal introduction ball. Do you think you can help us?"

Sirius seemed appalled at hearing all the things the youngsters had to do or should do. He failed to notice the glimmer of barely suppressed laughter in their eyes. "But… Don't you plan to have some fun too? It's your vacation, you know."

Harry could no longer keep serious. "Oh, we'll have lots of fun. All that 'need' and 'should' are not going to take us more than a few days, and doing it all together is also fun. Then, working on our tan on the beaches of the French Riviera is something I believe you would like to join, especially since we opt for nude beaches."

Sirius felt a bit shocked. "Nude beaches? Do you mean that these are not just some fantasy? I didn't think..."

"Just come with us to France. I'm sure you'll enjoy the views," Elsa told him teasingly.

"Oh, I will surely come along. Lily once told us about such beaches and planned to visit some, after Harry was a bit older, but I thought she was just teasing us," Sirius said.

"Just make sure to behave. You may look at them all to your heart's content, but no touching! Is that clear?" Hermione told him, sounding like a school teacher.

"Very clear, Lady Potter, and I trust you three to keep me on my best behaviour."

With the teasing over, Harry turned more practical. "Can you accompany us to the various houses we want to visit? I think you've visited at least some of them."

"Sure, Pronglet, although some may remind me of old times. I'll be glad to help in any way you need me. I know I'm not your guardian, but I'm still your godfather. You can't take that from me."

"And I would never dream of doing that. I may also need your help in planning the ball. Well, we first need to find the right place for it."

"Why? Potter Manor should be ideal for that. Your grandparents were known for throwing the best balls in there, a new-year ball and a summer ball. They would have been glad that you want to keep that tradition."

They were already going into the parking lot. Dave turned to Sirius. "I'm sorry, but we have no room in the car to take you with us now, but you're welcome to visit as much as you like. I'm sure Harry and the girls will love it."

Sirius smiled. "That's quite alright. I'll leave you to catch up with them this weekend. I can see them during the week when you're at work. I may even be able to help them with some stuff."

He said his goodbyes and left. The Grangers and the Potters reached the car, put their luggage in the trunk and took their seats. They still had some time to spend on the road before reaching home.

\/\/\/

At Hogwarts, Dumbledore was finally able to contemplate all that had happened during the school year. It was certainly an eventful year and he believed that Harry Potter was the cause of most of the events, even though not directly, in some.

It all started with Harry's ring heating whenever close to Scabbers. Dumbledore didn't think it would turn so spectacular when he offered his help. He might have not helped uncover Pettigrew, as that would have (and indeed, had) helped free Sirius, yet Harry's emancipation and lordship forced his hand. In retrospect, it was for the best. Harry was no longer under Dumbledore's influence, if ever he had been, and freeing Sirius didn't change anything significantly, concerning his plans for Harry.

And then, that "plague" killed all the marked Death Eaters. Albus was sad that Severus was also a victim of it, but that "plague" clearly didn't distinguish its targets according to deeds, only by the Dark Mark, and Severus was bearing one.

It took Albus some time after the "plague" until he understood what probably had happened. As Harry had told him, the goblins were working on destroying all the soul shards, as they referred to what he called Horcruxes. Evidently, they managed to destroy the last one that day. Since Voldemort didn't have his own body, he had nothing to still keep him on this plane of existence. He probably used the Dark Mark to suck as much magic and life from his followers in order to keep himself alive. Evidently, that wasn't enough, or some would have still lived. The most probable scenario was that Voldemort sucked them all dry and then his soul passed over too, having no anchor in this plane.

Although it was quite probable, Dumbledore didn't dare count on it. He would keep his eyes and ears open and attentive to any shard of information that might contradict this conclusion.

Still, with all the deaths and their perceived cause, he no longer considered the Triwizard Tournament necessary. Even if Voldemort somehow survived the "plague", he was certainly too weak and had no followers, so it would take him quite a few years before he could pose any threat. There was simply no need for such a dangerous event just to lure him. The Bulgarians would be relieved, after having lost the headmaster and two more teachers, and the French had accepted the idea very reluctantly. They would be content to cancel the tournament.

Dumbledore sighed. It looked like none of his plans was still relevant, but that was actually good. With the demise of the most vocal of the dark faction in the Wizengamot, there was a good chance for the light faction to take over and move the British wizarding world forward. It should be done slowly and cautiously to prevent any backlash, but it suddenly seemed doable. Of course, he'd need to work some new plans for that. He may even ask Lord Potter and Lord Black for their ideas. After all, he was already quite old and his time on this earth was limited, while they had a much longer future awaiting them.

Albus took some new parchments and started planning.

\/\/\/

The Potters had a fantastic summer. After staying at the Grangers they moved to France, taking Sirius along. It took the old dog a few days before he managed to control himself. Surprisingly, Claudette's allure did not affect him, while the other women, and even Emma, who was barely a woman, affected him quite strongly. That made Clo interested in the handsome slim stranger.

It took Sirius some time to come to terms with that. While he certainly liked Claudette, he considered her too young for him. After all, he was almost twice her age and she still had to finish school. Some talks with both her parents and also with the Potter trio made him change his mind. "I can feel that she's the right woman for me, despite her age. I only hope she won't get tired of this old dog."

Clo was quick to respond. "I've already met quite a few young men. I grew tired of them in a matter of hours or days, at most. We've been together for longer than that and I only feel the need to be with you even more. My magic has already chosen you as my mate, you know, so I can never grow tired of you. I only fear you'll grow tired of me."

Sirius smiled now. "I can't see that ever happening." He then frowned. "The only obstacle I can still see is the need to bring an heir to the Black line."

He gave it another thought and then smiled mischievously. "I made Harry my official heir a few days after he was born. If I have no male children, Harry will become Lord Black by default. Now that I think of it, that may be the best way to handle this."

He then turned to Harry. "Of course, by then, I hope you'll already have quite a few grandchildren. You could give one of them the Black line or let it merge with Potter. It will be your choice. It also means that I can marry Clo with no worry about succession."

He was rewarded by a tight embrace and a passionate kiss from Clo, who also added a wink as a promise for some private thanks a bit later.

That affected their plans for the rest of the summer, of course. Lord Sirius Black married Claudette DuValais just before the Potters returned to England and started preparations for the End-of-Summer Ball at the Potter Manor. The Black couple joined them a week later and both families, along with some more helpers, made sure that the Ball, which was also an inauguration Ball for all three Potters, would become a success.

The Black couple returned to France after the ball. Clo still had to finish her last year at Beauxbatons. The Potters spent a few more days at the manor before returning to Hogwarts for their fourth year.

\/\/\/

The rest of their school years passed quite normally for all three Potters. Elsa and Hermione had a friendly competition for first place in their year, usually ending in a tie. Harry was almost forced to excel too, usually taking the third place.

Ron became more and more distant. His lack of manners, his negative attitude towards studies, and his extreme jealousy didn't endear him to Elsa from the start and Harry reluctantly concluded that Ron wasn't even close to what a friend should be.

This didn't matter after the fifth year. Ron barely passed his OWLs and refused to continue his studies. With Ron not staying at Hogwarts, the little that remained of the friendship Harry had had for him vanished gradually. By the end of the seventh year, he barely remembered Ron as an acquaintance he once had.

Ron's position as a best friend was quickly taken by Neville Longbottom, who proved to be a real friend, loyal and faithful. With both his wives approving of this friendship, Harry knew it would hold for life.

Other Weasleys proved more worthy. Ginny, who was overwhelmed when learning that her idol got two wives, needed most of that year to come to terms with it, but then sought the Potters' company and became a real friend, who rejoiced in their successes and helped them whenever needed. Fred and George also proved worthy. Harry introduced them to Sirius, who gave them some more ideas and eventually became their partner in a joke shop.

\/\/\/

Dumbledore retired after Harry's fourth year. He thought he should have retired way earlier, only he needed that position to try and influence Harry. In retrospect, his plan was doomed from the beginning. Eventually, Harry vanquished Voldemort in a completely different way, and a much better one.

Without that plan to keep on track, he lost his interest in the position of headmaster. Instead, he offered to just fill in whenever a teacher was unable to teach. That allowed him to continue living at Hogwarts, use its extensive library for research and enjoy seeing the children grow into adulthood.

Even that couldn't keep his interest for long. By the time Harry finished his sixth year, Dumbledore retired from all public activity and moved back to his ancestral home in Godric Hollow, where he lived for a few more years before dying peacefully in his sleep.

\/\/\/

By the time the Potters finished Hogwarts, both ladies were already pregnant with boys. Three years later, Hermione had a girl, only a few weeks before Elsa brought Harry another boy. Four years later, they both brought girls. Harry thought that he already had a big enough family, but a year later, both ladies got pregnant again, bringing him boys, this time.

Sirius and Clo started their family earlier, as expected. By the time the Potters graduated, the Blacks had two girls, one of them only a month old. Five years later, they got an unexpected brother, making Harry a proud godfather.

Both families lived happily for many more years. Sirius reached a hundred and twenty-three years and died of heart failure when trying to sate his wife more than five times in one night. She died only a few weeks after his funeral.

Hermione lived to one hundred and fifty-seven. Harry took care of everything. When he stood at the tomb, he said, "You know I could never live without you, and I'm not going to change that. We shall soon be together again."

Indeed, two days later, he died in his sleep, still smiling, as if meeting a loved one.

Elsa said nothing at the funeral. Her house-elves found her dead in bed the next morning, her smile just like Harry's last.

The End