Epilogue

There were days at the beginning of those last six months when I truly thought they had got it wrong. I thought she would survive and prove them wrong. She had defied the odds so many times before, after all. All in all, my Ariana - my wife - had never seemed so well in herself or sound in her mind. She sang when she got up in the morning, chased our small daughter about the garden and remained affectionate and loving. I don't think I was ever so besotted with her.

The first two months were nothing short of blissful. I don't think even I noticed the days as they rolled over our heads. I went to work, and we lived a normal family life for a time, just as she had wished us too. I came home to find she had cooked my dinner. It felt weird, when every other woman I knew - Ginny, Hermione, Luna - was planning a career to be married to a girl who wanted nothing more than to stay home and take care of me. But that was the age she had been brought up on. And truly, I knew it was her heart's desire.

I said nothing about it.

In the middle of our third month together I came home to find her with Albus and Aberforth who she had to called to come over. She had been unwell in the day and unable to pick up Alice when she had cried - our daughter had grown too heavy for her weakened mother. And so for the following few weeks that I waited for her brothers to arrived before I left her to go to work.

But it was about this time I begun evidence of what the Healers had said. She struggled to get out of bed - took longer to dress; stopped eating so much. She got frustrated when she had to do everything the muggle way, but there was no magic left in her. Then I only worked in the morning - then just an afternoon. I wanted to spend more time with her. Whereas she would have vehemently protested in the early months, she soon relented as time wore on. Every second was precious. We watched Alice play while she lay on the sofa holding my hand lovingly. I knew she was drifting away from me.

A week before she died, she said goodbye to Alice, not wanting her to see her deteriorate further. She was unwell - even our then two years old knew it. She kissed her, promised to watch over her and reminded her to be a good and dutiful daughter to me, as well as a loving niece to her uncle's. Then Alice went to stay with the Weasley's. My child would never see her mother's face light up when she came into the room again.

Between myself, Aberforth, Albus and Sirius we made sure she was comfortable in her final days. Ron and Hermione also helped. She was confused and dazed, but at other times she knew where, and who she was. She knew us too. And at the end, she kissed us all, called us by our names, smiled, reassured of us of her love and drifted away into an everlasting sleep that no madness could disturb.

I don't know or recall what happened next. The next week, month, year were the most horrible blur. The love of my life up till that point was gone. She had bounced back so many times before. That illness should at last defeat her seemed impossible. I lowered her into the ground with her brothers and Sirius by my side, our daughter in her godmother's arms.

It rained the day of the funeral.

Then – nothing.

One day, a storm swept through the village. The next day an owl came from the ministry. They wanted me to return to work… and I didn't feel angry that they wanted my life to go on without her in it. On the contra, I was ready to re-enter the world of the living. I could not live in my grief. I returned to it, and I remember it, but grief does not define the living.

I recalled what she said to me about Aberforth the night of our wedding. She was right. I had to go on.

Not so long after that I went to Ron and Hermione's own wedding.

I was standing in a corner with Sirius when I heard Alice start crying and then quite suddenly stop. Ginny in her bridesmaid dress had gone to my daughter's aid again, but Alice still asked on for me. So Ginny picked her up and put her on her hip. She walked towards me.

And the colour of her dress?

Lilac…

-

"Come on, you two, stop it. It's your sister's big day!" said Ginny, comforting her children as they cried. Thank god Lily Luna was only a few months and didn't understand.

James and Albus did know what was happening though. As did Teddy, who would be following in Alice's footsteps the very next year.

"But I want to go with her!" James declared making Albus nod vigorously in agreement.

"Well you can't. At least not yet." she said as she turned her attention to the girl she thought of as her daughter even if she had not given birth to her.

"You never get the first year back, so you enjoy it. And we'll write to you, ok? Three letters a week, yes?"

Alice nodded. "Thanks mum."

Of course, she knew Ginny was not really her mother. But she had always been there. She loved her mother and respected her memory, but she loved Ginny too.

"Enjoy it." she said again as Alice turned to her granddad.

"Come here then, my little Gryffindor."

"Don't curse me!" insisted Alice.

"Oh you are going to have no trouble getting in to Gryffindor, don't even worry over it kid." said Sirius as he drew her close. "Me and dad put a surprise in your truck. Hope it comes in useful." he said kissing her once more as he let her go.

She gave him a quizzical look. In response, her granddad only winked.

Going over to Ron and Hermione, she kissed them and embraced both. While Hermione told her she was to study hard, Ron told her that she was to follow in her father's footsteps and get on the Quidditch team in the first year. She replied that she would try and that she would. They were left confused as to which response was to which question.

She kissed her siblings into turn and embraced, her best friend, Teddy Lupin.

"See you at Christmas." he nodded.

Turning to her father, she let him take her hand as he led her to the train. Normally she get embarrassed at him holding her – she was all grown up now at eleven, but she didn't think she cared just then.

Harry bent down and shook his head in gently disbelief. "When did my Alice Lily get so big and beautiful?"

She felt her eyes go hot and shrugged. Harry brushed her hair behind her shoulders before looking into those big blue eyes.

His child would never know how like her mother she truly was.

"I have a gift for you," he said as he reached into his pocket and took out a small stuffed grey goat. The toy looked old, but not neglected. It had been well loved by its previous owner. "This belonged to your mum. She was holding it first time I ever saw her. Don't doubt she that she would be proud of you. Ally, she loved you so much."

Taking the toy, she felt a smile spread over her face. It was as if she was taking a part of her mother with her.

"I wish she was here."

"So do I baby, so do I." he nodded. The two embraced, breathed one another in and he kissed her head. He couldn't believe she was going to be away for three whole months! They hadn't been separated for that long since he had gone searching for the Horcruxs."I love you, and so does she. Christmas will come real soon." he promised. "And remember, you'll see Uncle Aberforth tonight. He's persuaded old McGonagall to let him have a seat at the head table. He'll be there when your sorted." she nodded, more confident now she knew her beloved uncle would be present when she put on the hat.

"I love you dad."

"I love you too. Now scoot kid. It's nearly eleven."

With one last look at her family, she waved and got on board the train. Hogwarts was waiting.

Later that evening, for the first time since she was baby, she re-entered the Gryffindor Tower.

This was where her granddad Percival had studied. This was where Uncle Albus had read. This was where Lily and James had fought. This was where the Marauders had plotted.

It was where her parents fell in love.

She had come home.

Going up to bed that night, she opened her trunk. The first thing she did was put pictures of her family up, including one of her, her father and the three Dumbledore siblings at her parents wedding. That was her favourite one, for she was in her mother's arms.

Searching for what Sirius had meant, she soon came across he had put in her trunk.

She should have known; she had certainly hoped that when the time came it would pass into her keeping …Going over to the bed with the old bit of parchment, she pulled out her brand new wand, pointed it to the parchment and grinned.

Alice Lily, daughter of Ariana and Harry, proceeded to make that immortal oath for the first time. It had been near an entire decade since one of the descendents of the Marauders had been at Hogwarts. Then, with a smile on her face and with hope in her heart, Alice solemnly swore that she was up to no good.

The End.

Author note: I hope you liked the ending. I feel it was the right one. As much as I would have loved for Ariana to have grown old with Harry, I think what she did to Kendra would have eaten away at her. In a way she did get her fairy tale ending. She had a child and married the man she loved, was freed of the magic that tormented her and was then reunited with her parents. In my head, she's resting peacefully now.

As for the others, Harry married Ginny (but loves her differently to how he loved Ari, not less – just differently). They had the kids, earlier than in Canon as they already had Ally. Aberforth is at the pub with the goats, having very slowly recovered for Ari's death – he now dotes furiously on Ally instead. Albus was right – he died a year after his sister, having made his peace with her. Sirius remained as close to Harry as ever, but also helped his cousin raise Teddy.

So there could possibly be a few one shots or a mini fic about Andy/Teddy/Sirius. I think it'd be fun.

As I said, I hope you are as satisfied with the end as I am. I like leavings things on a high – and Alice having the map left me happy, she now has an entire castle to explore and lessons to attend. I think she would grow up into quite a cool little witch.

Anyway, now I'm prattling on. I feel rather emotional about the ending. This story has been two years and a day in the making. I don't think I have got attached to any story as much as I did this one – it was my first plot bunny after DH. Suffice to say, I shall miss it very much and expect to return to the Dumbledore's in the future.

But for now, I'm going to give them a break.

Lastly, but most importantly, thank you all without exception for reading and reviewing. It has been much appreciated and you guys made the story for me. I humbly ask for a last review, for the ending.

Once again a huge thanks to you all.

Cuddles and Cookies,

Jess.