Never Alone

Epilogue:

Never Alone

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"Lupin-Malfoy-Snape, Cassidy!"

A thousand pairs of eyes locked on a young girl. Her golden hair shone in the light of the Great Hall, and her silvery eyes flicked with excitement, as she walked to the little stool and sat.

Some first-years, Muggleborns mostly, began whispering furiously as they heard three surnames on one person. The Purebloods, however, as well as everyone with older siblings in the school, just smiled and murmured to each other, "One of the Trio, you know."

Everyone in Hogwarts knew "the Trio," like the Lupin-Malfoy-Snape triplets were known. They'd lived most of their lives in the ancient castle with their fathers. They knew every corridor better than Filch himself and had found their way to every secret room and hall. They'd also been the targets of infinite spoiling from most of the castle's female, and partly even male population, being all too adorable for their own good.

Now they were at last attending to the school as students, and did it make their fathers happy.

Remus leaned back in his chair. It was different from all the other chairs around the Staff Table. It had a back long enough for him to rest his head against it, and it was stuffed like an armchair, so he'd be comfortable sitting in it for long times. On both sides of it, two shining wheels of magical power were now stopped, but would be spinning around as soon as he had to move from the table.

When the triplets had been five years old, Remus, too, had attempted pregnancy after hearing of another male werewolf carrying a baby to full term. Unfortunately, he had had no such luck. He had struggled through the first five months of pregnancy full of complications and dangers. Seven times he'd almost miscarried, but every time he'd managed to keep the baby.

Then, however, as he'd been five months to the pregnancy, his body had at last decided to give up. Severus and Lucius had spent the two most terrifying days of their lives in a waiting room at St. Mungo's, waiting for any message about Remus's life or death. The triplets had been sent to stay with Kingsley, not informed about the graveness of the situation. Being children of three very smart men, however, they'd figured out themselves what was going on, and spent their time at their godfather's mostly crying for their Daddy.

At last, there'd been a change: Remus would survive. The baby was lost, and he could never even try carrying a child again, but the most important thing was that the werewolf himself was well and safe.

The unfortunate pregnancy had left its traces, however. Remus tired very easily, and since he still had some trouble walking steadily by himself, they'd decided that it'd be better if he moved around in a magical wheelchair. Severus and Lucius took good care of him, though, and Dumbledore had given him the position of the Arithmancy professor as Professor Vector had retired the same spring. Therefore, he could live a happy, full life even though his body was damaged.

"SLYTHERIN!" the Hat yelled. Cassidy took it from her head, standing and walking to her new table. She was welcomed with cheers from her new housemates, who knew her reputation as a daughter of the two most Slytherin-y men of the last century or so, excluding Voldemort himself.

McGonagall scanned down the list, then called out the next name.

"Lupin-Malfoy-Snape, Silvia!"

Another girl, this time with platinum blonde hair and warm black eyes, sat down, waiting for Professor McGonagall to put the Hat on her head. The hat hid her face for only a second before shrieking, "RAVENCLAW!"

The three proud fathers clapped their hands, not the tiniest bit surprised by the Hat's decision. Silvia had always been the cleverest of their children. Her pretty nose was often stuck inside a book, and she already knew more charms and spells than many fifth years. She knew the absolute zero of curses and hexes, though. Lucius and Severus were determined to protect their children from their dark past, and Remus, fearing that his Dark nature as a werewolf might affect his children, was no more eager to introduce them to the Dark.

Silvia shot up from the stool. She walked to join her new housemates, who were welcoming her with happy waves and smiles. All the older students knew her already, and they also knew that she'd definitely deserved her place in the House.

"Lupin-Malfoy-Snape, Sirius!"

A boy this time, with jet-black hair and a mischievous grin on his face, walked to the stool and sat. The Deputy Headmistress placed the Hat on his head. For a moment, everyone fell silent again.

Then, the silence was broken. "GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat cried out.

Young Sirius took it off his head and stood up, glancing towards his fathers. They were all smiling broadly at him, equally proud of him despite his House. Not that it'd surprised them - even though Silvia had always been the book-smart one, the brave part of Remus's character had for sure fallen to their son. He was afraid of nothing, and had quite a few times almost got himself killed with his stupid encounters with things like the Giant Squid, the roof top - or rather the edge of the roof - of the Astronomy tower, and a couple of vampires and various other beasts in the Forbidden forest. Fortunately, both his protective fathers and Lycanthrope blood did a fairly good job keeping him alive.

For a moment, Remus almost thought he was seeing the same boy as he'd seen almost forty years ago skipping towards the Gryffindor table. The same black hair, the same mischievous grin, the same self-confident attitude. The same name, even.

Then the candlelight touched Sirius's eyes, making them shine golden.

"Damned you may be," Remus muttered quietly to himself, "but loved nonetheless." He didn't know whether he was saying it to his cheating ex-lover or his son, but it didn't really matter. The past, the present, and the future - it was all the same to him at the moment.

Then he felt a hand on his arm, and another on his other arm, and he knew that no matter what would the future bring to him, no matter how difficult the present seemed to be, and no matter what memories the past would throw on his way, he wouldn't face them alone.

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THE END

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