Trinity

Epilogue

Miriam

Sydney International Airport was a veritable hive of activity. There were people coming home from overseas, others leaving for Circe only knew where, others seeing off their family and friends, and of course those present merely to soak up the atmosphere.

I myself fell into the third category.

Sarah, Taylor and I stood near one of the two immigration areas on the departures level of the airport - it was essentially the point of no return, because once the two of them went through passport control they wouldn't be able to come back. Not being in possession of a boarding pass or a passport, I couldn't see them off at the gate, and therefore I had to say my farewells now.

Quite a bit had happened in the week since school ended. The three of us, to celebrate the end of Grade Eleven, and to properly celebrate our coming-of-age - sad to say, getting buzzed on St. Patrick's Day hadn't really been much of a celebration - had paid a visit to Luna Park. Everyone outside the Australian magical community thought that the Sydney icon had closed down for good, but the truth was that the New South Wales Muggle government had handed ownership of Luna Park to the Ministry of Magic. It was great for a day out, especially considering that the entry fee was so low - on the day we had visited, it had only cost us two Galleons each. That had given us both unlimited rides until the park had closed for the night.

"I can't believe how hard this is," I said quietly. It was as if it was only yesterday that the three of us had been reunited, after seventeen long years of separation, and now...we were being torn apart once more. But it was different this time. I knew now that I had family out there in the world. I was no longer alone.

"I wish we could stay longer," Sarah said, sounding completely sincere. "But..." She shrugged. "Our visas are going to run out if we do, so..."

"Yeah, I know. I wouldn't want you to get deported, anyway." I looked at Taylor. "You're quiet," I noted.

"Thank you very much, Captain Obvious," he retorted, before giving a shrug of his own. "I just...this year's just gone by so fast. I didn't get to do half of what I would have liked to do."

"You could always come back for a visit after you've graduated," I suggested. "I might even be out on my own by that time, so you could stay with me - even if I'm not, I know my mum and dad would love to have you both stay over again."

Sarah gave her watch a quick glance. "We'd better go," she said. "The line's bound to be a mile long by the time we get there."

"Yeah, all right," Taylor said. He sounded extremely reluctant, and I could hardly blame him. He and Sarah had been well and truly bitten by the travel bug, and I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up back here for a holiday at some point in the future.

"Both of you, owl me as soon as you can when you get home," I told them as I embraced first Sarah, then Taylor. "Merlin, I'm going to miss you two," I whispered. "You have no idea how much."

After they walked together through to Immigration, I went to a nearby café and ordered an iced chocolate and a boysenberry muffin. I sat there in the café for nearly an hour, before deciding it was high time I started thinking about going home. I passed by the windows on the tarmac side of the terminal on my way, pausing and looking out just in time to see a Qantas Longreach 747 jet taxi down the runway and take off into the wide blue yonder. Only then did I let the tears that had been building up all day stream down my face, and I collapsed into a nearby chair.

When my tears had subsided, I fished around in my backpack and pulled out a clean tissue, and used it to mop up the mess that was my face, before rising to my feet and heading for the nearest Apparation point - and home.

* * *

Taylor

Sarah and I were two of the first people to disembark in Los Angeles a couple of days later. As we emerged into Arrivals with our suitcases and backpacks, I spotted two very familiar people standing near the bank of monitors that displayed information about every incoming flight that was due to arrive at the airport terminal.

"Mom!" I yelled. "Dad!" Dropping my backpack on the floor, I pushed my way through the crowd to where my parents stood. My mother was the first to catch me up in an embrace.

"Oh Taylor, honey, we missed you so much," she whispered. "Thank Circe you're all right; we were so worried!"

"I'm fine, Mom," I assured her. "I missed you too."

My father was next. He eyed me, arms crossed over his chest, while I stood before him, hands jammed in the pockets of my jeans. We held eye contact for what seemed like ages before he spoke. "Glad to be back?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," I replied deferentially.

"Looking forward to going back to Amargosa?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

Dad eyed me a little longer, before smiling. "It's good to have you back, Taylor," he said before pulling me into a short embrace.

When I had been released, I beckoned to Sarah, who bent down and picked up my backpack before bringing it and our luggage trolley over to where I stood with my parents. "Mom, Dad, this is Sarah Abernathy, one of my classmates this year. Sarah, my parents," I said by way of an introduction after I had taken my backpack from Sarah.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Chambers," Sarah said politely as she held out a hand.

"Sarah, please, it's Wayne and Susan," Mom told her as she shook Sarah's hand, before letting Dad do the same. "And the pleasure's all ours."

"There's something else you should know," I added. "Sarah wasn't just one of my classmates this year." I glanced at my sister. "She's my triplet sister."

The surprise that my parents felt upon hearing my little revelation was more than evident on their faces. "Your sister?" Mom asked. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I'm absolutely positive. Sarah has Precognition, and she saw that we're related. Our sister is back in Australia."

My parents took my news a lot better than I thought they would. "Well, as long as you're happy, then that's all that matters," Mom said. "Ready to go home?"

I nodded. "You've got no idea how ready I am."

Dad laughed. "Sarah, would you care to join us?"

Sarah shook her head. "I'd love to, but I can't. I have to catch a flight to New York in about an hour, and I still need to check in. But thank you for the offer."

I turned back to Sarah as my father unloaded my gear from the luggage trolley. "I guess this is it," she said quietly.

"Hey, it's not forever, you know," I reminded her. "At least we know each other now. And we can owl each other if we want to talk."

"That's true," Sarah said. "You will owl me, right?"

"You and Miriam both."

The two of us hugged one final time. "I really am going to miss you," she whispered. "I mean it."

"I know; I'm going to miss you too."

We broke apart, Sarah wiping her tears away with a sleeve of her jacket. "Owl me as soon as you get home, all right?" I said to her. "I want to see Ariadne waiting for me on my windowsill."

Sarah managed a small smile. "I promise." She gave us a small wave as she headed off into the crowd.

Mom snaked an arm around my shoulders and gave me a smile. "Come on, Fletch," she said. "Let's get you home."

* * *

Sarah

I craned my neck as I emerged into Arrivals at Heathrow Airport, London, looking for the familiar faces of my family. I was so unbelievably glad to be back in England - Australia was a wonderful place, but I had longed all year for all the things that made England what it was. Bad food, dreadful weather, and my family.

"Sarah!" I heard my mother call, and I looked to my left. There stood my entire family - my mum, my dad, my sister and my brother. I'd never been so glad to see them in all my life. I turned in their direction and pushed my way through the crowd, giving anyone who wouldn't move a sharp jolt in the backside as I went.

"Hi everyone," I said when I had reached them.

Maggie looked up from her Gameboy and eyed me. "You sound funny."

"Margaret!" Mum scolded, using Maggie's full first name. "Be nice to your sister!"

"But she does!" Grant piped up. "Did someone hit you with an Accent-Switching Jinx or something?"

"I've been in Australia all year, you pillock," I retorted. "Of course my accent's changed."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'," I shot back. I sighed and smiled at my parents. "Now I'm definitely home," I joked.

Dad laughed. "That you are." He stepped behind me and picked up my suitcases. "Let's get you home."

"I'm not going to say no to that," I said, eliciting laughter from my family. "I'm starving; can we have curry for dinner?"

"Of course; anything you want," Mum replied.

At home, I went straight up to my room, my suitcases and backpack floating behind me, and I smiled. My room hadn't changed a bit - it looked just like it did every time I came home from Hogwarts. Moving out of my bedroom doorway, I directed my suitcases and backpack onto my bed, unzipped them with a flick of my wand, and set about unpacking them. That done, I Transfigured my suitcases back into my trunk, slid it under my bed, and headed downstairs, my laundry hamper trailing along behind me. I deposited it in the bathroom before heading to the kitchen.

It was just like 'old times'. Mum stood at the stove, stirring a pot of curry; my brother and sister kept darting in and out of the kitchen, and I could hear the television blaring. I stepped up beside my mother, grabbed a wooden spoon and tasted the sauce. "Perfect," I decided.

"Did you have fun in Australia?" Mum asked me as she added some snow peas to the curry.

I nodded. "It was amazing."

"Well, as long as you had a good time, that's all that matters." She pointed to the metal canisters that stood in a cluster next to the microwave. "Can you cook some jasmine rice, please?"

"Yeah, of course," I said, moving from my mother's side.

That night, I pulled my journal from my desk drawer and rifled through my pencil tin, looking for a pen that actually worked. Finding a blue ballpoint with only half an inch of ink left, I decided it would have to do, and I opened my journal to an empty page.

Well, I've made it back to England in one piece and unscathed. So much has happened this year, but one thing stands out in particular.

I found my family.

I have a triplet brother and a triplet sister - Taylor and Miriam. Miriam lives in Australia and Taylor is American. I found my siblings, and I got to spend a whole year with them. It made an already good year even better. I don't know if we're going to try and find the rest of our family - I know I want to, but I'm going to ask the two of them what they want to do before I make any decisions.

I'm definitely going back to Hogwarts after Christmas. I'm of age, yes, but I haven't finished my education yet. I still have to take my N.E.W.T.s before I can say that I'm truly done with school. I won't be able to go into seventh year straight away, but I have a good base of sixth year work to refer to. The rest of sixth year will be unbelievably easy. At least, I hope it will.

I need to owl Miriam and Taylor before I go to bed. I promised both of them I'd let them know I got home safely. Ariadne's going to have a lot of work ahead of her, that's for sure...

I put my journal away and quickly wrote two letters, one to each of my siblings, letting them know I was home and safe, and asking them to write back soon. When Ariadne had soared out of my bedroom window, I sat back down at my desk and opened the folder that sat before me. Inside was my graduation certificate. I read the inscription on it to myself, smiling.

This certifies that

Sarah Elizabeth Abernathy

of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

has completed Grade Eleven studies at Southern Cross Academy of Elemental Magic.

It was dated December fifteenth, 2000, and had both the school crest and the emblem for Atitjere House printed on it.

I closed the folder, making a mental note to get a frame for my certificate the next time I went shopping, and got up from my desk. And as I changed for bed, I sang to myself.

"Here's to the night we felt alive...here's to the tears you knew you'd cry...here's to goodbye...tomorrow's gonna come too soon..."