Closure

It was a warm afternoon at the Potter residence in San Diego and Harry, his wife Sandra and their

three lovely children (Sirius James, Ronald Bilius, and Virginia Hermione) were having a barbecue

with a few neighbors. The children were entertaining them by juggling and talking to Uncle Steven's

pet boa Earl. The ribs and chicken were going around for the fourth time when suddenly--

"Hey!" Sirius pointed to the sky. "Check this out!"

The others looked up and saw, to their amazement, what looked like a flying motorcycle coming in

for a landing at the base of the sundeck near the grill. The two occupants were wearing leather jackets,

jeans and motorcycle boots, their eyes covered by goggles. However, Harry noticed that one of the

riders had very familiar, mid-back length, flaming red hair. The other's hair was gray and cut close, but

the trim moustache was black as coal. They removed their goggles and looked at Harry with amused

smiles. The woman's elfin features were generously decorated with freckles and her gentle eyes were a

rich chocolate brown. The man's dark eyes glimmered with mischief as he regarded Harry warmly.

"Oh. My. GOD!" Harry gasped in shock. "Sirius? Ginny? What are you doing here?"

"Hullo, Prodigal Godson," the older Sirius smirked. "How long has it been?"

Ginny just stood there, looking at Harry with longing, loving eyes.

"Ginny? How've you been?"

The youngest Weasley sibling said nothing for a few long moments. Suddenly, she walked forward and

wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, planting a long, wet, and passionate kiss on the startled wizard's

lips, eliciting a chorus of applause and wolf whistles, including that from the children.

"Hey, bitch!" Sandra barked angrily. "Excuse you!"

"Way to go, Dad!" Virginia giggled. "Ex-girlfriend?"

"Uh, Ginny?" Harry gently pulled his head away. "I'm married?"

Ginny let go and offered her hand to Sandra, smiling warmly, though a little sadly.

"Sorry about that," she stated. "I'm Ginevra Longbottom; formerly Weasley, but you can call me

Ginny. I was a year below Harry at Hogwarts. Forgive the display: it's been nearly twenty years since

I've seen him."

"Which is why you're molesting him?" Sandra smiled acidly as she shook the witch's hand. "Sandra

Potter. The children got their letters yesterday by owls. I've heard of messenger pigeons, but not

messenger owls. I didn't even know they flew during the day. So I take it this Hogwarts is a real school?"

"Very much so. Sirius and I were sent as reps to help them adjust to being witches and wizards."

"Curious my husband never mentioned it, being a wizard himself, though he rarely practices magic."

"He grew very disillusioned with the Wizarding World and thought it best to just leave it behind and start

fresh here in the Muggle world."

"Is that what we are?" the younger Sirius put in. "Wizards and witches? Is that why we can talk to Uncle

Joe's pet boa?"

"More Parselmouths?" The older Sirius' eyebrows arched skywards.

"Parselmouths?" Ronald chirped in confusion. "What are Parselmouths?"

"People who can talk to snakes. One of the school's founders, Salazar Slytherin, could talk to them.

So could a wizard named Lord Voldemort, who is long dead, thanks to your dad here."

"Your dad's a Parselmouth as well," Ginny smiled at Ronald. He looks almost exactly like Ron.

"Well," Harry interjected. "Where are my manners? Sirius, Ginny, this is my lovely wife of almost twenty

years, Sandra, and my three children. Their names are Sirius James, Ronald Bilius and Virginia Hermione.

Sandra, kids, this is Sirius Black, my godfather. She already introduced herself, but this is your godmother

Ginevra Longbottom."

Ginny's eyes began to moisten as she stared in Harry in disbelief. From the end of Harry's fourth year to

the end of his fifth, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Cho Chang had gone undercover for the Order of the

Phoenix, pretending to be new recruits for Voldemort's Death Eaters. Harry had been abducted from

Hogsmeade Valentine's Day weekend and, for seven months, was systematically tortured, raped and

otherwise humiliated by the Death Eaters and his undercover classmates. Voldemort was soon defeated,

but Harry was so infuriated at being so violated; he left after finishing Hogwarts and had since lived in

the Muggle world without as much as an owl from anyone in the Wizarding realm. Now, twenty years

later, it was plain that Harry was ready to forgive. The witch embraced Harry and the children warmly

as joyful tears ran down her cheeks.

"Thank you, Harry." She whispered. "I'm honored."

"Twenty-odd years?" Harry mused. "I think it's time to let go."

"Let go of what?" the younger Ginny asked.

"Long story. I'll explain it someday when you're older." Harry smiled as he mussed her hair.

"So," Ron Jr. mused. "Who's our godfather?"

"Your namesake back in England. He plays Keeper for the Chudley Cannons."

"You're kidding!" The younger Sirius barked in contempt. "THAT piece of shit team?!"

"Yeah,." The older Ginny smiled. "That piece of shit team. He's been their number one fan since he

could crawl. Kind of embarrassing actually."

Ginny kissed Harry on the cheek while the older Sirius walked over with two plates of ribs, corn and

fries. Harry grabbed a couple of beers and gave them to his godfather and Ginny.

"Ron will be ecstatic, Harry," The youngest Weasley smiled. "Thank you so much."

"Well, Godson," Sirius smirked as he dug into his ribs. "Why don't you and Ginny catch up? I'll fill

your children in on the Wizarding World and Hogwarts."

"All right," Harry smiled. "Ginny, the living room is this way."

Sirius placed a gentle but firm hand on the young wizard's shoulder.

"You do know we're going to have to Obliviate everyone except for your family. Can't have them blab

to everyone that they saw a flying motorcycle."

"I wouldn't worry about it. Everyone knows Professor Rosenberg. Besides, a number of them live in

Los Angeles where magic is being used everywhere and sorcerers and witches practice openly. So it's

really no big deal."

"Still, I don't want to take any chances." Sirius patted Harry's shoulder.

Shrugging, Harry led Ginny inside, both with plates of food and beers, and headed towards the living

room. When they entered, they sat down and placed their stuff on the table. Ginny removed her boots

and began to rubbing her socked feet.

"Merlin!" She groaned. "My feet hurt!"

When she finished, the youngest Weasley knelt on the sofa and warmly embraced Harry again and, for a

seemingly long time, did not release her host. Finally, she placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed

his cheek.

"I miss you, Harry," Ginny said softly. "We all do."

"Strangely enough," Harry replied, "the feeling is mutual."

Ginny raised her beer bottle in salute as Harry did the same.

"To Albus Dumbledore," she toasted dryly. "The kindest, sweetest, loveliest, most fucking twisted and

manipulative sonofabitch to walk the face of the Wizarding World or anywhere."

"I'll drink to that," Harry laughed and took a swig of his beer. "Believe it or not, I talked to Salazar's

portrait and he said that he wanted Dumbledore in his House, but he was in a generous mood and allowed

Godric to take him."

"Dumbledore a Slytherin? Why does that not surprise me? Maybe because he acted like one?"

Ginny chuckled as she tried to picture the late Headmaster wearing green and silver with a snake insignia

on his school uniform.

"No argument there." Harry had no problem visualizing it either.

"I can't believe half the shit he made you go through. It was so grossly unfair that he didn't tell you about

the prophecy sooner. You let him off way too easily after Tom and the Death Eaters fell."

"Well." Harry munched on some corn and a couple of ribs. "What's done is done. Voldemort and the

Death Eaters are ancient history. The prophecy is fulfilled and everything is good in the world. I'm living

a normal life with my Muggle wife and three beautiful children and I plan on keeping it that way."

"At least until they got their letters from Hogwarts," Ginny smiled as she enjoyed some of her own ribs,

fries and corn.

"Sinistra Headmistress?" Harry smiled as he thought of the very attractive Astronomy professor who had

been in Slytherin House with Potions Master Severus Snape. "I admit. That surprised me a little. Then again,

she isn't as prejudiced towards Slytherin as dear old Severus was."

"Certainly better to look at then Sevvie, right?" Ginny's smile broadened wickedly.

"Too true." Harry shrugged. "What about you teaching Defense Against The Dark Arts? I always thought

you'd be playing Seeker for the Holyhead Harpies or Puddlemere United now."

"Well, I did sign with the Harpies after I left Hogwarts and was their Seeker for about eight or nine years.

Nice pay and we did win the World Cup and a few Internationals, but it got boring after a while. So, I hung

up my broomstick."

"You must've embarrassed Ron more than a few times."

"I love my brother, but he's playing for the worst team in existence." Ginny's smile turned sympathetic.

"True loyalty, I suppose." Harry took another sip of his beer. "So, you go from Harpy Seeker to being

Defense Against The Dark Arts professor. Well, you certainly have a talent for the Dark Arts."

Ginny merely raised her bottle in salute.

"So Penelope Clearwater's still teaching Potions?" Harry queried, referring to the ex-Ravenclaw.

"She is," the youngest Weasley replied. "Sirius is teaching Transfiguration since McGonagall retired.

Padma is teaching Charms and is Deputy Headmistress. Parvati teaches Divination and Neville teaches Herbology and, by the way, is my husband."

She held up her wedding band proudly.

"Well, good for you." Harry nodded in approval. "How's Mollywobbles and the rest of the clan?"

"Well, Ron is Keeper for the Cannons, as you know, and he and Hermione have twins. Sirius George

and James Frederick." Ginny grinned wickedly as she pulled back a swallow on her beer.

"Named after four of Hogwarts' biggest troublemakers. I'm flattered." Harry's grin matched hers.

Ginny winked as she continued.

"Bill and Phlegm are still married and have two girls, Maxime and Yvette Ginevra. Charlie replaced

Hagrid as Care of Magical Creatures professor and he and Tonks have a boy and a girl. Charles Arthur

and Andromeda Theodora. Penelope you know about and Percy's Dad's Junior Assistant."

"Arthur's Minister of Magic?" Harry's eyebrows went up in amused surprise.

"He is. Anyway, Percy and Penelope have two sons, Percival and Ignatius Bilius. Fred and George have

expanded to Australia, New Zealand and even the States. Fred and Angelina have Frederick and Arthur

George. Twins, of course. George and Alicia have Percival and Salazar Godric. Neville and I have just

one son. Harry James." Ginny looked at Harry meaningfully as she mentioned her son's name."

"Well," Harry's smile widened in dry amusement. "The Weasley invasion continues. I'll be surprised

if Sinistra doesn't have a hidden stash of booze to handle this. I'm sure that's what Snape would do if

he was Headmaster."

"Yeah. That or Avada Kedavra himself." Ginny laughed.

"I can just see the Owls coming home and the Howlers going back."

Ginny chuckled sadly as she ate a little more of her dinner. She then embraced Harry for a long time

before letting go and stroking his cheek. Harry saw a tear or two dance down the witch's cheek.

"Oh, Harry," she sighed. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Us. We were supposed to be the destined couple. I've loved you since I was ten years old and I always

thought I would end up with you." Ginny wiped away the tears burning her chocolate-brown eyes as

She sipped her beer. "Your wife is beautiful, but that should be me. Sirius, Ronald and Virginia should

be our children. Damn Albus for his fucking stupid idea to go undercover as Death Eater novices."

Harry laughed as he sarcastically raised his bottle.

"The Lord," he retorted, "or in this case, Albus Dumbledore, works in mysterious ways. Here's to

He-Who-Would-Not-Tell-Me-Shit. Thanks, Al. As this Muggle song goes, 'Good luck in your new bed.

Enjoy your nightmare, son, while you're resting your head'."

"Yeah. I wish he stayed alive so I could show him mysterious." Ginny growled.

"Well..." Harry winked. "Let's get back before the others think you kidnapped me."

Ginny smirked as she wrapped her arms around Harry and planted a long, wet kiss on his lips.

"Mmmmm," she purred. "Do not tempt me."

A throat cleared and the pair turned to see Sirius and Sandra standing in the doorway, their eyebrows

arched ceilingward and lips curled into dry smiles. Letting go, Ginny took the two plates, her beer

and her boots and walked to the door.

"Sorry about that," she smiled assuringly. "It won't happen again."

"Let's hope not," Sandra warned. "You may be a witch and you may have loved him a hundred years

ago, but he is my man and you best remember that."

Sirius just looked at Harry in mischievous approval and winked.

THE END

Tell me, tell me

Is life just a playground?

Think you're the real deal, honey

And someone will always look out for you

But wake up, wake up

You're so deluded

You'll end up old and lonely

If you don't get a bullet in your head

Good luck, good luck

Good luck in your new bed

Enjoy your nightmares, son

While you're resting your head

APPLESEED SOUNDTRACK(2003-Tofu Records)

BASEMENT JAXX: KISH KASH (2005-Astralwerks/Emd)