Broken Fate

Epilogue ~ Mended Fate

Hogwarts

August 1, 2004

"Mummy, when is it starting?"

"I told you, Grace, in a few minutes." Hermione attempted to smooth her four-year-old's frizzy bright red hair back into its tie. "Now--would you please sit still? I'm trying to fix this."

"I'd give up, Hermione," Ginny grinned. "You and Ron must have got lucky with Will and Molly's hair, but Grace's made up for it by far."

"Oh, hush," Hermione said, attacking Grace's hair with her fingers. "I'll bet when your son is born, he'll have Harry's hair manageability, and then you won't be one to talk." She nodded pointedly at Ginny's round stomach.

"Ow! Mummy! Ow!" Grace squirmed and squinched her eyes shut.

Hermione finally managed to twist Grace's hair back into place, and she sat back. "There. Now sit still."

Grace ignored her and bounced in her seat. "Mummy, look, it's Will!"

"Yes, I know," Hermione said. "He'll be sitting with us in a few minutes. He's helping people find seats right now."

"Where are Daddy and Uncle Harry?" Grace asked.

"They're probably helping Shay and Neville get ready for the wedding," Hermione replied patiently.

"Why?"

"Because they wanted to," Hermione replied promptly. She turned to her sister-in-law and whispered, "Ginny, are you sure you're ready for the thousand and one questions a day?"

"I've got four years to get ready for it," Ginny laughed. Harry and Ginny were having their first child; though they had married only a year after Ron and Hermione, they had waited before starting a family. Both had completed Auror training, and now worked at the Ministry of Magic.

"The wedding's about to start." Will's voice drew Hermione's attention, and she smiled at him as he sat down. "Ron and Harry are coming." He nodded at their approaching figures.

"Will!" Grace threw herself on Will, and her tie popped out of her hair again. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes, picking up the tie and tackling Grace's hair.

"Hello, sweetheart." Will kissed Grace on the forehead. "Hello, Hermione, Ginny." Will patted Ginny's stomach gently. "Hello, Sirius." He looked up at Ginny. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, fantastically. I'm as big as a dragon, my ankles are swollen and killing me, and I can't sleep. Oh, and let's not forget the thousand bathroom visits a day. I'd feel better if he would just decide to make his entrance to the world," Ginny said, looking pointedly at her belly.

Will smiled. "You know, if you have him in nine days, it will be my birthday--my exact birthday, year and all."

"Oh, if only I could be so lucky. According to the healers, I still have three more weeks."

Will's smile widened. "He'll come when he's ready. I can't help you there. I can, however, do something for your ankles." He pulled out his wand and bent down, touching each of her ankles and whispering something under his breath.

A moment later, Ginny smiled and sighed contentedly. "That's much better, Will. Thanks."

"How are you doing, Will?" Hermione asked. "How are your children?" Will's children were actually the patients in St. Mungo's who had permanent spell damage, and had to either live in St. Mungo's or travel there on a regular basis. He had been working with kids ever since he got his Healer's license three years earlier.

"Pretty good. Some up days, some down days."

"Molly said she visited St. Mungo's with you the last time she stayed at your flat. She seemed really happy about it," Hermione said.

Will nodded. "She wants to help. She, more than anyone, knows what it's like for some of these children." He tilted his head. "How are things at the Ministry?"

"Oh, busy. You know how it is. Ron's traveling to Portugal next week to work with the Portuguese branch of the Muggle Liaison Office. They've been having some trouble managing some of the anti-Muggle propaganda." Ron and Hermione had worked for the Ministry since graduation. Ron worked hard to keep the newly-established Muggle Liaison Office in place. It was created under the Muggle Protection Act, which Arthur Weasley had formed so long ago, during their sixth year. It was used to handle problems between wizards and Muggles. It was also used whenever the Ministry needed to communicate with Muggles who knew of the existence of the wizarding world. Ron often found himself handling Muggle parents whose children were witches and wizards.

Hermione, on the other hand, worked on developing new spells and counter-curses. It was hard, slow work, but something that she enjoyed very much.

"Ooh! Mummy, there are Shay and Neville!" Grace pointed to the front of the aisle, where Shay and Neville had just emerged and were standing in front of Dumbledore, all three resplendent in dress robes. Dumbledore's was star-patterned and he wore a matching pointed hat. The stars sparkled, and every few seconds, a shooting star would zoom across his robes. "But where's Jamie?"

"She's--" Hermione stopped when Ron and Harry slid into the row and took their seats. "How's the groom?" she whispered, tucking her legs under her chair so Harry could get past to sit beside Ginny.

"Nervous," Ron whispered in return.

The music began, and Grace straightened attentively, craning her neck to look over her shoulder. "Is it starting now?" she asked in a stage whisper.

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at Ron. Ron grinned and patted Grace's leg. "Yes."

Hermione turned to watch, beaming at the first person to walk down the aisle--Molly Weasley, who was acting as flower girl.

Grace went one step further. "Mummy, it's Molly!" She clambered onto her knees and raised her voice. "Hi, Molly!" she called.

Titters ran through those assembled to watch the wedding, and Molly glanced in the direction of the Weasleys and the Potters. She smiled slightly and waved one hand, then continued down the aisle, dropping flowers as she went.

Hermione and Ron both grabbed Grace and pushed her down into her seat. "Hush, Grace! You need to be quiet during the ceremony!" Hermione hissed.

Grace looked completely unabashed. "But it was Molly!"

"Yes, and you see her every day," Ron whispered. "You live with her, and you may speak to her after the wedding is over."

Grace sighed. "All right," she said grumpily.

Two young women that Hermione vaguely recognized from Hogwarts followed Molly down the aisle and came to a halt on one side of Dumbledore, opposite of Neville and Shay.

The music changed slightly, and Hermione grinned as the bride herself stepped onto the aisle. Gabrielle Delacour was stunning in her simple white gown. Her pale hair shone in the afternoon sunlight, and she kept her eyes fixed on the podium as she walked down the aisle.

Hermione's eyes shifted to Neville, who looked quite nervous, as Ron had said. Despite the obvious nerves, at the sight of Gabrielle coming down the aisle, his whole face lit up. Hermione never saw Neville as happy as when he was with Gabrielle, and the same could be said for Gabrielle.

Seven years earlier, after Voldemort's defeat, there had been an undeniable bond between them. Though Gabrielle had been at school for the majority of the time, summers and holidays had been spent at Grimmauld Place, which Neville frequented as he helped the Order restore peace to the world. Hermione quite clearly remembered the day when she realized that Gabrielle was in love with Neville, during the summer following the girl's sixth year. That had only been one year ago.

Hermione was brought back to the present when the flash of a camera caught her eye. Jamie was kneeling at the edge of the aisle, snapping pictures as Neville and Gabrielle stepped forward to stand together in front of Dumbledore. He smiled at the two of them, then spoke. His voice was magically magnified so that everyone could hear him. "Friends and family, we are here to witness a most joyous event. It is my privilege to bring Neville Longbottom and Gabrielle Delacour together in marriage."

Hermione heard a muffled noise and glanced across the aisle to see Fleur Delacour-Weasley crying into a handkerchief. Bill reached behind their two little girls to hold her hand tightly.

"Neville Longbottom is an upstanding member of the wizarding world. He owns his own magical plant shop on Diagon Alley, frequents Hogwarts to assist with Herbology classes, and offers his assistance to the Ministry in whatever capacity he is able. However, I remember a time when he was a quiet, timid first year starting out his journey to become a wizard. He found much courage in the years ahead, and he is taking another brave step today. For let us always remember--it can take a great deal of courage to love as completely and openly as Neville does." Dumbledore smiled at Neville, then turned his eyes on Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle has shown herself to be more than an exceptional witch, and I look forward to seeing her grow even more now that she is out of school. I will admit that she did have her clashes while at Hogwarts, and I saw her in my office on more than one occasion--" Dumbledore winked at Gabrielle. "--but on almost every occasion, she was standing up for something she believed in. Gabrielle always stood by what is right and what is honest. She has given of herself fully, and she has loved fully. I can give no higher praise."

Dumbledore studied Neville and Gabrielle. "Please take out your wands."

Both Neville and Gabrielle pulled out their wands and touched the tips together, their gazes locked on each other. Hermione smiled wistfully and rested her head on Ron's shoulder. He kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand.

"Daddy! You're not s'posed to kiss Mummy! Neville's s'posed to kiss Gabrielle!" Grace whispered loudly.

Harry made a noise halfway between a laugh and a snort, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Remember," Dumbledore said strongly. "Love is a powerful force. It can save and heal, guide and protect. It brings us together and makes us whole. Without love, we are lost." He touched his own wand to the place where Gabrielle and Neville's wands met.

A blue light formed between the three wand tips. It brightened for a moment, and then faded completely. Neville and Gabrielle tucked their wands away, and Dumbledore nodded at them. "Turn and face the witnesses."

The couple joined hands and turned to face the crowd.

"Raise your wand hands," Dumbledore said.

Neville and Gabrielle lifted their right hands, and Hermione could see the newly-formed mark on the fronts of their wrists, indicating that they had been joined in marriage. It was a basic spell that had been devised by the Department of Mysteries a year before her own wedding, and was simply a testimony to the marriage, much as Muggles used rings. She glanced at her own mark and tightened her hold on Ron's hand.

"Neville and Gabrielle, let it be known that today, you have joined in life and in love. Live to your fullest potential, always embracing what is good and just. May you be a light to each other in dark times." Dumbledore paused for a moment. "May I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Neville Longbottom."

Fleur burst into a fresh round of tears, and even Hermione felt her eyes stinging a bit as Neville leaned forward to kiss Gabrielle. Jamie snapped away with her camera, and within moments, the newly-married couple was greeting well-wishers.

"Is it over?" Grace asked. "Mummy, may I go see Molly now?"

"Yes, you may."

Grace jumped up and wiggled her way through the people beginning to stand and move around. Hermione leaned over and kissed Ron deeply. When she pulled away, he raised his eyebrows. "What was that for?"

"Oh, so I need an excuse to kiss my husband?"

Ron turned to Harry. "Is it just me, or do women get a bit more sentimental at weddings than normal?"

"It's not just you," Harry assured him. He raised his voice and waved to someone across the lawn. "I'm going to have a word with Dean." He disappeared just as Grace returned, tugging Molly with her. "Mummy! Molly said I could wear her dress later, isn't that brilliant?"

Hermione glanced at Molly, who shrugged and smiled. 'It will be a bit long, but she'll have fun,' Molly signed rapidly.

"Molly, I wanted to ask--would you like me to take you to Diagon Alley tomorrow to buy your school supplies?" Will asked.

Molly nodded. 'I would really like that. I have a long list of school supplies, and Remus wrote down a couple of extra things that weren't on my school list. He said it might help me during my first couple of years at Hogwarts.' She turned to Ron and Hermione. 'Is that all right? May I go with Will?'

"Of course you can," Hermione replied.

Grace, who had been watching and listening to the conversation, tugged on Hermione's robes. "Can I go, too?"

Will smiled and rested his hand on the top of Grace's head. "I'll take you another time, all right?"

Grace pouted. "Pleaaase?"

"Grace," Ron said, "Will is going to spend some time alone with Molly."

Molly tapped Grace on the shoulder, and when the younger girl looked up, she signed, 'I'll bring something home from Uncle George's store, all right?'

Grace looked a bit consoled. "All right. Oh! There's Uncle Fred and Aunt Angelina!" She pulled away from her parents and ran to greet them, and Ginny followed suit. Hermione smiled and waved, and Angelina waved back. She was currently pregnant with her and Fred's fourth child, a boy, just like their other three. The boys all had very brown

skin and curly hair, much like their mother, though two of them were graced with the Weasley freckles.

"Smile!"

Hermione turned at the sound of Jamie's voice and found a camera pointed directly at her. She made a face, and Jamie snapped a picture. "I'm sure Neville and Gabrielle will cherish that one," she said, laughing. She turned the lens on Will and Molly. Molly stuck out her tongue, and Jamie rolled her eyes. "Smile, Molly, smile!"

Molly grinned, and Jamie snapped the picture, then hugged her. "You were beautiful up there."

'Thank you.'

Jamie tugged on Molly's braid. "I'm going to see if I can track down Shay. He disappeared after the ceremony. Oh, and Molly, before I forget, you left some clothes at our house last time you spent the night. Don't leave before I can give them to you, all right?"

'All right.'

"Jamie!" Grace reappeared in the crowd and threw her arms around Jamie's legs. Hermione was unsurprised to see that she had lost her hair tie again. "Aunt Angelina has a baby in her tummy," she stated.

"I know," Jamie said, smiling.

"So does Aunt Ginny," Grace said wisely.

"I know."

"Are you going to have a baby in your tummy soon?" Grace asked, wide eyes looking at Jamie earnestly.

"Oh, subtle." Will laughed.

"Grace, that isn't the kind of question you should ask grown-ups," Hermione told her gently.

"Well, you know, it is a fair question," Ron said with a wicked grin at Jamie. "I mean, come on...you and Shay have been married for longer than any of us. Six years and no kids..."

"Ron!" Hermione elbowed him sharply.

Jamie grinned. "It's all right." She looked at Grace. "Shay and I just wanted some time to ourselves before we had any babies," she explained. "We didn't get to have a very fun time when we were little, like you get to have. We wanted to do some fun things by ourselves first."

"But you do lots of fun things!" Grace said. "You live in Hogsmeade! And you can come to the castle whenever you want!" She waved her hand at the school. "The castle is a lot of fun!"

"Yes, it is," Jamie agreed.

"I can't wait till I get to come here. Then Shay can be my teacher."

Shay had set a record for the length of time Hogwarts had kept a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher after he took over the class five years earlier. He had commented that the strangest aspect of teaching the class was having his own mother in it.

Jamie had spent her time making potions for local apothecaries, and some healing potions for St. Mungo's, while doing photography on the side.

"All right, now I really am going to find Shay. I'll get your clothes while I'm at it, Molly." Camera dangling from her neck, Jamie pushed through the crowd and disappeared.

"Will, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," Ron said.

Will grinned. "Food sounds good."

"I want food!" Grace exclaimed, grabbing Ron's hand. "Can I come with you?"

"Oh, I suppose." Ron swung Grace up onto his shoulders, and the three of them walked toward the refreshment table, leaving Hermione alone with Molly.

"Aren't you hungry, Molly?" Hermione asked.

Molly shook her head. 'I'll get something in a little while.' She smoothed her dress down and sat carefully on a chair. 'Mum, can I ask you something?'

"Of course." Hermione sat down beside Molly. Since Molly had begun to learn sign language, she had always called Hermione and Ron 'Mum and Dad.' It had baffled both of them, because Will only called them Mum and Dad when he slipped. When they had married, and Will had been busy training to be a Healer, they had invited Molly to come live with them, and she had stayed with them ever since. Hermione considered Molly as much her daughter as Grace was, despite the extenuating circumstances. It made for awkward questions from strangers sometimes, as Molly was eleven and Ron and Hermione were only in their early twenties, but Hermione couldn't have cared less.

Molly looked down at the ground for a long moment, and then looked back up at Hermione. 'I'm a bit afraid to come to school.'

Hermione tilted her head thoughtfully. "Why's that?"

'What if...no one likes me? No one will be able to understand me unless they know sign language...' Molly's hands faltered in their movement, and then she continued, 'What if no one wants to learn? Most people don't know I'm from the future, but what if they find out and think I'm weird?'

"Oh, sweetheart." Hermione wrapped an arm around Molly. "I'm sure you're going to find friends who will want to learn to understand you. The best friends you'll have will love you for who you are, and they won't care if you can't talk or if you're from the future. You've lived most of your life here anyway. You'll have a fantastic time at school. You can use sign language to pass secret messages to your friends. That's what we used to do. Just make sure you watch it in Shay's class, since he'll understand you." She grinned at Molly, and Molly smiled reluctantly. "And if you have any problems, you can owl us, or go to Shay or Jamie, or any of the teachers. Besides, you'll get to try out for Quidditch. You've been talking about that for ages." Ron had been thrilled that at least one Weasley in his family wanted to fly, and since first years were now allowed to try out for the team, it was one of the major things Molly had been looking forward to.

'Yes, but what if I don't make the team?'

"Well, you won't know until you go, but you stand a good chance if you just do your best."

Molly nodded, resting her hands in her lap. She stood up and hugged Hermione. 'Thank you.'

"Now, why don't we go congratulate the bride and groom?" Hermione led the way toward the front, where Gabrielle and Neville were chatting with Samantha Zabini and Hannah Abbott-Macmillan. When the crowd around them had thinned out a bit, Hermione stepped forward and hugged both of them. "Congratulations, you two!"

"Thank you." Gabrielle beamed. Her eyes drifted to Molly. "And thank you, Molly, for being part of our wedding."

Molly gave a small smile. 'I had fun.'

It wasn't long before the reception ended, and Neville and Gabrielle retreated from Hogwarts grounds in a carriage pulled by two winged horses. Hermione stood with Molly and waved good-bye. Molly watched them go, a wistful smile on her face. 'It was beautiful.'

"Yes, it was," Hermione agreed. She took a seat on one of the chairs, and Molly sat beside her.

"I can't believe they're actually married now," Jamie spoke up from Hermione's right. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Here are your clothes, Molly."

'Thank you.'

"Did you find Shay?" Hermione asked in a low voice.

Jamie nodded. "He's all right. He's ravaging the food with Harry and Ron. I think he's still a bit amazed that his parents actually got married."

Hermione nodded. "It's funny, really, how things worked out. Ironic, you know? Some things changed completely, and other things stayed the same." She half-smiled at Molly. "Which, of course, has been the cause of many discussions and books being written and studying being done and newspaper reports...speaking of which, Molly, you let me know if Rita Skeeter ever bothers you again while you're at school."

Molly bit her lip. 'You won't Transfigure her into a toad again, will you?'

"No. If she bothers you again, that would be too nice. Next time I'll--"

"Hermione, are you threatening the press again?" Shay stepped up beside them, balancing several plates of food.

"Not this time--just Rita Skeeter," Hermione replied with a little grin.

"Don't worry, Molly. If the mosquito--"

"--beetle--" Jamie whispered.

"--harasses you, I'll handle her." Shay gave a nasty grin of his own. "Here. Eat some cake. You're too skinny." Shay nodded at one of the plates he was carrying.

Molly gave him a placating smile and took the plate, which was stuffed with a lot of food besides cake.

"See? I knew you were hungry." Shay grinned.

Jamie rolled her eyes and elbowed Shay in the ribs, jolting one of his arms. His plates of food swayed dangerously. "You stuff her like a pig, Shay. She just gave up trying to decline it a long time ago."

"Hey! It's good food. You can never get too much good food, right, Molly?"

Molly raised her eyebrows dubiously, but her hands were too full to answer. "Hermione?" Shay offered another plate to her.

"Oh, no thanks. I'll raid the refreshments in a moment."

"All right."

Jamie again rolled her eyes and pulled Shay away, muttering something to him as they went. Hermione smiled, then turned back to Molly. "Why don't you sit here and eat? I'm going to track down Ron, and grab some food.."

Molly nodded, and Hermione turned to head for the refreshment table. She caught sight of Harry, his arms wrapped around Ginny from behind, a lighthearted smile on his face. She stopped for a moment and gazed around at all of her friends and family, laughing and talking, and tears threatened her eyes.

Life was wonderful. It still had its ups and downs; there were still fights and conflicts, but overall, Hermione could honestly say that she was at peace. Considering what had happened during her teenage years, that was a miracle in itself. There had been so many miracles, and many of them had begun the day that Will, Shay, Jamie, and Molly had made the journey to the past, exactly eight years earlier.

Hermione had learned a lot. She had learned never to take life for granted, and to treasure every day, even during the hard times. The broken fate the world should have known had been mended.

She would never forget it.