Destination Unknown

Chapter 20

St. Valentine's Day, 2020

Cory awoke to see the white ceiling of the Hospital Wing and our pairs of anxious faces looming over him.

"What happened?" he asked weakly.

"You fainted," said Harry, looking rather relieved. Ace gave him a cautious hug. So did his Mum. Draco ruffled his hair affectionately.

"You gave us quite a fright, son," he said.

Cory raised a questioning eyebrow at his brother. Harry nodded. Cory opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by the arrival of Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Uncle Ron and Aunt Ginny.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. I hope our Head Boy is fine?" asked Dumbledore cheerfully.

"I'm quite ok now, sir," said Cory.

"Ms. Malfoy, I think it's time for you to return to your dormitory. It's quite late, already," said McGonagall.

Ace nodded meekly and left.

"Cory," Hermione sighed heavily, "I guess it's time for you to learn the truth. Before we tell you, we want you to know that we love you no matter what, and you'll always be our child. Nothing shall change from our side after you've learnt this, ok?"

Cory hung his head.

"I already know. I'm Voldemort's son - or maybe grandson, am I not? I realised it was Tom Riddle's life I was viewing today."

Hermione shook her head.

"No, Cory, you're not. You are Tom Riddle."

"If this is a joke, Mum, it's a very sick one."

"It's not," said Harry suddenly, "it's true."

"How do you know?" Cory asked angrily.

"I learnt over Christmas. I'm Harry Potter. You're Tom Riddle."

Cory closed his eyes and groaned.

"Explain," he murmured.

Draco proceeded to repeat the story Hermione had narrated to Harry on Christmas Day. When he finished, Cory looked up at him, his eyes streaming. Hermione hugged him tightly.

"Am I supposed to become a Dark Lord, Mum?" he asked softly.

"Of course not!"

"Good. I don't think I'd want to do that again. Thanks, all of you. I take it you all are the only ones who know?"

Everyone nodded.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Nothing," said Dumbledore, "I see no reason why this should come out."

Everyone else murmured their assent. Cory suddenly chuckled.

"How do you know that I've not yet turned?"

Snape, McGonagall, Ron and Ginny paled. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. Draco smiled. Harry was impassive. Hermione thrust his wand into his hand. It glowed with a soft white light and he felt a sudden warmth. He could see Harry's wand glowing in his hand, too. Sudden music filled the air.

"Phoenix song," Cory muttered.

Sure enough, the now-familiar white phoenix appeared. This time however, the bird turned into a human form. A young man that looked just like Harry would, a few years later. The only difference was that this man was wearing glasses and had a lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead.

"Hello, Cory," he said quietly.

"Harry Potter?" Cory croaked, his throat dry.

The man nodded and took a seat next to him.

"The feather in your wand, Cory, is mine. No Dark wizard can touch it without burning himself. Does that answer your question?"

Cory nodded nervously and asked softly, "How can you be here when Harry is already here?"

Harry Potter chuckled and explained. Cory nodded, a little more confident now.

"Cory, you're not Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort. You're Crinon Malfoy, and you have your own life to live. Do not dwell on the past - just learn your lessons and don't repeat your past-self's mistakes in the future."

Cory nodded again.

"Glad to meet you, sir," he said. Harry Potter laughed.

"I'm glad you turned out so nicely. You've exceeded my expectations."

Cory blushed. Harry Potter turned to Harry Malfoy.

"So, young Harry - how's life?"

"Fine, sir."

"Glad to hear it. I'm happy that you two got what Tom and I never did - a loving family and a prophecy-free life."

Everyone in the room smiled at that.

"Nice boys, Draco, Hermione."

"Thanks, Harry - though we really ought to thank you for giving us a chance to have two wonderful sons like these...honestly, they're every parent's dream come true," said Hermione.

"You use that term too often, darling," said Draco, "maybe we should consult a dictionary."

"You use it, too, Draco," said Harry Potter.

"I'm glad it all turned out so well," said Ginny tearfully.

"Yeah," agreed Ron fervently.

"I was disappointed when Heron didn't end up in my House," said McGonagall, "but Athena more than makes up for it. I can see that you two need to be together...twins are always special..." she wiped a tear with her handkerchief.

"Professor Snape? Are you still scared of me? I'm not your master, you know," said Cory.

"What makes you think I'm afraid of you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Come on, Severus, own up, now," said McGonagall.

"Minerva..." began Snape warningly, but Dumbledore interrupted him.

"Severus, it would be better to use their first names, you know - there are too many Mr. Malfoys in here," he chuckled.

Snape nodded.

"I do admit that I was rather surprised to have Heron in my House...not that I regret it..." he said.

Everyone smiled at that. Harry Potter stood up and said softly, "I guess this is goodbye, then. I won't be back. I've served my purpose."

Ron clapped his shoulder. Hermione gazed at him with tear filled eyes.

"Wait! You can't go! What if we're in trouble again?" cried Cory.

Harry Potter shook his head sadly.

"Cory, I'm just a memory. Now that you all know the truth and the entire story, you won't be having any more visions. You're perfectly normal now. Well, I wouldn't say normal...you're quite extraordinary without these extras, but still..."

Harry Potter shook hands with everyone and ruffled the two children's hair. As he walked out of the room, Hermione followed him.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"I love you."

"I know. Me, too."

They embraced each other fiercely, knowing that it was the last time.

"Goodbye, then, my love," whispered Harry, "and thanks again."

Tears poured forth both pairs of eyes. Hermione suddenly pointed above their heads and said, "Look! Mistletoe!"

Harry gave her a rakish grin and they kissed. He disappeared with a whispered 'love you'. Hermione walked back to the infirmary to find Harry asking Cory about his date.

"You went on a date? With whom?" asked Draco.

Cory avoided Ron's eyes and said, "Sylvia."

Ron's mouth hung open and his face started getting alarmingly red.

"Sylvia as in my daughter Sylvia?" he yelled. Cory nodded guiltily. The rest of them snickered.

"Ron, calm down," said Ginny, "she's a grown up girl now."

Ron seemed to be struggling to control himself. Finally, he held out a warning finger and growled, "If you lay a finger on my daughter, I'll..."

"We plan to marry after finishing our Auror Training Programme, Uncle Ron," said Cory.

Ron was speechless with shock.

"By the way, Dad," said Harry cheerfully, "thought you might want to know that Ace got fourteen cards today. And Uncle Ron, Adrian fancies Ace, too."

This time, it was Draco's turn to colour with indignation. Given his pale complexion, however, only two pink spots appeared on his cheeks. Mercifully, he regained his composure and said heavily, "Sometimes it's trouble having a pretty daughter, eh, Weasley."

Ron nodded.

"Guess we're in the same boat, Malfoy," he said.

"Holy Merlin!" exclaimed Ginny, "I never thought that I'd ever see the two of you agree!"

Ron went red again.

"Come on, let's visit Neville," he muttered and dragged Ginny out.

"I think we should leave, too," said Dumbledore, nodding at his two professors, "Draco, Hermione - send in my Prefect and my Head Boy soon, ok?"

Draco and Hermione nodded as the teachers left.

The room went silent, each wondering what to say.

"Thanks, Mum, Dad and Harry...for giving me a chance...I'm sorry for all that Voldemort did...I saw some of it and it's not pretty...I feel so guilty..." said Cory and broke down.

"Shh, child. It's all right, dear, it's all right. Don't be guilty, dear. You've done nothing wrong...you're our wonderful little boy, aren't you? Forget about the past...that was someone else; it wasn't you..." whispered Hermione in his ears, rocking him to and fro with her arms around him.

Cory nodded and wiped his tears.

"So, young men, what have you planned after school?" she asked briskly.

"We're going in for Auror Training," said Harry. Draco nodded approvingly. Hermione frowned.

"Both of you? Don't you want to stay in the academic line?"

"We might," said Cory, "if we feel that the Auror thing is not worth it."

Hermione nodded.

"Good. We'll leave you now. I think you two need to talk," she said and left with Draco after the 'goodbye' hugs.

"Well?" asked Cory.

"Well what?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was told not to. I was told that it's far easier to learn that you were a hero than finding out that you were the Dark Lord."

"True, it was a nasty shock."

"But it doesn't change anything, Cory."

"Doesn't it bother you that we were sworn enemies? That I spent my life trying to kill you?"

"That wasn't you. That wasn't me, either. We're different from them, Cory."

"Yes." Cory pulled out two bottles of butterbeer from his pocket and handed one to Harry.

"To our future as brothers, then," he said and raised his bottle.

Harry mimicked the gesture and said, "To our future as family."

They drank their butterbeers and laughed heartily.

The End