Legacy

Epilogue

I turn the dial on my radio trying to find an all night station

I want to hear a song I know, a song about my situation.

Find My Love -Fairground Attraction

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Christmas Eve, 2012 - just before midnight

Hogwarts

Harry and Ginny lay in their bed in the castle. They would be attending the Christmas Feast the next day and then pop over to the Burrow for a few hours to have Family Christmas supper with the Weasley clan. Renato would be arriving that afternoon, as well, having accepted Ron and Hermione's invitation to spend a week with Jack and the rest of the tribe. In return, Jack would spend two weeks in Italy with Ren during the summer. Nigel had a standing invitation, and would probably be there, as well. The boys were ecstatic.

Harry nestled close to his wife, hoping she would like the presents he had bought for her. He has picked up his usual gifts, a cookbook (their private joke, as she never cooked), and a bottle of her favourite perfume. But this year he also bought her a gold necklace. It had a pendant, an antique filigree gold heart, with an emerald set inside. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she saw it. Even he, clueless as to what women liked, knew that this was a very special piece of jewellery.

Life had been unpredictable since they arrived here two months ago, and he hoped that things would settle down in the spring. The situation with boys was over, and there didn't appear to be any lasting scars for any of them. Well, at least, not the boys. The parents were all still looking around corners, sleeping with one eye open. Ron had confided to Harry that he was considering hiring a private guard full time for the family, in addition to the considerable wards he had placed all over their home, and the Burrow. There was a time when Harry would have thought that Ron was overly worried. Now he was considering the same. Nothing mattered more than keeping his family safe.

He smiled to himself as he thought of the other unique present he had given this year. It was winging its way south as he lay there. He hoped Renato would like it, find it special, and maybe even understand the sentiment that went along with it.

He felt a twinge thinking about his son's mother. Aurelia was a part of his life again, and would remain so, forever. He had admitted to himself that part of him was happy to have her back in his life. It wasn't a bad thing - but it would take effort, and patience, to keep their friendship in check. They had to, for Renato, for Ginny, for everyone.

Sleep was winning. He yawned, and pulled the blankets up over them. He had high hopes for the upcoming year. There were struggles ahead, he knew, but surely the benefits would far outshine the pain. The possibilities seemed endless. He knew that he was happy, his wife was happy, his friends, his son... everyone he loved was safe tonight.

With a kiss on Ginny's shoulder, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

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London

Renato was in his bedroom, unable to sleep. He was excited about his trip the next day. He had packed and unpacked his bag four times. His only regret was that his mother was not able to make the trip with him.

Tap, tap.

In the window, a bird was tapping at the glass. Renato opened the window.

He recognized the owl as Harry's old snowy, Hedwig. She was carrying a package. He took the package, and offered her an owl treat. She hooted, nipped him affectionately, and taking the treat, settled onto an empty perch in the corner of his room.

Ren opened the package. There was a cloak, beautiful, made of material he had never seen before. It was light as a feather, and soft, very soft.

Ren picked up the note that was tucked inside the folds of the cloak. It was a scrap of old parchment, and the writing looked old, too.

Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you.

Use it well.

And underneath, had been neatly written, very recently,

This now belongs to you. I trust you to use it well. I did.

Dad

Renato looked at the note for a long time. He picked up the cloak, unfolded it, looking at the way the light shimmered off of it. He wrapped it around himself, walked over to the closet to look at himself in the mirror, and...

"What..." was about all he got out before the ability to speak vanished, as did he, underneath the folds on the cloak. He let out a quiet "Whoop!" dancing around the room, watching himself appear and disappear beneath the cloak. Oh, he could not WAIT to show Jack and Nigel.

Oh, it was going to be a great Christmas holiday! Dad sent him an Invisibility Cloak. Dad... my father... Renato held the cloak close to him. My father's cloak... My grandfather's cloak... he sat on the edge of his bed, his heart filled with a joy that he had never known. He thought to himself, my Dad, my Dad...

Tomorrow, he was going to spend Christmas dinner with his Dad...

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Aurelia was getting ready for bed. She had just finished tying up last minute presents, gifts that still needed to be sent tomorrow, or taken with her to Luna's house. She had been invited to Christmas dinner, with the Weasleys, and although she liked them well enough, she felt that she would be more of a distraction. It was more important that they get to know Renato, and so she declined, sending a lovely Christmas arrangement, whose flower petals filled the air with a soft melody.

Aurelia turned to her music player and pulled up a file called Phantom of the Opera - Crawford & Brightman. Soon, her room was filled with the haunting melodies she loved. The play was closing, in London, after an unprecedented twenty-seven year run, and after learning that Draco had never visited seen Muggle theatre, Aurelia had promised to take him as soon as she could get some good tickets.

Draco... she didn't know exactly what was going on there, either. He had been a good friend to her during the crisis with the boys, someone she had been able to depend on. He remained a perfect gentleman when they had dinner last night. He had brought her home, kissed her cheek, and asked if he could see her again after the holidays.

Think of me, think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye.
Remember me, once in a while, please promise me you'll try.

When you find that, once again, you long to take your heart back and be free -
If you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me...

She crawled into bed, thinking about the boy in the room down the hall, and his father. She thought about the future, what Harry's influence would bring to Renato. She thought about Renato's first Christmas, still so tiny, when she had vowed that nothing or no one would ever hurt him.

Harry... she thought. He would protect Renato. He would...

Harry...

Think of all the things we've shared and seen -
Don't think about the things which might have been...

Think of me, think of me waking, silent and resigned.
Imagine me, trying too hard to put you from my mind.

Recall those days, look back on all those times, think of the things we'll never do -
There will never be a day when I won't think of you...

She put her head on the pillow, muttered the charms that would protect the house, and her family, whispered ancient magic to send good dreams to those she loved, and fell into an uneasy sleep.

The End