Happily Ever After?

Comments: e-mail at sstar_luna@yahoo.co.uk or Review button below.
Rating: R. contains Slash. HP/GW, HP/?, HP/others.
Spoilers: Books 1-5. Do not read unless you have FINISHED The Order of the Phoenix.
Disclaimer: I don\'t own anything except the plot. All Harry Potter™ characters and settings are the sole intellectual property of JK Rowling, Warner Bros. and various others who all aren\'t connected to me in any way. No money is being made with this fanfiction and no copyright infringement is intended.
 
 

Happily Ever After?
Chapter 1: After the War

 
 
 
Harry sighed as he watched the last lot of carriages drawn by the Thestrals move down the path towards Hogsmeade Station. The carriages, full of chattering students, marked the end of another year at Hogwarts.

Even though the final decisive battle had occurred nigh on two years ago, the echo remained and haunted the current occupants, none more so than Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and the one who had defeated the most feared Dark Lord of recent times. It had been two long years since those that Harry held dear died so that he could one day defeat Voldemort and he still mourned those that had died in the name of Light.

**********

Alastor \'Mad-Eye\' Moody, former Auror and member of the Order of the Phoenix, who had died while defending the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix and those who had resided there. The grizzly-haired wizard had gone down fighting three Death Eaters at the same time whilst giving Harry, Hermione, Ron, and the other residents enough time to escape the doomed house.

Moody\'s final act had been to kill the one who had exposed their position to the Death Eaters, the traitor being no other than Percy Weasley. It had come as a shock to the Weasley family, some more were less surprised than others. Percy had somehow persuaded Mrs Weasley of his good intentions and his disgust towards Voldemort.

It was shortly after his induction into the Order that he had joined the Death Eaters. According to information that Harry had later discovered, Lucius Malfoy had approached Percy only a few days later, with promises of wealth and more importantly power. Percy had been swayed by the promises and agreed to become a Death Eater, betraying the location of the Order Headquarters.

The Death Eaters in their surprise attack on Grimmauld Place had heavily outnumbered the few Order members who had been there at the time. Sirius and Remus had brought Moody\'s body to Hogwarts. Both men had been bleeding profusely from their attempts to fight the Death Eaters. Shacklebolt had to spend two months in St Mungos recovering from an unknown curse that had been sent his way by Rudolphus Lestrange.

Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson had been attacked less than a month after announcing their engagement. Colin and Dennis Creevey, along with their father had been killed in their home the summer before Harry\'s Seventh Year. Cho Chang had been found unconscious in Diagon Alley, behind Gringotts. When she had eventually woken up, it had been discovered that she had been tortured under the Cruciatus curse, to such an extent that she had suffered permanent brain damage. She was now in the same ward as Neville\'s parents. Three of Harry\'s Gryffindor housemates in his year had also not survived to see Voldemort\'s downfall. Lavender, Parvati, and Seamus had died in the final battle.

Harry considered the day of the final battle to be one of the worst things he had evitneitnessed. Even now, when he closed his eyes, Harry was still able to see the grounds littered with dead and bleeding bodies, Death Eaters, Order members, and Ministry workers alike. Many of the Order members and Aurors were fighting in pairs, covering their partner\'s back. Harry\'s fighting partner had been Sirius, their animagus abilities and fighting styles making them natural partners.

Mrs Weasley had raised several vehement arguments regarding Harry\'s training programme that Dumbledore had devised with the help of Moody, Remus, and McGonagall. Harry remembered sitting in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place as Mrs Weasley raged at the Headmaster, at Mad-Eye and at Sirius for not allowing Harry to remain an innocent, to keep his childhood, but instead let the older wizards fight the war.

In the end, she had backed down. The training that Harry had undergone had been both intense and brutal, and he had several tutors, including Shacklebolt, Tonks, and Snape. Harry suspected that without the support of his friends, he would not have been able to cope.

Mrs Weasley, despite her objections, ensured that Harry and those responsible for teaching him, were well looked after and fed. Remus and \'Mione would spent hours with him, going over magical theories until Harry could understand it and even recite it in his sleep! Fred and George along with his best friend, Ron, made sure that Harry took time out to relax. Whether it was a quick session on his Firebolt or a game of chess, or even a prank courtesy of the Twins, they always seemed to know whe was was getting all too much for him.

Sirius was Harry\'s lifeline, his sounding box, his … Harry wasn\'t sure how to describe it. He could not tell the others his fears, his worries, his feeling of helplessness and anger, only Sirius. Sirius, who did not see him as a saviour, as the Boy-Who-Lived, or as a weapon for the Light. To him, he was just Harry.

At some point in the final battle, two Hit Wizards had been cornered by a group of Dementors and Dumbledore had run over to protect them. After having cast his Patronus and driven the foul creatures away, he had been attacked by a Death Eater. From Harry\'s position, he had been aware that Dumbledore had easily overpowered the foolish wizard before an attack by several Dementors distracted him.

Whilst Harry dealt with the former Azkaban guards, Sirius exchangurseurses with a Death Eater who thought he would take advantage of the situation. Obviously, the wizard had not been told of the infamous fighting Potter-Black combo, one that now spanned two generations. Once both threats had been dispatched with, the two wizards took the moment\'s reprieve to look over the battlefield that used to be the Hogwarts grounds.

Harry\'s heart missed a beat when he finally spotted Dumbledore … who was duelling Voldemort. Harry\'s instincts took over and he transformed into a sleek black panther, momentarily forgetting his partner, and made for the Headmaster\'s position.

Sirius, who had not been about to let his godson run off without support, also transformed, letting out a short bark of irritation at the emerald eyed feline. Both animals moved too fast to be caught by the curses sent their way and their agility enabled them to jump over and evade the many bodies.

After what seemed like many hours, but was in rea onl only a minute or two, Harry, closely followed by Sirius, finally reached the two combatants. Harry watched on, filled with helplessness knowing that the etiquette of duelling meant that he could not interrupt, nor help Dumbledore.

Sirius, though also concerned about the duel being played out in front of him, kept his attentions on his surroundings, knowing that Harry was not doing so. After all, it would not do being struck down before the final showdown and Sirius would fight to death and back to protect Harry. His only wish was that he could have done something more. A sharp cry drew his attention back to his godson, whose emerald eyes were filled with tears, staring with a horrified expression at the scene in front of him.

Dumbledore had fallen … Harry was immobile in shock. \'Dumbledore could not be dead. He was a wizard feared by Voldemort. The most powerful wizard … the leader of the Light … he was dead\'.

Hafeltfelt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him out of his despair. He turned his head to meet Sirius\' steady blue eyes, eyes that had seen so much death and despair, yet still held hope and love within them. It was a beacon of light for Harry, for whom this war seemed to be like the darkest, longest night. He would not forget those last words they exchanged, knowing that they could have been his last.

\"I\'ll see you on the other side\" Harry had said, somehow managing a small smilr thr the dark-haired animagus.

\"I\'ll be there, watching your back\" Sirius assured. Love, pride, and hope shining in those blue orbs. Reluctance to let Harry fight Voldemort yet accepting tht wat was his task … his destiny.

\"I know\" was all Harry could say in response. Knowing that Sirius would not allow any interruption to the duel, the last fight to the death, to his duty to rid the Wizarding world of the cancer that was Voldemort. He squeezed the hand that lay on his shoulder before taking the final steps to face his destiny … to fulfil the Prophesy … to duel Voldemort.

It had been a brutal duel. Harry, however could not remember much of it, something he considered to be a blessing. Perhaps Sirius could but Harry had never been inclined to ask. In all honesty, he had just wanted to forget about it all … the pain, the loss, the fame and attention it brought with it. Harry wanted no part of it. All he remembered was being held in strong arms, a hand running through his damp hair in a soothing manner. He had looked up to meet sad blue eyes in a face that was filled with happiness, pain and love.

\"You did it Harry,\" us hus had said. \"You got rid of him!\"

\"Are you sure?\" asked Harry, the surprise showing on his face as he realised how weak his voice sounded.

\"I haven\'t checked. A certain green-eyed godson of mine was my main priority. I don\'t suppose you\'ve seen him around. He\'s a handsome fellow, bit stubborn, and thinks that everything\'s his fault!\" Sirius had replied.

Harry snorted in reply. Sirius continued in a more serious tone. \"I didn\'t, but it sure looks like it. I bet some Ministry moron will check though, that is I they don\'t faint at the sight of the bastard!\"

Cupping Harry\'s face in his hand, he carried on in a fierce whisper, as if to emphasise the truth of his words. \"You avenged them Harry! All those who died because of Voldemort! Hagrid, Moody, Cedric, your friends, all those muggles and wizards alike, Dumbledore … your parents, James and Lily. You avenged their deaths!\"

Harry let the tears fall, not caring what the others thought. He was a muddle of emotions; relief, pain, hate, love, fear and many others besides. \'It was over … finally over.\'

He allowed himself to be held in Sirius\' comforting embrace, forgetting about the world outside … he had done his bit, his duty. He felt Sirius lay a soft kiss on his forehead as the two waited for someone from the Order to arrive.

**********

The following two years after the final war, many people had been involved in the rebuilding of the shattered community. Death Eaters had been arrested and tried for the crimes they had been accused of. Each wizard, who had been suspected of conspiring with Voldemort, had been questioned under the influence of Veritaserum. Those guilty were sent to Azkaban, now guarded by specially trained Hit Wizards, and the innocent set free.

Arthur Weasley, the Minister of Magic, had insisted upon a fair trial for everyone, not wanting the same mistakes to occur like what had happened in Sirius\' case over sixteen years ago. The Ministry of Magic, various areas in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alleyd pad parts of Hogwarts Castle that had been damaged over the course of the war had slowly been rebuilt.

Hogwarts herself still bore many scars. Parts of the castle were restricted while the structure was strengthened, but the number of students studying at the school emphatically demonstrated the continuing effects of the war. The number of student witches and wizards attending the school were at the lowest level for over 300 years. The war had seen the deaths of entire families, including those too young to attend Hogwarts … it would be a long while before that would be healed.

Minerva McGonagall was the current Headmistress of Hogwarts, while Snape took up the post of Deputy Headmaster. Sirius, who had been freed by the capture and subsequent confession of Pettigrew, had become the Transfigurations Professor and Head of Gryffindor House, much to the amusement of Remus and Harry.

Remus and Charlie Weasley shared the role of teaching Care of Magical Creatures and Keeper of the Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts. Hagrid\'s hut, which had been destroyed in the final battle, lay as a monument to the much loved and missed half-giant. Harry, after much persuasion and cajoling, had eventually taken up the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor.

Not that Harry could have ever really left Hogwarts, it was his true home. No matter where he lived, for he had several homes due to the Potter Inheritance, Hogwarts herself called out to him, and he could not refuse her.

Although many had died in the war against Voldemort, many others close to Harry had survived. Tonks and Shacklebolt were still working in the Department of Magical Enforcement as Aurors. Harry, having already started the training to become a fully-fledged Auror, had decided that he may as well finish, and so in his spare time he continued to train, Sirius remaining his partner throughout. Even so, Harry\'s abilities and fighting style allowed him to partner up with others including Tonks and Remus with great success, but none were as spectacularly victorious in mock duels as when Harry partnered with his godfather.

Bill Weasley was still working at Gringotts and had now been joined by his sister, Ginny. Though business had beerd frd for Fred and George the past few years, the Twins were now creating a small storm in Diagon Alley with their many lines of Wheezes. During the war, they had produced many items that the Order had used in spying on suspected Death Eaters. Now they were able to freely sell those products and with continued support from their silent investor, they had discovered that the market for practical jokes was wide open. Hermione had become an Unspeakable working in the Department of Mysteries, Neville had become a Healer at St Mungos, while Dean, Ron, and Draco amongst others had taken up various positions within the Ministry.

Through all the changes and rebuilding, one thing had not changed. Harry was still famous. His popularity bigger now that he had defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. No, even though Voldemort was dead, the general wizarding population were still too scared to say his name out loud. Wherever Harry went, whatever he did, it was mentioned in some publication or another. So much so, that Harry had taken to hiding out at Hogwarts when he did not have to be somewhere else.

Any information about Harry and his romantic life would invariably end up in the newspapers. Complete strangers flung themselves at the shocked wizard, much to the amusement of his friends, in particular Sirius, Ron, and the Twins. Every week, even two years later, Harry would receive some token of affection from a star-struck youngster or a marriage proposal from an older member of the wizarding community.

It seemed that every single witch or wizard wanted to be the future Mr or Mrs Harry Potter, partner of the famous Boy-Who-Lived. Harry had quickly learnt to be careful about who he dated and associated with, after his first few dates had told all to the Daily Prophet and other lesser publications.

He could still remember havingrestrestrain Sirius from apparating to Diagon Alley and cursing Sally-Ann Parks into St Mungos, after she had sold her story about her brief affair with Harry, including hirforrformance in the bedroom, not long after the end of the war.

Even with such experiences, Harry somehow managed to find time to date in between teaching at Hogwarts and his Auror training. He was after a special someone, a witch or wizard that would love him for him, not his fame or money or power.

It was turning out to be a lot harder than it originally seemed. He remembered with fondness his relationships with Susan Bones, Charlie Weasley, and Oliver Wood. All had lasted a several months and had ended amicably, but none had been that special person Harry was looking for.

His last relationship had been with Justin Finch-Fletchley and had lasted just under four months. It had been quite a bad break-up and Harry was still suffering from it. Justin, having believed that Harry had been cheating him, had publicly broken up with him, the sordid details appearing in the Daily Prophet only four days ago. It was at times like these when Harry wondered whether he would actually manage to find love.

His friends had been wonderful, rallying around and protecting him from the backlash that Justin had created. Ron had asked him why he had not denied having an affair, instead allowing Justin to sully his character. Sirius had taken him aside and explained that Harry wanted the whole situation to blow over, and that by telling the public his side of the story, Harry would instead cause the story to run on for longer, feeding the population\'s desire for salacious gossip.

Harry turned away once the carriages had disappeared from his line of sight and started to walk through the now empty and quiet stone corridors of Hogwarts. He made his way to Charlie\'s set of rooms. He was to meet Sirius and Remus there, before the four wizards would floo to the Burrow where Mrs Weasley was having a small gathering to celebrate the end of the school year.

**********

Harry walked briskly towards the small clearing where he used to play Quidditch with Ron and his brothers. He had finally managed to escape Mrs Weasley and her continual mutterings about \'that Justin … poor Harry … despicable behaviour\'. He suspected that he would have attracted less attention walking down Diagon Alley.

The main conversation at lunch had been regarding Justin\'s recent behaviour about their relationship and everyone had wanted to express their sympathies to him. Remus, Sirius, and Charlie had attempted to change the conversation several times, but it had not worked. It was too early for Harry to leave the party, but he felt too stifled by the atmosphere so instead, he had left the house for a moment to get some fresr.
r.

\"Hey!\" a voice greeted him.

Harry turned around to see Ginny walking towards him. \"Hi Gin\" he replied. \"How are you? I haven\'t had a chance to talk to you yet.\"

\"Fine. I noticed my mother ambushed you several times. I swear she\'s ready to owl a howler to Justin!\" she said with a light laugh.
Harry grimaced. He appreciated having Mrs Weasley around and regarded her as a mother figure, but still, he was an adult. \"I better get back in there and stop her\" he groaned.

\"He deserves it!\" Ginny said, something in her tone causing Harry\'s curiosity to spark.

\"What’s done is done. I just want to forget about the whole thing. I told Sirius the other day; I\'m not going to date. Not for a good while anyway\" explained Harry. \"It\'s just problems on top of more problems. I\'ve got a new curriculum to plan and then Auror training. I\'m almost near the end of that and I have to concentrate on that now. I don\'t have time to date at the moment.\"

Ginny\'s brown eyes reflected her sadness as she replied. \"I think you\'ll be destroying a lot of people\'s hopes.\"

\"I\'m sure they\'ll cope. I\'m not the only available guy around\" he chuckled.

\"No, just the most good-looking, well-positioned bachelor in the country!\" Ginny responded.

Harry blushed slightly before finally saying, \"I doubt it, what about Draco Malfoy? Besides, I\'m not looking for a relationship now. I just want to enjoy spending some quality time with my friends.\"

\"Well then\" said Ginny, a gleam in her eyes and a grin on her heart shaped face. \"As a friend, would you like to join me for dinner on Saturday night?\"

\"I don\'t know\" Harry responded, not particularly keen on appearing in public quite so soon after the media frenzy about his love life.

\"We could go to some muggle restaurant where you won\'t be recognised. Besides, it\'s with a friend, it\'s not like you\'re dating so soon. Justin be damned! You shouldn\'t stop enjoying yourself!\" she said in her most persuasive voice.

Harry still felt a bit of doubt. He knew that Ginny still harboured feelings for him, though they had both dated other people. He considered Ginny to be audo-udo-sister, in much the same way Ron was the brother he never had. Even so, she had said that it would just be two friends, out having a meal.

Pushing aside his doubts, he finally agreed. With a quick conversation confirming the time and place of their dinner, Harry finally returned to the Weasleys\' home, intending on stopping Mrs Weasley from creating more problems between himself and Justin before returning to Hogwarts. As he walked down the beaten path, he missed the speculative look on Ginny\'s face. Nor did he notice that a pair of eyes followed him as he walked back towards the house.

**********

 
Notes:
The idea for this came to me as I was writine noe notes for several chapters for Turn Back Time. This is a short fic, only about 6 chapters long. I will warn you now, a couple of characters are not like you\'ve ever seen them in canon before. You may hate me for how I portrayed them, but it had to be done for the story. Yes it is slash and it will most likely not be all fluffy and cuddles hence the rating of R.

I\'ll try and update as quickly as possible but this isn\'t my main piece. Even so, it is going to be much shorter in length than Turn Back Time so will probably be finished much sooner. I hope you like this story and your reviews keep my writing. Please let me know what you think!
 
I apologise in advance for any mistakes, spelling, grammatical or otherwise. It is all my fault since this is unbeta\'d. Please review (long is good!) and send any helpful comments, all will be appreciated. Any flames, however, will be, in all honesty, read then disregarded. Thank you for reading!
SStar