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She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named owns the Potterverse, not I.



Chapter XXV
September 1, 2011

Pansy and Draco Malfoy escorted their only child Orion onto Platform 9 3/4. The couple never spoke of the deal which they had been given when Pansy had agreed to bear the Potters the child which broke the Hera Curse. No one outside of a very small group knew that Rose Potter, born early in 1999, had come out of Pansy Malfoy.

Pansy and Draco had then done their best to get her pregnant on their own immediately thereafter, hoping that would erase their internal disgust at having lost so much on so many fronts. They had been under house arrest from 1995 until 2010, on a small estate loaned them by the Potters. They had been offered 'counselling' for what Granger had called their 'post-traumatic stress.' The pair had been horrified by the concepts, and had refused, despite some inducements they had been offered.

They were still banned from international travel. They would never be rich, but between the settlement given them by the Potters and the small pension sent to Draco from the Malfoys, they were assured they would never be poor, either. While neither could acknowledge they had been treated generously by Potter, neither complained of their treatment by him or his either. They were basically semi-outcasts to the Malfoy, Parkinson, and connected families -- what Victorian Muggles would have called 'on remittance,' that is paid to stay out of sight and out of mind.

Any standing they would have would either have to come from their own hard work -- which neither was about to do -- or from acknowledging they were dependents of the Potters.

They were not about to acknowledge that, either.

That left their son. The pair understood why they were never welcome to visit the Potters, and they would not have wanted to even if they had been. They did not understand why their son was welcomed to play with the Potter children and the oft-visiting Weasleys and others. The Malfoys had just enough sense left to know it was to their son's advantage to allow the contact, even if they despised it.

This would be the first time the Malfoys were out in a public place, and on the whole they were quite happy no one seemed to recognize them. Draco's siblings had been schooled in South America, where Narcissa had stayed after the execution of her husband, and they thought of themselves of part of South American society, not European. Since her younger children's lives stood in the way of Draco and control of the Malfoy fortune, she had never visited Britain since their birth, and neither had the triplets.

It did not occur to the Malfoys that there was really no reason for many people to recognize them. The pair and their son were neatly, even overly-neatly, dressed, but hardly at the height of fashion. With little to do, both had put on a fair amount of weight over the years. Pansy had cut her hair short, while Draco's hairline was receding. The children of most of the few people who had known them well at Hogwarts were still too young to attend, and so few of the couple's contemporaries were present.

There were, of course, a few exceptions.

The older Malfoys grimaced, but knew they could hardly avoid meeting the Potters. Granger-Potter was there with Rose, and Rose's full brother (out of Luna Lovegood). Jason Potter was also starting school that year, and was there with his mother and surrogate. As far as the pair was concerned, there was only one thing good about this meeting.

The trio bowed stiffly to Hermione, and in a slightly more relaxed manner to Luna. Orion bowed more naturally, as he had been allowed to play with Jason, and knew all of the group well.

"Our sympathies on your . . . well, the recent alterations," Draco said in a neutral voice. That had been the greatest news in July. There had been a new Dark movement arising in Central Asia. By all published accounts, Harry Potter had faced them down and destroyed the entire group by himself.

He had not been heard from since, so far as any government knew. Neither woman had put on mourning robes or acknowledged that Potter was gone, but announcements of his 'resignation' of all official and honorary positions had been made. Everyone presumed that Potter was either dead or crippled. Neither Draco nor Pansy much cared which. Still, in theory Potter still might impose his power, and so they were going to be polite to Potter's spouse and their acknowledged lover.

"Thank you," Hermione answered drily. She looked at Orion. "Are you pleased to be off to Hogwarts?"

"Yes, Aunt Hermione," Orion answered cheerfully, which made his parents wince a bit. "Thank you again for the owl. I'm glad Ican write to Mum and Dad without having to use the school owls."

"We're glad you like it."

"May we board the train, Mums?" Jason asked his two mothers. Rose had already joined her friends.

"You and Orion are both talented young men," Luna answered. "Nearly every year at Hogwarts, there are three or four students who emerge as the leaders. If you work together.no matter if you are in the same House or different ones, you can be among those leaders." She kissed both boys on their foreheads, and, embarrassed, they took their leave of their parents.

"Do you really think they could be in the same House?" Draco drawled.

Hermione barely restrained herself from wrinkling her nose. She loathed the pair, but tried hard never to show it. It was therefore Luna who answered. "Jason could be in any House. He is brave, loyal, very intelligent, and at times a little sneaky. Iwould think he would most likely go to Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but the other two are possible. I think Orion could also go to any House, but Ravenclaw and Slytherin are the most likely."

"You could be right."

After a pause, Pansy asked, "And your children?" Luna had had three of Harry's as well.

"If you mean their future Houses, I fear all are too individualistic for Hufflepuff, although Xerxes is a little young for me to be certain. Beyond that, I couldn't hazard aguess. If you mean where are they now, we left them with Neville and Susan."

And with that, as the train was pulling out, the four waved at their children and gladly left each other's company.

*

"Ravenclaw, and Orion went into Slytherin," Hermione said with a sniff late that evening.

"Are you coming down with a cold?" Luna asked.

"No," Hermione said with a sigh. "I just hope Orion does not emulate his parents."

"As bad as they were as students, neither Draco nor Pansy have impressed me as poor parents," Luna retorted. "Mediocre, no doubt, and a bit too self-centered, I grant you, but the lessons of their teen years seem to have ground down their pride and prejudices to nearly tolerable levels."

"I know, and I hope I haven't ever allowed that to affect my treatment of Orion."

"Of course you haven't."

Hermione's face suddenly showed great pain. "Am I a bad person because I wish something horrible on the pair of them? That Iwish Harry could taken revenge on them, somehow?"

"Perhaps a little, perhaps not," Luna answered. "However, while the agreement implies that Harry will never directly harm Pansy, never think that Harry has forgotten the pain those two caused, any more than you or I have."

"What do you know?" Hermione slowly asked.

"I know that Harry needs at least one more Horcrux."

*

At three the next morning, Draco Malfoy woke up with a jolt.

When the pain receded, Draco realized that he was tied into a chair. He was holding his wand, but he could not move it, and his magic seemed halted, as he could not even get sparks.

"Now, isn't this cozy."

"Potter?"

"Did the two of you think I'd ever forgive what you did to Hermione, let alone all the other stunts you tried?"

"Yes, I brought the knife to Hogwarts, but it was Pansy who decided to target Granger, not me!"

Draco couldn't see Potter, who was still behind him, but he did hear the sarcasm in Potter's voice. "Draco, Draco, Draco. You'd sell Pansy out in a moment to save your miserable little life, wouldn't you?"

"Why should I be punished for what she did?" Draco demanded. "Why should I be punished for what Father did, for that matter?"

"You shouldn't, and aren't," Harry agreed. "You're only dying for what you did. As for Pansy, well, Hermione will kill her in five to nine years."

"What!"

"You see, you'll be my second Horcrux, but Hermione can only make one out of someone linked to her, like Pansy is, since she bore Hermione's child."

"You'd orphan our son!"

"Not until he's old enough to handle it," Harry retorted. "If the pair of you were the lousy parents we'd thought you'd be, instead of the mediocre ones you are, we'd have killed you a few years ago." Draco could hear the smile enter Potter's voice. "Now, that's enough monologuing on my part. Goodbye, Draco. It's been a pain in the arse knowing you."

The bindings on Draco disappeared, but Draco found he could not make a voluntary movement. His eyes widened in shock as he saw, rather than felt, his hand lift his wand and point it directly into his mouth.

That was the last thing Draco Malfoy felt in this life.

Pansy had to call in the aurors the next morning, after she had found Draco's body in their sitting room, his head exploded all over the floor and one wall. They had found the suicide note in the pocket of his dressing gown, which had blamed the Malfoy Trust for not granting him his rights as the true heir of the family, despite his having been officially disinherited. That was believable to everyone who knew, or thought they knew, Draco, other than Pansy, who was not certain what to think.

*

Over the next nine years, everyone, except for Pansy, forgot about the mysterious suicide of Draco Malfoy. Even Orion forgot about his father's death, although he sometimes thought about Draco.

Life went on within the magical world, just as it did outside of it. The Europeans tried to maintain a sharp division based on ancestry (as opposed to culture), but that resistance was slowly being eroded away as the rest of the magical world integrated Muggle ideas, although keeping a strict veil of secrecy about magic itself. Muggle technology and ideas were being used to help keep magic hidden in the Americas, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand, and in doing so the practitioners did not stand out as much as they had. On the other hand, old ceremonies and customs were revived or spread, especially those of the Druid sects.

There were several minor attempts to form groups or even covens of dark magic users, which were quickly, and in two cases very bloodily and even publicly, quashed. No government took any credit for these actions. A few, especially in Britain, gave the reclusive Harry Potter credit. In North America and Western Europe, the Druids were often given credit. Another rumor had it that there was an alliance of 'old magic' practitioners, including the Druids, who were responsible.

In truth, it was a combination of all those people, with aid from the Brotherhood, even if few knew the Brotherhood existed.

Rose Potter had been a prefect and head girl. She was apprenticing at the Salem Witches Institute. Orion Malfoy and Jason Potter had been Sorted into Slytherin and Gryffindor respectively, but had stayed close friends. They had not been overly academic, but had maintained good grades. Neither had been made prefect, as they had turned out to be major pranksters, helped out by the Weasleys and Sirius. (Jason's younger half sisters, Xenia and Laurel, however, would be the head girl and fifth year prefect that year, both in Ravenclaw. His younger half-brother, Xerxes, was a second year Hufflepuff.) They had both played Quidditch, although neither had been quite good enough be become captain. They had fallen in love with a pair of fraternal twins in Ravenclaw during their Sixth year, and had married them in a double wedding the August after they had all turned twenty.



September 1, 2020

Pansy Malfoy was sulkily moving about the small manor house she and Draco had been allocated by the Potters decades before. Orion and his wife were still away, and she was more lonely than she had felt in some time.

Pansy was so lonely, she nearly missed Draco.

Almost.

As she gazed out of one of the old, narrow lead-glass windows into the darkening forest outside, Pansy suddenly realized that she had been Petrified. Her wand was yards away, on the fireplace mantel, and she had no chance of unfreezing herself without touching it.

"For some reason, this place looks unhealthy," a hated voice said. "I just can't point out why."

"It's not just clean, the place has been scrubbed and sanitized," another voice commented, making Pansy's blood run cold. "It's sterile. My Aunt was the same -- a petty, small-minded person, whose soul was dirty, but who could not face it. Therefore, she cleaned the hell out of everything she could, and either pretended everything else was perfect, or she condemned it." The voice halted for a second, and then said, slightly amazed, "I'm really surprised Orion turned out so well."

A tiny bit of fear left Pansy, as it seemed that Orion, at least might be safe. Safe from exactly what she was not certain, but she knew that she was in great peril. For an instant, Pansy realized she had been silently freed, but that Petrification was almost instantly replaced with a great feeling of hazy bliss, which Pansy managed to recognize as the most powerful Imperious she had ever been under, and she had been put under numerous times, especially by Voldemort and his visiting Death Eaters. Pansy was not sure what she was doing in this state, and really did not care at the moment.

When the haze had cleared, Pansy realized she was now sitting in a straight chair, wearing only her most unflattering underpants. She was still frozen from the neck down -- only involuntary movement, like breathing, was possible. However, from the neck up, she was free. "Where are you bastards!" she demanded.

"Behind you, where else?" Hermione answered.

"What do you want? How dare you invade my house. . . ."

"My house," Harry snapped. "Never yours."

"Are you here to kick me out?" Pansy demanded, puzzled.

"Of course not," Hermione answered. "I'm here to execute you."

"What! You can't do that! It's illegal!"

"And since when do you care about that?" Hermione snapped back. "And since you've killed me, you should stop whinging and take your punishment."

"What?" Pansy was clearly puzzled.

"You do deserve to know what, although I'll skip the magical proof, as I doubt you could understand them," Hermione answered, moving within Pansy's line of sight. "First, why kill anyone, even you? Because Harry is immortal, via a Horcrux. Well, three actually. For many reasons, it's much easier for a male to create a Horcrux than a woman, as the male just has to kill, while a woman, a more direct creator of life, has to have a magical bond of certain types. Essentially, since I could not directly bear any children, the only people I could kill would be Harry, Luna, my two children, or you. Well, I would hardly kill any of them, unlike you."

Hermione frowned at Pansy. "And you essentially killed me years ago. Even now, some of the poison, although not the actual curse, is inside me. I would die in about five more years, and the effects are just starting to show again. The only way I can find to fully purge the poison is by magically returning it to you. Since you have not gone through the many treatments I have, it would kill you in about an hour of excruciating pain. However, I will kill you by faking your suicide before you are in too much pain."

"But . . . but. . . ."

"But what?"

"I don't want to die!"

Hermione nodded. "Most people don't at any given time. However, you have made it such that either you or I must die. Be honest, wouldn't you prefer it was me?" Pansy didn't answer. "Of course you would. I prefer that's you, and I am the one in a position to choose. It also allows me to try and create a Horcrux, which is more than a mere side benefit. So, anything intelligible to add at this point?"

Pansy looked into Hermione's eyes, and knew there was no way she could successfully plead for her life. If there was any chance, she would have done anything. Since there wasn't she knew she could at least try to die with pride. "You won't harm Orion, will you?"

"I can't imagine Orion ever doing anything warranting our doing anything but cherishing him," Hermione answered.

Pansy nodded, and then asked, "How. . . ?"

Suddenly, Pansy could move her body, but she realized she was under the Imperious again. This was weaker, and in the back of mind, the part which was not screaming realized that the first Imperious had likely been Harry's.

Pansy stared as her head and arm moved so that she was staring at the tip of her wand, which she only now realized mush have been in her hand. Over her internal screams, Pansy heard herself say, "Reducto."



Few people took notice of Pansy's demise, certainly none of the authorities did.



October 31, 2112

The elderly woman, laboring for breath, sat propped up by bolsters and pillows, waiting. She had shooed away her children, step-children, and assorted decedents and attendants and had waited for midnight. At around 1:30, she smiled and roused herself. "Hello, my loves."

Luna smiled as Harry and Hermione bent over her and kissed her withered cheeks. "It has been too long."

"We know," Harry answered, chastised.

"At least you're here at the end," Luna added, breathing becoming difficult.

"We could. . . ." Hermione started, but Luna forestalled her.

"No, my sweet. It is my time. For everything, there is a season. This is my time to pass. Please do not help or hinder my passing. Just having you here is my comfort and my dearest desire."

Each sat on one edge of the bed and took one of Luna's rapidly weakening hands. "You both will always remember that, even though your seasons are longer, some time your season of passing will also come."

"We know," Harry replied. "We also know we cannot stay in society."

"I have not left the Temple in the Himalaya for nearly fifteen years, other than to visit you," Hermione said. "Some time, sooner or later, I know I will have to stop learning and pass on."

"I've stepped away from operations, leaving them to Jason and a few others," Harry added. "If this is, well. . . ."

"It is," Luna said softly, her eyes still closed.

"Then we will miss you, and we'll be going off to heal," Hermione told Luna. "You completed and balanced us. We will have to find a new balance."

"You will find it, if you wish it," Luna said. "For I shall never fully leave you. And some day. . . ."

"And some day, we'll join you," Harry assured her, although at that moment he and Hermione needed the assurance far more than Luna.

"I shall wait," Luna mumbled, barely audible. "Then, together, we will see what, if anything, eternity has to offer, once the transition is complete. . . ." She roused herself and looked at Hermione. "If you need to, you may make your second Horcrux."

"Never," Hermione said, "but thank you."

"Harry. . . ?"

"Rest, my love, until we join you."

"You are both creatures of light, despite the grey," Luna said softly, and smiling, she breathed her last.

The two near-immortal lovers kissed the cooling lips, and took their leave. There was much to learn and much to be done before they could allow themselves the luxury of joining their friend and love.