The Last Protection: Harriett Potter's Legacy

Epilogue

The seasons had changed many times since the final battle, and with each passing year, the world had shifted, healed, and grown stronger. Harriett stood in the heart of the Black estate, gazing out at the sprawling grounds of the manor. Once a place weighed down by shadows, the estate now seemed to breathe with the promise of new beginnings. The air was warm, laced with the scent of blooming roses and fresh grass, and the golden light of the setting sun bathed the world in a soft glow. It was a calmness Harriett had never known, the kind of peace that only emerged after great struggle, after sacrifice, after victory.

The echoes of war were still there, hidden beneath the surface of the world. But for the first time in her life, Harriett felt as if she could breathe again without the constant weight of fear or uncertainty pressing on her chest. The storm had passed. The horizon ahead, though uncertain, no longer seemed dark.

Sirius stood beside her, his expression soft as he followed her gaze across the estate. He had become something of a father to her, his guidance invaluable throughout the years. He had given her space to grow, but had always been there when she needed him—whether for counsel or simply for comfort.

“You’ve come so far, Harriett,” Sirius said quietly, his voice filled with a warmth that made her heart swell. “I knew you had it in you. But to see it now... I could never have imagined this.”

Harriett smiled, but there was a quiet sadness in her eyes, a lingering ache for the parents she had never known. “It’s not just me. It’s all of us. We fought together. We survived together.”

The last remnants of the war had faded. Voldemort’s followers, the Death Eaters, had been rounded up and brought to justice. The Ministry had been restructured, with Harriett playing a pivotal role in its transformation. With the support of her family, she had become a key figure in the rebuilding of the wizarding world, helping to usher in a new era—one that would be free from the oppressive darkness that had once consumed it.

She had fought alongside the Blacks—Sirius, Regulus, Orion, Narcissa, and Andromeda. Together, they had stood tall against Voldemort’s final assault, fighting for what they believed in, fighting for the future. The Black family, once fragmented and torn by betrayal, had become united in their purpose. They had emerged stronger, their bonds tighter than ever before.

The scars of the past were not easily forgotten, but they had all learned to heal, to forgive, to move forward. Regulus, who had once been burdened by his own guilt, had found peace in the knowledge that he had redeemed himself. His efforts had been instrumental in ending Voldemort’s reign, and now he had a family of his own, a new purpose to embrace. Narcissa and Andromeda, who had spent years caught between the old ways and the new, had helped shape the future. Together, they had fought for a world where their children would never have to endure the horrors they had faced.

As Harriett looked back at the grand estate, she remembered how it had once seemed like a prison to her—an embodiment of everything she had feared. But now, it was a sanctuary, a place of refuge, and a symbol of the new life they had forged. The ancient walls, once steeped in dark magic, now stood strong and proud, a testament to the resilience of the family that had called it home for centuries.

A voice from behind her interrupted her thoughts, soft yet filled with unyielding strength. “Harriett.”

She turned to find Regulus approaching, a rare smile on his lips. It was a smile that no longer seemed to hold the weight of regret, but rather, a quiet contentment. His journey, too, had been one of transformation, and he had finally come to understand his place in the world. His place was here, with his family, fighting for the future they all deserved.

“You’re not alone in this, you know,” Regulus said, his voice low but firm. “We’re all here. Always.”

Harriett nodded, her heart swelling with pride. She had never truly been alone—not even when she thought she was. The Black family, fractured as they had been, had always been there, waiting for the right moment to come together. And now, in this new world, that moment had arrived.

Later that evening, as twilight descended upon the estate, the Blacks gathered in the family parlor. The once-cold room, filled with distant memories of fear and uncertainty, now held an air of warmth and togetherness. The fireplace crackled with life, and the laughter of family filled the space.

Harriett sat with her family around the grand table, the portraits of her parents on the walls watching over her. Their faces, once frozen in a painting, now seemed to radiate love and pride, their spirits forever with her. They had always been there, in her heart, guiding her, watching over her. She had never truly been alone, even in the darkest of times.

Sirius raised his glass, his voice filled with pride and joy. “To family,” he said. “To the ones we choose, and to the ones we’re born with. To the Blacks.”

“To family,” Harriett echoed, her voice steady, her heart full.

And as they clinked their glasses together, a sense of peace settled over them all. It wasn’t just the end of the war that made this moment so special—it was the beginning of something new. The Blacks were no longer a family torn apart by betrayal and grief. They were a family united by love, by their shared history, and by their strength.

Outside, the stars glittered in the sky, shining brightly over the estate, over Paris, over the world that had finally been freed from the darkness. And as Harriett looked up, she knew that the future was waiting—waiting for her to shape it, to protect it, and to make it her own.

The battle was over, but the story of her family, of her world, was just beginning.

And Harriett Black was ready for whatever came next.