Shadow - Sequel To Light

Epilogue

Normal..., such a simple word but such a hard thing to aspire to. After waking up at the Burrow, the biggest thing I wanted was to go back to normal. Harry and I had talked for long hours about everything that happened and we had hoped that it was over..., we still hope that. I found out that I had been unconscious for over twenty-four hours after the altercation but my babies and sister were okay and that was what mattered. Well, my babies were okay.

My sister had seemed fine for a few hours after I woke but, I think, everything hit her when I tried to talk to her and she broke. We took her to the matron but she was catatonic. We could either wait for her to snap out of it, which the matron said was a slim chance of, or we could wipe her memory and hope that she could survive with another family. I didn't want to send her away but she was truly a muggle and I couldn't be sure that I would never bring up what had happened again and send her back into that state if she came out. It broke my heart but I left her in the care of the matron to do what needed to be done, including relocating her. It hurt to let go of the last connection to my parents but she wasn't made for my world and I had other things to worry about.

The explosions that had been set off in the arena had injured a few people but the matron had handled them before I had returned. I was excited to know that the Horcruxes had been destroyed, but something inside me whispered that this may never be completely over. I shook the feeling when my babies had come to visit, I wanted them to see happiness, not worry. James and Lily were beginning to pick things up and I didn't want them to carry any burdens at their age. Harry and I would carry whatever came to ensure they never would have to have the youth that we had.

Don't mistake me, I would never trade my experiences with Harry and Ron for anything in the world. But, as a parent, I would do anything in my power to ensure my children not face that danger. They weren't like how we had been, we had been forged in war and made to fight. My children were forged in love and made to live in happiness, a happiness that we had fought many times over for.

"Love?" Harry touched my shoulder, startling me. I had been looking out of our bedchambers' window at the sky while I thought of the events just passed. "Sorry but it's almost time for supper and your announcements."

"Yes, of course. Are the children ready?"

"Yes. Are you?" He stared deep into my eyes.

"Yes." I said with absolute assurance and moved to take his hand. Harry hadn't let me out of his sight in the hours we had finally made it back and I loved him for it, it made me feel safe. I was brave but, the matron had been right, I needed to feel safe.

We pushed the pram down the corridors, students flocked ahead of us to the Great Hall. This week was supposed to be final exams but, since Sunday's events, exams just didn't seem as important. Students had asked if they would have to take the exams over and, the more school inclined students, had worried about how this effected their marks. Even as some of them laid in the infirmary, they sent inquiries through friends about their marks. With only three days left in the week for testing, Harry had left the exams up to me. I was to decide whether or not we would give the students their exams the final days or if we would extend the term to accommodate the exam period.

As we made our way to the head table in the Great Hall, I contemplated if I was choosing the right course. Everybody flocked into the Hall, sitting and talking with their peers. You would never have guess that just a couple of days prior, things had seemed so glum and danger had been known to most of them. It amazed me how quickly they bounced back. The only blot on their smiles was the ghost of sadness in their eyes at the loss of one of their friends..., Borislav.

I glanced at Krum, the headmaster that had lost his student, and I saw the pain in the set of his jaw. No headmaster wanted to lose a student that way, even Harry and I were saddened by Liam's loss. You always think, maybe you could have done something, been better so that they would have either wanted to be better or you could have found a way to save them. We held a memorial for him but it didn't seem like enough. When all had made their way into the Hall, I mustered up the best expression I could, since I had been contemplating so much heartache, and moved to announce our course of action. I had chosen what I felt was best for the students and teachers according to my point of view, I just hoped it would be the right thing.