Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
February 1, 1977 – Lily Evans POV.
Voldemort is dead.
My eyes widened as I read the Daily Prophet. Voldemort is dead, he was killed two days ago in Feldcroft, south of here. That… that was really close, and we didn't know it happened for two days?
How… how did it happen? The question is, who did it? The news report was really vague at best. If it weren't for the fact that the headmaster's name was involved and he had acted as a witness, I would have thought it was a hoax.
But… with the headmaster's name plastered all over the place, the news could only be true. The Dark Lord, Voldemort, the one who had cast a shadow over Great Britain with his presence for the past few years while gaining more power… was dead.
Just like that, and everyone was finding out through a message in the Prophet as if it were a simple weather report? That was… so anticlimactic it left me in shock.
Just… how? There were so many questions. And I wasn't the only one with questions; I could see shocked expressions all around the dining hall as everyone read the Prophet. No one was without a newspaper in hand, even if they were sharing one to read the news.
Not even the teachers were spared. I saw McGonagall wide-eyed as she devoured the newspaper with the same eagerness as the students. Even the Slytherins were glued to their papers. They themselves looked completely pale as they read, in shock.
I turned to look at James and his group. At this point, I thought they would be celebrating, but… they seemed just as surprised and… a little lost? I… guess it made sense.
They had been more than vocal about confronting the Death Eaters once they left Hogwarts, joining the Aurors to face them, as if it were a heroic thing to do.
But without the dark lord, that... didn't make sense anymore, after all... the war, the one that was thought to be really bloody, really devastating, had ended without anyone noticing, or even having begun.
That… was a real shock, enough to turn anyone's head off. I continued reading, in shock, the scant information the Prophet revealed, when the doors of the Great Hall burst open with such force that they echoed through the silent room, revealing the headmaster.
He seemed genuinely calm and composed, with a gentle smile as he strolled lightly through the crowd, as if the Dark Lord's death hadn't just been announced. The headmaster simply walked on, and once he reached his place at the table, he blinked at everyone staring at him, then just smiled and nodded.
"Good morning, everyone, I hope you have a good morning," the headmaster said softly, his voice filling the large hall as his eyes sparkled with amusement. My eyes widened slightly.
We all remained silent as we watched the headmaster begin to eat happily in silence. We all stared at him in disbelief.
"Albus?" McGonagall asked, and luckily for us, the headmaster turned around.
"Yes, Minerva?" asked the headmaster. Professor McGonagall could only raise her newspaper. The headmaster blinked and took it, then beamed with amusement.
"Ah, thank you, Minerva, you know how much I like the Prophet's humorous comic strips." The headmaster said, smiling with childlike excitement, then ignored the front page and turned to the middle of the newspaper.
We all stared at him in disbelief once again. He had… ignored the Dark Lord's death because of… humorous comics strips in the Kids Corner? To our utter disbelief, the headmaster chuckled as he read the comic; I could only stare, mouth agape.
"Albus." McGonagall said, her voice strained.
"Yes, Minerva?" the headmaster asked without even looking at her. McGonagall closed her eyes tightly.
"Is it true? The Dark Lord is dead?" McGonagall asked directly. We all held our breath. The headmaster stopped, then looked up at all of us, then looked at McGonagall.
"Oh, that," the headmaster said casually, closing the newspaper. "Yes, he's dead," he added matter-of-factly, then resumed eating. The shock was just as strong as reading it in the newspaper. Mainly because it was the confirmation everyone had been waiting for, but more importantly, the headmaster had said it so casually... as if it weren't important, as if the news barely mattered.
"How?" McGonagall asked once more. "You were... You were?" McGonagall murmured, and we all looked at the headmaster more intently; the headmaster just hummed.
"No, it wasn't me. Voldemort angered the wrong person," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
"What? Who?" McGonagall asked in shock. Just like everyone else. Yes… If it wasn't the headmaster, then who? Who could have killed the Dark Lord? It was said that the Dark Lord was just as powerful as the headmaster; just thinking of a third person, just as strong…
"Who knows?" the headmaster said with amusement. "I only arrived after it happened, I only saw the aftermath and identified Voldemort's body myself. He's completely dead. The person who did it isn't important," the headmaster said calmly.
"Isn't important?" McGonagall asked in shock; the headmaster just smiled slightly.
"Voldemort is gone, and whoever did it didn't cause, and won't cause, any problems—of that I can be sure—so there's really nothing to worry about," the headmaster said matter-of-factly.
"But Headmaster, what about the Death Eaters? What about the whole Pure-Blood movement? What's going to happen? With... with the war?" James bravely asked, standing up. The Headmaster just looked at him.
"I don't understand your question, Mr. Potter," the headmaster said calmly. "Without Voldemort, there are no more Death Eaters, and there definitely won't be any war." The headmaster's eyes gleamed hard.
"but we-"
"There is no 'we,' Mr. Potter," the headmaster interrupted James. "It was never your responsibility to fight in this war, Mr. Potter, nor any of your classmates, no matter which side you chose to be on. And now, you never will," the headmaster said gently.
"but-"
"I suggest, Mr. Potter, that if you were thinking of joining the Aurors just to fight a war, you look into other career prospects," the headmaster said gently. James could only stare in shock at the headmaster as he sat down, as if all his plans had been completely turned upside down—and perhaps they had. "Now, I have a more important announcement to make," the headmaster said, standing up with a smile.
"I've always thought that love is much more important than something like war, and what better way to see that than by attending the Union Rite of Serena Prince and Bellatrix Black? As you know, the professors have been answering questions about the rite and the corresponding ritual for the past few weeks."
"So I thought, this is such a unique event that hasn't happened for centuries, it would really be a waste to miss such a momentous event in our society. Many of you will be attending with your families, but for the rest of you, a trip to Glastonbury Tor will be organized on the day of the rite of union."
"Minors will need their parents' permission to attend. Owls will be allowed to be sent immediately; please do so immediately if you don't want to miss the ceremony. You have less than three days."
"For those of legal age, it's up to you to decide whether you want to go or not; everyone, thanks to the invitation from Serena Prince and Bellatrix Black, is invited to attend."
"So, anyone who wants to see and celebrate the rite of union is more than welcome to accept," the headmaster said cheerfully. No one could speak. Most were still in shock from the Dark Lord's death and the headmaster's complete indifference, and his sudden change of subject was like a quick jolt.
Finally, the headmaster's words seemed to have an effect; many of the younger students shrieked and stood up before leaving in a horde, presumably toward the owlery to send messages to their families, ignoring Voldemort's near-instant death.
And I could understand him; I felt a pang of excitement. I could attend Serena's wedding. I… I hadn't received an invitation, obviously, but I could attend along with the other students, right?
I had to prepare myself.
-------------------------
February 4, 1977 – Lily Pov.
The ceremony began even before dawn, when the moon was high in the sky. Being awake at this hour wasn't so unusual; some astronomy classes had kept us up until this time.
But now almost all of us students were waiting anxiously outside Hogwarts, along with the professors. The headmaster had already recited all the safety rules, which involved not straying and staying together at all times, that each professor was in charge of different groups, and that when the Rite of Bonding was over, we would return the same way we had come, by Portkey.
And above all, that we should not attempt anything at all to interrupt the rite of union; any situation that would embarrass Hogwarts would be severely punished by the headmaster, with the threat of possible expulsion.
Getting involved in a ritual was truly dangerous for everyone involved and those present. The warning was for everyone, but even so, I could see the headmaster's gaze linger on James and his group.
I really… thought they wouldn't be allowed to come. After all, Serena hates James and Sirius. Still, it seems that at this point, she either didn't really care or simply didn't think they'd be foolish enough to cause trouble at such an important event for the entire British wizarding community.
But I suppose that since McGonagall practically had them tied up, she was watching them like a hawk; in fact, she was only concentrating on James's group, I suppose, on the headmaster's orders, so I had nothing to worry about them doing anything stupid.
Finally, we all grabbed the Portkeys. Several long ropes that we were all holding. One moment, we were outside the castle, beyond the defenses that would prevent us from Apparating, and the next, we were at Glastonbury Tor.
After the horrible, disorienting journey on the Portkey, we had appeared at the foot of the hill. I had to turn around until I finally saw Glastonbury Tor, and I gasped. It was still night, so only the moon and stars illuminated the hill, and now, tiny lights, thousands of lights like tiny fireflies, fairies, or the stars themselves, were moving around the hill, illuminating it completely.
The place… felt magical. Not just the view, but the air itself, the same feeling as being at Hogwarts, but… denser, wilder, it was hard to explain, but you could feel it.
There were many people, thousands of people. There didn't seem to be a strict dress code, so there was a mix of people dressed in formal attire and others in everyday clothes. And I saw foreigners, many foreigners.
And we weren't the only students. I spotted a delegation that I thought was from Beauxbatons, if the French they were speaking was any indication, and I also thought I heard another group speaking… Bulgarian? They were wearing heavy clothing made of really thick, hairy hides.
And there were also Japanese or Chinese students; I'd never heard that language before, but it sounded like that. Their clothing was different, too. The teachers never spoke about or mentioned anything regarding the other schools, but I had found information about them in some books, so I suppose they were from… Mahoutokoro, I think it was?
And they weren't the only ones; there seemed to be different races. There was even a herd of centaurs a little way away from us, gazing at the stars in the sky.
Oh… this was much bigger than I thought.
There was practically a mix of magical and racial societies here at Glastonbury Tor, all gathered to watch the ceremony, the rite of union between Serena and Bellatrix. An event that hadn't occurred for centuries, an ancient custom revived, and everyone was here to witness it.
I swallowed audibly as I looked around. There were thousands of people crowding the hill, trying to get as close as they could, piling up if necessary, but many others lingered around it without going up.
Luckily, it seemed there was something like… screens? Translucent screens floating all around, one screen broadcasting what was happening on the top of the hill, so everyone could watch comfortably.
The image showed the… white-haired woman who had been with Serena at her house earlier in the year. She was dressed like a priestess, seemingly in the middle of a ritual circle, surrounded by altars and objects that she herself appeared to be calmly preparing, smiling as if she didn't care that thousands of people were watching her.
"Alright, everyone, stay close. We won't be able to go up the hill, so we'll be watching from here. Once again, absolutely do not cause any trouble, understood?" McGonagall asked seriously. The students hardly seemed to appreciate her words; after all, they were just as surprised as I was.
"It's all so beautiful," Alice sighed beside me as she looked around. Alice and Marlene, both being from pure-blood families, should have been brought by their families hours ago, but they had both decided to come with us.
"It is. According to the Prophet, it is the duty of the family receiving the bride to prepare the entire ritual and the site, which means the Sna-Prince should prepare everything. I... I don't know how she managed it. According to the weather forecast, it was supposed to rain all night and into the early morning, but... It's so clear, it's beautiful," Marlene said, looking around. I could only nod in surprise.
I looked back at the hill when I noticed something. Full moon. My eyes widened and turned to look at Remus, who seemed to have a slight smile as he gazed up at the hill. I approached him.
"Remus, is everything alright?" I asked gently and looked up at the moon. He seemed to understand and nodded.
"Yes," Remus sighed happily. "Whatever Serena has done... no longer controls me, doesn't force me to transform. I still feel the urge; my wolf feels energized by the moon, and I have more energy to burn, but it doesn't feel like an obligation." Remus murmured, just loud enough for me to hear. I sighed with relief.
"That's a relief." I sighed, looking at Remus. He nodded happily.
"Yes, it is." Remus sighed with a smile.
"Tch, I don't know why we're here," Sirius grumbled as he walked over and crossed his arms.
"You could always have stayed; it wasn't mandatory to come," Remus said easily.
"And let you come alone? For all we know, it could have been a trap." Sirius growled. I rolled my eyes, about to speak, when we heard someone clear their throat loudly, and we turned towards the screens.
The image had been replaced by a blonde girl with curly hair standing elegantly.
"To all wizards, witches, and creatures at Glastonbury Tor, the union ceremony between Serena Prince and Bellatrix Black is about to begin. From this moment on, please ensure you remain silent and do not draw your wands at any time unless granted permission. Anyone who breaks this rule will be expelled from Glastonbury Tor, regardless of who they are. Thank you for your understanding."
After that message, the girl disappeared just as quickly, and to my surprise, everyone, absolutely everyone, remained silent and stared at the screen for what was about to happen.
And then the white-haired woman, Syr Flova, as she introduced herself, gave the opening speech of the rite, and the wedding officially began.
Then Serena and Bellatrix came out from where they were getting ready and- oh…
Serena looked beautiful.
She was completely natural; she had removed all the things she had been adding this past year, the piercings, the lipstick, the makeup, everything disappeared, and I could see the completely natural face that I was used to seeing.
Only healthier, more mature, and much happier than before. She wore simple white pants and a t-shirt, but most importantly, she wore a wedding cloak with a hoodie over her.
It was completely white at the top, then gradually turned into a kind of magical rainbow, lighting up in impossible colors and constantly changing, as if it couldn't stay still.
The wedding cloak enveloped Serena with such softness that it had definitely been made for her; it was simply beautiful. Whoever made it really knew what they were doing; it was a truly spectacular piece of work.
The cloak had been made for Serena; I didn't know if it was beautiful in itself or beautiful because Serena wore it. Perhaps the former, but it was definitely more beautiful in the latter case.
And to my dismay, Bellatrix was no exception. Her clothing was all black, as was her wedding cloak; only the lower portion seemed imbued with such dark magic that it created smoke and appeared to distort the robe itself.
And the worst part is, they complemented each other so well. When Serena and Bellatrix were together, the image seemed complete. The obvious contrast didn't seem to create any discomfort; instead, they seemed to complement each other. As if one represented all the light magic and the other all the dark magic, and yet they walked in perfect harmony.
I couldn't take my eyes off them. When they met, neither seemed able to look away from the other; they both had an expression of utter, hopeless love; they both seemed so happy that it hit me like a punch in the chest.
Serena… I had never seen her like this. But… I could see glimpses of it. Serena's expression towards me was almost the same, only diluted about 100 times when she looked at me.
What I was looking at was Serena, completely in love. There wasn't the slightest doubt in her expression. She was looking at Bellatrix as if she were her whole world, as if she were the only thing that existed at this moment.
Serena… had looked at me with a very diluted version of that expression; if this was absolutely love and devotion, what she had for me had been a simple infatuation.
The girls were right, and that hurt more than I expected.
If I… if I had realized Serena's feelings sooner, if I had been able to reciprocate, would she… look at me the way she looks at Bellatrix? Would I be the one there, walking beside her towards a rite of union as ancient as magic itself?
I… had absolutely no idea.
I couldn't tear my eyes away from the ceremony. It was truly magical. When they both entered the circle, the magic seemed to descend and strike with force, as if it were flooding all of Glastonbury. I could practically taste the magic; I could feel it vibrate.
This… this was a Rite of Union, a magical ritual so powerful that everyone at Glastonbury Tor could feel it.
And then it became even stronger when the blessings of Handfasting began.
The first blessing… the blessing to the gods. I thought that the priestess of Freya and Miach was merely decorative, like Christian weddings, where God was invoked to witness only ceremonially.
But during the blessings, that golden light that emanated from the priestess pressed so hard against my body that I was in shock. That wasn't magic; it was something else… something more, something more powerful, something completely different.
Whether it was a true blessing from the gods, I didn't know, but it hadn't been normal, just like the headmaster's blessing.
Its magic… its magic felt ancient, heavy, wild. Completely different from everyone else's magic. I'd never been able to feel magic in such detail normally, but here, during this ritual, where all the magic seemed so… amplified, by the moon, by Imbolc, by being Glastonbury Tor, by the ritual itself, by everything combined, I could feel the magic vibrating around me so easily.
I could feel it enveloping me as it grew with each blessing, until the ritual finally reached its peak.
The two souls, Serena's and Bellatrix's, seemed to expand and press against us all. Serena's soul was beautiful, so... white, so luminous, so... heavy, immeasurable; it seemed to want to swallow all the magic around us, but also so... controlled.
While Bellatrix's was dark, unnatural, malicious, almost viscous, vicious, it smelled like blood. The two souls were so different.
I almost felt a pang of panic at the thought of Serena's soul being joined to that thing, but even as I panicked, the ritual continued, and the souls became one.
I could feel it; they became one, Serena's soul gently enveloped Bella's and vice versa, neither consumed the other, they just combined so naturally, so easily, as if they were destined to be one.
And then it ended. The rite of union was complete. The ritual was finished. Two souls became one, and the magic had done it.
I watched Serena and Bellatrix kissing. There was nothing I could do.
Serena had told the truth; she had moved on; she had progressed instead of remaining stagnant after our fight, and she had found another person, another who reciprocated her love with the same intensity, so much so that she submitted to a ritual to merge both souls.
And I… I could only watch from afar. I could feel my eyes watering, so I blinked rapidly.
I suppose… I suppose I had no other option but to move forward as well, right? I couldn't do it together with Serena anymore; in fact, it was more than certain that our paths were opposite now, now more than ever.
But I had to do it. I just… would have to take my time to do it.
I swallowed audibly as I continued to watch the ceremony in shock.
Author's Notes: Ugh, these chapters almost left me exhausted. All three were longer than usual. Lily's POV was only meant to be one or two chapters, and not really long ones at that. Instead, I have almost 11,000 words in three chapters. I just kept writing and ended up with this.
I hope you enjoyed these chapters. With this, everything is definitely concluded in the magical world. Maybe one or two occasional chapters for certain specific things, but beyond that, nothing should happen.
(Maybe in the future, like 20 years from now, Lily and James will get together and eventually have Harry, but a female version, who will join Serena and Bellatrix in their group, and both Lily and James will go crazy, and maybe the latter will have an aneurysm.) (Just kidding, my brain is a mess after these chapters, it's just me rambling with an itchy brain.) (Maybe I'll make an omake just for fun that I'll never publish.)
------------------------------------
People kept giving me ideas and I ended up writing this: Omake?
Lily and James graduate, but they don't get together. Remus and Lily become close friends. There's a party, Lily and James get drunk and sleep together, Lily gets pregnant with Fem!Harry, but she doesn't get together with James. Instead, she gets together with Remus. Everyone involved, and the wizarding world in general, knows about it, though they don't care.
Lily and James are separated parents. Remus is the adoptive father. Fem!Harry likes Remus more than James. James and Sirius are still anti-Slytherin and very intolerant of such things. Let's just say, without the war and all the trouble Serena caused, they never matured in that respect. Fem!Harry ends up in Slytherin, which strains her relationship with James, while Remus fully supports her, Lily does too.
Even so, Fem!Harry tries to win James's approval in various ways, such as dating Gryffindor boys, playing Quidditch like her father, or similar things, only to fail. James is happy when Slytherin loses and Gryffindor wins, even if Fem!Harry is playing, or he complains when Fem!Harry ends up with the Gryffindor boys, or even makes comments about Slytherins right in Fem!Harry's face without 'realizing'.
Lily works as a teacher, perhaps. And Remus works in one of Serena's shops, as a way of 'thanking' her. Serena, despite not appearing in the wizarding world, continues to revolutionize things by constantly creating 'new' potions and releasing them into the wizarding world. Lily and Remus talk a lot about Serena; Fem!Harry idolizes Serena for that reason, and he falls in love with potions to try to be like her.
Finally, Serena appears at Hogwarts for some reason. She teaches a few potions classes while she's there, gives some talks or something, and Fem!Harry falls completely in love with her.
And I'd better stop now or I'll end up writing a whole arc. D:<
-------------------------------
Should I make it canon?