MetaFic

The old witch sat in her chair by the window.

She had been telling a story to one of the great-grandchildren. Emily. She was pretty sure this one was Emily. Emily liked to come and stay in her room while she read. Emily, who would be going to Hogwarts this year. Yes, Emily. They had all started to run together as she had gotten older. She couldn't always remember the names of her great-grandchildren or even her grandchildren. Sometimes she wasn't even real sure about her children.

It was hard being old.

"Grandmama?" the little girl's voice held a question.

"Yes, dear."

"Are you the Ginny Potter in all the books?"

"Well, yes dear, I suppose I am." Ginny chuckled a dry, tired chuckle. She certainly didn't feel like the Ginny Potter in all the books these days.

"So Grandpapa is Harry Potter?"

"That's right sweetie. Harry Potter was your great-grandfather."

"That's neat," the little girl said before she returned to looking at a book of children's stories.

Ginny Potter looked out the window again. Her great-granddaughter was engrossed in her book, so Ginny let her mind wander, something it seemed to do very well these days. As always she thought of Harry. They had lived a long and happy life together, and even when dark times had threatened their world, they had always been happy together. She missed him so much.

When Tom Riddle had finally been cast down the entire wizarding world had rejoiced. In the end it had taken a combined effort to defeat the Dark Wizard. Riddle had attacked the school during Halloween. He was desperate. His followers had begun to abandon him and he had needed to destroy Harry to regain his stature. Dumbledore had passed away in his sleep a few weeks earlier, so Riddle must have thought the school vulnerable. At the last Harry, Ginny, Lupin, Sirius and Snape had battled the evil man. Harry finally killed him, running him through with the sword of Godric Gryffindor, but not before a toll had been extracted. Sirius Black had been killed in the final battle, and Severus Snape had been left blinded for life. The few loyal Death Eaters who had come with their master had been either killed or captured, but not before a dozen students had lost their lives and two score more had been injured.

They grieved and then moved on. The world had seemed brighter after the fall of the wizard everyone called Voldemort. Harry had played professional Quidditch for ten seasons before he decided he didn't like being separated from his family so much. Ginny had taken a job as an Auror. They had three more children. When Harry had retired from Quidditch he had been surprised to receive an offer from Headmistress McGonagall to be the new Flying Instructor at Hogwarts. He had accepted, and they had moved back to the school. The next year Ginny had accepted the position of Charms teacher after Professor Flitwick retired.

The years passed quietly as they worked at the school they both loved. Harry moved from Flying Instructor to teaching Care of Magical Creatures and eventually Defense Against the Dark Arts. On the anniversary of Harry's fortieth year at Hogwarts, he accepted the position of Headmaster. Ginny had long been Gryffindor Head-of-House. Of their friends, Neville Longbottom and Daphne Greengrass both also taught at Hogwarts. Neville taught Herbology. Daphne at first taught Potions, then later Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Another thirty years passed, and then another Dark Wizard arose to try to subjugate the wizarding world. Ginny and Harry found themselves, ironically, in the position Dumbledore had filled so many years ago. They mentored a new generation of witches and wizards to meet the threat.

In the end the would-be Dark Lord was cast down by the most unlikely of witches. Cassandra Longbottom was the granddaughter of Neville and Susan Longbottom. She was a quiet witch with the uncanny power to heal anything. Literally anything. She would put things aright as fast as the evil would destroy it. When the Dark Wizard finally came for her himself, her power was so pure he couldn't harm her and instead fell to his knees and begged for her help and forgiveness.

Ginny smiled at the memory. Cassandra had married Ginny’s grandson, Lucas. She remembered now that Emily was their daughter. Ginny looked over at the girl fondly before returning to her memories.

Harry had died near the end of that last war. His great heart, so loving and protective, so giving and caring to those around him, had finally failed one night. Ginny remembered crying for days before she emerged from her grief long enough to help save the world from darkness one last time.

That had been twenty years ago. Ginny wondered why she continued. She was the last of the old crowd, Hermione having passed nine winters ago. She could have ended her own life easily enough. She had learned that a witch or wizard could simply release their power and pass away should they so choose, but she couldn't shake the nagging feeling there was still one more thing to do before she left.

"Grandmama?" The little girl's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Will you miss me while I'm away? Because I'll miss you."

Ginny held out her arms to the child, who embraced her back. "Of course I will. Just remember, no matter how far away I am, I'm always right here." She put her hand over the little girl's heart.

Emily hugged her tighter. "I'd better go, it's almost bedtime."

"That's a good girl. You need your rest if you're going to live up to the family reputation for mischief at Hogwarts."

The girl giggled and started for the door. She was almost out of it when Ginny stopped her. "Oh sweetie, would you hand Grandmama her wand? It's over on the night stand."

Emily obediently walked over to the nightstand. As she picked up Ginny's old wand she was suddenly surrounded by a warm golden light. Bright silver stars shot from the end of the wand, and Emily's hair looked like it was being whipped in a stiff breeze. As suddenly as it began, it ended. The girl looked at the wand in shock.

"Well, that was certainly unexpected," Ginny muttered.

Emily looked at her with wide eyes. "What--?"

Ginny remembered what Mr. Ollivander had told her all those years ago. She looked at the child. "The wand chooses the witch, my darling. That wand has chosen you. Twelve inches, willow with a core of unicorn hair. Take care of it, and it will take care of you." Ginny smiled at the child. "Now, run along and tell your mother. She needs to know."

After the girl left, Ginny slowly got up from her chair and opened a small drawer on the nightstand. Inside, in a box, was Harry's old wand. She picked it up with loving hands and waved it around the room. All the candles went out. She settled back into her chair and was starting to drift back into her memories when she thought she saw a movement in the shadows. She pointed Harry's wand toward it.

"Who's there? I'm warning you, I may be old, but I still remember a hex or two. Show yourself!"

"I'm sure you do remember a hex or two, Miss Ginny."

Ginny opened her mouth in surprise. "I remember you. But I thought..."

"I still have one more duty to perform."

"I know the feeling."

Jeren laughed. "And now we're both done. You've finished the last of your destiny."

She gave him a curious look.

Jeren smiled at her. "Your were meant to know Emily, and more importantly, Emily was meant to know you and receive your gift."

Ginny nodded her head. She understood. "What now?"

Jeren reached out to her. "Take my hand, Miss Ginny."

Ginny touched hands with the angel. She felt herself stand up and leave her body behind. Jeren led her out of the house and past her family, whom she looked at fondly as she left. They walked out into the back yard, and Jeren led her over a small hill that didn't belong there yet looked familiar to her. They turned and started down a dirt road.

As they walked Ginny felt herself change. She looked down at her hand and realized it was the hand of a much younger Ginny Potter. They came to a house, a house Ginny knew very well indeed. As they walked up the steps the front door opened.

There stood her Harry, looking all of twenty-five. Jeren released her hand and faded away. She ran into the arms of the man she had loved her entire life.

"I've missed you, Mrs. Potter," he said into her ear.

"I've missed you too, Mr. Potter." She kissed him soundly.

Behind Harry she heard a cheer go up. She looked over his shoulder to find the house full of her friends and family. Ron looked at her with a lopsided grin. "About bloody time. We've been waiting on you forever." Hermione smacked Ron. Harry laughed.

Ginny was home.