Chapter 20 Epilogue
Hundreds of years had passed, and Hydrus had finally learned enough to move on. Vicky and he had studied everything they could on magic. They learned of ley lines, that had all been forgotten when wizard stopped doing ritual magic. He learned more of dimensional travel, via hidden libraries. They now had at their fingertips everything known by modern wizards about magic.
They had taken trips around the world and studied all they could. It had been a great adventure for them, and they felt that it was time to move on. They had planned and studied everything. All the while keeping businesses going and amassing quite a fortune in the meantime.
Lily and James had lived a very long life. In the end they had four children, and dozens of grandchildren, and even more great grandchildren. The Potter name would not die out any time soon. They too kept busy and when their time came, they thanked Hydrus for giving them what they had not his in his timelines.
To Hydrus that made it all worthwhile.
Sirius married Colette, and since they couldn't have kids, they adopted. Sirius made sure that he had an heir, and two more as well. He blood adopted each of them, though Colette couldn't because she wasn't 'alive'. Still, they lived a happy life. When Sirius died, Colette decided to join him. She felt she had lived her life and went to the coven to have the Master Vampire finish her off.
Harry had grown well. His live with his parents was even better that growing up with Hydrus. In the immortal's opinion. He again became the youngest Minister and lead the country well. His family was large, and he had kept in touch with his Uncle Hydrus and Aunt Vicky. He never found out they were immortal, and when he passed, the two left Britain for a while, only to come back when Harry's great grandkids were at Hogwarts.
As for Remus, well they didn't find out until after he died, but he lived in the woods the rest of his short life. He had closed himself off from the world. He left a diary, and in it he ranted and raved about how everything in his life was Hydrus' fault. The loss of his friends, the death of his idol, and the reason he was stuck in the woods, with nothing but squirrels for company. The diary didn't say why, due to his vow, but it blamed everything on the other man. Judging from his raving, the werewolf fell into a bottle and stayed there. They never found out how he died, but when his body was discovered, the Potters were informed.
Hydrus had been the 'champion' for this timeline. Taking down any Dark Lord/Lady that showed up. Not just in Britain either. No, whenever one reared their ugly heads, Hydrus was called to smite them. He hated it. He was so tired of killing off bad guys, and trying to prevent them from showing up in the first place, that he had killed himself just to talk to Death.
He woke in the grey space. It was very familiar by now; he'd been here often enough.
Death was near, as usual. Sitting in a chair, just watching.
"I'm tired of this," Hydrus said, standing up, conjuring a chair and sitting in it. "Don't you think I've paid for my 'crime'?" he asked in a demanding voice.
"I have no answer for you," the deity said, not wanting to lose his control. Still, he had to be honest, so he just kept it vague.
"What do you mean you have no answer? The timeline has to have settled by now," he stated, raising his voice in anger. "It's been over 500 years."
"The future is clear now," the skeletal man confirmed.
"Good, because, I am the Master of Death, not its servant. And I demand that you quit tugging my strings," the immortal barked, slamming his fist on the arm of the chair. His aura flared brightly, causing Death to flinch a bit.
He then knew that the boundaries had been pushed as far as they could have been. He knew the day would come, and he had not been looking forward to it.
"Of course," Death said, softly.
"I have complete control over the Hallows, and you will no longer dictate what I do," the immortal continued as if he had not heard Death concede his point.
That had been Vicky's doing, she pointed out that he had not mastered the items, just used them as tools. According to her, he had to take control of them so that he could move on. It had taken months of meditation, and immense use of magic for them to finally be a part of him and not just something he utilized. Now they stayed in his pocketspace and all he needed to do was think about what he wanted from each item, and it happened. It wasn't until this last battle had he finally felt he had total control. Hence, him being here.
"As you wish," Death said in monotone.
"You can also tell Fate to bugger off. I'm going on vacation, and you two will not stop me," the immortal time traveler said, standing up. He then did something he had never done before. He left without the help of Death.
He appeared in his and Vicky's house. They had moved here after their return. He had no use for the other house, so they bought this tiny one together. They had lived here for the last one hundred years. They had been a couple for hundreds of years. It had been good. To finally have someone they could spend eternity with was heaven sent. It was a good thing they got on so well. Sure, they took time off from one another every fifty years or so, but that just made them closer when they got back together.
Vicky's parents had passed away when they reached the age of 750. The Flamels felt it was time, so they ceased taking the elixir. Vicky and her brother stayed with them until they were gone. They passed peacefully in their sleep. The stone was destroyed, and the Flamel fortune was split between their children.
Aries, Vicky's brother, went back to his wife, after Vicky confided in him about the 'traveling' she and Hydrus were planning. He wished her well and left. They had never had a close relationship.
"Vicky," Hydrus called up the stairs.
"Yeah," she answered, poking her head out of their bedroom.
"Want to go see some new sights?" he asked with a mischievous grin.
"Really?" she said with a great deal of excitement. Her eyes dancing.
"Yes!" he yelled and laughed.
"Finally," she said, flying down the stairs, and hugging him tightly.
He picked her up and twirled her around. "Maybe," he said softly into her hair. "Maybe, we can find what we're looking for." They had been searching for a place they could raise a family. With Hydrus' 'champion' title they had held off. Now that he freed himself, it could happen.
"That would be nice," she sighed.
"Okay," he said, releasing her. "Let's get everything in order."
They had been planning this for an exceedingly long time. They had liquidated all their assets for easy removal and sold or given away a lot of things they would not need for where they were planning on going. It was only a matter of days before they were set to go. The house was on the market and the processes would go to Hydrus' great, great, great niece. The oldest of the Potters.
It was the Spring Equinox and they were standing at Stonehenge. It was a calm night, and midnight was drawing near. They made sure to have everything in their pocketspace and were only waiting for the seconds to count down.
They had tried to dress in period clothes, so they could blend in. They just hoped they got it right.
Hydrus lifted his right hand, holding Vicky's in his left. When the time came, he called the portal. It was just as bright the last time he used it, but much larger. Taking a deep breath, each, they walked through. The trip was longer this time, it was like moving through cold molasses, and the electrical charge made all their hair stand on end.
Finally, the trip was over, and they looked around, trying to catch their breath.
"Where are we?" Vicky asked, not seeing Stonehenge.
"I think the question is, when are we?" Hydrus answered, seeing a forest that hadn't been there when they left. They had not set a date for when they'd show up, just a vague time period.
Just then a figure ran out of the trees, waving a staff and yelling at them in a language they didn't know.
"Oops, I didn't think of that," Hydrus said, sheepishly.
"Yeah, me neither," Vicky confessed, pulling her wand and casting a translation spell.
"Leave this place," the man yelled, running towards them as fast as he could. "They are coming. Run." He ran right passed them, and they turned to watch him go.
"Well, you heard the man," Hydrus said, with a grin, keeping ahold of her hand. "Let's run."
With that, the two ran, excited for something new to happen. Sure, they were in danger again, but that was okay. They could deal with it together. And if they happened to have some fun along the way, well that was good too.