------> Part 1 of an epilogue

Once Tom confessed everything to Dumbledore, the beloved professor asked him to surrender to then Minister for Magic - Leonard Spencer-Moon. Proper litigation was filed on Tom Marvolo Riddle who confessed his crimes.

Since the killing curse was identified as unforgivable, Aurors were ordered to check the validity of the young wizard's claims. When the claims were found true, the lack of investigations had disappointed the British ministry. The ministry then launched a program and used this whole case as a prime example of a perfect crime. Tom volunteered openly for everything.

Dumbledore himself decided to defend the boy. He also made sure to present Professors of Hogwarts to confirm how the young Slytherin was a promising pupil in the school with exceptional potential for magic. Albus even claimed that the boy could offer a lot to their society if mentored correctly. The transfiguration master convinced Aurors from the rescue team to vouch how Tom, with help of Ms Winters, had managed to perform wand-less magic to help them during the conflict. They also confessed how he had used healing spells to try and save Antonio Avery, a very respected Auror, fruitlessly; despite losing a lot of his blood himself. Dumbledore also made sure to point out that the ministry wouldn't have found the real criminal, had Tom never have a change of his heart. The elder wizard acclaimed that Tom had performed those murders in a fit of rage and truly regretted what he had done. Perhaps these points actually convinced the minister, or it was just the fact that Tom had committed the crime when he was just sixteen, technically not an adult by both wizard and muggle standards.

In the end, the Ministry reduced his life imprisonment to the passage of 8 years in Azkaban. And then compulsory social service of 5 years under the wizard of his choice. During these 13 years, he was restricted from having any social association with anyone. Tom accepted the punishment while looking at teary-eyed Alexa who sat along with other witnesses. Not being able to be with her for more than a decade was going to be his only regret. The ordeal of this case was done in secrecy to protect the identity of Tom as he was still a juvenile. Ministry had forced everyone involved in the case to take an oath of secrecy.

Throughout those thirteen years...

Alexa was expelled from the school. Dumbledore tried convincing Dippet that she was not a casual werewolf, but an Animagus. He even reminded the elder wizard about the boy he had expelled years ago, but alas! The headmaster of Hogwarts was one stubborn wizard. He was so stubborn that he even suspended Dumbledore for two years for the crime of hiding Alexa's secrets and betraying the school in the process. While seeing Alexa silently crying in the corner Dumbledore couldn't feel any guiltier. She hadn't complained. She hadn't demanded it. Godric! She didn't even glance at him as she kept her eyes glued to the ground. She just nodded, defeated, at her superiors. The action had pierced Albus' gentle heart and in the flow of his emotions, he offered her a stay with him till they captured Grindelwald. Alexa had accepted reluctantly, as she didn't want to live a sheltered life anymore.

Alexa conveyed to her favourite professor that she would find a place for herself once she turned seventeen. She had seen how badly her life had turned out to be despite keeping herself hidden all this time. She wanted to stand up for herself. She was done living by letting others defending her, by letting them die for her cause. As she had no graduation certificate from Hogwarts, it was quite difficult for her to land any office job. However, by the time she had turned eighteen, she had found herself working in Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley as a caretaker of the books. In addition, she started working in Slug and Jiggers Apothecary. Alexa was unable to accomplish her dream of becoming a professional alchemist through her school, but that didn't mean that she gave up. Her first job allowed her to compensate for the knowledge that she couldn't gain in the school because of an expulsion. In fact, Alexa found more time for what she actually wanted to read. Her second job gave her time to work on her potions. Slughorn might have failed in encouraging her interest in potion-making, but during her last year at the school, he taught her one fact that any alchemist was a cripple without knowledge of potions. The only pitfall was that both these professions didn't pay her enough to afford accommodation in elite Diagon Alley. However, she managed a cosy cottage on the coast of Tinsworth. Her schedule might have been frantic, but Alexa was more than happy to stay occupied always. Her devotion towards Tom did not waver.

Antonio Avery had died that day in the forest. And no one suffered more than his son Anthony. When Tom had confessed that the elder man had asked him to look after his son, the younger Avery's guilt knew no bound. He was guilty because he had let his relationship with his father suffer for Rebekah, the girl who couldn't care less about him in the past. He regretted letting his family down for the love that he thought was real. He regretted disobeying his father from time to time. Anthony and his younger brother Ares had cried that night and many nights that followed. They held on to each other every time. Seeing the future didn't interest him anymore. He found that knowing the future was a burden of its own and instead he should live life as an unpredictable adventure. He even remembered Rebekah coming to him to offer her condolence, but he didn't have the courage to believe her anymore. In fact, her presence irritated him. The look of pity and words of sympathy of fellow students in the castle irritated him like none other. Without Tom, he couldn't wait to finish his Hogwarts years. Instead of pursuing his dream of becoming a seer, Anthony opted for being an Auror. It was his way to feel close to his father.

Ares was no different. When Anthony graduated, he still had many years to finish his schooling. The pitying conversation made him a bit moodier than earlier. However, through his years he found a good friend in Adrian Winters. The Winters boy understood what it was to lose a parent, and because of that Ares found a perfect shoulder in the said boy. Other than this, they both discovered that they enjoyed music and were musically gifted. Unlike Anthony, Ares decided to pursue his dreams which was totally supported by his elder brother. After graduation, Ares and Adrian decided to entertain people on their lovely vocals. Through his busy life as an Auror, Anthony still managed to take some time out for his younger brother's art. Eventually, Ares' infatuation of blood purity slipped somewhere in the past as he dedicated his time for something he loved. He dedicated his time in letting his emotions flow through his words.

Life of Adrian Winters was much different. He was orphan from the start, but he had a family now. Alexa promised him that she would look after him once she managed a place. She had promised that they would be a family in years to come. And she had fulfilled both her promises. During his Hogwarts years, he found himself going to Tinsworth. As his business with Ares grew over years, Adrian helped Alexa in managing their home. With Alexa's hard work, she was eventually promoted as a manager in Flourish and Blotts and then she could afford to start her own experiments to explore possibilities of becoming a Potioneer.

Abraxas was eventually forced to marry Evanka, much to the dismay of both Rosier siblings. However, as years passed, Evanka discovered that she wasn't interested just in girls. Abraxas and Evanka eventually fell in love. Abraxas joined Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures while Evanka became an Auror alongside Anthony increasing fortune of already rich Malfoy family. They eventually had a boy who had straight white hairs (that were often envied by his mother) and beautiful grey eyes.

Being the protective brother that he was, Evan Rosier never stopped giving a stink eye to Abraxas for marrying his sister; but the eye turned less stinky as he himself found love in Margot Droope. The gossip couple eventually joined Daily Prophet as editors and occasional gossip collectors. Their gossip columns were desired from almost every magazine and newspaper. The couple eventually had two pairs of identical twins. Two boys followed by two girls.

Benjamin Lestrange joined the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and eventually married Olivia Lockheart who started showing her talent in Fashion by working as a designer for Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions in Diagon Alley. Lockheart developed a good relationship with Alexa, her former dorm mate and current co-worker-in-a-way. In time, she offered Alexa a job as a manager in her own shop L&L clothes for ladies in Hogsmeade but Alexa denied saying that she was happy where she was. The L&L couple had two boys after a few years.

Unsurprisingly, Alphard Black and Marcus Mulciber dedicated their lives to Quidditch. While Mulciber became a Quidditch correspondent for the daily prophet, Alphard went ahead and joined an England National Quidditch Team as a beater. His excuse was that he wanted to live up to their family name. In reality, he just wanted to stay away from the same prejudiced family. The constant tours gave him exactly what he desired. Being self-proclaimed butterflies, enjoying all the flowers, both Mulciber and Black remained unmarried much to both their families' dismay.

Alexa and Logan remained friends. Once Alexa was expelled, like her, Logan also focused on his studies. He gave special attention to Potions. In his heart, he still wanted to cure his sister. After completing his graduation, Alexa encouraged him and he found himself working as a healer at St. Mungo. There he not only worked on his passion but also met future Mrs McLaggen. Alicia Bagman who once came for treatment of her bones had stolen his heart instead.

Years passed. Everyone came out of their shells. And so did Tom. After his eight years in the Prison, Tom found himself choosing Dumbledore as a person under whom he wanted to work. Like a bird heading to its nest, he was itching to get back to his Alexa. She was his home, but he stood by his promise to the ministry. Since Albus was back to the Hogwarts, and Dippet was not excited to have a criminal in the school, Albus referred Tom to his old friend - Nicolas Flamel - as an apprentice. Albus knew Tom's ambition to live longer and believed that the boy deserved it after his redemption. Nicolas was a good influence on Tom. He trained Tom in different aspects of life including the Philosopher's stone.

Finally, after thirteen years, on the eve of the fourteenth year, Tom went to find Alexa where she couldn't but cry of happy tears. Those thirteen years, were not just a punishment for him, but for her as well.

For thirteen years, she had missed him.

She had continued loving him.

For thirteen years, she had continued waiting for him.

Finally... The wait was over.

Finally... they were going to live the life they desired. Together. Forever.

~*~*~

I am sorry, I promised an Epilogue, but this chapter went longer than I anticipated. I thought it was necessary to give an account of what happened to everyone. Hopefully, you liked it.

Please look forward to the next update. And vote, comment and share. It would mean a lot to me.

Thank you all!!!