Over the next few days, I felt different. Knowing that everything was in its place was the strangest feeling. It was something new to me, something that would take time to adjust to.

Kingsley Shacklebolt had been elected Minister of Magic in just a few short days. Considering the circumstances, everyone seemed pleased to have such a strong person in charge, someone they could trust to repair the damage.

As Minister, Kingsley had made the decision to send all Death Eaters to wizard court. Each and every one of them had to be tried before they were sent to Azkaban or let off the hook. In order to be allowed to stay here, they had to make an Unbreakable Vow as promise to live their lives peacefully and swear not perform any more Dark Arts. It was a good method in my opinion, because it allowed my parents to stay behind.

However, some Death Eaters (Dolohov included) decided to be cowardly and fled. This angered Dora, but she admitted that all she could do was hope they would be caught.

Even Draco and I had to be tried. I won't lie; making the Vow terrified me. What if one day I got angry, snapped, and sent off a Cruciatus Curse? Instant death.

Yet somehow I knew that would never be the case.

I was experiencing the most peaceful evening since the death of the Dark Lord. The sun was sinking below the horizon as I stretched out in the back garden in the pleasant summer breeze, alone with my thoughts.

The back door of the house opened. I looked over, expecting Andromeda or Dora, but to my surprise, Theodore was walking out.

I stood up quickly and rushed over to him. Curiosity tugged at me; I wondered if something was wrong. I hadn't seen him since the night of the final battle.

"Theodore! What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit," he said. "My dad's being tried in court right now. I kind of ... um, snuck away for some time." He shrugged. "Honestly, I don't care if he finds out. I'm looking into getting my own place. Anyway, your aunt told me you were back here. What have you been up to the past few days?"

"Not much," I replied. "I've been helping Andromeda out for the most part. She's caring for Dora and Teddy. Dora's still taking everything pretty hard. I can't say I blame her. I know how she feels after losing Remus."

"I think we both do. The two of us thought we'd lost each other. Her story doesn't have the happy ending we have."

"You're right," I said as a new stab of sympathy for Dora hit. "I'll admit that I liked Remus as a teacher and he was great in the Order, but as a practical brother-in-law I didn't care for him. I never thought he was very good to Dora. But that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to be honored. He had to overcome a lot, being a werewolf and all."

"That reminds me," Theodore said. "You mentioned honoring people. Have you seen this?" He held up a copy of the Evening Prophet.

"No." I shook my head. "What about it?"

"It says the Ministry is having a memorial ceremony in three days. They're going to honor everyone who fought and died in the war. And I was wondering if you would like to come with me. If you want to be with your family, I understand, but I wanted to ask anyway because my father won't be going, but I want to."

"Come with me," I answered quickly, "and my family. Why don't you meet me here in three days? That way we can arrive together."

"Sounds great," he answered. "I'll see you then. I should probably go now. Maybe I don't want to get caught sneaking out after all." He kissed me quickly. "I love you. See you in three days."

It was strange to be home again after so much had happened. My room was just the same as always with the light blue walls and Gryffindor banners that didn't match. The fact that I was in this familiar place again was just another reminder that I had survived.

The sky was fading to twilight as I prepared for the Ministry's ceremony. I was wearing a plain black dress with one of Dora's old black sweaters over it. Around my neck was the necklace Theodore had given me two Christmases ago. I realized I had never taken it off.

Indistinctly I heard someone knock on the front door downstairs. I was about to head down and see if Theodore was waiting for me, but as soon as I reached for my doorknob, someone knocked on the other side.

Theodore standing on the other side in a formal suit and tie for the ceremony.

"Hi!" I greeted. "Come in. I'm almost ready."

He entered, closing the door behind him. I returned to the mirror and began to play with my hair, trying to figure out how to wear it.

"So, um ... when does the ceremony start?" I asked as I settled for a black headband.

He checked his watch. "Thirty minutes."

I nodded in acknowledgement and sat down on my bed. With a sigh, I said, "I guess I'm ready to leave."

"What's wrong?" he asked, striding across the room to sit beside me.

"It's this." I showed him the wrist with the Dark Mark, which I had been unsuccessful in hiding. The sleeves of my sweater weren't quite long enough to hide it, and there was nothing else I could wear. "I've tried every spell imaginable to conceal it, but nothing has worked at all. I think the magic used on it was too strong and too Dark."

"Probably," he replied. "But you don't have to hide it. If I were you, I would show it proudly."

"Why?" I asked. "It's Voldemort's mark! This just shows everyone I was a Death Eater! It shows that I served him, and if I show it, doesn't that mean I was happy to be one of his followers?"

"No," he said as he took my arm and held it in front of my face. Pointing to it with his opposite hand he said, "This shows that you survived having to join, even though you were forced to. It's a symbol of how you fought for what you believed in despite having to be a Death Eater."

"Oh. Well, when you say it like that ... "

"Think about it." He ran a finger over the scar. "You'll never have to feel it burn again."

"True," I said with a shrug. "But that doesn't change the fact that it will never go away."

My door opened; Andromeda stood there. She too was wearing a black dress and looked prepared to leave.

"Are you two ready?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Then I'll meet you downstairs. Nymphadora has already left with Teddy. She didn't want to Apparate him, so she decided to take the entrance in Muggle London."

"We should go," I said. "It's a bit early, but I suppose we want a good place to sit."

"You're right, let's go."

We stood up and walked toward the doorway. As we walked, I said, "You know, I really need to learn how to Apparate on my own. I don't think Side-Along Apparition will work forever."

"Getting your license can be one of your first priorities, then. Now that the war's over, there will be time for those things. Oh, that reminds me: Lyra, do you plan on going back to school to finish Hogwarts?"

I stopped. We were in the hallway heading for the stairs now. His words had caught me off guard. Returning to Hogwarts was something I hadn't even begun to consider.

"I haven't thought about that yet, honestly," I admitted. "But for now let's not keep your aunt waiting. Oh, and Lyra, you look beautiful tonight, by the way."

I blushed a deep crimson. "Thanks," I muttered. Like the question about Hogwarts, his compliment had taken me by surprise. Those words were something I had never been told before.

Because all my life, all anyone had ever said was ‘you look just like your parents.' With the war over, would I finally be seen as a regular person by everyone else? I couldn't help but hope.

Dora was waiting for us in the Ministry's Atrium with Teddy cradled in her arms. Her hair was still brown, but she had managed to pull it up and fix it so that it wasn't so limp. She was wearing an unelaborated black dress. She didn't look like the Dora I knew anymore.

She greeted us with a quiet ‘hi' and a slight smile, but she was desperately holding back tears. She looked away from us and ran her hand against Teddy's hair. Today he had picked bright orange, though by the end of the ceremony it would probably be a different color. The color of his hair didn't suit the mood around us; nevertheless, it reminded me so much of how Dora used to be. I prayed her former lively spirit would live on in him. Well, I prayed it would come back to her too.

"I had to bring him," Dora whispered unexpectedly, breaking the moments of silence. "I know it probably wasn't the best choice, but how could I leave him behind when this ceremony is going to honor his father?"

Andromeda was at her side. Gently she said, "Let's go. The ceremony is across the hall." Motioning for Theodore and me to follow, she led us to the other end of the Atrium where rows upon rows of chairs sat in line. I could make out Kingsley Shacklebolt standing in front of the growing crowd in the distance, prepared to address us all.

We found four seats in the middle of the sea of chairs. The crowd continually grew around us, filling the seats with people I recognized and others I didn't. Then I gasped. Three people were approaching, all with the same blonde hair ...

"Andromeda, look who's here!" I whispered, jerking my head toward the oncoming trio. "I can't believe it!"

She turned her head to see the newcomers as they found a row to sit in. Did we acknowledge them or not? After the events from the other night, the thought of seeing the Malfoys was strange. I was curious to find out how Lucius and Draco had reacted to Narcissa's reconciliation, if it could be called that.

The three sat down and stared straight forward, but a second later Narcissa's blue eyes locked with Andromeda's. After several moments of hesitation, Narcissa motioned her sister over.

Andromeda got up, obviously wary. Once she was out of earshot, Dora hissed, "I can't believe she's even going to talk to those traitors!"

"Remember how Narcissa said she never wanted to join the Dark Side ... ?" I began, but knew it was pointless. Dora wasn't listening anyway. I glanced at Andromeda, who was now awkwardly exchanging words with Narcissa. I bit my lip thoughtfully, debating whether or not I should join, but when I saw the venomous look on Lucius Malfoy's face, I made up my mind. I said to Theodore, "Let's go. I want to find out what happened for myself."

Narcissa was flexing her hands and fiddling with the ends of her hair but listening intently as Andromeda talked in a low voice about the night of the battle. I heard her ask what she had told Lucius and Draco. Though it was obvious Andromeda was trying to speak to Narcissa only, there was no way to hide her conversation with her brother-in-law sitting right there.

"I - told him, yes," Narcissa stammered, her voice quivering. Her gaze moved to the floor.

"And I'm not pleased to know that she actually spoke to you blood traitors," Lucius growled. "She told some story about Bella really admitting she was wrong! Bella was one of the Dark Lord's most faithful servants, and she would never betray him like that, whether he's dead or alive!"

"Think again," I snapped at him. He switched his stare from Andromeda to me. "You wouldn't believe what happened because you weren't there, but it's true. All of that ... insanity she used to have vanished, at least for that moment."

Next to him Draco snorted. "Insanity doesn't go away, Lyra Lestrange. The one standing next to you knows that well. I see you two are still going out."

I rolled my eyes and ignored his words-after all, it wasn't the first time he had mocked us. But Theodore wasn't happy.

"This may be a memorial ceremony, Draco Malfoy," he said, "but that doesn't mean I won't whip my wand out - "

"Oh, yes it does," I said quickly. "Please, can't we just - there's no need for - I mean, the war's over, so we shouldn't be - let's just not get violent, or else - ugh!" I stopped. Draco was snickering at me.

"Shut up! You know what I mean!"

"Not really. I couldn't figure out a word of that. You don't realize that just because my mother and your aunt may be on speaking terms again - " (he spat out those words) " - doesn't mean that all rivalries are over."

"Definitely not, cousin. Let's go, Theodore; this was a bad idea."

"Well, it was your - " He stopped.

I quickly looked over to Andromeda, still in awkward conversation with Narcissa. She caught my eye and understood that it was time to return to our seats. The hall was filling up anyway.

"I'll be on my way, then," she told her sister quickly. "I think the ceremony's about to begin."

She turned away and headed back to where Dora was sitting, seeming to forget about Theodore and me. The two of us exchanged glances under the hostile stares of Lucius and Draco, and unanimously decided to follow Andromeda. We hurried away from the family and returned to our seats just in time. Kingsley Shacklebolt was at the front on a temporary stage with his wand, prepared to speak. He waited patiently for the last few visitors to sit down before he began his speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as newly elected Minister of Magic, I welcome you all to this ceremony. As I'm sure you know, we are here tonight to remember those who were victims - whether wizard, witch, or Muggle-of the war against Lord Voldemort."

The usual shudder passed through much of the crowd, but I realized that there was hardly any point in calling him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named any longer; now that he was dead the Taboo had been lifted. But I supposed the memories of his cruelty would linger for many years to come.

"I'm sorry to say that naming every person who suffered and died through this would be impossible. There are several wizard, goblin, and Muggle families whose names are unknown. However, this does not mean that they should not be honored. Let us have a moment of silence for these victims."

I bowed my head as I thought about those families broadcasted on Potterwatch. When the moment ended, Kingsley spoke again.

"There are several other brave people who fought until the end against the Dark Side and unfortunately lost their lives. We would like to honor their courage."

Beside me, I caught a glimpse of Dora with her head bowed, sobbing quietly with tears cascading down her face. I closed my eyes as Kingsley read off several names, too many of them familiar to my ears. Remus was one, along with Mad-Eye Moody, Fred Weasley, and Colin Creevey (I remembered him from the D.A. and didn't know that he had died). By the time Kingsley had finished the names, I realized that warm wetness against my face, especially when I remembered how many of those people had had families and lives ahead of them. Thanks to Voldemort, all was lost.

After another moment of silence, Kingsley announced that Harry was going to make a speech. I lifted my head and found the Boy Who Lived standing next to Kingsley, and happiness rose up inside me. It was all because of Harry Potter that we had made it through this disaster.

Harry told us about how he had faked his death in the forest. He told us that he had been the Chosen One according to the prophecy. Only he could have defeated the Dark Lord. He told us - though not in a lot of detail - that he'd destroyed some objects called Horcruxes, which apparently kept Voldemort alive. They were some sort of powerful Dark magic that had turned the Dark Lord immortal, at least until these items were exterminated. I didn't understand it, but it was obviously too much to explain, and probably too much for us all to handle.

There was one last piece of information that Harry insisted on sharing.

"As many of you have heard, the former Potions Master and Headmaster at Hogwarts, Severus Snape, was found dead in the Shrieking Shack. I want everyone to know that while he was a Death Eater before the first war, he turned traitor on them. He did kill Dumbledore, but it was on Dumbledore's orders. Snape was killed by Voldemort because Voldemort wanted the power of the Elder Wand, which he thought he could get my murdering Snape. But I want everyone to know that Severus Snape was on the Order's side through everything, and he deserves just as much honor as everyone here."

Kingsley and Harry exchanged nods, and Harry left the stage. I assumed Kingsley was about to move on to a topic along the lines of the Order's role in the war, or possibly what the Wizarding community should do next to help clean up, but nothing prepared me for what he said next.

"Thank you, Harry," he said. "Now, there is something very important I must share with you. Many of you here were part of the Order of the Phoenix or possibly the wizard army formed by students at Hogwarts two years ago called Dumbledore's Army. Many of you know what it is like to fight against the Dark Side. However, most of you don't know what it is like to fight for both sides, to fight for what you believe in and also what you don't. There is one person among us tonight, however, who has experienced this. Miss Lyra Lestrange, would you please come to the stage?"

I froze in alarm. I wasn't expecting this! I had to stand up in front of the audience and give an unprepared speech? Why hadn't Kingsley warned me beforehand?

Next to me, I saw that Dora had stopped crying and was now staring with a blank, stunned expression. Andromeda looked surprised too. On my right, Theodore nudged me slightly and whispered, "Go on, Lyra."

I stood up, praying for my legs to stop shaking. I climbed the steps up to the stage, and while they were small it felt like an eon had passed before I finally reached the top. I approached Kingsley and gave him a nervous smile. He returned it calmly and announced to the audience, "Lyra Lestrange, ladies and gentlemen. She was not only associated with the Order and a member in Dumbledore's Army; she was also a Death Eater. Miss Lestrange, it would be an honor if you tell about what it is like being part of the two sides of the war."

I nodded. Kingsley handed me his wand, which I grasped with a shaky hand. I stared at the crowd, the enormous crowd, and was instantly overwhelmed. This was too much, especially when I knew that there were a few people out there who weren't pleased to see me standing in front of them-Draco and Lucius Malfoy, for instance. Yet, Theodore, Dora, and Andromeda caught my eye, each of them giving me an encouraging smile, so I spoke as confidently as I could, attempting to sound like this whole thing wasn't a shock to me.

"Well ... it's great that all of you are here tonight. This is important, honoring those who fought and died in the war against Voldemort." I strived to keep the nervous quaver out of my voice. I cleared my throat quietly, wishing that the words the audience wanted would come to me easily, but my mind felt empty.

"You all know that already," I continued. "So, I guess what I'm trying to say is ... well, it's not easy being torn between two sides in a war. It wasn't just during the war that this happened to me, it was throughout my whole life. My parents were Death Eaters in Azkaban and I was raised by my aunt and uncle. I was raised thinking that everything my parents did was wrong." I paused for a second. I was getting this all wrong. I wasn't standing on this stage to tell my life story. What did they want to know? If I were them, what would I want to know?

"I was forced to join the Death Eaters," I announced, plunging straight into the story. "I was caught by Snatchers and taken to Voldemort. I was only seventeen, barely of age! And through all that time, I didn't know how the war was going on the other side. I wanted it to end so I could see my family again. I didn't even know if they were alive. The other night, when the battle was raging, I switched sides. I was supposed to fight for the Death Eaters, but I followed my heart, because someone had told me to do just that ... " I trailed off and thought back to a recent memory that seemed so distant.

In the back row of the audience I saw two familiar shapes. They were too far back to make out completely, but both of them had dark hair that was far-too familiar ... so familiar it was the exact same hair that tumbled past my shoulders.

I smiled and remembered where I was.

"He told me to follow my heart. It was my father, Rodolphus Lestrange, the person I had hated throughout my whole life. I never really had the chance to officially meet him, and when I did, everything changed. And he wasn't the only person who changed my life somehow." I looked at Kingsley. "Minister, I apologize if I'm being rude by correcting you, but there's someone you forgot to honor when you listed off the names."

Kingsley looked confused, but he gave me a tiny nod.

"My cousin Sirius Black died two years ago. He was accused of murder during the first war and wasn't proven innocent until after he died. It's a shame that his life had to end so soon, but he died fighting for what he believed in. He followed his heart." I paused again and took a deep breath, searching for the words to end my speech, wanting it to leave an imprint on my audience's mind.

"And that's all I can say. Follow your heart. You can't just assume that where you come from or who your parents may be determines who you are. Only you can decide that. The world isn't split between good and evil, light and dark, right and wrong. And another thing to bear in mind is that everyone gets second chances. Everyone makes mistakes, and if you mess up, you can still return. It's never too late to take everything back, even if it's your whole life. That's what I've learned from this war and from being part of both sides."

I glanced at Kingsley. He smiled at me reassuringly. I handed his wand back and returned to my seat, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You did great," Theodore whispered to me.

"Thanks. That was difficult, but it was worth it."

In the moments after, I felt cleansed of everything that had ever weighed me down. I felt like Lyra. I was Lyra. Not a Death Eater. Not the Lestrange Girl. Not Lindsey. Not a daughter of the dark side. Lyra. Just Lyra, the person I had always wanted to be.

For the rest of the ceremony I couldn't stop thinking about the two people sitting in the back of the rows. I was eager for the ceremony to end so I could ask them about how everything had gone since I saw them last.

When Kingsley dismissed us, I shot up from my seat a little too quickly. Theodore noticed my haste and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you in a rush?"

"My parents," I told him.

"They're here?"

"Yes, at the back. I want to talk to them. Come with me."

He followed me as we walked past the rows of chairs. I was headed for the very last row, but I stopped along the way. Half of a row was filled with eight people with the same fiery hair. A sad feeling came over me when I thought of how nine people should have been there.

Ginny Weasley saw me and gave me a small smile, though I could see that her eyes were red from tears. She walked over.

"Hi, Lyra."

"Hi, Ginny," I said with a smile.

"That was a great speech you gave," she said politely.

"Thank you. Ginny, I'm so sorry about Fred."

She looked away. "Thanks. He was really brave, but he was killed by Death Eaters. Mum is taking it really hard, as I'm sure you can imagine. George is ... well, he's not much better. It's affecting us all pretty harshly, but in time I'm sure we'll be okay. Maybe."

"Nobody will ever forget Fred," I promised. "He and George were the best at practical jokes. I remember the time they fled Hogwarts after causing all that turmoil for Umbridge. That was brilliant."

She let out a small laugh. "Yeah, that was great. By the way, I noticed that the Malfoys are here. Can you believe a Death Eater family like theirs would show up to this?"

"Actually, I can," I said. "It's a long story, but I have a feeling Narcissa is behind it all. Anyway, I'll see you around, Ginny."

"Okay," she said. She nodded her head in farewell, but I could tell I was leaving her confused.

Theodore followed me the rest of the way. My parents were standing together as they watched me approach. I was shocked to see that for once they actually looked like a real couple, not just two people who seemed to be forced together. Another surprise was that for the first time in real life, Bellatrix didn't look like someone who had escaped Azkaban and never quite lost the look. In other words, she looked like the Bellatrix I had always imagined meeting, the one from the pictures I used to hold onto.

"Lyra." My father said my name as I drew closer. I couldn't help it; I ran up to him like a child and fell into his arms.

Once apart, I asked him my burning question: "What are you going to do now that this is all over?"

"Well, the two of us planned on - "

" - Returning to the Lestrange Manor," someone finished. Bellatrix looked at me with a smile. I returned it, but it felt awkward and strange. It was going to take a long time to get used to this change. But the fact that she was so different was exactly what I had always imagined. This was the Bellatrix I wanted to know. Draco was wrong-insanity could go away. She was living proof of that.

"So, did the two of you have to make the Vows with the Ministry?"

"Yes," Rodolphus said. He sounded relieved. "I don't think I could ever face Azkaban again. Speaking of Azkaban, did you hear they won't be using dementors anymore?"

"That's probably a good thing," I murmured. "There are a lot of things to fix."

"And many things have already been fixed," Rodolphus remarked. "Our family, for instance."

I nodded thoughtfully. "It will take time. Did you know the Malfoys are here? I think Narcissa had them come. Lucius and Draco weren't happy about it."

Bellatrix laughed, taking me by surprise, but this time the laugh was different. It wasn't evil and insane like the cackle that had once scared me to no end.

"I told Narcissa to come," she said proudly.

"You did?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes, of course. There's only so much we Death Eaters can do to try to make up for our crimes and this is one of those few. I know nothing will ever forgive everything we did. Personally I thought the Ministry would toss us back in Azkaban. We got lucky."

"Times have changed." I repeated her words from the other night.

"You're right, Lyra," said my father. "Times have changed, and time has been lost. Now, I think there are many years the three of us need to catch up on, when we get the chance. Times will continue to change, and we can't lose any more."

The night was bright as I sat in the back garden after the ceremony. Theodore was beside me, and together we watched the stars shine with more luminosity than I had seen for a long time. Rather, I noticed for the first time in forever how bright they actually twinkled.

"The future looks bright," he remarked.

"Sure does," I replied. "Speaking of the future, I thought about what you said earlier. You know, about returning to Hogwarts? Well, I've decided. Earlier at the ceremony, when Kingsley was reading off the names of those who died, I decided that I wanted to be an Auror more than anything. That intensified when I saw how devastated the Weasley family was over Fred. After everything we've all been through, how could I not want to prevent it from happening again? So I decided to return to Hogwarts and complete my education, and then train to be an Auror for the Ministry."

He looked at me thoughtfully. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I'm very sure. Have you decided about school yet?"

"Well, yes. I wasn't sure at first, but as I thought about it, I decided that I wanted to complete my education. I'm glad you decided. Now we can return to Hogwarts together."

"Great! So next year, on September first, we'll be on the Hogwarts Express."

"Right."

"You know, the future does look bright," I said. "I feel like we have unlimited time now that the war's over. Everyone has a chance to finish what they started. We can return to school. I can finally get my Apparition License. I can get to know my parents better."

"We can get to know each other better," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well ... I know that when you thought I was dead, and when I thought you wouldn't wake up from that coma you were in at the Malfoy Manor, we both had to think about what the future would be like without the other one. I guess I'm saying that I could never see myself with anyone else but you."

I smiled warmly at him, blushing, and said, "After everything we've been through together, how could I see myself with anyone but you?"

He returned the smile. "So you agree with me? Maybe in a few years, after we finish school, could you see us - well, you know - married?"

"Married? Well, I - that's a long way off - but yes. I wouldn't want to spend my life with anyone else. I love you."

"Neither would I," he said quietly. "And I love you too." Then he kissed my lips tenderly and pulled me closer as we embraced each other for the first time since the catastrophe had ended. I was brought back to everything I used to know, like how I believed I was destined for a lonely life with my real identity unknown to anyone but my family.

I never thought I would see my parents, but they escaped prison. I never thought anyone would ever know me for who I really was, but that had changed. I never thought I would be able to fall in love, but then I met Theodore.

I realized that without the war, none of these unimaginable things would have happened.

We broke apart and I couldn't have felt happier. What he used to reassure me with was true-we were together now without having to worry about the war.

Nevertheless, I couldn't help but remember the price. Many families were left devastated. Some scars would never heal, it was true. Sirius, Ted, Remus, and many others would never come back, yet they wouldn't be forgotten.

"You know what all of this has taught me?" I asked.

"What has it taught you?"

"I've learned that sometimes, in order for the world to be right, something has to go wrong. If this war had never happened, everything would be much different. Nothing can heal unless it's been injured, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah. I think I do."

I traced my finger around the mark on my right wrist, which was already beginning to fade into nothing but a normal scar against my flesh. Nothing can heal unless it's been injured. Maybe that mark would be there forever, but it symbolized a lot: love and hate, lost and found, happiness and misery, pain and joy, life and death. It was everything I had been through.

"It took seventeen years," I said, half to myself, "but now everything is in its place."

"It sure is," Theodore agreed. Then he gasped. "Look at that!"

A shooting star blazed through the inky black sky before disappearing behind the horizon. I smiled at its perfect timing. I looked up and saw the stars that at one time reminded me of everything that haunted me, such as my mother's insanity and Sirius's death. Tonight they told a different story.

"We made it through," I said. "We made it, and the future looks bright."

END OF PART FOUR.