WARNING: Obviously we’re looking into the beyond here, so a spoiler warning is now in effect.

The devastating crescendo at the end of the Battle of Hogwarts left many of our favourite Harry Potter characters forever-changed by the event. While we lost some of our favourites, some others went on to acquire impressive jobs, go on to have families, or carry on the legacies of some of the fallen. From students to teachers, here’s some key character futures that we came to learn about.

Harry became an Auror and worked at the Ministry

In Harry’s fifth year at Hogwarts, all the students were given careers advice, where we Harry divulged to Professor McGonagall his ambition of becoming an Auror. Who can blame him? After living a life constantly under the eye of one of the Darkest wizards of all time, he basically had done his Auror training already.

In his later years, Harry became the Head of the Auror Office at the Ministry of Magic – which – as we learnt about in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – sounded great on paper, but did have a lot of paper...work.

Ron took over Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes after Fred’s death

Fred Weasley’s death in the Battle of Hogwarts hit us all hard, but his legacy lived on. The twins’ joke shop, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, went on to be looked after by Fred’s younger brother, Ron, who looked after the business with George.

Like Harry, Ron did have a brief foray in the Auror profession, but after two years, decided running a joke shop was a tad more fun.

Hermione got the top job at the Ministry

Never ever an under-achiever, Hermione went above and beyond after Hogwarts – eventually becoming the actual Minister for Magic.

While moving up the ranks at the Ministry, she continued her work championing house-elf rights, while eradicating old, stuffy laws that were biased towards pure-blood witches and wizards. That’s our Hermione.

And of course, she lived happily ever after with Ron, with their two children, Rose and Hugo too. The future she deserved.

Ginny became Sports Editor for The Daily Prophet

Always a dab-hand at Quidditch during her Hogwarts years, Ginny went on to have a soaring career in the sport, playing for the all-female team, the Holyhead Harpies. After that, she progressed into journalism – heading up the Sports section of The Daily Prophet, while bringing up three children with Harry: Albus, James and Lily.

Neville became a Hogwarts Professor!

Neville’s future after Hogwarts is just so... Neville. After showing huge interest in Herbology during his student days, he went on to actually teach the subject. Let’s hope he had better control over his Mimbulus mimbletonias with his students.

He also found love – marrying Hufflepuff student Hannah Abbott. And to make matters even more wholesome, they went on to live together, upstairs from The Leaky Caudron pub.

Draco married on, but lost his wife to a tragic illness

After an extremely complicated childhood, Draco Malfoy emerged in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child reborn as a family man with long hair and a penchant for farmers’ markets. His son, Scorpius, a lovable bookworm who ended up befriending Harry Potter’s son, Albus, made for a very different kind of Malfoy legacy. But alas, Draco’s adulthood was also marred by tragedy – losing his wife, Astoria Greengrass, to a fatal blood curse.

We see these events play out in Cursed Child, with father and son trying to navigate their grief together, and seeing the softer side of Draco is a comfort. Although him and Harry were still partial to the odd sparring match.

George married Angelina Johnson and had two children

Bereft after the loss of his twin, George Weasley carried Fred’s torch for the rest of his life. While keeping their joke shop business alive and well with Ron, he also went on to marry his fellow Gryffindor Quidditch team member, Angelina Johnson. Yes, the very same Angelina that dated Fred at Hogwarts.

He also named one of his children after his late brother, meaning the Fred Weasley spirit floats on within the next generation of Weasleys.

Luna went on to marry Newt Scamander’s grandson

Always one with nature, it feels perfectly serendipitous that our quirky Ravenclaw Luna would go on to become a Magizoologist – and marry one. We all know Newt Scamander, our Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them hero. Well, Luna went on to marry his grandson, Rolf. The happy couple even went on to have twins: the appropriately idiosyncratically named Lorcan and Lysander. Whether or not Luna ever did meet a Blibbering Humdinger, however, we do not know.

Professor McGonagall became Hogwarts Headmistress

After Albus Dumbledore’s passing, and peace in the wizarding world was re-established, there was only one person who could look after Hogwarts. Of course! Of course, it had to be our formidable Head of Gryffindor House, Minerva McGonagall – who served as Deputy Head under Dumbledore’s tenure.

After leading the Battle of Hogwarts courageously, Minerva was still Headmistress of Hogwarts when Harry’s children started going to school. Ah, a whole new generation of Potters to tell off! Her work is truly never done.

Some honourable mentions

• Ron’s older brother, Charlie, continued his work with dragons, and as of 2014, was unmarried, thanks to a gossipy Daily Prophet report.

• Percy finally achieved his dreams of having a very important job at the Ministry of Magic, taking charge of the Department of Magical Transportation. He went on to have two children, Lucy and Molly. We’re sure Mrs Weasley was delighted.

• Despite a shocking attack by werewolf Fenrir Greyback, Bill Weasley lived to tell the tale and went on to have three children with his wife, Fleur Delacour. One of them, Victoire Weasley, ended up having a teen romance with Harry’s godson, Teddy Lupin!

• After many stressful years as Gryffindor’s Quidditch team captain, Oliver Wood joined the British and Irish Quidditch league as a Reserve Keeper for Puddlemere United. Once a go-getter, always a go-getter.

• After a doomed romance with Cedric Diggory and a fleeting one with Harry Potter, Cho Chang found love in the end with a Muggle suitor. Ooh, tell us more!

• Harry’s Aunt Petunia had died by the time the events of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child came around, but we did learn that Harry had managed to create a cordial relationship with his cousin Dudley in their adulthood.

Which character future surprised you the most?