Life Goes On, and yes, usually does end in happily ever after. Heros are remembered in childrens' names and fade into history just as surely as the damage caused by their enemies is healed. People grow old and start balding. Men and women marry and start families. Why are people are so adamantly opposed to the idea that Harry and the other characters can form a life after Voldemort's gone? Frankly, most of the time life keeps going and keeps going well. I don't think there was anything far from Wizarding Britain life at all. It was all quite normal.

The epilogue was about Harry. It focused on the things important to him. Family. Friends. A lack of danger. We see through the eyes of someone who does not care about exposition and has no interest in satisfying others' prurient curiosity about his life. He is what he is and we are being shown a single moment. Just like so much else in the series, JKR is leaving the development to the subtle realms of connotation and inference; in other words, to us. Most of the realistic characterization that JKR does is only realized after people go back and read the books over. She's a very plain writer, but not a blunt one.

I think people are mainly reacting to the fact that the series is over and everyone feels kind of let down. But you know what? Our lives will go on too. Fics can certainly be written about all this. And you don't have to worry about changing things when the next book comes out.

Canon is completed! Long live the fanfics!