Disclaimer: World of Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling. For Season 2 of the Quidditch League Competition.
Round 11
Team: Falmouth Falcons
Position: Chaser 2
Prompts: (word) flood; (word) freedom; (word) destiny.
xXx
Nott With Potter
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"I can't believe this is happening," James stated as he leant against the doorjamb, a small smirk on his face.
"I know right. Like FINALLY," Lily grinned from where she stood, helping a nervous Al with his tie.
Al tried not to blush under the scrutiny of his siblings, wondering at the fact that though he was thirty-five, they still somehow made him feel like he was a kid they were both ganging up on, as they often did when it was just the three of them. Al never really inherited the mischief gene as his siblings did. He'd always been too serious.
"Mom is going to flip," James went on, smirking that for once, it was precious little Al whom their matriarch was going to flip at. Al... the one that could do no wrong in Ginny Potter's eyes.
"I still don't get why you're doing all this eloping business," Lily commented as she finished fixing Al's collar and carefully patting down the green tie.
Al felt a flood of discomfort at the unorthodox and extraordinary circumstance that brought him to this small chapel in the north of Ireland, far from prying eyes.
"Aiden didn't want anyone to know about it. She's very private," Al replied, his green eyes watching as Lily's nose scrunched up.
"I don't know how you did it," James stated, drawing Al's attention away from his sister's disapproving expression. He still hadn't really introduced his fiance to his family, and he had a feeling that this highly secret and rushed ceremony that came out of seemingly nowhere, might make them suspicious and even biased against his bride-to-be. "I mean... Aiden Jasmine Nott! Bloody gorgeous, famous and only twenty-five! I mean, I didn't know you had it in you, Al!"
"So this is all her idea?" Lily asked, stepping back, brow furrowed as she tried to understand how sensible and serious Albus Severus Potter, had thrown all caution to the wind and decided to elope a girl he'd been seeing for less than a year. A girl who hadn't even yet been introduced to the family, and who their parent's didn't even know by name!
Lily supposed that she should just feel happy that she and James were given the privilege to attend the ceremony, but she was worried.
It just all seemed so sudden, and rushed, and so unlike Al!
Looking down into Lily's eyes with his own sparkly emerald, Albus grabbed her smaller hand in his own. He could see the worry, etched in the furrow of her two slender brows.
"Don't worry, Lil. Once you get to know her, you'll see what it took me only seconds to love," Albus stated in serious, but sincere tones, and if it weren't for the completely besotted but yet grounded expression on his face, Lily might have still felt worried.
X
"You know, your mum wouldn't be disappointed in you," Theodore stated as he stared down at his daughter, running one of his hands along the dark-auburn hair that had been tied back and depositing a pretty blue flower where the elegant bun was steadily affixed at the back of her head.
Jade eyes stared up into light grey eyes, which looked like silver as the sunlight streaming in from behind her hit the orbs staring down at her gently.
Perfectly straight, pearly white teeth nervously bit into a plump, pink lip.
"Mum wouldn't marry you until she was thirty, and she didn't have me until she was like thirty-six," Aiden replied in small tones. "She's a strong and highly independent woman. She will be disappointed in me. She'll think that I'm giving up on my career, for someone I've only been with for eight months."
"Your mother loves you... and contrary to what you think you know, she's does love me. She's loved me since she was sixteen," Theodore told his daughter with a slight smile. Ha chuckled at the way her lips twisted with doubt. "She just didn't have it easy, growing up. And she didn't think there was any freedom to be had in marriage. To her it was a cage. It took her a long time, to be ready for a family of her own. But that doesn't mean that she believes that what was right for her, is what's right for you. You're very different people, in spite of how much you resemble one another. Your mother knows that, but it's never kept her from loving you unconditionally, or believing in you."
Aiden felt tears well in her eyes, looking down at her feet as her lips trembled with emotion.
Her mother wasn't an easy woman; it took a special sort of woman to make it onto the Wizangamot.
She wasn't openly affectionate, and demonstrative. She'd often been critical... but Aiden also knew her father was right. Her mother loved her. And despite Aiden's bizarre desire to become an actress, her mother had always been her unexpected supporter and fan.
"Do you think she'll be angry?" Aiden asked, looking up slowly. Her father looked thoughtful for a moment, tilting his head, some of his light brown hair, streaked with silver, falling into his eyes.
"That she wasn't invited? No... she'll be upset that you were too afraid of what she might think, to invite her to her only daughter's wedding. Although I suspect she'll be angrier with me, for not telling her about it."
"Sorry," Aiden apologized, her lips twisting into a grimace at the thought that she'd gotten her father in trouble.
"Don't be," her father replied, smiling at her gently. "It's why I invited her."
Aiden felt her mouth drop as she stared up at her father's sparkling eyes, not sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry; unsure if she wanted to yell at or hug her father.
X
"I don't know what you daughter was thinking," Tracey whispered to her husband as he joined her in the front pew after walking his nervous but happy daughter to the altar.
"Our daughter. If I recall, you had just as much to do with bringing her into the world, if not more," Theodore responded in light, airy tones. Sharp, jade green eyes regarded him with an unamused look, even as he slipped an arm around her slender frame.
At sixty-one, with silver dappling her luxurious, dark-auburn locks and faint lines marring her pale skin, Tracey was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
"You should uncross your arms love, this is a wedding after all," Theodore continued.
Tracey sighed, dropping her arms and trying to not scowl as her gaze moved from her daughter, dressed in a simple but pretty white dress, to the boy standing opposite her. For a while, she stared at the youngest Potter boy, a man ten years older than her daughter and was slightly intrigued by the way the boy looked like a neater, more trim version of his famous father.
"Do you think he honestly loves her, or is star struck?" Tracey asked, unable to stop the niggling worry that the boy might be marrying their daughter for the wrong reasons.
"He loves her... he looks at her the very same way I've always looked at you," Theodore replied in quiet tones.
Tracey looked up at the man next to her for a while, unable to help the way her heart somehow managed to still flutter for the lanky man next to her.
"How do you expect our old school mates will take this?" Tracey asked in quiet, wry tones.
"Well considering their daughter is a Malfoy, I expect being linked to the name Nott couldn't possibly be any worse."
"Oh god," Tracey exclaimed with a grimace, drawing several eyes to her as she thought about the idea of now being linked to the Malfoys, no matter how remotely.
X
"You're really not angry?" Aiden asked, biting on her lip as she stood before her mother, after the ceremony while Al introduced himself to her father, and he got acquainted with Al's siblings as well.
"Are you happy?" her mother returned, staring at Aiden with those sharp eyes that always made her feel like she was five years old again.
Aiden nodded fervently. "I've never felt like this before. It's more than just being happy. It's scary and exciting, but also joyful... like he's my destiny."
"Then how could I be angry?" Tracey asked. Aiden felt her eyes tear up and couldn't help throwing her arms around her mother's slender frame, her body shaking with relief. She melted further into the embrace and couldn't help the brilliant smile when her mother returned it, running her fingers through her hair.
X
"You got... married?" Harry asked quietly as he and Albus sat in his home office, his green eyes wide. Still having trouble making sense of what he'd just been informed several minutes ago. His face paled as he thought about how Ginny was going to react.
He turned to look at the very pretty girl, seated next to his son. Well, she's pretty, he thought, wondering why she looked so familiar. Nott... who did Nott marry? He wondered, not sure what to think, even as he remembered the lanky, extremely pale boy in his year who wasn't much to look at and had mousy-brown hair.
"Your mum isn't going to be happy when she gets home," Harry mumbled, running a hand through his unruly, dark locks. Still too stunned by the day's events to even begin to wrap his mind around what was happening.
Al. Sensible, careful Al. Finally found someone he loved and felt sure enough about to marry. After only eight months.
X
"How- Why didn't you tell us?" Ginny asked, trying to keep control of her temper as she stared at her son and his... his wife!
"It was a bit spur of the moment. We just, didn't want to wait. And because of Aiden's fame, we wanted to keep it hushed up, and not deal with all these questions," Al responded, his fingers threaded with Aiden's; his tone sharp with his desire to shield Aiden from any blame.
Though an actress, off the screen, Aiden was painfully shy and timid. But she was wonderful, once she felt comfortable enough to be herself. Her public persona, a mixture of reserve and polite charm, was a mask with which she protected herself. She was frequently and easily misunderstood.
Ginny didn't know how to respond. She felt hurt... hurt that she hadn't been informed or could not attend her son's wedding.
But as she stared at the fierce and protective glint in Al's eyes, and the nervous teeth pressing into a pink lip, she let the hurt and anger melt away.
She'd worried so, that Al might never marry. Not because Al didn't date, but he never seemed convinced in the possibility of forever with any of his past romances.
She supposed she should just be happy, that he'd finally found someone who left in him no room to doubt... that he loved so much, that he threw all caution to the wind.
Turning towards the stunning, beautiful young woman beside her son, she smiled faintly.
"I suppose then all I can do is welcome you to the family."
Aiden smiled warmly at that.
X
"That went much better than I hoped," Albus whispered, pulling Aiden close that night as they stood in their living room, swaying gently to music floating from the radio.
They had no reception, and the ceremony had been small and humble. But he'd be damned if he didn't give his love their first dance.
"Do you think your family will like me?" Aiden asked, staring up at him with those sad but alluring, jade eyes that had captured his soul form the very first time his eyes met hers.
Al couldn't help smiling, raking his fingers through her soft, silky hair. "If they can learn to love Scorpius, they'll adore you."
Aiden smiled at him, brilliantly. A smile that charmed half the world and turned his own on it's head.
"I love you, Sev," Aiden whispered.
Al felt his heart skip a beat as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her soft lips. No one but his mother called him by his middle name, but only when she was angry. But somehow the nickname, coming from Aiden's lips had always been the most wonderful thing he'd ever heard.
"I love you too."
-FIN-