31st July

Rose had just left Harry's party. She was upset and angry and disappointed. She knew her father had always had an issue with her relationship with Scorpius and he had always been convinced it would end but she had hoped he would accept their forthcoming marriage as something permanent and exciting and joyous.

She went home and used the floo network to contact Scorpius at the Malfoy family home. He comforted her and in the end she agreed to stay with him. She packed quickly and left a note for her parents. She arrived by floo in the Malfoy home soon after.

Scorpius held her close till his mother entered the room. Astoria Malfoy smiled thinly as she welcomed her son's fiancé. She was a cold woman; tall with a severe face and strong, disapproving eyes. Rose thanked her.

"Well we better get Rose's case up to my room," Scorpius said, breaking the awkward silence. He lifted her suitcase and Rose followed him to his room. Due to being away from home these past two years, it was still mostly the way Rose remembered: the room of a teenage boy.

Photos of his friends at school were pinned to one noticeboard and Rose spotted her 15 year old self sticking her tongue out at the camera along with Albus who was rolling his eyes. Lysander winked at the camera aged 17, whilst his twin looked at it over the top of a book. Scorpius and Rose standing together, dressed up finely for Teddy Lupin's wedding.

His poster of the Irish quidditch team remained (despite their current just average performance in the league) though Rose noticed that a poster of a sexy witch unbuttoning her robe was now missing. She wondered if it had been removed just after their floo conversation or well before.

New pictures from their travels along with souvenirs were now added to the room's decor.

Scorpius grinned at her. "Remember the last time we were alone in here?" he said cheekily.

Rose returned his smile and stepped forward to kiss him. He pulled her down onto the bed.

Later they lay together discussing their plans. Scorpius was due to start his new job an apparition test examiner the following week whilst Rose had several meetings to attend. Over the past year, she had been perfecting the recipe of a new potion which would prevent the drinker from becoming hungry or thirsty for up to a week. She needed to get the potion ministry approved and then would explore ways of marketing it.

They began to discuss trivial elements of the wedding, avoiding the family issues.

"It'll work out somehow," Scorpius reassured her.

"Your mother obviously isn't thrilled with me as per usual," sighed Rose, "I can't wait till we have a home of our own together without having to worry about both our families."

"Just the two of us will be great."

They quickly agreed to look for a house together as soon as possible.

1st August 2026

"She won't even talk to me," said Ron to Harry as they entered their ministry office in the auror department.

"She wants you to be happy for her."

"He's a Malfoy. They're all the same. I don't trust him."

"Then trust Rose. She's got good judgement."

Ron grunted and picked a file up from his desk. "So what you think of this break in?" He said flicking through it, "I can't believe they got off so lightly."

"Yeah, trying to steal items to sell on the black market? Seems like the risk is too big. There has to be another reason."

Harry had recently caught two young men trying to force their way into the department of mysteries. In their recent hearing the pair had claimed they were looking for unique, magical artefacts to sell for a fortune. Due to their confessions and cooperation during the trial they had been given a remarkably light sentence of community service.

"Not much we can do but keep an eye on them I guess," sighed Ron.