Chapter 21

"Come on Ben." Rose dragged him towards the small knot of family that surrounded Rose Weasley and Al, "There are a lot of people who you need to meet." The circle opened to allow Rose and Ben to enter. "Ok, Ben, meet Rose, Al, James, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Lily and Ginny." Ben waved to everyone, obviously overwhelmed.

"Hi Ben, it's so nice to meet you." Rose Weasley stepped forward and shook Ben's hand. "We've heard a lot about you."

Ben smiled. "Same here. It's nice to finally put a face to the name."

"Where's your family?" Hermione asked.

"Over there." Rose pointed to her family, who saw her and began walking towards them. Ash said hello to Hermione and was introduced to everyone else. "Where's Leo?" Rose asked Al, who shrugged. Rose looked around, trying to find Leo's face in the crowd. Finally, she spotted him, standing next to a man who must have been his father. From their floppy brown hair and dimples, to their bright blue eyes, and even the way they stood- confident, but relaxed, they were practically identical.

"Leo!" Rose waved furiously. Leo turned and smiled before walking over with his father. Introductions were made, and it turned out that Leo's father, Matthew, worked with Hermione at the Ministry.

"Where's your mum?"

"She couldn't take off from work, she's a healer at St Mungo's. We're going away for Christmas, so she needs to be there all day."

Matthew looked down at his watch, "Leo, we need to get going if we're going to be up north in time. We're driving to the Lake District." He offered by way of explanation.

"Driving?" Harry asked, "that's certainly quite the trip."

"My family are muggles, so they aren't connected to the floo network. Luckily the drive is rather beautiful. And then Thea, my wife, is going to apparate up after she's done with her shift."

"Sounds like fun, have a great holiday." Harry said. Leo said his goodbyes, quickly hugging Rose Weasley and Al. He turned to Rose

She hugged him, "Happy Christmas Leo."

"Happy Christmas Rose, keep an eye out for an owl on Christmas morning."

"Now I'm excited. Have a safe drive!" Leo and his father walked away, pulling Leo's case behind them. Before they walked out of sight Leo turned around and gave Rose one final wave.

"I'm hungry," James groaned.

"How about everyone comes over for an early supper?" Ron asked.

"Sounds great." Ginny replied.

Rose turned to her parents, "can we go?"

"I'm not sure if we should impose on their hospitality." William said

"Don't be ridiculous, of course you're welcome to come!" Ron cried, "you were included in the 'everyone.'"

"In that case, I don't see why not." Charlotte said with a laugh.

The three families each piled into their cars, planning to meet at the Granger-Weasley residence. Rose sat in the car, squashed between Ben and Ash, and there was nowhere else in the world she would have rather been.

"I just met Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, as well as all of their children." Ben said in amazement. "And now I'm going to go have dinner with them in the home of Ron and Hermione." He stuck out his arm, "pinch me, I think I'm dreaming."

"Tell me about it, I've been walking around in a fog for the past few months, convinced that it was all in my head."

"Tell me everything!"

"I basically told you everything in my letters. Hmm, what haven't I wrote to you about?"

"I don't know, because you haven't told me it."

Rose swatted Ben, "shut up." Her eyes lit up, "I haven't told you about the ball."

"There was a ball?" The whole car asked.

"It was amazing! I mean, I didn't go, but I saw the Great Hall and everyone all dressed up. They had instruments that played themselves!" The three kids sat in the back chattering away. William turned to Charlotte.

"It's good to have her back home," he said. Charlotte nodded and glanced back at the trio in her rearview mirror.

"I haven't seen the boys look that happy in a while."

The Watson's car arrived last, and Hermione greeted them at the door. "Come on in, Ron is quickly throwing something together." She ushered them in, leading them into the living room where everyone else was sitting.

"What can we help with?" William asked.

"Ron apparated from the station, so he's been here for a while and has everything under control, but can I get you something to drink?"

"Do you have butterbeer?" Rose asked.

"There's some in the kitchen, you remember where it is?" Hermione said. Rose walked Ben and Ash to the kitchen, where Ron was orchestrating the assembly of dinner. A large pan boiled on the stove, and a wooden spoon occasionally stirred it. A knife chopped vegetables near the sink, and Ron waved his wand at the oven, which opened to accept a baking dish that flew in from the counter.

"Am I allowed to be seeing this?" Ben asked, his eyes wide.

"Oh yeah, it's fine." Ron said from his position by the kitchen table. "I'm an adult, and you know about the Wizarding World, so neither of us will get in trouble."

Ash stood stock-still, his head swiveling on his neck, trying to see everything. "What's that amazing smell?" He asked, "it smells like happiness."

"Butterbeer, want some?" The three of them nodded wildly. Ron fetched three mugs from a cupboard and filled the mugs from the bubbling pan. "Don't burn your tongues, it's scalding." They tentatively blew on the hot liquid, which had the color of liquid gold. Ash decided to brave the heat, and took a small sip. His face eased into a smile and his whole body relaxed.

"Oh my god," Ash said with his eyes closed, "this is amazing."

Ben lifted the mug and took a sip, his response mirroring Ash's. "I just want to go swimming in this forever." Rose laughed at them as she drank her butterbeer, but then stopped as she realized that she was making the same face as her brother and best friend. She was amazed that as often as she drank butterbeer it was still exciting.

"Alright, everyone out, I don't want anyone getting smacked in the head by a flying pan of pasta." Ron said to them as he walked them to the door of the kitchen, "go hang out with everyone else."

When they reentered the living room they found Charlotte in deep conversation with Hermione, Rose overheard something about feminist themes in Jane Eyre. William was sitting in between Ginny and Harry and looked as happy as a clam at high tide. He was animatedly explaining to them his work on the Oxford badger census. Ginny looked bemused, but Harry was completely enraptured by William and his stories about chasing badgers across meadows with old-fashioned butterfly nets.

"Do you have pictures?" Harry asked, his eyes wide. William pulled out his mobile and showed Harry some pictures of badgers and his team, complete with butterfly nets and pith helmets. "This is the greatest thing I have ever seen, can I help out next year?"

"Sure," William said with a laugh, "we'd love to have you on the team."

"Mum, Dad, you need to try butterbeer, it's amazing!" Ash said as the three of them re-entered the room.

"There's butterbeer?" Charlotte disentangled herself from her conversation with Hermione at the mention of the beverage.

"I'll get us some." William made his apologies to Ginny and Harry, who continued to look through William's pictures.

A few minutes later William shuffled back into the living room carrying two steaming mugs. His face was slack and his eyes were wide and staring.

"Are you alright my love?" Charlotte asked, her face a mask of concern.

"Did you try the butterbeer, Dad?" Rose asked with a laugh.

"The kitchen, it's like something out of Beauty and the Beast. There's cutlery and crockery and food flying through the air."

"What?" Charlotte asked. "I have to see this." She excused herself to go watch what was happening in the kitchen. She emerged a minute later, her face matching her husband's. "That was incredible." She collapsed onto the couch, "I can't believe it." She turned to Rose. "Can you do all of that?"

"Some of it, I can levitate things and open doors and close them, but I don't know how to enchant knives to chop things yet."

"Our daughter can do magic." Charlotte said in amazement. "I thought I had wrapped my head around all of this, but apparently not."

William handed a mug to Charlotte, and they clinked mugs. "Cheers"

"Just wait until you try butterbeer," Rose said with a smile. She watched as her parents each took a small sip, watched as they each relaxed into the couch cushions, and watched as their faces split into giant grins.

"Just when I thought the day couldn't get any better." Charlotte said as she took another sip.

"We need this recipe." William said. "I will become Ron's apprentice and learn his mighty ways."

At this, Ron appeared, "Dinner, lunch? Whatever this is, is served!" They all trooped into the dining room, Harry stopping at the bottom of the stairs to call up to Hugo and Lily to come down to eat.

They sat and chatted and ate, each enjoying the food and being reunited with family. It was odd, Rose felt like she had not seen her family and Ben in a lifetime, but at the same time she felt like she had never left home. She looked around the table and smiled, knowing that at this moment there was nowhere in the world she would rather be, not even on a broomstick.

After the dishes had been cleared and washed with the help of some charmed soap and sponges, the Potters and Watsons rose to leave. Rose hugged Al and Rose Weasley, wishing them a Happy Christmas. She accepted a hug from Hermione and Ron, and waved to Harry and Ginny. And then they were in the car, and she was sandwiched between Ash and Ben, and they were going home.

Rose had never realized that her house had a smell, because after living there her whole life she had simply gotten used to it and never noticed. But on entering her house after a few months absence she realized that her home did indeed have a distinct aroma. It smelled like books and soil and freshly baked bread, but even more than all of those distinct smells, it just smelled like home.

Rose took a deep breath, relishing the feeling of being back. She walked into the living room and went to put Darwin's cage on the table, except the table was gone. In its stead, a tent had been set up. Rose turned to her parents.

"Why is there a tent in the living room?"

"Well, I'd reckon it's rather too cold to go camping outside, but we figured that you and Ben would want to have a sleep-over tonight, so the living room seemed as good a place as any." Charlotte said with a smile.

"Brilliant Mum." Rose said. She turned to Ben, "pyjamas and then reconvene in 20?" Ben nodded emphatically before running out the door.

Rose walked up to the attic with Darwin, waiting for the light to turn on, until she remembered that she was no longer at Hogwarts, where rooms were enchanted to become illuminated when entered. She backtracked and flipped the switch, bathing the room in light. She opened Darwin's cage and then the window, watching him swoop out of the small window. Rose had always been jealous of birds and their ability to just fly off, but now, Rose thought with a smile, she could do the same. She quickly showered and changed into pyjamas before running downstairs. She kept on looking around, noticing small details that had changed in her time away. There were new cushions on the couch and a new bookshelf in the corner. A large bouquet of paper flowers sat on the kitchen table, next to a large stack of books (though this was nothing new).

Charlotte and William sat in the kitchen, William was reading and Charlotte was scribbling furiously in a notebook. They both looked up when Rose walked downstairs.

"Any plans for tonight?" Charlotte asked as she put down her pencil.

"I haven't seen a film in ages, so maybe we'll watch one."

"Alright, you can borrow my laptop if you want."

"Thanks Mum."

"Come over here." Charlotte stretched her arms out to Rose and enveloped her in a hug, "I'm so glad you're home." She ran her hand over Rose's head. "Do you want me to plait your hair?" Rose nodded and ran upstairs to get her hairbrush. Charlotte sat on the couch, while Rose sat on the floor in front of her. "I've missed this." Charlotte said as she brushed Rose's hair.

"Same." Rose turned around and smiled at her mother. "I missed you."

"It's definitely good to have you home."

They heard a knock on the door, followed by Ben opening it. He took his coat off and kicked off his boots. He wore pyjamas and carried an overnight bag, which he dropped by the couch.

"What're you doing Charlotte?" He asked as he came to sit next to her.

"Plaiting Rose's hair, want to learn how to do it?"

"Sure."

Charlotte slowly showed Ben the steps, explaining what to do, before letting him try.

"Oi, be careful you don't kill my hair!" Rose said with a laugh.

"I will try my hardest, and I'm sure your mum will save you if it gets out of hand." Ben said. He slowly began to plait Rose's hair, letting Charlotte guide him. When he was done he had managed to create a respectable enough plait.

"Well done Ben." Charlotte said with a laugh, "you've just learned an important life skill." She looked at her watch, "Will, let's get to bed."

William looked up from his book, "roger that my love." They stood up. "One more hug before bed, Rosie." Rose clambered to her feet and embraced her father. "It's good to have you back." He and Charlotte walked to the stairs, "have fun you two, don't stay up to late."

"Good night Mum and Dad."

"G'night Charlotte and William."

"Good night Rosie, love you. Night Ben"

Ben turned off all of the lights downstairs, and Rose fetched ice cream and two spoons from the kitchen. They wriggled into the tent, which had been filled with pillows and blankets. Ben flicked on the torch and upended it, so that the small light illuminated the whole tent. They sat, facing each other, not saying anything. Because they didn't have the words to tell the other how supremely happy they were in that moment, to be back together again. He was her best friend, and she was his, and there was nothing in the world like being reunited.

Rose forgot about watching a film, and was completely absorbed into just talking with Ben. They had written countless letters, but there was something very different about actually being together. A silent fear had hung in the air that their friendship would not have withstood the physical and emotional distance that had stretched between them those past few months. Because that distance had only been traversed by Darwin, and it was not until they were back together that they finally breathed a sigh of relief- glad that the distance between their two worlds was not insurmountable afterall.

Author's note: sorry I'm a day late, I've been living without wifi. The letters between Ben and Rose are in the works!