April quickly faded into May. Rose invited Scorpius to the Remembrance Day Ball at the Ministry and they made their official public debut as a couple. The media went absolutely sideways trying to get the inside scoop on the relationship of the daughter of two war heroes and the son of a death eater. Rose was sick to death of those idiotic labels; people should not be defined by the accomplishments or actions of their parents from years before they were even born.
Thankfully, only tactful members of the press were allowed at the event itself. Her mother made sure that less scrupulous reporters, like Rita Skeeter, were barred from the hall. The ball was first and foremost to pay homage to those who had sacrificed themselves for the good of the world. Having gossip seeking pseudo journalists present was not in the spirit of the night. Thus, Rita was relegated to the entry hall, left only to report on the fashions people arrived in.
Neither Rose nor Scorpius were keen on sharing the intimate details of their relationship. Instead, they redirected the conversation to Rose's new status as an animagus and Scorpius's work with healing. Now that Rose was able to successfully transform, her employment with the Department of Mysteries had come to an end. Her boss had given her the option to adopt a new project, but she chose to leave the department all together. She was planning on taking a few months off but would then assume the position of Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts for the next school term. Headmistress McGonagall was thrilled to have her join the ranks of academia.
She and Scorpius were planning to look for a nice cottage in Hogsmeade soon. He would continue to work in the St. Mungo's research department and commute in by floo each day while she would walk to the castle. Now that his family curse was finally curtailed, he had moved on to other work. Phoenix tears had truly amazing healing properties and could be used in many traumatic injuries and emergency situations at the hospital. However, Rose was the only known phoenix animagus in the world and she just could not produce enough tears. His research now focused on replicating the tears without diminishing the positive properties. He was excited to share the work in hopes of garnering donations for St. Mungo's research department.
"Have you tried a variant of the Gemini Curse?" asked Parvati Patil, a former classmate of her parents' and now an esteemed staff writer for the Daily Prophet.
"That was one of my first attempts," admitted Scorpius, "unfortunately, the healing properties are lost that way. The twinned tear is just a simple human tear, identical to Rose's when she is in her human form".
Parvati smiled, "You're doing great work Scorpius. I'm sure many of our readers will be intrigued. Thank you for your time. Rose, have your mother give me a call sometime soon, will you? I'm planning a class reunion and she, by far, has the most schedule conflicts".
"Well, being Minister certainly keeps her busy," Rose laughed. She and Scorpius said goodbye to Parvati before he escorted her outside to get some fresh air.
When the couple exited onto the balcony, they bumped into James and Fred.
"Snuck off for a little alone time, ey Rosie?" teased Fred.
Rose rolled her eyes and deadpanned, "Yes," she turned to Scorpius and said, "guess you'll have to wait to have your knob polished".
Fred sputtered, "I do not need to hear that!"
Meanwhile James was trying to stop laughing. He had caught on to his sarcastic cousin's tone and knew she wasn't serious.
"Lighten up, Fred. We just came out here for some fresh air," Rose said. "What are you two up to anyway?"
"I dragged this fool," James said while pointing at Fred, "out here before he made an arse of himself in front of Priyanka again".
'Ah,' Rose thought, 'of course'. Fred and Priyanka Patil-Boot had dated off and on since Hogwarts. They made a smart couple, but their schedules were too chaotic to maintain much of a relationship. Priyanka worked as a Hit Witch in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Fred was the undersecretary to the British Ambassador to Italy. The split the most recent time almost a year ago.
"What did you do this time?" Rose asked Fred.
"Nothing," he muttered. Rose cocked an eyebrow and looked to James for elaboration.
"Fred was trying to slip her date for the evening a Ton Tongue Toffee," James said.
Fred glared at James, "It would have served the smarmy bastard right. That jerk had has hands all over her like she was some sort of trophy and I saw him lick her ear! I don't know how you put up with him for so long, Rosie".
"Wait, she's here with Daniel McLaggen?" Rose asked. When Fred nodded sadly, Rose declared, "Follow me. We're going to put a stop to this!" She swept back into the hall with the trio of wizards in her wake. Rose quickly spotted Priyanka and the offending wizard. She cast a silent, wandless immobulus over Daniel and stared him down, "You dare show your face here?!"
"Rose?" Priyanka asked in a panicked voice, "What's going on?"
"Your date isn't allowed on Ministry property after he was fired from his position months ago," Rose said. "Perhaps you should leave, Daniel".
Daniel's face turned bright red, "I was only fired because you're a cock tease. You went crying to mummy and suddenly I'm out of the job". He raised his hand to slap Rose but Scorpius caught his arm.
"You will never touch her again," Scorpius seethed dangerously.
"So the rumors are true then," Daniel mocked, "You're shagging this cold, limp fish now, ey Malfoy?"
In an instant, Scorpius smashed his fist into Daniel's nose while James and Fred hurled curses at him. Daniel clutched at his now broken nose and rolled on the floor in agony. "WHAT THE FUCK!" he moaned.
"What's going on here?" Harry Potter asked when he arrived on the scene moments later.
"Hey Dad!" James said brightly, "We're just reminding this sorry excuse for a human what happens when a man treats a woman poorly. Can you arrest this piece of trash now?"
Harry Potter looked at the group and said, "I'll have some questions for you all later. Are you alright Priyanka?"
The witch sniffled, "I'm fine Auror Potter".
"Please call me Harry," he said and levitated Daniel's body off the ground. "I think a night in a holding cell might be in order". With that, he left the group.
"I'm humiliated," Priyanka began to cry.
Fred slowly approached the tearful witch. He placed a single finger under her chin and lifted her face so that her eyes met his, "Don't be Priya. McLaggen is an egotistical piece of shit. Don't cry over that bastard".
Priyanka fell into Fred's arms and sobbed into his chest. Fred caught his cousins' eyes over the top of her head and silently conveyed the message that he'd take care of her. James nodded and walked away with Rose and Scorpius in tow.
Once they were a safe distance away, James complimented, "Nice punch Scorpius. I could hear the bones snap".
Scorpius grinned, "I've been wanted to do that for months since I left those marks on Rose". He ran his hand over Rose's arm where the hand shaped bruise had once been.
"HE DID WHAT TO YOU?!" James exploded.
"I took care of him myself," Rose huffed. "I hope that after tonight he'll have finally learned his lesson about how not to treat women".
James smiled darkly, "He should. I hit him with a jinx that'll make his bits breaks out in painful blisters whenever he gets within five feet of a woman".
Rose laughed, "Hey Scorp?"
"Yes, love?" he responded.
"When he inevitably shows up at St. Mungo's to get treatment, don't use any of my tears to cure him," Rose grinned. The three dissolved into fits of laughter.
A few weeks later, Rose and Scorpius took a portkey back to Boston for his graduation from Ilvermorny. Elena met them at MACUSA.
"Welcome back, you two!" the tiny, dark haired witch chirped. She launched herself at Rose and Scorpius chuckled at the scene.
"Hello Elena," he said.
Elena cocked her head to the side and observed him, "You look different. Lighter somehow?"
"I've had a huge weight taken off my shoulders since the last time I was state side. It's all thanks to this wonderful woman here," Scorpius said and pressed a kiss to Rose's hair.
"Awww," Elena sighed, "You two are impossibly sweet".
"By the way, thanks for putting me in contact with Katrina. Her restaurant is incredible," Scorpius said.
"She loved having you guys. I still haven't been there, it always felt like a date sort of place to me and I'm hopelessly single," Elena shrugged.
Rose considered her friend, "Don't let that hold you back. You'll come with me and Scorpius sometime".
"Sit at a romantic dinner with the waves of sexual energy pouring off you two? No thanks!" Elena grinned.
Rose chuckled and agreed, "Yeah, it might be a bit awkward. But have you at least tried that chocolate mousse? I dream about that mousse".
"One of the perks of being Katrina's sister is that she tried out her recipes on me when we were growing up," Elena said, "it took her many delicious failures to get the mousse airy enough and I was the lucky guinea pig who got to taste test".
Rose's stomach let out a large growl causing both Elena and Scorpius to laugh.
"Come on now, love," Scorpius said. "Let's get you fed. Care to join us, Elena?" Scorpius offered.
"Maybe next time," Elena said regretfully. "I've got a lunch meeting".
Scorpius and Rose left MACUSA and grabbed a quick lunch in the wizarding district off Newbury Street. They discussed the graduation ceremony that evening.
"When is your family getting here?" Rose asked.
Scorpius checked his watch, "Dad is at the townhouse now. He portkeyed in yesterday. He'll meet us over at Ilvermorny in a few hours. Aunt Daph and Uncle Blaise should show up at the same time. I think they're coming from the Caribbean via floo. It's so hard to keep track of where they are in their globe-trotting honeymoon".
"It's too bad that Albus couldn't make it," Rose said. Her cousin had planned on seeing his best friend graduate, but Alice had gotten sick a few days earlier. It was just a bought of food poisoning, but Albus wouldn't leave her side. Scorpius more than understood that he wanted to be with his girlfriend. Fortunately, the wizarding world had been experimenting with increased muggle technology and the graduation ceremony would be live streamed across the worldwide wizard web. Albus could watch Scorpius graduate from Alice's bedside in England.
"So the plan is for me to sit with your Dad, Daphne, and Blaise," Rose stated.
Scorpius nodded, "I'll join you all after the ceremony. There'll be a short reception afterwards, but according to Burroughs it's mostly for the seventh years. I made reservations for everyone at a muggle restaurant down on The Cape. Burroughs and Hill will join us there".
Rose and Scorpius finished their lunches and apparated to Ilvermorny. They quickly found Draco, Daphne, and Blaise. After only a few minutes, a professor who Rose did not recognize called Scorpius away to gather with the other graduates. He bid his party farewell and hurried across the campus.
Rose glanced at Draco, Blaise, and Daphne. They were all wearing suits and dresses appropriate for the ceremony. Rose glanced down at her own attire; she still wore her skinny jeans and a fitted tee. "I think I'll pop to the townhouse real quick to change".
"No!" said Daphne, "There's no time for that. Come with me. They've converted one of the dorms into a series of changing rooms for the guests of the graduates".
'That was nice of the Ilvermorny staff,' Rose thought. "Lead the way, Daphne".
Once there, Rose reached into the beaded bag she had borrowed from her mother and withdrew a sundress. The dress was made of soft, minty green cotton that made her features pop. The summer dress was tight around her torso before it flared around her hips and fell to her knees. The sleeveless dress was cut in a v-neck that was just deep enough to show a hint of cleavage. Rose swept her hair up and clasped the healing crystal necklace that Scorpius had bought her in Salem months before around her neck.
"May I do your hair?" Daphne offered.
"Yes, please," said Rose as she turned to face away from the older witch.
"I remember how your mother's hair was back in Hogwarts," Daphne said as she twisted a few coils of curls back away from Rose's face. "You're lucky that yours is more manageable," she noted and secured the curls with an ornate silver clip.
"My hair is a nightmare without potions and a detangling brush. I'm lucky that Mum paved the way for me to figure out what to do with this mess," Rose smiled as she examined Daphne's work. Her hair looked effortless and elegant at the same time.
A bell tolled outside indicating that the ceremony would be beginning soon. Daphne and Rose hurried to the great lawn as quickly as their heels would allow. They found Draco and Blaise flanking a pair of seat. Rose sat in the chair next to Draco and the ceremony began.
First came the speeches of the Headmaster and the Head Boy and Girl. The seventh years crossed the stage one by one to collect their diplomas and officially accept their wands as licensed witches and wizards. Rose's group clapped politely for each student while some other members of the audience hooted and hollered.
"Really?" Draco muttered under his breath. Rose suppressed a giggle at Draco's annoyance with a boisterous family cheering on their graduate. Rose had to admit the signs they held up would have been more appropriate at a quidditch match, rather than a school graduation.
Finally, it was time for the graduate students. Professor Hill recognized four witches and wizards who had successfully completed their training to become potions mastered. Another professor shook the hand of a witch who had completed a dual degree of muggle and magical law.
Rose's breath hitched when Professor Burroughs took to the stage. "Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, Mastery of Healing Genetics," he called. Rose felt her eyes well up with tears as Scorpius walked onto the stage wearing his blue and cranberry regalia. Instead of handing Scorpius his diploma like the previous advisors had done with their students, Burroughs pulled him in for a fierce hug. The dam broke and Rose began to openly weep. A silk handkerchief appeared in her line of vision and she glanced at Draco.
"Keep it together, Miss Weasley. We're English after all," Draco smirked. Despite his words, Rose could see the tears in his own eyes and the look of sheer pride on his face as he watched his son. Rose smiled and returned her attention to the stage. Burroughs handed Scorpius his diploma scroll and whispered something in his ear. Scorpius nodded and Burroughs clapped him on the shoulder. Scorpius walked to join the rest of the graduates as the ceremony concluded. When the headmaster introduced the Class of 2028, the crowd cheered loudly.
Hours later, the group was enjoying a wonderful dinner at a restaurant on a pier overlooking Cape Cod. The May air was still a bit cool, but the magical group chose to sit outside on the wrap-around balcony. They had no difficulty amplifying the strength of the muggle outdoor heaters and casting a few discreet warming charms of their own.
Wine and conversation flowed freely. Blaise provided a great deal of comic relief by ordering a whole lobster. He failed to remember that they were at a muggle restaurant and he could not simply extract the lobster meat with his wand. Burroughs gave Blaise a crash course in how to use a claw cracker and lobster pick, but even so they refined wizard was covered in seafood juice within minutes and begrudgingly donned a plastic bib.
The meal concluded with warm apple bread pudding and coffee. Daphne Zabini let out a loud yawn, "I'm sorry Scorpius, but I'm exhausted. I need to call it a night".
"That's alright, Aunt Daph. Thank you for being here today," Scorpius said and gave his aunt a peck on the cheek.
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," she said, "I'm so proud of you". Blaise and Daphne excused themselves from the party and left to return to the next destination of their honeymoon.
"I think we should be going as well," said Burroughs. "Are you two ready?" he looked at Hill and Draco expectantly.
"You're not coming back to the townhouse with us, Draco?" Rose asked.
Draco smiled, "Not tonight, Rose. George and Jeremy have a spare room for me. They're taking me on a hike tomorrow and insist we have to leave before the sunrises".
Rose's mind conjured an image of aristocratic Draco Malfoy in hiking gear. She fought off a snort. The quintet paid the bill and left the restaurant. They walked up the coast until they reached an appartion point. Rose gave the three men hugs and they disappeared from sight.
"Are you ready, love?" Scorpius asked.
Rose leaned into his tall frame and gave him a quick kiss, "Let's go".
Rose felt a familiar tug behind her navel as Scorpius apparated them away. They landed in the pitch black.
Rose blinked her eyes and called, "Scorp?"
She heard a snap and suddenly the world was bathed in a soft golden light. Rose recognized that she was standing in the living room of Scorpius's townhouse. Hundreds of candles covered the surfaces of the room and floated in the air. Rose inhaled shallowly, "Scorpius?"
"Turn around, love," Scorpius whispered from behind her. She slowly spun around and gasped. Scorpius was down on one knee and reached out for her hands.
He took a deep breath, "Rose Minerva Weasley, I love you. You are my best friend, my soulmate, my everything. I love you with all that I am. Please make me the luckiest man alive and become my wife. Will you marry me?"
Rose's world spun and she sank to her knees. Tears began to stream down her face, "Yes, Scorpius," she accepted.
With a cry of joy, he grabbed her face and pulled her in for a long kiss. She eagerly returned the snog until he pushed her back. She gave him a questioning look until he pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. He grasped her left hand once more and revealed a sparkling ring. Set in platinum, the large, brilliant-cut, green center stone was surrounded by dozens of small, glittering diamonds. Scorpius carefully lifted the band from its place in the velvet box and slid it onto Rose's fourth finger. He lifted her hand to his mouth and placed a kiss upon the ring. Rose shivered.
"It's beautiful, Scorp," Rose whispered and wiped a tear that was streaming down her cheek.
"My fiancée is beautiful," Scorpius said, "so I had to find a ring to match".
"Fiancée? I like that," Rose grinned.
"So do I, love," Scorpius smirked. "And now, unless she objects, I'd like to make love with my fiancée".
"Please, Scorpius. Take me," Rose said.
He obliged and they slowly undressed one another taking time to share languid, sensual kisses in between each article of clothing. Once devoid of everything but Rose's new ring, they spent hours worshiping each other's bodies until the floating candles eventually flickered out.