From the first moment Uncle Harry appeared, she felt torn with doubts and worry. She did not know whether the former best mates ought to meet, whether her father would want to. Yet, there was hardly any time to decide, because Uncle Harry had to be informed that Lily and Xenia had vanished… And Albus, too…
After all, Rose had not quite made up her mind on what to do by the time she and Harry entered the fireplace and Apparated to the house where her father was. It appeared, Merlin was not in any hurry for Uncle Harry and Rose's father to meet face to face, for the latter, as Theo told her in quick whisper upon catching her anxious gaze, had just stepped outside.
She gave her father the right to choose whether he wanted to see his friend of so many years straight away. And Ron went inside with hardly a moment's thought. "He needs our help now," he muttered, with a small smirk. Rose didn't know what her father meant, but did not try to talk him out of it, although her freshly formed preference would have been to delay Uncle Harry's learning of Ron's presence for as long as possible. She wasn't even sure why…
She found that there were more people inside than she had expected. Rose stared in surprise at the house elves, one of whom was supposed to be dead; delighted, spotted Albus standing next to Uncle Harry; and finally focused on the unfamiliar girl, who was the center of attention of all the relatives present.
At the moment, however, Uncle Harry couldn't take his eyes off her father, and Rose knew that he must be in slight shock: he could have hardly expected to see in James' parlour the man who, it seemed, had forever become part of the past.
"First of all, I want to talk with Scorpius Malfoy," the stranger said, apparently continuing an ongoing conversation, her chin lifted in defiance.
"It seems you don't quite understand the situation," Harry Potter crossed his arms across his chest, forcing his eyes away from Ron. "My daughter and daughter-in-law have gone missing; my son nearly got abducted by a man, who brought him to your house where – strange as it may seem – also turned up the Malfoy family house elf who had vanished from my son-in-law's flat. So, if you still refuse to answer my questions, I shall make you. There are several options: I can take you to the Ministry, and the Aurors will obtain permission to give you Veritaserum. Alternatively, what we can do right here, right now is to apply Legilemency," Harry nodded at Theo, and Rose watched her friend step forward, "and we shall force the truth out of you. Or you can just tell us everything yourself…"
Rose watched Theo slowly taking his wand out of his pocket. Merlin, what is going on here, and who is this girl with such stubborn look on her face?
The stranger undid two buttons on her cloak, seemingly deep in thought, staring directly at James, who stood next to her. Rose looked back at Theo – his eyes were on their visitor, and his fiancée even wondered if he was trying hard to read something inside that golden head.
What took place next happened too quickly for anyone to react. Actually, Uncle Harry and Theo may have reacted, but didn't get a chance to do anything, because they did not expect Dong to materialize at the girl's side, grab her elbow, and Apparate; and that, right before that, the girl would grab James' hand.
In an instant, the trio vanished with a loud pop.
A curse that Uncle Harry managed to utter, hit the opposite wall. He looked panicked:
"Dirk, find James! Quickly!"
Rose agreed with her uncle: before the trail grew cold, the elf could find her cousin. Could it be that James had been abducted just now, right before their very eyes? It couldn't be…
"Who is she? How did she get here?" Rose turned toward Harry, but her Uncle squatted before Albus and looked him straight in the eye.
"Al, you must take us to that house. You must direct our Apparating…"
"I can't."
"Al, your brother… Lily," Harry's voice momentarily broke, but he found the strength to continue, grasping his youngest son's shoulders firmly: "We must get to Helene's house."
"But I cannot, Daddy," Albus said sincerely, touching the worry line on his father's forehead. "I don't know where it is. First time that strange man Apparated me there, and then Dirk. We can wait for Dirk, and he will take us there."
Uncle Harry was clearly torn between the impulse to call the house elf back, or to give him time to find James.
"We can go to the Ministry," Ron said quietly, and Rose sent her father a small smile.
"But we shall only be wasting time!" Harry gave his friend a hard look. They both seemed to be too preoccupied with the task of saving the children to dwell on their four-year separation and the tragic circumstances thereof.
"Your house elf is trying to locate James. What else can you do?" Rose's father shrugged his shoulders, as though giving Uncle Harry a chance to think it over. "Albus cannot Apparate to the house of this… girl. So, the most rational thing to do is to go to the Aurors and wait for the house elf to return with the news."
"I…"
Before Rose's eyes was coming awake that part of Harry Potter that always wanted take everything onto himself; to run, rashly and impulsively, to save his loved ones.
But it was not yet clear what happened to James. What if Helene really just wants to talk to Malfoy? Not very probable, but one so desperately wants to believe in the best-case scenario sometimes…
"Let's go," Ron came over to Harry, and Rose barely contained a smile: for once, her father seemed to know exactly what's to be done.
Uncle Harry nodded, and looked back at Rose:
"If Dirk comes back… or… any news…"
"I'll let you know at once," she nodded and then, with a sideways peek at her father, who was talking to Theo about something (or likely, someone), added in hushed tones: "Where is Mum?"
Her uncle also glanced towards Ron:
"Her conference started today; she doesn't know anything yet. I left her a note saying that I went to catch up with Albus…"
"We must tell her…"
Uncle Harry stared directly at Rose, while she was silently praying for him not to force her make this call.
She didn't want to decide on this! Enough already!
"Write to her that Albus has been found, and that I shall stay here for a few days."
"She would like to know…"
"What?" the green eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "If we write to her about the kidnapping, she will drop everything and come here."
"That's not what I am talking about."
Harry's heavy stare was almost unbearable, but Rose didn't look away.
"I cannot decide this. And neither can you."
"Don't tell her."
Rose and Harry started, not having heard Ron approach. The expression on his face let them know that he either heard what they'd been discussing or guessed.
"Dad…" Rose touched his arm, but the other man merely shook his head.
"Please, don't tell her about any of this… Let's go, Harry."
Rose's uncle nodded, glanced sadly at the discouraged Rose and, one after the other, the two men disappeared in the fireplace.
"But why?!"
Theo walked over to her, and Rose attempted to hide from him the disappointment in her eyes. As though she could…
"Let them decide their own fates," he whispered, patting her shoulder. "I know, you don't like to watch from the sidelines. But if we interfere, we'll make it worse. Let the chips fall where they may."
"Since when have you adopted the attitude of just 'drifting down the river'?"
"Your mother is content. You know this. She has stopped suffering. The past has been relegated to the past," Theo reminded her harshly.
"But she is my mother! And he is my father!"
"And his very ill woman is at our house," Theo parried her exclamation, as always calm and unperturbed, as though bringing her back to reality from a momentary dream she's made up, where her parents had reconciled. "They will figure this out themselves."
"But she will never know, unless I tell her," Rose said quietly. "It is vile…"
He smirked out of the corner of his mouth, his arm around her shoulders:
"The highest justice is the ability to forgive, remember?"
"So?"
"Forgive your parents."
"For what?" Rose frowned, unwilling to admit, even to herself, that Theo had a point.
"Forgive them, and let them live with their choices. You once accepted them, albeit without true understanding; and therefore, must have been harboring some resentment. Forgive them now. Now, when your father is with you once again."
Rose remained silent, hiding her eyes. Theodic pulled away and headed to the fireplace:
"I need to examine Sarah. And you could spend some time with Bertie."
"All right," nodded the girl. "But first, I shall write Mum."
Theo raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry.
"I shall do as Dad requested."
Rose sighed heavily: she had been forced to make the damn choice, after all!
She was about to follow Theo, but for Dirk Apparating into the house. He was alone, and was holding a roll of parchment.
"From Master James to Master Harry," the elf squeaked, running to Rose.
"May I…?" she reached for the scroll.
"Yes. Master James said to give it to any one of you."
Rose hurriedly opened the scroll and scanned it. Then she handed it back to the house elf. She felt a little bit easier.
"I am alright. We are going to look for Malfoy, so Helene can talk to him. Hang in there. Randez vouz in my parlour this evening. James."
"Uncle Harry is at the Ministry; give him the letter. He will probably want to verify its authenticity and all that… Can you… take me to James?"
"He forbids it, plus they are constantly on the move, looking for Master Scorpius. May I go?"
"Yes, hurry," Rose nodded, knowing how frantic Uncle Harry must be with worry.
Well, if she can do no more here, she would go home and write to Mum… She'll write that everything is fine, and that Uncle Harry will join her soon.
The girl felt uneasy for hiding what was happening from her mother. But if she told her about Lily, Hermione would drop everything and come. And Rose wouldn't be able to follow her father's wishes…
Forgive them? She ought to, but can she…? In her mind, she had long understood and accepted everything. She had been certain that she made peace with their new life. But seeing her father again… Theo was right, as always.
And what's there to forgive?
How tempting it is sometimes to be a little, naïve girl… it's been so long since she'd last had this desire…
Maybe this desire to forgive them?
But are they to blame?
Then who is?
And is there someone at all?
And is it necessary to play the blame game?
Maybe what she needs is simply to look inside herself?
Her head beginning to hurt from all the questions, Rose sighed as she walked toward the fireplace.
If only Mum was there…