I do not own Harry Potter.
Rose spent what felt like hours crying in her bathroom. She knew everyone would be upset when the story was published but she hadn't expected such volatile reactions from her Uncle or her father. She expected them to be angry, yell a bit then clench their jaw and move on in silent anger. What scared her the most though was if she couldn't handle their anger, then how did she expect to handle who knows what from complete strangers? She was so naïve to think she could just set herself up to get taken and not have it affect her. For a split second she considered cancelling the party and staying home, safe and sound under her Uncle's protection… but then she thought of Lily. How much she missed her, how desperate they were to get a break, something, anything that would lead them to Lily… and she set her resolve again. She stood up and washed her face several times, until she felt like she washed all her tears away. She then dried her face and proceeded to lay down in bed to get as much rest as she could before tonight. And with that final thought she closed her eyes and fell asleep almost instantly.
"Sir," said an Auror, popping his head into the suite?
"What is it?" barked Harry, still angry.
"You said to let you know when we could start sweeping tonight's location."
Harry growled and said, "Right. I did, thanks. Why don't you and the team go ahead and start, I'll meet you there as soon as I can."
"Sure, Chief. Do you want the Muggle team to start now as well?"
"Yes, that's fine. Just make sure each team leaves enough behind here to cover security."
"No problem, Chief." He replied before closing the door.
"Dad, don't you think Rose should cancel?" asked James.
Harry sighed, "I do, but she's not going to cancel. So I can either do my best to keep her safe while I'm there or I can forbid her from going out, which will just result in her going out without my protection."
"I don't like it Dad… if something happens to her," said Al, unable to even continue.
"I don't like it either Al," said Harry, squeezing Al's shoulder comfortingly.
"Wait a minute… didn't you say that someone broke into Rose's house before?" asked Scorpius.
"Yeah?" said Harry.
"So if they saw this article…" he motioned towards the paper, "Then wouldn't it renew their interest in her?"
"Yeah, probably," replied Harry.
"Then maybe they'll go to the party tonight and try and take her."
Harry groaned and rubbed his face with his hands.
"No, listen, hear me out," said Scorpius before James and Al could jump in. "If we keep an eye out, maybe we can catch them or follow them and find out where Lily is?"
"I'm not using Rosie as bait!" yelled Al.
"I don't like it," added James.
"I don't either, but…" said Harry, "Think about what you would look for Scorpius. Figure out a plan for tonight. In the meantime, I'm going to check in on Rose then head over to the site to set up the wards. When I get back you can explain your plan to me and if I think it's good then you can explain it to everyone else."
Al and James looked mutinous but Harry simply held up his hand to stop them before heading up stairs to try and talk with Rose. When he got to the top of the stairs he saw Hermione, Hugo and Justin all sitting along the wall outside her door. "Couldn't get her to let you in?"
"No, I tried every spell I could think of too," said Hermione sadly.
Harry nodded but didn't slow his pace, quickly advancing on the door. He waved his hand and released a surge of magic and then he passed through the door as if it wasn't there at all.
Hermione, Hugo and Justin all gaped in shock at the still closed door. Flabbergasted, Hermione rose and tried to open the door but found it still locked.
"How the hell did he just do that?" asked Justin standing up now.
"Magic?" questioned Hugo.
"I have no idea," said Hermione stunned.
Harry stood inside the room and realized he couldn't hear a thing from the outside… she must have silenced everything when she came in so she didn't have to hear her mother pleading for her to open the door. He looked down at Rose and saw she was sprawled on her stomach, sound asleep in bed. He couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu at the sight… didn't he just see her like this a few days ago? He rubbed his chest, feeling a strange sense of calmness suddenly. He really needed to get checked out because he had no idea what was going on with him lately… he was so emotional all the time and he felt things that had nothing to do with anything that was going on with him. Shaking his head, he moved to sit on the side of the bed next to Rose, brushing her hair off of her face. He was shocked to see a bruise was already forming on her cheek and he could see four unique imprints from what he assumed were Ron's knuckles. There was a fierce rage burning inside him but he pushed it down and clenched his jaw angrily, fighting back the urge to go crucio his friend.
Unbeknownst to him Rose had opened her eyes and was now currently gazing back at him, "Hey," she whispered.
"Hey."
She rolled back onto her side and reached for his hand to pull him down to the bed, so that he was lying down next to her, face to face.
"Are you alright?" he asked, brushing his fingers along her cheek.
She nodded
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
"Because I shouldn't have left you…"
She smiled tenderly and said, "You can't always be with me Harry."
He furrowed his brows at her, pretty sure she had never called him by just his name, it was always Uncle or Uncle Harry.
She rubbed her thumb over his eyebrows, softening his frown, "Why are you frowning?"
"You called me Harry."
"It is your name…"
"But…"
"I know."
"Why the switch?"
"I guess I don't feel like a kid anymore…"
"Grown-ups still have Uncles, Rose."
She looked away and said, "I guess it just doesn't feel right anymore."
"Why?"
She shrugged but didn't elaborate further.
They sat in silence for a while, Harry looking at her critically, sensing something was different between them but unable to put it into words.
"I should start getting ready for the party… my team will be here soon," she said sitting up.
Harry reached for her, before she could get out of bed, taking hold of her wrist. "What's going on Rose? I feel like there's something you want to tell me."
She looked at her wrist, wrapped in his hand, then met his eyes and he was suddenly breathless at the emotions swirling behind hers. He opened his mouth several times to speak but each time failed.
"Tonight, after the party," she replied, before pulling free and getting out of bed.
"Why not now?"
Rose shook her head but didn't look back as she entered the bathroom and shut the door.
Harry stared at the closed door, wondering if he should follow her. In fact, he got out of bed and stood outside it for a minute but then he heard the shower start. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, then over his face. Something was going on with her, but apparently he was going to have to wait until tonight to find out. He shook his head then exited her room, opening the door this time.
"She's alright," he said, before the group could question him. "She's probably going to have a bruise on her face though."
Hermione nodded tearfully.
"She just went in the shower, said her team will be here soon to get her ready for tonight."
"She's still going?" asked Hugo, somewhat shocked.
"Yeah."
"She wouldn't cancel, not after all the time she spent planning this with her agent," added Justin.
"Uncle Harry, do you think it's safe for her to go tonight, now that the whole world knows about her?" asked Hugo.
"I'm going to do everything I can Hugo, to make sure she stays safe. But I'm going to need everyone's help. How many people do you think are going to come tonight Justin?"
"At least 500. They'll be all the other models and their entourages, plus all the different big wigs from each agency and magazine she's ever worked with. Plus, all the companies that want her to work for them. Never mind all the celebrities and entertainment."
"Great…" groaned Harry.
"Harry this sounds like a disaster waiting to happen," worried Hermione.
"I know. Let me go and see the site, put the wards up and check it over good. I'll be back. Whatever you do, do not let her out of this suite until I'm back. I'll escort her there and stay with her all night. Justin, you should stay with her all night too. This way I can just fade into the background, act like her personal security guard."
"Can we come with you and get a feel for the place too?" asked Al, coming up the stairs with James and Scorpius close behind.
Harry looked to Hermione and asked, "Will you be OK if Hugo and Justin stay with you, plus I'll have a few guys come into the suite?"
"Yes, that should be fine. Rose's team will be here soon plus don't forget Tracy and Kristine are coming over as well. I'll ask them to keep an eye out tonight… the more eyes the better."
"Shit I forgot Kristine was coming tonight," mumbled James.
"I forgot about Tracy too," added Al.
"Great, am I the only one that doesn't have a date?" whined Hugo.
"I don't," growled Scorpius, instantly sobering everyone.
"Right. Boys, let's head out. Hermione, I'll be back as soon as I'm done," said Harry, moving towards the stairs.
"Thanks Harry," she replied before turning to Hugo and Justin, "I'm going to go take a shower and start getting ready. Will you boys keep an eye on things?"
"Sure, Mom."
"No problem, Mrs. Weasley."
"Hermione, Justin, please, just call me Hermione."
He nodded in response and she left to go take a shower.
Justin leaned over the railing and looked down into the living room, which was empty, then back at Hugo, "Stretched kind of thin right now, aren't we?"
Hugo joined him and nodded, "Yeah, but I think my sister's pretty safe here, don't you?"
Justin nodded and said, "Yes, but I've got to be honest, all this magic makes me nervous. I have no idea if someone is just going to pop in here and try and take her."
Hugo shook his head and said, "Not possible. My Uncle set anti-apparition wards and anti-portkey wards, plus there's no floo access."
"I don't know what any of that means, you know that right?" said Justin, chuckling.
Hugo smiled and said, "It means the only way in here is by taking the elevator up and passing through both Rose's and your security, then through the Aurors. Or by taking the emergency portkey my Uncle made just for James, Al, Scorpius, Rose, Lily and I. This place is as close to a fortress as it gets."
"Good to know."
They heard the door open downstairs and watched as several Aurors and security guards spread out. They nodded at the two that started climbing the stairs then watched as they swept each of the bedrooms, leaving the doors open in their wake so there weren't any surprises. When they got to Hermione's room Hugo said, "You might want to knock. My mom was going to take a shower and change."
The Auror nodded and knocked, "Madam?"
"What is it?" she yelled from the bathroom.
"I just wanted to do a sweep of your room," the Auror yelled back.
"Hold on a minute," she yelled.
The Auror waited several minutes and finally Hermione opened the door in her bathrobe, hair in a towel.
"Sorry to disturb you Ma'am."
"It's fine, don't worry about it," she said waiting in the doorway for him to finish his sweep.
He nodded to her as he left her room, "All set Ma'am."
"Thank you," she said, then she nodded to Hugo and closed the door again.
The other Auror had check the rest of the bedrooms in the meantime and now the only one left was Rose's.
"She's not in the best of moods," said Hugo, warning them before they knocked.
They nodded but still knocked. When they received no answer they knocked again. Still nothing.
"Here, let me see if it's open," said Justin, moving forward. To his surprise it was, and he entered slowly, "Rose?" He looked around and didn't see her anywhere but the bathroom door was closed. He walked over and knocked on that door, "Rose?"
"Yeah?"
"They need to sweep your room, can you put a robe on?"
"Sure, hold on, I'll be right out."
"Thanks," he said, walking back to the hallway, "She's coming out now."
Everyone nodded and waited in silence for several minutes.
"Sorry!" she said, smiling wide at the Aurors. She had her robe on and her hair was bunched on top of her head, still wet.
"Not a problem, Miss," one Auror responded with a blush.
The other Auror shoved him forward and rolled his eyes playfully at Rose, "Just give us a minute then we'll be out of your hair."
She winked at him then turned to Hugo and Justin.
"Having fun?" asked Justin playfully.
She smirked and nodded but before she could say anything else Hugo was tilting her chin to the light to see the mark on her face… "Merlin Sis, I'm sorry."
She pulled away from his grasp and said, "It's fine. Nothing a little makeup won't cover."
"It's not fine, I should have never let him touch you."
"How were you to know he was going to do that Hugo?"
Hugo shrugged and looked down, as if he was ashamed.
Rose hugged him and said, "I'm fine, Hugo, really."
Hugo hugged her back and buried his face in her neck, "I love you Sis…"
"I love you too," she replied, voice cracking emotionally.
"All clear Miss Weasley," said the first Auror, as both of them exited her room.
She pulled away from Hugo and said, "Thanks."
"Rose, darling, where are you?" called her agent from downstairs.
Rose rolled her eyes and leaned over the railing, "I'm up here!"
Soon there were several people coming up the stairs, all with packages in their hands. Quickly Rose was surrounded and ushered into her room to get ready, barely able to get a word in edgewise. She smiled at her brother and Justin before the door was closed.
"We won't see her again for hours," said Justin.
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. I bet she's even late," he replied, chuckling.
….
Lily woke suddenly when someone entered her bedroom
"Sir?"
"What is it?" the Boss grumbled from beside her, rolling over and sitting up.
Lily pulled the covers up to cover herself but then realized she still had clothes on. She didn't remember much from the past few days as she was still in a lot of pain and heavily drugged most of the time. She groaned in pain and the Boss immediately turned to her, "Are you alright?"
"I think my pain medicine wore off," she grimaced.
He nodded and pressed the intercom on his side table and ordered, "Send the healer to my suite."
She closed her eyes and tried to will the pain away.
"What is it?" he barked at whoever was standing next to the bed.
"I thought you would want to see this morning's paper. I know we've tried to get her before but I think we should try again… the article mentions a party that she's going to be at tonight at a Muggle hotel."
She heard the rustling of paper and couldn't help but be curious when he suddenly said, "She's breathtaking!" She opened her eyes and glanced over at the paper, gasping in surprise when she saw Rose's picture on the front page.
He turned and smiled at her, "Your cousin is quite the beauty, isn't she?"
Lily nodded, unable to speak.
He watched her for several minutes, scrutinizing her reaction to seeing her cousin.
"Sir?" said the healer coming into the room.
"Yes, come in. Lily's pain medicine has worn off."
"I brought some more but I'd like to examine her first to see how well she's healing.
He nodded before he got out of bed and motioned his assistant out of the room too, closing the door behind him.
The healer sat down on the bed next to Lily and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Awful."
"I'm not surprised. It's going to take a while for you to heal completely."
Lily nodded.
"Alright let's see how much strength you have today," said the healer before she began asking Lily to lift her arms, then her legs, then she had her sit up. When Lily nearly vomited from sitting up she stopped and asked her to lay back down. "Let me just check your wounds and then I'll give you your pain meds. OK?"
"Sure."
She spent the next several minutes looking at various parts of Lily's body to see how far along her healing was, muttering things to herself along the way. When she was done she sighed and said, "I wish I could take you to St. Mungo's."
Lily grabbed her hand and squeezed it as if to comfort her before she said, "I know."
"I feel terrible. I don't have everything I need for you…"
"It's alright. You're doing your best, that's all I can ask."
The healer nodded, still upset but knowing there was no way to do anything about it. "We're going to need to start weaning you off of the pain medicine's soon… I don't want you to become addicted to them."
Lily snorted
"I know… I just… "
"It's fine. Do you want me to not take a dose now?"
"No, I'm still going to give you a regular dose today but after this I think I'll start giving you partial doses, first three quarters, then a half dose, then a quarter dose, then we'll stop all together."
"OK."
The healer gave Lily her dose, then helped her get settled in bed again. "Lily?" she whispered.
"Yeah?" Lily asked drowsily.
"He didn't… touch you last night… did he?"
"No…. first time … since I… got here…" replied Lily before she fell asleep.
Healer Tish stayed there for several minutes, just brushing Lily's hair off of her face, then pulling the covers up, then tucking her in snugly, before she stopped and just looked at her. As a healer she was failing this poor girl. As a witch she was failing all of these girls. She couldn't take it anymore but she had no idea how she could get out without being killed. Then where would the girls be? They wouldn't have her to look out for them anymore. She knew she could be replaced easily. The only way out was if her Boss was caught and she didn't see that happening anytime soon. She sighed and left the room, closing the door behind her.
"How is she?"
She jumped surprised by how close the Boss was. "Her healing isn't as far along as I'd like it to be."
He nodded but asked, "Did you give her more pain medicine?"
"Yes."
"Good. Thank you." He replied, essentially dismissing her.
She nodded and moved to leave.
"I might be acquiring a new girl tonight… I'll want you to look her over."
She turned and said, 'Of course, sir," cringing inside. Another poor witch snatched in the night. Lovely.
