Disclaimer: I don't own Rose Granger-Weasley, Newt Scamander or any other character created by J.K. Rowling. My aim is merely to entertain and play around with them a little.
Chapter thirty-four: In which a marriage happens
Rose placed her gift in her bedroom that very day, and couldn't stop admiring it until quite late into the night. Her heart swelled again and again at the thought that her friends had all contributed one way or another into the gift. Queenie had described her family with as many details as she could conjure from Rose's mind; Bunty had drawn it flawlessly – the girl was quite talented, and Newt had subsequently asked her to illustrate their book – and Jacob and Tina had helped Newt and Theseus with funding the painting. Professor Dumbledore had provided his contact; Yusuf had procured the frame; and Nagini had even sculpted the word 'family' in runes all around it.
No, really, she could not stop looking at it, and loving each and every person who'd given it to her. To think that Theseus had left his hiding place for the sole purpose of accompanying Newt to the painter was a feat in itself…
For days after her birthday, she would run upstairs to check that the painting was still there, and that her parents and brother were still smiling and waving at her lovingly.
The painting wasn't an official magical portrait, therefore it wasn't imbued with the subjects' personality and couldn't talk back, but she told them everything she'd done every day, and it helped tremendously. She didn't suffer a panic attack for weeks after receiving the gift.
The next one, actually, happened on a fated date. On the 3rd December.
That morning, Rose woke with an immense weight on her chest. She started hyperventilating before she was even fully awake, and knocked over the vial of Calming Draught that she always kept on her bedside table just in case. Thankfully, the noise roused Newt, and she counted thirty frantic heartbeats before he stormed into the room.
Not caring about the slip she was wearing, he sat on the bed promptly and gathered her into one of the most comforting hugs he'd ever provided her with. She gripped his back and sobbed minutely into his shoulder, soaking his pyjama shirt while he rubbed soothing circles into her back.
It was a long moment before she managed to calm down, for no thought of a quiet meadow or lovely beach managed to pull her out of the excruciating pain of having to remember that, a year prior to that day, she'd been wrenched from her family, her time, her life, and forced into another one.
She sniffed before gently pulling away from Newt, who kept hold of her shoulders just in case. He didn't seem to mind about his wet shoulder.
"I'm sorry," Rose croaked, ashamed and heartbroken, once again.
"Stop apologizing," he said in a quiet low voice. "I should have been up earlier to make sure you woke up okay. I should be sorry."
Despite everything, she chuckled through her tears and sniffing. "You truly are an amazing brother, Newt."
"I have an amazing sister," he countered easily, before conjuring a handkerchief. He let her regain some semblant of dignity, and sighed. "I was about to offer you breakfast, but I don't suppose you'd be up for it today." He didn't wait for her answer. "But I still think you should come downstairs. Chamomile?"
Rose marvelled at this man, how well he knew her now, how well he knew how to take care of her while respecting her boundaries. She knew any other people, members of her family even; who'd have forced fed her in this instance. Her Aunt Ginny, for example.
Slowly, she nodded, reaching for her wand to summon her bathrobe. "I'll be a minute. I….need to…...talk to them." She looked at the painting hanging over her desk, and Newt smiled at it. Rose was often surprised to see Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Hugo Granger-Weasley waving enthusiastically at Newton Scamander, but then again, she shouldn't have been.
Almost half an hour later, when she managed to drag herself down the stairs and to the kitchen, she was treated with Queenie and Jacob's presence. They both looked like they'd arrived just after waking up, and the lovely baker had brought some of his most comforting pastries for Rose. Queenie drew her into a hug as soon as she entered the room, and Jacob did the same before placing a Niffler-shaped cinnamon bun in front of her. Newt completed the picture with his famed chamomile, and she was filled with love once again.
That day, she refused to drug herself with any potion, although it was tempting. She needed to grieve that past year on her own terms, and spent most the day thinking and recounting, lounging in the living-room with her friends and family.
She could now easily tell them what her parents and brother and aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents had been like. She could tell them how her Hogwarts years had gone; what pranks her cousins James and Fred had pulled during their own studies; what her mother had liked to cook her when she sensed she was felling down; how her grandma Molly was a force of nature.
It helped her let go, somehow, of the pain that always accompanied the memories, and start just feeling them as that: memories, to be cherished and not feared.
That night, she didn't need the Calming Draught. Nor the chamomile.
Rose's second Christmas away from home went radically better than the first. Bunty had helped Newt decorating the whole house, while she, Queenie and Jacob took care of the meal.
They'd invited the usual gang, minus Professor Dumbledore, who'd spend Christmas at Hogwarts, as was traditional for a member of staff. Newt did send him a bunch of Jacob's cakes, though.
No gifts were exchanged, for they had chosen instead to put all the effort into the wedding that was taking place the following day. But, try as they might, they still did receive a surprise gift in the form of an announcement that Tina made after dessert.
"I've asked for a transfer. I'm moving here. I'm gonna be an Auror in the Ministry. Picquery signed the paperwork two days ago."
The whole room erupted in congratulations and elated shouts and giggles. Theseus shook hands with his future colleague, a genuine smile on his face. Queenie leapt from her seat to hug her sister, and Newt's grin could have powered a small village running on electricity, had he known what it was…
Jacob, who had spent the night in the guest room, as per tradition separated from his bride on the eve of their wedding, woke Newt and Rose up at dawn, excited as a Baby Niffler left to their own designs. The magizoologist failed to contain his friend's excitement, and when Rose left them both into Theseus' care at 8am sharp, she patted his shoulder, wishing him luck. He looked rather apprehensive, which made her chuckle as she Apparated to Queenie's small flat.
She and Jacob had rented a lovely two-bedroom apartment near King's Cross. It was quaint, but the witch had decorated with such great taste that it even looked bigger on the inside, which regularly brought a cheeky smile to Rose's lips when she thought the line. Hugo was a massive Whovian.
That morning, she found her friend and her sister sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on tea while a witch whose job consisted in make-up charms and the like was pouring over their manicures and face make-ups.
Tina looked on the verge of tears every two seconds or so when she gazed adoringly at her younger sister, and Rose latched onto her hand as soon as she was sat. Baring sight of the two Goldstein sisters and their tight bond never failed to put Rose's presence in 1927 into perspective. Try as she might, she would never regret saving Queenie from Grindelwald's clutches.
"So, Miss Scamander, is it?" asked the witch – a grey-haired, round-faced and kind-looking woman – when she was done with placing a stasis charm on Queenie's make-up, which was delightfully subtle, in shades of pink and white. "Are you the maid-of-honour?"
Queenie nodded excitedly. "She is!"
Rose grinned. She'd had the honour of being asked after Queenie made it clear she couldn't refuse. Tina was walking her to the altar, so Rose was the only possible option for maid-of-honour.
"Lovely!" the witch said, pivoting towards the red-head. "I've seen the dress, so let me just decide which colours…" She tilted her head to the side several times, as if trying to catch every angle of Rose's features, until she smiled. "I think your complexion demands bright colours. A yellow eyeshadow would do marvels with that orange dress!" She didn't wait for an answer, and started waving her wand into delicate motions while Rose kept still.
At 11:30am, all three women were dressed, coiffed and painted. Queenie wore a gorgeous chiffon and lace ivory dress with a V-neckline that showed the delicate corset underneath and that was mirrored at her back, with billowing mid-sleeves. Her hair had been curled and done up, a pin in the shape of a Thunderbird holding her veil in place. She'd chosen it in homage to Frank, the creature who'd involuntarily helped her and Jacob meet, since he'd been the reason Newt had gone to America in the first place.
The wedding dress was the only piece of clothing that Queenie hadn't made herself, though, for she had created and made Tina and Rose's gowns. They were both exquisite.
The brunette favouring darker colours, Queenie had made her a flapper dress in charcoal and silver colours. The embroideries running around the corsage, when looked at up close, were of linked hands, those of the sisters, with a Star of David hiding here and there, to remember their Jewish heritage. Tina had curled her hair up too, and was wearing a headband with a silver feather on it. No doubt that of a Fwooper, Rose thought, and she wondered for a second if Queenie had taken one of Lylah's and dyed it, before realising it was quite a stupid thought.
Her own attire was no less gorgeous than her friends'. Queenie had wanted to showcase her flaming hair, and had chosen flaming orange and gold as her colours. It was a sleeveless, flowing dress, with a heart-shaped neckline – which meant she had had to suffer through the fitting of a corset, but she had to admit it looked stunning – and golden sequins that pooled like liquid fire below her hip-line, giving way to orange tulle and chiffon. Her growing hair had been curled and gathered up in a similar fashion as her friends', and the make-up artist witch had even indulged in using a bit of golden glitter on her cheeks. She'd done the same with Queenie, though, because Rose hated the thought of being the centre of attention on her dear friend's wedding.
She needn't have worried.
When they reached the venue – a large estate in Buckinghamshire, which Newt and Rose had managed to rent for the day – all eyes were on the bride. Some on the maid-of-honour, but Queenie glowed so brightly it was impossible not to just gawk at her.
The whole gang had been invited, of course, as well as Queenie's new colleagues at Robes for All Occasions – most of which giggled each time Theseus so much as moved – her friends from America who had managed to come; and a couple of former colleagues from the Wand Permit Office at MACUSA. President Picquery had even sent over a card and small present for the bride and groom.
Rose felt herself blush to the roots of her hair as she walked down the aisle, catching Theseus' stunned expression when she passed him. She didn't know what to think of it, though, so she chose to focus on Newt's obvious discomfort where he stood with Jacob as his best-man. When she caught her eye, he relaxed visibly.
Jacob's look of wonder and blazing love when Queenie appeared on her sister's arm was one of the most joyful things Rose had ever seen in her life, she was sure. She felt so happy for her friends that tears began falling on her cheeks. Not for the first time, she blessed magic and stasis charms for existing.
Queenie and Jacob exchanged simple but meaningful vows, with one little mandatory addition on the Muggle's part in which he had to swear he would not break the Status of Secrecy. The magic binding them together swirled over their joined hands, and magically-conjured wedding bands appeared on their finger before they exchanged a soft loving kiss, and everyone in attendance cheered loudly.
Rose had attended only one wedding before: that of her cousin Victoire and of Teddy Lupin, who was as good as another cousin. She should have been prepared for the sudden shifting of the ceremonial aisles into a circle of tables and chairs, surrounding a shiny dancefloor. She still was amazed at the display.
Amidst the happiness, joy and love that permeated the whole day, Mr and Mrs Kowalski share their first dance, a simple one during which Jacob stumbled more than once, but kept grinning and chuckling in his adorable laugh, his eyes glistening with the joy he felt.
Tina had to pull Newt to his feet, but even though he literally dug his heels in, he let her take him to the dancefloor. Rose was not the only person to notice that the Auror was leading, and the magizoologist was being led.
"May I?"
The red-head raised her gaze from where she'd been smiling widely as his brother's stare on his feet as he tried very hard not to step on Tina's, and met the grey-green eyes of one very attractive man she'd been avoiding all day.
Theseus had obviously been drinking, because the usual pained look in his eyes had been replaced with the merry one that alcohol provided. He wasn't drunk though, which is why she shyly nodded, rising to her heeled feet and placing her hand in his.
He was wearing a dashing grey tweed suit with a darker tie, and had swept his hair almost accidentally into a shape that made him look years younger.
Rose caught Queenie's pointed look when they joined the dancers, but she ignored her friend's antics in favour of focusing on the moment. She was dancing with Theseus. For the first time since Leta had died. For the first time since she'd fully acknowledged having feelings for him. While wearing a very form-fitting dress.
"Queenie outdid herself with your attire," he whispered while gently leading her into a waltz, as if reading her mind.
Rose chuckled darkly. "She did, didn't she? I wonder if she had something in mind…" At the prompting of his quizzical gaze, she elaborated. "She has Jacob, and Tina has Newt. I think she wants me to find someone too…"
Theseus huffed in surprise. "Would you, though? I thought you'd want to avoid entering a relationship, in case you could…go home." If Rose wasn't mistaken, he sounded a bit pained at the idea. She ignored it, though, thinking she'd dreamt it.
"I…don't think I will ever go back. Besides," she smiled, looking pointedly at her friends, the closest people to family she had in this time, "I have found a home here too." The look in his eyes when she stared back up at him was puzzling in its intensity, and Rose let herself get lost in it for a moment.
Leta's words kept nagging at her mind. She was most possibly falling in love with Theseus. But he could never feel the same for her. She was his sister, for Godric's sake…
"Rose…" he quietly called a moment later, but he wasn't really going to tell her anything. Instead, he was looking over her shoulder, a wondrous smile on his lips. She pivoted, curious to see what had him so elated.
She would have stumbled and fallen onto her face hadn't he been holding her close.
There, on the dancefloor, surprisingly not caring about anyone around them, were Tina and Newt. Kissing.
"Well," she chuckled, pleased beyond belief, "they surely took their time!"
When she looked back at Theseus, he was looking at her, again with that unreadable look in his eyes. "They surely did."