"Legerdemain"
"Chapter Thirty-Seven: The One with the Verdict"
Albus paced in the parlor of his parents' home, his heart hammering in his chest at the very thought that his dad was in St. Mungo's after a heart attack and his kid sister had just given birth prematurely to twins and he was stuck in the fucking house. His lips twitched as he stared down at the stupid tracker embedded into his wrist. It was the first time since he had it implanted that he thought about removing it and dealing with the consequences. He just wanted to be with his family. His heart ached to be at the hospital with them and to see that everyone was all right with his own two eyes.
Scorpius sat on the sofa, his hands folded in his lap as he watched Albus pace back and forth with anxious eyes. Albus couldn't look at him, couldn't talk to him, couldn't do anything but fret. His mirror sat on the coffee table and Albus willed for one of his family members' faces to appear in the glass.
Teddy and James had promised him they would call once they arrived at the hospital. They were going to pick up the kids first. Some aunt of Katie Wood that Albus had never met had taken Henry during the day while Victoire's aunt Gabrielle had traveled by Portkey from France to watch Remus and Dora. Teddy and James wanted to take the kids to St. Mungo's with them to see Harry, Lily, and their newest cousins.
"We know your dad is fine," Scorpius spoke, breaking the deafening silence. "Lily and the babies are fine too."
Albus paused in his stride and turned to face his fiancé. "I want to see them for myself. I should be there."
"After tomorrow, you will be," Scorpius insisted. "Zabini said tomorrow is the last day. I testify, which shouldn't take long at all as I don't know much, and then they will do the closing arguments."
Albus scowled. "Then I'll be carded off to Azkaban for the rest of my life."
"Zabini is very optimistic," Scorpius assured as he rose from the sofa. "They have nothing against you."
"They have nothing for me either," Albus argued. "Gareth Greengrass is missing. Wesley Flint hasn't been seen since he attacked my sister."
"No, but they have Richard Macmillan under surveillance," Scorpius spoke in a gentle tone as he crossed the room towards Albus. "They have Everett Rosier and Ernie Macmillan in Azkaban. The Aurors may not have everyone in custody, but they have enough people to prove that this is bigger than anyone could have ever imagined. Not to mention Montgomery Reed's testimony today was mind-blowing. You will be acquitted."
Albus blinked at Scorpius as their fingers intertwined. It all seemed so optimistic, but Albus wasn't an optimist. He was more of a glass-half-empty kind of person, especially in the past few months. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he couldn't help but think about the thin scar around his neck where the rope had cut deep into his throat when Ernie Macmillan had attempted to murder him. His life had flashed in front of his eyes that day and he swore if he was acquitted, he would go about life differently. Be less grumpy and more pleasant. Be happier and more open. Never let a single person he loved go a day without them knowing how much he loved and appreciated them.
"I hope you're right," Albus replied in a gruff voice.
"I am right," Scorpius insisted, his hands squeezing Albus'.
Albus cleared his throat. "Maybe in another life this entire ordeal never happened and you and I were just happy."
Scorpius smiled softly. "I have no doubt in another life you and I are wedding planning without a care in the world."
"I wish we were them," Albus said in a small voice.
Before Scorpius could answer, Albus saw Teddy's face appear in his mirror. He stepped around Scorpius and gripped the mirror in his hand so tight that his knuckles became white in an instant. Scorpius was by his side in a split second.
"Teddy Lupin," Albus said.
"Hey, little brother," Teddy greeted with a smile. "Who do you want to see first? Dad, Lily, or the babies?"
Albus grinned, a weight being lifted off his shoulders. "My goddaughter."
"Which one is that?" Teddy asked as he looked up and Albus saw his eyes moving from side to side.
"The one not named after Lily," Albus clarified.
"Again, which one is that?" Teddy asked, his brows furrowing.
"Emilia," Lily called, a sigh clear in her voice.
"How is Adelaide named after you?" James' voice rang. "Am I missing something?"
"Adelaide Ella Krum and Emilia Chloe Krum," Lily supplied. "Ella. Elle. Chloe. Ko."
"Merlin fuck, Lily!" James exclaimed.
The mirror turned and Albus saw a shirtless Remus sitting cuddled up next to Lily on her hospital bed. Albus' eyes caught sight of the nasty scar down his little chest from his procedure after he had been sick from the Inferius' scratch months ago. With a shaky breath, Albus noted the teeny tiny bundle in Remus' arms. There was a surprising tuft of patchy black hair where she looked like she was half bald. Albus leaned closer to the mirror as he saw the little bubble over the baby's nose and her eyes closed.
"Hi, Uncle Alby!" Remus shouted in a whisper, something that only a child could accomplish. "Dis is Emilia! She's my cousin."
Albus grinned from ear to ear. "And she's my goddaughter."
"Like how Uncle Jamie is my godfather?" Remus asked, his little eyebrows close to his hairline.
"Yeah, just like that," Albus replied. "Unluckily for you, you got the short end of the stick. I'd be a much better godfather."
"Hey!" James exclaimed from somewhere outside of the mirror.
Remus giggled. "Uncle Jamie is funny."
"Funny looking," Albus insisted which only made Remus giggle more.
"Remus, mind her head!" Victoire's voice rang as she stepped into the mirror. "Don't let Uncle Albus distract you. This is a big boy privilege and very serious."
Remus looked up at Victoire with big eyes. "I know, Mummy. I'm a big brother."
Albus looked up at Lily to see her not looking bothered or worried about Remus. She had an arm secure around the boy's shoulders and he could see Lily's hand hovering close to Emilia's head just in case.
"All right, let me see the one that Lily cursed with her bloody name," Albus announced.
The mirror turned again and Albus caught sight of his dad sitting in a chair with a baby slung across his shoulder to the left of a big bandage that seemed to cover his entire sternum. Ginny sat in a chair next to him, her body so close that she could easily catch the baby if Harry's arms sagged. Albus was increasingly surprised that his father was able to hold the baby with his eyes heavy and tired looking.
"All right, Dad?" Albus asked.
"Just sore," Harry replied with a soft smile. "Can you take her, Gin?"
"I will!" James volunteered as he bent forward, blocking Albus' view. "Dad's been hogging so I haven't had a chance yet. Like the good godfather I am, I let Remus go first."
The mirror turned and Teddy appeared with a wide grin on his face. "Like a terrible father, I made sure I went first."
Albus laughed tightly, the pang in his chest expanding.
"Can I see Lily?" Scorpius requested.
Lily came into view looking tired yet pleased. A soft smile graced her features. "Hey, Scorp."
"Take it easy," Scorpius instructed. "Really follow the instructions you were given. You could split open your incision. It takes longer to heal than most cuts since so many layers were cut."
"Yes, Healer Malfoy," Lily replied. "Oh, can you put the twins on your rounds? We're going to be here awhile."
Scorpius nodded. "Yes, I'll let the office know. I will be there the day after tomorrow."
"That's fine. Healer Patil said she'd stop by tomorrow because she knows you may not make it because of the trial," Lily explained. "I told her I only wanted you to look after the babies."
"There are plenty of great Healers at St. Mungo's, Lily," Scorpius replied though Albus could tell he was rather chuffed.
"I want only the best for my babies," Lily continued.
Scorpius' grin only widened. Albus' lips twitched.
"If you're done kissing my fiancé's arse, I'd like to see the babies once more before we have to go," Albus instructed, snapping his fingers. "Teddy, I wanna see the babies again."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Why, you two going to fuck in the empty house?"
"Merlin, Lily!" Harry exclaimed.
"Remember to lock the door so James doesn't walk in again," Teddy's said, laughter ringing in his voice.
"IT WAS ONE TIME!" James shouted.
"Jamie, don't yell while holding a newborn," Riley said with a sigh.
Teddy chuckled. "It was not just one time. Do I have to remind you of all the people you've walked in on?"
"Maybe people should lock their fucking doors," James snapped.
"There are four children in this room," Harry said in a loud voice.
Remus looked up from the baby he was staring at. "Grandpa, Daddy says fuck all the time."
"Ted," Harry said in a low warning voice.
The mirror turned and Teddy appeared in the mirror. "Look what you started. Now I'm getting scolded by Dad!"
"It was Lily!" Albus protested.
"Don't blame the woman who is on pain potions," Teddy said, his head shaking.
Albus rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone make excuses for her?"
"Because she's the baby of the family," Ginny explained as she appeared in the mirror next to Teddy. "I'll be home in about an hour. I'll bring takeaway."
"You're the best, Ginny," Scorpius replied in a sincere voice.
Ginny just smiled. "At least one of you appreciates me. Again, an hour. You have an hour."
"Merlin, Mum, do you really have to?" Albus said with a groan. "I don't want to talk to you about this."
"Just be done by the time I get home," Ginny said, her eyes glancing off to the side of the mirror. "I'll announce my arrival."
"MUM!" James shouted once more.
"Give me the baby, Jamie!" Riley instructed. "You're going to scare her with all your yelling."
"Riley! I can't help it!" James protested.
"Gin, don't instigate," Harry said with a sigh. "You're as bad as the rest of them."
"Goodbye, family!" Albus exclaimed, trying to talk over his family.
"Have fun!" Lily shouted, right before Albus cut the connection.
Albus tossed his mirror onto the sofa before carding a hand through his hair. He loved his family, he truly did. Sometimes they were a little much. He didn't want to be a broom in the mud like his father, but sometimes he understood his father more than he was willing to admit.
"So… we have an hour," Scorpius said in a soft voice.
"No, we have a half hour because we are going to be sitting downstairs nicely long before my mother gets home," Albus instructed, his head turning to look at Scorpius.
"Oh, yes, sir," Scorpius replied, his lips curving.
Albus twitched. "You have two minutes to get upstairs and be spread naked on my bed."
Scorpius didn't need telling twice. He rushed out of the parlor and Albus swore he took the stairs two at a time. Adjusting himself in his trousers, Albus thought a break from all the stress of the past two and a half weeks was long overdue.
Teddy watched as his mother and Scorpius entered the courtroom, their arms linked with one another. Previous days, his parents, Scorpius, Lily, and Rayko had always walked in together. Now, it was just his mum and Scorpius. The very thought made Teddy's insides twist knowing that they were not in the courtroom with the rest of the family.
Ron was also absent from court that day as well, having insisted that he would listen on the wireless with Harry so he wouldn't be alone. Scorpius pressed a kiss to Ginny's cheek before he walked down further in the gallery to where Draco Malfoy was sitting while Ginny took a seat next to Teddy.
"Did you see Dad this morning?" Teddy whispered as various family members filed into the courtroom.
"Briefly," Ginny replied as James took a seat on her other side. "He kept insisting he was fine and wanted to come."
James rolled his eyes. "Honestly, what in the actual fuck is wrong with him? How is being here even remotely helpful?"
Ginny smiled softly as Teddy grabbed her hand in his. "Your dad never had anyone show up for him, so he's always been a bit funny about not being there for you four."
"Well, I think a heart attack is a pretty valid reason not to be here," James insisted, his head shaking.
Ginny licked her bottom lip. "I remember when Teddy was three or four in nursery school." She turned towards Teddy. "You had a Christmas performance at school where you sang songs. Your dad wound up arresting someone that morning and getting sucked into an interrogation. He missed your performance. He was absolutely gutted."
Teddy frowned. "I don't remember that. Was I upset?"
"No," Ginny replied. "There were so many other people there that you didn't even notice. Now that I think about it, you must have been four because Victoire went and she was walking and talking. You were so excited she was there. You hugged her after the performance. It was adorable."
"I don't remember Dad missing anything growing up," James replied. "Must have loved me more."
Teddy shot him a two-finger salute.
"He was more established by the time you came," Ginny explained. "He missed more when Teddy was small, because he was in training then and received all the grunt work and shit cases. Once he had a few years under his belt, it was easier for him to slip out of work."
Teddy had no doubt that Harry had been upset to miss things, but Teddy honestly didn't remember a time his dad hadn't been there for them. He was the type of dad that Teddy strived to be. Patient, loving, kind, and always there for his kids no matter the situation. Teddy always thought that Harry had been the perfect dad growing up. Quite literally, Harry had run himself into the ground being the best dad he could be.
Glancing over to where Scorpius sat with his father, Teddy couldn't help the urge to put on his big brother boots and reassure Scorpius that everything would be fine. He noticed that Grandmum Andy and Hugh sat with them. It was an odd thing to think about how Scorpius was actually his second cousin or whatever the technical familial connection was. They looked nothing alike, they acted nothing alike, and they certainly didn't have the same upbringing. Honestly, Teddy hadn't even met Scorpius until Albus and him became friends at Hogwarts.
Even now, when Teddy had a brotherly relationship with Scorpius, it was still strange to think about the life they could have had together. He wondered if his mum hadn't died in the war if he would have grown up with Scorpius. The animosity between the Malfoys and Potters had made it impossible for him to get to know that side of the family. He honestly hadn't even known it existed for the longest time.
"I'll be back," Teddy told his mum, squeezing her hand.
Teddy rose from his seat and made his way across the gallery towards the foursome. His grandmum and Narcissa Malfoy often had tea dates together as they slowly rebuilt their relationship in the years following the war. He knew that Scorpius had a relationship with Andy as well, but he had been slightly surprised when he found out just how familiar they were with each other the first time Scorpius attended a Friday night dinner at the Burrow.
"Hey," Teddy greeted as he stopped short of the group, his eyes focusing on Scorpius. "You all right?"
Scorpius smiled up at him, his head nodding. "Yeah, I mean, as all right as I'll ever be, I suppose."
"Do you need anything before you take the stand?" Teddy asked.
Scorpius shook his head. "Nothing that would be seen as acceptable."
"Scorpius," Draco murmured, their eyes meeting.
Teddy grinned. "We'll have a drink night when this is all over with. We'll go out. You, me, Albus, and James. It'll be fun."
Scorpius smiled softly. "Albus will hate it, but I think it sounds fun."
Teddy leaned forward, his hand gripping Scorpius' shoulder. "Nobody gives a fuck what Albus thinks."
Teddy and Scorpius shared a laugh together, both grinning from ear to ear.
"Edward," Andromeda breathed with disappointment. "Harry is right. All of you really need to stop with the language."
"Blame Uncle Ron and Uncle George. Honestly, Mum's not that much better," Teddy explained.
Hugh looked amused. "I'm sure your mother would be very happy to hear you blaming her for your language."
Teddy raised his eyebrows. "She can't deny it."
Andromeda huffed. "The Wizengamot is coming in. Take your seat, Teddy."
"It'll be fine, Scorpius," Teddy assured him. "Just tell the truth."
With one final squeeze, Teddy made his way back to his seat next to his mother. He wiped his hands on his trousers as he watched the last few stragglers of the Wizengamot enter the courtroom. James leaned over Ginny.
"Oi, you have a complex. You know that, don't you?" James whispered.
Teddy glanced over at his brother. "What?"
James rolled his eyes. "You always act like everyone's big brother. It's like you're in ultra big brother mode all the bloody time. You're acting like Uncle Bill."
"James…" Ginny trailed off, a warning ringing in her voice.
"Don't compare me to Uncle Bill," Teddy said with a groan.
"What's wrong with Uncle Bill?" Ginny asked. "He was always my favorite brother growing up."
James pulled a face. "He's always all I'm in charge."
Teddy nodded. "He has a lot of opinions."
Ginny frowned. "You two are so harsh."
Teddy glanced back to see Bill and Fleur chatting with Viktor and Holly. "He was extremely overbearing when I started to date Victoire."
Ginny sighed. "He was. Teddy, darling, don't act that way with Dora."
Teddy's eyes widened. "Are you bloody kidding me? Of course, I won't."
"I won't either when I have a daughter," James vowed.
"Albus says you're doomed with Weasley genes and will have all boys," Teddy pointed out.
"What the fuck does Albus know, anyway?" James snapped. "He's just saying that to rile me all up! It was a fifty-fifty chance that the baby would be a boy. He just got lucky."
"Shh, Scorpius is walking up," Ginny hushed them.
Teddy turned his attention to Scorpius. Even though Teddy wasn't taking the stand, he was positively petrified for Scorpius. It wasn't a simple matter of answering questions like with Roxanne. No, they were going to go over every single gritty and personal detail about the Greengrass/Malfoy family dynamics and about Scorpius' relationship with Albus. It was nothing more than airing their dirty laundry and giving the press a field day with the information that would be uttered.
The questioning started out like any other witness. Scorpius gave his name, his occupation, and other very basic information. Ginny reached for Teddy's hand, squeezing his tightly in hers. Teddy chewed on his bottom lip when the questions turned to a more personal nature.
"How did you meet Albus Potter?" Zabini asked.
"We were eleven," Scorpius started. "We met on the Hogwarts Express and we rode in the same boat. Then we were both sorted into Slytherin and shared a dormitory. We became fast friends, best friends."
"When did you and Mr. Potter become more than just friends?"
Scorpius sat up a little straighter. "It was the summer before our seventh year."
"How did your family take the news of your new relationship?" Zabini pressed.
"Well, my father, Draco Malfoy, was supportive," Scorpius replied, his hands clasping tightly in his lap. "My aunt, Daphne Greengrass, jokingly told me I could do better than a Potter but she too was rather supportive. My grandfather and great-grandfather, however, were less than thrilled."
"Your great-grandfather being Gareth Greengrass?" Zabini clarified.
"Yes, I'm sorry. Gareth Greengrass is my great-grandfather," Scorpius replied. "He never particularly liked my father. It caused a lot of tension and I didn't see him a lot growing up. Even less after my mother died. After she died, I saw my great-grandfather when he would corner me places and try to give me what he called life advice. Except the advice wasn't really advice. It was mostly just him telling me what to do to bring honor onto the family."
"So was Gareth Greengrass upset that you were dating a Potter or that you were gay?" Zabini pressed.
"Objection!" Clearwater interrupted. "Relevance? Leading? Speculation? This entire line of questioning is completely out of bounds."
"Tread carefully, Mr. Zabini," Fawley instructed. "I'll allow it."
"Both, I think," Scorpius admitted. "He disliked the Potters and he told me that being gay was nearly as bad as being a Malfoy."
"Objection! Hearsay!"
"Sustained," Fawley instructed.
"What about the Potters? What did they think of your relationship with their son?" Zabini asked.
Scorpius smiled. "They were very welcoming and supportive. I never felt out of place with them. Harry and Ginny always treated me like another one of their children. James and Teddy always treated me like their brother. Lily always treated me like her best friend and brother. The extended family has been nothing but kind and welcoming."
"You and the Potters get along rather well then?" Zabini asked for clarification.
"Yes, I love the Potters."
James let out a small chuckle. Teddy glanced over at his brother to see him smiling from ear to ear.
"He's good," James murmured.
"Oh, that reminds me," Teddy whispered. "We're going out to the pub tonight with Scorpius and Albus to celebrate."
Ginny sighed. "Would you two be quiet?"
"Mum, this is important," James whispered. "Albus is going to get acquitted and we need to celebrate with him. We need to celebrate in a way only brothers can."
"Can you be quiet?" Ginny hissed in an exasperated tone. "Scorpius is on the bloody stand!"
Teddy turned his attention back to the stand to see Scorpius still wringing his hands in his lap. Leaning back, Teddy watched as Scorpius answered very personal questions about his relationships. Teddy couldn't help but wince when Scorpius blushed when asked more intimate questions.
"How would you describe your relationship with Albus Potter?" Zabini pressed.
Scorpius smiled softly, his neck blossoming a pink tint. "I couldn't ask for a better partner in life."
The questions lasted two hours before Clearwater had her chance to cross-examine. Teddy snuck a peek over at the press section as a short recess was called, wondering what the general public thought about Scorpius. Zabini had made it very clear that this was a trial in the court of public opinion and not about facts. That thought scared Teddy more than he was willing to admit since the tides could change at any moment.
It was nearly three in the afternoon when Zabini and Clearwater rested their cases. Zabini had pointed out the lack of evidence, Gareth Greengrass' disappearance, and emphasized Montgomery Reed's testimony. Meanwhile, Clearwater had fumbled and insisted that the court could not acquit Albus based on the 'Ministry of Magic conspiracy theory' Zabini had spun.
Ginny just wanted it all to be over with. She wanted to scream when Fawley declared a ten-minute break before they would come back with a vote. She let out a frustrated sigh, the ball of her foot tapping in a steady rhythm as she waited for the Wizengamot to appear again. Teddy wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Clearwater had a weak close," Teddy said, trying to sound as confident as humanly possible.
James carded a hand through his hair. "The evidence speaks for itself."
Ginny only focused on Albus sitting in his chair, his head close to Zabini's as the two of them talked. She wanted nothing more than to be by his side no matter what the verdict was. When the Wizengamot finally filed back into the courtroom, Ginny couldn't keep her eyes off them, watching for any sign or hint that might suggest what decision they had reached. Her chest twisted and she wanted to reach for Harry's hand. Except, she remembered he was not by her side for the first time in what felt like forever. She clasped her hands together in her lap instead.
Fawley shuffled her papers while they all waited for a few members to wander back into the courtroom. Ginny instantly hated the stragglers. She just needed to know the verdict, needed the entire ordeal over with, needed to know if her baby boy was coming home with her or if he would be shackled. She couldn't help invasive thoughts that Zabini was wrong and that Albus would be convicted. She knew, without a doubt, she would not survive a sentencing hearing for her son.
Teddy sat on her left while James sat on her right. The two of them had been her rocks ever since their dad had collapsed in the courtroom. They had refused to leave her side. She was more grateful for them than she could have ever admitted. Teddy gave her shoulder a squeeze when the last few Wizengamot members filed into the courtroom and the doors were closed. A lump formed in Ginny's throat, her eyes staring a hole into Fawley.
Fawley cleared her throat. "The trial of Albus Fleamont Potter has concluded. I will now read each count and the Wizengamot will vote. Let's begin. On the count of the murder of Luca Livingstone, who finds Albus Fleamont Potter guilty?"
Ginny held her breath as only three Wizengamot members raised their hands. When Fawley asked who found Albus innocent, the rest raised their hands high in the air. Ginny let out the breath she was holding. Her gaze snapped to the back wall of the courtroom to see that the final tally had been three guilty votes and forty-six votes for acquittal.
Fawley banged her gavel. "The Wizengamot finds Albus Potter innocent in the murder of Luca Livingstone. On the count of treason, who finds Albus Fleamont Potter guilty?"
Ginny squinted as the same three hands raised into the air. There was no doubt in Ginny's mind that they were in cahoots with Greengrass and Macmillan.
"The Wizengamot finds Albus Potter innocent of treason," Fawley announced.
Ginny smiled and tears prickled her eyes, her head snapping to Albus to see him openly sobbing in his seat. Zabini gripped his shoulder, a smug smirk gracing his features as he stared unblinkingly at Clearwater. Clearwater refused to look at him but instead just kept staring at Fawley with her lips pursed.
"This concludes the trial of Albus Fleamont Potter," Fawley continued.
Ginny jumped up from her seat, her legs carrying her towards her son. Albus stood up, a wide grin on his face as he turned to look at his family. Ginny reached Albus first, pulling him into a tight embrace. She buried her face into his shoulder as the tears flowed down her face at an alarming rate. The nightmare was over with.
"Mum," Albus gasped.
Ginny pulled back, her hands cupping his face with a wide watery smile crossing her features. "It's all over with, Al."
Albus blinked at her, his bottom lip trembling. "I want to see Dad and Lily and the twins."
Ginny nodded. "Me too, darling. Me too."
Albus let out a shaky sigh as he looked beyond her. She turned around to see Scorpius standing behind her. With a sniff, she stepped away from her son to allow the two to greet each other. Her smile grew impossibly wider as she watched Albus and Scorpius embrace, the flashes from the press section going wild. The smile fell from her face as she wanted nothing more than to smash each and every single bloody camera that had invaded her family's privacy for decades.
"We can finally go home," Albus murmured.
Scorpius pulled back a little, his hands cupping Albus' face and brushing his tears off his cheeks. "To our home."
Ginny wiped away a stray tear that had slipped from the corner of her right eye.
"Oi! Get the fuck out of here!" Demelza's voice shouted, her long brown hair swinging in its high ponytail as she made her way over to the press. "The trial is over with and you are officially being asked to leave the Ministry immediately!"
"Did you not hear her? She's the bloody Head fucking Auror!" Sutton roared. "Get. The. Fuck. Out!"
An arm wrapped around Ginny's shoulders, causing her to look over to see a grinning James by her side. "Merlin, I love my bosses. Demelza is way better than Reed."
Ginny watched as several Aurors escorted the press out of the courtroom. Leaning into James' side, she sighed heavily. She didn't want to rush Albus, especially since he and Scorpius were having a moment, but she wanted to get the hell out of the Ministry and not step foot back in there for as long as she could manage.
"Albus!" Teddy shouted as he crossed the room.
It took the Weasleys and Potters a good twenty minutes to even begin to leave the courtroom. Albus received a seemingly unlimited stream of hugs and kisses, happy tears and congratulations, and just unconditional and unlimited love. Ginny couldn't help her own happy tears from falling onto her cheeks as she honestly couldn't remember the last time she had seen Albus looking so bloody ecstatic.
It took another five minutes for a Hit Wizard to remove the tracker from Albus' wrist. A Mediwitch bandaged it and said it would heal by the morning but to expect it to scar. Ginny couldn't help the scowl on her face to think that he would have constant reminders on his body from this entire ordeal for the rest of his life. If she squinted, she could see the thin scar around his neck from where the rope had cut so deep into his throat that he had nearly died. When he was handed his wand, he shot Ginny a grin that was so reminiscent of a teenage Harry that Ginny nearly burst into tears for a second time.
The family had waited for Albus to be cleared before leaving the building, so they could call walk out together. Ginny was surprised to see even Draco Malfoy, as well as the Krums and Woods, had waited for them. It would be easier to hide Albus from the press outside of the Ministry if they could all surround him.
When Ginny finally stepped out of the Ministry of Magic surrounded by her family, her arm looped with Albus', she let out a sigh of relief. All of the tension seemed to ease from her shoulders when Albus laughed as soon as the sun hit his face.
Free.
Free of all charges.
It still seemed like a dream to finally be able to put this awful nightmare behind them. It had been months of nonstop worry and stress that had affected every single person in their family. Ginny felt like she could truly breathe for the first time in a long time.
As soon as they had stepped out of the back entrance of the Ministry of Magic, reporters swarmed them. Flashes blinded Ginny as she looked down at her feet and tightened her grip around Albus' arm. The reporters shouted questions about Harry's health, hollered for Albus to give a statement, and pleaded for them to look up at the cameras. Ginny's jaw tightened, anger boiling in her chest, as they attempted to make their way through the throng of people. She just wanted to be at St. Mungo's with her husband, her daughter, and her brand-new grandbabies.
Then, unexpectantly, the reporters and photographers stopped calling out for them. Stopped shouting Albus' name.
Instead, all at once, they began to scream.
Ginny looked around, trying to figure out what was happening. It was utter chaos. Flashes of light hurled towards her family, people screamed and dove to the ground, others pulled their wands. It was utter chaos.
Ginny's breath hitched in her throat as a reporter fell to the ground in a pool of blood, deep gashes blossoming across his chest and face. Her heart pounded fast and harsh in her chest as she stared at the body in front of her.
"SCORPIUS!" Albus shouted, his arm leaving hers.
Ginny stood there numb, her eyes darting around as she searched for Scorpius, for where Albus had run off to. But there were so many people, so many blinding lights, so much blood. She couldn't make anything out. She reached for her wand in her jacket pocket when something hard collided into her back. She fell onto the concrete, her face smacking against the hard ground as a red flash flew over her head. Something heavy lay over the top of her, weighing her down and making it impossible to stand up. She wiggled to get out from underneath whatever had hit her when strong arms tightened around her.
"Stay down, Weasley!" Draco Malfoy hissed in her ear. "Do you have a death wish?"
Ginny stopped struggling as she looked up to see James breaking away from the family, his wand out in front of him. He jumped over a body on the ground and Ginny felt bile rise in her throat when she noticed that the body belonged to her niece Lucy. She was unmoving, her brown eyes staring dully back at her.
A long breath escaped Ginny's lips as she tore her attention away from Lucy. Her blood pounded in her ears as her eyes landed on Bill and Charlie who fought a row of Inferi, fire shooting from their wands like fireworks. Not far from them was a stone-faced George who looked far too serious for Ginny's liking. He had forgone a wand all together and was pounding his fist into a vaguely familiar wizard's nose.
"JAMIE!" Riley screamed, her voice desperate and on edge.
Ginny ripped her attention away from George to see James lying on the pavement, blood blossoming from his chest and soaking the concrete beneath him. A scream crawled up her throat as she fought against Malfoy to be let go. Riley sprinted towards James, her dark hair flying behind her like a banner. Before Riley could reach James, Teddy grabbed her and held her back.
"JAMIE!" Riley screamed again. "NO, JAMIE!"
Hunter and Demelza blasted past Teddy and Riley, their wands at the ready. Ginny's heart pounded uncomfortably in her chest, her blood running cold as ice. She had never worried about James. He was smart, excelled at dueling, had always been a mini-Harry when it came to his job. James was the child she worried about the least, the child who knew how to take care of himself and reminded her of Harry as a young adult in terms of the power that was housed within him.
Now… he was on the floor in a pool of his own blood.
"Get off me!" Ginny hissed.
"JAMIE!" Riley screamed again, splitting Ginny's ears in half.
Malfoy eased off her, but stayed crouched low to the ground. "Fine. Have it your way."
Ginny bolted up from the ground, her wand clutched in her hand. Her gaze focused on James once more to see Victoire rushing over to him. Demelza had a ring of fire holding back what Ginny could only assume were Inferi. Bodies littered the floor, but Ginny couldn't tell if they were family or reporters or others. Ginny's breathing came out in harsh huffs.
Ginny looked around frantically for Harry, knowing he'd be front and center of the battle doing something unnecessarily noble just like when he walked into the Forbidden Forest twenty-nine years ago. Because if there was one thing that would cause Harry to lose all sense, it would be their family in danger. With a pang, Ginny remembered that Harry wasn't there. That thought both relieved and terrified her.
She strolled forward, full of a furious purpose, her wand out in front of her, as she trained it on Adrian Pucey. She'd recognize his greasy black hair anywhere. She slashed her wand to the right, cutting the sleeve to his robes and drawing his attention. He sneered at her, blood pouring down his arm.
"Ah, Potter's little bitch," Pucey greeted. "Haven't seen you since you were making your way through the Hogwarts' population."
"You're just jealous I wouldn't touch you with a fucking broom," Ginny seethed, her chest heaving.
Pucey laughed and hurled a blood red spell in her direction. Ginny deflected it with ease, her jaw squaring. She hadn't dueled properly in years, but it was like riding a broom, her reflexes jumping into action and her instincts taking control of her body. She didn't need to think as her wand slashed through the air, the two of them almost dancing around one another. Dance Ginny did, complete and utter circles around Pucey.
She had always been a fair dueler, but Harry had spent an excruciating amount of time early in their relationship to ensure that she could hold her own in a fight. He trained with her so that he wouldn't have to worry about her when she was away and alone at Quidditch matches or out with her teammates at pubs. She had always teased him about it, joked that he was paranoid. But their training sessions had always been fun as it almost always ended with Harry shirtless and drenched in sweat before they ended up tangled on the floor fucking like rabbits.
Jerking her wand back, a crack sounded as she snapped Pucey's shins clean in half with a sliver of bone breaking through the skin. He fell to the floor, howling in pain. With a flick of her wrist, his wand broke in half. Ginny strolled forward, digging her heel into his wand hand so that way he couldn't hurt anyone even if he somehow managed to get a hold of another wand.
"Fucker," Ginny hissed at him before she turned to her left and felt the blood drain from her face.
Ginny had spotted countless bodies since the attack began. She had stared into the dead eyes of her niece mere minutes ago. But this… the sight of the body sprawled out just ahead of her pierced her heart with icy daggers.
Hermione lay on the floor motionless, her wand next to her fingertips as though it had rolled out of her grasp. Crimson coated her chest and neck. Ginny stumbled forward, her legs leading her towards her fallen friend. She fell to her knees, her fingers fumbling against her slick neck to check for a pulse. When she couldn't find it, she shoved her fingers deeper into Hermione's skin as she willed herself to find a pumping vein. A sob escaped her lips as both hands felt around for any sign of life.
There was nothing.
Ginny fell back on her heels, disbelieving tears falling down her cheeks. The fighting around her became a soft hum. Reaching out a shaking hand, she closed Hermione's eyes because she couldn't take the dead stare glaring at her. She left trails of blood in her fingers' wake.
"Ginny!" Demelza's voice shouted. "Ginny!"
Demelza fell to the ground next to Ginny, her face pale. Ginny turned towards her slowly, the two best friends just staring at each other.
"She's dead," Ginny gasped out.
Demelza blinked at her, her tongue peeking out to lick her bottom lip. "Ginny…"
"What? What happened?" Ginny breathed, her hand fumbling for Demelza's.
It was the first time that she realized they were not alone. The scarlet robes of the Aurors swirled around them, as the Aurors made arrests and took down Inferi. Ginny's heart beat harshly in her chest as Demelza leaned forward and pulled Ginny into a hug.
Demelza shook her head against Ginny's shoulder. "I'm just glad you're all right."
Ginny tightened her grip, her eyes watching as Hunter shoved his knee into the lower back of an assailant. His wand flicked and cuffs appeared on the wizard's wrists. Ginny's breathing picked up as she looked around for James, hoping to see him up and off the floor but she couldn't spot his messy black hair anywhere.
"Have you seen James?" Ginny whispered.
Demelza didn't say anything. She only held Ginny closer to her chest. The carnage around them didn't help Ginny's mental state. She was convinced that she would find James' unnaturally still figure in the sea of bodies that littered the ground. Tears leaked out of the corners of Ginny's eyes, a sob crawling up her throat, as she willed for James to amble towards her with his crooked smile once more.
The spells had appeared out of nowhere. Albus didn't even know where they had originated from. All he knew was that people were screaming and bodies were falling to the ground either from injury or to their death. One second Scorpius was by his side, their hands intertwined, and the next Scorpius had pulled away from him and ran.
"SCORPIUS!" Albus shouted as he took off after his fiancé.
Oliver Wood lay on the ground, a trail of blood escaping his mouth. Scorpius rushed towards him, his wand casting a pale blue light over Oliver's body. Albus reached into his robe pocket to pull out his wand, the wand that had just been given back to him not even fifteen minutes prior. He knew he needed to protect Scorpius, knew that his fiancé had slipped into full Healer mode without a care or concern about himself. Albus would need to fight, and he was absolutely shit at fighting. His heart hammered in his chest, his body trembling.
All Albus could think about was Ernie Macmillan pointing a wand at his chest and telling him to slip a noose around his neck. Flashes of being chained to a bed while Inferi attacked the infirmary of Azkaban flashed in front of his eyes. Sweat broke out along Albus' hairline as his breathing came out in harsh huffs. This was it. This was the moment he would die. After spending months in prison and terrified of being murdered. Now, he finally would meet his sticky end. He would be murdered in front of the Ministry of Magic after finally being declared innocent.
"JAMIE!" Riley screamed.
Albus snapped his attention to Riley's voice, dread filling every fiber of his being. He watched as Teddy grabbed a sobbing Riley, holding her back from presumably James. Albus searched frantically for his brother but couldn't see him anywhere. Who Albus did see made his blood run cold. Bile rose in his throat as he spotted his aunt Hermione lying on the floor, her wand just mere millimeters away from her fingertips. She wasn't moving, wasn't blinking, wasn't acknowledging anything around her.
Wesley Flint stepped into his line of sight, blood smeared across his face and his lips twisted into a manic grin splashed across his face. Albus' heart pounded in his chest as he couldn't help but wonder if it had been James' blood that covered him. Albus would kill the fucker if he had murdered his big brother. Blinking, Albus tried to push that thought out of his mind. James couldn't be dead. James was far too practiced and skilled to let a wanker like Flint take him down.
Raising his trembling wand, Albus shouted a Disarming Charm but Flint blocked it easily. With a slash of his wand, Albus flung backwards, his back colliding with the hard ground and knocking all the air out of his lungs. His wand rolled out of his hand as he gasped for breath, his fingers fumbling for his wand.
"No!" Scorpius shouted.
Another slash from Flint's wand and Scorpius stumbled back, blood blossoming across his cheek.
"Sit down, Malfoy," Flint instructed with another swish of his wand, forcing Scorpius onto the ground. "I'll deal with you in a second."
Albus felt the smooth wood against his fingertips when a spell collided with his chest and he realized he couldn't move, frozen and helpless on the concrete floor. He could only move his mouth and his eyes, his gaze catching his family fighting all around in the mayhem and chaos. Nobody was paying attention to them, nobody noticed them, nobody was going to save them.
"So pathetic, Potter," Flint hissed, his eyes glinting. "Gareth Greengrass sends his love."
Albus blinked, his mouth going dry. "He sent you to kill me?"
Flint sneered. "You've been a pest for too long. Gareth wants his great-grandson back. In order to do that, you need to be out of the way."
"I'm not going to see him ever again," Scorpius seethed, the veins in his neck protruding out as he strained against the invisible bonds.
Flint glanced over at Scorpius. "He has ways of changing minds."
Albus' heart hammered in his chest. There was no doubt in his mind that Greengrass already had a plan on how he was going to keep Scorpius under his thumb. That scared Albus more than nearly being murdered and facing life in prison. Scorpius was so pure and good. The very thought of him not being able to escape Greengrass' clutches made his heart shatter into a million pieces.
"I'd ask you if you had any last words, but you already wrote a suicide note so you had your chance," Flint said with a cruel laugh as he adjusted his grip on his wand.
Albus braced himself for the impact, wishing more than ever that he had taken his dad up on his dueling lessons that he had offered all of them growing up. He had been unimpressed and had better things to do with his time than learn to fight evil or whatever other tosh his dad had spewed on about.
Movement behind Flint caught Albus' eyes. He focused his gaze on his grandfather, his glasses sliding down his nose. Albus wanted to cry out for his grandfather to run and not get involved. Arthur was so kind and didn't have a mean bone in his body. Flint would crush him.
"Get away from my grandsons!" Arthur roared, his wand slashing through the air.
Flint fell to the ground in a heap, his body convulsing. Albus' eyes widened because he had never seen his grandfather shaking with such fury before, nor had he ever even hurt a bloody fly. Arthur's chest heaved as he lifted the immobility spells and Albus could move again. He jumped up from the ground, his hand carding through his hair as he watched Scorpius standing up on shaking legs. Scorpius touched his bleeding cheek, his body trembling.
"Granddad?" Albus whispered.
"Are you all right?" Arthur pressed in a rushed tone.
"Ye-yeah," Albus replied. "Are you all right? Did you… did you kill Flint?"
Arthur gave him a grave look. "You two need to get out of here. The less people here, the better. We need to assess the damages."
Albus blinked, seeing his grandfather in an entirely new light. "Granddad…"
"Go. Get to St. Mungo's now," Arthur urged as he turned around, his eyes scanning the mayhem around them.
Albus gulped as his grandfather rushed away from them, his wand out as he made his way over towards where Freddie and Louis were holding back what Albus assumed was an Inferius with fire. Trembling, Albus looked around because he couldn't very well leave, not when family members were on the floor.
"Oliver Wood is dead," Scorpius whispered. "I tried to restart his heart when Flint…"
Albus snapped his attention to Scorpius to see his fiancé had tears burning in his eyes. Licking his lips, Albus tried to control his breathing. Suddenly, James flashed through his mind. They needed to make sure James was alive.
"James…" Albus whispered, his voice wavering. "I need to find him."
Scorpius nodded, his eyes wide. Albus reached out, his fingers wrapping around Scorpius' wrist as the two made their way through the throng of people. His eyes scanned the area to see that Aurors, the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol, and Hit Wizards had arrived at the scene. Albus paused in his stride when he saw his mother crouched beside his aunt Hermione. Ginny sobbed, her blood-covered fingers closing Hermione's eyes shut.
"James!" Scorpius shouted, pulling Albus away from the devastating scene.
Albus felt his heart nearly stop when he finally spotted James lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Victoire had her wand pressed to his chest, a pale-yellow glow escaping the tip of her wand. Blood covered her hands and clothes, a smear across her forehead like warpaint. Scorpius broke away from Albus and crouched down next to James' head, his fingers pressing against his neck.
"It's weak," Victoire muttered. "He's lost too much blood."
"He needs St. Mungo's," Scorpius muttered as he cast a bubble that snapped around James' mouth and nose. "He needs a blood Replenishing Potion."
"He needs more than one," Victoire muttered. "Scorpius, I can't seal the wounds. Whatever spell it was… I can't heal him."
"Just keep the pressure until we can transfer him," Scorpius instructed her, his fingers still pressed firmly against James' neck. "Fuck! He's crashing!"
"Do I lift the shield?" Victoire asked as Scorpius pushed beside her.
"No! Keep the wounds sealed!" Scorpius shouted.
Albus watched, his knees growing weak as Scorpius pressed the tip of his wand into James' chest. James' entire body rose and fell to the ground as Victoire held the shield steady against his chest. Once. Twice. Albus had horrible flashbacks to his father lying on the courtroom floor while Scorpius struggled to restart his heart.
"We have rhythm!" Scorpius shouted, falling back onto his bum.
Albus' legs gave out from under him, his knees smacking hard against the concrete floor. An odd buzzing sounded in his ears as he watched the little bubble around James' face inflate and deflate at an alarmingly slow rate. Albus felt a sob crawl up his throat, his eyes refusing to leave his big brother's face.
Teddy stared at the spot that James had been moments ago. He had rushed off into the crowd, a spell leaving his wand as soon as he had left Teddy's side. It took a few moments for Teddy to realize what exactly was happening. There were wizards, hurling spells into the crowd. There appeared to be Inferi, some of who were already on fire.
A scream left Teddy's lips as he watched a spell connect with Lucy's chest and she fell in slow motion to the ground. He blinked, willing her to move but she remained oddly still. He stood frozen in his spot and he couldn't help but wish his dad was there to save the day like he had always been.
It was utter chaos around him. Some of his cousins fell to the floor, either because they were hit or scared, Teddy couldn't really tell. His hand trembled as he reached into his dress robes for his wand, his eyes watching as Uncle Bill and Uncle Charlie jumped in front of the crowd to light several Inferi on fire.
Teddy didn't know where to go or what to do. He knew he had to protect his younger siblings and cousins. That was his job as the oldest in the family. Teddy's heart pounded in his chest when he saw Freddie and Louis jump into action, flames shooting from their wands. Aunt Fleur looked like a snapping turtle as she shot a jet-black spell from her wand, her blonde hair nearly floating around her head like Medusa's snakes. Teddy took a step forward to join Hugo who had jumped into the fray when Teddy caught sight of Wesley Flint.
He crept from the shadows, a near manic grin on his face as he pointed his wand directly at James. Except James wasn't paying attention as fire slithered from his wand to chop the heads off a line of Inferi. Teddy darted around family members, nearly tripping over Hugh who was crouched down on the ground applying pressure to a wound on Roxanne's arm. Raising his wand, Teddy parted his lips with a spell on the tip of his tongue but it was too late.
With a strike of red from Flint's arm, James fell to the ground like a bag of Bludgers. Blood immediately blossomed on his chest and soaked the concrete below him. Flint grinned as his eyes scanned the crowd almost as though he were looking for a specific person. Teddy stood frozen as he watched James bleed out, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He had failed James, had failed his little brother.
Riley's screaming knocked sense in him. He saw her rushing towards James, right into a line of fire. Teddy took off, grabbing her around the waist as she shook in his arms.
Victoire blew past them, her blonde hair swishing behind her. She knelt down in front of James and slashed her wand. His clothes vanished and Teddy gasped as he saw the large gashes across James' chest as though he had been attacked by a troll or giant. Something large and menacing.
Teddy's heart pounded in his chest as he loosened his grip on Riley just slightly. She stayed in his arms, her hands gripping his forearm.
"Teddy! Get down!" a familiar voice shouted.
Teddy fell to the ground, pulling Riley with him. He tried to cover up as much of her as humanly possible, afraid that she or the baby would be injured in the crossfire. His heart leapt to his throat as he forced Riley to the ground. He looked up just in time to see a body fall to the ground not far from them to reveal a bloody Bill Weasley standing there with his wand out. There was a gash in his forehead, his scarred face looking grim.
"Get her out of here!" Bill shouted.
"But Jamie!" Teddy protested in a thick voice, his head snapping back to see James' eyes were closed and his head lulled to the side.
"There's nothing you can do for him! We need to get people out!" Bill explained.
"No, no, Ted," Riley pleaded from under him, her body shaking from the force of her sobs. "I can't leave him. Ted, no."
"Ted! Now!" Bill shouted before he dashed off towards sparks flying in the distance.
Teddy grappled with what to do. He knew he should protect Riley and his unborn nephew. It would be what James would want. But like Riley, Teddy didn't fancy leaving his brother and best mate. Swallowing a lump, he turned back to James. Scorpius, with a large gash in his cheek and his platinum blonde hair streaked with red, pressed the tip of his wand to James' chest and Teddy watched as it rose slowly before falling. That was the last thing he wanted to see, to see his brother no longer had a heartbeat. Draco Malfoy and Viktor Krum stood guard over them, their wands out and at the ready. Albus stood watching the scene unfold in front of him, unmoving and unconcerned with anything else happening around him.
More shouts sounded, drawing Teddy's attention to the rest of what was happening outside of the Ministry. A steady line of Aurors, Law Enforcement Patrol, and Hit Wizards rushed outside in large groups. One following the other as they surrounded them. Teddy let out a breath of relief as he stood up on shaky legs. Riley pulled away from him and rushed towards James. Teddy swore before following her.
Riley fell to her knees by James' head, her fingers tangling in his hair. Teddy knelt down beside her and looked over James at Scorpius.
"His heart stopped," Scorpius explained in a thick voice. "But we restarted it. He needs to get to St. Mungo's. Have you seen any Mediwitches?"
Teddy looked over at Victoire to see a steak of blood smeared across her sweaty forehead. Victoire breathed heavily, her bottom lip secure between her teeth as she held her wand firmly against James' chest and held a pale-yellow shield against him.
"No," Teddy said in a thick voice.
"Jamie, please, open your eyes," Riley sobbed, her fingers continuing to run through his hair. "Please, Jamie, I need to know you're all right. Jamie, Jamie, Jaime. I need you. Henry needs you. This baby needs you. Please, Jamie, I can't do this alone."
Teddy wrapped an arm around Riley, holding her close to his side. Riley's tears fell from her face and landed on James' unnaturally pale face. Seeing James so still unnerved Teddy. His little brother was always so animated and full of expression. James never sat still for more than a minute.
It could have been a minute or five hours before the Mediwitches appeared next to them with a trolley. Victoire kept the shield pressed firmly against James' wounds as he was levitated slowly into the air and onto the trolley. Teddy and Riley rose from the floor, her hands pressed tightly against her mouth as he held her close to him. With a flash, Victoire and James were gone.
"It'll be all right," Teddy murmured into Riley's hair, though he wasn't quite sure if he was trying to reassure her or himself in that moment.
A flicker of red caught Teddy's eyes, his head turning fully to see his mother marching towards them. Minus her disheveled hair and her dirty clothes and a small scrap by her eye, she looked unscathed from the attack. Next to her stood Demelza, her lip busted but she too looked fine. Ginny's eyes snapped between Teddy and Albus, her face falling at the very sight of them.
"Where's Jamie?" Ginny asked. "I saw him on the ground and…"
"He's been taken to St. Mungo's," Scorpius croaked.
Ginny blinked, her eyes filling with tears. "Tell me the truth, Scorpius. Is he going to be all right?"
Teddy snapped his attention to Scorpius, his pounding heart sounding in his ears. Scorpius only frowned at Ginny, his eyebrows low on his face.
"I don't know, Ginny," Scorpius whispered. "The curse that was used… we couldn't seal his wounds. They kept gushing blood. And he's lost a lot of blood."
Teddy let out a sob, his grip so tight around a sobbing Riley that he thought he might hurt her. Except, he couldn't loosen his grip for the life of him. Albus stepped forward, pulling their mother into an embrace. Teddy knew they had to go to St. Mungo's, that they needed to know who else in their family had been injured or…
Teddy screwed his eyes shut. Lucy's very still body floated in front of his eyelids. His chest grew uncomfortably tight. He couldn't imagine losing anyone in his family. Death hadn't been something Teddy was well-versed in. He had only been to three funerals he could remember in his entire life. One had been Great Aunt Muriel Prewett's and another had been Astoria Malfoy's. Neither one Teddy knew very well. The most recent had been Sirius Black's funeral. While emotions had definitely been high for the family, Teddy had felt sadder for his parents than he had for the death of Sirius. He had been too young to remember his biological parents' funerals or any of the others that he undoubtedly attended with Harry and Ginny after the war.
"We need to get to St. Mungo's," Ginny said in a strong voice as she pulled away from Albus.
Albus trembled. "I can't Apparate right now."
Ginny cupped his face in her hands. "We'll walk. None of us should risk Splinching right now."
Teddy nodded as he tucked Riley into his side, refusing to let her go, as they made their way down the street to St. Mungo's. All Teddy could think about was that James had to be all right.
I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Did you all think the worst had happened already? Oh no, you were all concerned about Greengrass but you all forgot about Wesley Flint. I'm going to try to wrap this up to end on a nice and even 40 chapters! So, we are drawing to a close. Don't forget to drop a review. They motivate and inspire me!
Special thanks to Bell for editing and all of her suggestions!