Chapter 2 - Albus definitely was in Slytherin

Bloody Merlin's beard. Why now?

"Good morning everyone, as everyone introduced themselves?" Albus asked as he set down a stack of parchment he had been carrying.

The silence translated to, no. "Very well, we'll start with that. On this side," Albus gestured to where Rose was sitting, "is Team two from the Research Committee; and on this side," gesturing at the other side, "is Team 3 from the Committee on Experimental Charms."

We briefly acknowledged each other and looked back at Albus. Scorpius, who she was avoiding eye contact with as she hid behind Esme, caught her eye. She had that classic knowing smirk that he had while still at school. She quickly looked away as it brought too many memories from the past to be fresh in her mind as she blushed. Mind on task Rose.

"-these pieces of parchment have more detailed explanations as to why you are being instructed to work together." The parchments were passed down the table to each one of them. "But essentially it's to significantly increase our Auror's ability to catch this band of criminals I was just talking about. We need the testing and reports done by the deadline if not before." Albus informed. Great so basically, ASAP. "Any questions?" Albus finished.

There was a woman, middle-aged, with long chestnut brown hair pulled into a high ponytail, that raised her hand. Albus nodded then the woman asked, "is there a reason the Research Committee has to do up the final reports? We have done reports before in our department." That sounded a lot like "Why do we even need them?".

Albus replied, "Good question Fiona, it's because there is research that will be done into various aspects that your team will have little time for as you will be testing the charm and developing it." Albus paused thoughtfully, "That also reminds me that at least two members of each team will be at the experiments, this is not negotiable." Joyous.

With Albus giving us the 'all good' to leave, Rose walked as fast as she could in her heels determined to make it to the lift in time to miss a chance meeting with him.

- In the Research Committee's department area -

But some stroke of fate, I made it. Rose rushed past people and hid behind one of the many bookcases. Her first instinct was to Floo home, but if she did that she would be interrogated like there's no tomorrow. Great times, a grown woman hiding in the back of her own office area behind a bookcase that has no other exits. Hiding from a man that she never thought she'd see again. This day just gets better. Rose didn't need sarcastic thoughts, she needed a miracle.

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. Rose let out a squeak as she jumped back and dropped her bag. She prayed with all her nerves that it wasn't him. She turned to she Lily her, awesome, little cousin.

"Oh Lil, I thought you were someone else." Rose sighed with relief.

Lily gave a confused look, "Who did you think I was?"

"Never mind that, what are you doing all the way over here?" Rose waved off her question with another question. Lily decided to be a healer when she left Hogwarts and is a trainee at St Murgo's. Luckily Lily let it slide but her narrowed eyes say she will be asking again and she better get a proper answer next time.

"Al asked me to check on you, to see if you're ok, which clearly he was right to it seems." Lily chuckled considering they're behind a bookcase hiding.

That's when Rose realised. Albus knew the whole time. "Albus knew, he knew that he came back and didn't tell me." She got angrier the more she spoke.

"Albus Severus Potter, you will pay." Rose looked at Lily silently asking for help.

Lily smirked, "He probably deserves it, but you know, if it's Scorpius your talking about then he completely did that on purpose."

Esme walked around the end of the bookcase. "Finally here you are."

"Sorry Esme, I couldn't get caught with him of all people."

"I know, and because I am your best friend in the world, I got Tim to stall him for me." Esme pretended to admire her nails with a smirk.

"Oh, your the best! You know me so well." Rose bear-hugged her. Esme and Rose had met in the third year and were the closest of friends. Esme was with Rose through the birth of her daughter and was made the Godmother.

"Now let's poison my dear cousin," Rose stated with an evil grin.

I walked to the door but managed to bang my head on the door before it opened. Ouch, that hurt! Rose had her hand to her forehead when the door open and there stood the git himself. Looking at her with an amused smile, it made her forget for a second what in Merlin's name she was doing.

She snapped out of it and asked with a sickeningly sweet voice to mask her daze, "Are you lost Mister Malfoy? We don't see too many Aurors around here."

"I am not lost, Miss Weasley, however, I heard a thump on a door as I was going past and so I investigated," Scorpius' smug grin grew wider.

"Well if that's all, we really must be going and we'll leave you to investigate," Rose stated keeping it matter-of-fact while she looked at the corridor behind Scorpius.

"By all means, Miss Weasley," Scorpius stepped aside so that the three of them could get past.

They walked down the corridor a bit before Rose noticed Scorpius had joined them.

He caught her looking at him and said with a shrug, "I have to see Albus too."

Rose sighed and continued walking.

- In the Committee on Experimental Charms department -

Albus was looking over what had already been tested so far. Once Rose spotted him she cued for Esme and Lily to distract Scorpius. "Albus Severus Potter, I would like to have a word if I could."

Albus smirked and Rose took him aside. "Why the hell did you not warn me that Scorpius was back from wherever he was?"

"I thought it would maybe remind you that you might still feel something towards him."

"Albus this is not funny, him being here makes things ten times more complicated and you know our past." Rose crossed her arms only just being able to keep her voice down.

"Well, you had to face it sooner or later. Also even though you haven't told me who the father of your daughter is, I'm not an idiot. Most of us who know you could put a good bet on him being the father." Albus' smirk grew wider.

Rose groaned in frustration and in a slight panic. "Have you told him?" It was one of the questions that nearly gave her an anxiety attack.

"Obviously not, I think it would do much better coming from you." Albus rolled his eyes as if it was obvious.

"Do I really have to tell him?" Rose whined. We are doing quite fine and have been for the last three years. "I mean it's been fine and he wasn't around so why now?"

"Just trust me, Scorp will want to know," Albus turned somewhat serious for a second before smiling. "And his reaction, as well as the rest of the family's to his return are so entertaining." Typical Al. This is why he was in Slytherin.

"Glad to entertain," Rose said flatly. As for her family's reaction, if they didn't kill him he would be doing well.

"I'm not ready to tell him yet Albus." Rose rubbing her head quite distressed.

"Take your time but the longer you wait the more difficult it will be."

"Thanks, Dumbledore," Rose sighed. She looked over at the tall handsome blonde. He noticed and their gazes locked. Those silver eyes, showed a complicated emotion, too hard for Rose to decipher. Needless to say, she has probably bitten off more than she can chew.

- At Home (not the Burrow) -

An exhausted Rose stepped out of the fireplace and immediately removed her heels. O,h sweet flat ground! Her feet were so used to being in the arch of a heel from the day, she felt like she was still wearing the heels. She conjured a pair of slippers for her sore feet to rest in.

"Helllooo," Rose called out in s sing-song tune.

"Mummy's back!" Lyra excitedly paddled up to Rose and she lifted Lyra up to give her a hug.

"Hey Sweetie, have you had a good day?"

"Yep," Lyra beamed. Rose breathed a sigh of relief to know her day went well.

"She was a big helper in the cheer squad while we de-gnomed the garden." Hermione chuckled.

"That's awesome." Rose set Lyra bag down on the ground. She's a lot heavier then when she was littler it's slowly getting hard to carry her around. Her mind for the moment reminisced about the days when she held her daughter almost all the time.

"How was work?" Ron asked entering the living room.

"Hey Dad," She hugged him and continued, "Well I got put on an important assignment, Albus is in charge of it but it combines the Research Committee and the Committee on Experimental Charms to do it. Oh, and Scorpius Malfoy is the other Auror in the project."

Ron almost fell over when he heard the last part. Rose tried to make it sound casual to hide her own anxiety about it.

"I'll kill him, Hermione wears my wand?" He turned to Hermione who shrugged at the question trying to play innocent. "Hermione, the coward has returned and I have unfinished business."

Oh great.