This is set a few years after 'A Year in the Life of Rose Weasley', in case anyone was wondering.
Do not own.
(Summer, 2026)
It was a happy time, that Summer; beautiful, peaceful. Rose had been given a well-earned break from her job at the Ministry, Alice had hired a group of teenagers (that would be going into their sixth year when the Summer ended) to take over working at the Leaky Cauldron; it was the show season, and she was much too busy to do both. Auror training always disassembled for the Summer, so a break was usual for Albus and Scorpius.
During those lazy sunny days, the four of them went riding, mainly (taking the routes devoid of angry men with shotguns), or sat around in the garden, in the shade of the large tree. On the rainy days (Summer storms were quite frequent) the stayed inside, reading books to each other or watching movies.
"Something smells good," Rose said, as she entered the kitchen. It was Victoire who was cooking. There was no mistaking the blonde hair and slim figure (minus the baby bump)
"Have a nice ride?" Victoire asked, tasting a little of whatever she was making.
"Yeah," Rose smiled, sitting down at the table. "I feel bad about not taking Noir to shows though … he knows it's that time of year. He's excited."
"Why don't you?" Victoire asked. "You've got time off."
"What time?" Rose sighed.
"I know what you mean," said Victoire. "There's never enough of it, is there?
"No … maybe I'll get Alice to put him through his paces," she glanced out the window, where she could see the horses in the paddock. "If I can tear her away from her beloved, that is."
"Al or Bambi?" Victoire joked, sitting down too.
Rose smiled. "I'm proud of her. Right professional."
"I'm a professional now, am I?" Alice asked, announcing her presence with a grin. She hopped up on the counter, and stole an orange from the fruit bowl.
"I tried to count all your trophies," Rose said. "Needless to say, I gave up."
"Oh give over," said Alice, now peeling the orange. "I haven't got that many."
Victoire snorted. "Yes you do. You're too modest, that's your problem."
"Better than being Gilderory Lockhart," Alice quipped, popping an orange segment into her mouth.
"Merlin forbid," Victoire said, rising from her seat and disappearing into the hall.
Alice had been slowly making a name for herself in the world of Muggle show-jumping. During a Summer storm, before their seventh year, a strawberry roan filly foal, almost a yearling, had staggered into the garden. Christened Bambi by Katherine (after the fawn in one of those adorable Muggle movies she'd gotten them all addicted to), and nursed back to health by the combined efforts of Rose, Alice, Scorpius and Albus, she had grown up to a beautiful mare, especially talented and friendly.
"How's Bambi?" Rose asked.
Alice swallowed her piece of orange. "The same as always."
"Good to know."
They sat in silence for a few moments, but it wasn't for long. Silence never lasted long in the Potter household these days. Teddy, Victoire and their daughter, Sarah, were constantly at the house – they lived in a cottage across the road, so it was not difficult; Lily had returned from America, where she'd gone after she'd finished Hogwarts; Dominique, her fiancée Raphael, and Philippe, who'd decided to go with them, had arrived from Dijon not long into the holiday; the Scamander twins were there; and friends of the family were always welcomed.
Sarah rushed into the kitchen, out of breath. Her long hair, usually light-brown, was bright yellow.
"What's up?" Rose asked her.
"Fred …" she panted. "And Nat … water balloons."
"Again?" Rose sighed. "Will he ever grow up?"
"Trick question, right?" Alice asked. "Fred's twenty-two now, and he's never shown any signs of growing up yet."
"He's got a job," Rose amended.
"At a joke shop. His father's, I might add."
"And a flat."
"Last time I visited, it was a tip," Alice said, vanishing her orange skins and jumping off the counter. "C'mon Sarah. We can watch some Disney."
"Which one this time?"
"Bambi!" Sarah proclaimed, her hair turning even brighter yellow in enthusiasm.
"That's nice," Rose smiled, who herself had seen Bambi (and its sequel) many times.
The two of them left the kitchen. Rose headed outside again.
True to Sarah's word, Fred and Natalie were running around with water balloons. Katherine, Maggie (her friend) and Philippe were drenched, and shouting at the pair. Dominique, working on accounts in the sun, had cast a shield around herself, and watched the exchange for a moment, before shaking her head and returning to her books.
Rose dashed up to the barn, running from Fred was always much more fun than casting a shield and walking safely. Padfoot, lying in the hay, looked up listlessly. He was getting old, and hardly did anything but sleep.
"Poor old guy," Rose murmured, couching down and scratching him behind the ears. "Everyone's gonna be devastated when you go."
This much was definitely true.
Rose stood up again, and left the barn, checking that the coast was clear. Fred and Natalie were now chasing after Katie (James's girlfriend). She walked down to the paddock. There were a few changes since Rose had been sixteen. There were six horses; two roans, two blacks, a piebald and a bay. Noir, Belle, Firefly and Cookie were still there, Ghost had been sold, Alice had found Bambi, and Katherine had bought herself a blue roan, called, simply, Blue ("That makes two with their colour as their name," Lily had said).
Rose leaned against the gate, stroking Noir, and, when he had wandered off to graze, Blue and Bambi.
She stayed out there for quite a while. Fred, shaking water out of his hair (Katie, always prepared, had been armed with a water pistol) had been the last to go into the house.
Rose gave the horses a departing pat each, and went up to the barn to visit Padfoot again before she went inside for the evening. When she entered, however, she found her path barred by a tall blue box.
She stood back, confused. What was it?
"Police Public Call Box," she read aloud. What did that mean? She pushed the door open cautiously, holding her wand aloft, just in case.
It was much bigger than it appeared to be, but this did not bother her. She had had enough experience with undetectable extension charms to recognise one. What did bother her was the state of the place. It was old, and a thin covering of dust layered the glass floor. She was sure she recognised a console. Some sort of vehicle? A spaceship? No, that would be stupid.
She stepped further into the strange thing, until she reached the console. An old, battered diary lay on the surface. It was not, however, covered in dust. She picked it up, and opened it.
Mia Song
22nd August
Good 'ol sexy, always takes you where you need to go. And if there's no one to take, she'll go on her own.
The Wizarding World seems to regard Merlin as their God, so I generally use phrases like "Merlin forbid" or "Thank Merlin" or "Merlin knows"
I hope you don't mind the POV change. I'd also like to apologise. I still haven't worked out the plot properly. I might change, delete or switch around chapters. I'll let you know if I do.
Thank you for sticking with me even after such a long delay!
Fiona x