Chapter 5: July, 2014
Al crossed the room between him and Rose in ten paces and landed in front of her before Hermione had even made it halfway across the room. Melony landed right next to him half a second later, breathing hard.
"Rose, what are you doing?" Al asked.
"Al!" Rose exclaimed, giving him a huge hug. "How are you? I've missed you! And this must be Melony. It is so great to meet you!" Rose said, also giving Melony a huge hug and then straightening and grabbing onto the arm of the young man next to her. "Al, you know Scorpius."
Al shot Scorpius a quick, sideways glance as Scorpius bowed his head toward him as if addressing a peasant.
"Yes, I know Scorpius," Al said. "Why is he here?"
"Oh, haven't you heard? We are dating. Have been for a while now."
"Young lady, what are you doing?" Hermione huffed as she finally made it to the little group, her hair wild and falling in her face.
"I was invited, mother."
"You were, but he wasn't."
"Who said he wasn't invited? Dad? This isn't dad's party. If it were dad's party, I would have made sure not to come."
"That is enough! You will not speak about your father like that."
"Or what?" Rose asked threateningly.
There was a tense silence as mother and daughter stared each other down only to be broken by Ginny's voice which echoed throughout the ballroom.
"If everyone could take their seats," Ginny's voice said, "we are about to begin the toasts!"
"We will talk later," Hermione whispered before whirling around and running off in the opposite direction.
Rose took a deep breath and smoothed out her very nice-and very modern-dress and turned to Al. "It was good to see you, Al. Hopefully we can talk more later."
Rose grabbed Scorpius by the arm and they strolled into the ballroom, looking for a table. Al grunted in her direction before turning and heading to a table in the back, Melony following closely behind.
"Is that Draco Malfoy's son with Rose?' Melony asked as they sat down.
"Yeah," said Al angrily.
Melony waited for Al to explain why he was so upset, but he said nothing. He just continued to brood in Rose's direction.
"Is he really that bad?" Melony finally asked.
"No. I mean, he's really annoying and pretentious, but other than that…," Al shrugged.
"So what is all the fuss about?"
"Well, he's not a bad guy, but there is some bad blood between his family and ours. My Uncle Ron especially does not like his family so Rose is pretty much just doing it to get a rise out of her dad."
"Why would she want to make her dad angry?"
Al sighed. "It's a long and complicated story. According to Rose, her dad never respected her because she wasn't placed in Gryffindor."
"She wasn't?"
"No, she got placed in Ravenclaw while the rest of the family went into Gryffindor. I personally don't think it was so much the Ravenclaw thing as the fact that Rose is brilliant. I think it made her dad feel...uneasy. It's one thing to have your wife smarter than you, but to have your daughter smarter than you...well, I don't think my Uncle Ron handled it very well."
Melony looked over at Rose and Scorpius who were sitting toward the middle of the room. Rose was alert and engaged, while Scorpius looked bored and tired.
"So, what happened?" Melony asked as Ginny called upon Neville Longbottom and an anxious looking man stood to deliver a toast.
"They just kept growing further apart. Uncle Ron was always a little distant and defensive when he was around Rose and she more than felt it. Rose and I used to be really good friends and I would always tell her that most of what she was feeling was being made up in her mind, but she never listened. The ironic thing is, Rose and her dad are very similar. They are both so stubborn and hard-headed."
"What made you two stop being friends?"
Al shrugged. "Life. She got really busy after Hogwarts with her Healer studies and I was dealing with all of my family stuff."
Melony nodded. "Well," she said, "it will probably die out, right? I mean at least this happened here instead of tomorrow. Now it can all blow over before the wedding?"
"I hope so…"
Al trailed off as a loud thud interrupted both him and Neville's speech. Al stood up to see what was going on, and when he did he slammed his fist on the table and cursed loudly. Melony leaped out of her chair and craned her neck, trying to see what was causing all the commotion.
It was James. She couldn't tell how he had managed to get into the room, but she was guessing that the loud thud and the teetering girl on each arm had something to do with it. He was speaking with Neville, but Melony couldn't make out what they were saying since they were so far away and Neville's voice was no longer superimposed. Melony watched as they exchanged a few words before James raised his wand to his throat and muttered something.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" James said, his voice now audible throughout the entire room. "Neville here has told me that it is alright if I take over for him. Big round of applause for Neville everybody!"
Tepid applause followed as Neville looked at Mr. and Mrs. Potter and shrugged nervously before sitting down. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were also looking extremely nervous as they closely watched James guide his two dates-who were looking extremely dazed and confused-to two empty chairs close to the front of the room.
"It is so wonderful that so many people could make it all the way to America to celebrate my dad's birthday," James said turning back toward the crowd. "Of course, there is, perhaps, one other reason why everyone traveled all this way. Now what could that be? Ah, yes, my little brother is getting married!"
James gestured grandly toward Al and Melony who were still standing. Al seared James with a look so strong, Melony could swear she could feel heat coming off of it.
"Albus is marrying a muggle!" James shouted, abruptly cutting off the polite applause directed at Al and Melony. "Can you believe that? A muggle! Just when you think this kid is zigging, he's zagging! First, he runs off to New York, disappearing from everyone, and then, out of nowhere, he shows up with a muggle fiance!"
Al was now practically growling. Melony cautiously grabbed his arm and lowered him into his seat as Mrs. Potter could be heard saying something to James.
"Of course," James said bowing toward his mother and slightly losing his balance. "I digress."
James turned back to the audience and began moving around the tables. "As I was saying, it is great to see so many familiar faces here. Aunt Luna is here all the way from the Arctic, and Teddy made it from India... and looky who we have here, Rose and Scorpius! I am so glad you made it, Rose, how are you this evening?"
"I'm good, James," Melony could distantly hear Rose say as she smiled, beamused, up at James. "How are you?"
"Can't complain," James said, shrugging. "I see you brought your lovely boyfriend to the party." James indicated Scorpius-whose face hadn't changed since arriving-before grabbing Rose by the hand. "But what is this? Could it perhaps be an engagement ring?"
"WHAT?" Ron bellowed from the front of the room as everyone else started mumbling.
Rose smiled wickedly before taking out her own wand and pointing it at her throat. "Well," she said, her voice reverberating off the walls, "I guess the cat's out of the bag."
The room exploded. Ron sent tables flying out of his way as he ran toward Rose, not caring who was sitting at them or who he hit. People were launched backward off their seats as tables crashed into other tables sending drinks and food everywhere. Mr. and Mrs. Potter grabbed James and pulled him aside as Ron, Hermione and Hugo descended on Rose, yelling loudly. Ron was so angry that he was unknowingly flailing his wand around, sending spells and sparks rebounding off the walls. Witches and wizards were screaming and running out the door, or cowering behind tables or launching themselves into the fight. The only people who were still seated where the two girls James had brought in. They were sitting glossy eyed, watching the chaos and smiling stupidly.
Al shot up out of his chair and looked around, trying to decide where to go first when a red beam of light streaked toward him. He whipped his wand out and performed a shield charm so fast Melony barely had time to witness it. Another jet of light headed straight for Melony, and she was barely able to duck under the table before the chair she was sitting in burst into flames.
"Melony!" Al roared over the noise and confusion. "Melony, where are you?"
"Under the table!"
Al ducked his head under the table. "You have to get out of here," he said. "You're not safe."
Melony nodded as Al took her hand and led her toward the door, ducking rogue spells and weaving in and out of upturned tables. As soon as they made it to the hallway, Al stopped short.
"You go home," he said. "I need to stay here and try to help."
"Okay," said Melony shakily, "but be careful, it doesn't look too safe."
"I will," he said, kissing her on the head and running back into the ballroom.
Melony watched as Al dove into the mass of people who were now physically and magically fighting each other before she quietly closed the door and snuck out of the hotel lobby.