Binding Ties

Binding Ties

Chapter One
Five Years Later


“Good morning, Weasley.” It was a simple greeting. The tone in which it was said shot hatred through the veins of the receiver, and yet the voice that carried such a salutation caused the young woman’s heart to flutter strangely.

“Malfoy, I shouldn’t even hear something that resembles my name tumbling off your curled lip.” Rose Weasley shocked herself with the spicy comeback but the tingle of it almost made her smile.

“Jesus, Rose,” She marked the new use of her first name. “I was just saying ‘good morning’.” She shrugged as he turned on one foot and stormed away. Rose herself turned to leave but instantly fell flat on her face. Cold laughter sliced through the warm morning in Diagon Alley as Scorpius Malfoy jeered at his latest victim.

“Next time, consider who you’re talking to, Weasley. Maybe your mudblood mother allows such treatment of purebloods, but I do not.” Still laughing, Scorpius turned yet again and walked away, leaving Rose on the ground, bound by a leg-locker curse.

Angry tears found their way into Rose’s blue eyes. She brushed the dirt off of her robes and out of her hair, waiting for someone to pass her by. Scorpius had just turned seventeen, allowing him to perform magic outside of school. Rose, however, was only sixteen and thus denied the use of magic for another year.

“Is that Miss Rosie sitting in the middle of Diagon?” An unusually warm voice travelled over to the waiting girl from a store nearby. From out of a little empty shop strode the handsome Teddy Lupin. Rose could not help but smile at him as he sat down opposite her in the cobbled path.

“And why are we spending such a lovely day in one place, ma’am?”

“Scorpius Malfoy got me with a leg-locker,” Rose said, looking to her feet as a shameful blush crept into her creamy cheeks.

“That little…” Teddy paused thoughtfully as though to choose the right insult. Lost for that word, he shrugged his shoulders pointed his wand at Rose, freeing her from the curse. “Come on. Where’s Hugo?”

“He’s at home with mum and dad. I was here with Aunt Ginny, but she got sick and had to rush home. I wanted to do a little more shopping. Why were you in that empty store?”

“Well, it’s a long story. Maybe it’s best told with your whole family,” Teddy said thoughtfully, shoving his hands in the pockets of his robes. They stood and when offered it, Rose took Teddy’s arm. With a crack like a whip, they spun into darkness, reappearing moments later outside of a large cottage in the middle of a thick forest.

Rose led Teddy up the steps to her home and threw open the door without warning. Her mother stood over the sink, flawless white apron tied snugly about her hips while her father was reclined in his favorite chair, the Prophet flung open in front of him.

“Hello Rosie. How was Diagon today? Oh! Teddy! Come in, come in!” Hermione Weasley removed herself from the large counter where she was supervising the cuttings of many bowls of fruit.

“I’ll only intrude for a moment, Mrs. Weasley. I just have some news,” Teddy Lupin added politely.

“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times, Teddy; you don’t have to call me ‘Mrs. Weasley.’ But… sit. Of course. Ron! Get your feet of the coffee table and offer our guest a drink!” Ronald Weasley removed his feet but his eyes did not appear over the paper spread out before his freckled face.

“Hugo, dear! Teddy’s here to see us! Ron! Feet off of my new table!” Hermione pushed Ron’s feet from her table. Finally taking his eyes from the paper, Ron laid it down next to him and pulled his wife into his lap.

“’Mione, if you gripe at me one more time, I swear to Merlin.” He smiled and kissed her on the unsmiling cheek. She blushed lightly and crossed her legs, sitting in a more lady-like position as her only son sat quietly on the couch next to Teddy. He smiled a broad grin at the new-comer, but otherwise gave no sign that he was interested at all in anything that was or would be taking place. Rosie sat daintily on the loveseat and leaned back, waiting for the news. Teddy moved to the edge of his seat, incredible anticipation mounting in his abdomen.

“Victoire and I,” he started, but was quickly cut off by emerald flames shooting up in the fireplace. One by one, a family of red and black-haired people waltzed through the grate. A gaggle of teenagers were followed by a thin, strong man with jet black hair and sizzling green eyes and a shorter, well shaped woman with flaming red hair.

“Sorry about the intrusion, Ron, Hermione,” Harry Potter apologized, inclining his head to each of the couple in turn. “We have news we thought you’d like to hear.” Ron stood, Hermione sliding off of his lap and shook hands, giving greetings to all of his family.

Hermione simply stood back and took in the sight of them. She had known Harry since she was age eleven, and Ginny came around only a year after that. Ginny and Harry had been her best friends, so naturally when they were married, Hermione was completely enthralled. Now, they had three beautiful children. James, the oldest, was seventeen and entering his seventh year at Hogwarts. He was tall, with spiked red hair and amber eyes like his mother. Albus was the middle child, at sixteen. If James looked like his mother, then Albus could have very well passed as Harry’s younger twin. He was tall, skinny, and had the same messy hair and green eyes as his father. Lily, the baby of the family, was fourteen and by no means a baby. Her silky, wavy ebony hair framed a thin face and curvy body. Her brown eyes were always full of questions and she was known as the best female Quidditch player since Gwenog Jones. In fact, both James and Lily were known for their skill in the air. Albus had yet to find his calling in the wizarding world.

“Join the club,” spoke Teddy from the sofa. Another round of hand shakes, hugs, and greetings were passed around.

“Well, Ted. You were here before us and it’s only polite to let you go first,” said Ginny.

“Alright. Well, um. Well, Victoire and I are opening up a shop in Diagon Alley. We’re going to be selling potions.” A hesitating “congratulations” circled the room. This bit of new was not quite as exciting and Teddy led it to be.

“Why are you suddenly so keen to sell your potions on the big market? You were always comfortable with selling them to local families and friends,” interrupted Albus.

“Well, you’ve hit the point. Victoire and I are getting into a long term business together so we can buy a house,” said Teddy tentatively. “We’ll need a bigger one seeing as we’re getting married.” This time, a large explosion of congratulations broke loose. When that died down, Teddy turned to Ginny. “Well, what’s your news? Is everything okay?”

“Well, a little more than okay.”