Taming

As the winter melted away into spring, Albus and Scorpius came to redefine the word “busy.” They spent endless hours with Rose, studying for their N.E.W.T.s and agonizing over their coursework. They spent nearly every weekend at Malfoy Manor or the Potters’ house, working on wedding plans, or just spending time.

In June, they sat their N.E.W.Ts, and celebrated graduation. It was a happy time for everyone, except Lily, who wept profusely at the thought of returning to Hogwarts the next year without Albus, Scorpius, and Rose. Hugo was heard to mutter, “What am I, then? Chopped liver?”

There were many more tears as Albus and Scorpius packed to leave Hogwarts for the final time. After all, the old castle was where they had met. Where they had fallen in love. It held a lot of memories.

The train ride was bittersweet. They would be scattered for the summer, and none of them were looking forward to it. Lily was returning home, of course, as were Rose and Hugo. Although, Rose had undoubtedly scored highly enough on her exams to enter the Junior Healer program at St. Mungo’s, which meant she’d be living in London.

Albus was moving with Scorpius into Malfoy Manor. It seemed logical, since the Malfoys had plenty of room, and Scorpius refused to let Albus return to his parents’ house without him. Albus also pointed out the practicality of being on-site for wedding planning.

However, with Albus and Scorpius in Wiltshire, Rose in London, and Lily and Hugo stuck back in Godric’s Hollow, there would likely be several very tired owls by summer’s end.

But they would manage.

At the train station, they parted with hugs and kisses and tears. Draco and Astoria promised that everyone could come over just as soon as Albus and Scorpius were settled in. Scorpius had planned to do some relaxing, at least for the first part of the summer, but it wasn’t meant to be.

He received top marks on his N.E.W.T.s, all O’s save for one lonely A in Arithmancy, but then he’d never liked that subject much anyway. Rose had achieved all O’s, naturally. She was immediately accepted into the Advanced Junior Healer program at St. Mungo’s and she moved into a cramped flat which she shared with three other girls from the program.

The biggest surprise for Scorpius was that Aunt Hermione had pulled some strings in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and had secured Scorpius a plum entry-level position as a court assistant. Rather than slaving as a file clerk or fetching coffee for some dusty old lawyer, he was able to be in the courtroom every day, seeing first-hand how the wizarding justice system worked.
It was very handy to have your favorite aunt also be one of the senior Wizengamot judges. He wondered if it was her influence at work when he passed out wedding invitations to his closest colleagues at the end of June, and no one batted an eye over the fact that he was marrying Albus Potter.

Even though he hadn’t thought he would, Scorpius found himself getting wrapped up in the wedding plans as well. He loved everything about his life. He loved his job. He loved coming home from work to find his mother and Albus in the kitchen, wearing matching aprons (natch), up to their ears in cake samples or crudités.

He loved that since he worked in London, he was able to have lunch with Rose at least a few times a week, sometimes with Albus or some of Rose’s flatmates. Sometimes with Aunt Hermione if she could spare the time. And sometimes it was just the two of them, and it was like old times.

***********************

One bright July day, the wedding party all met up at Wendella’s Wedding Wear for their dress and tuxedo fittings. Rose arrived first, her hair in a bun, still wearing her Healer’s robes. Lily and Hugo arrived together, escorted by Ginny, which did not please them in the least. However, Ginny left them in Albus and Scorpius’s care to go do some shopping for her mother-of-the-bride dress. James and Teddy arrived together, and Aunt Audrey brought a very excited Lucy in just after. Victoire breezed in last, fashionably late of course, but looking beautiful.

Since Albus and Scorpius didn’t want to see each other dressed in their tuxedos before the wedding, Albus and Audrey marshaled the girls while Scorpius, Hugo, James, and Teddy went into a separate room to try on their tuxedos. None of them had ever worn one before, but luckily there was a fussy little man on hand, Wendella’s assistant, who helped them figure out the studs and bowties and such.

“Wow, I can see why Alby wanted to go with the Muggle look. These are quite fetching,” James remarked, looking at himself in the mirror.

“Yeah,” Hugo said, sounding surprised. “Wait until Kate sees me in this!”

“Very posh,” Scorpius commented, turning around to check his rear view.

“Victoire’s pregnant,” Teddy said.

The other three whirled around. “What now?” James asked incredulously.

“Sorry,” Teddy said, flushing. “I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that. I just… We haven’t told anyone and I had to say something. I was going to explode.”

They all gathered around him, pumping his hand and slapping his back.

“So are you getting married finally?” Hugo asked.

“I reckon so. She wants to wait until after your wedding, Scorpius, before we tell anyone. She doesn’t want Albus to get overshadowed.”

“Well, we appreciate that. He’s a bundle of nerves as it is. But congratulations!”

“Thanks,” Teddy said, smiling. His sandy blonde hair started turning pink, Teddy’s version of a blush.

“Now, don’t do that at the ceremony,” Scorpius warned.

“Why not?”

“You’ll ruin Albus’s careful color scheme.” The others laughed. “I’m serious! Everything is “apple green and ivory.” Pink is not allowed.”

“Well, considering your two maids of honor have red hair, I’d say that’s important,” said a voice from the doorway.

Scorpius turned and his breath caught a little. Rose stood there in her beautiful shining green dress, and she looked absolutely stunning. She saw Scorpius still fiddling with his cufflinks. “Can I help?” she asked. “And why are you blushing, Teddy?”

“We were just taking the mickey. About Victoire, you know,” James said breezily. Apparently sensing that the best friends needed a moment together, he said, “Come on, men. Let’s go let Alby check us over and see if we pass muster.” He left with Teddy and Hugo trailing behind him.

“Rosie,” Scorpius said, holding out his wrist for her to fasten his cufflink. “You look incredible.”

“Thanks,” she said, smiling. Her hair was still up, and it emphasized the graceful line of her neck in the summery gown. Scorpius had to admit that Albus and Astoria had done a perfect job picking the dresses. Rose’s dress was made of a shining pale green material and it had little straps that led to a bodice covered with intricate beadwork. It was tight at the waist but then flounced out in a fluffy skirt that ended at mid-calf. She was wearing matching green high-heeled sandals. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her in heels before. She looked smashing.

“Okay, turn around,” she ordered him, holding up his jacket for him to slip his arms into.

Facing the mirror, he was struck by their appearance. “When did we get so old?” he joked.

She grinned. “We certainly don’t look like schoolchildren, do we? You look absolutely divine, by the way. Didn’t I turn you down once?”

“I seem to remember that.”

“Hmm…” She flicked a piece of lint off his shoulder. “I think I might be regretting that,” she teased, looking at his face in the mirror.

“Maybe I should have tried harder,” he teased back.

She wrapped her arm around his waist and they stood, side-by-side admiring each other. “We do make a lovely couple,” she said.

“Indeed. Unfortunately, my heart has been stolen by another.”

“I know. I shall endeavor to move on, though,” She grinned at him. “In fact I already am.”

“You are?”

“Yes. I started seeing someone. He’s in my program at the hospital. His name is Brad.”

“Brad?” Scorpius wrinkled his nose.

“Shut it, you!” She elbowed him in the ribs. “He’s quite lovely, really.”

“When do I get to meet this Brad and make sure he’s good enough for my best girl?”

“Probably at the wedding. You said I could bring a guest, right?”

“Of course. But not before the wedding? You’re holding out on me.”

“No! I don’t want to have to go without a date, though, and if you scare him off…”

“What makes you think I’d scare him off?”

She pulled a face, and he laughed. “You can be pretty intimidating when you want to be, Sweetie.”

“Well, I might have to threaten him just a little. How can he possibly be good enough for you? Who could be?”

She kissed his temple. “He’s good.”

“And we mean that how?” Scorpius asked with his best dirty arched eyebrow.

“Pervert. We’ve only been going out for a couple of weeks.”

“Well, tell him that he’d better take good care of my girl for me.”

“I will. And he will.”

“Good, because I love you more than you know.”

“Oh, I know. Because I love you that much, too.” He smiled at her. “Now Lily wants to come in and see you in your tuxedo. Can I send her in?”

He kissed her cheek. “Of course she does,” he sighed. “Send her in. I’ll cover my ears.”

“Arrogant,” Rose muttered. But she was smiling. At least until Lily’s ear-splitting squeal.