Harry Potter: 19 Years Later

Chapter 28: Welcome Home Albus and Rose

Here we go, Rose thought to herself, taking a deep breath. Although she didn't know why she was nervous. This was just a family party, right? She should be used to these kinds of occasions.

Rose huffed out another breath, smoothing out the wrinkles on her long, cream-colored jumper that hung on her body loosely. She wanted to clean herself up just a bit; enough to where her family members wouldn't think she's completely lost it. One last time, she ran her hand over the top of her hair, which was of course frizzy as it is any other day. Hopefully, her puffy eyes wouldn't reveal how much she'd been crying. Too late to worry about it now, she thought, as she made her way down the long set of stairs towards the bottom level of the Burrow.

As soon as her feet touched the flooring at the bottom of the steps and rounded the corner, she stopped short when she discovered way more people than usual in the Weasley living room. There were at least fifty people crammed inside the house. Then everyone grinned and screamed, "Welcome home, Rose!" 

Rose tried to speak, but her mouth moved without generating words, making her look like a fish gasping for air. So, she just laughed and smiled, trying not to cry anymore than she already had that day. Rose's mother walked over to her and wrapped her arms her, kissing her hair. 

"Hello, darling," her mother said warmly, her tone similar to a mother speaking to a young child. "Would you like some dinner? You must be starving." Rose's mother continued holding her like she would slip away...again.

"I'd love some food," Rose said, only agreeing to eat to please her mother. Sure, she was hungry, but she was also afraid that she might vomit it up from thinking about Scorpius never returning.

No. Tonight is not about him. My entire family is here for me and Albus.

Grandma Weasley conjured up a larger dining room table to fit everyone, and then used her wand to transfer everything that was cooking on the stove and in the oven to the middle of the table. Rose's eyes widened at the array of food in front of her. With this much food, there would be tons of leftovers, which was rarely said in the Weasley household. Then, Grandma Weasley carried a huge object that was covered with a metal lid and set it in the center of the table, right in front of Albus. When the lid was pulled off, Albus's eyes widened in amazement.

"Bloody hell," Albus muttered, earning flick on the head from Aunt Ginny for cursing. Although he had a reason to curse. In front of him was a huge, 5-tier holder full of deviled eggs. Also known as Albus's favorite holiday food. Yup, it was a party now.

"I didn't forget about you either, Rosie," said Grandma Weasley, as she set down a covered food item in front of Rose. What could it be? When it was uncovered, Rose gasped.

"You made me a red velvet cake?" Rose exclaimed, staring at the 3-layered cake hungrily. It was covered with Grandma Weasley's famous cream cheese frosting. 

Grandma Weasley chuckled. "Yes, dear. Now, now, wait until after you eat your supper before you eat any cake!" 

Rose didn't argue. She immediately dug into her food, not caring if she looked like a complete pig. This occasion was exactly what she needed to feel better. She didn't even think about you-know-who the whole time. 

Finally, Rose started devouring the red velvet cake, not even caring that she's eaten three slices of it. Let her family judge.

"Damn, Rosie," muttered James, also earning a flick on the head from Aunt Ginny and even Uncle Harry. Rose just now realized that James was 18 years old now, and he looked quite grown up. 

"Merlin, why do my children have the mouth of sailors tonight?" Aunt Ginny muttered to herself, holding a tiny spoonful of gross-looking baby food towards Ariana's face. She ended up spitting it on the floor.