Harry Potter: 19 Years Later

Chapter 28: Welcome Home Albus and Rose

After supper, Rose's father announced that Rose and Albus each had a present to open. Presents? This night was just full of surprises. Uncle Harry walked over holding two identical medium-sized presents, each wrapped in Gryffindor colors wrapping paper. Very clever. It was probably Rose's mother's idea. 

"Hope you guys like them," Uncle Harry said, handing her and Albus the presents. 

The present was decently heavy in Rose's hands. Albus shook his present, indicating that it indeed had multiple items inside. Something told Rose that her and Albus's presents were going to be similar. Albus whispered to her, "Wonder what's inside them?"

"Only one way to find out," Rose said, beginning to tear the scarlet and gold wrapping paper off of the box on her lap. Once she got the paper off, she opened the box. She didn't know what to say. "New school uniform?"

She held up one of her new Hogwarts uniforms, feeling the soft fabric of the gray jumper between her fingers. Inside the box were five sets of uniforms, consisting of five Gryffindor jumpers and white button up blouses, three gray skirts, and two pairs of gray pants. She also got a new set of robes, two striped ties, and a new wand. Rose almost forgot that she didn't even touch her wand while she was in the hospital, due to the fact that it was probably lost during...the incident.

Rose glanced over at Albus, who was holding up his new robe and his new wand. There were tears in his eyes.

"They weren't able to recover your wands, so we got you new ones," said Rose's mother, smiling. "We also figured you needed new uniforms and dress robes for when you go back to school in two days, since both of your bodies have changed.

Both of Rose and Albus's eyes widened and they blushed. What was that supposed to mean? Then Rose saw it. Albus had grown much taller and and his shoulders were a bit wider. Probably from his final growth spurt during his coma. Then Rose looked down at herself, which was a bit awkward since her family was watching her. Her eyebrows wrinkled in confusion when she saw how flat her stomach was from losing so much weight while in her coma. It didn't poke out slightly like it used to. Plus her body was surprisingly curvier. 

Rose realized that her and her friends had all changed. The coma caused them to grow up. She tried to decide if that was a good thing or scary thing. Definitely both.

"Thank you," Rose said gratefully. "Thank you so much."

Then Rose went and hugged her parents and Hugo, while Albus went and hugged his parents and siblings. Rose was glad this night happened. 

But of course it had to end. It was getting late, so Rose's more distant family members bid everyone goodbye and Apparated back to their homes, or for the younger ones, back to Hogwarts. Uncle Harry offered to take James, Lily, and Hugo back to Hogwarts, so they also left. Grandma Weasley, Rose's mother, and Aunt Ginny began cleaning up the kitchen, while Rose's father passed out on the couch. Of course. 

Rose and Albus decided to play a round of wizard chess upstairs since they weren't tired yet for bed. Over the few hours they played, Rose happily beat Albus each time, making him get up and leave the room like the dramatic sore loser he was. Rose got up and followed him downstairs to the kitchen, while he grabbed a butterbeer out of the fridge. 

"Al, don't be a sore loser. Just face your defeat like a man," Rose teased, watching him struggle opening the bottle of butterbeer in his hands. So much for being a man.

"I am not!" Albus replied, sounding like a five year old. Then he huffed and handed the bottle to Rose. "Open this, please!"

Rose chuckled and wrapped her hand around the rim of the bottle, easily snapping it off with a pop. She handed the bottle back to Albus, while he stared at her in disbelief. 

"I totally loosened that for you," he said, blushing. "Just don't tell Holly or James."

Rose smirked. "I can't make any promises." Then she yawned.

Before she could bid Albus a good night, there was a frantic knock on the door. The sudden pounding on the wooden door made Albus drop his butterbeer, making him curse out loud. If only his mother heard him.

Rose looked at Albus. "Go open it, Al. It could be a stranger."

Albus shook his head. "No way, I'm not opening it! You're closer, why don't you open it?"

Rose honestly didn't want to risk her chances of possibly being killed by a crazy lunatic at her grandparent's front door. "Because I'm a girl. Now be a man and open it!"

Albus didn't budge. Finally, Rose huffed out muttering, "Wimp," and slowly made her way to the door. She grabbed the first possible weapon she could use if it were a murderer, which happened to be a wooden spoon, and shakily unlocked the locks on the door. She glanced back at Albus, who was obviously holding back a laugh, then turned around and slowly turned the knob. Rose gasped at who she saw. 

"Holly, what are you doing here?" Rose exclaimed at her best friend, who was standing outside the doorway shivering from the cold. She opened the door wider and allowed Holly to come inside. "How in Merlin did you even get here?"

Albus rushed over with a blanket and wrapped it around his girlfriend's shoulders, then pulled her close to him. Holly replied through chattering teeth, "I-I Apparated here. I have b-big news. D-do you have any hot cocoa?"

"Got it," Albus muttered, rushing to the kitchen to make the hot chocolate for Holly. 

Rose then did a double take. "Wait, you Apparated? How did you do that? You're only in your fifth year!" She had to admit, she was quite jealous that Holly had mastered Apparation before she did. 

Holly shrugged like it was no big deal. Of course this was a big deal! For Rose, at least. "I have my ways."

Moments later, Albus returned with a cup of hot chocolate, handing it to Holly. She began sipping at it immediately. Then Rose remembered what else Holly had said when she walked in. 

"Holly, did you say you have big news?" 

Holly's eyes lit up as she remembered. "Oh yes! They found mine and Scorpius's parents!" 

"WHAT??"

~ ~ ~

Cliffhanger! Haha, sorry about that.

Anyways, hope you liked this chapter! I decided to make it lighter and happier this time. Remember to press vote and comment what you thought! Thanks for reading :)