Harry Potter Next Generation: Transforming a Legacy

Chapter Seven: Big Girls Don't Cry (Rose)

Slowly I poured a cup of coffee, watching the steam rise into the air, creating shapes that fascinated me like never before. One hand was on the coffeepot, the other was on my stomach as I paced the kitchen. I was going to give Scorpius an earful on abandoning me as soon as I saw him again.

Did he know I was pregnant?

As I settled down on one of the many comfortable chairs in our living room, I imagined being reunited with my husband, watching our daughter play with toys on the floor. I hoped it was a little girl— I had had enough with boys at this point.

It was an almost magical thing that knowing I was pregnant had done for me. My mind, was so intense at worrying was finally slowed down. The perhaps suicidal thoughts that I had been thinking about for so many years disappeared, now that I knew that I had a little baby depending on me for life. Depending on me for hope.

But this peace only lasted until the coffee had been drunk up, and a team of Aurors came storming into my house— telling me that my mother had died and that I was the new Minister of Magic.

I was feeling like a little girl playing dress-up as I sat in the Minister of Magic's desk. I had been sworn into office naught but twenty seconds ago. A team of Aurors and Department Heads, along with reporters from the Daily Prophet were gathered around my desk. Hazel Malfoy was also there, standing as far away from Albus as possible. They were both ignoring each other.

I wanted to run away and hide somewhere. Instead I had to run the Wizarding World of Britain.

"Harry," I said, unsure of how to address him as Minister, "have your Aurors reached a conclusion about the perpetrator of this act?"

My uncle had several tears in his eye for the passing of one of his most loyal friends, but his voice didn't waver or shake as he replied, "Yes."

I sat up straighter. "Really? That's...great." Many of the Aurors were staring at me with concern. "What?" I challenged.

"Nothing." Harry said quickly.

He was lying. I looked around the gathering people. Then I realized that Hazel wasn't just ignoring Albus because of their dispute over marriage, she was ignoring everyone in the room. Then I realized that there were tears in Hazel's eyes. Hazel didn't cry— not even when her father and mother died did she cry.

"What's wrong?" I said, shocked. "Hazel?" No one spoke, and angrily I rose out of my seat. "As the Minister of Magic, I have a right to know what is going on in my own government! You know who killed my mrother— now tell me who."

In an instant Hazel broke down into noisy sobs and wails. She was trying to say something, but was too distraught to make her words comprehendible. As a handsome Hispanic with a man-bun led her out of the room I began to feel scared. I didn't like the feeling of fear, and so I sought to terrify the weakest person I knew in the room.

"Albus," I spat to my cousin. "Tell me right now  who killed my mother or I swear to the dephs of Hell  I will make you regret it."

The so-called Gryffindor stared at me, his eyes wandering to anyplace but me. Finally he muttered something.

"What?" I didn't have ultrasonic hearing.

There was a long, painful pause where Albus screwed up his eyes and opened them like he was afraid I was going to hit him. When he finally said the name, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I sat down in my seat, not hearing anything but the pounding of blood thundering through my brain.

"No," I whispered. My face felt cold, and a cold sweat sprung out on my forehead. "He couldn't have, he couldn't."

I was still whispering those words hours later.