Put Your Curse In Reverse [Part 2]

Chapter 14 - Epilogue

Scorpius resisted the urge to skip down the corridor. "Now we've got nothing to worry about until our N.E.W.T.s! And we can relax on our holiday this summer because we know we did fairly well!"

"To be honest, Scorpius, poor O.W.L. results weren't going to keep me from enjoying our holiday to France."

"...Now I can fully enjoy our holiday this summer!"

"I'm just excited to find out more about the origin of your fancy silk pants. Will we be visiting the shop? Will I get to pick your next pairs out?"

Scorpius felt his cheeks warm. A familiar tingle raced down his spine.

"Stop," he grinned. He knocked his hip into Albus's, hoping that'd knock that look from Albus's eyes, but they were still intense and unfairly beautiful. He fidgeted with the hem of his robes. "Stop...."

But Albus continued looking at him with that look, so Scorpius didn't have a choice. He was helpless. He had to pull Albus to a stop and snog him in a cobwebbed alcove. The things he did for love.

They were flustered and out of breath as they stumbled into the mixed-house Common Room, located one flight above the library. It had been in use for six months now, but Scorpius still felt a bit taken aback every time he entered it. The explosion of color, warmth, and the sheer number of students always took him off guard.

"Where are they?" Albus wondered. Scorpius scanned his eyes around the room, searching for their best friends. He grinned a moment later as he locked eyes with Rose. He waved happily.

"There! There they are! C'mon!"

They hurried over to the far corner, where Rose and Iset were sitting with a large group of family and friends. Albus immediately launched into a discussion with Iset about the wand legislation question (a topic they'd both hated learning about) while Scorpius waved at everybody around them. His smile faltered as he spotted James and Nora, sitting together in the farthest armchair, with Harry, Dean Thomas, Lily, Evvie, and Ben surrounding them. Scorpius took one look at Nora's posture and realized something wasn't right. She was gripping her bulbous stomach, her teeth were gritted, and her dark skin was shining beneath a thin sheen of sweat. Scorpius gaped.

"Albus," he said, without tearing his eyes from the scene in front of him. "I think you're about to be an uncle."

"Yeah," Albus agreed, only briefly glancing Scorpius's way. "She's gotten huge, hasn't she? It's actually a bit adorable. Iset, did you put down Ireland for that question about flight regulations?"

"Er...no, Albus, I mean like...presently. I think she's in labor."

"WHAT?!" Albus jumped to his feet, his eyes wide. He turned in place and looked around excitedly, searching for his brother and his brother's fiancée.

"Oh, yeah," Rose told them. She leaned back and reached over, pulling Iset into her side. Iset let her head fall on Rose's shoulder. "Nora's been in labor for hours."

"What?!" Albus repeated "And nobody thought to tell me this?! Where is—" Scorpius reached up, grabbed Albus's hand, and pulled, gently turning him in the right direction, so he could spot Nora and James. He beamed. "Brilliant! C'mon, Scorpius!"

Albus yanked Scorpius to his feet and dragged him over to the armchair the couple was occupying. The contraction seemed to pass right as they approached; Nora collapsed back against James, her hands falling from her stomach. Albus wasted no time shoving Lily off the left arm of the armchair, so he could sit where she'd been.

"Hey!" Lily complained. She aimed a kick at Albus's leg; he hardly seemed to notice. She gave his side a hard push until he'd inched down enough for her to squeeze back onto the arm of the chair, too.