Rose tried to leave the Potter household.
She didn't make it far.
No, after hearing Russell officially refusing to bring her in on a new case, Teddy pulled her back to the house. In return, Teddy got pied in the face. Rose found it absolutely hilarious. Ginny caught the picture of him being pied by Rose, and she then proceeding to get smothered by whipped kisses.
Throughout the day the family played a variety of pranks on each other. Teddy's favorite was dying Sirius' shampoo which was also Harry's a bright Hufflepuff yellow.
Harry turned his back quickly planning the next prank. This one went on with Aries and Harry's son, James. Though childish he stole their clothes from the bathroom as they showered and took away all the towels.
"HARRY!"
Rose and Harry laughed freely clinking together some butter beer.
Later in the day everyone traveled over to Rose's home and took them to the pool. She wasn't overly fond of showing her skin but she did it anyway. The wolf tattoo on her upper back quickly visible.
Rose set her phone up on the edge of the pool encouraging the family to get closer. Sirius dove under the water swimming between Rose's legs. As he stood he purposely took her with him carrying her on his shoulders.
"Sirius! What the bloody hell are you doing!"
Unbeknownst to her Teddy sets the camera up for rapid photos. Teddy does the same to Aries earning a chuckle from the Potters. Little Lily cuddles into her mother's chest still learning how to properly swim. James and Albus are shoving each other trying to keep the other under the water as Harry attempts to keep them from killing each other.
"Oh, I thought you needed a little lift."
"A what?"
Confused by his statement she isn't prepared for him to use all his strength to shoot her into the air. Rose screams as she flies back into the water.
Teddy grips one of Aries's legs. He stares down at the child, "don't you dare!" Though he doesn't listen. With the pop of his hips, he thrusts Aries over his shoulder splashing into the water. "Teddy!"
The boy bursts out in uncontrollable laughter. Gaining revenge for Aries and Rose, Harry tackles Teddy and Sirius into the water.
"Okay, okay, a serious picture now." Sirius opens his mouth to speak but is shut down quickly. "Don't even think of making a pun."
Aries swims close to them smirking down at her. "My dear, you always make Sirius puns."
"I will kill you, child."
"We're the same age."
"Yet you still act like a child."
"As do you."
"I do not."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No!"
"Yes!"
As the two inched closer to each other Harry pulled Aries as Sirius pulled Rosemund. The four face the camera smiling happily. Teddy joins in for one and then Ginny and the other kids.
The nine of them run inside. Rose and Sirius work in the kitchen making food for the people.
She watches Sirius as he helps make the homemade pizza. "And here I thought you only knew how to boss House Elves around," she jokes.
"Har, har. I'll have you know I do know how to cook just not with m.a.g.i.c," he spells out easily.
She rolls her eyes at him. "You can say it, Pads."
"I was under the impression you didn't want anyone saying anything having to be said about England."
She sighs setting down her knife. "It's what I prefer but I have a little brother who loves school. It's bound to slip and I have to be okay with it."
"Pup, why don't you or Aries talk about it?"
"Why should we? Why should we talk about the worst years of our lives? Don't get me wrong I'm grateful for bonding with you but I can't walk into the Ministry without thinking of losing you. I can't walk into Gringotts without looking over my shoulder afraid of any remainder of Death Eaters swarming the place. Trying to visit my cousin is a nightmare because his home is where I was tortured. I can't go to my favorite place at Hogwarts, the Astronomy Tower, without envisioning my only father and woman I grew to love as a mother disappear before my eyes or seeing the explosion my ex-boyfriend I loved dearly died in. Everything is a bad reminder."
"You do know none of it is your fault," he swipes a tear from the corner of her eye. He swipes at her cheek looking down at her.
She covers her mouth forcing back a deafening scream. She just wants to scream, shout, and let out all the pain and anger bottled up inside her.
"Every person I saw after the war gave me the same look. One of disgust, hurt, pain, and anger. The Dark Lord was dead, dust in the wind, yet when they looked at me they gave the same look they gave him. People personally blamed me. They asked me why it was fair to me to be reborn again while the others who had fallen had no second chance. So yes, I put myself at fault, not entirely but partially. And yes, I do not wish to talk about over there."
Sirius kisses her forehead humming a small tune as he wraps her up in his bare arms. She doesn't shake and she doesn't cry, but rather she listens to his heartbeat. The pattern in the rhythm of his heartbeat soothes her. She finds comfort in his presence and honestly couldn't ask for more.
"I understand you, sweetheart." He pulls away cupping her face. "I see you." Sirius glances up peering over his shoulder. A buff man with black hair and stony eyes stares back at him. He opens an arm inviting him in. Aries strides to the group hugging the two. "I see both of you."
As they sway with their arms around each other they are unaware of Teddy standing down the hall taking a video of the three. This moment to him resembles the hug Aries and Rose share in the film after the war. He figures she would appreciate sharing the moment.
"I took the liberty of inviting one of your friends over. I figured you could use some company."
She eyes Aries warily. "You're going to Harry's?"
He nods ever so slightly as Sirius leaves the room for them to talk. "I have to talk with him at some point."
A kind smile spreads across her face. "You don't have to look so guilty, A. You need time with your father, I understand that."
"Are you sure? He's your family too."
"I know, but he's not my father. I didn't miss the first decade with my father nor did I lose him a year after the fact. Go. Kiss the kids for me."
Aries always admired how supportive she was of his decisions. She understood him like no other. They may not have the same blood but they are brother and sister. Distantly they are cousins but with how they grew up they never saw it that way.
The man passes her and out the door to Harry's car. Staying behind Teddy wraps her in a hug. She kisses the top of his head before ruffling his hair.
"Oh! Before you go do you mind doing something with me?"
"Sure. What?"
A redhead catches her eye and she shouts, "Gin!" The girl spins around nearly jumping.
"Goodness, you scared me, Ro. I thought you'd be outside with the others?"
"I have one last act I want to do with little Teddy here-"
"I'm not little."
"—Shush, child. Anyways, can you capture the picture, please?"
Ginny smiles waving over for her to pass her phone which she does. She slides into the kitchen opens the fridge and pulls out two cans of whipped cream. She hands one to Teddy pulling off the cap.
"Cheers, Teddy."
Catching on to her plan he grins. "Cheers, Rose."
Twisting around each other's arms they spray the whipped cream into their mouths. Ginny's smile turns into a frown. Teddy chuckles kissing her cheek and exiting out the door.
"Rose, these are recreations of—"
"I know..."
"Why?"
She sighs, "they were good times, happier times. Something I want to remember even if it's not with them."
The redhead pouts gently hugging her friend goodbye. "That's so sweet! I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Bye Ginny."
Ginny skips out the door with her red hair bouncing up and down. As the squad leaves her driveway she frowns to herself.
She shakes her head before heading over to her room. She pulls out her computer connecting her phone to it through a chord. There she downloads all the photos taken throughout the day. A selected few become printed. As she waits for the printer to finish she fetches some frames. With the photos in her hand, she trims the photos that need to be done. Placing them in their rightful place she finds various places on the walls.
A picture on her computer catches her eye. It's one of Remus, Sirius, Aries, and Rose. It was back at Grimmauld Place in their sixth year. The four of them were pulled into a picture by Molly. Sirius and Rose sat in chairs while Aries stood off to the side of Sirius and Remus draped his arm across her chest from behind. Her hand clasped over his arm.
She thinks for a moment before printing out the biggest she can. She places that frame in the living area on the left of the tv. To the right of it is the picture of the Potters, Teddy, the Black, and herself messing around with ones on her shoulders and shoving. Across the room on the stairwell is another enormous framed photo of Teddy and Rose with their whipped cream.
She smiles inwardly. The doorbell rings catching her attention. She pats herself down still holding onto a towel. She wraps it around her waist and heads for the door.
"Oh, uh wrong time?"
She genuinely smiles. "Not at all, want to swim?"