The next week was a blur of events. A funeral for Professor Jamus was set up, to be held two days after the unfortunate event. The Minister of Magic himself, Kingsley Shacklebolt (who was appointed Minister after the Battle for Hogwarts, and never left the post), came to the ceremony, and gave his utmost condolences to everyone.
The entire student body, and the staff and guests, dressed in simple black robes for the funeral, and they sat in the Great Hall. It had been an open-casket; his body had been mended and cleaned after he had died.
The students were sent home, despite it being only five days into the term. Ian Zabini had not yet been found; word came from Hogsmeade that he had been seen fleeing down the streets before news of the attack had reached them, and had disappeared into the forest on its edge.
The train ride home was deadly silent. Rose sat by Scorpius, her head leaned on his shoulder and her eyes glazed over. Alaina and Albus were in one corner, Albus' arm around the younger girl's shoulder. Lily and Thomas sat awkwardly across from each other, and James sat even more awkwardly beside Thomas.
–Well this is depressing,†he muttered, and every head turned to glare at him. –What? It is!â€
–Of course it's depressing, moron,†Albus retorted. –Someone died. Do you expect us all to be cheerful again?â€
–No,†he responded in a thick voice, –but I don't think Professor Jamus would want us all moping about. He was always very energetic, wasn't he? He wasn't one for milling around, not doing anything.†They all had to agree with him.
Thomas glanced at Lily, who winked at him and shrugged. –I think James has a point here,†he said quietly, patting James on the shoulder. –We all have to be strong about this. Once Zabini is caught, we'll be back at school, and eventually everything will go back to normal. At least, almost.â€
–That's true,†Rose piped up, speaking for the first time that day. –You all know I'm going to miss Professor Jamus as much as anyone, but look at this. Look at us. In a way, this has brought us all closer together. If you ask me, I think this was almost a test. I think there's going to be something, something soon, and we need to be united if we're to survive it.†The silence took over again, everyone returning to their own thoughts.
The train rolled into the station, and kids slowly began to unload.
–Rosie! Hugo!†Hermione cried as the two siblings bounded off the train and into their mother's waiting arms. Rose's brother had been with his friends, and she somehow managed to forget him. She regretted it then. –I'm so glad you both are safe.â€
Rose hugged her mother tightly, her chin against her neck. She watched Albus, James, and Lily hurry to her aunt and uncle, hugging them both.
Her father was standing over them, obviously debating whether or not to join. Rose pulled back and extended her arm to him, and he hugged her and her brother tightly.
The moment ended quickly. The others came over to them then, smiling sadly.
–We'll be heading home then, I suppose,†Harry said as they approached, looking put out. –Hopefully the school will open its doors again soon, and everything will return to normal.â€
–Here's hoping,†Rose's father said, shaking his best friend's hand firmly. –We'll have to have dinner some night, let the kids keep being around each other.â€
–That's a right idea, Ronald,†Ginny said with a smile, gripping Harry's arm lightly. –Bye.â€
–See you later, Al!†Rose said sadly, thumping her cousin on the back. –Make sure to write, yeah?â€
–Alright,†he responded with a grin. He turned to follow his family from the platform, and Rose's family quickly followed suit.
The car ride home was silent, though not as heavy as the one in the compartment. They stopped for ice cream on their way, and Hugo and Rose spent the ride eating it happily. After unloading their luggage and owl cages from the trunk, they trooped inside and quickly dispersed to their own corners of the house; Rose and Hugo wandered into their respective bedrooms, while their parents drifted to the living room.
As Rose sat uncomfortably on her bed, she looked around her room, which differed so greatly to her dormitory at school. Her electric alarm clock (off, seeing as she had left for school), the large TV mounted on her wall that she had gotten as a gift for her fourteenth birthday, as a gift from her mum's parents. The only thing that made her mildly comforted was the large fireplace, a bucket of Floo Powder on the mantle. A small fire was crackling in it; her parents must have set it before they had left to retrieve her and her brother.
She stood and walked slowly over to it, taking a seat in the large, plushy armchair that sat beside it, and stared into the flame.
–Rose!†an incredibly familiar voice exclaimed, and she jumped when the fire flashed to green and Albus' face appeared. –What a surprise!â€
–Albus!†she cried, dropping onto her knees before the fire. He grinned impishly at her.
–Miss me?†he teased.
–I saw you only what, two hours ago?†she said, laughing. –Are you really that clingy?â€
–Well if you don't want my company...†he said slowly, making like he was going to pull his head from the flames.
–No, no, I'm sorry!†she giggled, waving her hand. –I'm just playing with you. Have you heard anything from Scorpius or Thomas? I forgot to look for them before we left the platform, and I feel kind of bad about it.†Albus' head suddenly retracted, and was replaced by Scorpius'.
–Hello!†he smirked. –Fancy seeing you here.
–Scorpius?†she said, raising her eyebrow and leaning in closer to the fire. –Where are you?â€
–The Potters'!†he explained, tossing his hair from his eyes. –Albus here caught up with my parents and I on our way out, and invited me over. So here I am. How're you holding up?â€
–I'm alright,†she said quietly, tucking her fiery red hair behind her ear. –Better now that I remember I have a link with you two dunderheads for this blasted break, but still a bit upset.â€
–Do you think your parents would let you come here, with the Floo Powder?†he asked her.
–Not today, I'd reckon,†Rose said sadly, fingering her carpet. –Mum was really worried, after she'd heard about the professor. She probably won't want us to leave today, so soon.â€
–Right, right, understandable,†he muttered, –but still sad all the same. I guess we'll just have to have loads of fun without you here.â€
–Bah! Jerk!†she whimpered, and he laughed loudly. There was a snicker from Scorpius' side, and his head was pushed out of the way by Albus'.
–If you two lovebirds would please stop with the gross flirting,†Rose's face turned bright red. –Ah, got you, didn't I? Anyways, if you two could stop flirting, we must make our departure now, Rosie.â€
–Do you have to?†she whined. –It's really quite dull here.â€
–'Fraid so,†Albus replied. –Mum's got dinner ready, and she'll have our hides if we're not down the stairs soon.â€
–Well, okay,†she said reluctantly. –See you two later.†She heard a yell from the other side of the fire, but the original color returned to the flame before anything could happen. Sighing, she went and threw herself onto her bed. This was going to be an agonizingly long break.
~*~
–Rose, sweetheart?†Hermione whispered as she pushed the door to her daughter's room open slowly, sticking her head in. –Are you awake, dear?â€
Rose was sprawled out on her bed, surrounded by books and papers.
–Hi Mum,†she greeted softly, looking up from her work.
–What're you doing?†her mother asked curiously, coming in and taking a seat on the end of her bed.
–Some homework from the classes we had the day of the... incident. With everything's that's happened, I didn't get a chance to do it. I had Charms, Transfiguration, and Herbology that morning,†she explained distractedly, shuffling a pile of papers absently.
–Good girl,†Hermione said with a smile. –Why don't you take a break for a bit, though? I've got dinner ready downstairs.â€
–Yeah, okay,†Rose agreed, snapping the book in her lap shut. –I'll be down in a second.â€
With a serene smile, Hermione lifted herself to her feet and left. Rose glanced out the window on her wall that faced the east, similar to the window on her opposite wall. She remembered, as a young girl, how she would wake up to the sunrise and go to bed as it set, always watching it in wonder from her windows. Forcing herself off her bed, she left her room behind and made her way slowly downstairs, the amazing smell of hamburgers drifting to her.
–That smells great, Mum,†she said as she kissed her mother on the cheek and grabbed a plate.
She sat down with her food and ate silently, not taking part in the banter between her parents and younger brother.
–Rose!†her father said, snapping in front of her face and pulling her from her thoughts. –Are you listening?â€
–Sorry, what?†she said sheepishly. –Were you speaking to me?â€
–I was,†Ron said with a grin, which she responded to. –I asked if you'd like to go to the Potters' tomorrow. We were speaking with them before the train arrived, and invited you over. And the Jamisons invited Hugo over to be with Alexa and Trevor.â€
–Oh, yeah!†Rose cried. –That would be awesome! I was speaking to them earlier, and Scorp is there too.â€
–When did you speak to them?†her mother asked suspiciously.
–Oh, er,†she muttered. –Albus used Floo to talk to me.†Her parents exchanged glances. –What?â€
–Nothing,†her father said quickly. She looked between them with narrowed eyes, but they both stood and took their plates to the sink, ending the discussion. Rose got up as well and retreated back to her room.
Never The Same by foreverandalways14
Chapter Notes: Sorry about the wait time and the fact that there's so little in this chapter. It's sort of a filler, the next one is likely to be as well.... sorry!!! Review Review! :D
Chapter Endnotes: Thanks for reading, more soon! REVIEWWW :)