Epilogue the Second - Al

Ridiculous.

I watched, slack-jawed and utterly helpless, as Mum flung plate after plate of mashed potatoes and other starches - not a green in sight, as per one Adela Lancaster's stern orders - into a disarmingly diminutive picnic basket. Her hair, which had been carefully coiffed only an hour earlier (before she'd realized that James had forgotten to make the sides), had escaped the confines of its jeweled hairclip. Beside her, Grandma, who was in a state of equal distress, was hurriedly cooking rashers of bacon by the stove. Our kitchen, which was usually at least presentable, was in a similar disarray, with dozens of pots, pans, and dishes careening through the air.

Again - ridiculous. I didn't know whether I ought to step in and help, laugh, or flee. Beside me, my dad made a half-hearted attempt to prod a particularly rebellious plate of potatoes into the basket.

"THE BANGERS!" Mum bellowed, and the remaining three survivors - er, occupants - in the room all ducked. James had escaped a half hour ago to "reflect on his mistakes" or some rubbish like that, leaving Lily, myself, and Dad to face Mum's stressed wrath.

"WELL? DON'T JUST STAND THERE! GET THEM!" Mum barked.

Lily, who had gone rather pale, elbowed Dad.

"What?" he whispered, tugging nervously at the collar of his suit. He'd given up on corralling the potatoes, which were now hovering jauntily behind his ear.

"Dad," Lily hissed.

"You are the Chosen One," I pointed out, and Dad shot me a look.

I smiled innocently and, reaching behind my back, high-fived my sister as Dad stepped forward gingerly to help Mum with the rest of the preparations.

Sensing an opportunity to escape, I pulled Lily with me as we ran out into the garden, which was overflowing with flowers of every variety and hue. Aunt Fleur had tried nudging Adela towards a tasteful colour palette of pale blues and purples, but Adela, of course, had stubbornly gone for a "as much colour as bloody possible" theme.

This, of course, meant the air was thick with the smell of flowers and, oddly enough, pumpkins, as my wonderful fiancée had also decided on open vats of pumpkin juice. Normally, I would have thought the combination appalling, but somehow it worked, and I found myself taking several deep breaths. Of course, I was more than a little biased, but I felt the day - bangers or no - was almost perfect. All I was missing was one wild-haired, infuriatingly stubborn solicitor.

She was due to arrive in an hour with the guests, and I couldn't wait for the ceremony - our life - to begin. I felt another flutter in my stomach as I thought about all the years ahead of us. Between the events at Hogwarts and the war only two years before, I was all too aware of how fleeting time could be. Who knew when the next Ragnuk would appear?

I felt my hand tighten around my wand. Even after all these months, I still found myself half-expecting the goblin to appear. In my dreams, I felt Adela die over and over again and each time was worse than the last.

Something shifted behind me, and I whirled, snapping a hand out instinctively. The thing fluttered wildly in my palm, and I forced my fist to relax, revealing a small, yellow butterfly.

Relax. I needed to relax.

I watched the butterfly flit away, still clenching my wand, as my sister approached me slowly.

"Are you nervous?" I heard Lily ask. "Marriage is a big step."

I looked at her, briefly wondering when she had grown up. "No," I said, slipping my wand into my pocket. "No, I'm not nervous."

- and I wasn't. I'd known Adela was special since the moment I'd met her (or, more accurately, since the moment she'd barreled into me).

Lily slipped an arm around me. "I call first dibs on naming any children," she said.

"Adela might object to that," I said.

She paused. "Any cats?"

"Mm…"

"Brooms?"

"James has got that already. Hey, I know, you can name the toilet! That hasn't been taken y-"

Lily scowled, shoving me away. "Prat," she muttered.

"That's what brothers are for," I answered.

Before my sister could respond, there was another loud bang as the door slammed open, revealing Mum and a visibly shaken Dad. "The food," she heaved, "is ready - no thanks to my ungrateful children to whom I granted the humble gift of, oh, life."

I snorted, quieting instantly when Mum glared at me. "Albus, the guests will be here any moment - are you sure you're read-"

Bang.

I turned, grinning as a few dozen wizards and witches began appearing all along the garden. I craned my neck, distractedly returning smiles as some guests clapped me on the back, as I searched for Adela.

"Al, congratulations-" a witch with greying hair - some relation on Mum's side? - smiled at me, patting my arm.

"Thank you," I muttered, brushing past her. Another wizard appeared, cutting off my escape.

"Albus! Wonderful work nabbing Gravba the other week - read all about in the paper, didn't we, Martha?"

"Yes, thank you-"

I strode through the throngs of people, searching for that one, wild hair of head -

"Albus, my boy! Spiffing, fantastic job with your Auror duties! Why, you're a chip off the old block!"

Merlin, would it ever -

Oh. I felt my shoulders relax. "Really? Do you really think so? Oh, golly gee, I'm ever so grateful to hear that praise - tell me more about how wonderful I am," I said.

I heard an annoyed huff, and my smile broadened as I turned, facing Adela. My eyes widened. Merlin, she was stunning. She was wearing a white suit with a small, cat-shaped pin at the lapel, and her dark hair was delightfully unbound. This was my best friend and the person I wished to spend the rest of my life with. This was home.

"How did you know it was me?" she complained.

"It's the Auror duties," I said, tapping my temple. "Grants me special abilities."

She let out a loud snort as I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around her waist. She smelled like she did all those years back in Hogwarts - of cinnamon and parchment and the wind.

"Ridiculous," Adela murmured, and I smiled, brushing my lips against the top of her wild hair.

"That's why you love me," I said.

"Hm," she said, tracing her own hand against my slim black tie. "I suppose. Although, I have to say, your Mum's cooking is a big plus. In fact, why use the middle man at all? I should just go after her-"

I shuddered. "Too soon - there was a whole incident with potatoes today. I'm still recovering."

Adela laughed. "I wondered why Lily refused to touch the potatoes - usually she's all for them."

"I don't know if she'll ever look at potatoes the same way again."

"More for me, I suppose," Adela said. She looked at the crowds of laughing people around us, and I felt her back stiffen.

"Ragnuk?" I whispered.

She nodded, still scanning the bushes.

"Hey," I said, touching her cheek. She looked at me, and I smoothed the furrow between her brows. "I feel it too."

"I know," she said and shook her head. "I'm not letting that git ruin our wedding. Besides, if anyone tries to disrupt the event, I'm prepared."

"Prepared?" I took a step back, eying her suit. It didn't look like there was much room to hide anything -

She tapped the cat pin. "I have ol' Bessie 2.0 right here," she said. "It can spray burning hot bacon grease at anything within five meters."

I couldn't help but laugh. "And that," I said, pulling her close, "is why I love you."

"KISS. KISS. KISS," came a distant chant, and I looked up to see Scorpius and Seth cheering us on and, of all things, waving giant, flashing hearts high above their heads.

Adela had turned bright red, and I grinned. "I love when you do that," I whispered.

She scowled. "Oh, sod off, prat." Then, pulling me by the tie, she kissed me soundly.

AN: It's been so long! Hello! Here is my very, very delayed gift to accioteddylupin for being the 1000th reviewer! I am so, so grateful to all of you - thank you so much for sticking with me, Al, and Adela on this massive journey. I read all of your comments, and they honestly mean the world to me - thank you again!