Chapter 82: Can’t catch a break

Rose’s narrow win made Rick the proudest father. Not only did she survive a task meant for people three years older than her but her display was the most impressive and she came first. It was a peculiar feeling to be worried to death, hopeful and proud at the same time.

He got a big hug and a big loving kiss on the cheek from her. A form of thank you for teaching her chemistry and alchemy a bit when she was younger because she found it really interesting. It was a bit of a tantrum she had. Having witnessed her father change some metal into another had been fascinating and she wanted to learn how to do it too. Of course when she said she wanted to learn something the answer was never no.

Her siblings were all over their big sister when they finally got sight of her after the task. Even Vega did. They all have been very scared for her. So were they friends. Susan did her very best not to cry but Rose knew her fellow redhead and best friend well. Proof was that she didn’t let her go. Until it was time for curfew.

The Champions’ success in getting their golden egg allowed them a hint for the second task in February. What the hint was they didn’t know and didn’t speak about it with each other. It was one thing to be fair play when you get information from an outside source that shouldn’t have talked to you, it was another to figure out the clue for yourself. What Rose knew so far about the egg was two things. Weird writings she didn’t recognize were carved on it and it made the most horrible sound when she opened it. Since she had three months to uncover the clue and its meaning she wasn’t in a hurry. Especially when there was a more important and dreadful event awaiting her.

The Yule ball.

It wasn’t anything new for her. She had been brought with her parents to a few before going to Hogwarts. It was, however, the first time she needed to have a date and would open the ball. Dancing, she knew. She had been taught by her grandmother in her youth. Having a date however? She wasn’t comfortable with that by a mile but she did have options.

Still during a week-end, she, Susan and Hermione went to visit her mother to have a nice talk over tea. To her annoyance Bella was there too. That complicated things a bit, as Bella was kind of aggressive regarding affection and didn’t know much about romance. Not beyond her experience with her husband.

“So. What brought up this meeting girls? Not like I’m not happy to have you for tea but after three years it’s the first time.”

“It’s about the Yule Ball obviously, Lily. They want to know how to get a date!”

“Merlin, Bella, you can be such a Gryffindor sometimes.” The exasperation in Lily’s voice would have been funny if the girl were not part of the conversation. “Tact, remember what it is?”

“Yes and it’s useless in romance. Look at how I got our husband? No tact, straight to a duel.”

“That’s not how it happened exactly and you know it!”

“Details! Who cares about them?!”

“Hm? What about if I don’t want a date?”

Lily and Bella stopped their bickering to look at Rose.

“Sweetie, you’re a champion, you can’t not have a date.”

“I doubt there aren’t any boys not throwing themselves at you and asking you out.”

“Oh, it’s not about Rose not being able to get a date.” said Susan with an angry expression that no one understood where it came from.

“Plenty of boys asked her out already. Multiple times in the case of Dodderidge.” snickered Hermione.

“Hermione!”

“What? It’s true, Rose.”

Lily was surprised by this. “Wait! Dodderidge? As in James’ son?”

“Yes, mom. He’s been asking me out since the second day of school in our first-year. Can’t take the hint.”

“... Like father, like son I guess.”

“Not really. From what I heard from Uncle Remus and Sirius about their time at Hogwarts, Henry is nothing like his father.”

“Except he’s madly over heels for you. But yes, Henry is a rather nice guy. A bit arrogant but no more than most of the boys on a regular basis.” Hermione provided more information.

“He’s no bully, mom.”

“Well, that’s good. And a bit weird about his fascination with you when his father was fascinated with me. But that’s beside the point. If boys are asking you out, what's the problem?”

“I don’t want to go with someone I don’t have feelings for. I don’t mean love necessarily. I mean at least liking them as friends. Someone I’m comfortable being so close to when dancing.”

“...” Lily didn’t quite know what to say.

“... Did you ask Draco?” Bella ventured.

“I… was thinking about it. Since he’s not interested in anyone for now but I think he already asked Daphne.”

“We’re pretty sure they’re each others…” began Susan but couldn’t get around finding the right words.

Bella leaned forward with a serious expression on her face. “Sextoy?”

Lily reacted on the spot with outrage and indignation. “BELLA!”

“What?!”

“They’re fourteen!”

“Oh, right.”

Rose took a deep breath. She loved her aunt Bella. She really did. Sometimes, though, she just wanted to sew her lips together.

“They’re each other… shield I suppose. No girls are asking Draco out and no boys are asking Daphne out.”

Lily had another name in mind. “What about Neville? Would you be comfortable with him?”

“Yes, mom. Except he got hoodwinked by Camy and Sage.”

“... Both of them?” Lily was taken aback by her twin daughters' actions.

“Yup.”

Bella began to cackle at that. She knew the twins very well. They went after what they wanted and apparently it was the same boy. She was sure that Neville Longbottom never even had the choice to decline. To the side Lily didn’t know if she should be furious with her daughters, proud or exasperated. She chose to focus back on Rose.

“Duncan? No, he’s one year too young to- or not if you invite-.”

“He’s going with Hannah as a friend.” shared Susan. “I think it's so he can attend the ball and will spend his time with the twins while Hannah and Neville spend theirs together.”

Lily was inwardly delighted that his daughters and Duncan seemed to have a thing for each other. Her children and Marlene’s child being together was a dream she had long been sharing with her sister of choice. “Ronald?”

Rose sighed in amusement and surrender. “Ronald is not yet at the age to realize that I’m a girl. Neither any of the girls in our group for that matter.”

“It’s like we’re still his pals from first-year.” Hermione added.

“And I have those!” Grabbing her heavy robe covered breasts with her hands, Susan juggled with them for a bit. “He’s that dense!” Lily winced at the information about Molly’s youngest boy while Bella started laughing again.

“... One of his brothers?”

“Fred is going with Angelina and George with Alicia Spinnet.”

“... I-”

“That leaves only your father and Remus as far as I know.” Bella commented and Rose winced because it was true. She would feel comfortable with both but they were her father and godfather and that would be a scandal. “Why not a girl?”

“Bella!” The irony of Lily protesting was partially lost on Bella.

“What?! Lily, it’s 1995! Not 1895. Besides, wasn’t your first date Marlene?”

“Yes but-”

“““IT WAS?!”””

That was unbelievable news to the three fourth-years. It was especially a shock to Rose and Susan who grew up together and never heard that story.

“As friends! It was-”

“Nobody cares about the reasons!” Bella cut in. “You were on a date with each other as friends! Why can’t Rosie go with a girl as friends too when we were listing all the boys she could go as friends with?”

That left Lily speechless and Rose thinking. She liked that idea. She liked it very much. The picture of her dancing with a redhead in her arms crossed her mind and she instinctively blushed. Could she ask? Certainly, she was a Gryffindor, she had the courage to do things. Would she? That was a whole other matter. ‘Would she say no?’ was the question that plagued her mind. She revised her opinion on Bella being present.

‘It’s not like she had to stay with me the whole ball. It’s just for the opening dance. She can spend her time with a boy afterwards.’

That last thought didn’t please her much and she didn’t know where it came from so she ignored it. “Susan, would you mind accompanying me for the opening dance? You can go with your date afterwards.”

“Sure, I’d love to, Rose.”

The million watts smile Susan gave Rose made Lily and Bella exchange a silent and discreet glance. Lily had been surprised but Bella simply smirked knowingly.

“Now we just need to find Hermione a date.” joked Suasan.

“Yeah.”

The muggleborn immediately perked up and began to panic. “What?! No, nonononono. You don’t need to find me a date. I’m good.”

“You already have one?”

“Who?”

“I-I.. Hm. That’s… Thank-you-for-the-tea-bye!”

The bushy haired witch ran out of the room and was quickly followed by her friends, leaving behind the two adult ladies.

“Sooooo. Little ickle Suzie is enamored with our little ickle Rosie.” The smugness didn’t only reflect in her voice but on her face.

Lily’s answer was dry. “I never knew you knew the word ‘enamored’.”

“Cut the crap, Lily! Are you happy a version of you is finally getting her Amelia?”

“Rose is hardly-”

“Lily.”

“Susan is not Amelia!” She changed target because Rose was an exact copy of her, minus her personality which was more her father’s and she didn’t want to talk about this.

“She bloody looks like she’s growing up to be like her. Have you seen the size of those tits?! They’re almost bigger than mine and she’s only fourteen! And her ass?”

“She’s FOURTEEN!”

“So is Rosie! How old were you when you realized you liked girls too, hm?”

“... Fifteen. Halfway to sixteen.” the redhead sighed in defeat. “But what I felt for Amelia and what I felt for Rick was different.”

“So? Amelia may not be a lesbian, which sometimes I have some doubt about, and that’s why you got the deal you got but we’re talking about Rosie here. She has never displayed any strong affection towards a boy. Except her father maybe. Yet barely ten seconds after putting on the table the possibility of going with a girl she asked Susan out. Let’s not forget she felt the veela’s allure. She wouldn’t have if she wasn’t at least attracted to women.”

“... Her name is Fleur.” Lily deflected while wondering if her daughter was like her.

Her love for Rick was born from a very traumatic event and while she found many boys and men handsome, she never felt herself attracted to them as strongly as women. Physically speaking she prefered Amelia to Rick and that was despite thinking of him as the most handsome and most attractive man she has ever met. At thirty five and after seventeen years of marriage, he could still make her wet her panties with just a look and a smile.

“Stop thinking about our man for a second and let's get back to Rosie.” Bella was snapping her fingers in front of Lily’s face.

“I wasn’t!”

“Sure, you weren’t.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you of all peo-”

“ROSIE. NOW.”

“... I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t mind if Rose had feelings for Susan. I mean, not because they’re both girls, obviously.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”

“But… Potter and Bones together? I liked the idea before. I like it now. I mean… No offence Bella but Rick and Amelia together? That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Sex-wise, I mean.”

“None taken. I’ve seen the memories and I agree. Shamed we can’t rope her in.”

“Yeah.” Lily said with a bit of regret, wishful thinking, and a far away look. That didn’t last long when she heard the door to her office close and lock.

Looking up she saw Bella removing her sweater and her T-shirt in one go, revealing her naked torso.

“We’re not leaving this room until I’m satisfied.”

Lily smirked, liking the idea.

In the meantime, at Lions’ Pride. Rick was looking at Narcissa and Andromeda dressing back up from the bed they had completely messed up. While the middle Black Sister was putting up clothes without anything in mind, the youngest did it with purpose. Sensually to tease the father of her daughter, soon to be daughters she was sure. In her acromantula silk royal blue lingerie, she went back to bed to peck him on the lips. She wasn’t in love with Rick but she loved him well enough for everything he did for her. Mind blowing orgasm not counting.

“I’m pregnant again.” she announced with a smirk at the corner of her lips.

Immediately, Andromeda was on the bed. “You are?! That’s wonderful Cissy!”

Rick gave her a pleased smile. “It is. Do I get to name them this time?”

“Of course not.”

“That’s not fair! This is my child too!”

“Your naming sense is terrible.” commented Andromeda.

“Look who’s talking! You named your daughter Nymphadora Vulpecula!”

“And it’s a perfectly acceptable pureblood name for a Black. You, on the other hand, named your store ‘Up Your Arsenal’! You lost your naming rights that day.” Narcissa had a point there.

Ricked sighed deeply in surrender.  “Will there be more? Children I mean?”

“I’m good with Nymphadora and Atria.”

“Three is enough. Why? Don’t want more?”

“It’s not that. It’s just… I never really have time for myself. With Rigella, I thought I would have to wait a bit more for that to happen when she goes to Hogwarts. I mean… I have plenty of children from two families and some extended families to take care of. Almost all my free time is dedicated to them. The rest of it goes to Lily, Bella and the two of you. I’d like to spend more time with you doing adult things - not necessarily sex but going on dates or lunches or dinners - and have some time for me. Doing what I like, researching magic, exploring its boundaries… I rarely had the occasion to do that since… Before the twins’ birth.”

The sisters exchanged looks and had a silent conversation.

“If you have more children it wouldn’t be from us.” Andromeda did her very best to convey how genuine she was.

“Yes. Nymphadora maybe, if she finally acts upon her crush on you.”

Rick was shocked to hear the girl’s name. “Nymie?”

“You never noticed?” the mother of the girl in question asked in surprise.

“No.”

“No wonder it went nowhere.” The long sigh Narcissa let out was one of disappointment.

“I caught her morphing into Lily once. When she was sixteen. She was ready to pass herself as her and join you in bed. I had a firm talk with her about not doing that.”

“Like mother, like daughter, hm?” Rick joked.

“Yeah well… That’s why I told her exactly how we happened and how difficult it was to earn back Lily, Bella and your trust. The lesson stuck but she’s been a bit of a scaredy cat since then. Going from boyfriend to boyfriend. None lasting more than three months.”

“And you have absolutely no qualms about me getting your eldest daughter pregnant when you were up in arms with the idea of me bedding your mother?”

“Nope.”

“It’s not the same thing. Mother was beyond birthing age. Nymphadora is not. With her metamorphmagus abilities, the odds are high that she would give birth to one and if you are the father, probably powerful too. Our house would only get stronger and not just because of our numbers.” explained Narcissa.

“... You have absolutely no problem with Atria being the half-sister but also Aunt of any child between Nymphadora and me?”

““No.””

“It’s… unconventional. But Nymphadora and you are not blood related.” Andromeda advocated.

“I’m Lord Black! Of course we are related.”

“You’re… Third time removed cousin. Nobody would bat an eye.” Narcissa retorted.

“And the fact that I helped raise Nymie?”

“After Ted? She has huge father issues and is only dating older men as a result. She never really saw you as a father anyway but a big brother.”

Rick rolled his eyes and got out of bed. “This is asinine.”

“But will you do it?”

“If she asks and has Lily and Bella’s permission?” added Andromeda.

“... Did I ever refuse anything to her?” That was the last words he said before he stepped out of the room and went to the bathroom.

Andromeda looked at her sister. “Feel like having another round to mollify him?”

“Yes. You?”

“Just one. I need enough energy to deal with Atria when she gets back from visiting grandfather. You know how she is on a sugar rush. If making cakes and pastries wasn’t keeping him alive, I would forbid him to make them.”

Narcissa nodded and removed her lingerie. So did Andromeda and both women went to join their lover under the shower.