The Promise (A Harry Potter Next Generation Fanfic)

Chapter 26

James sighed as he stood and stared at his reflection in the mirror. The early morning July sun was beaming in through his bedroom window and although that day should have been a happy day, he felt anything but happy. 

He tore his gaze away from the mirror and stared at the photograph sitting in a gold frame on the top of his chest of drawers. He had found it whilst he had been sorting through some of his Mum's old photographs and the minute he saw it he felt like bursting into tears, which was very unlike him. It was a photo that had been taken on the back garden around August time back when he had been at Hogwarts. Allie had arrived to visit for a few weeks and she decided that she wanted to try and take what the muggles called a 'selfie.' The pair of them had been laid down in the grass for about an hour messing about and taking 'selfies' and this had been the best one of the lot. 

The following Christmas, Allie had given it him as a present, she had told him that she had one too and would treasure it forever. It seemed that his Mum had kept it when they broke up and he was glad that she had; it now sat proud in place in his bedroom. However, it made him miss her more and more every single. Just under three months had passed since she had gone missing and they seemed no closer to finding her. There hadn't been a single sighting of her or Emilio Rossa since the day she was taken and he was becoming desperate now.

"Hey, are you nearly ready to go? Grandma asked me, you and Dad to help raise the marquee before the wedding and Lily has to go and get ready with Rose." Albus was leaning against James' door frame. 

"Yeah hang on, let me just put my shoes on. I'll meet you downstairs." James told him. Albus nodded once and disappeared. 

He couldn't believe that Allie was missing Rose's wedding. She and Lily had been on track to make Rose and Scorpius' Wedding Cake and because he hadn't managed to find her yet, Lily had had to go it alone. Since Allie had gone missing, Lily had decided to start up her business idea in her own and Allie's names; Alivia Lily's Cake Creations. She wanted something for Allie to come back to, as she put it, and she wanted to show her how far she'd got with her business idea. So far she was doing great, making smaller cakes here and there, but this was her largest project to date. 

He pulled on his shoes and wandered down the stairs, he supposed that he should try and look more cheerful because it was Rose's Wedding Day after all. His Mum, Dad, Albus, Danielle and Lily were all stood in the entrance hall obviously waiting for him so that they could go to the wedding. 

"Are you ready to go darling?" His Mum asked, a sympathetic look on her face. 

"Yes, let's go." He gave her a weak smile as they all disapparated one by one to the Burrow. 

When he opened his eyes again, he was stood by the front gate which led to the Burrow, his Dad stood at the side of him. Lily was already rushing inside, probably to check that their Grandma hadn't touched the Wedding Cake and then to rush around getting ready because she was one of Rose's bridesmaids. 

"You know it's ok to feel miserable son, even if it is your cousin's wedding day." His Dad told him as they wandered slowly towards the marquee where some of the Weasley men had already started to gather. 

"I'm so happy for Rose and Scorp Dad, I just really miss her and I feel absolutely useless because I have absolutely no information on where she could be." James told him honestly. He had always been able to talk to his Dad, even when they disagreed about things he was always so supportive.

"It's normal to miss somebody that you love James, and don't deny it because you do. Your next step has to be about maybe retracing your steps, is there something you've missed that you could go back to? What about the DNA test?" He suggested as they stopped just short of where the rest of the family were stood.