Chapter 1
Date: 19/2/13
Words: 5479
A/N: Yes... I know that you recognize this story. The thing is that I adopted this story and I'm kinda making it my own. I changed a few things that you'll all come to see by the end of this chapter. Enjoy and please review?

Rose was launched out of her seat and hit her hard against the roof of the car. She whimpered and clutched her head in pain.

"Ronald Billius Weasley!" Hermione shouted from the front seat. Rose rubbed the top of her head and crawled back in her seat, this time remembering to put her seatbelt on. She watched her mother shout at her father with interest, then her eyes started to droop again. They were driving in the car, and Rose always slept in the car. There was no exception, not even if they were driving to Kings Cross Station, so she could go to Hogwarts for the first time.

Her proof? Well, they were going there now, and she was falling asleep for the second time. Her brother shared her talent for sleeping in the car.

"I'm trying to sleep!" Hugo, cried out. Rose glanced over to him. He was not wearing a seatbelt- he always claimed that seatbelts were trying to kill him - and was curled up in his seat. Hermione must have been distracted when they got in the car, she usually forced the seatbelt on them.

"And I'm trying to get us there alive." Her mother snapped back.

She looked tired. Her skin was pale and the circles under her eyes were dark. So her mother hadn't been sleeping well, that must have been the source of her distraction. It wasn't really surprising. Her mother had a new case that was consuming literally all of her time. Life as a lawyer was a hard one, just like being family of one. Hermione wasn't forgiving when sleep deprived.

"I'm getting us there alive, honey. Don't you worry." Ron soothed.

Rose's eyes flickered from her mother to her father and almost burst out into giggles. Her father was driving while biting the top of his tongue between his teeth. His nose almost touched the dashboard and his eyes were turned into slits in concentration.

"How can I not worry when we almost crashed just now?" Hermione asked sharply.

"We didn't. I just didn't see the speed-bump." Ron said, not taking his eyes off the road. Rose closed her eyes and sunk deep into the seat, blocking out the conversation. She wanted to get some more sleep before getting there.

She didn't like it when her parents argued.

~~.~~

Rose looked around with big eyes, wondering how something could be this amazing. Her mother squeezed her shoulder.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Rose nodded, looking around at the fog concealed station. Somehow, the fog made the station that much more attractive. The mystery, with the old design and many disembodied. voices echoing around made Rose itch with yearning.

"It's just like we're teenagers again and we're going back." Ron breathed.

"Let's go find Harry and Ginny." Hermione said, pushing the trolley with Rose's trunk on it before her. Rose followed her without complaint into the currents of white mist. Rose grabbed her mother's hand, afraid of losing her. She looked around and saw her brother and father following her. Her brother was scowling. He hadn't enjoyed waking up.

"I don't see them anywhere." Ron said, looking around.

"That isn't very odd, is it? I can barely see my own feet." Hermione said absent mindedly, peering into the mist. "No." Ron said back. Rose glanced over her shoulder and saw him getting red from embarrassment.

Hermione led them over to the part of the station where the white mist was less thick and Rose could see up to twenty feet away. The mist was swirling around in circle like smoke coming from a big bonfire and mingled with the white breath coming from her mouth, dancing further along and out of sight. Rose stared after it, transfixed by its dance. Ron started lifting her trunk into the long, red train. The Hogwarts Express.

"I'm going to change into my robes." Rose said and darted over to her father and took her robes out of her trunk.

"Be right back." She messed her brother's hair in a way she knew he hated. He grunted and swatted her hand away in annoyance. Rose looked expectantly up at her mother, who smiled and gave her directions to a changing booth.

When Rose came back, straightening her brand new robes and feeling where she could best put her wand (She decided she would keep it in her sock, no way she was going to lose it here), she passed a solemn looking family of three. She smiled at the boy, who looked around her age, trying to be nice. He just looked at her intently with serious, grey eyes.

"Oh, please stop looking so smug." Hugo exclaimed when she gave him a smug look, adjusting her robes just for the effect. Reason for changing on the station? Annoying Hugo of course. He wanted to go too, but had to wait two years before he was old enough. It was pure gold and Rose couldn't not rub it in his face.

"I do not look smug." Rose said, now smirking. Hugo narrowed his eyes at her and looked away. Rose stuck her tongue out at him and turned away too, going back to peering into the deep mist, that was turning thicker again.

"I think that's them, Al." A familiar voice said somewhere from the white fog. Rose spun around at the mention of her cousin. Four figures stepped out from behind the white curtain and into her line of vision.

"Hi." Her cousin, Al, said looking immensely relieved. Rose beamed at him. They would start Hogwarts this year, together, as best friends and cousins. She had been looking forward since… since she was old enough to understand the concept of a boarding school.

"Parked alright then?" Ron asked Harry. Rose almost hit herself. Of course he was going to brag about parking okay. Especially after his mistake earlier on the road.

"I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner."

Hermione smiled. "No, I didn't. I had complete faith in you."

Rose smiled to herself. It was funny how you could twist sentences and words so you didn't lie but didn't say the full truth either. Hermione had never come out and said it but Rose knew she hadn't expected Ron to pass the first time he tried. She had been convinced he could pass it without confounding the examiner eventually, but the first time he tried? No.

"So, how did it go with James?" Rose asked Al. Al shrugged and looked a bit depressed.

"Good I guess. He only said ten times I would end up in Slytherin before mum told him off and he stopped."

"Well, that is fifteen times less than usual." Rose said cheerfully, nudging him and trying to stop him from looking so down. James, Al's older brother, always teased Al with everything he could. It was rather funny at times but he didn't realise when he was pushing it too far, like now.

Al sighed and smiled weakly. "Yeah, you're right."

"Don't worry. I'm sure you won't be in Slytherin, you're not sneaky enough." Rose said.

"If you're not in Gryffindor we'll disinherit you, but no pressure." Ron added as Lily and Hugo laughed. Rose looked at her father solemnly. He always had this knack for having the most awful timing. Rose looked over to Al and saw that the weak smile had disappeared completely and he was looking downright depressed again.

"Ron! He doesn't mean it." Said Hermione and Ginny. Well, of course he didn't. Hermione would never let him, but that didn't mean Ron would be any less disappointed if his only daughter would be in anything but Gryffindor.

Ron wasn't paying attention anymore but was now looking at the lone family Rose had passed before. The white mist was thinning again and their line of vision stretched even further.

"Look who it is." Rose looked from her parents, to the family, wondering what was special about them for her father to single them out. There were a dozen other families in view. The boy who was probably at the same age as her and his father both had platinum blonde hair, almost as white as the fog that was still swirling around them. They resembled each other as much as Al and his father, Harry. The woman didn't look to be related to her son, except for her straight nose.

They struck Rose as a formal family. Proud and gracious, if a bit stiff.

"So that's little Scorpius." Ron said to Harry. So the boy with those intent eyes was named Scorpius? It was an odd name, Scorpius. Scooo-rrrr-pius. Piuuuus. Scorpiuuuuus Scorpius. Rose and Al exchanged a pitying look, feeling sorry for someone who had to bear having such an.. unusual name.

"Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake," said Hermione, half stern, half amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

"You're right, sorry," said Ron. But being Ron, he was unable to stop himself from adding "Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood." Rose felt another urge to hit herself on the head. Yes, I, Rose Weasley, am going to marry a solemn and closed off boy. Right. I am full of sarcasm, aren't I?

She wanted to tell her father how ridiculous he was being, but a yell interrupted her.

"Hey!" James voice came from somewhere. Rose looked around and saw he had reappeared from behind Harry and Ginny. He looked around and seemed to be ready to burst with excitement.

"Teddy's back there." He said breathlessly, pointing over his shoulder into the deep white mist. Al was right, James was a drama queen. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!" He looked up at the adults and his face fell at the lack of reaction. "Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing –"

"You interrupted them?" said Ginny exasperated. "You are so like Ron –"

"- and he said he'd come to see her off!" James continued like his mother hadn't interrupted them. "And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" James added, worried he hadn't gotten the point across.

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" whispered Lily ecstatically to Rose and Hugo. "Teddy would really be part of the family then!" Rose nodded, craning her neck to look further into the mist, hoping to get a glimpse of her cousin and Teddy.

"He already comes round for dinner about four times a week," said Harry "Why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"

"Yeah!" said James enthusiastically. "I don't mind sharing with Al- Teddy could have my room!"

"No," said Harry firmly, "you and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished." Rose agreed with her uncle that it wasn't the best idea to let them share a room. Mostly because of the vice-like grip Al had on her arm. His eyes seemed to be begging to put a stop to James' proposal.

"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board." Harry said. Rose looked around and saw her parents, standing a few yards away and talking amongst each other. Rose skidded over to them and hugged them both, saying goodbye.

"Don't break any rules, and do your best." Hermione said, wiping the tears out of her eyes. Rose nodded, smiling at her mother.

"I won't mum. Good luck at work." It only made Hermione sob louder, saying something about having such a considerate daughter.

"Give'em fire, Rosie." Ron said with a wink while messing her hair up. Rose nodded, grinning back up at him. "And don't forget to write." He added.

"I won't." Rose said, her eyes landed on Hugo, and she engulfed him into a hug. He protested loudly, but didn't fight it. "See you, little monster." Rose said, pressing a quick kiss on top of his head. She quickly hopped onto the train after her cousin James, before Hugo could kick her for that. She looked after James as he sprinted away up the corridor, looking for friends. She stood there for a moment, waiting for Al. She wasn't going to start her adventure of Hogwarts without him. She meant to at least start and end it with him.

Al was having a conversation with Harry though, and it looked pretty serious. Rose hoped Harry would be able to get Al out of his nervous, depressed state. Ginny waved at her and Rose waved back, tapping her foot impatiently. Doors slammed shut along the length of the scarlet train, and Rose hoped Al would hurry up.

Her mother yelled out to her, saying something about treating people right or something. Rose nodded and waved, pretending to have heard. Al finally jumped into the carriage and Rose let out a relieved breath. He was finally here. Ginny closed the door behind them.

Rose looked over to the other students and saw many of them were looking at her uncle Harry. Al seemed to notice too because he demanded "Why are they all staring?"

"Don't let it worry you," Ron half yelled through the closed door. "It's me, I'm extremely famous." Albus, Rose, Hugo, and Lily all laughed as the Hogwarts Express slowly started moving away from the station, away from her parents and everything she knew and to a place she had only heard stories about. A magical place, called Hogwarts.

"Come on." Al said, grabbing Rose's hand and dragging her with him. "Let's go find compartment." Rose let him steer her to an empty compartment without complaint. When he entered, she was surprised to see he had managed to find the compartment where Ron and Harry had stored their trunks, in one time. Rose looked at Al impressed and he looked back at her with a rather too smug a look.

"Stop looking so smug." Rose said, jumping onto a seat by the window. Al took the seat opposite hers and began swinging his legs happily. Rose watched him for a few minutes while he was looking around happily and gazing out of the window before cracking.

"Alright. Spit it out, what did your father say that got you all happy and joyful?"

Al smiled. "Those are synonyms."

"You're kidding." Rose said.

"Nope."

"Don' the subject."
Al smiled again. "Just something father to son." Rose bit her lip, wondering if she could ask any further. She was too curious for her own good.

"Which is?" She tried.

"Something I'm not telling you." Al said, still smiling. Rose scowled, then let it go. Whatever it was, she was glad Harry had said it. She like happy Al a thousand times more than sad. The compartment door opened and a girl with dark blond hair appeared in the doorway. She smiled shyly and half waved. Rose smiled back and beckoned her.

"Hi Abby." Abby Longbottom climbed in the seat besides Rose.

"It's okay if I sit with you right? I knew you were going to start Hogwarts this year too, but I didn't really remember it until I saw you sitting here. I could only find compartments with older students before, and I don't want to sit with them…" She trailed off. Rose smiled and nodded.

"Of course you can, right Al?" Al nodded too, and went directly back to staring out of the window. Abby watched him for a moment before turning back to Rose with a questioning look.

Rose shrugged. "He's happy. He's easily distracted if he's happy."

"I'm not… Oh look at that, that was a horse. Did you see that horse?" Al said, pointing out of the window. Rose smiled and gave Abby a look that said 'See what I mean?' Rose had known Abby for as long as she could remember. Their parents were friends and Abby and her played together a lot when they were young. It had become rarer and rarer over the years though and the contact had wavered between the two. Abby was a sweet girl, with her father's kind, round face and her mother's posture. Slim and tall.

"So, where do you think you're going to end up? Gryffindor?" Abby said after a long silence. Rose nodded and pounced on the subject happy to have something to talk about. Even Al was willing to converse about it. They speculated in which house they could be, and where they wanted to end up in.

~~.~~

Rose looked at everything in the Great Hall in awe. From the hundreds of students to the ceiling (Which did not look like a ceiling in the slightest), to the ghost that, to the suits of armor that lined the hall and guarded the door.

Her eyes couldn't find something to rest on and roamed over it all, trying to take it all in. The professor that had led them into the hall, Professor Hidgebridge, conjured a chair with a elegant wave of her wand, and set a battered old hat on it. Rose stared at the hat. It looked as old as the castle itself. Rose wondered how it didn't fall apart, when the brim of the hat suddenly opened. For a moment she was afraid that she had made it indeed fall apart, until she heard the deep voice coming from it. A deep voice she had before always associated with a really muscular man began singing.

Every student in this hall had a try with me
And they all will fall right on their feet, you'll see.
My intelligence is not my own I admit it grudgingly
I borrow it and rent this loan from four wizards, brighter than any of thee.
They wanted to share their knowledge with young wizards, just like you
I placed them too.
They all treasured different abilities
I hear you thinking, what are these?
Godric Gryffindor loves Bravery, and Fierce selfless acts,
In a Chivalrous Gryffindor you see Determination, for a fact.
True and honest Helga Hufflepuff,
Takes those fair of play, They are modest,
Not too rough
And say what they have to say.
Wise Rowena Ravenclaw took the clearest of minds
Creativity and wisdom will look there for their witty kind.
And Salazar Slytherin, Wanted determination and desire,
Ambition is something where in, cunning Slytherins aspire.
So put me on so I can see, Where you ought to be,
I hope this song has taught you
Why you'll be where you'll be.'

Rose stared at the hat with wide eyes while it bowed once before all tables, then turned her eyes accusingly to Al, who was in turn glaring at someone at the Gryffindor table. A loud applause echoed throughout the hall, but Rose paid it no mind.

"We have to try on a hat?" She said. "You said we had to duel each other!" Abby, who was standing between the two cousins, giggled.

"Duel? How, we can't even perform magic yet."

"James told me!" Al said, holding up his hands in innocence. The applause faded away.

Rose pursed her lips and hissed "You seriously believed James?"

Al shrugged. "He seemed really sincere."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up a Hufflepuff."

Professor Hidgebridge stepped forward again, a long scroll in her hands. "If I read out your name." Her loud and kind voice echoed around the Great Hall, the hat had turned completely silent the moment she had stepped forward.

"You try on the sorting hat." She pointed at the old hat. "And it will sort you into your house." She unrolled the scroll and read out the first name.

"Applebee, Olivia." A petite, black skinned girl with thick black stepped forward and half ran to the hat before slamming it on. The hat waited for a few seconds before pronouncing with a loud and clear voice

"Ravenclaw!" The second table to the left burst out in applause. Next was "Beamish, Pippin." A skinny boy, the perfect build for a seeker, who had a determined expression on his face and was sorted into "Hufflepuff!", the second table to the right.

"Bemdale, Alexander," A boy with black curly hair and bright blue eyes walked up confidently. "Gryffindor!"

"Bern, Levi." Became another Ravenclaw and "Blishwick, Tammy" Became a Slytherin.

Rose began gazing out over the hall again. The long house tables became fuller by the minute and she wondered what would happen if she would be sorted into a house other than Gryffindor. She didn't know if she was brave enough to be in Gryffindor, and everyone always told her that she was terribly smart. What if she would be sorted into Ravenclaw? Would her father be disappointed? Her eyes landed on the Slytherin table and a terrible thought hit her.

What if she would be sorted into Slytherin house? It wouldn't make a difference to her mother, but Ron would probably sulk over it for.. the rest of his life. He wasn't very good at letting go of grudges, and his grudge against Slytherin house was a deep one.

"Longbottom, Augusta." Professor Hidgebridge readout.

Abby grunted in annoyance from Rose's left and stepped forward saying "It's Abby, for crying out loud." Under her breath. A smile appeared on Rose's face. Abby. Augusta Alice Longbottom. She had forgotten her full name was Augusta. Abby would be pleased to hear that. She didn't particularly like Augusta, to say it lightly, and insisted everyone called her Abby. 'cause Augusta sounds too old and Angie sounds too much like angel, and I'm not old or an angel. Rose remembered.

She slammed the hat onto her head and the hat almost directly pronounced "Gryffindor!" Abby skidded over to the Gryffindor table and when she sat down, Rose saw the big smile on her face. Of course, Abby had wanted to be in Gryffindor, just like Al and herself.

Rose returned her attention back to the sorting after that. "Lufkin, Reg." Was sorted in "Hufflepuff!".

"Malfoy, Scorpius." Rose watched with big eyes as the boy with the intent grey eyes stepped forward and stumbled his way over to the sorting hat. She remembered how her parents had singled him and his family out. Malfoy. It did ring a bell somewhere. She didn't know where though.

"It's that boy from the station." Al whispered. Rose nodded, not taking her eyes off him as he put on the sorting hat, concealing his hair.

"I know. Wonder where he'll end up." She whispered back. Then she remembered. His father had done something in the war. Something big, fighting for Riddle. She frowned and tried to remember further, then gave up. It was not like it mattered anyway. That had been his father. He was a complete different person.

She stared at the back of his head while the seconds ticked away. The sorting hat did take his time with him. She wondered if it would take as much time with her.

Finally the sorting hat shouted out "Slytherin!" Well. Maybe not so different after all. Everyone in the Great Hall clapped, their faces looking as if they had expected it, while the blond boy plucked the hat from his head and put it back on the chair carefully.

Apparently he shared Rose's view on how it looked like it could fall apart any second. Rose saw he had a disappointed look on his face that vanished quickly. He turned around, looked at the hall, and hesitated a moment, before looking down and turning to the Slytherin table. Rose spent the next few minutes looking at the him. When he looked up and turned his attention to the sorting, Rose quickly looked away. She didn't want him to think she had been staring at him, which she had been of course.

"I knew that that Malfoy kid would turn up in Slytherin, didn't you?" Al whispered. Rose shrugged.

"No."

"But Rosie! Remember all the stories our parents told us?"

"I'm sorry, but whenever Dad rants about something or someone I automatically zoom out." She added when she saw his disbelieving stare. "Well, his dad and my dad were rivals at school, and he comes from a very long line of purebloods, all in Slytherin." Rose nodded understandingly. It wasn't odd. It actually made sense, what didn't make sense was Al telling her something she didn't know, instead of the other way around. She was usually the walking encyclopedia.

Just then, Professor Hidgebridge called Al's name."Potter, Albus." Rose blinked at Al's full name and almost burst out in laughter at the stony look on Al's face. He didn't like the name much either.

"Go on Severus." Rose whispered.

Al stumbled a bit and recovered his balance before falling over. He scurried over to the Sorting Hat and slammed it on his head, with no regard to its fragility. Rose watched Al as the Sorting Hat stayed on his head. He was playing with the end of his robes. After at most half a minute, the hat roared "Slytherin!"

The hall was silent. Rose's eyes darted over to James, who had his mouth hanging open. Al paled and looked at Rose begging her to do something. So she started clapping. The sound shocked everyone out of their trance and there was a smattering of applause, mostly from their own family.

Al took off the hat, glared at it walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Malfoy.

Now, Rose had to wait quite a while before her name was to be called. It was one of the disadvantages of having a surname that began with a W. She was forced to watch countless(okay, if she tried, she was sure that she could count them, there weren't that many students to begin with) students being sorted into one of the four houses. Her stomach began to rumble rather uncomfortably.

Finally, finally, finally the W's came. "Weasley, Rose." Rose hurried over to the chair, trying to ignore all the eyes on her and concentrating on not tripping. The hat was even more ragged and dirty up close. Rose quickly sat down and put the Sorting Hat on. It slid over her eyes. Seeing as it was far too big and Rose looked against the inside of the hat.

What a bright mind. Yes, yes. How very promising.

Rose almost yelled in fright when the hat started talking to her. She tried to control her frantically beating heart an ragged breath. It was okay. Just a hat… talking to her.

Not to worry. It's perfectly normal. I talk to everyone. Rose squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the hat to decide. Where did she want to be put? She had discussed it earlier that day, but now she wasn't so sure any more. Gryffindor would be great, but Ravenclaw sounded nice too. Bright and witty. She was that, right? She suddenly noticed the hat was softly talking to itself.

And brave… yes. Talented, helpful. Loyal too. A tad lazy, but bright and she's got much individuality. Yes, yes… Hard one, this one. The most promising are always the hardest. The sorting hat spoke louder in her hat, directing his words directly to her. I think you would do best in "Gryffindor!"

The last word he spoke both in her mind and out loud. It reverberated through Rose's head as she slowly pulled off the hat and set it back on the table, before running over to the cheering Gryffindor table. Her cousins were cheering the loudest, relieved, as she down next to Abby.

"It took it's time with you." Abby remarked, while Terrance Wood was being sorted into Ravenclaw. Rose nodded.

"It was just sort of mumbling to himself about how I was hard to place." She looked wistfully at the empty plates as her stomach gave another growl. She looked at Kevin Xing, who had just been sorted into Gryffindor and clapped with the rest of the house.

"Well, you're here now." Abby said cheerfully, clapping her on the back. Then her face turned sad, looking over at the Slytherin table. "Do you think he'll be alright? She said worriedly.

"One thing I know about Al, is that he can't stay depressed for long. You'll see. Soon enough he'll be telling me how Slytherin will crush Gryffindor in Quidditch."

"They won't though!" James chipped in cheerfully. "Hard to beloved that he ended up with the Snakes. Too bad. Dad will probably disown him."

"Don't you be too hard on him about this James Potter!" Snapped Rose. "After all, you kept on saying how you knew he would end up there!"

"You know I was joking Rosie."

"Go back to your friends." She said with a smile.

"Can't they hurry up with the sorting, I'm starving." Rose moaned

"Just two more." Abby said, who was watching the last two students, a boy and a girl.

"Gilly Youdle." The girl with long black hair skidded forward to the sorting hat. The moment the Sorting Hat touched her black hair, it shouted out "Gryffindor!" Rose clapped again while the girl joined the Gryffindor table.

"Just One more." Abby said wistfully. The last boy, Zane Zabini, was sorted into Slytherin. Rose let out a triumphant noise when the applause died down, staring at the plates like she was a wild animal, ready to pounce on her prey.

It was the same look every other sane Weasley (which is to say not Molly) was sporting. Growing up with Grandma Molly as a cook let them have high expectations for Hogwarts. Their stare was not yet rewarded with food though. Instead a stern old woman stood up and cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Hello, and welcome to another year of Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall, and I am your headmaster. There are a few words I want to say before the feast starts," Abby groaned.

" No one is allowed into the Forbidden Forest. If you do end up in there, there will be detention. Also Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you all that any "Wizard's Weasley" products are also forbidden. Enjoy your meal." She spread her arms and food appeared on the previously clean plates. The two girls wasted no time and loaded their plates until each had their own mini-mountain.

And thus the feast begins. She thought, smiling, looking first at Al, across the hall, then at Abby.

~~.~~

Rose was following the prefect tiredly. All the food she had consumed had made her sleepy. She rubbed her eyes and willed one foot in front of the other. Abby was walking besides her, looking just as exhausted.

"I think I'm going to sleep for a day straight." Abby said, yawning loudly. Rose nodded and yawned too. She wanted to ask Al if he thought so too, but she wasn't able to spot him after the feast. wasn't walking with them. She then saw, walking next to someone with white blond hair and dark brown. He wasn't stumbling or dragging his feet. Rose looked at her cousin in jealousy. How could he still be wide awake while he had eaten even more than she had? Then her eyes slid over to the white blond next to him.

That had to be Scorpius Malfoy, she was sure of it. Her cousin was talking to Scorpius Malfoy? And the boy with dark brown hair, that Zabini kid? Rose was too tired to think about it, and just stumbled further, trying not to trip and trying to remember what corridors, stairs and hidden passageways they took. When they arrived in front of a portrait of a fat lady, she was utterly lost.

She had, despite her best efforts, been unable to keep up with the twirling way up to the portrait.

"So, there is a password you have to have to open the portrait." The prefect said nervously. Rose yawned again and nodded. "Flobberworms." The prefect squeaked to the portrait, which swung open revealing an entrance to a room. Rose climbed with a lot of effort through the portrait hole and came into a circular room with a lot of comfortable looking armchairs and a big fireplace to the side. The prefect directed them up one staircase and the boys up another. Rose and Abby found their dormitories three staircases up. Both took one look at the round room with five big four-poster beds and fell down on one, only having enough energy left in them to mumble goodnight to each other. Rose fell into a deep, content sleep, snuggling deep into her new bed. Her first night at Hogwarts was everything she had expected and more.