The South Tower

The train shuddered to a halt, the doors opened and students streamed from it onto the platform of Hogsmeade station. The noise of 300 people happily greeting each other, comparing summer holidays, and discussing the upcoming year hit me as I stepped down from the prefects compartment. I felt no such excitement when I thought of the upcoming year. After the letter that came from the headmistress 2 mornings ago all I felt was gloomy. A pit of dread bubbled in my stomach when I seriously thought about the repercussions this year could bring.

I tried to be positive, you never can tell, everything that Professor McGonagall wanted to achieve might yet come to pass, but many heads of Hogwarts had attempted the same and had failed abysmally.

I could hear Hagrid calling the first years to him, to take them across the lake, for their first view of the magnificent castle that was my second home. Some things at least were sacred, and never changed.

I envied the little firsties, for their wonderful innocence, and their lack of responsibilities and for the fact that tonight they would be sleeping in a room of people that they would come to trust.

I sighed deeply, as I followed the other prefects towards the carriages. Even they weren't burdened with the same knowledge that had been thrust upon me. Only 3 people in the entire student body knew. Myself and the head boy and girl. McGonagall hadn't seen fit to inform me of the reason for telling me, just stress the need for complete secrecy. I couldn't think of a punishment severe enough for ruining my last 2 days of freedom. A voice interrupted my inner ramblings, and stirred me from my vat of misery

"Rose? Over here for Merlin's sake. The sooner we get to the castle, the sooner I get a decent meal into me."
I smiled at my cousin James's ferocious appetite and climbed in beside him. As I sat the carriage took off, the thestral pulling it eager to get his own dinner perhaps.

Louis, Fred and Hugo were arguing over the chances of their quidditch teams in the upcoming year. They all played on their house teams, Hugo was a chaser for Ravenclaw, Fred played beater for Gyffindor, and Louis was Slytherin's seeker. I sighed again. Another thing to worry about during the year. I was keeper for Gyffindor, Albus was a chaser and James was our captain and seeker, but how it would all work out this year was beyond me. Technically only Albus, Louis and myself should be affected, but this was the Weasley family clan. All for one, and one for all and all that jazz. It worked for the musketeers it worked for us. Louis had made me read the book in our 2nd year, and I still read it every now and then. James makes fun of my fondness for muggle fiction, but I love escaping into another persons world. I wish I could musings were again interrupted as Hugo nudged me in the ribs and looked at me expectantly. I'd obviously just missed a question

"Er sorry, could you repeat that? I had zoned out" I answered apologetically. Hugo shook his head in exasperation.

"I asked you who you thought could replace June as chaser. Come on Rosie this world please!" I glared at him.

"You're not too old for a clip around the ear you know! What about little Darcy?" I grinned at the thought

"Who in the name of all that's holy is little Darcy?" asked James suspiciously

"Darcy. She's a 4th year. Blonde girl? Known as little Darcy because she's so tall? Spent last summer at your house? Lily's friend?"

"Lily's friend? Wait is that the one who looked like she was always sleepy? Oh is that her name? Ha didn't catch it at the time! I had a mishap with an invention of Uncle George's and couldn't hear for the first week of summer!" James grinned

"She's in our house as well, and she's not exactly easy to miss! How do you not know who she is? She's legendary. She's the one who set fire to the herbology greenhouse during Care of Magical Creatures. Honestly James!"

"Rosie darling do you not know that I am too cool to be associated with anyone below 5th year unless they're family. I have a reputation to upkeep!"

There was general hysteria at this remark, which nearly resulted in Louis going head first out the door of the carrige, only saved by the combined efforts of Fred and James. We eventually managed to calm down enough to sit still.

"Where's Lily?" I asked suddenly. "I'd like to see what she has to say about Darcy."

"I saw her climb into a carriage with some other Hufflepuffs. I think she has forsaken the Weasley clan" said Fred

"I'm not surprised after what you did to her in Ireland" I answered raising an eyebrow

"Ah come on Rose you know that was hilarious. And in fairness it was only supposed to last an hour" Louis laughed with Fred

"It might be funny to you, with your blondness Louis and your mop of dark hair Fred, but as a fellow ginger I can only sympathise with the poor girl. It was horrendous. Freckles are fine in small doses, but quadrupling a gingers freckles and turning them blue? For an entire week?"
The boys set off laughing again, the result being that by the time we pulled up at to the Entrance Hall there were tears running from their eyes, and I had forgotten what a disaster of a year this could end up being.

It didn't last long.

Hey hope anyone who has read this enjoyed it. Please R+R so I know what I'm doing right/wrong

It is short but shall get longer as I go on.

I don't own Harry Potter. I can't make money from this (sadly)