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REVOLUTION OF ICE & THORNS: YEAR FIVE
So you say you want a revolution? Well we all want to change the world…
PROLOGUE
September 1st 2017 – King's Cross Station
The crisp autumn air felt cool against Albus Potter's face while he leaned out of the window watching his father walk alongside the Hogwarts Express. The scarlet train was already beginning to pick up speed. He gave the elder Potter a final wave just as the train disappeared around the bend leaving platform nine and three quarters behind. With a sigh the young raven-haired boy pulled away from the window, and turned to his cousin.
"Come on, Rosie." he said. "We should go find Alice. We promised to meet her on the train"
Rose nodded and the pair made their way down the busy corridor of the train hoping to find their friend. Albus lead their search passed several occupied compartments when the Express lurched on a turn. Rose lost her balance with the sudden movement made at the exact same moment that a familiar head of platinum-blond hair emerged from a nearby compartment.
Expecting the hard floor, Rose squeezed her blue eyes shut bracing herself for the fall—only it never came. She fell onto something soft, warm, and distinctly human.
She opened her eyes slowly, her lips forming a small 'o' of surprise when she realized what had happened. A boy had broken her fall. Rose looked up to meet the gray eyes of her savior and her cheeks flushed a very Weasley-ish shade of pink in embarrassment as he steadied her. When their eyes met for a fraction of a second, Malfoy shared the same look of surprise before a mask of indifference fell into place. Of course it had to be him— the Malfoy boy. She could remember her father pointing him and his parents out on the platform. Malfoy was taller than her by a few inches, perhaps about as tall as Albus and just as lanky. He wore his Hogwarts robes neatly pressed and platinum hair slicked back with not a strand out of place. Perfect.
"Are you ok?" he asked after a moment of awkward silence.
"Yes, thank you" she said, "I… I'm sorry about that—"
He took a step back and waved his hand dismissively, interrupting her apology, "No harm done."
The sound of a door sliding open drew their attention, and another head of pale blond hair poked out of a compartment behind him.
Rose could see a resemblance between the two boys, cousins perhaps.
"Scorpius, there you are, cousin!"
Scorpius rolled his eyes at the newcomer. "I'll be right there, Damian."
"Get a move on then. We don't have all day you know."
Scorpius nodded to the other boy and Damian disappeared into the compartment again.
"See you around, Weasley." He said, sparing the red head a final glance.
Before she could reply, Albus, who had been completely ignored in the exchange, grabbed her hand and started tugging her in the opposite direction. A moment later, Rose heard the compartment door shut behind them. Scorpius Malfoy was gone.
"Come on, Rose!" Albus hissed.
Still rather stunned, Rose allowed Albus to lead her half-way down the corridor before snapping out of her reverie.
"Al..." Rose said tugging on the sleeve of her cousin's robes. "Slow down!"
Satisfied that they were alone again, Albus sighed and let go. They fell into step together, walking in subdued silence while searching several more compartments until they found Alice. She was sitting alone in one of the last compartments of the train, waiting for them. Alice is a pretty girl, with wavy caramel-colored hair, hazel eyes, and a pale cherub's face. Albus and Rose have known Alice Longbottom since they were all in diapers.
"It's about time you two got here!" she said as Rose dropped down into the seat across from her. "What took you so long?"
Alice's bright smile lit up her face. She was happy to see her best friends; however she hadn't quite picked up on their tense mood. Albus stepped into the compartment and slid the door shut behind him before he joined Rose on the cushioned seat.
"What was that all about?" Albus burst out suddenly, frowning at Rose.
"What?" Rose asked.
"You were nice to…Malfoy."
"So?" Rose replied raising an eyebrow at him.
"Wait," Alice interrupted, "what happened?"
"Rose had a klutz attack in front of Malfoy just now." Albus explained.
"I did not have a klutz attack! I don't have klutz attacks." Rose said indignantly, crossing her arms.
Alice laughed, "I thought I was the klutz."
She rolled her eyes at Albus and went on to relay the whole story, "the train jerked around a bit when it rounded the bend and I stumbled…right into him."
"You were blushing" Albus pointed out.
"So, you stumbled into Malfoy and …" Alice asked.
"Yeah," Rose replied with a shrug. "And he was actually pretty decent about it."
Albus made a face and scoffed, "sure he was."
"I don't see what the big deal is," Alice cut in. "So what if they bumped into each other?"
"You should have seen it, Alice. She was blushing and acting all sorts of ridiculous."
"You've said that already." Alice reminded him wryly. She was clearly amused by this story.
"It's called being embarrassed. I didn't know that having good manners is supposed to be ridiculous. I was only being polite, Al" Rose said frowning at him.
"Don't mind him, Rose. He's the one that's being ridiculous. All boys are quite capable of being complete prats when they want to be."
"I am not being ridiculous!" he said defensively. It was Albus' turn for a little indignation. "The Malfoys are nothing but trouble, and what did he mean by, 'see you around, Weasley' anyway. That sounded pretty ominous to me."
"We go to the same school. Obviously, he just meant what he said; that he'd 'see me around.' I really don't see why you are all worked up about this."
Irritation was seeping into Rose's tone, clearly indicating that she'd had enough of the subject. She had heard all of the same stories about the Malfoys that Albus had; about the Malfoy's part in the war, the rivalry between their families, and the countless reasons as to why they were no good.
It seemed like the entire Potter-Weasley family had something to say about Malfoys and Slytherins in general. Somehow, Rose still didn't see what all the fuss was about. This boy, though he looked enough like his father, was definitely not the same person. Rose was not going judge him because of his father's past. It was in her nature to give people the benefit of a doubt, and besides, she was too stubborn to let anyone else make up her mind for her. Albus' close-mindedness was grating on her nerves.
Thankfully, Albus had caught on to the change in her tone, and tactfully changed the subject. From then on the three children chattered excitedly about Hogwarts and all of their expectations. Within minutes Rose had forgotten all about her irritation with Albus. There would be so much to learn at Hogwarts; countless spells, potions, charms, and all kinds of magical creatures. Oh and the books! Hogwarts housed the largest collection of books that Rose could ever imagine in their library.
The conversation carried on well through into the day, and at some point during the ride an old witch with a tea trolley came with various treats. The kids purchased some pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs for lunch. Not long after they'd had their fill of sweets night fell and it started to rain. The occupants of the train grew more subdued, speaking in hushed voices or dozing off as the pitter patter of rain lulled them to sleep.
Rose was only abstractly listening to Albus and Alice as they talked about magical creatures that could be found in the forbidden forest and the deep waters of the lake. She caught only bits about over grown spiders and mermaids before completely tuning them out. While she watched the passing scenery and the storm brewing outside of her window, her mind was already thinking ahead to the sorting ceremony that awaited them. There was very little time before they would arrive at Hogwarts and then they would be sorted into one of the four founding houses of the school. This would be one of the most defining moments in their lives, because for the next seven years they would have to live with whatever house they were sorted into and their would-be house mates.
The sorting ceremony was something that Rose thought about ever since receiving her acceptance letter. She had done her research about the founders, asked her mother about what the sorting had been like when she'd been sorted in her first year, and it all came back to one conclusion. Every Weasley since as far back as anyone could remember had been sorted into Gryffindor, and that was where she wanted to be. No amount of research was going to change that. And yet—Rose couldn't help but notice how easily she could fit in Ravenclaw. A seed of doubt, the tiniest fear that she would be the only one in her family to be sorted outside of Gryffindor, was planted in her mind. She would be the odd one out, an outcast in her family.
Her father's words before boarding the Express were really starting to hit home. The whole thing was just so absurd. He had only been teasing, Rose knew. Her family would love her no matter what. The fears she harbored were quite unfounded. The desire to belong, however, was far stronger than any other especially for an eleven year old.
When Rose shared these fears with her mother, it only made her feel monumentally worse. Her mother, much to her dismay, had been enthusiastic about the idea of a Ravenclaw in the family. Hermione Weasley didn't see anything wrong with her daughter being sorted into a different house. In fact, she thought it was a good possibility that Rose would find a better fit with the Ravenclaws. Rose didn't think so, and it was after having this particular conversation that she decided against talking about it with anyone else.
When the train pulled into Hogsmeade station it was still raining. The children walked out into a light drizzle and got soaked in a matter of minutes. Several large, black carriages awaited the older students, while an extraordinarily large figure with a graying beard called to the first years. They could see his bright candle-lit lamp and converged on him immediately, staying huddled together for warmth.
Rubeus Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures professor, towered over the group as he herded them underneath an enormous umbrella, toward a small pier with about a dozen little boats. With the rain baring down on them the professor wasted no time in putting them into groups of four per boat. He picked out Rose, Alice, and Albus out of the flock right away.
Beaming, he waved at them. "All right there, Albus? Rosie? Alice?"
"Hi, Hagrid," Albus called, smiling up at the half giant.
"Hullo!" Rose and Alice chimed in together. The girls were beaming as well.
At last all of the children were sorted into their boats. Rose's little party of three and a boy named Seeley Brennan shared a boat together; while Hagrid, being so large, had one all to himself. As if by magic, the little boats took off across the lake all at once. The one lamp led the way through the dark and rainy night. Everyone was too excited to even worry about being drenched in the rain and the misty fog that fell over them. They drifted almost lazily along what looked like a rather ghostly lake given the current weather.
It wasn't till after they passed underneath the cave of a waterfall that a massive structure loomed over them from the hillside, a castle with its many turrets and towers hidden here from most of the world. The amazement of the students could be heard in earnest as their boat ride came to an end at another small pier at the base of the castle grounds. The children climbed out of the boats and were all accounted for before following Hagrid up to the castle entrance. They hurried up the stone steps eager to get out of the rain and even more so to explore the castle.
Hagrid went ahead making their arrival known with three loud, resounding knocks on the castle's immense oak doors. They opened with a creak and a shudder revealing a tall, young looking witch. Though she was young, she was clearly past the age of a Hogwarts student. She wore crisp, olivine colored robes, and her long hair fell loosely around her shoulders in golden waves. There was a soft expression in her blue eyes as her gaze fell upon the newest batch of Hogwarts students.
"Evening, Hagrid," she called to the larger man. The woman spoke with a strong authoritative cadence tempered by a faint Scottish lilt.
"Evening, Professor Braley," Hagrid said in return, "Horrible weather out there tonight. Better get these little ones inside."
"Yes, thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here."
"Come on inside children," she said, "This way, please. Let's get all of you dried up first."
She performed a drying spell as each child passed through the entrance. It was an instant relief from the wet clothes that clung to their bodies. After each child was cared for, Professor Braley, lead the way to a small antechamber adjoining the Great Hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." she announced. Braley had the sort of presence that commanded the attention of a room with just a look.
"I am Professor Braley. I will be your Defense against the Dark Arts teacher here at Hogwarts." she went on. "In a moment we will be entering the Great Hall to proceed with the house sorting ceremony. Some of you may already be aware that we have four founding houses to which you will all be sorted. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. The house you are sorted into will be your home, and your housemates will be your family for the duration of your stay here. As a family, you will share in your triumphs and earn house points. By the same token, any rule breaking will result in the loss of said points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup, which is a tremendous honor. The ceremony should be about to start. If everyone will excuse me for just a moment, I shall be right back once we are ready for you."
Professor Braley disappeared through the doors they had come in and excitement erupted among the waiting first years.
"What house do you think we'll be sorted into?" Alice asked curiously.
"I'm not sure. . ." Albus replied. He sounded a little anxious though he kept his reservations to himself.
"This is a little nerve wracking . . . the not knowing." Rose admitted while sneaking a glance at a Malfoy who was nearby.
Scorpius met her gaze making Rose shy away before anyone else noticed.
"You two need to relax." Alice admonished looking amused, taking Rose's discomfort as nervousness rather than embarrassment.
The buzz of excitement died down as soon as the young professor stepped back into the antechamber. She organized them into two straight lines and led them out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. The ceremony was about to start, and Rose stood behind Alice in line thinking that the wait and 'not knowing' was more than just a little nerve wracking—it was downright terrifying.
The change in atmosphere was instantaneous. The noise in the Great Hall fell to a whisper as all attention was given to the first years being marched into the middle of the cavernous room. It was truly a place of wonder, lit by thousands upon thousands of candles that floated over four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting. Awe spread over the cluster of young students as they looked up and noticed the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall for the first time. It was currently reflecting the ominous weather outside with lightning streaking sporadically through the evening sky.
The children stood mesmerized by the sight until Professor Braley called their attention to a stool set in front of them. On top of the stool was a peculiar-looking, pointed wizard's hat. The hat was patched, frayed, and looked extremely ancient. There did not seem to be anything extraordinary about it until a seam ripped open like a mouth and the hat began to sing. It wove it's tale in rhyme, telling of the four Hogwarts houses, and of the unique qualities that the founders valued in their students.
With the hat's song sung, the entire hall erupted into a round of applause. Braley waited a moment while everyone settled down and began to unravel a long roll of parchment.
"Alright, as I call each of your names you will take a seat on the stool and put the Sorting Hat on your head. Once the hat has made a decision, you may join your peers at the appropriate table." she said.
"Alderton, Sharon!"
A wiry brunette girl standing three behind Rose, turned pale white, before rushing forward to the stool. She put the hat on her head and took a seat. There was only a very short pause and then—
"HUFFLEPUFF!" proclaimed the hat.
A cheer rose from the table closest to the door on the right as they welcomed Sharon into their midst.
"Baddock, Rodney!"
A boy stepped out of line and strode right up to the stool. He didn't look quite as nervous as the other children when Braley placed the hat on his head.
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat belted out at once.
The second table from the right stood this time, greeting their new house mate with woops and cheers.
Next, a pair of twin boys, Aiden and Austen Boot, joined the second table from the left. They were the first to be sorted into Ravenclaw.
The Slytherin table welcomed another student, a girl this time. Professor Braley was positively beaming as Mackenzie Braley, a girl with blond curls, pretty blue eyes, and a striking resemblance to the professor stepped out of line to be sorted. They both seemed to be pleased by the sorting hat's choice.
A boy by the name of Seeley Brennan was the first to be sorted into Gryffindor. A round of cheers rose from the table on the far left as the brunette went to sit with them. From where she stood, Rose could see her cousins dominating a large portion of the rowdy table.
Eric Cadwallader and Benjamin Carmichael both became Ravenclaws followed by a Miles Cattermole who was sorted into Hufflepuff.
The C's continued with Johanna Cauldwell, who was sorted into Hufflepuff, Paige Corner, who was sorted into Slytherin, Delia Creevey who was sorted into Gryffindor, and finally Danica Cresswell, sorted into Ravenclaw.
This was barely the tip of the iceberg, there were several students left to be sorted before getting to Longbottom, Potter, and Weasley.
"Davies, Tyler!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Entwhistle, Leonora," another Ravenclaw.
"Finnigan, Teague!"
Rose and Albus both recognized the sandy-haired, freckle faced boy that stepped forward this time. Teague's parents had been in the same house and year with their own parents. He grinned at them as he marched forward to put the hat on his head.
There was only a few seconds of deliberation before the hat bellowed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
"Flanagan, Payton!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Fortescue, Naomi!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The names continued as Naomi joined her brother Andrew at Gryffindor table.
"Hayes, Jessica!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
Logan Kirke was sorted into Gryffindor and then they'd come to the L's.
Professor Braley called for Alice. For a whole minute she stood in frozen until Rose nudged her forward.
"Longbotton, Alice!" the professor repeated when Alice hadn't immediately come forward.
And poor Alice nervously walked up to the stool and tried on the hat. It was on her head for barely a second or two before it announced, "GRYFFINDOR!" Grinning happily she tore off the pointed hat and hurried off to join the Weasleys.
After Alice, a Hufflepuff, Ephraim Macmillan was sorted.
Then Scorpius Malfoy, the boy who'd saved Rose from a fall, was next. He strode confidently up to the stool and the hat was bellowing, "SLYTHERIN!" when it'd just barely touched his blond head. As soon as the hat made its proclamation, Malfoy went to join the other blond, his cousin Damian, at their table.
Albus turned to Rose giving her a smug 'I told you so.' look. Rose frowned at him and turned away to watch as Angela McKenna was sorted into Ravenclaw. Dylan Montague joined Malfoy's group at the Slytherin's table followed by Keely Moore who went to sit with Angela and the other Ravenclaws
Another pair of dark-haired twins, Druce and Dympna O'Shea, filled the ranks in Slytherin.
And then—
"Potter, Albus!"
Professor Braley had called his name and Rose wished him luck as he gathered all of his nerve and went off to try on the hat. Albus looked so anxious sitting there on the stool with the attention of the entire hall upon him. During the long pause as the sorting deliberated, it seemed like everyone was waiting with baited breath to see where the sorting hat would place Harry Potter's second son.
Finally after what seemed like ages, the sorting hat shouted its verdict "GRYFFINDOR!"
The loudest cheers of all came from the Gryffindor table as they welcomed another Potter. James and the rest of the Weasleys made so much noise with their congratulations that it carried over the loudest of cheers. A look of pure relief washed over Albus' features as James, and his friend Wesley Wood made room for him to sit between them.
Once the Gryffindors had settled down, June Riggio was sorted into Slytherin; then a third set of twins, which was a rarity to see within the same term, were sorted. Emmett and Jillian Robards became the next Gryffindors.
There were only a handful of students left to be sorted after the Robards twins. Aimee Summerby became a Hufflepuff and Rose knew it would be her turn next. The professor did not disappoint.
"Weasley, Rose!"
Rose took a deep breath and exhaled before she started toward the stool. With each step she took, the Sorting Hat seemed to be farther and farther away. It was only her mind playing tricks on her of course. The stool was no farther away than it had been before. With a second deep breath and another few steps, Rose was finally situated on the stool with the hat on her head.
"What's this? They've sent me another Weasley, eh? Oh, but you are a rare one aren't you? Not like the rest of your lot. Talent, potential, and intelligence such as yours belong in Raven—"
"No! Oh no please not Ravenclaw! I don't belong there!" she whispered urgently to the hat, looking distressed and squirming in her seat.
"Such a pity, Ravenclaw seems like a much better fit. Oh well, off you go with yours" the Hat relented, "GRYFFINDOR!"
"Thanks!" Rose said sounding relieved.
Yanking the hat off her head she grinned at her family as the whole of Gryffindor house greeted her with another round of enthusiastic cheer. Rose hurried over to them and was immediately in the arms of her cousin Louis. He lifted her off her feet with a hug and spun her around. "Well done!" he said as he set her back down.
"Well done, Rose!" added her cousin Victoire with a proud smile and a hug. None of them could stop smiling as they made room for her at the table between Alice and Rose's cousin, Molly. The three girls were sitting across from Albus and James.
There were only two more left to be sorted after Rose. Lewis Whitby became a Hufflepuff and the ceremony concluded with Scarlet Zabini being sorted into Slytherin. With all of the first years in their place, Professor Braley removed the stool and hat from the hall and joined the rest of the professors at the staff table taking her place beside the Headmaster.
The Headmaster, thickset old man stood from his seat at the staff table. He was very clean cut; dressed in pressed navy robes, his snowy white hair combed back and neatly trimmed. The man had a kind face and wise green eyes. He straightened to his full height, which wasn't very impressive at all, and smiled as he addressed the student body as a whole.
"Welcome! Welcome everyone to the start of a new term!" He greeted to a round of cheers.
There was a pause before the hall was silent again. "As most of you already know, I am Headmaster Gerard Talbot. Before the feast is under way, I would just like to say that I'm very happy to see all of you back and ready for a new year of learning. We will have a few important issues to address before I send you all off to bed but for now everyone tuck in and enjoy the feast!"
Everyone was clapping and cheering as the Headmaster took his seat again. The feast had begun. Suddenly, magically, all of the dishes in front of them were filled with various types of hot, tasty food and every goblet was filled to the brim with chilled pumpkin juice. Platters of roast beef, roast chicken and thick stews among other things were laid out for the students to choose from.
The students tucked into their meals eagerly. Despite how much she enjoyed her grandmother's cooking, Rose found her first meal at Hogwarts was the best she'd ever tasted. Perhaps it was because she was famished after such a long train ride, or maybe she was just pleased to be sitting with her family for the meal. But in any case, Rose Weasley was thoroughly enjoying herself; eating, drinking, talking, and laughing with everyone else. As Rose took a sip from her goblet of pumpkin juice she couldn't help the overwhelming sense of warmth and belonging that being among friends and family provided.
Once everyone ate their fill and then some, the remains of the meal disappeared leaving the dishes sparkling clean again just in time for all the wonderful desserts that appeared only moments later. Ice cream in every imaginable flavor, pies, tarts, cakes, doughnuts, and various puddings. . .
Rose indulged in a bowl of strawberry ice cream topped with whipped cream and chopped nuts while she listened in on some of the conversation going on around her. The first years were all asking dozens of questions about the castle and lessons. Some even inquired about the professors sitting up at the staff table. Alice was quite happy to announce that her father was Professor Neville Longbottom, the Herbology teacher and head of Gryffindor. Many of the older students liked him. Surprisingly enough, Professor Braley was also quite popular among the Gryffindors. They didn't seem to mind that she was the head of Slytherin because they all enjoyed her Defense against the Dark Arts lessons.
Rose had just finished her last spoonful of strawberry ice cream when the desserts disappeared and Professor Talbot stood once again. The lively chatter quieted instantly as everyone gave him their undivided attention "Ahem— before we're all off to our warm beds I have a few important announcements to make. First and foremost, venturing out into the forest is forbidden to all students as it is very unwise and unsafe to do so. I must also remind you that Students are not permitted to use magic in the corridors between classes. There is a list of items that are banned from the school premises. This list is located on the office door of the school caretaker, Mr. Algernon Badden.
"We will be holding Quidditch trials on the second week of term for those of you interested in playing for your house teams. Please feel free to contact Professor Wood during that week.
"And finally, I would like to remind all fifth and seventh years that you will be having your O.W.L and N.E.W.T examinations toward the end of this term. Please study hard, be productive, and as always stay alert with ready minds. Thank you everyone and now it's time for bed for you all. Off you go! Sleep well!"
With the headmaster's dismissal the prefects took this as their cue to gather the younger students and steer them to their respective common rooms. Victoire, who had been made Head Girl, lead them out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. The first years shuffled after her sleepily barely paying attention to her warning that the stairs tended to have a mind of their own and moved at the most unexpected and inopportune moments.
Rose was distracted by the Slytherins which were led in the opposite direction. She watched as Scorpius Malfoy's familiar blond head disappeared behind a tapestry that looked like it was hiding a flight of stairs that went further down into the bowels of the school. Rose sighed. Was she really supposed to believe that Malfoy was such an awful person just because his father and grandfather had been, or because he was a Slytherin? He seemed innocent enough.
She stifled a yawn and put the thoughts out of her mind. Rose had already promised herself that she'd give this boy the benefit of a doubt. At any rate, she wasn't out to make enemies at Hogwarts. Rose wanted to make friends. She wanted to learn and make the best of her experiences at the Wizarding School.
Through hidden panels and doorways, past elaborate tapestries and up several more flights of stairs, the Gryffindors followed Victoire Weasley until they arrived on the seventh floor and trooped toward the end of the corridor. At last they came to a stop, crowding around a portrait containing a rather portly woman wearing a frilly pink silk dress. The fat lady appeared to be enjoying a tea party with three other women who barely fit in the frame with her.
"Password?" the woman inquired rather peevishly since they had disrupted her party.
"Icarus," Victoire stated clearly.
Grudgingly, the portrait of the Fat Lady swung forward revealing the large round hole in the wall that was the entrance to the common room. Everyone hurried through, some eager to get to bed, others curious to see the room inside.
The common room was a very warm and pleasant place. A crackling fire in the old fireplace kept the room at a comfortable temperature and there were many red, cushioned armchairs spread out strategically throughout the circular space.
The older kids already knew where they were going so they went on straight to their dorms. Victoire waited till they were all gone before she cleared her throat to get the first year's attention.
"Alright, if I could have everyone's attention for a moment, please. I know everyone is exhausted and ready for bed, so I'll make this short." said Victoire. "The girls dormitories are through the door on your left, the boys are on the right.
"Please remember that this week's password is 'Icarus'. The password will change every week and you will need to remember it to be admitted into the common room. The Fat Lady in the portrait will not let you through otherwise. If at any time you are in need of assistance please see our head of house, Professor Longbottom, or myself, Victoire Weasley. Does anyone have questions?"
A few scattered yawns were the only response, so Victoire sent everyone off to bed. Rose bid her cousins good night and followed Alice through the door to their dormitories.
The door on the left opened to a spiral staircase that seemed to go up and up for ages. The girls clambered all the way up to the very top—the top of a tower or so it seemed—where they finally got to their very comfortable four-poster beds, decked with red velvet curtains and red blankets. There were five beds, one for each of the newly sorted first years and they found that their trunks had already been delivered and each one set in front of a bed. Rose could easily pick out which space would be hers, her trunk with the pretty rose designs carved into the wood was set in front of the bed closest to door.
The girls all started to get settled for the night. Rose changed into her pajamas and started rummaging through her trunk until she unearthed her brand new, black, leather-bound journal. It was a gift her mother gave her the day they'd gone shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley. They had even gotten the journal engraved with Rose's name in gold letters.
With her journal, some color-changing ink, and a quill, Rose settled into bed with her supplies and pulled the hangings around the four-poster bed for some privacy. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts and then she began to write the first entry . . .
1, September 2017
William Shakespeare once wrote: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," but today I've learned that a name means everything. A name holds a tremendous amount of weight in our society even for someone as young as I am. My name is Rose Weasley. I am eleven years old and this is my first year at Hogwarts. Tonight is the first night I have ever spent away from home. Yesterday, at home, I was just Rose Jean Weasley, but tonight I am also a half-blood, a first year, and a Gryffindor. Personally I do not care for these labels. What I do covet is the acceptance that comes along with each title. Everyone craves acceptance, and I am no exception to that rule. How different things could be if I were anyone else? Would my family and friends still accept me? I wonder... but no matter how many names or labels may be attached to me I will always be the same person. I'm just a girl; just Rose. I am right where I'm supposed to be.
Today, I met a boy. They tell me he is bad because he is a Malfoy. Again, is his name supposed to define him? I don't know, but I intend to find out. I am always curious.
RJW
Satisfied with her entry, Rose let the ink dry and got out of bed to put her things away; the ink and quill back into her trunk, and her journal safely tucked between the bed mattresses. Life was going to be different from now on. She could feel it. But at least tonight everything was as it should be. Rose was exactly where she wanted to be. Smiling to herself she got back into bed and blew out the last candle.
Note from the Author –
Revolution of Ice & Thorns is a re-named and modified version of my story Hogwarts Revolutions: Year Five. There have been a few edits (though very small and probably will go unnoticed in the prologue) Let me know what you all think also if you think I should continue with this story. I love comments and constructive criticism!
Also I've been reading a lot of fan fiction written by in..bathrobe and she has a really fun thing she does with her author's notes where she asks a question related to the chapter. I really like that idea so I think I will try it out. Thank you for your amazing stories and ideas in..bathrobe! Your Twilight fan fics are amazing! All credit for this "Question of the Chapter" idea goes to her.
What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?