Chapter One: Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Rose Weasley

The sun shone brightly on the morning of September first. So brightly Rose Weasley figured it must be mocking her.

Among the general hubbub of King's Cross station, she could have lost her brother if it weren't for his signature Weasley red hair. As it was, she could barely see him a few meters ahead, weaving in and out of the crowd, as she herself was stuck behind a muggle couple, wheeling her luggage.

"Hugo, come back!" their mother called, attempting to politely shoulder past the couple.

Rose's father chuckled. "You'd think he's more excited about your first year at Hogwarts than you are. Ginny was the same way at his age."

Rose managed a weak chuckle, but her stomach was doing too many flips to manage words.

"Are you sure you don't want a pet?" her father asked. "We could always swing by Diagon Alley and Floo you to Hogwarts later-"

"I'm fine, Dad." Rose was worried enough about looking after herself for the next year; the last thing she needed was an owl or a toad to take care of.

"Well, I'm sure any of your cousins will let you use an owl. Remember to write every Wednesday and Sunday like we agreed. Or if any Slytherins give you nonsense. Or if a boy so much as looks at you-"

Ronald continued listing everything that could go slightly wrong—and echoing Rose's own fears—as they passed through the brick wall to Platform 9 ¾.

They found Hermione and Hugo already on the platform chatting with a group of the Weasley clan. Hermione, arm around Hugo so he couldn't run off again, was laughing with Aunt Angelina. Cousin Roxanne was glaring at some poor soul across the platform while her brother, Fred, was talking to his friend Tyler Jordan.

Rose was relieved to see her family. After all, she was one of the youngest kids, and everyone else had managed to survive Hogwarts before her.

"Hey, Rose," Fred called. "Ready for your first trip on the Hogwarts Express? Don't get caught empty handed. Upper years like to hex first years."

"You know, break you in a little," Tyler added.

"So let me help you out," Fred went on, "considering you're my baby cousin and all. Just take one of our—OW!"

Rose jumped to see Aunt Angelina towering over Fred and pinching his ear. "I'll be taking that. And whatever other junk your father gave you. Empty your pockets. You too, Tyler, move it!"

"Don't worry, Rose," said Roxanne beside her. "I'll kick anyone's arse if they try to hex you. And Fred's, too, just cause."

"Nobody will be hexing anybody or kicking anyone's arse," said Rose's mother sternly. Then, she knelt down and put her arms on her daughter's shoulders. "You'll be just fine sweetie. If you're nervous, just stick to your cousins, and you'll make plenty of your own friends in no time.

"Just as long as it's not that git," said Ron, indicating a scrawny blond boy standing with his parents. "So that's little Scorpius. Can't believe that weasel Malfoy reproduced… Make sure to beat him on every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake," her mom cut in, exasperated. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school. And watch your language."

Rose's father smiled sheepishly. "You're right, sorry. Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood.

Before Rose could sputter out a response, James ran up to them yelling, "Teddy's back there! Just seen him!" He paused to catch his breath. It was curious, Rose thought, that Teddy was here. After all, he'd graduated two years ago. Shouldn't he be at Auror training?

"Just seen him!" James continued. "And guess what he was doing? Snogging Victoire!"

Lily squeeled while Rose wrinkled her nose. Meanwhile, the adults—including James' parents, who had come up behind him—either shrugged or smiled knowingly.

"And you interrupted them?" Aunt Ginny asked. "You are so like Ron-"

"And he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away." James' mouth hung open when he was still met by blank stares. "He was snogging her!"

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married," Lily squealed. "Teddy would really be part of the family then! He could move into the Burrow and have lots of babies and-"

"It's nearly eleven," Uncle Harry cut in, Rose was sure, to get his daughter off the topic of babies. "You'd better get on board."

Roxanne punched Fred and James in the arms and ran away. "Race ya!" she called back.

Yelling curses towards Roxanne and goodbyes back to their families, James, Fred, and Tyler grabbed their luggage and ran for the train.

"You should get moving too, sweetie," Hermione said with a kiss on Rose's cheek.

Ronald leaned over to kiss her, as well. "Remember, if you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you. But no pressure."

"Ron!"

Everyone laughed at her parents bickering except herself and Albus. Seeing the same panicked expression on her cousin's face gave her a small wave of relief. Rose often felt lost among her family, being so young, but at least Al was starting Howarts the same year.

But the relief was short-lived as the others kept joking around on the subject of sorting. She accepted a round of goodbye hugs and kisses in silence as she made her way to the train. Her stomach was doing flips again. She wasn't worried about her house; Victoire had shocked the family six years ago when she was sorted into Hufflepuff. Lucy had followed suit, and Louis was in Ravenclaw.

No, her fear was something much bigger, and she had never told anyone. Rose had had the same nightmare all summer. "Rose Weasley!" Professor McGonogal would call. She'd walk to the front of the Great Hall, all eyes on her, and the Headmaster would place the Sorting Hat on her head. The second it touched her scalp, the Hat would burst into laughter. "This is not a Witch!" it yelled as the whole, faceless crowd laughed along. "There is no place for you at Hogwarts!"

The previous week, Rose had barely slept at all, knowing she would have to go to Ollivander's and buy a wand. As it was, it had taken nearly half an hour, the ancient wandmaker handing her wand after wand, before an eight-inch wand of willow and unicorn hair had glowed at the tip. "A pansy wand," Roxanne had scoffed later.

Rose was awoken from her thoughts by the final whistle of the Hogwarts Express. She leaned out of the nearest window, a nervous smile plastered on her face, and waved a last goodbye to her parents as the train lurched forward.

"C'mon, let's find a compartment," Al said, suddenly behind her.

"Don't do that," Rose grumbled. "That sneaking up thing. And where did you come from?"

Al laughed. "Talking to my Dad. Almost missed the train. You know how he is." Rose finally smiled in earnest. For an Auror, Uncle Harry could be quite scatterbrained.

"I think I saw James and Roxanne go that way," Rose said, pointing right.

Al pursed his lips. "The farther away we are from Rox, the better." And so, luggage and owl in tote, Albus grabbed Rose's wrist and dragged her the opposite way down the hall.

A/N: Hello all, and welcome to my story! I'm home for the summer with a broken leg and nothing to do, so I figured I'd pick this one up. It's fully plotted out, but never written. To think, I just graduated college and I haven't posted a story on here since high school!

As I'm sure you noticed, I changed the order of things around a bit, but most of the events and dialogue match up to the canon Epilogue. From there, I'll be taking over the story of their Hogwarts years through Rose, Al, and Scorpius' perspectives. I'm trying not to pin it down to one genre and instead include a bit of everyting-drama, romance, action, the whole shebang-so I hope you all enjoy and stick along for the ride!

~Nina