A/N: For those of you who've read my other stories don't worry I haven't given up on them. I've just had a very horrible case of writer's block. As for this story… I've had a lot of it written for a long time and I got attacked by a muse to get this up so here it is. As always tell me what you think. I love to know what ya'll think about my writing, it's the best way to improve. So ya'll enjoy and please review.
Disclaimer: I'm a college student does it look like I own anything.
"We are going to miss the train if you don't hurry up. And I can't miss the train. I'm Head Girl."
"Relax Lils. We are not going to miss the train. We have 30 minutes before the train leaves." The two girls put their trunks on their trolleys and rolled them to the front of the car. Their mother looked at both of them.
She asked through tears "Are you sure you don't want us to go in with you?"
Lily said "No Mum. It's not that we don't want you to, it's that it's just so crowed."
Rose said "Oh let's just go. It's not that much more crowded than the last six years. Come on Mum and Daddy let's go!" The four set off into King's Cross Station. The two girls pushing their trolleys, each with a trunk and cage on it. They came up to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.
Rose said "Come with us this year. It's the last chance you'll have."
Her parents looked at each other then down at their daughters. Their father said "Sure. Why not?" Rose smiled.
She said "Daddy you come with me first and then Mum, you follow with Lily." Rose leaned casually against the barrier between the platforms. Her father did the same. They disappeared into the brick wall. They came out on the other side to see a similar platform with a large black and scarlet locomotive in front of them. Lily and her mother appeared moments later. The four headed past the engine car to the passenger cars. As they made their way to the car Lily was greeted by her many friends. Rose waved to a few of the people she knew.
They reached a somewhat empty car. Lily dragged her trunk on and set her cage on top. She then got off and went to talk to her parents. Rose pulled her trunk off the trolley. She was having a very difficult time getting the trunk up the steps when she heard a familiar voice behind her ask "Would you like some help with that?"
Rose stopped and turned around.
She said "Yes please."
The young man stepped up and easily lifted her heavy trunk onto the train.
She said "Thank you Sirius."
He said "Any time."
And gave her a wink. She responded with a small smile. She picked up her owl cage and stepped onto the train. She emerged again with a beautiful snowy owl on her shoulder. She walked over to her sister and parents. Sirius watched her walk away. She looked a lot like her sister. But of course, they were twins. But when she stood next to her sister she was several inches shorter and her long red/orange hair was much longer and was more of a flame color than Lily's. Sirius shook his head and loaded his stuff onto the train.
Rose stood with her family next to the Hogwart's Express. A voice echoed across the crowded platform.
"5 minutes until departure! 5 minutes!"
Lily said "Oh, we've got to go."
"Yeah, if we want our own compartment."
Lily looked at their parents and asked "You know how to get out of here, right?"
Her father said "Of course darling."
"Good"
Their mother sniffed. She said "I'm going to miss you two."
Rose smiled a little "Don't worry. We're only a letter away. And this is our last year."
Lily sighed. Rose said "But we do have to go."
She hugged her parents. She said "I love you. And I'm going to miss you. But I'll see you at the holidays."
While she hugged her mother she whispered "Tell Petunia I'll miss her too."
Her mom nodded and gave her a last squeeze. She then turned and boarded the train. Lily said goodbye and boarded the train behind Rose.
The two dragged their trunks down the narrow space between compartments. Rose found an empty compartment and pulled her stuff in followed by Lily. Lily put her trunk on the rack and Rose put hers in front of Lily's. They sat down and waited for the train to start. When they were underway Lily would have to go to the prefects' compartment to brief them on the new year ahead.
"You mind if we share. Everywhere else is full."
Both girls looked up. Lily looked as if she was about to say yes she minded very much but Rose cut in
"Not at all."
Lily gave Rose a pained sort of look. Rose just shrugged her small shoulders. James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew all made their way into the compartment. The train started forward as the boys got the last trunk into the rack.
"We should head to the prefects compartment Potter."
Lily's voice sounded slightly strained with the effort to be civil.
"Brilliant idea Evans."
Lily stiffened as she left the compartment closely followed by James. Rose shook her head as the door closed behind them. She got up and pulled a book out of her trunk. She sat back down and opened her book. With her knees pulled up and her book propped on them Rose began reading.
After about a half hour of awkward silence between the three boys Sirius started to get restless. Rose's owl flew down from its perch on the luggage rack to the seat beside Rose. She stroked her white feathers as she read.
Sirius started pacing. Rose watched him as he paced and ran his fingers through his shaggy black hair. She rolled her eyes and went back to reading. After 5 minutes of pacing Sirius stopped in front of Rose. He peered down over her book.
He asked "What's your owl's name?"
Rose looked over her book at him. She responded
"Athena. After the Greek virgin goddess of war and crafts."
Sirius thought 'That's interesting.'
He asked "Whatcha reading?"
Again Rose looked over the top of her book at him. She said
"Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet."
"Oh"
He continued to look at her. She asked
"What? You want me to read some to you?"
Remus said "Would you?"
Rose looked over at him. With an inaudible sigh she agreed
"Yeah sure."
She flipped back to the beginning of the play. She sat up straight and cleared her throat. She began
"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; whose misadventured piteous overthrows do with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, and the continuance of their parents' rage, which, but their children's end, naught could remove, is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; the which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend."
Rose set her book down on her lap.
"Thank you." Remus smiled a bit.
Rose nodded. "You have a wonderful voice. And you read Shakespeare very well."
"Thank you. I've been reading Shakespeare's works since I was eleven."
"It shows."
Rose smiled in gratitude.
Sirius asked "How long have they been gone?"
Rose responded "About 45 minutes."
Sirius let out a very small soft growl of frustration. Rose swore it sounded uncannily like a dog's growl.
"Settle down Padfoot. Prongs will be back soon." Remus reassured.
5 minutes later the door to the compartment slid open. Lily came in. Sirius asked her
"Where's Prongs?"
With a look of disgust Lily replied
"He got caught up with his 'friends'."
Peter asked "Friends?"
"A bunch of fourth year girls that are falling all over him."
Remus laughed. Lily dropped onto the seat next to Rose causing Athena to hoot and fly up to the luggage rack.
"Sorry Athena. I didn't mean to scare you."
The owl clicked her beak. James came through the door. He slid the door shut behind him. He went to the luggage rack and pulled a cloak out of his trunk. He threw it over himself and disappeared.
"I'm not here." Came James's voice from the corner.
A minute later the door slid open. Three girls appeared. One of them asked quietly, her cheeks red "Have any of you seen James Potter?"
Rose said "Yes"
Sirius shot her a look that clearly asked 'What the hell are you doing?!' She met his eyes coolly and looked back at the three girls.
She continued. "Yes we saw him. As a matter of fact he came by about two minutes ago. He said he was going to wander the train and that he'd get off wherever he was at when we came into the station. He asked us to take his trunk for him."
The girls looked slightly disappointed. They turned and walked back toward their compartment. Rose stood up and closed the door and locked it. She also silenced the compartment. Turning back to her seat she clicked her tongue to Athena who flew down and landed on her shoulder. Rose sat down and picked her book back up. James threw his cloak off. He said
"That was close."
Stuffing his cloak back into his trunk he said
"Thanks Rose."
"Yeah."
For somewhere around an hour Rose read while the other five conversed among themselves. The compartment was fairly quiet. The five kept their voices down so they would not disturb Rose who sat next to the window. Peter sat across from her. Remus sat next to Peter and Lily sat next to Rose. Sirius sat next to Lily with James across from him. Remus asked quietly
"Hey Lily?"
"Mm."
"Would you switch places with me?"
"Uh sure."
Remus stood up and let Lily move across into his seat. He then sat down in Lily's seat next to Rose. He leaned close to Rose to look at her book. Rose sat up straight and put her legs down. She moved her book over between her and Remus. For the next hour or more the two sat together reading Shakespeare. Rose had finished Romeo and Juliet. They read the play Julius Caesar together.
It was starting to get dark out when Remus and Rose were called out of their corner by the window. Rose was leaning against Remus' shoulder so they were close enough so they could both read.
"Hey Rose."
She looked up still leaning against Remus. Lily said
"Would you get our robes out of our trunks? We're getting close."
"Sure."
Rose set her book down on Remus' lap. She stood up and unlatched her trunk. She pulled her school jumper, skirt and robes out. She dropped them on her seat. She then reached behind her trunk to get to her sister's. She unlatched it but couldn't get inside of it, she wasn't tall enough. Climbing up on her seat she reached again but still couldn't get inside. Letting out a small growl of frustration she pulled her wand out of her pocket. Holding it up she commanded
"Accio Lily's uniform."
The trunk lid jumped up and the uniform flew out. It caught Rose's wand as it came out and knocked it out of her hand. As it hit the floor a jet of red light shot out of it and the lights in the compartment went out. Rose heard Black say
"What the bloody hell was that?!"
Athena hooted and flew up to the luggage rack causing Rose to lose her balance. Her foot slipped off the seat and she fell letting out a small scream as she went. Remus saw her lose her balance and his Quidditch reflexes acted and he reached out and caught her before she hit the floor. He helped her stand back up and turned the lights back on with a flick of his wand. He reached down and picked up Rose's wand and handed it to her.
"Thanks."
"No problem." He replied with a smile which she returned.
Rose reached down and picked up her uniform. Lily stood up and picked her own up as well. Looking at the boys she said
"You four turn around now."
Remus, Peter and James did as they were told but Sirius just sat there watching them. Lily told him again to turn around but he didn't listen. Rose said quietly
"Turn around Black."
This time he listened. Rose pulled her skirt on and pulled her jeans off from under it. Lily did the same.
"You can turn back around."
All four did. Rose pulled the sweatshirt she was wearing off revealing her white school shirt. She pulled her jumper over it and pulled on her robes. She fixed her tie and put the rest of her clothes in her trunk. The rest of the group did the same. Rose said
"You are putting your stuff back in your trunk, Lils. There is no way I'm doing that again."
The boys laughed. She turned to face them.
"And what is so funny?"
Sirius strode over to Rose in the small space and put his arm around her shoulders. He looked at her and said
"It is funny that you are so short."
She turned and punched Sirius in the stomach. He flinched but his Quidditch training had done him good. She glared at him and he laughed again. He pulled her into a head lock. She let out a scream.
"Let go of me, Black."
Sirius just laughed again. Rose brought her knee up into the back of Sirius' knee. His knee gave out and he fell to the floor, releasing Rose in the process. Rose landed on her hands and knees and Sirius landed on his stomach. Remus put his hand out and helped Rose to her feet. Sirius stood up and brushed off his robes.
They all sat back down in their seats. 15 minutes later the train started to slow down. Looking out the window Rose announced quietly
"We're home"
She smiled and stood up to pull her trunk down. As she pulled on it it got stuck. She stood up on her seat and pulled at it again.
"Oh, come on you stupid trunk."
She jumped when she felt hands on her waist. She was picked up and set back down on the floor. Turning she saw Sirius behind her. He grinned and flicked his wand. Her trunk floated up and landed on the floor on its end.
"Hmpf. Thank you."
The boys and Lily got their trunks down with ease. The four Marauders and Lily and Rose left their compartment and made their way down the carriage. The train came to a halt. The six teenagers made their way off the train and onto the platform. Their trunks were all deposited off to the side to be transported up to the castle. The six set off down the path toward the road. Remus and Rose walked next to each other in front of the other four. Rose asked
"How did you see me fall on the train? I mean, it was so dark and all."
Remus flushed slightly.
"Um, well, I … I have good, uh… night vision."
Sirius and James chuckled but quickly covered them with coughs. Rose noticed but decided not to mention it. Things were starting to fall into place in her mind.