A/N: I haven't read 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' but I am working along the same vague lines with this story. I'm not sure if this is something I'll continue; I thought I'd upload the first chapter and see what kind of a response it gets before I decide whether to write a full fanfic, though I have got three chapters written if more is wanted. Let me know what you think!

Mrs Banks watched the young girl sat alone in her classroom who was drawing, always drawing.

'Are you okay, Rosemary?'

'Yes thank you!' The little girl smiled and turned back to her work.

'I'm sure your Auntie will be here soon, she phoned, said the traffic was bad, it was holding her up.'

'I know. Thank you.' She smiled again.

Mrs Banks for forty seven years old and had been teaching for longer than she cared to remember. She'd worked in many schools before she had settled here, Wiltshire Mead, a prestigious primary school but had never met a child quite like Rosemary before. She was five but to hear her speak you'd think she was much older, which is exactly what Mrs Banks was worrying about and one of the many reasons she had asked for a meeting with Rosemary's auntie, her legal guardian, after school today. She had a sneaking suspicion that this meeting was the reason behind Mrs Malfoy's late arrival, perhaps hoping that the teacher would give up and go home, leaving Rosemary in the care of the office as was the school custom, until she arrived. Mrs Banks was determined to catch her however so had stayed behind after school.

She looked at Rosemary again and couldn't repress the inexplicable feeling of hairs standing up on the back of her neck.

'She's like an adult in a child's body…'

This thought was followed by the sound of high heeled shoes clicking down the hallway, before Narcissa Malfoy entered the classroom, looking moderately irritated to see Mrs Banks thus confirming her theory. She greeted her niece warmly.

'Hello Rosie! I'm sorry I'm late, darling!'

'That's okay. Mrs Banks said the traffic was slow.' She hugged her and smiled again, she had such a charming smile.

'It was, cars everywhere, but I don't like to keep you waiting. Are you ready to go?'

'Yes.' Just as Rosemary picked up her book bag Mrs Banks stood,

'Could I see for a moment, Mrs Malfoy?'

Before Narcissa had a chance to respond Rosemary said,

'I'll wait in the playground…' and headed for the door. Narcissa turned with a frown.

'Now Mrs Banks, it's almost four o'clock, I need to take Rosie home, she has dance class at six thirty, she hasn't eaten yet an-'

'This won't take a moment.' Mrs Banks said firmly, she gestured to the chairs in front of her, 'care to sit down?'

Narcissa did so, reluctantly.

'Now, Mrs Malfoy, I wanted to have a brief conversation with you about some…concerns I have about Rosemary-'

'Rosie.' She said sternly, 'we call her Rosie.'

'About Rosie.' She corrected herself, unperturbed, 'I understand that Rosie has been living with you since she lost her parents-'

'She's lived with us all her life. My sister, Rosie's mother, lived with us. Rosie's never known any different.'

'I see. That is where I am going with this, I'm aware that Rosie lost her mother and father at a young age and that at Rosie's age it's perfectly natural for her to be curious about her parents but I wanted to speak with you about the kinds of things Rosie's been saying at school, we've had all kinds of comments from talk of coffins to funerals…all sorts. This wouldn't ordinarily be a problem however Rosie seems to have a slightly…' she paused to think of the best way to phrase the next part of her account 'unusual knowledge of death. As I say, it would not be a problem were it not for the fact that other parents have complained that their children have gone home with what they consider to be inappropriate information, I mean…'

Narcissa shifted uncomfortably in her chair and looked out the window, watching Rosie as she played hopscotch outside.

'I mean just today Rosie told us at carpet time that when you die they-' she paused to look at a piece of paper in front of her and quoted "bury you deep in a hole, your hair grows and your skin dissolves into the ground"

She looked up and Narcissa took a deep breath before saying 'If Rosie asks us a question, we give her an honest answer.'

'Mrs Malfoy, I don't mean to be rude but I really don't think that level of detail is appropriate for a five year old.'

'Rosie is very mature for her age.'

'Yes she is, I agree an-'

'I don't see that as problem. Neither does anyone else involved in Rosie's life.'

'It's not her level of maturity that concerns me-'

'Now if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare Rosie for dance class.' She stood and took her handbag from the floor; Mrs Banks sat back at her desk, defeated. 'We'll see you on Monday, Mrs Banks!'