Hermione Weasley leant on the door frame of her daughter's room, arms crossed, watching her open a rectangular package wrapped in brown paper and twine. She remembered her own sixth year at Hogwarts. One of the worst years of her life (perhaps an exception being the year after, spent chasing horcruxes across the country) and if she reread certain pages in the diary she kept she would avoid her dear husband for fear of an argument that was best long-forgotten.
Rose tore free the last of the packaging and let it f to the floor, revealing a black leather diary, complete with a lock. Opening it, she saw the pages we filled with gold lines.
"A journal?" Rose turned towards her mother. "Why?"
"School's hard. Especially when you're sixteen. Merlin, it was bad… I started writing things down and it helped me cope. Plus I could always pen the numerous ways I wanted to kill your father; there was this really creative one where I used a broomstick and- Ahem. Maybe I shouldn't say this to you right now."
Rose couldn't control the expression of horror contorting her features. "That may be best, mum."
"It was a joke. Joking…? Ah… Uh… I'm going to check on Hugo... Keep packing, Hogwarts tomorrow!"
She waited for the footsteps to fade down the hall. Rose Weasley then closed her eyes and flopped forward onto her pillows.
"Bloody hell…" she murmured.
Name: Rose Olivia Weasley
Age: 16
Date of Birth: 8th of June, 2006
If lost, return to owner.
August 31st
Um… Hi? Do I have to write in this thing? What am I even meant to write about? Whatever…
A boy walked into Rose's room. Tall, with obnoxiously orange hair, Hugo and Rose were obviously siblings. However, while Rose was pale and her hair had evened out when she hit puberty, Hugo's hair was as unruly as their mother's and his skin had a healthy glow from Quidditch. Hugo also had a loud voice, which he tended to use to his advantage.
"Rosie Posie! Time to get READY!"
Rose groaned into her pillow and burrowed further into it, trying to escape the sing-song voice of her baby brother. There was no escape, there never was. She felt the covers being yanked off. Lifting her face so her voice was unmuffled, she protested. "Whyyyyyyy? Why do I have to go back?"
"Because you love Hogwarts, you love learning and mum and dad won't let Persephone visit if you drop out of school."
"My owls were terrible!"
"You got an E and the rest were Os, how is that terrible?"
"Go away!"
"Get up!"
"No."
"Fine."
Rose relaxed and snuggled down into her duvet again. Then came the tattoo of footsteps running down the hall. And water. Cold water. Lots of it.
"HUGO, YOU BETTER RUN!"
Checklist for Hogwarts:
Toiletries – empty the bathroom
Make-up and brushes
Uniform and robes
Cloak and winter-wear
Muggle clothes
Quills and ink
Text books
Muggle fiction
Parchment
Money
Shoes
Coco the bunny
Cat treats for Jesse
Weasley Wizard Wheezes stuff
Note to self – cast undetectable extension charm on trunk
Rose ran down the stairs, cat carrier in one hand and an over-stuffed trunk being dragged in the other. She could hear the noise of her father's swearing outside as he tried (and failed) to fit Hugo's trunk in the boot of the car. Sighing, she flicked her wrist to enlarge it while he complained to his wife. That done, she pulled her sleeve over the wand against her arm and descended the last few steps and hurried out the front door. Leaving her case by the back wheel, she took the cat carrier and slid into the back seat.
So my mother said I should use this to rant. So I'm going to rant. I BLOODY HATE THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER!
Six things I hate about going back to Hogwarts:
1. The journey to Kings Cross. Why can't we just use portkeys or something?
Rose sat in the cramped car's backseat with Hugo, a cat carrier, and owl cage and the hand-luggage of the two between them. The motorway they had to use to get down to London for the annual migration was flooded with traffic – as it was every year (Rose had an inkling that her fellow witches and wizards were, at least in part, the reason for it). Every so often Ron would beg his wife to let him fly the car, but this would spark yet another off their arguments.
"You're so irresponsible, Ronald! And after what happened in second year!"
"That was Dobby's fault, and you know it!"
"You can't even drive on the road, let alone the air! You confunded the driving instructor!"
"I did not! I resent that implication!"
Rose and Hugo exchanged long-suffering glances, the latter putting on his headphones to his iPod and the former opening her bag. It was the same routine every year. Soon the couple would make up, but just as soon they would begin fighting over something as menial as a toilet stop. After successfully retrieving a small pink vial Uncle George had given her for such occurrences, she down the contents in one and let the daydream begin.
2. The station. Would it kill people to be inconspicuous? The muggles are NOT so stupid as to believe that everything is normal, I swear!
Rose slipped out of the car and stretched to full length while her parents loaded the trunks onto a trolley. While she had inherited her mother's facial features, she had her father's height. Her spine cracked, eliciting a sigh. Grabbing her cat carrier and backpack from the car (quickly checking for drool after a very realistic daydream involving a tall, broad-shouldered muggle actor) she waited for a Mercedes to pass.
"Rosie!"
"Coming, dad!" She gave a quick glance towards the sleek, silver exterior of the parking car while running to join her family, wondering who owned it. It was pretty.
The four people walked through the crowded turnstiles, receiving many an odd look due to the eclectic belongings. At least we're all dressed normally… It's like some wizards have never heard of jeans, she thought. They drew up to the pillar between platforms nine and ten, checking to see if anyone would observe their walking through. Hermione went first, trying to appear casual by leaning against the bricks and falling through. She was swiftly followed by Ron and Hugo trying to race each other. Rose went last, slowly, wanting to discern the exact moment when the blackness of the portal became nine and three quarters.
3. My maniac of a cat and the noises he makes.
"Murrraaaaaoooooowwwwwwww."
Rose glared at the stupid plastic thing in her left hand as she strode down the platform, ignoring the giggles from the girls in the years below.
"Miiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoow!"
"Seriously, Jess?"
She stopped, setting the cat carrier on the ground and poking her fingers through the wire lattice door and scratching the feline fur on the black and white cat's chin. The growls were replaced by purrs and she stood, wiping her hands on her jeans.
Turning back around, she picked up the carrier and walked right into someone's chest. Someone's very broad, well-defined chest.
"MIRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!"
Who is this guy? He's ridiculously tall! I better apolo-ohh… Oh no…
"I'm so sorry!" Using her right hand to cover her quickly reddening nose, she glanced up at the face of Scorpius Malfoy.
"No problem. You okay? Is your cat that sounds like it was cross-bred with a lawnmower okay?" He smiled, revealing a dimple on his left cheek.
"We're good, sorry again. Um, bye." Rose walked as quickly as she could, her blushing causing her face to become the same colour as her nose.
4. My family. All in one place. Too many people, too much red, to scary, hide! And what's with my dad having a fan club?! Ew!
As usual there were the crying children on the platform, desperate to be old enough to join their siblings in the seats on the Hogwarts Express. And, also as routine, there were children clustered near her extended family with autograph books, too nervous to inch forward and request a signature. After Rose's childhood being filled with people looking at her parents, it no longer bothered her. She continued forward to the natural focal point of the platform that seemed to have a dress code involving red hair. Even Teddy's hair was a shocking ginger to (as he put it when asked by Lily several years earlier) "match the rest" of them. She ran towards Albus, the only other Weasley in her year.
"Ally, I haven't seen you in ages!" She rushed forward to hug her closest cousin, earning complaints from the rest of them.
"Oi!"
"You haven't seen me in just as long!"
"Why don't you love meee!" James' anguished cry stood out from the rest and a couple of seventh years giggled while glancing at him. Dropping the persona, he winked and ran a hand through his hair.
"Rosie, I… I thought I was your favourite…" Teddy's hair grew longer and turned black, through Victoire whacking him with her purse caused it to recede and become red again.
Just as soon as she had become the center of attention, she faded into the background again. But Rose preferred this, it gave her a chance to observe. She observed that George teared up when Fred promised he would send a Hogwarts toilet seat and Harry's sad smile. She saw the glances that Lily sent most of the boys on the platform. She observed Teddy touching Victoire's stomach more than usual. She sighed, stood straight and prepared herself for the year ahead.
"Work hard, Hugo."
"I will, mum."
"Don't let any Slytherins beat you, or I'll disown you. You especially, Rosie."
"Ron!"
"I won't. Bye, dad. Mum. I'll write." Rose was engulfed in her mother's scent, the hug as comforting as it was every year. Her father patted her on the back, his eyes watery.
She picked her trunk off of the luggage trolley and walked forward with her (mercifully) sleeping cat.
5. The wait before the prefect meeting. Now that James and Dominique are gone I don't have anyone to talk to in the carriage.
The second hand ticked slowly around to the twelve on her watch. Too slowly. It was ten past eleven. Ten minutes since the train had left Kings Cross. Ten minutes since Hugo had snuck off and Albus fell asleep. Ten minutes since anyone had last said a word in the Weasley/Potter carriage.
Louis was listening to an iPod he had charmed to work regardless of proximity to magic, Fred was finishing the last of his summer homework and Lily and Roxanne were writing notes to each other. The year before James and Dominique had been in the cabin, teasing Rose for getting prefect and being loud enough to wake Albus up. In Rose's fourth year Lucy had been there and in her third year Molly and in her first year Victoire was there.
It had never been this quiet…
Tick
Tick
Tick
Tick
Rose stood up, opened the door and walked down the length of the train to the prefects' carriage, trying to escape the cloying silence. She slid the door open and walked inside, relieved to see the Hufflepuff and Slytherin fifth years and all the Ravenclaws already present. She sat next to Elaine Rivers, a Hufflepuff sixth year and waited while the rest of the prefects tried to find space and sat down.
"Do you know who got head boy this year?"
Rose turned to look at Elaine. "I thought it would have been Tristran Laurie." She tipped her head towards a tall, clumsy Hufflepuff seventh year. "Isn't it?"
"Melissa Greyback was telling everyone that it was Leathan Delisle, but she's never really been trustworthy." The pair exchanged knowing looks, both glancing at the Slytherin seventh year.
"I don't know, I think she must have some redeeming qualities. Of course I'm not sure what they are."
"Matt!" Rose hugged the boy on her other side, keeping her expression as neutral as possible.
Matthew Lancaster, the boy who had (albeit unintentionally) broken Rose's heart. She had liked him since fourth year, and had joined charms club to get closer to him. Of course she had taken her best friend Persephone along for moral support, but hadn't told her why. And of course Matthew Lancaster, the tall, tanned, clever, nice guy had fallen for Persephone, the small, dark-haired, fairy-like girl. Rose, the tall, pale, freckled thing never got a look in edge-ways.
She was happy for them, but it smarted. And it had only been made worse by the false sympathy from Roxanne and Lily.
"So I heard Matt Lancaster got a girlfriend."
"Still, it is Persephone. She has such a tiny waist, doesn't she Rose? Maybe you should ask her for some diet tips." Lily's sneer made an appearance. Rose looked down at her transfiguration text book, trying to ignore her.
"Don't be mean, Lil. She did try, but since she's Rosie Posie Pudding and Pie it was destined to fail."
"It's like she's not even a Weasley girl. She's too tall, too ugly and too fat to be like us."
"I know, dear cousin. It seems like she's too stupid too, unable to comprehend English."
"How was your summer?" Rose kept her grin in place, waiting for his answer.
"It was good, I spent it with Seph; but I think she must have told you that."
"In every letter!" Rose said, only half-joking.
"Well, I have some good news for you two." He nodded to Elaine, showing he was addressing her now. "Your sources seem to be wrong." He pulled back his robes to show a gleaming blue badge on his chest.
"Nice one, Lancaster. Don't work me too hard!" Elaine smiled at him.
"I think that the head girl'll be the one making you work, Lucinda Macmillan? Gryffindor? Slightly scary, that one… Anyway, there's only one person left to get here so…" Matt stood up and looked around the compartment. "It's good to see you all here. To the old prefects, hi. To the new ones – good luck. I'm your new head boy, and this is Lucinda."
"Thank you to all of you who arrived promptly." The short, stocky blonde glared at the space where the Slytherin sixth year boy was supposed to be sitting by now. "There are a couple of notices before we begin. Firstly, due to Filch's complaints, anyone with muggle technology in school should be reported to their head of house and the item in question confiscated. It is up to you to report it – though I'm sure just as many of you will be hiding what you own." She glared at Lysander Scamander, an earphone dangling out on his trouser pocket. "Next, as many of you know: James Parkinson, due to an unfortunate case of spattergroit, is unable to attend school this year. His replacement should have arrived by now. Instead he seems to be spending forever unsuccessfully trying to slide open the door without it squeaking."
Scorpius Malfoy poked his head through the gap he'd managed to make in the door. His ears were pink.
"Aw, he's embarrassed!" Elaine whispered.
"I'd be more scared! Macmillan's terrifying!"
"But look at Malfoy, such a cutie!"
Matt leant across Rose. "Rivers, save the girl-talk for later. I want to hear him get told off."
"Mr Malfoy. You're late because…?" Despite being only five foot one, Macmillan brought to mind the lion that was the sigil of her house.
"I'm… I… er… My watch was wrong…" The flush spread from his ears, creeping down the back of his neck. "It won't happen again, I'm sorry."
"If it does, I'm talking to Professor McGonagall and suggesting that perhaps you aren't the right person for this job. Sit down." She then began to explain the new patrolling system that she'd devised over the holidays while an abashed Scorpius Malfoy crept to his seat and looked like he'd rather have not been picked for the job of prefect at all.
"Slightly disappointing there… I was expecting some entertainment." Rose smirked at Elaine's comment, letting herself drift into the familiar routine that would carry on through the next ten months until the summer vacation began again.
6. The fact Persephone lives in Hogsmeade. She's never around when I need her most!
"So, the next prefect meeting will be in two days' time to work out the timetables. I hope it won't be as long as this one," cue a nervous chuckle after six hours, "But there will be refreshments as there were today. We'll send some notes by owl." Matt gave a weak grin at everyone as they stood up, necks cracking and arms stretching.
"Well that certainly took long enough."
"I'm beginning to think you didn't enjoy this, Elaine." Rose pushed her way through to the front of the crowd exiting the doors.
"The novelty must have worn off since last year. But there's some nice new eye candy." She winked at the redhead as they worked their way into the corridor and began the long walk to the other end of the train.
"Fifth years? Really? I thought better of you!"
"Pfft! Fifth years? I was talking about Scamander. That boy really filled out over summer."
"If you say so, Elaine."
"I do. Anyway, this is my carriage Weasley. See you later!"
Rose continued walking down the train, lost in thoughts of Matt and Persephone, until she reached the Weasley carriage. The carriage that was empty apart from a sleeping Albus with her belongings strewn across the floor, covered in water.
"They need to come up with a new tactic," she muttered. Opening the door, she heard her cat yowling from inside its carrier. "C'mon, Jess. She opened the door and cast a few spells, one to dry and clean her clothes, one to fold them, one to put them back and one to check if anything was missing. Then she locked her trunk using a new spell, sat down with her cat on her lap and closed her eyes, counting the minutes until she arrived at the station.
I don't own anything.
I wanted a story where everything wasn't perfect within the Weasley family, because in a group as large as that it never is. More will be explained later. If you liked it, review? I'll get the next chapter out as soon as I can. The point of view is going to change to first person in some sections, but those will mostly be in italics or will be self-explanatory. I hope you enjoy!
Any suggestions or complaints? Feel free to private message me Also when I spell things wrong, please point it out? I finally fixed my computer and have had to edit this chapter way too much thanks to writing this at 2 in the morning with no caffeine (my sole sustenance in life).