Rose Weasley. An intelligent, beautiful girl my parents tell me fondly. Sarcastic and smart, my family know me as,with just enough resourcefulness to weasel (excuse the pun) my way out of the trickier situations Hugo, my impish younger brother, seems to find himself in. Despite all this I'm feeling particularly gloomy, with a predictable mixture of home-sickness and trepidation, as I rest against the window of the carriage chugging merrily along to Hogwarts. I push an auburn ringlet forlornly behind one ear as I ponder my new life away from the comforting arms of my loving parents and Weasley household. Already daydreams of my crookedly stacked books, the cats which weave around the oddities hoarded and the homely scents of freshly brewed coffee swim lazily in my minds-eye, taunting me with their familiarity yet inaccessibility. I dredge up the remnants of my earlier excitement at going to the famous Hogwarts, with its magical stairways and total grandeur and the spark of curiosity helps fight off my misery as the train continues onwards.
"Cheer up, Rosy-posie," a familiar timid voice chimes. I glance up to catch my cousin Albus Severus staring empathetically at me. A frown creases my face as I recognise the insufferably lame nickname my family have dubbed me with.
"Thanks Albus, but I'll be just fine." I reply primly. Albus shrugs at my formal response, too hyped about the sorting procession to properly converse with me. My mind flickers back to the past summer spent at grandma Molly's rebuilt home and I marvel at the lazy days spent encompassed in her busy-body embrace and at the many bakery sessions she'd roped me into. I suppress a giggle at the memory of us attempting, upon mum's request, to bake a homemade apple pie using no magic. How grandma Molly had blustered around looking completely befuddled by the mundane task of making and kneading one's own pastry. The pie had ended up alright, thanks to my meticulous timekeeping and watchful eye on both the slightly lumpy pie and the "Jamie Oliver" cookbook. I still recall Grandpa Arthur's thorough inspection of the non-moving pictures and how he'd jumped out of his socks when my phone had rung, receiving a call from a school friend named Alice.
I'm startled out of my reverie by a tentative knock on the carriage door. I look over at Albus but he's too busy playing some zombie game on his Nintendo DS to notice. Unperturbed, I call out a polite "come in," and wait patiently to see who's there. It's James, who's smiling down at us both with his usual roguish grin. Behind him are Teddy Lupin and Victoire, my other cousin, who are attached to one another like long-lost lovers. I almost roll my eyes at their icky lovey dovey-ness.
"Hey Rosy-posie" James greets, swinging into the cart with the others in tow. "How are you finding the trip?"I reprimand him with my almond-coloured eyes, meeting his inquisitive green ones sincerely.
"Rose, not Rosy-posie, just rose." I correct smartly. He rolls his eyes at my stern tone.
"Okay 'just rose', how's the trip? Are you excited, nervous… Scared?" He drawls cheekily. Victoire twitters amiably in the background and tosses her golden blonde hair proudly. Ugh, cousins.
"Actually Jameson, I'm finding the trip rather pleasant and predictable." I reply. He raises one eyebrow as if to say "oh, really?" And I can't fight the competitive urge which rises within me telling me to truly prove that I know what I'm talking about. "Well it's rather obvious, don't you think? Albus and I are going to be sorted into Gryffindor, probably Teddy and Vic will too, and we'll make new friends and fall into the pattern any new boarding school students follow. It will be educational and informative, just as one might hope it to be." Victoire, who had narrowed her eyes disapprovingly at her nickname, snickers and repeats softly my use of "one". I shoot her a half-hearted glare, suddenly feeling too weary to be bothered with my holier-than-thou cousin dearest. James studies me with a look calculating and thoughtful enough that I have the desire to fidget or be away from his scrutiny. After another moment or so, the spotlight lifts and his bright green eyes sparkle once more with good-humour.
"Ah but Rosie, you forgot one key element to your stay at Hogwarts." He remarks coyly. My curiosity piques, and the cogs in my brain whir with what I might've missed. "What might that be? I already labeled it as educational, although I suppose it will also be very magical and intriguing." I think aloud.
"Fun." James beams at me. "Hogwarts is mostly about having fun." I smile politely back at him but inside my inner skeptic mocks my cousin for how the thought that the place where my parents helped kill Voldemort, AKA the most evil wizard of all time, could ever be more "fun" than my quaint but cosy life back home in London. He departs with Teddy and Victoire soon after that and I leave to go change my robes, not bothering to inform Albus where I am going due to his complete absorption in the zombie game. If I'm honest, I'm not even sure Al even noticed his brother visiting.
Once changed in the wizarding robes I step away from the girls bathrooms (I wasn't entirely sure where I was supposed to change) and end up crashing into another person. I stumble back and watch the other person regain her footing, embarrassment and horror flooding my expressive eyes.
"I'm so sorry!" I apologise to the girl, also dressed in the black wizarding robes I am sporting. The girl looks up and I get a chance to finally assess who I've rudely bumped into. She's petite, the same age as me with raven black hair and striking blue eyes. She has a pretty, olive complexion and an oval facial structure which compliments her laid-back smile.
"No, no it's my fault." The girl says. I smile warmly at her, curious as to her origins.
"I'm Rose," I introduce kindly "Rose Weasley." Her sky blue eyes widen slightly with recognition. Although we Weasley's are not usually the famous ones, we still are known for our parents "Golden Trio" status back when they fought the evil death eaters and such.
"My name is Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn Brooks. My family and I have heard of the Weasleys." She sounds unusually sad and resigned at her statement and I have a moment of bemusement at her tone. Before I can dig further, Kaitlyn adds- "But you can call me Kat. Are you a first year too?"
I nod and explain at how I'm sat in a carriage with my cousin Albus Sirius Potter who is engrossed in a muggle game. Kat laughs at my disdain for the technology and explains how it is also her first year and how she's with her cousin Scorpius. The name rings a bell but I'm too absorbed in the new girl to muse on the familiar-sounding name. Just then a haggard trolley lady with a frazzled demeanor hurries across the aisle and I flatten myself and Kat along the side to avoid being run down.
"Would you like something from the trolley dears?" The woman croaks from behind the teetering towers of pumpkin pastries and chocolate frogs. I shake my head shyly and hover awkwardly as Kat buys almost her weight in the sugary treats. After she's paid and grinning like the cat who got its cream, I sigh exasperatedly but humorously at her being laden with treats.
"Do you usually buy so much?" I ask her, not unkindly. She nods decisively still overly-proud of her purchases. "But how-wher-"
"Where does it all go?" She finishes excitedly. She pouts her cupid bow lips in thought. "I'm not sure to be honest." She answers honestly. "Personally I draw it up to a high metabolism and quidditch playing." My eyes light up at her mention of quidditch. Strangely enough, and much to the dismay of Lily Luna, Albus and James' little sister, I seem to have inherited the quidditch playing gene, making me a bit of a sport fanatic completely contrasting my book-nerd genes. Hey, what can I say? I got the best of both worlds. Sadly my train of thought inspires the Hannah Montana theme song and it's all I can think about as I lead Kat back to my carriage.
Once there she dumps the delicacies on the seat across from Albus and plops herself unelegantly down next to the pile, already tearing into a chocolate frog. Albus is drawn out of his gaming trance by the only thing which ever does, the scent of food, and I smirk at his predictability. I practically see the saliva dripping as he gapes at the heaped treats and the pretty girl in our carriage. I shut the door then perch next to Al, chatting amiably with my new friend. She offers both me and Al whatever we want from her pile insisting that "friends share with each other," and we do swapsies with our lunch items as the train drives diligently closer to our new lives. My new life. And ,as I gaze at my lovely cousin and my bubbly new friend, my melancholy dissipates completely and for the first time since hopping on the train, I feel truly at peace with what is to come.