Harry and Rose Potter Book One

by SylviaSnape98

Harry and his twin sister, Rose, start their experience at Hogwarts. They find friends, and enemies while trying to just make it through the school year. Books Two and Three are complete, book Four is started. SERIES DISCONTINUED

1. Chapter 1

The Potter family had always been a happy, wealthy family. Purebloods, but not concerned with purity, and powerful in the wizarding community, topped by no one. Fleamont Potter developed the Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, sales of which quadrupled the family gold (although never managed to control the Potter family's unruly hair). Upon retirement he sold the company at a vast profit. All while pampering his wife Euphemia, who managed the growth of their only son, who was, by all intents and purposes, spoiled rotten. This was one James Potter.

All was fine in the Potter home, they took in James's best friend Sirius Black, and commonly hosted the Marauders at Potter manor, always noting that one topic of interest was a pretty red-head in their year named Lily Evans. They kept the thought to themselves, but they had raised James the wrong way for him to ever catch an amazing witch like Lily. That's why they thought they were going to die of shock when James announced that he was dating her, and although shock may have been a factor, shortly after James and Lily married Fleamont and Euphemia fell ill with Dragon Pox, and at their old age died within days of each other.

Thus, Lily and James were left to raise their son and daughter on their own, in the midst of a war. Lily's mother and father while still alive couldn't be in contact with their magical daughter because of the war and the danger it would put them in. They did, however, become aware of the existence of their grandchildren Harry and Rose through the post that Lily often sent them. They died in 1981 of a muggle death, that no one ever bothered exploring or explaining.

Perhaps, though, they never had a reason or a chance too, because not long afterwards Lily and James Potter were killed by the hand of Voldemort, leaving their son and daughter with a title and a standard to live up to. Sirius Black had rushed to the house, and upon discovering the carnage took the children back to his house and let Dumbledore know who the true secret keeper had been, and discovered that the marauder he thought didn't have enough backbone to betray them had been the betrayer, and not the werewolf that he had been shunning.

That is what brings us to this instance, where one Sirius Black was pacing his flat anxiously as he awaited the arrival of his long ostracized friend. He had never been one to say sorry, and although he doubted that he could start now he would, at least, extend an offer to Remus, as an apology. It might also help that he held a piece of Honeyduke's finest chocolate in his possession that he would be gifting to his friend.

Finally a knock at the door. Sirius rushed to the door and opened it looking at the disheveled werewolf with wide eyes. Now that Remus was in front of him, and looking as bad as Sirius felt, he didn't know if he could do anything he had planned. Remus and Sirius stood staring at eachother as if in a trance until Remus raised his wand and pointed it at Sirius.

"Where were Lily and James living before…." He cut himself off as if realizing that this may be the wrong question to ask.

"Godric's Hollow." Was Sirius's choked reply.

Before either of them knew what they were doing they were embracing there in the hallway, their pain mingling with a power that only best friends had. Sirius was the one to pull back and lead Remus into the flat.

The flat was a mess, much like the man who lived in it. Then again it was in the process of becoming a safe haven for the two most beloved children in the wizarding world but it was still a bachelor's pad none the less. Remus shook his head as he looked around, realizing that nothing had really changed with the man although he now had the responsibility of a parent on his shoulders.

As if reading his mind Sirius broke the silence, "You know, you probably would've been a better choice as a godfather."

"You realize that with-" Remus started.

"Yes, yes, yes. With your furry little problem the Ministry never would have allowed it. Let's just be glad they didn't appoint Peter." At this the last two true Marauders shared a dark look.

"Speaking of godfather where are the kids? You haven't killed them already have you?" Remus said, falling back into the usual banter.

"Harhar. Very funny. No, they're asleep in my room at the moment. I'm just glad there is no accidental magic yet," both Remus and Sirius shuddered at the thought. "No, but I do have something for you Remus."

"I'm not taking your money." Remus responded on reflex.

Sirius smiled and shook his head before holding out the chocolate to his friend, "No, I have something better than money."

Remus quickly snatched the chocolate from Sirius and held it as if it were a baby, "It's beautiful." He said in awe.

Sirius snorted and shook his head, knowing that he was forgiven now if he hadn't been already. He then decided that he was going to broach a subject that he knew needed to be thoroughly explored. "Remus? Do you want to get a house together?"

This brought Remus out of his trance much like a bucket of ice water would. He sputtered and stuttered and made hand motions between the two of them before settling for what he knew he could actually articulate, "What?"

"A house. You and me and the kids. I'm going to need as much help as I can get taking care of them, and Rose has never liked me much."

Remus had been stunned into silence, which didn't happen often. He always had a response for everything as his social anxiety deemed it necessary. He didn't like being caught off guard, especially not with a topic such as this.

Sirius, sensing that his friend was going to think himself to death shook his head, "I just thought you'd want to be around what's left of Lily and James as much as I do."

"Of course I do! I just… They're babies, and I'm… Well, I'm a monster. I can't just be around them all the time. What if I hurt one of them?"

"Oh yes, because you'd definitely be around them when you were transformed, because I'm that irresponsible."

Remus sensed the pain he had just caused his sarcastic friend and sighed, "You're not I'm just… What if they resent me when they get older?"

Sirius laughed at this, a deep belly laugh that he quickly had to silence when he remembered there were two sleeping babies in the next room. "Resent you? Oh Remus, where do you get this stuff?! It's comedy gold!" After taking a look at Remus's actually concerned face it was Sirius's turn to sputter. "Wha- you… You're serious?"

"No, I rather believe you're Sirius."

"This is not the time Remus. How could they resent you? There's nothing to resent! You'll be helping to raise them, they'll love you!"

Remus took a deep breath trying to recognize the truth in what his friend said before he tried to weasel his way out again. "Well… I don't have enough money to go in for half with you."

Sirius laughed again, "You'll pay for your part by taking care of the kids while I'm at work and cleaning."

Remus became indignant, "I am not a maid!"

"Never said you were. But they'll need someone there with them, and you're perfect for that position."

Remus sighed and realized that there was no way he could get out of this one without risking bodily harm. "Fine. Yeah, I'll live with you. But I need a fortified shack or basement or something so I have no chance of hurting anyone."

"Deal." And they shook hands just as a baby's piercing cry filled the air, quickly followed by another. They both rushed to Sirius's room and each picked up a baby, Sirius grabbed Harry and Remus grabbed Rose. It seemed that Rose had been the instigator and that the only reason she was crying was because she wanted attention. She calmed immediately and started babbling while Harry needed some coaxing.

"This'll be fun." Remus muttered to himself and Sirius snorted in response.

Remus and Sirius rapidly found a suitable house in Cokewoth England, unaware that they were not that far away from the nefarious Severus Snape. They, meaning Sirius, also bought Remus's cottage so that he would have somewhere to go for transformations that was less public. They moved in and with the help of the Weasley Matriarch made it feel like a suitable home for children.

After they had finished unpacking completely and the children were asleep in their respective rooms Remus looked over as Sirius and smiled slightly, "You know, I'm glad that you got me to do this with you. And I'm also glad that you haven't turned to drinking."

"Well," Sirius mused, "I would have. The only issue is I now have two lives relying on me. I can't drink away the pain when I could be drinking away their lives too."
Remus raised an eyebrow, "That's very… Noble. I think."

"Oh hush you." Sirius sighed as he stood up. "I for one am going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

"See you in the morning."

March 30th, 1989

"ROSE!" Harry Potter roared as he stormed into the house that they shared with their godfather and Remus. The door hit the wall with such force that the pictures on the walls shook. One picture of his twin and him glared at him and crossed their arms. He was a rather muscular boy for his age, but it only made him lean, he could never build muscle mass. He had his father's messy black hair and his mother's green eyes. His sister on the other hand had their father's Hazel eyes, and her mother's red hair with the Potter unruliness.

His yell was met by silence and he closed his eyes blowing his bright pink hair out of his eyes. His sister was much better at pranking than he ever could be. Just last week she had turned his skin blue for an hour by spreading a potion on his broom that you wouldn't notice unless you looked very hard.

Sighing Harry went back outside, not knowing that his bookish prankster of a sister had actually wandered out of the house to meet a friend she had never told anyone about.

"Draco…?" Rose called out as she looked around the playground.

"Rose?" Draco's cool voice responded from behind her.

She spun rapidly hitting his shoulder without thinking, "You scared me!"

Rubbing his shoulder to make her feel bad he rolled his eyes, "I scare you every time you see me."

She huffed but didn't argue as she knew it was true and led him over to the swings. He had confronted her about being the girl who lived when she was six and had separated from Harry. Ever since that day they had become fast friends.

"What'cha thinkin about? You know I'm only in town for a week at a time and I don't know when I'll be back. Father doesn't like me hanging out in a muggle environment but mother says it's good for me."

"Yes Draco I'm aware. I was just thinking about the fact that we'll likely be judged for being friends in school."

Draco shook his head, as this had become a more and more common conversation between him and the pretty girl he sat next to. He didn't believe that she understood that he would never let anything separate the two of them, especially not something as silly as what house they were going to be sorted into.

"Listen, Rosie…"

"My name is Rose Draco." She said pointedly.

"Fine. Listen, Rose, nothing is going to separate us unless you let it. I'll do whatever I need to to stay by your side. I'd even hex someone."

"I understand that but-"

"There is no but. There only is and isn't. What is going to happen is we're going to stay friends. What isn't going to happen is that we'd get separated. Get it? Staying together, no separation."

"But-"

"Draco." Said a deep almost seething voice.

"Uncle Severus," Draco said as he stood up. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. And who exactly… Is this." His question came out more as a statement as if giving Draco no room to answer as he was already being judged.

"Oh, this is Rosie." Draco said easily.

"It's Rose." Rose sighed.

"Ahh." The tall man said. There was a ringing silence that surrounded them before the man glared down at Draco. "Come now, it is time for you to come back."

"But it's not even lunch time?"

"Now Draco." The man hissed before seemingly gliding off although you could distinctly see him walking in his dark muggle clothing.

Draco sighed and turned to look at his hurt friend. "I'm sorry, I have to go…"

"So much for never being separated, huh?"

"Rose I-"

"No… I get it… Go to your uncle. Goodbye Draco."

And with that they went their separate ways.

Once she got home she dealt with the lecture from Remus for leaving without announcing it and when Sirius finally came home from the Auror department he congratulated her on yet another well done prank.

She went up to Harry's room that night and knocked on the door, knowing he'd either explode or let her in.

"Coming!" Harry yelled from behind the door.

When the door creaked open for her Rose shyly stepped over the threshold and when met by no yelling or thrown pillows deemed it safe enough to delve deeper into her brother's room. The room had a plush tan carpet, and the walls were painted a bold gryffindor red, which clashed immensely but for whatever reason pleased her brother. There was a large window in the middle of the wall and a door leading to a walk in closet that had been magically added. The four poster bed had Gryffindor bedspread and the walls were plastered with posters of various Quidditch teams. She heard her brother sigh and she looked over at him. He was sitting with crossed arms on his bed.

"I'd like to-" She started to say.

"Apology accepted." Harry smiled wryly. She sighed and smiled slightly, hiding her annoyance at the face that everyone was cutting off her sentences today.

"I was wondering if you wanted to prank Remus with me." She stated more than asked.

"I'm in."

July 31st, 1991

The hoot of an owl was not an unusual sound in The Abode as Remus had named it. But today, the owl signified something new, something terrifying for the two adults. Sirius had almost spit out the orange juice he was drinking and Remus's fork had clattered out of his hand and onto his plate. They looked at eachother with sadness in their hearts, as their two adopted children were finally leaving the nest and moving onto Hogwarts. The unmistakeable green ink was there, and they sighed as the children took their letters into their hands.

"I guess a shopping trip is in order," Remus said meekly.

Harry yelled his excitement while Rose silently read her letter, thinking of a particular blond boy who was undoubtedly celebrating his acceptance to the same school, but without the comfort of his parents joy or a sibling's excitement. He was more than likely alone as he read it, and perhaps he was even thinking about her the way she was thinking about him.

Rose smiled at Harry's excitement of shopping with the Weasley clan, and she excused herself from the table to go to her room to write a letter to a friend she hadn't seen since that day over two years ago.

Dear Draco,

Hey, this is Rose. I just wanted to write to you to tell you I have just received my Hogwarts letter, and I'm sure you've gotten the same thing. I hope that you are going to stay friends with me like you said you would.

Signed,

Rosie

Rose shook her head and closed her eyes knowing that if Harry or her guardians knew who she was writing to she'd be forbidden to talk to him, but having to take a chance. She also knew they would question the nickname as no one was allowed to change her name, not even those who had raised her. She sealed the envelope and tied it to her Barn owl Galen. "Take this to Draco, and please don't give it to him if anyone is with him." She said quietly.

Galen gently hooted and nipped at her fingers before flying off right as Harry walked into the room, "Hey, where's Galen going?" He inquired.

"Oh, I think he's going out hunting. I'm not sure actually, as he never tells me." She said, the lie slipping off her tongue easily.

"Oh, well we're going shopping tomorrow. I thought you might want to know that."

"Thanks. I bet you're excited to see Ronald again."

"His name is Ron. And yes I am." Harry huffed.

During the twins conversation about Ron, Remus and Sirius were sitting down in the living room with a bottle of firewhiskey.

"I can't believe it," Sirius said with his eyes glazed over.

"They can't be eleven already… It's not six more years until they're adults. They're still kids." Remus sighed.

Sirius groaned and took a shot in response, "Hey, you would've gotten to keep seeing them even in school if you would just take the teaching job."

"Then who would take care of you? You don't know how to cook." Remus huffed.

"I could manage on my own. I've done it before."

"Yeah, just because you're too stubborn to die."

They both shook their heads and Remus went and put the bottle of alcohol away. They looked at each other in mild pain once more before going to get everything ready for the upcoming trips and the impending birthday party.

Harry, as usual, was struggling with his hair. He had not learned to just deal with its unruliness yet, and as such struggled with it before they saw anyone, including his best friend. His guardian's had promised he and his twin the best birthday party they had ever had, but somehow Harry sensed that his twin wasn't feeling it that day. For years she had carried a burden that only he could see, but he couldn't understand. He assumed she was just lonely, as none of the Weasley boys besides maybe Fred and George were her style.

That was how one Neville Longbottom had been introduced to their group. And while Rose liked him well enough, they didn't have the bond that Harry and Ron had. Harry sighed and changed from his comfortable pajamas to what muggles called jeans and a t-shirt. He heard his sister in the bathroom singing to herself and couldn't help but smile. Even though he knew she was lonely he also knew that she could always come to him with anything, after all, it's not like she was friends with a Malfoy.

Rose, meanwhile, was getting ready in the bathroom. She sang to herself as she started french braiding her own hair, a trick that she had learned from Mrs. Weasley and had practiced on Sirius numerous times until she felt comfortable enough to do it to herself. She sighed and finished the braid with a hair tail that she wrapped a black bow around. She should be happy, she knew, as she was eleven now, but she still felt a little empty without her best friend being there with her. Draco had promised to never let them be separated, but here they were, alone.

Slipping out of the bathroom Rose went back into her bedroom, her braid swaying behind her. She changed from her pajamas into a cute black skirt and a Green top that almost matched her twins eye color. She studied her reflection in the mirror before changing from the skirt to a pair of jeans, after all, it was her birthday and she deserved to be comfortable.

Rose took a moment to study her reflection in the mirror. She was shorter than her twin by half an inch, but her hair made her look taller than she was. The end of her braid reached right above her bum, and she loved how long it was. While she was not girly in many aspects, she could at least appreciate the effort that had to go into taking care of hair, therefore she kept it long. She had a heart shaped face and in the middle of her forehead there was a lightning bolt scar, one of the only things she shared with her twin. Her thighs touched, a fact she had been acutely aware of since she turned eight, but now that she was a little older she wasn't all that upset. Rose adjusted her training bra in agitation, not understanding why the annoying contraption even existed in the first place.

There was a knock on her bedroom door and she opened the door to see her twin in a similar outfit to her own, although his t-shirt was red. He smiled at her and casually leaned against her doorframe, as he had seen Sirius do numerous times. "Hey. The Weasley's should be here soon."

She nodded and looked at the clock on her wall. "Yeah, I'm aware. I'll be right down."

"Alright. Hurry up, though, don't want the twins to wait for you." He said with a roguish grin.

"Get!" She said as she pushed him out of her room.

Harry laughed and left. Ever since he had heard Mrs. Weasley tell Sirius and Remus that the twins had a crush on Rose he always picked on her before they saw them.

Harry walked down the hallway and down the stairs to the living room too wait for the arrival of his best friend. Rose on the other hand stared at Galen who now sat on his stand with a letter clamped in his beak. She quickly tore it from him, much to his indignation and started avidly reading the letter.

Dear Rose,

I said we'd never be separated didn't I? I meant it then and I still mean it now. I just hope you're sorted into something other than Gryffindor because that'll make being friends with a Slytherin so much easier.

Signed,

Draco

P.S. Happy birthday Rosie.

Rose smiled to herself as she walked into the living room, now able to celebrate her birthday truly happy. She walked in right as the twins stepped out of the fireplace and into the room.

"Rose!" They cried together before engulfing her in a hug.

"Hi guys!" She said with a large smile.

"We would've come alone-" Started Fred.

"But mother insisted that you would want to see our siblings-" George continued.

"We tried to tell her we were all that mattered-"

"But she insisted that because it was Harry's birthday too-"

"We all had to come together." They finished together.

Rose smiled and got on her tiptoes to reach the two tall boys heads, "Thank you for trying to defend my need for quiet." She said with a huge smile.

"Oh no, you won't be quiet after you open our present." They said seriously as the fireplace roared to life again and Ron stepped out.

"Oh no," They groaned, "It's started."

Harry started talking animatedly to Ron as they wandered out of the living room and to the kitchen, no doubt in an attempt to get to the food before anyone else. Soon after Sirius and Remus were shooing them out, though, and they sat rather disgruntled as they waited to get into the kitchen.

The twins were happily talking to Rose about their latest pranks, and Rose was doing the same before Mrs. Weasley came over and swept her into a giant hug much to the amusement of everyone else.

"Oh, Rose dear! How have you been? You did your hair, and it's done so well! I'm so proud!" She said.

Rose blushed under the attention and before she could reply Mrs. Weasley had moved on to do much the same thing to her unwilling twin.

Not long after they all packed into the kitchen and sang to Harry and Rose as they blew out the candles on their respective cakes, his being marbled and hers being red velvet. There was a clamor for food as everyone celebrated and soon it was time to open their presents.

Harry and Rose opened presents very differently. While Harry ripped and teared Rose carefully unwrapped and thanked each person individually. Harry was always the first one done, but they both knew that there was likely an equal amount of presents.

From Ron Harry got a thing of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. From Remus, he got a wand holster. Mrs. and Mr. Weasley made him pumpkin pasties. Charlie got him a book about taking care of his owl. The twins gave him dung bombs, 'so you can get your sister back,' they claimed. Percy gave him Hogwarts; A History. Ginny gave him a batch of homemade cookies. Bill gave him a couple of Galleons so he could buy what he wanted. Sirius gave him a broom care kit. And his sister gave him a Gryffindor banner, 'because there is no doubt about where you'll go.'

Rose had some of the same things. Their gifts from Ron, Remus, Percy, Bill, and Charlie matched, but they didn't mind. She still thanked everyone the same. Sirius had gotten her a box of muggle hair dye. 'You're hair color can't be real.' he explained. Sirius had also gotten her a bookcase that never ran out of room for books that Remus looked at jealously. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gotten her chocolate chip cookies. Ginny had gotten her a book on how to do your hair with magic that was greatly appreciated. And then came the twins present.

The box shook slightly and she sat, staring at it unsure if it was safe to open. Only at everyone's insistence did she finally open it (although she refused to pick it up).

As she opened the box, which had holes in the top, she started trying to guess what it was.

"Toad?"

"Nooooo. Just open it!" they replied practically jumping from excitement.

Finally, the box was open and a cat's head popped out. It had bigger than average ears and its eyes were golden which contrasted beautifully with its black and reddish-brown fur.

"It's part kneazel!" they crowed excitedly!

"You got me… I mean… Are you serious?"

At the twins eager nod she launched herself at them laughing happily. "Thank you, thank you! I've always wanted a cat!"

"It's supposed to get bigger too," Fred said with a blush on his face.

"Yeah," continued George. "It's half Maine Koon."

"You're both amazing!" she said before kissing both of their cheeks making all three of them blush and she went over to pick up the beautiful long haired cat. "Does it have a name?"

"No." they both replied.

"Boy or girl?"

"Girl."

"Then I think I'll name her… Maple."

Sirius shook his head and leaned over to whisper something to Remus who laughed before standing up, "Alright everyone. It's starting to get late, you should all probably return home."

This statement was met with grumbles before Mrs. Weasley agreed and shooed them all through the floo and home. Sirius turned to look at Rose and the new addition to the family and sighed.

"I should kill those boys." he muttered.

"But Padfoot she's so pretty! And it's not like she's completely a cat so you'll be fine!" Rose said.

"She's still a cat, and I refuse to take care of her," he huffed. "But when you go shopping I'll give you a bit extra so you can get supplies for her."

"Thank you!" she yelled while Harry said, "No fair!"

Remus shook his head and raised an eyebrow at Sirius, "You're actually letting her keep it?"

"She got it as a birthday gift," Sirius defended himself. "And besides, it's not like she can have a dog at school."

Remus smiled, "You're truly growing up."

"Never!" Sirius gasped.

The Potter twins were used to Remus's and Sirius's antics though and walked to their respective rooms with their non-edible gifts in tow.

"What do you think your wand is going to look like?" Rose inquired before they opened their door.

"Obviously, it'll be cool just like me," Harry smirked.

"You're an idiot. You realize the wands don't care about your half-baked notions of how cool you are right?"

"Oh, the wand will care alright," Harry said roguishly.

Sighing, Rose walked into her room and looked around the comfortable room that she would soon be leaving. Unlike her twin, her room wasn't decked out in her future houses colors. In fact, there was a Slytherin green carpet covering her floor. Her walls were trimmed with black, and her walls were a dark brown. When she was younger she had decorated the walls herself, having loved drawing. It was still a work in progress in fact; whenever she was down she would doodle on her wall so she could paint over it to make it more permanent later. Her four poster bed was covered in simple silver sheets with black pillow cases. She now had a bookcase against the same wall that had her window in it, and she had a desk on the wall that the door was on. She smiled to herself as she got into her comfortable pajamas and Maple jumped up on her bed purring as she batted at a package that Rose couldn't remember seeing before.

Approaching it cautiously she looked at the tag attached to it. It simply read, To Rosie. Now understanding who it was from she tore open the box and gasped at the beautiful oak jewelry box that was in it. She slowly opened it and on the inside there were earing, necklaces, bracelets, and all seemed to be very expensive. She was looking at the jewelry when a bracelet that looked like a snake caught her eye. She smiled and slipped it onto her wrist, knowing that was how her friend was apologizing for being gone for so long.

Rose then laid down after putting her jewelry box on her desk. She slipped under the blankets and into the comfortable bed getting comfortable before Maple rested next to her hip, purring contentedly. Rose smiled at the happy cat before relaxing completely, "I could get used to this." She said to no one as she fell asleep.

The next day she was awoken by a loud hiss before she felt a pressure on her bed near her head and she was getting a sloppy wet 'kiss' on the cheek from Padfoot. She groaned and opened her eyes only to be met with the happy eyes of the dog in front of her. Maple was growling with her fur standing up on end at the sight of the dog, apparently not liking his sudden appearance.

"Sirius, that was rude," She mumbled as she slowly sat up to calm her cat as the dog transformed back to a man.

"Sorry kiddo. I had to see how the newest addition to the family reacted to me." Sirius said evenly.

"You're not sorry. Go away while I get dressed." She huffed and he laughed as he walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

After a moment of silence, Rose looked apologetically at Maple, "I'm sorry, girl. I didn't know he would do that to you."

Maple huffed in response and jumped onto her desk curling up and promptly falling asleep. Rose started getting changed and sighed as she remembered she was going out in public today. She took out the braid from the night before, letting her now wavy hair surround her as she stared with contempt at her closet. She knew she had to wear something good, because after all she was the girl who lived, other girls looked up to her. She sighed and put on the black skirt she had discarded yesterday and a pair of knee high socks with her Mary Janes. There, the bottom half of her was done at least. Now for the hard part. Frowning at the closet and taking clothes from their hangers she finally settled on a white button up shirt. She finished the look with a light pink robe.

She walked out of her room and almost ran into her twin. She sighed when she took in his appearance and rolled her eyes. He was in wrinkled black slacks and a red button up shirt with a black cloak. Noticing where she was looking, Harry, sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "Hey, at least, I'm wearing something, right?"

Shaking her head Rose walked down to the kitchen to the usual sight of Remus setting the table while discussing some mundane thing with Sirius. Harry was following her closely and was chattering happily.

"-and I heard that Sirius is getting a promotion!" Harry said in an excited whisper.

"Where'd you hear that?" Sirius inquired, his heightened hearing letting him catch what the boy said.

"Umm… I…" Harry sighed. "I heard it from you."

"You were eavesdropping." Remus deadpanned.

"Yes."

There was silence for a moment before Remus and Sirius shrugged, "Let's hope you never have to lie your way out of anything while at school." Sirius quipped.

Everyone sat down and started eating while Remus and Sirius discussed how to get to Diagon Alley. Harry and Rose just ate in silence while listening to them. Finally, it was decided that they would appear directly into the Alley right in front of Gringotts. With everything figured out, topics turned more towards the kids.

"You're sure you want to go to Hogwarts right?" Remus inquired. "There are other schools."

Rose smiled and sighed happily, "Oh Beauxbatons… But I am sure that Hogwarts is where I want to go. While Beauxbatons is beautiful it isn't nearly as good educationally as Hogwarts, and it's not like you'll let me go to a dark school like Durmstrang."

Harry rolled his eyes at his sister, "Yeah, the only real choice for me is Hogwarts. I don't want to go to any other school besides the one you guys went to. I want to see Minnie with my own eyes, I want to explore the school and I want to meet Dumbledore, maybe even be dragged into his office for doing pranks. I want everything that Hogwarts is, and that's really important to me."

This statement was met by silence for a moment before Sirius wiped away a fake tear, "That was beautiful Harry."

"I didn't know you had that in you," Rose said with a smile.

Remus, meanwhile, smiled and shook his head, "You should write poetry when you get into school."

Sirius and Rose snorted at this but were silenced by Harry's glare. Rose glanced at Sirius and once their gaze met she shrugged her shoulders. The table was bathed in silence again until Rose asked a question that had been weighing on her mind for awhile now, "Sirius, Remus? What are your wands?"

Sirius smiled happily and replied with ease, "Twelve inches, Dragon Heartstring, Blackthorn."

Remus smiled also and looked at his wand that was next to him on the table, "Ten and one-fourth inches, Unicorn hair, Cypress."

Rose nodded and looked down, "Do you think a person can not be chosen by a wand? Do you think Ollivander won't be able to give me a wand?"

At this Sirius laughed and Remus glared at him reproachfully, "He'll have a wand for you, Rose. There is a wand for everyone."

Rose nodded and they finished eating. It was decided that Rose would travel with Remus, and Sirius would be with Harry so that there was little to no chance of splinching. Remus held his arm out to Rose and she gladly held onto it before the sensation of being squeezed through a tube overtook her and she and Remus appeared outside of Gringotts right next to Sirius and Harry. They walked into the giant building and walked up to a goblin.

"The Black vault please," Sirius said.

"Right this way, Mr. Black." The goblin said as he lead them to a cart that rocketed them to Sirius's vault.

Once there Sirius was the only one who went in and he scooped some gold into four pouches then came back out and handed each of the other three a pouch as they rocketed back to the surface and exited the bank. "Now, I know you kids want to spend loads of money," Sirius started. "But we're getting all of your school stuff first." Harry and Rose nodded eagerly, as now that they had their own money for shopping they felt like they were on top of the world.

The children walked into Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions while the adults stayed outside, no doubt watching the street for potential threats, but they didn't know what was inside the store.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. "Hullo Rose and Harry! Off to Hogwarts already? I have the lot here- a young man is being fitted up just now, in fact." And indeed in the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. The twins had opposite reactions to this while Harry scowled Rose grinned at the boy and held up her hand in a greeting, showing the Silver snake circling her wrist.

Harry looked at her in confusion as she greeted the enemy, but Madam Malkin stood Rose next to him, as if sensing the animosity between the two boys, and set Harry next to Rose.

"Hello," Draco said, "Hogwarts too?" He asked, although he already knew the answer.

"Yes," Rose said simply.

"My father's next door buying my books, and my mother's up the street looking at wands," he said feigning a bored, drawling voice when in reality he was warning Rose. He did recognize the company he held though so he continued, "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

"Yes, because you're just that special, Malfoy." Harry practically snarled.

"Boys, behave!" Said the scandalized Madam Malkin.

"Have you got your own broom?" Draco continued.

"Yes," Harry replied while Rose said, "No."

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"Yes," Said an increasingly irritated Harry, while Rose simply replied, "No."

"My father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"Gryffindor," Harry proudly stated.

"I have no idea." Said a suddenly shy Rose.

"What do you mean you have no idea?" Both Draco and Harry said.

"I mean... I could be a Ravenclaw... Or I could be a Gryffindor."

Draco sighed, "Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all of my family has been- imagine becoming a Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"There's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff Draco," Rose said with a sigh.

Before Draco could retort, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dears," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the other boy, hopped down from the footstool. Rose was much calmer about the matter as she carefully got down.

"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts I suppose," said Draco.

"I hope not." replied Harry while Rose said, "You will."

As they walked out Harry glared at his sister who he now knew was holding a darker secret than he could've ever imagined, "Why were you being nice to him?" he hissed.

"You should be nice to as many people as you possible can." was Rose's simple response.

Harry was silenced as their guardians took them to Flourish and Blotts where shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all.

Harry had to be dragged away from Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian. "I was trying to find out revenge for Rose! And how to hex Malfoy!" Harry tried to defend himself.

"Not today sport," Sirius said.

"Besides, you couldn't work any of those curses yet, you'll need a lot more study before you get to that level." supplied Remus.

They then went to buy a cauldron. Neither of the children were allowed to acquire a solid gold cauldron ("It says pewter on your list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they Visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, which was a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. There were barrels of slimy stuff on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling.

While Sirius and Remus asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for the twin, Harry and Rose examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop). Outside the Apothecary, their guardians checked their lists again.

"Just your wands left," Remus stated.

A magic wand... this was what the twins had been really looking forward to. THe last shop was narrow and shabby, peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Sirius claimed feigning tiredness. The twins felt strangely as though they had entered a very strict library. For some reason, the back of their necks prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. The twins jumped. An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," said the twins awkwardly.

"Ah yes," Said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you two soon. Harry Potter and Rose Potter." It wasn't a question, but then again it never was. "Harry you first." Rose took an uneasy step back to the safety that Remus provided.

"You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it- it's really the wand that chooses the wizard of course.

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes. "And that's where..." Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger. Both Sirius and Rose tensed, although Remus seemed relaxed. "I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful and in the wrong hands... Well if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..." He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief backed up.

"Well, now- Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

Harry stuck out his right arm on reflex and Ollivander said, "That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, Phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

They had all been so entranced on what Ollivander was saying that they suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. "That will do," He said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beech wood, and a dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave." Harry took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once. This went on for a good ten minutes, and while Harry was getting frustrated, Ollivander was looking happier and happier.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere- I wonder, now- yes, why not- unusual combination- holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. Harry took the wand, he felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on the walls.

Remus, Sirius, and Rose whooped and clapped and Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious..." He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious... Curious..."

"Sorry," said the ever impatient Harry, "but what's curious?" Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare. "I remember every wand I"ve ever sold, Mr. Potter. Each and every wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand gave another feather- just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother- why it's brother gave you that scar."

The twins swallowed and paled, understanding the implications. "Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things- terrible, yes, but great."

Harry shivered and stepped back as Rose stepped forward and trepidatiously held out her right hand. She was sure she didn't really like Ollivander all that much, but she let the process be repeated. Almost every wand Harry had tried made it into her hand but eventually she felt a tingle of magic in her fingers. She mimicked what Harry had done and brought the wand above her head and swished it down only to be greeted by the sight of Red and Green sparks lit up the room.

Harry, Sirius, and Remus cheered while Ollivander clapped his hands excitedly, "Yes, yes! Walnut and ice phoenix feather, eleven inches, rigid. Very powerful, very powerful indeed."

The twins each paid seven Galleons for their wands, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop. The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry, Rose, Sirius and Remus made their way back down Diagon Alley, through the magical wall, and into the now empty Leaky Cauldron. The twins didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; they didn't even care that many people were gawking at them on the streets, and they were apparated out of the Leaky Cauldron and back to The Abode.

The twins silently walked up to Harry's room, their meeting place of choice, and sat on his bed. Over the years he had acquired a few books and a desk, but then again he had also acquired more posters. As they sat on his comfortable bed they looked at each other, completely lost before Harry pipped up. "You know… They all expect great things from us… Even my wand is apparently 'great.'"

"And we don't even remember the event that made us famous…" Rose continued for him.

"We have no idea what happened when our parents died… We don't know if you were shot with the killing curse first or if I was, and we sure don't know why." Harry said, getting increasingly frustrated.

Rose put a calming hand on her more impulsive twins arm and looked down, "We don't need to know, though… Do we? We'll be famous if we do or do not know the facts. We'll be famous for destroying Voldemort when we don't even know that he's truly dead… He could just be ashamed of himself and in hiding. We'll never know."

They both sighed and sat there staring at one poster or another before Harry smiled wryly, "So, how are you going to fit your books into your school trunk?"

Rose laughed and the tension filling the room dispersed as they excitedly talked about Hogwarts and what they thought it would be like, and how excited they were to see Hagrid again, (this had been the first birthday party of theirs that he had not been able to attend) and whether or not they would make more friends.

Over the next month both twins eagerly devoured their books, talking about what classes they thought they'd be best at. Their school books were very interesting. They often laid on one or the others beds and read late into the night, with their owls swooping in and out of the open windows as they pleased. Harry was fascinated by potions, and he often found himself wanting, almost needing to try transfiguration. Rose on the other hand was amazed by charms and couldn't wait for astronomy (it was a little known secret that when Rose was younger and couldn't sleep Remus would take her outside and tell her all about the stars).

Every night before they went to sleep, they ticked off another day on the pieces of paper they had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first, unaware that their guardians were doing the same thing, but with much more sadness in their hearts.

On September first Rose and Harry bolted down the stairs, too excited to sleep and too nervous to go back to sleep. Remus and Sirius smiled knowingly at each other when they came down to see Rose beating Harry at wizard's chess. After a hearty breakfast ("You can't just eat sweets before Hogwarts") the twins got dressed in their best muggle clothing and made sure they had everything they needed. Truth be told they probably had more than necessary because Sirius had gotten them both trunks that never filled, only weighed half their actual weight, and had many compartments for organization.

At seven in the morning Harry's and Rose's huge trunks had been loaded into the ministry's car while the owls flew and Harry and Rose stored their cages in their trunks. Maple sat in a cat carrier on Rose's lap, much to Sirius's disdain. Remus, Rose, and Harry got into the back while Sirius claimed the passenger seat to 'talk to the ministry official.' They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Remus and Sirius got Rose's and Harry's trunk onto carts and wheeled them into the station for them.

"Every year there's more and more muggles," Sirius sighed. "Not that I have anything against them I just worry about our safety."

"We know." Chorused the other three.

After Sirius 'fell' through the barrier with Harry, Remus looked down at Rose who was frowning slightly. He held her shoulder comfortingly, thinking it was just nerves from finally going to Hogwarts, and led her through the barrier. They got their trunks lifted into their compartment for them and Sirius and Remus stood there looking down upon them.

"You're sure you don't want to be homeschooled?" Sirius inquired.

"We have to learn stuff you're both not good at." Rose reminded.

"Yes… But…"

"Sirius, we'll write you often," Harry said with a smile.

"Am I chopped liver now?" Said Remus.

"No, just the regular kind." Rose slyly stated.

At this everyone hugged one another, as it was close to time for the train to leave. Rose hugged Remus particularly tightly, and they boarded the train. They were soon joined by Ron, who had a smudge on his nose that Rose got off carefully.

"Thanks, Rose," Ron said with a faint blush.

"It's no problem. I had to help Harry get ready too." She said with a smirk.

"Oi!" Harry yelped.

"Hey, Ron." The Weasley twins said as they walked into the compartment. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry? Make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble. Actually scratch that, Rose, unless you want to come with both of us, watch these two dolts." Fred said with a wink.

Rose blushed and looked away shyly, "Yeah, I'll watch over them." She said while ignoring their indignant noises.

"I wish I had a brother." Muttered Harry while Ron laughed.

"No, you really don't mate," Ron said with a smile. "As your mate who has five brothers and a sister I can inform you sisters are much better."

"Thank you, Ron!" Said a happy Rose.

Ron grunted and blushed slightly looking out the window before continuing to talk, "You know... I'm the sixth kid of my parent's to go to Hogwarts. I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left- Bill was head boy and Charlie was the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Not Percy's a prefect, and while Fred and George mess around a lot, they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as all of them, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first..."

Rose looked at Ron in shock while Harry looked like he had heard this speech before. They were bathed in silence for a moment before Rose sighed and looked at Ron apologetically, "Hey, at least, they don't expect you to be all powerful because you destroyed Voldemort."

"Don't say the name!" Hissed Ron, although he did look a little happier.

Ron pulled Scabbers from his chest pocket and set him next to him before Harry and Ron started playing wizard's chess. Rose looked out the window when she wasn't reading her Charms book and realized the train had carried them out of London. They now were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep.

It was quiet for a time, none of them needing to say anything. Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry leapt to his feet while Rose rolled her eyes petting Maple who was eying Scabbers distrustfully. Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor and looked at all the candy they had to offer. Realizing that he couldn't choose, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven Sickles and Seven Knuts. Rose and Ron stared as Harry brought it all back into the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"You can't be hungry Harry," Rose said in shock.

"I'm sharing, aren't I?" Harry said while taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. Ron wasted no time and they both eagerly ate the snacks with Rose occasionally grabbing a sweet, still too engrossed in reading to be concerned with food.

Almost immediately after Rose entered the compartment, interrupting the boys conversation about Quidditch, the compartment door slid open again. Three boys entered, and Harry and Rose recognized the middle one at once: it was Draco Malfoy.

"Rose, Weasley, Potter." Draco greeted while Harry and Ron sized up the other two boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said Draco carelessly, noticing where they were looking.

"Why are you here Draco?" Rose said in confusion, making four of the five boys gape at her in shock.

"Came to check out what you're doing. I was bothered by one of your friend, Longbottom, he was looking for a toad I believe."

"He's lost him again?" She said with a sigh.

Draco shrugged, and held out his hand to Rose, "Come on, we'll race him and the bushy haired girl to see who can find it first." His eyes were glinting with challenge.

"Don't you touch my sister Malfoy!" Harry growled.

"I haven't touched her, yet. I'm letting her touch me, though. It is, after all, her decision," Draco said slyly.

Ron and Harry's vision narrowed onto Rose and she blushed bright red, wondering why she was being put into this situation before she sighed, "I'm going to help him find Neville's toad again."

Ron and Harry's mouths fell open as Rose grasped Draco's hand, letting herself be pulled to her feet. She walked out and started walking with Draco and his bodyguards.

"So, did you like your birthday present?" Draco asked eagerly as the four of them looked for the toad.

"Yes, it was brilliant," She said with a smile as she held up her wrist again showing that the silver snake was still on her wrist.

"You like that one?" Draco asked with mild shock.

"It reminds me of you," She said with a smile.

Draco held out his right wrist also and showed a watch with the same silver snake design and they smiled at eachother before Crabbe (or was it Goyle?) held out the squirming Trevor to them. Rose carefully took him and he calmed instantly. The four of them separated, Rose returning the toad to Neville, and Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle returning to their compartment. Rose quickly entered and swiftly exited her compartment, going to the bathroom and changing into her robes before she went into the compartment for real.

Ron and Harry stared at her openly as she entered, both of them also in their robes. It was getting dark outside, Rose could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train seemed to be slowing down, but Ron and Harry were just focused on Rose.

"Why did you-" Harry started before a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

This was a sufficient distraction as all of them got nervous. Ron looked pale under his freckles. The boys crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and the trio joined the crowds thronging the corridor. The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. They shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and they heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! Alright there, Harry, Rose?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. "C'mon, follow me- any mor firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville sniffed once or twice. "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Ooooh!" The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione, while Rose got stuck with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Everyone in?" Shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then- FORWARD!" And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" Yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried the through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a king of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. "Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them. "Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands.

Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid. "Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit The Abode in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. They could hear the drone of Hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right- the rest of the school must already be here- but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering around nervously. "Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like yur family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear. Harry Nervously tried to flatten his hair and Rose immediately started braiding her long hair. "I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.

No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Harry tried hard not to listen to her, while Rose listened avidly. They'd never been more nervous, not even when they'd got on a broom for the first time. While Rose fixed Neville's cloak, having fixed her hair, Harry kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead them to their doom.

Then something happened that made him and Rose jump about a foot in the air- several people behind them screamed. "What the-" They gasped. So did the people around them. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall.

Pearly-white and slightly transparent, thy glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-" "My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost- I say, what are you all doing here?" a ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Nobody answered. "New students!" Said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" Said the Friar. "My old house you know." "Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me." Feeling oddly as though their legs had turned to lead, they got into a line, Ron behind a boy with sandy hair, Harry behind him and Rose behind Harry. THey walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors and into the Great Hall. Harry and Rose had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.

Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper to Rose, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, a History."

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens. Harry quickly looked down as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, they stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched, a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth- and the hat began to sing:

Oh you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. "So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll." Harry smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted, or any of it at the moment. Perhaps Rose was, but by her wide eyed and mildly panicked expression neither did she. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been one for him.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!" A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of the line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause- "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her. "Bones, Susan!" "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah. "Boot, Terry!" "RAVENCLAW!" The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them. "Brocklehurst, Mandy" Went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling and couldn't imagine what they'd do for his twin.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot. He was starting to feel definitely sick now.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" "HUFFLEPUFF!" Sometimes, the twins noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Ron, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor. "Granger, Hermione!" Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.

Ron groaned. And a horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous. What if he wasn't chosen at all? What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he'd better get back on the train?

When Neville Longbottom was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neille. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "Macdougal, Morag." went to Ravenclaw. Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at one: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself. There weren't many people left now. "Moon"..., "Nott"..., "Parkinson"..., then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"..., then "Perks, Sally-Anne"..., and then at last- "Potter, Harry!" As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall. "Potter, did she say?" "The Harry Potter?" The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him, and some openly staring at his sister.

Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited. "Hmmm..." said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes- and a nice thirst to prove yourself, not that's interesting... So where shall I put you?"

Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin. "Not Slytherin, eh?" Said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that- no? Well, if you're sure- better be GRYFFINDOR!" Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet.

Percy got up and shook his hand, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Harry! We got Harry!" But their eyes were fixed firmly on the now very pale Rose. Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden, horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.

He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned back. Ad there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized his long silvery beard at once.

"Potter, Rose!" The whispers started again and some of the guys stared at Rose with an intensity that she really didn't like. She stepped forward, put the hat on and sat carefully, sure not to sit on her hair.

While staring at the inside of the hat, she waited. "Hmm..." said a voice in her ear. "Difficult, but not as difficult as your brother. Plenty of courage, a good mind, there's talent, and like him a thirst to prove yourself, how interesting... But where shall I put you?" Rose felt a panicked sensation feel her, there was no way she could choose where to go when all of the houses were amazing. She then attempted to rationalize everything and thought, Not Slytherin, not safe.

"True, true," mused the voice. "You would have a protector but that's not nearly enough… So Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?" Rose did her best not to think anything, and while her mind was spinning the hat finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Draco groaned while while the whole of Gryffindor house broke into even more applause and shouts. As she took of the hat and walked to the table she was swept into a crushing hug by the twins and then another one by Harry. Meanwhile more than one person was screaming, "We got the set!" She was blushing happily and turned to look at Draco, who nodded at her, understanding it wasn't really her choice.

Now there were only four people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry and Rose at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry and Rose clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to him. "Well done, Ron, excellent," Said Percy pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Harry looked down at his empty gold plate, he had only just realized how hungry he was, and he didn't understand how his sister seemed to be unaffected by hunger. Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. "Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry and Rose both laughed a little.

Percy saying, "Potatoes, Harry?" Broke them out of their trance. Their mouths fell open. The dishes in front of them were now piled with food. They had never seen so many things theyliked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy and for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. Rose grabbed every source of meat, the roast potatoes, carrots and some gravy and dug in. It was all delicious. "That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak. "Can't you-?" "I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you- you're Nearly Headless Nick!" Rose groaned at his lack of tact.

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted. "Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted, and knowing what was about to happen Rose looked away. "Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed and said, "So- new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable- he's the Slytherin ghost." Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Harry was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding... As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, and Rose acquired a chocolate eclair the talk turned to their families. "I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him." The others laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron. "Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me- he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned- but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced- all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here- they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased that he brought me my toad."

On Harry's other side, Percy, Hermione and Rose were talking about lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult-"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing-"). Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet, Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. A professor in an absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and swallow skin. Rose looked at him and paled slightly, and then it happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past the turban straight into Harry's eyes- and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on harry's forehead.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head. "What is it?" Percy and Rose asked. "N-nothing." The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look- a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all. "Who's that teacher talking to the other teacher in the Turban?" he asked Percy while his twin eyes him suspiciously. "Oh, the one in the turban is Quirrell. And the man he's talking to is Professor Snape." The twins groaned at this much to everyone's confusion, and Percy continued. "He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to- everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Rose and Harry shared a knowing look, and Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again. At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent. "Ahem- just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, they third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did, even Rose didn't laugh. "He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy. "Must be," said frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere- the forest full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" And the school bellowed:

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald,

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling,

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest. "Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. His twin still seemed to have energy though, and he couldn't help but be jealous of her. He was too sleepy to notice that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt. A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves-show yourself." A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered. "Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?" There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked. "Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy. Peeves stuck his tongue out and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed, "You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are." At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. "Password?" she said. "Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it- Neville needed a leg up- and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase- they were obviously in one of the towers- they found their beds at last: in the boys dorm there were five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed. "Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings. "Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."

Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he fell asleep almost at once.

In the Girls dorm, there were four four-poster beds which hung with a vibrant gold silk curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Most of the girls were to tired to do anything, but Rose put on her pajamas, ignored the purring Maple and Galen who was pecking at her impatiently, and got started on a letter.

Dear Remus and Sirius,

Harry and I both made Gryffindor, although the hat seriously considered Ravenclaw for me. I just wanted to inform you that I'm also friends with someone that you're not overly fond of… It's Draco Malfoy. Please don't send me a Howler. Anyways, I was writing to tell you that and that Remus, I really want you to rest, the new moon is coming soon and you'll need all the strength you can get, I know the new moon makes you exhausted.

I love you both, and I look forward to writing you more, unless you send me a Howler then I'll ignore you for a week.

Love,

Rose

She wrapped the scroll up and attached it to Galen's leg, "To Sirius and Remus." She said with a huge smile. As soon as Galen was gone she fell asleep though, with Maple curled up next to her.