Harry Potter: The Next Generation
"Make sure that you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your Mother's brains."
"Ron, for heavens sake," said Hermione, half stern, half amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"
"You're right, sorry." said Ron, but unable to help himself, he added "Don't get too friendly with him though, Rosie. Grandad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood."
Rose's eyes traveled down the train station to a tall boy with white blond hair and soft grey eyes, her breath caught as he met her gaze. She looked down to her shoes as her face flushed almost as red as her hair.
Rose bid her parents and brother goodbye as she stepped onto the Hogwarts Express. She had found an empty compartment, as she looked out the window she saw her brother and cousin lost in deep conversation.
"So what house do you want to get in?" Hugo asked.
"Gryffindor, just like anyone else!" Lily replied.
"Fair enough." said Hugo with a smile on his face.
Soon enough, James and Albus joined Rose in her once empty compartment. Rose couldn't help feeling that this is how her parents and Uncle Harry were like back in their school days.
"You worried yet?" James looked between Albus and Rose.
"How could I not be? You heard my dad.." Rose's voiced went into a deep monotone. "If your not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you."
James and Albus laughed. "Rose, you'll be fine. Just tell the sorting hat that you want Gryffindor, my dad did that and look what happened.."
Rose nerves settled down just a tad, as her favorite cousin told her this. So all she had to do know is talk to a magical hat, simple enough right?
There was a small knock on the door. In front of Rose stood Scorpius Malfoy.
"Can I sit here? Every other compartment is full." Scorpius said quietly.
"Hey, your the Malfoy kid, right? I'm James Potter, our dads.. well.. knew eachother." James reached out his hand.
"Scorpius Malfoy." he said as he met James' hand and gave a slight smirk.
Rose had been sitting across from James and Albus, and it had already been crowded with 3 owls and now adding a fourth and another person. There was an awkward silence as everyone exchanged small glances. Scorpius sat down, just slightly brushing Rose's shoulder, making her breath catch for the second time that day.
"So, what house are you hoping to get into, Scorpius?" said James, breaking the silence.
"My father would disinherit me if I were to get into any other but Slytherin." Malfoy answered.
"That's exactly what Rose's dad said, except for Gryffindor. Isn't that right Rose?" Albus laughed.
Rose gave a half-hearted laugh, "Yeah.."
The rest of the train ride stayed silent except for James, Albus, and Scorpius' occasional small talk. Rose could feel the train slowing down, "Finally." Rose thought to herself. All that she could do was think about what Hogwarts would be like, what house she'd be placed in, and what kind of people she'd meet.
Rose could see the Prefects walking passed the compartment, just as the doors sprang open. She'd grown up with magic all of her life, but even the smallest things made her jump. Albus was out of the compartment first, then Scorpius, followed by James.
"Coming Rose?" James stopped halfway through the door.
"Yeah.. Just getting my things." Rose walked right passed James.
"You have nothing to be worried about." James said with a genuine returned the smile, but even James, the prankster, couldn't calm her nerves.
Rose heard a low booming voice coming from just outside of the Hogwarts Express.
"All yeh Firs' Years follow me! Firs' Years!" Rose recognized the voice as soon as she laid eyes on an 8 foot half-giant with tangled black hair. Hagrid grinned as he saw Rose, James, Albus, and Scorpius. Hagrid lead them onto small, yet surprisingly stable boats. Rose nerves grew as she saw a massive castle who's windows were almost all illuminated with flickering lights. Rose thought of what lied just a few yards ahead, willing that she would stay calm. She was, in fact, going to be spending the next 7 years here.
~0~
"Albus Potter." Rose glanced at Albus, just in time to give him a reassuring smile as he slowly walked up to the podium. Rose followed Albus' eyes and saw he was staring at James, halfways up to the professor. James motioned his hands to keep going. Rose looked over at Scorpius, he had been sorted in to Slytherin, much to his father's liking.
The professor placed the Sorting Hat on Albus' head, "Potter, eh? Lot of potential just like your father, bright, wise, and talented. But where to put you?"
Rose looked down to see Albus' facial expression, he was mouthing "Not Slytherin, Gryffindor would be preferable." or at least she thought he was. The Sorting Hat seem to pause, only for a second, to look down at Albus.
"I know, SLYTHERIN!"
It seemed as if the whole hall had gasped, but it may have only been in Rose's head. The Slytherin table erupted into clapping and cheers. Albus looked as if he had just had the wind knocked out of him, as he sat down next to Scorpius.
Rose attention was focused back up to the podium as the professor read off more students. She was snapped back into reality, "The Sorting Hat didn't listen to him." What gave her anymore chance that it would listen to her? The once crowded area around Rose had slowly lessened. Now, she was the only one left.
"Rose Weasley." Her head whipped up at the sound of her name, she took a deep breath, not daring to glance at anyone. She sat down on the chair and gasped as the Sorting Hat was placed upon her head.
"BAH! I thought I'd be done with Weasley's by now!" Rose felt her cheeks flush. "I know just where to put you.."
"Gryffindor, please. PLEASE." She thought. In the few seconds of silence that followed, which felt like a millennium to Rose.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Rose sighed in relief. At least today, she wouldn't get disinherited. Laughter, applause, and cheers echoed around the hall from the Gryffindor table. Rose got a firm clap on the back from her cousin James as he smiled brightly at her. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought.