Chapter One
Most Likely The Worst Start To Hogwarts
Year One
'ROSIE!' I turn around and crash straight into my favourite cousin Albus who had been running towards me.
'Al! Hey, looking forward to our first year at Hogwarts?'
'Am I? I'm pumped! Oh, I hope we're both in Gryffindor!' Al looks ecstatic and I can hardly blame him. This was going to be so much fun. 'Me too Al. Dad said he would disinherit me if I wasn't. Even though mum said he was joking, I don't think he was.' I was slightly alarmed when dad said it and now I'm really scared on which house I would be in, but as long as I was with Al, I would be fine. Al laughs and says 'don't worry Rosie. You'll be in Gryffindor no doubt. You're a Weasley! And I'm a Potter! We'll both be in Gryffindor. Like all of our family and their family and -oh hey Uncle Ron and Auntie Hermione.' I smile as my mum and dad approach us with the Hugo my little brother. 'Hello Al, how are you?' Mum asks kindly.
'I'm good thanks. What about you?' Al grins broadly.
'I'm very well thank you. Where is your mum dear?'
"Over there.' He points to a mass of jet black and red head family. 'I'm surprised you missed them!' Mum laughs and waves Auntie Ginny and Uncle Harry over. Trailing behind them is shy little Lily and wild James talking admittedly chatting with his 'twin' (cousin) Fred. Behind them is Uncle George and Aunt Angelina Fred's parents. Casually strolling beside Aunt Angelina was Roxanne and Molly, Fred's older sisters.
'Hermione! How are you?' Auntie Ginny rushes over and pulls mum into a hug. 'I'm good. Gin, you can let go of me now!'
'I know but I can't because I feel so terrible because Al didn't see Rosie all holidays because of our holiday to France and-' Mum cut her off. Laughing. What is with my mum? 'Gin. It's totally fine! They get to spend the whole train ride and the rest of their time at Hogwarts together! Please Ginny they are going to miss the train and I want to be able to say good bye to my little girl.' Auntie Ginny nods and releases her smiling. Mum turns to me and gives me a long hug. 'Be safe Rosie, do your best and no matter which house you are in, Ronald and I will be perfectly happy for you. Okay?' I nod under her embrace. She pulls back slightly then plants kiss on my forehead. I can't believe it, it's already time to get on the train. 'Bye Mum! Bye Dad!' I give dad a hug and kiss Hugo on the cheek and grab Al's hand. We rush onto the train and lean out the window, waving to our whole family, until they were a tiny speck in the distance. 'Come on Rosie, lets find Dom and then a compartment.' Al tugs my hand forward and lets go of me. Instead of coming to a halt, I stumble forward and crash into a tall blonde figure
'Oh sorry!' I apologise. He looks strangely familiar though I can't put my finger on where I know this boy. 'Watch where you're going Weasley.' He spits out 'Weasley'. Huh? How did he know my last name? 'How did you-'
'Please how could anyone not know who you are? You and your cousin Potter are quite a pair. And very hard not to miss. Now if you'll excuse me, I have better places to be, then here.' He storms past me and Al rather furiously and for some stupid reason I call out, 'I'm Rose! And my cousin is Albus.' For some reason he stops in his tracks and spins around to look at me. 'Albus as in Albus Dumbledore?' He inquirers.
'Yes! My middle name is Severus. Dad said that Severus Snape was the bravest man he knew back in the war.' Al says a-matter-of-factly. 'Really? That's really cool because he was my dad's Godfather!'
'NO WAY!'
'Way. I'm Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy, a pleasure to meet you Albus.' He holds out a hand to Al. Al takes it and they shake briefly and Al says 'please, all my family and friends call me Al. Do you want to find a compartment with me?' What? Al was going to find Dom with me and find one with us! Not Scorpius! 'Uh, Al. Sorry to interrupt you and Scorpius here, but you were going to find a compartment with me and Dom.' Al looks shocked. 'I'm sure you and Dom will find one together. Come on Scorpius.' Al leaves with Malfoy, leaving me standing in the middle of the train with no clue on where Dom or anyone else from my family are. Thats it. I'm going to take matters into my own hands. It's my first train ride to Hogwarts and my best friend doesn't even want to sit with me! I wander the opposite way that Al and Malfoy went and look into every compartment for Dom, my part veeler cousin who is also starting at Hogwarts this year. 'Rosie? Is that you?' I spin around and find myself looking at Dominique herself. 'Oh Dom! I've been looking all over for you!' She hugs me and then asks, 'where is Al?' My face falls and I shrug. 'He went with Scorpius Malfoy.' Dom's perfect face forms a frown. 'WHAT? Why would he go with a Malfoy? WITHOUT you? What was he thinking?' Her eyes narrow dangerously. 'The nerve of our cousin! How DARE he? That little good-for-nothing-' 'DOM! Calm down! I'm sure he just wanted to make a new friend and was a little insecure about making them. You know how he can be. So shy when you meet him, then BAM he's a crazy, wild and hilarious friend that you'll never want to lose.' I pant slightly after my small rant and immediately feel guilty after seeing Dom's face. 'Oh Dom!' I exclaim pulling her into my arms. 'I'm so sorry, I already miss him! I didn't see him all holidays and I planned to talk with him all train ride, b-b-but this is not how I wanted to start at Hogwarts!' Great. Just great. Rose Jean Weasley pull yourself together! I was sobbing for crying out loud! 'Rosie! It's okay! Lets go find James, Fred and my sister Victoire. Maybe we can sit with them?' I nod and reluctantly let her pull me through the rest of the Hogwarts Express. 'Look there they are!' Dom points excitedly to the carriage just two doors down from where we are standing. She struts up to the door, slides it opens it gracefully, and marches in, me in tow. 'Dominique? Rose? What is wrong?' Asks Dom's older sister Victoire. 'Vicky! It's been terrible! Albus left Rosie standing in the middle of the train by herself, with Scorpius Malfoy.' James immediately springs up from his seat, Fred mimicking his movement. 'He WHAT?' They exclaim at the same time. 'You heard me. He completely ditched her.' I roll my eyes, which mind you are still slightly red and puffy from crying and say, 'guys come on! Give Al a break! I'm sure he didn't mean it. We're all jumping to conclusions! And so what he's a Malfoy? It's a last name! He could be different from his father. Besides we don't even know if half the stuff our parents said are true! So just stop being ridiculously stupid and-' I find myself stopping as James holds up his hand. 'Where is HE?' He practically spits. 'I, uh, he went that way!' I point to the left and he strides out of the compartment with Fred close behind. 'Do not mind them my dear sister and cousin. Just let them do what they need to do. They won't hurt him!' Vicky added seeing my face. Dom then tries to change the subject by striking a conversation with her older sister. 'Vicky! We have lots to discuss!' and then they start chatting furiously in French. Ahh, they lost me! I'm so jealous that Aunt Fleur taught them French as they were growing up. Now they both speak it fluently. As does little Louis, he will be coming to Hogwarts next year as well as Lily and Hugo.
HALF AN HOUR LATER
'Rosie?' I hear James call my name. 'Hmm?' I was too tired to say anything. 'ROSIE! Come on we're in Hogsmeade station. Everyone is out there but Fred, Dom, Vic and I stayed to get you out!' Hmm, I'm so tired though. 'ROSE JEAN WEASLEY GET MOVING NOW!' That got me moving for sure! 'Coming! Come on Dom.' Dom nods and we link arms and skip out. 'Firs' years c'me with me.' A tall figure calls out. 'That must be Hagrid!' Dom whispers excitedly. 'Hagrid! Hey! It's James and Fred!' James and Fred push past us and run over to Hagrid. 'Ahh, if it aint my favouri'e 'twins' Fred an' James!' They grin from ear to ear and call 'cya Hagrid. We better get a carriage with Vicky!' Hagrid nods and calls out again 'Firs' years c'me with me!' Dom and I rush forward whilst trying to find Al. 'There he is!' I squeal, pointing to where he was currently standing. With Scorpius. The latter leans over to Albus and whispers something. Al turns and looks directly at me and Dom. I wave him over but he just turns to back to a tanned boy with curly unruly chocolate coloured hair. I feel the tears threatening to spill all over my face as Dom looks in horror at Al. 'Come on Rose. Ignore him. He will be a Slytherin the way he's going. Do not fret!' She tugs my hand and we walk over to a boat with two new faces sitting in it with identical smiles. Now they where twins! Bright blue eyes, sandy blonde hair and quite short. 'Hi. My name is Dominique Weasley. But you can call me Dom. This is my cousin Rose Weasley.' I smile when I'm introduced. 'Hi. I'm Lysander and this is my twin Lorcan Scamander. How do you do?' Lysander has a genuine smile and Lorcan has a shy grin. This time I speak up. 'We are having a pretty hard start to our first year, but we are feeling very excited. And how about you?' Lorcan mumbles, 'yeah the same as you.' Dom smiles encouragingly and I swear I can see Lysander drool a little. I laugh and they look at me questioningly. I shrug and we hop in the boat to Hogwarts. 'Now listen up firs' years!' Hagrid calls out as the boats start to move forward. 'Ther theng ya need ter know about this lake is thar if ya fall in, ther squid 'll ge' ya out before ya can say 'Quidditch'. So do yerself a favour and don' panic!' Obviously everyone started whispering excitedly about the giant squid and some of the foolish people either started to pretend to fall in, or attempt to push others in. I sigh and Dom laughs turning every single boys head. She smiles broadly, showing off her perfectly straight and white teeth. Every boy drooled at her and she is totally oblivious to the fact that she has every single first year boy's attention. 'All righ' we're here.' Hagrid announces. 'Wow!' I breathe. 'Whoa! Thats epic!' I turn to Lorcan who had whispered it to nobody. He see's me looking and he grins cheekily. I flash my best smile and show off my straight and white teeth. Suddenly, our boat lurches forward and we are all tossed out of the little boat.
