A/N: I do not own Harry Potter.
This story is set in a slight AU, there will be characters that are still alive. This story does not follow any canon and is set in the time of the next generation.
Father's shop was dangerous. Successful, but dangerous. I learned these dangers at a young age. I hadn't been anything other than curious about what went on in the back room. I wandered behind the curtain and was nearly knocked off my feet. There was an explosion. It was small and didn't hurt me, other than knocking me to the floor, or anyone else, but it was enough for me to dart off for the remainder of the day. I never told Father about that day. I didn't tell mom either. Since that day, I avoided Father's shop.
"Rose, time to get up," mom's voice called up the stairs. I groaned. I hated mornings, they were always too bright, too early. I sat up slowly trying to remember the dream from last night. I always had vivid dreams, but none of them ever stayed with me upon waking. I stretched watching my long fingers cast shadows against the wall.
"Potioneer's fingers," my father called him. I shuddered. Potions scared me, the volatile nature of mixing things, of things exploding. I shook off the memory. It had been nearly three years since I had almost explored the back room of Father's shop.
"Rose Minerva Snape, get down here before your breakfast gets cold," mom's voice shouted up the stairs. I hated it when she used my full name, it wasn't like I was deliberately ignoring her. I just moved slow in the mornings. I dressed quickly, grabbing the first clothes I saw.
mom and Father were already seated when I arrived downstairs. My younger brothers, Hugo and Andre were arguing about something. Hera was sitting in her highchair throwing cereal at them.
"Good morning, Rose, and Happy Birthday," mom said putting a plate of pancakes in front of me.
"I got you something!"
"No, open mine first," Hugo shouted shoving a badly wrapped box in my face. I took the box staring at it for a minute. The bottom felt slightly moist. I narrowed my dark eyes.
"Is it worms?" The twins had been fascinated with the creepy crawlies lately.
"No!" Mom looked over.
"Hugo Severus, if your sister opens that package and it is in fact worms, do you know what will happen to you?" Hugo's eyes widen. Hera squealed loudly. I couldn't help but laugh. She always seemed to like it when Hugo or Andre got in trouble.
"Um, I think I gave you the wrong one," he said quickly grabbing the box from my hands and darting out the back door. Andre burst out laughing.
"This is not worms," he stated handing me a lumpy package wrapped in silver paper. Mom raised one eyebrow. "It's not anything alive!" I laughed. Carefully I opened the paper revealing a stuffed toy in the shape of an owl.
"Um, thanks Andre."
"I know you'd rather have a real one, but mom wouldn't let me buy one." Mom nodded slightly, but Father shook his head.
"What would I even do with a real owl? They're gross." I asked rolling my eyes. This family was weird today.
"Um, there's one outside the window."
"Let it in," Mom said. Andre opened the window allowing the owl to fly straight to me.
"Hogwarts letter?"
"Yup." I'd already known my letter was going to show up today, it was my eleventh birthday. Isn't that when every witch and wizard got theirs?
"I thought you'd be more excited," Mom commented cleaning the dirty dishes off the table. Father had taken Andre outside to make sure Hugo was putting the worms back in the garden. I knew she was right. Every witch I knew had been thrilled to receive her letter. Mine just felt like something mundane. I already knew I was a witch, knew my parents were magical. Just yesterday Hugo had managed to somehow turn Andre's hair red. Mom had freaked out at that one.
"I am, Mom. I just, I'm not sure I want to go."
"Rose, why not? Hogwarts is amazing."
"Maybe it was for you, but I won't know anyone and everyone will know who I am."
"I didn't have any friends when I started either, but you will make some. There will be a lot of kids who don't know anyone. There will be kids from muggle families who, until they received their letters, never even knew the wizarding world existed."
"Like you?"
"Yes, like me, Rose. Are you sure you're not just scared? I would understand if you were." I sighed.
"I don't know, it just seems like this should be a huge deal, and I should be excited. Mom, I'm the daughter of two heroes, everyone will be expecting amazing things from me." Mom laughed.
"Rose, no one is going to judge you because of us. I mean, yes, your father is an amazing potioneer and everyone said I was incredibly bright, but there were other students who had impressive parents. Most the professors judged each student by their own merit, not what their parents had done."
"You said most."
"Your father was particularly harsh during his time as a teacher."
"Most of them deserved it," Father stated walking past carrying a twin beneath each arm. All of them were covered in mud. "Much like these two," he added. Mom shook her head.
"Do I really want to know?"
"No." Father answered walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.
"Just give it a try Rose, please?"
"Alright. I'll try. I guess you and Father are going to take me to buy my things before school starts?"
"Of course."
"Mom, do you think Adara got her letter too? I mean, her birthday isn't until next week...will she have to wait until then?"
"More than likely she'll have to wait, do you want to wait to get your things until she gets her letter? We could make a day of it if you'd like?"
"Yes, hopefully she gets in, how could she not? Uncle Draco still hasn't fixed the peacock shaped hole in the wall."
"I'm sure he could fix it if he wanted to. It's a very interesting conversation piece. He might make it into a window." I laughed.
"A peacock shaped window. I've got to tell Adara," I stated darting upstairs. I could feel Mom watching me.
Adara and I had ways to communicate, not with owls. For our tenth birthdays our mothers had each given us a mirror. All we had to was say the other's name into the mirror and it they would connect. I hoped Adara had hers nearby.
"Adara Malfoy!" I said into the mirror. The surface shimmered for a second before changing to a dark blue. I rolled my eyes.
"Adara? You there?" A few second a later a couple strands of red hair came into view.
"Wha? I'm sleeping."
"I got my Hogwarts letter."
"And this concerns me how?"
"Adara! Mom said we could go to Diagon Alley and get supplies next week when you get yours."
"Shopping?"
"Yes, Adara, school shopping."
"Perfect, wake me up then." I was once again staring at the dark blue of Adara's ceiling. I shook my head. How could I forget Adara wouldn't be up before noon? The rest of day was spent doing chores as usual. Mom liked to do things the muggle way, and Father never stopped her.
"Rose, now that you're eleven, how would you like to start helping your Father in his shop?" Mom asked around lunch time. I had been helping her make some pasta.
"Um, I..."
"It wouldn't be anything dangerous, if that's what you're worried about. Just being in the front of the shop, straightening shelves and such. It's getting harder for me to get around like I used to," Mom added gesturing to my future brother or sister. I blinked trembling.
"Rose, honey, did something happen at your Father's shop?" I shook my head. I knew I should have come clean then, but I also knew I wasn't supposed to go anywhere near the back room.
"Are you sure? If you tell me, I promise I won't be mad."
"Nothing happened mom. I just don't want to spend my last summer before school being in a dusty boring shop."
"We both know you're Father's shop is not dusty. Fine, if you don't want to, alright, but you're still going to help out around the house. You can start by going outside and finding the twins for lunch."
"Let me guess, Father allowed them back outside and now they're covered in worms again?"
"Most likely," Mom replied as Hera's screaming filled the house letting us know she was once again awake. I slipped out the back door and glanced into the woods surrounding our property.
"Andre? Hugo?" I called out. All I heard was birds. I glared. They must have gone further into the woods this time. Father would not be happy. The woods, while mostly safe, could be dangerous, especially to little boys who didn't think before they acted. I tried peering through the trees trying to see some sight of her brothers. Maybe if I could see them, I wouldn't have to go into the woods herself. Not seeing anything that remotely resembled my brothers, I pushed past a small tree and stepped into the tree line.
The woods had always been there, even when we were small. Mom had used to bring me out here a lot when I was younger. One time we even found a small waterfall. This was before the twins.
Small branches crunched beneath my feet. I froze hoping it was only me making those sounds. The sounds stopped. Breathing a sigh of relief I continued into the forest.
"Rose, Rose." I froze again. Had someone been saying my name.
"Rose, Rosy," the voice whispered again. I hoped it was only the wind. A chill slid down my spine.
"Andre, Hugo, this isn't funny," I called out. There was no answer. The sky, which had been bright a moment ago had started darkening through the trees.
"Rosy, Rosy." The whispers seemed loudly. I spun looking around frantically. I didn't even know which way I'd come from at this point. I picked a direction and started running. I could hear something that might have been thunder in the distance. I felt my foot catch on something and I flew forward. I remember screaming as I landed, something hard hitting my side.
"Rosy, Rosy, Rose," the voices chanted surrounding me. I could see no one. The winds drowned out my screams as I tried to climb to my feet. My hands hit something hard, a rock most likely. I grabbed it and threw it towards the voices. The air seemed to flicker, shimmering slightly. A bright light filled the area blinding me. I blinked, tried to cover my eyes.
"The fey are not happy with you Rose, you are marked by magic, and shall pay," a voice stated echoing through me. I shook tears streaming down my face. I didn't understand. The light burst louder as the winds howled.
