I can still remember the first time that I ever looked him in the eye. My father had pointed him out to me on the platform, and naturally I'd looked over, but it didn't mean much. Sure, he was incredibly handsome, but I was naturally in love with the lead singer of the wizard band Rose Alymer, James Alexander, so I didn't look twice. It would unfaithful. I then said goodbye to my family, skipped on to the train with my cousin, best friend, and partner-in-crime Albus.

"Al, there are NO empty places to sit," I told him after five minutes of searching.

"C'mon, Rosie. There's one last car to check."

I mumbled under my breath, but still followed him. Just then, a compartment door flung open. It was my cousin James.

"Oh, hello, Rosie," he said as soon as he saw me. Although James didn't treat Albus very well, he adored me.

"Hey, Jamie," I responded. "We don't have a place to sit."

"And you think that I'd deny a place in my compartment to my favorite cousin?" He pushed me in, and then said, "Oh, I'll let Albus in, too."

Al gave a sigh of relief, and followed me in.

James began introducing his friends to us. "Here's Linus, you know him, Uncle Neville's son, that's Dion McKinley, Euphrasia LeBird, Lena Jordan, and that's Scorpius Malfoy."

Each of James' friends waved at me as their names were called, except for Malfoy. He looked at me, sharply in the eye. I was a very brave eleven-year old, to say the least. I could maintain eye contact, too. But as soon as he looked me in the eye, I glanced downwards. I hated myself for doing that. I wasn't shy! In fact, I was outgoing as you could get. That was probably why James liked me so much; our personalities matched. Both outgoing, both loud. I was more intellectual than him, but we still had so much in common. And I was proud of it! I liked showing off our similarities. My mother had always told me how much first impressions mattered, and now his first impression of me would be of a shy child, not the loud, boisterous young-adult that I really was.

The rest of the ride I sat curled up to James, thinking and watching. All of James's friends were in Gryffindor. Because of my similarities to James, I was almost certain that I would be, too. But what about Al? I would still accept him if he became a Slytherin, he was my cousin after all. But would James? All of his friends were Gryffindors. What if he abandoned Al because of his house? I shock these worrying thoughts off as James pointed out the castle in the distance out to Al.

"Look, Al! Rosie, wake up!"

"I'm not asleep, James."

"Oh well, but look at that! Hogwarts."

"Oh, I'm so glad to be back," Lena said, wistfully.

"Me too! I would never think that I'd say this, but I'm so excited," Euphrasia added.

"Oh, you girls," Linus said, but in a friendly way.

All of James's friends continued talking, with the exception of Scorpius. They seemed to notice, too.

"What's the matter, Scor?" Dion asked. "Cat got your tongue?"

Scorpius didn't say anything, but he looked at me. James seemed to notice.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy! Are you looking at my baby cousin?"

"Of course not, Potter," he drawled. It occurred to me that this was the first time that I'd heard him talk all ride.

James looked angrily at Malfoy, but was interrupted by the train stopping. I walked off the Hogwarts Express, and looked into the faraway lights at Hogwarts Castle. I didn't look back at the train.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The school cheered.

Professor Novell smiled, and called the next name: "Albus Potter!"

I could see the fear on Al's face as he walked towards Novell and the hat. He was seated on a stool, and then the hat was put on to his head. I could see his eyes screw up in concentration as the hat sat on his head. Just as I was about to get worried about him, the hat yelled, "SLYTHERIN!" The entire student body remained quiet. I'm embarrassed to say that I was just as quiet for a second, until I gathered my courage, and started cheering. I was soon joined by Scorpius Malfoy. I looked at him from the line to the hat, and he winked at me. Just a wink. Before I could react, the rest of my family began cheering with us. Because my family made up so much of the school, the rest of the Hogwarts population gave in, and cheered for Al, as he walked over to the Slytherin table. Just as I was beginning to bathe in my success, though, my name was called.

"Rose Weasley!"

I stumbled towards Professor Novell. Although my cousins had assured me that the head of Ravenclaw, and the potions teacher was harmless and had a heart of gold, from my position, she looked horrifyingly scary. I climbed on to the stool, and the hat was placed on my head. "Well, well," I heard a voice say. "Rose Weasley."

That's me, I thought.

"That Gryffindor boldness. I see it."

That's what my family says. I felt the glorious pride soaring through me.

"I can also see your mother's Ravenclaw wisdom..."

I am quite smart.

"But, in the end you are a GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted "Gryffindor" across the entire hall. The entire hall cheered as I ran towards the table. James squeezed me between him and Scorpius Malfoy, and before too long, the feast had begun.

By the end of the night, I had made to friends that I would keep for a lifetime. Dwyn Zabini, and Dylan Duve. Dwyn was as beautiful as Dylan was handsome, and their wisdom matched mine. For the next year, we went through our ups (passing all of our classes with flying colors; successfully sneaking into the kitchens), and downs (Dylan's fear of coming out, and once he had the dismay of girls across the school; two nights detentions for Dwyn and me after being out after curfew) together. By the time I left Hogwarts that spring, I couldn't wait for September 1, the day when I would return.

To be continued!