Children of Heroes
Chapter 1:
Rose.
Platform 9¾.
"And take care of them, for Merlin's sake; both Hugo and Lily. Albus, I hope you're listening to me…" Hermione Granger said in her brisk, yet comfortingly motherly, way, as she straightened Rose's Hogwarts robes for the third time that morning. Rose couldn't figure out how she got so scruffy in so little time; she didn't go out of her way to do so, but somehow she always ended up covered in dirt and her hair disheveled.
Albus jumped when his Aunt had addressed him directly. He had definitely not been listening.
"Wha- Oh, er, yes Aunt Hermione." He said, before resuming to be preoccupied with staring over Hermione's shoulder.
Rose set her gaze where Albus's was directed, right at a couple of Sixth year girls. Rose rolled her eyes. She was not particularly fond of Albus's new-found fascination with girls. They had been best friends for as long as she could remember, but this was by far his most annoying fascination.
Smiling up at her Mother, who had now finished tidying her up, Rose felt a small pang. She was going to miss being at home with her busy Mum and her funny Dad.
"I'm going to miss you, Mum. I promise to take care of Hugo. And Lily, for that. Al's going to be useless for that" Her Mum let out a light laugh, before she reached out and stroked Rose's cheek.
"I'm glad you inherited my brains, Darling, but I'm so much happier that you have so much of your Dad in you, even if it does mean you are a bit scruffy…" Hermione said, a smile spreading on her face.
At this, Rose laughed and hugged her Mother quickly, before dragging off Albus towards her Dad, leaving Hugo with Hermione. Just as well, to be honest; Hugo was looking emotional. It was a weird sight; out of Hugo and Lily, who, like Albus and Rose, were best friends, Lily was always the one with all the emotions. Hugo opting to be quieter and offer his sarcastic humour and friendly chat from time to time.
"Third year, eh, Rose, Al?" Rose smiled quietly back at her Dad, whose ginger hair was messy and resembled Rose's quite perfectly, with the exception that her hair had the slight wave of her mother's. At least Rose had grown out of the frizziness that her hair had once had. In fact, she had grown quite a bit over the summer holidays, but not as much as James had. Her older cousin had shot up, annoying Albus beyond words. Even Rose was taller than her best friend, and, hilariously, Hugo wasn't even far off.
"Gonna be the best one yet, Dad." Rose said. She opened her mouth to carry on talking, but she was interrupted by the whistle signaling the near departure of the Hogwarts Express. Just then her Mum came hurrying over, now joined by Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry, and the rest of the Potter-Weasley clan, including her Uncle George and Aunt Angelina, her Uncle Bill and her Aunt Fleur, and even her Uncle Percy was there, with Aunt Audrey. On the platform, they took up quite a large amount of space, with nearly everyone staring openly at them all. Being the offspring of the 'Golden Trio' did result in a fair bit of attention at school, and in public.
Rose looked around the group that was her family, watching them all talk hurriedly about last minute things, and as they exchanged goodbyes and hugs.
"Yes, Mum, I promise I'll write-"
"I'm ninety-percent sure I've packed it-"
"Where's Molly? Already in the Head pupil's carridge-"
"Corned beef? Gran knows I hate it!-"
"Of course I'll behave-"
"They have no proof that was me!-"
"Did you sign my Hogsmeade sheet-"
"Yes, I'll keep him out of trouble-"
Rose had become so involved in listening to her family's surrounding conversations, that she didn't hear Al when he first spoke.
"Oi! Rose! C'mon, onto the train. Our luggage is already on, we just need to remember Lily and Hugo- wait, wha- Where are they?" Rose laughed lightly before hugging everyone once more and running towards the train. Al emerged a few moments, grasping Lily's hand and his hand on Hugo's shoulder, a Hugo who was looking back to his normal, boyish, insouciant self.
"Into the compartment!" Rose said, leading the way as she dragged Hugo along by his hand, albeit reluctantly on his side. They located the Potter-Weasley compartment easily after just following the noise. Once into the compartment, they all rushed to the window, moments before the train started to chug away. They all shouted their farewells, Roxanne's and Dominique's being particularly tearful ones, and their mothers', in return, both being equally as teary.
Rose wasn't much for tears. In fact, apart from her parents, Albus was the only one to have ever seen her cry, and even then it was when she was seven, and James had locked her in a box that he had told her was a vanishing cabinet, causing the young Rose to become hysterical with fright.
She raised an eyebrow at this exchange between Roxy, Dom, Aunt Angelina and Aunt Fleur. They were all the family's drama queens, and, in addition to that, they were also the family's beauty queens.
Dom had inherited her mother's flawless perfection, including her mother's blonde flowing hair. The only difference was the cheeky glint in her eye, a proper Weasley trait, that she had inherited from her father, Bill. Her twin brother, Louis, was exactly the same as her, just in boy form, and they were easily the best looking in their year.
Roxy, like Dom, had inherited her mother's, Angelina's, powerful beauty, her skin being nearly as dark as hers, and her hair a dark and beautiful ebony. Together, Roxy and Dom were the only two Weasley (and, at that, Potter) girls that didn't have the trademark red hair. Lily, Rose, Molly, Lucy, and even Victoire (who had left Hogwarts a few years back) all had the same red hair, just all falling in different styles and textures.
Rose looked around the compartment. Hugo was listening intently to Lily's animated conversation, only every now and then saying a comment that made her bright laughter erupt out. They were surprisingly relaxed for two people who were starting their first year at Hogwarts, although Rose remembered the look of anxiety on her little brother's face when she had left him with their Mother. Lily and Hugo's red hair were the only things they had similar, appearance-wise; Lily looked strikingly like her father, the Boy Who Lived, just with red hair, and Hugo looking alarmingly like his father did when he was Hugo's age.
James and Fred were talking to Roxy about something that was making her tut constantly, but she was obviously trying to hide back a smirk. It was alarming how much James and Fred both look like their Dad's had when they were their age. Everyone had seen the photo's and were equally alarmed at the similarities.
Lucy was listening quietly to Dom and Louis, who were talking more to each other than as a three, but that was just how Lucy was; quiet, preferring to listen than to actually fuel the conversation. Rose watched as Lucy pushed her glasses further up her nose, before catching her eye. Rose winked at her and Lucy smiled brightly before returning to listening to Dom and Louis. Lucy was, along with Molly, Uncle Percy's daughter, in all her plain and simple prettiness was incredibly clever and was easily Rose's favourite cousin, with the exception of Al. Lucy and her bonded in their brains, a way that Al and Rose never could bond over, and, even though Lucy was now entering her Sixth year and Rose her Third, they were quite close.
Rose sat contently as Al nattered on into her ear about Quidditch and the likes of it, a subject that they definitely did bond on, before she noticed the absence of Molly.
"Hey, where's Molly?" She said, to no one in particular. James smirked.
"In the Prefects compartment, of course, Head Girl duties and all. Say, Lucy, shouldn't you be there to?" He said, looking at his bespectacled cousin. She blinked quickly before dashing out with a hurried goodbye. Laughter rang out in the compartment. A genius Lucy may be, but she wasn't one for remembering things.
"I see none of you have been made prefects this year?" Fred said now, directing his comment at Dom and Louis with a smirk somewhat similar to James's relaxed on his face. The laughter increased at this. Dom, Louis or Roxy as prefect? That was an absurd thought; as if they could be trusted with, or be bothered with, any kind of responsibility.
Louis piped up at this.
"Not one of us has a single hope of becoming anything important, apart from James and Al as Quidditch captains, and Rose as another Head Girl in the family." James and Al high-fived at this, but Rose just raised an eyebrow.
"Louis, I know I'm a genius and all, but do you really think Professor Reed would ever appoint me as Head Girl? I cause too much trouble-" There was cheers of approval from Fred and James here- "and I'm too disorganized and messy." Everyone nodded in agreement, smiling at the truth of her words. "If you want another Head Girl in the family, then you're just going to have to wait and see if Lily actually turns out ok."
At this, everyone turned to Lily, who just sat there, an angelic look on her face.
"You're too good to be a sister of mine!" James said, dramatically, with a hand to her forehead, as he pulled a pained face. Everyone started laughing, and once more chatter broke out in the crowded compartment.
"Hey, Rose…" Al pulled on Rose's sleeve, as he spoke to her. Rose's head turned towards him. "Let's get out of here; too much family." Rose nodded in agreement, and quietly they slipped out of the compartment without being noticed.
As Al slid the door shut, and shutting out the noise with it, Rose sighed and started to walk down the train's corridor by Al's side.
"Al! Rose!" Rose and Al turned simultaneously to see their best friend running down the corridor, robes billowing out and his blond hair looking even more ruffled than usual.
The whole of Rose's family had always joked that there was no one in the world that was messier than Rose, not even her Father, but they had been wrong; there was Scorpius Malfoy. Now, as he finally reached them, his hair still as messy, his robes were creased where he always pushed them up to his elbows, his shirt was only half tucked in, and he wasn't even wearing his tie yet.
"Scorp!" Al said, as he ran to his friend, slapping him on his back in welcome. Rose moved forwards, smiling at her friend.
"Hey Scorp! Wait- Uh, where's your tie? Did your Dad burn it or something?" She said with a sneaky smile. Scorpius just rolled his eyes at this.
Everyone knew who Scorpius's father was just as well as they knew who Rose and Albus's were; just for very different reasons. Scorpius hated his surname, and he hated the names that had came with it. He took every opportunity to rub into his father's face just how different they were. And had been doing so every since Scorpius's first day at Hogwarts; he had been, to his Father's horror, sorted into Gryffindor.
"He tried, but I'm to smart for him." He answered for a grin, as he pulled out his red and gold tie from his pocket, and started to knot it carelessly around his neck as he talked.
"-and so he was going on about 'having already disgraced the family name, and now spreading the dirt into the manor of my ancestors'." Scorp said bitterly, his hatred of his own family obvious in his tone. Rose sighed.
"What did you do this time, Scorp?" She asked, exasperated. Scorpius tried to look innocent, but failed.
"I- Uh, sorta, painted my room Gryffindor colours…" He said, as Al roared with laughter. Really, Rose thought, he should be smart enough by now to just keep his mouth, and paint choices, under control.
"C'mon Rose, we're going to find a compartment." Rose was brought back from her thoughts as Al tugged on her arm and lead her down the train as he chatted happily, seemingly to neither Rose or Scorpius in particular, until they located an empty compartment, and slid in.
Finally, Rose could relax. Yawning, she stretched her arms upwards and leaned back into her seat, smiling to herself. This was going to be a good year; she could feel it.