Leave Out All the Rest

Chapter 2: Aboard the Hogwarts Express

POV: Rose

One compartment, four people. Second compartment, five people. Third compartment, three people. Fourth compartment, a couple snogging. Fifth compartment—well, you can guess how that went on after that. It took us about the fortieth compartment until I finally proclaimed with a tiresome voice, "this one!"

"Finally," Al groaned as I shoved him hurriedly into the compartment. "We looked for ages!"

Normally at his complaints I would already have a scolding remark to throw back at him—because my mum had always told me no one looked on highly at whiny people; to look at my dad and I'd prove her right—but right now I agreed with him. It was like the Hogwarts Express was a maze; just spiraling down uncontrollably.

"Would've been less irritating to look for a compartment if not for the people staring at us," Al added in a frustrated huff. "They just have to do that, don't they? Just…stare. I'd tell them to take a picture, but that gets annoying too."

I snorted a little. "Just think how James does. Swear that they're staring because you are so handsome and not because your dad's the Chosen One."

My cousin rolled his eyes at me. "…I hate him and his git-face."

"Well, you're charming," I said to him. "Maybe if you didn't let James' remarks get to you as much you wouldn't be in such a horrible mood, Al."

Taking a moment to breathe carefully, adjust himself in the compartment seat, Al's irritation seemed to have flown out the window of the compartment. "Sorry," he said gently. "It's just that James does get to me with his taunting, Rose. You know how…proud he is."

"He's twelve," it was my turn to roll my eyes. "What's he going to know about being proud?"

Al scoffed his shoe on the floor. "…I just reckon all this damn attention from the students got to him, you know? He came back from his first year with all this arrogance. It was starting to get on mum and dad's nerves. All that Gryffindor pride….All that Potter pride."

"How does that even matter, Al?" I looked at him carefully. "You idolize Gryffindor and James too much that it's ruining your experience."

"Easy for you to say," my cousin snorted at me. His emerald eyes hard, his pale face frowning. "You're a Weasley, right? Every single Weasley lands in Gryffindor and the entire family is so proud. But what do I get?" And before I could even get my remark, he spoke again. "I get dad's genetics, that's what. There's always something topsy-turvy in is."

I held my tongue for a moment. (He sort of had a point, you know? I mean, from what the adults in our family allowed us to read, Uncle Harry was said not to be so…normal.) "Well, Al," but I found my reason, "your mum is a Weasley. It's in your blood too. So, please, just stop stressing about it. You're sucking out all the fun and nervousness about this."

Seriously. He was starting to get so annoying with his sorting rant. He had gone on and on, and on about it since summer strolled around. Bringing me down as I was finally pleased to know that mum was no longer going to home-school us and Hogwarts awaited.

"Besides, Victoire's a Weasley and she became a Ravenclaw," I added, remembering a few of our older relatives in school already. " In fact, she was the first Weasley to break the tradition."

He narrowed his eyes at me, looking not so convinced.

"And what about Molly, Al?" I continued. "You're forgetting that Molly was the second Weasley that was not sorted into Gryffindor. She's a proud Hufflepuff. And Teddy, who technically isn't blood-related, but he was in Hufflepuff too! That's three—"

"Okay, okay!" Al threw his hands in the air, surrendering completely. "I get it, I get it. Not all of us are in Gryffindor. Alright. I'll stop talking about it."

I smiled, satisfied. "Good, good." If anyone could get Albus Severus Potter to calm down it was me. (Oh, mum would be so proud with my debate and persuasion skills.)

And as a short moment of silence that took over my cousin and I—while I gloated to myself that there really was nothing I couldn't do—the sliding-door to our compartment opened. "Excuse me," and what looked like two First Years walked in. A boy and girl.

"Do you mind if we sit here?" The girl asked, pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. Her blue eyes twinkling nicely, friendly. "Everywhere else is full."

I nodded. "Of course." And then I motioned Al, who was sitting across from me to join my side. "Al, let them sit."

"Thanks loads," the blonde girl said earnestly as she ushered her friend to take a seat. "I'm Nia, by the way," she added as she took a seat across from my cousin and I. Giving us a kind smile that sort of radiated off her pale face and stretched on her rosy cheeks. "Nia Harper."

"I'm Rose Weasley," I smiled in return too.

"Well, nice to meet you, Rose." And then her blue eyes flickered to a blushing Al. "And you are?"

"He's incredibly rude," I said, smirking. "And mute when pretty girls cross him."

Instantly, Al's ears turned redder and he nudged me hard on the ribs. "I'm Al," he almost croaked, looking flushed. (Merlin, not even in Hogwarts yet and he already took a liking to a girl. Was I the only one that was actually looking forward to studying?) "Al Potter."

"A Potter," a smug grin appeared on the girl's face. Her eyes now flashing towards her companion's. "How convenient."

"And why's that?" I asked, my arms crossing.

Nia shrugged, pulling on her gentle smile again. "Not in a bad way, of course. We just heard a Potter was starting this year." She leaned against the back of her seat. "My dad played Quidditch with your dad when they went to school. On rival teams, of course. But dad thinks highly of your father."

"—And that's a lot to say from a Slytherin to a Gryffindor." We all turned to the blonde's friend; Al and I looking at him like if we didn't know he was there and he just appeared from thin air.

Nodding once to herself, Nia said, "true, true."

I rose an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

And then the boy's brown eyes flashed at me. They were gentle. A kind of shade you find in an animation from a muggle children's book; the type that were kind and inviting. His hair was also the same shade of brown, almost golden.

"Sorry," and then his voice gained some shyness. "…I'm Liam Greengrass."

Nia gave him a disgusted look, rolling her eyes at him as she turned to us. "Bless him," she said in a tone that suggested like she was talking about a lost cause. "Liam's really shy around people. I practically had to drag him here to ask for the seat. He would've preferred to stand the whole way as long as he didn't need to talk to anyone."

Liam grumbled something, scoffing his shoes and looking at the floor.

"Luckily," Nia spoke again, "he has me." And her face lit up with that same gentle, kind smile that she worn when she walked in. "You'll get used to him. After a while, he'll loosen up and then you won't get him to shut up."

Exchanging another look between both of us, Al and I smiled at the blonde girl and the brunette boy. It was like seeing each other. The girl, bossy and knowing. And the boy—well, in the need of a good ear-tug.

"Well, it's great to meet you both." I said happily.

First train ride to Hogwarts, and we had already made friends that weren't our relatives. This was certainly a point in our favor. And maybe, just maybe, as he sat there staring like a hungry puppy, Al could feel a little better about what comes next.

X

"We've made it," breathing in the cold air of the night as soon as it touched my face, I turned to the others with excitement radiating off of me.

"Merlin," Nia had breathed, her rosy cheeks a little redder. "We're finally here."

Coming from behind the blonde girl, Al and Liam jumped off the Hogwarts Express' exit with their school-robes freshly on them. Both grinning like if they had on the finest clothes they'll ever wear in their lifetime.

"I'm ready," Al said, sounding confident. "Let's do this."

I was about to compliment his turn of mood, but someone a little taller than Al, with the same haywire hair, appeared behind him and threw a good smack at the back of his head. "Hope you're wearing a fresh pair of underwear, little Al. I'll see you at your sorting."

Leave it to James to ruin everything, Al's eyes quickly hardened with a mix of anger and panic again.

"Al—"

"Do you think I'll get expelled if I hex him?" My cousin cut across me, not tearing his eyes off of James and his trail of mocking laughter.

Shaking his head a little, Liam gave a soft chuckle. "Don't think so, mate." He looked at my cousin, nudging him a little. "You haven't even started yet, right? I think you're clear."

"Another Potter, I'm guessing?" Nia asked, motioning us to follow her and the rest of the First Years towards the boats. "Complete troll by the looks of it," she added, her voice sounding out the Hogwarts Game Keeper's.

Rubeus Hagrid, the old Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts had retired a few years back. He was a very good family friend—especially to my parents and Uncle Harry. But when the moment came for him to leave the school, and Britain, they were all happy to see him go on his way. Primarily due to the fact that Hagrid went to France to go live with Madame Maxime, a giantess that he was so in love with.

"You five," the Games Keeper shouted from his place up ahead, "you take the next boat, alright?"

And as I turned away from the three next to me, to see who was the other person joining Al, Nia, Liam and I, silver eyes flashed into me like a gleam of powerful light.

"Scorpius," Liam breathed, looking a little surprised. "Where were you?"

Blinking away from the powerful wave of silver that had just invaded my vision, I noticed that the liquid-metal orbs belonged to a blonde boy. He stood there, pale and pointed face in a blank expression; arms crossed as he looked at Liam with a seldom gaze. "I could ask you the same thing. I was waiting for you."

"Liam and I found our own compartment." And obviously not seeing the light in those eyes that I'd seen, Nia looked at the blonde boy with a deep scowl setting on her pretty face.

The boy raised an eyebrow, still nothing crossing his face. "And you are?"

Nia glared instantly, her scowl turning into a profound frown. "I'm Nia Harper," she almost spat. "I've met you at least twenty times before."

Putting a quick hand on his the girl's shoulder, Liam cleared his throat awkwardly as more students pushed past us to try and get onto a boat. "Erm…She's my best friend, Scorpius. Remember?"

The boy said nothing in return.

"Anyway," Liam cleared his throat again. "Nia and I got lost on our way into the train. But then we took seat with these two," he pointed a finger at my cousin and I. "Al Potter and Rose Weasley."

And again, nothing really phased those silver eyes as I found myself shamelessly staring into them.

"Um, hey," Al said courteously.

"Scorpius Malfoy," the blonde said, stretching his hand out to Al with a sense of politeness that was not crossing on his face.

As Al and Scorpius shook hands, the entire situation a little awkward, if I may say—especially as the boy never even turned to look at me once—Liam's voice carried into my ears. "Scorpius is my cousin," the brunette boy informed.

"I guess the seating arrangement works then," I mumbled carefully.

Scorpius turned, almost like he had noticed me for the first time.

"Whatever," Nia huffed. "Let's just get on the bloody boat before it leaves us," she added, pushing past the blonde boy with a shove and pulling on Liam's arm.

Feeling myself go red as Al followed our two new friends, I fiddled with my fingers nervously. "…Hello," I managed to squeak at the blonde.

Lifting his head a little higher, Scorpius Malfoy blinked his silver eyes at me indifferently; turning on his heels and following after the others like I was nothing.