Chapter 1

Rose felt as though she was going to burst with excitement as she climbed into a boat next to her cousin and two new friends, Malfoy seemed to have disappeared which as the boat could only fit four Rose was quite glad about, he was such a distraction for everyone and she wanted this to be everything she had ever dreamed.

The castle shone and glittered like a fairy palace as the little fleet set off from the shore line. As they passed under the rocky overhang and her and the other first years made their way up the passage into the grandeur of the entrance hall, she finally understood her uncle Harry's affection for the place, it did give one the feeling of belonging. As the teacher told them all about the houses Rose couldn't help tuning out and thinking about all the Weasleys who had come before her and stood right here waiting to be sorted. She silently promised herself she would make them all proud of her. Rose had of course given serious consideration to the house she would like to be sorted into. She couldn't decide between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, she truly believed she might leave if the sorting hat even whispered the word Slytherin. Albus had been oddly circumspect about what house he'd like to be in, he wouldn't give anyone a definite answer and seemed a little resigned when the subject came up. James had teased him mercilessly about being sorted into Slytherin but Albus had simply shrugged and made a rude hand gesture as soon as his mum's back was turned.

In no time at all it felt like to Rose, the first years were heading through to the enchanting candle filled great hall. Rose thought she might burst from nerves and happiness. Angie was the first to be sorted and after a short pause the hat cried out for everyone to hear, 'RAVENCLAW!' Angie slid of the stool shaking slightly but looking happy as she headed to the middle table. The next person became a Hufflepuff and she spotted Angie through the crowd mouthing good luck to her. Rose grinned anxiously back. The next thing she knew the professor had called 'Malfoy, Scorpius' and Malfoy stepped forward and walked slowly towards the stool. The hall erupted into dark murmerings at his name but Scorpius sat himself on the stool looking defiantly over the heads of everyone in the hall. The hat had barely touched his bright blond hair when it cried out 'SLYTHERIN!'. For a split second Rose thought she saw Malfoy look shocked but then it was gone and he removed the hat and made his way to the far side of the hall. Albus looked after him with an unreadable expression on his face before turning back to the stage. Two more people McClaggan, Christopher and Perks, Martina became Gryffindors. Next was Ollie who she had met on the train, he almost bounded forward to be sorted and was very quickly sorted into Ravenclaw, she saw him and Angie high five each other and laugh.

Then it was Albus's turn, Rose whispered good luck in his ear and saw him walk nervously onto the stage, just like with Malfoy there was a ripple of mutterings around the hall at his name, these whisperings sounded much more friendly though. Albus sat on the stool, the hat was placed on his head and everyone including all the assembled Potters and Weasleys held their breath, but nothing happened. They waited and nothing happened. Rose could see the bottom half of Albus's becoming quite pink and he was getting the stool very hard. Seconds ticked by becoming minutes and finally after what seemed like weeks the Professor called out to the headmistress who Rose knew as a friend of her parents, Minerva McGonagall, 'How wonderful, a hat stall! It's been years!'. Rose didn't know what they were talking about but she heard a girl next to her whisper to her friend that hat stalls were students who took longer than 5 minutes to be sorted. She glanced over at the Gryffindor table where most of her cousins sat staring at Albus in wonder and anxiety. Finally the hat opened it's flap and cried out, 'SLYTHERIN!'. There was a palpable wave of shock as Albus calmly removed the hat and avoiding the eyes of everyone, which was a struggle as everyone from his brother to the caretaker was staring, he took his place on the Slytherin table next to Malfoy and met Rose's eyes apologetically. There was a wave of talk that sounded like bees throughout the hall, so much so that Professor Bagshaw had to call Rose's name twice so as to be heard. Rose couldn't feel her legs she was so shocked, she seemed to glide onto the stage as though she was on wheels. Before the hat covered her eyes she saw her cousin James looking pale and shaken on the left hand table, Albus looking back at her palely to the right and in the middle Angie and Ollie looking happily back at her. Rose had no idea where she belonged suddenly and for a moment she wanted to cry but then there was a small voice in her ear, 'Another Weasley?! Where do you all come from, ah but you've got brains, yes, like your mother. Stubborn too like your father although there's talent here and there. A good heart but ruled by your head, interesting. You want to prove yourself do you? Well there's only one place for an ambitious girl like you… RAVENCLAW!'. She beamed as the hat was removed and all of her cousins standing up and cheering, she vaguely saw her cousin Dominique in Hufflepuff whooping and as soon as she'd reached the Ravenclaw table her beautiful cousin Victoire came running up to her and hugged her, 'Welcome to Ravenclaw Rosie darling! We're so proud of you!' Rose beamed up at her glamorous cousin as she hurried back to her seat at the other end of the table. Rose sat down next to Angie and across from Ollie and smiled. She saw Albus nod and smile at her from across the room and she did the same although she thought hers might have come out as a grimace.

She was pleased to be in Ravenclaw, James, Louis, Fred and Roxanne were all in Gryffindor where as Victoire, was the only other Ravenclaw. The rest of her cousins; Molly, Lucy and Dominique were all in Hufflepuff. Al was the only one of them in Slytherin, Rose still couldn't believe it, there must be some mistake, maybe there was a malfunction with the hat and they'd move him to one of the other houses in the morning. Rose knew she was being silly but she had had such a clear picture of the two of them together at Hogwarts and she felt it had all gone wrong. She was distracted though from her musings by Angie and Ollie's excited chatterings about their lessons the next day and the wonderful food which had magically appeared before her. After the speeches and the last of the puddings vanished the hall began to empty slowly as sleepy students made their way to their dormitories. Through the crowd heading towards the lower levels she saw Albus deep in conversation with Scorpius who was laughing at something he'd said. Rose caught his eye and Albus who was being drowned by the wave of Hufflepuffs mouthed don't worry i'll see you tomorrow! At her.

Rose was annoyed but not half as annoyed as James was as he came stomping over to her, 'I don't believe it Rosie! Slytherin! What the hell happened?!' James was in his sixth year but that didn't stop him being a drama queen sometimes. Molly, Lucy and Dominique came over to Rose too. 'Well James you did tell him all summer this would happen, sure you're not a seer?'

'I was joking Moll!'

'Well the sorting hat was not, I would make your peace with it if i were you' said Dominique sagely.

'I will not.' said James stubbornly.

'Well prepare to be frustrated because you can't change a sorting decision. Besides, Albus was a hat stall that's pretty cool eh?' Dominique said cheerfully.

James glowered at her, Dominique smiled angelically back at him. James stomped off with the rest of his Gryffindor cousins and friends and Molly wondered aloud if the sorting hat had actually made the best decision giving Albus some freedom from James's huge popularity in Gryffindor. James was quidditch captain, school prankster along with Louis and Fred, prefect and everyone's favourite Gryffindor so it may have been a kindness. Rose frowned not agreeing at all with these musings.

Victoire glided over just then to tell them to go their dormitories in her best Head Girl tone. Victoire sighed and said she hoped Albus would be ok in Slytherin before saying goodnight to her cousins. Rose silently agreed as she trudged up the grand staircase feeling much too full. When they finally reached the enormous Ravenclaw tower door on the sixth floor it was closed and nothing her or her friends did could move the great handle. The door suddenly asked, 'When all has been removed, what is the wisest course of action?' Far too tired Rose and her friends simply stared tiredly at the door. Victoire then came up behind them and said, 'Acceptance… something our dear cousins should bear in mind'. Not quite knowing what Victoire was on about Rose walked into the common room. She had the sensation that she'd stepped into a small but beautifully lit church. The ceiling was a deep blue with shining bronze stars and there were beautiful floor to ceiling windows which in the day Rose imagined must have a wonderful view over the lakes and mountains around the castle. There were also blue velvet sofas everywhere in front of fires which were burning low. As she crossed the tower room to her bed where her trunk had already been unpacked she fell into bed and straight to sleep, imagining Albus so many floors beneath her in some dank dungeon dormitory and hoping he would be ok til morning at least.