Chapter 26

Mr. and Mrs. Vanders took Rose to school the day of September 1st. However after the long car ride and Mr. Vanders reminiscing about his school days they just dropped her off to have her deal with her trunk herself. However her day got a little better when her best friend, Neville Longbottom and her ran into each other at the doorway. "Happy Late Birthday," Rose said. "I'm sorry I didn't send your present the day of your birthday but here it is." Rose pulled out of the bag she was carrying with her a book on different types of plants all around the world and what their purposes were. The title was worn away so she couldn't read it. "I found it under a stack of other books rotting away."

Neville smiled at the present and his grandmother clasped his shoulder looking down at the book. "Hello Rose," she said. "What a nice present you gave my grandson. Let's just hope he doesn't lose it."

They wheeled through the muggle station, King's Cross until they got between platform 9 and 10. Rose went first getting lost in a crowd of students. She looked behind her to see Neville waving her along. She wove through the crowd until she boarded the Hogwarts Express lugging her trunk until she found a compartment that had someone she recognized, Theodore Nott. He was in her year and in the same house as her.

"Hey Theo,"she greeted in a breathy voice.

"Hey,"he replied and got up helping her wordlessly put her trunk above the seats.

¨So how was your summer?¨ Rose asked.

¨Would have been better if someone had answered my letters,¨he said.

¨Hey I answered eventually,¨Rose told him. ¨I´m sorry but I was too busy to write anyone back.¨

¨It´s alright,¨ Theodore tells her. He was just about to say something else when Malfoy walked into the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle. He took a seat next to Rose and Crabbe and Goyle shuffled around awkwardly before sitting themselves by the door.

¨So Nott I heard you went to Iraq over the summer,¨ Draco sneered. ¨I personally think that´s not as good as France, Germany, or Italy.¨ Theodore didn't say anything.

After an awkward silence Rose finally spoke. ¨I personally think Iraq is pretty cool. I mean the history that goes on there. Historians think the first humans are from there which means we might have originated there,¨ Rose blurted out. Theodore got red and sunk into his seat and Malfoy just sat looking at her as she spewed out more random facts.

Draco started laughing when she finally shut her mouth and continued to laugh while Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Daphne Greengrass entered the compartment. He eventually stopped and the friends chattered. Around two through the journey people began to leave as the trolley with sweets came around. Theodore and Rose stayed in the compartment in silence. Rose reading a muggle book, Little Women, and Theodore staring out the window watching the rain pelt against the glass.

The train suddenly stopped dead and the lights went out. Rose closed her book and looked over at Theodore. ¨Do you have your wand,¨ she asked. ¨Mines in my trunk.¨

¨Same,¨ he responded. The air got frigid after a few moments and they saw a figure move outside. Rose stopped breathing, someone is coming on the train or maybe multiple people. Rose froze however when a bony hand opened their compartment door. Theodore was yelling her name but she couldn't hear it.

Rose felt the happiness being sucked out of her. She heard a man's voice yelling run and then a green light flashed before Rose´s eyes. It got colder and she relived this memory and the last time it replayed she saw a hand with a wand in its clutches fall limp to the ground.

Rose bolted up, sweat dripping down her face. Theodore was looking at her ashen faced and Tracey Davis was pacing around the compartment. She looked up and when she saw Rose awake she strode out of the compartment. Rose ran her hand through her disheveled red hair and felt an ache all over her body. ¨What was that,¨ she asked in a shaky voice.

¨I have no idea,¨Theodore said. ¨After you passed out cold the thing came after me but only for a few seconds then left.¨

She curled up in a ball by the window, Theodore sitting next to her as if to keep guard. The rest of the Slytherin girls entered the compartment and stared at her. Rose felt so embarrassed and empty. She felt alone and her body felt frigid.

At Hogsmeade station, Draco met up with Rose and he noticed she was a little peaky So he helped her onto the carriage. She watched the trees go by as Pansy gossiped. She was thinking about what she had seen. It left questions in her head, who was that man? What was that flashing green light? The carriage stopped and Rose got off and her eyes landed on Harry and his friends. Draco began to strut and Rose fell a few paces behind. ¨You fainted Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth. You actually fainted?¨ Draco drawled. He blocked the way up the steps but Rose pushed past him.

¨Jerk,¨ she muttered. Still he continued but she kept walking. Rose felt lightheaded and was happy to sit down. Draco sat down next to her. ¨I´m sorry. Tracey told me what happened,¨Draco said.

¨It´s fine you're just being you.¨"They were silent through the sorting ceremony and Dumbledore's warnings and announcements. Apparently the things on the train had been dementors from Azkaban. They were going to be protecting Hogwarts.

When the actual feasting began Rose stuffed herself full of mashed potatoes and everything that didn't have meat of animal in it. She ate her full at dessert with chocolate pudding and other delicacies. Rose went up to her dorm room that night a barely changed into her pajamas before she passed out on her bed.