A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

To all my readers and reviewers, thank you!

"This is impossible," I muttered, flipping through the book. I had been trying to do a simple levitation charm for the last hour. I was exhausted, I was cranky, and the stupid thing still wasn't working right. My feather, which I'd managed to steal from my pillow, so far had caught on fire, crumbled to dust, turned pink, and squawked at me. None of those things were levitating!

"You're kind of holding the wand a bit wonky," a soft voice said from across the room. I lowered my wand, unaware anyone had been watching. The girl was sitting on the bed at the end of the row. Her right arm was in a sling and she had mud smeared across her nose. Her red hair told me she was most likely a Weasley.

"It's not a sword, hold it gentler, not so jabby," she added. I nodded doing as she instructed. The feather rose into the air and stayed there for a second before I dropped it.

"Thank you, um, I'm sorry. I... I don't know your name?" I felt my face flush with embarrassment. I'm sure this girl was one of my adopted cousins, but everyone looked so different now.

"Lily, Lily Potter. You're Rose."

"So they keep telling me," I laughed. So not a Weasley, still a cousin. I'd forgotten Aunt Susan had red hair. "What did you do to your arm?"

"Tried riding my brother's broom. Apparently he put a stupid hex on it to keep me from riding and it threw me off. Mum's going have a right fit over it. I expect he'll get a howler in the mail tomorrow," Lily answered, a smile playing on her face. I laughed. I could easily see James doing something like that.

I remembered planning to put a hex on my diary to keep the twins out, once I learned how to do it anyway. I felt the smile slide from my face. Nothing was going to be the same now. They were older than me, even if it was only one year. I had a little sister I hadn't even met. Mum and Father were fighting and not together anymore.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, Rose. Mum says everything always works out, if you stop and think about things. There's always some solution to the problem. She usually makes a long list of all thing things involved and then I get bored."

"Yeah, Aunt Susan works in the ministry, right?"

"She was promoted last year! She's working for the Minister now. You should try making a list. I would, but I already know the solution to my problem."

"Is it stealing your brother's broom again," I asked. Lily nodded.

"Yes, but this time, I'm not going to ride it! I'm going put a hex on for the next time he does! I hope he likes arse blisters!" Lily nearly yelled. Madame Longbottom looked over at the two girls.

"Miss Potter, language please!"

"Sorry, Madame," Lily whispered.

"And your arm should finish healing just fine if you don't do anything too strenuous. You are able to attend classes. Here's a pass."

Lily sighed, but slid off the bed, grabbed the pass and smiled at me.

"Hey, I'm a first year too. Maybe we could study together?" she suggested. I nodded, wondering if maybe I should start making new friends; friends that were in my own year.

"Miss Snape, I probably should tell you to rest, but I doubt you'd listen to me."

"I'm sorry. I just really wanted to get the spell right, nothing else seems to be going right. I'm going to be a first year again, not that I ever really was one. Imagine, being kidnapped my first week of school," I laughed, settling back against my pillows. I set my wand in my nightstand. Madame Longbottom was right. I was starting to get tired. I really, really just didn't want to fall back asleep.