Rose Potter clung to her Mother's hand as she stepped through the barrier into Platform 9 ¾.

Rose had grown up in the magical world, of course, but she was still nervous.

A thousand thoughts raced across her mind, tangling themselves and banging into each other. Had her Father been this afraid? Had her mum? Was everyone going to hate her?

She looked back as her cousins and friend tumbled through the barrier. Well, she thought, not everyone.

Her mother looked at her proudly, sensing what was going through her mind.

'The first time I saw your father,' she said 'was here. He was deathly afraid, because it was his first time in the magical world, and he had just found out he was a wizard. He asked Granny for directions. It was the first time he met Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione, too. Uncle Fred and Uncle George caused quite a ruckus when they found out he was Harry Potter,' she said, smiling wryly. Rose laughed.

'I thought he looked very brave,' her mother continued, 'and I couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts myself. I was rather jealous –'

'Yea, she asked Mum if she could go, too,' said Rose's Uncle Ron, coming up behind his sister and niece.

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. Ron stuck his tongue out at her.

'Oh, honestly,' said Rose's Aunt Hermione, rolling her eyes. Rose's cousin, Harry, made a face at her, and tried to creep past his parents, dragging his trunk.

Rose made a face back, and began to sneak away, too.

'HARRY!' Hermione yelled, clearly unamused. 'You aren't getting away that easily!' She rushed over to him, smoothing his bushy red hair and straightening out his clothes.

Ron shot his son an apologetic glance and went to help him.

Ginny turned to look at her daughter, who had a sheepish grin on her face. Other than a band of freckles across her nose, she looked exactly like Lily Potter. Although, she mused, the grin is Harry's. She hugged her daughter close, trying not to cry.

'Be good, alright?'

'Maaaaaybe,' said Rose teasingly.

'You'd better!' Ginny's voice was muffled against her daughter's hair. 'And don't forget to visit Dad and tell him hello from me,' she said softly.

'I'll never forget Dad,' said Rose. 'I'll leave him some Roses, of course. So he knows I've been there.'

Ginny pulled away, wiping her eyes in what she hoped was a subtle manner.

'ROSE!'

Lianne Lupin threw herself at one of her best friends. The other was still being smothered by his parents. The Lupins followed.

'Good luck, Rose,' said Remus. 'You look just like your grandmother did.'

Rose made a face. She knew she looked like her Grandma Lily. How could she forget?

Tonks gave her a hug. 'Have fun, Rose,' she said. 'And you!' she looked reproachfully at her daughter. 'Stay out of trouble!'

'Yes, mumsy dearest.' Lianne bowed her head meekly, trying hard not to laugh. Her father grinned and ruffled her hair.

'What your mother said.'

Ginny gave her daughter one last hug. Many other parents were doing the same. 'Off with you,' she said. 'You don't want to be late like your Father.'

'Oh, look!' Tonks said. 'There's Bill, Fleur, and Matt!' Giving Lianne a hug, kiss, and pushing her toward the train, she ran to see them. Matt was by Harry, looking rather embarrassed to be seen with a first year.

Rose turned to join them, but Uncle Ron pulled her aside. He handed her a sheaf of parchment and a watery, silver cloak.

'Your father would've wanted his daughterto have these. This'll show you how to work this,' he said, shoving another piece of parchment at her and pointing to the blank one. Then, he pointed to the silvery cloak. 'This is an invisibility cloak,' he said seriously.

Rose sucked in her breath. An invisibility cloak!

'It was your grandpa Potter's, and then your Father's. They both found it very, very useful,' he said, grinning. 'I hope you will too. Now go!' With a small hug, he shoved her in the direction of the Hogwarts Express.

Lianne grabbed hers and Harry's wrists. 'C'mon! We don't want it to leave without us!' Together, they stumbled into the train.

'Where's Matt?' Rose asked when they finally found an empty car. Harry snorted.

'With his second year friends, of course. Too cool for us now.'

Rose and Lianne grinned simultaneously. Harry groaned. 'I know I'm gonna be in trouble whenever you two do that,' he muttered.

Lianne whipped her long brown hair, which had a purple streak today. She could change the color of her eyes, and the color of her streak changed depending on her mood. She was average height and very muscular, like her parents. She cheerfully told people she was insane.

Harry had bushy red hair, and brown eyes. Like a true Weasley, he had freckles. He was as sensible as his mother, but was often dragged into escapades by Lianne and Rose.

Rose looked almost identical to her grandmother, Lily. She had shoulder-length dark red hair and brilliant green eyes that flashed when she got angry. From her father and grandfather James, she had inherited a sense of daring and hardly anything fazed her. However, because her mother was a Weasley, she had a band of freckles sprinkled across her nose, which gave her a rather impish look.

'Are you thinking what I'm thinking?' said Lianne to Rose, still grinning evilly.

Rose's grin widened. 'Frogspawn in his shoes?'

'Exactly.'

Harry groaned again. 'And, because I am a boy and therefore have access to the boy's dormitories, I suppose I'm the one who'll be doing this?'

The girls nodded. 'Yup.'

Lucas had watched the girl carefully, as she hugged her mother and the rest of her family goodbye.

'But, Father, she doesn't look powerful,'

Snape grimaced. He hated being called 'father' but they had to keep up appearances.

'Oh, but she will be. And her Grandmother was a filthy mudblood. Never forget that, my l – son,' he spat.

Narcissa was kinder.

'Learn all you can, Lucas. Soon, you will finish what the Dark Lord started. I have faith in you, my – son.'

She gave him a quick hug. Normally, such displays of affection were prohibited, but she was sorry for Lucas and she had a soft spot for him. She had raised him, and he was her baby. Even when he was the Dark Lord, he would be her baby. And although she never spoke of such things, Lucas knew she loved him, as he loved her as a mother.

Lucas, however, was watching the girl step into the train. He felt something he had never felt before, but shoved it carefully away. She was very pretty, yes, and she seemed kind, and funny, and smart – no.

He could not feel that way. She was the grandchild of a filthy mudblood and blood traitors. Her father had killed Lord Voldermort. And Lord Voldermort had killed him, as he deserved. That was what he had been taught. And as he grudgingly allowed Nicolette Parkinson-Malfoy to cling to his arm, he shoved all the doubt he could to the back of his mind.

He was a pureblood, and the muggle animals didn't deserve to be called wizards. Muggles were uncouth barbarians. Narcissa and Severus had told him, and he believed them. For it was all he had ever been taught.

So it had to be true – didn't it?