Rose Weasley had cut her curls short over the summer holidays just below her ear; she'd like to think that in her final year at Hogwarts she'd at last managed to control her frizz to a minimum. Dominique Weasley an older cousin of her had stayed over at their house over the holidays, taught her how to apply her make up properly. (Apparently she'd been doing it all wrong! Alex should be informed right away!) She'd dusted herself lightly in it today, a nice natural look.
"All set Rosie?" Her father called, lifting her trunk up into the cabin's overhead compartment.
"Think so Dad!" She smiled, hugging him in a warm embrace. "You should go swap with mum, say bye to Hugo before the train pulls away."
"Of course," He laughed. He pulled her into another embrace, tenderer than the first.
"I'll be fine Dad, haven't you figured that out yet?" She laughed, "I'm two parts of the Golden Trio for Merlin's sake!"
"I never got that Golden Trio thing? Where'd the Prophet pull that shit from?" Her father smirked, backing out of the cabin.
"RONALD!" Her mother caught him, never being an advocate of his swearing, especially in front of cabin's full of impressionable young minds. He braced himself for further condemnation but coming down the length of the carriage all she could do was scowl at him. "Go see Hugo off will you?"
She watched out the cabin door as her father in full swing of middle age ran off as if he were a silly teenage boy yet again, maybe it was something to do with the Hogwarts Express and memories past, who knows?
"Sit with me Rose?" Her mother gestured into the cabin.
"Do we have time?"
"Come on, you know I turn all our watches back at least five to ten minutes. Your father is late to everything! Did I tell you he nearly slept in the day of our wedding? If it weren't for your Uncle!" Her mother trailed, smiling the smile she reserved for whenever she thought of her husband. It made Rose warm inside, knowing they could still be this way after so long.
"Anyway," her mother cleared her throat. "Last year during Christmas break, you told me that sometimes being our child, being any of our children, was at times taxing on you children. Remember?"
Rose nodded, the smile easing on her face, her brows slacking with concern, "What's this about?"
"I just want you to be prepared for the year ahead. You've been pretty sheltered this summer, but going back to school. It's going to be hard… and this time, it'll be your own rumours and your own legend that will be the centre of it all. I want you to be cautious. Don't let it get to you, or to take away from your studies." Her mother frowned at the last bit, nothing is more important than your studies!
The Hogwarts Express sent off a warning toot, and wiping a tear that hadn't properly formed from her eye, her mother got up and embraced her goodbye and left, leaving Rose totally alone.
"Hey precious? Got room for a weary traveller?" Alexandria Nott chuckled from the cabin door, trunks in tow. "As per usual, I just made the train. Where's Daphne?"
"Snogging the face off of Lycan Scamander of course!" Rose laughed, rousing from the rest she'd been partaking in.
"I fucking knew it! Hyacinth owes me five galleons!" Alexandria blurted all at once.
Rose laughed, before turning to her friend whom had taken the seat opposite her. "Wait, who did Hyacinth think she was with?"
"Lorcan!" Alexandria snorted.
"His brother?"
"Yerp, who knows maybe she was I wouldn't put it passed her, but this is new, this is open and I win!" Alex shot both arms in the air in triumph, causing a stifled giggle from Rose. "Anyway how was your holidays? Loving the look by the way!"
"The look is thanks to Dom, she spent the better part of the summer teaching me how to 'girl' properly and telling me about all the boys she had chasing her in France. It was a bit annoying," Rose laughed. As they laughed together sharing stories, Daphne came slumping into the cabin and onto the seat next to Alexandria, looking thoroughly worn out.
"Hey girls," she breathed, her lip gloss smeared across her joyful face, "Rose. Love the hair. Very sexy, how are we?"
Alexandria eyed her as if she was about to wring her out, but smirked at the last second and tackled her into the seat until she was on top of her. "Firstly, oh my god. You've won me five galleons. Secondly, I knew it! Thirdly, tell me everything I need to know all!"
"I'm not telling all, trust me, you wasps aren't ready for that amount of detail!" Daphne teased, receiving curious and excited squeals from her friends. "But I can divulge, that god that man looks yummy. I swear. We spent a few weeks of the summer together at his parents place and Merlin swimming with him in the lake behind his house was dangerous!"
The girls laughed at Daphne's dramatics, listening in full awe for the full length of the trip. From flirtatious banter, to admissions of affection, she relived it all for them in stunning display and thoroughly acted out sequences. They had barely noticed when the train began pulling into the station and only just managed to pull their robes on over their normal clothes before they were carted off to the Great Hall for the feast.
Headmistress Mcgonagall, even in her higher position, still enjoyed the task of performing the Sorting alongside the Sorting Hat. It felt like tradition to her, so even after all these years she did it happily.
Rose was even happier tonight, drinking so much punch and eating so much food she knew she'd feel sick later. Every time a first year was sorted in to Slythern she and her friends would whoop and cheer for them, probably louder than any other on their table did. Each first year who did smiled at their reception and Rose felt even more justified in their doing so.
The doors of the Great Hall thudded open suddenly and everyone turned their head to check out the cause of the interruption. Even to Sorting halted for a moment.
Scorpius Malfoy strutted in. His white gleaming hair was slicked back like his father's, aside from the sides and back which were neatly shaven. He looked determined and focused and ignored the looks his presence caught from the others in the room. He took a spot next to the Woods boy, and tore into the closest available food within his reach. A turkey leg.