Disclaimer: this is all fanfiction. Rose Zeller is actually in the order of the phoenix. The world of harry potter is owned by JK Rowling.

Chapter 6-Rose

Rose watched as Jarred disappeared into the emerald green flames. Her body shook with anticipation. She would have taken the car with Emily and her father, but Jarred had called her a scaredy cat, and she had agreed to use floo powder like him and Cedonia. Rose had never done it before, and stepping into a fire-place didn't seem very welcoming. "And remember to annunciate, we don't want you ending up in the middle of nowhere, like that Potter boy". Her mother explained, worried beyond words.

"No, mum. I don't want to be known as someone who wanders around Knockturn alley, even if Jarred dares me too" Rose replied.

Cedonia pursed her lips "I'll have to speak to him about that. Now, carry on. I'll be right behind you."

Rose trembled "Promise?" she whimpered.

Cedonia crouched down to give Rose a tight squeeze. "Promise."

Rose took a handful of floo powder and threw it into the flames. "Diagon Alley!" and with that was off, at the mercy of the fire.

Rose landed with a bump. She bit back a scream, she had scraped her thigh on a piece of timber wood. "Merlin's beard!" she exclaimed, cursing mildly under her breath.

"Ooh, language Sis, don't let mum hear you say that." Rose looked up and saw Jarred waiting at the brick entrance to Diagon Alley.

"I don't have to listen to you, hypocrite!" Rose shot back.

"I'm just yanking your wand, remind me not to test your temper". Jarred grumbled.

"Speaking of wands, you guys stop squabbling, or neither of you will get one." Both siblings turned, blushing, to see their mother arriving from the fireplace.

"Yes, mum" they said in unison, both still disgruntled.

They had only gone so far when Cedonia noticed that Rose was limping. "Oh, my! Rose, what happened to your leg?"

"I scratched it when I landed in the fireplace" Rose explained, wincing.

"You poor thing, you should have mentioned it sooner. Here," Cedonia foraged through her handbag, pulling out her wand. "Episkey!" Immediately her wound vanished.

Rose murmured her thanks, then ran ahead. They had just entered Diagon alley, and Rose had seen something that had caught her eye. "Careful!" Cedonia cautioned "There have been rumors about dark stuff lately".

Rose snorted "Mum, you can't honestly be referring to that 'you know who' rubbish. You know the prophet says Potter should 'get off his high hippogriff'. I don't know what it means but it sounds like they think he's-"

"Don't you dare diminish the dangers that horrible being caused, young lady!" Cedonia warned her daughter fiercely, "You should be thankful that that boy sacrificed so much so you could live in a safe world."

"But mum, he was only a baby! He didn't really do anything. It was his parents who sacrificed stuff, and they're dead. Plus dad talks illy of him quite often-"

"Well, you're father's quite wrong then. He doesn't know not to believe every story that the prophet publishes." Cedonia sighed "Neither can you it seems".

"Stop being so down hearted" said Rose "The prophet is controlled strongly by the ministry. Nothing is published without their saying so."

Cedonia grimaced "That's what bothers me. Anyway, enough chit chat. We have a whole list of things to buy, and not much time to do so."

"Finally," said Jarred "I've been waiting forever for you two to stop bickering!"

"That goes for you too!" Cedonia retorted, making Rose giggle. "Now, where to first?"