James Potter was already wearing his neat scarlet and gold tie, along with the other older students in the compartment: Fred Weasley, who exactly resembled his father, except for his mother's dark hair; Greg Finnigan, who was the son of a family friend; and a blonde-haired boy named David Taylors.
Rose couldn't help but to adore the ties. She hoped so desperately that she would be sorted into Gryffindor.
"Where's Lor and Lye?" David asked James. Rose knew that James's closest friends were the twins Lorcan and Lysander, but they were nowhere to be found. The twins, like their mother, Luna, were sorted into Ravenclaw, and they had a knack for troublemaking, just like James and Fred. Uncle Harry called those four the "new Marauders", only Rose had no idea what that meant. She made a mental note to ask Albus later.
From his pocket, James withdrew a small drawstring pouch. It looked filled to the brim with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. George ran the joke shop quite successfully, with the occasional help from Ron.
"Tell your dad I said thanks, Fred! He only made me pay half price for these," then he gave the little pouch a shake, and out fell a few Spell-Checking Quills, a small bag of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, a pair of Extendable Ears, four Decoy Detonators, and a box of Fever Fudge. "I wanted the Deflagration Deluxe fireworks, but Dad said that was where he drew the line. They were more than twenty galleons, but George gives me a discount just for being Harry's son! Apparently my dad made some kind of investment to help George and his brother start up the shop."
Albus rolled his eyes as James kept talking. He loved to brag.
Rose kept gazing out the window. She could hardly believe they were still in England. The scenery was more beautiful than anything she had ever seen before. They were riding through a forest, but the train tracks were elevated so that Rose could see the treetops and the birds flying from them. She was hoping to see a creature Uncle Harry had mentioned, called a thestral, but he said they were invisible. How her uncle could describe them as black and skeletal, she did not know. An invisible creature couldn't have a color or an appearance at all.
Albus, who was sitting across from Rose, was watching James and his friends silently, obviously deep in thought. He was always thinking, Albus. Rose wondered whether he might be put into Ravenclaw, but instead, he shared the same worries with her.
Rose and Albus were both terrified of the possibility that they could be sorted into Slytherin house.
She looked up at James, who was now scribbling ridiculous, made-up words on a piece of parchment and watching as the misspelled word faded away and reappeared in correct terms. It seemed amazing that George could have created such a useful piece of magic, but then Rose remembered that George didn't found Weasley's Wizard Wheezes alone. He had a brother, a twin, who died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Quickly, she shook away the thought.
James and his colleagues laughed loudly when a word Rose was told never to use appeared on the parchment. Apparently, the boy nonchalantly passing their compartment heard, because he stopped and looked through the window. She looked up and recognized the face immediately: it was the Malfoy boy. He saw Rose notice him, and left as quickly as he came, returning to whatever was his previous task.
After many hours of listening to James, Fred, David, Greg, and the new arrivals Lorcan and Lysander laughing at things Rose and Albus didn't find so entertaining, the sun made it's way closer to the horizon again. The sky began to turn orange and purple, and nighttime was washing over the steaming train. Rose became more and more nervous as the sky grew darker. It couldn't be much longer until they arrived.
Practically everyone who passed by their compartment's window was in their robes now. Even James was starting to pack up his Weasley products. Since he'd taken this train ride to Hogwarts twice before, he already had their arrival time estimated. Soon enough, Rose caught a glimpse of a sign saying "Hogsmeade" and sat up straight immediately. She looked at Albus, who looked up, apparently concerned.
"What?" he said in alarm. It was the first word he'd spoken since they left King's Cross.
"I just saw a sign that said Hogsmeade!" Rose was overly excited.
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore, we're here," James said sarcastically, as if Rose should have already known the exact time they'd be arriving.
She just rolled her eyes, picked up her wand, and smiled as the train slowed and came to a halt.
Immediately, the narrow hallway filled with students rushing to get onto the platform. Lorcan slid open the door and managed to slip out and into the fast paced crowd. His identically platinum blonde-haired twin followed just as easily as they were both very tall and skinny.
The odd thing about Lorcan and Lysander is that they were very secretive. Rose used to hear stories about how Uncle George and departed Uncle Fred used to get a laugh out of everyone in various ways. The Scamander twins seemed just as devious and cheerful as the Weasley twins were, but they preferred to operate alone or only with James and Fred.
Soon enough, David, Greg, James, and Fred were gone, into the mob of people rushing to get to Hogwarts. Rose was left alone with Albus, and he smiled nervously up at her.
"Well, here we go," he whispered.
"Here we go," Rose confirmed as she stood up and waited for a gap in the body of students. Her brown eyes noticed one, and she darted towards it as quickly as she could. Immediately, she was urged forward and had to keep walking. She wasn't free of the crowd until being practically pushed off the steps of the train and onto the concrete where she landed flat on her feet.
"Firs' years! This way, firs' years!"
The voice belonged to the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, who was a dear friend of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's. He was getting older now, but still held true to his duty.
Rose followed the voice until she saw it's owner, a huge man who towered over everyone. She gasped and then smiled, she knew who he was.
"Hi Hagrid!" she said loudly over the crowd of excited students.
He looked down, casting a moonlit shadow, "Well 'ello there, you mus' be that girl of Ron and Hermione's, ain't ya?"
"Yes sir, Rose Weasley."
"Rubeus Hagrid," he announced to the crowd of eleven year old's now forming around him, and then he held out an enormous hand to Rose, who shook it happily.
Most of the kids wowed and had wide eyes as they observed the man, who was now leading them towards the lake and to many tiny boats.
"My father told me a lot about you, Hagrid!" exclaimed a boy clearly still in awe, who's hair was a very pale blonde. Rose still couldn't remember his name.
"Oh, I reckon he has," Hagrid mumbled to himself, seemingly irritated. Apparently Mr. Malfoy wasn't a favorite student of Hagrid's back in the day.
Before she knew it, Rose was in a boat with Albus and their cousin Roxanne, who took more after her mother, Angelina, than George. Roxanne had the dark skin and hair of her mother, unlike her fair-skinned brother, Fred. The castle's silhouette was defined against the blueish glow of the moon. Excitement bubbled in her stomach like a brewing potion... they were getting nearer. Torches lit the castle's exterior, and she could see the windows to the Great Hall where the older students were gathering at this very moment.
"Wow," Rose whispered. It was the only word she could muster as they pulled into the boathouse and marched up the never-ending stairs. Her dark brown eyes met the bright green of Albus's when they stepped through the stone doors of Hogwarts and into the magnificent castle. Rose knew he was thinking the exact same thing: iWe'll remember this moment forever./i
The first years shuffled into the Great Hall to meet Headmistress McGonagall who stood at a golden podium.
Rose looked around. Everyone was sitting according to house. The Great Hall was just as she imagined it to be. There was a huge, stained glass window behind the front of the room where the professors sat and smaller, yet identical windows lining the rest of the Hall. Looking up, she saw, not the ceiling, but the sky, cloudless and dark, with many stars dotting the surface. Teddy had mentioned once that it was enchanted to always take the appearance of whatever was above on a particular day.
The first years were shuffling noisily to the front of the Hall. Rose noticed that some people were already making friends, or perhaps already them. She couldn't help but feel alone at the thought that the only two people in her year she knew were cousins.
"Welcome, everyone, to another year at Hogwarts!" the Headmistress announced with delight, "I know so many of you are awaiting the lovely feast we have prepared for you this evening, but first, we must properly greet our first year students."
McGonagall pulled her wand from beneath her shimmering green robes and waved it. From literally nowhere, an ancient hat appeared along with a shiny wooden stool. With her wand, the Headmistress guided the hat through the air until it sat immobile upon the stool.
There was a kind of awkwardness in the air as the entire school sat silently, awaiting something unknown. Then, as though on cue, one of the many tears in the hat stretched wide, and the hat began to sing through it as though it were a mouth:
A long, long time ago,
Hogwarts grew to a great size.
No longer could the founders four
keep everyone as their prize.
None of the castle knew what to do,
But it was Gryffindor who had a clue.
It was with pride and certainty that,
Sir Godric took me off his head, enchanted me,
and then he said,
"The Gryffindors are brave and true,
and always will protect.
If they are not, they aren't the lot
that I want in my stead."
Darling Ravenclaw, her witty head,
knew precisely who she wanted best.
She kept the minds that were sharp as swords,
and bestowed them with her crest.
Slytherin said so that I know,
He wanted those cunning and devious souls.
That those of ambition are told to go
With him, "just me, not the other three",
"I want those who work for their dreams,"
Hufflepuff lastly retorted,
Who are patient, loyal, and use any means,
In my house, they should be Sorted."
From that point onward I helped to guide
What students each founder should teach with pride.
And to this day, I am to stay.
Put me on, and your house, I'll decide!
As soon as the hat was done, the students sitting in tables broke into applause. All the first years, however, seemed too frightened to move. Rose stood looking down at her black uniform shoes, hoping desperately that her name was not the first to be called.
"Settle down, students," said McGonagall, who had just finished clapping, "Now, when I call your name, you will step forward and take a seat, I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will sit at the appropriate table." She then pointed out which table is for which house. The students to the far right were Slytherins, wearing ties of green and grey. Beside their table were the blue and bronze wearing Ravenclaws. Gryffindors were next, in the familiar scarlet and gold Rose noticed often around her home, and then there was the Hufflepuff table, where students adorned with yellow and black sat.
McGonagall then looked down at her podium and read off the very first name. Rose and Albus looked at each other nervously.
"Ames, Brandon," said McGonagall happily, as though excited to finally start the Sorting. She levitated the hat with her wand as the dark-haired boy sat upon the stool, looking nervously out into the audience. The Headmistress neatly put the hat on his head, and after several silent seconds, the hat spoke again.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Applause roared from the table to the far left. Everyone else applauded politely as the boy jumped off the stool to join the Hufflepuff table.
"Anouk, Noel."
This girl did not seem nearly as nervous as the first person. She swept her auburn hair out of her eyes dramatically as she stepped forward and sat down.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Noel smiled widely and left as quickly as she could to join the other Gryffindors. Rose felt a sting of jealousy. She hoped so badly to be in Gryffindor.
Next was Edgar Attbury, and then Spencer Atonne. Both of them became Gryffindors as well.
Another boy was called next by the name of Jeremy Baker. Rose couldn't help but notice that he had a nice smile as he sat down and was declared a Hufflepuff.
"Bailey, Zackary," Professor McGonagall said. A dark haired boy with pale eyes stood up straight and swept forward and onto the stool. The Sorting Hat took longer than before to decide that Zackary is a Ravenclaw.
The first girl was called up next. Gabriella Bindweb was another Hufflepuff, and Emilia Bradley became another Gryffindor.
Two more girls, and then "Corner, Tracie."
Her dark ponytail bounced as she ran forward excitedly. Rose recognized the surname, but couldn't remember where from.
"RAVENCLAW," the hat screamed.
The names droned on and on, and Rose realized they were moving in alphabetical order, which would likely mean that she would be one of the last to be called. She absentmindedly clapped as a girl named Cascade became a Ravenclaw, but she wasn't sure of much else until Albus tapped her on the shoulder.
"I'm so terrified, Rose," he whispered.
"Me too, Al. What if I'm in Slytherin?"
"What if I'm in Slytherin?"
"What if we're both in Slytherin?" she asked, even more worried than before.
"At least it'd be better than if one of us was left alone in Slytherin!"
He had a point. "But I don't want to be in Slytherin!"
"Me neither!" Albus said, still whispering while Marcus Finley was sorted into Hufflepuff.
"I hope I'm in Gryffindor," she declared proudly.
"My dad said that the Sorting Hat let him choose to be a Gryffindor," Albus said as though it was unlikely.
"What? I hope it lets me choose."
"Yeah, me too."
"Levitt, Kayleigh," McGonagall announced loudly. A pale girl with long, curly brown hair looked around as though to make sure she was the only Kayleigh Levitt here, and then she walked forward slowly, trying her hardest not to make eye contact with anyone. She sat on the wooden stool as McGonagall levitated the Sorting Hat onto her head.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Rose sighed. She wanted to be a Gryffindor.
"Malfoy, Scorpius."
Scorpius. That was the name. Rose had a random desire to say it, so she did, in the faintest whisper. "Scorpius." She looked over at Albus to see whether or not he heard. He hadn't.
Scorpius walked forward coolly, trying hard not to smile. His hair was platinum blonde, similar to that of the twins Lorcan and Lysander, but different somehow. He sat himself upon the stool and looked left to right, apparently taking in the scene of the Great Hall. Rose couldn't help but to stare, knowing that her face would be lost in the crowd, and he wouldn't notice.
It didn't even look like the hat touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
Scorpius smirked and walked off the stage to join his table.
A few more names went by, including Chloe Opaline, a Slytherin, and Jack Porelle, a Hufflepuff. Finally, McGonagall cleared her throat and read once again from the list. Albus looked over at Rose, who smiled a smile that said, Go on.
"Potter, Albus," McGonagall read the name with a wide smile, knowing that this was the son of Harry Potter, a student whom she taught herself, and cared for and knowing this boy was named for Albus Dumbledore, a man whom she worked alongside and respected deeply.
Albus looked up at the Sorting Hat hopefully as he walked up the steps, onto the platform, and sat on the stool. He looked down at Rose and smiled a nervous smile before he closed his eyes, and Rose knew what he was thinking.
Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.
Then, as if on cue, the Sorting Hat's decision echoed throughout the Great Hall, meeting the ears of those who sat attentively wondering whether the second son of Harry Potter would join his family in Gryffindor.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Rose saw the smile on Albus's face fade immediately, and his green eyes became shimmered with tears, but he was strong. He did not cry as he got up from the stool silently and walked over to the cheering Slytherins. She watched as he received several handshakes, a pat on the back, and even a hug, and then he sat down quietly, still not smiling. Albus looked longingly at the Gryffindor table, met the eyes of his cheery brother, and then turned away.
"Rayne, Cynthia," McGonagall called less happily than before, apparently she too was hoping Albus Severus Potter would join the brave house of his fathers.
Cynthia, a blonde haired girl who looked quite intimidating, stepped up to the platform and was sorted into Slytherin house as well. She took a seat at the table next to Albus, and started talking to him. He didn't seem too enthusiastic about her, though.
"Secluna, Alice."
Alice was a freckled, dark-haired girl, and she became a Slytherin, too.
The crowd of first years was depleting, and Rose Weasley was becoming less and less patient. She wanted to know for sure, right now, whether she would be a Gryffindor, as she wished to be, or be left with the same fate as Albus, in Slytherin.
Finally, after Steven Thomas was sorted into Gryffindor like his father, Dean Thomas, a friend of Rose's parents from their days in Hogwarts, McGonagall read the next name on her list, and Rose held her breath. The only other person left standing in front of the platform was her cousin, Roxanne. Rose knew she was next.
"Weasley, Rose," read Professor McGonagall, who looked up from the names and smiled at her.
Rose caught the look from the Headmistress as she stepped forward, smiling happily on the outside, but burning with anticipation on the inside. What if she was in Slytherin? Or, even worse, what if she wasn't in Slytherin, and Albus was left there all alone? But if she was in Gryffindor, oh, her parents would be so proud. Then how would Albus feel? Disgraceful?
Her black robes swept the floor as she stepped up to the platform, and slowly lowered herself onto the wooden stool. Like Albus, she closed her eyes as the Sorting Hat was lowered to meet her curly ginger hair.
"Yet another Weasley," said the Sorting Hat's voice, but it wasn't speaking loudly to the hall. The voice echoed through her head, and through no one else's ears, "The lot of you are in Gryffindor... but you, you are different."
Rose felt her heartbeat quicken.
"You wish to join your cousin, yes? In Slytherin?"
No, she thought firmly, hoping the Sorting Hat could hear her.
"No? GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was shouted inside the head of Rose Weasley, but when her eyes opened and the Great Hall was clapping for her, she could hear the echoes bouncing from the castle walls. She stood up proudly, and took a last glance at the still sad face of Albus Potter before stepping off the platform and to an empty seat at the Gryffindor table.
Everyone around was clapping and screaming, "Yeah!" Rose got a few high fives, a half-hug from James Potter, a handshake from nearly everyone near her, and a welcoming, proud hug from her cousin Lucy Weasley, who was the blonde daughter of Uncle Percy and his wife Audrey and only a year older than her.
It was a while before she was actually able to take in her surroundings. Her cousin, Roxanne, joined her at the Gryffindor table, but sat next to her brother, Fred. At last, all the first years had been sorted, and Professor McGonagall took away the Sorting Hat, and returned to the podium with a bright, loving smile.
"Good evening, everyone! I hope you're not too impatient for our feast to begin. I'd like to welcome, first off, all of our new students, here's to hoping that their first year at Hogwarts is quite enjoyable!" McGonagall said brightly, and everyone applauded, "Before we begin eating, I'd like to welcome two new additions to our staff! First, is Professor Maren, who will be filling the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts," there was applause again as a pleasant, young blonde woman stood from the Staff table and waved to the students, "Second, it is with great regret that I inform you that our dear Professor Slughorn has decided to retire once again. Filling the post of Potions teacher and Head of Slytherin house is Professor Serkent. Welcome," and then Professor McGonagall stretched her arms wide as if to embrace the room, "Let us eat!"
Professor Serkent hadn't bothered to stand, and so Rose was unsure which Professor he or she was.
She clapped her hands twice and walked delicately back to her larger, more grand golden seat in the middle of the Staff table. As soon as she sat, piles of delectable food filled every table. Rose quickly grabbed a plate and began to load it with food: steak, potatoes, broccoli, spaghetti, and she even grabbed a bowl for soup.
As she began to eat, Rose recognized the girl next to her as Kayleigh Levitt. She swallowed the mashed potatoes in her mouth and said merrily, "Hi, I'm Rose!"
"Hi Rose," Kayleigh said with a little less enthusiasm. Apparently, she was shy.
"You're Kayleigh?" she asked, now facing towards the girl instead of her food so that Kayleigh could be sure it was she who was being addressed.
"Yes, nice to meet you," smiled Kayleigh politely, holding out a hand. Rose shook it.
"Do you have any siblings that already go here?" asked Rose, who had no older siblings, but many cousins.
"No," she replied, looking down sadly, "I know the Weasley family is huge, I wish I had a family like that."
Rose couldn't help but to wonder how Kayleigh knew the Weasley family was huge. "Oh trust me," she said rationally, "You don't want a huge family like I do. I always feel unimportant compared to the rest of them. It's not easy."
Kayleigh laughed, "I wish I at least had a brother or sister..."
"Again, you don't want one."
"Were you hoping to get into Gryffindor?"
"Oh yes, all my family has-" Rose stopped, deciding not to talk again about family, assuming it was a sensitive topic with this girl, "I mean, it always seemed like the best house to me. What about you?"
"I feel the same way! Slytherin seems like it has a bad history, I'd rather stay away from them. And I just never understood what's so special about the other two. My mother is a Squib, and Dad is a Muggle, so neither of them went to Hogwarts, but my grandparents were both in Gryffindor as well. They'll be proud."
It was hard not to feel a little anger when someone insults Slytherins now that Rose's dearest cousin, Albus, was one, even though she had been insulting them herself only minutes ago. She also felt guilt, horrible guilt, knowing that she told the Sorting Hat No. It was awful to think that Albus could be smiling at this very moment, laughing and joking with her if she'd only saidYes, I want to join him.
She turned around, and looked through the many chattering Ravenclaws and caught glimpses of the Slytherin table. Managing to locate Albus, she noticed he was sitting next to Scorpius Malfoy, apparently talking to him. What to make of this, Rose did not know.
Ron, for heaven's sake, don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!
Her mother's voice echoed in her ears... It was at that moment when Rose made a personal decision not to judge Scorpius or any of the Slytherins without actual reason.