Chapter Three: Tryouts and Owls
It had been a few weeks since school had started for Rose. Albus, Pip, and Jamie were sitting with her. They were the only Gryffindor first years. After the war, not many people seemed to want to send their kids to Hogwarts. Today were the Gryffindor Quidditch Tryouts.
"You have to try out for beater!" Pip said to Rose.
"They'll never pick a first year," Rose said, glumly pushing the grapes on her plate around with her fork.
"They will pick a first year if her aim is so good, she can kill a dragon!" Jamie said.
Rose still frowned. "I don't know, it's just…"she said, her voice trailing off.
"Just because you've never played without Hugo, doesn't mean you can't play without him," Albus said.
Before Rose could reply, an owl swooped towards her. It was brown with a large beak. It landed on her plate, and she untied the letter from the owl's leg. It read:
Dear Rose,
I hope you are having a great time at school. I heard all about how you defeated that dragon. I am so proud of you! You must try out for beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I also heard about Hugo being sorted into Slytherin. I know this must be hard for you, but he will do wonderful in Slytherin just as you will do in Gryffindor. Just remember, the Sorting Hat is never wrong. Have a great time! You can keep the owl, by the way.
Rose didn't need to read the signature to know who it was from. It was from her mother, Hermione.
"See! Even your mum agrees that you should try out for the team!" Pip said.
Rose wasn't listening. She was reading over the letter again.
"The Sorting Hat never makes mistakes," she said.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
"Albus, come with me to the library," She said.
"Okay," Albus said.
Rose looked at him.
"Oh, you mean right now!" He said, getting up, "Let's go."
Rose followed him to the library.
The library was big and dusty. Albus already seemed to know his way around, and led Rose to a section where a particularly large book caught her eye. "What book is that?" She asked pointing to it. "Oh, that's The Life of the Sorting Hat. Maybe there will be something in there," He said, grabbing the book. Rose grinned. This was the key to proving the sorting hat wrong and getting her brother into Gryffindor.