Using the prompt 'seat belt'

Chapter Forty-Three

The morning of September first came, and Rose could have sworn she was more nervous about this day than she had been about the trial. She was being forced to go back and socialise with people. She was going to have to talk to people, tell them what had happened, talk to them about her parents.

She was going to have to deal with the sympathy, the crude remarks from those who only listened to the paper, and the special treatment from the teachers.

She knew it would happen. Harry had warned her. All the teachers had loved her parents and they were going to be just as devastated about everything as she was. Going back to Hogwarts would mean dealing with people who thought helping them would be treating them differently.

Those thoughts were the reason Rose woke up that morning and decided she was no longer going. She couldn't face it. Call her a coward, but she was not going to listen to people degrade her parents, or tell her how sorry they were. She was not going to allow teachers to give her extensions on everything just because she'd been through a hard time.

She'd rather never go to Hogwarts again than to have to face that.

"Rosie, you're being stupid," Hugo said when she told him. He'd come into her room to see if she was ready, only to find his sister curled up in her bed, her eyes closed.

"Am I?" Rose asked harshly. "Do you want people to look at you like you're some lost cause who needs sympathy at breakfast time? At least here, everyone's lost Mum and Dad, but there… no one's going to understand."

"So, make them understand," Hugo answered. "You can't just sit here all day and never use magic again. Mum and Dad wouldn't want that, and neither do I."

Rose rolled over to face her brother. She glared at him. "How do you what they would have wanted? They're gone, Hu! What if they intended to die? What if they were so sick of us that death was the only escape?" She knew the words she spoke were untrue. She'd come to understand that her parents had died for her, not because of her, but her mood had reached boiling point that morning, and she just wanted Hugo to leave.

"You don't know what you're saying," Hugo snapped back.

"Probably not, but I know what I'm thinking. I'm not going back. You can if you want, but then you'll have to deal with everyone. You remember what it was like at the funeral. It's going to be ten times worse there, because not everyone liked Mum and Dad at Hogwarts. Parents would have told their kids things, kids would have read the papers…."

"You're scared," Hugo accused.

"I'm not scared!" Rose snapped, sitting up and glaring at Hugo. "I'm just not ready to face people like that yet. They're stupid and they have no idea what they're talking about."

Hugo huffed, still standing in the middle of her room, watching her. Rose tried to ignore him. He was not going to change her mind. She'd made her decision, and she was not going back to Hogwarts. Not now, not ever.

Eventually, her brother left, and a few minutes later, Harry came into her room.

She sighed. "Hugo's been tattling," she said sourly.

Without saying a word, Harry came to sit on the end of her bed. Rose tried her best to ignore him, but she eventually met his eyes. He wasn't looking at her with concern or worry like he usually did. No, this time he seemed to understand. He was simply waiting. "I'm not going," she told him stubbornly.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to," she answered plainly.

"Rosie…."

"I'm not changing my mind!"

There was a moment's silence, and then Harry said, "Okay."

Rose looked at him slightly surprised. He wasn't going to convince her?

"I can't make you're decisions for you, Rose. You're old enough to do that for yourself, and if you don't want to go back, then that is entirely your decision. I'll support that, and so will Ginny."

Rose sensed there was a but coming, and she waited.

"But, you do understand that by choosing not to go back to Hogwarts, you will never be able to use magic again?"

Rose shrugged, pretending that that didn't concern her. "I'll live like a Muggle," she said. "It's not an issue."

"And that by choosing not to go back to school, you'll have to find a job."

Rose sat up, slightly excited now. "I've always wanted to be a Healer!" she said, her mind running through all the possibilities. She could finish Hogwarts now, go and train to be a Healer, and by the time her classmates left, she could be their boss.

"But, Rosie, if you can't use magic, how will you become a Healer? You need to know magic to be a Healer. You'd have to get a job in the Muggle world."

Rose stared at her uncle. "But… that's so boring," she said.

Harry shrugged. "Well, that will be all you can do," he said. "Without magic, you won't be able to get any job in the wizarding world."

"And I won't be able to live here, either?" Rose asked quietly. She'd never considered that by not going to Hogwarts, it would affect her whole career.

Harry shook his head. "Whether you use magic or not, you are still my goddaughter and niece, and you will always be welcome in this home. But I won't have you sitting around the house all day. If you don't want to go back to Hogwarts, you will find yourself a job and pull your weight."

Rose didn't say anything. She thought about all the limited possibilities for a fifteen year old to get in the Muggle world. There weren't many opportunities for her. She was probably much better off at Hogwarts.

She sighed.

"Alright," she relented. "I'll go back, but… I don't want special treatment."

Harry's expression turned to one of sympathy. "And you won't get it," he assured her. "Make it clear that you just want to be treated in a way that you normally would be, and everyone will. Rosie, your parents wanted you to do well. They wanted to best for you. Do you want to let them down?"

She shook her head. "No," she said.

"Then come on. Get out of bed and let's finish getting ready. We'll be leaving in an hour."

Rose nodded, following her uncle's instructions. "It's just going to be weird not having them there to say goodbye to," she said.

Harry nodded. "They'll be there, Rosie," he promised. "They'll always be there."

OOO

A Ministry car came by to pick them up. Apparently for an Auror of Harry's rank arriving at King's Cross via Apparition or Floo, or normal car, was not an option.

It pulled up at exactly ten, just as the five students were dragging their trunks out the front. Protective enchantments were in place so any Muggle passersby didn't notice.

The driver helped them to get their trunks in the back, as well as their animal's cages. Quinn hooted irritably as the door was closed on him.

"It's okay," she said. "You'll be able to get out soon again."

She piled into the back seat with her brother and three cousins, and strangely, they all fit comfortably. Stretching out, she clicked the seat belt in place, and rested her head against the seat.

She had no idea what was to come in the next few months, but she knew one thing. She knew that the hardest part would be walking onto King's Cross station without her parents. She longed to be in their car again, her parents bickering with one another. Her mum would always accuse her dad of not driving safely, and then he'd tell her that everything was fine.

Huddersfield was a six hour drive to London. It had always been a two day trip, and generally quite unpleasant. She couldn't remember how many times she'd wished it would never happen, and found it quite ironic that it was one of many things that she missed.

She'd give her anything to hear her parents fighting again. At least it meant they were still alive.

Grimmauld Place wasn't that far away, and before she knew it the car had stopped and everybody was piling out again. Trunks were thrown onto the pavement and the car vanished.

"Well, pleasant man he was," James said, picking up his trunk.

"He has others to pick up," Ginny explained.

"Still didn't have to throw our things out." James looked around, glaring at any Muggles who thought it fit to stare.

"Come on, let's go. We'll see if we can find anyone else on there before you board the train."

"Why, Mum?" James said as they began walking. "The only people you ever talk to are your brothers. And you see them all the time anyway."

"I might want to say goodbye to Molly and Lucy," Ginny said passingly. "And, James, my brothers are not the only people I talk to. What about Luna and Rolf? Neville? Michael, Terry…."

"Who?"

"You've met them, James."

They weaved in and out of the Muggles, getting odd stares here and there due to their old-fashioned trunks and their caged animals. Everyone was used to it, though, and ignored it, hurrying to the barrier.

"Well, see you, Mum… Dad. See you at Christmas." Before Ginny or Harry could say anything James was gone.

"You next, then, Rosie," Harry said with a shrug.

Rose nodded and ran up to the wall. She held her breath, terrified of what she'd see on the other side, but the moment she passed through, it became suddenly all too familiar. There was the great, big steam engine puffing at her. There were students and parents everywhere, hugging each other, saying their goodbyes. There were shouts across the platform as friends saw friends they hadn't seen during summer.

As Hugo pulled up beside her, she smiled.

"It feels like home," she said.

"We're lucky," Hugo replied, nodding. "We have three homes now."

Rose nodded, still watching the crowd. "It feels good to be going home."

Once everyone was through the barrier, the seven of them continued to push through the crowd. Rose spotted a few people she recognised, but she assumed most of them were on the train already.

They stopped out the front of the third carriage.

"Let's see if we can find James in there," Albus said with an amused expression. "That is, of course, if you're willing to sit with him snogging Jasmine the whole ride there, Rosie," he added.

Rose shrugged. Jasmine Finnigan was the least of her worries at the moment.

"Great, let's go." The boarded the train to relieve them of their trunks. It was a struggle to get through, but as expected, James had saved them a compartment that only had he and Jasmine inside, as well as a very uncomfortable looking Lucy.

Albus coughed and the two broke apart reluctantly, and Lucy looked thoroughly relieved.

"You made it!" James said cheerfully, getting to his fit. He helped them all with their trunks, and then beamed.

"We did come with you, you know," Albus reminded him.

James ignored him, and for the first time Rose exchanged a look with Jasmine. The girl's eyes were not one of hatred or resentment, but of pity.

Rose looked away. Pity was not what she wanted.

"Um, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry want to say goodbye," she said quietly. "James?"

James nodded, and turned to Jasmine. "I'll be back in a moment, Jas," he said. Much to everyone's disgust, he planted another kiss on her lips and then followed the rest of them back onto the platform.

"You're gross," Albus accused. "And don't do that in front of Rosie."

"Al," Rose sighed. "I'm fine, okay. It's not a big deal."

"You hate Jasmine, though," Albus argued.

"I don't hate her, I just… I just don't like the way she behaves, that's all."

"Well, she's got me now, and she hasn't ditched me yet," James added brightly.

"That you know of," Rose mumbled. They'd spent the whole summer apart. Who knew what Jasmine got up to in those months.

Rose found her aunt and uncle on the platform, talking to her other aunt and uncle, Percy and Audrey.

"Did you find Lucy, dear?" Audrey asked, looking at Rose.

Rose nodded. "Yeah, but she stayed with Jasmine on the train," she said.

Audrey nodded. "Very well."

"I can go and get her if you want," Rose continued.

Both Audrey and Percy shook their heads. "No, she's already said her goodbyes," Audrey assured her.

Rose nodded, smiling slightly. Lucy had always been one of her favourite cousins. They didn't spend nearly as much time together as she did with James and Albus, but they shared some of the same classes.

Lucy had always been shy, and quiet, and pleasant to be around. Almost the complete opposite of Molly. Rose had no idea how Lucy tolerated her sister, but the two girls were always there to defend one another. Molly may have been a complete bitch to everyone else, but she looked out for Lucy.

"The train doesn't leave for another thirty minutes," Ginny observed.

Rose glanced up at the clock. She'd never reached the station this early before, save for her very first time. That time, she'd been up at six that morning (staying in London) and arrived at nine-thirty.

How things had changed in five years.

Without thinking, Rose wrapped her arms around Ginny's neck, hugging her tightly. "Thank you," she said. "Thank you for everything."

She felt her aunt kiss her temple. "Anytime, Rosie," she said. "We're just glad that you and Hugo are okay, and we are glad you are staying with us."

Rose broke away, smiling. "It's not just that," she said. "Just… I know Mum and dad would be thanking you too. They loved both of you very much."

"And we loved them very much, and we love you just as much," Ginny replied. "And, if the situations were reversed, I know they would have done the same thing."

Rose nodded. She knew that too. "Let's just hope it never happens again," she said.

Ginny smiled, and drew her in for another hug. "Let us hope," she agreed.

They all then said goodbye to everyone, before boarding the train again and heading back to their compartment. Rose looked out the window. She could see her family standing on the platform, and she waved.

It felt different to not have her parents there, but seeing four smiling faces waving back at her brought a rush of emotion. There were times when she had resented having such a large family, but as she looked at everyone in her compartment, and those standing on the platform, she'd never felt so happy to have them in her life before.

Because she knew that without them, she might not have been where she was right now. Without any of them, there was a chance she could have been where her parents were.

Dead.

As the train began to pull away half an hour later, she couldn't help but think of the dark place she had been in not so long ago. Then, she hadn't been able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The pain of losing her mum and dad had been too much, and she'd wanted nothing more than to put an end to her pain.

Now, though, she knew a lot more. It had been less than a year, but the numbing pain had gone, and been replaced by smiles and laughter, and happiness.

She looked around the compartment that was filled with only a small portion of her family. They were all so happy, so cheerful. She even couldn't help but smile at James, as he ran his fingers through Jasmine's hair. He was happy with her, and who was Rose to stop that?

Everyone deserved happiness, and everyone included herself.