10 years later…
"I'm supposed to tell you on behalf of Mom that you should behave and study hard this school year," James chuckled, "As far as I'm concerned, you can goof around, as long as you don't mess with Voldemort or a Basilisk, understood?"
"Yeah, Dad," he rolled his eyes. It wasn't his fault what happened in the past two school years.
"No trips to the hospital wing!" James said sternly, "Otherwise, your mother will personally tear my head off."
"Promise," Harry said as he noticed his father gazing absentmindedly through the crowd of students on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. At first, Harry thought he was simply looking for his little hyperactive brother Charlie, but when he saw the almost 10-year-old boy standing with them instead of running around in the crowd, it could only mean one thing: he was looking for his 11-year-old daughter.
"Dad?" Harry asked, "Professor McGonagall said that Rose's name isn't on the list."
James sighed, turning his attention back to his son, "If Rose were living under her name, I would have found her long ago," he sighed, "Harry, do me a favor and be vigilant during the sorting of the first-year students. I know Remus will be there too, but yesterday was the one day of the month."
Harry nodded. His parents had been acting strangely for a few days, tense and sleepless. Perhaps it was because today could have been Rose's first year at Hogwarts, if she were still with them. The Ministry of Magic discontinued the search for Rose years ago. Since then, only his parents and Remus seemed obsessed with finding Rose, even though the Ministry holds little hope of finding the girl alive. Instead, they assume Rose died that night. Even if that claim were true, Harry was 100 percent sure his father wouldn't stop searching until he found Rose's body.
"I love you, Harry. Take care of yourself. Stay away from Black, and remember, if you think you've found Rose, just write to me, okay? I don't want to give Lily false hopes."
Harry nodded. His parents didn't allow him to participate in Hogsmeade weekends because they feared Sirius Black might be after him. His father feared that Black had fallen victim to the Imperius Curse.
"Goodbye, Harry!" Charlie also wrapped his arms around his older brother, "Write me letters about your adventures!"
"I will. I promise," Harry laughed. In his first year at Hogwarts, he wrote about encounters with the troll, Fluffy, and the journey to the Philosopher's Stone. In the second year, he wrote about the flying car ride to Hogwarts, the trail of spiders, and the Basilisk. Both his father and mother initially thought Harry had made up the stories. It was a bedtime ritual - Mom and Dad read the letters to his little brother. One day, when Professor McGonagall visited and confirmed that the events were true, his Mom immediately sent a Howler. Not just to Harry, but also to Professor Dumbledore, who didn't consider it necessary to inform the Potters about the actions.
1 hour and 45 minutes earlier…
At King's Cross Station, a little girl pushed a luggage trolley toward Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Her reddish-brown hair was tucked under a cap in a bun. In her hand, she held her golden Hogwarts Express ticket. But she couldn't find a three-quarters platform anywhere.
"Excuse me, sir," she addressed a conductor, "I'm looking for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters."
The man chuckled, "Kids these days are getting crazier," and turned away from her.
The 11-year-old girl sighed as she sat on her suitcase and stroked her small red-striped kitten, Tigger. People rushed past her to catch their train, say goodbye to family, or welcome others. The large station clock showed only 9:30 am. Perhaps the Hogwarts Express wasn't there yet?
"What do you think, Tigger? Will we make it to the Hogwarts Express on time?"
"Are you looking for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?"
The girl looked up at the scarred and weary face of a man. He wore a patched cloak. In his hand, he held a brown leather suitcase with the Hogwarts emblem and golden letters: Professor R. J. Lupin.
"Professor Lupin," he introduced himself politely, extending his hand, "First year?"
The girl nodded shyly.
"The brick wall between Platforms Nine and Ten," he pointed to the wall, not far from her, "Take a little run at it if you're nervous."
"What? How?" she asked puzzled. Was the professor crazy? Instead, he winked at her before he ran into the wall and disappeared.
She positioned her trolley in front of the brick wall now. She took a deep breath several times, closed her eyes for a brief moment, and started running. On the other side, it was quieter. She admired the old steam engine. This place was different, magical, like Diagon Alley.
"I see you've followed," the professor smiled, "May I ask what you're doing here an hour and a half before the train departs?"
"I don't want to miss the train. Hagrid said it leaves at exactly 11 o'clock."
"He's right," he spoke, looking at the suitcase's name tag: Ellie Lynch.
The professor helped her stow her luggage before their paths diverged.
The platform filled up. From the window of her still-empty compartment, she watched as more parents bid their children farewell.
"Oh, can I join you?" asked a brown-haired girl. Ellie nodded shyly.
"Charlotte Diggory," she introduced herself politely, "My first year, yours too?"
"Ellie Lynch - and yes, my very first year!"
"I'm so excited. My brother is also at Hogwarts - but he's in the 5th year..." she began to talk.
Hogwarts
"Charlotte Diggory," McGonagall called out. The Sorting Hat barely touched her head before it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
After more students, finally, the last name L was called, "Ellie Lynch," McGonagall's voice rang out. Ellie took a deep breath. It was her turn to put on the talking hat and be sorted into one of the houses. She hated being in the spotlight.
"Oh, who do we have here? Interesting. Exceptionally interesting. You remind me a lot of your mother. But do you also fit into the house she was in back then?"
"You knew my mother?"
"Oh yes - your mother and your father. But you don't belong in the house they were in back then - you lack the courage, although you can be quite brave. Hm. A difficult decision. You're clever, but you wouldn't quite fit in Ravenclaw either. Ah yes, but I think I have just the right place for you... You're very hardworking, not afraid of tough work. I see loyalty and honesty in you. I think you'll fit perfectly in HUFFLEPUFF!"
Professor McGonagall removed the hat. Ellie saw the Hufflepuff table cheering. Charlotte waved her over, "It's so cool that we ended up in the same house," she said excitedly, "This is my big brother."
"Cedric Diggory," an older boy introduced himself, "Prefect and Quidditch Captain. If you ever need help or just someone to talk to, I'm here for you anytime. And just between us, I know my sister can be quite annoying!" he winked.
Potter Manor
Lily was already in bed when James entered the bedroom, "She wasn't there," he said sadly.
"What if Rosie really isn't alive anymore?" Lily sniffled, showing James an article in the Daily Prophet: What Happened to Rose L. Potter by Rita Seeker.
Today, on September 1, 1993, - a new school year begins at Hogwarts. Rose Potter, born on August 15, 1982, disappeared without a trace on October 31, 1983. The Ministry discontinued the search for the missing girl 7 years ago. "Undoubtedly, the child was murdered that night," Minister Fudge announced, "I assume the girl suffered the same fate as Peter Pettigrew. Sirius Black is to blame for the death of the one-year-old Potter baby."
The Potter family holds a different opinion. James Potter, head of the Auror Department, does not believe in his daughter's death and does not believe Sirius Black is guilty. Nevertheless, he agrees that Black is responsible for the deaths of the 12 Muggles and Pettigrew. However, he denied that the same murderer might also be responsible for his daughter's death.
Today, Rose Potter could have begun her first year at Hogwarts, had it not been for Black's actions. Another realistic option, of course, is that Rose is a Squib and the Potter family sent her to the Muggle world and pretended an abduction. What really happened that night, we will probably never know.
"This is ridiculous!" anger surged within him. This article is absurd. A few weeks ago, he would have strongly emphasized his claim of Black's innocence, but since Sirius escaped from Azkaban and allegedly mentioned several times that he's at Hogwarts, James wasn't so sure anymore if Sirius was still in his right mind. Maybe the Imperius Curse was cast on his best friend?
"They think we gave Rose away," Lily said softly, "How can she suggest such a theory? I would never give away my children! I love my children!"
"I know, Lily," James slowly calmed down, putting an arm around his wife, "Wherever Rose is, she might be happy. At least I would wish that for her. And who knows, maybe one day we'll learn the truth about what happened that night."
"I had hoped she would go to Hogwarts today," Lily confessed, "It was the last chance to find Rosie."
As she had done many times in the past 10 years, she held onto the small baby onesie that Rose used to wear. Over the years, the baby smell that reminded her of Rose had faded, but she clung to the little things. Next to the onesie, she often held a small plush deer. James had been obsessed back then with giving his daughter a Bambi stuffed animal. She remembered the days when James would carry their daughter, smile at her with immense pride, and call her Bambi. Lily had been convinced that Rose would be a daddy's girl. James, on the other hand, thought differently. Rose would be a true mommy's girl, so he had to take advantage of the baby phase. Indeed, Charlie turned out to be a true mommy's boy. Harry, on the other hand, had no preferred parent and was a mama's and papa's child in equal measure.
They had very few pictures of Rose in general, but James tried to develop images of what the little redhead would look like at 3, 6, 9, or even 11 years old. He repeatedly published these images in the Daily Prophet, hoping someone might remember the girl. Yet they never received a reliable lead. Once, they received the ridiculous tip that the Weasley family had abducted Rose and her new name was Ginny. However, since they more or less knew the Weasley family through the Order, they knew 200 percent that this was Arthur and Molly's daughter. Dumbledore also firmly believed that Rose had died that night and repeatedly tried to persuade them to stop searching for the girl. It would be impossible for Rose to have survived that night. And yet, they hadn't given up hope.