Rosetta Harper hurried to hug her brother and parents goodbye as the final whistle sounded, signaling all stragglers to board the scarlet steam engine known as the Hogwarts Express. She was a short girl, and not particularly curvy. Standing at just five foot two, she had small, narrow shoulders, a nearly flat bosom, covered by her thick Hogwarts cloak, but she did have long slender legs for her height. Her hair was long, nearly to her mid back in ringlets at the ends, black in color. Her eyes were a light hazel color and she had a small, slightly upturned nose denoting intelligence. Rosetta's lips were full and pouty looking, cherubic, and her eyebrows always looked as though they were frozen in a meek expression. Truth be told, she was a bookish girl, modest and shy, especially around boys.

"Bye Mum! Bye Dad! Thanks for coming to see me off, Ben!" she chirped to her parents and elder brother. "I'll write to you often!" she added as she planted a kiss on each of their cheeks in turn.

"Hurry and get on the train, Rosie," Ben chuckled. "Else you won't get to Hogwarts at all." She smiled one last time before she turned and marched onto the train, dragging her luggage behind her with her cat James mewling at her heels.

As she pulled her luggage along, she noted with dismay that all the compartments she passed were full. Her trunk was getting no lighter as she glanced hopelessly into each one, wishing that she could use magic to make it lighter. Unfortunately, Rosie was much too meek to risk breaking rules, so she trudged along. She was at the end of the car by this time, and she stopped at the last compartment on the left, praying there was a seat open. There was muffled laughter coming from inside. It sounded like a few boys having a go at Exploding Snap. Rosie swallowed hard. She wasn't very good at making conversation with boys, but she took a deep breath and slid the door open.

Her heart nearly stopped beating when she saw that mischievous freckled face and flaming red hair, the double of which was sitting on the other side of the compartment next to Lee Jordan.

"Hello there Rosie," Fred said cheerily, tossing her a wink. "Fancy a game of Exploding Snap?" Rosie opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. He knew her name. He knew she existed.

"Fred, help her with her luggage first," George laughed. "Look how red she is from lugging it all this way." Rosie sighed in relief. If only they knew the real reason.

Fred jumped up immediately and grabbed her trunk by the handle, his face coming so close to her that she could feel the heat emanating from him. With the help of his twin, he shoved her trunk into the overhead rack. Rosie's hand tingled from where Fred's hand had touched hers.

"Th-thank you very much, but I could have—" she started, but George cut her off.

"Nonsense! Fred could use the exercise, seeing as how fat he's getting," he said, snickering a bit at his twin.

"More to love, I always say," Fred grinned. "Well come on now, sit down Rosie," he motioned to her, patting the space next to him as he scooted over to the window.

"Oh! R-right," she said hastily, plopping down next to him. Fred peered curiously at her, and she noticed with a sinking feeling that he could probably tell she was uncomfortable.

"Easy there, Tulip," he joked.

"He doesn't bite," Lee put in. Fred looked from Lee to Rosie, his eyebrows raised and a smirk on his face.

"Well, not unless you want me to, Dandelion," he muttered to her, putting an arm around her.

"Fred, there are children here," George warned, tossing a meaningful look at Lee. For a moment all was silent, and then the three of them burst into laughter. When Rosie laughed though, it was with a touch of nervousness. Her face burned so badly; she wasn't used to boys flirting with her.

Then again, Rosie wasn't complaining.

After the laughter subsided, she spoke. "Um… how did you… how did you know my name?" Fred smiled and nudged her lightheartedly.

"What, did you think you were invisible or something? 'Course I know your name is Marigold." At this, Rosie couldn't help but giggle, snorting quietly.

"Goodness George," said Lee with a shocked expression. "It's a pig that's been Transfigured! Quick, get her back to normal!"

George held up a hand, a sad look on his face. "No way, mate. Three years as a witch already, there's no way we can change her back now," he said solemnly. "Plus, she's much prettier like this," he added with a wink. Rosie blushed again, looking down at her hands that were folded neatly in her lap.

"Th-thank you," she said quietly.

Suddenly Fred squeezed her shoulder. "Oi, don't go hitting on my girl now, George."

"She likes me better," George said, batting his eyes at Rosie with a silly smile on his face.

"How about we settle this and just say I'm Lee's girl?" Rosie piped up, suddenly finding her nerve through a fit of ensuing giggles.

"No way," the twins chimed in together.

"Why not?" Lee asked incredulously.

"Because you're ugly," Fred replied, as though the answer had been obvious.

"Troll, really," George added.

All four of them burst into laughter. And as Rosie glanced at Fred out of the corner of her eye with his arm still around her, she thought that maybe this year with him would turn out to be something more than stolen glances from across the Great Hall.