Chapter One: Rose Weasley

YEAR ONE

The Hogwarts Express

Boarding the train at 9 ¾ had been, thus far, the best experience of my life. I could tell it was because I boarded the train over five minutes ago, and I was still shaking from all the excitement. I had no hesitation in finding my very own compartment, alone apart from a shiny cage sitting next to me, containing my brand-new companion: a large snowy owl with eyes like melted gold.

Hedwig was a gift from my Uncle Harry. Mum had initially planned on getting me a cat, but I insisted on an owl. Then, when my birthday rolled around just a month ago, Uncle Harry informed me that he would be late getting me a present. I hadn't minded, and even had forgotten about it completely, until just this past week when we all met in Diagon Alley, him with Hedwig in tow. I poked my finger in her cage and scratched just under her chin, laughing when she chirped happily in response.

Suddenly, my compartment door slid open. "Rose, have y'seen James?"

My cousin Albus awkwardly stood halfway in my compartment and halfway in the corridor. His black hair was mussed, probably from Uncle Harry, as I had just seen them having a chat. He's a spitting image of his father, green eyes and all; the only distinguishable Weasley trait are the splatter of freckles on his cheeks. They match my own.

I, on the other hand, am unmistakably a part of the Weasley family. I've got curly red hair and the blue eyes and freckles to match. Although many have told me that I look just like my mum from when she was younger, I tend to think it is just the frizzy hair they mean.

"I haven't seen him," I said, looking up to him.

Albus huffed. "He told me to find him on the train—he's no where to be seen! Hey, remember Ally Longbottom? Well, she's—"

"Alice Longbottom," I corrected him.

"Right, Alice Longbottom. We called her Ally when we were little. Well, she's just a few compartments down. I think I'll go say hello."

Before I could answer, he had shut my compartment door and was gone. I sighed, and reached down into my trunk, pulling out one of my texts for the year. The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1. I've read it through before, but it wouldn't hurt to crack it open again before classes start. My compartment door slid open once more, though, as I settled in for the read.

"Found James yet?" I asked, my eyes trained on the book.

"I reckon you mean Potter?" I jumped at the voice who was most certainly not Albus and my book fell out of my lap. Before I could reach and grab it, a pale pair of hands beat me to the task.

Embarrassed, I looked up to the voice. His paleness was displayed in many other of his features, including his grey eyes and light blond hair. He stood perhaps a couple inches taller than Albus. Unlike me, he hadn't put his robes on yet. And despite never having met this boy before, I knew exactly who he was.

"Malfoy, is it?" I said, extending my hand. Instead of shaking it, he placed my book back into my hand and smiled.

"Scorpius Malfoy. Yes. Although I figured you'd know my family."

"Everyone knows your family," I said dismissively.

"Everyone knows yours," he countered.

I shrugged. It was true. The Weasleys were a household name, although I never completely understood why. When I was younger, I thought it was because we came from a very long line of wizards. But I've learned from my older cousins that my parents both had a large part to do with the Second Wizarding War. I was hoping to learn more about it this coming year, along with Albus. As much as I get second glances with a name like Weasley, people tend to stare at Albus's family anywhere they go. Uncle Harry even has his own chocolate frog card!

"May I sit?" Scorpius asked suddenly, swooping into my compartment.

"Sure," I said after he had already taken a seat. I shift uncomfortably across from him.

He peeks at the book he handed to me. "A bit early for reading, innit?"

I straightened my back. "I like to read."

"Of course you do," he chuckled. "You're Granger's girl."

"She's a Weasley now, actually." I said. Hermione Weasley."

"And you're Rose Weasley, then?"

"That would be me," I said.

"Right. We are properly introduced. So, Weasley, what house d'you reckon you'll be in?"

I hadn't admitted it to a lot of people, but I'd given the matter a lot of thought. Of course, with my family, it seems like it's a no-brainer: Weasleys go to Gryffindor. Even my mother, who wasn't a Weasley, went to Gryffindor. It would be lovely to make them proud, although I don't feel very brave—certainly not as brave as my parents must have been when they were sorted. All I really do is read. The riskiest thing I do is steal my dad's broomstick on nights he is out, and I want to practice flying. I'm not like my cousin James, who is outspoken and confident in everything that he does. He was Sorted into Gryffindor "within a split-second", according to him.

"I reckon… Well, I reckon we won't know until I'm Sorted."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Obviously. But what do you think?"

I attempted to change the subject. "And you? Slytherin, I presume?"

He frowned, and I got the sense I hurt his feelings. "Blood doesn't determine your life, you know."

I remembered an old story, one about Uncle Harry's godfather, a Gryffindor in a family of Slytherins.

"Of course, it doesn't," I said, feeling slightly ashamed. I gave him a weak smile that probably didn't meet my eyes.

He seemed to ponder the matter before shrugging. "Either way, I intend to be top of my class."

I choked back a laugh. "You—top of our class?"

"Yes—what's the matter with that, exactly?"

"It's just—well, really—you know who my mum is. And, funnily enough, I have the same intentions."

He flashed a smile. "Blood doesn't determine your life. Right, Weasley?"

I squinted at him. "Maybe so, but I've been taught by the brightest witch of her age ever since I could walk."

"I've had trainers from around the world!" Scorpius boasted, smirking at our banter.

"I've already read through most of our schoolbooks!"

He laughed, and I could feel my face turn red. "I would expect nothing less, you are a bit of a show-off…"

"Oh, come off it, Malfoy," I fumed, my face probably the same shade as my hair by now.

"You know what?" he said, tilting his head. "I'll have fun beating you in our marks."

"Good luck with that," I scoffed.

"Don't need luck, mate," he chuckled and stood. "I'll be off, then—happy reading. See you at the Sorting?"

"I'd rather not," I said, glaring at him.

"So hostile," he said, feigning hurt. Then he smirked one more time before leaving the compartment, shutting the door behind him.

The nerve of that boy! I sat back in my seat, crossed my arms, and tapped my foot until I felt the anger ebb away. Something about his arrogance made me just want to yell, but that would be silly and only prove that he got to me. Instead, I futilely tried to smooth down my hair and return to my book.

After about thirty minutes, the trolley lady made a round to let everyone know that we were nearing the castle. The initial excitement caused my chest to swell once more, and my heart pounded loudly in my chest. Finally, after eleven long years, I was about to get to Hogwarts.

Some minutes later, Albus opened my compartment with his robes thrown haphazardly on. "Are you ready, then?"

"I've been ready, Albus" I said, my voice hardly masking my excitement. "Oh, and you won't believe who I talked to—"

"Scorpius, right?" Albus said as my eyes met his. "He's alright, we ran into each other as I made my way back here. He's quite funny, actually."

"Funny?" I asked, puzzled. "He's an arrogant toe-rag!"

He laughed. "Y'know, he said you'd say something like that."

"Obviously, because he is! An arrogant toe-rag, really. In fact—"

"I hate to interrupt, Rosie, but we are here."

I whipped around and looked out the window, not even bothering to snap at him for calling me Rosie. My dad started it, and I didn't like the nickname. But that didn't matter, and for the time being, neither did Scorpius Malfoy.

We had arrived at Hogwarts.

Being a first year, something to look forward to is the boats. All of us fell in line behind a rather large man I knew to be Hagrid, a friend of the family. He liked to visit us during the summer times and was particularly excited that Albus and I were starting that year ("Rose, how are ye? I can't wait 'til yer see th' critters this year!"—although dad warned me to stay vigilant). As soon as we reached the long boats, I climbed into the nearest one with Albus close behind me. He looked around as if he were expecting somebody when Scorpius showed up.

"Mind if I join you two?" he asked, suspiciously polite. Albus said yes—not quite what I was planning on telling him—and he climbed in, sitting right beside me. I made a point to scoot away to the other side of the boat.

Not soon after, a girl with black plaited hair that fell to her waist was waved down by Albus. Alice Longbottom. She smiled shyly as she came over to our boat and climbed in.

"Alice!" I said happily, remembering when we would play together when we were younger. We hadn't seen each other in some number of years.

"Rose," she smiled timidly, her pretty brown eyes meeting mine. "I didn't know if you'd remember me."

"Well, of course I do," I said. "Uh, this is Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy, that is."

Scorpius and Alice shook hands.

"You're Professor Longbottom's daughter, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, taken aback. "You've met him?"

"No, but my father has told me about him. Herbology, right?"

Alice nodded, appearing to be nervous. "Yes, that's right. And… and your father is Draco Malfoy, right?"

"Right," Scorpius smiled dryly.

Then, nobody said anything. We all sat awkwardly in our seats.

Albus cleared his throat. "Erm, Scorpius. You were right. Rosie did call you an arrogant prick."

Scorpius laughed. "Defamation at its finest. Rosie is just jealous because I've read all of our schoolbooks twice and she has only read them once."

I scoffed. "It's Rose, and I doubt you've even opened—"

"In fact, I particularly enjoyed Trimble's text on the Dark Arts, and I think that will be my favorite course. How about you all?"

They discussed their favorite topics as I stared at Malfoy, confused. Wasn't he just calling me a show-off for having read through our books? And yet he claims to have read them twice?

When they come to me, I'm still at a loss for words. Luckily, we had just reached the castle, so nobody seemed to notice. They excitedly clamored out of the boats, and I try to follow when my foot snags the edge of the boat and I plummet towards the water. Just as I am sure that this will be my legacy a hand snatches mine and catches me before I can fall, pulling me back in. Knowing my luck, my face is strawberry red before I can even turn around.

"Careful," Scorpius said, letting go of my hand and smirking at me. "That could've been bad."

I clenched my jaw and tried to force a polite smile. "Thanks."

I spun around and properly climbed out of the boat, marching with the others towards the looming castle before us.