Our Little Rose

New Friend

During the train ride, the girls spoke about the upcoming year, what teachers they did and didn't want, which classes they wanted together, and who they thought would make the Quidditch team. Marlene asked Rose to read them a book so they could take a nap before they reached Hogwarts. After the girls fell asleep, Lily and Mary both used Rose as a pillow, Rose just sat with Nox still curled up in the enchanted scarf.

Eventually, Rose woke the girls to get changed into their robes and get their stuff together. Once all of the girls were dressed, she went to remind the boys, in case Remus was lost in a book. Knocking on their compartment door, she heard a quick 'come in' before opening it. Sirius and Remus sat in the same spot she left them, Sirius' head lulled to the side as he tried to wake up. James was laying across the other seat, passed out with his limbs spread so far apart that Rose was surprised he hadn't fallen off yet. And Peter, well Peter had apparently fallen off, he was curled in a ball, asleep, on the compartment floor.

Rose rolled her eyes and laughed lightly, Remus looked up at the noise. "Oh, is it time to get changed?" He asked the girl in yellow, Nox's head popping out of the pocket of her robes instead of her scarf. "Yes, Rem, it is," Rose replied as she walked over to Sirius first. "Siri, it's time to get dressed now," Rose told the boy as she sat down next to him. The only movement Sirius made was to place his head on her shoulder, grumbling about five more minutes. Remus chuckled as he tried to shake Peter awake, "Oh, not like that Rem, you might frighten him." Rose said, putting a hand on Remus's upper arm to stop the movement.

Remus didn't question it, no one ever really questioned anything Rose did. She knew her friends better than they knew themselves, always one step ahead of what they needed or what was wrong. "Peter, " Rose told the boy, "wake up. It's time to change." Peter's eyes slowly opened as he began to look around the train compartment. Rose giggled as she tried again to get Sirius to wake up. Remus looked between James and Rose before quickly going over to the Potter boy and pushing him off of the seat.

The loud bang of James' body hitting the floor snapped all three of the tired boys awake. Rose looked, wide-eyed, at Remus before looking back to James. "Remus John Lupin." "Uh oh." Before anyone else could react, Remus was racing to Lily, Rose only steps behind him.

~~~

Rose had stopped chasing Remus when they finally reached the train station. As the students filed onto the platform, the young Hufflepuff kept an eye out for anyone she knew. While looking around, her eyes landed on a slightly overwhelmed Regulus. Narcissa had left Regulus after he assured her that he knew what to do, he did not. He was also slightly frightened about what House he would be sorted into. If he didn't get Slytherin, his parents would call him a disgrace. But, he was afraid that if he did, Sirius would hate him.

Rose skipped up to the youngest Black with a big smile on her face, Regulus couldn't help but smile back at her. "Hello there, Reggie." Regulus paused, confused by the new nickname. "Hello, Rose." "Are you okay?" This made Regulus pause, "what?" "It's just, you seem a little lost," Rose told the younger boy, her smile still plastered on her face. 

Regulus had heard Sirius speak about someone named Rosy over the summer. He would tell Regulus about everything she had done and how she kept him out of trouble. On the train, Narcissa had told him a few stories about Rose and how she never failed to make someone smile. He thought they were just being dramatic, there was no way one person always seemed to help everyone.

He was apparently wrong. Because even as she stood there, smiling at him, she kept looking from student to student. A random boy in a Ravenclaw uniform came up and asked her to help him with his tie, a Gryffindor girl asked if Rose was coming and an older Hufflepuff ruffled her hair.

Rose just smiled at each of them and turned back to Regulus once she was done. When a Slytherin boy came up beside her, she didn't flinch or turn away, her smile didn't falter and her eyes didn't show hate or disgust. "Oh, hello Nott, how was the train ride?" To Regulus' surprise, Nott smiled when he turned to her. "It was a bit boring. Didn't see you though." Alexander Nott playfully pouted at the Hufflepuff. "Sorry Alexander, I was busy talking to the girls. Plus, somebody has to keep those boys in line."

After a few minutes of Alexander and Rose talking, Regulus began to get uncomfortable. When Rose noticed him shuffling his feet she turned to Regulus and smiled. "Well, I have to make sure Reggie here gets to the sorting and you have a carriage you're supposed to be on." The two boys finally made eye contact and Nott seemed to put up a wall. "Yes, well, I will see you at the school." With that, Nott walked away and back towards a group of Slytherin's gathering their things.

Rose turned to Regulus, smiling at the boy who she barely knew, the boy who was simply her friend's little brother. But, he wasn't just Sirius' little brother. He was someone who needed her, so she'd be there.

Rose quickly showed Regulus where to go, talking about random things along the way. She stood with him until she had to leave and promised to see him at Hogwarts. He couldn't help but smile as she walked backward towards everyone else, waving to him until he was out of sight.

Little did they know, she would be his saving grace and he would be her world. He would be the Sirius to her James. He would be her little brother.