A Single Rose

Chapter Three

A/N: Hey guys... remember me...? So yeah I know I said I was going to update either Monday or Tuesday and it's now Thursday... sorry about that. I've needed some rest days after not being at home with my computer at all this summer. But I'm back and I hope you all enjoy x

I turn around and notice that the archway has completely disappeared, and now only a brick wall remains. I take a deep breath, turn back to the busy street and start to walk. There's dozens of shops lining the street. Beautiful shops if I may add. Walking through the crowd, I notice people of all ages. There's kids considerably younger than me, ranging up to full grown adults. They're all wearing unusual sort of clothing but with the day I've had, I'm just going to figure it's better to accept it than question it.

"Excuse me?" I turn around and notice the group of three kids from a few minutes earlier standing in front of me.

"Yeah?"

"Sorry, I couldn't help but notice that I don't recognize you. You look to be about Hogwarts age... do you go to Durmstrang or Beauxbatons perhaps?"

"Um." I honestly don't know how to answer that.

"Sorry about her," the boy with glasses says. "I'm Harry by the way. This is Ron, and this is Hermione. What's your name?"

"I'm Rose. Nice to meet you all."

"So what year are you going into? Are you an exchange student?" Hermione asks.

"Um, I'll be going into year ten actually."

"Oh, you're muggle born then right? Is this your first year at Hogwarts? That's wonderful. I wonder why you're just starting now..."

"Muggle born?"

"Oh! Sorry, you probably don't know all this wizarding meanings yet, do you?" I shake my head. "Okay so muggle born means your parents aren't magical, they're muggles."

"Oh."

"Halfblood is when one parent is magic and one isn't, and pureblood is when both parents come from wizarding families. I'm muggleborn, Ron here is pureblood, and Harry is halfblood."

"Oh. Are muggle borns common?"

"They're not uncommon, so yes. Well goodbye then. We have to get our school supplies, and I bet you do as well. See you at Hogwarts Rose!"

"Um okay, bye." The three of them walk off. That was strange, but at least I learned something. I wander around more until I see a stationary store. Not that I have any money, but paper would be nice to have so I can write everything down that I'm learning. "Hello?" The shop is empty until a middle aged woman wearing a pointy hat comes out of some back room.

"Yes? Is there something I can help you find?"

"I don't have any money, but I was hoping to be able to use some paper and a pen - or a pencil - to write down um- my journeys."

"Well, I might have some wrinkled paper in the back that I can't sell. Let me check."

"Thank you so much."

"Of course dear." I smile and she disappears. I look around the shop. There don't seem to be any pens or pencils, only feathers and ink bottles. I didn't know people still wrote with feathers, I thought that was just in the old days. The lady comes back out and hands me about five pieces of wrinkled paper. "You're muggleborn I'm guessing?"

"Yes?" She chuckles.

"We don't have many people coming in to ask for pens or pencils much, that's all. I do have some pencils just for occasions like this. Here you go." She hands me a pencil.