Chapter One
The Beginning
2017-First Year
Rose
I climbed on to the Hogwarts Express and knew that this was it. I was going. Finally, I was going to the place where I would learn the magic that I'd watched my mother and father do all my life. Glancing around, I saw Al still on the platform, whispering to his dad. He nodded and hopped on the train after me.
"Come on! Let's find a compartment," I said quickly and excitedly.
"Yeah, okay."
My name is Rose Weasley. I am the daughter of the oh so famous Ron and Hermione Weasley and niece of the even more famous Harry Potter. Albus Potter is my best friend and my cousin. My family is huge. I have a little brother, Hugo, and I have no idea how many cousins I have. Too many to count. All my life I have been waiting for this moment to come, to be on my way to Hogwarts for the first time. I've read about it, but I am sure that it will be even more amazing than I imagine it.
We walked down the train, looking for an empty compartment. At the end of the train, there was one compartment with a first year in it, reading, but otherwise it was empty.
I tentatively slid open the door and asked, "Hello. May we sit here? Everywhere else is full." He looked up in surprise and I saw his face. It was Scorpius Malfoy, the boy my father had warned me against. He nodded, slowly. I sat down across from him and Al, next to me.
He stared at us and said, "If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to sit here? Everyone else has avoided me. Just because...well, because I'm a Malfoy." He looked down, as if afraid that we'd leave now.
I spoke up, "That's awful! You can't judge a person on their surname!"
He sighed, "But people do."
"Well that's stupid!" He shrugged.
"Anyway, I'm Rose Weasley. And this is Albus Potter, but everyone calls him Al."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Scorpius Malfoy." I nodded.
I looked at Al, "Are you gonna just sit there or are you gonna say something?"
He started and put a hand out to shake, "Sorry," he said quietly, "Al Potter. Pleased to meet you." Scorpius shook his hand and then we all remained silent for a moment.
"Soooo...," I started in an attempt to break the awkward silence, "What house do you want to be in?"
"I don't know. My father really wants me in Slytherin, but I'd much rather be in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. What about you?"
"I don't really care. As long as I can make friends and learn, I'm good."
"Anywhere but Slytherin," Al said quietly. Scorpius nodded, understandingly. The tension was broken. As the conversation turned to quidditch, I opened a book to read. I was terrified of the prospect of flying. My dad had been trying to get me on a broom since I could walk. Al, of course was a natural born flyer. He wanted to be seeker on the house team, as soon as he could try out. It makes me sick just watching him. I knew I couldn't avoid flying much longer as we'd soon have flying lessons, but I could try. I don't approve of Uncle George's Skiving Snackboxes, but maybe just this once...
"Rose? Rose? You still with us?" Al said, snapping in front of my face. He muttered to Scorpius, "This happens every time she opens a book." He laughed. I rolled my eyes and checked my watch.
"The lunch trolley should be coming soon."
"About time. I'm starving." True to my prediction, the trolley was there in a couple of minutes. I pulled a couple galleons from my pocket. With it came James, who bought some sweets from it and then entered our compartment.
