Note: Please check my account page for a link to all the characters statuses.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, all belong to J.K Rowling except for Lindy Quill, Violet Portoff, Giselle Lefevre, Felicity Chamberlain, Taurus Torchwick, Guinevere Cinder, Emelia Belladonna, Quentin Vause, Alastair Goldstein, Lucida Wymore, Mireille Pemberton and Verena Baggins.

As soon as Rose stepped off of the Hogwarts Express, there was a loud hustle and bustle surrounding her. She could hear numerous conversations between students. Many shouting at one another across the huge crowd and some already getting into quarrels before even entering school grounds.

Yet, the first words Rose heard were coming from a tall, large man with a tangled graying beard as he boomed over all other voices to get his own words out. Although, Rose wasn't entirely sure why he needed to shout over everyone else, his build did that for him.

"Firs' Years over 'ere! Firs' Years follo' me over 'ere!" The large man shouted as he waved a beefy hand in his general direction. His footsteps thumping as he took steps near the crowd. Rose was watching with large eyes as she saw several smaller children with eyes just as wide as hers walk towards the large man.

"Come on now! Firs' Years over 'ere! Follo' me now so ya won' be late!" The large man repeated with a louder voice. Soon students were parting and making room for smaller children to make their way to the large man. Rose could hear some of the older students give the younger ones words of reassurance while others teased them for their obvious fright.

"That's Hagrid." Molly's voice said in Rose's ear. Rose soon pulled her attention from the humongous man to Molly who was now standing next to Rose. "Don't worry about him, he's gentle. We've all known him since we were kids."

"Kids? Our family was alright with us being around someone who is that big?" Rose asked with a hint of confusion in her tone. Ron and Hermione barely allowed her to attend Hogwarts this term. She couldn't possibly think about them allowing her and Hugo being around a man big enough to step on them by accident.

"He's a family friend. He's actually closer to your parents and Uncle Harry more than my own. Dad and mum don't fancy him too much just 'cause he's a giant. Well, half giant." Molly explained with a shrug of her shoulders. Rose was only driven to shock by the fact that giants existed, let alone that one worked at the school and was a family friend she apparently knew.

"Well, look a' ya! Spittin' image of yer dad! I reckon ya grew this summer!" Hagrid's voice boomed once more. Rose took note that his words were no longer directed to the small children surrounding him, but rather to Albus who had approached him with a smile on his face.

"I might've." Albus replied. "I just wanted to come over and say hello. We haven't heard from you all summer."

"I was meanin' to write to yer dad, but I wa' busy with takin' care o' the new unicorn foals born thi' summer. I think they'll be ready fer a lesson in a couple o' months."

"Unicorns? They exist too?" Rose felt completely dumbfounded by the information. Secret passages to Platforms, talking mirrors, giants and unicorns? Rose could only imagine what else would be awaiting her in the castle. She couldn't see it from her standing point at the station, but she was sure it was over the large trees.

"You'll be having a blast in lessons." Molly said with a giggle. "Now c'mon, we lost Lin and Vi somewhere, but I bet we can find a carriage to ourselves."

Rose wished to stay behind and listen to the rest of Hagrid and Albus' conversation, but she was already being ushered away by Molly pulling on her trunk to get her to start moving. Rose reluctantly followed, but she gave a backwards glance to Hagrid and Albus, only to see that the half giant had engulfed the black-haired boy into a hug that looked frightening, but gentle at the same time.

"Excuse us, excuse us. Oh, hello, Vince. Excuse us, please, excuse us." Molly's voice repeated several times as she led the way through the somewhat thinned crowd of students chatting among themselves. Through their trek in the crowd, Rose caught several stares the students were giving her as she passed by. Their murmurs and whispers were loud enough for Rose to catch.

"Did you read the Daily Prophet article about her?"

"Shame she's an addict. She's such a fit bird."

"I'm surprised that the headmaster allowed her to return this term. He must really be as bonkers as some say."

"Reckon it's a ploy for attention? Sure her name is popular, but there are about thirty of them that are either a Weasley or a Potter. She probably wants a bit of what her parents have."

Rose was beside herself with relief and joy when Molly cleared them from the crowd and they found themselves among a long row of carriages. She had bitten her tongue so hard that the taste of bitter blood was lining her mouth, but it was worth it or else she might have attacked one of the students before the term began.

"I always found it strange that the carriages always pulled themselves. You'll find it spectacular no doubt. Another bit of magic you've yet to see." Molly said as she pulled open the door to the carriage with ease and began to heave her trunk inside with a bit of difficulty. "Rose, do you mind helping me out?"

Molly's words fell on deaf ears as Rose had abandoned her own trunk by the carriage seconds earlier. She had disappeared around the edge of the carriage when something shimmery had caught her eye.

Upon a closer look to the shimmer that caught her eye, Rose gasped when she caught the full-fledged look of the animal before her. She wasn't sure if she should refer to it as an animal, but the creature before her had the shape of a horse. Albeit; a dead one. The creature was entirely made of bones that had a shimmer like coat casted over their body, they looked almost slippery.

Soon, the creature turned its head toward Rose and flapped its wings that Rose had not seen buried to its sides. Its long black mane was bristling in the wind as well as its matching tail. Rose was still standing in shock as she breathed in this sinister like creature. Molly had mentioned that the carriages pulled by themselves, but she must have bluffed. She probably wanted Rose to see these creatures on her own; spook her a bit.

Well, it had thoroughly worked. Rose was rightfully spooked.

Wanting nothing more than to leave the horrid creature behind, Rose pivoted on her heel and began her short retreat back to the carriage. She walked in on the scene of a breathless Molly who had just hauled her trunk into the carriage. Beads of sweat were dripping down her face as she hopped down from the doorway and faced Rose.

"Where have you been? Didn't you hear me calling for help? I think I pulled a muscle lugging in my trunk." Molly asked as she panted and placed a hand on the side of her stomach.

"Why didn't you tell me that the carriages are pulled by animals? Right spooked me you did. A stitch in your side should be the least of your worries!" Rose replied indignantly as she stole a glance back at the side of the carriage. She could make out a small portion of the shimmery wings before returning her attention to a baffled Molly.

"Pulled by animals? They aren't pulled by anything Rose. They honestly pull themselves."

Rose stared at Molly's expression of confusion and back to the side of the carriage where the horrible winged creature awaited. It was frightening enough that anyone would recognize it; even someone dimwitted as Molly.

"No, they don't. Just follow me." Rose said in an exasperated tone as she turned on her heel back to the shimmery creature. Molly's footfalls were padding softly behind her and when Rose had stopped a good distance from the creatures, Molly stopped beside her. "Aren't they nasty looking? Sort of give me the shivers."

"Rose.. there's nothing there." Molly replied in a small voice. Rose's head snapped to Molly's direction and noticed the girl had a genuinely confused look in her eye.

"Stop playing around, Molly. I can't be the only person who can see these creatures." Rose retorted in a firm voice. She refused to allow the inkling of fear she felt seep into her veins. Someone else must have seen these creatures as well.

"I'm not playing, Rose. Are you feeling alright? Maybe Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione shouldn't have let you come this term." Molly murmured quietly as she looked at Rose with immense concern.

The inkling of fear had dripped slowly into Rose's veins and she could already feel herself become clammy. She swallowed thickly and forced herself to not let her fear show. Molly couldn't see the horrid winged beasts and was looking at Rose as though her head injury had caused more than just memory loss.

Rose had to throw her off the course she was set on. She had a concerned look across her soft face that Rose couldn't allow to continue. For all she knew, Molly would alert Ron and Hermione as soon as they reached the castle. She could be back on the train home tomorrow for her pointing out strange creatures to people who couldn't see them.

"Oh, I'm just bloody messing with you!" Rose did her best impression of a teasing tone before laughing heartily. "You should see your face, you are ripe with worry! Best focus that on the stitched side."

With those words said, Rose gave Molly a forced smile before turning on her heel and heading in the general direction of the back of the carriage. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she heard Molly's footsteps behind her, but thankfully the brunette wasn't asking any questions. Rose could only hope that Molly had bought her story; no matter how poorly performed it was.

"C'mon, Rose. Help me here with my trunk." Molly grunted as she pulled her trunk from the inside of the carriage. "I have no idea what I packed for this term, but it is absolutely torturing my side. I'm fairly certain I've pulled my kidney or some internal organ."

"Why don't you just use magic like I did? I see nothing wrong with using a levitation spell." Rose replied with ease as she sat on the lid of her trunk and watched as Molly struggled to pull the trunk out of the carriage. The sight had been ongoing for the past three minutes.

"I like doing things manually, you know? Everyone takes advantage with magic and I just," Molly paused for a hefty grunt. "want to do," Another grunt. "things on my own," Grunt. "for once." With a last hearty grunt, Molly successfully pulled her trunk out of the carriage and was now sweating through her robes.

"Alright, you do that. I'll just be over here, not gasping for breath and being thankful I can levitate trunks."

Rose was actually thankful that during the carriage ride to the grounds of Hogwarts, that Molly hadn't bothered her with questions on what was carrying them to their destination. It seemed as though the Hufflepuff had bought Rose's poor excuse of a story and had rambled on about how she was excited for Muggle Studies; a course she had decided to take for a fifth year in a row.

Yet, as Molly had babbled on about objects called televisions and gaming stations called X Boxes, Rose's mind had been elsewhere. She couldn't help but think over her day and how utterly horrible it had been. Being mocked over her appointing as a prefect, Giselle making a fool of her in front of the others and seeing these death like creatures that only she could see.

At least Rose was able to admire the beauty that was the Hogwarts castle. She had been engulfed in its beauty the moment she had seen it from the carriage window and was utterly joyed to set foot inside of such a spectacular castle. Molly had mentioned that there were several secret passages within Hogwarts as well and that she best take that up with Fred who had them all memorized.

Rose was soon pulled to the present by Molly's ragged breathing when she told Rose to stay close behind her as they began their short walk to the large double doors leading inside the castle. Molly sighed in relief upon seeing all the students leaving their luggage by the entrance of the castle that she practically dropped hers with a loud thump.

"The elves bring them up for us. I don't think the faculty trusts us to haul our trunks up the Grand Staircase. Well, mainly Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Hufflepuffs and Slytherins have their common rooms on the bottom floor, thank Helga." Molly explained as she rubbed at her side. Rose could already feel a sense of excitement and curiosity flow through her, she was eager to see the Gryffindor common room and the rest of the castle as well. The size of the entire building made it seem it would take days to inspect every inch of it.

Soon, the double doors opened up and a middle-aged witch stood before them. Her brown hair laced with gray was pulled back into a tight bun on the nape of her neck. She had a pointy navy blue cap on her head and dressed in matching robes that flitted the stone floor. The middle-aged woman looked at everyone with a stern expression and soon began ushering them all inside.

"Come along now, all of you. No running, no pushing, it won't make the feast start any earlier. Honestly, you are supposed to be the mature ones." The middle-aged woman called out as children that were considerably younger than Rose were running inside the castle. She could also make out the tall form of Fred as he too began shouting about turkey legs and pumpkin juice.

Molly was in no hurry as she held her side and followed the crowd at a slow pace. Rose walked beside her and took her time walking slowly to take in the main hall of the castle. She had never seen something so vast. This room alone could fit fifty Hagrids snugly. Yet, what had caught Rose's attention was the large staircase to her right and the numerous portraits surrounding them.

Rose couldn't have taken a better look because she was then pushed inside large double doors by people behind her that were complaining about wanting to get some food in their bellies. She searched around for Molly, but it seemed she had lost the talkative Hufflepuff in the crowd.

Although, her search for Molly and the other students chatter faded into soft background noise once Rose had entered the Great Hall. It was even more vast than the Entrance Hall. The long tables that nearly touched both ends of the room. The torches that lined the walls with their soft, orange glow making the room feel warm. Rose was told by Hermione that the ceiling was enchanted to mimic the sky outside.

Currently, the black sky with twinkling stars had completely enraptured Rose's attention. She had stopped moving her feet ages ago and had her neck cranked back to stare at the ceiling. She would have stayed there had not a high-pitched voice pulled her from her stupor.

"Ahem! Excuse me! You are blocking my way, Weasley."

Rose quickly cracked her neck in the direction of the familiar voice. She came face to face with Giselle who had a slight pucker to her lips as she glared at Rose. She had a small entourage of girls following her that wore the same expression.

"It's Rose." Rose informed Giselle with a sharp tone.

"I'm not a bumbling idiot like you. I know what your name is." Giselle rolled her eyes. "You better learn some manners when you are speaking to your Head Girl."

The girls behind Giselle hummed in agreement. Their fair-skinned leader seemed pleased.

"I will when you do." Rose muttered under her breath.

"You are already off to a bad start, Weasley. I'd get my priorities straight if I were you. Your family name means a lot in our world and you are tarnishing it." Giselle growled as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"I wouldn't talk about tarnishing reputations if I were you, Giselle." A new voice chimed in.

Rose turned to see a tall, lanky blonde standing by her side. Her hair spoke in volumes as it nearly took up all the space on her shoulders and chest. She wore a small smile on her blotchy and pale face. Rose also took note of how she was wearing the same Gryffindor uniform as Rose, except she had managed to tame the tie and place it neatly around her skinny neck.

"Don't you have better things to do, Chamberlain? Like, oh, I don't know.. stalk blokes who are afraid of you?"

Chamberlain. Felicity Chamberlain. The girl beside Rose was the one to send her a letter following Rita Skeeter's article. She was the one who claimed they were mates; that she was Rose's best girlfriend. Hugo had called her nutters on several occasions despite that Felicity considered herself a small addition to the Potter-Weasley family. However, Giselle was teasing her of stalking.

Rose should have said something, she felt like her past self would have; but she had no words. She was too conflicted with different stories told about the lanky girl standing next to her who smelled strongly like bananas.

"At least I don't mock people who have memory loss. You really must have lost your soul when you were dragged into Hell."

"Augh, come along girls. I don't think I can stomach the stench of bananas any longer." Giselle then beckoned the girls toward a table, but abruptly stopped and turned her head over her shoulder. She locked eyes with Rose. "Word of advice; steer clear of mental people like her." Giselle nodded her head towards Felicity. "She'll give you more trouble than you're already in."

With those words, Giselle turned her head and began walking briskly to a table with her small group trailing after her heels.

"Merlin, I can't believe she is still sour over the whole fiasco with Nathaniel." Felicity scoffed as her bluish-green eyes trailed after Giselle's form. "She's had all summer to get over the fact that he was after me during their relationship."

Rose suddenly understood why Hugo was adamant on Felicity being nutters. She noticed that the lanky blonde had a strange gleam in her eye when talking of this Nathaniel. It left Rose feeling as unsettled as when Lucy smiled at the Platform.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry." Felicity laughed. "I'm rambling about shit you don't even remember."

Rose stood awkwardly by Felicity's side, unsure by what she should say.

"I'm Felicity, but I think you know that by now." The babbling Gryffindor held out her limp hand to Rose who slowly shook it. She watched Felicity carefully, uncertain about the girl before her.

"Yeah. Erm.. thanks for getting her off my case." Rose thanked as she drew back her hand from Felicity's. She longed for some pockets to be stitched into her skirt. She'd love to do something with her nervous hands.

"Psh, no skin off my back. Giselle has been a tart since First Year. I think there's been a stick rammed up her rear that no one has pulled out yet. Shame."

Rose couldn't help but give out a small chuckle at Felicity's words. She was preparing to bring up the letter Felicity had sent weeks ago, but she soon felt the same limp hand gripping her forearm and dragging her across the Great Hall. Rose let out a squeak of a yelp as Felicity's nails were biting into her skin.

"The Sorting Ceremony is gonna start soon. Can't be in the way of Belladonna; she'd give us Hell for being in the way." Felicity informed Rose with a slight roll of her eyes. She quickly found enough space on one of the tables for the two of them. Rose couldn't hide her relief once Felicity's hand was off her body.

"Oi! This must be a special occasion! Rosie and Felicity never sit with us! Right, Roxy?"

Rose glanced up to see the smiling face of Fred across from her. Roxanne situated on his left, but she made an indignant noise at his words and looked the other way. Fred merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Little sisters, what're you gonna do?"

"More like older, annoying, rude, self obsessed brothers, what're you gonna do?" Roxanne mimicked as she gave Fred a glare that sent her eyebrows into a fury on her forehead.

"She's got her knickers in a twist because I played a trick on her friend." Fred explained with such an air of normality that Rose couldn't blame Roxanne for being so furious beside him. She felt a bit annoyed herself.

"It was a mean trick! You hexed off Nessa's eyebrows!" Roxanne exclaimed, her small babyish brown face scrunched up in anger.

"You should be thanking me! Those horrendous hedges she calls eyebrows were an atrocity! More so than Daisy Parkinson's teeth." Fred shuddered as she sent a glance over his shoulder where Daisy was sitting with her fellow Slytherins and promptly sneered their way. Her lip curling over her snaggletooth.

"That doesn't make it alright! Merlin's beard, Freddie! She has to spend the night in the Hospital Wing waiting for her eyebrows to grow back! Do you know how upset she was?! Her sister is being Sorted today! She wanted to be here to see it!"

"Nah, the candy trolley came around. Attention averted."

Roxanne huffed angrily and hastily placed her hands inside of her robes. She soon pulled out the same purple puff-ball that Rose had seen earlier on the Platform. The puff-ball was sniffing around the table and making small squeaks.

"What is that?" Rose blurted out, her brows furrowed as she stared down at the moving puff-ball. It was now moving slowly toward Fred's utensils.

"Holy balls, is that a Pygmy Puff?" Felicity asked with interest. "I've tried to convince my mum and dad to let me buy one. They're terrified by magical creatures."

"I wouldn't call it a magical creature per say." Fred spoke up. Roxanne groaned loudly. "More like a colored experiment gone awry." Fred zeroed in his eyes on Rose. "My dad and uncle created these little buggers."

Rose felt rather surprised; she wasn't aware that Ron and George had made these colored creatures together. She didn't see them when she had visited Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, but then again, she had avoided the section filled with pink, girly merchandise. Perhaps Pygmy Puffs were kept back there.

"Check out Torchwick's outfit." Felicity sniggered, pulling Rose from her puff-ball gaze. "Reckon he dresses in the dark?"

Rose turned her attention from the Pygmy Puff to Felicity's ogling at the front of the Great Hall. Among the long table seated with what Rose supposed was the professors, in the center of it was a dark man with deep-set wrinkles in his face. He had barely any speckles of hair atop his head and instead wore a small party hat instead. He was wearing large purple robes and big green boots.

Torchwick took in the scene around him with one swift overlook and with a wave of his hand, all the torches went out. The only source of light being the enchanted ceiling.

A widespread of gasps scattered among the Great Hall and a few yells and murmurs as well. However, as quickly as the torches went out, they soon were relit by Torchwick's waving hand. He grinned once all the students focused their attention on him.

"Hello! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! In case you have forgotten," Fred snorted. "I am your headmaster, Taurus Torchwick. Former resident of New Zealand, Paris, Ethiopia and Detroit. I enjoy knitting, pudding and Muggle films."

"He does this every year, except he changes it each time. Last year, he enjoyed reading children's books, trains and bicycles." Felicity muttered with an amused smirk across her face. "His funniest was in Third Year when he said he enjoyed romance novels and Muggle women's clothing."

"I do hope you all had an eventful and wonderful summer worth remembering!" Torchwick boomed, his grin widening as he glanced at all the students.

"Oh, the irony." Fred snickered under his breath. "Hope you don't take it to heart, Rosie. He's either an incredibly dense old man or a very clever one."

"Now, I would like to introduce Professor Emelia Belladonna as she escorts the new batch of First Year students. Let the Sorting Ceremony commence!"

On cue, the doors leading to the Great Hall opened and the professor that Rose had seen in her memory and briefly on the steps entering the castle had flitted down the aisle between the table Rose sat at and one filled with Ravenclaws. Her bun bobbing on the back of her neck with every step she took.

Following Belladonna's lead, the small children Rose saw follow Hagrid earlier were now wearing looks of wonder, excitement and fear all at once. Quite the feat for a group of forty eleven year olds, Rose mused.

Belladonna had busied herself with gathering a rickety stool from a small closet and placing it in front of the staff table. She swiftly placed a mangy, wrinkled hat atop the stool. The hat was nearly as wrinkled as Torchwick, if not more.

Hermione's words of the Sorting Hat that would sing at the beginning of every year echoed around her mind as the hat on the stool soon opened a large seam near the brim began a loud song that reverberated around the Great Hall.

"Once upon a time, when I was fairly new,

And all those around me shouted with glee.

For I had been given a job in front of a queue,

To Sort those that are fit for me!

There is of course the brave ones, who seek for adventure,

Chivalry lies thrumming in their beating hearts.

They never fear a battle, it is quite the quencher!

For they will find Gryffindor to be the one to teach them the arts.

Yet however, there are the loyal lads, who will never waver,

You'll always find yourself never doubting someone so just.

These devoted ones will always find themselves in your favor.

The loyal and just belong to Hufflepuff, as they always must.

Although, we have the wise ones are always yearning,

For a place to fit their thirst for knowledge.

Though never underestimate the ones who are always learning,

For Ravenclaw is one full of bright noggins you must acknowledge!

Last, but certainly not least, the cunning ones who are very bold,

Their ambition is one that shines through their being.

Yet, they have a tart reputation that leaves them on the end of a scold.

These mighty Slytherins are one that are worth seeing!

Here we have come to the end of another song,

But do not fret for I will not sing your deepest thoughts!

For I keep your feelings inside this hat lifelong!

Now do step forward and try me on, I swear I will not rot!"

The Great Hall exploded with laughter and applause as the Sorting Hat finished its song. Rose found herself smiling and clapping as well. For being such an old, mangy hat, it sure could sing.

"Now, when I call your names, you will step forward and place the hat on your head. You will hear its thoughts only in your head. Then it will call out which House you will be Sorted in to everyone. Let's begin." Belladonna instructed the First Years before she pulled out a sheet of parchment from her robe pocket and began calling out names.

The following minutes ticked by rather quickly as Rose focused her attention on the batch of small, nervous First Years being Sorted. Each one had trouble climbing onto the stool and some of them had the Sorting Hat's brim falling into their eyes. Felicity and Fred were sniggering when this happened.

"Lorcan Scamander."

Fred and Roxanne's heads popped up and soon they had their eyes focused on a small tan skinned boy with blonde hair approach the stool. He looked back at a boy he had stood next to. From the angle where Rose was sitting, the boy seemed almost identical to him from the back.

"Five sickles on Hufflepuff." Fred muttered to a boy next to him. The boy grinned and shook his robe pocket that was jingling with coins.

"You're on, Weasley. Five sickles on Gryffindor."

Once the Scamander child climbed his way onto the stool and placed the hat on his head, there was silence as everyone focused their attention intently.

After a minute of the Scamander child sitting on the stool, the Sorting Hat opened its seam and shouted out,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Cheers erupted from where the Hufflepuffs sat. Rose had learned fairly quickly that every House had a table that belonged to them. She followed Lorcan's small, smiling face as he sat across from Lily at the Hufflepuff table. She was clapping as well and gave him a quick smile.

"Fork it over, MacMillan. I do believe five sickles have my name on it." Fred bantered with a wide grin on his face.

The boy named MacMillan groaned and handed over some coins to Fred's greedy hands.

"That'll teach ya to bet against me next time." Fred kissed the sickles before dropping them into his robes.

"You're such a tosser." Roxanne retorted. "We've known Lorcan and Lysander forever. You definitely have the upper hand in betting where they'll be Sorted."

"I don't always have the upper hand. Remember when I betted that Al was gonna end up in Gryffindor and bam! He's over there being cuddly with snaggletooth." Fred jerked a thumb in the direction of Albus who was sitting across from Daisy. He certainly didn't look like he was being cuddly with her.

"Lysander Scamander."

Rose returned her attention to a nearly identical version of Lorcan who was now moving his way towards the rickety stool. His hair wasn't nearly as blonde as Lorcan's and it was somewhat neater than his. He promptly placed the Sorting Hat over his head and within seconds the hat bellowed out,

"SLYTHERIN!"

"No!" Fred cried out over the applause from the Slytherin table. "I thought the little worm was gonna be in Ravenclaw! I demand another Sorting!"

"Does this mean we owe each other five sickles?" MacMillan spoke up nervously.

"Oh, shut it, Freddie. That little worm looks happy where he's at." Felicity pointed at Lysander who was now sitting next to Albus giving him a hug and a wide smile.

"Do we know those twins?" Rose spoke up as she looked back at Lorcan at the Hufflepuff table and Lysander at the Slytherin table. "Do we have even more family?"

"Pft, they wish they were a Potter or a Weasley. Sadly, they are Scamanders."

"Scamanders are very well-known Freddie. Ugh, keep your mouth shut." Roxanne spat at her brother before turning her attention to Rose. "They're family friends. Their mum is good friends with all of our parents."

Rose nodded as she took another glance at the set of twins. Lorcan seemed to be in conversation with the other Hufflepuff First Years who had been Sorted before him. Meanwhile, Lysander was also speaking with Albus, but not with the other Slytherin First Years who had gathered together at the end of the table.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose's attention was quickly channeled in on a chubby girl walking towards their table. Her chin wobbling with each step and her robe protesting with the body it was forced to fit.

"Alas, all have been Sorted! I congratulate all who have found their new home. The people surrounding you will be your mentors, friends and possible enemies for the next seven years. Do get cozy with them." Torchwick bellowed out as all the First Years began looking up and down at their table nervously.

"Aren't you the girl who drinks a lot and lost her memory?"

Rose's head turned in the direction of the chubby girl she had seen before, lean over the edge of the table and look at her with wide eyes. Rose had no idea what to say to her words. It was like the incident on the Hogwarts Express and when she had walked through a crowd of older students. They were all talking about her and the false article, but Rose had no idea how to talk back to them about it.

"Blimey, it is!" Another First Year with long strips of metal across his teeth chirped with excitement. "Think she's drunk now? My dad usually looks like that when he's drinking."

"Oi! Lard Face and Train Tracks!" Felicity hissed with a scowl. "Hush up and mind your fuckin' business. It's bad enough we have you two in Gryffindor, we don't need any more of your shit."

Lard Face and Train Tracks grew red in the face as surrounding Gryffindors heard Felicity's hiss. They both sputtered out terrified apologies before turning their face back to Torchwick who was still speaking as if he hadn't heard Felicity.

"Reminder to all First Years and other older students." Torchwick threw Fred a glance. "The Forbidden Forest is absolutely off-limits. Unless you wish to cry yourself to sleep over the monstrosities that lie inside. Now, with that said and done, I do believe we have a feast to eat."

Suddenly, golden platters of plates lined the inside of the long tables. Rose's mouth began to water as the smell of steak and potatoes wafted through the Great Hall.

"Pass down the pudding before Lard Face eats it all." Felicity asked the girl sitting to her left. Roxanne huffed at Felicity's words.

"She has a name." Roxanne spoke up quietly. Judging by the look on her face, she wasn't use to talking back to others like she was with Fred.

"Oh, I'm aware. It's Lard Face." Felicity said as she began stuffing her face with pudding.

"Nessa's gonna be really upset when she hears her sister gets Sorted into Gryffindor, but has ruined all chances of friendship by being called Lard Face." Roxanne stated with a sigh.

"They're sisters? I thought I saw a resemblance. It's all in the eyebrows, you see."

Rose couldn't help but smile at the loud thwack of Roxanne hitting Fred in the shoulder, which pushed him into MacMillan who accidentally knocked over a plate of beans which then fell into Lard Face's lap. The domino effect.

"I'm tellin' ya." Fred's words muffled as he was trying to chew both steak and noodles at once. "When we were little, you would always push me and everyone else around."

"'Cept for Al." Roxanne spoke up.

"Al was like some sacred ground to you. No one could pick on him or anything. Not even James and that's his bloody brother!"

"Well, Al was super quiet growing up. He never really stood up for himself a lot. We would've thought he was adopted if he didn't look so much like Uncle Harry."

Rose found it hard to believe as she looked past Fred's shoulder and saw Albus talking animatedly with his fellow Slytherins. He was making hand gestures and causing Lysander to chuckle. He seemed friendly, possibly the one she'd spend the most time with from her batch of cousins.

Her gaze shifted from Albus to the staff table as she took note of all the professors eating and chatting among themselves. She noted that Torchwick was in a conversation with Belladonna who had an irritated look on her aging face.

"Mind telling me who they all are?" Rose told Felicity as she nodded her head in the staff table's general direction. Felicity nodded and quickly swallowed her food before beginning.

"That one there, on the far left, that's Professor Longbottom. He's our Head of House and the Herbology professor. He can be really awkward, but he's nice overall. He's another one of your family friends."

Rose needed to keep a mental list of these family friends she apparently had. She looked over at Longbottom and earned a smile from him. She reluctantly returned one.

"Next to Professor Longbottom is Professor Belladonna. She's Head of Ravenclaw and our Charms professor, but don't let her expertise fool you. She's a prig." Felicity said with a scowl that could rival Belladonna's.

Felicity continued down the line of professors. There was Professor Vause, the Head of Slytherin House and the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Professor Goldstein, the Head of Hufflepuff House and Potions Master. Hagrid, who is apparently the Care of Magical Creatures professor and wrangler of all First Years. Professor Wymore, who taught Divination. Professor Sinistra, who taught Astronomy. Professor Vector, who taught Arithmancy. Professor Pemberton, who taught Ancient Runes and Professor Baggins, who taught Muggle Studies.

However, once Felicity finished pointing out the different professors, Rose realized two chairs were empty. She turned to Felicity who also noticed this change.

"Where do you think Binns and Zeraya are at?" Felicity openly asked, looking from MacMillan to Roxanne to even Fred who had noodles hanging from his lip.

"Binns probably got lost in a wall somewhere." MacMillan said with a smirk. Rose was rather confused by his statement, but didn't feel the need to ask. She had seen plentiful oddities today and that was enough.

"And Zeraya retired remember? He said that being one hundred and thirty-four was the golden age to retire at." Fred stated with a dramatic whimper. "I will miss that old man. He was the best person to prank."

"He was blind."

"And I enjoy slurping noodles. Are we stating facts now, Roxy?"

"Hush up! Torchwick is trying to talk." MacMillan intervened between Fred and Roxanne's argument.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but some of you might have noticed that we have a couple of empty chairs. While Professor Binns might be held up in a wall somewhere." MacMillan snorted. "Our new Transfiguration professor was merely getting her quarters set up and now she is here to dine with the rest of us. Might I introduce, Professor Cinder."

A medium height honey blonde haired woman strolled through a door behind the staff table. Her green eyes flashing and shoulder length hair flowing with each step. Rose didn't miss the hoots and hollers heard from various tables. There was no arguing that Cinder was rather gorgeous and exceptionally young. She looked like a student herself.

"Calm yourselves gentlemen." Torchwick ordered as Cinder walked past him to a seat between Vause and Wymore. "It's rare we get young professors within our castle, but we are lucky to have someone as clever as Professor Cinder. She is one of the youngest to master the art of Transfiguration, having only done so at the age of twenty-five."

"She's only nine years older than me. Think I have a shot?" Fred whispered to MacMillan.

"Which is why I must enforce a rule I have never done before. There is to be no professor and student relationships in this castle. Even if you are seventeen, you are still a child in these halls. You will do well to respect this rule. Professor Cinder has agreed to respect it as well."

Many groans reverberated around the hall. Rose looked around to see many boys look unhappy, even Albus seemed a bit meek when looking at Cinder.

"With that said, please continue with your dining. I do believe there is some pudding that needs devouring."

"Not with Lard Face." Felicity mumbled. "She ate it all."

"Come around First Years, come around." One of the Gryffindor prefects called out once the feast ended. Rose had gathered herself up as well and was ready to call out to any remaining First Years who needed guidance, despite her needing guidance herself when she felt a large hand on her shoulder.

Rose immediately jumped back from the unexpected touch and swiveled on her heel. She found herself face to face with Longbottom who had a timid smile on his face.

"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to frighten you."

Rose didn't know what to say, especially to a professor who had given her a prefect badge, a professor and is a family friend to top it off. Hermione didn't tell her how to interact with professors. Her own experience interacting with other adults who weren't her family wasn't a great time.

"Headmaster Torchwick would like to speak with you. He wants to discuss what happened to you this summer. He asked me to escort you to his office, it's a bit difficult to find in such a large castle." Longbottom explained.

The underlying message was clear. "Your memory is shocked to Oblivion and back. You barely know your way around the Great Hall, much less the castle. You need guidance despite being appointed a guide yourself. Why not send you off with a friendly face you don't remember."

Rose didn't voice these words, instead she voiced others.

"Will it take long? I think I have to take some First Years somewhere."

"No need for that." Longbottom commented with a small smile. "Mr. Malfoy is taking care of it."

Rose turned her head to see Scorpius had gathered the new batch of Gryffindor First Years and was leading them out of the Great Hall with instructions to follow him and to watch the stairs.

So, Rose nodded at Longbottom's words and found herself walking behind him out of the Great Hall. She looked back at Felicity who was giving her a confused glance, but mouthed the words.

"I'll wait up for you in the common room."

If Rose could find the common room. Hermione had said the Gryffindor common room was hidden behind a portrait of a fat woman, but the chances of finding it was slim to none when Rose began climbing the Grand Staircase.

Hundreds of moving pictures lined the walls as they gave their greetings to several students. Shouting out well wishes or how horrid they looked. Rose chose to ignore most of them, since they all seemed to know about the article as well and had pestered her about it.

After several minutes of following Longbottom, she came to halt behind him as he faced a statue of a gargoyle.

"Quilted comforters." Longbottom whispered to the statue.

Soon the walls behind the statue opened to reveal a staircase that led up in a narrow fashion. Longbottom faced Rose and moved to give her a squeeze on the shoulder, but pulled his hand back.

"This is where I leave you. I'll be seeing you bright and early tomorrow morning to give you your timetable. Goodnight, Rose." Longbottom said as he moved past her and up the staircase.

Rose sighed and began climbing the narrow staircase, making sure she didn't slip up. All she needed was a tumble-down the stairs to ruin what little memories she had. Shaking her fears from her mind, Rose climbed the rest of the way and faced a wooden door. She raised a hand to knock, but the door opened on its own.

Hesitantly, Rose walked into the most colorful room she had ever stood in. The furniture was a variety of colors; reds, blues, purples, yellows. The objects in the room were odd and misplaced, almost as if they didn't belong in this world. Rose thought that they must belong in the Muggle World and perhaps Torchwick brought them into the Wizarding World.

Hermione had advised her that Muggle artifacts don't mix well with magic, especially funny black rectangles called televisions or small colored squares called cell phones.

"Ah, Miss Weasley. Do my abundance of colorful knick knacks catch your attention?" Torchwick called out in a sing songy voice as he approached her. His purple robes billowing out behind him and his hatless, bald head shining in the candle light.

"They are quite.. bright.. sir." Rose replied uncomfortably.

"Indeed they are. Come, Miss Weasley. Let's have a seat and discuss matters."

Torchwick beckoned Rose over to his desk where two blue velvet chairs sat before it. He gestured to them before taking a seat in his large, purple chair that he nearly blended into with his purple robes. He crossed one leg over the other as he studied Rose with his nearly black eyes.

The sight was unnerving at best. Rose had been through the ringer with oddities and being with Torchwick was the last thing she wanted, but she'd comply. She didn't want to ruin her chances here; even if most of the school population was talking about her.

Plus, as odd as Torchwick presented himself, he didn't seem harmful. He looked to be quite the opposite. He didn't seem like the Malfoys; sophisticated prats with too much money and a terrible reputation for their past deeds. Something they definitely deserved.

"I do believe everyone in the Wizarding World is aware of the accident that happened this summer, Miss Weasley. Miss Rita Skeeter did well to tell everyone in her own obnoxious way how the events unraveled." Torchwick shifted his legs. "But I know the facts from your parents. You shan't worry of me or any of the other staff doubting you."

"Thank you." Rose said quietly.

"My pleasure. Now, onto the dilemma. You have a case of amnesia, memory loss, whichever you prefer. This will be a problem here."

"But, I know spells now!" Rose sputtered out before stopping herself. She feared this was some gentle way of Torchwick telling her that she wasn't fit to attend this term. That she was supposed to go back to Ron and Hermione and spend time in her boring, white room.

"Which is splendid. However, you don't remember potion making, our world's history, Arithmancy, flying, the castle itself. Am I being clear, Miss Weasley?"

Rose nodded timidly. She felt utterly foolish with Torchwick ticking off what she can't remember. The fact that he barely touched the brim with it made her insides crawl.

"That being said, I've talked with your professors who don't require spells in their classroom. History of Magic, Potions, Arithmancy, Divination, and so on and so forth. They've all agreed to help you in any way they can. You are an exceptionally bright student, Miss Weasley. You were nearly top of your year last term." Torchwick stated with a smile.

"Who was top then, headmaster?" Rose inquired.

"Scorpius Malfoy. Another bright, clever student. Ah, but of course you know of him. You, Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter are like.. hmm.. what is that Muggle saying again? Something about peas in a pod?"

Rose felt a surge of anger sit at the pit of her stomach over something as petty as Scorpius being smarter than her. It had obviously not bothered her past self, but currently, it did bother her.

"As I was saying, Miss Weasley. Despite the memory loss issue, which I'm sure will be recovered quite soon, you will find help with the professors here. I will also be of assistance when I can." Torchwick stood up from his purple chair and stared at a large red clock hanging on the wall. "Curfew will begin rather soon. It's best you run along to the Gryffindor common room. Miss Chamberlain will be anxiously awaiting your return."

"But, sir, I don't know where it is." Rose said blankly as she stood from her chair as well.

"Don't fret, my dear girl. Professor Longbottom has left someone outside my office to escort you there. A reliable person might I add."

Rose nodded and murmured a goodnight to Torchwick before briskly leaving his office. The wooden door slammed behind her and dust scattered from the ceiling. Rose grimaced as she walked slowly down the stairs and toward the gargoyle which was still open. She briefly wondered who could be waiting for her when she came face to face with the exact person she didn't want escorting her.

Scorpius.

A/N: Hello again! Now, before I go into the usual bit about reviewing and thanking you all for reading, I want to go over some issues and whatnot. So, please bear with me and read.

1: Rose being able to see Thestrals: Before I get reviews or messages about how inaccurate it is for Rose to see Thestrals. (I do know the person who witnesses death must comprehend it before seeing them.) Yet, I wanted her to see them, to add to the mystery for her and others. So, I added it despite its inaccuracy. I am aware of bending the rules here, but everyone does.

2: The excessive dialogue: A part of me feels that I do annoy the readers with all the dialog I pack into a chapter. But I am a firm supporter of Fics who have long conversations between characters, who include side characters and give them personality. You can never accomplish that with a thousand or two thousand word chapter. I try to do that in a seven thousand to sometimes ten thousand word chapters. I love to write, it's such a passion that I want to take advantage of these kooky characters.

3: The Sorting Hat Song + Professor Names: So, before I get asked; yes I wrote the Sorting Hat's song. I also realize it's probably terrible, I was using Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone as a reference. I tried to channel my inner Sorting Hat. Also, the new professors, (Torchwick, Cinder, Belladonna, Vause, Goldstein, Wymore, Pemberton and Baggins) are ones I created. I decided to give Flitwick, Trelawney, and whatever other professors survived a break. Yet, I did keep some, (Longbottom, Hagrid, Sinistra, Vector and Binns) since some of them are alive and some were never stated. So, they all get to be puppets in my story.

4: Update Times: These might be wonky. College isn't hard per say, just a lot of work. Especially with my major class that is online and well, the internet distracts me. I will try to update every couple of Sundays, but if I don't, I will sometime in that week.

Now that, that is addressed please be a kind dear and review this chapter! I'd love to get to ten reviews, so please make it happen? Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next one, we get a peek at Professor Cinder and we get a bit more time with Albus!