The Slytherin Thorn

Chapter 29 - One Expedition

"Can you believe it? It's finally summer!" Indie exclaimed cavorting around the platform and hurtling into a number of students. Trailing behind were the slytherins and last but not least Rose who was being coaxed along by Scorpius and Sia. She'd tried to hide in the school until the train had left but her absence had been noticed.

"Come on, it will be fun!" Sia said glancing towards Scorpius for help.

"Yeah, we're going to America with Alex!"

"I don't know." Rose muttered looking towards the floor. Using the toe of her sneaker she kicked a stone along until it bounced off the edge of the platform and fell beneath the train. She sensed her friends exchanged a look behind her.

"What do you mean?" Sia asked cautiously, a curious look on her face. "You did write to your parents didn't you?"

"Yeah. They haven't replied yet though." Rose answered sullenly

"Oh when did you write to them?" Sia said apprehensively. "Maybe they haven't got it yet."

"I wrote to them before my birthday and Hugo said that they got all 4 letters."

"Oh." Sia sighed holding open the train door for them.

"Looks like we'll just have to kidnap you after all." Scorpius joked jumping onto the train before Rose. She glared at him as she passed and followed Sia down the corridor and into the compartment Jayce, Alex and Indie were in. Rose flopping down in her usual spot besides the window with Indie next to her and Scorpius opposite. She watched the blonde sit down before her gaze turned to the passing students outside. She caught a flash of red but it was gone before she could identity it as one of her cousins or not. Curling her legs beneath her she turned in her seat so she had her head resting against the window and her body turned to the conversation.

"You alright Rose?" Rose looked up with bleary eyes. Indie had stopped talking to Alex and was watching her expectantly.

"Just tired." Rose muttered curling up further. With her sleeve wrapped around her hand she rubbed the end of her nose before tucking it behind her head.

"Well you go to sleep then!" Rose winced as Indie patted her roughly on the head. She frowned. Her gaze shifted from Indie. Rose discovered Scorpius to be watching her with funny expression. As though noticing her he shuddered and it disappeared. He sent her a smile. She returned it before moving her eyes once again to the students outside the window. Her thoughts drifted to her cousins, as usual at the end of term her fear of them had increased, once again her dread of going home had risen. She hated it, she hated the fact that she dread going home when she should have welcomed it, she hated that her family caused that dread, she hated that they'd rejected her, she hated anything and everything to do with.

"Rose! Rose!"

"What?" Rose mumbled fluttering awake, the vision of her family disowning Molly, Fred and James and her delight in it lingering. "What happened?"

"You fell asleep." Indie stated standing up and reaching above her. "We've arrived at Kings Cross you'd better get off unless you want to go back to Hogwarts."

"Might be more enjoyable." Rose muttered arching her back like a cat and stretching her arms. Scorpius laughed. She smiled weakly.

"Not funny." Indie scolded, glaring at Scorpius before turning back to her friend. "You should be looking forward to the holidays not dreading it."

"Well I'm not." Rose said gathering her stuff and following Indie to the door.

"Well perhaps I should talk to your parents, maybe they'd listen."