Harry Potter and the Bucket List

Year 1 - 4

Being mentally adult made it impossible to find any children attractive. Only cute like flowers or puppies. I wanted to scoop them up in a big blanket, give them some warm lemon tea, and have a nice platonic cuddle fest.

God, I need a dog. Or a ragdoll cat.

I could get away with abruptly cuddling with Harry since we were twins, and he craved physical affection as much as I did. Doing it with two boys who thought of me as a stranger? Definitely not okay.

I bet if I had a fluffy animagus form I could get away with cuddling all sorts of people, I thought. I hope I can turn into a fox. Or a cat. Everyone wants to hold a cat.

The longer I stayed at Hogwarts the harder it was not to hug everyone.

I think I need to find Harry soon for some snuggles.

"What can I do for you two fine gentlemen this evening?" I inquired, trying to think about where I might run into Harry later. Maybe I could talk to him after potions. I gripped the books in my arms tighter against my chest. Iris stirred from her napping in my pocket robes. She poked her head out, peering up at the twins who hadn't noticed her yet.

"Word on the street is—"

"—a queen has appeared in Slytherin."

"A very generous queen," added the one on the right.

"One who gifted her entire Quidditch team with some fine brooms," concluded the one on the left.

I mockingly batted my eyelashes as I feigned ignorance. "My! Slytherin sure is lucky."

"Yet, this generous queen wouldn't do the same for her own twins' House Quidditch team," bemoaned the one on the right.

"We feel it is in our duty to help sort this out," insisted the other one.

"Odd that this queen's brother isn't asking for her help," I observed as I fought back a smile. It amused me that they would try such a blatant attempt at getting free brooms. I doubted either of them expected it to work. More than likely they would do an obligatory attempt so they could say: Well, we tried to ask nicely! We really had no choice but to put spiders in her food.

It's something I would do. Sirius wouldn't bother giving them a chance, he would skip straight to mayhem.

The twins were kinder than Sirius in that regard. I loved him, really I did, but he had a mean streak in him that even I couldn't break.

Not to mention I very much didn't believe for a second Harry would bring up the broom situation to anyone in his House. He had the savings to buy a couple of excellent brooms, but not much else. He had spent most of his allowance money on books, candies, toys, and practically everything Quidditch related.

We each had our money, and neither of us lectured the other how to spend it. Harry certainly wasn't going to start to do so now.

The twins gave me a Cheshire Cat grin.

"But," I said, endeared by their grins and presence, "the queen is generous enough she might be willing to grant a couple of favors."

The twins exaggerated a flourishing bow to her.

"How could we—"

"—earn such a favor?"

"Proper introductions first," I said. I placed both books in the air with a whispered Leviosa Maneat. Then I held out both my hands. "I am Rosaline Potter, but my friends call me Rosie."

"George Weasley," introduced the one on the left as he took my left hand.

"Fred Weasley," introduced the one on the right as he took my right hand.