(Important author's note at the end)
One more day, Rose Weasley. One day remains until your seventh year begins.
These few words made Rose wake with a start at the midnight hour of the 31st of August. Ever since summer break began, Rowena Ravenclaw became Rose's personal calendar. And Rowena was annoyingly punctual in reminding her what day it was.
The constant reminders only added to Rose's anxiety of the upcoming school year. Her seventh year, the very last year at Hogwarts. It didn't seem likely at all that in a year from now, she wouldn't be preparing to go back to her beloved school. Rose would probably have a job, and be a real working citizen of the wizarding world. She'd be an adult.
Rose had thought about growing up and leaving Hogwarts more times than she preferred. Topics such as the prophecy that was quickly approaching her and her friends, her ideal career choice once she left Hogwarts, and even marriage always found their way into Rose's thoughts. Over the summer, she constantly felt suffocated by the realization that she was indeed growing up, it was sadly inevitable. Why did the concept of growing up bother her so much? She was Rose Weasley, the brightest girl in her year.
But being the brightest came with an immense amount of pressure. People expected her to do well and exceed normal standards. Rose couldn't help but wonder lately if out in the real world, could she succeed and make everyone proud? Her biggest fear was failure, and the thought of it always made her nearly hyperventilate.
Just thinking about it now was causing Rose's breathing to become more rapid. She laid back down on her bed, counting the fake stars she charmed to move and twinkle on her ceiling. Rose loved her bedroom at her own house, which she rarely got to spend time in because her family was always at the Burrow during summer breaks. Sure, the room looked more like a girly oasis for an 11 year old, but it was homey and reminded her of her childhood. Plus, her room briefly assuaged her fears of growing up whenever she was in it.
Before her late night existential crisis could worsen, a small knock on her door snapped her out of her plaguing thoughts. Who the heck was knocking on her bedroom door at midnight?
Rose climbed out of her bed and lightly hopped over the creakiest floorboards until she reached her door. She pulled it open, revealing her brother standing in the doorway. His newly taller height never failed to surprise her.
"Hugo, what are you doing awake? And why are you bothering me at this hour?" Rose whispered harshly, inviting him inside her bedroom. Their mother was a fairly light sleeper, so she prayed they wouldn't wake her.
Hugo rubbed his eyes, reminding Rose of all the times when they were young, when he would sneak into her room during the night after being awakened by nightmares. "I need to talk to you."
"Hugo, you are 15 years old. If you had a nightmare, just go back to sleep..."
"It's not that!" Hugo protested a little too loudly. Rose pressed her finger to her lips and shushed him furiously.
"Then what's wrong?" She asked her brother impatiently, her exhaustion making her cranky.
Hugo stared at his sister with concern. "How are you?"
Rose blinked. "How am I? Hugo, please go back to bed-"
"Rose, I'm serious," Hugo interrupted. "Nearly every night this summer, I see the light of your lamp shining under your door, and I know you're awake. It's because you're stressed out. What's bothering you?"
Rose stared at Hugo incredulously. She always forgot that he was growing up also, and that he was only two years younger than her. It was evident that he had matured greatly this past year. He was wiser, much taller, and was growing into the spitting image of their father.
When she didn't answer her brother, he tried reasoning with her again, "Is it because of the whole prophecy thing?"
Rose sighed. "Partly." She really didn't want to start thinking about growing up again.
Hugo nodded, hesitating before asking, "Rose, what's going to happen to you, Albus, Scorpius, and Holly, exactly?"
A lump form in Rose's throat. Not knowing the answer to that question terrified her. "I-I don't know, Hugo. I wish I knew."
Hugo pursed his lips and set a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder. "It's going to be okay. You're smart; you can figure out anything."
Rose smirked. "I know."
Then her bedroom door slowly creaked open, revealing their sleepy mother. When her eyes landed on her two children, she rested her hands on her hips and asked, with a small smile playing on her lips, "What are you two doing up? Is everything alright?"
Hugo gave Rose a knowing smile before replying, "Just talking, Mum. We're fine."
Their mother smiled. "Good. Now I suggest you two get back to bed. We're going to Diagon Alley first thing in the morning to shop for school supplies."
Rose yelped in surprise when Hugo gave her a hug before following their mother out of her bedroom. It felt good talking to her brother, which was a rare occasion, though she was glad she didn't discuss all of her worries with him. Hugo didn't need the thought of growing up haunting him.
Yawning, Rose climbed back under her covers and turned off her lamp, curling up in her usual sleeping position. Soon, sleep overtook her, and her worries of growing up and crazy prophecies and such temporarily appeased.
* * *
Rose beamed proudly in the mirror at her appearance, but not just because not one wrinkle or crease was apparent on her Hogwarts uniform and robes, nor was it because her hair was actually withholding its shine and sleekness for once in her life. No, the culprit of her ecstatic demeanor was due to a shiny object pinned to her robes.
Her Head Girl badge.
She remembered shrieking with joy when she received the letter from Professor McGonagall in the mail telling her she was appointed Head Girl. Immediately, she wrote to Xander, Holly, and Albus, telling them the good news. Rose didn't care that she may have boasted quite a bit in those letters, because her happiness was far too great. Being a Head Boy or Girl was the greatest honor a young witch or wizard from Hogwarts could ever be presented with.
Today was the dreaded, yet momentous day. Rose's first day of her seventh year has finally arrived. Her mother had been crying all morning, officially losing it when she took in Rose's appearance and gleaming Head Girl badge. That's also around the time when her father began crying too. Rose knew her parents would be absolute wrecks when she left on the Hogwarts express for her last time.
After her mother snapped countless pictures of Rose and Hugo with both Muggle and magical cameras, it was time to depart for platform 9 and 3/4. This would be Rose's last time she would get to experience those hectic yet memorable mornings at their household preparing to leave for Hogwarts.
Holding hands, the Weasley's Apparated to King's Cross Station, where they met up with the Potter's, like the families had been doing every September 1st since Rose and Albus's first year. As expected, Aunt Ginny was in hysterics and hugging Albus for dear life, which Rose couldn't help but laugh at. She knew today was bound to be extremely emotional.
Soon, the Longbottom's arrived and joined the two families as they waited for the Hogwarts Express. Rose, quite frankly, was ready to leave already to escape the crying hoard of mothers.
"My Mum has been at it for hours," Holly muttered, eyeing her crying mother.
"Same," Rose and Albus replied simultaneously. The sharp whistle of the Hogwarts Express approaching was like music to their ears.
"Well, this is it," Albus said. "We won't have one of these train rides to Hogwarts ever again. We're seventh years."
"Oh, hush, Albus," Rose told him. "Before I start crying."
The train slowed to a stop, and young witches and wizards began boarding. The three friends decided to wait for the younger students to get on the train first, since Rose was Head Girl and Albus and Holly were prefects. They would have to patrol the train for the majority of the journey to Hogwarts.
Finally, it was time to board the train. With one last hug and goodbye to her parents and aunt and uncle, Rose and her friends stepped onto the Hogwarts Express for their final journey to Hogwarts. The train soon began moving down the platform, and Rose caught one last look at her parents waving goodbye. Breathing in deeply and exhaling, taking it all in, Rose knew that starting now, she needed to savor every moment of her last year.
She followed Albus and Holly down the train and into the prefects carriage, where she spotted Xander waiting for them. Rose ran up the him and embraced him, breathing in his strongly scented cologne. She forgot how much she missed her good friend.
"Head Girl, huh?" Xander said, gesturing to the badge pinned to her chest.
"Yup," Rose boasted, wiping any trace of fingerprints off the gleaming badge for the dozenth time that day. Then she noticed Xander's badge, which just said he was a prefect. "Wait, you're not Head Boy?"
Xander shook his head. "Nope. Why so surprised?"
"I just surely thought you'd get Head Boy," Rose told him, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're Xander Holmes. Who's better qualified for Head Boy than you?"
Shrugging, Xander replied, "Apparently Scorpius Malfoy."
Why did I not see that coming? Rose thought.
"Scorpius is Head Boy?" Albus asked. "Good for him!"
"Mhm," Rose agreed absentmindedly, crossing her arms over her chest.
Rose knew Scorpius, Albus, and Holly were all friends again. She wasn't dumb. But she knew better than to get close to Scorpius again. As much as she secretly wanted to, deep down, she couldn't put herself through that pain again. Just thinking about him made Rose remember what he did to her.
Normally she wouldn't hold grudges, but this time was the only exception. Rose just didn't have it in her right now to forgive Scorpius.
Holly must've noticed Rose's distaste about the situation, because she gave Rose a look that said, Are you alright?
Rose shook her head, quickly announcing, "I'll be right back."
She rushed out of the prefects carriage, getting as far away from everyone as she could. But knowing how the universe would treat her at a time like this, it surely wasn't going to allow her to have an easy escape.
She bumped right into someone, but they just turned out to be a lost-looking first year.
"S-Sorry!" the young girl spluttered, nervously pushing her round glasses back into place.
"You need to find a compartment to sit in, please," a horribly familiar male voice said. Scorpius guided the small first year girl into the closest compartment, then stepped back into the narrow aisle again. He stood much too close to Rose.
Clearing his throat, Scorpius said, "Hello, Rose."
Rose took notice of his gleaming Head Boy badge on his chest. Of course it had to be true.
She awkwardly nodded to him. "Hello, Scorpius. If you will excuse me, I was just on my way-"
"Here," Scorpius interrupted, slipping something into her hand. Rose jumped when his cold fingers made contact with hers.
And then he walked away, leaving Rose in the middle of the aisle looking dumfounded. She opened her hand, which felt numb, to reveal a small slip of paper. Curiously, she opened the paper and read the short note:
Urgent group meeting tonight at midnight in mine and Albus's room. I already told Albus and Holly about it. Just be there.
-Scorpius
~ ~ ~
Uh, oh. More Scorose tension...
So their seventh year has officially begun! That means the prophecy has begun also! Hmm...what will happen next, guys?
Alright, so as you may have noticed...THIS STORY HAS A NEW BOOK COVER! This story is LONG overdue for a new and improved book cover and I'm so happy because it makes this story look much more professional. Much of the credit goes to the lovely and talented MyInsaneMind69. Although, a few things were edited on it, which was done by me.
Anyways, I hope you like the cover and thank you so much for reading my story! It's going to get a lot more interesting from this point!
I'd appreciate it so much if you guys would vote, comment, and share my story! Love you guys! *infinite kissy faces*