Two weeks passed and a great buzzing queue of students -- Third Years and older -- each clutching a permission form -- pass by a glowering Filch.
"Remember! These visits to Hogsmeade Village are a privilege. Should your behaviour reflect poorly on the school in any way, that privilege shall not be extended again." McGonagall started when Rosalie approached her, the permission slip signed by her dad.
And before Rosalie could say a thing McGonagall spoke. "No permission form. No visiting the Village. That's the rule, Potter."
"Professor, if you let me just speak." Rosalie started again but the older woman stopped her.
"A parent or guardian must sign, and since I am neither, it would be inappropriate." McGonagall said and a flicker of pity appears on her face. "I'm sorry, Potter. But that's my final word."
Rosalie watches her walk away as she clinches the form in her hand. "I have it signed." She stated.
"Forging a signature I cannot allow." McGonagall finishes and leaves.
Ronald and Hermione watched Rosalie expectantly from across the way. She shakes her head and walks inside.
"So no Hogsmeade, eh?" Remus questions.
Rosalie sighs and nods. "She thought I forged my dads signature." Rosalie scoffed.
"Well, don't feel too bad. I was roundly disappointed the first time I went." Remus said trying to cheer the girl up, but she simply sighed.
"Dad was going to see me there." Rosalie stated. Remus sighed now understanding.
"Oh Rosalie." He whispered.
"It's fine," Rosalie answered. We were meant to meet at The Shrieking Shack, which, according to Hermione, is the most severely haunted building in Britain." Rosalie said with a raised eyebrow to Remus who coughed.
"Yes, that too..." Remus said as Rosalie giggled.
"Professor, can I ask you something?" Rosalie asked. "When I faced the Boggart at first, I did think of Voldemort first. But then, I remembered I'm more afraid of my dad leaving me and someone breaking my heart. And yet it couldn't decide so it decided to embarrass me." Rosalie started. "I'm not sure why it didn't see that is my mind more protected because of what I am?"
"Well. I believe so, from what your father told myself and the others, it's hard to compel them, you can't unless another Original does it. So I think because of you being a witch, vampire, and wolf, it protected your deepest fears." Remus answered.
Rosalie hummed understanding. They had tried to see if she could have been compelled but seeing as nothing happened, they believed that her mind was completely protected. Which delighted her dad.
"The first time I saw you, Rosalie, I recognized you immediately. Not by your scar. By your eyes. They're your mother Lily's." Remus said, as a smile slid onto her face. "She was there for me at a time when no one else was. We used to talk for hours. She was not only a singularly gifted witch but an uncommonly kind woman. She had a way of seeing the beauty in whoever she met, even -- and perhaps most especially -- when that person couldn't see it in themselves..." He said his eyes glazed in memory, then he blinks, smiles.
"Which perhaps explains her affection for your father. Niklaus Mikaelson had, shall we say, a certain talent for trying to scare people away. A gift, which he passed on to you." Remus smirked as Rosalie laughed.
"You're not wrong there." Rosalie said with a smirk.
"I could tell you stories – and there are many about your parents, Rosalie -- but know this..." Remus says looking at Rosalie. "Your mother lived. Every moment of every day. You should know that. That's how she'd want to be remembered." Remus whispered.
With a smile she nodded.
Oh they remembered her mother. And she would always remember how she lived.
Later on the Hall buzzes with tales of Hogsmeade, as students swap stories, sample sweets, and send soap bubbles of all shapes, sizes, and colours into the air. A marionette of a Harlequin cavorts atop the Gryffindor table, moving its limbs in response to the strands of light that extend from Neville's fingertips. Seamus passes his hand through the light beams and -- FLUMPH! -- the Harlequin collapses.
Rosalie sits with the twins who had brought her some treats from Honeydukes. And Hermione regals her story to her. "And the post office! It's about 200 owls, all sitting on colour-coded shelves, depending on how fast you want your letter to go!"
"And Honeydukes is brilliant! Sugar Quills, Flaming Whizbees – and blood-flavoured lollipops for Halloween!" Ronald continues. Rosalie nods as she now picks through her spray of brilliantly covered sweets. She lifts one to Fred who nods.
"It's brilliant." He said and she shrugs biting into it.
"But, I mean, after a while, it got a bit boring. Don't you think, Ron?" Hermione said trying to get her friend to look at them.
"Huh? Oh. Yeah. Dead depressing. Hang on. I almost forgot. I got you something wicked at Dervish and Banges. It's a Pocket Sneakoscope." Ronald says as he places a small glass spinning top on the table. "If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's meant to light up and spin. Mind you, Fred and George say it's rubbish, sold for wizard tourists, but I thought, you know, it can't hurt, given that..." Ron started but saw Rosalie paid him no mind.
She was instead talking with George. She didn't need a present to figure out if they someone were trustworthy or nit, she had her wolf for that.
As soon as she is done eating, they all get up to leave. As they climb the stairs Rosalie finds find a crowd gathering on the Seventh Floor landing.
"What's the hold-up? Only Neville ever forgets the password." Ronald said.
"Let me through, please. Excuse me, thank you, I'm Head Boy..." Percy said shoving past everyone. Percy stops and looks to everyone. "Back! All of you! No one is to enter this dormitory until it has been fully searched!"
Rosalie, Fred, and George exchange dark glances when Ginny emerges from the crowd, her face ashen. "The Fat Lady... she's gone."
"Probably stuffing her face with the apples in that still life on the second floor again." Ron scoffs, but Rosalie, Fred, George don't laugh.
"I don't think so," Rosalie says as she points to the Fat Lady's portrait has been slashed viciously, great strips of canvas hanging from the frame. Just then, Dumbledore appears.
Rosalie growls softly when he steps to close to her. "Mr. Filch. Round up the ghosts. Tell them to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady." Dumbledore ordered.
Just then, there is a scream. The students dash to the landing, where all the paintings whisper fearfully. Filch's rheumy eyes peer up, searching the upper shadows, then... narrow.
"There'll be no need for ghosts, Professor..." Filch said as he extends a crooked finger. High up, near the ceiling, the Fat Lady cowers in a portrait not her own, trembling.
"Dear lady. Who did this to you?" Dumbledore asked.
Rosalie rolled her eyes already knowing. "Eyes like the devil he's got. And a soul as dark as his name. It was him, Headmaster. The one they talk about. He's here. Somewhere in the castle. Sirius Black." She says fearful.
All the students react with fright, Dumbledore'svoice cuts through. "Secure the castle, Mr. Filch. The rest of you... to theGreat Hall."
Rosalie laid awake as she laid between the twins. The two refusing to move. Her eyes watching the net of stars glimmering beyond the highest window.
Rosalie heard a gentle creak her eyes shift, to see Snape pass through the great doors, converge with Dumbledore. "I've done the dungeons, Headmaster. No sign of Black. Nor anywhere else in the castle." Snape whispered as Rosalie used her sharpened hearing.
"I didn't really expect him to linger." Dumbledore responded.
"Remarkable feat, don't you think?" Snape questioned. "To enter Hogwarts castle on one's own, completely undetected..." Snape stated. "You may recall, prior to the start of term, I did express my concerns when you appointed Professor..." Snape started.
"I do not believe a single professor inside this castle would have helped Sirius Black enter it, Severus." Dumbledore responded. "No... I feel quite confident the castle is safe. And I'm more than willing to let the students return to their Houses. But tomorrow. For now, let them sleep..." Dumbledore states. His eyes shifting to Rosalie.
The girls eyes shut tightly. She rolled onto her side facing away from Dumbledore. "It's astonishing what the body can endure when the mind allows itself to rest."