Chapter Text
Having named their first two children after flowers, Joseph and Marie Evans thought it only fitting to continue the tradition with their third baby girl. That was the first in a series of events that led Rose Evans to be standing between platforms nine and ten at Kings Cross Station on the first of September 1972.
A small but brilliant smile lit up her face as she beheld the scarlet steam engine before her, only a few shades brighter than her auburn hair that matched her sister's almost exactly. In fact, in appearance, Rose Evans was almost her sister Lily's double, despite not being her twin as many assumed. She had the same emerald eyes, slightly pointed chin and pale skin as Lily. She was only half an inch shorter than her older sister, although he younger age showed somewhat as she rocked back and forth on her feet waiting for their parents to finish talking to Lily.
Petunia, their eldest sister, had declined to join them at the station on the grounds that she 'couldn't care less about the first freak in the family, and certainly didn't care about the second either.'
While their parents had scolded Petunia and tried to persuade her to come to the station, Rose didn't mind so much. After Lily had received her Hogwarts letter the year before, it had been expected that Rose would get one too, since the two had been able to do strange things since childhood that Petunia could never be capable of, simply because she didn't have magic. Petunia had treated Lily awfully after they all found out, and while Lily went off to Hogwarts and was mostly away from it all, Rose had had to endure the sneers and jibes thrown her way when their parents weren't looking. The whole family knew, after all, that Rose was a witch too.
"Lily, darling, don't forget to write us at least twice a week" said her mother as she pulled Rose into a smothering embrace that her father joined.
"Mmpf-" she protested from within the huddle, but couldn't move until she was finally released, which seemed to be at least five minutes later.
After final goodbyes and yet more hugs, the girls finally boarded the Hogwarts Express, Lily immediately moving towards the middle of the train.
"I'm meeting my friends in a carriage some way down." She told Rose. "You can sit with us if you want."
"No thanks. It's probably a good idea to meet some other first years. Besides, you know I don't like Snape," Rose replied.
Lily glared at her slightly. "I do have other friends actually, but that's a good idea. Be careful - watch out for the older years and especially Slytherins."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Yes mother," She groaned. "Am I allowed to go now?"
With a sigh and an eye roll to match her sister's, Lily said goodbye and continued down the train, shouting over her shoulder, "I'll see you when you're in Gryffindor!"
Rose smirked as she was left alone for the first time in what seemed like forever. She loved her sister, but Lily had always been the perfect one, and it was a little overbearing when Rose had had to put up with it her whole life. Now, with no Lily, and better yet, no Petunia to insult her or parents to nag her, Rose was finally free to be herself.
Rose Evans had absolutely no intentions of being sorted into Gryffindor...