Chapter Text
The high-pitched screech of a whistle jolted Rosalind from her slumber. Her heart was racing and her body tensed as she opened her eyes.
"Rooneys!" The deep voice of her father, Matthew called out. "Fall in."
Rosalind sat up in her bed with a yawn and stretched her arms over her head. The light of the rising sun leaked through the curtains in front of her and she squinted to let her eyes adjust.
In the bed across the room laid Rosalind's twin sister Aurora, drooling on the large pink pillow she was cuddling. Her pale green eyes widened in shock as she sat up with a startled yelp.
"Come on, now!" Matthew yelled again. "Before it gets cold!"
Aurora immediately perked up at the thought of breakfast and shot up out of bed while wiping away the drool on her chin. She quickly changed out of her nightwear and into a plain red T-shirt and brown pants, not bothering to brush the messy blonde mop that was her hair.
Rosalind snickered at Aurora's excitement as she climbed out of bed herself and tossed on a black shirt and blue jean overalls. Unlike her hyperactive twin sister, she took the time to pull a comb through her long blonde hair and tie it up in a ponytail. After taking a second to look over herself, Rosalind raced downstairs afraid half the food would be gone if she didn't.
Waiting in the dining room were Aurora, Matthew, and her two older sisters Giselle and Josette. Her mother, Cecilia walked in soon after her.
The Rooney's were quite a large family, all things considered, all with the same beautiful dirty blonde hair (excluding Matthew's brown locks) and green to blue eyes. Cecilia was a tall and slender woman with long, luxurious hair and fierce green eyes.
Her expression remained neutral as she strode into the kitchen in an elegant black business suit, her platform heels clicking rhythmically against the tile floors.
Matthew was about half a head shorter than her mother without her three-inch heels, it showed as Cecilia leaned down to let her husband kiss her cheek good morning.
He was a chubby-faced brunette with deep blue eyes and a kind smile behind a short scruffy beard. If the man wasn't in his work uniform he was in a pair of slacks and a brightly colored sweater, much like he was now as he prepared breakfast. Matthew was a muggle but his children were certain if he were a wizard at Hogwarts he'd no doubt be a Hufflepuff.
Despite the curly blonde hair and green eyes, she inherited from her mother, Giselle had always been told she resembled her father. Her soft round face and playful nature matched his to a tee. She wore a wide smile as she absentmindedly hopped and skipped around the kitchen in her knee-length, pink sundress.
Josette's appearance seemed to have the opposite effect as she was told she looked more like her mother due to their shared seemingly permanent contempt expression and piercing blue eyes. Josette was a year older than Giselle, having just turned thirteen last month. And recently began wearing more casually sophisticated clothes like the white button-up and dark blue jeans she was currently sporting.
Being identical twins, Aurora and Rosalind looked exactly alike. They had the same pale green eyes, long hair, and round faces. The only real difference between them was how naturally frizzy Aurora's hair was compared to Rosalind's straight locks and the different ways they styled it and dressed.
Despite how many Rooney's were in the room, they weren't all there.
The eldest child, Nancy was in France teaching charms at Beauxbatons while the second eldest and only son, Harland-- well, they actually didn't know where he was...
No one did.
The boy had begun to suffer from a severe anxiety disorder the year prior and disappeared the day after his seventeen birthday. The Rooney's had searched nonstop to find him to no avail as he was no longer trackable.
It was just about an unspoken rule not to mention him anymore, especially not around Cecilia or Rosalind, who had taken his disappearance the hardest.
Nevertheless, Rosalind knew he'd be coming back soon, she was going to make sure of it. She swore that she'd go searching for him and bring him home no matter what.
It wasn't until Giselle waved her hand in front of Rosalind's face that she realized she had zoned out. She gave her older sister a small smile and with a sweet giggle, Giselle ruffled her hair. Rosalind's smile immediately disappeared as she smoothed down her bangs.
She hated it when people messed with her hair.
Giselle took the seat to the right of Josette and Rosalind soon followed suit, sitting in between Giselle and Aurora. Cecilia took the seat across from Josette and after passing out plates, Matthew sat beside Cecilia. No one ever dared to sit in the empty seat across from Rosalind. That was Harland's seat.
Breakfast went by fast accompanied by the Rooney's usual loud chattering. Aurora was boasting to her mother and father about a spell she finally managed to learn; Lumos. It was actually one of the simplest spells to learn and Rosalind couldn't help but remember how it had only taken her thirty minutes to perfect the spell herself. Nevertheless, she held her tongue, not wanting to ruin her younger twin's happiness.
Instead, Rosalind switched her focus to Giselle and Josette, the latter giving tips for Quidditch tryouts. Josette had joined the Ravenclaw team as a seeker last year and Giselle was excited to finally be old enough to try out this year.
"You know, it's kind of ironic that you're the one giving me tips considering you fell off your broom during the match against Slytherin last year." Giselle teased.
"I did not fall, I was pushed." Josette retorted. "Those Slytherins did not play fair."
Giselle chuckled but she quickly shut up when Josette reminded her of the time she nearly fell over the railing of the stands while excessively cheering on a redheaded beater in Gryffindor, during a match against her own house.
Giselle's face went red as a tomato but before she could say anything a light tapping sound came from the kitchen window. Caspian, Giselle, and Josette's shared barn owl hovered near the windowsill. Its soft brown eyes stared expectantly at the family, a small stack of letters in its claws.
Rosalind stood to open the window but Aurora beat her to it, quickly taking the mail from Caspian and shooing him off. She'd been waiting for this particular letter all summer and honestly, Rosalind was pretty excited herself.
"Junk mail. Bills. Daily profit." Aurora muttered to herself as she shuffled through the envelopes.
Suddenly she let out a loud gasp and squealed, tossing all but one envelope onto the kitchen table. Rosalind didn't miss the look of pure joy that crossed her twin's face as she stared at the envelope.
Giselle and Josette then pulled their letters from the pile before handing Rosalind hers. Aurora waited in immense anticipation for Rosalind to look at her letter so they could open them together.
To Rosalind Rooney
The third bedroom on the second floor
Above 'The Rooney bin'
East Opal Drive
Rosalind glanced at Aurora who was staring back at her. They simultaneously ripped open their envelopes and pulled out a piece of folded parchment. Unfolding them they read over the neat handwriting, a giddy feeling bubbling up inside them both.
Dear Ms. Rooney,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy headmistress
Rosalind was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt as she read the letter over and over again. Not only would she be attending one of the finest wizarding schools around but this would also get her that much closer to finding Harland. What better place to look for clues than the place he was last seen alive? As excited as she was, she was nowhere near as happy as Aurora who looked as if she would pass out at any second.
"Good on you, you two." Giselle congratulated the girls. "You made it in!"
"Not that there are many requirements to get in," Josette muttered as she opened her and Giselle's letters.
Giselle narrowed her eyes at Josette causing her to roll her eyes and sigh.
"I mean, yeah. Congratulations."
Josette skimmed their letters before folding them both and placing them in the back pocket of her jeans. Since it was Giselle's second year and Josette's third they really only needed their letters to take with them when they went off to Diagon Alley for school supplies.
"So, when do we go school shopping?" Rosalind asked.
Matthew looked to Cecilia while sipping his previously made cup of coffee. He didn't really know much about the Wizarding world so him taking them to Diagon Alley wasn't likely-- at least not without Cecilia.
Cecilia hummed as she thought it over. "How's about Saturday?" She suggested. "If I'm not mistaken-- and I'm quite sure I'm not, you're father and I both have the day off."
"Yes, that's right," Dad nodded in affirmation. "We should be able to take you down to... What was it again-- Diamond alley?"
"Diagon Alley, dad." Josette piped up. "Ah-- yes, well--"
"So, Saturday then?!" Aurora beamed.
"Yes, sweetheart, Saturday."