Work Text:
Friday, September 1st 2017
“Papa,” Rosaline’s soft soprano voice had Draco turning to look down at his youngest child, who nervously was twisting her hands in her school robe as children and their parents walked past them. Harry was a few feet away, straightening up Scorpius’ uniform while Lilac chatted away about something to them, the din of train station around them drowned out whatever she happened to be saying. “Will you still love me even if the Hat doesn’t put me in a House?”
Draco’s eyebrows raised as he watched the eleven year old look up at with him watery green eyes before glancing away. The older man gave a soft sigh before kneeling down in front of her and placing his hands on her shoulders, “No matter what House you are in or not in, I will always love you. You could even turn out to be a squib and I would still love you regardless. You are my daughter Rosaline, nothing will ever change that.” Draco leaned forward and wrapped his daughter in a hug, feeling her small hands reach behind him and grip the back of his suit jacket in a fierce hug.
The train whistle rattled through the air, causing the father and daughter to break their hug and the young girl turned to run over to her older sister, who grabbed her hand and led the first year onto the train. The Slytherin fourth year appeared a moment later through the window of one of the compartments, pulling Rosaline up to the window both waving to their parents. Scorpius appeared a moment later further down the train, he gave a brief wave before disappearing again.
Draco stood next to his husband, holding his hand while they both waved to their kids. Hermione and Weasley had made their way over, followed shortly by Luna and her husband, Rolf Scamander, both couples had sent their own children on the train. The Hogwarts Express lurched forward as the train began heading to its destination, taking the children to their next year of Hogwarts.
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Rosaline watched curiously at her sister’s friends as they chatted quietly amongst themselves. There was Sabrina Davis, Timothy Burke, Abigail Fortescue, Cynthia MacMillian and Dmitri Petrov. Davis, Burke and MacMillian were all Slytherins while Fortescue and Petrov were Ravenclaws. The youngest Malfoy-Potter sincerely hoped that she would be able to make friends other than her cousins, who were all currently scattered throughout the train. Having ten cousins at Hogwarts– Victoire and Teddy had already graduated – was going to be an interesting, especially with Molly being Head Girl.
The eleven year old pulled a book out of her pocket before she curled up against the window and cracked the book open, quickly disappearing into the world of the young witch Bianca Black and her many adventures around the world. It was her sister who jerked her out of focused reading by shaking her shoulder and saying, “We’re here!” Rosaline nodded nervously before standing up and following her sister off the train, watching with wide eyes at the many, many students who poured out of the train. Lilac turned towards the eleven year old, “I have to go in the carriages, you’re going by boat. I’ll see you in the Great Hall.” The Slytherin placed a kiss on her sisters forehead before leaving to rejoin her friends.
“First ‘ears! First ‘ears this way!” Rosaline looked up at the familiar voice before Hagrid, the half-giant and family friend, held up a lantern in the dark as he stood by the edge of the lake where multiple boats sat resting on the shore. He stood at a proud eleven feet six inches though his hair and beard had greyed significantly since she was a child. “Ah! Rosalin’, there ya are! Excited aren’t cha? I’ll be expectin’ you and yer brother and sister on Friday, yeah?”
Rosaline nodded as she walked over to the edge of the lake, “I’ll make sure to remind them Hagrid.” The half-giant gave a large grin in return before helping her in one of the boats. A moment later, her cousin Hugo, also a first year, joined her followed by a dirty blonde girl and a sandy-haired boy. The moment they had both sat down, the boat lurched forward, beginning the journey to the castle. The boy sent a grin at the three others before quickly introducing himself, “I’m Markus Eames, of the Ancient and Honorable house of Eames – whom are you?”
Hugo pushed his glasses back up on his head before stating, “Hugo Weasley of the Weasley clan and this is my cousin Rosaline Malfoy-Potter, of the Ancient and Noble houses of Malfoy and Potter.” He sniffed once to show he wasn’t at all intimidated by the title, considering who he was related too.
The girl, looked between the two boys before shyly introducing herself, “I’m Hillary Tripe.”
Rosaline smiled at her, “It’s nice to meet you.”
Ten minutes flew by as the two girls chatted with each other while the two boys eyed each other before they pulled up to the end of their journey in the boat. As they piled out of the boat, other students joined them before they all walked up to a set of large front doors before they were pushed open by a young man with kind eyes that was startling familiar, Rosaline perked up immediately. Her Uncle Neville was here! “Good evening everyone! I am Professor Longbottom of Herbology, Deputy Headmaster and Head of Gryffindor. Now as I am sure you are all very excited and probably slightly nervous, let me be the first to welcome you to Hogwarts. We are going to go into the Great Hall where you will be sorted into one of four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room. However, we highly encourage you to sit with friends and family in other houses during meal times. Just because you are in a different house does not mean you cannot be friends. After the sorting will be the start-of-term banquet.
“Every year, we select two outstanding students in 7th year to be Head Boy and Girl, with two prefects fifth year and up for every house. If you ever have any questions, concerns or need to talk to someone, they are always available and you may come up to any teacher as well. Throughout the year, you will have the chance to win points for your house – and also given the chance to lose them with rule-breaking, the house with the most points at the end of the year wins the house cup. If all of you will follow me, we will head to the Great Hall and begin the new school year!” Rosaline and the fifty-three other eleven-year olds made their way into the castle, following the professor through an open set of doors where several hundred students sat, eyes turned toward them as they all walked into the hall, before they were congregated in front of the raised platform which held a stool.
Professor Longbottom walked over to the Headmaster, who handed him an old tattered hat before he headed back to the single stool. He gently placed the hat on the stool before the brim of it opened and it began to speak.
“Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!”
There was a round of polite applause before Professor Longbottom spoke, “When I call your name, come up and sit on the stool, when the hat calls out what House you are in, go ahead and sit at your House table.” He looked down at the piece of parchment in his hand before calling out, “Abbott, Mary.” A young brunette walked up to the stool before being sorted into Hufflepuff.
“Ackerley, Adrian – Slytherin!”
“Aldermaston, Scott – Ravenclaw!”
“Beau, Marty – Ravenclaw!”
“Blanche, Sarah – Gryffindor!”
“Blishwick, Meghan – Slytherin!”
“Burrow, Felix – Gryffindor!”
“Carter, Melvin – Ravenclaw!”
Rosaline tuned out the voice of the Sorting Hat as she looked around the room, easily identifying the numerous bright red heads of her cousins, who all sent her a wave. At the Gryffindor table, her older brother sent her an encouraging smile and Rosaline tuned back into the hat to hear it call out, “Lynn, Sanford - Gryffindor!”
“Malfoy-Potter, Rosaline!” Rosaline quickly made her way up the platform before she delicately sat on the stool and felt the Deputy Headmaster place the hat on her head. Immediately the young witch felt someone rifle through her mind as a voice spoke in her thoughts, “Well now, caring and thoughtful to those around you and willing to step out of your own comfort zone to make someone else feel better. The loyalty you show to your family is very admirable. I think I know where to put you– Hufflepuff!”
Rosaline blinked as the hat was removed before she made her way to the table decorated in yellow and black. She gazed around at her new fellow housemates, catching eye contact with her cousin Molly, at the other end of the table who gave her a bright grin. She couldn’t wait to begin her first year.