The Hufflepuff Princess

Chapter 48: Friends and books

Rose couldn't help that the time she spends in Diagon with Cedric and Alice was so fun. The trio wandered through the alley, Cedric pointing out different shops with Alice while Rose would pause randomly to greet students from Hogwarts. Alice would see Hannah Abbott and gossip with her as they looked at different trinkets. Cedric would greet his own friends as he left to speak with them, even Rose would see some Slytherin students she met last year, who were now second years.

"I think tomorrow should be pretty calm. We have all our school supplies and items." Cedric said over dinner as the trio was eating at the Leaky Cauldron. Rose had brought her Monster book, she had been bitten five times trying to read it. It rumbled in her hands with the binding around it, "Yeah, we already explored most of Diagon Alley, did you guys need to do anything?" Alice shook her head as she looked to Cedric who shrugged, "Not to my knowledge. I already got an extra set of gloves for Quidditch." Rose smiled before she noticed Alice's look, "What is it, Alice?" Alice observed her before saying, "Are you going to be okay this year?" Rose looked confused, "What do you mean?" Alice seemed to move slightly before glancing at Cedric who nodded and took over, "She means... well, after everything that happened last year." Rose frowned, getting ready to reply when Alice jumped back in, "After getting petrified and Malfoy-" Rose stiffened as she interrupted, "It was bad timing. It doesn't matter what happened last year." She felt her mouth dry as Alice looked at her with exasperation and Cedric spoke. "Rose, you know what he said to you. We just don't want you hurt." Rose began to fijit as she sighed trying to avoid the subject, "I know, we should focus on classes-" Alice interjected, "No, we are trying to help. You need to avoid him, he's already made you petrified! Why would you still be nice to him! He called you a-" Rose snapped at her, "I know what he called me Alice. You don't need to remind me." She took a small breath in her nose as she tried to quell her annoyance, "He didn't know the Basilisk was in there. No one did. Not even Dumbledore." She held the book closer, her fingers dancing along the scaled cover, "I'm not saying I won't bump into him. I'm not saying I won't interact if Vincent and Greggory are there." She sat there silent for a while, she didn't really think about what she would do when she saw Draco again.

"We know he didn't make the basilisk attack you." Cedric said gently, looking at Alice as if wanting her to say something. Alice looked at him before she muttered, "Yeah... We know he didn't." Cedric seemed annoyed at her response before saying, "Because he was-" Alice cut in as Cedric seemed unable to say something, "Proven not to be the heir. It's just that we want what's best." Rose was quiet before she nodded, "I know. We'll just see how it goes, besides I plan on spending time with-" Rose felt her book tremble before she turned to look at it. The book had stopped trying to snap at her and even Alice looked surprised. Rose slowly undid the binding before the book opened to the first page. The trio looked shocked, "How did you do that?" Rose looked up at them surprised as she muttered, "I don't know." Cedric had paused in his glare to Alice and said, "Maybe because you were messing with it? You stroked the spine just before." Rose looked surprised, "I did?" Cedric smiled as he motioned to it, "You do that. Anyway, that's cool! Now we know how to open it."

The trio smiled as they shrugged, Rose smiled as she said, "I think I'm going to go read this, and potions. Alice you can join if you'd like. We can finish that potions paper you said you needed help with." Alice cheered before sighing, "I thought you would forget..." Rose smiled as she shook her head, "No way. Cedric? You wanna join?" Cedric shook his head, "No. I'm good. I need to see if I can fit all this in my trunk." Rose laughed softly, Alice snickers, "You should have taken up Rose on her offer to charm it." Cedric frowned before muttering, "I'll ask her when we get to Hogwarts." Rose smiled before nodding, "I'll gladly do it for you Ced. C'mon Alice." Alice waved as she teased Cedric for packing so early before following Rose up to her room. Alice shut the door as they sat in the comfortable bed, Rose reading the book. Alice began to write her potions paper before starting her usual grumbles.

"Why do we need to even do this? You said muggles get a summer break." Rose barely looked up as she smiled, "But we are not muggles." Alice huffed as she began to write again, "What is the point of a swelling solution? Didn't we already do that?" Rose laughed as she set down her open book, very gently on the bed so as to not anger it. She walked over and glanced at her essay, "It's always good to refresh the mind. Maybe he'll teach us some unique tips, like how he taught me how to use an anti-stick charm on my measuring tools to always get the correct amount." Rose beamed as Alice hummed, writing down something and fixing it when Rose told her a different thing. Rose smiled brightly, "I think this year will be interesting. You know? More subjects and more fascinating topics." Rose walked back to her book finishing the page before whispering a thank you to it and gently shutting the pages. The book appeared to come out of a trance making weird noises, but it didn't snap at her. She gently placed the binding on it, and placed it on her desk.

Alice complained, "Yeah, but think about all the homework we are going to have. I can hardly imagine how we will manage! Plus you'll be in quidditch." Rose smiled at her stating, "That's what study hall is for. Plus we can work on it before dinner." She opened another book now before Alice turned, "When did you get that?" Rose looked up as she smiled, "When I went to get something at Flourish and Blotts. I found it in the Hogwarts library and wanted my own copy. It's facinating." Alice looked at it before noticing the page she was on, "Why are you reading about the Basalisk? Haven't you seen enough?" Rose rolled her eyes as she muttered, "More than. I want to learn as much as I can Alice. Magical creatures are very important. Plus if I can learn about them, I might be able to defend myself more when I'm older." Alice groaned, "Let's not make almost dying to magical creatures a regular thing Rose." Rose snickered as she motioned to her essay, "Finish that and lecture me later." Alice frowned and eyed her before muttering about how she disliked potions the most. Rose smiled as she continued to read about the basilisk, she felt a rather odd feeling as she stared at the snake. It was a mix of fear, awe, and even just a touch of excitement. She noted the vivid green scales and piercing yellow eyes, a ghostly chill corsed through her blood, she was ready to turn the page before she paused. She grabbed her bag and pulled out her souvinir, the green basalisk scale.

"Those might cost a fortune." Alice said as she peeked from her essay, Rose shook her head, "I don't think I'll ever sell it." She placed it back in her bag feeling parchment and letters brush her finger tips. Rose sighed letting out all of the tense energy leave her body, "I wonder who our DADA teacher is this year." Alice had sighed in relief to finish her essay, handing it to Rose to look over, "Maybe Professor Snape. Everyone knows he wants to be teaching that course." Rose shook her head, she had a bad feeling about the position and didn't want Snape in it. She couldn't describe it, the strange feeling she had, she had it with Quirrel- Her first year Professor- too. She shrugged, "I just hope they are better than Lockhart. We are supposed to learn some really important things this year." Alice smiled as she leaned against her, "Oh yeah? Sure you haven't already finished the book yet?" Rose laughed as she nudged her back, "Just because I read the book does not mean I know all of it." She pushed her lightly, stealing the pillow she leaned against, causing Alice to grab another, "Oh are you challenging me?" Rose smiled and laughed as she smacked her with a pillow, causing the two to get into a vicious battle. Rose laughed at Alice's battle cry before seeing stars at a side hit. Soon the two grew tired, causing Alice to head to her own bed crowned as the victor. Merlin was sleeping soundly in his open cage as Rose laid on her bed in silence.

The silence was broken by a child sobbing and a cruel evil laugh. Rose leaped out of bed as she huffed, a cold sweat across her body. She sighed as she held her face, trying to stay quiet, Merlin had woken up. He fluttered towards her, sitting in her lap and oohing at her. Nipping at her hands he shoved his face in her's, "I know. I know." Rose held Merlin close, whispering gently, "I'm sorry Merlin... It's just... I don't know." Merlin was silent as he stayed in her arms, Rose moved her pillows to lean against them upright and held Merlin close. Merlin gave another low ooh, Rose could faintly hear Hedwig chirping at times. The duo sat quiet before she whispered, "I have a bad feeling. That something is going to go wrong." Merlin was quiet, as Rose held him she closed her eyes, drifting into an uneasy sleep.