𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 ☆ 𝑅𝑜𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑛 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝑌𝐸𝐴𝑅 𝑆𝐼𝑋 ☆ 4

Dumbledore stood up a few seconds later. "The very best of evenings to you all. Now, first off, let me welcome the very newest member of our staff. Horace Slughorn!" There was an applause as Dumbledore continued. "He has agreed to resume his old post, as potions master. Meanwhile, the defence against the dark arts post will be taken by Professor Snape."

More applause as Rosalyn looked at her friends warily. Her headmaster soon changed track. "Now, as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here, and you have the right to know why. Once, there was a young boy, who like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, and slept under its roof. He seemed to all the world, a student like any of you. His name; Tom Riddle."

There was a lot of whispering. "Today of course," Dumbledore said, tone not even wavering. "He is known by a very different name, all over the world. Which is why, as I stand looking out on you all tonight, a truth so strong hits me. Every day, every hour, every minute, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle. But in the end, their greatest weapon, is you."

There was a silence before he shouted. "Now off to bed, pip pip!"

"That was cheerful," Ron sighed, as the quartet went to go up to the dorm.

Rosalyn sighed too, saying."He had to warn us. I mean, we were lied to all of last year!"

When they got to the common room, Rosalyn asked Neville if he wanted to play gobstones, but he turned her down. "I've got to go and do something," he told her coldly.

Rosalyn watched him go, nearly in tears. She and Neville were such good friends, why did a kiss with another boy that happened two years ago matter?

She sighed, looking at her best friend. "Ginny didn't mean to do this," Hermione said, sighing.

"No, but why did she have to bring up the fact that I kissed Tristan in front of Neville?" Rosalyn asked irritably.

Hermione answered quietly and honestly. "I don't know."

☆☆☆

Rosalyn's (and everyone else's) OWL results had come back around halfway through July, before all the madness with Dumbledore had started.

Now, before this, in fifth year, all her year had been asked to consider possible career options, and there was only one thing that Rosalyn wanted to do. Become an auror; a dark wizard catcher.

To do this however, you needed quite a few subjects. All of them were fine for Rosalyn, except one. Potions. Snape only took the best of the best into his NEWT class, so only people that achieved the "O" grade.

Now, Rosalyn had achieved "O" for outstanding on two subjects. DADA and transfiguration. She had got an "E" for exceeds expectations on herbology, charms and potions. This would all be fine, if it wasn't for potions.

So Rosalyn had given up her ambitions to become an auror. Not because she didn't want to, but simply because the world wouldn't let her.

Anyway, she stood in a crammed corridor right now, laughing with Harry and Ron as they watched McGonagall try to organise everyone.

"Girls, history of magic is upstairs, not down! Mr Davis! Mr Davis, that is the girls' lavoratory."

Rosalyn, Harry and Ron were beside themselves with laughter as McGonagall then aimed at them. "Miss Potter! Come here, if you please!"

"Oh, this can't be good," Rosalyn sighed, heading down to speak to her.

"Having fun, are we?" McGonagall asked, pursing her lips.