𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 ☆ 𝑅𝑜𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑛 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝑌𝐸𝐴𝑅 𝑆𝐼𝑋 ☆ 12

Most of the Christmas holidays had been spent rebuilding the Burrow, which was finally standing just as it had been, though Rosalyn had also gotten a purple Christmas jumper with a white R on it from Molly.

Now, however, they were back at Hogwarts and Rosalyn, Hermione and Harry's were walking along the corridor. Ron was not present, as he and Lavender had just been participating in a thoughrougly non-verbal 'hello'.

Hermione was reading the newspaper report on the fire at the Burrow, sighing heavily as she did.

"You're making it so easy for them to get to you. You're bloody lucky you weren't killed," she said hotly. "You have to realise who you are, Rosie."

"I know who I am, alright, Hermione?" Rosalyn wasn't in the the mood to argue.

Especially when she saw that Neville and Hannah up ahead. Rosalyn thought that maybe over Christmas... just maybe...

But no. Hannah was laughing at Neville, staring into his eyes lovingly. Neville looked happy, smiling back at her as they walked past. He never even acknowledged Rosalyn was there.

Rosalyn would probably have rather that he had smugly smirked at her, or rolled his eyes at her, but he didn't. He walked on unknowingly, not even bothering to spare a withered, sarcastic look for her.

And the other cringy, weird, out-of-nowhere romance was back as well, it appeared. Lavender had given Ron his Christmas present on the twenty-fifth by owl, but this was the first time Rosalyn had seen him wear it.

This was due to the fact that it was a chain with a charm that said My Sweetheart on it.

Lavender giggled as Ron said hesitantly. "Of course I'll wear it."

Lavender hugged him and used her new nickname for her boyfriend, squealing. "That's my Won-Won!"

"Excuse me, I have to go vomit," Hermione told the Potter twins, heading off.

Rosalyn sighed, speeding up to follow her along the corridor.

☆☆☆

Dumbledore had sent a message that afternoon, announcing that Rosalyn was going to meet him that evening. As expected, he had another memory to show her.

Rosalyn plunged into the pensive, the liquid substance not making a difference at all. She couldn't help but remember the first time she had fallen into the pensive. She had yelled and screamed and she was very afraid. Now, not so much.

She descended into a room. There was a big table with many Hogwarts school boys inside it, and one teacher.

"Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?" Said one of the boys to the teacher.

As Rosalyn looked towards them, she knew them immediately. It was Slughorn. And a soon as he answered, she knew who the boy was.

"Oh Tom, I couldn't tell you if I knew could I?" Slughorn answered. Rosalyn suddenly understood. Tom Riddle. Slughorn. Voldemort... "By the way, thank you for the pineapple, you're quite right, it is my favourite. But how did you know?"

The potions Professor was eating a tub of crystallised pineapple that lay, open on the table. Tom Riddle answered promptly. "Intuition."

Slughorn suddenly glanced at the clock, with chimed at that moment as well. "Oh goodness! Is it that time already? Oh well, off you go, boys, hurry up or Professor Dippet will have us all in detention!"

He laughed at his own joke as the boys started to stand up and get ready to leave. Though Rosalyn would bet big money on one of them staying longer.

She was right. After Slughorn had ushered everyone out, he pinged the hourglass that Rosalyn had looked at a couple of weeks ago. Then he turned.