Flora And Fawna [HARRY POTTER]

14

Rosie  was happy to be going back to school, not that she was happy to be leaving her family again but she wasn't unhappy to be going away and learning about magic. It had only been after Petunia had explained to her that she would always love Rosie, no matter what, that Rosie had felt a weight lift off of her. Rosie had been learning at school because that was what was expected of her. She hadn't thought that Petunia would even care about what she did at school, because she thought Petunia hated magic.

She was wrong, and now she was leaving with her promise to her sister on her mind. Petunia would never be able to do magic, so she could never go to Hogwarts. Rosie had promised to go back to school and learn all that she could so that she could share her experiences with Petunia, something made easier by the fact Mrs. Figg had gifted Rosie with a camera, so that she could take moving pictures and send them back home.

"You won't forget to write, will you? I didn't get you that smelly bird for it to sit in the owlery eating biscuits after all," Petunia straightened Rosie's jacked again, just like she had already done several times already. "And you promised to send lots of pictures of all your adventures so I'll be expecting those as well."

Rosie grinned, meeting eyes with Penny over her sister's shoulder. The other girl looked practically giddy to see Rosie smiling again, a real smile this time. Penny's plump cheeks pushed up in a giant grin.

"Of course, Tunia. I can even send you copies of my potions papers if you want to have a look at them."

Sometime between Christmas morning and the day she was to go back to Hogwarts, Rosie had discovered her sister's dirty little secret as she had walked into her sister's bathroom one morning without knocking, and found her sister stirring a horrible, bubbling concoction on a hot plate. Petunia had been grinning so wide it had looked like she had slept with a hanger in her mouth, so Rosie hadn't even cared that she had had to sit with her sister for an hour and a half, fixing the potion.

"I'll keep you to that," Petunia winked, before she finally stood up and stepped away. Her blue eyes scanned over the crowd. "Where's that handsome boy you got off the train with? He and his awful mother should be here by now if they don't plan on missing the train."

Rosie hadn't really been looking for Regulus before then, knowing that he would turn up sooner or later. He always did. Now that her sister mentioned it though, Regulus still hadn't reared his annoying head. Rosie felt a stir of worry in her stomach, but she brushed it off.

Regulus Black was a seventh year. He could take care of himself as long as he didn't do anything horribly stupid.

"He probably got on already and is waiting for us," Penny chimed in, seeing as Rosie hadn't said anything yet. Rosie nodded, agreeing with her friend.

"We better hurry or else he might throw a tantrum," Rosie grinned, waving goodbye to her sister. "I love you, and I'll see you at the end of term!"

Rosie and Penny disappeared from their families' sights, onto the glistening Hogwarts express.

*******

Rosie and Penny had been searching the train for Regulus for nearly thirty minutes, the train had been moving for more than twenty minutes, and neither of them had caught sight of him. The worry had had been bubbling in Rosie's stomach finally bubbled over when she and Penny came to the end, and predominantly Slytherin portion, of the train. Regulus wasn't there.

The worry made Rosie reckless as she stormed further into the Slytherin domain, her eyes set on three slytherin fourth years who were shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Penny followed silently behind her friend.

"Hello you three," Rosie's cold voice caused the three slytherins to stiffen and even more to turn in their seats to see who had spoken. "I seem to be missing a friend of mine, have you seen him? He's about six feet tall, dark, handsome and he answers to the name of 'Regulus'?"

Rosie was being mean, she knew she was, but she didn't care. Regulus wasn't on the train, and she needed to know where he was.

One boy, the leader, stiffly shook his head.

"His mother wasn't on the platform and neither was he. Last we saw of him was when he showed up at Malfoy Manor for the Death Eater meeting."

Clearly, all those listening were appalled that the three had given away their involvement with the Dark Lord so easily, and a few of them drew their wands. Before a spell could be cast, twelve wands flew from their owner's hands and out the train window, lost across the Scottish countryside.

"Did you see him leave the meeting?" Rosie asked stiffly, giving no indication that Regulus' activities were a surprise to her.

All three boys shook their heads and Rosie had heard enough. She spun on her heels and marched off, Penny following silently behind her. The two of them didn't say a word until they happened upon an empty compartment.

"What are you going to-"

Penny hardly had time to jump out of the way of the slamming compartment door, and turn even less time to catch Rosie and her friend collapsed to the floor. Penny was so startled she was nearly in tears as her friend pushed away from her and held her hands in front of her like she was trying to ward something off.

A silvery form burst out of her outstretched hands. A fully corporal owl patronus that spared the two girls a glance, before flying out the window. Penny held Rosie as the smaller girl sobbed, rubbing Rosie's back and making comforting noises. Penny might not be the biggest fan of Regulus Black, but she could recognize that it wasn't a good sign that he was on the train. It wasn't a good sign that he was last seen at a death eater meeting, which was held after he had brought a 'mudblood' home to his family. It was not a good sign that he was not there with Rosie, telling her that she was overreacting.

The situation was full of bad signs.