Chapter Text
Rose Granger-Weasley could not sleep last night.
She was restless with nerves about what the day would bring, and even now, sitting by the fire, anxiety mixed with excitement bubbled beneath her skin. After all, today was the day she had been looking forward to for the past 11 years. Shortly, a letter would arrive at her household announcing her acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yes, the Hogwarts. Her cheeks hurt from smiling. Da had decorated the house to celebrate, and Griffynder colours laced through the stairwell railings and streamers hung from the ceiling in rippling waterfalls. Rose's parents had even squeezed into their old robes, reminiscing about their moments at school together. They fought in the Wizarding War during their last years there, helping her Uncle Harry defeat, y'know who. Anyways, her family had a legacy she was meant to uphold, and she would. She had too, or else her existence would carry no purpose in her book.
Rose sat on her couch, curled up with Hogwarts: A History, her Mum's old edition from when she was her age. Rose drank up each page, imagining herself prancing through the grand hallways. Of course, she had visited numerous times before, given that both her parents played a remarkable role in its history, but this upcoming time would be different -- this time she would be on her own and following her own path. Roses' legacy, not the Granger-Weasley legacy, even though that was equally as important.
"The post should be here any minute now. Harry told me Albus received his letter this morning," Da told her. He was reading the Daily Prophet with his reading glasses resting on the edge of his nose.
"You have been saying that for hours," Rose groaned. "What if it doesn't come... what if it was lost?" Even the mere thought made her want to throw up her pancakes from that morning.
"Of course, it will love," Mum said, taking Rose's hand into her own. "You know how the owls can be. They are unpredictable. Perhaps they sent an untrained one."
"Maybe," Rose muttered, not completely convinced. Even if she was dying of nerves, she was grateful to have her parents home for once. They were both highly ranked members of the Ministry, and she only saw them briefly in the mornings and at night-- not to mention all the work trips they went on. Even when they were home, they looked exhausted, especially her Mum. Her dad was good at separating himself from his work when he was at home, always making time to play with Rose and do silly things with her. Her mum, on the other hand, lived with constant stress and worry, her brain and body in chronic tiredness. Rose worried for her, but she knew she would be okay. Hermione Granger was the strongest witch and person she had ever met.
People always expected an immediate peace following the war, but the effects still lingered everywhere. The brutal aftermath remained, tainting the world in loss, and it was her family's job to clean it. Multiple rebel Death Eaters still existed in hiding, destruction was everywhere, and the threats never stopped. It never seemed to end, even though y'know who was dead. Not only that, but her entire family was a "liability." Given her relation to Uncle Harry, Rose had a target on her head since the moment she was born. Any of the remaining Death Eaters was an immediate threat to her. Rose still did not understand the complexities of it all, but she just knew to never leave her house alone, and her parents strayed away from crowded areas.
The sound of a squawk pulled Rose away from her thoughts. An owl collided with the window, falling to the floor.
"It's here!" Rose screamed. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"
"No running, Rose!" Her mum shouted after her as Rose ran outside. Rose opened the front door, checking on the owl first to make sure it was alright.
"You poor thing," Rose frowned, petting its forehead, but flinched as the owl tried to bite her. "Okay, never mind, I do not feel bad for you."
Rose sprinted back inside, waving her letter in the air. "It's here, my letter!" She jumped up and down, and smiled when she saw her parents filming her on their camera.
"Well, go on, open it," Da encouraged her. However, before she ripped open the letter, something made her pause. Peculiar, the letter was addressed to her parents and not her.
"Wait, I thought it was meant to say my name. It says your names," Rose said, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I've studied both of your letters numerous times, and they both said your name." Mum took the letter from her hands, turning it around to study it.
"Strange, it is from Hogwarts. I reckon it is simply a mistake, love." She replied, but an underlying doubt graced her features. Mum opened the letter, skimming the contents, her face paling.
"Mum, what's wrong?" Rose asked, a sickness pooling in her stomach. "You look like you've seen a dementor."
"Ron, look at this," Mum said, passing him the letter. My Da took it, his mouth opening at the sight.
"Bloody hell. Can they even do that?"
"I dunno. I've never heard anything like this before." Mum replied quietly.
"Can someone please tell me what's going on!" Rose cried out, planting her hands impatiently on her hips. Her parents looked at one another with worry.
"Love, I'm sorry but..." Her Da began.
"But what!"
"Hermione, you tell her," Da elbowed her mum.
"Honestly, Ronald. You always pin the hard stuff on me," Mum rolled her eyes. "Look, Rose. Apparently... your magic hasn't... the school is unsure if you have any."
"What do-do you mean?" Rose stuttered.
"The letters arrive for those deemed witches or wizards, but apparently, they did not sense any magic from you."
(TUN. TUN. TUN. the suspense builds. the first few chapters are going to be mostly fluff build-up, but the story will pick up shortly. be excited.)