Adverse Reactions

Rose appeared in front of the lonely and beautiful cottage outside Tinworth on the coast. The soft sea breeze blew her hair as she walked the cobblestone path up to the front door. Rose could only walk forward and try to avoid looking at her blood-soaked clothing that was slowly starting to reek of death. Bill and Fleur had told her that she could come and hide at their cottage anytime she felt scared and this was just the moment where she could take them up on their offer.

Rose was trapped. Her father was dead. Her mother was gone. All she had to rely on were her friends and family and although there was an obvious sense of confusion among them, she knew she could trust them. Even then she was sure of their love for her.

Then why had she come here?

Rose thought it was so she could get away from the screaming and the crying. All of those sounds haunted her in her dreams. Rose was eleven years old and even at this age she was possessed by a power that no one else had ever managed to accomplish by this age. Her mother was to blame for that. When Hermione had heard that there was a rebellion of pure blooded witches and wizards, she had made it clear that she wanted Rose to be able to protect herself if something should happen to them. The regimen of training had happened and progressed. In the months preceding Hogwarts, Rose had learned different levitating charms, transfiguration spells and every hex she could learn. Rose was a fast learner and wanted to know more and more spells.

In the three weeks before she left, Rose learned the patronus spell, the apparation skill, a series of powerful defense spells and lastly, she taught herself the three unforgivable curses. Hermione didn’t even know that Rose knew those spells. Everything Rose saw, she tried to learn and the combination of her mother’s quick intellect, Aunt Ginny’s bravery and a little help from her best friend Scorpius, Rose had succeeded in knowing more spells than any other student in the first four years of Hogwarts.

The inside of the cabin was just as cold as it was outside. Rose locked the door behind her and lit a soft fire in the fireplace where she could warm her hands and face. It was a relaxing feeling for her to be alone in a house for the first time since the death of her father. Although Rose had tried to hide it, Scorpius had known that her father’s death killed her. Ron had been the comic relief to her mother’s intense intellect, the practical teacher for things like family and flying and just the fun things that her mother had not taught her. Truly she was trapped in a mix of sorrow and fear. Now, it was her turn to protect her mother.

“You knew they would come for your family Rosalind.” The strict voice from the kitchen made Rose jump almost five feet in the air and turn her wand toward the sound. Standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living area was Headmistress McGonagall. Rose breathed a soft sigh of relief.

“You scared me. I thought someone was coming for me again.” Rose reseated herself and watched as the Headmistress crossed toward the fire. Rose watched her movements and noticed a slight glittering item within her robes. Professor McGonagall seated herself in a large armchair across from Rose.

“Rosalind. You have gotten yourself in a great deal of trouble. You are an unregistered animagus. You have preformed illegal apparations. You have used a very dangerous curse on another child.” Rose lowered her head and whimpered.

“Professor…I…I just…”

“Let me finish Rosalind.” Rose looked up at the woman. However, she was smiling.

“I want to tell you a story. You see. Nineteen years ago, your mother and father, Harry and Draco all started their first years at Hogwarts. I was their transfiguration teacher at the time. In their first year, Professor Dumbledore entrusted Harry with his father’s old invisibility cloak which he then passed on to James. I remember because James, Kyrie and Roxanne all broke into the restricted section of the library to steal a book.”

Rose giggled a little. Gran Molly always talked about how Fred and George were a set of twin troublemakers. G.J. and Roxanne took after their father a lot. Professor McGonagall raised one eyebrow and looked at her.

“Ironically, it was the same book that you and Albus stole this past year. The one to make a polyjuice potion. Your mother and Harry stole the same book their second year.”

Rose was awestruck. The same book. The same methods.

“That’s not all Rose. In their fifth year, Hermione created coins that looked like galleons to create a method of communication for Dumbledore’s Army. You, Albus and Scorpius use the same coins to send messages to each other now.”

“In their sixth year, Harry borrowed professor Snape’s copy of Advanced Potions and kept it. Inside was a curse that Snape created called Sectumsempra. Snape used it on Harry’s father, Harry used it on Draco and you used it on Kyrie an hour ago.”

“You being an animagus isn’t a singular thing either. James, Sirius, Remus and a man named Peter Pettigrew were all the…”

“The makers of the Marauders’ Map!!” Rose interjected, pulling a sheet of parchment from her pocket. “James stole it from Uncle Harry’s desk and gave it to Albus two or three months ago. We’ve been using it to spy!”

The young girl was excited that she knew something about all of this.

“Yes, I know. Those four men were all unregistered Animagi as well.” Professor McGonagall watched as Rose realized what she was saying.

“Rosalind. All of these things. The coins that were made by your mother to protect the school. They were then used by Draco Malfoy to start the war inside the school. The potions book that had the spell you used on Kyrie was owned by Professor Snape, who Albus is named after and after him, it was owned by your Uncle and used to curse Scorpius’s father.

The invisibility cloak owned by James Potter and then Harry and the James and now Albus was one of the items that helped Harry destroy the Dark Lord. Albus is named after Professor Dumbledore who gave the invisibility cloak to Harry in his first year.

The map that was made by James, Sirius and Remus was thrown into the hands of the twins Fred and George Weasley and then it was given to Harry and then James and now you. The book with the polyjuice potion spell was stolen by your mother before you.

Rose. None of this is a coincidence. You were meant to find these things. You were meant to be helped by Albus and Scorpius. All of these pressures that have been thrown on you are just a continuation of generations of very powerful things that you and your family have experienced.

And now I have a few gifts that I want to give you.”

Rose was stunned as this had all been revealed to her. Everything made sense. The coins, the spell, the cloak…everything just fit into the framework like a well worked puzzle. She looked back at the Headmistress and noticed what she was holding in her hand. A large glittering sword had been drawn from within her robes. Rose’s eyes grew large as she watched the movements of the sword.

“What is it?” Rose asked. She extended her hand and grasped the heavy blade.

“This is the sword of Godric Gryffindor. You uncle was granted this sword. It has had many uses. In Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, he used it to defeat the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets and save Ginny Weasley for the grasp of the Dark Lord. It was used by both Professor Dumbledore and Harry to destroy the horcruxes that were keeping the Dark Lord Invincible. In the end, it was used by Professor Longbottom to kill the Dark Lord’s snake Nagini which was the last horcrux and that enabled Harry to kill the Dark Lord once and for all.

Now, I am giving you this sword because I know that you and the person you trust most can save your mother from a fate that she does not deserve.”

Rose looked at the sword and blushed. This was truly a powerful gift and she could sense it. Everything about this sword made her feel powerful.

“Professor?” Rose asked tentatively. She nodded. “Do you think that I could take Scorpio’s dad with me?”

“I have one more gift to give you.” Professor McGonagall pulled a small necklace with a gold hourglass on it. Rose took the small trinket and held it close.

“What is it Professor?” Her curiosity was powerful.

“Careful!” Professor McGonagall warned. “It is a time turner. You turn the hourglass the number of times as you want hours and it will take you back in time to that hour. However, you will not change locations. Although I hope you will never have to use it, I want to make sure you have this.”

“Thank you!” Rose placed the necklace around her neck and tucked it into her shirt to conceal it.

“There are rules Ms. Weasley.” Another warning. “When you travel back in time you must not talk to yourself or talk to anyone that could influence the future. You must be very careful not to be seen. Be warned that some things in the past cannot be changed. You can’t change anything that has happened so far. Only from this point forward can you change time. I will retrieve this from you once you have retrieved Hermione.”

Professor McGonagall rose and started to walk out of the room. Rose looked at the items and smiled to herself. Professor McGonagall paused at the doorway and turned toward her.

“Be careful Rosalind. I know you will.”

Rose stopped her from walking out the door.

“This item…did it belong to Harry as well?” Professor McGonagall just smiled.

“No. It was your mother’s.”

And with that, the Headmistress left the cottage.