The Troublesome Life of Jeanine Rosier

I Should Have Been in Hufflepuff…

'What House would I like to be sorted into?' she wondered to herself. Her parents would obviously want her in Slytherin. 'What a bunch of ambitious, blood-obsessed morons…' she thought, looking over to the Slytherin table. 'And they're all pretty ugly, to boot.' She thought about it a little more. Some boy was sorted into Ravenclaw. 'Am I smart enough to be there?' She was, but…'I really don't want to put in the effort to make good grades,' she decided as another boy was sorted into Gryffindor. 'Am I brave?' she wondered as a girl was sorted into Hufflepuff. Nothing was really expected of them, was there? 'That might be the House for me,' Jeanine decided. 'That way, I don't have to put in so much unnecessary work. All I need is to get by, and I'll be happy.'

"Jeanine! Are you going to sleep all day?"

Jeanine groaned at the rude awakening. "If only I could," she mumbled, picking her head up from her pillows to look at her mother, a middle-aged witch with strawberry-blonde hair pulled smartly into a bun and piercing blue eyes. Jeanine shuddered under that stare. "I think I don't feel well all of a sudden. So I'll just go back to sleep." She quickly shut her hazel eyes and let her head drop onto her pillow, auburn hair falling over her face. Moments later, an invisible hand was holding Jeanine by one leg, up in the air. "Argh!" She shouted. "Okay, I'm awake! Let me down! Mother, I'm awake!"

"Ergh…" Jeanine grumbled as she slouched at breakfast. Being the last one to rise, she was the only one eating. She was dressed as a proper young witch should, with her own red-brown hair pulled back into a sleek bun, making her skinny face seem pointier than it really was. Poppy brought out fresh pancakes to the table. She immediately pushed them onto her plate and drowned everything in syrup. "Mm, good as always, Poppy," she said between mouthfuls.

"You is welcome, young miss!" Poppy said with a bow. "But you should not be slouching and eating so! Poor mistress will be distressed to see young miss this way!"

"Ah, but it's such a bother…" Jeanine protested, straightening her back anyway. As she did, she looked out the window overlooking the moor; just in time to spot a few owls over the horizon. "Mail's here!" She announced to no one in particular before turning back to her food, taking small, lady-like bites so she wouldn't upset Poppy again.

The owls arrived together, right after Jeanine finished her breakfast. A large brown one set itself right in front of Jeanine. She stared at it. It stared back. She turned red. She hated being stared at. "What?" she finally asked. It held its leg out to her. She removed the bird's burden and offered it a sticky piece of her pancake, which it denied before dipping its beak in the bird bath at the window and taking off. Jeanine looked down at the letter and found that it was addressed to her.

Jeanine Rosier
The Loft at Rosier Manor
12867 Merlin Way
Ilkley, Yorkshire

The letters were written in green ink. That could only mean one thing. "Mother!" she called. "My school acceptance has arrived!"

"Oh, do be quiet!" Jeanine's mother screeched at Jeanine's new owl, Pendragon.

"Now dear…" said her husband, Jeanine's father, soothingly. "We don't want to cause a scene…"

"I'm sorry, darling. But having to dress in these horrid Muggle clothes…" Jeanine's mother shuddered. Jeanine turned away and rolled her eyes. The clothes weren't that bad. And they were easier to move around in than robes. Well, they would be if she wasn't wearing a stupid skirt instead of pants. She found herself being turned back around to face her mother, who looked deep into Jeanine's eyes. "Listen to me, Jeanine. Make sure you keep up your appearance. You're such a pretty girl…I'll make sure to send you some Sleekeazy every week so you'll look your best. And I don't want you spending any time with those…Mudblood children." Her mother's eyes narrowed at the word mudblood. "They're bad influences, and I don't want that rubbing off on you. So don't accept being placed into any House except Slytherin, and your father and I have arranged for you to have a friend to talk to while at Hogwarts. He's your third cousin, and his name is-"

"Lucius! My good man, it's great to see you again. And Cissy, looking enchanting as usual! And that must be young master Draco, hm? A handsome lad, he is."

Draco was a good-looking eleven-year-old. Jeanine already hated him. Good-looking as he was, he still looked troublesome. He looked her up and down appraisingly before smiling at her. "Hello," he practically drawled. "A pleasure." He held out his hand to her.

"Yeah, right." Her mother nudged her. Jeanine scowled, then curtseyed to Draco while muttering that the pleasure was all hers before taking his hand. Her mother smiled proudly. Jeanine thought it was all a bother.

"…and this is my daughter, Jeanine. Sweetheart, say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," Jeanine heard her father say.

"How do you do?" she asked, giving Draco's parents a small curtsey, before the train whistle gave a warning blow.

"Let's get on the train," Draco said, waving good-bye to his parents. Jeanine said her goodbyes and followed Draco onto the train half-heartedly. They entered his compartment, where two large, dull-looking boys were waiting for him. "Crabbe, Goyle," he addressed them. They looked at him expectantly. It reminded Jeanine of dogs waiting for their master's next command. Or more likely, a treat from master's hand. The pair weren't exactly what Jeanine would define as 'thin'. "This is Jeanine Rosier. Jeanine, these two are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle."

Vincent and Gregory smiled stupidly at her, in a way she figured was meant to be pleasant. However, her parents were no longer there to make a bothersome fuss about her manners, so she brushed them off. "Yeah, sure. Whatever." She picked a window seat – far from tweedles dee and dum – and dropped almost ungracefully into it. She slouched her shoulders and closed her eyes. "Wake me when the snack trolley gets here, will you?"

"Oh, leave her," Draco said. "Didn't you hear what those girls said? Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

"But Draco, Jeanine said-"

"I don't care. Let's go give Potter a proper welcome," Draco's voice dripped with trouble as he opened the compartment door. Vincent and Gregory followed him. Jolene opened her left eye as soon as the door slid shut. She had, of course, been awake for the entire conversation.

"What a jerk," she muttered, standing and reaching into her skirt's pockets for some change. She too, walked out of the compartment. "Oh, ma'am!" she called out to the older witch walking away from her. She turned and had a pleasant smile on her face.

"Something from the trolley, dear?"

"Yes, please."

Jeanine stood line with her fellow first years, waiting to be sorted into their Houses. She hadn't really really paid much attention to what the Professor had said about sorting, but apparently, you wore a hat that shouted Houses out randomly. 'What House would I like to be sorted into?' she wondered to herself. Her parents would obviously want her in Slytherin. 'What a bunch of ambitious, blood-obsessed morons…' she thought, looking over to the Slytherin table. 'And they're all pretty ugly, to boot.' She thought about it a little more. Some boy, Terry Boot, was sorted into Ravenclaw. 'Am I smart enough to be there?' She was, but…'I really don't want to put in the effort to make good grades,' she decided as another boy, Seamus Finnigan, was sorted into Gryffindor. 'Am I brave?' she wondered as Megan Jones was sorted into Hufflepuff. Nothing was really expected of them, was there? 'That might be the House for me,' Jeanine decided. 'That way, I don't have to put in so much unnecessary work. All I need is to get by, and I'll be happy.'

"Potter, Harry!" the professor announced. Jeanine raised her eyebrows. So it was true. Harry Potter was going to be her classmate.

'I get the feeling that the next seven years are going to be very exciting…'she thought. She sighed heavily. 'Of course this sort of thing would happen to me…I just hope things aren't too crazy.'

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted. Harry looked pleased as he moved to sit at the table. Jeanine just smiled. As troublesome as he might make things, he looked like a good kid. If he wasn't so famous, Jeanine would have considered being friends with him.

"Rosier, Jeanine!"

Well, time to get going. Jeanine made her way to the stool, and sat down. The hat was placed on her head, and covered her eyes.

"Well, well…aren't we a clever girl?" a voice whispered in her ear.

Jeanine was surprised that the hat was talking to her. Although, why should she? It had been singing earlier. 'I guess I am. But I'm not very motivated, am I? I think that means I should be put in Hufflepuff.' She directed her thoughts to the hat, supposing that it would...hear them.

"True…" The voice agreed. "You're a rather brave thing, however…"

'Am I?' she asked the hat. 'Being brave takes too much effort. Couldn't I just be put in Hufflepuff?'

"Too much effort? Not very ambitious, are we?"

'Not really. So that means Slytherin is out too. I guess that means I'm in Hufflepuff!'

"Ah, but you come from a long line of Slytherins…Won't your parents be disappointed?"

'Who cares? I sure don't.'

"Now, now…" said the voice in her ear. "You could be great, you know."

'Who cares about greatness? I just want to get by…'

"Why do you want to be in Hufflepuff so badly?" the voice sounded annoyed with her.

'Why do you want to put me in Slytherin so badly?' Jeanine was just as annoyed.

"Well you know, I have the last say…" the voiced said mischievously. "And I know just where I want to put you…"

'You wouldn't dar-'

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Damn it all," Jeanine muttered as the hat was lifted off her head.

Jeanine hated the girls in her dorm. They were all obnoxious and vain and ugly and just plain troublesome. As soon as they entered their room, they started whining.

"We're under the lake? Disgusting."

"I don't want to sleep next to this window. The squid will stare at me!"

"I can't find my Sleekeazy Hair Potion! My hair will look terrible tomorrow…"

"Where is my sleeping mask? I can't impress Draco if I have bags under my eyes!"

The four girls continued with their complaints, keeping Jeanine – who was trying to sleep - awake until she finally snapped. She ripped the curtains from her bed and stared at the four girls. "Yes, we're under the lake. We'll be under the lake for the next seven years, so get used to it. And if you don't want to sleep next to the window so much, just switch with someone and shut up. Bloody hell, I'll switch with you. As for your stupid hair potion, I have loads, and I have no intention of using it; 5 Galleons for a bottle. That's half of what you would pay in Diagon Alley, take it or leave it. And you," she finally turned to the pug-nosed girl crying about Draco. "You're eleven. EE-LEH-VEN. You will not have bags under your eyes from not wearing some enchanted mask for a few nights, so stop being so silly." Every girl in the room looked as though she had been slapped before swelling indignantly to begin shouting. "Oh, don't bother yelling," she said, before any girl could open her mouth. "It's not going to make any difference to me, you troublesome things." She looked to the girl complaining about the window. "Are you going to switch beds with me, or not?"

She turned red, sputtered a bit, and finally agreed to switching beds. Jeanine nodded and pulled her sheets off the bed to move to the window. The other girl followed her lead.

"We'll leave a note for whoever tidies up in the morning to move our trunks," Jeanine said, dumping her covers onto her new bed. She looked at the Sleekeazy girl. "And what about you? Do you want the potion, or do you want to spend your first day of school with you hair looking 'terrible'?" After a few moments of resentful hemming and hawing, the Sleekeazy girl finally relented and passed Jeanine her 5 Galleons. Jeanine dug through her trunk and tossed a bottle to her. "Okay. Now, shut up and go to bed," she told them, drawing the curtains on her new four-poster bed. She left the curtain on the window side slightly open so she could watch the lake. "Good night!" she said, as a large, dark shadow passed by their window. Jeanine snorted when the other girls screamed. "Why couldn't I have less bothersome roommates?" she wondered, staring out the window before her eyes slowly closed.

"She's still asleep. Should we wake her?"

"After the way she treated us last night? Hell no. Let her get in trouble."

As soon as the door closed, Jeanine opened her left eye. Of course she was already awake. How could anyone sleep through all the noise they made? "What a bunch of jerks," she said with a yawn as she sat up. The lake glowed a pleasant blue-green. "Pretty," she commented before wondering whether she could get away with skipping classes for the day. Her stomach grumbled. "Ugh, stupid stomach." She got up and pulled her school robes on, hoping to blend in with the crowd of students, eat, and then run back to bed.

That had been the plan, anyway. Unluckily, Professor Snape found her. He stared as he handed over her schedule. Jeanine had the horrible feeling that he could tell what she was thinking. She abandoned her plot right away and turned back to her breakfast. "Man, what a drag…" she muttered, stabbing at her pancake.

Jeanine hated sitting in the common room. It was always noisy, and she couldn't nap. She walked up to her dormitory. She dropped her bag to the floor and flopped onto the bed. She looked up to the window, hoping to spot the giant squid or a mermaid swim by before she closed her eyes.

And there she was. A mermaid. A mermaid taking some leashed pet for a walk. Or for a swim, rather. Jeanine wondered what the creature was called, but thought the mermaid was beautiful. Her skin was greyish-green, just like the water, and her long, almost-wild hair was purple, and streaked with green. Her eyes were yellow. Thick ropes of pebbles hugged her neck and wrists, like jewelry. Her upper body was lean and graceful; her tail was long and powerful. The more Jeanine stared, the more she was in awe. The mermaid stared back.

"Uh…" she said, turning red. She was suddenly aware that were jaw was slackened in amazement. "Oh!" She smiled and waved, hoping she wasn't accidentally offending the mermaid. Thankfully, the mermaid smiled and waved back. Jeanine motioned for the mermaid to stay put, and ran over to her bag. She dug through it to find a roll of parchment, a quill, and some ink. She quickly scrawled something and held it up to the window.

Dumb question. Can you read this?

The mermaid smiled and nodded. Jeanine smiled back.

Excellent. My name is Jeanine. It's nice to meet you.

The mermaid read her note with interest, then smiled at Jeanine widely, showing teeth yellowed and broken from years of use. She nodded as if to say, 'It's nice to meet you too.'

I hope we can become friends. Do you swim by here often?

The mermaid nodded.

Excellent. Well, I won't keep you. As she held up her final note, Jeanine held her free hand up to the window to say goodbye. The mermaid held her hand up to Jeanine's hand, and they grinned at each other one more time before the mermaid swam away with her pet. Jeanine went and flopped back onto her bed, falling asleep with a smile on her face.

"You are not doing well, Miss Rosier," Professor Snape said to her, dropping several pieces of parchment in front of her. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Jeanine looked at the reports from her classes. They all said something along the same lines. Passes all practicals and knows information, but daydreams during classes and sleeps through tests. In danger of failing. "Well," Jeanine said slowly, "Maybe if the classes were more interesting, I would pay more attention."

Professor Snape gave her a withering look. "You. Are. Failing," he spat. "If you continue to do poorly, you will be expelled from Hogwarts. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Jeanine said, sounding exasperated. "But I don't really care. This is all such a bother anyway."

"You are from one of England's oldest and most prestigious families. And from these reports, you should be excelling in all of your classes! There is no reason you should be failing. And the excuse you give is that it's 'too troublesome'? Unacceptable." They glared at each other. "I've arranged for you to take remedial courses for the rest of the year to bring your grades up."

"What?" Jeanine said angrily. Snape ignored her.

"Furthermore, if you fail to raise your grades and keep them within a range that I find acceptable, I will be informing your parents. Your father is an old friend of mine, Miss Rosier. They would not be pleased to find that their only daughter has been slacking in her manners and her schoolwork all year. And if you think your parents are 'troublesome' now…you'll find them unbearable when you return home as a failure."

Jeanine could do nothing more than glower at the Potions Master, who almost looked amused. "Fine," she snapped. She stood up and said, through gritted teeth, "May I please be excused?"

"Yes, you may. Tomorrow, your professors will inform you of when your remedial classes will begin. Good night, Miss Rosier."

"Good night, Professor."

The Great Hall was filled with whispers.

"Did you hear?"

"Harry Potter-"

"-defeated You-Know-Who!"

"-possessing Professor Quirrell…"

"I knew there was something off about him!"

"His friends too…"

"Giant chess set!"

"There was that huge, three-headed dog…"

"Giant chess set!"

"And that Granger girl blew up a pit of Devil's Snare with a broom and flying keys!"

"I think you're getting your stories mixed up."

"Giant chess se-"

"Will you shut up about the giant chess set?"

Jeanine sighed. She knew that Harry Potter would cause a big uproar at some point this year. Wasn't it enough that he was the youngest Quidditch player Hogwarts had seen in a century? Or that he won all those points and then lost them in a matter of weeks? It didn't help that she was jealous of the Weasley kid. What was his name again? Radburt? Ralph? Whatever, the lucky snot got to match wits with a free-thinking chess set. Created by McGonagall herself. Jeanine would have liked to have a go at that. On the bright side, the commotion drew away from the exam results. Professor Snape was so bothered by Potter's antics, he hardly gloated about Jeanine's grades. She was second-best in all her exams, right after Hermione Granger, the same Muggle-born who had 'blown up a pit of Devil's Snare with a broom and flying keys.' Or whatever it really was.

Jeanine's fellow Slytherins were extremely upset. Thanks to Professor Dumbledore awarding a few extra points to Harry Potter and his friends for their aid in the defeat of the Dark Lord, Slytherin had lost the House Cup. She rolled her eyes. It was just a meaningless trophy. Why bother getting all worked up over it, especially when those other kids clearly deserve something more than just some lousy House Points for saving everyone's sorry butts? She didn't get it.

She was, however, sad that the school year was over. Classes were troublesome, but there were some things she would miss. Like her steady income from desperately vain Slytherins looking for bottles of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. Thank goodness her mother sent it to her by the case, once a week. Why her mother would think she needed that much, Jeanine would never know.

She would also miss her mermaid…friend. She looked up at the window as she closed her trunk. There she was. She swam by, her pet leashed by a rope of seaweed. Jeanine had looked up the creature in a book at the library. It was called a Grindylow. She waved. The mermaid smiled and waved back. Jeanine pulled a roll of parchment from under her pillow, and picked up the quill from her bedside desk. She dipped it into the inkwell that also sat there.

The school year is over. I'm leaving tomorrow. I'll see you next year? She wrote, then held the parchment up to the mermaid. The mermaid nodded, yes. Jeanine grinned and wrote a bit more. I want to learn to speak Mermish next year. Are you allowed to come up to the surface? The mermaid read the note, and her eyes widened with shock. She looked up at Jeanine and tilted her head, as if saying, "Really?" Jeanine nodded, and then wrote, And then I'll finally find out what your name is! The mermaid smiled widely. She looked like she was laughing. Jeanine laughed too. See you next year! The mermaid smiled at her message and placed her hand on the window. Jeanine smiled back, and placed her hand over the mermaid's to say goodbye.

So, that's chapter one. In case it wasn't obvious, this is an OC story documenting Harry's years at Hogwarts. I'll probably do a chapter for each year, then add an epilogue. So that's what, eight chapters? Yeah.

Don't ask me why I thought this was a good idea. I don't really know. Honestly, I hate myself for doing the whole, 'She's-a-Slytherin-who-doesn't-want-to-be-a-Slytherin' deal, but I do like that she's that way simply because she's not ambitious, not because it's the right thing, or whatever.

Anyway, I'll try to update this soon, for those phantom readers of mine who enjoyed this chapter.

Oh, and please review? I hate to beg, but reviews boost my morale and make me smile. Also, I enjoy constructive criticism. I would like to improve my writing, you know? Aha