The Black Rose Castle

The Black Rose Castle

Prologue part one~ Typical Rich French Girl

Thalia Leigh Marie Maris was a simple girl. She was your typical fifteen year old Australian that lived in a nice town that was always busy and full of interesting people. She had a loving family, made up of a mother, a father an eleven year old sister named Clio Jane Marie Maris. But she and her family didn't live in Australia; in fact they really didn't live in a place that most people knew about. They lived in a town called Hogsmeade; they were also a wizarding family.

Thalia had grown up in the world of magic, she was born in Australia and then her family moved to England when she was three. Her parents decided that she needed to be brought up in the world of magic. They wanted her to be familiar with her natural culture and to be brought up in the world that her father never knew as children, not until this eleventh birthday.

Well there was that and her father, William Maris, had been offered a job at the Ministry of Magic, in the Department of International Magical Co-operation. Thalia's father was a wizarding lawyer, and he had wanted to move to Hogsmeade for some time before Thalia was even born but couldn't leave his job. So he put in for transfer and after three years a position came up in the International Magical office of Law and everything turned out fine.

Her mother, Julia Maris, even got a position at the Pest Advisory Bureau, which was in The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Which meant that for the past thirteen years of her life Thalia had grown up in the only all wizarding town in England, in a reasonably rich family. She attended Hogsmeade Primary School, but now it she attended, what was known as the greatest wizarding school in the world, Hogwarts.

It was September 1st, the day she would be leaving to go back to Hogwarts. She liked getting away to school; mainly because she could get away from her younger sister but CJ had received her Hogwarts letter thus meaning that for the next two years Thalia would be stuck with Clio. Who was the unofficial queen of prepness and all-that-tis-girly. But she'll grow out of it. Hopefully.

~*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*~

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, frowning at my messy, almost fuzzy, light brown hair. I get this crazy hair from my dad, except his would lay flat when he combed it. But mine is just mental. I continued brushing my wild hair and smiled at my light blue eyes. I love them; they're translucent in the light but are really deep in the dark. They're the same as my mothers, I also have her pale, soft skin and small, rounded lips. Her small nose and I always shine with pride when people said how I'm "Just like you're mother..."

But my mother has blonde hair, which is really what sets us apart. But Clio has the wonderful blonde hair. Every calls her CJ and she has our fathers brown eyes and slightly dark skin.

William Maris was half Aboriginal and half Irish. He grew up in Australia on a station in the middle of nowhere, where he raised cattle and musted sheep. He was the hot shot and when he turned eighteen he left the small country town for the big city. He went to a top university and became a lawyer. He didn't know he was a wizard until his eleventh birthday, but his parents never told him. They wanted a "normal" son. They didn't want him to go to the Magical Institute of Australia or better known as MIA or Mia, which is the only magical school in Australia.

His parents wanted him to be a lawyer, so as an attempt to make him forget about the magical world, they sent him to a privet boarding school. Where he received the greatest education there is to offer in Aus, he graduated and was indeed a lawyer but as time went on the cases were getting no different and the job was just becoming a big bore.

So he looked for a way to connect back with the wizarding world, he travelled to London to see all the amazing sites and get the small fortune that his great grandfather had left for the "next magical member of the family," he was the first one since great, great grandfather Maris had died. He told his parents he was leaving for England and thinking he would return the same man, they let him go. But in a small flower shop in Diagon Alley worked a young French witch, and my father fell in love with her at first glance. This woman was my mother, and she changed my father's life forever.

Julia Marie Gabriella Delacour was a member of one of the richest and well-known pure blooded wizarding families of France. She was born in Paris and spent her childhood running wild through the streets with her two year older brother, Evan Julius Delacour and her four year older sister, Marietta Marie Fleur Delacour

Mother had a thing for ancient Greek gods, that's why I and my sister have such, how my mother put it, stupéfiant names. Thalia was one of The Graces. She was the grace of 'good cheer'. But she was also the Muse of Comedy. Clio was the Muse of History. Why my mother liked these names so much, is way beyond me.

Back to my mothers family, which is the only side of my family I have cousins because my dad's an only child. I only have four cousins, one boy and three girls.

Firstly, the oldest child in my mum's family is tante Marietta. She was the most sensible and the glorious looking one. She never married but had two children. The reason she didn't marry was because she wanted her children to have the Delacour name, unlike my mother who knew that her children would get recognised just the same, but tante Marietta has always been a bit of a fool sometimes.

She always wanted to be involved in all situations that existed within or affected the family. Her family pride leaped to great height when she had the only male child out of her siblings.

The son is also tante Marietta's oldest. Adrien Louis Delacour, who is the heir to the Delacour fortune. And will get the fortune either when my oncle Evan dies or when he feels that Adrien is wise enough to handle such an amount of Galleons and muggle Euro's. He's the same age as myself and is probably the most normal of all the Delacour's, he's also extremely smart, which makes him the most decent of all my cousins.

Next there's Astrid Clara Marie Delacour. She is not smart, she's not absolutely gorgeous, she is not socially vigorous, she is not wise and she has no artistic ability. She is a tomboy. Not just any tomboy, but a French little princess tomboy. Meaning that she can get whatever she wants, dresses is clothes ten times too big for her and plays football a lot.

Interesting fact: In Australia football is called soccer. I know this because my father always says "the soccer's on," which is greatly annoying, not to mention confusing.

The fact that Astrid is only a year younger then me and that we used to be "best friends," in a sense, and people used to say were looked like twins, well it's very strange to remember things like that. Astrid is completely obsessed with a muggle game and it drives her mother insane. Tante Marietta always says how she wishes that Astrid was more like oncle Evan's children, who in my opinion are not all that great themselves.

Oncle Evan is the richest and most well-known of all the Delacour's. He is the mayor of the largest all wizarding town in France, Rowena Cliffs. Which is named after one of the greatest witches of all time, Rowena Ravenclaw.

Oncle Evan has two daughters, Fleur and Gabrielle. Fleur has just turned eighteen and is very well known. Mainly because she is beautiful, this is because of her great grandmother on her mother's side. She is a Veela; you know those gorgeous woman type things that become big ugly birds when their angry? Well Fleur and Gabrielle only inherited the gorgeous bit but Fleur likes to use it to her advantage although sometimes you fear she might start breathing fire because she gets so frustrated and ferocious.

Basically they are French little princesses that get what they want, Fleur just abuses her power more then Gabrielle.

So that is the amazing story of my family. I only wish I were more interesting. I believe that I am the diverse child. Unlike the others in my family, I can not speak good French. The most French thing I say is calling my tante Marietta just that, instead of Aunt, the same with oncle Evan/uncle Evan. I was brought up calling them that.

My small family aside, I would have to say I have the best of both worlds, the wizarding and muggle worlds that is. My father's family, whom I see once a year at Christmas, are muggles and my mothers family are a pure blooded wizarding family, with me and Clio breaking the supposedly perfect blood line. But as I dreamed of the large bush filled lands, where I ride my nannas white stallion until my thighs ache, a small white owl, with a little pink bow around its neck, tapped repeatedly at my window.

~*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*~

tap

tap

tap

"Thalia! Get out of you're bed now, it's is time to leave almost."

Tap

Tap

"Thalia Leigh Marie Maris, do not make me come up therre!"

taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap

"What is that bloody tapping?!" I sat up quickly in my large single bed, tossing the covers as I did so. I ran my fingers through my mattered brown hair and stared angrily at the owl. It seemed to grin as it gave a little whooo, happy that it had disturbed my slumber. I slid off my bed and onto the soft fluffy carpet. The owl hooted again and I stomped over to the window, flicked open the hatch and it fluttered in, in a very bizarre graceful manner. It flew happily onto my pillow and gave another hoot.

"Who are you?" I asked, will more demanded. The owl nodded towards its foot, wear a piece of parchment was tied. I laughed; this was because it was tied with an identical ribbon to the one around its neck. "Thank you," I said, taking the parchment. The owl gave one last hoot before flying gracefully leaping into the air and out the window.

I looked after it for a moment. Then I realised a small drisel of rain had began, meaning that it would most likely start raining tonight.

Remembering the parchment, I untied the ribbon and inside was the very familiar, neat handwriting of Ginny Weasley.

Ginny Weasley and I have been the best of friends ever since our first year at Hogwarts. We are what most people would call "the popular girls." I've been called a lot of other things which is why I said most people. It's really true, although I am a bit more in touch with my girlish side, but back when we first became friends and were more "outsiders." Ginny and I were more interested in more important things, but her little occurrence in the second year made people think that she -Ginny- was very important in the whole "fight against Voldemort," and we were instantly popular. Not only with most people in our year but also in the school. We are also very pretty girls, if I can say that without sounding to snobbish.

Ginny's the fiery, green eyed, physique girl and I'm the brownish, blue eyed, talkative girl. (I get the brownish from being part aboriginal from my father). I'm also the richest of us two, Ginny has a big family and her brother is best friends with Harry Potter, and we all know who he is. There are other popular girls, but me and Ginny call all the shots.

I returned my focus onto Ginny's letter, which was actually pretty long, considering I was going to see her that night at Hogwarts.

Dear Thai (yes, she actually calls me Thai, but pronounced tie)

Firstly, how are you? I hope your well cause I don't think I could face this year without you. I'm sending this letter with my new owl, actually it's my first owl I have ever had to call my own. Her name is Toffee. Anyway Harry's been at my house all summer, except for the first week, which he spent half at Grimmauld and half with his uncle and aunt, and it has been torture, well on my part. I am suddenly thinking that he is indeed the guy for me for a number of reasons,

Those are the reasons, good enough? What do you think? I'm not sure and that's why I need you, well that and you are my best friend.

Oh well, don't bother writing back, I'm writing this on the train, I'm sitting all alone and you'll never guess who got head boy, I'll give you five hints.

I'm hoping that's enough hints. I haven't actually seen him but I'm sure he's around somewhere gloating. Hermione told me earlier (she's head girl), but Harry got Quidditch captain which annoyed Ron, but he doesn't care cause he got a letter from heaps of Quidditch teams and their going to be "checking him out" during the year.

I'll see you tonight; we left a few hours ago.

Buh bye,

You're bestest friend ever, Ginny fish

At this point I realised my mouth was hanging open and snapped it shut quickly. I then re-read the part about Ginny's reason's for loving Harry, all over again. With a long sigh I folded up the letter and tossed it into my trunk. The I scribbled down a quick reply, sent it with my Russianblue owl (which I got from the post office) and flopped onto my large double bed. Narrowly avoiding getting caught up in the lacy curtains that surrounded it.

At that moment my mother knocked lightly on my bedroom door before poking her head in and demending that I get downstairs before she gets the cat onto me.

"The cat? I'm oh so scared," I whispered sarcastically, my mother, ignoring the fact that I had even spoke, glided across the room, swept back the curtains and glided out. All the while I stared at her with a look bombardment. She was very strange sometimes and it truly scares me.

After getting dressed in my Hogwarts robes I trotted downstairs to the large dinning hall, where my sister was seated at the end of the overly-large table. She was picking carelessly at her food and was staring absently out the large windows that covered the west wall of the room.

"Excited?" I asked, seating beside her and taking a piece of buttered toast. Clio looked at me with an angered expression. "What's the matter?" I could tell from her face, she was upset.

Clio sighed and rested her head in her hand. "Mother says we have to stay at school for the holidays." This information was not exactly shocking news to me, I knew mum and dad were planning on going to Washington for the Christmas holidays but I really didn't think they were serious. Clio narrowed her eyes at me. You knew, didn't you? They bloody don't tell me anything." She sounded more disappointed then angry; this was how she got people to tell her everything.

"Oh, CJ, you poor, poor dear," I said blankly. Clio huffed and remained seated with a grumpy look on her face. This was my relationship with my younger sister. She would get grumpy and unhappy about everything and I would mock her for it. It was pretty typical, I guess.

After breakfast I decided to go down to the village. The Maris Manor is up the opposite end of town from the train station, along the road people take to get to Madam Puddifoot's tea house. This is where I usually work during the school holidays, not because I need to but because my mother believes it's a lovely idea to get me acquainted with the townsfolk and the only people I meet there are kissy-kissy couples. This is mostly just annoying.

I walked briskly past Madam Puddifoot's, as I did not feel like talking to her and listen to her drone on about her new type of cherry-rum tea and how her flowers will be killed when the snow falls, even though this is still yet to happen.

I wondered absently down the street, I guessed people were used to this, as I did it everyday and people would walk past me, pulling on their hats or giving me a small smile as a polite gesture. This is why I really like Hogsmeade, everyone is nice and friendly and the people who aren't are most likely passing through or are old Mr Grondel from the post office.

"Thalia! Thalia Maris!" I paused when I heard the familiar voice. I closed my eyes and realised all negative energy, well I tried to but I was about to face the queen of stupidity. Slowly I turned to face the blue haired (yes blue, she coloured it blue, "It's like, my fav colour!") green eyed sixteen year old that was Victoria Aymers.

"Hey Vicky," I said, knowing that she hated being called that. Victoria didn't say anything; she just smiled falsely and linked her arm to mine.

"Wow, Thalia I only just got back to town. You know back from my uncles in New Zealand, which is like pretty close to Australia, but you know, like way prettier."

I laughed lamely and she continued to talk about her holiday in New Zealand which is like, way prettier then Australia. Remember how I told you about the other popular girls, well Victoria's one of them. She's the original "miss thing" of our year. And by that I mean she was little Miss Popular in our first year, though to our third year, in which me and Ginny took over. She was the girl everyone wanted to be, until they meet her.

And we just can't get rid of her.

"Ohmigod did you hear about Azkaban?"

"No, what happened?"

Victoria suddenly stopped, right out the front of the Post Office, where Mr Grondel spied us angrily, which was a tad worrying. But I was more worried about the expression on Victoria's face. Her eyes were wide and serious, and she seemed a little afraid.

"What happened?" I repeated.

"Oh it's terrible. The whole castle has been taken over and they believe that's where You-Know-Who is. And they say he's in there building an army, and people a flocking to Hogsmeade cause that's were they believe their gonna be safe. What do you like think?"

I thought for a moment, as my brain processed this information. At last the final step was taken. Well you could say that. Voldemort had taken Azkaban, just as he had been threatening to for the past six months. I could remember when the war had started at the beginning of last year, the ministry was attacked but not taken over, it was too protected so instead, Voldemort had promised Fudge he was going to have Azkaban, and now he had it.

"Girls," croaked Mr Grondel from the post office door. We both turned to him, both of us shocked. He sounded worried and that was never a good sign. "There's an emergency announcement."

This was probably the worst thing he could've said. Why? Because an "emergency announcement," meant that something had gone wrong with the Voldemort war.

Grondel opened the door to the post office and motioned for us to hurry in, and we did.

We walked over to the counter where Mrs Grondel was standing over an old Wizard Wireless. She said a polite hello before turning up the sound.

"The Wizarding World is in shock. Our faithful, honourable Minister" there was a short pause. "Is dead."

"Oh god!" cried Mrs Grondel, clapping her hands over her mouth. Victoria gasped, as did I. Mr Grondel, however mumbled something about his pay check, he was ignored.

"How this tragedy occurred is unknown, but all we here can ask is, "Are we safe? Can our children sleep at night knowing that the man they idolise is dead? Murdered, but think of it people as a sacrifice, but how many more people have to die before Voldemort can be stopped? We ask you Dumbledore, is Harry the one who can save us? Or can no one?

But on a happier note the new Minister will be announced tonight, that's all, back to the low singing love of Twitter Twit face."

"Girls perhaps you should go home," Mrs Grondel sighed. Victoria nodded and we left the store, both of us shocked. Did this mean Voldemort had won? The WWN guy did say Voldemort's actual name.

~*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*^_^*~

The Black Rose Castle

Prologue part two~ Typical Poor Weasley Girl

Dear Thai

Firstly, how are you? I hope your well cause I don't think I could face this year without you. I'm sending this letter with my new owl, actually it's my first owl I have ever had to call my own. Her name is Toffee. Anyway Harry's been at my house all summer, except for the first week, which he spent half at Grimmauld and half with his uncle and aunt, and it has been torture, well on my part. I am suddenly thinking that he is indeed the guy for me for a number of reasons,

I folded up the parchment, tied it with one of Toffee's pink ribbons.

"Now, Toffee. This letter has to reach Thai before the train reached Hogsmeade." I tied the parchment to my new owl's leg and she fluttered out the window. Then with a sigh I sat back in the compartment. I was alone in the compartment, but I'm not usually. Most times I sit with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville but today they were all busy. Hermione was head girl,

Harry-Quidditch captain

Ron-Head girls boyfriend

Neville-with his girlfriend, Luna Lovegood.

Bleh, my life is falling apart.

Who am I you ask? My name is Virginia Molly Weasley. I live in Ottery St. Catchpole in a house that is called The Burrow. I'm the only girl child in my family, I'm also the youngest. Sometimes this is a good thing but a lot of the time I'm left out. Like the time my brothers would play Quidditch without me, and they would travel to town and leave me at home with Percy.

But my family really isn't all that interesting, were a normal wizarding family, that is quite poor but we get along and love each other.

A small, blueish-grey owl shot in through the window and landed with a loud thrump on the seat beside me.

"Hello, Angel." Yes I recognised the owl straight away; it was my best friend, Thalia Maris', owl, whom she had named Angel, after a character from a muggle television show.

I took the parchment from Angels beak and read through Thai's reply.

Dear Gin Gin,

I am pretty damn great, I got hit in the head with a football the other day. My dad kicked it, yes very funny. I can see you laughing.

He goes "Oh Thalia honey, look out FOR THE SOCCER BALL," so I'm looking around for a soccer ball when WHAM, I'm lying on the grass with bump the size of Mt. Everest on my forhead.

So how are you? I have a strage feeling I just might see you this arvo.....but it's just a feeling. Don't be silly, of course I'm going back to Hogy's, wouldn't miss it for a half price sale in Rodeo Drive.

I really don't know what she talks about sometimes.

But I hope your well, and good luck with the Pottersta, you will need it.

See you round like a Gallon,

Thalia Leigh Marie Maris

TLMM~Queen of mean

Member of S.P.E.W *cough cough*

Member of F.P.D

Member of T.R.D

And of course

~The Queen Bitch Witches of Hogwarts~

The only thing I could do when I read this letter was laugh. Thalia always wrote the names of the groups she decided she was a member of, the only real serious groups were S.P.E.W and T.Q.B.W.H, which was a group we made up and Spew was Hermione group, which had hardly any serious members, Thalia for example only joined so she could wear a badge.

As for The Queen Bitch Witches of Hogwarts, this is the group of girls that I hang around at school. We decided on the name, it's very creative. Our groups pretty well known throughout the school, it consists of-

The Gryffindors- myself, Thalia, Jessica Moon

The Slytherins-Daphne Greengrass, Sally-Ann Perks

The Ravenclaws-Lisa Turpin, Victoria Aymers

The Hufflepuffs-Clara Aymers, Megan Jones

And that's our group and everyday my brother sees me at school he gives an hour long lecture about "associating with Slytherins!" It's very tiering and I hear the same thing each time, but it doesn't bother Daphne or Sally-Ann, who are only in our group because they hate Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode and Tracey Davis.

Most of us are in 7th year so this year we have decided that we will be looking for new members, one of them will most likely be Thalia's sister Clio.

Heres a little info on each member, well you already know about me and Thalia so I will begin with Jade Moon.

Jade is a 7^th year Gryffindor. She is a muggle-born and grew up in London. I don't know much about her because she normally hangs around Daphne and Sally-Ann. I believe that if she was re-sorted she would defiantly be put in Slytherin. She doesn't get along with anyone outside our group and has a different boyfriend each week, each she sleeps with making her a big tart.

Next is Daphne Greengrass. She is the Queen of the school. I'm very serious. She can get whatever she wants, her father is very important in the wizarding world. He is the man who keeps relations with Wizarding America under control. Without him a war could brake lose, well that's what Daphne always says. Daphne and Sally-Ann are best friends. They grew up together and I would say they are the reason the group is popular with Slytherins. Daphne absolutely hates Pansy Parkinson and she's also bad. Yes bad, as in she lives in the world of sex, drugs and alcohol.

Sally-Ann is Daphnes biggest copy cat. Sally-Ann is so obsessed with being Daphne that she even went as far as dating every guy Daphne has, all except one that is.

Lisa Turpin is a sweet, smart Ravenclaw, as is Victoria Aymers. Lisa is a 7^th year, with loads of galleons and long golden hair and dark blue eyes. Victoria was the complete opposite, with her short black hair and plain brown eyes. She was the 6^th that was known for having a different hair colour every week.

Her sister Clara Aymers is the exact same, just with slightly longer hair. Megan Jones is her best friend, and she had dusty blonde hair and light blue eyes. She had so many freckles they were impossible to count.

"Ginny! Ginny! Bloody hell there you are!"