Chapter 186: Professor Pollen
Walking back Rowan is rather pale when she returned to the compartment much sooner than expected by Severus, Lily, and Terry. Seeing the pallor on Rowan's face, Terry idly remarks, "What happened to you?"
Rowan only said one word, "Boys." She immediately searched for her pile of emergency snacks and stuffed her mouth with chocolate. One in consolation and the other to cleanse her mouth.
Terry seemed genuinely intrigued at the response, but he decided to tactfully bide his time. He would wait until Rowan thought she was safe. And only then he would strike!
The rest of the train ride goes by rather quickly as Rowan brainwashed herself. She stared out of the window in a daze and rather absentminded patted the purring figure of Alchemy in her lap. Soon enough it came time to dress as Alchemy sadly meowed goodbye, before climbing into his basket.
It was sheer willpower that stopped Rowan from remembering the memory as the train slid to a screeching halt. Terry, Lily, and Severus continued to chat as they stepped off the train and onto the Hogsmeade platform. The brainwashing seemed to be successful since Rowan didn't react when she spotted James among the throng of students.
At the edge of the platform, Hagrid is bellowing for the first years as the now wiser second year shook their heads in pity. The older, wiser students transfigured everyday items into umbrellas as dark clouds overhead began to thunder. Seconds later the rain began to pour down.
The four of them are lucky as Rowan and Severus happened to have an umbrella on them. Blame Rowan's paranoia, but it worked out perfectly in Severus's favor. Severus and Lily shared an umbrella, while Rowan and Terry shared the other umbrella. The four of them hurried down the muddy track trying not to fall into the sticky mud.
Through the torrent, they can barely see the parked carriages waiting up ahead in the field. The four of them dived for the nearest carriage and they are not the only ones. Several carriages are overly full, but not a single passenger is about to climb out and search for another carriage.
Having successfully commandeered a carriage, the four of them shiver feeling the cold. With a soft rattle, the carriage moved forward as they watched other scrambling students jumping into carriages squeezing up to six people in some of them. Ignoring the familiar hay scent, Rowan drily remarks, "Well, at least we're not out on the lake."
"Mm, we were lucky it didn't rain and pour that year," Terry agreed with a violent shiver from the cold. Even Lily and Severus' teeth clatter from the cold.
Seeing Rowan casting a cleaning charm on her clothes to rid her clothing of mud, the three others do the same. Having removed the mud from their clothing, they and Rowan cast a spell to dry their clothing. Hot air blasts from the tip of their wands successfully drying their clothes but also warming the carriage.
Feeling warm again, the color on everyone's faces returns including Rowan's. The four of them quickly converse as they watch the rain fall outside of the carriage. The carriage rolls up the cobbled stone road before rolling to a halt in front of the front door.
Pulling their robes over their heads, the four of them burst out of the carriage. They sprint for the great hall feeling their robes become damp again. They slide into the front hall as the floor is wet and muddy. They barely manage to catch themselves, but other students behind them fall painfully on their rears.
Pulling their rubs back down, Terry brushes droplets out of his hair. He grumbles under his breath that his clothes are damp again. Despite being damp, the four of them decide to go into the Great Hall where it is warm.
The three of them separate from Lily waving goodbye to her as Lily heads to the Gryffindor table. "Achoo," Terry loudly sneezes, "I better not catch a cold after this."
Severus almost laughs except he also loudly sneezes. Rowan decides not to jinx herself and remains silent as they arrive at the Slytherin table. Sitting down, Terry peers around but doesn't see their friends. His eyes glance at the staff table, but it is only half full.
"I wonder who the new DADA professor is?" Terry wondered out loud. "This is what the third Professor, we've had? I am starting to think there is a curse on the position."
"Maybe," Severus responded with a good amount of skepticism in his voice. "Though I must admit, it is strange that Professor Adric hasn't been found."
"You must mean his body," Terry retorted with an arched brow. Everyone believed Professor Adric is dead. Really, it was only a matter of time before they found the body.
Not wanting to dwell on the subject, Rowan changes the subject. "Who is this year's Head Boy and Head Girl?"
From behind, a voice responds, "A Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw in that order," Silvia plopped down across from them. She only paused to wipe the water dripping from her hair onto her face.
Two other girls sit down next to Silvia, Tiffany, and Bethanie. Tiffany looks remarkably dry in comparison next to Silvia. Then again Tiffany's robe appears to be very expensive and composed of various enchantments including being impervious to water. Bethanie is mostly dry as well but is a little wet like Silvia.
Marking their arrival, Rowan idly observed, "You all must have been in the carriages behind us."
"Close enough that you didn't even notice," Tiffany prettily pouted in jest.
"Yes, well, I don't tend to stick my head out of the carriage to check, when it's raining cats and dogs," Rowan drily countered.
Bethanie laughs in a ladylike fashion, "Well, that is true enough."
The girls and Rowan make small talk about how their summer trips went. Not interested in the conversation, Severus and Terry discuss the departure of a 4th year Slytherin from Hogwarts. Rumor had it the boy had gotten into severe trouble over the summer. And as a result, had been transferred over to Durmstrang for his own safety.
Though Terry speculated that the boy had slept or impregnated someone he should not have. It wasn't out of the question. And it wasn't like pureblood couples didn't have marital affairs.
Losing interest in the ongoing conversation, Rowan turns to glance around. She spots Regulus sitting further down the table. He is sitting next to two identical girls from his year. Apparently, the girls aren't twin's rather cousins. The two female cousins are the children of a pair of mother and father identical twins which certainly explained the girl's identical appearance.
Glancing over to the front hall, Rowan waits for the entrance of Professor McGonagall accompanied by the first years. It isn't long after the sound of footsteps is heard and the Great Hall falls silent. The figure of Professor McGonagall is shortly seen sweeping forward only to be followed by a flock of nervous first years.
Though Professor McGonagall appeared to be normal, there is a sad air that clings to her. Then again, the love of Minerva McGonagall's life had been killed by Fenrir Greyback. The only small measure of consolation is that there were not many fatalities in the village of Caithness. And unlike the other timeline, the brothers of McGonagall along with their families are still alive.
Turning away, Rowan gazes at the pale line of nervous 1st years before raising her gaze above. Lightning can be seen brightly flashing amid the dark clouds as endless rain seems to pour down. She tunes out the song of the Sorting Hat gazing at the scenery above.
The first-year student goes up and is a Ravenclaw. Rowan doesn't see who the student is since it is not a name she has heard before. She only pays attention when she hears the name, J. E. Prewitt. The boy was sorted into Ravenclaw as well.
Rowan frowned in thought at the boy's name. Molly Weasley herself had said that she and her brothers were the last of the Prewett. Possibly a distant cousin, who died in the war? It wasn't until Rowan realized the spelling of the name is different. It is J.E. PREWITT not PREWETT. There was a one-letter difference, how embarrassing.
The sorting continues until at long last the last student is sorted. The hall falls silent as the headmaster rises from the head of the table. Professor Albus Dumbledore's gleaming white hair and beard are tucked into his belt. His robes are mauve colored with purple embroidered runes that are enchanted to move.
Professor Dumbledore's blue child-like eyes twinkle from behind half-moon spectacles. "Welcome to Hogwarts on this rather fierce night!" A soft rumbling chuckle is heard from the students at the headmaster's remark.
"As we are all aware, Professor Adric still tragically remains missing. He shall be missed of that I am sure," Dumbledore said as more than one face disagreed with the statement. "As such the Dueling club is once more discontinued until further notice."
There is a loud collective moan from this year's 5th and 7th years. Professor Adric was an utter git, but at least he knew how to teach the D.A.D.A. The 5th and 7th years could only desperately hope that the latest professor was more like Professor Adric and not like Professor Stricken. Professor Stricken had been the D.A.D.A.'s version of Professor Binns.
Seeing the depressed faces of the 5th and 7th years, Dumbledore's eyes twinkle even more merrily. "On that note, please welcome our newest professor for the post, Professor Pollen."
Everyone claps as they crane their necks to gaze at the new professor. Professor Pollen is an almost flat-chested woman with curly hair to her shoulders and a sprinkle of freckles over the bridge of her nose. And unlike the professor before her, Professor Pollen had a warm inviting smile on her face. This more than anything caused a sigh of relief for many of the students.
(Though if a smile counted as competency, Rowan didn't know what they would have made out of Professor Lockhart).
Seeing the student's hungry impatient expressions, Dumbledore happily announces the signal they have all been waiting for, "Let us eat!" The students cheer and hungrily turn to face forward as the golden goblets and platters filled with piles of food.
With care, Rowan picked what she liked and served herself. Rather hungry, she managed to eat two plates plus a plateful of dessert. With a full belly, she had room for one last dessert to cleanse her palate with a small scoop of raspberry sherbet.
"I must say, they really outdid themselves this year," Rowan privately thought to herself with sincere gratitude towards the Hogwarts house elves.
After some time, the chatter died down as Professor Dumbledore gave a speech, before leading them in song. Rowan had been prepared and plugged her ears. With the last notes hanging in the air, Dumbledore clears his misty eyes. "Music, ahh. Well off to bed!"
With a loud groan, Terry and Severus rose and followed along with huge, bulging bellies. "That's what you get for eating four plates and two plates of dessert," Rowan chided them though slightly impressed by their monstrous appetite.
"But it was so good," Terry moaned rubbing his aching belly.
"I regret nothing," Severus mumbled under his breath.
"So, you say now," Rowan knowingly argued with a dubious glance. She just knew they were going to be sick later tonight.
The Slytherins made their way into the dorms and dispersed with the boys and girls to one side. Climbing up the stairs, Rowan read the name tags on the doors until she found her name on the third floor. The Slytherin tradition is to move the older students up. The lower levels of the dormitories are for the use of the 1st and 2nd years.
Rowan and the rest of the 3rd year girls would remain on this level until their 6th year. After which they would be moved up to the highest levels. It certainly meant more staircases to climb. Though rumor had it, it was apparently worth it. The 6th & 7th years had the best quarters in Slytherin.
Being the first to arrive, Rowan gazes into the dormitory. Not much is different it is larger and has more furniture for their personal use. There is a vanity table, their clothing dressers are much larger along with a clothing closet, and a large round table with four comfortable chairs. The table could be used to study at, chat, or even play wizarding chess or gobstones on. Overall, it is not a bad upgrade.
What Rowan liked the most is the enlarged bathroom. There are three cubicles for the lavatory with a door for each of them including the two showers, and bath. There are three sinks along with three mirrors to wash at. The privacy is nice, but moreover as there are three. It is easy enough to share between four.
Hearing footsteps Rowan emerges from the bathroom only to see Tiffany flop down onto the bed with a large groan. Their beds now had bed curtains for privacy. A handy feature to keep out the cold and give them a semblance of privacy.
"Well, as soon as you undress, you can go to bed," Silvia yawned as she began to prepare for bed.
With a loud groan, Tiffany got up to put on her pajamas, before crawling into bed. She wasn't the only one as everyone else did the same and fell fast asleep including Rowan. And honestly speaking, they were going to need it.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
EsliEsma
EsliEsma Those returning back to school, after the holidays, you have my deepest sympathies.
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