บท 116: Gobbledegook

By the time Rowan is halfway to the course classroom, she coincidentally encountered Terry on the way with Regulus in his grasp. The two of them switch as planned with Rowan taking Regulus along to gobbledegook.

"So, how was your first day?" Rowan made small talk.

"It was mostly alright," Regulus quietly said, no doubt remembering the incident at lunch.

Rowan sighed to herself, before reaching over to gently pat Regulus on his head. "Don't worry about it, it's normal to fight between friends. I've already forgiven him, but I'm going to let him stew for a few days before I officially do. Sirius is an idiot, but I suppose I've grown fond of his brash ways."

Regulus perks up at her words and says, "Don't worry, I won't tell, Siri!"

"Siri, huh?" Rowan thought to herself at a potential new weapon.

"It looks like we're here!" Regulus exclaimed as he stepped into the classroom. To his utter delight, his four friends were there as well. They wave over at him as Regulus nervously glances up at Rowan.

Refraining from rolling her eyes in exasperation, Rowan says, "Run along and go sit with your friends." Regulus doesn't need to be told twice as he rushes over to have a seat next to his friends.

Glancing about, Rowan spots Lily and Severus to the side eagerly chattering, but the seats next to them had already been taken. Glancing about, Rowan spots an empty seat next to two chattering Ravenclaws. "I still say that you're wrong, Xeno," said, a second-year blond-haired girl with aqua-colored eyes said.

Xenophilius Lovegood shakes his shoulders causing his silver shoulder-length hair with the texture of candy floss to sway. Slightly cross-eyed, the baby-blue-eyed fourth-year said, "I'll prove it, Pandora, you'll see. I'm aiming to expose the truths that the Ministry of Magic has hidden away."

"Still a rebel, eh, Xeno?" Rowan privately thought to herself as she took the seat next to the distracted pair of future love birds. Glancing around, Rowan spots mostly 1st and second years with a rare 3rd or 4th year. Mostly the class seemed to be made up of Ravenclaws, but there were a few others from the rest of the houses.

"Prince, is this seat taken?" A somewhat familiar voice asked.

Rowan glanced up to see the round-faced Andrew Abbott. "No, not at all. Have a seat, Abbot," Rowan replied.

"Thanks," Andrew said with relief as he took the seat next to her. Glancing about, Andrew says, "Are you here alone too?"

"No," Rowan replied as she pointed at Lily and Severus sitting further down in the rows below. "But the seats were taken and so I ended up here."

"Same here," Andrew replied as he pointed at two boys sitting further away from them.

"I'm telling you, Xenophilius that it is possible!" The blond-haired girl with aqua eyes, Pandora Ravine fiercely opposed the idea.

Whirling around, Pandora spots the figures of Rowan and Andrew Abbot staring at her. "Prince, you agree with me, don't you?" Pandora argued.

Rowan suddenly blinks at being dumped in the middle of the battlefield. "Er, I'm sorry to say this we just got here. And I'm not exactly sure what the two of you are arguing about," Rowan carefully answered.

Pandora doesn't even blink as she says, "We are arguing about whether the goblin treatise is in need of revision or not. But Xeno says that the treatise is a lie and needs to be completely destroyed, while I argue the treatise is still needed."

"Well, I have to agree with both of you," Rowan finally said causing them both to narrow their blue-eyed gazes at her. "The treatise in a sense is a lie as we wizard kind have not exactly been very forthcoming regarding the treatise. But at the same time, neither have the goblins. I think both sides equally distrust each other that it would take a great deal of effort to even attempt to gather both sides at a table, much less revise the existing treatise."

Both Xeno and Pandora seem to contemplate Rowan's answer, before saying, "An acceptable answer."

Andrew Abbot merely blinks in bewilderment as if to say, "I have no idea, what is going on, but I'm glad it's over."

Rowan glanced over at Xeno and said, "And you are?"

Pandora blinks and says, "Oh, where are my manners!?" Flustered, she gestures to herself and Xeno. "I'm Pandora Ravine, a second-year Ravenclaw. And this here is Xenophilius Lovegood, a fourth-year Ravenclaw."

"Pleased to meet you, both," Rowan said as she points to herself. "I'm Rowan Prince, a second-year Slytherin."

"Interesting," Xeno murmured as he glanced over at the figure next to her.

Andrew blinks at realizing they are all staring at him. "I'm Andrew Abbot, a second-year Hufflepuff," Andrew introduced himself. "And it's nice to meet all of you."

Before any of them can reply, the door swings open to reveal a short wizard with dark hair in a sharp suit. Professor Flitwick is followed by a stack of books that quickly form a stand for him to stand on in order to be seen.

Clearing his throat, Professor Flitwick says, "It's an absolute honor and pleasure to be teaching Gobbledegook. Please open your books, we shall begin by learning how to say a simple hello in goblin." A guttural harsh rasping sound can be heard as Professor Flitwick repeats the words several times, "Maal'duun."

Rowan frowns as she tries to make more guttural-sounding noises but still falls short of the harsh rasping. She may have a talent for human languages, but not necessarily for magical ones. Glancing over, Rowan sees Severus seemingly having an easier time. Turning back to Professor Flitwick, she continues to practice as she makes detailed notes on how to properly clench her throat and flicked her tongue.

The rest of the class passes by rather quickly as they all learn the goblin alphabet and the following phrases hello, goodbye, that was quite rude, how much is that, and where is my money. By the end of the classroom, Rowan has a fierce headache, and her voice is feeling quite sore indeed. Gathering her things, Rowan says goodbye to the three in a raspy voice and heads over to Severus and Lily.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm starving," Rowan said in a hoarse voice.

"I think I'm thirstier than anything else," Severus croaked.

"We sound like toads," Lily grumbled earning a burst of sharp barking laughter from the twins.

The three of them head down to the Great Hall to get a bit to eat. On the way there, Rowan huskily commented, "Perhaps, it be best we pick up some smoothing cough drops from the infirmary to suck on during class." Lily and Severus nodded in agreement rather than speaking as their voices were quite sore.

Waving silently goodbye, Lily headed off to the Gryffindor table, while the twins return to their own house, where their friends were waiting for them. Feeling their throats, a bit tender, the twins select a soup and dinner rolls for dinner. Noticing the twins weren't speaking, Bethanie is the first to say, "I guess your throats must be pretty sore, huh?" Severus and Rowan nod their heads as they take a sip from their spoon.

"Well, I think it's great!" Terry playfully taunted. "Now, neither of you can insult me back." Severus and Rowan both smirk as they give him a two-fingered salute in reply. Terry chokes as Silvia a little forcefully pats him on the back.

"Well, I've got a batch of cough drops in my room," Bethanie offered upon seeing the twins wince as they swallow. "Since you must be utterly exhausted, how about the two of you share, and go to see Madame Pomfrey on the morrow?"

The twins nod their thanks as Tiffany jumps in and continues to chatter about the latest gossip. Apparently, Lucius Malfoy was to be officially betrothed to Narcissa Black, but as her father had unexpectedly passed away, the official engagement ceremony would not be until after Yule.

And as for the wedding, it was to be postponed for a year until the official period of mourning had passed. The Slytherin couple would not be wedded until the following late spring or early summer. Much to Tiffany's delight more than one girl was heartbroken at the thought of the handsome Malfoy heir to be betrothed. It was quite literally a most envious shock to the unwed female population of the wizarding world.