บท 637: Supervision

On the morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Rowan awoke rather early in bed as she lay in bed and stared at the roof of her canopy bed. There were intricate carvings of fantastical beasts that had been engrained into the wood that had been carved by long-ago expert craftsmen. Her mind strays away from the expert craftsmanship and returns to the events of the Hunger's moon. Ever since that night she had been going over and over in her mind the pensive memories left by Marcellus searching for any details that may have escaped her at that time.

One such detail was that of the Ravenclaw friend of Bertie that went by the name of Beedle. The time period maybe would have been that of Beedle, the Bard, who wrote the famous wizarding children's storybook, "The Tales of Beedle, the Bard." But then again, it was certainly feasible that in secret family oral folklore the whispered events even reached the ears of later generations until Beedle, the Bard, who knew that much more than he should and preserved secretly, and somewhat abstractly in his own words. Whatever the case, it did not matter.

Often wizarding society seemed to forget that Gryffindor's were not the only ones who possessed courage. Countless others did or else the Auror's corps would be solely made up of Gryffindors! For courage can always be found even in the unlikeliest of places.

Putting her thoughts away, for the time being, Rowan rises from her bed and prepares for her long day. After a quick shower, and dress, she makes her way down into the common room to post a penned note on the common room board. Muttering a charm, the note sticks neatly onto the board as she steps back and nods in approval to reads the neatly written words.

"To third years and above, the carriages for Hogsmeade will depart as early as 8 o'clock in the morning. Please mind yourselves as there will be a Prefect's on patrol and points will be docked and detentions assigned for misbehavior upon returning to Hogwarts. All students are required to return on the last carriages from Hogsmeade that depart at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, no exceptions. Disobedience and failure upon return will incur a loss of fifty points per individual and a minimum of two weeks detention with Professor Mortimer."

And Professor Mortimer was a far more terrifying threat than Professor Slughorn, Rowan darkly thought to herself, before she resumed reading.

"To all first and second years, Prefect Severus Prince shall remain at Hogwarts for the entire duration of the Hogsmeade trip. Board games may be played in the common room area and must be neatly put away upon no further use. Outings on the ground and elsewhere in the castle are permitted, but any flying is confined to the outer grounds. Any student found flying around or near the vicinity of the Forbidden Forest and Whomping Willow shall be docked ten points per individual and assigned detention with Professor Mortimer. That also includes other inappropriate behaviors that will cost a loss of points and detention if deemed appropriate.

Sincerely,

Prefect Rowan Prince."

Satisfied that she had laid down the law, Rowan turns around to depart when she hears footsteps emitted from the boy's staircase. Glancing over she sees the figure of her twin brother, Severus. He looked rather well put together if not a pale as though he had not slept as much as he had desired. A faint smile appears on his lips as Severus spots his twin sister and the notice on the common room board.

"Well, that should certainly make things easier," Severus remarked as they both moved away from the common room and towards the Slytherin common room entrance.

"I thought it best to make the rules abundantly clear lest the pesty brats find a way around them," Rowan mockingly muttered as the wall slid open for them and out into the dungeons. The two of them shiver as the frigid dungeon air hits them and they hurry away.

"They always do," Severus muttered breathlessly as they hurry up the winding staircase and emerge at the front hall and make their way into the Great Hall for breakfast.

The Great Hall is devoid of others this early in the morning as they sit down at the Slytherin table and wait for the food to begin to appear. While they wait, Rowan casts a look up at the enchanted ceiling and finds that the sky is somewhat cloudy with chilly winds. Good thing she was wearing her house scarf, warm leather fur-lined gloves accompanied by a fur-lined cloak with a hood to keep her warm during the full day of patrol at Hogsmeade that day.

With a faint swoosh-like sound plates of food begin to appear before them as Rowan happily serves herself a cinnamon roll along with eggs, sausages, toast, and some fruit. She needed to have a well-rounded breakfast that morning in order to keep up with the energetic little brats later in the day. Happily grabbing a bottle of Ketchup, she pours some on her eggs and starts to eat; while Severus has a faintly disturbed expression on his face at seeing his twin sister eat her scrambled eggs with ketchup. Ug, so vaguely American, it was always rather distressing to observe.

The only sound that can be heard is the clinking of their silverware until Severus's silverware come to an abrupt halt. Severus hesitates for a moment, before murmuring, "Lily is on Prefect duty in Hogsmeade. I expect that she will meet up with Prongs for lunch at Madam Puddifoot's or at the Three Broomsticks."

Rowan slowly lowers her silverware and peers through her eyelashes at her twin brother. "Is that a problem?" She asked, all the while carefully observing Severus.

"I-, I am not sure," Severus confessed as he furrowed his brow. "I am genuinely happy for them both, but it still stings to even think about Lily in that manner with Prongs."

"Mm, well that is to be expected," Rowan mumbled back before stabbing a slice of her cinnamon roll with her fork and stuffing it into her mouth to eat. Chewing for a bit, she finally swallows and says, "So, how does it go?" And fixing her twin brother with a stern look.

Severus is silent for a moment, before finally saying, "I think about her less and less with each passing day until hardly at all. I think I am nearly there, Rowan."

Rowan nods her head with a bit of a relieved expression on her face. "Just know this much, Sev, if you decide to not continue as planned, I will always be on your side," she truthfully confessed as she stared her twin brother in the eye. Because she would always choose him in end. Always.

"I know," Severus murmured sincerely in embarrassment, before glancing away, and taking a large bite of his food.

Hiding her smile, Rowan clacks open her pocket watch to glance down at the time. Seeing the time, she snaps the pocket watch shut and takes one last bite of her food, before rising to her feet. "Well, I must be off, I have a schedule to keep," she briskly said, before turning away.

Furrowing his brows, Severus calls out after her. "Aren't you going to wait for James, Rowan? It's a tradition."

Rowan's foot halts mid-step as she is still for a moment, before turning her head and replying over her shoulder. "I am certain that Potter has forgotten, Severus. And I must be going," before rapidly exiting out of the Great Hall leaving Severus to pensively stare after his twin sister's fading figure with thoughts only that he knew.