Saturday morning, the Great Hall is abuzz with fervent quidditch speculations. On the other side of the Great Hall, the quidditch fans among the Slytherins and Gryffindors glare at each other from their respective table. These house members have their faces painted in their house colors and make alpha animal-like gestures to each other from across the Great Hall. It's all the testosterone in the air.
Ignoring the quidditch rivalry, Rowan eats her sausages and eggs. She frowns at the bland taste and mutters about needing ketchup. That or at least some spices even salt and pepper would be welcomed.
"I've been reading Quidditch Through the Ages," Terry Greengrass excitedly exclaimed. "Did you know there are more than 700 ways to commit a foul?!"
"Really?" Severus inquisitively muttered. "Maybe I should read it too."
"Mm, I'll lend it to you once I'm done," Terry cheerfully promised before taking a bit of his brunch.
The two boys eagerly continue to chat about Quidditch, while Tiffany's strawberry blond head bobs up and down still half-asleep. Bethanie motherly looks after Tiffany to ensure; she doesn't plop her face-first into the plate in front of her. On the other hand, Silvia listens raptly to the conversation between Severus and Terry joining their conversation.
The soft rustle of robes caused Rowan to stop eating to glance up. Prefect Wilkes with mischief evident in his eyes plops down next to Rowan. "Do I detect a lack of Slytherin spirit upon youthful face?" The Slytherin Prefect teased the first-year Slytherin.
Rowan's face goes blank at Prefect Wilkes painted face in green and silver Slytherins house colors. "Aren't you a Perfect?" She tactfully redirected the question back to him. "You're supposed to be setting an example."
"And I am by showing my house spirit!" Wilkes gleefully answered. "Besides as long as I perform my Prefect duties, none of the professors will make a comment to my lovely decorum."
"Right," Rowan drily murmured glancing back down at her plate.
"Ah, do I detect a lack of Quidditch team spirit?" Wilkes wickedly cackled.
Not rising to the bait, Rowan asks, "And why aren't you eating with the 5th years, Prefect Wilkes?"
"Because they're still getting ready," Wilkes ruefully grinned. His eyes grow bright at spotting fellow yearlings. Waving to them, he loudly shouts, "Friends, we have an unbeliever among us!"
The urge to bolt causes Rowan to stiffen, but she would not get far with the rapidly approaching crowd of 5th-year Slytherins. If anything, the slightest sign of flight would be seen as an acknowledgement of guilt. She remains seated as the Slytherins surround her. Underneath the table, she waves her wand muttering a barely audible whisper. Something softly zooms beneath the table to land straight in her lap.
"What's this I hear about there being an unbeliever in our house?" Pointedly inquired, a large burly Slytherin 5th year.
Just like at the Salem Witch Trials, Wilkes pointed out and shouted out his accusation. "There is a first-year Slytherin, who is an unbeliever!"
Rowan's face darkens at the accusation, while Terry somberly leans over to whisper to Severus. "Apparently unbelievers must be taught to believe in the Slytherin house spirit."
"Why do you doubt our great house?" The burly 5th year rumbled as the other fanatical 5th years eye Rowan like a cannibalistic tribe would eye a human as prey to be devoured.
"I do not doubt," Rowan hastily defended herself "I merely asked, where all the 5th years were, and Wilkes shouted that strangest remark."
"We are not convinced," the 5th year rumbled as the other surrounding 5th years grunt in agreement.
Rowan parroted Terry's passing remarks during breakfast. "I know that there are 700 ways to commit a foul in Quidditch."
"Yes, but that does not mean you are a believer," the burly 5th year argued.
Rowan reaches into her pocket and pulls out a Slytherin banner and a cheering device. "I am just keeping my emotions in check to be suddenly released at the match." A lie, of course.
Terry's eyes widen as he suddenly recognizes the items and hastily searches only to find them empty. His eyes further widen as he gapes and wondered just when Rowan had the time to flinch them away? It is a daunting impossibility since Severus has been sitting between them the entire time!
"A Believer!" A 5th year cried out as Wilkes rose from his seat and went to sit with his friends. The 5th-year Slytherins as a group turn to glare back at the Gryffindors on the other end of the Great Hall.
"Cultists," Rowan grumbled to herself as she subtly handed the stolen items back to Terry, who desperately takes them back like a worried mother, who had her baby stolen.
Severus's eyes widen in shock at witnessing the unfolding transaction. "Wait, those are Terry's?"
"Of course," Rowan pointedly arched her brow. "When have you ever seen me buy anything related to Quidditch?"
"How-?" Severus indignantly sputtered, "Just when did you take them?!"
Rowan cheekily smiles back and doesn't reply while Terry protectively puts his items away. Terry did not know how or when Rowan had taken them. It couldn't have been long ago, but it is a mystery that Terry did not care to find out nor repeat.
At 10:30 a.m., the students spill out onto the grounds heading towards the Quidditch stands. The quidditch match would commence exactly at eleven. Having no choice but to attend, Rowan lazily yawns following after Terry and Severus. The sky is overcast and there is a chilly wind.
It was not that Rowan did not like sports, she is rather fond of football (also known as Soccer) which is not the American variety. Neither is it the fact that she disliked Quidditch. It is simply she did not trust a sport with enchanted items charmed to attack anyone including possible spectators.
Uneasy about the entire match, Rowan finds a seat on the lower edge of the stands. Should anything occur, she can easily leap down safely to the ground without breaking both legs. On the other hand, Severus and Terry did not care to sit so low on the ground. The two of them wanted a better view and went up the stands to the upper-middle level for a better view of the field.
The stands fill up as students scramble to find seats with their friends. Spotting Terry and Severus, Bethanie, Sylvia, and Tiffany scurry up the stands to sit next to their two friends. Sitting down with a frown, Tiffany's head whirls about searching for their missing friend. "Where's Rowan?"
"Somewhere down below," Terry pointed to the lower edge of the stands that is teeming with Slytherins.
"Yeah, but why?" Tiffany bewilderingly asked. "These are such good seats!"
Severus and Terry share a look until Severus drily responds, "It is Rowan, we're talking about. What I mean to say is that despite the fact that we're twins even I don't know half of what goes on in her head."
"This morning, I think I heard her mumbling something about sporting hazards," Silvia idly remarked.
"Same here," Bethany answered in confirmation.
Not hearing a response, they all turn to stare at Terry, who is peering through a pair of Binoculars. "What?!" Terry asked looking away as they all gave him dark looks for not paying attention.
"Fine, you want the truth?" Terry huffed. "Rowan simply doesn't like Quidditch. We all know how much Rowan hates flying on a broom! Quidditch probably makes her all queasy to be perfectly honest." Silvia looks horrified at the statement, while Tiffany and Silvia seem saddened by the news.
Terry glances at Severus for further confirmation who is rather pensive after the remark. "You're probably right," he quietly concluded recalling Rowan's dislike of their flying lessons.
Seeing Severus so readily agree with them, they change the subject. Not long after, they are interrupted by the arrival of the 5th-year Slytherins. The Slytherins carry a massive silver and emerald banner with an enchanted emerald serpent that moves all on its own. The Gryffindors are not ones to remain quiet in front of their foe. They proudly hold up a massive banner with roaring orange lions across a crimson background. Needless to say, blood was boiling for both sides for their legendary rivalry spanned hundreds of years since the very founding of Hogwarts.