With a rather depressed look the Quidditch cult made up of Slytherins returned to the Slytherin dorms as they had lost to Hufflepuff. Despite Hufflepuff having a fair amount of good-natured folk, Hufflepuff also had rather buff athletic members. The Gryffindors are naturally thrilled as they congratulate the Hufflepuff Quidditch team members.
Unlike the first match, Rowan sat next to Severus, Terry, and her roommates to blend in. Using her master ability to sleep with her eyes half-open, Rowan lightly slept through the entire match. And thanks to having sat next to Terry and the rest of them, despite having not watched the match, Rowan could still parrot the match back to anyone that might ask.
With a content yawn, Rowan trudged after the Slytherin gaggle as Severus occasionally shot his twin sister dark looks. Smirking back, Rowan says, "What's wrong my precious younger brother?" Severus snorts under his breath but doesn't dare make a remark lest Rowan trips him into the snow or shoves snow down his shirt. She had already done as much on several occasions.
Rowan is about to continue to tease Severus when she spots a group of four familiar boys sneaking across the grounds toward the forbidden forest. Preventing herself from slapping her forehead in aggravation, she grimly mutters under her breath, "Idiots will always be idiots."
"Whose an idiot?" A cheerful voice whispered into her ear.
Shivering Rowan quickly pulls away almost falling to the snow to only be caught by a pair of strong hands. Staring up at her savior, Rowan sees the painted face of Wilkes in Slytherin colors. His cheerful face smiles down at her.
"Did I scare you?" Wilkes beamed in delight though a look in his eyes didn't quite match his expression. Odd, really.
"Yeah," Rowan grumbled, before being gently put back onto her feet by Wilkes.
Wilkes releases her and says, "Did I just make your heart wildly beat in your chest, Rowan?"
Tiffany gasps in delight as Silvia shudders and Bethanie looks on disapprovingly. "Even if it did, I won't accept you!" Severus growled as he pointedly stepped in front of Rowan to glare up at Wilkes.
Wilkes cackles in delight at Severus's reaction as Terry had wisely grabbed the Head Boy Lucius Malfoy by the sleeve and solemnly pointed at Wilkes. Failing to see Lucius approach him from behind, Wilkes boldly continues, "The heart wants what the heart wants. Who am I to force my heart to without hope and despair, when the object of my affection lies right before me?"
"Oh?" Lucius' icy voice said from behind. "All I see is first years, Prefect Wilkes. Whom could you possibly be referring to?"
Wilkes pales as he hastily turns around to see the frosty disposition of Lucius with Narcissa staring down her nose in disgust at Wilkes. "It was just a friendly little joke!" Wilkes hastily protested.
"Did that seem like a joke to you, Narcissa?" Lucius coolly remarked.
"It sounded more like the degenerate comment of a pervert," Narcissa crisply replied.
"Mm, that's what I thought as well," Lucius aloofly said. "Prefect Wilkes, let us take a walk down to Slughorn's office to have a nice little chat about personal boundaries."
With a pleading and rather doomed expression, Lucius keeps a firm grip on Wilkes's robe as he easily drags him behind off to see the Head of Slytherin, Professor Slughorn. Narcissa coldly followed after not even pausing to glance at Rowan, but nevertheless, Rowan nodded her head after the both of them in genuine gratitude.
"Mm, I think Wilkes is going to be stuck in detention for some time," Silvia darkly snickered.
"Agreed," they all chimed as Terry proudly puffed up in pride at having wisely grabbed Lucius in time.
"Thanks," Rowan sincerely said causing Terry to stick out his chest even further.
"That's what friends are for," Terry proudly puffed.
"Yeah, you're right," Rowan said with a grin.
A bit sullen Severus mutters under his breath. "I could have done that as well."
Seeing the sulking expression on Severus' face, Rowan leans over to intertwine their arms together and says, "Aw, jealous, Sev?"
"As if," Severus indignantly huffed, but nevertheless, he didn't pull his arm away.
Laughing and chattering, the six of them made their way back to the Slytherin quarters until Rowan hastily lied, "I forgot something in the stands, I'll be right back."
"Hurry up, it'll be dinner soon," Bethanie called out.
Rowan motions that she understood as she hurries back and around a dark corridor teleported in the shadows of Hagrid's large wooden cabin. Luckily everyone was already inside and being hidden by Hagrid's cabin no one saw her figure suddenly appear on the grounds. Shivering at the cold breeze, Rowan tugs her cloak around and curses those idiots under her breath as she hurries across the grounds towards the forbidden forest.
Darting into the dark forest, Rowan nimbly makes her way through a narrow, winding earth trail that made its way through the thick black trees. Hopefully, they'd stuck to the path rather than wandering into the forest on their own. Not too far off the path, she hears voices and hurries towards them to see the four figures of the Marauders in the midst of a snowball fight.
"You buffoons!" Rowan snapped. "Do you have any common sense!"
The four boys sheepishly stop as James wipes the snow out of his hair, while Pettigrew says, "We were just having some fun! Don't be such a worrywart!"
Rowan ignores Pettigrew's comment. "Are you trying to get yourselves killed?!"
"We really were just going for a walk!" Lupin protested.
"There is a bloody Acromantula nest in there!" Rowan growled. "Do you want all your insides to be sucked dry!"
The four boys gulp as Sirius stammers, "C'mon Rowan, it can't be that bad-."
A loud snap in the distance causes them all to be quiet as the forest is suddenly eerily quiet. None of them dare to move as Rowan reaches for her wand and warily gazes around. Despite not hearing anything, Rowan doesn't lower her wand until suddenly a large figure erupts from the bushes.
The four boys scramble as Rowan points her wand at the creature who halts before them. A majestic white unicorn stands before them and paws the ground with its hooves. "I think it wants us to leave," Pettigrew tremblingly said.
"You think?" Lupin finally snapped.
Putting her wand away, Rowan makes soft horse trainer noises and gently approaches the unicorn with her hand outstretched. The unicorn snorts and tosses its mane as it lets out a huff and smell's her hand. Rowan finally comes to a stop and gently reaches up to caress the unicorn's head much like that of a horse. The unicorn gently breathes into Rowan's hair and allows her to gently pet it.
Seeing the unicorn mare so very still, Rowan softly says, "If the four of you would like you can slowly approach, and she'll let you touch her." Thanks to her tree dryad heritage, animals and other magical creatures could sense the touch of forest magic within her and tended to be rather docile in her presence.
The four rather eagerly approach the unicorn as Rowan firmly instructs them. "Let the mare first sniff your hands so she can recognize your scent." The four of them gently approach and do as they are told, before gently patting the mare's silvery coat and mane.
"I thought you said you were bad with living creatures," Sirius pointedly remarked.
"I'm only bad when putting them in potions," Rowan firmly retorted. "I'm not bad with them in real life."
"Well, I think this is the most at ease I've seen you," James cheekily grinned having noticed the gentle light in her eyes.
Rowan snorts and reluctantly moves her hand away and says, "We best be going back if we don't want to get detention." The unicorn mare whickers at them and shakes her head as if in understanding causing the boys to step back. The unicorn snorts at them as if telling them to get going, before darting back into the trees.
The five of them hurry back onto the path as the shadows grow darker and the sun is almost gone over the horizon. With just a glimmer of sunlight left the five of them burst out of the Forbidden Forest and make through way back to the glimmering castle. Half-frozen, the five of them burst through the front doors and hurry towards the Great Hall to warm themselves.
Shivering James' teeth clatter as he says, "Thanks."
"Yum," Rowan muttered as the scent of food filled her nose. With some delight, she recognizes the scent and bursts into the hall to spot a new recipe on the table, vegetable curry.
Hurrying over to the Slytherin table, James shakes his head as he watches Rowan hurries away to sit next to Severus. "What are you looking at mate?" Sirius grumbled feeling rather hungry now.
"Nothing," James grinned back. "Race you," he shouted rushing towards the Gryffindor table.
Sirius let out an excited woot and races James. The two of them end up getting shouted at by Professor McGonagall, while Pettigrew and Lupin sit down to eat. They are shortly after joined by James and Sirius who look wholly unrepentant. Still, dinner is definitely different. It is a new mild, spicy dish called curry. It is rather enjoyable as it warmed them right up. And would quickly become a popular dish among the student body.