The rest of the weekend was filled with rumors about her and Xenophilius Lovegood. The first time she was asked about their budding romance, Rowan sprayed a mouthful of juice all over the table. Thankfully she only sprayed the area in front of her as Severus and Terry at her sides looked on with wrinkled noses. But it was only the start as the rumors just took root and everyone glanced at her with glances of pity and a bit of admiration for daring to be so bold.
Nor was the letter received from her grandfather and grandmother. Apparently, they were rather disappointed with her and rather blatantly asked whether she was already stepping out with a boy. Rather firmly, Rowan had replied that it had merely been a youthful curiosity and that no she had not been stepping out with Xenophilius Lovegoods. He was of no interest to her beyond a simple school friendship.
The letter did not appear to convince her grandparents very much as a second letter was sent in follow-up suggesting that she dowse her Gryffindor tendencies as she was very much a Slytherin. Not that Rowan could think of a comeback at that point and merely replied that it wouldn't happen again.
Contrary to belief it was with quite some relief that Rowan greeted the first day of class. Herbology wasn't too bad as they were much too busy potting and pruning that the Hufflepuffs didn't have any idle time to gossip. Although Andrew Abbot did jovially tease her for a bit knowing perfectly well that Rowan had no romantic interest in Lovegood.
It wasn't until Transfiguration that some of the cattier Slytherin house members loudly gossiped about her to her face. Ignoring the jeers, Rowan set out to turn the pair of rabbits before her into slippers. She hated to transfigure living things into objects. Not really trying she mumbled the incantation and pointed her wand at the pair of rabbits before her. A burst of magic blasted out of her wand not only turning the two rabbits into mere night slippers but fancy jewelry-encrusted slippers.
Rowan just blankly stares at the beautiful slippers before her as Professor McGonagall stares with a bit of surprise in her eyes. "Well done, Miss Prince. Ten Points to Slytherin!"
Before moving on with a frown, Professor McGonagall said, "Miss Crowley! Take care where you cast that spell!" Earning snickers and laughter as Quyen Crowley turned bright red and muttered under her breath.
Rowan blankly nods as she clenches her wand that much tighter in her hand. It hadn't just been her imagination since that night, her magic was stronger than before. Lips pressed into a thin line she slumped back into her seat as Severus eyed her a bit worriedly.
"You won us points, Rowan," Severus softly remarked. "Put on a smile at least."
Rowan's lips twitch into a painful smile as Severus furrowed his brow. "Don't be patronizing!"
Turning back to his own rabbit with a tsk-tsk, Severus points his wand and says the incantation to transform the pair of rabbits into night slippers. The spell was executed perfectly as the pair of slippers turned into elegant cobalt-colored slippers.
"Well done, Mr. Prince," Professor McGonagall said in approval as she passed by. "Ten points to Slytherin!"
Severus beamed with pride as the rest of the Slytherins muttered something about being a teacher's pet. Still, the rest of the class passed by rather quickly as Severus practiced several more times, while Rowan wouldn't even hold her wand in her hand. Either way, Severus quite happily left the classroom with his head held high.
In a bit of a daze, Rowan suddenly found herself in their goblin classroom with no clear memory of how she got there. Blinking, she found to her surprise that the blond girl at her side was obviously pouting with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Pandora is something wrong?" Rowan asked as Andrew Abbot at her side snorted loudly earning himself a dark look from Rowan to be silent and remain so.
Pandora Ravine pursed her lips and softly said, "Were you out seeing the stars with Xeno during Easter break?"
Andrew Abbot holds his breath as he waits to listen for the juicy gossip. Just because he was a Hufflepuff didn't mean he didn't like to know things.
Rowan makes a face and says, "No, Pandora, I most certainly was not. It was actually a strange coincidence as I never even crossed paths with Xeno that night."
Pandora studies Rowan's face for a moment before she is convinced and lets out a sigh of relief. "I thought as much," Pandora much more warmly said as she uncrossed her arms to offer a small smile. "That's what Xeno said too, but I found it rather strange that you were both out on the same night."
Shrugging her shoulders, Rowan says, "Life is strange like that at times."
"What's strange at times?" Xenophilius Lovegood asked as he took his regular seat next to Pandora.
"About the romantic rumors between the two of us," Rowan drily answered.
Xeno snorted in annoyance, "Noisy gossips the whole lot of them! As if I have any time for romance when the truth still remains unknown to the wizarding masses!"
"What is?" Pandora interrupted as she offered Xeno a warm smile.
"That the attack at the Malfoy Ball this Christmas past was obviously planned and well executed proving in fact that there is an evil organization hellbent on ruling the wizarding world as we know it! But not only that but the Ministry of Magic is slowly being infiltrated by these madmen!" Xeno breathlessly explained as Pandora politely nodded, while Andrew rolled his eyes from behind Rowan's back.
On the other hand, Rowan couldn't find it in herself to laugh or snicker. Because as Ironic as it was that wasn't far flung from the truth. And that was more than a tad frightening.
Any further thoughts or conversation was interrupted as Professor Flitwick swopped in and said, "I hope that none of you have forgotten what we've been studying over Easter Break!"
"No, sir!" The entire class replied in Gobbledegook.
"Excellent!" Professor Flitwick replied back in goblin, before switching back to English. "Now, pull out your parchment and quills. We've got notes to make!" The students did as they were told as Professor Flitwick began to go over terms that they were previously unfamiliar with. Needless to say, it was a rather tiring day.