It was the middle of the week when Professor Slughorn had the typically agitated Slytherin female Prefect grab all the 3rd year girls before dinner that day and have them assemble in an empty classroom in the dungeons. All the girls were staring at each other suspiciously wondering which one of them had gotten the rest of them in trouble. More than some dubious looks were cast Rowan's way causing Silvia and Tiffany to glare back.
Quyen and her gang sneered back but they didn't dare snark out loud since the prickly female Prefect Delilah Pizarro was with them. The poor female Prefect's chopped short hair was more than a bit untidy. Her cooked nose was pale with rather gaunt cheekbones pointing at a lack of sufficient sleep. No one in their right mind was about to be the first to trigger that fatal booby trap. Because the idiot who did so would probably be stuck in detention until Christmas.
Prefect Pizarro curtly instructs them to "Have a seat."
All of the third years girls neatly sit down in the rows of chairs without fuss. But the dungeon classroom was rather chilly as they settled down in their seats. They all subconsciously shivered at the damp, cool of the empty classroom. Pulling their robes tighter around themselves, they warm their hands in their sleeves or shove them in their pockets.
Slowly whispered conversations spring up as Tiffany wrinkles her nose and leans over to whisper, "What do you think this is all about?"
"I don't know, but I saw Prefect Traver's grabbing all the third-year boys and taking them to another classroom," Silvia whispered back.
"Well, whatever the boys did, I highly doubt we'd be in trouble for it as well," Bethanie quietly interjected. "Unless of course, one of the girls was in on it."
Rowan on the other hand had a strong inkling that it was an entirely different subject. And considering the placement of the chalkboard it looked like it would be some kind of lesson. But what kind would be the better question?
Before Rowan can speculate out loud her suspicions, Perfect Pizarro glares at them to quiet down. Instantly the whispers die down including Rowan, who obediently closes her mouth shut.
The classroom is not silent for long when the sound of rustling skirts and footsteps can be heard down the hallway. As a collective group, all the girls turn their heads towards the open doorway to only see a familiar figure in a red dress, white apron, and white matron cap. The matron of Hogwarts, Madam Poppy Pomfrey.
Madam Pomfrey warmly smiles at them as with a flick of her wand she closes the door to the classroom behind her and flutters to a halt in front of the classroom. The girls glance at each other in confusion as Madam Pomfrey kindly says, "Well, I'm sure that all of the young ladies are wondering why all of you are seated before me, correct?"
All the girls nod their heads as Madam Pomfrey continues, "It is my duty as Matron of Hogwarts to ensure all of the students are properly informed and taught."
A strange feeling of dread begins to creep up in the pit of Rowan's stomach as the other girls have bewildered expressions on their faces. What exactly was the matron of the infirmary going to teach them? It wasn't as though they were planning to become healers nor did the Matron usually offer any such lessons. And even if the Infirmary Matron decided to do so, it certainly wouldn't be to teach the third-year students but rather the seventh-year students.
"On this fine evening, it is my sacred duty in the absence of your mothers and female relatives to explain the wonderous transfiguration of your bodies into young ladies and the solemn implications of such changes," Madam Pomfrey confidently explained.
Instantly the girl's faces turn red including Rowan's. Madam Pomfrey ignores the horrified and utterly mortified expressions of the third-year girls. "I know that this is a rather sensitive subject, but it is a topic of vital importance that needs to be discussed now that most of you, young ladies have already suffered your first blood moon."
Seeing the girl's embarrassed gazes that absolutely refused to meet her gaze, Madam Pomfrey hides a knowing smile recalling the same lesson so many years ago in her youth. Pointing her wand at the drawing board, Madam Pomfrey draws an outline of the male and female reproductive organs.
"Now then, I am sure that most of you have already begun to notice yourself or your friend's breasts-," all the girls flinch at Madam Pomfrey so plainly pointing out said physical change.
"Female breasts can be big, medium, or small, but whichever the case, they are features that will enable all of you to feed any future children," Madam Pomfrey calmly explained causing more than one girl to sink into her seat trying not to die from embarrassment.
"Please be aware that while your breasts are growing oftentimes your skin will feel itchy as the skin stretches. This is perfectly normal but please do not try to overly scratch. Should it become a problem, I have special medicated lotions to rub into the skin to ease said effects," Madam Pomfrey explained to the disturbed relief of some of the girls like Bethanie. Since Bethanie had been among those who had blossomed early though she was far from having the largest bosom in their 3rd year.
"That being said, I am sure that some of you have noticed the excess hair growing all over your bodies including under your armpits and in your loin area," the moment, Madam Pomfrey had "loin," the girls shuddered in utter horror, stifling the urge to cover their ears.
Madam Pomfrey ignores the girl's expressions and briskly continues, "Now then, there are different manners in which to remove, or trim said hair. I shall be teaching you, two general shaving spells. The first spell will remove all hair in the said body area, where the wand is pointed at. The second spell will neatly trim down the hair in said area, where the wand is pointed at."
Madam Pomfrey in slow motion shows them the wand movement, before saying the first spell, "Rado."
Madam Pomfrey turns to them and says, "Go now and roll your sleeves and practice on only one of your arms. The other part of the arm will be used to practice the second spell."
Flushed with embarrassment the girls avoid looking at each other as they roll up their sleeves. Rowan's own ears are bright pink as she mutters the spell under her breath and watches the soft, very thin hair on her arms simply vanish away leaving her skin baby smooth.
Seeing that all the girls were done, Madam Pomfrey goes to the next spell and shows them the wand motions, before saying, "Radi." Finished Madam Pomfrey motions for the girls to go ahead and practice.
Rowan hastily does so to only see the fuzzy tiny hairs on her arm all become neatly trimmed to the same size. Though that would certainly make trimming in the future easier, it wasn't a subject she really wanted to think about nor much less discuss. Hastily pulling down her sleeves she takes a seat and waits for the rest of the girls to finish. It probably wouldn't get any worse than this.
Satisfied with the girl's progress and all the girls seated once more, Madam Pomfrey says, "Excellent job, my lovely lasses, now onto the most important discussion, Maidenhood."
Rowan wilts down in her own seat at the vile spoken words. She was so wrong. It could always get much worse!