A hop and a skip later, Rowan and Severus blink out of sorts only to find themselves on the grounds of Prince Manor instead of 7th Meadow Lane. Seeing the twins puzzled expressions Georgine murmurs, "Your grandfather was worried about anything happening to the two of you if we kept apparating directly into the forest. With the aid of Sir Knight Prince, he adjusted the wards for the Prince heirs to be able to directly apparate and from disparate from the grounds."
"Well, that is certainly convenient," Rowan pensively remarked as Georgine's lips twitched into a faint smile.
"Come along, your grandfather awaits inside," Georgine firmly reminded them and led them across the vast lawn. "He will have a private word with the two of you in the study."
"Uh-oh," Severus said causing both Georgine and Rowan to stare at him.
Severus sheepishly glances away and says, "I might have taken some of Grandfather's books out of the study."
"Though that does merit punishment that is not the reason for your summons," Georgine drily said knowing full well that her brother loved his precious books.
The great front doors open as Dawn still a bit red-eyed with grief and says, "Dawn welcomes Miss Georgine, and the young master and mistress. Please let Dawn take your travel bags for the Master has requested the young master mistress's presence."
"Thank you, Dawn," Both Severus and Rowan said in unison as Dawn took their bags with a smile and popped away.
Georgine left the two of them in the hallway as she said over her shoulder, "Don't worry, Reginald won't bite. Probably." With lips twitching with mirth, she turned the corner and retreated to her own personal quarters for the day. She needed a nap and shouldn't have woken up so early.
The two of them enter their grandfather's study to find his study as usual. Open books are strewn across the room with an assortment of potions, which Severus and Reginald were both working on. In the corner of the room is a neat pile of books, which Rowan has claimed as her own.
There is an old, delicate manuscript with yellow parchment paper spread open across grandfather's desk. Reginald's lips are sent into a frown as he reads and pauses at sensing the presence of his grandchildren. Leaving the manuscript open, Reginald raises his gaze to greet his grandchildren. "How was your breath of fresh air? I hope that you enjoyed yourselves at the Evans home."
"It was nice," Severus confessed as he wryly took a seat across from their grandfather.
"And you, Rowan?"
"I enjoyed running around town again," Rowan sheepishly admitted. "I hadn't realized I had missed it."
Reginald pensively nods his head in understanding, before saying, "I am certain the both of you are curious as to why I have summoned you so soon after your return home."
Seeing his grandchildren's wry expressions, Reginald says, "There is a family secret to explain now that which the entire wizarding world is aware of." And so, Reginald explains the truth behind the Prince family and that of their ancestry.
Once Reginald finishes recounting the tale, Severus sputters in shock except for Rowan causing Reginald to raise an eyebrow at the lack of reaction. "You don't seem to be in shock, Rowan."
"James Potter sent Lily a copy of the Daily Prophet this morning," Rowan plainly explained. "There's not much to be shocked about."
Severus choked and pointed accusingly at Rowan. "And why didn't you say anything?"
Flashing a wolfish smile, Rowan smugly replies, "Because you didn't ask."
Severus begins to flush in anger as Rowan says, "I was also told that we carry the blood of Godric Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff through our muggle father. I suppose he's actually a squib, isn't he grandfather?"
Severus whirls around to stare at his grandfather as Reginald slowly nods his head. "Yes, he is a squib descended via his maternal line to Godric Gryffindor and through the paternal lines from Helga Hufflepuff."
Reginald doesn't ask the obvious question while Severus is in the room as Severus shouts, "Does everyone keep secrets from me?!"
"It's only human nature, Severus, don't be so ignorant," Rowan plainly chastised him.
Severus opens and closes his mouth, before saying, "I'm going for a walk!" And slamming the door behind him as he stomps out of the study.
"Well, that went well," Rowan honestly commented given Severus's temperament.
"And how did you learn that Rowan?" Reginald finally asked.
"A snake told me," Rowan promtly answered back for it wasn't a lie.
"A snake?"
"Yes."
"What kind of snake?"
"A very long-lived snake."
"At Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
Reginald's eyes widen as he connects the pieces together. "Don't tell me that the rumors about the Chamber of Secrets were real?!"
"It was," Rowan confessed without glancing at her grandfather.
"Was it a Basilisk?" Reginald hissed as he leaned forward.
"It's dead now."
"What were you thinking? You could have died!"
Rowan doesn't react as Reginald says, "The Basilisk skin that was you all along? That's why the goblins invited you to the auction!"
"And that is precisely, why I didn't say anything," Rowan said with a tired sigh. "You would have stopped me, grandfather, and it needed to be done."
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Reginald says, "I assume that you destroyed the Basilisk so that this Lord Vold-."
"Don't say his name!" Rowan hissed causing Reginald to pause. "He has a rather nasty spell triggered to those that say his name. His real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, a half-blood. Call him Riddle instead."
"Riddle?" Reginald muttered as he furrowed his brows. "Where have I heard that name before?" Reginald's eyes widen in shock as he recalls the name. "Not the half-blood murderer who implicated his uncle Morfin Gaunt for a crime he did not commit?!"
"Precisely," Rowan drily responded.
"So, he's been a monster ever since then," Reginald mused out loud. "And let me make an educated guess that girl that died, Myrtle Warren is somehow related to him as the Basilisk must have killed her."
"Correct yet again," Rowan applauded her grandfather in her heart.
"Dear Merlin," Reginald said as he rubbed his face. "Is this what you have Moody and them doing all this time?"
"I can't say," Rowan said. "For the strands of fate will change even more."
"Then I won't ask again," Reginald clarified as he glanced at Rowan. "So, did you at least get a pretty galleon from the goblins?"
"After a 15% commission, I earned 1,814,738 galleons and one knut," Rowan grinned causing Reginald to let out a soft whistle.
"Well, it would seem that I no longer have to provide any pocket money for you," Reginald teased at seeing the sudden gloomy expression on Rowan's face.
After a moment, Rowan finally seems to make up her mind. "Grandfather, I was told by someone that I have Gilbert Grindelwald's eyes. My muggle father, is there any truth to that?"
Seeing Reginald unable to respond, Rowan's eyes widen as she slowly says, "You're afraid," not able to believe the utter stillness in his eyes.
"I am afraid for both of you," Reginald tightly said. "The two of you carry the bloodlines of three of the Hogwarts founders not to mention the heritage of the Prince family itself. These bloodlines will endow the two of you with power and a number of gifts, but they are not without a price. They come with their own burdens to bear. Both of you have shown a number of gifts, some rare and others not so uncommon."
Reginald paused to purse his lips. "That being said it is not impossible for either of you to have inherited something of Gilbert Grindelwald as well."
"How is that even remotely possible?!"
"That I don't know. But what I do know is that his bloodline appeared three generations ago. Whether from regular means or not, I do not know. I can confidently say this much, it is likely from unnatural means. Gellert Grindelwald did not care for the female flesh."
There is a bout of silence as Rowan wraps her mind around the implications. It wasn't that surprising Gellert Grindelwald was infamous for his magical experimentation. Grindelwald was similar to Voldemort delving into the dark arts. However, unlike Voldemort, Grindelwald never lost sight of himself or his goals.
After some time, Rowan tentatively asks, "Are you afraid that Severus and I will turn dark?"
"That is a concern, but no, that is not my main concern."
"Then what is?"
"Wizards commonly begin to come into their power at age fifteen until they are finished by their 7th year. Yet I have begun to feel the initial crackle of power being emitted by you and your brother ever since the death of Sirsa-," Reginald's voice broke at that moment. He quickly recomposed himself as if nothing had transpired and resumed his sentence. "I fear that the two of you will come early into your power and as a result be severely harmed or harm others in the process."
Rowan is unable to dispute the truth of her grandfather's words. "Then what should we do?"
"I had originally wanted to wait until after your fourth year," Reginald sadly replied, "Alas, the circumstances being that they are, I have called in a favor. The two of you will be permitted to take the C.S.A.E., (the comprehension student apprenticeship exam) at the end of July. I will see to it personally that you will be apprenticed before your return to Hogwarts in the fall."
"I would like to verbally protest that we don't have nearly sufficient time to appropriately prepare," Rowan tiredly sighed and furrowed her brow. "Still, if your concerns are true, this is the best choice for us."
Rowan raised her gaze and scowled at her grandfather. "Though I must admit I am rather peeved. I would have liked to have known that Sir Knight Prince was a parselmouth as well."
"It wasn't my secret to tell," Reginald calmly responded without hesitation causing Rowan to frown in understanding.
"Shall I be the one to inform Severus or will you, grandfather?"
"No sense in worrying him even more. I'll just have him practice potions with me and pretend to test him on them."
"I suppose that will have to do."
"It will."
Rowan nodded, before rising to her feet. "Thank you, grandfather, for not prying."
Reginald rises from his seat and bends down. He places a gentle kiss on the top of her forehead. "I won't be cause for burden," Reginald said, before patting her gently on the head.
Reginald watches his granddaughter go with heavy eyes, before slumping back into his seat. This needed to work or else he feared what would occur upon their return to Hogwarts. There would be many who would seek ally with them, but an equal many who would hate them upon sight.
And all it would take was a single incident to doom them both. With that endeavor in mind, he quickly set out items, before summoning Dawn to bring Severus back down. Even if Severus hated him for the rest of the year. He would do what was best for them.