Breakfast in the Great Hall was a very noisy affair on the morning of the third task. Rowan and Severus had successfully taken all the final exams and were likely to pass with high grades. They just like the rest of the Hogwarts student body wait for the final exam results.
Sitting beside Rowan in the Great Hall are Severus and Terry who keenly chat about the upcoming Quidditch match between the Ballycastle Bats vs. the Montrose Magpies. They were the two teams within the league to win the greatest number of League Cups. It was bound to be a riveting match.
Listening in to the conversation on the opposite side of the table is Silvia who joins the conversation interjecting her own opinions on why the Montrose Magpies held the upper hand over the Ballycastle Bats. Not interested in the conversation regarding the two quidditch teams is Bethanie and Tiffany, who discuss the third task since Rowan refused to say a word on the subject. Still mid-eating, the pale, balding, plump form of Professor Slughorn appears in front of Rowan.
"Miss Prince, the champions are congregating in the chamber off to the left of the Great Hall after breakfast," Slughorn self-importantly said as he twiddled with the golden buttons on his tweed waistcoat.
"But the task is not until tonight," Rowan protested with a frown. That and well, she was still hungry.
"I'm aware of that Miss Prince," Slughorn apprehensively said. "The champions' families are invited to watch the final task as you well know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them," before waddling away.
"Tch," Severus unhappily huffed under his breath.
Annoyed by Severus's antics, Rowan coldly turns around and steely says, "Then you should have bloody well put your name in the goblet instead!" Severus rather shamefaced glances down as Terry guiltily glances away.
Huffing to herself, Rowan hastily gobbles down her breakfast, before leaving the Great Hall. Igor Karkaroff and Jean Delacour had already made their way into the chamber when she arrived. Igor Kakaroff was chattering to his parents in German. His father and mother were both dark-haired and pale. His father was tall, and robust, while his mother was thin with a hooked nose.
Igor Karkaroff quickly led his parents away after spotting Delilah Pizarro smirking in his direction from inside the Great Hall. Knowing the Slytherin girl, she would somehow cozy up to his parents, before further humiliating him. It was simply impossible to coexist with that girl!
On the other hand, Jean Delacour's parents are both rather short as well. This most certainly explained his height considering the size of his two rather diminutive parents. His father had a rather small-pointed beard while his mother seemed rather jovial, much like Jean himself.
Rowan happily spots the tall, thin figure of her grandfather and runs over. Reginald's normally stern face softens as he feels her arms go around him. The top of Rowan's head now reached his shoulder, and he had the strong inkling that his granddaughter and grandson weren't done growing yet.
Aunt Georgine looks quite smart as usual with dark raven-like winged hair. Georgine sniffs and loudly says, "At last you've done rather well for yourself given the stupidity of your brother and his friend. Did you at least break his nose?"
"No," Rowan said as she reluctantly let go of her grandfather. "But I'm planning to get even over the summer."
"Seems fairly reasonable to me," Georgine loftily said. "That Skeeter woman has she been giving you any trouble?"
"Not at all?" Rowan flashed a wicked smile.
Georgine curls her lips in pleasure as she says, "Good. We Prince's don't take sh*t from anyone."
"Georgine," Reginald said in a chiding voice.
"Oh please, brother," Georgine said a roll of her eyes. "You're hardly the exemplary example yourself. I've heard far worse things spill out of your mouth over the course of the years."
Rowan snorts as Reginald scowls at his younger sister. This is why he hated going anywhere with Georgine. Younger sisters were the worst!
"Grandfather, Aunt Georgine, I'd like to introduce you to a friend, if I may," Rowan said as she led them toward Jean Delacour.
Jean Delacour brightens up as Rowan stops before them. "This is my grandfather, Reginald Prince, and my aunt, Georgine Prince," Rowan introduced them to Jean Delacour his parents. "This is Jean Delacour, the Beauxbatons champion and a friend."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Delacour, and your parents," Reginald Prince politely said as Georgine muttered, "Likewise."
Jean Delacour brightly says, "Mon mère et ma père, pleaze allo' me to introduce mon amie, Ro'an Prince. She iz a good friend. Most kind."
"A pleazure!" Mrs. Delacour said as Mr. Delcaour muttered, "Enchanté!
The four of them chat for a bit with Rowan learning that Evan Avery's wife had passed away just after childbirth. It was a bit of a disturbing thought as it was too much of a coincidence. But at the same time, she was rather perturbed by the thought of Evans Avery now being a teenage widower and single parent all at the same time to a newborn. Even if he had something to do with his wife's death, he had more than enough on his plate now to be considered a type of justice.
A bit after that, they politely excuse themselves, before heading off to wander about on the grounds not needing a tour of Hogwarts since this was where the Prince's had attended for countless centuries. With a devilish glint in his eyes, Reginald says, "Rowan, please do introduce dear Professor Slughorn to me. It simply wouldn't do to meet your head of house."
Georgine leans over to whisper to Rowan, "Don't let him fool you, Brother is planning to cause trouble for poor dear sluggy."
Rowan wisely didn't introduce her grandfather to Professor Slughorn and instead took them around the grounds and introduced them to Hagrid. Hagrid happily prattled about as Georgine appreciatively eyed him. Georgine didn't have the least bit of trouble with his giant blood as she could appreciate a man of his size.
Seeing the glittering gleam in Aunt Georgine's eyes, Rowan tactfully said goodbye to Hagrid and hurriedly excused herself back to the Great Hall. A few minutes after Reginald dragged his rather reluctant sister, Georgine, along with him. In the Great Hall, the Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor house tables become perfectly quiet for once to the shock of the Ravenclaws and the professors present. The students are in rapt attention as though the Queen of England has arrived.
Every move that Reginald and Georgine Prince made is intently scrutinized and memorized as the two elegantly sit down alongside Rowan and Severus at the Slytherin house table. Bursts of whispers fill the Great Hall as some students crane their necks for a peek. There were countless rumors surrounding the Prince family and many of the younger generations had never had the honor of meeting a member of the Prince family (ignoring Rowan and Severus).
Severing himself a slice of a crumpet filled with raspberry jam compote, Reginald deliberately cut the crumpet into pieces causing the jam compote to ooze a bit. "So, you're Terry Greengrass," Reginald deliberately stabbed the crumpet with his fork. "The one, who led Severus so dreadfully astray."
The blood drains entirely from Terry's face as his body wilts like a shriveling flower. He tries not to quiver in fear, but his pale expression gives him away. "Yes, sir," he meekly whispered in answer.
Seeing the quivering boy in front of him, Reginald finally relents after a bout of silence. "It is amiss of me to not acknowledge your resources and ingenuity in fulfilling your objective, I commend you for it."
Terry's eyes widen in shock as if unable to believe the praise. He isn't the only one who is shocked as are Severus, Tiffany, Bethanie, Silvia, and even Rowan. It is a rather unexpected thing to say, much less from Reginald Prince. Who would ever believe it if they had not heard it for themselves?!
Having appeased the youth's fears, Reginald's voice returns to a more solemn tone. "That being said, never involve my grandchildren in one of your schemes, is that understood?" It was a command, not a request.
"Yes, sir," Terry obediently chirped as Reginald turned his attention away to fully enjoy his crumpet.
Counting his blessings, Terry vows in his heart to never do something like that ever again! Secondly, if he did, he had to make sure to never get caught! Lastly, two can keep a secret if one of them is dead! He would take care to plan accordingly in the future. A valuable lesson to learn in his youth.
With that conversation over and done with, Georgine casually chatted with Bethanie, Silvia, and Tiffany. Feeling more familiar after a time, Tiffany with awe in her voice says, "How do you look so young, Madam Prince?"
"A healthy diet and exercise," Georgine proudly said. "For beauty spells and lotions can only do so much if you're eating poorly and your body is weak."
"Exercise," Tiffany muttered to herself as she chanted the words to herself.
"I heard that you traveled to the Orient in your youth, Madam Prince," Silvia eagerly said. "Is that true?"
"I did," Georgine softly replied. "It was full of mystical wonder."
Rowan seeing the emotion in Aunt Georgine's eyes quickly changes the subject. "Have Aunt Georgine tell you about her adventures in Egypt."
"You went to Egypt too?" Silvia exclaimed.
"Oh yes, Egypt is full of luscious men," Georgine purred causing Bethanie and the girls to blush at her tone. With a teasing smile, Georgine begins to recount the PG version of her adventures while in Egypt. Needless to say, the R-rated version was not told.