Not long after they encounter the straw-colored hair and freckled figure of Barty Crouch with his friend and likely girlfriend, a square-jawed witch, Letitia Bones. Rumor had it the Bones weren't exactly pleased with the match, but the Crouch's definitely are. Either way, the two had been getting into less mischief than usual. Ever since, the golden trio (of Regulus, Leticia, Barty, and Dirk) had begun dating their dastardly deeds had dropped by 50%. Of course, they could have just gotten sneakier….
Glancing away, Rowan spots Regulus and Bethanie with Tiffany, and Sirius entering Madam Puddifoot's Tea shop. It truly must be love for Regulus especially Sirius (who vowed to never) set foot in the popular couples' destination. Still, she didn't spot Terry and Sylvia in their company, but Rowan knew that they hadn't planned on coming down to Hogsmeade. Sylvia still preferred the quiet and wasn't still fully to herself. However, after the success of Regulus and Sirius's romantic picnic, Terry thought to plan one of their own.
Personally, Rowan, Bethanie, and Tiffany all agreed that it was a good idea. It would help distract Sylvia without pulling her out of her comfort zone. And it would ensure that if Sylvia felt the slightest feeling of being overwhelmed, she could safely retreat to their dorms. And they weren't the only ones with the same idea as Lily remained behind at Hogwarts with Severus, while Remus patrolled Hogsmeade and allowed him to go on a date with his girlfriend, Mary.
On her way past, Ceridwen's Cauldron shop, Rowan spots the curly flaxen head of Dirk Cresswell, who was still gangly as ever. He is accompanied by his girlfriend, a certain shaggy-haired witch with wire-rimmed spectacles, Dorothy Cabot. The two of them chat about an obscure property of Deathcaps as they head towards Dogweed and Deathcap, a shop in Hogsmeade that sold exotic plants and flowers.
"Eyes forward!" Rowan hoarsely snapped and glared at a pair of boys who had nearly run into her and James. The two boys momentarily slowed down before hurrying away with their Zonko's contraband! They knew if they were caught, their purchases would happily be taken away by Rowan. But in Rowan's defense, she was merely fulfilling her duties as Prefect to confiscate banned items on Filch's list. Albeitedly she may have taken a bit too much pleasure in doing so.
Looping back around, Rowan passes by the shops again including a Hairdressing salon, the Hogsmeade post office, and a few other shops, before arriving at the brightly colored door to Zonko's. Rowan halted outside of the large shop through the shop window.
The large shop is full of countless jokes and tricks to try out on unsuspecting friends or enemies. The Dungbombs were high up on a shelf to deter the hands of thieving students. However, on the lower shelves, there were things like Hiccough Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, Sugar Quills, and Nose-Biting Teacups. The shop is bustling with eager students including the suspicious mustached shopkeeper with a cartoon villain mustache.
Rowan almost turns away before spotting someone new helping in the shop. Normally she wouldn't have taken note of such things, but the new shop aide appeared to be normal which was downright abnormal in Zonko's Joke Shop. The new aide looked to be in his mid-twenties to early thirties. He had auburn hair and olive-colored eyes. He appeared to be rather good-natured with a slightly roguish smile.
Rowan personally made a note to warn the other Prefect's lest some of the transfer students get any strange ideas. Hogwarts still hadn't gotten over the last scandal and they most certainly not going to have another one under Rowan's watch! And she didn't want to deal with another proposition involving assistant Herbology Professor Douglas Winfrey again.
A strange gasp causes Rowan to glance over only to see a mostly gray-haired witch with slight traces of auburn hair still present. Her olive-colored eyes are transfixed inside the shop as the elder witch gasps and clutches at her chest. "No, it's impossible," the witch feebly repeated to herself. "My Dayn is dead." She continued to repeat this to herself as her breathing worsened.
Rowan shares a worried glance with James and carefully approaches the witch flashing her Hogwarts Prefect badge. "Madam, might I help you sit down?" She cautiously asked.
The elder witch turns to Rowan and James clutching her chest. "I can't breathe," she gasped before toppling over with her eyes rolling back showing the whites of her eyes.
James dives to catch the witch, while Rowan manages to grab her by the arm. Between the two of them, they set her down on the floor as a crowd begins to gather. Rowan kneels down to take her pulse and feels it is a bit faint but nothing to worry about. Rising to her feet, she shoos the crowd away. "Nothing to see folks, she just needs to catch her breath." The crowd reluctantly begins to disperse leaving only a few people remaining behind.
A middle-aged witch with bright auburn hair and olive-colored eyes swiftly approaches them. "Mother," the witch worriedly said hurrying over to kneel next to her mother. "What happened!" The witch frostily demanded to know.
"She fainted," Rowan bluntly replied. "And though her heart is still beating, it feels faint. Her skin is cold and clammy, and her breathing is shallow. I'd recommend she be immediately looked at."
"Fainted!" The middle-aged witch frowned. "My mother would never faint under any circumstances!"
Rowan and James share a glance before James interjects, "Regardless, your mother needs to be tended to Madam." The middle-aged witch sends a grim glance at them, before levitating her mother into the air and hurrying away without so much as a word of thanks.
"Well, that went well," James drily remarked as Rowan held out her hand for him to take. Rising to his feet, James brushes the dust off of his robes, before saying, "Shall we go?"
"Mm," Rowan mutters but not before sending one last pensive glance in the direction of the inside of Zonko's Joke shop, before turning away. She had Prefect duties to fulfill. And the closer of an eye she kept on everyone, the less of a hassle she would have to deal with later.
While Rowan was busy with her Prefect duties gossip began to spread through Hogsmeade. Some of those among the crowd had recognized the fainted witch as Clarice, the wife of the former Potentate of London. The whispers flew even more as those that truly knew the family recognized the uncanny resemblance of the new shop aide to the deceased youngest son of Sanderson. The rumors grew wilder and wilder spreading through Hogsmeade into Hogs Head Inn. From there the rumor really took flight reaching the ears of faithful Death Eaters.
Within the confines of the Gibbons manor, the pale skeleton figure of Lord Voldemort observes the muggle village down below. His long, pale spider-like hands caress the top of his Horcruxes's head. The serpent, Nagini hisses maliciously turning its flat viper head towards the door. "Someone comes," the serpent hissed, before scenting the air with its tongue, "The large one."
Voldemort's crimson serpent eyes flash in annoyance. He had specifically ordered to not be disturbed. He flexes his pale fingers causing his razor-sharp blue talons to glint in the air. A knock is heard at the door. "Enter," he coldly commanded.
A burly Death Eater, Seth enters, and bows before falling onto his knees before the Dark Lord. "Master, I bring urgent news."
"And what is so urgent that my explicit orders to not be disturbed are disobeyed?" Voldemort icily asked.
Seth barely refrains from gulping as the uncanny serpent uncoils itself from the feet of Lord Voldemort. "At Hogsmeade, Sanderson's wife was seen fainting."
"You disobeyed my orders for mere gossip fodder?" Voldemort asked crimson eyes glittering dangerously as the serpent darted across the floor.
"No, milord!" Seth protested as the uncanny serpent rapidly approached. "It's just that Sanderson's wife fainted because the new shop boy at Zonko's looks identical to her deceased youngest son, Dayn!"
Voldemort froze at hearing the name of someone he believed he would never hear from again. "Nagini," he curtly ordered the venomous serpent to desist, who had unhinged its poisonous jaws wide to bite its prey.
Nagini hisses irritably and snaps its fangs violently in the air, before slithering to the ivory throne. The serpent coils in the overlooking throne staring down at the stinking prey. All the while its yellow, malicious, hungry eyes are fixated on the trembling prey before it salivates at the thought of hearing the delicious fearful cries of its prey as it squeezes and squeezed until the prey could be consumed while still living.
"Thank you, Master," Seth whispered in relief at not being eaten alive as punishment.
"Still, you disobeyed me," Voldemort frigidly said, before shouting, "Crucio!"
Seth crumbles and screams under the effects of the dark curse until Voldemort is satisfied. "Enough," Voldemort said raising his wand. "Remove yourself from my presence."
"Yes, Master," Seth stammered still visibly shaking before crawling out on all four limbs.
The door closed with a thud behind them as Nagini unhappily hissed, "You should have let me consume the foolish thing."
"He is expendable," Voldemort calculating said. "Soon I will rid myself of such weaknesses."
The Horcrux, Nagini darkly cackles from the ivory throne. "Foolish, foolish prey unknowingly walking into the mouth of a hungry snake." Its dark tongue flickers in the air as if tasting prey. "I wonder what goblin flesh tastes like; it must be delicious."
"And you shall have all the goblin flesh you desire," Voldemort heartlessly vowed.
"So, you say," the serpent, Nagini cruelly reminded, "only if the uprising is successful."
"The uprising has a low chance of success, but it is not a remote possibility," Voldemort dismissively gestured with his spider-like hands. "Regardless of its success or not, I have gained far more in return."
"Yesss," Nagini whispered its malicious hiss echoing in the stone hall.
Silence once more returns to the stone hall as Voldemort returns to gazing at the muggle village down below. Yet his mind wanders away recalling a certain boy, who had worked at Burgin and Burkes with him. A handsome lad in his own right and far too curious for his good. Rather nosey, so much so that he had no choice but permanently silence him. However, had he known he was Sanderson's son, he would have carefully cultivated him instead of silencing him. Alas, an inconsequential calculation bearing no further thought.