No one noticed that Rowan and Severus were talking again until lunch the following day when Severus sat next to Rowan. Terry, who had been in the middle of eating a spoonful of Cullen Skink Soup with a hint of curry powder and spices. He loudly choked and pounded on his own chest with his fist. Breathlessly he pointed his finger at the two of them with hazel eyes watering. "When did this happen?" He gasped.
Bethanie tsks-tsks at the slovenly sight and turns away, while Sylvia pointedly ignores Terry already to his dramatic theatrics. It's only Tiffany, who cocks her strawberry blonde bobbed hair to listen in. She rather enjoyed this side of Terry not that she would ever tell him! He would never leave her alone otherwise!
"A while," Rowan tactfully replied, before eating her butter chicken. She rather liked eating boneless chick cooked in a curry of spiced tomato and butter sauce. It is a bit heavy on the stomach, so she only ate it in moderation.
"I'm fairly certain the two of you weren't talking yesterday!" Terry growled pointing his finger accusingly at them.
"Shows what you know," Severus followed up without missing a step.
Terry opens and closes his mouth as Rowan and Severus fall into seamless step as if they hadn't been speaking to each other for months! "You-," he sputtered, before simply giving up and folding his arms over his chest. "I don't understand the two of you."
Neither Rowan nor Severus offered a further explanation as they mind their own business. Terry shakes his floppy hair in frustration scrunching his delicate features in a scowl. He grumbles his breath about bad friends, before burying his sorrows in a plate of food.
The rest of the day quickly passes by with Gobbledegook and tutoring in the afternoon. Classroom eleven is fitted with worktables, couches, chairs, and magical lamps to light the chamber. The classroom is filled with the first years of all four houses including other years, especially among the transfers. The students had learned that despite the two Prefect Prince's prickly demeanors, they were rather patient and effective teachers.
Rowan carefully moved about the room helping the students with their homework. At one of the tables sit four Hufflepuffs, two Gryffindor girls, and two Slytherin boys. The two Gryffindors, both dark-haired girls, Marth and Lucy sit next to their brother, Jeremy who is in Slytherin. Jeremy a studious 1st-year transfer student sits next to his best mate, Fredrick Baddock. A pureblood with light-colored eyes and square glasses, (a future parent or relative of Malcolm Baddock).
Sitting across from them are the four Hufflepuffs, the golden-haired, blue-eyed Gilderoy Lockhart. The VERY pale, dark-haired, Lorcan D'Eath and his childhood playmate, Glenda Chittock. Next to her is a honey-colored first year with light-colored eyes and a long nose, Jacob Clayton, a former werewolf.
Lockhart frowned impatiently and pointed at the rock in front of him. "Spongify," he said trying to cast the softening charm. Yet all the rock remained hard and did not turn soft, all rubbery and bouncy. "Ug, what am I doing wrong!" He complained in frustration.
"Your wrist isn't curving enough, Gilderoy," mumbled the studious Jeremey Heskel with his nose in his potion's textbook trying to memorize the Wiggenweld Potion. It had been pointedly hinted that the potion would be on the final year exam.
"It's Lockhart," the golden-haired boy gloomily protested, before turning to look at his friends. "How are you doing that!" He pointed at the rock in front of Jacob that was now soft, rubbery, and bouncy.
"It's just a squiggle," Jacob replied with a shrug.
"That doesn't help," Lockhart bemoaned slumping his head on the desk in frustration.
Martha and Lucy pay Lockhart no further attention concentrating on learning a map of the different stars for Astronomy. They were having a bit of trouble remembering the map of Jupiter. However, hopefully, they'd get it right by the end of the year.
They weren't the only ones while Lorcan and Glenda carefully study transfiguration. Glenda quietly chants the transformation formula which will be on the final written exam. "Transformation is influenced by body weight, viciousness, wand power, concentration, and the unknown variable named Z." While Lorcan practices turning a matchbox in front of him into a needle.
On the other hand, Frederick happily studies his History of Magic textbook. Professor (Master) Strauss had become his favorite teacher. He really made History fun and many of his students enjoyed his class. Frederick was currently trying to recall the details about Emeric the Evil, a short-lived, but aggressive wizard who terrorized the South of England in the early Middle Ages. He was fortunately slain in a ferocious duel against Egbert the Egregious. It was noted that his death was practically gruesome. A favorite tale among the bloodthirsty student population of Hogwarts.
Seeing Lockhart slumped over in despair, Rowan walks over and says, "Tell me what you need help with Lockhart?"
"I can't get the Softening Charm to work," Lockhart mumbled with his hand slumped down between his folded arms.
"Watch closely then," Rowan instructed as Lockhart's head eagerly rose up. His blue eyes were firmly on Rowan's wand. "Spongify," she said causing the rock to turn into a soft, rubbery, bouncy mass, before returning the rock to normal.
"Now you try," Rowan instructed the eager Hufflepuff.
"Spongify," Lockhart said as a purple, orange light emitted from his wand turning the rock into a soft, rubbery, bouncy mass. "I did it!" He raised his arms in the air in victory.
"Congratulations, Rowan drily said, before moving on to help other students. The rest of her time went by quickly until it nearly became dinnertime. The students filed out in an orderly fashion, while Rowan easily set the room in order, before locking the door behind her.
Rowan isn't even surprised when she comes across the Marauders. Sirius and Severus are clearly pointing out to Remus the downside of having a sibling. Remus only arches his brow and points at Rowan who is reconsidering why is even on speaking terms with Severus again.
Severus blanches and quickly says, "However that's only the bad side, there are plenty of positive things to have in a sibling." And proceeds to list them one by one to further annoyance of Rowan.
Seeing Rowan's dark expression Peter says, "Come along everyone, I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry, Wormtail," Sirius loudly snickered.
"I'm not the one that's a dog," Peter deadpanned earning a choked guffaw from Severus and Remus, while James stared at Peter with mild admiration.
"He got you there, Sirius," Rowan smugly smirked.
Sirius rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest proudly. "The Black family has always been dogs," which was true it was on their family crest.
James started in shock at the comment as it would have once been unthinkable to hear from Sirius. A hint of resignation and numbness flash across his face. Another reminder of what he had lost and regained.
"C'mon," Peter called out to them further down the hall.
Rowan moves past them to catch up with Peter Pettigrew who had grown a bit taller again. He'd never be tall, but he would at least be average-sized. And that was a spectator feat in its own manner.
Severus moved to catch up while Sirius and Remus kept up a close but slower pace chatting about what Remus could give to Romulus. Sirius apparently was now all the expert since he had gained a bunch of younger cousins including a few toddlers. Sirius proudly told Remus about choosing toys for children.
James trails off at the end of their group much more slowly following them. He used the time to sort through his emotions as he had been shown by Ronan, the centaur, and their Divination Professor. He ground himself so to speak as to not be overwhelmed by the tiniest of things. It was a work in progress, but he was getting better. And maybe, just maybe, someday he would truly be able to hear such comments without pain and agony, but rather with fond nostalgia and joy.