The days grow bright and sunny in May, but so did the feverish atmosphere at the end of the year approached signaling the dreaded final exams. The professors no longer gave homework which was the only small relief granted to the 5th and 7th years. Their lessons are entirely devoted to reviewing topics for the final exams.
Far more worrisome is the flourishing black-market trade in aids for concentration, mental agility, and wakefulness that sprung up among the 5th and 7th years. There is a bottle of Baruffio's Brain elixir for 12 galleons but is made of doxy droppings. A Dingle's powered dragon claw for dragon claw is rumored to boost the brain for a few hours. Countless and dozens of items that are confiscated by the Head of Houses and the Prefects as some of them were quite harmful if ingested such as Baruffio's Brain elixir.
Every time Rowan stepped into the Slytherin common room, she was instantly transported to an ancient temple. There was mystical incense in the air as the Whisperers of the Meow (worshipped) and asked that the mystical cats grant them knowledge and the ability to pass their final exams. Frankly, it was terrifying to see the cult members carefully fanning the cats and fulfilling every need of the cats who were led by the ruler of the cat tribe, Alchemy, and his second-in-command, Brahms.
At this point, even the non-believers among the Slytherins thought it couldn't hurt. They frankly needed all the help they could get. As such ( the worship), rather the incredible care of the cats was not prohibited. Still, it was far too much for Rowan as such she tended to do most of her studying in the library or study hall.
Through the cool stone corridors, Rowan peers outside onto the sunny grounds filled with students studying on the green lawns or the younger years playing not understanding the true horror of final year exams that awaited them. The poor naïve fools…
The dark-haired prickly librarian, Madam Irma Pince-Filch is rather busy when Rowan arrives. The took exchanged brisk nods before Madam Irma Pince-Filch returns to tending to the poor damaged book before her. She would have strong words for the snotty terror!
Past the librarian and through winding stacks of bookshelves, Rowan makes her way toward her usual corner in the library. She begins to hear the murmur of voices that grows louder until she turns the corner of the bookshelves. They're sitting down with all the marauders (with the exception of Severus).
Ignoring them, Rowan doesn't pay attention to the dull gray eyes of Sirius, who is hunched over a textbook fiercely cramming for final exams. His mother and father had declared that if he did not achieve a single Outstanding on his O.W.L.'s he would not be permitted to play Quidditch next year. As such, Sirius had no choice but to be serious about his studies, ug!
In much better shape, Peter and Remus review their past notes on lessons. James is rather focused on his own work only briefly glancing up to nod at Rowan, before returning to his work. The time passes slowly by until Sirius finally sets his quill down and lays his head on his textbook with a moan.
Sensing that Sirius needs a break, Rowan pulls out a chocolate frog from her pocket and tosses it at Sirius hitting him in the head. "Ow!" Sirius cried out rubbing his head before his gray eyes filled with renewed vigor. "Thanks, Rowan!" He eagerly tore the foil to eat the delicious chocolate frog.
Seeing the expectant faces of Peter and Remus as well, Rowan sighs and tosses chocolate frogs to them as well including James. Peter and Remus murmur their thanks, while James sets the sweet temporarily aside to enjoy for later. Taking another bit of his chocolate frog, Peter says, "By the way, Rowan is there any way to track where an anonymous donation came from?"
"Why?" Rowan suspiciously asked setting down her quill and glancing up at Peter. She wasn't the only one as Peter's friends all turned to look at him with concern.
"Mum and my cousin both received a small fortune from an anonymous donor via Gringotts," Peter murmured in embarrassment. "It's nice to know we are better off now and all, but it is all rather strange."
"Well, it wasn't me," Rowan firmly declared.
"Not me," Sirius mumbled with a mouthful of chocolate.
"My family isn't wealthy," Remus shrugged. Although admittedly, financially, they were much better off now with his dad's promotion at the Ministry of Magic.
"Nor I," James plainly stated.
Peter scratches his freckled cheek with his finger. "I know, but I just really wanted to thank them. We're really grateful and all especially my mum." And of course, his cousin, who was no longer a poor peasant according to her words.
"Well as long as you're sincerely grateful is what counts," Rowan mused. "I mean that was the intent of the donor to remain anonymous after all."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Peter sheepishly murmured.
"On that note," Sirius wiped his mouth clean with his sleeve, "did you hear about the betrothal of Matilda Madley to Darcy Travers? I was completely blindsided by it."
Remus rolls his eyes knowing that Terry must have gossiped with Tiffany and hence how the information was relayed to Sirius. Although if he was honest, he was not surprised. The two were Head Boy and Head Girl and spend an extraordinary amount of time together.
"Yes, I heard," Rowan drily said recalling full well the abrupt kiss between Darcy and Matilda Madley at the Quidditch match. Word must have gotten back to their pureblood parents and know whether that kiss had been experimental or not, they were going to be married.
Seeing the topic change to betrothals, Rowan politely excuses herself for a trip to the loo. She didn't actually need to go, but she was not interested in hearing the conversation. By the time, she came back, the topic will have likely changed knowing Sirius's short attention span.
Rowan entered the girl's room just to wash her hand, where she finds Quyen Crowley washing her hands looking rather green. "Are you alright?" She asked.
"Not really," Quyen sickly answered. "I think I caught a bit of a spring cold. That's what I get for taking a romantic walk in the rain with Peter."
"That will do it," Rowan chuckled before washing her own hands. "You best be off to see Madam Pomfrey."
Quyen murmurs something about going later leaving Rowan alone to wash her hands. It must be cold since Quyen had been eating rather well with a touch of pink always on her cheeks. The picture of healthy really, although maybe a little too healthy. Her face and body were a little rounder. Then again plenty of students were stress eating as the final exams approached. Weight gain was not surprising, nor was a lack of sleep, a mental breakdown, throwing up from nerves, etc. Anything really could be a symptom of stress.
Even Rowan had found herself snacking quite a bit as of late. Putting any thoughts of Quyen out of mind and out of sight, she dries her hands and heads back to the library. The topic should have changed by now and it would be much easier to ignore the chatter, especially Sirius's. Mostly Sirius, really.