Chapter 772 - Subsequently Ⅱ

Wracking her brain over the calculations, Rowan wasn't the only one as Tiffany had a similar expression on her face. They and their friend Pandora solely shared the class of Arithmancy with the rest of their friends and classmates had opted instead to take Divination. (Which at present was still being taught by a variety of Professors as the new Divination Professors had yet to start teaching.)

Biting a corner of her pink lip, Tiffany leaned over to show her rudimentary calculations that were still drying on the unfurled parchment. "What do you think?" Tiffany asked Rowan causing her short strawberry blonde bobbed hair to shake.

"They look right, but I'm more concerned about the trajectory of the Planet and Stars," Rowan admitted as she pointed to the top left corner of Tiffany's parchment. "The Winter Solstice alignment is notoriously difficult to calculate at times since it is the longest night of the year. The Planet and Stars tend to traverse longer across the sky affecting the usual calculation formulas."

"I thought as much," Tiffany dejectedly sighed as she took back her homework. "Still, at least I have the fundamental calculations down."

"Mm," Rowan murmured in agreement, before falling silent. The only sound heard between the two girls is the sound of quills and ink against parchment.

The Slytherin Common Room was rather quiet except for the rustling of ink and quill's writing, soft conservations about homework, the munching on snacks, and the occasional cough or sneeze. The hearth in the fireplace was roaring with flames trying to keep the common room warm despite the cold. Bright orange flames flickered about casting shadows across the common room.

The normally reflecting flames on the windows viewing out into the inky, frozen lake are dark as thick, heavy velvet curtains have been pulled around the usual green light that was emitted from the lake. It was an unspoken message during the winter, but it was far easier to keep the cold out from the lake if the windows were covered by thick velvet curtains. As such during the brunt of winter, the view out towards the lake was barely ever visible usually obscured by the thick curtains.

Sitting across from Tiffany and Rowan is the beautiful figure of Bethanie and the sharp-featured Sylvia. Bethanie and Sylvia's faces were scrunched all up as they worked on their Astronomy homework for Professor Sinistra. Bethanie lets out a tired sigh causing her long, wavy auburn hair to fall over her shoulders. "I think my brain has become rather befuddled but is Callisto the biggest moon of Jupiter?"

Sylvia shakes her dark, sleek hair and raises her bluish-gray eyes up from her homework. "Jupiters biggest moon is Ganymede, not Callisto, and Io is the moon with the volcanos."

Bethanie lets out a soft groan and rubs her forehead, before tiredly smiling at Sylvia with gratitude. "Thank you, Sylvia," she sincerely said.

"Your welcome," Sylvia tiredly replied to her friend, before bending over her homework again. The two girls fall quiet again each working fiercely.

Though notably missing are the two figures of Severus and Terry. It was Severus's turn to be on patrol duty in the halls leaving Rowan to man the common room. (Which was a far easier task to do in Rowan's opinion. And more importantly, permitted her the opportunity to study at the same time!) While Terry, on the other hand, had gone on a bathroom break over half an hour ago and had yet to return.

The silence of the common room is abruptly interrupted by loud footsteps pounding down the stairs. "I knew it all along!" The loud of Terry can be heard exclaiming. His voice abruptly falls silent as he becomes very still at the bottom of the staircase at receiving full brunt of murderous glares from all those studying in the common room. Deciding to tactfully be quieter, he hurriedly shuffles towards his friends.

Terry hurriedly sits down in his seat and fidgets expectantly waiting to be asked as to the reason for his outburst. He hopefully looks at his courting partner, Sylvia to only find that she is pointedly ignoring him. He keenly glances at the rest of his friends until finally without glancing up from her homework, Rowan says, "Fine, what is it?"

Terry wilts a little at being thus so ignored, but at least he was asked at a question. "I wouldn't have noticed it, but I was re-reading the Daily Prophet-."

"You shouldn't be wasting your time on such trivialities, Terry," Rowan interrupted without looking up as she pens another formula with her feathered quill onto the parchment. "You are already behind on your assignments as I recall."

Terry hastily says, "Yes, yes, but this concerning the Mulciber family!" He paused waiting to be asked as to the reason why, but he is disappointed by the empty silence. Hurrying, he says, "Mulciber Sr. has been hospitalized at St. Mungo's, and his squib son, Peregrine is now the head of the family."

"Good," all four girls said in unison without looking up, but that was all that they said.

"Why aren't you all more excited?" Terry bl.u.s.tered in annoyance. "That vile man is finally gone!"

"And as wonderful news as that is, we have essays and homework due tomorrow," Rowan bluntly remarked as she finally raised her head up. "We can discuss this at a later juncture much more in-depth, Terry. Now get back to work, before I decide to pay your cousin, Professor Mortimer, a visit." She emphasized, before returning to her arithmancy homework.

Terry goes red and then white and glares mutinously at Rowan, before grumpily getting back to work. His friends just didn't appreciate his brilliance! He'd show them all!

Not really though. He knew better to get on his friends' bad side and that of his courting partner! He didn't have that much of a death wish! He was a Slytherin for Merlin's sake! He possessed more than a healthy sense of self-preservation! Admittedly, that did not always occur…