Chapter 45 - Hallows Eve Aftermath

The next morning Rowan sips some warm tea for breakfast as Severus looks rather tired and pale after last night's feast. "Thank goodness that the Hallowe'en feast was on a Friday," Rowan thought to herself. Now, that it was Saturday at least they would have today and tomorrow off to get back on their feet by Monday morning.

Even at this later hour, the Great Hall is notably empty as most of the student body had partied a little too hard last night and were still in bed. Among them was Wilkes, who had joined the Irish Jig dancing contest and won. And as such, it was quite the utter shock to many that Wilkes could still walk back to the dorm on his own two feet without any aid.

A flurry of sounds can be heard from overhead as Severus's large, great horned owl halts before them. Rowan takes the newspaper from the owl's mouth and says, "You did well." Owyn preens his feathers in pride as Severus merely grunts. "I'll stop by the Owlery later and give you a treat," Rowan murmured causing Owyn to gently rub his beak against Rowan's hand, before fluttering away.

"He never does that to me," Severus said with envy.

"That's because, he knows who his real master is," Rowan snickered.

"Grandpa bought him for me!" Severus snapped as he sat up, before painfully clutching his head at the sudden burst of pain his already aching head.

"What is yours is mine and what is mine is yours," Rowan staunchly replied.

"Then why do you never share your candy with me, hmm?" Severus pointedly grumbled.

"Food is off-limits when it comes to my sisterly love," Rowan solemnly answered.

Severus rolls his eyes as Rowan says, "Take a sip of the chamomile tea, it will help with your headache." Severus sighs and does as he is told as he frowns at the bittersweet taste. After a sip or two Severus eyes widen in disbelief as the headache dulls. Not wanting Rowan to be that much smugger, Severus remained silent on the subject as he gulps down the rest of the tea.

Finished with breakfast, Rowan says, "Shall we go rest in the common room area?"

Severus nods his head as the two of them head back to only suddenly hear a cry of pain. Rowan instantly heads towards the source as Severus gloomily follows. Around the bend they find Mary being surrounded by Quyen Cowley and her gang. "Pick your things up, you, clumsy muggle witch," Quyen sneered. But every time Mary tried to grab her things, Quyen and the other two girls would purposefully knock down whatever Mary had in hand.

Rowan slowly reaches for her wand. "What are going to do, Rowan?" Severus hastily whispered.

"Oh, just a nasty little hex," Rowan grumbled as she cast Petrificus Totalus! Quyen and her gang suddenly find they are frozen stiff as Mary's mouth flops open as she meets the eyes of Rowan and Severus around the corner. Rowan motions to Mary to keep quiet as understanding dawns on Mary's face. Mary hastily grabs her things and flees as Quyen and her gang remain frozen stiff in embarrassment.

With a cheerful smile, Rowan motions Severus to follow her back to the common room area as Severus says, "You know they'll eventually figure it was you."

"Maybe or maybe not," Rowan cheerfully said. Severus rolls his eyes as they enter the common room area and find that the common room area is almost empty except for a few figures, who are snoring and passed out on the couches.

Rowan as usual eyes the green like windows as schools of fish passed by with watchful eyes. "Did I mention that I don't like fish life?" Rowan commented.

"Yes, on a regular daily basis," Severus drily said. "I'm going back to bed to lie down for a bit."

"Alright then, see you later," Rowan replied as she grabs her tabloid from under her arm. Severus heads upstairs as Rowan begins to read the Daily Prophet. Nothing of interest is on the front page or the next as she skimmed through the moving images and news articles. Hearing footsteps, Rowan glanced up to see the Slytherin Head Boy, Lucius Malfoy. Doing her best to hide her smirk, she lowers the tabloids and coolly says, "It looks like I won our bet."

"Yes, it would seem so," Lucius truthfully said as he took the opposing seat across from her.

The two are quiet for a moment as Lucius says, "But what I don't understand is how such a cunning witch such as yourself ever became friends with Mudblood Evans and those insipid Gryffindor's."

Rowan kept a poker face and coolly answered, "Isn't it best to hide in plain sight?"

Lucius blinked in surprise before coldly laughing. "Well, you certainly are the embodiment of the Slytherin values, both cunning and sly."

The two study each other for a moment before Lucius gets up and says, "I will hold my end of our bargain and disband our impromptu meetings including forbidding any talk of joining Tom Riddle as I shall use your persuasive argument to aid me in my endeavor. However, I must point out that more than a few fervent Slytherins will remain loyal to his cause and may continue to seek out ways to join him."

"And are one of those loyal followers, you and Narcissa?" Rowan pointedly inquired.

"I for one will not-," Lucius frankly declared. "-Nor will Narcissa." Lucius briskly nods to her, before rather elegantly striding out of the common room area.

Rowan watches his figure vanish to only feel an unsettling feeling of being watched. She glanced up to only find a giant squid-like eye staring at her from the lake window causing her to shiver in horror. Crossly, she flips the squid the bird through the enchanted glass as the squid suddenly squirts ink and vanishes into the inky cloud.

Sniffing to herself, Rowan sighs just a bit in relief in realization thought at least one step of the journey had been successfully completed. The attack had failed, and the brainwashing of future Death Eaters had stopped for the moment. It was a good start and that was enough for the moment.