Chapter 193 - Professor Zephyros

To Rowan's delight, Filch agreed to allow her to work on the weekends to finish a few days early. Thanks to Filch's agreement, Rowan was not only able to escape the pointed fingers in the common room until everything died down. But happily, she was able to miss the Quidditch try-outs held the second week of the term.

It came as no surprise to her, when Sirius made the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a beater. However, it was when Peter became the other Gryffindor chaser. Apparently, he was rather nimble and often underestimated due to his plump size, which allowed him to easily score and make the team. Which was rather surprising given the fact that he had not been a member of the Quidditch team before. But that was all the better for her as the more marauders that were stuck in the Quidditch team the less energy they'd have for other things.

Naturally, Regulus made the Slytherin team as well as a seeker. It came as no surprise really as Professor Slughorn had been set on him before and once Captain Nott had seen him fly, she'd not be letting him escape from her grasp. Not only did Regulus gain quite a bit of fame because he was the youngest seeker on any of the house teams. And as a direct result, he gained quite a bit of popularity with both the boys and girls of his year. The girls seemed to gaze at him with new eyes, while the boys from Slytherin and a few others sought out to be more on friendly terms with him.

After the bore of Professor Stricken and the dubious character of Professor Adric, Professor Pollen's class became one of the most popular classes in the school. Though Professor Pollen's classes were a bit of an interesting affair as the other Slytherins eagerly waited for Rowan to act out again in class. But to their disappointment, she never did as she actively participated in the rest of the lessons. Needless to say, Professor Pollen was rather pleased as she had been expecting the worst from Rowan after the first day.

After boggarts, Professor Pollen taught them about Red Caps, nasty little goblinlike creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved onto Kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.

Which Rowan found rather interesting as she had always believed Kappas to be solely Japanese magical creatures. But it would appear that despite often featured in Japanese folklore, there were many variations of Kappas throughout the known magical world in Asia. And as such could not be considered as a unique magical creature to Japan, but rather most of Asia.

Potions this year was not too bad as to much of Rowan's delight most of the potions they were to brew did not require many living ingredients. A mixed blessing for the rest of the class as they would often be found dissecting or cutting open dead organisms. Which strangely enough Rowan had no problem with and even excelled in which greatly disturbed Severus.

It was quite frightening to watch Rowan dice a dead creature in the matter of seconds with her sharp knife. On the other hand, Professor Slughorn was thrilled at her progress. Of course, he didn't realize either that that might suggest that Rowan was quite adapt at making poisons as most poisons don't require living ingredients to begin with.

Ancient Runes wasn't too bad, and Rowan rather enjoyed learning about new runes with Andrew Abbot. However, it was more of a necessity as she would most likely would be needing the skill in the future. No, what she and Tiffany truly enjoyed most was their Arithmancy class. Though they were given tons of homework by Professor Victor, there is something deeply satisfying about calculating numbers and always getting the right answer. In fact, it had become a sort of bonding thing between Tiffany and Rowan.

On the other hand, those poor souls who had chosen to take Divination found that Professor Zephyros was rather strange. He'd ramble about one subject to only abruptly change to another. But still, it was an easy class to take and not many protested his actions. However, Rowan had seen the wide pupil eyed professor who in her personal opinion must be hopped up on something as he seemed to have and be suffering all the side effects of a habitual drug user.

Though according to most of the boys, Professor Kettleburn was a God. Not only was he incredibly knowledgeable on all sorts and manners of magical creatures. But their very first class had been with Hippogriffs, half-bird, half-horse creatures. While Terry and Severus regularly fanboyed over Professor Kettleburn, Rowan tended to ignore them as she too had a favorite professor and wasn't one to talk.

Finally, on the Friday of the third week, Rowan made her way up to the library. The dark-haired woman with suspicious eyes says, "It's about time, Miss Prince."

"My apologies Madam Pince, I was in detention," Rowan answered the prickly librarian.

"Well, do try to stay out of trouble," Madam Pince said in disapproval. "It simply does not become a young lady to get detention on the first day of school!"

"Yes, Madam Pince," Rowan obediently said, before heading back through the library to her usual spot. Sitting rather lonely at their usual place was the tall, thin, exhausted figure of Remus Lupin. His russet hair was slightly untidy as perpetual tired eyes glanced up at her.

"I thought you'd be in detention forever," Lupin softly whispered with a smile.

Rowan shrugs as she glances at the empty seats. "Quidditch again?"

"Quidditch," Lupin sighed with obvious resignation. "I swear that is all they ever talk about now."

"Well, if it gets too much for you," Rowan said as she sat down. "Go and sit with Terry and Severus in the study hall. I'd hate for you to be up here all alone all the time."

"Do I detect concern in your voice, Rowan?" Lupin teased.

Rowan ignored the jab and says, "I don't mind working alone, in fact, I prefer it at times. But I don't believe that is always the case for you, Remus. So please just go and sit with them next time."

"I think I will," Lupin said with a flush. He'd been rather lonely these last few weeks and had been shy to go and approach Severus and Terry on his own and sit with them.

"Good," Rowan said as she pulled out her Ancient Runes homework to finish before finding a wizard physiology textbook from which to study. "By the way, I never did ask, what electives are you taking?"

"Same as the rest," Lupin admitted with an embarrassed flush. "Divination and Care of Magical Creatures."

"Well, I can see why'd you pick Care of Magical Creatures, but you really should have gone with Arithmancy," Rowan said. "I do believe you would have enjoyed it."

"Maybe," Lupin wistfully admitted. "But at least, I enjoy one of my classes."

"Well, there's that," Rowan mumbled as she fell silent and began to work. And they did for several hours until it was time for dinner. Either way, Rowan at least finished her homework and was able to find a physiology volume with the aid of Madam Pince.