Chapter 199 - Auction Invitation

In the following days, Professor Slughorn had the Slytherin Prefects going around collecting 3rd year permissions signed by the parents or guardians of his 3rd years. Everyone naturally turned them in and later that same evening a notice went on the common room board stating that the first Hogsmeade trip would be on the last weekend of the month. Needless to say, everyone was excited including Severus.

Terry excitedly says, "I want to visit Zonko's!"

All the girls including Rowan make wary faces as Silvia drily says, "You're already evil enough, Terry. You don't need any more external help from anywhere else."

Terry proudly sniffs and says, "Tis to be used for good against those who seek to plot against me."

Tiffany quietly murmurs under her breath, "I'm sure that's exactly what the devil says." Earning her a sharp glance from Terry causing Tiffany to instantly hide behind Bethanie.

Bethanie merely sighs and says, "Well, I don't know about you all. But I hear the tea is quite lovely at Madam Puddifoot's tea shop."

"Isn't that where all the couples go to?" Rowan said as she stared at Bethanie. At her remark, everyone else turned to stare too including Severus.

Bethanie flushes and says, "I'm not going with anyone! It's just with Tiffany and Silvia!"

"I always knew the three of you were closer than normal," Terry remarked earning him a sharp jab in the ribs from Silvia and dark glares from the rest of the girls.

Quickly changing the subject, Terry turns to the distracted form of Severus who had not said a word the entire time. "What about you, Severus, any plans?"

Rowan and all the girls snicker as Severus glares at this twin. "If you must know, I've already asked Lily to accompany me down to Honeydukes," Severus proudly said.

Rowan actually seems surprised and a bit proud as she says, "Good for you, Severus. I never thought you'd actually ever gain the guts to do so. But apparently I was proven wrong."

"What about you, Rowan?" Severus barked back at his twin.

"I think I might stop at Honeydukes, before heading back," Rowan confessed. "There isn't much of anything that really calls to me. But who knows, I have enough money to shop for if anything catches my fancy."

They all stare at Rowan with a mixed expression as Terry finally sighs and says, "Look, Rowan, you can hang out with me provided you're willing to go to Zonko's with me."

"No, thank you," Rowan firmly declined as Terry shrugged with the expression of, "Suit yourself, I at least offered."

Quickly changing the subject, Tiffany jumps in and says, "Did any of you read today's Daily Prophet?"

"No, why?" Rowan asked as she leaned back in her seat.

"The goblins have announced the auction of a giant basilisk snakeskin to held on Dec. 23rd with other valuable items," Tiffany explained. "Invitations have gone out to all the potion and alchemy guilds not to mention the Ministries of the world. Including sole alchemists and potion masters of renown have also been invited. Non-buyers have not been invited including the reporters, but the goblins did make an exception for that popular upcoming journalist, who wrote that scandalous biography on Armando Dippet, "Armando Dippet: Master or Moron."

Tiffany paused and made a face of dislike. "Her name is Rita Skeeter. Though I don't believe she actually had Armando's Dippet's permission to write her said biography seeing as he lives in the southern France countryside. And Papa says, that she is a vapid upstart."

Rowan almost chokes at the name as she drily says, "No doubt, the news will be particularly tantalizing."

"Well, whoever is selling the basilisk skin is going to earn a fortune," Terry observed. "A single square foot of basilisk skin goes for hundreds of galleons. I can't imagine how much that will end up selling for."

Terry paused and furrowed his brow. "On the other hand, where did the buyer get such a rare item? Basilisks have not been seen in Great Britain for hundreds of years!"

"Apparently it was an old family heirloom," Bethanie helpfully answered. "Or at least that's what the goblins claim as no other basilisk parts are for sale."

"And if that's the case more than likely the seller is in urgent need of money," Silvia wisely concluded as Rowan nodded her head in agreement. She really was in need of her own funds.

The rest of the conversation flows over Rowan until they retire for bed. Closing the curtains to her bed, she sits on her bed to meditate. Feeling the power course in her, she begins to ponder the invitation she had received only a few days ago from the goblins informing her of such a thing. It was too good of an opportunity to miss, while everyone else was occupied with the auction. It would be the perfect time to destroy the Horcrux within Bellatrix's vault. And as on the route to vault #113, they had rather conveniently passed nearby said vault. There was a good chance, she could get to it.

Since the last weekend of September, Rowan had carefully since sliced open the basilisk's venom sacks and managed to separate it into small parts. Presently in her trunk under very secure spells and carefully placed within a box are several vials full of basilisk venom. If all went well, she'd even be able to smuggle a vial into Gringotts without getting caught.

Everything and anything could go wrong always tended to happen, but that would be fine as long as nothing could be traced back to her. The most important part of the crime is to have the perfect alibi in order to not be implicated by the crime that was committed. And as she would not be stealing anything from Gringotts, therefore, there would be nothing to find on her person.

Though Rowan had to admit she was sorely tempted to take a certain side trip to a certain vault containing a priceless stone. But there was no actual guarantee said stone had been moved there yet. But still, it was nice to have daydreams. And to be perfectly honest, it was greed more than anything else as she wasn't sure she really wanted to be immortal.

Making sure to clear her mindscape of her plans, Rowan finally tucks herself into bed, when a thought occurs to her. What if she wasn't the only one who saw that day as amply full of opportunities? Plenty of guests and security though tight would be distracted keeping track of all the guests. It was the perfect setting for a crime.

Shaking her head, Rowan turns on her side. It's better not to worry about a hypothetical situation. But still, just in case, it wouldn't hurt to come prepared. With that in mind, she fell sound asleep as even in dreams her mind began to churn.