Chapter 294 - Scars?

On the last day before Rowan and Severus were to return back to Prince Manor, the Evans family decided to take Rowan and Severus to the pool as they'd already gone out to eat and to the movies during the week. Severus was in luck as he could borrow an old pair of swimming from Mr. Evans. But with Rowan's height being taken into consideration, she could only borrow a swimming suit from Petunia.

Standing in Petunia's room, Rowan comments, "Well, at least you have better taste than Lily."

"In what décor?" Petunia incredulously said as she glanced up from rifling through her own drawers.

"No, in your taste in men," Rowan said as she pointed to Petunia's posters of older men such as Iggy Pop, and other others.

"Lily did say that you liked the American actor, Robert Redford," Petunia smirked. "And she said that you liked them blond which makes totally perfect sense now."

Ignoring the last part of the statement, Rowan shrugs and says, "I can't help the fact that I like his rugged good lucks. Besides I've got a thing for Clint Eastwood as well."

"Mm, they're both Americans'," Petunia snickered as she pulled out a black tank swimming top and mid-thigh bottom swimming shorts. "I never wore this because it was black, but since it's you, I think it will be perfect for you."

Petunia tossed the swimming wear at Rowan and said, "Put it on."

"Here?" Rowan asked as she glanced around.

"Yes, here," Petunia said in exasperation as she folded her arms over her chest. "I know that you're not shy after all these years living in dorms."

Rowan removes her upper clothes without much embarrassment before slipping on the top. Petunia nods in approval as she says, "It looks like you're really starting to fill out." Rowan's waist was a bit more narrow as her hips had grown a bit wider and rounder over the past year including her chest.

Without glancing at Petunia, Rowan removed her shoes and then her trousers. Luckily, she had shaved her legs before but still with some discomfort she pulled on the bottom swimming wear. Petunia stares at Rowan's long legs not in admiration but in surprise. Across Rowan's pale thighs were hundreds of tiny scars.

"What happened?" Petunia whispered. "Lily did say you had an aversion to wearing skirts, but I thought it was because you were some sort of a tomboy."

Rowan shrugs and says, "I don't like to be looked at." Glancing at the scars on her legs she says, "It was an accident, really. I fell into a pile of shattered glass when I was younger." What she neglected to mention is that she had a bit of help from her father.

Petunia bites her lip and softly says, "Lily said that your dad wasn't a very nice man. And I overheard mom and dad once saying that Mr. Snape went to prison."

"Did he now?" Rowan muttered out loud knowing full well that was probably her grandfather's handy act. "Well, I wouldn't know since I haven't seen nor heard from him since we left Cokeworth. But I'll take your word for it."

Petunia stared at Rowan, before Rowan sighed, "Not all fathers and mothers are always good parents, Petunia."

Seeing that Rowan didn't want to talk more on the subject, Petunia said, "Well, I can cover your scars with makeup, but you can't get into the water."

"I'll be fine," Rowan said as she stared at her legs. "It's not like I'm really afraid of them. They just tend to serve as a reminder to me."

"Of what?"

"To never forget."

Petunia quickly changed the subject as they began to discuss the bodacious Sean Connery in "Diamonds are Forever." Because if there's one thing that is hot, it's a British spy. And he had quite the appealing voice to match.

The pool as it turned out was rather fun as Rowan just paddled in the water. She could have swum of course, but there was the added risk of running into someone. By the end of the afternoon, they were all laughing including Severus and Rowan. Mr. Evans as it turned out was quite good at getting the two of them to laugh. And Mrs. Evans was most grateful as she felt sorry for the poor dears.

Lying on one side of Lily's bed, Rowan stared at the floral wall in front of her despite that the late hour. Unable to sleep, she slowly slithered out of bed and left Lily softly breathing on her side of the bed. Creeping downstairs she turned on a lamp in the living room and grabbed the fellowship from the bookshelf. Resuming where she had left off, she began to read,

"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So, do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

"How very true, Frodo," Rowan whispered as she found that she didn't want to read anymore. It was her grandmother's death that haunted her now. The Flamel couple's death still did, but as she'd never seen their faces and as such, they were mere faceless whispering shadows in her dreams. Terrifying in a way, but not so terrible as she'd never really known them.

Glancing at her hand for a moment, she could see red stains, before Rowan shut her eyes. She could still see the haunting images in her mind. Despite the danger, she hadn't been able to move. She'd merely stood there stupidly like a fool. She didn't even think to run or even teleport with Severus in tow. What if, is always the cruelest of words.

Opening her eyes, Rowan runs her hand through her hair to shove the tendrils back. There was not much point in dwelling in the past, but she couldn't help it. With every single step, she had taken the future had somehow twisted into this. And though her grandmother hadn't suffered, her grandfather had been robbed of his wife.

Truth be told, she didn't know how long the Prince couple lived as they never mentioned before. Maybe they died in anonymity or maybe, they simply had moved to France to spend their last days in the warm countryside. She would never really know in the end.

Rowan reflexively glanced down at her legs and squeezed her hand tight enough to break the skin. She'd sworn to never forget, and she must not. Even if she was called a monster, she'd throw away everything in order to keep her promise. For that was all that she had left.