Chapter 295 - Bath

Rowan must have fallen asleep on the couch, because the next thing she knew, she was being awakened by Mrs. Evans, who'd gotten up to prepare breakfast. Sending her upstairs to wash and freshen up, Rowan headed up to do as she was told. By the time she came out, Lily was reading a letter and newspaper from James Potter.

"What did James say?" Rowan asked as she dried her hair with the bright orange hairdryer. Yes, the color was hideous, but at least the blasted piece of plastic did its job.

Lily ignores Rowan's jab and instead says, "He said that he wanted me to tell the both of you that he was sorry for what had happened to your grandmother. And that he hoped to see you at the World Quidditch Cup later this summer."

"Ah, is that all?" Rowan asked as she turned off the dryer and grabbed the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. Lily averted her eyes and didn't answer Rowan's question. But by this point, Rowan didn't care as she read the news article by Rita Skeeter.

After a moment, Rowan seems a bit annoyed. So, her grandfather and Sir Knight Prince had purposefully lied to her. She was not the only parselmouth in the family, but Sir Knight Prince as well. With a frown she tossed the paper onto the bed, before marching downstairs.

Rowan was the first person at the kitchen table as Mr. Evans had since left for work, while Petunia was still in bed. "Good morning again, Mrs. Evans," Rowan politely said.

"Good morning, Rowan, how do you like your eggs dear?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"Well done," Rowan replied, as she hated it when the yellow of the yolk was too runny. "By the way, Mrs. Evans, I don't if it'd be possible for Lily and Petunia to accompany us to the World Quidditch Cup this year?"

"I'm sorry dear," Mrs. Evans replied. "Your grandfather did mention that to me in his letter, but we'll be taking a holiday in Bath at the time as an entire family. I'm afraid that Lily and Petunia will have to wait until the next one. But it's not so bad as it's every four years much like the football cup. Which will make it rather easy to remember."

"Yes, it'll be held in West Germany, this year," Rowan sighed. "I'd love to watch the matches, but grandfather doesn't have a television." At least she'd knew who'd win, West Germany would beat the Netherlands 2-1.

Mrs. Evans hides a smile, before placing a plate of well-done eggs with two sausages for breakfast. Rowan happily thanks her and digs into the meal. By the time she was done eating one of her sausages, Severus was at the table with Lily barely coming down the stairs. Seeing that Lily was about to ask her mother a certain question, Rowan hastily swallows. "Thanks, Mrs. Evans," before rushing upstairs.

Grabbing her things, Rowan shoves them into her bag before hurrying over to Petunia's room. Petunia was snoring and didn't even notice her as Lily rushed upstairs in tears and slammed the door. Letting out a breath, she closes the door behind her and leaves Petunia to her sleep. Though she had been tempted to draw a funny face on Petunia as she slept. But given that Petunia had been rather polite to her during their stay, it simply wouldn't be very kind of her to do so.

Heading back downstairs, Rowan finds Severus sadly poking at his eggs and sausages. Rolling her eyes, Rowan asks, "Mrs. Evans, would it fine if I borrow your Lord of the Ring series? I promise to send them back via owl."

"Nonsense dear, you can have them," Mrs. Evan said with a smile. "Mr. Evans doesn't have much time to read right now and neither Lily nor Petunia seem to like fantasy novels."

"Why?" Rowan seemed rather startled. "Tolkien's a most exceptional writer."

"Yes, well, ever since Lily went off to Hogwarts, Petunia isn't exactly enamored with the idea of magic, while Lily openly scoffs at Tolkien's writings," Mrs. Evans replied as she washed the dishes in the kitchen sink.

Rowan lips press into a frown as she says, "They don't know what they're missing."

"Well, I'll be sure to tell them that," Mrs. Evans chuckled as she turned on the faucet to wash the soap away.

Rowan sat back down to read and not long after, she heard the doorbell ring. "I'll get it," Mrs. Evans said as she dried her hands in her apron. Mrs. Evan's opens the door to see the tall, slender woman of Georgine Prince.

"Severus, Rowan, your aunt's here," Mrs. Evans called out.

Rowan packed the said gifted books into her travel case, before moving over to the door. "Thank you for having us," Rowan politely thanked Mrs. Evans.

"It was a pleasure, they were both most well behaved," Mrs. Evans said as Georgine made a wry face.

Severus unhappily trots over with his own small travel case. "Thank you for having us, Mrs. Evans," Severus whispered as he kept glancing upstairs, but Lily didn't come down.

Mrs. Evans guessing the reason for Severus's gloomy look says, "I'll be sure to tell her after her sulk. She'll be right sorry she missed saying goodbye to both of you. I bet that by the end of the day, you'll have a written apology letter from her."

Severus slightly perks up at her words, before Aunt Georgine says, "Thank you again, Mrs. Evans and your husband. I do hope that the two of them behaved themselves."

"They were no trouble at all," Mrs. Evans said as she reached into her pocket for the money.

Georgine shook her head and said, "Consider it a token of our appreciation for the favor in our time of need."

"If you insist," Mrs. Evans said as she slowly withdrew her hands from her apron to clasp them nervously before her.

Georgine nods her head once more, before saying, "Come along children." Both Rowan and Severus trotted right after. The morning was still cool as it was only eight o'clock. Which frankly surprised them that Georgine was even up at this early hour. Usually, when at home breakfast wasn't served until nine and only half of the time Aunt Georgine was up at that hour.

The streets were still sleepy as the husbands had long since left for work and the children had yet to go outside to play. In the distance, the factories could be seen churning black smoke as Georgine led the two of them to a secluded alley. Grabbing hold of the two of them, she apparated away leaving the sleeping town of Cokeworth behind.