Chapter 569 - Onto the Platform

After one last sweep through the Hogwarts Express, Rowan and Severus returned to the Prefect's compartment. And the remainder of their trip, they chatted with Pandora and Andrew about various topics. With thirty minutes until Hogsmeade station, the Head Boy Travers loudly interrupts the ongoing conversations. "We'll be arriving in thirty minutes. Please aid the first years and transfer students into changing into their robes."

Rowan and the rest of the Prefects all rush over to the first year and transfer students' compartments that are recalled from memory. To her great delight she found that the three… future Hufflepuff's were all conversing rather rapidly. With no need of further prodding all three of them began to put on their robes, before she moved onto the next compartment.

After seeing all the work, it took to be a Prefect, Rowan had a lot more respect for Percy Weasley. Maybe he had a perpetual stick up his bum, but then again, the poor kid was stuck with the likes of George and Fred Weasley as younger siblings. If that did not drive anyone crazy nothing else would.

Not to mention the added fact that he was a Prefect for two years and then Head Boy. No wonder the Percy Weasley had control issues. Anyone would after that.

The Hogwarts Express finally squeaked to a stop and Rowan and the rest of the Prefect's pointed the first years and transfer students out the doors and in the right direction. Thankfully, Hagrid showed up just on time shouting for the first years and transfer students. Hagrid had taken his new makeover to heart causing several of the first year and transfer girl's hearts to go all pitter patter.

After making sure that every single last first year and transfer student had been picked up by Hagrid, Rowan and the rest of the Prefect's finally were able to go and grab a carriage. Unlike the time's before they were on the last carriages to Hogwarts. Rowan and Severus made sure to ride with Andrew and Pandora. If Lupin noticed something was off between them and Lily, he wisely did not comment on the subject.

For most of the ride, Rowan and Severus stared at the Thestral's, before them until Pandora says, "So, I'm guessing the two of you can see the Thestral's pulling the carriage?"

"Yes, why?" Rowan asked as she glanced away from the reptilian, skeleton, winged like horses.

"Mm, so can I," Pandora softly admitted, before glancing at Andrew. "And what about you, Andrew?"

"Same," Andrew confessed. "I saw my grandad die in his bed. I was pretty young, but I still remember him going all quiet and like."

The air is a bit grave as Pandora says, "My older brother, Alun was standing right next to me. He was just going to start Hogwarts when a muggle car hit him instead of me. After that mum and dad moved to the countryside not wanting to risk losing me too."

The air is rather still as Pandora as if in afterthought says, "I've long ago decided that if I ever have a daughter, I'm going to name her Luna, an anagram of Alun."

"Well, that's a very lovely and kind thought, Pandora," Rowan said as the two boys muttered in agreement.

Severus glanced at the Thestral's before them and distantly says, "Rowan and I saw our grandmother die along with Abraxas Malfoy. It isn't something we like to recollect."

All four of them sigh, before Andrew wryly chuckles, "Well, at least we're all crazy together."

There is a pause, before they all begin to slowly chuckle that evolves into gasping laugher. Maybe they were nervous about their future Prefect duties. Or maybe, they just simply needed to laugh. Either way, their peals of laughter could be heard from the other carriages causing other students to stare at their carriage.

Their laughter finally died off with them holding their aching side. The rest of the trip passes by a lot lighter as they chattered about their summer holidays. The carriage finally rolls to a stop in front of the front entrance as Andrew jumps out first followed by everyone else. They are about to enter inside when students let out shrieks.

Peeves, the Poltergeist, a tiny man in a bell-covered hat and orange bow tie zooms above them dropping trash onto them. With a wide grinning malicious face, Peeves blows razzberries at them. The male and female students curse at him and gash their teeth in anger.

Peeves happily laughs until he spots Rowan pointing her wand at him. Before Peeves can flee, Rowan shouts, "Skurge!"

Peeves lets out a pig like squeal as the spells hits him right in the chest before zooming away cursing. The Prefects including Rowan hurry over to the fl.u.s.tered students and help them get clean. Once the students were once more presentable the four of them made their way into the Great Hall. They all waved goodbye before each separating towards their own house table.

The Great Hall looked splendid as usual decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleam under the candlelight of hundreds upon hundreds of floating candles in midair. Rowan and Severus easily spot Tiffany, who is sitting between Bethanie and Silvia. Terry is sitting right across from the girls and motions next to him their two saved seats.

Rowan and Severus each take their usual seat as Bloody Baron sitting a distance away from turns to stare at them. The pearly, white, transparent Bloody Baron nods his head at them for being the new Slytherin Prefects, before turning back to eye, the Head Boy Travers. Travers for some reason had been selected to be the Bloody Baron's entertainment for this evening.

Whatever Travers had done must have seriously irked the Bloody Baron. And no one was stupid enough to ask the Bloody Baron, what exactly Travers had done to annoy him. Maybe one of the ghosts would have better luck.

Tiffany shakes her bobbed strawberry hair and wrinkles her cute button nose at them. "I'd for sure have guessed Rowan, but not you, Severus."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Severus arched his brow back.

Silvia shakes her dark head and arches her brow. Her blue gray eyes solemnly study Severus as she says, "You're a bit cold, Severus, no offense. And not that Rowan is not but she is surprisingly caring underneath it all. You're not exactly the nurturing type, Severus."

"Fair enough," Severus grunted. "But it's not like there are any better options in our year."

Bethanie's long auburn wavy hair is pulled back with a gorgeous hair pin. So that when she turns to look at Terry with a shudder, her hair remains in place. "Terry would have been a better option if not for his terrible habit of playing with people's lives like a spider."

"Hey, I'm just being a Slytherin!" Terry avidly protested the comparison to being like a spider.

They all mutely eye Terry as Rowan flatly says, "Terry, if I were stuck on an island, you'd be the first person I would kill. Otherwise you'd convince everyone else to kill each other leaving you to survive until the very end."

Terry narrows his eyes and says, "I don't know if that's a compliment or not."

Deciding it was time to change the subject, Bethanie quickly says, "We have already spotted Professor Prince sitting at the Professor's head table."

"Ah, yes, Professor Prince!" Tiffany excitedly said. "She looks rather elegant, if not a bit stern. But she's definitely the most nicely dressed professor at the Staff table."

They all turn towards the staff stable and sure enough spot her sitting between Professor Vector and Professor Babbling. It seems the three witches got along quite nicely as they were avidly chattering. But then again, they might just be plotting to take over the world.