Chapter 81 - Fist Fight (1/2)

Silvia, Bethanie, and Rowan were sitting on their beds studying without the need of a blanket as finally the bitter chills of the dungeon had gone away. Oh, one still most certainly had to sleep with a blanket, but just a light one would do. Tiffany excitedly bursts through the doorway and says, ”Did you hear?”

Silvia points at the room and lamely says, ”We're in the dorm room, Tiffany. We can't hear anything in here.”

Ignoring the sarcasm in Silvia's voice, Tiffany says, ”Apparently Potter and Evan Avery almost got into a fight! However, according to everyone present, Avery challenged Potter to a midnight duel. Do you think they'll show?”

”Well, that's just terrible,” Bethanie said with a sigh. ”It's foolish confrontations like these that make tensions between the two houses that much worse.”

”What exactly was the fight about?” Rowan quietly asked.

Tiffany falters and hesitantly replies, ”Err, Avery called Lily a Mudblood.”

”That bastard!” Silvia swore as for once Bethanie did not correct her on her language.

”Did he hear?” Rowan said in a dangerously low voice.

The three girls flinch at the ivy gaze in her eyes as she rises to her feet. ”Err, where are you going?” Tiffany squeaked.

”Does Severus know?” Rowan growled.

”If he didn't, he probably knows by now,” Tiffany squeaked. ”Terry was present.”

”Then I best be going,” Rowan said as she hurried out the door. The three girls' glance at each other, before scrambling after Rowan. Something must have been rather off-putting about Rowan because more than one Slytherin glanced up from their studying to see her march past them. Sensing something afoot the Slytherin's eyed each other before one brave soul ran off to find Prefect Wilkes or Head Boy Malfoy.

Stomping up the stairs, Rowan hurries as she hears the sounds of scuffling. Bursting into Severus's dorm room, Rowan sees Severus on the floor with Avery on top of him as Terry is lying on his side from a kick of Rosier. Rosier, bulky figure nastily hovers over the limp form of Terry and raises his foot viciously to stomp on the still form of Terry as the puffed figure of Alchemy hisses at Rosier and tries to attack.

”Oi, Rosier, pick on someone your own size!” Rowan icily said. Rosier doesn't lower his foot as he snickers and instead lowers his foot. Before he can react, a figure flies across the room and lands a solar plex kick.

Rosier cringes as he falters forward only for Rowan's knee to slam into his face. With a pained grunt, Rosier whimpers and falls to the floor with a bleeding, possibly broken nose. Not fully satisfied, Rowan raises her foot and slams her foot into his crown jewels for good measure. A high-pitched scream escapes from Rosier even causing Avery to pause and look back.

From the doorway, the onlookers including Silvia, Bethanie, and Tiffany, all winced at the kick. ”Get off my brother, now!” Rowan dangerously said as she took a step towards Avery.

”And who's going to make me?” Avery snarled as he tightened his grip on Severus's collar and raised his fist in the air while Alchemy clawed Rosier in the face.

”ME!” Severus snarled as he spat a wad of blood into Avery's face and kicked him off. With a loud cry, Avery falls onto his back as their positions are reversed with Severus climbing onto him and pummeling in the face.

Rowan doesn't move one finger to stop him as she lets Severus beat Avery up good. Glancing at her fingernails, she neatly flicks off a fleck of blood, before finally saying, ”That should be enough, Severus. I'll take it from here.”

”But he called, Lily, a Mudblood!” Severus growled.

”Yes, well, beating him up won't fully put the fear of the devil into him,” Rowan calmly said as she walked over to kneel on her toes. Rather reluctantly Severus climbs off of Avery and wipes the blood off his face. Sporting a brilliant black eye and a rather bloody nose and torn lip, Severus doesn't look as bad as it could be.

Rowan studies the panda eyes of Avery and the wonderful pig sized face of his and bleeding nose. For being so scrawny, Severus had certainly not pulled his punches. Perhaps, an inherited talent from their father of knowing exactly where and how to hit to increase physical damage.

”I know you can hear me,” Rowan said as Avery moaned in reply. Leaning over to whisper, Rowan says, ”I don't care what you do or say, but if I ever catch you doing something like this again to one of my friends or Severus. I will personally write to my grandfather and let him know. I know your family has heard the rumors and even if only half of them are true, my grandfather is not to be trifled with.

And that is not ignoring the fact that next time I will be the one who will be personally beating you. And unlike my innocent younger brother, I know how to break bones and permanently make one lame, is that clear?”

With tears in his eyes, Avery trembling sniffs in understanding as Rowan climbs back to her feet. By this point, Terry is already on his feet and weakly kicking the flinching form of Rosier, that has Alchemy proudly sitting on Rosier's scratched-up face. ”How do you like it now, you bloody bastard!” Terry growled.

”Huh, you look worse for the wear, Sev,” Rowan said with a gentle smile as she clapped Severus on the shoulders.

”I'm out of practice,” Severus grimly said as he wiped his nose again.

”Mm, well, we best bet you down to the infirmary,” Rowan said. ”That nose of yours looks rather nasty.”

”You should have seen the other guy,” Severus grinned and winced at his bleeding lip.

Rowan snorts and says, ”You can stop now, Terry, I crushed his family jewels pretty well. I doubt he can even feel your kicks.” The males in particular wince at her words as Terry kicks Rosier one last time for good measure.