Chapter 109 - Carriages (1/2)

Rowan slammed the compartment door open causing Severus to look up from his book and Lily to smack her head on the edge of the window. Alchemy who was napping on Terry's lap merely yawns and rolls over to curl up on his other side. Wincing Lily rubs her head as Severus worriedly asks, ”Are you okay, Lily?”

”I think I'll have a bump on the head later, but it's nothing but a bruise,” Lily said as she winced at touching the sore bump, while Severus glared again at Rowan.

”What took you so long?” Terry asked as he moved his feet from Rowan's seat.

”Kids these days,” Rowan sighed as she flopped into her seat. ”So full of energy and questions.”

Terry chocked and says, ”You're only twelve, Rowan. You're not that old.”

”Says you,” Rowan grumbled back. Shaking his head ruefully, Terry returns to relaxing in his seat as he gently petted his sleeping cat.

”So, what's he like?” Lily asked breaking the silence.

Closing her eyes, Rowan feigns ignorance. ”Who?”

”You know, Sirius's younger brother,” Lily eagerly asked causing Severus to furrow his brow.

”He's a lot sweeter believe it or not. And I think he might actually be kind of cute,” Rowan said with a yawn.

”Really? For sure I thought he'd be a rascal like Sirius,” Lily stated.

”It doesn't really matter although, he'll be in Slytherin,” Rowan sleepily murmured.

”How can you be so sure?” Lily frowned. ”Is it because he's a Black.”

”I'm fairly certain this is because it's Rowan we're talking about,” Terry drily said as Severus nodded his head in agreement.

Seeing Lily's annoyed face, Severus quickly says, ”Remember last year, Lily? Rowan did accurately guess all our houses.”

”I'd forgotten all about that,” Lily said with a tinge of a flush on her face

”Shh,” Terry motioned with his hand as Lily and Severus turned to glance at the sound asleep figure of Rowan.

”She's been awfully tired as of late,” Severus quietly said. ”I don't think Rowan's been sleeping very much.”

”Mm, the one time I slept in her bedroom, I awoke to find her sitting up and meditating,” Lily whispered. The three of them return to their books and read quietly until the lady with the cart comes by. To their utter shock and surprise, Rowan sleeps through her visit as they quietly order and pay for their lunches.

It wasn't until they were long done that Rowan awoke to a start. ”You better have not eaten my chocolate frogs, Severus,” Rowan crankily said.

Severus huffed, ”Even if I did, I paid for them, so they're mine.”

Rowan narrowed her eyes into thin slits causing Terry to hastily say, ”Severus is just teasing you, Rowan, we saved you a dozen and more!” Terry practically shoved a small basket with chocolate frogs and other pastries into her lap.

Cramming a chocolate frog into her mouth, Rowan sighs in pleasure as Severus quietly asks, ”So, have you not been sleeping again, Rowan? Don't lie to me that you have, because your sleeping through lunch is anything but normal.”

”I just had a nightmare last night and I couldn't go back to sleep,” Rowan somewhat honestly and rather muffled replied.

”That must have been some nightmare,” Terry observed.

Rowan shrugs and lies, ”It's the start of a new year even I get nervous.”

Terry narrows his eyes but doesn't call her out on her lie. Feeling a tad mischievous, Terry changes the subject, ”So who do you think will win between the Appleby Arrows and the Holyhead Harpies?”

”The Appleby Arrows,” Severus instantly said as Lily at the same time said, ”The Holyhead Harpies.” The two best friends stare at each other as Rowan chuckles quite evilly and applauds Terry for his ingenuity.

”The Appleby Arrows have far superior tactics and playbook than the Holyhead Harpies,” Severus smartly concluded earning an even louder chuckle from Rowan.

”The Holyhead Harpies more than makeup for it in spirit and feminine ingenuity,” Lily snapped back.

Both Rowan and Terry share a grin, before reaching for their chocolate frogs and enjoying the show. Needless to say, the argument lasted more than an hour and escalated to the point where neither of the two was on speaking terms.

Exasperated Rowan finally says, ”Look you, two, are you really going to start the school year fighting over which measly Quidditch team will the match?”

Lily and Severus' fierce glares caused Rowan to hastily retreat and try a new tactic. ”Just look at what the two of you have done to poor Alchemy!” Rowan pointed at the Oscar-winning Alchemy tearfully meowing in the corner of the compartment.

Instantly Lily and Severus feel shreds of guilt as they sheepishly glance at each other. ”Sorry Lils,” Severus wisely apologized first.

”No, I said somethings that weren't very nice. I'm sorry, Sev,” Lily apologized with pink-tinted cheeks.