Chapter 125 - – Missing Scarf (1/2)

It was the end of October and it had grown that much chillier. Early bursts of frost could be seen across the lawn in the mornings melted by the noonday sun. One such evening after dinner, Rowan and Terry played wizarding chess in the common room as Alchemy dozed across Rowan's lap.

Without looking up, Rowan heard the common room door open and heard known storming footsteps. ”What's wrong now?” Rowan said as she took Terry's bishop.

”Nothing! Why would you even ask that?” Severus snapped as he slumped into a seat across from them.

”Fine, then,” Rowan changed tactics. ”What are you so excited about it?”

”We've been invited to Nearly Headless Nick's 480th birthday party,” Severus snorted as he folded his arms over his chest sullenly.

”Wait, ghosts have birthdays?” Terry said as he glanced over at Severus, but not before taking Rowan's knight and causing her to wince much to his delight.

”It's a deathday party actually,” Severus answered. ”It's to celebrate the day of his death and birth of his ghostly self.”

”Well, that sounds sort of interesting,” Terry confessed. ”When is it?”

”October 31st,” Severus grunted.

”Well, I'm out,” Rowan instantly interjected as Terry added, ”Count me in as well.”

”What?” Severus protested as Rowan and Terry continued their match. ”Aren't the two of you supposed to accompany me?”

”One, no, we, and by we, I mean Terry and myself. We were most certainly not invited,” Rowan most pointedly declared as she took Terry's queen. ”And the we, you are talking about includes yourself and whoever was with you at the time, which I assuming means Gryffindors and that means Lily or Sirius or even both.”

”You're wrong it wasn't just Lily and Sirius that includes James, Lupin, and Pettigrew as well,” Severus stiffly said.

”Exactly my point,” Rowan huffed as Terry cleverly put her in check.

”So, can you come with me?” Severus finally asked again as Rowan groaned as Terry happily checkmated her.

With a sigh, Rowan flopped back into her seat as Terry happily collected the wagered galleon. ”I would very much like to enjoy the Halloween feast. And no, I don't want to spend it in a room full of icy cold ghosts in the already freezing dungeons of Hogwarts,” Rowan firmly said as she petted Alchemy in comfort of her loss.

”And they say blood is thicker than water,” Severus harped.

Rowan drily said, ”It is,” causing Severus to choke in anger.

Seeing Severus's thunderous expression, Terry sighs, ”I don't even why I'm doing this mate, but fine, I'll go with you. But if I do this, I don't want to hear any more of Lily this or Lily that. I'm sickened tired of the subject and we're only in the second month of the school year.”

Severus flushes and turns to glare at his sister. ”At least I can count on my BEST FRIEND to always have my back.”

”I always have your back,” Rowant flatly retorted. ”But I'm not about to accompany you to an insignificant event. We both know that you're only doing this because of Lily, otherwise, you'd even tell Sirius to go to hell.”

Severus chokes at the curse as Terry snickers and says, ”And that's why we're friends, Rowan.”

Rowan rolls her eyes as she glances at the time. ”Well, I'm off to bed, see you tomorrow,” Rowan said as she gently rose to her feet and passed the still slumbering form of Alchemy to Terry.

Terry gently accepted Alchemy into his arms and cradled him to his chest. With a gentle smile, Terry whispers, ”Silly fluff ball.” Causing the slumbering Alchemy to protest in his sleep by rolling over but did not awaken at the exchange.

Terry and Severus had begun to chat when Rowan came back with a frown. ”What's wrong?” Terry asked.

”Have you seen my scarf?” Rowan asked as she glanced under the table where they were sitting.

”Didn't you have it on this morning?” Severus said as he too glanced underneath his seat and the table.

”I thought I took it off in the library and put it in my bookbag,” Rowan replied with a frown.

”Maybe you forgot it or misplaced it,” Terry suggested as Severus slowly shook his head in response.

”Rowan never misplaces things,” Severus said. ”She might forget things, but she never misplaces them.”