Chapter 125 - – Missing Scarf (2/2)
Glancing over at the time, Terry says, ”It's a quarter after nine. Will you be back in time for the curfew?”
”If I run, I should be fine,” Rowan said as she rushed out of the common room and began to run to the library.
Panting Rowan arrived fifteen minutes later to find Madame Pince staring at her. Wheezing Rowan tried to say, ”Scarf-, have-, you-, found-?”
Managing to extrapolate Rowan's fragmented sentence, Madame Pince replied, ”No, Miss Prince, I have not found your or any other student's forgotten scarf today.”
”Thank you,” Rowan wheezed as she held her side and turned back around.
Unable to run, Rowan tried to walk at a fast pace all way back to the dungeons despite her burning lungs. Rowan didn't make it very far when she felt something around her ankles. Glancing down, she saw a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes. It was Mrs. Norris, the skeletal gray cat of Argus Filch.
”Cutting it a little close, Miss Prince?” Argus Filch sniffed as he blew into a hankie. There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was usually purple.
Unable to speak properly despite the burn in her lungs, Rowan breathlessly said, ”I seem to have misplaced my scarf. I thought I'd head back to the library for a closer look, but Madame Pince said, she had not found a scarf at all today.”
”Well, come along, I've found a few today,” Argus Filch grumbled and paused at seeing Rowan blankly staring at him. ”I'll not give you detention, but I'll make sure you get back to your common rooms.”
”Thank you, sir,” Rowan honestly said as she followed him back to his office. The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp dangling from the low ceiling. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls with filing labels of every punished miscreant. A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch's desk. It was rather common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling. A rather strange fixation to say the least.
Filch walked over to a large trunk that read, LOST AND FOUND. Unlocking the large padlock on the trunk, filch slipped his hand inside and pulled out a handful of scarfs and asked, ”Are any of these yours?”
”No,” Rowan replied. ”Mine was knitted by my grandmother last Christmas. It's blue and silver with my initials in green.”
”Well, then I guess not,” Filch said as he dumped the scarfs back inside and locked the trunk with a snap.
The two of them are silent as an awkwardness fills the air. Rowan glances away and distantly says, ”Is she well?”
”She's happy,” Filch stammered. ”They're expecting for next June.”
”I see,” Rowan faintly said, before bending down to gently scratch Mrs. Norris behind her ears.
Filch for the first time in his life finds that he doesn't know what to say as he crushes the hankie in his hand. After a moment, Filch finally says, ”He'd had you both if he'd known.”
”Maybe, but what is done is done,” Rowan said as she stood back up. ”I do believe it's already after ten, I'd hate to impose any more on you than I already have, Filch.”
Filch stiffly nodded his head and said, ”Follow closely,” before darting out the door with Mrs. Norris leading the way.
Doing as she was told; Rowan was led to the Slytherin entrance corridor as Filch stopped a short way's away for her to speak the password and enter. Pausing at the entrance, Rowan paused to glance back, ”Thank you,” before stepping into the Slytherin common room. The room was utterly empty as shadows flickered across the floor with the lake waters glowing eerily green in the moonlight through the glass.
Rowan made her way to the girls' common rooms to only pause to glance back. Shaking her head, Rowan climbs up the steps and heads to her dorm. The girls were already tucked into bed, and half asleep. Sleepily Bethanie peeks over the covers and whispers, ”Where were you?”
”I lost my scarf and went to look for it. I thought I'd make it back in time, but I didn't,” Rowan explained as she began to undress.
”You didn't get caught?” Silvia drowsily yawned as Tiffany let out a soft snore.
”No, but Filch did accompany me back,” Rowan confessed causing Silvia to fall out of bed with a thud.
Tiffany suddenly startled up and said, ”Mandrakes can't fly!” Before wildly glancing about and saying, ”Are the three of you gossiping without me again?”
”No, Tiffany,” Silvia groaned as she climbed back into bed. ”But seriously, Filch didn't take any points or assign detention for being out after curfew?”
”He really didn't,” Rowan confessed as she buttoned up her pajama and slipped into bed.
”Wow, miracles do happen,” Silvia mumbled as she laid back down.
”Well, either way, it's time for bed,” Bethanie firmly stated leaving no room for argument as all the girls tucked themselves into bed including Rowan. Tonight, it wasn't a night for her to try to meditate. She knew she wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind to do so.