Chapter 163 - Home Ward Bound (2/2)
The Great Hall grew silent as Dumbledore rose to his feet. ”Another year has come and gone. And we have learned much that I'm sure shall nicely fade away before the next year starts,” Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. ”Now, the house cup needs awarding and the points stand as: In fourth place, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and ninety-three; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty, Slytherin, with four hundred and fifty; and Gryffindor, four hundred and eighty!”
A storm of cheering and stamping breaks out from the Gryffindor table as the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs politely clap, while most of the Slytherins remain sullenly silent. After the cheering everyone promptly began to dig in as Dumbledore took a seat at the head table. Having made up her mind, despite not having much of an appetite, Rowan began to eat. Causing much surprise and relief to Severus and her friends.
The rest of the feast passes by in a blur and all too soon, their wardrobes were empty, trunks packed, and the usual reminder note handed out warning them not to use magic over the summer holidays. Promising to write over the summer again they all went out to the front entrance to wait for the carriages. Though with a fond smile or a smirk, they watched the 1st years all follow Hagrid back onto the lake.
Severus, Terry, Lily, and Rowan climbed into one of the musty carriages that carried them to the Hogsmeade platform. The Hogwarts's Express was filed with loud chatter and laughter as they all boarded the train. Pulling Rowan to the side, Lily quietly thanked her, before entering into their train compartment.
This time around, Rowan didn't allow herself to be manipulated into playing Exploding Snap as she dozed off in exhaustion. It was the first real sleep she had in days.
All too soon, Rowan was woken up by Severus as the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station. Exchanging their wizard robes for jackets and jumpers, they all eagerly climbed off at platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station. Saying goodbye, they all promised to write again, before each went their separate ways.
Reginald Prince furrowed his brow at seeing the thick eyeshadows on his granddaughters face, but still embraced the twins. ”Why is it that the two of you seem to be growing like bean sprouts?” For, sure enough, they'd grown another inch since the last time he'd seen them.
”It's not our fault!” Severus pouted as he pulled out of them embrace.
Reginald merely chuckled, before turning to more seriously say, ”Rowan, dear, you know that you will be properly punished for your little night mishap, yes?”
”Yes, grandfather, I am aware that my youthful error has earned me some sort of punishment,” Rowan dully replied.
”Good,” Reginald said with a nod as he led them away to the car. Strangely enough this time around, Rowan found that she didn't even fell a twinge of nausea. But then again, she had experienced something far worse. What was a violent car ride in the face of that?