Chapter 259 - Cure (1/2)
With the Easter Holidays wrapping up, the second years were fraught with worry as they choose their electives. On the other hand, the 5th and 7th years were either sleeping in or relaxing. They knew this would be the last bit of relaxation they'd have. Not to mention it being their last good night full of sleep until exams were over. Though everyone was looking forward to the last Hogsmeade visit which would be held the upcoming weekend.
Sitting in the common room, Regulus sat next to his two friends, both girls, Florinda and Flortentia Champlain. Neither girls were sisters despite looking so much alike, but rather first cousins. And the reason they looked so much like was that their fathers and mothers are identical twins. Florinda had curly coffee-colored hair with a cute button nose and an emerald ribbon pulling her hair back. Flortentia, on the other hand, had straight hair, the same colored hair, and a button nose with a silver ribbon neatly in a bow.
Seeing Regulus furrowing his brows, Rowan glances over from her chess match against Terry and says, ”I thought you'd decided on Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures.”
”As it turns, I don't much like most creatures,” Regulus drily said recalling the fire salamander incident during the winter. He'd ended up in the infirmary as a result of several burns across his hindquarters.
Shivering, Regulus adds, ”No, I think, I best stick to Ancient Runes. But I'm not sure if I can handle both Arithmancy and Ancient Runes at the same time.”
”In that case, you best take Muggle Studies or Divination,” Rowan replied as she glanced down to only order her bishop to move.
”I can't take muggle studies,” Regulus made a face. ”My parents would kill me. But I don't want to take Divination either.”
”Just take muggle studies,” Terry interjected without glancing up from the chessboard. ”Just say that you want to go into politics and that you will need the muggleborn wizard vote. That wukk quickly shut them up and they will cease their fussing.”
Regulus brightens up and says, ”I think, I'll take your word for it, Terry!” Regulus happily writes down his answer as Terry takes Rowan's knight.
”Excuse me,” one of the girls next to Regulus said, causing Rowan to glance up from the board.
”Yes?” Rowan asked as she studied the curly-haired girl with the emerald ribbon, Florinda.
”Flortentia and I are looking to take Arithmancy, could you tell us a bit more about it?” Florinda asked.
”Unlike Divination, where one is guessing the future as there can be multiple means to a sign, numerology calculates everything. But of course, one does have to be able to calculate numbers,” Rowan explained. ”If you aren't sure that you like sums very much, it might not be the best choice.”
”No, Florinda and I are quite good at them,” interjected, the straight-haired girl with the silver ribbon, Flortentia. ”Thank you, very much.”
”Your welcome,” Rowan said with a faint grin as she ordered her bishop to take Terry's queen. Terry winces as Rowan adds, ”Have you elected your second choice?”
”Care of Magical Creatures,” both girls said in unison with a giggle. ”Unlike, Regulus, we're quite good with all sorts of beasties.” Regulus puffed out his cheeks in a sulk as he muttered something about traitors under his breath.
The rest of the day passed in such a pleasant fashion and after nightfall, Rowan teleported into the hidden chamber beneath the castle. With Salazar's book under her arm, she took a seat as the new enchanted lanterns that she'd kindly taken from the room of requirement burst into flame. A warm, bright blow was cast over the room as she took a seat and began to read the remaining pages were no more than twenty.
Once more, Rowan didn't learn much of interest until the first paragraph of the second to last page.
”As I have stated before that vampires, unlike werewolves who are cursed and not born. A vampire can share some of their power with another being be it a wizard or a human making them a vampire-like creature. But unlike a trueborn vampire or a half-blood born between a vampire and a wizard or human, created vampires do not possess the long-life span of their sires. Though they certainly do cease to age and remain at the age in which they were turned. And unlike what most humans seem to believe vampires are immortal, we know that vampires are only as long-lived as wizardkind. It is believed by some scholars that we possess a common ancestor due to our shared long lifespan. Which are utter lies as many magical creatures possess long life spans including life spans that even suppress ours!
Returning to my prior point all werewolves are cursed beings. Even the human folklore from Greece, Germania, and the Nordics further north all state that the first werewolves were all cursed by the gods or as I believe a powerful dark witch or wizard. However, the curse had become a plague and many that I know have become infected. I must seek the cure lest I lose many of those who follow me to madness or the hunters.”