Chapter 360 - – Animosity (2/2)
And to be perfectly honest, Rowan actually found herself mildly, but pleasantly surprised by Quyen Crowley. Despite being aloof and snappish, Crowley was not that bad of a seatmate and was actually rather bright. Quietly Rowan found herself reevaluating the girl, who she had been antagonistic from the very start. They would probably never be very good friends, but there wasn't any reason why they couldn't at least be civil to each other and friendly upon occasion.
And despite Rowan's bizarre newfound rapport with Crowley, she had not changed her mind regarding Hortense Sicca and Gertrude Fowl. Those two girls were still as spiteful and nasty as always, but at least they had learned to keep their mouths shut in her presence. Not that they had a choice because if their parents heard about it, there would be high hell to pay.
Though some classes were harder than others to ignore Terry and especially Severus in. Take for example in their Alchemy class with Professor Boas, where Severus and Rowan are the only two students in the classroom. Rowan didn't make any conversation beyond that which was required, and Professor Boas noticed. But he couldn't very well force Rowan to talk to her brother as he'd even been present at the event.
Interestingly enough the delegation of students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons did in fact attend seventh-year classes. But only those that were part of their curriculum and those that weren't were taught by one of the professors, who knew of the subject or by the Headmasters themselves. Which still wasn't an issue with Rowan given the fact that she was attending 6th year classes at the highest level and not the 7th year level classes.
Nor could Albus Dumbledore do anything about the subject either. If he tried to force Rowan to speak to Severus it was always in cold curt tones and never beyond what the subject entailed. In effect, Dumbledore's office had become the scene out of something out of the Cold War. Rowan ignoring Severus and Severus doing all in his power to try to get her to talk to him again.
Finally, in the second week since the event, one evening, Dumbledore finally held Rowan back to privately talk to her. Severus kept glancing back at them as he left the office leaving Rowan staring at Fawkes and Dumbledore solemnly at her. The moment the door closed, and Dumbledore was certain Severus was gone, he said, ”Rowan, how much longer are you going to continue this?”
”Until he apologizes,” Rowan instantly replied as she turned to stare Dumbledore right in the eyes.
”I've already forgiven him,” Rowan tiredly confessed as she slumped back in her seat. ”Don't get me wrong, I still feel rather hurt, but I'm no longer as angry as I was before. And I will be getting even, later on, believe me. And despite everything that's occurred Terry's already apologized, but Severus still hasn't said anything of the sort to me.”
Dumbledore wryly smiled as he says, ”Then once he apologizes things will go back to normal.”
”For the most part, yes,” Rowan plainly stated. ”But Severus has to learn to apologize. He's never been much good at it as his pride won't allow him to. It's important to say, you're sorry even if it won't change the circumstances nor the outcome.”
”I see,” Dumbledore wisely said. ”It's a good lesson to learn. But I hope you don't mind me giving him a hint.”
”I won't mind,” Rowan frankly admitted. She was starting to miss Severus whether she wanted to admit that out loud or not. He was her twin and she'd never been this angry with him for this long before.
”Run along then,” Dumbledore said, ”Dinner's being served as we speak.”
Nodding at Dumbledore, Rowan leaves as he stares at her long after she departed from his office. Something about her words stabbed him right in the chest. ”It's important to say, you're sorry even if it won't change the circumstances nor the outcome.”
Had he ever said those words to Aberforth? He frankly couldn't remember, but nor did I believe so. But it was much too late now, Aberforth would never stand to hear those words from him now.