Chapter 366 (1/2)
Rowan did not want to admit that she was more a little perturbed after her visit to Hogsmeade having returned rather early to spend the rest of the day with Nadira down in the kitchens. Even Nadira could tell something was wrong as the little albino snake that had grown over a meter long coiled around Rowan's shoulders. For the little snake tried to warm her guardian and fiercely thought about what to do.
The little pale snake's head reared back as if she had caught a tasty fish herself. Remembering dim dream-like memories of the voice of her great serpent mother singing to her while in the egg, Nadira begins to softly sing the snake lullaby.
”Hush little snake, be good,
Mother's gonna find you a little frog.
If that's not to your taste, mother's gonna find you a little fish.
Hush little snake, be good
Mother will protect you too,
And even if the Hydra comes, Mother will gobble you all up.”
Strangely enough, Rowan felt remarkably better after that creepy, but sweet snake lullaby. Not that it wasn't adorable to listen to Nadira sing it was just that the lyrics were too eerie to be of any real comfort. What kind of lullaby talk about a mother gobbling up her own child up? But then again, this was a magical talking snake after all.
Quickly the following days passed by until November 24th at last came. The days prior everyone had gotten progressively more excited as even the Hogwarts students bet on who would win, Karkaroff or Delacour? Many were betting on Delacour as the whispers of the incident in Karkaroff's first year had gotten around to Durmstrang and Beauxbatons too. Those that were betting on Karkaroff off were mostly from Durmstrang in a show of solidarity rather than in actually having faith in their champion.
And as for those betting on Rowan were very few in number. Mostly friends and a few of the Slytherins who truly believed in her by defacto of being Salazar Slytherins descendant. That and those betting on the wildest of odds in hopes of winning with the odds of a one in a thousand gamble. They'd be very rich students if they won.
Classes were to stop by midday giving the students time to get down to the arena. Severus was oddly touchy feeling that morning sticking rather close to Rowan's annoyance. She finally had to give him a hug to get him to leave her be. And even then, it'd been a very long hug that she had to finally break after five minutes.
After lunch, Rowan trotted out onto the lawns following Professor Slughorn. Professor Slughorn seemed more worried than excited as he said, ”Now, Miss Prince, I understand that you wish to do your best. But there's no shame in forfeiting the round. I am well aware that it was not your intention, to begin with, so there's no shame, really, my dear. Your safety comes first.”
”Yes, Professor Slughorn,” Rowan wryly replied. ”I am well aware of that, sir. I shan't have no shame in doing so.”
”Good, good,” Professor Slughorn said as he wiped his sweaty brow, despite the cold weather. ”I'd hate to have to explain your death or being hurt to your grandfather.” Rowan snickered at seeing Slughorn pale. No doubt he was imaging his painful death in several different ways.
Professor Slughorn leads her to the edge of the forest, where an enclosure could clearly be seen and an entrance facing away from them. Professor Slughorn's voice trembles, ”You'll go in here with the rest of the two champions, Miss Price. You'll wait for your turn and Mr. Amundsen is waiting inside to explain the procedure…. Good luck.”
”Thanks,” Rowan flatly said as she saw Professor Slughorn practically flee moving his large bulk impossibly fast for a man his size.
Jean Delacour was sitting on a low wooden stool. He looked a bit pale, but at not too sickly. While Igor Karkaroff seemed as haughty as ever, but the nervous licking of his lips gave his nerves away. Karkaroff ignored Rowan as per usual, but Delacour nodded at her. Rowan went over to sit by as Dano Amundsen smiled at them.