Chapter 502 - Prongs (1/2)

On Rowan's last night in Cokesworth, the Evans and the Abbott's gathered together for an outdoor barbeque. Over by the grills, Mr. Evans and Mr. Abbott prepared meat as the smell sizzled into the night. The Abbott children ran in the small backyard, while the youths sat at a lawn table playing a crazy eight's card game. To everyone's shock Rowan won every single time even when the three other players ganged up against her.

With a smirk, Rowan proudly claimed her winnings to the dismay of everyone else. Andrew sadly remarked, ”That was all of my summer money too.”

”What a shame,” Rowan snickered. ”Because it's mine now.”

Andrew glares at Rowan and says, ”That's because you cheated somehow.”

”I didn't use any magic nor any obvious cheats,” Rowan demurely replied.

Petunia narrowed her light-colored eyes and said, ”Maybe, but I noticed that you didn't deny that you weren't cheating in some other manner, Rowan.”

Rowan flashes them a shark like smile. ”I'm a Slytherin, remember. I always get even in the end.”

”And this is exactly why Slytherins don't have many friends outside of their house,” Andrew mumbled causing Lily and Petunia to snort.

Rowan shrugs and says, ”All's fair in love and war. And this is war.”

”We're playing a game, Rowan,” Lily drily said.

”Nonsense, it's practicing battle and psychological tactics,” Rowan cheerfully said which earned her more glares from the three of them.

Luckily, she is saved when, Mrs. Evans says, ”The food is ready you, four, come sit down at the table.”

The four of them scramble off the lawn only pausing to gather the cards, before hurrying over to sit at the red checkered cloth covered table. The four of them sit down as the three children hurry over and sit down as well. There's potato salad, jello salad, crisps, lemonade, sausages, and steak. They all begin to serve themselves, before hungrily digging in.

After a second serving, Rowan licks her teeth clean with a satisfied sigh as Lily and Petunia stare at Rowan. ”Sometimes it amazes me how much you eat Rowan,” Petunia drily remarked.

”Pfft, Severus and Terry can eat up to three or four plates in one sitting,” Rowan muttered. ”I've got nothing on the two of them.”

Petunia warily shakes her head as she turns to glance at her boyfriend who is finishing his third plate. Andrew happily smiles at her as Petunia's cheeks turn light pink. ”Well, I suppose three plates isn't all that much,” Petunia muttered out loud to herself.

”Vernon certainly ate a lot more than that at every meal,” Rowan privately thought to herself.

The rest of the night quickly passes by full of laughter and chatter until the Evans finally leave after helping with the cleanup. Tired everyone happily retires to bed to sleep after their exciting evening. Rowan is getting ready to bed when with a loud clunk the silver necklace with a moonstone pedant that hung around her neck clatters loudly onto the bathroom tile floor.

With a wary gaze, she bends down and picks up the silver pendant necklace. The necklace clamp had cleanly snapped off in two. Frowning, Rowan walks over to her bed and grabs her wand. Pointing her wand at the necklace she says, ”Reparo.” But nothing happens.

Thinking she must be doing something wrong; Rowan tears a page out of a book and says, ”Reparo!” The page seamlessly inserts itself back into the book as if nothing had ever occurred. Maybe, the necklace could only be repaired via a magical metal like spell or magic metal crafter? It made perfect sense as enchanted items or magically items had to be reforged by a specialist such as a blacksmith.

Still, Rowan could not feel a tinge of unease in the pit of her stomach. She was never one for believing in omens. But this seemed just like to much of a coincidence. Shaking her head, she climbs into bed and clutches the pendant in her hand. She unknowingly falls asleep like that as her night is full of troubled dreams.

Blinking wide awake she found that it was rather bright. Glancing around, Rowan climbs off the bed and walks over to the window where the curtains are blowing from the open window. Outside on the lawn she sees James smiling and waving up at her.

Faintly smiling, Rowan waves back and runs down still in her pajama's as James makes his way to the front door. ”What are you doing here?” Rowan asked the minute she opened the front door.