Chapter 650 - Patrolling Ⅱ (1/2)
Glancing at the time again, Rowan leans back against the tower to read when she hears soft footsteps coming up the Astronomy Tower. She presses herself into the shadows and waits for the figure to emerge from the stairs. To her surprise, she sees nothing but clearly hears the soft muffled footsteps getting closer.
Sighing to herself, Rowan loudly says, ”Potter remove that infernal invisible cloak of yours this instance before I forcibly do it myself.”
There is an abrupt shocked silence as slowly the cloak is removed to reveal the shimmering cloak being held in the surprised hand of James Potter. Shorter than Rowan, thin with hazel eyes and untidy black hair stuck up at the back, James apprehensively adjusts his glasses. ”Prince,” James somewhat stiffly said after a pause recalling past journal entries.
”I know you've been aware of my cloak for some time, but how did you know that I was here?” James blurted out a bit perplexed.
”You are rather loud as per usual,” Rowan drily stated as she crossed her arms over her chest still leaning in the shadows against the wall. She hated repeating past answers and conversations. It was a tedious annoyance.
”I see,” James thoughtfully murmurs not having noticed his own actions. It would seem that his Auror skills were rather rusty after all. A flash of pain and old guilt twist in his stomach as he tries not to think about his abrupt death.
Forcing his mind away from his death, James warily glances up and asks, ”Am I in any trouble?”
”Ten points from Gryffindor,” Rowan grumbled. ”Now scurry back to your tower, Potter. It's late and tomorrow, we have class.”
James instead turns to stare out of the tower at the dark grounds lit up by the moon and stars. ”I couldn't sleep,” James admitted out loud.
Which was true. His thoughts at night were always filled with nightmares of the war that was to come, and his own death. Could he change the future? But the world that which he knew was so very starkly different to that which he already knew. Did he even dare to meddle again? He thought he was doing right by condemning Pettigrew, but he had since been proven wrong. And now he was not sure of anything anymore especially after his date with Lily at Hogsmeade.
The events of that day had severely shaken his beliefs to the core leaving him floundering in that regard. But even more so, his softening to Rowan Prince. A part of him on general principles did not wish to be friends with such a complex person, but another part of him felt at ease and comfortable with her like seeing an old friend.
It was not that he was truly against having a friendship with Rowan Prince, but he'd never been close to any other girl other than Lily. He had certainly had female friends, but never anyone who had gotten close not like that at least. That, and well, Rowan Prince did not remind him of the past, not like the rest of his friends, it was a bewildering sort of relief amid a constant sea of emotional turmoil.
Rowan tilts her head to the side studying the exhausted gaze of her once called friend. A part of her starchy refused, but a part of her could not bear to see that expression on her face, but she truly did not want to emotionally comprise herself even more. With each passing interaction, she felt that the carefully built wall was crumbling down as she fought against slipping into old habits and returning to something closer to their old friendship.
Still, Rowan was unable to stop herself as the words spilled out of her mouth of their own accord. ”I will listen, Potter, if you so desire.”
A flicker of surprise flashes through his hazel eyes as James wonderingly counters, ”And why would I?”
”Because you don't consider us friends,” Rowan flatly pointed out.
James is silent for a moment, before retorting back, ”That is not entirely true, and the same can be said about you-.” He slowly added, ”Rowan,” for the first time ever having called the Slytherin by her first name.
Rowan's lips twitch into a faint bittersweet smile. ”As much as I would like to lie to us both, a part of me will always see you as my friend, James,” Rowan finally admitted the truth out loud. ”No matter the fact that we are all but strangers to each other again.”
James turns to meet her dark gaze to find the truth in her eyes. Swallowing he takes a step back and hastily looks away. ”And what if I am not the James, you remember? Not even close?”