Chapter 707 - Rachel Grimond Ⅴ (2/2)
With a satisfied smirk, Rowan retreats with the sixth-year list leaving Severus grumbling as he takes the fifth-year list and heads off to bed as well. At least that was one less problem off her back, Rowan thought to herself, before going straight to sleep. It wasn't her turn to do patrol, and she wasn't going to get a full night's rest!
Though Rowan would have to find the time to meet with the golden foursome, Regulus Black, Dirk Cresswell, Leticia Bones & Barty Crouch. She'd have a word with them and ask that they keep an eye out for bullying their respective houses. Even with the mentoring system in place that surely would not dissuade the worst of bullies and those were the ones that concerned her the most.
During the Halloween feast, Rowan had overheard Mason Cauldwell, a sixth year, the parent or relation to the yet unborn Owen Cauldwell murmur something about putting up garlic wreaths in the Hufflepuff boy dorms. She had the strong inkling that it was a direct jibe at Lorcan, but very few students should suspect that Lorcan is half-vampire since despite being rather PALE, he didn't have other visible vampire characteristics. (Seriously, there are plenty of purebloods at Hogwarts that are VERY PALE!)
Rowan could only conclude that one of the transfer students must have let it slip out and the Hufflepuffs being the chatty bunch that they are spread the news among them. She hadn't seen other house members give Lorcan much of a glance. So even if the rumors were about Hogwarts not many believed them considering who Lorcan's friends and roommates were. Who knew that having Gilderoy Lockhart would be the best possible alibi? Apparently, even the Hufflepuff's found Lockhart extremely chatty, and if that didn't say something nothing else would.
However, Rowan knew that these types of things tended to escalate she knew from experience. It started with cruel teasing, pointed jabs, and then intensified to physical shoves and tripping only to end up with physical attacks. And with the wizarding world being the way that it was she did not have much confidence at all regarding the treatment of those viewed differently by the members of wizarding society.
Letting out a rather loud sigh, Rowan retreated up the dorm stairs towards the girl's side. Her plans and any idea she might have will have to wait until tomorrow as she knew she was barely running on fumes as it was. Though she did idly wonder how Professor Babbling was going to go about convincing Gryffindor of being mentors. Well, that wasn't her problem.
Elsewhere, in the Gryffindor Tower, the Head of Gryffindor, Professor Babbling is hearing many more protests from her older years, but she will have none of it. Rather she cunningly says, ”The Slytherins are implementing it and in fact Professor Slughorn himself even suggested. But I never thought to see the day, where a Gryffindor dared not attempt a feat, while the Slytherins did.”
There are cries of outrage and protests as they shout out, ”We're just as good as those slimy snakes!” More voices clamored up and eagerly rose to the challenge.
James Potter watched in astonishment and a bit of approval at the clever manipulation of their new Head of House, Professor Babbling. He'd like to protest otherwise, but sometimes that was the only way to about with Gryffindors. That and he had to admit that it wasn't a bad idea either as the Gryffindor common room had never been so cramped as this year.
With a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes, Professor Babbling firmly says, ”Good, then I shall begin to announce the pairings.”
Much like Slytherin, Gryffindor had the second-largest amount of transfer students. However, it was still much less by a large margin when in comparison to Slytherin. On the other hand, Lupin, and Lily looked like they were going to cry tears of joy at the announcement. Hopefully, this would aid them in keeping the rest of the students in check. Either way, at least the Gryffindor Prefects were thrilled at the announcement.