Chapter 815 - Entreaty Ⅳ (1/2)
The winter storm had raged all night long mostly blowing itself in the morning. Light snow was still falling and would possibly fall all day. The previous paths through the piles of snow on the ground had been completely covered by the foot of snow that had fallen blanketing the entire grounds. It was still dark when Hagrid got up to clear paths in the snow especially the one leading down into Hogsmeade. Hagrid liked to mind his own business, but he had to admit that even he had noticed that something was going on between Ronan, the centaur, and the other Divination Professor, Sybill Trelawney. It wasn't any of his business, but it was hard to ignore the long moonlight walks or the fact that Ronan had not all minded carrying Professor Trelawney on his back across the snow-covered grounds with the excuse to study the starry skies.
Hagrid had almost had a heart attack the first time he witnessed such a scene. He knew that centaurs disliked carrying anyone on their back for it was a symbol of their oppression by humans forcing them into slavery in ages past. He had almost blurted something impolite out, but he'd seen the shy, reserved expression on Professor Trelawney's and thought better of it. That and well Ronan had a rather equally besotted expression on his face.
Hagrid knew that he wasn't very good at always noticing these types of things, but he'd gotten better after meeting his beautiful Olympe. He knew that there was something there, but t'was not his place to speak on. However, he knew that if the two decided to remain together it would be hard on them. The centaurs would likely not accept a witch into the tribe, while wizarding society looked down upon such marriages/relationships. And if they wanted to have a child, it would be a very dangerous and difficult affair. Witch's bodies were simply not designed to carry centaur children. Their bodies would often naturally abort such a child unless the fetus conceived was in the form of a human-like their witch mother.
Hagrid scratched his head and shrugged. It wasn't his business to worry. Things would be as they were just meant to be. With a wave of his wand, he happily began to clear a path in the snow. In the olden days, he would have to use a shovel, but now he didn't. He simply couldn't imagine how he had lived so long without a wand! With such happy thoughts, Hagrid did his job as the groundskeeper with Fang happily playing and rolling in the snow.
The castle inhabitants inside Hogwarts began to slowly rouse with among them the first being the Prefects as it was going to be a very long day. Loud purring in her ears roused Rowan as she sleepily opened her eyes to find the long-haired form of Alchemy laying on her pillow. The beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat had soft, silky fur in shades of brown, gray, white, and black. His ears were adorable with a small pink nose with matching paws. His large greenish, yellow eyes blink warmly at her before he licks his soft white paws.
”Alchemy,” Rowan said with a sigh, before leaning over to pet the purring cat. ”Why are you down here?” She wondered out loud as typically Alchemy did not wander into their warm beds until they were about to get up. He and Brahms liked to nestle in their still warm blankets after they got up.
As if in answer Alchemy shows her his soft belly to be rubbed. ”Of course,” Rowan said, before rubbing the soft furry belly of Alchemy. After petting, Alchemy for a while, she rises out of bed and begins to dress leaving Alchemy to snuggle in the middle of her still-warm bed.
Rowan wasn't even halfway dressed when a loud popping noise causes Rowan to go for her wand and the rest of the girls to sleepily hold their wands pointed at the source. They were Slytherins, of course, they slept with their wands under their pillows. Peeking through the bed curtains, Tiffany's strawberry-blond hair is sticking up like a bird's nest, while Sylvia's dark, sleek hair is all messy and tangled. Bethanie's long, wavy auburn hair on the other hand is neatly tucked into a very matron-like nightcap to maintain her hair clean and knot-free.
Standing in the middle of the room is a very old female house elf with a buŧŧon-like nose, short, bat-like ears, a wrinkled face, and a crooked smile. Tiffany blinks and says, ”Molma, what are you doing here?”
”Molma?” Rowan said slowly lowering her wand as did Sylvia and Bethanie in recognition of the old house elf belonging to the Topsy family.
”Moma is the nanny house elf who raised, papa, my older brother, me, and my nephew, Christopher,” Tiffany explained as recognition appeared on Rowan's face as well as a grimace. Rowan recalled the house elf along with Tiffany's nephew. She was not fond of Tiffany's nephew and neither was he. Apparently, their dislike was mutual.
”Molma, what are you doing at Hogwarts?” Tiffany asked with great concern. ”Has something gone wrong?”
”No, Molma is here to see little tiff-tiff,” Molma replied to the girl that she raised. ”Molma brings a letter from the master and mistress. Molma is so very happy!”
Tiffany nods her strawberry-blond hair warily as the last time she had received such joyous news she had found herself betrothed to Vasco Vespucci. Her parents had told her they would not betroth her again, but she had rumors that Villem Selwyn, a distant cousin of theirs was interested in her. This was the same wizard that had once been very interested in Bethanie, a widower with already two dead wives, and a very bad reputation. If that truly was the case, then she would refuse and run away. She would rather sell her body to make a living than to marry her distant cousin!
With a hint of trepidation, Tiffany accepts the letter fearing the worst. Her parents had recently politely declined the suit of her mother's distant cousin, Villem Selwyn. However, Villem Selwyn was persistent despite being a widower with two mysteriously dead wives. And with being viewed as a Bride of Death, she strongly feared her parents would finally cave under the persistence of Villem Selwyn.
Tiffany's hands tighten anxiously around the parchment wrinkling the letter, before beginning to read. The sleep from Bethanie and Sylvia's eyes fly away as they intently see the anxiety on Tiffany's expression. Rowan finishes putting on her robes, before leaning about the bedpost waiting for Tiffany to speak. The silence grows more intense until Tiffany puts down the letter from her parents with a genuine smile on her face causing all three girls to gaze at her in sincere surprise before the puzzle falls into place. A beaming smile appears on Bethanie's face as Siliva sighs in relief, and Rowan nods her head at Tiffany.