Chapter 818 - Empty Castle Ⅲ (1/2)
The house elves hurry after them, but Rowan makes a firm gesture for them to remain behind. The house elves look rather appalled as they had not been able to properly serve either of them. Topsy clenches her skirts in shock, while Happey shakes his head in displeasure. How can they properly serve if they are not permitted to serve?!
Rowan waits at the door for Nadira, before gently touching the top of Nadira's head. ”You must grow stronger, Nadira,” Rowan quietly said. ”War comes and we must be ready.”
Nadira lets out a resigned hiss, ”I understand, protector.” Her sapphire-colored eyes glitter with determination. ”I will eat mighty beasts and grow stronger!”
Rowan sagely nods her head and waits for Nadira to turn invisible, before opening the door. She first closes her eyes to check her mindscape, before motioning for Nadira to follow closely behind. Leading the way, Rowan escorts Nadira all the way to the front entrance. From their she sees a dark shadow cross the grounds before a loud crack is heard in the frozen lake.. A large crack appears followed by a splash before the ice quickly freezes back over. Within minutes there is no trace that the ice had ever been broken in the first place.
Turning away Rowan marches towards a dark corridor, before closing her eyes. Her mapscape appears in her mind and she easily spotted James Potter near the library again. Remus had said that James was feeling ill so what was he doing out of bed? Double-checking, she made certain that a nearby corridor is empty before she teleports away to the empty corridor. She walks only a few steps around the corner to the nearby location where James was last seen on her mapscape. She finds him staring at the portrait of Professor Basil Fronsac.
Professor Fransac had once been the Headmaster of Hogwarts, a former Ravenclaw. His current portrait shows him as a middle-aged balding man with scruffy hair on both sides of his head except in the middle. In his hand, he holds a golden pocket watch to check the time. He was more than happy to help any inquisitive minds and would tell anyone where Rowena Ravenclaw came from. In addition, his portrait guarded the shortcut leading to the second-floor corridor near the library. Ironically, the password for the corridor was Studious Success.
Currently, Professor Fransac's portrait is dozing with his pocket watch about to slip out from his hand. ”James,” Rowan slowly said as not to startle him, ”Remus said that you weren't feeling well enough to eat nor to go to Hogsmeade. What are you doing down here?”
Professor Fransac does not awaken at Rowan's voice, but James flinched, before turning to face her. His dark hair was untidy as ever, but he looked rather ill. Behind his round spectacles, his hazel eyes look tired. There are dark eyeshadows under his eyes and his complexion looked rather wane and pale. His skin was tighter on his cheekbones having lost at least half a stone or more.
Rowan hides her shock at seeing James in the unhealthiest state she had ever seen him. Sure, this year he lacked his usual tan, but then again, he wasn't the Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Yet even when he and the rest of the marauders had been at odds with each other earlier this year, she had never witnessed him looking as awful as this. She had been busy, yes, but even she would have noticed James looking this bad. He must have been using some sort of glamour to conceal his condition as none of the Marauders had noticed!
”James, when was the last time, you slept?” Rowan asked with sincere worry in her tone of voice.
”I slept last night,” James stiffly replied, but not revealing exactly how short he had slept nor the fact that his dreams had been filled with continuous nightmares again.
”James, you need to rest,” Rowan matter-of-factly declared. ”I'm taking you down to the infirmary.”
”No, I'm fine,” James blustered irritably. ”There is no need to concern yourself, Rowan.”
Rowan's indigo pitch-black eyes grow darker if at all possible. ”We are going to the infirmary even if I have to tie you up and drag you there, James Potter,” she flatly retorted and she would make good on her threat.