Chapter 848 - Presentation Ball Ⅲ (1/2)
The two of them continued to traverse the floor greeting guests not excluding the Gertrude Fowl and Hortense Sicca. They were accompanied by their betrothed, Vern Crabbe and Gil Goyle. Rowan politely greeted them but did not linger a second longer than considered a proper courtesy. Not that the feeling was not mutual as neither Gertrude nor Hortense and their fiancés liked Rowan Prince. Still, much like Rowan, they kept a polite pretense as this was not the time nor place to show their obvious dislike for each other.
Although Rowan did take the time to pointedly greet Quyen Crowley and her parents. Quyen looked rather pale with her dark sausage curls pulled up and her slightly thick eyebrows furrowed. She looked rather nice in her beige gown, but there was a sullen air around her. No doubt, she did not want to be there and would rather much be with her boyfriend, Peter.
Rowan hides a smile at Quyen's expression that is filled with relief at spotting Rowan. It would never do for Quyen to learn that Rowan had grown fond of her especially during the past school semester not that she would ever tell Quyen! That and Quyen was Peter's sweetheart, and Rowan really did have a soft spot for Wormtail. If she was honest, it had all started when Peter had the courage to stand up for her against Sirius alongside Remus.
Maybe under any other circumstance, Rowan might have grown to have stronger feelings for Peter or even Remus than that of simply friends. However, she also understood that she would never feel that way about them. Not from a lack of opportunities, but rather that her character made it impossible for her. She would have ended destroying Peter and Remus in the end, and sometimes things are simply better left as they are.
Tugging James towards the Crowley family, James takes the hint and leads the way. Mr. Crowley was a rather large wizard with thick eyebrows, while Mrs. Crowley looked like a fat sausage stuffed into a tight dress. She looked rather unpleasant usually scowling, but at present had a fake smile on her face. Her dark hair resembled that of her daughter, Quyen.
In a false warm voice, Mrs. Crowley says, ”Congratulations on your presentation, Miss Prince.” She paused and briefly glanced at her daughter. ”I am certain that you have already met with my daughter, Quyen.”
”Yes, we are friends,” Rowan matter-of-factly stated causing Quyen to blink in shock before a small shy smile appeared on Quyen's face in gratitude.
Quyen knew that Rowan and she weren't very good friends, but they were friends of sorts now. She would never admit it, but she found Rowan's character rather refreshing. Even more so, when she saw Rowan being a good friend to Peter Pettigrew, Quyen's boyfriend. She at times wished she had more courage and kindness as a 1st-year student at Hogwarts, but she had been anxious to meet her parent's expectations. The past couldn't be undone, but she was proud to say she had, at last, made one or two good friends, but most importantly of all had met her sweetheart, dear Peter Pettigrew.
Quyen flushed prettily at the last thought, while the Mr. and Mrs. Crowley were eying the two girls as if uncertain if one was of them was lying. They normally would have taken their daughter's flush as embarrassment or even anger, but that did not seem the case in this instance. Paying their daughter, no mind, the couple returns their gaze to Rowan Prince.
”Naturally,” Mrs. Crowley murmured with badly feigned warmth, ”the two of you must continue to be friends.” She strongly emphasized the last part as if trying to bait or catch Rowan in a lie.
Mrs. Crowley did not believe Rowan Prince's words, she knew that her progeny was a rather worthless child, who held no further use than extending their family power via marriage. With her daughter slowly coming of age, it was time for the Crowley couple to betroth their daughter to the highest bidder. Mrs. Crowley carefully put that thought away in the back of her mind, but it would not be forgotten.