Professor Zephyros

With her slew of detentions, Rowan asked Caretaker Filch if she could also work on the weekends to finish her detention early. Filch agreed much to Rowan's delight. Thanks to Filch accommodating her, Rowan was not only able to escape the gossip and pointed fingers until everything died down with the next batch of gossip.

On that bright note, Rowan was able to miss the Quidditch tryouts held the second week of the term to the vast disappointment of others. It came as no surprise to her when Sirius made the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a beater. Though surprisingly, it was Peter, who became the other Gryffindor chaser.

Then again, it made perfect sense. Peter is naturally nimble and is often underestimated because of his plump size. In turn, this became an advantage allowing Peter to easily score and make the quidditch team. The news had come as somewhat of a surprise to Rowan since Peter Pettigrew had never originally been part of the quidditch team. But that was all the better for her as three of the four marauders would be on the Quidditch team. By default, the three boys would have less energy and time to think about other things.

Naturally, Regulus made the Slytherin team as the Slytherin seeker. It came as no surprise really as Professor Slughorn had been set on him since Regulus's first year. Never mind once Captain Nott had seen Regulus fly, she'd not be letting him escape from her grasp. Not only did Regulus gain quite a bit of fame because he was the youngest seeker of any of the house teams, but as a direct result, he gained quite a bit of popularity with both the boys and girls of his year. The girls seemed to gaze at him with new eyes, while the boys from Slytherin and a few others sought to be more on friendly terms with him.

After the bore of Professor Stricken and the dubious character of Professor Adric, Professor Pollen's class became one of the most popular classes in Hogwarts. Though Professor Pollen's classes were an interesting affair as the other Slytherins eagerly waited for Rowan to act out again in class. But to their vast disappointment, Rowan never did as she actively participated in the rest of the lessons. Needless to say, Professor Pollen was rather pleased as she had been expecting the worst from Rowan after the first day of lessons.

After the boggarts chapter, Professor Pollen taught them about Red Caps, nasty little goblinlike creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to Kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.

This topic Rowan found rather interesting as she had always believed Kappas to be solely Japanese magical creatures. But it would appear that despite often being featured in Japanese folklore, there were many variations of Kappas throughout the known magical world in Asia. And as such could not be considered a unique magical creature to Japan, but rather most of the Asian continent.

Potions this year were going quite well as too much of Rowan's delight, most of the potions they were to brew did not require many living ingredients. A mixed blessing for the rest of the class as they would often be found dissecting or cutting open dead organisms. Strangely enough, Rowan had no problem with and even excelled which greatly disturbed Severus.

It was quite frightening to watch Rowan dice a dead creature in a matter of seconds with her sharp knife. On the other hand, Professor Slughorn was thrilled at Rowan's progress. Of course, he didn't realize either that that might suggest that Rowan was quite adept at brewing poisons as most poisons don't require living ingredients to begin with.

Ancient Runes wasn't too bad, and Rowan rather enjoyed learning about new runes with Andrew Abbot. However, it was more of a necessity as she would most likely be needing the skill in the future. Though what she and Tiffany truly enjoyed most was their Arithmancy class. Despite being given loads of homework by Professor Victor, there is something truly and deeply satisfying about calculating numbers and always getting the right answer. In fact, it had become a sort of bonding subject between Tiffany and Rowan.

On the other hand, those poor souls who had chosen to take Divination found that the Professor in charge Professor Zephyros was rather strange. He'd ramble about one subject to change to another only abruptly. But still, it was an easy class to take and not many protested his actions. However, Rowan had seen the wide pupil-eyed professor who in her personal opinion must be hopped up on something as he seemed to have and be suffering all the usual side effects of a habitual drug user.

Though according to most of the boys, Professor Kettleburn was a God. Not only was he incredibly knowledgeable on all sorts and manners of magical creatures, but their very first class had been with Hippogriffs, half-bird, half-horse creatures. While Terry and Severus regularly fanboyed over Professor Kettleburn, Rowan tended to ignore them as she also had a favorite professor and wasn't one to talk.

Finally, on the Friday of the third week, Rowan made her way up to the library. The dark-haired woman with suspicious eyes says, "It's about time, Miss Prince."

"My apologies Madam Pince, I was in detention," Rowan answered the prickly librarian.

"Well, do try to stay out of trouble," Madam Pince said in disapproval. "It simply does not become a young lady to get detention on the first day of school!"

"Yes, Madam Pince," Rowan obediently replied, before heading back through the library to her usual spot. Sitting rather lonely at their usual place was the tall, thin, exhausted figure of Remus Lupin. His russet hair was slightly untidy as perpetual tired eyes glanced up at her.

"I thought you'd be in detention forever," Remus softly whispered with a smile.

Rowan shrugs as she glances at the empty seats. "Quidditch again?"

"Quidditch," Remus sighed with obvious resignation. "I swear that is all they ever talk about now."

"Well, if it gets too much for you," Rowan said as she sat down. "Go and sit with Terry and Severus in the study hall. I'd hate for you to be up here all alone all the time."

"Do I detect concern in your voice, Rowan?" Remus teased.

Rowan ignored the jab and said, "I don't mind working alone in fact I prefer it at times. But I don't believe that is always the case for you, Remus. So please just go and sit with them next time."

"I think I will," Remus sheepishly murmured with a flush. He'd been rather lonely these last few weeks and had been far shy to go and approach Severus and Terry on his own and sit with them.

"Good," Rowan briskly said as she pulled out her Ancient Runes homework to finish before finding a wizard physiology textbook from which to study. "By the way, I never did ask, what electives are you taking?"

"Same as the rest," Lupin admitted with an embarrassed flush. "Divination and Care of Magical Creatures."

"Well, I can see why you would pick Care of Magical Creatures, but you really should have gone with Arithmancy," Rowan bluntly pointed out. "I do believe you would have enjoyed it."

"Maybe," Lupin wistfully admitted. "But at least, I enjoy one of my classes."

"Well, there's that," Rowan murmured as she fell silent and began to work. And they did for several hours until it was time for dinner. Either way, Rowan at least finished her homework and was able to find a physiology volume with the aid of Madam Pince.