Patrolling Ⅲ

The moon was high in the sky when Rowan trod down the stone corridors, while the torches flicker and cast a moving light. With care, she began to make her way down through the castle to return to the dungeons. She would have teleported, but she wanted to take some time for herself to unwind before going to bed after the abrupt meeting with James in the Astronomy Tower. She found that a quiet walk tended to give her body and mind a respite from her thoughts and concerns.

The sound of footsteps caused Rowan to pause as a dust-colored, scrawny cat with bulging yellow, lamp-like eyes emerges from the corridor first, Mrs. Norris. A faint smile appears on Rowan's face as she leans down to pet the cat, while the footsteps become louder to reveal the hunched figure of the Hogwarts Caretaker, Argus Filch. His face was still horribly pasty as ever with bulging pale eyes and sunken cheeks. His thin grey hair, however, is neatly swept back and he wears a newer dark-colored suit with trousers that cover his thin ankles. Courtesy of the higher pay raise, he had been given.

"Ah, it's you, Prince," Argus Filch said as eyes softened upon seeing Rowan gently petting the purring figure of Mrs. Norris. "I thought I had caught one of those brats about."

"Most certainly not," Rowan countered as she gave Mrs. Norris one last gentle scratch behind the ears, before rising and straightening up. "However, this year especially, we seem to have quite the number of nighttime wanders."

"Nosey brats the whole lot of them," Argus grumbled darkly. "Though the Petersen brothers have quelled them right along nicely," he murmured with a great deal of satisfaction. As not even the Gryffindor's were brave, (stupid), enough to pull pranks on the two large, muscular new caretakers of Hogwarts.

"Well, I best be off now, Filch," Rowan said as she felt a cold breeze wisp across her neck and cause her to shiver as she pulled her cloak closer around herself. "It is late, and I have class in the morning."

"Er, a moment, Prince," Argus said as he nervously shuffled on his toes.

Rowan patiently waits for the caretaker to speak, when Argus clears this throat and says, "My younger brother wrote to me, and he is aware of you and your brother's existence. He is awfully sorry about his past ignorance, but he was wondering if during the Winter Holiday's you and Severus would be willing to join the Filch family for a family dinner. Naturally, it would be my brother and I and his family-."

Argus's voice dies off as Rowan is noticeably quiet and still as one of Argus's hands' fiddle with the buttons on his coat sleeve. "I cannot presume to answer at this time, Filch," Rowan earnestly answered. "However, I shall solemnly consider the invitation, and relay the message to my twin brother to consult on the matter."

"Of course, of course!" Argus said in relief. "And neither of you need an answer at this time. It may wait until the Presentation ceremony, where my brother and his wife will be present in attendance."

Rowan's eyes widen and narrow in a split of a second before any trace of her emotions vanished from her face. "Well, in that case, I will wait until that time to answer in person."

"Right, you are, Prince," Argus sighed in relief, before nodding briskly and turning away.

Argus had begun to hurry away with Mrs. Norris leading the way when Rowan loudly called after him. "And can we expect that the school's librarian, Miss Pince will be your date, Filch?"

Rowan's words cause Argus nearly to stumble, but he did not answer back. Frankly, he could not get away fast enough. He had no idea, why he had agreed to be his younger brother's messenger. But he most vehemently regretted it now! Never again!

Rowan's dark eyes flicker with suppressed emotions before she closes her eyes to call up her mindscape. She was no longer in a mood to walk down to the dungeons. That and well, she was a Slytherin after all. They tended to be petty. But mostly she would not risk another unwanted encounter. Two unexpected encounters were more than enough for one evening.

However, before Rowan can teleport away on the edge of the Hogwarts map appears the figure of Hagrid moving rapidly into the depths of the Forbidden Forest. But that was not what caught her eye, but the Acromantula's that were following him in droves. And even more particularly the lone figure of a centaur rushing towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Firenze.

Ensuring that she is alone on the map, Rowan teleports away at the edge of the Forbidden Forest just past Hagrid's hut and the giant pumpkin patch. Tree leaves rustle loudly in the night breeze, while branches creak and moan disturbingly. The waning moonlight dimly pierces the veil of darkness, but Rowan dares not cast the light spell, Lumos in the Forbidden Forest. Casting such a spell in the Forbidden Forest was akin to setting up oneself as prey for any hunting predator

Still, there was a thread of worry within in that Rowan was unable to untangle from her heart. Taking a risk, she slowly raises her wand and is silent for a moment forming her thoughts and desires, before casting the spell, "Expecto Patronum!"

A silver mist erupts from the tip of Rowan's wand to form a silverly Thestral flapping its wings. The Thestral flaps its wings harder and glides off through the Forbidden Forest with expert ease fluttering between the trees until its glistening glow vanishes plunging the forest dark once more. The only sounds heard are the creaking of branches and the rustling of leaves beneath the waning moon in the sky.

The creaking silence did not last long when the stomping of hooves against the cold ground and the sound of fallien crisp leaves being crushed under hooves is clearly heard. A shadowy figure flits between the trees drawing ever nearer. "Firenze," Rowan called out as the shadowy figure of a centaur skid to a stop under a moonlight beam through the tree branches.

A flicker of a smile appears on Rowan's face as a look of appreciation in her eyes. Firenze was still as breathtaking as she remembered from her second year. The teenage boy with a swimmer's build, white-blond hair, and a palomino body. But even more astonishing is his blue like eyes that gleam like the brightest and palest of sapphires.

"I saw Capricornus in the night sky descending," Firenze quietly murmured causing Rowan to stare deadpanned at him as he stared up through the foliage at the starry night.

Failing to notice Rowan's bland expression, Firenze continues, "Sagittarius runs before Capricornus, the traveler comes and as does the archer." Firenze turns silent as he remains staring at the night sky in solemn contemplation.

Exasperated Rowan firmly interjects, "I saw Hagrid enter the woods, Firenze, and yet here you are as well. If you would speak straight and true, Firenze, I would dearly appreciate it."

"What I have spoken is straight and true, -" Firenze responded as he turned his pale sapphire like eyes towards her, "-child of the Founders, Rowan Prince."

Before Rowan can speak, a roar is heard in the distant. "We must depart, Child of the Founders," Firenze urgently said, before kneeling onto the forest ground.

Rowan hesitates for a moment, before clambering onto the back of Firenze. "Hold on tight, Child of the Founders," Firenze instructed as he wrapped Rowan's hands around his chest, before rising and rushing off at a full gallop. Time waited for no one and not even for a centaur.