First Day of December Ⅴ

With a loud cough, Professor Flitwick draws their attention back to him. He beams at them and says, I understand that all of you are tired with studying for your O.W.L.'s and all, therefore we will split into mixed groups and those performing individual tasks." Lily and Severus look the most disappointed out of the groups, but there is still a gleam of hope in their eyes that they will be matched together.

A loud movement causes everyone to turn and stare as they see the rugged, handsome form of Hagrid entering the Great Hall followed by twelve large pine trees following neatly behind him. "Where'd you like for me to put them, Professor?" Hagrid asked the diminutive Charms Professor.

"Just put them in a neat line evenly spaced just as last year, Hagrid," Professor Flitwick answered. "Please and thank you," before turning his attention back to the eight Hogwarts Prefect's.

"Right, will do," Hagrid cheerfully said as he waved over to them in greeting, before moving the trees as told to do. Hagrid never got tired of performing magic and it always filled him with simple gratitude to hold his wand in hand. He was a wizard through and through!

While Hagrid neatly set the trees down, Professor Flitwick pulled out a neat list from the coat of his pocket. "Caretaker Filch and our twin Caretaker's Petersons already have as you have no doubt noticed polished the suits of armors in the hall until they sparkle, (and no longer squeaked when they moved). I will personally bewitch the suits to sing carols whenever anyone passes them by."

"Prefect Severus Prince will attach everlasting icicles to the banisters of the marble staircase," Professor said causing Severus and Lily to gaze at each other with abject disappointment. Rowan loudly snorted causing Severus to glare at his twin sister as Rowan arched her brow at him until he looked away first.

"And Mr. Prince, I will check the everlasting charm," Professor Flitwick pointedly warned, before saying, "Prefect Abbott and Prefect Goldstein will place tinsel around the castle." The statement caused Andrew and David Goldstein to narrow their eyes with some alarm at their Charms Professor. Tinsel wasn't a difficult task, so why were two Prefects assigned to complete this seemingly simple task?!

Professor Flitwick ignored the dubious stares of the two boys and deliberately moved on, "Prefect Evans, Prefect Ravine, and Prefect Branstone will aid me in the decorating of the twelve trees in the Great Hall," causing Pandora's excitement to wither away at the mention of Prefect Branstone. The feeling of dislike was mutual for the two girls causing Lily to sigh out loud already feeling painfully caught between the two girls.

"And as for Prefect Rowan Prince will be in charge of placing the Christmas wreaths and mistletoe throughout the castle," Professor Flitwick finished cheerfully causing Rowan's face to darken to a scowl. "Hagrid has already placed the Christmas wreaths and mistletoe next to the front as well. I expect for there to be bows and floating enchantments on the mistletoe, Miss Prince."

Rowan's face twitches dangerously as those surrounding her all deliberately take a step back. Through gritted teeth, she replies, "Yes, Professor Flitwick."

"Excellent," said the diminutive charms professor, Filius Flitwick. "The sooner we get started the sooner we are done, Prefects."

With a low unhappy mutter, the Prefect's begun to move to fulfill their various assignments. Rowan shrunk the wreaths and the mistletoe to carry them away with ease to an abandoned corridor. With a glowering expression, she cast the cutting spell to trim the excess leaves and branches from the mistletoe, before transfiguring the cut portions into bows and tiny bells on strings. It was a tedious task, but if she started in this manner, she would be able to work mechanically and finish her task that much faster like in an assembly line. Soon enough, the wreaths came together as she added embellishments to the wreaths such as neatly tied bows, glittering tiny ornaments, and more. All that was left was to hang the wreaths and enchant the mistletoe to hover overhead to catch poor students unaware.

Rowan started rather grumpily setting up the Christmas wreaths and mistletoe throughout the castle. However, as time passed by, she enjoyed hiding the large clump of white berries to trigger upon unsuspecting targets. She would never admit it in a thousand years that she enjoyed doing so! But it was not as bad as it could have been.

Having decorated the upper levels and with a brisk wind roaring down the hallway, Rowan pulled her cloak closer together and began to head downstairs. With less than a dozen wreaths and mistletoes to go, she thought to hide them on the first and second floors. She paused to glance through the misted windows to see a fierce snowstorm blowing outside as the draft winds caused the torches to flicker in the stone hallways.

Rowan smirked slightly as she gazed out onto the snow-covered grounds. She only remembered too well how the feeling of climbing through the snow-covered drifts trying to get to the greenhouses for Herbology. Thankfully, she no longer had to do so despite how much she truly enjoyed the class.

Feeling much more cheerful than when she started, Rowan makes her way down the floors pausing to hang a Christmas Wreath in a missed corner or a mistletoe. She was on the second floor when she heard a familiar male voice shout, "Rowan!" Causing Rowan to sharply glance back only to see the figure of James Potter.

Rowan removes her silver watch from her pocket and snaps it open, before loudly snapping it shut and putting it away. "James, it is near curfew," she pointedly said with a hint of exasperation at seeing the flushed figure of James.

James sheepishly blinks his haze eyes from behind his round glasses at her. Tall and thin, he reflexively runs a hand through his untidy dark hair that is always somehow stuck up at the back. "Sorry, it got late, and then I've been running around the castle trying to find you."

Rowan arches her brow at him in clear disbelief. "More like it got late," she drily said. "I know for a fact that you've got the marauder's map, which tells me otherwise."

James continues to grin at her causing Rowan to finally in exasperation ask, "Fine. How can I help you this evening, James?" She finally asked. She had not wanted to ask, but it was the principle of things.