Applause

Brunch was a wonderful affair as friends and Severus greeted Rowan in the Great Hall. The Slytherins cheered for her and personally thought that she should have been the rightful winner of the tournament cup. The rest of the houses add their own applause as they too thought that Rowan Prince should have won. It was a damn shame, and they all knew it.

Taking a seat at the Slytherin table, Delilah Pizzaro sitting a short way away leans out with a big smirk on her face. The sixth-year girl winks and says, "Don't worry, Prince, you have been properly avenged in a Slytherin manner. Greengrass and I made the Champion Ceremony, a most memorable evening the likes which won't easily be forgotten and is now recorded in Hogwarts's History."

Staring rather wide-eyed at the older Slytherin, Rowan turns to glance at Terry, who innocently bats his eyes at her. Shaking her head with fear, she realizes she really does not want to know after all what these two are capable of. And they called her scary!

With a loud cough, Terry grins at reclaiming Rowan's attention and says, "I thought to make up a bit for my last prank against you," while Silvia and Bethanie looked away as if embarrassed.

Glancing at Severus, who was pointedly poking at his full English breakfast on his plate, Rowan turns to Tiffany, who purses her lips playfully at her. Seeing that no one is talking, Rowan says, "So is anyone going to tell me just what happened during the Triwizard Tournament Ceremony last night?"

"Nothing much," Tiffany smugly said, "only that it was so awkward that a chirp of crickets could be heard. Not even the Durmstrang students were pleased. According to them, Karkaroff was a coward for abandoning you and leaving you to make your way back. As such, when Karkaroff swayed to his feet and tripped face first, there was a slew of laughter from everyone, while the Headmaster of Durmstrang looked as though he wanted to cover his face in shame when Karkaroff gave a very slurred speech as the champion when at the pulpit and then proceeded to throw up the contents of his stomach."

"How in Merlin's name did Karkaroff get so drunk right before the ceremony," Rowan drily said as she nibbled on her toast. "Let me guess, his accomplices remain yet at large?"

"His accomplices have yet to be caught!" Tiffany grinned mischievously for a moment before her grin faded away. "Though Professor Lye mysteriously disappeared as well just like Professor Adric. Everyone's starting to think that the DADA position is cursed."

"Yes, how very strange," was all that Rowan said. She wasn't about to tell the truth. Nor much less any of the many other versions of what happened. It was best to stick to the official lie with vague details.

After brunch, Rowan changed into some loose clothes, before heading out to the green lawn to relax under the shade by the lake much like everyone else was. It was simply wonderful just to relax with friends and not have to worry about the Triwizard Tournament. It was simply perfect.

Later that evening despite being tired, Rowan risked teleporting to the lake to visit Nadira. To her absolute relief, nothing terrible happened, which gave her hope that the incident in the lavatory had been just a one-time thing. Wearing just a light jumper in the cool lake breeze, Rowan calls out in parseltongue, "Nadira," and waits.

There is not a hint of sound until she hears a large splash as something large, glistening in the moonlight bursts out from the middle of the lake. Hurtling just over the waves, a glistening albino serpent can be seen flying over the lake causing Rowan to gasp in delight before her eyes turn strange at seeing the sheer size of Nadira. Nadira had grown once again and was now as thick as an anaconda. Just what were the merpeople in the lake feeding her?!

"Guardian!" Nadira whispered excitedly as her aquamarine eyes and the bright jewel on her forehead glittered beautifully under the moonlight. Happily, slithering onto the guardian's shoulders, she says, "Guardian, did you see?! I can fly now!" It was a magical trait inherited from her snake mother, but as she grew larger, the more magic it would cost to sustain her girth in the air. But in the meantime, while she was still small, she would enjoy her gift.

"Yes, most impressive," Rowan grunted under the weight of Nadira but especially tried to keep herself from wincing in pain as Nadira's weight was her left shoulder to scream in agony.

Rubbing affectionately her wet, silky soft head next to Rowan's cheek, Nadira excitedly says, "I watched the entire tournament, Guardian! It was most exciting! I especially wanted to fight the great flying beast!"

"The dragon?" Rowan said in disbelief.

"Mm," Nadira said with excited, sparkling eyes. "Though still in an egg, I can remember Mother recounting tales of her grand adventurers and great battles against foes that could breathe fire. Mother in her youth used to steal their eggs and eat them! They are delicious!"

Rowan's face is carefully kept blank. A Great Horned Serpent is still a snake, and snakes very much do like to eat the eggs of birds, and in this case, dragons apparently. Coughing, she reaches to rub the top of Nadira's head, when she feels a soft nub-like thing. Looking closer, she sees that it is soft nubs that will one day harden and become tiny horns.

Nadira happily chats with Rowan about all of her adventures in the lake and her great deeds. Rowan much like an adult with a child nods her head and appropriately says words of excitement and amazement at every interval. Finally, too exhausted to function, she says, "I am sorry, Nadira, but is late and I am tired."

Seeing the snake's head drop down sadly, Rowan quickly adds, "But I promise to come swimming with you in the lake in the Fall. I'll buy a proper swimming suit, and you can show me your nest."

"Yes!" Nadira proudly said as she leapt off Rowan's shoulder causing her to wince in pain. "I will show you the best places to hunt, Guardian!" Nadira proudly added in delight.

"Yes, yes," Rowan patiently said. "Now I will be leaving tomorrow on the Hogwarts Express, Nadira. Please be good, and if you need anything, you head down to the kitchens, you hear!"

"Yes, guardian!" Nadira said, before rubbing her face against Rowan's cheek once, before flying up into the air and diving straight into the inky black light with a big splash.

"Show off," Rowan said with a big smile on her face, before teleporting back to the dorms to finally get some rest. It had been a rather long day filled with various hurdles, and she would like to very much get some sleep.