79 It was you, wasn’t it?

As the days turned warmer unfortunately piles upon piles of homework are given out by the professors. (Although, the 5th years and 7th years have it the worst). Even Rowan is forced to postpone her research in order to handle the influx of homework. Thankfully, she is almost thorough in most of the archives. If all went well, she would be done by the time it came for school to be out.

The sound of pages can be heard as Rowan searches for the use of Dittany in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. She is fairly certain that the herb is a restorative healing component used in potions or be consumed raw to stop bleeding. Although she had forgotten if the raw consumption of Dittany completely healed the wound or merely made fresh skin grow over the wound making the wound scab over rather than appear fresh?

"Found it!" Rowan thought to herself as her eyes fell upon the answer. Frowning a bit, she chides herself for having forgotten that in a potion Dittany did in completely heal over the wound, but as a raw ingredient caused the wound to scab over leaving an almost non-existent scar. With Herbology being one of her favorite subjects, she did have to admit that it was a bit of a disappointment to have forgotten such a crucial detail.

Out of habit, Rowan glanced up to see her spot inside the library is even quieter than usual. The Marauders are studying in the Gryffindor common room area as they also had to prepare for the first-year exams. But maybe, just maybe she had gotten used to their noisiness, and the silence felt a bit off-putting.

Shaking her head, Rowan returns to her notes, but despite herself, her mind drifts away. Ever since the encounter in the library with Lily in February things had been a bit awkward between them. Still, she is slightly worried that if she remained estranged it would eventually adversely affect Severus.

Severus can be a tad bit oblivious, but even he had noticed that Lily and Rowan did not really converse during potions anymore. That didn't mean to say they didn't speak to each other, it just meant that even the thick-headed Severus could sense the unspoken tension. And she really did not want to be the one to apologize…

Rowan lets out a sigh and almost falls out of her seat as a voice abruptly from her right side says, "Just what are you sighing on about, Rowan? I've heard you sigh at least five times in the last minute or two."

With shock and surprise at not having heard anyone, Rowan whirls around to see James Potter sitting next to her as usual on her right side. "When did you get here?!" Rowan gawked unable to truly believe that James actually snuck up on her.

"Been here for a while," James cheerfully huffed. "Not that you've noticed of course as you seemed a tad bit occupied."

A bit embarrassed, Rowan turns away and snorts. "I was just worried about not being able to find the answer to my question, that's all."

"Right," James wryly said as he flashed her a cheeky smile.

Pursing her lips rather sullenly, Rowan says, "So where's the rest of the gang?"

"Lupin's properly studying but Sirius and Pettigrew said they were going mad and went for a walk," James ruefully grinned. "And as for me, I thought a change of ambiance wouldn't be such a terrible thing."

"Mm," Rowan pointedly hummed returning to her notes.

"By the way, Hagrid's dragon egg successfully hatched not too long ago," James idly mentioned all while closely watching Rowan's reaction. Nothing showed on Rowan's face, but he did not miss the slight stiffness in her limbs.

"Well, I'm surprised Hagrid wasn't caught and taken away to Azkaban," Rowan grunted as she took notes. "Dragon breeding was banned in 1709 and most especially dragon eggs are considered a Class A trading violation."

"Yes, well, it turned out well in end," James cheerfully remarked. "Professor Kettleburn helped to care for the hatchling until it was large enough to travel. He arranged for Norbert to be taken away and placed in the wilds of Norway.

"How exciting," Rowan drily commented as she attempted to ignore James.

"Yes, well, if it hadn't been for a friend of Hagrid's who kindly informed Professor Kettleburn, it might have all ended very badly," James further probed.

"A no-good rotten snitch, no doubt," Rowan grumbled.

Unable to hide a wide Cheshire grin, James leans on his elbows. "And it wouldn't have been a rather concerned Slytherin now would it?"

"Of course not," Rowan snapped as she closed her book shut and impatiently put her things away.

"And where are you going?" James smirked.

"A change of ambiance, it's rather noisy in here," Rowan grumbled as she hefted her schoolbag onto her shoulder.

Snickering rather loudly James says, "Well, I think I'll accompany you then, it is a tad warm today."

Almost stomping away, Rowan ignores the smirk on James's face as he walks behind her. Madam Pince must have noticed Rowan's irked expression as she marched out of the library because Madam Pince gave James the stink eye in passing. Sensing the prickly librarian's dark expression James hastily picked up his pace and ran after Rowan.

"I don't know why you're denying it," James breathlessly called out after they were a safe distance from the library. "It wasn't as though you did a bad thing."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rowan flatly lied.

"Rowan Prince, I don't know why you pretend to be such a cold-hearted person when you're a remarkably a nice gal at that," James truthfully admitted without a single trace of embarrassment.

Rowan comes to an abrupt halt under the warm streaming sunlight windows. Whirling around Rowan says, "Fine, so what if I did tell Professor Kettleburn, what of it?"

"Well, so you could be properly thanked," James carefully replied at spotting the frosty expression on Rowan's face.

"Not everyone wants to be the hero, James Potter," Rowan irritably snapped.

"It's almost as if you don't want to be thanked," James voiced out loud as Rowan's hand unconsciously gripped her bag's strap that much tighter.

Looking away and out onto the green grass grounds, Rowan much more calmly says, "Will my admitting that I was responsible change anything or be of great accomplishment? All it proves is that I reacted wisely and prudently by reporting the situation to said proper authority, Professor Kettleburn. My actions most certainly do not merit a great show of gratitude."

"But it was something great," James interjected. "It was important to Hagrid, the nestling, Professor Kettleburn, and all of us."

Rowan is still for a moment, before turning away and saying over her shoulders, "If that's all, James, I'll be going."

James is unable to hide the grin on his face and says, "See you later, Rowan." A snort was all the response he got as James ruefully shook his head and made his way back to the Gryffindor common room.

Sirius and Pettigrew had yet to return from their walk, but Lupin was hard at work. "What took you so long?" Lupin huffed as he glanced up from his notes.

"Well, I just ran into a friend and said, hello," James said with an innocent smile.

"Mm, if you say so," Lupin mused. "It wouldn't have been a girl, would it?"

"Maybe it was," James truthfully said as Lupin shook his head and muttered something about, flirting under his breath.

With a light smile on his face, James gets to work to his own utter dismay. These days he just seemed to be studying all the time. At this rate, he was going to turn into Severus or worse, Rowan!