114 Trouble in Paradise Ⅱ

Stomping through the castle Rowan couldn't quite understand just why she was so very upset as she made her way up to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Halfway there she paused in a rather brightly lit corridor and sighs. If she was completely honest with herself, maybe, just maybe it was because she was more than a bit fond of those four idiots. Sirius's thoughtless remark just might have pricked at her heart more than it should have under any other circumstance.

Staring out onto the green lawn, Rowan doesn't see the figure steadily approaching behind her. "Trouble in paradise?" A familiar warm voice said causing that strange fluttering again in Rowan's stomach.

Rowan turns away from the window to see the 6th year, a dark-eyed young man with curly dark hair. Over the summer S.R. Wilkes had grown taller. His shoulders had filled out and his voice further deepened into that of a man. Yet it seemed as though he had lost the inner light of his eyes. There was something about it that made her wary and sad.

"I take it, I came at a bad time?" S.R. Wilkes teased with a glittering smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

"You could say that," Rowan turned halfway to gaze out of the nearest window.

"So, what are you going to do that pompous, Gryffindor? Do you want some aid in getting your revenge?" Wilkes kindly offered.

"No, I am not that petty," Rowan declined with a frown.

"Then you're going to forgive him?" Wilkes cooly speculated.

"Eventually," Rowan answered uncertainly by Wilkes sudden interest. It was odd. But Wilkes was odd, to begin with, it was not out of character for him.

"Oh, I get it, you're going to make him grovel. You are conniving Rowan, you certainly know where to hit a prideful Gryffindor," Wilkes cackled as Rowan felt the conversation turning normal.

Rowan snorts feeling much freer, "I prefer the word cunning myself."

"You certainly are," Wilkes leaned whispered leaning close enough for Rowan to smell the pine scent of his body wash.

Something akin to alarm raced down Rowan's spine. It was S.R. Wilkes who wasn't in control of himself. It was someone else who was staring out of his eyes.

Wilkes warmly blinked and stepped. "You've certainly grown over the summer," he teased placing his head just over her head to measure her height.

"Yes, well it happens to all of us," Rowan said as she moved her head to the side avoiding his hand.

A lapse of silence falls between them that is quickly broken by multiple footsteps. The familiar voice of Lupin echoes down the hall. "Rowan?" He called out.

"Well, I best be going now, I've got a class to get to," Wilkes said, before turning away and darting down the corridor.

Rowan frowns at S.R. Wilkes retreating form before turning in the direction of Lupin's voice. "I'm over here, Lupin, stop yelling!" Rowan called out.

A scrambling of footsteps can be heard as Lupin turns the corner and gasped, "There you are!" Lupin breathlessly trots over with Pettigrew in tow. "I'm so sorry about Sirius. I certainly don't think that about you or the rest of the Slytherins. Well, maybe, some, but they're bullies."

Rowan chuckles slowly at Lupin's last words. "Of course, I don't blame you. You are no more capable of controlling Sirius Black's mouth than trying to tame a kneazle. In fact, I think you might have better luck with the kneazle in the end."

Glancing over at Pettigrew, Rowan arches an eyebrow in surprise. Seeing Rowan's expression, Pettigrew sniffs and says, "Let's not pretend that we like each other very much because we don't! But just because I don't like you that doesn't mean you aren't important to the rest of the gang. And besides, I'd never say something like that to you, I mean. My mother taught me better."

A rare slow smile appears on Rowan's face as she leans over and places a gentle kiss on Lupin's cheek. Lupin flushes as Pettigrew gapes in utter shock. In disbelief, Lupin reaches over to touch his cheek in wonder as Rowan says, "Thank you, my gallant knight, in shining armor."

Pettigrew snorts under his breath, "Figures."

But before he can speak another word, Rowan places an unexpected kiss on his cheek. Pettigrew's mouth flopped open as Lupin gapes in sheer shock and surprise. "Thank you for being so brave, Pettigrew. I know it couldn't have been easy for you to stand up to James and Sirius," Rowan honestly said.

Pettigrew remains frozen as if having been petrified unable to move from sheer shock. Lips still twitching with mirth, Rowan says, "I suppose I'll see the both of you at dinner. We best be going off to class now." As she points to the nearing footsteps of the Slytherins heading off to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Yes," Lupin faintly nodded as he still held one hand to his still-warm cheek and dragged the frozen figure of Pettigrew behind him with the other.

Manipulative, maybe, but the tiny seeds sown, showed that the future could still be changed. For once upon a time, Lupin would have never laid down the law. And Pettigrew would have never dreamed of standing up to his friends. And that was all that Rowan could hope for as she watched them go.

Lupin brushed past the incoming Slytherins as Quyen Crowley sneered at the Gryffindors with the girls at her side. Lupin pays them no mind as the still-stupefied Pettigrew is unable to sneer back. Furrowing her brows, Quyen Crowley and her gang turn the corner. Quyen snickers at the pleasant surprise as she finds Rowan alone in the corner.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Quyen Crowley snickered most pointedly. "If it isn't the Gryffindor lover. Have you and your boyfriend made up, Prince?"

Rowan snorts back in disdain. "I wouldn't date that idiot if my life depended on it. But Sirius Black's still a friend, I suppose."

"A friend?" A bloated-faced girl by the name of Gertrude Fowl howled. "Slytherins and Gryffindors aren't friends, period."

"Really? Then what of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin? Just because their friendship ended, the two of them shared many years of friendship," Rowan countered. "And besides, that idiot is still the eldest son of the Black Family, Gryffindor or not."

The girls seem startled as they had momentarily forgotten that important little detail. "Who knows if that idiotic boy as you so charmingly called him, Prince, will even inherit the Black family?" A gaunt girl with plastered murky hair to her skull hissed maliciously.

"But still Hortense Sicca, it can't possibly hurt," Rowan matter-of-factly stated. "And besides, I do believe I am on good terms with the younger Black. Either way, I'm sure I've made a beneficial connection."

The girls aren't quite able to counter her response as Quyen Crowley says, "We'll see about that, Prince," before flouncing past her in a silent challenge.

Rowan merely shakes her head and leans back to rest against the window frame waiting for Severus and the rest of them to catch up. It wasn't long after when a scowling faced Severus led the way. Severus almost tripped at seeing the rather relaxed figure of his twin sister resting against the window frame.

"Rowan, I-," Severus started to say as he hurried over.

But a wave of Rowan's hand silenced him as Rowan said, "It's fine, Severus, it's not your fault that Sirius Black always seems to put his foot where his mouth is."

"But he-," Severus protested as Rowan interrupted again, "Sev, if I was truly angry, I would have broken his nose. I was mostly just irritated at his utter stupidity. But I'm fine now, I promise." Severus eyes his sister and slowly nods with some belief as he sees how utterly relaxed his twin is.

"I must be honest, Rowan, I'm surprised you didn't break his nose for that," Silvia interjected as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes, well, I'd hate to start off the term serving detention," Rowan bluntly answered.

Tiffany shudders and says, "Still, we're going to get even, aren't we?"

"No, just leave the idiot alone," Rowan suggested. "That brat won't be able to take it, he'll go crazy."

"That's a bit extreme don't you think?" Bethania argued as they all turned to look at her. Bethanie blinks owlishly and says, "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Everyone shares a glance as Rowan says, "It looks like she hasn't realized it yet herself. Let's not ruin the surprise." Everyone smirks as Bethanie is left rather puzzled by all of their actions and trails after them to Defense Against the Dark Art's with their new Professor, Professor Adric.