Awakening Ⅱ

Left alone Rowan closed her eyes and tentatively probed her mage core. She nearly screamed in pain at the gentle probe of her core. Healer Prewett had not been joking, her internal pathways had been severely damaged (and were overly sensitive). She was surprised, to be honest, that they still functioned at all.

Rowan knew she wouldn't even be able to use a speck of magic or try to make such an attempt until returning to Hogwarts. She wasn't even annoyed as she was lucky, she hadn't been left a squib. She would take it slow and easy and give her body time to recover.

A loud cough causes Rowan to open her eyes only to see a rather relieved-looking goblin standing at the foot of her bed. "Hello Ragnok," she hoarsely said, "are you here to tell me, what I earned and how much I owe Gringotts for saving my life?"

Ragnok flushes and shakes his head. "We were to blame for the attack as we were meant to protect you!"

Rowan is still as she puts two and two together. Not one about to argue against the fortuitous opportunity provided by fate, she magnanimously says, "Worry not, it was an accident. I presume that the culprits were found and have been taken care of?"

"They were," Ragnok darkly said in such a manner that Rowan had the distinct feeling that the four Death Eaters had died at the hands of the goblins.

"Now what were my final earnings?" Rowan changed the subject. "Regardless of what occurred in the aftermath, there is an existing contract that must be abided by."

A professional air comes over him as Ragnok professionally answers, "15% was deducted from the total earnings as per contract and the deduction of the final amount deposited was 1,814,738 galleons and a single knut. The sales transaction record as well as the Starry Night gift will personally be delivered by a representative of Gringotts to Prince Manor upon your return."

"Please thank Grok Gringotts for the services provided," Rowan sincerely said as she hid her expression of relief. That was two things down. Then her face went still as recalled what that implied.

Clenching the blankets in her hand, Rowan couldn't help but recall the scene of the blood-red stone shattering before her. If she was honest with herself, she knew that she could have taken the stone instead and hidden it away. But the heart of the matter is rather simple, she did not trust herself with the Philosophers' Stone.

Rowan could not guarantee that there would not come a day when she might be tempted or change her mind. Even the devil started as such, it was only a tiny slip here and there until he had transformed from an angel into an unrecognizable demon. No, it would be far better to nip the temptation of immortality right in the bud. For what is man, if not imperfect?

Feeling sadness and guilt at seeing her expression, Ragnok says, "I best be letting you rest now."

"Thank you for seeing me," Rowan gratefully said as Ragnok bowed deeply to her, before departing out the door to inform Grok Gringotts of the child's awakening.

Rowan hadn't even settled back down when Severus burst in with three adult figures in tow. Reginald and Sirsa looked older as clear dark eyeshadows can be seen under their eyes including that of Georgine. "Sorry," Rowan lamely said as her grandmother pulled her into an uncharacteristic hug.

"Oh, child," Sirsa murmured into her granddaughters' ear. "Don't frighten us so."

The hug from her grandmother hurt her tender body, Rowan didn't pull away as her grandmother merely ruffled her head. Georgine loudly sniffed and looked away. "Idiot child, were you not taught this year about how to detect poisons? How in merlin's name did you manage not to notice?"

"Because Rowan's worst subject is Potions," Severus muttered under his breath earning him a fierce scowl from Aunt Georgine.

Sirsa reluctantly releases her granddaughter and says, "We've not yet opened the presents. We'll all get to them once you are home."

Rowan blinks as the tips of her ears turn slightly pink. "You didn't have to," Rowan lamely protested.

"It's not Christmas if the family is not together," Sirsa stubbornly said as she smoothed the wrinkles from the linen bedsheets. "Now, then I'll see that dastardly healer about getting some food into your belly."

Turning to stare at Georgine, Sirsa adds, "Come now, Georgine. Those horrible healers only seem to be afraid of you." Georgine flashes a pleased smirk and happily follows her sister-in-law out to terrorize a couple of healers.

Reginald says, "Severus, please go and get me a cup of hot tea from upstairs."

"But-," Severus isn't able to finish his sentence as a fierce glower sends him on his merry way.

With Severus out of sight, Reginald casts a silencing spell around them, before sitting down in the seat closest to her on her right side. "Rowan, what did you do?"

"Something that needed to be done," Rowan tiredly answered.

Reginald closes his eyes as he says, "Which was?"

"I destroyed the Philosophers Stone."

There is a long bout of silence as Reginald reaches over and gently pulls her into a hug. "Oh, child," Reginald whispered into her hair. "Why must you be burdened by our forefathers' gifts?"

"Nicholas Flamel and his wife, Perenelle are dead by my hands. They were innocent-," Rowan's voice broke off as she closed her eyes to keep the moisture at bay.

Reginald is silent for a long time before slowly saying, "And if the stone had not been destroyed?"

"Immorality guaranteed to a dark wizard that is a danger to all, both wizard and man."

"Then you did what needed to be done. For sometimes there are no easy choices only hard ones, for the world is not black and white, but rather gray."

"But they were innocent."

"Yes, but the Flamel's have lived over six-hundred years," Reginald argued back. "They had lived plenty, and though tragic, a mixed blessing to them. Death came to them just as swiftly and unexpectedly to them as to any of us. A proper ending, I believe."

"Thank you," Rowan whispered as she leaned her head against her grandfather's shoulder.

Reginald must have realized she was tired as he cleared his throat and ignored the flush that began to rise on his pale cheeks. Not having sung since his Eileen had been a wee babe, he softly sang, "Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green, When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen-."

Rowan dozed off to the lullaby that she had not heard since her mother sang to them when they were still very small. Before their father had lost his first job and before they had performed their first accidental magic. Back when Eileen and Tobias were still their loving parents and Rowan and Severus were their precious little peanut and almond. And for a very brief moment, she dreamed of warm, happier times when she was nothing but an innocent child.