First Day of December Ⅵ

With a cheeky grin, James says, "I thought you would never ask," before pausing with a weird expression on his face. "By the way, before I continue, I have to ask, but what exactly are Prefect Abbott and Goldstein supposed to be doing?"

"Why do you ask?" Rowan asked with a bemused expression.

"Well, I just saw Peeves strangling Prefect Goldstein with one end of the tinsel, while Prefect Abbott attempted to free Prefect Goldstein and at the same time shoo Peeves away," James truthfully answered. "Thankfully, before I left Prefect Abbott had saved Prefect Goldstein as he was turning rather purple."

Rowan merely shakes her head and grumbles under her breath about Peeves, the poltergeist beginning a public menace. Raising her weary gaze at James, she says, "Please return to what you were saying, before James."

James has a wry expression on his face, before replying, "I just finished preparing the club room with Professor Prince's aid. If you would please pass the word on, but the D.A.'s first meeting will be held later in the week on Thursday. I'll have the fine details out by tomorrow."

Rowan froze at hearing the name of the club. "D.A.?" She sharply asked.

"Well, it stands for Defense Against the Dark Art's club, but that is far too long to say, so I shortened it to the D.A." James said before jokingly adding, "Or if you would prefer if I call it Dumbledore's Army?"

Rowan's face went blank as she turned away and began to move away. "That's fine, James, I will let Severus know," she said over her shoulder walking away. She didn't want James to see her pale face as those two names had startled her so. It was an unpleasant reminder of what could come to be and one that hurt her to even consider still as a possibility.

Rowan almost misses the hurrying footsteps as she feels a hand tugging on her elbow pulling her back. "If it was something I said, I am sorry Rowan," James quietly said with evident confusion and concern evident in his eyes.

Rowan pauses and turns to gaze at James. "It was nothing you said, James," she lied. "Now, if you would release me, I would greatly appreciate that."

"Sorry," James hastily said as he hurriedly released her elbow. "May I accompany you, Rowan, if that would be alright?"

"That's fine," Rowan murmured as he walked side to side next to her. For a moment, she is surprised to see that the top of James's head barely reaches over her shoulder. He had grown again, and she had not even noticed it. He likely would never reach her full height, but he likely would be only a few inches shorter when fully grown. She had the strong inkling that she would stop growing soon, because Severus was now a third of an inch taller than her, and he likely still had room for more growth. It was a startling realization, but Severus had begun to look more masculine as of late, while she still retained a hint of androgyny, she had become more and more feminine. They were growing into the men and women, they would someday become, and that was a startling realization in itself.

Breaking the silence, James says, "Sorry to ask, but how do you think recruiting will go?"

"It is late in the year," Rowan truthfully answered, "and many of the students have already joined plenty of other clubs. That being said, I am certain that plenty of Slytherins will join. This would be a club right up their alley."

James stares wide-eyed at Rowan, before realizing it was her attempt at a joke. His lips peel back with mirth revealing a handsome smile. "And I thought, you didn't make jokes, Rowan."

"Shows what you know, James," Rowan said with a loud sniff, before pausing to hang a Christmas wreath.

James shakes his head, before his eyes go wide at spotting a sneaky clump of white berries hanging overhead. Some of the blood drains from his face and it must have shown, because Rowan with visible concern asks, "What is wrong, James?"

James wordlessly points to the ceiling above as bells begin to softly ring over them. Rowan lets out a sigh and presses two of her fingers to her lips and without reserve presses them to James lips. Rowan's fingers are cold and smell faintly of pine, but they are soft and firm against James lips. She quickly removes her fingers as if scalded the instant the bells hanging overhead cease to ring. The clump of mistletoe hanging overhead sneakily retreats away into the shadows again.

James reaches up to touch his lips in shock and Rowan turns away with a bit of embarrassment as the tip of her ears go pink. "Enchanted mistletoe only has one mission, a kiss, but it does not say how," she explained, before beginning to move away.

Uncertain of how to respond, James follows after Rowan and pretends that nothing had just occurred between them. "Do you think, Lily or Remus will join?" He nonchalantly pretended to ask.

"Doubt it," Rowan bluntly replied without looking at James as she gathered her composure, before abruptly coming to a halt and seriously staring at James. "James, I know that you like Lily and have since our third year. So why have you deceased in your pursuit of her?"

James glances out the mist covered window where snow can be seen billowing. "Severus loves Lily, and Lily made her choice," he quietly said, before turning to gaze at Rowan with a mix of unfathomable emotions. "And I can be man enough to respect that."

Rowan is still and somber for a moment, before sincerely saying, "For what it is worth, I am sorry, James."

"As am I," James said with a faint smile, before saying, "Well, I best be letting you finish, Rowan."

Rowan watches James leave with a mix of emotions, before turning wrapping up her task and going to check up on Andrew and David to see how they were doing. Knowing Peeves, he wouldn't just strike once, he was like a shark-like that. Once there was blood in the water, he'd keep attacking until his prey was dead or in his case, fled.