A Friendly Exchange

The frenzy of studying increased for all of the students especially the 5th year and 7th year. There were times Rowan couldn't see straight anymore so tired from studying course materials. She and the rest of the 5th and 7th years had permanent eyeshadows from lack of sleep. There were dozens of trips to the infirmary from students collapsing from exhaustion or requiring a calming drought.

Not to mention even the younger years are exceptionally motivated this year. Professor Dumbledore had said first-year to second-year students, who passed all their courses with passing or higher would be permitted to go down to Hogsmeade as a reward. The first years and second years are naturally thrilled as the third years and older are permitted to attend Hogsmeade. Naturally, all the younger students have heard the grand, wild tales of the older students and want an opportunity to visit Hogsmeade!

Frankly, Rowan was not only impressed as many were by Dumbledore's bold move. How Professor Dumbledore persuaded Chairman Lucius Malfoy and the rest of the Hogwarts Board is a complete mystery to her and the rest of Hogwarts. Although Terry personally believed that Professor Dumbledore must have bribed Chairman Malfoy…

Exhausted and unable to concentrate with so many students in the study hall, Rowan wanders outside into the courtyards to find a cool spot to doze off for a few minutes. She had finally found one when she closed her eyes for just a minute when footsteps awoke her. Straightening up, she wiped the corner of her mouth just in case, before grabbing a textbook and pretending to be studying.

A familiar face walks into view the 7th-year, Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain Barrett Boone. Rowan's face slightly softens upon spotting the handsome 7th year. His ash brown hair is loosely tugged back, and his silver eyes appear tired, but there is still a lazy grin on his face.

"Barrett Boone, you are a sight for sore eyes," Rowan teased in old familiarity. Despite being slim and toned, Barrett Boone had a quiet air about him that naturally drew the eye. He wasn't classically handsome with a spray of freckles across the bridge of his nose. But there was something that drew one's eyes, a natural charism to be honest. And even Rowan admitted that if Barrett did not have a lover, she would have actively pursued him.

"May I?" Barrett asked gesturing to the empty seat.

Rowan gestured it was fine and Barrett sat down. He studied Rowan for a moment, before he said, "You are as lovely as ever, Rowan."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Barrett," Rowan shook her head.

"Mm, you always believe lesser of yourself, Rowan," Barrett quietly said. "Of course, even I am not blind enough to deny the eyeshadows there."

"Thank you," Rowan feigned great pride at the comment. "I notice that you're in no better shape, Barrett."

"Well, I am a 7th year," Barrett ruefully murmured, before leaning back against the wall of the alcove. He closed his eyes as if to rest.

Rowan glances at the open textbook in her lap and idly says, "I had the recent opportunity to congratulate Head Boy Darcy Travers and Head Girl Matilda Madley on their recent betrothal."

Barrett's silver-gray spring open glancing over at Rowan. There is sorrow and happiness in his gaze. "Matilda Madley will make Darcy happy."

"And you?" Rowan asked.

"And I will marry come next year when my parents find a suitable match for me," Barrett replied with a feigned indifferent shrug.

Uncertain of how to phrase it, Rowan asks, "Will the two of you not remain in contact?"

"Matilda Madley is rather generous and open-minded," Barrett answered somewhat bitterly.

"That is not what stings," Rowan quietly observed. "Rather the knowledge that Darcy also cares for Matilda."

"Do you think it is possible to deeply care for two people?" Barrett said in a self-deprecating fashion.

"Rare, but it is not impossible," Rowan truthfully answered. "There are legends that say that soul who was split into two forever seeking their other half to be made whole. But not all soulmates are halves. Some were broken into several fragments. Perchance, this is the case."

"In ancient times and not so long-ago hundreds of years ago, there were bloodlines where a witch took two or more husbands to preserve a bloodline by baring each bloodline a child," Rowan carefully said. "Perchance, there is no need for a new betrothal but rather the acceptance of Matilda Madley and Darcy Travers that of a second husband requiring the birth of two heirs for two bloodlines."

Barrett opened and closed his mouth at the response before a genuinely grateful smile appeared on his face. He abruptly reached over and gave Rowan, a hug. Rowan remained stiff until Barrett released her, who chuckled at Rowan's grumpy scowl.

"You have a mysterious power, Rowan Prince," Barrett said with a rueful smile. "I don't know how you do it, but somehow we all come back feeling better about ourselves."

Rowan loudly sniffs at the compliment. Nonsense! She merely did not want to be involved in further drama! Romance, bah humbug!

Rising to his feet, Barrett turns to go when a pained expression crosses his face. A glazed expression tries to take over, but Barrett fights it off. He shakes his head as if clearing his head of the magical commands. He had unconsciously begun to fight off the Imperius curse with great success.

Turning towards Rowan, Barrett says, "Take care, Rowan Prince. I've been seeing you in my dreams being chased by something dreadful lurking in the shadows" He paused uncertainly as a frown appeared on his face. "The shadow appears very familiar, someone from my house."

Rowan freezes and glances up at Barrett keeping a straight face. "It's probably just stress, you really should go and see Madam Pomfrey for a draught of Dreamless Sleep."

"You're probably right," Barrett said with a good-natured shrug. "I will see you around," he said, before stopping. Over his shoulder, he adds, "And thanks for the advice, I'll take it into consideration," before walking away.

Barrett Boone's footsteps fade away, but Rowan is unable to shake her feelings of shock. Either Barrett Boone was a fragment of Hydra trying to shake her or Barrett Boone was somehow connected to Hydra, a puppet under the Imperius Curse. Or maybe, just maybe, there was a tiny bit of seer in Barrett Boone. Perchance, there was a long-ago ancestor, who had been a seer. Being a descendant of a Spirit or a Magical Creature did not bar the Imperius Curse merely a full body possession by Hydra (aka being turned into a vessel).

Rowan recalled the warning in her dream, "Beware of the tail hidden in plain sight." Beyond Mary, there was a second confirmed fragment in Hogwarts. There was a high chance the fragment was in Ravenclaw, but Hydra was also treacherous. She could not fully believe nor discard what Barrett Boone had told her.

Her hand slowly reaches up to touch Rowan's left eye. Her eye was still healing, she couldn't unseal it. There was also the lingering concern that she wasn't the only one who could see the fragment rather the fragment of Hydra could also see her. If it caught her looking, the jig was up.

No longer feeling tired, Rowan gathered her things and returned to the castle. She needed to get exams out of the way to return to her research. The sands of time continued to flow. She was running out of time.