A Bend In Time

The days continued to pass by until a mid-July evening an owl arrived bearing two thick envelopes. Dawn the house-elf hastily pulls out two 5 bronze Knut's from her apron pocket and places them into the small leather pouch tied around the owl's leg, before scurrying off with the two letters. With a bright gleam in her eyes, Dawn bursts into the study and proudly declares, "Master, the acceptance letters have finally arrived from Hogwarts for the young master and mistress!"

"Thank you, Dawn," Reginald graciously said as he took the letters from Dawn and handed them over to the correct twin.

Severus eagerly rips his acceptance letter open to read the following words,

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chief Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Prince,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Rowan looks over Severus's shoulder and raises an eyebrow at the surname on the letter. "Prince?" Rowan pointedly asked as she turned to face her grandfather.

"Your mother and we agreed that a change in your surnames would be for the best," Reginald bluntly stated.

Rowan pursed her lips in thought as Severus is still too thrilled to even notice their surname change on the acceptance letter. Rowan rips open her own envelope and ignores the greeting letter as she heads straight for the second-page list:

UNIFORM:

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One Winter Cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

Course Books:

All students should have a copy of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

Other Equipment:

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS!

"How disappointing," Rowan murmured out loud.

"What is?" Reginald asked in curiosity.

"I really wanted to bring a crow or raven," Rowan honestly replied as she neatly folded her letter up again.

"Ah, well, you can always have a black owl," Reginald suggested.

"No, I'll just borrow Sev's," Rowan nonchalantly replied.

Severus turns to glare at Rowan and snaps, "I'm not sharing."

"Oh? But we're twins, Sev," Rowan sincerely said as she put her arm around Severus's shoulder. "Whatever is yours is mine and whatever is mine is yours."

Severus huffs at Rowan causing a lazy grin to appear on her face as Reginald's eyes twinkle at Rowan's teasing. Seeing that Severus is getting rather huffy, Rowan tactfully changes the subject. "Well, aren't you going to congratulate, Lily?" Rowan purposefully said.

Severus blinks in surprise at Rowan as Rowan smiles and presses her finger to her lips. "I'm never wrong about these things," Rowan confidently said as she patted her c.h.e.s.t in emphasis.

Severus blinks with delight before running out with a letter in hand and shouting for Dawn. Rowan smiles at Severus's fleeting form as Reginald asks, "And how would you know about that, Rowan?"

Rowan innocently gazes back and murmurs in reply, "A woman's intuition, dear grandfather."

Reginald smiles wryly and says, "Is your brother truly friends with that girl?"

"Yes," Rowan truthfully replied.

"She's a muggle is she not?"

"Yes, and unlike mother dearest's rather questionable choice of spouse, Lily is a sweet and rather brave young girl, if not a tad temperamental."

"I see," Reginald murmured as he thoughtfully eyes Rowan. "Is there anyone you are friendly with Rowan?"

"No," Rowan truthfully answered as she smiles lazily at her grandfather, before heading out the study and upstairs to her room.

On Rowan's way up, Dawn politely says, "Dawn has already informed the Lady and the Miss of the young master and young mistress's acceptance into Hogwarts."

"Thank you," Rowan courtesy replied.

"It is a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e for Dawn to serve," Dawn sincerely answered with a tiny curtsy, before heading off to finish another task.

Rowan with a yawn heads up the luxury carpeted stairs to find Severus eagerly staring out his window. Rowan leans against Severus's door and dryly says, "You know, Sev, even if Lily receives your letter by nightfall, the owl's not going to return until later tonight."

Severus blushes and turns away from Rowan with a pointed sniff. "I was just admiring the evening sky, that's all," Severus lied.

Rowan yawns and impishly says, "Any who did you agree to meet up with Lily to go school shopping together?"

Severus turns pale as Rowan grins wickedly. "Well, then I'll leave you to it," Rowan smirked and headed back to her bedroom. With a yawn, she flops onto her bed and stares at the enchanted star ceiling.

To be frank, Rowan was a bit bored. And though she would have loved to exercise her own magic. Ignoring the fact that the Ministry of Magic existed in this world and forbade the use of unsupervised magic by a minor, a Magician's ability wasn't the same as that of a wizard nor a witch. For a magician to merely gain access to their power, they only first had to awaken the slumbering power within themselves.

Crossing her legs in the usual meditative fashion, Rowan gently continues to gently prod the slumbering power and gently cycle a speck of magic through frozen body pathways. Realistically speaking, it probably would be months before the slumbering power within her awoke, but still, she could always hope for the best.