A Bend In Time

Rowan and Severus are firmly seated next to Wilkes as food appears before them and everyone begins to dig in. Rowan carefully selects a plate for herself as Wilkes lifts up his goblet and says, "A toast to our first-year lucky charms, the Prince twins!" The Slytherins quite heartily lift up their goblets in toast and let out a cheer causing the other houses to stare in surprise at the Slytherin table.

Lucius Malfoy smiles at Rowan and Severus. "We all expect a great deal from both of you," Lucius coolly said. Severus nods his head in agreement as Rowan doesn't respond and merely picks at her food.

"You should at least look up when spoken too," Narcissa crisply remarked.

Rowan fork pauses as Severus nervously eyes Rowan as she slowly looks up. A very polite smile appears on Rowan's face as she says, "My apologies, I was just so enchanted with Lucius Malfoy's handsome face that I utterly forgot myself."

Narcissa is stunned for a second as Wilkes whistles and says, "Well, it looks like we have a contender for our dear Head Boy's affections."

"I hope that our age difference, won't be a problem if I'm serious," Rowan gravely declared to Lucius.

Lucius blinks in bewilderment as Narcissa frostily glares at Rowan and hisses, "He already has a girlfriend!"

"And?" Rowan shamelessly answered. "It's only a simple school relationship and it won't be official until he puts a ring on it. And even then, plenty of couples break up before reaching the wedding altar."

Narcissa narrows her eyes with anger and hatred as she looks as though she wants to leap across the table and claw Rowan's face off. Seeing Narcissa in such an uncharacteristic state, Lucius hastily says, "Thank you, Rowan, but I am not so faint of heart and won't be so easily dissuaded."

"I know," Rowan truthfully said as she cheekily smiled. "But I just wanted to see if I could get a rise out of Narcissa."

Wilkes chokes and says, "Oh, you're definitely a sly one, Rowan. You most certainly are a Slytherin to the bone."

Embarrassed, Narcissa sniffs and coldly says, "Keep your nasty little jokes to yourself, Rowan Prince!"

"But where's the fun in that?" Rowan crisply said. "I mean, you won't be here next year, I might as well make the most of my 1st year."

Wilkes cackles with laughter as Lucius sighs and says, "Please just try to maintain some civility."

"Yes, Lucius," Rowan obediently said as she took a bite out of her food.

Severus lets out a sigh of relief and sadly mutters to himself, "This is going to be a long year."

The rest of dinner passes in a smooth fashion as they all chatter about general safe topics. Rowan even learns a bit of gossip from listening to Wilkes. By the time dinner is over Rowan and Severus head back with Wilkes in tow.

"Why are you following us?" Severus suspiciously asked after a minute.

"Because the two of you are danger magnets, I can sense it in my bones," Wilkes truthfully replied.

Rowan snickers and as Severus loftily says, "Rowan most certainly, but I am a good student."

"No, I can feel it," Wilkes argued. "You may be passive right now, but once you get going there's no stopping you." Severus chokes at Wilkes's reply as Rowan giggles in delight. "But seriously, I have a ton of homework as of this year as I'll be taking my O.W. L's."

The three of them make their way back into the common room area where some younger years are chattering, while some of the 5th years and 7th years already studying for their O.W. L's. and N.E.W.T's. "Well, I take my leave," Wilkes muttered with a haunted look as he went forth to battle against the dreaded homework in preparation of the fearful exams that were still a year away.

Severus turns to Rowan and says, "Well, I'm going to do my homework, care to join me?"

"I already finished mine," Rowan replied with a shrug,

"Impossible! I saw you dozing off in most of our classes," Severus growled.

"When I woke up from my nap during Professor Stricken's monologue, I took the time to finish our homework, it was pretty simple too," Rowan mused out loud.

Severus turns on his heels and stomps off leaving Rowan with a smirk on her face. Rowan hums to herself as she heads upstairs to take a shower, before bed. To her surprise she finds her three roommates sitting on their beds with frowns. The three girls turn at hearing Rowan as they all glance at each other, before turning to one of them.

An auburn-haired girl with long wavy hair anxiously turns towards Rowan and says, "Sorry to be a bother, but we were wondering if you could help us a bit with our homework?'

"It's still early, why not?" Rowan replied as she walked over to the three girls utter relief. "But first, how about we introduce ourselves. I don't think we've actually had a formal chance to do so."

The auburn-haired girl with a faint sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose points to herself and says, "I'm Bethanie Fawley."

"She belongs to one of the 28 families," a strawberry blond, bobbed haired girl added in emphasis.

The third girl with sharp features and gray eyes rolls her eyes and says, "The both of us are you, twit." The third girl rolls her eyes and apologetically turns towards Rowan. "Sorry about her, she's a little slow in the head sometimes." The second girl puffs out her cheeks sullenly at the third girl's comment.

"Anywho, I'm Silvia Flint," the third girl introduced herself, before pointing at the second girl, "And the ditz over there is Tiffany Topsy."

"I'm Rowan Prince, a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet all of you," Rowan said as she took a seat on the bed. Within minutes, the three of them get to know each other as Rowan patiently answers their questions and explains their homework to them in such a way that the three of them are able to finish their homework all on their own, before going to bed.