In Rowan's Absence

Chapter 25: In Rowan's Absence

"Well, that's everything," Rowan said, closing up her small travel bag.

"Are you sure you haven't forgotten anything?" Ariadne asked her.

"What's to forget? I've only got the one set of Muggle clothes I wore to King's Cross last September. I'm planning to buy what I need in London."

"Will you have enough Ounces? What if you have trouble with the Muggle phrobait?" Ariadne asked in somewhat muddled concern.

"They're called Pounds," Rowan answered, laughing, "and I'll be okay for money, at least for a few days. My mum had my name added to her checking account in case I had an emergency. That means I can use it without waiting for her will to be probated."

"Wow, my mum would never trust me with all her money like that." Ariadne told her.

"It's not all her money; there are stocks and things that are in her name only, and I'll have to wait for those. It's just she was worried with all the frightening events the last couple of years and me being so far away at school," Rowan answered her seriously. "Remember, you have a whole big family. With me and my mum, it's been just the two of us for ten years now. She wanted to be certain I'd be okay if I got into real trouble and couldn't reach her."

"Your mum was really smart, Rowan," Ariadne said, then stopped. She wasn't sure how much her friend wanted to talk about it yet.

"Yes, she was." Rowan smiled awkwardly. She still is; I hate lying like this. Hiding a secret fiancee was nothing compared to hiding a not-actually-deceased mother.

"What is round as a dishpan, deep as a tub, and still the oceans couldn't fill it up?" They heard the voice of the door knocker query, followed by Professor Flitwick's distinctive voice in answer:

"A sieve."

"Welcome, Professor," the knocker acknowledged, opening to him.

"Are you ready, Miss Bourne?"

"Yes, Professor. I have my things right here."

"Very good, my dear. I'll take you to the Headmaster's office then. You can use his fireplace to travel to the Leaky Cauldron. Are you certain you will be all right on your own from there?"

"Oh, yes, Professor. I have phone numbers for my mother's friends. I'll call; I'm sure one or the other of them will be able to put me up for a few days while I get things sorted out. If nothing else, I can take a room at the Leaky Cauldron."

"You are just amazing, Rowan." Ariadne hugged her goodbye. "Remember, if you need anything the Muggles can't help you with, send a note to my mum; you know she loved your mother. She'll want to come to the service."

"I'll be sure to let her know as soon as I have the details. Bye, Ariadne." Rowan hugged her friend back, hugged Edgar, and left after Professor Flitwick.

While Rowan was away, her friends continued with their classes. They were getting close to N.E.W.Ts, and everyone was a little frantic. Transfiguration class was especially hard. They were working on human transformation now, and Ariadne needed Rowan for practice. She was working now with a girl named Ellen Spatz, whose regular lab partner was in the infirmary with a case of scrofungulus.

"I'm sorry, Professor, I have no idea how that happened ..." Ariadne said to Professor McGonagall. She looked sadly at Ellen, who was supposed to be a hat rack. She did somewhat resemble a hat rack. If you had a unusual number of very oddly shaped hats, or your decor ran to antlers.

McGonagall restored Ellen, who looked rather put-out, and said, "Try once more, Ariadne. You have to be more precise in your wand movement, and you must not allow your concentration to waver."

Ariadne lifted her wand again with a sigh and tried to concentrate. She hoped Ellen wasn't too annoyed; she didn't much care for being transfigured into a hat rack in her turn, but preferred that to whatever she might become by mistake. Plus, she was going to have to help Rowan work on this when she got back.

N.E.W.T level Potions class also proceeded in Rowan's absence. Frantic students skinned, sliced, chopped, stirred, sweated, and prayed. Potions blended, bubbled, boiled, and stewed. Some lay flat, some boiled over, and one exploded. Professor Snape expounded, oversaw, sneered, and removed points. The students didn't notice, but it somehow didn't seem quite the same to Professor Snape without her presence.

There was no getting around it; he missed her. The kiss they had shared had been a revelation. Every time he thought about it, he wanted more. He wanted her. It was time to accept the fact. He was not merely acquiescing to necessity, he wanted to be married to her. He wanted to have the right to touch her everywhere. Anywhere. At great length and with attention.

Rather unbelievably to Snape, Rowan wanted him too. It seemed almost miraculous considering their history and how very awkward their positions now were. She should have had flowers and chocolate and quiet times together. Luckily for him she was a practical sort who cut to the essentials and didn't require all sorts of nonsense. Just because she didn't require them didn't mean she shouldn't deserve them, deserve to be wooed.

He couldn't take her out anywhere, he couldn't buy her expensive gifts. But, there was perhaps something he could do...

"Twenty points from Gryffindor." Severus had no idea what had just been said, but he was confident that removing points from Gryffindor would pass for his normal response. He really couldn't afford to let his mind wander like this while teaching.

The next Hogsmeade weekend happened during Rowan's absence. Edgar and Ariadne shopped for extra quills, parchment and sweets -- the essential study supplies.

They stood outside Honeydukes munching on peppermint toads and looking up and down the street.

"Anywhere else?" Edgar asked Ariadne.

"I wanted to go to Zonko's, to see if I can find something silly for Rowan. You know, to maybe cheer her up, but it's closed."

Edgar frowned. "That was a good idea; too bad they're closed. I heard shops are closing on Diagon Alley too." He stopped. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Let's go; I don't want to stand crying in the High Street."

Edgar took Ariadne's arm and walked her briskly down a side street. "Shall we go back, then?"

"Yes, please, Edgar."

They followed the side street as it wound around and eventually rejoined the High street, then started back down the road towards Hogwarts, mostly silent, not quite touching. Students didn't have to be back for two more hours, so they were by themselves. The spring weather meant they didn't have to hurry to keep warm.

"I'm sorry I was such a goose." Ariadne said suddenly. "I've been scared, but it suddenly got more real, seeing the shop closed."

Edgar reached out his hand and took Ariadne's. "I know just what you mean; you aren't being a goose. I'm scared too."

"We'll be leaving soon, and everything is just awful, and ..." Ariadne sniffled and waved her free hand helplessly, her remaining words unspoken.

"Ssh, hush, Ariadne. It's okay. Look, why don't we ... I want to ... I mean, let's just be scared together?"

Ariadne looked, and by the shining earnestness on Edgar's face, she understood what he was trying to say.

"Do you mean it? Isn't it too soon?"

"I don't care. I love you, and I don't want to be separated after Leaving. I know we're young, but ... I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you and I wasn't there."

"Neither could I," Ariadne answered quickly. "I mean, I'd want to be there for you, too."

"Will you marry me, then? This summer?" Edgar asked. His voice was timid, but his hands on Ariadne's were warm and firm.

"Yes, I will." Having said just those few simple words, Ariadne felt her tension lift and her heart soar. Their world was still terrifying, but they would be facing it together.

That fact established, they walked hand in hand back to the castle making plans and dreaming dreams.

Laurel carried the bucket of slaked lime down the hill into the tanning shed. White puffy clouds skidded across a cerulean sky, and the land tumbled away to one side towards a valley with a small stream. There were farms and meadows and patches of wood here and there. It all looked and felt and smelled glorious.

Parchment making was hard work, even with magic. Laurel wanted to help out this family that was taking her in, and parchment making was fascinating, so she dug in wherever she was needed. She was not squeamish. She could watch the spring lambs gamboling in the sunshine on one side and go in to tend the skins stretching on their frames without batting an eye.

This batch wasn't stretching yet. It was soaking in a lime bath, and it was time to change the water. Edmond Bracken came up behind her and removed most of the liquid from the tub with a quick Evanesco. He took the bucket of lime and, while Laurel refilled the tub with water from a pump that stood by it, added in a measured amount. That done, they both took poles and pushed the wet skins about, making sure the fresh limewater circulated well among them.

After this, the animals must be fed and the kitchen garden de-gnomed. Laurel could do those things while the Bracken men saw to preparing the fields where they would grow next winter's feed for the sheep. It was hard, sweaty work, and Laurel was loving it.

Best of all was the end of the day when the family sat in the farmhouse by the fire. Adrian Bracken sometimes played the fiddle and Edmond's wife, Bertana, was teaching Laurel to knit. Laurel's own mother had taught Rowan, when Rowan was a child, but so far this skill had skipped a generation. Laurel had never had the time or patience for it before, but time was different here. She was also up to her armpits in wool-on-the-hoof; it seemed crazy not to use it. So, she knitted and listened to Adrian's fiddling until weariness and peace overtook her, and she slipped off to her bed.

A/N: Thanks to Lady Whitehart for checking this chapter for me.