Hogs Head Inn

With spring upon them, the rain never seemed to let up and made everything and everyone soaking wet. Most of the students wandering outside for classes such as Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures had taken to wearing rubber boots each time they went out. Otherwise, their feet would end up wet and caked in mud. Though a small consolation was that the Hogsmeade trip would be that upcoming weekend even if they might end up soaking wet in the process.

On the other hand, there was plenty of gossip after the Quidditch match. According to those that had been present on the Slytherin side in a rather public way, Jezebel had broken up with S.R. Wilkes. The sobbing girl had accused Wilkes of cheating on her ever since the kissing booth. S.R. Wilkes did not deny the accusation and admitted that he was seeing someone else in Ravenclaw. With those terrible words, so ended their torrid romance as Jezebel slapped S.R. Wilkes across the face, before running away sobbing back to the girls' dorms.

It was sad to see such a strong witch end up, so terribly heartbroken. At least, in Rowan's opinion. Jezebel was many things, but weak was not one of them. But what Rowan couldn't understand is why Wilkes had so painfully hurt Jezebel. S.R. Wilkes could have easily broken up with Jezebel at any time and should not have waited until Jezebel found out.

May of the Slytherins studied the dubious person in question who is an elegant pureblood seventh-year. Many, including Rowan, seemed to think that the relationship was progressing too quickly as S.R. Wilkes and the 7th-year Ravenclaw were seen hand in hand and smiling at each other all through Hogwarts. Their relationship seemed to be very different from Jezebel and S.R. Wilkes, which seemed to have been about satisfying their lust for each other.

Though Rowan would have argued differently. Maybe on S.R. Wilkes' side, which is terribly unfortunate for Jezebel, whose feelings were sincere toward him. Despite Jezebel's haughty personality, Jezebel had always been soft and pliable with S.R. Wilkes. Jezebel had never so much looked at another boy, she always only had eyes for S.R. Wilkes.

A trace of pity could often be seen on Rowan's face for Jezebel as she watched S.R. Wilkes and his new paramour go through the motions of an appropriate courtship. It seemed as though the two were rather serious, especially Wilkes. There would be a great chance that the sudden courtship would end up in marriage.

Time passed by and early Saturday morning, Rowan wore a hooded cloak as she waited at the front entrance for the carriages to arrive. Making sure her gloves were still in her pockets, she watched the pouring rain plummeting onto the already crowd. There were big and small puddles everywhere as rivulets of water poured downstream. At least the lake seemed to be slowly growing each time as the Squid could be seen trailing its arms in the rain as if enjoying a spring bath.

Unlike the times, before Rowan solely boarded the first carriage up the path. James had been asked out by a popular girl in their year, another Gryffindor and he had accepted. She didn't know if it was because Lily had turned him down. Or if James was finally trying to explore his feelings so to speak. She didn't think James was trying to make Lily jealous quite yet, but maybe James is trying to unconsciously forget Lily for the moment and try to have an actual relationship with someone else. Either way, if they did end up dating, it would only end in disaster for the girl. There was no way on Earth that James Potter would date the poor girl no more than a month, at most a week or two.

The only consolation Rowan had when she climbed out of the carriage was that she was wearing fine leather boots that had been made to keep water and her feet nice and dry. Warm, not really as she tended to wear thick wool socks or other fluffy warm socks. Having enchanted the water to simply run off her, she kept her hood on as she made her way through the streaming rain.

As Rowan made her way through the Hogsmeade cobbled streets there were plenty of small and large puddles as she carefully avoided some of the bigger ones. Because the bigger ones were not just big, but rather deep. An unfortunate soul had discovered that fine detail in the dead of winter. As it turns out, some of those puddles go waist-high which should be impossible given the street level, but it's a magical town. Who's to say, that even puddles can't transform into something more?

Glancing periodically back, Rowan made sure she wasn't being followed but to her relief the second carriage had yet to arrive nor be seen coming down the hill. Making her way to the edge of town she stops outside of the Hogs Head Inn trying to stop the mud off her shoes, before stepping inside. Water just dripped off her cloak onto the floor as the bar was largely empty at this early morning hour. There were a couple of patrons warming themselves by the fireplace and a few that clearly had passed out the night before and were snoring rather loudly on their perches.

Wrinkling her nose at the state of the pub, Rowan made her way to the bar, where the owner/bartender of the Hogs Head Inn had his back turned to her as he finished some odd job. She patiently sat down on a barstool and waited for him to finish. Without even glancing back he said, "What will ye be having?"

"A warm cider, please," Rowan ordered. "But not spiced!"

The long wiry, gray-haired man paused in his task to turn around to gaze at his patron. Aberforth Dumbledore's face froze as his deep blue eyes widened behind his dirty spectacles at seeing a gaze he'd never forgotten. His gray beard that reached his chest seemed to tremble as he tried to gain his bearings as his hand curled into a fist, while the other smoothed his dirty apron.

Perplexed Rowan studied the face of the younger brother of Albus Dumbledore, Aberforth Dumbledore. The two might have stared at each other longer than necessary when she said, "Is there something the matter?"

Aberforth blinked as if breaking out of a daze. "No, I was just a bit startled at this hour to see a brat coming in," Aberforth gruffly said as he turned his back on the girl.

Rowan sniffed and muttered under her breath, "I wouldn't have come here if it'd been my choice."

Aberforth quickly pours the drink and tries to not have it slosh as he slides it across the bar. His hands were still trembling as he saw the girl take her drink and find a corner of the bar away from the other patrons. In retrospect, the tall, slim girl looked nothing like that bastard. Raven hair with midnight black, indigo eyes, pale skin, thin lips, and a long nose. She was attractive in her own way, regal even, but certainly not a great beauty.

But it was something about her eyes that had made him recall that bastard. It was that same inhuman stare that seemed to see everything inside one's mind and soul. However, it was impossible. Grindelwald had borne no children. Shaking his head as if awakening from a terrible nightmare, Aberforth returned to his work as he needed to go out and feed the goats in a bit.