Title: The Girl, The Dragon, and The Wild Magic
Chapter Nine
After dinner Rowena decided that instead of doing the homework that had mounted up when she had been in the hospital wing, she would just go to sleep. Tomorrow she would have to have the magic drained from her necklace and replaced inside the earth, but for now, she could just be a little girl. When she had changed for bed and had fallen asleep, she dreamed that she was with the dragon that had decided to make Hogwarts, its home.
" Why are you here?" she asked it.
The dragon looked at her, as though she was asking a stupid question, but Rowena knew that she hadn't.
" I'm here because I was summoned," it answered.
" Who summoned you?"
" You did!" the dragon answered. " It's the magic that you have, that has brought me here. I want to help you because right now that's what you need.'
Rowena highly doubted that she really needed help. She had gone through most of her life not needing or wanting help. Both of her parents had gotten into shouting matches with her, due to this. However, she doubted that a dragon would understand this. Of course, she turned out to be wrong, especially when the dragon spoke.
" Why do you believe that you don't need help?" it asked.
" W-What?" Rowena muttered, looking confused.
" I sense that you don't believe that you need help, that you can do this all on your own."
Rowena frowned at it, then sat down.
" Its not like I believe that I don't need help," Rowena said. " I just don't think that those in the school can help me out."
" So that's why you lied about who you are to the students?"
Rowena nodded.
" I don't think they'll accept me, if they know who I really am," Rowena explained. " Of course, your lucky. You don't have to worry about people talking about you."
The dragon sighed, then said, " You humans have called us many things. None of them are nice to say the least. However, I don't believe that lying to your so-called friends, is the way to do things. A lot of people get into trouble when they lie about who they are. If they are your true friends, then they'll accept you for who you are and that's all that anyone really needs."
" But I'm scared!" Rowena stated. " I'm not as brave as my father, or even as noble as my mother."
" I know that!" said the dragon. " But at least, they were true to themselves."
And with those words, Rowena woke up.
" Are you all right?" Ginny asked her, the next morning.
" I'm fine!" Rowena lied. " So when is the first Quidditch match of the season?"
" Next month," Ginny answered. " So what are your plans for the Christmas break?"
Rowena shrugged.
" I don't know," Rowena answered. " I think I might stay this Christmas and get some work done."
Ginny shook her head, which made Rowena look.
" And what's that suppose to mean?"
" Oh nothing!" Ginny said, now smiling. " Its just that you remind me of Hermione Granger, that's all."
Rowena hoped that her flinching hadn't been seen.
After breakfast, she went to see Professor Dumbledore. Since wizard Brightstar had left, for what might be forever, it was up to the Headmaster to put the magic that she had gathered back to the earth. When she arrived in his office, he had her follow him outside, and then told her to take off the necklace. She did as she was told and felt bad when her talent went into the earth.
" Now you know that this measure is for your safety, as well as the Hogwarts students, staff, and the wizarding world," Dumbledore said, once the necklace was back in place.
" Yes, sir," said Rowena.
She guessed that the Headmaster had seen the look that she had given when the magic had returned to where it came from. She hated herself for wanting to keep it for a lot longer then she was suppose to.
" Look, Rhianna," Dumbledore said, using her first name in his soft voice. " I know that this is hard, not telling people who you are, but trust me, they wouldn't understand you."
" But why?"
Dumbledore sighed at that question, but didn't yell at her for asking it.
" Because not everyone thinks that your father is a good wizard," Dumbledore explained. " Most like to remind him that he did bad things. Not everyone lets things go, not like I do."
" But why won't they leave him in peace?"
Dumbledore sighed again, but this time he didn't answer her. He just told her that he would see her in four days and then disappeared inside the castle.
Over the next several days, Rowena tried to figure out what all of this meant. She knew that her father had worked for Voldemort when he had been stupid and foolish. She respected him because he had turned away from Voldemort and was now working for Dumbledore and upholding everything that the side of good believed. However, she was finding it hard to understand why anyone would want to join a wizard that lied about what he really was. She knew that she could never ask him that question, because it would raise suspicion, but she just had to know.
On Saturday, the Gryffindors found her working on the back homework that she had missed. None of them bothered her, except Neville, who wondered if she had anything that would ease pain. She looked up and shook her head to tell him that she didn't.
" Can I ask you something?" Ron said.
Rowena looked at him.
" What?"
" Well, do you think that its okay for Lucius Malfoy to allow the Slytherin team to have new broomsticks?"
" I don't know!" Rowena answered. " I mean, it's not like its going to change things. Broomsticks are only half of what is needed to make a winning team, the other half, is talent."
Ron sighed, then said, " I agree with that, but you know how they are."
" Look, the Gryffindor team is going to do just fine," she told him. " Just because they've got new brooms doesn't mean that they're going to win."
Rowena took one look at Ron and knew that he wasn't convinced. However, that was all that she could do.
As Halloween got nearer and the weather started to turn from bad to worse, did Rowena get into a spot of trouble by Mr. Filch. Since she was only a first-year and didn't get into the habit of getting into trouble, she hadn't occurred the wrath of Mr. Filch. Draco Malfoy had locked her out of the castle during the Gryffindor team practice, which had annoyed Professor Sprout to no end, and was just about to part from the Gryffindor team, who had managed to get back inside the castle, when her and Harry came in contact with Mr. Filch. Not only that, but Professor Snape somehow ended up on the receiving end of Mr. Filch's wrath.
It became clear, as he nearly bounced all three of them all around the corridor, that he didn't care if you were a Professor or a student. If you were splattering mud and muck, he lost it.
" I want you three to follow me," he hissed. " And I don't care if Dumbledore takes ten galleons from my pay, move it."
Harry said goodbye to Nearly Headless Nick, who he had been talking to, and followed Rowena and Professor Snape down the steps to Mr. Filch's office.
Upon arriving, they saw exactly why students avoided this place. It was a low windowless room, with a collection of highly polished chains and manacles, the smell of fish, and hardly any lighting. He pointed to three chairs and all three sat. Rowena at once smell the scent of spoiled potion, which made Filch sneeze so badly, that he almost went into his collection of chains.
" Dung," he muttered, taking out several sheets of parchment. " Dragon bogies, frog brains, rat intestines, and huge spilled potion messes from our great Potions Master. Oh I've been waiting a long time to put your office in order."
And then without warning, he shoved Professor Snape into one of the huge cages that he had. Even Harry, felt bad for him, as he went higher and higher.
" And don't even think about trying to magic yourself out," he snarled. " That lock is magic-proof. Now for the two of you."
However, at that moment, Professor Sprout entered the room. She looked around and then at Rowena and Filch.
" I need to see Miss Ravenclaw, now," she demanded.
" But, but," Filch protested.
" No buts," Sprout said. " I need to see her now."
Filch muttered something and Rowena was let go. Now all that was left was Harry, alone with Filch and Professor Snape getting the worse punishment of his life.
