Author note: As a promised somebody not long ago, this week I would update this story. I normally don't go back on my promises unless I absolutely have to and this time I don't absolutely have to. I hope that the readers like this chapter.
Chapter 11
Halloween had arrived a little too fast for Rowena's comfort. Not only that but she had a bad feeling for today. Still she was currently getting ready to leave to the cemetery with Professor Snape. It was a cold night and so she was bundled up in a pair of black jeans with an emerald green long dolmen sleeved blouse that had a gold empire waist. To go with that she wore a black cardigan over it and her winter cloak with worming charms. Her hair was pulled into a braid and she wore a pair of boots. Around her neck was her pendant that she touched gently feeling a warm feeling go through her fingers.
Behind her Hermione and Ron watched worried but she only shot them bright smiles.
"You know we worry about you Row." Hermione said causing Rowena to smile.
"I know and I get the feeling that Fred and George are starting to as well." She joked causing Ron to smirk.
The twins had gotten much closer to the trio and their friends since their apology. They had even received a letter from their dad informing them of how proud he was of them while there mother sent howlers about how they shouldn't be associating themselves with Slytherins.
"I think they really are started to as well." Ron muttered causing the girl to laugh softly.
"We'll walk with you to the Entrance hall." Hermione said as she jumped to her feet.
Ron fallowed and together they left their room for the entrance hall. When they arrived they found that the Professor hadn't arrived yet and started to talk for a bit. The duo would be missing the feast but he had promised that they would eat when they returned. After five minutes the Professor arrived, his robes bellowing behind him.
"Good evening Professor." The trio greeted and he gave a nod.
"Good evening you three. Well Miss Potter let us be off." he said and with a nod she gave a hug to Ron and Hermione.
Before the two could leave the castle though two shouts were heard and they turned to see Fred, and George running towards them. The moment they arrived, Fred pulled her into a hug and twirled her around before George took her and did the same.
"You two." She laughed as they placed her back on her feet.
"What we wanted to say by." George exclaimed causing Rowena's eyes to soften considerably.
"Thanks." She murmured.
"Let us be off Miss Potter." Professor Snape stated and with a nod then a smile to her friends she pulled her hood over her head and ran after her Professor.
After a few moments of walking the duo arrived outside the grounds the Professor turned to her.
"We shall be apparating. You will find it is not the best mode of transportation but it is faster." He stated and she blinked.
"Why didn't we do this last time?" She asked curiously.
"Because we were had to get Miss Granger to her own family and you were eleven. It is a known fact to adults that bringing a child by apparation before the age of twelve is not a good thing." He answered and she gave a nod.
He extended his arm to her and once she had a firm grip on it they disappeared with a crack. When they reappeared Rowena felt as though she had been squeezed through a tub.
"Not a very good sensation when you do it with somebody else but once you learn to do it on your own your safe." He informed her and she gave a nod before looking around.
Everything was like before but she could actually see it more clearly now considering it was raining cats and dogs. After a few moments Professor Snape started to lead her towards the cemetery. Still tonight was in a sense different then last time. Tonight people walked around dressed in all sorts of questions and that was one reason they did not stick out as much. With a small laugh Rowena pulled something from her pocket and Professor Snape looked at her questioningly before noticing that was large and old looking. At the tip of the hat was a golden star. Gently she placed it on her head making sure the star hung at her side.
"I see that this is one part of Halloween you do not mind." He stated and she gave a nod.
"Tonight might be a sad night but there are cheerful aspects of it. Plus the Dursley's never let me go out in a costume on Halloween." She answered and he gave a nod before they arrived at the cemetery. Swiftly they started to make their way to the gravestones of her parents until they spotted people already standing around it holding candles.
This was another new thing considering it had not happened last year but she suspected that it was because of the rain once more. Suddenly there were noticed by a teenage girl who pointed to them causing a woman to look.
"Come Rowena." Professor Snape stated and with a hesitant nod she walked behind them until they stood with the group.
"Um excuse us but who are you? Did you know the Potters?" An elder woman asked.
"Yes how did you know the Potters?" Professor Snape asked in a calm tone.
"Well the Potters were such a set of nice people. All of us met them during their time here at Godrics Hallow. It was such sad news when we heard that they had been killed. Say do you know what happened to their child?" Another woman asked and Rowena who had been observing everybody looked up at her Professor.
"Yes, their daughter was sent to her relatives but now lives with a friend." he answered before motioning Rowena to step forward and do her business with her parents.
Gently she stepped forward and dropped to her knees before gently placing something on their tombstone.
"Hello mum, dad it's me Rowena." She whispered causing the group to gasp in shock. Every day I keep learning more and more about you. I hope that you two are proud of me and that you know that I love you."
With that she closed her eyes and thought the last few words for her parents before rising and stepping back to stand with her Professor.
"Oh I did not recognize you dear. Perhaps it's the cloak. I used to be very good friends with your mother dear, and you used to play with my daughter." A woman said and Rowena looked at her.
The woman was a beautiful woman yet she seemed to have tears in her eyes. She had beautiful dark brown hair and light blue eyes while her daughter had blond hair and blue yes.
"I'm Monique Landstore and this is my daughter Carrissa."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Landstore, Carrisa." She murmured.
"If you need any information on your mother don't think anything of sending me a call or a letter by the post. I'm sure I can help answer any questions you might have." Monique stated and Rowena gave her a soft smile.
"Thank you ma'am." She whispered then looked around. "May I ask what you are all doing?"
Her voice was curiouse along with her expression, it was perhaps one thing Severus knew was the girl's mothers. Lily had always held that expression when she was curiouse.
"We came to honour your parents. They were respected and loved people of our community. There death was a great tragedy and we try to make it every year. Last year was one of the first we did not come because of the storm." Somebody answered.
"Would you like to participate?" at that question Rowena looked up at her Professor who gave a nod.
"We would be honoured to." he agreed and soon two candles were lit and handed to them.
For a good hour they stood there some spoke but most stayed silent. When it was over they all blew out their candles and people started to leave.
"I'm sorry I never caught your name?" Mrs Landstore asked and Professor Snape looked at her for a moment before answering.
"I am Professor Severus Snape I teach at Rowena's school." He answered. "I knew both of her parents."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Professor. Oh would you like to come for tea. I have something to give you Rowena. You're mother left it in my possession before she well she died. She said she trusted me before her sister and that if her sister would get her hands on it then it would probably be lost." Monique answered.
"I think we have the time." Professor Snape agreed causing Rowena to smile softly.
And so together the four of them started to make their way back into town and towards a house not far from where the Potters had died. During the short walk Rowena and Carrissa spoke together and learned different things about the other.
Entering the house they found themselves in a sitting room and Rowena looked around to see that it was a very cosy place to sit. There were photos all around but suddenly her eyes landed on one photo. It was a baby photo with two women a red haired woman and a brown haired woman. Rowena's eyes widen as she saw that it was her mother and Mrs Landstore.
"Oh I see you spotted that photo. It was one of the last taken of your mother and you before her death. It was during a play date." Mrs. Landstore stated and Rowena smiled softly. "Carrissa could you get them some tea. Please take seats I'll return with the object Lily left me."
With that Mrs. Landstore disappeared and Carrissa walked into the kitchen. Gently Rowena took her cloak off and sat down. When Carrissa came out with the tea she sat beside her and handed the tea around.
"So Professor what do you teach?" Carrissa asked.
"I teach Chemistry." He answered and Carrissa nodded yet before she could speak again her mother returned with a box. She sat down and placed it before Rowena who was shocked.
The box was medium sized box and by the looks of it, it was made of black wood with beautiful carvings all over it. There was a lock and gently Marissa placed a key beside it. With shaking hands she took the key and opened the box. When she opened it she found a large black leather box in the center and then some other jewellery scattered around. Gently she picked the box up and when she opened it she was shocked to find a large black dragon pendant. The dragon was made of pure black onyx with its eyes being emeralds. Its wings were spread, its tail curved up and its head position on the side. The dragon dangled from a thick emerald green silk ribbon.
"Wow that's beautiful." Carrissa whispered and Rowena gave a nod of agreement.
"You're mother's grandmother gave that to her when Lily turned fifteen. Petunia had been very jealous when she found out. The pendant has been in the Evans family for generations. Petunia had wanted it but Lily got it." Professor Snape stated causing Rowena's eyes to widen.
Gently she placed it back in the box and put it into the other box before swiftly standing walking over to Mrs. Landstore and giving her a hug.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"It's my pleasure dear, I'm glad we were able to meet so that I could give you the box. Lily wanted you to have it but I had no clue where you had gone." Monique murmured.
Two hours after arriving at the Landstore residence Professor Snape and Rowena had to leave and so with a promise of letters they left for Hogwarts.
When they arrived Rowena was going to make her way to the dorm when her Professor stopped her.
"What is it Professor?" She asked.
"Something isn't right..." He whispered and suddenly she heard something.
Blood...kill...blood...kill
Her eyes grew wide at those sounds and she turned around to look but found that nobody else was around.
"What's wrong Rowena?" He questioned.
"I just heard voices." She whispered before turning to one hallway and racing after the voice.
"Rowena stop!" he shouted before running after her.
They ran up to the second floor but the moment they entered a certain section they were met with water. The bathroom had over flooded and there on the wall was something Rowena really didn't want to see. On the wall were the words and beside those words was Mrs. Norris hanging from a spike.
"Oh my god." Rowena whispered before turning away from the side and hiding her face in her Professors robes.
Swiftly the man sent a spell of yet made sure to keep an arm around Rowena. After a few moments the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress arrived and the moment they saw the sight they paled in horror. Then they noticed Rowena.
"Miss Potter could you hurry to your dorms. We do not want you seen here. It would be best for you." The Headmaster stated but just then the Bloody Baron appeared.
"Baron please lead Miss Potter to her dorm, I'll come after this is dealt with Rowena. You'll also be excused from classes tomorrow." The Potion master stated and Rowena gave a shaky nod before fallowing the Baron away.
"Albus please tell me this isn't true." Minerva whispered.
"I hope not, but Mrs. Norris has been petrified. She is not dead. Sadly if there is a second attack then we will have no choice but to announce this to the school. It is possible that it has been re-opened." The Headmaster sighed before turning to the head of Slytherin. "How did you come to find this Severus?"
"Miss Potter, she heard voices and ran off before I could stop her. We arrived here and found this." He answered causing the two to frown.
"We will speak with her later, for now we need to deal with this." The Headmaster stated before turning to the words.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMI OF THE HEIR BEWARE