After a few weeks, things were beginning to look up. They kept up their meetings and no one else had been kidnapped. There was, however, still no news about Lynn of the Ravenclaw girl. This left everyone on their nerves. There was no way of knowing whether she was alive or dead. Rowan tried to act casual around D.A. members while they were in their normal lessons.

One night, as she was sitting in the Slytherin Common Room, reading Hogwarts, a History (due to Hermione's suggestion.) she heard a loud commotion just outside the entrance. She saved her place in her book and went to investigate. When she stepped out of the Common Room she was almost trampled by a student. She tried to stop them to ask what was going on, but was interrupted by another student. It was Malcolm Baddock, a second year Slytherin.

"Everyone's heading up to the Astronomy Tower to get a better look." He said in a rush, and before Rowan could ask of what, he was gone. So, she went with the rest of the crowd and headed up to the Astronomy Tower.

Once she was there, she felt a sickening coldness travel from her toes to her face. She stood, mouth agape, and stared soundlessly at the foggy vision in the distance.

The Dark Mark.

It was glowing like a signal in the air. Not over Hogwarts, instead hovering in the distance, over Hogsmeade. Rowan covered her mouth with her shaking hands to try and cover up her gasps. She heard a boy speak in strangled whispers to someone behind her. She turned and saw Harry staring at the same sight she was. He caught her eyes, and they stared at each other, stunned, for several seconds. She didn't want to keep looking, but it was like a train wreck. She couldn't help but look. Then, the thought came to her mind…who was killed?

Before she could speak a word to Harry, all the teachers were ushering the students back into the castle and getting them into their separate Common Rooms. Rowan quickly left the Astronomy Tower as she was instructed, but she didn't return to the Common Room. She, in fact, stopped in the corridor at Snape's office door. She stepped inside, but it was empty. She decided to sit and wait for him to return.

She waited for close to a half an hour, until finally she heard the heavy metal door sing open. S he stood up from the chair and waited to Severus to notice her there. When he did, he froze in place. Rowan took note of the panicked look on his face. Though, he was trying his best to look emotionless.

"What are you doing here?" Snape asked as he shut the door and walked coolly around his desk and sat down.

"Who was it?" Rowan asked quickly, ignoring Severus' first question. She didn't know if she was asking who was killed, or who killed them. However, Severus still kept his callous demeanor. A demeanor that he didn't usually have around Rowan.

"I don't know." Snape said nonchalantly. She released a sigh of relief as she sat back down at her chair. She brushed some of her hair out of her face.

"So you weren't involved." Rowan hadn't even meant for it to come out of her mouth, but the moment it did she wished it hadn't. She covered her mouth in disgust and looked back up at Severus. He stood up slowly, not taking his eyes off the young women in front of him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Snape asked, venom dripping out of every syllable. Rowan was scared; she had never said anything negative towards Snape in her whole life. Even when she found out from Harry that he used to be a Death Eater, she had kept it to herself.

"It's just that you used to be a…a-"Rowan stuttered. She couldn't bring herself to say the words that were clinging to her tongue. And then it happened. The only time in history that Snape had ever snapped at her.

"A what? A Death Eater?" He yelled. Rowan couldn't find the words she wanted to say. So, Severus continued.

"Tell me, would a Death Eater have taken you in after the Dark Lord mercilessly murdered your parents? Would a Death Eater have raised you and taken car of you all these years?" Snape yelled, his usual pale face turning a vicious shade of red. Tears stung at Rowan's eyes as she fought to find the right words.

"Get out!" Rowan flinched at his words. She complied immediately; dying to get out of that room. She exited the room and ran. She didn't stop running until she reached her bed inside the comforting warmth of the Slytherin dormitories. She collapsed on her bed and cried until she fell asleep.