Disclaimer: No money is being made or received for this work in her playground of characters.

Author's Note -- The next few chapters will include cross-overs from various other areas which will have an impact on the story. I hope you enjoy them. This chapter is short, but the others following will make up for it -- I promise!

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Chapter 26 -- A Little Field Trip…

Friday could not have come soon enough for the group. Rowan was very excited to be going home. The floo network in tact, they set off, each yelling "200 Carleton Drive," as the green flames engulfed her.

Her parent's home was suddenly full of witches and wizards. It was still early when they arrived. Rowan showed each where they would be sleeping, returned to the kitchen to make coffee. She made a few phone calls and waited for the coffee to brew. Draco walked back into the kitchen first.

"Professor?"

"Call me Rowan"

"Rowan… I wanted to take a moment to explain myself."

"You don't have to. When Ron brought you in, I peeked inside for a moment to find out if what you said to the Slytherins was true, I found you to be incredibly intelligent and a fast thinker. Don't worry about anything." He smiled gratefully and walked away with his own cup of coffee to see Mason's music room.

After her first cup of coffee, Rowan noticed that the house was very quiet. She crept though the house to the living room. There, on two separate couches were the couples, paired off and kissing. Low moans escaped their lips as Rowan flipped the switch to turn on several lights in the room. "I suppose we should go over the house rules - huh?"

The commotion of the couples breaking apart was amusing to say the least. Shirts were being straightened before eyes met her own. She just raised an eyebrow at them and crossed her arms. Before she could say anything, a familiar voice came from behind her "Mom?"

It wasn't Madison, it was Katie. Katie McRue was another child that had spent more time at '200' than she had at her own home; and had long since been given a bedroom of her own. Katie stood waiting to be acknowledged. Once Rowan had turned, she opened her arms to hug her "other daughter". Katie was a senior at the local high school. "Mom, Jeff told me that you were coming in and I wanted to see you…" her voice broke in a sob, "I have missed you so much!" Holding on to the older woman, she cried into her chest. "I am so glad you are back. Please don't leave me again."

Rowan let Katie cry herself silent. "Honey, what's wrong?"

Kat, taking her hand, led her outside to sit by the pool. It was cold, but not overly so. It was a calm day and letting her motherly instincts take over, she sat quietly waiting for Kat to speak. Rowan heard her take a deep breath before proceeding. "I can't tell you how long I have waited to hear from you. Are you mad at me? Is that why you haven't written? The kids keep telling me that you are really busy over there. Do you like it? Have you met someone? Tell me about it…" The questions and statements left Katie's brain as fast as her mouth could wrap around them. Rowan again, waiting until she said something or took a breath, looked into the young woman's eyes. "Did Mason tell you that I am going to Texas A&M next year? I got accepted. I can't imagine not being around here but I think it will be okay. Mason will be there the next year and Madison the year after that. I think it will be okay. I will be able to be the big sister and show them around." Katie went on and on.

Finally, Rowan laughed out loud. Katie looked at her and cocked her head. "Kat? What are you NOT telling me that you want me to know?" Rowan's mouth was curved into a smile.

Katie went beet red as she said "Mason and I are a couple. And… you took him away from me - for my senior year… and… I want him back." Rowan, shocked at the revelation, took a minute to compose herself.

"How much of a couple?"

"Not that much, if you are asking if we have had sex. We talked about it, but we both want to wait until we are out of high school." That was the right answer. For years, she had stressed that there was no perfect form of birth control; long conversations about pregnancy and losing virginity. The one gift you can only give once; it was just a respect that should be shared. Rowan knew that Kat's life had not been the easiest, but knew that she was smart and would be okay. 'Of course', Rowan thought to herself, 'what is Kat going to do when I take Mason away tomorrow?' Rather than worry about it, she shivered. Standing, she reached for the girl and said, "I want coffee - how about you?"