Chapter 5 - Whose your Savior now?
September first came far too soon for Rowan Broadmoor. There was nothing he wanted more than to forget entirely that he was being sent away from home for the next ten months. Oh he could return home for two weeks for christmas but it wasn't the same as being home for all of those little moments that were happening. Things like teaching Hazal to ride a broom or how to chase the little garden gnomes that kept the gardens weed free. But that wasn't to be as he stared at the red monstrosity that was the Hogwarts Express. Rowan shook his head, said a subdued good bye to his parents and proceeded to load himself and his belongings on the train. He had a vague hope that the inside would be less gaudy than the outside but it wasn't to be. He moved down the train and found a compartment without anyone else in it.
The seats were comfortable but their red coverings and the abundance of over shined brass left him with a slight headache and a feeling of being too warm. Settling down in a corner of the carriage he wrapped his arms around himself and wondered if there was any way to convince his parents that he really was unhappy and didn't want to attend. All was quiet for a few glorious moments before loud riotous laughter made its way from somewhere outside his compartment to him. Rowan scrunched up his nose in distaste when Sirius Black and James Potter sauntered past. They glanced into his compartment but didn't stop. Everyone knew about the Broadmoor's and their strange powerful magics. No true pureblood would dare to insult a Broadmoor. He listened as they opened a compartment a slight ways down the train and on the other side of the aisle. He couldn't make out their words but the laughter turned mocking. Rowan sighed and laid his head against the cool glass of the window hoping that whatever house he ended up in it wouldn't be with those two.
Sudden movement made Rowan look up as Potter and Black shoved a dark haired pale boy out of his compartment and threw his things after him. The boy looked a little older then Rowan himself but that also could be due to his height. Rowan got up to make sure that the other boy wasn't hurt by Potter and Black's handling of him. To his surprise he looked into eyes as black and depthless as the mirror lake that resided under his manor. He smiled slightly and asked
"Are you hurt?" The black eyes regarded him for a long moment before the other boy sneered at him and said
"I do not need your help or your pity." Rowan nodded and said
"I know, but I'm offering it all the same." That earned him a crooked twist of the other boys lips that could have counted as a smile. Rowan took it as a win and smiled down at the other boy and offered his hand to help the other boy up. When the black eyed boy was standing and Rowan was assured that there were no broken bones he said
"Why don't you join me in my compartment? It's only me in it at the moment and I wouldn't mind the company." The other boy hesitated and asked very very quietly
"Do you mind sharing with a friend of mine as well? She is suppose to meet me." Rowan looked at the other boy and nodded before he said
"She is more then welcome as well. Let's grab your stuff and move it in right quick and clear the aisle for others to move about." The black eyed boy nodded and moved to grab his trunk. Rowan grabbed a worn looking satchel and pointed out his compartment. Once they were both settled again Rowan took a deep breath and said
"I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I'm Rowan Broadmoor." He watched as the black eyed boy's eyes widened in surprise before the boy said
"I am Severus Snape, from the Prince line." Rowan nodded, he remembered his mother talking about the boy in front of him. About how it must have been such a terrible blow to lose both parents in such a short time. He also remembered how she would go on and on and on to her lady friends during their weekly tea gatherings about how shameful that such a good pureblood name should be so ruined by a muggle of all things. Not even a muggleborn or halfblood. Just a muggle. Rowan smiled and said
"I've heard of you. I was sorry to hear about your parents." Rowan watched as Severus inclined his head, hiding behind his hair before the other boy said
"Thank you. I've heard of you as well. My Grandfather always said that the Broadmoor's were strange people with weird magic. Well he used less polite language, but that's what he meant." Rowan chuckled and said
"That is true enough. I'm the first in generations to be sent to Hogwarts. My older brother was home schooled and now works for St. Mungo's. My father wants to name him heir and call him home to take over the household. But Ash doesn't want anything to do with the moors or the estates so it looks like father will name me." Severus nodded and said
"Grandfather named me his heir when he took me in three years ago." Rowan nodded and said
"Shall we make a pact than? To always look out for each other?" Rowan watched the look of surprise run across Severus's face once more before the other boy said
"You don't mind that I'm a halfblood? That my father was a muggle?" Rowan smirked and said
"I'm not a pureblood either. The Broadmoor's have been quite the scandal a few times. Several of my ancestors took lovers from travelers passing through the moors. No weddings when you take up with a traveler and since very few travelers are wizards or witches that meant there were several halfblood children. We made it all the worse by not terminating the children or hiding them away. The Broadmoor's have always been proud of their children." Rowan saw Severus nodded and say
"Than lets agree to always watch each other's back, and to always be friends." Grinning he took Severus's offered hand and they shook on it. They were just settling back down into their seats when the door opened and a bright red head poked it's way in. The red hair was followed by vivid green eyes and a mischievous smile. The new comer came fully into the compartment and put her hands on her hips and said
"Severus Snape, I thought we had agreed to meet on the platform so I could finally introduce you to my parents?" Rowan watched as this petite girl thoroughly cowed his new friend and liked her instantly. He watched as Severus stood up and said
"My apologies Lily, I thought it might be better to get a compartment first so that we had somewhere to put our stuff first." Rowan smirked as the redhead huffed at Severus and said
"Well you could have told me that, I would have come and got you. Now we don't have enough time before the train leaves to do a proper introduction. I guess it will have to wait until winter holidays. You will not be getting out of meeting my parents Severus Tobias Snape." Still watching he noticed Severus's hesitation before the boy said
"As you wish Lily, may I introduce to you Rowan Broadmoor? He's a first year, like us." Rowan stood up and with all the charm of his mother he bowed slightly over her hand and gave it a gentle kiss. He smirked as she blushed the same color as her hair before he said
"It is a pleasure to meet such a radiant beauty as yourself, my lady. I hope our acquaintance will grow to be fruitful as friendship in the coming weeks." He stepped back and just caught the scowl on Severus's face before the other boy hide his feelings nearly as well as his brother did when his father was harping on Ash coming home to be the heir. Rowan made a mental note to talk to Severus later about the look. He didn't want anything coming between him and his new friend as he well remembered the words from the portrait in the wand room when he had snuck into get his wand about the one of darkness.
They settled down after that. Rowan learned that Lily was an Evans and a muggleborn. He also learned that she had bought a copy of Hogwarts: A History and had nearly memorized its contents. If that wasn't bad enough though he also learned that Severus Snape had already made mortal enemies out of James Potter and Sirius Black, whether the those individual's knew it or not was apparently completely besides the point. They had each brought their own lunch. Though when he saw the wide eyed looks from his companions when the snack cart came around he decided to splurge a bit and get a few of the more appealing candies for them all to share. It was a pleasure to watch the wonder Lily showed at the enchantments on the chocolate frogs.
It was several hours into the train ride that they next had a visitor. Lucius Malfoy, recognizable anywhere with his pale grey eyes and white blond hair, had apparently decided that as Head Boy he needed to introduce himself to all the first years that might be swayed to his side. He watched as Lucius looked over their group and completely dismiss both himself and Lily. Lily looked at him in a pointed way and raised an eyebrow in question. Shaking his head slightly he watched Lucius carefully. It wouldn't do to allow anyone to harm his new friend. Rowan scowled as Lucius looked Severus over with more interest than there probably should have been before the old boy stuck out his hand and said
"Lucius Malfoy. Rumor has it that you will be in Slytherin." Rowan frowned and asked
"Rumors are already spreading about the train about us?" Severus shook his head as he took Lucius's hand and said
"Severus Snape, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Rowan watched Lucius give a sly smile before the older boy said
"If you need anything my pretty little snake, just let me know and I'll point you in the right direction." Rowan frowned again but before he could say anything else Lucius left the compartment and they were left alone again. He watched as Lily burst out with her questions
"Who was he, why did he ignore Rowan and I, and why didn't you say anything Sev?" Severus sighed and sat back down looking at his hand for a moment before rubbing it on his pants like he had touched something repugnant. Rowan watched him look out the window focusing on the scenery moving by as he spoke
"Lucius Malfoy's father and my grandfather are good friends. They are in some social club together and I have been given strict instructions not to make a fool of myself to him. In Lucius Malfoy's world how magical your bloodline is directly correlates to how important you are and until my grandfather no longer has control of me I am expected to at the very minimum be polite and respectful. My grandfather is hoping for me to make a good enough impression with Lucius that the leader of their social club hears about me and makes an offer for me to join. I'm not entirely certain that's what I want, from the stories it's not so much a club as a cult but life is easier with my grandfather when one does what he asks without question." Rowan nodded but noticed that Lily still looked confused. She didn't ask anything else though, just went back to her book allowing the rest of the trip to pass quietly.