A Bend in Time

Trailing after everyone, Rowan blinks to find James standing directly in her path. Rowan before manages to stop herself from bumping into him. She opens her mouth to snap at him when James without any hesitation pops a chocolate-covered toffee into her mouth. comes to an abrupt halt

"There better?" James asked with a crinkled smile.

Rowan blinks and reflexively chews on the sweet toffee. "Thanks," she mumbled in evident surprise.

James flashes her another lopsided grin, before rushing to catch up with the rest of the gang. Rowan purses her lips and warily shakes her head. "No wonder, James got Lily in end, he's naturally suave," She ruefully thought to herself.

"Oh, ho, ho. How very interesting," Silvia whispered into Rowan's ear.

Rowan flinched at being caught unaware by her three roommates. She pointedly arches her brow at Sylvia's tone of voice. "Why hasn't some cute boy done that to me yet?" Tiffany sighed with forlorn at their side.

"He's just being nice," Rowan rolled her eyes.

"Nice, eh?" Silvia roguishly wiggled her eyebrows.

"It's common knowledge that girl's mature first," Bethanie chided Silvia. "I'm sure that James doesn't have a girl in his heart yet."

"Right…..." Silvia said with a look of total disbelief.

"Want to sit with us for Lunch today?" Tiffany asked shaking her hair playfully.

"Sure," Rowan agreed without much protest. It wasn't like this was a bad thing. Her three roommates were pretty nice. But then again, isn't that what everyone thought about most of the Death Eaters?"

An idea suddenly comes to mind just as Rowan is about to sit down. "Can I invite another friend?" She abruptly asked.

The three girls shrug in union and reply, "Sure, it's fine."

"Thanks," Rowan sincerely said, before heading off to the Gryffindor house table, where Lily and the rest of the Gryffindors are sitting at. Severus and Lily chat, while Severus remains standing upright.

Seeing his twin sister heading over to them, Severus raises his eyebrow at her as if saying, "I'm just saying goodbye. Why are you coming over to get me! I'm not a child! Don't embarrass me, ROWAN!"

Rowan ignores Severus and ruefully says, "Lily, why don't you come and have lunch with us? We're having a girl's only luncheon."

Lily grins at Rowan's words. "Sounds fun."

Severus chokes as Rowan triumphantly says, "Severus, girls ONLY. Stick with Sirius for the rest of lunch."

Lily rises to her feet as Severus continues to gape in utter horror as Rowan smugly adds, "Well, I leave you in good hand, Severus."

Turning to Sirius, Rowan cheekily says, "Don't eat him, I need him back later."

"Can't make any promises," Sirius mischievously answered as Rowan smirked back in reply.

Severus huffs in displeasure at Rowan who just snickers back at him, before victoriously leading Lily away. Why did Rowan always do what she wanted? Ug, it was so frustrating at times!

Watching the girls go Pettigrew's eyes widen as he says in disbelief, "Is that even allowed?"

Severus and the rest of the boys stare at each other as do the rest of the Gryffindor table. They all violently startle but most especially Pettigrew as he falls out of his seat until they hear Perfect Wilkes in a loud voice say, "Of course, it is allowed as it promotes inter-house unity. However, that is only allowed during lunch as breakfast and dinner are to be spent with their own house."

"Even I didn't know that!" Whispered aghast, a surprised Ravenclaw in his 5th year. Similar murmurs fill the Great Hall until a strange hush appears over the Great Hall as they watch Rowan Prince, a Slytherin escorting a muggleborn witch, a Gryffindor, Lily Evans to the Slytherin house table.

Ignoring the commotion, they were causing Lily abruptly asks, "Can I invite someone else over too?"

"Why ever not? I say, the more the merrier," Rowan hummed.

Lily excitedly returns to the Gryffindor table and motions for her two friends to join them. One of the girls is the shy witch from the boat ride to Hogwarts, while the other girl has naturally curly chestnut-colored hair and cappuccino-colored skin. And by coincidence, the two girls had been Lupin's desk partners during Potions.

When they all converge, the Great Hall becomes utter silent as Rowan sits down along with her three Gryffindor guests at the Slytherin house table. The students hold their breath, but the rest of the Slytherins merely glance in curiosity or sniffle coldly at them but do not speak an utter word against them. The Slytherins resume eating as if nothing monumental had just occurred.

The Great Hall burst with whispers as a tidal wave of movement begins to occur throughout the Great Hall. Students abruptly begin to move to sit at other house tables along with their friends or romantic partners. Before Severus is even able to react, he is ceremoniously plunked down by Sirius to have a seat.

Assured that Lily is safe and sound, Severus turns his attention to Sirius as they chat about Quidditch. And thusly so, in this quiet manner, the beginning of change would be seen in inter-house relationships. Nothing grandiose, but enough of a change to give inter-house friendships a chance to survive and continue to grow.

Once seated, Rowan points at each of her roommates and introduces them. "First allow me to introduce, myself, I am Rowan Prince. And should you meet my twin brother, Severus, feel free to defend yourselves, I shall not mind," Rowan theatrically said causing her humor to break the awkward air, before introducing the girls around her.

"The sweet one with a sprinkle of freckles is Bethanie Fawley," the auburn-haired Brittany gently smiled in response to the introduction.

"Our confident lady with blue-gray eyes and dark hair is Silvia Flint," Silvia coolly smiled at them.

"And the ditzy, sweetie with strawberry blond bobbed hair is Tiffany Topsy," Tiffany Topsy impishly blows them a kiss.

The two other girls next to Lily relax at the antics of Rowan's roommates. "And lastly, but not least the lovely maiden at my side with gorgeous red hair and emerald eyes, Lily Evans, a childhood friend," Rowan deadpanned.

Bethanie, Silvia, and Tiffany chime a quiet, "Hello."

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Lily sincerely said. "Well, my turn," Lily happily said with a twinkle in her eyes. Lily points to the shy witch with dark-colored hair and golden-brown eyes. "This is Mary MacDonald."

The shy witch with chestnut-colored hair, bashfully says, "Hello and nice to meet you all."

They all greet her back before Lily points at the chestnut curly-haired girl with tan skin and hazel eyes. "And this here is Willa Sands," Lily added.

Willa smiles a glistening perfect smile and boldly says, "I'm aiming to be a Quidditch Keeper."

Silvia excitedly smiles back and says, "Me too!" Willa and Silvia instantly bond and begin to prattle about Quidditch. The other girls leave them to their conversation as frankly, no one could follow a word they were saying.

Bethanie kindly asks, "So, how are you, the both of you really?"

"Great," Lily said with a smile as Mary quietly answers, "Okay."

Tiffany bobbed hair wiggles in displeasure as she frowns and says, "What's wrong?"

Mary blinks and hastily flushes. "No, I'm fine, really!"

"She's just shy," Rowan drily commented.

"Oh, is that all?" Tiffany murmured. "In that case, let's become friends, then you won't be so shy!" Before Mary knew it, she was officially roped into being friends with Tiffany. Tiffany excitedly begins to chat over everything that she deems noteworthy as Mary meekly nods her head in reply as she listens.

Bethanie sighs and turns towards Lily. "Sorry about that," Bethanie apologetically said.

Lily shrugs and says, "Tiffany's not being ill-intentioned. And it will do Mary a great deal of good to have more friends."

"Friends with a Gryffindor, never!" A nasty girl's voice loudly interjected.

They all turn to stare at Quyen Crowley already known for being a bully. Quyen looks down her long nose at them as her eyebrows are a bit thick and her dark hair in thick curls like sausages only serves to make her skin look that much wane. It certainly didn't help that she had a sour face as well.

"I'd never be friends with a Gryffindor," Quyen loudly chimed again as a small posse of Slytherin girls behind her chime in agreement as well.

Rowan suddenly smiles causing Lily and Bethanie to shiver with cold chills running down the back of their necks. "I don't recall needing anyone's permission," Rowan matter-of-factly stated.

Quyen snorts and says, "You're from the Prince family, you should know better. As should the rest of the members of the 28 families. Not only do you dirty the 28 families by assorting with this riffraff, but especially with these muggle-born witches!"

Rowan's polite grin widens as she says, "Maybe so, but like I said before we don't need your permission for anything." Quyen self-importantly snorts with disdain and turns on her heels as her follower cast a glare at them, before marching away.

Bethanie sighs and says, "I apologize on behalf of Slytherin. Please don't think that all Slytherins are like that, especially those belonging to the 28 families."

"I know," Lily said with a smile as Mary shyly shakes her head in agreement and Willa gives her thumbs up.

"She's such a c*nt," Silvia muttered.

The girls gasp as Bethanie reaches over and pinches Silvia's ear who lets out a pained yelp. "Language, SILVIA!" Bethanie fiercely roared.

"But it's true!" Tiffany and Willa hastily said in Silvia's defense.

"No matter if it's true, there are other ways to describe her," Bethanie chided.

"Like a rat-faced weasel with rabies," Tiffany innocently said.

Bethanie paused and pensively replies, "That is acceptable."

Tiffany beams at Willa with gratitude as Willa gives Tiffany two thumbs up and whispers, "Nice."

Feeling brave Mary flushes as she chirps out, "Unibrow, big-nosed, sausage head!"

They all turn and stare at the flushed-faced Mary, before bursting out into laughter. "That's a good one!" Tiffany happily said as she excitedly hugs Mary. The rest of lunch passes quickly as the seven girls chat over everything and end up on friendly terms, possibly even friends. Waving goodbye, the girls evenly split and return to their own common room areas. And truthfully speaking, it was a nice ending to an exhausting day.