Chapter 1
3 Am
The clock read 3 am as I huffed in frustration after being woken up for what seemed the hundredth time by the same dream that I'd had for the past 3 weeks. It was always the same exact one too. Always the same place. Always the same person. And of course, ALWAYS woke me up at 3 am. And what's even weirder is that I would always remember the dream afterward. In the dream, I would be on my bed reading a book on my phone. And that's when I'd hear it. Faint singing coming from my closet. I'd get up and open the door and instead of my closet full of clothes and shoes and jackets and coats... it was the woods back in my home with the Dursleys in the season of winter. I'd walk into the snow and oddly enough I'd not feel cold. And then I'd hear a strangely familiar male voice saying "Let's go home" and then I'd wake up. When I first had the dream I'd checked my closet and I'd not found anything other than the usual clothes, jackets, coats, and shoes. I remember thinking how odd that was because this dream I've been having always seems like a memory rather than a dream.
I lay in bed for a few more hours before getting ready for my classes. I get into the common room and am watching the show Ghost Whisperer I got to episode 12, and I heard my stomach growling loudly and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. With my full plate of food, I sit with my best mates Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zabini, I started to eat. By the time I was done, it was 8:30 am I had 30 minutes until class started. Draco and our other mates asked me if I was coming with them to walk around the school but I said I'd catch them later because I had to stop by my dorm really quick, they nodded and walked on. I go to my dorm and grab my potions book and walk out of the dorm and am closing the painting door after me, and freeze as I feel two hands grope my waist, I felt someone lean forward and breathe into my ear "I'll see you after class do you understand me?" as soon as I heard their voice I knew who it was and started to tremble violently. Potter. HARRY Potter. He'd been harassing me my entire year. And just as fastly as he'd arrived he was gone. Probably apparated to class. But me? I just collapsed trembling violently onto the floor trying to calm my shuddering breaths and violently beating heartbeat. And by the time my heart and breath calmed down, it was 9:30 am. Cursing aloud I picked my bag up and put my potions book into my bag I rush to class and arrive late.
Oh by the way... I'm Rowena, Rowena Black.
Chapter 2
"DETENTION! And 12 points from Slytherin for being 30 minutes late!" That was all I heard when I walked into the class. Great just what I freaking needed on my birthday I thought rolling my eyes as I sat down uncomfortably in my seat with Potter. Severus Snape always managed to find a way to make my class and life horrible. He was a professor version of Potter. Again I rolled my eyes and cursed inwardly. He could manage to make my class and life horrible by telling me I was doing everything wrong, giving me a failing grade, or in this case giving me detention and taking away house points on my birthday.
I grab out my potions book from my bag and turn to the page that Snape told us to turn to the page and furrowed my eyebrows. Why would he have us be making Amortentia? I thought to myself in confusion thinking deeply about this. Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in all the Wizarding World, so why would Snape of all people be having us make it? I looked to take a few notes on a piece of parchment. Out of nowhere, something began to be written on my parchment "Are you okay miss Black? I noticed you looked quite uncomfortable and distraught and like you'd been crying when you arrived at my class - SS" I looked up in absolute surprise at Snape as he looked back at me in expectation and gave a subtle nod to the parchment he was writing on as if to tell me to respond. "No, I'm really not if it's possible can I talk to you about it during detention later on? - RB " I looked back up at him and he gave another subtle nod at me. I felt someone pinch me. HARSHLY pinch me. I yelp in pain and surprise and look at who did it surprise surprise I came face to face with Potter smirking deviously at me happy with his actions "You JERK!" I yelled at him as I slapped him across the face finally having enough of his actions. "You BEST apologize woman" Potter growled after leaning forward "Is there a problem Black, Potter?" I heard Snape drawl in his smooth voice.
"Professor. There IS" I answered in response glaring at Potter. "Can we go out into the hallway?" I asked him giving him a subtle hint that this was what I wanted to talk to him about in detention. He nodded "Of course, Miss Black," he said to me opening the door and gesturing for me to walk out the door. I do so and he follows behind me. "Is everything alright Rowena?" he asked, his brows furrowed in concern surprising me yet again with this show of affection that he never showed before. “No, Professor it’s not” I replied shaking my head. “Potter has been harassing me this entire year,” I said with a shaky breath.
“He’s been WHAT” Snape growled menacingly. I was surprised at his reaction because before now he’s never really paid attention to me at all. Weird… I thought to myself. Why would he react like this? “Don’t worry Rowena, I’ll move Potter somewhere else and talk to McGonagall about this after class?” Snape said reassuringly as I nodded “Thank you Professor” I smiled at him and thanked him before we went back into the classroom.
“Potter, I’m moving your seat to Miss Lovegood's seat partner. Draco you can move to where Potter was sitting,” Snape drawled in his smooth yet angry-toned voice targeted at Potter. Potter looked shocked and angry at me “You’ll regret this woman. Just you wait” Potter snapped at me. “I don’t think she will,” a new voice coolly remarked making us all snap our heads to the door to see a male in the doorway of the classroom. He looked like an ethereal entity, with short black hair, and gunmetal grey eyes, dressed in a tight-fitting black shirt and black leather pants. “Potter was it?” the mystery boy asked coolly. I felt that this boy seemed familiar somehow not his appearance but his voice. He turned to me and bowed his head as if someone were bowing to a queen or some other regal figure.
Chapter 3
Four weeks later.
Though it was Spring and there was always some kind of chill in the air, I could never get warm enough even with two sweatshirts on and at least two pairs of bottoms on- leggings and a pair of bellbottoms -I still couldn’t get warm enough which is weird because up until my sixteenth birthday I had no problem with getting warm. And my dream that I’ve been having has gotten even more weird and vivid. It’s still the same but now there are weirder people in it, weirder places, and what's more, is that there is a woman. A beautiful smiling woman with black hair -so dark that it would appear almost blue- down to her waist. And then? Ash came and grabbed my hand leading me in the direction of the beautiful woman “Come on let's get you home” he said and then that's when I’d wake up, covered in sweat and my heart beating a million miles a minute.
I’m walking to Transfiguration deep in thought when I feel someone grip my shoulder “Rowena you alright?” I jumped, brought my wand out pointed it at the person, and backed away thinking it was Potter who was near me. But when I looked back up I saw that it was Ash, not Potter. I put my wand away and grab his hand to drag him to an unknown corridor on the seventh floor of the castle. Looking around to make sure no one saw us I ask for the Room of Requirement to show itself so that we may use it. Looking at him to see his reaction, half expecting him to freak out but to my surprise, he was as calm as well, Dumbledore, like it was as if he had expected it to appear. We walk into the Room of Requirement and in the room, there was a couch and some snacks and drinks sitting on a table with a box of tissues. The Room of Requirement was a room that only appeared if you needed it, it is located on the seventh floor of the castle. It has what the individual needs at the moment. “You never answered my question Rowena,” Ash stated sitting down on the couch. I sighed in frustration and sat down beside him. “I know Ash. It’s just- it’s just really hard to explain what's going on other than the usual Potter crap I’ve been going through lately.” I said trying to get him to understand. In the past four weeks, I’ve grown quite close to Ash, and I’ve come to see him as someone who if they ever got hurt it’d kill me inside. “Try me,” he simply stated with that small crooked smile that he always only reserved for me. “Alright, but if you call me insane I’m smacking you upside the head so be warned got it,” I said only half joking. “Alright, I promise I will refrain from calling you insane I swear on my life,” Ash said with a small smile pursed on his face like he was trying not to laugh and I rolled my eyes. “Alright. Let me start from the beginning.” I said as Ash nodded.
“Around three weeks before my sixteenth birthday I started having this weird dream every night leading up to my sixteenth birthday. It was always the same dream too. Always went the same way. Always the same place. Always the same person. And of course. Always woke me up at three in the morning. What was even weirder is that I always remembered the dream after I woke. In the dream, I’d be on my bed reading a book on my phone and that's when I'd hear it. Faint singing coming from my closet. I'd get up and open the door and instead of my closet full of clothes and shoes and jackets and coats... It was the woods back in my home with the Blacks in winter. I'd walk into the snow and oddly enough I'd not feel cold. And then I'd hear a strangely familiar male voice saying "Let's go home" and then I'd wake up. When I first had the dream I'd checked my closet and I'd not found anything other than the usual clothes, jackets, coats, and shoes. I remember thinking how odd that was because this dream I've been having always seems like a memory rather than a dream. But now it's gotten even weirder and more vivid. I mean it’s still the same but now it's got weirder people in it, weirder places, and what's more, is that there's this woman. A beautiful pallid woman who smiles at me. She has this long hair that ripples down her back like a waterfall. Her hair is so black that if you look at it long enough it seems almost blue. And then you come in and grasp my hand gently and bring me in the direction of the woman saying ‘let's get you home and then that is when I’d wake up covered in sweat and my heart would be beating a million miles a minute.” I finish and I feel him wipe something on my face away. I look down and find a hand mirror and look into it and see that my face was wet with my tears. I didn’t know I had been crying. Why was I crying?
Ash sighed in relief. I looked up at him in confusion. Why was he relieved? “Why are you so relieved, Ash?” I asked in disbelief. “The reason why I’m so relieved is that the mist has finally started to lift,” he said to me. I sat there not knowing what to say, do, or even think. And then, “The what?!” I yelled in disbelief and confusion towards this boy that I consider the most important person in my life next to Draco. Ash nodded at me vigorously, like he was trying to will me to believe him. “The mist, Rowena. The mist has finally started to lift” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. The mist has finally started to lift. What the actual hell is this boy talking about has he lost his mind? I thought to myself not believing that what he was saying could be true. “You don’t believe me do you?” he asked upset. “No, I don’t believe you at all Ash,” I said in that same matter-of-fact tone he used before. “You don’t believe me? Well, then why do you think you’ve been having the same dream? Why I was in it? Why I arrived at Hogwarts the day that Snape would move Potter? Why did I know about the mist? Why do we have the same classes together? The same classes? Why do we get along so well? Why did you seem to know me even when I had just arrived at class that day? Why do I only smile at you?” He asked me raising his voice at every “Why” he used. I furrowed my brow in both confusion and concentration, trying to figure out why he had been right at every single thing he had said. I was curious about all those things he said. Why I was having the same dream over and over and over again? Why he was in it? Why he arrived at Hogwarts the same day that Snape had moved Potter? Why he had known about this so-called “mist” that had supposedly started to lift? Why we had the same classes together? The same classes. Why I had seemed to know me even though he had just arrived at class that day. Why he only smiled at me? “I will admit it, yes I do think about those things Ash. I think about them all the time. But you have to understand that I’m sixteen now I can’t let it get out that I- Rowena Black - seemed to believe in mysterious mists that have been supposedly lifting from me. Think about how that sounds Ash!” I said in frustration, my voice raising after each sentence until I was full-on yelling at him. “I do think about how that sounds Rowena. But think about it, really think about it. You know I’m right Rowena. I can even prove it, just trust me” he said with that reserved smile that was just for me as he held out his hand for me to grasp.
I hesitated… Should I trust him? I mean he is the most important person in my life next to Draco but still. This seems like something out of a fairy tale. No. This is Ash! He wouldn’t trick me like that. He seems way too determined to trick me like that. So I’ll do it. I’ll trust him. I nod at him and take his hand giving him a small smirk in return. “I’ll trust you to keep me safe in whatever place you're taking me.” He nods at me still smiling at me like he saw someone he loved. Does he? I shake my head, shaking that thought away. No, he doesn’t like you like that Rowena gets a grip. This is Ash we’re talking about he doesn’t feel that way about you. And even if he did you like Draco in that way, not like Draco would ever like you like that. “You alright?” he asked in concern and I nod. “Just kinda nervous as to what might happen where you're taking me,” I said in a half-truth. He chuckled at me. “It’s known as the Nevernever Rowena,” he said in that matter-of-fact tone again making me roll my eyes jokingly. “Oh so sorry your highness,” I said in a mocking tone and bowed to him. “Please you don’t have to do that if anything it’s I who should be bowing to you,” he said in a serious tone making me blank out. “What!?!” I almost yelled. “Shoot. Um, yeah wasn’t supposed to say that until Mab explained ever- er, I’m just gonna shut up until we get into the Nevernever alright? Good to know we’re both on the same page!” He said in a hurried tone not letting me respond at all. And we resumed walking. As we were walking in the hallway a professor was walking straight at us. “Ash! “ I whispered in an I’m freaking out because we’re bout to be caught out of class tone. “Relax, don’t say anything, don’t make a sound and the professor won’t notice us,” he said calmly. Still freaking out I did as he said anyway. Holding my breath I expected the professor to stop and demand to know the reason why we weren’t in class at this time but to my surprise, the professor just walked right passed us without a single word to us. It was as if she didn’t even notice our existence.
We arrived at the Slytherin Common Room after he said the password which was Salazar Slytherin and took me to my bedroom even after I was still reeling from what had just happened. “Ash, why did you take me back to my bedroom? What’s here? And earlier with the professor, how did she not notice us? What is going on Ash?” I asked in earnest. He didn’t answer me just rolled his eyes and went to the door of my closet and knocked on the door three times in a row, opening the door I again half expecting the closet to have my clothes and other things in it but to my surprise, I was wrong! It was the place from my dream! “Wha-” I started to ask for the hundredth time today but Ash interrupted me. “Welcome to the Nevernever Rowena! Land of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts! Aka the Summer and Winter Courts!” He said with a grand gesture of his hands as I looked around in complete silence and awe. “You said you’d explain everything to me, Ash,” I said pointedly, raising my brows at the boy who had appeared to not even be listening to a single word I was saying to him. “Home!” He said laughing in obvious glee. “I’ve finally returned home!” Then he rushed over, grabbed me by the waist, and spun me around in the air causing us both to laugh hard until we both were gasping for air. He set me down and looked straight into my eyes for a couple of minutes. “I know that I said I’d explain everything to you Rowena and I plan to as soon as we go to the Unseelie Court there is someone who wishes to meet you,” he said, his eyes glinting with happiness. “Who wants to meet me, Ash?” I asked in confusion. “You-” he stopped for a moment and listened. Then rolling his eyes he looked at a rock that was empty “Show yourself Cait Sith” he said with boredom lacing his voice. “Who are you talking to Ash? There’s-” I started to say but before I could finish my sentence a voice rang out coming from the empty rock. “Ah, the son of the Seelie Court I had a feeling I’d find you coming through that Trod” the voice purred with what sounded like very little interest. And then out of nowhere what looked like a cat appeared on the rock. “My my, what do we have here?” The cat said with what seemed to be both delight and fascination lacing the uninterested voice from before. “Is she?” “Yeah, she is.” Does she?” “No, she doesn’t” They both had this odd conversation before Ash turned back to me. “Rowena this is Grimalkin, I think you might recognize him from your dream?” he asked as he introduced Grimalkin to me. I nodded as the realization sank in. I did recognize this cat but how did I use to know him?
This is unbelievable! How is it that I recognize this odd talking cat from a dream I had? Who is he to me? A friend? An old enemy? A pet? A neighbor? I looked at the cat. “Erm, how is it that I know you?” I asked sheepishly. Grimalkin looked from me to Ash who subtly nodded at him and back to me again. He was silent for a moment before he started to sneeze repeatedly as if he had been laughing. “I used to be a very good friend to you, Rowena. Well, that was before what happened. Oh by the way you used to call me Grim.” He said purring. Grim leaned back to clean a hind quarter, then stopped. He narrowed his eyes in concentration listening to the area around them. “Hmm. Of course, you’d be stupid enough to be followed, Ash.” Grim purred rolling his eyes. Ash narrowed his own eyes at the cat. “What do you mean by ‘followed’ Grimalkin?” he asked him. Rolling his eyes at Ash “What I mean is that there is someone here with us that I cannot see all the way. The only thing I can see is the outline of a cloak.” he replied narrowing his eyes even more than I thought he would be able to. The outline of a cloak? Someone is here with us that Grimalkin can’t see other than the outline of a cloak. I gasped realizing I knew who was here with us and then I looked at Ash. “Who do we know back at Hogwarts that goes invisible just by putting on a cloak?” “Harry and Draco, “ Ash said furrowing his brows. “Why?” and then realization dawned on him, making him narrow his eyes. “You don’t think that they’d follow us here do you?” he asked angrily. “Potter would follow me on purpose just to be able to get to me yes. Draco wouldn’t follow me on purpose. He’d only follow me to keep Potter away from me.” I told them both. I gave a signal to Grim that said come here so I can talk to you. Grim understood and walked over to where I stood, tail up in the air. I leaned down to him “ Grim where do you see the outlines of the cloaks you told us about a minute ago?” I asked him. He looked at an area where the Trod stood. “Over there” he purred softly, eyes still narrowed down into slits. I nodded and stood up, looked at where he said he saw the outlines “Draco and Potter we know that you are there. Take off your invisibility cloaks now.” I yelled out in anger, frustration, and disbelief, and also kinda feigning a bravado that I didn’t feel. And then where there was only an outline of someone underneath two invisibility cloaks there now stood two boys, one a pallid platinum blonde, and the other a tan brunette. I narrowed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose in anger and frustration and disbelief at Potter. “What the hell do you think you are doing here?!” I yelled at the two of them. “I was making sure that Potter here didn’t do anything to you, Rowena.” Draco said glaring his silver-colored irises at Potter. I nodded and turned to the jerk that stood glaring at me. “And you. What’s your excuse? Why did you follow me and Ash here?!” I yelled in outrage at Potter. “I told you that you’d regret slapping me,” he said with a smirk on his face. Ash- hearing this -along with Draco quickly rushed to my side and stood in front of me I pushed them aside and grabbed my wand out of my hair that I had pinned up with my wand a minute ago and pointed it at the door “Aberto!” I yelled at the door which opened with the charm I cast.Then I looked at Potter “Imperio!” I yelled the charm at him. With this charm I had cast on him, I took a deep breath and stared at Potter narrowing my eyes at him. “Now that I have your attention, let us get one thing straight. I don’t want you anywhere near me do you understand? I want you to go back through the door of the Trod and never come back here or anywhere near me.” he nodded at me still glaring at me and went through the door of the Trod that we all came in through. As soon as the door closed I collapsed on the ground trembling, silently crying, and my heart was beating a million miles a minute. Draco rushed over and hugged me, giving Ash a small sorry for this. Ash nodded at him telling him it was alright. “Rowena darling you alright?” Draco looked into my eyes and wiped away my tears. And told me that everything would be alright. Minutes go by and my heartbeat and trembling had calmed down enough to where I could catch my breath. I looked at Ash “Sorry bout that Ash I never wanted you to ever see me get like that only Draco has ever seen me like that.” I said looking down sheepishly at the ground trying to not meet his eyes. I felt him lift my chin forcing me to look into his gunmetal eyes. “Don’t be afraid to break down in front of me Rowena. Ever. I won’t ever judge you because of your coping mechanisms be it laughing, crying, or silence just let me know if you need me to be the shoulder you cry on or lean on for support. Okay?” he said his voice laced with concern for me. And I nod at him. And feeling uncomfortable with how close he was at the moment I step back until I’m with Draco. “Now where do we go from here?” me and Draco ask at the same time.
Chapter 4
“That was interesting,” Grimalkin mused. “But to answer your question of where we go from here I suggest we go to the Unseelie court to let Mab know that her daughter has arrived in the Nevernever.” he purred looking to Draco. “You coming with us blonde?” he said “If you then hurry up and pick the pace up.” and with that, he vanished into thin air and we looked around in surprise and by we I mean Draco and I because Ash was used to this because he just waited until Grimalkin showed some part of himself and walked off in that direction signaling us to follow him. After a while of walking Grimalkin disappeared again. We looked around for the feline and shortly after we heard hooves thudding and sure enough a group of men in armor on top of pitch-black horses came riding up to us. “Which of you is Rowena Black?” one of them asked us. I stepped forward and looked at them. “I am why?” I asked them. “You and your companions are to come with us to our Lady Mab. She sent us to find you. Can you get up on my horse on your own or do you wish for one of your companions to ride with you as I lead you to Tir Na Nog?” the man asked me. “I wish to have one of my companions ride with me if that is alright with you” I stated as the man nodded. “Draco can you ride with me?” I said after turning to Draco. He nodded and helped me up onto the horse and mounted the horse after I was settled in the saddle wrapped his arm securely around my waist and the men led us through the forest and the tree line. Up ahead I saw that there was a line between the green field of grass and the white sheet of snow that was the ground. After we crossed the line that appeared to separate the two seasons I could see a white elegant castle in the distance. We arrived at the castle in about an hour or so maybe longer I couldn’t tell because I was too tired to try to even focus on anything around me. Draco leaned forward near my ear “You alright Rowena? You seem to be slumping forward. If you are tired you can lay back against me I don’t mind” he whispered into my ear, voice laced with concern. Appreciating his offer I decided to take him up on it. Laying back against his chest I sighed in contentment and shortly after I fell asleep.
When I woke up I was in a grand bedroom laying against someone else’s chest. Snuggling further into the chest not caring who it was until I heard a male chuckling at that and I froze. That chuckle. That’s Draco’s laugh. I thought to myself. I knew this because I always would try to make sure I’d be able to hear it back when we’d hang out together. “Comfortable darling?” Draco asked his voice full of denigration. My face was now probably an ugly shade of beet red. I close my eyes and curse inwardly. “Erm, how long have you been awake?” I asked sheepishly. He laughed again the sound of both a rumble deep in his body allowing me to feel the vibrations from deep in his chest and a sound like a chorus of bells, soft and melodic. “About an hour or so. You seemed to be so tired so I didn’t want to wake you up,” he said resting his chin on my head making me blush even harder. “Where are we at Draco?” I asked finally realizing that I had no clue as to where I was at. “Oh, we’re in Mabs castle. I talked to Mab and asked her if I could stay with you in your room so that the Brownies wouldn’t have to work twice as hard to clean up after us. I nodded, deep in thought. So this is my bedroom in Lady Mab’s castle? I look around. The color is so not my color. I thought with a grimace at the pearl-white walls. I’d have to make a mental note to talk to Lady Mab about changing it to Slytherin colors later after we met. And then there was a knock on the door that opened revealing the woman from my dream. Is this Lady Mab? If so then who is she to me? Is she a friend? A sister? A mother? I had always known that I wasn’t the Blacks biological daughter because of the differences between me and them. The Black family had brown hair. I had Black hair so dark that it almost looked blue if the light hit it just right. The Black family had tanned skin. I had a pallid complexion. The Black family was short. I was around 5ft 2. The Black family all had brown eyes. I had Ice- Blue eyes. So I knew that I couldn’t have been their biological daughter. As I studied this woman from head to toe, I realized something. She could have been my twin with how much we looked alike. We had the same height, hair, and eye color, same skin color, and even the same clothing style. “Are you Lady Mab?” I asked sheepishly not knowing what to expect. The woman smiled at me and moved to sit down on the edge of the bed. She looked at Draco. “Yes, I am. Draco has already known all about this but if you want him here as I tell you about this that’s fine with me,” she asked her voice filled with a mix of love, adoration, and happiness. I nod. “If it's alright with you I’d like that,” I say while looking at Draco who nodded. “I’m ready to know what you have to tell me,” I said as Mab smiled and nodded.
“Let's see. Allow me to start from the beginning. It happened back when I was around twenty-two years old. I had been walking through Diagon Ally after using a Trod to get there. I had looked like a student so nobody had ever suspected anything.” She said with a smile on her face. I motioned for her to go on. “I had just bought some chocolate from Honeydukes and was focused on making sure I had everything as I was walking back to where the Trod had been when I bumped into someone causing me to drop my bag of candy, my book, and my clutch. I quickly bent down and started to pick my belongings up off the ground and the person I had bumped into muttered a string of apologies and bent down to help me ignoring my rushed mutterings of it wasn’t a problem and to go on their way. And as soon as I had all my things together I looked into the person's eyes and I came face to face with the most handsome man I’d ever laid my eyes on. I was so flustered that I couldn’t even mutter a single thank you to the guy. At the time I’d thought he’d think I was insane what with me just standing there not saying anything and staring right at him as if he had been the first man I’d ever seen in my life. I still never said anything well that is until he waved his hand side to side in front of my face trying to get my attention and I snapped myself out of it.” She smiled reminiscing the memories. “He asked me if I was hurt after bumping into each other. I told him that I was fine and apologized saying that it was my fault because I hadn’t been paying attention to where I was going. He waved it off and asked me if I wanted to get a butterbeer, I accepted his offer and we started to date after about 6 years we got married and had a beautiful baby girl. We named her Lavender Rowena Halliwell. You are my daughter Rowena.” She finished looking at me with a smile on her face. To say I was shocked was an understatement. I felt my whole world get rocked by those five single words uttered by this woman.
I mean I felt that it was true but still actually hearing her saying that she’s my mother just hits home differently. I thought to myself in complete astonishment. “So you’re my mother? Like my birth mother?” I whispered so low it was a miracle that even I heard it. She nodded, “So if you are my mother and you are the Queen of the Unseelie Court then that means that I’m… I’m the princess?” I said whispering the last few words and testing them on my tongue. She nods in agreement “I know it's a lot to take in all at once Rowena. So-” She stopped after being interrupted by me. “It's alright I can take it. Don’t try to coddle me mother I’m stronger than you think I am.” I said in confidence and she nodded in thought. “I can tell Rowena,” she said with a proud smile on her face. “I’ve got a meeting to attend in an hour is there anything you wish for? Any clothes, food or drink, new furniture?” she asked. And I nodded remembering my mental note from before. “Is it alright to have all of them? I’d like my room to remind me of my Hogwarts house Slytherin. And if it's alright with you can you get me more clothes like yours? I love evening gowns in an emerald green shade, black, and greys. And for anything food-related I love to have green apples and water.” I told her. “Should we tell her about what’s been going on back at Hogwarts?” Draco asked and as soon as he said that her eyes narrowed down to slits and her head snapped to me. I felt the room's temperature go down ten degrees. “What do you mean by what’s been happening back at Hogwarts?” she growled. “There's a boy there that’s been harassing Rowena. He’s been following her around getting her in trouble and bullying her. His name is Potter. He even followed her into the Wyldwood.” he told her. She nodded deep in thought about this new information. “I’ll make sure to post extra guards around the palace. Do you have anything that might help them recognize this Potter?” “Um, yeah I have a photo. Here you go.” he handed her the moving photo. She took it studying the photo. “Alright, I’ll show this to all the extra guards and the normal guards. Is there anything else I should know? About this Potter boy or anything else?” she asked as Draco nodded. “He has an invisibility cloak that looks like mine,” Draco told her as he pointed at his cloak that was draped over the couch. “Noted. Thank you, Draco. I will make sure that the guards know of this information so that they can be on the lookout for him. I will let you two be alone. Daughter, I suggest that you get some rest because tonight there will be a ball to welcome you back home. And then we must converse about Elysium which is coming up. I will have one of my Phouka send a gown of mine for you to borrow for the ball tonight. And I will send one of my Saytrs to help you with your make-up and hair and nails.” she stated as I nodded my head in thankfulness.”Thank you, mother.” I said, my voice laced with gratefulness. She nodded and left the room. I settled back into Draco’s lap and sigh in frustration and nervousness. “What’s the matter Rowena?” he asked in concern as he rubbed his hand up and down my upper backside. “I’m scared Draco,” I said looking down while fiddling with my fingernails which is something I only did when nervous or scared, or stressed. He looked at me in complete shock. “You. Rowena Black? Scared?” “The Rowena I knew from Hogwarts never let anyone know that she was scared. Why are you scared darling?” he asked with both confusion and concern. “What if I fail at being the princess? What if my mother’s subjects reject me as their princess? What if I get angry and lose control and pull my wand on someone? What if- What if you get hurt because of me? If that happened I don’t know what I’d do. I can’t lose you. I- I just can’t Draco.” I said my eyes brimming with tears at the thought of Draco being sprawled on the floor of a magnificent ballroom unconscious and hurt because of me.
“Hey,” he said softly as he tilted my chin up so I’d look at him. “You won’t lose me, Rowena. I promise,” he said with seriousness lacing his voice. Our faces I realized were inches apart. All it would take is for you to lean in and kiss him so why don’t you do it? Said a voice from within my head and I did just that. I leaned in and kissed the boy I had had a crush on for the past six years. I felt him stiffen up and then felt two hands on either side of my face and I felt him slowly kiss me back. When we broke the kiss it was me who pulled away first. I laughed for a second. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that for Draco,” I said smiling. “Rowena do you like me in that way as well?!” He asked me in shock. “What do you mean by as well?” I asked in that same shocked tone as he had done. And then it hit me. All those times he called me ‘darling’. All those times that he had jokingly placed his arm around my shoulders. All those times that he made sure I was alright after Potter had done something cruel to me. Draco Malfoy liked me in the same way I liked him. “Oh my god,” we both said at the same time causing both of us to start laughing. Pretty soon after we both fell asleep in each other's arms. I woke up to the sound of knocking on the door and muttered a quiet ‘Come in’ and in came two people one had a beautiful emerald green shaded gown. It was an off-the-shoulder dress with a corset built in. And the other person looked like a male with goat legs. I’m guessing that this is the satyr who is going to help me with my make-up, hair, and my nails. He looked at me with a suggestive grin until Draco came into the room from what seemed to be the bathroom. He had a deep green suit on with a black tie and button-up dress shirt. When Draco saw the look the Satyr was giving me he walked over and kissed me, looking at the satyr with a glare. “This one,” Draco growled. “Is off limits.”
After two hours of getting me in my gown, doing my hair, and perfecting my make-up, the satyr went to my nails. After he was done and the polish had dried I looked at them. They were a dark forest green with silver snakes on them. “You should stop staring at your nails and look at yourself in the mirror. I promise you that it's an entirely better sight to stare at. I mean it is for me at least.” Draco said his voice was almost a purr. And I looked in the mirror and sure enough, he was right. I looked like a goddess. My usual pallid complexion which was a sickly tone was now a creamy porcelain white shade. My eyelids had a deep forest green smokey eye with a small winged eyeliner and what looked like two or three coats of mascara lining my lashes. My lips were a deep brown and glossy. I gasped in complete shock and disbelief that the person I saw in the mirror was me. “Is- is that me?” I ask in utter bewilderment and awe. Draco nodded and I had tears brimming in my eyes. I didn’t know if the makeup was waterproof or not so I quickly shot my head up and blinked my eyes furiously to keep my tears from ruining my makeup. “Let's go my princess,” Draco said softly after guiding his hand to the small of my back and guiding me through the palace until we got to two huge double doors. “You ready?” Draco asked me as I nodded. “As I’ll ever be” I whispered and we walked into the ballroom and all heads snapped to the two of us.
Chapter 5
I froze like a deer in headlights. No, I can’t do this! This was a mistake I can’t be here. I thought to myself. I took a small step back ready to run when I felt a hand grasp my own. I looked over and relief flooded my body, a warm and welcoming feeling. Draco slowly leaned in toward my ear, “Deep breaths darling.” he whispered in my ear. I nodded and took a deep breath and then another, squeezed his hand, and with him, we walked into the ballroom.
“Ladies and gentlemen please welcome my daughter, Lavender Rowena Halliwell!” I heard my mother announce in a booming voice that was laced with happiness, love, and relief as she smiled at me. “Until today she had been living at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, going to and from classes. And in fact, she told me earlier that she wanted to show you all that she learned there, mind you that she still has 3 more years to go and a lot more to learn,” she announced with a proud look on her face at me. Flashback: I looked at the Phouka that had held my dress open so that I could step into it. “After you help me with my dress Rose will you go get Mab I need to talk to her for a minute,” I said to Rose with a small smile and Rose nodded. I had been standing and looking out the window with Draco’s arms wrapped around my waist when my mother came into my room. “Rose told me you needed to talk to me?” She told me with a smile. I nodded “Yes, I want to show our subjects what I learned from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry if that’s alright with you mother.” I said to her sheepishly. “That’s beyond fine with me! I’d also like to see what you learned there so that is fine!” End of Flashback.
I took a deep breath and looked to Draco for support and he squeezed my hand and nodded. “We’ll do it together like we planned to do, alright?” he said with a small smile on his face. I nodded as relief flooded through my body. We took out our wands and looked at the area around us looking for an object to levitate for the first charm that we had decided to use. Then I saw it. A small table statue. It was brown, shaped like a woman who held her hands placed against one of her shoulders and her hair rippling down the opposite shoulder that her hands weren’t against. I nudged Draco’s arm and he looked at me. “Look over there,” I whispered to him looking in the direction of the table statue. Draco looked over where I was looking and saw the table statue that I was looking at, smiled, and nodded at me. I motioned a Satyr over to me and Draco. “Will you have Mab let everyone know that we’re ready to start?” I asked a Satyr who nodded at me with a smile and rushed off in my mother’s direction. I saw her look at me and nod. “Everyone please make some room so that my daughter and her boyfriend can start alright?” my mother announced to the room, causing everyone to move over to the wall with the huge double window display. “Ready Draco?” I asked with a triumphant smile on my face looking at my pallid platinum blonde boyfriend. He smirked and nodded, “I’d like to see Potter try to top our performance!” I just laughed and looked at the table statue. “Wingardium Leviosa!” I shouted pointing my wand at the statue. When I heard everyone gasp I smirked and looked at Draco who nodded. “Accio table statue!” he shouted pointing his wand at the table statue that was, up until a second later, in the air. The table statue disappeared and reappeared in his hand. “Mother please bring a bucket without any water in it,” I said to my mother who snapped her fingers and a Red Cap appeared with an empty bucket in its hands. I thanked the Red Cap and placed the bucket on the floor. “Aguamenti,” I said calmly focusing my attention on the bucket and sure enough the bucket filled instantly with water. I smiled proudly and placed my wand back into the place I had it in, seeing me doing this Draco did the same. We both turned to the crowd of people looking at us both in awe, then all started applauding. "Thank you all for allowing us to show what we learned back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," I said with a smile as I bowed and went over to my mother who was talking to three girls.
"Rowena, that was incredible! I am so proud of you!" my mother exclaimed her voice laced with proudness, as she embraced me with open arms shocking me. She's hugging me... I let someone other than Draco hug me for the first time after what Harry did to me and I'm not uncomfortable... Does this mean I'm moving out of my shell? I thought to myself as I surprisingly hugged her back. After a moment we stepped apart and then Draco rushed forward scooping me up and twirling me around in the air making us both laugh. He set me down and only then did I notice that the three girls were staring at me with amazed looks on their faces, then rushed forward at me making me jump back pulling out my wand and pointing it at them protecting myself, as they realize they'd startled me and stopped abruptly and stood there looking at me sheepishly. "Sorry for startling you Rowena..." the girl with black and emerald green ombre hair said rubbing one of her arms and the other two nodded at me. I felt Draco gently grasp my hand and lean into my ear whispering gently into it, "Relax love, they aren't going to hurt you I swear to you. You can put your wand away" I nodded and placed it back where it was. "Sorry about that, um back at Hogwarts I had to protect myself from someone who kept harassing me, so when you all rushed towards me it set off a chain reaction in my head causing me to react defensively," I explained to them, and they nodded. "We understand Rowena. Your mom told us all about it and told us to let you, Draco, or her know if we saw anyone like Potter. By the way, I'm Emerald, and this is Isadora, Nagini, and Moon. We used to be your friends until your mom had to send you away for your protection." I nodded in understanding because of that made sense. "What are you all doing later? Because if you're not doing anything later me and Rowena are going to practice some charms and curses in our room if you wanna watch, your more than welcome to." Draco said with a smile making me clench my jaw and grip his arm. I knew that what the girls had said was true but I wasn't so sure that Moon knew that Draco was my boyfriend. Mental note, I should probably make sure they all know that I and Draco are together. Mainly Moon. I thought to myself. "That's a great idea we'd love to!" Emerald said with a huge smile on her face. Nagini smiled and looked at me, "I heard you had a snake I'm interested in seeing your snake!" she exclaimed making us all laugh.
Chapter 6
Draco takes my hand as we exit the ballroom to get changed into our casual comfortable clothes. “I have a surprise for you darling” Draco whispered to me as he leaned forward into my ear making me bend my neck inwards from shock and causing me to giggle happily. “Really? What is it?” I replied to him with wide eyes. He chuckled shaking his head, “Now if I told you what it was, it wouldn’t be such a surprise now would it love?” I huffed in annoyance, even though I knew that he was right it still annoyed me. If there was one thing I hated above all others it was being kept out of the loop or not knowing what something was. Draco laughed and just pulled me into him lovingly, “Relax love, you’ll know what it is soon enough alright? But for now I need to blindfold your eyes so that you don’t see anything and ruin your surprise okay?” he asked me like he was asking for my permission, and in a way, I suppose he was. I nodded at him and we slowed to a stop so that he could put his tie around my eyes. I was never one to worry about my makeup and I still wasn’t one to care about it now. He brushed his fingers across my ear tucking the hair behind my ear that had strayed out of the intricate bun that it was in for the night of dancing I had done with Draco and others that had asked me to dance. “Are you done yet?” I asked impatiently, I have always been an impatient person no matter what I was doing, where I was, or who I was with. Draco again just laughed at my impatience like he usually does making me want to roll my eyes. “Yeah I am love” he replied his voice laced with his laughter still on the edges of his voice, somehow like it usually does whenever I’m annoyed, it makes me smile. He took my hands and I cautiously took a step forward not trusting that I was without sight even though I knew that Draco wouldn’t let me get hurt I was still going to try to be careful. “Can I take my blindfold off now?” I asked for what seemed like the millionth time that night since Draco told me he had a surprise for me. Why he would tell me that he had a surprise, knowing that I hate not being able to know what was going to happen? I thought to myself as I sighed heavily, making my annoyance obvious to him; he just laughed at my annoyance, just as he always did. “In just a few moments, Love” he replied, and I could make out the happiness and laughter that was still lacing his voice. I sighed but nodded. “Alright, Love,” I said, sighing in defeat. At least it’s just a few moments more and I will be able to take this darn blindfold off my eyes. I thought to myself bitterly. But if I was really being honest with myself, it wasn’t the blindfold that was bothering me. I mean, yeah it was definitely a nuisance for sure… but it wasn’t what really bothered me. The thing that really bothered me was that Draco had a surprise for me and I didn’t know what it was.
Draco gently pulled me to a stop, and I took that as a sign that I was allowed to take my blindfold off now, but I was wrong apparently. “Woah! Wait for a second, Love!” Draco cried out in protest after he saw me trying to take my blindfold off. I scrunched my nose in exasperation. Oh, Salazar! This boy is just trying to make me transfigure him into the same White Ferret that Moody had turned him into last week! I thought to myself in anger and irritation. Draco obviously had been using Legilimency because he huffed in irritation as well. “Don’t even think about it Rowena,” he said as his voice took on a darker tone, and I just smirked at him. And if I do? I thought back in boldness. “I won’t give you your surprise if you do” Draco shot back cockily. Fine, I thought back at him in defeat. Draco sniggered, as I heard the sound of a door opening Draco guided me into a room. “Alright, you can take the blindfold off now,” he said. And as soon as the words left his mouth, I wasted no time in ripping the infernal thing off of my face. Once my eyes adjusted to the lights though I gasped in amazement. It was mine and Draco’s shared room like before. Before it had been a Pearl White color and had been bare like there was nothing on the walls or the dresser. But now? Now the walls were green… deep-forest green, black, and silver-grey. The walls had Slytherin banners and flag Pennants in a neat and orderly fashion, they had snakes painted on either side of the wall where our bed was positioned. The bed now had a canopy that was so dark a green that it seemed almost black, a variety of green, black, and silver throw pillows, and the dark green silk comforter that I had on my bed back in the girls' dormitories in the Slytherin Dorm in Hogwarts. My new dresser was a dark green dresser that has seven drawers with silver handles, and on top of the dresser…were framed photos of me, Draco, and the rest of our best friends back at Hogwarts along with framed photo cards that I had taken to collecting from the chocolate snowflakes and there was another photo on the dresser that I didn’t recognize. It was of my mother, me, the Malfoys, Nagini, Moon, Emerald, Isadora, and three unknown men. I scrunched my nose in confusion but decided not to think too much about it and to move on. Then I saw the thing that piqued my interest the most out of everything in that room. Brooms, Draco brought my brooms from my dorm and had neatly positioned them in a row along the wall next to my new dresser. I rushed and tackled Draco showering him in kisses, and making him laugh. “I take it that you like your surprise then,” he said between kisses. I jerked my head back. “Like it? No Draco, I don’t like it” I said catching my breath. After I caught my breath I saw Draco’s face fall in sadness and I rushed to finish what I was trying to say. “Draco I don’t like it because I love it!” I finished my voice raising a whole two or three octaves. Draco’s face lit up like a courtyard underneath the full moon beams. “Really?!” he asked in a mixture of joy and nervousness as if he was happy but he was nervous because he wasn’t sure if I was saying that I loved his surprise so that his hopes wouldn’t be let down. “Of course I do, Love,” I said with such firmness lacing my voice as I looked him in the eyes as I said it. Draco sighed in relief and embraced me, wrapping his arms around my waist and sighing in contentment, like it was as if he was only able to be happy if I was safe in his arms.
We just stayed like that for a while, before I pulled back just a bit and looked at him. “I should really get out of this gown it’s so uncomfortable for me to be in this thing,” I said as he just chuckled at me while shaking his head. Draco pulled me in once more gripping me tightly as though he was afraid that he might lose me if he released me from his grip. Draco leaned close to one of my ears, whispering into it. “I’m so glad that you and I found each other and are able to be together like we are right now.” I shivered from both hearing him say that and feeling his warm breath on my ear. Draco releases me and looked me in the eyes, “I love you, Rowena, I always have… and I always will. Now and forever.” I felt tears in my eyes as I heard him say these words to me. “I know Love, I know. And I love you too Draco, I always have… and I always will.”
I walk into my new closet and do a double take… with all that Draco had already done for me, he not only got me all types of evening gowns in all shades of greens, blacks, silvers, and greys… but also comfortable clothes for all the seasons! Summer… Check, Fall… Check, Spring… Check, Winter… Check! Honestly… I actually don’t know what I would do without this man in my life! He seriously thinks of everything that I may need! He even redid our shared bedroom in the style that I would love… just for me. I don’t know what I did to deserve him as my boyfriend or even my best friend but I am so grateful. I was brought out of my thoughts by Draco’s voice coming from behind me. “You didn’t have to do anything to deserve me in your life, Rowena, I love you… because you aren’t afraid to be yourself. I love you because you aren’t afraid to do whatever it takes to get what you want. I love you because you are the complete image of the kind of girl that I have been looking for. Now stop doubting yourself and your worth and hurry up and get changed our friends are about to arrive shortly.” He said with a knowing smirk, causing me to stop my hand as it was reaching for what I was about to grab. Friends? He said OUR friends… wait does that mean… I look at Draco and then I see it… the smirk he always has when he knows that he has done something that he knows will make me happy. I would know that smirk anywhere because he only has that smirk for me. He made that fact well known back in… wait what am I doing thinking about his smile?! I need to hurry up and get changed! “Draco could you-” I started to ask before he interrupted what I was going to say. “Already one step ahead of you Love,” he said stepping aside revealing my mother’s Saytr Rose. I smiled at him making a mental note to thank him later after I am out of this infernal dress. “Rose give me a minute to grab some clothes and then you can help me get dressed alright?” I said as I went back into the closet and stared at the clothes trying to decide on what to wear. Hmm, maybe a nightgown? No, that just wouldn’t do. It’s not even dark out yet. Then maybe perhaps I could wear a crop top with a jacket and some skinny jeans? Yeah, I think that I just wear that, after all, it’s what I would usually wear during our school trips to Hogsmead back at Hogwarts.
I motion for Rose to come and help me, she helped me out of my gown first helping me by undoing the back which was the corset part that had been built into the dress then helped me out of the actual dress itself, then handed me a green robe. “Thanks, Rose, I appreciate the help,” I said genuinely to the small Saytr with a small smile on my face which fell off of my face as soon as I saw that she was upset. “Hey Rose what’s wrong?” I asked my voice laced with concern. “Y-You really shouldn’t say t-thank y-you or anything like that here in the Nevernever, mainly in Tir Na Nog, and p-please don’t p-promise any fae here anything or give anyone your true name. It’ll turn out badly,” she said stuttering every so often, looking into my eyes with worry for me. I nodded at the small Saytr. “Alright, I’ll do as you ask Rose.” I went to grab my shirt but stop. “If I may though, why shouldn’t I say anything or do anything of those things you told me about?” I asked my curiosity getting the best of me. “If you say thank you, promise a fae something, or give them your true name… it could be dangerous. You could end up being their slave or worse they could capture you to get back at your mother… believe it or not Princess your mother has a lot of enemies that wish to do her harm.” Rose explains while wringing her hands in a nervous manner. “Oh… I didn’t think about that, though with her being Queen… I’m sure she must have a lot of enemies that want her out of the way so they can be King or Queen. Thanks for letting me know Rose.” I said my voice laced with gratefulness. Rose nodded and left the bathroom, and I finished getting dressed and headed back into the bedroom, where Draco was waiting for me.
"Ready to see our friends, Ro?" Draco asked me with a smirk as I nodded at him.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied with a similar smirk.
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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 16.09.2022
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