Coffee & Commentary

Tumblr Ask - Remembering Rowan

January - 1991

** This Story will not be written in 1st person, given KC's emotional state after Rowan's departure from the story, she would have been an unreliable narrator. If you don't accept Rowan's departure as part of the story, keep scrolling. This was hard to write. **

"Are you certain, you are willing to bend the rules for this girl once more, Professor Flitwick?" Professor Dumbledore stroked his beard as he peered deep into his associate's eyes. The rules had been broken for Katriona Cassiopeia more times than the headmaster cared to admit. This time, he feared he would need to send the troublesome student home permanently.

Madame Pomfrey spoke up before Professor Flitwick had the chance to defend his decision. "Professor, if I may, I think it is her best chance of recovery. I can only do so much to heal her body. Her soul needs mending. I'm not the person for that job. I've personally witnessed the healing the two of them can bring to each other. I support Professor Flitwick." Flitwick smiled at the nurse and nodded in agreement. "There will be plenty of supervision, and if I may, it isn't the worst rule we've ever broken for a gifted student. Given the circumstances, I believe it is the best course of action. We cannot expel her. She has saved lives... perhaps even our own lives, headmaster. As head of Ravenclaw house and a personal mentor of both Miss Cassiopeia and Mr. McNully, I see no reason to doubt the efficacy of my proposal." Professor Flitwick was not one to back down from keeping the wellbeing of his students a priority.

"I trust you will behave yourself, Mr. McNully? These rules are in place for a reason", the headmaster glared in Murphy's direction, skeptical of the resolution at hand. Murphy gathered his thoughts and tried to speak as slowly as the known chatterbox could. "Professor Dumbledore, sir, I have just one goal here today, sir. I am worried about her. She's been stuck in her room for days and I can't see her, hold her, or comfort her. Tulip and Skye are exhausted. They are grieving, too. I understand the rules in place, and I do respect them. Respecting rules is the trademark of a good commentator. Not that I just respect the game rules, sir. You are certainly aware of my reverence for chess rules, class rules, all rules really. Mostly, I respect Katriona. I would never do anything to make her uncomfortable though this horrible time. She's already hurting so much. Your rules, dormitory rules, her rules... they are all the same to me and I promise not to treat them like common room rules. The sofas are just so comfy and I..."

Dumbledore rested his face on his open palms. "That will be enough, Mr. McNully. Permission granted", he sighed as he shooed Professor Flitwick, Madame Pomfrey, and Murphy out of his office. He leaned against the bronze door of his quarters and pulled a vial of fire whisky out of his robes. "Not since Severus was a boy, have I dealt with a student like Cassiopeia..." he muttered as he drank the contents.

Professor Flitwick followed Murphy into the Ravenclaw Common Room. He raised his wand at the door to the dormitory KC shared with Skye and Tulip and disarmed the charm that prevented male students from entering. Murphy heaved a deep sigh in fear of being propelled backwards through the door that would normally prevent him from entering. He crossed the threshold and turned to nod at Professor Flitwick.

Katriona was not asleep but was lying on her side staring at Rowan's empty bed. She had not slept nor left her bed in the four days since Rowan's passing. She had not responded to Tulips voice or Skye's touch. She had not eaten. She had not cried. She was lost in her grief. Murphy wheeled around to face his young love. "Rising Star, I've missed you", he stroked her messy hair and smiled.

She looked up at him with a blank expression. From what he understood, it was the most responsive she had been in days. She slid away from him. His heart sank as she moved away from his touch, until she slowly moved her arm to motion to the empty space in her bed. "You want me to cuddle you?" he made sure he was not invading her personal space before taking any action. "Mmmhmm..." was her only response.

He settled in and put his arm around her. She moved to rest her head over his heart. She moved slowly and weakly. He had never seen the Rising Star of Ravenclaw Quidditch so vulnerable. "KC? Can I get you anything? A blanket? Dinner? A dry cappuccino?" he hoped the last suggestion would evoke a verbal response. She responded only with a snore.

Tulip and Skye watched wide-eyed as he held her close to his heart. "I knew it would work." Skye whispered to no one in particular as she watched her roommate drift to sleep for the first time since the accident. Murphy stayed at her side until morning. It was the best sleep he had gotten since the night they first shared a bed.

Tulip brought breakfast into the room once KC had woken up in Murphy's arms. She was still as weak as she had been the night before. Katriona reached over Murphy's chest for the coffee on the nightstand with a grunt. "Nope", Murphy said as he moved the coffee out of her reach. "You need your strength. Eggs Benedict first, then you get your coffee. I had the cooks make it especially for you. I know it is your favorite", he held a fork to her lips.

"I swear if you shove that into my mouth and say, 'All aboard The Hogwarts Express' we are breaking up", KC grumbled and held Murphy tighter. Murphy looked up at a smiling Skye. "It was a threat, but we got her talking!", he handed his girlfriend the fork as he shared a smile with the concerned roommates.

After devouring breakfast and two cappuccinos Murphy was able to coax Katriona out of bed and into the Prefects Bathroom. He locked the door behind them and undressed her without even a sneak peek at the body he had come to know and love. A promise to Albus Dumbledore was not one he was willing to break. He helped her into the tub and made sure she was sufficiently covered in opaque bubbles. She sat still and seemed to enjoy the heat of the water, but still didn't move. He made quick work of washing her hair and her face before helping her our of the water and wrapping her in a fluffy bath robe.

They reentered the dormitory, KC on his lap, and he helped her back into bed. He nuzzled the top of her wet hair and cast the spell he taught her the first time they spent the day together. Her hair was instantly dry and styled. "You're good to me", she sighed, her voice was barely audible. He slid back into bed with her and propped her head back onto his chest.

He rested his hand on her hip, but she shifted away. He moved to her waist and she contorted her back like she was uncomfortable. "Rising Star, how can I make you more relaxed? You just show me where you want me, and I'll be perfectly cozy with whatever you like" he suggested as Katriona continued to toss and turn in the bed. She landed once more with her head over his heart and brought his hand to her own heart. His face tightened as he tried to ignore the soft curve under his palm. "KC, I promised the headmaster..." he protested.

"Not like that, love, I need your hand on my heart... just to know it is still beating. It's so broken, Murphy." Katriona mumbled into his chest as she flattened his hand against hers. His heart broke for her and a tear streamed down his cheek. For the first time since losing her best friend, Katriona began to cry with Murphy. Just a tear at first, then an unstoppable deluge of sobs. Just as he believed she had finished crying, he pulled his hand away from her chest to that he could move to dry her eyes. They were closed. She was finally sleeping on schedule.

The next morning, Katriona woke before Murphy or her roommates did. She dressed herself and made coffee. She went to the kitchens and brought breakfast back for the three friends who had surrounded her in her time of need. She left a breakfast tray on Rowan's bed. "I miss you, Khanna... but the circle of friends you left me with are doing their best."

She curled back into bed next to Murphy and briefly considered acting as though she had not recovered from her state of shock to keep him with her another night. After what they had seen and experienced together, it was then that she knew, she would have him at her side for life.