Anne sat, her thick dark curls falling over her shoulder. Her mother, still a young witch, layed paralyzed. Her eyes bore into her her daughter's pale, golden eyes taking in all she could before the holiday break was over.
"Mum, I'm happy I got to see you again. This year at Hogwarts has been hard. There's a new Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher and she's an utter nightmare. Professor Umbridge wont even let us use magic." Anne complained, keeping her voice down. "Plus, we've been busy preparing for our O. . Auntie told me that you got high marks on yours. I wish you could reply." Her mother, Jane Burell, shifted her eyes to the door. A short, plump woman walked in. Her grey hair was tied back into a tight bun.
"Anne, I have one more patient to check on and then we'll be leaving." Her aunt said looking over to Anne. Anne stood up, put her note book into her bag, and walked over to her mother.
"I love you mum." Anne quietly crooned. She leaned down and kissed her mother's forehead before leaving. St. Mungo's Hospital was were she spent most of her holiday breaks. Whether she was volunteering or just visiting her mother, here was where was spent most of her time. Although she loved to help out, she despised the fact that her mother was in here. When she was year old a Death Eater's spell back fired on her mother leaving her unable to move or speak.
Anne searched for a nurse. A young, blonde nurse stopped her. "Oh, hello Anne. You must be looking for your aunt. She checking on Alice Longbottom."
"Thank you Marie." Anne hurried to find her aunt. She walked down the familiar yet labyrinth like halls until she reached Alice Longbottom's room. When she poked her head through the doorway she was greeted by an empty bed. When she turned away to wait down stairs she bumped into a familiar person. She eyes settled on Neville Longbottom's face.
"I'm very sorry." She exclaimed standing up and holding her hand out for him. When he grabbed it she pulled him up. He just stared at her. Anne decided to break the silence.
"I'm Anne Burell, a fifth year at Hogwarts. You're Neville Longbottom correct?"
"Yes." He replied quietly. He looked over towards the room. "What were you doing in there?"
"Looking for my aunt." She replied nonchalantly.
"Why's the bed empty?" She shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know. She loves to wander. Oh, she's such a kind witch. Always giving me gum wrappers. It's odd but sweet." She told him. He just stuck his hands in his pockets. "Where's your grandmother?"
He shrugged his shoulders. He mumbled. "I don't know. I walked off."
"Do want me to help you find her?" I asked kindly. He shrugged his shoulders. "I am a Hufflepuff, so that means I'm a particularly good finder."
"Okay." He said quietly. We walked most of the way in silence. He stopped. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because." I said. He looked at me skeptically. "You seem like a nice person. I don't talk to a lot of people and when I do soem tease me for being a Hufflepuff. Or they tease me about my muggle dad. So far you've seemed kind."
"Thank you." He said finally showing me a smile. "Why are you here though?"
I told him about my mom and what happened. "But that nothing compared to what happened to your parents-sorry, that was rude."
"It's okay." He said smiling sadly. Someone tapped on my shoulder. I turned around to see Alice Longbottom with her hand extended out. In the palm of her hand was a gum wrapper.
"Why thank you Alice." I said taking the wrapper from her hand. Behind her stood Neville's grandmother and my aunt.
"It's time to go Anne." My aunt said walking away. I turned to Neville.
"See you at Hogwarts, okay?" I said. He nodded his head.
On the ride back to Hogwarts Neville sat in a compartment by himself. Anne opened the door and sat oppsite of him. He looked at her and then to the box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. She held the box out. Neville grabbed a yellow-green one. "Careful, evertime I pick that colour I get bogey flavour." She told him while smiling. She searched through the box looking for the same colour. "On the count of three okay?" One Two Three
