Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series or anything you can recognize from anything else. All real places are used factiously.
Claimer: I own my OCs, story plotline and anything else in the story you can't recognize. So please ask before using.
WARNING: mild swearing, murder scene described vaguely.
"Crossing Threshold,"
Chapter 2 "Endless Night,"
The down pouring rain was troublesome to the other students but was soothing to Annalise. Something about the rain had always comforted her. When she was little she loved to sit on the porch during rain storms. Her mum typically let her do so since she would fall asleep on the porch then she could carry her inside and into bed without to force her in bed.
Annalise was out of sorts the whole Sorting Ceremony. She had didn't even realize that Dumbledore had done his speech until. She had been in a self-induced trance since she had sat down in the Great Hall. She jumped when Hermione suddenly nudged her. She fell off her seat out of surprise.
"Bit jumpy lass," laughed Seamus.
"Shut up, I didn't ask for you to state the obvious," snapped Anna getting back in her seat.
"I didn't do anything to you," snapped Seamus.
"Well, you didn't write all summer and you think that I'm going to be all fine and dandy with you," said Anna.
"I didn't know I was required to do so," said Seamus.
"Eejit," muttered Anna under her breath.
"What?" said Seamus.
"Do you really want to know?" asked Anna.
Dean didn't say a word though he had told Seamus to write to Anna. He had written only one time just to tell Anna he was fine after the Quidditch Cup.
"Yes I do," said Seamus his temper already boiling.
The whole Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables were starring along with some Ravenclaws and the staff.
"I called you an eejit, if you must know," said Anna knowing she may as well go all the way here.
"What is an eejit?" asked Dean.
"She called you an idiot in Scottish terms," called out one of the Hufflepuff boys, Anna was pretty sure it was Ernie.
"Bidse," said Seamus.
"Why thank you," said Anna sarcastically "I didn't know you felt that way."
"What is going?" asked Ron to Harry.
"They're fighting over something," whispered Harry.
"Take that back!" yelled Susan getting up from the Hufflepuff table.
"Don't bother Susan. It isn't worth the time," said Anna purposely referring Seamus as an 'it'.
Susan didn't sit down. She glared at Seamus wanting to hex him at that very moment. She wouldn't stand for such disrespect of a family member.
"Sit down," said Ernie pulling Susan back to the Hufflepuff table.
Susan pulled her arm away from him and sat back down. She was still pissed but knew better than do anything with so many professors nearby but then again she knew her auntie wouldn't mind her getting in trouble for defending Anna.
"I deal with him later," whispered Ernie to Susan.
"How cute? The wee little Hufflepuff come to save the day," said Seamus smirking.
Before anyone could even say Hogwarts Anna had pulled out her wand and pointed it at Seamus. She was fuming, she could care less what he said about her but no one insults her family or the Hufflepuff house, which is close to family to her, in front of her.
"Care to repeat that," snarled Anna "because I'd gladly wipe that smirk off her face for you."
"As if you'd really do it," said Seamus.
"I wouldn't bet on that," said Ginny.
"Don't you know better than to mess with the Bones witches," said Anna.
"I didn't know you were your own race," said Seamus.
"Seamus, shut it," said Dean.
"Why should I?" asked Seamus.
"I don't want to be the one to pry you off the wall when she hexes you," said Dean.
"Miss Bones, Mr Finnegan, stop this rubbish this instant!" boomed Professor McGonagall.
Anna withdrew her wand and started to eat. She wasn't going to mess with Professor McGonagall, one of her favourite professors. She also didn't want a letter being sent home to her mum quite yet.
"Scared you'll get a letter sent home to mummy," said Seamus in a lower voice.
Anna didn't even look over at Seamus. That stung that time, it never used to but things were different now. She was a lot closer to her mum now and she had made a promise to her mum too. Plus he had only ever said that as a joke, at least she had thought it was a joke.
"Shut up. You just had to keep on going didn't you," said Hermione, the one person who could see Anna's reaction.
Anna didn't say another word or even looked up because she knew if she did that she'd start crying. She had never gotten into a fight like that with Seamus or any of her friends for a matter of fact. She typically got in fights like that defending her friends. She was so use for fighting for her friends she didn't even realise she was fighting with Seamus, instantly she felt horrible. She had just gotten in a huge fight with one of her closest friends in front of hundreds of students and teachers, she was sure she looked like a real bitch to everyone now. She just wanted to crawl underneath the table and never come out again but luckily she had some self-respect left that kept her from doing so.
After she was done eating she looked down at the photograph once again. She was hoping that just maybe it would give her enough strength to not start crying. She remembered how her mum had told her that crying sometimes was an expression of strength. She didn't hold back the single tear that ran down her cheek and nearly missed the photograph.
Hermione had leaned over to see what Anna was staring at. She studied the photograph herself trying to figure out who it was of. That's when she realized Anna was crying, she had never seen Anna cry even that time she had broken her toe getting up in the middle of night as first years.
"Are you alright?" asked Hermione.
"I'm fine," Anna lied, she quickly wiped the evidence she had been crying away.
Harry was looking over Hermione's shoulder trying to see what Anna was looking at. He was just as curious about what set off Anna as everyone else in Gryffindor. He didn't understand how one of the nicest girls in the Gryffindor could go off like that.
"Who is the picture of?" asked Hermione.
"My dad's side," said Anna.
"You look like them," said Hermione.
"I get that a lot," said Anna "only if I really knew them."
"You haven't met them," said Hermione not knowing the truth.
"I never got the chance to. They were all murdered shortly after this was taken," said Anna.
"I'm sorry," said Hermione.
"You didn't know," said Anna.
This was quite a shock at Harry, he had never thought of anyone else losing a parent like he did. He knew what it was like to lose your parents but not what it was like to lose your whole family, specially a large family.
"You've never mentioned them before," said Hermione.
"It just brings back unwelcome memories when I do," said Anna still thinking about that screaming she heard last year, it just seemed to be haunting her.
"Oh, I see," said Hermione.
When Anna went to put it away she saw writing on the back. She flipped it over to read the writing. It read:
I decided to write on the back of this since I don't think you'll remember this when your older my little Anna but at least you can a slight memory of it. The date was June 22, 1981. It was grandma and grandpa's wedding anniversary. Who knows if they'll still me around when you're older, they are old even now. Love, papa or dad (whatever you call me when you're older)
Anna put it away nearly in tears from just reading a note on the back of a photograph; she could only imagine what the journals would do to her. She couldn't believe she had let herself get so worked up over nothing.
"I didn't mean those things," said Seamus, obviously being forced by Dean to apologize.
"It's fine," said Anna thought it wasn't fine to her "I didn't mean what I said either."
"I did get a wee bit out of hand," said Seamus.
"A bit more like a lot," said Hermione.
"I was just upset with the fact that you didn't even send a letter to let me know you were fine after the Quidditch Cup thing. I just supposed you were since Dean was," said Anna.
"I thought if Dean wrote it would be fine if I didn't," said Seamus.
"Don't bring me into this," said Dean.
"Let's just forget this ever happened," said Anna.
"Deal," said Seamus.
"Dean, throw this at Susan for me," said Anna rolling up a napkin.
Susan was throwing death glared when she turned around. Dean pointed to Anna. Anna mouthed to Susan to not do anything they were planning. Susan whispered to Ernie who mouthed why back. Anna gave Ernie a stern look and then he mouthed fine.
"Dean just saved your arse," said Anna.
"How?" asked Seamus.
"My cousin was planning to do something to you along with the rest of the Hufflepuffs. It wouldn't have been pretty," said Anna.
"What can Hufflepuffs do to me?" asked Seamus.
"I know of a Hufflepuff that is auror," said Ginny.
"Ron, you and I all know her," said Anna.
"So, I still don't see the big deal," said Seamus.
"You think I just blew up you haven't seen my cousin on a bad day. It's sort of like that swirling storms, tornadoes; I wasn't the best with muggle science when I went to a muggle primary school. Ernie may be prat at times but he won't stand of another Scott to be insulted," said Anna "don't look at me like that. I've spent four summers with those guys I've gotten to know them."
"How are you not one of them?" asked Seamus.
"I have a few more Gryffindor traits then they do or as my mum puts it's the Scottish spunk in me," said Anna.
"Is your mum Scottish or something?" asked Seamus.
"No, my dad was," said Anna.
Only Harry, Hermione and Neville caught the was in Anna's sentence. Ron and Ginny already knew from their mum and dad about Anna's family.
"Was?" asked Hermione.
"Why is no one ever knows about your family?" asked Ginny.
"My mum was just good at keeping reporters away when I was younger. No one really messes with her unless they have a death wish," said Anna.
"Your mum is a bit scary the first time you meet her," said Ron.
"She has a strong personality," said Anna defending her mum.
"Along with you and Susan," snorted Ginny trying to hold back a laugh.
"Someone could have warned me about that a long time ago," said Seamus.
"It wouldn't have been as entertaining," said Ginny.
The rest of the evening went on uneventful. Anna looked over to see Lavender and Parvati already sleeping and Hermione was getting into bed.
Anna put the photograph underneath her pillow and laid her head down. She was exhausted. She slowly drifted to sleep.
*~Anna's Dream~*
The dead silent night had been broken by mass chaos. Hexes and curses shooting from every which way. Screaming and yelling woke all of the children. This night had turned into a living hell for the McKinnons.
Daniel had made it to the nursery where his daughter was sleeping. He tried to not be seen going in but he knew there wasn't much time. He had to get his little girl out of here.
Anna was crying quietly, almost as if she realized how much danger she was in. Daniel picked her up and held her close.
"Don't cry baby girl. It's okay," whispered Daniel.
He checked the hallway and saw no one so he darted for the secret passage way and in Marlene's bedroom. He hadn't expected to see Marlene in her room.
"I thought you'd be fighting," said Daniel.
"I was but I need to hide these. Death Eaters mustn't know about the spells I've been working on," said Marlene holding up her leather bound journals.
"Good point," said Daniel "I can't let anything happen to Anna, I couldn't live with myself if I lived and she died."
"Right about now I wished we hadn't had all the kids here," said Marlene.
Daniel nodded holding Anna close. She didn't coo like she normally did just on the fact her instincts told her she was in danger.
Soon there was loud banging on Marlene's door.
"Come out, come out. We know you're in there," called a male voice.
"Mar, take Annalise," said Daniel.
Marlene took her young niece. She didn't weigh much yet. She rubbed the top of Annalise's head.
"I love you Anna," said Daniel kissing the top of Anna's head and put a hand on her locket casting a charm on it.
"Danny, you always will mean the world to me and to her. Out of all of you guys, you were my favourite sibling," said Marlene.
"I love you too, Marley. Take good care of her," said Daniel.
"I will," said Marlene.
Marlene went into the passage locking the door as she went through it. She didn't want to leave her brother but knew she had to try to save Anna from certain death, she had made a promise and she'd wasn't about to go back on it now.
Anna saw a green flash light up the dark passage way.
"Papa, papa," babbled Anna.
Marlene nearly stopped dead in her tracks. Anna had just said her first word. She had tears streaming down her own cheeks knowing what had just happened on the other side of the door.
After finally getting out of secret passageway she had to dart to the forest behind the house while not dropping Anna. She got Anna to an old falling apart boathouse the McKinnons owned but never used. She prayed someone would find her as she headed back to the house. Not even two minutes after she had used a concealing spell on the boathouse she saw a wand pointed at her. She screamed as she fell to the ground.
Anna had been peering from a crack in the wall. Flashes of bright red lights lit up her big blue eyes. Her aunt's screams seemed to echo making her cover her ears, or try her best to cover them. She didn't understand what was going on but she knew her aunt was in pain.
*~End of Anna's Dream~*
Anna woke up screaming. She had woken up Lavender, Hermione and Parvati. Parvati had left to go get Professor McGonagall after they couldn't wake her up when she started screaming. She had seen the flash of green light in the corridor but she had never seen the whole thing before.
"Are you okay?" asked Lavender.
"What do you think," said Hermione.
Professor McGonagall came into the girls' dormitory in her nightgown. Parvati was right behind her.
"Miss Bones, what is wrong?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"It was just a nightmare," said Anna wishing Parvati hadn't gone and gotten her.
"You typically can be woken up from a nightmare," said Professor McGonagall.
"It was more like a memory," said Anna.
"Let's go get a dreamless potion from Madame Pomfrey. I don't think that is going to go away," said Professor McGonagall.
Anna didn't argue with Professor McGonagall. She didn't want that dream again. She knew she had to ask her mum who was Brittany.
Anna had been abnormally quite for most of the walk to the Hospital Wing. She had been trying to place the dream; it didn't make sense, since her mum had never mentioned a relation by the name Brittany.
"Professor?" said Anna.
"Yes," said Professor McGonagall.
"Do you know if there was anything Marlene was working on she would have tried hiding that night?" asked Anna.
"There are rumours of such things," said Professor McGonagall.
"Something that could be dangerous if found by the wrong hands," said Anna.
"It is possible. She was quite a talented witch," said Professor McGonagall recalling the McKinnon funeral, the day she lost the first of favourite students she had lost, though she claims not to have favourites but Marlene was very close to be one along with James and many others from that generation.
Madame Pomfrey gave Anna a sleepless potion and forced her to sleep in the Hospital Wing. She fell asleep in a matter of seconds of her head hitting the pillow on the bed.
"Should I contact her mother?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"I would suggest so. She had never had issues with nightmares of that night before, something triggered it," said Madame Pomfrey.
"Poppy, how far was Marlene into her spell making?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"I'm not sure Minerva. I know she was already starting to experiment at the time she was a sixth year, got herself in here a few times doing so," said Poppy "why do you ask?"
"Anna asked me if she was working on anything she'd want to hide from the Death Eaters that night," said Minerva.
"I would mention that to Amelia, there is something going on. It sounds like she may have overheard some things that may change what happened that night or at least what we think happened. It's also not normal for nightmares to start at her age," said Poppy "at least of a trauma form so many years ago."
Please review. I enjoyed writing this chapter. If I missed any errors let me know but I'm pretty sure I got them all. Now revised, I had to change a few things in order to fix my plotline which had gotten messed up in the process of this chapter. I hope you guys still like this chapter.