'A woman can say more in a sigh than a man can say in a sermon.' –Arnold Haultain.
….
Anne appeared in the Leaky Cauldron, where the Floo Network let out when you went to Diagon Alley.
A few older men at the bar nodded at Anne, and she pretended not to notice, looking away and waiting for Celine and Chantal to appear. In due time, they both did. They stepped out of the fireplace with looks of pure wonder and awe; it was their first time at Diagon Alley, though they had heard a lot about it.
"Where are we?" the first one that appeared asked Anne.
"We are in the Leaky Cauldron, a bar and inn." Anne answered, and started to lead the twins out into the busy street of Diagon Alley.
They sped up and walked on either side of her, and Anne felt short between the two taller twins.
"So Anne, who is this person that we see you always sending little packages to?" the one on the right asked with a knowing smile, while the other giggled. Anne's face heated up. They noticed Zosime's frequent trips to and from the house.
"Yes, Chantal and I have noticed how frequently you have been speaking to a friend of yours. Is it a boy?" the other, Celine, giggled, mirroring her sister's knowing smile. "Is he your boyfriend?"
Anne almost choked on air. "N-No, I do not have a boyfriend." She whispered. "I am just corresponding to my best friend, Lily." Her face was beet red.
Celine and Chantal mirrored each others' shocked expressions. "No boyfriend?" Chantal gasped.
"You are fifteen, kind, smart, and beautiful, Anne. Why do you not have a boyfriend?" Celine demanded. "Have you ever had one?"
Anne's face flushed even deeper at the compliments and the nature of the conversation. "No. Never." She whispered, and pretended to be looking at the sale signs of the Magical Menagerie store.
"Why not?" Chantal demanded, looking down at Anne's flushing face.
Anne shrugged meekly. "I do not know, I just have not met the right boy, I suppose." She said softly.
"What about that one?" Celine said slyly, gesturing with her chin to a dark-haired boy sitting at a table at the ice cream parlor with two other boys Anne's age.
Chantal grinned at Anne. "Yes, Anne, he is quite handsome, why don't you go and speak with him?" she whispered, bending down to Anne's ear to speak.
Anne looked over as they approached the ice cream parlor, and her eyes widened in horror as she realized who it was. Of course, it was Sirius Black, with James and Remus. They were laughing rather loudly over something James had said.
"Uhm, n-no. It is alright. I would rather not." Anne said quickly, turning the twins away from the ice cream parlor.
The twins giggled and exchanged a look. "Why not?" Celine asked in the same sly tone.
"I just… I just do not wish to, that is all." Anne said, panic rising in her eyes. She would not let the twins bully her into going and talking to Sirius. Or worse, they would go talk to him for her. Oh God.
Chantal scoffed. "This is why you do not have a boyfriend, Anne! You need to put yourself out there! Meet a boy, fall in love! Come, we will go with you and talk to him for you." She said, and grasped Anne's arm, pulling her towards the parlor.
"No!" Anne gasped, trying to wretch her arms from Chantal and Celine's grasps.
"Why not, Anne? You think he is attractive do you not?" Celine said, ignoring Anne's sputtering protests and struggling.
Anne felt revolted. No. She did not. Just thinking of Sirius anymore made her stomach roll in displeasure.
"No!" she spat in a completely un-Anne like manner as they drew nearer. The twins suddenly stopped, confused.
"You do not think he is attractive?" Chantal asked, confused. "Are you sure?"
Anne nodded furiously. "Yes, yes. I do not. Can we please just leave? Please?" she was on the verge of crying.
The twins looked at each other and nodded. They released Anne's arms, and started to turn back towards the street.
"Anne?" a voice called from behind them, and Anne's relief was short-lived. She froze, and turned her head.
It was Remus. He had noticed her with her cousins.
Anne walked up to Remus at his table; Celine and Chantal close behind, exchanging smug smiles.
"Hello, Remus." Anne said, forcing a smile. It took all of her willpower not to glance at Sirius, but saw James give a little wave out of the corner of her eye.
"How are you?" Remus asked, smiling back. "How is your summer? And… who are these two?"
Anne glanced over her shoulder at her raven haired cousins, who smirked at her. "My twin cousins." She answered shortly. The twins gave cheeky waves to Remus, and giggled as they glanced over at Sirius, who smiled suggestively at them.
Anne nearly gagged.
Remus smiled in a friendly manner at the twins, and then turned back to Anne. "Why don't you guys join us for the rest of the day? Maybe sit and have some ice cream with us, check out the stores?" he asked Anne kindly.
Anne fiddled with her white sundress. "W-well, I do not know. Let me ask my cousins." She said softly, and turned around, switching to French.
"He wants us to spend time with them." Anne said to the twins, who exchanged an elated glance.
"Oh, yes! We would love to!" Chantal said to Anne, unable to communicate this to the boys in English.
"I do not want to…" Anne said quietly to herself, but turned around and smiled at Remus. "They would love to."
The three boys stood up, and disposed of their ice cream cups, before starting to walk with the girls.
Anne walked between James and Remus, and the twins each took one of Sirius' arms as they walked. She was slightly appalled, the twins were eighteen, and they were openly flirting with a fifteen year old.
"Well, how's your summer been, Anne?" Remus asked, glancing over at the twins and Sirius.
Anne shrugged slightly. "Pretty good, I suppose. I have nineteen people from my family staying over right now. It is rather hectic around the house right now." She answered.
Remus' eyebrows shot up. "Nineteen? How do you house so many people?"
Anne froze. "T-they, they… well, a lot of them have to share rooms… It is kind of crowded…" she lied; she didn't want Remus to know that her family was immensely wealthy. "How is your summer?"
Remus nodded. "Ah, I see. And it's been fine, hanging with the guys, finishing up my homework. By the way, I hear you've been sending Sirius your summer homework." Remus' voice was very disapproving, and Anne flinched.
"Yes…" she said quietly, looking away.
"Why, Anne? He's miles away from you. Why didn't you just say no?" he demanded, and Anne felt tears coming to her eyes.
"I do not know… he asked me and I obliged…" she whispered, fiddling with her dress again.
Remus shook his head. "I don't understand you." He said.
Anne felt one tear slip down her face, but quickly wiped it away. "I will see you later, Remus." She said quietly, and moved away from him to grab the twins, walking in the other direct despite their protests. She saw Remus' face soften as she ran away from him, he had seen her tears.
…
Anne's face was still burning after they lost the boys. She'd never live it down, that she'd ran away. She felt more tears come, and let some of them fall before she wiped them away again.
Chantal and Celine were chattering away, long forgotten their anger at Anne for pulling them away from Sirius. They rebounded quickly. Chantal had a serious boyfriend back in France, anyway.
Anne tensed up as they passed Knockturn Alley, she kept her eyes forward, and willed the twins to continue to follow her.
"Anne!" one of them screamed not a second after they had passed the Alley. Anne turned around to see Celine (she guessed it was Celine) running after her, bawling her eyes out.
"Anne! Chantal went down that Alley, even though you did not, and someone grabbed her! Please, help her!" she said hysterically, feeling naked without her twin by her side.
Anne was frozen with shock and fear.
Oh no.
….
Awwwwwe shoooot. Is Anne's Gryffindor courage gonna show up here? What is she gonna do?
Wow, Remus. Nice going. You made Anne cry. Nice.
Sorry for the late update! I now I said Thursday, but I forgot I had to work. I got halfway through and had to stop. And I was dead tired when I got home. Sorry! Maybe you'll get a double update today to make up for it!
Has anyone else signed up for Pottermore, the new website JKR just created? I just did today for the early access! I'm so excited!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this slightly late update! Next time, Anne's gonna find a way to rescue Chantal. But she can't use magic, she's underage! Oh no.
Don't forget to review guys! I do love reviews with a burning passion! And I'd like to thank all the people that have reviewed already! I love yoou!
As always, thanks for reading!
Jess