"I got what I got all despite you. And I get what I get just to spite you." - Salute your Solution - The Raconteurs
Chapter Three - Double Trouble
Later that morning, Ankaa walked down to the first-floor from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The Muggle Studies classroom was locked, and all the other students had gathered outside. From the looks of it, many of them were older.
Good, Ankaa thought to herself as she got into the queue while maintaining a considerate distance between the chittering Hufflepuff girls. It'll spare me having to explain to anyone why I'm in Divination and Muggle Studies.
"What're you doing here?" asked a disembodied voice.
Ankaa turned at the accusatory tone and frowned deeply when she noticed Hermione Granger round the corner with a tall boy from Hufflepuff House. Granger was looking at her incredulously as if she had never seen such a sight before.
"I'm waiting in line."
"I meant what are you doing taking this class? It's Muggle Studies."
Ankaa merely raised a brow. "Why do you care?"
Granger shot an uneasy look at the Slytherin emblem on Ankaa's robes before looking at the rest of the students. The boy, who had just watched the exchange quietly, took Hermione by the elbow and pulled her past Ankaa quickly. Ankaa watched the two of them scurry past her with a mocking smirk. The two stood together, quietly whispering something amongst themselves and shooting her conspicuous looks.
The classroom door unlocked from the inside, and a blonde witch peeked through the ajar door.
"Good morning, everyone! Come in, come in! Take a seat!"
Ankaa followed after the crowd slowly. The classroom was moderately sized with large open windows and flooded with natural light. At the front of the room stood the blonde witch, watching curiously as the students came in and picked their seats. Ankaa sat down at a table in the back corner, one that conveniently overlooked the grounds outside.
"Well, then!" The Professor spread her arms out to call attention to herself once everyone was sitting. "I must say, I'm rather excited to see all of you! I know a lot of you are older students taking this because you think it is an easy subject—and it is, don't worry. It really is quite straightforward. Though I suspect many people say this subject is easy only because they find themselves rather enjoying it. Regardless of your motivation for taking this course—" Ankaa noticed Granger shoot her a look from her spot two desks over, "—I do hope you enjoy it."
The rest of the class was spent going over some key terminology and chapters from the textbook. Ankaa took notes dutifully, only being distracted here and there when she noticed something outside on the grounds. Ankaa also expertly ignored Granger's inquisitive stares in her direction every time Professor Burbage mentioned pure-blooded notions against Muggles. However, by the end of class, Ankaa had become quite frustrated by the Gryffindor girl's constant surveillance.
Ankaa was the first one out of the classroom once they had been dismissed. She had hastily shoved her papers into her bag and elected to simply carry her book in her arms. Once she got into the hallway, Ankaa stuffed the book into her backpack as well. Ankaa suspected if anyone from her House caught sight of the book in her hands, they'd surely wonder what she was doing in Muggle Studies.
It'd be easy enough to lie, Ankaa supposed. I could just tell them I'm taking it for laughs.
But no one supposed to know that Ankaa was enrolled in Muggle Studies for another reason: It happened at the same time as Divination.
Was Granger in Divination today?
Ankaa could not recall seeing her. Other than Draco, no one really bothered with Potter's friends. Usually, Granger could be heard before being seen in classrooms because of her habit to answer questions (before being asked sometimes). But Ankaa could not remember if Granger had answered anything during Divination.
What if she's the other one with the Time-Turner?
Ankaa glowered at the very thought. Though, if she was being honest, she would have to admit that Granger having a Time-Turner was a logical possibility. Other than Ankaa, she was the only other person with a record impressive enough to grant a Time-Turner.
The Charms classroom was already open by the time Ankaa arrived. Her friends were already inside, fresh out of the Divination classroom and recounting all that had transpired to Daphne Greengrass. At the sight of Ankaa entering the classroom, Draco moved his bag away from the seat next to him for Ankaa to sit.
"That was quick."
Ankaa gave him a half-shrug. "I just needed to check my hair."
Draco shook his head in mock disappointment, muttering something about, 'Girls," before turning to Blaise on his other side. Ankaa sat back in her chair, watching the people around here for a moment. After Divination, she had told them she would catch up to them in Charms following a brief visit to the bathroom. She had then gone back in time an hour and gone to Muggle Studies.
Unsurprisingly, Hermione Granger was the next person to walk through the door and into the classroom. While Ankaa was entirely inconspicuous in her staring, Granger had no such qualms. She took a moment to stare at the Slytherin girl (who was laughing at something Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott were arguing about), before turning back to her friends. Before class began, however, Ankaa cast one furtive glance towards the Gryffindor girl sat at the front and spotted the familiar golden chain that was poorly hidden under the collar of her shirt, hence confirming her suspicions.
In general, Ankaa did not wander the school hallways alone. She preferred to spend most of her time in the Common Room, curled up by the fireplace, or head to the Room of Requirement with her brother so that they could practice some advanced magic. She did not know exactly where the practice had stemmed from, but Ankaa recalled a Prefect telling her that on their first day.
"It's best if you walk about in numbers," he had mumbled. "Fewer accidents that way."
Although Ankaa did not have a problem walking around without company (for no one really bothered picking on her, for whatever reason), she did prefer the places that offered her some old comfort. Old habits are hard to break.
This was one such habit: using any and all free-time to occupy herself with research in the library. Recently, all the extra hours provided by the Time-Turner had been a very welcome gift. Ankaa had spent most of those hours doing her homework, and not nearly enough time researching Time Travel. The Ministry had given her no information on how to use the Time-Turner, and Snape's ominous warning only did so much to deter her curiosity. So far she had only ever spun the dial back one time each time she used it, but from what Ankaa had gathered during her research there was no limit on the number of turns the dial could have.
Theoretically, she could go back in time to a hundred years ago.
But I wouldn't, Ankaa shook her head. It's just too much work.
It was already a lot of work trying to track her movements so that she wouldn't accidentally run into herself. Right now, one of her was heading down to Care of Magical Creatures with the rest of the third-years. Despite the fact that Care of Magical Creatures was the only class Ankaa had during the hour, she had decided to travel back an hour to get some extra time to research in the Room of Requirement.
The halls were deserted, seeing as everyone else was in class right now. As Ankaa walked through the halls, some of the portraits were sweet enough to bid her a good morning, and some were not so fond of seeing her out and about ("You ought to be in class! Disgraceful!"). Peeves lurked about somewhere, setting some traps for unsuspecting first years to walk into the moment classes ended. Everything seemed normal.
Until she spotted the Weasley Twins standing at the bottom of the grand staircase.
They were turned away from her and it gave her the perfect opportunity to sneak up behind him and listen in to what they were saying. Their heads were bowed close together, and they stood shoulder to shoulder pouring over something in their hands.
"It would be useful for him," One of them was saying as Ankaa stood on her toes. "We already know it."
The other one nodded, "We can always ask for it later."
"What're you doing?"
The boys started. Turning around quickly, they held their hands behind their back and hid whatever it is they had been examining. At the sight of her, their wide-eyed expressions of shock melted away into identical annoyed frowns.
"What's behind your back?" Ankaa asked with a sweet smile, raising an eyebrow. When they refused to answer, Ankaa smiled and stepped back slightly. "I won't sabotage your plans, don't worry."
The one on left glared at her, "This has nothing to do with sabotage. No one can sabotage Weasley plans."
"I don't doubt your talent, Weasley." Ankaa's smile never wavered, "I just wanted to see what was so interesting. Besides, I'm quite excited to see what prank you've got up your sleeves."
They did not look like they believed her. Their eyes narrowed and they scrutinized her carefully. It was the one on the right who relented first.
"Let her see it."
The one on the left was hesitant, but after exchanging a look with his twin he handed Ankaa the parchment harshly. Ankaa took the parchment between her hands and examined it carefully, and her smile dropped when she noticed it was empty.
"It's just parchment."
"Yep." The one on the right crossed his arms and looked down at her. "Not worth the trouble, is it?"
It makes no sense. Ankaa frowned at the parchment in her hands, flipping it and unfolding it entirely to see if there was anything on it. "Why are you two worshipping a spare bit of parchment?" Why didn't they just let me see it first if it was just a piece of spare parchment?
"It's the last one we've got—"
"Can't afford any other—"
"It's either the clothes on our back—"
"The food in our stomach—"
"Or the parchment in your hand."
"And let me guess," Ankaa raised an eyebrow, "You opted for the parchment?"
"She's a smart one George," the one on the left said, "Good deductive reasoning skills."
"Reckon she'd want to team up with us?" George asked.
"She has a name." Ankaa scowled, "And no, she doesn't want to—why am I talking in third person?"
"We've been asking ourselves the same thing." The twins spoke in unison.
"But don't worry;" said Fred, "they say the first step towards insanity is talking to yourself."
"And we detected it early," Said George, grabbing the parchment from Ankaa's hands, "that means we can save you."
"I don't need saving, mind you. I'm perfectly sane. It's you two that need help, worshipping a piece of stupid parchment." Ankaa crossed her arms.
Fred nodded solemnly, closing his eyes as if he was in pain, "She's right George. I think, in our rise to power as Hogwarts' resident pranksters, we've lost sense of ourselves."
"I think we should meditate." Said George, "It helps calm people down, I hear."
"Oh yeah?" asked Fred, before nodding firmly, "You're right. Let's go meditate right now. Why infect others with our insanity?"
They gave Ankaa a salute before turning and walking past her towards the dungeons. Ankaa watched them leave, completely bewildered. Shaking her head to clear the thoughts, she reached for her wand and pointed it at George quickly. With a quiet, "Accio!" the parchment was snatched from the boy's hand and came sailing into Ankaa's outstretched one.
"See, I've got an older brother and I don't trust a word he says." Ankaa held up the parchment. "And until I'm sure that this is just plain parchment, I think I'll hold onto it. Especially until you two have regained yourselves and been cured of your insanity."
Swiftly, Ankaa turned on her heel and ran up the stairs. She could hear them running after her as their steps echoed on the marble of the grand staircase. Ankaa's only guaranteed solace was the Slytherin Common Room, and that was in the opposite direction. Quickly, Ankaa turned the hallway and ducked behind one of the secret alcoves by the upper hallway and waited with bated breath as the two crossed her.
Once she was sure they had left, she abandoned the security of the passage and turned to run the same way she had come from, down the grand staircase, and into the dungeons until she found herself in the security of the Common Room, clutching the parchment in her hand securely.
"C'mon, now, get a move on!" Hagrid called, as the class approached the door of his hut. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"
"He's not really taking us into the Forbidden Forest, is he?" someone from the class muttered.
Beside Ankaa, Draco shuffled on his feet imperceptibly. He cast a loathing look towards he half-giant, who was merrily leading them towards the Forest, being closely followed by his merry friends from Gryffindor. Ankaa wondered if Draco was recalling his detention in the Forbidden Forest in his first year.
"Come on," she grabbed him by the sleeve of his robes and pulled him along.
"This is the limit," Draco complained as they walked down the steps. "Next thing we know, this oaf is going to be Headmaster."
"As if your father would let that happen."
Draco's chest puffed in pride at Ankaa's words. "Of course not," he said. "As long as he's around, Hogwarts will have standards."
From somewhere behind them, Blaise said, "I hear Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts."
The group was the last to reach the edge of the forest, right on the outskirts of a paddock. Hagrid, who had a string of dead ferrets strung around his neck, reached for the lock on the gate and stepped inside.
"Hagrid was also sent to Azkaban last year, wasn't he?" Ankaa wondered idly as she pulled out her copy of The Monster Book of Monsters. "Maybe Sirius Black will be the next addition to the staff."
The book in her hands shifted, and Ankaa gripped it tighter. She recalled the sight of the shop assistant bursting into tears when Ankaa asked him for a copy of the book. Ankaa had tried to set the book loose at home, if only to get at Ceph, but he had snapped it's 'jaws' shut with one of his belts.
"Everyone gather round the fence here!" Hagrid called, 'That's it—make sure yeh can see. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books—"
"How?"
"Eh?" said Hagrid, blinking in confusion at Draco's unimpressed stare.
"How do we open our books?" Ankaa elaborated, holding up her bound copy of The Monster Book of Monsters.
"Hasn'—hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen. As everyone shook their heads, he said, "Yeh've got ter stroke 'em,"
"Of course," Ankaa snickered to her friends. "We had to stroke them! How silly of me to assume that a book would open without me stroking it. Why didn't I guess?"
"I...I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Granger.
"Oh, tremendously funny," said Malfoy. "Really witty of you to give us books that try and rip our hands off!"
"Shut up, Malfoy."
Draco turned to Potter, but before he could retort Ankaa replied. "I don't remember this conversation being your concern, Potter."
"He's being rude to a Professor."
"He's stating his opinion," She replied coolly. "Are we allowed that, Saint Potter, or will you go complaining to Dumbledore about it?"
Potter flushed in indignation before glaring at Ankaa and turning away. Ankaa shared a sly smirk with Draco and Blaise before turning back to Hagrid.
The half-giant chose to continue the lesson, although with a little uncertainty this time around. "Righ' then, so... so yeh've got yer books an'... an'... now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..."
"Genius." Blaise did not seem at all impressed, however.
"God, this place has gone to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly, "that oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him—"
"Shut up, Malfoy." Potter repeated.
Not very creative, Ankaa thought to herself.
"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you—" Malfoy began, but he was quickly cut off.
Lavender Brown squealed, pointing towards where a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Ankaa had ever seen trotted over to the class. It was an odd mix of bird and horse; it had the shape of a horse, but every distinct feature was that of a bird. The creatures varied in the colours of their features, but they all had a pair of wide wings at their sides.
"I want one," Pansy announced to no one in particular. "I want the one on the side, the inky black one."
Ankaa looked to the creature she spoke of. It was the only dark one, as the rest of them were different variations and shades between white, brown and grey. It was staring at them haughtily and its beady eyes tracked their movements closely.
"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer..."
Ankaa shook her head almost immediately.
Absolutely not, Ankaa thought to herself. The Inky one looked like it was ready to murder anyone who stepped closer.
Most of the other students apparently thought along the same lines, because the class took a collective step backwards. All except Potter, Granger, and Weasley, who hesitantly approached the paddock fence.
"At least if this goes South, Potter and his friends will be the first to go," Ankaa mumbled to Blaise, who chuckled. Ankaa cast one more distasteful look towards the trio by the paddock before settling herself on the boulder at the back of the crowd. Now that she knew how to open her book, she was no time in stroking the spine and flipping it open. Ankaa flipped through the pages quickly until she found the picture of the creature in front of her.
Hippogriffs are exceptionally proud creatures, and should, therefore, be treated with the utmost respect. Witches and wizards who disregard this principle have often been on the receiving end of a rather painful reminder, as Hippogriffs are quick to anger and attack. Although their countenance towards those whom they accept and adore is quite the opposite, Hippogriffs have a powerful force in their legs and beak and can cause extreme damage to unsuspecting witches and wizards or those who ignore their intuitive protocol.
"Rude." Malfoy nudged Ankaa when he noticed she was completely submerged with her reading. "You're not listening to the Professor."
Ankaa looked up from the passage. "What could he possibly be teaching us that the books couldn't? I mean, now that we know how to open them."
"I think you should volunteer first, ahead of Potter. Just to show him." Blaise smirked down at her, gesturing to where Hagrid was stood.
"No, thank you." Ankaa turned a page in her book. "I don't fancy being a Hippogriff's punching bag."
Malfoy took the book from her and passed it to Blaise easily when Ankaa tried to reach for it. They two circled the book between themselves for a moment, chuckling quietly at her expense. "Come on!" Draco taunted, "Be a good sport. Go get Slytherin some points." With that, he gave her a sudden shove and Ankaa barrelled right into Weasley's back, who in turn slammed into Potter and pushed him forward.
"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid.
Weasley turned quickly and gave Ankaa a rough shove backwards, scowling deeply at her. Ankaa only laughed and turned back to Malfoy with a look of happy surprise.
"You too, Rhyther!"
Ankaa stopped short and turned slowly to find Hagrid staring at her expectantly, giving her an encouraging smile. Next to him, Potter was looking entirely too smug.
"Oh no," Ankaa dismissed with a wave of her hand, "I didn't volunteer."
"Nonsense! I saw yeh trip over yer feet tryin' ter get to the fron'," Hagrid smiled, beckoning Ankaa forward.
"I wasn't—" But Hagrid had stopped listening. From behind her, someone gave Ankaa a gentle shove forward. Ankaa could hear her friends snickering quietly behind her, and she turned to shoot them a most vicious look before crossing the fence and heading towards Hagrid.
"Don't smile," Ankaa glowered at Potter. "I'll claw you to death before the Hippogriff does."
"Just an opinion," Potter returned with a casual shrug of his shoulder. "I'm entitled to it."
Hagrid chose two Hippogriffs from the dozen and untied the chains around their necks. One of them was the grey feathered Buckbeak, and he was going to be Harry's to approach. The inky black one that already looked ready to maul and murder was aptly named Storm, and he was going to be Ankaa's. Hagrid eased the leather collar off their necks.
"Easy, now, yeh two," said Hagrid quietly, "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink—Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."
"Shit—" Ankaa immediately blinked, "I think I have something in my eye. Wonderful, great, absolutely fantastic."
"Are you always this cynical, or is today just an off day for you?" Potter asked quietly, with a raised brow.
"It must be your presence, it seems to bring out the worst in me."
"Tha's it," said Hagrid, "Tha's it yeh two, ... now bow, ..."
Ankaa made sure to glare at Hagrid as she bent at the waist. This is the last thing I want to do, she thought to herself as she exposed her neck to a temperamental Hippogriff. What could Hagrid do if Storm decided to maul her, or if it decided the curls on her hair were food and tried to peck at them? Would Storm just swipe at her head? Would Ankaa have to join Nearly Headless Nick's ghost at Hogwarts?
"Ah," Hagrid's worried voice drew Ankaa out of her frantic thoughts, "Right—back away, Harry, easy does it—"
Ankaa coughed to cover up the laugh that bubbled out of her. She stood straight, watching Buckbeak staring at Potter haughtily. From beside her, Potter turned his head to shoot her a glare. A moment later, however, Buckbeak sank to his knees in a bow.
At least I was first, Ankaa smirked proudly to herself.
"Well done, yeh two!" exclaimed Hagrid, "Right—yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"
Why not, the hard part is over. Ankaa reached out for Storm slowly and watched as it examined her hand by tilting his head this way and that. Both of them took cautious steps towards one another until eventually Storm let Ankaa's fingertips graze over his beak, and then his head.
Hagrid seemed to be struck by a sudden thought. "I reckon they migh' let yeh ride em!"
Ankaa barely had the time to blink. Hagrid had taken Potter and plopped him onto Buckbeak's back, despite the boy's protest. With one sharp slap on Buckbeak's hindquarters, the Hippogriff shot off with an echoing squawk and launched into a short run before taking flight.
"What are the chances he'll fall off mid-flight?" Ankaa asked Hagrid as he stepped closer.
"Not much," Hagrid answered easily. "Now it's yer turn—"
"Absolutely not!" Ankaa held her up in the universal 'stop' gesture as the Professor advanced. "You're not getting me onto a Hippogriff, no matter how much they like me. I've done enough for today."
Hagrid backed away after that. He called the rest of the class to follow and interact with the Hippogriffs. Ankaa's friends joined her, bowing one by one until Storm accepted them and let them come closer to pet him.
"I wonder if Hagrid will let me ride Storm." Daphne looked around to see Hagrid standing with a group of Gryffindors, telling them more about Hippogriffs. With a disappointed frown, she turned back to Ankaa. "You should have gone for a fly too, Ankaa! It would have been amazing."
"Yeah, and fall to my death if Storm turns on me? Why don't I make it easier for myself and jump off the Astronomy Tower."
Blaise smiled. "It's just not to the same effect."
Soon enough, Potter returned from his short ride around the castle grounds. The class cheered for him as he got off Buckbeak.
"Must've been a lot of work," Ankaa mused, "sitting on Buckbeak trying not to fall off. He really deserves that round of applause."
Pansy and Daphne giggled before shooting the boy some looks. Beside them, Draco was regarding the scene with a dark expression. Ankaa could almost see the wheels in his head turning, and before she could make an effort to distract him, Draco was off.
"This is very easy," he drawled, loud enough for everyone to hear him. Confidently, he sauntered over to where Buckbeak stood, grazing. "I knew it must have been if Potter could do it... I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you? Are you, you great ugly brute?"
One moment, there was silence and in the next Malfoy had let out a high pitched scream. Buckbeak had reared on its hind legs and brought its steely talons slicing through the air and towards Draco. The boy was sprawled in the grass with blood seeping through his robes.
"I'm dying!" Draco yelled as Ankaa crouched beside him. "I'm dying! Look at me! It's killed me!"
Ankaa noticed the blood on his sleeve and put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from moving around. Blaise, who had rolled his eyes at the theatrics, kneeled down to press the sleeve of Malfoy's shirt into his gash in an effort to stop the bleeding.
"Yer not dyin'!" exclaimed Hagrid. His face had drained of its natural colour. "Someone help me—gotta get him out of here—"
Granger opened the gate to the paddock and Hagrid ran up the stairs with Malfoy. Ankaa and Blaise stood still momentarily, watching the teacher disappear with their friend. From where she stood, Ankaa could hear the beginnings of an argument between Pansy and another student.
"It was his fault!" Dean Thomas was shouting. "He shouldn't have provoked Buckbeak."
"The damn thing shouldn't have attacked him!" Pansy returned, "He was just trying to learn—"
"Pansy!" Pansy turned to Ankaa with a fierce scowl. "Go with him to the Hospital Wing."
Pansy wasted no time in hauling her backpack over her shoulder and running up the stairs at record speed. When she vanished out of sight, Ankaa turned to Crabbe and Goyle. Picking up Draco's discarded bag, she tossed it to them. Crabbe caught it (only barely), before turning to her with a questioning look.
"Take it to his room," Ankaa commanded. With a brief nod, both of them made their way up the stairs. Ankaa picked up her bag and joined Blaise and Daphne by the fence of the paddock.
This could only end in disaster.
Notes:
Some subtle foreshadowing in this chapter. I'm trying to stay true to Ankaa's character while exploring another means of exposition. It's one of the reasons I wanted to go back and revise (and not edit, necessarily) the earlier chapters—When I had written them back in 2015, I had originally started this story as a first-person narration from Ankaa's point of view, but I realized very quickly how limiting that would be.
I'm still exploring the limits of this narrative style (seeing as I take quite a few liberties with it already), but I've been thinking that in order to preserve some of the twists and general suspense behind the characters and the story, I need to rely more on dialogue than expositional paragraphs. Hence why I've been going back and revising these chapters (and eventually the whole story).
Hopefully, you like the story still. I would encourage you to read into the dialogue (as they contain the most exposition anyway), and wonder what the characters truly mean with their words or the looks they shoot one another.
I doubt I'll ever truly perfect this story, but I want to turn it into something that I'll at least enjoy re-reading and not cringe at every ten lines.