"I could make an effort to be liked, but I'd rather be hated than be inconvenienced." - Ugly Betty - 4x13 - Chica and the Man

Chapter Four - Parchment Predicament

Draco's unfortunate encounter with the Hippogriff had spread throughout the school like wildfire. By that very afternoon, everyone was talking about the attack on the poor Slytherin student. No one seemed to mind that the story changed with every re-telling and that by the end it had become so jumbled, it almost didn't sound real. Everyone listened with rapt attention as Pansy and Daphne took turns recounting the story over lunch that day.

On the way to dinner that evening, a thought struck Ankaa. "I think this is the first time people have been nice to us," she mused. As soon as the duo ambled over to the Slytherin table, a group of Ravenclaw students approached them.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your friend," one of the girls offered sympathetically. The brunette glanced at Pansy, who was wiping a stream of tears from her face while being consoled by Daphne. "Is he going to be okay?" After Pansy nodded, the girl asked, "What happened, exactly?"

"He taunted Buckbeak," a voice interrupted from behind the group. It was Potter and his friends. They had just been entering the Great Hall for dinner when they spotted the crowd at the Slytherin table, and Potter had been unable to control himself. "Hagrid had told us not to startle—"

"Didn't you almost get mauled as well, Potter?" Ankaa inquired nonchalantly, fixing her icy gaze on him. "If Hagrid hadn't stepped in, wouldn't the Hippogriff had attacked you as well—all just for looking at it in a way it didn't like?"

"Yeah but—"

"What's the difference then, I wonder, between startling it and taunting it?"

"There's a big difference," Potter said tersely, clenching his jaw.

"Is there? Because it sounds to me like you got lucky by having Hagrid step in, but that didn't happen for Draco—the circumstances sound suspiciously similar, don't they?"

"Hagrid stepped in after Buckbeak—"

"So you agree, then, that Hagrid stepped in too late to protect Draco?" Blaise raised a brow. A corner of his lips twitched, but he controlled his mirth. "Maybe if Draco was a Gryffindor student, Hagrid would have stepped in sooner."

"This has nothing to do with that!" exclaimed the Weasley boy.

Pansy sniffled, making a big show about wiping a fresh wave of tears. "He was only going closer to pet it," She told the group of sympathetic Ravenclaw students. "How could he have known that the beast would attack him?"

One of the girls from Ravenclaw glanced at Potter and his friends uneasily. "It does sound like he just wanted to pet it," she muttered. "I think it could have happened to anyone. Even you, Harry."

Potter seemed affronted by the mere insinuation that he could have been at the receiving end of Buckbeak's rage. "Buckbeak wouldn't hurt—"

"He already has," Ankaa interrupted coldly. "Maybe you'd be more sympathetic if it wasn't a student in Slytherin?"

In a spit of rage, Potter snapped, "Malfoy deserved what he got," and Ankaa shared a victorious smirk with Blaise when the Ravenclaw group turned to him, scandalized. Granger, who had more sense than her Gryffindor friends, finally took Potter by the arm and pulled him away to their table. The girls from Ravenclaw returned to their table, where they immediately told their friends what happened.

Daphne, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the ordeal, turned to Ankaa with a raised brow. "Your ability to manipulate conversation never ceases to amaze me."

Ankaa shot her a dazzling smile before plating up her dinner. They were joined by Crabbe and Goyle, who had spent most of the day in the Hospital Wing with Draco to keep him company as a way of skipping their classes.

"Madam Pomfrey's healed him up," Crabbe informed the group between bites. "He should be back by tonight."

Blaise and Ankaa shared a look, the latter muttering a quiet, "He won't like that."

"He says he wants to see you."

"Me?" Pansy sounded hopeful.

Crabbe shook his head immediately. "Rhyther."

Pansy deflated, but not before shooting Ankaa a scornful look as the girl stood. As Ankaa left the Great Hall, she could not help but glance over at Potter and his friends and taunt them with a sly smirk, raising her brow as she passed them. She had a suspicion about what Draco wanted from her, and it was confirmed the moment she arrived to see him frowning down at the sight of the bandage around his arm.

"What's wrong with you, now?"

Draco's scowl did not waver, and neither did his eyes turn away from his arm. He spoke slowly and quietly, "Pomfrey patched it up. But I want to stay here."

"Is Pansy that much of a bother that you can't return to the dorms?"

"Hex me."

Ankaa merely raised an inquisitive brow as she dropped into the seat by his bed.

"Just enough so that I can stay in the Hospital Wing overnight."

"While I appreciate the effort that you put into telling a story, it might interest you to know that almost everyone is already on your side in this whole Buckbeak versus Draco thing." The girl gave him a self-satisfied smirk. "Potter helped a lot, by the way. If he wasn't so adamant about defending the Professor, I doubt anyone would have cared. But by the looks of it now, the narrative's shifted to the Professor's negligence as opposed to you asking for trouble."

"I wasn't asking for trouble!" he exclaimed indignantly. "I just wanted to see what was so special about that stupid—"

"Whatever the case, it's handled now." Ankaa gave the bed a light kick. "So you can leave the Hospital wing and come back, no one will care."

"No," Draco said, shaking his head adamantly. "Hex me."

"Pansy won't be too happy about that."

"Why? Are you scared of her?"

"Are you an imbecile?" retorted Ankaa. "If Pomfrey finds out I did intentionally hurt a student, my chances of becoming a Prefect will be out the door. I've been working so hard to establish my reputation."

"She won't find out. And you'll get Prefect either way. Besides you have a natural tendency to try and torture me every single moment. This is just me allowing you to hex me without any retaliation."

"You couldn't retaliate against me anyway. I'm far superior. I'm not going to injure you without reason."

"You have a reason."

Ankaa merely leaned back in her seat and watched him with a small, crafty smile.

"Well fine—I'll give you another reason. At the Christmas party last year, I was the one the put that red food dye on the back of your dress."

"Mature," Ankaa rolled her eyes. "And while that was embarrassing, it's not nearly enough to risk my chances of being a Prefect."

Draco's scowl deepened. He tapped his fingers on the bed as he searched for another reason. Finally, after a moment he exclaimed, "I got one! I was the one who stopped you from getting into the Quidditch team last year."

"Well, if that's all, I guess I'll be going." She stood and made for the exit. "See you back in the Common Room later tonight!"

"Wait! Wait, Rhyther!" There was a loud sigh before Draco finally muttered, "What do you want?"

"Finally," Ankaa turned on her heel mid-stride and sat back down on the seat she had vacated moments prior. "Took you forever to figure it out, huh? Anyway, I hear you've got a new book of spells? Yes, well, I want it."

"No way," He shook his head with a glare, "I haven't even had the chance to go through it."

"I don't care, I want it."

"No."

"Then I'm not going to hex you." She smiled at him then. "You can glare at me all you want, Malfoy, I don't care."

"How about a favour?"

Ankaa frowned, "What the hell am I supposed to do with that?"

"Anything. If you hex me well enough, I'll owe you any favour."

Anything at all? That's dangerous.

"Of course, the extent of the favour depends on how good your magical abilities are." Draco drawled, looking around the room. "You can cash it in whenever you want."

"And how do you determine how good my magical abilities are?" Her eye twitched in irritation.

"The more time I spend in the Hospital Wing."

"And are there any restrictions you want to put on the offer?"

Draco paused. Perhaps it would be best to put some restrictions on that favour, he thought. Especially if that favour was for Ankaa. She was a cunning witch, no doubt she would make him do something incredibly idiotic. But he wanted this to work.

"No."

"Anteoculatia!"

Ankaa had half expected the letter from her mother to come sooner than it had but perhaps her mother had been hoping for Ankaa to write first. Regardless, the girl examined the elegant scrawl on the page.

Dear Ankaa,

As usual, I think by this point you know what my first line to you will be. You haven't written to me yet, so I took the initiative to write to you first to remind you that you do indeed have a mother and father waiting for you at home. Ceph has been writing to me every week, telling me about his classes and everything that's been happening at school.

Ceph tells me that you've been busy with your work and while that's great, I just want to remind you to take care of yourself. Make sure you're eating and sleeping and staying out of trouble. Though, I wonder what happened about your prank on the Head Boy? Of course, this doesn't mean I'm condoning that sort of behaviour (don't you dare try to manipulate what I say otherwise), I'm just wondering how/if you put it into fruition. Simple pranks are always the best. I used to prank your father by tightening the laces on his shoelaces every time I saw him until he got so frustrated after retying them that he simply decided to chuck them off in the middle of the hallway. I'm not suggesting you do that... but it's certainly interesting, isn't it?

If you have the time, write back. If not, I'm sure Ceph will update me on what he thinks you've been up to.

Love you always,

Mom

Ankaa turned to the next letter.

Ankaa,

I hope you will take the time to write back to your mother. She spent the last fifteen minutes worrying about why you won't write to her. At this point, I think even a simple note saying 'I have received your letter and everything her is in order' would suffice.

I know you are not particularly fond of writing letters but at least try. Ceph has been writing for weeks, your mother is just worried. I have tried to tell her that you're a little different than your brother but she seems to think you just need some help. (Ankaa rolled her eyes.) Do not roll your eyes, Ankaa. She is acting like a mother. Motherhood is a difficult journey love, she might seem overbearing and protective to you now but perhaps one day when you experience this for yourself you will understand. Not someday soon, I hope. You are only thirteen after all. In fact, I would not wish my little girl to be courting until she was at least seventy.

Of course, the age is open for negotiation should you wish for it to be a little younger. Not too much younger though. Perhaps sixty-eight? That might be too young.

Keep smiling,

Dad

With a fond smile, Ankaa put away the letter. Pulling out a single piece of parchment, she grabbed her quill hastily. With a barely concealed smile, she started writing—

Dad,

I am writing back to inform you that I have indeed found a suitor. You will have to reconsider the idea that by the age of sixty-eight I will have seven grandchildren running around the Manor.

Also, I wish to inform you that I am with child and will drop out of school soon. You and Mother can help my lover and I come up with a name for the offspring (one of many, I am sure).

I am joking,

Ankaa

P.S: I will not wait until I am sixty. Perhaps the age of twenty is more suitable?

With a smirk, Ankaa folded up the parchment after muttering an incantation to make the ink dry faster. She placed it in the envelope and scrawled the word 'Father' on top of it. She pulled out another piece of parchment and tried to write to her mother about all that had transpired at school so far.

Mother,

I'm sorry for not writing sooner, but I'm sure Ceph's been keeping you updated on what's been going on. I'm not sure my account of events would be any more different from what you've heard from him. As for the Head Boy: for the last couple of weeks, I've been shrinking his badge whenever I see him. I think he's realized, however, since it's back to normal when I see him next. I don't think he suspects me, so I might even try the shoelace trick on him. I had originally planned on dyeing his eyebrows green, but that's easier said than done.

I'll try to write to you more often, but as usual, I make no promises.

Please do not worry,

Ankaa

There. Folding it up, Ankaa quickly offered the two envelopes to her brother's eagle owl, Zeus. Zeus made sure to take a few treats from Ankaa before he flew out of her window and back home. Finally, when there was nothing left to do, Ankaa decided to head downstairs to the Common Room.

Their Common Room was nearly empty. There were a few younger students who were sat at the tables at the far back, scrawling diligently over their work and flipping to and from their textbooks. Some of the older students, including Ceph, were sat by one of the windows practicing their spells and incantations. In one of the couches by the fireplace were Blaise, Pansy, and Daphne.

"—but he's injured!" Pansy was saying when Ankaa had a seat.

"He's as much injured as I am," Blaise snorted. "Come on Pansy, you know this as well as I do."

Pansy turned away from Blaise. Instead, she chose to focus her attention on Ankaa. The girl was reclining on the couch with her head turned towards the ceiling, eyes closed as she tried to ward off the beginnings of a headage.

"I can hear your brain working, Pansy. Spit it out."

Pansy did not hesitate to respond, "Why haven't you gone to visit Draco in the hospital yet? He's not been back for three days!"

"I'm not his mother, Parkinson. He's more than capable of taking care of himself. And you're more than capable of walking to the Hospital Wing should you want to visit. I hardly think you're waiting for my approval."

"I'm not."

"Then go."

Pansy got to her feet and basically ran out of the common room. Blaise watched, fascinated, as Ankaa cast one look at Pansy's retreating figure before settling her feet on Blaise's lap. With a scowl, Blaise pushed her feet away. Ankaa did not bother opening her eyes. Instead, she leaned her head against the arm of the couch and folded her legs underneath her.

"I'm surprised she listened to you," Blaise remarked casually, flipping the page of his Charms textbook.

"It's because she's scared of Ankaa," Daphne answered just as casually. "I'm surprised she can talk to her without whimpering sometimes."

Ankaa did not respond to that. Instead, she turned to Blaise and asked, "Aren't you going to visit Draco?"

"No. You didn't hex him all that bad, he'll be fine in a few days."

"You knew it was me then?"

"I can't imagine anyone else even thinking to try," Blaise chuckled. "Just out of curiosity, why did you do it?"

"He's got an advanced book of spells that I've had my eye on. Unfortunately, he didn't let me have it."

"I wonder why."

"Reckon you could get it for me?" Ankaa sat up suddenly, filled with excitement. She smiled widely at Blaise, who was giving her a calculating look, "It's somewhere in his trunk, I'm sure. You lot share the same dorm. Obviously, I could go up there and get it for myself but he would know. He's probably set traps around."

"He has."

"And you know how to get past them."

"I do."

There was a moment of silence where Blaise and Ankaa regarded each other through narrowed eyes.

Daphne laughed and put down her book. "No need to offer your services so eagerly, Blaise."

With a flourish, Blaise stood from his spot on the couch. He slammed shut his Charms textbook before turning to the two girls and explaining, "If Malfoy finds out that I gave you the book, he'll have my head. So, if I do this for you it obviously has to be worth my while."

"What do you have in mind?" asked Ankaa cautiously.

"Homework," He answered. "For a month."

"No."

"Three weeks."

"Absolutely not."

"Two weeks."

"You're horrendous at negotiating." Ankaa's bell-like laughter sounded as she walked away. "Come see me if you think of something else!"

Blaise stood rooted at his spot as he watched her walk out of the common room. Frowning, he sat back down with a huff all the while pointedly ignoring Daphne's knowing smirk.

"Great job," the girl smiled mockingly. "You really handled that well."

When Ankaa reached the Hospital Wing, Pansy was sitting by Draco's bedside holding his hand. She had a strong grip on his hand, and Draco was leaning back slightly and frowning at her with apparent distaste as she wiped away yet another batch of tears. With a small smile, Ankaa cleared her throat.

Pansy turned to her and clutched Draco's hand tighter.

"Daphne was asking for you, Pansy. Something about needing help with Potions?"

"I'll help her later." Pansy waved her hand in dismissal, turning back to Draco.

Draco looked obviously distressed at the thought of Pansy staying longer. "It's okay, Parkinson," he told her while trying to simultaneously wrench his hand free of her grip. "Ankaa can keep me company."

"Are you sure, I don't mind stay—"

"Come now, Miss Parkinson, Miss Rhyther." They were interrupted by the matron, Madam Pomfrey, who had come to do her end-of-the-day rounds through the Hospital Wing. "You should be making your way back to the dormitories now. It's almost curfew."

Pansy gave a sideways glance to Ankaa before she stood and brushed away her tears. "Of course, Madam Pomfrey." She turned to give one last look to Draco before stepping away and looking expectantly at Ankaa.

"Go on, Miss Rhyther." Madam Pomfrey turned to Ankaa with a stern look.

"Could I have a minute, Madam Pomfrey? I've only just arrived. I promise not to be too much trouble." Ankaa gave the matron a doe-eyed look, imploring her to reconsider.

The Matron conceded reluctantly before turning and shooing Pansy out of the Hospital Wing. Pansy looked shocked at the turn of events but she began to slowly make for the exit, all the while turning back to glance at Draco every three steps.

"What is she waiting for?" Ankaa asked as she took the seat beside Draco's bed, watching Pansy walk slower on purpose. "Does she think you'll call her back and profess your undying love for her?"

"Don't look at her," Draco groaned, turning towards Ankaa with his back to Pansy. "It only encourages her."

"You're the one who encourages her." Ankaa leaned back in her chair and gave him a look. "Sometimes, I think you like playing with her. Just for the attention." Draco did not say anything, but his seething glare was enough of an answer for her. Changing the topic, Ankaa told him, "You look like you're back to your normal self. It's a shame, you looked handsome with those antlers. I wish I'd gotten to take a picture."

"Not a word to anyone else," Draco warned Ankaa, roughly kicking her knee. "I still can't believe you could get that right."

"What do you think I do at home? Mother and Father didn't place that Undetectable Location Charm in our rooms for nothing. Besides, anything for a favour."

"I still can't believe they did that," Draco shook his head in wonder. "That's encouraging trouble and knowing you—"

"I'm responsible. It's a perk of being Cepheus Rhyther's little sister."

Ankaa stretched her legs out on the bed in the comfortable silence that followed. She could hear Madam Pomfrey shuffling about, tending to some of the other students in their beds. It was oddly charming in the Hospital Wing with the flickering lanterns and cozy blankets. Of course, circumstances under everyone's visits were hardly ever fortunate, but it was nice.

"Did your parents tell you about Sirius Black?"

Ankaa turned back to her friend. Draco was playing with a loose thread on his blanket. "Just that he escaped from Azkaban. Everyone's been on edge about it I think... Mother was worried that he'd try to come to Hogwarts." Ankaa recalled her father saying he would have to stay late at work in the weeks leading up to the start of term. "I guess they're just worried—you know how my mother gets. Her maternal instinct is to be overbearing at times."

Draco turned his head towards her. "You should be grateful for that. Some people don't have that."

"Some people—do you mean yourself?" When he did not answer, Ankaa knew what he meant. She had been around his family enough by now to know that they were complete opposites of what she had grown up with. "Do you wish you had that? What I have, I mean?"

"No," he answered quickly. "I love my family."

"That's not what I asked you."

He did not answer and returned to fiddling with the loose thread, picking at it and trying to pull it out from the rest of the blanket.

"What do you know about Sirius Black?" Ankaa asked, changing the subject. "We hadn't heard much about him at our house—at least until he escaped."

"What do you know about him?"

"Just that he was disowned by his parents, Orion and Walburga Black, for being a traitor. And then he killed a bunch of people and was thrown in Azkaban."

"That's the gist of it," Draco told her. "But my mother told me something else. She said that Black didn't just betray his family—he betrayed his friends too. Apparently, he told the Dark Lord where Potter's parents were hiding and that's how You-Know-Who was able to get to them."

"And then he killed Pettigrew?"

"Killed him? Ankaa, he blew him to smithereens."

They were silent after that. Ankaa's parents never talked of Sirius Black. Until his escape, she had never heard of him. She knew there was a disgraced Black family member out there somewhere, seeing as Lucius had once brought it up over dinner at Malfoy Manor, using it as an example to highlight the ever-pressing need to preserve pureblood family lines. Maya and Henry Rhyther had not said anything at the table, but as soon as they had returned to Rhyther Manor, they had sat Ceph and Ankaa down to explain why it was wrong to think that.

"The measure of a person lies in their character, not their blood," her father had told her that day.

Ankaa stood up as she noticed Madam Pomfrey making her way over to the duo. Waving to the Nurse, Ankaa turned to Draco one last time.

"What do you think your father's going to do?" Ankaa asked quietly, tracing her fingers over the sling around his arm. She smiled at him, but it was empty.

Draco shrugged with a small smile in return, "Something drastic, I'm sure."

"It's a Malfoy trait, after all."

"This is the limit!" Daphne slammed her books down on the table over lunch one day, startling her friends. The girl glowered at Ankaa threateningly. "I don't know what it is you did to the Weasley Twins but I'm tired of us having to suffer because of you."

"What do you mean?"

"All the chocolate pudding from the Slytherin table is gone!"

Ankaa glanced into the pudding cup by her side, noting the vanilla pudding that was left. "Just grab some from another table," she answered easily. "It's not that big—"

"Do not finish that sentence."

Ankaa only smiled into the vanilla pudding.

"I wouldn't care if you were on the receiving end of their pranks, but I'm tired of being bombarded with their pranks just because you did something to make them mad! Yesterday, I was pelted with dung bombs on my way to class!"

Pansy, too, piped up with much gusto. "And they changed my hair to red and yellow!"

"How do you know it wasn't just meant for you?" Ankaa pointed to the two of them with her spoon. "Daphne's been a little bitchy recently, and personally I found that the red and yellow suited you, Pansy—it really brought out your eyes."

Daphne just gave a strangled yell before picking up her book. She gave Ankaa a menacing glare and said simply, "Fix it," before sauntering out of the Great Hall, with Pansy in tow.

Blaise, who had been watching the scene unfold with great amusement, finally turned towards her. "How do you escape their pranks completely unscathed?"

Ankaa simply gave him a secretive wink. How could she explain to him that Time-Turner had been a most fortunate gift in such times? Ankaa was always three steps ahead of the twins, watching their pranks unfold from a safe distance.

From his seat across the table, Theodore Nott only raised a brow. "They're just going to try harder, you know that, don't you?"

"Yep," Ankaa said nonchalantly. "And I'll be ready for them."

But in the days that followed, the pranks against her had lessened completely. The Weasley twins had gone from attacking her with full gusto to not being bothered by her presence at all. It had gotten to the point where Ankaa was left double-checking over her shoulder, a move she recognized as one of her own classic psychological warfare tactics. Either the twins were planning something big, or they had completely given up.

"Rather odd, isn't it?" Blaise commented, taking a seat beside Ankaa in the library one day.

"What's odd?" Ankaa asked absentmindedly as she looked the parchment over again and again.

"The twins let you get away with the parchment so easily."

Ankaa gave him irritate glare. "They didn't let me get away with it. They just couldn't catch me."

"I'm sure if they wanted to, they could have. They are the Weasley twins after all. And to be honest, I hardly think you're a match for them." He took the parchment from her hands and held it up, "It's almost as if they could tell that you wouldn't be able to find out why this is so important."

That night, Blaise and Ankaa sat a little further away from their usual group during dinner. Draco had noticed, but Pansy had snatched the seat next to him and wound her arm through his to keep him in place, so he could not do anything.

Blaise and Ankaa glanced at the Gryffindor table.

With a frown, Ankaa noticed that maybe what Blaise had said might have been right. The redheads didn't seem at all bothered by the fact that she had taken away the parchment that was so dear to them. They were laughing and enjoying their dinner.

"If they aren't at all worried, that means there's got to be a spell on the parchment that they know we can't crack," Ankaa whispered to Blaise.

"And whatever this spell is, it hides the contents of the parchment," he elaborated thoughtfully. "Tomorrow, I'll go to the library and try to find out if there's something that can help us. Have you asked Ceph for help—"

"No," Ankaa shook her head immediately. "He's too smart. He'll figure out what we did and want to return it to the twins. Or worse, if he likes what he sees on the parchment, he'll keep it for himself."

"Got it," Blaise nodded slowly. "So this is our little secret, then?"

"Of course."

On any given day, Ankaa most often spent her time in the dorm or in the common room. Ninety times out of one hundred, she could be found practicing spells and advancing her magical abilities.

"Why are you always working?" Pansy always whined when she saw Ankaa waving her wand around. "It's the weekend for Merlin's sake, try to get have some fun. Do you even know what fun is, Rhyther?"

And while Ankaa was still practicing her spells in the Room of Requirement with her brother, she was also using her Time-Turner to get more time for research into the Weasley Parchment. Blaise, who was becoming increasingly reluctant in offering his help, was sat right by her as she poured over a new book in the library while he worked on his Potions essay.

They were joined by a third person. A first-year Hufflepuff girl named Annabelle Roker had come to their table, closely followed by one of her friends, who nudged her forward quickly.

"Did you find anything?"

Annabelle shook her head immediately. "They don't talk about it much. Sometimes it's really hard to find them too, they just turn into a hall and disappear. Sorry, Ankaa, I tried, but maybe we need a little bit more time?"

Blaise looked between the two girls with great interest. "Hang on," he held up a hand before turning to Ankaa, "Did you just ask a first-year to spy on the twins for you?"

"I prefer the term 'casually observe' but sure."

"And you agreed to this?" Blaise turned to Annabelle, curiously.

Annabelle shrugged. "She's nice."

"Yeah, hear that? I'm nice." Ankaa smiled at the two Hufflepuff girls. "Thanks anyway, Annabelle. I'll see you around." Once the two left, Ankaa turned back to Blaise with a huff. "We need to find out what's so great about this parchment as quickly as possible. The longer we spend our time on this, the more impatient those two imbeciles are going to get."

"What do you think they'll do to you if they want it back?"

"I don't want to think about that. Those two are always up to no good anyway—did you see that?"

The bare parchment in her hands had come to life with a few splatterings of ink along the borders. The splotches of ink raced across the parchment, crisscrossing and intertwining into an intricate border before seeping back into the parchment. Transfixed, the two Slytherin students looked to one another.

"There's got to be some sort of concealing charm on it," Blaise told her. "Get your wand!"

Ankaa muttered, "Aparecium" and pointed the tip of her wand onto the parchment, but nothing appeared. It remained just as bare as it had been the last couple of weeks.

"Maybe it didn't work?"

Ankaa glared at Blaise. "I've used this incantation hundreds of times. It's not invisible ink."

"Trust me Ankaa. You don't want to miss out on this because of your pride. Put some invisible ink on it and try again."

Ankaa took out some invisible ink from her bag and scribbled on the corner of the parchment. Giving Blaise a pointed glare, she brought the tip of her wand to the parchment once more and tried the incantation.

"It's not invisible ink then," Ankaa sighed when the scribble showed up at the corner. "Maybe it needs a special phrase—remember how I said they were up to no good?"

Blaise nodded slightly. They spent a few moments pondering over the parchment. Eventually, the two got fed up with talking to a piece of parchment (they seemed to be attracting some unwanted attention from people in the library) and decided to leave it for the time being.

Notes:

Revised, but not edited as properly as it should have been.

Hope you enjoyed it, and let me know what you think!

And thanks to Lilly flower forever for reviewing. I really appreciate it :)