Chapter 8: Anna's Father's Visit to Hogwarts

At last, the long expected Quidditch competition had come, the atmosphere in Hogwarts was getting more and more exciting. Everyone was excited, the feeling of excitement even grew stronger when one morning, Anna received a letter from her father.

It was a fine morning, which the magical ceiling in the great hall was celeste in colour. Harry and Ron went into the great hall together, they could not find Hermione.

'Where do you think Hermione can go early in the morning?' Ron asked

'Search me!' Harry just felt he was in the very great mood in making fun.

Then when they opened the door and reached the Gryffindor table, they saw a scene that they thought it would never, ever happened—Hermione and Anna were sitting together discussing about a super thick book that it was a favor to them but surely not to Harry nor Ron.

'Hermione! You're here!' Harry said with a very surprising tone.

'Yes, yes, yes. And can you don't disturb us. We kind of spotted that there're some mistake in this book…' Hermione said while her eyes were glancing at the lines on the book.

'What book is that?' Ron asked.

'Vampire's Habit, chapter 156—Sleeping while listening.' Anna answered him.

Harry and Ron glanced at each other, thinking Hermione must have gone mad staying with the person that she hates most, but not including Draco Malfoy.

'What are you reading, Mudblood?' Malfoy came across from the Slytherin table. But before either Harry, Ron or Hermione could say a word, Anna had stood up already and said to Malfoy coldly, 'Shut up Draco, you are not a nice pure blood either.'

'You know what,' Malfoy scratched his head, then put his hands into his pocket and smiled wickedly at Anna, 'I don't need to be afraid of you in Hogwarts, you're just a little girl, Mummy's girl! And why do I need to be afraid of you? Right?'

'Shut up Malfoy, you've no right to talk to her like that, you're a Mummy's boy too!' Harry shouted at Malfoy. He did not know why he was so angry, also he did not know why he said to Malfoy that Malfoy had no rights to be rude at Anna.

'Aha? Why you're so nerves about Anna? She's you're new girlfriend aye?'

Hermione took out her wand at once and pointed at Malfoy, 'If you dare to say one more word against Harry or Anna, I'll petrify you!' she hissed.

Malfoy just laughed. Just then, thousands of owls flew in with letters and packages tied to their feet. Then suddenly, among those black and white, big and small owls, there was a very special owl that it was very easy to spot it—with shiny sliver feathers, long black wings, sharp golden beak and a pair of eyes that was as red as the fresh blood from a newly dead, hot mammal, the owl had an evil look.

While everyone in the hall was wondering who might have such an owl, it landed smoothly on the Gryffindor table in front of Anna. It let go of the letter held in its feet and gave the letter to Anna with its mouth very politely.

The letter was in cream colour, sealed with red wax, with a symbol that no one could tell with does it mean, except for the family member…of course: a large circle with a big letter "BL" in the middle.

'Your family letter?' Hermione asked.

'Your family OWL?' Ron looked at the sliver owl with a lot of admiration.

'Yes.' Anna smiled and answered the two questions, then she squinted at Malfoy.

Very soon she had finished reading her letter. At the beginning she looked unhappy, but in a second there was a cunning smiled on her face, she used her cold tone and said to Malfoy, 'You're in great danger Draco, awhile ago you hurt me by your words, as you say I'm a Mummy's girl, then I shall tell my parents that you've bullied me then,' Anna rose the letter in her hand and said aloud, 'My father will be coming to Hogwarts next Tuesday, to watch the school Quidditch competition, perhaps then I shall tell him that day?' At once Draco turned pale, he never expected Mr. Lusiam would be coming to Hogwarts. In some ways, the Lusiams is bigger and much more powerful than the Malfoys, but just a bit. As for the two families were not sure who was bigger, their rule was: Better not to intervene any business of each other.

When the other students heard Anna's father, Mr. Lusiam would be coming to Hogwarts, they whispered to each other immediately and discussed about it. Although they accepted Anna, still they remember the rumors about the Lusiams—The dark family; Friends of the Dark Lord.

When Anna saw Malfoy was so scared, she felt a bit of triumph. So she continued, 'But if you don't want me to tell my father, I suggest you'd better say sorry to us now. But of course for me, I prefer telling my father.' Her faced showed an unfathomable smile. However Malfoy seemed to be much more evil, 'If you like you can go and tell you father then, I'm sure my father can tell who's right and who's wrong.'

'Puh-lease! You're right?' Hermione scoffed at him.

'Shut your filthy mouth, Mudblood!' Malfoy shouted at her, this time, nearly the whole hall could hear him.

'It's you who should shut up, Malfoy!' Tracy Brown, a Gryffindor shouted at him from the far end of the table.

'How could you be so mean!?' Jack Ambersion said, too. He nearly wanted to give Malfoy a punch.

Hermione wanted to cry, but she told herself she must not. If she cried, that means she admitted she is a filthy Mudblood. Ron clapped her shoulder and tried to comfort her.

Just then, Professor Dumbledore appeared, with Professor McGonagall beside him. He was staring at Anna then Malfoy. But it was Professor McGonagall who spoke first, 'How dare you say such a thing to your schoolmate! You must apologise!'

At first Malfoy did not want to say sorry to Hermione, but Professor Dumbledore kept staring at him, so to Anna and the others around. And so under the pressure of the crowd, he apologised to Hermione unwillingly.

'30 points will be deduced from Slytherin because of your rudeness. And you yourself must receive a detention.' Professor McGonagall said mercilessly.

Malfoy looked at Professor Snape who was standing in a distance that he could have heard and saw what Professor McGonagall had said. Malfoy was hoping that he would come and help him, but Professor Snape did not go and help, as he usually did.

After the two professors had left, Malfoy glared at Hermione and the others, 'You'll all pay for this!' and then he turned and walked away angrily.

'We'll see!' Anna crossed her hands in front of her chest, a face of triumph.

Then Harry and his friends sat back at the Gryffindor table. After a few persuasions, Hermione and Anna finally agreed to put away their thick book and began their breakfast.

'Strange…' Hermione said while eating her bun.

'What's strange?' Ron asked while his mouth was full.

'Just that, why didn't Professor Snape came and rescued Malfoy awhile ago when he was in trouble?'

'The answer is simple, because Professor Dumbledore was here!' Ron said.

'No! I mean, Snape would surely come for Malfoy no matter Dumbledore was here or not…' she took a bit of her bun.

'Oh may be then, it's because Snape knew Malfoy is really wrong and he had no power to…you know…turn black to white.' Anna said.

'Perhaps…' and then they continued enjoying their breakfast.

At last the big day came, Harry had practised a lot for this coming Quidditch match, for this time, it was Gryffindor against Slytherin.

Harry watched from the changing room when the stands were slowing filled with audiences. His heartbeat was getting faster and heavier. Then suddenly, Hermione and Ron rushed into the room.

'Harry!' they cried, and ran towards him.

'Hermione? Ron? Why you two come here?' Harry was puzzled.

'I have you bad news!' Hermione looked to be serious.

'Real bad!' Ron's face was red because of the running.

'Is something wrong?' Harry frowned.

'You're in great danger, Harry. Anna is not as good as she seems! She's a bad guy!' Ron said without thinking.

'What do you mean Anna is not as good as she seems?' Wood and other Gryffindor Quidditch players slowly gathered around them.

'I was with Anna this morning before it was time for the game to begin,' Hermione explained, 'we were in the library as usual doing the usual thing. Then suddenly Anna's family owl flew in -'

'You see Harry, it's unusual enough for an owl to fly into the library!' Ron interfered.

'I don't think so…' Harry murmured.

'No, listen Harry! Anna excused herself to read the letter from her family. Then when she stood up, something sparkling fell out from her robe, so I picked it up. It was the same sparkling headband that the young lady wore! The young lady we saw last time in Professor Dumbledore's office!'

'Wait a minute, so you say Anna is the mysterious dark witch appeared in Dumbledore's office?' Harry asked.

'She must be! If not why she has the headband! And more news to come!' Hermione continued, 'Ron was looking for Anna and I when he saw Anna reading her letter just right outside the library -'

'Yes! So I was there, walking, then when I turned the corner I saw Anna. I dunno why but it was my instinct that I'd better hide in the corner and don't show up. Anna finished her letter quite soon. After reading it, she put a spell and the paper went up in flame! Anna then hurried away -'

'Wait again Ron, you mean she just put the letter on fire then threw it onto the floor, then walked away?' Harry didn't believe in what his friend said.

'Yes! So when Anna was out of sight I quickly went to get the letter! Though it was burnt, I can still read some. It mentioned something like: distract Hermione during the match and bring her to somewhere that she couldn't see the match, then Mr. Lusiam will put a spell on you, Harry! Something to make you fall from the broomstick!'

'No Ron it can't be!' Harry said, 'this is unbelievable!'

'But it's true! That's what we saw!' then Hermione took out a headband made of diamond. 'This is the headband that fell from Anna's robe.'

Just then Professor McGonagall came in, 'Students be prepared, the match will begin in a minute.' As she was leaving she noticed Ron and Hermione, 'Miss Granger, and Mr. Wesley, why the both of you are still here? You should be sitting outside.'

'Professor you mustn't let Harry play this match.' Hermione told Professor McGonagall.

'Why is so?'

'Harry might die if he plays this match. Anna had a letter from his father saying that he will put a spell on Harry during this match, and kill him.

'Anna Lusiam you mean?'

'Yes.'

'No Hermione you can't stop me to play this match just because of a letter!'

'What had happened?' Professor McGonagall asked. However the students seemed to be ignoring her words. Harry continued, 'Hermione you said Anna dropped this from her robe, but how can she not know she had dropped it? She must have felt something falling off from her robe! And I believe Anna isn't that stupid, she won't throw a piece of flaming letter onto the floor and let everyone see it! This is either you two are lying or…'

'Or Anna did it intentionally.' Hermione said it for him.

'But it can't be…' Harry could hardly accept the truth.

'But we really saw it with our very own eyes!' Ron told him.

There was then silence.

'I swear Harry we're not lying…at least I'm not…' Ron said, glancing at Hermione.

'Ron!' Hermione hissed.

'Harry Potter,' Professor McGonagall called. Harry looked up. 'You shall continue playing this match.' And she turned to Hermione, 'Don't worry Miss Granger, the other professors and I will keep an eye on Mr. Lusiam and his daughter.' Hermione smiled for that.

'The match is about to begin now.' Professor McGonagall said for the last time, then she walked out.