Chapter 13: Numb Stupidity
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Red-hot fury coursed through Anna, she was blind to everyone around her and yet somehow she appeared oddly calm. Anger surged in her, not because of what Malfoy was; but because she had had the wool pulled over her eyes: over the blindingly obvious she had been made out to be a fool, she was probably the only person in the house who didn't know and yet everyone had failed to point it out to her, Anna was nobody's fool. She stood stock-still and slowly readied herself for a dramatic exit; she held her head up high and strode briskly from the Great hall; her pride was the only thing that kept her from giving them all the finger and sprinting out the door.
She was so engrossed in her seething vehemence and how she had been 'wronged' that she didn't notice that she was heading straight for a squat Hufflepuff first year who was considerably shorter then herself. They collided head on and landed sprawled out across the stone floor of the entrance hall, Anna was the first to furiously disentangle herself from the mass of limbs and speak feeling outraged at being publicly humiliated for the second time.
"Well excuse me! Would it hurt if; in the future you actually looked where you were going!" she said it so venomously many people who where milling around mindlessly turned to stare with pity at the poor girl on the end of Anna's spite and glare disapprovingly at Anna who pinned the girl down with a nasty gaze.
"I mean what is your problem are you blind or just plain stupid!" she spat spitefully;
Henry who'd just finished breakfast entered the entrance hall to witness the onslaught; infuriated he stepped forward from the crowd of curious onlookers intending to intervene.
"That's enough Anna, leave the poor girl alone she doesn't deserve this." Anna swiftly looked over at him then back at her prey drawing her wand out in the process,
"Oh wook who wit wis; Henry the mudblood's friend come to rescue you! How sweet, next time though just leave to Potter I'm sure he'd hate to see you stealing his limelight." She mocked in a baby voice gaining satisfaction from the way Henry's features twisted with suppressed rage and the girl at her feet whimpered almost fearfully.
"I said Leave. The. Girl. Alone, Anna." Henry emitted through tightly gritted teeth it was taking all his restraint to stop himself from hitting Anna. Anna stood simulating thought; enjoying the hushed melodramatic silence that entailed knowing the fight was finished.
"I suppose," she looked down directly at the girl "You're not worth it anyway, you're just too pathetic for words."
The girl finally released from Anna's gaze all but leapt to her feet, relieve evident in her flushed face. Venting her frustration on this kid had given her a savage callous pleasure, distracting her from dwelling on her own thoughts but another feeling pricked uncomfortably at the corners of her heart: shame. She readily ignored this and the silent disbelieving stares that she was receiving from the dispersing crowd. All but one remained: Henry. He stood almost shaking with rage,
"Please explain what just happened."
"Why should I? I have no one to answer to, its certainly wouldn't be you anyway."
"Stop feeding me bullshit and answer the question: What did you do that for?"
"She walked into me what else was I going to do? Invite her for tea!"
Both stood stubbornly willed the other to back down, finally Henry gave in; he wasn't in the mood for a battle of wills certainly not with Anna anyway.
"Lets just go for a walk shall we?" he offered tiredly hoping to startle her into saying yes,
"Hmmm…a walk…with you…umm let me think about that one, NO!" she stated her voice dripping with satire, the idea was preposterous.
"Oh for gods sake Anna! Pull yourself together! Can't you just for one minute be civil!" he shouted his patience had drastically and quickly run out. His little outburst shocked those around them and unintentionally Anna; who was taken aback enough to agree just to escape the confounds of the castle.
Thus they ended up sat under the tree near the lake in the crisp winter weather discussing Anna's life. Anna had at first been unwilling to answer and comply but had eventually given in and all the events of the past year torrented unbidden from her.
"So what happened after...mum...died? How did you feel about the slytherins after you found out about his rotten family? I mean you can't have been unfeeling enough to ignore it and just accept it, could you? I mean I know you don't really like him but you aren't going to stay friends with them, are you?" Anna laughed, the idea was vulgar, he looked so innocent and forlorn with his searching gaze.
"Could you?" he repeated his voice rising, Anna coughed anxiously searching around for a change of topic.
"Yes I am, ok?" She sneered defiantly.
"How?" Henry choked back tears, he had cried too many times this year.
"Easily," she shrugged, laughingly dismissing her humiliation with a wave of her hand, "And I'm-"
"And you're not ashamed to admit that you're mixing with those who take up the dark arts for a hobby," He finished for her with revulsion, "Anna, do you have any idea what the Malfoys and Slytherins are like! They're scum, they don't deserve to be wizards they should have they're wands taken and snapped in half! They're in with you-know-who; I bet you anything Malfoy is counting down the days until he becomes a deatheater! How could you be so stupid! But you don't care do you!"
She shook her head rebelliously, "I'm happy." She stated matter-of-factly.
He snorted unceremoniously, "Happy? You! Not from what I've seen today."
In angered tones after he had calmed down she explained to him what had happened today, and how she was just angry that she had been taken for a mug and the rest didn't bother her, and why should it? she thought it doesn't concern me. Henry laughed just to infuriate her further,
So what are we going to do about the killer?" he enquired the very question had preyed on his mind for weeks, consuming him. They discussed at length the possibilities and suspects but didn't get any closer to uncovering the truth,
"Well I better get going I've got to go to defence against the dark arts, so what are you going to do then?" he asked genuinely interested
"About what?" she asked slightly bewildered,
"Stuff."
She laughed cryptically, "Don't worry I've got that sorted, and start looking after yourself don't let the killer get you down."
"How can I?" he asked miserably,
"Easily! Relax, I think I know who it is." She winked and before he could ask, she set off with a new bounce in her step and a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
