Chapter 14: Hopes and Tears
Argh I hate this chapter! Meh. I've been drafting and redrafting it so many times, it just bores me but there you go, thanks for the reviews.
Iamsiriusgrl: I'm kinda getting those same unhappy vibes, lol!
Asterisk truly: Odd is good…I hope, how was it odd?
Paprika90:Woah so many questions! So little answers! But yes the golden trio play a big part later on…
Toodles!
Henry sat broodingly in the gryffindor common room pondering Anna's words from last month. As Ron Weasley wondered past he looked at the late essay that Henry was supposed to be redraughting, a look of horror blossomed upon his face.
"Oh poor you! If I were you mate I'd hand that in sharpish loveable Professor Snape is ever so kind when you hand things in late." Henry smiled as winking; Ron received a disapproving mother's look from Hermione and strolled away casually. Henry's mind went into overdrive,
"Hey! Ron! Wait up!"
As Ron turned looking increasingly mystified, Henry walked briskly over to him not wanting anyone to overhear.
"Would you mind helping me with…something? Please?"
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She scanned the parchment in the failing candlelight, frowning slightly as she corrected the list of biased facts with the quill between her teeth. Her mind whirred, almost mechanically slowly as she gazed at each neatly written bullet point. They all seemed to make sense to Anna and supposedly point to the alleged suspect. She was in the library as had become her custom to every evening; after her talk with Henry it had become clear to her who the killer was.
She shivered at the thought of all the time that she was spending here.
"Acceptable, but you have the intelligence and capability to achieve more." Professor Mcgonagall had stated sighing as she'd passed the dog Anna had been trying to turn into a badger, earlier on that day. She was trying to sanctimoniously prove a point on a whim yet she was sure she could prove it. To others it seemed as though Anna was more intent on focusing on catching the killer than taking an interest in her own life.
Unaware of an amused watcher hiding behind one of the library's many shelves, sighing and yawning she gave in and retreated out of the library under the disdainful gaze of Mrs Pince, the librarian.
Absentmindedly she descended, she was certain; it had to be...it just had to. Rubbing her eyes, Anna scowled as she gave the password almost subconsciously and exhaustedly fell into the nearest armchair. She inwardly laughed as pansy tried and failed to seduce attention from Theodore Nott who sat, irritably away from the fire trying and failing to achieve anything constructive with Pansy hovering about him. Her smile faltered as Draco strolled in smugly (as usual flanked by the wizarding world's most intelligent individuals) towards a conceited Lorna.
He made sure every head was turned towards them, as he perched pretentiously on the arm of the chair and importantly leaned into her and whispered something probably incompetent. Lorna snorted loudly as if she were trying to laugh superiorly before turning simpering and spoke in a wheedling tone almost worshipped him. Anna narrowed her eyes as something nasty she hadn't experienced before; envy, sliced coldly into her side. It seemed that as far as he was concerned the incident that had occurred just over a month ago had been insignificant; he had resumed his reign.
The slytherins walking past paused baffled as they looked into Anna's eyes usually like pieces of sapphire were now clouded, cold and almost distantly black and set in a malicious gaze, her mouth a thin line of contempt.
Anna shook her head shaking off the need to sleep, aware of people watching her she turned and got up, stomping into the dormitory. For the first time since she had been to hogwarts hot, angry tears slid down her face unbidden. Nearing the end of her bed and tether she slumped against and slid down. Her words from last month haunted her, "I'm happy." They rung in her head, at the time she had been defiant yet now they seemed petty and ironic.
She shook, struggling to regain her composure, she felt empty as if something were missing, the truth of the killer was elusive no matter how hard Anna tried to convince herself she'd solved it and above all she felt abandoned; she needed her mother who she couldn't have been more alienated from if she'd tried.
Pansy flanked by Millicent barged in; she raised her eyebrows just as Anna raised her hand to gesture to her to remain silent. Before Anna could try to get up both were at her side within minutes she looked at both incredulously as if daring them to form a sarcastic comment. They lifted her onto her bed each handing her a tissue (she accepted Pansy's gratefully whilst eyeing Millicent's one warily) and sat either side of her patiently waiting for her to explain. After a while of complete silence after Anna's sobbing had died away Pansy tutted,
"Well, I have to hand it to you," Anna looked up questioningly her tears gone, "Instead of just making an idiot of yourself…you've gone and made a complete idiot of yourself!" Millicent grunted in agreement and Anna rolled her eyes, not trusting her throat to utter a syllable.
"So what is it? School? Home?" She snorted and sceptically wondered as to why they should care, "Ok, it might help if you actually spoke. No? Ok back to square one. Again. Oh I know!" she suddenly added almost clapping with absurd glee before leaning over and whispering conspicuously to Millicent, who nodded a fiendish smile erupting onto her usually blank face.
"Malfoy!" Pansy yelled triumphantly, Millicent slapped the bed over enthusiastically, almost sending Anna flying. Anna almost choked, looking distinctly worse for wear and dazed as she fell off the bed much to Pansy and Millicent's delight. She stood up straight and scowled,
"Most definitely not!" she said through gritted teeth. Pansy shrugged before she could stop herself she asked, "Anyway why would you care?"
Pansy rolled her eyes looking indignant, "Because we're your friends…and besides who else would we copy homework from and get good marks for it!" Pansy answered dodging the hex sent after her as she sped and Millicent plodded out the door before turning,
"We're going to watch the Quidditch tomorrow; Us vs Gryffindor, so bloody get up early!" Anna rolled her eyes but prepared her robes before slinking off to bed all the same, after all that was what friends were for? Right?
