disclaimer:
i do not own, including but not limited to, the following: the harry potter series, the characters of the harry potter series, the wizarding world of the harry potter series, the property of j.k. rowling and/or her publishers, and the phraseology/terminology of the harry potter series.
i do own, including but not limited to, anie spangle.
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Chapter Two: Supportive Boyfriends
John Chrisson silently followed Anie for about twenty seconds before he realized that she wasn't, in fact, ignoring him. He came up behind her and took her right hand in his left and swung in playfully.
Anie gasped, "Oh… hi."
"What were you thinking about?" John asked.
Anie shrugged, "Just a dream I had – I'm playing it over in my head and overanalyzing it, as usual."
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
Anie shook her head, "Not really. I'm not in the sharing mood."
John smirked mischievously, "Will you at least tell me if I was in it?"
"Sorry – you weren't." The contemplative expression overtook her face again as she delved back into the dream… was he in the dream? She couldn't quite remember…
"Whatever. It won't be long now before all of your dreams will be about me."
With a delayed reaction, she laughed awkwardly. "Oh, right. Okay."
John's face fell. He felt disappointed in Anie. Her lack of experience with men was a turn-off, especially when she acted insecure in situations when he would prefer that the stronger, more confident side of her personality would come out. It was that hope that had sustained their relationship for two months.
What was worse was that Anie knew it, which made her all the more apprehensive.
Quickly changing the subject, John asked "So… do you want to study for the Potions class tonight?"
"Oh, darn, is that exam tomorrow?" Anie asked indifferently. She had remembered earlier that the exam was looming, unstudied for, when she spilled Odwalla all over her pillow and couldn't recall the potion to clean it up. True to form, she simply wiped it up as best she could and turned the pillow over.
"If you're that clueless, then we should definitely study tonight!" John said in a joking way, but Anie wasn't amused.
Before she could answer in her overly rehearsed melodramatic tone, Anie and John noticed three British girls from her House walking down the corridor towards them, whispering to and interrupting each other.
"Good afternoon, girls," Anie asked with as much "appropriate dignity" as a House leader could muster.
The center girl spoke up while her friends on either side supported her, "Miss Anie, we were wondering if you could tell us who the Spangle heir is." The girls on either side nodded.
Anie's eyes widened while John smirked. "Why?" Anie asked.
This time, the shorter girl on the left replied, "Not to avoid them or anything…"
"—we're just curious," the third girl finished with a quick jab to the shorter.
Anie looked sad for a moment before she answered, "My name is Anie Spangle and although the whereabouts of my parents-slash-relatives are 'unknown' and not necessarily 'dead,' I am considered the Spangle heir."
The three girls looked at her in shock as John covered his mouth to keep from laughing.
"Oh—" Anie added "—and if you feel like transferring to a different House, that's fine with me. Just bring it up with the Headmaster or a faculty member. John—" she gave John an exaggerated pat on the back "—you'll be happy to take them in, won't you please, honey?"
John coughed to stall for time and then used a British accent for effect, "Um… hey! Isn't it time for dinner? 'Hurry 'long' or whatever! To the Great Hall with you!"
With his borderline-offensive cue, the three girls fled.
"Don't forget to exaggerate your story when you gossip to all your little British friends about it!" Anie shouted after them. Anie looked back at John, "Should I chase them?"
John answered, but later Anie couldn't remember whether he answered in the positive or in the negative, because immediately after he did, the American Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry fell under the Dark Lord's attack.