Chapter 18 – Potter – Malfoy Feud Continues

"That's all for today, no homework for the weekend," Ginny Weasley said as she concluded the lesson. Anna picked up her bag and swung it over her shoulder. She followed Lupin and Remus out of the classroom toward the great hall for lunch.

"Fischer," someone called out to her. Anna turned around and found herself face to face with Cynthia Malfoy and Delilah Nott.

"What do you want?" she asked. They hadn't spoken to her since she silenced them.

"We wanted to say were sorry for getting you into trouble and I hope we can be friends," Cynthia said. Anna looked at them warily.

"Err… ok."

"Yeah so to make up for it we want to show you something tonight. Will you meet us in the entrance hall at 12am?" Delilah asked. Anna raised her eyebrows. Did they really think she was that stupid? She decided to play along.

"Sure I would like that," she said and turned away to go to lunch. As she sat down next to Remus and Lupin she told them what Malfoy and Nott had said.

"So what are you going to do?" Remus asked.

"She not going to go that's what she's going to do," Lupin said.

"Why not they aren't going to do anything to her."

"Of course they are!"

"I meant they won't be able to do anything to her just looked what happened last time."

"Err can I say something please," Anna asked. "I was planning on going but not without back up. But thank you for discussing my life for me." She said grinning at Lupin and Remus who were now looking sheepish.

"So you want us to come with you?" Lupin asked.

"If you wouldn't mind."

That evening Anna, Remus, and Lupin crept out of the common room at 11:50pm. As they got nearer the entrance hall Anna turned to the two boys.

"Stay out of sight unless I need you ok, I don't need these two idiots thinking I am weak," she said frowning. Anna walked toward the entrance hall her wand clasped tightly in her hand. She sat on the steps her ears alert for any sounds.

Half an hour later she was still sitting on the steps, she could see Remus and Lupin now who were looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"Come on Anna, their not coming," Remus said but as he did Anna heard footsteps coming from behind her. She quickly got up and hissed at Remus and Lupin to be quiet. She went down to the bottom of the stairs and turned to face the source of the noise.

"Hi, Anna glad you could make it," Cynthia said. "Come on follow us." She said walking to the entrance hall door and going out.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they started across the grounds toward the Forbidden Forest. She hoped Lupin and Remus were still with her.

"Just in there a bit it's nothing bad," Delilah said but Anna detected a note of subdued laughter in her voice. They continued to the edge of the Forest and Cynthia and Delilah slowed down. They looked at each other as though trying to convince themselves to go in. Anna had heard all about her father's adventures in the forest and wasn't looking forward to it.

"Come on," Cynthia whispered to Delilah. "It will be funny."

They had entered the Forest now, and started toward the middle. They walked for what seemed like hours, the vegetation scratching Anna and tearing at her robes. When they finally came to a clearing they stopped. Anna came up behind Cynthia and Delilah and let out a small gasp. There was a small pool in the middle of the clearing; all around it was grass and flowers that seemed dead. Anna figured they were like that because it was the winter time.

"What is this?" Anna asked her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Go and see, you have to look in the pool," Delilah said. Anna didn't move.

"What will happen?"

"Nothing,"

"What will I see then?"

"We promise it's nothing bad,"

"Maybe she doesn't want to do it Delilah,"

"Yeah I think she is scared,"

"Maybe we shouldn't have brought her here."

"She is obviously too scared to even look."

Anna's pride and curiosity got the better of her. It was only a pool after all. She walked slowly to the middle of the clearing. Delilah and Cynthia right behind her. She knelt down and bent her head over the pool. She saw her reflection staring back at her, her curly hair fell around her face, the stones at the bottom stared innocently back at her.

She bent her head so that her nose was just inches from the water. Which she realized was not frozen over as it should have been at this time of year. The water rippled as though a breeze had blown over it but Anna didn't feel anything. Suddenly there were shapes in the water. Anna looked up expecting to see something but there was nothing there.

She looked back down and gasped as she saw her mother being tortured, her mother screaming. The scene played out exactly as it did in her dreams. But in her dreams she could always wake up she could escape from them. Something held her in place and she couldn't turn away. She watched as some woman pointed their wand at her mother and repeatedly shot spells at her, laughing as she did.

"Mum," she whispered. Anna couldn't watch anymore, she wrenched herself from the pool and fell backwards. Breathing heavily, she looked up Cynthia and Delilah who were laughing. Did they see what she saw? She hoped not. They started to run back to the school as Anna got up.

"What did you see," she shouted to them. She could hear their laughing die away. "WHAT DID YOU SEE?" They were gone. There was a noise in front of her but she didn't see Lupin and Remus appear and ask her what happened.

"Anna. Anna, are you ok? Anna!" She blinked, and turned to her two friends.

"I—saw my mum," she said faintly. Remus walked past her to the pool. Lupin put his hands on her shoulders she looked into his blue eyes. She knew Lupin could see the helplessness in her eyes she was feeling now. He put his arms around her and she hugged him tightly.

"Lupin," Remus said quietly. "It's the Pool of Fear, it's where the Dementors get their powers from."