Chapter 50 - Halloween

"Where were you this weekend?"

"You missed two, not one, but two Practices!"

"Shut up Remus," Lupin told his friend as Anna walked in the Great Hall for breakfast Monday morning, Halloween morning.

"I spent the evening at home with my dad and Ginny, and I practiced with dad so you can't say I didn't. Who better to practice against?" Anna asked, Remus for once couldn't think of an answer. Anna, looking smug, turned away and glanced up at the staff table, she noticed all the members of staff looked more alert than usual.

"Did you have a good time?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah it was relaxing, and fun, but back to business today. Look, can you promise me something, all of you?" Anna asked.

"That depends," Lupin said at once.

"On what?"

"Whether it involves us helping you, because obviously, I will do that no matter what you make me promise."

"Ok, well, promise me you will stay in with everyone tonight no matter what happens,"

Lupin sighed and looked down shaking his shaggy head.

"Why? What's happening tonight?"

Anna lowered her voice. "This isn't the place to talk." She got up followed by the 4 boys. She led them to the empty classroom of their first lesson.

"Go on then tell us," James said. Anna stood in front of them looking like a teacher.

"Voldemort is planning to attack the school tonight… to get to me."

"He can't get through the defenses," Sirius said instantly.

"Of course he can, he's Voldemort," Anna shot back.

"But Dumbledore put them up," Sirius argued.

"Dumbledore put them up for common day use, not attacks of Dark Lords for him to do that it would take weeks. He doesn't have time." Sirius didn't say anything. There will be Auror's coming to over see the feast and they will be stationed around the school. I won't be in the Great Hall, I will be somewhere else. And so will you lot."

"What? Why?" James asked.

"Because you're my friends and you are connected to me and my dad, your families are involved."

A stunned silence followed this. "Think of it as my way of saying thanks for being there for me, please stay there for me."

"You are making this sound like it is the final battle," Remus nervously.

"No, its not believe me it can't be," Anna said wishing she was as confident as she sounded.

The four boys looked from one to the other. Anna sensing there uncertainty spoke again.

"Look it can't be yet we still have the NEWT's to do, it wouldn't be end of term exams with out a battle looming over head. Would it?"

Anna looked at each of them and James sniggered, which in turn made Sirius laugh, after a couple of seconds they were all rolling around laughing.

"So did you really have a good weekend?" Lupin asked her quietly during potions that afternoon. They had that class last and all day Anna had been looking over her shoulder for a sign of an Auror, there lack of presence was worrying.

"Yeah I didn't have to deal with any of this, I spent the evening hanging out with my dad and eating ice cream." Anna said equally as quiet.

"Sounds good. So you didn't miss us?"

"Of course I did," Anna said rolling her eyes.

"Good because we missed you," he said grinning at her. She felt something inside her tingle; he always had a way of making her feel calm, and wanted.

"I missed you too," she added in a low voice.

Snape was dangerously close she didn't want him to hear her talking about her weekend, especially when Snape was in a partially foul mood. No doubt owing to what was going to happen tonight.

"Potter," Snape growled. Obviously not low enough.

"Yes Professor?"

"Don't 'yes professor' me, stop discussing your personal life in my class, 10 points from Gryffindor."

"I wasn't discussing my personal life," she protested.

"You may be a talented potion maker but when you are making one this complex you have to concentrate. Understand?"

Anna was confused, Snape had complemented her. Was that the real Snape?

"Yes Professor," she replied, still shocked.

That evening Anna, Lupin, Remus, James and Sirius sat in the Room of Requirement by themselves. After potions they had been allowed to go and get their books to do their homework, then Professor Snape lead them to Dumbledore's office where Harry meet them and he lead them to the Room of Requirement. They had been sat there for about 15 minutes already and were bored out of their minds.

"We don't even have a set of Exploding Snap cards," James complained.

"We have books lots of books," Lupin offered. James glared at him.

Anna, however, wasn't listening she had been doing Malfoy and Nott's Ancient Runes homework, she had been trying to decipher the text ever since they gave it to her and now she thought she finally had it. Her initial thoughts of it being 'The Dark' or 'The dog' were wrong but close. She felt her breath caught in her throat as she read the words in front of her. She had to check one more book to make sure it was correct but she thought, finally, she had it. She hoped she was right this would make all the difference. She smiled at the thought of Malfoy and Nott's faces when she would give all there work back to them. She wouldn't give them this, it was too valuable, but not useful enough to be a set up. They had no idea when they told her she had to do it; it would help in the battle against Voldemort. Even Anna had had no idea; until she got the first few words then she became intrigued. Now she had it finished and it was an outstanding shock, it told her things she wanted to know about herself.

"I thought this was the Room of Requirement?" James said interrupting her thoughts.

"We were required to sit here and be safe. Not sit here and have fun while everyone else is out there being attacked James," Anna said mildly with out looking up. She had gotten the last book she needed and was just checking over the Runes. James mumbled something about her being right and didn't say anything else.

"What are you—"

BANG.