Chapter 55 – Final Plans Take Form
"Anna what's happened to us?"
"What do you mean?"
"We were happy together and I am miserable without you, I love you," Lupin said. Before Anna could say anything else or even think he had taken her by the shoulder and kissed her on the lips.
"POTTER," a cold voice brought her back to the reality of Potion class, she had fallen asleep. She looked up into the even colder eyes of Professor Snape. "Were you sleeping in my class?" He asked in a worryingly calm voice. She knew she couldn't win this and it would end up with her in detention.
"I—was just resting my eyes," she said timidly.
"Do you always snore that loudly when resting your eyes? I think this deserves slightly more than detention see me after class."
It was the first week in December and the teachers were laying the homework on thick, even without Malfoy and Nott's homework she had plenty. Not to mention research. She had had a break through the night before and ended up staying up all night to figure it out. She also needed Professor Snape to be in a good mood, it was him she needed.
When the class ended Anna packed up her things and ignored the pitying looks she was getting from everyone as they left. When the final person had gone she walked slowly to the front.
"Professor before you punish me I need to ask you a favor," she said quickly.
"A favor?" Snape said in disbelief, and then his curiosity seemed to get the better of him. "What is it Potter?"
"I need your help," she said and Snape obviously not expecting this statement dropped his quill, knocked over his ink bottle and cursed under his breath.
"What do you mean?" He asked now mopping up the spilled ink.
"I have found a way to destroy Voldemort's soul, but I can't make the potion on my own. I need ingredients that students aren't allowed, and I need someone who knows the subject to help me." She finished leaving Snape open mouthed and staring at her. "Shall I give you some time to think about it?"
Snape nodded starting at her.
"What do you want me to do for my punishment?" she asked.
"Just go," he said in a quiet voice, Anna wasn't going to question it she quickly turned and practically fled the room.
Harry got Anna's letter the next day, however he was only free the next Saturday, so he arranged for her to come to the house. She would floo from the Gryffindor common Room, he had Hermione arrange it for her.
It was 6pm on Saturday and Harry was sitting with Ron in his living room. Suddenly the fireplace came to life and Anna fell out of it. She got up brushing herself off and hugged her father and then Ron. Harry wasn't expecting the fireplace to spill out another person. A tall brown haired, boy who looked very nervous brushed himself off.
"Dad, Ron this is Chris Jones, Chris this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley." Anna introduced.
Harry and Ron looked at each other in confusion. Harry took the first step and shook Chris's hand.
"Nice to meet you," he said.
"It's an honor Mr. Potter," Chris replied.
"Chris Jones? Your father's not Martin Jones is he?" Ron asked holding out his hand.
"Actually yes, he is Mr. Weasley," Chris said looking at Anna.
"Chris is here because he has something he wants to tell you both that will help," Anna said sitting on the couch, Harry and Ron sat either side of her both sizing up Chris. Chris stood silent under the gaze of Harry and Ron. He looked at Anna for help.
"Just tell them what you told me, from the beginning," Anna said. Chris took a deep breath and told his story again. When he finished Harry sat in silence, Ron however was stood up pacing the room.
"I can't believe this, Martin? He's one of the good guys he knows pretty much everything that goes on in the Ministry."
"Which is why Voldemort knows what the Ministry is doing, and when they are going to do it," Harry said. Harry and Ron sat discussing it in the living room while Anna brought Chris into the kitchen and offered to make him some food.
"So what are we going to do about this?" Ron asked. "Do you think he's telling the truth?"
"Anna believes him and I know enough about my daughter to know she wouldn't tell us this unless she was 100 sure it was correct, and it makes sense. Now we have to decide what to do," Harry said.
"Do we turn him over or do we use him," Ron wondered. As Harry and Ron sat in silence the front door opened and Ginny walked in. She walked into the living room and seeing the faces on Harry and Ron spoke.
"Who died?" She said jokingly. Then seeing Harry's face, sat down on the couch and was suddenly serious, "Oh Merlin who died?"
"No one, Gin, no one died, we just found out something and are trying to decide what to do about it," Harry said soothing Ginny's, kissing her.
"What did you find out?" she asked.
"Someone at the ministry we just found out is a Death Eater," Ron said.
"Oh no, what are you going to do?"
"We don't know."
"Well why don't you feed him false information and set them up," Ginny said. Ron stood up suddenly he looked excited.
"That's exactly what we will do. Set him up, You-Know-Who, we only have the one chance to defeat him so it's up to you Harry, you and Anna let us know when you are ready. For now though we have to go on as though nothing had happened. See you tomorrow Harry." Ron said in a rush and left quickly.
"I swear sometimes I am amazed by him," Ginny said.
"It's all the chess he played, make someone think strategically," Harry replied.
"Hi, Ginny," Anna said coming back in the room, "how's the baby?"
"He is fine, still in there, just where he is going to stay for the next few months," Ginny said. Suddenly she put a hand to her stomach and grimaced. Everyone rushed to her.
"It's ok he just kicked is all," Ginny said seeing all the worried faces.
"Oh, can I feel?" Anna asked. Ginny nodded and Anna went to her and put a hand on the bump. She felt nothing then a sudden concentration of pressure under her hand.
"Oh I felt it," she said grinning, she stood up and her head gave a throb, the beginnings of a headache she thought, she had had them frequently during the year. Feeling slightly ill she introduced Chris to Ginny. Chris and Anna stayed for dinner and left soon after.
A week went by and Professor Snape hadn't said he would help Anna, in fact he hadn't said one word to her since. Anna was beginning to get annoyed didn't he see his pride would have to get pushed aside to defeat Voldemort? On the last potion lesson of the week Anna finished her potion perfectly, as well as Lupin and Remus after Anna whispered instructions to them. She went up to the front desk and handed her potion in. Snape took it.
"7pm in here, tonight," he said quietly not looking at her. Anna nodded and went back to her seat.
So that night Anna excused herself after doing her potions homework and then giving it to Lupin to copy. She made her way down to the potions classroom wishing she was anywhere else but knowing it was for a good cause.
"Good evening, sir," Anna said after she knocked and he told her to come in.
"Now Potter, I am not to sure what you want to do so you have better show me your research." So Anna spent the next half an hour showing Snape her research and explaining what she wanted to try to do. Snape didn't interrupt her at all which she was grateful for. He nodded when she asked him if he understood what she wanted to do now.
"Well it's not impossible but it is the most complicated thing anyone has ever wanted to try to do. You understand how difficult this will be we will have to work almost every night to get it done before we all die of old age," he said. If Anna didn't know better she would have said he had made a joke.
"There is one more thing I need to know Potter; what do these Ancient Runes say?"
"The Marked One and the Pure Soul shall work together to defeat the Dark Lord. But the Pure Soul shall be the one who finishes all; the Pure One is connected to all."
"And you know what this means?" Snape asked. Anna nodded. "Explain please we have no time for me to do my own study of it."
"It means the Marked One, Harry with his scar, the Pure Soul; someone with a pure soul will work together and defeat Vol—You-Know-Who. This Pure One will probably will be the one who defeats the Dark Lord." Anna said briefly she had gone into it more in her notes but she didn't think Snape needed to know who the Pure Soul was. Snape looked at her as though inspecting her, sizing her up and daring her to break her gaze, to flinch. She did not; she was stronger than he thought.
"How did you come by these Runes?" He asked her, Anna felt herself grin, she might as well tell him he wasn't likely to tell Malfoy and Nott off for giving her their homework to do.
"Malfoy and Nott blackmailed me to do it for them," she said.
"Do they know what these say?" He asked quickly.
"No, I changed the Runes, and wrote down something completely different," she said. Snape stood in silence, Anna was sure she had shocked him.