Sure enough, as soon as they entered the castle, Cedric and Hermione herded Anna to Madame Pomfrey, who was horrified to learn of what had happened to Anna. "I'll let the headmaster know immediately. I wouldn't be surprised if he sent her home tonight." She stated that she would be keeping Anna overnight for observation. Anna sighed as Hermione and Cedric left. This was just what she wanted. To spend her first night back in the hospital wing. She groaned as she laid her head back against her pillow, bored out of her mind.
"Psst, Anna!"
Anna's head whipped around. She could have sworn that she had heard her brother's voice, but she didn't see him anywhere. Maybe she was finally starting to go crazy. Then suddenly he was there, and she had to keep herself from shouting in surprise. "Harry! What are you doing here?" She kept her voice low so as not to alert Madame Pomfrey.
"Hermione told me what happened, I had to make sure that you were alright."
"But how did you sneak past Madame Pomfrey?"
"My invisibility cloak."
Anna frowned. "Your what?"
"My invisibility cloak. I got it for Christmas."
"Who from?"
"I don't know. It's really cool though."
Anna wondered who would have given him the cloak. "Just don't be reckless because you're invisible."
Harry rolled his eyes. "You're starting to sound like Hermione." Anna laughed softly. "I guess that's what happens when we spend a week together."
"Oh yeah, she wanted me to give this to you." He held out Anna's penguin.
"I'm surprised that she didn't lecture you on sneaking out to see me," Anna said as she held the penguin, whom she had dubbed Sir Waddlesworth.
"Oh she did." Harry grinned at her. "But when she realized that I was going to come and see you no matter what she said she figured that she may as well have me bring it."
"Thanks-" Anna froze as she heard Pomfrey approaching. "You need to leave."
"See you tomorrow." Harry shrugged on his cloak and ran out as Madame Pomfrey came in with Professor Dumbledore. "Professor." Anna said in surprise, and Dumbledore smiled kindly at her. "Miss Potter. How are you feeling? I heard about the rather unfortunate incident involving Miss Quinn."
"I'm feeling alright now." Anna said as she slowly sat up. "I'm just lucky that Cedric was there."
"Indeed. If he hasn't been than we might be having a completely different conversation."
"Professor..." Anna bit her lip. "What's going to happen to Lucy?"
Dumbledore sighed. "She will be sent home on the train in the morning and her guardians shall be informed. Also, her wand shall be broken."
Anna couldn't help but feel sorry for Lucy. She had been so consumed by her jealousy that she hadn't realized that Cedric had loved her, and only her.
"I believe I shall take my leave and let you rest." Dumbledore smiled when he saw the penguin in Anna's arms. "The things that Muggles come up with to provide us comfort." He left then, and Pomfrey tucked Anna in, wrapping the blankets around her and fluffing up her pillows. Anna closed her eyes and it wasn't long before she fell asleep.
Once again Anna found herself in a clearing, facing Adriana Petrival. "You marked me." Anna said. "Why?"
"All those who are loyal to me carry my mark." Adriana replied.
"But I haven't claimed loyalty to you, or anyone!"
"You carry my wand; that in itself is loyalty enough."
"I didn't ask for any of this!" Anna cried, and Adriana sighed. "You are the only one who can help me."
"Help you with what?"
"Moving on to the afterlife."
But that didn't make any sense... Adriana was already dead. She seemed to sense Anna's question. "My death was a cursed one. Unless the identity of the person who committed the crime that I was blamed for is brought to light than I shall forever remain in the realm between the living and the dead.'
Anna had so many more questions but Adriana was already starting to fade away.
Anna awoke with a gasp. Sunshine streamed in through the windows of the hospital wing; it must have been at least eight in the morning. "Good, you're up." Pomfrey said. "If you hurry then you can grab a bit of breakfast before classes start."
After she had been dismissed, Anna scurried off to her dorm to drop off Sir Waddlesworth. When she came back down the stairs, she saw a while group of Gryffindors gathered in the common room.
"Um..." Anna looked at them somewhat nervously. "What's going on?"
"They have something that they want to say to you." Fred said, and Angelina looked at Anna apologetically. "We want to apologize for how we've been treating you, we shouldn't have assumed so quickly."
Anna bit her lip. "It really hurt, how you all just ostracized me so quickly."
A few Gryffindors looked down shamefully. "We're really sorry." Dean mumbled and Anna sighed. "Just do your research next time."
Angelina looked surprised. "So you forgive us then?"
"I'm not the type to hold a grudge. Plus, who knows? If I had been in your shoes then I may have done the same exact thing."
"While I hate to interrupt the party," Hermione said, "if we don't leave now then we'll be late for classes."
In between classes and trying to find out more about Adriana Petrival, Anna tried to help Hermione and the boys figure out who Nicolas Flamel was, but it was hard because she couldn't find any mention of him in any library book that she read. Harry was able to help even less than she was because Quidditch had started up again.
McGonagall had loaded the second years with homework, which meant that Anna was loaded with homework as well. Not to mention that Snape had piled on Potions work, and Anna also had to keep an eye out for Flint, who was now out for blood. It turned out that Lucy was Flint's cousin, and he was beyond pissed that Anna had gotten her expelled. It was because of Flint that she was never alone. She was always either with Hermione and the boys, Cedric, the twins, Blaise, or some Gryffindor. Currently she was studying in the library with Seamus Finnegan. They were studying for their Herbology homework, which was due the following Tuesday. Anna groaned as she rubbed her forehead. She still had another three inches that she needed to write on her parchment. "How is Neville so good in this class?"
"He seems to have a knack for it." Seamus was struggling as well. "I don't know how he does it."
The library was about to close so she and Seamus packed their things before Madame Pince could shoo them out. It was almost curfew so they quickened their pace. Anna didn't want to be caught out after curfew by Percy, or heaven forbid, Flint. They made it to the common room without any mishap, and Anna collapsed on the couch. She couldn't keep doing this; couldn't keep jumping at every shadow because she thought that it was Flint about to attack her. She hadn't been sleeping well either, because she kept having nightmares about what had happened on the train. She had never felt such excruciating pain before, not even when the Dursleys had punished her; she wasn't sure how much longer she could go on like this. Hermione had started to get suspicious, but Anna insisted that everything was fine because she didn't want Hermione to worry about her. Exhausted, she laid her head on one of the couch pillows, and fell into a nightmare infested slumber