Chapter 3

The feast started like all the others, Professor Dippet the headmaster was prattling on about rules, the sorting hat sung a bad poem and plonked the first year students into their houses.

"welcome home Annabella.you look well." Anna spun around to see the house ghost the grey lady hovering nearby.

"you too Helena Ravenclaw." the dark haired girl grinned.

"now your not planning on dragging my house name through the mud again this year?"

"if you don't want the answer you really shouldn't ask the question, you know but I'll try my best."

Helena scoffed. "should have been a Griffindor or a Slytherin with the trouble you cause."

"just because I have brains doesn't mean I have to use them." she grinned shamelessly.

The grey lady shook her head floating through a few students down to the other end of the table.

………………………………...

"miss Ravenclaw what brings you down my end of the table?" Icarus smiled his most charming smile that could brake the strongest woman to do his will.

"Annabella." the ghost shook her head. "nothing but trouble. Ohh congratulations a prefect."

"indeed." Icarus scowled momentarily before composing his face into his flawless smile. " don't worry about Bolts everyone knows she has a couple of screws loose." Helena giggled.

"ooh you are a rascal too Mr Black."

He chuckled. "shh! It's our secret." he pointed to his badge. "mother will murder me if I loose it in the first week back."

The grey Lady winked and drifted off.

………………………………...

Greta lead the way up to the Ravenclaw tower while Myrtle moaned to Annabella.

"no one will ever love me. I am not pretty at all. I mean look at Greta she's got the perfect curls and big green eyes or even you, boys would look at you if you weren't such a rebel." Anna scoffed at this but didn't dare interrupt while Myrtle was in one of these moods. "and Frida is beautiful all she needs to do is learn how to stay up right and maybe some heels to compensate for her height, then the boys will fight over her. And what do I have?" Mrytle paused for affect. "nothing. I am ugly and my glasses are the size of … what's that muggle contraption? Oh right I remember a bus." at that point Annabella did groan.

"Quick before the door shuts." bellowed Greta from the top step. They dashed up and thankfully Myrtle found something new to whine about. Annabella sneaked over to the cloud like cushion chairs. Flopping down into one she closed her eyes sighing with relief as she heard Greta and Myrtle climb the stairs.

"that's no way to treat your friends. I am shocked at such appalling behaviour Anna." Bella felt like screaming at him. It of course would only be one person, the only one stupid enough to call her Anna.

"like you can talk Black." she yawned not opening her eyes. "according to your travel arrangements on the train this morning you have less friends then me which is truly appalling." she snapped her eyes open to find herself face to face with Icarus Black. He had all the typical looks of the Blacks, midnight hair and stormy grey eyes. His bone structure was perfect and his cheeky smile dazzled most girls. Fortunately Annabella wasn't one of them. "goodnight Icky." she got up swiftly heading to the stairs that lead up to her dormitory.

"Anna." he called playfully. Stupidly she turned around to look at him. "where's my goodnight kiss?"

Her eyes narrowed and before Icarus had a chance to move her wand was firing off a spell.

………………………………...

Before Icarus realised what was happening he was thrown backwards against the statue the very symbol and founder of their house Rowena Ravenclaw. It was sadly located in the middle of the room and had no place to go but down. The crash was ear-splitting and before they knew it the whole house had come down to see the what the noise was.

"holy Merlin's beard Annabella. You've down it now, you've knocked her arms off." Greta gaped.

"it wasn't my fault." growled Bell pointing her wand at Icarus. "it's Black's fault."

"it's not my fault." spat Icarus. "just because you can't handle your temper Bolts doesn't mean.."

"enough!" yelled professor Roadan. " you two my office tomorrow for detention!"

"but I didn't do any.."

"lets me be clear Black, Bolts you'll both be there or you'll be packing. And it's for the rest of the year. Bed Now!"

"only you could be so dumb to get detention on the first day and for the rest of the year."

"oh, can it Greta." grumbled Annabella as they walked together for lunch in the great hall.

"where Frida and Myrtle?"

Annabella shrugged right now she had more on her mind then the young pains. Having school friends was making her life complicated. She needed a moment alone so she could sneak out. She was beginning to feel like a caged animal, her freedom slowly slipping through her fingers.

She was beginning to realise this was possibly the only opportunity to escape for awhile.

"I'll go find them, Frida has probably tripped and broken a leg or Myrtle might of run into her best buddy Olive." Greta noting the sarcasm waved her off.

"I'll meet you in the hall later.."

Annabella walked up the first floor to pass Myrtle's usual haunt but she stumbled across someone else first.

"what are you doing here Riddle?" Bella scowled at the handsome teen in front of her. What was a male doing hanging outside the girls bathroom she wondered. He glared at her with his cold heartless eyes.

"I should ask you the same thing. I have permission to be where ever I choose." he tapped his Prefect badge that shone out against the green of slytherin. "what are you doing here, maybe I should report you to your head of house Professor Roadan." he threatened.

"and tell him what? A girl wanted to use the girls bathroom?" she sneered back.

Riddle let out a low snarl. Bell snorted. "whatever Tom I have better things to do with my time then talk to you." he glared as she pushed passed him and went up the stairs.

She wondered her way up to the statue of the one eyed witch. Checking all directions were clear she slipped behind and down the secret passageway into the cellar of the new shop in hogsmeade honey dukes. As always stealing away into hogsmeade was a piece of cake.

Annabella followed the trail that lead outside the wizard town and up through the rocky scenery to the hidden cave.

"Zachariah?" she called softly.

"Bell?"