Annamarie's POV:
My new-found talents were something I decided I would be keeping as a secret from everybody. I tried practicing some more soon after I discovered them, I was now an empath, a little more than that actually, I could make people experience pain, give or take it away, just like any other emotion, give it to them or numb them completely. I experimented with it, that entire night right up until I fell asleep. There were more things I discovered I could do but I had yet to control and dominate them.
Come Thursday morning, I was awake at the crack of dawn. I got out of bed as slowly as I possibly could, noting it was still too early to be up. Either way, I made my way to the bathrooms connected to the hospital wing. Only to realized it was around four in the morning. The sun was barely peaking onto the darkened midnight blue sky.
I slowly filled the bathtub that was in one of the secluded sections of the bathroom, shed my clothes, and slowly sunk into the warm water. I sat there slowly letting the warm water begin to relax, after a few minutes of just sitting there I slid underwater. Seeing as I had almost five hours before classes began. I washed my hair slowly, then scrubbed the grime of the last couple of days off my body.
I got out of the bath when the water began to turn cold and my fingers began to get wrinkly. For once, I took the time to dress in my uniform, I did a simple spell to dry my hair and style in carefully placed ringlets. I smiled at myself in the mirror, and placed a flowered headband. Taking my time to do and undo my red and golden tie around my neck before making my way out of the lavatories.
I quickly performed a minor spell on my nightwear to get it to go back to the dormitories. Then proceeding to quietly exited the wing and slowly make my way towards Black Lake, pulling the hood of my cloak over my head as I entered the woods. Slowly let my senses take over, my hearing heightened, my eye sight as well... When I finally reached the lake, I let my senses take over. I reveled at the beauty before me, everything seemed to expand as the light began to hit everything, making it shine in a new light.
I sat there on the ground for almost an hour, maybe more, before I realized that breakfast was half way over, and I would be late to my classes if I didn't hurry back to school. I lowered my hood as soon as I was back on school grounds, making my way towards the Great Hall to get a quick snack. When I entered the Great Hall, and quickly made my way towards the Gryffindor table, sitting down next to James and Lily, who were having a heated discussion over an unknown topic.
"Now you know why we can't do that. To do that it would be like-" Lily was saying before she spotted me.
"Anna, it's nice to see you. How are you? How you are feeling?" Lily babbled, worried.
"I'm fine Lil. I feel great actually. Better than good, slightly better than better." I replied, keeping my eyes on the table as I grabbed a small sandwich and filled my goblet with juice.
"Not hungry?" James inquired, eyeing my plate.
"Not really, but I want to avoid going back to Madam Noelle, if possible. If you ask me I've been there too many times these past few weeks. I should at least give her a break from me and my pretty face." I quipped, smirking as I finished the food on my plate.
"Eat." Lily ordered, putting two pieces of toast on my plate, sliding the butter and jam towards me.
I rolled my eyes at her and James, but ate it none the less. Molly and Alice suddenly realized I was sitting next to Lily and James, and began to squeal when they saw me. Remus hid behind his goblet to hide his chuckle, ended up choking on his pumpkin juice as he laughed. I mock scowled at him, before I started laughed too.
Before any of them could ask any questions, we realized the it was eight forty-five. We quickly got up and made our way to the first class that began that day. Sadly, for me it was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Merrythought. I grumbled under my breath remembering that I didn't bring any of my books or supplied and had to go get them. I was about to turn around when Grisha appeared in before me, extending a hand to give me a leather bag.
"It's enchanted. It has all of your supplies, all of your books, quills, ink and parchment." She said smiling as she made her way to her first class.
"Thank you." I called back after her, surprised.
When I entered the room, I made my way towards the empty seat next to Remus. I sat down, without looking around, pulled out some parchment, my ink bottle, and my quill. I had a quick flash of the future. We'd be dueling today, much to my dismay. Merrythought chose to make an appearance in that moment, she slowly made her way to the front of the class; a smile appearing on her aged, leathery face.
"Good morning class. I hope you are all having a wonderful day on this glorious morning. If you're not, well, it's the beginning of the day. Any ways, today we will be dueling. I've taken the liberty to choose your partners today. Without further a due, let us begin." She said enthusiastically.
I quickly shoved everything back into my bag, exasperated. As soon as I closed my bag, the professor flicked her wrists and the desks and chairs disappeared into thin air.
"Now... for the pairs." She began as she slid on her thick square spectacles onto her withered button nose. Humming to herself as she slowly scanned the parchment with the list.
"Severus Snape and James Potter."
"Lily Evans and Violet Brown."
"Grisha MacLaggen and Sirius Black"
"Remus Lupin and Evangeline Monteiro."
"Annamarie Riel and... da, da, da, da ah, here we are. Tom Riddle." She said, smiling in accomplishment.
She continued to go through the list as I shrunk my bag with a spell before I slid it into my cloak. I looked at Remus, begging for his help. He shook his head at me sadly, before he paired up with the person he was told to.
"Come, come! Get paired up and get ready. Hurry up now!" She said impatiently.
I sighed, scowling at the floor as I made my way towards Tom, who was looking at me with amusement. I didn't look up at him, I simply got in the dueling position, and waited for Professor Merrythought to begin.
"I want you to use the spells we've been learning in class. No Unforgivables allowed. Ready? At the count of 3..."
"2..."
"1..." She said excitedly, clapping her hands.
I looked up at Tom, to meet his gaze. I took him in, noticing his expressionless face, and eyes that held no emotion whatsoever. I shook my head trying to erase all the emotions I felt at the moment as my eyes landed on his, then without realizing it I numbed myself once more.
Tom threw a sly smirk at me, before we began.
"Expelliarmus!" He called smirking at me, around the room spells began flying in different directions.
I dodged it and looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. Shook my head in disbelief. Wandless magic is rare for fifth years to do, luckily for me I was good at it, the unfortunate part was that so was Tom. I thought of the jelly jinx and shot at him.
He dodged in response and said another one as his eyes narrowed.
"Stupefy!" He called, growing agitated.
I quickly moved my hand and produced a shield before me as the curse bounced. Shaking my head again I thought of a different spell and shot at him. He narrowed his eyes at me as he shot another spell this time a silent one. I realized he was beginning to get frustrated. I shot a binding spell at him which hit the shield he produced wordlessly. Spells began flying one after the other, as we began our frustration began to increase, as was his anger. Finally, after what seemed like years, he shot a binding spell which bounced off my shield and ended up hitting the back of the unexpected Professor. I felt myself begin to lose control of my anger as he shot again and I shot back.
"Expelliarmus!" I yelled waving my wand.
He deflected it easily, shooting a cool smirk at me, before he shot the same spell at me. We sent, dodged and deflected spell after spell, when suddenly,
"Alright that's enough! Great job students. Some of you need to work of your deflecting skills but all of you did great." Merrythought said, as James unbound her.
I felt as all the anger I felt begin to seep out in a wave. I felt as if it was almost consuming me. I quickly realized this and shot out calm waves at everyone in the room, before things got out of hand.
"Ok...well, there's only five minutes left in the class so you can all leave early." She said, bringing all the tables and chairs back to their normal places.
I quickly slid my wand back into my cloak, and left the room without another glance. I moved quickly and swiftly as I left making my way through the corridors, uncontrollable anger coursing through my veins. I needed to get out of there before something bad happened. I walked mindlessly through the corridors until I reached an exit near the clock tower. I quickly headed down the steep hill, towards the shed that was abandoned at the bottom, near the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
I entered the shed quickly locking the door behind me, using wandless magic. I looked over at the soot covered chimney and sent a spark to set it alight. As I sat down I felt the frustration and anger begin to bubble once more. This time I let it. The surge of anger mixed in with all of the other emotions, hit full front and force, knocking me off my feet for a moment.
I felt my eyes begin to lose sight of the present time as everything around me began to move in a circular motion around me. My hair moved as if there was static in the room, my body began to move on its own accord, suddenly the floor beneath my feet disappeared. Hot surges of heat pulsed through my body and made me gasp, choking me. The anger was so powerful, my hands began to pulsate. As I began taking slow breathes trying to let my body relax. It took minutes before the anger cooled and the heat still running through my veins died out.
It took time but when I did relax, I gasped shocked at how the shack now looked, and I realized I had done that. I could only hope i never got angry again, for the damage could be unthinkable. The small wooden table that stood in the middle of the room, was now overturned. The chairs and everything else within the dingy room, was now either broken or ripped apart. I shook my head in disbelief, flicked my wrist and mended everything before unlocking the door and heading to Divination.
I barely made it to Divination's class. Everyone was already seated when I walked into the room; the professor had begun to give instructions and was passing out the glass spheres we usually worked with. Which unfortunately, only left two options for me:
One, beside Tom and one of his friends Rodolphus Lestrange.
Or
Two, with Narcissa and Bellatrix Black. I chose the latter, knowing I didn't have full grip on my anger to sit next to Tom and his friends.
"Marie, why are you late? You're never late." Bellatrix wondered, leaning closer. Her face full of curiosity, as if I was about to reveal a big secret.
"Ugh. I had... A matter to take care of. I am here now, though." I answered back, keeping my face expressionless.
"Were you with Riddle? He was late too." Cissy asked, eyeing Tom and nodding her head once before turning back to us.
"No." I answered quickly, sighing before rushing to continue. "I know I've never done this but I ask this of both you. Don't not mention his name or anything to do with him, right now. It'll just piss me off. I don't want to get mad. Not right now." I muttered, trying not to growl at them.
"What did he do now? Do you need me to hex him?" Bellatrix offered naively, smiling almost giddily at the thought of hexing someone.
If only she knew. I thought, as I smirked at her, shaking my head in response, as the professor quietly handed out the transparent glass spheres.
"The seats you are in now will be the seats you will have for the rest of the term. Unless I say so. Now, on with the lesson. The person starting is on the right. Begin." She said, placing the glass sphere on the stand that was located in the middle of the table.
Unfortunately, it was me, I had to open my mind and focus; knowing the difficulty to this task would have on me. I closed my eyes in deep concentration, waiting before I began to hear a distorted voice speak:
Where dark and light collide
There betrayal lies.
Two hearts become one,
and two lives once friends shall become foes
Blood of innocent will be shed
Wars shall begin
Unless she who has power
Can decide who lives.
Love will turn to hate
Bitterness shall make its return.
As he who seeks power shall come alight,
And who he loves greed will fall under the hands of
she who once showed mercy.
Of those who once were saved
The betrayal lays, unexpected betrayal
Don't run for he who seeks shall find.
None good nor evil can prevail unless she
who has power makes the ultimate sacrifice.
I quickly scribbled down the prophecy on a piece of parchment quickly, and looked over to Cissy, raising my eyebrow at her. Bellatrix had her eyebrows scrunched in disgust, a deep scowl set on her pouted lips. I smiled at her as I felt something warm trickle down my nose.
"Annie, are you alright?" She asked me concerned.
"I'm fine, I'm just tired and haven't been sleeping well. Let's get back to the assignment." I said, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. I knew it was blood, yet it felt more like water as it ran down onto my upper lip.
"Did you hear the prophecy I got?" I asked them, trying to change the subject. Cissy shook her head in response and Bellatrix pouted.
"How is it you got almost a full half page of parchment whereas, Cissy only got no more than a sentence or two? I did too." She inquired.
"I guess I am more important than you." I suggested grinning at her.
She rolled her eyes at me as she looked at the sphere in concentration.
Lives entwined shall cease to exist if one is cut short.
She raised her eyebrow in confusion and scribbled down the prophecy quickly.
"Marie did you hear that one?" She asked me
"Yes, yes I did." I said as I stared down at her prophecy written on my paper.
"Care to enlighten little old me?" She cooed at me, trying to bat her eyelashes at me mockingly, before she went back to pouting.
"It means that someone that you've known all your life, not counting family- if either of you die the other one will die too. By that I don't think literally, I think it'll be like living while you feel as if you're dead. Everything that once mattered will cease to exist. It won't be a life worth living, sort of like living a life already dead. You're not really living, but you're not really dying either. " I explained as Cissy looked down at her parchment.
"Would you mind explaining mine?" She asked timidly.
I nodded as she looked once more at the sphere, the blue mist swirled again.
Life will come where death once took place
Love will fill what pain of a place once left empty.
A new generation shall rise,
Leaving the existent one on the ground.
Not one can live without the other.
I looked stunned down at the parchment paper, an eyebrow raised. Trying to decipher what the two rows of words mean.
"I think it means that you care about someone will die, but you will give birth afterwards. The rest of it is sort of confusing for me. I'm not sure what it means. If you let me I'll try to decipher it later." I suggested.
"What about yours?" She asked me, eyeing the parchment on the table.
"it's more complicated than both of yours." I said, shrugging, as soon as I said that both of them leaned over and looked at it confused.
"Where dark and light collide
There betrayal lies." Beatrix read out loud confusion on her face.
A few heads began to turn towards us, as she continued to read it. I shook my head at her signaling her to stop, but she ignored me either way.
"Two hearts become one,
and two lives once friends become foes
Blood of innocent will shed
Wars shall begin
Unless she who has power
Can decide who lives.
Love will turn to hate
Bitterness shall make its return.
As he who seeks power
He will fall under the hands of
she who once showed mercy..?!" She exclaimed excitedly.
"What exactly is this thing talking about? I wonder who it is referring to." She muttered as she looked up to meet my serious gaze. She cackled at my expression and continued reading.
"Of those who once were saved
The betrayal lays, unexpected betrayal
Don't run for he who seeks shall find?" Bellatrix read out loud.
It attracted the classes attention, including Tom's, who lifted an eyebrow at me in question. I deliberately ignored him looking down to hid in my hair.
I quickly reached over the table, snatching the parchment out her hands before she read the last sentence out loud, safely putting it in my pocket.
"Miss. Riel, you have the sight! Marvelous!" The professor squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.
"Wow. This is something serious. Do you know who it could possibly be talking about?" She asked me as she scanned the prophecy.
"I do. But I figured I should talk to Professor Dumbledore or Headmaster Dippet." I said not allowing myself to make eye contact with anyone in the room.
"Good. Oh?! Class I almost forgot. Next class we will be reading tea leaves. Class dismissed." She exclaimed excitedly as the class all groaned.
I quickly put everything away in my bag, including the prophecy, got up and left the room. Making my way quickly down the stone steps and leaving everyone behind me. I was only third hour, which I had Potions Making class. With Slughorn. Meaning yet another class that I shared with the House of Slytherin, and Tom. I groaned internally when I realized that I had gotten to the class fifteen minutes earlier.
"Marie!" Bellatrix called happily, as she practically skipped towards me, her curls bouncing around her like a dark halo.
"Bella, what's going on? Where is Cissy and Lucius?" I asked raising my eyebrow at her.
"Oh, Cissy forgot her Potions book back in the dorms. Lucius left with Tom and the brainless duo to do something that they needed to do." She explained, annoyed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.
"Anyways, what is this I hear about you having 'the sight'? What does that even mean? Is old Wickham finally cracked her goblet?" Bellatrix mocked, cackling again.
"No actually, she hasn't. Look I need you to round everybody up, and I don't mean 'everybody' everybody. I mean Cissy, you and your sister, Dromeda... I'm going to do something out by the lake later and I need your specific help, Cissy is the only one that will calm me down." I said, quickly making sure no other soul heard.
"Marie, is something wrong? You know you can trust me." She said worriedly, taking a step towards me.
"No. Though I do think that I was sorted in the wrong house now that I am thinking about it..." I muttered, more to myself than her.
"Very well, if that is what you wish. What will I tell the others though? Tom and you may not be speaking but he always has a way of knowing things, he'll be infuriated when he finds out." Bella complained, scowling at the ground.
"He won't find out, even if he does. He won't do anything." I promised.
"Are you sure because I heard from someone... that he has a way of finding things out. I don't know about you but I'd rather not be a victim of the Cruciatus curse, especially coming from him." She grumbled.
"Do as I tell you and nothing will happen." I commanded her, feeling begin to anger bubble.
Her eyes widened for a moment, before a gleam caught her eyes, a cruel smile forming on her lips before she cackled again, bowing before me in a mockingly manner.
"Yes, my Lady." She mocked, bowing down before me mockingly.
"You know, I don't know about you but honestly you would make a great Dark Lady in my opinion. You seem to be more powerful than Riddle if I do say so myself." She continued, chortling and ignoring my warnings.
I gave her the evil eye, quickly throwing a curse at her silently as I flicked my wrist. She fell to the floor in a heap, eyes rolling back into her head, as she withered in pain in silence; her face contorting in pain but her lip clamped shut. I flicked my wrist once more, watching as her writhing stopped, she quickly blinked twice before she sat down then stood from the ground.
"Are we clear on what you have to do Bella?" I asked her sweetly, smiling innocently, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Wow... I-I mean yes, my Lady, right away." She replied, smiling again, this time the gleam flashing again.
"Great. We'll meet down by the lake after dinner. With leisure on, who knows how long we'll have it, right now." I said, smiling slyly at her again.
The door to the class from suddenly flashed open, meaning class was about to start, and yet only a couple of us seemed to be here. Slughorn wasn't in sight as we made our way into the room. Bellatrix quickly walked, or rather limped stiffly, to her seat in the second row. I went and sat on the seat next to hers. Cissy, always sat on the other side either way.
After five minutes, more students began filing in. Soon after that the class was practically full. Cissy came running in right before she plopped down on her seat, huffing in anger as she dropped her bag on the desk.
I raised my eyebrow at her in question, to which she replied with a huff, an eye roll, and a head shake. I could hear her muttering under here breath. Before the Professor appeared, stopping me from questioning her more.
"Who's stuck a wand up your ar-" She whispered to Bella, who snorted in response but stayed otherwise quiet for once.
"Ah, good afternoon class, I trust you are having a wonderful day. If not well, let's just say it'll get better. Today we will be making..." He paused for dramatic effect. "What is known as Draught of the Living Dead. Anybody care to elaborate on what this causes and what key ingredient is used." He asked, slowly pacing in the front of the class.
I raised my hand up, along with three other people.
"Draught of the Living Death is an extremely powerful sleeping draught. It sends the drinker into a deathlike sleep. It's a rather advanced and difficult potion to brew. " I answered.
"Splendid! Miss. Riel, ten points to Gryffindor." He said moving on. With a wave of he wand the standard sized cauldrons were placed carefully placed on the working stations.
"You'll be working in partners today. The first two pairs that finish first, get to leave class early and are excused from any work for the rest of this week." He said smiling as he pushed his spectacles onto his nose.
"Bellatrix, you'll be working with Annamarie, so go on and sit together. As I call your names go ahead and begin gathering your supplies, there are boxes in the storage closet already pre-packed with the ingredients. On the side table." He said as he continued on with the list.
Bellatrix quickly went to get the box and came back with the key ingredients. I thanked her and divided the work as we began. She quickly diced anything that needed dicing and crushed anything that needed crushing. I slowly added the ingredients according to its instructions. We were half way through brewing the potion when it began to turn a pale lilac color, bubbling. I stirred clockwise and counter clockwise, simply adding the correct amount of the rest of the ingredients , and stirring it when need be.
I noticed Cissy was paired up with Lucius. They looked to be having difficulty, seeing as their potion began to turn green and over bubble.
"Well done Miss Riel, Miss. Black. I believe you two will be leaving early today. Along with m'boy Tom and Mr. Lestrange, over there." He said pointing at me as he tested our potions.
He simply took a dropper and put a drop on a small beetle's back. It automatically stopped moving on his hand. Bellatrix giggled in delight, clapping her hands quickly before settling down. When the professor turned his back I quickly grabbed two small flasks from my bag and filled them up before I slowly put them back into my bag.
When there was only fifteen minutes left in class he let everybody go. I winked at Bellatrix as we left the room quietly giggling. It took us a moment to realize that we had a free hour and a half next class, so we smiled and waited for Cissy to come out of class.
"Cissy!" Bellatrix called excitedly.
I looked at her sternly, willing her to be quiet. Narcissa quickly made her way towards us, Lucius trailing behind her, along with Rodolphus and Tom. I rolled my eyes as she approached before smiling at her.
"Cissy, I need you to come with me. Now." I said, urgency clear in my voice.
She looked shocked at me, and then looked as Bella bounced on the balls of her feet. She raised an eyebrow at her in response and looked back at me again.
"Alright. What for, is- is something wrong, Annie?" She asked me worriedly.
I shook my head at her before looking at the guys who stood a couple of feet away. I looked over at Bella and inclined my head at her.
"Bella go tell the boys to that we'll see them next class... maybe after lunch." I instructed lightly.
She nodded excitedly, and skipped to tell them what I said.
"What is this about?" Cissy asked me, as Bellatrix pranced her way over to the boys.
I quickly shielded her mind and smiled lightly at her before I answered, turning my back towards them, "I need to do something I discovered two days ago, I can't be alone because it could be dangerous for me, so I need your help. Yours and Bella's." I said, smiling lightly.
She nodded, "What about Meda? Do you need her there too? She's more practiced than us." She suggested.
I quickly shook my head at her and waited for Bellatrix to come back. Realizing we had a good thirty minutes free and Andromeda was probably still in class.
I looked over Cissy's shoulder, and watched as all three males stubbornly began to walk towards us before Bellatrix stepped in their path, shaking her head wildly. I heard her skip back with a scowl etched on her face. I raised my eyebrow at her, silently asking her to deliberate what had happened.
"I have a strong feeling they are going to follow us. We need to figure out how to lose them and loose them fast." She said, scowling again.
I let out a short laugh before I shook my head at her. "They can follow all they want. But don't worry once we walk into the woods we'll lose them." I said confidently.
They both nodded at me and smiled as I lead them down the corridors, and down the path towards the Forbidden Forest. I slowly pulled my hood on as I walked into the forest, the girls following suit. As I walked the path towards Black Lake I began to feel the drawer that I stored every emotion I had stored previously rattle violently with each step I took, I felt as the anger I felt earlier escaped.
"Bellatrix, Cissy, I need you two to promise that no matter what happens, you won't tell anyone..." I said urgency beginning to creep into my voice.
"Not even Riddle?" Bella asked curiously.
"Especially not him, Bella." I ground out, as my senses heightened. I could hear the smaller animals moving.
We reached the lake quickly. I looked over at them and handed my bag to Cissy. I began walking farther away from them, as soon as I was far enough from them I let the drawer fly open. Every emotion I felt began to emerge, I felt as if I was drowning, suddenly as if everything had cleared the anger returned, stronger than before. I felt as the very damp ground disappeared from beneath my feet, my body surged with energy and I felt as my fingertips began to heat up.
I let everything out as it almost threatened to suffocate me. I lost track of time, when I felt the energy in my body begin to wane I locked the emotions back in, this I shoved them in a box, before I locked them away. With a final strike into the sky, the energy turning to thunder, I felt as my body collapsed onto the damp ground with a sound that varied from a slosh to a thump.
"Marie, are you alright! Cissy, look at her, she's pale!" Bellatrix exclaimed, as I tried to shake the vertigo out of my clouded mind, and tried to control the trembling in my body..
"I'm fine, Bellatrix, just tired." I mumbled breathlessly.
"It's a good thing that Lunch is almost here. You look pale! More than usual, for Merlin's sake! How the bloody hell did you do that?" Bellatrix asked shocked, as she used a spell to clean my dirty cloak.
"Anna, here, drink this. It's a potion to give you energy. You'll feel better enough to walk back to school and get some food in your stomach. You could've just told us you discovered you had an extra ability in wandless magic." Cissy said, removing the cork and putting the phial on my lips.
"Ugh. That's repulsive. But it helped so thank you, Cissy." I said, gagging as the taste stayed in my throat.
Bellatrix shook her head in amusement, as she put my arm around her shoulders and began walking towards the school, carrying most of my weight. Narcissa quietly followed us, carrying our bags behind us silently.
We had just entered the Great Hall, Bellatrix quickly lead me to the Gryffindor table, and helped me sit down; as she did so I heard someone inhale sharply and another person somewhere on the table gasp shocked.
"What did you do to my niece, Black?!" Grish growled, looking at me worriedly.
"Nothing, nothing." She said, cackling as if she just heard the best joke of all time, before clearing her throat . "I was simply helping her get here. She collapsed in one of the hall ways on the way here. From what she told me she's had a pretty rough day, so make her eat because she hasn't eaten anything but a few pieces of fruit and toast since this morning." Bellatrix cackled loudly before she spoke again, eyeing me warily the entire time.
"You don't do anything without an ulterior motive, Black. So, what did you do to her?" Grisha repeated once more.
"I actually like your niece, MacLaggen. I don't need a motive to help her." Bella said, her eyes never leaving me.
I rolled my eyes at all of them as I slowly sat down, as gingerly as possible.
"I told you to eat more, Annie, why don't you ever listen when someone is telling you to do something? Do you see what happens when you don't listen to your friends?" Lily scolded from across the table.
"Oh, come off it. So, I dooped. It's okay, I am just a little tired out from lack of sleep. Grish, Bella was nice enough to help me. Quit being so darn rude to her." I said, sighing tiredly.
"I think this has more to do with Riddle then you are letting us know." Grisha said frankly.
Bella winked at me before she skipped back merrily to the Slytherin table where I was met with Tom's worried glance. I shook my head in response and looked down, grabbing my head to keep it from hurting, my entire body ached from the fall earlier.
Who knew falling splat on the ground would hurt ones body so much?
The moment the food appeared in the middle of the table, Lily began piling food on my plate until James stopped her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Lil, will you cool it with the food? Otherwise, she's going to end up back in the hospital wing with food overload, and a bad case of indigestion. We're trying to keep her away from any comas not induce her into one..." He jabbed lightly.
While this was happening, I managed to put some of the food back. I kept the chicken pot pie, a dinner roll, and some steamed veggies covered in butter. I began eating quietly, and quickly. Feeling myself recover my strength as I finished the food on my plate and grabbed a pumpkin pasty from one of the dessert trays.
"You look better." Grisha commented, smiling at me.
I nodded in response, willing the headache to cease, keeping my eyes on the table. All the while ignoring all of the chat that was going on around me, blankly staring at the table. I could feel her stare boring into the side of my face, causing me to turn to look at her in return with curiosity.
"Alright, you don't stare unless you have something to say. Out with it then." I demanded, trying not to roll my eyes.
"Seamus had a chat with Riddle earlier today." Grisha whispered, not looking at me.
"What-what did he tell him?" I asked, swallowing around the heat I felt in my throat.
"Nothing that he didn't need to." She replied coolly.
I felt as my left eye began to twitch slightly, both of my eyes beginning to narrow, without meaning to my goblet burst, sending pumpkin juice and goblet pieces flying everywhere, I am pretty sure a piece conking a girl from Ravenclaw on the head. Yet I didn't feel the need to apologize or turn to check if she was alright.
"What in Merlin's name is going on with you?! First you are always passing out, and now you are acting really strange, we hardly see you except for class time. Now you are hanging out less and less with us and more and more with the Slytherins. Annie, you know you can trust us. We're your family, family always looks out for one another." Grisha said.
"I'm fine, I just want a break. On everything. I want to be a bit reckless." I lied, sighing as I began to feel guilt seep in to my conscience.
"Are you sure it's not something else?" She asked me, eyeing me warily.
I quickly shook my head in response and stood from the table pulling my bag along with me and began walking away briskly...