Okay, so this was a quick update. Here's the thing. This was originally supposed to cover a lot more but some characters got away from me and it ended up being much longer than planned. Next chapter will have some of the things I wanted to put in here and then some more. Do you think the chapters are getting too long?
Anyway, please don't forget to review!
A sudden scream rang through the examination room, making the examinees jump and swivel around to search for the source. Harry had fallen sideways away from his desk and now lay writhing on the ground, his hands clutching at his head. The boy's voice echoed in the large room, even above the clamoring of his fellow students. After the second it took for the adults in the room to come to their senses, Professor Tofty ran over to him and started trying to shake him awake.
The students watched on as Harry woke, disoriented and panicking and nearly hyperventilating. Professor Tofty tried to get him to stand up, saying he should get to the hospital wing. He really should go, the older man insisted, for his own good, at least to have that bump on his head checked out.
"I'm not going." Harry shook his head stubbornly even as he tried to make his hands stop shaking by clutching them to his chest. They could all see it anyway. "I don't need the hospital wing, I don't want-"
Tofty didn't listen to him, gently but firmly dragging him towards the door to the Entrance Hall, away from the exam and the prying eyes. He seemed concerned for Harry, trying to get him going so he could be taken care of.
"I- I'm fine sir." Harry didn't meet the man's eyes as he spoke, looking over his shoulder to the still staring students as he wiped away sweat from his brow. "Really, I just fell asleep. Had a nightmare-"
"Pressure of examinations!" Tofty announced kindly, patting him on the shoulder. "It happens, young man, it happens! Now, a cooling drink of water and perhaps you will be ready to return to the Great Hall? The examination is nearly over but perhaps you will be able to round off your last answer nicely?"
"Yes." Harry answered suddenly, turning back to him. "I mean, no. I've done as... as much as I can, I think."
"Very well, very well." The old man placated him gently. "I shall go and collect your examination and I suggest that you go and lie down."
"I'll do that." Harry nodded vigorously. "Thank you very much."
At that answer, Tofty opened the door to the Great Hall and allowed for him to exit. Then he closed the door again and turned back to the students. He sighed before striding back amongst the tables to his original spot by the other teachers. None of the other adults had moved a muscle, but all the students had looked on with either curiosity or worry.
Anna hadn't looked at him, hadn't taken her eyes away from her answer sheet even if her quill had been still. The second she'd felt the strong, nagging feeling against the edges of her mind her -about ten minutes ago- heart rate had skyrocketed. With hands clenched on the sides of her table she'd listened to the screams. As Harry was led away, Anna closed her eyes for a few seconds, concentrating on calming down again. It didn't take long, burying guilt and dread and anxiety was something she'd become proficient at by now, and she quietly continued working on her History OWL. Goblin wars had never been exactly interesting, but they weren't difficult to remember or understand either.
Ten minutes later she was striding down hallways to the Slytherin Common Room with her friends close behind. She had to make sure he got out, she didn't care how, she didn't care with whom, as long as he did. For that, she had to have everyone at the ready in a second. She had larger plans for that day than just Harry.
The Marauders' Map lay open on her desk when she entered her room, so she immediately sat down and started scanning it for Harry. It didn't take long to find a small cluster of dots in an abandoned hallway, he was there along with his friends. Four of them.
"Uncle Lucius said last night that mother was to summon the Black Family house elf this morning." Anna told them, standing up from her spot with the map in her hand. "Supposedly to tell him that he should tell Harry that Sirius had left the house, if I'm not very much mistaken he's what the Dark Lord is using to lure Harry in."
"How is he supposed to tell Potter?" Draco huffed. "Aparate here?"
"No, Draco, no." Anna scowled. "Do you really think Harry would just wait around? He's going to check, and how would one contact another person's house?"
"Floo powder." Blaise sighed. "And since it's common knowledge that all fires but Umbridge's are being checked-"
"They'll want to break into her office, just like Fred and George helped them to do last time." Anna hummed thoughtfully as she watched the dots stand still. They were probably discussing what to do. "They'll need a distraction for Umbridge, people watching the surroundings too, and then they'll have to break in. Unfortunately they won't have much time, since our dear Headmistress had warded her door."
"What do we do, then?" Pansy asked.
Anna sighed. "Pansy, you head over to where Umbridge is, in-" She looked at the map for a few seconds to find the teacher, noticing that the Gryffindors had already started to move. "- the Transfiguration wing behind the Entrance Hall. Draco, Vince and Greg, round up a few members of the Squad and get close to Umbridge so you'll be the ones grabbing our 'friends'. Theo and I will be close by to provide instructions once they're caught."
She pursed her lips and turned to Daphne and Blaise. "Make preparations to keep the castle stable without assistance from adults for the rest of the day."
"What? A-"
"No questions." Anna halted them. "Lets go."
They took their time getting into place. Anna and Theo sat by a window, close by each other and watching their friends' process. Daphne and Blaise had stayed in the Common Room, talking to just a few people to start keeping an eye around the castle. Pansy and Umbridge were already surrounded by the other members of the Squad, and Ron was heading towards them. A brief check on the office showed Lovegood and the Weasley girl standing on each end of the corridor, and Harry and Granger standing in front of the door.
Theo inhaled sharply as the two entered the office, eyes snapping to the small bundle of dots of which Umbridge was part. Within seconds Weasley's dot had been moved around between a few of the Slytherins and ended up by Vince. He'd grabbed Ronald, it seemed.
"And here we go." The boy muttered.
They watched as the small group started moving to the office, up stairs and down hallways. They saw the small group stop a few seconds in front of Ginerva before Umbridge moved on with Pansy, Draco and Millicent. One of the left over Slytherins -Warrington- grabbed the youngest Weasley, by force it seemed. As they started walking another dot appeared. Longbottom approached Warrington but Greg seemed to grab him. Anna hoped they didn't hurt Neville too badly, she admitted she had a soft spot for him. She also knew that they wouldn't really hurt either of the Weasleys, the twins were allies after all.
Slowly, the group followed Umbridge to the office, Warrington dragging Ginerva, Greg taking Neville and Vince taking Ronald. Tracey split off from the group, heading towards the Lovegood who already seemed to be coming their way. In the office, meanwhile, Umbridge seemed to be standing close to Harry, Millicent held Granger against the wall, and Draco and Pansy watched on.
"What a mess." Anna sighed. "With Umbridge there it'll be harder to get them out."
Only a few minutes later, Draco was heading out of the office and down to the dungeons. At the speed he was going, Anna guessed he must have been running. Her cousin headed back with Severus in tow. Anna frowned. Whatever would Umbridge want him for? It was bad too, though, since Severus was undercover in the Order. Or at least, that was the idea since she'd never trusted him too much. He was too close to Dumbledore.
But that was the thing, wasn't it? Harry would want to talk to Snape, Snape would either warn Dumbledore or the Order of the Phoenix that something was going on and they would ruin everything. Of course, they had counted on Harry receiving back up, but it shouldn't arrive before uncle Lucius had had a chance to get rid of the prophesy. They'd hoped most of them would already have left by the time reinforcements arrived.
She groaned as the potions Professor entered the office.
"I'll handle him." She sighed. "Come with me, Theo. Keep an eye on the map."
He didn't say anything as he took it from her hands. She led him down a few corridors until they were only two away from the office. Once there she turned back to her boyfriend, looking over his shoulder at the map. Severus was just exiting, so she turned to Theo again.
"Stay here, keep an eye on everything. I'll go talk to Severus." Anna requested.
"Got it." He nodded, leaning against the wall to make himself more comfortable.
She smiled grimly for a second before turning on her heel and heading to the corner that joined the next corridor and the one from which Severus would emerge. When she stood still, she saw him approach from the corner of her eyes. It only took a slight motion to catch his attention and make him come to her. For a second he hesitated, but then he moved to stand beside her.
"Well?" She asked him. "What are you planning on doing?"
He was silent, presumably as he looked around to see if they had an audience. From the other corridor Anna could hear yelling coming from the office. She couldn't understand what they were saying but if anything really went wrong Anna knew that Pansy and Draco would handle it.
"He told me that Sirius Black was in the Department of Mysteries." Severus drawled. "Do you have anything to do with that?"
"Not me, my godfather, Professor." Anna informed him. "You know very well why he'd want Harry there, and I know very well that if Harry told you, you must call in reinforcements for him. Otherwise your cover will be blown."
"Indeed." His lip curled. "So if you'll excuse me-"
"No." She snapped. "I'm not done talking to you, Severus."
Her Head of House turned to her, momentarily speechless at her sudden outburst, but inclined his head and waited for her to continue.
"You won't inform either the Order or Dumbledore until I tell you to." Anna ordered. "They won't kill Harry, that's not the purpose of this and you know it."
For a second Severus was quiet and she got the distinct impression that he was debating wether he should listen to her or not. She technically didn't have the right to make him risk his cover, but if he disobeyed she could tell the Dark Lord that he'd tried to harm the operation. It wasn't entirely accurate, but she could. She had to admit that she could be petty enough to do so, even knowing that Snape would get punished as a result. He knew this too.
"As my Lady commands." He muttered. Then he waited before walking away.
Anna almost smirked in satisfaction. "Go on then, I'll have Theo come to you later."
Then she turned around and walked back the way she came. Behind her she could hear his footsteps as he left, but almost immediately she heard another pair heading her away. Anna stood still, seeing Theo round the corner, and waited for him to get to her.
"Umbridge just left her office with Granger and Potter, they're heading to the exit of the castle." He handed her the map and pointed at the three moving dots. "I don't know what they're planning, but the forrest is dangerous."
"More dangerous for her than them." Anna shook her head. "They know their way around, they've been there often enough as far a I know. Besides... Umbridge hates half breeds."
"So?" Theo sighed.
"I did some research on her before appointing her." Anna pursed her lips. "Not only did she write and sponsor those anti-werewolf legislation, she's trying to limit the territory other half humans have. Including centaurs."
"She's trying to what?" Theo exclaimed, eyes wide as he turned back to the map. "She'll get killed if they catch her. And centaurs are only rarely not aware of what goes on in their forest, they'll find her for sure."
Anna nodded. This was perfect. She licked her lips, now everything would be much easier. So easily mistaken for an accident. A small grin tugged at her lips.
"Listen, Theo." She instructed. "Umbridge isn't making it out of there by herself so I'm going to go somewhere where I can watch the forest. When Harry and Granger get separated from her, got to Draco and have him let the others go. Tell Draco and Pansy to take the other Slytherins and go to the Common Room to help Blaise and Daphne and then you come to me. We'll keep watching Harry to make sure he gets out."
"Are you planning on saving Umbridge from the centaurs?" Theo demanded, voice nearly too loud. "Are you mad?"
Anna chuckled. "Yes to both, I suppose."
Draco watched as Umbridge started to pace, her eyes flitting all around her office, primarily to the door that had just shut after Professor Snape. Her breath was loud in the tense silence of the room and her face got redder and redder the more she worked herself up. Draco sat up slightly from his spot on the windowsill, giving Pansy a look. They were both slightly on edge; cornered animals lash out, that was common knowledge. Umbridge was cornered and had proven herself to be an animal.
"You are forcing me, Potter. I do not want to-" But it seemed that whatever she was talking about, she did want to. There was a gleam in her eyes that made the hair on Draco's neck stand up. That couldn't be good, he pondered as his grip on his wand tightened.
"But sometimes circumstances justify the use. I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice." The woman was now talking more to herself than to Potter, even as she stopped pacing and faced only the scarred boy. "The Cruciatus ought to loosen your tongue."
"No!" Granger shrieked from where Millicent had her pressed against the wall. "Professor Umbridge- It's illegal!"
Draco's face tightened as his eyes snapped to Umbridge's hand where her wand was held. He didn't look around but he knew Pansy had moved to a better spot, a spot where she could curse the Headmistress more directly. The other Slytherins in the room wouldn't do anything, wether because they wouldn't, or didn't know how, or didn't know they should, differed per person. If push came to shove, Draco would deal with it he motioned for Pansy to stand down.
Umbridge was moving towards Potter, wand raised, and Draco stood from his spot slowly. He drew his hand from his pocket as he took one step after the other, silently approaching the woman from behind.
"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!" Granger was shouting.
The woman didn't take her eyes off of Potter and Potter didn't look away from her. Neither noticed Draco coming even closer, though he tried to do it as inconspicuously as possible. While all the Gryffindors' -and the Ravenclaw, he mentally amended- attention was on the Headmistress, there was still a chance they would notice him. It was with a bit of nausea that he remembered that Potter couldn't defend himself, Draco had his wand in his pocket.
"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him." Umbridge muttered as she pondered where to curse Potter. "He never knew I ordered dementors to go after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him all the same."
"That was you?" Potter rasped. "You sent the dementors after me?"
"Somebody had to act." Umbridge got even closer to the other boy. From where Draco was standing he couldn't see where she was pointing the wand, but he was ready. Should she actually finish saying the word, he'd knock her out. Potter would only be in pain for a split second and Draco would be sure that he didn't act in vain.
"They were all bleating about silencing you somehow -discrediting you- but I was the only one who actually did something about it. Only you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter?" She was seething. "Not today though, not now." Umbridge took a deep breath. "Cru-"
"No!" Granger's scream halted both Umbridge and Draco's spells, making the woman turn to Millicent and Draco take a step back so as to not be too suspicious.
In a second, he'd stowed his wand away again.
"No- Harry, we have to tell her!" Granger was screaming.
Draco felt his eyebrows come down into a confused frown. It wasn't like the mud- muggleborn to give in. Not to anyone. Then again, Draco was about to curse the woman so she wasn't the only one going to drastic measures to protect Potter. He was making himself sick.
"No way!" Potter had answered his friend.
"We have to! Harry she'll- she'll force it out of you anyway, what's-" The girl seemingly started sobbing, but Draco couldn't see her.
Millicent still had her pressed up against the wall so he took a few steps to the side and motioned for his classmate to step back. Once the girl did, eyes wide with surprise at the order, Granger stumbled to the side and covered her face with her hands. The bushy haired girl's shoulders were shaking with... fake sobs. There were no tears. Draco almost rolled his eyes. She almost had him fooled there.
"What's the point?" Granger hiccuped between sobs.
"Well, well, well!" Umbridge stepped closer to the 'crying' girl looking triumphant. "Little Miss Question-all is going to give up some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!"
Draco leaned back against the desk, slightly reeling from the receding tension but not relaxing completely. He didn't doubt that his Gryffindor classmate would be able to distract Umbridge, what he was curious about and a little doubtful of was wether she'd manage to get them out. Wether she could even placate Umbridge enough to not torture Potter.
Granger's friends protested against her speaking, but she wasn't deterred as she kept sobbing. "I'm- I'm sorry everyone. But- I can't stand it."
"That's right, that's right, girl!" Umbridge gloated, taking Granger by the shoulders and shoving her into a chair close by. "Now then, with whom was Potter communicating?"
"Well-" Granger gulped into her hands. Draco had to admit that not taking her hands away -while ingenious at the start- was suspicious after she'd been dragged along for a few meters. "Well, he was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore."
Pansy came to sit next to Draco, raising her eyebrows at him slightly. He shrugged, knowing that Potter was watching them. If he'd noticed that they weren't really interested in what Granger was saying anymore, or that they'd seen the way Weasley, Weasley, Longbottom and Lovegood had suddenly stopped struggling, he didn't show it.
"Dumbledore?" Umbridge pressed. "Do you know where he is, then?"
"Well, no!" Granger insisted. "We've tried the Leakey Cauldron and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's Head but-"
"Idiot girl!" Umbridge growled, making Pansy and Draco tense again. "Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry is looking for him!"
"But- but we need to tell him something important!" Granger wailed.
"Yes?" The Headmistress got even closer. "What was it you wanted to tell him?"
"We- we wanted to tell him it's r-ready." The girl choked out.
"What's ready?" Umbridge shook her, slightly too hard. "What's ready, girl?"
"The... the weapon." Came the whispered answer.
None of the Slytherins reacted, even as Umbridge straightened up and took a step back from Granger. They were frozen in anticipation, even when Greg was almost suffocating Longbottom. Draco slowly allowed himself to look away from the proceedings and motioned for his old friend to loosen up. Once he'd done so the blond boy seemed slightly less purple so Draco allowed himself to turn back to the conversation.
"Weapon? Weapon?" Umbridge was going on. "You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's order's, of course?"
"Y- yes." Granger nodded. "But he had to leave before it was finished and n-n-now we've finished it for him, and we can't f-f-find him to tell him!"
"What kind of weapon is it?"
"We don't really understand it." Granger managed to avert Umbridge's tricky question. The severity and importance of a weapon would depend on which weaknesses the Ministry had, if Granger said something unimportant then- "We j-just did what Professor Dumbledore told us to d-do."
"Lead me to the weapon." Umbridge ordered, grabbing Granger by the shoulder again.
"I'm not showing- them." She looked around the room through her fingers, for a second meeting Draco's eyes. He knew he didn't seem interested in what she was saying, but he didn't care at the moment.
"It is not for you to set the conditions." Umbridge snapped.
"Fine!" Granger exclaimed, looking over at him again. "Fine, let them see it! I hope they use it on you! In fact, I wish you'd invite loads and loads of people to come and see! Th-that would serve you right. Oh, I'd love it if the whole school knew where it was and how to use it, and then if you annoy any of them, they'd be able to sort you out!" Granger looked at Draco again pointedly. "Did you really think Slytherin House was that obedient? Do you think they've actually been doing as you want all this time?"
With a snap Draco caught on. Granger wasn't including him in her plan, not really, but she knew that while he wasn't on their side, he also didn't care for Umbridge. She knew that Slytherin House failing to catch more than a dozen miscreants in a whole school year was suspicious. She knew she could use his very presence to her advantage and that he wouldn't really care if she did. What did he care if Umbridge knew anything? She couldn't kick him out of the Inquisitorial Squad, not with his father breathing down the Ministry's neck day and night. Sneaky Granger.
As intended, Umbridge's back tensed up for a second before she whipped around. Her bulging eyes trailed around the room, resting for a few seconds on each member of her former house before landing fully on him. He didn't try to look innocent, in fact, he met her eyes directly. If he'd understood Anna correctly, Daphne and Blaise were preparing the school for a Headmistress free period. He couldn't lose a thing. Umbridge had nothing on him anymore.
Umbridge turned back around to Granger suddenly. Her whole posture had changed from menacing to the closest thing she could manage to motherly. "Alright, dear, let's just make it you and me... and we'll take Potter too, shall we? Get up, now."
"Professor." Draco interrupted, making Umbridge turn to him suspiciously and Granger give him a startled look. He made a point of meeting the muggleborn's eyes for a fraction of a second before grinning a bit too eagerly to be interpreted as innocent. He knew what he was doing, alright? They were taking Umbridge away, Anna would deal with her and make sure Potter could leave. "I think some of the Squad should come with you to look after-"
"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot handle two wandless teenagers alone?" Umbridge asked sharply. "In any case, it does not sound as though this weapon is something schoolchildren should see. You will remain here until I return and make sure none of these-" She motioned to the other Gryffindors. "-escape. Is that clear?"
Draco did his best to look amused. "Crystal clear, Headmistress."
"And you two can go ahead of me and lead the way." Umbridge turned to Potter and Granger, motioning with her wand. "Lead on."
As the three closed the door behind them, Draco moved to properly sit on the desk. Not on the edge, like Pansy was, but right on the middle of it. He was silent, and the other Slytherins followed his lead even when their captives started struggling again. He took Potter's wand from his pocket, extending a hand to Pansy so she'd hand him Granger's. They had to wait for orders, he was sure they'd come eventually.
For a second he was thoughtful, turning the two wands over in his hand.
"Millicent." He said suddenly, making even the struggling come to a standstill. Draco knew that his voice sounded different that the Gryffindors and Ravenclaw were used to. He didn't speak in a sneering or dominating manner to his house mates, he was as courteous and polite as he could. It wasn't just an advantage for Anna if he was nice, it was basic manners which his mother had made sure he knew how to use. "Since there's one less person to watch, you can leave if you want. I know you've head an especially trying couple of weeks, go rest up."
The girl nodded. "I'll do that, thanks Draco."
"No, thank you for helping out." He nodded.
As she left the room he turned to look at the astounded prisoners, gagged and reddened and shaken. He didn't really fancy keeping them here much longer, but he didn't have a choice. At least he could ruin Slytherin House's improving reputation a bit less.
"Greg, I think you're still choking Longbottom." He sighed. "Pansy could you please take away the gags? It's unsightly. I don't know what anyone was thinking when they hired Umbridge in the first place."
"Gross, Draco." Pansy scowled as she moved from person to person, taking the fabric tried over their mouths away as she did. When she stopped by Weasley she studied him for a second but before Draco could ask what was wrong she'd already moved on.
A few minutes ticked by, the Gryffindors trying to convince them to let them go while the Slytherins ignored them, until a knock was heard at the door. They all stilled and Draco turned to Pansy. Should he go and check? Was the knock just a sign to let them go or did someone have specific orders? Pansy shrugged so Draco walked to the door. He opened it carefully and poked his head out. A few meters away from the door stood Theo, motioning for Draco to come closer. The blond boy looked back into the room.
"It's for me, I'll be right back." He told Pansy.
His childhood friend tried to cover for him. "If it's Astoria, tell her she's too young. Daphne's going to kill you if you start going out with her sister."
Draco glared at her but said nothing as he walked out. When he stood by Theo he raised his eyebrows expectantly.
"They've gone into the Forbidden Forest, Potter and Granger already lost Umbridge and they're heading back this way." Theo whispered. "Let them go and get back to the Common Room, Anna says you all have to help Blaise and Daphne. We'll take care of the rest."
Draco nodded and turned back around. He stood still in front of the door until he saw Theo round the corner and then went back inside. For a few seconds he looked around the room to where the soon to be free students were staring at him. He didn't react, though, taking his time to walk back to the desk and pick up the two wands he'd left on it. Then he walked around to where Warrington still had Weasley.
"What d'you want, you git?" Weasley spit out.
Draco didn't react, didn't let himself become as flustered as he normally would. This wasn't a time for petty enmities, he had a job to do. He twirled the wands in his hand and held them up in his line of sight. With his other hand he motioned for Warrington to let go, which he did with a confused scowl on his face.
"We don't like Umbridge." Draco told Weasley, doing his best to sound neutral. "We don't like you either, but at least you've never expected us to lick your shoes. The school year is almost over, whatever advantage we have at being on her side is close to zero, even less now that Granger told her pretty much the truth." He huffed and held out the wands to a now baffled redhead. "So here, we hate Potter less than we hate her so go help him with whatever he's doing. Just keep us out of it."
Then Draco turned to the other Slytherins and they let go of their respective prisoners without a fuss. Not looking at their astounded faces Draco strode off, hearing his house mates follow him without a word.
Rabastan hissed, pressing a hand to a cut on his arm as he stepped out of the way of a jinx. Moody was tougher than he remembered, but the Moody-Shacklebolt combination still left much to be desired when compared to him and his brother together. It wasn't a question of power or skill, which all four had a lot of, but of being used to each other. Rabastan and Rodolphus were brothers and the furthest they'd been apart from each other in the lest fourteen years was the thickness of the walls between their cells. Their cooperation was beyond teamwork, it edged on instinct.
He let his eyes wander as he placed a strong but flexible shield in front of himself and Rod, who in turn whirled a curse at Shacklebolt. The black man hissed in pain as he barely deflected it, causing the leftover magic to course up his arm. While the curse didn't have its intended effect -that would have been much uglier and painful- it did leave him vulnerable for a second.
Rabastan would have taken advantage of that if not for two things. One; Moody had hastily cast a shield in front of his partner making any effort quite useless, and two; out the corner of his eye the artist could see Elbert standing right over Moody's shoulder. That was his chance. He remembered that night as if it were yesterday, when Lucius had knocked on his door and given him the two way mirror. Anna's pretty little face had looked up at him and asked him to please please do her that favour. Do Theodore that favour. In a way he knew why she'd asked him. Bella wouldn't do anything for the boy, no matter if she'd always wanted to do it anyway, Barty would tell their Lord and he's forbid it, and Rod would ask too many questions. Rabastan would do anything for her, and if that meant making the boy happy then he'd do that too, without a second's hesitation. It was a strategical choice she'd made, but he liked fooling himself into thinking that she did it because he was her first choice.
"Avada Kedabra!" He hissed, and the green light flew over Moody's shoulder.
Rabastan could feel his brother and his opponent's eyes fix themselves on him for a few seconds. His aim was too true to miss on such a short distance and they never used a killing curse in a duel. It took too much concentration to do it non-verbally, such a spell had to be shouted and that was bad in a duel.
He didn't make a sound as Elbert Nott thudded to the ground lifelessly. It wasn't his business why the boy wanted his own father dead, but if Anna supported it then there had to be a damn good reason. She was too loyal to family for it otherwise, according to what Narcissa had told him.
He'd asked his sister-in-law about that -was she his sister-in-law if she was actually his brother's sister-in-law? He didn't know, never asked- and Narcissa had said that Anna loved all family no matter what. Said she'd kicked up a fuss at Andromeda being isolated, refused to ignore Sirius' existence, refused to accept that they'd kicked anyone out for whatever reason.
Speaking of Sirius.
The man's grey eyes flitted from his opponent, who he was duelling properly once more, to the other duel that was taking place some ways away. The Black scion was duelling Bella, protecting Potter as he did so. Potter, who had fought to keep the prophesy from Lucius even when his friends were threatened. If nothing else, the boy was brave. But the boy would lose. His Lord didn't bother with hating many people, few were ever worth even his notice, so when he hated someone that someone had to be of Dumbledore's caliber to survive. The boy wasn't of Dumbledore's caliber.
Rabastan saw his brother frown as Bella pressed her cousin even more. It wasn't that they approved of him or wanted to protect him for Anna -even if they had pretended to not notice Andromeda's girl dropping her defences a couple of times- but a debt was a debt, and Severus had told them the Sirius was the reason they hadn't taken Anna again. Sirius was the reason Rabastan had his niece again, had a reason other than duty to get out of bed in the mornings. A debt was a debt and they acknowledged it. They weren't going to kill him, or even harm him, not when he'd saved their little girl.
Bella thought otherwise, apparently, because seconds later Sirius was blasted to the side by a green curse. Rabastan had never disliked his sister-in-law more than in that seconds, and he knew that Rodolphus had never truly considered divorce until then. But there was no time to show their disapproval more than by frowning; they were still fighting. Rabastan knew that Moody had noticed, but he didn't care, it wouldn't matter if they pressed him enough now. As they advanced towards their opponents they kept their surroundings in mind.
Because of that, they heard Potter's pained cries. The boy was still young and as merciless as Rabastan knew he himself to be, he also knew he was not incapable of emotion. If one can love then one can fear the pain of losing love, and he feared screaming as that boy did now. He feared it so he pitied him for having to go through it and he hated Bella for laughing. Losing Anna had hurt them all, Azkaban had strained their minds, but he hadn't noticed how broken she was until that point. He didn't consider himself broken. Damaged, yes, but repairable. Was she fixable? He didn't know. In that moment he didn't care.
He heard Rodolphus curse beside him and looked around to see why. They'd been pushing Moody and Shacklebolt back, yes, but towards the small group of children huddled by the wall. The spells they were shooting were dangerous and a sick feeling settled in Rabastan's stomach at the though of the Longbottom boy being hurt. He'd never regretted doing what they did to that couple, but in a moment of clarity in the gardens, only a few weeks ago, he'd felt himself be consumed by shame. There are lines one should not cross, personal lines. He was ashamed of forgetting where his boundaries were. If his personal morality had allowed such behaviour in the first place, he wouldn't have felt a thing, but losing oneself to pain and despair to such an extent... to such a cruel extent, was not something he wanted to repeat. Was something he'd been punished for for fourteen years. Fourteen painful, nightmarish years.
He didn't want to harm the boy any more, though, and neither did his brother. It was then that he felt a sharp pain in his arm and he stumbled for a second. Their Lord had come. Here. Now. Why?
"Concentrate, Stan." Rodolphus chastised him as he was forced to hurriedly put up a shield for them.
"Sorry." He muttered in response, frowning in concentration to pick up his own slack.
He kept casting spells, mostly curses, as he and Rodolphus attempted to steer the fight away from the children again. It was strategic fighting, casting a spell here to make them shield one side, casting four spells there to make them step away from their 'strong' side, slacking off on the opposite end so they'd think that was their weak side. It was hard, seeing as both Moody and Shacklebolt were seasoned and well trained Aurors, but they managed it. It went slowly, torturously slowly, but eventually the two Aurors were pressed up against the other wall. It was unfortunate that at that moment a bright light emerged from the side.
They heard a loud yell as Barty was flung through the air. Thinking fast, Rodolphus managed to break his fall with a gentle spell, though both he and Rabastan had to break away from their opponents to do so. The things they did for the boy.
Rodolphus provided cover as Rabastan helped Barty to his feet, only to be pushed backwards as well. Suddenly, Lucius was standing by them as well, golden hair tousled and a bruise forming on his cheek. Rabastan didn't ask the Malfoy where the prophesy had gone, knew that it had fallen out of his hands just as he knew that Lucius was too careful to ever actually fumble like he'd done. He'd keep it to himself, he never liked making assumptions and he wasn't going to start doing so now.
"Dumbledore." The older of the two brothers spat, though Rabastan could hear the trembling that he was trying to hide.
And it was all Rabastan could do not to collapse as well. They'd been waiting for Bella to get back, to come back for them, so they could head somewhere where they could aparate away, somewhere outside the non-aparition wards that surrounded the DoM. But she hadn't come back and from the hallway she'd disappeared into now emerged Albus Dumbledore, shining in all his glory. There was no escape now, no way for them to leave. They were going back to Azkaban.
Barty started sobbing as the realisation hit him, clutching on to Rabastan's robes, begging no one and everyone to not be sent back. Rabastan didn't answer, taking a seat on the cold floor. The cold was just as well, might get used to it again anyway, it was all he'd now soon. He wrapped an arm around the younger man, not offering any reassurances since there were none, and trying to stay strong enough to not mimic his actions. Rabastan tried, he really did, but soon enough his face was tearstained and his free hand was reaching out to his brother. He caught Rodolphus' pants, tugging slightly to get his attention.
Rodolphus had been staring at Dumbledore defiantly, hatred for the man who took his daughter stronger than the fear of his power, but at hearing his friend's pleading, at feeling his brother's pulling, he dropped his arm. He turned away from the old man and sank to his knees, turning his back to their enemies and to his revenge. Temporarily. Caution wasn't good for anything now anyway, there was nothing they could do. They were caught, they were defeated. It was done.
Rodolphus placed a large hand on Barty's head, rubbing his hair softly, and took his little brother's hand with the other. He didn't look at Lucius. Lucius hadn't been in Azkaban before, he was afraid but not this way. He wasn't breaking with the fear of going back, he wasn't fighting every instinct in his body ordering him to beg, to crawl, to flee. So Rodolphus paid attention to his brother and his protégée, and Rabastan was grateful even if he felt guilty for forcing his brother to be strong for him. His brother must have been feeling just as bad, if not worse, just as terrified, just as broken and desperate, just as hopeless.
"Stay strong, Stan." Rod whispered, strength in his voice even when Rabastan could see the fearful tears in the corners of his eyes. "Chin up, Barty. We're purebloods, we're strong, and we'll make it out again."
Barty didn't stop sobbing, but Rabastan stared into his brother's eyes questioningly.
"Anna will get us out again, Stan." Rod swallowed. "I know it. She would never leave us behind. I'll be patient until then. My daughter, your niece, Stan, your friend, Barty, will come for us."
If Rodolphus didn't mention his wife or their Lord, Rabastan didn't blame him. That place, that place. Rabastan died a little inside just thinking about it again. Anna would get them out eventually, but would he still be himself when she did? He hoped he was, he hoped he could see her smile once more and recognize her.
Anna inclined her head, eyes out of focus as she waited. The sun had set a while ago and she'd sent Theo back into the castle when it had, telling him to run to Severus. She'd stayed, though, sitting on one of the stones outside the deserted gatekeeper's hut. It might have been prudent to go back inside and get changed for what she was about to do; her school uniform was not the ideal kind of clothing for traipsing through the forest, but she didn't want to leave lest she lost her nerve. Anna had never considered herself cruel, still didn't, but the necessity of some things was more questionable than others.
She blinked, eyes processing the dark forest in front of her once more, and she took a deep breath. Then she got to her feet and walked inside, lighting her wand up in order to see where she was going. At some point she'd said that she should learn healing spells, but she never had so she had no way to fix an ankle if she fell and broke one. She wasn't too thrilled about that danger, but it wasn't the largest or only risk she was taking.
It was early summer so the air should be warm, but it wasn't, not under the thick over of the trees. The sun didn't reach the ground, didn't heat the air around her. In fact, the cold, dark surroundings reminded her of a spring afternoon the year before. It had been colder than it should have been and too filled with spiders. This night wouldn't be like that. She was different, she was older and stronger and colder. Not better, just more accustomed to her life.
What seemed to be a decade later she started to hear yelling. The voice was shrill and loud and feminine. Anna turned and headed in that direction, knowing full well that she was jumping head first into centaur territory. Centaurs were impatient with students at best, unforgiving at worst. But she wasn't coming here as a student; she wasn't here by mistake or to ask for help, she was here to negotiate.
Anna hadn't lied. She was going to save the Headmistress from the centaurs. Nobody was going to save her from Anna, though. Not when Dumbledore was busy saving Harry.
There was a snapping noise beside her and she turned her head to see a large but young looking centaur watching her. He'd stepped into the light of her wand deliberately, letting her see his chestnut coloured skin and long black hair clearly. He looked at her blankly, not betraying any of his thoughts. She didn't blame him, it was a suspicious sight.
"Hello." Anna said, keeping her voice strong but pleasant. She had no doubt that he wasn't alone. "My name is Anna. I've come to make a deal."
The centaur's eyes narrowed and he stepped even closer, behind him she could see another three poke their heads from behind trees. There were a few more in front of her, probably, blocking the way to the rest of their herd. In the distance, Umbridge was still yelling profanities.
"A deal, girl?" The first centaur's voice was raspy and deep, countering his young appearance. "What deal would you be able to make?"
Anna smiled. "I can do many things, and I can undo them as well. What's your name?"
He hesitated, coming even closer so that she had to look up at him. "Arod is my name, girl. Now, what is this deal you speak of? Tell me or leave this place."
Anna's smile widened and she looked to the hidden centaurs around her. "Well this is certainly a less hostile welcome than I was expecting. Not going to chase away the intruder, are you?"
"A person who delves into centaur territory after nightfall on purpose is always suspect, and their purpose always questionable. A child who does so -however little time they might still have to be considered one- is even more questionable." Arod told her, not hiding his mistrust. "But after this afternoon's happenings we prepared ourselves for another... visitor. Surely someone would come for her."
Anna laughed, voice tinkling and echoing off the trees. "So you do have her. I was wondering wether she was trying to fight off the acromantulas or the giant with how much she's screaming. Though I suppose that in her eyes you are just as bad." She looked around as the others started to surround her. "Or perhaps worse? I do not know, I've never really understood the logic of her thoughts, if there was any."
"This deal." Arod insisted impatiently. "Tell us or we shall put you in the same place as her."
Anna huffed. "Well, I'd rather talk to whoever is in charge of you. As pleasant as you've been, Arod, I would prefer to negotiate with someone who actually had the authority to agree."
The ripple of insult was visible on their faces but she didn't let herself look intimidated. She had been nothing but polite, she expected the same amount of manners in return. It was only common sense, and someone had to shut Umbridge up.
"Why should we acquiesce to you?" Arod scowled.
"Oh, I am sure that what I have to offer will be much more useful than putting up with her whining for hours until Dumbledore comes back and demands her from you." Anna shrugged. "And then you'll have put in all that trouble for nothing. Dumbledore doesn't really make deals, he demands things. I, on the other hand, am much more reasonable."
There was a silence for some minutes, which was only broken by the screaming in the distance, until Arod turned to his fellows. For a while they conferred, some motioning, some huffing, but most keeping their heads low and away from her light so she couldn't tell what they were saying. Not that she was really worried. Centaurs were wise creatures, wise and proud. They would listen to her, if nothing else.
Not long after, Arod turned back to her. "Very well... Anna. We shall take you to Magorian and Bane, but beware, should your deal not be to our liking we shall keep you here until Dumbledore comes."
If they'd expected her to protest they must have been disappointed. "Of course." She smiled.
They led her through the trees, walking with her so she wouldn't lose them but still too far for her to touch, should she attempt it. Their footsteps barely made a sound, unlike hers, and they seemed wary of her. In fact, only Arod and a few others were close enough to see. She assumed the others had gone ahead to warn the rest, it was only logical that they would.
Shortly after, they arrived at a clearing surrounded by torches, so she turned off the light of her wand. The fires gave off an eerie mood and the long shadows cast by the centaurs combined with the yelling and screaming of Umbridge made it look like one of those cannibal jungle movies the children at the orphanage had liked to watch. Personally, Anna hated the yelling, she hated it and wanted it to stop, so instead to standing there by the edge face to face with the whole herd -which had turned around to watch her- she strode over and ducked between centaurs. Most moved out of the way, too startled at her forwardness to be affronted, and none of them stopped her. They were too bewildered, she supposed, most children would be intimidated or even afraid. Not her, she had dinner with Lord Voldemort every day in the summer for fuck's sakes, centaurs were no comparison.
As soon as she came face to face with Umbridge -muddied, tied up, raving Umbridge- Anna grinned.
"Well, well. Who do we have here?" She taunted.
The woman was quiet for a second before she recognised Anna. "Connors! Connors, girl, get me out of here! Tell these half-"
"I don't think you want to say that word, Professor." Anna cut her off. "Just as I don't think you understand the position that you're in."
"Position?" Umbridge seethed. "Stupid girl! If I tell you to-"
"Merlin almighty, how have you put up with her all afternoon without gagging her?" Anna turned to the closest centaur, the one who had approached her and all the others had stepped aside for. He was in charge, it seemed. "I don't know who I pity more. You for putting up with her, or her for not having a brain."
"Connors, how dare-"
"Oh, be quiet." Anna snapped and waved her wand at her, making the shrill voice fall away. "I'm not here to listen to your whining. Any and all mercy I might have had for you vanished when you started torturing students. So sit there and wait until I'm finished."
If Umbridge wanted to respond, Anna didn't notice. She turned away from the 'teacher' without another word and looked at the centaur she'd spoken to. He hadn't responded, only watched her with a mix of indignation and curiosity.
"You must be either Bane of Magorian. Arod didn't specify which was which, but I guess I slipped away before he could." Anna didn't smile as she met his eyes. "Now, I know that you've put up with more humans than you'd care to, today especially, and that you're just a few seconds away from demanding that I be shot for trespassing. Though I suppose that since I'm still technically a child I wouldn't be killed. Why you didn't kill her when you had the chance is why I'm here."
Then she was quiet, waiting for him to answer. He did after a few seconds of watching her with wary eyes.
"What do you want, girl?" He demanded, tone verging on rude.
Anna chuckled. "I know that you were told my name, in any case I will repeat it. My name is Anna. Who are you?"
The centaur's lip pulled up in a sneer but he seemed to force himself to be patient. "I am Magorian. Arod sent word that you wanted a deal, that is the only reason why you are not sharing her fate. So speak it."
"Oh, yes, so I've been told several times. Personally I don't much fancy being tied up in the mud, though the threat is reasonable." Anna turned back to Umbridge, who was still trying to shout things. "I have come to give you what neither Umbridge nor Dumbledore will. I'm sure you must be aware that she is the reason your territory is being diminished by the Ministry? You must be, otherwise you would have killed her immediately. Instead you kept her, hoping for a deal that you and I both know Dumbledore won't make."
She turned back to Magorian and smiled. "Dumbledore doesn't make deals, and even if he tried to, he has no say over what the Ministry does or doesn't do. Not really."
"And you do?" The disbelief was almost tangible.
"I do." Anna nodded. "Not immediately. You see, soon enough the current Minister will be replaced by another. By soon I mean within a month or two. That second Minister will be too busy to actually enforce those new rules on your kind, but eventually he will. By eventually I mean probably in a year. But unfortunately he won't make it to a year."
"How do you know this?" Another centaur interrupted her, coming to stand on the other side. "Have you seen it?"
Anna laughed. "Oh, no. I never took Divination. I like to know what's coming instead of having to interpret it and make mistakes. Besides, Seeing -wether in tea leaves or stars- is really not my thing. A fixed future is something I find repellant. I can always change what is going to happen."
"You cannot." The second centaur argued, glared fixed on her.
"I can, if I have enough authority, and I do." Anna grinned. "I know that the second Minister will be replaced because I have ordered it so. It will be done because I want it to. I even chose his replacement myself."
There was another silence, so she continued. "The deal I came to offer is this: give me Umbridge, I will make sure those new regulations are destroyed. In fact, I'll throw in a couple of new laws to prohibit such regulations from ever being formed again."
Magorian stepped closer and she didn't move away. Anna was very well aware of the dangers of her situation, but she also knew very well that they weren't stupid. She knew they wouldn't kill her.
"You swear this?"
"Yes, as long as... well, you also promise to be discreet." She shrugged. "I mean, when Dumbledore comes running to save her, she won't be here to be saved. There really won't be any harm in telling him that you let her go and that she didn't have her wand. She dropped it somewhere when you took her and you weren't too bothered in helping her get out of the forest."
"Why would we let her go?" Magorian scowled. "How would that be believable?"
"Oh, Magorian, you're not dumb so stop being deliberately obtuse. What reason would you have to anger the Ministry even further?" She pretended to ignore the angry glare he shot her way at the insult. "You had every reason to 'let her go'."
"You are an enemy of Dumbledore's?" The second centaur -she supposed he must have been Bane- asked her.
Anna shrugged. "Not so much an enemy as much as I don't like him. I'd kill him if I could, but not for any ideological reasons like Voldemort's servants would. More because he's hurt me in the past and I won't forgive him. But really, I am neither his enemy nor his ally at the moment, just as I am neither and both to the Dark Lord. Either way, since you all keep your distance from that sort of thing, I don't think you care."
"We do not." Magorian snapped.
"Well, then, that's fantastic. Now, do we have a deal or not? I have to get up early tomorrow and I have been losing a lot of sleep lately."
The centaur scowled at her again but extended his hand to shake. She did so, smiling at him even when she was dwarfed, and then turned back to Umbridge. The woman had sunk in on herself and become a quivering pile of clothing and mud. Disgusting and undignified, really, but Anna didn't mention it. She whipped her wand around for a second and the woman rose up. The ropes around her vanished and the silencing charm wore off. All of a sudden the clearing was filled with whimpering. The girl rolled her eyes.
"Imperio." She said and the whimpering stopped and the woman stared blankly at her. "Follow me."
Then she turned to Magorian. "Which way is the lake?"
Without a word he pointed to his left and Anna walked off in that direction, raising her lit wand again once she left the clearing. Umbridge walked silently after her, obedient and empty. Anna kept her eyes trained on the trees around her, it wouldn't do to end up in an acromantula colony. Though it'd be just as well for Umbridge. The lake wasn't far, though, and they reached it soon enough
"Sit there." Anna pointed at a large rock and she let the light of her wand die out.
For a second they were in the darkness, but soon enough her eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight. She pointed her wand at the sitting woman and cast a spell to stick her to her seat. Anna didn't feel like fighting her off or chasing her around, and she wanted to talk to the teacher for a while. So she deactivated the imperius curse.
At once the teacher whipped around wildly, still shaking and almost yelling, until she realised she wasn't amongst the centaurs any more. Then she noticed Anna and tried to move towards her, already seething, already trembling with fury. Anna didn't react, though, keeping her face impassive.
"You! Connors when I get out of here I'll be making sure you never see the light of day again!" She screamed. "The Minister will know- I'll tell him what you were planning! Taking over-"
"Oh, shut up." Anna scoffed. "First of all, that's not my name, and second of all, you're really not in a position to be making threats."
She stood walked closer, dropping her cloak on a branch as she did so. Umbridge was silent, wether because she was too angry to form words or because she'd realised how much danger she was in, Anna didn't know. Neither did she care. Patiently, the girl started rolling up her left sleeve until the Dark Mark was fully revealed. She'd been careful to rarely wear short sleeves the whole year, and when she had she'd put on some special make up Daphne had given her. But now it was perfectly visible, black and vicious on her ivory skin.
"Do you see this, Professor?" Anna asked gently. "I got it last summer, when I was fourteen. It was one of the most painful things I've felt in my whole life. And that's saying a lot."
She patted Umbridge's pale face with her left hand, making the mark come even closer to the woman's face. To her credit, she didn't flinch, but she was starting to regain some of her colour. Death Eaters weren't so scary to people who had the 'same' persuasions, that was her mistake. Anna didn't have those persuasions and she knew herself to be relatively scary to most who actually knew her.
"I am not just a Death Eater, you see. I am Annabelle Lestrange." She smiled. "And my blood comes with more than just prestige. My blood comes with the intelligence and ruthlessness of my father and, as loath as I am to admit it, with the violence that is ingrained in my mother. I do my best to quench it, you know. Violence is bad, particularly when it's unwarranted or when it can be worked around. When there are other options, those options are always preferable. Very rarely does anyone leave me with no choice, even more rarely do I willingly not look for an alternative. It's hard to make me this angry, it really is."
Anna chuckled. "Most people who know who I am know that I'm dangerous, most don't really think about it. I try not to either, I try to be a good person even if I have to do bad things for that end. Some bad things I can put up with, very few of those do I ever regret. Do I regret putting you in charge here? Do I regret having my uncle whisper into the Minister's ear so he'd appoint you here? Do I regret facilitating your rise in power? Do I regret having Dumbledore kicked out and you put in his place?"
She started walking around, going all the way to the edge of the water and back again. Umbridge was watching her with a mixture of terror and fascination. It was only natural, Anna knew. People are fascinated with power, with control, and she had both. It was the reason why so many were pulled to her godfather, the reason why -underneath all logical reasons- so many of her peers had decided to follow her. The twins were no exception, neither were her friends or even Theo. Loyalty, love, friendship, those were valuable reasons, but so was instinct and instinct made people go to people who could protect them, could take care of them. Powerful people, like the Dark Lord, and Dumbledore and her and Harry more and more as well.
"At times, yes, I did, but mostly no." Anna said. "Yes, because I know that there were a couple of others that could have done this job, maybe with a bit less vigour than you but then again I doubt they would have tortured children. No, because... well, you've done a marvelous job in helping me unite the school. Being hated as passionately as you are has also given me another advantage. Do you know what that is?"
Umbridge swallowed and shook her head.
"No one will look too closely at your corpse. No one will care enough." Anna told her lightly. "That's what you get when you behave so... let's call it rudely."
The woman started sobbing, hands clutching at her hair and eyes wide in fear. Her skin was tinted green with nausea and she was still filthy. It was a grotesque sight, to grotesque for Anna to even feel a twinge of sympathy. Umbridge was starting to beg, but her words were so garbled amongst the sobbing and the shaking that Anna couldn't make out her words. Not that it'd make a difference anyway.
"Stop that." Anna snapped. "I'm not doing this without reason, though I must admit I am feeling quite a bit of satisfaction at getting to do it. The reasons are as follows: you hurt children and enjoy it, you love making the lives of non-humans miserable and you are under the delusion that human-creature hybrids are somehow inferior and not deserving of basic respect, you are a liar and a cheat and treat everyone like they're beneath you, you lack common sense and decency and anything else that might make you remotely humane. You are a bigot and too much of a coward to admit it. You dare call yourself a pureblood when you actually are not and thereby bring shame to all of us. You claim authority which you do not have and use it to harm anyone who may upset you, as petty as your reasons may be. And last but most definitely not least: you've made the lives of my friends unpleasant for a year, you've mistreated my allies, and quite frankly I despise you. I find you to be a waste of oxygen and space and lately I've found that in such dire times as these, my judgement is final."
The girl watched as each reason hammered Umbridge further into herself. The woman was wailing and still attempting to beg, clawing at the rock she was sitting on, trying to escape. But there was no escape. Anna was there, wand raised, face cold and soul shut away. Anna, at this moment, like death, was inevitable.
"Now, the Killing curse leaves a trace. I'm not going to torture you, not really, it's not exactly my thing. Even you haven't angered me enough to do so. When you are dead, Dumbledore will feel the magic on your corpse. he's powerful enough to do so, but if I don't use Dark Magic to kill you he won't be able to pinpoint what it was and who did it. He won't have any proof that you were murdered." Anna explained patiently, even though it was more for herself since Umbridge wasn't exactly paying attention. "Water in you lungs won't be suspicious if you drown, right?"
The woman looked up one last time at her as Anna cast the charm. "Aguamenti."
Mostly, that would fire a jet of water out of the tip of the wand, but that was because one tended to subconsciously concentrate one's magic there. If one pours one's magic elsewhere, the water appears in that place. For that, one would need a lot of control, but that was what she had. In that very moment, water filled Umbridge's lungs. It was a grisly sight, perturbing and maniacal, the way her chest swelled and water started to pour out of her mouth. Then it came out of her nose and she was still thrashing in place, still struggling to be free. Anna watched emotionlessly, inclining her head as she kept the spell going.
Soon enough the floundering ended and the woman's body hung limp off the rock, water still pouring from her. Anna dropped the spell and waved her wand again at the corpse. The sticking charm fell away and the body dropped to the ground. Silently, the girl levitated it over the water. Many meters further down the edge of the lake, there was a cliff overlooking it, covered in trees to the edge. Anna didn't know if the water was deep enough to drown in there, but she didn't care. Nobody would look too close.
She dropped the corpse in the lake and watched as it sank. Then she walked silently along the edge of the lake back to the castle.