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Author: Elsha Story: Distractions Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 2 Words: 24,546
Chapter Five - Tests May passed, and it was halfway through June before Anne had time to blink. School had dissolved into chaos; Anne had spent one whole rather frustrating evening teaching her dormmates the Bubble-head charm, so they didn't suffocate between classes. She didn't have it perfectly herself, but something was better than nothing. She'd learned it off Theo. He'd been grumbling about the necessity for it when he'd arrived one Saturday; apparently there had been a run in with something devised by the Weasley twins along the way. Since it had been a study Saturday, rather than a music one, Anne had asked him to teach her the charm. It had taken a good ten minutes to get through the objections of "I think this would be too hard for you" and "You're only a fourth-year." Anne had answered the first with a reminder of the Umbridge desk incident, and the second with persistence. Theo had eventually given in, the grumbling changing topic to stupid stubborn Hufflepuffs who didn't know when to stop. Anne had just smiled. The last Saturday before exams had been spent in a fury of revision, Theo calling up all the jinxes, hexes, and curses he knew, and then some. Anne had only consented to provide target practice for these if he would do the same for her - after all, as she noted, she had tests too. He had, she thought, relished practising on her entirely too much. Well, he was Slytherin, after all…you couldn't expect too much in the way of consideration. She got her own back a bit in the second half of the session. She'd managed to learn quite a few spells off watching and being target practice for Theo; he hadn't been hampered at all by Umbridge's lack of teaching. "Where did you learn all these spells, anyway?" she'd asked curiously. They weren't illegal, or Dark magic; just a wider variety of hexes and jinxes than Anne had heard of. "Home," Theo had replied tersley. She'd left it at that. They called a halt at about four o'clock; Theo declared he needed to get back to his Common Room to do some theory revision. "You're going to be in for it next year, with the OWLs," he told her gloomily. "They can't be that bad," Anne replied. "I mean, you're still alive, right?" "Oh, very funny. I think I cracked a rib." "Ah, you have no sense of humour, you know that?" "Stop being so bloody cheerful." Anne smirked. "I thought cheerful was my job." "What's mine, then?" "Gloom, despair, depression, that sort of thing…" "Then shut up and leave me to my despair and darkness." Theo said the last in a rather theatrical tone, belying the actual words. Anne squeezed his shoulder quickly before departing. It seemed to unsettle him a little bit, but she was getting away with it so far. It was her opinion Theo could do with some unsettling. "I'll see you next Saturday, then." "If I'm still alive." "How about this, we have a Hogsmeade weekend next Saturday for the rest of us, so I'll go in and get a couple of Butterbeers, and then I'll come back here and commiserate with you over how badly you did." Theo granted her a very dirty look. "I'm a Slytherin. We don't do badly." "What are you worrying for, then?" "I'm being smiled to death." "Fine, mope on your own." Anne left in a slight huff. While Theo had actually been more light-hearted than normal today, she wished he wouldn't slip back into his I-am-a-Slytherin-therefore-I-am-superior mode. It had taken so long for him to drop it, and she didn't think it would take all that much to put it back up. She had been right in what she'd said a few weeks ago; she was, for reasons unknown, Theo's exception. She'd witnessed him taking points off Sarah for no real reason, just yesterday; while Malfoy watched approvingly. The disdain on his face had been real, she was sure. He really did still think that Muggle-borns were, quite simply, "not the same as us". She seemed to have been placed in a special category marked "Anne." He'd told her he hated to think about it, and she'd made him think. Now he seemed to have reached a decision. He didn't want to be a Death Eater; he didn't want to fight them; he just wanted to stay out of the way, and that meant blending in with Malfoy's crowd without drawing attention to himself. He didn't like Muggle-borns or halfbloods, but he didn't think they should be killed or tortured for being what they were. He wouldn't be caught dead talking to a Muggle-born. She had made him think about his own attitudes; and then he'd managed to place her in a special box, and forget. Sometimes, of course, he did remember; the days he spoke down to her, as if she were a child, or lacked understanding. But wasn't she just as prejudiced, thinking that he couldn't love his father because of what he was? And hadn't she caught herself just yesterday joining in with the other girls, complaining about how all the Slytherins were such jerks, and wouldn't we just die if we were in Slytherin, and I hope we don't have too many classes with them next year. We're both prejudiced and it probably isn't going to go away ¦so maybe I should just be thankful that we have this time outside of everyone else to talk. We wouldn't be speaking for more than five minutes otherwise. That disturbed Anne slightly, the thought that their friendship might not last taking it, metaphorically, outside that small practice room. It was a careful construct, built in a place where the rules had been temporarily disabled; would it work in real life? Not something we're ever likely to find out, is it? * That evening in her dorm, Anne was curled up in bed listening to the other girls chatter. "So where do you go every Saturday, Anne?" asked Mai unexpectedly. "You just slip off, you never say where you're going." Anne was sure she'd told them, but then, would they have listened? "I go and practice my flute, of course" she said. "I've been doing it for four years, you know." "Are you sure that's all you're doing?" asked Gabby slyly. Anne stiffened. "What else would I be doing?" "Well, if it was anyone else, we'd say you were creeping off to snog your secret Slytherin boyfriend or something" grinned Ellie. Fortunately at least half that sentence prompted incredulity rather than panic, and Anne managed to roll her eyes. "Guys, a boyfriend? Me? A Slytherin? How many Slytherins do I know? Besides, that joke's getting old." "Well, that fifth-year, what's his name, Nott, he stopped to insult you once, maybe it's a sign he likes you!" teased Sarah. "Please, the guy's a jerk. He's part of Malfoy's little squad," Ellie interjected on Anne's behalf. "I'd hope you'd have better taste than that." "Well, Malfoy's not so bad looking himself," said Mai thoughtfully. "All that Quidditch playing!" This was answered by shrieks of derision and thrown pillows. Anne watched the others get into a gleeful pillow fight, only dragged in herself when a bad throw by Gabby hit her. That conversation had been way too close to the mark. She was creeping off to meet a Slytherin, after all - Theodore Nott, in particular. She was certainly not - well, why did her friends all have to be so gutter-minded, anyway? She and Theo had a hard enough time managing friendship, let alone - Anne jumped on that thought as soon as it came along and squashed it. What was the matter with her? She'd clearly been spending far too much time around girls who thought that any interaction with boys beyond the requirements of class clearly meant you were dating. They were the ones who'd all been gossiping about Hermione Granger and Harry Potter last year, for instance, and met Anne's suggestion that they might really just be friends with uncomprehending stares. Her note that Granger spent just as much time with Ron Weasley received the comment that why would anyone pick him when they could have Harry Potter? Which dissolved into giggles over the apparent merits of the two Gryffindor boys. If they knew I'd been seeing Theo, I mean meeting him once a week, dammit, since February, they'd have a field day. And I don't like him. Like that, anyway. I can't. End of story. Still, the thoughts about Theo did not exactly go away. They more lingered in the back of her brain. That's it, I've been corrupted. Oh, for home and sisters to whom boys are just irritating. I miss home. I'll miss Hogwarts, though, all the magic, I don't know where I'll be without it. I've been spoiled by being able to Summon everything I lose. I'll even miss the girls. They are my friends, after all. And I'll definitely miss Theo- Theo, again? Help! Someone! Anyone! * Anne had her end-of-year exams that week, too, and she spent all of her spare time studying. She had never been brilliant at school, but she could put her mind down to studying, which was more than could be said for Ellie, say, or Sarah, at times. The exams were not terribly taxing, but did mean work; the worst was definitely Herbology, which Anne left sure she'd failed. Potions was nerve-wracking, but thankfully Professor Snape chose to spend the time peering over everyone else's shoulders, not hers. Care of Magical Creatures was easy, Arithmancy gave her a headache, and Astronomy was thankfully blessed with a lovely clear night. History of Magic was boring, but since it relied on the remembrance of facts rather than intuitive brilliance, she was fairly sure she'd done well. Her last two exams were the ones she'd always done best at; Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Defence was boring. All they were required to do was regurgitate large passages from the textbook; Professor Umbridge clearly wanted them to know no practical spells. Anne was highly disappointed, given that she'd managed some fairly good hexes when working with Theo. She'd been looking forward to trying them out. Charms was fun; she had known what to do for the practical spells, and had only missed a couple of questions on the written test. Really, the worst bit of exam week was the other girls' insistence on worrying so openly, and discussing what they had or hadn't done right. That was mainly Mai; Anne and the other three managed to shut her up eventually. The last day was marked by a sour note, though. Hagrid's attempted arrest and flight, Professor McGonagall's injury. The fourth-years heard all about it from the fifth-years, who had had a perfect view from the Astronomy Tower; the stern witch had been knocked down by four Stunners, and taken to St. Mungo's. Hagrid had got away. Anne felt shocked and uncertain; she quite liked the Transfiguration teacher, who was scrupulously fair and told you what you were doing wrong in a way that meant you could fix it. Hagrid was brilliant; he wasn't, maybe, the best at being a teacher, but he loved the subject, and he was fair to all the students. Anne remembered Theo's dismissive words concerning the half-giant, and hoped that he was feeling some remorse at what had happened. Certainly the whole school was firmly against Umbridge more than ever. Even some of the Slytherins had been seen shooting her - and her Inquisitorial squad - dirty looks. They were not popular. It was the morning after her last exams that Anne guessed it must have happened; well, the night before, more likely. Teachers had been rushing left, right and centre and no one had known what was happening.Anne didn't get the full details until Sunday, but what she saw that Friday was upsetting enough. She had finished breakfast and was passing the Slytherin table on her way back to the Common Room; she intended to grab her cloak and then go catch some sun by the lake with her friends. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Theo ripping open a letter that a large owl had just delivered to him. It looked quite short; he didn't seem unduly concerned by it. As soon as he read it, though... His face paled, and he scanned it again to be sure. Then he let it drop. He looked like--Anne wasn't sure, but she was sure she never, ever, wanted to see that expression on anyone else's face. Or to know what could cause it. Several others at the same table wore similar expressions; all, Anne realised, Death Eaters' children. She wanted more than anything to run over and ask him what was wrong, but that was not precisely an option. Death Eaters-- trouble at the end of the year--Anne stopped at the door to look over to the Gryffindor table. No red-headed Weasleys could be seen; nor could Harry Potter's black mop. It wasn't a sure sign, but Anne knew the stories, and she would wager anything Harry Potter had had another encounter with Death Eaters last night. Of course, it could be all a coincidence, but the way the Gryffindors were looking around like someone was missing, and the looks on those Slytherins' faces! God, I hope Theo's father is all right, it'll kill him if he isn't. He needs him too much thought Anne as she left the Great Hall. She was halfway to her dorm before the incongruity of wishing a Death Eater well struck her. She got her cloak from her dormitory and was crossing the Common Room when Ellie and Sarah bounced in. The Common Room was still slightly messy; the fifth and seventh years had thrown a bit of a celebration the night before, to mark the end of OWLs and NEWTs. The confused state of the school had let them get away with it. The house elves had clearly had little or no time to tidy up before everyone got up again. This was supported by the fact no Hufflepuff fifth or seventh year had emerged in time for breakfast, even Ernie Macmillan. Anne's two fellow fourth-years swooped like hawks the instant they spotted her. "C'mon, Anne, we came all the way back up here to look for you! How can you be inside, it's such a nice day, and we don't have any classes!" "Mai and Gabby are down by the lake, let's go!" Anne allowed them to hustle her out of the Common Room, through the castle and out to a sunny bank by the lake, where Mai and Gabby were already stretched out on the grass, chatting away. She snuck a glance back at the castle. Where was Theo? What had happened? Anne spread her cloak out and flopped down on it. "Hey, Anne, where were you? We had to send Ellie and Sarah to look for you!" Gabby was even bubblier than usual, due to a lack of exams. "Just getting my cloak. You sound happy." "Of course I'm happy! No more exams! Why aren't you?" Anne smiled gently, but worry was chipping away on the inside. "I am happy." "But you're never excited about anything" complained Sarah. "You're always so calm. Don't you ever just want to jump up and down or something?" "Uh, not now, no . . ." Anne looked at her slightly quizzically. "Of course she's excited about the end of exams, she just doesn't feel the need to tell the whole world about it like you lot," said Mai matter-of-factly. Ellie propped herself up on an arm. "So, what do you think the Slytherins were all on about this morning?" "The Slytherins? What do you mean?" asked Gabby, frowning. "They were just being their usual up-themselves selves." "Nah, they were worried about something. It looked like some of them got letters with bad news, or something…Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, that Nott boy, what's her face, Avery -" "Hey! those are all Death Eaters' kids!" Gabby rolled over onto her front, looking distinctly more interested. "You think something's happened?" "Anyone want to go check for Harry Potter in the Hospital Wing?" suggested Mai. "Why him?" "Because it's always him" pointed out Ellie. "Basilisks, You-Know-Who, werewolves--if it happens, Harry Potter did it, or Harry Potter saw it happen." "Oy, you lot!" A shout hailed them from not so far away. Anne looked up to see Dave Hewitt and Chris Cullen, two other Hufflepuff fourth-years, jogging towards them. "What is it?" said Sarah coolly. She was still out with them because of the whole Jeremy Smith break-up. Anne was getting a little sick of that. Gabby was frantically patting her hair into place; she had been angling for Chris for the last three months. "Did you hear?" exclaimed Dave excitedly. "No, what?" "Helen Thompson, in Ravenclaw, you know, she's in our Transfiguration class-" "She's been in our class all year, Dave, we know who she is," said Sarah acidly. "Well, she tripped on the stairs, or slipped, or something, and ended up in the Hospital Wing, and guess who she saw in there!" "Harry Potter," chimed Mai and Anne. "No! Well, he was there, but he wasn't injured or anything. But Hermione Granger was, and Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood, too! And she said that they all looked really bad, except for Ginny and Luna! What d'you reckon's happened?" "You-Know-Who," said Anne quietly. "Or Death Eaters." What's wrong? Theo's father - it must have been something involving him - at least Potter and the others are okay, but what about Theo? Oh, this is stupid, Death Eaters deserve what they get. Why am I worrying over someone who probably- It's not about someone, it's about Theo. It's about how this affects him. "Then it's started," observed Ellie. "What do you mean, it's started?" Chris was not the brightest of people. "The next war, of course." She shrugged. "You do Divination. Remember what Firenze was saying, about two great wars, and we were in the middle? Well, maybe we've started the next one." "It can't be that bad, can it?" Gabby looked very worried, now. She overreacted so much, thought Anne, to everything, although this might not be an overreaction. "You'll be fine, if it is, you're pureblood" said Sarah, with a touch of grimness. "You and Mai and Dave. The rest of us . . ." "They killed purebloods, too. My cousin died. Dorcas Meadowes, her name was," said Dave. "They killed anyone who was against them." "What can we do about it, though? Why bother worrying about what we can't change?" asked Ellie. "We're just kids." "So's everyone in the Hospital Wing. And you can bet that, you know those Slytherins, if something has happened to their parents – their probably Death Eater parents - you can bet Potter and his friends were in on it." Anne privately thought that Ellie was right, even if being fatalistic couldn't exactly help them. Harry Potter and his friends might be doing pretty amazing things, but they were…well, they'd had experience in doing them. "But they're Gryffindors," objected Chris. "Brave, right?" "Luna Lovegood's a Ravenclaw," put in Gabby. "She's just weird. They're good at that sort of thing. We're Hufflepuffs, we're loyal and patient; what does that do?" "Loyalty counts," argued Anne. "If you don't have anything to be loyal to, what do you have?" She thought of Theo, on a course to protect no-one but himself. He needed a loyalty, too; just not wanting to be something wasn't good enough. It was so negative. There wasn't much she could do about him, though; Theo knew where he was going, and she was an exception to the rule. All she could do about that was nothing. Hope. "And besides, after they've gone out and fought, who's going to pick up the pieces?" said Mai reasonably. "That's what we do." "It might all just be a coincidence," said Sarah. The others looked at her. She went red. "Okay, maybe not." "But what are we worrying about? We're young, we're free," said Gabby, laughing a little. "We have no exams," added Ellie. "And we have some gossiping to do, so would you two mind leaving us to it?" said Sarah pointedly. She frowned as she glanced at Anne. "Are you all right? You look a bit out of it." "Oh, fine. I'm fine. Just thinking about…you know, what might happen." Sarah patted her reassuringly on the arm. "It's probably not going to come to anything, don't worry about it. You'll be safe." Anne nodded, barely listening. Safe. Hah. I've heard about that from the horse's mouth, Sarah, and Muggle-born and safe is the last thing I'll be. The boys departed without much complaint, and four Hufflepuff girls settled down to the serious business of deciding how to make Chris notice Gabby in the short time they had left. Anne hovered quietly on the outside, speaking only occasionally. She had other business to worry about. Like what to say to Theo, when it's going to sound false coming from me. Why should I care? I don't. Except about Theo…that is, what might have happened - I don't even know what's happened, but I'm sure that it's something - It was so much easier when it was just us and them. Now the lines are all blurry. I know they're bad, but why are they like that? What's Theo, for that matter? One of us or them? Why do they have to try and kill people anyway? Wow, am I feeling depressed today or what?
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