Guts Over Glory ⇀ Harry Potter

[07]

WHILE DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS, TAUGHT BY PROFESSOR LUPIN HAD QUICKLY BECOME EVERYONE ELSE'S FAVOURITE CLASS, ANEX HAD FELT SLIGHTLY BITTER TOWARDS IT EVER SINCE HER FIRST DAY.The Boggart he had brought into class had been an absolute nightmare and Anex found herself having to dance around the entire class so that she wouldn't have to face the thing that showed you your worse fear. But unfortunately, Professor Lupin had, in the end, spotted her and had forced her in front of the creature that quickly turned from the wailing Banshee that Pansy Parkinson had turned into and contorted into the cloaked figure of a Dementor. It had been an ultimate struggle to not yell out Expecto Patronum but instead Riddikulous as they had been instructed.

She attempted to forget about the Boggart and focus on the numerous amount of rare and dark creatures he brought into class that were all right off of the pages of the MAGICAL CREATURES; THE RARE, THE DARK AND THE DANGEROUS. But she simply couldn't and found herself dreading each class. Professor Lupin had also seemed to take a keen interest in her fear as if it was somehow relevant to anything. Actually, Professor Lupin seemed to just take an interest in her in general and had looked slightly astounded when she responded to the last name 'Silvertongue' in their first class together.

But it was now October, which meant that the Quidditch season was on its way as was the third years first trip to Hogsmeade. Anticipation was at an all time high and shopping trips and sporting practice were the main focus of every dinner conversation between the people who sat around Titus and Anex. Titus was even showing mild signs of excitement at the prospect of going to Hogsmeade as he wanted to purchase some sweets from the shop 'Honeydukes' to sedate his surprisingly large sweet tooth.

On Halloween morning, Anex was not awoken to sound of Leer's snoring but instead the annoyingly high-pitched chatter of three girls. Pansy had somehow made her way into their dorm rooms and Leer and Willow were chatting with her loudly as they got ready.

"Would you prats be quiet?" Anex snarled while slamming a pillow over her head but that did nothing to smother out the sound of girly giggles.

"Oh don't be such a sour puss Annie," Willow giggled, using the god awful nickname that she and Leer had decided to call Anex since their first year. "It's our first trip to Hogsmeade; aren't you excited?"

Anex then pulled herself up from her bed, hair ruffled and expression blunt as she stared at them before giving them a sickeningly fake smile. "I'm just bursting with excitement."

They seemed to miss the sarcasm as they squealed and rushed out of the dorm room. Anex huffed in frustration as she got up from her bed and proceeded to get ready. She stripped her nightgown off and replaced it with her underclothes before grabbing one of the many ruffled, black blouses that hung in her closet and paired in with a floor length dark green, embellished brocade skirt. Deltris had this superiority complex where she liked to exploit and show off her inherited wealth in the only way she could; Anex. Whether it meant decadent gowns or twisted hair pieces of silver and gold, Anex was forced to play a porcelain doll every time she got dressed for any day that wasn't a school day.

She grabbed a black, rose embroidered cape that was for when she ventured into the cold, snow-swept outdoors and made her way out of the Dungeons and to the Great Hall.

When she arrived at the Great Hall, Anex was taken aback by what she saw. Neville Longbottom was over at the Slytherin table, talking to Titus.

"Well you see, I'm not very good at potions-"

"-That's a given." Titus cut in as Anex took her seat near him.

Neville's cheeks flushed but he continued, "But you are. And you saved Trevor even though you didn't need to, which I could never have done. So, you see, what I'm trying to say is-"