She knew her brother wasn’t exactly a model student - but she also hadn’t known how far he was willing to stray from the definition.
“You’re bonkers.” Anna deadpanned when he told her, though she couldn’t help the glee that filled her tone.
Finally. Harry realized she wasn’t the little sister that needed protection.
“Let me get this straight: you want to use a super illegal map to form a super illegal club to do super illegal things - and you’re actually inviting me to join?”
Ron rolled his eyes. “It’s not like we like you doing illegal things. I didn’t want you or Ginny in this. But at this rate, it’s not really a choice anymore.”
Harry nodded in agreement. “If it was up to us, you’re right. We probably wouldn’t involve you. But you’re already in this, and we know Voldemort’s going to come for us eventually - and Umbridge isn’t going to teach us the things we need to know to protect ourselves.”
She kept a straight face, nodding in utmost seriousness. After all, she had come to the same conclusion weeks ago, but she had thought her lessons with Tonks could help her.
Well, what’s one more illegal club?
“I’ll join. Anything that goes against Um - bitch is something I want to be a part of.” Anna said confidently, narrowing her eyes at the bandanges still wrapped neatly around her hand as she straightened up in her seat.
“Are you sure?” Hermione raised an eyebrow. “I saw her and Malfoy the other day - and I know how close the two of you are and all.”
Ron scoffed. “The two of them were positively chummy. You should drop the pale git already.”
“Just because the two of us have differing opinions, doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, Ronald.” She sniffed. Though the rivalry between him and Draco had been there since day 1, it didn't mean she wasn't tired of it already.
Seriously, boys.
“You don’t have anything for the guy, do you?” Harry interrogated her next. “It’s only been a few months you know, since Cedric-”
The memories came swirling in with a vengeance.
“Lillian-Anna!” His eyes shone with a weird type of happiness whenever he said her name.
“Anyone who met you would be foolish to send you away,” He had told her back on their first date in the Hogwarts halls.
“I-I can’t deal with this right now.”
He didn’t meet her eyes as he walked away from her, from their relationship and from everything the two of them ever were.
Anna blinked rapidly, but she wasn’t crying. “I am very aware that Cedric is dead.” Her voice sounded hollow even to her. "It's not like I need a reminder."
The room was quiet.
“Anna, he didn’t mean it like that,” Hermione said quickly, trying to rectify the situation. “Harry just-”
“I know what he meant.” Silently, she stacked her books in a neat pile, slamming her quill besides her half-written parchment. “Draco and I aren’t anything. Okay?”
It was the truth. So why did it hurt so much?
“Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s late and I need to go to bed. I’ll...meet you at the Hog’s Head tomorrow with the others.”
“Anna-”
“Goodnight.”
Of course it was only the beginning of the night for her.
When she finally stalked out of their sight, she neatly folded her clothes at the end of her nightstand before transforming into her animagus form and racing off into the night.
It was time to meet Tonks.
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I may have posted at 11:40 but it's still Friday. 😅
Fun fact: in all the little memories/flashbacks Anna has of Cedric are all different scenes pulled from different chapters of the fanfiction, word for word.😋
I hope you all are having a good week and thanks again for reading! Don't worry - I promise next week's chapter will be longer!