« THE LETTER »
The life at Hogwarts was slowly turning painful as the days passed. Anastasia and Neville seemed to be the professors' favorite students as they spent almost every afternoon in detention. It was usually because of every confrontation between the Carrow's and their own ideals of equality and protecting the younger students from the Death-Eaters.
That day wasn't different.
The Slytherin walked across the hall with her free hand rubbing her arm. She was used by the aching pain in her forearm every time she was close to the dark wizards, the girl had grown accustomed to it after several detentions with the Carrow siblings.
In silence, she stepped into the usually dark common room and ignored her housemates glaring at her with anger; without acknowledging them, she barged into her own room and slammed the door shut. She turned around and got rid of her emerald robes and tight shoes, leaving them somewhere in the room.
A loud squeal left her lips at the sight of a tawny owl in front of the window, eyeing her with its head tilted to the side and a small piece of parchment attached to the leg. The brunette didn't recognize the animal or who could be its owner, but stepped forward to it anyways. She shakily stretched her hand and patted the owl's head with nervousness, expecting it to bite her hand with strength, but for her surprise, it didn't.
"Who could have sent this?" She mumbled, taking the parchment from the tiny leg.
Her eyes traveled over the room and quickly muttered a lock charm under her breath. A smug smile crept into her features when the door locked and the thought of finally managing to do wandless magic urged her to feel proud of herself. She glanced back at the parchment and gasped at the handwriting in the old material, Hermione was the one who sent the letter.
Dear Annie,
We've received your letters. Thank you for being worried but I reassure you that we are fine, well, sort of.
The thing is, Ron left us. I don't know why he suddenly started to act like an arse, but I won't lie to you, it hurt. He said very barbaric things to Harry and left without any note. I'm worried sick about him.
Anyway... we found a horcrux. I'm not really sure how to destroy it, Harry and I have tried everything. I suspect that it possesses dark magic, therefore Ron acted that way with Harry and I. Harry reckons it is because he used it for so long.
I'm thankful that you finally know what had been hurting you. I was quite worried about you when we left the wedding that night. I—We miss you like crazy. We wish you were here with us, especially now. Everything is so dark and horrible out there, Ron couldn't stop listening the radio in hope of not hearing his parents', Ginny's or anyone's name on it. I'm scared to hear my parents or your name on it too. Please stay safe.
I've noticed a strangle symbol in the book Dumbledore left me. It keeps appearing everywhere, Harry saw Xenophilius Lovegood wearing a necklace with the symbol on it. It'd really help if you could search in the library for some sort of information about it.
I can't tell you where we are, but I know you'll manage to find us, you always do.
Love, Hermione. △⃒⃘
▲ △ ▲
Anastasia stumbled into the library with a wide smile in her features. Madam Pince eyed her carefully as the Slytherin began searching through the shelves of the empty room, her big eyes were shining with excitement.
Her emerald eyes scanned the rows of books with different titles. Something that could help her find the strange looking symbol Hermione had asked her to look for information about it. It seemed familiar, like she had seen it before in some place, but the girl felt like the memory was almost unreachable inside her mind.
The brunette was beyond excited, she was finally getting some action after almost three months without hearing nothing about her lost friends. A strong feeling of relief had taken over her body as soon as her eyes recognised the handwriting as Hermione's, but still she was worried about Ron and where he could go, and she knew she wouldn't sleep until she knew he was perfectly fine.
"Rosier," Anastasia jumped at the sound of Blaise's voice behind her. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you think I'm doing here, Zabini?" She snapped, not glancing at her fellow housemate. "And leave me alone. I recall ordering you to stay away from me."
"I find it quite strange," He smirked, scooting closer to her. "That you are managing to survive without Malfoy around." His hand slid through her waist, but she instantly snapped it away with a frown.
"Don't make me hex you." The Slytherin warned, pushing him away. "Don't you have better things to do?"
"Better than teasing you?" The boy asked, still smirking. Anastasia had to clench her fist to not punch him right in the face. "I can list a few, perhaps you can help me with some." He leaned closer, but was pushed away.
"Bloody hell—" The girl exclaimed, but was cut off when he placed his disgusting lips in her neck. "Ascendio!" She said once more and the boy was sent to the air, his screams echoed the silent room and then fell to the ground with a loud thud. "I hope that makes it clear." She grunted.
"How—How did you—" Blaise stammered, looking at her hands without a wand and the anger in her eyes.
"Leave before I do something you might regret later." The Slytherin ordered and watched as her obnoxious housemate ran out of the room with hurry.
Anastasia smiled to herself with pride, with arms crossed over her chest, she walked out of the library with a book hidden under her arm. The pain in her forearm erased the grin from her features and urged her to stop trotting.
"Well, well, well..." She turned around to face the one and only Amycus Carrow walking her way. Her eyebrows knitted together as she pressed her forearm to her chest. "Look who we have here, wandering the halls alone."
Anastasia really wanted to yell at the man to stop, but she knew he still was a professor and he would easily punish her right there in the middle of the hall. She decided to keep her mouth shut as she eyed the man with a hatred expression.
"I wonder what do your parents think about you being one of us..." His thin fingers dangerously caressed her cheek, making her flinch at the touch.
"I will never be one of you." She stepped back, looking directly at his dark brown eyes with hate.
"Your mark here say otherwise, darling." The man leaned closer to examine her forearm, examining it with a smirk.
"Amycus," They both turned around at the sound of Snape's voice in the other side of the corridor. His eyes traveled over the two and walked further to meet them in the middle of the hall. "I was expecting you to meet me in my office." The man spoke slowly. "And what were you telling Miss Rosier here?" His eyes turned to the brunette, who looked at him with such hate, he had to look away.
"I was simply escorting her to the dungeons." Amycus stupidly spoke, astonished by the presence of the headmaster.
"I suspect Miss Rosier can walk alone," Again, he turned to the girl and she nodded, chewing her lower lip between her teeth. "Go, then."
Anastasia turned around and hurriedly walked away from the scene. From above her shoulder, she looked back to see if they were following her, but she was alone in the corridor.
A loud sigh left her now swollen lips as she quickened her pace to the Gryffindor tower, eager to speak with her friends and let them know that their friends were fine.
And the map was ready.