“Friends?” Anna scoffed. “Is this a joke?”
From the very beginning, Pansy Parkinson had been anything and everything but her friend. They just didn’t have anything in common - other than their burning hatred towards one another.
Until now, she supposed.
Pansy leaned against the bookshelf. “Face it, Potter. You and I are a lot more similar than you think. You’ve got some wicked things on the inside of you.” Her eyes sparkled. “And I kind of like it.”
Anna rose a brow. “You hate me.”
“Well, now I don’t.” Pansy picked up Anna’s backpack for her, taking her by the arm as she began to guide her down the castle corridors. “How you ever became one of those stuck-up Gryffindors, I have no idea.”
Pansy’s forest green eyes held hers. “Come on. Don’t you ever feel so angry at the world that you just want it all to burn? Regardless of what stands in your path? Don't you every want to be stronger?”
Anna bit her lip. “That doesn’t make me a Slytherin.”
“That’s exactly what makes you a Slytherin.” Pansy laughed. “Of course, not all of us are like that. Only the good ones are. Our goal is to obtain power. And use it to our benefit.”
Pansy shrugged. “I don’t see what’s wrong with that. Just because we’re straightforward doesn’t make us villains”
“Us Slytherin elites are all from elite families - we have access to all sorts of things - both allowed and forbidden. Spells, pendants, potions…all you’d have to do is accept.” Pansy blinked innocently.
Anna frowned in suspicion. “Accept what?”
“My offer. To join our little…coven. Dedicated specifically to talented Slytherin witches, of course.”
“And you’d let me join? Even if I’m not a Slytherin?”
Pansy rolled her eyes. “Look - it’s exactly as I said before. You’re different. I thought you were like the rest of those arrogant Gryffindor snobs, like Granger or Weasley.” Pansy sneered. “But you don’t pretend to be a hero. You aren’t afraid to let people see the darkness inside of you. And I can admire that.”
Anna twirled a stray ringlet in indecision.
On one hand, she’s always hated Pansy, and it wasn’t like Pansy hadn’t always tried to make her life a living hell whenever she had the chance to. But there was another thing on the line.
Power.
As vain as it sounded, Anna craved the promises of strength and knowledge in whatever Pansy’s 'coven' practiced. She couldn’t bear to keep being the one who was left behind, watching uselessly as those she loved got hurt and died all around her.
You’re helpless.
Anna gritted her teeth. “I accept.”
Pansy laughed, clapping her hands excitedly. “Splendid!” She looked back at Anna. “Meet me at the Slytherin Common Room before supper. Oh, and wear black. We can fix up the rest of you when you get there.”
Anna made a face. “What’s that supposed to mean-”
“See you before supper,” Pansy quickly interrupted, blowing a kiss as she let go of Anna’s arm, and handed back her satchel. “Don’t worry about a thing. I’m sure the girls will love you.”
“After all, you’re every bit as wicked as we are.”
- - -
Anna stood before one of the great stone walls - by the engraved stone serpent, per Pansy’s express instruction.
She fiddled with the fabric of her tights, playing with her hair as she waited for Pansy to let her into the Slytherin common room.
Merlin. At least Ginny was in the same House. Anna glumly looked over at a group of young Hufflepuffs walking down the hall behind her, laughing as they conversed with one another.
For a moment, she saw herself with the rest of her friends, like they used to be. Ginny and Ron would be debating over something stupid whilst she and Harry would watched amusedly while Hermione would plead for some peace.
It was a time when things were simple. Well, simpler than they were now.
Life was much worse when you were utterly alone.
Just then, the stone wall came away, and Pansy emerged from the other side - her hair done up in an intricate braid and a dark color smudged across her lips.
“Anna!” She called, reaching out for her arm as she began to pull her into the common room. “Girls! She’s here!”
Their group seemed to be rather small, consisting of 3 other Slytherin girls - 2 of whom she recognized and 1 she didn’t. “Meet Daphne, Tracey, and Millicent. Girls, meet Anna. She’s our newest member.”
Millicent’s face wrinkled in disgust. “The Potter girl? What is she doing here?”
“She’s here for a reason, Millicent. Pansy would not invite her here for nothing.” Daphne smiled kindly. “Hello, Anna. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Anna nodded, though she still felt uneasy.
Tracey cocked a brow, then smirked. “Pansy told me about you. She claimed that you can perform the Cruiciatus curse.”
Millicent snorted. “Please. The Gryffindor princess wouldn’t be able to go near that spell with a 10ft pole even if she tried. She’s too naive.” Millicent blinked, causing her long lashes to flutter as she looked Anna in the eye. “You think we don’t know about you? The Hogwarts heroine who decided to snog Cedric Diggory, only to get upset when she realized that Diggory preferred his women a little older? Please. You are a child.”
Anger began to bubble up in her gut once again, and she clenched her fists as she stepped forward. “You have no idea what I’ve been through. And what happened between Cedric and I is none of your bloody business.”
Millicent then stood, coming up to be a head taller than herself, but Anna did not budge. She knew how to hold her own, and she wasn’t afraid.
She was done with being afraid.
All of a sudden, Millicent’s glare shifted into a smirk as she looked back at Pansy. “Never mind. I like her.”
Pansy laughed as she and Tracey bumped their fists. “Told you, you would. She’s got fire in her, doesn’t she?”
Millicent shrugged, stepped away as her eyes finally took Anna in up and down. “Now that you’re one of us, you can’t be seen looking like this.” She gestured at Anna’s red dress.
Anna wrinkled her nose. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Patience,” A gleam entered Pansy’s eye, and all four girls shared a look of absolute glee. “Just let us do our thing.”
Bloody hell. What had she got herself into?
YOU ARE READING
Lillian 'Anna' Potter || Half-Blood Prince
Fanfiction"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW IT FEELS TO KNOW YOU'LL NEVER BE ENOUGH?" It was revealed by J.K Rowling that when Lily Potter originally died, she was with child. What if Lily had her second child before Voldemort showed up at their house in Little W...
