A Whole Different World

Chapter 9 - Smart?

Anna sat in the library with Catherine and Ella doing their potions essay. Professor Snape expects it by tomorrow and they had just gotten it that day! They will work hard to put their best efforts in. They walked through the library, trying to find a good potions book with simple instructions. They found four leather ones which held simple yet precise potions. Soon Hermione Granger came to join them, she' was a very studious girl. They spent twenty minutes writing before Harry Potter and Ron Weasley came looking for Hermione to help them with their essay. Before Hermione could respond Catherine offered to help them. They went to a corner and started working on the boys essays. Anna couldn't believe they weren't doing it themselves, she thought they were smart.

"Anna, have you finished? We should go to dinner now." Ella asked, standing up from her seat.

"Yeah, I've finished." Anna sighed. Ella glanced at Anna's essay, it was a tiny bit over what Snape wanted them to do, but she was hoping that he would give her extra marks for that – but then again it's Snape, he'd probably take marks from her.

They walked to the great hall and sat down at the Ravenclaw table; Anna grabbed a plate of food, and ate slowly knowing that if she ate too fast there wouldn't be any room left for desert.

"Guys, why does Quirrels turban smell funny? Does he not wash it?" Ella asked, she seemed serious but Catherine and Anna started laughing.

"He probably sleeps with it on," Anna joked.

"He probably showers with it on!" Catherine joked. They ate desert, still making jokes, before running back up to the common room and sitting on the couch.

"Do you guys think I was supposed to be a Ravenclaw?" Ella asked her friends worriedly,

"Of course! You're creative and smart!" Catherine exclaimed. Ella looked unsure but nodded before changing the subject,

"Do you guys want to play wizards chess?" She asked. The others nodded in response. Anna versed Ella first, beating her. Anna then versed Catherine, beating her as well.

"You're really good! You should join the chess club!" Catherine exclaimed. Anna shrugged her shoulders, the grin noticeable on my face.

"I already have," She smirked,

"You didn't tell us!" Catherine exclaimed,

"I was going to tell you eventually, it just slipped my mind," Anna shrugged,

"In that case, I need to tell you something as well. I have a Charms tutor because I'm not doing too well." Ella sighed. Anna glanced over at Catherine, Ella seemed really nervous, like they were going to judge her. Anna had known Ella for so long, nothing she said would change her opinion about her.

"That's fine; we all have a subject that's not our best, like me and Transfiguration!" Catherine exclaimed.

"Yeah! And me and Defence!" Anna exclaimed.

"Thanks guys." Ella smiled.

*****

Anna handed her essay to Professor Snape in the morning at breakfast; she hoped he would be happy with it. That day she had charms and history of magic. In charms Anna helped Ella out, Ella did fumble a bit but she wasn't bad. Professor Flitwick noticed how her hand gestures are too stiff, Anna noticed how her diction isn't correct. Besides that she was alright. Anna couldn't help but sigh as she entered history of magic, it's not exactly the most fun subject, and Professor Binns is a bit of a bore. Well actually, a lot of a bore. He's not exactly the liveliest teacher, not just because he's a ghost, he just goes on forever and ever. Eventually, Anna gave up on listening to him and started playing naughts and crosses on her paper by herself. When that got boring she tried to tune back in to the teacher, and by the time she managed to do that the class was over.

"Do you want to go for a walk in the snow?" Catherine asked as they left the classroom,

"It's snowing?" Anna asked, she hadn't noticed in class.

"Yeah." Ella laughed.

"Let's go!" Anna exclaimed. She ran outside and put her books on a stone bench, Catherine and Ella following behind her. Anna ran around in the snow and Catherine and Ella sat on the ground getting snow all over them.

"Fun!" Anna heard someone exclaim, she turned to see Mackenzie running through the snow, followed by Amy who was shaking her head at Mackenzie. She sat down with Ella and Catherine while Mackenzie and Anna danced in the snow.

"You know what would be fun, right?" Anna sopped dancing and asked Mackenzie,

"I think I do," Mackenzie replied, both the girls grinned, and at the same time began to say 'snowball fight!', they only managed to get through 'sno-' before they were hit in the face by a flying snowball.

"Bam! Perfect aim!" Taylor exclaimed. Taylor, Aneesha, Gillian, Laura and Keira had run onto the snow covered ground and started throwing balls at the other girls.

"Team Huffle-claw versus team Slyther-dor!" Ella shouted,

After a long game, the snow had died down. And they had a winner. Team Slyther-dor! Aneesha said that the only reason they won was because of Taylor being perfect at sport, but the whole team put effort in.

What the girls didn't realise in all the fun of the game, someone had been watching them; Eden had been on the side, watching their game go by, all the while wondering why she wanted to play so badly with them but she just couldn't. She envied Laura's ability to not care what the other Slytherins thought of her. She wanted her friends, but she didn't want her house to turn on her.

*****

The next day in potions Anna, Catherine, and Ella sat nervously as Professor Snape handed back the classes essays.

"What did you get?" Anna asked Catherine once Snape handed her essay back,

"An O," Catherine replied, she was definitely proud, "What did you two get?"

"A," Ella said, Anna could sense the disappointment in her voice, "I wish A meant the same thing in the wizarding world as it did in the muggle one."

"Ella, an A is good!" Anna exclaimed, "I got an E."

"Hopefully I get an E next time." Ella said sadly.