Up and Down

Actions and Consequences

As Anna approaches the Great Hall, she spots a familiar bob of warm chocolate hair. She runs over.

"Poppy!" Anna hugs her Hufflepuff friend from behind, leaning close to her ear, "you and I were in the Forbidden Forest this morning, got it?"

"Alright..." the girl eyes her with curiosity, "why?..."

"Not a word to Sebastian. I was spying."

"On who?"

"Doesn't matter. Just pretend we were out together."

"Alright..."

During the weekend, there are fewer people around, with most Beauxbatons probably staying over at Hogsmeade, and some students heading that way as well. Durmstrangs are living on the enchanted ship in the Black Lake, so their meals are still served in the Great Hall.

Anna sits down at the Ravenclaw table, for once back in the possession of the eagles, and eagerly ladles some soup into a bowl in front of her. The weather outside was nice and crisp, but it was getting a bit chilly in the shadows of the Forest.

Thankfully, it seems Sebastian isn't going to demand answers from her about where she's been right this second. But her relief is short-lived as she sees the reason for it.

He is surrounded by a gaggle of girls, all eager to get the attention of the Hogwarts Champion. He is smiling and charming and coy, clearly revelling in it. Ominis is sitting some distance away, probably pushed off by Sebastian's admiring fans, quietly reading with his wand.

Anna sighs. She can't really blame him... he does enjoy the limelight. But it doesn't make her feel any better. In fact, the gnawing irritation settles in her chest.

Sebastian is hers.

But does she have any right to be angry? After letting Alexandre get closer, defending him? Sebastian...

One of the girls, a very pretty, shapely blonde Hufflepuff, wraps an arm around his shoulders, leaning in closer, all rapt attention.

Anna sees red.

Standing up from the bench, she walks over to the Slytherin table, head held high. Ominis turns to face her, recognising her footsteps. She passes by him and clears her throat loudly.

The girls seem to wilt at her presence. It has long been rumoured that she and Sebastian were involved, and she would have thought they all had better sense than trying something like this.

"Oh, Anna...." A flash of something like guilt comes across his face and he quickly shakes off the Hufflepuff's hand from his shoulder.

"Sebastian," she responds, colder and haughtier than even she herself expected her voice to sound, "who are all those people?"

Oh, she perfectly well knows who they are, but she wants to hear how he'd like to justify himself.

"Uh..." he looks around as if he only just noticed how many girls were crowded around him, "they wanted to congratulate me."

"Uh-huh," she throws a withering glare at the blonde girl who shrinks away, "off you go."

The girls scatter, leaving her with Sebastian. She sighs and shakes her head, turning away.

"Anna!"

"What is it, Sebastian?" The anger is simmering down, replaced with guilt. Why shouldn't he be allowed to bask in his triumph, especially after she refused to participate?

"You were jealous," she can hear his smirk, "after everything, really?"

She grits her teeth, breathing out harshly. Yes, of course, he would return her own words to her. Doesn't she trust him?