Anna Potter and the Half-blood prince

Chapter 7

COMMON ROOM - NIGHT
[Anna scans her Potions book. Rose cracks walnuts, pitching the pieces into the fire.]
Rose: Have to admit, thought I was going to miss that last one. Hope Cormac’s not taking it too hard. Has a bit of a thing for you, Anna. Cormac.
Anna: (scoffed) Even if i liked boys, i would never date someone like him.
"Who would?" Said Lily disgusted.
Rose: Who would?
"Twins." Said Sirius with grin.
Anna: Ever heard of this spell? [Anna points to a notation in the margin underlined three times: “Sectumsempra. For Enemies.”]
Rose: No, but who’s the Half-Blood Prince?
Anna: The who?
Rose: That’s what it says. Right here.  ‘This Book is the Property of the  Half-Blood Prince.’ [Rose points. Written on the frontispiece is: “This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince.”]
"I have never heard of it." Said confused Lucius. Regulus agrees.
MAIN STREET (HOGSMEADE VILLAGE) - DAY
[Students lean into a bitter wind, trudging through deep snow.]
Ada: For weeks you carry around this
book, practically sleep with it...  and you have no desire to find out who The Half-Blood Prince is?
Anna: I didn’t say I wasn’t curious. And, by the way, I don’t sleep with it.
Rose: (a sarcastic chortle) Yeah. Right.
(as Anna glares) Well, it’s true. I like a nice chat before I go to bed. Now you’re always reading that bloody book.
People look at Anna worried.
Anna: I have searched in library, there wasn't anything about half-blood prince. [Hagrid interrupts them.]
Hagrid: Hey, you four! [Hagrid emerges out of the trees, beard crusted in white, looking like a crazed Father Christmas. Behind him, deep in the woods, dark silhouette's -- aurors -- can be seen. Ada eyes them briefly, then nods to the pulsating burlap bag Hagrid clutches in his fist.]
Ada: What’ve you got there, Hagrid?
[Hagrid tips open the bag. The quartet grimace. Hagrid chuckles.]
Hagrid: Stinksap. Burn the whiskers right off yer chin. Trees ‘ere are drippin’ with it.
"Is he sick?" Asked Lily.
Neville: Stinksap? You’re sick?
Lily smiled at him.
Hagrid: It’s not fer me. It’s fer Aragog. Yeh remember Aragog, don’ yeh?
"Giant spider that tried to eat my daughter? Yes, i remember." Said James.
Anna: Spider? About six feet tall? Ten feet wide? [Rose shudders.]
Hagrid: Tha’s the one. He’s taken ill.
I’m hopin’ ter nurse ‘im back. Keep yer fingers crossed. [Hagrid crosses his fingers. Anna sees Rose staring at the Aurors again.]
Rose: The Aurors. I know they’re here
to protect us, but... somehow I don’t feel any safer.
"With your luck aurors will try to kill you." Said Sirius. Remus hits his head.
"Don't jinx it!" Yelled Lily.
[Just then Anna spies Slughorn, heading down towards the Village, passing a weary Flitwick coming the other way.]
Slughorn: Filius! I was hoping to find you  at the Three Broomsticks.
Flitwick: Emergency choir practice, I’m
afraid, Horace. [Anna watches Slughorn continue on toward the Village.]
Anna: You up for a Butterbeer?
THREE BROOMSTICKS - DAY
[As the quartet enter, Anna glances round, locates Slughorn at the bar, planted plumply on a stool.]
Anna: No. Over here. [Rose, in the midst of seating herself at a perfectly acceptable -- and clean -- table, see Anna seat herself at one strewn with the detritus of a previous customer -- but which puts her in direct view of Slughorn. Rose shrugs and they join Anna. Ada starts to take the chair directly opposite Anna -- blocking her view.]
Anna: No, no. Sit next to me.
Ada: O-kay.
Anna: Rose, Neville! You, too! Don't sit in front of me. [Neville and Rose look confused, but do as Anna says.]
"I love how they just go along with it." Chuckled James.
[A skinny kid in an apron appears, tosses a filthy rag upon the table -- which begins to wipe the surface on its own. Anna cranes her neck around the kid to keep Slughorn in view.]
Skinny Kid: What’ll we have?
Rose: four Butterbeers. [The kid whistles and the rag leaps back into his pocket. Anna continues to eye Slughorn, when she sees Cassiopeia. They lock eyes briefly, then Cassiopeia exits. Neville breaks the silence.]
Neville: Hey, guys! Did you ever think about how we never stop tasting our own tongues? [Anna turns to Neville.]
Rose: (wiggling her eyebrows) Than how about i taste your for a change? [Neville blushes.]
"Ooh.. Smooth." Laughed Sirius.
"She has got the rizz." Chuckled Lily.
[Anna, Ada and Rose laugh.  Then: ]
Slughorn: Anna, m’girl! [Slughorn’s voice booms so loudly even people on other table jump. As Slughorn waddles over, sloshing mug in hand, Anna rises immediately -- an action so grossly out of character that Rose, Neville and Ada regard her with amused curiosity.]
Anna: Hello, sir. Wonderful to see you. So what brings you here, sir?
Slughorn: Oh, the Three Broomsticks and I go way back. Longer than I’d care to admit. In fact, I remember when it was simply One Broomstick!
"How old is he?" Asked James.
[As Slughorn guffaws, Anna joins in, laughing heartily as well. Slughorn’s belly trembles next to Rose’s cheek and his waving mug sloshes over, spattering the table.]
Slughorn: Oops! All hands on deck, Weasley! [Rose smiles thinly, when a whistle is heard and the filthy rag is back, whisking away Slughorn’s mess as the skinny kid slides three foaming mugs onto the table. (In the b.g. Katie Bell emerges from the back, starts for the exit. Her friend Leanne follows her out.)]
Slughorn: Listen, m’girl. In the old days, I used to throw together the occasional supper and invite a select student or two. Would you be game?
"Slug club." Groaned everyone (except Rosier, who wasn't part of it.)
"Was it that bad?" Asked Evan.
"Yes." Said everyone.
"Trust me, You are lucky you didn't have to go." Said Barty.
Anna: I’d consider it an honor, sir.
Slughorn: You’d be welcome too, Weasley, Longbottom. Ms. Ettington, If you continue studing, you might be able join us next year. [Ada smiles at him.]
"Makes sense. She is little for Slug club." Said Remus.
Ada: Thank you, professor.
Neville: Thank you, Sir. [Rose, in the midst of emptying her Butterbeer in one long draw, slams down her mug -- leaving behind a “mustache.”]
Rose: Be delighted, sir. [Neville gives her a napkin, Rose takes it and cleans her mouth.]
Slughorn: Brilliant. Look for my owl.
[Frowning Rose turns to Anna, as Slughorn waddles away.]
Rose: What’re you playing at?
Anna: Dumbledore asked me to... get close to him.
Ada: Get close to him?
Anna: Dunno. But Dumbledore really needs something from Slughorn. And it's about you-know-who.
ROAD (OUTSIDE HOGSMEADE)
[The snow falls heavily now. Rose, Neville, Ada and Anna walk together.]
Ada: I can't imagine Snape with a sex life. [Neville chokes on air.]
So does everyone in room.
"What the fuck?" Said James coughing.
Anna: What the hell, Ada?
Rose: (Snape's creepy voice) Move to position 394.
Everyone laughs. Even Narcissa and Lucius snicker.
[Quartet bursts out laughing. When they hear:]
Leanne: (O.S.) Katie. You don’t know what it could be! [Up ahead, Katie Bell and Leanne stand in the drifting snow, arguing. Katie holds a slender package. Katie Bell rises six feet into the air. Hair dancing violently in the wind, her face remains eerily placid. Then she... screams.]
"What's happening?" Asked confused Remus.
"What is happening to her?" Asked nervous Lily.
[Neville, Anna and Rose dash forward, seize her ankles and wrists. At their touch, she falls to the snow, thrashing and shrieking, Eyes rolled up in her skull.]
Leanne: I warned her! I warned her not to touch it! [Rose looks. Lying in the snow is the package, Torn.]
Ada: She’s swallowing her tongue --
Everyone watches tensed.
Neville: I’ll get someone --
Anna: There’s no time! [Suddenly, a massive figure lurches out of the white:
Hagrid.]
Hagrid: Get back! All o’ yeh! [He says this so forcefully the others instantly obey. Effortlessly, he scoops up Katie’s thrashing body and then, as if calming a terrified animal, presses his face close to hers and whispers with great tenderness:]
Hagrid: Now, now. Now, now... [Over and over he repeats this, soothingly, the words like a mantra, until Katie’s lids flutter and her body goes limp.]
Hagrid: Don’ go touchin’ tha’ but by the wrappin’s. Unnerstan’? [Hagrid nods darkly to the package in the snow. Anna kneels. Poking through the paper is an ornate opal Necklace. Taking off her scarf she carefully enfolds package and rises.]
"Leave it alone." Groaned Lily.
[Then, along with the others, she watches Hagrid lumber off, Katie cradled in his arms. In seconds they are swallowed by the snow. The only sound is the roar of the wind.]
McGONAGALL’S OFFICE - LATE AFTERNOON
[The necklace lies green and glittering upon McGonagall’s desk.]
Professor McGonagall: You’re sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered the Three Broomsticks, Leanne?
Leannie: It’s like I said. She went to the
loo and when she came back she had
the package. She said it was important she deliver it.
Everone is curious.
Professor McGonagall: Did she say to whom? [Leanne shakes her head.]
Professor McGonagall: All right, Leanne. You may go. (as Leanne exits) Why is it always you two? Hm? When something happens?
Rose: Believe me, Professor, I’ve been
asking myself the same question for six years.
Marauders+Rosekiller chuckle.
Professor McGonagall: What about you two? Mr. Longbottom, Ms. Ettington?
Ada: We were just walking and...
[Just then, Snape appears at the door, eyes the quartet.]
Snape: Is this it? [McGonagall nods. Snape takes his wand, lifts the necklace like a dead snake. Eyes it with fascination.]
Professor McGonagall: What do you think?
Snape: I think Miss Bell is lucky to be alive.
Anna: She was cursed, wasn’t she? I know Katie. Off the Quidditch pitch she wouldn’t hurt a fly. If she was bringing that to someone, she wasn’t doing it knowingly. [Snape eyes Anna levelly.]
Professor McGonagall: Yes. She was cursed.
People share a worried look.
GIRLS’ DORMITORY (GRYFFINDOR TOWER) - NIGHT
[Anna and Rose lie awake in the darkened dormitory. Rose stares at the ceiling. Anna eyes “Cassiopeia” on the Marauder’s Map.]
Rose: Hey, Anna?
Anna: What?
Rose: When we were talking about Snape. One question came to my mind. Do you think Voldemort was a virgin?
"Why would that come up in your mind?!" Cried Lily.
Anna: Seriously Rose-
Rose: I was just wondering- [Anna sets the Map aside. We hold. Cassiopeia and Theo's dot moves down the 7th Floor corridor... and disappears.]
Anna: (sights) In the Chamber of Secrets, the memory had him in 5th year... (pauses) yeah, he wasn't a virgin.
Lavander: Imagine being the lass to do the frick-frack with ol' Dark Lord Voldy.
"Frick-Frack." Snickered Sirius.
Parvati: The Gryffindor girl's dorm; the place where we can talk about sex with the Dark Lord but not say the word sex.
[Lavander throws pillow at Parvati.]
People chuckle.
Rose: (after pause) Doing the Do with You Know Who.
Anna: He Who Must Not Be Laid. [Everyone bursts out laughing.]
Everyone laughs at this one. Regulus desperatly tries to hide it, but can't hold back his laugh.
Slughorn: (V.O.) A toast!
SLUGHORN’S OFFICE - NIGHT
[Slughorn stands at the head of a table, goblet raised to the students seated before him, which in addition to Anna and Rose include Marcus Belby, Blair Zabini, Neville Longbottom and the twins. A distinctive crystal hourglass sits in the center of the table.]
Slughorn: To Hogwarts’ best and brightest!
Cormac: Here, here! [The twins make -- and drink -- their toast in perfect unison. Neville stares hopelessly at the vast array of forks, knives and spoons placed beside his plate.]
Neville: Which one do I use for the soup?
"Aren't you poorblood's taugh all that?" Snickered Lily.
"Not everyone. Some of us." Said Sirius.
[Anna grins, looks up, and gets a wink from Cormac. Anna looks to check Professor isn't looking and shows Cormac middle finger. Cormac glares at her.]
"That's my girl!" Said James, Barty and Sirius prously. Than James turned to glare at Barty.
"Don't start again!" Said annoyed Lily.
[Later]
Slughorn: So tell me, Cormac. See much
of your Uncle Tiberius these days?
Cormac: Yes, sir. In fact, I’m meant to
go hunting with him and the Minister for Magic over holiday.
Slughorn: Well, be sure to give them both my best. What about your uncle, Belby? Working on anything new? (to the others) For those of you who don’t know, Marcus’ uncle invented the Wolfsbane Potion. [As he speaks, Belby never once looks up from his plate.]
Marcus Belby: Dunno. He and me dad don’t get on. Probably because Dad thinks potions are rubbish. Says the only potion worth having is a stiff one at the end of the -- day.

Which is your favourite relationship? (Both Platonic and romantic counts) ⬇️