Flint's sister

Chapter 9

Anna's POV

It's Saturday morning, day of the first Hogsmeade trip this year. My dad refused to sign my permission slip and I know Harry's Aunt and Uncle didn't sign his either. I can hear the other girls clattering around the room getting ready to go to the carriages.
"Anna? Are you going to get up?" Hermione asks sitting on the side of my bed and shaking my side.
"I guess" I say sleepily rubbing my eyes.

She smiles with satisfaction and grabs my hands pulling me out of my bed so I am not tempted to stay there. I immediately go to the bathroom and lock the door and get in the shower to wake myself up. I get out and dry, moisturise and pull on my fluffy robe. I dry my hair and brush it through. I get changed into some winter clothes as its really cold.

 I run into the dorms and grab my unsigned letter before running down the stairs, almost falling at the bottom. Ron catches me, surprisingly.
"Where are you going that fast woman?" he asks me chuckling as he sets me down.
"I was running to make sure you guys hadn't left me!" I tell him seeing Hermione comforting Harry over not being able to go to Hogsmeade.

"Well, I won't lie, I thought about it. But lucky for you, Hermione made me wait. Did you manage to get that signed?" Ron says nodding towards my letter and he shoves his hands into his pockets and our little group walks down the corridors and moving staircases towards the courtyard.
"Nope. Looks like you will have company today after all Harry" I say downheartedly, turning around and walking backwards, flashing Harry an smile. 
"I have to try one last time to get McGonagall to sign my letter. You should too" he says pushing my shoulder lightly turning me around.

"All those with your letters signed follow me" Filch, the school caretaker shouts in his croaky voice.
"And remember! You are representing your school in Hogsmeade. There is to be no troublemaking! Professor McGonagall says from the steps, a stern look on her face.
"Professor! Harry shouts grabbing my hand and pulling me over to her.
"No Potter, Flint" he says trying to dismiss us. 
"But professor, surely you can sign our letters for us?" Harry pleads. 

"I'm sorry but these permission slips can only be signed by a parent or guardian, and seeing as I am neither, that would be inappropriate. I'm sorry Miss Flint, Mr Potter, but that is my final word" he says patting our shoulders and walking back inside. We turn around and shake our heads at Hermione and Ron, letting them know we can't come. They give us sympathetic smiles before rushing off, not wanting to miss the carriages. I lean into Harry's shoulder and he wraps an arm around me.
"I'll find a way to get us there" he whispers.

"Ah Mr Potter! And Miss Flint, how lovely to see you both. However, shouldn't you both be at Hogsmeade?" Professor Lupin enquires when he see us roaming the empty hallways aimlessly. "We didn't get our letters signed sir" I tell him, giving him a sad smile.
"Well! You must both join me for tea in half an hour!" he tells us. 
"Of course sir" Harry says smiling.
"Alright then" he says before walking off. 
"I think we have time for a quick game of exploding snap?" I tell Harry as we laugh, running off to the common room.

I knock three times on Professor Lupin's office door and hear a faint, 
"Come in!" from inside. I open the door and see three steaming mugs of tea and a plate of chocolate biscuits on the desk.
"Come in Harry, Annabeth" Lupin says. We come in and settle into ours seats.
"If you don't mind sir, I like everybody to call me Anna" I say nervous, not wanting him to think I am being fussy.
"Of course I don't mind dear. Now, I wanted to talk to you about your boggarts" he says taking a sip of his tea. He doesn't look very well today. He seems pale and a bit slower than normal. He also looks very tired.
 "Oh" Harry and I say in unison, turning to look at each other and giving each other a small smile.

"If you don't mind my asking Anna, who was that man your boggart became?" he asks clasping his hands together in front of him. For somebody so calm, he seemed very on edge.
"Oh um... I don't really want to discuss that" I say knowing what my dad would do if he found out I spilled my secret to the teachers.
"As long as you know that your teachers, friends and myself are all here for you. If you ever do need something though, I am always happy to help" he tells me offering me a small chocolate bar.
"Here, keep your spirits up. And for you Harry" he says. 
"Thanks sir" Harry says.
"Yes, thank you" I say trying to be polite, having not liked all the attention on me.

"And Harry, I was positive that your boggart would become Lord Voldemort?" he says turning towards Harry. 
"Well-" Harry begins as there is a sharp rap on the door. 
"Come in" Lupin shouts, merry as ever. In strides Professor Snape, a scowl set on his face. 
"Your potion Lupin" he says setting down a vial filled with clear liquid on the desk. He was not being very subtle as he gave Harry and I the side eye. 
"Thank you Professor" he says before Snape rushes out of the room. Lupin takes the cork out of the bottle and down the entire potion. I notice Harry's eyes go wide beside me but we stay quiet. "Continue Harry" he says listening to Harry talk about the night on the train and the dementors coming after him.

A few hours later Harry and I left the office and went and sat in the common room by the fire. 
"I can't believe Lupin drank Snape's potion. He could have poisoned him" Harry says turning to me. I giggle. 
"And why would he do that? What is so bad about Snape Harry?" I ask him. He doesn't have the chance to answer me as the portrait hole opens and in pours everybody who has been to Hogsmeade.

 Ron and Hermione have a red tint to their cheeks due to the cold and run over to us. "Hogsmeade was so cool!" Ron says throwing himself on the sofa next to Harry.
"Budge up" Hermione says so she can share the armchair with me. I roll my eyes playfully and move over, giving us enough room to curl up in the chair together.
"Did you have a nice time?" I ask them, not really wanting to know what I missed out on.

"It was bloody brilliant, there are so many shops, and Zonko's Joke Shop was so cool, The Three Broomsticks has the nicest Butterbeer. Next time we are off to see The Shrieking Shack. Did you know it's-" Ron says excitedly before being cut off by Harry who says,
"the most haunted building in Britain, yeah, we know". Ron casts his eyes to the ground. 
"Sorry guys" he says guiltily.
"It's fine, you were just excited" I tell him giving him a small smile. I don't want there to be any tension. 

"So, what did you guys get up to?" Hermione asks levitating a blanket over to cover me and her. "We had a nice cup of tea and some biscuits with Professor Lupin this afternoon" I tell her. 
"Oh I'm sure that was nice!" she comments.
"Can we go to dinner now?" Ron asks. I swear that boy is always thinking about food. I see out of the corner of my eye the Flint Family owl land on the windowsill, holding a letter in its beak.
"I'll be down in a bit" I reassure them before heading over to the owl and collecting my letter, making sure the trio are gone before I open it.