On Monday at lunchtime, Anne had already finished eating and was waiting for Fanny, who was still chewing slowly and savoring each bite. Casually glancing over at the Gryffindor table, Anne noticed something.
"Hermione didn't show up today?" she asked.
Fanny paused, putting down her knife and fork as if recalling something. "At breakfast, I saw her opening a bunch of letters all by herself. It was like she'd arranged it in advance, five or six owls flew straight to her. Then she stormed out of the hall without even touching her food."
"A bunch of owls? A pile of letters? Skipped breakfast?"
"Yes, that's right," Fanny confirmed.
Anne frowned, thinking hard. Something unexpected like this usually had a cause. But what? Who would suddenly send Hermione so many letters? What had she been involved in lately? Then it hit her, The Witch Weekly article.
"Damn! Fanny, take your time. I'm heading to the hospital wing, " she called over her shoulder as she dashed off.
When Anne arrived and pushed open the doors to the hospital wing, it was nearly empty. Madam Pomfrey was carefully wrapping Hermione's hand in gauze. Both of them looked up in surprise.
Straightening up, Anne tried to steady her breath and appear composed, as if she hadn't just sprinted across the castle.
"Good afternoon, Madam Pomfrey. I noticed Hermione wasn't at lunch, and then Fanny mentioned she opened a bunch of letters at breakfast. I figured it had to do with that article, right? What happened?"
That last question was directed at Madam Pomfrey.
"She got splashed with undiluted Bubotuber pus!" the matron said, sounding frustrated. "If what you're saying is true, whoever sent that letter is downright vicious. Even with treatment, it'll take about a week to heal…"
"A week?" Anne looked at Hermione's hand, now thickly wrapped in gauze, with concern.
"Yes, a week," Pomfrey confirmed. "Come back tomorrow afternoon for a dressing change. Now, off you go, get some lunch."
Anne walked with Hermione out of the hospital wing.
"Does it hurt?" she asked gently, glancing at Hermione's bandaged hand.
"It stung at first, but it's much better now," Hermione replied. Still, her heart felt light. She could tell, despite Anne's attempt to appear calm, that she had sprinted all the way from the Great Hall.
"It was that Rita Skeeter article, wasn't it? A bunch of outraged, clueless readers got riled up and sent you hate mail. And I bet some of them were cursed," Anne said angrily.
Hermione nodded.
"You're going to get more tomorrow. Don't even open them, burn them if you can. Honestly, they're just lucky it was Bubotuber pus this time. What if someone had enchanted a letter?" Anne fumed.
Hermione, seeing how upset Anne was, suddenly didn't feel quite so furious at Rita Skeeter anymore. In the hospital wing, she had wanted to hunt the woman down and make her pay, but now, her heart felt warmer.
"They might even send Howlers next," Anne went on seriously. "If that explodes in the Great Hall, it'll be a nightmare. Are you expecting any important mail soon? Like from your parents? Or friends?"
"My parents don't use owls to send letters. I usually write to them," Hermione shook her head.
"As for friends, no one outside school writes to me… though I did just subscribe to the Daily Prophet."
"Good. That helps," Anne said, nodding.
"Anne, what are you planning?" Hermione asked warily.
"Nothing major," Anne replied nonchalantly. "Just asking my uncle to talk to someone in the Department of Magical Transportation to temporarily block your owl mail channel. That way, if a Howler does come, it won't go off in front of the whole school…"
She said it like it was no big deal.
"Alright, don't worry about the mail anymore. Now go eat. You haven't had breakfast or lunch. Aren't you starving?" Anne walked Hermione back to the Great Hall.
Most students had already left, but Fanny was waiting at the door, and Ron and Harry were with her. Fanny had told them Anne had rushed to the hospital wing, and in turn, they had told her what had happened to Hermione that morning.
All three immediately asked how Hermione's hand was.
Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table while Anne surveyed the leftover food. Then she returned to the Slytherin table, picked out a few plates, carefully cut everything into bite-sized pieces, and placed them in front of Hermione.
"Here, easier for you to eat this way," Anne said, checking her watch. "I've got to run. Don't forget to eat. And if your hands aren't cooperating, I'm sure these two gentlemen will be happy to assist you?"
She looked meaningfully at Harry and Ron, who both nodded quickly.
Fanny and Anne left the hall together. Fanny had a dreamy look on her face.
"Why are you looking at me like that? It's weird…" Anne asked.
"I saw potential," Fanny said with a sly smile.
"What potential? About me?" Anne asked, puzzled.
Fanny just shook her head and said no more.
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Easter arrived quickly, and Hogwarts was once again decked out in new decorations. The students had grown used to seeing different uniforms from visiting schools moving through the castle.
One evening in late April, Anne had just said goodbye to Professor Sprout and was making her way back toward the castle. But as she stepped onto the staircase leading to the main entrance, she was suddenly called out.
"Anne! What are you doing here? Did you see Professor Dumbledore? Did you run into anyone?"
Harry's voice was breathless as he rushed toward her.
"No… I didn't see anyone. As for Dumbledore, he's probably in his office?" Anne answered, confused.
Harry suddenly broke into a sprint again, yelling back, "Come on, Anne, this is important!"
"Hey!" Anne had meant to decline, but Harry was already gone.
She stood still for a moment and muttered, "This is such a hassle…" before chasing after him.
They ran all the way to the top of a tower where Dumbledore's office was located. In the empty corridor, a stone gargoyle stood unmoving.
"Ice–ice lemon juice!" Harry panted at it.
The gargoyle remained still, glaring back.
"Wrong password… Harry, do you know any others?" Anne asked between gasps.
Harry shook his head, then suddenly turned and ran back down the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Anne followed, calling out.
"To the staffroom, maybe Dumbledore's there!" Harry shouted back.
Before they could go far, a cold voice echoed in the corridor.
"Reeve! Potter!"
They froze. Snape had just emerged from behind the gargoyle, the hidden staircase closing slowly behind him.
"What are you doing here?"
"I need to see Professor Dumbledore!" Harry said, rushing back toward Snape, with Anne reluctantly following.
Snape ignored Harry and fixed his dark gaze on Anne. "Reeve, I'm very curious why a Slytherin student isn't in her common room, and instead is wandering the castle at night with a Gryffindor troublemaker."
Harry bristled. "I brought Anne! She can help with what I need to tell Dumbledore!"
"I wasn't speaking to you, Potter," Snape said coldly. "I was asking my own student."
"Professor…" Anne jumped in quickly, before Harry could say more. "I ran into Harry on my way back from the greenhouses. He explained a little, it involves Mr. Crouch and the Triwizard Tournament. I thought the Headmaster should know."
She tugged firmly on Harry's robe to quiet him.
Snape looked even colder, but after a pause, he turned to the gargoyle and muttered, "Cockroach Cluster."
It slid aside, revealing the staircase.
"Thank you, Professor," Anne said sincerely. Harry dashed in at once.
Snape gave Anne one last stare, then turned and left.
Moments later, Dumbledore emerged with Harry, who was urgently explaining, "Mr. Crouch is in the forest, he wants to talk to you. He said he's done something terrible. He mentioned his son, Bertha Jorkins… and You-Know-Who. I think… I think he said Voldemort is getting stronger…"
"Is that so?" Dumbledore quickened his pace toward the forest. Anne and Harry had to jog to keep up.
"Something wasn't right with him," Harry continued. "He kept talking like Percy was there, then suddenly insisted on seeing you. I left Viktor Krum to keep watch."
"Anyone else see Mr. Crouch? Did Reeve?" Dumbledore asked.
Anne shook her head quickly.
"She didn't. I just brought her because I thought she might be helpful…" Harry admitted.
Anne finally realized this had nothing to do with her. She shot Harry a glare.
Dumbledore, however, still saw her as useful. "Reeve, you were coming back from the greenhouses, right? Did you pass the edge of the Forbidden Forest? See anything unusual?"
"Hmm… now that you mention it, near the site of the first task, I saw a bunch of birds suddenly take off. But I figured it was just some creature in the forest. Didn't think much of it," she replied.
Dumbledore nodded, and Harry continued, explaining how he and Krum had spoken to Bagman and then ran into Crouch.
"Where are they now?" Dumbledore asked as they neared the forest edge.
"This way," Harry said, leading them through the trees.
"Viktor?" Harry called out.
No answer.
"They were just here," Harry said. "They have to be close…"
"Lumos." Dumbledore lit his wand, and Anne and Harry followed suit, illuminating the clearing.
Anne spotted it first.
"There!" she said, approaching cautiously.
Krum was curled on the ground, dazed. No sign of Mr. Crouch.
"He's unconscious," Dumbledore murmured, examining him. Then he sent a silvery shape flying toward Hagrid's hut and cast a revival spell on Krum.
"He hit me!" Krum gasped. "That madman hit me from behind when I turned to look for Potter!"
"Rest now," Dumbledore said gently.
A moment later, heavy footsteps thundered through the trees, Hagrid arrived, bow in hand, with Fang behind him.
"Dumbledore! Harry! Anne! What?"
"Hagrid, take Anne and Harry back to the castle. Then bring Professor Karkaroff, his student's been attacked. And alert Professor Moody, "
"No need," came Moody's rasping voice as he approached, wand raised.
"Easy there, little Miss Roland," he said to Anne, who had aimed her wand his way. She slowly lowered it, still cautious.
"What's going on? Damn leg, I should've been here sooner. Snape mentioned Crouch, "
"Crouch?" Hagrid echoed, puzzled.
"Hagrid!" Dumbledore cut him off sharply.
"Right, got it, Professor…" Hagrid motioned for the others. "Fang, lead the way. You two follow. I'll bring up the rear."
"But Professor, " Harry protested.
"Harry, I want you in your dormitory tonight. If you want to send owls or write letters, do it in the morning. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Harry said, disappointed.
On the way back, Hagrid got the full story and snapped, "Why were you walking with that Krum? He's from Durmstrang, Harry! Could be trying to poison you! Didn't Moody teach you anything?"
"He's fine!" Harry said as they climbed the stairs. "He just wanted to talk about Hermione, "
"Hermione?" Anne repeated, surprised.
"I should warn her too," Hagrid muttered. "You kids need to stay away from those foreigners. They can't be trusted. Now off to bed!"
As soon as Hagrid turned to leave, Anne asked, "Krum talked to you about Hermione?"
"Yeah. He read Witch Weekly too. Asked what our relationship was. I told him we're just friends! We didn't get to talk more, Crouch showed up."
"I see. Did he ask anything else?"
Harry shook his head. "No. He looked pretty intense at first…"
"Got it. Time for bed. Night." Anne waved and headed up to her dormitory.
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