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HP Chapter 30: Conversations
🕑 Added 2025-08-09 15:00:06 +0000 UTCAs soon as History of Magic ended, Anne did what she always did, grabbed Fanny and dashed to the Great Hall for lunch. She didn’t notice how the Gryffindors in class had all carefully avoided the Slytherins.
At the Gryffindor table, the students were abuzz discussing what Professor Binns had said during class. The Slytherin table wasn’t much different, except that Draco Malfoy was loudly boasting about how wise Salazar Slytherin's ideals were, insisting all Muggle-borns and foolish students should be expelled from Hogwarts.
Fanny glanced cautiously along the length of the Slytherin table and asked in a low voice, “Anne, do you think the Heir of Slytherin is really in our house? Who do you think it could be? Could it be Malfoy?”
“Fanny, didn’t Professor Binns say it was just a myth? You still believe in that?” Of course Anne couldn’t tell her the truth.
“But loads of people saw it the other day, The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware! It was written on the wall! And now, after what Binns said in class...” Fanny pressed.
Anne grabbed a slice of bread. “It could’ve just been someone pulling a prank after reading about it somewhere.”
“But what about Mrs. Norris? She was petrified! Dumbledore said it had to be some very powerful dark magic.” Fanny wasn’t giving up.
As Anne buttered her bread, she motioned subtly toward Malfoy. “Then why don’t you go ask him about it tonight?”
Fanny turned to glance at Malfoy, lowering her voice even more. “Anne, if he really is the Heir, do you think he’d actually tell us?”
Anne picked up another slice of bread to make a sandwich. “Probably not…”
Fanny’s eyes sparkled as she leaned in again. “So what do we do? Should we do something, Anne?”
Anne paused mid-bite and sighed. “Fanny, you really should’ve been sorted into Gryffindor…”
Fanny tilted her head thoughtfully. “Really? I do like Gryffindor… but both my parents were Slytherins! Come on, Anne, just tell me, are you planning something?”
Looking at her seriously, Anne replied, “I’m not. I mean it. From a logical standpoint, this is a bad idea. The best course of action is to do nothing. Besides, most of my time’s spent in the greenhouses, you know how much Professor Sprout relies on me lately.”
“Fine.” Fanny looked a little dejected, then turned to her food and started eating.
That afternoon after Transfiguration, Anne and Fanny returned to the Slytherin common room. Malfoy was at the center of the room, loudly bragging that he’d written to his father and would soon find out who the Heir really was. When he did, he said, he’d help the Heir get rid of Harry and his friends and kick them out of Hogwarts.
Anne sank into an armchair near the fireplace, pulled out a massive Herbology book, and said to Fanny, who had taken the seat across from her, “See? You didn’t even have to ask.”
Fanny glanced at Malfoy doubtfully. “It’s not him? Then who is it?”
Anne just shrugged and started flipping through her book.
The next afternoon, Anne was in Greenhouse One with a fifth-year Hufflepuff named Ralph, collecting the juice of a magical plant under Professor Sprout’s direction.
“Anne! Anne!”
Anne looked up and saw Hermione waving at her from the doorway, with Ron and Harry close behind.
She gave Ralph an apologetic smile, and he nodded understandingly. Anne carefully capped the glass vial in her hand, placed it in a wooden box, removed her dragon-hide gloves, and stepped outside.
“I knew I’d find you here,” Hermione said cheerfully. “You don’t have class this afternoon.”
Anne returned the smile politely, but her heart sank. Definitely bad news. “What’s going on?”
Harry spoke first. “We wanted to ask, do you think Malfoy might be...?”
“The Heir of Slytherin?” Anne cut in, calm as ever. “Well, last night in the common room, he was bragging about how he’d written to his father to find out who the Heir is. Said once he finds out, he’ll team up with them and kick you three out of Hogwarts. But this morning, he got a reply saying his father didn’t know either, and told him not to get involved. Is that all?”
“So Malfoy isn’t the Heir?” Ron frowned, scratching his chin. “But no one else hates Muggle-borns as much as he does…”
Hermione looked thoughtful. “But if he was the Heir, would he really tell anyone?”
Harry turned to Anne. “Anne, maybe we could, ”
“No,” Anne cut him off coldly. “Stop right there. We? No. I am me, and you are you. The daring Gryffindor trio can go hunt for the truth all they want, but don’t drag me into it. For the record, I have no interest in getting involved in any adventure. And besides, I’m a Slytherin.”
She looked at the stunned trio. “Anything else? No? Then I’m heading back in.”
Nobody said a word. Taking their silence as agreement, Anne turned and walked back into the greenhouse.
Hermione stared after her, both disappointed and impressed. “I figured she wouldn’t help us... but this wasn’t a total loss.”
“What loss? She just told us Malfoy might be lying. Oh, and that she’s a proud Slytherin. Guess the Heir wouldn’t target her, huh?” Ron grumbled.
“But she also told us Malfoy has a letter from his dad,” Hermione pointed out. “If Malfoy really is the Heir, that letter could be proof! And Ron, don’t forget she helped cure your slug-vomiting last time…”
“Yeah, but why does she hate working with us so much?” Ron muttered. “That’s the second time she’s called us the ‘daring trio.’”
They started walking back toward the castle.
“Maybe she really doesn’t like adventures,” Harry said, kicking a pebble. “After all, she is a Slytherin... So what now?”
“I’ve already thought of another plan,” Hermione said confidently. “One that doesn’t involve Anne. It might break twenty school rules, but, are you in?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?” Ron replied without hesitation.
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In the library, at a square wooden table meant for four, books on wizarding history were piled high. Anne sat behind the stack, scribbling away at her homework. The seat across from her was empty, except for a neatly placed sheet of parchment, an inkwell, and a quill.
After a while, Fanny arrived with three thick books. She placed them neatly in the top corner of her parchment but didn’t sit. Instead, she walked around the table and quietly pulled out the chair next to Anne.
Noticing the movement, Anne paused and tilted her head slightly. “What’s going on?” she asked softly.
Fanny leaned in like she was about to share a secret. “I just saw Hermione, Ron, and Harry in the Restricted Section! They checked out a book, guess what it was?”
Anne didn’t even look up. Her quill kept moving. “Not interested.”
But Fanny whispered eagerly, “It was Moste Potente Potions! I was behind a bookshelf and saw it clearly. Hermione looked so excited when she got it. But it’s an advanced Potions book, way beyond our year. And you need a professor’s signature to borrow from the Restricted Section! What teacher would approve that for second-years?”
Anne didn’t pause. “Fanny, I’d suggest you forget all about this. Don’t get involved in the Gryffindor trio’s adventures, okay? Remember, you’re a Slytherin. By the way, have you finished Professor Binns’ assignment yet?”
Fanny slumped back with a pout. “Finished ages ago! Unlike you, I don’t spend every day in the greenhouses. Pansy’s always chasing after Malfoy, and the other two girls in our dorm keep saying classes are too hard. Honestly, everything’s so boring. At least at home, I had Langer to play with.”
Anne still didn’t look up. “Maybe you should find something you like doing. Read a book you enjoy. Or something you’d normally do to pass the time at home.”
Fanny thought for a second. “Back home I’d spend a lot of time on etiquette lessons, watch TV, go riding… Hogwarts doesn’t even have TV. And the next Quidditch match isn’t until next weekend. I’m sick of reading…”
Anne sighed while still writing. “You’re right. And there aren’t many Slytherin girls, either. Maybe try making friends from other houses?”
Fanny’s eyes lit up. “Really?” But then it dimmed. “But… right now everyone thinks the Heir is a Slytherin.”
“There must be someone who doesn’t think that,” Anne said calmly. “Why not find them?”
There was a pause, then Fanny’s voice piped up again. “Okay! I’ll let you get back to your homework now!” she said cheerfully. She stood, packed up her parchment and ink, grabbed her books, and trotted off to return them.
Anne glanced up, watching her disappear down the rows. Still a child, she thought. Then again, maybe Hogwarts isn’t the kindest place for kids this age.
She looked down at the parchment in front of her and groaned inwardly. So much homework.
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A/N: I think by now everyone’s figured out who Fanny is planning to befriend next…
