The Flower and the Badger

Chapter 7

Anna awoke the next morning feeling a certain sense of relief. She knew now what had actually happened in that village on that fateful day. She still had a big job ahead of her though. She knew that Merlin had hidden his account in a secret chamber in the school, but he hadn't told her where, or even how to get into said chamber. Still, it was easier now that she knew for one hundred percent that Adriana was innocent. A part of her was mad at Merlin though. She got that he had loved Arthur, but that didn't mean he had to go and frame someone else for it. She sighed as she got dressed.
"Morning Anna!" Fred chirped as she sat down in the Great Hall for breakfast. "Ready for your exciting day of helping Lockhart?"
Anna groaned in dismay. "I had forgotten all about that." She took a bite of her scrambled eggs, wondering what Lockhart was going to have her help with, and whether or not it would have her end up in the hospital. She didn't trust him one little bit. At least he was better than their last DADA teacher. Anna was pretty sure that Lockhart didn't have Voldemort living in the back of his head.
"Did you ever talk to Ginny last night?" George asked and Anna nodded. "Yeah, I did. She's okay, there's nothing to worry about."
Anna had been late to breakfast so she had to hurry up and eat so that she wouldn't be late for Transfiguration. She quickly ate before grabbing her back and rushing to the Transfiguration classroom, making it with just seconds to spare. McGonagall raised an eyebrow but thankfully she didn't say anything. That day's lesson was on Animagi, and what they were. Anna took notes of everything that McGonagall said. Being an Animagus sounded interesting. Well, besides the fact that each Animagus had to register with the Ministry.
"An Animagus can only take the form of one specific creature." McGonagall said. "That animal usually is decided based on the person's personality and inner traits. A person's Animagus may look similar to their Patronus, which most of you will be learning about in Defense Against the Dark Arts later this semester."
Anna pouted a little bit. She wouldn't get to learn about Patronuses until next year. But if Lockhart were still their professor next year, Godric only knew how that would go. The bell rang, and Anna gathered her things together. She had DADA next, and she walked to class as slowly as possible, dreading what was to come.

It turned out that Anna had been right to dread it. Lockhart gave her a glass cage that contained a snake and had her walk up and down the rows of desks so that everyone could see them. "This a rare type of snake, found only in certain places in Africa. While its bite isn't fatal, it does contain a hallucinogen that will make your deepest and darkest fears come to life."
"So it's kind of like a boggart then." Hermione spoke, and Lockhart nodded. "Yes, I suppose you could say that, Miss Granger. But the boggart changes its form into your fear, and the venom of this snake makes it seem like your fear is actually happening."
Pansy smirked as Anna was walking by, and she stuck out her foot, tripping Anna. "Oops." She giggled. Anna went tumbling to the floor, and cage went flying. The glass broke, and students started to scream as the snake slithered along on the ground. Lockhart shrieked and he jumped up on his desk. Anna was still laying on the ground. She had little cuts on her arms from the broken glass, and her eyes widened as the snake came up to her.
"Don't move!" Hermione hissed. Anna was so frozen with fear that she couldn't move even if she wanted to. The snake raised its head, its beady black eyes staring at Anna. A split second later the snake lunged forward, sinking its fangs into Anna's wrist. Anna screamed as she felt the venom coursing through her blood. The snake slithered out the door as Harry kneeled next to Anna, but it wasn't Harry that she saw. At least not the Harry that she knew. This Harry was smirking at her. "You're such a klutz. But honestly, I'm not all that surprised. You always have been a bumbling fool." He started to laugh coldly. "That's why our Aunt and Uncle always beat you, you know, because you can never do anything right. If Mum and Dad were here, they would be so ashamed of you."
"No..." Anna whimpered quietly, and Harry started to laugh. "Aw, are you gonna go and cry now like the little baby you are?"
"NO!!" Anna stood up and she ran out of the classroom. Someone grabbed her and she struggled against them with a strength that she didn't even know she had. She escaped their grip and started running again, but she saw Harry yet again. He had his wand out, pointed right at her. "Everyone would be so much better off without you."
"Harry..." Anna whispered, her voice laced with fear. "Harry please..."
"Harry please," Harry mimicked, mocking her voice. "God you really are pathetic aren't you? Everyone's probably going to thank me. Crucio!"
Anna screamed and she fell to the floor, writhing all around for a few moments before everything went black.