- Eternal Curse -

0.2 Chapter Thirty Two

Thirty Two

The snow began to fall approaching the chilly start of December and the studies for the upcoming O.W.L.S seemed unbearable when it had barely just begun. December 7th was the day students took the train home to see their loved ones for Christmas and the excitement of getting a well-earned rest for a few weeks had put Annie in a very miserable mood, seeing she was the only one out of her friends staying at Hogwarts. Even Sirius was going home, although rather reluctantly.

It was either Hogwarts - where she was safe and well kept - or going back to the worn-down townhouse, to face whatever her father felt a necessary punishment just for breathing. Staying at Hogwarts would certainly reduce the unwanted abuse and freezing, restless nights of no heating apart from the grimy fireplaces and one sputtering radiator.

Sitting in a common room armchair that evening, with George resting peacefully on her lap, she begrudgingly listened to what her friends did with their families at Christmas.

"So my Mum would go and buy us special pyjamas to wear on Christmas Eve and open our presents in on Christmas Day, I hope I could do that with my kids one day." Marie nodded her head with a nostalgic smile, rolling up her parchment and keeping it from unravelling with a thin, gold ribbon. Annie looked out the window, watching the occasional tree branch quiver out on the grounds under the moonlight.

"Are you alright sweetie?" Lynn asked, reaching out a caring hand on her shoulder. Annie faltered, turning back to her friends.

"Of course, yeah. I'm just going to miss you, that's all. I'll be here by myself for the third year in a row. It gets lonely without you around." She admitted. The two girls shuffled apart on the sofa, patting the spot in between them, indicating for Annie to join them. Annie grinned, picking up George and placing him on the floor and plopping down in between them, snuggling in close, the feeling of their embrace soothing, bringing her down to earth.

"Why don't you just stay with one of us for Christmas?"

"But Professor McGonagall already took the permission slips, there's no way to get me on that train. Even if they let me submit a permission slip now, I don't want my dad knowing I've come home." She sighed, collapsing onto Lynn's shoulder.

"Well, your very good friends would never say such a thing as sneaking onto a train as impossible, now would they?" Marie looked with a big grin and Annie knew instantly who it was she had in mind.

~~~

"So what you're saying is you want to use the invisibility cloak to help smuggle you on the train this afternoon?" James asked as the pair were walking through the school together that next morning.

"Are you sure this is okay? I know this is short notice but..." They'd stopped in the hallway and James had a hand on her upper arm, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Anything for you my 'deer', don't sweat it, it's in here." James dug his hand deep into his cloak pocket, revealing the neatly folded cloak that shimmered under the morning sun, showing off its gorgeous violet and green hues that always left Annie mesmerised.

"Now don't let this go to your head but you're the best Prongsie, I'll see you on the train." She threw her arms around him in a brief hug before heading back down the corridor to pack her things, a tight first clutching onto the cloak. He yelled after her, looking longingly at his prized possession.

"Guard it with your life, Annie, I'm not afraid to punch a woman!" But she was already gone around the corner, making her way back. Walking at a speedy pace, she was so focused on getting to her dorm room that she forgot other people would likely be in her way. With a thud, she smacked straight into a boy with slick, black hair. He let out a grunt and rubbed his collarbone. She looked up at him and was taken aback by what she was seeing in the slight haze she was in. He looked just like Sirius apart from the few details here and there, like his eyes and mouth shape.