The Halloween feast transformed the Great Hall into a shimmering spectacle. Hundreds of floating pumpkins lit the air, bats flapped lazily near the enchanted ceiling, and flaming orange streamers twirled like glittering serpents overhead.
Each house table was piled high with lavish food, the variety richer than usual. Clearly, the house-elves had discovered a new cookbook. Though Anne and Fanny had stuffed themselves during their Hogsmeade trip, they still sampled every new dish at the feast.
By the time the feast wound down, Anne and Fanny, along with the rest of Slytherin House, headed toward their dormitory beneath the lake.
"Today was so much fun! I didn't expect Hogsmeade to be like that!" Fanny said cheerfully.
Anne hung her bag on a chair, pulled out a small glass vial, and tucked it into her robe pocket. "It really was. I'm completely stuffed."
Suddenly, a voice shouted from outside the dormitory door: "Everyone out! All students must report to the Great Hall immediately, on Professor Dumbledore's orders!"
Fanny looked at Anne in confusion, and Anne shook her head to show she had no idea what was going on. "What happened?" Fanny called out into the hallway.
"We don't know... but come on, we'd better go!" Doors all along the corridor opened as students poured out, murmuring curiously.
Ten minutes later, all four Houses had assembled in the Great Hall. The teachers stood at the front. Professor Dumbledore addressed the students:
"The staff and I will be conducting a full search of the castle," he said. Just then, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick sealed the hall doors. "For your own safety, you will remain here overnight. Prefects will stand guard at the entrances, and the Head Boy and Girl will oversee everything inside. If anything unusual occurs, report to me at once."
He turned to leave, then paused. "Oh yes, you'll be needing these."
With a wave of his wand, the house tables floated to the sides of the room. Another flick, and hundreds of purple sleeping bags rolled out across the floor.
"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, shutting the door behind him. At once, excited whispers filled the air. The Gryffindors began sharing what they had just witnessed.
"Anne, let's go over there," Fanny said, pulling two sleeping bags toward a corner where the trio was waving at them.
As soon as they joined them, Hermione said urgently, "Black was here!"
"Yes! He was in the castle. The Fat Lady's portrait was attacked!" Ron added.
"Oh my gosh," Fanny gasped, drawing stares. She quickly covered her mouth and whispered, "You mean that Black? The wanted criminal who escaped from Azkaban? He actually got into the castle?"
"Yes," said Harry. "The Fat Lady saw him. When he couldn't give the Gryffindor password, he slashed her portrait."
"Good thing he chose tonight. None of us were in the tower," Hermione said as they all crawled into their sleeping bags. Anne lay flat on her back while the others propped themselves up on their elbows, still chatting.
"But how did he get in?" Fanny asked. It was the question on everyone's mind.
"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," a Ravenclaw nearby suggested. "Just appear out of thin air."
"Or maybe he used a disguise!" said Harry.
"What if he flew in?" Ron added.
Hermione huffed. "Am I the only one here who's actually read Hogwarts: A History?"
"You're not," Fanny replied. "Anne's read that massive book too."
Hermione turned expectantly toward Anne, who was staring up at the enchanted ceiling.
"The castle is protected by all sorts of magic. You can't just Apparate in. Disguises wouldn't fool the Dementors either," Anne said calmly.
"What about flying in?" Ron asked.
"Seriously?" Fanny gave him a skeptical look. "That's the least believable one yet."
"Lights out!" Percy bellowed. "Everyone in your sleeping bags, and no more talking!"
All the candles went out at once. Only the silvery glow of the castle ghosts remained, drifting silently among the prefects. The enchanted ceiling twinkled like the starry night sky.
"So how did he get in?" Harry whispered again.
"No idea..." Fanny murmured.
"Do you think Professor Dumbledore knows?" Ron asked. Silence followed.
"Try to get some sleep," Anne said quietly, pulling the glass vial from her pocket. She uncorked it, drank the contents, and slipped the empty vial back into her robe.
"What was that, Anne?" Hermione asked.
"Something to help me sleep," Anne answered. She smacked her lips lightly. "Tastes surprisingly good… Now come on, we should sleep. Staying up too late stunts your growth."
"You sleep, Anne. We're going to talk a bit more about Black," Fanny said.
"Alright," Anne replied, rolling onto her side. She was asleep moments later.
Once they were sure she was out, Hermione asked softly, "Fanny, what was she drinking?"
"Calming Draught. From Madam Pomfrey. It helps her sleep dreamlessly. She's been getting better, but she still takes it sometimes."
Harry and Hermione both glanced toward Anne's sleeping bag, their expressions full of concern.
The next day, a new rumor swept through the school, Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban after hearing that Harry Potter was at Hogwarts. His goal: to kill Harry.
Over the next few days, Black was all anyone could talk about. Theories about how he got into the castle became wilder with every retelling. Harry was constantly shadowed. Percy stuck to him like glue, and teachers invented excuses to walk with him everywhere.
During lunch, Fanny was flipping through a Daily Prophet when a commotion stirred near the entrance. She looked up to see Harry entering at the front of a long line, followed by Ron, Hermione, Percy, Fred, and George.
"Poor Harry," Fanny sighed. "Anne, he has a whole entourage following him now. That must be awful."
Anne paused mid-cut with her knife and glanced at the Gryffindor table before returning to her food. "I wouldn't call it 'poor,' but it is annoying."
As the group sat down, Fanny turned back to Anne with enthusiasm. "Hey, there's a Quidditch match this Saturday, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor! Want to go watch?"
Before Anne could respond, Draco Malfoy's lazy drawl interrupted from behind. "It's not Slytherin versus Gryffindor. It's Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor."
They turned to see Malfoy, arm still in a sling, chin lifted, flanked by Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy.
"But I saw the notice! The first match of the season was supposed to be us against Gryffindor," Fanny protested.
Pansy plopped down beside them. "Malfoy's arm hasn't healed yet, and our team couldn't find a decent Seeker to replace him…" Her voice took on a smug tone at the mention of "Seeker."
Fanny sneered at Malfoy. "That arm's been 'injured' for almost two months. Who believes that?"
"Pansy does," Anne said with a straight face.
"Besides her," Fanny muttered.
Anne smirked and said nothing more.
That evening in the Slytherin common room, Fanny brought it up again. "Anne! I found out Hufflepuff has a new captain and Seeker!"
"Who?"
"Cedric Diggory! Fifth year. Tall, handsome, and charming, we talked about him after that one banquet, remember? Millicent even pointed him out to you."
Two other girls nearby gasped.
"Really? It's him?!"
"I have to see that match!"
Fanny turned to Anne expectantly.
"Oh, him. I see him all the time in Professor Sprout's greenhouse," Anne replied nonchalantly.
"You do? I'm going to hang around the greenhouse too…"
Ignoring the others, Fanny asked, "So, Anne?"
"Not going," Anne said firmly. After the Boggart incident, she suspected the Dementors would affect her the same way. Her notebook had mentioned that Dementors appeared during one of Harry's third-year matches. She wasn't about to take that risk.
Fanny's face fell. "Okay…"
The next day, Fanny and Anne were preparing for Defense Against the Dark Arts when Fanny noticed something. "Why is our Head of House teaching today?"
Anne flipped to the last lesson's page. "Maybe Professor Lupin's sick."
"That seems likely," Fanny replied as the bell rang.
"Where's Harry?" Fanny whispered, looking around. Hermione and Ron were scanning the room too.
Anne glanced at the empty spot in Gryffindor's row and quietly scribbled a note on her parchment: He's definitely in trouble this period.
Ten minutes later, the door burst open. "Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin, I, "
"Class started ten minutes ago, Potter. I'll be docking ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down," Snape said coldly.
Harry didn't move. "Where's Professor Lupin?"
"He said he was too ill to teach today. I believe I already told you to sit."
Harry didn't budge. "Is he okay?"
Anne noticed a glint of cold fury in Snape's black eyes.
"No danger to his life," Snape said icily. "Another five points from Gryffindor. And if I have to tell you again, I'll make it fifty."
Harry sat down, glaring.
"As I was saying before I was interrupted, Professor Lupin left no notes on your progress, "
"Sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows," Hermione said quickly. "We were just about to, "
"Silence," Snape snapped. "I didn't ask you. I'm merely commenting on Lupin's disorganized teaching."
"He's the best DADA teacher we've ever had," Dean Thomas said boldly. Other Gryffindors murmured their agreement.
Anne glanced at Snape. His expression grew even colder. Gryffindors really are fearless, she thought.
"You're easily impressed. Lupin barely challenged you. I expect first-years could handle Red Caps and Grindylows. Today, we'll discuss, "
Snape flipped rapidly through the textbook to the final chapter. "Werewolves."
"But sir," Hermione said, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet. We were going to start hinkypunks, "
"Miss Granger," Snape said in a deadly calm voice, "I believe I'm the one teaching this class. Page 394. Now."
All the Slytherins flipped obediently to page 394. The Gryffindors exchanged frustrated looks but opened their books.
"Can anyone tell me how to distinguish a werewolf from a real wolf?"
Silence. Except for Hermione's hand, raised straight in the air. Fanny nudged Anne, motioning toward the Gryffindor side.
Anne sighed, then slowly raised her hand.
"Reeve," Snape said, turning to Slytherin. "Go ahead."
"There are several differences between werewolves and actual wolves. For example, the muzzle shape is, "
"Tsk. Same year, yet only Slytherin can answer. Ten points to Slytherin," Snape said smugly.
Anne rubbed her temple. Of course he was still angry and looking for any excuse to punish Gryffindor.
Sure enough, Gryffindors erupted.
"You saw Hermione's hand!" Ron shouted. "You just ignored her!"
Anne looked up just as Snape gave a cruel smile. "Detention, Weasley. And another ten points from Gryffindor."
Snape ignored the glares from the Gryffindors and strolled back to the front.
No one dared speak again. Gryffindors sat fuming while Slytherins quietly took notes about werewolves. Snape prowled the aisles, critiquing Lupin's lesson plans.
"Poor explanation… This isn't accurate, Kappas are more common in Mongolia… Lupin gave it an eight out of ten? I'd say three at best… Well done, Malfoy, five points to Slytherin."
Finally, the bell rang. But Snape wasn't done.
"You'll each write an essay on identifying and killing werewolves. Two scrolls of parchment. Due Monday. It's time someone brought order to this class."
As the students filed out, Gryffindors shot Anne with angry looks, as if she had cost them twenty-five points.
Anne remained at her desk, unfazed. Fanny looked miserable.
"Anne, I'm so sorry..."
Anne slid her book into her bag and said gently, "It's alright. I know you meant well. They just don't know Snape like we do. But hey, it worked. If I hadn't answered, he'd have given someone detention for sure. Next time, maybe let's think before rushing to help. Come on, let's go eat."
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