A Lot Going On (Parker and Anne)

Parker, feeling far to restless to actually get any work done, had been wandering though the castle, going down corridor after corridor, into room after room. As he made his way around he smiled to himself a little. He often heard the older prefects complaining about their duties, walking around after hours, checking through all the room. He he ever managed to get the position, he certainly wouldn't mind it. He loved wandering the corridors almost as much as walking the grounds.

He had found himself back at the first floor, coming upon the trophy room. He walked along the walls and by the countless number of trophies stacked and lines up in shelves along the wall. He saw his reflection in every one of them. He frowned and sighed, becoming lost in thought.

Anne walked into the trophy room, she was wondering the castle. She knew she shouldn'r but she did anyway. She still had alot on her mind. Damien had yet to get the cream or potion or whatever it was from Master Prewett, she was stuck with the stupid scar on her arm. It was still very bright. She knew she most likely still had bruses having not seen her reflection sice that night. She wanted them to heal without magic, this was her punishment for her stupidity. They didn't hurt but they were a reminder.

Anne saw parker and remembering that he scared easily she cleared her throat. "Hey Parker, sorry I've been so busy." She said to her first friend. She missed im but she felt guilty that she had given the boy his name. He could go after him, she didn't want that.

Parker hadn't heard Anne enter the Trophy room, his thoughts drifting about all the things he needed to get done. Assignment, gifts, he still needed to talk with Pxyis, check up on Anne, and somehow find that Ravenclaw he'd talked to in the library. He felt like he just has so much to do.

He turned around when he heard someone clear their throat and he saw that it was Anne. His expression dropped though, seeing the state Anna was still in. He could still see faint bruises, marring her skin. He felt his throat tighten at the unfairness of it all, first her parents and then a random attack??

"Oh, Anne-" he took in a breath, hopeful that maybe they'd get a chance to talk over what had been going on with her. Since that morning at the great hall he'd been worried sick, even though she said she'd gone and talked to someone about what had happened, he didn't think any part of it could have been any less than impossible to deal with. He knew he would continue to worry, and he felt sick just thinking about it. In his mind he didn't even know how to sort out how to begin to talk with her.

She smiled slightly at Parker she was getting back to herself, Slowly. She missed him, and his friendship. She felt bad about how she was lured into the shack. She was so stupid.

"Hi Parker how are you?" She asked, wondering what he was thinking. She saw her reflection in the caes, and sighed slightly. She still had faint bruses. She looked at Parker insted.

"You want to talk about how I'm doing don't you." she said reading his expresstion. She didn't want to, but if she did it might ease her guilt. So she sat on the floor not really careing about the state of her clothes. She turned back to Parker and said, "Ask whatever you'd like." In a very open tone.

Parker tried to faintly return her small smile. She seemed to be holding up extraordinarily well. He knew he'd not be able to handle things as well as she did if he were ever in her sort of position. He didn't have a clue what he would do. His petty little problems seemed enough to knock him off balance. Maybe Gryffindors just had that strength and will to them he knew he certainly lacked; it was certainly admirable.

He nodded, watching as she glanced at her reflection. He noticed how quickly she turned away and frowned. "I'm fine I suppose..." he trailed off, his eyes drawing down.

He shuffled his feet a bit and looked back at her when she said she could tell that he wanted to talk. Her perceptibility was still a bit odd to him, but he chalked it up to her seer abilities. Though he had been told before that he was very easy to read, so maybe she could just tell. He sighed and sat beside her, leaning back against the stable glass cases, looking at the other side of the room. He spoke quietly. "Why haven't you finished getting healed up by Professor Henley...?" he asked cautiously.

Anne looked at Parker and sighed slightly. She knew she would have to tell him about it, but she had to be careful of what she said, she didn't need to scare him.

"Well you need to understand a couple of things before I tell you. One they don't hurt at all, Professor Henley got rid of all the pain, well most of it." she said nothing could get rid of the pain she felt when she re-lived it all.

"Another thing you need to understand is that I should not have gone to the shack. I was very stupid. He lured me by using y..someones name." She said she had almost said yours. That would have been bad, she knew he would feel bad if she did.

"I kept the bruses as a reminder to not be as stupid. They don't hurt or they would be gone. I plan on getting rid of this" she guestured to her arm keeping the scar hidden knowing it bothered him. "As soon as possiable, but it's dark magic so it's not easy." She told him, sighing wondering if Damien would be able to get rid of it at all.

"Bruised still hurt. She could have healed them up right away..." he said, his voice still soft. He carefully reached over to lightly press on a still visible bruise. He felt himself sigh again.

His brows furrowed, he brought his knees up, wrapping his arms around his legs as he listened. "Tricked? Anne there's no way you could have known. That wasn't your fault..." So it wasn't some random attack. She was targeted by someone. He bit the inside of his cheek.

"That wasn't stupid- you were tricked, Anne. You've got to understand that." He said imploringly, looking at her and glanced toward her arm when she motioned. He felt a chill go down his spine. "I really hope you can...it's such a terrible thing and it's hard to believe there are people out there so cruel..." Parker bit his lip, thinking of the cruel things that had been said about his blood status, and his getting into Slytherin. Unkind words and a few shoves, he didn't think it went much further then that disdain. But there seemed to be real hatred and disgust out there and it was frightening to know that it happen so close to one of his friends.

He almost felt a little angry with himself. For not being able to do anything in order to prevent what happened.

She looked at Parker, she did know because it was his name. She remebered the day in Germany she had screamed for her mother, her father, for Damien and for Parker. She had screamed for help. She had payed for that. She had payed for her moment of weakness. She would not let anything happen to them though. She didn't care what happened to her, she would protect her friends.

She closed her eyes for a moment. "Parker, I know why he did this." She said wondering if he was going to ask. She knew he would react but she needed him to stay calm.

Anne remembered that Parker was muggle born as well. She grabbed his hand, and looked straght in his eyes "I wont let anything happen to you. I don't care what happens. He will no hurt my friends." She said clearly. She was not scared of him, she was strong. Anne would not let others get hurt thats why she had left her new family. She would protect people.

"Parker I knew who he singed the letter from and they would not go in the shack. I was very stupid to go there." She said having relised his hand but continued to look him in the eye.

Parker's expression turned more worried. "What do you mean? I thought you said yo- did you see something? A-a vision??" He spoke quickly, too anxiously, hoping she'd know enough to be able to get this guy for what he did. Parker took a breath to try to keep his anxiety down, him being stressed out, certainly did nothing to help keep her from stressing out.

When she took his hand, he gripped back. He glanced down and then back up to her. "Do-do you really think he would come after other people...? Like he did to you? I- something like this shouldn't have happened in the first place, and it should never, never happen again-"

"So...he-he sent you a letter from someone else telling you to meet him? Anne, even if that's the case, no one would ever think that if could be some trick-...You...you are not stupid. You're a...a victim. It's not your fault." He moved his hand back onto his knee, looking down again.

Anne sighed she had seen him in real life and in vision. His family was the reason for most of her pain. She hated them with all her heart.

"I saw him in my vision, and I've seen him in real life." She said slowly weighing her words. She didn't want to overwhelm him.

She looked at him rlizeing she had scared him slightly. "No Parker I don't but I want you to know that if he did, I would protect you and everyone I can" She was almost too noble for her own good.

She looked at the floor, "I know its not my fault. I was a victim but I wished I didn't fall for it." She was fillled with regret more than anything. She really should have been smarter.

"Well, of course you've seen him in person. But- but what did you find out? Why did he target you?" If she knew something, why hadn't she brought it up sooner?

Parker closed his eyes, shaking his head. He opened them again, looking at her. "No, Anne. You can't do everything. The headmistress and the teachers are the one's that need to figure this out. Not us. We're just kids- And...and who knows what would happen if you came across him again."

He frowned, not knowing how to help comfort her...or maybe he needed to comfort himself a little. He draped his arm over her shoulders. "Well it's the past now, okay? All you can do now is cope, move on, alright?"

Ane looked at Parker he didn't quite understand she wasn't sure if she wanted to correct him right now. She pointly igonred what he said about seening him in person.

"He targeted me bacause..." Anne changed her mind midway throug her sentance. "I do know why." She lied consealing her expresstion.

Anne knew she couldn't do everything but she also knew that she needed to protect her friends. "i don't plan on running to meet him I plan on doing things in my power, like telling someone." She told him.

Anne wondered what would happen if she met him ahain. She didn't know.

Anne pulled Parker in a hug knowing he needed it more than she did. "I am moving on Parker, but I'm not going to forget this ever." She said smiling slightly

He looked at her even more confused. "What, what?? But you just said- you just said you knew- I-" He looked down at his knees and closed his eyes. He sighed, "Please, just- just tell me the truth." He didn't like to think that she was flat out lying, he understood it must be difficult, but the truth was so much easier then running around in circles leaving pieces out and hiding.

"Good, you shouldn't. You need to tell someone. You need to make sure that precautions are made, even in Hogsmeade...so another attack doesn't happen like the one that happened last year-" his breath caught a bit and he furrowed his eyebrows, remembering that night. He bit his lip and closed his eyes again. Too many nightmares he had over the summer because something happened that was least expected and that shouldn't have happened. Over something he still didn't fully understand the reasons too.

He breathed out, opening his eyes when she pulled him into a hug. He sniffed, not knowing quite what to say then.

Parker listened to her story, his mouth slightly opened, and his eyebrows furrowed. A few time he bit his lip to hild back from saying anything like she had asked. Why would she think that going to Germany would be a good idea in the slightest? As upset as she was she should have told an adult, gotten help, told them what she'd seen.

He felt sick to his stomach at what he heard, he still didn't understand the reasons behind the apparently sudden German threat. Though, it's possible it wasn't sudden...after all, he had only been there a year when the first attack happened. There could have been going on that he'd not ever understand for years now. Why involve the children though? Why not let the adults deal with their issues so they could at least have hopes for a normal education.

His face dropped though when she mentioned this guy having his name. He moved away from her a bit, looking at her, stumbling over his words before giving up. His face looked more pained as she finished.

"A-anne, wh...what do you mean he had my name? I don't-" He was choking on his words as he spoke. As much as he had been worried about Anne, he had now been apparently put into danger as well. Anne getting hurt had already been one way too many. And maybe some of his slytherin self-preservation kicked in, but he felt the panic rise in him. "I don't- understand..."

His breath quickened slightly, he and his family were now in danger if they knew who he was. They had done that to her and same could be done to him, maybe worse because he was a guy. He remembered seeing a few fights down the street from his house when he was younger. The guys had always gotten it worse. "Anne- they've got my name! I-I don't-" he took in a sharp breath and tried to pull himself to stand up. He realized for a brief moment he may be over reacting, or misunderstanding something, but being as overwhelmed as he was he had been tipped over the edge of a break down. He realized it was terribly selfish of him and he really should have been comforting Anne, but he couldn't stop himself.

Anne watched Parker stand up and her heart nearly stopped, he was going to run. He was going to leave her all alone. She had walked away so many times. She walked away to make people happy, to protect. She wondered if PArker thought that she wouldn't do everything in her power to protect him and his family. All he had was Parkers first name.

Anne looked at Parker no plead in her eyes. He was scared of getting hurt. She knew what he was thinking, he would get it worse. She looked staight into Parkers eyes and whispered as soft as she could "Go Parker, I know you want to." She then turned away and looked at her feet. She was alone because of this , she was alone because she was hurt.

She felt tears well up in her eyes but didn't let them fall. She knew this was coming. She wished now more than ever she had held on to her new family, to Damien. She wished she she had tried harder to save her mom. She wished more than ever, she was normal. She didn't want any of this not anymore.

Parker felt his heart drop at her expression when he stood up. He felt terrible, and didn't see what him leaving her, as vulnerable as she was, would accomplish. He figured maybe it wasn't just possibly being in danger, but just every other little stressed combined that made him feel like he needed to get out, get fresh air, something.

He felt as if he was being constricted and managed to choke out "We- we should talk later." He didn't know why he felt like he needed to go, but getting so upset right in front of her wouldn't have been a good idea. Him leaving just seemed the best of choices at that moment.

He took a deep path and walked past her and out the door. knocking down a trophy he'd passed too close to on his way out. He closed his eyes as he turned down the corner, feeling terrible to being so selfish and leaving her like that.

Anne watched Parker leave and broke. Her first friend, her only friend left, just let her. She was alone completly alone. She sobbed her heart broken. She was left alone all because she was tortured. Her parents were dead. She had walked out on her new family because her new father was kiled because of her. She had walked out Damien because Tessa needed him more. Tessa hated her because she needed people. Parker had left for his own saftey. She was alone.

Parker had broken her. She wouldn't chase him, if he left her. This was the end of their friendship. He had left her when she needed him most. She was alone. All alone.