Being Different Year 6

The day before they got the train back to school Remus took Anne and Harry to St. Mungo’s to visit Alice and Frank.

“Don’t you think this is just a bit weird,” said Harry as he tied up his shoelaces, “you know pretending to be mum and dad?”

“Look Harry, Neville is our friend,” said Anne as she pulled on her cloak, “he says they’ve been improving loads.”

“You two ready?” asked Remus, he hadn’t seen Alice and Frank properly in years, but he was going to take them in to St Mungo’s.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Harry grumbled.

“Come on Harry,” said Remus, “it won’t be that bad.”

They flued to St. Mungo’s and then headed up to the permanent resident’s ward.

“Hello again Anne,” said the healer at the desk, “come for another visit?”

“I’ve brought Harry with me.”

Harry was looking clearly unimpressed and looking at anyone apart from the healer herself.

They walked over to the beds where Alice and Frank were waiting for them. Alice was leaning against the pillows under her blankets, Frank was sitting on top of his bed in his pyjamas reading a book on Herbology.

Remus seemed uncertain and stood in the background.

“Hi Alice, Frank,” said Anne beaming as she sat between the two beds.

“Lily!” exclaimed Alice as she sat down, “haven’t seen you in ages!”

“Hi Lily,” said Frank.

“I’ve brought James with me,” said Anne putting an arm around Harry.

“James!” exclaimed Frank, “and here was I thinking you’d forgotten all about me!”

“Hi Frank,” Harry said nervously sitting down next to Anne.

“What’s happened with your forehead James?” asked Alice brushing aside Harry’s fringe to show his scar.

“Oh, what this?” shrugged Harry, “motorbike accident with Sirius.”

“You two should learn to be more careful,” tutted Alice as she talked to Harry.

“You would have thought Remus could keep you under control,” she muttered.

“How is Remus?” asked Frank putting his book away.

Remus looked over from where he was standing only a few metres away, they didn’t even recognise him.

“He’s great,” beamed Anne, “he’s looking after the twins for us today.”

“Have you seen Nev recently?” asked Frank.

“Yes he’s fine,” reassured Anne, “we’ve been taking good care of him for you.”

“Yes well hopefully, I’ll be able to go home and look after him myself before long,” beamed Frank.

“I just wish I knew where Alice was,” he muttered.

“That’s a nice book, what’s it on?” she asked looking at the book he had been reading before they came in.

“It’s a herbology book,” he said proudly, “a nice young man dropped it off for me yesterday, I always used to like a good book.”

“We should get going,” said Remus gently.

“Hello,” said Frank noticing Remus for the first time, “do I know you?”

Remus bit his lip slightly, trying to hold back his tears.

“We’ll come back another time,” said Anne getting up and leaving with Harry and Remus.

“Bye Lily, James,” smiled Alice.

“Please bring some more books next time,” said Frank as they left.

“They didn’t even recognise me,” said Remus a quiver in his voice as they left the ward.

“I know Remus,” said Anne giving him a hug, “we’re going to sort this out though I promise.”

“They don’t even recognise each other, or Nev” Harry pointed out.

“It’s almost as if,” said Remus, “they’re stuck at the moment when they were tortured, they recognise you two because you look like Lily and James.”

The next day Remus and Sirius walked them to platform nine and three quarters.

“Bye bye little Teddy,” said Anne giving Teddy a cuddle as they stood on the platform.

“Don’t you forget your godfather,” said Harry taking Teddy from Anne to give him a cuddle.

“I’m going to miss you, see sweetheart,” said Remus.

“Take good care of Teddy and Dora for me,” sobbed Anne, she always hated going back to school because she had to leave her family behind.

“I’ll see you at Easter sweetheart,” he said letting her out of the hug.

“Go on kiddo get going,” chuckled Sirius, “the trains going to try leaving without you.”

Anne found a compartment where Irwin, Luna, and Neville were already sitting.

“Hey Annie, happy new year,” said Irwin giving her a kiss as she sat down next to him.

“I only saw you yesterday afternoon,” she chuckled.

“Hi Anne,” said Neville, “had a good holiday?”

“Yeah we went into St Mungo’s yesterday,” said Anne.

“They’re doing great aren’t they?” beamed Neville.

“They still don’t know who I am really but they’re talking, Dad’s even started reading books.”

“I know Nev,” smiled Anne.

“Given time they might get even better,” she said giving him a knowing smile.

“You had a good Christmas Luna?” asked Irwin.

“Oh yes,” she beamed, “Daddy asked me to help him research the Diadem of Ravenclaw, he wants to try and replicate it.”

Anne tried to hide a smile, she knew exactly where the Diadem of Ravenclaw was, in her bedroom back at Grimmauld place.

The train pulled into Hogsmeade and they all headed into the great hall to get some food.

Anne had some chicken casserole and mashed potatoes with green beans.

After dinner it was the last night before classes started up again.

Anne walked up to Michael and Terry in the Common Room who were setting up for music hour.

“Hi guys, thanks for the Christmas present, its great,” she beamed.

“You are most sincerely welcome,” nodded Michael.

“But if you two ever ‘borrow’ my things without asking again, you’ll get what’s coming to you.”

“Yeah a kneazle to the face,” chortled Mandy.

“Fair enough,” muttered Terry before getting up to stand on a chair.

“Hey hey my fellow Claws!” called Michael down his microphone.

“Today is going to be the first of our themed nights, we are going to be doing classic songs from the sixties,” said Terry as he put on the first album.

“Ok gang, first up we’ve got The Twist by Chubby Checker,” announced Michael.

“If you guys don’t know how to do it just watch our resident dancing couple,” chuckled Terry, as Anne and Irwin started twisting around the floor.

The Twist was swiftly followed by other classics such as Dancing in the Street, and Twist and Shout.

“You would never have thought,” chuckled Anthony at the end of music hour, “that such a quiet girl, would be such an enthusiastic dancer!”

“Music gives me life Anthony,” said Anne.

“I thought I gave you life,” sulked Irwin.

“Yes, but music helps,” she chuckled.

“Hey Michael!” called Anthony, “you ready for me to beat you at chess again?”

“You never know,” said Michael, “I might actually win this time!”

Anne and Irwin headed up to the boy’s dorm with Michael and Anthony.

Anthony set up his chessboard on his bed and Michael sat down cross-legged opposite him.

Anne put her headphones and listened to some Beatles songs, she closed her eyes and settled into the pillows on Irwin’s bed.

She fell asleep within a few moments and had the same dream about the snake fighting the phoenix.