NUMB | D. MALFOY {EDITING}

xxx. forest of dean

« FOREST OF DEAN »

         It was the morning after Christmas when Anastasia woke up decided to find her friends. She sat straight in the floor, where she was sleeping in, and looked around to the countless of students peacefully sleeping in the Room of Requirement. A loud sigh escaped her lips as she threw the cover away from her body and stood up to find her trunk.

          Her emerald eyes scanned the place before opening the trunk with trembling hands, she instantly took a small bag from inside and packed everything she would need for the long trip to find her friends. She glared at her friends sleeping in a corner of the room and exhaled deeply, then she hid herself in the other side of the room to get changed into proper clothes to find the trio.

          She instantly tried everything on and clung the bag across her body, she took the wand from inside the trunk and shoved the map inside her bag. Looking around, she found herself crying silently as she thought about how much she would miss her dearest friends. The preoccupation of leaving them took over her mind as she seriously debated to stay and protect them, but her heart yelled to find Harry, Ron and Hermione. They needed her more.

          "Annie?" She turned around, her green eyes met with Ginny's. "Where are you going?" She groggily questioned, sitting straight in the floor.

          "Ginny, I have to—" Anastasia whispered, glancing at the other students. "I need to leave now. You stay here."

          "But—" The ginger began, but the brunette walked towards her to embrace her in a tight hug.

          "I know you want to come, but I can't bring you along. It'd be nerve-breaking for your parents, knowing their son is missing and now their daughter... No. You stay here." Hesitantly, Ginny nodded.

          "Be safe, please." She whispered, hugging the Slytherin once more. "I really hope you find them."

          "I will." Anastasia nodded. "I want you to have this." Her hand flew to the beautiful bracelet in her wrist and unlocked it, Ginny watched her movements with confusion. The girl took her hand and buckled the green bracelet around her wrist.

          "I can't accept this, Annie—"

          "I want you to have it." Anastasia stated, holding Ginny's shoulders. "It means too much to me, and so do you. Please take care." She hugged the ginger once more. "I love you, Ginny."

          "I love you too, Annie." She whispered.

          Anastasia sent her a reassuring smile and walked out of the Room of Requirement in silent. Her eyes traveled over the deserted hall and cautiously strode around the corridors and moving stars to make her way out of the dark school. Every now and then, she would stop in her tracks when her forearm started to burn, but no one caught her.

          "Miss Rosier..." The girl gulped at the sound of a voice behind her. "What are you doing out so early in the morning?"

          "Professor McGonagall," The Slytherin turned around slowely, looking directly into the woman's eyes. "I was going to—"

          "Find Potter and his friends." She stated, looking at the girl with a expecting look in her clear eyes.

          "I—Uh," Anastasia stuttered, looking around. "Yes, I was—Indeed, I—"

          "You can leave." McGonagall smiled at her, causing the girl to frown. "But please be careful, Death-Eaters are guarding the castle. You must go to Hagrid, he will help you."

          "Yes, Professor." Anastasia nodded rigorously and turned around.

          "Be careful out there, Rosier." McGonagall said quietly and the girl ran away from the castle.

          And from the pain and darkness.

▲ △ ▲

         When Anastasia was completely sure no one was near her, she took out the map and her wand. Her emerald eyes scanned the dark, lonely forest as the only thing she could hear was her heavy breathing and the steam coming out of her chapped lips. She clasped her hands together to try and find warmth despite her cold surroundings, she desperately tried to search Hagrid's hut.

Her emerald eyes scanned the piece of old parchment with nervousness and unfolded it, she whispered the charm she needed to find them and scanned the map in front of her. Maroon tint began to appear in the western side of England, the names of her friends appeared before her and the corners of her now purple lips formed a small smile.

Before apparating to where they were, Anastasia turned around to give the massive castle one last glance. A loud and deep sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and thought about the Forest of Dean, where Hermione told her she used to go with her parents all the time.

The next she knew, she was twirling around and screaming through the process. She felt her stomach doing several flips before colliding with solid floor full of white snow. A groan left her lips as she rested her body in her elbows, her eyes scanned the forest and anxiously searched for any sight of them.

Desperation started to kick in as she walked aimlessly around the cold and snowy forest and no sight of them. Anastasia wanted to scream, to call for them and see if the map worked, but she couldn't.

"What's going on in there?" She stopped dead in her tracks when she heard Hermione's voice close to her.

"Hermione?" She asked back, following her voice.

She frowned as she made her way to a small tent in the middle of several trees. Her emerald eyes scanned the place as she pursed her lips together and held her wand tight in front of her, ready to fight if she needed to. Anastasia exhaled shakily as she slowly made her way to the tent and walked inside, a gasp left her features when she caught the sight of her three friends looking at her wide eyed.

"Annie?" Harry asked, frowning. He hesitantly walked to her, his eyes eyeing her suspiciously. "How do I know it's you?"

Anastasia didn't say anything and searched for something inside her bag, a small smile appeared in her features when she got hold of a small book in the very bottom. She looked at Harry and handed him the small copy of Quidditch: Thought Ages, it was signed in one specific page. The raven-haired boy searched for it and when she found it, he smiled and embraced the girl in a tight hug.

"How did you find us?" He asked as Hermione hugged her tight.

"I think I'll tell you later." The girl smiled widely as she placed her bag in the wooden floor. "What's the plan?" She clasped her hands together, eyeing expectantly at the trio.

"We are going to see Xenophilius Lovegood."

▲ △ ▲

A/N:

I'm so so sorry for not updating this story!

I seriously thought I posted this and then realised it didn't!! Besides, school is killing me and I've been busy wiring other stories that I completely forgot about this one!!

I'm truly sorry!

I promise I will post more often.