Tripping to the Library

Kerry stole a quick glance to his right. "Uh . . . Annie. Both times."

"Wait.... What?" Annie stared at both of them. "I'm not sure I understand what it is you're getting at.” Annie squared her shoulders and folded her arms tightly across her chest.

Trevor relaxed when he saw how defensive Annie had become. Careful, lad. She's on a draught, but that doesn't mean she can't get a little upset. "I'm not a great believer in coincidence, Annie, but since you've been in school with Kerry here, you've been sorted into a house and a coven together, and that, frankly, is remarkable."

He glanced over to Kerry. "I'd say your young man here is following you."

Kerry did a triple take, his head flipping back and forth like it was on a gymble. "What do you mean?" he said, his voice raising slightly. "I'm following Annie? I thought you were going to say she was doing something to get me sorted with her!"

Trevor motioned with his hand for Kerry to lower his voice. "That would be impossible," he said. "Each time you knew where Annie had been sorted. I know from my experience with The Sorting Hat someone from outside can not influence that old sod, so they only reason he would have put you in Hufflepuff after young Annie is because you wanted to go there.

"I can only assume the same thing with our Phoenix. Though she's not inclined to allow herself to be influenced, it's possible she saw fit to keep you in the same coven with Annie because . . ." Trevor shrugged. "Impossible to say. Maybe she didn't want you to be lonely." Lowering his voice, Trevor added, "Or, she understood how you feel about . . ." And with that he gave a quick flick of the head in Annie's direction. "Anything is possible, my boy."

Annie felt her world tilt. Her entire existence, shaken to its very core by the librarian and his words, was suddenly unclear. She ran her fingers through her hair, thinking about the last two months and piecing together the parts that now went together perfectly.

She began to speak to herself, forgetting there were others in the room with her. “My mother said, ‘The Krum name is profoundly interwoven with his fate. The young girl…a witch, who is dark, will be by his side.’ I have been thinking about it all wrong.” She looked up at the librarian.

“Was I wrong all this time?”

"It's impossible to say there is a 'wrong' answer to a vision, Annie," Trevor said, his voice calm and reassuring. "As I understand divination, the future is fluid, and some visions may have several interpretations. I dare say even an expert could hear what you just told me and tell you something very different from what you already believe."

He sat on the edge of the reading table. "I find all this fascinating, but I'm by no means an expert. Tomorrow, when you're walking about during orientation, go out to Memory's End and speak with Professor Arrakis, who is our Divination instructor." He cleared his throat. "She's very good at what she does, which is open your imagination so you can see what--could be." Trevor was fidgeting with his tie; he often became like this when he thought about Deanna. "Rather than confuse you with a lot of an amateur's opinion, you should speak with someone who understands this field far better."

Annie noticed the librarian fidget when he mentioned their divination professor. Interesting, she thought. He's...nervous?

Thinking it would be better to pretend she hadn't noticed so they could leave, Annie said, "Thank you, Mr. Parkman. For everything."

Kerry saw Annie's eyes tracking the librarian and saw them widen slightly as she watched him played with his tie. When she thanked him for his time, Kerry realized the opening she had given them.

"Thank you, Sir," he added. He held out his hand for Annie to take. "I'll be by tomorrow for the books." As Kerry led her away through the enormous room, he asked, "You feel like eating now? Or is there somewhere else we could find while we're exploring?"

Annie took Kerry's hand and smiled wide. "Wherever you lead, I'll follow!" She winked and let him guide them both from the library.