Hermione was the first to arrive, practically sprinting through the crowd. She didn't greet Harry or Ron; she went straight for Ana, her hands frantically checking the girl's petite frame for signs of summer neglect.
"You're thinner," Hermione gasped, her voice trembling with a familiar, obsessive edge. "I can feel your pulse through the moonstone, Ana. It's too fast. The crowd is overstimulating you."
Cassandra, Lavender, and Cho appeared moments later, forming a phalanx of silk and steel. They didn't just walk with Ana; they created a mobile sanctuary, their bodies blocking the bustling shoppers from even brushing against Ana's velvet cloak.
The Encounter at Flourish and BlottsThe shop was suffocatingly full, dominated by the preening presence of Gilderoy Lockhart. But the real tension wasn't on the stage—it was in the shadows of the bookshelves.
"Well, well, well... the famous Potter twins," a cold, drawling voice slid through the air.
Draco Malfoy stood by the railing, but his usual sneer was brittle. His eyes were fixed on Ana, his pupils dilated with a mix of hunger and a dazed, silver-tinged devotion. Before he could speak, a heavy, silver-topped cane thudded onto the floorboards.
Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the gloom. He looked every bit the aristocrat, but as his gaze fell upon Ana—standing so small and skinny amidst her guardians—his composed mask shattered.
The Standoff of the SovereignsLucius didn't look at Harry's scar. He looked at Ana's silver eyes. He felt the "Influence" radiating from her like a physical chill, a power that made his own Dark Mark itch with a sudden, treacherous urge to submit.
"So," Lucius silked, his voice dropping to a dangerous, melodic register. "This is the child the Pureblood circles are whispering about. The girl who commands the Tower without a wand."
He stepped forward, his hand reaching out as if to touch the silver moonstone at Ana's throat.
The Circle reacted instantly.
Hermione stepped in front of Ana, her wand half-drawn.
Ginny and Ron flanked her, their faces masks of Weasley fury.
Cassandra placed a protective hand on Ana's shoulder, her eyes glowing with a fanatic light. "Do not touch her, Malfoy," Cassandra hissed. "She is not for the likes of you to ponder."
Lucius froze. He looked at the four girls—daughters of Ministry officials and ancient houses—standing like a wall of shields around a girl who barely reached his waist.
"You are staring, Lucius," Ana whispered.
Her voice wasn't a shout. It was a resonant, haunting chime that seemed to dim the lights of the bookstore. The "Influence" pooled at Lucius's feet, heavy and cold.
The elder Malfoy's hand trembled. For a split second, the Great Lucius Malfoy looked as if he might drop to his knees right there on the dusty floorboards. He pulled his hand back, gripping his cane until his knuckles turned white.
"You have... formidable guardians, Miss Potter," Lucius managed to say, his breath shallow. "See that they keep you well. The world is changing, and a prize such as yourself is easily... claimed."
The RetreatAs the Malfoys retreated into the crowd, Draco looking back over his shoulder with a pained, lost expression, the Circle tightened its grip.
"We're leaving," Hermione commanded, her arm wrapped firmly around Ana's narrow waist. "It's too crowded. People are looking at her too much. She's far too petite to be exposed like this."
They didn't let Ana walk. Fred and George stepped forward, crossing their arms to create a seat, and lifted her bodily into the air. They carried her through the streets of Diagon Alley like a holy relic, while the "Circle" followed behind, their eyes daring anyone to even look in the Sovereign's direction.
Ana sat in the twins' arms, her skinny fingers playing with the silver ribbon in her hair. She watched the crowds part for her, the moonstone at her throat pulsing a deep, satisfied violet. The school year hadn't even begun, and the world was already learning its place.