Enemy of My Enemy PV Anastasia Beckett Ended

Anastasia had been planning on heading out to the stables and check out some of the animals she'd read about but those thoughts disappeared when she saw Puck. Despite the fact that Anastasia's confrontation with Aurelia hadn't exactly gone the way she would have liked, it was hardly Puck's fault. Her information had been good, it was just Anastasia's interpretation that had been off. As such, Anastasia owed her some money at the very least.

The Gryffindor gracefully made her way through a few throngs of students and approached the blue-haired Slytherin. She didn't exactly relish the idea of having to spend more time associating with someone who chose to sell information about others, but she relished the idea of owing someone like that even less. 

"Puck, do you have a moment? I just wanted to pay you for your information from the other day," Anastasia said. She didn't exactly hate her per se, more like strong dislike. Maybe not even strongly so much as out of principle. After all, she clearly had horrid taste in friends and there was the whole "selling information about other people" thing. Additionally, she seemed like the type who had grown up on the streets, which was not something Anastasia fancied. 

Anastasia arched an eyebrow. Had she really already shut it down? That seemed rather strange given what Anastasia knew of her. She had thought Elena to be more of a harden by life type. She'd had grown to have something of a grudging respect for the blue-haired Slytherin. Also, it was incredibly helpful to have someone that would get you information without asking too many questions and was clear about exactly what she expected in return. Obviously, she could do her own snooping just fine, but it was certainly more efficient to do a little snooping, then go and verify her information than just do it all on her own.

"That's a pity, in my opinion anyway," Anastasia told Elena. She raised her eyebrow again when Elena said she'd started it to help some people. Who sold information about people to help other people? That was strange logic. Then again, sometimes Anastasia wondered about her own logic. "Well, good on you, I suppose, for doing what you believe in."  

At the mention of Aurelia, Anastasia frowned a bit. Aurelia was a rather complicated case. The second year had only made a few rude comments, and Anastasia had been trying to be proactive. Seeing as Aurelia was the gossip writer and a second year, it meant that if she was actually a problem, she would be a huge problem. Anastasia had decided to gather information on her and have that ready to use, but Aurelia had found out and things had gotten out of Anastasia's control.

"Well, thank you," Anastasia said when Elena said that she was "clever and all around awesome". She could think of at least five different people who would strongly disagree with that assessment, so it was nice to have someone not out to get her. "Just out of curiosity, did something happen with you and Aurelia?" The Slytherin had seemed to be fairly neutral concerning the second year when the two of them had last spoken, but things had clearly changed a little since then.

Anastasia smiled faintly at the blue-haired girl's offer. It made her happier than she showed. She would probably take Elena up on that offer. It was always good to have informants, and even better when they were exclusively hers. That was always preferable to having someone who also informed twenty other people. The more people knew a secret, the less it was worth. 

"That's interesting. Why exactly did you take my side?" Anastasia said, genuinely curious. She had a strong disdain for the Slytherin, and, depending on the circumstance, probably wouldn't hesitate to go against her if it was in Anastasia's best interest. Then again, she herself responded horribly to threats, so it could have been that more than anything else. Anastasia smirked a little when the girl called Aurelia vindictive. Clearly, she didn't know Anastasia all that well... 

Anastasia arched an eyebrow when Puck said she liked Anastasia better than Anastasia liked her. She had been under the impression that Puck disliked her about as much as she disliked Puck. "If you feel comfortable telling me about that, I haven't a problem with it. I haven't much else to do at the moment," Anastasia said her voice not exactly kind, but not the cool tone with which she usually addressed the Slytherin. "Walk with me."

This day was shaping up to be odder and odder, she was expecting Anastasia to have left by now, and definitely not wait around to hear about Elena's random troubles with an uncaring universe. She figured that this was probably one of the best memories featuring Ana she was going to ever get. So of course she would to tell her why, this was Ana's war to start with. Even if Elena was planning on doing a little bit of fighting on her own.

Elena shrugged and quickly finished her hot chocolate, "Sure."

She put the mug down nearby for someone to collect then tied her blue hair back up in a bun, "I took your side for a couple of different reasons. One, because I really don't like being threatened. Two, because I don't like people telling me what do, or insulting me for that matter, which means I'm up for almost any side that isn't Aurelia's, and three..." Elena counted them off and paused for a second before the last one, Three, is because for some reason you remind me of myself, and that makes me sorta irrationally like you. You protect yourself well, you're clever as hell, and you would've made a damn good Slytherin. In fact I'm surprised that you're not, but then again I almost got put in Gryffindor, so maybe I'm wrong about the criteria."

"As for a walk. I'm guessing that wasn't exactly a request." She smiled.

Anastasia tried not to scowl when the Slytherin said that she reminded her of herself. The idea of sharing anything other than a hatred for one second-year Gryffindor was abhorrent to her. Still, for the moment, they seemed to be something of allies, and it wouldn't hurt for Anastasia to learn more about this girl. Whether it was to change her opinion of her, or more likely, use as blackmail material, information was always a good thing. Maybe not always, but almost always. Anyway, there was some Muggle writer who had once written "Know thine enemy" and Anastasia quite agreed with that philosophy. 

"I think we both know I don't exactly make requests," Anastasia said in reply to the blue-haired girl's question. That was quite true. Anastasia was known to phrase commands as requests, but they were commands just the same. "Also, I know exactly what landed me in Gryffindor, and I suspect you might be onto something about the criteria." That was a bit of a bluff since she knew what had made the Hat choose Gryffindor in the end, but she really wasn't clear on how it was ever even an option. Her family had always been Slytherins. She had had the occasional doubt about whether she would really like it there, but until her Sorting, she had never really considered the idea that she might wind up anywhere but Slytherin. Still, she was quite glad about it most of the time. Sure, being a Gryffindor had driven a wedge between her and her parents that could cause some serious problems later down the line, but she was also happier than she had ever been. She hoped her parents would be open to the idea that Gryffindor was acceptable, but she really wouldn't know until Christmas break. 

Elena gave Ana a lopsided smile, "If I had to have a guess about what landed you in Gryffindor I'd say it was the fact that you don't really seem to be afraid of anything. I sorta envy that, I'm afraid of too many things in this world. My boggart wouldn't even know what to do with itself"

'That's another lie Elena.' Said the little voice in the back of her head, 'You know what you're most afraid of, and they know it too. They all know it.'

Elena mentally told the voice to shut up.

"Yeah, you're not the request making type. That's another good thing about you, you actually go and get whatever it is you want. Not many people can say the same." Elena couldn't stop fidgeting for some reason, "So, do you have anything you want to talk about? Ways to take down Aurelia? Best blackmail tips? Although I guess you don't need any help with those two, although it would be easier if we did the first one together. No tripping over each other, and I have a couple of ideas as to how, just things I think about in my spare time. Y'know?"

Elena grinned, she really didn't like it when people threatened her.

Anastasia arched an eyebrow when the other girl said that she didn't seem afraid of anything. Her parents had said that a few times, but it hadn't been a good thing. They had always said that she wasn't afraid of things that she very well ought to have been afraid of. She supposed she didn't waste her energy on being afraid of things when she could actually go out and do something about it. However, the girl wasn't completely fearless. Her parents' rejection terrified her, which irritated her, seeing as it happened so frequently. There were a few other deep fears like that, such as Anastasia's constant worry that she would live and die without doing anything meaningful. And of course, muggle clowns. Those things were bloody terrifying. 

The pair began walking and it stuck Anastasia that the two of them would make quite an interesting combination. The prim and proper Gryffindor, and the blue-haired, somewhat unconventional Slytherin. Her parents certainly would not approve of Anastasia associating with the likes of Elena. Anastasia wasn't sure she entirely approved of her association with Elena, but that was still to be seen. "I would like to know what you were thinking and probably warn you not to do it. I have plans for Aurelia, but they won't exactly come to fruition right away. When they do though, they'll be devastating," Anastasia said in reply to Elena's question, the corner of her mouth pulling itself into a rather diabolical smirk.