For Anastasia Beckett

Daniel had finally gotten time away from his parents. With his newly acquired wand tucked away in his pocket, and his parents doting on his dumb little brothers, the soon-to-be first year managed to have time to breathe. He was in Flourish and Blotts, with a handful of money from his pops. Make sure you pick up all your books on your school list. We don't want to have to send you anything in your first week. We'll take your brothers off for ice cream, so when you're ready, just meet us there, Daniel could remember his pops saying. Not.. that Daniel seemed to mind. The eleven year old was already walking off, galleons jingling in his pocket.

And now, here he was. He had already selected several of his required books, but was looking at one that had caught his attention. He absolutely couldn't afford it, but that didn't mean he didn't want it. And, of course, that didn't mean he couldn't browse through it. He hummed quietly as he stood there by the shelf, book open, pages being flipped ever so casually. Maybe for Christmas, he told himself. He'd definitely put it on his wishlist for his parents to buy for him.

He was so engrossed in his browsing that he barely noticed the people around him. Something caught his eye, though, and he looked up just as he watched someone he was quite familiar with walk by. Or bump into him. He was definitely not out of the way of others. His eyes narrowed a little.

"Anastasia. It's been a while."

His voice wasn't the friendliest, but it definitely wasn't the meanest, either. A life of childhood best friends turned into bitter enemies. What was she doing here?

He didn't bother to ask. It'd look like he was more interested in his book he was browsing than the "friend".

Anastasia had convinced her parents to meet her in front of the robe shop in a bit so they could get her potion supplies and she could get her textbooks. She had even coaxed out an extra three galleons from them for her to buy some pleasure reading. She already had quite the library at home, but she'd read most of the decent books already. Not that she expected she would exactly have a lot of time for reading when she got to Hogwarts. She wanted perfect O's on everything, a loyal band of friends/followers(either worked for her), and obviously to make the Quidditch team. That last one was a nearly guarantee - her mother had been on her house team for all seven years and then played professionally, and Anastasia herself had been playing since she could walk. 

As she entered the book store, a little bell tingled. She grabbed a basket and got started on her list. She nearly laughed when she reached Hogwarts: A History. Honestly, she'd read that by the time she was seven and had it practically memorized by eight. Same thing with her Fantastic Beasts book. Ah, well, that would just make her life easier. As she was heading to find her potions books, she saw a familiar looking boy and a devious smirk crossed her face. It was bloody Daniel Weaver. 

Their mothers had been thick as thieves when they were younger, and expected Daniel and Anastasia to be the same. She'd once heard her mother use the phrase "Danastasia" when speaking to Mrs Weaver. Unfortunately, Anastasia hated Daniel's guts. She wouldn't say anything to her parents though, cause it was a bit more fun to mess with him and be sneaky about it. Some might have thought she was picking on him, but he certainly gave as good as he got. She brushed up against him or really more bumped into him, but she did in such a way that she could have claimed it was an accident. 

Anastasia. It's been a while.

"Ah, Daniel, how are you?" she said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. Her pasted on fake smile didn't quite reach her eyes as she gave him an appraising look. To her annoyance, they were the same height now. She'd always been just the slightest bit taller, which she had lorded over him, but that was clearly no longer the case. 

Daniel shut the book: Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed. It was definitely an interesting read, but one he doubted either of his parents would buy just yet. After all, he had barely started Hogwarts. It was really only a matter of time and patience. Thankfully, Daniel had the most patience out of all three of the Weaver children, and he was quite glad about that.

Anastasia Beckett, on the other hand, was someone who he did not have patience for. For as long as he could remember, she was always a constant. Maybe, at one point, they were good friends, but her words irritated him, and the prospect of their mothers' words irked him. Something about how they'd be cute together in the future. His nose wrinkled, even now as he thought about it, and allowed his bright eyes to bore into her skin, her face. He did not want her to be here. The only perk? She seemed already irritated at him for the simple fact that he had finally hit the same height as her. No longer could she brag about being the tallest. They were on an even keel now.

"I was doing perfectly well until your ugly face decided to show up," the boy retorted. He had glanced around and saw no sign of either set of parents, and assumed that Anastasia had been given that brief freedom to wander herself. Knowing their parents, their mothers would find their way into some big group outing in the not-so-far future, and Daniel would have to be courteously friendly to the girl.

"Did you need something? You ran into me, so you must have wanted to come give me a kiss or some other stupid girl thing," he pointed out. What other reason did she have to knock into him? A smirk crossed his features, hooked more on his right side, his eyes showing the hint of amusement as his brain pieced together his thoughts. "Yes, that must be it. We've not seen each other for several months. You must've missed me, isn't that it?"

His accent dragged the words "isn't that it" to "issntatit", but he didn't care. Take it how it was.

Anastasia rolled her at the first part of his reply. She knew that he was just being an oaf and saying what he thought would get under her skin. Unfortunately for him, she was fairly immune to most insults about her appearance. Her father often said that she was a spitting image of her mother, and everyone agreed that, before she married, Athena had been a great beauty. Additionally, her mother constantly lectured her about what she wore and how she styled her hair, and she had been quite pleased overall on that particular day, and Ana trusted her mother's opinion on those things more than an eleven year old nincompoop. 

She wrinkled her nose and gagged at the that of kissing him. As if! She was about to say so when another thought crossed her mind that would be even more annoying than her reaction. "Well, first of, I'm looking for Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed, since I would quite like a copy, and second, if that was something you were hoping for, I really do hate to burst your bubble, but it's never, ever going to happen. Good to know you missed me so terribly," she stated, smirking. She picked up a copy of the same book he was holding. She was quite glad right about now that she had wheedled that extra three galleons from her parents after all. That was one of the benefits of being an only Beckett child - you didn't have siblings who also needed school supplies. Yes, her parents' attention was on her nearly all the time, which meant some pretty high standards, but it also meant she didn't have to share anything ever. Understandably, she was rather spoiled, even for a rich Pureblood child. For example, she wasn't particularly interested in the book other than as a tool to get on Daniel's nerves with. However, it did look like a rather riveting read. 

Daniel liked to know - and liked to think - he got under Anastasia's skin pretty easily. He knew what her weaknesses were, and how to exploit them for the world. It was even better when the parents were around, and he had to be subtle about it. Years of knowing how to manipulate his brothers had taught him to manipulate others, too, and he liked to think he did pretty good job of it. He watched, without any extra words, as his so called friend reacted to his comment about kissing him. He could see the look of disgust cross her face, and he gave her an innocent little smile. Man, oh man, that was pretty fun to watch.

He watched her carefully as she pulled a book from the shelf and rose an eyebrow. A curious inhibition danced along his features, but no annoyance or irritation followed. She was allowed to want and find books he, too, enjoyed, and just because he didn't get it this year didn't mean he wouldn't get it next. He smiled innocently, unperturbed by her attempt to grate on him, and flipped the page of his own copy, turning his attention back towards the words. They were more interesting than she was, if he was honest.

"I don't know if I'd say I'd miss you so terribly. Pretty soon I will be the taller of the two of us, and you'll have to deal with it," he pointed out. As a guy, naturally he'd most likely be taller. His father towered over six feet, and he knew he'd be - hopefully - graced with that same nature. But, even as he thought about it, he glanced towards Anastasia to see her reaction. "Do you think you'll be graced in the right house upon sorting, or maybe you'll find your way into Hufflepuff. I've heard they're pretty useless for most things but being friendly." A little jab, but he didn't care.

Anastasia rolled her eyes at his comment about being taller than her soon. She would not let that happen. She didn't care what she had to do, Daniel was never, ever, ever going to be taller than him. She wondered if the reducing charm could be used on a specific body part, and if she would control how much smaller something would get. She pictured shrinking his legs the moment he was taller than her, and the idea made her happier than it really should have. 

She was rather annoyed but not surprised that he wasn't too bothered by her grabbing the same book as him. Ah, well, she'd figure something better out. When he asked her about houses, she gave him a look like she would give to a stupid three year old. Everyone knew she was going to be in Slytherin, the sorting was merely a formality. That's what her father said, anyway. "I think we both know people grow until they're perfect, it simply takes some of us less time than others," she said coolly. The height thing was a fairly mild irritant, since it wasn't really something either of them could really control. "And, as for my house, we all know I'm going to Slytherin. You see, unlike you, my family has been in Slytherin practically since Hogwarts was founded. I wonder what they'll do with you when the hat doesn't think you belong in any of the houses?" 

Daniel rose an eyebrow as his so called on-again-off-mostly "friend" commented about growing until they're perfect. He snorted. "Guess you'll be growing your ego until you're in a coffin," he pointed out. Finally, he shut the book he was holding and reached up to return it to the shelf. There was no reason continue to browse when he still had two or three textbooks he had to pick up. Plus, why do so when Anastasia would just try to brag? He dismissed the thoughts that ran through his head as he put it back carefully on the shelf and then slipped his hands into his pockets.

She was talking, although he was half listening. Bragging, most likely, about how everyone in her family were Slytherins. She always liked to brag. His own mother could've been in Slytherin, with her dedication and ambition, but the Sorting Hat saw her love of knowledge and curiosity. He wondered where the hat would place him. Not too long now. He smiled innocently at her as he leaned idly against the bookshelves.

The wood dug into his back and he finally tuned into whatever she was saying. Something about you belong in any of the houses?. He rose an eyebrow. He could only assume, piecing together the conversation prior. How would he react? If he said what he was thinking, she'd probably think he was stupid, and that was the last thing he wanted from her. If he avoided it, it'd give her an advantage. Hmmm.

He smiled, and tilted his head ever so slightly, "I guess we'll just have to see where we land," he pointed out simply. He dusted invisible dirt off his clothes before he studied his nails, "I hope that you're not this annoying at school, because the last thing I need is you making my seven years of Hogwarts absolutely miserable."

She smirked slightly at his answer, since she could tell he hadn't really been listening to what she was saying. If he had, he would have probably had a bit more a reaction since she was implying that he wouldn't get into any house. She let it be though. 

While Daniel annoyed the living daylights out of her, she still preferred his company to half of her other Pureblood "friends". They were all rather annoying and fake, and at least with Daniel, they made it clear that they hated each other and that was that. A small part of her almost wished she wouldn't get put in Slytherin, since she knew all of the other Purebloods her age probably would be put there. If she was in a different house, maybe she wouldn't have to deal with them as much. She mentally chided herself for thinking like that. Becketts had been Slytherin for ages, and she couldn't just decide that she didn't want that. It was more than just her sorting, it was really all the Becketts after her. That's what her father told her anyways. 

"Do you really think that I'll waste my time on you anymore than is absolutely necessary?" she laughed. She wouldn't even have been talking to him right now if there had been literally any other Pureblood that she knew here, but there wasn't. Anyway, she supposed that when their parents eventually found out that they hated each other, they'd push even harder for the two to get along, so she had to at least make it look like they got along in public. Anyone who saw the two of them would probably think that they were friends (ew), unless of course, they listened in on the conversation. 

This was becoming a bore for Daniel. He could only stand Anastasia for so long, and his patience was starting to wear thin. It seemed in her old age, she was getting slow with her retorts. She couldn’t keep up with him anymore. Perhaps, he figured, he was the superior in this scope. He couldn’t help but smirk at that fact. Of course he’d be better when it came to words and statements. She might be the superior when it came to height for the longest time, but in strides, Daniel could see he was gaining speed. Slow and steady wins most races he told himself. He chuckled under his breath.

He tilted his head, though, as his eyes studied her. Did she really think that this conversation was going far? “I think if I was a waste of your time, you wouldn’t have bothered me in the first place,” Daniel retorted simply. His slender shoulders rose as he turned his attention to more interesting people - older students milling about in the more advanced section. One day, he told himself, as he turned his attention back towards Anastasia. “I like to think since you’ve bothered me, you secretly missed me. You probably always knew I was your superior. You’re just finally coming around to knowing it,” Daniel hummed.

He was just still trying to push all the buttons.

Anastasia rolled her eyes at his statement, but it was more of a bored eye roll that a truly irritated one. She wasn't particularly in the mood to deal with him anymore, and he seemed to think he was right all the time, which annoyed her to no end. Alright, maybe she insisted she was right all the time as well, but she was in fact right about most things most of the time. So, really, in her opinion, it was alright for her to do, just not him. 

"Well, clearly, you really hoped I missed you since you keep bringing it up. And I was on my way to find my potions book when I just happened to bump into you. Anything else is your your sad, deluded dreams. Ta-ta," she replied, the fake smile pasted across her lips again as she tossed her hair and flounced away. She was one of those people who always had to get the last word. She also had a flair for dramatic exits. She looked for her potions book for a bit before finally finding it. She glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. She had to meet her parents at the robe shop in exactly three minutes. She quickly checked out and left the shop. While her parents said that being exactly on time was for poor people, she was sure to be lectured if she was more than five minutes later than the appointed time.