Part One
His eyes prickled with tears as he stared at the piece of parchment in his hands. The 3 Ts inked in neat calligraphy were taunting him. As he stared at them, is left forearm twinged.
No. I will not follow that path. He thought to himself. His eyes were then directed to the O, sat primly next to the word Herbology.
Marcus Flint, herbology genius. He laughed at the thought, at the reactions his friends would bare at the thought of him actually excelling in the subject. Best not dwell on it.
Shouts from Ursula echoed down the deserted hall of the 'Noble' house of Flint. Deranged screams that sounded like a pair of stray cats fighting soon followed.
My mother. Thought Marcus, crumpling the parchment in his oversized hands. She belongs in St. Mungos.
Longingly he stared at his trunk. Leather bound and completely empty, the initials MF printed in golden writing.
Maybe I could, no, I couldn't. But if I don't, he'll find me. There's nowhere else to turn.
The deranged screams of his mother echoed once more, followed by a sinister cackling laugh. It was then his mind was made up. In a flash he reached for a quill and parchment and wrote to Professor Snape, whom had always been particularly fond of the Flints. Swiftly, he attached the note to the tawny owl perched on the windowsill.
Heart pumping full of adrenaline he fetched every last one of his possessions and placed them in his case, using extra muscle to close the now warn out clasps of the tired trunk.
Another sinister cackle was all it took for Marcus to barge open the door of the manor and apparate to Kings Cross station.
He was going back to Hogwarts.
A hoot sounded inches above Marcus' spiked black hair and an owl flew down, holding the ticket requested by Marcus from Professor Snape. It was really happening.
All his friends had now left Hogwarts. All with barely 2 NEWTs between them, following footsteps of fathers into the Dark Arts.
I'm different. He thought smugly. I'm going to make something of myself.
He sat in a compartment with his very own Quidditch prodigy; Graham Montague. Opposite, sat a group of Slytherin fourth years. Draco Malfoy, a boy whom had been a family friend for many years now, was sat near the window. Next to him was Pansy Parkinson, she clasped desperately onto Draco's arm. She reminded Marcus of a houself he once tortured for not dusting, the poor elf became so deranged she would not detach from the duster. Next to Pansy sat a girl whom Marcus had never seen.
The expressions on her face reflected that of a bored child, yearning for adventure. The immature jokes of her peers left her unamused as she crinkled her small nose delicately.
She had nearly black hair that fell like waves down her slender back. She sat very upright, primly and alert. Her lips were painted a deep black that contrasted sharply with her ivory skin. She was as fragile as a china doll.
And Marcus had never seen anyone so beautiful in his life.
"You know" Said Malfoy, sneering. "Father says there's to be an event happening at Hogwarts this year"
Pansy squealed like a pig at Draco's news. The china doll girl winced at the sound and admired her chipped black nails instead. Marcus was transfixed. Every move, every expression was done with such a unique grace.
"Millicent!" Squealed Pansy. "Is this not the most exciting news?"
Millicent, as her name appeared to be, looked up from her nails. With a small, dignified cough she cleared her throat.
Simply and sharply she replied to her over excited friend.
"No"
Marcus snorted with laughter and the carriage turned to look at him. Disguising the laugh as a cough the attention turned back to the girls. A smile had since crept up one side of Millicent's heart shaped face.
"Oh Milly, you're impossible." Pansy exclaimed.
The conversation since digressed onto the weather, school and quidditch. As Montague gave a very animated recollection of the pivotal Quidditch game of the World Cup, Marcus kept glancing at Millicent.
How had he never noticed her before? Her large green eyes were fixed on Montague, who was now out of his seat making swooping gestures to mimic the Bulgarian seeker, Krum.
Unimpressed, her brow crinkled lightly and she shifted in her seat.
She cleared her throat once more and announced to the carriage she will be leaving to put on her robes.
Marcus watched her leave. Before he knew it he had followed her out of the carriage and down the corridor.
It wasn't until Millicent had gotten changed; Marcus was able to strike up a conversation.
"Millicent is it?" He asked, scooting in front of her.
"Yes". She replied, raising her eyebrows.
"I'm Flint. Marcus Flint." He extended his hand, to which she held on to loosely and shook.
"I'm aware, pleasure to meet you formally" She smiled then drifted back to the carriage
The soft delicate feel of her fingers lingered on the rough, hardened surface of Marcus'.
Months had travelled on with no more than a hopeful smile from Marcus and an embarrassed reciprocating glance from Millicent. Due to the offhanded way she'd been acting around him, Marcus tried to focus on his studies and forget the porcelain doll to whom he had become so enchanted with.
This was, however, until a foggy November afternoon. Marcus was heading through the misty courtyard toward the library to finish his potions essay. The mist lay so dank on top of the magnificent stone of the courtyard Marcus got the fright of his life when he heard a gentle cough emerge from the opposite direction.
"Excuse me?" He asked, warily for younger students were supposed to be in lessons.
"Yes?" Replied the voice in a recognised dignified manner.
"Millicent, is that you?"
She made a soft humming sound to acknowledge her presence.
"Well, aren't you supposed to be in lessons?"
He perched on a bench nearby her where he could see her more clearly; she was in her robes but a customised version. Her shirt hung onto her frame tightly. A tie lazily hung round her neck and her skirt was pleated yet short. She wore fish net tights and pointy black boots that were now swinging aimlessly off the bench.
She shrugged at Marcus' comment.
"Divination" She said nodding.
He laughed knowingly. Then replied immediately.
"You'll catch your death out here"
"And?" She scoffed, in a blatant attempt of appearing rebellious in the presence of the Slytherin Quidditch team captain.
"Nothing, just wondered if you wanted something to eat."
She pricked up and looked at him interested.
"The kitchens are closed." She said looking slightly down-heartened.
"We aren't going to the kitchens."
He reached out his hand and instinctively she grabbed it as he led her towards the One Eyed Witch portrait.
Hand in hand they walked through the echoey corridors of Hogwarts school. In a soothing symphony of silence. Slowly Millicent's hands felt warmer against Marcus'. The feeling of warmth spread up his arm and touched his heart in a way no person had done before. He had been captured by her beauty on the train, and now he was trapped by a pure sense of affection. They reached the One Eyed Witch portrait which was later revealed by Marcus to be a passage way to Hogsmeade, directly opposite his favourite pasty shop.
"Pumpkin pasty?" Marcus suggested, to which Millicent gave a sharp nod.
He sneaked across the road and purchased two large pasties. The glorious smell of freshly baked pastry then filled the small passageway as he and Millicent sat down to eat.
They ate in silence, the same comforting silence Marcus was beginning to grow very fond of.
"I'm supposed to be meeting my boyfriend in half an hour" said Milly nervously
"Who's your boyfriend?" Replied Marcus, scarcely hiding his jealousy as he took a large bite from his pasty
"Harry. Harry Potter." She said, avoiding his gaze.
The pure shock of it all caused him to almost choke on the lump of pumpkin he was swallowing.
"That speccy 12 year old git?" He laughed heartily
Millicent was far from amused.
"14 actually, and he's Hogwarts champion I'll have you know."
"Only because he cheated"
"You read too much Rita Skeeter"
Looking offended she picked at her pasty, resembling a small bird.
"I'm sorry, he just seems too... Bleh to be with a girl like you..."
" A girl like me? What do you mean?"
Marcus thanked merlin under his breath it was so dark, for he was blushing pinker than a pygmy puff.
"You're so... Eloquent. Delicate..." He ignored Millicent's protests and carried on "yet, there's this sense of raw passion and adventure about you"
Millicent was speechless. The captain of the Slytherin quidditch team, and crush of many of her friends called her eloquent (whatever that means) without him noticing, she edged nearer.
"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me" she said modestly
"Not even Harry?"
She shook her head.
"He's too busy being all 'poor me, my parents are dead' 'voldemort wants to kill me'"
They both burst out laughing.
It was the start of a beautiful friendship.
The meetings in the secret passageway soon became regular. Millicent was still with Harry, though he was so busy preparing for upcoming challenges he barely noticed his girlfriend disappearing from the face of the Marauder's Map.
Marcus soon became acquainted with Cormac McLaggen, a good friend of Millicent's. Arrogant, rude and profoundly pompous. Marcus learned to despise the very ground he walked on.
But it wasn't just his demeanour that Marcus loathed, it was his overbearing protectiveness of Millicent. Out of nowhere Marcus would bump into Cormac, who would not hesitate in challenging him to a fight.
It wasn't in Marcus' nature to turn down a challenge, so they fought regularly. Despite being almost a foot taller than Cormac, it was a very even match.
One day, Cormac swaggered down the halls staring directly at Marcus.
Here we are again. Marcus thought, cracking his knuckles.
Cormac pinned Marcus again the cold stone wall and stared into his cool grey eyes with a sense of vengeance.
"You're stringing Milly along" Cormac growled underneath his breath
"She has a boyfriend" Marcus replied, dismissively
"You absolute thick headed..." (Well you're one to talk, thought Marcus) "...twat faced, dog toothed..." (Oh hell no, you don't diss the teeth) " lunatic. They broke up, Milly's in love with you is it not obvious?"
Adrenaline shot through Marcus' heart making it beat faster and faster until it was ready to shoot right out of his chest. He wanted to find Milly, tell her how he felt but first he had escape Cormac.
"Get off me Cormac" he growled
Cormac smirked and cocked his head to one side, squaring up the situation. Then, to Marcus' surprise he released him. However, it wasn't long before he gave an almighty punch in the stomach to Marcus, leaving him doubled over in the corridor alone.
Despite the pain clenching around his abdomen, Marcus hoisted himself up. He could follow Cormac left down the corridor, start a fight, and leave his ugly face looking even uglier. Or, he could go right, down to the dungeons and find Millicent.
He knew what mattered more and turned right, clenching his stomach in hatred, but following his heart with love.