"He got caught by Apollyon Pringle - he was the caretaker in those days - your father's still got the marks."

This is my version of how Arthur got his marks for Molly and how their relationship started. It is a mini-prequel for a larger story that I am writing about Arthur Weasley

Arthur Weasley quietly whistled as he walked back to the Gryffindor tower. The fifth year was feeling both relaxed and energized. His lively romp with a curious Hufflepuff in a broom closet was a happy experience and he was still feeling the endorphins from it. As he grew closer to the hallway leading to the tower stairway, he could hear voices ahead.

One voice in particular was that of fellow Gryffindor Molly Prewitt, a pretty girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. Many times, he had been tempted to flirt with the lovely lady but feared her older twin brothers who watched over their younger sister like dragons guarding treasure. Molly's voice was usually filled with light and laughter but now she sounded guarded and strained. The other voice was Apollyon Pringle, the school's newest caretaker. Arthur didn't know what to make about the caretaker. Mr. Pringle was young and good-looking but was quite stern with the students. But something about him made Arthur nervous and Arthur got along with almost everyone at Hogwarts, students and staff alike.

Arthur rounded the corner and found Molly backed up against a wall with Mr. Pringle standing way too close to her, leering at her. Molly was clasping several colorful packages and bags and wearing a handmade birthday hat. It was very clear that Molly did not want to be anywhere near Mr. Pringle.

Arthur quickly jumped back around the corner out of sight. He reached into his robes, pulled out a small bottle, and quickly downed it. Loudly singing an out-of-tune, dirty limerick, Arthur clumsily rounded the corner and staggered down the hallway toward Molly and Mr. Pringle. Molly looked up and instantly looked both relieved and baffled. Mr. Pringle backed away from Molly and fiercely glared at Arthur.

Arthur came closer to Mr. Pringle and put his arm around the man's shoulder. Slyly winking at Molly, Arthur breathed heavily into Mr. Pringle's face and asked the caretaker if he had seen Arthur's missing stash of Firewhiskey. Arthur even offered to share some of his stash with the man in exchange for his help in finding it. Molly quietly slipped away as Mr. Pringle grabbed Arthur's arm and dragged him to his office for punishment.

Later that night as Arthur weakly entered the Gryffindor tower, Molly was waiting for him. Arthur bravely tried to walk to the couch but almost fell. Molly quickly helped him to a nearby couch. As they talked, Molly explained that she was returning from the Hufflepuff's common room after dropping some of her friends after a surprise birthday party when she was stopped by the caretaker who tried to punish her for being out after curfew even though he was deliberately delaying her from making it back to the tower on time. She thanked Arthur for rescuing her from the creepy man.

Asking about his punishment, Arthur tried to pretend that it was just a minor inconvenience that didn't bother him at all. As he got up to go to his dorm, he collapsed and Molly saw that his shirt was ripped and his back was striped with bloody whip marks. She immediately started screaming for help and several fellow Gryffindors helped her take Arthur to the Infirmary for medical care.

The next day, Mr. Pringle was dismissed by Headmaster Dumbledore and the entire school was swirling with rumors. Molly beamed at Arthur as he returned healed from the Infirmary just in time for breakfast. She knew that Arthur was a sweet, easy-going guy who didn't much care for studying but he had become her knight-in-shining-armor overnight. She decided right then and there that she was going to be Mrs. Arthur Weasley no matter what.