Alright we're finally getting to the good stuff! Thank you to everyone who's read this far.
The past two weeks have been super stressful and I haven't written much so my buffer is dwindling. Hopefully I'll be able to change that. First my daughter got sick, I had to pick her up from school because she was throwing up. Then my fiance got sick, but he had all of last week off for vacation, but when he got better we started painting the walls in our house. We still need to finish, but it's getting there. This week, I've been cleaning out all the unnecessary junk we've accumulated. Ugh it's been so much work. BUT our house is looking better so I'm less claustrophobic being here haha.
Anyway, please enjoy this new chapter! Send me a review with your thoughts! And if you have any requests for specific people you'd like to see Marlene interact with, let me know! :)
xoxo Malleycat
Chapter Seven
As the years passed, Marlene grew into a beautiful, graceful young woman. Her continued practice of ballet ensured her a lean physique, with deceptively strong muscles. She found that she excelled in Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts, but was passable at Transfiguration, and abysmal in Potions.
Fifth year had started two months ago, and winter was settling in at Hogwarts. Marlene shivered and burrowed into her cloak, wishing she had one of those Muggle jumpers that Lily wore all the time. The steam curling out of her cauldron did nothing to help; in fact, the only thing it seemed to be doing was mussing her hair up. The tendrils that had escaped her ponytail tightened into ringlets, and she sighed irritably.
Lily had tried her best since first year to help her friend, but Potions came so naturally to the redhead that it was hard for her to put into words what she just knew. The result was a frustrated Marlene and an exasperated Lily. The Muggleborn held the top spot in Potions class for their year, while Marlene ranked somewhere near the bottom.
Twenty minutes before the end of class for the day, Professor Slughorn called for his students to siphon off a sample of their Potions, label the glass phial with their names, and bring the finished product up to him. While most students had achieved the desired end color of a brilliant aquamarine, Marlene's potion was a murky, dark green. She sighed again when she handed her assignment to the teacher and watched him frown at it.
When all the students were seated once more and fires put out and cauldrons cleaned, there were only ten minutes left. Professor Slughorn stood and cleared his throat.
"You have all sat in the same places with the same partners since about your second year, after a few hiccups along the way." A few students snickered, both Slytherin and Gryffindor alike, remembering that time towards the end of first year when Marlene had melted three cauldrons in one class. It wound up resulting in multiple students needing to be sent to the Hospital Wing. The blonde's face burned at the reminder of public humiliation.
"I believe it is past time to switch things up." Marlene turned and met Lily's eyes in horror. Sure, Lily was not the greatest at explaining things to her, but they were comfortable with each other. Lily never made of Marlene's mistakes. And in a double Potions class with Slytherin, she could wind up with anyone.
"Please gather your things and move to the walls, and when I call your name, please sit at the table I indicate." Marlene and Lily picked up their bags and headed toward one side of the room with the rest of the Gryffindors. The Slytherins stood on the opposite side of the room. Marlene's stomach was in knots. What if her new partner resented her for being so awful? She had a feeling that Slughorn was going to have them sitting in Slytherin-Gryffindor pairs, instead of all the Lions on one side, and the Snakes on the other.
The Daily Prophet had been steadily publishing articles about a man who meant to unite the Wizarding World. The details weren't very clear on how this was to happen, but Marlene's parents seemed to think he had the right idea. Not much was known about him, except that he worked in the Ministry of Magic for the Department of International Magical Cooperation. He had a strange sounding name that Marlene wasn't sure she was pronouncing right until she heard her father say it aloud at one party or another.
The news they read each day seemed to bother Dumbledore a great deal, since he had made a speech at the Sorting Feast about House unity and other rubbish that most of the students had tuned out. Marlene supposed that the staff of Hogwarts were attempting to back this up, as this was now the third class that switched up routine seating arrangements. Potions, however, was the first class where the change filled her with dread.
Hearing her name startled her out of her thoughts, and she realized she had completely missed her partner's name. Even so, she headed to the desk Slughorn had indicated, in the middle row, second from the back. The blonde looked back at Lily as she put her bag down and sat, and smiled halfheartedly. A second later, someone dropped their bag on the shared desk and sat down quietly.
Amycus Carrow turned and grinned at her. To anyone except Marlene, it looked polite, but she could read him fairly easily and knew he was pleased. "I guess if I had to sit next to a dirty Gryffindor, I would pick you," he said by way of greeting. Marlene pretended to be offended.
"Why sir, if you're going to just degrade me and call my House names, I'll petition Professor Slughorn to change the seating assignment," she replied primly. Her aristocratic accent was especially pronounced even as she smirked. It was a long running joke between the two to make fun of the other's House. "I'm sorry my presence is only barely tolerable," she sniffed.
Amycus held back a laugh. "Quite so," he replied sternly before smiling at her again. "Just please try not to set my hair on fire or melt my shoes." Marlene only barely kept herself from rolling her eyes at yet another reminder of ways she'd failed miserably in Potions class.
"Prat," she muttered, crossing her arms. Her mother would Scourgify her mouth for speaking that way, but around her friends, she was a little looser. Scooting her bag to the outer edge of the desk, she turned so her elbow rested on the surface and she faced her new partner. "I hope you're ready to help me, though. I don't want to fail," she whispered, leaning in closer. He already knew how dismal she was in the subject, so she didn't mind sharing this vulnerability with him.
Marlene knew that if she didn't score at least an A on her OWLs, she wouldn't get into NEWTs level Potions for next year. And if she didn't do that, her prospects after Hogwarts narrowed considerably. Marlene had no aspirations to simply exist as a Pureblood wife and socialite; she wanted to work, to do something productive with her life.
"Of course I'll help you," he responded immediately. "You're my friend. Really, I'm amazed you've even made it this far," he teased. Marlene swatted his arm playfully. It was true though; Marlene herself was surprised that Slughorn had never assigned her a tutor.
"Miss McKinnon, Mister Carrow, please stay after class," Slughorn called suddenly. Spoke too soon, Marlene thought wryly. They couldn't have been in trouble, as many of their other classmates were also talking. She and Amycus nodded to show they heard him before looking back at each other. They laughed quietly and continued talking.
Soon, the bell sounded that signalled the end of class. Students filed out around them, and Marlene's Gryffindor friends shot her sympathetic looks as they passed. They weren't sure what Amycus had to do with it, but Marlene staying after class was not uncommon for this subject. She smiled reassuringly at them.
"Miss McKinnon, Mister Carrow, thank you for staying. Now, the reason I asked to see you. Miss McKinnon, your scores in this class have consistently been quite low. Miss Evans is absolutely brilliant in my class, and I'd hoped that some of that prowess would've rubbed off on you by now. Clearly, this is not the case." Marlene blushed at his words. Failure was hard for Marlene to accept, and to have it so clearly stated was horrible.
"Mister Carrow, you have the second highest score between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins, so I've paired you two in the hopes that you may help her. From now on, you shall tutor Miss McKinnon every Thursday night from seven to eight in the evening. You may use the lab across the hall for your study sessions. Any questions?" Both students shook their heads. "Very well, you may begin this Thursday."
"Thank you, Professor," Marlene uttered quietly, still ashamed. Amycus echoed her a bit louder, and they turned and left the classroom.
"You know, it's a good thing I like you," commented Amycus lazily. "You are possibly the only Gryffindor I would consider helping." Marlene laughed.
"Well, I would definitely take you over Snape any day," she chuckled. "So, do you want to just meet in the lab on Thursday?" she asked him. It made the most sense, since the Slytherin dorm was in the dungeon anyway, and Gryffindor was about as far from that as possible.
"With your terrible scores? No, dear, we need to start as soon as possible." Marlene blinked at him, confused. "Meet me in the Library after dinner, we'll start by fixing your Potions essay for this week." He grinned. "Don't look at me like that. If the situation is dire enough to warrant me tutoring you, then I am absolutely sure that your essay is nowhere near correct." Marlene blushed again and mumbled something unintelligible. "No arguments," Amycus added. "I'll see you in the Library at half five." He bowed extravagantly and winked before separating from her when they reached the Main Hall.
When Marlene made it to her seat in History of Magic half a minute before the bell rang, she sighed and pulled out her book. A few seconds later, a paper swan landed on the pages. Unsurprised, the blonde opened it up and smoothed it out.
What was all that about? -L
Marlene glanced up at Professor Binns, but the ghost was, as usual, completely oblivious. She picked up her quill to reply.
Nothing too surprising. Carrow is to tutor me in Potions. I now have zero free time on Thursdays. This is your fault, you know. -M
She slid her wand out discreetly and flicked it with a whispered incantation, and the bird flew back to her friend. The redhead's reply didn't take long.
I'm sorry I'm terrible at explaining things! You're my best friend, I wish I could've been a better help. Now you have to spend extra time with that Snake? It's bad enough he's your partner. -L
Marlene's hand twitched slightly. As the years had passed, Marlene found herself seemingly leading two lives. She had a distinct Gryffindor side, and a Slytherin side. She was fiercely devoted to each set of friends, even as the two groups split further and further from each other. Even Maxwell had slowly drifted from his Gryffindor friends. It was hard during the school year for Marlene to make time for her Slytherin friends, but at home it was different. With so many of the Purebloods banding together, it was easy for the younger generation to foster their relationships.
But even though Marlene was fond of both sets of friends, it was hard to make each side see the other as valid and worthwhile. It was an exhausting line to walk.
He's not that bad, Lils. Really. He's a bit of a flirt, but he means nothing by it. Sound familiar? -M
Marlene sent the note back to her friend, and it soon returned.
Sirius at least has never used the 'M' word. But if you say he's alright, then I'll take your word for it. -L
The blonde girl shook her head and folded the paper, sliding it under her textbook. Halfway through the class, another note landed on her desk.
What'd ole Sluggy want with you and that git? -Sirius
Marlene rolled her eyes. Merlin, her year mates were nosy.
He's not a git, Sirius. And he's to start tutoring me every Thursday until my grades are good enough. -M
She sent it back to her friend.
But Mars, he cheats in every Quidditch game, I've heard him use the 'M' word, and his sister is just a pig. -Sirius
A minute passed before she picked up her quill again.
And I've seen you cheat on more than one occasion as well. You call all the Slytherins dirty names, and you have a personal vendetta against anyone who is friendly with your family. I love you, Sirius, but you're not perfect either. -M
It was an old argument between them. He disliked almost all of Slytherin on principle, and they disliked him for being different from his family.
You're right, Mars. As usual. I have no idea what you see in any of them, but I'll be fine as long as you're fine. -Sirius
Her face softened as she read his words. He had always been protective of her, ever since that first night at school where she cried in his arms.
You'll be the first to know if anything untoward happens. -M
I'd better be. -Sirius
A small heart accompanied the last message. Marlene turned her head and caught Sirius' eye. She smiled at him and he winked at her before pointing exaggeratedly at his book then at the Professor. He picked up his quill and acted like he was taking notes while being engrossed in the lecture. Marlene laughed to herself. Boys.