Chapter Thirty-Five: Discussion

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. The underlined portions are taken directly from the novel; I do not own those parts. They belong to J.K. Rowling.

Author's Note: This fanfiction is going to be different from my other stories. This begins during Chamber of Secrets and goes up until three years after the Dark War. So, pay attention the time, so you don't get confused. Some of the chapters are other Marcus Flint/Katie Bell stories, just with more changes and deleted scenes added.

Time: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Genre: Romance, Drama, and Friendship

Rating: PG-13

Haley leaned back against the soft chair she was lounging on in the Slytherin common room. A lot of her fellow housemates were absent from the room. They were probably at the Gryffindor Quidditch Team's first practice poking jokes at them. She sighed and turned a page in her Charms textbook. People really needed to get a life.

Miley Pucey was sitting in a chair across from her. Even though her brother was on the team, she showed no interest in the sport. She would rather join a club than do actual psychical activity. Haley did not mind Quidditch and played it over the summer. She just was not sure if she wanted to play on House team. They took it so serious and she just wanted to have fun.

Miley looked over the top of her own book. "It's so peaceful here without everyone." She paused. "I don't see way people think that all Slytherins and Gryffindors hate each other."

Haley did not understand that either. The bitterness between the two houses did get old pretty quickly. She did not expect everyone to get along perfectly, but she did expect them to be somewhat civil toward each other. "Yeah, I know."

"No offense, but your brother and Wood took it to the extreme," Miley mused.

Haley could not disagree. Marcus and Wood were so similar in their actions and beliefs that it was to the point that it was sickening. They were so much alike that it was as if they were one person. As a result, they both hated each other with a burning passion. "I know he did." She paused. "He's kind of gotten over it somewhat. He's more focused on beating United now."

Miley raised her eyebrows. "Isn't that the team Wood plays for?"

"Yep."

"Him and Wood still hate each other?"

"Yep."

Miley smirked. "Think it will ever stop?"

"Nope. Not in a million years."

Miley leaned back further into her seat. "Well, at least, they aren't too bad to look at." Her eyes light up. "I did not mind seeing your brother in his swimming trunks, not at all."

Haley got a horrified look on her face. She could agree that Marcus was not bad to look at, but still he was her brother. It was strange when people mused about him in front of her. It made her feel sick.

Miley's face was light when she saw Haley's face. "What? I can't help it!"

Haley stood up and walked toward the door. "I am not going to sit here and listen to you talk about my brother." She walked out without bothering to turn around. She knew that Miley would not be mad. They had had this argument many times over the years and they always ended with the same result.

Haley strolled down through one of Hogwart's many corridors. She looked over her shoulder and saw that a boy in her year, Harper, was following her again. Stalking her seemed to be one of his favourite hobbies. She wondered what Blaise would do if she ever told him. She sighed and whipped around.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"Ah, come one Haley," Harper said. "I just want to have a little fun."

She raised an eyebrow. "You call this fun?"

He nodded.

"No wonder you do not have a girlfriend."

"I have many to choose from."

Haley laughed. "Yeah, right."

"You don't believe?"

She started to walk again. "When I see it, I'll believe it."

Haley went out into the courtyard. She was very disappointed. She was hoping that Marcus would write today, but so far he hadn't. It had been so long since she heard from Marcus. He usually wrote to her about once a week but lately he had not been. She figured that he was just busy and did not have time to write. The letters had a wide range of topics: Quidditch, his animals and classes, what he had done to annoy their parents, and so on. She scanned the skies. There was no owl in sight.

She was kind of disappointed. She had been hoping that he would write so she could complain to him about Umbridge. She knew that if Marcus had Umbridge that he would probably be in detention every night like Harry. Like Harry, Marcus could not keep his temper. She thought about it for a little bit. No, Marcus would not be in detention because he would never talk back to her. He would probably do something to her so he would not get caught.

She sighed and went back into the castle. Maybe she would have better luck tomorrow.