Chapter 1
"Do you think, looking back at your guys last year, would you have wanted it to be different?" The interviewer asked the seven of them "No I don't think I'd want it to, sure maybe the first month I begged for it to be different but not now and I think if our time at school was different and there was a war hanging around us I think we all would have been great friends all seven years of school" Harry Potter said smiling "I think that without realizing it HeadMistress Mccgonagall created the most chaotic friend group since the Marauders" Hermione Granger said smiling looking around at all of them cause an eruption of laughter from all of them.
~~~10 years earlier~~~
September 1st, 1999
"Draco, are you alright?" Marigold asked "Yeah yeah just- I'm fine" Draco responded keeping his emotions closed off as always "Alright dear, we should be going I believe Topsy is dropping us off" Marigold forced a smile and grabbed her bag.
Walking down the stairs today didn't feel weird, it didn't feel like she was walking into a room of madmen, it didn't feel like she was walking on eggshells in her own home. After her family's trials, Malfoy Manor in an odd way felt like a home more than it has in the past few years.
"Leaving already darling," Her mother said from the drawing-room "Yes Mother, Draco should be right behind me. We'll send you a letter when we get to school" She said looking back to see Draco behind her. "Well then, I'll see you both for Christmas I hope," Narcissa said getting up to wish them goodbye "Yes mother," Marigold said hugging her mother goodbye. "Master said Topsy is to take you to the train station, we should be going" Topsy the family elf interrupted "I-I yes," Marigold said, taking Draco's arm.
"I shouldn't be surprised he didn't say goodbye, he never has," Draco said once they landed at the station and Topsy disappeared with a quiet pop "I held out hope that he would change and he would protect us, I gave up when we-" "I know, Mari I know," Draco said pushing a stray hair out of her face and back into her ponytail. "People are staring Draco," Marigold said beginning to walk "I don't think that'll ever stop," He said "Oh what a wonderful life he lives dear brother," She said her voice dripping with sarcasm and for a second she swore her brother let out a small laugh, quiet but it was still there.
Once they both found where Blaise, Theo, and Pansy sat the morning was a little better. "So Pansy when did you and Blaise happen," Marigold asked smirking at her but happy they finally got together the two of them had been head of heels for each other since they met "Over the summer I guess'' She smiled happily "I'm happy for you both" "Thank you Mari" Pansy took her hand from across the table. "After the trial, it still seems like the whole world is waiting for us to fuck up, for one of us to say something and it's over" Marigold confessed "I'm surprised our parents only got house arrest, you parents having the worst of it," Theo said his face falling apologetic at his last words "It's fine Theo" Mari smiled "Father hasn't left his office since the last trial and mother walks around the house in some lucid dream," Draco said still staring out the window. "Not completely how I would describe it but yes that is our home life" She forced a smile looking at her brother from the corner of her eyes.
The rest of the train ride was spent quietly talking and reading. It was nice behind closed doors. They were always quiet and kind to each other, they showed actual emotion, something that was never shown outside of their quiet circle. "Who the bloody hell is knocking?" Marigold said her voice was laced with anger. The door opened to none other than the school's Golden Trio "It's a letter from the HeadMistress, The four of you should have gotten one before you left for school" Granger said "Aww thanks Granger for making your way down here but we didn't get one" Mari "And even if we did, It was probably ignored, Our houses elves look over them for the supplies list and that's about it" Draco continued "Here, we'll see you at school" She said shoving the letter into Marigold's hand "You all can leave no thank you" Pansy waved them off. "What's it say," Draco said turning to look at me "Mandatory group therapy is the bullshit it says" Mari rolled her eyes and handed it to her brother before he ripped it out of her hands
"No way, no fucking way," He said reading parts out loud "I don't see the total point in it, I've been doing pretty well locking my emotions into little boxes and never opening them," Marigold said laughing some "Little boxes are fun" Pansy agreed "Theo you still friends with that Ravenclaw who would sneak Firewhiskey on to campus," Blaise asked, "I can talk to him, why?" Theo asked "I sure as hell am not going to any of these sober that's why. "We have to live in a shared bloody dorm with the three of them" Draco practically yelled "Oh god, someones gonna end up dead" Marigold said palling some
"What do you mean by dorms, like they're throwing all 8th years into one dorm or all seven of us in one dorm," Marigold asked, "All seven of us in one mini apartment is what I am getting from this." Draco started reading more of the letter "Doing it with all of the houses and I guess since we have the biggest problems with Griffindor we have to live with them" He finished "Well that's just grand" Mari said slumping against the bench "Maybe, maybe it won't be so bad" Theo said shocking all of them "I mean think about it, this year is supposed to be about making amends and fixing what was broken and this may be the best way to do it, I think we should give it a shot, see what happens before we start doubting Headmistress idea." He explained "Theo does have a point" Blaise nodded. Draco kept opening and closing his mouth as if he would object but just silently nodded knowing Theo was right, Marigold smiled at him and the last 30 minutes or so were spent in silence.