September 4th, 1995
"You'll have your career counseling appointment with Professor Scamander first thing this morning," Aunt Minnie said during their early morning tea. "Do try not to get distracted. I'd rather my other pupils not get scandalous ideas."
Mary held back a sigh. "You have all of my notes and requests for classes. Why do I still have to see Rolf?"
Aunt Minnie lifted an eyebrow in response. "It's his duty as career counselor to meet with the students before term starts. You are the only one he has yet to interview. And as you asked not to be given special privileges, this still stands. Not only that, but the Ministry will notice if he doesn't interview you."
"If I have to." Mary sighed.
"Although it goes against my better judgment, there is one aspect of your school year that I have made special arrangements for." Aunt Minnie opened the top drawer of her desk, pulling out a red velvet pouch.
Mary took a sip of her tea, nearly choking when Aunt Minnie revealed the gold chain attached to a time-turner. "You still have that?"
"This is a newly spelled Time-Turner," Aunt Minnie said, reaching across her desk to place it in Mary's hand. "Ami brought it to me earlier this morning."
Mary rubbed the surface of the hourglass, watching as the sand within fluttered lazily from one side to the other, her mind spinning with plans. "We can save Daphne and stop Vinda."
"I'm afraid that's not an option." Aunt Minnie stood and walked around the desk to sit beside her. "This is a specially made Time-Turner. It will only work in the boundary of Hogwarts' protective enchantments. And as a safety measure, it will only go back twelve hours and can only be used thrice in a twenty four hour period. If you step foot outside of the boundary line while using the time turner, you will be apprehended."
"Whose idea was that?" Mary asked, a frown forming on her face.
"Minister Bones and Unspeakable Croaker were both adamant that the protections be there." Aunt Minnie patted her arm gently. "It's not that they don't trust you, but when time-travel is involved, they have to be very careful."
"If they only knew," Mary said, letting out a pained laugh.
"Speaking of, Severus told me that he's expecting you for your detention this evening." Aunt Minnie shot her a pointed look. "And every evening for the next month."
"At least we'll have time to discuss the journals," Mary said, pushing the teacup away. "That's not something I'm looking forward to."
"Severus will handle the information given with decorum and no small amount of protest," Aunt Minnie said, patting her arm and going back to her chair.
Mary leaned back and rubbed at her eyes, tucking the time-turner under the collar of her shirt. "This is going to be a long year, I can feel it."
"You and I both, child." Aunt Minnie plucked a biscuit from the tin, biting into it with a sour look on her face before she spoke again. "OWLS and NEWTS in one year is a large undertaking. Are you sure of this, Mary? Your schedule will be quite full."
Mary took a sip and then set her cup down. "I need every distraction I can get. I also need to practice. And it's one of the things I want to do, uh, before the end. Graduate, that is."
"You are not going to die." Aunt Minnie pursed her lips but jotted down a note on her schedule. "I will not let that happen. We'll find a way to solve this issue and you will live a long and happy life."
"I don't want to waste time looking for something that isn't there while Voldemort grows stronger," Mary replied, reaching forward to grasp her hand. "I need for this bloody war to be over. That's the most important thing. Dumbledore's right about that at least, my life isn't worth risking thousands."
Aunt Minnie closed her eyes, letting out a breath. "I will speak to the testing committee if you're sure."
"I am." Mary smiled. "It'd be nice to know that I accomplished something other than causing chaos during my time at Hogwarts."
Aunt Minnie put her hand to her mouth, tears brimming in her eyes. "You've done far more than that, Mary."
"Will you make sure that I'm remembered for the good things?" Mary asked, feeling her heart clench. "For winning the Quidditch Cup and being the youngest Seeker in a century?"
"I expect that trophy to be on my shelf for at least three more years." Aunt Minnie wiped at her eyes, turning her head to the trophy case. "So yes, Potter, I will make sure you are remembered for your accomplishments. If you can win the Cup, that is."
Mary smiled, seeing through the facade. "It's all I ask for. That and it'd be nice if you'd watch over my friends for me."
"You never have to ask, Mary," Aunt Minnie said, squeezing her hand. "I'll make sure they're safe."
"And fire Snape," Mary said with a laugh. "For fuck's sake, that man needs a break. As soon as the coast is clear, be sure that he's out the door and going to some fancy island for a holiday."
"I will leave that argument between the two of you," Aunt Minnie said, standing and shooing her out of her seat and to the door. "Now run along before the elves start serving breakfast."
Mary turned, hugging her quickly before she left the office and sprinted toward the Great Hall. Slowing her pace, she walked in with a few of the first years, ignoring their sidelong glances as she made her way to the fifth year table where Ron and Hermione were sitting.
"Oh, Mary," Hermione whispered, leaning her head on her shoulder as soon as Mary sat down. "How are you?"
"I'm fine." Mary put a few pieces of toast on her plate.
"Are you really?" Ron asked, turning toward her. "We all heard about Daphne and the attack on Remus' quarters."
"Saphira, Daphne and Aunt Andy got it worse than I did," Mary replied quietly. "Saphira and Aunt Andy are both on the mend and Daphne is home with Siri."
"And the attacker?" Hermione gripped her arm. "Who was it? The other students are saying it was a vampire."
"Not a vampire." Mary pulled the platters closer. "Just a really old witch with a vendetta."
Hermione opened her mouth to say more but was interrupted by Lavender and Parvati taking the seats next to her. Instead, she shot Mary a pointed look that clearly meant that the conversation wasn't over and that they'd be speaking in length at a further time.
No small amount of Mary's dignity was spared as Lavender and Parvati attacked every aspect of her wardrobe. Her shoes were scuffed. She didn't wear makeup to hide the lines around her eyes. There was no spell covering the white hair at her temples.
"That's what I have the two of you for," Mary said in her own defence, backing away from the table as McGonagall stepped forward with their schedules. "You can patch me up in the loo later on."
Hermione jumped to her feet, wringing her hands as the schedules were handed across the table. "Oh, this looks like a wonderful lineup! We have history right after breakfast."
"That's good, innit?" Ron asked, his mouth full of food.
Mary accepted her schedule with a smile even though her stomach churned at the thought of her first 'class'. "I'll meet you two before we head to History, alright? I have a career counselling appointment."
"I'm so excited about Professor Bagshot's class," Hermione said in a rush. "The amount of knowledge she has is astounding! Oh, and she is the foremost expert on the castle proper. I'm hoping that she'll agree to tutor me for extra credit."
Ron rolled his eyes, taking Hermione's heavy rucksack and slinging it over his shoulder. "Don't start on that. If you get us more work on the first day, you'll be the next to be booted from Gryffindor."
Mary snorted, but Hermione paused, glaring daggers at Ron. "You shouldn't say such things. Mary, are you sure you're okay with staying with Remus until things settle down? We can make it work in the Tower. McGonagall said that there's room for expansion. You and I could bunk together."
Mary grinned. "Living with Remus is brilliant. And I'd rather not subject the other Gryffindor's to my presence just yet. I might hurt them 'accidentally'."
"Not you too!" Hermione stomped her foot. "Honestly, why must you two be so crass?"
"If you think that's crass, you should have heard Bill and Charlie's rants over the summer hols," Ron said with a laugh. "They had stories that had Mum awake for days."
Mary shuddered suddenly, trying to hide the action by readjusting her shoulder strap. "This is where we part. I'll see you in a bit."
They waved her off, Hermione admonishing Ron in a whispered voice as Mary walked away, tugging her head headphones onto her ears and drowning out the loud noises of the castle with the light and upbeat music that didn't match her mood.
Mary stopped at the door to Rolf's office, glancing at her watch. Two minutes to go. Closing her eyes, she buried herself in the depths of the bass and drums, letting it soothe her soul.
What peace she found left when the door opened, Romilda Vane walking out with a smirk on her face as she saw Mary standing there.
"Miss Potter," Rolf said, holding the door open for her.
It was bright and airy in the office, the cloying scent of Romilda's perfume hung heavy in the air, making Mary wince as she sat down. "McGonagall sent my notes over."
"Are you okay?" Rolf asked, sitting behind his desk.
"Romilda uses tea tree oil," Mary said through clenched teeth. "It's overwhelming."
Rolf frowned. "And your delimiting spells aren't working?"
"Obviously," Mary said, meeting his gaze. "I have a class in twenty minutes. And I'm sure you're not here to talk about my hyperactive sense of smell."
Rolf grimaced, pushing the papers around on his desk, sending a few pieces of parchment falling to the floor. "No, this is just a standard career consultation."
Mary caught the pages easily, a pang of guilt in her gut. "I'm sorry. It's been a rough morning for me and you don't deserve my vitriol."
"Apology accepted," Rolf said with a small grin. "There now, where were we?"
Mary caught a whiff of an odd scent on the pages and looked down at them in interest, the words popping up without context until she realized that it was Rolf's personal letters. "Penny? She's still writing to you?"
Rolf flinched, standing and grabbing the pages from her hand. "I'm sorry."
"We're both full of apologies this morning," Mary said, leaning back in her chair and casting another delimiting spell on herself.
Rolf scoffed, tossing the letters to the side. "She's back in London. I'm sorr- you know what, you're right. You don't talk about your past and I don't talk about mine."
A strange feeling fluttered in and Mary leaned forward, clasping her hands together. "I know I'm a real piece of work. And I keep a lot of secrets. There's no hard feelings if you want to stop all of this. It'd probably be for the best considering the war and everything else."
"Mary, no." Rolf stood, reaching for her hand. "I don't want that at all. I just want you to talk to me when something's bothering you. I don't like feeling helpless when you're hurting."
"I'm fine," Mary said, her eyes stinging from the strong scent that clung to her like a dark cloud. "It's all a bit much to put into words but I'll try to open up more."
"That's all I ask." Rolf grinned.
"Is Saphira here?" Mary asked, twisting her ring and letting the steady heartbeat calm her.
Rolf looked to his office door. "She's in the back room. Shall I fetch her?"
Mary nodded, rubbing at her temples to ease the ache that settled there. Along with it came an intense curiosity that had her itching to grab the letters from where they'd been casually tossed onto the desk. But that felt like an even larger betrayal. Rolf gave her space and respected her privacy. Reciprocating that was the least she could do.
"Here we are," Rolf said, stepping back into the room with a groggy Saphira in his arms.
Mary picked her up and held her, careful not to jostle her injured wing. "Go back to sleep, little one."
"Yes, mum," Saphira hissed tiredly.
Rolf sat down, picking up her schedule and opening his book to a fresh page. "Are you ready to get started?"
"Yes," Mary replied, leaning back in her chair. "So, how does this work?"
Rolf grinned, meeting her eyes. "You tell me about your goals for the future. What kind of career do you see yourself enjoying after you graduate."
Mary closed her eyes, letting herself open that forbidden box of dreams and hopes that were unattainable. She thought of the rows of tents at the world cup, the sense of community there, the freedom.
"Well, I'd love to play professional quidditch but that's not a real career is it?"
"It is," Rolf said with a soft smile, writing a few notes. "And it's a lucrative one, financially."
"I don't care about the money."
Rolf chuckled, writing another note that he didn't share the contents of. "Do you have a backup career in mind?"
Mary ran her hand over Saphira's soft feathers. "I love working with magical creatures. All animals really."
The mountain range in Romania was painted against her eyelids, the sounds, the smells, the people. All working together toward a common goal. A weather beaten face sprung to mind and Mary quickly shook herself free of her thoughts, burying them alongside that familiar sting of pain once again.
"I figured Magizoology would be on the list." Rolf let out a small laugh, not sensing her inner turmoil as he pushed a piece of parchment forward. "You'll need NEWTS in those subjects for a career in any field that works with creatures both magical and not. Or at least for the Ministry's standards to be met."
Mary read the list, realizing that she was already taking those classes, so her workload wouldn't change. "So, um, is that all you needed? Just for me to sit here and talk about careers?"
"That is part of my job as career counsellor," Rolf said, standing up. "Although, I must say this has been my shortest meeting thus far."
"Well, I appreciate the, er, counselling." Mary swallowed hard, straightening her uniform as she stood and handed Saphira over. "I've got detention after dinner but if you don't mind, I'll pick up Saphira afterwards and keep her for the night."
"Do you have plans with your godfathers?" Rolf asked, hugging her quickly.
The Room of Requirement called to her, promising a night of training and spellcasting until she was too tired to think. "I'm not sure what they'll be doing, but the first night of classes is usually the busiest homework wise."
"If your schedule can accommodate me, there's something I'd like to show you." Rolf kissed her cheek.
"I'll be here around eight or nine." Mary let go of him, taking a step back but not letting go of his hand. "I really am sorry for my mood earlier."
"Don't apologize, Mary," Rolf kissed her quickly. "And please accept my offer. I promise you won't be disappointed."
"I'll be here." Mary touched the top of Saphira's head quickly before leaving the room, her eyes watering to the point she could no longer ignore it.
She stopped off in the loo before her first class, only to be met with Lavender and Parvati.
"You look horrid!" Parvati exclaimed. "Were you crying?"
"No, I-"
Lavender cut her off, holding up a hand. "Just stay still and be quiet."
A few spells later and a face full of powder, Mary looked in the mirror, grimacing at her own reflection. The white hairs and wrinkles were gone, masked by the concealment spells and makeup, but it didn't take away the ache in her bones or her heart.
"Don't worry, Mary," Lavender said, hugging her quickly. "The Weasley twins are working hard to make sure that you're welcomed back."
"And Lav and I have started our revenge plan against Fay and Sophie." Parvati grinned.
"No!" Mary said, slapping a hand to her own forehead. "I don't want that. Really. Please. Don't do anything of that sort. I need them to accept me on their own terms, not ones forced on them."
"We can't let them get away with this rubbish," Lavender said, a smirk on her face. "McGonagall said that Gryffindor's aren't weak. We're a team."
Mary put a hand on each of their shoulders. "I appreciate your help but I can handle a little bad press. Remember second year and the Tournament? We got through it. This is no different."
"Mary's right," Hermione said, walking in and washing her hands. "Professor McGonagall is handling this situation in the best way. If we get involved it will only take longer for people to accept Mary back."
"I still don't like it," Lavender said, crossing her arms.
Parvati scoffed. "If Roper makes another snide comment, I'm hexing her mouth closed."
Mary dug her textbook out of her bag, trying not to think of how satisfying it'd be to see Sophie with her mouth stitched shut. A shudder ran through her and Mary didn't hesitate to shore up her Occlumency shields. With a heavy sigh, she went to the door, knowing that she was right that this was going to be a long year.
Hermione linked her arm through Mary's. "Do you think Professor Bagshot will remember us? She does seem quite old. Oh, I hope her memory hasn't been affected."
Mary let out a laugh, lowering her voice as they went into the classroom. "I think she's in perfect health. Now come on. I want a seat in the front."
Hermione let out a little squeak, all but dragging her to the front of the classroom, finding the seats in the middle row where the other students stringently avoided.
Though advanced in her years, Bathilda Bagshot strode to the front of the class looking every bit capable and lively as she set a heavy book on her desk and clasped her hands together.
"Welcome to a History of Magic. As Albus told you all during the Feast; I'm Professor Bagshot," she said, opening her book. "You were all required to bring a copy of Modern Histories of the European Wizarding Twentieth Century, so I ask that you turn to the first chapter. Today we will cover the start of the First Wizarding War. If you have any questions, I ask that you bring them to my attention now or wait until prompted."
No one spoke, all of them hurrying to turn to the correct page. Mary felt a chill creep up her spine at the title; 'The Rise of Gellert Grindelwald'. The urge to check the Map burned through her but she knew that this was the real Bathilda. If it wasn't, she would make sure that the imposter paid with their life.
Professor Bagshot was a captivating teacher, going over each detail in depth before moving on to the next. But at times, her first-hand knowledge created a better story than the one in the book.
"Your nephew?" Seamus asked loudly.
Professor Bagshot let out a cackle. "Oh yes, Gellert is my nephew. Don't act so surprised, Mr. Finnegan. Every family has a bad egg or two. My Gellert was simply the one who decided to take over the world."
Not a single student was bored throughout the class. Mary didn't witness one instance of someone doodling or looking away. They were all on the edge of their seats, wanting to know more. So when the bell rang, there was a collective sigh throughout the group of fifth year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors.
"Your homework assignment for the night is a single paragraph stating what would motivate you to take over the world, how you'd accomplish such a feat, and what your end goal would be." Professor Bagshot smiled at the. "One paragraph. Nothing more."
Mary grabbed her rucksack and stuffed her books inside, knowing that there was only ten minutes to get to the next class. Mind spinning, she followed her friends out, listening as they all discussed Professor Bagshot and the way she kept them interested and entertained throughout her hour and half lecture.
Hermione took in a deep breath, waiting until they were in the hallway to let it out in a huff. "Oh, that class was simply amazing! And whatever are we going to do about that assignment? How can that question be answered in one paragraph? Surely we'll be allowed to write a little more to explain our thought process."
"Professor Bagshot was pretty clear that she wouldn't accept anything more than that," Parvati said, linking her arm through Mary's when Fay and Sophie rounded the corner, keeping their heads down.
The day passed by with little fanfare, Transfiguration was a review of fourth year spells that Mary had mastered with both wands and both hands. Lunch was subdued given Daphne's absence. Neville would shoot a glance at the other fifth year table and put his head down, picking at his food until Ron or Dean would distract him.
Mary looked up at the head table, narrowing her eyes when she found Remus and Mac clearly having a heated discussion. Snape sat to Remus' right, reading a very familiar journal. Mary's heart clenched upon seeing the green cover. Harry's sixth year. Trepidation filled her at the thought of how her detention that night would be. And there was little hope for her potions classes.
Lunch ended and Mary stood, following her friends to the Defence corridor where they waited outside the heavy wooden door until it opened and Mac stepped out. "Find your seats, everyone. And take out your textbooks and turn to the first chapter."
Mary and Neville took the seats at the front of the room, with Ron and Hermione following suit. There was no way she was going to sit and hide in the back. Trust was hard to scrounge up these days and Mac hadn't yet earned a smidge of it considering everything that'd transpired over the past two weeks.
Mac moved to lean on the front of her desk, a hard look in her eyes. "Today we will be covering cursed objects and their counter-curses. After you finish reading the first chapter on objects with stinging hexes, I will present you with a cursed object."
Mary narrowed her eyes but focused on her textbook reading it word for word for the tenth time. Her confidence in Mac's ability to teach was faltering by the second and Mary felt her irritation grow along with the boredom. Considering Neville's furrowed brow and intense gaze as he flipped between pages, Mary realised she was alone in her worry. Around the room, the other students were staring at the pages in confusion. Even Hermione was muttering under her breath, whispering the counter-curse that they were meant to learn.
"Time's up," Mac said, waving her wand until twenty wooden boxes floated in the air above them. "You may keep your textbooks out, but as I'm about to demonstrate, learning a spell in theory and learning it in the heat of the moment are two entirely different issues."
The small oak box landed on her desk and Mary stared at it in contemplation. There was a choice to be made here. One that would either make her a target or that would leave her on the path to resuming her normal reputation as someone who got by on luck alone. Looking to her left, she saw Malfoy and Blaise talking as they checked over the oak boxes in front of them. They were drawn to power and strength. Not weakness. To her right were Padma and Sue, both consulting their textbooks.
Mary let her left hand hover over the small trunk, feeling the magic thrum through her fingertips. The answer that popped into mind wasn't the smartest one. It was the blunt end of the sword. No subtlety. No nuance. Just pure self-satisfaction.
Lifting her fingers, the oak box rose into the air, harmless and whole. With a clench of her fist, it crumbled into thick chunks of wood that fell to the desk. All at once, the leftover pieces burst into flames, scorching both the desk, floor, and Mary's robes.
"Miss Potter!" Mac hissed, rushing forward but quickly realising that Mary had already put out the fire. "That'll be detention tonight for destroying school property. And a six-inch essay for not following instructions on handling cursed objects."
"Anything else?" Mary asked, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor," Mac hissed under her breath, going back to her desk.
Mary smirked, licking her lips as she pulled her rucksack forward and packed away her textbook and pulled out her notebook. Might as well get started on her homework now that she had an hour to spare. A pang of unease roiled within her, watching as Mac struggled to get the class back in line. While Mary tried to act as though she was casually writing in her notebook, she could feel the gaze of her classmates, hear their hushed whispers, sense their shock.
Blaise smirked in her direction, a look in his eyes that said he knew what her plan was. Malfoy sat next to him, jaw clenched and fists balled up at his sides. A low chuckle escaped her lips and Mary looked up suddenly, meeting Mac's infuriated gaze.
"Something on your mind, Miss Potter?" Mac asked, gripping the edge of her desk, knuckles white.
"Just my homework," Mary said, a smile on her face.
"Try not to interrupt my class again," Mac said. "They're actually giving their lessons the attention they deserve."
Mary nodded and went back to her notebook, drowning out the sounds of her classmates by focusing on the words on the page in front of her. The hour passed in a tense fashion. By the end, only half of the class had mastered the counter-curse needed to remove the stinging hex.
When the bell rang, Mary put her finished essays in her bag and stood. Hermione, Ron, and Neville followed suit, walking with her into the corridor.
"What were you thinking?" Hermione asked, grabbing her arm and dragging her into an alcove. "Professor Macdonald did a fantastic job and you shot it down with that display."
"They need to know, Hermione," Mary said, running a hand through her hair. "They don't have to side with Voldemort. The Slytherins and their parents only side with him because they think he's the most powerful wizard out there."
"You're not even close to his level." Ron scoffed. "No offence, Mary, but he'd wipe the floor with you."
"He would," Mary admitted. "But I'm trying my best to learn more. That little display might give them hope that they don't have to side with a maniacal idiot."
"All you've accomplished is to earn yourself another detention," Hermione said, checking the schedule. "We better hurry or we'll be late for Charms."
Mary followed her friends, wondering if she'd made a bad call.
Her theory was proven right when she stepped into Flitwick's class and Blaise moved to her side. "Sit with me, Potter?"
"Sure," Mary replied, sending a smirk over her shoulder.
Hermione frowned, pulling Ron and Neville to a desk nearby.
Blaise took the seat between her and Tracey, acting as though there was no tension in the room. "So you've been training, Potter?"
"As often as I can," Mary replied, tilting her head toward him. "I appreciate the invitation, but I'm a little confused as to your reasoning. I'm dangerous, after all."
"You're about as dangerous as a crup," Tracey said, a dark look in her eyes. "If you were of any use, you would have helped Daphne."
A chill crawled up her spine. "You can't blame me for that. I was in the Tower."
"You weren't wanted there and you're not wanted here," Tracey said, picking up her books and taking a seat next to Pansy.
"She's just scared," Blaise said quietly. "We all are."
"For good reason," Mary replied, pulling out her textbook.
Blaise didn't speak for the rest of the class but the silence hung in the air like a noose. Everyone was waiting for a chance to show her how she'd fallen from and Mary already knew that she was standing on the precipice of her own failures. All that she needed was a single push and her motivation would be gone.
After all, saving the world was easier when you didn't have to live in it.
Flitwick was all smiles and cheer while he directed them through the review of the previous year. Babbling was straight to the point with his direction in Runes. Vector didn't hold back as she quizzed them in Arithmancy.
Mary took notes as needed and listened when necessary but her head was swimming in the depths of Tracey's words.
No longer wanted. No longer needed.
"You're being suspiciously quiet," Hermione said, taking a seat next to her for dinner. "You're not overthinking Professor Vector's homework, are you?"
"I need an OWL in her class to get a job in Curse-Breaking," Mary said numbly, picking at her dinner.
"You really want to go that route?" Ron asked, pausing with a spoon full of mash in hand. "Bill loves it, but it does mean being away from home for months on end."
"Sirius has Mac and Finn. Remus has Tonks. I doubt I'll be missed," Mary said without thinking.
"We'll miss you," Neville said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Mrs. Woodcroft wants me to intern for her at the herbology shop when she retires. So I won't be able to leave for a while."
"I can Apparate from anywhere, Nev," Mary said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'll visit often."
"Can you really?" Parvati leaned closer.
"I tried over the Summer hols," Mary said. "As long as I've been there before, I can get back without much trouble."
Their conversation was interrupted when a parliament of owls flooded into the dining hall, most dropping off the first batch of letters from home and copies of the Daily Prophet.
A large hawk owl dove overhead, landing on Fred's shoulder and he turned with a grin. "It's from Bill and Charlie!"
Mary felt her pudding lodge in her throat, watching as the Weasley sibling scrambled around to grab the letters that were addressed to them. Hermione accepted her letter with a grateful smile, but turned to Mary and frowned.
"Maybe it got lost," Hermione said softly.
Mary wiped her hands and mouth on the napkin before placing it on the table. "I better hurry. I have detention and a load of homework."
"Don't go yet," Hermione said, reaching for her.
"I'll see you at breakfast." Mary turned and walked out of the Great Hall with what little grace she could manage, all but sprinting until she was back in Remus' quiet quarters.
With the Cloak over her and the Time-Turner in hand, Mary downed an invigoration draught and spun the dial back twelve hours. The world around her blurred and she stood, gathering her rucksack and casting a few spells on her robes to look presentable before she slunk into the hallway.
"Morning, Mary," Katie said, casting her a curious grin. "What are you doing here?"
Mary pulled out her schedule for sixth year. "About to see if self-study is enough for me to get through Charms."
Katie furrowed her brow but didn't say much more as Flitwick stepped into the room.
He met Mary's gaze and smiled widely. "Good to see all of you here this morning. Today, we'll start with a lovely spell to turn vinegar into wine."
With Katie at her side, Mary worked through the practices, trying the spell nonverbal the first time.
"You must say the incantation clearly, Miss Potter," Flitwick said, moving up to her desk. "Go on, try it again."
"Hoc vinum," Mary whispered, watching the clear liquid in the goblet turn a dark shade of purple.
"Very good!" Flitwick exclaimed, grabbing the glass and holding it to his nose. "A nice cabernet! How lovely. Ten points to Gryffindor!"
Katie elbowed her in the side, a smile on her face. "Nice work!"
Mary put on her best fake smile. "I've been practicing."
It wasn't a lie. There wasn't a spell in the syllabus that she hadn't mastered with both hands and nonverbally. For what though? It wasn't like Voldemort would stop in the middle of battle and ask for a nice chianti. Going through the motions of taking each class was something that needed to be borne so that she could achieve her ultimate goal.
With the first day of sixth year classes finished, Mary ran to Remus' quarters, barely missing her past self by seconds. Reaching into the potions cabinet, she pulled out another invigoration draught and downed it in one go. The lethargy faded and Mary stood straighter, going to her trunk and swapping her textbooks for seventh year.
With a heavy heart, Mary walked into the Potions classroom, only to be sidelined by Fred and George.
"You make the wrong turn, old girl?" Fred asked, his grin wide.
George stared at her face, tilting his head to the side. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Mary said, following them to the back corner of the classroom. "McGonagall has me on a specialized schedule. So I'm mixing up all of my classes based on my proficiency in them."
Fred put an arm around her shoulders. "Well, we're in here with the Puffs, so it's always a fun time."
Mary was pleasantly surprised to find out that Fred was right. Snape was still his normal acerbic self, his eyes burning into her when she made the mistake of looking up. Otherwise he was an attentive teacher and kept a close watch over his students. Mary'd imagined this moment a million times before but she found herself wrong again. Fred and George were focused on their potions, which shouldn't have been such a big surprise considering how hard they worked on their inventions. Still, it was unusual to see them working without their typical boisterous banter.
Without Harry's memories to help, Mary had to rely on herself to get through the seventh year classes. The challenge kept her mind focused and bolstered her spirits, proving that she was capable enough to get through this without relying on someone else.
While the other students were rushing off to dinner, Mary once again rushed to Remus quarters to start the process over. Only this time, instead of leaving, she spent her time catching up on three days worth of homework and taking a quick nap and shower. After making sure that her appearance hadn't changed much, Mary trudged down the corridors and into the dungeon proper, standing in front of Snape's office door to start her detention.
Mary knocked and waited, crossing her arms to stave away the chill that made her bones ache even more.
"Enter." Snape drawled from the other side.
Mary walked in, surprised to see that Snape was standing at the brewing table next to Aunt Andy and Chiara. "This wasn't what I was expecting when you said detention, sir."
"You can waste time acting like a house elf later, Potter," Snape said, looking up from the cauldron. "Take a seat, we're going to need more blood."
Mary sat on the stool next to the workbench, pulling off her robe and rolling up her sleeve. "How close are you to finding a cure?"
"Very close, dear," Aunt Andy took the blood needed and stepped back, supervising as Mary cast the needed healing spell to close the wound. "You're a good student. Have you ever thought of Healing as a potential career choice?"
Mary swallowed hard at the thought. "No offence, Aunt Andy, but I don't fancy seeing my own injuries, let alone have to take care of someone else's."
Aunt Andy stood straighter, straightening her long coat. "I will still require you to continue your training. With your current ailment, I'd prefer you to be prepared for any eventuality."
Mary nodded, cracking her neck and watching as Chiara stood near the fireplace, slight tremors running through her hands. "You okay?"
Chiara blinked, looking at Mary. "Oh yes, well, a touch nervous I suppose."
"Get over here, Potter," Snape said, careful not to touch the ingredients as he set a few silver stirring rods next to the empty cauldron. "I know you've attempted to brew Wolfsbane before, but this time you're going to modify the ingredients, timing, and potency of the potion."
Mary followed each instruction to the letter, stepping back to wipe her brow on her sleeve. "So now we just wait?"
"On Wednesday evening, you will return here on time to finish the final steps," Snape said, cleaning the work top while Mary carefully packed away the leftover ingredients and tools.
Aunt Andy put a hand on her arm. "If all goes to plan, Chiara will substitute this for her usual dose of Wolfsbane."
"Are you sure?" Mary asked her friend, a weight settling on her shoulders. "I'm not a Potions Master. I fuck up one thing and who knows what will happen."
"I trust you." Chiara hugged her quickly.
"I should be the one to test it," Mary said, shaking her head. "This doesn't feel right at all."
"Stop being an idiot, Potter," Snape said, a dark look in his eyes as he rounded the table. "You have the opportunity to do some good here. So desist with the self-sacrificial facade and get the hell out of my office."
"Yes, sir." Mary put her head down, hugging both Chiara and Aunt Andy before running out of the dungeons.
She stopped in front of Rolf's door, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Please be here," she whispered, hand splayed on the cool surface.
Moments ticked by before the door opened and Rolf smiled, Saphira perched on his shoulder. "I didn't think you'd be able to make it."
"I'm here," Mary said, taking in a deep breath.
Rolf moved out of view for a few seconds and reappeared with two sets of roller skates in hand. "Surprise!"
Mary felt her breath catch. "What?"
"You told me that you'd never learned to roller skate, so I'm going to teach you." Rolf handed her a pair of skates with a grin tugging at his cheeks, but faltered upon seeing her reaction. "If you want, of course."
All she wanted to do was take Saphira back to her room and go to sleep. Go to the Room of Requirement and practice defensive spells. Fly out above Hogwarts on her broom and forget the stress of the day. Anything to drown out the sense of giddy anticipation she felt through the bond with his Darkness.
"It's perfect," Mary replied, taking a set of skates from his hand. "But if I break my arse, you're wholly to blame."
"I'll accept the responsibility," Rolf said, laughing as he and Mary both sat on the floor and put on their skates. "I think you'll enjoy skating once you get the hang of it. Think of it as the Muggle version of flying on a broom."
"I heartily disagree with the comparison, but I am not against learning to skate." Mary stood shakily, holding on to the wall so she didn't slide away.
Rolf pulled a small rectangular box from his pocket. "You need your music, so I've brought this."
Mary grinned widely, pulling out the cassette tape and popping it into her Walkman. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me just yet," Rolf said as the music started to build.
Taking his hand, she let him help her adjust to just being in the skates. Within half an hour, she was taking turns through the corridors at full speed, Rolf hissing out reprimands that she barely heard over the sound of the heavy rock music. Hands on her hips, he tried to guide her at a more sedate pace but she wanted none of that. The speed as she zoomed through the hallways was magnificent. It was a wonder that they didn't give skates to every student. It'd make getting to classes so much faster.
It wasn't training to fight. It wasn't the complete bliss of flying. It wasn't the reprieve of sleep. But it was fun. With everything going on in her life, having fun seemed both irresponsible and useless. Still though, Mary pushed herself further, trying to bury that crawling feeling up her spine.
"You can't get that far ahead, Mary," Rolf said, finally catching up to her and grabbing her hand. "If you fell and were hurt, I'd never forgive myself."
"Don't worry about me," Mary said easily. "I'm pretty hard to kill."
Rolf rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh. "That's not the answer I was looking for."
Mary let out a laugh, leaning toward him until she could feel his breath on her cheek. Rolf moved closer and she closed her eyes, only to be interrupted by a blast of heat from her back pocket.
She lurched back, hitting her head hard on the stone wall while pulling the gold card from her pocket. BOUNDARY BREACH: ROMANIAN DRAGON RESERVE: SQUADS 7 & 8 NEEDED.
"I have to go." Mary pulled herself free, skating through the hallways with her heart in her throat.
"What's going on?" Rolf asked, not letting go of her hand.
"I can't say!" Mary called over her shoulder. "If I'm not back by breakfast, tell Remus to check in with Ami!"
"Slow down," Rolf begged, not able to keep up.
Mary grabbed the corner of a wall and slung herself into the next hallway, jumping to avoid the stairs before gliding out of the constrictive passageways and reaching the Entrance Hall.
Mac opened the door, looking up in shock at her sudden presence. "Potter?"
Mary skated by, wasting no time to greet her as she hopped over the stairs, the landing making her feet burn. Pushing herself further, she made it all the way to the boundary line near Hogsmeade before pulling her wand out and tapping the surface of the gold card.
"Mary Potter," she said, feeling the Ministry portkey tug her to where she was needed.
The world around her blurred in shades of blues and greys, making her stomach turn until she was spat out on a dark mountainside to the cacophony of distant screams.
Hands digging into the grass, she tried to stand, but the roller skates were no help. A few spells later, she was barefoot, skates shrunken and in her pocket. Not knowing what else to do, she phased into her Animagus form, letting the wolf take over and take her where she needed to be.
"That's the one, innit?" A man asked, the smell of sweat reeking from him.
"The Dark Lord said he needed a Ridgeback hatchling, Byers," the second man replied dully. "That there is a Horntail. We're in the wrong enclosure."
"Well, fuck me," Byers hissed. "I didn't get into this to face bloody effing dragons!"
"Would you rather face the Dark Lord with a report of your failure?" The second man scoffed. "It's a beast, nothing more. We kill it and be on our way."
Mary glanced to her right, recognizing Dani stomping around, turning occasionally to admonish her hatchlings for following her. Rage boiled through her at the thought of these two idiots hurting Dani but those thoughts fled upon their next words.
"Ol' Malfoy's supposed to create that distraction about now," the second man said. "All we have to do is wait."
"Yeah, yeah," Byers said with a whine in his voice. "We see the Keeper tents burning, we go in."
A low growl rumbled from her throat and both men froze, holding their wands in the air with their Lumos charms nearly blinding her. But Mary didn't stop, moving closer until she could smell the urine pouring from the first man, both of them staring up at her in horror.
Her ears twitched in the direction of someone nearby shuffling through the tall grass. "What are you two doing? Kill the dragon and be done with it."
Stepping into the wandlight, Mary made her presence known. Just days from the full moon, it didn't take much to let the wolf take control. With another low snarl, the third man ran, not meeting her gaze fully, but running straight towards Dani's den.
Mary swapped to her human form as fast as she could, stunning the two shocked men before transforming back and following the third deep into Dani's territory.
The angry Horntail let out a roar of fury, swiping her spiked tail across the rocky ground. Outmatched, the Death Eater froze, turning only to be met with Mary's gaze.
"Fuck."
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! It makes my day so much better.
Special thanks to my lovely beta; Nauze. He does a wonderful job fixing all of my mistakes. Check out his fics on FFN. You won't regret it, they're amazing.
A shout out to the Yeehaw Gang for encouraging me and listening to me ramble about this fuckery nonstop.
And a hug and shout out to Patriceavril (Marauder Era Jily and Blackdonald fics) here on FFN. CleverBrainer (Post-War Charmione) on Ao3.
They're awesome people who write amazing stories.
My Recc for the week is; Touched by the Arcane by lisbeth00