August 8th, 1994
Mary Potter
To say that the two days following Mary's successful destruction of the Horcrux in the Resurrection Stone were calm and relaxing would have been an outright lie. She'd woken up in the guestroom later that evening to see Sirius and Remus sitting on one side of the bed and Snape reading Potions Weekly on the other side. Closing her eyes tightly, she groaned and pulled the covers over her head in an attempt to either hide or smother herself before the interrogation began.
"Mary Jane Potter," Remus's normally soft voice had a steely edge to it. "We know you're awake."
"Am not," she replied weakly, letting go of the covers as they were pulled gently from her grasp.
"Explain." Sirius leaned toward her, his grey eyes boring into hers. "And don't leave out any details."
"Wow," Mary murmured, sitting up carefully and testing out whether or not she felt any pain. "Can't even get a glass of water before you start in on me."
"Dobby," Remus called out.
Dobby popped into the room, took one look at Mary and shook his head at her in disappointment, then snapped his fingers, leaving a tray of food and glass of orange juice sitting on the bed before he disappeared with a sigh.
"Start talking." Remus urged her.
Using every ounce of Slytherin cunning and misdirection she could summon, Mary came up with a feasible lie. It would make her out to be incompetent and inept, as well as flat out irresponsible, but it had all the makings of a damn good excuse.
She put her head down and avoided their watchful eyes, her newly healed fingers finding a frayed thread on the blanket to play with. "It's embarrassing."
Snape snapped the thin book shut. "Out with it, Potter."
"Well, I was going through some of the defense books in the library and found a book on Salazar Slytherin. It said that he could cast spells in Parseltongue and that they were far more powerful than normal spells. I thought I'd give it a shot, but couldn't be sure if I was pronouncing my spells correctly, so I cast Serpensortia to have a snake to talk me through it."
"Come off it, Mary." Sirius growled. "You're a Parselmouth. Any snake you summon would do your bidding, not attack you."
"Not true." Mary shook her head quickly. "Plus, I didn't exactly have time to talk to it, as soon as it appeared it turned and latched onto my leg, but instead of letting go, the little fucker hung on. Naturally I freaked out and went on the defensive. Incendio was the first spell to pop into my head and that was pretty much it. The wall exploded, at some point I even stepped on a nail. It took me hours to repair the wall and clean up the scorch marks, then the world went wonky on me and I passed out cold. I'm sorry I caused you all to worry, but really it was just an accident."
"Why didn't you just tell me what happened when I checked on you?" Sirius demanded. "You shouldn't have hid it from me. You could have died and I wouldn't have known anything was wrong!"
When all else failed, denial was the way to go. "When did you check on me? I passed out before you came home."
Remus ran a hand across his face. "We're not getting anywhere like this. Mary Jane, no more practicing spells unsupervised. Also, no summoning snakes or using fire spells in the house even when you are being supervised. Sirius, let's give her some time to rest."
"You scared me half to death, kiddo." Sirius pulled her into a light hug, followed by Remus, then they both left the room, leaving her alone with Snape.
Why was he staying behind? What had happened to make Sirius trust Snape in the same room without so much an insult, let alone leave him there with her?
"You're good, Potter." Snape's lips quirked. "Your guardians may be idiotic enough to lap up that story without questioning it, but I do not. I do wonder what they will say when I tell them that their perfect little Gryffindor goddaughter lied through her teeth."
Mary looked straight into his dark eyes. "I encountered a snake and used a fire spell to kill it. There is no lie in that."
She could feel the tendrils of magic encroaching on her mind, seeking to invade her thoughts, but she didn't fight it and did her best to not show any reaction or surprise. "What will my dear godfathers say when I tell them that you tried to pry into my thoughts uninvited? Better yet, why tell them? It doesn't appear that your attempt was successful anyway. You see, Professor, Occlumency and Legilimency books were the first ones I read. Turns out I'm not so bad at either."
"What are you hiding?" Snape jumped up and leaned over until his face was a mere foot away from hers. "During your little episode you began to hallucinate. You were under the impression that the Dark Lord was in the room. You even proclaimed that I was a spy and that you couldn't watch me die again. Your Gryffindor friends may let it slide as nothing more than the ramblings of a sick girl, but I know better."
"They can't know. Not yet." Mary pleaded with him. "But I can show you if you promise to keep it secret."
Snape nodded his head jerkily and Mary let the short string of memories drift forward onto the surface of her thoughts. Memories that while completely genuine, would deter him from searching any further. In her mind's eye, she could see the way the huge snake coiled its body and slithered up the rickety old staircase. The elderly man stood there watching through a crack in the door as a slim man addressed another.
"You will be rewarded for your efforts, Barty," a high cold voice said. "Nagini, dispose of our guest. I believe he's heard too much."
Snape lurched back horrified and tore his gaze away. "What was that?"
"His snake," Mary answered dully. "I had a dream, or maybe it was a vision, the other day. He ordered his snake to kill and eat that poor old man. I was stuck there, in its mind as it devoured him. Then that Barty guy milked venom from the snake and joked about how one day they'd set the snake on me. There isn't an easy way for me to explain that to my guardians without them going postal and locking me up in the attic like some kind of damsel in distress. So I figured that if Voldie was going to send his pet after me, I'd be ready to defend myself and kill it before it killed me."
"And your outburst about me dying was about this?" He asked in disbelief.
She buried her face in her hands. "I've had nightmares for weeks. Sometimes it's Sirius, Remus, or one of my friends being attacked by Voldemort or his snake. A couple times it's been you in that old man's place."
Mary traced the scar on her forehead with a thin finger. "I think I'm actually seeing him. Like visions or something. And I've heard him talking to Barty about someone in Hogwarts who he isn't sure he can trust anymore. That was the conversation when your name came up. I don't think they're really dreams or nightmares."
"And I'm sure your little friends were thrilled to have you give proof of my wretchedness." Snape sneered in disgust, his face ashen and pale. "Who did you tell?"
"No one," Mary whispered, staring at him in sadness. "Honestly, Professor, if I believed that you were really a Death Eater, this conversation wouldn't be happening. We'd have killed each other by now. What are you going to do, take points for me caring? So telling my friends or anybody else about these visions or how I came to the conclusion that you were once a Death Eater would serve no purpose other than having them think I've gone round the bend."
Snape paced in front of her bed while she spoke and didn't stop for minutes after. "Do not speak of this again. The Headmaster will probably wish to speak to you later concerning these visions and you are to inform him and him alone. I will know if you haven't been completely honest with him."
"Yes, sir," Mary agreed, putting her head back against the headboard.
Snape pulled a jar of orange cream off the dresser and handed it to her. "Apply the paste to the burns and bite area over the next day or so. Healer Tonks will be here to evaluate you in the morning."
"Thank you, Professor," she said quickly before he could leave. "By the way, do you think my Occlumency will ever be enough to stop the visions?"
Snape seemed to really think about her question before responding. "I suggest working more on focusing your surface thoughts. A blank or empty mind is the first sign a skilled Legilimens will look for. You have a better chance of protecting your thoughts if your opponent believes you're not protecting them at all."
Unpleasant thoughts flitted through her mind, all telling her the dangers of what would happen if Voldemort could fully access her thoughts. "Will you teach me how?"
Snape's gaze snapped to hers in an instant, pinning her in place as he considered her request. "Not today, Potter. You've already wasted part of my holiday and I'm not keen on giving up the rest."
Mary nodded and thanked him once again, trying her best to remember what she had said in these 'ramblings' and to who. It was too close a call. She couldn't let anyone know what she knew, especially Dumbledore. With that thought in mind, she started working on a plan to steer anyone away from making the right conclusions. Still though, she felt utterly wretched about how deceitful she'd been over the past year. The lies were piling on, burying her deeper in her own misery and deception.
In the meantime, she needed a Pensieve and Sirius' memories.
Albus Dumbledore
Albus leaned back in his soft armchair, rubbing his beard as he pondered on the letter in front of him. According to one of his contacts in the Ministry, a small shack south of Little Hangleton had mysteriously caught fire and burned to ashes the day before. Since the house had been long since abandoned, there was no one to contact about the loss of possessions, but those who knew of its prior occupants were unsettled. The Gaunt family had a long history and the Ministry had yet to find their next of kin. In fact, they'd contacted him to find out if he'd ever met anyone by that name.
Fawkes chirped softly from his perch and ruffled his long wings, pinning Albus with a beady stare. While there was no true way to communicate with the bird, Albus had long since learned the body language of his old friend. Today Fawkes was clear on his stance that Albus was assuming far too much and not putting enough sunflower seeds in his bowl.
Once again he viewed the memory given to him by Bob Ogden, showing the dilapidated and crumbling home in Little Hangleton. It was the snake nailed to the door that stayed in the forefront of his mind. According to Sirius' frantic letter, Mary was bitten by a snake, badly burned, and somehow stepped on a nail. For someone who didn't believe in coincidences it wasn't a far leap to make. The question was why young Mary decided to destroy the former home of Tom's ancestors.
Placing another memory into the Pensieve, he watched a scene that transpired not even a day before, when he had been in young Mary's bedroom. The map was the key to the mystery. He was sure of it. Other than one misplaced pin, the path was there, everything led to her being the culprit. But how could a girl of barely fourteen know more about Tom Riddle than he did? It was an ongoing mission that he trusted to no other. Not even Severus knew of his hunt for Voldemort's Horcruxes.
After the initial shock of Mary's part in the Chamber of Secrets well over a year ago, Albus had begun his examination of the Diary that once belonged to young Tom. Even though Mary thoroughly destroyed the soul fragment within the diary, he could still sense the lingering magical signature of Tom Riddle each time he looked at it. Despite his best efforts, the only one with any idea of how many Tom planned on making was Horace, and Horace refused to speak on the matter. That was why seeing eight pins on the map threw him for a loop, as one might say.
The bell on his desk chimed, signaling a visitor waiting behind the heavy doors. With a wave of his wand, he opened the door.
"Ah, Severus." He greeted his young friend, inviting him to sit. "Tea?"
Severus waved his hand in a gesture that clearly meant that he didn't care either way. "I'm here about Potter, Headmaster."
"Tea, please, Dotty," he asked the young elf gently through the charmed box on his desk, then turned his full attention to the dark haired man in front of him. "How is she?"
"Perplexing." Severus sighed. "I honestly don't know how to begin, Albus."
Pushing the Pensieve to the center of the desk, Albus peered at him in request. "Would you be willing to show me your meeting with her?"
Severus leaned forward immediately, his wand at his temple. "Of course, sir."
He viewed the memory not once, but twice, before exiting the Pensieve. The scene that was clear in his mind was one of a headstrong and capable child that was very intelligent. But underneath all of that, he saw a cunning young girl that was clearly playing on her godfathers' trust. Her maneuvering had been executed in such a way that they hadn't even recognized it. But Severus did, and he had called her out on it in a particularly rash manner.
It didn't bode well that Mary was already delving into the Dark Arts of Occlumency and Legilimency. She was far too young to understand the cost and consequences of using Dark magic. But more than that, he couldn't bear to think of what would have to be done if she succumbed to the Darkness such magic bred within the soul. Mary's destiny was far too great and important to lose her to such a fate. It was why he had a number of contingency plans ready in case the young girl went out of the bounds of what she was supposed to accomplish. He just hoped he never had to enact those plans.
Another thing that bothered him was Mary's reference to Barty Crouch, Jr. He'd gone personally to give condolences to Bartemius after the sudden death of his incarcerated son. Could he have truly been the first person to ever escape Azkaban? It was something he would have to reflect on later.
Severus had not moved from his chair, but sat with his head down and his tea untouched. Even from such a distance, he could feel the sense of guilt wafting off of the other man.
"What are your thoughts on her visions?" He asked, steepling his fingers and leaning back in his chair.
Severus looked up with hard eyes. "She's not telling the full truth. But for the life of me, Albus, I don't understand why she would lie. Initially I believed she was withholding the visions from Black to spare him the worry, but why would she manufacture such a tale just to lie to me? There is no reasoning behind it."
"Mary is not one that trusts easily," he finally replied. "For her to give you even that much information is truly remarkable. It shows that she trusts you will not betray her confidence. For now, I believe it would be best if you keep a watchful eye on her. I'll visit her later and see if she will be willing to open up about what is troubling her so much."
"She's right about my role in all of this," Severus admitted quietly, pulling up the sleeve of his robe and revealing the tattoo that had grown darker. "The Dark Lord is getting stronger each day and I don't know whether or not he will trust me to rejoin him."
A dull pang of grief surged through him at the sight of the brand. "You have more than earned your penance, Severus. If the day should come that Lord Voldemort returns, I will not force you to return to his side."
Dark eyes met his own in resignation. "But you will ask. And I will go."
"If it comes to that," Albus replied softly. "Yes."
Severus stood quickly and left the room, leaving Albus to his own thoughts and worries. And when the time had come for him to visit Mary, he was no more prepared than he was hours before.
He knocked lightly on Mary's door, hearing soft footsteps in the distance, before she opened it. Her shoulders slumped slightly at the sight of him, but still she opened the door wide and waved him in, a kind smile on her face. He sat down on the plush armchair and scanned the room once again, noticing that the map on the wall that was now covered by a Quidditch poster.
"You've hidden your map," he said.
Mary waved her wand and the poster rolled up into a scroll, revealing the map underneath. "I guess it seems pretty silly."
"What do the pins stand for?" Dumbledore stood slowly, shuffling toward the map to take a closer look.
"Places I've seen either Voldemort or his followers." She shrugged moving forward to point out a place in northern Scotland. "I'm not sure exactly where Hogwarts is located, but I've faced him twice there. Which is why it has two red pins. In Diagon Alley, near Gringotts, was where Wormtail attacked me. That's why there's a green pin there. The three pins in Blackburn are for Voldemort, Barty – whoever he is – , and Voldemort's snake Nagini. - Green pins for Voldemort and his snake, and a red one for Barty -."
"And the green pin here at Grimmauld Place?" Dumbledore asked, peering at her over his glasses.
"Snape," Mary whispered and turned away. "I don't really believe that he's a follower of Voldemort, but he's still here either way. It'd be stupid to let my guard down."
"You've given him a green pin that you've associated with Voldemort and his familiar." He stated with the utmost curiosity. "Why is that?"
"Because he has the power to hurt me more than any other Death Eater," Mary admitted, fiddling with the sleeve of her shirt. "He knows where I live and has full access to the place where my family lives and my friends often visit."
A profound wave of relief washed over him as he listened to her. She knew nothing of Voldemort's foray into the Darkest of magic, nor did she have any idea about the Horcruxes. She was simply young and scared, going on gut instincts to try and protect her newfound family and friends. While her research and efforts were admirable, he didn't want her to linger on such dark thoughts any longer.
"I have complete faith in Professor Snape." Dumbledore assured her. "He is a trusted ally and good friend. You need not fear him."
"I'm not afraid of Snape," Mary responded vehemently. "I'm afraid of what he might have to do to regain his position and keep it when Voldemort comes back. I'm afraid of what could happen to him if he doesn't comply with that monster's wishes. And even more, I'm afraid of how it will affect us all if he has to betray us to keep his position as a spy."
Knowing that the child was fully right in her fears, but far too young to know how to deal with such matters, Dumbledore knew it was time to set her heart at ease and to change the subject. "This is a time of peace, Mary. While I applaud your efforts in trying to prepare yourself, it's not healthy to obsess over what may happen and forget to see the world around you. Fear is not a thing that you should have to face alone, nor will you. I once told you that help would be available should you ever need it, and I will remind you of those words again. Severus told me that you've been plagued with both visions and nightmares of Voldemort and you need not suffer through them. In fact, I beg of you to share with me any more visions you may have. It's imperative that we all prepare if the worst should happen."
"You're right, sir." She let out a sigh and looked away, her shoulders drooping once again. "I'll be sure to let you know."
"In the meantime, I suggest rest and relaxation is in order." He smiled kindly at her, pulling the green pin on Grimmauld Place off the map.
"Sirius is planning something." She shook her head in amusement. "So I doubt I'll get much of either."
Dumbledore left the room, intent on speaking to Sirius. They had to have someone keep a closer eye on young Mary. There could come a time when her visions could either provide vital information to the inevitable war. Or worse yet, if Tom ever found out about their connection, he could either possess the girl or use her to hurt others. It was something that he wasn't ready to allow.
August 18th, 1994
Mary Potter
With a whirl of scenery, that almost made Mary regret the large breakfast she'd eaten earlier, the Portkey spat them out on the top of a grassy knoll. Sirius landed gracefully as always, and threw his head back and laughed at the sight of her gripping fistfuls of thick plushy grass just to keep the world from spinning.
"Portkeys must hate you." Sirius bit his lip to try and contain his amusement. "You okay, kid?"
Mary shot him a halfhearted glare. "Yeah."
"Our tent should be just over there." Sirius pointed to the area just next to the stadium. "We'll be in the VIP section. It's reserved for the players and Ministry officials."
"How'd you swing that?" Mary asked in astonishment, standing up and wiping her hands on her trousers.
Sirius brushed off his sleeve and sent her a conspiratorial glance. "I have connections. And they owe me over Azkaban."
Mary raised an eyebrow at his petulant tone and shrugged. "Will we be sitting in the Minister's box too?"
"I would have it no other way," Sirius said in mock pompousness. "I'll take all the reparations I can get."
Mary rolled her eyes as they made their way through the bustling meadow. Wizards and witches in Ministry robes scuttled back and forth, waving their wands and casting incantations that she couldn't understand.
They were pretty much ignored until they walked up to where a portly wizard in gray robes sat in the shade, sipping a bright colored drink with a small umbrella at the top of the glass.
"Ludo!" Sirius greeted him jovially.
"Black!" 'Ludo' responded in equal fervor. "You made it!"
Sirius bowed his head proudly. "Wouldn't miss another match."
Ludo's eyes shifted toward Mary and she almost felt like glaring back at him in response to him staring avidly at her scar. Sirius must have sensed her apprehension, putting a steady hand on her shoulder.
"My goddaughter Mary." Sirius introduced her. "Mary, this is Ludo Bagman. He'll be commentating the match."
Ludo thrust a pudgy hand toward her. "A pleasure, Miss Potter."
"Mr. Bagman." Mary shook his hand and nodded tightly.
"We were looking for our tent in the VIP section," Sirius said happily. "Can you point us the right way, Ludo?"
"It's under Fidelius this year." The man squared his shoulders and stood proudly. "Extra security thanks to our new Minister."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out two small slips of parchment and handed them each one. Mary took hers carefully and opened it at the same time as Sirius. 'The VIP section can be found to the right of Arena service entrance number 7.' It read. Mary looked up to see the spell activate and the wards shimmer as they revealed over twenty tents, with small alleys running between them. They all looked like Muggle pop-up cabana tents, with thick canvas curtains covering all four sides, and small clear plastic windows every couple of feet.
Mary almost jumped when the slip of parchment turned to dust in her hand. She'd never imagined that there was such a thing as self-destructing parchment.
"You two are in tent number 21." Ludo laughed merrily. "I'm in number four if you need me."
"You'll have to join me for a pint later." Sirius patted Ludo on the arm.
Ludo leaned toward them with a gleam in his eyes. "Watch out for tents one and two. Our foreign guests haven't arrived yet, but come this evening I suspect that things will become far more interesting."
Sirius nodded with a small smirk. "We'll keep that in mind."
Her godfather steered her through the rows of identical tents with a skip in his step that was contagious. The giddiness Mary felt was expanded on as her eyes swept from the top of the stadium to the tent that she would call home for the next week.
"Here we are." Sirius grinned at her as he pulled open the small flap on the tent. "Ladies first."
Mary stuck out her tongue at him in disapproval before walking into what could only be described as the poshest flat she'd ever seen. It was so nice that she doubted even Aunt Petunia could find something to complain about. A large sitting room surrounded the entrance, large leather couches acted like a barrier from the massive dining area and fully equipped kitchen. Dobby was standing near the stove, his ears flapping around as he hummed a joyful disco tune, cooking something that smelled fantastic.
"I love magic," Mary whispered, her mouth open in awe.
Sirius laughed loudly, flopping down onto the couch. "Me too, kid."
Mary walked through to where the large bathroom was, then rounded the corner to find a large bedroom where a huge four poster bed with plush cream and white bedding sat in the center of the room.
"Siri?" Mary asked as she walked back into the sitting area. "Why don't we decorate Grimmauld Place like this place, but put colorful pictures and posters everywhere?"
Sirius considered it for a moment. "I think my mother just rolled over in her grave. Hell, why not? I love that idea!"
Mary took another look around and could almost imagine the differences in Grimmauld Place.
"You take that room, Mary," Sirius yelled from the other side of the tent. "Dobby's already brought our things, so you're free to do as you like. I'm going to take a nap."
"Okay," Mary replied in a daze.
Dobby walked up to her, brushing his spindly hands across his apron. "Dobby has brought your broom if you feel up to flying."
"Thanks, Dobby." Mary pulled him into a quick hug. "You're the best."
Dobby's eyes watered and he smiled brightly at her before popping away.
Mary changed into her Quidditch gear and grabbed her Firebolt from its spot on her dressing table. With a spell Parvati taught her, she watched in the small mirror as her dark hair plaited itself and spun around into a thick bun. She donned her gloves and set out for the grounds.
A small mousy witch was passing in front of the tent, not looking where she was going, and slammed into Mary, then stumbled backwards, raising angry eyes at her. "Watch it, girl!"
Mary bit her tongue and extended a hand to help the woman to her feet. "Are you okay?"
"I'm so-sorry." The witch stuttered, staring at the famous lightning bolt scar with wide eyes. "You're Mary Potter!"
"Can you tell me where I can fly without being in the way?" Mary asked her politely, trying to stave off the awkwardness of the situation. "I'm getting a bit rusty on the broom."
The witch pulled her eyes away from the scar and shook her head as she pulled a small piece of parchment and a quill from her pocket, scribbling something down and signing it with a flourish.
"You can use the pitch, Miss Potter," the woman squeaked, handing her the slip of parchment. "If anyone bothers you just show them this."
Mary wanted to argue that she didn't need or want special treatment, but afraid that her presence would send the older woman into a heart attack, accepted the gesture gratefully. The moment the mousy witch was out of sight, Mary pulled a tuft of hair free from the bun and covered her scar from view, not wanting any more attention.
The pitch was empty, as was the rest of the stadium, when she walked onto the sidelines. It was a moment that she would always remember as being the most surreal thing she'd ever experience as a frequent flier. Walking out of the player's entrance and standing there, the stands surrounding her, was a stark reminder of the future she would never have. She had a predestined fate that she could not fight, but standing there made it hard not to want something far more than the crap hand that she had been dealt in life.
Without another thought Mary grasped the handle of her broom and let it pull her high into the air. She flew in lazy circles, watching as the stray witch or wizard would come through to charm or spell parts of the stands before walking away again. Eventually she blocked it all out, focusing on the feeling and nothing else. While she was there high in the air, there were no expectations or demands, only freedom. Freedom that surrounded her like the trillions of molecules in the air, holding her tightly and safely, never letting her go.
Mary pulled the practice Snitch out of her pocket and tapped it with her wand, setting it to professional mode before letting it go. The tiny golden ball fluttered out of sight as she closed her eyes and flew in lazy circles, letting the Snitch get farther and farther away. In that blissful moment, she was a professional Quidditch player, famous only for being a world renowned Seeker. The crowd cheered when she flew through the stands and her one and only purpose was to catch the Snitch and win the match for her team.
After a few minutes her eyes snapped open, scanning the area for any sign of her target. She pushed the Firebolt to its limit as she rounded the pitch, searching for the Snitch. Moments later she spotted the glint of gold out of the corner of her eye and darted toward it as it began a straight descent for the ground far below.
Unlike her disastrous match against Hufflepuff, and less strenuous than her match against Slytherin, Mary managed to pull her broom up just before she collided with the ground. A wide smile tugged at her cheeks as she clutched the Snitch in her hand and landed gracefully on the lush green grass.
"You are not to be here," a heavily accented voice said from behind her.
Mary spun around to face a group of seven young men standing at the mouth of the player's entrance. They all wore the Bulgarian team colors, each of them holding professional brooms.
"I apologize." Mary ducked her head slightly. "I was just leaving."
"You fly vell." One of the Bulgarians pushed his way to the front of the group. "Very vell."
"Thank you." Mary smiled slightly. "I love flying."
"I could use practice against another Seeker," the stocky boy said quickly.
"Viktor!" One of the others growled.
"I'm Mary." She took a step forward and extended her hand to the boy. "Mary Potter."
His eyes stayed on her scar for a brief second before he extended his own hand and shook hers with a gentle grip. "Viktor Krum."
"I have to be getting back to my godfather." Mary nodded politely. "I apologize for holding up your practice."
Face burning in mortification, she fled the stadium before she could do or say anything else to embarrass herself. The last thing she was worried about while flying was whether or not she was being watched, but to know that an entire professional team had been watching her was almost horrifying.
It seemed as though the Bulgarians were not the only ones to arrive while she was up in the air. The Irish had arrived and were all mulling about in a drunken frenzy. Leprechauns darted back and forth between tents laughing merrily, while Mary made her way back to where she and Sirius were staying. Bulgarians worked side by side with the Irish as they discussed mundane things like laundry spells, while others argued loudly over their Quidditch teams and who was better.
It was almost like a small community that existed and thrived on Quidditch.
If only I could survive the war, Mary thought, trapped in a melancholy state of mind. This is where I'd want to live.
"Mary!" Sirius shouted, holding up a flagon of mead. "There you are."
She set her broom down and joined him and Bagman by the fire in front of the portly wizard's tent. "I went flying."
"Heard you were quite good at it." Bagman smiled at her. "Joined Gryffindor as a first year. That has to be some kind of record."
Mary nodded wordlessly, accepting a pint of Butterbeer from Sirius. It had an odd taste to it, but she ignored that, not wanting to be rude. Her godfather looked quite plastered and honestly she hoped that Remus showed up before he entered the mode of happy-go-lucky-Padfoot that always ended up in trouble. It wasn't that he was violent or obnoxious, but he always ended far too impulsive for her to handle alone.
Bagman's house elves kept them well supplied with food and drink, leaving Mary with fledgling excuses that were shot down by the two older men. For the most part, she sat beside Sirius, either watching the flames in the fire or observing the way the other people in the VIP section interacted. Whether they were from Bulgaria or Ireland, they showed no hesitation in making conversation with each other, always finding some common ground. It made her wistful to think that the Wizarding world should have been like that. There was no need for blood supremacy or bias between magical people. They should just coexist in peace.
Her vision swam and she felt like she was floating on either the edge of sleep or outright insanity. Flashes of light in the distance seemed brighter and the loud laughter of the Quidditch players rang in her ears while the strong scent of alcohol threaten to turn her stomach.
"I'm going back to the tent." Mary elbowed Sirius. "I'm tired."
Sirius looked at her with one eye half open. "It's just now dark."
Mary pointed at her watch. "It's well after midnight, Siri. Remus is probably waiting for us."
"Tell him I'll be back soon," Sirius said in a happy daze. "Just gonna have one more drink."
It wasn't until she stood up that the world seemed to tilt on its axis, bending reality from the most outrageous of fantasies. It seemed as though the whole world was slightly sideways as she stumbled from tent to tent, hoping that the next one would be her own. People milled about shooting off fireworks and talking loudly, distracting her and making her feel even more lost as not one of them seemed to notice her presence.
A thin hand invaded her line of sight and disappeared, then grabbed her forearm and gently pulled her into the nearest tent. Flickering orange light bounced off the walls as light melodic whispers filled the air. Mary shut her eyes and sat on what she assumed was a velvet couch, trying to regain her composure.
"Poor child," a soft voice said from beside her. "She needs strong tea, Amara, and something light to eat."
Surprise had her scooting away and facing the person beside her. A stunning women with bright blue eyes stared at her in sympathy, her hands brushing the loose hair behind Mary's ears. The woman's profound beauty made her gasp and almost lose all sense of self.
"I'm so sorry," Mary slurred, trying to stand up. "I was just trying to find my tent."
"Stay child," the woman replied calmly. "You are welcome here until you are well enough to walk on your own again."
"What happened?" She whispered aloud. "I just had a few Butterbeers."
The woman narrowed her eyes and clicked her tongue. "It's a common thing with one of these matches that the barrels of ale are spiked with something a mite stronger. You will be fine after a good night's rest."
"I apologize for the intrusion." Mary put her head in her hands, pressing her fingers to her temples to try and stabilize the universe.
The smell of tea invaded her senses and her eyes focused on the young woman who held the cup toward her, lips pursed in disdain.
"Thank you," she whispered, accepting the mug and picking up a small sandwich.
"She does not understand English," the older woman said quietly. "Like the rest she only speaks Bulgarian or French."
"Oh," Mary said dumbly, pushing the loose hair away from her face.
The woman reeled back as though she had been struck, staring at her with wide fearful eyes. "You're the Potter girl!"
She sighed, trying to smile despite her unease. "I'm just Mary."
"Quickly child!" The woman's hands fluttered over her shoulders as though brushing dust from them. "Finish your tea and I will guide you back to your tent. You should not be unguarded. There are too many here that would wish harm on you!"
Mary stared at her in confusion. "From one of the Quidditch teams? I'm not bad, but I'm not that good."
"No," the pale haired woman said, refilling her cup and handing her another sandwich. "The field is already filled with wizards of all backgrounds, but rest assured that there are plenty out there that would love to find you alone and inebriated. Although it has been many years, there are still circles of those that bought into the Dark One's beliefs."
The woman rattled off something in Bulgarian that Mary didn't even begin to understand. It was only luck, she realized moments later, that the woman wasn't actually speaking to her, but one of her friends.
"Dobby?" Mary slurred out, covering her ears in anticipation for his arrival.
Moments later he appeared in front of her, his ears laying flat on his head as his large eyes narrowed at the women around them. "We need to be going now, Mary Potter."
Mary turned to her host and smiled as best as she could. "Thank you for everything. I really am sorry to have disturbed your evening."
The older women nodded warmly. "Be safe, child."
Dobby grasped her arm and gave no warning before popping them back to the brightly lit tent. Mary fell to the floor on her hands and knees, grasping at the rug like a lifeline holding her to the ground. Dobby patted her back gently, but it only seemed to make her stomach roll even more.
"Mary!" Remus gasped, his footsteps sounding closer and closer. "Are you okay? Where's Sirius?"
"Sirius is at Ludo Bagman's tent." Mary groaned, leaning on the side of the couch.
"Are you drunk?" Remus hissed in shock.
"Ouch." Mary covered her ears at his loud tone. "Spiked Butterbeer. Blame Bagman."
Remus sighed loudly. "Can you get her to bed, Dobby? I need to find Sirius."
"Dobby will, sir," Dobby whispered, taking her arm and basically pulling her to the room on the other side of the tent.
One minute Dobby was pulling the cover over her and the next thing she knew, Remus was pulling the cover back, bright sunlight filtering in through the plastic windows, making her want to bury her head in the sand or claw her eyes out in an attempt to get away from the headache inducing brilliance of the morning.
"Get up, Mary Jane." Remus sighed and nudged her. "There's a young man waiting for you at the door."
"Wha...?" She squinted through one eye. "Who is it?"
Remus shook his head. "He didn't say. Only asked if he could speak with you."
"Ugh.." Mary groaned and stalked toward the door.
When she pulled the flap back, she couldn't help but let out a little squeak of shock as she recognized Viktor Krum, standing there in his Quidditch robes, holding a broom and staring at her.
"Hi," she said finally.
"Olena asked me to check on you," Krum said gruffly. "She vants to know if you are okay."
"I'm fine," she said confidently, but ended up falling over when she misjudged the pole that she meant to lean on. "Just need a strong cup of tea. Come on in."
"I must go." He shook his head.
"Come on." Mary stood aside and waved him into the sitting room. "I might not be the best company at the moment, but I'd feel like a complete shit if I didn't offer you tea."
He was reluctant at first, but at the sight of the large breakfast Dobby put on the table, he stopped protesting. Breakfast was the last thing Mary wanted to see, in fact, just looking at her made her feel ill.
"You drank the ale." Viktor noted, accepting a cup and plate from Dobby. "Never drink the ale."
"I'll keep that in mind." Mary groused, pressing her fingers to her temples.
"For you, Mary Potter." Dobby placed a glass half full of frothy liquid in front of her. "Drink it up, young miss. You will feel right as rain after."
Mary stared at the glass in confusion, lifting it to her nose to smell and abruptly pulling it away as the strong scent of mint burnt her sinuses. "Bloody Hell!"
Remus poked his head out from his bedroom and laughed. "It's a Sobering Draught, Mary Jane. Best to just drink it."
He disappeared from view while Mary grimaced at the glass in disgust. Without another thought, she upturned the foul tasting liquid and drank it in one gulp. The flavor quite literally took her breath away and she choked and coughed repeatedly before regaining the ability to breathe.
A deep chuckle shook the table and she looked up to see Krum watching her in amusement. "It is meant to be taken in small sips."
"Thanks for the warning." She grinned sarcastically, then picked up her cup of tea to drown out the bad taste in her mouth. "So, Olena sent you?"
"Yes," he replied quickly.
"How do you know her?" She asked curiously, wondering why the Quidditch star had accepted the task of tracking her down.
"They travel vith the team." Krum put his fork down.
It was one of those moments where she wished she could smack herself. A tent full of beautiful women that traveled with the Bulgarians. They were Veela. Of all the tents to stumble into, it had to be the Veela tent. She looked up to see Viktor staring at her arms and had the sudden urge to flee the room. Why hadn't she grabbed a dressing gown?
"They were very kind in helping me out," Mary said, putting her hands on her lap to keep her arms hidden. "To be honest I think I was a few steps away from passing out in Leprechaun territory."
Krum shook his head and ate another piece of bacon. "Thank you for the meal."
"This one was all Dobby." Mary looked around for the little elf.
Krum pulled a silver pocket watch from his robes and looked at the time, something that seemed odd considering that there were numerous spells that could tell or even sing the time. "I must go."
"Uh, okay, thanks for checking up on me," Mary said awkwardly as she stood and walked him out. "I'll be sure to send a thank you to Olena as well."
"I fly before breakfast each morning." He turned to her. "You are velcome to join me if you like."
"Really?" Her mouth gaped open at the offer. "I wouldn't want to impose."
"It is more productive to fly against another," he said shortly. "And my teammates do not like mornings."
Mary shrugged her shoulders, a thrill running through her. "I'll see you there at dawn."
With a quick nod, he left, leaving Mary feeling like she'd woken up in some kind of dreamland. Her entire body felt like it was floating as she sat absently at the table and started making a plate for herself.
"You're putting eggs in your tea." Remus lifted a brow at her as he sat down in the spot Krum vacated moments before.
"Krum asked me to go flying with him," she whispered, as though saying the words too loud might make them untrue. "A professional Seeker wants to fly with me."
"Do I need to have a talk with him?" Remus narrowed his eyes at her. "He's far too old for you. I don't think this is a good idea."
"What?" Mary leaned back in shock. "You honestly can't think he likes me like that? I mean, he's a professional Seeker. He could have anyone in the world. He'd have to be flat out stupid and brain damaged to like me like that."
Remus lifted a brow at her. "You're beautiful, Mary Jane. I don't like the way he just showed up here, not knowing you at all and coming up with an invitation like that. I don't trust him."
"Relax, Moony." Mary begged. "Olena asked him to check on me. I stumbled into her tent last night and she helped me sober up enough to call Dobby. Krum was just being nice."
"Who's Olena?" He asked imperiously. "His mother?"
"No." Mary shook her head in exasperation. "Olena is one of the Bulgarian Veela mascots."
Remus stood so abruptly that he upset his tea. "You were with a Veela last night? I'm going to kill Sirius!"
Mary put her head in her hands and groaned. Somehow, she'd gone from having no one who cared, to having a whole lot of people that were overprotective in the span of a year.
"Olena was very nice." Mary stood up in her defense. "They gave me tea and sandwiches and made sure that I was safe. Not to mention she had Krum check on me. Let it go, Moony. I made it back in one piece."
Mary left the room, wanting to get ready to go out and explore the area some more, but when she walked into the bathroom the sight in the mirror almost scared her. Her hair was sticking out in every direction, green paint was smeared on her cheek, grass and dirt stains covered her hands. She was a wreck. It was no wonder as to why Krum had fled as fast as he could.
Nervous energy kept her on edge for the rest of the day. Hours were spent polishing her broom and trimming the twigs on the end of it. She paced through the tent reading Josef Wronski's book as though it held the secrets to all of her problems. Even Remus' non stop badgering of a badly hungover Sirius was enough to pull her thoughts away. And much later that night, she tossed and turned, trying to mentally prepare herself for the morning.
At the first light of dawn she crept out of the tent, leaving a short note on the table, letting Sirius and Remus know where she would be. Tendrils of smoke from dying campfires drifted through the cool misty morning air, leaving the scent of heady oak lingering around her as she walked towards the massive stadium. The quiet atmosphere relaxed her frayed nerves and left her feeling excited but surprisingly peaceful.
Krum was already standing in the middle of the pitch when she walked out of the player's entrance. It looked as though he was deep in thought and she almost felt bad for disturbing him. She cleared her throat and he turned around, his wand in hand.
"Morning." She greeted cautiously. "Everything alright?"
"Morning." He nodded swiftly.
Trying her best to ease the awkwardness, Mary pulled her practice Snitch out of her pocket and held it in the air. "Ready?"
"Let it go." Krum replied calmly. "Ve vill vait until it is lost."
Mary released her grip and watched as the Snitch unfurled its golden wings and launched itself into the dim morning light. Understanding that Krum wasn't a very talkative person, Mary sat down on the damp grass and tried to think of a safe topic for conversation.
"You play Quidditch at school?" Viktor asked, sitting a few feet away.
"Yeah." Mary shrugged. "Going on four years. You?"
"I played for three years before I vas signed." He admitted quietly.
Mary stared up at the sky, letting the mist fall onto her face. "It's different when I'm up there. Like it's the only true freedom I'll ever feel. Honestly I could live without playing Quidditch, but flying is something I could never give up. No expectations or rules, just the wide open sky."
"No." Krum shook his head. "I could not live vithout flying either."
They sat there on the dew covered pitch in silence, watching as flocks of birds flew overhead and the sounds out in the campground grew louder. Mary closed her eyes and thought about spending days just like this, where the only thing to prepare for was the next Quidditch match. Where the only thing she had to worry about was whether or not she'd catch the Snitch.
"I think it's lost." Krum's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
Mary opened her eyes to see him staring at her in confusion.
"Let's go then." Mary smirked and mounted her broom.
They took to the air and went in separate directions. All of the awkwardness seemed to melt away and she let the wind embrace her as she sped through the mist, zig-zagging from one side of the pitch to the other. A sparkle of gold flashed in the corner of her eye and she turned and darted toward it like a lightning bolt. Krum was suddenly at her side, bent over his broom, his eyes glued on the elusive Snitch. They were getting closer and closer to it by the second, each of them urging their brooms faster.
And then it disappeared.
Krum rattled off a succession of what Mary could only translate as curses in Bulgarian. Mary laughed and pulled her broom higher into the air, going back to searching for the sneaky Golden Snitch. But to her surprise, it appeared straight ahead, all the way on the other side of the pitch. She was off like a shot, twisting and turning to gain the best aerodynamic advantage.
Once again, Krum flew up beside her, but instead of focusing on the Snitch, he tried to ram his broom into the side of hers. A chuckle escaped her as she executed a barrel roll over him, avoiding his attempt at sabotage. By the time they got back on track the Snitch was gone again.
"Bloody hell." Mary groaned, mock glaring at her opponent. "I blame you."
"It is a good technique to learn ven needing to vait for your team to score more points." Krum smirked, holding out his hand to reveal the Snitch. "And also makes good distraction."
"That was bloody brilliant!" She exclaimed. "I didn't even see you catch it."
"Tell me about this Hogwarts." Krum handed her the Snitch and flew back into the air. "There has been talk lately of my school visiting there."
Ah, the Tournament, something she was trying not to think about. "It's massive. I think it took me half of first year to remember how to get to class. We're split up into four houses that compliment our personal qualities. If you end up visiting, I suggest you visit Hogsmeade. Honeydukes has some of the best chocolate around and Zonkos has some really neat pranking products."
"I see." He shrugged in a non-committal way.
"So how's life at Durmstrang?" Mary asked curiously.
"Strict." Krum sighed. "The rules are law. Breaking the rules comes with harsh punishment. I will be quite happy vhen I never have to set foot in that place again."
"Surely you have friends that you'd miss?" She wondered, trying to remember that information from Harry's memories but coming up blank.
"A few friends." Viktor looked away and stared at the grassy hillside in what looked like sadness.
"Hogwarts was my first home," Mary whispered. "That's where I made my first friends. I can't imagine never going back."
"You are very famous though," Krum said as though it was obvious.
Mary frowned at that. "Not for a good reason."
Viktor grimaced. "I am sorry. I did not mean to offend."
Mary smiled crookedly. "I'm not offended. I guess it's just the stigma of everyone knowing your name. I thought you'd be the type of guy to be walking around surrounded by girls and always showing off."
Viktor clenched his jaw. "Truly? You thought that of me?"
"You're Viktor Krum, International Quidditch star." She elbowed him gently. "No, to be honest, I never thought much past what strategies you used to win the game and what type of broom you had."
Viktor laughed quietly. "A Firebolt, same as you."
"I used to have a Nimbus 2000." Mary admitted. "It was a great broom. I miss it."
"Vhat happened to it?" Viktor asked curiously.
"I crashed it." Mary pulled up her sleeves. "You can still see some of the splinters."
Viktor grimaced in sympathy. "At least your broom vill always be vith you."
Mary laughed. "That's a nice way to look at it."
Krum turned his gaze back to the sky. "Release the Snitch?"
"Hell yes." Mary grinned, releasing the golden ball into the air once more.
Meeting Krum on the pitch each morning became a routine over the next few days. They never talked much, both content with flying and simply being there without any more expectations or rules to stop them. Sometimes Krum would teach her to curse in Bulgarian, other times she would show him the Marauder's Map and point out the interesting, and most dangerous, parts of Hogwarts. But then the day came that they were finally told that the pitch was off limits. Krum said his goodbyes and left to join his team before the big match, while Mary went back to the tent with her godfathers. Neither of them were happy with her spending time around Krum, but it's not like they were doing anything other than flying. And given Sirius' escapades with Bagman, neither of them had an argument strong enough to stop her. All in all, she couldn't remember a time when she'd felt more free to just be herself. And she never wanted it to end.
Mary Potter
"Arthur sent a letter this morning," Remus said, passing her the plate of sandwiches. "They've set up camp and want us to join them for dinner before the match."
"Brilliant." Mary smiled brightly. "Can we go now? I haven't seen Ron since he tackled me."
Sirius chuckled. "You're not really going to give him a hard time for that, are you?"
"Damn right, I am," she said seriously. "He shouldn't have done that. I didn't know my arse from my elbow that night and might've hexed the ears off of him. Never approach a crazy person with a wand. It's Survival 101."
"You were hallucinating." Remus sighed. "It wasn't your fault and you're not crazy."
Mary wrapped the remainder of her sandwich in a napkin and stood. "Let's go."
"Hold up," Sirius said, standing up and pulling a bag off the counter and handing it to her. "You're wearing these."
Mary pulled a pair of dark sunglasses and a red bandana with the Bulgarian Team logo embossed on the front. "Are you trying to get me killed? More than half of the fans out there are rooting for Ireland."
Sirius tapped the bandana with his wand and it immediately changed to a bright neon green with a pattern of shamrocks on it. "Quit complaining and put it on."
Mary groused as she tied the swath of fabric around her head, covering her scar. "Do I look like a hippie?"
Remus stared from her to Sirius with wide eyes and Mary could see him biting the inside of his cheek and repeatedly pinching his own leg. "Yes."
"Lovely." She scowled, walking out of the tent with them flanking her sides.
It was complete and utter chaos outside. People talked and laughed loudly from beside their campfires. Children darted to and fro like garden gnomes on a caffeine high. Cart vendors ambled through the main alleys seeking buyers for their souvenirs. There was no order to the direction the crowd walked and she would have been trampled over many times if Sirius and Remus hadn't been there to pull her out of danger.
Ministry wizards would pop in, bellow orders at law breaking fans and disappear at random, leaving the surrounding crowd to go right back to what they were doing, regardless of the consequences. Remus held tightly to her Muggle arm, leaving her left hand free if she needed to get her wand. While there were times when she felt like her godfathers were unbearably overprotective, there amidst the swarming crowd and raucous insanity, she was immensely grateful for their presence.
"Professor Lupin!" A voice shouted, making them all turn.
Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas pushed their way forward, going against the current of the crowd to greet them.
"Mary!" Dean smiled and shook her hand. "Almost didn't recognize you."
"What gave me away?" She laughed, shaking Seamus' hand.
"Being with us," Sirius whispered conspiratorially.
"Yeah!" Seamus laughed. "Me mam recognized Mr. Black from across the field. We almost didn't beat her here."
"Should I run?" Sirius looked back and forth, his eyes scouring the crowd for danger.
"Nah." Seamus shrugged. "We lost her back in Bulgarian territory. She'll be arguing for days at least."
"We're looking for the Weasley's tent," Remus said. "Would you like to join us?"
"Maybe later," Dean replied quickly. "We're in a bit of hot water 'cause Seamus blew up the tent."
Seamus grinned. "Ron's family is on the next lot. You can't miss it. Us redheads are notoriously hard to hide."
"Later then." Mary waved at them as they took off in the opposite direction.
Oliver Wood ran toward them like a rampaging bull, barely stopping before picking Mary up and swinging her around. "You've got to meet my parents, Mary!"
"We'll meet you at the Weasley's tent." Remus let out a groan and grabbed Sirius by the arm, pulling him away.
"Okay." Mary let Oliver drag her through another alley and into a small outcropping where smaller more Muggle looking tents sat.
"Mum! Dad!" Oliver yelled, pulling her into the tent. "Mary's here!"
"Mary!" Katie Bell exited the tent and rushed toward her. "How are ya?"
"Good." Mary smiled brightly. "Having a good summer?"
Katie kissed Oliver on the cheek. "Definitely."
The moment she met them, Mary realized that Oliver and his parents were polar opposites. They were a very quiet and kind older couple that seemed to adore their son. Better yet, they treated Katie like a queen and doted on her. As for Mary, her very presence seemed to set them on edge and make them nervous, which was why she opted to leave at the first opportunity.
A cart vendor stopped her as she made her way back to where she'd left her godfathers. "Omnioculars, dear?"
Mary looked at the older man and smiled. "I'll take eleven."
His eyes widened as she pulled out a stack of galleons, placing them in his palm. "I'll put them in a bag for you, dear girl."
"Thanks." She accepted the small brown pouch with a smile and finished her walk.
Seamus had been right, the Weasleys were very easy to spot. Each one wore tall green and white hats that clashed marvelously with their bright red hair. Sirius and Remus sat next to Arthur and Bill, talking animatedly over some issue. Seeing her chance, Mary crept up to the circle and grabbed her target from behind, pulling him right out of his seat.
"That was for tackling me." Mary brushed her sleeves back down and grinned innocently, while the rest of the large group laughed loudly.
Ron looked over at Sirius in horror. "I thought you weren't going to tell!"
"Pensieve memory." Sirius shrugged. "I didn't have to say anything."
"Here." Mary pulled the bag out of her pocket and grabbed a pair of Omnioculars for herself, then passed the bag to Ron. "Got enough for everyone."
"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.
Hermione hugged her quickly and accepted a pair, then stared at them in fascination. "I read about these. They're supposed to be fantastic to view the matches with. The many different features also allow instant playback and slow motion. But they're not confined only to use in Quidditch matches, you can use them in day to day activities as well."
"I'd say all you keep them handy at Hogwarts this year." Bill chuckled lightly, accepting his pair. "There are certain things you might want to watch twice."
"Like what?" Ron demanded.
"Nothing, Ron." Mr. Weasley intervened. "Bill's just having a laugh."
"He's taking the piss, Ron." Fred added.
George piped up. "Jerking your chain, Ron."
"Enough, boys." Mr. Weasley shook his head.
Mary sat back quietly as they all went back to talking, but inwardly, she was mulling over the fact that Fourth Year was just days away. Had she changed enough to avoid the Tournament? She knew full well that Mad Eye was safe, having seen him and Tonks just the day after her latest accident. Still though, there were no guarantees, all she could do was wait and hope for the best.
"Come on, Mary." Bill tugged at her arm. "We've got to go. The match is starting."
The chaos on the trail to the stadium was a fraction of what it was like on the inside. The sounds of thousands upon thousands of people stomping around was enough to have her clutching her ears in pain. The stench of so many bodies in such a confined area nearly overwhelmed her heightened senses and the flashes of cameras had her reaching into her pocket to put her sunglasses back on.
"Here." Remus grasped her arm and placed a pair of earplugs in her hand. "I'm going to cast a sensory spell on you, a delimited one, so that you can see and hear as the rest of them do."
His wand tapped her nose and ears, making her sneeze and her ears ring until she got used to the strange sensation that the spell caused. "Thanks, Moony."
He patted her back, guiding her up the steep steps, but by the firm set of his jaw and tension in his movements, she knew that he was struggling with the situation just as much as she was. Through it all, it was still intoxicating and thrilling to be there.
When Bagman announced the Bulgarian Team Mascots, the crowd went berserk. The Veela began to dance and ethereal music filled the stands, making her mind swim before a familiar face appeared on the large viewing screen. It was Olena.
Shaking her head, Mary looked around to see most of the men in the Top Box were in the same sort of trance. Mr. Weasley was holding Charlie's arms before his son could tear off the rest of his shirt. Bill sat with his head down and his ears covered, looking around pleadingly.
"Stinging hexes!" Mary yelled at Hermione and Ginny, casting the hex at Sirius over and over, before her godfather could jump over the railing. "Stupefy!"
"Nice work, Mary Jane!" Remus yelled her way.
"Cast one of those delimited things on Bill before he goes barmy!" Mary yelled back, helping Hermione hex Ron and the Twins into submission.
Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she looked up to see both Mr. Malfoy and Draco struggling to get out of their seats while Mrs. Malfoy sat back looking bored and slightly insulted.
Catching her gaze, Mrs. Malfoy smirked. "Sticking charms work the best."
"Manere!" Mary cast at Ron, then the twins and Charlie, just as soon as they had been wrestled back into their seats.
And finally, the song ended, leaving the guys in the Top Box looking around in confusion and disbelief. Mrs. Malfoy cancelled the charm on her son and husband before they even realized what happened.
"What the hell?" Ron groaned, rubbing his backside. "Who slapped me?"
Ginny laughed while Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down, her bushy hair swaying as she shook her head. "I wasn't expecting that."
Hours later Mary, Sirius, Hermione and the Weasleys sat around the campfire until it was late, reveling in the epic game that they had just witnessed. They argued back and forth of the strategies and replayed the match over and over on the Omnioculars as they drank Butterbeer and snacked on leftover sausages.
"Krum surely should have waited until Bulgaria had gained more points!" Sirius exclaimed once again.
"He caught the Snitch just as the Quaffle sank!" Ron retorted defensively. "There was really no way for him to know that he was catching it too soon. It happened at the same time!"
Mary felt a pang of sadness for Viktor. He'd played well and done an admirable job of keeping Lynch distracted throughout the match. It really had come down to those last few seconds. While Moran was pulling her arm back to toss in the Quaffle, Krum was reaching for the Snitch. Just as the ball entered the hoop, Krum's fingers wrapped around the Snitch. Had their timing not been so in sync, it would have ended in a tied game, or the Minister may have extended it for a tie-breaker.
Shouts interrupted the argument and they could hear screams coming from every direction. Flashes of bright orange light illuminated the distant hill while a large fire erupted in the valley. Everyone stood to their feet as the high pitched wails increased in volume and people began running away from their tents when chanting could be heard from across the moors.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Sirius blinked blearily at the crowd, moving to stand.
Remus put a hand on his shoulder. "Sit down, Paddy, you're drunk."
"Am not." Sirius stuck his tongue out.
"Death Eaters!" A tall man bellowed, knocking over a bench and table, hurrying to get away.
"Run!" A woman yelled frantically at her companion, scooping up her child and darting toward the woods.
"Get to the woods!" Mr. Weasley ordered them, grabbing Ginny's hand and dragging her toward Fred and George. "Don't let them out of your sight, Fred. Find cover! Bill, Charlie, I'm going to help."
"Mary." Sirius stopped her, looking suddenly sober. "Stay with them."
Remus shot her a stern look. "Be safe. We'll find you as soon as we can."
"Be careful," she whispered, watching them disappear into the fray.
She followed her friends through the pushing and shoving crowds, trying her best to keep hold of Hermione's hand as they made their way to the tree line. The group of chanting men had split up and were setting fire to everything in their path, getting closer and closer by the moment. Mary knew that she shouldn't have looked back, that she should have kept going and stayed with her friends. But it was like some deeply ingrained part of her subconscious wouldn't let her.
"Crucio!" A burly voice called out.
A woman screamed in agony, falling heavily to the ground. The crowd pushed and shoved at Mary, making her clench her jaw as she tried and failed to move in any direction without being trampled. A firm shove ended the battle for her, sending her sprawling to the ground and diving for cover before any feet could hit her.
"Mary!" Ron screamed, being pulled away by the frantic crowd.
"Go!" Mary yelled back. "I'll catch up!"
Loud laughter hung in the air around her, while the woman sobbed brokenly, body curled inward in search of escape from the spell. The masked wizard stared at her with a feral glint in his eyes, leaning down, wand still pointed at her prone form.
"Expelliarmus!" Mary hissed out, catching him off guard and pulling his attention away from the young woman still whimpering at his feet. "Leave her alone!"
"Potter!" Another man shouted, alerting his associates to their new target.
Mary ducked behind a half burned tent, dodging spells that flew past at an alarming rate. "Protego!"
Her shield caught the worst of the blasting hex, but a sickly yellow spell whipped by her face, so close that she could feel the tendrils of magic floating past her. Mary checked her surroundings and was relieved to see that she was alone other than the masked men. At least now she had no fear of others getting hurt or in the way of the spell-fire.
"Come on out, girly." A deep voice crooned over the sound of distant screams. "There's too many of us. And only one of you."
"Expecto Patronum." She cast quietly, and watched in fascination as Prongs charged down the small group, scaring the lot of them into ducking for cover.
With a burst of speed and energy, she ran, heading in the opposite direction of her friends and the innocent people who would be far easier targets.
"She's close!" A very familiar voice drawled. "Stunners only. I'll be the one to torture her when she's captured."
"There!" Another man yelled and shot a red spell in her direction.
Mary jumped to the right, barely dodging the curse, but tripped over a protruding rock and fell heavily to the side. Her leg was cut, not badly, but enough that it would hinder her from escaping as quickly as she'd like.
Spells flew over her head and she rolled as quickly as she could to avoid them. Getting to her feet once again, she took off as fast as she could, shooting random spells behind her to slow them down. It was inevitable. A light blue curse hit her left hand, causing her to drop her wand and fall to the ground with a dull thud.
"Got the little bitch!" One of them crowed.
Out of breath, she laid on the ground, trying to grasp her wand that was just a few inches away, while the footfalls of her enemies approached closer and closer. Freezing cold enveloped her hand, burning it, making the muscles cramp up and twist in upon themselves. Still, she had to try. With a burst of speed, she rolled to the side, her injured hand barely able to grasp her wand as a hex was hurled her way. Lifting her Muggle arm to shield her face, she cast three quick stunning spells; two of them hitting their targets.
The sky glowed green, washing the world below in the dim light. The large skull appeared overhead, a serpent slithering out of its mouth in a continuously grotesque loop. Loud pops sounded from all around her as she sat up, clutching her aching arm, staring up at the Dark Mark with a heavy heart. The Death Eaters may have fled, which was a relief, but whoever had cast the spell was still out there. And she had a pretty good feeling that it was Barty Crouch, Jr.
Mary flopped back onto the ground and groaned. trying to keep the tears at bay. She occupied her mind with hoping that her friends and family were safe and unharmed, all while wondering where they were. Dawn was in less than four hours. If she had to, she could wait until first light to search for them. Calling Dobby could put him in danger if any Death Eaters were about, and stupidly, she'd left her Portkey on her dresser at home.
"They just left!" A voice interrupted her musings. "Up and disappeared the moment the Mark appeared."
"Good thing." Charlie's voice sounded winded, but like music to her ears. "They gave everyone quite a scare. Bunch of effing cowards, going after people like that."
"Charlie," Mary choked out in a broken whisper, then she cleared her throat and yelled; "Charlie!"
The light of his Lumos blinded her and she shielded her eyes with her injured hand, trying to let her eyes adjust. Charlie moved his wand away from her face and cast a spell on her, one that she knew would reveal who she really was.
"Mary?" He leaned down and pulled her to her feet. "Are you okay? Where are the others? "
"They went with the crowd into the woods," she answered quickly, kicking the downed Death Eater in the side once more. "I'm fine. I stunned this man. Probably broke a few of his ribs too."
One of the Ministry Aurors pulled back the man's hood, revealing Nott senior. "I'll get him back to the Ministry. You have this handled, Weasley?"
"We'll be fine," Charlie said, nodding his head and pulling Mary closer to his side.
The Auror pulled a pen out of his pocket and let the Portkey take him to some forbidden place within the bowels of the Ministry.
"Are you sure you're okay to walk?" Charlie asked, looking down at her in concern. "I can carry you, if you'd like?"
She let go of his hand and limped beside him. "I'm fine. Just worried about the others."
Where were Sirius, Remus, and her friends? There were so many people at that event. How many had been hurt? Had anyone been killed? Had she somehow changed the happenings of events and caused the death of some poor helpless person? Her mind swam with possibilities and she stumbled more than once over the rubble, finally allowing Charlie to lend a helping hand and let her lean on him as they made their way back to the tent.
Bill Weasley
"In which direction?" Sirius grasped Ron's shoulders. "Where was the last place you saw her?"
"Heading toward the treeline!" Ron yelled back furiously, pulling free. "If you'd bloody well let me go we could find her faster!"
"I swear we were just north of here!" Hermione cried. "It couldn't have been more then ten minutes after you left us. She has to be out there somewhere."
"Not if they've taken her." Sirius growled.
"Tell us again, Ron," George said softly.
Fred patted his brother on the back. "Start at the beginning. It might give us a clue to who she was with."
Hermione spoke up. "We were following the crowd to the woods when they attacked. One of the men cast a curse, 'Crucio', at someone in the crowd. A woman fell over screaming and everyone else panicked. Mary was pulled from my grasp and we were separated."
Ron choked out a sob. "She yelled at us to go and said she'd catch up. Then she started casting spells and I lost sight of her."
"Dad!" Charlie yelled from somewhere in the distance, causing Dad to turn and sprint toward the sound of his voice with Bill right behind him.
"Charlie!" Dad breathed a sigh of relief as he came into view. "Mary!"
Mary stood next to Charlie, looking small and pale. Her jeans were torn and her leg was bleeding profusely. She had one of those sickly sweaty looks that people normally have right before they passed out, and Bill noticed the way his brother seemed to hover at her side like he was ready to catch her before she fell over.
Having heard her name, Sirius brushed past Bill and scooped Mary up into his arms, knocking the wind out of her, before setting her down and grasping her shoulders.
"Why didn't you stay with the other children?!" Sirius screamed at her. "Why did you go out there alone?"
"I was with them." Mary defended herself calmly.
"You should have stayed with them then!" He yelled in dismay.
Mary jutted her chin and pinned her godfather with a stony glare. "I had a better chance of getting away by myself than we did as a large group. Plus, I wanted to draw the attention away from the others so that they could get away safely. They were torturing that poor woman!"
"You shouldn't have put yourself at risk!" He gripped her arms tightly. "It is not your job nor responsibility to protect every living creature! I hope you know that you're going to be grounded for the rest of the holidays!"
"Fine." Mary ground her teeth and closed her eyes.
"No! It is not fine!" Sirius hissed and shook her. "Not until you understand just how reckless you were tonight!"
"Sirius!" Charlie interjected, standing up to put a hand between them, his voice calm but firm. "Her left hand is shattered. You're hurting her."
"Shit!" Sirius let go of Mary as though he had been burned. "I'm sorry, kid. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She scraped her other hand over her face. "It's not that bad."
Remus jogged toward the tent, his face covered in soot. "I've scoured the woods. She's not there."
"She's here, Moony," Sirius said quickly.
Remus didn't bother to ask questions or say anything, just pulled Mary into his arms and hugged her quickly. "Are you okay?"
"She'd be better if you all backed the eff off and let her get treatment!" Charlie ground out. "She's just walked for half an hour after being hit with who knows how many spells."
Bill couldn't have been more proud of his little brother than at that moment, while normally calm and quiet, Charlie wasn't much for drama, and especially hated it when someone was hurt.
"Did you hear what spell was used on you?" Bill asked quickly, helping Mary sit by the fire.
Sirius paced back and forth, looking back at her with both a worried and guilty expression on his face. Bill wanted to say something, anything to calm them both down, but knew it was hopeless. While everyone was worried about Mary, she only worried about helping a complete stranger.
"It was non-verbal." Mary shook her head, sweat beading down her cheek. "The light was a really pale blue though. And that Death Eater looked pretty thrilled to have hit me with it, so I'm guessing it's not a tickling jinx."
"Os Ignis, maybe?" Charlie sat down beside her and gently picked up her mangled, dirty hand that looked like it had caved in on itself.
"Looks like a variation of the Frostfire Curse." Bill looked at Mary and winced in sympathy. "Does it feel cold?"
Mary chuckled darkly. "Nah, it bloody well burns. It feels like my muscles are so cramped up that I can't move it and it's almost traveled up to my shoulder."
"I don't want to risk a counter-curse that might not work." He told Remus, who seemed more stable at the moment. "It'd be better if we take her to St. Mungo's."
"No." Mary pulled her hand free and scooted away. "Aunt Andy will never let me hear the end of it. I'm fine. It'll wear off in a day or two. It's no big deal."
Remus pulled a Muggle notebook out of his pocket. "Arthur, I'd feel better if we all go together. I'll have Dobby and Kreacher return for our things. We can take the Portkey back to Grimmauld Place and you are welcome to wait there or Floo home."
"Thank you, Remus," Dad said, letting out a relieved sigh. "I'd feel better if the children were in a safe place."
Remus held out the notebook and everyone put a finger forth to touch it, letting it carry them back to safety. The second they landed, Ron and Hermione pulled Mary away from Sirius and helped her sit on the couch. Despite their objection, Dad pushed Ginny and the twins toward the Floo to explain the situation to Mum, while Bill would stay back with Charlie and Ron.
"I have to go check in at the Ministry," Dad said quietly, his brows furrowed. "I haven't heard from Percy since the night before last. Will you stay here?"
"Of course." Bill agreed quickly. "Let me know as soon as you have any news."
Dad nodded quickly and left, leaving him to check in with the others.
"Don't ever leave us like that again!" Hermione cried, leaning her head on Mary's shoulder. "We're supposed to work as a team!"
"I'm sorry." Mary put her arm around her, leaning onto Ron's side. "I just couldn't bear the thought of anyone else getting hurt."
"But why does it always have to be you?" Ron whispered brokenly.
"I'm just lucky I guess." Mary elbowed him gently, a small pained smile on her face. "Really though, thanks for trusting me. You don't know how bad I panicked, thinking that at any moment one of you might have charged in."
"We tried," Hermione argued. "But we couldn't find you."
"Good." Mary nodded quickly.
Normally, Bill would have wrote off this type of behavior as either insanity or stupidity, but Mary truly seemed to not care about her own well being, even to the point of self-sacrifice. For someone that he considered to be part of his family, it scared him to see that level of devotion. He had half a mind to go the same route as Sirius and Remus and demand she stay at Grimmauld Place for the foreseeable future.
"Your records have their very own drawer, Mary," Healer Tonks said in exasperation, walking into the drawing room and setting her Healer's bag on the table. "They read like a bad torture novel. And to be honest, I'm getting quite tired of having to add a new chapter to it each time I see you."
"Sorry." Mary pouted. "I can always find another Healer if you're not comfortable treating me."
"You'll do no such thing!" Healer Tonks hissed at her in indignation. "I've been your Healer since the day you were born."
Ron backed away at the woman's tone, while Hermione seemed to hold onto Mary even tighter.
"Should we leave?" Bill asked for them, knowing Mary might not be comfortable being examined with a crowd looking on.
"It's fine." Mary shrugged, holding out her injured arm. "This isn't my first rodeo."
"How you get yourself into these scrapes I'll never understand." Healer Tonks ran her wand over Mary's arm.
"I'm fine, really." Mary sighed.
Healer Tonks let out a humorless chuckle. "And I'm Celestina Warbuck."
"Can I get your autograph?" Mary retorted with a sly look.
"You can sit still while I give you this." The Healer pulled a syringe out of her robe pocket, uncapped it and stuck it in Mary's arm. "Just one more moment and I'll vanish the bones in your other arm."
"Your bedside manner needs work." Mary stuck out her tongue.
"Not as much as your sense of self-preservation." Healer Tonks laughed heartily, waving her wand at Mary's arm.
Mary gasped in relief as her arm flopped boneless onto her lap. "It's like second year all over again."
"Wow, that stuff kicks in fast." Sirius stepped into the room.
Remus sat down in an armchair. "What happened in second year?"
"Lockhart did some wonky spell that made the bones in her arm disappear," Ron answered.
"That man was a fraud!" Hermione said in fury. "He never should have been allowed to teach in the first place."
"What happened to Lockhart?" Sirius stared at Ron in question. "Please tell me Dumbledore fired him."
"His memories disappeared," Mary whispered. "Got hit with his own Obliviate."
"Oh my." Healer Tonks shot Mary a shrewd look, looking down at the notebook that sat on her lap. "The dosage on these Muggle remedies always confuses me."
"Look!" Mary pulled her arm free to flop it in a grotesque wave at the Healer. "It's all better now!"
Sirius cackled at her drunken babbling. "Not yet, kiddo."
Healer Tonks pulled a sling out of her bag. "Let me help you put this on and then I'm going to go."
"Not the sling." Mary whined. "I love you, Aunt Andy. Don't do this to me."
"You're out of luck, child." Healer Tonks chuckled, fastening the strap behind Mary's neck. "I'll check on you in the morning."
"You up for a game of chess?" Ron asked Mary.
Mary looked at the sling in distaste. "I'm regrowing bones here. I'll only play if someone helps me."
Accepting a Butterbeer from Remus, Bill sat back and watched as Charlie and Mary played a very odd game of chess with Ron and Hermione, spending most of the game chatting quietly or planning revenge on each other.
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