"Mary, I 'ave told you that it is not your fault, no?" Fleur crossed her arms, tapping her foot on the smooth stones outside the great hall.
"It's just not right." Mary shook her head, opening the door and moving to let Fleur and her entourage enter the dining hall. "You completed the task with less complications than I did. They should have taken that into consideration."
"The judges decided on our scores. It is no matter. My score was - acceptable," Fleur said, seeming to be more than content with second place. "What are your thoughts on this Egg?"
Mary looked down at her hands, trying to think of something to say that could clue Fleur in, but she didn't have a chance.
Fleur turned, blonde hair whipping around her shoulders, eyes focusing in on Mary's. "You 'ave already figured it out! How have you done this in only one night?"
Why was she being so loud? Mary grimaced and looked around. No, it was just her sensitive hearing messing with her again. "I didn't sleep."
Fleur's pale brows furrowed. "Are you well?"
"Yeah." Mary waved a hand absently, fighting the icky feeling crawling up her spine. "Took a long bath. Sat there trying to drown the noisy thing."
"My ears are still ringing from opening that 'orrible egg," Fleur said, smiling brightly. "But yes, I have listened to the riddle. I 'ave not yet deciphered it though."
"We have time." Mary shrugged, taking a seat at the fourth year table. "You might want to keep your friends and family close around the time of the next task."
Fleur sat across from her, deep in thought. "That I will do."
The other Beauxbatons girls shot Mary a rude look and stared at Fleur's back for a moment before they animatedly rushed to their assigned table, looking more than a little put off by Fleur's chosen seating arrangement.
Fleur shook her head and her mouth curled into a smile. "Viktor shall be joining us shortly."
Mary laughed. "Considering how much butterbeer they drank last night, I'm surprised he'll be at breakfast at all."
Mary and Fleur shared a look and then started to laugh, both of them knowing full well that there was more than butterbeer in the tankards. Sirius left earlier that morning reeking of Firewhiskey, and Remus did nothing but talk as loud as he could and make sudden noises that would jar them from their drunken stupor. Dog form or not, Mary expected her godfather to bite Remus.
A bright flash of light accosted her vision and Mary scrambled backwards, trying not to fall out of her seat.
"Great job, M-Mary!" Colin Creevey squeaked out, lifting his camera and taking a picture of Fleur before rushing back to the third year table.
"What an awful boy!" Fleur groused, taking a drink of her juice.
"Colin?" Mary chuckled, scratching at her arm through her sleeve. "He's a good kid. A little too enthusiastic, but he means well."
Fleur didn't seem convinced and continued to glare at Colin as she picked at her breakfast while the Great Hall slowly filled with people.
People that were going to die if she didn't complete her task.
Mary stared down at her plate, swallowing, a pain in the pit of her stomach. Everyone in this room. Every single person would be dead or left to an unknown fate in less than three years.
She turned in her seat, and there they were. Fred laughed and put his arm around Angelina. That same smile that was etched on his face in the moment of his death. Snape scowled and pushed a plate of toast towards McGonagall who grinned at the younger teacher. Those dark eyes that knew how harsh life could be. Lavender sat a few seats down from Mary and laughed as Ron tried and failed to greet Fleur in French. Lavender who had met her untimely end at the hands of Greyback. Cho leaned her head on Cedric's shoulder, and he smiled down at her, both of them laughing at Fred and George's latest prank. Cedric who had died because he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.
That nagging feeling of irritation began to fade, floating into the back of Mary's mind until she could block it out completely. In its place was only grief and a resolute longing to make sure the people she saw before her didn't meet the same fate.
Hufflepuff's Cup. Nagini. Voldemort. Hufflepuff's Cup. Nagini. Voldemort. Hufflepuff's Cup. Nagini. Voldemort. Me. She wouldn't let Voldemort win.
Hermione held her head in her hands as Ron butchered the French language. Fleur stared back in confusion, but smiled demurely even though she was completely lost.
They're worth it. Mary smiled and dug into her breakfast.
December 10th, 1994.
Over two weeks had passed since the First Task, and it was still the subject of gossip everywhere Mary went. Everyone wanted to hear her account about the dragon. They wanted to know what the egg was for. Had she figured out it's clue? Did she know what the Second Task would be?
Mary sat at her usual desk in Transfiguration and rubbed her temples, sighing to relieve the aching pain behind her eyes. To top it all off, Colin Creevey had taken from popping up at random times and snapping pictures. The bright flash of his camera left her blinded and seeing spots. It didn't help that each time, her temper reared up she barely had the strength to control it before she hexed the third year into oblivion.
That was something that she would have loved to blame on her connection to Voldemort, but if she really thought about it, it was just something that irritated her. That didn't mean that her scar wasn't likewise causing trouble. It always twinged at the worst of times. When she was focusing on class or trying to master a new spell.
Infuriated, Mary waved her wand, intending to turn her guinea fowl back into a guinea pig. The poor thing yelped piteously—feathers sticking out all over its tiny body—and she frantically waved her wand once again, righting the spell as the poor creature and Professor McGonagall both turned to glare at her.
"You're not concentrating, Potter," McGonagall chided. "Overpowering your spells won't help you in this class. You need focus and precision."
"Yes, professor." Mary put her head down, gently cupping the traumatized guinea pig into her hands and pulling it close in a silent apology.
To her right Parvati was helping Lavender with her spell work. To her left, Hermione was changing her guinea pig back and forth. Her perfect pronunciation sent Mary's guinea pig into a panic and she stuffed the tiny thing into her cloak pocket to hide it from the sight.
At Professor McGonagall's instruction, they began copying their homework into their notebooks. Mary absentmindedly wrote them word for word, glancing up every few moments to make sure she'd gotten it right. She was finishing the last sentence when she heard McGonagall step to the front of the class.
"The Yule ball is approaching," McGonagall started with a firm voice.
Mary blocked out everything and everyone after those words, staring at a far corner in the room as she thought of what she would do for the holidays. Sirius wanted to try out Muggle skiing in the Swiss Alps. Mary wanted to do anything but that. Sirius had won the argument without even starting it. There was no way she would deny him a trip that would make him happy.
"Potter!"
The professor's voice jolted her out of her revelry.
"I'd like to see you before dinner tonight."
Mary nodded, putting her head down as she packed up her books and quill. The bell rang not long after that, and Mary shot out of the room. Ron followed close behind her with Hermione and Neville joining them once they were in the corridor.
"Thought that'd never end." Ron grimaced.
"Uh huh." Mary kept darting her gaze back and forth, ready to sprint out of sight if any short camera wielding boys jumped out at her.
"Wonder why McGonagall is only announcing the ball now." Ron pulled what looked like a half eaten croissant from his pocket and took a bite. "Think it's because we have two new schools to deal with? Why haven't we had them before?"
Mary looked at him in confusion, but before she could speak, Hermione butted in. "Honestly, Ronald, we had dress robes on the supply list and it's the Triwizard Tournament. Of course, Hogwarts will be hosting a Yule ball. The champions will be the guests of honor, the press will be here, it's going to be so grand!"
"Bloody hell." Mary shuddered.
"W-what?" Neville stammered.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "A ball. A dance. You know, to music."
"I think I'll be ill that night." Mary cracked her fingers, then pulled her book bag higher onto her shoulder. "Something contagious and deadly."
"I've caught it too." Ron nodded quickly, moving to Mary's side. "We're both in the hospital wing."
"Same." Neville chuckled.
"You three are hopeless." Hermione sighed, glaring at them. "It's a dance. It'll be fun!"
At their unconvinced looks, Hermione turned around and stomped toward the library in a huff.
Neville moved closer to Mary. "What's McGonagall want you for?"
Mary cracked her neck and rubbed her temples. "The Champions need dates."
Ron and Neville both skidded to a halt, and she spun to see their jaws drop and their eyes go wide.
"Exactly." Mary's shoulders fell. "I'm doomed."
With that, she turned back around and walked as quickly as she could to Gryffindor tower. After all of her things were thrown onto her bed, she ran back down the stairs and out into the main hall under her father's invisibility cloak.
As always, she ended up at Hagrid's hut, her hand hesitating before she knocked.
"Oiu," Madame Maxime's deep voice sounded from the other side. "I did not think you would remember."
"Anything fer you, Olympe." Hagrid's tone was the softest she'd ever heard it.
Mary's hand dropped to her side and she turned around, walking away with her head down. She wouldn't eavesdrop on Hagrid. She didn't want to hear her friend's talking about the ball. She didn't want to listen as they prattled on about which boy would ask them to the ball. She didn't want to let McGonagall and the school down by not having a date to the ball, but she didn't want to ask someone only to be rejected. All for an effing ball.
Alone, she thought, letting out a breath. I'm alone.
An hour later she was sitting at the edge of the Black Lake, her bare feet digging into the mud. It squished between her toes and froze her feet. It was too cold for wading, but she hoped that she caught a cold or black lung—anything that would keep her from the torturous task ahead of her. Why did it matter anyway? What would having a date do to help her out in the tasks ahead?
"This is no hot spring."
Viktor's voice startled her so much that she slipped on a rock, falling backwards into the cold water.
"Shite!" Mary gasped and spluttered, scrambling out of the lake.
Viktor rushed to her side, pulling his cloak around her shoulders as he waved his wand, casting drying and warming charms on her. "I did not mean to upset you."
"My fault," she said through chattering teeth. "Lost in thought."
Viktor pulled the cloak tighter around her, unfazed by the cold. "Why lost?"
Her mouth twitched as she tried to keep her teeth from shaking loose. "You - You've heard about the Yule ball?"
"Yes, it vas announced before ve arrived."
"They just sprung it on us today," Mary whispered, tugging the cloak up to her nose to hide the fact that it was running like an escaped dog.
"It is ball. You dance, have fun. Vhat is to vorry about?"
"A dance partner. McGonagall demands I have a date to this shitfest."
Viktor leaned back and laughed loudly, a deep and booming sound that sent birds flying from their nests on the treetops.
"Laugh at me. I don't care anymore."
Viktor's eyes twinkled as he stepped closer to her, pulling the hood of the cloak over her head. "Do not vorry. I vill save you from this ball."
"What can you give me? Spattergroit? Dragon pox? Cause McG said anything less and she'd drag me out of the hospital wing."
"You vill go vith me. You are my date to this Yule ball."
Mary's jaw dropped and she took a step back. "Fuck that! There's over two hundred girls in this castle alone that would do literally anything to get you to go with them. Why me?"
"You are my friend." Viktor looked down at his shoes. "This is my last year at school. My last dance. I do not vish to go with some girl that only sees a Quidditch star. I vant to have fun."
"I can understand that. But I can still name at least ten girls that would treat you right."
Viktor's face flushed. "I am sorry to have offended you."
Mary reached out and touched his arm, feeling her own heart falter at his broken tone. "That's not what I meant. Please. It's just that, well, I know you can do better than me."
"We are friends, Mary. For this I just need a friend."
Mary felt her cheeks pull into a bright smile. "Then I'm there. I'd be honoured to escort you to the Yule ball, Mister Krum."
His warm fingers entwined with hers as they walked back towards the castle. Mary drank in the feeling, that warmth, that feeling of butterflies in her stomach that made her think that any moment she would be floating. And every time Viktor would cut his gaze to hers that feeling would intensify.
"Vould you like to go flying?" he asked when they reached the main doors.
"Hell yes," Mary breathed, pulling out her wand and flicking it. "Accio Firebolt!"
Viktor's spell was nonverbal and they both stood there in the heavy mist and cold as their brooms soared through the air toward them. A half second later, their brooms, along with twenty other people followed along. Mary's smile grew wider as they called the pickup game of Quidditch out over the large meadow in front of Hagrid's hut.
Mary pulled Viktor into a hug. "Thank you."
His face hovered over her shoulder—inches from hers—and the oddest sensation came over her. She wanted to pull him closer. Instead she pulled away and handed him his cloak.
Viktor smiled and bowed his head. "Friends."
"Friends," Mary repeated, feeling her heart drop.
He deserved better. She knew her fate, and he wasn't part of it. He never would be. Never could. Too many people were involved. Too many put in danger because she was too weak to get the job done. After the Yule ball, she'd make sure to cut all contact. One by one she'd ensure the safety of the people she cared about by making sure they never became too close to become a target.
"Did that just happen?" Ron grabbed her arm and spun her around as soon as they were back in the common room. "Did I just play Quidditch with Viktor Krum?"
George rolled his eyes. "All of us did."
"You weren't the only one." Fred laughed then turned to the crowd. "Think I better go ask Angelina to the ball before she decides to with someone else."
Mary moved toward the couch in a daze, but was stopped by Hermione.
"You reek!" Hermione covered her nose. "Did you fall into the sewer?"
"The lake." Mary sniffed her robes and grimaced. "The cold water is supposed to be good for you."
Hermione cast a freshening charm on her, backing away when it only marginally helped.
"Don't bother. I'm going to shower and change before I see McGonagall."
Kneeling closer to the fire to warm up, Mary ran her hand up and down her bad arm, trying to alleviate the ache there. Ten days until the full moon and her body was already starting to hurt. It would only get worse. That's how it always was. Her heart ached for Moony, knowing that his pain was tenfold what she was going through.
With that thought she ran into the dorms and only stopped briefly to grab clean pyjamas before rushing to the bathroom. She stepped into a stall and shed her clothes, staring down at her scarred arms and legs in distaste. Her arm was the worst of all, the long scars puckered and paler than the rest of her skin. They felt rough under her touch, making her skin crawl as they reminded her of the night she received the marks.
The hot water eased the ache, and she spent the next hour scrubbing at her skin until it was red and sore. She was clean and smelled more human, that made the subtle burn worth it. The face in the mirror stared back at her, dark circles under tired green eyes. Cheekbones that were high and nearly poked through her skin. All of Sirius' progress with fattening her up lost during her last growth spurt. Her dark hair was down to the center of her back, getting more difficult to deal with each day. The two wands on the counter seemed to call to her. Cut it off.
The only reason her hair wasn't a wild haystack like Harry's was because it was long enough to let the weight of it to keep it in place. If she cut it short, like Aunt Petunia had, she'd end up looking like the same awkward little girl that came to Hogwarts.
Mary stared at the train station in awe, lost as she didn't know where to go after the guard laughed at her asking for Platform 9 ¾. Not until she overheard a bright haired witch mention Hogwarts.
Mrs. Weasley had been kind enough to show her the way through the portal. Fred and George had simply helped her with her trunk before going to the cabin they shared with Lee Jordan. Mary had stumbled through the crowded train until she found an empty cabin. She looked at her reflection in the window, seeing her dark hair shorn close to her head, wondering why it failed to grow back as it usually did.
"Mind if I sit here?" the red haired boy asked quietly. "Everywhere else is full."
"Sure," she replied, holding out her hand. "I'm Mary."
"Harry, eh?" The boy smiled back. "I'm Ron."
He'd misunderstood her name. He thought she was a boy. He was nice and she was desperate for a friend. For hours, she sat there talking to Ron. They'd shared snacks, introduced their familiars, and the moment Hermione walked into the cabin, looking for a lost toad, she pointed out who Mary was. Ron refused to speak to her after that, only sat there in silence. Even after she backed him up and defended him against Malfoy he still refused to talk to her. She hated him for it.
Near two months passed, and Mary was alone, keeping to herself and not bothering to make friends. It wasn't until the troll incident that the three of them formed a bond that would never be broken.
"I have to break it," she told her reflection.
An hour later, after a long shower, Mary sat on her bed, her wet hair soaking the back of her shirt. The tiny Hungarian Horntail on her nightstand caught her eye and she scooped it up into one hand, dragging her other under her pillow where Bacon—her stolen guinea pig—was hiding. She pulled him out, setting them both on the foot of her bed as she wrote a letter.
Securing the two feathers with spellotape to the letter, one from an Abraxan named Elvis, the other from Buckbeak, she placed it beside her and pulled the mirror out of her bag, whispering Sirius' name. Within seconds a high pitched giggle and the sounds of fabric rustling filled the room.
"Sorry!" Mary put the mirror face down on her lap, holding her head in her hands.
"Bloody hell, woman, back off!" Sirius squealed. His face came into view. "Mary? You okay?"
"Are you?" Mary deadpanned, shielding her eyes from flashes of pale skin. "Which witch this time?"
Sirius turned to look behind him, a confused expression on his face. "Ash...Am...No, it's Alex!"
"My name is Sasha!" an angry woman's voice called out. "And I'm done with you, Black!"
She heard something crash, picked the mirror up, and grimaced as she watched a vase smash against the wall. Suddenly the view tilted and dropped to the side. Spell light flashed, Sirius yelped in pain, and Mary wondered if she needed to go over there and drag this new person out by her hair. It wouldn't be the first time she had to escort a woman out of the house after Sirius mucked things up.
"You okay?" Mary called out loudly.
"Mary?" The view in the mirror tilted once again, and Mary saw Sirius' pale face staring back at her. "This might take more than an apology. I'll call you back in a few, kiddo."
After that Mary wrapped her night robe around herself and pulled back the curtains to her bed. Only to stop when three sets of eyes were staring at her in anticipation.
"Spill!" Lavender nearly screamed.
"We've been waiting so long!" Parvati cried out.
Hermione blushed and rolled her eyes. "I put a spell around your bed so you weren't disturbed."
Mary lifted a brow. "From what? Not like I was sleeping. I just talked to Sirius and wrote a letter."
Parvati groaned and fell backwards onto Lavender's bed. "Hopeless. She's hopeless!"
"You spent the afternoon alone with Krum!" Lavender squeaked out. "Tell us!"
"I fell in the lake?" Mary wondered what they were playing at. "We had a pick up game of Quidditch…."
"Did he kiss you?!" Parvati screamed in exasperation.
"No!" Mary moved back. "He's...Viktor."
Lavender's smile dropped. "So nothing happened?"
"No," Mary repeated, shaking her head. "Nothing. He's my friend. That's it."
Lavender let out a disappointed sigh and went to her own bed. Hermione, however, stayed where she was, giving Mary a look of disbelief.
"Later," Mary said simply, watching as Hermione nodded once before leaving her alone.
She changed into a clean uniform and cast a cleaning spell on her shoes, making sure they looked and smelled good as new, before making her way down to McGonagall's office.
The door was open when she arrived at the office door. McGonagall looked up at the sound of her steps and nodded toward the chair across from her desk.
"Just a moment, Potter." McGonagall pushed a tin of biscuits toward her. "Only one. Don't spoil your appetite."
"Thank you." Mary's stomach grumbled as she found a peanut butter biscuit.
She devoured it in two bites, struggling to chew it up, when her head of house put her quill down and pinned her eyes on Mary's.
"The Yule ball," Professor McGonagall started. "Are your dress robes appropriate?"
Mary nearly choked on the mouthful, swallowing hard. "Sirius told me I didn't need them, that I'd be home for Christmas."
"They were a requirement in your supply list." McGonagall leaned back in her chair, lips pursed in disapproval. "I knew I should have taken you dress shopping. Your godfather promised—"
"I'm sorry."
"The three champions lead the ball. You will be representing Hogwarts. You must look your best."
The mirror vibrated in her pocket, giving Mary the perfect excuse to divert McGonagall's attention. She said his name and jumped forward, placing the mirror on the desk.
"Shite!" Sirius' voice echoed through the room. "For fuck's sake, Mary, tell me you didn't see anything? I swear, I didn't expect for that witch to be here! I just haven't had a good shag in ages."
"Black!" McGonagall picked up the mirror, glaring at her godfather.
"Minnie? Lovely evening, isn't it?"
Mary covered her face with her hands and tried not to laugh as Sirius stammered out his excuses. Poor guy still couldn't remember the witch's name.
"Sasha!" Mary called out, after his fifth attempt. "Her name is Sasha! She has brown hair and blue eyes!"
"That's the one!" Sirius chuckled nervously. "Minnie, Mary, is everything okay?"
McGonagall rubbed a hand over her face in exasperation, glaring down at the mirror. "Dress robes, Black. Your daughter needs them for the Yule Ball."
"I've signed her out for the holidays."
"I have the note you sent, but as a school Champion she is required to attend and dress appropriately."
Silence. It was truly worrisome when Sirius went silent, and Mary could only think the worst. Did he suddenly want to change their plans? Would he force her to stay at school? Would he refuse to let her attend and take her out of school? Would that be a bad thing? She didn't know.
"She's coming home for the holidays," Sirius stated in a firm tone. "I'll take her to find dress robes, and she can attend the Yule Ball, but she must return home the following morning and stay until classes start up again."
"Agreed." McGonagall nodded.
Mary said her goodbyes, collected her mirror, and went to dinner. Her mind spun, trying to think about what she needed to do next. She jammed her hands into her cloak pockets, fists clenched tightly, only to have her knuckles collide with the smooth surface of parchment.
Her stomach grumbled, wondering what was the better choice. Dinner, surrounded by people, or visiting the kitchens before taking her letter to the owlery. Reason won out and an hour later she sat on the window sill, eating a sandwich while Hedwig soared off into the night sky.
December 18th, 1994
Defense started out rough. The moon would be full that night and Mary's arm ached like mad. Mad-Eye Moody let out a gruff order for them to leave their backpacks in the classroom and they all followed the retired Auror to the cold and snowy courtyard.
The entire seventh year class was waiting on the edges, wrapped up in their scarves and earmuffs, wands held to their sides in gloved hands. It made Mary regret leaving her cloak in the classroom and when she looked around, a lot of her peers seemed to feel the same way.
"Aer calidus." Mary cast a warming charm on her jumper.
"I've brought in some volunteers for this class." Moody's eyes roamed over the two groups. "You'll have to work together if you want to survive it."
Her fellow Gryffindors didn't seem thrilled about having to work in close quarters with the Slytherins, but Mary wasn't bothered by it. Most of them were all right. She'd never claim that she got on with all of them, but there were a few she knew were good.
"Your task is simple!" Moody shouted, banging his staff on the ground. "Shield charms and only shield charms are to be used by you fourth years. All you have to do is dodge the spells. If you get hit, you're out and have to leave the circle. Get to it!"
They huddled together in the center of the courtyard, some of them trying to use classmates as shields. Mary stood front and center, Ron to her left and Daphne to her right. Moody let off a spell that sounded like thunder crashing. The seventh years lifted their wands simultaneously, and Mary cast her shield charm. Chaos erupted around them. Within the first two minutes half of her class was already on the sidelines, bright paint splattered across their robes.
The bell rang. Six of them remained. Malfoy, Zabini, Nott, Parvati, Mary, and Dean were the only fourth years still in the game. That was mainly due to the fact that they chose to set rivalry aside and work together, shielding each other as best they could. They were surrounded, forty students working together to bring them down. With only shields to protect them, they had to be quick and focused. There was no room for error.
Dean heaved in a breath, faltering for a moment, his shield weakened. Three spells broke through their barrier. Parvati was hit first, causing her to lose focus and drop her shield. Nott was hit second, falling to the ground in exhaustion. The third spell whizzed past Malfoy's ear and he moved aside at the last second, only for the spell to hit Nott in the back of the head. The three of them that remained moved closer together, shoulder to shoulder, until the paint jinx caught Malfoy in the foot. He cursed loudly, dropping his wand hand as he moved out of the way.
"I'm getting tired," Zabini ground out from behind her.
Mary kept stepping sideways, keeping Zabini's back to hers. "Me too."
"Surrender?"
"Never."
"Duck!" Zabini shouted.
Mary dropped to her knees, watching as the pink spell flew over their shield.
"Clipium Repente!" Mary twisted her wrist and flung the reflection spell at her feet, creating a small bubble that encased her and Zabini.
I should not have done that, Mary thought, knowing the shield spell was registered as dark. Mary flicked her gaze to where Moody's face was twisted into an odd and frightening grimace. Was he smiling or glaring? It was hard to tell with his pronounced scars and magical eye whirring in its socket.
"What now?" Zabini backed up to her.
"No idea." Mary watched as the seventh years circled closer. "I can't hold this forever."
"I'm starved."
"Me too."
Mary looked out at her opponents, watching them lift their arms to resume casting. Refocusing on the shield, she put as much power as she could into it. Bright colourful spells flew toward them from every direction, encasing the bubble in a multitude of color.
Mary waited. "One. Two. Three!"
The paint jinxes were flung off the shield at once, bouncing straight back at their unsuspecting casters. The seventh years ducked and dove out of the way, but few were left unhit.
"Not bad." Moody stomped forward. "Class is over. Ten points to Slytherin and Gryffindor! Good spellwork, Potter."
Fred and George were waiting for her beside the fireplace in Gryffindor Tower after dinner that evening. George passed Fred a small tin, and they simultaneously turned to grin at her.
"Do I wanna know?" Mary arched a brow.
"Just a little something we cooked up." George put a hand on her shoulder.
Mary stared at the two sweets in suspicion. "What do they do?"
Fred closed the lid and placed the tin in her hand."They just ease your nerves. Like if you have a job interview,"
"A big date."
"Or you're going to dance in front of a thousand people."
"Exactly."
Mary looked up at the two seriously. "I'm freaking out as it is, please don't make this into a joke."
"Just take it when you need it." Fred gave her a pointed look.
"We wouldn't lie to you, Mary," George added. "We owe you a lot for helping us get our shop started. So just think of this as a small down payment."
"You two did all of that on your own." Mary grasped their hands. "But, thank you. I'll keep the sweets on me."
"Atta girl," Fred grinned. "You won't regret it."
"Not our, sis." George crossed his arms. "You'll make the most of it, won't you, Mary?"
"I'll do my best," Mary assured them, stepping into the Floo.
Back at Grimmauld Place, Mary stared at the Black family tree in interest, wondering why Sirius chose to leave this room mostly untouched. The tapestry in front of her showed the history of the Black's, but the dark scorch marks were a testament to the fact that this family held no tolerance for blood traitors.
Eduardus Limette Black b.1820 d.1899
"What'd he do wrong?" Mary asked, looking at the burnt image.
"Old Uncle Eddie. He lost the true Black Manor in a card game with a muggleborn." Sirius barked out a laugh. "Was fond of the drink and too far in his cups to care. As soon as he realised there was an Unbreakable Vow hanging over his head, he went straight to the ministry to have the deeds drawn up. He later stepped down as head of the family and was disowned quickly after. The Manor had been the ancestral family home of the Black's since the time Merlin himself roamed the country."
Sirius frowned and his eyes took in the room around him. "The only thing they were able to salvage from the Manor was the house elf heads and the Black family tapestry."
"What happened to the manor?" Mary asked in wonder.
Sirius lifted his shoulders, digging his hands into his pockets. "The new owner didn't feel the need to place any protection spells on it and it was destroyed during the First Wizarding War. I even think Grindelwald used it as headquarters for a time. Note, this was all before I was born and my dear mother loved the thought of someone like Grindelwald occupying our family home."
"Your cousin Bellatrix." Mary pointed at the witches likeness on the tapestry. "How about we go to Gringotts and raid her vault?"
Sirius tilted his head back and laughed. "Too late, kid. I already have."
Mary choked on a sweet. "W-what'd you find?"
"Nothing." Sirius shrugged his shoulders. "She emptied it out long before she went to Azkaban. Had everything transferred into her husband's vault."
Mary felt her stomach twist. "She's a Black though, can't you get in?"
Sirius turned to her, brow furrowed. "It doesn't work that way, Mary. The goblins don't care about her being a criminal and a Death Eater. What's got you so interested in it?"
Mary felt revulsion climbing up her spine as the lie left her lips. "Neville and his grandmother should have been compensated for what the LeStranges did."
"You're right, but that isn't going to happen. Even so, Neville and Augusta are well off. I doubt they'd want anything Bellatrix had to offer. None of it would fix what she did."
"Yeah." Mary heaved in a breath.
Hufflepuff's cup was supposed to be simple to get. How could she have looked over such a simple detail? The clock was ticking and there was no way she could stop it. With one more Horcrux out of reach, Mary was forced to realise that her plans would be set further back.
The next morning Sirius stepped into International Portkey platform number 6 of Switzerland. Mary had been thrown off course and landed a metre away on her hands and knees. The young witch attending the newcomers scrambled to her side, helping to her feet and mumbling apologies in German.
Sirius merely bent over, hands on his knees as he laughed. "You should have seen your face! Merlin, you're killing me, kid."
Mary shook her head, taking the envelope with their stamped passports from the kind witch. "Thank you."
"Mary Potter," the witch held out piece of blank parchment with a shaking hand. "Unterschrift?"
Mary looked down at the paper in confusion. The witch looked down at her feet, her cheeks flushed as she mimed writing.
"She wants your autograph." Sirius stepped closer to Mary's side, no longer amused.
"Oh." Mary grabbed the parchment and pulled a pen out of her pocket, signing it with her usual messy scrawl. "Nice to meet you."
"Danke!" The girl smiled, rushing out of the room.
Sirius chuckled at Mary's flushed face, pulling her close as they apparated to their next stop. They spent the night drinking hot chocolate, wishing Remus was there, and having snowball fights in front of the posh Swiss hotel. It was the latter that was the reason for them getting kicked out when a rogue snowball hit a renowned Russian diplomat square in the face. The president had laughed it off and greeted Sirius and Mary with a smile, but the manager of the hotel hadn't been pleased. They'd portkeyed to Vienna, Budapest, and Bucharest exploring the towns for a day before moving on. Their final stop was in Sofia, where Mary dragged her godfather into the town, going door to door until she found a small dress shop.
"I thought you didn't care about the dress?" Sirius pulled his hand free from hers.
"It's the Yule Ball, Snuggly." Mary put on her best pitiful look. "It's not about the dress, it's about representing Hogwarts, and I've only heard good things about this shop."
Sirius wasn't convinced, following her into the building and eying the mannequins with distaste. There were all ball gowns that had plunging necklines and tight bodices. Mary cringed at the sight of them. No way in seven bloody hells would she be caught dead in anything like that.
A girl walked forward, rattling off something in her native tongue and Mary stared back in confusion. "I'm sorry, do you speak English?"
"Yes!" The girl replied. "I am so sorry. What can I help you with?"
Mary swallowed hard, hoping this wasn't a long shot. "My name is Mary Potter, I'm a Hogwarts student needing a dress for the Yule Ball."
The girl's smile dropped, her eyes growing wide and looking Mary up and down. "Mary Potter?"
"Yeah." Mary felt her neck and cheeks grow hot under her stare.
"Mama!" The girl spun on her heel and disappeared into the back room.
Mary watched while her godfather looked through the rows of gowns, finally holding up a dress that looked like something a nun or an old woman would wear.
"No," Mary said before he could speak. "Don't even ask."
"I am so sorry."
Mary turned to see an older woman, with dark hair and deep brown eyes walking toward her.
The woman continued, "Elena was quite shocked. You need a dress, no?"
"She does." Sirius stepped forward first, cheeks pulled tight in a smile as he eyed the busty witch in appreciation. "I'm her godfather, Sirius Black."
"Kate," she replied, holding her hand out to Mary, giving Sirius no attention whatsoever. "It is an honour, Miss Potter."
"It's just Mary." She put her head down. "I've heard great things about your shop from a friend of mine."
"Friend?" Kate seemed pleased. "How vonderful! Vell then, ve should get to it. You vill vant something custom, no? Something that says Champion?"
"Something simple and comfortable," Mary stated, not wanting to be in some fancy gown that would look ridiculous on her.
Kate's eyes travelled from Mary's toes to her neck, tilting her head side to side with a critical stare. "I have just the dress. Elena, vill measure you and ve vill start immediately."
"But…" Mary felt frantic, turning to the many gowns on display. "Can't I just pick one and go?"
"No!" Kate looked offended. "No such thing!"
Three days later, Mary was standing in her dorm waiting for her friends to finish getting ready. Lavender and Parvati had already tackled her hair into some weird stylish updo that threatened to pull the hair from her scalp and stretch her face into a permanent surprised look. Her scar was covered by a swath of hair and they'd painted her face as much as she would let them. The feel of the heavy makeup on her skin just begged to be scratched at and the first time she'd tried Lavender slapped her so hard that she still had a red mark on her hand.
Looking down at said red mark, Mary opened her trunk, finding the tiny tin Fred and George had given her. Dumping the contents into her hand, she wondered what the two tiny sweets would do. With the best of luck, they'd be a prank that would end up with her covered in fur and feathers and unable to attend the feast. And with her usually shoddy luck, she'd end up speaking in pig latin for the entire ball and make a complete fool of herself.
With that thought in mind she swallowed both red capsules and put on the necklace Sirius had given her for Christmas. It was a simple silver chain with a small emerald pendant. There was a protection charm on it, she didn't know which one, but she was sure of it, because as soon as she locked the clasp, she felt a warm and safe feeling envelope her. That deep feeling of irritation, emotions that weren't hers, suddenly faded into the background and Mary hoped that it'd last long enough that she would be able to enjoy the night.
"Viktor? Really?" Hermione whispered, looking over her shoulder to the girls in the bathroom while she fussed with Mary's gown. "You're only setting yourself up for heartbreak. What were you thinking?"
"You're going with Ron." Mary grasped Hermione's hands gently. "Everyone deserves to be happy tonight."
Tears pooled in Hermione's eyes. "What about you?"
"I have the best of friends and a wonderful family." Mary laughed. "There's nothing more I could ask for."
All she wanted was to live out the remainder of her life, surrounded by as much peace and happiness as she could manage. And it would seem that in this one instance, Fate was kind.
Mary took careful steps down the stairs to the Entrance Hall, hoping that she didn't fall and stab someone with the dangerously tall and pointy heels that she'd been forced into wearing by Lavender. As per Parvati's advice, Mary hiked up the skirt of her dress so that she didn't trip over the fine dark green silk and tried to keep her shoulders back.
She rounded the corner and stopped at the top of the landing. The Entrance Hall was packed full of students in various fancy clothing all standing in a circle and whispering and giggling at each other while pointing toward a familiar face. It made her heart beat faster and a lump formed in her throat to see him standing there so excruciatingly handsome in his dark red, fur trimmed robes.
Viktor looked up at Mary and smiled, as though he was relieved that she had finally appeared, and then his eyes traveled from hers to inspect her gown and widened considerably. Mary smirked and tried not to blush as she stopped on the top step. His soft smile lit up his eyes, then promptly fell at her hesitation. She could feel the gazes of the surrounding students, as they wondered what her next move would be. Viktor furrowed his brows in worry. Mary winked at him as she waved behind her.
The shaking hand grasped hers tightly and Mary tried to be as encouraging as possible, moving back around the corner and into Viktor's view. He stood there stunned, jaw dropping to his chest.
Elena's dress was a long black gown with red embroidery around the corset top. Her mother had made it specially for the ball. Mary had sat there night after night as Elena and her mother worked on the two gowns, wondering if it was worth it, but after seeing Viktor's face she knew it was.
Mary could feel the nervous energy pouring off of the older girl as they carefully navigated the last few steps. "You look great, Elena. Look at him, he's bleeding awestruck."
It was not an exaggeration in the least. Viktor was so wide eyed that Mary almost feared for his health.
"Look who I found." Mary smiled at him like a cat that was caught bathing in cream.
"Hello, Viktor," Elena said, blushing brightly while smoothing down the front of her gown.
"Elena," Viktor breathed, tearing his eyes away from her to look at Mary in shock. "How did you do this?"
"I have my meddling ways." Mary waved a hand conspiratorially. "I hope you don't mind."
Viktor looked back at Elena and grinned. "You look very beautiful, Elena."
"Thank you." Elena flushed slightly. "You look very good too."
Mary's heart soared at the way they looked so entranced with each other. She couldn't think of a better way to spend the holiday than seeing a close friend as happy as this.
Mary turned and saw Ron and Hermione walking down the stairs arm in arm. Her best friend looked perfect in her turquoise robes and was beaming in pride next to Ron who appeared quite smart in his new black dress robes. They were followed by Ginny and Neville, George and Angelina, Lee and Katie and Fred and Alicia.
McGonagall exited the Great Hall and waved them toward her. "Champions and your partners this way please!"
Viktor turned to Mary and held his arm out to her.
Mary grasped Elena by the elbow and hooked the girl's arm through Viktor's. "I think you've found a better date."
"Mary, it vouldn't be right of me to take your place!" Elena hissed at her.
"I'm still going to the ball." Mary smiled reassuringly. "Just not with Viktor."
"Thank you." Viktor looked close to hugging her and Mary knew that her dress wouldn't hold up under that kind of abuse.
"Hurry!" Mary pushed the two forward. "Professor McGonagall is likely to skin us alive if we hold up the ball."
Said professor pulled Mary back the second the door closed behind Roger Davies and Fleur Delacour. "Where is your date, Miss Potter?"
"I don't have one." Mary grimaced at the irritated look in her Head of House's eyes.
"The champions of this competition lead the ball." McGonagall said seriously. "As a student of Hogwarts and a Tri-Wizard Champion I am shocked to see you take this so flippantly."
"I'm not a champion by choice, Professor," Mary reminded her. "And while I still have free will and life in me, I won't take credit for something that I neither wanted nor earned. I'll stay seated for the waltz if I need to."
McGonagall's eyes softened and she pulled Mary into a careful one armed hug. "I'm not trying to be difficult, Potter, it's just been a stressful year."
"I can imagine," Mary said sympathetically. "I'll be fine on my own. I promise, Professor."
McGonagall nodded and gave her one last long searching look before gesturing for everyone to follow her into the Great Hall.
The crowd cheered loudly as Fleur and Roger walked in, followed by Viktor and Elena. Mary could feel everyone's eyes on her and kept her head held high and a smile on her face as she focused on making her way to the head table without falling on her arse.
Mary took her seat in between Viktor and Fleur and looked down at the menu with a watering mouth.
"Steak, rare please," Mary whispered to her golden plate.
A moment later a large juicy steak appeared on her plate along with a heap of mashed potatoes that were smothered in melted cheese. Mary rubbed her hands together and shook out her napkin, stuffing it down the neck of her dress, then grabbed her silverware with such speed and precision that Fleur looked over at her with a curious grin.
"Hungry?" she asked lightly as Mary cut into the tender steak.
"Haven't eaten in three days." Mary stuffed the first forkful of food into her mouth and turned to grin at her with puffed out cheeks. "I'm starving."
"What were you starving yourself for?" Fleur asked worriedly. "Not for zis dance I hope?"
Mary was irritated that she was interrupting dinner time. "Traveling. Didn't have time to eat."
She stuffed another mouthful of potatoes into her mouth and whimpered when they burned her tongue. She picked up her goblet and turned it up, but it was empty.
"Can I get a coke, Annie?" Mary whispered into her goblet with a hand cupped over her mouth.
"Thanks, Mi'lady." She smiled innocently when her cup filled and the sweet fizzy tang hit her nostrils. "Going to be a good night."
Mary was happy that she was mostly ignored throughout dinner. The meal and drinks had hit the spot and she no longer felt like a nervous wreck. She leaned back in her chair and a loud belch erupted from her mouth.
"Sorry." She grimaced at the appalled look that Fleur sent her way. "Couldn't contain it."
"Nice," Elena said appreciatively, reaching around Viktor, to hold up a hand that Mary promptly high-fived. "Compliments to the chef."
"Are you ready to dance?" Fleur asked, making Mary wince at the thought of dancing after eating so much.
While she was contemplating the horror to come, Dumbledore stood and announced the start of the ball.
He introduced The Weird Sisters as the tables floated out of the way and the dance floor was cleared. The band looked at their instruments in regret as they set up and Mary wondered what had caused that reaction, but figured that mournful classical waltzes were not in their preferred queue of music. She knew she must have been a sight, standing there alone while the other champions had dance partners. But for some reason it didn't bother her like it normally would have. Was it the sweets Fred and George had given her?
"Where's your date, kid?" The scraggly haired lead singer asked as he waited for his cue to start playing.
"I've gone doe," she whispered over her shoulder.
"I'm Myron," he said, pulling the magical microphone from its stand and walking over to her, much to his band mates' confusion.
Mary felt a little out of her depth as the stranger grasped her hand and stood next to her. The entire hall was so quiet that she swore she could hear the clock tick. And she looked over to the table where her friends sat and saw that they, along with everyone else in the hall, were staring at her and Myron with a mixture of either outright shock or envy.
The soft tones of the piano echoed throughout the hall and Myron put a hand lightly on her waist and began a well practiced waltz. Her feet moved at their own accord, letting the steps Sirius taught her take over in her mind. That's all it was, just her and Sirius dancing in the empty basement of Grimmauld Place. There was no crowd of gaping onlookers or a patchouli smelling wizard next to her.
Before Mary could contemplate what happened, the waltz had transformed into an upbeat song that sent the crowd into a frenzy. They flooded the dance floor and Myron let go of her hand, jumping onto the stage as he started to sing one their most popular hits. She floundered for a moment, not knowing what to do as she stood there amongst the wave of bodies that surrounded her, trying to find her way back to the table. Someone grasped her arm and she turned to see Elena standing there with a grin on her face. She pulled Mary back onto the dance floor and wouldn't let go of her until the song was over.
Hermione ran over with a smile so bright it was blinding as she grabbed Mary's hand and squealed in delight. "This night has been the most fun I've ever had! Everything is just so perfect! Elena is such a nice girl. Did you see how red Viktor's face got when Roger asked her to dance? I thought he was going to hit him! Although Ron looked quite put out when Viktor asked me to dance, right up until Elena grabbed Ron by the hand and dragged him away. We're going to get drinks, by the way. Would you like to join us?"
"Sure!" Mary said and took a step forward but a light tap on her shoulder had her spinning around.
Professor Dumbledore stood there with twinkling eyes and a hand held out to her as a fast paced disco type song started. Mary looked back to see Hermione and the rest of her friends giggling into their hands and shrugged as she took the Headmaster's hand.
Having spent a summer with Sirius and Remus, Mary was well versed in disco dance moves and the vocal stylings of The Bee Gees, so she laughed and admired the way Dumbledore was able to dance at his age. Dumbledore hitched his robes to his ankles and danced alongside her.
Fred and George walked up with Alicia and Angelina and the six of them finished out the song like they were the stars of a Muggle music video. The song ended and Dumbledore patted Mary's hand, thanking her for the dance, before walking back to the Head Table.
Mary sat down next to her friends and a goblet appeared in front of her. While she took a sip of her Coke, she made a mental note to find a very nice thank you gift for Annie the house elf.
"Can't believe old Dumbles still has some moves." Fred laughed.
George shook his head. "Did you see those horrible orange fluffy socks he had on?"
"Looked like he'd skinned Crookshanks," Ron added, putting an arm around Hermione.
Mary finished her drink and looked up at them with a grim expression. "I bought him those for Christmas. I thought they were quite lovely."
The three stammered and tried to take back their insults, but when Hermione, Angelina, Alicia, Elena, and Viktor burst out laughing, so did Mary.
"Uh oh." Alicia grimaced.
"Incoming," Angelina said, looking over Mary's shoulder.
Fleur walked up to her, hands on her hips, and Mary mentally wondered what she had done to irritate the girl this time, but the music started up and Fleur held a hand out to her. Mary laughed as she jumped up and walked back onto the dance floor, leaving most of the crowd wondering if they would keep dancing or start throwing punches. And so they danced, danced like they were in the best club in the U.K. And neither of them cared that they looked like fools doing so.
By the end of the ball, Mary was exhausted, having danced with the other champions, their dates, Dumbledore, and most of Gryffindor house, and was damned sure that she was burning her shoes the first chance she could. But before she could escape Viktor pulled her over to his table, where a tired but happy looking Elena sat chatting away with Hermione and Ron.
"You have no idea vhat this means to me." Viktor grasped her hand, following Mary's gaze. "I am in your debt."
"You owe me nothing." Mary smiled. "That's what friends are for."
Elena slapped Viktor's shoulder and rattled off something in Bulgarian then looked over at Mary apologetically. "Take off those shoes. Ve have more dancing to do!"
Mary pulled her heels off and sighed in relief. "That's the stuff."
A loud squeal sounded to her left and Mary turned to see a young Hufflepuff pass out cold onto the floor as Myron walked over with his eyes trained on her. "I've just realized who you are, Mary Potter."
Mary grimaced and the scraggly haired wizard held up his hands as a gesture of peace.
"I just wanted to say good luck in the rest of the Tournament," he consoled her, looking slightly offended by her reaction.
She mustered her Gryffindor courage and asked as she stood up, "Want to dance?"
It was a mistake. The second she took a step forward, her bare foot caught on the hem of the long skirt and split it horizontally just above her knees. She stared down at her ruined dress and winced. Days had been spent on the damned thing and she'd ruined it in just a few hours.
"I can fix it!" Elena jumped up and tugged hard at the only seam that was holding the lower part of the skirts up. "All better. Just don't lean over and it should hold."
Mary didn't bother to comment further as she looked at Myron with wide eyes, took his hand, stepped out of the bottom half of the skirt, and let him lead her to the dance floor.
The song was fast with a rhythm that didn't give them a chance to take a breath. Myron did a quick pirouette like a professional ballet dancer, causing Mary to stumble and burst out laughing. He reached forward and grabbed her hand, twirling her around, and then let go to bust out into a break dance. Mary stomped her bare feet along with the bass until the flow dropped. As soon as the beat picked back up, the dwindling crowd flooded around them, dancing and jumping up and down.
It was the best time she could ever remember having.
Mary said her goodbyes to Elena—who would portkey back to her home shortly—and the group split up. Mary knew that the couples all wanted some time to themselves, so she took her leave at the Entrance Hall and walked out onto the grounds. She tiptoed past numerous couples, all snogging like there was no tomorrow, and dug her blistered feet into the cold snow.
The sound of something large loping toward her had her spinning around wand in hand. A dog, massive in body, barreled over her, sending her flying backwards and landing heavily in the thick cold powder as he showered her face in kisses.
"Back Fang!" Hagrid hollered as he grabbed the boarhound by his thick leather collar and pulled him away. "Sorry, there, Mary."
"I'm okay." Mary laughed and let him pull her to her feet. "It was quite nice to cool off after all that dancing."
"Looked like yeh had a grand time." Hagrid beamed at her.
Mary smirked up at him and pointed out the lipstick smear on his whiskery cheek. "Looks like you did too."
"I may 'ave."
"Potter!" Snape yelled from the top step, standing there like a gargoyle. "Ten points from Gryffindor for being idiotic enough to forgo shoes and a cloak in this weather!"
"Better get back inside, Mary." Hagrid patted her back in sympathy. "Come by fer tea sometime."
"I'll be there," Mary wrapped her arms around him and then ran back towards the front doors where Snape was waiting with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.
"Get to your common room," Snape hissed at her.
Mary only smiled at him. "Merry Christmas, Professor!"
A/N: Yule Blessings, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noël, Frohe Weinachten, Buon Natale, Feliz Natal, Vrolijk kerstfeest, Crăciun fericit, Wesołych świąt Bożego Narodzenia. And Happy December 25th.
I love you all. Thank you so much for your patience and time.
And a special thanks to Miss Bee - theaberrantwritergirl, for her pushing my procrastinating ass into getting this finished. She also beta'ed this chapter with a lot of love. You can find her works in the Reylo side of the Star Wars fandom.
