1- an atypical age
"Chocolate frog?" Justin asked, passing her another one.
Mara nodded in thanks, her mouth already full. She smiled as she noticed how Justin had a dimple in his left cheek when he grinned at her, like he was now.
"My Dad was furious when he found out Dumbledore told us you-know-who was back," her best friend Hannah exclaimed, bringing Mara out of her contemplation of Justin's cheek bones.
Mara Madley was a fifth year in Hufflepuff. She had long dirty blond hair and brown eyes. She wasn't a stunning girl, but she was for from ugly. Really, she would have been very average looking if it wasn't for her hair. Smooth and falling to her waist, she considered it her best feature. She played with it absentmindedly as Hannah continued.
"He almost didn't let me come back to Hogwarts, didn't think it was safe now that you-know-who is back."
Mara snorted a laugh, "I'm quite sure Hogwarts is a lot safer than downtown London. Besides, you-know-who wouldn't risk an attack with Dumbledore there."
"Although he does seem quite intent on catching the famous Harry Potter." Justin rolled his eyes at the word famous.
Mara was on the Hogwarts Express in the sixth compartment. She sat with her fellow Hufflepuffs Hannah Abbot, Ernie Macmillian, and Justin Finch-Fletchley.
"I wonder if Dumbledore was even telling the truth." Pronounced Ernie, a stout, brown haired boy who played the position of keeper on Hufflepuff's Quiddich team. "I mean, he didn't have any proof except what Potter told him, and we all read that article about him being unstable."
Justin nodded in agreement, but Hannah looked doubtful.
"But Dumbledore wouldn't have said anything unless he was sure, right?" She asked, pulling at one of her blond pigtails.
Mara rolled her eyes, "Your so naïve Han, just because he's headmaster doesn't mean he knows everything."
"Yeah," Justin grumbled, "If he knew everything he would have been able to save Cedric."
An uncomfortable silence filled the compartment at the mention of him name. Although none of them had been that close to Cedric, they all took it hard when he had died.
"Well, I'm going to go see how far we are to Howarts." Ernie said as he stood up.
Hannah got up quietly as Ernie slid out of the compartment. "Got to go to the lav."
Mara was playing with the ends of her hair again when Justin asked, "What did your parents make of you-know-who's return?"
"I didn't tell them," Mara smiled, "I'm muggle born, remember? Even if they knew who you-know-who was they wouldn't think much of it; they don't understand how one man could be that bad."
Justin nodded in understanding, "I know how you feel, my parents don't think I'm getting a 'proper education'. When I came back from my second year I had a devil of a time making up something. Really, what was I supposed to say 'Actually mum I didn't learn much 'cause for a lot the year I was frozen from the gaze of a giant snake you would think was a legend, if you had even ever heard of it"
Mara laughed, "I know, my family doesn't understand why I find the muggle 'magic shows' so boring. A rabbit out of a hat, give me a break!"
Justin grinned at her (such a cute dimple!) "Mara, I was thinking, I really want this year to be great for Hufflepuff."
"You say that every year."
"I know, but this year's different. I think we could really have a chance at the house cup. If only we could tip the scales to our favor a bit…"
Just then Ernie burst back through the compartment door, "we'll be at Hogwarts in five minutes, better get your stuff together."
"We can talk later." Justin promised as the train skidded to a stop.
* * *
(A/N: I know it seems fluffy right now, but this chapter is more of an intro than anything, just setting up the characters, you know? :D Much more to come, please review and tell me what you thin so far, ideas, suggestions, flames whatever!)
"Chocolate frog?" Justin asked, passing her another one.
Mara nodded in thanks, her mouth already full. She smiled as she noticed how Justin had a dimple in his left cheek when he grinned at her, like he was now.
"My Dad was furious when he found out Dumbledore told us you-know-who was back," her best friend Hannah exclaimed, bringing Mara out of her contemplation of Justin's cheek bones.
Mara Madley was a fifth year in Hufflepuff. She had long dirty blond hair and brown eyes. She wasn't a stunning girl, but she was for from ugly. Really, she would have been very average looking if it wasn't for her hair. Smooth and falling to her waist, she considered it her best feature. She played with it absentmindedly as Hannah continued.
"He almost didn't let me come back to Hogwarts, didn't think it was safe now that you-know-who is back."
Mara snorted a laugh, "I'm quite sure Hogwarts is a lot safer than downtown London. Besides, you-know-who wouldn't risk an attack with Dumbledore there."
"Although he does seem quite intent on catching the famous Harry Potter." Justin rolled his eyes at the word famous.
Mara was on the Hogwarts Express in the sixth compartment. She sat with her fellow Hufflepuffs Hannah Abbot, Ernie Macmillian, and Justin Finch-Fletchley.
"I wonder if Dumbledore was even telling the truth." Pronounced Ernie, a stout, brown haired boy who played the position of keeper on Hufflepuff's Quiddich team. "I mean, he didn't have any proof except what Potter told him, and we all read that article about him being unstable."
Justin nodded in agreement, but Hannah looked doubtful.
"But Dumbledore wouldn't have said anything unless he was sure, right?" She asked, pulling at one of her blond pigtails.
Mara rolled her eyes, "Your so naïve Han, just because he's headmaster doesn't mean he knows everything."
"Yeah," Justin grumbled, "If he knew everything he would have been able to save Cedric."
An uncomfortable silence filled the compartment at the mention of him name. Although none of them had been that close to Cedric, they all took it hard when he had died.
"Well, I'm going to go see how far we are to Howarts." Ernie said as he stood up.
Hannah got up quietly as Ernie slid out of the compartment. "Got to go to the lav."
Mara was playing with the ends of her hair again when Justin asked, "What did your parents make of you-know-who's return?"
"I didn't tell them," Mara smiled, "I'm muggle born, remember? Even if they knew who you-know-who was they wouldn't think much of it; they don't understand how one man could be that bad."
Justin nodded in understanding, "I know how you feel, my parents don't think I'm getting a 'proper education'. When I came back from my second year I had a devil of a time making up something. Really, what was I supposed to say 'Actually mum I didn't learn much 'cause for a lot the year I was frozen from the gaze of a giant snake you would think was a legend, if you had even ever heard of it"
Mara laughed, "I know, my family doesn't understand why I find the muggle 'magic shows' so boring. A rabbit out of a hat, give me a break!"
Justin grinned at her (such a cute dimple!) "Mara, I was thinking, I really want this year to be great for Hufflepuff."
"You say that every year."
"I know, but this year's different. I think we could really have a chance at the house cup. If only we could tip the scales to our favor a bit…"
Just then Ernie burst back through the compartment door, "we'll be at Hogwarts in five minutes, better get your stuff together."
"We can talk later." Justin promised as the train skidded to a stop.
* * *
(A/N: I know it seems fluffy right now, but this chapter is more of an intro than anything, just setting up the characters, you know? :D Much more to come, please review and tell me what you thin so far, ideas, suggestions, flames whatever!)