"Getting a little comfy over there?" Oliver turned to see Draco Malfoy
leaning against a tree a few feet away from them. Marissa unlocked her arms
from Oliver's neck and crossed them over her chest.
"I should have known you'd use an oppurtunity like this to dust off one of your old trophies. Miss being captain, Wood?" Oliver lurched forward but Marissa held him back.
"Listen Malfoy. Shouldn't you go find your parents before the ministry does? Those robes looked super heavy." She shot him an icy glare and set off with Oliver back to the camp.
"Do really think they were there? The Malfoys?"questioned Oliver as they walked along the path through the forest.
"I almost have no doubt in my mind. They're just so evil I would be really surprised if they weren't." They continued to walk along the path until they reached the edge of the woods. The whole camp was in dissaray. Belongings were strewn all over, lost children were searching for their families, and ministry workers were scrambling everywhere to attempt to restore order.
They were silent until they reached their tents where their families were both waiting.
"Oliver! I was so worried!"his mother ran over and hugged him tightly.
"Marissa! Thank heavens you're alright!"Her aunt rushed over to her and began planting kisses on her forehead.
"Aunt Flo I'm fine,"she said pulling away.
"Sorry dear I was just worried sick. Your brother is safe in the tent. Thank goodness he was with Seamus and Dean or I would have had a stroke right here in the middle of the camp. Well hurry and gather your things. We're getting out of here early tomorrow so you'd best get some rest."She returned to the tent in a huff.
Marissa walked back over to Oliver who was cleaning the area around the opening of his tent.
"Here's your sweatshirt. Thanks for letting me wear it,"she pulled the sweatshirt off and returned it to him.
"Marissa, about what Malfoy said back there..."
"Don't worry about it. Draco is full of crap.I know you weren't trying to...dust me off or anything." He gave her a weak smile.
"Listen. Marissa, I hope we can still stay friends. Tonight has made me realize how much I missed spending time with you. So what do you say? Friends?"He offered his hand to her.
She smiled."Friends." She shook his hand and then hugged him goodbye.
"Oh and Oliver?" He turned around.
"Thanks." He nodded and smiled and then entered his tent. Marissa gathered up her things and then entered her own tent. She couldn't sleep that night. In fact she was awake until her aunt came to their bunks to wake her and Gavin. There was just too much to think about. Oliver, the Death Eaters, not to mention those strange feelings she had before the madness started.
The next few days were spent quietly. The ministry was still trying to get to the bottom of the whole thing. Marissa however, used her time to draw and use her laptop and CD player since those items were strictly forbidden at Hogwarts. In fact just about any type of Muggle object was forbidden. Although she did manage to sneak in a few things like her CD player and art supplies.
Finally, the day to leave for school had arrived. Aunt Flo drove them to the station and bid them farewell as they boarded the platform.
"Now you two be good and study hard,"she said kissing them each on the forehead. "And if either of you run into any trouble, owl me straight away. O this year is going to be so fun."
"Why is this year gonna be different than any other year? I bet we'll still have tons of homework,"said Gavin.
"O trust me. This year will be quite interesting, I can garauntee that."She winked at them both and sent them off to the platform. After baording the train Gavin went off to find his friends and Marissa set out to look for Fred and George.
"Marissa! Marissa!" Marissa turned around to see Fred running towards her, his red hair flying all over the place.
"I've been looking all over for you! George and I got an empty compartment so it'll just be the three of us. Let me take that for you." He took Marissa's bag from her and they walked down the corridor together. Soon they stopped in front of a compartment and Fred knocked on the door.
The door flew open and George Weasley was standing there, spitting image of his brother, only a bit shorter.
"Hey Marissa! Good to see you again."
"Hey George. Here are the pictures I wanted to show you guys,"she said removing a small album from her bag which Fred had put on the seat. Just as she had handed it to them she felt someone tap her on the shoulder.
"Cedric! Hey guys you know Cedric Diggroy." Marissa put her arm around Cedric's shoulders and pulled him into the compartment.
"We were just about to look at some of my pics from this summer. Wanna join us?" There was tension in the air as the three boys eyed each other suspiciously. Fred and George were still bothered by the fact that Cedric and the HufflePuff team had beaten them last year in a Quidditch match. Plus, Cedric knew that Fred also had an eye out for Marissa and the fact that she was also good friends with the twins wasn't helping either.
"Umm...actually I promised some friends I'd meet them,"he said uneasily.
"O, ok...tell the gang I say hi."She gave him a hug and he left the compartment shutting the door behind him.
"What was that about?"she said sitting down across from the two.
"What? We didn't say anything."said George.
"No duh you didn't say anything. You guys looked like you were to busy trying to burn holes in his forehead with your eyes to even say hi."
"O and as if he wasn't,"said Fred.
"You two still aren't mad about that stupid game last year are you?"
Fred and George just looked at each other.
"O hell-O! You won the whole freakin cup at the end of the season! What more do you want?"
"Can we get off the subject please?"asked Fred firmly.
"Fine fine fine. Where's that old witch with the trolley. I'm starved." They continued to look at pictures of Marissa at her home in Florida until the train reached Hogwarts. By now, what had started out as a little drizzle turned into a raging storm. The rain was coming down hard as Fred, George, and Marissa ran off towards the horseless carriges awaiting them at the station. The climbed in and rode all the way to Hogwarts. When the carriage stopped they raced up the stairs and through to oak doors to the entrance hall.
"Fred! Look at Ron!" The three turned just in time to see Ron get hit with a red water balloon by Peeves, the resident Poltergeist.
"Poor thing,"said Marissa stifling a laugh, while Fred and George howled with laughter. After the two regained their compsure, they headed into the Great Hall. They passed the Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and HufflePuff tables, a crowd of people occasionally waving at Marissa.
"Well isn't someone Miss Popularity,"said Fred.
"Shut up,"said Marissa smacking him in the arm. Then from across the room, she caught the eye of Draco Malfoy sitting between his partners in crime, Crabbe and Goyle. She quickly looked away.
"Let's go,"she said linking arms with Fred and George and hurrying towards the Griffyndor table. When they reached the table, they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione already seated.
"Hey guys!"she said cheerfully giving them each a hug and then taking her seat between Fred and Ron.
"She's really big on hugs isn't she?"said Hermione quietly to Ron and Harry.
"Well I don't mind it one bit,"said Ron smugly."And we know Harry definitely doesn't have a problem with her fancying to give him a hug every time she's see him, do you Harry?" Harry's ears turned pink as he punched Ron in the arm.
"Ow!"yelled Ron rubbing his arm."Well it's true you know!" A few moments later, the doors to the Great Hall flew open and Professor McGonagall appeared leading in a long line of first years who were drenched from head to toe.
"Ooohh. It's time for the sorting!"said Hermione excitedly as she turned towards the front of the hall.
"Get ready for a long nap,"said George making a quiet snoring noise. Marissa shook her head while she listened for the first new student to be sorted.
"I should have known you'd use an oppurtunity like this to dust off one of your old trophies. Miss being captain, Wood?" Oliver lurched forward but Marissa held him back.
"Listen Malfoy. Shouldn't you go find your parents before the ministry does? Those robes looked super heavy." She shot him an icy glare and set off with Oliver back to the camp.
"Do really think they were there? The Malfoys?"questioned Oliver as they walked along the path through the forest.
"I almost have no doubt in my mind. They're just so evil I would be really surprised if they weren't." They continued to walk along the path until they reached the edge of the woods. The whole camp was in dissaray. Belongings were strewn all over, lost children were searching for their families, and ministry workers were scrambling everywhere to attempt to restore order.
They were silent until they reached their tents where their families were both waiting.
"Oliver! I was so worried!"his mother ran over and hugged him tightly.
"Marissa! Thank heavens you're alright!"Her aunt rushed over to her and began planting kisses on her forehead.
"Aunt Flo I'm fine,"she said pulling away.
"Sorry dear I was just worried sick. Your brother is safe in the tent. Thank goodness he was with Seamus and Dean or I would have had a stroke right here in the middle of the camp. Well hurry and gather your things. We're getting out of here early tomorrow so you'd best get some rest."She returned to the tent in a huff.
Marissa walked back over to Oliver who was cleaning the area around the opening of his tent.
"Here's your sweatshirt. Thanks for letting me wear it,"she pulled the sweatshirt off and returned it to him.
"Marissa, about what Malfoy said back there..."
"Don't worry about it. Draco is full of crap.I know you weren't trying to...dust me off or anything." He gave her a weak smile.
"Listen. Marissa, I hope we can still stay friends. Tonight has made me realize how much I missed spending time with you. So what do you say? Friends?"He offered his hand to her.
She smiled."Friends." She shook his hand and then hugged him goodbye.
"Oh and Oliver?" He turned around.
"Thanks." He nodded and smiled and then entered his tent. Marissa gathered up her things and then entered her own tent. She couldn't sleep that night. In fact she was awake until her aunt came to their bunks to wake her and Gavin. There was just too much to think about. Oliver, the Death Eaters, not to mention those strange feelings she had before the madness started.
The next few days were spent quietly. The ministry was still trying to get to the bottom of the whole thing. Marissa however, used her time to draw and use her laptop and CD player since those items were strictly forbidden at Hogwarts. In fact just about any type of Muggle object was forbidden. Although she did manage to sneak in a few things like her CD player and art supplies.
Finally, the day to leave for school had arrived. Aunt Flo drove them to the station and bid them farewell as they boarded the platform.
"Now you two be good and study hard,"she said kissing them each on the forehead. "And if either of you run into any trouble, owl me straight away. O this year is going to be so fun."
"Why is this year gonna be different than any other year? I bet we'll still have tons of homework,"said Gavin.
"O trust me. This year will be quite interesting, I can garauntee that."She winked at them both and sent them off to the platform. After baording the train Gavin went off to find his friends and Marissa set out to look for Fred and George.
"Marissa! Marissa!" Marissa turned around to see Fred running towards her, his red hair flying all over the place.
"I've been looking all over for you! George and I got an empty compartment so it'll just be the three of us. Let me take that for you." He took Marissa's bag from her and they walked down the corridor together. Soon they stopped in front of a compartment and Fred knocked on the door.
The door flew open and George Weasley was standing there, spitting image of his brother, only a bit shorter.
"Hey Marissa! Good to see you again."
"Hey George. Here are the pictures I wanted to show you guys,"she said removing a small album from her bag which Fred had put on the seat. Just as she had handed it to them she felt someone tap her on the shoulder.
"Cedric! Hey guys you know Cedric Diggroy." Marissa put her arm around Cedric's shoulders and pulled him into the compartment.
"We were just about to look at some of my pics from this summer. Wanna join us?" There was tension in the air as the three boys eyed each other suspiciously. Fred and George were still bothered by the fact that Cedric and the HufflePuff team had beaten them last year in a Quidditch match. Plus, Cedric knew that Fred also had an eye out for Marissa and the fact that she was also good friends with the twins wasn't helping either.
"Umm...actually I promised some friends I'd meet them,"he said uneasily.
"O, ok...tell the gang I say hi."She gave him a hug and he left the compartment shutting the door behind him.
"What was that about?"she said sitting down across from the two.
"What? We didn't say anything."said George.
"No duh you didn't say anything. You guys looked like you were to busy trying to burn holes in his forehead with your eyes to even say hi."
"O and as if he wasn't,"said Fred.
"You two still aren't mad about that stupid game last year are you?"
Fred and George just looked at each other.
"O hell-O! You won the whole freakin cup at the end of the season! What more do you want?"
"Can we get off the subject please?"asked Fred firmly.
"Fine fine fine. Where's that old witch with the trolley. I'm starved." They continued to look at pictures of Marissa at her home in Florida until the train reached Hogwarts. By now, what had started out as a little drizzle turned into a raging storm. The rain was coming down hard as Fred, George, and Marissa ran off towards the horseless carriges awaiting them at the station. The climbed in and rode all the way to Hogwarts. When the carriage stopped they raced up the stairs and through to oak doors to the entrance hall.
"Fred! Look at Ron!" The three turned just in time to see Ron get hit with a red water balloon by Peeves, the resident Poltergeist.
"Poor thing,"said Marissa stifling a laugh, while Fred and George howled with laughter. After the two regained their compsure, they headed into the Great Hall. They passed the Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and HufflePuff tables, a crowd of people occasionally waving at Marissa.
"Well isn't someone Miss Popularity,"said Fred.
"Shut up,"said Marissa smacking him in the arm. Then from across the room, she caught the eye of Draco Malfoy sitting between his partners in crime, Crabbe and Goyle. She quickly looked away.
"Let's go,"she said linking arms with Fred and George and hurrying towards the Griffyndor table. When they reached the table, they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione already seated.
"Hey guys!"she said cheerfully giving them each a hug and then taking her seat between Fred and Ron.
"She's really big on hugs isn't she?"said Hermione quietly to Ron and Harry.
"Well I don't mind it one bit,"said Ron smugly."And we know Harry definitely doesn't have a problem with her fancying to give him a hug every time she's see him, do you Harry?" Harry's ears turned pink as he punched Ron in the arm.
"Ow!"yelled Ron rubbing his arm."Well it's true you know!" A few moments later, the doors to the Great Hall flew open and Professor McGonagall appeared leading in a long line of first years who were drenched from head to toe.
"Ooohh. It's time for the sorting!"said Hermione excitedly as she turned towards the front of the hall.
"Get ready for a long nap,"said George making a quiet snoring noise. Marissa shook her head while she listened for the first new student to be sorted.