SEVEN
Harry was awoken for the third time that night as a blast of blinding white light split the air. He jumped up and grabbed his wand at the same time, noting vaguely as he did so that both Ron and Mary Sue were with them once more. All five were alert, wands upraised.
A figure was standing a few yards ahead of them, wearing a black cloak with the hood thrown back. His brilliant red hair was long and matted, and his sunken features bore the appearance of a corpse. Harry shuddered slightly.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" a voice nearby cried suddenly. The stranger's wand flew into Fred's hand before Harry had time to realize what had happened.
The stranger gave a slight chuckle, and Harry recognized the voice. It was that of Arlando Plume.
"I am not so fool as to carry a single wand," Plume said, and drew another from his cloak. Before he could be disarmed again, he directed his wand toward Fred and cried "Stupefy!"
Harry stood in shock as Fred crumpled, ashen-faced, to the ground. Plume smiled. "Children," he said in mocking disgust.
"We are not all children," said a hard, commanding voice from Harry's other side. He turned to see Mary Sue, transformed again from a third-year student to a competent witch, easily as tall as he was.
"But," said Plume with another smile, "You are all mortal. Even the Alenai can be killed."
"As can the supporters of Voldemort," Mary Sue retorted.
Plume laughed again. "You have me there," he agreed demurely. Without warning he screamed "CRUCIO!"
Mary Sue crumpled as Fred had, but was still conscious. Her body shook and her face twisted in pain. Harry dropped to his knees beside her.
Somewhere above him he heard Plume cry "Avada Kedavra!" at the same moment Seamus bellowed "EXPELLIARMUS!" He was dimly aware of a flash of blinding violet light as the two spells collided. Mary Sue went limp.
"Mary Sue!" Ron dropped to his knees on her other side. Mary Sue looked up at the pair of them and smiled faintly.
"I'll be all right," she said faintly. "Get – up."
Hesitantly, Harry and Ron stood. Mary Sue slowly stumbled to her feet as well, holding her wand in fingers that were very white. "Avada Kedavra," she whispered.
Harry's hand flew to shield his eyes as a jet of brilliant green light shot from the end of Mary Sue's wand and toward Plume. Plume stood, stunned, for a moment, and then crumpled to the ground.
"Go get Dumbledore," Mary Sue said in a tight voice. "And take Fred to the hospital wing."
Harry conjured a stretcher for Fred and followed Ron, who was already heading toward the school. He glanced anxiously over his shoulder several times at Mary Sue, who had not moved at all.
When he reached the door to the Entrance Hall, he sighed, and with a final look over his shoulder, he entered the school.
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Seamus was left alone with Mary Sue and the body of Arlando Plume several yards away. He stood awkwardly, not knowing whether to stay or follow Harry and Ron. When both had disappeared into Hogwarts, he decided he'd better stay.
"Mary Sue?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly. "Do you want to go inside?"
Mary Sue didn't answer. Seamus was shocked as she began to shudder silently, and he saw the glisten of a tear roll down her cheek. She bowed her head and tucked her wand back inside her robes, but didn't reply.
Not quite knowing what else to do, Seamus moved over to Mary Sue and hugged her slightly. "Er . . . it's okay," he said lamely.
"I used an Unforgivable Curse," Mary Sue whispered, not looking at him.
"Is that all?" Seamus asked in relief.
"Yes!" she said. "Seamus, I . . . I killed someone." She sounded disbelieving.
"Well," was all Seamus could get out. But he didn't let go of her.
Mary Sue looked up at him, and her eyes were glowing with tears. "I am going to miss this place so much," she whispered. "There's so much trust . . ." she smiled weakly. "But I think that I will be glad to get away, too." She glanced toward Plume's body, and shuddered slightly.
"Mary Sue," said Seamus, finally managing to find words again, "It was okay. You saved lives tonight. And he would've gone to the Dementors, anyway . . ."
Mary Sue shuddered again, and Seamus hugged her tightly before drawing away. "We should go back to the castle," he said, and she nodded mutely, and followed him.
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One week later, the entire Gryffindor House crowded into an unused classroom that had a fireplace to see Mary Sue off back to America. Though she had taken a more scenic route from Benel's to Hogwarts, she would travel directly back by Floo Powder, chaperoned by Professor McGonagall. ("Not like she needs it," said Seamus admiringly to Dean. "More like Mary Sue's chaperoning McGonagall.")
Mary Sue bade tearful goodbyes to the friends and admirers she had made in her three-month-long stay at Hogwarts. The only bag she carried with her was a small pocketbook – her trunk and the rest of her baggage would be sent back on the Hogwarts Express.
Before she left, Mary Sue sought Harry, Ron, and Hermione out. She embraced Hermione first, thanking her tearfully for her acceptance.
"It really meant a lot to me," she said sincerely, her large blue eyes brimming with tears. "You have no idea. I've never really had a best friend before," she added, "And I think you're the first one."
Hermione grinned shakily. "Anytime," she said, and burst into tears herself. "Will you come back sometime?" she asked a moment later, when she had regained control of her emotions.
"I don't know," Mary Sue said. "I will try, though." She gazed wistfully around the crowded classroom. With one last quick embrace, she turned to Ron.
"I meant what I said about writing," she said softly. Ron nodded, his ears scarlet.
"Yeah," he said gruffly, "I will too." He hugged her quickly and she turned to Harry.
"Harry . . ." she said, and couldn't finish.
"I know," he said softly. He, too, embraced her, though not as briefly as had Ron. "You were great, Mary Sue," he said.
"I wasn't," she said softly. "It was horrible."
"It was the only end," Harry replied. "Even Dumbledore agreed."
"Yes," said Mary Sue, "But I do not know if I can forgive myself."
"Remember what I said before, Mary Sue," said Harry. "I trust you. I'd trust you with my life. We all trust you." He pulled away. "We all love you, Mary Sue. Come back, sometime, won't you?"
She nodded mutely and dried her tears.
Fifteen minutes later, when Professor McGonagall sought her out, she had returned to her usual state of cheerfulness. After Professor McGonagall had disappeared into the flames, Mary Sue strode toward the fire and with a last "Goodbye!" to everyone, grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder.
"Wait!" said Hermione suddenly as Mary Sue bent to toss the powder into the once-more orange flames. She dashed forward and picked up a small piece of paper that had fluttered out of Mary Sue's small pocketbook. "What's this?"
It was a picture, taken in the moving wizard style, of a auburn-haired teenage boy in trim navy robes. He was smiling cheerily up from the picture, and every now and then he'd wave one hand.
"Oh!" Mary Sue cried, her eyes very round and startled. She snatched the picture from Hermione's hand. "Thank you!" she said breathlessly and made as if to toss the Floo Powder.
"Who is that?" Ron asked curiously. Mary Sue turned around and flashed him a dazzling smile.
"That's Patrick," she said as she tossed the Floo Powder. "He's in the fourth year at Benel's. We've been going steady for two years now." With a wave, she stepped into the fire, cried "Benel's Academy!" and vanished.
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AN—For anyone who wasn't sure, this is THE END of STORY ONE: "The Trouble With Mary". Yes, the point of this story was to show that Mary Sues are inherently evil, no matter how good and harmless they may seem. ALTHOUGH, if you do it right, they can't harm anything and can sometimes be fun to read. ;-) Next story: STORY TWO: "I Saw Three Ships". Posted soon!
