:Foreword:
Disclaimer: Aquitaine is my first Fan Fiction creation. It's based on J.K. Rowling's image of the magical world, and everything you recognize mentioned in her Harry Potter series is hers, not mine. In the same token, everything else that's not mentioned in her series is mine.
Reviews: Review when you get to the end of the chapter; tell me what you didn't like, what you did, what I can improve on and what I've perfected so that my later chapters can be better. Or, if you like my writing, the same. Remember, this is my story for you, so you keep it your story.
Chapter One
Never Ending Troubles
Wheesh! Creeaackk-kasscch!!
The bowl full of tomato soup that had been hovering five inches above the floor had been unfrozen, and suddenly, as though it had remember what to do, whizzed down to the ground and crashed with an ear-splitting sound that echoed throughout the hall.
Hattie, the girl I had been applying rigorous amounts of unnecessary lipstick on odd places on her face, blinked for the first time in ten minutes, and screamed. I was leaning over her face, my tongue stuck just a bit out, concentrating on the word I was writing across her forehead. I screamed in reply, jumping back, and still holding the crime weapon, looked around the hall. Every pair of eyes were on me, and I was red-lipstick-handed. The eyes were blinking, staring, and I realized, with a under-my-breath uh-oh!, that oops…
"Marie Highland!" Professor McGonagall's angry voice bellowed, "How dare you do such a thing! How dare you take advantage of time and the absence of authority like that! How dare you make your house--my house--look foolish? How dare you make a spectacle of the po… girl like you did!"
Sitting angrily in my seat, chewing wisely on my tongue, I distinctly heard McGonagall almost say "poor girl," but thought better of it. In no sense was Hattie Pedlar, the victim of my latest retaliation prank (and of many ones prior), "poor;" either in money or the need of sympathy.
"How dare you play it right under my nose with, of all things, a smile! I'm honestly surprised you didn't write a fouler word on her--prat?" She practically spat the last word out, as though mocking my lame choice of words.
I could tell by the way she didn't emphasize "dare" in her sentence that she wasn't so stirred anymore. Apparently nearly sympathizing with Hattie Pedlar made her realize I wasn't completely in the wrong. I took this opportunity to reply, hoping I wasn't sounding as steamed as I felt.
"To be fair, it wasn't as though I came back from holiday and decided to graffiti her," I began, cooling down a bit at the sound of my own words, "She was the one to start it all. Back on the train, she said some nasty things about me and my
friends just before their Prefect came in so we couldn't respond. It was a low blow, Professor, and can't take what she said lying down!"
Professor McGonagall sighed loudly, obviously contemplating her next move. My punishment.
"I hate to have students get detention before school even officially begins," she thought aloud, "and I know you aren't one for starting fights for no reason…"
Yes! I thought, Off the hook again!
"But," she said even before I could express any relief, "I'd prefer not to show that breaking rules before school resumes is allowed, and that you can get away with trouble by any means."
Oh, well, that's just plum great for me. Detention before dinner! Detention before the end of Dumbledore's speech!
I guess my shock and outrage was evident on my face, because a second later McGonagall said, "However, technically school in not in session, so whatever punishment you do receive will not be as harsh as it would be otherwise.
Highland, your detentions will be scheduled for later this month. I shall inform you of the proper dates when they are confirmed."
"Yes, ma'am."
Silently I rose out of my chair and exited Professor McGonagall's office with the Head Deputy Mistress herself.
I found myself face to face with my two best friends, Jacqueline and Hannah, who were all anxiously waiting the announcement of my sentence.
"Tahose. Kensington." McGonagall nodded politely to each of my friends before giving me a stern look, on the verge of an approving smile. With a swish of her cloak, she left the three of us to discuss the penalty ahead of me and the authority figure behind.
"I reckon we aren't going to have our study session every night this month, are we?" Hannah asked.
"She didn't specify the number of detentions, but I can't guess it to be any more than three," I admitted, a wicked grin forming on my lips.
"Well, won't this be a happy letter to write home? 'Dear Mom, I'm fine, having fun with my friends. The first day of school was nice, reckon McGonagall will tell me my detention dates soon enough. Lots of love from your very much innocent Marie.'" Jacqueline mused as we walked up towards Gryffindor tower.
I rolled my eyes, still grinning, but had to speak on my behalf.
"You know I don't usually like getting into trouble-" I began.
"Yeah, but it's not the rule-breaking part that bothers you," Jacqueline pointed out.
"Yes, well, fair point. I like the excitement and the rush of it all…Just not the consequences," I admitted, failing to keep my grin to myself.
"You can't blame Marie for it all, Jacqueline. You know as much as I do that we take part in her trouble-making, too. I thought you're worst pet peeve was
hypocrites, you little liar," Hannah stated truthfully.
I sighed dramatically and rolled my eyes, that silly grin not budging. "What would we do, my little dolphin, without your conscience to hold us back?"
It all goes back to earlier that day, on the Hogwarts Express. As usual, Hannah, Jacqueline and I snagged seats at the front of the train, the better to socialize with other friends properly. Fortunately for us, Hattie Pedlar and her gang of miscreants usually never sat in front, part of the reason why we did. But that also meant for Hattie that she could totally embarrass me in front of everybody when she thought the time was right. Stupid girl, she never thinks it could go the other way around…
"Tune's a little off there, Miss Dion," Hattie's oh to familiar mocking voice called, referring to the song I was absentmindedly humming while reading Hogwarts: A History; Jewels' latest, Stand.
"Pride's a little off there, Miss Grinch," I bounced back, thumbing through the page of my book casually and sighing, not looking forward to a fight at all; the usual bickering, leading up to an intense moment of shouting, followed unsteadily by some sort of horrible atrocity--usually Hattie's part.
"Be careful, there, Marie," she spat my name out as though it was a curse, "you might trip over your own remorse."
I looked up, her comment now catching my full attention. She was of course, talking about my clumsiness and how it always got in my way, especially on the first day of school when, being lead by the House Prefects up to the Gryffindor Tower, I got separated from my group from talking to a portrait for too long, and, flying down the stairs in my anxious and rather lumbering attempt to reunite with my House, I tripped over my own feet and flew down the staircase. It was no happy task for Madam Pomfrey to mend not only my bones, but the Second Years' I fell on, on her first night back. I always strongly distrusted the staircases and their routines of shifting suddenly without notice ever since then.
She knew she struck a nerve, and pressed on, "Because wouldn't you hate it if Hannah accidentally stepped a poor little defenseless dust bunny? Or if Jackal mistook her broomstick for the Whomping Willow's branch?"
All three of us were getting up to stand when the compartment door slid open and out came two tall, intimidating Prefects, their badges shining abnormally bright to show off their status, their green and silver ties billowing in the wind from entering. Hattie, who had turned at the sound of the moving door, a triumphant and, as always, mocking, challenging look on her face, slowly looked back at us.
We lost.
But I called a re-match.
It would be absolutely foolish of anyone to say that us three friends were marauders. True, we did frequently break rules (we preferred to call it "bending and twisting to fit our vantage"), but we did so in meticulous ways so as to not get caught.
Disillusionment charms were handy, taught to us by Jacqueline who picked it up from her father. He works in the Ministry of Magic, and the many spells that Jacqueline has caught onto by spying have been very helpful in keeping our secrecy in tact. She also has ears like a fox, and staying near her comes in handy in case she hears footsteps of a teacher.
Hannah plays her part, too. No one would suspect little Hannah Tahose to do anything harmful, because she just positively glows of childish innocence. If anyone catches her in the act, punishment, if any, wouldn't be so severe in case she breaks. Her conscience speaks loudly when ours is a faint whisper, and keeps us both in check.
As for me, I suppose I'm the leader. The ringleader. I do like to boss people around a bit, and organizing is a knack I like to nourish. I'm also the one most likely to anger first and anger fast, find a grudge and make it last.
Nope, we aren't categorized as "Marauders" like a certain well-known group used to be. Thanks to the witty ways of Will Stretchbury, we've been christened the "Sphinx Girls." According to him that means we're "devilishly devious, indubitably clever, talk in riddles, dance in rhymes" (by that I believe he was referring to me), and "are BLOODY DAMN VIOLENT when given the wrong answer."
I do think he over-exaggerates, but Hannah often says I'm too modest and shouldn't be so hard on myself.
Hannah's a sweet girl, borderline simple/carefree, cherishes her friends like every flaw is a virtue, and you would never expect her to guilt you like she can. She tries to only see the good in people, and when she does see the bad, she hesitates to admit. She makes a good confidante, because she supports you yet is honest in her opinion. She's smart, yes, but not as much as Jacqueline.
Sometimes I think Jacqueline's doesn't care a wink about studies because I rarely see her nose in a book, and that's only when she's researching a new hex or something of the sort. She doesn't need to study, though; it all seems to come naturally to her. As it does with Hannah and me--I think that's a reason why we get along so well; we're smart enough to understand what each other is saying, and being on the same intellectual level provides us with a lot more patience with one another than it would otherwise. Everyone thinks Jacqueline's a flirt, and maybe she is, but she's never given herself away. She's dated quite a collection of boys, in and out of our school, but she claims it's to "get experience." In kissing? I often tease. Usually she smiles stupidly, and we all know she's French in and out, but honestly…
I've been called a hot-head once or twice--okay, okay, on multiple(s of 7) occasions--but I just think I'm passionate. They're two things that get me riled up, and you only see my infuriated like Jacqueline often gets when a). someone judges/discriminates because of sex, age, appearance, etc. or b). someone (ahem--Hattie) gets away with something evil.
But I'm nothing, nothing, to what Jacqueline can be! First Years have been warned of her wrath by the elder, wiser students, who've also taken a habit of calling her "Jackal-ine," or just plain "Jackal." She does have a tendency to get hysterical with rage or wily planning, but everyone knows now not to cross or upset that side of her, so we don't see it as often as we used to--if it can be helped.
And little Hannah can send you on a guilt trip you might never return from. Her ways of making you feel remorse are different for practically every person, but the reasons for her sending you are usually always the same. She believes strongly in anti-discrimination, as much as I do, but her focus is on defenseless creatures such as animals. Her cause is magical beings, and she's seen a lot down at the lake chatting mindlessly with her "pet" seahorse she found in our First Year.
I suppose everyone has something that makes them tip, something that pushes them over the edge a little too hard, so it's not fair to say we're angry people. Nor are we happy-go-lucky, either. Well, Hannah is. Jacqueline definitely isn't. Oh, boy, I don't know about myself so don't even ask! We're not afraid to take risks, though Hannah is always reluctant and Jacqueline way too willing, and that's why what occurred during the Feast occurred. It's never really anything thought-out, unless it's something big-time, a payback meant to be printed in bold in Hogwarts: A History.
Otherwise, it's pretty much always spontaneous, just like me.
"I plan on rudely informing our Prefect that 'Karma' is a bloody brilliant password, and that those pratty Slytherins should get a little more familiar with the term, because they've got a huge bitch-slap heading their direction," I decided upon entering the Gryffindor common room for the first time in months. Hannah cleared her throat loudly when I swore, as she frequently did whenever she heard an injustice to the English language.
"I certainly agree," Erika Carpenter said from her seat on a sofa in the middle of the room, "And feel free to add that I do inquire as to the events that transpired earlier tonight during Professor's speech."
I raised my eyebrows at Erika, and she nodded with an approving look around the room. My eyes followed, and I saw that the whole common room had stopped what they were doing to look at me, no doubt waiting to her an explanation as to how I could go in one second from sitting uncomfortably in my chair at the Gryffindor table to scrawling "PRAT" on Hattie's head three long, wide tables down.
Cursing myself inside for not being able to control the wicked grin yet again finding it's well-known path across my face, I began.
"Well, you see, Hattie, the great prat she is, completely put down Hannah, Jacqueline and me on the train, right before their gawky Prefects came in so we couldn't fight back! Probably planned it, I bet. So I was already fueled up about that. So, I dunno, during dinner I was fuming about it all because the Sorting Hat again mentioned something about inter-house unity and I couldn't stand being united with the likes of her…
"I guess I was scowling loudly or something, because Hannah elbowed me, which greatly annoyed me further for being interrupted during my angry time. I looked over, and she was giving me this ssshhhhh!!!-ing look, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why she was frozen in that position. It hit me that Dumbledore's wasn't speaking anymore, and finally that nor was anybody else. Time was stuck! But not for me. To test it out, though, I took a bowl of soup and let go of it mid-air. It did nothing! Then, I thought REVENGE! And, as you all know, I zapped in a marker and wa-la! Gave the final touches of Hattie's make-up!"
"Damn! You must have been hella angry!" A fellow Fourth Year boy, Zach, exclaimed at the conclusion of my tale.
We all laughed a but, each realizing that for a witch or wizard to halt time for that long, a strong surge of emotions must have been gushing through my body to ignite all that magic.
That's just the kind of person I am, though. Emotional.
That night, laying comfortably in my four-poster bed in the girls' dormitories, I frowned.
I can't let my emotions control me so much, I thought. Something terrible might happen if I do. I might jump head-first into a fight and either get in serious trouble or get seriously injured. Buy, boy, is it hard when I've got people like Hattie strutting around me…She honestly believes that she has class…She used to, once, now that I think about it. Back in First Year…
Wasn't she the one who had difficulty finding our school books in Flourish & Blotts and I helped her? Yes, I think so, although her hair wasn't as dark as it is now; it was more of a crisp, pretty brown. Shame, really, that Skaden came along. A charmer is too much a of sweet name to categorize him under. Snake charmer does it.
Did that boy even suck her in, swish her around good, and spit her back out quickly! Even I feel sorry for her for what he did to her, and I can understand why she's so…well, angry. But still? That was two years ago!
That's one of the reasons I'm flying solo. I don't want to turn cold like that! I don't
want to turn against Hannah and Jacqueline! And I' don't need a boy to make me happy! I'm just fine by myself! It's like the quote, "A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle." So true!
Boy's are such losers…Such users…Should write a poem about that…
I lurched forward in shock and surprise as picture of a dark brown, hairy spider flashed through my mind. I screamed, another one of my high-pitched ones, and began frantically looking for the creature.
I woke up the rest of the girls in my Year, who cursed me for being so noisy. It was a while before I realized that it was my alarm clock that had put that image into my head, and not a real one.
"Damn, Marie, why did you have to yell like that? I was having a spectacular dream… Jeremy was just about to kiss me…" Erika complained groggily, stretching and frowning in my direction.
"Yeah, and that's all it'll be. A dream," Jacqueline said, smiling maliciously. It was common knowledge that Erika Carpenter had a major crush on Jeremy Gachiden, the Ravenclaw Quidditch team captain. I did have a crush on him back in First Year, but that was so long ago, and since then I've decided I don't want a boyfriend, let alone a crush.
"Is that a threat?" Erika challenged. "Are you saying you're going to go for him this year? Should I suit up in my fighting gear?"
"I don't go for anybody!" Jacqueline explained a little too theatrically, as though trying to convince herself, too. "They just come to me. I can't just say no! I'll hurt their feelings!"
Hannah sighed loudly, rolling her eyes and throwing a pillow at Jacqueline. "Oh, please, even I see you flipping your hair and tossing your hips out when you see some cute boy. This coming from me, a girl who can't tell a boy likes her when he asks her out…"
I had been sitting on my bed quietly this whole time, knees up to my chin and grinning contentedly, my bed covers still array from slashing them around in pursuit of the counterfeit arachnid. This was the life I was used to, this was the life I loved: watching from the sidelines as my friends bantered it out, smiling to myself and knowing a full day is ahead of unexpected events, infinite laughs, and knowledge up to my nose.
But I hate moments like those, when you're at peace with the world, because I know they won't last, everything after that seems worthless, and I'm full of regrets for not living it up before when I thought I was pleased.
I'm strange like that.
Stand by Jewel
Walk in a corner shop / See a shoplifting cop / See the old lady with a gun / See the hero try 2 run / Nothing's what it seems, I mean / It's not all dirty, but it's not all clean / There's children paying bills / There's monks buying thrills / There's pride for sale in magazines / There's pills for rent 2 make u clean / Marvin Gaye, there's no brother, brother / Woody Gunthrie's land can't feed Mother / CHORUS Mothers weep, children sleep / Sp much violence ends in silence / It's a shame there's no one 2 blame / For all the pain that life brings / If u will just take me / It might just complete me / And together we can make a stand / A waitress brings me lunch / We meet but do not touch / On TV D.C.'s selling lies / While in the corner, King's dream dies / Go to the corner, pay for me and a friend / A homeless man pulls out a roll, says it's on him / The mayor has no cash / He said he spent it on hookers and hash / CHORUS / U will love me, I will love u / CHORUS
