Late October, 1975

"Quit following me!"

I pushed past a group of seventh years, trying desperately to get rid of Veronique, who was quickly getting more and more annoying. Ever since all her friends got boyfriends, she has found more time to torment me by actually doing my parents' bidding. She was babysitting me. Me!

"It's my job," Veronique said, continuing to follow me while also checking out her platinum-blonde hair in a hand mirror. "Besides, it's fun."

Getting annoyed, I stopped walking and faced her. She stood in front of me and out away rhe mirror before giving me an innocent expression.

"What?"

"You're a beesh," I scowled.

Veronique flashed me her annoying smile. "Now, now, Cerisa. I'm not the ones with mudblood dogs as friends."

This time she went too far. My anger boiled and finally reached its peak when I planted a roundhouse punch to Veronique's perfect little face. She stumbled backwards into a student with an overdramatic scream of anguish. Rolling my eyes and not bothering to see if she was okay, I spun in my heel and walked away, my hand itching to get my wand to do something much worse.

Deciding to find Marlene—because I knew Lily was with Lydia cheering her up—I made my way to the common room, deciding to start there. The reason why Lily sas comforting Lydia was because we never thought of a phase three. Instead, the plan faded and now Lydia was feeling miserable without Peter. She was no longer the optimistic one. Lily had to take that role because Marlene and I firmly believe the glass is half empy.

On the way to the dorms, I thought about this as I passed by multiple people, such as Snape, who sneered at me, Remus who waved at me with a smile on my face, and a group of Slytherins who gave me a nod of acknowledgement.

However, as I neared the dorms there were less people and therefore less noise. All except for giggling. Frowning, I turned a corner and spotted Sirius with another girl, just talking but also being very touchy.

Feeling very awkward, I looked straight ahead and passed by them. That was now the fifth time—not I was not counting—that I witnessed Sirius flirting with girls. Each time was a different girl and each time left me feeling something I hated beyond everything. Especially when I thought about the fact that Sirius had been with girls more than five times. Marlene confirmed it when she was constantly complaining about the Marauders.

When I arrived at the dorms, I exhaled in relief when I saw Marlene sitting on one of the couches, painting her toenails red and gold. Placing my book bag on a spare chair, I collapsed down on the couch beside her, closing my eyes.

"You okay?" Marlene asked, inspecting her toenails.

I sat up, running a hand through my short hair. "No. Veronique is being, well, Veronique."

"That'll do it," Marlene said, starting to paint the nails on her other foot. "Anything else?"

"Black," I muttered grumpily. "I really wish he and his lady friends would do whatever they do in a closet or something."

Marlene grimaced and nodded in agreement. "Don't we all. But the real tragedy is not witnessing it, but rather the humber of victims to the Black Plague."

I looked at her and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Black Plague?"

"Yup. People who fall for the Blacks' charms and wiles are victims to the Black Plague. Be glad you're spared."

"You compare the Black family to one of the most horrible diseases ever to plague England?" I asked, slightly amused. "You must really hate the Blacks."

Marlene smiled, putting the lid of the nail polish back on. "I do. I mean, Black's initals are S.O.B. That sort of tells you something."

I frowned and thought about it. Sirius Orion Black. S.O.B. I laughed when i realized she was right.

"But you can thank my mother mostly," Marlene continued. "She hated them too."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. She never actually told me."

I looked at her in amazement. "And you just go along with it? Without knowing why? Marlie, you truly are one of a kind."

Marlene flashed me a smile. "Thank you! But I'm not as bad as my mother. She tries to cure everyone of the Black Plague. I don't."

"Yes you do!" I argued with a smile. "You try to prevent everyone from talking to Black."

"True, but once they've fallen for his charms, I know there is nothing I can do," Marlene said with a frown. "Like you, Reesa. You are a victim to the Black Plague and the only thing I can do is make sure you don't get hurt."

"I'm not a Black Plague victim," I told her adamantly.

Marlene smiled mischievously as she began to paint her nails. "Sure, lets go with that..."