Marlene slammed the door shut and searched for the one place she knew she could be alone, the lavatory. Once she found it and made sure it was empty, she locked the door. Clenching her hands into fists, she fueled her anger into the power that was struggling to be free. The lights flickered as the little room was overwhelmed by raw power. The facets all turned on instantly, pouring boiling hot water into the sinks. The water increased at an alarming rate, the water reaching temperatures it wasn't supposed to. The water pooled over the edges of the sinks and started flooding the floor.

'[IStop this! Marlene! Stop this right now![/I' A voice shouted in the back of her head. '[IControl the power! Don't let it overwhelm you![/I' Marlene tried as hard as she could to ignore the voice, she liked being reckless and letting her magic run free. '[IYou'll destroy everything. Remember what happened last time...[/I' This statement sent shocks through her body. The power wavered and disappeared all together. The water stopped flowing and the only sound that could be heard was the quiet gurgle as the water drained. The lights returned to normal and didn't flicker again. Marlene stood in the middle of the room, panting. She wasn't going to loose control again. No, not like last time. She unclenched her hands, her nails had left crescent moon shaped indentions in her palms. Her face was deathly white. A quiet knock sounded on the door. Marlene whipped around her eyes wide with fear, the power had brought back bad memories. She calmed down when she heard a familiar voice say,

"Marlene? It's me Lily. Are you in there?" Marlene breathed a sigh of relief and went to let Lily in. After Marlene had locked the door, Lily spoke.

"Did Sirius really get you that angry? It was a really awesome trick, but I didn't think he annoyed you that much."

"It wasn't Sirius got me angry. Yeah, he annoyed me a lot, but it was just the people he reminded me of that really pissed me off."

"Like who?"

"Just some people I knew a while back. They thought that they can get whatever they want; make me do what they wanted. It just really affected my childhood."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully you'll have a better time at Hogwarts. It really is a good school."

"Yeah, so far it's been good. I just hope it doesn't turn out badly."

"Why would it?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised."

"Hmm. You could be right. Those Slytherins are a nasty bunch. Just watch out for them. Do you want to head back now?"

"Yeah, I guess. It's now or never." Marlene unlocked and exited the lavatory. She and Lily walked toward their compartment in silence, both wrapped up in their own separate thoughts. They entered the next car and were stopped short by a trio of people. The leader took a step forward, spinning a long black wand in his pale fingers. The two others stepped back to stand on either side.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my dear cousin Marlene." Lilly took a step back with wide eyes as she recognized Lucius Malfoy. Marlene however didn't have any type of emotion written on her face. You could only tell she was angry by her fisted hands, the knuckles white as she tried to control herself. Lily put a hand on Marlene's arm.

"Marlene." She whispered. "Let me.." Marlene cut her off.

"No."

"But you don't…"

"No. I'll take care of it." She released her arm from Lily's grip and shifted her feet into a more balanced position.

"Yes Mudblood. Do keep out of affairs that aren't your own. You stupid..." Lucius sneered.

"Malfoy." Marlene cut him off before he could insult Lily any further. "Leave Lily alone. It's obviously me you want to talk to."

"Marlene, what is with the last names? Can't you greet a family member with a certain amount of civility? After all we been through, you should at least have the decentsy to call me by my first name. And yes, your father wanted me to introduce you to the right people. But I see I've come too late. You've already met the trash of Hogwarts." He indicated Lily, who was standing behind Marlene.

"Humph. He failed to mention that you, or the Blacks," she indicated the people behind him, "would be here. But I guess that was the plan, wasn't it? And I don't consider you as family. My family died long ago. And to you, Malfoy, the name is McKinnon, never Marlene. Now get out of my face before you make me sick." She went to turn and exit the way she had come, but before she could move, Lucius had lunged forward and had pinned her against the wall with one hand at her throat, the other was around his wand that was digging into her cheek.

"What was that Marlene? Rejecting your own family!? How is this possible? I may just have to owl your father and tell him about your little, shall we say, tantrum?"

"My father can go rot in hell. Along with the rest of you Pure-Blooded cowards." She said through clenched teeth. Malfoy knocked her head against the wall and squeezed her throat even tighter.

"What is this? So quick to forget and deny what you are? Trying to forget that you yourself are a Malfoy? Let me help you remember. Finite Incantatem!" He pointed his wand at her hair and her eyes, removing the Concealment Charm she had placed on them. Her purple-streaked black hair, faded to a silver-blonde, her green eyes to a deep grey.

"Now, isn't that better? Oh and just so you never forget your place again," He pointed his wand at her throat, "Seiben! Oh and you should expect an owl from your father soon. He expects to hear word of you acceptance into Slytherin. Where the rest of your family is." That pushed Marlene over the edge. With a glint in her eye, she thrust her hands forward toward her three harassers. Lucius and the two other were thrown against the opposite wall. They were held still by phantom hands at their throats.

"Let's get this straight! I AM NOT A MALFOY! I refuse to have anything to do with that filthy 'Pure-blood is better' shit that the Malfoys live and breathe!" The woman on the right of Lucius hissed through her teeth.

"You should..be proud..to be part..of the Malfoy family! Think of the Honor!" Marlene cut her off.

"Honor? Bellatrix, is that what you call it? And what do you know of Honor? No one in the house of Black can even claim to know the meaning of the word 'Honor'! No one except maybe Sirius and Andromeda." This time it was the man on Lucius' left who hissed.

"What Regulas? Don't like hearing the names of your brother and aunt? Sirius and Andromedea Black? But wait, isn't it Andromeda Tonks? And how is your cousin Nymphadora Tonks? " She smirked with satisfaction at the sound of Bellatrix's snarl of outrage.

"THEY ARE DEAD! Do not speak of those blood-traitors! That bastard of a child is no part of the Black family! Do not even link the names of the noble house of Black, and that filthy Mudblood Tonks! Let me out of these stupid bounds! I'll kill you with my bare hands!" Bellatrix tried to free herself, but wasn't able to win against Marlene's strong spell.

"Now, now Bellatrix. Didn't your mother tell you to play nice?"

"My mothers name is befouled by your lips. Don't you dare mention her, you damned Blood-traitor."

"Your mother's name was befouled enough before I was ever born. But her worst deed was bringing your pitiful self into existence. Tell me, how did she ever bare the shame of knowing that she had done such a horrible thing?" Bellitrix couldn't answer; she was too busy screaming obscenities and threats.

"You're going to regret this." Lucius said through gritted teeth. "You can count of your father hearing of this."

"My father can shove it up his ass. I don't give a damn what you, he, or anyone else related to you says anymore. I'm through with all of you. Now GO!"

She lifted the spell and they crumpled to the ground. Lucius quickly rose and dusted himself off. He was about to make another move towards Marlene, when he noticed her wand less fists. Bellatrix and Regulas made to lung forward and punish her for her insults, but Lucius grabbed them and shoved them out the door. His eyes were wide with shock. Bellatrix looked back to give Marlene a threatening stare, but she too noticed Marlene's hands. She quickly followed Lucius.

As soon as the corridor was empty of the Slytherins, Marlene fell into a heap on the floor. Huge sobs shook her body as she tried to control the wave of memories and emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her. Her arms were crossed over her chest. She squeezed her upper body as if she were trying to hold herself together. Lily could only look on open-mouthed as her brain tried to process what had just happened.

After a few minutes of observing Marlene's quivering body, she knelt by Marlene's side and put her hand on the sobbing girl's shoulder.