WC: 1,031


It was a few days later Marnie was getting ready to leave over Atticus'. She finished changing and flooed over to her best friend's house.

"Hey sweetie," Mrs. Quigley greeted warmly from the table where she was drinking tea.

"Hello Maura." she smiled greeting her best friend's mam.

"Atticus is in his room."

Marnie nodded. "Actually before I go up to his room, I need to ask you something."

"What is it, dear?"

"I'm going to a four-year-old boy's birthday in a few weeks, what do you buy for a four-year-old?"

"How about we go shopping in a few days?" she offered.

"I'd like that."

Atticus joined them. "Having some girl talk?"

"Hey Atticus, we're just about done." Marnie said turning to her best friend.

Atticus nodded, Marnie said goodbye to his mother and they walked up to his room.

This is the only boy's room she's actually spent time in. Atticus's room was painted Ravenclaw blue with white trim. His bed was medium sized and he had a few posters of his favourite Quidditch team 'The Hollyhead Harpies' mainly the captain Gwenog Jones. He also has miscellaneous posters of motivational quotes and scientists.

"So, here's your schedule for studying." He said handing her a piece of parchment.

Marnie nodded, took it from him and put it in her bag.

"So, have you talked to Derek yet?" Atticus asked sitting on his bed.

"Yes I have. He felt the same way about the kiss."

"I suppose that's good."

Marnie said. "We're still friends. His uncle made some 'Irish Potato Cake' for dessert but it wasn't as good as your mam's."

"No one's cake is as good as my mam's." Atticus said licking his lips.

Before Marnie could respond there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

In walked his older brother Ailín who was about six years older than him. They were incredibly close. Marnie would be lying if she said she didn't have a precocious crush on the elder Quigley brother in her first year but Atticus didn't know that. Actually, no one in her family knew she had a crush on Ailín Quigley. They all assumed Derek was her first crush.

"Nice to see you, Marnie." he said.

"You too, Ailín."

The elder Quigley brother resembled their dad more with his dark chocolate brown eyes and shoulder length golden brown hair. He was also kind of short at 5'6 but that was good for the career he chose as the seeker for the other Irish Quidditch team.

"How was your school year?" Ailín asked his brother and his best friend as they walked down the stairs.

Atticus answered. "Good, but we had a buffoon as a Defense Professor."

"Who was it this year?"

"Gilderoy Lockhart."

Ailín nodded. "So, you have your O. this year. I remember one of my friends made up schedule for us to study."

"Your brother did the same thing for us, I was picking up the schedule."

Ailín ruffled his little brother's hair lovingly. "That's my little brother, the nerd."

"Not everyone can be the athlete, big bro."

Marnie couldn't help but smile at the two brothers. She stayed over her best friend's house for most of the day and left.

"How was your day at Atticus' ?" her dad asked.

"It was fun, his brother was over. I'm going shopping with Mrs. Quigley in a few days for a present for my half-brother Scott."

"Okay, sweetie."

Marnie went up to her room and threw her bag on her bed startling Nixie.

"Sorry, girl." she said petting her.

Nixie meowed as Marnie sat down on the bed. The tortoiseshell cat snuggled up to her owner and fell asleep. Marnie got out the schedule that Atticus had given her and glanced over it briefly. She put it down on her desk and walked back down to the kitchen just in time for dinner.

-/-

It was a couple days later, Marnie was getting ready to leave with Mrs. Quigley for their shopping excursion. It's not that she couldn't go shopping with her stepmum but it's a bit awkward and she probably wouldn't know what to buy a four-year-old boy. Someone came through the floo.

"Hello Mrs. Quigley," Marnie greeted her best friend's mam.

The dark haired woman smiled. "Hello sweetie."

Her dad walked in to greet her briefly before they left. Martin gave Marnie some muggle money and some wizarding money. More than likely, they would go shopping in the muggle world.

"Have fun, sweetie," Martin said hugging his daughter.

"I will, dad."

Martin nodded. The two women left. Mrs. Quigley was a halfblood, the daughter of a squib and a muggle. She knew her way around muggle London.

"So, do you know what this little boy likes?"

Marnie answered. "I've never met him but I've talked to someone who's grown up with the boy."

"Who is that?"

"My step brother."

Maura nodded. "You have a step brother?"

"Yes, I do. His name is Kyle. His dad married my mum in 1986."

"Alright."

They went to the nearest toy store. They searched through the toys and books. Marnie decided on a gift and left. After they finished, they grabbed some food.

"Thanks for coming with me, Mrs. Quigley."

The older woman smiled. "No problem."

"I didn't want to ask my stepmum because it would be awkward. Though, she probably wouldn't be able to give any input on what to get a little boy."

"I raised two boys, it would be horrible if I didn't know what to buy a four-year-old boy," she chuckled.

Marnie nodded.

"As much as I love my sons and husband, it's nice to have some girl time with you. Does that sound weird that I enjoy spending time with a fourteen-year-old?"

"I think it would be weirder if Atticus wasn't my best friend."

Moira nodded. After they finished they went back to Atticus' house.

"Hey mam, hey Mar," Atticus greeted kissing his mam's cheek and hugging Marnie.

"Hey honey," Mrs. Quigley greeted.

"So, did you two enjoy your girl time?"

"We did."

Atticus peeked in the bag and looked confused.

"I'll explain to you in your room."

Atticus nodded and they walked up to his room.

"So, who did you buy that toy for?"

Marnie said. "I have a soon to be four-year-old half brother named Scott."

"When did you discover this?"

"My dad has this new apprentice named Kyle. He's my step brother."

Atticus nodded. "So, you have a stepbrother and a half brother?"

"I have another half brother named Brett, he's seven."

"That's a lot of information to process."

"I know, I'm still processing it."

"Did your mum abandon you because she met Kyle's dad?"

Marnie shook her head. "No, they didn't meet until Kyle was seven in 1984."

Atticus nodded.