About mid-October on a Saturday morning, Mary was in the Great Hall eating breakfast with James. She was half listening to his rambling on about his plan on winning the Quidditch cup this year as it was his last chance to do so. In all reality she was thinking about Luke and how their relationship was starting to strain and she didn't know why. She was brought out of her daydream by Professor McGonagall stopping by them with Mulciber in tow. Having a bad feeling about this Mary stands up to talk to her formally.
"Miss. McDonald, I talked to Professor Sprout and she told me that she gave you permission to use the Floo-Network and pick out new plants for the newly built Green Houses. Mr. Mulciber still has yet to serve his detention for burning them down in the first place, so, on my request I would like you to take him with you. He already knows that he has to listen to every word you tell him to do." McGonagall pauses to look at James. "As Head boy I expect you go as well to see that nothing unplanned happens."
Mary nods, but scowls at her back when she turns to walk back to the head Professor's table. Without a word she walks toward Professor Sprout's office where they would take to Diagon Alley (there was also another fireplace set up for her to take to Hogsmead). After being made to follow, Erik follows Mary, and James brings up the rear to keep an eye on the Slytherin. Entering Professor Sprout's office she picks up a flower pot filed with ash and hands it to James.
"I expect both of you to be on your best behavior. We are only leaving to replace the plants that were lost in the fire. This is not a fun field trip. It is work." She states before taking a handful of ash and stepping into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!"
In a flash of green flame she was whisked to a fireplace in Diagon Alley. She was dusting her clothes off when Erik, followed closely by James, exited the same fireplace. Looking around she realized that they came out into Flourish and Blotts. Silently she walks them through the book shop and into the semi-crowded road. She heard her bodyguard say something to Erik and Erik hiss something back, but she wasn't paying that much attention to them as she made her way through the street to the Herbology Shop. Walking up to the desk she starts talking to the shop owner.
"How may I help you, this fine morning?" The shop owner asks.
"Hi. Uh, Professor Sprout should have sent in an order form earlier. I'm here to pick them up." Mary answers, glancing behind her to make sure James and Erik weren't doing anything stupid.
"Sprout, Sprout, Sprout." He mumbles to himself as he shifts through a few files, and then he finally pulls one out "Ah yes. That was a big order. Venomous Tentacula, Screechsnaps, Bouncing Bulbs, Puffapods, and Snargaluffs. Yes. Now we ran out of Screechsnap and Snargaluff seeds the other week, but Dogweed and Deathcap in Hogsmead should have those."
"Okay. That was our next stop after owling what we were able to get here anyway."
"Let me put everything together for you then. Feel free to look around if you want." He says before going into the back to retrieve the things for Mary.
Mary turns and comes face to face with James's hands that were holding a plotted plant out to her.
"What is this McDonald?" James asks curiously.
"You should know that one already. We learned out them in our fourth year." She answers with a smirk and sneaks past him and away from the plant.
James brings it up to his face to smell it and almost immediately held it as far away as possible. "It stinks like Snivellus on a good day."
"That is because it is a Bubotuber, Potter." Mary looks away from her friend and toward Erik who was reaching out to touch a full grown Tentacula. As much as she wanted him to get bit, she didn't feel like curing him later, so she stopped him seconds before he got bit. "That is one of the plants you destroyed, Mulciber. Don't let it bite you unless you want to get poisoned."
She guessed that Erik did something to mock her when she turned away because James glared at him. Mary walked over to a black and purple spotted flower that she recognized that is used for flavoring foods.
"What does that one do Mary?" James asks, coming up behind her.
"Muggles believe that it is poisonous, but really when cooked with food it gives it a tangy licorice taste." Mary replies knowledgeable as she picks up the small pot it was in.
"You know quite a lot about plants. I can see why Pomona sent you to pick up her order." The shop owner says as he walks up to them with a medium box that was charmed to make it bigger on the inside. Mary motions to hand it to Erik, so he does just that. "Take the flower. On the house- It isn't getting any use sitting here."
Mary thanked him, made transactions for Sprout's order, and thanked him again before leading James and Erik out of the shop and toward the Owl Post. There she filled out two owl mail orders, one to owl the box to the Green Houses and one to send the black and purple flower home to her parents. Then they repeated the process when arriving at Dogweed and Deathcap by Floo-Powder in Hogsmead. She retrieved a box, once again charmed to hold all the plants, thanked the store owner, walked to the Hogsmead Owl Post to send the box to Hogwarts. It wasn't until they started walking back to the school that Erik started to cause trouble.
"Why can't we just use the Floo Network to get back to the school? We used it to leave." He complains as he walks behind Mary and James.
"Cause they closed the fireplaces after we left." Mary answered halfheartedly, not in the mood for his crap. He was doing so well too.
"So you say psycho bitch." He mutters to himself.
Before Mary knew what was happening James had his wand pointed at Erik's throat. Erik's hands were held up by his head is mock surrender.
"Potter!" Mary snaps, "You are here to make sure he doesn't try anything. Not to attack him. He is just calling me names. Very elementary of him don't you think?"
"Why are you standing up for him? He has been bullying you on and off for the last six years." James says, not lowering his wand and despising the smirk on Erik's face.
"He isn't the only one who bullied me, Potter! Are you going to attack Sirius or yourself next?" Mary asks angrily. "I remember quite well that you two picked on me for a few years before we actually became friends. All because I was friends with Lily and you were trying to get her attention. Am I right?"
James flinched slightly at her last question, because he knew she was correct. He slowly lowered his wand away from Erik (who in turn took a step back to enjoy the show), and turned to look at Mary. "Mack… I-"
"I don't care for any of your reasons you are trying to think of. I am right and you know it. Why am I friends with you? That is something I ask myself quite a lot." Mary says sharply, interrupting every time he tried to speak. "Yes I fell for Sirius. Yes I dated him. I sure lasted longer than any of the others he has so called dated. And I must say the sex was brilliant but why am I friends with him? Why am I friends with you? I have no idea. You guys are rude and a majority of your pranks are not funny at all. Sure I have joined in on your pranking before, but since I have my grades have begun to drop. I want to become a healer, and in order to do that I need a shit ton of Outstandings in my NEWTS.
You know what? Fuck you and your name calling. I am tired of your shit" She points to Erik then turns to point at James. "Fuck you too. I don't need your help to protect myself. I can do a damn fine job of it myself. You can talk to me if you land in the Hospital Wing or if you need tutoring in Herbology. I am done."
Mary turns on her heel and walks ahead to the castle. Leaving Erik smirking at the situation and James rooted to the spot as he comprehends what just happened.