A/N: So, I thought writing one shots and updating other stories would keep me away from HFH for a month or more…

But holy cow! The reviews I got for last chapter… the last chapter that had no action, no conversation and was shorter than God knows what… I got around fifteen reviews for that.

And lovely reviews those were. Like 'I need to update now for those people' lovely.

So, I sat down, and I, for you, started to write. It's not my longest piece but.. I didn't make you wait for months! You should be happy!

Anyways, its summer for our dears! And they dared to think summer would be less dramatic than school.. but since has drama not been on the Menu for them?

Chapter 40

Marlene McKinnon, Mary Macdonald, James Potter and Lily Evans

I stare down at the broken glass on the floor.

It reminds me of things I don't want to remember.

But then again, I'm pretty much being forced to remember them right now.

"What was that noise? Marlene! It's dinner time get down here now!"

I shake my head, pushing the bits of glass into a corner with my foot, ignoring as it slashes into my toe, causing small drops of blood to fall to the floor.

I sigh as I pull on socks over my cold toes, wiping the blood off with my finger.

It's not a deep cut, so it's just fine, it stings a little but I'm starting to like the pain.

"Dinner!" my mother screams again.

"I'm coming!"

But truthfully, I don't want to come.

I don't want to face my dad.

Eat dinner with him like nothing ever happened.

But that's what they want to do.

Act like nothing of it happened.

Like he never left.

Like he's been here for the last two years.

But he hasn't been here.

He hasn't!

He doesn't deserve the second chance everyone seems so eager to give to him.

But still I go down stairs, with a huge fake smile on my face – so fake it almost makes me look like Rebecca Hallyberry.

It's disgusting.

He sits there, on the end of the table.

The end we always kept unoccupied.

Empty.

Because it's always been his chair.

My mother sits on the other end, smiling dreamily.

Her smile is real.

But at the same time is so… delusional, it's like she's stuck in a dream.

A dream that ironically is my nightmare.

Melanie is excited, sitting on Dad's left hand, beaming as she tells him a story from school.

Max's sitting next to her, putting food on Marionette's plate.

Does dad even remember her?

I mean, she was just a baby when he left.

What about poor little Mike?

"Marlene!" Dad's voice is so happy.

Like he's never been this happy ever before.

It makes me sick.

"Sit here," he pats on the seat on his right hand, it's the only seat available. "I saved it for you."

I wish he'd save some other seat.

A seat far away.

A seat in another house.

"Thanks," I mutter out as I take my seat.

"So how has school been treating my beautiful daughter?"

"She's been doing fine," my mother cuts in, sticking a fork of food into her mouth. "She's maybe not a top student, but she'll graduate just fine."

Why are they talking about me?

I want to make them stop!

Neither of them has any right!

Not the father that abounded me!

And not the mother that ignored me and blamed her children for their father leaving!

"That's fantastic Marsiepan."

That does it.

That's where I lose it.

Mary Macdonald

"Mary, get the door!" my mother is shouting at me once again.

But this time she's not shouting over my appearance.

She's been doing that ever since I came back home.

"Blonde? Again? Mary?"

Really, who cares if I colored my hair again?

"Get the door!" she shouts again, her voice more annoyed than ever.

"I'm on it!" I shout back, my tone matching hers, because I know how much she hates it when I shout at her – not that it stops her from shouting at me.

She shouts some more, but I ignore it, pulling the doors open.

"Oh. my. god. Lene?"

Of all the people I expected to see, Marlene McKinnon is not one of them.

I mean she is my best friend, but she's been doing a good job of ignoring me for the past days.

I know I always say that I wish I was her sometimes.

She's naturally blonde, tall and has a gorgeous body.

But now, she doesn't look gorgeous at all.

Ruffled hair, mascara on her cheeks and red shaking lips.

"Can I stay with you?" her voice breaks, her fingers clutching the straps of her bag.

"Of course"

I think about saying no, just to let her know how annoyed I'm with her, but I can't.

I can't reject my best friend when she shows up crying on my doorsteps.

"Come on in."

Marlene McKinnon

Mary stares at me.

"You threw mashed potatoes at your fathers face?" she's half laughing and half concerned.

"Yep. I also broke plenty of my CD's, but that was before dinner." I explain as I run her brush through my hair.

"Oh Godric. He kinda deserves it though, you know." Mary says, shaking her head.

"I think he does." I agree with her, putting my bag down on the mattress she added to her room for me to sleep on.

"My mum is a mess," Mary says, sighing.

"Oh?" I sit down, staring over at my best friend.

She's really a good friend for taking me in, after the way we've been treating each other lately…

"She's drinking again," Mary shrugged. "Like she did after Dad's death."

"Is she drunk now?"

"Neh," Mary shakes her head. "She was drinking when I came home though. Dad number four came to get me from the train you see."

"Who's that again?" I ask, raising my eyebrows. "Oh, and do you have nail polish?"

"Yeh, purple okay?" Mary asks, passing me a bottle of purple. "Oh, that's Steve. Remember? They dated the whole summer of 4th year, he's lovely. By far my favorite stepfather ever. I'm hoping they'll get back together. But she's been seeing this guy Ben, he's awful really, he's out partying right now, that's why she's drinking I guess."

"Aha," I say, nodding as I continue to paint each toe.

Mary's mum has always been a little… weird. Ever since Mary's dad passed away in our second year, she's been men-crazy and Mary's had many step fathers in the past.

"But like I said, Steve picked me up, drove me here and then he asked if he could take me for dinner, I'm thinking about accepting, I remember his cooking being better than hers." she laughed. "But I'm not sure if mother dearest will let me, she hates Steve now for leaving her, but hell, who could blame him?"

"Your mum and my dad could form a club." I say, leaning back and wiggling my toes. "Hell, my mum could join, she's just as much of a selfish mess as him."

"We have such messed up parents." Mary sighs, crossing her legs. "Promise me Lene, when we have children, we'll be much better parents!"

"We will," I agree. "You won't be an alcoholic and I won't be a leaver, cheater or a selfish 'it's all your fault' bitch."

"Lovely words you have about your parents!" Mary laughs out.

"It's true Mare."

"I'm sure it is Lene, but still they are your parents… look at my mother. I'm this close to calling her "Victoria" but I still love her, I still live with her, I still hope she'll find love and get over drinking."

I sigh, "I don't know how I feel about my parents anymore."

- Hunting for Happiness –

Dear Marlene,

What happened at dinner may have gotten a little out of bounds, but we never wanted you to leave your home. You just came back, Marlene. I know that your father being back is ... weird. But we have a big chance of being happy, and we don't want to scare him or that thought away, do we? Please come home. If you don't I'll have to track you down and bring you back myself. I don't fancy my oldest daughter jumping into a cab and running away! You're not seventeen yet. I don't care who you're with, you're coming home and we're solving this issues you have with everything. We're having the Diggory's over for the whole day tomorrow and their son, Amos, wants to see you and I promised Mrs. Diggory they'd get to see you, they haven't seen you in ages. You have to come home and make sure to look your loveliest.

Just come home Marlene, your dad and I love you.

- Mum

"She's so.. gah! Ironically sarcastically annoyingly… AWFUL!" I throw the letter on Mary's bed, plopping down and fighting the urge to start screaming and breaking stuff.

"Does she want you to come home?" Mary asks, fishing up the letter to read it herself.

"Of course she does, and you know my mother, she'll come here herself if that's what she needs to do! She's a fucking bitch."

"I'd rather she didn't." Mary sighs, "My mum can't handle visitors right now, and I doubt your mother would like to see how mine is doing..."

I bite my lip.

It's true…

Mary's mother has almost emptied the whole liquor cabinet, and knowing my mother she'd gossip about it forever, not caring how it affect Victoria Macdonald or her daughter.

"You think you'll be alright alone here with her?"

Mary rolls her eyes. "'You kiddin' me? I'm always alone with her. Do you think you will handle your parents alone?"

"No." I answer honestly, but start stuffing my clothes back into my bag. "But I'll do anyway."

Mary puts a hand over my shoulder, still holding my letter. "On the bright site you'll have Amos Diggory's shoulder to cry on. Lucky bitch!"

Shaking my head I finish stuffing the last of my clothes. "Even Amos Diggory can't make this any better."

- Hunting for Happiness –

Even though my mother promised we'd "discuss my issues" no one mentions what happened the night I ran away to the Macdonald's.

But I'm going to talk to my parents.

I'm going to scream my lungs out if that's what I feel like I need.

But not now, I'm not going to embarrass my mother in front of her old family friends, even though she deserves it.

Amos Diggory is handsome. I'll give him that.

But he also creeps me out… he used to ask me out when we were younger and together at school.

Even though he's two years older than me, he always asked me.

And now he can't keep his eyes off me.

But he's really gorgeous.

And I guess I don't look that bad in the short red dress my mother told me to wear.

It's also rather good, to feel his eyes on me. To know that someone wants a "piece of that" still.

"Marlene, I got a letter from Dorea Potter yesterday that I forgot to mention to you," my mother says as she puts down a pot of tea on the coffee table.

"Oh?" I ask, crossing my legs and forcing a smile like I know she wants me to do.

"She asked if you wanted to visit them over the summer, and your dad and I were wondering if you and Amos wanted to go there now? While we have some grown up talk." she flashes a smile and a laugh towards Mrs. Diggory.

"Oh yes!" Mrs. Diggory agrees. "Amos can apparate you both."

"Sounds lovely, doesn't it, Marlene honey?"

I bite my lip.

It doesn't sound lovely at all.

"I guess so… if Amos wants-"

"I'd love to." Amos speaks, flashing me a smile.

It's the freaking fake smile festival here!

He stands up from the couch and makes his way over to me, oferring me his hand.

"thank you." I say I a low voice as he helps me from my seat.

"Be back before midnight dearas!" My mother laughs out, waving at us.

It's so fake I feel like puking.

"We will!" promises Amos with another matching smile.

He keeps holding my hand, all the way out of the house.

"Hold on to me," he says, smiling.

"Of course," I mutter out, taking a step closer to him.

He wraps his arms around me, pulling me into what would seem to the naked eye a hug, but the way his lips brush against my head makes it obvious its not just a hug.

- Hunting For Happiness –

Dorea let us into the house.

Showering us both with kisses and hugs and telling Amos how long it had been that she saw him and how he should come to the house more often.

Amos kept up the "I'm so handsome and gentlemanly" act all the way through.

I just kept smiling, even though I was shaking all over.

"James and Sirius are in the living room," Dorea tells us finally. "They know that you're here by the way,"she says, her eyes lingering on me. "I'll check on you later, I have to run some errinds. Oh and Marlene! I invited your friend, Mary as well-"

"What?"

Oh, this became so much better now!

"I wanted to invite all of Jamie's friends, but realized I only had her address. I would've liked to invite Lily and Alice too, James has been so weird for the past days, I think he misses his friends. Sirius has been incredibly weird as well." She shook her head. "Poor boys."

Poor indeed…

I give her another fake smile before pulling Amos into the living room, dead terrified of the two boys sitting on the couch.

"Hey,"

James and Sirius both look up at my greeting.

"Hey," replies James, with a small smile.

"Lene!" Mary seems to have reached the Potters before me, "You're here!" she beams from her seat next to Sirius on the couch.

James is sitting in an arm chair.

I sigh. "Hey James, Mary, Sirius." I wonder for a second if I can call him Sirius, but decide not to dwell on it. "You know Amos Diggory right?"

Amos bows slightly, its rather… silly, but I watch Mary give me the "Oh he's so hot!" look.

"Sit next to me!" Mary orders and I sit down beside her and Amos beside me, we're almost crashed up against each other in the small couch that hardly is made for four.

"Movie time?" offers James, pointing the remote control towards the TV.

I lean my back, back, quietly thanking Merlin they wanted to watch a movie, something that doesn't require much talking…

But few minutes into the movie I realize a movie has many flaws.

Amos' arms wrap themselves around my shoulders as he pulls me into him, particularly forcing my head to rest on his chest.

His fingers start trailing circles on my shoulders and naked arms.

I keep my eyes fixed on the movie, but from the corner of them I can see Sirius staring at us.

Maybe it's the trailing of circles or glares from Sirius, but whatever it is it makes goosebumps for on my arms and Amos' chest and body heat becomes too good to reject.

After few more minutes I suddenly feel Mary's fingers pinching my thigh. "I'm going to the bathroom," she announces.

She stands up and brushes her shirt. "Join me Lene."

I raise my eyebrows but nod and stand up. "Be right back," I find myself telling Amos.

"What is it with girls?" James laughs out. "Going to the bathroom together?"

"I don't know." I answer honestly, but force up a laugh.

What the heck does Mary want?

I follow her out of the room and into the nearest bathroom.

She closes the doors and locks them.

"I have few questions." she tells me, sitting down on the closed toilet seat.

"One," she starts off. "Why is Sirius Black hand-raping my legs?"

"What?" I manage to splutter out, turning way from the mirror and towards my friend.

"Sirius has been stroking, squeezing and tickling my thighs all night! It's bloody confusing! If that boy is hitting on me, I'll have to do his face in! Which is sad because he and I are kinda friends-"

"What?" I repeat again.

"He's jealous Lene," Mary says, sighing as she leans back. "Which brings me to question two. Why is Amos Diggory hand-raping you?"

I roll my eyes. "I don't know, he just started to … get... cozy with me, he's warm and I'm cold. It's nothing more than that…"

"Oh Lene," Mary sighs, "It's Amos Diggory! Please, oh please, shag him? For me?"

I shriek. "I'm not shagging someone for you Macdonald! Shag him yourself!"

Mary sighs, standing up and opening the doors again. "I wish I could McKinnon."

Lily Evans

"I'm sorry Mrs. Dursley, Miss Evans,"

I look up, almost not making out the Doctor because of the tears that blur my vision.

"We did all we could."

I shake my head and open my mouth but no words come out.

"But neither of them could be saved."

Again my mouth opens but no words come out.

Only noise I can hear is the sound of Petunia's painful screams.

A/N:

I'm shamelessly gonna ask you to check out the oneshot I wrote called "Leave" I'm really, really, really proud of it.

But before you do, please share your thoughts about this chapter! Oh oh oh! I also a have a question! Do you have a favorite character and a least favorite character?

Also, on my polyvore account I made sets for the girls on here and am working on the ones for the boys (polyvore account: rainbowdust - google it!)

AAAAAAAAAAAAND I only need around 30-ish more reviews to get a fourhundred.. holy holy hoooly cow.. if I get four hundred soon my life would be .. amazing.