Recap: James and the Marauders are caught in the middle of their prank by the headmaster who asks them to plan a prank for the next day as a distraction. The Marauders agree and plan 'Operation Orange.' for the prank. The prank turns out to be a successful distraction from the depressing news of the deaths of prominent members of the Bone's family. Mary MacDonald becomes frightened that her dad might die and James Potter talks her out of her fear.
Chapter 32: Problems
Marlene McKinnon was so mad at James Potter that she didn't even accept the danish he brought to her as a peace offering. She had just had the worst afternoon, stuck babysitting in the common room all day as she consoled Dorcas when she couldn't turn back from her duck transformation. Apparently Peter had done something wrong with the potion so no one had transformed back in two hours like they were supposed to. Professor Flitwick had to cancel the choir performance at the memorial because two of his three prized singers could only do as much as quack. Annie(who was the only one who hadn't drank the butterbeer) had stayed by Dorcas's side for the remainder of the evening as well, but even she couldn't control the blonde who cried uncontrollably and like Lily had confined herself to her room the entire night, putting Mary on guard outside.
"This is mad." the first year told Marlene sitting slumped on the couch after banging on the door, that Dorcas nor Lily opened. " Dorcas and I practiced forever for this. I didn't even study for finals because I was practicing so much! And now we won't be able to sing because half the choir are ducks."
Marlene looked at the first year. "Don't worry about the finals, Dorcas and I studied the night before and did alright."
"I guess," Annie sighed. "It's just music's my whole life and today- tonight was my chance to show everyone that."
Marlene looked at the first year who looked like someone who had gotten their Christmas present stolen from them. Because this was partially James's fault Marlene felt obligated to help, and maybe she could help. She turned to the witch and told her solemnly. "Maybe you can sing here."
Annie looked up, her blue eyes wide. "Here?"
Marlene nodded. "I know it's not much, but at least you would get to sing and I'd love to hear it." Marlene added helpfully. "I hear you guys singing around the common room all the time and it's beautiful. I think I'd like to hear the whole thing sometime."
"Really?" Annie smiled. "Alright then, I'll get the lyrics and oh! I've got just the thing!"
Marlene watched the first year skip away happily and looked back up to the shut door of the dorms where Lily and Dorcas were hiding, waiting for the potion to wear off. The door opened moments later and Mary stepped out wearing her pajamas. Marlene frowned as the dark haired witch stomped down carrying a set of blankets and 2 pillows. A bag was slung sloppily over her shoulder and she had managed to balance a book on top it all.
"What are those for?" Marlene asked as Mary plopped the blankets, pillows, and the rest of the stuff on the ground. "And why are you wearing a mouse?"
Mary looked up, offended and pointed to her pajamas. "That's not just a mouse. It's Mickey Mouse. He's the Mouse." Marlene rolled her eyes and looked pointedly towards the blankets and pillows. Mary sighed. "We're sleeping down here. Lily and Dorcas decided, that we aren't allowed to sleep in the dorm until they transform back. So looks like we're going to be here, all night."
Marlene frowned. "You've got to be kidding me." She flipped her hair and turned towards the stairs when Mary grabbed her arm. "I wouldn't. They are very dangerous when they're angry. Here, Dorcas gave me your pajamas and your stuff."
She handed Marlene the pink bundle and Marlene reluctantly went to get changed. When she returned, everything had changed. Mary and Micheal were pushing back chairs and tables making room in the middle of the room where Annie was setting up...Why in the world did she need drums? And what was that?
"And go ahead and push those back as well. We need all the space we can get." Annie instructed. Mary nodded and beckoned Micheal to help her push back the sofa Annie had wanted moved back.
Marlene turned to Armonia Melody. "What's going on here?"
The keeper shrugged. "Beats me. I just got here."
"Manual labor?" Gideon Prewett stepped in between them and laughed as watched Mary and Michael struggle to push back the sofa. "Ladies and gentleman have we forgotten that we are wizards? Where are your wands?"
Marlene and Armonia laughed and Mary and Micheal paused, feeling stupid, while Fabian Prewett and his twin waved their wand moving the furniture back with ease in a matter of seconds.
"Theres just something magical about doing work without magic," Mary told Marlene folding her arms. "We don't have to use magic for everything. That's all we were doing, you know."
Marlene nodded, hiding the urge to laugh at Mary's face. "Of course, Mary darling."
Annie had conjured another set of drums and a couple of Gryffindors, who had been curious about what was going on, made themselves comfortable on the sofas that had been moved back.
"What's going on here?" Colton Breckbridge demanded as he stepped into the common room. "Why have you moved everything around? What's everyone doing down here? Get to bed all of you!"
Naturally, everyone ignored the Quidditch captain, for he wasn't important unless there was a match going on, and continued with what they were doing. Coppin Peck grinned. "Relax Colton, I've okayed this and so's Fabian."
Fabian nodded to the captain. "I've given them permission and all. The first ever Gryffindor private band. Just grab a seat and enjoy the show."
Colton looked confused and muttered. "Where's Amelia when you need her?" but took a seat. Dawn Shallow turned to Marlene. "Band? I thought you said Annie was singing."
"That is what I said." Marlene replied walking towards Annie, who was now sporting a black attire, a skull and rose adorning her jacket, thrown over her pajamas. "Annie what is this? When I said you could sing I meant sing! What are the drums for and where did you pick them up?" She pointed towards the group of people who were setting up with Annie, each wearing an article of black with the same skull and rose logo.
"I'm not really a choir person," Annie explained to the blonde. "I only joined because I thought I would be able to do other things, but then you told me to sing and I thought maybe today's my chance to show everyone that real me."
"But-" Marlene started thrown off completely. She was spared to answer when Mary called out her name.
Mary beckoned Marlene over to a spot she had saved for them on the sofa. Annie coughed, smiled, and adjusted the strap of her guitar around her shoulder before nodding to the rest of her band members and thus it began. Marlene who wasn't sure what to expect realized she was smiling. She had never heard music quite like this, but something, just something about the music made her want to get up and dance. It seemed like she wasn't the only one who had that idea because in no time Fabian Prewett had dragged Armonia Melody in the middle of the room and both were awkwardly dancing.
"I set them up." Mary told Marlene, looking fondly at the pair. "Aren't they just the cutest?"
"Aren't you just enjoying playing cupid?" Marlene laughed watching the keeper dance with Fabian, or try to keep up with him because that boy had moves.
"I can't let you have all the fun now can I?" Gideon Prewett bellowed from the back. He gave a wink towards Dawn Shallow who shrugged and joined him.
Mary was literally jumping in her seat as more and more people formed a small crowd in the middle. Marlene rolled her eyes. "Mary no."
"Oh come on Marlene!" Mary pleaded. "It'll be so much fun!"
"I don't feel like dancing, Mary." Marlene told her. "Just let me sit here and be all boring."
Mary sighed and turned to Micheal who shook his head. But Mary didn't take no for an answer and pulled him along.
Ooooooh I know that girl is trouble, but she's caught me in the mooood...
They were both jumping up and down to the loud music that was now attracting other Gryffindors from all corners of the common room. Someone had managed to nick Butterbeer and was passing it around to the others. Marlene who had been wary of butterbeer since the 'duck' incident that morning refused to drink some, but as she watched others take a drink, and stay the same, she decided that she wouldn't mind a sip or two. Marlene closed her eyes letting the butterbeer burn down her throat, the feeling of burning soon passed and Marlene was drinking eternal bliss.
When she opened her eyes, the room had changed. The music was louder, the sound bouncing off her skin and echoing back into the room. Everyone else was a blur of colors and Marlene could hear everything. She could hear the sound of Armonia and Fabian kissing in the corner, Colton Breckbridge was singing along with with Annie, while Gideon Prefect, Dawn Shallow and Coppin Peck were playing a loud game of Gobstones. From what Marlene could hear Dawn Shallow was winning and Gideon Prewett claimed that she was only winning because she was sleeping with Coppin Peck. Marlene laughed. That was the most absurd thing she had ever heard. Marlene gasped. There were blue and green lights twinkling in the corner of her eyes and she wanted to catch them all. She skipped, running after them, and then she was falling and falling and it was the most delightful thing that had ever happened to her.
Frank Longbottom was having the best day of his life. He had just aced his practical exam in Care of Magical Creatures, managing not to get bitten by a Snufflepod and dodging a fire crab in under ten minutes! Not only was Professor Grubby-Plank impressed, but she had also told Frank that he had the makings of a great Mazoologist one day. Frank didn't really care about the last bit but at least now he could relay to his mom that his teachers saw potential in him to actually be something. Something other than the boring old ministry official his mother wanted him so badly to be.
"It's practical and safe. You wouldn't want your mother to worry about you all the time now, would you?" His mother would say and Frank would always reply. "No mum."
That was the way it had been for years, and that was the way it would always be. So as he headed towards the Gryffindor tower pondering over this bit of information he didn't realize he had nearly run over a nervous first year. She fell to the ground, her books and wand toppling down with her.
"I'm sorry." Frank bent down picking at the contents that had spilled from her bag; a few books and a noticeable amount of Droobles bubble gum wrappers in various flavors. He looked up at the girl, who was not surprisingly chewing one. "I didn't see you there."
The girl realized he was looking and smiled. She was a tiny thing with brown hair that went all the way to her waist. "It's okay, you didn't do it on purpose, did you?"
Frank shook his head. "No."
"Then theres no need to say sorry then." the girl replied. "It was an honest mistake. My mum says you shouldn't apologize all the time, because it looks like you're not confident in what you do."
Frank let out a simple 'oh' because he had no idea how to respond to that.
"Goodnight then." The girl said before flitting away down the stairs, towards the Hufflepuff common room. Frank blinked, watching her leave before turning to the other direction, towards the Gryffindor towers.
As he walked he mentally prepared himself for tomorrow. His Defense Against the Dark Arts final and Charms were the last finals he had left. Once those were over he would be free to enjoy the rest of the year. And he definitely had to ace the Charms test because Louis and he had a bet, many chocolate frogs were at stake. Frank paused at the portrait of the pink lady and scratched his head. What was the password again?
"Scallop?"
The pink lady didn't budge.
"Chocolate Frog?"
Nothing.
Frank sighed. After acing an exam he had thought he was going to fall, the least he could get was a relaxing night of sleep before his last two finals.
"It's Marauder."
Frank turned to the boy sitting on the ground around the corner. James.
"Marauder." Frank told the pink lady. She nodded and swung open the door. "Aren't you coming in?"
James shook his head. "I doubt anyone would like that."
"Because of the prank?" Frank asked. "Honestly it was bloody amazing. Don't let a few squirming girls ruin that for you."
Frank had expected the common room to be empty as it was 10pm at night, at the least quiet with 5th years studying for their O.W.L.S and first years studying for their very first finals, but not this.
"Excuse me." Frank shouted pushing past a couple that was glued together. "Hey put that down, you're underage." Frank whipped the bottle of Firewhiskey from the 1st year who looked terrified that Frank was yelling at him. Frank sighed and confiscated the bottle, along with two others.
"Thanks Frank!" Coppin Peck shouted carrying a large carton with other confiscated bottles. "We've got to get this cleaned up before McGonagall shows up."
Frank had confiscated 23 bottles in total by the time Coppin, Fabian and Dawn Shallow had called order in the common room. Gideon had gotten the first years to clean up the mess while the remaining people( who had not run up to their dorms as soon as Gideon had yelled 'IT'S MCGONAGALL) helped re-arrange everything back to the way it was supposed to be.
"Woah there, I wouldn't drink too much of that if I were you." Frank steadied the tipsy blond with a firm hand. She looked up at him, her breathe letting him know she was deeply intoxicated.
Frank Longbottom immediately took the glass from the blonde witch. She pouted and blew a raspberry at him, and Frank sighed. Here he was trying to help and this was what he got.
"But I want it. It's mine, give it back!" The blond witch shouted, struggling as he tried to steady her.
Frank Longbottom shook his head, and set the glass on the table. "You're going to sit down before you do anything stupid."
"Are you calling me stupid?" Marlene laughed. "I'm not stupid, you're stupid. You've got two heads." She laughed loudly. "Wow you've got six eyes too. You must be an ogre."
"Yepp," Frank sighed and led her away. "You're definitely not going anywhere tonight."
"But I want too!" Marlene said. "I want to go to Mary! Take me to Mary!"
Frank Longbottom rolled his eyes as he steadied the tipsy blond who had drunk a little bit too much. The firewhiskey distribution had gotten too far. He looked back at the drink he had taken from her. Butterbeer, that no doubt someone had spiked with Firewhiskey. He noticed Dawn Shallow ordering first years nearby and told her of his concerns. She nodded and together with the prefect, Coppin Peck, turned to find the perpetrator. The blond at this point was blinking fast and looking around with fascination. "I just saw a unicorn, did you see that? I want to go after it. Take me to it, take me to it before it goes away!"
Frank sighed and picked up the blonde who was trying to chase after the 2nd year with blue hair. He didn't do anything to deserve this. Marlene suddenly began to sing the lyrics to "Babbity Babbity' and Frank watched the blond hum quietly to herself. He definitely didn't deserve this.
Her eyes were now fluttering until they closed completely. Sighing with relief, Frank set the girl down. He turned to leave when she grabbed his arm. "Don't leave me Adam, I need you."
Adam? Frank rolled his eyes and leaned in close, because he never did know the right word to say. "Never."
When Marlene McKinnon was four she had only one best friend in the whole world. Adam.
Adam was always there for her when no one else wasn't. Adam wasn't just her best friends, Adam was family.
When Marlene had thrown up Adam was the first person to pull her hair back, because he knew Marlene prized her hair, and clean her up afterwards.
When Emily Henshaw had broken her favorite toy, Adam was the one who bought her a new one, and told Emily Henshaw she was going to regret meeting him. Marlene had truly loved Adam that day. She loved him when he would take her down to the basement and they would play Gobstones in the middle of the night, or share chocolate frogs and make towers out of the cards. She loved him when he taught her not to be afraid of Rubins's dog and when Adam held her hands as she attempted to stand upright on a broomstick flying in mid-air. She loved him when he tucked her to sleep and when he he sang her songs to wake her up. Her was her shield against her mom, her sword when someone fought against her, her umbrella when it rained, her blanket when she was cold, her protector, always.
"Adam?" She squinted in the dark, to see Adam's approaching figure enter the room.
"Marlene." He smiled down at her. "What are you doing up so late? Go, get back to sleep."
And Marlene, who had been stubborn since birth, put her hands on her hip and told him boldly. "You know I can't fall asleep without you."
Adam smiled. "Well today you're going to have to. I've got to go to my secret place. Can you do that for me, Mars?"
And Marlene who secretly loved the name, nodded and skipped back to her room, after giving Adam a quick peck on his cheek.
Adam often went to his secret place in the middle of the night, so Marlene had learned to sleep alone waiting for one day Adam to return. She didn't know she would rue that day to come.
She often waited for Adam to come back but he never did. Then one night when Marlene was counting her chocolate frog cards she saw him approaching the house. Marlene smiled. She wouldn't let him in that easily, she would get him good tonight. Grabbing a mask she had found in Adams room she put it on and climbed on the chair to get a good look at him. He was running towards the house, looking back and forth, in between runs. If Marlene wasn't wrong, she would have thought Adam looked scared. But she hadn't even scared him yet. And then she saw a flash of red light, and Marlene gasped. Adam fell and hit the ground. Marlene screamed and ran towards the door. Adam was in trouble! She had to help him! She jumped up grabbing on the the doorknob, to fling the door open. The night was dark and she was screaming Adam's name. He looked up at her. "MARLENE SHUT THE DOOR!"
"COME IN!" Marlene screamed. "GET IN ADAM!"
And as she ran towards him, so did someone else. Marlene couldn't see them clearly in the dark, but she was sure they weren't good people. One of them grabbed Adam while the other pointed his wand at his head.
"ADAM NO!"
Adam shook his head. "MARLENE RUN! RUN MARLENE!"
"NO!" Marlene shook her head, running as fast as he little legs could take her, but she was too late. Adam and the other two vanished just as she reached them, and like that she had lost her best friend to the night.
And that was the night she met James Potter.
James Potter was the least to say, stressed. Marlene had yelled at him in the Great Hall, after publicly refusing his apology danish, along with the many people who had expressed their hatred with the duck prank(although some were quite impressed, James sincerely appreciated them) and on top of that Lily Evans had been continuously ignoring him. So when she was paired up with him in Defense Against The Dark Arts, he was determined to make everything right.
"Evans," James started as the red head pulled her quaffle colored back in a bun and pulled out her wand. Her book was tucked under her arm, and she gingerly set it on the table, flipped open to the spell directory.
"I' have nothing to say to you." Lily Evans told him quite plainly as she looked over the directory. "Okay let's start of with the disarming spell, taking turns to disarm eachothe-"
"Evans please, I didn't mean for you to sound like a duck forever-" James cut her off, desperately trying to fix things with her. He hadn't planned 'Operation Orange' to hurt people, he had planned it to make everyone smile after the depressing news. For Merlins sake, the headmaster himself had asked him!
"Do I sound like a duck now?" the red head asked, staring at James with her unusually bright green eyes.
"No." James said, confused.
"Good." Lily told him. "Now let's gets on with this please. Our final is this afternoon."
"Lily-" James started again, but Lily ignored him. She was fixing back the strands of her hair that kept coming out the front. James couldn't take it anymore. He had tried doing it the easy way and had tried talking to her, but she was stubbornly not listening and that made him mad. His wand was raised before he could realize it and Lily's wand flew out of her hand. She looked stunned at James before her eyes blazed and she grabbed her fallen wand and aimed it at James.
James flew back and hit the wall hard and Lily Evans looked for a moment, concerned.
"What was that for?" James shouted angrily. Lily looked apologetic at first, before she folded her arms and rolled her eyes.
James's blood boiled and as he stood up he shouted towards the alarmed red-head. "You're a freak, Evans!"
Lily dropped her arms down to her side and looked at James, her mouth a-gap. James felt a small spark of satisfaction emerge from the look her face, but it abruptly ended when she grabbed and bag and stormed out the room, crying. James immediately felt bad. He hadn't meant to make her cry...
Professor Cruise blinked and cleared his throat. "Alright now everyone back to your partners please..."
The class took a few moments to return back to their normal pattern, as the room was filled with the sounds of incantations once more.
Remus, Peter, and Sirius were walking towards him and James could see Severus Snape glaring at him from the corner of his eye.
"What was that?" Remus asked, helping James up. "Why did you have to call her a freak?"
James shook his head. "I don't know I just got angry and Snivellus is staring at me again."
"I'll make him stop." Sirius told James raisiing his wand. Remus set it down gently. "Not now Sirius."
Peter looked at the Slytherin boy from over his shoulder. "What's gotten into you James, you didn't have to lash out at Lily like that."
"I don't care about her. She makes me so mad. I just want to pull out my hair-agh!" James cried, frustrated as the words didn't completely convey his feelings.
"Didn't you two see that she disarmed James first-it's not his fault!" Sirius added defending his friend.
"She was crying, James."
"I saw." James spat out, more harshly at Peter than he meant too. "And I don't care. I didn't say anything bad. Freaks not a bad word like muggle or-"
"It is to her." Remus said quietly so only James could hear him.
James was silent for a moment as he pondered this. "I don't care." He decided finally, picking up his own bag and storming out the room as well.
The Slytherin banners decorated the Great Hall once more and Sirius watched his best friend sport a frown underneath it all. Of course Sirius wasn't happy about the winners of the house cup this year(Snivellus wore a smirk on his face, and Sirius was only too eager to wash it off) but most importantly he wasn't okay with his best friend acting the way he was. It was the end of the year, summer was just around the corner, everyone was supposed to be happy.
Of course when he said everyone he didn't mean him because going back to Grimmauld Place didn't make Sirius He dreaded the summertime when he would have to go back home, back to his mother and father and Regulus and all the cousins he despised. Bellatrix would most likely be present as well as Narcissa. Maybe Andromeda would be here this year, last time she had been mysteriously absent and Sirius missed her soothing presence. She was the only one he could tolerate in the whole house of the Most Noble Ancient House of Black.
"And what about question four?" Remus asked tapping Sirius's shoulder. "I put confundus but I'm not sure that's it..."
Sirius sighed and pushed away the parchments Remus had strewn all over the table . "Remus, not again. We discussed this right after the exam, and yesterday in the common room-"
"And at four in the morning when Remus had a nightmare about putting C for question 43." Peter laughed.
Remus was not amused. "I told you, I thought McGonagall told me I had failed."
"I'm sure you fine, Remus." Sirius told him. "You worry too much, now put that stupid test away before I set it on fire!"
"James," Peter turned to the raven haired boy who only blinked, but didn't speak.
"James you can't just sulk around because of a girl." Sirius told him upfront. "Man up. Evans is crazy and after today you won't have to see her."
Remus nodded. "And you guy's are coming over to my house this summer too. Lighten up James, my parents will be expecting you to be exactly the way I told them you were."
"And how's that Remus?" Sirius grinned. "Devilishly handsome, smart, sexy-"
"Stuff it, Sirius." Remus laughed. He turned to James. "Just think James. One more day, and we'll be third years."
James mumbled something and looked towards Lily Evans. Sirius looked over at the red head who was smiling and thought about how unfair it was. She had provoked James and yet James was sad and she wasn't. Blondie was grinning next to Dorcas Meadowes, who was practicing a charm of some sort, while Mary MacDonald was fast asleep on the table. It wasn't fair that they got to be so happy while James didn't. They should feel what James was feeling...and then Sirius had a brilliant idea.
"I've got an idea." Sirius grinned. Remus was the first one to roll his eyes. "Sirius, the last time you had a brilliant idea, my pictures was plastered all over the wall."
"Come on Remus, you know you loved it." Peter laughed.
"It did not." Remus said boldly, though his face has turned a visible shade of red. "Do you know how many people came up to me and yelled at me for the duck prank- they think I'm the face of it!"
"Well, don't you want to be the face of The Marauders?" Sirius asked. He beckoned Peter and a reluctant Remus close and whispered the plan to them.
Remus shook his head. "No, no Sirius you can't be serious."
Sirius winked. "Oh but I am Sirius."
Peter coughed. "Sirius, that joke is so old-"
"But I'm Sirius." Sirius said innocently. He snuck under the table and pulled the cloak out of James's bag, throwing it over himself. James who was still fuming, hadn't noticed, or if he did, he didn't care. Sirius, now invisible under the cloak, grabbed the dung bombs he had been saving for last night and put them in his pocket. Step by step crawled towards the pair of shoes he recognized as Mary MacDonald's accompanied by Lily Evan's Mary Janes and planted the dungbombs right between their feet. He hadn't forgotten when Mary MacDonald had yelled at him in the courtyard or when she had thrown a book at him, and smiling at the mental image of both girls shrieking, he crawled right back.
"What took you so long?" Remus asked when Sirius reappeared at his seat. The cloak was back in James's bag and James was still in the same sultry mood he was in before. All would be fixed in no time, Sirius though to himself. "All you had to do was plant one dung bomb."
"Oh was it one?" Sirius asked doing his best to look. "I thought I also owed Mary MacDonald a favor."
"Sirius-" Remus looked towards Lily and the other girls. "You didn't. We're just about to get to dessert!"
Peter checked underneath the table and nodded reporting back. "He sure did."
Sirius winked and on cue the dungbombs went off. Lily Evan's screamed as the green fumed engulfed her, Mary, and the rest of the surrounding people around them. Sirius laughed and Peter pulled them away as the fumes dared to get closer. James looked up and Sirius could see his friend almost smiling. So call it giddiness or happiness that Sirius Black yelled out "HAVE A HAPPY REMUS LUPIN SUMMER!" before Remus threw the cloak over them and they disappeared amongst the crowd, once again.
Some things aren't meant to be seen.
Micheal shut the compartment door as quickly as he had open it. He sighed and turned to look for another compartment when he spotted the trolley lady. Excellent, he was clean out of chocolate frogs as it was, and it was smarter to fill up before the train took off when everyone wanted one.
"A pack of chocolate frogs please." he told the trolley lady who smiled and fished out the box for him. She never spoke in the two years that Micheal had gotten chocolate frogs from her, and wasn't going to do so anytime soon.
"Oh hey Micheal, already stocking up are you?" A pompous voice from nearby called out to him. Liam Carter had turned back to himself and was waving him over to where he was standing with Eric Walker.
"You know it." Micheal nodded. "I can't let anyone find the mystery card before me. What do you reckon it'll be?"
Every year the chocolate frogs added a new card to their collection, and the one to find it got a lifetime supply of chocolate frog cards. Micheal was hoping he would be the one to find it, but right now the trophy went to either Frank Longbottom or James potter, who both the largest chocolate frog collection thus far.
"I'm assuming it'll be a Cassandra Vabltasky or Catriona McCormack," Liam began. "Both of them just got famous recently it's only logical they would get a card."
"Who in Merlin is Cassandra Vabltasky?" Micheal asked. He knew of Catriona, the new captain of Pride of Portree, Mary wouldn't shut up about how she got the title after beating long time male captain Narcisse Valhuse.
"She's a seer." Theresa Mendez spoke walking towards them, "One of the best. She's even predicted her own death- it's amazing."
"Yes, yes we know," Eric laughed. "Theresa here is going to be a Divinator. She's been listening to Trealwny girl who runs Divination club. Completely mental, that one."
"Takes one to know one, doesn't it Eric?" Theresa smirked causing Eric to frown. Theresa smiled. "Hurry up you lot I don't know how long I can save the compartment before the first years start turning up. You know Erica is going to start putting them in random compartments."
Eric grinned. "Thanks Mendez," and the pair followed her. Liam turned halfway. "See you next year Micheal, and make sure you don't forget about dueling! Professor Goldsworthy said he's going to start holding tournaments for us!"
Micheal nodded and stepped back spotting another compartment. Hopefully it would be empty. It was not. The compartment held one girl whose most noticeable feature were the large dew drop glasses she wore. Micheal thought they made her look more insect like than cute. Her brown curly hair was tied back with a strip of leather and from her various braids or various lengths hung feathers of all different colors. Micheal took one look at her and decided that perhaps he would leave this compartment alone. The girl was thankfully asleep and he stepped back quietly, as to not wake her, when she spoke.
"Death searches for you."
Micheal blinked now knowing how to respond. "I'm sorry?"
From behind him another girl stepped into a compartment, and another, followed by a chubby first year. "Death searches for you." they all whispered and feeling quite spooked Micheal stepped back and shut the compartment door.
"There you are!"
Micheal turned to the welcome face of Mary MacDonald. All thoughts of the creepy compartment vanished as she started talking, and Mary talked quite a lot.
"And then she was like 'well if you're so smart why don't you do it yourself?' and because I couldn't give her the satisfaction of thinking she was right I told her I would. I literally shot the spell and guess who showed up right when I did it? McGonagall!" Mary sighed. "And since she couldn't give me a detention today I have a weeks detention when I get back! Can you believe it?"
"Actually I can believe that you hexed Kiara Knightshade." Micheal laughed. "You guys have talked for what total of five minutes for the whole school year? And now you've hexed her and gotten detention for it."
"Five minutes is enough to figure that Kiara Knightshade is an idiot." Mary rolled her eyes. "At least McGonagall didn't take points. Lily would have my head."
"She would do more than chop your head off when she finds out you're also lying to her."
Mary turned to him, eyes flashing dangerously. "Micheal you promised not to say anything."
Micheal held up his hands defensively. "I'm not! I'm just saying you should tell her. It's only going to get harder next year."
"I will," Mary said quietly. "When-when the time is right."
"Sure sure." Micheal muttered.
"What was that?" Mary asked when they stopped at her compartment.
Micheal opened his mouth to tell her it was nothing but Mary MacDonald was not one to take anything lightly. Mary grinned and put a galleon in his hand. "Oh you're going to go get me a chocolate frog? Thanks Micheal!"
Micheal rolled his eyes and walked back to where he saw the trolley last. It wasn't there. He sighed, Mary was going to have to pay him a lot more if he had to search the entire train to get her a box of chocolate frogs. He finally found the trolley next to an open compartment whose occupants were also getting chocolate frogs. The compartment contained four girls and there were only four boxes left. Micheal grinned, oh the things he did. He quickly swiped the box and set the galleon on the trolley. Unfortunately one of the girls saw him and started yelling. Micheal's eyes widened and he stepped back into the nearest compartment as the girls ran past him
"Phew." He turned to apologize to whoever's compartment he had just barged into...Mary's box of chocolate frogs hit the floor, and Micheal's eyes widened. And again Micheal reflected for the 2nd time that day that some things weren't meant to be seen.