Chapter 6

Insomnia is a very serious condition

Philosopher's Stone


"How could I have been so stupid?!"

Seconds after, a loud thud solved Marley's lack of sleep, a massive tome landing on the elongated library table, the piece of literature looking about as old as an original Shakespeare manuscript.

"What are you bloody talking about, Hermione?", Ron let out in an angered tone, having been scared by the loud noise as well. The Gryffindor girl was meanwhile busy turning crusty pages, Harry and Marley sharing curious looks.

"Do you remember how we found out that the school is hiding the Philosopher's Stone?", the girl gave back in a quiet voice.

"How did you find out?", their Slytherin friend inquired.

"It was actually because of you, Marles.", Ron answered with a smirk.

"B... me?"

"Yes.", Hermione elaborated, "You borrowed all those old Daily Prophets from the library."

"Cause you're obsessed with crosswords?", the Weasley boy added.

"I am not obsessed with-", she began, though stopped abruptly as in front of her on the table sat today's Daily Prophet with, well, today's crossword puzzle.

"Go on.", Marley quietly surrendered.

"Well...", Hermione picked up, "...right around the time we started making up theories about what was stolen from vault 713, I stumbled across an article about the Philosopher's Stone from your pile. It mentioned Gringotts, which is how we figured it has to be it."

Dumbfounded, Marley merely nodded, clearly impressed by Hermione's deductive skills.

"Without your assistance, we wouldn't have been able to figure it out.", Harry let her know with a warm smile. "You know Marley, I'm really glad-"

"THAT'S IT!", came shot from her mouth in an instant, drawing some unwarranted eyes towards them, "10-letter-word, horizontal, synonym for help. – assistance!"

She scribbled down her correct answer as Harry watched her with a happy expression.

"Harry is right.", Hermione finally interjected, the other three focusing back on her again, "I let you scan through the library for weeks to find something on Nicholas Flamel, when all we had to do..."

Victoriously, she finally stopped on the correct page.

"We just had to look up something on the Philosopher's Stone.", Marley spoke the answer out loud.

"Exactly. That's when I remembered this book here. I did some light reading on it a few months back."

"Light reading?", Ron let out in an almost frightened tone. Hermione's response was a mere glare, lips pressed together firmly to form that oh so familiar expression, which effectively communicated the phrase 'shut up'. Upon clearing her throat, Hermione began to read out loud.

"The Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It'll transform any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life which will make the drinker immortal."

"Immortal?", Ron repeated.

"It means you can't die.", Hermione redundantly elaborated, her response upsetting the Weasley boy.

"I know what it means!"

His volume increasing, Harry managed to shut his friend up via a firm shush.

"We just wanted to make sure you're up to speed, Ronald McDonald.", Marley couldn't help herself but to utter.

"I sure hope you're not immortal, Marles Darwin."

"Could you two please focus?"

Their bickering was effectively ended by Hermione's harsh tone, Harry having enjoyed the exchange quite a bit.

"The only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist who last year celebrated his 665th birthday."

"Okay...", Marley began, "...so we know that Flamel owned the stone. He had it in Gringotts for a while before he gave it to Dumbledore, so it could be safe here in Hogwarts. Correct?"

"Correct.", Harry affirmed her, "And I'm guessing that Snape is after the Elixir of Life."

The girl seated next to him reacted to the thought with a quiet, grimacing protest.

"Alchemy and Potions are not too far removed from one another.", Hermione added. All of them allowed for a moment of silence, as the whole story still weighed pretty heavily on the Slytherin girl. "What do you think, Marley?"

A heavy sigh, an affirming look from Harry, then from the other two.

"Regardless of why he wants it...", she started with, "...it might be dangerous. That stone has probably been locked away for good reason." The thought simmering for another moment or two it took a nod from Harry to finish her train of thought.

"If anyone can tell us anything, it'll be Hagrid. You three should see him tonight."

Her response completed, the young witch began packing her things.

"Aren't you coming with us?", Harry probed her.

"No thanks. I need to study for finals later. Plus I...", another pause was required to finish, "...I really don't want to think about this Philosopher's Stone stuff right now."

Her departure seemed cold and closed off, motivating Harry and the others even more to find an answer.


Marley's heart was practically beating out of her chest at this point. The Police on her shirt (the band) mixed with black jeans, both hidden under her cloak, she dashed through the castle at night like a secret agent owl, constantly at odds with her consciousness for breaking the rules like that. Even Leaghon vibrated more than usual, causing her to halt briefly in a corner.

"Be quiet!", she whispered to her pixie, immediately causing her to feel enormous guilt.

"I'm sorry. I know we're breaking the rules but... Harry and the others..."

Were out there doing exactly the same. If anyone caught her, it would put her at odds with Snape.

At the same time, if her favourite teacher turned out to be a villainous thief, it would make things a lot more difficult. The girl let out a deep-rooted sigh, which had apparently been lingering inside of her for a long time.

"Marley!", a voice sounded, making her get up from her crouched position.

"Harry...", she whimpered, her three friends dashing towards them, "...are you back already?"

"What are you doing out here?", the boy asked as he reached her.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you – a-about the whole thing with Snape. I just-"

"I don't think it's Snape either.", Hermione declared with crossed arms.

"What?!", both Harry and Ron blurted out almost simultaneously.

"Marley's right. We don't... really have any explanation for why he's after the stone. And you heard what Hagrid said. If every Hogwarts teacher is helping to protect it, that includes Snape. He could not possibly trick everyone, especially Dumbledore."

An aura of unrest crept across the bunch of them.

"I really don't want to go against you. I... really, really like all of you. I don't want to lose you because of this, but... I also like Snape. And I just don't think he's up to something."

Having poured her heart out in front of them, Marley expected every possible outcome. At least Hermione would continue to be her friend. Or would she stick with her fellow Gryffindors? Would she be able to make it in Hogwarts without her friends?

Without Harry?

"We should talk about it later. Malfoy's seen us and he's probably on his way to tell a teacher.", Ron used as a means to delay their discussion.

"Malfoy?!", Marley howled, "That's bad news." She gave Harry a yearning gaze, the boy appearing uneasy at the girl changing her mind.

"We'll... talk about it tomorrow, Marley.", Harry gave as a dry answer. The group started their walk down the corridor with the same passion as someone awaiting severe punishment. After what felt like eternity, Ron came up with an ingenious ploy.

"Hagrid has a dragon."

Marley halted, the others halted, then she let out a bombastic gasp.

"Hagrid has a dragon? And you didn't start with that!?"

"Yeah!", Ronald answered with a naive grin, having apparently forgotten their dispute, "A Norwegian Ridgeback! He named it Norbert!"

"That's an adorable name! And a Norwegian Ridgeback? That's one of my favourite dragons!"

"Me too! Have I not shown you my Draconic Cards yet?"

"No! Why haven't you, Ronald?!"

"Can we please do this tomorrow?", Hermione cast upon the both of them with the sharpness of a blade.

"Sorry.", said, who else, Marley, "Let's try not to get caught first."

"I fear it is too late for that."

The entirety of their group froze at the old woman's voice, McGonagall having appeared behind a corner in her nightgown, arms crossed and with the deadliest glare possible. Right next to her also stood a rather confident Malfoy.


That confidence was firmly washed away by the time the two Slytherins reached their common room, Malfoy storming into the basement chamber and Marley shutting the door behind them.

"Ridiculous!", the blonde pest spewed out. Immediately after he turned to the girl, whose face carried a spooked expression. "100 points taken away from Slytherin! This is entirely your fault, Verpe!"

"How is this my fault?!", burst from her lips, surprising herself as well, "You're the one who told on yourself! All just because you're obsessed with being mean to Harry."

"You're the one that's obsessed with him!", he ejected from his vocal cords like venom, "Always dangling after Potter like a duckling!"

In that moment Marley found a strange sense of bravery, calmly responding with crossed arms.

"I'm not dangling after Harry. I'm his friend. You're the one that's weird for always following him, Draco."

His head swollen red like a tomato, it finally happened. Drawing his wand with the precision of an archer, he aimed it at Marley's ankles before she could draw her own.

"Locomotor Mortis"

The foul curse uttered, Marley felt a strangling sensation taking a hold of her lower legs, as if invisible chains were growing from thin air, pressing them against one other in an instant. With no time to react, the girl dropped with a dull thud and a pained wince.

"Serves you right, half-blood!"

Immediately after his dirty remark, the boy ripped away her beloved necklace, Leaghon inside beginning to buzz under the discomfort of Malfoy's crude hand.

"No!", Marley protested as tears began to erupt, "Give it back, Draco!"

He let the necklace dangle right in front of her face, pulling away each time her hands reached for it.

"This is what you are to Potter! Nothing but a pet, Verpe!"

"Expelliarmus!"

At the cracking sound of the spell Malfoy is abruptly disarmed, involuntarily dropping both his wand as well as Marley's locket. The items are swiftly caught by Sam, who, followed by a dozen or so other Slytherins in their pyjamas, has appeared in the entrance area.

"That's more than enough.", Sam spoke firmly, appearing much older, which was already the case thanks to his height. Draco, appropriately, fumed with profound hatred as he glared back at the crowd.

"No one asked you, Chatterjee!", he coughed, "Thanks to Verpe, Slytherin lost 100 house points tonight!"

As the other students began to whisper amongst each other, Marley found the strength to get back up on her knees, legs still glued to each other like magnets.

"It's not true! It's his fault! He snuck out!"

"Silence!", Draco chomped back at her, "You snuck out first!"

"You told on us!"

"You're the one who needed to-"

"Wait, you told on yourself?", Sam finally cut in.

"Only because Verpe needed to see Potter-"

"Why did you sneak out to tell on yourself, Draco?", Pansy Parkinson spoke with spite in her voice.

"You should've told Snape tomorrow.", Marcus Flint piled on top, "You cost us those points."

Slowly but surely the crowd dissolved, even Malfoy's friends Crab and Goyle walking back to their sleeping quarters.

"No! Wait! I- it's her fault!", he cried, quite literally, as tears started showing, "Wait please!"

As he hurried after his lost sheep, only Marley and Sam remained in the common room's foyer. After leaving Malfoy's wand on the couch table, Sam grabbed a stool, sitting down next to the Slytherin girl. He used the correct counter curse quietly, after which Marley sat down and hugged her freed legs.

"Here.", Sam spoke as he gave Leaghon back. From the other room Malfoy's cries echoed, making both him and Marley smirk.

Her smile quickly disappeared though.

"Sneaking out was at night was a nonsensical idea, Marley.", he finally spoke. Leaghon vibrated quietly as the girl's hand grasped the locket.

"Was it this important to see Harry?", he added, sounding like a concerned father of sorts.

"I don't want to talk about it.", was the only thing Marley managed to say. Sam nodded understandably.

"It... might not matter anymore, regardless.", she tried to speak in a straight manner, though her lips quivered as her waterworks broke, "We... had a fight. I... don't think he likes me anymore."

Sam's hand instinctively started to rub Marley's back as she broke into tears.

"No-no, there. Don't put that on yourself, Marley. I'm sure he still likes you."

"But I got him into so much trouble tonight. And... and we fought about this thing and... I shared way too much with him over Christmas, and-"

"Stop it."

A stern tone managed to be simultaneously intimidating and soothing. It also got the girl to look up from her palms.

"Putting all of the blame on yourself is not going to fix any of this. You perfectly know that."

A few adorable snivelling sounds later and an ounce of courage lent her the strength to nod, calming down significantly.

"You may have had a fight and, yes, sneaking out like this and loosing house points was rather foolish. But that second part was at least Malfoy's doing."

Through all the pain and fear Marley let out a jolly giggle.

"I'm positive whatever you two were arguing about was not the end of the world. You can figure it out."

"How can you be sure of that, Sam?"

Finally, he rose from his seating option, wiping some non-existent dirt from his pyjamas.

"I don't think I've ever seen either of you without the other since Halloween. Instead of worrying about whether or not this can be fixed, you should remember that the lad clearly likes you, Marley. He will do everything in his power to put this silly little fight behind the two of you."

In a very collected manner, and with one hand still holding Leaghon, the girl opted to charge Sam, a short hug giving her an additional bit of comfort that she very clearly needed.

A bit later, under the comfort of his covers, the Slytherin boy thought for a few more minutes about the whole thing. Just how close are these two that a small argument caused her to cry?