𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎

𝟶𝟶𝟻-𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚎𝚝

┌────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┐

The following morning, Marilyn walked down to the Great Hall. As she walked, she noticed a group of her dormmates shuffle closer together the moment they spotted Potter. Marilyn sighed and rolled her eyes. She didn't understand how people could be so dimwitted at times.

"If it helps, I believe Voldemort's back," said Tom helpfully, appearing and walking along beside her.

Marilyn rolled her eyes.

"Well, of course, you do. You're what he used to be." She muttered in return.

Tom disappeared, but Marilyn could clearly see the smirk on his face as he faded away again. Marilyn found Marvolo and the Weasley twins at the entrance to the Great Hall and her twin immediately wrapped his arm around her as she approached them.

"You're sitting with us today." He said and Marilyn didn't bother arguing. They were equally stubborn. 

The four of them approached the Gryffindor table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting.

"Look at today!" Ron was complaining. "History of Magic, double Potions, Divination, and double Defense Against the Dark Arts...Binns, Snape, Trelawney, and that Umbridge woman all in one day! I wish Fred and George'd hurry up and get those Skiving Snackboxes sorted...."

"Do mine ears deceive me?" said Fred squeezing onto the bench beside Harry. "Hogwarts prefects surely don't wish to skive off lessons?"

Marilyn sat down with Marvolo beside Hermione.

"Yeah, Mary doesn't want to skive off lessons. You should follow her example." George added, gesturing to Marilyn, who rolled her eyes.

"Who says I don't want to skive off lessons?" She asked with a straight face.

Fred, George, and Marvolo turned to look at her disbelievingly.

"Are you saying you do?" Marvolo questioned, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"It depends on the class. Umbridge's - definitely." She replied, helping herself to some eggs. 

Marvolo grinned and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"I knew you would get it one day!" He exclaimed happily.

Marilyn looked at her brother in amusement.

"I haven't, actually. But, the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts. Surely you realize that?" She said.

"Uh..." Marvolo scratched the back of his neck and Marilyn sighed.

"Of course not. Did you not listen to anything she said last night?" She asked and the three pranksters shook their heads. "Well, she basically said that the Ministry was interfering at Hogwarts," she said helpfully.

Hermione nodded along, shooting Marilyn an appraising look. She seemed quite a bit different than the first impression she got. There was something familiar about her appearance though, and she knew it wasn't because of Marvol.

Ron frowned and shoved his timetable under Fred's nose.

 "Look what we've got today," he said. That's the worst Monday I've ever seen." 

"Fair point, little bro," said Fred, scanning the column. "You can have a bit of Nosebleed Nougat cheap if you like."

 "Why's it cheap?" said Ron suspiciously.

"Because you'll keep bleeding till you shrivel up, we haven't got an antidote yet," said George, helping himself to a skipper.

Marilyn raised an eyebrow, feeling rather amused. Perhaps these reckless Gryffindors weren't as bad as she thought.