Cruel World- 𝓗𝓪𝓻𝓻𝔂 𝓟𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻

You're late

"Do you have time for this?" Harry asked as he and Marlene were walking through the Forbidden Forest

Marlene shook her head, "Nope, but we're doing it. We can be quick." 

"What are we doing exactly?" Harry asked 

Marlene looked at him and said, "You'll see soon enough, this is important." 

"How are you so calm about being this deep in?" Harry asked 

"Calm down, no one can touch you whilst you're with me in here." Marlene said 

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Confident."

Marlene chuckled and said, "No matter what species or creature you are. No one likes werewolves." 

The pair crouched down behind a bush, "I've got a friend. He's dealing with the first task. He wanted me to tell you what it was." 

They looked over the bush and saw people running around with dragons roaring and breathing fire

Marlene looked and saw Charlie pushing one of the dragons into a cage, he looked back and saw them and mock saluted them. 

"Welcome to the first task. Dragons"  Marlene said 

. . . . . . . . 

"Dragons? That's the first task? You're joking?" Harry asked as they walked back towards the castle

Marlene nodded, "Wish I was. Ron's brother Charlie helped bring them over. I thought Ron would tell you but I wasn't counting on it." 

Once they got into the castle, they quickly walked up the stairs and saw Zac pacing around, "You're very very late." 

"I know. I know." Marlene said 

"Good luck." Harry said as he walked up a different set of staircases towards the common room 

Zac and Marlene ran up the stairs, "We need to work on your time keeping. Where were you?" 

"Charlie Weasley. Remember him?" Marlene asked 

Zac nodded, "Yeah, he went to Romania didn't he?" 

"Yeah, he's back to help with the first task. Dragons. That's where I was, telling Harry." Marlene said as they made it up the stairs 

"You're late." 

"We know!" Marlene and Zac said at the same time as they walked through the painting which had opened and into the room behind it 

Zac looked out the window, "Two minutes maybe. Not good at astrology." 

"Yeah we need to work on timings." Marlene said as she took her jacket and clothes leaving just her underwear on

She pulled up a floorboard and put them inside, the second she shut the floorboard her ankle broke, "Not two minutes! You git!" 

Zac took his jacket off and tossed it on the ground, "I'm not turning back this time don't panic." 

He crouched down in front of Marlene whose bones were snapping and fangs were coming out, "You're fine. This is fine. Just listen to me." 

Marlene screamed in pain as she continued to turn, painfully on the floor, bones snapping. 

A few seconds later Marlene was overwhelmed by her transformation and finally began to shift. 

Zac moved backwards and shifted into a fox

. . . . . . . . . 

The next morning Marlene woke up in the hospital wing and saw Poppy Pomfrey standing at the foot of the bed, "Congratulations, that's the least amount of wounds I've seen on you. Something must've gone right. You look the best I've seen you after a moon." 

Marlene winced as she sat up, "Yeah, something must've. Zac?" 

"Sent him off after he brought you in, you needed your rest." Madame Pomfrey said 

Madame Pomfrey was about to walk off but Marlene called after her, "Pop...Madame Pomfrey can I ask you something." 

Madame Pomfrey nodded as she turned around, "If you don't call me Poppy whilst other people are in here of course." 

Marlene nodded, "Marlene McKinnon. Remember her?" 

"Oh my Merlin. Marlene McKinnon was a pain in my backside, constantly in here from Quidditch injuries. Or getting into fights with someone almost always Snape. Why?" Madame Pomfrey asked as she sat down on the chair next to Marlene's bed 

"She was a friend of my dads." Marlene said 

Madame Pomfrey gave her a look and said, "She was more than a friend of your dads." 

"How do you of all people know?" Marlene asked 

Madame Pomfrey smiled and said, "She wrote me a letter. Contrary from what I just said she was one of my favourites. Wanted my advice on how to deal with being pregnant. I've been waiting for you to ask me about her. The second that James Potter became Quidditch captain he got her on the team. Then from that day she was in with broken arms, bruised ribs and everything Quidditch related but she still loved it...what are you doing?" 

Marlene was going to stand up, "Going to class." 

Madame Pomfrey laughed and said, "You are not. I didn't go through seven years of this with your father to do it with you as well. You're staying and resting." 

"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, come on Poppy. You said it yourself I look better this time. I don't feel how I normally do" Marlene said 

Madame Pomfrey gave her a look and said, "It's only because you have an Animagus on your side. Don't think I'm stupid enough not to recognise what happened for the second time. For me this is like history repeating. Remus was in here, looking worse for wear then one day he started getting better at it." 

"What are you saying?" Marlene asked 

Madame Pomfrey stood up and said, "I'm saying. You've got a good friend in Mr Bletchley. Don't expect this every time, but go." 

Marlene smiled as she stood up, "You are amazing." 

"I know." Madame Pomfrey said as Marlene walked out of the Medical Wing. 

Thank you for reading 

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