PRECEDENT : Draco Malfoy II

07

It is March, and Mandy Brocklehurst has not spoken to me in a week. After Anthony interrogated me, practically begging me to tell Professor Flitwick about what transpired, he's stopped talking to me. Michael and Terry have left me to my own devises as well. Things are back to the way they were before the Yule Ball. When Mandy only found me when she needed a favour, when I didn't talk to Terry, Anthony, or Michael regularly, and when I felt alone and therefore good.

Although, now I don't love the feeling of being alone. I tell myself I'm clever enough that my thoughts can occupy me, and that I'm creative enough to find other hobbies and habits when my thoughts get to feel to be too much in my head. It doesn't make sense, but when I go too long without socializing, I get headaches. I think it's all the thoughts bottling up in my head. At Hogwarts, I don't have access to Ibuprofen. Sure, there are magical remedies for headaches, but there is something comforting in taking a pill that my mother gives me when I'm back home.

I can't wait for summer, to see her again. My brothers are sometimes annoying, but they've been coddling me since last year's mishap, so they pester me less. Unfortunately, their sympathy is also annoying.

In the quiet, I've been spending the time that would be preoccupied with Mandy on the Hogwarts grounds. My parents have never seen the place, and I am hoping to become skilled enough at oil pastels so my Da can see what I see here. Photos in textbooks don't do it justice. I don't have a magical camera either for proper pictures, and I think he would hate that they move anyway.

My work is going poorly. After packing up by the lake, I head back to the castle on the viaduct. As it just happens, several Ravenclaws in our year are gathered near the entrance. Michael is lugging around a rather large brown sack. When I get closer, I can see it moving. Anthony pulls out his wand. I cannot hear the incantation, but magic makes the stack calm down.

Then, I count the group. Terry, Mandy, Padma Patil, Lisa Turpin, Morag MacDougal, Stephen Cornfoot, and even Cleve Lace are all together. I count them. There are ten Ravenclaws in our year, and there are nine of them altogether. My stomach seems to spin.

"Marty?" Anthony calls out. "Are you okay?"

I cock my head to the side, not slowing my approach.

"We... I hope your Mum's feeling better," Terry offers.

My Mum is fine. Then, my eyes flicker around the group. Mandy is decidedly the only one who isn't looking at me. What a bitch. Eventually, I force my shoulders back, decidedly preventing them from visibly tensing in front of all of the others.

"She's seen better days," I manage, faking a frown. "Nothing to worry about though."

Mandy's eyes flicker toward me.

"If you want, we're going to be racing these gnomes we caught this morning," Anthony grins. "We could use a judge."

I rock on my feet, and then shake my head, "I'm a bit tired from my trip. You won't believe how hard it is to find a pay phone. Muggle parents, you know. Let me know who wins."

They part for me so that I can walk onto the viaduct. Part of me feels so small. I assume they remembered to ask me, and fucking Mandy is the saboteur of the century. There will be a small revenge on my part, I'm sure of it. It's hard not to stomp my way across the viaduct, but I manage knowing people are watching me.

"Marty!" someone calls behind me.

I look back. Terry is yelling at me, his cheeks pink. The others are beginning to file out of the entryway.