Faded Away ↠H. Potter Twin [Dean Thomas]

EIGHT: An Accident and a Disaster

The second month was drawing to a close, and Mary still hadn't told her brother and friends about the foster care situation. She kept telling herself the time wasn't right that she was beginning to question if she was using Hagrid's solid advice as an excuse to hide behind.

"What's wrong, Mary?" Harry asked for the hundredth time. Mary opened her mouth to rebuff him. "I know something is, so don't deny it."

Mary shut her mouth and rolled her eyes. Striding past him towards the crowd gathered in front of the noticeboard, she peered on tiptoes over the heads of the other first-years to see what had attracted everyone's attention. A flyer had been pinned in next to the school rules.

Flying lessons for first-years

Instructor: Madame Hooch

Venue: The flying grounds

Date: 5 November 1991

Time: 1:00 PM

Brooms will be provided for this activity as first-years are not permitted to bring brooms. Any first-year caught with a broom in possession shall be in serious trouble.

A triumphant smile spread across Mary's face. She could finally get her hands on a broom! She had bought the Nimbus 2000 during her stay at the Leaky Cauldron, but eagle-eyed Tom had caught her trying to sneak it into his inn and personally escorted her back to the Quidditch supplies shop to make sure that she returned it. She had not spoken to him for a week after.

The longing to fly in the Hogwarts air was torture. To be able to soar over the sea of emerald treetops into the azure sky and glide over the obsidian lake! It would be like a breath of fresh air after escaping a dank, congested cellar. It gave her something to look forward to. Merlin knew she was at her wit's end trying to stay sane the past two months.

"Why aren't you all preparing to go to class?" Percy Weasley demanded, appearing behind the band of first-years. The crowd quickly dispersed. Mary tried to escape, but she wasn't as lucky. "Hold on, Mary."

She turned grudgingly. Here we go again.

"I want those points you promised," Percy repeated like a broken tape recorder. Between the endless prying from Harry and prodding from Percy, Mary was convinced she was going to lose her mind pretty soon. "You better be working –"

"I am," she said through gritted teeth. She fought the urge to strangle him with her bare hands. She should at least fetch a pair of gloves from her room. She shouldn't leave behind evidence after all. "I earned twenty points in Herbology and Astronomy already. That's a quarter of the way from eighty, or do I need to help you with your maths?"

"Cheek, Potter," Percy said disapprovingly. "That is exactly why you lost those points in the first place. Professor McGonagall may have let you off the hook for reasons that escape me, but I will not be as lenient. Continue this behaviour, and you may be facing detention."

"Prefects can't give out detention!" She glanced nervously at Hermione, who had just joined the scene, for back up, "...or can they?"

Hermione shrugged, which was a first for her. Ron gaped at her in disbelief.

Percy's lips tightened as if he was the one trying to control his temper. "My advice to you is that you don't try to find out."

That shut Mary up. Hermione wasn't sure if it was because Percy's warning hit home or if Mary was trying to come up with a witty reply. Either way, she couldn't let her only friend bring more harm to herself. Before Mary could recover, Hermione seized her by the arm and hauled her towards the portrait hole. The two girls headed to the Charms classroom with Harry and Ron at their tail.