Slytherin [ Marauders Era ]

18, November, 1976- Midnight

Moonlight was streaking through the halls of Hogwarts, presenting a beautiful scene. It was a beautiful night, crescent moon was shining at it's brightest, stars were soaring in the sky, they looked like they were keeping a close watch on whatever was happening right now. Like they were watching the Great Slytherin Diva Madeline trying to dissolve in darkness. The moon seemed to forget that it was 3 in the morning and no one was here, watching it.

Madeline sighed glancing out of the window of sixth floor for one last time before heading off to bed, the grounds, looking at them made her want to run, run away from this torment, she wanted her feet black and blue by running barefoot, her throat burning from thirst, her vision blurry, her head empty, not filled with screams which somehow sounded like her aunt and mother, not filled with manic laughs of her father, not filled with compliments on how perfect she was.

She snorted it's been 2 months since she's been doing this and no one seemed to notice, no one noticed how she always skipped meals, how she was never in bed but was wandering the halls afraid what her mind will show her, how she always wore long sleeves and always pulled them down like there was a treasure beneath them, how she always winced whenever her bag slipped and hit the wrong side. Who would Katherine, Vanessa, Carina, Regulus, Severus, she laughed at the thought, they would do nothing other than turning their back and using this piece of information to disgrace her family reputation and boost their. It would bring shame to her family and aunt Acacia hated shame.

She sighed, thinking it was her time to go bed but dungeons were way to far from sixth floor. She wiped the tears that were beading in her eyes. She kicked herself internally, it was foolish to cry over these things, she was just being a crybaby.

She took three flights down when her ears alerted from the sounds of whispers, chattering and laughing and these voices were of four people she did not want to deal with...' The marauders'. She quickened her pace knowing that if they saw her in this position ' oh the rumors they'd start. She wanted to run from this place. But of course they recognized her.

"Selwyn" the voice cracked like a whip. 'Black' she thought.

Madeline straightened her posture, thinking it was dark enough to hide her eyes which were undoubtedly red from crying earlier. She turned towards them wearing the mask, she always wore. "Black" her voice cold and precise. There were only Black and Potter, but of course they were the only trouble makers in the group. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" It was Potter this time his voice which sounded more of an accusation than a question. "I suppose I could ask you the same,". She said tilting her head towards Potter."Now if you two don't mind, I have better things rather than wasting my time on dimwits such as you." Forcing a fake smile, she turned. Goodness, this was taking the energy out if her right now. She did not have the will power to play this role right now. She wanted to be alone right now.

She turned her back towards them properly till now. Until Black's voice pulled her out of her vulnerable thoughts.

"Selwyn!"

"What!?" She snapped rather more harshly than she had intended,only half pivoted by now, she was genuinely annoyed by now, and by now she was hoping even they got the got the hint. It was a foolish thought she knew. Take a hint. Marauders, taking a hint.

"If you were spying on us-" Black only finished half of his sentence, when Madeline cut him off "Spying on you as if I don't have any better things to do, shockingly Black the world doesn't revolve around you."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?"

"I was trying to take the stairs." She kept her sweetly venomous, even though she didn't quite felt it. Hell she wanted to curl up in her bed, in the least complicated way she wanted to be in the dark. She didn't want to be surrounded by these dimwits, she was afraid that her fussy brain and her tired mouth will say something foolish or out of character.

"Yeah,no shit." Black deadpanned." Why are you even out of the bed anyway?" Madeline felt her sarcastic smile slip for a second 'because those voices in my head won't let me' but she brushed away those thoughts in her head and pulled back that smirk like her life depended on it.

"That's hardly your concern, is it Black." She felt the lack venom in her voice and unfortunately Black took no chance to miss it.

"Careful Selwyn you're losing your touch." He had a cold smirk on his face.

Madeline simply stared at him, making herself remember to respond, to care.

"What no witty comeback, sad" Potter said pitching in mockingly

"The snake is speechless." Black added dramatically.

"Or maybe it's just stupid." Potter advised.

Madeline glanced at Black tipping her head towards Potter. Trying to think of a comeback, till her head echoed with her aunt's last letter Madeline you let some half crazy, dunderhead ravenclaw pass you, I'm heavily disappointed with you, remember if you don't get your grades back by the end of the year. Remember there will consequences Madeline knew what the consequences will be. "Go bother someone else, you lot," Her voice soft. "I'm not in the mood."

James Potter simply shrugged, and said loud enough for Madeline to hear, as she was descending down the stairs. "Guess she's conceding our point then."

However, Sirius Black did not respond, he was busy processing what the hell just happened. He and the rest of the Marauders had maintained a record of insulting banter with Madeline and her Slytherin gang and she never let them have the last word, ever in the last six years. At the same time he brushed it off. She was tired. What she was doing right now in the halls was question that was still unanswered, and seemed more interesting, which he and James debated while they made their way towards the Gryffindor tower.

Meanwhile, Madeline padded softly down the remaining flights of stairs, and slipped into the Slytherin common room, it looked dark and haunting this late at night. It looked like her soul dark, empty and, abandoned. Though it looked quite beautiful in the morning, it looked quite the opposite during night. She made her way towards the girls dormitory. She slipped into the dormitory carefully enough to not wake any of the girls in the dormitory. She sat on her bed, opened the drawer of her bed side table, scrambled through the quills, parchment and rings when her hands felt cold glass touch her skin, she took out vial from the drawer, her potion for dreamless sleep, she chugged down the remaining of the purple liquid in her mouth. She lay down in the bed, pulled the duvets, drifting in a dreamless sleep, ignoring the barks of protests from the scars on her back and wrists.

A/N: So this was a kind of sneak peak where Madeline will end, this story contains a lot dark sort of things. And I will also add • this sign based on how dark the chapter at the top. So if you're not comfortable with reading such things you can skip the chapter.