A Marauder's Guide to Falling Apart

Chapter Fourteen

She would be lying if she said she weren't looking forward to the Christmas holidays. It would be one of the last years that she wouldn't be required to work through them and it also meant that she would be finished with the Potion and Plant Poison Unit.

Donna's unfair assessment of her had carried over through the semester. Marlene tried to be empathetic with where her preceptor was coming from, after all Marlene had shown up on the very first day of training looking like a train wreck and unable to perform the most simple of tasks. However, as the months had dragged by Marlene found it increasingly difficult to remain focused on her studies and was consistently making errors.

"It's a wonder you even got into this program," Donna finally snapped at her. Marlene had been attempting to concoct a mouth itching antidote but she had been distracted by her thoughts. The last month they had finally started taking on patients and Marlene had been assigned the simplest cases.

A small boy probably no older than eight had consumed a few too many acidic acid pops from Honeydukes. Marlene had originally felt irritated that she had been subjected to the lesser important cases, assured that Donna's prejudice was clouding her judgment of Marlene's abilities. But even now as she watched in horror the bubbling potion in front of her turn a sickly green, she knew that her preceptor had been right.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly. She waved her wand over the cauldron to clear the contents. "I must have added in too much wormroot by accident."

Even though Natasha had barely interacted with her since their orientation, Marlene found it incredibly frustrating watching how well she was succeeding. As though Natasha realized this frustration she was always shooting Marlene gloating looks whenever they passed each other in the corridors. If it wouldn't be frowned upon, Marlene might have been tempted to administer a trip-jinx in her general direction. But she had resigned herself to interacting with the girl as little as possible and had to ignore the urge every time it overcame her.

The only thing that was getting Marlene through the day was the knowledge that it would be her last before the holidays. She didn't even have Emmeline to distract her over the lunch hour since she was working a mid-shift and had to subject herself to any positive thought she could hold on to as the day sloughed by.

It was well after eight o'clock when Emmeline finally shuffled into the apartment. Marlene had gathered some leftovers together for supper and disappeared into a book as she waited for her roommate's arrival. She had originally tried to reach Sirius with her mirror first of all but to no avail; it appeared that he was out doing Order business again.

"Thank goodness you're finally home," Marlene glanced up quickly from the textbook in her lap and disposed of it on the table beside her.

"That rough of a day, eh Marly?" Emmeline's eyes were lit up with amusement. "Donna hard on you again?"

"At least it was my last day," Marlene sighed dejectedly. "I won't even have to step foot in that unit again."

"It wasn't my favorite unit either," Emmeline crinkled her nose. "I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you'd have disappeared off to the Hollow to spend time with your family."

Marlene didn't want to admit that Sirius was busy, again. If Emmeline hadn't seen him in the two way mirror when she first moved in, she would suspect her friend to doubt she even had a boyfriend. After all, he rarely came over and never when Emmeline was around. They had been spending much less time together and Marlene hadn't even bothered to ask him over anymore.

"Tom's busy with work," Marlene shrugged. Everyone was busy with their own lives and she didn't want to admit it out loud but she really had nowhere else to go.