The Other Malfoy// Bill Weasley

Chapter XVIII

Stress

October 10th, 1986

Aspen Malfoy wanted to scream.

Or murder someone.

Whichever felt easier to her.

Probably murdering someone would be easier.

Whoever had invented O.W.Ls needed to get smacked over the head with a huge tome.

Aspen walked into the library for her weekly homework meet up with Marie and glared at a third-year who dropped her books in front of her.

"Really? Pick up your bloody books or it's five points from Slytherin." She hissed before she stepped to the side and found Marie.

"What has your knickers in a twist?"She asked as Aspen placed her bag on the table and threw herself into the chair.

"These bloody classes. Professor Binns just assigned us a nine-inch essay on witch-hunting."

"Didn't we do that in our third year?"

"We did! But he said it will be on our O.W.Ls exam! Then Professor Kettleburn let loose a flobberworm and it ended up burning Bill in his leg."

"How bag?"

"Bad, he has to spend the night in the Hospital Wing so Madam Pomfrey can heal him," Aspen explained before she took out her History of Magic textbook and went to the blue tab.

"What are those tabs again?"

"Oh, did I never explain it to you? Green tabs we learned the first year, purple are from our second year, blue is our third year, yellow is the fourth year, and now the fifth year is going to be orange." Aspen explained as she pointed to each one.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because if they ever referenced something from one of those years I can easily know," Aspen said with a smile before someone cleared their throat and Aspen turned and saw her brother.

"Oliver! I thought you had Potions now?" Aspen asked as she quickly looked at her watch.

"Professor Snape canceled for once because he got stung with a stinkbomb. Can I do homework with you two?" He asked and Marie nodded as she cleared a part of the table for Oliver to sit down.

"Go ahead little Wood. If you need help just let us know." She said before Aspen went to the blue tab and began looking for witch hunts again.

As she quickly wrote down notes Marie went back to her Divinations worksheet as Oliver worked on his Potions essay.

"Do you need help?" Aspen asked as she slipped the parchment inside her textbook twenty minutes later and looked at her brother.

"Please? Professor Snape hates us Gryffindors and wants us to do an essay explaining why we need every ingredient in the Cure for Boils potion." Oliver explained and Marie snorted.

"Snape hates all Gryffindors. Know why?"

"No,"

"He was in love with Lily Potter. Everyone knew that but Lily did not choose Snape she chose James Potter, a very popular Gryffindor." Marie explained and Oliver shook his head.

"How do you two know this?"

"My Uncle Lucius went to school with Snape and when I wrote home complaining he explained why," I said before I took Oliver's book and flipped to Cure for Boils.

"There, he always forgets it explains why each one is important. Switch up the words to your own and you'll be set." Aspen said and Oliver smiled before nodding.

"Alright you two, I'm off. I have to quickly patrol the dungeons." Aspen said as she began gathering her things.

"I'm with you. You sure you'll be okay by yourself?" Marie asked Oliver who nodded.

"Yes, I'm waiting for my friend Anna anyways." He said and Aspen ruffled his hair before she and Marie walked out of the library and began their journey to the dungeons.

They walked in comfortable silence looking for any student who wasn't in class or trying to get in another house common room.

Marie and Aspen intertwined their arms and looked by each corner before sighing.

"What is really bothering you? I'm your best friend, you can tell me." Marie said and Aspen turned to her best friend.

"Oscar hasn't written to me since I got into that fight with Abigail at his house and at the train station."

"Ah, he is being an arse."

The two stared at each other for a moment before they both burst into laughter.

"Marie!"

"I'm serious! Oscar Wood in a coward and arse for not standing up for his child. You had nothing to do with the competition between Abigail and your mother. If he can't see that then he is stupid." Marie said as she pointed her head up.

"Do not stress him. You have lived fifteen wonderful years without Oscar in your life and you are just fine without him. Your Uncle and Aunt have raised a wonderful, beautiful, and brilliant witch. Do not let him destroy what they have worked so hard for." Marie said and Aspen felt the tears well up in her eyes.

"He is my father!"

"I know and I know how bad you have wanted a father but not like this. Not this way. Now dry those tears and let us go back to our towers. I hate this bloody dungeon." Marie said as she grabbed Aspen's hand and began to lead her back upstairs.

"What would I do without you, Marie?"

"Probably go insane but I won't let that happen. I'll murder you myself before it happens."

"Of course you will."