𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 ☼ 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆

↘︎ chapter twelve

12 | Gryffindor took the House Cup

It was that time of the year again. The End-of-term Feast. This year had passed quicker than Marley Macmillan expected. A lot of cool things had happened for the thirteen-year-old girl (she reached thirteen on 30 Arpil). She did her first prank with Fred and George, she met new people, she was grounded for the first time in her life and she found something interesting in the Trophy Room. She still had doubts about if it was her father or not, but it was most likely to not be.

Fred and George had shown her the Marauder's Map, stolen from Filch's office. The same map her mother was part of. After their first prank together, they did a few more and this time Filch didn't catch them. Marley was having so much fun and before she could realize what was happening it was again the end of another year ot Hogwarts and tomorrow morning she would travel with Hogwarts Express to Kings Cross with the ginger twins.

It had passed around two weeks ago after Harry Potter defeated Quirinus Quirrel, who had been covering the Dark Lord under his strange purple rag on his head. Harry had taken the Philosopher's stone and the rumours were all about the school. Everyone knew what the famous little child did at the age of eleven. Harry was even more famous now.

Marley Macmillan was in the Great Hall with her friends. She wished Noen Black was with her, but he was sorted in Ravenclaw at the Sorting Ceremony. She was trying to meet him regularly and he told her he found some friends. Marley was happy - some people didn't care about his surname and they liked Noen for what he really was.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting close to Marley and her friends, Hermione even next to Marley. Everyone were impatient about the ceremony. The Hall was decorated in Slytherin's colours and Marley was disappointed again, because that meant they had won the House Cup.

"Another year passed," announced headmaster Dumbledore after he called the students for silence. "It's time to say who wind the House Cup. Ranking is - fourth, Gryffindor with 312 points."

Slow applauses in the room, Slytherins were grinning while Marley was shocked. How they could be on last place? This cannot be happening. Not again. Now Slytherin will mock at them till the end of her seventh year. Dumbledore said the other houses - on third place was Hufflepuff with 352 points, Ravenclaw with 426 points and Slytherin with 472 points. The table of Slytherin erupted in cheers but Gryffindors were mad. They weren't happy and some of them didn't even applaused.

"Well done, Slytherin! But let's also take the last few events for which I have to award a few more points." Dumbledore interrupted the happy cheers of all the Slytherins and they looked at him confused. "Miss Hermione Granger for cold blood and intelligence when others were in danger - 50 points. Ronald Weasley for the best chess game anyone in Hogwarts history has ever seen - 50 points. And to Harry Potter, for self-mastery and extreme courage - 60 points."

Dumbledore smiled as everyone on the Gryffindor table exploded in cheers and shoutings, Fred and George even whistled. But the headmaster raised his hand and everyone went silent. Slytherins were angrier than ever and that made Marley grin like an idiot.

"Last but not least, I would like to award 20 more points to Miss Marley Mаcmillan as well as to Mr. Fred and George Weasley. Argus told me about your pranks you were doing throughout the year. Your pranks, though not particularly pleasing to Argus, have maintained a good atmosphere even on the worst days of this school year." Dumbledore said and let out a quiet laugh, while Marley's jaw dropped from surprise. Angelina and Hermione first greeted her, the girl coming back to the reality. She high five with the ginger twins while the Gryffindors were cheering in the background. The three of them were grinning like idiots and Marley felt really happy. The disgusted and angry grimaces of Slytherins were making her evening better.

Dumbledore gave ten points to another first-year child, Neville Longbottom. The boy was even more shocked than Marley but the girl exclaimed happily and applaused the boys, whose lips were slowly turning into a big smile.

"If my calculations are correct, I think I need to adjust the decoration." Dumbledore clapped with his hands once and the Slytherin's flags turned into the bright scarlet red and golden of Gryffindor. More and more cheers. Marley bet tomorrow her face would hurt from smiling.

                                      ***

Marley Macmillan, Noen Black, Fred and George Weasley, Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan were travelling with Hogwarts Express from Hogsmeade Station to Kings Cross in London. The trip was really long and Marley spent half of it drawing. She finally had the time to finish her drawing she had started almost an year ago. The drawing of Fred and George Weasley.

In the time she wasn't drawing, the girl was asking Noen everything about what was he doing at his first year, did he like it, how were classes and teachers, about some of his friends. Noen was happy. If he was, Marley was too. The children had taken the opportunity to use their last hours at the train to play with their wands - they were underage and couldn't make magic out of school, but they were still in the train and it wasn't forbidden.

Finally, the train arrived at the station. Noelle Black would wait for them at the crowdy platform, a lot of parents waiting for their children to get off the train. The friend group who had just left their compartment, were carrying their luggage and making their way to the exit of the train. Marley was sometimes pushing with other students, politely saying she's sorry. Exactly at the time they got off the train, Lee Jordan saw his parents, said goodbye to his friends and went there. Angelina Johnson stayed a couple of minutes more, than she also left them but hugging Marley before going.

And Marley was now left with Fred, George and Noen. Molly Weasley, the twins' mother would pick them up and the girl quickly noticed her iconic red hair through the crowd. She also saw the children and walked toward them.

"Hey, Mom is here." exclaimed Fred but Noen wasn't looking at the approaching Mrs. Weasley, but to Noelle Black. She had just appeared on the station waiting for them.

"Marls, we should go. Mom is here." whispered Noen in the exact time Molly Weasley came and hugged her children.

"If you wanna go, go. I'll come in a minute." said Marley quietly. Noen just nodded coldly and headed for his mother, patiently waiting for him to come. She hugged slightly him and took his suitcase, then her gaze fell on Marley and her godmother smiled. Marley smiled back.

"Mom, can Marley go this summer in the Burrow?" the girl heard the voice of Fred Weasley, who was looking at his mother with sad doggy eyes. "Please, I think the others should meet her."

"Of course she can come." replied Molly Weasley with a nice smile. Fred and George shouted happily and now Marley realized what was happening. "Marley, sweetheart, do you want to visit us in the summer?"

"I'd love to." said immediately Marley. "I just have to ask godmom, but I don't think she'll mind."

"Great. See you in August." smiled Mrs. Weasley, giving a gesture of the twins to follow her. They followed her, but not after hugging Marley. When George withdrew from the girl, he whispered in her ear. "I'll owl you for the details."

Marley smirked and felt the blush coming to her cheeks. "I'll wait."

George just grinned naughtily and said a goodbye with the girl. She waved at them for once and they all replied back, waving at her. The girl let ou a quiet laugh, then she turned around and went to her godmother and Noen, not being able to remove the smile from her face.