Don't Let Me Fall ~ A Marauders Era Fic ~ Marlene X OC

Chapter 2

Word Count: 1101

As Samantha caught Molly and Lily up on her plan, they made their way to find the boys compartment. She waited and began to listen to see what the girls would come up with, "James, I was thinking about your offer and I think I might just take it." Lily said grinning "Only if you and the boys help me and Molly first though!". 'Maybe Lily deserved more than three galleons..' she thought to herself. James looked at her flabbergasted while Sirius laughed. "I- I mean ya, uh huh, sure what do you need?" James said stumbling over his words.

Lily escorted the boys to the far back of the train, Samantha didn't get to hear what they asked the boys to do but was sure Lily would tell her later. She wasted no time and made her way into their compartment armed with glitter bombs and smoke duns. She began to hide the glitter bombs in the boys back so when they opened them it would blow up in their faces. Quickly rigging the smoke duns above their door so when they came back and closed it, they would go off. She thought she was being generous seeing as their last prank forced her to miss the end of year feast, all she was doing was giving them a little makeover.

Just before she left she conjured a note

Let The Games Begin

-S.L.R

Just as she finished writing it she could hear James talking in his regular arrogant tone, and quickly ran out and went back into her own compartment, waiting on her friends return with a smug smile. Soon Lily and Molly came in and giving her a suspicious look, finally Molly asked the inevitable question "What did you do?". "Oh you'll see as soon as they open the door, it was actually a quite clique prank, but a perfect starter!" Sam responded giggling.

Suddenly a stream of yells broke out, and Sam's smile grew brighter, "I guess they found it." she said softly, grabbing Lily's copy of 'Little Women' as she lazily began to look through it. The girls could hear Remus swearing in frustration. Lily had sat up, looking outside their compartment as a furious James Potter, caught her eye and began to storm towards them, the rest of the Mauraders close behind.

"The hell Riteen! You call this a prank, you ruined our uniforms!" he said annoyed, looking down at Sam who was still lazily reading, her legs propped up on the velvety cushions. "I have no idea what your talking about, and your uniforms aren't ruined, its just glitter, not that I would know anything about it." she said feigning innocence while Molly busted out laughing, Lily just stared him down with a satisfied grin.

"Your in for a hell of a year." Remus said from behind James. "Bring it on." She replied, slowly looking up from her book, returning his cold glare. From behind them she could hear a small boy named Peter mumble something about getting back at her later, and that the boys should return to their compartment.

The boys walked away sulking and complaining about their 'ruined' uniforms. "Poor boys, sulking like children" Lily slightly giggled. "Its all in good fun, we both know we mean no harm by it. But it is quite annoying when they sulk, as if they haven't done worse. At least I made them pretty.." Sam mumbled

The duration of their ride to Hogwarts was quite uneventful, a little too quiet. It seemed the boys were getting a bit sloppy, making it almost painfully obvious they had done something, what though, was the question. The train had stopped, as it had for the last six years, and the girls began to collect their luggage.

Before the others could open the door, she carefully reached and opened it a small amount, just as she expected, a stink bomb dropped right infront of the door. She quickly slammed it shut, now the whole corridor was a mess.

"How did you know they were going to do that?" asked Molly. "Third year, they've done this before. It was sloppy this time, it didn't even go off instantly." Lily said turning to look out into the corridor. As soon as the smell cleared out Lily, Molly, and Sam walked out.

All four of the boys were looking at the girls with glares, "Sloppy work Potter! Reusing a prank, especially one so clique? I'm disappointed." Lily taunted. "What do you expect, a masterpiece? I was working on borrowed time, trust me it'll only get worse." James replied with his signature cocky grin. "All in good time James! No hard feelings of course." Sam winked at him. "None at all, Riteen. Good to know your not a sore loser seeing as of last year..". "I didn't lose! You broke my bloody arm, that has to count as a forfeit!". Before James could rebuttal, Peter cleared his throat, they had been blocking others from leaving and quickly moved. 

The girls made their way past the boys, Sam sharing a mischievous smile. As they walked to the platform they were suddenly knocked down, "Miss me?" asked a smiling Marlene. "Blood hell, Marls! You scared me half to death, I thought you were Black or Potter for a second." Sam said as Marlene extended a hand and helped the girls up. "Mary with you?" Sam asked. "Mary, no! I don't know what happened with her, I tried to send a letter earlier but got no reply."

They began to walk to the carriages together, having lively conversation. When they got there the girls piled on, Samantha turned to look at the theastreal, knowing her friends couldn't see him. "So Mar, why didn't you just take the train like a normal person?" Molly questioned. "Because why not, I had the option to come early so I did, sorry I wasn't there to grace you with my presence." she replied sarcastically.

"How long have you been here?" Samantha asked. "Oh only a day or so, helping Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing." Samantha looked at Lily, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Hey Lil, how are you going to get out of your date with Potter?" Sam asked snapping her out of her trance. "Oh Merlin, I completely forgot I said that. You think if I don't show up he'll take the hint?" She said raising her eyebrows.

"When has he ever taken a hint?" Sam asked "He just going to stand outside our dorm, or find a way in, he thinks hes in love or something.".

Lily looked down, almost sad, Sam decided to not pester her with questions and switched her attention back to Marlene and Molly. Molly had just began to tell Marlene about her strange dream, "I can see you with seven kids, but it was just a dream." Marlene told her. "Yes your right, just a silly old dream.".

Sam let out a huff, sounding more annoyed than she intended "Aw, is someone jealous of their bestfriend?" Marlene asked nudging her side, "Why would I be jealous of Lily? She has to go on a date with James.". "Ouch Bunny, that kind of stung.".

Bunny, she knew that was one of the nicknames Sam tried to bury when she came to Hogwarts, Marlene only found out after she heard her mother call her Bunny when they were first saying goodbye on Platform 9 3/4. Ever since that fateful day she had been 'Bunny' to Marlene, even after all this time.

Marlene put her arm around Sam, "Cheer up, you've been glum since I first saw you. What happened, did ya meet a dementor or something?" she said in a joking tone. Maybe Sam would've laughed if that joke wasn't far from truth, but Sam wasn't ready just yet to tell her friends what happened over the summer.

The carriage came to a halt, and the girls got out one by one. Marlene helped Sam down, letting her hand linger longer than expected. When Sam looked up Marlene quickly let go and turned away.

There it was, Home.