Marlene had committed her first act of rebellion of the school year on the Hogwarts Express. Her reflection in the bathroom mirror stared intently back at her. She glanced down at the sink which contained about fifteen centimeters of golden blonde hair. It was time for a change. Afterall, she was finally joining her older brothers at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was finally a young adult. She ran her fingers slowly through her shoulder length hair, admiring the new style. Her steel blue eyes shone in the mirror. Without thinking twice, Marlene kept cutting and framed her face with a fringe she had seen in a muggle magazine the week prior. The idea of looking like her favorite muggle rockstar made her heart flutter with excitement. She admired her hair in the mirror again.
Suddenly a knock at the bathroom door startled her. “Give me a minute!” She yelled. Marlene threw her dead and dry hair into the trash and opened the door quickly.
A loud banging sound came from the other side of the door followed by a loud exclamation. “Oh God, I’m so sorry,” Marlene said to the poor girl she rammed with the door. “Does it hurt?” She twisted and turned her head to try and examine the girl's nose.
“Of course it hurts,” the red headed girl held her freckled nose tightly.
Marlene rolled her eyes, “Let me see it.”
The girl moved her hand away and revealed a small bruise on the bridge of her nose. “How does it look?” She asked politely.
“It could be worse,” Marlene said nonchalantly.
“What!?” The red headed girl exclaimed. Expecting the worst, she ran into the bathroom to look in the mirror. “This looks horrendous!” She groaned.
Marlene pulled out her wand and cast one of the only spells she could, “Episkey.”
The red headed girl looked in the mirror closely, examining every centimeter of her nose. “Brilliant! Thank you!”
“Not a problem,” Marlene smirked, “and I’m terribly sorry for hitting you with the door. I promise it was an accident.”
“It’s alright.” She held out her right hand, “Lily.”
“Marlene.” She said back as she shook hands with her new friend.
Marlene was expecting to not make any friends this year. She has been told by many that she often comes off as abrasive or even rude. Thankfully, hitting Lily in the nose with the bathroom door was the best way she could have made a new friend.
Lily walked back to her compartment and Marlene followed swiftly behind her. She hadn’t any time to find a compartment for herself before the train left the platform. She followed Lily towards the front of the train. A compartment opened and two other girls sat on the red cushions.
The girl on the right rose from her seat immediately. “Hi!” She exclaimed as Marlene entered the compartment. “I’m Mary, it’s nice to meet you!” She went in for a hug and Marlene hesitated.
“Marlene,” She smiled politely as she pushed Mary away as subtly as possible.
Lily and Mary sat towards the compartment door and talked endlessly about the sorting ceremony.
Marlene sat down across from the girl who had not turned her head away from the window. She decided to not pay attention to her, and instead joined the conversation between Lily and Mary.
“What house do you reckon you’ll be sorted into?” Mary asked.
“Two of my brothers are in Gryffindor. So I guess that’s where I’ll end up.”
“Personally,” Mary began, “I think being in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw would be magnificent.”
“Why’s that?” Lily asked.
“Other than the fact that red and blue look the best on me?” She said half jokingly as she twirled her curly hair around her finger.
“Other than the fact that red and blue look the best on me?” She said half jokingly as she twirled her curly hair around her finger. “I’m a muggle born too,” Mary said to Lily. “The only thing I know about the houses are their colours,” She admitted.
The girls laughed and Marlene felt at home earlier than she thought she would.
After a minute of zoning out, Marlene slouched back closer to the window. Her eyes kept lingering on the girl with thick black hair and cool dark skin. As she looked her up and down, she analyzed her outfit. The girl was wearing bright red corduroy pants with a thick brown leather belt. The sleeves on her black sweater were rolled up neatly. Her hands rested on the Hogwarts robe in her lap.
Marlene stared at her, waiting for a greeting or even a reaction. Annoyed, she leaned in closer to her, trying to meet her gaze.
Finally the girl turned her head away from the window. Two long dark braids fell in front of her face. “What?” She asked.
Marlene leaned back and spread her legs to get more comfortable, “I was trying to be friendly.”
“Well try a bit harder,” the girl responded.
Marlene furrowed her brows and held out her hand like Lily had done a half hour before, “I’m Marlene,” she said.
“I know. You said that to Mary.”
“Alright, and you are?” Marlene asked impatiently, waiting for a name to match her face.
“Dorcas,” she said flatly.
“Nice to meet you,” Marlene responded sarcastically.
They didn’t speak for the rest of the train ride.