Seventh Year, The Room of Come and Go
November 1977
`This is complete bollocks!` James cursed as the whole Gryffindor team marched across the lawn towards the castle. `Can`t bloody believe we have to postpone the match!`
`I`m more worried about my hands - if I`m being honest,` Yasmin reacted, drawing a pained expression.
`Surely Madam Pomfrey can sort us out,` Marlene said, wincing as she picked at the tender skin of her palms. She probably should stop touching it before she made it any worse.
Due to a malicious hex, none of the Gryffindor nor Ravenclaw players were able to touch their brooms without attaining a plethora of wickedly sharp splinters. Though the deed had not been signed, the culprits were rather clear. A couple of days prior, owed to a fault in the schedule, the Ravenclaw practice had run out by half an hour. Consequently, the Slytherin team had been forced to postpone their own practice. Obviously, this mishap had upset them, and now both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were paying the price.
`Oh dear,` Madam Pomfrey tutted as she noticed the large group of maimed quidditch players drooping into the infirmary. `Best if you all take a seat - this could take a while.`
Thanks to Madam Pomfrey`s excellent healing skills, the removal of the splinters was almost completely painless. Marlene was among the first ones to be helped and took to assisting the medi-witch as soon as her hands were free to move.
`McKinnon,` Yasmin called out to her from across the ward. `Can you do me next? These things burn.`
`Aye, sure.` Marlene nodded, feeling her cheeks flush.
The past month had been a maze of longing glances, accidental hand touches, and cheeky remarks from Yasmin. Though Marlene had never been on the receiving end, she was well aware that these were textbook signs of flirting. It was almost too obvious to look past or ignore.
Nevertheless, Marlene didn`t completely trust her own judgement. It was still quite probable that she was imagining it; that she was being utterly delusional. The odds weren`t exactly in her favour either: the chances of Yasmin being into girls were already slim, add to those the ones of Yasmin fancying her. It was a wee bit bleak.
Moreover, Marlene didn`t want to have her heart broken - again. It felt scary to open up to this new possibility. She`d barely had enough time to sow her chest back up again; the scars were still red and raw. Besides, she wasn`t sure if it would be fair towards Yasmin.
Granting, perhaps all of these were merely excuses she was telling herself to avoid taking action. In a sense it was easier to wait it out than to do anything about it.
`How come you`re so good at this stuff anyway?` Yasmin asked as Marlene gently picked the splinters out of her palms, drawing her wand over the tender skin.
`Want to become a healer,` Marlene said, keeping her gaze fixed on her work. If she were to look up at Yasmin, she was sure to lose her focus. `Been taking lessons from Madam Pomfrey.`
`Oh wow, really?` Yasmin replied, admiration shimmering through in her voice. `Had no clue. Thought you`d want to go profession – quidditch, I mean.`
`Nope,` Marlene replied - flattered by the assumption. `Do you?`
`Don`t think so,` Yasmin shook her head. `Not sure what I want to do yet. My parents want me to do something scientific, but I`m rubbish with numbers.` She laughed – a deep throaty laugh.
`Hm.` Marlene nodded. She wished that she had something more interesting to say; she must be coming across as extremely boring. Yasmin seemed to have a natural skill to strike up a conversation with anyone.
`Well, you`re all done.`
`Legend,` Yasmin smirked and admired her newly mended hands; they were broad with a network of veins and tendons crossing the backs of them.
Marlene had to swallow to rid herself from the uprise of flutters in her throat. She dawdled, not wanting to leave Yasmin`s side.
`Want to do something together?` Yasmin suddenly asked - possibly sensing her hesitation. `Don`t s`pose you`ve anything to do now that the game is cancelled.`
`Do what?` Marlene asked, somewhat startled.
Yasmin grinned and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. `Uh, I dunno - we could go outside or something? Unless you need to revise.`
`Aye, sure.` Marlene couldn`t believe that she was actually agreeing to this! They`d only spent time together during practice; that was a safe little world; this was something else entirely.
Rising from the hospital bed, Yasmin didn`t leave any room for further hesitation and strode towards the exit of the infirmary. She looked over her shoulder, urging Marlene to follow.
Completely forgetting her duties, Marlene hurried after Yasmin. Her entire skin was tingling. She couldn`t quite believe that this was happening. However, she shouldn`t be getting her hopes up: maybe Yasmin was just being nice.
It was cold outside, but dry - which it hadn`t been for weeks. They set off in the direction of the lake; the body of water shimmered in the distance, reflecting a school of fish-like clouds. The trees were completely bare; decaying leaves crunched under their feet as their trotted down the pathway.
As they neared the lake, Yasmin suddenly halted. She turned around to face her.
`Race you there? First one to reach the water wins,` she said, her dark eyes twinkling at Marlene. `Bet I can beat you.`
Marlene`s stomach made a summersault. `You think you can beat me?`
`We`ll see.` Yasmin raised her eyebrows and without warning darted away across the pathway, jumping over a bolder as elegant as a deer.
`Oi!` Marelene hollered, setting into motion. `That`s not fair!` Ahead, she could see Yasmin`s long plait swinging back and forth, her strong legs rising and falling with each step.
The cold air cut into her lungs as she lunged over rocks and fallen tree trunks, dodging low hanging branches on her way. Her muscles weren’t warm and she could feel her joints creak in their sockets. The pebbles and sand on the beach slipped and grinded underneath the soles of her boots as she hurtled down towards the waterfront, coming to a stumbling halt.
`That took you a while.`
`You cheated!` Marlene heaved as she came to stand next to a triumphant Yasmin.
`Yeah well,` Yasmin drew her tongue over her bottom lip, suddenly appearing less boisterous. `I only did that so I could make it up to you.`
`Make it up to me?` A surge of excitement meandered its way through Marlene abdomen, snaking up her chest. `Make it up to me how?`
Yasmin took a step forward, extending a hand and taking one of Marlene`s. Even though the splinters had been removed, Marlene could still feel the pinpricks on her palm. Trembling, she let herself be pulled a little closer. There was absolutely no doubt about Yasmin`s intentions anymore.
`Is this alright?` Yasmin whispered shyly. Their faces were only inches away from each other; their breathing synchronized as they gazed at each other`s lips.
Marlene nodded, feeling breathless. This was actually happening!
Gingerly, Yasmin leaned forward and softly collided her lips with hers. The surface of her skin was cold from the November air, but as Marlene kissed her back and softened into her, she could feel Yasmin`s internal heat mingling with her own. Gaining confidence, she grabbed Yasmin`s waist and pulled her against her. In turn, Yasmin`s hands glided up towards Marlene`s neck and face; her cold hands cooled the heat of her cheeks and added to the shivers running up her spine.
After a while, they both pulled back, giggling. Yasmin`s soft brown cheeks were flushed and the tip of her nose had turned red from the near-frost; she grinned at Marlene, exposing the gap between her front teeth. Despite of the cold, Marlene felt as though there was molten fire running through her veins.
`Want to do that again?` Yasmin asked, her face splitting open like ripe fruit.
Without hesitation this time, Marlene kissed her and reveled in the blissful new sensation.
***
Early December 1977
`What`s your next class?` Mary asked as she buttoned her blouse.
`Erm…dunno,` Eton replied, looking at himself in the mirror and tidying his collar. `But I reckon I`ll bunk it off - whatever it is.`
`Hm.` Mary pursed her lips and reapplied her lipstick.
Eton was the boy she’d been seeing for the past week and a half; he was a seventh year Gryffindor who’d flunked his NEWTs twice and was repeating this year for the third, and hopefully final, time. Mary had imagined it to be a great idea to date someone a little bit older than herself. However, Eton proved to be even more irresponsible and immature than any of her previous boyfriends.
`Well, I’m not going to risk another detention from McGonagall,` Mary said and stuffed her make-up pouch back into her satchel. `Will you walk me to class?`
`Why?` Eton pulled a face and lit a blunt, blowing smoke into the damp bathroom. `You can walk yourself just fine – nothing wrong with those legs of yours.`
`Are you serious?` Mary gaped at him, placing a hand on her hip. `Want me to get locked in a fucking broom closet or something?`
`Oh, come off it,` Eton replied. `You can`t seriously be referring to those Slytherins pretending to be what…? Dark wizards?` He laughed and took another drag. `It`s not that deep - honestly. It`s all just a bunch of nonsense - only the government trying to scare us. You shouldn’t be so worried about it.`
`Not thatdeep?` Mary snapped, raising her voice ever so slightly. `People are receiving death threats, and you are telling me not to worry about it?`
Someone had carved `Mudbloods get out!` on the blackboard in the Muggle studies classroom a few days prior; and that was only scraping the surface of the things which had been occurring.
`Yeah,` Eton hummed, leaning his head against the mirror. `You shouldn’t let other people tell you how to feel. You women get worked up so easily. Jesus.`
`You women?` Mary said, dangerously low. She couldn`t believe that the mouth saying those words had been all over her mere minutes ago. Although – was it even that surprising?
`Alright, alright - calm down.` Eton held up his hands defensively. `Thought you were a good time, Macdonald.`
`Don`t you tell me to calm down!` Mary pointed a trembling finger at him. `And don`t tell me you didn`t have a good time just now.`
Eton shook his head, laughing – as if he thought this was absolutely hilarious. `See, that`s what I mean! Don`t take what I say to heart so much.` He pushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes.
`Oh, fuck you,` Mary spat – letting her words rattle as dice. `We`re done.`
`Alright,` Eton said, putting his tongue inside his cheek. `Not as if this thing was going to last anyway.`
Mary glared at him, yet decided to bite her tongue. He was not worth her time, nor her energy. Instead, she turned around and stomped out of the loos into the corridor. She wanted nothing more than to wash her mouth with acid and take a thorough shower. However, she had classes to attend.
Just when Mary thought that she`d made it safely across the seventh floor, the familiar voices of Regulus and Barty Crouch pooled into the hallway. The two Slytherin boys were conversing in subdued voices; the only thing clashing with their silence was Crouch's brawling hyena-like laugh.
Quickly, Mary leapt into a broom closet and held her breath. Pressing a hand against her sternum, she could feel her heart moving wildly. She could hear the boys’ voices passing by the door. Her tightly clutched wand burned against her skin.
In Mary’s eyes, Regulus Black had always been Sirius` little brother; a reclusive and shy mirror image. Whilst Sirius seemed to possess a particular skill to make a spectacle of himself, Regulus did not. As a result of this, Regulus had always been overshadowed by the theatrics of his older brother. The image Mary had in mind of him was one with bend head, dragging feet, and hanging shoulders.
However, this year, things seemed to have changed dramatically. There had been a shift in the hierarchy at Hogwarts. In only a short amount of time, Regulus had clawed his way to the top. In his sixth year, he paraded the hallways as though he rose above everyone else.
Even more concerning, Regulus didn`t dispute the rumours surrounding his status as a death eater. He even appeared to encourage them. It had become general knowledge that he had joined Lord Voldemort and was supposedly in regular contact with the man himself.
This new development had obviously provoked a general fear surrounding Regulus and his group of disciples. Trouble seemed to follow them around. Wherever they went, muggle-born students were getting harmed in mysterious ways.
As soon as Mary was sure that she would not be noticed by Regulus and Crouch, she withdrew from the broom closet and hurried across the seventh floor. Entering into the crowded part of the castle she could feel her muscles slacken.
`Goodness!` Lily tutted as she noticed Mary making her way towards them. `Thought you were going to be late!` She towed Mary into the classroom; almost everybody else was already seated at their desks.
`No,` Mary shook her head. `Got caught up in something.`
`Did you come here alone?` Marlene asked, taking her books out of her bag and positioning herself next to Mary.
`Don`t really want to talk about it,` Mary replied, smoothing her skirt on her lap. `All I have to say is that Eton`s a complete tosser and -`
`Miss Macdonald,` Professor McGonagall’s voice suddenly rung through the classroom. `Can you quiet it down, please.`
`Sorry, Professor.` Mary kissed her teeth. She hadn`t been the only one talking.
Their Transfiguration lesson proceeded as usual. In their final year, the class had taken on new hights of difficulty. Mary kept staring out of the window, wondering how her mother and Atalyia were doing. The letters from home were sparce; it as a good thing that the winter holidays weren`t that far off anymore.
`Want to play some exploding snap?` Mary asked as she and Marlene exited the classroom. Lily had already left with James – as per usual.
`Erm,` Marlene said, nibbling on her bottom lip. `I erm…actually already sort of agreed to go study with someone.`
`Oh!` Mary replied surprised. `Who? Lupin?`
Marlene picked at her nails and shook her head. `No – erm, Yasmin. She asked for my help in Herbology.`
`Ok. Well, I don`t mind studying.` Mary shrugged her shoulders. Everything was better than spending the afternoon on her own; all of her plans had fallen through due to her previous mishap.
`Aye, but wouldn`t that be uncomfortable?` Marlene replied, sounding a bit hesitant. `I mean – you don`t really know Yasmin.`
`So?` Mary lifted her eyebrows questioning. `I`m good with people. I won`t bite if she doesn`t.` She chuckled lightly.
Meanwhile, they had approached the portrait entrance and Mary could see a girl waiting in front of it; she vaguely recognised her as being the new Gryffindor keeper. The girl’s gaze fell on Marlene, then flittered quickly to Mary.
`So - ready to study?` Marlene posed, swaying back and forth on her feet.
Yasmin looked confused and furrowed her thick eyebrows.
`Was just telling Mary how you needed help in Herbology. Said it was alright if she joins us. If that’s alright with you at least?`
`Oh yeah,` Yasmin slapped a hand to her forehead. `Of course, study. Sorry – think I zooned out there,` she laughed. `I`ll go get my books.` She bounded into the common room, braid swinging wildly.
`Right,` Mary said, looking pensively at Marlene, not sure what had just happened. `So that`s Yasmin?`
`That`s Yasmin.` Marlene nodded, avoiding her gaze.
Mary had the creeping sensation that she`d imposed on something on which she shouldn`t have been.
***
Mid-December 1977
It was dire cold in the dungeons; a bitter breeze scraped past the walls, licking the wet stone and howling through the vents. Hurriedly, Lily put the unused potion ingredients back on the shelves, shivering in her robes. From the corner of her eye, she could see Severus staring at her; his beady eyes never seemed to leave the back of her head. Chewing on the inside of her cheeks, she tried to ignore his burning glare.
Meanwhile, Professor Slughorn was extending invitations for his annual Slug-club Christmas party. Already, the dungeons had been decorated for the occasion. Lush emerald reaves and silver tinsel hung from wooden beams in the ceiling; narrow white candles brightening the dimly lit classroom.
`And one for you, Miss Evans,` Slughorn announced jauntily. `Save the best for last.` He didn`t hide his soft spot for her, which absolutely grinded the gears of the other club attendees.
Even though Lily was certain that she wouldn’t be joining the party, she accepted the scroll with a polite smile and tucked it into her pocket.
This year, Lily was the only non-pureblood student who attended these meetings. The fact that the other members weren’t bothering her was a testimony to their respect for Professor Slughorn. They whispered and snickered behind her back, yet, that was as far as they seemingly dared to take it.
`Happy holidays, Professor,` Lily said as she headed for the door.
`Happy holidays, dear girl,` Slughorn smiled generously.
Lily smiled back and bounded up the stairs. If she’d linger, Slughorn would latch onto her, questioning her about her future aspirations; not something she wanted to discuss with all the uncertainty of the war.
`Took you long enough,` Mary said, getting up from the windowsill. `This corridor gives me the creeps.`
`Aye, same.` Marlene rubbed her arms and glanced over her shoulder.
Slug-club was held after dinner and her friends had come to collect her outside the classroom. Not wasting any time, they began their journey to Gryffindor tower, hurrying through the castle. Due to the reclusive nature of the dungeons, they had to make quite the journey, taking various detours and deserted corridors.
Just as they set foot on the last staircase, it set in motion and the girls were thrown against the banister, jostling over the empty space beneath it.
`Why’d they have to make this school so bloody impractical,` Mary cursed, holding on for dear life.
`We’ll just have to make another detour,` Lily signed tiredly, rubbing her brow. It was late and she longed for the warmth of the common room fire.
Eventually, the staircase stopped moving, halting at the seventh floor.
`Grand,` Marlene muttered and took the lead.
Despite the fact that they’d been living at Hogwarts for over six years, it proved that getting lost was still an option. The sconces on the walls flickered, morphing their shadows and limiting their vision. At every turn, Lily got the sick sensation as though they`d already been there; the hallways seemed to be leading them nowhere.
`Fucking magical architecture!` Mary tramped across the flagstones. `I just want to get to the common room and make something of my evening! This wouldn`t have happened if we hadn`t had to pick you up at old Sluggy`s den.`
`You volunteered!` Lily countered defensively. `James would’ve done it for you.`
Mary ignored this remark. `I don`t understand why you still go there anyway,` she continued. `It`s full of bloomin’ death eaters.`
Lily braced herself for a counterattack, opening her mouth.
`Keep your voices down,` Marlene hissed, interrupting their spat. `We don`t want to rouse Peeves.`
`Ooh yes, because it`s Peeves I`m worried about,` Mary tutted. `Not that boggart someone set loose inside the castle or-`
`Shut up - both of you,` Lily whispered urgently. `Look.`
Mary and Marlene turned their heads, following Lily’s gaze; their mounts fell ajar as they noticed it too. A large door had appeared - one that hadn`t existed mere seconds ago.
`Merlin,` Marlene mumbled. `That’s not happened before, has it?`
The brass doorknob gleamed invitingly in the light, reflecting the flickering sconces. Lily felt the overwhelming urge to touch the knob and turn it around; to find out what was behind it. A soft crackling emanated from the door - as though someone was burning a fire on the other side. Slowly, she extended a hand, stretching her fingers.
`What`re you doing,` Mary snapped. `Don`t touch it!`
Lily retracted her hand, shaking herself. `You’re right. It could be hexed.`
Even in a place like this, doors springing into existence wasn`t something common. They shouldn`t throw caution to the wind – especially seeing the events of the last few months.
All three of them stared at the door, unsure of their next course of action. They should probably report it to a member of staff. However, something told Lily to refrain from doing so. A gravitational force pulled her towards the door, telling her to peek on the other side.
`I’ll check if it’s locked,` Lily whispered, cautiously drawing her wand.
Mary and Marlene nodded, ostensibly also burning with curiosity.
Gingerly, Lily tapped her wand on the doorknob, standing back lest it would do something unexpected. `Alohomora.`
The door swung open, groaning with effort, sounding as though it hadn’t been opened in years. All three of them emitted a surprised gasp as the room revealed itself.
A sea of towering shelves stretched out in front of them, reaching as far as the eye could see. The floor was littered with piles of books, cauldrons, flasks, and other oddities. Marble statues, instruments, ancient looking globes, and taxidermized animals were thrown to the floor or leaning against eachother. The only light was coming from the ceiling where high cathedrallike windows invited the merest beams of silver glow.
`I never knew a place like this existed here,` Marlene breathed, knitting her brows.
`That`s because it doesn`t,` Lily replied, racking her brain for a logical explanation. `Well - it shouldn’t. It`s not in any of the books I’ve read; I don’t think it’s in Hogwarts a History. It- it doesn`t make any sense.`
It was said that Hogwarts contained a myriad secret passages; and a rumour about a secret catacomb underneath the castle, containing a monster. Lily had always reckoned the latter to be complete balderdash. However, nobody knew what shenanigans the founding four had gotten up to in their prime days.
`Didn`t this used to be a broom closet or something?` Mary said, stepping over the threshold and gazing at the dizzying ceiling.
`Broom closet?`
`Yeah,` Mary nodded. `I thought I-` she looked pensive, then shook her head. `Mm, no maybe I`m wrong.`
Marlene shouldered past Mary and had lit her wand, examining the face of a taxidermized bever.
Finally, Lily entered the room, closing the door behind her lest Peeves or someone else would spot them. `Rooms don`t just appear and disappear,` she said, rubbing her forehead. `Not unless… Well not unless they’re part of some sort of ancient magic.`
`Och!` Marlene suddenly gasped, almost knocking over the beaver. `I think I know where we are! When I was wee, Mammy used to tell me a bedtime story about an unplottable room at Hogwarts which would appear only when someone was in dire need of it. So, very few people knew about it. But - I always thought it was just a myth.`
`Wait… yes I think I read about that somewhere as well,` Lily nodded. She vaguely remembered reading something about a Room of Come and Go, or a Room of Requirement. `But almost no one has been able to find it…`
`That would explain why the lads haven`t turned this place into their hide-out yet,` Mary opted, drawing a finger over a dusty globe. `I reckon we would know if they`d found it.`
`Hm,` Lily mulled. `Perhaps.` The marauders were better at keeping secrets than most people thought.
They fell silent, gawking at the room. If it were indeed the Room of Come and Go, that still didn`t account for its appearance to them. Perhaps the ancient magic of the castle knew more than they did.
`Can we agree on something,` Mary broke the silence. `Can we keep this between us - let this be just ours?`
`Of course,` Marlene nodded.
`Our secret,` Lily agreed.
///