chapter 1
Marlene can hear them whispering and giggling like the pricks that they are. She can’t believe she used to associate herself with them. Ugh, they were friends. Kind of. Well, might as well hear what they’re giggling about. It’s not Marlene’s fault that they’re loud about they’re business.
“Yeah,” Dorcas whisper-squeaks, excitedly. “We’re hanging out on Wednesday after school.”
“What are you doing? Do you have a plan yet,” Regulus questions as he presses the elevator button.
“I think we’re going to The Three Broomsticks. You know. Just hang out, eat, talk. A classic first date.” A DATE? Marlene thought. Who is going on a date with Dorcas?! She’s like the worst person ever.
The elevator door opens and everyone shuffles in. Or, at least tries to. It’s always a tight fit with their entire health class trying to go up from the basement to their next class. Marlene secures a spot for herself in the elevator before she finds herself squished in between two people. Barty turns to face Dorcas to continue their conversation and hits Marlene with his backpack, pushing her into Pandora. Oh, great. Just her luck. Stuck between the two most complicated relationships in her life.
Barty used to be Marlene’s best friend. She grew up far away from Hogwarts and didn’t have any friends. The summer before freshman year, she somehow ended up in an Instagram groupchat called ‘class of 202dicks’. Wonderful. The group name was a great play on the “Class of 2026” and had about 40 people in it from her new class. Someone suggested that everyone should put their Snapchat usernames in. Well, of course, Marlene did. Only one person added her. The one and only, Barty Crouch Jr. They kept a streak for the month before school started and when schedules came out they discovered that they had every single academic class together. For the entirety of freshman year, Marlene would spend her mornings in music classes and Barty would spend his in acting classes. At 5th period, they would meet in biology and go through the rest of their day together. Best friends. Attached at the hip. When sophomore year started, they remained close despite their lack of classes together. Only one. Fitness and health. Enter Dorcas and Evan. Those fucking blood-sucking assholes. They became friends with Barty and all of a sudden he had no time for Marlene. She would talk to the whole group of them in fitness but they hung out without her all the time. It felt like shit. So she dropped Barty and all the rest of them.
Unfortunately, she is forced to talk to and interact with Dorcas because they have music together. Oh well, you win some, lose some.
On the other side, Pandora and all her beauty and her kindness. She’s the only one in that group that Marlene can stand. Does that pose a bit of a problem? Yes. Considering Marlene has been a tad bit madly in love with her for the past year… Yeah, she's a disaster. Also, Pandora has a boyfriend. Xenophilius. They’ve been dating since November and now it’s May and their relationship is perfect and healthy and Marlene hates it. However, she’s still friends with Pandora and wants her to be happy. If Xeno makes her happy then Marlene has absolutely no desire to interfere.
“I can’t believe you’re going on a date with Mary. She’s gorgeous,” Barty whispers just loud enough that Marlene can hear. No. Fucking. Way.
Marlene steps out of the elevator onto the 5th floor. Now that she has space, she pulls out her phone and opens up the group chat.
cozy cuties 😘😘
marlene!!: MARY MACDONALD
marlene!!: you traitor.
marlene!!: i can’t believe you.
mary!!: WTF DID I DO???
lily!!: 😭 what did you do
mary!!: IDK
mary!!: MARLENE WTF
marlene!!: sorry i was getting to english
marlene!!: YOURE GOING ON A DATE WITH DORCAS???
marlene!!: she’s like the number one opp besides barty!!
james!!: WHAT???
james!!: MARY NO WAY
marlene!!: WAY!! I HEARD IT STRAIGHT FROM DORCAS WHEN I WASNT EAVESDROPPING!!
lily!!: oh mary…
lily!!: that’s bad.
mary!!: WHAT??
mary!!: I AM NOT GOING ON A DATE WITH DORCAS
mary!!: WHY WOULD SHE SAY THAT???
marlene!!: well technically barty said it but whatever.
lily!!: you’re all idiots.
marlene!!: huh??
lily!!: mary morehouse.
marlene!!: OHHHH
james!!: OHHHH
mary!!: OHHHH
marlene!!: yeah i forgot about her. that makes more sense. you literally have a bf 💀
james!!: wait. i thought dorcas was straight??? can we talk about that now???
marlene!!: she’s bi i think
lily!!: she is???
marlene!!: yeah i learned that when we did Impressions together.
james!!: oh. ok cool 👍
Marlene taps Pandora’s desk across from her to get her attention. Pandora looks up, gorgeous eyes sparkling. Marlene leans forward to talk to her so that Flitwick can’t hear.
“Is Dorcas going on a date with Mary Morehouse on Wednesday?”
“How do you know that?”
“Well, Barty and Dorcas aren’t the quietest people on the planet.”
“Good point. Yeah, she is.”
“Oh. Ok!”
“Why?”
“Just… wondering.”