Cigarette Deals
Dear Mary,
Who do you miss most from school? Besides me, which I say because I’m realizing very quickly that I miss you most of all, everyone else coming in a far second. If it doesn’t matter to you, please disregard, and, as with everything, we can move on. To answer for myself, I miss Remus the most besides you. I was thinking about him because of this lad I saw getting a real buzz off about brunch the other day in town, and it reminded me of something he’d do. For such a somber fellow he gets absolutely thrilled about toast and scones and everything of that sort. I truly miss that the most of all. The Evans house is somewhat stifled by Petunia and my wonderful mother. There isn’t much room to be happy besides if her gigantic boyfriend calls. I wish I could be thrilled about what kind of food is served in the morning
I hope you’re as happy right now as Remus gets about breakfast, or at the very least attempting to be so as reaching full levels might be impossible.
(P.S. You would’ve been absolutely riding the brunch lad from town.)
(P.P.S. He was just your combination of brooding and dainty.)
Yours, peering at egg’s Benedict and praying they’ll inspire joy,
Lily Evans
---
Dear Lily,
I do miss you most of all, of course. It’s a fact I really do want you to know, so I hope you won’t skip over that when you read this. Seeing you again, dear, will be that much more brilliant at the end of this long summer. Besides you, Marlene has to be my answer. She keeps me far sharper than anyone else does, at least in terms of arguing skills. Some people make me feel fragile, like any small debate could snap me in two, but Marlene understands purely how much I can take. It’s nice to have someone who will stay through any hurl of insult or any level of yelling. Just as much as she makes me angry, she makes me more happy than most people I know. I couldn’t say that for most things, besides something as perfect as the most insane kind of soap opera episode.
I have other terrific news as well. Writing to you makes me as happy as Remus seeing a piece of toast.
(P.S. I’m glad you’re finding men for me now.)
(P.P.S. Given the description, you’re doing a terrific job already!)
Yours, now excitedly staring at breakfast,
Mary Macdonald
Chapter 4: Cigarette Deals
Mary’s back was sore from sleeping funny on that little chair, and she couldn’t stop stretching out in the hard wooden chairs of McGonagall’s classroom. She’d slipped out from under Lily’s arm early in the morning, at an hour where it felt like even the permanent charms cast in the room had worn off. Even once she was well into her cushy four-poster bed, tucked under covers that only felt like a dream back home, she uneasily missed Lily’s steady breathing on her neck the moment she left. It took her hours to fall back asleep, thinking of her curled up around the space where Mary used to be.
All that to say, Transfiguration was particularly nap inspiring that day. She slumped on the desk and watched Lily's side profile as she took intense notes on whatever subject Professor McGonagall was rattling on about. Her nose wrinkled and her eyes pinched with concentration as each new topic was expanded upon and added to. She stood out from anyone else in the class, a mystery among a sea of people who begged to be made plain. Mary wanted to focus on that alone so badly she was half inclined to take some notes on it.
While she watched Lily, she caught stray judgemental glances from Marlene, who despite all oafish appearances very badly wanted to be a healer for Saint Mungo’s, and took school almost as seriously as Lily. Marlene appreciated Mary’s tendency for distraction when it suited best, like when she was having a tiring day and needed cheering, or when she didn’t feel like paying much attention either, but she also had the capacity to turn radically sour against it. Today, with McGonagall threatening essays and check-ins on all their spells, was not one of the more joyful days.
Remus, bless his beautiful heart, was the only one who respected her lifestyle. He sat in the back of the class lazily waving his hand to turn his quill into cotton candy and back again over and over. Earlier, he’d slipped her a note about meeting for lunch to discuss starting up the business again for this year. There was much to consider in terms of selling cigarettes to teenagers, and no one understood it quite like them. They had to decide who would be in the clientele, who could properly spread the word, and who could go two seconds without finking on them. The last thing, at least, got easier as they got older. Kids rebelled more and more at their age, and thus saw smoking as the perfect outlet. For Remus and Mary, this meant terrific news. More money and social glory to go around between the both of them!
Her head lolled backwards one resoundingly final time, nearly smacking Remus’s desk, which caused him to snicker uproariously. Marlene shot them a furious look, Lily giggled, and the whole class generally lost the plot, dissipating into whispers until the professor could get them back on track again. McGonagall summed up the lesson with haughty distaste for all of their immaturity, and began to announce their homework.
“Your assignment for the week is to read the first chapter of A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration, as well as have a twelve-inch essay prepared on the principles and practices of non-verbal incantations,” she sternly told the class, peering through her spectacles at Mary specifically.
“I look forward to having you all in class.” With a wave of her wand, she returned the door handles to their original form, restoring the wrought iron to each for after she’d turned them into whicker when Peter tried to leave to go to the loo.
“Oh!” For all Gryffindors, Quidditch tryouts will be held tomorrow, sharp and early. I do hope to see some of you there.”
With that, they were sent back out into the stoney reaches of the Hogwarts labyrinth, off to take lunch however you wanted it. She fell into step between Lily and Marlene, Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter talking loudly somewhere behind them.
“Bloody hell, wasn’t that a slog?” she exclaimed.
“Sure, you thought so,” Marlene replied. Lily giggled nervously, not excited for whenever the first fight of the year was going to begin. This always happened. Mary and Marlene were in a constant need of a reset period, one good challenge to remind each other of why they liked being friends in the first place. It sounded silly to some, toxic to others, but Marlene made her think and grow in a yes, slightly uncomfortable way, but a good one regardless.
“Forgive me, I forgot I was in the company of two very serious scholars,” Mary joked, bowing in between them. “All I was trying to say, really, was that it’s good to be back. Boring, yes. But good.”
Marlene looked at her, tossed her hair confidently out of her eyes, and grinned. It was the same old McKinnon grin, a soft toothy smile that couldn’t help but light up a room. That’s what Mary liked so much about the girl. Most people with smiles that great kept them largely hidden, but Marlene couldn’t possibly. She gave away her grin with assured ease, smiling even when she detested the idea. In that way, neither of them could ever really stay annoyed with each other.
“Take what you can, eh girls?” Mary reminded them. It was common practice for their trio to rob what they could from the Great Hall and bring it back to the dorm where Lily (the admittedly brightest) had rigged up some magical storing system, but all their stores had been emptied before the summer. She was sure to confirm that none of them had forgotten. It was extremely important to Mary that things like the saltine crackers or fig bars remained in stock. They’d gotten her through just about every hangover she’d suffered at school.
They all nodded in unison, prepared to shove rolls into the fold of their robes and stuff sweets into their school bags. To Mary, it felt good to be free again. She liked making her own plans in a place where making the wrong kind wouldn’t get her into massive trouble. She enjoyed fending for her own food when that food could be magically summoned.
“So, eat with the boys then?” Lily suggested, her head imperceptibly tilting towards James. Mary readily nodded. She needed to talk to Remus, and seeing Sirius would be an added bonus anyway. Why not let them all have some fun with it?
“Sure.” Even with Marlene’s queasiness around the subject, it was two to one. She could sneak off on her own whenever she wanted, though Mary didn’t understand why she would want to.
Remus caught up to them only a few steps away from the Great Hall. He moved so gracelessly for such a ridiculously brooding bloke, like lanky legs sticking out at each step like his hands in his pockets were puppeteering them. If only he hadn’t been quite so odd like this, Remus would’ve made another fantastic candidate to be the one Mary picked.
“Alright there?” he mumbled, beaming at Lily and smiling cordially to the rest of them.
“Well off now that McGonagall’s behind us,” Lily joked. She was the one best suited to opening up a conversation with Remus. They had some essential kindness in common, like at the very base of their heart something was the same. The only thing Mary and Remus shared was cigarettes, while Marlene and him had nothing but their shared love of James Potter and Peter Pettigrew.
“Ai, I saw Macdonald over here having fits to stay awake!” he chuckled.
She simpered in his direction, “Didn’t get much sleep last night, is all.”
At that, or maybe the influx of people coming from other classes, Lily booked it towards the Gryffindor table.
“Guess we’d better shift it,” Remus shrugged to Mary and Marlene as all three of them watched her fiery hair swish through the crowd.
Marlene sat next to James, beginning a large and very live Quidditch discussion, and Lily already had her textbook out, furiously scribbling down Arithmancy notes and stealing occasional glances at James’ heated conversational skills. Sirius was nowhere to be found, which made Mary take one look at the scene and skip right out of it. She patted Lily on the back, motioning that her and Remus were heading out of there, and was met with only an anxious nod, which she took as a yes. Remus didn’t need too much to hightail it out of there. They exchanged nods, gestured out of the Great Hall, and retired to the courtyard to plan out their business for the year.
***
They walked all the way to the covered bridge before Remus finally stopped leading them, which Mary didn’t understand until he took out a cigarette and lit it. She knew he always carried a muggle lighter, different from many of their peers, who were obsessed with summoning flames from the tip of their wand to light their smokes.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, “didn't want to smoke in there.”
“Nah, it’s nicer out here. Quieter.”
“You wanna smoke?” he asked, waving the cigarette in her face. The fellow looked like he hadn’t slept at all last night, nor for many nights before that. Poor tortured handsome men, Remus could hardly fend the girls off of them.
“Cheers,” she smiled and took a puff of his offering. It tasted like home, which made her smile. If Lily was who she told the most about home to, Remus was the closest thing she could get to being right back in London. He was the same as all the lads there, with his somber sadness and troubled eyes. That’s why she could never want him, not like Sirius. He was sick with all the same things she was.
They both smoked quietly, trading the cigarette back and forth, for minutes. It was quiet on the bridge, the only noise was the wind whistling through the wooden supports, rattling some hollow call. She listened without speaking, and it was possibly the longest time she’d spent silently since arriving at Hogwarts.
“So, are we still on for selling?” Remus asked, finally placing the cigarette on the rail.
“My supplies are set if you are.”
He grinned slightly at this news, and the hair that curled around his face blew into his eyes. Remus was happiest around Lily, cigarettes, and Sirius, that much was clear.
“Sirius wants in, if that’s alright with you,” he said with another extremely knowing glance. One would think the idiot was psychic or something, what with the way he kept looking at her.
“Terrific,” Mary shrugged. She badly didn’t want to care, or at least appear like she didn’t.
“So it’s good then? He’s well and right in with us, yeah?” Jesus Christ, he really wanted her to say it.
“I suppose, yes. If you think he won’t tattle back to Dumbledore,” she teased.
“Of course not,” Remus scoffed, “his lips are sealed. Have you not had the chance to hear about his absolutely scandalous summer yet?”
“Oh, piss off.” She stormed a ways down the bridge and stopped in preparation for his response, full of annoyance she was too embarrassed to act on.
“Don’t worry, I think he wants you too.”
“Too?” she objects, but it isn’t any use.
“I have eyes, Macdonald, and Lily’s been acting shifty whenever I mention either of you in the same sentence.”
She turned around on her heels, her stupid robes whipping around her ankles. Very suddenly, she dramatically hated being a witch and dramatically wished to be anyone but herself. She was terrified, above all else, by the letters.
“Oi! What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I dunno, really. It’s just the only thing that makes her more nervous than James.”
Mary glared at him as the fire in her stomach began to burn itself out. There was good news in the fact that Lily hadn’t told him about all that they’d written to each other, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t figure it all out. Everyone liked Remus far too much, in a way that terrified her. There was no other person that trusted.
“Well maybe I do fancy him, what does it have to mean?”
“It means we all get something out of it, eh?” Remus Lupin, too smart for his own annoying good. “You get the fella, he gets the cash, and I get to watch it all happen.”
“Christ almighty, fair enough,” she shrugged. Nothing too horrible could come of it, anyway.
“Sirius is in?” He stuck out his hand to shake.
Mary took it and gave one firm confirmation, “He is.”
The business for that year was effectively set.