Even A Worm Will Turn

"God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering."

-Saint Augustine

The train chugging along brought a sense of comfort to Mary, and with the familiar scratching of Harry’s pencil, it’s no surprise that Mary fell asleep. When she woke up she heard soft chatter from above her head.

Blinking, Mary sat up from her position on Harry’s lap. All around her and on the floor there were discarded candy wrappers. In the seat opposite, a lanky red-headed boy watched her while chewing on what looked like a frog without a head . Outside, from a glance out the window, they had left the city and were now passing through the countryside. 

Harry poked at her head. “Do you want one?” he pulled out a strange box that looked like a circus tent. Mary glanced over to the other boy who also held a box similar to the one she was being offered. “Is that a frog?” Mary said in distaste.

Harry smiled and gave it to her. Mary took the box and held it out as far as her wingspan allowed. She hesitated before opening it just an inch. As soon as she did, something began jumping around in it. Sticking her hand in, she pulled out a struggling frog.

“Besf bife off the ‘ed,” the boy said through a mouthful “It gefs ‘fem to sfop.”

Mary nodded her head and almost dislocated her jaw trying to get the frog's head in her mouth. She bit down hard and it went limp in her hand. At her repulsed look Harry broke out into a fit of laughter, which the other boy quickly joined.

“Who’d you get,” Harry asked and took her box. He lifted a card with a woman with dark hair on the front. “Morgana Le Fay.” he flipped it for the boy to see. 

The boy nodded and finally swallowed the last bit of his frog down. “Yeah, that’s her alright. She was friends with Merlin before she got all bad. She’s rumored to have been the first Dark Mistress.”

Mary took the card from Harry. Morgana looked at her with a smile, waving at her. “What’s a Dark Mistress?” she asked.

The boy looked affronted to hear that. “They’re like Dark Lords.”

Harry perked up at the term he recognized. “Like Voldemort?” he said and the boy shuddered. 

“Don’t say his name!” the boy started, looking like Harry had cursed them all. “But yeah, like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”  

“What’s your name, anyway?” Mary asked while she dug through the pile of candy. 

“Ron, Ron Weasley.” 

“Mary Rust.” she said and at the same moment, the compartment door slid open. On the other side, a short blond boy stood with two full boys flanking him. He made a show of looking at each of them before speaking.

“Is it true that Harry Potter is in this compartment?” he said sassily and Harry crossed his arms. Snail .

“Yes,” Harry said and looked at the blond, obviously trying to copy his swagger. “Who are you then?”

A smirk. “Draco,” Draco said while extending a hand. “Draco Malfoy.” 

Ron coughed into his hand but Draco didn’t seem to appreciate that. “What? Think my names funny, do you?” Oh so he thought he was laughing, Mary thought. “No need to ask for yours. Red hair, and hand-me-down robes, you must be a Weasley. ”

Ron’s face turned red but Draco turned from him. “And you must be?” he asked Mary.

“Oh, I’m Mary Rust-“

Draco sneered down at her. “A mudblood, then?” 

All pleasantries went down the drain. “A pure blood, then?” she asked back with venom. Draco’s acquaintances cracked their knuckles but settled with a look from Draco. 

“You’ll soon find that some wizards and witches are better than others. I can help you there.” he told Harry, and with a wave, he placed his hand in front of Harry’s face. Harry looked up at it, then to Mary who was thinking some not-so-nice things and kept his hands folded on his chest.

“I think I can tell who the wrong sort are myself, thanks.” Harry said and Draco put his hand down.

“If I was you, Potter, I would be more careful about what you say to your superiors. Your parents hung around with the wrong sort and look where they ended up-“ Harry jumped up and almost flung himself at Draco but he had no need to because a rat had beaten him to it. An old rat with thin whiskers and a plump body had jumped out from somewhere in the compartment and latched onto Draco’s nose. 

“Arg! Get it off! Get it off!” Draco screamed and yanked on the rat's body. The boy on Draco’s left smacked the rat hard and it fell to the ground. With Draco freed from the rat's grip he and his bodyguards fled. Ron bent down and picked up the lax rat. Harry peered over at it. “Do you think he’s dead?” Harry asked but from the tiny rise and fall of the rat, they knew that he was fine.

“No, I can’t believe it! He’s asleep. ” Ron said and placed it down on some wrappers. Then a voice spoke from the door. “Did you almost get into a fight?” the bushy-haired girl asked in a nasal voice.

“No,” Mary said and pointed to the rat. “That thing did.”

The girl sniffed. “I’m Hermione Granger, and you are?”

For the umpteenth time, Mary introduced herself and Hermione nodded at her before leaving, shutting the door behind her. “Well, that was rude. She didn’t even ask for your names.” Mary said and sat back down while Harry and Ron looked at each other. 

“She came by earlier, wanted to know if we’ve seen a toad.” Harry said. Ron nodded along. 

“Okay, so what’s that then?” Mary asked, pointing to the snoozing rat. Ron looked over and patted it. “Oh, that’s Scabbers. He used to be my brother Percy’s but he got an owl so I got him.”

Mary nodded and made a note to herself not to ever touch it. “So, do you want to play truth or dare?” she asked and after some explaining, Ron was the most enthusiastic. Soon an announcement rang out that they were nearing Hogwarts. Mary left Harry and Ron in the compartment to change while she went to the bathroom. The bathroom line was so long that Mary just decided to camp out at the door of her old compartment.

After a few minutes she knocked on it and it slid open. Both Ron and Harry had their robes on except Harry. His tie was all lopsided and loose while Ron kept trying to tell Harry how to fix it. “Mary, thank God.” Harry said. “Can you fix my tie for me?”

Mary laughed. “Yeah, no problem. Just don’t make this a regular occurrence like your glasses.” she undid the knot Harry created. When she was done Harry had a pout. “How’d you do it so fast?” he whined.

“Get out, I need to change.” Mary commanded and the two boys left. Just as she finished tying her tie there was an announcement saying that they had arrived. When Mary opened the door, she was swept into a tsunami of people all running to the exit. Up ahead she could see Harry craning his head around. “Mary!”

“Back here!” she yelled back and tried to squeeze through the crowd with muttered apologies. She exited the train into the night and caught up with Ron and Harry. A large man, about the size of a smaller tree, and, a beard to make up for it. He held his lantern high as he yelled for the first years. Harry, Mary, and Ron squeezed through the thinning crowd and stood in the general area. Mary saw Hermione conversating with an anxious-looking boy. Mary also saw that Malfoy and his two goons had joined another group of children. After further investigation, Mary realized that one of those kids was the girl who called her a mudblood. She quickly turned her attention away.

“Is that anyone's toad?” the hulking man asked, which caused the boy who was talking to Hermione to dive at it. “Trevor!”

“First years, this way!” the giant said when the boy had Trevor in a firm grip and walked off through a passageway through the trees. The mass of first years all scurried after him and came to a stop when he did. The reason he stopped was that there was a humongous lake with a dozen boats gently rocking back and forth on its waters. “No more than four to a boat! No more than four to a boat!” he said and began helping others in. Stepping forward, Harry claimed one to the left and assisted Mary into getting in. He probably should have offered his help to Ron because the second he put one foot in he wobbled like crazy. He would have fallen if not for a pretty blond who came up behind him and placed a steadying hand on his arm.

“You alright?” she asked the red-faced Weasley before climbing in herself. Ron nodded and mumbled to himself.

The giant had gotten himself into a boat by himself. “Is everyone in? Alright, FORWARD!” he yelled and like magic (which it probably was, Mary reasoned) the boats all came to life and floated out of the port. 

Mary turned her attention to the girl. “What's your name?” she asked and the girl smiled.

“My names Hannah Abbott.” she told them and Harry smiled at her while Ron just muttered his greetings.

“Well, I’m Mary, that's Harry, and he’s Ron.”

“Watch your heads!” the man shouted and they all ducked down to avoid the low-hanging branch. “When we turn the corner, you'll get your first view of Hogwarts.”

With a sudden turn to the left, they did get their first view of a majestic sight. A castle bigger than what could be described towered over them. Long towers stretched skywards and the glow of light from the inside painted everyone's faces gold. Gasps of amazement came from every mouth as they neared. Without Mary even noticing, they hit land.

Hagrid climbed out of his boat with practiced a movement and Mary tried to copy it as she got out. Luckily for Ron, he made it out unscathed. Mary held out a hand to Harry, who looked like getting out was worse than getting in. Gratefully, Harry took her hand and got out. Their guide walked up to a large door and lifted his fist to bang on the door. The door creaked open after the third knock to reveal a stern, no-nonsensical-looking woman. She glanced at them all before nodding to the man. “Thank you, Hagrid. I can take it from here.”

“O’ course, Professor McGonagall.” Hagrid nodded back and lumbered off to the side. The door opened wider and without a word, she stepped into the entrance hall. The entrance hall was so big you could have easily fitted Mary’s house into it, maybe even two of her houses. The walls were lined with candles, some floating in mid-air, while others were held up by statues of armor. Some of the people giggled when one of the statues of armor bowed or curtsied. A huge staircase was displayed on the other side of the hall, and to the left, the loud murmur of talking was hidden from a door. Instead of going to that door, the woman led them into a smaller room on the right. When everyone filled in she turned her gaze on like they were being evaluated. 

“Welcome to Hogwarts,” she said at last. “The start of term feast will begin momentarily, but first you will be sorted. The sorting ceremony is very important because while you are here, your house will serve as your makeshift family. Your classes will take place with the rest of your house, you will dine with your house, you will sleep in your house dormitories, and spend your free time in your house common room. There are four houses. They are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.” she pierced them all with her stare as Mary guessed she was predicting everyone's house. 

“Each house has its noble history and each has produced outstanding wizards and witches. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be credited to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return for you when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly.”

Mary had a sudden thought, what if she and Harry got separated? The way Professor McGonagall was portraying it was like there were no interactions with the other houses. She sent a worried look to Harry, but he seemed more concerned with his hair. Harry looked to Ron, who was fixing his robes. “How exactly do we get sorted?”

Ron shrugged. Oh God, no, not another shrugger, Mary prayed desperately. “I don’t know, some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurt a lot, but I reckon he was joking.”

Harry gulped and looked at Mary. “No, you cannot cheat off of me.” she laughed while scrolling through all she knew about magic in her mind. Harry deflated while Hermione, who was endlessly muttering spells to herself shot them a disapproving look. Just then, Hannah Abbott let out a scream of horror that made nearly everyone jump out of their skins. From the stairs, a horde of pearly iridescent ghosts gilded over. They seemed to be having a debate over something called Peeves. They stopped, though, when they caught sight of the first years. How they didn't notice immediately from the screaming was beyond Mary.

A man with the shape of a beachball dived at them eagerly with a cry. “First years! About to be sorted I assume.” he winked at them but no one gave any reaction. “I hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my house you know!”

“Friar, move along now. The ceremony is soon to start.” Professor McGonagall had arrived again with a sharp tone. The ghosts all waved at them before floating out and to the wall opposite. “Now form two lines and follow me.”

Harry quickly shot next to Mary, who got behind Hermione, giving an apologetic look to Ron. Ron stood behind them both and, because of the uneven amount of people, had to stand by himself. Professor McGonagall led them all out to the big door and with a swish of her hand, the door flew open. The voices of students now had faces as they were marched down the center between four tables. Each table was a field of color, either red, blue, yellow, or green. When they came to a stop at the front, Professor McGonagall gave a look to the hall and they were silenced. At the front on an elevated platform, the professors all looked down at them and Maty had the feeling that she was being profiled.

Professor McGonagall then walked up to the platform and pulled out a stool. On this stool, she then placed a larger, brown, rugged hat with its seems all frayed. All the hall turned its attention to the hat and before long a rip in the hat opened wide. From this makeshift mouth, a song about the houses came to life. As it sang, Mary listened to the character traits of the houses. Gryffindors were brave and polite, Slytherins were ambitious and cunning, Ravenclaws were witty and intelligent, then finally Hufflepuffs were loyal and just. Mary thought about it and looked out into the crowd. Were you expected to live by these qualities for the rest of your life? Mary looked up at Dumbledore and thought about their conversation. People were destined to change so how could you just live by two-character traits and call it a day? Mary resolved to ask one of the professors later.

When the song ended there was a burst of applause and cheering. Mary could hear Ron fuming behind her. “We just have to put on a hat? I’ll kill Fred, he told me I would have to wrestle a troll!” he said and Harry laughed with relief. The hall went quiet again when Professor McGonagall pulled out a scroll. “When I say your name, please come up and place the hat on your head.” she paused for a moment. “Abbott, Hannah!”

Hannah walked up the short flight of stairs and placed the hat on her head while sitting. After a few moments, the hat opened its rip again and yelled “HUFFLEPUFF!”

She sat the hat back down on the stool, and like magic, her tie and robes ruffled, then turned from black to yellow. She smiled and raced off to the yellow table who were cheering. Then Professor McGonagall kept going down the list and with each name Mary felt her hands shake more and her heart pump. Hermione, after two minutes, went to Gryffindor with the toad boy (or Neville Longbottom). Draco went up next and as soon as the hat touched his head it let out a screech of “SLYTHERIN!”

 Pansy Parkinson, the girl who had called her a mudblood, joined Draco in Slytherin which made Mary want to be sorted into any other house.

“Potter, Harry!” Professor McGonagall called out and the hall was devoured into whispers. Oh, yeah, he’s famous. Mary remembered and gave his hand a squeeze, which he returned with a weak smile. As he put the hat on his head the whispers multiplied by ten, and then by twenty when three minutes passed. Finally, the brim opened and yelled “GRYFFINDOR!” Harry's clothes ruffled and turned red as he made his way to the dancing table. The twins who had helped them get their stuff onto the train we hugging each other, shouting “We got Potter! We got Potter!

When the hall quieted again Professor McGonagall called out her name. “Rust, Mary!”

Compared to Harry, her walk up was a breeze even with her legs shaking. Just before the hat covered her eyes, she saw Harry giving her a thumbs-up. 

“Hmm, what do we have here?”

Gryffindor, Gryffindor. Mary chanted, hoping the hat would just get it over with.

“Mm, loyalty. I see your loyalty to one Harry Potter.”

He’s my friend, I don’t want to be separated from him.

“Oh, but being sorted into another house doesn't mean the end of a friendship.”

Gryffindor, Gryffindor!

“Mm, not very much bravery in you.”

I can change! I’m only eleven!

“That you are. I see that's not the only thing you want to change.”

What do you mean?

“Oh, yes. This ambition of yours is mighty. Mary, do you know how I sort people?”

Mary thought that was a stupid question, he had just sung it in the song. The house that you think we belong in is based on our character traits.

“Oh, no, not that. I place you where you will flourish!”

You can’t know that.

“Oh, but I can. You say you want to change the world?”

Yes, but–

“Then forgive me, but I would like to see change too.”

Wait!

Then loud and proud the hat yelled to the whole hall: “SLYTHERIN!” When she placed it down on the stool it had the gall to give her a wink. The hall was quiet except for a few feeble claps from the other tables. The Slytherin table, however, was looking at her with a smattering of intrigue but mainly with disgust. Not a single one clapped and all she got were mutters of “a mudblood?” as her clothes ruffled and turned green. As she sat down, everyone moved at least one seat away from her. What was that hat thinking? “ You’re in safe hands,” the hat had sung, but was she? Mary looked up to Dumbledore who just gave her a pitying look.

Suddenly, from across the hall, cheering and aggressive clapping interrupted Professor McGonagall, who was about to call out the next name. Harry Potter had stood up on the benches and was showing his support by making a fool of himself. Clapping and stomping, he whooped at her with a goofy smile on his face. Slowly, the other tables joined in with less enthusiasm but the gesture made Mary’s heart feel warm. 

Professor McGonagall allowed it for a few more seconds before calling out the next name. Draco scoffed when Ron got sorted into Gryffindor with Harry. Finally, Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin and made sure to give Mary a wide birth. Mary fixated her eyes on the golden plate in front of her, ignoring the stinging from her tears.

“Welcome,” Dumbledore had begun. “To a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our feast, I would like to say a few words.” he grinned at them all. “Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you.” 

The Slytherins clapped politely but the rest of the hall laughed and cheered. Draco seemed above this, however, as he told the rest of the first-year Slytherins how his father had always said Dumbledore was off his rocker. The plate on which she had leveled her gaze was soon joined by plates of turkey, roast beef, potatoes, and the like. Once Mary saw these delectables, she sprung forward and pilled her plate. With her plate filled almost over the brim, Mary thought of Dudley. Oh, it brought her pleasure to know she wouldn’t have to deal with him ever again. Even if she had to deal with the posher versions of him.

The food was delicious and Mary went back for seconds. Over on the other side of Draco, there was a whole bowl full of boiled potatoes that Mary found she had a taste for. Sucking it up, Mary leaned over. “Draco, can you pass the boiled potatoes?”

Draco turned his head slowly. He looked repulsed at the sight of her, or maybe it was because of her lack of etiquette. Mary quickly removed her elbows from the table. “It’s Malfoy to you .” 

Mary nodded, feeling more confused than she ever had in her life. “Er– right, sorry. Could you please pass those boiled potatoes to me, Malfoy?”

Malfoys sneer turned into a mocking smirk. “No.” he said and Pansy laughed like Draco was a professional comedian. Mary turned back to her plate and suddenly felt like she couldn't eat anything else. Mary pushed it back and started looking for Harry, which was a more difficult task than you would imagine. First, she had to look over the sea of Ravenclaws, then past the Hufflepuff table who wouldn’t just sit still , and then into the group of redheads that dominated the Gryffindor table. Between Ron and a ghost, there sat Harry. He was laughing at something Ron had said with his head thrown back. Harry looked happy.

She then turned to look at the professor's table. Dumbledore sat in the middle of the table; he was surveying the population of Hogwarts through his half-moon glasses. Mary sat there trying to capture his glance, and finally, his eyes focused on her. Then he looked at the area around her. He was probably taking note of how no one sat directly in front of her or to her side. When he looked at her again, he looked at her not through his glasses, but over them. 

Suddenly, Mary felt comforted. Like she was in one of Veronica's hugs, which felt like being inside a pillow fort. Dumbledore stared at her like that for a few more seconds before smiling at her. He pushed his glasses up and leaned over to a long, dark-haired man. Dumbledore began whispering to him, and it didn't take a genius to know who they were talking about. Especially with the man staring directly at her. When Dumbledore leaned back, the man looked tired.

It was then that the table's food disappeared, to the disapproval of the students, and Dumbledore stood up again. It was amazing how he commanded silence, not fearful silence, no, it was respectful. Every witch and wizard, even the Slytherins, held him in an elevated status.

“Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.” his gaze merrily focused on the Gryffindor table. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.”

Mary wondered why he thought it was a good idea to announce this fact to the whole school. She saw some people give others long glances with mischievous smiles.

“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!” cried Dumbledore. Mary noticed that the other teachers’ smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore waved his hand and a golden ribbon created words in the air. “Everyone pick a tune! And off we go!”

The singing was a faraway sound for Mary, she barely recognized her voice as it sang in the tune most of the Slytherins had adopted. It ended with the twins as they sang in a low, mournful tone. Dumbledore whipped away imaginary tears. “Music, magic in of itself. Now off you trot!”

A tall girl in a Slytherin uniform stood and beckoned the Slytherin first years to follow. Mary stayed towards the back as the Slytherins walked deeper into the walls of Hogwarts. Magical paintings that moved (they moved!) waved as they descended many stairs. Mary dreaded the walk back up them. Soon, the group came to a stop in front of a portrait of a snake. It raised its body off the ground and hissed at them all. 

“This is the entrance to our common room. To enter say the password, which will be changed bi-weekly. The new password will be on the notice board. Now, listen carefully. Pure.” the male prefect said. With a hiss, the snakes portrait swung open revealing their common room. It was decked out in green and silver, and chairs and sofas were scattered the room. Fireplaces were on three out of the four walls. The last wall wasn't a wall at all, it was a window. This window showed a beautiful scene of the lake, with a giant squid swimming by. It was simply stunning.

The female prefect walked in front of the window and looked at them all. “Before you all go to bed, I will make it clear: Slytherin has expectations and a reputation. This reputation will make it harder for you during your school years, but never, ever, break the expectation. You will look refined, you will give us more points than you’ll lose, and if you decide to break the rules; don’t get caught. ”

Mary saw many of the other first years look in her direction. The male prefect gave them an ugly smile. “We expect the best from every one of you. The girl's dormitory is to my right, boy's dormitory is to my left. If you need help finding your way to the great hall tomorrow,” his eyes glared down. “Don’t ask.”

Yeah, Mary thought thinking back to Professor McGonagall's speech, a perfect family.

Mary walked with the female population up the stairs and found a door with FIRST YEARS over a list of names.

FIRST YEARS

Daphne Greengrass

Millicent Bulstrode

Pansy Parkison

 Tracey Davis

Mary Rust

When the door was opened, a homely rectangular room was shown. There were five beds, all with a desk to the right of them and a dresser to the left. Three were on the wall opposite and two were on the side of the door. On the top of each bed was an engraving of their names. Mary saw hers was in the right corner so she quickly walked over. As she unpacked her suitcase, she heard the girls whispering to themselves. Mary turned when she was done to see all four of them staring at her.

“Where are the showers?” Mary asked and Pansy pointed to the only other door in their dorm. Mary walked past them and into the showers. The second the doors shut behind her Mary heard the others had begun to whisper again. She walked into one of the showers and relaxed when she felt the warm water hit her chest. She lathered up the shampoo and massaged it into her head gently. The familiarity of the actions finally allowed her to unwind. Well, until

BAM!

She turned her head and the female prefect stood outside her shower with her arms crossed. Mary's dorm mates peered from around the prefect's shoulders. Mary speedily realized how vulnerable she was, naked and without a weapon. “Um, how can I help you?”

“Get out.” she said.

“Wh-what?”

“I said: get out!” she repeated and Mary turned the water off. Apparently, not fast enough because the prefect had grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out. “We don’t want you dirtying up the showers.” she still pulled roughly at Mary’s hair, who went limp instantly. The prefect scoffed and pulled her away from the other first years, dragging her to her bed. Still soaking, Mary got pinned against the wall by the threat of a wand. She had pulled out her wand and was pointing it threateningly at Mary.

“I’m sorry! Please, leave me alone.”

“ Fracto Strata!” she said and instantly Mary felt her nose crack. “Fuck!” Mary yelled and cowered to the ground, holding her bleeding nose protectively. 

The devil bent down, grabbed Mary's chin, and forced her to look into her attacker's face. “If I find out you've dirtied anything else, the next thing I’ll break will be your neck. Understood?” she asked sweetly.

Mary nodded desperately and the devil let her go. 

“Tell me if she bothers you again.”

“Oh, we will, Gemma.” Pansy said, closing the door behind her. She turned to Mary who was now pulling herself up. 

“Put on some clothes, mudblood.” she said. Mary just nodded again, deciding to leave the pajamas she left in the showers rot there. Grabbing a new pair, Mary changed and crawled into her bed, nursing her wonky nose. 

The next morning, Mary made sure to wake up earlier than the others. She quickly and quietly put on her school uniform, brushed her hair, and tied her shoes. All of this she did blindly in the dark. Mary was sure there was some sort of nursing facility somewhere in this giant castle, she just had to find it.

Creeping out of the dorm and through the common room was easy, but once she left, she found she was lost. Mary just thought she should keep going up, and like she had thought yesterday, it was an exhausting climb. Her broken nose did nothing to help either as it made her dizzy from the pain. By now the pain has numbed over, but falling back on it from a trick stair (whose bright idea had that been?) had worsened it.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she turned again to another staircase. She found two more trick stairs and that the staircases moved. Leaning heavily onto the railing, she continued going up further and further.

After the eighth or ninth flight, Mary stopped climbing. It suddenly dawned on her that she was an idiot for thinking this was a good idea. She almost turned back around when something tugged at her gut. It was a strange impulse, perhaps from the blood loss, but she just knew that she needed to keep walking.

Mary hobbled around the hall with fatigue, but the airy feeling continued. She walked, and walked, and walked then stopped in front of a troll tapestry. She lifted a bloodied hand to it and twisted it between her fingers.

What is it? she let go and stood alone. 

“Show me.” Mary said out loud. “What do I need to see?” she asked and suddenly the feeling in her gut grew threefold.

A door suddenly appeared when a lamp next to it lit up. Mary walked to it like it was a siren's call. 

Come to me, it commanded. Mary twisted the knob and wrenched the door open. The first thing that assaulted her was the smell, it was repulsive and smelt like rotting food. Then the next thing that came was the light. A great, big, shining ball of light hovered next to a bed.

The feeling in her gut fluttered as she walked to the canopy bed. It was navy blue, with a frayed blanket covering something underneath it. Mary inched forward and stood over the bed. The light from the sphere cast a glow over the sheet, and without even lifting the cover she could tell what was underneath it. The folds and crevices clearly marked out the shape of a body.

Seeing is believing, however, and Mary brought up her hand to the top of the cover. Like a Band-Aid, she pulled the cover off. A dead body lay over the sheets. It was a woman, she knew this because the carcass was fully unclothed, displaying her like a painting. 

The woman was pale, no dark. Actually, it was impossible to tell. From her fingertips to her chest and from her toes to her stomach her skin was black and decayed. The rest of her skin was untarnished unless you counted her lips, which were also dark.

Mary backed away from the body and turned to the rest of the room. “ Lumos.” she whispered to her wand and felt momentarily proud of herself. That was until she remembered she could have been doing that the whole time, instead of stumbling around.

The room looked ancient, with cobwebs and dust covering every square inch. A dilapidated bookshelf took up the majority of the room. On the top of the bookshelf, there were engravings in what looked like another language. Then Mary tilted her head up and saw the ceiling. Like the great hall, it showed the stars from above.

While Mary walked over to the bookshelf she accidentally bumped into the glowing orb. “Oh, sorry!” Mary said but was hushed when raspy breathing came from it. Rotten but perfectly symmetrical teeth appeared in it, then it began to speak. 

Harry, Mary, Harry, Mary

Thrice, he’ll die.

Twice, he’ll survive, 

Harry, Mary, Harry.

Mary be wary,

for when he’s gone

there will form a bond.

Then the darkness 

heals its sickness

And ends our world

as it unfurls.

Harry, Mary

Mary, Harry

try as you might,

teach him to fight,

but there’s no stopping

Miss Fate from hopping

as she spins her thread

that you will dread.

Mary, Mary,

keep him alight

he’ll turn out alright.

Keep him safe till

she’s had her fill,

and you’ll get your change

but in exchange,

Mary for Harry

Harry, Mary, Harry, Mary

Thrice, he’ll die.

Twice, he’ll survive, 

Harry, Mary, Harry.

Mary stood petrified as the ball kept repeating her name even after the end of the prophecy. 

“ Mary, Mary, Mary! ” it kept shouting in a raspy whisper, but it was not the only thing saying her name. The whole room thrummed with it, the mantra shaking her soul. Looking at the bed, Mary saw the body that used to be lying peacefully had up-righted itself. The body’s mouth was stiff as it whispered to her “ Mary, Mary, Mary! ”

“Gah!” Mary took a step backward, trying to quickly make an escape when she bumped into something. Mary spun around and saw a ghostly figure standing over her. It had a robe made out of strings from vines and thread. Its imposing figure leaned in and two bright eyes peaked out of the darkness. 

Mary’s heart thudded in her chest. It seemed an eternity had passed as the two stared at each other. They just stared at each other and the longer she looked the less fearful it became. In the darkness of its hood, she could see moving figures. The entity leaned in closer and Mary knew exactly what it was.

“God?” 

God lifted a finger to her face and ran it down her nose. Mary heard the familiar crack but felt nothing, perhaps because she was petrified by fear. The withdrawal of its finger made Mary shutter.

“ Mary…” and all the lights, including Mary’s wand went out.

Mary quickly waved it again, putting pure need through it and her wand lit up. The room was empty, with no prophecy ball, no dead body, and no God. 

“Oh, my God.” Mary said and ran straight out of the room. Daylight filtered through the windows which made the castle look eerie like blood. She ran all the way back down to the Slytherin common room and was permitted to go in when she said “Pure.”

She almost got away with it too, but a voice came up from behind her. “And where have you been?” it came out in a slow drawl and she turned around to see the professor Dumbledore had spoken to.

“Sorry, sir, I was looking for the hospital wing.” she said. The man gave her a look over. 

“I assume you found it?”

Mary nodded and the man let out a sigh. “And why did you go to the hospital wing?”

“I fell and broke my nose.”

“Did you, now? Scorgify!” Mary tensed but just felt her clothing being ruffled and her face numbing. Mary looked down at her uniform and saw that the blood stains had been removed.

“Don’t let me catch you again.” he said and stalked off. Mary looked back at the sleeping snake and thought of what awaited her there. Hateful stares and she definitely wasn’t going to get any help to the Great Hall from them.

Mary willed her wand to turn off the light and followed after the professor. She was actually doing a pretty good job at being stealthy. While she trailed after him, she tried to memorize the prophecy. Mary silently thanked Ms. Cricket and her rants on memorization.

The professor took a turn down a hallway and then down another staircase. That was when they came to the entrance hall. Just before the professor walked into the Great Hall he turned in her general direction. “The next time you follow someone, don’t be a fool.”

Well, okay then.

Mary came out of her hiding spot (which was behind one of the statues of armor) and entered the Great Hall. The only other teachers in the hall were Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore, and a young-looking woman who was downing her coffee. Only a few other students loitered around, but Mary was the first Slytherin to sit at the table. 

She had sat down in the same spot she had yesterday, and like last night when more and more Slytherins filed in they gave her space. Soon the hall was buzzing with energy but Mary couldn’t think of anything but her morning. Either she had really lost a lot of blood or she accidentally went into the third-floor corridor. Even that didn’t fit though because she had climbed way higher than the third floor.

“Mary!” someone shouted and she flinched. It had come back, hadn’t it? Mary looked around for it but it was Harry who called her name. He was making his way through the tables, making a beeline for her. In his hands, he carried a box wrapped in brown paper. He sat down in front of her and with a glance at the other Slytherins she knew there was going to be hell.

“Happy birthday!” he said and raised his hands into the air. Oh, it was her birthday, wasn’t it? Mary smiled at him and moved her plate to the side. 

“Do you want me to start singing? Open it up.” Harry said, oblivious to the glares he was receiving. Mary just stared at him and picked it up. All that she was thinking was Thrice, he’ll die; Twice, he’ll survive,

Mary tore the paper off and looked down. “Oh, Harry.” From out of the box, she pulled out a stuffed black cat. She looked down at it with fondness as she traced her finger over it.

“I know it’s not as good as the ring but it’s infused with a calming draught and lavender. Maybe it’ll help you sleep better?” Harry said. It really was a thoughtful gift. Mary had told him early on she had trouble sleeping and he’d shown a great deal of concern.

Mary grinned at him. “Thank you,” she said. 

“Where’s Ron?” she asked after a second of looking around. Harry looked sad but shrugged. “He’s still asleep, I think.”

Standing up, Malfoy and his crew glared at them. “I believe this is the Slytherin table, not the Gryffindor one, Potter.” Draco spat at Harry who just looked at him with loathing. 

“I’ll sit wherever I want, Malfoy.” Harry said, standing too. Malfoy sneered at them both and looked directly at Mary. 

“We wouldn’t want a repeat of last night, would we?” he said as his entourage laughed. Mary paled and looked around for that devil. At the end of the table, she sat talking with her year mates. She hadn’t noticed yet.

“What? Last night?” Harry said, looking back and forth between them. 

“Harry, let’s go.”

“Why!” Harry looked furiously.

Mary picked up the stuffed animal and walked around the table. When she made it around to Harry, he was interrogating Malfoy. “What happened! I swear if you did anything to her, I’ll— “

Mary grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out, not before looking back at her table and saw the devil staring her down. Oh no.

“Mary! What happened!” Harry asked when they were out of the hall. Mary walked faster.

Thrice he’ll die;

Twice he’ll survive.

“Mary!” he said and stopped her with his arm. Mary shrugged at him. He looked at her more desperately. “ Mary.”

She shuttered at her whispered name. “I’ve just had, I’ve just had an eventful night, okay?” Mary handed him the stuffed animal back.

“Don’t you like it?”

Mary patted its head. “I do,” she walked to the staircase leading to the dungeons. “It just won't be safe in my dorms for a while. Don’t worry, I have a plan.” She didn’t.

Harry bit his lip. “Okay, but Mary I can help.” 

“I know you can. Go run that up to your dorm, I’m gonna go get my stuff.”

“I’ll go with you!”

“ No.”

They had a staring contest.

“Please, Harry.” she pleaded and he reluctantly nodded. He turned around and walked to his dorm. He looked back twice before escaping her view. 

The first week of school was hell on Earth. Finding classes was immensely difficult because of the moving stairs, trick stairs, moving portraits and statues, unhelpful ghosts, and Peeves . 

Peeves was this agitating subspecies of ghost that liked causing any and all mischief. He would purposely spin the first years around, both literally and figuratively, to try and get them disoriented. The most annoying thing was that he’d follow her around specifically and call her names as she walked to class. “The mudblood of Slytherin!” and "Mudblooded bitch!" were his favorite and no matter how much Harry tried to stop it, the bullying got worse.

On the night of her birthday, the older Slytherin population decided a good birthday gift would be thrown her against the wall, repeatedly . Thankfully, their spells were weak enough not to break anything. She just walked around with multiple bruises for a few days until Professor Snape (the man who had called her a fool and the man Dumbledore had talked to) directed her to Madam Pomfrey.

Madam Pomfrey was a kind woman even if she threatened her housemates every time she entered. She always insisted that Mary stay the night whenever she came, but the nights she couldn’t were terrifying.

Her roommates were not friendly to her, pulling malicious pranks every day they could. First, they ripped apart Mary’s notes to the point that they were unsalvageable. The worst part was that they had enlisted the help of Crabbe and Goyle (Malfoys goons) to hold her back as they tore it in front of her face. On Tuesday, they went through her wardrobe and ripped holes into her pants. That part wasn’t too bad, because the next night they had been magically mended. On Wednesday, she walked into the Great Hall and found that on her side of the table (she had migrated to the end closest to the teachers in hopes it would discourage anything) the words “mudblooded bitch” had been carved into the wood. This had to be the work of the upper years because they had taken inspearation from Peeves and begun calling her that as she walked through the common room. 

Thursday was when she broke. Thursday, she had fallen asleep in her bed and woke up to people pulling her bed curtains out of the way. When they were out of the way the people, presumably the fourth-year students, conjured a powerful stream of water at her while calling her “a dirty mudblood.” You would think that eventually they would come up with another word other than mudblood but, who was she to judge the uncreative? The water hit her at a close distance, and in effect, left lacerations on her chest and legs. Every time she pleaded with them, apologizing for everything and promising to stay out of their way, the blasts became more powerful.

That night, after they left in laughter, Mary sobbed. The kind of sob that made you gasp for air as the tears ran down your mouth and you could only cry. She had dealt with their prejudice the whole week without batting as much of an eye. She had done nothing . She had never done a single thing to any of them and this is how they pay back her kindness? Mary turned her head and screamed into her pillow. 

They made it so hard to be a good person. Especially when they disturb your mental breakdown. For the second time that night, her curtains were drawn back. Above Mary’s sniffling form, Parkinson was yelling at her.

“Get out! None of us can sleep with your pathetic crying. Get out!” she said and pulled Mary by the feet. 

Mary dizzily stumbled off her bed and scrambled out of the dorm before they could call for the devil. She continued sobbing as she walked into the common room. It was deserted and the warmth of the fire was as nonexistent as its flames. Mary shivered as she made her way to her corner. It was behind the curtains in front of the window, where she often sat on the floor and just watched as fish swam by. She had also stored her most important notebook, the one that contained the prophecy. She had found a loose stone and when lifted up it was the perfect little nook for her book. She brought her knees up to her chest and bit her knee to muffle the noise. She hated feeling like this. Feeling powerless.

When Pastor Jeremiah had used the analogy of Halloween, he never talked about the trick-or-treater who kept getting the tricks. What happened to that child? Did the poor child weep like she was? Mary had felt pity for this imaginary child before. She imagined holes in their socks, a sunken face, and a single glove on their hand. Slowly, however, her imaginary child turned into her. There were holes in her pants, her skin was dripping red out of her injuries, and her nails were picked clean. 

“People can be poor in more than one way, Mary.” she remembered Pastor Jeremiah saying. She could have never imagined that one day she would be this person, the trick-or-treater who held out their hands for candy. What will happen to this child? Will she lie down and eat the scraps like a stray? Will she continue to be powerless?

No, Mary thought as she flipped to the page that contained the prophecy. No, she wouldn’t. She would fashion herself her own candy. 

Harry, Mary, Harry, Mary

Thrice, he’ll die.

Twice, he’ll survive, 

Harry, Mary, Harry.

Mary scribbled under it: Two chances to keep Harry safe .

Mary be wary,

for when he’s gone

there will form a bond .

Then the darkness 

heals its sickness

and ends our world

as it unfurls.

Mary underlined the things she didn’t understand and wrote: Voldemort will rise from the dead if Harry dies. If Voldemort rises, he’ll destroy the world. And probably kill you.

Harry, Mary

Mary, Harry

try as you might,

teach him to fight,

but there’s no stopping

Miss Fate from hopping

as she spins her thread

that you will dread.

Well, Mary thought Miss Fate should back off then. Mary was going to teach herself to be powerful, and Harry was going to be doubly so. 

Mary, Mary,

keep him alight

he’ll turn out alright.

Keep him safe till

she’s had her fill,

and you’ll get your change

but in exchange,

Mary for Harry

This one contradicts the rest of the prophesied future. Harry will be alright if she kept him alight? The first three stanzas practically declared him dead. Mary guessed the “she” was Miss Fate. When she had her fill (of messing with Harry’s life) Mary would get her change, but Mary would have to give up something (her life?) for Harry.

Harry, Mary, Harry, Mary

Thrice, he’ll die.

Twice, he’ll survive, 

Harry, Mary, Harry.

A repeat.

Mary lifted her hand to her head. She would need to go to the library the next morning and research everything she could on prophecies. Now, onto being powerful.

How did someone just become powerful? Mary tapped the pencil against the paper. A powerful person probably didn’t have wounds all over their body. So, the first step would be to get rid of the wounds. Or, you could just take it a step further and get rid of the source! It would indefinitely stop the injuries. Mary just needed to know how.

“What do you know about prophecies, Madam Pomfrey?” Mary asked that next morning as Madam Pomfrey dressed her wounds. She had hurried to the Hospital Wing the second curfew was over. She hoped Madam Pomfrey would allow her to use the showers again. 

Madam Pomfrey smiled. “Why?”

Mary shrugged and she got a disciplinary stare in return. “I don’t know much, but I do know they’re finicky things,” she said while finishing one large bandage around Mary’s middle. “You’d be much better asking Professor Sinistra, or even Professor Trelawney.”

“The astronomy teacher?”

“Yes, she knows quite a lot about it. She applied for the divination position, but Trelawney beat her to it.”

Mary rolled her shoulders when Madam Pomfrey was done. “How do I look?” she asked the nurse who gave her a strained smile. 

“Better than you did a few minutes ago.” Madam Pomfrey patted her cheek.

“Thank you, Madam.” 

The door opened and Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes. “Weasleys! What is it this time?” she admonished as the Weasley twins walked in with guilty smiles. While Madam Pomfrey got distracted, Mary picked up her bag and left quietly to the Great Hall. 

During the next weeks, Mary tended to avoid anything Slytherin-related like it was a disease. Anytime she was in the common room she was hidden behind the curtain, plotting. Somehow, as the month passed, she became obsessed with the idea of becoming mighty. She frequently practiced jinxes, curses, and charms in abandoned classrooms until she never got them wrong. The only thing that wasn’t going to plan was that she couldn’t catch Professor Sinistra alone. Every time class ended, she would stalk off into the night. Out of classes, she either was dead asleep or up at the teacher’s table. With all her failures in cornering her teacher, she spent the majority of her time in the library. Harry always tagged along and they relaxed on one of the many window seats only accessible by ladder. On these days, Mary would read with her head using Harry as a cushion and he would work on one of his essays or draw. 

A random thought popped into her head. “Hey, what happened to Ron?” she asked Harry but he pretended not to hear. “Harry?” she prodded him with a finger.

“He, uh, doesn’t like that you’re a Slytherin,” Mary blanched.

“Well, neither do I. Did you know that I’m the first mudblood in Slytherin in forty-nine years? And you want to know what happened to him? He mysteriously disappeared.”

“Stop calling yourself that,” Harry thought for a moment. “Who told you that?”

“Malfoy, he’s constantly telling me I’m next. It’s exhausting!”

Harry looked out of the window. Ever since his fight with Malfoy on the brooms, he’d turn sour whenever his name was brought up. He had gotten on the Gryffindor Quidditch team so she didn’t know why he was complaining. “I thought you said you had a plan.”

“I do!” Mary said earnestly. “Why do you think I’m reading a book on curses!”

Harry bit his lip. “What?” Mary asked.

“Ron says you’re turning bad.”

Mary shook her head and got off of Harry. Instead, she sat opposite him and only their feet touched. “That’s rubbish. You know that, right Harry?” he bit his lip harder and continued to watch the sky. “Right, Harry?”

“It’s just… you know what never mind.” he pulled his knees to his chest and exhaled softly. Snail.

“Harry?” 

“You never hang out with me now!” Harry finally shouted and they got a loud “shh!” for his explosion.

Mary shook her head. “We hang out loads!”

“No, we don’t,” Harry finally looked at her. “You’re always either reading, or you’re sneaking around trying out your new spells. You sit alone in class, you don’t let me sit with you anywhere but here, and when I do sit here with you you’re absorbed with something else.” he huffed. “I just… I just miss you.” Harry finished pathetically with a searching look on his face.

Mary scooted closer to Harry and took his hands. On his ring finger, the ring she had bought him gleamed up at her. “Harry,” she tried to find the words. “You come first, before anything else you'll come first. Just tell me what you want.”

Harry searched through her soul with his eyes.

“Mary, I want you back.”

She smiled, and with a whispered spell she levitated her books down to the ground. She moved forward and settled her head down on his thigh, hugging it. 

“I’m yours.” she said and Harry began threading his fingers through her hair. After a few moments, Harry started talking about how the giant, now known as Hagrid, had invited him over to his house a few weeks ago and Mary found that for the first time in a month her thoughts didn’t remain on revenge.

Dear Mary,

School is so boring without you! Dana’s still as dull as ever, but this year her obsession is with Tamagotchis. She’s killed her newest one four times and she got it TWO DAYS AGO. I don’t know what to do with her! Anyways, I’m glad to hear that you and Harry are still friendly. Did I tell you about Dudley? He got suspended from that new school. Serves him right. Also, you said that the Slytherins were bullying you. Why? Nothing really happens over on my side of the world, but please keep me up to date with yours.

Missing you lots,

Veronica

(P.S. What did you write with in your last letter? It bled through the paper like really bad. When it got to me it was all smudged.)

In all honesty, Mary didn’t plan for anything that happened. It started the day just before Halloween (or as the rest of Slytherin called it, Samhain) as Mary was just nibbling on her toast. The rest of the student population was there and Mary couldn’t help but pick up bits and pieces of conversation.

“-going to duel him, Draco?” It was Parkinson’s simpering voice that rang up above all others.

“Well, it won't really be a duel, will it? I bet Potter won't even know how to hold his wand.” He laughed and the rest of them snickered along. “Besides, it's about time Potter was taken down a notch or two.”

Mary stood up and the entire table turned to glance at her before going back to their conversations. She felt fire burn through her veins. It was barely even two months in and Harry was already trying to get himself killed. This Malfoy was about to cost her one of her two chances and she wasn’t going to take it. Mary walked behind him and cleared her throat. 

Malfoy didn’t even turn around. Mary felt her sizzle at being ignored. “Malfoy, look at me.” she instructed and he turned with a dramatic eye roll. He raised his eyebrows at her hesitation. “You’re not going to that duel,” she leaned over him and hoped she looked powerful. “And you’re going to stay away from Harry, do you hear me?”

Greengrass snorted and the rest of them followed like sheep. Mary tried valiantly to control the heat rising to her cheeks. Malfoy lifted the corner of his mouth in a smirk, not a handsome one but one that promised pain. “And why, exactly, would I do that?”

Mary felt her gut kick up again. “Because if you don’t, I’ll show you exactly how a mudblooded bitch would handle this.”

She got a mocking smile back and Mary’s anger reached its peak. “And how would- “

WHAM!

Mary had wound up her fist and had hit Malfoy clean across his nose. She felt her knuckles pop and there was a satisfying crack from his nose. His face morphed from arrogant to shocked as he cradled his nose. The hall was silent as all turned to stare at her.

“Like that.”

Suddenly, Malfoy began to howl which caused a butterfly effect of teachers migrating to them. Before the teachers could, the devil got to her first. “I am done with you, Rust!” she yelled and before Mary could even think about it, Mary had thrown herself at her. The devil fell to the ground and Mary swiftly got on top of her, raining her fist down.

Hands started pulling her back and Mary screeched, turning to face her next adversary. “Mary! Calm down!” it was Harry who was pulling her back from the fallen devil. “It’s okay!” He tried to pacify her.

Thrice he’ll die;

Twice he’ll survive.

“Harry,” Mary said and went limp under his touch.

When she entered her common room she had lost her house fifty points and was pinned down by hateful stares. On a happier note, she was hailed a hero by the other three houses. It seemed that on the other bad side of that, the Slytherins now wanted retribution. Honestly, it was understandable. She had put two of the most politically powerful Slytherins into Saint Mungos.

The male Slytherin prefect, Terence Higgs, led this crusade against her. “Rust, you’ve gone too far. It seems you need to be put back into your place.” he spoke out not only to her but to the entirety of the Slytherin populace. 

Mary had just walked in and stood at the front of the exit. She briefly thought about making a run for it, but quickly expelled that idea. This was her chance, it was time to make candy.

“It seems all of you need to be humbled,” she said in a shaking voice. Higgs seemed to notice it so she sped on. “I am a mudblood, and you all find this repulsive. But what I find repulsive is the way you’ve treated a twelve-year-old. A twelve-year-old who knew no magic, no self-defense, and didn’t know what she had done wrong. You tore her apart, brought her to violence.”

“You should have brought her under your wing, treated her like family, like the rest of the houses do. Do you want to know something intriguing that I’ve found out? I’m not the only one who lives in fear! You all do,” Mary pointed a finger at them. “You all conspire against each other, you spread lies about each other, and you always sleep with one eye open scared others are doing the same thing. It was only until I came along that you all found a common enemy. That’s what it took for you to come together. And that’s pathetic.”

“This will change, there will be change in this house. I will make sure of it. For now, however, you will stop treating me harshly. If anyone has something against me, now’s your chance. But this time, when you hit, I will not hesitate to hit back.”

She let her vine wand slip into her hand as she finished, actually surprised that she had been able to. Higgs smiled cruelly and let out his own wand. “You won't be able to hit back. Reducto!”

Mary quickly ducked and lifted her own wand at him. “ Sternius!” she yelled and it surprisingly hit him, causing him to have a sneezing fit. “ Nescisti!” she casted as he was hunched over from sneezing. It hit him square in the chest and he was pushed back some. She stopped casting and waited for it to take effect.

Higgs shuttered to the ground. “Who goes there!” he exclaimed, waving his wand in wild circles. 

Mary stepped forward. “I’m your father, Terence,” she whispered. It wasn’t that hard to find out everyone’s secrets, she just had to hide and listen. His was one of the first she had gathered. Higgs' father abused him. “I’m very ashamed of you. How could you treat the mudblood that way?”

“I… I don’t know, father.” he said looking down at the floor. His entire frame shook and Mary felt a strong sense of pity.

“I want you to repeat after me, and if you do so with no complaint I’ll forgive you.”

“Yes sir.”

“I have been beaten by the mudblooded bitch.”

“I have been beaten by the mudblooded bitch.” he repeated back, slower.

“And that’s okay”

“It’s okay that I have been beaten by a mudblood?”

“Yes, and I’m never going to hurt her again.”

“I’m never going to hurt the mudblooded bitch.”

“Or any other mudblood.”

He nodded and repeated it dutifully.

“ Scis.” Mary finished with a spell. It was a pretty obscure piece of spellwork. It required two parts, first, the caster must say Nescisti, which is Latin for “You do not know.” The victim would then forget something of the casters choosing. In the following minutes, the caster would replace these ideologies with their own, securing it in place with the second spell “ Scis.” Scis is Latin for “you know.”

Higgs snapped back into reality. “What did you do to me?” he asked and pressed his palm to his head. Probably a side effect.

“I changed your views.”

“ No.”

“ Yes. And if anyone else messes with me, I might decide to change more than that.” Mary addressed them all as they stared in horror.

“I was beaten by a mudblood, by the mudblooded bitch… and that’s okay.” Higgs muttered to himself as he stood and left for his dorm. Mary saw one of his friends, Miles Bletchley, follow him slowly. 

Mary did feel powerful. “Anyone else?” 

No one else stood up. “Good.” Mary nodded at them all and walked to her dorm. She had made her candy.

Heavenly Father, have you left me? I have been praying to you and you haven’t answered. Where are you? Do not leave me alone. I need help.  I know you are out there because you chose to show yourself. Please do so again, I have questions. Do not leave me. Amen.

“Harry! Harry!” Mary called, running up beside him in the hallway. Ron, who had been walking with him, fell back with a scowl. Harry gave her an apologetic look. “I’ll be right back, Ron,” he told Ron, who walked off to transfiguration in a sour mood.  “Mary, what is it?”

Mary had to contain herself from jumping up and down. “Harry, I can take Milkshake back!”

Harry’s eyebrows scrunched up. “What?”

“The stuffed animal, the one you got me for my birthday. Remember?”

Harry nodded. “But I thought you said–”

“I took care of it, don’t worry,” she assured him, leading him to the transfiguration classroom. “I have to go to charms, but bring Milkshake to me at dinner.”

Harry grinned. “Milkshake?”

“Shut up.”

Harry did bring Milkshake to dinner with a smile. He walked up to Slytherin's table, the members of which just minded their business. Then, to top it off, he sat next to her. “What are you doing, Harry?” she asked him in a hush.

“You said you handled it so I thought that I could sit with you now.” he said with a pout. Mary suddenly realized she held power, so yes, Harry could sit here. She smiled and they began discussing the Halloween decorations. Live bats fluttered against the expanse of the ceiling, with floating jack-o-lanterns replacing the usual floating candles. 

Mary looked over the heads of the Hogwarts students and saw Ron looking as sulky as ever. “Harry,” she asked right before he dove into a baked potato. “What's wrong with Ron?”

“Oh, yeah,” Harry shrugged. “He made Hermione cry after transfiguration and I told him he needed to go apologize. When he didn't I told him I was just going to hang out with you then.”

Mary nodded. “So, what you're saying is that you actually don’t want to hang out with me?” she asked jokingly.

“Yes, I simply hate your company!” Harry joked back at her, mimicking a posh man. He took his fork and just before he could plunge it in Mary snorted. “What?”

“I poisoned that potato, just so you know.” she said in an even more posh tone.

Harry mimicked horror. “No! My dearly beloved potato!” he laughed and Mary joined the childish glee. Just as Harry’s fork penetrated the potato, Professor Quirrell (the defense against the dark arts teacher) ran in screaming his head off. 

“TROLL! IN THE DUNGEONS! TROLL IN THE DUNGEONS!” he exclaimed and once he reached the front he flopped over in a faint. There were a few more seconds of peace before the entire hall fell into anarchy. Students jumped up from their seats and ran around the hall looking for their friends, a Ravenclaw had stepped on Professor Quirrell, some people we in hysterics as they cried into their hands, and one group of students had broken a window and were trying to climb out.

“SILENCE!” Dumbledore yelled it and sent out a series of red fireworks. When everyone was silent he continued. “Prefects, lead your houses back to the dormitory immediately.”

Well, that left Slytherin in quite a predicament. The devil was in Saint Mungos (which really was an overreaction on Malfoy Sr.'s part), and Higgs still hadn't left his dorm. Then, to add insult to injury, their dormitory was in the dungeons. 

“Harry, your prefect is already leaving, you need to go.” Mary said as she witnessed the scramble of the Slytherins deciding they would just have to fend for themselves. 

He shook his head. “Hermione, she doesn't know about the troll.”

“Harry, I could care less. You need to get to your dorm.” she told him and this time his face was filled with actual horror. “Harry, you need to be safe.”

“I could care less about my safety! You and Ron can tossers but I’m going to go tell Hermione.”

“Buh- first of all, I am not a tosser! Second, she could be in the dormitory already.”

Harry shook his head. “No, she's in the girl's lavatory.” he said and ran off into the crowd. 

“Harry!” Mary shouted in agitation as he ran away to get himself killed. “Harry!” she yelled and placed Milkshake under her armpit. Mary then chased after him, slinking through the bustling crowd. When she caught up Harry was negotiating with a distraught Ron.

“-if anything you owe this to her because you’re the reason she’s gonna get mauled by a troll!”

“Alright, alright! Just don’t let Percy see us.”

Mary huffed next to them. “Harry, this is a really bad idea-”

“Are you coming?” Harry asked and sped off into the entrance hallway. Both Ron and Mary exchanged a look before following after him. They sped through the crowd and escaped into a separate hall. “I think its this way,” Harry said as he climbed down a set of stairs. “Yeah, it definitely is.” he said again, pointing to the sign on the wall that said “girl's lavatory”. Mary wondered why he didn’t ask her to lead, seeing as she was a girl.

“Percy!” Ron said in fear, pulling them both against the wall. A figure was walking alone down the hall, but it wasn’t Percy. 

“Snape?” Harry said in distaste. “What’s he doing?”

Mary squinted. “He’s heading for the third floor.”

“Do you smell that?” Ron asked unhelpfully.

Mary rolled her eyes. “Smell wha–eugh!” she had indeed smelt it. It was a foul stench, one of rotten eggs, sweat, and disturbingly like Dudley. Harry had smelt it too, or was saving himself, because he had pulled his shirt to his nose.

She was about to ask what it was coming from but a tall, bulky, troll answered that for her. He had passed between the two halls and was staring dumbly in the direction Professor Snape had gone. He seemed to have changed his mind and instead walked into the girl's bathroom, a large club dragged behind him.

“We can lock him in, see the key!” Harry said in a whisper. Mary turned to look at him.

“That’s the girl's bathroom, dummy!”

Just to prove her point, a high-pitched scream came from the bathroom. “Oh, well, she’s dead now. Nothing we can do. Time to go.” she got a slap on her arm for that. 

Harry and Ron, with their combined brain cells, stormed into the room with shouts.

“Oy, pea-brain!” Ron shouted as Mary entered the restroom with them.

“Stupify!” she yelled and pointed her wand at the troll. The troll lumbered back when it hit him, but instead of the spell absorbing into him, it reflected back onto a sink. The sink, unfortunately, did not make it. “Um, okay.” Mary said, let down, but turned her attention to Hermione. She was pressed up against a stall as Harry tried coaxing her out of her spot. The troll raised his club up and, with a roar, slammed it into all of the surrounding stalls.

“Harry!” she yelled when lots of shattered wood collapsed around him and Hermione. “Ron, do something!” she yelled at him. Ron turned to the troll and raised his wand.

“ Wingardiam Leviosa!” he said and Mary would have slapped him if she was closer. What is a flying troll going to add to any of this? Thankfully, nothing happened. Unthankfully, Harry had used the troll's brief distraction to attack the troll. He ran out of the rubble, jumped onto the troll's back, crawled to his neck, and shoved his wand right up his nose. 

The troll roared again while trying to shake Harry off. Mary abandoned Hermione for Harry, faintly wondering if Hermione would forgive her for this grievance. 

Knowing that no spell would actually have an effect, she grabbed a shard of the sink her spell had destroyed and slammed it into the troll's heel. It howled, stopping long enough for Harry to slide down next to her. “Let's get out of here!” she yelled, taking Harry's hand and running away. 

“Don’t forget about Hermione!” Harry said, releasing her hand and dragging a frozen Hermione away.

“ Wingardiam Leviosa!” Ron shouted again, this time he aimed for the club. The troll was momentarily stunned by this action but began to wail like a toddler. Ron was struggling with the weight of the club but somehow brought the club up high over the troll’s head. Then he let go, knocking the troll out. “Watch out!” he yelled at them all as the troll collapsed to the ground. 

BAM!

“OWUAH!” Mary shouted as the thing fell directly onto her big toe. Harry quickly casted Ron’s favorite spell on the troll, which allowed Mary to pull her toe out. “Oh my God, Mary, are you okay?” Harry asked and looked over her. Mary tried to fight back tears as she felt her toe swell up.

“I would be more worried about Milkshake, I dropped her over there somewhere.” she pointed vaguely to the direction of the door. As Harry went to get her, Mary accepted Hermione's shoulder for balance.

“Thank you.” she whispered to Hermione, who gave her a tense nod. 

“Professors!” Harry exclaimed from the door, and all of the Hogwarts core teachers filed in. They all looked at them with varying degrees of anger. Professor McGonagall had the most apparently. 

“What were you all thinking! Why aren't you in your dormitories? And, why, Mr. Potter, is your wand in the troll’s nose?” she asked them while Professor Snape surveyed the body. Harry turned scarlet and walked to retrieve his wand. Professor Snape had taken it out already and was observing it closely. When Harry asked for it he sneered but handed it to him regardless. Harry quickly walked over to her and gave her Milkshake.

“I have never, in all my years-”

“They were looking for me, Professor.” Hermione confessed next to her. 

Mary nodded along with her. “Yeah, she had just gone to the bathroom when Professor Quirrell walked in. We wanted to tell her, we had no clue the troll would be here!” she lied quickly and Hermione nodded along with her this time.

“I would be dead now without them. Mary was casting spells at it and stabbed it in the ankle, Harry stuck his wand up its nose, and Ron knocked it out with it's own club!

“Well, I,” Professor McGonagall turned to the boys. “Is this true?”

They both nodded frantically.

“Then I suppose, five points to the three of you for coming to the need of a friend. Next time, however, tell a teacher. Now, you may all go.”

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all too eager to skedaddle but Mary still had a broken toe. 

“Um, Professor Sinistra?” Mary called out to her, who was restlessly fiddling with a coffee cup. When her name was called she jumped up, dazed. 

“What? Oh, yes, Miss Rust?”

“My toe’s broken, could you walk me to the hospital wing?” she asked sweetly, praying that she would finally get the chance to talk.

Professor McGonagall's hawk-like gaze focused on her. “A broken toe?”

“Yes, the troll fell on it.” Mary told her and Professor McGonagall nodded.

“Aurora, could you please escort Mary, and could you escort the rest Filius?”

Professor Flitwick nodded ecstatically. “This way, students.” he told them as he walked out. Before they left Harry called out to her. “Good night, Mary!”

“Night, Harry.”

Mary turned to Professor Sinistra who had pressed her lips into a fine line. “Fine, let's go.” she told Mary and held out her arm for Mary to use.

Finally, Mary thought as she was led out.

“What is it that you want to know?” Professor Sinistra asked suddenly as Mary hobbled on her arm. Mary stumbled and balked at her.

“How’d you know?” Mary asked back.

“The stars have frequently told me.” she said and stared unblinkingly ahead.

“Ah,” Mary nodded, filing that away for later. “Madam Pomfrey told me to ask you when I asked her, but what do you know about prophecies?” 

She inhaled quickly. “Why?”

“Can’t I be curious?”

“Be curious about something else.” she told Mary and turned her head to give her an intense look. 

Mary shook her head. “I have to know, please! No one else will tell me.” she pleaded.

Professor Sinistra quieted and continued looking at her. Suddenly, she pulled back with a gasp, making Mary lose her balance. Mary thumped to the ground with a groan.

“Oh child, you poor child.” she said and quickly hauled Mary up. “How long?”

Mary gave her a blank look. “Since what?”

“Since you heard it.”

“The first week of school? Why, what do you know?” she demanded while Professor Sinistra muttered. “Answer me!”

“Oh, child, poor child,” Mary resented her terminology. “Was it lyrical or a narrative?”

“Lyrical.”

“Good, good girl. Was it sung or spoken?”

“Spoken,” Mary shrunk back from her. “Why, what does it matter?”

Professor Sinistra brought her coffee cup to her lips, seemingly not aware that there was nothing in it. “What did it say, child? What did it say?”

“I’m not telling you until–”

“Damn it, child, tell me now!”

“Why?”

“I need to know if your doomed or not, now tell me–”

“ Doomed?”

“Yes, doomed, so tell me now and tell me quick.”

Mary dearly wished she hadn’t asked her, but recited it back to her word for word.

When she reached the end Professor Sinistra let out a howl. “No more, no more! Oh, you poor–”

“Child, I know. Now tell me what it means.”

“How many stanzas did you say?”

Mary scratched her head. “I dunno, like, five?”

“Five? Good, good.”

Mary pushed down the urge to threaten her.

“Lyrical is the most adaptive of prophecys. It sways with the current wind. But spoken, that changes things. Spoken comes directly from Fate, or the other deities on an off chance.”

“Wait, Fate is real?”

“As pumpkin pie. Now, this means they, whomever they may be, want it to go their way. It won’t necessarily, but it can. Now five stanzas can mean many things but from that first stanza, I can tell you, make a change fast and it may all work out. Maybe…” 

Mary’s face was flushed. “So, I can change it?”

Professor Sinistra's face hardened. “Maybe… but if I had to tell you one thing it would be that to fight Fate is pointless. Even Merlin failed to change the future, but he caused it!”

They stopped in front of the hospital wing door. “Be careful, child. Careful.” she warned Mary and in a blink, she was gone.

Dearest Mary,

I’m sorry to tell you that your father doesn't think it’s a good idea for you to come home over break. We miss you dearly but he just needs some time to himself right now. Anyways, I sent you some new shampoo in the box along with some cookies I made. Make sure to give the nut-free ones to Harry, I remembered you telling me he said he didn’t like the crunch. Speaking of, tell that sweat boy I said hello. I do miss him too. I can’t wait to hear from you next,

With love, 

Your mom.

The next two months passed by faster than any two months ever had. In this time span, Harry only almost died twice. The first time was during his first quidditch game, and his broom suddenly started bumping him off. The leading theory in this investigation was that Professor Snape had enchanted the broom because he hates Harry. Mary found this to be absurd but she and Hagrid were the only two who had thought that. The second time was in mid-November while he was coming in from quidditch practice. On his way back to his dorm he noticed the Weasley twins acting suspiciously. When Fred and George told the rest of the team they both had to simultaneously pee (they blamed it on being twins), Harry followed them. It was then he found out they were sneaking into the third-floor corridor as he got barked at by a three-headed dog. When Harry told Hagrid, he let it slip that the dog was guarding something belonging to a man known as Nicolas Flamel.

Mary and Hermione both chewed him out, and after that became steadfast friends as they researched the man. Harry and Mary were forced to move from their window seat to Hermione's table because Ron and Hermione couldn't both fit. When Mary suggested they push Ron off she got three fearful stares. Even after she insisted she meant it as a joke Ron stayed at least four feet away from her at all times. Harry was constantly telling her to be kinder to Ron, and she thought she had been an angel to him but apparently not. Regardless, with the trauma of the toll tying them together they all became best friends.

She only had one hitch with the Slytherins, Marcus Flint (fun fact, he was the one who ended up taking control of the panicked Slytherins during The Troll incident) had demanded she stop bringing her friends to their table. When she politely declined this, he got mad and pulled out his wand. Before he could cast a spell, though, Higgs had put his captain into a choke hold. Mary didn’t know if she should be concerned about that.

Christmas break was, in Mary’s opinion, the best time to be at Hogwarts. Most of the students had left for their families, including Hermione, sadly, but the usual crampedness was gone. The whole castle was decorated beautifully, with fake snow falling from the ceiling of the great hall being Mary’s favorite. Mary was allowed in Harry’s common room over break, and she spent most of her time competing with Ron for Harry's attention.

On Christmas Eve, Mary snuck into the boy's Gryffindor dormitory with help from Harry and spent the night laughing with them. At some point during the night, she fell asleep on Dean Thomas’ bed and woke up to presents at her feet. “Presents!”

Ron woke up next from her shout. “M’esents?”

Harry groaned as he woke up. “What?” he asked and Mary threw Dean’s pillow at him. “I-Ive got presents?

When everyone was up and ready they each took turns opening their gifts. Ron went first, opening all his presents with vigor. Then Mary went, trying to ignore the fact her parents hadn’t gotten her anything. Finally, Harry opened his presents. 

The first one came from Hagrid, containing a handcrafted flute. The second one was a box of chocolates from Hermione. The third was from Mary, who gave him some chocolate (she had to convince a third year to go get it for her). The fourth one was from Mrs. Weasley, who gave Harry a sweater that matched Ron’s. Mary felt a tinge of jealousy. The last one was a parcel sent anonymously with only a note saying “ This once belonged to your father, use it well” .

When he ripped it open a pure work of craftmanship was displayed in his hands. It was a silver cloak, shimmering like a flowing river as Harry caressed it. “Well,” Ron said through a mouthful of his own chocolate. “Try it on.”

Harry stood up from his bed and swung it over his shoulders. 

“Merlin!” Ron exclaimed next to Mary’s gasp. The second that the cloak had covered him, Harry’s body ceased to exist.

“What?” Harry asked. 

Ron, with a hanging mouth, walked up to Harry’s floating head. “That’s an invisibility cloak!”

Harry looked down. “My body’s gone!”

Mary burst out laughing at him. “Sorry, sorry! You just look so weird as a floating head,” she told the grinning Harry. Harry’s smile turned mischievous as he pulled the hood over his head. “Harry, where’d you go?”

She got no answer for the next few seconds. The out of nowhere, a pillow soared at her, hitting her on her face. “Hey!” she yelled and took the pillow, throwing it in a random direction. Ron joined in and they only hit him once before the Weasley Twins barged in, demanding that they spent Christmas together. When she and Harry tried to stay back, the Weasley twins grabbed them up and carried them downstairs.

Mary decided later that night, as she sat next to Harry at the dinner table, that this was the greatest Christmas she ever experienced. Fred and George were cracking jokes with them, Percy was actually funny too, when he wanted to be. Harry and Mary both enjoyed the wizard crackers far too much for them to be considered healthy.

When they did retire that night, Mary spent the night in the Slytherin dormitory. It was just her and a fifth-year boy named Adrian Pucey. He had spent the majority of his break studying in front of the fire. His back was hunched over a paper. He looked lonely and it pulled at Mary’s heartstrings. Mary bit her lip before sitting down on the sofa next to him. He glanced up before ducking his head again.

Mary, who had brought Milkshakes down, was cuddling up with her. She watched the flames flicker in the silence. 

“Happy Yule, Adrian.” she told him, realizing she may have been the only person to tell him that.

“Pucey, you’ll call me Pucey.” he told her through a clenched jaw.

Mary squinted at his form. “Why?”

Pucey took a deep breath, probably to stop himself from saying something he would regret. “The name you call me is based on our friendship status. Every pureblood knows this, you would do well from learning this.”

“But I don’t know,” Mary pouted into Milkshakes fluff. “The library has nothing on this and no one will teach me.”

Pucey took another deep breath. “If I gave you a book on pureblood politics, would you leave me alone?”

Mary nodded, knowing that probably wasn’t going to be true. Pucey moved his school books off of him and walked into his dorm. When he came back, he held an extremely large book. 

“Happy Yule, Rust.” he told her when he handed it to her. Mary nodded at him and opened it up. 

The next morning when Mary went down to the great hall, something was wrong with Harry. He seemed excited about something, so excited he wasn't eating. When Mary walked over he was telling Ron that he couldn’t wait to see his family. Ron sent her a look.

“Whens Ron’s family coming?” Mary asked and slid into the seat next to Harry. 

“I went out in my cloak last night and I found a mirror that shows you your family!” Harry told her. 

“Wait, so you saw your parents?” she inquired and Harry nodded enthusiastically. “Ah, right.”

“He’s taking me to see them tonight,” Ron said and bumped his shoulder with a smiling Harry. “You wanta come?”

Mary didn’t like the idea of Harry sneaking out with just Ron, so she quickly told them she would be going too. When it was time for Harry to pick her up, Pucey looked aggravated when Harry knocked on the door. Mary actually liked him, he wasn’t too bad. Especially now that he kept his mouth shut.

There was just enough space under the cloak for all three of them to fit, although maneuvering around in it was proven difficult. 

“Ow! That was my foot, Harry!”

“Shush!”

“You shush!”

Harry seemed to get lost after they passed through the library. He turned around three times before coming to a stop at a simple door. “Through here,” Harry said and opened the door, quickly shutting it behind them. “There!” he said and ran out of the cloak to a magnificent mirror. It was as tall as the room was, and almost as long. The frame was golden and crusted with words displayed on the top. Mary was all too reminded of the room that contained the prophecy. The feeling of being watched didn’t help that.

“Ron, look. Do you see them?” Harry asked him, but Ron shook his head. “Stand here, then, right in front of it. Do you see it?”

Ron’s mouth fell open. “No, but, I’m head boy! And–and I’m holding the Quidditch Cup! Do you reckon this shows you the future?” he asked.

“Can’t, my parents are dead.”

Mary felt her blood run cold. It could show the future if Harry was destined to die. “Move!” she said, pushing Ron out of the way so she could look for herself. In the mirror, her reflection showed a taller, dark-haired woman. With closer inspection, Mary realized that she and the woman shared common features. But, that was impossible! She was wearing a Gryffindor scarf.

Mary let out a sigh of relief. Hogwarts didn’t do re-sorts, so the mirror couldn’t show the future. Just as she thought that, the woman’s clothes were shapeshifted into a clean set of robes. On these robes, there was a pin that read “Minister of Magic.”

So, the mirror couldn't tell the future, it was just messed up.

“What do you see?” Ron asked as she observed herself. 

Mary shrugged and stepped back and away from it. This movement both sent Harry and Ron to it.

“You had all of last night to look at it, let me have a turn.” Ron said, gently shoving Harry out of the way.

Harry pushed Ron back. “You get to see your parents all the time!”

Ron stepped back, not wanting to be caught in a trap. “Yeah, whatever,” he muttered. “Can we go now, though? It’s cold.”

“You guys go, I’ll stay here.”

Ron didn’t need to be told twice, and when Mary shook her head, he took the cloak and was gone. Harry had sat on the floor and Mary followed, easily laying in his lap. Automatically, Harry’s fingers started to swim through her hair.

“What do they look like?” Mary asked.

Harry smiled down at her. “Well, my dad's side of the mirror shows so many people. They all have my knees and they all have my hair. Except for one in the back, he looks a whole lot different. He has shaggy black hair, a bunch of tattoos, and he’s white,” Harry's hands didn’t pause. “On my mom's side there's only two people. They both have red hair, not Weasley red but like sunrise red.”

“When’d you become so poetical?”

“Shut up,” Harry laughed before sobering. “My mom looks a lot like them, she’s sitting down behind you right now. She’s looking at us.”

Mary tried to imagine it in her mind. Harry smiled at the mirror before continuing. “My dad has his arm around mom and he’s smiling at me,” Harry brought his other hand to his hair. “I just wish that, that–”

“That it was real?”

Harry sighed. “That they were still here. It’s not fair.”

“It really isn’t, Harry.”

Mary noticed from the corner of her eye movement atop the discarded desks. Suddenly, the feeling of being watched increased.

Mary lifted her head and turned in that direction.

God, she prayed, is that you?

It wasn’t, it was Dumbledore appearing out of nowhere. “I see that you, like many others, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised.”

Harry jumped back when he heard his voice. “Oh! Uh, professor, I didn’t see you there.”

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and Mary noticed he was without his glasses. “I have my own methods of being invisible.” he said and slid down next to them on the ground. 

“The Mirror of Erised, sir?” Mary asked him.

“Yes, I assume by now what it does?”

Harry shrugged and Mary thought hard. “It shows Harry's parents–”

“And Mr. Weasley as head boy, correct?” Dumbledore told them and they nodded.

“So, it shows us what we want, whatever we want?” Harry concluded but Dumbledore shook his head.

“Yes and no, it shows us nothing more than the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts. You, who have never had your parents, find yourself surrounded by family. Ron, who has always been overshadowed sees himself as better than them all. Mary here, who was rejected by her house, sees herself in a new one.”

Mary didn’t know how he knew that.

“This mirror, however, doesn’t show the truth. Men have wasted away in front of it. It will be moved to a different location tomorrow. I want you to promise me you won't go looking for it, Harry, and if you ever do find it, now you will be prepared. Remember, it does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live. Now, since Mr. Weasley took that admirable cloak of yours, I will escort you back to your dorms.”

They dropped Harry off first, who stopped before he walked in and asked Dumbledore a question. “Sir, what do you see?”

“Me? Well, I see myself holding a nice pair of fuzzy woven socks.”

Harry looked perplexed but waved and left nevertheless. The remaining two began the journey to her dormitories.

“Dumbledore,” he looked at her. “How’d you know what I saw?”

He looked ahead, away from her eyes. “I gave a lucky guess.”

“And are your guesses usually correct?” she asked, trying to catch his eyes again.

“Yes, unfortunately, they are,” he cleared his throat. “I want to apologize on behalf of the hat, he genuinely did have good intentions.”

Mary felt her anger bubble. “It’s alright,” she lied. “I handled it.”

“Oh, I've heard,” Dumbledore said with a soft smile. “If you ever need anything from me, anything at all, my office is always open.” he told her when they reached the entrance.

“Thank you, my man.”

His eyes twinkled more than ever. “Of course, my girl.”

The rest of Christmas break passed without any other excitement. Harry did, indeed, get over it after a few days. When Hermione came back, she was torn between lecturing Harry for being out at night and being upset that he couldn’t find anything on Nicolas Flamel in the restricted section. The only bad thing to have happened was the return of the devil and Malfoy. They both avoided her like crazy though so Mary wasn’t worried. When the quidditch season started back up, Wood (the Gryffindor captain) had increased the number of times they practiced, giving Harry and Mary even less time to enjoy each other's presence. The reason for this was that Professor Snape was going to be the referee. 

Mary was in Gryffindor's common room when she found out.

“Don’t play.” Hermione said immediately.

“Fake sick.” Ron told him.

“Say you broke your leg.” Hermione insisted.

Ron shook his head. “No, actually break your leg.”

Mary's eyes widened, knowing Harry would be just the person to take that as good advice. “Maybe don’t do that.”

Just then, the Fat Lady swung open and Neville Longbottom, Hermione's toad friend, came hopping through. His legs had been jinxed together, which all of Gryffindor found hilarious. Hermione rushed forward with Harry and sat him down on the couch. Mary quickly casted the counter-spell.

“Blimey, Nev, what happened?” Ron asked as he sat down next to him.

Longbottom shot a nervous look at Mary. “Malfoy,” he said in a weak voice. “He said he had been waiting to try that spell out and..” he stopped and looked fearfully at Mary. She hadn’t even done anything yet!

“Spit it out, Neville.” Harry said.

Longbottom gulped. “He said that–that if he couldn't do it on the muggle-born, I was the next best.” he said and his voice got quieter and quieter as he spoke.

“Longbottom, did he call me a mudblood?”

He nodded his head slowly. “Hm, okay,” she sat down on a nearby chair. “I’ll just set Higgs on him.” she resolved out loud. Higgs was honestly a big sweetheart to her now. After Pucey gave her that book, she had many questions, all of which Higgs answered with no ill will. He had also put someone else in another chokehold on her behalf, so, yeah, he was great.

Harry began to hype Longbottom up, taking out a chocolate frog for him. “You’re worth twelve of Malfoy, Neville.”

Longbottom gave him a shaky smile. “Thanks,” he bit the head of the frog and handed Harry the collectible card. “I heard you were starting a collection.”

Harry gave him a genuine smile. “Yeah, thanks mate.” Neville walked off and Harry let out a gasp. “I knew it!”

Harry showed them all the card. “I knew I read his name somewhere before. ‘ Dumbledore is particularly famous for his work with dragon blood, the defeat of Grindelwald, and his work on alchemy with Nicolas Flamel.’ ”

 Mary had honestly forgotten about that man. “Wait a minute,” Hermione said and ascended the girl's stairs. When she came back down, she held a very large book in her hands. She slammed back into the couch and flipped it open. “I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading.”

“Light?” Ron said in exasperation and got twin glares from Hermione and Mary.

Hermione began to recite what she saw. “ Nicolas Flamel is credited with the creation of the philosopher's stone!” Mary let out a gasp. Oh, she did like it when the puzzle came together. 

Harry and Ron didn’t look like they understood. Hermione let out a sigh. “Honestly, don’t you two read?”

“The Philosopher's Stone basically makes the owner immortal and provides unlimited gold.” Mary explained, unknowingly interrupting Hermione who was about to explain also.

“No wonder Snape wants the stone!” Ron said.

Mary came to a blank. “What does Professor Snape have to do with this?”

Harry, Hermione, and Ron exchanged a guilty look. “We think Snape is trying to get past Fluffy because the day after Halloween he was walking around with a limp. And Harry saw Snape getting treated for a big bite.”

Mary felt hurt and she looked at Harry. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Harry shrugged.

“Stop shrugging!”

“He didn’t think you’d believe us, because you didn’t think that Snape cursed his broom.” Hermione tried to defend.

Mary looked at Harry with betrayal. “Really? You really think I’m that shallow? ”

“No, I don’t!” Harry tried to reassure her, but Mary had heard enough. 

“I’m going to my common room, I’ll see you at breakfast.” she said and walked out.

Mary didn’t go to breakfast that morning. In fact, she had had began avoiding Harry at all costs. Maybe it was stupid, but she didn’t really care. That had really hurt her feelings. That was months of keeping something from her.

Higgs told her the only way she should even consider forgiving Harry for this was only if he got down on his knees and begged. Mary wasn’t so opposed to this idea.

In a way, Harry did. It was the day of the quidditch match, and she had been having a good day. The girls in her dorm room offered to put some green paint on her as they did, and Parkinson hadn’t sneered at her once. She walked out with them and gave Higgs, who was Slytherins seeker, a hug before he walked out. Maybe the scene would look sweet from an outsider's point of view, but they were actually whispering together about destroying Harry.

Mary then went to the stands and cheered for her house, jumping when they did, screaming when they did, and booing when they did. Higgs and Harry were fiercely scouting the skies, looking for the Snitch. Five minuets in, Harry pushed his broom in a dive, heading straight for Professor Snape. Harry flew inches away from him and stopped, holding the Snitch high in the air for all to see.

Then, rising up to the stans, Harry searched for something, and when he saw her he found it. Harry flew to her and held the Snitch out for her to grab. Mary hesitantly grabbed it and the whole crowd went wild. Over the roar, Harry spoke to her. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you, I'll never keep a secret from you again. Please, Mary, please forgive me.”

Mary smiled and shrugged. Harry punched her shoulder.

“Alright, I guess I can forgive you.” she said and Harry broke out into a grin.

The next day, Harry pulled Mary into an empty classroom and told her about the conversation he overheard between Professor Quirell and Professor Snape. Apparently, Professor Quirell was one of the defenses for the stone, and Snape couldn’t get past it. Mary quickly reformed her opinion of Professor Snape.

The next weeks passed with Hermione and Mary studying like their lives depended on it and Harry and Ron just tagging along. Higgs had become a permanent fixture in her life as she was always asking about his culture.

“Why doesn't the wizarding world have electricity? Like I appreciate the aesthetics of the candles but it would be so much more simple if there were lights.”

“Technology and magic don’t mix. The second any technology would get installed, the whole castle would explode,” Higgs said as he flipped through his N.E.W.T.s notes.

“And is there any research going on for it?”

“Plenty, none being successful. In my opinion, what we do now works fine, why try to fix something that isn’t broken?”

Mary giggled. “You know that’s a muggle saying right?”

Higgs looked faintly sick. 

“Hagrid has a dragon egg, and it’s hatching, do you want to come to watch?” 

Mary blinked dumbly at Harry. This was how Harry was going to die, by a dragon. She didn’t say that though. Instead, she nodded and packed her stuff up, following him to the giant's hut. She had never visited Hagrid before and sweltering hot was not how she expected to feel when she interred. Ron and Hermione were already there, observing something intensely in the fire.

“‘Arry!” Hagrid said and pulled them to the fire, the one place Mary didn’t want to get close to on this already warm day. “It’s a Norwegian Ridgeback,” he said, making sure to pronounce it correctly. “Due to ‘hatch any day now!”

The egg did have a few cracks, more joining it every second. Finally, the dragon pecked its way through and headed straight to Hagrid. Its wings were floppy and wet so it couldn’t fly yet, but that didn’t stop it. It walked over to Hagrid and sat directly on his lap. Only to promptly throw up on Mary.

“Shit! It burns! Get it off, Hermione! Hermione!” Mary yelled as the goo dripped over her skirt and over her legs. Everywhere the goo went, it turned Mary's legs to fire. 

“ Aguamenti!” Hermione yelled, and a slow jet of water flowed out of her wand. Trust Hermione to know a fourth-year spell. Harry had grabbed a rag from somewhere and was trying to pat it off. 

“Why’s it always that I get hurt?” Mary whined as she witnessed her skin bubble. The ground where the spit-up had flowed was burning through his wooden floors.

“I’m sorry, little Norbert didn’t mean to!” Hagrid cooed. Mary decided she didn’t really like Hagrid.

Mary stood shakily and tried not to throw up. “I’m going to Madam Pomfrey.” she told them, hissing when she tried to take a step. Harry walked forward and helped steady her. “I’m sorry Hagrid, I’ll be right back.” he told Hagrid before helping Mary walk.

After that, Mary wanted nothing to do with the dragon. She didn’t care how many times Harry was going to give her that disappointed stare, she was done . It didn’t help that when she entered the common room with her legs all bandaged up, Higgs was determined to find the culprit and give her justice. He walked with her to her classes, to dinner and breakfast, to the lake, and even to the stairs of her dorm. Mary had insisted nothing was wrong but Higgs was not having it.

At least Ron was more inclined to agree with her after Norbert bit him and gave him an infection.

Then on Tuesday, Malfoy entered the dorm bragging about how he had dirt on Hagrid. Everyone was interested but before Malfoy could tell the entirety of Slytherin, Mary told Higgs what he called her. Malfoy didn’t get put into a headlock, unfortunately, but Higgs gave him a good talking-to. When Higgs was done, Mary whispered in Malfoys ear.

“Tell anyone, and I’ll change your mindset to believe that you’re in love with Hermione.” 

Mary thought it was safe to say that he didn't tell anyone.

One day, Harry came to her and said that they had contacted Ron’s brother, Charlie. Charlie worked with dragons in Romania and had agreed to take Norbert. He told her that they were going to sneak up to the astronomy tower and give Norbert that night. Ron couldn’t go and they needed one other person to carry the cage. And, well, call Mary flawed, but she couldn’t pass up the chance to one-up Ron.

That night, she snuck away from Higgs and joined Harry with Hermione at the front of Hagrids hut. When he came out crying, Mary felt no pity. It really was a good thing to get this dragon away from Hogwarts. Mary and Hermione took the sides of the cage while Harry took the back. Under the invisibility cloak, they sneaked through Hogwarts and made it to the top of the tower.

Waiting there were two men on brooms and they quickly dismounted to put Norbert onto the back. As they left they assured them that Norbert was in good hands. Mary wished he wasn’t.

In a good mood, Harry, Mary, and Hermione climbed down the spiral stairs in a daze. So much of a daze that they forgot the cloak.

“Well, well, well,” said a voice, and out of the darkness Professor Sinistra came out of the shadows. “Already causing trouble, Ms. Rust?”

“Professor Sinistra!” Mary felt her dread grow. “I—we—can explain.”

The professor smiled. “Go ahead then.”

“We were just,” Mary looked to her frozen friends. “Stargazing.” she ended pathetically.

Professor Sinistra seemed to believe her. “Ah, I was just heading up there to do the same,” she gave Mary a look through the darkness. “Would you like to join me?”

Mary turned to her friends. They just nodded at her to go, probably hoping she could get the cloak and they’d both get off scott-free. “Yes, ma’am.” she gave one last desperate look at her friends before walking back up the stairs.

When they reached the top, Professor Sinistra did begin to stargaze. “You’re lucky I was given this patrol tonight, otherwise you and your friends would be in a tight fix.”

Mary nodded. “Yes ma’am,” she looked up at the stars with her professor. “Why did you bring me up here?”

Professor Sinistra pointed up. “Look at Mars tonight,” Mary looked for Mars, using the techniques they were taught in class. “It’s brighter than usual tonight. Actually, a lot of these nights it has.”

Mary focused on it. “Mars is the Roman god of war,” Professor Sinistra hummed. “So that means, with its brightness that–”

“That war is coming,” she finished for Mary and walked to her. Mary realized for the first time how tall the professor was as she casted a shadow over her. “Child, tell me, have you done anything to prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled?”

“Other than preventing Harry’s death every week, no.” Mary told her, watching the stars more closely. By now Mary predicted the groan Professor Sinistra let out.

“Child, do you know what is hidden here?”

“The Philosopher's Stone?”

“Yes, yes, and who in their weakened state would want its gifts more than anything.”

Mary’s eyes widened. “Voldemort?”

“Don’t say the name!” she scolded. “But think child, think!”

She did think and took a step back. “ Then the darkness heals its sickness and ends our world. Oh, my God.”

Professor Sinistra nodded her head gravely. “You need to stop this, child.”

“ Me ? You’re the adult, you do it.”

She wailed and pressed her hands into her braids. “ You’re in the prophecy, child. It must be you!” she grabbed a flask from her pocket and downed whatever was in it. She walked past Mary muttering the words of the prophecy and Mary fell to the ground. 

When she got back to the common room, Higgs was standing in front of the entrance looking like a disappointed mom. He had his arms crossed on his chest, he was tapping his foot down on the ground rapidly, and he had raised his eyebrows when she walked in. “Rust, where have you been? It is one in the morning and I’ve been so worried and–” he noticed her puffy eyes and let out a dramatic gasp. With a flair people could only wish they had, he had enveloped her in a hug. “Who did it? Was it that Potter boy again, he really doesn’t deserve you, Rust.”

Mary laughed into his shoulder, feeling the tears well up again. “Is anyone in here?” she asked and Higgs shook his head.

“Just us,” he told her and stroked her head. “You can cry.”

Mary did then, soaking his shoulder with her salty tears. She didn’t know how long she stood there, but it was long enough for her knees to buckle and she flopped over. Higgs picked her up and carried her to a couch, laying her down softly. “What happened, Mary?” he asked while kneeling down beside her.

“You called me Mary,” Mary smiled. “That’s a sign of close friendship according to Pureblood Politics of the 19th century. ”

Terence smiled back at her. “We are close friends, Mary,” his eyes clouded back over. “Now tell me what happened.”

Mary shrugged and sniffed past the last few tears. “Professor Sinistra–”

“Done, she won’t bother you again.” he said, standing. Mary grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

She leaned in to whisper. “You can’t tell anyone this. If you do, I’ll–I’ll tell everyone about Bletchley!” she threatened. Miles Bletchley was Terence's secret boyfriend who had asked him to keep quite in fear of their fathers. 

“Relax, I won’t tell,” Terence began warding the place around them. “See, no one can hear us.”

Mary nodded. “After I got my nose broken, I went looking for Madam Pomfrey. I got lost and instead, I stumbled into a room. It was like a library. In this library, a large blue orb floated next to a bed. In this bed, there was a dead body, and I got scared and bumped into the orb. And then the orb told me a prophecy about me and Harry.”

Terence looked at her in a mixed sense of pity. “What did it say?”

Mary took a breath and repeated it to him. Terence looked at her with concern and took Mary’s hand. “What does Professor Sinistra have to do with this?”

“I told her about it looking for advice and tonight I was in the astronomy tower and she… she told me that only I could keep Harry from dying,” she searched his face. “You believe me, don’t you?”

He nodded and pressed his lips closed. “Mary, this isn’t on you–”

“What if it is though!” Mary wailed and covered her eyes with her hands. “Harry’s my best friend and I don’t want him to die! ”

“Mary,” Terence pulled her hands away. “You are twelve.”

His eyes were firm. “And you may be someone who can save him, but so can others. Mary, if you want to change the prophecy, remove yourself from it.”

“But, Professor Sinistra says-” she said with wide eyes.

“Don’t listen to that hag and don’t concern yourself with this again.”

Mary shook her head. “I can’t, Terence! It’s always on my mind, I cannot remove it! It is permanent and I’m not going to let Harry die.”

He looked at her for a few more seconds before nodding. “Okay,” he said. “It’s your decision. I’ll stand by you no matter what happens.”

She felt her familiar guilt creep up. “Terence, is that only because I made you think that?”

“No, it’s not,” he said sincerely “I struggled for a long time with my thoughts. But Mary, what you changed was my hatred of you and other muggle-borns. You removed my, ah, bigotry. You didn’t tell me to protect you, I did that on my own, and I’m going to stand by you. That is my decision.”

The tears rised again. “Thank you, Terence.”

“Of course, my Mars.”

She tried not to think too hard about the new nickname and fell asleep.

Mary didn’t know how she made it through the exams. It had to be the work of God, if they were even still out there, because the second she sat down with a quill in her hand her mind went blank. Thankfully, when it came to the practical part of the exams Mary was very skillful. Professor Flitwick had pulled both Hermione and Mary aside one afternoon and informed them on their tests score. They had made the highest grades in history, both with 112%. Mary thought Hermione would be mad because of the shared limelight, but she burst into tears and furiously hugged her.

After their history exam, which was the last one, the whole population of Hogwarts was outside on the lawn. Some people were having picnics, others were playing games like tag and exploding snap, but the vast majority of people were out in the lake. Splashes and screams of joy filled the air as people relaxed for the first tme in a long time.

Not Harry, Mary, Ron, and Hermione, though. Apparently, that was too many to ask Fate because the second they sat down, Harry shot up rubbing his scar.

“Hagrid!” he shouted and Mary’s mood rotted.

“What about him?” Hermione asked as they all followed after Harry, who was heading to the hut. 

“Don’t you think it’s odd that the thing Hagrid wants most is a dragon, and a stranger just so happens to have one in his pocket? That must be a big coincidence if it’s illegal, don’t you think? How did I not see it before!” he banged his hand on Hagrid's door.

When it opened, Hagrid beamed down at them. “Finisher yer exams? Wouldja like somethin to drink?” Ron nodded his head but Harry overrode him. 

“Actually we're busy, thanks. Say Hagrid, what did the man who sold you Norbert look like?” Harry asked and Hagrid looked confused.

“I dunno,” Hagrid said nonchalantly and leaned on the door frame. Mary wondered how the house didn’t lean in that direction. “Kept his hood on.”

“What did you talk about? Hogwarts at all?”

Hagrid's brows furrowed as he tried to remember. “Mighta come up… yeh, he did! Askin about what sorta creatures I worked with. An o’course with Fluffy I knew I had plenty o’ experience. He asked about him forah bit be’fo he played me for th’ egg. Wanted to make sure I was trust’orthy. So I told him, I said that all you hafta do is play some music and Fluffy will go straight ter sleep!” Hagrids face fell. “I shouldnta told you ‘hat, I should not haf told you ‘hat!” he said and slammed the door shut. 

All four of them ran to the entrance hall and didn’t speak until they reached the 3rd floor. “We have to tell Dumbledore,” Harry said. “Let’s just hope he believes us.”

“Great but wheres his office?” Ron asked and all of them but Mary shrugged.

Mary sighed, and began jogging towards his tower. “It’s this way!”

“How’d you know?” Ron asked when they stopped in front of a griffin statue.

“Because he told me, dummy,” Mary said and stepped to the door. “Candy cane?” she guessed and the door didn’t budge. “Gobstopper?” gave no result either.

“Mary, what are you doing?” Harry asked after the sixth guess.

“His door is like the Fat Lady and the sleeping python. You have to know the password, and it’s always candy.”

“How do you know this?” Ron asked again.

“Because he told me, Ron! Tootsie roll?”

She knew her friends were looking at her like she was crazy. “Gum? Gumball? Chewing gum? Bubble gum? Oh for the love of–”

“Chocolate frog!” Harry said, and the griffin door slid open. He gave her a smug look as he walked by.

“Shut up, Harry.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

The two of them bickered as the climbed up the stairs. “Dumbledore?” Mary called when they interred his bizarre office.

The hat, standing between two whirring objects, answered for him. “He’s not here right now.”

Mary sneered. “ You.”

The hat chuckled. “I’m afraid he was called away for some very urgent ministry business. Your business will have to wait.”

If anyone else had said that, Mary would have nodded and walked away. However, it was that damn hat saying it. “Watch your dilapidated mouth! I’m not above shooting a severing charm at you!” she warned before walking away.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione trailed after her. “What are we going to do?” Hermione worried, pulling a distressed hand down her face.

“Well, I know what I have to do. I have to get to the stone first” Harry said.

Mary turned white. “Oh no you aren’t.”

Harry turned on her. “Why are you always such a coward! First with Hermione, now this? I’m going and that’s that.” 

She opened and closed her mouth several times. “Fine,” she said at last. “But if you’re going, so are the rest of us.”

Hermione and Ron nodded and Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry's shock. “Oh, did you think we’d leave to fend for yourself? You’re mad.”

Hermione shook her head in exasperation. “How else did you think you were going to get the stone?”

“But if we get caught you could get expelled.” Harry told Hermione, which would have usually sent her into cardiac arrest. Now, she just laughed.

“Me and Mary made a 112 on our charm exam, we’re not getting expelled.”

So that settled it. They were going to get themselves killed. More accurately, Harry was and in effect heal the Dark Lord, who would then kill them. Not that he knew that. They all said their fidgety goodbyes to Mary, agreeing to meet at eight, and left for their common rooms.

Mary immediately sought out Terence, who was in a drinking game on the floor. All his friends were laughing as he took another shot. “Terence?”

He spun around and his friend's countenances stuttered. “Mary!” he gave her a one-armed hug. “How can I help you this afternoon?”

Mary swore to herself this was not how she was going to spend her afternoon of the last N.E.W.T’s exam. “Yeah, uh, can I speak to you privately for a sec?”

“Absolutly!” he said and dragged her to a corner. He immediately sobered. “Sorry, Mary, what’s wrong?”

She sputtered. “You’re not drunk?”

He laughed and shook his head. “No, it’s just funnier if I act that way. I can get away with more stuff.”

“Right, so I got some good news and some bad news, which one do you want to hear first?”

Terence's thought about it. “Good, since you said it first.”

“I made a 112 on my charms exam!” she said and he slapped her arm.

“Congratulation! I’m sure you did just as well on the others,” his smile fractured when she told him the bad news. “Your friends are going to the third floor! That’s absolutely mad, have you lost your mind?”

“Harry won’t change his mind and no teacher will believe us. Please tell me you’ll come, Terence. We’ll die without you and you said you would always back me up.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Fine,” he said after a few second. “I’ll go on one condition.”

Mary nodded. “Anything.”

“Don’t go.”

“ Terence!”

He went into his mom stance. “I mean it, Mary. Do not go.”

“But Harry will think I’m a coward if I don’t go.” she complained. 

“You won’t go, I won’t allow it.” he said and pulled out his wand.

“Terence?” she said, suddenly apprehensive. 

“ Petrificus Totalus,” he casted and she felt her limbs lock up, making it impossible to move. “I’m sorry, my Mars. I’ll be back before you know it.” he told her as he carried her up to her dorm room. He took off her shoes and gently tucked her into her bed. He bent down and kissed her forehead before disappearing.

That little fucking bastard. She was never going to forgive him for this, she knew as she began to despair. Harry was going to die because she wasn’t there. Harry was going to die. It didn’t matter that this was one of her two chances, it just finally resonated with her.

The thought, for the first time, felt real, tangible. Something she could hold in her hands. What would the world be like without Harry? Surely it would stop spinning. How could it continue when someone so pure, so angelic, so infallibly good left it? 

Mary didn’t want to find out.

God, God! Please free me from these magical chains that my friend has trapped me in. Please give me a chance, O Lord, to save him. Give me another, my Savior please I beg thee! From ash he came, but do not allow him to be returned so easily. Please find it in thys will to spare him, please my God! 

Mary prayed on nonstop repeat and when nothing changed but an increased ache from being in the same position, she wept. Back came the feeling of being powerless.

Miss Fate, I beg you, spare him in your plans. He is just eleven, with a full life ahead of him. Do not end it so quickly, I plead. I will let you have your fun, I swear, but allow me to bring him to safety once. Please, I beg, if you exist. Free me.

Hours passed, and the light from their fake window turned dark. Mary felt her panic grow when the door opened. Here she was in a very vulnerable position. She had no way to move, only her eyes could as she observed the cluster of giggling girls enters. They stopped when they passed her.

“Rust, are you alright?” they asked leaning over her bed. “Why are you sleeping like a vampire?” Bulstrode asked.

Mary blinked her eyes at them frantically.

“Blink twice if you can’t move,” Parkinson asked and Mary did after a second of hesitation. “Blink twice if it was the full body bind curse.” Mary did.

Parkinson thought for a moment and used the countercurse. Mary immediately stood up and grabbed her wand off the table. “Thank you, Parkinson, thank you so much. I could kiss you right now.”

“Please don’t,” she said with a sneer.

Mary ignored the snickers and ran out of the dorm. She didn’t stop running until she came to the third-floor corridor door, which was slightly ajar. Mary slid in and, ignoring the snoring Cerberus, and jumped down the trapdoor. Some mysterious plant absorbed the shock from her fall. Mary compelled her wand to light up and saw the plant grabbing at her legs. “Erguah! Gerrof!”

She pulled out her wand and waved it at the plant. Every cutting spell she knew didn’t cut through the rapidly advancing plant. In desperation, she yelled “ Arde!” which shot out fireballs at the plant. The plant shriveled and dropped her down onto solid ground. Unfortunately, this time there was no cushion.

 Fortunately, the next two doors were wide open, and Mary wouldn’t even notice Ron’s knocked out body until she left. The only room she struggled with was the room with the riddle in it. She read through it and had no clue, so, in a rather stupid move, she trusted her gut and drank a random potion. She felt a shiver pass through her spine, but otherwise, she was fine so she ran through the fire with a burst of adrenaline. 

When Mary walked through she heard two voices speaking, Mary expected to see Harry and all their friends but instead, she saw Professor Quirrell and Harry having a go. Harry was somehow burning Professor Quirrell's face off with his hand. Harry was screaming as he did so, but not in a battle cry kind of way, like the cry of torture. Mary sprung forward, and pulled Harry off.

“Kill them, kill them!” Professor Quirrell seemed to be yelling, but his lips were currently screaming his seared face off. 

“Externa viscera!” Mary waved her vine wand and the professor's organs were laid out around him. He spasmed before falling to the ground, dead. Out from his defiled body, a black mist with a face came right at her, running through her chest. She felt her mind shift and give up control. Mary stood and in a voice that wasn’t her own, she pointed her wand to Harry.

“ Avada Kadavr-”

“Expeliarmus!” Terence shouted at her, with ropes discarded at his feet. “Mary, what the fuck?”

Mary's tongue rolled in her mouth and she started gagging uncontrollably. Out of her mouth, the mist soars out of the room. “Harry, oh my, God. Are you okay?” she exclaimed.

“Mary?” he asked weakly and his fingers twitched. “You came?”

“Always was.” she told him but his eyes rolled up into his head. “Shit!”

Terence placed his head on his chest. “He’s alive, we need to–”

Then, at the very last moment possible, Dumbledore appeared and Mary knew everything was going to be okay now.

Mary had been possessed. When Mary was told this by Dumbledore she told him she would rate it  3/10 kind of experience. She also was later told by Hermione and Ron everything that had happened.

Terence had met up with them at the door, informing them that Mary wouldn’t be coming. They were “bummed out” according to Ron, especially Harry who did think she was a coward. Harry had used the wooden flute that he got for Christmas as a lullaby and Hermione had casted fireballs at the plant as well. Then, Harry and Terence had a seeker scrimmage as they dove around looking for the flying key for the door. Ron had led them during the chess game. Her respect for him grew a smidge as they told her how he sacrificed himself for them. The final room, Hermione figured out the riddle, sending Terence and Harry ahead while she ran to get help.

The rest of the story came directly from Terence. She had originally been beyond pissed at him he had asked her “Do you blame me? You would have done the same.”

And she would have so she didn’t say anything.

When Harry and Terrence walked into the chamber, instead of seeing Snape, they saw Quirrell in front of the Mirror of Erised. He was muttering to himself and had them roped up before they could have attacked. He then revealed that Voldemort was living on the back of his head like a parasite. Harry, who had no inkling about Voldemort, had obviously gone into shock. Then, after being unsuccessful with the mirror, he pulled Harry up to have a look. Instead of seeing his parents, he was given the stone by his mirrored counterpart. Harry told them that he saw his parents, but Voldemort caught him in his lie. Voldemort then commanded Quirrell to attract Harry. This was when she walked in.

Harry told her it was the power of love that saved him. His mother sacrificed herself for him and her sacrificial magic lived on in his blood. He also said that’s why Dumbledore said he had to go back to the Dursleys. The blood in his body protected him when he was in Mrs. Dursleys house.

“Harry, you know I was going to go, right?” Mary asked him while he was still in the hospital bed. He nodded, folding into himself. Snail.

“Yeah, Terence told me,” Harry said, crossing his ankles. “That must have sucked. Being frozen like that.”

Mary nodded. “I was so scared for you. I didn’t know what was happening and I kept thinking that you were going to die.”

“I almost did,” Harry admitted casually. “Dumbledore says my heart slowed dangerously close to stopping when I passed out. If I had gone on much longer, I would have been dead. So, I guess it's thanks to you that I’m alive.”

Mary’s heart did a somersault. 

She had done it.

Slytherin had won the house cup, to Mary’s joy. The Great Hall was filled with green decorations and their houses insignia. Slytherin was as rowdy as ever, talking over the crowd and Mary had a sneaky suspicion some of the upper year's goblets weren't filled with pumpkin juice.

“Another year gone!” Dumbledore spoke. “And I must trouble you all with an old man's wheezing before we enjoy our feast! What a year it has been. I hope your heads are fuller than when we started. You have the whole summer ahead of you to get them nice and empty. Now, time for the house cup! In fourth place, Gryffindor with 289 points!”

The Gryffindors gave a few pitiful claps. “In third, Hufflepuff with 301!” They were more enthusiastic than the Gryffindors. “In second, Ravenclaw, with 389 points!” the Ravenclaws went wild, stomping with fever. “And in first, with 410 points exactly, Slytherin.”

The Slytherins cheered like barbarians, slamming their goblets down on the table and hugging friends. “Yes, well done Slytherin, well done. However!” the whole of Slytherin tables eyes turned sharp. “In light of certain events, a few last-minute points must be awarded. To Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best-played game of chess that Hogwarts has ever seen, I award 50 points.”

The Weasleys went wild, but the Slytherins, sensing where this was going allowed their smiles to fall. “Second, to Miss Hermione Granger, for being calm in the face of fire, I award 50 points.” the crowd went wild. They had tied with Ravenclaw. “Third, to one Mr. Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding bravery, I give fifty points.”

The red table stood and danced, they had beaten Slytherin! The Slytherins shouted boos and sulked. However, Dumbledore had more to dish out. “To Terence Higgs, for looking out for the safety of his peers and putting himself in harm's way, I award 50 points!” Terence was then bombarded by cheers, and it seemed Miles Bletchley was done keeping their relationship secret. He grabbed Terence by the collar and lifted his face to give him the kiss of his life. Wolf whistles joined the cheers.

When it quietened again, Dumbledore continued. “And finally, for overcoming what stood in your way in the name of change, I award Miss Mary Rust 50 points!”

Mary’s face broke out into a grin as she was lifted up into the air by her year mates. They all screamed her name in joy and as Mary was pushed up and down she looked down at her seat. The carving of Mudblooded bitch was still on the table but instead of feeling anger like she once did, she felt a sense of belonging. She had changed the meaning of it.

“To the mudblooded bitch!” she yelled, and all her housemates joined in, chanting her title.

Oh, to be powerful.