Hogsmeade? Fights? It’s hard to keep track
“WHAT!?”
“Miss MacDonald! Please refrain from yelling while students are trying to brew their quibbering potions!” Professor Slughorn chastised our table. This year it was the four of us as partners, Lily and I were partners and Mary and Marlene were partners.
“what!” Mary whisper-shouted at Lily.
“I told Severus I would spend our first Hogsmeade trip with him.” Lily whispered timidly. Mary, like Sirius, was incredibly headstrong in what she believed in.
“How much frog liver do we need?” I asked to a) keep us on track, and b) keep our group at a calm and quiet level.
“Four ounces.” Marlene was.. absolutely done with any type of drama that included boys. Last night, Mary was fawning over Sirius and Marlene walked out and never came back! We didn’t see her until breakfast!
“Lily. When I went to Hogsmeade there was a candy store where entire shelves were stocked with as many sweets as I could imagine. There were two bars that were kid friendly! The entire village is consumed with magic!” Mary yelled as quietly as she could.
“And I’ll still see all of those things! Just with Severus! You lot are welcome to come with if you’d like!”
“Do you stir counterclockwise or not?” Marlene sighed when she asked me. Thank goodness this was class and she couldn’t leave again.
“I think it says counterclockwise.” I nodded and gave her the ladle.
“With that arse? I’d rather slice my eyes in half! Why would we spend our time with a creep when we could spend it with Sirius, Remus, James and Peter!” Mary smiled as if she had just won something, but I wasn’t sure what the competition was.
“Oh please! As if the Marauders are any better! James Potter is a disgrace to society!”
Thats. Not. fair.
I knew Lily was no fan of James, I knew that they may never get along. I didn’t mind. It’s simple logic, not everyone will or has to like everyone. That would never be realistic. But to compare James with Snape? The greasy creep who hexes anyone that’s not Gryffindor. The whiney boy who calls Mary a slur and pretends to be better than Marlene? The stuffed little prat who is rude to everyone in the world except Lily Evans (whom he’s obsessed with)! To compare him with my brother was like comparing a crow to a cardinal. One was creepy and a killy, and one did harmless fun. I’m not saying James is a saint, but his little pranks have been nothing compared to anything Snape has done.
I wasn’t saying anything, I simply chopped up the rest of the ingredients. Maybe that’s why they all got quiet.
“I- I.. I didn’t mean it like that I meant-” Lily stammered on like she didn’t just insult my brother. James was always protective of me, now it was my turn.
“No? How else is that meant to be read?” I asked, my stance tightened and my expression changed to one not so friendly. An expression I have felt myself use during my encounters with one Regulus Black. It wasn't overly stern, but there was no hint of friendship.
“Hazel I’m sorry but-”
“Sorry for what? For what you said or that you said it in front of me?”
“Definitely the ladder, bet you a galleon all she does with Snivellous is shit on the boys.” Mary whispered to me loud enough for Lily to hear. Lily turned as red as her hair in anger.
“For once, shut up Mary!” Lily fumed, now Marlene stabbed the table with her knife. In hindsight giving Marlene a knife wasn’t a great choice, but she was the only one working.
“You’re just pissed off that we’re saying the truth! The whole bloody school knows you say rude things about the Marauders, you’re just mad you said it in front of Hazel!” Marlene spat out like she had practiced fighting. Lily, on the other hand, resorted to silence. She had no excused or witty comeback because the M’s were right.
“You know what, have fun at Hogsmeade with Severus, because I would hate to ruin your day with my disgraced family!” I dropped the frog liver in the cauldron and moved to my brother's table, bumping into Lily on my way. Lily was my best mate, but James was my brother and my twin. I will always choose his side.
I laid my head on my brother's shoulder.
“Are you alright?” James asked, I saw Remus raise his eyes, Peter and Sirius look over the other three girls at my table. Mary and Marlene went back to work, I could feel Lily’s fake sympathetic eyes on me.
“Not really, can I join you here?”
“Of course. Mates, Hazel is joining us.”
“Good, maybe we’ll actually get some work done.” Remus teased the boys and we all laughed. I’m glad the marauders were my family.
********
Hogsmeade was fun, even without Lily. Of course I missed her, but she told me my brother was a disgrace to society. Was I supposed to just ignore that and move on? No thanks.
Mary and Marlene both ‘f-own-ed’ home to talk to their families for a bit. I didn’t bother because a) we didn’t have a ‘telly fone’ and b) we didn’t have a ‘telly fone’. Other than the calls, we stopped at Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks, and ended at Madam Puddifoots for tea and sweets. I couldn’t believe my ears when the M’s said they’ve never had butterbeer. I know it’s not served at Hogwarts but I really thought muggles also enjoyed the delicious drink.
“Are you forever mad at Lily?” Marlene asked as she sipped her tea.
“No, but I am for now. She doesn’t have to like James, I don’t care if you all hate him, but she could at least be civil about it.” I explained.
“Like how we only bitch about Snape when Lily’s not around?” Mary provided her example, again people needed to stop comparing the two boys.
“Yes but unlike Snape, my brother isn’t a huge prat.” I smiled and my mates laughed.
“And he has hot friends.” Mary added, Marlene rolled her eyes and the three of us laughed some more.
We went back to our teas. I got a wonderfully warm lemon and green tea which is honestly everything I needed. The tea vanquished any and all stress I had about Lily and Snape. She was being rude and honestly I wasn’t going to care until she apologized. Until then, I had nice warm tea, the M’s by my side, and the Marauders. Hogsmeade really was great!
“Do you think like… Snape, Munclair, Crouch, and all them like.. Compare notes on how to be the biggest arse?” Marlene asked.
“Definitely.” Mary spoke so confidently, I could have sworn she had asked them.
“That must be what they do instead of bathe! Just share their strategies of how to be the most hated boy in Hogwarts!” I smiled.
“Ooh ooh! Or study! I swear Munclair asked when we were going to study tickling draughts. We learned that as first years!” Marlene laughed and laughed. Maybe our conversation was rude, but those boys deserved it! After all the rude and disgusting things they’ve done, I didn’t feel any remorse.