Chapter 1
Marlene
The years had flown by, and as Harry’s eleventh birthday approached, the cottage felt different. Usually, the place buzzed with laughter, the sound of running feet, and the occasional accidental explosion from Fred and George. But this time, there was something extra in the air—something Marlene couldn’t quite put her finger on. Excitement. It was all about Harry, and his Hogwarts letter was coming any day now.
Marlene watched him a lot over the past few days, his energy almost overflowing, the way his eyes would light up whenever anyone mentioned Hogwarts. He could barely sit still, always talking about broomsticks and magical creatures, and sometimes even making them all pretend to play Quidditch in the garden. Marlene didn’t mind, of course. She was happy for him. But a little part of her couldn’t help but feel… I don’t know… a little left out.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to go. Of course she did. It was just, well, Hogwarts. It was this magical, faraway place where Harry would go and learn everything about being a wizard while she stayed behind. She was younger—just one year—but that one year felt like forever when you were waiting for something big to happen.
Sirius and Remus were both already acting like they were preparing for something important, though Marlene could see the anxiety hidden under their smiles. They kept talking in quiet voices when they thought she wasn’t listening, glancing at Harry like they were worried about something. But Harry? He was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement, his mind already in a world full of magic, broomsticks, and castles.
The cottage was quiet when the owl finally arrived. The kind of quiet that felt like the world was holding its breath. They all knew what was coming.
The sound of a soft tapping at the window made Marlene’s heart skip. Harry looked up, eyes wide, and without a second’s hesitation, Sirius was out of his seat and moving toward the window. The same owl that had delivered Marlene’s Hogwarts letter the year before was back, holding a thick envelope in its beak. Harry’s Hogwarts letter.
Marlene couldn’t stop staring as Sirius opened the window and the owl hopped onto the table, proudly extending the letter to Harry. It was happening.
Harry’s hands shook slightly as he took the letter, the excitement clear on his face, though she could see his eyes were full of wonder too. He was holding it. The letter that meant everything to him, the one that said he was going to Hogwarts. The one that made him officially a wizard.
“This is it,” Remus said quietly, his voice soft but filled with pride. “You’re going to Hogwarts, Harry.”
Harry barely seemed to hear him. His gaze was locked on the letter, and for a second, it felt like time had stopped. This moment, it was all his. It was everything he had dreamed of.
“You did it, Harry,” Sirius added, ruffling his hair. “You’re ready for this.”
But Harry wasn’t listening. He had already torn open the envelope, his excitement so great that the words on the parchment barely registered. His eyes immediately went to the list of supplies. A wand. A broomstick. Books. He couldn’t stop grinning when he saw his name on the list.
“I’m going to Hogwarts,” Harry whispered, his voice filled with awe, like it hadn’t quite sunk in yet.
Marlene felt a strange mixture of happiness for him and a tight knot in her chest. She should have been excited for him—she was—but there was something about seeing him take that step, knowing that he was leaving for Hogwarts while she still had a year to wait.
“You are, Harry,” Remus said gently, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “And you’re going to do amazing things there.”
“I’m going to be a wizard!” Harry beamed, and it was like his whole face lit up, like he was finally going to be where he truly belonged.
Marlene had to admit, there was something magical about it. But she couldn’t stop herself from asking, quietly, almost to herself, “Can I come next year?”
Remus turned to her then, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You will, Marlene,” he said softly. “In a year’s time, you’ll be right there with him.”
Sirius, always with a mischievous grin, added, “And don’t forget—beat Harry at Quidditch, alright?”
Marlene tried to smile, but she couldn’t help the little twinge of envy she felt. “I’ll try,” she said, though she wasn’t sure if she would ever be as good as Harry at anything. He always seemed so certain, so… ready for everything.
As the days went on, it became harder to pretend she wasn’t a little bit sad. Not because Harry was leaving, but because she wasn’t going with him. And yet, she tried to keep up the smile, to act like she was just as excited as everyone else.
One night, as Harry packed the last of his things, Ginny stood near the doorway, looking a little sad too. “You’re not going to forget us, are you?” she asked him, her voice so quiet Marlene almost didn’t hear it.
Harry looked at her seriously. “I won’t forget. I’ll write to you.”
Ginny smiled, but there was something in her eyes that didn’t quite match her words. “Promise me you’ll come back at Christmas.”
“Of course,” Harry said with that grin of his, though Marlene could tell he wasn’t entirely sure what to expect once he was at Hogwarts. Things might change, she knew. They always did. But for now, it was okay. He was going to Hogwarts, and that was all that mattered.
And so, in the quiet of the cottage, while Harry prepared to leave for a world full of magic, Marlene had to content herself with the knowledge that her turn would come too. Someday, she would have her letter, and she would go to Hogwarts too. But for now, she watched her brother, filled with a mix of admiration and a little bit of longing.
And even though it wasn’t her moment, Marlene couldn’t help but feel that it was just the beginning of something truly magical—for both of them.