Chapter 1
Mary Macdonald hated the rain. The humidity that would come along with it always ensured it would be a bad hair day, and there was nothing worse than a bad hair day. Unfortunately, that did not stop Mary's hair from being frizzy as she entered the flower shop Lily Evans' -her best friend'- family owned.
"Fuck this shit," Mary grumbled, walking inside, immediately walking towards the cashier counter.
Lily was perched behind it, her school word laid out across the counter and eyes focused in concentration as she mindlessly ignored the world around her despite being on the job. Mary could faintly pick up the sound of Taylor Swift's voice playing from the stereo in the back room.
"Distracted on the job," Mary feigned a disappointed face, "What would your mother say about this?"
Lily jumped slightly at the sudden voice before a smile bloomed her face once she recognized who it was. "Hey you," she said, "What are you doing here?"
"Practice ended early and mom has a late shift tonight, so I thought I might come by."
Mary's mother worked at the hospital downtown, causing her to have irregular shifts at times, leaving Mary to have the house to herself. She didn't like, in fact hated, to be at home by herself, so she often situated herself at Lily's place when her mom was out. A house without people was not a home to Mary, it was just a house then.
'Mom's making Tteokguk tonight. You coming over?" Lily asked, writing something down on her paper.
Mary nodded, coming to sit next to Lily behind the counter. She paused for a moment before taking out her backpack, dumping all her notebooks and folders on the counter - Mary wasn't organized and able to get things done quickly like Lily. She often did let her work build up, leaving her to cram all night. It was a bad habit, but a habit nevertheless.
"You've got an English essay about Wuthering Heights due tomorrow," Lily said without looking up, "Do it now instead of three in the morning tonight."
Marry narrowed her eyes. "How do you know?" she asked accusingly, "Our classes aren't even reading the same book."
"It's in my agenda," Lily replies, pointing to a little scribble on her agenda that was a few inches away.
"Huh," Mary squints, "You write down my due dates on your agenda?"
Lily pauses her writing for a few moments before continuing. "Someones gotta keep you in track."
"Aww," Mary places a hand on her heart, "You care about me!"
"Shut up and do your work."
Mary snickered to herself, but pulled out a piece of parchment anyway. Wuthering Heights. Wuthering Heights. Wuthering Heights. If Mary was being honest, she wasn't a reader like Lily or Remus, or even like Sirius's little swot of a brother. Reading took a specific attention span, an attention span that Mary didn't have. She couldn't consume herself in it the way Lily always talked about no matter how much she tried.
"What the fuck happened in Wuthering Heights?" Mary blurts before she could even stop herself.
There is a few moments of silence before Lily lets out a loud sigh beside her. "I'll tell you at dinner. For now do your math homework, which I also know is due tomorrow," Lily says, giving her a pointed look.
"Why do you know everything?" Mary grumbles, reaching out to grab her math folder, "Are the Lupins coming to your house tonight?"
The Lupin family and Evans family had been friends forever -even further before Lily and Remus were born. The parents of the two families had been friends since university, so it was only given when Lily and Remus were born for them to be best friends. They were attached by hip whether it was partnering during family game night, picking partners for school, or just any activity really.
"Remus and Hope might, but Lyall works late on Wednesdays."
Mary hums, furrowing her eyebrows when she pulled up her math homework. What the actual fuck? Her phone starts ringing before she could complain to Lily for help, the sweet noise of ABBA blasting. She instantly picks it up, desperate for anything that would diverge her attention from the hell called mathematics.
The voice on the line gets to their point instantly, not bothering with proper greetings. "Party at nine tonight at the Prewetts."
Mary Macdonald didn't even know where to get started with Marlene McKinnon. Star lacrosse player, coolest girl at school, most likely to become famous, Hogwarts party girl; the list to describe Marlene McKinnon could go on forever. Mary just liked to think of her as her best friend though. The two met in the second grade where they both shared a simulate hatred for the mean boy that sat at table B: Mulciber. Dark hair and mean eyes, he treated anyone without his respect like they were dirt. He had the audacity to insult Mary's curly hair, and before Mary could even defend herself, the small blonde with the pixie cut next to her kicked him in the balls. It was safe to say they were best friends after that. She also remembered a small James Potter insanely jealous of her at first for stealing his best friend.
"But Marls," James sobbed, big fat tears rolling down his rosy cheeks, "Me and Pete are your best friends!"
Marlene felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment. "Stop crying little boy! Who even are you?"
This only made James cry harder, and Mary watched awkwardly from Marlene's side at the little boy who was sobbing his heart out as recess.
"You're so mean!" James screamed, stomping his foot before running the opposite direction to the seesaw where another little boy was sitting and observing the scene.
Marlene turned towards Mary. "I swear I don't even know him!"
The year later in third grade, James Potter met Sirius Black, and had found his own new best friend, which restored order in society.
Speaking of Sirius: "Do you need a ride, princess?"
"Are you guys together?" Mary asks, ignoring his question completely.
"Yeah we're at Prongs' house. Wanna come?"
Mary glanced at Lily who was now across the shop talking to a customer, the girl's hands all over the place as she gestured towards the flowers.
"Can't. Doing homework with Lily," Mary frowns when she realizes something, "It's a school night. Why are you guys going partying?"
Marlene snorts. "You act as if that has stopped us before."
"True."
"So you in?"
"Can't," Mary clicks her tongue, "Got an essay due tomorrow."
"Boo you whore," Mary can almost see Marlene's pout through the screen, "Do your work earlier."
"Yeah next time I will," Mary lies, knowing she will never break this bad cycle she's created.
There is a bit of incomprehensible talking on the other side of the line before Marlene's voice speaks again, "Okay gotta go now."
Mary makes a kiss sound as a farewell, her focus more on watching Lily's laugh as she talks to the customer.
"Answer my messages!' Sirius adds before the line goes dead.
Mary frowns at the comment, opening up her messages app to see over twenty messages just from Sirius. She scrolls through it carelessly; It's mostly just dog memes, complaining throughout the day, and even a few selfies. The two have been off and on for a while: the off part being when they wanna hook up with others, before falling back into their comfortable relationship. It's just habitual at this point, and Mary can't even really tell if she actually likes Sirius in the romantic light.
Sure, she loves him, he is one of the best and caring people she knows, but is she in love with him? Probably not. Though he seems to be the only guy around that appreciates her more for than just her looks, so she will take what she can get.
"That will be thirty two dollars," Lily's voice says, walking around the counter again, "I'm sure your wife will love those."
The man at the counter smiles as he hands over the money. "Thanks for help, truly."
Lily smiles back -teeth and everything- as she lets out the charming Lily Evans laugh. "My pleasure."
The man sends his final thank you before walking out, rushing to his car to get out of the rain.
"That guy is getting his wife flowers even though there is no special event," Lily says, smiling as she sits back down, "Isn't that romantic?"
Mary tilts her head. "I guess? I think you're just a romantic though, Lils."
"How is it I'm the romantic even though you're the one with a boyfriend?"
Mary starts to pack her bag - closing time for the shop is soon. "I don't know, but I do know I'm starving. Let's go."
Lily laughs breathily. "Let me just turn off the stereo in the back and we can close up."
Lily disappears for a few moments before reappearing, and Mary physically pauses packing up just to stare because wow. Lily's ginger with hints of brown just sways as she walks, the soft light making her freckles more visible than usual, and lips coated with the gloss -her lipgloss- parted slightly just look so perfect. Mary doesn't even realize she subconsciously pulled out her camera before she hears a click.
"What was that for?" Lily laughs as she picks up her bag.
Mary pauses, What was that for? she asks herself.
Shrugging, she responds, "You just look good."
"Oh," Lily replies, surprise in her tone as if she really didn't expect that answer. A light flush takes over Lily's cheeks and Mary wants to take a photo again. "Thanks."
The two girls don't share any other words as they finish packing up in comfortable silence before walking out - Lily clicking off the button of the open sign, letting the illuminating neon glow subside to complete darkness. The two girls bike away, the shop getting smaller and smaller as the distance grows.
Hope Lupin and Remus Lupin do end up coming over, and dinner is set up in the fancy dining room where there is a chandelier and everything. They don't turn it on though, instead opting to turn of the soft colored lamps at the corner of the rooms instead.
"Food is great as usual," Hope says warmly, taking a sip.
Lily's mother, Daisy, smiles at her old friend. "The Welsh Cake you brought over is divine as well."
Mary nods in agreement. "I'm going to need the recipe, Mrs. Lupin."
Hope's eyes brighten at the praise as she gives a dismissive hand. "Oh stop it. And please, call me Hope."
Mary ignores the warm feeling in her heart as she sits at the dinner table; the idea of having a family dinner at her house is so foreign. As much as she adores her mom, her mom is always occupied at the hospital, and well her father has been out of the picture since her birth. However, when her mom is home, they curl up the couch and eat toasties while watching -more judging than watching- the Kardashians.
Here, at the Evans household it's different. With Petunia away at college, Lily is more at ease and jokes more often. There is consistent conversation, and a part of Mary just wants to stay in this house forever.
However, soon dinner ends, and they all clean up before Lily, Remus, and Mary situate in Lily's room instead. As soon as they enter, Mary flops onto Lily's bed, eager to sink into the warmth, which immediately earns a scowl from the girl.
"Get off my bed," Lily grumbles, "Your clothes are dirty."
Mary groans, but complies as she decides to roll onto the floor instead.
Remus takes his usual spot at Lily's desk and takes out his notes as soon as he's comfortable, engrossing himself in his studies instantly.
"Help me with my math homework," Mary pleads, kneeling beside Remus and putting her hands up in a pleading gesture.
Remus raises an eyebrow and signs, What do I get in return?
"Nudes," Mary jokes, giving a sheepish grin.
Remus gives a deadpan stare, I'm gay.
"Please please please," Mary begs, jumping back onto the ground for dramatics. She looks up, "You're my last hope. Lily has given up on me."
Lily from across the room snorts, but Mary ignores this.
Remus rolls his eyes, but his small grin gives away his amusement. He moves over slightly and pats the empty space in his seat. Mary instantly jumps up and cheers for a few seconds before taking the seat.
"You're a life savor, Remus Lupin," Mary places a hand on her heart and wipes a fake tear, "My favorite person, truly."
"Who was the one who retold you the whole plot of Wuthering Heights for your essay and explained the metaphors?"
Mary puts a hand up, not turning around to face Lily. "Please be quiet right now, darling. I'm busy." And Mary can almost feel Lily's eyeroll.
The next hour consists of Remus trying to explain the steps to Mary, who for the first half an hour is continually lost. Mary watches as Remus gets increasingly frustrated, and it reminds her of the things she see on the internet where fathers are yelling at their kids at the kitchen counter, and Mary is thankful for a second she doesn't have a dad.
By the last half an hour, she finally gets the hang of it, and does the rest by herself, which lets Remus focus back on studying for his AP Physics test. The three work in perfect harmony with Lily turning on Taylor Swift in the background. When The Best Day starts playing, the sound of Mary's phone disrupts the trio's peace. Mary frowns as she picks up her phone, the words Sirius popping up on the screen.
Mary hums in acknowledgment before pressing decline, turning back to her work. However, just a few seconds later, the phone starts ringing again, and Mary lets out a groan before accepting this call, knowing he will just keep calling.
"What Sirius?" Mary asks, and she notes how Remus's attention immediately turns to her when he hears the name.
"You're really not coming?" Sirius whines, "Marls and I are leaving right now, and you're the third of our party trio!"
Mary lets out a sigh. "I told you I can't. Why can't James go? I thought you were guys at his house."
"He can't. He's babysitting my brother tonight while I go out."
Mary goes quiet for a few moments as she processes his words before she asks slowly, "Your sixteen year old brother? That one?"
"He's home alone!" Sirius reasons, "Alphard is on a business trip for a month and the house is big! He's can lie all he want, but I know that little shit doesn't like being home alone."
"I seriously doubt that," Mary tells him honestly. Mary loves Sirius, she truly admires how he cares for his younger brother, but she also thinks he views his younger brother as a scared little child compared to what he actually is: A mean angsty teen. Mary knows the family life of Sirius before his parents went to jail -under many charges- and she knows how that dysfunctional family made caused Sirius to be a parental figure to Regulus despite the little age difference. Was it healthy though? Definitely not.
Sirius scoffs. "You don't know shit," he says indignantly, hanging up the phone before Mary can even reply.
Mary rolls her eyes when the line goes dead, putting the phone down. She sees Remus looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to explain the call.
"He asked me to come to Prewetts party, and apparently James is baby-sitting Reg while he goes partying, so he got mad at me when I tell him that I doubt Reg needs a babysitter. You know because he's sixteen!"
Lily lets out a sigh. "You know how he is with Reg. Someone needs to put him in therapy."
Remus has a deep frown on his face as he stares at the water bottle in front of him.
Mary nudges his shoulder. "You good?"
Remus breaks out of his trance and nods before signing, I hate his parents.
Mary nods in agreement. "So glad they got what they deserved."
"But the parenting still has these long term effects," Lily frowns, "What if Sirius never lets go of this idea that Regulus is this anxious little kid who needs protecting?"
Remus bites his lip in thought, He'll just drive Reg away.
Mary widens her eyes, she never thought about it like that. She turns to Remus, "Maybe you can talk to him. Finally convince that trainwreck to get therapy."
Remus tenses, Why don't you do it? You're his girlfriend after all.
"He always gets mad when I do it," Mary shrugs, "And you seem to know a lot more than me."
Hope's voice from downstairs interrupts the conversation before Remus can respond, "Remus, honey! It's getting late, we gotta go home now."
Remus packs up quickly, waving at the two girls before rushing out.
Mary blinks. "Is he good?"
Lily sighs, closing her book. "Yeah." The two girls sit in silence for a moment, Lily seeming to be deep in thought, and Mary was about to focus her attention back on her math homework before Lily spoke again.
"Do you actually like Sirius?"
Mary was taken by the question. "What?"
"I mean you just like," Lily struggled to find the words, "I don't know, you just don't seem that into him, you know?"
"Of course I am," Mary replies easily, "He's my boyfriend."
Lily stares at her for a few seconds before turning nodding and turning back to her book. Mary opens her mouth, about to speak again, but there really is nothing to say.
Mary turned back around to face her math homework. I mean Sirius was one of the most popular guys at school and Mary was one of the most popular girls, so by logic, don't they just go together? Her mom told her when she was young that she would find a very handsome boyfriend when she gets older, and she's older now and Sirius was probably the most objectively good looking guy at school. Whenever they were out, people always gushed about they were such a good looking couple. Mary even heard some people congratulate Sirius for pulling her.
Mary always knew she was pretty; You don't get constantly complimented and asked out growing up by not being pretty. She was voted prettiest girl by the guys in seventh grade, so that was just physical evidence she was pretty. So doesn't this make sense? Her and Sirius. Pretty girl and pretty guy. It's what people like. It's what people want, what they expect.
But is it what she likes? What she wants?
The weekend finally arrived. The bell ringing, cutting her teacher off mid sentence, and students rushed out of the classroom, not even bothering to let the man finish his sentence.
"Fucking finally," Mary groaned, "I thought that devil would never stop talking."
Peter snorts. "I know right. AP bio is not for the weak."
Mary hums in agreement. "I think I'm going to home and sleep the whole weekend."
Peter raises an eyebrow. "No partying for you?"
"I've resigned as a party girl. I'm now a sleep girl."
"Party girl Mary will be missed," Peter pats her shoulder, "Welcome sleep girl Mary."
"Looking good, Macdonald," a guy from English says, winking at her as he passes by them in the hall.
He is looking directly at her chest, and Mary feels her throat dry up. The supposed compliment doesn't make a warm feeling rise out of her like it does when Marlene compliments her before a party or Lily complimenting her randomly while they are doing work. This makes her wanna cover herself and run the other way.
"Shut up," Peter snarls at the boy before turning to Mary with a worried gaze, "You ok?"
Mary fakes a laugh, "Of course. He was just complimenting me, don't worry."
Peter narrows his eyes. "That isn't complimenting. That's him being a pig."
"It's fine, Pete. Just let it go."
"No it's not fine-"
"-Hey hey!" a voice interrupts, James Potter coming in and throwing his arms around the duo, "Weekend is fucking finally here!"
Neither Peter nor Mary reply, causing an awkward silence to rise in the air as James looks between the duo confusingly.
"What happened?" James asks, furrowing his eyebrows.
Mary snaps her gaze towards Peter, a warning in her eyes.
Peter, sees this gaze, but ignores it. "Brad Wilson fucking catcalled Mary."
Fucking traitor-
James Potter completely stops in the hallway and looks towards Mary, who is too busy glaring at Peter.
"Is that true?" James whispers, but his eyes are screaming.
One thing to know about James Potter is that you don't fuck with the people he loves. Yes, he might be the sun personified, but once someone utters a bad word, he is a nice sunny day turned into a raging hot sunny day that burns without sympathy.
"No," Mary replies, but she knows James doesn't believe her. "He was just complimenting me."
James doesn't reply for a second and continues to be deathly silent, yet Mary knows better, so she decides to continue.
"James really-"
But it's too late. The calm before a storm is over, and James Potter is off, walking the opposite direction they come from.
Mary widens her eyes. "James!" she calls, but he is already halfway down the hall. She groans, "Pettigrew!"
Peter doesn't even look a bit sorry as he gives her a pointed glare before following James down the hall. Mary, for a moment, thinks about just leaving and go curl up into a ball at home, but decides better of it, and rushes down James as well.
Sirius, who is standing with a few of friends, grins at the sight of his brother in everything but blood. "Hey Prongs!"
But James countries to walk right past him, ignoring his best friend completely. Sirius blinks in shock for a few moments, and grabs Peter, who is following James. "What's up with him?"
"Wilson catcalled Mary."
Mary watches as Sirius goes terribly tense before also following his best friend, silently, but his footsteps slightly louder and aggressive than usual.
"Oh fuck," Mary mutters, bringing a hand up to her hair, "I'm going to have to bail them out of jail. I don't have the money to do that!"
Mary hears the sound of three voices from down the hall and the rustling of lockers, and she winces. People around her to seem notice the sound as well, and their eyes perk up, walking towards the source of sound. Even from down the hall, Mary can hear Marlene's voice: "Yeah! No idea what's going on, but fucking beat his ass!"
Slowly itching towards the crowd, she peeks her head from the outside circle, and gets hit by the full sight of Sirius and James fighting the guy from English class's ass - she still doesn't remember his name. For a moment, she thinks she should go and there to stop it, but really she thinks she's just going to get accidentally punched by accident.
The guy, while totally losing, sets sight on Mary, and his eyes go cold.
"So you're just going to watch?" He manages to croak out, making everyone in the group snap their gaze towards Mary. She suddenly feels the stares of everyone burning on the side of the face, and it doesn't feel good the way it does when people are admiring her while she walks down the hallway. She feels exposed right now, judged.
"Let your stupid friends beat me even though all I did was compliment you?"
"Shut up!" Sirius yells, "Don't talk to her!"
Marlene looks around, confused how Mary fits in the situation. 'Wait what? What did he do to Mary?"
Everyone turns towards Sirius and James eagerly, but they ignore the question, focusing their attention on the guy they are currently beating.
"Hey!"
Everyones eyes turn towards a teacher who is rushing their way in the crowd.
"Hey! Hey! Break it up!"
Though the rest of the words spilled from anyone go unknown, and the only thing Mary can hear is her own heartbeat. All she can feel is the stares of curiosity and judgement from her peers, and it suddenly seems a lot of harder to breathe. She wants to run away, run so far to a place where no one knows her, but she can't. It's like her feet are stuck to the ground, and the simple action of swallowing feels impossible: a lump seems to have form in her throat.
She hasn't even realized a voice is calling her name until she gets harshly pulled in the arm. She turns slightly just to meet the eyes of a place she wants to call home, the place she always feels safe: Lily. Lily is looking at her with so much concern that it makes Mary just want to melt like ice cream on a hot day.
"Lily," Mary croaks.
"I'm here. I'm here," Lily whispers soothingly, "Come on. Let's you get out of here."
Lily wraps an arm around her, leading her out of the crowd, away from her friends, her peers, everyone.
And she can breathe a little lighter.