Quiet Halloween
Women seem wicked
When you're unwanted
Streets are uneven
When you're down
“People Are Strange” by The Doors, 1967
Friday 29th October 1976
Dorcas
Transfiguration was one of her favourite subjects, it came easily to her. So she never had to put incredible amounts of effort in. Instead, Dorcas liked to watch people living their meaningless little lives.
When it was all boiled down nothing mattered. But Dorcas liked to observe anyway because she was nosy, there was always a scandal or new relationship. And the benefit of being invisible is that she got to hear it all without being involved. She was never seen as a threat - not in that way anyway. And so she always knew: who, what, when, where and why. Gossip was her guilty pleasure. Only stupid people would let out all their secrets in a public setting just because they think they’re whispering. Whispering or not, Dorcas would hear them. Some even more stupid people, like well Marlene McKinnon or Macdonald for example, didn’t even bother with the whispering at all. They had loud and sometimes even heated discussions right next to her. But it was the giggling that did her in. They were notorious for it, both of them. Once one got the other started, you couldn’t stop either. It would go on all lesson if Marlene didn’t usually get sent out. It wasn’t just her laugh that was so loud, but she’d bang on the desk or stamp her feet if something was really funny. When Marlene was with James and she’d scream they’d clap and roll around falling off chairs (which only made them laugh more). With Sirius, they would push and shove each other - or a slap on the arm if something crude was said. At the other end of the spectrum, she and Peter would cling on as they collapsed in a heap. When Lily said nearly anything a grin would spread across her face like the bloody Cheshire Cat. And with Remus, she’d throw her head back and struggle to catch a breath. Dorcas could always tell when something risqué was said because Marlene would cover her face as she laughed. Constantly laughing as if everything and everyone was just one big joke, playing on and on for her personal amusement. It made Dorcas’ blood boil that she could be so happy.
She only had 3 lessons on a Friday, having an easy finish at 14:50. It was great because it gave her loads of time to get down to the greenhouses and meet Pandora before the weekend rush. She left history and walked down to the edge of the forest to the gamekeeper, Hagrid’s hut. The air was cold and bitter. As she got close she spotted Pandora who was walking up the hill towards her. She instantly sped up at the sight and greeted Dorcas with a hug. “Dorcas guess what!”
“What?”
“Look what I got,” she smiled. Pandora reached into her pocket and pulled out a little grey fluffy insect. Dorcas recognised it from Pandora’s textbooks. A Glumbumble. They turn honey into this treacle that makes you depressed. “We can use him to make downers.”
Pandora was a genius with all this drug stuff. Constantly improving her potions. “You’re so clever,” said Dorcas, impressed. The other girl responded with a proud nod and placed the single insect back into her pocket. “How long has that been in there? Are you just leaving it in there like that?” Dorcas asked, raising a brow.
“Let’s go now,” Pandora instigated while linking arms with the taller girl.
They headed back up to the castle and around to the greenhouses. The closer they got, the faster they walked, as they reached 10 feet they were jogging to reach the doors and find refuge in the warmth. The pair came in through the large oak doors and started pacing towards the Slytherin common room. “Hey Dorcas,” came from above them. Dorcas didn’t immediately recognise the voice. She looked up searching around the staircases all around them. Dorcas settled her eyes on a ginger girl in tow. Oh, Evans. Remus trailed behind her in tow. “Dorcas, can I talk to you?”
Dorcas didn’t mind being a prefect but working under Lily, the world's biggest perfectionist, was hard work. “I suppose,” she shrugged. Pandora sensed the fact she wasn’t needed and headed off without her - that meant Dorcas would spend the next hour talking her both her and Regulus. She was a nightmare drag away from him.
Lily sped up and started jogging down the stairs. They met at the bottom and Lily just stood smiling at her. Remus eventually joined, having walked much slow than his other half. He made them into a little circle, greeting, “Y’ alrigh’ Dorcas.”
“Alright, yourself?” She asked. She hadn’t really to a chance to see Remus since the start of term. They needed desperately to catch up. She turned to the other girl, “Evans, I don’t mean to be rude but-”
“Call me Lily,” she interrupted. Remus couldn’t hide his smile, he knew how much Dorcas hated being interrupted.
“Okay, Lily, I have things to do what do you want?” It came out ruder than she’d meant it and Lily looked hurt at the confrontation.
Lily’s words faltered. She was far too sensitive. Remus took over, “We want you to tutor Marlene again.” The words tumbled out of him as though he didn’t want them to sit on his lips for too long. He was right to feel that way because what the fuck? No!
What the fuck? No. Dorcas stated as simply as it was, “No.”
Lily's turn again. “Please?”
“No.”
“Dorcas-” Remus began.
No. Of course, Marlene would send her bloody friends after her. Dorcas couldn’t do it again. It was mental and physical torture. The restrain it took not to wrap her hands around that idiot’s throat was unmatched. “Remus listen to me. You could not pay me enough money. You could not do me a big enough favour. You couldn’t threaten me with anything dangerous enough. To have to deal with that girl again.”
“What about all three, my dear?” He offered. Dorcas sighed heavily. “C’mon Dorcas. She’ll behave. Won’t she?”
Lily gave a wide-eyed nod. “Yes, and James will pay! McGonagall has threatened to kick her off the team-”
“Oh, that’s a win-win, Lily!” Dorcas smiled in just one corner. Remus gave her a stern look. It was hard to refuse him. Dorcas always had a soft spot for the werewolf. They had an understanding - a camaraderie. But he would owe her so so so badly. “Oh for fuck sake fine. But she can’t throw an hour-long temper tantrum.” There it was again. That instant sinking regret. Why did she agree? Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Dorcas hung her head in defeat.
“Thank you so much!” Lily beamed.
“Don’t thank me yet, I might kill your best friend,” Dorcas replied. Marlene was on such thin ice already. Dorcas was not above drowning her and telling McGonagall ‘Hey I did my best’.
“It’s today, yeah? Four til five,” Remus reminded. He’d settled into a smile now Marlene's education had been secured.
“See you soon,” Dorcas winked at Remus.
And off she went to the dungeons. Merlin only knows why Remus and Lily couldn’t help her out. Why had McGonagall and two of her best friends thought Dorcas was the best solution for Marlene? She decided to ask Remus that later.
Marlene
Fridays were never a good day - she had six lessons. Today specifically however was decidedly worse. Marlene entered the library on the sole condition that Lily would write her charms essay. Yes, counterintuitive to the whole trying to get better at school thing but baby steps. Lily accepted after a fairly intense argument. She had no business getting involved in Marlene’s affairs. However, a free essay for an hour with Meadowes seemed like an okay trade.
The ice princess herself was sitting at a secluded table in between the tall shelves. She was already midway through her piece of parchment. “You’re late,” Meadowes complained before Marlene even had the chance to announce her arrival.
Charming as always. “Well I didn’t exactly have fair warning about this,” Marlene sighed. She pulled out the chair opposite scraping the wood along the stone floor. Meadowes winced before staring at her.
“You didn’t know?”
“No. Lily told me about-“Marlene checked the watch on her wrist that wasn’t there. “Maybe ten minutes ago.”
Dorcas rolled her eyes at the sight. She rolled her eyes at most of the things Marlene said. She was nearly impossible to talk to. “I’m not here for the good of my health. I’m just-“
“Getting a chance to kiss up to Minnie?” Marlene suggested as the end of the sentence.
“No.” Dorcas shot a look like a warning. “I’m here not for McGonagall or for Lily or for you, I'm here for a letter from Dumbledore. Simple as.”
Marlene shrugged her shoulders and leaned back in the wooden chair. “Suck up to the Albus then. Same difference.”
“Why do you insist on calling the professors by their names?”
There wasn’t an answer to that. She could say because James does and Sirius is the one who started calling her Minnie back in third year, but Dorcas would've berated her for that response. “Well Dorcas, It humanises them,” Marlene smiled feeling awfully proud of herself.
The other girl shifted uncomfortably in her seat and averted her gaze back to the parchment. “Just start the essay and tell me what you need help with.”
Marlene sighed and got on with it. For about six whole minutes before she got so incompressibly bored that she had to start talking again. “What are you doing for Halloween?” She asked. A light enough topic.
“Nothing.”
“Even the Slytherins host a Halloween party. You have to be doing something.”
“I’m going to sit in my room.”
“Why?”
“Is that any of your business?” Dorcas snapped. Christ this was going to be a very shitty hour. Marlene started playing with the little, fluffy, hair bit of the quill. Dorcas looked at her intently. “Do you need help or something?”
“I don’t know what to write. I always copy James’ essays.” Marlene explained. Dorcas held out a hand for Marlene to pass her the parchment. Instead heaved her chair around to sit closer, and then they could both look over it. Dorcas skimmed over it her face turning quickly into a grimace. She dipped her quill in some ink and crossed out four of the five sentences. “Oi!” Marlene couldn’t help but feel slightly offended
“McKinnon you’re a halfblood?”
“And?”
Dorcas’ eyes moved in a weird way and her eyebrows furrowed. “So after primary school and five years being at Hogwarts, you can’t spell the word non-verbal.” She didn’t have a snarky tone she just seemed purely confused.
Marlene looked at the misspelt title. Marlene corrected herself slightly embarrassed, “Oh shit the ‘L’ and the ‘E’ go the other way around.” She lifted her wand, tapped it to the page and started the vanishing spell.
Dorcas interrupted almost immediately and pulled Marlene’s hand away from the page. She had a tight grip but it wasn’t at all painful. “Marlene there’s only one ‘E’ in ‘verbal’, okay?”Dorcas informed her with a soft tone. Marlene had never heard Dorcas speak in a soft tone. It was rare to hear her voice at all. She vanished all the ink in the crossed-out sections as well as the title. And Marlene began again almost from scratch with frequent guidance from Dorcas.
It ended up taking well over an hour but Marlene kept distracting the serious girl, attempting to have an actual conversation. “Snape’s lookin’ at us.”
“He's not. He’s looking at you.”
“Snape doesn’t deserve to look in my direction.”
“You’re pretty but that doesn’t give you any right to be a complete cunt. Just cause everyone treats you and your mates like you’re something special doesn’t mean-”
“Did you just-“
“I’m not blind. Doesn’t mean I hate you any less.”
“Yeah okay,” Marlene replied disbelieving. Her grin was so wide and so intense it made Dorcas furious.
“Don’t say okay in that voice. Marlene I can’t stand to be around you. You make me ill.”
Saturday 30th October 1976
Halloween was always a big occasion in the wizarding world. Much more so than for the muggles. Hogwarts went all out every year with a feast and decorations and usually a party. This year, that all fell on a Sunday. But even outside of the regular traditions, they had their own. The group had made a habit of going to the three broomsticks of the nearest Saturday before to celebrate. Rosmerta, the landlord’s daughter, had grown to like them a lot. She was a lovely-looking woman in her mid-twenties. She had long blonde loose curls that she wore piled up on her head. She was a huge gossip, so, naturally, she and Mary got on really well. She wore flowy shirts, cinched at the waist with a tight corset which pushed her boobs out massively. James' eyes practically popped out of his head whenever he saw her. To be fair to him it was impossible not to look, he just lacked subtlety.
Rosie greeted them as they came in. “Hello James, Sirius, Pete,” she reeled off their names one by one. “Marlene, Remus, Lily. Oh, and Mary I’ve got something for you behind the bar,” she winked at her. Marlene gave her friend a look, hoping to find out what on earth Rosmerta was on about, Mary responded with an I’ll tell you later smile.
“Got a table, Rose?” James asked. He smiled at her trying to be charming, Marlene felt mildly nauseous but it seemed to work.
“Saved you one special,” she grinned. She guided them to a reserved table not far from the bar itself before taking Mary by the hand behind the bar. Marlene sat with her friends still keeping an eye on Mary with Rosemerta. She seemed to hand her something wrapped and they exchanged a few smiles and whispers. Marlene felt a bit jealous honestly. They arrived back at the table together and Rose took their orders. Butterbeers all round.
“Oh Rose, I would have hoped you’d offer us a witches' brew,” Sirius sighed.
She gave a sympathetic smile, “You’re only sixteen, I’m not losing my license.”
“Not even for your favourite customers?” James tried.
“Not even for my favourite customers,” she confirmed.
Marlene felt like joining in now, “So you admit were your favourites.” The barmaid tried to hide her smile.
Sirius announced, “I’m seventeen next week.”
“I might think about it,” she shrugged even though it was clear that it was going to happen.
“The day I turn eighteen I’ll be buying you a drink,” James winked with a horrible air of insinuation.
“You boys are going to get me into trouble.” She gave tried to give an annoyed sigh but the bright smile on her face definitely undermined it. She raised a brow, “Marlene you’re no better.” Marlene couldn’t stop the grin from splitting her face in two. James seemed to have a mirrored expression. Eventually, Rosemerta had to start working and serving the long awaiting customers, but she still periodically came over for a chat.
James insisted on buying nearly every round. He claimed it was because he loved them all so much but Marlene thought it was more likely he was trying to impress Rose. Lily sat at the end of the table fairly quietly until she suddenly announced, “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“I’ll go too!” Mary said.
When Marlene continued drinking Mary gave her a pointed look. “Yeah, I’m goin’ as well.” She stood up and they all followed on into the tiny toilet with only two stalls. Marlene hopped on the sink and asked, “What’s this about?”
“James! Obviously!” Lily snapped.
“Woah calm down,” Marlene held her hands up in surrender. “What’s happened now?” Ever since what happened with Remus and Sirius, James was forced to mature a bit. Apparently, that was all Lily needed to tip over the scales and start to finally fancy him back, she would never admit it though.
“He’s all over her!” She complained.
Mary put a hand on Lily’s shoulder. “That’s nothing new though, he’s always had a thing for her.”
James was a piner through and through. There was a surplus of girls who would be ecstatic to have them, but that did nothing for him. He only ever wanted the ones that didn’t want him back. “It's different. She’s started entertaining it. Reciprocating even. And- You flirt with her just as much. What the pull?”
“First off I’m not flirtin’ with her, I’m only havin’ a laugh. That’s wha’ they do,” Marlene argued. “And if you’re asking why James likes her. She’s nice to him even when she shuts him down. You’ve got to give it to him, he’s very persistent.”
“I'm nice to him,” Lily said, half-heartedly.
Mary gave a confused look. “Lils, no. You’re not.”
“Lily he can only wait so long.” Lily didn’t seem to like that statement but it was true. He had been in love with Lily since his first year but after five years he was starting to give up. “Lils I love you, but this is on you. He’s done everything he can to get you to like him. He dedicates every won match in your honour. Give him something back.” Lily said nothing but Marlene knew what she said sunk in, Lily had spent all this time pushing him away. Mary led the way as they headed back to the pub. When they returned to the table Remus and James were arm wrestling, James was winning but not without huge strain. Both their arms were shaking quite vigorously and for a moment it looked like James was about to win. Lily smiled at James and took a seat next to him. He was so dumbfounded by the interaction that Remus slammed his hand down against the table.
“Fuck yes!” Remus shouted. Marlene, Peter and Sirius all started rapidly patting all over Remus and shouting. It was something they did all the time. If someone won something or did something well, everyone would dive on them and start harshly drumming all over them.
“Yes, mate!”
“Go ‘ead!”
“Come on!”
James said nothing and reached into his pocket, still staring at Lily. From it, he retrieved a handful of galleons and slid them over.
On Halloween, James wanted a post-feast party. Everyone was too tired and full to agree. It ended up as a hangout with most of the older Gryffindors and a few friends from other houses. The group were situated on the sofa in front of the fire, in their usual seats.
“Ronnie!” Marlene called over the absolute brute of a seventh-year. He played for Hufflepuff as a beater. Despite being almost as tall as Remus and built like a brick shit house he was soft as anything.
He turned and his full expression shifted into a much happier smile as she approached. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, he put his arms around her waist just momentarily picking her up. “Hiya Marls,” he greeted as he descended her.
“Haven’t seen you on the pitch,” she stated. Marlene had seen the Hufflepuff team practising but no sign of Ronnie.
His previous elation dropped a little as he went from beaming to a soft smile. It was put on. “Yeah, I know,” he began, stalling whatever came next. “Can't play no more,” he shrugged.
Marlene gasped, “What?” It seemed very dramatised but it was a genuine shock. Ronnie loved Quidditch and he was bloody good at it too. He wasn’t fast on a broom but he was precise, most of his bludgers were dead hits. Nobody dared get in the way of a bludger from Ronnie since he put James in the hospital wing third year.
He grimaced a little, he was visibly so uncomfortable. Marlene didn’t want to push him. He punched the top of his brown trousers and carefully lifted them up. A false leg. As soon as Marlene caught on she tilted her head back up to face him but shifted his eyes down to the ground. “Fucking hell, Ronnie.”
Ronnie gave a mild nod and pursed his lips. “Bad isn’t it?”
Yes. “No, mate. I couldn’t tell before you showed me,” she assured, with the first smile since this conversation darkened.
Marlene was a hedonist admittedly. She mostly did whatever made her feel good at the time. She rarely lied if it wasn’t to save her own skin. This was one of those other times when she had to lie. Ronnie attempted to smile back at her but it just wouldn’t form on his lips, “You’re lying McKinnon. Nothing against you but I’ve had this for a month now. You get used to knowing when people-”
“You’re still the same lad Ronnie. Still me mate.”
“I’ll only ever be mates with birds now. No bird is getting turned on by a stump.”
“Don’t say that. You’ve got plenty going for y’. Like I said nothing's changed.”
“Except for the facts my career's gone down the shitter.”
“We’ll get y’ on a broom soon enough.” Ronnie smiled this time. Like a thank you for not thinking little of me. Marlene was happy to oblige. She smiled too. They stayed for a couple moments of peaceful enjoyment in each other’s company. Chatting about the summer - breezing past anything to do with ‘the accident’, as Ronnie bequeathed it. But with a couple more drinks they’d both become more comfortable with the subject.
“This is why you don’t drive a bike,” he pointed down to his shin. Well, not his shin. He didn’t have one anymore. His metal rod? Oh shit. It was Ronnie's bike? That thing was his pride and joy at home. He crashed his bike. “Fucking nightmare this is. Always itchy. And sometimes when I wake up I forgot and I stand up and go-“ he made a high-pitched whistling noise and ended suddenly with a clap of his hands.
“Surely they can make a broom for... someone like you.”
“Have you ever seen a pirate on a broom?”
“How long until I can start calling y’ peg-leg?” Marlene asked.
“Few weeks yet,” he laughed.
Their little ‘not party’ continued on and Marlene got reunited with her friends that she hadn't seen since last year. With the new courses at NEWT level, she’d been split up from her mates in other houses. As she was talking to a couple of the Ravenclaws she began to wonder where Emmeline was. It was 11 pm before she arrived. “Em!” Marlene shouted as the girl appeared through the portrait hole.
“Hi, marls!” Em came bounding over and wrapped her arms around the tall blonde girl. “Haven’t seen you in ages. Missed you,” she pouted.
“I saw you at tea.”
“Exactly ages.”
“Comin’ for a smoke?”
“Okay.” Emmeline smiled at her. She had a cute smile her whole face lit up. She took Marlene by the hand and walked to the window. Marlene managed to snag her drink from the table as she was pulled away. The two sat facing each other on the window sill. “Can I have that cup?” She asked, staring down at the clear ribbed plastic cup Marlene held in her hand. Marlene sighed but handed it over, she didn’t feel nearly drunk enough. Emmy poured out a vial from nowhere, it just seemed to appear in her hand, then tossed it out the window Marlene had opened.
The liquid was a sunshine yellow and mixed with the beer it made a swirling glittery golden brown. “What the fuck is that?”
Em grinned, “Don’t worry about it.” She downed half the cup in a single gulp. As the cup lowered her smile was brilliant and showed off most of her teeth. “Your turn,” she offered out the cup.
“Are you trying to drug me Em?”
She shrugged, “Maybe.”
Marlene took the drink and swigged it. It was suddenly sweet and made her feel warm. She had an instant smile too. it felt like all the weight of the world was lifted and, from her core to every tip of every extremity, was radiating our joy. “What is this?”
“Come here,” Emmeline beckoned. Marlene felt drawn to her as if someone was physically pushing from behind. Em leaned in too. Marlene had no plan, expectation or intention. However, he did not anticipate the dark-haired girl to pop a cigarette into the blonde girl’s parted lips. Marlene accidentally crushed it a little with her half-laugh. Em used her wand tip to light the end. “How do you feel?” In truth, mildly disappointed. But soon another wave of happiness lapsed over her washing all the other feelings away.
“I feel good, yeah.”