UPTOWN GIRL | Marauders Era

9 | marcie hears a rumour

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PERENELLE HAD SLEPT THE day away, literally. The headache she awoke with on Saturday morning so fierce that she didn't even grimace at the fact she had slept in her wrinkled uniforms— or that the now empty bottle of her family's wine was her choice of pillow.

Vaudeline hadn't acknowledge her borderline depressing state— no doubt still furious with her, and Marcie was in no better condition. So, Perenelle didn't leave her bed. Not for the whole day. Except maybe to change into her pyjamas— and eat whatever Marceline had smuggled out of the kitchens.

But it was now Sunday, the anxiety of the next Black family detention looming over her head, and Perenelle figured she may as well at least attempt to have a productive day— and brush her hair. The detention wasn't the only thing causing her dread, she had a charms evaluation the next day that also required her attention.

Though above all— the one thing truly responsible for the ache in Perenelle's stomach was the fact that everywhere she went stares still seemed to follow. Whispers. Giggles.

All of it, and it was very close to driving her mad, surely the fight wasn't still the centre of attention? Why on earth did the stares seem to only affect her?

Perenelle's walk to the library had been nearly unbearable, a prickly feeling digging into the back of her neck with every group of snickering students she passed— and it wasn't until she was surrounded by the staggering mahogany book cases she finally allowed herself to take a deep breath.

"Hey! Pera"

It couldn't have been louder than a whisper, yet Perenelle nearly dropped her books, and Alice Fortescue was waving her over to a table.

"Blimey— are you alright? I didn't mean to scare you" The brunette asked, concern laced across her face as Perenelle sat down beside her.

"It's okay, just caught me off guard is all" She chuckled, opening her charms textbook to the page she needed— the Reducto Curse, the focus of their impending evaluation.

"I take it you're here for the same reason as me" Alice sighed, leaning her head against her hand, "I've been in here for a bloody hour now at least, how far have you gotten on the written task?"

"I'm still revising it" She shrugged, "Have you managed to find any information on its creator— Dorphus Rowle? I've found his basic biography but... I don't know, I think it would be better if I knew why he invented the spell, you know?"

Alice humphed at that, "Good luck, it took me nearly two days to even find his actual birthday, what is it with the bloke— it's like he wanted absolutely nobody to know even the slightest bits about him!"

"Shh!"

Madame Pince's sharp shush caused them both to duck their heads, before resulting into silent giggles.

"Bloody hell— what are you two troublemakers doing to piss off Pince so early in the morning?"

Frank Longbottom's sarcasm laced voice was suddenly upon them, and before the two girls could even look up he had plopped himself down in the chair next to Alice, swinging an arm over her shoulder.