Mischief Managed | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 99

Throughout the weeks that passed, homework and essay and exams piled on top of one another, making it harder for the fourth year students to catch a break. It was gruesome, as Marlene called it, and the only thing they had to look forward to one their first Hogsmeade trip of the year that was exactly on Halloween.

     "It's actually my favorite holiday, you know," said Lily as the girls made their way to the library right after lunch. "I used to love it as a kid! I counted the days every year until the next halloween. We used to dress up, go trick or treating with mum and dad. It was the only time of the year Tuny and I just stopped fighting and enjoyed ourselves. After a long night of walking through the neighborhood, we would go back home and count all the candies we'd collected and eat them together right in front of the fireplace."

     "That sounds like so much fun," Alice mused.

     "It really was." Lily smiled to herself at the memories. "And our dad would sit with us and tell us horror stories and we would scream and laugh. And Mum would make us caramel popcorn. It was always so fun. That's why I always loved Halloween. I still do."

     "You don't do all that anymore?" Marlene questioned.

     "Lily's been at Hogwarts every Halloween ever since she started at Hogwarts, Mar," said Jenna.

     "Oh, yeah. You're right." Marlene nodded in realization, lowering her voice as soon as they entered the library.

     The girls sat down at a round table, taking out their books and notes, working on their Charms essay. They had forty minutes left from their lunch break before having to go down to the Potions' classroom. Lily finished her Charms essay first and let Marlene burrow it, and then took out her Potions notes before the class.

     Jenna was trying to help Marlene as well, meanwhile Alice had put stopped writing, looking out of the library window with her quill still held in her hand.

     "Okay, but what do I write for the second paragraph?" Marlene asked her friend in a hushed voice, but her attention was elsewhere. "Jenny?"

     "Wha — sorry. What were you saying?"

     "The second paragraph. What's up with you, anyway?"

     "Nothing... I just feel like some creep is watching us," Jenna whispered, trying not to act suspicious. "Just be cool."

     But leave it to Marlene to make a scene out of everything, leaning back in her seat and craning her neck to take a better look, acting so obvious that Jenna slammed her palm into her forehead.

     "I said be cool." Jenna shook her head at Marlene, but Marlene was still staring at the guy at the other side of the library.

     "What are you two on about?" Lily asked. "And don't talk so loudly, or we'd be thrown out."

     "Jenna's right. I caught that guy over there staring at us," said Marlene, and with that, all four girls turned their head to look over at the boy.

     The boy who was sitting alone at one of the tables was caught off guard, feeling so embarrassed and surprised that he accidentally dropped his book to the floor, his ears going red and flushed.

     "What a creep!" Marlene mumbled bitterly.

     "Oh, stop." Lily rolled her eyes. "That's just Frank Longbottom."

     "Who cares? He was staring." Marlene argued.

     "Look, I've talked to him a few times last year to ask him about O.W.Ls. He's actually one of the best students in his year," Lily reasoned, but Marlene just shrugged.