A Badger With All The Snakes

Chapter Twelve

Today was the day that MJ's parents would be leaving. They still had a whole week before they resumed their classes.
"We will miss you. Write to us about how the plan goes, yeah?"
"Of course."
"We love you sweetheart."
"I love you too."
"Oh, by the way, there is a little something I left on your desk for Mattheo. For when the time is right."
Madalie was confused as to what her father was saying, deciding not to question it, she would just pester Mattheo later, she nodded and gave her parents one last hug before they walked with Dumbledore to the gates so they could apparate home.
Hermione and Ginny had found her and asked if she would like company walking back to her room. She accepted, not wanting what happened a couple of days ago to happen again.
"How are you? Really?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure. I want to be fine, I do. Nothing bad really happened, except being threatened to be taken away from my best friends. Not to mention the knife, and the bruises they left on my arms. I just can't seem to stop thinking about what could have happened if the professors hadn't shown up when they did. What would be happening to me right now?"
"We are incredibly sorry that you are having to go through all of this. From the outside, sure it didn't look that major, but hearing the way that you describe it, it is not something to be taken lightly."
"Hermione is right. Hearing the way the Slytherins protested against faking stopping being friends with you. I don't want to imagine what was going through their head at that moment. Especially Riddle. He looks at you with so much love and affection, it is so damn adorable." The three girls laughed.
"Seriously, how did you manage to get Slytherins of all people to be the way they are around you?"
"They weren't Slytherins when I met them. It was my first year going to Hogwarts. Seven people burst into the compartment that I was sitting in on the Hogwarts Express. Tom is a year older than us, he was already dressed in his green robes. The others were first years like I was. Pansy was the first to speak to me, we hit it off immediately. Theo and Enzo had made me laugh so hard that I damn near pissed myself. Blaise had bought me my favorite pumpkin pastry from the trolly. Draco and I played wizards chess, we fell in love with the game, now we play every chance we get. At first Mattheo and Tom didn't want anything to do with me, then when they saw that they weren't getting rid of me anytime soon, they became my brothers. Later Mattheo and I developed feelings for each other."
"Wow. It seems like the best of friends meet each other on the Hogwarts Express."
The girls stopped, looked at each other, then doubled over in laughter.
"Maddi? Weasley? Granger? Are you three alright?"
"Ohh, we're fine. Just talking. What are you doing here?"
"I uh well I was coming to see if you were all right."
"We'll see you two later. Good night."
"Night guys. C'mon, let's go back to the room."
"Actually, I have a better idea."