Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Great, so if you, Marina, could pair up with Neville here..."
Marina chuckled lightly as Harry hurried through his sentence, waving his wand around. It was the first meeting of the year for Dumbledore's army, and she was sure his head would explode if he got any more stress dumped on him.
"Ah, I see!" a smirk appeared on her face; she found herself in the mood for some teasing. "You're not pairing me up with yourself because you're scared I will kick your arse in another duel..."
"That duel was a tie!" he reminded her, staring at her back as she walked away. "Just like the Triwizard Tournament!"
"I literally set you on fire, Potter."
Neville was standing by the fireplace, clenching both of his hands around his wand. It seemed like the floor was more interesting than Marina, for when she shouted his name, he didn't even look up. She shrugged it off, waving her wand around her head twice, making her messy curls form a bun on the top of her head.
Umbridge's class had her even more tired and exhausted than on the normal. The woman had now begun giving the fifth-years weekly essays, and Marina had already enough on her plate, being a Prefect, a member of Dumbledore's Army, and having to learn more about her family. She figured, that since her father had been a Slytherin when he attended Hogwarts, that there must be some information about him hidden in the Slytherin common room. There was already a book dedicated to the Malfoys on the bookshelves in the boys' dormitory, so why shouldn't there be one about the Blacks?
"We're just practicing spells, right?" she asked Longbottom, who suddenly bolted his head upward. Marina was surprised to see that the bags under his eyes were even bigger and darker than hers. His red tie was loose and his lips chapped, and she was sure his hair had become even greasier than Snape's.
"I think so," he answered slowly, bringing a hand up to his face to wipe his nose.
Glancing to the side, Marina realized that several pairs had already started their practice. She hurried, drawing her wand and pointing it at the boy in front of her.
"Well, then, hit me. Do what you can: disarm me, stun me, throw me against the wall... your choice."
Neville didn't move. In fact, he stood perfectly still, though a Black was pointing their wand at him. He let his hand fall to his side, and took a step backward.
"Come on, Neville." He flinched at her use of his name, leaving Marina more confused than ever. "Don't you want to practice? Having a rough day?"
"Stupefy!" the Gryffindor suddenly shouted from the top of his lunges, pointing his wand at her. Marina jumped at once, closing her eyes and preparing to fall to the floor.
