The morning sky was a pale, cloudless blue, and the crisp autumn air carried the faint smell of grass and earth as the first-year students gathered on the Hogwarts grounds for their flying lessons. The wide field was bordered by the Forbidden Forest on one side and the towering castle on the other, its spires glinting faintly in the sunlight.

Marley stood with Hannah, Susan, and Daphne near the middle of the group, a mix of excitement and nerves churning in her stomach.

Harry stood in the line opposite them with Ron, one of the Weasley brothers, and a girl with bushy brown hair who Marley remembered was Hermione. Harry looked up from his broom and offered her a quick smile, which she returned.

However, on the other side of Daphne, was a small group of Slytherins.

Draco Malfoy was at the center, his pale blond hair catching the light as he gestured animatedly.

"Flying lessons are hardly necessary for me," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for everyone around him to hear. "Father bought me a Nimbus Two Thousand last summer. I've been flying since I was five."

Marley rolled her eyes, biting back the urge to respond.

"Typical," Daphne muttered beside her, folding her arms across her chest. "Just ignore him, Marley. He's not worth it."

But Malfoy's voice only grew louder as he boasted about his alleged flying prowess, tossing in jabs about Muggle-borns and their supposed lack of skill.

Marley's temper flared. "Oh, give it a rest, Malfoy," she snapped, turning toward him. "Not every Slytherin is special, you know."

A hush fell over the immediate area as several students turned to watch. Malfoy's gray eyes narrowed, and a sneer twisted his lips.

"Says a Hufflepuff," he remarked. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yeah, Draco Malfoy," Marley said breezily. "So? Doesn't mean you're better than everyone else."

Draco stood there, agape. "I– Well– My father is going to hear about this!"

Marley just scoffed and leaned over to Daphne, whispering, "Bet he's not that special either."

"The Malfoys are super high up in the ministry," Daphne said with her eyes wide. "They're dangerous, they worked for You-Know-Who!"

Marley stayed quiet. She wasn't scared of someone who's side had lost, but she also remembered what Ted told her before she boarded the train. It was probably best to just stay away from Draco Malfoy.

Madam Hooch finished handing out the brooms and stood at the front of the lines, her hands on her hips and a small smile on her otherwise stern face.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Madam Hooch commanded, her sharp voice carrying across the field. "Stick out your right hand over your broom, and say, 'up!'"

Marley moved to the nearest broom, her heart pounding with both anticipation and nerves. The broom looked ordinary enough, its wood worn smooth and its bristles slightly crooked.

Marley did as told and her broom shot into her hands, causing her to lose balance slightly from the sheer power. The Potter girl had ridden Nymphadora's broom before and was fairly good at it, so she wasn't too surprised. The smooth wood fitting snugly against her palm. She grinned and glanced around, noticing that not everyone had been as successful.

She looked across at Harry and noticed that his broom had done the same thing, and he looked at it in complete awe. Daphne's did shortly after. Hannah's broom wobbled slightly before hovering a few inches off the ground, while Susan's stubbornly refused to budge. Nearby, Malfoy's broom leapt into his hand on the first try, and he smirked smugly at the rest of the group.

After a few minutes, everyone had their brooms in their hands. But some, including Susan and a short pudgy boy in Gryffindor had to pick their brooms up themselves. Madam Hooch modeled how to mount a broom, watched everyone do so, and corrected the students who hadn't done so properly, including (to almost everyone's enjoyment) Draco Malfoy.

Once everyone had mounted their brooms—more or less—Madam Hooch moved to the front of the group again.

"Now, when I blow my whistle," Madam Hooch finally said. "You kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle; three, two–"

Marley's heart raced as she waited for the whistle, a mix of exhilaration and apprehension coursing through her.

Before Madam Hooch could blow her whistle, the same Gryffindor boy who couldn't summon his broom to his hand, lifted off the ground suddenly. His terrified cries echoed across the field, and the rest of the class watched in horror as he clung desperately to the broomstick. Marley gasped as he went higher and higher at a frightening speed. Madam Hooch was yelling at him to come back down, but the poor boy was so frightened that he couldn't control the broom. As he had risen almost as tall as some of the Hogwarts ceilings, the broom tipped and he slipped sideways off the broom.

Marley and Hannah both let out a yelp as he hit the ground with a nasty crack. From there, he didn't move. Madam Hooch rushed over and bent over the boy, examining his condition with a worried expression on her face.

"Broken wrist," the woman muttered. She slowly helped the boy stand up and leveled a hard look at the remainder of her class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, dear."

The class murmured their agreement, though as soon as Madam Hooch disappeared with Neville, the air grew tense once more. Draco Malfoy burst out laughing, and his little Slytherin squad joined in with him.

"Did you see his face?" he asked, trying to catch his breath. "The great lump."

"Shut up Malfoy," a Gryffindor girl snapped.

"Ooohh, sticking up for Longbottom?" a round faced Slytherin girl snarled. Daphne rolled her eyes, and Marley could tell that she had already had enough of this rude girl. "Never thought you'd like fat cry-babies, Parvati!"

Draco ran forward and grabbed something in the grass that had been shimmering in the sun. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him," he said with a snarl.

"Give that here, Malfoy." Everyone spun around to see Harry leveling a glare at the Slytherin boy. Draco didn't seem at all fazed at this, in fact, she returned Harry's glare with a nasty smile of his own.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. How about... up a tree?"

He mounted his broom and kicked off the ground, soaring into the air with practiced ease, and began hovering around Harry tauntingly. Harry hesitated for only a moment before mounting his own broom and taking off after him.

"Give it here!" Harry shouted. He grabbed his own broom and mounted it, earning concerned protesting from Hermione Granger. As Harry lifted off the ground, Marley inhaled sharply.

"Harry, no!" she exclaimed, but it was too late, he had already flown after Draco.

Hannah shot her a puzzled look. "Why are you yelling his name like that? Do you know him?"

"Well, it's Harry Potter," Marley said, a blush creeping over her cheeks. "Who doesn't? I just... ran into him in the hallway early last week, that's all. Don't want him getting in trouble..."

Harry (despite both Hermione and Marley yelling at him), chased Draco all over the grounds, trying to retrieve the Remembrall that Draco had stolen. Suddenly, after a few minutes, everyone watched as Draco chucked the Remembrall as hard as he could, and without hesitating, Harry dove after it. Out of the corner of Marley's eye, she saw a streak of emerald green running towards them, and realized it was Professor McGonagall, her face filled with fury.

"Oh no," she muttered, nudging Hannah and Susan, who looked over at the professor.

Just as everyone thought that the Remembrall was going to hit the ground, Harry reached out his hand and caught it, just able to land safely on the grass.

Cheers erupted from the students below, but the celebration was short-lived.

"Harry Potter!"

Professor McGonagall's sharp voice cut through the commotion, and Harry froze, his face pale.

Marley watched as Harry's hands trembled, the little Remembrall still clutched tightly in one of them. Harry slowly stood up and turned to face the woman, who looked angry and shocked.

"Never in all my time at Hogwarts! How dare you! You might've broken your neck!"

The same Gryffindor girl from earlier, Parvati, piped up. "It wasn't his fault, Professor–"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil!"

"But Malfoy–"

"That's enough, Mister Weasley," Ron turned almost as red as his hair. "Potter, follow me."

Marley watched them go, her heart pounding. What just happened?

"He'll probably get expelled," Susan said matter-of-factly. "Just like Madam Hooch said. Just because he's Harry Potter doesn't mean that he gets special treatment."

Marley's chest tightened at the thought, but she quickly shook her head. "I don't think so," she said, though her voice lacked conviction. "Professor McGonagall's strict, but she wouldn't expel someone for that... would she?" Her mind was racing, wondering what would happen if Harry got expelled. She couldn't lose him again... she wouldn't.

Hannah shrugged, biting her lip. "I guess we'll find out soon enough. Come on, let's head to the common room."

The rest of the day passed in a blur of whispers and rumors, but by the time they reached the Great Hall for dinner, the atmosphere had shifted dramatically.

The Gryffindor table was abuzz with excitement, and it didn't take long for the news to spread like wildfire. Harry Potter was Gryffindor's new Seeker.

As soon as Marley found out, she knew she needed to find Harry. She very well couldn't wander into the Gryffindor common room and demand the students to find Harry, so she was pleasantly surprised when Harry and Ron ended up sitting very well near her, Susan, and Hannah.

Susan gaped as she listened to the chatter around her. "He's a first year! How is that even allowed?"

"He must be good," Hannah remarked, stealing a glance at the Gryffindor table.

Marley, however, was far too focused on Harry and Ron, who were chatting animatedly, their faces lit with excitement.

"You're joking!" Ron said, his voice carrying just enough for Marley to hear. "Seeker? Ut first years never – you must be the youngest House player in about –"

"A century," Harry finished, though he sounded more overwhelmed than thrilled. "Wood told me."

Marley leaned slightly closer, straining to catch every word. A part of her was relieved that Harry hadn't been expelled, but another part of her ached with curiosity. She couldn't stop wondering what it must feel like to be Harry Potter—the Boy Who Lived, the youngest Seeker in a century, and her twin brother.

"Marley?" Susan's voice snapped her back to reality.

"Huh?" Marley blinked, realizing she had been staring.

Susan raised an eyebrow. "What's gotten into you? You've been acting weird ever since flying lessons."

Marley forced a smile. "Nothing. Just tired, I guess."

As they turned their attention back to their meals, Draco Malfoy sauntered over to the Gryffindor table, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. His sneer was firmly in place as he stopped in front of Harry and Ron, his arms crossed.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," Harry said with a level of sass Marley hadn't seen from him yet.

Malfoy's face twisted. There was nothing he could do with the head table full of teachers.

Before he could make a comeback, Hannah and Susan rose to their feet.

"We're heading back to the common room," Hannah said. "You coming?"

Marley opened her mouth to tell the girls that she was going to finish eating, but when she looked down at her plate, she realized it was empty aside from a puddle of sauce. With a glance at Harry and Malfoy, and a half-hearted shrug, she nodded and got up.

That night, Marley found herself climbing the spiraling stairs to the owlery. The castle was quiet in the evening, most students either in their common rooms or lingering over supper. Marley loved the solitude of the owlery, the way the cool air smelled faintly of feathers and wood, and the breathtaking view from the tower. Sometimes she would sit and pet the stark black owl, or she'd just watch the view. It was calming. No one came up there unless they needed to, and if they needed to, it was only for a few moments to swiftly send off their letter or package. One of her favorite things was watching the sunset from that part of the castle.

When she reached the top, the sight took her breath away. The sun was sinking below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange, pink, and gold. The Black Lake mirrored the colors like a sheet of molten glass, and the distant Forbidden Forest was shrouded in deepening shadows.

Marley sat down against the stone ledge, letting the cool breeze brush her face as she watched the sun dip lower and lower. Morticia perched nearby, preening her sleek black feathers. As the sunset, Marley let her mind go blank. So just enjoyed the scarlet sun disappearing below the Black Lake, she watched the sky turn navy and glittery stars sparkle ever so slightly.

The peaceful moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps echoing up the stairs. Marley turned, surprised to see Draco Malfoy emerge from the shadows, his sharp features set in their usual sneer.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" he asked, his tone dripping with disdain.

Marley sighed, her good mood already fading. "Enjoying the view. What about you?"

Malfoy scoffed, brushing imaginary dust off his robes. "Not that it's any of your business, but I come up here when I need to think. Not that someone like you would understand."

"Someone like me?" Marley repeated, her voice sharp.

Malfoy smirked. "A Hufflepuff. What do you lot even think about? The best way to make friends or bake biscuits?"

Marley rolled her eyes, leaning back against the ledge. "Do you ever stop being rude? Seriously, why do you feel the need to act like this all the time?"

Malfoy faltered, his smirk slipping for just a moment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why do you always have to be so mean? What's the point?" Marley's voice was firm but not unkind.

For a moment, Malfoy said nothing. He glanced out at the sunset, his pale face unreadable in the golden light. When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter, almost hesitant.

"Maybe it's because I don't know how to be anything else," he admitted, his words barely audible, but an ugly undertone was present. "It's not like anyone cares about being nice to me."

Marley blinked, taken aback by his sudden honesty. "What about your friends? Crabbe and Goyle?"

"They're not friends," Malfoy said bitterly. "They're lackeys. They follow me around because they're supposed to, not because they actually like me."

Marley hesitated, then took a step closer. "Then why not try making real friends? You don't have to act like this, you know."

Malfoy's expression darkened. "You think it's that easy? No one wants to be friends with someone like me. Not even Harry Potter."

Marley's breath caught. "You... wanted to be friends with Harry?"

Malfoy looked away, his jaw tightening. "Not that it matters. He made his choice." His voice was bitter again.

Marley watched him carefully, her mind racing. She knew she couldn't tell him the truth—that she was Harry's sister—but she felt a sudden urge to bridge the gap between them. Perhaps that was the Hufflepuff in her.

"Well," she said slowly, "if you want, you can be friends with this Potter. I'm not Harry, I'm not even related, but I think I'm a pretty good option."

Malfoy turned back to her, his gray eyes studying her intently. For a moment, he said nothing. "We'll see," he muttered.

"Malfoy... I wouldn't mind it if you needed to come up and think while I'm here," Marley informed him quietly.

Almost imperceptibly, he nodded before turning and disappearing down the stairs.

Marley stood there for a long time after he left, staring out at the horizon as the last traces of sunlight faded into darkness. She didn't know what to make of Malfoy's admission, but one thing was clear—beneath the sharp edges and sneers, there was more to him than met the eye.

. . . . . . . . . . 𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙨 . . . . . . . . . .

Ahh yes. Malfoy will be playing a rather important role in this story, just to leave you guessing on who the love interest might be... a won't flat out reveal it for a pretty long time just cause it's fun to keep you guessing. So what do you think, Malfoy and Marley, yay or nay?

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do. Vote, comment your thoughts, and share with your friends!