Thin Skin

Things Hermione Granger (MY ENEMY) has done. Year by Year (If you believe the rumors)

She has helped Harry Potter

She has also

Marietta reviewed the list and considered it. She realized it was childish to call Hermione her enemy, if only because she doubted Hermione thought much about her, even now. Sure, maybe Hermione silently gloated every time she saw Marietta walking around with the balaclava hat covering her face, but she probably forgot as soon as Marietta was out of sight. Marietta thought it unlikely Hermione might feel guilty.

Cho looked over at her, "What are you writing?"

"Nothing," Marietta mumbled as she hastily shoved her scroll and quill into her bag. "Why don't we go for a walk?"

"Alright. I mean, are you sure you want to?" Cho looked tentative.

"Of course I want to, or I wouldn't have suggested it would I?" Marietta tried to keep her voice calm. She knew Cho loved her and was trying to accept what had happened. "Cho would probably kill herself if anything happened to her face," Marietta thought, and then admonished herself for thinking such a nasty thing about her best friend. She tried to smile (any large facial movements caused the pustules to ache) and put as much cheer into her voice as she could muster, "Come on, the food trolley hasn't come 'round yet and I am hungry."

They walked through the train, glancing into the compartments, waving at people they knew (most of the school, Cho and Marietta were very popular, even now.)

Suddenly Cho flushed a deep red and rushed too the toilets, mumbling something which sounded like "I'm sorry."

Marietta looked into the compartment they had just passed and saw them, the source of their troubles. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

Marietta stood in the train's passageway and thought that the worst thing was not her new case of bewitched acne. The worst thing was her memories. She knew that a memory charm had been placed upon her in Dumbledore's office. She knew this because after Dumbledore disappeared, and Umbridge became Hogwart's Headmistress, Marietta had ceased to be important. While she lay in the hospital wing, hoping Madame Pomfrey might find a cure for her jinxed face, she had a visitor.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, the same man who had stood in Dumbledore's office on the night of her treachery, sat by her bed, placed his hand on her forehead, and said, "Marietta Edgecombe, I am reversing the charm. Your memories are your own. I hope you learn from them." Then he left.

So Marietta tried to make amends and follow his advice. She thought back to the day when this all started.

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Cho was her best friend, but sometimes Marietta wondered why she gave in to her whims. Here they were on a beautiful Saturday in Hogsmeade and instead of doing something fun they were going to some run down pub. Cho had been told that Harry Potter was going to create a Defense Against The Dark Arts club and, for some reason, Cho was interested and was dragging Marietta with her.

"You only want to go to this because you have a crush on Harry Potter," Marietta had told her, as they walked to the Hog's Head, "You aren't even taking Defense Against the Dark Arts this year."

"I know, but I really do want to learn this stuff," Cho had protested.

"But why do I have to go with you? Why can't you go by yourself?"

"What if Cedric had-," then Cho had gone quiet.

Cedric. That was the trump card Cho always played. Instead of answering any questions or taking any responsibility for her behavior, Cho would bring him up and start to cry. Marietta chided herself for her insensitivity. Cho was her best friend and Cedric's death had hit her hard. It hit everyone hard, but Cho had been his girlfriend. Marietta told herself that Cho needed her friendship and if it meant going to some stupid group with her, she would do it. Maybe this crush on Harry would help her get over Cedric.

Marietta had thought Cho would change her mind at the sight of The Hog's Head. It looked like a rough place, not safe and cozy like the Three Broomsticks or cute like the teashop down the street. Cho might play Quidditch, but she was soft and easily influenced. Marietta thought that it might be best if they didn't go into this place, but just as she was about to say so, the Patil twins were by their side.

"Are you lot coming to this meeting?" Padma asked.

"Of course, they are, why else would they be here?" Parvati asked as she surveyed the pub's exterior, "Looks a bit rough, huh?"

"Oh, but I'm sure Harry would have a reason to want to meet at a place like this," Cho protested, then blushed as the three girls looked at her, "I mean, let's go inside."

It had been an interesting enough meeting. Quite a lot of people were there, most of whom showed up just to hear all the gory details about what happened at the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Marietta grudgingly admitted that Harry made a convincing argument for meeting and learning spells. Marietta had tried the Patronus Charm the previous summer (she was bored one day) and had thought it impossible. She was a bit jealous to hear that Harry had not only succeeded in performing the charm, but had produced a corporeal Patronus as well. She comforted herself with the observation that the know-it-all Hermione did not seem to be any more successful at such things than Marietta herself. As the meeting progressed, it seemed like a good idea that Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived and Who Defeated You Know Who more than once would be a good teacher for Defense Against The Dark Arts. Unlike Cho, Marietta was taking the N.E.W.T. level class, which Professor Dolores Umbridge now taught. To put it at its kindest, Marietta felt it was the worst class she had ever taken with any professor and was worried she would not pass the N.E.W.T exam the following year. Her parents had explained that Umbridge was very highly placed at the Ministry of Magic and Marietta must remain on her good side, but Marietta didn't think they wanted her academics to suffer. It wasn't so difficult to avoid Umbridge's wrath so far. Umbridge would probably disapprove of this group as it was being formed in response to her incompetency. While she considered it might be a mistake to take part in this, Marietta was a Ravenclaw and she wanted to learn. The other students seemed equally intent on keeping this meeting a secret. Marietta started to relax and think that maybe this group might not be such a bad idea.

The meeting drew to a close and Hermione whipped out a parchment and suggested everyone sign it, as insurance they wouldn't tell anyone. People complained, stalled, hemmed and hawed, but everyone eventually signed the contract, for that is what it was though no one called it such. When the parchment came their way, Cho signed immediately and nudged Marietta to do the same. Cho just wanted Harry to like her, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was pretty into her as it stood. Marietta glared at her best friend, her mother had always told her not to sign anything you haven't despelled, dejinxed, and read.

Cho nudged her again and whispered, "Please."

Marietta signed.

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Marietta wished Hermione had mentioned the scroll had been jinxed and anyone who did speak would end up with the word SNEAK spelled out in pimples across the face. It would have been nice to know what they had been getting into.

"Would I have acted differently if I had known this would happen to my face?" Marietta wondered as the train sped past the English countryside.

Unfortunately, she suspected she would have told that hateful women everything regardless of the consequences. As the school year progressed, the daily owls from her parents begging her to not make waves and "tell Dolores Umbridge what she needs to know" had taken their toll on Marietta's psyche. Marietta tried to stand against them, sending owls home explaining she knew nothing. Then Roger Davies returned to the Ravenclaw common room after a detention with Professor Umbridge and his hand was covered in blood. (Marietta had heard Roger had been given a special quill that carved the line "I will not snog my girlfriend in the hallways" INTO his skin.) People were becoming more fearful by the day as Umbridge created one educational decree after another. Cho was happy she could play Quidditch and was so wrapped up in Harry Potter she didn't notice her friend's despair. Marietta wanted to stay strong, but then Professor Umbridge found her weakness.

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Another breakfast, another rainy morning in April. Marietta felt the tricked Galleon in her pocket grow warm and assumed they would be having another Defense Against The Dark Arts meeting that night. At the last meeting, Harry had told them they would start working on the Patronus Charm.

"If only it wasn't outlawed, I'd be enjoying the meetings quite a bit," she thought.

But it was outlawed, had been outlawed almost immediately after it was conceived, and Marietta had been fearful that her participation would be discovered. She didn't know what sort of punishment Umbridge might dream up for them, but she could imagine what her mother would do to her if she brought Shame To The Good Name Of The Family. Mother was very proud of her position as head of the Floo Regulation Network at the Ministry of Magic. Just last week, mother had sent a Howler (to the Ravenclaw common room and not to breakfast in the Great Hall) demanding to know why Marietta wasn't being more helpful to Dolores Umbridge and couldn't she see how she could bring honor to her family? Marietta's parents couldn't have known about Marietta's involvement with what was now called the DA (for Dumbledore's Army) but she presumed the Ministry was pressuring all its employees to talk to their children at Hogwarts. Marietta winced at the memory and continued to eat her porridge.

The Owls flew overhead, delivering the mail, and a letter dropped into Marietta's pumpkin juice. She waved her wand over it, muttered a drying spell, and read the letter.

To: Marietta Edgecombe, Ravenclaw, Sixth Year

From: Dolores Umbridge, Hogwart's High Inquisitor and Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor

Please report to my office at 5 pm this evening.

Marietta felt her stomach lurch. "I can't possibly have detention," she thought, "I've been so good." She turned to Cho to discuss the letter, but then saw that she was oblivious, Cho spent meals staring at the Gryffindor table.

"Cho," Marietta started. No response, "CHO! I need your advice."

"He's such a nice kisser...I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Cho blushed.

"Never mind." No reason to burden Cho with this. Marietta wasn't entirely sure Cho was in a condition to be giving anyone advice anyway.

She tried to think of someone with whom she could talk about the summons. She looked around the Great Hall. Professor Flitwick! He was the Ravenclaw Head of House and he could tell her if Umbridge had made any complaints about her. She would talk to him after Charms. Marietta felt a bit better and gathered her books.

N.E.W.T. Charms ended and Marietta waited for her classmates to leave before she approached the desk.

"Professor Flitwick?"

"Yes, Marietta?" He looked at her, waiting.

"Well, um, I was wondering, has Professor Umbridge said anything about me to you?"

"Marietta," he smiled at her, "is this about your grades? How many times have I told you? You are one of the top students in your year, you don't need to do any extra credit work."

"Yes, but-"

"She hasn't mentioned you to me, which means she is pleased with your work. The only students Umbridge mentions are the students she wants expelled. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, all the Weasleys, Lee Jordan--actually, I think she wants all of Gryffindor out. Now then, from our house she has mentioned some students," his face grew dark, "really, the only house which seems immune to her wrath is Slytherin. But don't worry," he hastened to add, "she hasn't mentioned you, so you are safe." He whispered the last part, as if he thought the walls could hear him.

Marietta tried to smile, thanked Professor Flitwick and left the office. What could she do when even the professors were afraid of Umbridge?

Marietta checked the time. It was already 4:45 pm. mustn't be late! Umbridge's office was just ahead. Marietta took a deep breath and told herself that she was prepared for whatever Umbridge would do to her. She looked at her hand and imagined what line Umbridge might have her carve into it and then knocked on the office door.