Hogwarts Class of 2026

"Hogwarts Class of 2026"

Ch. 2

 Marsilio yawned as he made his way out of the Potions Classroom, it was the same every year, Professor Snape never changed. He was thinking of his grade for his summer homework when a deep, mocking, voice interrupted his thoughts.

 "Well, well, well, isn't it Marsilio Malfoy," Ryan Flint sneered as he approached Marsilio.

 "Flint, go to Hell," Marsilio scowled, turning to face the boy who had hated him from the moment he had arrived at Hogwarts.

 Ryan looked over the blond with extreme distaste, his voice rising with every second, "How's Mr. Malfoy and your Mudblood mother?"

 Before Ryan could utter another syllable Marsilio had him up against the wall, his elbow was under Ryan's chin, and Marsilio's face was turned up into a sneer that was well known throughout the Malfoy family.

Marsilio pushed back the urge to spit on him as he spoke, "You will learn to keep your comments about my mother to yourself."

 "You don't know about your Mudblood mother do you?" Ryan laughed maniacally, taunting Marsilio.

 Marsilio pushed his elbow back so hard he could hear the pop as Ryan's head hit the stone hard with force, "I warned you, Flint, there is nothing about my mother that I don't know."

 "You can't keep me like this all day Malfoy," Ryan whispered, trying to keep the edge in his voice though Marsilio was beginning to cut off his air supply.

 "Oh, you don't think so? Watch me, you stupid prat," Marsilio snarled, his temper flying through the roof.

 Again Ryan tried taunt Marsilio, though his breathing was becoming more difficult, "I always did say that you'd make the perfect Slytherin."

 "Are you begging me to hurt you?" Marsilio asked as he brought his face closer to the older boy.

 Ryan tried to chuckle before he spoke but that was becoming harder, "Andreas commands respect, even at thirteen, and we all give it to him. You could take some lessons from him, he reeks power and superiority, although he is a half-blood."

 The half-blood comment only made Marsilio pushed harder, Ryan was beginning to turn red and struggled to breathe as Marsilio snarled loudly, "Where do you think he learned that from?"

 Their argument was interrupted by a voice neither was expecting, "What's going on here?"

 Marsilio didn't even look back at his younger brother, he stared into Ryan's eyes as he spoke, "Nothing."

 "It doesn't look like nothing," Brayton said out of nowhere as he pried Marsilio's elbow from Ryan's neck.

 Ryan rubbed his neck as Marsilio backed away, Ryan could have pushed away from Marsilio but he wouldn't have gotten to taunt him as well. Ryan smirked proudly as Brayton sneered at him, "I see that the will to murder is your gene's eh?"

 "What are you implying Ryan?" Andreas asked stepping toward his housemate, he loved being a Slytherin but there were more than a couple people in it that he could live without.

 "Oh, nothing, nothing at all," Ryan replied still rubbing the bruise on his neck.

 Marsilio turned toward his brother trying to shake the anger but it came through all to well in his voice, "Andreas, you better watch your captain, his mouth is going to get him into more trouble than he knows."

 Brayton said nothing at his friend blew steam through his ears. These yearly confrontations were nothing new, but they were just getting worse every year. "Come on Marsilio, we need to get to class."

 "Yeah," Marsilio replied throwing a glare at Ryan.

~*~

 "You two were almost late, what happened?" Roxanne asked as Brayton and Marsilio slipped into the seats beside her, leaving her between the two boys.

 Marsilio said nothing as he popped his knuckles, Brayton looked at his best friend before answering, "Flint happened."

 Roxanne sighed as turned to Marsilio, almost hitting Brayton in the face with her ponytail, "What did he say?"

 It was something about the way she whispered his name made him turned to look at her. Marsilio's soft spot for his mother had been pushed a little to hard that day and his voice wasn't even coming out straight, "Your boyfriend is walking on a very thin line Potter."

 Something about the way he snarled her name was reminiscent of the way his father used to say it. Roxanne didn't say anything else she just turned toward the front as the tall, thin man stood.

 He was more frail looking than he looked yesterday, his eyes were surrounded by dark circles, his dark brown hair was long and stringy, and his face was pale. He obviously used to be a very handsome man but something happened. He could only could be described as a shell of what he probably used to be.

His pale blue eyes flicked over the class with Snape-like disdain as held a piece of parchment up and prepared to call the role, "I am Professor Parksonin, I am the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. There are few rules and you will do well to remember them. First, do not talk when I am talking, homework is not an option, and I know everything that you don't, so listen. Please reply accordingly when your name is called."

 Roxanne threw a questioning look at Brayton before Professor Parksonin began calling the role, "Allen Wilkes, Brayton Weasely, Darren Eton, Grady King, Erin Summers, Winifred Thomas, Tara Hornsby, Diana Capper, Bree Scott, Edie David, Mary Frances Bronte, Roxanne Potter, Jasper Braun."

 He looked up slowly, eyes narrowing and his pale cheeks began to turn red, his voice hard and cold when he finally spoke, "Marsilio Malfoy."

 Marsilio, who had been glaring into space, finally looked up and apprehensively answered, "Present."

 The Professor stared at him for another moment, a gleam of recognition glowing in his eyes, before he continued, "Josephine Wood, Mae Wiblin, Patrick Lynch, Earle Smith, Grace Brown, and Ste Burns."

 After they said present, the tall Professor leaned against his desk with a sigh and began an overview of the year, "This year, as Hogwarts' Sixth years, you will learn defense against magic you will probably never come close to harnessing yourself. Dumbledore has insisted that in the past century and a half, only a handful of students have harnessed this ancient power. Yet that is not the only thing that you will be learning. You will also be learning Physical Defense. There are several curses you cannot remedy, you just have to wait until they wear off. With those curses you have to have speed and skillful reflexes. You will learn the Unforgivables and the properties of each of these curses. You will study, practice, and learn these skills. Any questions?"

 A brunette in the back of the room, Oliver Jr.'s cousin Josephine, raised her hand, "Professor, do you have any real experience with these things? How can you teach something you know nothing about?"

 Professor Parksonin tensed immediately before answering her question, "Miss Wood, I was a participant in the war, I have extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts. Like I established earlier I know everything that you don't, so listen."

 He then looked around the quiet room, stopping when his eyes landed on the trio sitting on the right of the room, he smirked momentarily before speaking, "Well, well, well, isn't this reincarnation of the most famous schoolchildren ever. Weasely, Potter, and a Granger-Malfoy.Very prestigious, I expect something out of you three. Two of you are descendants of very prestigious lines and you, Miss Potter, carry the blood of the boy-who-lived. This should interesting."

 Marsilio, who was still not in a very good mood, scowled questioningly, "Why should it be so interesting Professor?"

 Professor Parksonin sneered as a memory came back to him, his voice was menacing, "Because I have seen all of your parents in battle, Mr. Malfoy, and you all have tremendousshoes to fill, especially you."

 "Since you know everything that I don't, please explain Professor," Marsilio replied coldly, ignoring Roxanne's whispers to be quiet.

 Professor chuckled darkly, eyeing Marsilio as he spoke, "Your father's disposition and your mother's temper, interesting I say. I am surprised that you don't know the legendary status of your parents, Mr. Malfoy, as Miss Potter obviously knows of her parent’s status. Your mother has broken every record that was academically possible, Dumbledore was kind enough to point that out, and your father had a dark history and overcame it. Your mother was one of the few who harnessed that power I was speaking of earlier, your grandmother was from the Ancient house of Black, and your grandfather, oh your grandfather, was great man."

 "I know nothing of the greatness of my grandfather," Marsilio spat looking, though he did not know it, a lot like his Grandfather.

 The Professor noticed the resemblance as he waved the comment off and turned toward the rest of the class, "Mr. Malfoy, that is a family history lesson you will learn on your own time, back to DADA students."

 "Malfoy, must you antagonize everyone?" Roxanne whispered as Marsilio ran a finger over the feather of his Quill.

 Marsilio didn't even look at her, he didn't think he could contain himself if he looked into those eyes, "Potter, must you always question me?"

 Roxanne sighed softly at the use of her surname, he hadn't said her name much since they had learned to speak at the tender age of two. They had heard their father's calling each other by their surnames and had taken it up. However, it wasn't so much the use of her surname, but it was tone behind the use of her surname.

Roxanne glanced over at the Professor before replying, "Malfoy, must you always blame me for things I have no control over?"

 Marsilio had no reply to that as Professor Parksonin continued his introduction into Sixth Year Defense Against the Dark Arts. He tried to act as aloof as possible, though inside he was screaming to move away from the young woman next to him. He was so anxious he was hardly keeping up with the lecture the Professor was giving.

~*~

 "What is up his arse and why won't it come out?" Roxanne growled as she pulled a huge book from the shelves of the Library and sat in front of Brayton, who was struggling not to laugh.

 Brayton shook his head at his friend, looking down at his blank parchment before answering his friend, "He's going through some thing’s Roxanne, he'll be OK soon."

 Roxanne opened the book with a loud sigh, before looking up at her friend with another question, "When has anything been so horrible that he couldn't talk to me about it?"

Brayton dipped his Quill into his ink, sighing before replying, "It's very personal Rox."

 Roxanne tried her best to keep the pained look off her face while whispering, "I used to be his best friend, no offense to you Bray, there was never something too personal for him to come to me with."

 "I understand Rox, there is Marsilio and my relationship and then there is you two's relationship. They are rather different, you shouldn't be too hurt by all this Rox, it will blow over soon. Words can't keep him down too long," Brayton replied as he decided it was the best time as any to begin the Review Essay for Arithmancy.

 "Words, Bray? What are you talking about?" she asked as she looked away from the groups of numbers that filled the book in front of her.

 Brayton rolled his eyes at his obvious slip, he looked around to make sure Marsilio was no where around before he answered, "Flint called Aunt Hermione a Mudblood."

 Roxanne's eyes widened and her jaw dropped, she was so surprised she could hardly speak, "Wh-why didn't he tell me?"

 "I don't know Rox, I think he was just angry."

 She furrowed her eyebrows before packing up her quill, inkpot, and parchment saying, "Check this out for me, I have something to do, and it can't wait."

 "Sure," Brayton answered confusedly as she ran toward the exit of the Library ignoring Madame Felton's cries to slow down.

 Just as she got to the door Marsilio walked, she stopped looked at him for a second, and whispered, "I'm sorry."

 She ran down the hallway not giving Marsilio anytime to apologize of his foul mood, Marsilio stared at her retreating form before finding his way over to Brayton's table. He sighed loudly as he slid into the seat that Roxanne had just gotten out of.

 "She's hurt Silio, worse than that year she got thrown off her broom. She feels like she's lost you . . . as a friend, of course," Brayton said as he began his Essay, not even bothering to look up at his friend.

 Marsilio said nothing. He just looked at the door and back at his friend before asking, "You ready for Quidditch practice?"

 At the Brayton's head jumped up, with a hushed, "Silio, don't you even care?"

 "I care, just too much Bray, just too much," Marsilio answered before walking toward a bookshelf.

 Meanwhile Roxanne was racing down the stairs toward the Quidditch Pitch. She had a score to settle and a relationship to end. The whole way down she was ignoring people who would say hello as she passed, the more she thought of the situation the angrier she got and the faster she walked. Just as she made it to the Pitch the Slytherin team was coming from the Dressing rooms, most were still flushed and breathing heavy, she saw Andreas and made her way over.

 Roxanne was looking over his head as she spoke, "Andreas where's Ryan?"

 Andreas raised an eyebrow as he took in her appearance before answering in an amused tone, "Still in the dressing rooms, we need him for the Season opener so don't kill him."

 She finally looked at the younger boy, the anger flashing in her eyes, and her deeply controlled, "Oh if you knew what he did you'd kill him yourself."

 "What did he do?"

 "He called your mother a Mudblood," Roxanne answered angrily, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, she could see the controlled rage rising in him and she wasn't going let him get in trouble for kicking Ryan's ass.

 Andreas growled under his breath, before turning to Roxanne with a cruel smirk, "You know what, I think you can tear him to pieces, either way he may be out for the season opener."

 Roxanne watched the thirteen-year-old walk to the castle knowing that it wasn't over for him before she made her way to the Slytherin dressing rooms. She didn't knock before she walked in and luckily he was the only one left dressing.

He was shirtless and was pulling on his pants, he looked up at her with a smirk, whispering softly, "You missed me that much?"

 "I didn't miss you at all, you stupid little wanker!" Roxanne yelled, sitting her hands on her hips.

 Ryan was taken back. He wasn't expecting her to yell at him. "What's going on Roxie?"

 "Don't call me Roxie, y-y-you ignorant, prejudice, prat!" she yelled again, not caring that anyone who walked by could hear her.

 Ryan raised an eyebrow as he put on his shirt and robes, taunting her softly, "Prejudice prat? That doesn't exactly rhyme now does it Roxie?"

 "Ryan shut up! So do you respect me less because my father is a half-blood? Do you consider my grandmother a Mudblood too? Do you Ryan? Huh? Answer me you idiot!" Roxanne asked, her anger not giving him anytime to answer as she continued her assault on his ears.

 Ryan ran his fingers through his wet hair before answering her, as innocently as he could, "I wish you would stop with the name calling, it is rather immature. Now what are you talking about? I never called your grandmother a Mudblood though --"

 Roxanne interrupted knowing where he was going, "Ryan, don't you dare! You called Marsilio's mother a Mudblood this morning, that's what I'm talking about!"

 He sighed loudly, his lips raising in a sneer, as he gave a disbelieving laugh, "I should have known it was about Mr. Malfoy! It always is, isn't it? You know what Roxanne, I did call his mother exactly what she is . . . a Mudblood."

 The moment he said it she marched right over to him and slapped him as hard as she could, the moment her hand connected with his face a red mark began to appear.

 She sneered at him, her voice thick with emotion, "You're right, it is always about Marsilio because he is the better man. I don't have time to be bothered with a prejudiced prat like you. We are over, Ryan."

 Ryan watched her walk toward the door with a scowl, yelling after her, "That's what you always wanted right? You always wanted that bastard anyway! Didn't you Roxanne? Didn't you?"

 "At least he is a man Ryan," Roxanne hissed before walking out of Dressing room acting as if she didn't hear the frustrated yell that came from the Dressing room behind her.

~*~

 "It's the Magical Principle, Marsilio, we all have it," a Sixth year Ravenclaw, Fitzwilliam Hopper, said as he and Marsilio sat beneath a huge Oak tree right off the Lake.

 They had been meeting for late night Magical Theory Tutoring sessions since third year, as it was not Marsilio's strongest class. The teacher, Professor Maxwell, had advised Marsilio to take up the lessons unless he wanted to fail and failing was not in the Malfoy genes.

Over the next three years they formed a close friendship that even commanded respect on the Quidditch field. Marsilio learned to respect the young Pureblood socialite, whose mother was very "fond" of his mother and grandmother, and Fitzwilliam learned to come off his high horse about his ancestor’s blood.

 "So there is a difference between Muggleborns, Purebloods, and halfboods! If the Magical Principle is in all of us, Purebloods will wipe it out with inbreeding, which scientifically causes Squibs it has --" Marsilio began but was interrupted with a soft 'excuse me' from behind him.

 Roxanne stood behind the two, with her hands behind her back and a sly smile on her face. Fitzwilliam smiled up at the green-eyed girl before closing his book and making his way back to the castle with a, "Goodnight Marsilio, we will finish tomorrow!"

 Marsilio looked away as she sat next to him whispering, "You are becoming quite the genius in Magical Theory."

 "Thanks, it’s very interesting," he answered softly as he leaned against the tree.

 "Fitzwilliam is loosening up," Roxanne said looking over at her best friend.

 Marsilio looked over her, light brown meeting green, he took her hand and whispered, "I'm sorry."

 She smiled as she pulled their hands into her lap, replying, "No, I'm sorry. Ryan was way out of line."

 "You know?"

 "Brayton let it slip," Roxanne said softly, looking down at their hands.

 Marsilio chuckled softly, knowing his friend had a bad tendency of that, "Sure he did."

 "I broke up with Ryan," she said looking up into his eyes.

 "Why?" he asked incredulously, never thinking in his wildest dreams that would happen.

 "Because he disrespected you and I was getting tired of -- I wasn't in love with him, you know," Roxanne replied playing with the ring on his finger that had the Malfoy crest on it.

 "So why did you stay with him? We are sixteen but that doesn't mean we should live with any illusions. It may not be real love but why live without affection?" Marsilio asked looking over her soft features.

 "I have my reasons," she whispered as she looked up into his eyes seeing more than the childhood friend she had come to know so well.

 "You deserve only the best Potter," he whispered pulling their hands over to his lap.

 Roxanne smiled as she asked, "How was practice?"

 "O. J. is going to train us to death," Marsilio groaned, looking down at the bruises on his arm.

 She looked down at his arm with a grimace yet tried to defend Oliver, "Oh, don't be so hard on him, Malfoy. Oliver is just trying to give Gryffindor the best house team this year."

 "Yea, well I'm tired, let's go get some sleep," he said standing up and pulling her right along with him.

 "No, let's go to kitchens, you did skip dinner," Roxanne said picking up his book and letting him led her back into the castle with a sigh.

Marsilio smiled back at her, saying, "Brilliant Potter, hopefully Nibby has forgiven me for eating all of Professor Dumbledore's cookies."

 "I doubt it but let's try nonetheless," she replied tightening her hold on his hand.

 Marsilio laughed as they slowed their pace considerably. "You know, she's the only House-elf I know that holds a grudge."

 "I would too if you ate three hours of work in less than ten minutes," Roxanne retorted as she let go of his hand and passed him.

 "I'm am a growing boy Potter," Marsilio called as he ran to catch up with her.

 "Oh please, no one but your grandmother believes that anymore," she laughed as she moved the picture of fruit.

 "At least she loves me," he announced as he followed her into the portrait hole.

 "Oh come off it, Malfoy!"