Sparks

Sparks

Chapter One

If there was one thing Marcus Flint hated the most in the world and that was school. Yet here he was on his way to another year at Hogwarts. It was his own damn fault. Even he wasn't so thick that he didn't realize that he had made his bed and now he had to lie in it. Those damn NEWTS! He must be the only wizard in history that had forgotten to show up for the tests. "I mean honestly, why would you schedule tests on the same week as the British Quidditch final!" he thought to himself.

Marcus's ears were still ringing with his grandfather, father and mother's scolding over what he liked to call The Greatest Mistake Ever Made By A Flint In Wizarding History. Well, he had enough." I mean really, they did know I was not going to join the Ministry anyway. What was the use of being rich if I can't be idly rich and play professional Quidditch?"

He did not look forward to going back to Hogwarts. He could hear those Griffyndorks already. The Slytherins he could handle. They knew better than to make him angry.

"Thank Merlin that Tarquin Bole was only sixth year last year and was coming back as well. He got on well with Tarquin, they spoke the same language."

"Wait a second, Wood is coming back this year! I can't wait to see his face again when we win the cup this year! How could I have forgotten that little nugget of wonderful news? Merlin, I do need a Remembrall glued to my ass like Gramps said."

Flint's silent chat with himself came to an end when Tarquin Bole and Chris Warrington burst into the compartment in the midst of an argument about the merits of Viktor Krum as the best seeker in the world as voted by Quidditch Weekly Reader's Poll. Flint looked up and immediately started to defend Krum's actions at the Bulgarian Cup last week. A few minutes later Myles Derrick and Tybalt Montague trailed in. He smiled happily to himself as he and his buddies settled down to a long and delicious argument about their favorite subject.

Several hours later after several chocolate frogs were consumed and a truce declared over the Krum disagreement, the topic turned to Bole's second favorite subject, girls. Specifically, they spoke about Bole and his obsession over the Ravenclaw girls and their cool, forbidden inaccessibility. Marcus could swear that Tarquin had a date with almost every Ravenclaw above Fourth Year last term. Why did he think they were so inaccessible?

Bole interjected, " You guys know my family would have a fit if they knew I dated a girl not from Slytherin house. Hell, I had to make up a girlfriend last year to tell my father about. Thank Merlin he's never come visit me at Hogwarts or I'd have had to produce her."

Warrington laughed and said, "You know Tarquin, I bet Pansy Parkinson would not need persuading to be your girlfriend. " Bole laughed and said" Been there, done that!" All the guys in the compartment had a snicker over that comment. Marcus thought to himself that Pansy must have bet someone last term that she would sleep with every member of the Slytherin House team because she certainly did. The girl wouldn't take no for an answer. Seriously, ask Malfoy.

"Well, back to Ravenclaws." Bole said as the rest of the boys groaned. Warrington interrupted with a sly grin at Flint, "If you want forbidden, look no further than Gryffindor House!"

Amid howls of protest, Montague agreed with Warrington and said," The whole student body of Hogwarts would have a fit of monumental proportions if one of us started dating a girl from Gryffindor, wait better yet, the Gryffindor House team!"

Bole laughed and said, " Which witch would it be, Johnson, Spinnet or Bell? I'd go for any one of those fine ladies because it would drive my father nuts. Warrington, you pick first!"

"Why me? Okay, Johnson. I have a thing for girls that could kick my ass! Montague, you are next."

"Ummm, can I pick Johnson too? Have you seen the rack on that girl? Marcus, You are up!"

" Hmmm. On one hand you have Johnson's rack, on the other, Spinnet is from what I hear a tigress in bed but I think I'd go for Bell." mused Marcus.

Bole turned to Flint and asked, " Number One. How exactly do you know Spinnet is a tigress in bed? Number Two. Why Bell?"

Marcus smirked and said, " First, Malfoy told me about Spinnet. Something about after a Quidditch practice in the showers so technically that wasn't a bed. Second, Bell because Wood wants her plus you know what they say boys, still waters run deep! And Derrick we haven't forgotten about you."

"God, I don't know." He gave a sidelong grin and said, " Can I have Johnson and Spinnet together. I mean they work the Quidditch pitch so well as a team, I bet that's not the only thing they work well together."

Bole whistled and said, " Derrick, you kinky bastard. I'm ashamed I didn't think of that myself."

Amid howls of laughter, Warrington abruptly sat up and stared at Flint. Marcus gave him a strange look and drawled, "Chris, quit staring at me, you crazy git. " Warrington still kept staring and a few seconds later said, "Ummm Marcus, have you looked in a mirror lately?" Flint went, "No why?" The other boys in the compartment were staring at Flint too. Marcus hid a smile and asked as innocently as he could, "What is it?"

All four boys burst out with questions that ranged from 'what happened to your teeth', 'when did you do it' and' how the hell didn't I notice it before.' Marcus answered with 'dental charms',' this summer', 'grandma paid because everyone was on his case', and 'because you guys are unobservant gits'. Then Marcus Flint smiled at them with his perfectly straight white teeth and asked, "Say where's Malfoy?"

This question snapped Bole out of his trance and he said, "Probably torturing Griffyndorks up the train." He frowned at Flint and said, "You got the work done after I saw you last week? Why didn't you tell me?"

Marcus replied, "It was a surprise from my grandmother. You know what a soft touch she is. I didn't even know until we got there. I mean the charm is really expensive and she didn't want anybody, read my parents or grandfather, to find out she was spending that many galleons on the Most Disreputable Flint on the Planet."

Warrington commiserated with Flint and asked, "Were they really pissed at you for, you know, the NEWTs. I mean really, scheduling the tests for the same week as the British Quidditch final! I heard you had top-flight seats! Bad luck the final lasted 14 days though mate." Amid nods from the other guys and with those words, Flint's friends made their only mention of the fact they ever would about Flint repeating his seventh year.

Later as the boys changed into their uniforms as the train was pulling into Hogsmeade, Marcus thought to himself that maybe this year was going to be a good one after all.