Tomorrow's color guard? (Mary)

[cassmcg]

An energetic redhead stood on a stone bench in the courtyard and twirled a Nimbus 2000 like a baton, under her arm, over, under, until she tossed it high into the air and tried to catch it behind her back. She twisted her body sideways , but before the broom returned, Cass windmilled for a minute and then toppled off the bench. Her Nimbus clattered harmlessly onto the bench a second later.

She picked up the broom again, her feet firmly on the ground, and started twirling. This time the scratchy bristles of the broom hit her full in the face. "Ack!" Cass said, startled. Haplessly she tried to get it right a few times. Where was Mary? It was - Cass looked at her watch - fifty seconds after she was supposed to be here. Not that Cass could talk, since she was usually late for everything: classes, meals, and about everything else with an inflexible starting time. The reason she was early for this was that she had come out here early for the fresh air. She was starting to get a little cold, though. She wanted to get some of the pictures and go.

She wondered how Mary would act towards her now that they were back at Hogwarts, where House politics were strong. Weining Zug was different. Nobody cared who she talked to there. Cass missed the skiing, the lack of classes, and especially the lack of restrictions. That applied to teachers' rules as well as to House politics. The only thing she didn't miss was taking care of her annoying sister, Anna.

Shivering, she started twirling her broom around again, to keep her body warm and her mind off the cold.

[Mary Evans]

“Thanks again” Mary called over her shoulder to the guys who had helped her develop her pictures. ‘Cute guys’ Mary thought to herself. ‘No Mary, don’t do this now. You don’t have time, you’re going to be late already’ she reprimanded. Mary proceeded to roll her eyes at herself and walked through the school towards the front doors.

Mary stopped when she reached the entrance hall to put on her cloak. She had to admit, she had butterflies in her stomach. Mary had even purposely worn a plain black cloak today because she was unsure as to how Cass was going to act. Mary usually didn’t care how people felt about her being a Slytherin but this was different. Cass was no longer a nameless stranger and after the initial shock in Weinig Zug she seemed ok with Mary’s house. But now that they were back Mary feared Cass would feel differently.

Mary pushed those feelings aside as she walked into the courtyard and saw Cass obviously waiting. Mary conjured a bell and rang it above her head. “Hear ye, hear ye. Fresh from the darkroom, I have in my possession … Weinig Zug pictures. Gather round gather round, but watch not to crowd, there is time enough for all to see.” She announced loudly as she walked toward Cass.

When she reached the other girl Mary reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope, which she gave to Cass. “Why don’t we sit down to look at them; I have yet to see them either.” Mary said as she sat down on a nearby bench. The envelope contained photographs of smiling people, some aware, others oblivious to the camera; and of the beautiful Switzerland landscape that Mary was eager to see.

[cassmcg]

Clonk. Cass's broom handle hit her in the temple. At least it was better than hitting her in the eye; Cass had turned sideways at the sound of the bell. She grinned and dropped the broom immediately as Mary walked over to the bench. All former worries were gone. Cass didn't know why she had been so nervous in the first place. Cass didn't get nervous. She was a Gryffindor, for Merlin's sake.

"Let me see them!" she said eagerly and unnecessarily. Mary was already taking out the pictures. "Ooh..." she said, taking in the pictures. Most of them seemed to be of people she didn't know. "Who are these people?" she asked, indicating a small group of smiling, waving skiers. "Hogwarts students?" It was a little bit hard to recognize anyone in the clothes they wore to ski. She saw other pictures, probably ones Mary had taken from the ski lifts, beautiful bird's-eye views of the Alps. "This one's really pretty," she said. "Do you know how to make copies? I'd really like one." Mary had said the photos had come straight from the darkroom. Cass had never been in a darkroom before. She didn't know they had any at Hogwarts. Mary must know how to develop pictures herself. A useful skill, that. Wizarding cameras took moving pictures, and those would definitely raise some eyebrows at a Muggle photo store.

[Mary Evans]

Mary and Cass started flipping through the pictures. Mary was impressed they had turned out well. Mary named off the students in the pictures Cass inquired about and admired the ones she had taken from the mountains, and ski lifts, and just random places from the castle, both inside and outside. Mary’s favourite had to be one that she took out her room window of a bunch of kids playing in the snow. It showed both the beauty of the land with the original shape of the window, plus the sheer joy of the students. “O feel free to take any you wish.” Mary said when Cass asked to make copies. “These really cute guys helped me in the darkroom. I don’t mind going back and getting some help re-printing them.” Mary said with a grin.

Mary then stood up and began pacing around to try and block out the cold. “So how was your break? Happy or no to be back?” she asked Cass.

[cassmcg]

Cass recognized the names Mary mentioned, but she didn't know any of them. Many were older than her. She looked carefully at the pictures to try and tie names with faces in her memory. Most of them, Cass realized, were probably Slytherins. Not that they were wearing any clothing that gave them away. It was just likely, that was all. After all, most of Cass's friends were Gryffindors, right? So most of Mary's friends were probably Slytherins. But then, Mary wasn't what Cass considered a normal Slytherin. Or maybe they were all like this when you got to know them. If they were, they sure did a good job hiding their true personalities.

"I'll take this one..." Cass said, pointing at a beautiful picture, a bird's-eye view of some pine trees, "and this one," she said, selecting a photograph of the mountain from far away. Clouds engulfed part of the mountain like the brim of a witch's hat, but the peak peeked out at the top. A couple of rising castle towers were just barely visible, rising out of the cloud. "And maybe these two..." She continued through the pictures.

She smiled wistfully as Mary told her how she had gotten the pictures developed. "Cute guys, huh?" Mary could probably have gotten any favor if she had so much as winked at a boy. For the first time Cass really noticed Mary's flawlessly good looks. She had silky-straight blond hair and gorgeous blue eyes, and good fashion sense to top it all off. Cass cared about her looks as long as they didn't hinder her fun, and she seldom felt inferior in the attractiveness department. But Mary could make anyone feel like an ugly duckling by comparison.

On the other hand, there could be some benefits to having a gorgeous friend. "Want to introduce me to these guys sometime?"

[Mary Evans]

Mary was delighted Cass liked her pictures, and she was more than happy to give Cass the pictures. “Introduce you? Why I would be more than happy to. Say would you like to come with me later and get the pictures re-printed?” Mary said with a playful tone in her voice. This meeting couldn’t have gone better in her opinion. “For now I just want some fresh air.” Mary said leaning back allowing her hair to fall behind her and resting her head on the back of the bench.

“So Cass, with all the excitement of skiing last time we talked we didn’t get to know each other that well. Tell me a bit about yourself. Your family, favourites that type of thing.” Mary said, hoping she wasn’t being to forward, but she couldn’t help it if she was.