Forever Mine - James Potter

10

Tuesday 5th October, 1971

-Marlene McKinnon

A few more weeks went by, and Transfiguration quickly became Aurora's favourite subject.

She wasn't good at the subject, and she often struggled to read through the thick text books that came with it, but she enjoyed it all the same; though it was mainly just due to the fact that it was one of the only lessons where she had the freedom to talk to whomever she liked (which in her case happened to be a certain McKinnon girl). She knew she shouldn't be talking to her, but after talking to Sirius, and being ignored by Regulus, she couldn't help it.

Over the last few days Aurora had spent most of her time with Marlene, though this was mainly during lessons to avoid any criticism from her Slytherin classmates. However, much to her disappointment, she knew she wouldn't be able to carry on with it for much longer. It was risky for her. It was risky for Marlene. It was risky for everyone, including Regulus, who knew about it, and hadn't stopped it from happening. So, for that reason, and that reason alone, she knew it would all have to end soon.

It was Tuesday now, and the Transfiguration lesson that day had been fairly successful. Both Aurora and Marlene were able to turn a match into a needle, something that they had been working on for several days now. Something that was not so successful for Aurora was ignoring Marlene, who was constantly smiling at her, and laughing with her; it was something that Aurora had always wanted in a friend, but she knew she couldn't have it like this.

So, once Transfiguration ended, Aurora left promptly, trying to avoid conversation with everyone and make it back safety to her room, where she knew she would be able to have some peace and quiet for a few hours. However, as she left the classroom, Aurora foolishly turned around, only to come face to face with Marlene, who was evidently already looking for her. "Hey Rory! Wait up!" Marlene called out, running quickly out of the classroom towards Aurora. Aurora didn't know what the girl wanted, but stopped all the same, not wanting Marlene to think that she was avoiding her.

"What is it Mar?"

"Transfiguration... I'm assuming you haven't done your homework yet?" Marlene questioned tactically.

"Nope, why do you ask?"

"I'm going to the library with a few friends and I was just wondering if you-"

"No! Please don't finish that sentence," Aurora begged, stopping Marlene before she could say anything else to her.

As much as Aurora would've loved to study with Marlene and her friends, she knew she shouldn't go; it was too risky. All it would do was put her new friend in more danger than she was in already, and she couldn't do that to anyone, especially not Marlene, who had never been anything but nice to her since they met each other in their first Transfiguration lesson.

"What do you mean, don't finish it? I thought that we were- "

"Friends? You thought we were friends?" Aurora mumbled, forcing herself to answer the question in a way that she was sure would almost certainly keep the girl away from her for a while. "We can't be friends, Marlene! Don't get me wrong, I really want to be you friend and I rather enjoy your company during the few hours we spend together in lessons each day, but it's just not possible... not outside of classes. You understand that, right?"

"No. No, I don't understand!" Marlene retorted in a confused manner. "Why can't we be friends? Why isn't it possible? Why can't we-"

"Because I'm a Slytherin, and you're a Gryffindor. I'm a pureblood and you're Muggleborn. We can't be friends, Marlene. It just wouldn't work."