𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄
chapter eighteen; Just Another Teen Outcast
" I'm always being Sirius! "

  MADELINE HAD ADJUSTED surprisingly quickly to being a teenage social outcast. It felt almost like being shunned, save for the Marauders and her best friends, no one even looked at the Potter girl unless it was to crack a joke any professor would frown upon.

  She had just assumed this was the end of her torment.

  "Maddie!"

  It wasn't.

  "Leave me alone, Nico."

  "Wait, wait, wait," Nico said rapidly, running to cut Madeline off. The girl rolled her eyes, staring at the castle wall instead of him. "I wanted to talk to you."

  "I think you've done enough talking," Madeline snapped.

  "You're really mad, huh?"

  "No, I'm not angry that I can't go anywhere without being laughed at, and that I have to quit quidditch, and that my own brother doesn't believe me! Nico, people I don't even know hate me!"

  "Hate you?"

  "Apparently, being a slag isn't a very good thing," Madeline laughed bitterly, her anger only skyrocketed when she felt the burn of angry tears prick in her eyes.

  "I didn't mean for all this to happen."

  "Oh, okay, what exactly did you want to happen then?" Madeline questioned, looking at the boy expectantly. His lips moved to form words, but no sound came out, "Tell me, Nico, what you thought would happen!"

  "I don't know, okay?! I don't know! I was angry because I loved you—"

  "You did not love me."

  Nico's brows furrowed, his face was twisted in a way that almost made Madeline believe him.

  "Maddie—"

  "Think it's time you backed off, mate."

  Nico huffed out a laugh at the company, Madeline frozen in her spot due to it. "Who are you?"

  The boy did not respond, only produced a long, black wand from his pocket and pointed it between Nico's eyes that were now the size of dinner plates. The Ravenclaw's opponent was much smaller, scrawnier, but there was no denying that if the boy wanted to hurt him; he could.

  "Woah," Nico said, raising his hands slowly, "Chill out, I'm not—"

  "Goodbye."

  The blond nodded, taking steps back and nearly tripping over his own feet as he scrambled off towards the Ravenclaw tower. Madeline faced her savior, not quite sure how to react.

  "Thank—"

  "Don't tell anyone."

  Madeline's brows knitted together, but she nodded and watched the boy spin on his heel, walking away with a surprising amount of grace. She elected not to give it too much thought, her life was in a place she never expected, so what was wrong about it getting a little stranger?

ϟ

  "Uh, Ms. Potter!"

  Madeline jumped slightly, sending her ink well to the ground and splattering the black liquid all over the polished floors of the Charms classroom. She apologized to Professor Flitwick profusely, dropping to her knees and attempting to mop it up with parchment whilst explaining he'd just startled her.

  She halted her actions when the professor waved his wand carefully, muttering a spell that sent the liquid floating into the air and landing nicely back inside its container.

  "Right," Madeline mumbled, shoving a cap onto the inkwell, "Magic."

  "Magic, indeed," Flitwick nodded, slightly amused, "I was hoping to speak with you about quidditch."

  "Right, I'm not going to be returning this year," Madeline pointed.

  "Professor McGonagall spoke with me about it," He nodded, "She also informed me about the incident at the opening feast."

  Madeline went pink.

  "Due to the nature of the incident, Mr. Keeler and Mr. Hughes have been banned from playing quidditch in their final year." The girl's eyes went wide at the news, "We have a zero tolerance policy for bullying, Ms. Potter."

  "Oh."

  "And, if for any reason, this changes your opinion on quidditch," He continued, "We are in need of a new captain."

  "Wh—what?"

  "I believe you would be the best fit."

  "No, I've only played one year, what about Kai—?"

  "Mr. Declan was the one who recommended you," Flitwick informed, straightening a pile of parchment, "He came to me and Professor McGonagall, and we are all in agreement."

 "Why is Professor McGonagall involved in another house's quidditch team?"

  "She's not, I just believe she's seen your potential and is doing her job as a professor."

  "So. . . you want me to be Ravenclaw's captain?"

  "I would like Ravenclaw to with the quidditch cup," Flitwick admitted, "And I believe you would lead us to that."

  "Can I think about it?"

  "I think that would be best."

  ". . . Thanks."

ϟ

  A single potato fell out of James Potter's mouth when he saw his sister sitting with Lily Evans. The redhead was smiling brightly, Madeline wearing a matching grin, as Marlene McKinnon made large gestures with her hands.

  James rapidly hit Sirius' arm, the boy letting out a grumble as James grabbed his head and turned it to face the group of Gryffindor girls. That included Madeline, Bluebelle, and Kai.

  "What the hell?" Sirius questioned, though through a mouthful of rolls it came out muffled.

  "They're friends," Remus informed boredly, flipping a page of his book and reaching for his pumpkin juice.

  "You're the insider, Moony, what's going on?"

  "They're. . . friends," Remus repeated to James wearing an unimpressed look. "Not much else."

  James groaned, falling back in his seat.

  "So, Maddie, anything. . . interesting happen today?" Kai questioned nonchalantly after Marlene finished her story about Potions class.

  "Why, yes, Kai, it did," Madeline replied in the same poorly masked curiosity Kai had, "Why the hell did you tell Flitwick to make me quidditch captain?"

  "You're quidditch captain?!"

  "Shhh!" Madeline said harshly, clapping her hand over Lily's mouth. The brunette leaned slightly, peering down the table at her brother. 

  James jumped when Madeline locked eye contact with him, instantly he turned and shoved his fork into his mouth. Unfortunately, Sirius had placed a brussel sprout on James' fork, and the vegetable came rolling right back out.

  "Padfoot!"

  "Eat your greens so you can get big and strong."

  "At this point, I can't tell if Mia's rubbed off on him or if he's being serious," Remus pointed, realizing his mistake and cringing as Sirius' face lit up.

  "I'm always being Sirius!"

  "Oh, Merlin."

  "Potter!"

  James jumped, nearly toppling out of his seat once he realized the voice that had called his name was Lily's. His heart was beating, surely about to break through his ribcage as he turned to the redhead.

  "Evans."

  "Your sister is Ravenclaw quidditch captain!" She informed with a bright grin, probably the happiest Lily Evans had ever looked whilst talking to James.

  Which is why he replied how he did.

  "Brilliant!"

  "See, I told you," Lily said to Madeline, sitting back down with a proud smile.

  Madeline raised a brow, counting on her fingers slowly. Lily was confused slightly, but once her third finger was raised she understood.

  "My sister is what?!"

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
Lily and Maddie's friendship is 
amazing, I love it BUT
oKAY I wanna hear the theories:
who do you think saved Mads 
from Nico?