The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the castle, casting patches of warm light onto the stone floors of Hogwarts' corridors. Marley hummed softly to herself, her books clutched tightly against her chest as she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Her thoughts wandered, as they often did these days, to her first week at Hogwarts, her newfound friends, and, of course, her brother.

As she rounded a corner, a familiar voice called out.

"Marley! Wait up!"

She turned to see Harry jogging toward her, his untidy black hair even messier than usual. His face was flushed, whether from excitement or embarrassment, Marley couldn't tell.

"Morning, Harry," she said, surprised but smiling. "What's got you so worked up?"

Harry stopped a few steps away, glancing over his shoulder as though checking to see if anyone was listening. "You won't believe what happened last night."

Marley raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, then motioned for her to follow him to a quieter part of the corridor. Marley complied, her curiosity growing with each step.

"Okay," Harry began, lowering his voice. "So, yesterday after you left dinner, Malfoy challenged me to a duel at midnight."

Marley's eyes widened. "A duel? Are you serious?"

"Dead serious," Harry said. "He said to meet him in the trophy room. Ron and I snuck out to go–"

"You went?" Marley exclaimed in disbelief.

"but when we got there..." He continued, his expression darkening. "It was a trap. Filch was waiting for us."

Marley gasped. "That slimy little—"

"Yeah," Harry said, cutting her off. "We ran for it, but then things got even crazier."

"Crazier?" Marley repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief.

Harry nodded. "Neville and Hermione were there too, but that's another story. We ended up on the third floor—the forbidden corridor. And we saw..." He hesitated, his eyes flicking toward Marley's. "Well, we saw a three-headed dog."

Marley froze, staring at him as though he'd just told her the moon was made of cheese. "You saw what?"

"A massive three-headed dog," Harry said firmly. "It was standing on a trapdoor, guarding something. I don't know what, but..."

"But it must be important," Marley finished for him, her voice barely above a whisper.

Harry nodded, his green eyes serious. "Exactly. Ron thinks it's some kind of treasure. I'm not so sure."

Marley's mind raced, trying to process everything Harry had just told her. Midnight duels, three-headed dogs, trapdoors—it all sounded like something out of a fairy tale. "You've had a busier first month than I have," she muttered.

Harry laughed, though there was little humor in it. "Yeah, you could say that."

They reached the entrance to the Great Hall, the warm smell of breakfast wafting through the open doors. Harry hesitated, glancing at Marley. "Don't tell anyone, okay? Not even your friends."

Marley nodded, though her curiosity was still buzzing. "I know, I won't. Just... be careful, Harry. Whatever's behind that door, it's probably dangerous."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Harry said with a crooked smile. "See you around, Marley."

He slipped into the Great Hall and immediately headed for the Gryffindor table, where Ron was waiting. Marley followed but veered off toward the Hufflepuff table, where Susan, Hannah, and Daphne were already seated.

The Great Hall was alive with chatter and the clatter of silverware as students tucked into their breakfasts. Marley slid into her usual seat beside Susan, who greeted her with a bright smile.

"Good morning! You look like you've just heard some big news," Susan teased.

Marley forced a smile, her thoughts still on Harry's wild tale. "Oh, just got a letter from home," she said, reaching for a piece of toast.

But her attention was soon drawn to the Gryffindor table, where a commotion was starting to unfold. A long, narrow package had just been delivered to Harry by a swarm of owls, and several students craned their necks to see what it was.

"What do you think it is?" Hannah asked, glancing at Marley.

Marley's heart skipped a beat. She didn't need to guess. She had seen packages like that before, arriving for Nymphadora. "It's a broomstick," she said quietly, her eyes fixed on Harry as he stared at the package.

"A broomstick?" Daphne repeated, her brow furrowing. "First years aren't allowed their own brooms."

Marley shrugged, feigning indifference. "Maybe it's for Quidditch," she said, though her stomach churned with unease. How does this keep happening to him?

"Must be nice to have special privileges," Daphne muttered, though her tone lacked its usual venom.

Marley nodded absently, her mind elsewhere. She watched as Harry leaned toward Ron, speaking in hushed tones. Whatever was in that package, it was clear that Harry's already eventful first year was only just beginning.

✦✦✦

It was a crisp dusk evening when Marley found herself wandering the castle corridors alone, having left the library to head back to her common room for the night. She quite enjoyed spending time in the library. Perhaps it was the smell of the books. The quiet halls were a welcome change from the bustle of the Great Hall and the constant chatter of her classmates.

As she rounded a corner near the girl's bathroom on the second floor, she stopped short at the sight of Fred and George Weasley leaning casually against the wall, their identical grins lighting up the otherwise dull corridor.

"Marley!" Fred said, straightening up as she approached.

"Fancy meeting you here," George added, his grin widening.

Marley folded her arms, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Fancy, indeed. What are you two doing here?"

"Oh, you know, just inspecting the structural integrity of the castle," Fred said, gesturing vaguely at the stone walls.

"Vital work, really," George chimed in. "Can't have Hogwarts falling apart, can we?"

Marley raised an eyebrow, her suspicion evident. "Uh-huh. And how's that going for you?"

Fred shrugged. "So far, so good. Though we did notice a bit of a wobble near the Charms classroom. Could be dangerous."

"Very dangerous," George agreed, nodding solemnly.

Marley couldn't help but chuckle despite herself. "You two are ridiculous."

"We try," Fred said with a mock bow.

"So," George began, leaning against the wall again, "how are classes going? Still enjoying Transfiguration?"

Marley blinked, surprised they remembered. "Uh, yeah. It's still my favorite. Herbology, not so much."

Fred winced theatrically. "Ah, the dreaded Herbology. A noble art, to be sure, but not for everyone."

"And how's flying going?" George asked. "Any mid-air acrobatics yet?"

"Not quite," Marley said, laughing. "I'm just glad I haven't fallen off."

"That's the spirit," Fred said, clapping her on the shoulder. "You'll be a pro in no time."

The conversation flowed easily, and Marley found herself relaxing around the twins despite her lingering suspicion about their intentions. But just as she was beginning to feel comfortable, Fred and George exchanged a glance.

"Well, it's been lovely chatting," Fred said, his tone suddenly brisk.

"Absolutely delightful," George agreed. "But we really must be going."

Marley frowned. "Why? What's going on—"

Her question was cut off by a loud explosion from inside the girl's bathroom. The sound reverberated through the corridor, followed by the distinct clatter of something heavy hitting the floor.

Fred winced, his face twisting into a grimace. "Ah, there it is."

"Right on schedule," George added, though his grin had turned sheepish.

"What did you two do?" Marley demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"Nothing too drastic," Fred said quickly.

"Just a bit of experimenting," George added.

"With toilet seats," Fred finished, as though that explained everything.

"Toilet seats?" Marley repeated, her confusion evident.

"For Ginny," George clarified. "We promised her one for her collection. You know, a little souvenir from Hogwarts."

"Why—" Marley began, but she was interrupted by a loud, wailing moan from inside the bathroom.

"Oh no," Fred muttered, his grin fading.

"Sounds like we've upset Myrtle again," George said, rubbing the back of his neck. "She's not exactly a fan of our experiments."

Before Marley could respond, the unmistakable figure of Professor McGonagall appeared at the end of the corridor, her sharp eyes blazing as she marched toward them.

"Weasley! Weasley!" she barked, her voice echoing off the stone walls. "What is the meaning of this?"

Fred and George straightened up, their faces carefully blank.

"Professor," Fred began, his tone as innocent as he could muster, "we were merely—"

"Inspecting the structural integrity of the castle," George finished, a wide grin spreading across his face.

McGonagall's lips thinned into a line. "Structural integrity, my foot! Detention for the rest of this week! Both of you!"

"But Professor," Fred protested, "we've got Quidditch practice."

"Maybe you should have thought about that before exploding a toilet! Which one of you had this bright idea, anyways?"

Fred pointed at George, and George pointed at Fred.

McGonagall gave a frustrated sigh. "Miss Potter, you can continue back to the common room. I assume that's where you were headed?" Marley nodded shyly. "If anyone tries to punish you for missing curfew, have them come to me."

Fred gaped at her. "Wait, how do you know it wasn't Marley?"

"Yeah," George added. "She could've been the mastermind behind all this!"

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, her sharp gaze piercing. "Did you two take a blow to the head recently? Perhaps when the toilet exploded?"

"No, Professor," Fred muttered.

"Not recently, anyway," George added under his breath.

McGonagall sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Off you go, Miss Potter. And as for you two, I don't want to hear another peep out of you until detention."

"Yes, Professor," the twins said in unison, though their matching grins suggested they were already planning their next prank.

As Marley hurried away, she couldn't help but smile. Despite their mischief, Fred and George had a way of making even the most ordinary moments unforgettable.

✦✦✦

The next morning, Marley made her way to Charms class with Susan and Hannah. The trio chatted casually about their progress—or lack thereof—with levitation spells.

"I'm convinced my wand hates me," Susan muttered, twirling it between her fingers. "Every time I try to levitate something, it just wobbles and falls."

"You're not alone," Hannah replied, her tone sympathetic. "Mine barely makes the feather twitch."

Marley grinned. "Maybe today will be better. Professor Flitwick did say it's all in the wrist movement."

When they arrived, Professor Flitwick greeted the class cheerfully, his tiny form perched atop a stack of books. "Good morning, everyone! Today, we'll continue practicing the Levitation Charm, Wingardium Leviosa. Pair up and grab your feathers—let's see some magic!"

Marley ended up paired with Daphne Greengrass, who approached their feather with an air of quiet determination.

"Right," Daphne said, flicking her wand experimentally. "Let's get this over with."

Marley raised an eyebrow. "Not a fan of Charms?"

"It's fine," Daphne replied with a shrug. "But I'd rather be doing something more... substantial."

As they worked through the motions, Marley decided to broach a topic that had been on her mind since their encounter in the owlery. "Hey, Daphne, can I ask you something?"

Daphne glanced at her, her wand pausing mid-swish. "What?"

"It's about Malfoy," Marley said carefully. "What's his deal? He always seems so... I don't know, defensive?"

Daphne rolled her eyes, letting out a scoff. "Malfoy's just a git. Always has been, always will be. Don't waste your time trying to figure him out."

Marley frowned, remembering the brief vulnerability she'd seen in Malfoy during their conversation. "You don't think there's more to him? Like, maybe he acts the way he does because—"

"Because he's spoiled and loves being the center of attention?" Daphne interrupted. "Probably. But that doesn't excuse him being a prat. Trust me, Marley, he's not worth the effort."

Marley hesitated, then nodded. "Fair enough."

They returned to their practice, and after several tries—and a few impatient sighs from Daphne—Marley managed to levitate their feather a few inches off the table.

"Nice one," Daphne said, though her tone lacked enthusiasm.

"Thanks," Marley replied, her mind still lingering on their conversation.

That evening, the Great Hall was transformed for the Halloween feast. The long tables were adorned with glittering pumpkins, swaths of orange and black fabric, and enchanted bats flitting overhead. Plates were piled high with roasted meats, steaming vegetables, and golden goblets of pumpkin juice. The warm, festive atmosphere wrapped around Marley like a comforting blanket.

"This is amazing," Hannah said, her eyes wide as she took in the decorations.

Susan nodded, reaching for a platter of roasted potatoes. "Hogwarts really knows how to celebrate."

Marley grinned, helping herself to a slice of pumpkin pie. The feast was in full swing, laughter and chatter filling the air, when the doors to the Great Hall suddenly burst open with a resounding bang.

Professor Quirrell stumbled in, his turban askew and his face pale with terror. "Troll! In the dungeons!" he shrieked, his voice cracking. "Thought you ought to know!"

As Quirrell hit the floor at a dead faint, chaos erupted instantly. Students screamed and scrambled to their feet, their faces etched with panic.

"Silence!" Dumbledore's commanding voice rang out, cutting through the uproar. The Headmaster stood, his expression calm but firm. "Prefects, lead your houses back to their dormitories immediately."

The Prefects quickly sprang into action, herding the students toward the doors. Marley stuck close to Hannah and Susan as the Hufflepuff Prefects guided them back to the common room.

When they finally reached the safety of their dormitory, the room buzzed with nervous energy. Students huddled in groups, whispering about the troll and speculating on how it could have gotten into the castle.

"I can't believe this," Susan said, hugging her knees to her chest. "A troll. In Hogwarts."

"I didn't think trolls could even get past the grounds," Hannah added, her voice trembling.

Marley sat quietly, her mind spinning with questions. How had the troll gotten in? Why had it been in the dungeons? And most importantly, was everyone safe?

Just as the conversation began to lull, and the majority of the excited students filtered into their dormitories, the sound of wings fluttering drew Marley's attention. She looked up to see a barn owl swoop through the open window, a rolled-up note clutched in its talons.

"It's for you," Hannah said, nudging Marley as the owl landed gracefully on the arm of her chair.

Marley untied the note, her heart skipping a beat as she saw the signature. She unfolded it quickly, her eyes scanning the short message.

Marley,
Meet me in the library tomorrow after lunch. We need to talk.
—Harry

Marley folded the note carefully, her mind racing. Whatever Harry wanted to talk about, it had to be important.

"Who's it from?" Susan asked, leaning over to get a better look.

"No one," Marley said quickly, tucking the note into her pocket. "Just a note from my sister."

Susan raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue.

As the girls settled in for the night, Marley's thoughts lingered on the note. She didn't know what Harry wanted to talk about, but she had a feeling it was connected to the troll—and whatever mysteries lay within the walls of Hogwarts.

. . . . . . . . . . 𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙨 . . . . . . . . . .

Here is chapter 6! The scene with the twins and the toilet seat actually makes me so happy, the three of them are going to be so cute!

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do. Vote, comment your thoughts, and share with your friends!