WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU PUMPKINS , james potter

━ fourteen. what is it with quidditch and gryffindors?

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
- what is it with quidditch and gryffindors? -
1977

MADELINE DIDN'T MEAN TO OFFEND PEOPLE, she just... did.

     Okay, look, there were a lot of rules— too many, in fact (God, she sounded like James), when it came to socializing. How was she meant to keep up with all of them?

     It was important to be honest, but not too honest. Then, you're just mean. Glancing at someone was okay, but stare too long? You're a weirdo. When a girl is too shy to speak her mind, she's a pushover. She's assertive? Man, what a bitch.

Where was the bloody sense in that?

     "Think before you speak."

It's a phrase her mother constantly reminded her of. It's not like Madeline didn't think before speaking (she wasn't an idiot after all), she simply didn't take into consideration how others might react.

Madeline didn't mean to be harsh, she just was.

She knew there was a fine line between being honest and being harsh, and yet, somehow, she always found a way to cross it.

That'd been the case one Thursday evening as Madeline watched a third year Slytherin surrounded by her small group of friends in a blubbering mess of tears. They glared up at her as they comforted their friend, furrowing their brows and staring Madeline down with beady, wide eyes. Like it was her fault their friend was totally incompetent.

"You can't just talk to her like that." One girl, who was rather tall for a third year, raved, brave enough to challenge a seventh year.

Madeline quirked an eyebrow. "I was only being honest."

Another girl, short and skinny, spoke, "Yeah, but— but—" This friend wasn't as brave as the first. With a simple (and yet menacing) glance, the third year fell silent. She could barely make eye contact let alone form a sentence in Madeline's presence.

"You should leave," said Madeline. "You're all just a bunch of whinny third years who can't even pronounce your spells correctly. A waste of my time, honestly."

The crying Slytherin let out a vicious sob at Madeline's words, burying her nose in her friend's shoulder. Madeline didn't bother covering up her annoyance.

     "Everything okay here?" The group of Slytherins turned to face a smiling Lily. She had already finished her session, no doubt.

     The first girl that spoke crinkled her nose, flipping her hair to the side. "We don't need help from the likes of people like you."

Madeline frowned, stepping closer to the group of girls. They all shrank under her glare, shifting uncomfortably amongst one another.

     "Say that again. Please." Very few things annoyed Madeline more than prejudice arseholes who thought they were better than someone because of their blood status.

     "It's fine," Lily interjected quickly, holding on to Madeline's arm. How she could hold a smile even when being passively ridiculed, Madeline would never know. "So sorry for the inconvenience. Hope to see you girls next week for more lessons." Lily seemed to be a master at the game of socializing.