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I'll SEEK you OUT
FLAY you ALIVE
One more WORD and you won't SURVIVE
And I'M not SCARED
Of your STOLEN POWER
I SEE right through you any HOUR

MARINA EUGENIE ALDRED
PROUD HALFBLOOD
SLYTHERIN THIRD YEAR

I won't soothe your pain: Panicky | I won't ease your strain: We - I - I don't know what I'm doing! | You'll be waiting in vain: Damien | I got nothing for you to gain: Fourth Floor Corridor | Wearing

Marina sprinted down the corridor, clutching a library book. This was late. How could she have forgotten? The stupid book was due today. Like, now. She turned a corner, shoes slipping slightly on the stone floor, and then crashed right into something. Well, more accurately, someone. Even more, accurately, Damien. Marina walked right into him, and instinctively grabbed his shoulder to steady herself. "Cac," she swore in Gaelic under her breath, almost dropping her book. Of course she just had to run into someone. Well, she should at least mutter an apology before sprinting off again. She looked up, and found herself altogether much too close to Damien Edgeworth. The Slytherin girl froze, and for once had nothing to say. She was staring right at him. They were literally mere inches away. And his eyes were so blue- What?! No, no, no. She was done with these stupid, silly, thoughts about him. He was her friend, nothing more. She and Damien were never going to be anything more than- Her body acted by it's own accord, and suddenly she was a whole lot closer to him. And their lips were touching. She was kissing him.

This was her first kiss, in shadowed corridor, her fiery locks a mess and tumbling out from her beanie, her skirt wrinkled and not straight, her tank top much too worn and baggy, and she hadn't even worn any makeup! Besides her nails being painted, but she wasn't really thinking about that right now. Her thoughts were mostly about how this kiss was. It definitely wasn't perfect; hell, she couldn't even tell if he was kissing her back or not, but it felt good to finally be done with the awkward skirting of the issue. She liked him. A lot. And now she was kissing him. See? Problem solved. But then the more logical part of her mind caught up with her, and she pulled away abruptly, taking a step back. What had she just done? What did he think? She'd practically attacked him, for crying out loud! Merlin's pants, what was happening to her? A minute ago she'd been kissing him pretty darn enthusiastically, and now she couldn't even look him in the eye. The redhead stared down at her shoes, not sure what to say, or if she should say anything at all. She'd just kissed one of her closest friends, after all.

Prejudice is stubborn and ignorance is hard.

EYES on FIRE
Your SPINE is ABLAZE
Felling any FOE with my GAZE
And JUST in TIME
In the RIGHT PLACE
STEADILY emerging with GRACE

I'll SEEK you OUT
FLAY you ALIVE
One more WORD and you won't SURVIVE
And I'M not SCARED
Of your STOLEN POWER
I SEE right through you any HOUR

MARINA EUGENIE ALDRED
PROUD HALFBLOOD
SLYTHERIN THIRD YEAR

I won't soothe your pain: Heartbroken | I won't ease your strain: I was so stupid... | You'll be waiting in vain: Alone | I got nothing for you to gain: Fourth Floor Corridor | Wearing

Marina couldn't take it any longer. She had to know what he was feeling; what his reaction had been. So she dared to glance up after a moment, brown eyes staring at him through a veil of red bangs. There was a small tinge of softness in her eyes; like a little flame of warmth in a very cold place. It didn't take much to extinguish it. The look on his face was enough. Analyzing. Calculating. Judging. This wasn't the Damien she was friends with, the one who teased her and talked to her and sat with her. This was the Damien she had met so long ago at the station in Hogsmeade. Cold, emotionless Damien. In that split second, Marina knew just how stupid she had been. She'd actually thought that he would what? Kiss her back eagerly? Tell her that he liked her? Ask her out? Pathetic. She was pathetic, with her stupid little hopes and girlish little dreams that the boy she liked would ever see her as more than what she was. A halfblood. A halfblood who had entertained the notion, just for a little while, that a pureblood Slytherin boy might have any interest in her. Of course now she knew he didn't. None what so ever. Marina began to feel like she was drowning; struggling to breathe and screaming on the inside. Her instincts told her to run, to get out before her heart was broken anymore. She couldn't deal with this. Then he spoke, and she forced herself to stay, to listen to what he said.

"Don't do that again." It was as if he had hit her. She wished he had; it certainly would have hurt less. A tiny, inaudible gasp escaped her lips, before she pressed them tightly together and took another step back, looking away from him. She couldn't handle the cold eyes any longer. Marina watched him walk away out of the corner of her eye and then a tidal wave of emotions hit her. She wanted to scream, and cry, and laugh hysterically at the stupidity of this whole situation, and hit something, but mostly she wanted to crawl into a dark corner and never return. She felt dirty. She felt ugly. Most of all, she felt vulnerable, and that was what scared her the most. now she understood. She finally understood while some people didn't bother with feelings. They hurt too much. Here she was, feeling like something inside her had been ripped out, just because she was rejected. All her thoughts still focused on him; and his order kept ringing in her ears, repeating itself in her mind. When she'd been kissing him, it had felt, well, really good. And she'd been sure he had kissed her back. She was certain of it, he had responded. But didn't people do that on reflex? If you were kissed and taken by surprise, of course you would kiss the person back, whether you wanted to or not. It was just an automatic reaction. Nothing more. It had probably been out of pure good manners that he hadn't pushed her away. It was time to face the facts. Damien Edgeworth didn't like her. He never would. She meant absolutely nothing to him. They probably weren't even friends any longer. He'd been clear. Both of them were to forget this whole incident had ever happened, and to make sure it never did again. Maybe he could forget. But she couldn't. Marina was still standing there, frozen, holding her book loosely with one hand and the other clenched and trembling. She slowly sat down on the floor and leaned back against the wall, eyes tightly shut. The worse part by far, she reflected, was that she didn't want to forget. She wanted to kiss him again.

In the darkness of her own mind she sat as she did outside. And then Other Marina decided to make an appearance. She looked like Marina had as a child, with dimpled, freckled cheeks, and wild red curls. She was wearing a faded gray dress, and at the moment looked very, very displeased. Marina decided ahead of time to just let Other rant, it would make everything so much easier. "Well, we've really done it this time, haven't we?" Other remarked in a childish voice, folding her arms over her chest. "Just think about it. We're that repulsive, that upon kissing the boy we like he told, no ordered us, never to kiss him again. That's how ugly we are. We realize that we are nothing to him, of course. Just some halfblood girl. He's probably ashamed to be seen talking to us, never mind kissing us. We're just not pure enough. Our blood is simply too corrupted for him. And that's what's funny! Really! Because now, for the first time in our lives, we wish we were a pureblood girl, a rich Slytherin pureblood girl, because then, surely, he would like us back. But that's a little vain, isn't it? To think it's just about our blood and social status? Maybe it's just us. Our entire being could be the problem here. After all, weren't we born to be alone? No one could ever like us, never mind love us. We really are just a hateful, bitter, lonely little girl. In the end we're never going to amount to much of anything. So why bother? Why do we even try? Try to do well in school, try to prove ourself? And to whom? Him? He doesn't even care!" Other yelled the last bit, and Marina blinked rapidly. She glanced around the corridor, relieved to find it still deserted. Than she stood up, and with a heavy, aching heart, continued on her way to the library. She still had to return her book.

Prejudice is stubborn and ignorance is hard.

EYES on FIRE
Your SPINE is ABLAZE
Felling any FOE with my GAZE
And JUST in TIME
In the RIGHT PLACE
STEADILY emerging with GRACE

I'll SEEK you OUT
FLAY you ALIVE
One more WORD and you won't SURVIVE
And I'M not SCARED
Of your STOLEN POWER
I SEE right through you any HOUR

MARINA EUGENIE ALDRED
PROUD HALFBLOOD
SLYTHERIN THIRD YEAR

I won't soothe your pain: Heartbroken | I won't ease your strain: Everything's the matter! | You'll be waiting in vain: Ada | I got nothing for you to gain: Fourth Floor Corridor | Wearing

Marina stiffened at Ada's touch, but relaxed some when realizing it was her friend. She shook her head mutely at the Hufflepuff's question, intending to just give a bland answer and make her escape. But the look on her friend's face gave her pause. Ada really did care, and maybe... Just this once, it would be good to talk about this with someone. "I bumped into Damien and then I kissed him and I think he kissed me back but then I broke it off and he told me not to kiss him again and he-he just left!" Her voice had started out a dull whisper but had risen in both volume and emotion by the time she finished her explanation. There was raw pain in her eyes and she wiped at them furiously, determined not to cry.

Prejudice is stubborn and ignorance is hard.

EYES on FIRE
Your SPINE is ABLAZE
Felling any FOE with my GAZE
And JUST in TIME
In the RIGHT PLACE
STEADILY emerging with GRACE

I'll SEEK you OUT
FLAY you ALIVE
One more WORD and you won't SURVIVE
And I'M not SCARED
Of your STOLEN POWER
I SEE right through you any HOUR

MARINA EUGENIE ALDRED
PROUD HALFBLOOD
SLYTHERIN THIRD YEAR

I won't soothe your pain: Heartbroken | I won't ease your strain: Stupid Damien! | You'll be waiting in vain: Ada | I got nothing for you to gain: Fourth Floor Corridor | Wearing

Marina knew Ada was right. It didn't quite ease the hurt inside, but she had a point. Damien was a bloody stupid git. A maddeningly charming and attractive stupid bloody git. Who she still didn't regret kissing. She slowly hugged her friend back, and blinked back a few tears. Her voice came out choked and a little raspy, and she cleared her throat. "I know. With him it's always about his family. It probably always will be. And I know I'm never going to be the kind of girl his parents want him with, and you know what's pathetic? I sometimes wish I was the kind of girl they would want him with, because then he wouldn't be mad at himself for kissing me! How stupid is that? I always say stuff like "if others want you to change for their convenience, then screw them, they're not worth it". I'm such a bleeding hypocrite, it's disgusting," she half muttered, half sobbed.

Even through her sort of, somewhat crying, she managed a shaky smile at Ada's cursing. "Wow. I mean, from what he's told me, I knew she was pretty awful, but if even you're calling her a female dog, then she must be horrid." She stared at her feet. "It's not my fault, you're right, but I just feel... I don't know, dirty or something. I mean, he got this look in his eyes when he said it. It was like his first year self was just staring at me. It freaked me out. He basically ordered me not to! Like I was going to try it again after his reaction! It was beyond mortifying; I wanted to die!" The redhead's fists clenched tightly, knuckles white. "Now I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to look him in the eye again, never mind talk to him." she admitted, with a miserable shrug of her shoulders. Stupid Damien and his stupid way of provoking emotional reactions in her. this was the third time she'd cried because of him! Any other boy with that record would be six feet under right now. He was lucky she was attracted to him, or he would have been.

Prejudice is stubborn and ignorance is hard.

EYES on FIRE
Your SPINE is ABLAZE
Felling any FOE with my GAZE
And JUST in TIME
In the RIGHT PLACE
STEADILY emerging with GRACE

Marina Eugenie Aldred, Proud Halfblood, Slytherin Third Year

Marina was a bit shocked. This was quite possibly the most she'd ever heard Ada say. And the shy (well, obviously not anymore) Hufflepuff was undeniably right. Maybe if she tried, she could change Damien into a better, happier, person. Okay, so that sounded ridiculously sappy, but the Slytherin knew if she put her mind to it, she could accomplish just about anything. She was Marina bleeding Aldred. The word "failure" was not in her vocabulary. Then what Ada was really alluding to hit her. "Wait... You guys were childhood friends, right? I knew it! I knew you had to have already known each other, you both know too much about the other for just plain old mortal enemies. After this whole thing... Is fixed, by me I guess, because he sure as hell isn't going to do anything about it, him and I are going to have a talk. About you and him and your lost friendship. He probably wants to be your friend again, deep down." She sniffled once, and then her expression turned resolute.

Somehow she was going to get through this, and get Damien to be himself once more. Even if it took until the day they left Hogwarts. Because she wasn't planning on giving up anytime soon. If nothing else, Marina was a fighter through and through. The redhead eye's were blazing once more, and she straightened up, looking ready to go to war. "Ada Blythe, you are one hell of a friend," she said honestly. "Thanks. I'm still not sure what's going to happen with me and him, but it's not over. Not if I have anything to do with it." It was true; she was incapable of letting things like these go. Her feelings were still a mess, but her goal was clear. Damien Edgeworth had no idea what he was in for. Marina didn't just give up friends, and especially not friends she had kissed.

((Sorry about the lack of a format. I'm on mobile site.))

Marina Eugenie Aldred, Proud Halfblood, Slytherin Third Year

Marina winced in sympathy as Ada told her tale. "Ugh. That's horrible. What a b**tch, you were right." She felt no regrets about cursing when it came to Damien's mother. Seriously. The woman clearly had issues. "I never really had any childhood friends. My parents sent me to muggle school before Hogwarts, but the other kids were either scared of me or hated me. My magic showed up whenever I got upset. But I never had a friend to lose in the first place. Not like now." She smiled faintly. "Alright, you shared your Damien backstory, so I guess I should share mine. But you have to promise to never tell anyone this, alright? I don't want to be yet another person everyone is talking about." The Slytherin sighed, unsure of how to start. But once she began speaking, she couldn't stop.

"At the end of first year, my cat wandered off one night. He'd gone into the Gardens, so I followed. It was cold, and dark, and I was just blundering around, calling for my cat, when I heard voices. It sounded like a man and a boy. The man sounded... evil. Insane. However you want to describe it. I knew the boy was in big trouble. He was pleading and stammering like crazy. I should have gone and got help, but I was an idiot and didn't. I was young, and stupid, and thought I could save the day or something. Like a first year had any hope if taking down a grown wizard. But I charged onto the scene anyways, and then I saw that the boy wss Damien. I was shocked; I'd never seen him that desperate, that vulnerable. I guess, right then, I saw a different side of him then the usual arrogant Damien I hated. But then I realized what was really going on. The man, he was the Divinations professor. Regret Owens. He'd killed his cat. Like, not just avada kedavra. It was chopped to bits by some spell. There was blood everywhere, and here he is, calmly telling us he's going to take us back to our dorms. I was just standing there, frozen with fear, while Damien tried to talk his way out the situation. Though he wasn't just trying to save himself. He was trying to protect me, too. Me! We'd had an ongoing rivalry all year, and insulted each other all the time, but he was still looking out for me. But Owens was nuts. That much was obvious. We both knew he was going to kill us. So Damien just grabs my hand and takes off running, pulling me along behind him. To make sure I didn't fall behind. I couldn't believe it. He was risking his life for me! Owens chased after us, and he cast this cursed fire. It was going to burn us both to crisps, but Damien pushed me out of the wau at the last moment and takes it for me. He was so badly burned, I thought he was dead. Another professor showed up and saved us, and Owens got away. I felt so guilty about it all. I visited him in the Infirmary, and then the next year, when he was.... you know, we sort of helped each cope. He puts up with a lot of s**t at home, mostly from his mum. And then we just became friends. Unbelievable, right?"

Marina let out a short, dry laugh. "You are the only person I've ever told that to, besides my parents. And even they don't know the whole story. My dad would flip if he knew I was friends with, that I kissed a Slytherin pureblood boy. And my mum... well, I'm not realky sure what she would think. But I'm a little scared to find out." She exhaled. "Geez, my life sounds crazy. But I guess it sort of is."

((Sorry about the lack of a format. I'm on mobile site.))

I'll SEEK you OUT
FLAY you ALIVE
One more WORD and you won't SURVIVE
And I'M not SCARED
Of your STOLEN POWER
I SEE right through you any HOUR

MARINA EUGENIE ALDRED
PROUD HALFBLOOD
SLYTHERIN THIRD YEAR

I won't soothe your pain: Uncomfortable | I won't ease your strain: Too much emotion for one day... | You'll be waiting in vain: Ada | I got nothing for you to gain: Fourth Floor Corridor | Wearing

Marina shifted uncomfortably. Great. Now Ada was crying. What had she done to deserve such a stressful day? At this point, she was emotionally exhausted. "Don't cry. Really. I mean, everyone's OK, now, right? Well, I'm not exactly OK, but it's not like I'm dead or traumatized for life." Then a sudden thought struck her. Was it possible Ada felt guilty for not being there in first year and then not being at the battle the previous summer? Both incidents had been random; it wasn't like Marina tried to almost get killed every year. It just worked out that way, much to her family and friends' displeasure. "Look, next time I'm going into a potentially dangerous situation I'll bring you, alright?" she joked, trying to lighten the mood. "Together we could totally kick some dark wizard arse."

Prejudice is stubborn and ignorance is hard.

EYES on FIRE
Your SPINE is ABLAZE
Felling any FOE with my GAZE
And JUST in TIME
In the RIGHT PLACE
STEADILY emerging with GRACE

I'll SEEK you OUT
FLAY you ALIVE
One more WORD and you won't SURVIVE
And I'M not SCARED
Of your STOLEN POWER
I SEE right through you any HOUR

MARINA EUGENIE ALDRED
PROUD HALFBLOOD
SLYTHERIN THIRD YEAR

I won't soothe your pain: Uncomfortable | I won't ease your strain: Too much emotion for one day... | You'll be waiting in vain: Ada | I got nothing for you to gain: Fourth Floor Corridor | Wearing

Marina modded in understanding. "I guess it probably sucks, huh? Believe me though, sometimes it's better to be ignorant for a little while. Sooner or later, it all comes crashing down you anyways. I mean, this past summer alone? Crazy. It seemed like no one got through it unscathed. Be thankful you had a peaceful summer holiday. Mine was anything but," As soon as she was done speaking she flinched. "Sorry. That probably sounded harsh. But if it means anything to you, next time I get wind that I'll be in some sort of danger I'll try and let you know somehow. Seriously." The Slytherin unconsciously fingered the ring ganging around her neck on a simple chain. It was the one that alerted her of any emergency Chimera activities. She wished she could tell Ada, but she had promised not to.

Prejudice is stubborn and ignorance is hard.

EYES on FIRE
Your SPINE is ABLAZE
Felling any FOE with my GAZE
And JUST in TIME
In the RIGHT PLACE
STEADILY emerging with GRACE