“Come on, Macdonald,” rasped Lucan Mulciber, “just one kiss.”

“Get off me,” retorted Mary. She drew her wand and held it up to his face. “I wouldn’t kiss you if my life depended on it. Now get away from me before I cast a particularly nasty hex that’ll certainly stop your pure-blood line.”

Regulus bit back the laugh at her response. As a member of the Slytherin Quidditch team, he was supposed to support his captain, but Mary Macdonald was amusing and he rather admired her spirit. He glanced across at Severus Snape who was looking as if he found this whole thing distasteful

“Lucan,” whispered Avery urgently. “Slughorn’s coming. Just leave the stupid witch and let’s get out of here.”

Mulciber eyed Mary’s wand warily. “You don’t know what you’re missing, Macdonald.”

“I’m prepared for the disappointment of never having your foul, blubbery lips on mine, Mulciber,” Mary said and she walked across the forecourt to where Lily had just appeared.

“Are you all right?” asked Lily, a frown appearing on her face.

Mary gave a backward glance, relieved that Professor Slughorn had indeed turned up and the gang of Slytherins were dispersing. “I’m fine,” she assured her friend. “Mulciber was being his usual slimy self.” She shuddered. “I wish he’d pester someone else. I mean there must be a Slytherin girl desperate for his attention.”

“Bit unfair on them,” Lily murmured darkly. “Not all Slytherins are pure-blood fanatics.”

Mary pulled a face. “If you say so, Lily. But your friend, Severus, didn’t exactly intervene and tell Mulciber to leave me alone.”

Both girls were silent as they returned to the common room.

***

“Snape, come here a minute, will you?” asked Mulciber later that day.

Unused to Mulciber asking him anything in such a friendly manner, Severus walked to where the older boy was sitting with his friends.

“It’s like this,” Mulciber muttered. “That little Gryffindor slut, Macdonald, needs to be taught a lesson. She’s far too cocky for a half-blood, even if she is a Chaser.”

Snape sighed. “Is this necessary, Lucan? Can’t you just let it go?”

Mulciber narrowed his eyes. “No, I can’t. Look, I’m not asking for your approval, Snape �“ just your brain.”

Snape glanced around at the others gathered around the table. Angus Avery, a boy from his year, jerked his head slightly in the direction of the spare chair. Regulus Black was looking at the ground. Barty Crouch, a fourth year boy from Regulus’ dorm looked excited to be part of this group. In addition, one of the Slytherin prefects, Thorfinn Rowle, looked on at the group with amusement in his eyes.

“What do you want?” asked Snape with an air of resignation in his voice. He sat down opposite Mulciber.

Mulciber leant forward. “I won’t hurt her. I just think it’s about time she was made to look stupid.” He paused. “So, I need a spell or a Potion that will make her do what I want, but obviously I can’t use the Imperius Curse at Hogwarts.” He laughed nastily and Snape was left in no doubt from his tone that he’d tried it before.

“There is an old spell �“ a bit like Imperio �“ that weakens the will,” he replied at last. “Perhaps that will work. But ... it can’t make her do anything she really doesn’t want to do, Mulciber.”

Mulciber grinned. “That’s fine. Macdonald will finally realise just what she’s been missing. Tell me all about it, Severus.”

It did not escape Snape’s notice that this was the first time Mulciber had used his first name. It felt odd, yet at the same time he felt as if he were a part of something and that was good.

***

“Mary, where are you going?” asked James. “We have a Quidditch tactics talk in ten minutes.”

Mary was pulling on her cloak and fastening up her bag. “Yeah, I know. I’ve left my silver rooting knife in greenhouse four, and I need it back so I can finish my homework. Can you make my excuses to Preston? I shouldn’t be more than a few minutes late.”

“I’ll come with you if you like,” offered James. “Preston’s tactics talks are always boring, I’m sure he won’t say anything new.” He feigned a huge yawn and Mary giggled.

“Thanks for the offer, but by the time you’ve found your cloak and boots, I’ll be back,” she replied as she walked towards the portrait door.

It was February and the air was cold. Mary pulled her cloak about her and wound a scarf around her ears. Raising her hood, she ran across the courtyard.

“Pallensamos!” whispered Mulciber as he pointed his wand directly at Mary’s back.

She shuddered to a halt. Mary could hear someone laughing, but she couldn’t make out where the sound was coming from. She tried to walk on, but something had rooted her to the spot. Slowly, she turned her head until she was face to face with her tormentor.

“Well, hello there, Mary Macdonald,” whispered Mulciber. “Fancy a moonlight stroll?”

“No,” she said in a strangled voice. She could feel a constriction in her throat as she denied him. Mulciber sneered at her.

“That’s not a very nice thing to say, Mary,” he replied. “After all, I’m just being friendly.”

He put his free hand around her waist. “Give me a kiss, then.”

Her throat was dry and Mary found the words stuck in her throat. She glanced fearfully around her. She could see one or two shapes looming in the background, so she reached for her wand. It was not there and now she remembered putting it down on the armchair next to James when she was fastening her cloak.

“She didn’t say no, Lucan,” called Avery from behind her.

“Yep, the frigid witch must be thawing to my charms,” Mulciber said sneeringly. He grabbed her chin and forcing her face up to his began to kiss her.

She had tears in her eyes as his mouth started to devour her �“ his teeth wrenching her lips apart. I don’t want this, thought Mary. At that moment, the charm wore off and she brought her knee up sharply. Mulciber, now bent double, yelled to Avery to strengthen the charm.

“Pallensamos!” yelled Avery with enthusiasm. Mary could see the jet of orange light hurtling towards her, and she knew her only chance was to dodge out of the way. But as she turned around, she slipped and fell to the cold stone floor. “Help me!” she screamed to the night air, but all she could hear were the sounds of three people laughing. Merlin, she thought in terror, there are three of them, and I have no wand.

“Protego!” roared a commanding voice from behind. The orange spell shuddered and disintegrated before it had the chance to hit Mary. She looked around for her rescuer, but could see no one. There were jets of light coming from a seemingly empty space by her side, and suddenly she felt a wand �“ her wand�”being shoved into her hand.

“If you can get up and fight, Mary, then now would be a good time,” muttered a voice that she recognised as James. Freeing himself from his Cloak, he brandished his wand as Mary heaved a sigh of relief. “Come on then, you slimy cowards. Want to take me on as well? Or can you lot only hex wandless witches?”

Mulciber raised his wand, but Mary was now in control. She hurled a Stinging Hex directly at his groin.

“Great shot, Mary!” said James admiringly as Mulciber fell to the ground again.

“Not quite as satisfying as using my knee, but the result’s the same,” she replied grimly as the other two Slytherins ran off in the direction of the greenhouses. She looked up at James. “Is that an Invisibility Cloak?”

“Oh ... er ... yeah,” replied James. “Would you mind not mentioning it to anyone, it’s not something I’d like McGonagall to know about.” He grinned at Mary and she snorted.

“That explains a lot,” said Mary, remembering the snowballs of last month that seemed to come out of nowhere. They approached Mulciber who was still writhing on the ground

“What shall we do with this one?” asked James as he pointed his wand directly at Mulciber’s nose.

Mary shuddered as she remembered his lips on hers. “Just leave him, James. I want to go back to the tower.”

Reluctantly, James turned away and they walked back together.

“Thank you,” she said at last. “If you hadn’t turned up ... I ... I don’t know what --” Her voice broke and she pulled her cloak tightly around her. “Why did you follow me?”

“You’d forgotten your wand,” explained James. “Besides, I was itching for an excuse to miss the team talk.” He put his arm over her shoulders. “It’s okay, you know. They won’t get to you now. I think we scared them off.” He paused. “I saw Mulciber and Avery, but didn’t quite see the third. Have you any ideas?”

Mary shook her head. There had been something familiar about the third Slytherin, but she wasn’t sure. “He had black hair.”

“Snape! I might have known,” snarled James and he started to walk back to the greenhouses.

“No,” retorted Mary. She tugged at his arm. “I can’t be sure... it may have been Snape ... but it could have been Regulus Black.”

James’ eyes widened in horror. “But he’s only just fifteen. Merlin, what’s Sirius going to say?”

“James,” exclaimed Mary. “I said I didn’t know. All I caught was a glimpse of long, black hair.” She paused. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to tell Sirius that Regulus was there based on that, do you?”

James gnawed at his lower lip then he nodded. They were now outside the common room and after giving the password to the Fat Lady, James pushed the door open forcefully. Mary stumbled slightly, but he caught her arm to stop her falling. Under the bright light, James could see her top lip was swollen and bleeding.

“What did that bastard do to you?” he whispered.

Mary turned her head away from the curious gaze of her fellow Gryffindors. “He just kissed me, James, but rather ... er ... forcefully. Don’t worry, I’ll be fi--”

“Mary, what’s happened?” Lily was walking up to her and gazing in horror at her swollen lip. She turned to James. “Is this your doing, Potter? Another prank gone wrong?”

“You always think the worst of me, don’t you, Evans?” he spat back angrily. He turned back to Mary. “Go and get that cleaned up; I’ll make your excuses to Preston.”

“What happened?” asked Lily as James walked away. “Was Potter involved in something stupid again?”

“Mulciber happened,” explained Mary wearily. “Look, I don’t want to go into this right now, but James was there for me tonight so just lay off of him for once, yeah.”

She started to walk up the stairs but then stopped as she remembered the fleeting glimpse she’d had of someone with long black hair. “You need to be careful around Snape, Lily. He has nasty friends.”