Oh, this time of the year...

Marietta walked casually into the Leaky, sitting down at a table and throwing her packages under the table. She was dressed for winter, and when she walked in she took off her black trench coat, revealing her gray sweater. She also took off her hat and scarf, and waved down the waiter so she could order a butterbeer.

Marietta sighed heavily. Christmas time alwys brings out the worst of her. Marietta finds herself very annoyed with the Christmas shoppers, and dreads shopping all together. But, of course, she does.

When her butterbeer finally came, she thanked the waiter and took a deep drink. She wiped the whipped cream off of her upper lip with the back of her hand. She felt the door opening before she heard it, because the room had gone ice cold. She heard someone entering, maybe a group of someones, and heard her name, along with hushed voices. Odd. Marietta carefully cocked her head slightly, but she still couldnt make out who it was. She then heard footsteps coming her way.

Cade walked into the Leaky with a boyish grin on his face. He had just returned from hanging out with his cousins. After a game of football and some of his aunt's famous Shepherd's pie, Cade was in the mood to meet some new friends. Maybe run into a part of the broken dream team; Averie and Marietta.

Looking around the pub, Cade laughed when he saw Marietta sitting by herself. Whispering her name softly to himself with a shake of his head, Cade made his way over to her. Sitting down across from her, Cade crossed his arms on the table. "Hello Marietta."

Marietta finally recognized the someone who had said her name; Cade Mickinley. "Why, hello Cade. Fancy seeing you here?" Marietta replied politely. Well, politely for Mariettas standards. She fiddled with her butter beer cup.

After a long pause if scilence, Marietta cleared her throat. "So, Cade." Marietta adressed the boy sitting across from her. "What brings you here?" She motioned to the almost full pub. Marietta was sure Cade had better things to do than strike a chat with herself.

Cade smiled at the redhead, "Yeah, I suppose it it." Cade knew that he could annoy people easily, but he didn't really care. He did hope that he wasn't annoying Marietta too much. She was pretty and nice. Well, at least pretty.

"Just got back from hanging out with my cousins." Cade replied, "And you? Aren't you supposed to be attached at the hip with Averie or something?" Cade knew that they were best friends and was surprised that Marietta was seen without her.

Marietta smiled flirtatiously at Cade. She didn't know him all tovwell, besides seeing him around the common room. He always tried to catch her eye though, and she's been trying to catch his.

Marietta then frowned. She hadnt told anyone that she and Evie had gotten into that big fight at the beginning of the year. "We haven't talked since the beginning of the year." Marietta said with a small smile. She had been tempted to owl Evie saying how sorry she was, but she didn't want to be thought of as weak.

Cade blushed when Marietta smiled at him. Yeah, pretty indeed. He was hoping throughout the first quarter that Marietta would notice him. But, she never did. Or, at least he thought she never did.

"What? Why?" Cade hadn't heard of them getting into a fight. The two of them were always hanging out with each other. Hell, Cade remembered that morning when Averie scared many people at the Hufflepuff table by changed her head into a dragon. "I'm sorry," He replied.

Marietta blushed along with Cade. She just felt like he was being nice to her, by sitting and talking to her. Maybe she was wrong, she has been before. Scratch that, shes went most to all of the time.

"Oh, some shit that went down after the first day of school." Marietta tempted to be casual about it, but even she could tell that she said that strained, like she was about to cry. She took a deep breath. "Not your fault." Marietta took his hand in hers, squeezing it comfortingly with a sad smile.

Cade sensed that Marietta didn't really want to talk about it, so he wasn't going to force her to say anything. It was her business. "Well, that sucks." Cade blushed again when Marietta held his hand. He squeezed it back and grinned, "You're gorgeous." He blurted out before blushing bright red. "Oh god.."

Mariettas face flushed to a beet red. "Errr...." Marietta tried to say something, but nothing solid would come out of her mouth. She chugged her butter beer so she could stall a little.

When she felt like her face went back to a more rosey red, she sighed. "Your not that bad looking either." Marietta winked suggestively. Oh yes, she was back.

Cade snorted in laughter, "Thanks." He replied, feeling his face was still beet red. God, where had the smooth talking player gone? Oh, yeah, that's not Cade at all. He's the geeky, self-conscious and awkward Hufflepuff who's only had one girlfriend that turned out to be a lesbian. Talk about bad luck.

"So, what are you doing today?"

"Anytime" Marietta waved a hand, signaling that yes, it wasn't that big of a deal, and yes, she was trying to play hard to get. She felt like it was working too. "Why so red?" Marietta asked, more curious than trying to be flirtatious.


Woah Marietta, slow down honey, you don't know if he even likes you, idiot. Marietta thought to herself. She sighed angrily to herself.

"Nothing as of late." Marietta beamed. "Do you have any plans?"

Averie walked into the Leaky Cauldron, dawned in in a black trench coat and bright red lips stick on her lips. Her hair was a deep purple color and her eyes were a neon blue. Simple enough. Well, at least, by her standards.

Spotting a familiar redhead, Averie smirked. Maybe she should pay her ex-best friend a visit. Stalking toward them, Averie let out a mocking chuckle. Little Hufflepuff Marietta had a boyfriend. Who, also seemed to be a boyfriend. How pitiful.

Sitting down at the table, Averie set her arms on the table. "Hello loves." Averie said to them in a slow drawl.

Marietta, recognizing the oh so familiar drawl, didn't even look up to talk to her old best friend. "Averie." Marietta said coldly. Her voilet eyes burned with anger. Of course, Averie would be the one to torment her. Why not? Averie could hold so much against her. Marietta was glad that Averie hasn't yet.

Averie smirked at Marietta, someone who she cared a lot about, but was still too pissed to let anything go. "How are you love?" Averie wondered in a mocking tone. Averie crossed her legs. "I haven't talked to you since forever. I miss you." Averie half-mocked and half-honest. God, Averie loved being mean to people. She just wished it wasn't Marietta who she was being mean to.

Looking over at the boy, Averie flashed him a seductive look, changing her eyes color to a deep gold. "Hello handsome," She said in a breathy voice. "I'm Averie, and you're name?" Averie had no attraction to the boy, but it would be fun to see Marietta's reaction.

"Bloody brilliant till you showed your face." Marietta replied, sickingly sweet. Not a good sign when it comes down to Marietta. "Oh, I'm sure you miss me. What has it been again? Two months with no talking?" Marietta asked sarcastically. She couldn't figure out why she was being so.... Bitchy. She loved Evie with all her heart. She was acting so unlike herself.

Marietta raised an eyebrow lazily. Part of her wanted to scream at Averie, but she knew that Averie liked that gamekeeper. She was just messing with her, as she had tried to at the first stage of their friendship.

Averie laughed at Marietta's comment. "Ooh, the badger bites. A welcome change from your usual goody-two-shoes-saint act. I always knew there was a raging bitch hiding behind that innocent face." Averie cooed, sipping from Marietta's drink. "Has it really been two months? Wow, it seems like yesterday when you were accusing me of doing something that I never did. Time flies when you're being betrayed, huh Ettie?" Averie wondered, grinning at the girl shamelessly.

Sneaking a glance over at Marietta, she could see the anger on her very open face. [i]Poor Hufflepuff.../[i] Averie thought. "So, sexy, what are you doing here with ginger?" Averie wondered, looking at the boy.

"you would be surprised to find out how much I've changed since we have stopped talking." Marietta drawled, evidently bored. She howled with laughter. "Dearie, I never acused you. I just wanted answers. Answers that you went giving me. How much shit did you actually hide from me about your life anyways?" Marietta asked feircly. She hated feeling betrayed, especially when she thought that Evie was hiding stuff from her.

Marietta just rolled her eyes. "If the gamekeeper finds out what your doing, he will probably dump your ass." Marietta inspected her nails, which she had painted bright blue. She really didn't care what she said to Averie anymore.

Averie raised an eyebrow. If she didn't know Marietta so well, she would actually be more mad than she was. In fact, Averie was more amused than anything. She knew that she should be sad that Marietta was acting like this. But, in the back of her mind, Averie knew that they would be friends again in no time. "Wonderful. A much better change than your old attitude. I might be able to stand being around you now." Averie replied with a smirk. "Oh, more than you'll ever know." Averie cooed, winking at the girl flirtatiously. She wasn't attracted to her best friend like that, but it would be amazing to see her reaction.

"Gamekeeper?" Averie wondered with knitted eyebrows, before remembering. "Oh him? Yeah, I never liked him. In fact, if I am going to chase after a member of the Hogwarts staff, it will be the sexy Arithmancy Professor." Averie said with a wink.

Cade stared at the two girls in fearful shock. He sat at the table awkwardly, his eyes darting back and forth between Marietta and Averie as they fought. Cade had never been in this position before and he didn't know if he should step in or stay out. So, he decided to take the easier route and remain quiet. He just hoped that was the right choice.

But, when Averie said her last comment, Cade looked at her sharply. "Wait, isn't the professor a women?" Cade wondered, looking at the purple-haired girl.

"Glad to hear it then." Marietta snapped. Calm down honey.... She thought. But she knew it wouldn't work. Marietta raised an eyebrow at Averies wink. It was.... Weird, to say the least. She wasnt shocked, per se, she was just confused. Oh well, she knew now that Averie hid most or all of her life from Marietta, while Marietta spilled everything to Averie. Was their friendship based on lies? Marietta was so confused.

It was Mariettas turn t be speechless as Cade got into the conversation. "Yeah, it is..." She said absent mindedly. "Wait a minute... WHAT." Marietta pulled her hand from Cades, and buried her face in her hands, trying to make the thought go away.

Averie smiled as Marietta looked confused. It was fun to confuse her. And easy too. Averie could practically see the gears turning in Marietta's head. Averie had never hid anything from her, but by saying that she did, she had Marietta second guessing everything Averie had ever said. And, it was so easy too. God, being mean was fun.

Smirking at they both looked at Averie like she was freak, Averie nodded. "Oh, yeah, you didn't know I swung both ways?" Averie wondered, with a innocent look on her face.

Marietta chuckled to herself. "Good for you I guess." She shrugged. It didn't bother her, she wasn't the one to judge on someones personal preferences. What was she going to anyway? She couldn't change Averies mind, as much as she has tried in the past.

Mariettas focus turned back to Cade, smiling apologetically. "Sorry." she mumbled to the ground.

Cade stared at Averie for a second before smiling. At least he didn't have to worry about her and Marietta getting a fight over him. That would've been a new experience that he didn't want to live through. "I supposed everyone has a crush on a teacher at least once in their life." Cade said with a shrug.

Smiling at Marietta, Cade took her hand in his again. "It's cool. I just think you two should fix this little fight, because you two are known as the Dynamic Duo. You two should get back to being best friends."

Marietta looked at Cade, not bothering to hide her amusement. He was so adorably oblivious. "Sweetie, fixing this tiff is like telling the Whomping Willow to nit beat the shit out of anythng that comes in it's way. Virtually impossible." Marietta finished her thought with a small nod. Thats he she felt at least, about her and Averies friendship. Virtually impossible at this point in time.

Averie smiled at Cade, before staring blankly at Marietta. "You're lack of faith astounds me. You know, if you actually enough about our friendship to fix it, then you would try to fix this with me. Instead of being a raging bitch." Averie snapped, her eyes turning black and was sure her hair was black too. Earlier, when Averie was being mean in a taunting way, she didn't mean it. And Marietta knew that. But, now, Averie was pissed.

The ginger was in for it now.