All You Wish For and All You Need

They walked into the train station side by side. No-one stopped and stared at them as everyone was too busy with goodbyes. Anne’s parents walked behind. They had met Marcus only the day before. He, of course, had been charming and well-mannered and they had approved of him.

The steam blew out of the train with a loud whistle and students hurriedly gabbled last farewells. Anne quickly hugged her parents. Marcus nodded politely at them before following Anne onto the train. Once they were aboard there was a piercing shriek.

“Anne!” Arabella ran full pelt down the corridor and slammed into Anne. Marcus placed his hands gently on Anne’s back to prevent her from falling over backwards. She smiled at him before turning back to her friends. Their questions ran into each other and Marcus quietly slipped away. It was not long before he found the compartment Richard and Arnold were in.

“Hey,” Richard and Arnold spoke in unison. Marcus nodded again and sat down next to the window.

Arnold and Richard continued their conversation as Marcus took the Daily Prophet from beside Richard. He skimmed over the articles without any interest.

The train sped through the country-side and soon they were walking to the Great Hall for the first dinner of the year. Marcus sat and watched the nervous first years stumble down between the tables to be sorted.

He could remember when he was sorted. He had sat on the stool, confident of where he would be placed. Everyone in his family had been in Slytherin. It made sense. He didn’t know what he would do if he wasn’t in Slytherin. It would be a disgrace to his father, and his mother.

He had been able to decide quite easily which would be the worst house to be in. Gryffindor. It didn’t matter that the people in Hufflepuff were weak and the students in Ravenclaw were just annoying, Gryffindor would always be the worst.

The sorting hat had been on his head for all of a second when it shrieked “Slytherin!” Marcus had stood and walked proudly to the Slytherin table. The Slytherin’s had cheered loudly but the rest of the hall stayed silent.

Marcus shook his head slightly. They here now reading out surnames beginning with F. He remembered the first time he had seen Anne. It was only a few days after the start of first year. They were in the same flying class. All the girls had surrounded around her. Soon everyone was crowding around her. Marcus wasn’t even sure to this day why everyone had been drawn to her. Charisma perhaps.

He hadn’t paid too much attention to her after that. It was only in fourth year that his obsession began. The catalyst had been a dream. How original Marcus sneered internally and scowled momentarily. In the dream, they had talked. He told her absolutely everything about him and she had accepted everything without any hesitation.

Now, it almost seemed as if this dream were coming true. Anne knew who his parents were and she was still there. She hadn’t run away screaming, telling everyone who and what he was. She had kept his secret.

Marcus lifted his head as the sorting process drew to an end. Professor Pinge stood and Marcus turned away again. He turned and looked at Anne. Her chin rested on her hand and her glazed eyes watched the headmaster dully. Marcus smiled slightly as she looked towards him. Her head lifted from her hand and she smiled discreetly back.

The food appeared on the table before them. Marcus broke away from Anne’s eyes and focussed on the food available.