Payback Is a Pair of Teenage Deliquients

“Margo… Margo.”

Molly was typically the one to keep her mouth shut. She was the one who kept her lips glued together. But she couldn’t help it. With Margo looking around, blonde head swiveling back and forth, Molly just couldn’t keep it in. The blonde finally turned, her hoop earrings clacking against her jaw bones, eyebrows lifting and mouth tipping over in a silent ‘wot?’

Molly blinked at Margo, amazed that the other girl did not know what she had to say. She shook her head. “Take off the glasses.”

Margo’s hand defensively went up to her glasses. “But, I’m incognito!”

“They are purple and covered in glitter.”

Margo’s lips jutted out in a pout. “But… It’s my disguise.”

Molly’s heavily lidded eyes slowly drifted away from her friend, flicking upwards briefly. Margo grinned widely, knowing she had won the small little battle. Molly was so used to her friend being completely incapable of fitting in – she shouldn’t be surprised and she would hold out for another time. She could deal with sparkly sunglasses for now.

Paddy Carrington came out of the small tailor shop and Molly immediately straightened up, walking casually to follow at a distance. Margo stumbled after, walking rather casually for a girl with so little self awareness, and the two managed to follow the redheaded Chaser rather well until he dipped into a small bakery. Once again, they shrunk against a wall, eyes trained on the shop.

“So what are we gonna do? Pants him? Trip into some mud?” Margo looked eagerly at Molly, who was too busy lighting another cigarette. Margo thought to point out that Molly was going to have to stomp out the cigarette soon, but she knew better. Molly would enjoy the few puffs she got. And she had just a stash that half of a wasted cigarette didn’t compare to not taking advantage of a few free seconds to smoke.

The smoke swirled into her lungs and she slowly exhaled, watching the air grow denser out of her lips. Molly blinked, considering how distasteful it was to put this much effort into ruining anyone. Molly didn’t really care that Paddy was such a twat. She had known it forever. She knew it when he had treated Margo like a plaything. But he had been saying some pretty bold things about her cousin Lily. And he had shoved Casey when the younger girl charged him. So he deserved some hell. And she was pretty good at raising that.

Crunch… Crunch.

Molly slowly turned her head. Margo had her wrist raised to her teeth and was gnawing off the candies on her candy bracelet. Molly didn’t have to say anything. Margo knew. With an ashamed look, she dropped her arm.

Paddy came out, and, like Molly suspected, came out with the shop girl, a brunette with rather dark freckles. Molly began walking and Margo let out a strangled noise of surprise but immediately skittered off.

Molly kept her eyes on the horizon but adjusted her pace to fall into the crowd behind Paddy and the girl. They were talking about an order of buns, but after a glance around, Paddy slipped the phrase in “Meet at the shack.” They split off and the smallest of smiles played on Molly’s lips. Just like she thought.


“I don’t get what the plan is.”

“Trust me.”

“I do, Molly, but I hate being left out- just tell me what we’re doing.”

Molly paused, causing Margo to take two steps too many. She whirled around in confusion and then approached Molly with another pout. “We’re going to wait for him at the shack. We need to be able to follow him with no interruption.”

Margo grinned. “I can help with that.”

“I know you can,” Molly said, almost bored, continuing on. Margo bounded alongside, happy to be apart of a plan.

As they approached, Molly spotted two figures in the clearing at the shack. She felt an internal struggle, as she usually could just command they leave… But she recognized those boys. And she couldn’t just send them off.

Course, Margo didn’t know this. “OI! Scram!”

They turned and spotted their abusers and Molly’s lips upturned ever so slightly. “Hello Zabini One and Two.”

Christian was getting sick and tired of his brother going on about their adventures last summer. It had literally been months, but Apollo was still so bloody proud of himself, ignoring the fact that Christian had done more than he had, and the fact that Apollo may have cared but Christian was the one who had been more invested. He firmly believed that. Of course, it didn't help that he didn't know one way or another if Lily cared at all in return. He had been told by a couple of his friends - not his brother, of course, who he hadn't been able to trust with the information - that he needed to get over it since she was off in the adult world and he was stuck at Hogwarts and then at work during the summers.

But it wasn't really that easy, was it? Christian definitely didn't think so. He glanced over at a shout from someone across the way, but thought nothing of it at first.

"Hey, mister thoughtful," Apollo broke into Christian's pondering, snapping his fingers in front of his younger brother's face. "Wake up. Molly's over there," he pointed towards the two girls, "with, um, what's-her-name."

"Margo," Christian supplied, unsurprised by his brother's lack of attention when it came to names.

"Right," Apollo returned. "C'mon, then."

With that, the elder twin took off and left Christian behind. Frowning, the Hufflepuff hesitated, considering ignoring them. But he really had no excuse to do so besides the fact that he hadn't really wanted to be at the shack at all that day. It was Apollo's idea, claiming that he wanted to make sure that Christian kept up his exercise. After the last twelve months, both brothers were wary of getting injured again. But Christian knew the real reason why his brother was impatient to get out and about. There had been a Quidditch match on that morning.

Of course, Christian was avoiding them ever since the accident, and Apollo preferred the outdoors after his run-in with Lily. The full moon was on the way as well, and although he hadn't been turned or anything too dramatic, each month brought hours of discomfort. Somehow he felt less pained when he was outside and less confined. Christian was fairly convinced that Apollo had just convinced himself that it was the case, but he never said anything.

"Hello, Molly. Blonde," Apollo greeted them, not bothering to include the name he clearly knew, now.

"Margo," Christian corrected under his breath. He didn't offer the same smile that Apollo did, given that it was something more like a smirk. But he did let a more friendly expression take over as he added, "What are you two doing today?"

Margo knew nothing of the incident with Lily, beyond what everyone knew. Lily had been discovered, had been hospitalized, and was now a functioning adult like the rest of the world. Margo had bothered Molly for a long time on the details, on what had happened, who had found her, but Molly just said she didn't know, was just glad she was okay. Something deep in Margo's heart was bothered by this response, but she supposed that was an immature response to such good news. She was used to being told her responses weren't correct. She had to trust experience.

Regardless, she could not have known that Molly had enough of a relationship with the twins that the rude response she was giving was not appropriate. Molly was realizing Margo's ignorance too, but to illuminate her meant getting closer to shedding some light on the Lily-lie, something she did not want to have to deal with right now. So she would just have to be very careful in how she maneuvered it.

She had managed with worse before.

"Nothing-" Molly tried to answer with, but-

"Look, you guys gotta get out her here," Margo said, sounding a bit more chav than usual. "We're pulling off a very important stunt-"

Molly's eyes had gotten distracted by something down the way. Her hand traveled to Margo's arm, gripping it.

"-and if you guys are here you'll blow our cover or make out target leave and-"

"Margo."

"-and we've put way too much into this, like a whole day-

Molly rolled her eyes and shoved Margo behind the tree, into a tiny, crammed space trapped between the tree and a fallen boulder. She glanced down the lane at the approaching redhead, and then back at the boys. There was no choice. If he saw them leaving, he might decide the place wasn't private enough. She reached out and grabbed them by the fronts of their shirts, yanking them into the hidden crevice, before slipping in behind them.

The tree had almost fused with the large rock, creating a mini cave. Margo had spun to the back and tried to escape when the three others followed her, causing her to rebound off of one of the twins (the Hufflepuff?) and have to grab his shoulders to keep from falling.

Molly turned back and glanced out of their hiding spot. Paddy was still on his way. They were safe.

She turned back down around and smirked at whichever twin was closest - she was pretty sure it was Apollo, though it was hard to see.

"Cozy?"

"Pssst. Molly. Pssst. It's a Zabini sandwich."

Molly let out a long sigh. "Good one, Margo," she murmured.

Christian's eyes widened exponentially when the front of his shirt was fisted and both he and his twin were yanked forward. Of course, Apollo was busy trying to put together the clues that Margo had seemingly unwittingly shared. Or perhaps she hadn't cared, but Molly preferred that she kept it secret, so Apollo was innately more interested. But they didn't get time to figure it out, because they were forced to huddle together for whatever plot Molly had concocted. Surely it was Molly's idea, since Margo wasn't exactly brilliant at keeping things to herself, apparently.

Christian looked bemused once he registered how cramped the area was, eyeing Margo curiously. When she spoke again, Apollo lifted an eyebrow but didn't crack a smile like his brother did. In fact, Christian snickered loud enough for Apollo to hear it, and although he wanted to make a sarcastic comment about it, the elder brother was secretly pleased to see his brother happy - even if it was for a very silly reason.

"Alright," Apollo cut in finally, unable to handle it. For his credit, he kept his voice down. "What's going on here?

It was a bit forward to drag the boys into the crevice - surely others would think like Margo, and would assume something a little naughty was happening. Molly didn't care - much heavier accusations weighed upon her already tumultuous reputation. And yet, Molly truly was one of the few people who did not care what the people around her thought. Why would she? Have you seen the people she was forced to consider her peers?

She could feel the heat immediately multiply once they were all crammed into the small space. She shifted her shoulders, angling herself so she could look both ways. Margo's cheeky comment had elicited yet another silent sigh out of Molly - she was a bit surprised to hear Christian laugh. Interesting. She hadn't considered them to be compatible personalities, by she had underestimated the power of bad jokes.

Apollo finally broke, asking in a hushed whisper what had brought them to this strange change in circumstances. Molly opened her mouth, about to brush them off when-

"JUSTICE!" came Margo's hissed response. Molly reached forward and flicked her friend, bringing a finger to her lips. She glanced back at in time to see Paddy getting closer. She turned back and whispered "We have a payback plan."

"She won't tell me what it is," Margo directed to Christian, pouting.

Molly held up a hand for everyone to be quiet. She slowly peeked out in time to see Paddy walk by. She nodded and then peered down the lane. There came the shop girl. A small smile unfurled on her face and her eyes flashed, but it was gone in a second and she turned back to her companions.

"Alright you can help. Someone needs to go with me to the shack. I need to be lifted. Then two wait here and head off anyone who tries to interrupt." She looked at Margo. No way would she be able to join her at the shack. She had boosted her plenty of times, but never when being quiet was an issue. Besides. She had always been better at sounding the alarm.