Chapter 4 ~ Madness.

Maxine was crying.

Very rarely did salty tears put from her eyes, she usually tried to shut everything out, tried not to feel sadness or pain. Those emotions were just inconveniences, you needed to keep them away. 

But the scene in the shop had all been to real; the reaction to her surname, the horrific face of that man, Monroe, and-

And those words. The words Nick Burkhardt had said before she had managed to get out of the shop. 

''I can see them too.''

Yes, she was crying because of confusion. Because she didn't know what to believe any more. Maxine had to be sure of herself, she had to understand everything. But now, she didn't know what to think. Had she imagined it all? Had she made up those words that Nick had said? She didn't know, she didn't know, she didn't know...

Maxine continued to sob into the pillow, trying to force the thoughts from her head. No! It wasn't real, it isn't real, she imagined it all! But that didn't comfort her any more. Either way she was going mad.

Sitting up, she took her head in her hands as the images flooded back into her head, and those words began to each round her mind.

''I can see them too, I can see them, I can see them...''

''NO!'' She screamed at herself, taking her hands away and raising her head, eyes closed but tears still trickling sadly down her face, dropping steadily onto her lap. She just needed to cry. Everything would be alright if she could just cry, if she could just-

''Ah, the joys of Pre-Menstrual Tension.''

Maxine jerked her head up, opening her eyes in a flash. Although her vision was blurry, she could see James Potter leaning at her doorway smirking quite clearly, his friends sniggering behind him. Her emotions changed from confusion and hopelessness to pure anger as her temper burnt through her body. Leaping up, she let out a kind of snarl and pointed her wand at her brother. He was fast though, and laughing, followed his friends in the sprint down the stairs. 

Maxine also went thundering down the stairs, though a little less elephantine than the three fifteen-year-olds. Firing spells, she leant of the bannisters and aimed her wand down at the boys.

''Perfunctorus!'' The Jinx hit James, a second later his usually handsome face sprouting huge white-headed spots. He looked up at her in horror and anger, but she wasn't finished. Grimly, eyes alight with rage, she fired another two spells at the trio.

By the time they'd reached the bottom of the twisting stairs, the three boys were a sorry but hilarious bunch. James' face was covered in spots and his hair had begun to fall out; Josh, the dark haired one, had teeth that now extended down to his midriff, and Peter, the blonde, was braying pathetically as his feet did an Irish Jig. 

And that was when Ginny Potter entered the hall.

''What on earth?''

Maxine was standing a few stairs above the boys, who were looking at her with hate, her expression much the same, wand still pointed at the trio. Albus rushed in after his mother's exclamation, but his reaction was slightly different. His grin turned into a chuckle and his chuckle became full-scale laughter. James now had two people to glare at.

''Albus!'' His Mother snapped, pushing the boy. ''Albus that does not help the situation. Can you please go and fetch your father. It looks like we're in need of a few counter-jinxes.'' Once the still sniggering Albus had disappeared in search of Harry Potter, Ginny turned back to the quartet.

''You boys wait here.'' She told Her Son and his friends, before looking up at Maxine, who was still glaring defiantly. ''Maxine.'' Ginny beckoned the girl grimly. ''A word, please.''

Maxine felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Oh god, she hadn't wanted to upset her foster Mother. It was just James and his cronies, that was all...

She dragged her feet as she went past the boys, not daring to glare at them. She heard Peter, the blonde, snigger. 

With a deliberate stamp upon the boy's foot, Maxine followed Ginny Potter into the sitting room.