Disclaimer: Do not own. Ever.
A/N: It's been a while. I remember someone volunteering to beta and I'll probably get back to you when I don't update last minute/spur of the moment. I really appreciate it! Thanks for all the great reviews, I really appreciate them! Someone also asked about a post via tumblr, and yes! I'm still alive, this story is finished that's why you seen a teaser for 20. There's 37 chapters but I'm consider deleting one if I can put important stuff in somewhere else. I just need to revise them; after getting past this beast of a chapter, and 11, it should be smooth sailing. There's some background blah blah in this one, but it's part of the plot! Chapter 11 is one of my favorites so hopefully everyone will get to see it before the end of Jan. Enjoy! :) I hope everyone is sticking to their resolutions, I'm trying!

Halloween had been a hallmark of bad things to come for the past two years. The war had taken a turn for the worst and the ministry had begun to lose power. The war had begun before Marlene's first year and Voldemort had fashioned himself a name years before even that. When she'd been younger she remembered hearing the oddest conversations between her parents when she dared leave bed after curfew. It started out with select members of pureblood society who were determined to push legislation on muggle secrecy laws.

Marlene had been too young to understand what muggle secrecy laws were or why they even mattered let alone why someone would want to be named Voldemort. She'd been seven when her parent's had accidentally left a case file on the coffee table in the drawing room. Several missing people's reports were only the beginning of what would inevitably become a long reign of dark magic.

When she was eight her parent's had been called into the ministry in the dead of night. Her grandparent's had come to watch her and Max, as the rest of their brothers attended school during the time. She'd only understood that her parents were fighting dark wizards, though she didn't know why. Prior to that night her parent's had worked partially normal schedules, leaving after breakfast and returning before dinner. Again, she was too young to understand why her parent's schedules would soon change.

When she was nine her parent's began to work longer shifts. She understood their job a bit more once she'd heard Marc asking his parent's if they'd cleaned up the gruesome murders that appeared in the papers, commited by the man named Voldemort. The first time she'd ever heard the phrase Death Eaters was before she was even eleven, the man named Voldemort became widely known as you-know-who and was their leader in affect. People were afraid to say his name and afraid he'd murder them just for doubting his position. The more the ministry raised efforts to capture him, the stronger he seemed to become. Marlene had listened into enough grown up conversations to know he was dangerous by then, that he murdered any who crossed him, and that the ministry of magic had been working on building their own forces against him for the past year. They were in war; something the wizarding world had just came out of several years earlier. She knew little of Grindelwald's short reign, but she knew her Grandfather had nearly been killed because of it. She knew her Grandmother had hardened after the amount of death she'd witnessed. The longer shifts hardened her parent's like her grandparents; it had been for those past few years that Marc had really stepped into the role of parent in their absence.

When it came time for her to leave for Hogwarts and Marc to leave for the Auror academy, Marlene had actually cried. It was the first time since she had been eight, when her father had drawn her over his knee for steeling Marc's broom.

"It'll be alright," Marc had told her, shushing her while he stroked her hair.

She knew she was too old to cry, that her father's irritation radiated so far it tickled her skin with goose flesh as she whispered into Marc's stomach, "If you die who will take care of Max? I'm too little!"

Marc had taken a deep breath before answering, "I won't die, I promise."

"You always promise," she'd begun to whine.

"How about we make each other a promise," Marc had said as he sat back on his heal. He was then much taller than her as an eighteen year old. He had to kneel to meet her eye. He held out a pinky, "I swear I will be the best Auror I can be if you swear to be the strongest sister you can. That way if either of us is in danger we can save the other, and it will work because we've swore on it."

"Can we make a wizard's oath?" she asked, hooking her pinky with his.

"I don't think Father would like that, Marlene," Marc answered quietly. They both glanced at their father, standing stoically aside their mother and pretending to ignore the exchange though his scowl twisted his face. "I'll tell you what though; a promise between a brother and sister is just as strong, especially where love is involved. It's the oldest magic there is, nothing's stronger."

"Promise?" she said.

"Promise," he said, jerking her pinky finger with his own before standing up and hugging her head to his stomach. She had wrapped her arms around his lower back in the tightest hug she could remember ever giving him.

The first time Marc had been injured had been Halloween, fifth year. Years before Voldemort had always aspired for dramatics on the holiday and Halloween 1995 had been the worst. The Prophet the following morning detailed raids all across Europe, all targeting muggleborn families and their kin. Death was beginning to become a common thing but with that night came the highest death toll yet. Several students were sent home for funerals and those affected who remained only did so because they had no family to return home too. Marlene had been found after breakfast and told her brother had been taken to St. Mungo's. Lily who had been with her the whole time had bothered an upset out of Marlene, where the witch shouted for the red head to leave her alone. Ever since the age of eleven Marlene had kept her promise, always trusting Marc to do his part where she did hers; he hadn't died the day before, so she remained seemingly unbothered by the entire thing.

She laughed when Alice made jokes and even went into Hogsmeade to buy Marc a care basket, which she sent along with a short letter detailing her Halloween. She had lain in her bed telling herself he was fine; it was the beginning of her anxiety, something that would morph throughout the next two years.

The morning of Halloween 1997 Marlene laid in bed even after her friends had gone to breakfast. Her chest felt tight and her breathing came short as she lay on her side, memorizing every stitch in her hangings. Apart from Marc she thought of her mother, who had been hurt the Halloween before in an anniversary of the raids of 1995. Voldemort had used his new control over vampires and werewolves to raise the death toll the next year. Her mother had nearly been bitten before destroying a two hundred year old soul less blood sucker. Marlene still had nightmares about what it could have been like; she'd only seen vampires sketched in defense books, their pointy teeth dripping the blood of the people they'd murdered. She inhaled, closing her eyes against the memory before rolling onto her back.

Her shoulder winced in phantom pain as she rolled onto her other side seconds later. She'd barely slept all night, and no attempt since had found her any peace. She shoved her hand under her pillow lifting her head while she pushed the lumpy thing up. She caught a flash of the pink flush that scarred her skin when she'd waited to have it treated. Lily had forced her to the hospital wing the next morning, but Pomfrey had been able to do little for the scarring process that had already begun.

Sitting up she slid out of bed and drew her toes in against the cold of the wooden floors. Lily had warned it would be a bitter cold Halloween. All of Marlene's friends had planned to bundle up for their afternoon out just the day before. Marlene frowned at the idea of being left alone in the castle while her friends visited Hogsmeade.

Alice fortunately saved her from the brunt of her bad mood as she charged through the dormitory door.

"I've found a secret passage out of the school."

Marlene watched her as she made a swift progression to her trunk. Flipping it open, the nymph stopped to stare questioningly at Marlene, "You're just getting up?"

"Is breakfast over?"

"About a half hour ago," Alice said, returning to the process of digging through her trunk.

"What are you looking for?" Marlene asked while she sat down on her trunk with a yawn, she tried to rake a hand through her tangled curls.

"Bottomless purse I charmed," she pulled out said purse with an, "ah ha!"

"Whatever for," Marlene toned.

"You're not doing anything today right?"

Marlene stared at her, "I'm a day behind in classes and I was hoping to catch up, especially with the Halloween party tonight," she checked her watch, having just remembered she rarely took it off.

"It's almost ten, how come you didn't wake me?"

Alice tossed the bag at her and she caught it as Alice said, "Verity broke up with James."

Marlene blinked, "can you slow down for a second," she ordered, trying to keep up with everything Alice was telling her.

Alice paused in drawing a cloak from her trunk, she stared at Marlene, "You look peaky; do you feel okay?"

"I'm just tired," Marlene said, just as snappishly as the previous, "now what about Verity breaking up with James?"

"It was about Friday."

"Oh."

Friday night James and Lily had been scheduled for rounds together. What normally ended in one or the other charging into the common room mad had bore witness instead to a much different outcome. James had come through the portrait hole first; tears in his eyes, he was laughing so hard, and Lily had come second. He guided her through by taking her hand, she'd stumbled, but he caught her easily, only increasing their laughter to such an absurdity that half of the common room had looked up to notice the commotion. Lily blushed when she realized herself, but James was smiling privately; a familiar smile that everyone had associated with his fondness for the red head over the years. Lily had turned in after that, but Verity had jerked James back into the corridor by the shirt. Whatever had transpired between James and Lily could have been a fluke, because the next day they'd been fighting same as normal over something Sirius had done. Lily wanted to give him detention for it, though in all honesty the action was as normal as the sun setting and rising. Marlene was positive Lily's outburst had come from the way James had been nurturing Verity's temper all morning, bending to her every whim. Verity seemed to relax after the argument had transpired. James had had the right to defend Sirius, because in reality Lily was just shouting at James to shout at him. Things had returned to normal, with Lily resenting the couple and going out of her way to prove them terrible human beings and Verity going out of her way to place a public possessiveness over the Head boy.

"A type of continuation, since Lily decided to wear this cute little thing to breakfast and James didn't mind his jaw," Alice said, "Verity shouted for the whole school to hear about how he was still in love with Lily and how he was breaking her heart. He didn't even argue; he just sat there really."

"Ouch," Marlene said wincing.

"James was rather embarrassed to be truthful. I think Lily enjoyed it."

"Of course she did."

"She even shouted at him afterwards for causing trouble in the Great Hall, poor chap."

"Of course she did."

"She's on the war path."

"Of course she is."

Alice smirked at her, "Anyway, this favor won't only benefit me, but you as well, love." She batted her eyelashes until Marlene felt uncomfortable.

"I'm not going to do you and Frank any sexual favors."

Alice snorted and put her hand on her hip, "I'm going to create a distraction so you can steal some fire whiskey from Rosmerta's."

"Won't Frank just get it for us? Stealing, really?"

"Frank says he's getting too old for this sort of thing and that we are too," Alice said rolling her eyes, "he said we should be focusing on our NEWTs."

"Did you have a row?"

"Why wouldn't we? Frank thinks I can't take care of myself," big mistake, Marlene thought, "he asked me the other day if I would consider being a healer."

"Uh oh," Marlene had had a similar moment with Marc years ago.

"I told him my engagement ring would probably hurt lodged into his eye."

Marlene tried not to smile, "What did he say?"

"He just smiled at me, the wanker," Alice spun to the mirror to pull at her spiky hair.

"Why can't you do this? You're actually allowed in Hogsmeade."

Alice glanced over her shoulder, "I'm meeting Frank for lunch. Besides, it isn't really stealing if you leave the wench some money."

"I see how it is."

Alice smirked and looked back into the mirror, "I'm surprised you haven't taken advantage of your dating privileges."

"I don't feel up to it."

"You don't feel up to twisting Sirius Black into all sorts of new knots?"

Marlene met Alice's eye in the reflection of the mirror, "I'm sort of bored with it to be honest. Lily's right; I can't win."

Alice inhaled and spun around, she charged at Marlene who cringed as Alice grabbed her shoulders, "what have you done with my Marlene?"

Marlene exhaled, "My shoulder, Alice."

"Sorry," the nymph said, it didn't sound apologetic as she bounced back to the mirror, "why give up now?"

"I've got a lot to do with school," Marlene had felt guilty; she had been sacrificing a lot of study time. She'd actually had to think on her last practical, normally she scribbled all the answers down without a thought and then was the first to leave.

"Is this about whatever happened when you went home last week? You've been awfully pitiful since then. You even let Sirius by with that jibe about Benjamin."

"No," Marlene scowled, she sighed and pulled tight on the draw strings of the bag, "I should be focusing on school though, it's about the only thing my parents are proud of me for."

"That isn't true," Alice said. She paused, considering Marlene in the mirror reflection, "Did you write Marc back yet? It'll probably make you feel better."

"I just need to be alone really," Marlene said, standing up. She considered her trunk with a frown before opening the lid and picking out some clothes for the day, "I feel like I haven't had a quiet night in a long time and going around the bend with Sirius is getting me nowhere."

"Where did you expect it to get you?"

Marlene tipped a shoulder up as she pulled out a sweater, "it was fun for a while."

"Where's the fun gone?"

"I don't know – you're particularly chatty today," Marlene said tiredly. She grabbed her care bag and padded to the door of the toilet to take a shower, "Explain to me this plan."

"You'll do it?" Alice said, lighting up and spinning around on the floor to look at Marlene.

"I need to unwind."

"There's my little alky."

Marlene rolled her eyes, "Come on then, I've got to wash this ruddy salve off, it rather smells and I've no intention of dressing up like a troll tonight."

Before Marlene could make it to the statue of the one eyed-witch, as Alice had directed her, she was practically assaulted by her family owl. It swooped in through one of the tall arched windows on the third floor and attempted to land first on her head; that was before her violent swat in which it nipped and bit her hand. She swore and glared at it as it hovered, wings flapping powerfully in front of her. She ripped the scroll from its leg, attempting to wave it off, but finding the task rather more difficult than normal. It squawked at her angrily, and instead of balling up Marc's letter like she had the four before she ripped it open in a dramatic show so that the bird would leave her be. She stood in the middle of the corridor staring at the scroll, but not reading it, contemplating burning it or possibly just balling it up like the rest. Glancing around she realized the bird hadn't left her alone. It sat in the window sill watching her patiently. She made an irritated sound and narrowed her eyes at the grey little thing. It squawked and flapped its wings threateningly.

"Stupid bird," she muttered, about to rip up the parchment, then she had a particularly bad thought that the bird would follow her into Hogsmeade and betray her with a bottle of stolen fire whiskey. She sighed and glanced down at the scroll.

I'm sorry about the bird, but I haven't any other idea how to contact you. Max says you've been avoiding him and keeping to your dormitory. He says you haven't been coming down for meals and you look ill all of the time. I'm about to come to the school and check on you, but you know tonight will be busy for me, so consider this a warning. I just want to hear that you're fine and also apologize for the other night. You won't believe me, but Father is extremely regretful. If you'd read my first letter you would have known he asked me to apologize for him. The minister is making him Head of the Auror department and he's very busy, otherwise I promise he would have wrote you himself. Things are tense here because Mother is fighting with him. If you could write him or me and tell us that you're fine I would appreciate it very much. I don't think I have to remind you that tonight will be difficult enough, without worrying that you haven't forgiven us….

Marlene balled up the parchment before reading on. She screwed her features around in the empty corridor, masking her emotions even to herself as she took a deep breath. The bird watched her. She sighed and un-wadded the parchment, searched around the corridor for a quill, and became more irritated. Feeling rather impish anyway she summoned one, not even remotely guilty about whomever she'd just lifted it off. It zoomed around a corner free of ownership within the minute.

I'm fine.

She scribbled on the back of the note and rolled it up, attaching it to the owl before roughly shoving it off the window sill. The bird spun and nipped at her but she dodged the motion. It was nearly one before she made it into Hogsmeade. She nervously moved through the crowd of students on the street.

"Legs," she groaned inwardly as Sirius appeared before her.

"Do me a favor," he said, glancing left and right rather shiftily before pressing a cloak and his school bag into her arms.

"No," she tried to shove it back.

"Fine, shall I shout you're here in the middle of the street then?"

Marlene glowered at him, "What's in this?"

"Alcohol," Sirius winked, taking the cloak back from her and draping it over her shoulders before flipping the hood up over her head, "Better hurry on now only McGonagall thinks I've been in the back of Rosmerta's."

"Sirius I –,"Marlene began to object; only he took off through the crowd at a sprint, disappearing before she could object. "Damn it," she swore, maneuvering so no one would bump into her.

Halfway through the tunnel back to the school she decided that Sirius must have intentionally told Alice about the passage. She's worked out that he'd done it so he could catch Marlene either in the act of steeling or about to steel, and then send her back up to the school with the things he'd already stolen. Climbing up the tunnel with the bag, while the cloak was on, was so difficult she found herself doubly irritated at the entire situation. When faced with figuring out how to get out of the witches hump, hoping no one would be waiting on the other side, she sat down at the top of the chute and took a long deep breath. There was a scraping sound behind her and she froze, turning around to see Remus with his hand held out.

"Hurry it up before someone sees us," he held out his hand and she climbed out easily in turn, handing him the bag last. Remus motioned for the cloak but she hesitated.

"I want the fire whiskey I've helped steel," she said with narrowed eyes.

Remus looked at her wearily, he flipped the bag open and handed her the forty, "anything else?"

Marlene looked at him thoughtfully, "Tell Sirius to fuck off for me won't you?"

Remus half smiled, "I told him you'd be hacked off."

They both looked around at the sound of echoing footsteps. Remus disappeared around a corner by the time she'd realized he'd gone. Ripping the purse off her shoulder she opened it in time to slip the drink in. McGonagall appeared out of nowhere.

"Miss McKinnon," she said, sounding surprised.

"Professor," Marlene said, shouldering the purse.

"Have you seen Misters Lupin, Potter, Black, or Pettigrew this afternoon?"

"No, not even at breakfast, sorry Professor."

McGonagall gave her a stern look, "If you see them, do tell them to expect detention tomorrow evening."

"Yes ma'am," Marlene nodded, exhaling a breath she didn't know she'd been holding when McGonagall continued the way Remus had went.

Marlene had begun toward Gryffindor tower when the defense classroom door opened. She was nearly trampled by the students pouring into the hallway, not many of which she recognized. Lily appeared and saw Marlene; the red head dragged Mary along behind her. They stood apart of the muggleborns who scattered in different directions, their voices mucking up the quiet until they were so far away only an echo of murmurs sounded.

Marlene glanced away from their retreat, realizing Lily looked alarmingly pale, "Bad meeting?"

"You didn't get to see the prophet this morning," Mary said as they began to walk.

"What happened? The raids have already begun?"

Lily shook her head, "There are a few wizards in the Wizengamot and school board that are trying to pass a new law that keeps muggleborns out of wizarding schools."

"It won't pass; it isn't as if reform hasn't tried to go through before."

"A vote of one third was passed this morning, that's what Gourn was telling us; they didn't print it in the prophet," Mary said weakly.

"They only need a handful of people to agree upon the next vote, and there's more than one reason the board has even considered it," Lily said, she looked rather ill.

"What are the reasons?"

"Someone's arguing that even though he doesn't agree with the exact reasoning of passing it, he thinks that drawing muggleborns into the public eye is endangering us that much more. His argument is that if we weren't included in the wizarding world to begin with, than Voldemort wouldn't know to kill us from any other muggle," Lily finished, ignoring the way Mary shivered at Voldemort's name.

"It isn't the worst," Mary said, "Gourn says some of the wizards in the jury are beginning to blame the war on us. They're starting to argue that if they'd never acknowledged us to begin with then all you-know-who would have a selling point on would be conquering us. We know purebloods don't want us around, but if we weren't around, would they risk so much for something they've never known to begin with?"

"That's ludicrous."

"It's a popular notion," Lily said sadly.

"Voldemort wants us all to turn on each other."

"Must sensible people know that, but politicians are different. They see how the war is affecting families and income. The ministry is pouring so much gold into the Auror department that for once the balance of money isn't right. A muggle born could be an Auror and make the same salary as a pureblood, and purebloods don't like that. They think it's their gold," Lily explained calmly.

"That's absurd."

"Gourn says she's leaving with Dumbledore this afternoon to speak at the ministry on behalf of the students. She had us construct a statement that would illustrate our understanding of magic, laws, and our standing in this war. She says if we band together and prove we're on the ministries side they may be less inclined to cast us out of wizarding society," Mary finished, chewing nervously on her lip as they walked in near silence all apart from the clicks of their heels in the echoing corridor.

"More pawns," Lily shook her head.

"It won't work, if they're trying not to expose magic I'd think the last thing they'd want to do is cast muggleborns out of society. If they've enough brain to consider that you will band together and you might include muggles to help you."

"The ministry is in chaos today anyway, with the rumor of these – inferi?" Mary looked at Lily.

"They're like – zombies."

"What are zombies?" Marlene asked.

"They're monsters that muggles have made up in films; Voldemort's managed to make his own version of them," Lily answered, she swallowed hard, "They're reanimated corpses."

"Like dead people?"

"Right," Mary nodded, "Except they're alive again, but they've no concept of it."

"The only difference is that Voldemort can direct them," Lily explained, "zombies can't be directed and they're cannibalistic in manner."

"What is Voldemort directing them to do, are they magic? Can they do spell work?"

"No one knows is the problem. So far it's just a rumor, but it had to come from somewhere didn't it? The prophet said to stay home if possible. They're issuing a warning to leave the country even, if just for the night. They've described them as seemingly un-listening and with no characteristic of the living," Lily explained. She pulled a rolled up prophet from her bag and handed it to Marlene, "It's all in there. The paper also announced your father's anointment. He was apparently inducted over the weekend."

"Did you know?" Mary asked.

"I knew," Marlene toned, one glance at the front page of the prophet was indication enough she wouldn't read it. Her father's face scowled up at her in a familiar way. She shoved it into Alice's purse and drew the string closed.

"How come you didn't say?" Lily asked tenderly.

Marlene offered the girl a hefty glare, "Does it matter?"

Lily and Mary exchanged a looked that riled Marlene's temper, than Mary asked, "Are you okay, you've been distant all week?"

"Did Sirius say something to upset you?" Lily asked accusatorily.

"Listen," Marlene stopped, "you two go on ahead, I've only just remembered I have to speak with McGonagall about our lesson on Wednesday."

"Are you sure?" Lily asked, looking reluctant to leave Marlene.

"I'm fine; I'll see you at the feast. Have fun in Hogsmeade."

"Are you going to eat lunch today?"

"No, I've already ate," Marlene lied before leaving them there to stare after her.

With nowhere to go and no books to study from Marlene found herself sitting outside by the lake. It was rather chilled as the sun dipped behind thick grey clouds. A strong breeze came out to ruff up the trees and push her hair in every annoying direction possible. Sitting crossed legs, one arm wrapped around her middle for warmth, her shoulders hunched in, Marlene decided she looked rather ridiculous trying to push her hair out of her face for the millionth time. Her eye watered when a bit of her fringe smacked them; she pushed her hair off her forehead in a fitful sort of way. She pretended not to notice Regulus as he folded into a cross legged position beside her in the grass.

"Haven't seen you around in a while," he murmured.

Marlene knew he was referring to the night she'd seemingly stood him up in the corridor when he'd offered to help heal her injuries. She frowned at the memory; it probably looked like she was upset with him. He glanced away from her then, a scowl twisting his own features. She might have apologized but she was rather fed up with everyone bothering an emotion out of her for the day. Then Marlene felt guilty on top of everything else, and she rarely felt guilty for anything. She took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind. Sometimes she wished she'd been born a boy so she could have half the brain, half the emotional range, and still the ability to talk her way out of anything and everything, including shagging everything that moved. She could just give Regulus a stupid look and then they would start talking about something else, and maybe when they'd finished she would go act on all those innate hormones she'd always ignored. Her father would probably be proud, and even if he wasn't she could tell him to screw off without getting backhanded.

"Is this a bad time?" Regulus asked, maybe sensing her wild mood swing.

"Do you think I'd be less emotional if I shagged someone and got it out of the way?"

When she turned to look at Regulus he was considering her with an odd look, "You're a girl; I don't think you have it in you to be less emotional."

Marlene glowered at him, "Really, does it help you?"

"I wouldn't know, I've never had intercourse," he said sincerely, he inhaled through his nose, "I'm not very thrilled with the topic either."

"Sorry," she ducked her head, remembering Regulus probably shared in many of the same values as her brothers, even if Sirius didn't.

"That'll be Sirius ruining my reputation again," Regulus informed her in a dry tone, "I ever so enjoy his shadow."

"Sorry," Marlene repeated quietly.

"It's quite alright; at least you have the intelligence to determine the distinction. Most girls just consider me handsome and then assume I'd instantly like to sack with them," he rolled his steel grey eyes. "It isn't for lack of wanting, but I wouldn't mind a word here or there, an acknowledgement that they understand I'm not my brother."

"I understand."

Regulus smiled, an odd thing twisting his dark features, "I know, thanks."

"About your invitation to Hogsmeade – "

"It was a long shot, you're not my type and I'm not yours."

Marlene felt her shoulders sink in relief, "It doesn't bother you?"

"You're very beautiful, but I understand there's more to it than that," he said, eyes twinkling, Marlene felt her cheeks warm.

She hid within the curtain of her hair as she said, "Thanks," in a small voice.

"My mother was very excited to hear I'd taken to you," Regulus started. She glanced at him, remembering for the first time about the betrothal proposal. For some reason she wasn't angry with him, she allowed him to continue, "Of course many of the old families are related, so it's becoming more difficult to procreate with anyone apart from your own cousin. She was rather excited to hear that the McKinnon's had had a daughter, and you'd yet to be betrothed. Normally you'd have been betrothed from a young age, your brother's have been."

"They were?"

"Michael and Marc," Regulus nodded, "but both fell through when neither decided to marry out of Hogwarts. Of course the link will always remain should they ever choose to act on it. I don't know how well it will hold if those they're betrothed to are no longer in the care of their fathers. I suppose it's one way out of being betrothed; you might be disowned from your family and then I should think you wouldn't need to follow through."

"Like Sirius?"

"Sirius wouldn't consider anyone mother ever forced upon him."

"He's disowned, I mean."

"Yes," Regulus answered, his grey eyes sweeping out over the lake, "Mother even burned him from the family tapestry."

"Do you miss him?"

Regulus didn't even blink, "I told you I don't like to talk about him; do I bother you about your mudblood friends?"

Marlene huffed out a sigh, "I was just asking," she grumbled.

Regulus offered her a sideways look, "You hate when people pry into your life, but you don't mind prying into theirs."

"I never said that," Marlene said, though admittedly it was true.

Regulus' lips turned up into a small smile, "it's true."

Marlene rolled her eyes, tensing up as Alice appeared out of breath behind her, her hands on her knees as she bent double panting. Regulus glanced between them then stood, offering Marlene his hand as Alice tried to say something between breaths.

"Max – seen – you," she panted. Marlene stood up without Regulus' help, she brushed off her jeans as he smirked at her and Alice finished with a deep breath, "Give me my purse and get back to the common room. He's been looking all over Hogsmeade for you."

"It isn't like he knows what's in the purse," Marlene said, rolling her eyes.

"He knows a great ton of alcohol was stolen from Rosmerta, the barmaids been ranting about it all morning!"

"He can't prove anything!"

"He can take your bag and look in it!"

"I see him now," Regulus said, his hands in his pockets as he glanced out across the grounds, "He does look rather mad." Alice stared at him, then to Marlene, then back to him, then back to Marlene.

"Later," Marlene hissed.

"Go on then, I'll distract him," Regulus said dismissively.

Marlene and Alice took off running up the grounds. They didn't stop for a breath of air until one of the staircases decided to move while they were on it. With a great lurch the pair fell against the railing, gripping it for dear life as it redirected them two floors lower into a random corridor hardly anyone traveled down. It took them fifteen more minutes before they reached the common room, Alice backtracking to stop Max who was on their tail. Marlene shoved through three first years and up the girl's spiral staircase with the agility of a gazelle. She shut herself in her dormitory and began to laugh. She was still laughing when Alice slipped in and took the purse from her.

"You'd better prepare to plead the fifth, as if that wasn't a complete give away."

Marlene took a breath, still smiling, "Oh well, he can't prove anything now."

"So you're done with Sirius, hmm?"

Marlene swallowed her smile, "Sod off Alice, Regulus and me are just friends. He's my brother's age."

"Rodney Walters is your brother's age."

"No he isn't."

"Is too," Alice said with a laugh, pulling all of her things out of her trunk to store the fire whiskey in the bottom.

"That's embarrassing."

"I guess if you can't get the one it wouldn't hurt to settle for the other."

Marlene took her shoe off and threw it at Alice who dodged it neatly and stuck her tongue out. Marlene made a sound of irritation in the back of her throat, "I don't like him Alice, and," Marlene said hotly, "you set me up!"

"First, no I didn't. Second, how was I to know Sirius was setting me up? Actually, I thought he was going to meet you in the tunnel or something; and let us be honest, you could use a good snog, you look miserable."

"Alice!"

"Well it's true!"

Marlene stood up, angry once again. Her head throbbed from the mood change, "I'm going for a walk."

"The feast starts soon."

"Bully."

"You'd better come, Marc wrote me and made me promise on my duty as a cousin that I'd see to it you didn't starve yourself to death."

"So now you're helping Marc out too," Marlene's temper flared.

"You need to chill out," Alice said, standing up, "you're about as bad as Lily trapped in a room with James and Verity!"

"You're supposed to be my friend!"

"Alright Lily," Alice said, rolling her eyes dramatically. Marlene ripped open the dormitory door and Alice called after her, "Marlene! He's just worried about you!"

"Sod off Max," Marlene said as Max leapt out of the chair near the girl's spiral staircase. He followed her out of the portrait hole and down the seventh floor corridor until she turned around and popped her hand into his chest to keep him from running into her, "Go away!"

"I saw you in Hogsmeade!"

"I was here, you can ask McGonagall; she seen me!"

Max considered her, "you didn't come down for breakfast."

"I ate in my room."

"You're lying."

"Do you want a medal?"

"Dad didn't mean to hit – "

"Shut up," Marlene shouted, startling herself. Max looked like she'd stricken him, she exhaled, "Stop following me and leave me alone," she said darkly before continuing down the corridor. He didn't follow her.

The fourth floor corridor was regularly deserted, especially when Halloween called for a day off from school and a trip into Hogsmeade. Marlene found herself in the oddest nook of the castle where Arithmancy was the only class taught. The rest of the classrooms stared back at her in a forlorn way. She took refuge in an empty one she didn't think anyone would look into. Sitting to one of the dusty desks she draped her forehead over her arm, feeling her eyes droop the longer she tried to think of menial things. The room was dark when she woke up seemingly seconds later; she blinked around confused before leaping from the desk. Her teeth chattered in the cold air of the room. She took a deep breath to calm her anxiety and then sneezed, scattering the dust in the air so it hung in the dim moonlight streaming through the two windows of the classroom.

She slipped into the corridor beyond it and checked her watch noting the feast was nearly over. She began toward Gryffindor Tower, her stomach growling angrily. She rubbed at it feeling rather dizzy and sick all at once. She leant against a wall, hidden in the shadows while she willed the feeling to pass. She took several deep breathes, quieting only when she heard approaching footsteps. Her mind buzzed with curiosity.

It was probably a teacher she thought idly, but then she knew everyone must be enjoying the feast including the ghosts. She pressed against the wall, her head throbbing with duel hunger and anxiety.

First a tall silhouette appeared in the mouth of the corridor, his face cast into focus by thin strips moonlight that lit parts of it up. He didn't seem to notice her as he hurried past, glancing once over his shoulder before drawing his wand. Regulus tapped out a pattern on the brick near the only painting in the entire corridor. He stood back as the wall began to grind, Marlene could feel it rumbling against her back. She attempted to focus her attention on Regulus and what he was doing, distracted slightly by more approaching footsteps.

"Shut up," the person hissed, "shut up or Gourn will find us. Do you want that? I swear I'll murder you first if you so much as sniff!"

Marlene's heart was racing now. She could hear the muffled cries of whoever was being moved against their will, the scrapping of their feet on the cement.

"Please," she heard the girl gasp before a little cry cut across whatever she was about to say.

"Brat, the world will be a better place without you, filthy mudblood," the man muttered.

Marlene drew her wand, she slid against the wall, her head throbbing in an attempt to remind her of how light headed she was. Heart hammering in her ears, breath coming up short, she made a motion to move from the wall. Instead a strong arm slid around the back of her head, a hand slipped over her mouth as she was pulled tight by another to their chest. Looking sideways she recognized Regulus' eyes peering down at her. He shook his head once as he drew them flat against the wall Marlene had previously been pressed against. His eyes watched the progression of man and student as they turned down the corridor and moved past them unseeing. The man's face was shadowed in the way he held the girl. They moved right into the gaping hole in wall. Marlene tried to jerk from Regulus, but he only held her tighter, even hurting her. When the wall slid closed he let her go, she spun around and kicked him as hard as she could.

"You let him take her!" She shouted.

"Calm down Marlene!" he said pleadingly, eyes watering as he favored the leg she hadn't kicked.

"What the hell," she snapped, pacing one way and than the other before starting for the space of stone that had previously been gaping, "open it up, we have to save her!"

"They're gone," Regulus said; he stared at her with tired grey eyes.

"You can't let him kill her!" Marlene said pleadingly, "Please Regulus!"

"They're gone, the second he hits the boundary he'll go to him."

– the hell," she said, pressing a shaking hand over her mouth as she glanced between Regulus and the wall, "Do something!" She shouted at him.

Regulus swallowed and moved toward her, she backed away and drew her wand, "Don't come near me," she hissed. Regulus winced, "you opened that passage for him!"

"No!" Regulus said suddenly, his eyes round, "he knew how to open it! I was going to go through; I didn't know he was coming!"

"You were leaving the grounds – than you're one of them?"

Regulus' jaw flexed, he glanced over his shoulder "Calm down or someone will hear us."

"Fine, Help!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, jerking backward as Regulus bolted towards her and pinned her to a wall. She felt light headed as she pressed against him in a weak attempt to get away. She bit his hand as it was once again over her mouth, "fuck off," she shouted at him when he'd drawn it away

"Please stop," he hissed, "I don't want you to get hurt."

She felt her eyes burn with tears, "Are you threatening me?"

"No," Regulus snapped, he continued in a quiet voice, "More of the Slytherins are coming, if they see you here – I don't want them to try to take you."

Marlene's chest heaved, "Let me go."

"Come with me."

"There isn't any fucking way – "

"No," Regulus snapped, "this way," he grabbed her arm and dragged her down an adjoined corridor. He led her for a while before she jerked her arm away. She recognized the corridor that led to the charms classrooms.

"You're a death eater!"

"No – "Regulus gritted his teeth, and exhaled, "Yes, but I haven't killed anyone!"

Marlene bristled, "Yet!"

Regulus drew up his full height, "Stop assuming the worst of me!"

"I've defended you!"

"I don't need you to defend me," he snapped, nearly nose to nose with her, his eyes dark, "you're going to forget this ever happened," he said angrily, Marlene blinked jarred from the sudden emergence of fighting vividly with Alice in her mind's eye, Regulus inhaled, "you went to study."

"What?" Marlene asked darkly, blinking at a memory of studying with Alice. She looked away from Regulus, her head throbbed; she pressed a hand to it and closed her eyes.

"You need to eat something," Regulus said darkly.

She felt disoriented as she swayed; Regulus grabbed her shoulders to steady her "You haven't eaten since yesterday morning."

"How do you know that?" she blinked at him in disorientation and confusion.

Regulus swallowed, "I'm sorry."

Marlene blinked again as her vision became unfocused. She watched while she fought with Alice, as if having an outer body experience. It felt as if something heavy was pressing over her while she tried to open her eyes; she had the feeling they were still open but wasn't sure why she couldn't see. The next thing she knew she was watching herself sitting in the library, studying. She tried to shake the pressing feeling away as the memories repeated. She felt dizzy; she realized she hadn't eaten since Sunday. Then she was watching herself check her own watch, she knew she was late for the feast. Her head throbbed and then blackness pressed over her eyes. Everything faded away, even her ability to remember where she was or what she'd been doing or seeing.

Marlene inhaled sharply as her head throbbed. She realized absently that her face was pressed against the stone floor of a corridor bathed in near darkness. The rumble of student's voices floated to her from somewhere nearby. She sat up, swaying from light headedness. She wrenched burning vile over the floor, her hands shaking as she wiped at her mouth. The last thing she remembered was checking her watch, feeling dizzy, and then passing out. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, her heart flutteringly erratically; she thought with resolve that she might try eating more often. She couldn't help but feel the day had been doomed to end badly, but as she stood a deep sense of dread took over, something beyond her anxiety or even that of the other night. She couldn't help feeling she'd missed something, that something bad was happening beyond Halloween itself.