A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

PART FOUR

Written by alliegrl

Synopsis: Everything has changed since Marlene accepted her mission for the Order. The only problem? Nobody else knows what she's doing or where she is, and they are going to be furious with her when she finally resurfaces. But Marlene has bigger things to worry about; a new prophecy threatens to change the course of history, and she must unravel its mystery before it's too late. Her mission does not come without its risks; she has been warned that with curiosity comes great cost. Death, fear, and destruction continues to hang over both the wizarding and muggle communities, and the Order and Ministry of Magic must fight to maintain control as the Dark Lord rises to his full height of power. Alliances are questioned and friendships are crumbling as suspicions about a traitor in the midst begin to grow. But with the darkness around her comes strength and courage that Marlene has never known until now, and she finally discovers the true power of love. At last she has found her place in the world, and she will forever fight the darkness, or die trying.


Chapter One

The house on the hill was large and unkempt. Dead ivy clung to the outside of the stone, snaking upwards and stopping three quarters away from the weathered roof. Whether from a lack of maintenance, or planned purposefully for added privacy to the occupants within, all windows on the first floor were covered by the wilted vines. The hedges encircling the property were untrimmed and patchy, and they remained varying heights from years' worth of being neglected.

Apart from the soft glowing light that peaked through a single window on the first floor, Marlene would have believed the house to be completely abandoned.

It was later in the evening than Marlene would have liked to pay visit to the gloomy looking manor, but she was pressed for time and she trudged up the winding pathway on mission.

The porch boards creaked from her added weight, letting whoever was inside know that she had arrived. Her hand poised to knock on the withered wooden door that was peeling with paint, but it opened before she could bring her fist down.

Nobody was there as it slowly moved inwards revealing the dark, deserted hallway within.

A shiver shot down her spine like an electric current, and Marlene felt her heart pounding against her rib cage. A wreck of nerves on the inside threatened to turn her away, but she swallowed her fear and called out with forceful courage.

"Hello?"

"Come in." A woman's voice, older, replied. Marlene could sense movement and the sound of soft shuffling of feet strode across the floor somewhere within, but the sound did not move towards her.

Marlene hesitated at the threshold. She did not feel threatened like she imagined she should be. After all, she could be walking into a trap. But she stepped through the doorway into the shadowed corridor, and the door flew backwards shutting her inside and quite unable to allow her to change her mind.

"I'm not going to boil you into soup." The woman laughed from a distance somewhere that Marlene couldn't see. "Come into the living room. I'm making some tea."

There was no turning back. Marlene moved slowly into the living room and her eyes immediately analyzed her surroundings. The walls were covered in yellowing wallpaper and littered with dozens of elaborate picture frames. Some of the pictures were enchanted with moving portraits, while others stood frozen alluding that they were possibly of muggle quality. The witches and wizards within the frames stared down at her, watching her every move with careful consideration. She felt their judgement following her around the room and tried to ignore the unsettling feeling of being watched.

There were bookcases lining four of the five walls that enclosed the peculiar room, and each one was filled with books and trinkets of random variety. Marlene walked the perimeter to look at the items carefully as she waited for the host to make her entrance.

There was a large hour glass with purple sand in both glass bowls as though the sand had frozen on its descent. She admired it only briefly before moving on to a long ivory scepter that hovered mid-air. It was omitting a soft buzz that sounded comparable to that of muggle electricity, and she reached her fingertips towards it. A spread of warmth and a light tingle coursed her hand despite the fact that she hadn't touched it.

Then her eyes focused on the large cabinet that rested in the corner of the room.

It was tall and rather old looking, which only made it seem to fit into place all that much more. Two crescent moons embellished the front of what once had likely been a brown exterior. But in its diminished state it was now greying and beginning to rust at the door hinges. The cabinet was closed so she could not see inside, but figured it was definitely large enough that it could fit an entire human body or two.

Beside the cabinet was a table that was draped in gold cloth and upon it rested a glowing orb. She suddenly felt compelled towards it and her feet involuntarily began to wander.

A purple and blue haze danced around inside the glass. It was beautiful and mesmerizing; her eyes trailed the hues that swirled around like painted silk. She unconsciously reached her hand out to touch it like she had with the scepter, but the voice brought her back out of the trance it had captured her in.

"I wouldn't touch that." The woman's voice was firm but not angry.

Marlene swiveled around to observe the elderly woman in the frame that separated the living room from what she assumed to be the kitchen. She had striking white hair that was short and neat, and she wore eccentric orange and purple robes that had gold swirls creeping the length of the fabric. Her eyes were narrowed with contemplation and she analyzed Marlene for longer than seemed necessary. It was almost as if she were trying to read her mind.

"Marlene McKinnon." Her eyes finally relaxed and a mysterious smile tugged at her lips. "I've been expecting you."

"You have?" Marlene was surprised. She herself had barely known that she was coming, she hardly expected the old woman to.

"I see many things," she said simply before gliding into the room to drop dramatically into one of the four armchairs that sat circling a small table in the center of the room. She sat two cups of tea on the table's surface, then she waved her hand towards a chair opposite her. "Please, sit."

Marlene took the seat without question. It was warm as though someone had only just been occupying it.

"I suppose you have many questions and we have such very little time." The woman continued. "Do go ahead, I'm afraid it's rather late."

"Sorry." Marlene felt embarrassed. Of course she should have waited until morning, but she was in a hurry. "You are Cassandra Vablatsky, right?"

"Yes." The woman leaned inward and smiled.

"I got your name from –"

"Eldritch Mopsus," she interrupted Marlene. "Yes, I know."

"Right." Marlene flushed. He had likely informed Cassandra that she was coming and that was why she was expecting her. "Eldritch said that you might be able to help me. I'm looking for some information regarding prophecies."

Marlene's eyes had wandered back over to the globe in the corner; the colors had changed into a blue green haze with dark wisps that swirled around like shadows trying to consume the colors within.

"That's a very curious request." Cassandra observed where Marlene's eyes had wandered and she waved her hand in the air. The orb darkened almost immediately as though all life from within had suddenly died. "That thing is very distracting. Now we can have a much more proper conversation."

Marlene reluctantly pulled her gaze away from the glass.

"Not many people come around asking questions about prophecies. Fortune telling and mind magic is of very little interest to most. Unless you are a muggle; they are quite fascinated with having their future predicted. Quite silly, really. They don't understand or appreciate the gift of the inner eye."

"I don't really know much about divination," Marlene admitted. "It hasn't been taught at Hogwarts for many years."

"Yes, that is very unfortunate." A deep frown entrenched itself into the age lines of her forehead. "It is a very powerful magic that is not possessed by many. However, it can be quite useful."

"How can it be useful?"

"You tell me girl, you're the one sitting in my living room."

"Recently a prophecy was made," she murmured with a cautious frown, not certain how much information was appropriate to reveal. "The information contained within it is extremely sensitive, and I want to know what happened to it after it was prophesized. How would one access that information at a later date?"

"Not very many people know the answer to that, I'm afraid." Cassandra leaned back into her chair and drummed her long crooked fingers along the arm rest.

Marlene felt her stomach drop. She had been searching for answers endlessly and she thought she was close to finally getting the information she had spent months working towards. She was itching to go home, but swore she wouldn't until she had secured the answers to her questions.

"Why do you want to know this information?" There was a slight smile playing about Cassandra's lips as though she were recalling a fond memory.

"I just find it very fascinating," Marlene lied, but even she knew that it was lackluster at best. She still hadn't gotten very good at deceiving people.

"I find it rather odd for a little girl to chase someone around the continent for half a year purely because she has an odd question. I may be old my dear, but I am not stupid," Cassandra said, raising one of her painted on eyebrows.

"Right," Marlene sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't really talk about it. But I can assure you that that it's for something very important."

Cassandra seemed to contemplate Marlene; her wise eyes searching for something.

"I have the answers that you are looking for," she finally said. "But my answers come at quite a cost."

"I don't have a lot of money, but I can get more if –"

"I don't mean money, silly girl. Your money is no good. What I'm referring to is much greater value than galleons and sickles. Seeking certain answers can have dire consequences, and you must consider carefully whether or not you are willing to task such a risk. If you heed my warning and you still wish to know the answers, then I will continue. But you have been forewarned." Cassandra shot forward into her chair almost threateningly. Her mood seemed to shift into frustration and Marlene flinched with surprise of her sudden change in demeanor.

But she didn't feel like she had much of a choice.

"I accept the risks," she said timidly.

"Very well," Cassandra settled back comfortably into her chair and her manner changed into something more tired. "Once a prophecy has been made it is magically secured in a glass orb, protected by one of the greatest forces of magic. Only those that the prophecy pertains to may receive it from where it is kept, securely stored within the Hall of Prophecy."

"The Hall of Prophecy?" Marlene repeated. "Like a library?"

"I suppose so, yes." Cassandra peered at her through narrowed eyes. "As I am sure you have likely guessed, since you did not ask of it, the Hall of Prophecy is located within the Department of Mysteries. An unspoken department within the Ministry. However, I do say that the Ministry has very little regulation and oversight to what goes on within its walls."

"And why is that?" Marlene questioned.

"The Unspeakables work effortlessly to study extraordinary magic; things that no witch or wizard has ever been able to truly understand. They are branches of magic that are entirely too powerful to ignore, and so those that work within the department devote their lives to their work. It is the only department within the Ministry that does not answer to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"The Minister allows that?" Marlene felt floored. Especially given the times, she had a difficult time believing this to be true.

"Oh yes," she smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Only one Minister has ever disputed this. Radolphus Lestrange attempted to close the department down, but the Unspeakables ignored him and continued their work. Nobody pressed the issue further."

"Lestrange." The name rolled of Marlene's tongue with obvious distaste, like she had consumed something rotten. Bellatrix's manic cackle filled Marlene's head and the hairs of her arms shot upwards in alert as she recalled the vivid memories of Sirius's cousin.

"Yes, Lestrange." Cassandra quirked her thin eyebrows upwards but did not seem to care to further explore the subject.

"So nobody can walk into the Hall and take a prophecy?" Marlene felt a little relief at the notion that Voldemort wouldn't likely enter into the Ministry himself. As far she knew he was the only one that could have access to it if Cassandra's information was correct.

"No, no." She shook her head. "Absolutely not. Only those that are the subject of the prophecy may remove it from its shelf. And of course, the Keeper of the Hall."

"The Keeper of the Hall?" Her mind continued to race.

"Yes, the Keeper of the Hall of Prophecy," Cassandra continued, her tone beginning to show impatience. "You don't think they just let anyone run the show down there, do you? No. The Keeper of the Hall ensures that the orbs are heavily protected with enchantments and organized efficiently. They are the only other person that may remove the prophecy from its place on the shelf."

She paused for dramatic effect and then asked Marlene a question. "Do you understand why the Hall of Prophecies is shrouded with such secrecy?"

Marlene shook her head.

"It is because not every prophecy that makes its way into the Hall is true, and because knowledge of one's potential fate may make the difference between a fallacy and the truth."

"What does that mean, exactly?" Marlene asked.

"It means that human nature, both magical and muggle alike, may inherently cause a false prophecy to become true, merely by executing actions that are meant to prevent the prophecy from becoming true. If one does not know of a predicted fate, one may go on to live a life that disproves the prophecy. However, if one has knowledge of the prophecy, one may take actions that in fact ensure that the prophecy comes true."

"If I were to tell you that you were to die tomorrow, you would likely be more cautious and inadvertently take different actions than you would have otherwise if I did not inform you of such information. Perhaps you would take a quieter street in order to avoid being run over by a bus. But you are hit in the head by a falling potted plant instead. You may not have died had you taken your regular route, but you are more likely to die by taking actions to prevent the prediction from occurring."

"So just because a prophecy is made, doesn't mean it will come true?" Marlene questioned; she wanted to make sure that she had heard Cassandra correctly. Her mind began to think of the one Dumbledore heard, and her curiosity on what it entailed grew stronger.

"That is correct," she agreed. "Knowledge means that your life path would alter in an attempt to fit or fight the prophecy. You see, it is within our flawed nature to be curious and meddle. No, it is much better that we do not know of our potential fate."

"How many people know about the Hall of Prophecy?" Marlene moved on to her next question.

"That I cannot answer." Cassandra leaned backwards into her chair once more and pursed her lips. "It is not information that is given lightly."

"Yet you shared other sensitive information with me," Marlene replied. "Why?"

"I told you." Cassandra closed her eyes and began to rub both temples of her forehead. "Knowledge comes at a heavy cost. Knowing what you know now will alter your life path, I'm afraid. I do hope whatever was in that prophecy was worth interfering over."

"But what if it's not my prophecy, and the person it's about has not heard it?" Marlene felt the knot in her stomach twist uncomfortably. She hoped that she hadn't screwed everything up.

"Then you should hope that whoever it belongs to does not acquire it." Her eyes remained closed and she let out a soft hum. "But they remain perfectly safe in the Hall. You shouldn't need worry, my dear."

Marlene couldn't help that her eyes shifted back towards the cabinet in the corner. She couldn't explain why it was so intriguing, but like the orb it called out to her; drawing her attention away from Cassandra.

"It is an interesting piece of furniture, isn't it?" Cassandra's eyes had opened and she tilted her head to train them on the large, peculiar cabinet. Although nothing seemed overly peculiar about it, Marlene was definitely intrigued with what its purpose was, exactly.

"Does it do something special?" Marlene questioned out loud and was rewarded with a hoarse chuckle.

"It used to be an interesting study in the Department of Mysteries. They've been around for over a century but nobody took the time to properly understand its purpose," she said dreamily. "Until recently, that is."

"What does it do?" Curiosity threatened to unravel her. She hadn't been as enraptured in the cabinet as she had the glowing orb, but she was steadily gaining curiosity by the second. Cassandra's evasive nature hardly did anything to help Marlene's ever growing curiosity to understand more about the secrets she had locked away in her mind.

"That my dear is the passage to which you seek answers." Her lidded eyes darkened and the sudden change of atmosphere in the room intensified. Marlene felt the hairs of her arm straighten with a shiver and a disturbing feeling washed over her. The room felt suddenly cold, as though she had just jumped into an icy lake.

The orb on the table unexpectedly lit up with cracks of lightening brewing in a midnight storm. Electric beams of blinding white light danced around the glass, and the lighting in the room began to flicker. Marlene felt her heart hammering and the nervous twitch of her legs that quite suddenly felt inclined to remove her body from the room. But she sat frozen to her chair; mesmerized.

Cassandra's eyes rolled into the back of her head; the whites of her eyes where her pupils once were gave her a menacing and mysterious appearance. She threw her head back and let out a soft growl before her head slowly dipped back to face Marlene. Her tone changed quite dramatically as she finally spoke.

"Thrice will seek what belongs to the fourth, and all shall fail while the true heir succeeds. Four lives taken in vain it shall not, for great sacrifice will protect this secret until its destiny may be fulfilled."

Her eyes rolled back into the proper place and the lighting in the room returned to its original state. The orb shut off again as though it had never been anything but. Cassandra looked at Marlene blankly for a moment before she scowled.

"It's time for you to leave now Miss McKinnon," she said in a low, husky undertone. It was evident that she meant it.

"What did you mean by 'thrice will seek what belongs to the fourth'?" Marlene ignored Cassandra and demanded an answer instead. "What will they be seeking? And what four lives? What secret?"

Cassandra only looked momentarily perplexed before answering. "The eye does not work on command. I did warn you that seeking answers to your question would come with a cost."

"But what does that all mean?" She felt exasperated. She was leaving with even more questions than she had upon her arrival.

"You must hurry now, Marlene." Cassandra urged her with finality. "The wolf is waiting and you will not want to be late to your meeting."

"What meeting?" Marlene exclaimed with frustration, but Cassandra was already ushering her to the door.

"The wolf my dear. The wolf."

"What about the cabinet?" Marlene questioned with frustration at the threshold of the door, recalling that Cassandra had recently told her that it held the answer she was searching for. "At least tell me what you meant about the cabinet."

"When the blue moon rises high at the eleventh hour you will know what to do." Cassandra did not smile as she pushed Marlene out onto the porch. "Good luck my dear. I'm afraid we won't be seeing each other again."

And then she shut the door, leaving Marlene alone in the dead of night.