A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever
PART FOUR
Written by alliegrl
Chapter Twenty Two
The clock indicated it was nearing two in the morning when she awoke cold, drenched in sweat and quivering. Though she were physically lying in her bed, Sirius passed out and unaware in his usual spot beside her, she knew that the dream had been anything but a strange coincidence, let alone merely a bad dream.
"Sirius," she hissed, her hand reaching forward to grab hold of his muscular shoulder and give him a firm shake. He let out an unruly grunt and rolled away from her, settling onto his opposite side. "Sirius!" She grabbed hold of him again and shoved him vigorously until he yelled out in protest.
"Marlene!" he groaned, a clear hint of agitation in his exclamation, "What – "
"I need to see Dumbledore," she interrupted him with urgency. "Right now."
It didn't take more than that for the irritated look on his face to melt away, replaced immediately with that of a mixture of concern and curiosity. Marlene was already scrambling around the bedroom and shoving her legs into a pair of jeans when he pulled out his wand to send off a quick warning to their former headmaster of their impending arrival.
"I don't suppose you're going to fill me in first, are you?" he questioned, throwing a sweater over his head and causing the last segment of his question to become muffled.
Marlene didn't bother answering him before grabbing her wand from the stand beside the bed and uttering "Hogshead tavern?" to him before a loud crack filled the room and she disappeared.
Hogsmeade was quiet and peaceful in slumber. No lights omitted from behind the curtain drawn windows of either lower or upper floors of any buildings occupying the long, deserted street. The lantern above the tavern entrance was extinguished, slowly rocking freely in the wind that whistled quietly in her ear as she hurried forward towards the large wooden door of her destination. The only other sound was that of her hurried breathing, and the soft rustling of her pants that brushed together as she walked.
Sirius caught up to her, reaching out to grasp the door handle before she could even raise her arm. "Ladies first," he whispered politely into her ear right before the heavy scent of rotting wood filled her nostrils and the doors protests filled the quiet air.
Unsurprisingly, the hogs head tavern was empty when they entered. Not even Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother, was to be seen despite the fact that the door had been unlocked prior to their arrival. The place still smelled damp and musky, just the same as it had on her last visit. Despite the darkened exterior, the inside room was lit dimly by candles, their flames erect due to the absence of movement or wind within the walls.
No other sounds or movements greeted them.
Marlene clasped Sirius's hand tightly, and unconsciously pushed herself closer into him. She didn't like the ominous feel that engulfed the small pub. Sirius squeezed her hand in response but he remained silent. His eyes were shifting around, other hand firmly grasped hold of his wand while alert for any impending danger.
But they weren't alone for long; Dumbledore emerged from the cellar alone. Marlene tried to look behind him to see if his brother was following, but the door closed quickly behind his body. She noticed immediately that the elderly man looked tense, and that worried Marlene greatly. He had only ever been the picture of calm or direct before, possibly grave at times, but never had she seen such an expression rest upon his face in the many years she had known him.
"Sirius, Marlene," he said, nodding curtly in acknowledgement. "It is good to see you."
"It's Harry," she blurted out with little composure. In her head she had pictured the conversation going quite differently, but her news was urgent and she was unable to care much about her delivery. "He's decided that it's Harry."
She felt Sirius tense beside her and his grip on her hand loosened. Though he said nothing, Marlene suspected his bodily response indicated that he wasn't completely oblivious to the meaning of her vague statement. Dumbledore continued to peer into her unwavering gaze for much longer than seemed necessary until the silence between the trio became alarmingly uncomfortable.
"I see. And are you quite certain?" Albus finally asked and Marlene nodded. "I don't believe that it is coincidental that you are not my only guests this evening." The old man sighed. "Before we continue, would you mind waiting for him to arrive? It should be any moment now."
Albus's lips pulled into a sad, painfully forced smile. Without offering any further explanation, he motioned his hands towards a couple of bar stools with the suggestion to sit. Neither Sirius nor Marlene took his offer, and Sirius's mouth hung open with an unasked question as a thunderous pounding on the tavern door interrupted them.
"And Sirius?" Dumbledore turned his sharp gaze away from Marlene. "As angry as you are, I do need you to try to keep a level head and let him explain himself."
The door opened and a dark figure stumbled hastily into the tavern. His face was hidden behind the shadows of a hooded cloak, but the familiar drawl and nasily voice that spoke left no doubt as to who was hidden beneath it.
"I asked to speak with you alone," Snape hissed dangerously, and made no move to remove the hood to reveal himself to his audience. "What are they doing here?"
Sirius reacted instinctively and without reason. His wand, which was always permanently trained to react to potentially dangerous situations, was raised and a disarming spell flew out of his mouth before Marlene could even properly register that it was in fact Severus Snape standing ten feet away from them in the doorway.
The sound of splintering wood echoed the room and the shadows flickered and danced around the walls as the cloaked figure flew backwards into the shuttered door.
"Sirius," Dumbledore warned at the same time that Sirius flashed him an angry look and yelled, "What the hell is he doing here?!"
"Severus is my guest this evening," Albus replied calmly, stepping in between the two boys to prevent Sirius from inflicting further harm. "I need you to put your wand down now Sirius, otherwise I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Sirius wasn't looking at Dumbledore. It was vividly clear to Marlene that Sirius fully intended to ignore Dumbledore's instructions as he was slowly maneuvering his body in an attempt to get Snape back into his view, all the while Albus matching his steps no doubt to prevent what would inevitably happen if he did not.
Marlene's gaze shifted from their song and dance to the crumpled body that was groaning on the ground. His hood had rescinded and the long, dark hair and pale, crooked nose of her high school nemesis confirmed that it was indeed the boy she loathed. She felt an unwelcome surge of disgust as her last memory of him flooded into the forefront for her thoughts: the night at St. Mungo's when he had nearly killed James. Her wand hand flickered and her mind raced with the possibilities of how much she might enjoy inflicting pain upon him.
But suddenly her hand felt empty, and her head whipped back to Albus just as Sirius yelled out his own objection. "You're not seriously going to take our wands away?!" he roared, and Marlene's gaze landed on hers and Sirius's wands that now accompanied Snape's within Dumbeldore's grasp.
"I need this conversation to be civil Sirius," Albus responded with a firm authority. "Severus has come to me with important information and I have given him my word that he has safe passage to do so tonight."
A sneering sort of laugh emitted from Sirius's upward turned lip. "And meanwhile this distraction comes at the cost of some surprise ambush either outside the tavern or in some unsuspecting muggle neighbourhood," he laughed bitterly. "How could you be so naïve Albus? He's using you!"
"I am not ignorant of the fact that Severus has done horrible things, Sirius," Albus replied coolly, "but do not mistake me for a callous man. I govern myself with the belief that all persons may be heard before condemnation. Severus has surrendered himself to me fully prepared that he may be turned over to the authorities upon the conclusion of our discussion. But he came anyways because he has something important to share. Do you hate so blindly that you believe his words are not worth hearing?"
Sirius remained quiet but Marlene could still sense through their closeness that his body was rigid with tension. She didn't admit it aloud, but she was inclined to agree with Sirius's assessment of the situation. She didn't trust Snape's intentions.
"Then talk, Snape," Marlene said, diverting her attention to the person in question. He had managed to pull himself up from the ground and was bracing the weight of his body against the wall. His eyes were narrow slits beneath a heavy set brow line that dipped low in a substantial frown. It was apparent by his expression that his hatred hadn't faltered, even though his apparent loyalties were within question.
"I asked to speak to you alone," he drawled, gaze shooting from the burning blaze of Sirius's to Dumbledore's. "I have nothing to say to them." His eyes did not move away from Albus, indicating that Marlene and Sirius were unworthy of any further acknowledgement. If she didn't detest him to her very core she might not blame him. Their hostility towards their foe was less than welcoming.
"We're not going anywhere," Sirius snapped without allowing Albus to reply. Marlene knew that it would likely take a dozen stun spells to drag Sirius away from the scene and her eyes wandered back to the wands Dumbeldore held securely, wondering whether or not he might resort to such tactics. She nudged him in the side to get him to quiet but he only grew louder and more hostile. "Whatever you need to say Snivellus, spit it out before I decide I don't need magic to finish you off."
"Sirius," Marlene hissed at him in warning loud enough for the others to hear.
"As if you hadn't thought about it," he snorted humorlessly, and she watched him immaturely roll his eyes. She swallowed the sudden surge of annoyance towards him because he wasn't far off the mark. If she couldn't hex Snape into tomorrow, throwing a solid punch in his face might satisfy a fraction of the animosity she was feeling. Outwardly though, she chose not to indulge in Sirius's sentiment and pinched her lips together, holding back the words that gave away her wicked thoughts.
"Please." Dumbledore held up his free hand to signify his request for their silence. Sirius begrudgingly complied, but the unmistakable grinding of his teeth told Marlene it was taking immense difficulty for him to honor the request. She moved into his side again and reached down to once again entwine their fingers in an attempt to keep him calm. However, his limb remained tense and he did not respond when she gave his hand a firm squeeze.
Trying to suppress her growing annoyance with Sirius's inability to let Snape get to the point, she turned her attention back to Severus. His demeanor had changed from confrontational into something much more desperate. He was pleading with Dumbledore, his eyes brimmed with unshed tears she wasn't aware he was capable of harboring. "I need you to promise me I can speak with Lily," his voice cracked, "I need to explain to her – I need her to listen – "
"Lily won't want to see you," Marlene interjected.
But Snape only ignored her as he continued to plead with Albus as if she weren't even in the room. "I need to explain myself, I just need her to listen – "
"Severus, I was under the impression you had something important you'd like to share?" Dumbledore interrupted with a subtle, yet firm and authoritative tone. Marlene couldn't be absolutely certain, but it appeared to her that their former headmaster shared the same 'get to the point' sort of view she was feeling. Perhaps he wasn't completely ignorant to Sirius's concern that they were being setup somehow. She could tell by the look on Albus's face that though he was giving Snape a chance to speak freely without immediate conviction, he still had not forgotten all the wrong doings of his former pupil.
Snape's demeanor shifted once again and his voice turned cold. His eyes were dark and narrow, and his expression was half hidden behind a veil of shadows, giving off a sinister vibe that made Marlene feel anxious. He jutted out his chin and insisted, "I need to talk to Lily."
"Are you daft? What part of 'she doesn't want to see you' don't you understand? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you now?" Sirius stopped grinding his teeth and pulled his hand from Marlene's, positioning his body to lunge forward even without his wand. He made to move forwards but Marlene grabbed hold of the fabric of his shirt, holding him back.
"Sirius, please," Dumbledore said curtly as he once again stepped between them. "Severus, if you have something you'd like to share with us, now is the time. I am afraid that a conversation with Mrs. Potter at this time is not possible. However, future arrangements are not out of the question. Let us visit that conversation after you have shared whatever pertinent insight you have to give."
Sirius didn't bother to withhold a snort of laughter at the ludicrous statement. Of course Lily wouldn't want to see him, especially not after he had attempted to kill her husband. For a brief moment Marlene had forgotten why she and Sirius were even privy to the secret conversation between Dumbledore and Snape. Surely they would not have been invited had she not demanded an urgent appointment. Still though, at the insistence that Snape needed to speak with Lily she grew suspicious that their needs to speak with Dumbledore were somehow connected.
Snape's eyes traveled the room to meet Marlene's analyzing stare. It was as if he were only just realizing that she were there. "It's about –" he stumbled, his expression suddenly filled with some form of horrifying remorse as their eyes remained connected, "it's about the prophecy. The dark lord – he – he knows."
"Does he?" Albus's voice was soft and thoughtful, as though this news was anything but unsettling. "How would Voldemort know anything about that?"
"Because I overheard you that night it was given. But I didn't know – I didn't know!" His hands flew into his hair and his fingers clenched around the roots, pulling at his hair with obvious distress.
Albus pressed him for more. "And what exactly does he know, Severus? What precisely did you tell him?"
"He knows about the boy. The one who is destined to destroy him. He wants to kill him." Snape continued to sound frantic, his words beginning to tremble along with his body. "I didn't know. I just didn't...I just need to talk to her, to explain..."
"Why would you need to talk to Lily about this?" Dumbledore probed.
"Because – because –" his tone, alarmingly more hysterical. Suddenly the ground from under Marlene seemed to pull away and she was sinking. "Because the baby –"
And though she had already affirmed this information aloud to both Dumbledore and Sirius only moments prior to Snape's arrival, his vocal admittance turned her blood cold and an overwhelming sense of nausea washed over her.
"NO!" Marlene shouted, suddenly hit with the realization that this was all very real. "No! Snape what have you done?!"
"I just need to see Lily – to explain – "
Marlene let go of Sirius's shirt and she herself lunged forward towards him. But in a sudden turn of events, Sirius's strong arm held her back. She struggled in his grasp, yelling profanities while the tears exploded in a raging cascade down her face. Despite how hard she thrashed, how hard she clawed at his skin and screamed for him to let her go, Sirius did not relinquish his hold on her. "Just let me at him, Sirius, just let me go!"
"We need to hear him out," he replied, anguished.
"I didn't know it meant her son. I didn't know. If I had known – I would – I wouldn't –"
"If you had known that the prophecy meant to destroy Voldemort involved Lily's son, you wouldn't have told him?" Dumbledore was still very calm. "Am I hearing this correctly, Severus? That you would have held this secret from the Dark Lord, even as one of his most loyal subjects?" There was a hard, resentful edge to his tone. "You would have betrayed him?"
"I could never hurt Lily – "
"And yet you have!" Marlene snarled at him. "Over and over again. She was your friend, Snivellus. She loved you and you treated her like garbage. You never deserved her friendship. And now her son is in danger. Because of you!"
Sirius pulled her into his chest and she wept. Time after time again the trials and tribulations of war threatened to destroy the lives of those that she loved. How much more pain could they possibly bear before it was futile to fight any longer? Marlene was growing tired, and her physical body betrayed her as her knees gave out and she slipped from Sirius's grasp and down onto the floor.
"How do we tell them this Sirius?" Marlene was still crying hard as Sirius fell to the ground beside her. "How do we tell them that he's coming after Harry? How do we protect them from this?"
"I don't know Mar," he said sadly. "I don't know."
