Unlikely Allies,
Chapter 12
The next two months passed in a haze of normality for Marlene. Well not precisely normality as the awareness of what she'd seen hung like a shadow in the background of her mind and in the minds of everyone she'd told. She could see it in covert side glances from Lily, or in a more somber, thoughtful expression in James Potter's eyes that wasn't present before. Regulus Black occasionally nodded at her when they passed in the corridors, and Severus Snape avoided her glance like the plague. Marlene found it extremely sad that Severus was so closed up to emotion that he hated the fact that she'd seen so much into his pain and even felt it with him to a degree. He found it so uncomfortable that he could hardly meet her eyes. Yet he'd chosen to step forward to help Regulus, knowing that she would likely see something that he preferred to hide, so he was a bit of an enigma. Enigma though he may be, he wasn't her problem.
For the most part, with no new visions coming to her awareness, Marlene fell back into the pattern of focusing on her studies, gossiping with friends, and making plans for the holidays just as she had for the past six years while at Hogwarts. In fact there were times that she went back to feeling completely normal. During those times she nearly forgot her gift of sight. Until, that was, something randomly popped into her head about James and Lily's future move to Australia or her impending visit to Regulus's family home over the winter holidays. Those holidays were fast approaching too. How was that going to work out, anyway? Did Regulus plan to invite her to a party as if things were normal, then have her break the news of everyone's currently impending death during a pause in the conversation? She was just beginning to wonder whether or not to broach the subject to him when he approached her as she was heading into the Great Hall with Dorcas for lunch. There were roughly two more weeks before the Christmas holidays. When he moved to stand in front of her Dorcas smirked. "I would be polite and allow the two of you to be alone, but I think I'll just listen in, you know, in order to keep the curiosity from killing me."
Regulus scowled. "If I wished anyone else to hear what I plan to say to Marlene, they would be made aware," he pointed out haughtily.
Dorcas rolled her eyes. "You bloody Slytherins are so unlikable!"
"No, we only have a bit of decorum. We are cultured and civilized while you lot are uncouth animals," Regulus informed.
Marlene sighed. "Please, Dorcas. Let us have our word so that I can go in and eat. I'm hungry."
"That's it, you heard the lady," Regulus added.
Dorcas rolled her eyes and disappeared into the Great Hall without another word. Marlene sighed again, sure she'd have to hear something about it later. Regulus opened his mouth as if to say something as he glanced from Marlene to the doorway of the Great Hall into which Dorcas had vanished. Instead of speaking, though, he merely shook his head.
"Didn't you want something," Marlene prompted.
"Yes...I wished to speak with you briefly concerning the holidays. I plan on requesting that my parents have a dinner. I shall tell them that there is a very important guest whom I will be inviting that I feel they should meet. If you wish to tell your parents something else, I thought we should sort it so that our stories match in case you need me to write some sort of formal invitation."
Marlene nodded. "I assumed I should tell my parents that it's a holiday party at yours. I doubt I shall need an invitation, but they will be surprised that you invited me to a party and that I'm going." She chuckled. "Not that they have anything against your family," she reassured quickly. "It's just that I've never attended functions held by any Slytherin families before, so they will be surprised."
Regulus smirked. "Or pleased that you appear to be upgrading your social options."
Marlene rolled her eyes. "Or this dinner could deteriorate into a blood bath from which I won't return if your family reacts poorly to my warning."
"For gods sake, they aren't that uncivilized," Regulus said.
Marlene laughed. "Just let me know the date of this dinner party before we go home for the holidays, and give me your address."
Regulus nodded. "Of course. I shall write my parents tonight and hopefully have a date for you by tomorrow."
"Good." Marlene smiled. "Now may I go and eat lunch, please?"
Regulus grinned. "I suppose. And thank you, Marlene."
She chuckled. "It's about time you remembered to be grateful. And you're welcome, Black." She turned and walked into the Great Hall, wondering if she may be a bit twisted, because she was sort of excited to meet Regulus's family."
"I saved you a seat," Dorcas called as she approached the Gryffindor table.
"Thanks," Marlene said, giving her friend a smile. "I'm starved." Dorcas didn't ask what Marlene had talked to Regulus about, for which she was grateful. Just because she'd had her initial Jegulus vision in class for many to see didn't mean that she planned to share every detail as it unfolded after that. Dorcus, though her best friend, didn't need to know Regulus Black's personal business or anyone else's for that matter.
Regulus had a date for her the next morning at breakfast. He was waiting as she entered the Great Hall and pressed a bit of parchment into her hand. She paused to read it as he swept passed her, heading directly for the Slytherin table. The parchment held two lines in a neat precise hand.
#12 Grimmauld Place, December twenty-eighth,
Arrive at Seven P.M and wear semi formal attire.
Carefully folding the note, Marlene slipped it into a pocket of her school robe. She'd go back up to her dorm room after breakfast and pack it away in her trunk so that she wouldn't lose it. As she headed over to the Gryffindor table, she idly wondered if she should write her parents about her 'party invite to Black Manor or wait until she got home to break the news. After a few seconds of careful consideration she decided to wait and ask permission to attend in person. The reactions of her parents would be far more amusing in person than in some written reply, after all.