Chapter 12

'Marly?' Mary gave a tentative knock on their bathroom door. The shower was running but Marlene's towel was packed neatly away in her suitcase.

'It's me, Alice. And Lily. We just want to say how sorry we are sweetie,' Alice murmured. 'I didn't mean to offend you or anything and if you have any issues then I'm sorry.' The sound of water increased. 'It's locked.' Alice rattled the doorknob.

'Move over,' Lily pushed her over slightly and whipped out her wand. 'Alohomora!' There was a whoosh and clicking noise and the door swung open.

It was a terrible sight. Marlene was sitting on the shower door, letting the freezing water drop onto her head. Her eyes were tightly squeezed shut, her hands over her ears. She was crying, but silently, which was worse. She hadn't bothered to take her robes off so she sat shivering, in the water clogged material.

'Marly?' Mary walked forwards and put her arm on Marlene's arm. She turned around to face Lily and Alice. 'She's freezing, and cast a no sound charm over herself. Can you remove it?'

'Sure.' Lily nodded and waved her wand, as Marlene started, she began to cry as soon as she saw them.

'Oh sweetie!' Alice turned off the water gently and passed Marlene her own towel, who let Alice wrap it around her.

'Let's run you a bath,' Mary said softly, turning on the water to a bath. It bubbled before gushing out hot water. She pulled the cork out of a bottle and let a few drops of whatever was inside run into the bath, turning it a light pink colour.

'Oh Marly,' Lily sat down next to her sad friend, not caring that it soaked her robes. 'I'm so sorry about what we said earlier, it was wrong of us. And I understand about your childhood issues with families and friends, I honestly do. Look at me and Snape. Or me and Tuney, one day so close and the next, just removed herself. Honestly, she asked mum and dad to covert the attic so she could move up there, away from me.'

'You have no idea Lily.' Marlene sniffed, and began to speak, quietly. 'Everyone thinks they understand. My mum and dad especially. But they don't see me, and then when they are around, they get offended that I would rather spend time with James than them. That I want to go out and have pool parties with friends rather than stay at home and help the do the washing. It's so awkward, they just don't seem to realise I'm seventeen next month, that I'm of age, and want to have a life. But I guess that's what happens when you miss all of your daughters life.' The sobs shook her body violently. Alice patted her on the back until she was just sniffing.

'You're baths done Marly.' Mary gently levitated Marlene until she landed gently in the bath.

'And worse of all is what's going to happen after I leave school. I don't want to become an auror, incase I have children. What my parents do to me I refuse to do to them. So that's what I'm applying for, I've already asked McGonagall about it. And she says if I'm sure, then I can do it. I'll have to take some kind of test, but then I'll be free at last.'

'Become what?' Alice whispered, leaning forwards with Lily while Mary looked away, looking pale and nausic.

'An unspeakable.'

They all looked shocked, apart from Mary. It was a well known fact that few people became unspeakables, and only pure bloods were allowed. However, this wasn't a rule, it was something to do with the genetics when the unspeakable absorbs the information. Unspeakables were known to be isolated, unique and usually people who had something wrong with their lives they wanted to forget. Of course, it took an unspeakable to know one, but guessing them was sometimes quite easy. For example, a witch came back from Greece, rumours saying she'd had a run in with the death eater, and after that, she was seen in the background of a ministy photo taken for a newspaper.

'But Marly. You'll never be able to escape that.' Lily tried to contain her voice to a steady level. 'And I doubt you'll ever had kids or get married if you become an unspeakable. They become so suspicious and nervous they don't trust anyone, apart from other unspeakables and their family.'

'I'm sorry,' Marlene whispered, shiving under the warmth from the bath. 'But it's what I feel I need to do. Unless a better job offer comes up, something else which would take the pain away. And truly, if you're my friends, you'll support me in this, it's what I have to do.'

'Of course we do Marly,' Alice smiled at her and Lily immediately felt jealous. How come Alice could so easily support her friends and dismiss her own opinions to help someone else? 'Whatever you want to do, I'll always support and help you. I one hundred percent believe in you and always will.'

'Me too,' Mary broke in softly. 'I know I found out by accident but you'd make one pretty badass unspeakable. I'll always be right behind you whatever career you choose.' She looked at Lily. 'Lily?'

'Marlene.' Lily sighed and seemed to look older as she slumped slightly. 'I want to believe you. And tell you that everything will be fine with you as an unspeakable. And tell you that you'd be perfect for the job and just drop everything to support you like Alice and Mary would.' She paused, biting her lip as her eyes watered. 'I do Mars. I really want to but, well. I just can't. I could lie and say everything I want to, but that's not why we were friends. Do you remember Marlene?' She smiled at the memory. 'How we became friends? I was about to put a huge pink flower in my hair, and as soon as you walked by, you said "don't wear that it makes you look like you live in a greenhouse. I'm Marlene by the way." And yeah, I get it, most people would've been offended by that but I value honesty, and friendship. And loyalty, and trust. And I think that if you want me to lie to you, then I can but I think our friendship means more than that to me, even if it doesn't to you. Because honestly Mar, I think it's a little bit selfish that you would ditch me, and Alice and Mary. To go and become an unspeakable.'

'Lily!' Alice gasped. 'Don't say that.'

'Also!' Lily cut across Alice sharply. 'Honestly, would you have even told us you were planning to become an unspeakable. Or just disappeared after Hogwarts, thrown everything from here into the bin. All the memories. Just gone. Now do what you want, but you have a choice Marlene. Maybe you want to escape yourself from the burden that is your childhood, but has it occurred to you, that by "releasing" yourself, you'll be creating more burdens. The ones that you left all of your friends, and threw friendships in the trash. It's up to you Marlene, but I'm telling the truth here.' And with that, she left the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. They all heard her flop down onto Alice's bed, sighing.

'Listen Marlene,' Alice looked at the panic stricken girl in the bathtub. 'If what Lily said was true, then it was true, but me and Mary will always love you. And yes, we will miss you, but it's coming from my heart when I say that I want you to be happy. And I think Mary agrees with me?'

'Of course Alice,' Mary smiled through the darkness. 'I just want you to be free of whatever pain you have. And yes, it sounds cheesy but I do want you to be happy.' They all sat there, silently.

'I'm a bad friend aren't I?' Marlene looked at Alice and Mary sadly. 'I can't abandon you guys, or ditch you. And I think that I just need to think, in fact, no actually I don't. If you guys will support me whatver I do, but Lily doesn't want me to do it, I have to do what Lily wants. Because I suppose, deep down you guys don't want me to either.' She suddenly reached up and opened the window next to the bath, opening her washbag and throwing the unspeakable form out of the window.

'I would make me kinda sad,' Alice admitted, spots of red coming to her cheeks. 'But I'd pay that price after what you've been through.'

'There are worse things,' Mary echoed.

Marlene thought for a moment. 'I have to go talk to Lily.'

'No you don't Marly,' Alice pushed her back into the bath. 'I want you to take a bath and then go to bed. Me and Mary will pack up the rest of everyone's things. Just sleep on it Marlene. Think about Spain okay, I just want you to be happy.'

'Fine.' Fortunately, Marlene didn't seem in any rush to argue, so she sunk back into the bath, while Mary and Alice quietly left the room.

Hope you enjoyed this paragraph, so yeah. Next Saturday eh? See ya!x