Harry Potter

The Original Order

Chapter 6

Star Filled Night

March 17, 2023

In the spring of 1979 Marie and Sirius were in the west country looking for Voldemort's base of operations for the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix, this just happened to be a job that lined up well with both organizations they were working for.

The night was gorgeous stars could be seen shining brightly through the canopy of trees over the wooded area in which Marie and Sirius were currently running. The sounds of jinxes, hexes, and curses could be heard splitting the air destroying anything inanimate that they touched.

The two of them were definitely out-matched here, not by skill but by sheer numbers. They were on their own, no way of getting any help and they had found what they were looking for but in doing so tripped alarm charms signaling to the Death Eaters that they had been found. Voldemort himself just happened to be giving out instructions to his underlings when Marie and Sirius had stumbled into a hornet's nest.

"This isn't good Sirius." Marie said as she shot off another round of defensive spells over her shoulder while dodging between trees and jumping over debris.

"Tell me something I don't know." Sirius grumbled over at her as he also shot off another round of defensive spells over his shoulder. "Just keep going." He said as he dodged several small saplings as they crashed haphazardly through the forest trying to get back into the clearing where they had appeared.

"What a bloody mess." Marie said as she jumped over a fallen tree ducking behind it as a curse crashed into the tree where she had just been standing sending splinters everywhere that she had to cover her face with her arms to avoid. "Bloody death eaters." She grumbled as she scrambled back to her feet to catch up with Sirius while throwing more defensive spells backwards over her shoulder at their pursuers.

Sirius cleared the forest into the clearing then turned to see Marie was roughly 15 yards behind him. "Bloody hell." He whispered to himself as he ducked behind a tree then gave Marie cover fire.

Just as Marie was to clear the forest the ground at her feet exploded, sending her flying into the middle of the clearing skidding to a stop on her back with the wind knocked out of her lungs. She coughed trying to suck in air as she tried to push herself back up.

"Come on let's go." Sirius said, rushing over to her pulling her up by one arm as he fought with his wand in the other. It was a losing battle, 50 to 2 was bad enough but for the last minute or two it was 50 to 1 as he tried to cover Marie's escape from the forest. It was a losing battle the death eaters were gaining quickly.

"Sorry." Marie muttered as she coughed, finally catching her breath and running beside him unaided now as she also returned fire on the Death Eaters pursuing them.

"Too late now." Voldemort said as he appeared right in front of them, and his followers appeared all around them putting up barriers to keep them from apparating away.

"Damn." Sirius muttered to himself as he pulled Marie behind him with his wand up and ready. Marie had her wand up and ready for a fight as well, they weren't going to go down without one hell of a fight and taking as many death eaters as possible with them.

"You two are a pain in my side." Voldemort said smoothly as he walked around the two so that both of them knew who exactly was going to kill them, and he was going to kill them. They were too much trouble to keep alive and try to get information out of them anymore.

"Well, we've done our jobs right them scum bag." Marie said as she glared at the man whom she'd dueled before barely coming out of that fight alive and only because Sirius had pulled her out of the way and Dumbledore had shown up.

"That's right girl be proud to have stood up to me and survived for this long for you will die tonight you have my word." Voldemort said silkily with a smirk on his lips rolling his wand in his hand loosely.

"Yeah, you've said that before Voldy." Marie said as she made sure she kept her wand between them ready for anything he might try.

"Hush Marie." Sirius hissed over his shoulder at her, she had told him how she had taunted Voldemort before when she had been captured but now, she was doing it with both of their lives on the line. They needed to concentrate on finding a way out of here and quickly.

"Oh, but your little friends can't save you now and neither can Dumbledore girly." Voldemort said, getting a firmer grip on his wand as he made it back around to in front of Sirius. "And you, such old and noble blood, to be waisted like this is such a pity." he said with a smirk.

"Bringing you to your knees would be no waist." Sirius said with a smirk as he readied his wand to strike.

"Get them." Voldemort said bored with the two of them as he motioned his ranks forward while standing there laughing at their fate.

Death Eaters closed in on them laughing and grinning behind their masks. These numbers in their odds made them happy and the fact that these two fools thought they would still be able to get out of this alive just tickled their fancy.

Marie and Sirius split apart ducking and dodging spells left and right trying to keep each other out of the crossfire. After several minutes ten of the death eaters now lay unconscious with Marie and Sirius just getting miner cuts, scrapes and bruises. So far, their saving grace was that the Death Eaters were coming at them one at a time head-to-head duels.

Which as noted before by Voldemort these two were much more skilled duelists than his own people. He was getting angry watching his own men and women fall to these kids. "What are you fools doing? They are obviously more skilled at duels fight them together." He said ready to hex his own followers if they didn't take one of them down for him.

Sirius and Marie were still doing decently when challenged with two at a time and were barely surviving with three at a time. A fourth stepped up against Sirius with prodding from Voldemort which was Sirius' down fall master dueler or not it was damn near impossible to handle that many opponents at once. Sirius still managed for a couple of more minutes with four against one odds.

Marie looked back at Sirius when she heard him hit the leaf carpeted ground unconscious. "Kill him!" she heard Voldemort screech. She had a mere second to save him as she blasted the Death Eaters away from herself then disappeared with a pop just to appear beside Sirius and throw herself across him and be gone again in a half of a heartbeat, she had known that would work because she had seen the barriers collapse after they had defeated a third of Voldemort's Death Eaters. Meaning they had managed to defeat the ones who had created the barriers. The killing curse fired at Sirius destroyed the ground he had been laying on harmlessly.

Marie's mind, having no time to decide where to go, took them to the place where their first date had happened, a lovely little waterfall fed pond with a clear view of the star-filled night sky. She screamed out in extreme pain muffling it in the middle of Sirius' back then pushed herself off him crying out biting her lip as she flung her own body off of his to lay beside him at an odd angle. Her left leg was folded up under her body with her foot under her but, her left arm laid on the ground between them twitching violently, with her wand arm flopped back to her side gripping her wand so tight her nails were digging into her palm causing it to bleed.

Apparition had its limits the three D's: destination, determination, and deliberation are all required for a safe and complete apparition. Unfortunately for Marie her mind didn't have the time needed to determine a destination properly, so she got severely splinched.

Blood was soaking the ground and her clothes already from large portions of skin that were missing on Marie's left side of her abdomen spreading around to her actual side, her left arm had missing skin spiraling down around it and her left leg below the knee was missing a large patch of skin reaching from mid-calf around and down to her ankle as well.

Someone was running up the path, Marie vision was going in and out of focus she knew she only had a matter of seconds before she lost consciousness. She hurt like nothing she had ever felt before, but she lifted her right arm with her wand pointed at the sky and she put up several small enchantments to protect them from Death Eaters and Muggles. Then her wand arm fell to her side limply with her wand hand bouncing lightly then remaining as still as its unconscious master.

A young man stopped at the edge of the clearing looking through the shield charm Marie had up he could see his older brother and his girlfriend laying there both unconscious, he couldn't tell if Sirius was alive but could tell the woman would die if she didn't get help soon. Even from this distance he could see her wounds were extremely serious. "Sirius! Sirius!" Regulus yelled he dared not try to go through the barrier because he was unsure of what Marie had actually put up. 'Damn it...I've got to get them out of here...' he thought then an idea popped into his head and he apparated away.

Regulus reappeared with a broom, cloak, and a jar in his hand. Sirius groaned as his eyes started to flutter open and he rolled over using his left hand to push himself up. But his hand felt strange, warm and squishy under his weight, so he propped himself up on his right and looked at his left to see it covered in blood. "What the..." he whispered to himself as he shook his head trying to clear it then looked at the ground his hand had just been on and there was a large puddle of blood. His eyes moved up to see the source of the blood being his girlfriend. "Marie!" he said worried as he slid over to her trying to look her over.

"Sirius you've got to wake her." Regulus said from outside of the enchantments.

Sirius spun around pointing his wand at his younger brother who was a known Death Eater. "Regulus, what did you do?" he asked angrily.

"Nothing. The two of you arrived this way. She's put-up enchantments just before losing consciousness I can't get to you." Regulus said worried for his brother.

"You're on the right side of those enchantments Reg because you are on the wrong side of this war." Sirius said sadly as he put his wand back down at his side.

"I know Sirius, you were always right. But if you don't wake her to bring them down, she will die, let me help you. Everyone is looking for you, you're not safe here." Regulus said worried hoping his brother would listen to him.

"How can I trust you Reg you're a Death Eater?" Sirius asked with obvious pain in his voice.

"I've never tried to hurt you Sirius. I've always loved you; I helped you escape the house the summer before your sixth year, I tried in the seventh year to keep you at the school. If you don't trust me now, she's going to bleed out and die Sirius." Regulus pleaded with his elder brother.

"Alright Reg but one wrong move and I'll blast you into next month." Sirius said locking eyes with his younger brother trying to make him understand this was no idle threat. Once Regulus nodded Sirius turned back to Marie placing a hand on either side of her face. "Marie, Marie wake up. Marie, I need you to take down the enchantments." he said softly, turning her head to where her face was facing his.

Marie's eyes fluttered open then she cried out in pain as she tried to rearrange to ease the pain. "No Marie don't move, just lower the enchantments." she heard Sirius say. She coughed, cringed, and cried out again. She hurt so bad it was the worst feeling she had ever had, even Voldemort's torture curse had nothing on this pain. She shakily lifted up her want arm and did as he asked, lowering the enchantments.

"Great Sirius put them back up!" Regulus said as he rushed over to Marie's other side. "Just as I thought splinched." he said as he dropped the broomstick and cloak then kneeled beside her.

"Si...Sir...ius..." Marie managed to get out through the coughing pain as she looked from Regulus beside her on the right over to Sirius on her left side terrified there was no way she could fight any Death Eaters, she felt like just dyeing right now.

"It's alright Marie, I've got you." Sirius said softly as he brushed Marie's hair out of her face.

"Sirius put up the enchantments before they find us." Regulus said as he grabbed his elder brother making him look at him.

"If anything happens to her..." Sirius said as he made eye contact with his brother.

"I won't let anything happen to her." Regulus said as he nodded to his elder brother.

Sirius stood up and began putting up every enchantment he could think of to protect them while they tended to Marie's wounds. His stomach was all in knots making him nauseous, he had never heard Marie cry out in pain like that the sound was echoing through this mind and he didn't think it would ever go away.

Regulus leaned over Marie to undo her shirt, so he could put the Essence Dittany on her wounds to start the healing process when he found Marie's wand under his chin. "Sirius..." he whimpered as he stayed extremely still knowing Marie could for lack of a better term blow his head off.

Sirius turned and almost laughed. Marie in as much pain as she was in had his brother in a most awkward position. "What did you do Reg?" he asked as he made his way back over to them.

"I tried to get to her largest wound here..." Regulus said motioning to Marie's left side and the shirt partially unbuttoned.

"You couldn't just start on her arm, could you?" Sirius said and actually laughed Marie was a feisty one for sure.

"Come on Sirius call her off I'm just trying to help..." Regulus whimpered again glancing up at his elder brother to see the humor in his eyes.

"Marie, I've got you it's okay." Sirius said kneeling down beside her again pulling her face to where she was looking at him and he smiled at her as she put her wand arm back down on the ground limply.

Regulus breathed a sigh of relief then continued to unbutton her shirt up to just below her breast and he pushed the shirt apart hissing at the extent of her injury. The patch of skin gone went from the back of her hip across her side reaching about an inch above her belly button, then back under her bra area wrapping back around her side. "She did a number on herself saving you." he said as he looked up at his brother.

"To be honest I'm not even sure what happened." Sirius said as he looked down at Marie worried.

"Outnumbered…stunned…they...going...kill...you..." Marie croaked out then cried out, arched her back, and clawed at the ground when Regulus started putting the Dittany on her wounds.

"Sounds like she didn't have enough time to choose a destination and focus on it to save you." Regulus said as he tried to hold her down. "Sirius help me, hold her down." he said glancing up at his brother worried before checking the boundary quickly for any enemy's.

"She's always doing this nonsense. Just let them kill me, Marie." Sirius huffed at her. This was ridiculous the way she gets herself hurt trying to save someone else.

"No!" Marie growled out viciously as she managed to glare over at Sirius, grabbing his shirt violently, pulling him closer to him so he could see her eyes clearly.

"She's determined there. Sirius hold her down please." Regulus said trying to get her to roll over, so he could get to her side better. "She's not going to be able to apparate for a while, you need to take her to St. Mungo's." he said as he glanced up at his brother.

"Why St. Mungo's?" Sirius asked suspiciously the two were nearly face to face as Sirius held down Marie after gently prying off her hand from his shirt leaving a bloody handprint there as Regulus put on Dainty on her arm now done with everything he could do for her side and abdomen.

"Take her to Hogwarts, just somewhere where she can get proper care. This isn't going to be enough; her wounds are too extensive. I've never seen splinching this bad before." Regulus said as he shook the bottle in his hand at Sirius.

"How are you out of the house now anyway Regulus?" Sirius asked curiously looking up at his brother.

"Father died not too long-ago Sirius they've both became disillusioned with...the Dark Lord... Father strengthened all the enchantments around the house. Mother keeps to herself mostly now. A little while ago orders came down to search for you and her, I heard the distinctive pops of apparation from up here. I never thought you would come near Grimlad Place again then I realized you were unconscious, and she had to of brought you here." Regulus said as he finished up Marie's arm.

"And what will happen when he finds out you helped us instead of capturing or killing us?" Sirius asked curiously as he helped roll Marie back over who was once again unconscious, so he could put the Dittany on her leg.

"Let me deal with that Sirius. Don't worry about me. I'm glad you found her; she seems to care a great deal about you brother." Regulus said as he looked up at Sirius with a sad smile on his face.

"I know... I intend on marring her after this war is over." Sirius said as he rubbed Marie's cheek lightly with a small smile on his lips.

"Sirius tomorrow may never come. Don't wait until the war is over you don't know what will happen between now and then, ask her to marry you and soon." Regulus said as he grabbed his brother's arm to make him look up with a smile on his lips. He was truly happy that his brother had found the love he always deserved.

"Alright Regulus but first I've got to get her to safety." Sirius said with a smile to his brother it was strange to take advice on girls from his younger brother, but he knew he was right.

"Here's a broom and an invisibility cloak. The disillusionment charm is wearing off in certain places but it's better than nothing." Regulus said as he motioned to the rest of the stuff he brought up to this little area.

"Thought of everything haven't you. Thanks, I appreciate it Reg." Sirius said with a laugh as he stood up and took the broom getting on it, so that Regulus could help him get Marie onto the broomstick.

"Just get going I'll clean this up." Regulus said as he helped to put Marie on the broom in front of Sirius, so he could hold onto her. Then put the cloak on Sirius covering him and Marie as much as possible. He watched as Sirius took down the enchantments, so they could leave.

"You be careful." Sirius said as he looked over at his brother hoping it wouldn't be for the last time. Knowing Voldemort, it wouldn't take him long to figure out that Regulus had helped them escape.

"Go!" Regulus hissed at him with a shooing motion to get him to leave and quickly. Sirius nodded to him then took flight careful with Marie laying on the broom in front of him unconscious he made a beeline for Hogwarts. St. Mungo's was closer, but he knew that Voldemort had spies there watching for anyone who was his enemy. The only safe place was Hogwarts, up until this point Voldemort had been unable to get spies in past Dumbledore's watchful eyes.

After a long flight Hogwarts came into view and Sirius let out a pent-up breath, he had expected to find dementors or death eaters hanging around the castle, but he could see nothing so far. He pulled out his wand then with the correct words the Hogwarts barrier let him through.

It was late at night, and all the students were in their houses asleep for the next days' school so there were no crowds to get through once he landed at the front door discarding the cloak and broom, he picked up Marie and carried her into the castle. The amount of blood on the two of them would have been terrifying to students but as it were it was extremely alarming to the teacher and caretaker who had met him by the front door.

"Oh my…" McGonagall said worried as the two came through the front door. "Up to the hospital wing Mr. Black." she said urgently ushering him up the grand staircase. "Filch go get Dumbledore." She said as she followed behind the two.

"Oh, dear what happened?" Madam Pumphrey said worried as she came rushing out of her office when she heard the door open. "Right here." she said, motioning to a bed close to her.

"She's been splinched pretty bad." Sirius said, laying Marie down on the bed as gently as possible.

"Leave it to me dear." Madam Pumphrey said as she started examining Marie.

"Are you alright Mr. Black?" Dumbledore asked coming into the Hospital room with Filtch and Flitwick.

"I'm fine, got a headache from being stunned but that will go away in time." Sirius said watching Marie closely worried for her and angry with her at the same time.

"What happened dear boy?" McGonagall asked curiously trying to get Sirius' attention.

"On our mission we were cornered by Voldemort and several of his death eaters. Somehow, I'm not sure how but I ended up stunned and unconscious. She had to save me from a killing curse." Sirius said with a frown as she looked over at Dumbledore and McGonagall. "We were right they were meeting down in the West Country we accidentally set off charms when we got too close."

"And naturally with no time to do it properly she got splinched." Dumbledore said sadly as he looked over at Marie who was clinging to the sheets trying not to scream as Madam Pumphrey was tending to her.

"Exactly." Sirius said as he plopped down into a chair at the end of the bed staring down at the blood on his hands and clothes. He figured he must look an awful sight but all he could think about was Marie's blood curdling screams of pain.

"Are you sure you're not hurt?" McGonagall asked curiously that was a lot of blood on him to have just came from her wounds.

"No this is all hers." Sirius said, trying to rub the blood off his hands onto his pants with no luck. 'I could have gotten her killed…' he thought as he tried harder and harder to get the blood off his hands.

"Sirius there is nothing you can do to fix this by dwelling in past mistakes, please calm yourself. You will be no good to her here in this mind set of yours." Dumbledore said as he watched Sirius over his half-moon glasses with that knowing look that seemed to just bore through to your very soul.

"I could have got her killed…" Sirius said blandly still trying to wipe the blood off his hands as he looked up at her now unconscious again. How could he marry her if he was going to be putting her in such danger and making her save him? He wondered as tears welled up in his eyes, normally he would never let anything get to him, to show on his face but this was just building in his chest, and he couldn't hold it back.

"Listen to me Sirius." McGonagall said softly as she kneeled in front of him holding his hands to make him quit fidgeting, her calling him by first name drew his attention like a moth to a flame normally she referred to him as 'Mr. Black'. "You didn't cause this; she could have let you die but she chose to save you. This was her choice. She chose to be with you on that mission whether it was for the Ministry or the Order she could have said no it was too dangerous. You are not to blame for any of her own choices. She is a strong witch, trust in her abilities to bounce back from this." she said softly, squeezing his hands gently trying to comfort him.

"I've done all I can for her tonight. I will look at her again in the morning to see how she is healing." Madam Pumphrey said as she drew the privacy curtains between the beds to give Marie privacy. "For now, off with the lot of you she needs rest." she said with a shooing motion telling everyone they needed to leave.

"Very well thank you Poppy. Now Sirius let's get you cleaned up and changed if you will follow me, please." Dumbledore said then turned and started out of the hospital wing.