Chapter 36: Rotten Timing
"You've broken two ribs and suffered minor damage to your pelvic bone." The doctor put down his file and looked at the pale faced eighteen-year-old sitting on the bed. Her friend a red-haired, green eyed girl that had a look of seniority was sitting next to her, holding her hand. This doctor hated giving bad news, but it was all part of his job. He sighed and sat on a seat facing the bed. "You were pregnant." He said and paused to see if what he said had any effect. The red-head picked up on the past tense and gave her friend a look.
Marlene blinked twice then nodded. Muggle hospitals were so different then St. Mungo's for one, there was a whole load of complicated equipment that her fifth year Muggle Studies text book couldn't even begin to make sense of. She had feared the worst and because of that didn't seem too upset. She could see Lily sitting next to her, waiting for her to burst into tears, but surprisingly none came. She looked at the doctor and nodded once more.
"I'm sorry, the..." The doctor paused for a moment to consult her file, "Lacrosse stick?" He shook his head at the absurdity of the statement, it wasn't even lacrosse season. "Did have an impact..."
"I didn't bleed?" It was a question not a statement.
"Miscarriages affect people differently, some people feel pain, where as other people feel nothing at all. I must warn you, that your chances of conceiving again are a lot slimmer than they were. The accident also damaged...."
"You mean I can't have any-more children?"
"Miss McKinnon, you are eighteen, still at school, not married and according to your address you live in a one bedroomed flat in London."
"So?" Marlene said incredulously.
"Starting a family is a very serious life commitment."
Marlene sighed, "I didn't mean right now, I meant in five-ten years down the line, once I've settled down and everything's ..." Lily gave Marlene a look that reminded her she was in a Muggle hospital. "normal."
The doctor looked embarrassed. "Of course, sorry for jumping to conclusions. It may be possible with help and regular check-ups, but the chances are slim. If in the future you are looking to settle down with a family, pop in to your nearest GP and have a talk with a doctor. They'll be able to tell you the best course of action. However for now, keep taking the tablets I gave you. Twice a day with a meal, they may make you drowsy, so get loads of sleep at night and try to stay off the lacrosse field for a while."
Marlene nodded and Lily thanked the doctor while collecting their stuff together.
"It could have been worse." Marlene commented as they left the hospital arm in arm and looked for a suitable place where they could Disapparate.
Lily looked at her concerned. "How?"
Marlene shrugged, "Not sure, I was just trying to be optimistic and try and convince you that I'm OK, I'm not going to burst into tears, and although my life has had the most rotten timing in the whole wide world, I'm going to live on and say what else can happen? It can only get better right?"
Lily pursued her lips in a way that reminded Marlene of Lily's sister Petunia before nodding slowly. At this particular moment in time, with Voldemort striking fear into the hearts of Wizards and Muggles alike, so much could go wrong. Even walking down a quiet Muggle street in Scotland wasn't safe any more. It was Madam Pomfrey who had suggested they seek permission from Professors Dumbledore and McGonagal, not only for Marlene's sake (she was too well known in St. Mungo's to sneak in for an emergency appointment with a visiting Mid-healer,) but because even she admitted that Muggle doctors knew more about pregnancy then some Healers do.
Reaching a suitable spot, just off the pavement and in a cluster of trees that lined the hospital. Lily tightened her arm around Marlene's and side-along Disapparated to Hogsmeade.
"Marlene?"
"Holy Merlin!" Marlene jumped out of her skin and pulled away from Lily as they Apparated just before the school gates. Spinning round, she scowled at the tall 25 year-old who had scared her. "Geesh Martyn, you're scarier then the Dark Lord himself, if he has followers that can scare people just by calling their name, he doesn't have to lift a finger,"
Martyn looked pointedly at the wary Lily, who's hand had flown to handbag and was currently gripping her wand.
Marlene shrugged, "She knows, it cool Lils, he maybe one of them, but he wouldn't hurt me... I hope." She glared at Martyn and he put his hands up in defeat. They were empty.
"Social visit only. I'm here as a brother." Martyn said and Lily loosened the grip on her wand, she didn't put it away but kept it close at hand. She looked up at the castle and then to the darkening sky. The sun was setting and there were some ominous snow clouds in the distance. They had promised Professor Dumbledore they would be home before dinner. They had half an hour and she told Marlene so.
Martyn nodded. "I'll be quick."
Marlene scowled. "I never actually agreed..."
Martyn held up a hand to silence her before launching straight into what seemed to be a well rehearsed speech. "Alecto told me you were at the house yesterday and I'm sorry you missed me but I was busy. Alecto now has a key, as does Bellatrix, Rab and Lucius. Elenea said you had been calling her but she's doing a couple of jobs for me, if it's really important you can tell me and I'll pass it on. I won't be there for your graduation however I will take you and only you out for dinner the day you return." He paused and looked at his sister, his face awash with brotherly concern. "Are you OK?" He added as Marlene shifted feet, standing for too long irritated her ribs.
She nodded, "Broke a couple of ribs and such in Quidditch yesterday. Bludgers can really pack a punch."
Martyn nodded, he had been a seeker in his Slytherin days and knew first hand the damage a well aimed Bludger could do. "Where've you been? I was coming to visit you but I didn't expect you to appear in front of me."
Lily blanched but Marlene was quick on the ball. "Dumbledore gave me permission to visit the bank regarding the money left to me in our parents will. I've moved my half from the family vault into Sirius' vault for safe keeping. Lily's here because with your Dark Lord, we have to travel in pairs." Marlene made a mental note to write to the bank and do just that,
Surprisingly Martyn believed the story and nodded. "Good idea, not about the fact that it's in Sirius' vault but we'll work on that."
Marlene rolled her eyes and turned towards the gate. Lily, saw this as a cue to leave, rooted in her bag for her badge but Martyn stopped her.
"Would you both like to join me for a few drinks?" He emphasised the 'both' as a subtle hint that he had no intentions of hurting them, or that he wanted to do them both in, but Marlene shook her head.
"Can't. We've got boyfriends to go snuggle in front of the fire with. I'll get back to you on the dinner after graduation thing."
Martyn nodded and watched as both the girls slipped through the gate and locked it behind them. A sudden thought hit him. "If you were putting money in Sirius' vault wouldn't you need Sirius?"
Marlene paled but didn't turn around or stop. She just pretended she hadn't heard him over the cold wind that had blew over as they were talking. Staying at the same pace they left Martyn wondering why his little sister had been out of Hogwarts on a Sunday.
"Shit. Marlene I'm so sorry.... Is there anything I can do? I mean, if it meant all that much to you we could try again... no wait that didn't sound right... erm..." Sirius stopped and looked up into the smiling eyes of Marlene. Taking aback by her reaction he stood up and head-butted her as she leant down to kiss him. "Damn. Why is everything going wrong. That was really rotten timing sorry. Marls."
Marlene giggled and rubbed her head. "Sirius, it's fine, stop apologising and rambling, you acting so out of character it's unbelievable. Just be yourself. Yes, I'm upset about what happened, but I'm trying to look at it in a positive light. Yes, we can try again, it may be hard to do so, with the complications I explained but when we're settled and ol' Voldie has gone for good, then absolutely."
Sirius nodded before pulling her into a hug and kissing the small reddish bruise that had appeared on her forehead.
"How's the ribs?" James asked jokingly. He was lounging on the sofa, one arm around Lily the other was holding his wand and he was currently entertaining some first years by transfiguring small items into miniature animals and allowing them to cause havoc on some fifth years who were trying to study for their OWLs.
"Fixed in a jiffy, I was only at that Muggle hospital due to Madam Pomfrey thinking it would be better to get ..." She gestured to her stomach "checked out with Muggle professionals."
Sirius nodded understandably before pulling her into a tight hug, realising her almost immediately when she grimaced as her tender ribs pressed against his hip.
It was true that they were fixed, just a bit tender and bruised, she was still taking the medicine the doctor had prescribed and felt drowsy because of them. Stifling a yawn she sat down on the sofa and pulled Sirius down with her so that Lily had to almost sit on James knee just so the four of them could sit comfortably.
"Now that things are slowly getting back to normal, we should really start thinking about our NEWTs, I'll set up study plans and work them around Quidditch and duties..." James groaned and rolled his eyes behind her back. Somehow she saw and whacked him playfully over the head. Sirius snorted and also received a hit.
Marlene just smiled and nodded at Lily to continue but a burly fourth year strode over to the seventh years. "There's a Slytherin hanging outside the portrait, some First-Years were getting intimidated and the prefects told me to tell you guys."
James was about to go all Head-Boy-y and delegate the task to Peter or Sirius when Marlene pipped up and addressed the fourth year. "Slimy haired or a cuter version or Sirius?"
The boy raised an eyebrow and looked at Sirius. "Sirius look-a-like. Wouldn't say cuter though."
Sirius scowled until he realised that it could actually be classed as a compliment so he contorted his face into something in between a grimace and a smile, making Peter and Marlene laugh at his expression.
"It's Sunday isn't? I better go see what not-so-cute-Reggie-Boy wants." Marlene said, squeezing Sirius knee as she got to her feet.
Walking out the portrait she spotted Regulus as he nodded in the direction of the Room of Requirement.
"It's a bit late for training isn't it? I'm sorry I bailed again... can you stop walking and talk to me?" For Regulus had set off at brisk pace down the corridor.
He slowly turned and leaned casually against the wall to wait for her. "Are you OK?" He asked concernedly.
Marlene nodded and caught up with him. Leaning casually against the opposite wall she nodded. "Unfortunately, you're not going to be an Uncle any more... at least not yet so you don't have to worry about keeping it a secret any-more. Apart from the empty feeling inside, I'm fine, thanks for asking." Regulus didn't know what to say. He just looked down at the floor and looked positive uncomfortable with standing in the same corridor as her. "Sorry about the last two weeks everything's just had such rotten timing, but we'll start again next week?"
Regulus nodded his head and pushed off the wall to stand up straight. He wanted to hug her but he kept his distance instead he nodded his head once more and walked back to the main staircase to get to the Dungeons.
Frowning at his strange attitude, Marlene walked back to the Gryffindor Common room to find that the usual group had retired to James' room. Deciding she just wanted peace, quiet and a place to think. She headed for the Girls dormitory. Although she hadn't admitted it to anyone, she really was distraught that she had lost the child, but she had worried everyone so much, she didn't want to worry them any more.
Sirius was right and it had come at the most rotten timing, they could always try again. It may take a while but they were still young. Three years down the line they may not even be together. They were assuming they would always be together but young love didn't always last. There was also the ever looming war to content with.
Sighing she opened the door to find Mary and Rebecca discussing the double date they had next weekend. Happy for something to take her mind off Voldemort, Babies, Her brother and Regulus. Marlene changed and joined in the conversation.
A/N: Ola! Greetings from the Algarve. Despite the Volcano I was very lucky to be on the only flight that left Britain on Thursday morning. Now that I've found an internet connection I will try and get back to the regular routine of dishing these chapters out. I will move swiftly onto the end of seventh year... as I'm pretty sure nothing else happens.... but I could be wrong lol. Oh well enjoy.