Unlikely Allies,

Chapter 33,

The ground seemed to spin under Marlene's feet as her stomach heaved. She clung to Bellatrix, moaning in misery as she bent over. "Just let it out," Bellatrix said soothingly. "I have your hair. Just let it out." And so she did. Gods that was a lot of throw up! It went on and on, and Marlene was certain that she'd never felt so miserable. Sure it was her fault for slamming back enough drinks to literally not be able to think anymore, but it still felt rubbish. Right now she hated all of it. Hated the idea of leaving the sidelines to step into the danger zone if she left with everyone else, dragging her family along and putting them in danger, and she hated the idea of losing Rabbit Lestrange forever or for as long as this took to sort itself. Hell by the time it did, he could've moved on with some French Witch... French bitch if she had Marlene's man. She groaned. Too many thoughts, but fortunately her stomach heaved again just in time to take her mind off of her troubles. Oh but throwing up was so disgusting!

"Oh now I'm sick," Bellatrix groaned. Somehow Marlene in all her latent Ravenclaw genius had the forethought to quickly reach around and grasp Bella's hair in one hand, sweeping it back in time as the other woman bent over.

"Well you smell that shit for long enough, having as much to drink as you did, and you throw up too. Only stands to bloody reason," Rodolphus called. He was standing quite a distance away, nearly in the street, while Bella and Marlene were still just outside the Hog's Head. Why and when they'd departed the Dusty Broom to return to the Hog's Head was a bit hazy in Marlene's mind, but here they were. Aberforth had kept the drinks coming, not commenting when the room began to spin and she'd had trouble formulating the words to ask him for yet another Firewhisky. When she'd simply pointed to her glass, he'd filled it. Aberforth Dumbledore was a good man.

"Shut up, Roddy," Bellatrix managed as she slowly straightened.

"Just saying," Rodolphus stupidly replied.

Bella glared around drunkenly for him, dark eyes glinting dangerously as she drew her wand from where it hung on the belt of her dress.

"Where is Rabbit," Marlene asked slowly, speaking carefully around her excessive drunkenness. Like Rodolphus, he didn't seem keen on being near throw up. How bloody sweet of him. How bloody supportive.

"Gone to get Jackdaw to Apparate us home. He's the family elf," Rodolphus said. "He's a good egg." As he spoke, he approached carefully, snagging Bella by the waist. 'I got you, but we must move away from the smell. I am not interested in throwing up at present, you see."

"Wait," Marlene said. She still had a grip on Bella's shoulder to keep herself upright.

"Fine, fine ,just move along," Rodolphus said. "Lean on Bella. I have this under control."

Just how drunk was he, Marlene wondered. He was bigger than the women, so likely not as affected by the vast amount of drinks, but he was talking funny. Slower and not really making sense and all. She tried not to fall as Rodolphus shepherded them down the sidewalk a bit. "We'll wait for Rabastan here," he said. Marlene was just wondering if she should sit down on the ground to rest when the sound of a crack announced Rabastan's arrival.

"Oh gods, what if I'd sat down in your dress! That would've been really bad," Marlene cried.

"What," Bellatrix asked carefully. Clearly she was confused. Marlene understood that so carefully proceeded to explain.

"I'm real drunk, see, so I thought I'd sit down and rest, but then realized I'm wearing your pretty, pretty dress. I'd have felt so rubbish if I'd ruined it."

"Come on, then," Rabastan said, reaching for Marlene.

"Thank you," Rodolphus told his brother sincerely.

Groaning, Marlene leaned on Rabastan's shoulder. "I think I threw it all up," she said. "So did Bella." It was then that she realized that she had to go back to Hogwarts rather than to the Lestranges. It was Sunday! Late Sunday too, so she was probably in trouble. She'd probably lost house points. Shit, shit, shit! She didn't want to go back. "Why'd you Apparate," she suddenly asked Rabastan in a moment of unwanted mental clarity. "You went to get your elf to Apparate us, because we're too drunk, but you Apparated? You're drunk." Logic and reasoning were slow but still present.

"I didn't Apparate," Rabastan replied. "I just walked out of the bar and down the street to call Jackey. I knew he'd not like being brought right into the Hog's Head."

"He doesn't like for people to stare at him," Rodolphus explained. "Come on, Bella, don't be like that!""

Marlene glanced over to see Bellatrix yanking away from Rodolphus, then stumbling a few steps and nearly falling until he caught her. "You didn't want me while I was throwing up, so sod off," she said, attempting unsuccessfully to push him away.

"Incorrect," he said calmly. "I didn't want you while Marlene was throwing up and I was correct because you threw up, so it must have been bad."

She considered this for a moment while Marlene, Rabastan and Jackdaw watched on in interest. "Very well," she relented.

Jackdaw cleared his throat. "Where to," he asked politely.

Marlene glanced curiously down at the Lestrange elf, whom she'd yet to meet. She tried to make out what he was wearing, but it was too dark. "I'm just glad you aren't Kreacher," she said. "He's a little psycho and I'm too drunk to deal with his shit today."

"Tonight," Jackdaw corrected calmly. "It is tonight. And Jackdaw is likewise glad that he isn't Kreacher."

Rabastan snickered. "Yeah, no one wants to shag Black, including Jackey here."

Marlene nodded. "No one should have to shag Black. Not even James Potter."

Bellatrix choked and Jackdaw asked, "Why is James Potter an option?"

"Oh he isn't," Marlene assured hastily. "It's just that..." And she launched into the entire Jegulus situation in all its horror. When she was done, there was a long pause before Jackdaw spoke.

"Has Miss McKinnon seen a mental healer... Ever?"

"I know, right," Rodolphus muttered, giving a low chuckle. "Bella, are you asleep," he added.

Bellatrix was leaning her entire weight on his shoulder, her head drooping onto his chest. "Nope," she replied sleepily. "But if I were, did I miss anything?"

"Just Jackey being concerned for Marlene's mental health," he replied.

"See, I told you she was one of us," Rabastan said, grinning down at the elf. "Don't you agree?"

"Hm," Jackdaw replied noncommittally.

"Oh I forgot you'd asked where we're going," Rabastan recalled suddenly. "I suppose we'll go to ours, and could you take Marlene to Hogwarts? May as well put her in Dumbledore's office. Anywhere else would gain the wrong sort of attention, and if you just drop her on the grounds, she'd have to walk in alone, which I don't want."

He was such a gentleman. Perhaps the most gentlemanly gentleman in the entire world. Marlene's heart was suddenly full of an overwhelmingly warm fondness for him. That and the realization that perhaps he was a little precious. She threw her arms around Rabastan's lanky frame and clung tightly. "I love you, Rabbit." Oh gods! Had she just said that? Did she mean it?

"Hey, you too," Rabastan said, sounding surprised by the revelation.

"Did I miss something," Bellatrix asked. She sounded extremely out of it, which Marlene found quite funny for some reason. It was likely due to her shock over what she'd just said to Rabbit, and what he'd just said back. Had that just really happened?

"Oh yeah," Rodolphus replied. "You missed something big."

"I need to go," Marlene told Jackdaw. She could hear the panic in her own voice, and she didn't care.

"Hey! It was just getting good," Rodolphus protested.

"I need to think," Marlene said. "Please," she told the elf. It was then that Marlene decided that she liked Jackdaw quite a lot, because he grasped her sleeve and Apparated her into Dumbledore's office without another word.