Warning for violence/torture and other potentially triggering topics. Reader discretion is advised.
"Alew"
"Chapter Seven: Abditory"
Sirius watched Harry bounding around in the snow in his little puffer jacket and boots. His little feet stomped to make footprints and he picked up clumps of snow to squish in his hands. Luckily, Sirius was close to him when he attempted to eat said snow. He crouched down in front of Harry and showed him how to form it into a ball. Then, he gestured to where Marlene stood chatting with Remus. Harry pitched the snowball at Marlene, hitting her in the knee.
Marlene stopped talking, her attention turning towards them. A look of mock indignation crossed her face as she pointed a finger at Harry. The kid only giggled, pressing into Sirius' side as though seeking protection just in case she was actually angry. Sirius rested his chin against the side of Harry's knit hat.
"You've been spending too much time with your godfather!" Marlene said, wagging her finger at him.
Harry only giggled more.
"He's like a different kid," Remus commented, his brows furrowing as he stared at Harry.
Sirius ignored the comment, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Remus would think that since he's never really taken an interest in Harry before. Although, Sirius still wasn't sure Remus had much of an interest in the kid even now. Sirius hadn't seen Remus since sometime in November. No letters. No Christmas gift for Harry. Nothing. That only annoyed Sirius more than he was willing to admit.
Apparently, Remus had been tracking something emitting high levels of dark magic for Dumbledore in the Balkans that he lost track of in Croatia. It was an off-handed comment, one that Sirius wanted to inquire more about. Being outside amongst a bunch of Muggles wasn't really the most opportune place to start questioning him either. Except, Remus had shown up out of the blue looking weary and frustrated.
"It's really all Sirius," Marlene praised, her hand smoothing over her bump as she turned her attention back to Remus. "I've never seen Sirius be so patient with someone before."
Sirius rolled his eyes as he picked up some more snow and formed a ball. It was easy to be patient with Harry. The kid was cute and didn't annoy him all the damn time.
"Throw this at Remus," he whispered.
Harry chewed on his bottom lip, the laughter leaving his face in an instant. Sirius rubbed the kid's back. While Harry had made leaps and bounds the past few months, there was still a lot of anxiety and uncertainty that swirled around him. Sirius wanted to nip that completely. Harry deserved to be carefree and confident.
"He'll laugh," Sirius insisted. "I promise. Aim higher than you did with Marly. Impress her with your Chaser skills."
Harry hesitated, his teeth chewing on his lip so hard that Sirius worried it'd start to bleed as the kid stared at Remus and Marlene. Sirius gently raised the kid's arm up in encouragement.
"Who would have thought? Sirius Black: stay-at-home dad extraordinaire," Remus teased, the corner of his lips twitching. "How far along are you now?"
"I'll be thirty-three weeks on Friday," Marlene replied. "It's just starting to get really uncomfortable."
Harry pitched the snowball, hitting Remus in the thigh. Remus looked over at him, his eyebrows raising. Harry took a step back, trying to hide behind Sirius. Remus took a few steps forward and crouched down, a tight smile crossing his face.
"Your godfather is a bad influence, isn't he?" Remus asked in a light tone.
Harry didn't say anything as he pressed his nose into Sirius' leather jacket.
"You know, one time, your godfather was annoying me," Remus started as he reached down and picked up some snow to form into a snowball. "We were fifteen and he was taking the mickey out of me for being a prefect all term. So, I had magicked about a hundred snowballs to attack him one day by the lake," he explained, leaning in close to Harry.
Sirius tried not to let his mood darken at the mention of the event. Peter had helped Remus. Any memory that involved Peter now left a sour taste in Sirius' mouth. Unfortunately, too many of his school memories involved that damn traitor.
"He screamed like a little girl," Remus added.
Sirius cleared his throat. "I screamed in surprise. A very manly scream," he explained.
A strangled chuckle sounded in the back of Harry's throat as he glided out from behind Sirius to stand next to him.
Remus nodded, holding the snowball out to Harry. "Right, yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that."
Harry accepted it, holding the snow with both hands as though he were afraid to drop it. His big green eyes peered up at Remus, but he didn't say anything. Honestly, it was a step in the right direction given how incredibly shy the kid was.
"Are you staying in England now?" Sirius asked, his hand rubbing Harry's arm.
Remus let out a huff of air. "I don't know. Dumbledore asked for my help to try to track down that dark force. See if I can pick up any whiffs of it and try to track it again."
Sirius searched Remus' face. "Just tell me what it was," he insisted, even though he already had an inkling of what it was.
Remus wiped his hands on his trousers before he stood up. Sirius did as well, hauling Harry into his arms as he rose to his full height. Harry sat comfortably on his hip with the snowball still in his hands as Sirius looked down at his friend.
"Dumbledore didn't say," Remus said shoving his hands into his ridiculously expensive wool Mackintosh that James bought him for Christmas two years ago.
"It's Voldemort, isn't it?' Sirius asked in a low voice.
Remus turned his head, his eyes squinting at something in the distance. "Honestly, Sirius, he didn't say," he insisted, snapping his attention back to Sirius. "But, if I had to wager a guess, yeah… I would say it was."
Marlene stepped up next to Remus, her hand pressing between his shoulder blades. "Sirius… can we not talk about this now? We should wait until one evening when Harry is sleeping."
Sirius licked his bottom lip. "Nah, I think I want to talk about this now."
Marlene sucked in a breath, her attention fully on Remus. "Would you like to come up for some tea, Remus?"
He agreed. The group trudged up the three floors to their little flat. Sirius helped Harry out of his winter gear while Marlene put on some tea. Remus lingered in the parlor, coat still on, as he peered at all the photos that covered the walls, shelves, and mantel. Marlene was good about switching out the pictures, keeping up with Harry's ever-changing appearance as he steadily grew older and older. The kid had started to lose a bit of his baby fat, probably from running around like a little maniac at all hours of the day.
Once out of his wet clothes, Harry scampered off towards the kitchen after Marlene. Sirius hung up his jacket, scarf, hat, and mittens before he placed his boots in the boot tray. Sirius shoved his leather gloves into the pocket of his jacket before he hung it up. He placed his boots neatly next to Harry's.
"I know I was taking the piss out of you, but you really are doing a good job," Remus mused, picking up a picture of Sirius and Harry cuddled close together with matching 1982 hats on their heads for New Years. "Harry always liked you the best," he mused as he placed the picture back on the shelf. "Nice hats."
"Are we seriously going to have this talk again?" Sirius snapped harsher than he intended to.
"No," Remus sighed, turning to face Sirius. "I'd be a shit godfather. You really were the best choice. This," he added, waving his hand at the pictures on the mantel, "is proof to that. I have never seen Harry so… animated, I guess. Normally, when I'd come around, Harry clung to James. If you were there, he clung to you and you'd whisk him away upstairs or something."
Sirius nodded. "Well, I'll keep in mind that you think you'd be a shit godfather when Marly and I pick godparents."
Remus laughed, his fingers rubbing against his mouth. "I don't want it," he insisted. "Really, I don't. So, don't feel like you have to name me godfather because we're the only ones left. I have no idea what to even do with a kid. Besides, I might scare the kid when I turn into a bloodthirsty monster once a month."
"Right," Sirius said shortly. "Because you would absolutely come around on a full moon."
Remus let out a huff. "I'm just saying… never mind. This is a stupid conversation anyway."
Sirius nodded, his eyes squinting at Remus. "So, do you want to tell me about your trek to the Balkans now? Or are you going to be all mysterious?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Dumbledore received correspondence from Newt Scamander that outside of Brussels a dark mist was being tracked by the Belgium Ministry," Remus started, his hands finding their way back into his pockets. "A dead unicorn drained of its blood was found in the Sonian Forest. Whatever killed it left a very dark magical signature behind. I was able to track it to Croatia with Newt's help. Then, it was like the trail just ended. The magical signature was… it was like it Apparated away. I hunted around the Balkans for a bit to try to pick it back up, but I had no luck. Tina Scamander flagged it with the Ministries where she has connections."
Sirius raised his eyebrows. "You were running around Europe with Newt Scamander?"
"Oh, yeah, it was lovely," Remus said in a sarcastic tone. "It's a lot of fun living in a magical suitcase with an eighty-year-old man and his hundreds of animals."
Sirius crossed his arms over his chest. "Did he think it was Voldemort too you were tracking?"
"He was inclined to believe it," Remus confirmed. "Said whatever was draining the unicorns probably couldn't survive without the blood. There was a trail of them we followed until Croatia."
Before Sirius could press further, Harry came bounding into the room with a biscuit in each hand. His wild hair bounced on his head as he called out for Sirius with a wide grin on his face. Sirius bent down to catch the kid in his arms before he picked him up. Harry held out one of the bourbon creams in his hand and Sirius declined it. The kid didn't complain as he munched on both biscuits, alternating in taking bites between them.
Marlene entered the room holding a plate of biscuits as a tray with tea levitated in front of her. "How do you take your tea, Remus?" Marlene asked as the tray settled on the end table.
"A splash of milk," Remus replied. "Thanks, Marlene," he added as he plucked a bourbon cream off the plate.
"Don't eat too many of them," Sirius warned. "Those are Marlene's new pregnancy craving."
"Don't listen to him, Remus," Marlene retorted as she handed Remus a cup of tea. "You have as many as you want. I'll just send Sirius out to Tesco to get more."
"I need to find you something else to obsess over because I don't think I could ever eat another bourbon cream again because of you," Sirius insisted as he hiked Harry up in his arms. "I find them rather revolting now."
Marlene took a bite of the biscuit and smiled at Sirius. "I find you revolting for hating my favorite biscuit," she quipped as she handed Harry another one. "Harry likes them. Don't you, love?"
"Harry would eat anything with chocolate in it," Sirius replied, pulling his head back as Harry munched on the biscuit.
Marlene shrugged as she turned her attention to Remus. "Did you boys talk about your adventures?"
"Yeah, we did," Remus replied before taking a sip of his tea.
Marlene raised her eyebrows. "And?"
Remus retold the story with ease while Sirius sat down on the sofa with Harry in his lap. Sirius paid attention, trying to catch another bit of new information but there was none. When the tale finished, Marlene glanced over at Sirius. He couldn't tell her it would be all right or that they must be mistaken. Sirius didn't believe Voldemort was actually dead. Dumbledore thought the same. If he was surviving off unicorn blood, wouldn't that be easy to track? Surely, it was only a matter of time before Remus could pick the trail up again.
Marlene cleared her throat, gesturing towards the sofa. "Take a seat, Remus. We haven't heard from you in months. Let's catch up," she said in a shaky voice as she took a seat next to Sirius.
They did. Marlene and Remus carried the conversation as Sirius added in his two Knuts every now and then. At some point, Sirius slid off the sofa with Harry so they could color on the coffee table. Harry sat on his lap as he drew big circles in his coloring book. Sirius lazily made straight lines on the corner of the page.
It all felt so familiar yet so different at the same time. This was what their friendship group had been reduced to. The only living person missing, who hadn't betrayed them, was Mary, but she rarely came around as is. She had always been more distant, just like Remus had been. Sirius didn't realize just how much he had taken James' company for granted. The world seemed a lot lonelier without James' massive personality filling the room. Sirius realized he was a lot quieter without his best mate by his side. Honestly, he didn't know how to fix that. Nor did he even know if he cared to try.
That night, Sirius laid in bed with his arms propped up behind his head. He stared at the swirl pattern in the ceiling as he tried not to think about James. His mind had been on his best mate for a majority of the day. The feelings of guilt clawed at his chest, piercing his heart. The bed dipped as Marlene took a seat, her hands rubbing her lotion into her skin.
"It was nice seeing Remus today," Marlene commented, turning to face him.
Sirius glanced over at her. "Yeah, it was."
Marlene's hands fell into her lap. "You were quiet."
"I'm not angry with Remus or anything anymore," Sirius insisted. "It's just… it's different, I suppose."
"Sirius, can I say something that may upset you?" Marlene asked, her eyebrows tugging down.
"Sure," Sirius replied in a defeated tone.
Marlene placed a hand on Sirius' chest, her thumb brushing against the soft fabric of his shirt. Sirius waited patiently for her to say something. It was probably something about appreciating the people he had left in his life. Or maybe something about how he and Remus could become closer than ever with a little work. Perhaps how he shouldn't be upset that Remus had gone MIA since his mission made it difficult to communicate.
"I think you need to talk to someone," Marlene explained in a gentle tone. "Because I think… I don't think you're dealing with things all that well."
"What? What do you mean?" Sirius asked, his brows furrowing.
Marlene sighed, her head cocking to the side. "Love, look at how the afternoon with Remus went. You played with Harry nearly the entire time. You barely socialized."
Sirius knew she was right. He didn't know why he didn't feel like talking, but he hadn't. Honestly, he was more than content to focus all of his attention and energy on Harry. What was wrong with that?
"What does it matter?" Sirius asked.
"Sirius, love, I'm just worried about you," Marlene conceded. "That's all. I'm worried that you're a tad bit depressed."
"I'm not depressed," Sirius snapped.
Marlene sucked in a breath. "Okay, but I do worry about you. The guilt you carry around with you. Your lack of interest in things you used to love. I want you to be happy."
Sirius swallowed. "I am happy," he croaked. "I'm happy with our family."
"I know you love our family," Marlene replied with a frown. "I'm not saying you don't. I just… I just don't think it would hurt to talk to someone."
Sirius' heart cinched in his chest. He just wanted to speak to James one last time. He wanted to tell him he was sorry, that it should have been him, that he'd protect Harry with his dying breath. But he couldn't do that. Somehow that made it impossible for him to move into the acceptance stage of his grief.
"I just miss them, Marly," Sirius whispered, his eyes flickering across her face. "What's wrong with that? Don't you miss them?"
"I do miss them, Sirius," Marlene whispered, tears brimming her eyes. "There are plenty of things that remind me of them. Sometimes it makes me sad and sometimes it makes me happy to remember them. But, Sirius, you won't even talk about them. Whenever they're mentioned, you clam up. Merlin forbid if Peter's name crops up into a conversation."
Sirius scoffed. "Peter is the reason they're dead. I fucking hate him. Why the hell would I want to talk about him?"
Marlene's face tugged down. "I'm just saying… it might help you cope with their deaths a bit better if you talked to a professional who can help you work through it. You go days without talking to anyone except for Harry and me."
"That's not true," Sirius argued, even though he knew it was a little true. "Andy's always up my fucking arse about something."
Marlene sighed. "All right, I'll give you that. Andy and Ted are always checking in."
"Just the other day Dora firecalled and didn't stop talking for two bloody hours," Sirius added. "I don't know how she could even stand afterwards."
"Sirius…" Marlene trailed off. "I'm just concerned is all. I know how much James meant to you. I know he was always there for you. You two were brothers. Inseparable."
Sirius cleared his throat, his eyes looking back up at the ceiling. "I'm not depressed, Marlene."
"Okay, I hear you, Sirius," Marlene whispered, her hand trailing down his chest towards his stomach. "I'm just worried about you is all. You used to read mystery novels and do the crossword. Now all I see you reading is books about wards and defensive spells."
"I just want to protect my family," Sirius replied, because that was his fucking job.
"I know you've been anxious for a while… ever since we heard the prophecy," Marlene continued. "But your anxiety has only gotten worse since Halloween."
"I'm fine, Marlene," Sirius said in a flat tone, not wanting to discuss this any further.
He was fine. He knew he was fine. He had legitimate reasons to be worried all the damn time. His best mates were murdered. His godson was in danger. His insane family was up to something. Once things calmed down a bit more, he knew he'd start to feel better. They still needed to find a permanent residence because he really didn't want to raise two kids in their tiny flat. They deserved a garden and more space to run about. Harry deserved to fly outside with the wind in his hair.
"I love you, Sirius," Marlene said, knocking him out of his thoughts. "All I want is for you to be happy."
Sirius glanced back over at her. "I love you too. And I really am happy, Marly. I'm just grieving still. It's a hard thing to, to come to terms with."
Marlene bent down close to him. Her soft lips brushed briefly against his before their foreheads connected. Sirius inhaled her eucalyptus and mint shampoo, his hands cupping her face. He titled her head and captured her lips against his once more with an eagerness that wasn't there before. Being with Marlene always cleared his mind. And he desperately needed not to think in that moment.
Marlene lounged on the sofa, her feet resting in Sirius' lap. A book about wards sat propped up on her ankle. While one hand held the book steady, Sirius' other hand rubbed along her calf. Her hand pressed against her large bump. She was officially thirty-three weeks exactly and wished she was further along. Her head lolled to the side to see Harry and Archibald scampering around the parlor chasing after his toy Snitch. Ole Archie would jump up to bat it closer to Harry. Although, Marlene suspected Harry didn't need the help. He seemed to have no problems catching the little play Snitch he received for Christmas. Marlene wondered if they should get him a real one to practice with.
After nearly four months of living with Sirius and Marlene, Harry seemed completely at ease in his new environment. Her heart felt full knowing they had done that. They had brought Harry back to the happy kid he had been after such a traumatic event. With the Snitch in his hand, Harry turned towards the sofa. He grinned at Marlene before he dashed over to her, his wild dark hair bouncing on his head.
"Mawlee!" Harry chirped.
Marlene touched his arm, smiling at him. "Yes, love?"
"Mawlee, cweams!" Harry replied, his big green eyes sparkling.
Sirius sighed at the request, his head shaking. While Harry shared her sweet tooth, Sirius did not. With Marlene's latest pregnancy craving consistently being bourbon creams for the entire month of February, she wondered if he was growing tired of always buying them in bulk.
"Oh. Love, we're all out," Marlene said in a sad tone, her bottom lip protruding out. "They're all gone."
Harry's little face fell at the realization.
"If only you had a sucker for a godfather," Marlene teased.
A sly smile crossed Harry's face as he turned towards Sirius. "See-See! See-See!"
Sirius looked up from his book, a crooked smile crossing his face. "Your godmother is a bad influence on you."
Marlene shifted her feet so she could poke him with her toes. "Are you really going to deny your children some very delicious biscuits? Not only does Harry want some, but the baby does as well."
Sirius let out a bark-like laugh, dog-earring the page he was on. "Are you sure it's the baby who wants bourbon creams and not you?" he asked, glancing over in her direction.
Marlene rubbed the top of her bump. "Which one would make you want to go out and get some more?"
Sirius grinned. "Either," he replied as he tossed his book on the end table.
Marlene smiled. "Well, in that case, you should probably get three packs. You know, one for each of us."
Sirius rolled his eyes as he leaned forward and ruffled Harry's hair. "I'll go get some, all right?"
Harry did a little whoop before he scampered off to Archibald. He dropped to his knees, a string of babbles escaping his lips as he ran his hand along the cat's back. Archibald bumped his head against Harry's leg, accepting the affection.
Sirius patted Marlene's thigh. She lifted her feet to allow him to stand. He bent down towards her, his hand pressing against the back of the sofa to steady himself. Marlene raised up just slightly to peck him on the lips.
"You are my favorite person," Marlene said, grinning.
Sirius chuckled. "I'd bloody well hope so. Be sort of embarrassing to be engaged to someone who only thought I was all right," he said as he rose to his full height. "Anything else you want? I can take the kid with me if you want to take a bath or something."
A flutter occurred deep in her chest. "Nah, he's fine. You just try to drag him away from that Snitch."
Harry and Archibald were back to galloping around the parlor after his toy Snitch, happy as a bowtruckle. Besides, Marlene was always trying to get Sirius to leave the house without Harry in tow. She thought it would be beneficial for both of them to be separated a bit.
"Can't risk not being his favorite," Sirius quipped, his eyes watching Harry as a soft smile danced on his face.
Marlene rolled her eyes. "I'll win him over," she promised in a teasing tone. "Just wait until he finds out you don't actually like Quidditch."
Sirius shook his head, checking his pockets and pulling his wallet out. "It can be a tad boring."
Marlene scoffed. "You're boring!"
Sirius grinned as he rifled through the Muggle money. "If I'm so boring, then why are you having my baby?"
"Just because the sex is good doesn't mean you're not boring," Marlene replied with a smirk.
Sirius licked his bottom lip, glancing down at her. "You do remember that you are asking me to leave at eight in the evening to buy you three boxes of biscuits, don't you? Not to mention, the way you two demolish the boxes make me nauseous. I don't know how you don't vomit from all that sugar."
"Harry and I have been steadily building up our tolerance the past couple of months," Marlene replied with a grin.
"Right," Sirius replied with a soft chuckle. "Do you have the Muggle card? I don't think I have enough on me to satisfy your biscuit obsession."
"I think it's in my handbag," Marlene replied as she waved in the direction of the front door. "It's on table over there."
"All right, I'll grab it on my way out," he said as he folded his wallet. "Be back soon. Love you."
"Love you," Marlene said, watching as he made his way to the table by the front door.
Marlene turned back to Harry. He didn't seem to notice that Sirius was getting ready to leave. She vaguely wondered if Sirius would say anything to him since he was so engrossed in his game with Archibald. Marlene didn't know what was the better approach with Harry. He still seemed to get a little upset on the rare occasion when Sirius left the house without him.
"Oi, did you get a potion?" Sirius called.
Marlene struggled to sit up so she could peer at him over the sofa. "Oh, yeah, I needed more prenatal potion."
"Do you want it?" Sirius asked as he pulled the card from her purse.
"Nah, I'll get up in a moment and take it before I forget," she assured him.
Sirius nodded as he placed the card in his wallet. He turned to where Harry was playing. Sirius must have been thinking the same thing Marlene was, because he hesitated on saying goodbye to Harry.
"Oi, kid, I'll be back with biscuits, yeah?" Sirius called out to him.
Harry dropped what he was doing and bolted towards Sirius. Crouching down, Sirius caught Harry in a tight embrace. Sirius pressed a kiss onto Harry's temple before pulling back.
"I'll be back, okay?" Sirius repeated, making eye contact with Harry.
Harry nodded. "Bye, See-See," he said in a slightly hesitant tone.
Sirius pressed his hands on either side of Harry's face before tugging him closer to press another kiss on his forehead. When Sirius stood up, Harry dashed back over to where he was playing with Archibald. Marlene let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, her gaze locking with Sirius'. He offered her an upside-down smile and a shrug.
After Sirius left, Harry sniffled a little bit as Archibald bumped his head against the toddler's leg. It took him a few moments, but Harry resumed playing. Marlene watched him play for a little bit. She could tell the moment that Archibald had enough, because he slinked underneath the sofa. Despite Harry's best efforts to reach him by attempting to wiggling his body in after the cat, Archibald stayed just out of reach.
"Why don't we go make some tea for the biscuits?" Marlene suggested, swinging her legs off the sofa. "Sound good, love?"
Harry pouted, his hand tapping against the floor in an attempt to entice the cat.
"Let me just grab my potion quick," Marlene added, though she was fairly certain Harry wasn't even listening to her.
Marlene crossed the room to where her handbag sat on the table by the front door. She found the potion bag easily enough and lifted it out. A shimmer at the bottom of her bag caught her eye. Setting the potion onto the table, she reached inside her handbag. Her fingers brushed across something smooth and she pulled it out. Her breath hitched in her throat as her eyes locked on the bracelet that Walburga had given her weeks ago.
Her trembling fingers held the piece of jewelry. She hadn't touched it since she placed it in her desk drawer at work. She certainly hadn't put it in her handbag. Then, out of nowhere, the snake blinked at her. Familiar gray replaced the green and stared up at her. Marlene's breaths came out in ragged huffs as the bracelet slipped from her fingers, clattering against the hardwood floor.
Marlene wheeled around to see Harry had moved on from trying to reach Archibald. He stood at his kitchen set making two cups of carrot tea. Marlene bolted towards her godson, scooping him up in her arms and cradling him tightly against her chest.
"Mawlee?" Harry asked in a surprised voice, his little brows furrowing on his face.
Before Marlene could answer him, a pounding sounded at the front door. The walls shook violently as the wards crumbled. Marlene's eyes darted around the room and she caught sight of the toy box. She dashed towards it, quickly settling Harry inside.
"Mawlee!" Harry cried, his green eyes widening.
"Shh, love," Marlene hushed him as she grabbed the stuff black dog off the floor and shoved it into his arms. "We're going to play hide and seek, all right? You're hiding," she instructed as she closed the lid on the sobbing toddler.
She pressed the tip of her wand to the lid, locking and silencing the toy box. There were handle slots on the sides so she knew he'd be able to breathe. Rising up to her full height, she put space between her and the toy box. Her trembling arm raised just as the door flung off its hinges.
Bellatrix Lestrange stepped in first, flanked by the Lestrange brothers and Barty Crouch Junior. Marlene stopped breathing upon seeing them, her body paralyzed with fear. She'd never be able to take them by herself. She was a fair dueler, but not good enough for a four on one battle. All she wanted was Sirius to burst through the door. If he was there, she was confident they'd be all right. Sirius was a fighter who could manipulate his surroundings with perfect execution during a duel. It wasn't a surprise given how he had trained with Fleamont after he joined the Order. If anyone could win a four on one duel, it was Sirius.
"Oh, Marly, are you scared?" Bellatrix taunted in a baby voice.
"What do you want?" Marlene asked in an even tone.
Bellatrix smirked, bending down to pick up the bracelet and sliding it on her wrist next to a matching one. "Oh, I want wittle bittle Harry," she explained, closing the space between them. "I want your baby too. She is a Black, after all. Even if she's the bastard daughter of my degenerate baby cousin."
Marlene held her breath and thought of Sirius, taking a step back. She thought of him holding Harry in his arms and leaning down to kiss her. She thought of their little family and a baby girl with tuft of black hair. Marlene twirled her wrist and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" A giant silvery dog escaped the tip of her wand and glided through the air towards the wall. Bellatrix slashed her wand and black smoke smothered the Patronus, dragging it to the ground and swallowing it whole.
Marlene's heart sank to the floor as she whipped her wand towards the group of Death Eaters. Before she could utter a spell, her wand flew from her fingertips. Marlene stumbled back as she tried to keep breathing, her eyes flickering around the room for a weapon. Anything.
"Where is baby Potter?" Bellatrix asked, trailing her fingers along the back of the sofa. "I know he's here. Only my worthless cousin left earlier."
Marlene positioned herself near the fireplace where tool set was located.
"We've been keeping tabs on you for a while," Bellatrix continued, wagging her wrist to show the matching snake bracelets. "We've followed you to and from work. We've followed Sirius around town with his little baby. I ran into him at the market one day. Did he tell you? You'll be happy to know he had no interest in another woman flirting with him."
Marlene should have listened to Sirius. They should have run when his gut was telling him to. Except she had been naive and stupid. She didn't want to run their entire lives. She wanted to build a home with a family. Merlin, she missed having a family so much. There was no one to turn to anymore. No mother. No best friend. No sister-in-law. No grandmother. They had all been ripped away from her in the span of a few months. Marlene missed it. She missed family dinners and birthday celebrations and constantly having somewhere to go.
Her longing for what she no longer had put them all in danger. The thought that maybe there were more Blacks like Andromeda and Sirius seemed silly now. For her to hope that Sirius' family could be anything like her family had been completely mental. She knew that. But her grief hadn't allowed her to see reason. She only saw Harry and her daughter growing up isolated with no big family gatherings. Most of all, she just wanted her mum. She wanted her mum in the worst way that she couldn't see just how badly Walburga had been manipulating her.
Bellatrix picked up a photo of the end table of Sirius and Harry building a lopsided snowman taken a few weeks ago. It had been Lily's birthday and she had loved the snow. Marlene thought it was Sirius' way of silently remembering her by doing something with Harry that she loved.
"So adorable," Bellatrix cooed. "You know, it's been… interesting to see a softer side from my baby cousin. He's normally so angry and unapproachable. But watching him with the Potter boy… well, I never would have thought he could be so patient and loving."
The photo slipped from Bellatrix's fingers. The glass shattered instantly upon impact. Marlene's kept her gaze locked on Bellatrix's face, focusing on her piercing gray eyes. They were the same exact shade as Sirius'. Somehow, all the Black family members had been bestowed the same light coloring. While Sirius' eyes held a softness to them, Bellatrix did not possess that same quality. No, her eyes glinted manically in the light, crazed and menacing.
"Now, Marly, honey, tell us where the Potter child is," Bellatrix instructed, her voice lacing with a fake sweetness.
"He's with Sirius," Marlene lied, her chin tilting up. "He left with Sirius."
Bellatrix's eyes flashed. "Didn't your mummy and daddy ever teach you it wasn't nice to lie?" she spat. "Grab her."
Rabastan and Rodolphus rushed forward. Marlene grabbed the poker behind her just in time to swing it at Rabastan. The tip pierced Rabastan's arm and he howled. Rodolphus jumped her, the poker slipping from her fingers as he pinned her arms to her side. She struggled with everything she had in her, but it was no use. He was too strong.
"I like it when filth like you struggle," Rodolphus hissed in her ear.
Ice crawled across her skin, her chest tightening so much that she could barely breath. It took everything she had in her not to look at the toy box. She couldn't give away any indication of where Harry was. A sob crawled up her throat. She could only imagine how scared he was, locked away in his toy box in the dark. While she placed a silencing charm so no one could hear him, she should have placed one so he couldn't hear what was going on around him. But she hadn't been thinking. She just wanted him safe.
"Stick her to the floor," Bellatrix instructed in a cold tone. "Then find the baby."
Rodolphus flung her to the floor at Bellatrix's feet. Before she could scramble up, her limbs jerked into place, spreading her like a starfish. She tried to move her arms, but she couldn't. She was effectively stuck to the floor like a bug stuck in a trap. Rodolphus and a bleeding Rabastan disappeared towards the back of the flat to the bedrooms. Barty Crouch stepped up next to Bellatrix. Marlene never would have guessed he would have gone dark, the Ravenclaw two years below her from a good family.
"You're like my little pet now," Bellatrix cooed as she knelt down beside Marlene and stroked the side of her stomach. "I'm going to have fun slicing this baby out of you."
A sob escaped Marlene's lips, tears spilling down the sides of her face. She could hear the Lestrange brothers tearing apart the bedrooms, things being thrown about carelessly. Her home she had been building for the past couple of months with Sirius was reduced to being trashed.
"Please," Marlene choked out even though it was useless.
Bellatrix brushed the back of her hand against Marlene's cheek. "Oh, baby, aren't you a little darling thing? So desperately in need of being trained not to speak out of turn. You're only allowed to talk if I give you permission to do so," she explained as the contact ceased. "I think you need punished for being such a bad girl."
Bellatrix waved her wand and Marlene's shirt vanished into thin air. Marlene's chest heaved as Bellatrix settled the wand on her breast. With a glint in her eye, she dragged the wand across her skin. A stinging pain erupted as blood blossomed. Marlene made a sound in the back of her throat, trying not to give Bellatrix any satisfaction. With all of her might, she strained against the charm holding her to the floor. Her muscles tensed and strained but the limbs stayed stubbornly stuck.
"Where is the boy, pet?" Bellatrix cooed.
Marlene gasped. "I told you. He's with Sirius. They went to London for the day," she said, sticking to her original lie.
Bellatrix laughed cruelly. "Oh, pet, I don't believe that for a moment! Barty, do you believe the little thing?"
Crouch sneered. "I don't. She's lying."
"I think so too," Bellatrix said, tsking. "I'll just have to figure it out myself," she commented as she pressed the tip of her wand to Marlene's temple.
Images flashed in front of Marlene's eyes. Sirius and Harry decorating the Christmas tree. Harry laughing as he rode his toy broom. Sirius breaking down during James and Lily's funeral. Sirius cuddling Harry in their bed after one of his nightmares. Harry's childish voice calling her name.
Marlene knew she had to shut down her mind. It was one thing that Dumbledore insisted they all learn when they joined the Order of the Phoenix in case they were captured and tortured. She and Lily had practiced for countless hours, attacking each other's minds and blocking each other out for nearly two weeks. Sirius hadn't needed the lessons. He had been a natural Occlumens, claiming it was the only useful Black family trait he had received. Sirius had spent days helping James accomplish it.
Marlene forced her mind to go blank. The voices and sounds becoming muffled as the images faded to black. She grappled to keep her mind a dark abyss despite the pain shooting across her forehead. When the connection broke, Marlene gasped for air as she choked out sobs.
"You just had to make this hard on yourself, didn't you?" Bellatrix cooed. "Crucio!"
Marlene couldn't help it. She screamed, her throat ripping in two as hot knives stabbed across every single inch of her body. Her mind went numb, unable to think of anything except for the excruciating pain. When the pain lifted, Marlene only continued to sob as her muscles twitched.
"Where is the Potter baby?" Bellatrix asked in a cool voice.
A gasping sob escaped Marlene's lips as she rolled onto her side into the fetal position. It was then that she realized she was no longer stuck to the floor. Bellatrix must have wanted to see her withering in pain. Bellatrix asked her again about Harry but she wouldn't answer her. Couldn't. She only hoped the charms held on the toy box to keep Harry hidden. A longing for Sirius flitted across her mind before the pain started over again. She could only hope Sirius arrived home before it was too late.
Marlene's body shuddered, shockwaves wrecking across her body. Bellatrix dug her nails into Marlene's chin, forcing her to look up at her. Marlene could barely see her through the tears on her lashes. All she could make out was the dark hair and piercing gray eyes that stood out like lampposts in the dark.
"Sirius," Marlene gasped.
Bellatrix's thumb brushed across Marlene's bottom lip, dragging it roughly to the side before she let go. When her hand brushed against Marlene's hair, she couldn't help but lean into the touch. She pretended it was Sirius with her.
"You're so pretty, aren't you?" Bellatrix said in her little baby voice.
The nails piercing her cheeks disappeared. Bellatrix's hand trailed down her body, over her breasts, and then landing on her stomach. Marlene tried to bat her hand away, but her arm flopped on the floor feeling like it weighed a ton.
"I could cut her out right now," Bellatrix commented casually, her sharp nail running down the center of her stomach. "But then you'd die too quickly, wouldn't you? Put you out of your misery."
Marlene only breathed heavily.
"I like the idea of you writing a goodbye letter to my baby cousin," Bellatrix mused, her hand leaving Marlene's stomach and then pressing the tip of her wand to the center of her stomach. "Maybe force you to write it in your own blood. I think Sirius would appreciate the creativeness. What do you think?"
Marlene didn't respond. She couldn't. Fear gripped her vocal cords as she thought about her baby dying at the hands of Bellatrix.
"You speak when I demand it, you filthy blood traitor bitch," Bellatrix hissed, her wand snapping.
The pain came back with a vengeance. She couldn't tell where the pain began or ended. Even after the spell lifted, she suspected she had continued to scream and wither on the floor like a fish out of water. Her muscles twitched involuntarily as her stomach began to cramp uncomfortably.
"I'll only ask you one last time," Bellatrix warned, tapping her harshly against the cheek. "Do you think Sirius would appreciate the creativeness of a blood written letter from you?"
Marlene screwed her eyes shut. "No," she rasped.
"Hmm, I think he would," Bellatrix leveled as though they were merely discussing the weather.
Footsteps sounded. Marlene forced her eyes open to see the Lestrange brothers approaching them.
"Bedroom are empty," Rodolphus explained.
"Check the kitchen," Bellatrix snapped. "Check the cupboards. Check bloody everything."
The brothers split up. Rabastan stomped off to the kitchen while Rodolphus walked around the parlor. A low growl emitted in the back of Bellatrix's throat, her fingers carding through Marlene's sweaty hair. Her fingers tightened around the locks, causing Marlene to whimper as pain slithered across her scalp.
"Tell me where he is," Bellatrix demanded in a low voice.
"Not here," Marlene choked out.
Bellatrix sighed heavily. "Fine, we'll do this the hard way."
More pain stabbed across her limbs. More screams. More tears and muscles twitching. Marlene didn't know how much longer she could take it. All she wanted was for it to end in any way possible. She had never wished for death more.
Here's the latest chapter! Don't forget to drop a review. They inspire me to keep writing and chugging along.
Special thanks to prewettpotter for looking this over for me!