Book II: Age of the Phoenix
Chapter XX: Doctor's In
Music Theme: Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac
Gryffindor Tower - June 1976...
Sirius sauntered into his dormitory and instantly heard "The First Cut is the Deepest" playing on the victrola. He grumbled and swished his wand to halt the record from spinning, "Immobilus." The vinyl scratched but James didn't look up from his seat on his bed where he just twirled his wand around his fingers. "I've been waiting by the Great Hall for you for thirty minutes and you've been up here with Rod Stewart?"
James didn't reply. He was surrounded by crumpled bits of paper, on them failed sketches he'd started but wasn't able to finish. Sirius knew his friend turned to his drawings as a way to focus and ground himself, but the sheer volume of paper on the ground suggested that nothing was clearing James Potter's mind.
"Prongs? I thought we were going to change out the cauldron with the dung ones. I've got everything we need."
"Not today Padfoot. Maybe ask Wormtail to help you."
"He's with Remus in the library studying for O.W.L.s."
"Then maybe you should join them."
"You know Remus and I still aren't speaking," Sirius grumbled sadly.
"Oh. Right." James said appearing to be mentally a million miles away.
"This is about earlier isn't it? With Snape?"
James didn't reply and Sirius just let out an exhausted sigh and flopped onto the bed next to James who couldn't help but smirk, seeing where this was going. "Glasses..."
"Sirius..."
"The doctor's in," he insisted. "Now hand them over."
James handed his glasses to Sirius who put them on as James reclined on the bed.
"Now tell me, patient," Sirius said in a posh voice, "What seems to be troubling you."
"Well doctor, I can't get Lily Evans out of my head."
"Ew..."
"I mean what happened!" He snapped. "I just stood there like a dolt while someone called her a mud- well, you know."
"But you couldn't have stopped that. It's not your fault Snape is a greasy haired, know-it-all, pretentious, big-nosed, annoying, snotty, creepy, nerdy, unstylish, big-nosed Slytherin with no taste or sense of style."
"But it is my fault he was heated enough to call her names!" James insisted. "And you used, 'big-nose' twice."
"Well have you seen the size of it," Sirius smiled. "James, do you really think you're to blame for yesterday."
"Well, I guess I'm not to blame..."
"Good."
"But I didn't exactly help. Snape was lashing out at us and she got caught in the cross-fire."
"Then she needs to mind her damn business and stay out of the way, like she said. She won't interfere moving forward."
"But I want her... to..." The words came out faster than James knew he was saying them.
Sirius just removed James' glasses and stared at his friend. "You do?" When James didn't reply he said. "Prongs, have you been feuding with Snape for Evans attention this whole time?"
"I don't know. Not at first, but now... I just don't know." When no reply came from Sirius, James hesitantly looked at him. He caught a glimpse of betrayal on his friend's face as James revealed parts of his heart he was still trying to understand. He could tell Sirius was conflicted and uneasy about the whole thing."It's probably nothing. I just like annoying her, I'm sure. Just like you enjoy teasing her roommates. Like McKinnon and Delaney."
"Yea. I guess."
"It's not too late to maybe swap out one or two cauldron's with the ones made of dung. How about one of theirs?"
Sirius grinned and nodded. "Deal."
As he passed James' glasses back to him and lead the way out of Gryffindor tower though, James couldn't help but feel a shift in his desire to cause mischeif. So much had happed this year already between he and his friends and now he felt a change between him and Lily. He reached down and unfolded one of the crumbled papers on the floor and stared at the unfishied picture of the red-haired witch which he quickly tore up so that Sirius would never see it.
McKinnon Castle - February 13, 1980...
"Should you be out of bed?' Fabian asked Marvin McKinnon when he spotted him in the bathroom. It had been a few days a few days since his rescue and Marlene had finally let him out of her sight.
"I can't stay there one second more," Marivn mumbled with a toothbrush in his mouth. He spat out the paste then began washing his face. "It's not like I have Dragon Pox. I'm just a bit banged up." He betrayed himself when he winced at the pain of his bruised eye.
"Convincing," Fabian grunted. "Maybe I should get your brother or sister."
Marvin sharply said, "You mutter one word to Marley about me out of bed and I'll glue you to the ceiling for a week."
"She just takes your care seriously," Fabian chuckled.
"Nah, it's more than that. She blames herself. So does Ang." Marvin grabbed the towl and wiped off the remaining soap then leaned on the sink to assist with his sore bones. "Maybe it's for the best though. Their obsession with my care has distracted them from all the tension regarding Angus' secrets and the discovery of your brother underneath mine."
"No need for a visual, McKinnon," Fabian grimmaced.
"I wish I could have seen your face when they emerged from that bloody bedroom," he laughed then doubled over and grabbed his ribs.
Fabian's cross expression turned to concern and he started towards his friend, only for the young man to raise his hand and mutter, "Don't sweat it. I'm fine." He composed himself then said, "I would have told you about Gideon but I didn't really have proof."
"I still can't believe you suspected something since school. It all makes sense though. Never understood why it took the both of them so long to go put the quaffle up after Quidditch practice."
"Ah the magic of the pitch. Under the bleachers, inside the broom shed, such magical snogging spots."
"I'd rather picture you and Cissa Black there rather than our brothers." Fabian felt instant guilt for bringing her up when he saw Marvin's face. "Sorry..."
"It's ok. She was there at Lestrange Manor. I didn't get to see her, but she knew I was there... and she left me."
Fabian closed the door to the bathroom behind him so nobody could hear and said, "Be honest mate. What happened at Lestrange's?"
"Some cruciatus curses to start. A few blows to my head. That's all."
"That's all? I feel like Lestrange always goes too far."
"Really mate. It wasn't that bad. I'd remember if it was worse."
"I'm just glad everything has healing. Lily does wonders with those charms. You should have let her give you a proper look-over."
"I wasn't going to strip down in front of Potter's wife with him and half of the Order standing right there," Marvin chuckled. "But I am feeling a bit of an itch on me back. I wonder if you'd make sure there isn't a wound back there scabbing over."
"Sure mate, but please no cheeky jokes while you disrobe. Still a bit in shock about our brothers."
"There's nothing to worry about with them, mate. Your brother's a good lad and he's brought the best out of Angus." Marvin slipped off his shirt and turned his back to Fabian. "Then again, you Prewetts bring the best out of everyone, which is probably why Mary's trusted you. Have you told anyone else what you told me about seeing her in Knockturn Alley?"
"No," Fabian sighed. "I haven't had the heart to. I guess I feel so betrayed. Maybe she's been hexed or is under the imperious curse and just forgot from the trauma of it all." He finally looked up to examine Marvin's back and went quiet.
"Give her a chance to explain, just be cautious. I feel like someone would remember and admit if they were abused. The mind can't block everything out, can it?" Silence followed and Marvin glanced over his shoulder at Fabian who looked white as a sheet, staring at his friend's back.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, mate. You said all Lestrange did was hex you?"
"Aye... why?"
Fabian approached his friend and careflly positioned him in front of the mirror then nodded towards it. Marvin looked behind him at the reflection and muttered an expression in Gelic under his breath.
Every inch of flesh on his back had been carved in with a short blade and was scabbing, the same word engraved in his skin over and over and over again - "Blood Traitor."
The Safe House - March 14, 1980...
The Safe House felt less like a sanctuary in the weeks that followed and more like detention as Sirius and Remus barely spoke to one another. Remus did everything he could to find forgiveness for what Sirius had done, but so much trust had been broken and when he looked at Sirius, all the painful memories came back to him. Now they avoided each other, adjusting their schedules to try eating at different times and going on missions separately.
His birthday came and went with a pall over it. He attempted to be joyful as he stared at the cupcake with a single candle in it, Lily singing Happy Birthday, James asking him to make a wish while Sirius just leaned against the wall, arms crossed, far away from the table where Peter sat with his head hung low as he clocked Remus' sad expression against the flickering candle flame.
Missions to find Max Forrestor and Tabitha's wand became fewer as they reaped no results and the urgent matters of the war grew more a priority. Despite Remus' protests at recent meetings, Dumbledore announced that wherever Tabitha was, she would have to face her foe alone as there were no resources to fight against Forrestor when he had the vow as a claim on her.
It was now the middle of March and the blades of green grass outside started to sprout through the melting snow.
James returned with Kip, concealed under the invisibility cloak, from the nearby Muggle village where they'd gathered their weekly supplies. As he entered, he heard the low bass of music playing somewhere in the house. "Lils?"
"That took forever," she said, emerging from the upstairs and pulling off his cloak without hesitation.
"How do you always know where I'm standing when I wear this thing. I swear between you and Albus, I never get away with anything."
She just smirked as she hung up the cloak on it's designated hook and James passed the remainder of the groceries to Kip who said, "Masters Potters and Kips needed a quick stop to Dumbledore."
"Albus was here?"
"He sent a Patronus to meet me in town."
"It's the middle of the school-year. He was able to get away from Hogwarts?"
"We didn't speak long. It was regarding Remus. At the last Order meeting, I told you I expressed my concern about him and Sirius."
"Well, everyone else noticed something was up. The two of them barely speak to each other."
"Well it got worse this morning."
"I thought I heard them arguing again," she sighed.
"It was a bad one...Sirius simply asked if he'd taken his potion and Remus lost his shit on him. He's easily triggered these days because he knows now that he's twenty, one mis-step before the moon could make him dangerous. Sirius knows that and was just trying to remind him to be cautious but I think Remus took it personally. Then you know how Sirius' smart-mouth doesn't help anything. I just thought they needed some space from each other while Remus processes everything."
"They do. Remus has been saying for weeks he want's to do more to refocus this pent up frustration into something productive. Now that we know he can control his transition on the moon, he wants to try helping other werewolves before it's too late for them."
"Dumbledore agreed and came up with a solution." James stopped and glanced up the steps when the volume increased on what sounded like music. "What is that?"
"Sirius borrowed one of my albums."
"One of yours?" His expression seemed concerned. "Which one? Fleetwood Mac? Elton John?"
"Croche..."
"Shit." James looked up the stairs. "That's not good."
"Go talk to him, James. I'll handle Remus."
Upstairs Sirius was sprawled out on his bed staring up at the ceiling. He'd cast a constellation of tiny stairs against it and watched them as he lay expressionless with the victrola blasting, "I'll Have to Say I Love you in a Song."
Sirius didn't even react to James' entry. "Charting your bedroom ceiling are you?" When Sirius didn't reply, James just ripped the album from under the needle and said, "What's next, John Denver? If you want to get into your feelings with my wife's taste of music then at least let it be a Wings song."
"Well I would have used Peter's Styx album but couldn't find it..."
"You disgust me," James chuckled as he put on a Fleetwood Mac album. He then took off his jacket and tossed it aside before flopping backwards on the the bed to lay beside Sirius. "Doctor's in..."
Sirius waited a moment before saying, "He hates me."
"Moony doesn't hate you."
"He doesn't trust me anymore. And that's not even the worst bit..."
"What's the worst bit?"
"I don't know if I can trust him anymore."
"Why not?"
"I know I told Moony to let his feelings out so they don't bottle up, but now he's letting those feelings control him. Maybe it has to do with him being twenty now."
"It's got everything to do with that, mate. Lils and I were just talking about it. If he wants to embrace his wolf and use it to help control it, then we should let him try. He's been rejecting it for years and only being half himself. Part of controlling it means letting emotions out and learning to manage them."
"He's grown so angry. What if we weren't on time with the potion to help his soul-"
"Oh good Godric," James grunted and sat up a bit on his side to stare down at Sirius. "Or maybe he just loved Delaney, Padfoot. Maybe he misses her. Maybe loosing his mother hurt him and he just needs to grieve. Just because you pushed away the only girl you felt deeply for and won't allow yourself to grieve for anyone doesn't mean everyone else must follow suit."
"I did grieve, ok?" Sirius snapped. "While you were at Saint Mungos I came home and processed everything. Your wife's probably the only person other than your mother who has seen me cry..."
James' expression softened. "You grieved with Lily?"
"Aye. She just," Sirius grumbled as if it was hard to admit all of this. "She sat with me in common room and let me get all the tears out. She held me a bit, stroked my head to calm me while I just bawled like a girl. I didn't want you to see me like that."
James just laid back down and thought before saying, "You don't have a crush on my wife, do you Padfoot?"
"Bloody hell, Prongs..."
"Well! I'm just saying! She didn't tell me!"
"Because I asked her not to. I like to present myself as stronger than all that nonsense."
"Ya know, Dad never let himself be emotional in front of us when I was growing up because he always wanted to be this perfect example of a man. But honestly, the day he lost his temper and yelled at your Dad on the platform and defended you was the day I felt like I really saw him for who he was and I respected him even more for giving into his feelings in that moment and protecting his family. We aren't robots, Padfoot. We're just men. Remus needs space to grieve just as you did when Mum died. Hearing you grieved with Lily actually comforts me because I was worried about how much you'd internalized things. You were getting so cold and bitter to everyone else. Remus is trying not to internalize things but he's managing all these feelings alone. Maybe... he needs space."
The two of them lay there a while, listening to the album until it scratched to a halt. "Do you still cry about it? Losing them?" Sirius asks.
"All the time, Padfoot," James said sadly. "I'll hear Lily talking about when the baby comes and how we'll manage and I just want to say, 'Don't worry. I'll ask Mum what to do,' then remember she's gone. I'll see a vintage car drive by or read the latest Quidditch stats and want to share it with Dad and then it all comes back to me. It hurts the same every time."
"Do you think that pain ever goes away?"
"I don't think so, mate. I think every time we remember they're gone it will hurt just as much. It just becomes less frequent with time. Right now, grief is still fresh for Moony and he's dealing with a worse visual of his mother's death than something as tame as Dragon Pox."
"I know."
"And he's facing those feelings alone. He doesn't have to, but he is. If he feels isolated around us, then maybe we need to give him a distraction."
"A distraction like what? A mission?"
"A little bit more than a mission..." James sat up and looked at Sirius. "Dumbledore had an idea. But you're not going to like it."
Room of Requirement - March 15, 1980...
"A werewolf colony?!" Angus gasped as everyone began to gather in the Room of Requirement for the next Order gathering.
"It was Dumbledore's idea," Remus said in the center of the small group. "If Greyback's willing to do Voldemort's dirty work for him it means he's been promised something in return. What else does he want other than an army of werewolves?"
"So you're going to live in one as a spy?! Right where he can find you?" Marlene questioned.
"Someone has to be there to help those people. Who better than me? I've got a potion that shows them they can still be in control of their transformation. I can make sure they know they've got more options than just following their Alpha."
"So," Alice whispered as other Order Members began to arrive who didn't know Remus' secret yet, "When do you go?"
"This week. There's a colony I'm familiar with. I told Alastor about it. He's been tracking movement amongst it's members and he thinks Greyback may have spies there trying to recruit others. My job is to find out who they are and stop them."
Everyone continued to discuss and Sirius sourly stared at the lot of them as Peter twiddled his thumbs. "This is all my fault," Peter whispered.
"How'd you figure?" Sirius grunted.
"Because I... well, if I could cast a patronus I would have been able to warn everyone that Tabitha was trapped. We could have saved her sooner and then Moony wouldn't be mad at you."
"It's not your fault, Wormtail. Delaney shoved her nose in where it didn't need to be."
Peter's eyes widend and he looked at his friend, "She saved Marvin's life."
"Ya know, you'd think she'd learn from her friend. Evans shoved in to help Snape once and got burned. Same happened to Delaney."
"If it weren't for Marvin shoving in, your cousin and Ted and their daughter would be dead. Are you saying you wouldn't do the same?"
"I'm grateful for him, don't misunderstand me. But Delaney should have know it was a trap. Take my advice, Peter. Butt out of people's affairs and spare yourself some grief. At the end of the day, the only one you can depend on is yourself."
"The only one you can depend on is yourself," Peter whispers back to him.
The group of Order members broke up when the doors opened and Dumbledore entered. He smirked at everyone's scatter across the room. The scene reminded him his days of teaching when students would scatter upon his entrance to the classroom from their gossip clumps. "Evening everyone."
"Evening Albus."
"I'm afraid there has been another... incident... in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Proffessor Scammander is alright, but won't be able to join us this evening."
Peter whispered to Sirius, "Told you that job was cursed." He earned a grunt and nod from Sirius who just reclined on the bench against the wall and crossed his arms.
"Voldemort's forces are beginning to strategize their attacks more. They've already shown that they are first attempting to recruit those of you with pure-blood backgrounds, so they will be targeting your loved ones to force you into compliance. Today, I recommend you work on sheilding charms. One that you can cast onto another person to protect them from harm. This charm, if done properly, will keep anyone from touching them. If done poorly, it exposes both of you to harm."
"Sir," Peter spoke up. "Doesn't that charm make you vulnerable to the attack though since you're defending someone other than yourself."
"That's true, Peter. But sometimes we must make those judgements and risk ourselves for others."
The room of requirement door creaked as the late-comer arrived as usual. "Ah, Mary," Dumbledore said. "Please come in."
Fabian and Marvin exchanged a quick glance when he spotted the girl. She'd been missing from Order Meetings since his discovery of her in Knockturn Alley and now everyone's silence as she entered caused her to panic slighly that they might know her secret. Marlene was the first to break the silence and ease her nerves by saying, "Mary, where the hell have you been? We've been worried sick."
"I um..."
"As I mentioned at our last meeting," Dumbledore interrupted as he entered behind her, "Miss MacDonald has been assisting me in private Ministry business. Now then, everyone please pair up."
Mary used the opportunity to instantly approach Fabian who waited patiently. He didn't look intimidating in his flannel and jeans, but Mary seemed frightened just the same.
"You didn't tell anyone?" Mary asked.
"You said you wanted to explain. I thought I'd give you the chance. Then you never showed up to the meeting and vanished." His tone was harsh as he stood with arms crossed, glaring at her with hurt eyes.
"Dumbledore thought it best for me to stay away until you cooled down."
So he's aware of your midnight outings?"
"I told you I was spying on Death Eaters."
"Do they know you're a member of The Order?" She didn't reply. "Answer me, Mary."
"Yes. They think I'm a spy for them within Dumbledore's ranks and the Ministry."
"So then you're likely providing them information on us to keep up appearances."
"Nothing of value, and I always make sure to check with Dumbledore on what to share. I never diverge from his approved list of things I can reveal."
"Who else knows?"
"Nobody in the Order. Madeye helped me get the job in Barty's office, but didn't ask why. Your brother-in-law was onto me for a bit though."
"Aurthur notices things but can be hasty. I'm surprised you got off his scent."
"Likely with Alice's help. She trusts me."
"I want to trust you too, Mary."
"Miss MacDonald?" Dumbledore interrupted as he found himself between the two. "I'd like you to practice with a member of the Potter Faction tonight, if that's ok. Not one of the Potters though, just one of the others."
"Sir, Fabian and I need to talk. Must I?"
"I'm aware of what the two of you need to discuss and I find it noble of you to wish to make amends, Mary, but you remember why you are here tonight."
"Yes, sir..."
"Why didn't you tell us, Albus?" Fabian grumbled.
"Fabian," Dumbledore sighed and folded his hands behind his back.
"My best friend could have been dead and we had someone on the inside the whole time to save him, but you didn't even tell her he'd been kidnapped," He did his best to compose him self as anger pushed to the surface - a phenomenon very rare in his personality.
"Mary's interference in Marvin's situation could have jeopardized the events of the evening."
Fabian went slightly crosseyed as he attempted to decrypt that sentence. "Events of the evening?"
Dumbledore gave both of them a bow of the head before he began circling the room to watch everyone's practice.
Mary looked at Fabian's expression and said, "Fabe. I know what you're thinking."
"Oh, and what would that be?"
She lowered her voice, "That Dumbledore wanted things to go the way they did... with Tabitha's departure."
Fabian just scoffed, "Well done, Sherlock. Anything else you want to deduce from my facial expressions?"
Dumbledore passed them once more and cleared his throat, signaling to Mary to do as he'd instructed.
"The Owlery, after the meeting. Find an excuse and meet me there." Mary gave him no opportunity to protest but Fabian watched her carefully as she returned to the others and spotted her tugging her sleeve down to try covering her arm and his stomach twisted. She tapped Remus on the shoulder and instantly her charm was turned back on, just as it always was at school when she would drift from table to table socializing and flirting. She twirled on of her curls around her fingers and giggled as the two of them started practicing.
Marlene, meanwhile, had located Sirius and Peter and plopped beside the former.
"Let's hear it?" Sirius muttered.
"Hear what?" She asked defensively.
"Ooo, Sirius," he said in a girly voice, "You always throw shite in the works don't ye? She was my friend too, ya gobshite. I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye, but you did what you thought was best. Nevermind about peoples' feelings. You always know best about everyone's life but your own, don't ye?"
Marlene blankly stared at him until he finally glanced her way and she said, "That's what you think my accent sounds like?"
"More or less..."
"Well good," she grunted. "I'm glad you have an impression of me so you can have fake conversations between the two of us. That explains why you never even look at me anymore."
"Marley..."
"I thought you'd be overjoyed when Angus told me the truth about what he did that night at the party. Or did you expect me to come racing after you, throw my arms around your neck and beg you to take me back after realizing how valiant you actually were being when you made out with Arista to save yourself from Blackmail?"
"Wait, how are we back to me being at fault again?"
"I'm just saying, Sirius, you often tell yourself you're doing the right thing for everyone. I think the time has come to ask yourself who you're really protecting. Us? Or yourself?"
Sirius sensed her scensarity and muttered, "Oddly enough this doesn't feel like a lecture. Almost sounds like you care about me."
"I'll always care about you, Sirius..." the two of them turned to face one another and Marlene spotted Peter over Sirius' shoulder, his eyes wide as he listened. "As a friend," Marlene quickly added. "And now you're losing a friend-"
"I'm not losing him," he defended and crossed his arms.
"Right... He's just being reassigned. That's all."
"Right. That's all."
"Ya know," she paused as she considered opening up further, but something told her one of them needed to try being vulnerable if they every had a chance at growing close again. "Things at the castle haven't exactly been running smoothing either."
"I thought your brother is 'Mr. Truth' now."
"Oh, he is... but there are some things he lied about that have been a bit of a shock. I want to trust him again, I do. It's just a lot to ask someone to trust you when you've failed time and again to tell the truth."
"You sound like Moony..."
"Oh? And what's the solution for him?"
"Aparently he needs, 'space' from all of us."
"All of you?"
"Fine, he needs space from me. You happy?"
Marlene didn't reply but took a deep breath. "Space could be nice..."
"Is that why you came over here? To talk about Moony?"
"I actually wanted to see if Peter needed a partner."
"Oh sure, take him away from me too," Sirius grunted as Peter sprung up and drew his wand, thrilled to have been selected.
"Can I give you some advice, Black?" Marlene asked upon standing and adjusting her long, bell-sleeves on her paisley blouse.
"You will anyway, even if I say no."
Marlene blushed slightly at that and said, "Remus is leaving this week, yeah? Make ammends before he goes. Don't have any regrets." She pat Peter on the shoulder and nodded him to the floor, leaving Sirius pouting.
Later at the Owlery...
Mary waited patiently in the Owlery after the meeting had dismissed. She sat on the ledge and allowed her invasive thoughts to fight it out amongst themselves over whether or not she just fall and break her leg to get out of this conversation. She opened her eyes and watched water from melting icicles drip onto her hand where it rested in her lap. She lifted her arm and watched water trickle across her dark skin to her sleeve where it vanished.
"Haven't been up here in a while," Fabian said as he entered. She didn't seem startled by his entrance, but sat up quickly to face him.
"Fabe. I know you're cross with me, but surely Dumbledore's knowledge of my workings with Death Eaters proves that I've just been spying on them. I'm for the Order, I promise."
"Prove it." He nodded to her sleeve which she reluctantly raised and revealed her forearm. There still was a bruise-like mass on it that took up the majority of her arm. "You've had that bruise since January, Mary."
"I know."
"Should have healed by now if it was just a bruise..."
"Should have..."
"Big enough to cover a Dark Mark."
"Yes, it is."
His breath became sharpe as he held his temper. "Can you honestly tell me nothing is under that bruise, Mary?"
"No." She instantly replied.
Fabian scowled and paced across the cold stone floor.
"But it is't a Dark Mark, Fabian. I've never taken their mark."
"Who allows you to stay in their ranks without one, Mary!?"
She didn't answer but just rolled her sleeve back down.
"Fine," he grunted. "Don't tell me about your new friends. Just tell me about 'him' and don't pretend to not know who I'm talking about."
"Is that what you're actually cross about?"
"I saw him with you. Lily said he attacked you at the Ministry."
"Mulciber stays close to me, it's true. I guess you could say we're..."
"Your'e what?"
"We're together."
"Together... after everything that monster did to do?!" He did his best not to raise his voice.
"Must we talk about him?" She angrily shouted, clutching her head as if a headache was growing. "I can't divulge further right now, Fabian. Just trust me, please. I pass secrets from Death Eater meetings to Dumbledore."
"How do you know they aren't feeding you lies?"
"Because, I know!"
"You can't know, Mary! Unless you-"
"Unless I can hear their thoughts," she finished for him.
Fabian stares at her a while then finally plopped himself down on the ledge and said, "You're a legilimens?"
She nods without a word.
"Since when?"
"The day you found Mulciber and I in the dungeons. That was the first event that forced the power from me. I could hear his thoughts... his wants..."
"Don't," Fabian snapped. "Don't say more, Mary. It's taken everything within me since seeing you in Knockturn Alley to go hunt down the psychotic bastard and tear his limbs off. Don't remind me of that day."
"Don't remind you?" Suddenly something switched in Mary and her meekness faded. She confidently said, "Well I've had to live with that day every day for years, Fabian! I have to sit next to him and listen to his perverted thoughts about me."
"Then why do it?" He looked up at her.
"Because since then I've had to hear voices in my head, things men think about me as I pass them in the street, my body, my skin! I hear the most racists and sexists thoughts. I know how evil people can be and now Voldemort wants us to live in a world where thoughts like that aren't just spoken, but a lifestyle! This cause means more to me than you could possibly know. I have to do what I can to ensure that individuals like the Death Eaters don't win."
"You think I don't understand that?"
"I don't think you believe it."
"It's not that I don't believe you, Mary. It's that I know you aren't telling me something about-
"About my arm, I know. But given how you dislike Mulciber, I think it's best I keep that to myself."
"..He hurt you?" She doesn't reply. "Answer me, Mary?!"
"I don't want to talk about it, Fabe."
"So you aren't allowed to share things about your thoughts but you're allowed to know about mine?"
"I try to stay out of your head..."
"But you can't always control that, can you?"
"No..."
"What have you heard," he asked anxiously. He felt completely violated and tried to switch off his thoughts as she stood before him.
"I heard what that Seer told you," She closed her eyes and recalled, "'You walk at the end of your path with another. Side by side with the power of five you shall fall. The battles you fight will burden those you swore to protect and become their own. You shall, all of you, be nameless to those who did not know you, resting in eternity as just one of the many who shall fall." When she opened her eyes, she was the defeat on Fabian's face. He didn't seem cross anymore, but scared.
"I haven't told Gideon yet. I guess I keep hoping there's some other way to interpret it..."
"Oh, Fabe," She rushed forward and wrapped him in a hug. He instantly relaxed and rest his head on hers as he held her in his arms.
"I know there's a chance of me not making it out of this war. I know Death Eaters are always after us. When I saw you going into their cloak and dagger meeting I just thought, 'Please... not at the hands of Mary. I can live with knowing I'll fall someday, but not at the hands of a friend."
"Never, Fabian. And Dumbledore reminded me that Prophecies are vague for a reason. It could mean anything."
"Well it didn't exactly sound like I'd be winning a private tent to the Quidditch World Cup," he chuckled which brought a smile to Mary's face. "So, what do thoughts sound like?"
Mary allowed him to change the subject but kept ahold of his hands when they separated from each other. "They have the same sounding voice, so unless you're one-on-one with someone you can't tell who is thinking it."
"Is that why Dumbledore wanted you with someone from Potter's faction at dueling today?"
"Yes, he wants to know everyone's intensions."
"He doesn't suspect one of them to be the traitor does he?"
"I don't know... but they're all unpredictable which can be just as dangerous."
"When do you have to return to the Death Eaters?"
"Tonight." She felt his grip tighten. "Don't worry, Fabe. I'm going to be staying with Emmeline Vance."
"Emmie's a skilled witch but she's not one for conversation."
"Ravenclaws seldom were," Mary chuckled. "But she can't keep living by herself the way things are so she offered her spare room to me."
"Mary?" Fabian whispered. "Thank you for telling me this. I trust you. Now and forever, Mary, I trust you."
Meanwhile in the Hospital Wing...
Dumbledore entered the hospital wing where Pomphrey bustled about, despite the empty infirmary. She rarely had students in with more than a cold this time of year. The quidditch season was still on winter break and midterm studies kept students in the library for the most part. Still she had one patient, Theseus Scammander, who pouted in his bed like a child, using his wand in his left hand while his right did not move beside him. He attempted different hexes on a bit of parchment that levitated in front of him, burning edges of it and controlling the flames when finally the whole thing engulfed and the ashes trickled onto his lap which he just brushed away angrily.
"Well, patient, what seams to be troubling you?" Albus chuckled but earned a glare from Theseus so he simply asked, "How is your arm?" Albus said as he took a seat on the empty cot beside his comrade.
"Pomphrey can't fix it," he grumbled. "I don't understand. I've demonstrated the same spells to students for decades. Nothing has ever backfired like this. It's like my own wand turned against me."
"Voldemort's growing stronger, Theseus. More accidents like this will happen." Dumbledore waited for an answer but noticed the look of denial on Theseus' face. "You don't believe me about the position being cursed?"
"Oh come now, Albus. We've both been in denial about it for years. That isn't what upsets me." He set his wand down and rest his hand atop his arm as if to make sure the paralyzed limb was still there. "If Voldemort is growing stronger as you say, then how can these kids defend against them?"
"They aren't kids anymore, Theseus. Neither are you."
"You're saying I'm too old to defend them?"
"I'm saying you can't protect everyone. There are some powers in the world that being young and spry can't combat. You know that more than anyone."
Theseus glanced at his comrade, stunning and insulted, "Well... been some time since you threw Leeta's death in my face."
"That isn't what I was doing," Albus signed as he remembered the tragic death of Theseus' fiancé at the hands of Grindelwald years ago.
"Then Mary?" He asked. "In charge of Hufflepuff House for years and yet I allowed a young girl to be attacked while we sat upstairs feasting."
"Mary never said how she was assaulted-"
"Oh plese, Albus. She may not have admitted what that Mulciber boy did to her but I could see the pain on her face."
"I know," Dumbledore whispered, "It forced her to grow up too soon."
"They've all grown up too soon..." Theseus rest his head back in bed, feeling utterly helpless, and looked at Dumbledore to ask, "I saw you talking with her."
"Yes. She's gained information on The Guardian."
"She knows the prophecy?"
"Not exactly. Victor Crabbe approached her at the Ministry and revealed who approached him about The Guardian prophecy."
"He just... revealed that to her?"
"It's a long story, but if I share with you how Mary is so in tune with this information I fear you'll spring from that bed and strangle me for not telling you sooner."
"Then don't tell me," he exhaled to calm himself. "Just tell me what she found out."
"The Pettigrew boy approached Victor about the Prophecy. Turns out his step-father and Victor were friends during their days in Slytherin."
"I remember. But I never considered the two of them to be trouble-makers. Always were bright students. They stayed away from the wrong crowds."
"But you know Slytherins. Always wanting to use things to benefit themselves. Victor followed that path in the wrong way. He's loyal to Voldemort now."
"And Peter knew this?!"
"No, not at the time. Mary could tell from Victor's recollections that Peter refused to betray his friends, even shattered the prophecy's crystal and ran when he found out Victor was a Death Eater. It's likely why he lied about who it was he went to see."
"But you think they'll come after the boy?"
"Victor is convinced he's the Guardian still."
"And is he?" Theseus asked anxiously.
"I won't know until I've heard every word of the prophecy. Victor only thinks he knows what it says, but it's the same vague retelling Peter shared with us. There's more to it, I know. I can't share my suspicions with The Order or they may turn against the boy out of fear and casting him out would make him feel he's no other recourse but to run back to Crabbe."
"Do you think he's capable of turning against his friends?"
Dumbledore simply pondered and said, "I don't know. But I do know I lived in denial about a bright boy with potential for years. That boy grew to be one of the darkest wizards of our day."
"But the signs must have been there. There are no signs from Peter."
"Not yet. But I still intend to find out what he heard in that sphere."
"Who else do you have reservations about, Albus? I can see your doubts in your eyes."
"Sirius," he said quickly. "He's grown bitter. I think what he did to Tabitha was the right choice for her safety, but the way he did it was impulsive and selfish that unpredictability can't be trusted. Remus is another possibility-"
"Oh Albus!" Theseus scoffed.
"The boy we know almost lost his fight for his soul with a monster within. He can control it with the help of that potion but what happens when the flacken of wolfsbane runs out? Then there are others. Marvin and Andromeda almost refused to join this war effort for selfish reasons-"
"Selfish? They were prioritizing people they cared about over politics, Albus."
"And it almost cost the two of them their lives. What else will they risk to selvage one relationship?"
"So it could really be anyone. For all we know, a handful of them could have heard that prophecy but Pettigrew had to break it before giving us a chance."
"Which is why he must tell us what it said..."
Theseus began to rub his arm as the pain moved from his hand to his shoulder. "Why are you telling me this, Albus? You saw how impulsive I still get. That ignorant minister pissed me off so badly I went on a rampage at the ministry to have him removed. You trust me with this information before knowing if it's true or not?"
Dumbledore said nothing but just stared at his friend's arm.
"Oh..." Theseus stopped rubbing his shoulder and slumped in the bed. "I'm not recovering from this, am I?"
Dumbledore did not acknowledge his question but softly said, "Will you allow me to send for Newt?"
"No," he quickly replied. "Tina isn't doing well these days. He needs to be with his family."
"Rolph has been asking about you. He wants to come visit."
"No," Theseus shook his head as he thought of his great-nephew who was now a 1st year in Hufflepuff House. "No, he needs to focus on his studies. I don't want him to see me like this."
"I understand."
"How long do I have?"
"To live? Could be some time. The Paralysis will works it's way through you quickly though. A week or so, maybe."
"Then I'll do what I can for my students until then, and help with the Order how I can." He pondered a bit and said, "Damn..."
"What?"
"Just a pathetic way to go in my old age. Theseus Scammander - survivor of the manticore, veteran of the global war, Auror of great renowned across multiple nations, campion of Triwizard cup 1913. Only 8 years shy of his 100th birthday and this is how he goes out?"
"You forgot current champion of the teacher's lounge Gobstone competition."
"Well, let's be honest, Minnie let's me win half the time."
"Theseus," Dumbledore's voice softened and his friend faced him once more. "Regardless of the outcome of this war, of this hex, of anything... I value your friendship more than most. I understand the sense of protection you had for your students because I felt it too when you risked your life during the global war. We've been through a lot together and our work isn't done yet. But if I don't get the chance to say it, let me say it now. You're one of the greatest wizards, the greatest men, I've ever had the honor of knowing."
"Thank you, Albus. I think my feelings about you go without saying."
"You don't have to say anything. Just rest and know I'll be right here with you through it all."
"As you always are and always have been."
Theseus then shut his eyes and allowed himself to sleep as his old teacher watched over him protectively.
AN: Long chapter but there were lots of transitions we needed in order to jump ahead into the Spring.
Remus an Sirius are beginning to lose faith in one another, The Guardian is becoming harder to pin down, and Mary... is still lying about something. ;)
Also, decided to split 1980 into two books (because I need a writing break haha). We will stop this book in July 1980 and then pick up Book III end of Summer 1980 through the end of the year.
Book IV - 1981 should just be one book.