Turning tables

marrow

marrow

"So," Harry began as Lilith fell on the sofa facing the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. "You and Malfoy, eh?"

Both Lilith and Ron looked at him, shocked. Harry smiled teasingly at the former. "I wouldn't judge you, you know?"

"Um, I would!" exclaimed Ron, seemingly horrified.

Harry just smiled more. "I mean, he's a good looking bloke. I'd understand."

"If anything ever happened between Malfoy and I, please hit me in the head. I would obviously be needing it," Lilith grimaced. "And how do you already know? It was this morning!"

"I know everything," Harry made his eyebrows go up and down while Ron sighted with relief. "Now would you care to explain?"

Lilith shook her head. "It's nothing, I just said it to make him angry."

"Ok, but why did you say that particularly?" Ron inquired, now over his initial disgust.

"Merlin, I don't know. It worked, didn't it?" Lilith justified herself. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "Did Hermione hear?"

"Yeah," said Harry before looking down at his feet. "She didn't have much of a reaction. Just made a disgusted face and went back to her book."

That shut them all up and they fell into reflection. Lilith grieved for the old Hermione and almost regretted that she wouldn't have to answer her invasive questions.

"I think I'm good for tonight," announced Ron, standing up from the floor with a yawn. The two others wished him a good night sleep. After a while, Harry also pushed himself up and looked down and Lilith with a smile.

"I'll go upstairs too," he said.

"You're going straight to bed, right? No middle-of-the-night walk or anything?" asked Lilith nonchalantly while picking up her stuff.

"No, why are you asking?" chuckled Harry. He looked at her curiously. She had never been the one to be sweet and caring enough to worry about his sleeping schedule. That had been Hermione's job. Lilith was more the tough love type.

"Don't want you to catch me with Malfoy," she joked, winking at him. He laughed and began climbing the steps.

"Harry?" she asked before he disappeared in the shadows. The boy turned, waiting for her to continue. "You know you don't have to fake it, right? You don't have to smile. Not with me at least."

He looked at her and for the first time in a while, the smile that folded his lips seemed completely genuine. His eyes were shining but Lilith didn't comment on it. "I know. Thank you."

Lilith nodded with a smile and waited for him to reach the dormitories before leaving the Gryffindor common room. The halls of the castle were silent, her every footstep echoing across the floor at a steady pace. She had a feeling tonight, a tickle along her spine. It was what had prompted her to make sure Harry got to bed directly and what made her twice as attentive as she checked the entries.

Passing in front of a large stained-glass window, a movement caught her attention. She approached silently just in time to see a shadow creep through a door not far from where Lilith was. Remaining hidden, the young girl approached the door.

She and Ron had used it once in fourth year after a long night at the Quidditch pitch. Lilithh had dragged him there by force to clear his mind. She had been fed up with his childish demeanor and had felt uncomfortable about the situation between Harry and him since the selection for the Triwizarding tournament. Lilith had only wanted her friends to get along again but until then, she had decided to spend time with them separately.

It filled her with anger to see Death Eaters tarnish the places that held so much of her memories. She would never look at the wall where she had pinned Malcom the other night in the same way. She would never look at that door she was making her way to the same way.

"Don't move," Lilith murmured through gritted teeth, just loud enough to be heard by the Death Eater now standing in front of her.

Slowly, the person disobeyed and turned around, revealing themselves. The Death Eater was a dark skinned women with hair cut short and a scare running from her ear to the corner of her mouth, just under her left cheekbone. She seemed in way better form than Malcom had been, standing straight and glance steady. If anything, she looked way too calm for her situation.

"Lilith Arstend," she spoke, her voice one of a smoker. "Is it not past your bedtime?"

Lilith didn't move, wand still pointing at the woman. "I'm afraid I'm not a child anymore Miss..."

"Marrow."

"Splendid, is there a first name to come with?"

Marrow smirked. "Don't try fishing for informations, kiddo. I'm not stupid enough for that."

"You do seem a bit more 'there' than the other," agreed Lilith, walking around the dark witch in an attempt to bring her back outside.

Marrow frowned but quickly chased away the confusion and replaced it with a curious smile. "What other, kiddo? I believe I'm the first one to be allowed in for a visit, no?"

Ah, so Malcom was working by himself. If you can call it working.

"It appears your little group might not be as organized as you believe them to be," shrugged Lilith.

"We don't take responsibility for the rogue ones," Marrow said, distractingly waving her wand. The woman might think acting unworried would confuse Lilith but the Slytherin knew she was mistaken.

Lilith had achieved to push the Death Eater back through the door, slowly but surely, and they were now standing outside on the grass. Abruptly, Marrow sent a spell Lilith's way. The girl blocked it and reiterated quickly. The woman was good, she was able to throw nonverbal spells after all, and she meet Lilith's attacks relentlessly.

Marrow pointed her wand at Lilith's feet and jinxed them with the Tarantallegra spell, making them trash in every direction under the girl. She fell to the floor with a groan and barely had time to counter the spell that Marrow was on her. The woman straddled her, putting all her weight on Lilith's stomach and limiting her movements. But she wasn't quick enough to grab her arms and so, Lilith hit the Death Eater's jaw with her elbow and sent her to the floor. She snatched her wand, deaf to the cry of pain Marrow let out, before rolling in the opposite direction.

Lilith stood over Marrow, panting, and pointed her own wand at her, the woman's in her other hand. The witch raised on her forearms with difficulty and moved a hand to her jaw, massaging her chin.

"You little-" she began. But Lilith waved her wand and magically shut her up. Before Marrow could stand up and make a run for it, Lilith charmed her legs stuck together and did the same for her arms.

Lilith considered giving Marrow the same option she had given Malcom but decided against it. It would be the ministry's job to do as they wished with the Death Eater.

Death Eater. Even now, laying helplessly on the ground, a bruise forming on her jaw, Marrow was barely anything more than that to Lilith. The girl had never felt the need to look past the tattoo they all had on the arm. Marrow had probably killed many, guilty or innocent, too many for Lilith to be merciful.

She knocked Marrow out with a spell and levitated her to the same dungeon where she had put Malcom. She repeated last time's ritual of protective charms and left for her dorm. She had an itch this would be the first productive night of many.