Black // Marauders

67. Dead Meat

Persie lay on one of Dumbledore's sofas, with Sirius on the other, waiting for the sun to rise so they could resume their discussion about the letter. Pers stared at the ceiling, hands threaded together as she tapped her foot nervously on the sofa and kept glancing up towards Dumbledore's quarters door. Sirius glanced over at her a few times, before keeping his stare on her as he watched her nervous movements, "Pers."

"Yeah?" She replied almost too quickly as she looked over at him and he sat upright, "Come here."

"No, I'm alright." Persie stated as she pulled her eyes off him and resumed her tapping foot, "Pers, I'm not asking."

She glanced back at him, before he leaned back against the sofa and gestured his head to the space next to him. Persie let out a sigh, before sitting herself up and pushing away from the sofa so she could sit down next to him and curl her legs up to the left of her.  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled slightly so she would lean on him, "Sorry if this is making you uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine." Persie said smally.

"I just - I like having you around when I feel like shit." Sirius commented, "You make me feel better."

"Thank you, I suppose." She answered her voice, weak and tired, as Sirius adjusted himself in his new position against the sofa's arm.

"You're shaking." He observed before she glanced up at him and gave him a look, "Maybe I'm cold."

"Maybe your scared."

She looked away from him before sighing, "Maybe. But not of what you think."

The door at the top of the stairs creaked open again as Persie pushed herself up from her seat quickly and turned to look at Dumbledore, "So? What do you think is happening?"

"Many things, Persephone." He answered as he rubbed his eyes under his glasses and nodded to the chair in front of her, "Sit."

She did as she was told, sinking down on to the cushion before swallowing and watching him move down the stairs, "Do you think I was telling the truth?"

"I do. But that doesn't mean what you said is fact." The Professor said as he took the seat opposite her, "If what you say is true, we will find out soon enough."

"So, what are you going to do about Ava?" Sirius asked as he appeared at the back of Persie's chair and leaned a hand on the backrest, "I am not going round in circles with a different person trying to kill Pers every time. First it was Miranda, then it was Bellatrix, now it's Ava-"

"I think he gets it." Persie said with a grimace on her face before Dumbledore nodded, "I am almost certain the letter is an empty threat. Since your trial, you are one of the most highly protected witches in the country. It would take a huge effort on the Death Eaters part to try to even talk to you, let alone give you to Voldemort. They would lose too many allies to try and attempt a mission on that kind of scale."

"But why? I haven't even left school? I mean I know my magic is a bit ... different ... but I could kill all of them without even knowing I was doing it." Persie exclaimed.

"Exactly. Yet the Auror Office still deem it worth the risk to train you. And Voldemort was never one to care about his followers. But your question leads me on to the last point. As I said before, I think trying to reach you physically is a complete waste of time. But I feel like Voldemort is trying to hit you where you can't fight back as much." Dumbledore explained as Persie's mouth fell open, "When I'm asleep?"

"Mostly. I think Bellatrix Lestrange is trying to tap into your sub-conscience. And I think tonight they made a breakthrough hence why you know some of what she knows and why you think Eloise has passed. It's almost like what they thought they were going to do in the first place and try to use the Imperius Curse to harness your power." He continued as Persie swallowed her bile and turned a little paler, "I think I might be sick."