A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

Chapter Two

"I find it rather odd for a little girl to chase someone around the continent for half a year purely because she has an odd question. I may be old my dear, but I am not stupid," Cassandra said, raising one of her painted on eyebrows.

"Right," Marlene sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't really talk about it. But I can assure you that that it's for something very important."

Cassandra seemed to contemplate Marlene; her wise eyes searching for something.

"I have the answers that you are looking for," she finally said. "But my answers come at quite a cost."

"I don't have a lot of money, but I can get more if –"

"I don't mean money, silly girl. Your money is no good. What I'm referring to is much greater value than galleons and sickles. Seeking certain answers can have dire consequences, and you must consider carefully whether or not you are willing to task such a risk. If you heed my warning and you still wish to know the answers, then I will continue. But you have been forewarned." Cassandra shot forward into her chair almost threateningly. Her mood seemed to shift into frustration and Marlene flinched with surprise of her sudden change in demeanor.

But she didn't feel like she had much of a choice.

"I accept the risks," she said timidly.

"Very well," Cassandra settled back comfortably into her chair and her manner changed into something more tired. "Once a prophecy has been made it is magically secured in a glass orb, protected by one of the greatest forces of magic. Only those that the prophecy pertains to may receive it from where it is kept, securely stored within the Hall of Prophecy."

"The Hall of Prophecy?" Marlene repeated. "Like a library?"

"I suppose so, yes." Cassandra peered at her through narrowed eyes. "As I am sure you have likely guessed, since you did not ask of it, the Hall of Prophecy is located within the Department of Mysteries. An unspoken department within the Ministry. However, I do say that the Ministry has very little regulation and oversight to what goes on within its walls."

"And why is that?" Marlene questioned.

"The Unspeakables work effortlessly to study extraordinary magic; things that no witch or wizard has ever been able to truly understand. They are branches of magic that are entirely too powerful to ignore, and so those that work within the department devote their lives to their work. It is the only department within the Ministry that does not answer to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"The Minister allows that?" Marlene felt floored. Especially given the times, she had a difficult time believing this to be true.

"Oh yes," she smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Only one Minister has ever disputed this. Radolphus Lestrange attempted to close the department down, but the Unspeakables ignored him and continued their work. Nobody pressed the issue further."

"Lestrange." The name rolled of Marlene's tongue with obvious distaste, like she had consumed something rotten. Bellatrix's manic cackle filled Marlene's head and the hairs of her arms shot upwards in alert as she recalled the vivid memories of Sirius's cousin.

"Yes, Lestrange." Cassandra quirked her thin eyebrows upwards but did not seem to care to further explore the subject. 

"So nobody can walk into the Hall and take a prophecy?" Marlene felt a little relief at the notion that Voldemort wouldn't likely enter into the Ministry himself. As far she knew he was the only one that could have access to it if Cassandra's information was correct.

"No, no." She shook her head. "Absolutely not. Only those that are the subject of the prophecy may remove it from its shelf. And of course, the Keeper of the Hall."