Remus laughed before his face turned back into something more serious.
"You know they are going to have a difficult time processing your return like this," he said sadly, "Sirius has been a mess."
Sirius.
"Sirius?" Marlene felt her face change into an expression of surprise. "Why has Sirius been a mess?"
The lines of Remus's forehead drew into a frown. "You do recall that you've been missing for months, right? Everyone has been looking for you."
Marlene knew that leaving abruptly in heat of everything prior to summer had been risky. She had been overridden with emotions from Mrs. Potter's death, and James' resentment towards her for being unable to prevent it had been the first major blow. Losing Sirius shortly after had broken her heart into a million pieces. Then, Lily's inability to cope with her parents deaths had drawn her into a great depression in which she had shut everyone out. Marlene had never felt more alone and unwanted.
So she left. She packed a small bag, told Emmeline that she was going away for a bit and didn't know when she'd be back. And then she left. For nearly six months, apparently. How had time flown by so fast without her even noticing?
It wasn't as if she didn't know they were trying to find her. At one point an owl from Lily had tracked her down, but she hadn't been ready to write to her, to explain why she had left without saying goodbye. She left her emotions at her flat in London and that was where they were going to stay.
Sirius had possibly attempted to contact her with the enchanted mirror too, but he would have been unsuccessful since she knew it was safely stowed away in her dresser drawer.
"Yes, well," she stumbled a bit. Give it to Sirius to cause her to fluster. As much as she had changed during her time away she hadn't been able to completely rid herself of him. "I don't know why he would care that much."
"Are you daft?" Remus sounded angry again and his tone, rather than his words, caused Marlene to recoil in her chair. Remus didn't normally speak like that, at least not to her. "Sirius loves you. How could you think he wouldn't worry himself sick about you disappearing? Don't you remember how he was after Hogsmeade? He nearly got himself sent to Azkaban trying to break into St. Mungo's to get to you. If Lily doesn't kill you, surely Sirius will."
Sirius loves you.
"Well he has a funny way of showing it," Marlene grumbled bitterly, pushing away the unwelcome feeling of hope beginning to bubble in her core. But she knew Remus was right about the fact that she had definitely handled her departure poorly. Order mission or not, she really should have written.
"I don't want to get in the middle of that mess of a romance the two of you have going on," Remus's expression changed and he let out a strained laugh. He stood from the table and moved back into the kitchen to wash his cup and put away the kettle, "but he literally stopped by your apartment almost every day to see if you'd come home. Chased your ghost to a few different countries when he heard any information about a girl that fit your description."
"Did he really?" Marlene felt a mixture of disappointment and gratitude to hear that. But she would have been happier if he had just let her go like he told her he would. Caring about Sirius was toxic, and she had had a very difficult time getting him out of her head. She had nearly gotten there and like a flood bursting through a dam, it only took one sentence from Remus's mouth to undue the progress that she had made.
"We've all be anxious," he stressed his point once more.
"I am sorry that I worried you Remus," she said sadly, "that I worried all of you."
She had been selfish and she knew that she would need to suffer the repercussions of her rash decision. Considering what was going on with the war she knew that what she had done was almost unforgivable. But still, she had done it. And still, there was a part of her that didn't regret that she had.
"There's no point continuing to dwell on it," he informed her, "but I dare say you'd better figure out what you're going to say because everyone is going to be here soon."
Marlene looked to the clock on the wall; it was nearing nine o'clock.
"Is there any easy way to explain myself?" she laughed. Remus rewarded her with a small smile.
"No, I don't think so."
The first knock on the door occurred only minutes later and Remus excused himself from the kitchen to answer it. Marlene's nerves kicked in high gear and she half contemplated making a run for it. She was being silly, of course. But she really thought she'd have more time to mentally prepare herself to come face to face with her friends. And she most certainly had not expected to face them all at once, and especially not while in the presence of the entire Order.
She felt relief flood through her as Dumbledore followed Remus into the kitchen. With a merry twinkle in his eyes, he offered her a very gentle smile and expressed his delight to see her once more.
"You had everyone in a bit of a frazzle," he chuckled, "when I promised to keep your departure secret, I did not expect to hold on to it for so long."
"I'm sorry," she flushed, "but I do need to speak with you. Urgently."
"Remus, might we use your room?" Dumbledore looked to Remus for permission, and he nodded his head just as a second knock hit the door and echoed around the small flat. Marlene didn't wait for Remus to answer it before she bolted down the familiar hallway and into the bedroom she and Dumbledore had spoken in once before.
"I found it," she exhaled quickly when Dumbledore had sealed the room, ensuring that their conversation would be kept private.
"Did you?" he seemed rather enthusiastic. His eyes lit up with curiosity and a tone that suggested he was surprised, like he had doubted she would achieve such a task.
"Yes," and then she launched into everything that Cassandra had told her about the prophecies. Dumbledore listened intently and did not interrupt her as she rambled on about where they were kept and who could access them. She relayed the information about those that have the knowledge may alter whether or not a prophecy may come true. She put a heavy emphasis on that part, hoping that her tone implied caution for whatever information he withheld from her.
And when she had finished she hesitated on revealing the prophecy that Cassandra had ushered to her at the end. Cassandras words rung in her ear like a melancholy song, singing of the danger awaiting her meddling.
"You seem troubled by something," Dumbledore finally spoke after she had run out of things to say.
"It's been a very long night," Marlene offered an idle smile. She decided against telling him. At least for now. It was a burden that belonged on her own shoulders for the time being, and further complicating the matter, especially since she did not know what the other prophecy was about, seemed better left for another day.
"I imagine so," he smiled. "Marlene, I am very pleased to hear of your success. This information will be quite valuable, and I don't think I need to express my relief to hear that Voldemort will not have easy access to obtaining the prophecy should he ever learn about it."
"Yes. I felt that relief too," she laughed.
"But I am troubled by one particular part of your story," he continued, "about the part of the Keeper of the Hall. Did Cassandra tell you who that person was, by chance?"
Marlene suddenly felt cold on the inside as the realization hit. She hadn't even bothered to ask.
"No," her eyes grew wide and horrified, definitely giving away the emotions underneath. If Dumbledore recognized her panic, he didn't let on.
"That's unfortunate," he stroked his long, white beard with his thumb and forefinger and looked off into his thoughts.
"I'll try to find out," Marlene said quietly. "I've come this far. I think I can get one more answer."
Dumbledore smiled at her, bringing his glimmering eyes back to meet hers. There was obvious amusement dancing in the light reflecting off his pupils, but there was something else hidden in there. Marlene wanted to believe that it was appreciation, and she hoped that there was a hint of respect in there too.
"Please do," he tipped his chin with a gracious nod and reached for the doorknob. Before he opened it though his smile flickered only momentarily as his gaze locked with hers. "One more thing, Marlene. I don't think I need to warn you that your arrival tonight might cause some – shall we say, mixed and emotional reactions?"
She could feel her face reddening slightly. In the time they had been locked away in the bedroom she had completely forgotten that the house had been filling with Order members. And they had been in the room for quite some time, so the chance of her escaping undetected were slim to none.
Especially since Remus already knew she was hidden away inside his bedroom, and had likely already filled everyone in on the fact that she was there.
Dumbledore offered a bow of his head and Marlene took the gesture to mean that he wished her luck. Whether or not that was the case, she was happy to interpret it as such.
Because boy, was she going to need it.
**
A/N: I think Marlene might be in for a long evening, what do you think? Please vote and comment if you enjoyed the chapter! :)