75 | Marley stunned a Death Eater
"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."
Everything seemed fuzzy, slow. Marley Macmillan, Fred and George jumped to their feet and drew their wands. Many people were only just realising that something strange had happened; heads were still turning toward the silver cat as it vanished. Silence spread outward in cold ripples from the place where the Patronus had landed. Then somebody screamed.
The Trio threw themselves into the panicking crowd. Guests were sprinting in all directions; many were Disapparating; the protective enchantments around the Burrow had broken.
Marley looked around. There was an uproar all around her. People were running and pushing, tables were flipping, glasses and plates of food and drinks were falling, and glass and porcelain were being crushed. The lights began to blink, sparks glowed around the tent, and people's screams did not stop.
Brielle and Noelle ran to her with raised wands and holding the skirts of their dresses. They were pale as canvas.
"Go and hide somewhere!" Brielle shouted. "The Death Eaters are coming."
"No, I'm not leaving you," said Marley. "Ever. Do you understand? I've fought with Death Eaters before."
"When?" frowned Noelle. "When Dumbledeore died?"
Marley just nodded with her head. Much of the guests had already Disapparated from the tent. Marley glanced at Lupin, Angelina and Lee, Noen at the other end of the tent. There was no sign of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Let the Order take care," said Noelle, "We want you to be hidden somewhere safe when the Death Eaters come."
"We're part of the Order too--" exclaimed Marley, Fred and George in the same time. The commotion was interrupted. About twelve Death Eaters were roaming the center of the tent. Marley hated those nasty black robes and hooded people.
Then they attacked. Remus and Tonks were the first to use Shield Charms. One of the lamps started to fall and Noelle pushed Marley. The two fell to the ground straight with broken glass and porcelain. Marley's hands hurt and dark blood rushed out.
"Stupefy!" yelled Marley to one Death Eater. Fred helped Noelle and Marley to get up from the ground. There was a mass hysteria in the tent. The Death Eaters continued to rage around, causing chaos and panic. Spells and lights from wands were heard everywhere, everything was destroyed. However, Marley and the others were losing, although outnumbered by the Death Eaters.
One of the Death Eaters had caught Arthur Weasley with his hands arched behind his back. One guarded the twins and the other two Marley, Brielle and Noelle. Everyone was surrounded and all stood in the middle of the destroyed tent.
"Yaxley, this is Potter's sister!" said one of the Death Eaters, pointing at Marley. Yaxley in question was a man on middle age, his hair had white strands and there were bruises on his face. He approached Marley, but she lifted her chin up confidently.
"Does your little filthy brother has been here, Potter?" he asked coldly.
"No." Marley said. "And even if he was, I wouldn't tell you."
Yaxley just shook his head and turned to look at the Death Eater, who had captured Mr. Weasley. "Travers, lead them to that wreck. We'll search it to the basics."
Travers nodded and rudely pushed Arthur Weasley in front of him, and Yaxley grabbed Marley's hands and placed them behind her. Marley walked forward with confident step and impenetrable cold expression, ignoring the pain in her trilbies and every desire to get away from Yaxley.
The other Death Eaters led the Weasleys, Brielle, Noelle, Noen, Angelina, Lee Jordan, Remus and Tonks, including Hagrid. Although not everyone held them like Marley, Mr. Weasley, the twins, Brielle and Noelle, most had clearly surrendered and didn't try to resist.
Everyone walked quietly toward the Burrow, which was sinking into darkness. The grass under Marley's feet was soft and fluttering with every step she took. The moonlight kept warming them, and a few seconds later she heard a crash. Travers had noisily opened the Burrow's door and walked in with Arthur. Yaxley pushed Marley forward, and the Death Eaters pushed everyone into the living room, and then began directly lifting the house upside down.
They knew they would not resist. There was a rolling of furniture, the clanking of pans and pots, the heavy steps of climbing the stairs. Marley didn't know what they expected to find. At least five Death Eaters were guarding them, lest by chance they decide to fight.
No one talked until suddenly, from the upper floors, she heard a deadly scream. Marley thought it was a very girlish scream for a man.
"Bring me Arthur Weasley here now!" roared Yaxley and one of the Death Eaters seized Mr. Weasley for the elbow, rudely pushing him upstairs. Marley followed him with her hazel eyes and sighed deeply.
"Will you explain to me what in the name of Merlin's pants is this?" asked Yaxley outraged and suddenly, Marley, Fred and George tried to hold their laughter. Mrs. Weasley just looked at them cautionary.
"Merlin's pants." sighed dreamily Brielle with a shy smile, dancing on her lips. "My favourite."
Noelle laughed quietly, while Mrs. Weasley had crossed her arms and frowned.
"Oh, Yaxley, be gentle!" said calmly Mr. Weasley. "This is my son Ron. He has spattergroit. And he's very sick that he couldn't come to his brother's wedding. Isn't it sad, Yaxley?"
"He's disgusting." said Yaxley with distate in his voice. "Let's go down here, I can't stand to watch him. These pimples are awful."
Within minutes, they came down from the attic room, and Marley smiled internally because the Death Eaters had grasped that actually Ron was the family ghoul. In fact, no one knew where Ron was at the moment.
"So," Yaxley stood before them, Death Eaters were surrounding everyone. "The Ministry is doing a comission for mudbloods. The Weasleys are pure-bloods, I can't fight that, unfortunately. The Blacks too--"
"What comission?" asked Marley. "For muggle-borns? Why are you doing this?"
"All wizards who use magic must prove that they had at least one wizard or witch in their family tree, otherwise we can consider it as treason." replied Yaxley with a triumphant evil smile. "Registration is about to begin soon. Is there any one of you out there who is a mudblood or we must learn it the hard way?"
"No," said Brielle with smooth and mastered voice. Marley tried not to look at Angelina Johnson. Her best friend was a half-blood witch but her father was muggle-born. If the Death Eaters understand it, Lina was going to lose her father. "All of us here are pure-bloods or half-bloods."
"If you say so," shrugged shoulders Yaxley. "But even if it is, this person to listen to me carefully. You're listed in the Mudblood Registration Comission and you're going to be questioned. Look now, I don't want it the hard way, but you're going to tell us where Potter is or there will be consequences. Do not try to hide him."
No one spoke. Yaxley looked at everyone with appreciation. Marley didn't tremble. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and even though she had little fear, she didn't show it in any way. Yaxley simply sighed melodramatically.
"You really make me resort to the measures we used to get Scrimgeоur to speak. Unfortunately, the fool didn't say a word and was punished. And now it's your turn. Any of you all know something about little Potter. Let's start with his attractive sister, Miss Potter."
"I don't know where is he!" she said.
"LIES!" yelled Yaxley. "You're just like your stupid father. He used to tell lies to protect the people he loved. And how do you think your father ended up with these lies, Potter? In the grave."
Marley clenched her hands into fists. Her whole hands to the wrists were stained with warm blood, and the wounds were caused by broken glass on the floor of the tent. Everyone here had minimal injuries. Marley's eyes filled with tears, and she tried to stop them from coming down her sides.
"So be obedient and tell us where your little brother is. Do not try to lie, because you will end up like Scrimgeour, your father and anyone who opposes the power of the Dark Lord."
"For the last time, I don't know where Harry is!" Marley yelled at him, her whole body was trembling but her voice (although her yelling) was mastered. "Even if Voldemort comes to ask me by himself, he'll receive the same answer."
"Don't ask for it, girl," warned her Yaxley. "Don't you dare say the name of the Dark Lord. You really want to feel his anger. Maybe if he tortures you, you'll be capable to learn your place in the hierarchy. On the bottom."
"Stupefy!" Marley's anger was on the edge and she didn't realise when she had reached out for her wand and stunned Yaxley. The other Death Eaters raised their wands; Mrs. Weasley was looking at Marley shocked. "I know you're here because of my brother, but he's not here. We don't know where he is. He went into hiding after Dumbledore's death."
"How can we be sure you're telling the truth, Potter?" asked Travers. "Take off your wand and we will take ours. No one of your friends will get hurt. But if you shoot, we'll make sure they won't survive to the sunrise."
Marley's arm relaxed and she pulled her wand away, still staring deadly at Travers. After Yaxley recovered, the Death Eaters questioned them stubbornly, hoping to dig up information and leave it just after sunrise.
"What were you thinking?" asked Brielle. There as no reprimand in her voice. Even in her eyes, Marley read that she was proud that her daughter had acted boldly, though a little impulsively. It would seem that she would now scold Marley just because Mrs. Weasley stared persistently at Brielle. "Because of you we could-- oh, you know, Molly, I'm giving up! I can't scold my own daughter when actually I'm proud of her."
Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth in a sign of protest, but Brielle raised her hand, cutting her off. "Yes, it was impulsive and some of us could get hurt because of this."
"Marley wasn't in her right to stun Yaxley!" shouted Mrs. Weasley, crossing her arms angrily. "Now that's why she's got us into bigger problems with You-Know-Who. In addition to being constantly watched, Yaxley will always have a tooth for what Marley did. We're under surveillance, Brielle."
"I'm going to send my Patronus to say to Harry, Ron and Hermione we're okay." mumbled Mr. Weasley with an excuse to leave the room with the bickering Brielle and Molly.
"I never said that to stun Yaxley was good." said Brielle, anger in her green eyes. "But he provoked my daughter. But I'm sure you didn't hear how he was talking about James, right? Because that's her fucking father, Molly!"
"But he never understood, did he, Brie? Because you were scared and ran away like a coward, leaving him alone, right?"
"I was trying to protect Marley," yelled Brielle and Marley noticed the tears in her mother's eyes. "Everything I've done was dedicated to my daughter's safety. That's why I faked my death so many years ago. Because I had to her safe from the prophecy. What if it was for her, but not Harry?"
"Let's clean your hands," someone whispered in her ear and she recognised George. The girl nodded and the couple left the living room, going in silence to the untidy kitchen, where the sink was. George carefully took her hands and put them under the lukewarm water. Marley felt a pinch and clenched her teeth.
"How are you feeling?" he asked after he had put some healing medicine on the wounds in her palms and hands. He had now taken small bandages to bind them.
"Теrrible," she sighed. "Our mothers are fighting because of something stupid I did. I knew I mustn't use the Stun Spell, but he was talking about my father and there was so much hatred in me-- I was so angry, because no one can talk about my family like this--"
"It's over now," George said softly. "I truly understand you. I'd do the same if they were talking shit about my father."
They sunk in silence again. Marley could hear the yelling of Brielle and Mrs. Weasley from the living room.
"YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT THE POOR GIRL AS SHOULD, BRIELLE! YOU PRETENDED TO BE DEAD AND HID HER, DID NOT TELL HER THE TRUTH ABOUT JAMES AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY SHE IS DOING ALL THE THINGS SHE DOES NOW!"
"ARE YOU TELLING ME I'M A BAD MOTHER, MOLLY? THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MY OWN DAUGHTER?"
"ACTUALLY, YES." confirmed Mrs. Weasley and Marley's tears erupted like waterfall from her eyes, which were red and swollen.
"Your mother thinks I'm a freak," she sniffled. "It's all my fault. Why did I had to be so selfish, George? I didn't think what could happen to all of you if I stun Yaxley."
He had finished to binding the bandages around Marley's hands. The red-haired boy pulled Marley for a soft hug, while she was sobbing, her head burried in his chest. "You weren't selfish, Mar. You just protected your family. Even though James is dead and he's not physically with you, he's still with you. And he's proud."
Marley exhaled. The screams from the living room seemed to get louder. Why no one was trying to stop them? She just carried on sobbing. George kissed the top of her head softly.
"I PERFECTLY KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MY DAUGHTER, MOLLY!" yelled Brielle. "I LEARNT HER TO PROTECT HER FAMILY'S HONOUR."
"BUT NOT ON THE PRICE TO GET ALL OF US INTO TROUBLE!" protested Mrs. Weasley. Make it stop, make it stop, please, make it stop... "It's wonderful to keep your family but think, Brielle. Those were Death Eaters, following the most dangerous wizard of all times. She cannot just make them angry any more."
"I'm going to get this dress off me," Marley broke the hug, quickly wiped out her tears and left the kitchen, while her heels were knocking on the floor.