𝐞𝐧𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲 , marlene mckinnon

𝐱𝐯. Only you

" i've been exiled before "

   The world seemed brighter when Charlotte managed to wake up. Everything still hurts but it was all appointed to her body, not her mind and in her heart like where it usually resides. There were only glimpses she could barely make up, seeing blue flames surround her like the ocean would but only more dangerous and causes pain.

Her body felt weaker and she hated it. When she tried to move, her muscles only seem to stiffen and put her back in place in her bed. It was a terrible idea to fight through it and Charlotte couldn't process what Fabian told her before he rushed out the door. He sent out a Patronus to Dumbledore and Charlotte kept her gaze out the windowsill, a pot of plant about to die sitting there.

Charlotte was picky, conservative and has chosen her trusted people carefully well. As rude as it may sound, Poppy Pompfrey was not one of them and as of now, Albus Dumbledore isn't either. Especially when he didn't tell her the truth about her mother being able to be revived, she needed time.

There were wanted questions she needed to answer, of course, but Charlotte couldn't even lift a finger to acknowledge Poppy coming all this way to treat her. She was stubborn of mind and Fabian apologized when she had left, leaving instructions to Fabian to tell Marlene once she arrives.

Charlotte would've been much cooperative if the person she saw first is Marlene, not Fabian's messy and untangled loose hair.

Marlene almost had a fit because the first time she agrees to go home and sleep comfortably on her own bed, Charlotte happens to wake up. It was such a coincidence she blamed Charlotte for picking such a conservative time to wake up that she wasn't there to be the first person to welcome her back to reality.

After forcibly making Fabian and now Gideon Prewett stay outside, Marlene wouldn't bare to hesitate now as she has been waiting for Charlotte to wake up since two days ago. Knocking quietly on the door, Marlene comes in despite not being acknowledged on the inside and immediately sees Charlotte shortly glance at her before looking back outside the window.

"You're awake." Marlene knew it was dumb but what else was she suppose to say? Fabian told her Charlotte hasn't uttered a word since she opened her eyes—

"It appears so."

"And talking..." Marlene adds quietly, approaching the bed and sees Charlotte momentarily panic but settles down, even if Marlene sat on the edge of the bed, almost close to holding her then. "You kept me waiting long enough." She begins, hoping not to piss Charlotte off.

Charlotte didn't even know how long she's been unconscious for. "I guess." Her own throat was scratchy but still, bearable. "How long has it been?" She asks, refused to look at Marlene and only see deep worry and torment.

"Only two days." It was a lie on the only part. Marlene hasn't slept properly since then. It was as if she's still hungover and nauseous. "I hear you made Madam Pompfrey and Dumbledore waste a trip from Hogwarts."

"How's Lily?" Charlotte instead asks, finally remembering who was with her that day in the fire.

"Not injured, thanks to you and your dumb heroic acts." Marlene replies with no shame and Charlotte could almost laugh but remained unfazed. "They're worried— I was worried and I thought you had died." She continues rapidly.