Beat the devil's tattoo

Chapter II. "Another one bites the dust"

"Another one bites the dust"

Summer 1991

The Burrow was buzzing with life when the sound of apparition made itself heard in the early morning of July.

Arthur Weasley walked to the door, surprised to see Albus Dumbledore standing in front of him. The headmaster had a grave face and Mr Weasley could only guess it had to do with the headline of this morning newspaper.

"MURDER OF THOMAS BLACKBIRD. HIS PARENTS ARRESTED, HIS SISTER WANTED FOR COMPLICITY." Was printed in the front page of the Daily Prophet.

Underneath was a picture of Marla and the price offered for her capture.

When the family had discovered the news this morning they knew something was wrong and Mr Weasley hoped that Dumbledore was here to give them some clarity.

Charlie was supposed to leave tomorrow for Romania but the newspaper had stopped his packing. He had rushed to the front door when he heard voices and was disappointed to see his Headmaster, he was hoping it was Marla. He had time to think and was regretting his decision to break up with her. He knew deep inside of him that she would have never cheated and that he had only been insecure.

Soon, Dumbledore asked Mr Weasley to gather the older members of his family in the kitchen. Mrs Weasley shutting down the complaints of the twins, Ginny and Ron when they realised they were not considered as so.

Dumbledore took the newspaper lying on the table and inspected the headline, finally he took as seat as well.

"Marla did not kill her brother, nor was she an accomplice to her parents." He told them the whole story, how Marla's parents had been threatening her for months upon their discovery of her relation with Charlie, how they had threatened them as well, how Marla was scared of something arriving to them. As the story went, Charlie felt the guilt in his stomach unbearable, the tears running relentlessly down his cheeks.

Finally, Dumbledore told them how Marla's parents had tried to kill her and how her brother had jumped in her place, taking the fatal blow.

"Where is she now?" Charlie heard his mother ask. Yes, where was she? He had to see her, to apologise, to beg her to forgive him. He had to comfort her, hold her and keep her safe.

"Safe." Was all the old wizard had answered before asking the family not to try to contact her as it would risk her safety and theirs.

"Ours?" Said his mother. "Her parents are in Azkaban, they can't do anything anymore can they?"

"I'm afraid the Blackbirds had decided that their daughter would die, no matter by their hands or not. I've heard talk, among old followers of the Dark Lord that a price had been set on her head. Wizards from all around the country will be after her, Molly. The Blackbird have a lot of influence and the wizards coming after her are mostly "reformed" death eaters.
Contacting her would put both her and your family in harms way. I can assure you that she is safe but I cannot let you know of her situation."

And that was the last time Charlie heard of Marla Blackbird. He had tried to convince Dumbledore to bring him to her, that he would stay with her in hiding for as long as needed but the old wizard had refused, convincing him to go to Romania and live his life.

June 1994

Tonight was the night, she thought as she ran through the Albanian forest.

Tonight she would catch Peter Pettigrew, the traitor responsible for the death of Lily and James Potter and the wrongful emprisonment of Sirius Black.