Beat the devil's tattoo

Chapter XII. "Ain't no rest for the wicked"

 "Ain't no rest for the wicked"

During the next few months, Marla ans Sirius fell into a routine. They would wake up together after a night of pleasure that seemed to manage to keep their nightmares and their panic attacks at bay. Marla would often leave for a mission while Sirius wrote to Harry who was definitely having a difficult time in Hogwarts or spend time with Remus. He would always be here to patch her up after particularly rough encounters with death eaters and they would host the order meetings at least four times a week. Their relationship, even though not labelled, had become relatively serious and their feelings had only grown. Marla had learned that Charlie had returned to Romania, in hopes of recruiting international supporters to the cause and the distance had lessened the guilt heaving her chest. Still, Marla and Sirius always kept a respectable distance between them during the meetings and the dinners that followed. Mr and Mrs Weasley, as well as Bill were in attendance of every one of them and she feared their reactions. Dumbledore had decided that the Order should learn of Marla's lineage considering the number of people in the Ministry and in the rank of Voldemort who already knew. So, during one meeting she had informed the entirety of them of the real reason Voldemort and the Ministry were after her. Mrs Weasley had cried a little while Bill and Tonks had laugh, only thinking about how wicked that was.

That routine was disrupted one late night of December when the portrait of Phineas Nigellus called for Sirius. Upon seeing Marla the portrait made a disgusted face but still passed on the message from Dumbledore that the Weasleys and Harry would be arriving soon and that Mr Weasley had been attacked and transported to St Mungos.

When the portrait left again, Marla turned to Sirius.

"I'm gonna go see what happened, you will be fine with the kids?"

Sirius nodded and Marla was out the door before he could say another word. The cold air burned her lungs as Marla ran to apparate to St Mungos. She arrived in front of the abandoned building and crossed the glass without a word. Her hair had become red the moment she had crossed the wards of 12 Grimmauld Place and her face was more childish. She was hoping to pass for a Weasley having been alerted of Mr Weasley's condition and not draw any unwanted attention on her. Thankfully, when she arrived in the entrance hall, she noticed Bill Weasley. He seemed having just arrived as well. She rushed to him, tackling him in a hug and whispered in his ear

"It's me."

"Marla?"

She nodded.

"I just got here, do you know what happened?" Asked Bill, worry shining in his eyes.

"No, I got here as fast as possible, apparently Harry had a vision of your father being attacked. Dumbledore sent him to 12 Grimmauld Place with your siblings, we can ask later." She whispered, aware of the witch eyeing them behind the counter.

She dragged Bill towards said witch and he regained a calm voice.

"We're here to see Mr Weasley."

"Names?"

"Bill Weasley and ..." he looked at Marla, "uh.. Ginny Weasley, my..my sister."

The witch nodded, the red hair were quite useful a that moment.

"Mr Weasley has been transferred to the curse pathology unit, the healers are still working on him, he was gravely injured.." Upon seeing the colour drain from Bill's face, the witch let out an uncomfortable cough. "You can...you can wait on the sixth floor, someone will get you when they have news.."

Marla thanked the witch before walking Bill to the elevator. Once inside she gave him another hug, trying to comfort him as she could and Bill gripped her small frame, his body shaken by sobs. She had never seen him cried, in the five years they had spent together at Hogwarts Bill had always been the strong and caring eldest child.