better off | d.m.

37.prove

They land hard on sandy surface, toppling over each other. Dean, Luna and Indigo grunt loud, but it gets overpowered by the tumult going on.

"Wands on the floor, hands up. Now!" Arthur demands.

Its not over.

Sage and Draco drop their wands, getting to their feet with palms showing. Theo and Blaise are already in that position right next to them. Reina stays put, both anxious and determined, while Luna, Indigo and Dean walk unevenly to the cottage, help coming on half their way.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sirius interrogates with intimidating eyes.

Bill, Remus, Fred and George back them up, all having their wands pointed at the little Death Eater troupe.

They definitely know they are ones.

That doesn't stop George from sending Sage a playful wink, which she sees. She would offer one back, but her brain is in no way capable of meeting his light mood.

They are overpowered.

And possibly unwanted.

Sage has to swallow heavy, but she gathers her courage faster than the strong three man she calls her family.

"We want to be on the right side." Sage states with utmost certainty.

"Sirius, you must understand." Draco tries to appeal, but not being too desperate. Sirius' eyes turn slightly soft.

He does understand.

But his wand is still up.

"This could be an act. What if you want to intrude another one of our quarters." Bill raises the question.

Reina scoffs, stepping inbetween the two sides. "That is bullshit. They just risked their lives on this last minute mission."

"We can't trust them." Bill argues back in a scolding tone.

"Reina is not wrong. Look at Zabini, he got that as we fought for the Order. For your people. A lot was on the line for us." Theo points out, getting a little irritated.

Some eyes take in Blaise's wound and some wands lower the littlest bit.

"How can we prove, that we mean it? That our loyalty doesnt lie with him?" Sage asks confidently.

"Easy, show your mark." Reina tells Sage.

"We know what it looks like. And I can see it from here." Arthur shuts down the idea.

Sage didnt notice, that it us visible again, and with her arms up, the dark ink against her pale skin is prominent. However, the true state of it is not clear in the dark night.

"No, take a closer look." Reina suggests positively.

Arthur sighs, but beckons Sage over, his wand serving as a light. She steps over her own on the floor, while letting her arms fall. She holds out her left forearm for him, doing it for the second time tonight.

His reaction is just like Reina's has been.

Understanding.

"You are rejecting." He tells more to himself. "This must be painful."

She always wanted the burning to cease, to have a normal mark and normal smooth, soft skin like the rest on her body. The itching could drive her mad sometimes, like it reaches into her brain and she cant make it stop.

For the first time, she is glad, that it never stopped.

Right now, it burns like she has never felt before. Little knives cutting her skin and searing hot. Almost like it knows what they have done.