A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

Chapter Five

Stunned silence filled the room as she followed Dumbledore into the living quarters. She felt her ears buzzing, and her body begin to heat up from the dozens of eyes that were suddenly trained upon her. She felt the wave of nausea that came and went like the tide of the sea; a storm was silently brewing within her and likely within many of the occupants in the room.

Her gaze landed on Emmeline first. She had a ferocious fire raging in her eyes and Marlene didn't know she was capable of such anger. It might have almost been better to be hexed on the spot than for her friend to look at her with such disgust. Remus had definitely been the right person to visit first; she wouldn't be lucky enough to get a better reaction to her arrival than his.

Her eyes flitted quickly around the room. Most of them didn't seem disheartened by her disappearance, but then again she hardly knew most of them. It was the ones that did care for her more than just another Order member that had the hardened emotions on display.

Alice and Lily weren't present, and Marlene was silently appreciative of two less bodies to answer to.

Even Peter, whom she didn't know all that well, looked pained; his forehead was knitted together and his eyes something fierce. She felt guilty again because she didn't realize how far of a reach her disappearance would affect those outside her inner circle.

James was glowering when she passed over him. Of course she already felt like he held resentment for the death of his mother, and this was just one more reason to be scornful towards her. Her eyes did not linger on him for very long.

She knew that Sirius was standing beside him but she could not bring herself to look at him. She could feel his stare burning through her but she remained strong. She would not come undone under his scrutiny.

"Good to see you're back McKinnon," Mad Eye's gruff voice broke the tension, "anything to report?"

"Er –" Marlene shifted her gaze sideways to silently confirm with Dumbledore what was appropriate to share. They hadn't really discussed the particulars of what would follow in the after math of her journey.

"Marlene has been working tirelessly on something for me," Dumbledore replied, saving her the trouble of thinking up some sort of excuse. The finality of his tone suggested that he would not be sharing anything further.

"Alright then," Moody nodded and then he continued around the room. "Lupin?"

"We've definitely lost hope with the werewolves," Remus said gravely. There was a breakout of worried and hushed whispers that passed across the room. "I couldn't convince them. Fenrir has solidified his werewolf army throughout Britain and into France and Germany. The werewolf community is too bitter towards the Ministry to support us. They want revenge."

"They attacked north just the other day," Dedalus Diggle chimed in, "Infected about a dozen and killed a dozen more."

"We've been getting a lot of reports in the department," Frank added. "They seem to be targeting children."

"They've made it their mission to infect as many people possible," Remus confirmed. "They are hoping to eventually overrun the wizarding population."

"And the giants, Hagrid?" McGonagall looked upwards to the towering man that sat awkwardly beside her on the couch he was much too big for.

"They've decided to stay sidin with the Dark Lord I'm afraid. I went ter try again and the Dark Lord has promised em freedom. They don't do well crammed together; killin each other up in the mountains that we pushed em to."

"I was hopeful they'd have a change of heart. If Barty would just stop the kill orders we might have better luck convincing them we don't think they're inferior," Frank said angrily. "Instead he has us killing them and forcing them into remote regions. No wonder they want nothing to do with helping us."