A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

Chapter Ten

"Where did you hear that term?" his attention snapped into place and he hissed under his breath; a look of fierce surprise etched into the aging lines of his once handsome face.

"Where isn't important, Tom," she said firmly. "Can you tell me who it is? I have reason to believe that something bad might happen in the Hall of –"

"Marlene," he snapped, "this is not the place to come asking these sorts of questions. If you know what's good for you, you will stop talking nonsense immediately. I don't know where you got your information from but there is no such thing as a Hall of Prophecy, or a Keeper of the Hall or anything of the sort."

"You're lying," Marlene called him out. "I know that you're lying. Why can't you just tell me the truth? I'm trying to help –"

"Help who? Me? Or Dumbledore?" he laughed bitterly. "Please, Marlene. Even if such place existed here, which it doesn't, do you honestly think that I would be capable of disclosing such information to you?" 

"But you can Tom!" she urged. "You can trust me."                                                  

"I don't trust Dumbledore," he spat bitterly. "And he's got you lot brainwashed so no, Marlene. I cannot trust you."

She flinched at his intended harshness. His face seemed to soften as he realized the impact of his words, but he made no motion to apologize or retract his statement.

"I see," she said after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

Before any further conversation could take place, the door swung open quite suddenly and any remaining color drained immediately from his face. It appeared as though Tom believed they wouldn't be interrupted in the small confining room. Marlene swiveled around just in time to catch sight of a young, frazzled looking man with bright orange-red hair, his arms braced with a wobbling stack of books that he was trying to balance.

"Oh I'm so sorry Tom," said the man, catching sight of the pair. The man seemed just as equally surprised to see Marlene and Tom as Tom was to see him. "I didn't realize anyone was in here."

"My apologies Arthur. I thought you were on holidays with your family," Tom replied, and his face relaxed.

"Afraid not," he chuckled while he found a small space to put the books onto. The top two still managed to slip off the pile and scattered to the ground at Marlene's feet. She quickly stooped down to pick them up and put them into the man's outstretched hands. He smiled, "Thank you my dear."

He couldn't have been all that much older than she was. Marlene observed his patchy cloak and youthful appearance. But there were dark circles lining his eyes as though he hadn't slept in a decade, and his flamboyant orange hair was already beginning to bald at the top.

"I'm sorry to take up your office, Arthur. We were just on our way out," Tom apologized again without offering to introduce Marlene to the newcomer. "Please give Molly my regards."

Tom ushered her from the room quickly and closed the door behind them, sealing them away from the man named Arthur. Tom began walking back towards the direction of the Auror's office while ignoring Marlene's protests. Just as the emanating sounds of busy workers rang in her ears, he turned on his heel and gave her a stern look of warning. 

"I don't want you to repeat what you said to me," he warned. "Not a word. Do you understand?"

"But will you -?"

"Marlene," he growled with annoyance. "Do you understand?"

"I understand," she said, realizing that she would not get anything further from him. He escorted her back through the maze of cubicles and she noted that Frank's station was empty. However, they didn't stop to find him and instead navigated to the lift where he directed her back to the level eight atrium with full intention of her departure from the Ministry.

"Are you finally heading home, Tom?" a smooth, masculine voice drew Tom's concentration away momentarily at the security gate. Marlene surveyed the young man with dark, curly hair who appeared to be roughly the same age as Arthur. He was heading out alongside them.

"No, no, just saying good bye to my daughter," Tom said, and then instantly appeared to regret it. Marlene inwardly cringed at the sentiment and shared an apologetic glance with Tom who seemed just as awkward for saying it. Briefly, they both seemed to forget the tension between them.

"Ah," the man's eyes connected with Marlene and there was something about him that seemed familiar, "I didn't know you had kids."

"She's my god-daughter," he clarified. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rookwood." Tom bowed his hat in a goodbye gesture and the young man he was referring to rewarded him with a handsome smile and a polite wave as he passed by. 

"Likewise," he called out before his face disappeared from view and into the bustling crowd of the atrium.

"You're not going home yet?" Marlene asked Tom, slightly horrified. She learned that he had been at the Ministry all night pulling a double shift. Of course he wouldn't reveal what or why, but he looked near ready to collapse on the floor from exhaustion.

"No, not yet." Tom stopped and peered at her over the top of his eyes with a weary sort of contemplation. 

She wanted to ask him why but figured it would only lead to another argument. He had made it perfectly clear that she was not privy to the information behind the doors of the Department of Mysteries. Instead she asked, "Don't you think that you should get some sleep? You've been awake all night."

He merely shook his head. "It's time for you to go home, Marlene," he said tiredly, and Marlene finally conceded that she would get no further with him today. "Remember. Not another word."

Of course Marlene could never promise him that and so she didn't.