𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 ☼ 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆

↘︎ chapter nineteen

19 | I cannot be his daughter...

Marley Macmillan remembered the days when she was about six and walked with her mother to the seaside street in the small town in Wales where she lived. Brielle Macmillan had never told her much about her father or about her past, but what was allowed was like paradise food for Marley. She always listened to the same stories, though they were painfully familiar to her. Sometimes her mother told her something else that she didn't know. But she always chose her words carefully. And now, ten minutes after she had left Zonko's shop, who, after she had taken her Sugar quill, told her something about her mother, it had to be interrupted exactly when she might be able to get some of her questions answered.

She and the twins were in Honeydukes, buying different sweets, and Marley was still angry with them. Yet there was no reason. They knew almost nothing about her complicated family life and the fact that she was trying to find out who her father was since last year, whether he was alive, etc. They didn't know, but she was angry with them simply because they drove her out of the store before Zonko answered who was the person her mother was dating. There was some suspicion after she had found the letter in her mother's room last year, but she would never be sure without receiving a response from Brielle Macmillian or Zonko.

Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan also showed up, and after about ten minutes, the five left the crowded patisserie, with pockets full up. They went to the Three Broomsticks and bought some Butterbeer, and Marley tried to make it look as if everything was in order and the three hadn't got off. But she knew her best friend Angelina could feel the invisible tension between Marley and the twins.

Finally it was time to go to Hogwarts and it was time for the festive dinner. As Marley left the common room to go down into the Great Hall, she came across Noen Black, who was also going there. They met on the fourth floor and were both alone.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked friendlily. "We haven't seen in a while."

"Yeah." said Noen faintly and bowed his head. He was wearing blue warm sweater and black jeans. His black hair was messy as always but his grey eyes were sparkling. Marley just handed him a handful of the sweets she had taken from Honeydukes. She had decided to see him today and give it to him, and now she had a wonderful opportunity. The boy looked at her in surprise and confusion at the same time.

"I went to Hogsmeade today." she shrugged her arms. "And no, I'm not trying to prank you. You won't regret if you eat them." Noen hesitated but thanked and took the sweets. In the afternoon, Marley had tried to write her homework in the common room, but the school poltergeist Peeves liked to walk around and make unnecessary noise. She hadn't talked much to Fred and George after they fought in front of Zonko's shop. Still, did they really consider her weak? She wasn't weak and she already proved to herself she was strong.

Noen took from the creamy chunks of nougat and smiled contentedly at the delicious chocolate in his mouth. Marley just chuckled. "By the way, I went to Zonko's joke shop. You'll visit him next year, but I understood something about my mother. You know mum and godmum used to be part of the Marauders, don't you? They were regularly visting this shop and Zonko told me mum was dating someone of the group."

"It was probably James Potter." replied slackly Noen Black and Marley was surprised at how calmly he received the news, as if he had known all along. "Look, remember that in July you told me about the letter you found in your mum's room. Just think about it. Isn't it logical Brielle to date James Potter?"

"Even if it was true, I cannot be his daughter." stubbornly denied Marley, her arms folded in front of her chest. Peeves was flying past them, passing through the walls, but he ignored them. And better.