𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 ☼ 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆

↘︎ chapter fifty

50 | The missing sketchbook

"My brother was attacked by dementors!" exclaimed Marley Macmillan, looking at the adults in the kitchen, where they were having dinner. Sirius Black just coughed quietly and Mrs. Weasley immediately glared at him. "Are you fucking kidding me?! He can't stay at Privet Drive anymore, right? He should come here."

"We also had this plan." said thoughtfully Moody. His artificial eye was constantly moving among the others. He didn't usually have dinner with them often, but tonight he had settled down between professor Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. "The Advanced Guard is going to pick him up from Privet Drive."

"Why don't you come---" asked Tonks, but Moody kicked her to the feet with his cane, and Tonks paused in embarrassment. Marley looked again perplexed at everyone at the table. Sirius looked carelessly and laughed secretly, Brielle and Noelle exchanged glances, Mrs. Weasley shook her head in an explicit ban, Ron, Hermione and Noen stood silent, Ginny stared at her plate, and Fred and George... they didn't even listen to the conversation.

"Fred! George! What are you doing?" called out Mrs. Weasley ready to stand up from the table. Both Weasley twins glanced at their mother with innocent looks on their faces.

"N-nothing, mum. We are just talking." replied Fred and smiled toward her. Mrs. Weasley just snorted and focused again on the conversation about Harry and the attack by dementors.

"Marley will never come. She's only a child. She's not even legally an adult." crossed over her hands Mrs. Weasley. "And she's a student."

"I agree that she is not legally an adult, Molly." joined Brielle, smiling politely to the red-haired mother. "But I think I know the best for my daughter. Harry is her brother and I think..."

"Don't you dare to say you consider letting her go!" Mrs. Weasley almost screamed from shock. Marley was watching Mrs. Weasley and her mother fighting for the stupidest thing. Why it looked like Mrs. Weasley didn't really like Brielle... or Noelle, or Sirius? There was tension between them. They were talking politely to each other but with coldness in their voices.

"I didn't say that." shook her head Brielle Macmillan. "I just said that she is my daughter Molly, not yours. Of course, I appreciate that you take so much care of her. But she's my daughter."

"Of course, Brielle." Molly licked her lips, the familiar coldness in her voice appeared again. "Marley is your daughter, but when you weren't taking care of her, I was her mother."

There was a moment of silence. In some ways, this was true, because Mrs. Weasley had always helped Marley, had cared for her for so many years. She really was like her mother. Brielle had always taken care of her too, but since everyone thought she was dead until last year, she seemed to be left with the impression that Brielle had just recently appeared in Marley's life.

Sirius cleared his throat. "Molly, I think you should calm down. Hoo-- Brielle had always been taking care of Marley. You just haven't seen it."

"But everyone thought she was dead until last year!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley.

"That's true. But I was living with my daughter and her godmother." said Brielle, her voice cold like ice. "She was just keeping it in secret and told everyone she was living only with Noelle and Noen. That wasn't a lie, though."

"Wait... wait..!" Mrs. Weasley looked down at her plate, then at the Weasley twins. "Fred! George! Stop talking and pay attention on this. Remember that winter when I let you go in Wales. Did you meet Brielle there?"

The twins just exchanged a look and nodded. Mrs. Weasley exhaled deeply. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Marley made us swear we won't tell each other or she won't speak to us ever again." shrugged shoulders George and he was about to go back at his conversation with Fred, but Mrs. Weasley didn't let him.