𝗗𝗜𝗘 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 ☼ 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆

↘︎ chapter sixty

60 | St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries

Marley Macmillan felt a little uneasy while Ginny, Fred and George were arguing with Sirius because they were very worried about their father and wanted to visit him, but Sirius didn't allow them. Sirius was trying to appease the twins. And Marley just looked blankly at the clock. It was one in the morning, but she wasn't full of adrenaline, she was just tired. Of course, she was worried about Mr. Weasley and hoped everything would be okay with him, but she just needed a nap. Like everyone else.

"I know it's hard, but we've all got to act as though we don't know anything yet. We've got to stay put, at least until we hear from your mother, all right?" said Sirius.

Fred and George still looked mutinous. Ginny, however, took a few steps over to the nearest chair and sank into it. Harry looked at Ron, who made a funny movement somewhere between a nod and a shrug, and they sat down too. The twins glared at Sirius for another minute, then took seats either side of Ginny. Marley sat next to George.

"That's right," said Sirius encouragingly, "come on, lets all... let's all have a drink while we're waiting. Accio Butterbeer!"

No one seemed in the mood to drink a Butterbeer, but after they arrived, everyone took a glass and had a drink. No one was talking. Only the noisy swallowing of drinks was heard. Marley looked at George with the corner of her eye. His red hair was messy and slightly curled; His face was pale and there were light dark circles under his eyes. He was tired. But he refused to let himself go and sleep. He was just staring at one point as his fingers played nervously with each other, his foot tapping on the floor.

Then a burst of fire in midair illuminated the dirty plates in front of them and, as they gave cries of shock, a scroll of parchment fell with a thud on to the table, accompanied by a single golden phoenix tail feather.

"Fawkes!" said Sirius at once, snatching up the parchment. "That's not Dumbledore's writing-- it must be a message from your mother--here--"

He thrust the letter to George's hand, who ripped it open and read aloud: "Dad is still alive. I'm setting out for St. Mungo's now. Stay where you are. I will send news as soon as I can. Mum." George looked around the table. "Still alive... but that makes it sound..."

He didn't need to finish the sentence. It sounded to Marley, too, as though Mr. Weasley was hovering somewhere between life and death.

Sirius suggested once, without any real conviction, that they all should go to bed, but the Weasleys' looks of disgust were answer enough. Fred fell into a doze, his head lolling sideways on to his shoulder. Ginny was curled like a cat on her chair, but her eyes were open; Marley could see them reflecting the firelight. Ron was sitting with his head in his hands, whether awake or asleep it was impossible to tell. Harry and Sirius looked at each other every so often, intruders upon the family grief, waiting... waiting...

"George?" Marley called him. Everyone was so absorbed by their own thoughts or just staring around the room, trying not to fall asleep.

"Hmm?" for a moment he almost sounded like Professor Umbridge. He left the glass with his Butterbeer. The firelight of the candle was lilluminating parts of his face and eyes. It was probably two o'clock in the morning or later.

"You need to sleep--"

"No." he cut her off, without looking at her. He wasn't even holding her hand. They were sitting two spans away in the little sofa. Marley really wanted to show her support but George was cold like ice. "I don't need to sleep. I can't miss if Mum sends another letter with news about Dad."