𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹, draco malfoy

˗ˋ 31

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
✧
-: third year :-

── IN WHICH THEY COLLAPSE

. . .

Marlie had been part of many groups, but none as strange as the one that she found herself in as they moved down into the passageway below the Shrieking Shack. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Marlie, Harry and Hermione brought up the rear.

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand, and you could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. The twins went right after Black, Harry far more cautious than Marlie, who just jumped in. Sirius was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. Marlie had the impression Black was making no effort to prevent this and was rather looking forward to see a bruise on his head. 

"You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to Harry and Marlie as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free." Harry replied.

"Yes..." said Black. "But I'm also - I don't know if anyone ever told you.. Marlie mentioned something back there - I'm your godfather." Marlie nodded.

"Yeah I knew that." Harry didn't seem to have much to say, but Marlie rolled her eyes and nodded.

"We found out from Fudge. We weren't supposed to be in Hogsmeade.. but we had the map then and hid under a table. Then when I heard about how close Professor Lupin was with you and my dad, I put two and two together." Marlie was, admittedly, rather curious to try and see just how much Sirius would tell her.

"You take after your mother." Sirius mused, seeming a little more friendly towards Marlie as of then, before glancing at Harry and becoming more awkward again. "Well... your parents appointed me and Remus as your guardians," he said stiffly. "If anything happened to them..."

Marlie's heartbeat was suddenly pounding in her ear, and her eyes darted over to Harry, who seemed to be mirroring her expression, breath halted as they waited for Sirius to continue.

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," Black began. "But...well.. think about it. Once my name's cleared... if you two wanted a... a different home.." 

"What?" Marlie muttered, a rather confused explosion taking place in the pit of her stomach as the words settled in.

"What - live with you?" Harry asked, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "We could leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd.."  

"Are you insane?" Harry exlaimed, his voice easily as croaky as Black's. 

"Of course we want to leave the Dursleys!" Marlie chimed in, eyes dancing with excitement behind a row of tears. "Have you got a house? When can we move in?" Harry nodded enthusiastically beside her, awaiting the answer to his question.