Seventh Year, The Attack
Wednesday January 25th 1978
WEREWOLF ATTACKS – MAGICAL COMMUNITY DEMANDS ACTION!
Hundreds were affected by a string of brutal werewolf attacks during last night’s full moon which left fifteen wizards dead and at least five missing - presumed kidnapped. None of the creatures responsible have been identified as yet, and the Auror’s office has advised everyone to be on high alert, and to consult the published ministry guidelines on identifying and approaching werewolves, which are classified XXXXX and considered highly dangerous.
The interim minister for magic has been criticised for failure to maintain the Werewolf Register, established by Newt Scamander in 1947. Speaking for the opposition, Abraxas Malfoy released a statement in the early hours of this morning:
“Last night’s attacks are further proof that the ministry is in dire need of reform, and on behalf of the ancient and law abiding magical families of Great Britain we demand stricter sanctions on half humans and other undesirable and potentially dangerous elements.”
This statement has provoked outrage in what insiders are describing as an increasingly divided ministry…”
The morning after the full moon had met them with yet another werewolf attack. They should have been expecting it at this point; still, that did not render it any easier. Something felt wrong, even more than usual, yet Marlene could not put her finger on it; a grim atmosphere hung above them as a thundercloud waiting to burst. She pushed the Prophet away, feeling bile rise in the back of her throat.
`No names,` James mumbled, frowning as he looked at the page before him. `That’s not good.`
`Protecting the victims’ families?` Sirius offered.
`Since when has the Daily Prophet cared about that?` Lily snapped. `Since when has the ministry?`
Mary nodded along vigorously.
`Careful what you say!` Peter cut in, paling, his eyes as wide as saucers. `My cousin who works at the Prophet said they’re being sent really strict guidelines on what they can write – about the ministry, the war, anything – and there are spies everywhere checking on them, making sure no one’s being too critical.`
All were stunned to silence, glancing over their shoulders to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation. Luckily, everyone else was too deep into their own worries to care about theirs.
`It’s not as if we’re disagreeing with what the paper says,` Marlene remarked quietly, hanging over the table so they could hear her better. `I hate Malfoy’s politics as much as the next half-blood, but he’s right about the failure of the register. The werewolves need to be contained, or stuff like this will happen, dark lord or not.` She sat back and crossed her arms.
`That’s ridiculous,` Sirius snorted disdainfully. `An organised attack like this only happens when there’s someone behind it; this would never happen without Voldemort goading them.`
For a second, Marlene was caught off guard by the mention of the name, but she regained her composure. `They’re still dangerous. I don’t see why we’re pretending they aren’t – it says it right here,` she pulled the paper towards her and tapped a finger on the article. `Classified XXXXX. I know it’s unfortunate for them; they might have been perfectly normal otherwise, but facts are facts.`
Nobody replied to that; they all stared at their hands or at each other, seemingly pretending they had not heard her. Marlene tried to get the attention of Mary, but she looked away, eyes focused on the ceiling.
Why were they all acting as if she had said something completely out of the box? Everybody could see that the laws on werewolves needed reinforcement, surely? It was for their own safety and wellbeing. Hogwarts could provide protection for the time being, yet that would not last forever. If the Ministry were to keep marching on like this, soon, they, themselves, would be the victims of these vicious attacks.
*
Marlene got through her first few lessons of the day without too much trouble. Still, along with the lingering resentment towards her friends, the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach did not dissipate. It was a strange feeling: not the usual dread she had become accustomed to. She could not wait to write to her mother and Danny, checking if they were alright. However-certainly- if they weren’t, someone would have contacted her. That idea put her mind at ease – at least a little.
Professor Kettleburn started their Care of Magical Creatures lesson with yet another gruesome tale of how he had lost a limb - this time to a dragon. However, nobody seemed to be paying too much attention. Even Marlene had blocked out his monotonous drone and was reading the chapter on werewolves, recoiling at the sight of the pencilled illustrations.
`There’s something a bit sexy about the whole beast-man thing, though,` Mary whispered at Remus, leaning over Marlene’s textbook.
`Mary!` Marlene said, shocked. `That’s completely insensitive, people died!`
`I’m just saying!`
`You wouldn’t think that, anyway if you met a real one!` Marlene countered pointily and continued on about someone from her healing class the year before who had told them about the terrible habits and hygiene of werewolves: how their condition disabled them from living an ordinary life - even under the close care of St. Mungo’s.
`Well, I feel sorry for them!` Mary glowered. `That sounds horrible; wizards are so heartless.`
`You’re being deliberately dense!` Marlene groaned, exasperated. `They’re not safe-`
`Excuse me, Professor Kettleburn.`
Professor McGonagall had appeared in the doorway, clutching a letter, her grey eyes drawn and worried. The whole class stared, holding their breaths in anticipation.
`I am sorry to interrupt,` the spectacled eyes scanned the room and finally stopped when they had reached their target. `Marlene McKinnon, may I speak to you?`
Marlene nodded mutely.
There it was: the horrible thing that had been hacking at her nerves like a blunt saw. She put down her quill, rose, and cast one last glance at Remus and Mary before following her head of house into the hallway.
Professor McGonagall closed the door behind them; she looked nervous, less composed than usual. Marlene dawdled, staring at her feet, hands trembling, waiting for what was about to come, but deep down, she already knew what McGonagall was about to say.
`I am terribly sorry to bear the news, Miss McKinnon. Your brother-`
Professor McGonagall kept talking, but it was as if she were speaking underwater, the words attack, bitten, injuries, St. Mungo floating to the surface like bubbles. Marlene lost control of her limbs and sank to the floor, sobbing, not even aware that she was screaming.
The classroom door opened, hands on her shoulders, then arms around her, someone whispering in her ear. She was pulled upright and guided along corridors, through arches, up multiple stairs, past heckling paintings and whispering students. All the while crying and whispering: `This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening.` But it was happening; it had already happened. Danny - her brother! - had been attacked by a werewolf: bitten.
`I need- I need my books,` Marlene mumbled, sitting dazed on her bed. `My books, my bag, they’re still in the classroom.`
Mary rubbed a hand over her spine. `Lil is getting them right at this moment.`
`Och, ok.` She felt numb, floating outside of her body. Her brother! Her lovely brother!
`We’re going to help you pack,` Mary said softly, holding onto her. `And then you’ll go home. It has already been arranged.`
Not long after, Lily came into the room and decisively began rummaging through Marlene’s clothes, stuffing them into a bag with some other personal items. Mary got up to help her while Marlene sat motionless, watching them through a mist of tears.
`All set, love,` Mary said, presenting her with a zipped-up bag.
`Professor McGonagall expects you in her office,` Lily said, already in the doorway. `You can travel by floo-network, and your mother will be waiting for you on the other side. You’ll be able to visit Danny as soon as possible.`
Marlene willed herself to move her limbs, to get up and walk out the door, but she felt unable to move a finger. `I don’t want to go. I don’t want to see him.` In terror, she sprang up and ran to the other end of the room, as far away from the door as possible. There was no way on earth that she was going to leave.
Lily closed the door again and pulled her on the bed beside her. `Marls, it is important that you go to see them.`
`But I do not want to. There is nothing that I can do, anyway.`
`You can be there for them. For him - for your mother. They need you. They do.`
Marlene looked down at her hands, tearing at her nails. `I am scared.`
`I know,` Lily squeezed her arm. `I know you are. I would be, too.`
`What if- what if he’s a...` She felt her voice choke in the back of her throat. `What if he’s changed.`
`He’s still your brother,` Lily replied briskly. `Nothing’s going to change that.`
***
Marlene left, disappearing in a flurry of green flames, leaving a gap cavernous enough to create an echo. When Mary and Lily rejoined their classmates for their next lesson, they were bombarded with questions about what had happened to her and where she had gone. Swatting them off like flies, they sat in the back of the room, ignoring the penetrating stares and crumbling the notes passed to them. It was despicable how quickly people jumped to sensationalise other people’s misfortune: to relish in their misery. Mary would never want to subject Marlene to that. Besides, sooner or later, everybody would read about the victims of the attack in the Daily Prophet.
Nevertheless, there was one person she could not ignore in all of this, and, however much Mary did not want to admit it, she had an obligation to fulfil. Marlene would have done the same for her if the roles had been reversed.
`Yasmin, wait up!` Mary called, catching her just before she entered the Great Hall.
Yasmin turned around; her forehead creased as she laid eyes on her, and her smile failed. `What’s going on? Where’s-`
`Can we talk for a second?` Mary cut her off. She looked at the swarm of students coming down the stairs. `Somewhere that’s not here?`
`...ok.` Yasmin gave her a puzzled look but followed her through the doors into the ivy-covered courtyard.
`Sorry,` Mary apologised, rubbing her arms to keep warm. `Didn’t want to have everybody listening in.`
`Where’s Marlene?` Yasmin asked stiffly, not wasting any time. `Why isn’t she with you? I thought we would meet for dinner.`
Mary swallowed, carefully picking her words. `Yeah, no, Marlene is not coming to dinner. She- It’s her brother, actually. He um- He was involved in the attack,` she managed. `He’s alive,` she added quickly, seeing the panic in Yasmin’s eyes. `But they’re keeping him at St. Mungo’s.`
`Fuck.` Yasmin took a sharp intake of breath, visibly processing the information. `How's she?`
`Didn’t say much. Cried, mostly - reckon she was in shock. She went home a couple of hours ago.`
`Do you know when she’ll be back?`
Mary shook her head. `No idea.`
`Oh,` Yamin nodded, worrying her lip. `Did she ask you to tell me?`
`No,` Mary shook her head.
Yasmin looked surprised, her thick eyebrows shooting up.
`I should erm...go back,` Mary said awkwardly, still hugging herself against the cold. `They’re probably wondering where I went.`
`Yeah, you...um...`
Mary had already turned around to reunite with the warmth of the castle when Yasmin called her attention. `Thank you,` she said, scuffing her toes on the cobblestones. `For telling me.` She looked up then; her eyes were soft for once, not full of coldness and distrust.
`Of course,` Mary nodded, then feeling bold. `Marlene really cares about you; she would have told you herself under different circumstances.`
***
Friday January 27th 1978
It hadn’t escaped Lily’s attention that Remus was taking the news about the attack harder than anyone else. That was if you didn’t count Marlene, whom they hadn’t heard from since she’d gone home. Remus hadn’t left the dorm - nor his bed, for that matter - after the news about Danny had broken loose. Since he refused to show himself, the marauders had fed him through a crack in the curtains. When Lily had tried to talk to him, he had only answered in inaudible grunts.
`What happened that he’s taking this so hard?`
`I think he feels responsible for it in some way.` James replied. They were doing their patrols, ambling along the dark, empty corridors of the castle.
`I still don’t understand,` Lily shook her head. `He was with you the whole time, wasn’t he?`
`Yes…` James replied slowly. `He was.`
`What?` Lily pressed, sensing his hesitation.
`Well, he did try to run away when we were outside. Like something was calling him. To be honest, if we hadn’t been there to get him back in the shack, I don’t know what would have happened...`
`But you were there – so nothing happened.`
`Right, nothing happened,` James replied. `But I think it scared Moony all the same: the feeling that he didn’t have any control over his own impulses.`
Lily nodded; she could understand that. `But it’s still not his fault.`
`Try telling him that.`
They took the stairs, ascending the west tower, which housed the owlery; to get there, they had to pass through a stretch of open air. Cautiously, they kept close to the wall and avoided looking into the dark abyss that started at the railing. The stench of faeces, damp straw, and rotting mice swept into their noses as the wind howled through the glassless windows.
Disturbed by the light of their wands, a reddish-brown barn owl abandoned its resting place, skimming closely over the tops of their heads; the rest was seemingly unbothered. Lily’s own owl hopped over to say hello and nuzzled its beak in her neck, pecking at her hair.
`Did you hear back from your parents?` James asked, shining his light around the tower, checking for students.
`I did,` Lily nodded. `They sent me a letter this morning. They are completely unaware of what happened.`
`And your sister? Did she send anything?`
`Nothing,` Lily shook her head and took a strand of hair from the bird’s beak.
`I'm sorry,` James said.
`It's fine. I didn’t expect her to reply, either way.` Lily shrugged and looked away, letting the wind from the gaping windows dry her eyes.
During the wake of the attack on Danny, Petunia had been on her mind a lot. But then, Petunia was always on her mind.
*
Sunday January 29th 1978
It wasn’t until the end of the weekend that Remus showed his face again; he snuck silently into the common room, face grey and with purple circles underneath his eyes. Lily quickly tucked the Daily Prophet under a chair, wanting to spare him the sight of the front page. Over the course of the week, the paper had published lists of names and photographs of the victims; first, those who hadn’t survived the attacks, then those who presumably had been bitten. Danny’s name and photograph had been among the latter, adorned with four inches of text due to his status as a beloved player for the Chudley Cannons.
For the first time in days, they enjoyed a meal in the Great Hall with Remus present. Meanwhile, Marlene’s empty seat at the table still felt like a nagging cavity, a gaping hole, constantly reminding them of the ensuing conflict.
They lounged around in the common room for the remainder of the afternoon. Lily completed her homework and copied her notes for Marlene. When done, she popped into the dorm to get something leisurely to read or flick through; she could do with some divertissement.
`Which ones?` Mary asked as soon as Lily entered the room.
`Which ones for what?` Lily replied, not looking up as she riffled through the stack of magazines on her bedside table.
`Which earrings?` Mary pressed, now dangling two pairs in front of Lily’s face. `Big hoops, or the ones with the dangly bits?`
`Erm,` Lily straightened. `What for?`
`Ravenclaw party,` Mary replied with a smirk and sashayed to her end of the room.
`You’re seriously going to a party right now?` Lily crossed her arms. `With everything that’s going on.`
`Yeah, so?` Mary wriggled out of her skirt, cast off her blouse, and walked over to her trunk, rifling through it, pulling out clothes. `All the more reason.`
`Don’t you think that’s a little insensitive?`
`Insensitive to who?` Mary pulled a silver spangly dress over her head, shimmying it down over her hips.
`Marlene.`
Mary rolled her eyes. `I doubt that Marls gives a shit about whether or not I go to a party while she’s gone. Can you zip me up?` She turned her back to Lily and pushed her hair aside to reveal her smooth back.
Lily walked over and held the sides of the fabric together. `It just feels unfair that we get to go on with our lives when she is – hold your breath,` she pulled at the zipper. `Well, probably at St Mungo’s with Danny.`
`It’s not as if we can do anything for her,` Mary countered. `It really doesn’t make a difference.` She turned to face Lily again and adjusted the thin straps of her dress.
Lily sighed. `Well, I’m not telling you what to do. So, if you think going to a party is appropriate, then you do you.`
`Bloody right, you are,` Mary replied pointedly, looking at herself in the full-length mirror. `I want to make something of my weekend. Besides, it is probably just a couple of drinks and some music, I reckon.`
`Ok,` Lily pressed her lips together, biting back her judgement. `Well, have fun, and I would wear the hoops if I were you.`
`Thanks, love,` Mary blew a kiss and disappeared into the bathroom, locking the door behind her with a clean snap.
Lily stared at the closed door, somehow expecting it to open again. It didn’t.
*
As the sky rapidly darkened, painting the horizon purple, Lily joined the boys downstairs. She placed herself on James’ lap in an armchair and flicked through a magazine, listening to his steady breathing; her eyes took in the page, but her mind was elsewhere.
`You know what we ought to start getting serious about,` Sirius prompted as he sorted through a stack of records.
`NEWTs?` Remus offered. He was playing a game of chess against Peter in front of the fireplace.
`Job applications?` Lily said, even though Sirius couldn’t possibly be thinking about that.
`The quidditch cup?` James chipped-in.
`For goodness sake,` Sirius threw up his arms in despair. `I’m ashamed to call you all marauders.`
`What?!` The boys shot him indignant looks.
Peter started laughing. `He’s talking about the big prank on Slytherin. You know, we started planning it before Christmas.`
`Wormy-boy!` Sirius cried, delighted. `You are without a doubt my very favourite person.`
The prank! Lily groaned inwardly; she had completely forgotten she had agreed to participate. So much had happened in the span of a mere couple of weeks; there were more pressing matters than pranks now.
`Bugger off,` Peter mumbled and moved a piece on the chessboard, capturing Remus’ queen.
`Ugh,` Remus sighed and leaned back. `I don’t know why I bother; I haven’t beaten you since I was thirteen.` He tore his eyes away from the game. `Well then? Got a plan?`
`Maybe,` Sirius pursed his lips. `Whatever we do, I think we should focus the attack on the dungeons.`
`Let’s not throw around words like `attack`,` Lily interjected hastily. `This is just a practical joke, right? In the wholesome spirit of harmless house rivalry?`
`If you like,` Sirius raised his eyebrows at her, making Lily want to kick him in the gut. `Anyway, Moony, I thought your study group was in on this? What’s the point of having all these minions if you can’t make them work for you?`
`Oh my god, for the last time, they are not my `minions`,` Remus snapped. `Anyway, we’ve not had a proper study group yet this term. I’ve been ever so slightly busy.`
`Well, as none of us are scheduled to be in mortal peril for the next month or so,` Sirius said. `I think we ought to get cracking. Everyone could do with a laugh, eh? Assemble the troops, we’ll meet sometime next week.`
`As long as it doesn’t clash with quidditch,` James said, yawning. `I’m there. Right. I’m off to bed, Transfiguration first thing.`
They wished each other goodnight and headed off to their respective dormitories. Lily considered waiting for Mary but decided that would be a lost cause. She suspected Mary of wanting to outrun the fear they were all feeling, and she wondered how long it would take before it would catch up to her.
***
`Want to go somewhere quiet?`
`What?` Angus, the Hufflepuff quidditch player Mary had been seeing, cupped his hand around his ear and leaned in.
More people than expected had shown up to the Ravenclaw party, and Mary was starting to get sick of each and every one of them. Moreover, Roman Rotherhide had caught her attention, his tongue down the throat of another girl; no amount of alcohol could undo that sight.
`I said: do you want to go somewhere more quiet?` Mary yelled again, trying to make herself heard above the music.
This time, Angus seemed to have understood her; his face lit up, and he grabbed her hand, leading her off the dancefloor to the dormitories. He opened a random door and pulled her inside, instantly pressing her against the door, kissing her and sliding his hand underneath her dress.
`Jesus,` Mary pushed him away.
Angus ignored her and sucked her neck as he manoeuvred his hand between her thighs.
Mary pushed him away again, disgusted. `What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!`
`Oh, come on,` Angus said, grinding against her, cupping her backside. `Why else would you want to go somewhere quiet?`
`Because I needed somewhere where we could talk without being bombarded by the entire school,` Mary bit and squirmed free from his grip.
`But you and I don’t talk,` Angus slurred, the alcohol heavy on his breath. `You’re not like the others. That’s why I like you.`
Mary felt a cold brick of rage drop in her stomach. `Well, that’s too bad,` she said icily. `Because I am exactly like the others. Go and find someone else.`
In the common room, Roman Rotherhide was still sucking the life out of his companion, practically riding her against the fireplace, his friends cheering him on from the sidelines. Angrily, Mary ran down the stairs, balancing on her heels; the straps of her dress had started to slip off her shoulders, and her lipstick had smeared everywhere but her mouth.
`Slag,` someone whispered as she shoved past them towards the exit. She didn’t look around to see who it was; it didn’t matter anyway.
The half a bottle of witches brew had been a bad idea. In hindsight, the whole endeavour had been a bad idea. Bad, bad idea! Mary stumbled through the castle towards Gryffindor Tower, slinging profanities at the paintings who laughed at her dishevelled appearance. The darkness felt like an iron curtain seeping over her, getting into her pores. It was so quiet now she was alone; far too quiet. As she crawled through the portrait hole, she almost fell over but managed to keep upright.
`All right?`
Mary squinted through the darkness of the corridor, trying to make out who was still loitering around downstairs. It was Remus.
`Hiya, sexy,` she smiled and wandered towards him.
`Hello, been somewhere?`
`Pfffff.` She flicked her hand dismissively and flung herself in the nearest armchair, sinking into the squashy cushions. `Just a few drinks in the Ravenclaw common room.`
`Thought you were seeing a Hufflepuff?`
`Mm, he was there,` she sighed, banning the thought of Angus and his hands from her head. `But a lot of people were there, I s’pose.` She closed her eyes and leaned her head back.
`Are you ok, Mary?`
`Oh. Fine,` she blinked her eyes open again and forced a smile. `Just stuff on my mind. Boys being wankers. Poor Marlene.`
`Have you heard of her?`
Mary shook her head and hoisted herself to a more seated position, readjusting her dress. `Haven’t got a fag, have you, sweetheart? I don’t usually, but I just really fancy one.`
`Yeah,` Remus grappled in his pocket and procured a matchbox. `Normal or fun?`
`Oooh, fun, please,` she held out a hand. `Might help me sleep.`
`Um, about Marlene,` Remus mumbled, cigarette between his lips as he lit it. `I just had a thought, er… you know her friend Yaz? Have you seen her about? I wasn’t sure if anyone told her-`
`I did,` Mary replied, exhaling the smoke, already feeling the edges of her vision mellow. `I told her.`
`Oh!` Remus seemed surprised. `That’s good, then.`
`Mmm, I thought she had better know,` Mary twisted a strand of hair around her finger. `Didn’t want her to think Marls had gone cold on her.`
`What do you mean?` Remus said coyly, even though Mary was certain that he knew what she meant.
Mary laughed and shook her head. `Oh, come on, Remus. I know.`
`You…she told you?`
`No,` Mary sucked her teeth bitterly. `But I’m not thick, despite the rumours on the contrary. At least, I know what romance looks like,` she cocked an eyebrow. `I’m not as dense as James, for example. How long did he take to figure it out?`
`He doesn’t know about Marlene. They must keep it quiet during quidditch stuff.`
`I’m not talking about Marlene now,` Mary said pointedly. `I’m talking about you.`
`Me!?` Remus exclaimed.
`He’s a good kisser, isn’t he?` Mary smirked. `But then, you were too, I seem to remember.`
`How…?!` Remus stared at her in complete disbelief.
`Mm,` she pursed her lips. `I’ve suspected for a little while now. Just little things. All the time you spent together. His being single for more than five minutes. I wasn’t a hundred per cent sure, but you’ve just confirmed it for me.`
`Bugger.`
Mary laughed again. There, the cat was out of the bag.
`Silly boy,` she squeezed his arm gently, then turned serious. `It’s fine if you want to keep it quiet. I was going to wait to see if you told me yourself – like I am doing with Marls. But I just wanted to let you know... I know I’ve got this reputation for being a bit of a big mouth, but I can keep a secret, ok? Especially for my friends. And if…` she worried her lip, hesitating whether to continue. No, now was the right time, if any. `If there’s anything else you’re keeping secret, Remus, then you can trust me, ok? It doesn’t change anything.`
She waited for Remus to reply, full of anticipation.
`What are you saying,` Remus looked fearful. `Do you think you know something … else?`
`Remus,` Mary put the spliff to the side. `The scars? Being ill every full moon? We do the same Care of Magical Creatures class.`
`You can’t tell anyone,` Remus whispered, anxiously glancing around. `Please, Mary … me and Sirius, that’s one thing, but this … I could get kicked out of school. I could get arrested!`
`Hey!` Mary rose quickly and sat on the armrest of his chair. `I’m not going to tell! That’s what I’m trying to explain.` She draped her arm around him. `Makes no difference to me, I swear.`
`Really?`
`Honestly,` she pecked his cheek. `So don’t take what happened to Marlene’s brother so hard, eh? It was nothing to do with you?`
`She’d never forgive me if she knew,` Remus mumbled.
Mary handed him the rest of the joint. `Don’t worry about that. She’ll come around. She knows who you are. And maybe you could help? You could write to Danny, even – I bet he could do with a friend.`
`That’s-` Remus began but was interrupted.
`Mooony, where are you?` Sirius plodded down the stairs. `I can smell the pot all the way from here; you’re not being subtle – oh! Hiya MacDonald.`
`Black,` Mary greeted him. `Sorry, I’m trying to seduce your boyfriend.`
`Oh yeah, I’d like to see you – wait my what?!`
She stuck out her tongue teasingly.
`Are we just telling everyone, now?!` Sirius gawked at Remus.
`Oi!` Mary cried indignantly. `I’m not `everyone`! Arrogant tosser. Don’t forget, I had you both first.` She winked and bid them goodnight, bounding up the stairs, her smile melting the further away she got.
She cast a Muffliato spell on the bathroom door and let the shower run; clumsily, she sat under the cold water, knees pressed to her chest. The coal and glitter seeped off her face, forming a dark swirl into the drain. Her body felt fuzzy from the weed, but the hollow ache that had wheedled its way into the space behind her breastbone was undefinable.
///