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The strongest weapon someone has against you is not yourself, but the ones you love. Marianne Elmore had learnt that lesson thrice in her life. Now she was learning it again for a fourth time. She was sitting here in remembrance of her warmest memory, in the coldest and darkest moment of her life. The day her son was born, they were all sitting together in a tightly knit circle, laughing and joking. Sirius had cried as soon as the baby reached out for his finger. Hell, even James had done that . Lily was not at all surprised at their antiques though, she was just worried that they'd drop the baby. The girls had always known that the biggest pranksters of their generation were actually marshmallows at heart.
The day she first held baby Harry in her arms, too was fresh in her memory. Ophiuchus was roughly two months older than Harry. They had brought him to meet his baby brother too, Sirius's words not his. Strange, the two children were no where near as close friends as their fathers had wanted them to be. In fact Andromeda always said that Ophiuchus liked to left alone, almost all of the time. If only those moments had lasted forever.
She smiled to herself.
"He'll be left unharmed. In exchange for your services, of course."
"For the safety of my son? I'll do what I must."
A melancholy sadness had descended upon the sky. It had consumed all afternoon sunshine, slowly yet steadily till nothing but a grey oddity was all that was left. Not black, but grey. Years ago, Marianne and her brother Edward had rebelled against their parents, against pureblood supremacy. It had cost them their family. But just a few moments prior, Mary had agreed to join the Death Eaters. Not out of fear, but out of love. If they had threatened her own life, she wouldn't have thought twice before saying no. But they had threatened the life of the one person she loved most in the world. They had threatened to kill her son.
Marianne knew the taste of betrayal. She knew what that felt like. She had seen it happen closely. Her family has been destroyed, just because they put their faith in the wrong person. She wished that there was another way, but their wasn't. She did it, only to protect her son.But was it worth it? She'd never be able to look Ophiuchus in the eye after this. He would never forgive her doing for this. But, her son's life was worth it. It was worth everything.
Narcissa offered her a smile, Marianne looked away. Her deep blue eyes, which now seemed like the ocean in a thunderstorm was stuck on Severus Snape. Who's side was this man on? Wasn't he a teacher at Hogwarts ? Was he a threat to her son's life ? Of all people in the room, he was the only one who'd be near Ophiuchus, for Andromeda was wise enough to not send Ophiuchus anywhere near the Malfoy Manor during a time like this. The woman might be a banished child, but if anything Marianne did know, it was that she was nowhere near weak.
"Then you have my word," said the familiar icy cold voice, which sent chills up Marianne's spine. "That your son shall remain unharmed." There was a pause, before the voice continued. "You are a real asset to whichever side you serve. Your father had during the first war shown unusual competence in comparison to his equals ...." Marianne felt his eyes linger on Lucius Malfoy before he continued. " The Elmore family curse a rather fascinating myth or perhaps ....I hope you understand that this moment forth, all your actions shall have dire consequences."
"I do." Marianne said. Looking him in the eye, without the slightest hint of fear.
This was what she was willing to do for her son. Betray everyone she'd ever loved. Give up everything she held most, dear. Will that mean that she'll have to raise her wand against loved ones ? Yes. Will that mean throwing unforgivable curses at loved ones ? Yes. Would it mean sacrificing every inch of her morality ? Yes. But was this sacrifice worth it? She was not even asking this to herself. She was convincing herself that whatever she had done was worth it. It was for the safety of her child. And for the safety of her child she would do what she must. She loved Ophiuchus more than anything. More than life itself.
She could hear the lament of her morality. But her son was worth this sacrifice.
