sister of the wolf | s. snape

fourty-two | marlene

The bright blue light was blinding as it entered their darkened bedroom. Elise groaned loudly as her eyes cracked open and squinted at the phoenix patronus. Severus pulled the comforter over his head.

"This is an absolute emergency. All members of the Order are to report to the headquarters at once." Albus' voice rang out, before the patronus vanished.

Severus sat up and looked at his wife and they exchanged strange looks. His voice... It didn't sound right. On top of that, it was nearly four in the morning. Something was very wrong.

Remus knocked before opening the door, staring at the two in bed with confusion and major bed-head. Elise just shrugged at him before telling him to go on ahead, that they would change and be at the headquarters shortly. He nodded and left the doorway.

"What do you think's going on?" Elise asked a bit breathlessly as she tugged on the first pair of jeans she spotted. "You don't think..." Her voice trailed off and she stared at her husband with panic in her eyes.

"No." Severus said firmly, stepping over to her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "He didn't find the Potters."

"But... How do you know?" Her voice cracked.

"Love," he stared into her eyes, stroking her cheek with a his fingers. "I promise you, Lily and James are fine."

Elise took a deep breath and nodded. She knew she shouldn't jump to conclusions like that, but couldn't quite help it. Every single day the thought of her friends being found tormented her. She just wanted to see them again.

They finished getting dressed and grasped each other's hands before Apparating to Grimmauld Place. Upon entering, Albus approached them quicker than they'd ever seen the old man move. His blue eyes were wide with fear and rimmed with red, as if he hadn't slept in days.

"What class did Elise Lupin nearly fail each year until her fifth?" Albus asked, his wand pointed at them in the entrance hallway.

"Potions." She answered with a roll of her eyes as she could see the faint smirk on Severus' face beside her at the question.

Albus nodded slowly before shifting his gaze - and wand - to Severus.

"Who was the person Severus Snape despised throughout his school years?"

"James Potter." Severus answered easily.

With a breath of relief that didn't quite ease the panic on his face, Albus lowered his wand and hurried back into the kitchen, which was humming with voices already. As they followed him in, they could see everyone else had arrived.

Severus pulled out the last empty chair for Elise, choosing to stand behind her with a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"What's going on, Albus, it's so bloody early..." Sirius grumbled, rubbing his eyes as he looked around. "Where's Marlene?" He asked in a murmur, as if to himself.

"I am sorry to have awoken you all," the old professor began, regarding everyone with troubled eyes. "But this could not wait."

Elise could swear she could practically hear everyone's hearts thudding with anxiety as they all stared at Dumbledore. With a shaky breath, Albus looked down at his clasped hands on the table.

"Marlene Mckinnon and her family were killed tonight."

Silence. Absolute, deafening silence.

For a moment, Elise felt her hands go numb and a bitter taste filled her mouth. She must have began to shake, as she felt the hand on her shoulder squeeze gently. She stared down at her trembling fingers, her mouth slightly agape.

No, no... She thought, tears brimming in her eyes. That can't be true. It can't. I just saw Marlene... We just had tea last week. She was a bridesmaid at my wedding just last month, for Merlin's sake.

A thought struck her and her eyes quickly shot up to where Sirius was. But he was gone. Panic rose in her chest and she saw him walking briskly out of the kitchen and down the hall, out the front door.

"Padfoot..." She whispered, standing up from her seat and beginning to follow. Severus tried to speak to her, but she held up a hand, instructing him to stay where he was.

Elise tried not to listen to the sounds of sobs echoing throughout the room as she walked out, keeping her mind on Sirius. When she made it outside, she barely felt the soft raindrops hitting her skin.

Sirius was sat on the front step, his head in his hands. Slowly, she sat beside him and remained silent for a long moment. The rain quietly pitter-pattered against their surroundings, slowly getting their hair wet.

Without a word, she put her hand on his back and rubbed slowly. This is what she knew he needed: silent support. In all their years of being friends, she'd only seen him near this upset twice before. When his uncle died and when Regulus died. But those two were apart of his twisted, messed up family. That was nothing compared to this loss.

Finally, he picked up his head and Elise could see the tear stains down his face.

"I was going to propose to her soon," he said weakly, still not looking at her. Then a short chuckle left his lips. "The crazy woman would've probably said no, though."

She gave him a half-smile, shaking her head. "She would've said no then eloped with you the next week."

Sirius grinned and nodded, sniffling a bit. She scooted closer to him and wrapped her arm around his back. Her own watery eyes had begun to spill over and a soft sob escaped her. A frown returned to his face and he quickly hugged Elise. The two sat there for awhile, holding each other as they both cried and feared for the future.

"I'm so scared, Pads..." Elise whispered into his leather jacket. "Marlene was the toughest of us all... If they got her, then..."

"Shh," he hushed, sniffling again as he pet his friend's hair. "We will be okay, Bandit. Me, you, Prongs, Lily, Moony, and Wormtail will be fine and will be back to our old shenanigans in no time. Okay?"

Though she doubted his words, she nodded anyway.

Speaking of the devils, Remus and Peter emerged from the headquarters and sat down on either side of the hugging two; Remus on his sister's side, Peter on Sirius'. 

Elise released Sirius to go into her brother's arms next. She truly was scared for all of their safeties and needed to be close to Remus in this moment.

"I'm sorry, mate," Peter said softly. "I know she meant a lot to you."

Sirius gave a forced smile and just nodded, patting Wormtail on the back in response. Another tear slid down his cheek.

The Marauders, Lily, Elise, and Marlene had all been fighting for their lives every single day since leaving Hogwarts. They'd known the risk they took when joining the Order, but had done it anyway. For the greater good, for the lives of all the Muggles, Muggleborns, and 'blood traitors,' and for the futures of their children. Every single one of them would die for each other, Elise knew that beyond any doubt. But she had always hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

Tonight, Marlene died at only twenty-one years old, along with every member of her family. And now, the danger the members of the Order were in felt even more real. The fact that at any time, at any moment, Death Eaters could come into their homes and end their lives within an instant weighed heavily on their minds.

So the four sat together in silence, listening to the sound of the rain and simply enjoying each other's presence.

For they never knew what moment together would be their last.