It takes two | Sirius Black

60.

Marlie hesitantly picks up the quill, she had heard all about Professor Umbridge's medieval punishments. She had hoped to never have to use them after seeing the pain it caused others but here she was with quill in hand. Where were her big brothers when you need them? She hadn't even participated in the prank, she had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed the aftermath. Professor Umbridge walked down that same corridor at that moment and wouldn't listen to a single word Marlie had to say.

"Marlie." Professor Umbridge says as she looks over her shoulder, "Is there an issue, dear?"

Marlie laughs under her breath, "You know of my Dad I presume?"

"The mass murderer?"

"When he finds out..."Marlie smiles, "Merlin help you."

She's not sure why she said it, the blinded moment of confidence and impulsiveness quickly faded. Of course her Dad would be pissed but staring at Umbridge, the small smile spread on her lips unsettled Marlie again. It was a Zion move. Marlie was never one to cause problems at school. Clearly her older brother and his friends had been rubbing off on her since she'd been around them more.

"Carry on." Umbridge instructs with a cold glare in her eyes, she nods towards the parchment and waits.

Marlie closes her eyes, inhales sharply and holds her breath as she starts to write. The pain makes her hand flinch on its own, but she's determined to power through and not give the evil Professor the satisfaction. Even the Death-eater in disguise wasn't as bad as this so called lady.

Fred and George sit besides Marlie when they find her sobbing on a bench, she's holding her hand to her chest, hiding it from view but the twins had their experience with the quills on multiple occasions already. Both boys had grown quite protective over little Marlie over the years, they back each other as they try to comfort her but she's so tearful. There's nothing they can do to fix it.

Zion and Phoenix are bickering as they turn down the corridor, they see the redhead twins sat with their crying sister. They see the way she holds her stinging hand, the pale fades on the twins as they try to comfort her and Zion sees red. He punches the wall besides him, his knuckles bleeding against the cold stone.

Harry rushes towards them, after a particularly intense lesson on Occulumency with Snape. He's sweating and shaking but abruptly stops when he sees the others. He stares at Phoenix, he'd been avoiding him really, his head was too muddled for that messy business right now. Zion glares at him, making Harry step back. Zion was intimidating at the best of times, but with his bloody knuckles and murderous stare- it was even more so. Harry looks at Marlie, his own hand stings sympathetically as she holds hers. Her eyes are filled with tears, her bottom lip wavering as she tries to hold them back.

Zion crouches down in front of his little sister, holding her other hand in his and giving it a squeeze. Phoenix knees on the other side, his hand resting on the bench as he struggles to hold back his own tears. Seeing Marlie in pain, was too much of a reminder for when she was sick.

"We're telling Mum and Dad." He says sternly.

Zion nods in agreement, it was rare the two brothers agreed on anything but when it came to Marlie's safety - they always sided with each other.

"Naughty children deserved to be punished." Professor Umbridge says calmly as she walks past, "Do not fuss. She will be fine. All students will be punished for uncooperative behaviour."