Being Minnie's Daughter

Chapter 61

Mack's POV

"Stupefy." I mutter fast before pulling Marlene down on top of me.

"NO!" I scream.

"MARLENE!"

My voice echoes across the room, forcing all friend and foe to turn my way. The Maruaders' faces fall, seeing Marlene McKinnon laying motionlessly over top of me.

Sirius starts to run towards me when a pop signifies someone apparating into the manor. He freezes as someone appears in the center of the hallway, just out of sight of seeing me and me seeing them.

Sirius waves his arms frantically in a shooing motion before running in the opposite direction. The Dark Lord takes two steps forward into my line of sight. "Kill them all," he hisses sharply, rotating his head to look around the room.

I close my eyes quickly and force myself to transform into a small ladybug. I climb into Marlene's frozen hair just as the Dark Lord's eyes pass over us.

"Is the girl dead Travers?" The Dark Lord commands the Death Eater who casted the Unforgivable Curse.

Travers nods, "The McKinnon girl is dead. There was another girl standing with her who has seemed to vanish."

"Another girl?" The Dark Lord hisses. He rushes to Travers side and points his wand to his throat. "You let someone get away."

"I... I... She was a small brunette, just like McKinnon," He stutters. "I don't know how she disappeared."

The Dark Lord's eyes darken as Travers explains what happened to me. "That girl better have been either a figure of your imagination or worthless. If I find you messed this up for me-"

"MY LORD!" A voice shouts from the other room, drawing both the Dark Lord and Travers away.

I quickly climb back out of Marlene's hair and transform back to human. I grab Marlene's arm and disapparate us back to our family cottage.

"MUM!" I yell, as I enter the living room of the house. She comes quickly out of her office at the popping sound and rushes to my side. "What happened?"

"Attack at the McKinnons," I say quickly. "Marlene should be dead, everyone thinks she died."

Mum looks at me confused before grabbing my shoulders and pushing me onto the couch. "Take a breath and explain."

"Travers aimed a killing curse at us but I hit Marlene with a stupefy spell a split second before the killing curse would've hit us. I pulled her onto the ground on top of me as the curse hit the couch next to us. Everyone at the manor thinks she's dead."

Mum nods solemnly. "They were targeted by the Dark Lord," she sums up simply.

"Yes," I whisper, chills running down my spine. "She sent a patronus message to the Potters. She was upset I came with them. She said they were there for me."

Mum stands up quickly. "Go to the Potters and tell they she is dead." I stand up and walk over to the fireplace, grabbing a handful of floo powder. "Do not tell anyone, not even Remus or Sirius that she is still alive. I will wait here with her until she awakens."

I pause, "I can't tell Sirius?"

I look over my shoulder to see Mum looking down at Marlene sadly. "Somehow the Dark Lord knew you were friends with Marlene. If they ever find out she is still alive," Mum sighs, "She lost her family today and I almost lost both of you. Don't tell a soul she is alive."

I nod silently and force my face to fall into a somber look.

"Potter Manor."

The force of landing in a fireplace catches me off guard, sending me tumbling into the center of their living room. Tears fall out of my eyes after my nose impacts the ground, never hit the nose it's an instant cry spot. With my nose feeling funny, I reach up gingerly to feel hot liquid rushing out of my nose. My breath quicken hysterically at the thought of blood on my face.

Footsteps rush into the room at the sound of my sobs before arms wrap around my shoulders. My eyes catch Remus ripping off his shirt to press against my nose as I realize Sirius is holding me tightly around my stomach. James pulls my hands away from my face and starts casting a scourgify spell to clean the blood off my fingers.

"It's just a bloody nose Mackenzie," Sirius mutters into my ear. "You are safe now sis."

I shake my head wildly, causing myself pain since Remus is holding my nose. "Mack, it's okay," Remus says softly, tucking my hair away from my face. "Relax and turn your hair back to normal."

I tilt my head and see my hair is pure black, scared. "Marlene is dead," I murmur between hysterical hiccups.

Sirius draws in a deep breath behind me.

"My best friend is dead," I shriek, causing Sirius to push me into Remus. I sob into Remus' chest as I hear James crouch next to Sirius.

"I'm so sorry mate," he says quietly.

We sit there in tears all coping with the emotions, mine from having to lie, theirs of pure loss. Once the blood from my nose stops, I lean back from Remus and look up at his sad hazel eyes.

"I want to go home Rem," I say softly. He nods and pulls me up slowly before walking me towards the stairs. We carefully tread up the sweeping staircase and enter the light blue room Mrs. Potter had given me at the beginning of the summer. I push open the dark wooden door and see two trunks sitting at the edge of the bed. I look back at Remus before walking over to my trunk.

"This has been my room every time I stay over," Remus says softly, sitting down next to me. "Mrs. Potter must've known we are soul mates and put us together."

"Mum told her," I say with a soft smile. "Mrs. Potter was so happy to find out that you finally found a girl."

Remus chuckle, "I was waiting for the right one."

He wraps his arm around my shoulder and I lean into him. "Is Sirius going to be okay?" I ask quietly, the guilt already coming to me.

Remus sighs, "He's a Gryffindor and a Black, he can deal with anything. Heck, I bet he could even go to Azkaban and not go insane."

I shake my head, "I don't want to test that theory."

Remus chuckles, "Neither do I, love." I wave my wand and everything floats out of the drawers in the room  and goes back into my trunk. "Are you sure you have to go love?"

I sigh, "Mum and Dad will be very worried once they find out I was in the same building as the Dark Lord, it's best if I go home now so I can come back later in the summer."

Remus tiles up my trunk and grabs my hand. I stand shakily and he moves the hand he's holding onto my trunk. He leans down and gives me a quick kiss before leaning away. "Perhaps you should disapparate love, fireplaces don't seem to like you today."

I smile up at my boyfriend towering over me. "Perhaps you are right Moony."

"I'm always right love." He presses another kiss onto my forehead before taking two steps backwards. He waves silently as I disapparate home.