ᴅɪsᴘᴇʟ ᴍʏ ʙᴏʀᴇᴅᴏᴍ | ᴍᴀʀᴀᴅᴇᴜʀs' ᴇʀᴀ

Chapter 25: Pawns

Hogwarts, greenhouses

Heavy rainfall reported the beginning of spring. Many students refused to go outside, even to Hogsmeade. However, some of them were worried about different problems which have nothing to do with the weather or studies.

Marauders craved the revenge for their humiliated and insulted souls and so they humbly waited until all the students left the greenhouses.

"Hey, little sister!" Sirius was more confident than ever. "Will you give us a few seconds of your precious attention?"

There was a frightening smirk on his face but Narcissa didn't even flinch when four Marauders surrounded her.

"Anything to say to us?" Potter asked with a wicked grin, as if by chance playing with a magic wand.

Remus looked at him with slight apprehension: he believed that threatening a girl, albeit without use of force, was really low and mean. It reminded him of persecution of Severus in the fifth year, although then Snape looked much more frightened than slyly grinning Narcissa.

"I have no idea what you mean, Potter," she said flatly.

"We have evidence that you're on a team of cowardly clowns who call themselves AB," Sirius smiled coldly. "Is there anything to say to this?"

"Say those four who decided to squeeze defenseless girl against the wall?" Narcissa countered. "What's next? Will you torture me until I confess, or bind and drag me to the basement?"

"That depends on what choice you leave to us," Sirius said sternly. It seemed that he was taking out all his anger and resentment for the family on Narcissa. She frowned and carefully took Black's wand away from her.

"You mentioned the evidence. I'm ready to listen to your version of events."

"You and Malfoy were hanging out together yesterday in Dumbledore's office," a solemn smile played on Sirius's lips.

"I don't see any connection," Narcissa shivered internally. How could Marauders know about this? Did they follow her, or it was Lucius's tricks?

"We do," James pulled a rumpled pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket and lit one, breathing smoke out right into Narcissa's face. "You have a very obvious choice: a heart-to-heart talk with us or with Dumbledore."

"In that case," Narcissa stepped forward, her eyes burning with rage. "I choose Dumbledore."

She jerked the cigarette from Potter's mouth and threw it to the floor with disgust.

"Narcissa, we..." Remus said gently, pushing James aside with his shoulder.

"Doesn't that remind you of anything, Lupin?" Narcissa hissed, turning to the Gryffindor. "For example, those beautiful days, when you were cowardly hiding behind the back of your friends while they pinned defenseless Severus down?"

"Where were you when your house mate was pinned down? Painted nails?" Black asked quizzically.

"The fact that I didn't stand up for Severus at the time doesn't justify your miserable behavior," Narcissa said in disgust.

"Says the one who's trying to humiliate us in front of the whole school," Black exploded, pressing his wand to his cousin's throat; it seemed that he was only waiting for an occasion to humiliate and hurt her.

"Trying?" Narcissa threw her head back under the pressure of Sirius's wand but her eyes burned with triumph. "I'm not trying, I'm doing it."

"You!.."

Peter and Remus both clung to Sirius's hands, trying to keep him from irrevocable mistake. James ran across to the Slytherin, intending to finish what Black started, and then the door to the greenhouses creaked.