A Marauder's Guide to Falling Together

Chapter Seventeen

The first thing she saw when the walls had stopped moving was a rush of red before the tight embrace of Lily's arms around her torso clued her into the fact that it had been her long, sweeping hair.

"Ouch," Marlene flinched slightly as Lily's grasp around her caused slight discomfort to her abdomen.

"I'm sorry," she breathed while pulling away, "did I hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine," Marlene grinned at her, "but do you think I could move out of the fireplace before we continue this conversation? We're getting covered in soot."

"Of course," Lily laughed nervously and moved backwards so that Marlene could step out of the hearth and into the familiar room of the Hogwarts infirmary. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall were standing off to her right side and they were watching Marlene with interest. As soon as her eyes passed over the school nurse, Madam Pomfrey bustled forwards to usher Marlene to one of the white cots on the opposite side of the room.

"Come and sit so I can get a better look," she said sternly. "I want to make sure that you didn't get injured on your way over here." It was pretty apparent by her tone that she disagreed with Patrick's choice of transportation. Marlene imagined that if it had been her to discharge her from St. Mungos, she'd probably still be curled up in a compartment on the Hogwarts train.

Despite the fact that Marlene wanted to protest, she complied obediently and moved across the room to lay her book bag on the counter beside the bed before lying down. Instinctively she pulled the hem of her sweater up to reveal her bare stomach so that Madam Pomfrey could examine her. Lily's face twisted into a grimace as she caught sight of the scar and Marlene tried to ignore the painful look that crossed over Lily's face as their eyes made contact.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Marlene tried to ease her friend's worries. She wasn't being truthful though, and the dubious look that Lily offered her told Marlene that she knew better. She quickly clarified, "I mean, since it's healed. It's not nearly as bad anymore."

"That's quite the wound," Madam Pomfrey's eyes were wide and her finger traced over the lines in the air above Marlene's skin. Despite the fact that her finger never touched Marlene, she could still feel the shiver of the light graze of her movement.

"I'm supposed to come back every week," Marlene said dully and Madam Pomfrey nodded her head.

"I want to see you back here on Monday," her eyes focused on Marlene's, her brows raised slightly.

"I don't even know what day it is," Marlene admitted truthfully. She had lost track of the time since her stay at the hospital.

"It's Friday, Miss McKinnon," Professor McGonagall finally offered her first words from her place across the room. Unlike Lily and Madam Pomfrey, she hadn't felt the need to look at the wound and this was oddly comforting to Marlene. There was something about the look on Lily's face that confirmed Marlene's fears that she would be treated differently from now on.

"Miss Evans is here to make sure that you get settled properly. Students will be heading down for dinner soon and I wasn't entirely sure that you would feel comfortable making your first appearance in the confinements of the Great Hall."

"Not really, no," she sighed. She didn't even want to think about how awkward it would be to stroll into the hall full of hundreds of students that had no idea she had returned. She didn't imagine her reunion with those she was closest with would be something she was willing to share with prying eyes.

"How are you feeling Miss McKinnon?" Professor McGonagall was peering at her from over her spectacles. Despite her usually stern demeanor, she looked concerned and the tone of her voice indicated that she was.